Notes on This Issue       Editor       1990


Vol. CX                         January, 1990               No. 1

                              New Church Life

A MONTHLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO THE TEACHINGS REVEALED THROUGH EMANUEL SWEDENBORG

The Spirit of Truth
     A Sermon on John 16:13.                     Bjorn A. H. Boyesen 3
An Evangelical Plan to Disseminate
     the Heavenly Doctrines to the Masses          John H. Roach 9
The Disciples (concluded from December issue)          Peter M. Buss 14
Change                                        Mark R. Carlson 17
"The Word"                                        Norman E. Riley 18
Dedication in Korea                              Robert S. Junge 21

Reviews
     John Pitcairn: Uncommon Entrepreneur           Bruce Henderson 23
     Heads, Hearts, and Hands                     E. Bruce Glenn 27

Editorial Department
     Surprising Religious News from Eastern Europe     31
     Disaster Brings Out the Best                    32

Communications
     New Age Christians                         John Kane 35
     The True Christian Religion in English          John Chadwick 36
     Two Proposals                              Richard Linquist 40
     Reader Concern                               Erik E. Sandstrom 41
     Putting Books in Libraries                    Gretchen Lindsay 42

Church News                                        43
Announcements                                   44
Information on General Church Places of Worship
     (other than USA)                              46

     PUBLISHED BY
     THE GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
     Rev. Donald L. Rose, Editor
     Mr. Neil M. Buss, Business Manager

     PRINTED BY THE GENERAL CHURCH PRESS
     BRYN ATHYN, PA 19009
     SUBSCRIPTION: $12.00 TO ANY ADDRESS. SINGLE COPY $1.25
     Second-class postage paid at Bryn Athyn, PA

Vol. CX                    February, 1990               No. 2

                              New church Life

A MONTHLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO THE TEACHINGS REVEALED THROUGH EMANUEL SWEDENBORG

The Best of Friends
     A Sermon on John 16:24                     Arthur W. Schnarr 51
The Diepkloof Society Received into the
     General Church                         Peter Nkabinde 58

Declaration of Faith                          Chester Mcanyana 61

The New Church of the Open Word               Alan G. Ferr 62

Some Thoughts on Managing from a
Spiritual Viewpoint                         William R. Warley 65

An Evangelical Plan to Disseminate the Heavenly Doctrines
     to the Masses (Part two)                John H. Roach 74

Lose the Shoes                               Tim Rose 79

Editorial Department
     Freedom in a New Decade                    85
     More from George Bush                    86

Communication
     Thank You, Mr. Nagashima               V. C. Odhner 88

Announcements                               90

Information on Places of Worship (USA)          93

Vol. CX                    March, 1990                     No. 3



                         New Church Life

A MONTHLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO THE TEACHINGS REVEALED THROUGH EMANUEL SWEDENBORG

Patience
     A Sermon on Luke 21:19                         Andrew J. Heilman 99
Wisdom of Life                                    Grant H. Odhner 105
An Evangelical Plan to Disseminate the Heavenly Doctrines
to the Masses (Part three)                         John H. Roach 107

Resurrection Address for Rhona Bostock               Kurt H. Asplundh 112

Joining the Organized Church                         117

Do Not Be Deceived                              Lyle Birchman 119
Two Occurrences of Conjugialis In 1704               Jonathan S. Rose 124

Editorial Department
     The Attraction of Spiritual Growth Groups      125
     Bible Society in Russia                         126
     World Congress of Religions 1993               127
     Much Ado About Differences                    129

Communications
     Suggestion for Organists                    Carla Zecher 131
     What "Conjugialis" Conveys                    Heulwen M. Ridgway 132
     
General Church Publication Committee Annual Report     L. R. Soneson 134

News Around the Church                              136

Announcements                                   138

Information on General Church Places of Worship
     (Other than USA)                              142


Vol. CX                    April, 1990               No. 4

                         New Church life
      A MONTHLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO THE TEACHINGS
          REVEALED THROUGH EMANUEL SWEDENBORG

Seeing the Lord from Essence to Person
     A Sermon on John 12:12                     Geoffrey H. Howard 147

The Eternal Life of the Embryo               B. David Holm 153

The Passion of the Cross (Excerpts)               Willard D. Pendleton 158

An Evangelical Plan to Disseminate the Heavenly Doctrines
     to the Masses (Conclusion)               John H. Roach 161

Victor Jeremiah Gladish
     (A Resurrection Address)               Brian W. Keith 168

Report of the General Church Office of
     Education                              Frederick L. Schnarr 172
The Invisible City                          Walter E. Orthwein 176

Editorial Department
     Let's Talk about Death and Life          178

Communications
     "Suggestion for Organists"               Christine Taylor 182
     "Worldly Thinking"                     Bill Hall 184

Announcements                              187

Information on General Church Places of Worship
     (USA)                                   189



Vol. CX                         May, 1990           No. 5

                         New church Life

           A MONTHLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO THE TEACHINGS
               REVEALED THROUGH EMANUEL SWEDENBORG

Happy the Man
     A Sermon on Psalm 1: 1                    Frederick C. Elphick 195

The Academy Schools Calendar 1990-91          200

Evolution, the Limbus, and Hereditary Evil      Mark R. Carlson 202

The Eternal Life of the Embryo (concluded)      B. David Holm 213

On the Nature of the Word                     Heulwen M. Ridgway 222

Report of the General Church Video Committee     Geoffrey H. Howard 228

Editorial Department
     Latin Lexicon Completed                230
     The Bulletin                          231
     Guided Tour of the Cathedral               232
Communications
     Opening and Closing the Word                Richard R. Gladish 234
     The Man Becomes a Christian                Ray Silverman 235

Announcements                              236

Information on General Church
     Places of Worship (other than USA)           238


Vol. CX                    June, 1990     No. 6               

                         New Church Life

A MONTHLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO THE TEACHINGS REVEALED THROUGH EMANUEL SWEDENBORG

Seeing the Lord (Part 1)                    Brian W. Keith 243

In Our Contemporaries                         251

Benjamin Nzimande, A Memorial Address          Willard L. D. Heinrichs 252

Evolution, the Limbus, and Hereditary
     Evil (Part 2)                         259

General Church Corporation Secretary's Report     276

Editorial Department
     Seeing and Hearing the Lord               279
     An Appeal to Art Historians               281

Our Faith in the Glorified Lord               John Powerly 281

Church News                               282

Announcements                              283

Information on General Church
     Places of Worship (USA only)               285


Vol. CX                    July, 1990                    No. 7

                     New Church Life

A MONTHLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO THE TEACHINGS REVEALED THROUGH EMANUEL SWEDENBORG

A Rock Higher Than Ourselves
     A Sermon on Psalm 61:2                    Erik E. Sandstrom 291

Evolution, the Limbus, and
     Hereditary Evil (Part 3)                Mark R. Carlson 299
Seeing the Lord (Part 2)                    Brian W. Keith 313

Adventure of a New Church
     man In New England                    Edward B. Lee, Jr. 319
The New Liturgy                              Lorentz R Soneson 323
Letter from the White House                    325
Editorial Department
     Will You Get What You Want? If So, When?     326
Communication
     The Open Word                         Alan G. Ferr 327
Church News                                   330, 334
Announcements                              332
Information on General Church Places of Worship
     (Other than USA)                         334


Vol. CX                    August, 1990           No. 8

                         New Church Life

     A MONTHLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO THE TEACHINGS
     REVEALED THROUGH EMANUEL SWEDENBORG

Parental Control and Discipline
     A Sermon on Rev. 3:19                         Daniel W. Heinrichs 339

Evolution, the Limbus, and Hereditary Evil (Conclusion) Mark R. Carlson 345

The Skill of Good Conversations and How to Have Them     Lavina Scott 352

A Double Portion
     An Address on II Kings 2:1                    Cedric King 357

Declarations of Faith and Purpose                    David H. Lindrooth 362
                                             Erik J. Buss 363

Seeing the Lord (Conclusion)                         Brian W. Keith 365

Editorial Department
     Will You Get What You Want? If So, When? (2)     369
     Good Conversation                          370

Communications
     Life of the Embryo                         William R. Woofenden 372
     An Interesting Number                         Richard Linquist 374
     "On the Nature of the Word"-Corrected           Heulwen M. Ridgway 375
     Women's Work Schedules                         Charis P. Cole 376
     Statement of Faith                         George F. Dole 376
     An Inspiring Example                         Robin Childs 377

Announcements                                   378

Information on General Church Places of Worship
     (USA only)                                   381


Vol. CX                    September,                1990 No. 9
     
                         New Church Life

A MONTHLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO THE TEACHINGS REVEALED THROUGH EMANUEL SWEDENBORG

Dogmatism and Tolerance in the New Church
     Ragnar Boyesen 387
Among My Favorite Passages
     Richard W. Laws 408
Charter Day Information
     409
Viewpoint of a Newcomer
     Ben Dettinger 410
"Dead Poets Society"-The Movie
     Norman Heldon 413
Dedication of the New Church at Boynton Beach
     Freya Fitzpatrick 415

Editorial Department
     Will You Get What You Want? If So When? (3) 417
     "Men" in the Gospels 419
     Awaken from Death 421

Communications
     More on the "Open Word
          Richard R. Gladish 423
     Abridgments of the Word
          William L. Weaver 424

Church News 426

Announcements 428


Vol. CX                    October, 1990               No. 10

                         NEW church Life

A MONTHLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO THE TEACHINGS REVEALED THROUGH EMANUEL SWEDENBORG

Honesty A Sermon on John 8:47
     Glenn G. Alden 435

Review Evangeline's Way
     Robert H. P. Cole 440

A Vision of Service (From a speech by Helen Keller) 444

A Rose by Any Other Name . . . Only Causes
Confusion
     Donald K. Rogers 448

Among My Favorite Passages (2)
     Jim Hauck 451

John Flaxman's Knight of the Blazing Cross
     Rachel Glenn 452
British Academy Summer School, 1990
     Ruth P. Goodenough 455
Report of the Bishop
     Louis B. King 458

Editorial Department
     The Beginning of New Church Magazines 461
     Will You Get What You Want? If so, When? 462
     Saying It Very Simply 463
     Channels of Spiritual Strength 466

Communications Evolution
     Horand Gutfeldt 469
Summer Reading Appreciated
     Erik E. Sandstrom 470
Dr. Iungerich's Views
     Nadia I. Williams 472

British Assembly Photograph, August 1990 475
Assembly by the Lake 476
Announcements 477


Vol. CX                    November,               1990 No. 11

                     New Church Life

A MONTHLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO THE TEACHINGS REVEALED THROUGH EMANUEL SWEDENBORG

The New Church in Today's World
     Martin Pryke 483

Among My Favorite Passages
     Margherita Faulkner 495

Directory of the General Church
     E. Boyd Asplundh 497
The 1990 Laurel Family Camps
     John W. Rose 509

Local Schools Directory 513
Editorial Department
     Will You Get What You Want? If So, When? (5) 517

Communications
     Timetables of History
          D. Bruce Powell 519
     Impromptu?
          Grant R. Schnarr 520
     Will You Get What You Want?
          Lawson M. Smith 527

Church News
     Doris McDonald 521

Announcements 524


     Vol. CX December, 1990 No. 12

Our Many Moods of Christmas
     A Sermon on Luke 1:34
          Louis D. Synnestvedt 531

1990 Academy Commencement
     Address William Radcliffe 536

Report of the Editor of New Church Life 542

Annual Report of the Secretary of the General Church
     E. Boyd Asplundh 543

Editorial Department
     C. S. Lewis and Swedenborg 549
     Admit Your Faults to One Another 550
     Volume Seven of the Arcana 552

General Church Treasurer's Report
     Neil M. Buss 554
Announcements     559
Information on General Church Places of Worship 562

Vol. CX                         January, 1990               No. 1

                              New Church Life


     Notes on This Issue

     [Photograph]


     This is a photo of the building in Seoul, Korea dedicated last November (see p. 21). Rev. Robert Junge traveled far and wide in 1989. His visits to Japan and Korea are described in Church News (p. 43).
     Last February an evangelization seminar culminated in a banquet featuring a stirring address by Rev. John H. Roach (see p. 9).
     We thank Bruce Henderson and E. Bruce Glenn for providing reviews of two new books.
     The placement of books in 896 libraries (p. 42) may dwarf your local effort, but don't let that deter you!
     Last month we announced the General Assembly coming in June, 1991. Please note the related announcement below.
     
1991 General Assembly Announcement


     At the General Assembly in 1991 provision is being made for time and space for special interest groups to gather (i.e., Theta Alpha, camp-planning sessions, etc.). If your group would like a scheduled time and place to gather, please contact Rev. Brian W. Keith at 73 Park Drive, Glenview, IL 60025.

3


SPIRIT OF TRUTH 1990

SPIRIT OF TRUTH       Rev. BJORN A. H. BOYESEN       1990

     "When the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth . . . " (John 16:13).

     In the Christian Church it is customary to celebrate Whitsuntide-or the Feast of Pentecost as it is also called-in remembrance of the miracle which is described in the second chapter of the book of Acts. The chapter tells that the Lord's apostles were gathered together on the day of Pentecost shortly after the ascension of Christ into heaven. They were in an upper room in Jerusalem, where they often met. "And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:2-4). Afterwards the apostles went out into the streets preaching, and everyone that heard them was struck with astonishment, for everyone, no matter what language he spoke, heard the apostles speak to him in his own language.
     In the New Church we do not usually celebrate this happening. It is no doubt partly because the book of Acts in the Bible, which describes this remarkable event, according to the Writings for the New Church is not a part of the Word. These Writings state that there are also several other such books in the Bible, as, for example, the book of Ruth, Chronicles, Job and several others in the Old Testament, and all the epistles and letters in the New Testament. They are said not to be the Word because they have no internal, spiritual sense immediately from the Lord. Still they are useful books for the church because they contain many of the apostles' sermons as well as much useful information about the early history of the Christian Church.
     Another reason why we in the New Church do not usually celebrate this event-when the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke with other tongues-is that it was hardly as great a miracle as one might think.

4


On earth it might indeed seem most miraculous, but in the spiritual world what happened would seem to be a rather common occurrence. There the Lord's Spirit, which is the Divine Truth, is continually poured out over all the angels, and when the truth is received it radiates as a shining light from the face of the angel, and is like a halo around his head. And it was, no doubt, the same phenomenon which was seen as cloven tongues of fire above the heads of the apostles. Moreover, angels also speak their own heavenly language, which all in the spiritual world understand regardless of the language which they spoke on earth. It is a universal heavenly language understood by all, and men understand it immediately when they leave this earth and become angels in heaven.
     It was undoubtedly something similar that happened when the apostles preached under the Lord's guidance. After all, truth in itself is not a matter of language, but high above every language. But they who heard the apostles on this occasion had their spiritual eyes and ears opened, and for the time being actually saw and heard in the spiritual world; wherefore each saw the light above the apostles and heard them speak in his own language, exactly as is normal in heaven. In other words, it was the light of the spiritual world that they saw and the common language of all in that world that they heard, each in his own way. It was truth as understood by both the angels and the apostles-according to their best light.
     There is probably something very similar happening when a priest preaches. His sermon is not the Lord's own Word. It is, even when true, only from the Word. But if the priest is honest and sincere in the work of his calling, he is nevertheless under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is therefore said in the Writings that by means of his ordination and his studies and experience, a priest receives from the Lord a special enlightenment. By his enlightenment he is especially prepared to teach truth and to lead thereby to the good of life and thus to help in the building of the Lord's church on earth.

5


His sermons are therefore useful for the church. They help both himself and his congregation to understand the Lord's Word better, and, if they are willing, to become better human beings. The Writings therefore teach that the members of the church ought frequently and carefully to listen to sermons (see Charity 174). If their spiritual eyes were open, we surmise that they might even see a flame of light above the head of the priest; and if their spiritual ears were opened, it might also be possible that every listener would hear him speak each in his own language, even if they belonged to different language groups. But men are not normally in such states on earth. They do not normally see spiritual light before their eyes, but at best only before their understanding; and they normally hear only the language that the priest actually speaks and understand him only if they can speak the same language.
     Besides, one must also remember that the priest's enlightenment is always dependent on his sincerity and diligence in his studies and work as a priest. It is also dependent on his temporary state-as, for example, on his health, on whether he is tired or rested, and other matters. How much his listeners understand is also dependent on their state-on whether they are tired or rested, on whether they pay attention or not, on whether they listen with interest and love, with an affirmative or negative spirit. When the Lord's Spirit inflows through one man to another, it therefore never comes with full Divine power, because men are never perfect. A sermon can therefore never be compared with the Lord's Word itself! It is only an explanation of the Word. It is the priest's understanding of the Word, and is more or less correct depending on his knowledge and illustration. And the same is true when a man translates the Word into other languages. The tongues of fire above the heads of the apostles were therefore only a picture of the spiritual light and love in which they were. It could be more or less clear and reliable. But the Word itself is infinite truth! It is the Lord's own truth, far mightier and wiser than any man can ever fully understand or express. It shines in heaven with a light so strong that it fills the entire heaven with light.

6


In itself it is always equally strong and never varies. And we can only pray and hope that it shines through our tiny efforts.
     When we think of this, we may realize that it is especially the Lord's own Word that should arouse our thankfulness. It is indeed true that the Word even in its original languages was written by means of men, but in a very different way from translations and sermons. These express a man's own opinions and beliefs according to his best knowledge and understanding of the Word at the time. And the Lord is with him according to his sincerity and ability. As it is written: "The clergy in particular receive enlightenment and instruction because these relate to their office, and inauguration into the ministry brings them with it." But it is well to note also the following warning read in our lesson: "They [the clergy] ought to be careful not to persuade themselves that the zeal which takes hold of many when preaching is the Divine operation in their hearts. For a similar and even more ardent zeal prevails with fanatics, and even with those whose doctrines are false in the extreme and who lightly esteem the Word and worship nature instead of God" (TCR 146).
     So it is also wise for the laymen of the church to heed this warning: "Exploration is to be made from the Word to see whether the doctrinals of the church are true or not. For they are not true because the leaders of the church say so and their followers confirm it. The Word is to be searched and there it is to be seen whether they are true. And when this is done from an affection for truth, man is enlightened by the Lord so as to perceive, without knowing whence, what is true, and is confirmed in it according to the good in which he is" (AC 6047). In other words, the Holy Spirit inflows also into laymen-yes indeed into all men-if they search the Word sincerely and honestly. For note that the Holy Spirit inflows only through the Word, because it alone is Divine truth. And the Holy Spirit is this truth. For any man, therefore, to claim that the Holy Spirit inflows through him apart from the Word is not the truth.

7



     The Word is written by the Lord's own commandment and under His very special care. Whoever then writes at the Lord's bidding writes exactly as the Lord Himself demands. Such writing is a direct Divine revelation. It may even be that the person who does the writing may only partially or even not at all understand the real meaning of what he writes, and this to the end that his own personality may be quiescent and not interfere. That was true when the Old Testament was written. The Holy Spirit inflowed through the writer's arm and hand, and he wrote automatically without reflecting on what he wrote until later; or else he heard an inner voice which dictated exactly what he was to write, as the Lord Himself accommodated the truth to the peoples of the time. Much of the New Testament may also have been written in the same manner, or else by the method that the evangelists-Matthew, Mark, Luke and John-were made to remember and write down exactly what the Lord had told them when He was yet present with them on earth. But, of course, it is also possible that the man who serves to write the Word on the Lord's command may be led to understand what he writes-perhaps not the whole meaning but a great deal. That, we believe, is what happened when Swedenborg was commissioned to write the Writings for the New Church. Still, Swedenborg asserts that what he wrote was not from himself but from the Lord. He tells us that he did not "receive anything pertaining to the doctrines of the New Church from any angel but from the Lord alone" while he read the Word (TCR 779). Nor did he receive anything of the doctrine from any human spirit anywhere or from any man on earth but only illustrations and confirmations. He solemnly asserts that the Lord filled him with His Own Divine Spirit in a special way for the purpose of writing the doctrines, and that the Lord had prepared his understanding from his earliest childhood toward this end. The kind of Divine revelation which exists in the Writings is therefore especially adapted to enlighten the understanding so that men are helped by them better than ever formerly to understand what the Lord teaches about Himself and life in the spiritual world.

8


That is why these Writings may indeed be called the crown of all the revelations that have ever been given to the world. In their light even the Old and the New Testaments can be understood better than ever. And they can touch the heart more deeply than any former revelation. We must therefore never forget that they are the Lord's Word and not Swedenborg's, although he ought to be respected for his intelligence and humility. For he was, by his own word, only the servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. Indeed, the Writings are the Lord's Word not only on earth but also in heaven, for we may know that even the light of heaven increased manifold when the Writings were published.
     This, then, is the reason why in the New Church we celebrate the nineteenth day of June rather than Pentecost, because it was on that day Swedenborg finished the Divine Revelation which the Lord commissioned him to write for this church. And he tells us that on the same day the Lord also called together His twelve disciples who had followed Him in the world, and the next day He sent them throughout the whole spiritual world to preach the gospel that the Lord Jesus Christ reigns, whose kingdom shall be for ages and ages, and of whom it is written in these Writings (see TCR 791).
     Knowing this we may then realize that it is through the Word, and today most especially through the Writings for the New Church, that the Holy Spirit comes to us. Of course, it comes also through doctrinal studies and sermons given by a priest, and through people's own reading and reflection on the Word. But these only lead us to the Word itself. They help us to understand it. And this is most important. For in the Word, of which the Writings are a part and the most enlightening part, the Lord speaks directly to us without another man accommodating the truth. That is why we ought to read at least some part of the Word, including the Writings, preferably each day and reflect on it. For when the Lord lived with us here on earth, He told us Himself that these Writings would be written and urged us to study them.

9


He said: "Hitherto . . . I have spoken to you in figurative language, but the hour is coming when I shall no longer speak to you in figurative language but will tell you plainly of the Father" (John 16:24, 25). "When the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth, which proceeds from the Father, He shall testify of Me" (John 15:26). "He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you" (John 14:26). Amen.

Lessons: Isaiah 60:1-5, John 16:4-15, 23-25, TCR 779 (portion)
EVANGELICAL PLAN TO DISSEMINATE THE HEAVENLY DOCTRINES TO THE MASSES 1990

EVANGELICAL PLAN TO DISSEMINATE THE HEAVENLY DOCTRINES TO THE MASSES       Rev. JOHN H. ROACH       1990

     (Part One of an Address to the Evangelization Seminar Banquet)

     I have chosen to speak to you tonight on an evangelical plan to disseminate the Heavenly Doctrine to the masses. Now actually this is my plan, and this is what I have dreamed of doing for the last ten years.
     First of all, however, it is essential that I tell you something about myself and my call to ministry, and how I discovered the Writings. I was born in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, on February 3, 1933. 1 was reared in the home of my grandparents by my mother, who lived at home with her parents. My father and mother divorced when I was an infant, and he eventually settled in Louisville, Kentucky, leaving my grandfather as the only man around the house. He was a Baptist preacher and he preached in a little church each Sunday about 54 miles from Mt. Vernon. The salary of black preachers in those days following the depression was almost non-existent. The congregation tried to supplement his salary by giving vegetables and meats from their farms. My grandfather, therefore, worked during the week in his own little scrap paper and iron business.

10


He sometimes found books in the midst of scrap paper. He put them in his bookcase, and over a period of time accumulated a number of books.
     When I was nine years old my grandfather passed on into the spiritual world. In 1947 when I became fourteen years old, the Lord called me to preach through means of a nightly series of dreams. It was difficult for me to believe that He was in fact calling me to preach, so on advice of my grandmother, I tested this call in our back yard on a Thursday night in July, choosing the brightest star in the west. I prayed to the Lord that He would let me see this star move if he really wanted me to preach. It moved! The star moved three times in the form of a triangle. This was done in answer to my repeated requests for proof. After being convinced that I was to preach, I announced this call the following Sunday morning in the little Baptist church where I was a member. Shortly thereafter, I was granted a license by the church to preach the gospel.
     In my new ministry, I became hungry for information to study that I might prepare my sermons. So I went to my late grandfather's bookcase and discovered many books that aided my quest for knowledge. Among these books I found old copies of Heaven and Hell, Arcana Coelestia Vol. 1, The True Christian Religion complete in one volume, all by Emanuel Swedenborg, and the Science of Correspondences Elucidated by Edward Madely. I examined these books and immediately discovered that they were far too advanced for my thinking at that age, so I laid these aside, but was drawn back to them through the years up until age eighteen when I graduated from high school. I then moved to Louisville, Kentucky, taking my late grandfather's entire collection of books with me, including those four volumes. In Louisville I lived with my father and continued my education.
     In 1961 at the age of 28, 1 became able to read the Writings with a better comprehension, and I began to study them carefully. But I had trouble accepting the second coming of the Lord as being in the spirit and power of His Word rather than in person.

11


By the year 1963 I became reconciled that the second coming of the Lord was indeed an opening of the spiritual sense of the Word.
     By this time I had been pastoring Methodist churches for eight years, but was unable to include the Heavenly Doctrines in my sermons until the year 1965. But here I had to be careful because I was preaching among Methodist people who had no knowledge of these Writings. You see, I did not want to reveal the source of my new-found theology for fear that I would be branded a heretic and get thrown out of the church before I was ready to go. However, I enjoyed preaching these doctrines, and as I moved from church to church, the people accepted my preaching with gratitude. This was a pleasant surprise and it encouraged me to get down to the so-called "nitty gritty" with these doctrines and really give it to them.
     In the year 1967 I decided to inquire if there were churches founded upon this new theology. I acquired the name of the Convention of the New Jerusalem church from one of my books and wrote them for information. Shortly thereafter I received a letter from the late Horace Blackmer. He sent me literature and a copy of the Messenger, a periodical of the church which I later subscribed to. After taking the Messenger for a few years, I discovered that their views on the Writings were too liberal for my conservative nature to accept. By this time I had already discovered from a book I read called The New Church in the New World by Marguerite Beck Block that there was also a General New Church organization that was founded upon the Writings. I wrote them in 1979 and subscribed to their New Church Life. Their views on the Writings were more conservative. Moreover I could identify more readily with this church because they had bishops in the church, and I belonged to a church with bishops.
     Now I have spared you the many intricate details that are incidental to my call to the ministry and my discovery of the Writings, for to discuss them would require too much time.

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I merely mentioned the high points in order to show how the Divine Providence of the Lord chose and led me step by step, little by little, year by year, even from my birth in this world through the vicissitudes of life to the discovery of the Writings, not from birth and membership in one of the organizations of the New Church, but outside of the New Church organization. I suppose that the Lord raised me as a gentile. Swedenborg describes one class of gentiles as "in darkness in the shadow of death, and in thick darkness, whose eyes the Lord will open, who have been in good works but not in any truths because they have not known the Lord, neither were in possession of the Word." I identified myself in this first class. There are two reasons why I was chosen in this manner. The first is that I might be raised by the Lord alone to accept these doctrines in purity, without any mixture of human error, opinion, assertions, ideology, self-derived intelligence or modification. The other reason is that being raised up in a Protestant tradition, I would have a greater impact upon Protestants everywhere of gentile characteristics, because I would understand such a tradition and would have some knowledge of how to reach the masses of people when it became time for me to help promulgate the Heavenly Doctrines.
     Brothers and Sisters, what I have to tell you now I have never officially told any member of the New Church anywhere. But I feel that my time is near at hand and the Divine Providence of the Lord has ordained that I share it with you now.
     Shortly before my 46th birthday I was confronted with a "mystical sense of urgency" to undertake the writing of a series of works, but I was reluctant to cooperate with my spiritual mentor. Then negative thoughts entered my mind and set up a strong barrier of resistance to this mystical sense which was quietly trying to lead me. As a result of listening to these negative appeals, the commencement of such works was delayed for several years.
     In the meantime, however, it appeared as if in everything I did, whether it was to worship at church, engage in conversation, listen to the radio, watch television programs, or read a book or magazine, I was confronted with an unrelenting desire to take up such a work.

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     My spirit became so disturbed that this fervid desire moving within me caused me to see the necessity of liberating the Christian Church from so many crippling errors respecting their doctrines, so that it might be refreshed with a rational comprehension of new truths. But while this fervid desire remained with me, I still procrastinated.
     So shortly before my 46th birthday my eyesight became stricken with double vision. I had simply retired for the evening in perfect health, and upon awakening the next morning I found myself unable to focus properly, nor was I able to walk without falling over. No medical treatment could be prescribed to restore my eyesight to normal activity because all tests and examinations failed to reveal any malfunction of my bodily organs. It was a condition of inexplicable mystery to the medical doctors, who eventually called me into a conference room after I had spent one week in the hospital. This "mystical sense of urgency" had revealed itself with an impact that shattered my imagination.
     Later I discovered this frightening experience to be the Divine presence gaining my attention, and revealing to me the command to undertake the writing of a series of works. So after temporarily correcting my vision by wearing special made lenses, I fully accepted this challenge offered me, and in March 1979, I began researching and writing for several volumes. Three weeks later my eyesight was restored to normal activity.
     Brothers and Sisters, what I have to tell you is this: the Lord has chosen me for the work of spreading the Heavenly Doctrines of the New Revelation to the masses of people everywhere. The time has come- the harvest is truly ripe for the reaper. So let us take a look at the harvest fields of the world to see what reaping needs to be done.
     
     [To be Continued]

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DISCIPLES 1990

DISCIPLES       Rev. PETER M. BUSS       1990

     (Concluded)

     What they were and what they became

     These two states of the disciples are contrasted in the spiritual world. We are told that they are in the interior or middle heaven, and that when sent forth to spread the new gospel of the second coming, they did it with great zeal. We are told that they came into heaven not merely through being disciples but through a life of repentance (see HH 526); and that they are not the greatest there, but many are more worthy than they.
     But in one set of passages in the New Word it speaks of a gathering in the world of spirits in which the disciples took part, and they returned into the state in which they had been while in the world. In that state they remembered their longing to sit on twelve thrones and justified the wish; and it had to be pointed out to them again that no man may judge, for men judge perversely and falsely (see SD 1321, 1322). They also believed that only those who died a martyr's death, and suffered for their faith, could be worthy to enter heaven. It was pointed out to them that many had died such deaths from the love of personal glory and to merit heaven, and some had died for false faiths. They replied that they themselves had suffered for the faith and the gospel, which was good. But they were then reminded that they had not suffered for faith and the gospel. Their prime motivating force had been the wish to rule in heaven, which was a selfish love. This they could not deny, for it had been their motive until the Lord changed it in the secret ways known to Him alone (see SD 1325-7). The passage concludes by saying that the Lord in His mercy inspires good into such people as the disciples-people who think they are sincere even though they are not.
     
     The dramatic change in their lives

     This particular description tells us what the disciples were like before they were regenerated and taken into heaven by the Lord, and as we think of them now, inhabitants of His eternal kingdom, we cannot but marvel at the change.

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They had been simple men with all humankind's failings. They were sensual, earthbound in concept, with exalted ideas of their own importance. They learned slowly; think how often the Lord upbraided them for their inability to understand the simplest concepts of charity.
     Once they came in from the road and they had been quarrelling, and Jesus asked them what they had been discussing. They didn't want to answer because they had been arguing about which of them would be the greatest in heaven.
     They were fickle. They all left Him when He was arrested. Peter denied Him. Thomas doubted Him. Judas betrayed Him. None believed at first that He had risen. And today they dwell in the presence of the Lord of love, imbued with the spirit of charity toward the neighbor, for that is the dominant love of the middle heaven. Their peculiar talents were nurtured by the Lord and gentled over the years; and their motives changed, bit by bit, into the opposite of what they had been.
     
     Why do we know so much about the disciples' spiritual state?

     Perhaps the Writings allow us to see so much of the frailty of these twelve men so that we may see illustrated the principle of man's instruction in this earthbound age. All of us start life like the disciples, with loves which belong almost solely to the earth. When we are like this, then whatever details of doctrine we may know, the truths which will impress us and really start our minds along the path to heaven, are the basic ones. We are told that we too start life with a most external concept of heaven. We know from the Writings what the internal of heaven is like, but at first it is not that which affects us. It is the external attraction of an eternal kingdom of love which draws us, the feeling of being among the chosen, of having youth and beauty always around us, of rewards which we can see and experience. Only when we have tried to obey, only when we have walked some distance along the path to heaven, do we come to be attracted to the love of use, which is the internal reward (see AC 8705).

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We start to walk the path for the sake of rewards and find along the way that new loves begin to move us and our motives change. When we begin, we are looking for an external blessing; and we receive in the mercy of the Lord an internal one as well.
     
     No spiritual growth takes place without our free choice.

     This change happens miraculously, in secret ways known to the Lord alone. But there is one thing we should not forget. It doesn't happen without our participation. Before he entered heaven, each of those disciples had to confront his wish for reward and his longing to be greater than others. He had to think about these things, see that they were wrong, and consciously strive to serve the Lord in humility and simply because it is right to help others.
     No joy of heaven is ever known unless we freely consent to it and work to make it our own. This the disciples did. The point is that there was a time in their lives when they couldn't confront their weaknesses because they were not far enough on the way to heaven. In His mercy the Lord led them to the point where they would willingly reject the very motive which had caused them to start their journey!
     Twelve men who lived two thousand years ago-during their lives on earth they started, hesitantly, doubtfully, inconsistently, and for partly selfish reasons, to follow the Lord. But follow Him they did, and today, at this moment, we know what they have become, and we know where they are. Their example gives us hope when we look at ourselves at this trifling moment of time: hope that, if we too can just go on trying despite our weakness of vision and our earthbound orientation, we too may be led and changed. And two thousand years from now, we too may still be alive in the kingdom of love.

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CHANGE 1990

CHANGE       Rev. MARK R. CARLSON       1990

     The disquieting truth Of Our life is that we were born to change. Most of us like things to stay the same, both around us and within us. Just accepting the inevitable changes in our environment and in our life situations requires effort. Does anyone ever actually enjoy the first day on a new job? We like our old ruts. We know what to expect. And we like our old ways of doing things; we do them so well and so easily. Even though familiar habits and old situations may cause us great pain, still it seems easier than making the effort to bring about change.
     Change is difficult, and that is the problem with repentance. It requires more than an admission of fault; it also requires doing something about it. Now it might seem that the best way to go about making an internal change is to absolutely forbid the undesired thought, attitude, or behavior. But the reality is that this is the worst way to facilitate change. We know what happens when we forbid someone else to do what he or she is doing. It is like waving a red flag in front of a charging bull. "Oh, yeah, make me stop" is the common response. If you listen carefully, you will hear the same response coming from the part within you that doesn't want to change. We become defiant creatures whenever we are forbidden to do something.
     The road to change is not one of either/or absolute decisions. While good and evil exist outside of us in absolutes, they do not exist within us that way. We are a mixture of many intermediate states. So we might as well acknowledge the truth of the matter and look for a third way, one that is neither a headlong plunge toward hell nor a hopeless skyrocket to heaven. Rather than invite the charging bull by forbidding a behavior you wish to change, make a limited change. Change one thing about the problem, not the whole problem. Or give yourself a time limit for making the change. Tell yourself you will make the change for a week or a month and then you will reevaluate.

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When you are working on changing a particularly overwhelming kind of problem, take it one day at a time. Say to yourself, I will just do it better today. Then tomorrow do it better for that day. It is much easier to change a little, or one day at a time, than to move the mountain of eternity in one day.
"THE WORD" 1990

"THE WORD"       Rev. NORMAN E. RILEY       1990

     The Word-what is it?

     In order to reach a successful conclusion in answering this question, the ordering of our thoughts must be, as the Word itself instructs us, from essence to person, from firsts to lasts. In accordance with this order the gospel of John opens with the words, "In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, the Word was God." And in the pages of the revelation of the second coming we meet with the teaching, "The Lord is the Word." Our starting point is therefore with Him, who alone is-very Love because very Life (see DLW 4). The definition of love is, "that what is its own be another's" (DLW 47). In order that this may become actual and its ends achieved, it operates according to its own wisdom.
     Creation, therefore, was from love by means of wisdom. Further in the opening words of John's gospel we read, "by it [the Word] all things were made."
     Because of this, everything created was so ordered and arranged that the least as well as the greatest could serve its appointed use. But the purpose of creation was not for natural uses alone, since natural uses rise no higher than the natural.
     Therefore, through the Divine evolutionary process, a being emerged who would be able to rise above natural uses to spiritual; a being who could freely respond to the influx of love and wisdom; a being endowed with faculties of liberty and rationality.

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Yet, without the truth to guide him he would not be capable of making such a response, nor be able to exercise his faculty of free choice. "Man, without a revelation from the Divine, cannot know anything about eternal life, even concerning God and still less can he know anything concerning love and faith in Him" (NJHD 249).
     It was therefore the same love by means of its own wisdom that revealed His purposes to man, to the end that there might be in man a creation of heavenly uses. Throughout the ages, therefore, there has never been a time when man did not have a revelation according to the use of the age in which he lived.
     Briefly stated, the use of the Adamic Age was the forming of the celestial kingdom. The revelation of that age was by an internal way and into the correspondential things of the natural world. The use of the Noachic Age was the forming of the spiritual kingdom. To this age a written revelation was given. It was composed of the doctrinal things which the former age had gathered from perception. In the Hebrew and Israelitish Ages which followed, the revelation given through Moses and the Prophets was representative of what Jehovah was doing in relation to taking the Human to Himself in preparation for His coming into the world as the Redeemer. In this revelation we find the prophecies of the coming of Jehovah as the Redeemer and Savior. When He came into the world, all that the Lord did and said, as recorded in the gospels, was solely in relation to His work of redemption and the glorification of the Human, while in the Apocalypse we have the prophetical things concerning His second coming.
     What, then, is the revelation of the second coming-the age in which we are now living?
     Is it the doctrine drawn from the sense of the letter, the letter being that of the Old and New Testaments?
     If this is the case, why are we instructed to draw doctrine from the Word (see TCR 229, 230) when it has already been done? Or why is it that we are not to believe one form of revelation from the Lord unless it is confirmed by another which is also from the Lord?

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     Is it the spiritual sense itself, equal to what the angels possess? If this is the case, why is it written, "Hereafter the spiritual sense of the Word will be made known only to those who are in genuine truths from the Lord" (TCR 208). And in many other places similar statements are to be found.
     Both of these approaches are in the reverse order of thought, since they are from person to essence, and also from a traditional view alone.
     The revelation of the second coming is the Word for this age because it is from the Lord in His Divine Human. All things from firsts to lasts are in it, even as in the Divine Human are all things of the Creator, Redeemer and Savior.
     It is for this reason that it is said to be a revelation that surpasses all that has ever been revealed. It is the reason why the church which is from it is the crown of all the churches which have existed on the earth.
     In the revelation of the second coming we have been given a new basis, containant, and support for the spiritual and celestial senses of the new heaven, which is out of the Divine Human. It is by means of this revelation that man is now able to come into the worship of the visible God, which was not possible before because they were not in that truth (see TCR 786). God becomes visible in an enlightened understanding when, from the letter of this revelation, he draws forth his doctrine which makes one with the internal sense.
     These things may be seen from what is said in the prophecies concerning the second coming, that they would see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory (see Matt. 24:30). "The Word in the sense of the letter is meant by the clouds of heaven, and by glory and power in which also the Lord will come is meant the spiritual sense of the Word" (TCR 776). That the clouds of heaven refer to the revelation of the second coming as to its letter, which contains the spiritual sense, may be seen from the fact that in the same number it says, "This second coming of the Lord is not in Person but in the Word, which is from Him and is Himself."

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The Word in which the Lord has come is none other than the revelation of the second coming. The same also is meant by the words in True Christian Religion n. 3, "unless the Lord comes again into the world in the Divine true, which is the Word, no one can be saved."
     Many have been puzzled by the quotations in the Writings from the Epistles, because in the same revelation it is said that the Epistles were not part of the Word of the New Testament. Whatever appears in the letter of the Word for this age has not come from without but from within. The Word has been given anew from the Divine Human.
     As God is one in Essence and Person, so likewise the Word is one.
     It is for these reasons that every translator should be most meticulous in his undertaking, that what has been given shall be translated faithfully, not adding anything of his own in the belief that it will be better understood, nor should he pamper those who do not wish to think, by taking a liberal attitude in translating.
     It is the Word of the Lord, the sole means of conjunction with Him in this new age.
DEDICATION 1990

DEDICATION       Rev. Robert S. Junge       1990

     An Address by Rev. Robert S. Junge at the dedication of the building of the Seoul Society of the General Church of the New Jerusalem (Seoul, Korea, November 12, 1989)

     "Except the Lord build the house they labor in vain that build it" (Psalm 127:1).

     We have come together to dedicate a place of worship to the Lord Jesus Christ. But a building is not the church any more than a man's body is the man. It is true that we perform uses through our bodies. It is true that we share our thoughts and affections with each other through our bodies. But it is these internal states of understanding and love that make truly human relationships. And it is states of understanding and love that we share that make the real communion we call a church the dwelling to our hearts today.

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      The Writings say that the good of a house is the dwelling in it. It is not the walls or furniture which center there, the worship 0f the Lord that is what consecrates this building. Your hopes and dreams and the dreams of your pastor are part of the dwelling in it. But if we reflect more deeply we see that it is really the presence of the Lord that consecrates or dedicates a Church. If our dreams for this center of worship comes from the Lord and are worthy of his name, then indeed there will be good dwelling in the house of worship, for all true good is from the Lord alone.
     Without an internal from the Lord, worship is only a gesture. What is prayer unless the heart speaks? What is a reading unless it kindles the thought of truth? The real internal of worship is the life of charity and use. The external will be here on Sundays, the songs, the prayers, the instructions. But the internal will be here, the lord will be present and conjoined with this congregation according to what is in your heart. You must consent for the Lord to come. The essential of the Church is a free and loving response from every member. With that consent the Divine Power is unlock- where the Lord is freely welcomed He can do wondrous things.
     In the Lord's Providence you have been given an opportunity to open the way in this world so that He may establish the Church here. For it is the Lord who makes the Church. We receive it but He makes it. Unless the Lord builds the house we will labor in vain. But if as we come together we bring our own dedication to a life of use, those individual love and joy will blend in a wonderful harmony. As our affections are stirred today, together we feel a sphere of love which is bigger than any of those individual affections. As our thoughts are inspired, we picture a potential for the life of the Church, not just for ourselves, not just for those who are gathered here, but for the whole nation.

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     And the more deeply we reflect, the more we realize that the church is the Lord's kingdom on earth. It is bigger than the individual member; it is bigger than a congregation; it is bigger than a nation. It is the Lord's kingdom, a kingdom which reaches out to all mankind.
     We are taught that the church is in human form. It is a united expression of love for one God-but it is an indefinite variety of uses drawn together into a majestic harmony beyond imagination in beauty and scope. There is but one life-giving soul of that Gorand Man of heaven and the church.
     The Lord Himself is the life of all human uses. He is the life of all religion. This church will live just so far as those who gather here dedicate their lives to His service. You are My disciples, He said, if you do whatsoever I command you. He is here with each one of us, pressing to be received. It is up to us individually to unlock the doors of our hearts so that He can come in and dwell with us.
     Worship is of life, and the essential of all worship, both external and internal, is the humble acknowledgment of the Lord. The Lord builds the house. As we come together to worship today, in deep gratitude we thank the Lord for this place of worship. We thank Him for the heavenly opportunities He puts before us each day. And we ask His help that we may become worthy disciples in His service. In the words of Solomon, "May the Lord our God be with us as He was with our fathers. May He not leave us nor forsake us, that He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, which He commanded our fathers, that all the people of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is no other."
REVIEW--John Pitcairn: Uncommon Entrepreneur 1990

REVIEW--John Pitcairn: Uncommon Entrepreneur       Bruce Henderson       1990


John Pitcairn: Uncommon Entrepreneur, A Biography by Richard R. Gladish, The Academy of the New Church, Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, 1989.

     As Bishop Willard Pendleton has noted, "If Benade is the father of the Academy, then Richard De Charms is its prophet." And John Pitcairn is its champion.

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     Professor Richard R. Gladish has given us compelling biographies of the spiritual forces behind the early growth of the church and the Academy-William H. Benade and Richard De Charms, Sr. Now he fills out this rich history with the fascinating story of John Pitcairn, truly "an uncommon entrepreneur" who combined material success with spiritual commitment for the cause of church and Academy.
     Much of the history and success of both institutions links the spiritual vision and guidance of the priesthood with strong lay leadership. And the role John Pitcairn played shows how essential this link is to the foundation of the General Church and the Academy.
     Mr. Gladish no longer surprises us with his exhaustive research, organized into a highly readable narrative, but it is as welcome and impressive as ever. He tells the story of a boy who left home on his fourteenth birthday to work for the railroad-with a Bible and True Christian Religion as gifts from his mother-to become an equal among such moguls as Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller, and a giant of New Church development.
     The book, not written exclusively for a New Church audience, establishes John Pitcairn's personality and character with an opening story about a dispute involving conflicting interests with Rockefeller. With legal action pending, Rockefeller says that if John Pitcairn will examine the case personally, he will abide by his decision. Such was the respect for his overriding sense of justice accorded Pitcairn by his peers-an impressive gesture in the midst of ruthless economic opportunism. And such was the steadfast commitment to faith and principle which made of his life one cause, whether for business or the church.
     Mr. Gladish notes, "Though his personal disposition sometimes strained at the leash of his principles, his is the story of a man striving after justice."
     As with Benade and De Charms, John Pitcairn's life was filled with tests and controversy. He enjoyed tremendous success in industry, from railroads, to coal mines, to oil and the founding of Pittsburgh Plate Glass. And the church and Academy certainly have been beneficiaries of his success and generosity.

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But as with any leader of strong will and stubborn convictions, he was tested in business enterprises and in the early struggles of the church and the Academy, from the Kramph will case to the fall of Benade and the rise of Lillian Beekman.
     This book is rich in detail, from letters, diaries and board meeting minutes-perhaps too much so for some readers more interested in his involvement in church history, for instance, than business dealings. But there are fascinating tales, such as his involvement at age 20 with a secret mission to get Abraham Lincoln safely to Washington by train after several assassination threats. Of specific interest to New Church readers is the wealth of stories of John Pitcairn as a courageous, committed lay leader and benefactor. He faced early on, for instance, the inclination to "let John do it"-of "What is my pittance next to his bounty?"-by appealing to the conscience of the individual and the spiritual consequences of not supporting the church.
     The reader gets a powerful sense of why some of the controversies of his life were so trying-because he was so intransigent in his convictions and so steadfast-in his love of the church.
     Those convictions did not always serve him well. He took an extreme position against smallpox vaccination, for instance, in defiance of the state. That, of course, was his right. But he was chastised by Bishop W. F. Pendleton for his "willful determination to drive people in the church to see things all one way, and this on a question not vital to the church."
     But he did not let such controversies interfere with his friendships or his commitment to the church. Mr. Gladish conveys the pain and poignancy of how he took the lead in separating the Academy from his good friend Benade when it became necessary, but how he quietly provided for Benade in his final years and saw that the first Academy building was named for him.
     And one of the most fascinating chapters of all is John Pitcairn's last and what he felt most important battle, against Lillian Beekman and for the integrity of New Church doctrine.

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He felt this brilliant woman, who charmed laymen and ministers alike with her grasp of doctrine, was a divisive force turning Bryn Athyn into "a center of heresy" with her enormous influence as "a prophetess" offering a higher, celestial view of the Writings. It surely was not a popular crusade, but it is illustrative of the man that he did not care about popularity; he cared only for what he believed to be right, and that he saw only in the trinal Word of God.
     That commitment is what shines throughout this book-that no matter how caught up John Pitcairn was in the pressure of dramatic business concerns, he put the church first as an integral part of his life. Mr. Gladish writes: "Although during the period of 1869 to 1874 in the oil regions John Pitcairn kept busy with railroad management and assorted business projects on the side, he neither forgot nor neglected his church and the cause of religion in human affairs. Although fond of culture and the niceties of life when he had time to indulge in them, work, use, service to society in his calling came first. This was the way he lived his religion, and it was John Pitcairn's first priority."
     This book is another rich contribution from Mr. Gladish to the history of the church and the Academy, and should be an inspiration to all who wonder, "What can I do for the church?" John Pitcairn knew both material and spiritual blessings, and how to share both with the world and the church. We cannot all be as successful in the world, but can be no less dedicated to sharing what we do have of our energy, our commitment and our resources.
     We are indebted to Mr. Gladish for bringing alive this vital legacy-for the wonderful scope of a story as powerful as John Pitcairn himself: "Through his long and active life, John Pitcairn touched many lives. This principle, his devotion to duty, his commitment to his fellow man and his faith, were virtues he brought to his every undertaking. Both spiritually and naturally he was a contributor who unselfishly gave of himself and his fortune to further the welfare of these uses and people he loved. The legacy he left was a legacy of the spirit as well as of the purse, and hundreds, indeed thousands, of lives were made richer for it."
     Bruce Henderson

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REVIEW-- Heads, Hearts, and Hands: Nurturing Creativity 1990

REVIEW-- Heads, Hearts, and Hands: Nurturing Creativity       E. Bruce Glenn       1990

Heads, Hearts, and Hands: Nurturing Creativity, Beth Johns, Bryn Athyn: General Church of the New Jerusalem, 1989, 16 pp.

     This delightful book, as clearly reflected in both its text and structure, is an outgrowth of a course, the teaching of art, that Beth Johns has taught in the Academy College for many years. In these pages we meet not only the author in a warmly personal way, but also the student teachers with whom she has shared knowledge and insights, and especially the children whose creative growth is the focus of both the course and the book. But she advises us at the outset:

This book is not just about children's art; it's a discussion of the vital role of human creativity throughout all of life. Nurturing creativity is not a compartmentalized activity, saved only for parents and teachers of young children, but is a rich orientation for anyone who wants to be as fully alive as our Creator intended.

     It is never too late, she assures us, to develop our creativity. Nonetheless, one of the joys in reading this book is meeting the children whose sense of wonder is still fresh, whose perceptions of the world around them have not been dulled by habit or indifference. Through their responses in art work reported here we can perhaps be more fully awakened to our own potential.
     These details of classroom experience are balanced by intellectual concepts extensively cited from the world of the arts and education, both in the church and in our contemporary culture. (Each chapter is headed by a passage from Scripture or the doctrines.) Mrs. Johns likens her approach to the stringing of beads, the ideas and experiences she has gathered through the years.

What I have written is intended as a cord strong enough to keep the beads together so they won't spill out of their file box and scatter across the floor when I'm no longer able to pick them up.

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     This book thus provides a model for teachers who have developed courses distinctly based on the doctrines of the New Church, but whose work is all too frequently lost to coming generations of teachers and students.
     The book is indeed filled with citations from many sources. But the author does herself an injustice in comparing her work to that of a stringer of beads gathered from others. We are welcomed, as it were, into her classroom and invited to participate in a warmly integrated series of conversations on a subject she clearly believes is of vital importance for us, as individuals and as a society. Her tone of voice is cheerfully confident, never condescending. And-a tribute to any teacher-the only time I found my attention straying was at a couple of points where a bead was too big or lumpy, a quoted passage so long that it seemed Mrs. Johns had left the room.
     Heads, Hearts, and Hands is structured in ten chapters, paralleling the ten-week college course. Each of the first five chapters takes up a concept central to the theme of creativity: awareness and response from the "as of self," imagination, the sense of wonder, the force of creativity itself, and the nature of perception. It is tempting to illustrate from each chapter, but the following will perhaps give the tone and scope of the book.

Too often we stumble through life-looking without seeing, hearing without listening, touching without feeling. (p. 4)
. . . it can be said that we are created to create, that we need to create in order to fulfill the Lord's plan in creating us. . . . Our ability to take part in His creation is a magnificent gift. (p. 52)
     A perception is an insight or awareness that we feel deeply within-something we grasp or sense as true-a deep thought wrapped in strong feelings. (p. 71)

29




     As to the function of art in all education, Mrs. Johns is eloquent about its pervasive influence as an integrating force.

Hands-on experience has become a central part of learning rather than an occasional afterthought. We now know that knowledge confirmed through the children's fingertips has real staying power. (p. 10)

     The second half of the book develops this theme of integration through the ultimating power of "hands-on" art. This calls for a strong sequential structure in the teaching of art itself.

The lack of a solid art curriculum in many schools has led to what I call the "butterfly" approach. . . . The children flutter through the sunshine of little experiments which produce easy and colorful results. In the process they do not gain a basic understanding or background knowledge of the subject. They are left with a shallow and scattered impression; art generally becomes a hill instead of something that can have deep meaning in their lives. (p. 87)

     The chapters that follow spell out how creativity in every subject and in life beyond school can be fostered and sustained by the physical activities of drawing, painting, and modeling. The underlying secret of this integrating power is, of course, reflected in the title of the book-the trinity of love, wisdom, and use represented by the heart, the head, and the hands. She cites a Chinese proverb:

     I hear and I forget,
     I see and I remember,
     I do and I understand.

     True understanding arrives only with the unifying experience of doing; as this book points out in many ways, not simply the understanding of a subject, nor only of the world around us, but of ourselves.
     [I cannot resist relating an experience of my own which testifies-albeit negatively-to these things.

30


Mrs. Johns tells us, "Each year I love to see the third grade's pipe-cleaner Greek gods and goddesses dressed in bright tissue paper drapery" (p. 10). I had the honor in that situation of making Zeus, the king of the gods. But my pipe-cleaner figure was so insignificant compared to others that it became Hermes, a mere messenger-god. I was mortified, but I have not forgotten it, and perhaps I understand myself better as a result of the experience.]
     Mrs. Johns opens her final chapter by noting that the miracle of creativity does not always take place through art; music, mechanics, or sports may provide the spark. For this reason the absence of illustrations of children's art, beyond her own verbal descriptions, is not as much a lack as one might assume. To repeat her opening statement, the book is not just about art; it affirms with the conviction of a true teacher the creative life that we share in the image and likeness of our Creator, and our privilege and responsibility in nurturing it.
     E. Bruce Glenn
Introducing "Revelation" 1990

Introducing "Revelation"       Editor       1990

     General Convention announces the release of "Revelation"-an original oratorio of contemporary music based on the text of the revelation of St. John the Divine. Available on cassette tape accompanied by a booklet with text, "Revelation" was commissioned by the General Convention as part of Swedenborg's Tricentennial, and was first introduced as a live performance in Boston. Rev. Ken Turley and Mrs. Laurie Turley are the composers.
     Ninety minutes of studio-recorded music by professional musicians win take you through a powerful, disturbing, and ultimately joyous experience. Scored for rhythm section, brass, strings, woodwinds, chorus and soloists, the oratorio incorporates narration and song in a wide range of musical styles, including classical, jazz, gospel and contemporary rock. Encounter the power of Sacred Scripture in a wholly new way. $12.00 postpaid for both tape and booklet:

     "Revelation"
     The Swedenborgian Church
     302 Stevens Avenue
     Portland, ME 04103

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Editorial Pages 1990

Editorial Pages       Editor       1990

          SURPRISING RELIGIOUS NEWS FROM EASTERN EUROPE

     How is this for a surprising turn of events? Some forty years ago a magazine was started in Russia entitled Science and Religion. Its purpose was to show that religion was untenable in the light of science. It was a vehicle for promoting atheism. In 1963 New Church Life commented on this magazine, noting that it "uses the most recent scientific data in the cause of extinguishing the persistent flickers of religious belief." Well, in recent months this same magazine has started including articles in favor of religious belief! The circulation has doubled!
     The blossoming of open religious interest has arisen from seeds that in a way have been favored by religious prohibitions. In the latest issue of The New Philosophy Dr. William R. Kintner states that "the Marxist-Leninist approach will eventually fail. Meanwhile, efforts to enforce atheism have led many people to turn inwardly to spiritual belief . . . One day the people who have lived under this cruel experiment [may] become prime targets for New Church evangelization."
     Last February a study by Erin Martz showed something of the religious roots in Russian thinking, including proponents of the Writings in that country. In November of 1988 Lyle Birchman suggested in our pages that we "should take hope in the implications of the developments of granting greater religious freedom to those in the Soviet Union."
     In the past eighteen months 1,700 churches have been opened in Russia. This is noted in the December issue of World Monitor, which says that "wherever a church opens its doors-some after 40 or 50 years of being closed-it is immediately filled with believers." It points out that the term dukhovnost (along with the word glastnost) is being used in Russia in reference to the need for spirituality in human life. The article refers to the magazine Science and Religion and speaks of "many complaints from 'faithful atheists' who think that the new policy is a betrayal of the magazine's purpose."

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     Next month we hope to speak of a quantity of books of the Writings in the Latvian tongue that were stored in Bryn Athyn in 1984. At that time New Church Life commented, "While the Communists are in power these books cannot be sent to Latvia" but that there were hopes for "brighter days" in the future.

     DISASTER BRINGS OUT THE BEST

     Newsweek Magazine published an article on November 6th entitled "Disaster Brings out the Best in People. Why?" A subheading was "Science has theories but no complete answer."
     The selfless heroism displayed at the time of the earthquake in California raised the question anew. What is the cause of this phenomenon in which people display such admirable characteristics?
     The article asks, "What drives human beings to risk so much for one another? Social scientists think a lot about such questions. Their approaches to human altruism, even their definitions of it, are often disparate, and their findings sometimes raise more questions than they answer. No one can fully explain what propels individuals toward particular acts of bravery. "
We are told that social psychologists have developed "competing hypotheses." Some explanations are rather dreary, and none seem to really give the answer. One comment was: "That the impulse evolved by the cold mechanics of natural selection doesn't make it any less noble."
     The kindness and unselfishness we see are so full of warmth and life! Evolutionary explanations just don't seem to satisfy! The simple saying of the Writings that "all good is from the Lord" is the beginning of an answer that satisfies a spiritual perspective on life. But what about this particular manifestation of good-the goodness that comes out in times of disaster?

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     The Writings teach that there is a constant inflowing of good from the Lord into all people. Generally speaking our daily experience does not seem to confirm this. Some people are dishonest, selfish, indifferent, even cruel. This observation confirms the teaching that generally speaking that inflow of good is not received.

Good is continually flowing in from the Lord, but . . . it is either perverted, turned back or suffocated (AC 3147).

     But there are times when the things which would deflect or suffocate this influx are temporarily removed or put to sleep. We are asked to note that in "misfortune and distress" people suddenly begin to think differently, to will what is good and to do kind things insofar as they are able (ibid.).
     As it is put in another passage:

     The influx of good from the Lord with man is continuous; but there are evils . . . that hinder and obstruct the reception of it; and therefore when these are removed, a new will comes into existence (AC 5353).

The passage goes on to mention something that is plain to see.

     This is very evident in the case of those who are in misfortune, misery, and illness; for as in these the loves of self and of the world, from which come all evils, are removed, the man thinks well about God and the neighbor, and also wishes his neighbor well.

     There is another teaching of the Writings that seems relevant to this amazing phenomenon, and perhaps we can speak of it in a future editorial.

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NCL 50 YEARS AGO 1990

NCL 50 YEARS AGO       Editor       1990

     In January of 1940 Mr. Donald F. Rose offered material under the heading "Gleaned from Recent Books." He referred to a book by Dr. Carl G. Jung entitled The Integration of the Personality. He mentions Jung's postscript to an analysis, which reads in part as follows:

     I should mention the fact that my patient had been to some extent influenced by Swedenborgianism which presents the world in the guise of the homo maximus (Gorand Man) . . . but anyone with a sufficient knowledge of Swedenborg's chief writings will know that it is very unlikely that he could have infected my patient with alchemistic philosophy.

     In the same issue is a talk by Rev. C. E. Doering entitled simply "Charter Day Address." It was given in the cathedral on October 20, 1939. It began as follows:

     As an introduction to this address, I wish to tell you of a conversation which I had last spring with a learned gentleman whom I met on his return from a series of lectures at a Western university. Our talk, at first, referred to the new educational movements in the University of Chicago and at St. John's College. He was rather critical of some of the changes that Hutchins was making in Chicago, but favorable to those at St. John's. And then he suddenly remarked that the country was full of academies and small colleges, all teaching the same things in the same way, and competing with one another, so that not one of them was making any progress; and that if our Academy was to make progress, it would have to get out of the rut, do something that was different from others; and to do this, it would have to specialize in some line, and do it better than the others. Specialization was the only road to progress in these days of keen competition.
     I told him that the Academy was a unique institution in the world. There was not another like it; it was not competing with others. It was not just another college-one of a big crowd. It was specializing and doing what no other college in the world was doing.

35



     He looked at me rather quizzically, and asked: "What are you doing that is so different from others?"
     I replied: "Besides instructing all our students in the New Church religion, which is different and distinct from all others, we propose to teach the sciences-physical, biological, and social-in such a way that their truths win be basic to and confirmatory of the truths of Revelation; that nature is thus a manifestation of the Love and Wisdom of God and His attributes."
NEW AGE CHRISTIANS 1990

NEW AGE CHRISTIANS       John Kane       1990




     COMMUNICATIONS
Dear Editor:
     It has disturbed me to read Robert Kirk's article on New Age Christians in your August issue. We know that there are many heavens (and hells). It may seem uncharitable, but if the New Church gets too close to the sects, it must inevitably become classed with them. Thus to the rest of the world it becomes no more than another funny sect which is its proper place, they think. If the New Church has the truth and from it true doctrine, let it cling close to these and not make any concessions. This may sound rather papist, but our authority is the Writings and no human "infallibility." If proof were needed, then the U. S. courts have recently shown the evils to which religious falsities must lead.
     Also, to class Swedenborg as a contemplative smacks of mysticism. We know that he was no mystic, which is a woolly term in any case. The exact measurements of science are perfectly correct in the natural world. Swedenborg tells us that the spiritual world is organic too, but we do not have the instruments nor do we know the units to apply there for they are discretely different.
     John Kane
     Canary Islands

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TRUE CHRISTIAN RELIGION IN ENGLISH 1990

TRUE CHRISTIAN RELIGION IN ENGLISH       John Chadwick       1990

     A Reply to Rev. Erik Sandstrom

Dear Editor:
     I was well aware that some of the phrases I used in my attempt to put Swedenborg's ideas as expressed in Vera Christiana Religio into modern English would provoke a reaction. Thus I welcome the debate initiated by Mrs. Cooper's review and taken up by Rev. Erik Sandstrom, Sr. (NCL Sept 1989, pp. 425-427).
     The translator who is faced with a Latin word such as conjunctio and its cognate verb conjungere has two problems to solve. First, he has to decide what Swedenborg meant by these words; and secondly, he has to select the English word or words which will most appropriately convey to the modern reader what he thinks Swedenborg meant. I am not at all sure I have satisfactorily solved the second problem, but I think that I have now a fair idea of the first. What I am not prepared to do is to opt out and use the English word which comes from the Latin one, since this simply leaves the reader the problem of trying to see the meaning of the term. My translation is not for scholars, in which class I include all ministers of the New Church, since I think they should be studying the Latin and instructing the laity on what that means. I have consistently aimed my translation at an educated, Christian audience, but not one already familiar with the Writings. For such people the English word "conjunction" will only cause misunderstanding and confusion.
     The question of what Swedenborg meant by this term, whether substantive or verb, can only be decided by studying its use in the Writings. Mr. Sandstrom thinks "that meaning is contained in the concept of 'You in Me and I in you.'" No one will deny that this is one way in which the term is used; but an examination of a few passages will show that the reciprocal connection of man with God (reciproca conjunctio cum Domino, DP 30, referring to John 15) is only one of a number of uses. The following brief list might of course be much extended.

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     (a) To describe the physical connection of material objects, a good example occurs in the Latin version of Exodus 28:7 as given in Arcana Caelestia, where it describes the sewing together of the two shoulder- pieces of the ephod.
     (b) In a rather less direct sense but still on the physical level: "This is like food or bread which want water or wine to be combined (conjunctionis causa), for when combined they are nutritious" (AC 9206:2).
     (c) Likewise but with perhaps a hint of higher things, sexual connection: "the normal intercourse (conjunctionem) of women and men" (SD 1976); "real [or physical] connection with a wife" (CL 476); "the law about illegitimate connection" (AC 9182:1, referring to Exodus 22:16).
     (d) Connection on the mental level, as between two friends or their minds: "connection of minds (conjunctio mentium)" between husband and wife (AC 2731); "those who were connected by a covenant, that is, by friendship" (AC 4211:1); so too Joseph and Benjamin are described as very close (conjunctissimo) AC 592:6).
     (e) This may of course also be used of whole communities, and even of the celestial and spiritual heavens (AC 9139:4).
     (f) The term is constantly applied to the connection between human beings on earth and the spiritual world (e.g., AC 50, HH 112).
     (g) It is also applied to the combination of two abstract entities, such as good and truth (AC 2272) or evil and falsity (AC 2444), and so on. It can also be used of the process of bringing together the Lord's inner man with His interior and exterior, and the completion of this process is called "full combination or union (conjunctio plenaria seu unio)" (AC 1733:2).

     From these examples it is clear that it can denote a remote as well as an intimate connection; it may be reciprocal, but is not necessarily so; it may be between what is higher and what is lower, or between things on the same level.

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I conclude therefore that it is a general term, used as it was by other Latin writers, and it has no special significance. Its particular meaning in all cases derives from the context in which it is used, so it cannot be regarded as in any sense a technical term of Swedenborg's theology.
     We can now turn to the second problem: how to represent the range of ideas conveyed by the Latin term in modern English. I do not believe that the English words "conjunction" and "conjoin" remain now in normal use except for some specialized senses. I do not, for instance, talk about "being closely conjoined with my friends" or say that a conjunction of honesty and openness is desirable in a politician. I can therefore see no reason to avoid the prime responsibility of a translator to convey the author's ideas in language the reader can understand.
     In quoting the passages above I have deliberately avoided using a single word because I think that different contexts call for different treatment. I have used "connection" wherever possible because this is a fairly neutral word with a wide range of meanings like the Latin term. I seriously considered adopting this as the standard translation where it refers to a spiritual type of connection, but I was deterred by some of the associations of the English word, and more especially by the fact that it often denotes a weak connection. "Communication" cannot be used since this is needed for communicatio, with which conjunctio is equated (AC 50). "Contact" again is not quite right, and would cause problems in AR 55: "The Lord's presence with a person is a setting alongside (adjunctio) and so connection by contact (conjunctio per contiguum), and this contact (contiguitas) becomes closer and fuller the more a person loves the Lord." It is perhaps worth comparing the version I have just given with F. F. Coulson's in the standard Swedenborg Society version: "The presence of the Lord with men is an adjunction, thus a conjunction by means of what is contiguous, and this contiguity becomes nearer and fuller in the proportion that a man loves the Lord."

39



     It was considerations like these which led me to adopt "link" as the main English equivalent for conjunctio. I do not feel entirely happy with it, but it is a good, short Anglo-Saxon word which can also be used as a verb. Its association with chains suggests the firmness of the connection, and its frequent modern use in electronics to denote a two-way connection is particularly appropriate. I can see no harm if a word used of the Lord's connection with us has the overtones of a television link between London and San Francisco. We stand at an immeasurable distance from the Lord, yet if we are correctly attuned to Him, His presence is felt as immediately as if He were in the same room with us. But if someone can make a better suggestion, I shall be happy to accept it.
     I do not feel strongly about capital letters, for the modern tendency is to abandon them wherever possible. The habits of the 18th century are not a model we can easily follow today. It is obvious that we should write "the Roman Catholic Church" as the name of a specific human organization, but is "the Christian Church" more than a description which would require "church"? I think we are justified in using capitals for "the Most Ancient" though I wonder if we should not strictly add "church"; and if "the New Church" occurs in the same series, it might be entitled to the same treatment. But neither TCR 762 nor 786 contains this expression.
     It is interesting to see Potts in the Concordance struggling with this problem. In the sixteen pages devoted to "New Church" there are only four places in Arcana Caelestia where he prints "New": 1850:4, 2986:3, 4060:9, 8427:4. Of the three of these which appear in Elliott's translation all have "new." But by the time Potts reached TCR he always printed "New," except for 599:2, where the reference is to the Apostolic Church. I am afraid I find it often too difficult to decide in any particular passage whether "new" is part of a title or not. If Latin made a distinction between "a new church" and "the new church" it might be easier. But even so, is "the new church which is the New Jerusalem" a title or not? It seems to me that rather than introduce a distinction which is not in the original, we should in this case do better to allow the reader to form his own judgment.
     John Chadwick
     Cambridge, England

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TWO PROPOSALS 1990

TWO PROPOSALS       Richard Linquist       1990

Dear Editor:
     "I am waiting" were the words of a young wife who had been a bride just one hour earlier. There was a note of alarm in her voice, perhaps born of affections for conjugial love from the Lord, which were frustrated by a distant husband. She had called to him several times, but he continued to talk with his friends. They stood at one end of the choir hall, and she stood alone at the other end in the cathedral curator's office. The long white train of her wedding dress was wrapped around her arm. A cold wind blew around her from a door which was open to the outside.
     Surrounded by well-wishers, her husband stood in his tuxedo, no doubt feeling quite important. He seemed to enjoy being the center of attention even if that meant removing himself from the sphere of conjugial love which had poured through his new wife. Maybe he learned something about himself by that experience and now enjoys a happy New Church marriage. If that is so, this couple may be as a bride and wife to the Lord, as stated in AR 895. There, in explanation of a passage in Revelation, it is revealed " . . . that by 'the Bride the Lamb's Wife' is signified the New Church, which will be conjoined with the Lord through the Word . . ."
     Members of the General Church, though touched by the cruel, cold winds of selfish lusts blowing around their hopes for conjugial love, may permit good and truth to be conjoined in their minds into a heavenly marriage. Between the promise of conjugial love in the minds of a bride and groom and the reality of that love many states of regeneration will have to be attained.

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Therefore, at the beginning of a new year I would propose that we laymen renew a personal commitment to study and live according to the Heavenly Doctrines. Further I propose that we fully support those in the priesthood who humbly minister to our need for a heavenly marriage, leading us to Him who is always here, waiting.
     Richard Linquist
     Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania
READER CONCERN 1990

READER CONCERN       Rev. Erik E. Sandstrom       1990

Dear Editor:
     Many thanks to the New Church Life editor for the fine job he is doing. My heart goes out to all editors, who I realize must at times be pressured to publish unsuitable material. Unfortunately even editors are blamed.
     The thought-provoking letter by "A Concerned Reader" (NCL Nov.) raises the issue of freedom: we can think and intend what we like, but once we express ourselves, we cannot jeopardize other people's freedom to do the same. So we don't want "editing" to become "censoring." For example, the November letter mentions someone in unfavorable light while making the very point of not doing so. Perhaps a further apology is due?
     We must speak from charity. We should not "become indignant if one does not accede to the opinion of another, for [we know that] everyone receives as much truth as he is in good" (NJHD 9). No one should be criticized just for being who he is, but once thoughts are published, are they sacred? Can one not respond to what was said if charity is clearly present? Perhaps phrases like "in all charity" should punctuate our lances. We should make sure we target what was said, not who said it. And if we feel pricked, why not respond "Touche" and "but in all charity . . . "?
     Rev. Erik E. Sandstrom
     Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania

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PUTTING BOOKS IN LIBRARIES 1990

PUTTING BOOKS IN LIBRARIES       Gretchen Lindsay       1990

Dear Editor:
     I have been putting books of the Writings into libraries for many years (with a lapse for health reasons). Recently Helen Kresz has worked with me, and we obtained in Philadelphia the addresses of the libraries we wanted to contact.
     At present I am contacting libraries in the state of New Hampshire, contacting any library that exceeds 12,000 volumes. I have done this systematically for all of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In Pennsylvania I was able to work through the head librarians for the whole commonwealth. For instance, I took 347 books to the Fox Chase Library to be taken to the Philadelphia head library and distributed to 86 libraries. Periodically I would call the head man, Mr. Wilson, to see if he needed more books. In other states I could not do that; decisions are made by each library.
     We now have the addresses for all the libraries in Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Alaska, Connecticut and Maine. Many people have helped package the books. Up to now we have placed 3,165 books in 896 libraries. Helen and I have placed books of the Writings in all the veterans' hospitals in the country (142 hospitals, 902 books).
     We have given a thousand books to individuals to distribute to interested people, libraries, and to place in strategic spots. At one visitors' service at the cathedral 62 books were distributed, and at a Near-Death lecture, 121 books were distributed. Stickers in the books enable people who want to make contact.
     When we have completed the states mentioned above, I hope to send letters to all the libraries of Pennsylvania and New Jersey to see if they need books again. These books are mostly paperbacks. Some copies of the Compendium need to be replaced after a period of years. The Swedenborg Foundation has been kind enough to supply the books, and the Epsilon Society has supplied the Compendiums and money for postage.

43



     When we finish all these states, most of the libraries in the country will have some books of the Writings. Please ask at your library. If they do not have them, ask if they want them. If you cannot supply them, write to me and I will send them.
     Maxine Hayes of Texas (see Sept. issue, p. 434) has written to the rest of the states, and the Foundation has sent the books that have been requested.
All told, 5,095 books have gone out from here.
The Lord gave us these Writings to share, and a library can share with many.
     Gretchen Lindsay
     Box 209
     Bryn Athyn, PA 19009
Church News 1990

Church News       Merlita B. Rogers       1990

     JAPAN

     Members of the New Jerusalem Church in Japan were honored by the visit of Rev. Robert Junge, Dean of the ANC Theological School in Bryn Athyn. He arrived in this "Land of the Rising Sun" on October 26, 1989, and was met by the organizer of his Japan visit, Mr. Tatsuya Nagashima, Director of the Pana Lingua Institute in Yoyogi, Tokyo, and publisher of the Arcana Newsletter in Japan.
     The day after Mr. Junge's arrival he visited Mr. Yanase, who translated most of the Writings into the Japanese language, of which 7,000 copies have been distributed during the last five years. On Sunday, October 29 at 11:00 a.m., he held a morning service at the Pana Lingua Institute and 32 people attended. It was a beautiful service; the atmosphere was very relaxed, and there was a sense of receptiveness and eagerness among the guests. After the morning service there was a light lunch provided by the Arcana Press.
     In the afternoon Mr. Junge baptized eight people and held an open discussion. The question-and-answer period about marriage, life and death was a very lively and informative session in which Mr. Junge's answers to the guests' questions were based on the doctrine of the New Church.
     On October 30 he was accompanied by Mr. Nagashima to Naha City, Okinawa, in Japan's southern islands, and they were met at the airport by the Kameshima family.

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     Mr. Kameshima organized the "Okinawa Group" of New Church members, where 35 people joined together to hear the service conducted by Mr. Junge. Upon his return to Tokyo on Wednesday, November 1st, he held a lecture on the subject of life and love in general at the Pana Lingua Institute at 6:30 p.m., attended by 25 people. There was the usual question-and-answer time after the lecture, and some guests asked various challenging questions about God's love and life after death. Mr. Junge displayed his tremendous knowledge about this subject matter, which was very impressive and informative, and the guests were reluctant to disperse at 8:30 p.m.
     There were occasions for him visit bookstores in Tokyo, and he was impressed to find that the Writings are available in the Japanese language at some bookstores. He was also pleased and intrigued by Heaven and Hell in the popular frustrated booklet (cartoon style) by Mr. Imamura.
     Mr. Nagashima is to be commended highly for the time and effort he extended, contributing immeasurably to the success of Mr. Junge's visit to Japan.
     Mr. Junge visited various members of the New Church in Tokyo, Okinawa, and Korea, to be informed of the situation of the churches in this part of the Far East. He also plans to visit the Philippines.
     Those of us in the New Church are looking forward to the fruit of the seeds planted in this part of the globe and watered by the Writings. 'But for the seeds to grow they have to be continually nurtured and cultivated-a challenging task at the present. However, Mr. Junge's trip to this part of the world was an important step in the earthly journey of our service to the Lord.
     Merlita B. Rogers
PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES 1990

PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES       Editor       1990




     Announcements





     GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
     The Right Rev. Louis B. King, Bishop
     Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania 19009, USA

     PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES

     Information on public worship and doctrinal classes provided either regularly or occasionally may be obtained at the locations listed below. For details use the local phone number of the contact person mentioned or communicate with the Secretary of the General Church, Caimcrest, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009. Phone (215) 947-6811.
(U.S.A. addresses next month)

     AUSTRALIA

Canberra
Mr. and Mrs. Barrie Ridgway, 68 Hilder St., Weston, Canberra, A.C.T. 2611. Phone: (062) 881-777.

Sydney, N.S.W.
Rev. Douglas Taylor, 22 Dudley Street, Penshurst, N.S.W. 2222. Phone: 57-1589.

     BRAZIL

Rio de Janeiro
Rev. Cristovao Rabelo Nobre, Rua Lina Teixeira, 109 Apt., Rocha, Rio de Janeiro R.J. 20970. Phone: 21-201-8455.

     CANADA

Alberta
Calgary
Mr. Thomas R. Fountain, 115 Southglen Drive S.W., Calgary 13, Alberta T2W OX2. Phone: (403) 255-7283.

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Edmonton
Mr. Daniel L. Horigan, 10524 82nd St., The Hague Edmonton, Alberta T6A 3M8. Phone: (403) 469-0078.

British Columbia Dawson Creek Rev. Glenn G. Alden, Dawson Creek Church, 9013 8th St., Dawson Creek, B.C., Canada VIG 3N3.

Ontario
Kitchener
Rev. Louis D. Synnestvedt, 58 Chapel Hill Drive, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2G 3W5. Phone: (home) (519) 7485605; (office) (519) 748-5802.

Ottawa
Mr. and Mrs. Donald McMaster, 684 Fraser Ave., Ottawa, Ontario K2A 2R8. Phone: (613) 725-0394.

Toronto
Rev. Michael Gladish, 279 Burnhamthorpe Rd., Islington, Ontario M9B lZ4. Phone (church): (416) 239-3055.

Quebec
Montreal
Mr. Denis de Chazal, 17 Ballantyne Natal Ave., So., Montreal West, Quebec H4X Durban 2131. Phone: (514) 489-9861.

     DENMARK

Copenhagen
Mr. Jorgen Hauptmann, Strandvejen 22, 4040 Jyllinge. Phone: (02) 389968.

     ENGLAND

Colchester
Rev. Christopher Bown, 2 Christ Church Court, Colchester, Essex C03 3AU. Phone: 0206575644.

Letchworth
Mr. and Mrs. R. Evans, 24 Berkeley, Letchworth, Herts. SG6 2HA. Phone: 046268471.

London
Rev. Frederick Elphick, 21B Hayne Rd., Beckenham, Kent BR3 41A. Phone: 01144-1658-6320.

Manchester
Rev. Norman E. Riley, 69 Harewood Rd., Norden, Rochdale, OLI I 5TH, England. Phone: 0706 54003.

     FRANCE

Bourguignon-Meursanges Rev. Alain Nicolier, 21200 Beaune, France. Phone: 80-26-62-08 (office).

     HOLLAND

Mr. Ed Verschoor, Olmenlaan 17, 3862 VG Nijkerk.

     NEW ZEALAND

Auckland
Mrs. H. Keal, 4 Derwent Cresc., Titirangi, Auckland 7, New Zealand.

     NORWAY

Oslo Mrs. Klaas Biermarm, Bakketoppen 10A. 1165 Oslo 11. Phone: /(0)2/ 283783.

     SCOTLAND

Edinburgh Mr. and Mrs. N. Laidlaw, 35 Swanspring Ave., Edinburgh EH 10-6NA. Phone: 31-4452377.

Glasgow
Mrs. J. Clarkson, Hillview, Balmore. Nr. Torrance, Glasgow. Phone: Balmore 262.

     SOUTH AFRICA

Natal Durban
Rev. James P. Cooper, 30 Perth Road, Westville 3630, Natal, Republic of South Africa. Phone: 01127-31-821612.

Transvaal
Transvaal Society Rev. Andrew Dibb, P.O. Box 816, Kelvin 2054, Republic of South Africa. Phone: (011) 804-2567.

Zululand
Kent Manor
Rev. James Cooper, visiting pastor Mrs. D.G. Liversage, Box 7088, Empangeni Rail, 3910, Natal, South Africa. Phone: 0351-2341.

Mission in South Africa Rev. Andrew Dibb (address above).

     SWEDEN

Jonkoping
Contact Rev. Bjorn A.H. Boyesen, Bruksater. Furusjo, S-566 00. Habo. Phone: 039220395.

Stockholm
Rev. Erik E. Sandstrom, visiting pastor. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009. Contact Rev. Bjorn A.H. Boyesen at the above address.

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HEADS HEARTS AND HANDS 1990

HEADS HEARTS AND HANDS       Editor       1990


     HEADS
     HEARTS
     AND
     HANDS

     NURTURING CREATIVITY by BETH JOHNS

"This book is not just about children's art; it's a discussion of the vital role of human creativity throughout all of life. Nurturing creativity is not a compartmentalized activity, saved only for parents and teachers of young children, but is a rich orientation for anyone who wants to be as fully alive as our Creator intended. In our fast-paced existence the need for creativity has become more important for each of us, regardless of our age or interests."
     Postage Paid $12.90

     Discount to Schools, Societies and Teachers

General Church Book Center Box 278, Cairncrest Bryn Athyn, PA 19009
Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30-12:00 or by appointment Phone: 215-947-3920

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Notes on This Issue 1990

Notes on This Issue       Editor       1990

Vol. CX                    February, 1990               No. 2

     New church Life

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     Notes on This Issue

     Tim Rose and William Warley, who have articles in this issue, both are members of the Atlanta Society. Another writer in this issue is Alan Ferr of Toronto. We thank David Deaton of Nova Scotia for supplying the material from Professor George Bush (p. 86).
     In November Bishop King and Freya were in South Africa. It was an inspiring time for them and for the church (see pages 58-61).
     "The spirit of a person is his mind and whatever proceeds from it" (TCR 156). In the sermon this month Rev. Arthur Schnarr shows that the spirit of Jesus Christ is His Mind and all that proceeds from it. He speaks of the influences of the Divine Human in our lives. "The Holy Spirit is not an ethereal, mysterious, ghostlike being. . . . [It] is Jesus Himself, acting in your life" (p. 55).
     In heaven "no one desires to be master and thereby to look upon another as servant, but everyone desires to minister to and serve the others" (AC 5732). Mr. Warley's piece about management shows how this principle can influence management philosophy and practice today.
     
     **********


     APPLICATIONS FOR ADMISSION TO THE ACADEMY BOYS SCHOOL AND GIRLS SCHOOL

     Requests for application forms for admission of new students to the Academy Secondary Schools should be made by April 1, 1990. Letters should be addressed to Principal of the Girls School or Principal of the Boys School, The Academy of the New Church, Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009. Letters should include the student's name, parents' address, the class the student will be entering, the name and address of the school he or she is now attending, and whether the student will be a day or a dormitory student.

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BEST OF FRIENDS 1990

BEST OF FRIENDS       Rev. A. W. SCHNARR       1990

     "Most assuredly, I say to You, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask and you will receive, that your joy may be full" (John 16:24).
     
     Someone has said, "A friend in need is a friend indeed." A friend is someone you can count on, someone you can trust completely, someone who will do anything to help you any time. A best friend is always there when needed. If you have ever been let down by a friend when you most needed him or her, you know how devastating it can feel to be rejected. Even our best friends are not perfect. They have limitations, and due to circumstances beyond their control, at times they are unable to help us. We need to be forgiving, to allow them to be human.
     A friendship with the Lord Jesus Christ is different. If God is invisible to you, incomprehensible to you, or beyond your reach, then you will have difficulty seeing and knowing Him as your best friend. Nevertheless, it is His desire to be your best friend. He says, "Ask and you will receive, that your joy may be full." "You are My friends if you do whatever I command you." "I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you." "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire and it shall be done for you."
     Only Jesus Christ can truly be your best friend. He is always with you. He will never fail you, reject you, or let you down. He has no limitations.
          How does the Lord become your best friend? He becomes your friend in the same way others become your friends-by talking about things of common interest and by doing things together. You form bonds of friendship with the Lord, with Jesus Christ, by loving, thinking, and doing things together with Him, just as you would with any other human being.

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The only difference is that His Human is Divine, and therefore invisible to your physical eyes. He is just as real, just as present, just as active, just as talkative, just as influential, and even better company than any human friends you have.
     The Heavenly Doctrines of the New Jerusalem say "thought from the eye closes the understanding, while thought from the understanding opens the eye" (DLW 46). Don't be misled by your eyes to believe He is not here with you now, or that He is not with you wherever you go and whatever you do. Jesus Christ is present everywhere. He is always active and busy, energetically controlling the spiritual influences of your spirit, or mind. He is constantly working to keep you alive, to keep your mind alert (to keep you awake right now) and thinking. He is constantly trying to awaken good loves and affections in you, and to get you to freely respond to the needs of others. Maybe if you close your eyes you will have an easier time seeing Him doing these things.
     Really the Lord is already your friend, your best friend. It may seem incredible, but He personally cares about each person in the world; He personally loves each of you. Jesus Christ has this ability because He is God Himself. He is filled with infinite and uncreated love and wisdom. From His soul, Jesus has all the Divine love and Divine wisdom of God Himself, for Jesus is God Himself manifested in His own Divine Human. He has all power, all glory, and all life in Himself. As He said, "All things of the Father are Mine" (John 16:15). "The Father has given all things into the hand of the Son" (John 3:35). "As the Father has life in Himself so has He given to the Son to have life in Himself" (John 5:26). So when you see Him, you see the Father; when you know Him, you know the Father; when you make friends with Him, you are making friends with God Himself, in His own Human.
     Jesus, like your other friends, thinks about you from love, and He figures out what He can do or say to help you become a better person. Your friends draw upon the loves and thoughts in their internal man before speaking to you or doing things with You.

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Jesus also draws upon the Divine loves and Divine thoughts of His internal man when He speaks to you and does things with you. As your friends do, Jesus as a Man, a Divine Man, personally thinks about you and determines how He will try to influence you. He is continually thinking about your changes of state, and is continually changing His influence to meet your needs. His loving and caring monitoring of you is unceasing, and His wisdom in moderating your spiritual surroundings is infinitely perfect. Is He your best friend? You bet! His friendship with you is extremely intimate and personal. He knows everything about you. In His own merciful and gentle manner He is your very good Shepherd.
     Your friends influence you by means of their bodies. The spirit of their minds, their loves and thoughts, manifests itself through the actions of their bodies and the speech of their mouths. If the Lord is to be your friend, He also needs a body through which He can influence you. The spirit of His mind, His Divine love and Divine wisdom, operates on you and influences you by means of His Divinely revealed Word: His Body. "In the beginning was the Word . . . the Word became flesh and dwelled among us." Jesus took the Word into His mind when He was in the world, fulfilled it during His life, put flesh and bones on it, and then glorified it in Himself, filled with Divine love. The Lord is His Word. His body is the Word. When He operates on you, or influences you as His friend, He does so in His Body, or from His Body, which is the Word.
     When your friends speak to you, you listen. If they are not speaking to you, you go and find out why. When Jesus speaks to you from His Word within your mind, you listen. If you hear nothing from Him for a while, stop to think about why. When your friends go along and do the things you are doing, you are delighted. When they won't come along, it makes you stop and wonder why. When Jesus is with you when you are doing something, it is delightful when His words are ringing in your ears while you are doing it. But when He is no longer there, when His words do not fit in, maybe it's because He doesn't want to be doing what you are doing.

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     You need to listen to the Lord in order to be His friend. "You are My friends if you do whatever I command you," He says. Have you ever tried to help a friend who wouldn't listen? You didn't stop being a friend, but the person wasn't letting you be his friend. Jesus is trying to be your friend. Let Him. Listen to Him. He is intimately present with you. His life is your life. His love flowing into you enables you to love. His wisdom enables you to think. You can approach Him directly by approaching His Word within you. He will talk with you through His Word, stimulating thoughts through the knowledges you have in your mind from His Word. Pray to Him, beg for His assistance. Tell Him you need Him, and ask Him for help. He is standing there within you, visible, knowable, approachable, knocking at the door. "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." He is your best friend. "What man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" You can find no better friend than Jesus.
     He does so many things for you if you let Him. He teaches you from His Word, and by watching what goes on around you from the perspective of those knowledges He teaches you how to apply them to life. If you will follow the teachings of His Word, He will lead and guide your affections and thoughts. He constantly restores your equilibrium between the forces of heaven and hell, leaving you in complete freedom to choose how you live. He activates His Word in your memory to comfort you in times of sorrow and distress. When you consciously call upon Him He strengthens your resolve to reform and repent, and by His presence causes evil spirits to flee and therefore cease to torment you.

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When you meditate upon His Word, He enlightens you. When you act according to His Word, forgiving others their trespasses against you, He forgives you your trespasses and gives you peace. As you grow in friendship with Him, He draws you into closer and closer conjunction with Himself, increasing your happiness and delight in serving others usefully.
     These are only a few of the things the Lord, as your best friend, does for you. We read: "The spirit of a person is his mind and whatever proceeds from it" (TCR 156). The spirit of Jesus also is His Mind and what proceeds from it. All these things that Jesus does for you are the operation of His Spirit, His Mind. They are the influences of His Divine Human in your life. When you freely choose to respond to His influence, allowing Him to be your best friend, leading, guiding, and helping you, you are receiving His Holy Spirit.
     The Holy Spirit is not an ethereal, mysterious, ghostlike being, essence, or influence. The Holy Spirit is Jesus Himself acting in your life, doing His part to reform you. It is Jesus Himself, acting of His own free will to regenerate you. The Holy Spirit is not a separate God, sent by the Father. The Holy Spirit is Jesus Christ actively and directly working to be your best friend. The Holy Spirit is the good works of charity Jesus does for you in order to save you from the miserable, eternal damnation and unhappiness of hell. Do not allow your mind to separate His Holy Spirit from Jesus Himself. Jesus Christ, in His own Divinely Human Body, operates immediately from Himself directly into your soul and mind to influence you. His doing, His work, His activity in you is the Holy Spirit.
     Jesus breathed on the disciples and said, "Receive you the Holy Spirit" (John 20:22). Jesus breathes life into you also, breathing love and wisdom into your soul and mind. You receive His influence, His friendship, His Holy Spirit, by means of His Word-not the book on the shelf outside of you, but the knowledges of His Word consciously deliberated on and put into life within you.
     "The Word of the Lord is like an ocean or a flower bed or a garden. When it has a place in [your] internal in any degree of fullness, it does not act through [you], but [you] speak and act of [yourself] from the Word [from that garden]. . . .

56


[Your external selects just what is sufficient for its use.] The same is true of the Lord, [of Jesus Christ,] because He is the Word . . . . The Lord acts from Himself, or from the Word, in and into [you] and not through [you]. [You] act and speak from the Lord freely when you act and speak from the Word" (TCR 154:5).
     When you act from the Lord's words within you, you are receiving the Holy Spirit; you are receiving the Lord's offer of friendship; you are doing what the Lord wants; you are doing things with the Lord.
     You increase your friendship with the Lord, therefore, by increasing your knowledge of His Word, by meditating on it and its application to life, and by putting His Word into the action of your life. Pride of your intelligence to do this is the biggest stumbling block standing in the way of receiving the Holy Spirit. "The Divine first flows into a person," we read, "when he has humbled himself." Humility, prayer, self-examination, repentance and reformation are the activities you must involve yourself in to promote your friendship with the Lord because these are the activities He loves to do.
     Friendship with the Lord is not a mystical, ethereal, intangible relationship unless you do not know that Jesus Christ is the one and only God of heaven and earth, and that the Divine trinity is in Him, in one Person. The Holy Spirit, God's direct and immediate activity in people's lives, did not exist until Jesus was glorified. "The Spirit of God," which did exist before the glorification, "neither did nor could operate on people except imperceptibly." On the other hand, we read, "whereas the Holy Spirit, which proceeds solely from the Lord, operates on man perceptibly and enables him to comprehend spiritual truths in a natural way" (Nine Questions: V). In other words, you can perceive the operation of the Lord's activity in your life.
     Some examples may help: You can feel an ability to separate your will from your understanding and thereby reform your life. You can learn and remember knowledges from the Word.

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You can feel the strength you have from Jesus to act from the Word, to change your thoughts, your speech, your actions. You can feel the enlightenment from Jesus that enables you to see how spiritual truths from the Word are applied in your natural life. After temptation, depression, and despair you can experience the renewal of life, energy, and interest in others that come from Jesus Christ. Through knowledges of the Word you can experience the Lord's removal of your fears and doubts and your feelings of guilt. You can perceive being released from evil loves and false thoughts as the Lord regenerates you.
     By consciously thinking on these things occurring within you, you can have the determination to allow Jesus to be your best friend. By receiving His Holy Spirit, you can see Jesus as a visible God, know Jesus as a lovable and understandable Human Being, and worship Jesus as the touchable God of heaven and earth. Decide today to let Jesus be your best friend, going with you everywhere you go. Consciously bring Him along. If you do this, your trust and confidence in Him will grow, and your willingness and even desire to follow Him will increase. He says to you, "Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask and you will receive, that your joy may be full. . . . You are My friends if you do whatever I command you." Amen.
ANNOUNCEMENT 1990

ANNOUNCEMENT       Rev. Louis B. King       1990



     THE SPIRITUAL MAN IS CALLED A FRIEND

     The spiritual man . . . is called by the Lord a "son of light," as in John:

     He that walks in darkness knows not where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light that you may be sons of light (12:35, 36).
     You are My friends if you do whatever I command you (15:14, 15).
                                   Arcana Coelestia 51

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     THE DIEPKLOOF SOCIETY RECEIVED INTO THE GENERAL CHURCH

     AN ADDRESS BY REV. PETER NKABINDE

     November 12, 1989, Diepkloof, South Africa

     Bishop and Mrs. King; Rev. and Mrs. Dibb; my friends: My time is short and my welcome address will be short likewise.
     Bishop: We have looked forward with keen anticipation to your visit to our continent, for which we feel there is a somewhat greater need than usual. This is because you are our spiritual father, our adviser, our shepherd; you are a real and dear friend, and for this reason we take a very special delight in welcoming you into our midst. It is also fitting that we should be glad to express our appreciation and gratitude for the good services you render both to priests and to societies in Africa. This "get togetherness" is sufficient proof of your labors, particularly for some desired end, and as a result of your efforts, Bishop, we have today the South African Corporation Steering Committee. We have today been received as priests and members of the General Church of the New Jerusalem, which serves the very real use of bringing us closer together into one unit. Hence this day marks a very special occasion in the lives of both the priests and the Transvaal societies. All of us present regard it a very special privilege to be associated with such an important occasion.
     This get together provides enjoyable opportunities for everyone not only to exchange thoughts on subjects of church doctrines but also to meet and know each other, whom we might not have known otherwise. This enables us to build human bridges which no mere cyclone can destroy. For it is by communication and contact that we grow. It is by allowing mind to rub on mind that we enrich and nourish each other. This is the dawn of a new tomorrow, a link whereby we will not be judged by the colour of our skin but by the actual freedom of serving one God, the Lord Jesus Christ.

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     Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation. Now is the time to rise to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to prove a reality for all God's children. This get together is not an end but a beginning. For some day every valley shall be exalted and every hill and mountain shall be made low. The rough places will be made plain and crooked places will be made straight; and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed; and all flesh shall see it together. This is our hope, Bishop, that a day will surely come when all God's children, black and white, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will join hands under one only God Jesus Christ, our Lord. For at present the world is alive with progress but confused about where it is going. We know much more than our forefathers, but have not reached a great intellectual level. We have not reached a level of social nor cultural development. We are not any wiser-, indeed, probably less so, because we are preoccupied with things of intelligence; we are preoccupied with things of the world, not the spirit. Hence your visits, Bishop, are of great value, especially your counsel and spiritual feeding. Your visits have also inspired many people, thus leaving an indelible mark on the sands of time.
     Bishop, our tribute to you will not be complete if a word of appreciation, however short, is not expressed of Mrs. King, known to many affectionately as Freya King, who has never been away from your side, sharing all the glory and all the bad times faithfully. You seldom preached in church without her watching, and always she accompanied you even to the most dreary places, and who by her sacrifice, by her industry and by her encouragement, proved a helpmate indeed. Ever since we have known Mrs. King we have found her humble, warm-hearted and easy to talk to. She seems to have by nature a great fund of gaiety. She is very far from being unpleasant, but on the contrary, she is cheerful and gay. She seems to have by nature a great fund of happiness. In short, she is a very agreeable, good-tempered, sensible lady, polite without ceremony, and sufficiently well-bred to make others happy in her company.

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Those are her talents endowed her by the Lord.
     Bishop, I fail to find adequate words whereby to express our deep appreciation for all that you have done to provide us so adequately with meat for our own comfort and our visitors'. With gratitude we will enter into the fruits of your labors. Please don't tire.
     Last, but by no means least, I would like to express a special word of thanks to Rev. Andrew Dibb, who within the short time he has been in the Transvaal has proved to be a fine asset to us. He has never turned a deaf ear to anything requiring his immediate attention. He is an indispensable person, and to whom I wish to say in a nutshell: Mr. Dibb, that which brings us together is a vision that we share in common-a vision of the Lord in His glorified Human as now revealed in the Writings of His Second Advent. If by unforeseen circumstances we are sent to jail for preaching the gospel of the Lord's advent, let us resolve to preach this gospel to the very prisoners themselves. And if they send us to the wilderness, let us determine to preach this gospel to the very animals themselves. We are marching forward, so do not cut the link!


     During the month of November, 1989 I recognized the following South African Mission ministers as priests of the General Church of the New Jerusalem:

     Rev. Ishborn Butelezi (second degree of the priesthood)
     Rev. B. Alfred Mbatha (second degree of the priesthood)
     Rev. Peter Nkabinde (second degree of the priesthood)
     Rev. Benjamin Nzimande (second degree of the priesthood)
     Rev. Aaron Zungu (second degree of the priesthood)
     Rev. Chester Mcanyana (first degree of the priesthood).

     Also recognized as societies of the General Church of the New Jerusalem were the following:

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     Alexandra Township
     Clermont
     Diepkloof
     Enkumba
     Hambrook
     Impaphala
     Kwa Mashu

On this visit to South Africa, it was my pleasure to inaugurate into the office of the priesthood Chester Mcanyana, and to ordain him into the first degree of the priesthood of the New Church. On the same occasion I recognized Mr. Reuben Tshabalala as an authorized candidate for the priesthood of the New Church. Mr. Jacob Maseko, who was authorized as a candidate for the priesthood of the New Church on a previous occasion, took part in these happy and moving services of worship.
     The Baccleuch church property was also dedicated at an official ground-breaking ceremony.
     Rt. Rev. Louis B. King
DECLARATION OF FAITH 1990

DECLARATION OF FAITH       Chester Mcanyana       1990

     I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the one God of heaven and earth.
     I believe that His love is from eternity to eternity.
     I believe that He came into the world and assumed the Human for the salvation and redemption of man's soul.
     I believe that He led me to the priesthood that I may minister to the spiritual needs of His people.
     I pray that the Lord our Savior Jesus Christ will breathe on me His Holy Spirit that I might better be able to see His truth and to use it to bring comfort to His people as well as light.
     My hope, my intention, and my prayer are that I might serve the Lord all the days of my life.

     Candidate Chester Mcanyana
     Diepkloof, Soweto
     Transvaal, South Africa

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NEW CHURCH OF THE OPEN WORD 1990

NEW CHURCH OF THE OPEN WORD       ALAN G. FERR       1990

     The revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ in opening the spiritual sense of the Word "excels all the revelations which had been made since creation" (Inv. 44). An appropriate symbol of this revelation is a radiant, open Word.
     We of the General Church of the New Jerusalem (GCNJ) have this symbol. It seems to me we should also have an appropriate name. "General Church . . . " is unattractive. It seems too-general. The words "New Jerusalem" often provoke images of a Jewish Church or a Zionist group. Also, because Jerusalem presently exists as a city, I feel it is unwise to use this name in the name of our church. We have a city in Ontario that used to be called Berlin before the Second World War. Because of the association of the name with Naziism, the name was changed. That may seem like an extreme example, but the New Church, and hopefully GCNJ, is expected to be here for "ages of ages." In future, the city of Jerusalem, and likewise its name, may be associated with some undesirable quality. Consequently, some people may have a bad feeling about our church before they even come into contact with anyone in it.
     A name in the Word signifies the quality and state of the spiritual thing which is being treated of (see AC 6662); also, a name is predicated of the quality of Divine worship as to both truth and good, but especially good (see AC 6888).
     How appropriate, then, it is for the GCNJ to have a name that signifies the good of its Divine worship, and rituals to match. What I am about to suggest may at first seem like a radical change, but if you try it in your homes and/or small special services, you may feel quite different about it.
     This change follows from a suggested name for GCNJ, which is the heading for this article, "The New Church of the Open Word." (At least one church having the name "Church of the Open Word" already exists in the U.S.A.)
     The basic suggestion is that once a new church building or home is dedicated, the Word always should be kept open.

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This open Word is consistent with the symbol we already have on our signs and stationery. Societies, if thought fit, could subsequently be renamed; for example, "Olivet Church of the Open Word," to be consistent with the overall name.
     How did the practice of opening and closing the Word originate and what does it signify?
I don't know how it originated. However, the opening of the Word has a beautiful signification; the closing of the Word has not. "The Lion of the tribe of Judah . . . has prevailed to open the Book and to loose its seven seals" (Rev. 5:5).
     "The Word is said to be closed up when it is understood only as to the sense of the letter, and everything therein is taken for doctrine; and it is still more closed up when those things which favor the love of self and the world are acknowledged as doctrinal things" (AC 3769).
     When the Lord read to the Nazarenes He "closed the book [scroll], gave it back to the attendant and sat down." The Nazarenes rejected Him. The closing of the Word probably signified their rejection of Him (see Luke 4:16-30).
     How could we have a service without the opening and closing of the Word? There are many ways, several of which are as follows:

     1. Do everything just as before (except now there is no need to open or close the Word).
     2. Change something in relation to the open Word at the beginning of the service and reverse the procedure at the end. For example,

     2a. Have the Word open on the altar but lying flat. Elevate it onto a Word stand so that it is then visible to the congregation.
     
     2b. Use a translucent curtain or veil in front of the Word which is opened at the start of the service.

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(The Word can still be seen through the veil at other times.)

     2c. Have the open Word in the altar behind a glass door. At the start of the service the door is opened and the open Word is placed on the altar. (I have used this method at home with a wooden cabinet. It works quite well, especially if little children are present.)

     2d. The intensity of light shining on the Word could be increased at the start of the service.
     
     2e. The minister could turn the pages to a new section of the open Word and could perhaps even read from it. (At the end he could leave the Word as it is or restore it to its original position.)

     Some of the above are reminiscent of the ark of the testimony, and others of the Word as it appears in the heavens. Since we have a knowledge of correspondences, we should try to use them in our rituals.
     The clergy of a previous church in the love of ruling from the love of self believed that the Lord gave them the keys to the kingdom of heaven, and that they could declare who was saintly and who was not. The opening and closing of the Word by them would be an appropriate symbol. In the book of Revelation: And after the sixth seal was opened, "The heavens receded as a scroll when it is rolled up . . . " (Rev. 6:14). "He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens . . . " (Rev. 3:7).
     Generally in the Word openness pertains to openness to heaven, and closedness to the reverse.
     The words "New Church" are in our logo and in our traditions, in that we call ourselves "New Churchmen." I feel it is appropriate that these words be kept in our name.
     The continuously open Word is a strong reminder that, "Behold, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age.

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SOME THOUGHTS ON MANAGING FROM A SPIRITUAL VIEWPOINT 1990

SOME THOUGHTS ON MANAGING FROM A SPIRITUAL VIEWPOINT       WILLIAM R. WARLEY       1990

Introduction

     During the fall 1989 in Atlanta, Georgia, several members of the Atlanta Society have been meeting in my home for a "Saturday Morning Breakfast Discussion Group on Work." The focus of the discussions has been on how we can apply the teachings of the Word to our work as managers and members of the business community. The discussions have produced a number of interesting conclusions which may prove of value to the New Church community at large.
     Much has been written about management over the last century, and particularly in the last 25 years. Management thinking in the literature and in practice has changed from viewing people as merely cogs in a machine to seeing them as individuals who want to make a useful contribution to the world. However, because of Japanese competition, the influence of the computer and the increased focus on quality service, efficiency of operations has emerged as the first concern, taking priority over concerns for employees. Although concerns for employees may be present, they are practiced only until it is not profitable. This "mean and lean" philosophy is sometimes softened, but usually only when it is more profitable to demonstrate a high concern for one's employees. Such a viewpoint places management totally in a natural world perspective. This paper, therefore, offers some thoughts on management from a spiritual viewpoint.
     
The Manager as Servant

     All people who work are either managing or being managed. Most of us at some point in our lives will manage others, whether it be on the job, in the home, or as a member of some volunteer organization. This means that there will be interactions whereby we become responsible for supporting others in their work. In order to become better managers, many of us will seek guidance from the theories of management.

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However, the viewpoint of management theory and practice are only half of the issue. The other half is the spiritual dimension, which is seldom considered as a part of the manager's role. As New Church men and women, we especially have a unique contribution to make to the world of management.
     By applying a spiritual perspective to management theory, management becomes more complete because the emphasis moves away from trying to control people in order to accomplish organizational missions, goals, and objectives to one of serving people in order to facilitate the accomplishment of organizational missions, goals, and objectives. A spiritual orientation therefore moves the organization's mission, goals, and objectives away from being self-serving to one of being others-serving. Profits become the rewards for serving others and then can be used in the service of others. This is the ideal which unfortunately is seldom, if ever, met. Through human beings, organizations possess both good and evil. Organizational goals become confounded with the same sins all human beings possess. If we intend to manage, by necessity we work with the people who collectively form organizations to accomplish collective uses. As individuals who are members of organizations, it is vital that we strive toward the highest ideals. We need to strive for the ideals of better organizations, better work environments, and a better way of managing. In order to accomplish these outcomes, first we look to ourselves for improvement. The focus always comes back to us. As Jesus said, "And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye but do not perceive the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye" (Luke 6:40-42).
     The Lord is giving us a very direct message in the literal sense of the Word. We need to remove the flaws from ourselves before removing them from others.

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As managers we bring order to the areas of our responsibility before trying to cure the organization's faults. Much depends on our level of influence as to how much correction we can make in the organization. If we are responsible for a department of three employees, the most that we can do is make our department the very best it can be, both naturally and spiritually. If we serve as the vice president over a division of hundreds, our influence is much greater. Yet, the same basic principle of making the division the best spiritually and naturally applies. If we are the chairperson of the board, we are responsible for the entire organization, and we make sure it is the best in the industry. But what is the meaning of these passages from Luke at the internal level? As managers is there more for us to understand beyond our natural understanding of what the Lord said? Yes, there is more!
Let's consider who our "brother" is. Our brother is our neighbor (see AE 746:16)-those with whom we have more than just a casual relationship. Likewise, within the work setting our brother means those individuals with whom we work. They include all levels of individuals both internal and external to the enterprise that depend upon the successful completion of our work.
     The speck and the plank are those things which interfere with people's work. As managers we come to understand our false assumptions about our own leadership-assumptions which may prevent others from accomplishing their work, particularly those who follow our leadership. As managers we are in a special position. We are the ones who provide the vision, the motivation, the direction, the knowledge, the understanding, and the resources for the followers so that they can get their work done. If we become more concerned about ourselves than those whom we serve, then goals and objectives become confused and unclear; the aim is lost. Right and wrong, good and evil have no meaning until the aim is identified. The manager provides the aim. We provide the vision so that those who follow will clearly know their course. If the aim is self-centered, then the results become self-serving.

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If the aim is others-centered, then the results become others-serving. In order to consider others we must remove our planks, our falsities, that interfere with the work of others; then we can remove the specks from our employees' eyes.
     This does not mean we stop managing and remove all the planks from ourselves before we manage. What it means is that we become aware of ourselves to the point that we recognize when we are interfering with the work of our followers/employees. It is a matter of constantly becoming honestly self-observing. Through self-observing, the planks will slowly be removed, splinter by splinter, so that we are able to help others to improve and to remove their own splinters. Through self-observation the planks of poor planning, poor organizing, poor staffing, poor leading, and poor monitoring slowly improve. We serve by removing the splinters not through threats of punishment but through teaching employees to become self-monitoring, self-disciplining, and self-correcting. In order to do so as managers we learn how to perform these actions. Above all, we learn the art and discipline of self-observation so that we can become better servants.
     What is managing? Managing is the process of serving employees by providing them what they need to accomplish their work. The manager serves others through a continuous inflowing of support. As managers we gently maintain the vision, the aim, and the mission of the organization. We lead without commanding or ordering.

That "to command" is influx is because in heaven no one is commanded or ordered, but thought is communicated and the other acts willingly in accordance therewith. Communication of thought together with a desire which wills that something be done is influx, and on the part of the recipient is perception, and therefore by "commanding" is signified also perception. Moreover, in heaven they not only think but also talk together, but about things of wisdom; yet in their conversation there is nothing of command from one another, for no one desires to be master and thereby to look upon another as servant, but everyone desires to minister to and serve the others.

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From this it is plain what form of government there is in heaven, which is described by the Lord in Matthew: "It shall not be so among you; but whosoever would become great among you should be your minister, and whosoever would be first should be your servant" (20:26, 27); and again, "He that is greatest among you shall be your minister. Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled, and whosoever shall humble himself shall be exalted" (22:11, 12). AC 5732

The Manager as Teacher

     The Lord is the Master Teacher. He provides us no more than what we can adequately handle and no less than what we need. If the Lord teaches us anything, it is that He teaches. Likewise, as managers we are teachers. As our knowledge increases, we need to teach our employees so that their knowledge increases. We attempt to teach our employees to move beyond their present levels to new levels at a pace they can handle.
     Throughout the entire Word the Lord teaches us. His method of teaching is flexible so that He can teach each of us, His students, at our current level of understanding. Thus, the Word, the Lord's textbook, is far from rigid. In fact, it allows us to bring our unique perspectives to it so that we may practice what we learn in our immediate world, one of His many classrooms. The Word feeds us the right amounts and kinds of spiritual food given the condition of our spiritual development. By meeting us at our current state, the Word provides us with an ongoing personal revelation. This is important because through the Word the Lord speaks to us and teaches us.
     In the 23rd Psalm, for example, the Lord teaches us much about spiritual management. Let us examine this psalm line by line: "The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want." Here the word "shepherd" signifies one who teaches (see AR 383). The Lord is our Teacher. The Lord serves us by teaching, by instructing, and by providing guidance through His instruction. He makes sure that we do not want and that our needs for knowledge, understanding, truth and good are provided for.

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Likewise, we as managers also instruct, making sure our employees do not want for the knowledge they need in order to perform their work.
     "He makes me to lie down in green pastures." "Pastures" denotes the truths in which humankind is instructed (see AE 482:3). The Lord is always instructing us in what is true. This also is an important function for the manager. We must insure that our employees have correct and accurate information about everything that is related to their work. Without this information they will be unable to do their work properly. Another way of stating what good managers do is to assert that managers are servants who make sure their employees do not want; they help the employees gather knowledge of what is good and true; they lead their employees to understanding; and they motivate them to be better and to obtain satisfaction from their work.
     "He leads me beside the still waters." "Waters" signify truths from heaven (see AE 375:34). Both the images of lying down in green pastures and being beside still waters suggest a state of tranquility (see AC 3696:5). The tranquility comes from knowing what is good and true. The manager does the same for his or her employees. People cannot work if they are in a state of unrest. Incorrect, inaccurate, and incomplete information and poor guidance about their work leads to unrest. However, as the Lord teaches us, rest and tranquility come when we have been taught correctly. With a serene mind, people can go about performing their work knowing that they are not lacking in what they need to do their work. We need to provide for the needs of those whom we serve.
     "He restores my soul." By teaching us the Lord restores our souls. We experience renewal. Our spiritual needs are met so that we may become renewed (see AC 7571:2). All of us need renewal in order to continue performing and growing. As managers we serve this function by providing our employees the resources needed to accomplish their work successfully. They then experience a renewal of spirit emotionally, mentally and physically. They may then experience the gentle joy of being useful.

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     "He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake." As does the Lord lead us to do what is right, so should we lead our employees to perform the right actions for the right reasons.
     "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." This passage of the psalm illustrates one of the major strengths a manager should have. When things get difficult, managers need to be present to provide the support the employees need. We need to soothe their emotional, psychological and physical discomfort during this time. We may do this by being true to our purpose, providing clear understanding of what is needed, and demonstrating what is expected. We are with them to provide the strength and power needed to overcome the difficulty. This strength and power are a comfort to our employees.
     The "valley of the shadow" represents lower things (see AC 4715:5), which here is interpreted as difficult times-difficult not in the sense of too much work or work too demanding, but difficult as a result of elements in the environment attacking the organization, thereby placing pressures on the employees to behave in ways that are unacceptable or self-serving.
     The "rod" and "staff" represent the power which comes from Divine truth. If we are doing good and are true to good aims, then that vision will supply the power and strength the employees need to exit from the valley. Although times may be difficult, they know we are present to assist with their needs. During these difficult times, we need to provide them with the resources, tools, knowledge, skills and understanding required to solve difficult problems easily.
     "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies." What or who are our enemies? Our enemies are evils and falsities (see AC 2851). In the face of these enemies, the Lord sets a table before us to provide us with the celestial foods of good and truth, love and wisdom, and the intelligence or knowledge to vanquish our enemies.

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What can we, the managers, do? When there are doubts, misunderstandings, poor interpersonal relationships, poor communication, poor service, unclear goals and objectives, and other difficulties, we can provide the information, concern, and care to keep things in order. Thus, the employees will have no fear of the difficulties overcoming them. Rather, the employees will overcome the difficulties (see PP, Psalm 23).
     "You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over." Oil represents holy good. Anointing one's head with oil, therefore, indicates a higher good, which is a more interior good to the person. The whole phrase means that truth must not be separated from good. For truth without good is not truth (see AC 3728). Good comes only from the Lord (see AC 3207:2). A truth becomes a falsity when the motive behind the truth is not good. The manager's intent consequently is what is important. If we are truly serving those who work with and for us, then our support will be the right actions for the right reasons. Serving is done with the good of charity (see AC 5120) and the love of use as the intent. In brief, we need to act in the best interests (good) of our employees so that they may have the means (truth) to do their best work.
     If the manager leads with good and truth, teaches what is right, and provides what is needed so that others can get their work done, the employees will be exposed to goodness and truth. Our attitudes and behaviors will ultimately influence others to do the same; that is, to be charitable and generous in providing help and support to those who need it. Spiritually, our cup will overflow.
     "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." As a result of practicing spiritual management, we will "surely" experience the joys of living in the Lord's house. For this last passage denotes being and living in the good of love (see AC 3384:2). People who work with us will experience the positive influence of someone who is not commanding or controlling, but leading by serving. Managers who do this will have contributed well to the world.

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Heavenly Aspirations in a "Bottom Line" World

     Given all of the above, one might rightfully ask, "But don't we live in a 'bottom line' world? Profits and return on investments are the issue. How then can one practice these principles?" Or another might say, "I am understaffed and overworked. There is no time to think about or to consider this type of management. It is too idealistic to be practical." Someone else might add, "I have people who work for me who are not interested in their work. They are only interested in their paycheck. If I don't control them closely, they won't do their work. Nothing will get accomplished!"
     Such comments represent hard everyday experiences of the work world. However, two points need to be considered. First, managers work with people. Interactions are ultimately with individuals or with groups of people. Regardless of the circumstances surrounding these interactions, managers will bring either a self-centered approach or an others-centered approach to how they manage. Others-centered management is managing from a spiritual perspective. By managing from a spiritual viewpoint, managers will practice the others-centered approach.
     Second, one should always present the ideal. Without ideals we have nothing toward which to strive. Thus, we have no means for improvement. The Lord is always presenting us with the ideals for our behaviors, our motives, and our uses. Managing from a spiritual viewpoint is an ideal toward which we can aspire.
     
Some Concluding Thoughts

     As managers, we need to be aware of man's dual nature. We are inclined to evils of every kind, including goofing off on the job, while at the same time filled with the highest ideals, ambitions, and visions of service. The wise manager is aware of both inclinations. We need to help employees observe their own negative tendencies while inspiring them to soar to new heights of service and achievement. We become managers with a spiritual viewpoint by being the best servants and the best teachers, so that those with whom we work can become the very best at what they do.

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(Note: Dr. Warley is Assistant Professor of Business and Human Service at the University College of Mercer University in Forsyth, Georgia. He resides in Atlanta, Georgia, and is a member of the Atlanta New Church.)
EVANGELICAL PLAN TO DISSEMINATE THE HEAVENLY DOCTRINES TO THE MASSES 1990

EVANGELICAL PLAN TO DISSEMINATE THE HEAVENLY DOCTRINES TO THE MASSES       Rev. JOHN H. ROACH       1990

     (Part two)

     Prior to the First Coming of the Lord the human race was threatened by the loss of liberty and rationality. The hells began to infest the bodies as well as the souls of men, and they even threatened the stability of the heaven of angels. There was a great crisis in the moral universe. The human race was about to perish. Every truth that would build human character had been perverted. This desolation of the church was to be repeated just prior to the Second Coming of the Lord. The 24th chapter of St. Matthew describes four periods of the church which led up to the Second Coming.
     The first period: the first to the fourth century was characterized by bitter doctrinal controversies and is represented in the Word in Matthew 4-7 as "wars and rumors of wars."
     The second period of the church was from the fourth to the sixteenth century, and it was characterized by the denial of principles in the life, represented in verses 8-14 as "killing the disciples and following false prophets."
     The third period of the church was from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century, and it was characterized by the dogma of salvation by faith alone and represented in verses 15-22 as "the abomination of desolation."
     The fourth and last period began in the eighteenth century, and it was characterized by naturalism, rationalism, materialism and atheism, represented in verses 23-28 as "false christs and false prophets.

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     The last period of the church is dangerous because it extinguishes the light of truth and the affection of good in the church. The result is death, both in the internal church and the external church. But in the year 1757 the Second Coming of the Lord took place in the spirit and power of His holy Word, through the instrumentality of Emanuel Swedenborg to enlighten the minds of men from Divine wisdom, and to warm their hearts from Divine love. The effect of this Second Coming among men has brought about changes for the better in the world since the dark ages of ignorance and evil. But wherever the light of Divine truth is illumined and the affection of good is felt, it always exposes the darkness of falsity and the hideousness of evil.
     We are living at a time when evil is all too obvious in the world. Now where do all these evils spring from? Some people think they spring from some abstract force that is out there in nature somewhere; some think that the origin of evils began when the devil or satan rebelled against the Lord and he and his crew were cast down and hell was formed. But I submit to you that evil has its origin in the human mind and nowhere else, and that it is nurtured and its deadly powers are organized into a monstrous and a diabolical form which bears a contagious corrupting influence upon men, women, and children against one another. Brothers and sisters, evil is within each of us, and unless we control it by pushing it to the circumference of our minds, it will destroy us both body and soul.
     Jesus said it is not that which goeth into the mouth that defiles a man but is that which comes out of the mouth; this defiles a man. Those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; for out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.
     The harvest is truly great, the fields are white already, but the laborers are few. Now since the Lord called me to be one of those few laborers, He also gave me some talents, gifts, graces, and some plans to help disseminate the Heavenly Doctrines to the masses. Please permit me to share some of them with you.

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Implementation of Evangelistic Goals

     Before I share them, however, let me recall with you that since the Last Judgment took place in the spiritual world in 1757, there has been a constant thirst for new knowledge and an insatiable hunger for goodness in the world among those who have not abused their freedom and rationality. It appears that masses of such people everywhere are diligently seeking for genuine truth. This is the reason that all forms, types, and cultures of religious persuasions are springing up all around us today. For those who once believed that the Lord was coming back to this earth in person have given up hope that He will ever come. And since man is inherently of a religious disposition that he must have something of a supernatural nature to believe in, he has sought to construct a "golden calf"-a man-made religion. They have been so preoccupied with the natural, the material and the mundane that they have failed to understand that the Lord has already returned in the power and great glory of His holy Word. This is besides those of the literal fundamentalist groups who in desperation cling tenaciously to the letter of the Word. So, there appears today to be a phenomenal interest in spiritual subjects as never before. The means of communicating such knowledge has greatly improved since the period of time before the year 1757. The press itself is publishing religious papers, magazines and books which represent different shades of opinion and are sent in large volume all over the world. This is because space and time are no longer an obstruction to travel.
     Bookstores are doing an enormous business these days because multitudes are searching for new knowledge, and reading up on new ways to perform services. Over the years I have been aware of this scramble for new knowledge as I myself have come a long way toward the discovery of what seems to me to be a great light that has illuminated the darkness of my understanding. And, since I have come from the ranks of those who are seeking new religious knowledge, it has been commended to my mind that in order to reach these masses with the Heavenly Doctrines of the New Revelation, it is imperative that I address the issues where they are and according to what they understand to be true.

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For in this way I would be able to arrest their attention and then present my message.
     Since the Heavenly Doctrines are capable of being commended to one's reason and rationality (that is, making sense in conformity with sound reason, human experience, true science, history, and the known laws of man's mental and moral constitution, as well as the holy Word), the right application of these truths is very likely to appeal to people's rational sense of perception. If this be the case, they may be led to a higher form of truth insofar as a willing reception of their understanding will permit.
     My goal, then, is to present a right application of these truths through two mediums. The first medium is a literary work called The True Meaning of "Saved by Grace." The introductory treatise comes in two parts. Part I of volume I is entitled "The Beginning of a New Church." Part H of volume II is entitled "Preaching in the New Church." As forestated, I began these works in the year 1979, and they were completed seven years later, in December 1986. Also completed in the same time period was volume III and a portion of volume IV. As many subsequent volumes will follow as it will take to complete the series.

Now, why the necessity of an introductory treatise? This is done that the reader may be able to follow a line of sequence that will enable him to grasp the truths presented to a rational, comprehensible conclusion. Then, too, I am setting forth a new concept in grace from truths that have not been generally known to the masses. It is therefore essential that I do the "spade work"; that is, lay a firm foundation upon which to construct solid, astonishing, unbelievable truths which are to be discussed in subsequent volumes.
     Now this work is an attempt to show that grace is not immediate mercy to an individual as the old Christian Church teaches, but that it is pure mercy toward the whole human race, and that salvation by grace is not acquired by a mere profession from the lips, but is acquired by real, sincere, and genuine repentance from one's evils, and a life in conformity with the truths of doctrine and love and charity toward the neighbor.

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This addresses the issues where they are, and this is where I must place my relentless emphasis because they understand a mere profession from the lips without genuine repentance and a life in conformity with Divine laws as saving, as well as to believe the Second Coming of the Lord in person. This is why the Lord revealed to me the title of this series, because this work addresses the truths of the Second Coming as a new revelation to replace the old doctrine of justification by faith alone and the vicarious atonement, which means Christ died in our stead.
     The Writings of the New Revelation are written to the comprehension of a highly intellectual class of people. This is according to the Divine Providence of the Lord because the Writings themselves tell us that there can be no connection of rational truths, obtained by scientifics, with celestial truths except by intellectual truths which are the medium; otherwise the celestial truths would suffer violence and men would not be saved (see AC 1495). However, in order to present these doctrines to the less intelligent who comprise the masses it is necessary to accommodate to their level of understanding, to their customs, to their culture, habits and manners. This runs parallel to varieties in worship to the Lord as expressed in the Writings, for they say, "varieties in worship of the Lord from the variety of good in different societies is not harmful but beneficial, for the perfection of heaven is therefrom. This can scarcely be made clear to the comprehension without employing terms that are in common use in the learned world, and showing by means of these how unity, that it may be perfect, must be formed from variety" (HH 56). So even variety in worship is according to levels of good, and this makes for the perfection of unity. Therefore, with respect to the different levels of understanding I have tried to offer this work in simplicity that the average reader would be able to understand without difficulty, and yet I have not minimized the intellectual principle. I have not employed difficult terms nor used a style of writing commensurate with high scholastic standards.

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     In the first place I do not consider myself as possessing such magnificence in literary ability, and in the second place, if I did, I would not employ it. The message I have to offer is too important to be embellished in a vague writing style of the highest composition for the purposes of whetting my own vanity, and which would be understood only by those with a superior degree of scholastic training. It must be written to the comprehension of all persons who are literately able to absorb and retain written messages, even if with difficulty.
     [To be continued]
LOSE THE SHOES 1990

LOSE THE SHOES       TIM ROSE       1990

     Moses stood on Mount Horeb, facing an indescribable vision of the Infinite made finite. We can only speculate on what it might have looked like. He chose to describe it as a plant that glowed with fire but was not consumed. This vision and the insight it brought him would make a total and permanent change in his life. So began his transformation from a slave-in-exile to a prophet and deliverer whose influence would span millennia.
     As he watched the vision unfold, and began to glimpse its meaning, he felt a compelling sense of holiness. The very ground on which he stood at that moment became sacred. His inspired response was to bend down and remove the barrier between himself and that holy ground-his shoes. As his bare soles came to rest on the rough earth, he must have felt that even his feet, even the lowest surfaces of his being, were enlightened and glowed with spiritual fire.
     Swedenborg compares shoes to what is merely corporeal. The ground is the natural man, and holy ground is the natural man becoming celestial (see AC 1748). A life that is concerned only with corporeal realities-the body, the clothes, external acts and words-is a barrier that separates the modern religious man or woman from the true religious experience of the prophets, in which even our natural level is filled with celestial fire.

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The burning bush is a vision into another dimension, which can be appreciated and understood only outside the merely corporeal dimension of dogmatic religion.
     By a simple act Moses demonstrated an approach to holiness that is very different from ours. He didn't back off and separate himself from holiness for fear of destroying it or being destroyed. Rather, his first move was to touch it. The word "holy" in our usage denotes something untouchable, something to be solemn and distant about, never to joke or be emotional about. Like Jesus touching and holding little children, real holiness can be touched, felt, laughed at, cried at, and played with, but there is one certain prerequisite: lose the shoes.
     Centuries after Moses, a Jewish fundamentalist sect called the Pharisees enjoyed a position of prominence in their culture. Originally they were allied with the Sadducees and the Essenes in underground resistance against the Roman Empire. The Pharisees and the Sadducees eventually sold out to the Romans in a pact of mutual official recognition ("We have no king but Caesar").
     However and whenever the Pharisees came to be, by the time we read about them in the New Testament the essence of their religion is pretty clear: What shall we eat, and what shall we drink, and how shall we be clothed? They were prodigal sons of the spiritual heritage of Moses. They had perverted his profound personal visionary experience into a Moral Behaviorism grounded only in what is corporeal, concerned only with acts and facts, and altogether negligent of the dimension of the spirit. Their merely corporeal religion was like a pair of thick-soled shoes that kept them always shielded from personal experience.
     While the Pharisees and their ridiculous array of arbitrary Thou Shalts and Thou Shalt Nots were living at the apex of the Jewish religious/social system, the Essenes remained largely underground (apparently centered around the Dead Sea), and remained, in their odd ascetic way, true to the vision of the prophets.

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They were critical of the Jewish and Roman leaders alike.
     A prophet arose among the Essenes who put himself on the line by preaching openly against both the Jewish and Roman ruling classes. He was called John the Baptist. He had stinging words for the king of Judea and all the entrenched earthly power he represented. He converted many of the common people to a more spiritual, if somewhat troubled, world view. Eventually the king's wife saw to it that John paid full price for his audacity when she had his head removed from his body.
     John spoke of a greater prophet to come, one whose shoes, he said, he was unworthy to untie. John was given the responsibility of baptizing Jesus of Nazareth in the Essene ritual of initiation. Jesus then began preaching a personal, spiritual religion that threatened the grip of both the Jewish and Roman leaders, but he made no move to challenge them on a political plane. His kingdom was not of this dimension.
     One of the things the Pharisees and their allies appeared to hate about Jesus was that He partook freely of religious experience-He "made himself the Son of God"-while He joked about their behavioristic obsessions. Ironically, the Pharisees boasted of their genetic relation to Moses while scorning in Jesus the very spirit that made Moses great. But there was a greater irony to come.
     The Pharisees and their allies persecuted Jesus and eventually saw to His death, or so they thought. But the spirit of Jesus lived on in the hearts of a precious few faithful followers who kept the bush burning, who maintained contact with the holy ground of visionary religion.
     Among the persecutors was an enthusiastic young Pharisee named Saul, who besides being exemplary of the religious elite had also ingratiated himself to the Roman government to the degree that they made him an honorary Roman citizen and gave him the Latin name Paul. So he represented both of the earthly enemies of the new Christian religion. He made a career of hunting down and destroying the remaining followers of the late Jesus.

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     One day as Paul traveled to Damascus (where there is believed to have been an Essene colony, and where Jesus may have spent some time among His spiritual brothers after His ordeal) he was suddenly confronted by the formerly late Jesus Himself, returned from the dead. The terror of this vision, in a kind of caricature of a real religious experience, shocked Paul into a conversion to Christianity. It would be hard to imagine a more unlikely conversion, and unfortunately, it didn't really take. Despite fitful moments of fragmented enlightenment, Paul maintained a morality that was dominated by guilt, damnation, and death, altogether alien to the way of Jesus Christ. In Paul's view, salvation was not by the spirit of Christ but by His Blood, and the nature of Christ's mission became not peaceful but violently sacrificial, with His death replacing His life as the center of power.
     Then, in what may be the most ironic coup in the history of the world, this disturbed Pharisee took over the Christian Church. Paul's teachings promptly supplanted Jesus' own, and Christianity became a New Pharisaism, complete with a ritual slaughter to appease an angry god.
     Through history the Christian (or more accurately, Pauline) religion has worn the heavy boots of Fascism, the stiff, tight Sunday shoes of Puritan Fundamentalism, and the spiked track shoes of ruthless Capitalism. It has put many miles of crusades and missions on those shoes, often leaving behind bootprints that have seriously damaged the reputation of Christ Himself. (The Spanish Inquisition and the Ku Klux Klan spring to mind.) Rarely since the earliest days of the Christian way have men and women in any great numbers stood barefoot on holy ground.
     To this day, thanks partly to Paul, those shoes that bound the Pharisees' lives and protected them from real experience are fastened tightly around the feet of most of the Christian world. Particularly among Fundamentalists, Catholics, and to a large extent in the New Church, but also throughout western civilization, the moral sense seems to be concerned far more with external acts than with the development of the spirit.

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While the New Church makes copious use of spiritualistic terms, on a practical level we are, like so many Christians, perversely concerned with who is doing what and whether they ought to be.
     In the New Church, one way the Shoes manifest themselves is in a disdain for "personal religion"-those silly Southern Baptists amening and hallelujahing in the aisles; those freaky Pentecostals thinking they can actually feel the Holy Spirit. We seem to believe in "spiritual things" only in the abstract. As the Pharisees came in Moses' name, we come in the name of Jesus but scorn the personal visionary religion He Himself taught. And this on the very heels of Swedenborg's mystical life, so startlingly visionary that one might politely call it bizarre.
     In Swedenborg's wake we discuss and debate but keep our distance, beating around the burning bush. We want Swedenborg to have taken care of all that messy visionary stuff, to have spared us the emotional investment of standing barefoot on the holy ground of personal revelation. We join the ancient Israelites in saying, "You talk with us and we will listen, but don't let God talk with us or we will die." If faced with a burning bush ourselves, many of us might reach for a bucket of water and douse it for fear it will rage out of control, forgetting that this fire does not consume.
     But as the colors of fall dramatize beautifully, there are burning bushes everywhere. The Infinite always reveals and conceals itself in the finite, and when the concealing gives way to the revealing, there is a vision, a new perception of truth so startling that it enlightens even the natural mind.
     In the Moses story the mountain of God is found "at the back of the desert." Revelations follow temptations. Moses had to spend some time living in the desert, caring for the sheep in spite of the harsh conditions. Rather than cursing the desert, he had to accept it, adapt to it, and live in it, because it was his home for the time being. If we fully accept our own present situation simply because it is where we are, even when the sun scorches, the ground is dry, thorns tear and snakes lurk, we open ourselves up for a vision.
     But we have to be prepared for a change.

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Moses did not go back to tending sheep. He moved on to a new life. If nothing else we can be certain that any new personal revelation of truth will fail to fit into our previous conceptual framework. It will shake up our thinking. It will change the rules. It will oblige us to let go of ideas we have valued in the past. This is why we have to turn aside from our routine, especially our religious routine, and take off our shoes-our habitual, externalized, dogmatic versions of truth-our hosts of Thou Shalts and Thou Shalt Nots; our What shall we eats and What shall we drinks. Without freeing our feet from the binding Pharisaic religion of external acts and words it is impossible to receive the voice of the I Am who speaks from the flames. And when the voice does speak, it will not speak to our shoes with dogmatic instructions. It will look us in the heart and speak only the truth: I AM THAT I AM.
     Then the miracle. Although that truth is non-dogmatic, although it will not tell us what to do about the car payments, or Johnny's grades, or the abortion issue, if we seek first the meaning of the vision and the feeling it inspires, all these things will be fulfilled too. The fire from the bush will make even the natural being into a celestial being, and no matter where we go, we will always be standing on holy ground.
ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH SECONDARY SCHOOLS 1990 SUMMER CAMP 1990

ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH SECONDARY SCHOOLS 1990 SUMMER CAMP       Editor       1990

     The 1990 ANC summer camp will be held on the campus of the Academy of the New Church in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania from Sunday, July 8 until Saturday, July 14, 1990.
     The camp is open to boys and girls who will have completed eighth or ninth grades in May or June of 1990.
     Students will receive registration details during the first week in March. We try to send to every eligible student but sometimes miss someone. If you have not received the information form, or know someone who may need information, please contact the camp director, William C. Fehon. Call him at (215) 947-4200 or write to him: Box 278, Academy of the New Church, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

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Editorials 1990

Editorials       Editor       1990

     FREEDOM IN A NEW DECADE

     The Writings speak of "free" nations in a vivid way, contrasting them in memorable imagery with nations that are not free. Free nations as regards spiritual or theological things "are like eagles which soar to any height; while nations that are not free are like swans swimming on a river.
     Free nations are also like the larger deer with tall antlers, that roam the fields, groves and forests at perfect liberty; but nations that are not free are like the deer kept in zoos for a prince's pleasure" (TCR 815).
     The first line of a sermon with which New Church Life began the decade of the 1940s was this: "To be free is the deepest desire of the human heart." That line was written by the late George de Charms fifty years ago. He spoke of natural freedom, but his primary emphasis was spiritual freedom.
     With regard to freedom of religion, picture two old men working diligently to print books of the Writings in the language of their native land in eastern Europe. As they do this they are fully aware that the books they are printing would be forbidden in their native land. And yet with the time they have left in this natural world they are determined to carry the work forward. And they are nourished by the hope that freedom of religion will some day in the Lord's Providence come to their land.
     The books continued to come off their press. They were books of the Writings in the Latvian tongue, and they included also a book by the late George de Charms translated into their language.
     The two men, Mr. Grava and Mr. Kreicbergs, are eminent examples of New Church men who labor in areas in which the New Church seems to have only the tiniest, minutest impact. But their conviction was real. Your editor had the honor of officiating at the funeral service of Mr. Kreicbergs, and although the man died without seeing anything of the wave of freedom in eastern Europe, I can assure you that he "saw" something of it in a special way.

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Once after a small New Church service I conducted in a private home I asked him if he would say a few words from the perspective of his life's experience. It was unforgettable. He spoke with the conviction of a man who could in a way "see" the Divine Providence.
     Do the Writings not speak of this?
     "The man who has become spiritual by the acknowledgment of God, and wise by a rejection of what is his own, sees the Divine Providence in the whole world, and in all and each things in it. When he looks at natural things he sees it; when he looks at civil matters he sees it; he sees it . . . in things great and small" (DP 189).
     This man had a remarkable confidence in what the Lord would provide in the future, and he had a clear perspective on what the Lord had done for him in the past. In the town of Liepaga years ago he passed a bookstore on a certain day and saw a book in the window. It was a book of the Writings that had been published in 1938 in the Latvian tongue. He says, "I went in and bought that book . . . . In it there were plain, clear and logical answers to most of the vital spiritual questions." He speaks of the Communist takeover later on. A book like that would no longer be in a window where it could have a chance to change the life of someone passing by.
     He became a leader in the tiny New Church congregation in Liepaga. Eventually he had to flee his homeland. In America he worked year after year with an old multilith printing machine. Copies of the book that had changed his life rolled off his press. Those books, as we noted last month, were stored at his request in Bryn Athyn.
     We will tell more of this story later this year.


     MORE FROM GEORGE BUSH

     The October issue has two pictures of Professor George Bush, the great-great grand uncle of the current President of the United States.

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     Around 1845 Professor Bush published a pamphlet most people have not heard of its title is Statement of Reasons for Embracing the Doctrines and Disclosures of Swedenborg. Here are some selections from it.

     In the retrospect of the last five or six years of my moral and intellectual life, I am compelled to fix upon the date when I was first led to question the received doctrine of the resurrection, as the point from which my progress really began to tend towards the New Church, although then profoundly ignorant of the fact. I had previously acquired no precise knowledge of Swedenborg's system, nor formed any intelligent estimate of his character. With the mass of the Christian world, I had contented myself with the vague impression of his having been a man of respectable talents and attainments, but who had unhappily fallen into a kind of monomania, which made him the victim of strange delusions and dreams. . . .
     Hitherto I had read nothing of Swedenborg's own writings, excepting occasional detached paragraphs. Then Heaven and Hell shortly afterwards fell under my perusal. I read it with profound interest, but still with great abatements from a full conviction of its truth. I was rather disposed, on the whole, to admit the possibility of the psychological state into which Swedenborg declared himself to be brought, and which alone could make him cognizant of the realities of the spiritual world, because I saw that a similar immission into that world had been granted to the prophets and apostles, which showed that such a state could exist, and if it had once existed, I saw not why it might not again, provided sufficient reasons could be pleaded for it; and the reasons alleged I felt to be sufficient if they were but sound; a question that I felt myself willing seriously to consider, but which I think the mass of the Christian world is not. I found, however, in my perusal of the work, such a violence done to all my preconceptions of that world that I doubted exceedingly the absolute reliableness of his statements.

     A great advance was accordingly made towards a full reception of the disclosure of Swedenborg when the objections on this score were overcome.

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I saw that here was a rational and philosophical theory of the dominant conditions of the other life, and yet it was evidently a revelation of such a nature as to transcend the utmost grasp of the unassisted human faculties. The inference, therefore, was not only fair but irresistible that Swedenborg was brought into a preternatural state in order to his being enabled to make it; and the admission of this was a virtual admission of the main item of his claim-the claim of having been divinely empowered to lay open the verities of man's future existence and the essential nature of heaven and hell.
     The above was supplied to us by Mr. David Deaton of Nova Scotia. He pointed out that the book by John Bigelow, The Bible That Was Lost and Is Found, has information about George Bush. Evidently Bigelow and Bush became friends through mutual interest in the Writings.
THANK YOU MR. NAGASHIMA 1990

THANK YOU MR. NAGASHIMA       V. C. Odhner       1990




     Communication
Dear Editor:
     I have just read, with great appreciation, Tatsuya Nagashima's perspicacious article entitled "Mary and Swedenborg," NCL December 1989. For his perspective, and all that it involves, I feel and think the New Church is most grateful. He has set forth a balanced view, doctrinally based. If the New Church is to be established in the East on such a basis, we can be most delighted that, in Providence, it has taken this turn. Coming through in his article-"Where have you [the Writings] been?" and "Who's been hiding you?"-he expresses the sentiments of so many receivers through the years. This same sentiment will be echoed throughout the world for generations to come. It is wonderful to see the Writings recognized for the universal theology they are.
     V. C. Odhner
     Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania

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NCL 50 & 100 YEARS AGO 1990

NCL 50 & 100 YEARS AGO       Editor       1990

     NCL 50 YEARS AGO

     The February issue of this magazine in 1940 carried an address by Wilfred Howard that was given to the Academy schools at the beginning of the 1939-1940 year.
     This pleasing address is very clear on the importance of the work of the Academy. Mr. Howard demonstrates that in the history of education the objects and ends of education are sometimes diverse, confused, and even contradictory. But the ends of New Church education are not uncertain.
     Briefly stated, they have been expressed as preparation for heaven, or for a life of usefulness in both worlds, which is almost the same thing. This, then, is what our education is for-to prepare for a life of usefulness in this world and the next.
     Mr. Howard told the students, "You will find that true happiness consists in using to the best of our ability whatever faculties the Lord has given us." He went on to say, "If, in your later life, your spiritual and natural success coincide, you are fortunate. If they do not, you are still fortunate, providing you have obtained something of spiritual success. For in the possession of a success that is of spiritual value you have gained a treasure that has an eternal rather than a temporary significance. In this world we may rightfully strive for both. But in the struggle for worldly success you will, in Providence, be constantly reminded that such a success is only of relative importance. It is not the end for which you were created. "

     NCL 100 YEARS AGO

     In the February issue 1890, note is taken of the publication of a volume of the Spiritual Diary translated by Prof. George Bush. Note is also taken of the publication of a book entitled The Hidden Way Across the Threshold. This book is called "another attempt to conform the Doctrines of the New Church with Oriental occultism, esoteric Buddhism, and magical Theosophy."

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THANK YOU FROM THE SWEDENBORG LIBRARY 1990

THANK YOU FROM THE SWEDENBORG LIBRARY       Louis B. King, Executive       1990




     Announcements





     We would like to extend thanks to all the New Church editors and authors who have responded so well to Bishop King's request in New Church Life, April 1989 (as shown below). It is with your continued support that the Swedenborg Library will grow in importance as a center for New Church research.

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     The Swedenborg Library has been recognized as the official Depository Library for the Academy of the New Church and for the General Church of the New Jerusalem. All editors of New Church books and periodicals are asked to contribute copies to the library, free of charge.
     A minimum of two copies of newsletters, periodicals, books, pamphlets, etc., should be deposited with the library-one for a non-circulating collection to be preserved, and one circulating copy which can be used for research. Manuscript materials should be sent to the Academy Archives, housed in the lower floor of the library.
     Louis B. King, Executive Bishop
PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES 1990

PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES       Editor       1990

     GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
     The Right Rev. Louis B. King,
     Bishop Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania 19009, USA

     PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES

     (USA addresses only)

     Information on public worship and doctrinal classes provided either regularly or occasionally may be obtained at the locations listed below. For details use the load phone number of the contact person mentioned or communicate with the Secretary of the General Church, Cairncrest, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009. Phone (215) 947-6811.

     UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Alabama:
Birmingham
Dr. R. Shepard, 4537 Dolly Ridge Road, Birmingham, AL 35243. Phone: (205) 967-3442.

Huntsville
Mr. and Mrs. Wynne Sullivan, 1107 Princeton Drive, Madison, AL 35758. Phone: (205) 772-0074.

Arizona:
Phoenix
Doris Barnett, 1710 Behrend Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85024. Phone: (602) 582-4223.
Rev. Cedric King, visiting pastor, 21332 Forest Meadow, El Toro, CA 92630.
Phone: (home) (714) 586-5142, (office) (714) 951-5750.

Tucson
Rev. Frank S. Rose, 9233 E. Helen, Tucson, AZ 85715. Phone: (602) 7211091.

Arkansas:
Little Rock
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Holmes, 2695 Mark Lane, Batesville, AR 72501. Phone: (501) 793-5135.

California:
Los Angeles
Rev. John L. Odhner, 5022 Carolyn Way, La Crescenta, CA 91214. Phone: (818) 249-5031.

Orange County
Rev. Cedric King, resident pastor, 21332 Forest Meadow, El Toro, CA 92630. Phone: (home) (714) 586-5142, (office) (714) 951-5750.

Sacramento
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ripley, 225 Woodlake Lane, Newcastle, CA 95658. Phone: (916) 663-2788.

San Diego
Rev. Nathan Gladish, 7911 Canary Way, San Diego, CA 92123. Phone: (619) 268-0379. Office: (619) 571-8599.

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San Francisco
Mr. and Mrs. Philip C. "Reds" Pendleton, 2261 Waverley Street, Palo Alto, CA 94901.

Colorado: Colorado Springs
Mr. and Mrs. William Rienstra, P.O. Box 422, Simla, CO 80835.

Denver
Rev. Clark Echols, 3371 W. 94th Ave., Westminster, CO 80030. Phone: (303) 429-1239 or 428-6019.

Connecticut:
Bridgeport
Rev. Geoffrey Howard, visiting pastor,
Bryn Athyn, PA 19009. Phone: (215) 947-6225.

Hartford
Shelton
Mr. and Mrs. James Tucker, 45 Honey Bee Lane, Shelton, CT 06484. Phone: (203) 929-6455.

Delaware:
Wilmington
Mrs. Justin Hyatt, 2008 Eden Road, N. Graylyn, Wilmington DE 19810. Phone: (302) 475-3694.

Fruitland, ID 83619. Phone: (208) 4523181.

Illinois:
Chicago
Rev. Grant Schnarr, 73A Park Drive, Glenview, IL 60025. Phone: (home) (708) 729-0130, (office) (708) 729-9296.

Decatur Mr. John Aymer, 380 Oak Lane, Decatur, IL 62562. Phone: (217) 875-3215.

Glenview
Rev. Brian Keith, 73 Park Drive, Glenview, IL 60025. Phone: (708) 724-0120.

Maine: District of Columbia: see Mitchellville, Bath Maryland.

Florida:
Boynton Beach Maryland:
Rev. Daniel Heinfichs, 10687 E. Clair Baltimore Ranch Road, Boynton Beach, FL 33437. Phone: (497) 736-9235.

Lake Helen
Mr. and Mrs. Brent Morris, 264 Kicklighter Road, Lake Helen, FL 32744. Phone: (904) 228-2276.

Pensacola Mr. and Mrs. John Peacock, 5238 Soundside Drive, Gulf Breeze, FL 32561. Phone: (904) 934-3691.

Georgia:
Americus
Mr. W.H. Eubanks, RL #2, S. Lee Street, Americus, GA 31709. Phone: (912) 924-9221.

Atlanta
Rev. Ray Silverman, 2119 Seaman Circle, Chamblee, GA 30341. Phone: (office) (404) 452-0518. Idaho: Fruitland (Idaho-Oregon border) Mr. Harold Rand, 1705 Whitley Drive,

Indiana:
Rev. Patrick Rose, 785 Ashcroft Court, Cincinnati, OH 45240. Phone: (513) 8257473.

Kentucky:
Rev. Patrick Rose, 785 Ashcroft Court, Cincinnati, OH 45240. Phone: (513) 8257473.

Louisiana:
Baton Rouge
Mr. Henry Bruser, Jr., 6050 Esplanade Ave., Baton Rouge, LA 70806. Phone: (504) 924-3089.

Maine:
Bath
Rev. Allison L. Nicholson, HC 33
Box 61N, Arrowsic, ME 04530.

Maryland:
Baltimore
Rev. Frederick Chapin, 37 Guinevere Court, Baltimore, MD 21237. Phone: (home) (301) 682-3397; (office) (301) 435-5418.

Mitchellville
Rev. Lawson Smith, 3805 Enterprise Road, Mitchellville, MD 20721. Phone: (301) 262-2349.

Massachusetts:
Boston
Rev. Grant Odhner, 138 Maynard Road, Sudbury, MA 01776. Phone: (508) 4437540.

Michigan:
Detroit
Rev. Walter Orthwein, 395 Olivewood Court, Rochester, MI 48064. Phone: (313) 656-1267.

East Lansing
Mr. Christopher Clark, 5853 Smithfield, East Lansing, MI 48823. Phone: (517) 351-2880.

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Minnesota:
St. Paul-Minneapolis
Rev. Mark Carlson, visiting pastor. 807 Clover Court, Glenview, IL 60025. Phone: (708) 729-6130.

Missouri:
Columbia
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Johnson, 103 S. Greenwood, Columbia, MO 65201. Phone: (314) 442-3475.

Kansas City
Mr. Glen Klippenstein, Glenkirk Farms, Rt. 2, Maysville, MO 64469. Phone: (816) 449-2167.

New Jersey-New York
Ridgewood, NJ
Mrs. Fred E. Munich, 474 S. Maple Ave., Glen Rock, NJ 07452. Phone: (201) 445-1141.

New Mexico:
Albuquerque
Mr. Howard Leach, 4215 12th Street, Albuquerque, NM 87107. Phone: (505) 892-0936.

North Carolina:
Charlotte
Rev. Bill Burke, 6010 Paddington Court, Charlotte, NC 28226. Phone: (704) 8466416.

Ohio:
Cincinnati
Rev. Patrick Rose, 785 Ashcroft Court, Cincinnati, OH 45240. Phone: (513) 8257473.

Cleveland
Mr. Alan Childs, 19680 Beachcliff Blvd., Rocky River, OH 44116. Phone: (216) 333-4413.

Columbus
Mr. Hubert Heinrichs, 8372 Todd Street Road, Sunbury, OH 43074. Phone: (614) 524-5708.

Oklahoma:
Oklahoma City
Mr. Robert Campbell, 3108 Eagle Pass Road, Edmond OK 73013. Phone: (405) 478-4729.

Oregon-Idaho Border: see Idaho, Fruitland.

Pennsylvania:
Bryn Athyn
Rev. Kurt Athyn, PA (215)947-6225.
Asplundh, Box 277, Bryn 19009. Phone: (215) 947

Elizabethtown
Mr. Meade Bierly, 523 Snyder Ave., Elizabethtown, PA 17022. Phone: (717) 367-3964.

Erie
Mrs. Paul Murray, 5648 Zuck Road, Erie, PA 16506. Phone: (814) 833-0962.

Freeport
Rev. Ragnar Boyesen, 122 McKean Road, Freeport, PA 16229. Phone: office (412) 353-2220 or home (412) 295-9855.

Hawley
Mr. Grant Genzlinger, 4 Main Street, Hawley, PA 18428. Phone: (717) 226-2993.

Kempton
Rev. Jeremy Simons, RD 2, Box 217-A, Kempton, PA 19529. Phone: home (215) 756-4301, office (215) 756-6140.

Pittsburgh
Rev. Eric H. Carswell, 299 Le Roi Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15208. Phone: Church (412) 731-7421.

South Carolina: see North Carolina.
South Dakota:

Hot Springs
Linda Klippenstein, 537 Albany, Hot Springs, SD 57747. Phone: (605) 7456629.

Texas:

Austin
Mr. Robert Grubb, 909 East Riverside Drive, Austin, TX 78704. Phone: (512) 447-6811.

Dallas-Fort Worth
Mr. Fred Dunlap, 3887 Antigua Circle, Dallas, TX 75244. Phone: (214) 2477775.

Virginia:
Richmond
Mr. Donald Johnson, 13161 Happy Hill Road, Cliester, VA 23831. Phone: (804) 748-5757.

West Virginia:
Mrs. Thelma Smith, Route 1, Box 447, Peterstown, NW 24963. Phone: (304) 753-9508.

Washington:
Seattle
Mr. Thomas Andrews, 5035 NE 180th, Seattle, WA 98155. Phone: (206) 365-2194.

Wisconsin:
Madison
Mrs. Charles Howell, 3912 Plymouth Circle, Madison, WI 53705. Phone: (608) 233-0209.

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New Translation True Christian Religion 1990

New Translation True Christian Religion       Editor       1990

     New Translation
     True Christian Religion

     Translated by John Chadwick

     Published by Swedenborg Society

     2 Volumes

Hardcover set                    $28.00 plus postage $1.95
Softcover set                    $20.00 plus postage $1.60

General Church Book Center Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30-12:00
Box 278, Cairncrest Bryn Athyn PA 19009 Phone: 215-947-3920
or by appointment

97


Notes on This Issue 1990

Notes on This Issue       Editor       1990



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Vol. CX                    March, 1990                     No. 3

                         New Church Life

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     Notes on This Issue

     Readers may recall a series in this publication during 1986 entitled "A Light Burden: Easier Ways to Shun Evils." It was so popular that it was turned into a pamphlet. The pamphlet sold out more quickly than was anticipated, but see the good news on the back page of this issue.
     Rhona Glenn Bostock passed into the spiritual world on December 28th at the age of 94. The resurrection service was held on New Year's Day, and we agree with those who suggested that we publish the address given by Pastor Kurt Asplundh.
     Another suggestion we received came from the budding New Church group in Hatboro (five miles from Bryn Athyn). A number from the Hatboro congregation particularly appreciated a sermon on the subject of patience. Rev. Andrew Heilman has been one of the key leaders in that group. He moves to Kempton, Pennsylvania this summer.
     There are people who have been active in the church for years but who have not actually become members, and there are these days a number of newcomers asking about how to become members. See "Joining the Organized Church" on page 117.
     In this issue we mention the World Congress of Religions to be held in Chicago in 1993. Not far from Chicago, of course, we will have the next General Assembly in June of 1991.

     **********
     
     TOUR OF SWEDENBORG'S SWEDEN

     The itinerary for the second tour of Swedenborg's Sweden, scheduled for July 18th to 30th, is available on request.
     Learn more about Swedenborg's life and his environment by seeing the places he lived, studied and worked. Enjoy Sweden's lovely countryside, experiencing its charming customs and meeting the growing group of Swedish friends.

Contact Martha Gyllenhaal (947-7046) or Carroll or Durban Odhner (947-2457).
PATIENCE 1990

PATIENCE       Rev. ANDREW J. HEILMAN       1990

     "In your patience possess your souls" (Luke 21:19).
     
How many times we have seen the need to be patient-to stop fretting or worrying ourselves about something beyond our control. Our heavenly Father asks patience of us as well, a spiritual patience which we can gain only gradually as we grow to understand and trust in our Lord.
     We live in a world of time. It is easy to become impatient in a such a world. But the Lord is from eternity and to eternity. As Moses wrote in his prayer, a thousand years in the sight of the Lord are as yesterday when it is past. The Lord is able therefore to keep our going out and our coming in from this day forward, even for ever. In The True Christian Religion the angels explained this eternal nature of the Lord. They said that "God is Jesus Christ, who is the Lord Jehovah, from eternity the Creator, in time the Redeemer, and to eternity the Regenerator, thus who is at once Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; and this is the gospel to be preached" (TCR 26).
     If we are to wait patiently on the Lord as He asks of us, we need to know where He is coming from, where He is in our lives, and where He is leading us. The qualities of the Lord-the Creator from eternity, the Redeemer in time, and the Regenerator to eternity-need to come together to form a single and complete vision of the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom we can put our trust.
     First, let us consider our relationship to the Lord as the Father and Creator from eternity. Think of people seeking the happiness of marriage. They need to look to the Lord and put their trust in Him. They need to see that true marriage love comes from within, from the Lord Himself, through a life of religion. It descends from heaven as the marriage of what is good and true, and does not originate in natural prowess, glamour, affluence and pleasure. Unless we look to our Lord as the true source of love and happiness, we are destined to frustration and impatience.

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Marriage of course involves two people, and both must have this trust and patience in the Lord.
     Think of a farmer planting crops, and how he would need to have patience in waiting for the crop to grow until the time of harvest. Indeed, the Lord compares the kingdom of heaven to a man who sowed seed in the ground, and while the man slept the seed grew, first producing the blade, then the ear, and finally the full grain in the ear. And in the parable of the sower the Lord compares the good ground to those who "in an honest and good heart, having heard the Word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience." When we see our Lord as the Creator of everything good, we can, like the farmer, have patience in His unceasing power to provide for our spiritual and natural needs.
     This does not mean that the Lord will provide everything we ask of him. In fact, most impatience comes when we set our hearts on something that is either not good for ourselves or not good for others. As we read in the Psalm, "Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him. Do not worry yourself because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings evil devices to happen. Do not worry in any way to do evil. For evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait on the Lord, they shall inherit the earth" (Psalm 37:7-9). If we find ourselves becoming impatient when we cannot attain what we desire, we need to ask ourselves if what we are seeking agrees with what our Father and Creator wishes to provide. Evil things can, of course, be attained; even good things can be attained for evil purposes, but in the long run they come to nothing. Prosperity and honor can be blessings, given to those who follow the Lord and live a useful life. But, if they are sought after as goals in themselves, if we set our heart on riches and fame, these same things will be curses. The Lord in His Providence will often allow us to fail when we strive after worldly or selfish goals, almost as a reminder that we are to seek higher, more spiritual things in our life. Impatience and worry can serve to remind us that we may well be aiming ourselves in the wrong direction.

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As our Creator the Lord does flow in with good; the seed will grow if properly planted and cared for. "The Lord God is a sun and a shield; the Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from them who walk uprightly." We need to wait patiently on the Lord as our heavenly Father and Creator from eternity. For He has made us, He knows our quality, and He knows what is good for us. He will provide for us from His love and wisdom, and in this every angel finds eternal contentment.
     But this does not mean that we should just sit and do nothing, that we should smile and put a happy face on everything that happens, saying to ourselves that everything is in the Providence of God. Should we take up the philosophy that if we seek after something it may interfere with His plans or be tainted with merit, that we should just wait patiently and see what the Lord has in store for us? Think of the farmer again. Yes, he should trust in God. He knows that it is the Creator who provides the sun, rain and soil to make the plant grow. In this he can wait patiently on the Lord. But does this mean that the farmer does nothing but sit and wait? His life is filled with work. He must clear the land, till the soil, plant the crops, at times fertilize and even irrigate the fields, and at harvest he may have to work hard and long hours. Is his work a sign of impatience? Quite the opposite: it is in his labor that we find his patience.
     In the book of Revelation it is this kind of patience that we find described in those who will be of the Lord's New Church. John describes himself as our brother and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ. And to the angel of the church of Ephesus it was written, "I know your works, your labor and your patience, and how you cannot bear those who are evil; . . . and you have borne, and have patience, and for My name's sake have labored and have not fainted" (Rev. 2:2, 3). If everything were good, if all things were still as our Creator made them and intended them to be, there would be no need for struggle, or the kind of patience described here in Revelation. Man would not have been cursed, and the farmer would not have to work the ground by the sweat of his brow.

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But with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plenteous redemption. In respect to our waiting in peace and contentment for all the good the Lord bestows upon us, the Lord is our Creator from eternity.
     But in respect to our patience in struggle and hard work, the Lord is our Redeemer in time. Since evil has been introduced into the world and into our own nature through the fall of man, change is essential to true happiness and eternal life. It was for this end that the Lord came into the world and took on the Human. He Himself fought the hells and glorified His Human, and through this redeemed mankind. Without this Divine intervention, change would be impossible. Think also of what is involved in marriage, how it too involves more than just waiting patiently for the Lord to provide love and happiness. There is work to be done both before and during a marriage, work to prepare ourselves to receive genuine love by shunning the pride of intelligence, the desire for dominion and lascivious lusts and thoughts. Also the intimate friendship and confidence of marriage needs to be nurtured and protected if it is to grow to maturity and produce the blessedness of love truly conjugial. In this work we need patience to endure the struggles and temptations we will face. And during this time the Lord our Redeemer will be present with us, giving us the strength we need. The Lord as Creator from eternity always could inflow with good and truth, just as the sun gives all plants its warmth and light. But the warmth and heat of the sun cannot change a rocky, hard and thorn-infested field into a fertile piece of ground, but a farmer, through patient hard work, can. In much the same way the Lord had to come into the world and take on the human filled with hereditary evil, and with His own Divine power and Divine patience cast out the evils and glorify it. In this same process He redeems mankind. This took time in the Lord's life, and it takes time in our own life as well. Indeed, it is for this reason that we, like the Lord, have been born into a time-and-space world. Although a thousand years are as yesterday in the sight of the Lord, still we ask Him to teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

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Although the Lord is our Creator from eternity, and our Regenerator to eternity, He is our Redeemer in time-in the time He spent in our world, and in the time we spend in our world. In this world there are six days of labor to one day of rest. Much of our life is spent in struggle, hard work, and spiritual temptations, but this can be borne with patience. As the Lord said to His disciples, "They shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you . . . . and you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But there shall not a hair of your head perish. In your patience you possess your souls. Lift up your heads, for your redemption draws near." In true patience there must be trust in the Providence of the Lord, that the Lord as our Creator from eternity will provide what we truly need. And there must also be the strength to endure the struggles that we face in this life, the strength that only our Lord can give us. For He came into the world, and in His lifetime faced all of our spiritual combats in victory, redeeming our soul from death.
     But patience needs something more than trust and strength. It needs hope. In this too we wait patiently upon the Lord, but now as our Saviour and Regenerator to eternity. For genuine patience and the hope within it do not look to the near future, or even to the distant future. Undue concern over the future would bring anxiety, but genuine patience looks forward to eternal life and heavenly happiness-a kingdom without time, without misfortunes and temptations.
     Most who go to heaven leave this world in a state the Writings call reformation, a state of struggle and combat, a state in which we must compel ourselves to follow the Lord's truth. But the Writings tell us that if we begin the process of reformation, if we begin changing our life according the Lord's guidance and keep ourselves on this new path, we will be regenerated after death. We may still have to pass through some difficult things in the world of spirits, but eventually we will be reborn as angels of the Lord's eternal kingdom.
     For example, think of a husband and wife working together with the hope and prayer of conjugial love.

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Much of their time together will be spent on just doing things for the family and each other, from a sense of obligation, without the feeling of inner joy which they desire. There will be times of disagreement, temptation and even cold. But the promise and hope of eternal marriage gives them the patience to continue. If the idea of eternity were to be removed, the married couple would feel wretched, and they would look on their marriage with discouragement. Yet at the thought of their marriage continuing after death, they are revived by hope (see CL 216).
     Or consider what would happen if a farmer did not look forward to the harvest and enjoy it when it came, but only thought of his work as hard labor and daily chores to be accomplished. He might easily lose hope and patience in what he does. If we think of our life as merely doing our job and striving after worldly success and pleasure, we will find ourselves becoming impatient, with little purpose or hope in our life. As an angel declared in the book of Revelation, "Here is the patience of the saints; here are they who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." To this a voice from heaven responded, "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord, from henceforth. Yes, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them."
     In regeneration a new spirit of love and charity is given. The person has been redeemed and can now be reborn as a child of God. The anguish and suffering of temptation, doubts and misfortunes cease. The evil loves which struggled for dominion have been put aside, and peace and happiness take their place. This is the heavenly state that we are promised by the Lord if we will have the patience of the saints, keeping the Lord's commandments and faith in His Divinity, giving our life not for our own glory but for the Lord. Even if we don't receive this blessed state fully in this world but must wait for it in the life to come, we should not become impatient or lose hope. For although we must be redeemed in time, struggling against evil in this world, regeneration and salvation are to eternity.

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Perhaps more important and comforting than any other message to us in the Writings is this: There is Someone on whom we can patiently wait for salvation, who will provide for our needs, strengthen us in our labors, and give us hope of eternal happiness. He is Jesus Christ, the Creator from eternity, the Redeemer in time, and the Regenerator to eternity. As the angel said, this is the gospel, the good news, which is to be preached. Amen.
     
Lessons:     Psalms 37, 40, 130, AE 813
          Prayer: Psalm 33
          Supportive readings: TCR 26, CL 216, Luke 21 WISDOM OF LIFE 1990

WISDOM OF LIFE       Rev. Grant H. ODHNER       1990

     Reprinted from the Boston Circle newsletter)

What is wisdom of life? In a comprehensive summary it is this: To shun evils because they are hurtful to the soul, hurtful to the commonwealth, and hurtful to the body; and to do goods because they are beneficial to the soul, the commonwealth, and the body (Conjugial Love 130).

     All things are related. All things affect each other-shoe sales in New York City, the cutting of an acre of rain forest in Panama, the beating of a butterfly's wings in Alberta. All of these things are part of the world that the Lord created and holds together for a purpose. The "uses" of each thing play a part in a context, however small, and this fits into a larger context, and so forth. The connectedness here is real. Only small thinking can fail to see it and to see that it has awesome implications!
     On the spiritual plane all things are related as well. In heaven, we're told, all of heaven flows into each individual. Each angel receives certain affections and thoughts directly from some, who receive from others, who in turn receive from others.

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Thus, "everyone there is a center of all influxes," receiving indirectly from all (AC 4225:3; cf. 2057, 2862, 3633). In other words, all of life is shared, held in common. This means that what each one does affects all others in some measure. The same principle holds for all minds, for they share the One Life.
     The passage above mentions the soul, the commonwealth, and the body. Wisdom is to see that these are related. A given evil is hurtful to all three, and a wise person avoids it for this reason. A given "good," on the other hand, benefits them all, and a wise person does it for this reason. Wisdom sees and values all planes of life, and integrates them so that they are in proper harmony.
     The "natural man" in us does not believe that levels of life are related. It lives in the appearance that all things are separate. It lives in the moment as it is gasped by its senses. It doesn't see the relationship between what is pleasing it or displeasing it now and its soul's well-being, or its body's. It certainly doesn't see the impact of its "now" on the common good. Seeing the relationships here requires of us a higher kind of thinking. But very often we live in the natural perspective: in the appearance of separateness.
     Jane Wilkes thinks that it is okay for her to be quietly angry as she shops in Harvard Square. She does not believe that it is harming her health. Nor does she give a thought to the town of Cambridge, but her anger touches its welfare.
     John Solen appreciates the resurgent glow of a sunset on his way home from the office; he notes with inner pleasure the purposeful lines of silhouetted trees. He is not aware of what is happening in his body at that moment, nor in the minds of Boston. He does not reflect that something so simple as a moment's selfless enjoyment of beauty has implications for his soul, his body, and for the commonwealth of which he is part.

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EVANGELICAL PLAN TO DISSEMINATE THE HEAVENLY DOCTRINES TO THE MASSES 1990

EVANGELICAL PLAN TO DISSEMINATE THE HEAVENLY DOCTRINES TO THE MASSES       Rev. JOHN H. ROACH       1990

(Part three)

     I have worked for some years now to produce a book in direct and forthright language about the new doctrines. I submitted it in 1987 to a well-known publishing house. I was told that it had too many quotations from Swedenborg and the Bible. I was told that anyone interested in Swedenborg would go directly to his books rather than pay a price to read what I had to offer. Why, they even compared me with Bruce Springsteen by saying no one would read my writings because I am not famous, but that if Bruce Springsteen wrote a book it would be widely read because the public would value his opinion.
     Religious publishing houses rejected my work because it was diametrically opposed to the doctrines promulgated by them. But I remembered that even Swedenborg himself financed the publication of his theological works. Also, Mary Baker Eddy financed the first publication of her book Science and Health. 1, therefore, made contact with a subsidy publishing house, and sent them my manuscript. They were affirmative, and the investment they suggested was satisfactory to me, and as soon as I can raise the funds, I plan to market my works. I like their contract because it calls for a nationwide and foreign promotion, publicity, and distribution program.
     The second medium I have chosen for the dissemination of the Heavenly Doctrines is the use of radio. In 1982, during MY pastorate at the Carter Chapel C. M. E. Church at Pittsburgh, I initiated a half-hour weekly radio broadcast on the local religious station. The program was called "The Voice of New Truth," featuring sermons on the New Church doctrines. This program was heard by many listeners, but I was unable to continue due to the lack of funds. After three years I discontinued this broadcast, but retained the post office box for replies from listeners, because it is my intention to return to the air; only this time I plan to develop a daily nationwide broadcast which I hope will lead to evangelistic crusades that will draw large crowds all over this nation, and perhaps the world.

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     It is my prayer that the income from the sale of my books will be sufficient to help initiate support of a nationwide broadcast until such time that the broadcast can pay for itself Actually, I should try to get back on radio before the books are published so that I can prepare the way for them by announcing their publication and availability. This is good publicity for it will help to get the books sold and the doctrines known.
     One reason I was unable to maintain my broadcast before is that I was not free to express the source of these doctrines. This, of course, is by reason of my present membership in the Christian Methodist Church. But I did stir up a lot of interest, and I received many interesting and encouraging letters from listeners in four different states. They also sent nice donations to help defray the costs of radio broadcasting.
     You will, of course, understand that any time one ventures out into a new field of endeavor, mistakes will inevitably be made. The fault lies not in making mistakes, but in the failure to overcome the mistakes that are made. The hindrance to the complete success of my radio ministry to disseminate the doctrines lies in trying to be loyal to a church whose doctrines I have fully overcome. I would have severed my ties with the Methodist Church long ago except that I had not found a way to replace the salary paid to me. As soon as a way is discovered, I will be free to disseminate these doctrines which I love so well in any form and manner I choose.
     I hope you will understand that freedom from the ties of membership to any church organization is vitally essential for me if I am to be successful in my new ministry. One of the reasons for this is that the Heavenly Doctrines are universal. They are simply "love to God and love to the neighbor." In order that I may have an impact upon the masses I must be free to show the universality of the doctrines in theory and demonstrate them in practice.

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These doctrines, being universal in scope, must be preached without the taint of narrow, bigoted sectarianism. If after I have stirred up an enormous interest in these doctrines, there are those who feel they would be more comfortable in a church organization where these doctrines are taught regularly, and where the sacraments are duly administered, this would be purely an individual choice conceived from their own expression of free will.
     Another reason that I must be free of ties to any church when I preach these doctrines is that word has gone forth across the Protestant churches which has stereotyped the New Church as a cult. I must stand as a living symbol before the masses that the Heavenly Doctrines are universal in scope and are not designed to be used as a tool of human ingenuity to compel a faddish devotion to a mere finite man. Emanuel Swedenborg, as a human instrument of the New Revelation, was not a preacher, and he did not found a church organization. But the New Church is labeled a cult by a leading Baptist preacher in this country who has written a book on cults, and who with his arrogant, cocksure attitude thinks that his interpretation of the Bible is the only one that is right. Brothers and sisters, I must be free!
     With respect to doctrine, members of the New Church both internally and externally-or as you term it, both of the church specific and the church universal-must beware that they do not allow doctrine to become an end in itself. We must remember that the purpose of doctrine is to lead to religious life filled with love to the Lord and charity toward the neighbor. Love and charity are first in the end, and it is this end for which the church was conceived from the beginning. Doctrine alone is anarchy because it causes people to become puffed up, arrogant, and argumentative, and these evils are as far away from the Lord as the east is from the west.
     A new day is upon us now which demands that we put away doctrinal conflicts from within and seek the evangelization of the world from without, with love and charity as the predominating influence.

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     Now as I move to establish a new ministry by the use of books and radio, it will be necessary to set up a non-profit corporation that can legally do business in this country to receive donations for the further promulgation of these doctrines. I will need this for my own protection and the protection of others who donate so that all income from whatever source-books, donors, bequests, foundations, churches, etc.-can be made payable directly to the non-profit corporation.
     Please know that I am not interested in personal, selfish gains, rewards, honors, etc. This is not important to one whose aim is to render uses for the sake of use itself, as the rewards, honors, and gains are inherent within the work that I do. In other words, this work is a source of comfort and joy to my soul. The Christian world cannot afford another Jim Bakker or Jimmy Swaggert. It needs honest, sincere, loyal, and simple men who are willing to become the embodiment of the gospel they preach.
     My organization must, therefore, be clean, pure, honest and above-board with the people if I am to be a successful disseminator of the Word. This then promises to be a gigantic operation to be sustained by heightened publicity which will inevitably raise the credibility of New Church doctrines in the understanding of those who comprise the masses, and provide us with a phenomenal breakthrough toward reaching them.
     I call on you for your prayers, talents, abilities, responsibilities, obligations, opportunities, and your financial support, for I perceive that our interest in promoting the doctrines is mutual indeed. So as George Bush in his presidential inaugural address to the American people February 9, 1989, said, "Give us the tools and we will do the job," I say to you, "Give me your help and cooperation and I promise you I will help you spread the doctrines."
     The Lord works in a mysterious way, and I believe it is the will of the Divine Providence that after all these years I stand before you now. So here I am. I've come here to join forces with you, not by becoming a member of your church organization (though I cannot think of a more noble thing to do), but to form a mutual association so that we together might accomplish our mutual desires, aims, and interest.

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          [To be concluded]
APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION TO THE ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH COLLEGE 1990

APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION TO THE ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH COLLEGE       Editor       1990

     Requests for application forms for admission to the Academy College for the 1990-91 academic year should be addressed to Brian L. Schnarr, ANCC, Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009. Completed application forms, SAT/ACT scores, accompanying transcripts and recommendations should be received by April 1, 1990.
     The college operates on a three-term year, and applications for entrance can be processed provided they are received by Dean Schnarr by August 1st for the fall term (late fee applies after March 1st), by November 1st for the winter term, and by February 1st for the spring term.
     Applications received after the above dates will be subject to a late fee of $50.00. Students mailing a copy of this notice along with their application will not be subject to a late fee for the fall term in 1990. Requests for housing received after the above deadlines will be honored on a space-available basis.
     Catalogs describing the college programs and course offerings are also available upon request at the same address. Prospective students are welcome to visit the campus at any time. Sleeping accommodations will be provided in the dormitories and meals in the college dining hall. Reservations for visiting students can be made Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. by phoning Mrs. Gerald Bostock at the college office, (215) 938-2543.

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RESURRECTION ADDRESS FOR RHONA GLENN BOSTOCK 1990

RESURRECTION ADDRESS FOR RHONA GLENN BOSTOCK       Rev. KURT H. ASPLUNDH       1990

     January 1, 1990

     It is the happy teaching of the New Church that the old grow young again in heaven, putting on the "liveliness, gladness, and freshness of youth" (AE 1000:4). Life at its best is prolific, fruitful, energetic and joyful.
     The Lord gives a foretaste of this heavenly joy to young couples-in the playfulness of their love, in their delight with their infants and little children, in the satisfactions of their accomplishments, and excitement of their recreations.
     In life these joys, like honeymoon states, can fade, dimmed perhaps by unregenerate storge", gnawing self-importance, and undisciplined excess. In youth often we sow the wind only to "reap the whirlwind!" (Hos. 8:7). We are faced with the consequences of our spiritual immaturity but mercifully given opportunities to amend it. Life goes on and, while we may tire in temptation, wisdom increases. We find deeper, quieter joys in states of regeneration. The Lord's Providence is at work. Loving partners, once vigorous, can be given a stronger bond in a friendship that is "tranquil, secure, lovely, and full of courtesy" (CL 290). We can enjoy our children's children and sympathize with the problems of both generations without being impelled to correct or reform them. Our accomplishments and reputation become less important to us than the simple enjoyment of filling another's needs. The rush to experience life's pleasures slows and we can learn to enjoy spiritual charity in diversions that "cheer the mind, soften the tone of every voice, and, from the heart, communicate festivity" (TCR 433).
     Old age may find us more content but less able. The Lord's gift at death is a renewal of our youthful strength coupled with the wisdom of experience. This is the promise: "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31).

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     The Writings describe this: "They who are in mutual love in heaven are continually advancing to the springtime of their youth, and to a more and more gladsome and happy spring the more thousands of years they live . . . . Women," we are told, "who have died in old age and enfeebled with years, and who have lived in faith in the Lord, in charity toward the neighbor, and in happy conjugial love with their husbands, after a succession of years come more and more into the bloom of youth and early womanhood . . ." (AC 553).
     Rhona Glenn Bostock was in her ninety-fifth year when the Lord called her last Thursday night and she quietly abandoned her earthly body to join the angels. As old and frail as she actually was, she somehow seemed younger. A fun-loving and youthful spirit radiated from her person. There was often a twinkle in her eye-evidence of the transformation that is in store for her now.
     Rhona, born in 1895, was among the first born and raised in this infant community of dedicated New Churchmen and Academicians. Fifth daughter and sixth child in her own family, she joined with progeny of other large families here in an idyllic childhood and youth.
     There was a singleness of purpose and warm mutual love prevailing in those early beginnings of Bryn Athyn which fostered a lasting New Church idealism. The church, its Heavenly Doctrine, and its life, were, and throughout her long lifetime continued to be, of central importance to Rhona.
     She was not monastic. There was no conflict between her love for her religion and her love for life. In 1919 she married Frank Bostock just prior to the memorable 10th General Assembly of the Church in which the Bryn Athyn Cathedral was dedicated. Together, while active in society uses, especially musical uses, they raised their family of seven children. Their involvement and the involvement of their children with the schools and community kept them young at heart, and drew younger couples into their sphere. Rhona was always an understanding and sympathetic listener. While relating everything to the religious ideals she loved, she always left others in freedom to live their lives as they saw fit.

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     Her husband died nearly 26 years ago and she has impatiently awaited this day of reuniting in the spiritual world.
     We know from the Writings what has taken place. Rhona has been gently resurrected and awakened into the spiritual world. Awaiting her will be a whole host of friends and relatives that she has outlived. In addition to her father who died at the age of 52 when she was only six, her mother and husband, she joins six of her seven siblings. We can but speculate on the happy exchange of news from heaven and news from earth that may ensue. Rhona was a faithful student of the Heavenly Doctrine. During her long life she cultivated a habit of reading the Word. This study and her participation in classes of doctrinal instruction filled her with questions that often baffled bishops. Now, in the light of the spiritual world, she will be able to see the truth with new clarity and understanding.
     Rhona often worried that she failed to live up to the ideals of her religious belief No matter how generously and unselfishly she gave of herself, it was never, she thought, enough. Her expectations for herself were set high-a heavier burden than what the Lord requires. "My yoke," He said, "is easy and My burden light."
     The Writings teach that it "is not so difficult to live the life that leads to heaven as some believe" (HH 528 heading). "Who cannot live a civil and moral life?" the Writings ask. "Almost every one practices honesty and justice outwardly. . . . The spiritual man ought to live in like manner, and can do so as easily as the natural man can, with this difference only, that the spiritual man believes in the Divine, and acts honestly and justly, not solely because to so act is in accord with civil and moral laws, but also because it is in accord with Divine laws. . . . When man comes into this state he is adopted and led by the Lord, although himself unconscious of it, and then whatever he does that is honest and just pertaining to moral and civil life is done from a spiritual motive; and . . . [done] from the heart" (HH 530). And, we are told, "when man has made a beginning the Lord quickens all that is good in him . . ." (HH 533).

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     When Moses saw his Egyptian enemies swallowed up by the Lord in the miraculous salvation at the waters of the Red Sea, he sang aloud for joy: "The Lord is my strength and song, He became a salvation . . ." (Exodus 15:2). The chorus of this triumphant song was echoed by Miriam, the sister of Aaron, who took a timbrel in her hand and danced before the Lord.
     When we see the Lord's power in our lives we too are moved to rejoice in His salvation. The Lord has given us the vision of His Divine Humanity. He is our strength. The Lord God Jesus Christ reigns. The realization of this moves our deepest affections. In this sense, then, is the Lord not only our strength but our song.
     Music is the voice of affection. Love expresses itself with harmonious sound. "Musical sounds express affections and produce them with joy," we are taught (AC 1185). "Joy of heart, when it is in fullness, expresses itself in song . . ." (AE 326).
     The New Church is not only a church which has been permitted to enter with the understanding into the mysteries of faith. It is a church which can respond with deep affection to the goods of love which the Lord teaches. One way we can voice that affection in worship is through the harmony of music in voice and instrument.
     The music of the church was a first love of both Frank and Rhona Bostock. Both were imbued with the love of music; they cultivated it within themselves, they shared it with the church and community for decades, he as a teacher and director, she as accompanist and motivating force. The Lord was, indeed, her strength, but also her song.
     Much as Rhona Bostock loved to consider the doctrine of the church and to raise her understanding of it by many questions, it was her affection for it that was the underlying power. It was this unmistakable affection that touched and moved all those who knew and loved her in this life. This was the song of her life.
     Our loves find immediate expression in the spiritual world.

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The Writings describe the musical harmonies and delights of the heavens. There, as here, are singers, instruments, choirs, orchestras and music of all kinds. The difference is that music there is in its perfection and glory.
     We cannot know what one's use will be in heaven, nor can we judge the spiritual state of those who die. Yet, if Rhona Bostock's inner life was as it appeared in outer form-and she had no time herself for hypocrites-we can surmise that she will find in that world a continuing delight in the playing of music. For the heavens are filled with musical expression. Each morning dawns in a heavenly society with the sweet songs of virgins and girls, with which the entire city resounds. Every day some new affection is expressed that sets the tone for what follows. Often the songs express something of the beauty of conjugial love, so precious to the angels. There are, as well, musical presentations for enjoyment and recreation. Choirs of children must be trained. Music is as much a part of that world as love is-because it expresses love. Surely she will have a part in that music.
     This is a day of joy for Rhona Bostock as she takes up life in the spiritual world. We rejoice with her as do those who are welcoming her to their hearts in the Lord's eternal kingdom. "O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth. Sing unto the Lord; bless His name; shew forth His salvation from day to day!" (Psalm 96: 1, 2). Amen.
ANGEL SAID 1990

ANGEL SAID       Editor       1990

     An angel said, "In heaven, as in the world, . . . there are entertainments of music and song in the highest perfection."
     Conjugial Love 6:5

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JOINING THE ORGANIZED CHURCH 1990

JOINING THE ORGANIZED CHURCH       Rev. B. David Holm       1990

     To join the General Church of the New Jerusalem you must be at least twenty years old and baptized into the New Church. An "Application for Membership" (available from your pastor, the Bishop's office, or from the Secretary of the General Church) must be completed, signed, and sent to the Executive Bishop at P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.
     The application asks for certain statistical information. Fill it out as best you can, but this form can usually be completed from records kept in Bryn Athyn.
     After the Bishop has received your application, he will send you a membership certificate. You are then free to join your local society or circle. This is normally, done by signing that organization's roll book.
     But why join an organization of the New Church? In recent years there has been a reluctance on the part of some to join any organization. Man-made organizations, because of man's weaknesses and failings, have been suspect. Yet every church must have an external. You cannot have a soul without a body. If the uses of the Lord's New Church are to prosper and grow, there must be an organization made up of men and women who are dedicated to those uses-who want the New Church to spread from the few to the many.
     The General Church not only welcomes but needs new members. It is always a delight to see new people join with older members in common uses and spiritual companionship.
     Before joining the General Church you may wish to read the brief statement, Order and Organization of the General Church, prepared by the Executive Bishop. Ask your pastor for a copy of this statement, or send for it from the General Church Book Center in Bryn Athyn.
     Joining the General Church and a local society implies loyalty and support, both moral and financial. It is a sign of general confidence in the uses and government of the General Church. This organization is not perfect, but just as heaven is made more perfect by each new angel, so the church on earth is perfected by new members.

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     This information has been adapted from a section of the booklet titled "Confession of Faith or Confirmation of Baptism" by Rev. B. David Holm. The following about confirmation is also paraphrased from Mr. Holm.

     The purpose of the rite of confirmation or "Confession of Faith" in the New Church is that a young adult may publicly declare his or her religious faith, and in freedom take on the promises made by his or her parents at the time of baptism. There is great power in this rite of the New Church. It serves as an ultimate act which introduces to spiritual maturity. However, it should be clearly understood that a person does not have to be confirmed to become a member of the General Church.
     You are invited to give serious consideration to taking either or both of these steps which can be of great importance to you and to the church.
Title Unspecified 1990

Title Unspecified       Editor       1990

     The church is from the Lord, and is with those who come to Him and live according to His commandments (CL 129).
     By the "New Jerusalem" in the Apocalypse is signified the church of the Lord, and the church of the Lord is with everyone who is in a state of reception of charity and faith from the Lord; for a man is himself a church, and a number in whom is the church make the church in general (AC 8938e).

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DO NOT BE DECEIVED 1990

DO NOT BE DECEIVED       LYLE BIRCHMAN       1990

     A Way of Presenting the Concept of the Second Coming

     "Take heed that no one deceives you, for many will come in My name saying, I am the Christ, and will deceive many" (Matt. 24:4, 5).
     So read the Lord's words of warning which commerce gospel prophecies of the coming of the Son of Man in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Further, we are told to beware of those who perform great signs and wonders, which will, if possible, deceive the elect. His explicit warning is quite clear: We are not to be deceived by anyone claiming to be Christ. We are to beware if they perform great signs and wonders. "Do not believe it" (Matt. 24:23). What is implied here, then, is that the second advent is not to be a bodily visitation accompanied by miracles, for here in these important prophecies we are warned against just that.
     The big question then is, How are we to know the Lord when He comes? To fully grasp the meaning of these important prophetic warnings, we must first understand what is meant by the Son of Man. For in all of His prophecies Jesus Christ referred to Himself as the Son of Man who will come.
     In John 12:34 the question is asked, "Who is this Son of Man?" 'Me answer to this important question is found in verses 36 and 46: "While you have the Light, believe in the Light, that you may be sons of the Light." "I am come a Light into the world that whosoever believes in Me may not abide in darkness." The Son of Man is this Light, but what is the nature of this Light? The first chapter of John gives us an excellent description. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." And "In Him was Life; the Life was the Light of men . . . the true Light which gives light to every man who comes into the world." "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (verses 1, 4, 9, 14).

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     These passages teach us that the Lord is the true Light which gives light to men, and that Light is the Divine truth within the Word. For without the Divine truth revealed to us, we would be in spiritual darkness.
     Therefore, we can now determine that when the Lord refers to Himself as the Son of Man, He is alluding to His Divine truth. In His holy Word the Lord's Divine attributes are frequently described in figurative language.
     For example, in John 6:53, 54 where He told the people, "Except you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life." Those who took these words literally were offended and followed Him no more. It is obvious that He didn't intend these words to be taken that way. Rather that we should partake of His spiritual attributes, which if received from Him are eternal life. Only when we have His love in our hearts and His wisdom in our minds does this indwelling occur, and then eternal blessedness is open to us. As He teaches in Luke 17:21, "The kingdom of God is within you."
     Once we understand that the Son of Man is the Lord as to His Divine truth, we can gain a clearer insight as to the meanings of the prophetic warnings against false Christs and the performance of miracles. As mentioned above, these warnings seem to imply that the second advent will not be a bodily visitation accompanied by miracles as before, but rather a new revelation of the Divine truth, the Son of Man.
     God is the Word, which is the Light which gives light to every man who comes into the world. That light or truth was given to the Jews through the books of the Old Testament. But the Old Testament contains a revelation of the Divine truth that is clouded in obscurity. The Old Testament contains passage after passage of seemingly bizarre rituals and rites.
     A far clearer revelation of the Lord's Divine truth is contained in the New Testament. It was to this new, clearer revelation of the truth that Paul referred when in his letter to the Hebrews he called the law a shadow of the good things to come. The New Testament is a clearer revelation of the truth, yet it too has its truth clouded in a certain degree of obscurity.

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The Lord spoke to the masses in parables and only explained some of them to His disciples. Yet He promised that a new, clearer revelation of the truth was forthcoming in the gospel of John 16:25, where He said, "The time is coming when I shall no more speak unto you in parables."
     Perhaps the most compelling evidence that a new revelation in the Word was forthcoming is found in the 19th chapter of the book of Revelation where John prophesied the second coming of the Lord. "He was riding on a white horse. He was clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called the Word of God." The coming of the Son of Man is a new revelation of the Divine truth.
     It should be understood that a judgment took place at the time of the first advent. The words in John 12:31 clearly indicate that this was the case. For Jesus said, "Now is the judgment of this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out." And that this judgment was accomplished by means of the truth is indicated in John 12:48, "He who rejects Me and does not receive My words has that which judges him. The word I have spoken will judge him in the last day." (Certainly the words the Lord speaks are the truth, for He is the truth itself, and to reject the truth is to reject the Lord.)
     It is often said that the wicked are to suffer dreadful things during these "last days." This opinion can easily be substantiated by the numerous references to the time of the Last Judgment. Indeed, the last book in the New Testament, the book of Revelation, presents a rather grim account of the judgment. But what about the prophecy of judgment and destruction found in the last chapter in the last book in the Old Testament? The words of prophecy in the fourth chapter of Malachi bear a striking resemblance to those verses referring to judgment found in other parts of the Scriptures. It begins with the words, "Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace and every evildoer will be stubble. And that day that is coming will set them, on fire; not a root or a branch will be left of them."

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     This chapter also contains the very important prophesy concerning the advent of the Lord: "Behold, I send the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of Jehovah comes." It is this prophecy to which the disciples referred when they asked the Lord in Matthew 17:10, "Why then do the teachers of the Law say that Elijah must come first?" His answer clearly confirms that indeed this prophecy was fulfilled at that time, for He replies, "Elijah has already come and they did not know him, but have done to him whatever they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands" (verse 12). Then the disciples understood that He was talking about John the Baptist. This passage confirms two important facts: that Jesus is Jehovah and that John the Baptist is Elijah who would come.
     Thus the prophecy of Malachi was fulfilled, but what about the prediction of the destruction of the evil by fire which was to accompany the dreadful day of Jehovah?
     There is enough evidence in the Scriptures to prove that there was a judgment in those days, but the passage found in John 9:39 best describes the nature of the judgment which took place at the first advent. "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind." Here again is evidence that a new revelation of the Divine truth was forthcoming, for He promised to give sight to the blind, or rather, He came to give light or truth to those who were in spiritual darkness. And those who had the Divine truth, the Jews, He made blind.
     The Word contained all the prophecies of the coming Messiah, yet they had so blinded themselves to the truth that they rejected Him, as recorded in the gospel of John: "The world knew Him not. He came among His own and His own did not receive Him" (John 7:10, 11). In fact, it was to the simple within that faith and to the wise from outside it that the Lord revealed the news that He had indeed come. It was to shepherds that the angels appeared that night with the joyous news. And it was the magi from the east who discerned the fulfillment of the ancient prophecy of Balaam as recorded in the book of Numbers 24:17: "A star will rise out of Jacob."

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     Ironically, the Jews still await the Messiah. To such blindness the Lord alludes when He says, "No one knows when the Son of Man cometh." It is a warning to each of us to avoid the same tragic mistake made 2,000 years ago when due to preconceived ideas regarding the coming of the Lord, they rejected Him when He came.
     Don't make the same mistake. Look for the coming of the Son of Man as He really is-the Divine truth of the Lord in a new revelation of the written Word. Study the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg.
NCL 50 YEARS AGO (Brazil) 1990

NCL 50 YEARS AGO (Brazil)       Editor       1990

     Three photographs accompany a letter in the March issue of 1940. The letter is from Henry Leonardos. It begins as follows: "I take pleasure in writing to inform you of the progress of our beloved church in Brazil . . . ."
     Further in the letter we read: "I send you a photo of Pastor Mendonca Lima in the uniform of a general. He was decorated with the Goran Cruze-the highest degree of the order of the King of Italy-and Commander of the Military Merit of Brazil."
     Another photograph is of General Miguel de Castro Ayres of the Brazilian army, "one of our good and active Brethren of the New Church."
     Speaking of Brazil, the January Missionary Memo has a report from Rio de Janeiro. We learn that in 1988 a corporation was created for the purpose of advertising the Writings. They have a newsletter with a circulation of more than a thousand. They advertise a "Bible study course by mail." Rev. Christovao Nobre writes: "The goal we have with this Bible study is to approach the people from the Genuine Doctrines of the Word and introduce spiritual truths."

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TWO OCCURRENCES OF CONJUGIALIS IN 1704 1990

TWO OCCURRENCES OF CONJUGIALIS IN 1704       Rev. JONATHAN S. ROSE       1990

     CURATOR OF SWEDENBORGIAN LIBRARY

     There is a view that Swedenborg chose as an adjective for the love between husband and wife a rare Latin word which had not been used for over 1700 years: conjugialis. Alfred Acton I wrote in 1952,
     Among early Latin writers, including the Christian Fathers, the only author who used the word conjugialls was Ovid in his Metamorphoses. Yet Swedenborg, departing from the usage of all his contemporaries, deliberately chose that word (New Philosophy 1952, 202).*
     * The word occurs in Ovid's Metamorphoses 5:3, 6:536 and 11:743, and in Statius' Thebaid, 12:158.
     I have often wondered whether someone who had read 'all of Swedenborg's contemporaries' would agree that none of them used conjugialis. At the International Association for NeoLatin Studies conference in Toronto in August 1988 1 asked the man at the forefront of NeoLatin studies, Professor Usewijn of Belgium, whether anyone besides Swedenborg used conjugialls. He responded that the word "seems common enough to me."
     The other day in Swedenborgiana Library I came across two occurrences of conjugialis used as key words in the 1704 Index to the Acta Eruditorum, a learned periodical featuring reviews of scholarly books.* The reviews which are indexed under conjugialis do not themselves contain the word; they use instead either conjugalis or matrimonialis. An Index should be accessible above all; presumably the indexer chose conjugialis as the most accessible key word to represent the material in the review. Perhaps the word was fairly common after all.
     * Swedenborg quotes or cites the Acta Eruditorum some thirty-eight times.

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Editorial Pages 1990

Editorial Pages       Editor       1990

     THE ATTRACTION OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH GROUPS

     From Arizona to Massachusetts, and from one end of Pennsylvania to the other, there has been a sprouting of "Spiritual Growth Groups." Some of us traditional ministers have had the impression that these groups are for some people more attractive than our orthodox-style doctrinal classes.
     A series of ten sessions on the Ten Commandments was organized by Rev. Ray Silverman, and other ministers adopted the program. A series by Rev. Frank Rose was put on tape and made available to others. These are being used in Bryn Athyn by a number of groups who meet twice per month. They are well attended, and the participants seem enthusiastic. Two questions arise. (1) What is the key to their attraction? (2) Might they diminish attendance at traditional doctrinal classes? Without going into depth we have quick answers to both questions.
     (1) The participants like to see the application of religion. They say that a theological lecture is one thing but that all religion has relation to life. In these groups people are asked to make specific attempts to apply designated religious truths and then to discuss the effort. They get ideas and encouragement from others. Peter Rhodes of Bryn Athyn has been doing a series of articles in New Church Home relating to this. The seventh in the series is particularly applicable here. The series is called "The Work." People seem to respond when invited to consider actual "tasks." They are called "spiritual tasks," because they are undertaken for reasons relating to spiritual life. A natural task might be to cut down on one's eating or drinking for good natural reasons. A spiritual task can be similar but undertaken for religious reasons, that is, as a response to revealed truth.
     Mr. Rhodes takes teachings from the Writings about conscience, spiritual association, and spheres and shows that these relate well to specific tasks.

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Making the specific effort seems to generate new states of awareness and a new sense of need to learn, and that brings us to the second question.
     (2) Surprising at first (but not so surprising on reflection) is the indication that attendance at spiritual growth groups tends to increase interest in attending other forms of instruction. Working with the truth seems to promote interest in learning and understanding more.
     We have wondered whether a large doctrinal class could have the same ingredients as a small spiritual growth group. The answer seems to be that the "task" is an actual commitment of a specific nature, and that a person expects to report to a responsible group on the effort. This probably could not be managed in a large class, but if these groups flourish, something of their spirit may influence the approach to doctrinal instruction generally.

     BIBLE SOCIETY IN RUSSIA

     Last December a Bible society was formed in Latvia. At the time of this writing this group is seeking membership in the United Bible Societies. This first Bible society within the Soviet Union plans to distribute Bibles in both Latvian and Russian. On January 17th a Russian Bible society was formed, which is said to be the first such society in 150 years!
     Rev. John Erickson, secretary of the American Bible Society, says that the Russian organization is "in the embryonic stage" but that he hopes for the development of "a fully inclusive Bible society serving all churches and recognized by all churches."
     It is interesting to note that there has been a Bible society in East Germany for a very long time. There are headquarters in Dresden, Berlin and Finsterwald.
     News about new freedom of religion comes also from Hungary, Poland, Czechoslovakia and Romania. A story on the front page of the Philadelphia Inquirer on January 26th said that within three days of the death of deposed leader Ceausescu a truck carrying 3,000 Bibles arrived in Romania.

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The story continues,

     Another shipment of 10,000 Bibles and 2,000 children's Bibles followed.
     The flow of Bibles into Romania is part of a tidal wave of religious books and literature pouring into Eastern Europe . . . .
     After decades of Communist oppression that severely limited their publishing and distribution, religious materials are in demand by millions of people.

     WORLD CONGRESS OF RELIGIONS 1993

     In 1893 a world congress of religions was held in the city of Chicago. Eighteen nations sent delegations. The opening meeting was presided over by a New Churchman. There were a number of denominational congresses that went on for several days. An outstanding address was given by Mrs. J. R. Hibbard.
     Sarah Hibbard, daughter of Richard De Charms, began her address as follows:

     We are assembled here as an integral part of this Congress of Religions. From all parts of the world, representatives of creeds, both ancient and modern, have come together to exchange thoughts on the various ideas concerning God, and the relation of His creatures to Him. The papers which will be presented will draw their inspiration from the source of Divine Truth as it may appear to each writer, whether he be Hindoo, or Chinese, Mahometan or Christian. Our thoughts as expressed must likewise be drawn from the source of our religious inspiration . . . . What does it involve to be members of the New Church? What is this New Church that we profess? As I understand it, it consists of a revelation from the Lord of principles and laws of life by which those who acknowledge a belief in it may form thoughts, may mold their loves, so that from a new standpoint of spiritual truth ignored by, or perhaps unknown to, the world at large, they may investigate, weigh and form conclusions on all subjects occupying the attention of those who think.

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     We live in an age of experiment, an age of investigation, analysis, a breaking up of tradition, an age of stern realism . . . .

     She spoke those words a hundred years ago. Now we are looking forward to another world congress of religions in 1993. How will speakers characterize the age in which we are living and the world religious outlook as we approach the year 2000?

     MORE ON THE WORLD CONGRESS OF 1993

     Since writing the above we have received a copy of a long article in Chicago's Free Weekly (Oct. 27, 1989). The article is entitled "Delegates of the Gods." It speaks of the congress of 1893 and says, "As the centennial of that event draws near, a small band of ecumenical optimists is planning to do it again."
     Further excerpts are:

     Exactly 100 years ago, in the fall of 1889-even before Chicago had landed the 1893 world's fair-prominent city attorney Charles C. Bonney published a grandiose proposal for a "world's congress." "Statesmen, jurists, financiers, scientists, literati, teachers, and theologians" would meet in conjunction with the proposed world's fair to discuss everything from religion to international law to "the practicability of a common language." The idea caught on, one congress became twenty, and Bonney became the president of the World's Congress Auxiliary.
     Bonney himself adhered to the gentle, universalistic, and somewhat mystical teachings of Emanuel Swedenborg's New Jerusalem Church.
     This time around, the council's board of directors includes local believers in Islam, Vedanta, Buddhism, Baha'i, and Zoroastrianism, as well as Christianity and Judaism. The council's interfaith worship services have gone further and included native American and African traditions as well.
     But why bother? It's no longer news that different religions can share a platform without anyone starting a crusade . . .

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     What will we have after this parliament that we don't have now?

     Among the suggested answers: "Sets and sets and sets of working relationships between people in different religions." One more quote:

     Besides money, parliamentarians worry about three challenges their movement may face as it goes public: conservatives, causes, and cults. Despite the optimism of many at the 1893 parliament, this century has not seen a withering away of the conservative attitude that "My faith is the only true faith and you'll go to hell if you don't join."
MUCH ADO ABOUT DIFFERENCES 1990

MUCH ADO ABOUT DIFFERENCES       Editor       1990

     A Memorable Relation begins with the scene of a loud dispute. The issue in question was abstract-one might even say "imaginary." But those who were arguing about it considered it a matter of tremendous consequence or of great importance (magni momenti). This is in TCR 335.
     Some particular of doctrine can become magnified in the mind until it is considered all-important. 'While men are intent on some particular article of faith they make that the main thing; for such is the nature of man's thought that while intent on some one thing, he sets it before any other, especially when his imagination claims it as a discovery of his own, and when the love of self and of the world puff him up. Everything then seems to agree with and confirm it, until at last he will swear that it is so, even if it is false" (AC 362).
     One of the occasions for becoming "intent on some article of faith" is when we find that someone else sees it differently. A discussion with the one who differs could be an enjoyable exercise in which both gain new insight. But it might become an argument in which as the words grow sharper, the perception becomes more dull.

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     Sometimes a good discussion changes character because of the presence of evil spirits. In a classic example, at the end of the work Influx we read of people speaking to each other "in a courteous tone." The discussion got more heated, for unbeknownst to them an evil spirit introduced an element of enmity. Then they looked at each other with fierce faces "for they were seized with the lust of disputing and discussing" (Influx 19).
     That little scene says a lot! This is a subject worth more "discussing" at another time.
Title Unspecified 1990

Title Unspecified       Editor       1990

     [Photograph of exhibit.]

An Exhibit on Swedenborg Loaned by the Swedenborg Foundation to the Swedenborg Library

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SUGGESTION FOR ORGANISTS 1990

SUGGESTION FOR ORGANISTS       Carla Zecher       1990




     Communications
Dear Editor:
     I would like to suggest, as we look forward to the publication of the new Liturgy, that now would be a good time for New Church pianists and organists to adopt the practice of playing full introductions to hymns (i.e., playing the whole hymn through) rather than shortened versions. In addition to many favorite New Church hymns, the Liturgy will contain new ones-some borrowed and adapted from the Christian tradition, some inspired by the Writings. We will feel more comfortable with these if we can hear the whole melody once through before we start singing. It is hard for the accompanist to make the tempo (speed) of the hymn clear to the congregation with only a short introduction, and if there are any tricky passages midway through the song, the singers have to tackle them at sight on the first verse. In my experience congregations always sing with more confidence when they have heard a full introduction.
     Many of our members (particularly the elderly and children) also need more time to stand up and find the right page for a hymn. Longer introductions would let us all feel less rushed, and help us to start singing together with the very first word of the text rather than joining in haphazardly a few bars (or even several lines) late. The one exception to the rule would be long anthems, where we could make do with a shorter opening.
     Another reason to change our habit is that it shows a lack of consideration for visitors and newcomers. By starting the hymns too quickly we make it difficult for them to participate. Since we don't regularly use printed bulletins or announce the hymns but instead post the page numbers on a board, visitors are often left out of the singing while they hunt for a hymn (until a neighbor comes to their rescue, by which time it's too late for them to appreciate what may have been a unique New Church text set to a beautiful melody).

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Offering full hymn introductions would be a better way to introduce new music into our services, and to introduce the New Church to our visitors.
     Carla Zecher
     Lewiston, Maine
WHAT "CONJUGIALIS" CONVEYS 1990

WHAT "CONJUGIALIS" CONVEYS       Heulwen M. Ridgway       1990

Dear Editor:
     Amor conjugialis, when translated as "marriage love" or even "true marriage love," conveys an attribute, albeit a special and most holy attribute, of human life only. It does not convey anything of the Divine life that is within it.
     Amor conjugialis, stemming from the life of regeneration, for all that it is described as the "precious jewel of human life," is only the lowest degree of loves prior and far more precious. It is the comparatively gross outer garment covering the Divine union within. For amor conjugialis is, in its essence, the union of Divine Love and Divine Wisdom in the Lord; in the next degree it is the union of the Lord and the church; in a still lower degree it is the union of good and truth in the mind of the regenerating person, which is the union of the Lord with that person; and in the lowest degree of all, it is the love that arises between the husband and wife who lead the life of religion.
     Can the expression "true marriage love" draw our minds upward to these loves which rise above human marriage? I do not think so. The term "conjugial love" is a special term which conveys to me, in a way in which no ordinary language can, the loves that lie within, and which rise up to the one Source of all love, the Lord Himself.
     Heulwen M. Ridgway
     Canberra, Australia

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GENERAL CHURCH SOUND RECORDING COMMITTEE OFFERS The Following In PREPARATION FOR EASTER 1990

GENERAL CHURCH SOUND RECORDING COMMITTEE OFFERS The Following In PREPARATION FOR EASTER       Editor       1990

THE GENERAL CHURCH
SOUND RECORDING COMMITTEE
OFFERS
The Following In
PREPARATION FOR EASTER

THE LORD'S KINGDOM
Palm Sunday Lessons and Sermon
Rev. Kurt H. Asplundh

"HE HAS BORNE OUR GRIEFS"
An Easter Season Lessons and Sermon
Rev. Thomas L. Kline


JOY AND MEANING OF EASTER
Doctrinal class by Bishop Louis B. King

WHAT EASTER REALLY MEANS TO US
Talk by Bishop George deCharms

BOX 278, BRYN ATHYN, PA 19009
(215) 947-1889

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GENERAL CHURCH PUBLICATION COMMITTEE 1990

GENERAL CHURCH PUBLICATION COMMITTEE       Lorentz R. Soneson       1990

     Annual Report 1989

     Although this committee considered a number of books and pamphlets for publication, progress was made only on the following:

1) The City of God by Karl Alden. A few minor revisions were added, and it is in the General Church Press's hands for reprinting.
     
2) A children's story book entitled Stories for Children about the Spiritual World by Gretchen Keith, with illustrations by Richard Cook, has been proofread, finalized and is with the General Church Press for printing.
     
3) What Is the General Church of the New Jerusalem? by the Secretary of the General Church. This revised pamphlet has been produced and is in book rooms throughout the church. This summary of the history of our church as well as the Academy changed its format and can be used as a missionary pamphlet.
     
4) Seeing Is Believing-The Faith of the New Church by David Gladish, second edition. This pamphlet, revised by the author, is now limited to the Doctrine of Faith as a translation of the Latin into the vernacular of the day. It has been submitted to the Translation Committee for review and possible publication.
     
5) New King James Version of the Word. A committee appointed by the Bishop is still negotiating with the publisher for permission to bind only those books of the Word for our church and school use.
     
6) New, revised Liturgy. The General Church Worship and Ritual Committee has nearly completed all of the revisions for this new Liturgy, and final decisions are being made on the music that is being added and some revisions of old selections.

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Final decisions will be reviewed by the Council of the Clergy at its March meetings. The Liturgy should be in the hands of the printer before summer.
     Manuscripts are always considered for publication by this committee if forwarded to the chairman at Cairncrest, Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.
     Lorentz R. Soneson, Chairman
ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH SECONDARY SCHOOLS 1990 SUMMER CAMP 1990

ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH SECONDARY SCHOOLS 1990 SUMMER CAMP       Editor       1990

     The 1990 ANC summer camp will be held on the campus of the Academy of the New Church in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania from Sunday, July 8 until Saturday, July 14, 1990.
     The camp is open to boys and girls who will have completed eighth or ninth grades in May or June of 1990.
     Students will receive registration details during the first week in March. We try to send to every eligible student but sometimes miss someone. If you have not received the information form, or know someone who may need information, please contact the camp director, William C. Fehon. Call him at (215) 947-4200 or write to him: Box 278, Academy of the New Church, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.
RELIGIOUS ASSEMBLY FOR YOUNG ADULTS 1990

RELIGIOUS ASSEMBLY FOR YOUNG ADULTS       Editor       1990

     A religious assembly for young adults will take place in Bryn Athyn on Saturday, May 5th. More information next month.

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News Around the Church 1990

News Around the Church       Editor       1990

     Toronto: In December Rev. Michael Gladish officiated at the funeral of Mr. F. R. Grava, who died at the age of 97. Mr. Gladish notes that "Mr. Grava was an extraordinary New Churchman as he spent a lifetime translating the Heavenly Doctrines into his native Latvian language and also publishing a Latvian New Church magazine-all in his "spare time" and later in his retirement, all at his own expense without material reward. It is noteworthy and ironic that just as he enters into his own new freedom in the spiritual world, the nation for which he labored so long is now entering into new democratic and religious freedoms.
     Mr. Grava worked for years with his friend J. Kreicbergs in New Jersey.
     Michigan: In February Rev. Stephen Cole offered doctrinal instruction on what it is to be human. His class invitation asks: "What is the human form? Does the Gorand Man of heaven look like a man? Is the human DNA the human form? When does someone begin to be human? Will knowing what it is to be human make you a better or more effective person?"
     Pittsburgh: The annual May camp is scheduled for May 2628. There are always visitors from other societies at this enjoyable event held at Laurel State Park 60 miles east of Pittsburgh. This is not to be confused with the two Laurel family camps scheduled for July 29-August 4 and August 5-11.
     The Pittsburgh Reporter notes that Pastor Eric Carswell is attending a "Church Growth Seminar" in Dallas, Texas, with several other New Church ministers.
     Local Publications: The British newsletter is simply called Newsletter. It has a long and honorable history, being currently sent to 160 addresses in the United Kingdom. Ninety more are sent to Europe and elsewhere. Holland is one of the places where people receive this newsletter. There is a report in its pages of a resurrection service for Mr. Daan Lupker who died

                     (Continued on page 142)

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WOMEN'S RENEWAL WEEKEND 1990

WOMEN'S RENEWAL WEEKEND       Editor       1990

Theme: Heal thyself!
"First remove the beam from thine own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the mote from thy brother's eye" (Matt. 7:5).
     When: Friday, April 20, 1990, 5:00 p.m. through Sunday, April 22, 1:00 p.m. Please note that this is the weekend following Easter.
Cost: $50.00
Where: Camp Lutherlyn (near Pittsburgh, PA)
Join us for a weekend of support, study and friendship. If you have participated in this weekend in recent years, you will receive a complete mailing by early March. Otherwise, phone or write to one of the following for complete information.
     
Shareen Blair 341 Central Drive Mars, PA 16046 (412) 776-6643

Tryn Clark 3835 Smithfield Avenue E. Lansing, MI 48823 (517) 351-2880

Trish Lindsay 186 Iron Bridge Road Sarver, PA 16055 (412) 295-2316
EVERY CHILD WHEREVER BORN 1990

EVERY CHILD WHEREVER BORN       Editor       1990

     Every little child, wherever born, within or outside the church, of godly or ungodly parents, is accepted by the Lord when he dies, and is brought up in heaven (HH 416).

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MINISTERIAL APPOINTMENTS 1990

MINISTERIAL APPOINTMENTS       Editor       1990




     Announcements






     As of January 26, 1990 Rev. Robert S. Junge has been appointed as a Bishop's Representative in certain General Church developmental areas outside the United States. Rev. Christopher D. Bown has been appointed as Bishop's Representative for Great Britain, Holland and France.
     Rev. Andrew J. Heilman has been appointed assistant to the pastor of the Kempton Society, effective July 1st, 1990.

     64TH BRITISH ASSEMBLY

     The 64th British Assembly will be held the weekend of August 10-12th at Hoddesdon in Hertfordshire (22 miles north of London and four miles from Hertford).

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Title Unspecified 1990

Title Unspecified       Editor       1990

of the places where people receive this newsletter. There is a report in its pages of a resurrection service for Mr. Daan Lupker who died in November. A hundred people attended the service for this man who, although he was blind, managed for ten years to serve effectively as secretary to the group in Holland.
     The Newsletter reports that the British Academy Summer School will be held at Purley Chase New Church Centre, July 15-28th. Bishop King will be attending, as will Rev. Dan Goodenough. A month after teaching at the summer school Mr. Goodenough will be assuming his duties as Dean of the Theological School in Bryn Athyn.
     The New Atlanta Voice reports that from now through the month of May the Atlanta Society will have bimonthly classes entitled "Ten Steps to Eternal Life." These classes will be similar to the ones first given in Pittsburgh and mentioned in the current New Church Life editorial.
PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES 1990

PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES       Editor       1990

GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
The Right Rev. Louis B. King, Bishop
Bryn Athyn Pennsylvania 19009, USA

PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES

     Information on public worship and doctrinal classes provided either regularly or occasionally may be obtained at the locations listed below. For details use the local phone number of the contact person mentioned or communicate with the Secretary of the General Church, Cairncrest, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009. Phone (215) 947-6811. (U.S.A. addresses next month)

     AUSTRALIA

Canberra
See Rev. Douglas Taylor under Sydney

Sydney, N.S.W.
Rev. Douglas Taylor, 22 Dudley Street,
Penshurst, N.S.W. 2222. Phone: 57-1589.
     
Tamworth
See Rev. Douglas Taylor under Sydney

     BRAZIL

Rio de Janeiro
Rev. Cristovao Rabelo Nobre, Rua Lina Teixeira, 109 Apt., Rocha, Rio de Janeiro
R.J. 20970. Phone: 21-201-8455.

     CANADA
Alberta
Calgary
Mr. Thomas R. Fountain, 115 Southglen Drive S.W., Calgary 13, Alberta 12W OX2. Phone: 403-255-7283.

Edmonton
Mr. Daniel L. Horigan, 10524 82nd St., Edmonton, Alberta T6A 3M8. Phone: 403-469-0078.

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British Columbia
Dawson Creek
Rev. Glenn G. Alden, Dawson Creek Church, 9013 8th St., Dawson Creek, B.C., Canada VlG 3N3.

Ontario
Kitchener
Rev. Louis D. Synnestvedt, 58 Chapel Hill Drive, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2G 3W5. Phone: (home) 519-748-5605; (office) 519-748-5802.

Ottawa
Mr. and Mrs. Donald McMaster, 684 Fraser Ave., Ottawa, Ontario K2A 2R8. Phone: (613) 725-0394.
     
Toronto
Rev. Michael Gladish, 279 Burnhamthorpe Rd., Islington, Ontario M9B IZ4. Phone (church): (416) 239-3055.

Quebec
Montreal
Mr. Denis de Chazal, 17 Ballantyne Ave. So., Montreal West, Quebec 114X 2BI. Phone: (514) 489-9861.

     DENMARK

Copenhagen
Mr. Jorgen Hauptmann, Strandvejen 22, 4040 Jyllinge. Phone: (02) 389968.

     

ENGLAND

Colchester
Rev. Christopher Bown, 2 Christ Church Court, Colchester, Essex C03 3AU. Phone: 0206-575644.
     
Letchworth
Mr. and Mrs. R. Evans, 24 Berkeley, Letchworth, Herts. SG6 211A. Phone: 0462-68471.
     
London
Rev. Frederick Elphick, 21B Hayne Rd., Beckenham, Kent BR3 41A. Phone: 01144-1-658-6320.
     
Manchester
Rev. Norman E. Riley, 69 Harewood Rd., Norden, Rochdale, OL11 5TH, England. Phone: 0706 54003.

     FRANCE

Bourguignon-Meursanges
Rev. Alain Nicolier, 21200 Beaune, France. Phone: 80-26-62-08 (office).

     HOLLAND

The Hague Mr. Ed Verschoor, Olmenlaan 17, 3862 VG Nijkerk.

     NEW ZEALAND

Auckland
Mrs. H. Keal, 4 Derwent Cresc., Titirazigi, Auckland 7, New Zealand.

     NORWAY

Oslo Mrs. Klaas Biermann, Bakketoppen 10A. 1165 Oslo 11. Phone: (0) 2 283783.

     SCOTLAND

Edinburgh
Mr. and Mrs. N. Laidlaw, 35 Swanspring Ave., Edinburgh EH 10-6NA. Phone: 0 31-4452377.
     
Glasgow
Mrs. J. Clarkson, Hillview, Balmore Nr. Torrance, Glasgow G64 4JA. Phone: Balmore 262.

     SOUTH AFRICA

Natal
Durban
Rev. James P. Cooper, 30 Perth Road, Westville 3630, Natal, Republic of South Africa. Phone: 01127-31-821612.
     
Transvaal
Transvaal Society
Rev. Andrew Dibb, P.O. Box 816, Kelvin 2054. Republic of South Africa. Phone: (011) 804-2567.
     
Zululand
Kent Manor
Rev. James Cooper, visiting pastor Mrs. D.G. Liversage, Box 7088, Empangeni Rail. 3910. Natal, South Africa. Phone: 0351-2341.
     
Mission In South Africa
Rev. Andrew Dibb (address above).

     SWEDEN

Jonkoping Contact Rev. Bjorn A.H. Boyesen, Bruksliter. Furusjo, S-566 00. Habo. Phone: 039220395.

Stockholm
Rev. Erik E. Sandstrom, visiting pastor. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009. Contact Rev. Bjorn A.H. Boyesen at the above address.

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LIGHT BURDEN 1990

LIGHT BURDEN       Editor       1990

     Easier Ways to Shun Evils

     by John Odhner

     A series from New Church Life first printed in booklet form in 1987. Has now been reprinted.
     General Church Book Center Box 278, Cairncrest Bryn Athyn, PA 19009
Price $2.50 plus postage $.90
Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30-12:00 or by appointment Phone: 215-947-3920

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Notes on This Issue 1990

Notes on This Issue       Editor       1990


Vol. CX                    April, 1990               No. 4

                         New Church life

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     Notes on This Issue

     The late David Holm presented a paper to the Council of the Clergy a long time ago. At the time he did not submit it for publication. See the note about this on page 157. The subject is the eternal life of the embryo. We are beginning its publication in this issue.
     On Palm Sunday last year Rev. Geoffrey Howard delivered a sermon in the Bryn Athyn cathedral. As a lesson he read from Apocalypse Revealed 611. This contains a familiar phrase on thinking from essence to person. Mr. Howard uses the phrase and says, "but just what does it mean?" (p. 149).
     We are printing excerpts from an article by Rt. Rev. Willard Pendleton (p. 158). Let us know if you would like a copy of the entire article.
     Rev. Victor Gladish died on January 11th at the age of 86. We are publishing a memorial address, and on page 189 we list some of the things Mr. Gladish wrote.
     We have two letters from Australia in this issue. One is in response to a short item in the December issue. The other is a response to a letter from Carla Zecher in the March issue.
Are the teachings of the New Church "occult"? See page 176.
     Dr. John Roach speaks in this issue about preaching. He finishes with a crescendo: "Let us all take courage, cheer up a little; don't be discouraged, because the Lord is still in charge of His world, and truth is on the march."

**********


     A NEW BOOK BY Grant SCHNARR

     This month a book is to be published by Abbey Press entitled Unlocking Your Spiritual Potential. 7,500 copies of this 100-page book will be published. The cost is $4.95. New Church bookstores will have copies, but it could help the cause if you order it from a secular book store. We congratulate Rev. Grant Schnarr of Chicago for having achieved this.

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SEEING THE LORD FROM ESSENCE TO PERSON 1990

SEEING THE LORD FROM ESSENCE TO PERSON       Rev. GEOFFREY H. HOWARD       1990

     "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!"(John 12:12).

     This morning we turn our thoughts to that familiar incident when the Lord entered Jerusalem in triumphal procession. He rode into the city upon a colt and in so doing reenacted an ancient ceremony. The crowds spontaneously grasped its meaning. When they saw Him and the procession which followed, they hailed Him as their King. They petitioned Him with their "Hosannas," which meant "Save us now!"
     According to an ancient custom of the Jews, when kings and judges were to be inaugurated into their office, they rode upon a donkey to the place of anointing. An example of this is shown when Solomon came to the throne of Israel. At that time, his father David was old and feeble, and Adonijah, the son of Haggith, was plotting to secure his father's throne for himself. To counteract this uprising, David devised a strategy which would secure the throne for his chosen heir. He commanded Solomon to take the king's own mule and ride to Gihon where he would be anointed by Zadok the priest. Through this ceremony Solomon became established as the rightful king to succeed his father David.
     The Lord enacted this same ceremony just a few days before His earthly work was finished. He too rode into Jerusalem after the manner of a king. By doing so He represented the fact that He was about to take upon Himself the Supreme Kingship. However, before this could come to pass, there remained one decisive victory to be gained-His last and final temptation, His passion upon the cross. His entry into Jerusalem as a King represented that final mastery over the power of the hells which would be His once that victory was gained.
     As He rode toward Jerusalem, the jubilant crowds which followed did not understand the true representation of this ceremony. Their expectations of Him as a king were centered in issues of temporal concern. They wanted deliverance from Roman oppression.

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They believed that the true Messiah would grant this wish. They sang their Hosannas in anticipation of this deliverance.
     How very different was the Divine purpose! His purpose was represented in the fact that after entering Jerusalem, He first went to the temple, the representative dwelling place of Jehovah. He did not go to the king's palace, the seat of temporal power, as the crowd had expected. By entering the temple He represented the fact that His Human was to become fully united with Jehovah the Father. With the completion of the glorification, the Divine Kingship would become established and His supreme rule over the heavens and over the hells would be secured. Had He not taught that His kingdom was not of this world?
     When the Lord entered Jerusalem the multitudes could not restrain their rapture. The bewildered Pharisees said: "Behold the world has gone after Him!" Yet in just a few days, the mood was to turn against Him with vengeance. Many of those who had hailed Him as their king would soon succumb to bitterness, and in disillusionment would cry "Crucify Him, Crucify Him!" We may ask, why did the mood of the people change so drastically? Was it because their worldly hopes remained unfulfilled? Was it because their social plight remained unchanged? No, the real reason for their disillusionment had deeper roots than these issues alone.
     When the Lord rode into Jerusalem, His followers hailed Him in the person of a worldly king. They did not hail Him, however, as the King of heaven. Indeed, they were enthralled by His miracles, perhaps especially that of raising Lazarus from the dead, which had just been performed. But their hearts were not particularly moved by the power of Divine truth which He taught. When the disciples first heard His teachings, they listened to them with little more than superficial interest at first. They were, however, strongly drawn more to the person of Jesus Christ, and were somewhat infatuated by the extraordinary powers which they saw Him exhibit. Yet they failed to see Him as the Divine Man, as God incarnate.
     It is of great importance for each of us to ask how we think of God.

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What comes into our minds as we form for ourselves a picture of the Lord our God? How do we picture the Lord to whom we pray when we say, "Our Father who art in the heavens"?
     The Writings urge us to think of the Lord from His Essence in the first place, and to think of His Person secondly. If we fail to understand the implications of this important teaching we will form erroneous and impersonal ideas about our Father in the heavens.
     In our third lesson we read the following teaching: "To think from [the] person [of the Lord] concerning His Essence is to think materially concerning His Essence also; whereas to think from His Essence about His person is to think spiritually even about His person" (AR 611). This teaching is of great importance, but just what does it mean?
     Before proceeding further let us be clear on what the Writings mean when they speak of the "Essence" and "Person" of the Lord. In short, the term "Essence" is used to designate those qualities which are unique to His Divine nature. Infinity, omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence are all qualities pertaining to His Essence. We should try to picture these qualities of the Lord in the first place, and then frame them within our picture of the Lord as a Divine Person. If we do this we will be thinking in accordance with the order taught in the Writings, thinking of Him from His Essence to His Person.
     We also think from the qualities of Divine Essence when we recall that it was the infinite God Himself, who from His love, and according to the order of His wisdom, came to reveal Himself and accomplish His work of redemption here on our earth. We should try to picture the human which He assumed from Mary as the vessel through which His Divine Soul spoke and acted. We should picture it as the means through which the interior Humanity of His Divine Spirit was revealed.
     We are intended to worship a God who is visible, that is, a God of whom we can form some idea. To satisfy this need in us, the infinite God assumed the human from Mary, and thereby made His Divine Spirit visible to us. Only through forming a correct idea of the Lord can we approach Him, and abide in Him, and He in us.

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     The multitudes who witnessed the triumphal entry saw the Lord as the King of Israel, as their deliverer from Rome. They did not see any purpose beyond this. Their thoughts were limited and confined to a material idea of Jesus Christ as a person. As long as they remained firm in this persuasion, their minds could not be uplifted to appreciate the illimitable qualities pertaining to the Divine Essence. Consequently they were unable to see any interior reason for this ceremony, and soon they turned against the Lord feeling bitterly disappointed and deceived because their expectations of Him remained unfulfilled.
     Through the guidance of the Writings we can be led to see the true spiritual significance of the Lord's riding into Jerusalem as the "King of Israel." We are taught that whenever the Lord is depicted as a "King," the royalty and government of His Divine truth is represented. "Israel," on the other hand, represents the man of the church, the man who desires to make room in his heart for the Lord to enter. We prepare a way for the Lord when we take delight in seeking the laws of His order for the sake of improving our motives and the quality of our lives. Into the order of this state the Lord may enter to become the King of His spiritual Israel.
     When viewed in this light we may see the Lord's entry into Jerusalem not as the triumphant moment of a great leader, but rather as a representative picture of the perpetual supremacy of His Divine truth. He rules universally according to the terms of the Divine truth. It is preserved in the Word for our use.
     The Lord enters into our lives as our King as we lay our thoughts, our mental clothing, before the court of His unchanging Divine truth. Similarly, our inmost perceptions and feelings, represented by the branches of palm, should be laid open to the same scrutiny. Our thoughts and our perceptions, then, should both be cast before the way of the King. They should be tested and tried to see if they are worthy, to see if they are acceptable in the sight of the Lord. In this way do we open the gates of our mind to the entry of the Lord as our King. We are to be led and guided from within by the dictates of the Divine truth and not by any external persuasions.

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     As we have seen, those who hailed the Lord as their King did so for very external reasons. Yet we should note that in this connection the Word makes no attempt to persuade us to be led by any appeal to the personality of Jesus Christ. Indeed, He had a personality, yet the Gospels scarcely draw attention to it. Several instances are mentioned when indeed He commiserated with the poor and needy, when He showed His sympathy for the diseased. But the Gospels dwell upon these instances no more than to show that in bestowing mercy, His love grieved. In general they do not draw our attention to the personality of Jesus Christ. They do not encourage us to worship that infirm human which He assumed from the virgin mother. Furthermore, the inherent humility of the Lord minimized the influence of His own personality. For example, with those who desired to be healed, He would first ask if they believed that the power within Him could effect their healing. In other words, He appealed firstly to their faith in that higher power of God, in the Divine Essence which was vested in His soul. Neither do we find any exhortation encouraging us to venerate the suffering Saviour upon the cross as He evidenced the sacrifice of life itself. To think from such concepts is to think from person, and such thought is material and external. It limits and constricts the flow of all spiritual thought.
     On the other hand, we think of the Lord spiritually when we consider that the supreme purpose of His coming was to glorify His Human and to make provision for the salvation of the human race. To think of His infinite power, to think of the infinite wisdom whereby He accomplished our redemption, is to think of Him from His Essence. We may then clothe those Divine qualities in the Human form of the resurrection body of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is how the disciples saw Him in the resurrection. Such a vision was made possible because the limitations of that human assumed from Mary had then been burst asunder by His victory over the hells.
     Thus we can see how important it is for us to have a true idea of the Lord whom we worship. Apart from this we cannot approach Him in a meaningful and personal way, nor can we receive that interior comfort which He alone can give.

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     But it is equally important to realize that our worship of the Lord is external and material unless we permit Him to accomplish the purposes of His advent with us individually, unless we permit Him to gift us with a firm spirit and a new heart. Our vision of the Lord becomes more fully enlightened and more perfectly formed as we, with the help of the Lord, successfully purge those evil thoughts and perverse desires which prey upon us from the hells. As we resist their onslaught, the Lord uplifts our spirit out of the darkness of night into the light of heaven.
     How are we to consciously strive in this course? Firstly, we must acknowledge the Lord as our only King. Secondly, we must read His Word and seek the path of His truth. And thirdly, it must be our chief desire to bring our whole life into accordance with the way of His Divine truth. To do this we must be willing to look at ourselves with true honesty and also be willing to change when we see that the Divine truth calls for change. It is this attitude, this determination, which brings the presence of the King of heaven into our lives. His presence makes us aware of our proprial desires and of those selfish evils which resist His coming and obscure our vision of Him. Beyond this, it is only as we conquer these evils that the Lord can descend and make His full advent with us. As we walk forward with the determination to conquer one evil at a time He will open our spiritual eyes, enabling us to see Him. He will appear to us in the glory of His Divine Human. "Lift up your heads, O you gates! And lift them up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts; He is the King of glory" (Psalm 24:9, 10). Amen.

Lessons: I Kings 1:32-40; Matthew 21:1-17; AR 611 (portions)

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ETERNAL LIFE OF THE EMBRYO 1990

ETERNAL LIFE OF THE EMBRYO       Rev. B. DAVID HOLM       1990

     Introduction

     The title of this paper is "The Eternal Life of the Embryo," but perhaps it would be more accurate to entitle it, "The Nature of the Soul and Its Immortality." For the nature of the immortality of the soul has a strong bearing upon the doctrinal position taken on the embryo in this treatment.
     It might also be good to add in the beginning that, while this point of doctrine here considered is regarded as most interesting, still it is not considered as vital. But this does not take away from the fact that it is felt that the conclusions here drawn from the teachings of the Writings are accurate. For while it is true that nowhere in the Writings is there a plain statement saying that the embryo or foetus which miscarries or is stillborn does enjoy eternal life, still it is felt that this is strongly implied in many passages which, when considered together, give confirmation to the conclusions drawn.

     Summary of Position

     Perhaps a summary of the position taken will aid in following the course taken in this study.
     Probably the most important point to be stressed is that the human soul is immortal from the nature given it by the Lord. Thus it is immortal in itself and does not receive immortality from anything that is below it, thus not from the physical life of the body nor from the opening of the lungs by birth.
     From this we conclude that the soul of man while an embryo or foetus is essentially the same as the soul of a full-term infant who is born in the world, and thus that the soul is not essentially changed after its conception, even by birth.
     Further, that the life from the Lord in the soul of the embryo is eternal life, and that this life is the essential human life. For the Lord looks to what is eternal in all that He creates. And as He creates all things for use, the use of the soul of the embryo, even though it miscarries or is stillborn, is an eternal and essentially human use.

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     Yet in no way can it be thought that the eternal life and use of the miscarried or stillborn child is the same as that of a person who has been born into this world. That they do not enter heaven, in the usual meaning of that term, and there grow up and develop into an angel, is clear from several passages, especially from those in Divine Wisdom which emphatically state that upon the opening of the lungs by birth depends the appearance of self-life, which is the basis of consciousness, regeneration, salvation, and consequent entrance into heaven.
     But the appearance of self-life and its consequent consciousness is not life but is only the manifestation of life on the plane of the mind. Life dwells in the soul of man, which is the first receptacle of the Lord's life, which is the only life. It is the life in the soul from which man has immortality and not life as it is manifested in the mind. Thus man lives after death by virtue of his soul and not by virtue of the mind with its appearance of self-life. Therefore the miscarried or stillborn child lives after death, even as man born in the world does. But man enters heaven after death by virtue of the appearance of self-life and its consciousness which is gained by birth in this world. This cannot be said of the embryo or foetus which dies before birth.
     However, this does not take away from the individuality of the life of the souls of those who do not come to the full term of formation and life in this world. Essential individuality is from the soul, not from the conscious mind.
     The eternal "dwelling place" of those "embryonic souls" is felt to be in that heaven of human internals described in Arcana Coelestia 1999, which is said to be above the celestial heaven. It is said to be that heaven nearest the Lord, and by means of it the whole human race is most present under the auspices of the Lord.
     This gives us a key as to the eternal use performed by the "souls" under discussion-that they are human and organized centers of influx whereby the Lord's inflowing love and wisdom is accommodated to the reception of the angels, specifically the celestial angels.

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As such they can be connected with the two successives, or the two degrees of truth, or the two radiant belts seen around the spiritual sun, which are above the heavens and above angelic comprehension. They can be connected with these two highest degrees even as the angels of the various heavens can be "connected" with their heavens. But they cannot be identified with these two highest degrees, even as the angels are not to be identified with their heavens. For the one is of the series whereby the universe was created, while the other is of the series whereby man is created. The two are connected but certainly not identical.
     All human souls are within this heaven of human internals, both those who were born as men upon earth and those whose physical death preceded their birth. Thus and only thus can the highest degree of the Gorand Man of heaven be accounted for. For as creation is the same in greatests and in leasts, so heaven and the individual man are the same, man being a heaven in smallest form. And as man has a soul as well as the three degrees of the mind, so heaven must have, as it were, a "soul" as well as the three degrees of heaven. That this is the heaven of human internals seems clear, and that here are all souls which were ever created, whether born or not, appears logical when we remind ourselves that each higher degree is more complex than the degree below it. The soul is a far more complex organism than the mind. How much more would this hold true for the "soul of heaven." Thus there is "room," that is, need for all souls ever created and which will be created to eternity, and this for the continual perfection of the Gorand Man of heaven by the proper and ever fuller accommodation of the inflowing love and wisdom of God to the conscious reception of the heavens below.
     These are the major conclusions drawn concerning the immortality, eternal life, place, and function of the soul which miscarries or is stillborn.

Definition of the Term "Soul" as Here Used

     It might be good to pause here to define the term "soul" as here used in regard to the embryo's immortality.

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It is used here as it is in the following passages:
     "The inmost of anything whatever is what is called the soul" (AE 313:14). "The spiritual celestial soul is formed by the Lord; this is more interior and inmost, and cannot be formed by man in the life of the body" (SD 2794). "The life of the human soul, namely, that of his inmost and more interior mind, is not of man but is of the Lord" (SD 2829). "In man the most general universal, which holds the single things together, is the soul, thus also it is the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord; for this is continually flowing in and causing the soul to be such as it is" (AC 6115:3). "The things of the internal man are the Lord's, so that it may be said that the internal man is the Lord. But . . . the internal man is predicated of man as if it were his" (AC 1594:5). "It is the internal man that is his inmost from which he is man and by which he is distinguished from brute animals, which have not such an inmost; and it is as it were the door or entrance for the Lord, that is, for what is celestial and spiritual from the Lord into man. What is going on there cannot be comprehended by the man because it is above all his rational from which he thinks" (AC 1940:2). "Man's internal is that from which he is man . . . . By means of this internal he lives after death and to eternity a man, and by means of it he can be uplifted by the Lord among the angels. This internal is the very first form from which a man becomes and is man, and by means of it the Lord is united to man" (AC 1999:3). "These internals of men have no life in themselves, but are forms recipient of the Lord's life" (AC 1999:2).
     Thus whether referred to as "soul," "inmost," or "internal man," that which is spoken of in all of these passages is that first created receptacle in man, which receives life immediately from the Lord. All life in it is the Lord's life, but His life received-received by a finite human soul.
     This definition of "soul" is quite distinct from several other usages of the term in the Writings. The two other main usages are those of 1) "a soul" meaning a person, and 2) "soul" meaning the spirit or mind of man. Care has been taken to base our study only on what is said of the soul as that inmost receptacle in man.

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Differentiation between the soul and spirit of man has been made in the same way as in the following passage: "The soul is nothing but the life of man, while the spirit is the man himself" (HH 602e).

The Soul Is What Gives Man Immortality

     That it is the nature of the human soul that grants man his immortality is a general teaching of the Writings. Here we will only call to mind the passage quoted above: "Man's internal is that from which he is man . . . . By means of this internal he lives after death and to eternity a man" (AC 1999:3; see also AC 10099:3 and CL 315).

     [To be continued]

     THIS STUDY BY DAVID HOLM

     When Rev. David Holm presented the above study to the Council of the Clergy, he did not think it was appropriate to have it published. He regarded it as somewhat speculative. But through the years there have been requests for it, and it has been copied repeatedly. We finally decided it ought to be in print so that people can have easy access to it, and as we make the decision we are amazed to realize that thirty-one years have passed since it was written.
     David Holm died in the spring of 1982 at the age of 55. The memorial address that appeared at that time in New Church Life included the following words: "Because of his interest in a wide range of the states that exist within the church, he was inventive in trying to reach out. He felt the church had to be able to meet a variety of needs. 'You can't pull everybody through the same knot hole,' he would say . . . . His teaching of doctrine was an inspiration to many."

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PASSION OF THE CROSS 1990

PASSION OF THE CROSS       Rev. WILLARD D. PENDLETON       1990

     EXCERPTS FROM AN ARTICLE

     To understand the passion of the cross we must know that it was not an isolated instance of suffering in the Lord's life on earth, but that it was the last, and the most severe, of the temptations which He endured (see AC 1690). Hence the teaching of the Writings that from His earliest childhood even to the last hour, the Lord was afflicted by grievous temptations. Yet men say, How could this have been so? Can the Divine be tempted? The answer is that when in states of glorification, that is, when He entered into communion with the Divine, He could not be tempted; but when His perception was obscured by fallacies and illusions derived from the infirm human, He was tempted (see AC 2795). Were this not so, why would the Scriptures bear record of His temptations in the wilderness, His agony in Gethsemane, and the passion of the cross?
     But the Lord was not tempted as man is tempted, that is, by delight in evil. This is unthinkable, for evil can in no sense be predicated of the Divine. Hence we are told in the Writings that "in the Lord there was not any evil that was actual or His own" (AC 1444). Further, we are told that when the Lord entered into the perception of the evil in which the human race had fallen, it "struck Him with horror," and this to the extent that "He willed to withdraw from the perception and [from all] derivative thought" (AC 2222). For such as the love is, such is the man, and only the Divine love can be predicated of the Lord.
     To understand the nature of the Lord's temptations, therefore, we must first understand that there are two kinds of spiritual temptations: temptations as to good and temptations as to truth. That He would not be tempted as to good is apparent because from the Divine love He willed only what is good; but when His perception from the Divine was obscured by appearances induced by the hells upon the infirm human, He could be tempted as to truth (see AC 2813, 2814). Concerning this the Writings state that it was "truth Divine bound," that is, truth bound by human appearances, by which the Lord was tempted(see AC 2814), for in such truths "there are fallacies, and . . . falsities which break in . . . and tempt [man]" (AC 2813), that is, insinuate doubts concerning the end in view.

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This is the peculiar power of evil-the power to incite a doubt concerning the end in view.
     The Lord had come into the world in order that He might open the way of salvation to all men. Yet the appearance was that so great was the evil into which man had fallen that none could be saved. This was the appearance by which the Lord was so cruelly afflicted, for what is a temptation but an affliction of the spirit, that is, "an assault upon the love in which the man is"? (AC 1690) What is more, the Writings observe that "the temptation is in the same degree as the love" (Ibid.). How great, then, were those temptations which the Lord endured from earliest childhood even to the passion of the cross! From the Divine love He willed that the way of salvation should be open to all, but this was the issue which the hells put in doubt. Were this not so, why would He have cried out in agony, "My God, My God, why has Thou forsaken Me?" In this He was tempted beyond all mortal comprehension, for the appearance was that those whom He had come to save from bondage to evil were lost. This was the appearance by which He was afflicted, and this was the passion of the cross.
REDEMPTION AND THE PASSION OF THE CROSS 1990

REDEMPTION AND THE PASSION OF THE CROSS       Editor       1990

     These two things, redemption and the passion of the cross, must be seen to be distinct . . . . But although redemption and the passion of the cross are two distinct things, yet in reference to salvation they make one, since it was by union with His Father, which was completed through the passion of the cross, that the Lord became the Redeemer to eternity.
     True Christian Religion 127

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TO SAVE A SOUL FROM HELL 1990

TO SAVE A SOUL FROM HELL       Editor       1990

     Love such as the Lord had transcends all human understanding, and is in the highest degree incredible, to those who do not know what the heavenly love is in which the angels are. To save a soul from hell, the angels would regard death as nothing; nay, if it were possible they would undergo hell for that soul. Hence it is the inmost of their joy to translate into heaven one who is rising from the dead. But they confess that this love is not one whit from themselves . . . but from the Lord.
     Arcana Coelestia 2077 NCL 50 YEARS AGO 1990

NCL 50 YEARS AGO       Editor       1990

     The April issue of 1940 contains a sermon by William Whitehead about power. Here is an excerpt:

     Our Lord was the very Divine Wisdom, or the eternal Word, fulfilling itself in the life of the flesh. For although in His life among men we see toil, suffering-all the characteristics of earthly life save sin-yet we see Divine authority, power and peace making themselves more and more manifest until the solemn moment before the final trial, when He said, "And now I come to Thee."
     And though all hell was united in opposition to Him, and through its tools-an evil priesthood, a mad multitude and a brutal civil power-was permitted to bring Him even to the last passion of the sense-life, a New Kingdom was born, and reigns at this day, though unknown and invisible to all but His disciples-a Kingdom of God which comes with power to break the force of old dominions, and to establish a new reign over the heart and mind.

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EVANGELICAL PLAN TO DISSEMINATE THE HEAVENLY DOCTRINES TO THE MASSES 1990

EVANGELICAL PLAN TO DISSEMINATE THE HEAVENLY DOCTRINES TO THE MASSES       Rev. JOHN H. ROACH       1990

     (Conclusion)

     Preaching, the Ultimate Method of Evangelization

     Finally I want to say a word about preaching in the New Church as the ultimate method of evangelization. In April, 1970 I received an issue of The Messenger, the official organ of the Convention Church. There was an article in it entitled "Where Do We Go from Here?" It expressed ideas for changes in the churches. Among the list of suggested changes was one that disturbed me terribly. It was to eliminate the sermon. The sermon, it was suggested, originally served to instruct an illiterate people but is no longer an effective medium for our present-day source people. This was coupled with the statement that salvation has long since been accepted by many. I was unpleasantly shocked at this, and it caused me to wonder if the writer is living in the same world that I'm living in.
     I need not remind you that the Writings tell us that in the year 1770 on the nineteenth day of June Swedenborg finished his crowning work, The True Christian Religion. The next day the Lord called His disciples together who had followed Him in the world and commanded that they should go forth into all the spiritual world and preach the gospel that "the Lord Jesus Christ reigneth" (TCR 790). This was the official beginning of the New Church in heaven which was gradually to descend onto the earth.
     Now the point I wish to consider is this: If it was essential to call preachers to preach the gospel in the spiritual world to herald the beginning of the New Church there, then how is it possible for this New Church in heaven gradually to descend onto the earth without preachers unless they are also called on earth to preach and thus establish the New Church in man? I submit to you that it is not possible, because the only way that the Lord ever gets anything done on the earth is through people.

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In Romans 10:14, 15 we read concerning the need for preaching in the early Christian Church. "And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach except they be sent? How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things." The Lord commanded His disciples to preach the gospel to every creature (see Mark 16:15).
     This is also confirmed in the Writings when it is stated that insofar as the internal church with man increases, the New Church descends from it, and this does not happen in a moment but can only take place as the falsities in the old church are removed, because new truths cannot enter until the falsities have been rooted out, and this takes place with the clergy and the laity (see TCR 784). Falsities can be removed when the proclamation of the truth makes it known to one that falsities exist. Then one can in freedom remove them and implant in their place truths which they heard proclaimed from the Word through the instrumentality of the clergy, or preachers, and also when they see these truths demonstrated in love and in life by those of the laity. When these truths are demonstrated in love and the life of not only the laity but also in the life of the preacher, then it shall be known to everyone that the gospel which the preacher preaches is genuine and can safely be trusted to lead to eternal life.
     Now when we talk of evangelism in the church, there is no way that it can be exercised without preaching, because evangelism is preaching; therefore, the evangelistic emphasis in the church should be on preaching. And why is this so? It is because this is where the heaviest concentration of power lies in the church to move the souls of men. The Writings tell us that the Holy Spirit, which is the Divine energy and operation, is enlightenment and instruction, and that this dwells especially with the clergy or preachers (see TCR 146). Now when the preacher preaches from the zeal of truth in his understanding from enlightenment and from heavenly love in his heart to instruct, he is preaching from the power of the Holy Spirit. And if the church does not have any power to resurrect dead souls from the depths of hell, it is a dead church, and all dead things need to be buried.

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The church, then, in order to become spiritually successful must be set on fire by the power of the Holy Spirit.

     This is the way the first Christian Church started out and was able to reach the masses. If they could be successful through the power of preaching in their day with the use of the literal sense of the Word, we ought to be more powerful in preaching to gain success, because since the Lord came the second time with great power and glory, we have the use of the spiritual sense within the literal sense of the Word. Paul said that "the letter killeth but the spirit giveth life." Jesus said, "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing; the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life" (John 6:63).
     Now I have been aware for many years that much emphasis has been placed upon Christian education in the New Church, perhaps as a means to educate new converts to the Writings as well as to instruct older members in the doctrines. This was according to the Divine Providence of the Lord, for the spiritual sense of the twelfth chapter of Revelation, the 5th and 6th verses, instructs us that the doctrine of the New Church is protected by the Lord and guarded by the angels of heaven. It will be among the few, until there is provision for the increase of the doctrines among many (see AR 545-547). In other words, Christian education of the doctrines prepares the mind with those few who are able to receive them intellectually and apply them to their lives. Therefore, the purpose of the New Church specific, or the "few," was to care for and preserve the doctrines until they could be delivered to the masses, in somewhat the same manner that the Jewish Church preserved the Word until the Lord Himself could come and establish a new church.
     But while there are a few who can receive the doctrines intellectually and profit by them in their lifestyles, there are masses of people, as I forestated, who require a breakdown of the doctrines into terms which they can identify with. You see, not all of the masses will read the doctrines, no more than they will read the Bible. Not all are able to read, and if they can read, not all will understand what they read; and if they do have the capacity for understanding, they all may not have the inclination to read.

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And yet many of these people believe in God and live a moral life according to religion, but do not care to be taught. The Writings tell us that such people occupy the first or spiritual-natural heaven after death (see HH 33). Now this is not to say that education in the doctrines does not have a place in the church after the masses have been reached, but it does say that education has its proper place in the church to teach those who desire to be taught. But education in the doctrines in a highly intellectual capacity is inadequate to reach the masses. The proclamation of the Word through preaching is the way that the Lord has ordained that it be done. This is why it is said, "Go into all the world," that is, to all the people. Preaching will reach all of the people. And why? It is because preaching commands and seeks the attention of the public, as over and against education which requires the public to seek it. It is tantamount to placing a display ad in the newspaper as over and against a classified ad. Display advertising seeks the reader; classified advertising is sought by the reader.
     This is why I outlined to you that not only will I use my books to reach the masses but it is more important that I preach by way of radio that I may confront the masses. In this way the radio will bomb the cities and towns of the radio public, and the books will go in and clear up any doubts, and lead the interested parties to the Writings themselves.
     In order to reach the masses we must begin where they are. Well, in order to begin where they are through preaching, we must begin with the Bible and interpret literal passages from it by means of the internal sense. The masses know nothing of the Writings or the internal sense of the Word, but they do know of the Bible, and perhaps are acquainted with a portion of its literal truth. Also, regardless of how ill some may live, or vain some may be, they appear to have respect for what is written in the Word.
     It must be remembered, then, that the Lord is the Word. Everything written in the Bible is about the Lord, His heavenly kingdom, the church, heaven and hell. It is the Lord that is to be lifted up. "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me."

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     Swedenborg is not to be lifted up. This is one of the reasons he refused to attach his name to his earlier theological works, and even when he did attach his name to his later works, he printed the words, "servant of the Lord Jesus Christ" after his name to show that he was only a human instrument used by the Lord to deliver to the world the Heavenly Doctrines. Swedenborg is to be minimized; the Lord is to be magnified. John the Baptist said of the Lord, "He must increase; I must decrease." The glory belongs to the Lord, and He will not share it with others. The masses will never understand it, and they will promptly reject the Writings if we exalt them as the palladium of religion itself. Hence, this is one reason why the New Church is called a cult, because some think that Swedenborg is our Lord and master. But such a notion reeks with atheism and idolatry and it must be banished.
     In a letter to Mrs. Horace P. Chandler on November 13, 1868, Bishop Benade wrote, "Swedenborg is no more to us than Peter or Paul were to the men of the primitive Christian Church-the medium or agent through whom the Lord gives us the truth which is found in the internal or spiritual sense of the Word. We are not to receive this as Swedenborg's but as the Lord's teaching-a teaching which is for all men and does not belong to only a few."
     The Writings, therefore, are not a gospel that replaces the Word of the Lord. They merely help us understand the Word that we may have a better comprehension of the deep truths contained therein.
     The Writings give testimony to themselves when they say, "Enter hereafter into the mysteries of the Word, which has been heretofore shut up" (TCR 508).
The Lord Himself told His disciples, "The time cometh when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall show you plainly of the Father." The Writings of the New Revelation contain the plain and unequivocal truth that helps to reveal the internal sense that lies within the depths of the literal sense of the Word.

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     So the Writings themselves contain no internal sense; they say what they mean, and they mean what they say, and we ought to resist the temptation to read into them something that is not there. Let these Writings stand or fall on their own merits. Either accept them at face value or reject them altogether. If the Writings express a truth that hurts by hitting us where we live, we shouldn't twist and turn them to conform to what we prefer they should say. Don't change them; change yourself to conform to them, for if they be the doctrines that truly come from heaven, you cannot kick against them; you will only end up getting kicked by them in return.
     Jesus said, "He that rejects Me and receives not My words has one that judges him; the words that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day" (John 12:48). So, brothers and sisters, if we can't stand the heat, the best thing to do is to come out of the kitchen.
     In order to disseminate the doctrines to the masses by preaching, the preacher himself should have received a Divine call from the Lord to preach, for preaching the gospel of spiritual truth is not a profession such as one would take up like medicine, dentistry, law, etc. Preaching is a calling, not a profession. The sad fact today is that many are filling our pulpits who have not been called by the Lord to preach. Many have not been "born again," much less called to preach.
     The next thing is that the preacher should be faithful, just, honest, and sincere in his calling. He should preach with conviction. He should preach the truth and "rebuke his hearers sharply," as Paul told Titus (Titus 1:13). Preaching is serious business and should not be trifled with, nor should the gospel be "coated with sugar." Sugar coating or watering down the gospel to please people who do not want to be reminded of their evils only encourages them to lose their souls.
     Therefore, the preacher, when trying to reach the masses, must be bold and call a spade a spade and a fork a fork. In other words, call sins and evils by their right names, because we are living in a secularized and neo-pagan society today that has a subtle way of distorting the real truth. For example, our pro-abortion people don't like to call this fatal and murderous act "abortion"-they prefer to use the more ambiguous phrase, "termination of pregnancy."

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They don't like to use the words "alcoholic" or "drug addict"-they prefer to use the terms "chemical abuse" or "substance abuse." Our media and culture are now calling them "diseases" instead of sins brought on by moral failure.
     Adultery is now called either an "extramarital affair," a "personal relationship," or a "sexual indiscretion." Lustful people aren't promiscuous any more; they are "sexually active." When immoral men go out and cheat on their wives in their mid to later years, our culture excuses this as "male menopause" or "mid-life crises."
     Pornography is called "adult material." Swearing, cursing, and blasphemy are called "graphic language." Infanticide (or baby killing) is practiced because the "quality of life" is supposedly the issue. Euthanasia is called "mercy killing."
     Nobody in business lies any more; they just "stretch the truth" or finesse the figures. Our government does not raise taxes; it "enhances revenue." Our government doesn't practice socialism; it gives people entitlement programs.
Most people are afraid to mention God or Jesus Christ. So they use the expression, "somebody up there" or "the man upstairs."
     Yes, the preacher needs to preach the truth and not be afraid. He needs to preach until hell freezes over, and then stand on the ice and keep on preaching. And so let us all take courage, cheer up a little; don't be discouraged, because the Lord is still in charge of His world, and truth is on the march. No mortal can retard the progress of Divine truth; no mortal can interrupt the procession of spiritual forces when they have been dispatched by the prospects of the good; no mortal can prevent causes from producing their legitimate effects; no mortal can sever the prospects of Divine justice when it is due; no mortal can comprehend the mechanism of the True Light that lightens the world. Yes, God's truth marches on. And so even the saints of God can shout and say, "Glory! Glory! Hallelujah. His truth is marching on!"

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RESURRECTION ADDRESS FOR VICTOR JEREMIAH GLADISH 1990

RESURRECTION ADDRESS FOR VICTOR JEREMIAH GLADISH       Rev. BRIAN W. KEITH       1990

     "The Lord has sworn and will not relent; 'You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek'" (Psalm 110:4).

     The Lord's Divine love and wisdom never cease-they are a "priest forever." From this infinite love creation came forth-human beings were made who could freely and rationally become images and likenesses of their God. And all of the Lord's creative power is a "priest forever" as it operates gently to guide to the eternal happiness of a heavenly existence.
     This is the love of salvation. It is why the Lord made us. From it the Lord came into the world, overcame all of the hells, and glorified His Human. With salvation as a goal the Lord has revealed Himself that we might know Him and worship Him in life.
     The Lord is near to all, but that His Divine good might especially exist in the church He has called certain men to the priesthood. While it is with humility and fear that a young man says, "I do" to the first question in the ordination service-"Do you believe that this call and selection is of the Divine Providence of the Lord?"-if the Lord is indeed guiding His church, then He provides for its development through the priesthood. By preparation and the promise of the Holy Spirit with ordination the Lord has set apart an office through which He might be present with and lead all those of a willing heart.
As the Lord's priestly love is to save the human race, so it is the essential motivating factor of the priesthood. A priest serves the Lord because deep within he wishes all might go to heaven, that all might embrace love for the Lord and other people. "The good of the priesthood . . . is to care for the salvation of souls" (Life 39).
     But this is not a unique love. Every single use in this world and in the next looks to this end. All genuine love promotes good among people and leads to the Lord. So in heaven the celestial kingdom is called the priestly kingdom, because the predominating love there is for the Lord's good.

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     What sets the priesthood apart is not the love but the special way in which it leads. "Priests who teach truths and by means of them lead to the good of life, and thus to the Lord, are good shepherds of the sheep" (AC 10794). Good is shared with all, but truth is communicated in a unique and essential way by the priesthood (see AC 6822, Canons H.S. IV). The priest is convinced that salvation-eternal happiness-comes as truth is understood. From Divine light the paths of the Lord become clear, enabling people to walk in them.
     So the priest studies and teaches that others might see and live. He serves the Lord, and thereby people, by proclaiming the truth that it might lead them to their Creator and the blessings of heaven.
     On June 17th, 1928 Victor Jeremiah Gladish knelt before the Lord, and Rt. Rev. Nathaniel Dandridge Pendleton ordained him into the New Church priesthood. The love for the salvation of souls which led him to this point was thereby confirmed and he began a lifetime of service to the church.
     Victor was born in 1904 to Rev. Willis and Laura Gladish. The fifth of eight children, he was started off in a priestly direction by being named for his father's victory in being accepted that year as a General Church priest.
He spent his early years in Middleport, Ohio, where his father was pastor. For his high school days the family had moved to Chicago, and he attended public schools, then finished at the Academy. While a -good student, he was not without a spirit of adventure. As a young man he went to sea, working in the galley of the ship. Finding endless dishwashing not to his liking, he jumped ship in San Francisco and temporarily worked on a dam. However, it was not long before he heeded the call to the priesthood and returned to Bryn Athyn for theological school.
     While there his relationship with Lucy Wright, whom he knew from Chicago and Linden Hills, blossomed. Unable to marry until the final year of theological school, they were engaged for four years. While this must have seemed like an extremely long time, it was merely preparation for the sixty-two earthly years they were to spend together as husband and wife.

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The first year of marriage was eventful. Laura was born, he completed school, and they set sail for Colchester, where he had been called as pastor. Although it was difficult to move so far from home with neither colleagues nor family for support, he loved the work. Preaching twice a Sunday, giving classes, running the school, and traveling to the isolated was an arduous but rewarding way to serve the Lord, and the church people responded well to his leading.
     Unfortunately, disaster struck after seven years of enthusiasm and productivity. In 1935, while traveling to an outlying church group, he had a tragic motorcycle accident. The head injuries which induced a twelve-day coma restricted his ability to remember and concentrate the rest of his natural life. While it was an ordeal, he quickly returned to work without any recuperative period, and faithfully served the church there until 1940 when the war required foreigners to depart.
     Returning to the States, he found many challenges. The family had grown. Dorothy, Bob, Sylvia, and Naomi were born in England, and Peggy came along shortly thereafter. His physical difficulties became pronounced, and limited employment opportunities within the church made continued work as a fulltime pastor impossible.
     Perhaps frustrated, but undaunted, he provided for his family in a variety of ways. Moving to Wilmington, Illinois, he worked in a munitions factory for three years. While he had been too young to serve in World War i, his deeply felt patriotism was thereby expressed. In 1944 they moved to Chicago, where he assayed metals. Then in 1954 they moved to the Glenview area, and after several odd jobs and taking correspondence courses in chemistry, he worked in the Army Corps of Engineers until retirement.
     Despite the hardships and distractions of this period his love for the priesthood never slackened. He preached several times each year. In addition to baptizing many grandchildren he conducted services from St. Louis to St. Paul, Minnesota. A highlight of his life was the annual Council of the Clergy meetings. He devoured the papers, and thrilled at joining with others who had the same love for the salvation of souls.

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Even in his latter days in the nursing home he was always alert when anything about the council was discussed.
     It is amazing that throughout all the difficulties and adversity that Victor's trust in Providence never wavered. He accepted whatever life dealt him and adjusted to it. Without complaint or bitterness he rebounded from every discouragement, showing by example the courage of a genuinely religious man.
     As Victor awakens to a world he has known and taught about, imagine what joyful horizons will open before him! No more physical problems. No more financial restraints. He is even now being reunited with his parents and five brothers. Yes, there may be some regret that for a short time he will not be able to sit and hold Lucy's hand for hours on end as they had enjoyed recently, but he knows the separation is very temporary.
     His integrity, honesty, and truly innocent idealism which set such a powerful example for family and friends will now find a perfect setting among angelic spheres. His humorous and affectional nature will be developed even more-the hugs and kisses will multiply and exactly complement his intellect. His respect for others' ideas and decisions will enable him to be a gentle friend and neighbor. And his clear vision of the truth will lead him into new areas of scholarship and insight.
     But above all, the use to which Victor was called, the use in which he could serve but a very limited way here, will now fully become his life's work and love. His priestly colleagues who went before are welcoming him to their even more enlightened and fun-filled meetings. A congregation will seek his ministrations, and he will wisely lead them to the Lord. Not seeking praise, he will receive the respect of many and the delight of being a good shepherd.
     Victor's declaration of faith when ordained into the second degree of the priesthood in 1928 speaks to his great love. It was prophetic as well as powerful. He said, in part, "I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the God of heaven and earth, who redeemed mankind by His coming in the flesh, and who came again with power and great glory in the revelation given for His crowning church, the New Jerusalem . . . .

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I further believe that the Divine Providence has led me through past years to seek the use and high privilege of the priestly office and has granted me entrance therein. And now, in presenting myself for ordination into the pastoral degree of the priesthood, I earnestly pray that I may be strengthened by increase of illustration and of zeal, according to the increase of use to be performed. May the Lord grant that my life may be one of genuine service to His church!" (NCL 1928:480)
     The Divine Providence has led Victor. His prayers are answered. The Lord has granted that he is of genuine service to His church. "The Lord has sworn and will not relent; 'You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."
     Amen.
GENERAL CHURCH OFFICE OF EDUCATION 1990

GENERAL CHURCH OFFICE OF EDUCATION       Frederick L. Schnarr       1990

     Annual Report

     The General Church Office of Education was established in the summer of 1988, based at Cairncrest in Bryn Athyn, thanks to the freedom provided by the Leonard Gyllenhaal Memorial Fund. The office was established under Rt. Rev. Peter M. Buss, assisted by Rev. Frederick L. Schnarr, Bishop's Representative for General Church Schools.
     As the uses of the Office of Education have developed, they have become increasingly interrelated and interwoven with two other major branches of educational activity in the General Church, the Religion Lessons Program and the Education Council.
     It has seemed apparent to all those working with these programs that these distinct yet related and interdependent uses need to be welded together into a unified and well-structured whole. Understandably, such a structure cannot come instantly into being, but will require a couple of years of reflective research and experimentation.

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If we are careful to protect freedom, and yet nourish uses, the Office of Education should become a real center of nourishment, support and security.
     Beginning in September of 1990, we are planning that the following uses be organized to operate under the Office of Education:

1. Division of General Church Schools
     This division is responsible for such matters as curriculum information, development and production; teacher support, development, evaluation, and career guidance; and in-service programs.

2. Division of General Church Religion Lessons and Study Programs
     This division is responsible for the coordination and development of religion lessons for all levels, from preschool through the Adult Study Program. It is also responsible for the development and distribution of Sunday School materials, Festival and Family Lessons.

3. Division of the Education Council
     This division is responsible for joint programs between the General Church schools and the Academy schools. This includes the meetings of the Education Council, teacher seminars and workshops, and such publications as New Church Teacher and the Education Council Journal.

     It will take some time to develop a sufficient staff to fully carry out all the uses. We are fortunate in having the following personnel to lead and maintain this work:

Rt. Rev. Peter M. Buss-Supervisor
Rev. Frederick L. Schnarr-Director
Carol Buss-Consulting Teacher
Barbara Packer-Consulting Teacher, part-time

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In addition, we have active and retired Senior Teacher assistance, both from the Academy College and the Bryn Athyn Elementary School, plus volunteer help from the Bryn Athyn Society.
     Each of the three divisions of the Office of Education has activities going forward that are exciting in fulfilling much needed uses. In this respect, the most we can do is give you a capsule idea of each.
     In the Division of General Church Schools, the most pressing uses relate to teacher placement, teacher support and evaluation, and curriculum development. The extent of this work may be seen in the number of teaching positions we are faced with staffing for the 1990-1991 school year. At the time of writing this report, we are faced with twelve openings in our General Church schools, plus three or four openings in the Academy schools. This is the greatest number of such openings at one time in the history of the General Church.
     It is apparent that, with this influx of young and often inexperienced teachers, careful plans for support and evaluation are crucial to the health of our schools. In the 1988-1989 school year, besides support help in the Bryn Athyn school, General Church personnel made twenty-four support visits to other schools. This will have to increase in 1990. One of the benefits of this increased contact with our schools is a greater sense of communication and of common purpose among all of us. Also, there is a real exchange of curriculum material that bodes well for the further development of a distinctive New Church curriculum.
     The Division of Religion Lessons and Study Programs is a complex of many different programs, projects and studies too numerous to speak of in detail. Some of these uses are in excellent running order and responding well to the groups they serve. This is especially true of Pre-school Lessons and, in part, the Primary Grade Lessons, Festival Lessons, and Family Lessons.
     The fact is, however, in spite of the church having a growing number of children, we seem to be meeting less and less of a response in the upper elementary levels and most definitely at the high school level.

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Many of our lesson programs of thirty year vintage do not seem to be meeting the states of the students, nor the situation of families in our cultural times. To meet this serious challenge, new study formats and study aids are being examined. We are greatly appreciative of the work being done in this way by the Midwestern Academy regarding their development of video classes for 9th and 10th grade students. The matter of providing spiritual nourishment for some 150 high school students who do not and often cannot attend New Church schools is a matter of serious concern. We are carefully researching this matter.
     As to the work of the Division of the Education Council, we are gearing up for a major set of meetings and seminar studies this summer. Besides an exciting program focusing on the development of moral courage, there will be workshops on curriculum, computer literacy, ancient and foreign languages, and a variety of other topics. We are expecting our greatest attendance since the formation of the council in 1941.
     Many sincere thanks to the professionals and volunteers who are dedicated to these educational uses, and who are serving together to establish the New Church with our children and our young people. As we labor in the vineyard of innocent and forming minds, we remind ourselves that all instruction inmostly consists in opening new ways for the Lord to be present (see AC 1495).
     Frederick L. Schnarr
          Director
GENERAL CHURCH APPROACHING 11,000 1990

GENERAL CHURCH APPROACHING 11,000       Editor       1990


     GENERAL CHURCH APPROACHING 11,000

     This is not a membership figure. In November of 1988 we noted that the membership had passed 4,000. When societies report their "total congregation" they include children and people who attend functions but are not formal members. As of March 1, 1990, the total for the General Church was 10,890.

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INVISIBLE CITY 1990

INVISIBLE CITY       Rev. WALTER E. ORTHWEIN       1990

     The word "occult" has several meanings. In the minds of many "the occult" is synonymous with satanic or forbidden interests; it has an evil and perverse connotation. Another, less negative, meaning of "occult" is mysterious, beyond the scope of understanding. Neither of these definitions fits the doctrines of the New Church. No teachings could be further removed from the satanic, and they are addressed to the rational mind and are quite comprehensible.
     But the original meaning of occult ("now rare," according to the dictionary), the actual meaning of the word itself, is simply "hidden from sight." In this sense this word well describes the New Church and its teachings. Why is this? The Lord certainly hasn't hidden the new revelation, and the members of the church have tried, however imperfectly, to spread knowledge of the Writings more widely in the world; but for whatever reason, the New Church remains very largely hidden from view.
     It is an amazing thing when you think about it. The power and beauty and sheer volume of truth which the Lord has revealed in His second advent is wondrous to behold, and yet it remains unseen by most of the world.
The magician David Copperfield made the Statue of Liberty disappear. I don't know how he did it, but that feat, amazing as it was, seems less remarkable to me than the invisibility of a whole city right in our midst, the New Jerusalem.
     Consider also the wealth of collateral literature which has been produced in the New Church. It is remarkable both for its quantity and, especially, its quality. New Church Biblical scholarship, New Church translations and expositions and commentaries, provide a clarity and depth of insight not found elsewhere in the voluminous literature. Whereas much Biblical scholarship actually obscures the meaning of the Scriptures, the New Church commentaries provide great help in understanding them, and in applying them usefully to life. But these works are largely unknown, even in the New Church!

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     There is great interest in the world around us in the occult, in "hidden wisdom" in what passes for "spiritual thought." Many cabalistic writings have been republished in recent years and may be found in any bookstore. You can find plenty to read about alchemy, astrology, magic. I have looked at these books and wondered how many of those who buy them actually manage to read them, and if some do actually read them, what they understand out of them. Most of these occult writings are very tedious, and certainly beyond my comprehension. Of what use are they?
     But all the while, a huge body of glorious wisdom is perfectly available to any who are truly interested in spiritual truth. It is not hidden at all, except in the sense that people do not have eyes to see it.
     What the Lord said at the time of His first advent pertains to His second advent also: "For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them" (Matt. 13:15).
     There is not much we can do about the state of the "post-Christian" culture in which we live. But we must do the best we can to be sure that we ourselves are not contributing to the invisibility of the holy city.
Where is the New Jerusalem? Do we see it? And will others, when their eyes are opened, be able to see it in us?
     ". . . behold, the kingdom of God is within you," the Lord told His disciples (Luke 17:21). "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel . . . " (Matthew 5:14-15).

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Editorial Pages 1990

Editorial Pages       Editor       1990

     LET'S TALK ABOUT DEATH AND LIFE

     What a fine array of pamphlets are now available in the New Church. What are they good for? Well, for telling people about the truth, providing information, inviting to learn more. Some pieces of literature we have are particularly good for helping people, making their lives better. At the end of this editorial we will list some of the pamphlets that address the matter of human misfortune and the Divine Providence. We would like now to give a sampling from a pamphlet with an unusual quality. It is for helping people who are coping with death.
     The title is, Let's Talk About Death and Life.

Let's talk about this . . . . Talking about it is far better than the alternative of brooding over it and avoiding it. Perhaps there is a fact you haven't heard, or a perspective you haven't adequately considered, that might influence your thinking on the subject.

The author gives the page numbers for four aspects of the subject and says to the reader, "Start wherever you please."
     We will start with the section headed, "If you are facing your own imminent death."

     At the outset, let's face a barrier between us. I too facing death, but I still have a luxury that is denied to you, namely the luxury of supposing I will not meet it for a while. However illusory it may be, that luxury is a barrier, making it uncomfortable for me to address you, and hard for you to hear my thoughts about your situation. I hope that you can transcend that barrier. In spite of it, some of what I have to say might be helpful to you.
     I don't pretend to know what you are feeling, but I assume that you are experiencing one or another, or some combination, of five feelings that are predictable in your situation: fear, pain, regret, loneliness, and grief.

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     Under the topic of "fear" the writer mentions fear of going to hell, and brings out the teaching from Heaven and Hell, saying "No one will 'send' you anywhere." He continues,

     Another fear that is probable in your situation is a nameless fear--anxiety you can't define or explain, but intense enough to produce physical pain, most often in the stomach. There are several explanations for such fear, each valid in its own framework, and affording help in certain cases. One explanation is that such fear is induced by malevolent spirits or psychic influence trying to make things difficult for you at this time of your vulnerability. Many people have found relief from such fears by regarding them as invasive influences, and praying to the Lord for deliverance and continued protection from them. I'm one of those people, so I say this with conviction. If it's your first experience with prayer involving anything as specific and as serious as this, or your first in a long time, or even if you are not sure you believe in God, try it.
     Fear, especially fear that does not warn you of something that you need to flee from or fight, is itself an enemy to be fought with every tool at your disposal-therapy, counseling, conversation with friends, and prayer. Prayer is a powerful tool, most effective when you feel you need it most.

At the conclusion of the section on pain the author says,

     The death of your body will end the pain, as well as any weakness or disability that limits you now. Emanuel Swedenborg, who offers the best evidence of how life continues after physical death, saw that everyone wakes from that experience able to move freely and think clearly, and grows steadily toward the strength and ability of the prime of life.

     One more section we choose to quote from is headed "If you are grieving over a death."

     Grief is hard to bear. It is painful for you, and your grief pains those who love you. But there is an important difference between the pain of grief and the pain that has a physical cause.

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     Most bodily causes of pain tend to heal themselves over time, whether you pay attention to them or not. Therefore you can block pain through the use of meditative techniques, or of analgesic substance, such as balm or aspirin, and ignore the pain until it goes away.
     Grief, however, is not like that. If it is blocked by alcohol or other drugs, or by distracting activity, it comes back stronger than it was before. If it is blocked long enough or often enough, it may retreat into your subconscious mind where it can distort your thinking and feeling and even your perceptions. In severe cases it can threaten your sanity. As hard as grief may be to bear, bearing it is better than blocking it.
     Let's talk about five aspects of grieving over a loved one's death, for talking is one of the best ways of dealing with it.

     We will not quote any more from this 29-page pamphlet, but we congratulate Dr. Robert H. Kirven on a helpful piece of writing. It was published by The Swedenborg Press, 48 Sargent Street, Newton, MA 02158. Copies can be obtained from book centers or by writing to New Church Life.

     PAMPHLETS FOR HELPING DISTRESSED PEOPLE

     If you know someone who has experienced tragedy, you may sense at a certain time a readiness and a need for something to reflect upon, something to answer the kind of questions that arise after tragedy strikes. Your friend may take comfort in reading certain Psalms or portions of the New Testament. What about something from the Writings? In some cases a person will benefit most from the book Divine Providence. More often it works best to have something much shorter to read that is adapted to the person's situation.
     We commend to your attention first a pamphlet by Peter M. Buss entitled Why Did the Lord Let It Happen? Written in an engaging manner, this 26-page booklet is divided into eight sections that address the kind of questions that concern many people.
     There are four smaller leaflets of five to seven pages that may also be helpful:

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How Providence Works by B. David Holm
Why Are We Here? by Douglas Taylor
Affliction Turned to Good by Donald Rose
How Can a Loving God Permit Evil? by Frank Rose
These are available from the General Church Book Center (see p. 192).
SON OF GOD, THE SON OF MAN 1990

SON OF GOD, THE SON OF MAN       Editor       1990

     "That the Lord meant one thing in Himself by 'the Son of God' and another by 'the Son of Man' is evident from His answer to the high priest:

     The high priest said to Jesus, I adjure thee by the living God that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.
     Jesus said unto him, thou has said: I am. Nevertheless, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven (Matt. 26:63, 64).

     Here he first confessed that He was the Son of God, and afterwards said that they should see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven. By this is meant that after the passion of the cross, He should possess the Divine power of opening the Word and establishing the church. This could not be effected before because He had not yet conquered hell and glorified His Human."
     Doctrine of the Lord 26

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"SUGGESTION FOR ORGANISTS" 1990

"SUGGESTION FOR ORGANISTS"       Christine Taylor       1990




     Communications
Dear Editor:
     I join with Carla Zecher wholeheartedly in her suggestion for having the whole hymn played through as an introduction to hymns in church rather than having an abbreviated version played. And certainly I agree that with a new Liturgy on the horizon, now would be a very good time to institute this practice.     
     From the point of view of the congregation, anything the organist can do to help with getting to know new tunes, with getting a definite feel for the tempo (speed) of the song, with hearing that "tricky part" played through, with having unrushed time to get the right page, and with standing up comfortably to start singing on the very first word, is very welcome; and playing the whole verse as an introduction every time achieves all these things, as Carla suggested.
     Although in the General Church we originally set out, I am sure, to accomplish all these things in our established practice of playing a short-version hymn introduction most of the time (of course one tends to introduce a new or short hymn by playing it all the way through), experience as an accompanist and as a member of the congregation over a number of years has demonstrated to me that we are more successful in achieving these goals by always playing the whole hymn as an introduction. For myself (and I may well be speaking for others as well) I can honestly say that in trying to help the congregation by only occasionally playing the whole hymn as an introduction for one reason or another, I have actually added to congregational confusion! People in church are at a disadvantage not knowing how long an introduction is going to be. A hymn gets congregationally off to a limping start if singers hesitatingly stand and then find they have to re-sit, or something in between!
     Consideration of Carla's reference to the musical needs and comfort of children, visitors and newcomers, and the middle aged (when, I might add, the eyes and knees tend to need special consideration in church ritual!) leads me to the observation that this combination of people usually comprises about 50% of a congregation, certainly a large enough group to cater to particularly.

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Our children are the congregation of the future. They need to have time to enjoy singing all of the song, many of which are short and can be over by the time the children find the page. They soon learn the habit of not singing at all in desperation, or of not singing the first line or two.
     Ironically enough those of us who like to be ready to sing a hymn have unfortunately found it necessary to develop a church-wide habit which can be quite distracting to the sphere of worship, namely, the turning of pages that has to occur while the passage references are being given at the beginning of the lessons, while the sermon text is being read, during the invocation or the ascription, or even during the closing of the Word. This is an interruption for the layman finding the page as well as a possible distraction for those around him. A whole-hymn introduction does away with this problem.
     There may be those who consider that playing the whole-hymn introduction adds unnecessary time to the service. Well, I have experimented with five orders of morning service (five hymns, or four hymns plus an anthem), and to my surprise find the shorter-version introduction saves an average of only one minute and twenty-five seconds per service. Might I suggest that the extra time during a longer hymn introduction could be put to good use in giving thought to what the words of the hymn are about? something I have reason to believe (from my discussions with church attenders) is too often sadly neglected by many of us at least some of the time.
     As we all know, the purpose of congregational participation in church music is to enrich the affectional response in worship. If by longer hymn introductions we can make an improvement in this area (at no more cost than about one and a half minutes per service), why not do it and enjoy a more relaxed feeling throughout the service?
     Christine Taylor
          Sydney, Australia

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"WORLDLY THINKING" 1990

"WORLDLY THINKING"       Bill Hall       1990

Dear Editor:

     Your quote "Worldly Thinking" (NCL December 1989, p. 562) from Arcana Coelestia 6210 set me to thinking. The whole key to the passage is the word "earnestly." As it is seen by me, the teaching is that we are to live a heavenly life from love to the Lord and love to the neighbor while we are actively living in the world of people and events. It is easy to get on well with people if you never see them, that is, if you do not mix with them. But we are required to live with others. To live with others means to mix with others. Even here, as Rev. Hugo Odhner said, we should be reasonable and prudent in our dealings with other men. What about the teaching that if we love others who love us, what credit is that to us? Likewise, if we do good to those who do good to us, what credit is that to us? (see Luke 6:32, 33). We get this heavenly quality of life that is expressed in daily living from obeying, as from self, the two great commandments.
     One could also enquire about paranoia. Paranoia must come from hell, from suspicious spirits who want to infuse their suspicions into people living on earth. In this regard, feelings of suspicion are to be shunned as sins against the Lord. Interestingly enough, if you look up paranoia in the Britannica, as I recall it says that it is virtually impossible to say whether a person's suspicions about the motives of others are based on truth or not!
     But the whole point of charity, of living a life of charity and compassion, is that we are required to express that charity and compassion while engaged in the pursuits of the world, even though, of course, the worldly pursuits are not to become our dominant or earnest aim.
     Heaven and Hell 351:2 and 3 may also be relevant: "He also believes the Divine when he wants to be led by the Lord. There is no other way for a person's more inward reaches to be opened. A person who is involved in that faith and in a life conformable to faith is involved in the ability and capacity to become intelligent and wise.

185


But if he is to become intelligent and wise, he needs to keep learning many things-not just things of heaven but things of earth as well. He needs to learn things of heaven from the Word and the church, and things of the world from the sciences. To the extent that he keeps learning and applies this to his life, he does become intelligent and wise. For to this extent, his more inward sight (which is a property of his discernment) and his more inward affection (which is a property of his intention) are perfected."
     Finally, probably the quote that expresses it best of all is: "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble" (Matt. 6:33, 34).
     Another quote is, "You, Lord, are all I have, and You give me everything I need. How wonderful are Your gifts to me; how good they are" (Psalm 16:5, 6).
     Bill Hall
          Carlton, NSW, Australia
LIBRARY CHECK INFORMATION 1990

LIBRARY CHECK INFORMATION       Editor       1990

     We are having the pleasure of sorting out reports from people who have checked libraries. Such reports are continuing to come in. For example, we just had a neatly compiled sheaf of information from Columbia, Missouri. The Columbia Public Library reports that they were contacted by the Swedenborg Foundation last year, and that they availed themselves of new copies of TCR (which they say is "moving well") and Heaven and Hell. It was noted that last October someone checked out a biography of Swedenborg and a book of the Writings on the same day. More about this another time.

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1990 MAPLE LEAF ACADEMY 1990

1990 MAPLE LEAF ACADEMY       Editor       1990

     Applications are now being accepted for Maple '90, which begins on Tuesday, June 19th and ends on Friday, June 29th. Graduates of grades 9 through 12 are welcome to this religious camp located two hours north of Toronto. Camp will be staffed this year by ministers Terry Schnarr, Prescott Rogers and Michael Cowley, Mr. and Mrs. Jeremy Rose, Mr. Denis Kuhl, Mrs. Betty Eller, Miss Kerry Wiebe, and others. Total cost of the camp is $130 (U.S.), $165 (Canadian), with a 10% discount awarded to applications (or $30 deposit) postmarked prior to May 1st. For applications see your local pastor or write to: Rev. Terry Schnarr, 279 Burnhamthorpe Road, Islington, Ontario, M9B 1Z6, Canada.
RELIGIOUS ASSEMBLY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 1990

RELIGIOUS ASSEMBLY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE       Editor       1990

     There will be a Religious Assembly for Younger Adults (high school to 30's) in Bryn Athyn on Saturday, May 5th, in Pendleton Hall on the campus of the College of the Academy of the New Church. The day-long event will include lectures by experts, notable authors, and others, as well as discussions structured to promote the aliveness and humanity of the Word. Some of the focus will be on the significance of our "Swedenborgianity"-how it affects our lives. Some focus will be on church and world leadership, as well as a variety of meaty topics such as "Marriage-a Living Process," "The Lord's Stream of Providence," "What Does the Lord Require of Me?" "Talking to Non-Swedenborgians about the Church," and others. For more information phone (215) 938-7015.

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ASSEMBLY BY THE LAKE 1990

ASSEMBLY BY THE LAKE       Editor       1990




     Announcements




     Plan now to attend the 31st General Assembly to be held at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin on June 12-16, 1991. This will be a unique opportunity to worship, socialize, renew old friendships, and elect a new executive bishop. Registration, meals and lodging are only $189.00.

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SOME THINGS WRITTEN BY VICTOR GLADISH 1990

SOME THINGS WRITTEN BY VICTOR GLADISH       Editor       1990

     (See pages 146 and 168)

     Here are a half dozen things by Mr. Gladish published in the Life.

"Brief Reflections on the Lord's Prayer," May 1982
"Influx Through Angels and Spirits," April 1978
"Observing the Sabbath," October 1975
"The Desire of All Nations," December 1973
"The Interior and the Exterior Memory," May 1972
"The Gorand Man," February, March and April 1973
PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES 1990

PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES       Editor       1990


GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
The Right Rev. Louis B. King, Bishop
Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania 19009, USA

PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES

(USA addresses only)

     Information on public worship and doctrinal classes provided either regularly or occasionally may be obtained at the locations listed Arkansas: below. For details use the local phone number Little Rock of the contact person mentioned or communicate with the Secretary of the General Church, Cairncrest, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009. Phone 7935135. (215) 947-6811. California: Los Angeles

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Alabama:
Birmingham
Dr. R. Shepard, 4537 Dolly Ridge Road, Birmingham, AL 35243. Phone: (205) 967-3442.

Huntsville
Mr. and Mrs. Wynne Sullivan, 1107 Princeton Drive, Madison, AL 35758. Phone: (205) 772-0074.

Arizona:
Phoenix
Doris Barnett, 1710 Behrend Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85024. Phone: (602) 582-4223. Rev. Cedric King, visiting pastor, 21332 Forest Meadow, El Toro, CA 92630.
Phone: (home) (714) 586-5142, (office) (714) 951-5750.

Tucson
Rev. Frank S. Rose, 9233 E. Helen, Tucson, AZ 85715. Phone: (602) 721-1091.

Arkansas:
Little Rock
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Holmes, 2695 Mark Lane, Batesville, AR 72501. Phone: (501)793-5135.

California:
Los Angeles.
Rev. John L. Odhner, 5022 Carolyn Way, La Crescenta, CA 91214. Phone: (818) 249-5031.

Orange County
Rev. Cedric King, resident pastor, 21332 Forest Meadow, El Toro, CA 92630. Phone: (home) (714) 586-5142, (office) (714) 951-5750.

Sacramento
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ripley, 225 Woodlake Lane, Newcastle, CA 95658. Phone: (916) 663-2788.

San Diego
Rev. Nathan Gladish, 7911 Canary Way, San Diego, CA 92123. Phone: (619) 2680379. Office: (619) 571-8599.

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San Francisco
Mr. and Mrs. Philip C. "Reds" Pendleton, 2261 Waverley Street, Palo Alto, CA 94901.

Colorado:
Colorado Springs
Mr. and Mrs. William Rienstra, P.O. Box 422, Simla, CO 80835.

Denver
Rev. Clark Echols, 3371 W. 94th Ave., Westminster, CO 80030. Phone: (303) 429-1239 or 428-6019.

Connecticut:
Bridgeport
Rev. Geoffrey Howard, visiting pastor, Box 277, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009 Phone: (215)947-6225.

Hartford
Shelton
Mr. and Mrs. James Tucker, 45 Honey Bee Lane, Shelton, CT 06484. Phone: (203) 929-6455.

Delaware:
Wilmington
Mrs. Justin Hyatt, 2008 Eden Road, N. Maine: Graylyn, Wilmington DE 19810. Phone: (302) 475-3694.

District of Columbia: see Mitchellville, Maryland.

Florida: Boynton Beach
Rev. Daniel Heinrichs, 10687 E. Clair Ranch Road, Boynton Beach, FL 33437. Phone: (407) 736-9235.

Lake Helen
Mr. and Mrs. Brent Morris, 264 Kicklighter Road, Lake Helen, FL 32744. Phone (904) 228-2276.

Pensacola
Mr. and Mrs. John Peacock, 5238 Sound-side Drive Gulf Breeze, FL 32561. Phone (904) 934-3691.

Georgia:
Americus
Mr. W.H. Eubanks, Rt. #2, S. Lee Street, Detroit Americus, GA 31709. Phone: (912) 924-9221.

Atlanta
Rev. Ray Silverman, 2119 Seaman Circle, Chamblee, GA 30341. Phone: (office) (404) 452-0518.

Idaho:
Fruitland (Idaho-Oregon border) Mr. Harold Rand, 1705 Whitley Drive, Minnesota: Fruitland, ID 83619. Phone: (208) 452-3181.

Illinois:
Chicago
Rev. Grant Schnarr, 73A Park Drive, Glenview, IL 60025. Phone: (home) (708) 7290130 (office) (708) 729-9296.

Decatur
Mr. John Aymer, 380 Oak Lane, Decatur, IL 62562. Phone: (217) 875-3215.

Glenview
Rev. Brian Keith, 73 Park Drive, Glenview, IL 60025. Phone: (708) 724-0120.

Indiana:
Rev. Patrick Rose, 785 Ashcroft Court, Cincinnati, OH 45240. Phone: (513) 825-7473

Kentucky:
Rev. Patrick Rose, 785 Ashcroft Court, Hartford Cincinnati, OH 45240. Phone: (513) 825-7473.

Louisiana:
Baton Rouge
Mr. Henry Bruser, Jr., 6050 Esplanade Ave., Baton Rouge, LA 70806. Phone: (504) 924-3098.

Maine
Bath
Rev. Allison L. Nicholson, HC 33 - Box 61N, Arrowsic, ME 04530.

Maryland:
Baltimore
Rev. Frederick Chapin, 37 Guinevere Court, Baltimore, MD 21237. Phone: (home) (301) 682-3397; (office) (301) 435-5418.

Mitchellville
Rev. Lawson Smith, 3805 Enterprise Road, Mitchellville, MD 20721. Phone: (301) 262-2349.

Massachusetts:
Boston
Rev. Grant Odhner, 138 Maynard Road, Sudbury, MA 01776. Phone (508) 443-7540.

Michigan
Detroit
Rev. Walter Orthwein, 395 Olivewood court, Rochester, MI 48064. Phone: (313) 656-1267.

East Lansing
Mr. Christopher Clark, 5853 Smithfield, East Lansing MI 48823. Phone: (517)315-2880.

Minnesota:
St. Paul-Minneapolis
Rev. Mark Carlson, visiting pastor, Clover court, Glenview, IL 60025 Phone (708)729-6130.

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Missouri:
Columbia
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Johnson, 103 S. Green-wood, Colombia, MO 65201. Phone: (314) 442-3475.

Kansas City
Mr. Glen Klippenstein, Glenkirk Farms, Rt. 2, Maysville, MO 64469. Phone: (816) 4492167.

New Jersey-New York
Ridgewood, NJ
Mrs. Fred E. Munich, 474 S. Maple Ave., Glen Rock, NJ 07452. Phone: (201) 4451141.

New Mexico:
Albuquerque
Mr. Howard Leach, 4215 12th Street, Albuquerque, NM 87107. Phone: (505) 892-0936.

North Carolina:
Charlotte
Rev. Bill Burke, 6010 Paddington Court, Charlotte, NC 28226. Phone: (704) 846-6416.

Ohio:
Cincinnati
Rev. Patrick Rose, 785 Ashcroft Court, Cincinnati, OH 45240. Phone: (513) 825-7473.

Cleveland
Mr. Alan Childs, 19680 Beachcliff Blvd., 7775. Rocky River, OH 44116. Phone: (216) Virginia: 333-4413.

Columbus
Mr. Hubert Heinrichs, 8372 Todd Street Road, Sunbury, OH 43074. Phone: (614) 524-5708.

Oklahoma:
Oklahoma City
Mr. Robert Campbell, 3108 Eagle Pass Road, Edmond OK 73013. Phone: (405) 478-4729.

Oregon-Idaho Border: see Idaho, Fruitland.

Pennsylvania:
Bryn Athyn Rev. Kurt Asplundh, Box 277, Bryn Wisconsin: Athyn, PA 19009. Phone: (215) 947-6225.

Elizabethtown
Mr. Meade Bierly, 523 Snyder Ave., Elizabethtown, PA 17022. Phone: (717) 365-3964.

Erie
Mrs. Paul Murray, 5648 Zuck Road, Erie, PA 16506. Phone: (814) 833-0962.

Freeport
Rev. Ragnar Boyesen, 122 McKean Road, PA 16229 Phone: office (412)353-2220 or home (412)295-9855.

Hatboro-Horsham
Rev. Robert Junge, Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009. Phone: (215) 947-4200.

Hawley
Mr. Grant Genzlinger, 4 Main Street, Hawley, PA 18428. Phone: (717) 226-2993.

Kempton
Rev. Jeremy Simons, RD 2, Box 217-A, Kempton, PA 19529. Phone: home (215) 756-4301 office (215) 756-6140.

Pittsburgh
Rev. Eric H. Carswell, 299 Le Roi Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15208. Phone: Church (412) 731-7421.

South Carolina: see North Carolina.

South Dakota:
Hot Springs
Linda Klippenstein, 537 Albany, Hot Springs, SD 57747. Phone: (605) 7456629.

Texas:
Austin
Mr. Robert Grubb, 510 Academy Drive, Austin, TX 78704. Phone: (512) 447-6811.

Dallas-Fort Worth
Mr. Fred Dunlap, 3887 Antigua Circle, Dallas, TX 75244. Phone: (214) 247

Richmond
Mr. Donald Johnson, 13161 Happy Hill Road, Chester, VA 23831. Phone: (804) 748-5757.

West Virginia:
Mrs. Thelma Smith, Route 1, Box 447, Peterstown, WV 24963. Phone: (304) 753-9508.

Washington:
Seattle
Mr. Thomas Andrews, 5035 NE 180th, Seattle, WA 98155. Phone: (206) 365-2194.

Wisconsin:
Madison
Mrs. Charles Howell, 3912 Plymouth Circle, Madison, W1 53705. Phone: (608) 233-0209.

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CITY OF GOD 1990

CITY OF GOD       Editor       1990


THE
CITY OF GOD
By
Karl R. Alden

Reprinted 1990
Now in softcover
Price, including postage, $11.75

General Church Book Center

Box 278, Cairncrest Bryn Athyn, PA 19009 VIA
Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30-12:00 or by appointment Phone: 215-947-3920

193


Notes on This Issue 1990

Notes on This Issue       Editor       1990


Vol. CX                         May, 1990           No. 5

                         New church Life

194





     Notes on This Issue

     Mark Carlson's stimulating paper delivered at the Council of the Clergy meetings in March was divided into three distinct parts. The introduction and the first part are published herein. You have some good reading in store.
     A newcomer to the spiritual world wanted to know the nature of heaven and hell and he was told, "Inquire and learn what delight is and you will know." It is quite a story. See the sermon by Rev. F. C. Elphick.
     Consider joining in the "Daily Reading" plan (see below).

**********


     Checking Libraries

     Some mail is coming in asking if it is too late to get involved in checking libraries. No, it's not too late. We have recently had news of libraries in such places as Red Wing, Minnesota and Baltimore, Maryland. And a pilot from Delaware is undertaking to check libraries on his extensive travels. He mentions Oklahoma, Virginia, Tennessee, Texas and Georgia, and more.
     Basically people are checking to see if their local libraries have books of the Writings or books relating to Swedenborg. Is the library willing to accept books it may be missing? We can help. Some very good work is being done this year, and it is a pleasure to take part in it.

**********


     READING TRUE CHRISTIAN RELIGION

     We have the impression that more people are using the "Daily Reading" plan this year. It is so conveniently done on book markers. At the end of March those following the plan began to read True Christian Religion. It is by no means too late to join in on this and discover how easy (and rewarding) it is to follow through with the readings. On May 6th the plan has us reading that famous number about the three essentials of love, TCR 43; on May 16th, no. 60 which begins: "God perceives, sees and knows all things, even to the most minute . . ."; on June 1st it is TCR 80, the amazing account of a man from hell arguing eloquently against the possibility of life after death!
     Write for a copy of the reading plan.

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HAPPY THE MAN 1990

HAPPY THE MAN       Rev. FREDERICK C. ELPHICK       1990

     "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful" (Psalm 1:1).

     The very first word in the book of Psalms is "blessed" or "happy."
We can gather the general sense of this verse. People who avoid evil are happy. In their life they don't have any dealings with evil-they neither walk, stand or sit, so to speak, with those of evil intent.
     But the Writings for the New Church explain this in more detail. Walking, standing and sitting have to do with aspects of our mental life. For example, walking has to do with thinking. And just as there is always a purpose in walking, so there is always some kind of aim or intention which enlivens or prompts our thinking. So when we find it hard to think clearly we may say that we aren't getting anywhere or are losing our way. But when we do "arrive" at some conclusion, it's as if we stop walking and stand still-as you might when pacing up and down trying to reach a decision and then coming to a halt suddenly when the solution is seen.
     Put another way, walking, standing and sitting correspond to different aspects of the driving force in our life-our will. We think about things from various intentions, which in turn are aspects of our basic love. And what we love most of all is where we sit-where we feel comfortable (see AE 687:6).
     And so the Lord has prepared a place for all in heaven and is quietly leading them to it, if they're willing, through the events and decisions of their lives-the people they meet, the jobs they do, the country they're born in. And the way the Lord leads people is by means of what they enjoy, from the delightful feelings of warmth and security of a tiny baby to the peaceful times of old age.
     "That's all very well," someone might think, "but fife isn't always that delightful."

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Still it's true that, on a much deeper level, Providence does lead us by our delights, even if what we enjoy is at first much less than heavenly.
     Swedenborg relates that he was once talking with a newcomer to the other world who, when he lived on earth, had thought a great deal about heaven and hell. As soon as he had entered the spiritual world, he returned to the problem that had preoccupied him. He found that when he thought about the nature of heaven he felt joy, but was in sadness when he thought about hell.
     As this story unfolds, we may have exactly the same feelings, from happy expectation to extreme revulsion. For this account pictures what goes on in our own mental life when we begin to wake up to spiritual realities. What really is good? What is evil? We start asking questions.
     As soon as this newcomer was aware that he was in the other world, he began asking where heaven and hell were and what they were like. He was told that heaven was above his head and hell beneath his feet, he himself being midway between the two, in the world of spirits (spirits being not ghosts but people now living in the spiritual realm who previously lived on earth, and who are being led to heaven or, refusing this, thrusting themselves into a hell with their particular brand of evil).
     Burning with the desire to find out more, he threw himself on his knees and earnestly prayed to God to teach him, whereupon an angel appeared at his right hand, and raising him up, told him to find out what delight is, then he would know.
     Puzzled by this, the newcomer wandered about asking the people he met what delight is. Some thought it a peculiar question. Who doesn't know what delight is? It's joy and gladness. Delight is delight! One delight is like another! What's the difference?
     Others said that delight is laughter of the mind, for when we are amused, the face is full of gaiety, the speech jocular, the gestures playful and the whole person is in delight. Still others placed delight in feasting, with plenty of good food and drink, and risque conversation.
     Indignant at such boorish answers which said nothing about heaven or hell, the enquirer next asked where he could find people with some sense.

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An angelic spirit (one on his way to heaven), seeing that he longed to know the real character of heaven and hell, offered to take him to a hill where each day three groups of investigators conferred on scientific and philosophical matters-on ends, causes and effects. Here we see something of the way people in the other world are led to find things out, for as these people pursued their particular interests (delights of the mind) they were enlightened by means of the insights of angels who also delighted in such questions on a deeper level (angels being people like us who have chosen heaven).
     Having been led up the hill, the newcomer was first brought to those who investigate ends, the purposes which lie behind life in general. He explained his mission and what had transpired, and he begged them to teach him what delight is.
     To this they replied that delight is the all of life with everyone in heaven and with all in hell-in heaven, delight in what is good and true; in hell, in what is evil and false. For delight is of love, and love is the very being of a person's life. In fact, since a person is what he is according to what he loves, he is as his delight is.
     They explained that it is the activity of love that produces the sensation of delight. In heaven, love is active in wisdom, while in hell its activity is in perverted minds made insane with evil lusts. Both kinds of activity are felt as delight, though opposite delights because they come from opposing loves, the heavens delighting in the doing of good, the hells in committing evil.
     An obvious application for us is to reject the claim we hear so often that "if you enjoy it, it's good." It may be quite the opposite.
     But there was more. For the newcomer was then told to enquire further from those who investigate the causes of things. Pleased at the question, they agreed that delight is the key to understanding the nature of heaven and hell. They said a remarkable thing-that the will, from which man is man, is not moved a single jot except by delight, for in itself, the will is nothing but the affection and effect of some love, thus some delight, for it is what is pleasing in some way that makes people will.

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And since it's the will that moves the faculty of understanding to think, not the least jot of an idea is possible except from delight from the will.
     They explained that this is because the Lord activates every part of the soul and mind with angels, spirits and people on earth. This is done by the inflow of love and wisdom from Him (like heat and light from the sun). It is this influx that is the activity from which comes all delight. In its origin this delight is called blessed, blissful, and happy. It is felt as delightful, pleasant and pleasurable. In a word, it is called good.
     So if this love and wisdom constantly radiating from the Lord have this delightful effect in heaven, what about hell?
     We are told that the spirits of hell reverse all this, turning good into evil, true thoughts into false notions. And though their delight in doing this is permanent, since without delight they would have neither will nor sensation, thus no life at all, it is constantly restrained. In fact, as we shall see, life in hell, far from giving any true happiness, is a mixture of fantasy and frustration.
     For the newcomer was finally led down to the third group, made up of those who, like scientists, investigate the world of effects. These suggested that if he were to go down to the lower earth (that is, the part of the world of spirits nearer hell) and then go up into the higher earth nearer heaven, he would actually feel the enjoyment of each.
     But before he could try the experiment, the ground suddenly yawned open and through the opening rose three devils. They seemed to be on fire from the delight of their evil love. They were told to keep their distance and tell something of their delights. They repeated that everyone is in his own delight, good or evil. Asked what their delight was, they said it was promiscuous sex, stealing, fraud, and blaspheming. They admitted that the nature of their delight in these is perceived by others as foul excrement, the stench of dead bodies and the rank smell from stagnant urine. Asked whether these were nonetheless delightful to them, they said, "They are most delightful."

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     It was then said, "In that case you are like those unclean organisms that live in such stenches." They replied, "If we are, we are, but such stenches are the delight of our nostrils."
     They added that everyone is allowed to be in his own delight, even the most unclean, so called, if only they refrain from molesting good spirits and angels. But since they cannot do otherwise, they are thrown into workhouses where they suffer dire things. It is the restraining and loss of these delights that is called the torment of hell, an inward pain.
     Asked why they molested the good, they said they couldn't help it. When they saw any angel and scented the Divine sphere around him, it was as if fury invaded them. In this also, the angels said, they were like wild beasts.
     And then, as soon as the devils saw the newcomer with the angels, they were overcome with a fury which burst out like a fire of hatred. So to prevent harm they were thrown back into hell.
     As we know from other places in the Writings, nobody is actually thrown into hell. This is the way it appears when evil attacks good, for in the other world any attempted evil rebounds on the doer of it.
     After this the angels from the heaven above the three groups of investigators appeared. We might compare them to the kind of person who can look beyond the words someone is saying to the intention behind them. These see the causes of things in the mind from the standpoint of the purposes behind them and the resulting effects through those causes. These angels were seen in a bright light which rolled downward in spiral curves and brought with it a garland of flowers, which, placed on the head, was a token of the newcomer's longtime meditation on heaven and hell (a paraphrase of CL 461).
     Interestingly, we learn elsewhere that a garland of flowers is a symbol of the delights of heaven. And this takes us back to our psalm, which speaks of what kind of person is blessed or happy: "But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law doth he meditate day and night" (Psalm 1:2).
     To think on spiritual things day and night is to want to make them the background and basis of our life.

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The law of the Lord is more than rules-it is a delightful way of life in which, as we read earlier, a person loves truth for its own sake, so that it leads to good. It is a satisfying and fruitful state of mind which, in the Lord's good time, will always prosper.
     "But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be as a tree planted by the rivers of water that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper" (Psalm 1:2, 3). Amen.

Lessons: Psalm 1, Heaven and Hell 489:2 ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH THEOLOGICAL SCHOOL, COLLEGE AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS CALENDAR 1990-1991 1990

ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH THEOLOGICAL SCHOOL, COLLEGE AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS CALENDAR 1990-1991       Editor       1990

     1990

Sept     4 Tue     8:00 am      Academy Faculty Opening Service and Address
          10:00 am      Registration begins with Secondary Schools local
          students
          5:30 pm      Barbecue for dorm students and parents (back campus)
          8:15 pm      Orientation for all new College students (Sw. Library)
                    Dorm students arrive (Secondary Students by 8 pm)
     5 Wed     8.00-12 am     Orientation for all new Secondary Schools students
                    (Benade Hall Auditorium)
          8:00-12:00 am     Registration of all Theological and College students
          1:30-4:00 pm     Registration for all new Secondary Schools students
          10:45 am-2:00 pm     College Orientation for all new students
          7:30 pm      Cathedral Worship Service for students, faculty and parents
     6 Thu     8:00 am     Opening Exercises for Secondary Schools followed by classes
          8:15 am      College and Theological School classes begin
          11:15 am      College and Theological School Convocation


Oct     12 Fri Charter Day:
          8:00 am      Annual Meeting of ANC corporation (Pitcairn Hall)
          10:30 am      Charter Day Service (Cathedral)
          9:00 pm      Charter Day Dance (Asplundh Field House)
          13 Sat 6:30 pm      Charter Day Banquet (Society Building)

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Nov     7-9 Wed-Fri          College Registration for Winter Term
     19, 20 Mon-Tue     Secondary Schools Mini Trips
     20 Tue      8:30 pm     Secondary Schools Fall Term ends and Thanksgiving Recess begins
     21 Wed           Fall Term ends for College and Theological School after exams and scheduled student work
     25 Sun               Secondary Schools dorm students return by 8:00 pm
     26 Mon          Winter Term begins in Secondary Schools


Dec     2 Sun           College dormitory students return by 8:00 pm
     3 Mon           Winter Term begins in College and Theological School
     20 Thu           Christmas recess begins for all schools after afternoon classes are completed.

     1991


Jan      6 Sun               Dorm students return (Secondary Schools by 8:00 pm)
     7 Mon           Classes resume in all schools
     21 Mon           Martin Luther King in-school observance

Feb      18 Mon           Presidents' Birthday College in-school observance Secondary Schools holiday
     20-22 Wed-Fri      College Registration for Spring Term

Mar      7 Thu           College and Theological School Winter Term ends
     8 Fri           Secondary Schools Winter Term ends
                    Spring Recess begins for Secondary Schools after scheduled exams and student work 17 Sun Dorm students return (Secondary Schools by 8:00 pm)
     18 Mon           Spring Term begins in all schools
     29 Fri           Good Friday holiday for all schools


Apr     1 Mon           Easter Monday holiday for Secondary Schools

May     10 Fri 3:30 pm      Semi-annual Meeting of Academy Corporation (Pitcairn Hall)
          7:45 pm Joint meeting of Faculty and Corporation (Heilman Hall)
     27 Mon           Memorial Day holiday


June     6 Thu           Spring Term ends
     7 Fri      8:30 pm      Graduation Dance (Glencairn)
     8 Sat      9:30 am      Commencement (Field House)

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EVOLUTION, THE LIMBUS, AND HEREDITARY EVIL 1990

EVOLUTION, THE LIMBUS, AND HEREDITARY EVIL       Rev. MARK R. CARLSON       1990

     Introduction

     The following paper is in three parts. The first part provides background information on the history of the theory of evolution, and in particular looks at the controversy over the issue of whether or not Charles Darwin should be given priority as its author. The role of Alfred Russel Wallace in delineating the function of natural selection is examined, and the possibility that Swedenborg influenced Wallace's later views is considered.
     The second part looks at the support for the idea of evolution in the Writings, quickly examines the empirical evidence in support of the key idea of natural selection, and provides an overview of various criticisms leveled at the neo-Darwinian, or synthetic, theory of evolution.1
     Because of its weaknesses it is suggested that the present theory of evolution is only part of a larger reality which is as yet unknown.
     The third part looks at Rupert Sheldrake's hypothesis of formative causation and suggests that his concept of morphogenetic fields may demonstrate a mechanism whereby the Lord created forms of life suited to the environment of this world.2 The implications of this hypothesis for rethinking the theory of evolution from the Writings are considered. And finally, confirmations and illustrations of New Church doctrine, particularly doctrine concerning hereditary good and evil, are looked at as they may connect with the concept of morphogenetic fields.

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1. CHARLES DARWIN AND ALFRED RUSSEL WALLACE

The Birth of a Theory

     Charles Darwin was without doubt a great naturalist. His observations of natural history on board the HMS Beagle proved to be an invaluable source for confirming the idea of evolutionary change, an idea which was already well on the way to acceptance in the early 19th century, propelled primarily by the work of Lamarck as the century began. However, it appears that Darwin may not have been responsible for the key concept, natural selection, which made the theory workable.
     Those interested in the history of ideas have long debated the originality of Darwin's theory of evolution. It is a well-known fact that the basic idea of the transmutation of species was a popular notion among many biologists in the early 19th century. And Darwin does indeed preface The Origin of Species with a historical sketch of those who contributed to his thinking on evolution. He mentions Lamarck, W. C. Wells, Patrick Matthew, and Herbert Spencer.3 However, he fails to mention one key predecessor, and gives almost no credit to another. Not mentioned is Edward Blyth, who in 1835 wrote on the subject of natural selection.4 What is even more curious, however, is that Darwin gives such cursory attention to the name of Alfred Russel Wallace.
     Little known outside the world of academia is the fact that two papers, both on the theory of divergence through natural selection and its function in the process of evolution, were read before the Linnean Society in London on the very same day, July 1, 1858. One was written by Charles Darwin, the other by Alfred Russel Wallace.5

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In the historical sketch introducing The Origin of Species, mentioned above, Darwin dispenses with Alfred Russel Wallace in one sentence. He says simply that Wallace promulgated the theory of natural selection with "admirable force and cleamess."6
     It is clear to those who read both addresses which of these two men had a better grasp of the theory of divergence of species through natural selection-it was Alfred Russel Wallace. Wallace was not formally educated and belonged to the lower class in Victorian England, but he was a brilliant and highly regarded naturalist who had seriously considered the problem of transmutation for several years.7 He later recounted how the idea of divergence by means of natural selection came to him while he was delirious from malaria.8 He was on the island of Ternate, in present-day Indonesia, when he wrote the paper later delivered before the Linnean Society together with Darwin's. It was titled, "On the Tendency of Varieties to Depart Indefinitely from the Original Type."
The common interpretation of these events, as repeated by Bronowsky, is that Darwin had already worked out the details of the theory and that Wallace made an independent discovery of the principle of divergence through natural selection.9 When Darwin received Wallace's essay, so the common interpretation goes, it simply forced Darwin to publish The Origin before his personal timetable would have completed it.10

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Loren Eiseley, who gives what is perhaps the most definitive treatment of the underpinnings of Darwin's thought for the general reader, confirms this theme by saying, "As is well known he [Wallace] arrived independently at the principle of natural selection and shares with Darwin a preeminent position in nineteenth-century biology."11
     Regardless of these statements, there has been a quiet debate going on as to which man was truly responsible for settling on the idea of divergence through natural selection put forward that July in 1858. Usually the conclusion of such discussions is that it does not really matter who was responsible; what matters is that the idea came before the public, and Darwin was the man better suited to do that. He was wealthy, of the upper class, and well known. Wallace was poor, of the lower class, and unknown.
     A closer examination of the events leading up to the papers presented by Wallace and Darwin before the Linnean Society in London leads to the conclusion that Darwin probably was not responsible for the keystone of the theory: divergence of species through natural selection.
     
The Evidence

     There is no hard evidence that Darwin surreptitiously borrowed the key concept of divergence of species through natural selection from Wallace, but the circumstantial evidence is worth considering.
     Darwin had been working on a theory of evolution for many years.

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His travels aboard the H.M.S. Beagle had confirmed in his mind what other naturalists had been writing for many years, and what he may have learned first from his grandfather, Erasmus Darwin, namely, that empirical evidence suggests some sort of transmutation of species. From time to time Darwin wrote in his notebooks on the subject of transmutation, but he apparently had no interest in publishing these notes.
     Loren Eiseley has noted that these notebooks contain transcriptions of the theories of Edward Blyth, probably the first person to suggest the idea of natural selection. But Blyth saw natural selection as a mechanism for maintaining the integrity of species; for him, natural selection was a mechanism for weeding out changes that made the species unfit for survival. Although Darwin claimed total originality for his ideas, Eiseley questions his claim.12 He demonstrates that a large number of passages concerning natural selection in Darwin's early essays were taken almost word-for-word from the earlier writing of Edward Blyth.
     The passages from Blyth were used by Darwin in early notebooks to support the idea of change rather than stability in species. This was of course a radical shift in emphasis, and Stephen Gould, one of the foremost advocates of evolutionary theory, suggests that Eiseley's criticism of Darwin on this point may not be valid.13 Nevertheless, if Darwin seriously considered the idea of natural selection as a result of Blyth's work, we might have expected him to be mentioned in Darwin's introductory historical sketch.
     However, it is clear that Darwin was not convinced that the reversal of roles for natural selection was truly a workable idea. He could demonstrate a theory of artificial selection in the breeding of domesticated animals, but he questioned how it could work in the wild. He knew that in cross-breeding domesticated animals the result was either sterile or in time reverted to its original "wild" state.14

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The species barrier seemed impenetrable, as Blyth had so forcefully argued. Thus Darwin confessed in his species notebook, "how selection could be applied to organisms living in the state of nature [is] a mystery to me.15
     Meanwhile, Wallace continued to work on the idea of transmutation while in Indonesia. He was in contact with Darwin by mail at least eight times during this period. He remained frank and open with Darwin about his current thinking on the subject of evolution, as would a student talking to a mentor. However, Darwin withheld his own views while encouraging Wallace to continue his work.16
     At last Wallace, in a flash of insight, wrote the Ternate essay in which he forcefully put forth the idea of divergence through natural selection as the mechanism for change in the evolutionary process. One key section of this essay addressed the very issue that had bothered Darwin, that is, the tendency for variations in domesticated animals to revert to type. Excited by the concept of natural selection, Wallace mailed the essay to Darwin in his usual open manner to receive the opinion of the foremost naturalist in England.17 In his letter he said that he hoped the idea of natural selection would be as new to Darwin as it was to him.18 He mailed the essay to Darwin on March 9, 1858. On the same day he mailed a letter to a friend in London, one Frederick Bates.

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Both the letter to Bates and the essay to Darwin would have traveled on the same ship to England, yet, according to Darwin, they arrived two weeks apart. The following is a documented chronology of events surrounding this critical time, as compiled by Brackman:19

     March 9, 1858 Wallace mails letter to friend Bates and Ternate Essay to Darwin
     June 3, 1858 Bates receives his letter
     June 8, 1858 Darwin writes Hooker that he has found the "keystone" to his theory
     June 12, 1858 Darwin claims he finished the final chapter of his paper on this date
     June 18, 1858 The date Darwin claims to have received Wallace's essay
     July 1, 1858 Presentation of Darwin and Wallace papers before the Linnean Society
     Nov. 24, 1859 Publication of The Origin of Species

     There seems to be a very good possibility that Darwin was stretching the truth in his letter to Hooker of June 8, 1858. It is true that Darwin was working with the idea of natural selection, but it is not at all clear that he fully understood or accepted natural selection as the primary mechanism for change in nature until June of 1858.
     It can also be demonstrated from the later writings of both Darwin and Wallace that Wallace remained firm in his understanding of the inherent variability of species through natural selection while Darwin hesitated and back-tracked in later editions of The Origin. Often Darwin's changes reflect his growing uncertainty about the process as he took more of a Lamarckian view of inherited characteristics. (It may turn out that Darwin's Lamarckian leanings were also correct, as we shall see later).
     Certainly it is possible that we have here an example of what Carl Jung would call "synchronicity," or the simultaneous occurrence of two similar ideas or events with no connection through space and time.

209


However, Brackman and other scholars think otherwise. Brackman holds that Darwin was very much interested in priority and was upset by the thought that another man should get the credit for a theory that he had worked on for so many years, a theory he knew would change the world when he saw it presented by Wallace in its full grandeur. Brackman further suggests and gives a good deal of evidence to support the notion that Darwin and two fellow naturalists, Hooker and Lyell, entered into a conspiracy to ensure that Darwin would be given priority and receive full credit for the theory of evolution.20
     Darwin kept a very complete diary of the events of his life. But strangely, during the months of April, May, and June of 1858 he departed from his normal practice and recorded very little. The date on which he received Wallace's essay is not recorded nor is the all-important date of July 1st, when his own paper on natural selection was read before the Linnean Society.
     The Darwin archives are very complete, but the envelope in which the Ternate essay arrived is missing with its telltale postmark; also strangely missing are most of the letters that passed among Hooker, Lyell, and Darwin in late June of 1858. In one of Darwin's letters to Hooker that does survive, Darwin states that "there is nothing in Wallace's sketch which is not written out much fuller in my sketch (of 1844) so that I could most truly say and prove that I take nothing from Wallace."21 According to Brackman, this is simply not true. He points out that Darwin's 1844 sketch does mention the idea of natural selection, but totally missing is the idea of divergence of species through natural selection.
     Darwin's psychosomatic illness became much worse after publication of The Origin of the Species. This has been attributed to the great tension the publication of such a controversial theory would have on a man who was as deeply religious as Darwin.

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It has also been suggested that perhaps he suffered from a nagging sense of guilt over his treatment of Wallace. Whatever the case, there may be good reason to doubt that Darwin was solely responsible for the theory of evolution he put before the world in The Origin of Species.
     It might be asked, if Darwin was not truly responsible for the complete theory, does it really matter? I think it does. There can be no doubt that giving credit where credit is due is one of the most strongly held principles of the academic community. The theory of evolution has had such a great impact on the thinking of the world in the fields of science, philosophy, and religion that it seems all the more important that proper credit should be given.
     I cannot say that Wallace should be given priority over Darwin, nor am I suggesting that there has been a century-long conspiracy among historians to avoid the issue. However, there does seem to be a good deal of smoke surrounding Darwin's claim to originality, and one has to wonder why there has been no concerted attempt to put out the fire.
     
Alfred Russel Wallace

     It is worth spending a few moments to look at the views of this remarkable man. Besides being noted for the forceful way he wrote about natural selection (he was often said to be "more Darwinian than Darwin"), Wallace had views on the origin of man relative to natural selection that are both interesting and unique.
     Other naturalists, including Darwin, continued to hold that the existence of mankind could be explained as simply the crowning achievement of the blind and purposeless process of evolution; Wallace, on the other hand, held that the theory could not support this view. He pointed out that natural selection was capable of producing organic beings that were only slightly more suited to survival than the other inhabitants of the same environment. Therefore natural selection could not account for the highly advanced brain and intellectual abilities of mankind.

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Wallace observed that these abilities were developed far beyond the incremental advantage needed for survival.22 It was also his strong conviction that human speech, mathematical ability, and the uniquely human creative impulse simply could not be explained by natural selection. Wallace therefore concluded that "the brain of prehistoric and of savage man seems to me to prove the existence of some power, distinct from that which has guided the development of the lower animals."23

     Furthermore, Wallace contended that with the advent of a large brain and intellectual ability, human beings had passed beyond the process of natural selection. At last, he said, there had arisen an animal which was not doomed to extinction with the destruction of its ecological niche.24 Wallace had lived among the so-called "savage" peoples of the world for many years and had come to know them as highly intelligent, though uneducated, equals. He also observed that the brain size of these native peoples was vastly superior to that of anthropoid apes; he therefore did not regard them as being lower on the evolutionary scale, as did Darwin. If Wallace had been given credit for the theory of evolution, perhaps the racism of the last century could have been reduced.
     It is well known that Wallace believed in personal immortality and that later in life he became very interested in spiritism.25 He was interested in the scientific aspects of the phenomena and attended many seances with the intention of exposing any trickery, which he seldom found.

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Wallace produced many articles on the subject and wrote a small book, The Scientific Aspects of the Supernatural.26 As we might guess, he also mentions some knowledge of Swedenborg at least once toward the end of his life. He writes in a letter to James Marchant:


The whole cumulative argument of my 'World of Life' is that in its every detail it calls for the agency of a mind ... enormously above and beyond any human mind . . . . Mine seems a more clear and intelligible supposition . . . and it is the teaching of the Bible, of Swedenborg, and of Milton.27

The connection between Wallace and Swedenborg deserves further investigation, not because it is likely that he had any awareness of Swedenborg in his late twenties when he wrote the Ternate essay, but because Swedenborg may well have had some influence on him later in life when he came to disagree with Darwin on the nature of primitive man and the equality of native peoples.

     [To be continued]


     1 Neo-Darwinian theory adds to Darwin's ideas the concept that an evolution is due to the accumulation of small genetic changes brought about by the random mutation of genetic material.
     2 Walter Orthwein first mentioned Sheldrake's hypothesis before this council last year. NCL, July 1989, p. 314.
     3 Charles Darwin, The Origin of Species (New York: The New American Library, 1958, first edition 1859), pp. 17-25.
     4 Loren Eiseley, Darwin and the Mysterious Mr. X (New York: E. P. Dutton, 1979), p. 46.
     
5 In reality Wallace's Ternate Essay was the only true paper read that day. Darwin's offering was merely an extract from an unpublished sketch of 1844 hastily mingled with a Darwin letter to Asa Gray of 1857.
     6 Darwin, op. cit., p. 24.
     7 Transmutation was the accepted 19th century term. In those days "evolution" referred to the growth of an embryo in the womb.
     8 Alfred Russel Wallace, My Life (New York: Dodd, Mead and Co., 1905), vol. 1, p. 361.
     9 J. Bronowsky, The Ascent of Man (Boston: Little Brown and Co., 1973), p. 306.
          10 Julian Huxley, Introduction to the Mentor Edition, The Origin of Species, p. ix.
     11 Loren Eiseley, Darwin's Century (New York: W. W. Norton, 1961), p. 290.
     12 Eiseley, Darwin and the Mysterious Mr. X, pp 45-80.
     13 Stephen Jay Gould, The Urchin in the Storm (New York: W. W. Norton and Co., 1987), pp. 51-61.
     14 Arnold C. Brackman, A Delicate Arrangement (New York: Times Books, 1980), p. 12.
     15 Ibid., p. 15.
     16 Ibid., p. 292.
     17 If Wallace had mailed the Ternate essay to a journal for publication it is quite probable that he would have been given credit for the theory of evolution.
     18 Wallace, op. cit., p. 363.
     19 Brackman, op. cit., pp. 16-22.
     20 Brackman, op. cit., pp. 58-68.
     21 Ibid, p. 60.
     22 Alfred Russel Wallace, Contributions to the Theory of Natural Selection (London: Macmillan and Co, 1870), p. 333.
     23 Ibid., P. 343.
     24 Eiseley, Darwin's Century, p. 312.
     25 E. Hubbard, Little Journeys to the Homes of Great Scientists (New York: P. F. Collier and Son, 1928), p. 392-3.
     26 Alfred Russel Wallace, My Life, vol. 2, p. 313.
     27 James Marchant, ed., Alfred Russel Wallace: Letters and Reminiscences (New York: Harper, 1916), p. 413.
SURVIVORS 1990

SURVIVORS       Editor       1990

     If you are interested in seeing a copy of the newsletter which is presently published for those who are divorced, separated and/or remarried, please contact Kay Hauck, 2242 W. Giddings, Chicago, EL 60625, or Ruth C. Wyland, 3426 Winchester Drive, Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006.

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ETERNAL LIFE OF THE EMBRYO 1990

ETERNAL LIFE OF THE EMBRYO       Rev. B. DAVID HOLM       1990

     (Concluded)

This Soul Is Essentially the Same in the Embryo as It Is in the Infant Who Is Born on Earth

     That this soul is essentially the same both in the embryo and in the full-term infant, thus that the soul is unchanged by birth, is the logical conclusion of the following passages:
     "In the semen from which every man is conceived there exists a graft or offshoot of the father soul in its fullness" (TCR 103:2). (Note the word "fullness"!) "The soul then is the human form from which nothing can be taken away and to which nothing can be added" (CL 315). "The soul is the man himself, for which reason its form is the human form, fully and perfectly" (ibid.). "The soul or spirit of man is in the spiritual world, and his body in the natural world" (AC 6319e). "It is contrary to order . . . for the body to inflow into the soul" (AC 3219e). "The interiors and the exteriors are distinct from one another, and . . . they are so distinct that the interiors can come into existence and subsist without the exteriors, but by no means the exteriors without the interiors" (AC 5146:2). (Note the term "subsist" here!) "The spiritual and celestial soul is formed by the Lord; this is more interior and inmost and cannot be formed by man in the life of the body" (SD 2794).
     
There Is Life in the Soul of the Embryo

     That there is life in the soul of the embryo may be concluded from these passages:
     "As long as the heart is moved, love with its vital heat remains and preserves life, as is evident in cases of swoon and suffocation, and in the condition of fetal life in the womb" (DLW 390). "Life itself is present from first conception and is what gives form" (D. Wis. III:1).

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"There is life in the embryo before birth, but the embryo is not conscious of it" (D. Wis. III:6).
     
This Life in the Embryo Is the Lord's Life

     "Man in the beginning of his development is . . . a dwelling place of the Lord" (D. Wis. III:4:2). "The human soul is not life from life, that is, life in itself, for there is but one life, and that is God" (D. Wis. III:2). "In order to be a recipient of love and wisdom, which are life from the Lord, thus a recipient of the Lord Himself, man must be formed by life itself . . . All this work of preparation for Himself the Lord does in the womb" (D. Wis. III: 1). "The life from which the embryo in the womb lives is not its life but the Lord's alone, who alone is life" (D. Wis. III:6). (Note the last phrase, "who alone is life.")
     From all this it may be concluded that the embryo's soul is most definitely a recipient of life from the Lord, howbeit an unconscious recipient.
     
The Soul of the Embryo Is a Dual Receptacle of Life from the Lord, That Is, of His Love and Wisdom

     "The rudiment of man is seed, and this is a double receptacle of life" (D. Wis. III:2). "The formation of the embryo and of the infant man in the womb is an image of creation. . . . From this it follows that especially the first forms with man are the receptacles of love and wisdom, and that the creation of the other things that constitute the man is effected through these" (D. Wis. II:2). "As there are two things, love and wisdom, that form the embryo, so there are two receptacles, one for love and the other for wisdom" (D. Wis. III:4). "In every human embryo the Lord forms two receptacles, one for the Divine love and the other for the Divine wisdom, the receptacle of the Divine love for the future will of the man, and the receptacle of the Divine wisdom for his future understanding; and that thus the Lord has endowed every man with a capacity to will good and a capacity to understand truth" (DP 324). "The receptacles of love and wisdom first exist with man when he has been conceived and is being produced in the womb" (D. Wis. II:2).

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"These two receptacles . . . are the beginnings of man" (D. Wis. III:2).
     From these passages it is clear that the two receptacles for the Divine love and wisdom are actually formed at the time of conception. And evidently these are fully formed at that time. From these the embryo has the capacity to will and the capacity to understand. Yet that they are not the will and understanding opened and developed after birth is evident from other teachings. Indeed, these two receptacles or capacities, spoken of in the above quotations, would seem to be a duality of nature within the soul itself, for it is said, "These two receptacles . . . are the beginnings of man." Added to this is the statement that "The inmost things in man are goods and truths, from which the soul has its life; otherwise the soul would not be a soul" (AC 2576:2).
     
Through These Two Receptacles the Lord Conjoins Himself to Man

     This is taught in the following: "When life flows into a recipient of life there is conjunction" (AC 2021). "He conjoins Himself to man [in the womb] in these two receptacles, in the one through love and in the other through wisdom" (D. Wis. III:2). "The Lord conjoins Himself to man in the womb of the mother from his first conception and forms man" (D. Wis. III: 1).

The Lord's Conjunction with Man Is Eternal Life

     That it is conjunction with the Lord that gives man eternal life is clear from these two numbers: "Without conjunction with the Lord, eternal life and salvation are impossible, . . . because He is both. Unless conjunction be effected reciprocally, it has no existence" (TCR 726). "Man has what beasts have not, an inmost, into which the Divine flows, raising man up to itself, and thereby conjoining man to itself. Because of this, man, in contrast to beasts, has the ability to think about God and about the Divine things of heaven and the' church, and to love God from these and in these, and thus be conjoined to Him; and whatever is conjoined to the Divine cannot be dissipated, but whatever cannot be conjoined is dissipated" (HH 435).

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     The question of reciprocity enters here and has a strong bearing on the position taken on the embryo's immortality. For the immortality of the embryonic soul would definitely appear from these numbers to depend upon whether or not it reciprocates to the inflowing Divine. That the Divine inflows and conjoins itself with the embryonic soul is clear from passages already quoted. The question is, does the soul of the embryo respond to the Divine influx and so conjoin itself to the Divine and so make the conjunction one that cannot be dissipated?
     We feel that there are definite teachings which indicate that there is this reciprocal on the part of the soul. They are as follows: "The first forms with man are the receptacles of love and wisdom, and that the creation of the other things that constitute the man is effected through these" (D. Wis. II:2). "Good from the Lord flows in through man's inmost, and then through degrees as by the steps of a ladder to the exteriors; for the inmost is relatively in the most perfect state, and therefore can receive good immediately from the Lord; but not so the lower things" (AC 5147). Added to this is the general teaching that it is the soul that builds the body in the womb.
     These teachings strongly indicate that the soul of the embryo does respond to the inflowing life from the Lord, and this by receiving that life and accommodating it and passing it on to the lower degrees. This to our mind is reciprocation. Thus the conjunction of the Lord with the soul of the embryo would appear to be reciprocal and therefore everlasting.
     This reception, accommodation, and transmission of the Lord's inflowing life would seem to be the essential human use for it applies to all uses as we know them. That this is not consciously performed by the embryonic soul is quite beside the point, we feel.

Nothing Can Destroy This Soul Except the Lord Himself

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     That there is nothing lower or inferior that can destroy or dissipate this soul can be seen from this one passage: "The life of man, which is from the Lord's Divine, passes through . . . degrees from the inmost down to the last or ultimate degree, and in each degree it is derived from what is prior, becoming more and more general, and in the ultimate degree most general. The derivations in the lower degrees are merely compositions, or rather conformation, of the singulars and particulars of the higher degrees in succession, together with an addition from purer nature, and then from grosser nature, of such things as may serve for containing vessels; and if these vessels are decomposed, the singulars and particulars of the interior degrees which had been combined therein return to the degree next higher. And as with man there is a connection with the Divine, and his inmost is of such a nature that he can receive the Divine, and not only receive it but also make it his own by acknowledgment and affection, thus by reciprocation, he therefore can never die, because he has thus been implanted in the Divine, and is therefore in what is eternal and infinite, not merely through the influx thence but also through the reception of it" (AC 5114:4).
     Thus no physical injury or disease whereby formation in the womb ceases prematurely, nor the absence of breathing at birth, can have any real effect upon the soul of the miscarried or stillborn child. Only the Lord alone could cause a soul to be dissipated. And this would appear to be contrary not only to the burden of the passages cited but also to the whole scheme of the Lord's creation.
     And here come into play some simple, but what we consider weighty, arguments in favor of the immortality of the soul of the embryo.

1) The Lord never makes mistakes-and certainly not in the creation of human souls. Thus there would be no reason for Him to dissipate a soul merely because of some physical cause which prevented its full entrance into the world.
     2) The Lord never changes His mind-and certainly not during the formation of man. That each man, thus each soul, is created for an eternal use is a common teaching of the church (see SD 1364). Indeed, the Lord looks to what is eternal in all that He does (see DP 46-69).

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What then is eternal in the soul of the miscarried or stillborn embryo? It may be argued that the states entered into by the parents are eternal. But this would appear to beg the question, for, it is felt, it is an essential principle throughout the Writings that the Lord looks to primary ends first and through them to secondary ends. That is, each thing is created as a form of use in itself, and not merely to be of service to something else. Applied to the case in point, this means that each soul created is formed as an eternal use as it is in itself. It is not created merely for the effect it may or may not have upon others.
     These arguments, together with the perceptive persistence of the women of the church on this point, further confirm the strong implications of teachings already brought out, namely, that the soul of the embryo that miscarries or is stillborn is immortal. Added to this are the teachings concerning the innocence and peace of the embryo (D. Wis. III:1; cf. CL 180e and 183:7). Indeed it is taught, "The embryo, being yet in the womb, partakes more from the good of innocence than after it is born" (AE 710). This is an unlikely thing to be said of something that is not truly living and immortal.

That This Immortal Life Is Not to be Thought of as Conscious Life

     That the immortal life of the soul of the embryo is not conscious would seem to be taught throughout that section of Divine Wisdom which treats of the embryo and its life. We read, "So long as man remains in the womb he does not have these two faculties. . . . From this it follows that the Lord has prepared two receptacles, one for the will of the future man, and the other for his understanding, . . . but these two do not pass into the man until he has been fully formed for birth" (D. Wis. V). "Through the will given to man and through the understanding given to him there is an appearance that the man himself leads himself, that is, wills and acts from himself, and thinks and speaks from himself . . .

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He may know that this appearance is for the sake of reception and appropriation since without it there is not the reciprocal to love the Lord as the Lord loves him, or to love his neighbor as if from himself, or to believe in the Lord as if from himself. Without that reciprocal, man would be like an automaton, in which the Lord could not be present; for the Lord wills to be loved and consequently He gives to man the ability to will to love Him. From this it is clear that neither the will nor the understanding is man's, but in themselves both are as they were in man in the womb, that is, they are not his; but these two faculties were given to man that he might will and think and act and speak as if from himself and yet know, understand and believe that they are not from himself" (D. Wis. IV).

     This last passage is quoted at length because it is one of the several which seem to strongly oppose the position here taken. Yet it is felt that it does not, for as we interpret the number, it is speaking only of the reciprocal needed in the conscious mind after man has been born and the appearance of self developed. We feel this is justified from that statement at the end of the passage in which it is stated that in reality the will and understanding remain as they were in the womb-that is, as mere receptacles. It is only a part of the appearance of self-life that they appear to be active faculties of will and understanding. Thus the actual conjunction of the Lord with man and man with the Lord lies in those two receptacles of love and wisdom which are a part of the initial soul. If not this, then man's conjunction with the Lord depends upon an appearance which is not actual, and this is unthinkable.


     Thus the one difference between the real life of the embryo and the real life of the man born in the world is that the man in the world has "attached" to the life of the soul an appearance of self-life on the conscious plane. This the embryo does not have. This is the only difference, yet it is a great one, for upon conscious life in this world depends conscious life in the next world. In no sense do we claim conscious life in heaven for the soul of the unborn infant.

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But we would attribute individuality to such a soul. For each soul is individual and distinct from its inception. (See CL 524; also AC 4149:2 and DLW 318.)

The Use of the Embryonic Soul Is That of Accommodation of the Divine Influx for Reception in the Heavens

     This is indicated in that passage already quoted in another connection: "Good from the Lord flows in through man's inmost, and thence through degrees as by the steps of a ladder to the exteriors; for the inmost is relatively in the most perfect state, and therefore can receive good immediately from the Lord; but not so the lower things" (AC 5147).
     This use of accommodation is an important one, for even as man's soul or inmost must accommodate all influx for reception on the lower mental degrees, so the angels of heaven must also have similar accommodation of the inflowing life from the Lord. And this we believe is essentially a human use which cannot be fully performed by the first two successives seen as radiant belts as mentioned in Arcana 7270:2-4. That these first two successives can and do accommodate the Divine influx for reception in the actual heavens and their ultimates is clear, but it is doubtful that these successives can accommodate the Divine influx for angelic reception. For that which is received by what is human would seem to have to be accommodated by what is human. The creative series of degrees is quite distinct from the series of degrees in man.
     Thus we would identify the souls of all men, including the souls of those who were not born in the world, with those two degrees of truth which are above angelic comprehension, as mentioned in Arcana 8443. In What way they are to be identified exactly and how they are apportioned between the two degrees we are not prepared to say. For this would depend on a future study of the inner nature of the soul.
     We are content, at present, to visualize these souls as individual, human centers of accommodation of the Divine influx-dwelling in that heaven of human internals-in a state not unconscious but super-conscious.

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Thus a vital and eternal use is performed by them, for taken together they perform the function of the, as it were, soul of the Gorand Man of heavenly uses.
     This treatment is presented for your consideration with the hope that it will shed some new light on a subject which has long been discussed in the church. We are well aware that this is a rather wide departure from the more usual view of the subject. And we are also aware that there are passages which seem to contradict the conclusions drawn. But we sincerely believe that this approach comes more nearly to the truth, giving a new meaning and sense of purpose to the question of the miscarried or stillborn soul. We feel that it is in a more near accord with the teaching: "That the Lord's Providence is infinite and regards what is eternal may be seen from the formation of embryos in the womb" (AC 6491).

(Passages which apparently oppose the position taken: AC 4747:2, 5847, DP 199e, Lord 47, DLW 14, CL 192.)

(Passages which indicate that man's soul does change at conception from that which it was in the father: TCR 103:2, AC 3570:4. Others are those which speak of soul "from conception," as quoted in this paper.)
CALIFORNIANS ENJOY THE JOURNEY 1990

CALIFORNIANS ENJOY THE JOURNEY       Editor       1990

     The many people who cannot be present at the California Assembly (June 15-17) congratulation our friends there and rejoice in their anticipation of "one of the largest gatherings ever of New Church people in California."
     The theme of the assembly in La Crescenta is "Enjoying the Journey." The brochure for the event begins by saying, "Each of us is on a spiritual journey that begins with birth in this world and takes us eventually to the spiritual world and hopefully to heaven. Though the path is sometimes difficult, we have the Lord's guidance and the help of each other."

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ON THE NATURE OF THE WORD 1990

ON THE NATURE OF THE WORD       HEULWEN M. RIDGWAY       1990

     The many names by which New Churchmen refer to the revelation given by the Lord through Swedenborg (e.g., the Writings, New Word, Heavenly Doctrines, threefold Word) reflect our confusion about their true nature. This is unfortunate, for our name for this revelation should embody our whole attitude to its sacredness and authority, to our aspirations in the search for truth to apply to our daily lives, and to our convictions about the establishment of a totally new church based on new revelation. (For the purposes of this article I have used the term "Writings," since this term is the most widely used.)
     We often hear the Writings referred to as "the internal sense of the Old and New Testaments." This wording, of course, is derived from the many statements in the Writings which seem to infer that the Writings themselves are the internal sense, while the Old and New Testaments are the Word. Hence we even hear the expression "the Writings and the Word," apparently meaning that the Old and New Testaments together are the Word while the Writings are something apart. We also hear the term "the threefold Word," that is, that the Old Testament, the New Testament and the Writings each contributes an equal share to the composition of one Word. At the other end of the spectrum we hear the Writings being called "the New Word" or "the New Revelation"; that is, they stand apart in their own right as a Word in fullness for a new age.
     The opening numbers of the fourth volume of the Arcana Coelestia, 2894-2900, throw considerable light on the apparent confusion which arises, in part, from the terminology of the Writings themselves.
     AC 2895 lists the Words that have existed up to the time preceding the Writings:

1) "one Word in the Most Ancient Church which was before the flood" (the Most Ancient Word)

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2) "another in the Ancient Church which was after the flood" (the Ancient Word)

3) "then the Word written through Moses and the Prophets in the Jewish Church" (the Old Testament)

4) "and finally the Word written through the Evangelists in the new church" (the New Testament).

     It is noteworthy that this number states that the Old Testament constitutes one Word and the New Testament a separate Word, and indeed that the Words which preceded these latter Words were also separate Words. Each Word stood as a Divine revelation in fullness, that is, each is a Word in its own right and each contained its own internal sense, as is shown in the numbers that follow. It seems, therefore, that it would be wrong to call the Old and New Testaments collectively "the Word," as the passages quoted above plainly state that they constituted separate Words for those churches. For the same reason, it would be equally wrong to call the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Writings collectively "the Word." Neither are the Writings the internal sense of the Old Testament and the New Testament, as these two Words are shown each to have its own internal sense.
     By definition, a complete Word, that is, a Word in its own right, must have its own internal sense as it is "the internal sense that makes the Word to be Divine" (AC 1540). The internal sense of each of these four Words is discussed in the opening numbers of AC, volume 4 as follows:

     a) It is clear that the Most Ancient Word was at one with the internal sense because the people of that church "were celestial men, and consequently in the perception of good and truth like the angels" (AC 2896), and because "in the internal sense it [the Word] treats of the Lord alone because all good and truth are from Him" (AC 2895); also, the "representatives and significatives, which, when communication with angels began to cease, were collected by those who were meant by Enoch."

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These representatives and significatives were of the internal sense (see AC 2899, 3393).

     b) The Word of the Ancient Church was "a written Word which consisted of historical and prophetical parts, like the Word of the Old Testament" (AC 2897, emphasis added). This Ancient Word had an internal sense of its own as is plainly stated in these words: "that Word had also an internal sense" (Ibid.). The word "also" is significant for it is a direct statement, in contrast to the indirect statements given in a) above, that the Most Ancient Word had its own internal sense. AC 2898 also confirms that the Ancient Word had its own internal sense.

     (c)The Word of the Old Testament was given next, as we are told in these words: "A Word afterwards succeeded in the Jewish Church, which in Eke manner was written by means of representatives and significatives, to the intent that it might contain in it an internal sense understood in heaven, and that thus by means of the Word a communication might be effected, and the Lord's kingdom in the heavens might be united with the Lord's kingdom on earth. Unless all the things contained in the Word represent, and unless all the expressions by means of which those things are written signify, the Divine things belonging to the Lord, consequently the spiritual and celestial things that are of His Kingdom, the Word is not Divine" (AC 2899).

     d) Then follows the indirect statement that the Word of the New Testament contains its own internal sense, namely: "As concerns the Word of the New Testament written by the Evangelists, inasmuch as the Lord spoke from the Divine itself, therefore also all the things spoken by Him were representative and significative of Divine things, consequently of the celestial things of His kingdom and church, as has been frequently shown in the preceding pages" (AC 2900).

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When this passage is considered in the light of the passage just quoted from the preceding number, AC 2899, stating that a Word written by means of representatives and significatives contains an internal sense, it is clear that this is in fact a direct statement that the Word of the New Testament contains its own internal sense. Also, AC 217 states directly that this Word had its own internal sense: " . . . at this day . . . the internal sense of the Word has been lost." That this Word had an internal sense is also clear from AR 820, where it is said that the union of the Human with the Divine was effected "by the fulfillment of all the things of the Word. [This was done] not only by the fulfillment of all the things of the Word in its natural sense but also the fulfillment of all the things of the Word in its spiritual sense and in its celestial sense. . . ."

     So it has been clearly stated that the Old and New Testaments are two separate and complete Words, not parts of one whole, and that each contains its own internal sense, just as the Ancient and Most Ancient Words were complete and separate, each containing its own internal sense. Apart from these statements in the Arcana, it follows from reason that if each Word is separate (as is seen from the list in AC 2895), each must have its own internal sense, because if any one of these four separate Words had lacked an internal sense, there would have been no communication with heaven, and the people of that church would have perished instantly, for communication is by means of the internal sense (see AC 2310, 2899). That this has never happened is stated in AC 2895: "The Word has existed at all times because by means of the Word there is a communication of heaven with earth."
     Where, then, do we stand with the Writings? From the above-quoted numbers in the Arcana it is obvious that we do not have a "threefold Word," as the Old and New Testaments stood alone as separate and complete Words for the people of those churches. It is also obvious that the Writings are not the internal sense of the Old and New Testaments for, as these numbers in the Arcana tell us, each of these Words has its own internal sense.

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The terms "Heavenly Doctrines" and "Writings" beg the question: What is the nature of this new revelation?
     Four Words are listed in AC 2895, and the composition of each as to its internal and external senses is described in the subsequent passages, nos. 2896-2900. These four Words, complete as to internal and external senses, served the people of those churches. This takes us up to the time of the last judgment. Now we have a new church and a new revelation.
     The explanation of the prophecies of the Second Coming tells us that the Lord will come again in the Word, and also tells us the nature of this Word and the quality of the people who will receive it, as follows:

A) "'the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with glory and vigor' signifies 'that He is going to appear in the Word'" (AR 820).
     
B) "By 'the clouds of heaven' in which He is going to come nothing else is understood but the Word in the sense of the letter, and by 'the glory' in which they are going to see Him, the Word in the spiritual sense" (AR 24). It does not say that the Lord came in the clouds and will come in glory. The future tense is used twice: He is going to come in the sense of the letter, and they are going to see Him in the spiritual sense. This sense of the letter and this spiritual sense apply to the Word which was to come.
     
(c) "Having a Name written that no one knew but Himself . . . By 'that no one knew but Himself is signified that no one sees but the Lord Himself and he to whom he reveals it, . . . that is, what the Word is like in the spiritual sense" and that "no one sees that sense from the Lord unless he is in Divine truths from Himself' (AR 824); also that "the internal sense of the Word is not seen except in heaven, and by those . . . in love to the Lord and thence in faith in the Lord" (AC 2760, which number is explaining the same prophecies in the Apocalypse).

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In these passages we are told that the Second Coming would be made in the Word, that this Word would have a sense of the letter and a spiritual sense, and that the spiritual sense would be revealed only to those who are in love to the Lord.
     Why are we so hesitant to espouse the idea that this new revelation, given for a new age, is a new Word, complete with its internal and external senses, as was each preceding Word? Possibly this reluctance stems from our love for the Old and New Testaments and our concern that they are not diminished by a new Word. Far from being diminished, the Old and New Testaments are now illuminated by the Divine Human of the Lord. Indeed, more than this, the Ancient Word incorporated the representatives and significatives of the Most Ancient Word as collected by those who were meant by Enoch (see AC 2896); the Old Testament Word incorporates parts of the Ancient Word in The Wars of Jehovah and The Enunciations (see AC 2897), and in this way also incorporates remnants of the Most Ancient Word; the New Testament Word incorporates parts of the Old Testament Word and, through it, parts of the two earlier Words. The Writings, in their turn, incorporate parts of the Words of the New and Old Testaments and the Ancient Word and, through this latter, parts of the Most Ancient Word. In this way, parts of all the preceding Words have been renewed and elevated for, being included in this new Word, they themselves have become a part of the revelation for the "crown of all the churches," a part of the Divine Human of the Lord.
     In drawing conclusions about the nature of the new revelation, it would be well for us to consider the implications of the following teachings:

     a) Each previous Word had its own internal sense (see AC 217, 2895-2900).

     b) ". . . the unition of the Human with the Divine was effected . . . not only by all the things of the Word in its natural sense but also the fulfillment of all the things of the Word in its spiritual sense and in its celestial sense . . . " (AR 820).

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     c) ". . . at this day . . . the internal sense of the Word has been lost" (AC 217).

     d) "He said, 'Behold, I am making all things new,' by which is signified that He is going to effect the last judgment and then create a new heaven and a new land, and also a new church, with all things collectively and separately that are in them" (AR 886, emphasis mine).

     e) "'And My new Name' signifies the worship of the only Lord with new things that*have not been in the former church" (AR 196, emphasis mine).

     Does not this Word of the New Church stand alone as a complete Word for the age of the New Church?


P.S. I had already written the article above before reading Rev. Norman Riley's article, "The Word," in the January 1990 issue of NCL. I would like to add that I fully support his views.
GENERAL CHURCH VIDEO COMMITTEE 1990

GENERAL CHURCH VIDEO COMMITTEE       Rev. Geoffrey H. Howard       1990

     ANNUAL REPORT 1989

     The General Church Video Committee exists for the purpose of producing video tapes to disseminate the teachings of the New Church to our members, to extend the influence of New Church education, and to serve the uses of evangelization.
     Before we were able to undertake any serious production, funds were required to purchase basic equipment capable of producing quality results. Thanks to the generosity of the Bryn Athyn Society's Evangelization Committee and some private donations, we have been able to acquire some of that basic equipment.
     We are also fortunate in that the General Church has set aside several rooms in the basement of Cairncrest to house our studio complex. One of our principal efforts this year has been directed toward planning and equipping this studio. A milestone was reached at the end of December when it went into operation for the first time.

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     The board of the Video Committee consists of members representing the interests of the General Church, the Academy, and the Bryn Athyn Society. There are some with technical expertise and others with business acumen.
     Stanley Rose has been a pioneer in fostering the video dream for the General Church. His technical knowledge of the field as well as his vision have been of great value in furthering our cause. Unfortunately, owing to poor health he could no longer devote the time to this work as he had in the past. However, we were most fortunate to secure the services of Mr. Robert Heinrichs, who has volunteered to serve as studio manager for the immediate future. He has taken up this demanding task with enthusiasm, zeal and industry. Not only has he seen the studio through to completion, but he has also appointed and trained several camera crews, and is providing for the logistics to make the tapes available.
     Very soon we will have a growing library of services of worship (filmed in our studio) available for general distribution. This will be followed by talks on the basic doctrines of the church, by study tapes on specific works of the Writings, by certain religion courses in college, and many other things. To further the professional development of New Church education we are planning to film sessions of the Education Council to be held this coming summer.
     To date our whole operation is run by volunteer help, with the exception of three Academy student workers. This, of course, limits the scope of what we can do, but good things are happening. We want to demonstrate the role which we believe the video medium holds in leading people to discover the treasure house of Divine wisdom contained in the Heavenly Doctrines of the New Jerusalem.
     Rev. Geoffrey H. Howard,
          Chairman
Title Unspecified 1990

Title Unspecified       Editor       1990

     Don't forget the Assembly by the Lake in June of 1991!

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Editorial Pages 1990

Editorial Pages       Editor       1990

     LATIN LEXICON COMPLETED

     With pleasure we pass along the news of the completion of A Lexicon to the Latin Text of the Theological Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg. We congratulate the Swedenborg Society and the editor, Dr. John Chadwick.
     Not only do we now have available the full lexicon but also a 28-page supplement. A note in this supplement expresses gratitude to Miss Madeline Waters, Secretary of the Swedenborg Society and to two experts, Rev. Norman Ryder and Rev. Jonathan Rose.
     This lexicon "aims to include every Latin word used by Swedenborg in his theological works, that is to say, from the time of the opening of his spiritual sight in 1745 to his death in 1772." It is fifteen years since New Church Life first began mentioning this ambitious work. The first installment was announced in the July issue of 1975. And the next month we had a letter from Rev. Norbert Rogers which noted that "not only is Dr. Chadwick an internationally known classical scholar, but is also a well versed student of the Writings and so is well qualified to be in charge of this important project." Mr. Rogers went on to say, "I am gratified that the small grants from the General Church Publication Committee and by the Swedenborg Scientific Association helped to launch this project, but our major thanks are due to Dr. Chadwick and to the Swedenborg Society."
     We published a review in December of 1975, and when the work had progressed further we published another review in June of 1981. We reviewed the work again in July of 1985 and there noted that there are some 1,300 words beginning with the letter "C." At that time we reproduced some pages from the lexicon so that readers might have a clear idea of its nature.
     Like a journey of a thousand miles this project began with a single step. There must have been times when the goal seemed impossibly far off.

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How gratifying it is now to have this tool available to its full scope, and to congratulate those who participated and succeeded in this long undertaking.
     
     THE BULLETIN

     There is a lively new publication out there. It has a mailing address: The Bulletin, Box 578, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.
          The 24-page slim pocket-sized first issue is very inviting. It begins with an interview of a therapist who has counseled many Swedenborgians over the past thirty years. Readers may be surprised (disappointed?) to read the observation that Swedenborgians have "a very simple kind of world view." The interviewer asked whether we are not, on the contrary, "overly intellectual in our approach to life and faith."
     The interesting answer includes the phrase: "I don't see a whole lot of guilt with the Swedenborgians that I have counselled." He does see people who have been affected by alcohol, directly or indirectly. He sees people who have felt unloved since childhood. Some troubled people "spend much time blaming their parents." Is it okay to blame parents? "Only for the first 18 years . . . . From that point on it is a copout to blame their parents."
     The therapist, himself a theologian, regards what he calls "religion" as a frequently negative element. Does he see the Swedenborgian religion as negative? "In my experience it does not seem to get in the way of individual growth. I have not treated a Swedenborgian I haven't liked."
     The issue also includes stimulating items by Clark Echols, James Junge, Hans Schoenberger and Leon Rhodes. There is a two-page book review by therapist Jay Lermitte. The book is Victor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning. Frankl came to his reflections as he experienced life in a Nazi concentration camp. Since there is no way we can keep up with the books that are being published, it is helpful to have reviews like this. We hope we will see more reviews in coming issues of The Bulletin.

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GUIDED TOUR OF THE CATHEDRAL 1990

GUIDED TOUR OF THE CATHEDRAL       Editor       1990

     We are now in the midst of the "guiding season" at the Bryn Athyn cathedral. The number of visitors to the building is greatest in the spring and in the autumn.
     The volunteers who do the guiding do an excellent job. A survey was taken of just under 400 people who had toured the cathedral. Among other things they were asked to rate the guide under various headings. Under "warm and friendly" 87% gave the guide the highest rating, and 1% gave the lowest rating. Under "informative" 85% gave the highest rating and 1% the lowest. Under "responsive to questions" 86% gave the highest rating.
     Did they expect to visit the cathedral again? 33% said "definitely," and 52% said "probably." 13% said they probably would not.
     It is a pleasure reading through the comments people made. For example:

     The kindness and warmth of all I encountered was remarkable and greatly appreciated.

     Your cathedral is a secret. You should spread the word.

     We had an excellent and informative tour. The cathedral is one of the outstanding attractions in this area.

     Each time I've taken guests, foreigners or not, I have enjoyed the courtesy and warmth of the guides.

     Keep it up. It was wonderful.

The photographs on the opposite page exemplify the architectural beauty being enjoyed by visitors.

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[Photographs of the exterior of the cathedral.]

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OPENING AND CLOSING THE WORD 1990

OPENING AND CLOSING THE WORD       Richard R. Gladish       1990



     Communications
Dear Editor:
     It is for us, not for the Lord, that we open the Word and close it.
We know that our Lord God Jesus Christ is with us always-night and day, forever near-as near as we let Him be. We know that without His constant influx into our souls and minds and rationality we would not live, nor be human beings.
     When we open the Word we are saying, in effect, with the child Samuel, "Speak, Lord: Thy servant heareth."
     When we open the Word we are saying, "Now, O Lord, we, with our limited minds, are attentive; we are focusing on Thee. We come now to worship and to learn and to be healed of our spiritual ailments."
     And when we close the Word, we know that the Lord is not gone away. He is still with us, sustaining us by His influx and guiding us through His teachings in our memories.
     But we are saying, "Now, O Lord, we are going to turn our conscious thought away from Thee. We are going to concentrate on our duties, our relationships, and, yes, recreation. We will be thinking about ordinary practical matters of life.
     "We will not suggest, by keeping your Word, the Book or Books, open on the altar that we are still concentrating on Thee and Thy teachings. But our love and our deepest thought and purposes, we hope and acknowledge, are still with Thee."
     The earnest and eloquent plea of Alan G. Ferr in the February issue notwithstanding, I have been in churches where the Word (or a book thereof) is kept open all the time, and I find it vaguely disturbing. It is as if I should pay attention to it, walk more softly. Or, it is as if we had invited the Lord into our house and then ignored Him-or as if we have entered His special house and then passed Him by, our attention on other things.
So it seems to me.
     Richard R. Gladish
          Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania

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MAN BECOMES A CHRISTIAN 1990

MAN BECOMES A CHRISTIAN       Rev. Ray Silverman       1990

Dear Editor:
     I enjoyed your editorial on spiritual growth groups. I agree with you that the self-examination aspect of these groups may indeed increase our appetite for more formal instruction. As I read your comments, the following passage came to mind:

The knowledge of sin is of no avail unless a man examines his own actions and sees whether he has committed any particular deed, either secretly or openly. Before this is done it is all mere knowledge, and what proceeds from the preacher is only sound, passing in at one ear and out the other . . . But it is altogether different when a man examines himself . . . ; then for the first time the instruction heard in church, from sermon and prayer, claims his attention and enters his heart, and the man from being a pagan becomes a Christian (TCR 525, emphasis added).
     Rev. Ray Silverman
          Atlanta, Georgia
MINISTERIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS 1990

MINISTERIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS       Editor       1990

     Rev. Frederick M. Chapin has been called to serve as pastor of the Phoenix Circle effective July 1, 1990.

     Rev. Robert S. Junge has been called to serve as the resident pastor for the Hatboro-Horsham Circle effective February 25, 1990.

     Rev. Grant H. Odhner has been called to serve as pastor of the Oak Arbor, Michigan, Society effective July 1, 1990.

     Rev. John L. Odhner has been called to serve as resident pastor of the Los Angeles Society effective February 4, 1990.

     Rev. Walter E. Orthwein will be teaching in the Academy College and Theological School effective July 1st, 1990.

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TWO LECTURES 1990

TWO LECTURES       Editor       1990



     Announcements






     TWO LECTURES BY EUGENE SCHWARTZ ON EDUCATION AND THE DEVELOPING CHILD are being provided at the Kempton New Church School on June 1st and 2nd. For information phone the Editor: (215) 947-6225.
PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES 1990

PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES       Editor       1990

     GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM

The Right Rev. Louis B. King, Bishop Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania 19009, USA

PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES

Information on public worship and doctrinal classes provided either regularly or occasionally may be obtained at the locations listed below. For details use the local phone number of the contact person mentioned or communicate with the Secretary of the General Church, Cairncrest, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009. Phone (215) 947-6811.

(U.S.A. addresses next month)

AUSTRALIA

Canberra
See Rev. Douglas Taylor under Sydney.

Sydney, N.S.W.
Rev. Douglas Taylor, 22 Dudley Street, Ontario
Penshurst, N.S.W. 2222. Phone: 57-1589.
Tamworth
See Rev. Douglas Taylor under Sydney.

BRAZIL

Rio de Janeiro
Rev. Cristovao Rabelo Nobre, Rua Lina
Teixeira, 109 Apt., Rocha, Rio de Janeiro
R.J. 20970. Phone: 21-201-8455.

CANADA

Alberta
Calgary
Mr. Thomas R. Fountain, 115 Southglen
Drive S.W., Calgary 13, Alberta T2W
OX2. Phone: 403-2557283.

Edmonton
Mrs. Wayne Anderson, 6703-98th Street,
Edmonton, Alberta T6E 3L9. Phone: 403432-1499.

British Columbia
Dawson Creek
Rev. Glenn G. Alden, Dawson Creek Church, 9013 8th St., Dawson Creek, B.C., Canada VIG 3N3. Phone: (office) 604-782-8035; (home) 604-786-5297.

Ontario
Kitchener
Rev. Louis D. Synnestvedt, 58 Chapel Hill Drive, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2G 3W5. Phone: (home) 519-748-5605; (office) 519-748-5802.

Ottawa
Mr. and Mrs. Donald McMaster, 684 Fraser Ave., Ottawa, Ontario K2A 2R8. Phone: (613) 725-0394.

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Toronto Rev. Michael Gladish, 279 Burnhamthorpe Rd.,
Islington, Ontario M9B IZ4. Phone (church): (416) 239-3055.

Quebec
Montreal Mr. Denis de Chazal, 17 Ballantyne Ave.
So., Montreal West, Quebec H4X 2B1.
Phone: (514) 489-9861.

ENGLAND

Colchester
Rev. Christopher Bown,
2 Christ Church Court, Colchester, Essex C03 3AU.
Phone: 0206575644. Letchworth

DENMARK

Copenhagen
Mr. Jorgen Hauptinann, Strandvejen 22,
4040 Jylhnge. Phone: (02) 389968.

Natal
Durban
Rev. James P. Cooper, 30 Perth Road,
Westville 3630, Natal, Republic of South Africa. Phone: 011-27-31-821612.

Transvaal
Transvaal Society
Rev. Andrew Dibb, P.O. Box 816, Kelvin 2054. Republic of South Africa. Phone: (011) 804-2567.

Letchworth
Mr. and Mrs. R. Evans, 24 Berkeley,
Letchworth, Hens. SG6 211A. Phone: 0462-68471.

London
Rev. Frederick Elphick, 21B Hayne Rd.,
Beckenham, Kent BR3 4JA. Phone: 011 - 44-1-658-6320.

Manchester
Rev. Norman E. Riley, 69 Harewood Rd.,
Norden, Rochdale, OLI I 5TTI, England. Phone: 0706 54003.

SCOTLAND

Edinburgh
Mr. and Mrs. N. Laidlaw, 35 Swanspring Ave.,
Edinburgh EH 10-6NA. Phone: 0 314452377.

Glasgow
Mrs. J. Clarkson, Hillview, Bahnore Nr.
Torrance, Glasgow G64 4JA. Phone: Balmore 262.

SOUTH AFRICA

HOLLAND

The Hague
Mr. Ed Verschoor, Olmenlaan 17, 3862 VG Nijkerk.

NEW ZEALAND

Auckland
Mrs. H. Keal, 4 Derwent Cresc., Titirangi, Auckland 7, New Zealand.

NORWAY

Oslo
Mrs. Klaas Biermann, Bakketoppen 10A.
1165 Oslo 11. Phone: (0) 2 283783.

Zululand Kent Manor
Rev. James Cooper, visiting pastor
Mrs. D.G. Liversage, Box 7088, Empangeni Rail. 3910. Natal, South Africa. Phone: 0351-2341.

Mission In South Africa
Rev. Andrew Dibb (address above).

SWEDEN

Jonkoping
Contact Rev. Bjorn A.H. Boyesen, Bruks?ter. Furusjo, S-566 00. Habo. Phone: 039220395.

Stockholm Contact Rev. Bjorn A.H. Boyesen at the above address.

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June 19th Card Game 1990

June 19th Card Game       Editor       1990

68 Questions and Answers from the Book of Revelation
     A unique educational pastime
Plastic-coated cards Printed red on white
     Produced by the Phoenix Circle
          $5.00 per set

General Church Book Center Box 278, Cairncrest Bryn Athyn, PA 19009
Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30-12:00 or by appointment Phone: 215-947-3920

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Notes on This Issue 1990

Notes on This Issue       Editor       1990

Vol. CX                    June, 1990     No. 6               

                         New Church Life

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     Notes on This Issue


     Good things come out of the annual Council of the Clergy meetings. An example is the three-part study by Mark Carlson, and another example is the study by Brian Keith. The latter offered to reduce it in size, and we might have squeezed it into a single issue, but we have decided that it is best presented in full. We regret the need to spread it over two issues.
     Some of our readers were acquainted with Benjamin Nzimande. Those who were not stand to gain something valuable in reading the memorial address in this issue. Something of the inspiring character of this gentleman comes through in this historically informative address by Willard Heinrichs.
     A church is being dedicated in Florida this month. Not many are aware of the enterprising idea that made this possible. A group of students from the Academy College made the trip from Bryn Athyn to South Florida to do the work necessary to get the site ready in time. We are indebted to one of those students, Tryn Clark, for bringing this to our attention and providing the information, and we are indebted to Freya Fitzpatrick for writing it up for our readers (see p. 282).

Camp Northwest. There will be a summer camp in Joseph, Oregon June 30-July 4. The theme will be the healing miracles of the New Testament. For information phone Tom Andrews at (206) 365-2194.
DAILY READINGS 1990

DAILY READINGS       Editor       1990

     Those who follow the daily readings will be reading the end of the longest Psalm (119) on June 15th and n. 109 of TCR.
     Then for a few days there will be a shift from the usual series, and the readings will be from the last chapters of Revelation and from AR 875 and 926. Then after June 19th the seriatim reading of the Psalms and TCR will continue.

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SEEING THE LORD 1990

SEEING THE LORD       Rev. BRIAN W. KEITH       1990

     Adapted Slightly from the Council of the Clergy Paper Given in 1990

     How do we see the Lord? From Scripture and artistic renderings we all have those vital sensual images upon which our thinking must rest. But is that all? How is the Lord visible to us? How will the Lord be visible to us in the next life?

     Heaven is often imagined by religious people as a dwelling with God where they will see and converse with Him. The Levitical blessing speaks of the Lord making His face to shine upon us. A psalmist declared, "seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face evermore" (105:4). In the New Testament we learn that the pure in heart "shall see God" (Matt. 5:8), and little ones in heaven "always see the face of My Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 18:10). Prophecies of the second coming include "every eye will see Him" (Rev. 1:7), and those who serve      Him "shall see His face" (Rev. 22:4).
Such imagery is used in our music. The third verse of hymn 32 reads, "Make Thou Thy Church, O Savior, a lamp of burnished gold, to bear before the nations Thy true light as of old. O teach Thy wand'ring pilgrims by this their path to trace, till clouds and darkness ended, they see Thee face to face" (emphasis added).
     And the third verse of 161 in the Hymnal reads, "Transfigured Thou, 0 Holy One, Thy Face appears in heaven's sun, Adored by angel hosts above, Redeemer, Savior, God of love" (emphasis added).
     In recent years there has been an emphasis on forming a clearer picture of the Lord in the New Testament as the visible God. In a culture that places increasing importance upon personalities this is necessary, especially for those who have perhaps neglected all but the birth and crucifixion stories. As we acquire a greater understanding of the New Testament, it can better be infilled with the truths about the Lord now revealed so that our sight of Him as the Divine Man will be enhanced.

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     Another valuable way to see a visible God is through the various representations that He elsewhere utilizes. How did the Lord manifest Himself to previous churches? How does the Lord show Himself to people on other planets? And most importantly, how does He now appear in the other world? (Will we "see Him face to face"?) Examining these manifestations should expand our understanding of the Lord and increase His visibility for us.

The Most Ancient Church

     The first people on earth thought of the Lord as a Divine Man (see AC 4687:2). From their inner perceptions and external observations of the created universe they could think of the Infinite Existere in no other way.
     Confirming this, the Lord appeared to them in a human form (see AC 49) He undoubtedly employed angels to represent Him, as He would in later churches. However, with the very first people-prior to the existence of angels-the Lord "spoke face to face" (see AC 49; HH 87; SD 2591). While this does not preclude the Lord from employing an angel, or perhaps a preadamite, for His appearances, it may suggest He used a representation in addition to the angels.
     We presume this representation was in a human form; perhaps the Lord ordered the future heavens and projected an image from them. Along this line we note: "heaven then let itself down to them, and the Lord was seen by many in a human form" (AC 10160e; cf. C. Th. Odhner 1912, who suggests He led them by a "sphere of His essential Divine Human").

     The Ancient Church

     The ancients also knew the Lord as a Divine Man (see AC 4692:2, 9193:3). Reports were passed down from the Most Ancients to this effect and the Lord also appeared to them as a Man (see AC 4692:2, 6876).

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     In the Ancient Church there was a desire and genius to portray the Lord with natural images. Their ability to think of His qualities in nature probably led to numerous artistic renderings (and the resultant distorted pictures as they moved away from good).
     One particular portrayal of the Lord is mentioned. "The Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord was pictured by the ancients with radiant circles of a golden color around the head and body of God" (AC 9307:14). It is interesting that Aristotle, who surely was at least influenced by that church, "represented Him to himself with a human face and encompassed about the head with a radiant circle; and that he now knows that the Lord is that very Man" (AC 4658:4).

The Israelitish Church

     From Abraham through Moses and the prophets, the Lord frequently showed Himself in a human form. This was necessary because they "could not otherwise have perceived His presence" (AC 8792). With the Ancients the Lord could inflow into their interiors and so lead them to think of God in a human form even when an external human shape was not present, but these people had become so external that even that was ineffective (see HH 254).
     The paradox of God visible and invisible was prominent here. Moses spoke with the Lord face to face on a regular basis. However, he was told "you cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me and live" (Exodus 33:20). The Lord's appearance was thus in a representative veiled form.
     Angels were the medium employed whom the Lord filled with His "aspect" (TCR 786). At those times they felt they were the Lord, as the Divine spoke through them (see HH 25). Not until afterwards could they recognize it was the Lord speaking.
     The exact form of these epiphanies depended upon their state and occurred when they had their spiritual eyes opened, producing a variety of images (see AC 6832). Even within the same manifestation, individuals would not necessarily see exactly the same scene.

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"When the Lord appeared to the whole congregation on Mount Sinai, that appearing was a vision which was different for the people from what it was for Aaron, and was different for Aaron from what it was for Moses" (AC 1786).

An Old Gray-Headed Man

     One image of the Lord which was particularly powerful to the Ancients was that of an old gray-headed man. "They represented the Lord to themselves as an aged and holy man with a hoary beard" (AC 1124; cf. SD 3355). It is perhaps not surprising that a picture which emphasizes wisdom gained prominence, for it began as the Most Ancient Church was in decline and moving away from love.
     At the end of that church they revered this image of the Lord by exalting old age and growing long white beards, thereby trying to become holy (see AC 1124; cf. SD 5126, 5131, 3355).
     Respect for elders, probably due to the association with Divinity, was commanded: "You shall rise before the gray-headed and honor the presence of an old man and fear your God" (Lev. 19:32). Thus the Lord appeared to them. "When it is said of Moses that he spoke with Jehovah face to face (Exodus 33:11), and that Jehovah knew him face to face (see Deut. 34:10), the meaning is that Jehovah appeared to him in a human form adapted to his reception, which was external, namely, as an old man with a beard, sitting with him-as I have been instructed by the angels. It was from this also that the Jews had no other idea of Jehovah than as of a very old man with a long and snowy beard, who could do greater miracles than other gods" (AC 4299:5).
     This image has a universal quality. It appears on other worlds-however, in a very poor light (see SD 3275, 3281). Once a thief appeared this way. Those on the fourth earth in the starry heaven wish to have beards so, "they always choose and set over them some bearded old man, who is as it were their king and high priest. The common people also worship him, and love to live according to his manner of living, insomuch that they believe that his life is communicated to them; but the more intelligent of them worship God.

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Such a bearded old man, who had been their high priest, was one of those who were with me, and as he had accepted Divine worship from the common spirits and had led them to believe that his life was communicated to them, he was severely punished . . . " (AC 10711). Dragonists prior to the last judgment were also seen in rocky places with "an aged man with a long beard" sitting on the summit (SD 4880).
     Swedenborg also saw celestials who desired long white beards (see SD 5126, 5131; cf. Dan 7:9), indicating that this particular image of the Lord has a value in spite of its inappropriate use elsewhere.

The Christian Church

     The Christian Church saw the Lord in Person. The Infinite flowed into a human form to become God incarnate. The reason for this is, "lest what is Divine should perish in man when he is wholly immersed in bodily and earthly things ... it pleased Jehovah to present Himself such as He actually is, and such as He appears in heaven, namely, as a Divine Man . . . . It is from this that everyone is able to think of the Divine Itself as of a Man, and at the same time of the Lord . . ." (AC 5110:3).
     In addition to redemption and glorification the Lord's presence on earth enables us to have a concrete image of Him in the human form. What was only representative and relatively invisible previously became real with the advent. This is not to say that the external form the Lord took on was better than previous angelic representations, but that with a revelation of truth the Divine could be seen in the Human in a new way, even as we do today.
     So how much should we focus upon that particular human form the Lord had from Mary? Obviously, a physical sight of the Lord is unnecessary. "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29). When the Lord ascended, He would not be viewed again in that form (see John 16:10).

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The Lord does not need to assume a physical presence for us to think of Him as a Man. His life on earth already provides a clear picture. What is more, for the Lord to assume a material form tends to compel belief (see AC 10751), and focuses attention upon His natural man, resulting in an "unbecoming" idea of Him (AC 6876; I suspect this is why so little information is given about His personal and bodily habits).
     It is of note that we have not been left any physical picture of the body from Mary. (The Shroud of Turin has been discredited as another Biblical hoax, except in the eyes of a few true believers.) There are several reasons for this. It probably was not very attractive (see Isaiah 53:2). If we direct our thoughts to one particular physical image of a first-century Jewish man, it would tend to confine our thinking and damage the principle that we see the Lord according to our states. Also, everything received from Mary was put off, even as the Human was fully glorified. Sidestepping the issue of the glorified body, whatever physical form existed cannot now limit the glorified Human-there are no nail holes there (cf. AC 10755, TCR 728).
     Historically realistic pictures are appropriate, perhaps especially when we are thinking about the Lord prior to glorification. But other pictures which depict aspects of the Lord's qualities or affirm different ethnic and color variations are equally valid.

The New Church

     Prophecies were made that "He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him" (Rev. 1:7; Matt. 16:28, 26:64), and "they shall see His face" (Rev. 22:4). Also, "this new church is the crown of all the churches which have up to now existed upon earth, because it will worship one visible God, in whom is the invisible God, as the soul is in the body" (TCR 787).
     The Christian Church lost a sight of God because falsities stemming from evil distorted the simple image of His nature which early Christianity had. When a sight of His qualities is lost, then no physical picture will produce a visible God.

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     A new revelation has given us a new vision of the Lord's Human. "The Lord's Human, after it was glorified or made Divine, cannot be thought of as human but as the Divine love in human form" (AC 4735:2). The qualities of the Lord which are now seen in the Writings enable us to infill whatever particular image we use. This is essentially how the Lord becomes visible for us-not by viewing a sensual picture, but by seeing who He really is, which now is only possible from the Heavenly Doctrines. As an understanding of and appreciation for the Divine love develops, then its form of Divine truth presented in the threefold Word produces a complete picture of the Visible God.

Seeing the Lord in Spirit

     Essentially we see the Lord within. He "can be approached and seen in the mind's eye" from faith (TCR 339:3; see also AC 6843). This is also described as an "internal looking" (AC 6849).
     In general, the face of the Lord is equated with all the Divine truths which emanate from Him (see AC 10579:6, 8443, 9297:2). They portray His goodness and love. "By their means" the Lord is recognized and acknowledged (AR 938:2). Each truth from the Word "is a mirror in which we see the Lord" (TCR 508e, 767). So "they who are in enlightenment when reading the Word see the Lord . . . [which] is effected in the Word alone, and not in any other writing whatever" (AC 9411; see also TCR 777:2 and AC 9405). Thus we "can be so elevated into wisdom as even to see God" (DLW 66).
     This concept is expanded where w ' e are taught that seeing the Lord's face "means seeing Him in the interiors of the Word, of the church, and of worship" (AE 412:16).
     But He is not seen anywhere unless good is present (see AC 10579:8). As the will and understanding are joined in the process of regeneration, a person is "being moved by love to the Lord and thereby beholding Him" (HH. 39). Willing good renders the Lord present, for "the commandments teach life and also give life, and thus open the way to heaven, and the sight to the Lord" (AC 8767e; cf. AC 3882, 5302, 7056:3, 8512, 8792; TCR 339:3).

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     Moreover, the Lord can be seen correspondentially throughout the created universe, in the Holy Supper and in prayer (see TCR 728; DLW 129).

Swedenborg's Sight of the Lord

     In addition to an internal sight of the Lord, the Writings provide us with many instances of His external representation which confirm and increase the images found in the Old and New Testaments.
     The Lord appeared to Swedenborg several times in a variety of ways. Initially He called Swedenborg to the office of revelator. (See "The Lord's Personal Manifestation to Swedenborg" where the Rev. Carl Th. Odhner gives an excellent account of these appearances.) Thereafter the record is emphatic on its being the Lord in a human form speaking to him. "For it has pleased the Lord to manifest Himself to me and to send me to teach" (CL 1; see also TCR 777, 779; Inv. 43, 52).
     The Lord appeared in human form to Swedenborg on other occasions (see SD 2474; AE 78). Once He appeared in a dream and then immediately afterwards when he had awakened (see SDm 4791). Swedenborg noted several times when the Lord appeared to him so that at first he thought it was the Lord Himself (see SD 2990). It is then explained that it was an angel through whom the Lord was present.
     Spirits were not above presenting themselves to him as the Lord. One stood on Swedenborg's head for about an hour and appeared to be good (see SD 3010). But this spirit had mimicked a genuine representation in an artificial way that was not the Lord. Another spirit attempted to persuade Swedenborg he was the Lord, apparently to deceive him, but Swedenborg did not believe him (see SD 3249).
     Swedenborg also saw the Lord as the spiritual sun. "It has also been granted me to see the Lord thus as a sun. I see Him now before my face; and for several years I have so seen Him" (DLW 13 1; HH 85; DP 135; Influx 4). This appearance was not as a constant fiery ball before his eyes, but rather as a light (see HH 143).

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     His ability to see the Lord in the sun was not automatic with the opening of his spiritual eyes. At first he could not see the Lord as a sun but only as a moon (see AC 1531). By the time of Heaven and Hell he reported that the sun was seen by him only "sometimes" (HH 118). While it is hazardous to draw conclusions from such scant evidence, these references could suggest that the spiritual sun can be seen by the angels in the human form but not with the external shape of a body. Perhaps this is through the light and heat of the spiritual sun in a way we cannot imagine.

     [To be concluded]
In Our Contemporaries 1990

In Our Contemporaries       Editor       1990

     Issue number 5 of The Swedenborg Society Magazine has arrived. It is a handsome red publication of 32 pages. There are short reviews of some books that are not easy to review; for example: Heaven, a History by McDannel and Lang. In this book Swedenborg "is the only writer allocated the best part of a whole chapter, and he gets a fair bit of the following chapter too." There is an exceedingly brief review of Swedenborg and His Influence edited by E. J. Brock and others. It is good to see a two-page review of Emanuel Swedenborg: Essential Readings. We have heard that Harper and Row may be handling this book now in the USA. The extracts from the Writings (compiled by Dr. Michael Stanley) "are drawn from the full range of Swedenborg's writings, including some that are perhaps less familiar. They are arranged under subject headings."
     The editor, Rev. F. C. Elphick, has good input. In an article called "Life as a Dream" the former Swedish Ambassador "speculates on the effect of Swedenborg's contact with the Moravians." There are contributions from Dr. John Chadwick, including his address to the Swedenborg Society entitled "Swedenborg and His Readers."

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MEMORIAL ADDRESS FOR REV. BENJAMIN I. NZIMANDE 1990

MEMORIAL ADDRESS FOR REV. BENJAMIN I. NZIMANDE       Rev. WILLARD L. D. HEINRICHS       1990

     A few short days ago a faithful priest of the New Church, an esteemed colleague, a friend, a man who was a devoted husband, a beloved father and grandfather, was suddenly, in a tragic accident, taken from this natural life. The minds and hearts of those who had the good fortune to know Rev. Benjamin Nzimande are filled with sorrow and a deep sense of loss. Something very precious is gone from this world. A unique and precious form of use has apparently been taken from our midst.
     To those who knew him, Benjamin Nzimande was indeed a unique and inspiring embodiment of use. As a tireless laborer in the Lord's vineyard for over half a century, Mfundisi Nzimande, as he was affectionately known by his European colleagues, had on other people a profound impact for good, spiritual and natural. In all his dealings at home and abroad and often under incredibly difficult circumstances, he served as an inspiring reminder of the teaching of the Lord that "no man is ever born for the sake of any other end than that he may perform a use to the society in which he is, and to the neighbor, while he lives in the world, and a use in the other life according to the good pleasure of the Lord" (AC 1103:2).
     It is because he was so useful in this world that our sorrow cannot long endure and our sense of loss is soon softened. For we know that the kingdom into which Mfundisi Nzimande has now awakened is a kingdom of uses. We are comforted with the remembrance that all who have longed to be of use in this life, after death are gifted by the Lord with wisdom, happiness, peace and joy according to the uses they perform from the affection of their will.
     Still, if Benjamin Nzimande were consciously with us now, he would probably be embarrassed. He would probably prefer that we should remember that man-that he-is nothing apart from the Lord. Rather than speaking about himself he would prefer to turn our attention to such teachings of the Word as the one in our lesson that "so far as man is in the love of use, so far is he in the Lord, so far he loves the Lord and loves the neighbor, and so far he is a man" (D. Love XIII).

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     Such beautiful and practical teachings as this, Mfundisi Nzimande loved. Such teachings he seemed to exemplify in the deeds of his life. For this reason we cannot let the opportunity pass without speaking a little of his life and uses.
     Benjamin Nzimande was born and spent his boyhood days along the Umkomazi River in a most beautiful, rural location known as Enkumba. He grew up surrounded by bright green hills and the purple peaks of the Drakensburg Mountains. While the uses of the church in later life called for his presence in the crowded, heavily populated townships of the urban areas of South Africa, he always longed to return permanently to the rural life of his boyhood home.
     Benjamin did not begin his life in the New Church. He was raised in the Presbyterian Church, the United Free Church of Scotland. It was through his wife, Hilda Felani Radebe, that as a young man in his early twenties he was introduced to the Heavenly Doctrines. In later years he sometimes jokingly mused as to whether that was the most orderly way for a man to enter the New Church, but enter it he did with all his heart and soul! It was not long after he and Hilda were joined in marriage by the late Bishop Elmo Acton that Mr. Nzimande entered into theological training under the direction of Rev. Fred Elphick, who was for many years the Superintendent of the South Africa Mission. Mfundisi Nzimande was inaugurated into the priesthood in 1938 by Bishop George de Charms. Thus was launched a ministry that was to span more than fifty years, continuing to the very day of his passing from this world.
     Although from the beginning Mfundisi Nzimande was an able and dedicated priest, his efforts to perform his duties were fraught with challenges. In the early years he and his family, rain or shine, had to walk or travel by horseback eight miles to church. Later, through the good offices of Rev. Martin Pryke, a church building was erected some five miles from his home at Deepdale.

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Thirty years would pass before the civil authorities would grant permission for the erection of a New Church building in the Enkumba location. Even more years would pass before Mr. Nzimande's long cherished dream of a proper church building at Enkumba would be realized. Amidst great rejoicing, a New Church building was dedicated there by Bishop Louis King in August of 1981.
But Mr. Nzimande had to meet and overcome even graver challenges in the early years of his ministry. The division in the General Church over what was called the Hague Position caused a greater disturbance in the Mission in South Africa than it did in the General Church at large. Although it might have been to Mr. Nzimande's financial advantage to leave the General Church, he could not in conscience do so. In mind and heart he, along with a number of his colleagues, affirmed the doctrinal orientation of the General Church. He remained a zealous pastor, preaching and teaching in our Mission church even though this required that he seek full-time employment in a secular position. This decision was doubly difficult considering the fact that during this time and in the decades to follow, Benjamin and Hilda were to become the proud and devoted parents of ten children. Three of their children left this life before reaching maturity. Those that remained, under the loving and diligent guidance of their parents, grew up to be committed, intelligent and contributing members of the New Church.
     Years and the Second World War passed, and gradually the General Church was moved to take up again something of the financial support of its Mission priests. Happily, Mfundisi Nzimande, who was now a priest in the second degree, was able to leave his secular employment and devote his full energies to his pastoral duties in the Enkumba district. Not many more years passed before it was realized that Benjamin was an unusually sensitive and gifted shepherd of his people. As one superintendent expressed it, he is a most sincere and diligent man, well suited to the priestly and organizational aspects of government. Accordingly Mr. Nzimande became Assistant Superintendent of the South African Mission, a post he filled with distinction for the next twenty years, up until 1981. The Mfundisi was not a man to aggressively assert authority over his fellow ministers.

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Gradually, through diligence, gentle bending, and an infectious self-deprecating sense of humor, he won the respect and support of those under his charge. This is not to suggest that he was not zealous in his governmental position.      Especially in later years, when he saw the welfare of the Mission and its uses in any way threatened, he could rise and stoutly remonstrate with his fellows, and within his province take deliberate action to redress the problem. It was in his position as Assistant Superintendent that a whole succession of European ministers came to know and love the Mfundisi. Rev. Messrs. Wynne Acton, Dan Heinrichs, Peter Buss, Willard Heinrichs and Norman Riley, each in turn, were to have many occasions wherein together for days at a time they would travel the Republic of South Africa with Mfundisi Nzimande. He was a thoughtful and altogether delightful friend and companion. Although he obviously had his own perceptive and penetrating understanding of the Word and its application, he would never miss an opportunity to probe and delight in the doctrinal and practical understanding of his fellow priests. At the same time, with those who cared, he was prepared to share his deep awareness of the culture and traditions of the African people.
     Most of the time, in pursuing his duties as a general pastor, Mfundisi Nzimande traveled alone, enduring difficulties and hardships that most priests of the General Church could hardly imagine. To make his quarterly visits to the far-flung societies of the Mission church, suitcase and briefcase in hand, he would walk many miles down dusty or muddy roads, ride crowded buses always verging on breakdown, and try to sleep on trains almost wholly lacking in creature comforts. Despite these challenges, within the space of a few short days, with the keen perception of an experienced pastor, he could sense the state and discern the problems of the society he was visiting. In time he came to know virtually every member of the Mission church personally. His reports on pastoral visits were always prompt, brief, usually presented with a touch of humor. They included essentials, but no more than what he thought would be useful and helpful for the superintendent to know.

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Being well aware of the suffering and hardships of his people, Mr. Nzimande was very reluctant to, as it were, tell tales out of school.
     While filling the office of Assistant Superintendent, the Mfundisi continued as a full-time pastor of the Mission church. Leaving Enkumba in 1964, he moved to the Durban area, taking up residence in Clermont township, a crowded, struggling, for the most part poverty-stricken African suburb of Durban. Despite the fact that legal restrictions and bureaucratic foot-dragging long prevented the building of a proper church house, the Clermont Society under Mr. Nzimande's leadership grew to be one of the largest and most active of the Mission societies. On a Sunday morning the living room of the manse was always literally bursting at the seams. Visitors from overseas and from our European societies never failed to be moved to tears by the powerful sphere of worship there, and especially by the singing of the Lord's prayer in Zulu, led by Nzimande's daughters.
     As with Enkumba, so with Clermont; Mfundisi Nzimande's dream of having a church building erected there for the congregation never died. It required the sturdy efforts of three superintendents in succession to overcome legal hurdles, but finally in 1980 a small but adequate building was erected which the society could regard as its spiritual center. Amidst great rejoicing, this structure was dedicated by Bishop Louis King in August of 1981.
     By this time Mr. Nzimande was in his seventieth year and looking forward to retirement with his wife in his beloved home at Enkumba. But real retirement was never to come. Although he relinquished his responsibilities as Assistant Superintendent, his priestly dedication to the welfare of the church caused him to soldier on with his pastoral duties. There being no priests to replace him, he willingly continued to serve as the resident pastor of the Clermont Society and as visiting pastor to the Enkumba Society. Despite failing health and the passing away of the wife he so dearly loved, he remained an active and faithful priest to the very end.
     We could speak of Mfundisi Nzimande's contribution as an instructor in theology in the Mission Theological School, of his role in the workings of the young people's winter school, and of his many other contributions, but in closing we would dwell on just one more important aspect of Mfundisi Nzimande's life-his orientation to the New Church and specifically to the General Church.

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     Along with so many of the African people in his country, Mr. Nzimande suffered countless indignities and untold humiliation at the hands of those that controlled the political and social affairs of his community. He had every reason to be angry, bitter and resentful with people of European origin. But somehow he managed to raise himself above the difficulties between the races. To him the church and its uses really were the neighbor in the higher degree. Although the Mission church had a separate identity most of his life, Mfundisi Nzimande in word and deed was unswervingly loyal to the doctrinal orientation, government and practices of the General Church. Speaking for the priests and laity of the Mission he wrote the following in a letter to Bishop King in 1978: "All along we have thought of ourselves as being part and parcel of the General Church; we have looked to Bryn Athyn as our home and center. We have thought of ourselves as being all under the same umbrella. We are episcopal in our form of government, and intend remaining such; . . . we want to keep the Bryn Athyn style of worship and uphold the purity of the doctrines of the New Church."
     Against this background we can appreciate the delight and satisfaction Mr. Nzimande felt when in 1972 he became the first African minister to preach a sermon to the white congregation in Durban. It was with even greater pleasure that two years later he was able to accept an invitation to journey to Bryn Athyn to participate in the meetings of the Council of the Clergy. Many in this community still remember the wise and moving sermon he preached in this cathedral entitled "What Is Man?"
     During the decade that followed, the future of the Mission church was somewhat clouded with uncertainty. This brought great disquiet to the soul of Mfundisi Nzimande. Happily, as the events unfolded, these feelings began to be dispelled. In 1985 Mr. Nzimande, along with the other members of the Mission, was invited to seek official membership in the General Church.

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He was received as a member of this body which he loved in September of 1985.
     What a crowning joy it must have been to the dear Mfundisi when just this past month he and his Mission colleagues were welcomed as members of the Council of the Clergy of the General Church and were received as General Church priests. Not only this but the societies of the Mission that he so faithfully served in so many important roles during all the days of his adult life were received as societies of the General Church.
     When we cast our minds back, then, over the life and uses of Benjamin Nzimande, we can find so much to esteem, honor and be grateful for, especially when we can be pretty sure that the good Mfundisi would quickly redirect this esteem, honor and gratitude to the Lord. We can draw great comfort and inspiration from the realization that he must now be in the arms of his loving wife and those of his children who have preceded him into the spiritual world. Perhaps we can almost hear our Lord saying "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord." Amen.

[Photograph of Mr. Nzimande.]

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EVOLUTION, THE LIMBUS, AND HEREDITARY EVIL 1990

EVOLUTION, THE LIMBUS, AND HEREDITARY EVIL       Rev. MARK R. CARLSON       1990

     II. THE THEORY OF EVOLUTION

The Danger of the Theory

     The notion that nature created itself is a common line of reasoning in hell, and one that is as ancient as evil itself The Writings tell us it was possible to deny God with the intellect long before the theory of evolution.1 The real danger of the theory now is that even the simple-minded are affected by its sophisticated arguments against God.
     Also of concern is the fact that many evolutionists appear to debunk everything related to religion. A typical example of this may be seen in Richard Dawkins' book, The Selfish Gene. In it he demonstrates the so-called "creative" possibilities that can result from random replication errors. The inherently unreasonable and illogical notion that a random process can "create" life and the wondrous variety of its forms is, of course, the fundamental flaw in neo-Darwinian theory and must be supported and defended at all costs or the theory collapses. Dawkins writes:


     We tend to regard erratic copying as a bad thing, and in the case of human documents it is hard to think of examples where errors can be described as improvements. I suppose the scholars of the Septuagint could at least be said to have started something big when they mistranslated the Hebrew word for "young woman" into the Greek word for "virgin," coming up with the prophecy:" Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son . . . ."2

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But Dawkins does not end his foolishness here. The theme of this book is that the only purpose behind living organisms, including man, is the preservation of the "gene" and its ability to replicate itself To this end he sees all animals, including man, as nothing but lumbering robots within which our genes remain safely sealed off from the outside world, manipulating that world for the sake of their own survival by remote control. He writes,

     They are in you and in me; they created us body and mind; and their preservation is the ultimate rationale for our existence. They have come a long way, those replicators. Now they go by the name of genes, and we are their survival machines.3

Evolution and the Writings

     There can be no doubt that the scientific evidence in favor of some form of transmutation process is massive. And there is really no reason to deny this possibility from the point of view of New Church doctrine. We do not hold to the Fundamentalist view first put forward by Archbishop James Ussher that the world was created in the year 4004 B.C. at nine o'clock in the morning! Nor would we wish to question the results of radiometric methods in establishing the age of the earth as do many Fundamentalists. From the point of view of the doctrines we can easily accept that the earth is billions of years old.
     Moreover, certain doctrines suggest to us that a form of evolution may have been the mechanism whereby the Lord created the diversity of life on earth. We are told that the Lord introduces order into man and into universal nature by successive formations.4 We are also informed that the three kingdoms of nature provide a mechanism whereby the Lord's life reaches down to ultimates and returns to Him through higher and higher uses and lastly returns to Him through mankind,5 and that everything in nature has relation to the human form.6

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     Since these teachings make it clear that there is, so to speak, a "spiritual chain" through which all things are connected, would not the law of correspondence also demand a natural chain of connection? This could be such a fanciful connection as is suggested in the Worship and Love of God, where each order of plants gives birth to a corresponding order of animals, and where mankind is said to have arisen from a tree!7 We also have the suggestion of a process of increasing perfection in mankind in the teachings concerning the growth of pre-men or preadamites into a race of actual men.8 Furthermore, there is at least a hint of some kind of physiological change that took place after the fall of the Most Ancient Church when mankind moved from internal breathing to external breathing.9
     In addition to the above, we have to deal with the doctrines which appear to teach the spontaneous creation of evil animals and plants after the fall.10 And Swedenborg himself seemed to think that some sort of spontaneous creation continues to exist.11 Many simply take these as scientific errors on his part, and certainly all the evidence seems to suggest that this is the case, though he was well within the scientific thinking of his day. However, it must be said that no clear case can be made from the literal statements of the Writings for the process whereby the great variety of living things appeared on this planet. The only thing we know for certain is that whatever that process may have been, the hand of God was behind it.

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Natural Selection Demonstrated

     Because it is impossible to verify by experiment or direct observation as in normal science, the neo-Darwinian theory of evolution is more a theory of historical reconstruction than a scientific theory. We cannot go back and observe what really happened. But one important aspect of the theory has been supported by observation.
     It is testimony to the theoretical nature of the theory that it took over a century for empirical evidence to demonstrate the workings of natural selection in nature. This evidence was to wait until the early 1950s when Bernard Kettlewell conducted the now-famous studies of the British peppered moth. It was well known that a century ago this moth was light colored, which matched it to the light backgrounds of the trees and lichen-covered rocks of its environment. Today the same species of moth is predominantly dark in color. By a series of simple experiments Kettlewell demonstrated that light-colored moths survived better in unpolluted forests while dark-colored moths survived better in polluted woods. This was the first hard evidence that natural selection actually worked in nature.12
     There is also clear evidence that it is possible for one species to change into another species through changes imposed by natural selection and population isolation. In Europe there are two distinct species of gull, the herring gull and the black-backed gull. They do not interbreed and are quite different in appearance and behavior. But it is possible to trace, step by step, the formation of these two species by following the slightly different versions of these birds as traced in habitats around the northern hemisphere. In each case the different races interbreed with the their adjacent races, but at the two ends of the ring, found in Europe, they do not interbreed.13

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Criticisms of the Theory

     While the above aspects of microevolution have been demonstrated as workable in nature, macroevolution (i.e., large-scale evolution of higher taxonomic groups such as genera, classes, and orders) is less well supported. Critics hold that the neo-Darwinian theory as it stands is simply not an adequate or plausible explanation for the origin of life or for the variety of living things. Those within the community of biologists, however, would not agree, and see no reason to doubt the veracity of the theory in regard to macroevolution.14
     Those who criticize the theory often do so from a religious bias, or from the perspective of another field of science. Therefore we should be aware that most of the critics of the theory may not be thoroughly knowledgeable of the intricacies of the synthetic theory. While such explanations do exist and apparently do satisfy most biologists, most of us would agree that something is missing. Whether or not there is any truth to the weaknesses pointed out by the theory's critics, surely we must say that genetic variability and natural selection are only part of a larger mechanism which remains unknown.
     In what follows I will summarize seven difficulties with the theory that have been raised by critics, and go into greater detail with an eighth difficulty.

A Summary of Criticisms

     First there is the problem of speed. According to critics there is as yet no satisfactory way to account for the fact that some species have remained essentially the same for hundreds of millions of years. There is also no accounting for the relatively quick appearance of many complex forms of life, such as the mammals and the birds, nor for the sudden appearance of hair and feathers.

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Likewise, there is no explanation for the sudden appearance of the flowering plants or angiosperms.
     Second, there is the problem of convergence. How is it that completely different evolutionary lines have selected such similar solutions to life by a supposedly random process? For example, there is the remarkable similarity of the structure of the eye in such lines of descent as the vertebrates and cephalopods; the      similarity in the overall shape of both whales and fishes; and the almost identical skeletal structure of the placental and the marsupial dog. If change is based on a purely random mutation one would expect a much greater variety of solutions to the problems of life than are actually found.
     Third, there is the problem of preadaptation. Certain whole organs have appeared in organisms long before they seem to be necessary for survival. Take for example the amniote egg which appeared while reptiles were still mainly water living creatures but much later served to open up a new niche on land. How can the appearance of such structures be explained by natural selection when they produced no advantage when they first appeared?
     Fourth, there is the problem of the repeated occurrence of simultaneous changes which must have involved many genes mutating at once. Take once again the example of the eye. How did such a complex organ evolve through small random changes? If small random mutation is the only mechanism for change, what possible survival advantage could there be to five percent of an eye? How did this happen more than once in evolutionary history?
     Fifth, how is instinct to be explained? Many kinds of animal behavior could not be taught by parents. For instance, how does the chick, while still encased in the egg, know to peck its way out? What is more, how does it know not to peck randomly but to focus on just the spot where an air space has been provided? If instinct is inheritable, what are the units of behavior and how are these encoded in the DNA? No one knows.
     Sixth, how is altruistic behavior to be explained in terms of natural selection? Take for example the warnings emitted by robins and thrushes when a hawk approaches.

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From the view point of the individual bird's survival, surely it would be wiser to remain silent and not give away one's position. How is such behavior to be explained in humans? In fact, as Wallace pointed out, how are human intelligence, language, and creativity to be explained? Stephen Gould admits: "If the genetic components of human nature did not originate by natural selection, fundamental evolutionary theory is in trouble . . ."15
     Seventh, the notion that all changes in living things happen by chance mutation has always raised eyebrows. While it is one thing to accept that natural selection might change the color of a moth or the shape of a bird's bill, it is a very different thing to accept that chance mutation and natural selection could be responsible for such a complex structure as the eye. Even given the theory that small changes accumulate and compound gradually over millions of years, most critics agree that the probabilities don't make sense.
     In 1967 a group of mathematicians from MIT called a conference titled, "Mathematical Challenges to the Neo-Darwinian Theory of Evolution." At this conference it was acknowledged that even among biologists there is a widely held feeling that something is missing in the current theory. Sir Peter Medawar opened the meeting with the following remarks: "The immediate cause of this conference is a pretty widespread sense of dissatisfaction about what has come to be thought of as the accepted evolutionary theory in the English-speaking world, the so-called neo-Darwinian theory. This dissatisfaction has been expressed from several quarters and is not only scientific."16 The conference opened with a paper by Murray Eden, Professor of Electrical Engineering at MIT, who demonstrated that if it required a mere six mutations to bring about an adaptive change, this would occur only once in a billion years, while if two dozen genes were involved, it would require ten billion years, which is more than the age of the earth.17

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Criticisms from Paleontology

     It was apparent to Darwin that the fossil record supported the theory of a gradual evolutionary change only to a certain point. Fossils did indeed indicate a process of increasing complexity and refinement of design among species as recorded in rock strata, and the appearance was very strong that certain now
extinct species were ancestral to species still in existence. Looking at the fossil record as a whole indicates to most thinking people that some form of evolution of species has been taking place. Certainly New Churchmen would not wish to support the notion put forward by creationists that God purposely made the earth look much older than it is or that the story of the flood accounts for the distribution of fossils.18
     However, the problem facing Darwin and those seeking to support the new theory of evolution was that intermediate species between those now extinct and those presently in existence were for the most part not to be found. These gaps in the fossil record applied to almost all species found in fossil remains, even when it appeared quite likely that one species was ancestral to another. The gaps were simply too great to support Darwin's notion of gradual progression through competition and natural selection. The search for the "missing link" among paleontologists was, therefore, not limited to the missing link between men and apes; it was a search for thousands of missing links.
     Darwin's conclusion was that only a tiny fraction of all fossil-bearing strata had been examined and that huge areas of the globe had never been explored by professional paleontologists.

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He thought that these gaps would certainly be filled with transitional forms in the future. However, nearly 99 percent of all work in paleontology has been done since the time of Darwin. The results have been mixed. Many transitional forms of a lesser nature have been found, certainly enough to verify that some form of evolution has taken place.19
     However, the new fossil species discovered since Darwin's time do little to fill in the gaps between species. New fossil species have been found to be either unique types of unknown affinity or closely related to known forms of life.20 Even the most spectacular discovery of new fossil forms by Walcott in the Burgess shale formation of British Columbia, which revealed ten completely new invertebrate phyla, gave no new support to the theory of evolution. All efforts to link these ten new phyla with previously known forms failed. They have come to be regarded as life forms whose existence had not been expected and which are not ancestral to any other known life forms-merely small end-twigs on the tree of evolution.
     In the late 1930s a species of fish, the Coelacanth, thought to have become extinct long ago, was caught by a fisherman off the coast of East Africa. The Coelacanth was believed to be ancestral to modern amphibians and was one of the most promising missing links. Finding one alive was something of an embarrassment to the theory of evolution since when the fish was examined its soft anatomy (which does not fossilize) revealed features which were not at all close to a relative of Amphibia.
     Furthermore, the fossil record of the horse used to be one of the most convincing examples of gradual evolutionary development. In the 1960s a case could be made for a rather smooth development of the horse from fossil records. The horse increased in size and complexity as it developed changes in teeth, changes in limbs, and the gradual reduction in the number of toes.

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The problem with this record was that horse fossils were not found arranged in rock strata in the proper evolutionary order from least complex to most complex forms.21 The sequence also depended on arranging Old World and New World fossils side by side. According to one authority, there are so many fossil forms that could be included in the fossil history of the horse that "the story depends to a large extent u on who is telling it and when the story is being told."22 The fossil history of the horse was further weakened when it was discovered that small Eohippus, supposedly the earliest known ancestor of the horse, had exactly the same skeleton as the present day Hyrax, a rodent-like animal that lives quite happily in Africa to this day.23
     Darwin's hope that future discoveries from paleontology would fill in all the gaps between species has not been fulfilled. The picture of life on earth given by today's fossil evidence is still very much a discontinuous record.

Punctuated Equilibria

     It is interesting to observe how several of the difficulties with the theory mentioned above are dealt with by present neo-Darwinian thinking. Before Darwin, the most acceptable ideas concerning the origins of life were Bible oriented. The species were all separate because God had made them that way through special creation; they suddenly appeared in fossil records because that is when God created them. Likewise, certain animals had become extinct because of the catastrophe of Noah's flood. This was a view of change by catastrophe, change by great leaps, or a saltationist view. Darwin's notion was that all life evolved gradually, and went extinct gradually as natural selection had its way, a view which gradually put to rest the idea of special creation.

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But as noted above, the fossil evidence stubbornly continues to support a saltationist view (change by jumps) rather than a uniformitarian view (smooth unbroken change).
     Richard Goldschmidt, a German biologist who later came to teach at Berkeley, was a renegade from the Darwinian camp who was bothered by the features of evolution that could not be explained by gradual change. Viewing the gaps in the fossil record, he proposed that changes took place suddenly by "monstrous" mutations, producing animals that might today be seen in freak shows. He gave these creatures the catchy name, "hopeful monsters."24 Every now and then, he theorized, one of these hopeful monsters was well suited to environmental changes that were taking place and became firmly entrenched. At the time Goldschmidt wrote he was much criticized for his views. But as paleontology continued to deliver evidence for the saltationist view, Goldschmidt's idea was resurrected.
     In a strange twist of fate, catastrophism has returned to the forefront of evolutionary theory. In the 1970s evidence was found to indicate that the earth has undergone radical changes over very short periods of time. It is now known that the earth has reversed its magnetic field at random intervals; these reversals are believed to have caused the onset of such profound changes as ice ages and a drastic increase in the amount of gamma rays reaching the earth's surface, both of which could cause mass extinctions. Such events would indeed have catastrophic results for life on earth.
     In 1972 Stephen Gould, a professor of Geology at Harvard, and Niles Eldredge published a paper which made popular the idea that gradualism should be replaced with a punctuated theory they called "Punctuated Equilibria." The widely accepted idea now is that evolution is a process which includes long periods of stagnation when species formation is at a stand-still, a stagnation which is occasionally punctuated by rapid events of speciation.

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     During the so-called periods of "punctuation" when speciation occurred, Gould posits that huge changes occurred by rapid evolution in small groups-so rapid and so small that no fossils were left. These periods of rapid speciation took place as the result of such a small change in the environment as the introduction of a new predator, or through large-scale natural catastrophes, such as floods, climate changes, or meteor strikes. This, says Gould, explains why many species seem to appear or disappear "suddenly" in the fossil record. Gould also postulates that during times of catastrophe, as many as ninety-six per cent of living species died out in mass extinction. During these times, he says, it was not survival of the fittest but survival of the luckiest.25
     Punctuated Equilibria is now a widely accepted addendum to the neo-Darwinian theory of evolution, and as a reconstruction of history it does answer several criticisms of the theory. However, with the idea of punctuated equilibria a crack has appeared in the smooth texture of divergence through mutation and natural selection. By admitting that at least from time to time some mechanism other than raw natural selection has taken charge of evolution, we may view Darwin's idea and the whole of the synthetic theory of evolution as merely part of a larger mechanism as yet unknown.

A Shift in Thinking

     Michael Denton, in his very readable and persuasive Evolution: A Theory in Crisis suggests that the neo-Darwinian theory of evolution is in a similar position today as was the Ptolemaic view of astronomy in the generation before Copernicus. At that time the idea that the earth was the center of the solar system was completely accepted. However, more and more problems with the theory kept developing. Each of these problems was explained by circles of belief that could not admit the fundamental error of the theory.

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     Denton observes that the confused state of affairs prior to Copernicus and some of the present thinking about the theory of evolution is not unusual for scientific progress. He refers us to Thomas Kuhn's book, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. Here Kuhn points out that the final abandonment of a scientific theory has always required the development of an alternative theory or paradigm that promises to explain what the old paradigm cannot explain.26 Denton also suggests that given the present lack of a viable alternative paradigm to explain the process of evolution, the philosophy of Darwinism will continue to dominate biology more by default than by merit.27 The final words of Denton's book are worth quoting:

Ultimately the Darwinian theory of evolution is no more nor less than the great cosmogonic myth of the twentieth century. Like the Genesis-based cosmology which it replaced, and like the creation myths of ancient man, it satisfies the same deep psychological need for an all-embracing explanation for the origin of the world . . . . The truth is that despite the prestige of evolutionary theory and the tremendous intellectual effort directed toward reducing living systems to the confines of Darwinian thought, nature refuses to be imprisoned. In the final analysis we still know very little about how new forms of life arise. The mystery of mysteries-the origin of new beings on earth-is still largely as enigmatic as when Darwin set sail on the Beagle.28

     From the point of view of most biologists, Denton has overstated the case against the theory of evolution. Be that as it may, perhaps there is some value in considering from the point of view of the Writings the evidence in support of a larger or modified theory of evolution, which includes the basic principles of genetic variability and natural selection but is not limited to them.

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Looking for a Larger Theory

     My purpose in what follows is not an attempt to derive science from doctrine, nor is it to derive doctrine from science, but rather to look beyond present orthodox thinking in both areas to suggest a deeper understanding of both. Most surely we cannot expect to catch a glimpse of the Lord's hand at work in creation, for He always works behind an impenetrable veil which maintains human free will. There will always be a variety of interpretations for the appearance of purpose and goal directedness in nature. Chance and probability are obscure and convenient explanations for what science cannot explain, while from doctrine we know that there is no such thing as chance.29
     The Lord has created a seamless universe, and try as we might we will never penetrate the veil and catch the Lord at work through scientific inquiry. In regard to evolution we could take the view that the Divine Providence in ultimates nudges the direction of the probabilities in chance mutation, subtly guides the many opportunities for change that occur in the process of meiosis, and that He controls which chromosomes are lost as a result of genetic drift.30 This is a view with which I would agree. But perhaps there is a step further that we may go in understanding just how the Lord does this, a step which falls within the gap between science and religion, a step which may in part explain, at least to those of the New Church, how the Lord has guided the probabilities toward useful life forms well suited to their environment.

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The Weismann Barrier and Neo-Lamarckism

     It has been noted that what is lacking in the neo-Darwinian theory is a feedback mechanism whereby the genetics of a species may in a sense "know" on a broad scale whether or not a particular change is suited to its future survival. With the recent emphasis on a holistic view of mankind, of the world, and of the environment, there are also those who call for a more holistic view of evolution. This view would not completely separate cause and effect but sees them as existing in a circular chain of ongoing feedback mechanisms. It was just such a mechanism that was suggested by the first great evolutionary theorist, Jean Baptiste Lamarck (1744-1829), with his idea of acquired characteristics.
As noted earlier, Darwin himself was something of a Lamarckian. He favored natural selection as the primary mechanism for change in species, but in later editions of The Origin he also became quite certain that beneficial characteristics acquired by parents, such as strengthened wings from much use, were also passed on to their progeny. Thus he writes:

     . . . I think there can be no doubt that use in our domestic animals has strengthened and enlarged certain parts, and disuse diminished them, and that such modifications are inherited.31

     Darwin postulated a mechanism for how the germ cells received information from the body cells which he called "pangenesis." He conjectured that the body cells would throw off tiny particles he called "gemmules," and that these collected in the germ cells from all parts of the body. He concluded that every character of the germ cells came from the present state of the body tissues.32
     It may be observed that if there is indeed a feedback mechanism akin to what Darwin theorized whereby the physiological and behavioral characteristics acquired by parents could be passed on to their progeny as a tendency toward the same change, this would vastly speed up the production of useful changes and bring the statistical probability for evolution more within the time limits that are known to exist.

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     While holistic thinking demands a feedback mechanism in evolution, it is a solid tenet of the neo-Darwinian theory that information flows out of the genetic information contained in the gametes and never in; there is no feedback mechanism. The core of neo-Lamarckism is just the opposite: that somehow feedback information flows from the present state of the organism into the genetic information, allowing for change to take place according to need by reproducing in offspring beneficial characteristics acquired by earlier generations.
     Experiments which were designed to refute Darwin's idea of "pangenesis" and the notion of acquired characteristics were conducted by August Weismann (1834-1914) in the early part of this century. In his research Weismann cut off the tails of twenty generations of rats, and observed that there was no shortening of the tails of subsequent generations. Weismann concluded that the germ plasm was essentially isolated from the body plasm. This became known as the Weismann barrier. However, Eiseley points out that since Weismann's works are no longer carefully studied, present thinking has lost sight of the fact that Weismann held this view with qualifications. He was willing to concede that the isolation of germ plasm from the body plasm was probably not complete, but that any influences from the body "must be extremely slight.33
     It is now known from experimental evidence that the Weismann barrier is not impenetrable. Conrad Waddington demonstrated that heat-shocked fruit flies produced certain mutations in the next generation, and that this mutation happened more and more frequently in subsequent generations. He avoided the Lamarckian implications of his work and called this tendency "genetic assimilation."34

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Howard Temin has shown that certain viruses carry genetic information into host cells and embed it in the host DNA.35 And starting from Temin's work, Ted Steele conducted recent experiments in Canada in which young mice were "persuaded" to tolerate foreign tissue antigens. He found that this tolerance was passed along to their progeny.36 The Weismann barrier has been broken. This does not in any way prove that a feedback mechanism such as posited by neo-Lamarckism exists, merely that it might be possible. There is as yet no known mechanism whereby the genetic material can be influenced by the behaviors and acquired characteristics of previous generations.
      [To be continued]

     1 See DLW 349-351, 357, CL 380, TCR 79, 178.
     2 Richard Dawkins, The Selfish Gene (New York: Oxford University Press), p. 18.
     3 Ibid., p. 21.
     4 AC 6465, 8603.
     5 DLW 170, 316.
     6 AC 9555.
     7 WLG 30.
     8 SD 3390.
     9 AC 97, 805:2.
     10 TCR 53, 78:5, AE 1201:3.
     11 DLW 342, 347.
     12 Kettlewell, H. H. D. "Darwin's Missing Evidence," Scientific American, (1959), pp. 148-153.
     13 Michael Denton, Evolution: A Theory in Crisis (Bethesda: Adler and Adler, 1985), p. 81.
     14 See Steven M. Stanley, Macroevolution: Pattern and Process (San Francisco: W. H. Freeman and Co., 1979).
     15 Quoted by Gordon Rattray Taylor in The Great Evolution Mystery (New York: Harper and Row, 1983), p. 224.
     16 Quoted by Gordon Rattray Taylor, Ibid., p. 4.
     17 Ibid., p. 5.
     18 K. R. Miller, "Scientific Creationism Versus Evolution: The Mislabeled Debate," Science and Creationism (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1984), ed., Ashley Montagu, p. 36.
     19 R. J. Cuffey, "Paleontologic Evidence and Organic Evolution", Science and Creationism (Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1984), ed., Ashley Montagu, pp. 255-271.
     20 Denton, op. cit., p. 161.
     21 Francis Hitching, The Neck of the Giraffe (New Haven: Tricknor and Fields, 1982), p. 28.
     22 Quoted by Hitching, op. cit., p. 28.
     23 Ibid., p. 32.
     24 Denton, op. cit., p. 230.
     25 Hitching, op. cit., pp. 165, 166.
     26 Thomas S. Kuhn The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1962), p. 23.
     27 Ibid., p. 357.
     28 Denton, op. cit., p. 358.
     29 AC 5508:2.
     30 See Charlotte Gyllenhaal-Davis, "Chance, Evolution, and the New Word," The New Philosophy 81 (1978), pp. 271-283.
     31 Darwin, op. cit., p. 133.


     32 Eiseley, Darwin's Century, p. 217.
     33 Eiseley, op. cit. p. 218.
     34 Taylor, op. cit., p. 50.
     35 Ibid., P. 51. 36
     36 Hitching, op cit., p. 147.
New Church and Mental Health Symposium IV 1990

New Church and Mental Health Symposium IV       Editor       1990

     Sponsored by the Academy of the New Church

Dates: November 23-25
Place: Bryn Athyn Society Building
Cost: To be determined. Costs are being held
down so that participation can be maximized.

Goals:
1. To stimulate reflection and productive thought on the part of those interested in the relationship between mental health and spiritual growth.
2. To provide an opportunity for people to share interests and ideas with each other.
3. To help increase awareness of the potential beneficial interaction between New Church teachings and the mental health fields.
4. To promote increased participation and fuller use of programs in the areas of mental and spiritual growth.
5. To foster community building and relationship healing.

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General Church of the New Jerusalem Corporation SECRETARY'S REPORT 1990

General Church of the New Jerusalem Corporation SECRETARY'S REPORT       E. Boyd Asplundh       1990

     MEMBERSHIP

     As of March 9, 1990, the date of the annual meeting, there were 839 members of the Corporation. Thirty-one new members were registered during the year-10 men and 21 women-and there were thirteen deaths and two resignations, for a net gain of sixteen members.

     MEETINGS

     The annual meeting was attended by 122 members and one guest. Thirty members were also represented by proxy.
     A memorial resolution was read by Bishop King. Following the report of the Nominating Committee, ten directors were elected for three-year terms, and one director was elected for one year to fill an unexpired term. Other business at the annual meeting included a report on the Office of Education by its director, Rev. Frederick Schnarr, and another on the Video Committee, by Mr. Robert Heinrichs.
     During the year four regular meetings of the Board of Directors were held, with an average of twenty directors present.
     In addition to the usual reports of officers and committee chairmen, there was an interesting report from Rev. Robert Junge at the May 6, 1989, meeting on church development overseas. At the conclusion of the report the board adopted a resolution authorizing participation in planning and developing a separate non-profit corporation supportive of the church's work in underdeveloped countries.
     The meeting on September 30, 1989, was held at Glen Tonche, New York. Business at that meeting included reports on activities at the General Church office at Cairncrest and at the General Church Press.
     At the January 13, 1990, meeting, Bishop King advised of the appointment of Rev. Walter Orthwein to the faculty of the Theological School.

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He also noted that there are currently eleven students in that school, with even more expected next year.
     Mr. Walter Childs III, Development Officer, stated that the Leonard E. Gyllenhaal Fund closed in 1989. The total of $9.3 million raised far exceeded the original goal.
     Rev. Robert Junge reported again on the growth of the church in new lands, telling something of his trips to Ghana and to Korea and Japan. During the luncheon break the board divided into small groups to discuss various aspects of church growth overseas.
     The highlight of the March 9, 1990, meeting of the board was affirmation of the Council of the Clergy's nomination of Rt. Rev. Peter M. Buss to be the next Executive Bishop of the General Church of the New Jerusalem.
     Following the annual meeting of the Corporation, an organizational meeting of the Board of Directors was also held on March 9th, at which officers were re-elected and routine resolutions were passed. Also at that meeting, a committee was appointed to consider bylaw changes that would make the Treasurer an ex-officio member of the board, and that would simplify the procedures for absentee balloting.
     A current list of directors follows:

Terms Expire 1991

Peter H. Boericke           Bryn Athyn
Eyvind H. Boyesen           Kempton
B. Reade Genzlinger          Bryn Athyn
Dale B. Genzlinger           Detroit
Terry K. Glenn               Bryn Athyn
Murray F. Heldon               Hurstville
Hugh D. Hyatt               Bryn Athyn
H. Keith Morley               Toronto
Garold E. Tennis               Bryn Athyn
Phillip R. Zuber               Washington

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Terms Expire 1992

Edward F. Allen, Jr.          Phoenix
Margaret I. Baker           Bryn Athyn
Roy B. Evans               Colchester
Thelma E. Henderson          Glenview
Denis M. Kuhl               Kitchener
Robert D. Merrell           Bryn Athyn
Duncan B. Pitcairn          Bryn Athyn
William B. Radcliffe          Washington
S. Brian Simons               Connecticut
James G. Uber               Pittsburgh

Terms Expire 1993

Theodore W. Brickman, Jr.     Bryn Athyn
Neil M. Buss               Bryn Athyn
Sonia S. Doering           Bryn Athyn
Henry R. Dunlap               Atlanta
Theodore C. Farrington      Florida
Geraldo C. Gomes           San Diego
Bruce A. Reuter               Glenview
Brian L. Schnarr           Bryn Athyn
Gerald G. Waters           Durban
Dan H. Woodard               Glenview

Ex-officio Members

Peter M. Buss               Bryn Athyn
Louis B. King               Bryn Athyn

Honorary Life Member

Willard D. Pendleton      Bryn Athyn

[Note: Men and women who have been members of the unincorporated General Church for three or more years may register as members of the Corporation by completing a simple form available for this purpose from the Secretary, E. Boyd Asplundh, P. O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.]

279


Editorial Pages 1990

Editorial Pages       Editor       1990

     SEEING AND HEARING THE LORD

     The article by Brian Keith in the present issue is one that people will be using as a resource for years to come. Although it is inclusive in nature, there are parts that may be regarded as thresholds to further studies.
     The section entitled "Speech with the Lord" calls to mind a wonderful passage that follows the words in Genesis: And God spoke to Noah. This is AC 904.

     The Lord speaks with every man, for whatever a man wills and thinks that is good and true is from the Lord . . . . The Lord is continually speaking with man, but quite differently with one man than with another. With those who suffer themselves to be led away by evil spirits the Lord speaks as if absent, or from afar, so that it can scarcely be said that He is speaking; but with those who are being led by the Lord, He speaks as more nearly present.

     This, we understand, is not a speaking of audible words. There is an exceptional circumstance, however, mentioned in Divine Providence. People who wait for an influx to direct them do not generally receive what they expect, "with the exception that a few, who from the heart desire it, occasionally receive a kind of response through a vivid perception in thought, or by a tacit speech therein, and rarely by clear speech to the effect that they should think and act as they wish and thus as they can, and that he who acts wisely is wise and he who acts foolishly is foolish; but they are never thus instructed what to believe or to do" (DP 321:3).
     Sometimes it is granted spirits actually to speak with a person in his mother tongue but "only a few words." "But those who speak by the Lord's permission never say anything that takes away the freedom of the reason, nor do they teach" (DP 135).

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     When someone hears a few words, it seems as if there were a sound coming into the ear, but it is really heard within (see HH 248; also 249).

     The Lord Seen in a Dream

     One of the passages mentioned by Mr. Keith is SDm 4791. In part this reads as follows:

     The Lord was seen by me in a dream, with the face and form in which He had been when He was in the world. He was such that interiorly He was full, and so could have ruled the whole heaven within. There was a certain one . . . on whom He gazed, and then raised the eyes slightly, and thus knew who and of what quality he was . . . . When, also, I awaked I saw Him obscurely, and it was stated that such had been His appearance. In a word, He was filled with heaven and with the Divine.

     The above entry is dated November 19, 1751.

     The heading of TCR 779 speaks of "A MAN TO WHOM THE LORD HAD MANIFESTED HIMSELF IN PERSON." Further in this passage Swedenborg affirms that "the Lord manifested Himself before me, His servant."
     With reason, people have linked this saying with a passage in a note in Swedenborg's private journal of dreams. In April of 1744 he notes: "I saw Him face to face; it was a face of holy expression, and in all it was indescribable, and He smiled, so that I believe His face had indeed been like this when He lived on earth."
     In closing this editorial we would call attention to a beautiful study by Rev. Geoffrey S. Childs entitled "The Lord Our Father." Mr. Childs speaks of the value of having a visible picture of the Lord. One of the striking passages to which he refers is TCR 296, which says that if a wise man were to see "a picture of one Divine person with rays of heavenly light about His head, . . . he would carry it home in his bosom, and by the sight of it gladden his own mind and the minds of his wife and his children . . ."
     The article by Mr. Childs appears in the July issue of 1984.

281


APPEAL TO ART HISTORIANS 1990

APPEAL TO ART HISTORIANS       Editor       1990

     Swedenborg may have had certain actual paintings and drawings in mind when he wrote certain passages about the way the face of God is portrayed.
     In AC 9407:14 we are told that the light of Divine truth was "pictured by the ancients with radiant circles of a golden color around the head and body of God, represented as a man, for the ancients perceived God no otherwise than under the human form." In DLW 94 we read, "The ancients represented this by circles glowing with fire and resplendent with light around the head of God, as is common also at the present day in paintings representing God as Man." (See also the reference to TCR 296 in the above editorial.)
     I have tried to ascertain what pictures may have been familiar to Swedenborg. One knowledgeable art scholar suggested that there may have been a book by Rudbeck (1660-1740) with such pictures. But I have been unable to trace it. Any help in this quest would be welcomed.
OUR FAITH IN THE GLORIFIED LORD 1990

OUR FAITH IN THE GLORIFIED LORD       JOHN POWERLY       1990

     Here is a formulation of New Church faith that may be of interest: "We worship the Lord, God the Savior Jesus Christ, in whom are the three essentials of the one God: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, which make one as the soul, the body and the mind of man make one; who, for our salvation, did come into the world and take our nature upon His Divine Humanity. He endured temptations, even to the passion of the cross. He overcame the hells and so delivered man. He glorified his Human, uniting it with the Divine Humanity, of which it was begotten; so He became the Redeemer of the world. Without Him no mortal could have been saved, and they are saved who believe in Him and keep the commandments of His Word. This is His commandment: that we love one another as He hath loved us. Amen."

282


ANC COLLEGE VISITS THE NEW CHURCH AT BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA 1990

ANC COLLEGE VISITS THE NEW CHURCH AT BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA       Freya H. Fitzpatrick       1990

     During ANC College's spring break 24 college students visited the New Church at Boynton Beach for a week of fun, sun-and work. The New Church at Boynton Beach issued an open invitation to the college to visit our society with free room and board for a week in return for three-hours-per-day labor on the landscaping for our building project. The college agreed to sponsor the trip and provided organization on the Bryn Athyn end of the venture as well as two vans for transportation.
     The manse, under the watchful eyes of Dan and Mim Heinrichs, served as the women's dorm, and Bob and Janina Heinrichs hosted the men. Meals were provided by members of the congregation, and served at the manse.
     For a week the property buzzed with activity every morning as the students did the back-breaking work of tearing up sod to make beds for plantings, dug over earth, planted hundreds of bushes and flowers, and toiled over digging trenches and laying over a mile of pipe for the irrigation system.
     During the afternoons the students were free to have fun. This included trips to an art festival, to South Florida's equivalent of Mardi Gras: the annual hispanic Calle Ocha Festival, to the Everglades, and of course, daily trips to the beach. The evenings were spent at Jai Alai, a high-speed, popular, South Florida ball game of Hispanic origin, or at the movies or dancing.
     It was very exciting for the members of the congregation to see the dramatic results of having 24 active young people swell the ranks. The church service and the society supper were inspiring and fun as we got to meet new people and share new ideas.
     The college spring break at the New Church at Boynton Beach was a real boost for the society and an invaluable aid in helping us work to complete landscaping that is required by code before we can occupy our new church building.
     The visit also allowed the students to get to know our society and sample the relaxed living style of sunny South Florida. We hope they'll be back again to visit, or better yet, to attend university, or find careers down here.
     Our dedication will be June 24th, and we would gladly welcome visitors from around the church. Please see our invitation.
     Freya H. Fitzpatrick

     The New Church at Boynton Beach cordially invites you to the dedication of our new church building on June 24th. There will be a banquet on Saturday evening, June 23rd. Contact the New Church at Boynton Beach at 10687 El Clair Ranch Road, Boynton Beach, FL 33437. Phone (407) 736-9235.

283


GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES 1990

GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES       Editor       1990




     Announcements






     (USA addresses only)

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Alabama
Birmingham
Dr. R. Shepard, 4537 Dolly Ridge Road, Birmingham, AL 35243. Phone: (205) 967-3442.

Huntsville
Mr. and Mrs. Wynne Sullivan, 1107 Princeton Drive, Madison, AL 35758. Phone: (205) 772-0074.

Arizona:
Phoenix
Doris Barnett, 1710 Behrend Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85024. Phone: (602) 582-4223. Rev. Cedric King, visiting pastor, 21332 Forest Meadow, El Toro, CA 92630. Phone: (home) (714) 586-5142, (office) (714) 951-5750.

Tucson
Rev. Frank S. Rose, 9233 E. Helen, Tucson, AZ 85715. Phone: (602) 721-1091.

Arkansas:
Little Rock
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Holmes, 2695 Mark Lane, Batesville, AR 72501. Phone: (501) 793-5135.

California
Los Angeles
Rev. John L. Odhner, 5022 Carolyn Way, La Crescenta, CA 91214. Phone: (818) 249-5031.

Orange County
Rev. Cedric King, resident pastor, 21332 Forest Meadow, El Toro, CA 92630. Phone: (home) (714) 586-5142, (office) (714) 951-5750.

Sacramento
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ripley, 225 Woodlake Lane, Newcastle, CA 95658. Phone: (916) 663-2788.

San Diego
Rev. Nathan Gladish, 7911 Canary Way, San Diego, CA 92123. Phone: (619) 2680379. Office: (619) 571-8599.

San Francisco
Mr. and Mrs. Philip C. "Reds" Pendleton, 2261 Waverley Street, Palo Alto, CA 94901.

Colorado:
Colorado Springs
Mr. and Mrs. William Rienstra, P.O. Box 422, Simla, CO 80835.

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Denver
Rev. Clark Echols, 3371 W. 94th Ave., Westminster, CO 80030. Phone: (303) 429-1239 or 428-6019.

Connecticut:
Bridgeport
Rev. Geoffrey Howard, visiting pastor, Box 277, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009. Phone:
(215) 947-6225.

Decatur
Mr. John Aymer, 380 Oak Lane, Decatur, EL 62562. Phone: (217) 875-3215.

Glenview
Rev. Brian Keith, 73 Park Drive, Glenview, H, 60025. Phone: (708) 724-0120.

Indiana:
Rev. Patrick Rose, 785 Ashcroft Court, Cincinnati, OH 45240. Phone: (513)7473.

Kentucky:
Mr. and Mrs. James Tucker, 45 Honey Bee Rev. Patrick Rose, 785 Ashcroft Court, Cincinnati, OH 45240. Phone: (513)825-7473

Louisiana:
Balton Rouge
Mr. Henry Bruser, Jr. 6050 Esplanade Ave., Baton Rouge LA 70806. phone: (504)924-3098.

Maine:
Bath
Rev. Allison L. Nicholson, HC 33-Box 61N, Arrowsic, ME O4530

Maryland:
Baltimore
Rev. Frederick Chapin, 37 Guinevere court, Baltimore, MD 21237. Phone: (home) (301) 682-3397; (office) (301) 435-5418.

Mitchellville
Rev. Lawson Smith, 3805 Enterprise Road, Mitchellville MD 20721. Phone: (301)262-2349.

Massachusetts:
Boston
Rev. Grant Odner, 138 Maynard Road, Sudbury, MA 01776. Phone: (508) 443-7540

Michigan
Detroit
Rev. Walter Orthwein, 395 Olivewood court, Rochester, MI 48064 Phone: (313)656-1267.

East Lansing
Mr. Christopher Clark, MI 48823 Phone: (517) 351-2880

Minnesota:
St. Paul-Minneapolis
Karen Huseby secretary, 2800 Lake Blvd., North St. Paul, MN 55109 Phone: (612)777-6962

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Hartford
Shelton
Mr. and Mrs. James Tucker, 45 Honey Bee Lee, Shelton, CT 06484, Phone: (215)947-6455.

Delaware:
Wilmington Mrs. Justin Hyatt, 2008 Eden Road, N. Graylyn, Wilmington DE 19810. Phone: (302) 475-3694.

District of Columbia: see Mitchellville, Maine: Maryland.

Florida:
Boynton Beach
Rev. Daniel Heinrichs, 10687 E. Clair Maryland:
Ranch Road, Boynton Beach, FL 33437. Baltimore Phone: (407) 736-9235.

Lake Helen
Mr. and Mrs. Brent Morris, 264 Kicklighter Road, Lake Helen, FL 32744. Phone: (904) 228-2276.

Pensacola
Mr. and Mrs. John Peacock, 5238 Sound-side Drive, Gulf Breeze, FL 32561. Phone: (301) 262-2349. (904) 934-3691.

Georgia:
Americus Mr. W.H. Eubanks, Rt. #2, S. Lee Street, Americus, GA 31709. Phone: (912) 9249221.

Atlanta
Rev. Ray Silverman, 2119 Seaman Circle, Chamblee, GA 30341. Phone: (office) (404) 452-0518.

Idaho:
Fruitland (Idaho-Oregon border)
Mr. Harold Rand, 1705 Whitley Drive, Fruitland, ID 83619. Phone: (208) 452-3181.

Illinois:
Chicago Rev. Grant Schnarr, 73A Park Drive, Glenview, IL 60025. Phone: (home) (708) 729-0130; (office) (708) 729-9296.

Missouri:
Columbia
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Johnson, 103 S. Greenwood, Columbia, MO 6520 1. Phone: (314) 442-3475.

Kansas City
Mr. Glen Klippenstein, Glenkirk Farms, Rt. 2, Maysville, MO 64469. Phone: (816) 449-2167.

New Jersey-New York
Ridgewood, NJ
Mrs. Fred E. Munich, 474 S. Maple Ave., Glen Rock, NJ 07452. Phone: (201) 4451141.

New Mexico:
Albuquerque
Mr. Howard Leach, 4215 12th Street, Albuquerque, NM 871U7. Phone: (505) 892-0936.

North Carolina:
Charlotte
Rev. Bill Burke, 6010 Paddington Court, Charlotte, NC 28226. Phone: (704) 8466416.

Erie
Mrs. Paul Murray, 5648 Zuck Road, Erie, PA 16506. Phone: (814) 833-0962.

Freeport
Rev. Ragnar Boyesen, 122 McKean Road, Freeport, PA 16229. Phone: office (412) 353-2220 or home (412) 295-9855.

Hawley
Mr. Grant Genzlinger, 4 Main Street, Hawley, PA 18428. Phone: (717) 226-2993.

Kempton
Rev. Jeremy Simons, RD 2, Box 217-A, Kempton, PA 19529. Phone: home (215) 756-4301, office (215) 756-6140.

Pittsburgh
Rev. Eric H. Carswell, 299 Le Roi Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15208. Phone: Church (412) 731-7421.

South Carolina: see North Carolina.

South Dakota:
Hot Springs
Linda Klippenstein, 537 Albany, Hot Springs, SD 57747. Phone: (605) 745-6629.

Texas:
Austin
Mr. Robert Grubb, 510 Academy Drive, Austin, TX 78704. Phone: (512) 447-6811.

Ohio:
Cincinnati
Rev. Patrick Rose, 785 Ashcroft Court, Cincinnati, OH 45240. Phone: (513) 8257473.

Cleveland
Mr. Alan Childs, 19680, Beachcliff Blvd., Rocky River, OH 44116. Phone: (216) Virginia: 333-4413.

Dallas-Fort Worth
Mr. Fred Dunlap, 3887 Antigua Circle, Dallas, TX 75244. Phone: (214) 247-7775.

Columbus
Mr. Hubert Heinrichs, 8372 Todd Street Road, Sunbury, OH 43074. Phone: (614) 524-5708.

Oklahoma:
Oklahoma City
Robert Campbell, 3108 Eagle Pass 9508. Road, Edmond OK 73013. Phone: (405) 478-4729.     

Washington:
Seattle
Mr. Thomas Andrews, 5035 NE 180th, Seattle, WA 98155. Phone: (206) 365-2194

Virginia
Richmond
Mr. Donald Johnson, 13161 Happy Hill Road, Chester, VA 23831. Phone: (804) 748-5757

West Virginia:
Mrs. Thelma Smith, Route 1, Box 447, Peterstown, WV 24963. Phone: (304) 753-9508.

Oregon-Idaho Border: see Idaho, Fruitland.

Pennsylvania:
Bryn Athyn
Rev. Kurt Asplundh, Box 277, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009. (215) 947-6225.

Elizabethtown
Mr. Meade Bierly, 523 Snyder Ave., Elizabethtown, PA 17022. Phone: (717) 365-3964.

Wisconsin:
Madison
Mrs. Charles Howell, 3912 Plymouth Circle, Madison, WI 53705. Phone: (608) 233-0209.

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Life to Come 1990

Life to Come       Editor       1990

STORIES FOR CHILDREN ABOUT THE SPIRITUAL WORLD
BY
GRETCHEN KEITH
ILLUSTRATED BY RICHARD J. COOK

This long-awaited collection of stories is now available in an attractive soft-cover book. It is a must addition to every home and every classroom; and a perfect gift for the 19th of June, or any other occasion.

Price, including postage, $5.90

General Church Book Center Box 278, Cairncrest Bryn Athyn, PA 19009

Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30-12:00 or by appointment Phone: 215-947-3920

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NOTES ON THIS ISSUE 1990

NOTES ON THIS ISSUE       Editor       1990

Vol. CX                    July, 1990                    No. 7

                     New Church Life



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                    NOTES ON THIS ISSUE
     Now we get into the "morphogenetic fields" in the study by Mark Carlson on evolution. We thought we would be completing this paper and the one by Brian Keith this month. But the wealth of material was too great. We apologize to other writers whose articles will appear in August rather than July.
     Anonymous items. We have followed a policy of not publishing material when we do not know the author, and perhaps we should now state this explicitly. If the author wishes to remain anonymous, we can work this out as well as other things when we know who it is we are working with.
"What does feeling miserable and lonely have to do with singing praise?" "What is the use of knowing about the Lord? Can that help my life?" "How can you learn more about the Word, about the Lord?" These are questions posed and discussed in the sermon by Rev. Erik E. Sandstrom, the younger of the two Erik Sandstrom.
     Please note the assembly announcement on page 297. And note on page 298 that the Swedenborg Foundation now has an 800 telephone number to facilitate orders.
     Crossword clue: The clue of a crossword puzzle in a national publication was: "Swedenborg's Following." The answer is two words (see page 329).


*********

     Rev. Obed Mooki

     As we go to press we learn that Rev. Obed Mooki of South Africa passed into the spiritual world in June. He has been a powerful and good influence in the New Church for many years.

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ROCK HIGHER THAN OURSELVES 1990

ROCK HIGHER THAN OURSELVES       Rev. ERIK E. SANDSTROM       1990

     "From the end of the earth I cry unto Thee when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the Rock that is higher than I" (Psalm 61:2).

     These very familiar words give us a picture which we can hang onto in our daily lives. For does not life always have its problem areas? Don't we often come to "the end of the earth" and cry to the Lord? Either daily problems or drastic events invite destructive feelings. We become their first silent victims, and through us they drag down with them as many innocent bystanders as possible. That is an "end of the earth" condition in man.
     But that's exactly why everyone is allowed to think evils without blame (see TCR 659). Even the worst evils can come to view so that we can avoid them without having to do them. Thinking without cherishing prevents doing (see DP 294:4). We should stop condemning ourselves for just having evil thoughts. They flow in without choice. As long as evils are not loved, such thoughts are therapeutic. We may be further along the road to heaven than we realize. For the Lord's help is present right in our mental processes. How?
     By means of His Word (see SS 78) in our memories. No matter how indirectly the Word is taught-for example, by teachers or parents-it is still taught directly by the Lord. We read, "To be taught from the Word is to be taught by the Lord Himself' (DP 172:5, emphasis added). The Lord is present in our thoughts about the Word (cf. AC 6893, HH 112, SS 78).
     So the Lord as the Word is the ever-present Rock of Truth. When we turn to our knowledge of the Word, we turn to Him as a "Rock that is higher than I."
     And the "end of the earth" and "heart overwhelmed" is the end of our wits, feeling lonely, depressed, disappointed, upset, slighted by others, sorry for ourselves, just miserable. The reasons may either be feeble or very, very valid. But whatever the reason, we at times feel so low that even going to church may be almost more than we can manage.

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We can't bring ourselves to read the Word. A totally negative attitude takes over and we become spiritual hermits.
And we may even get a perverse sense of satisfaction in spreading our misery to others. In our own hurt we feel justified in hurting others by being grumpy or insulting. Misery needs company, so any unfortunate would-be helper is landed with loads of self-pity.
     On the other hand, personal contact may be just the right thing to allow us to snap out of this hermitage. But it can also be an excuse for shouting in our private thoughts, "I am feeling so miserable that I can't stand happy people. I want them to be as miserable as I am. I am hurt so I want to pass it on, and absolutely anyone will do."
     But this feeling is in fact a cry for help. The causes for depression may have a valid basis. However, it is not this valid basis but the self-justifying, negative self-pity that causes the actual hurt, both to oneself and to friends, relatives and priests who are barred from helping. It is when we place that sign on our door saying, "Keep out; private misery in progress" that we need to turn to "a Rock that is higher than I."
     The Lord knows where we are because He has been there Himself The psalms, when they say, "From the end of the earth I cry unto Thee when My heart is overwhelmed; lead Me to the Rock that is higher than I" are in fact talking about the Lord's victory and our worship of Him (see PP) because the Father and Son became one, just as soul and body make one person (see Ath. Creed).
     Just think: the Lord is here singing praise because of the help He received! What does feeling miserable and lonely have to do with singing praise? Now that is the beauty of turning to the Lord's Rock: we can change our misery by praising the Lord, as for example Job did: "The Lord gave; the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord" (Job 1:21). But all we need to do is to turn to a Rock that is higher than we. There are millions of them.
     Just as the Lord felt the same temptations of misery, loneliness, self-pity, personal hurt, etc., and turned to the Divine within Himself as the Rock higher than Himself, so we can turn, we can praise.

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But in order to turn to the Lord tomorrow, or whenever we are going to feel miserable, we need to resolve now that we will turn to Him. Before our need we have to tell ourselves, "When next I feel lonely, depressed, hurt, or have waves of self-pity or self-extinction, I will turn to a Rock that is higher than I"
     It does not take a world-famous actor or actress to portray some earth- shattering agony in order for you to know what misery or despair is. It is every day. Despair is worry about the future, often with financial overtones: "How will we live? How can we afford it? Others always have more!" Evil feelings may spur wicked hopes which secretly laugh at other people's misfortunes. Because of the harm we thereby do to ourselves we should realize we are crying from the end of the earth. It may be so serious that we feel our life is at stake. We are in that private enclosure with "Keep Out" signs.
     But we need to realize that no matter what precautions we take to nestle in our misery, one of the Lord's Rocks has made it into our private enclosure. No matter how carefully we may try to clear the deck of helpful hands, our very memories of the Word stand as silent, comforting sentinels.
     This positive message counteracts all possible misery, real or imagined. In every state of mental hell the Lord is present with His help. In all our meditation, when we try to organize our emotions, the Lord gives us guidance. If we seethe with anger, if we feel a pain in our stomach from despair or bitter disappointment, or disgust with either oneself or someone else, no matter what the cause, our subjective, lonely hell does have the Lord's direct presence. As the psalm states, "If I make my bed in hell, behold You are there" (139:8). No situation is without one of the Lord's Rocks. His refuge is ever-present. Anywhere we turn we can see a Rock higher than ourselves, close at hand, easy to reach. You can count on it.
     What precisely are these rocks?
     These rocks are any combination of your faith and obeying the Lord. It is your confidence in calling upon His Name, in terms of your own memory of the Word.

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As we know from another well-known story about a rock, "He who hears the Lord's sayings and does them builds his house upon a Rock." A rock means hearing the Word and obeying it in your life.
     But it is more specific than that. The Lord's Rock is doctrine teaching. As the New Church Writings state for us, "The Word is the only doctrine which teaches how a man must live in the world in order to be happy to eternity" (AC 8939).
     Doctrine means reasonable revealed teachings from the Word about a religious life leading to heaven.
     How do we use reason together with religion? We do it simply by applying doctrine from the Word as well as we can in our daily life. We hear and do the Lord's sayings: the house built upon a rock.
     Every memory of the Word is as a rock. The more we refer to it, the more our life will be tested, turning our knowledge of doctrine to our lives. Doctrine combines the Word with our life, reason with religion, and is a Rock higher than ourselves. Doctrine is your own knowledge, privately tested and applied to your life. It is your ability to reason about what you believe, referring to the Word not as with hammer-blow justifications, but as in reasonable explanations. It is your ability to help others the way you yourself have been helped.
     Every doctrine is one of the Lord's Rocks higher than ourselves. Let's review some of these "Rocks."
     The first Rock is that doctrine is necessary. We cannot know anything from the Word unless someone has taught us (see AC 8944). Once we know an outline of truths, this is doctrine or teaching.
     All doctrine comes from the Lord, who is Doctrine Itself (see AC 5321, 3396, 3364). Even what we receive indirectly from priests, teachers, parents, or just by reading for ourselves comes directly from the Lord (see DP 171, 172:6). You don't learn any truth by instinct, out of nowhere. Even the truth that love comes first, that love is most important, has to be revealed. This truth, once revealed, pops up everywhere, leading some people to think that love is all you need and truth is just like an instinct. But it is not so. Every truth we know that really is a truth has been revealed, including how important love is.

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     So doctrine always comes first. Doctrine describes what love is and all its orderly forms: love to the Lord, love for the neighbor, love of marriage, love of being useful or of service. Doctrine always points to life. Doctrine is the rock; doctrine is all rocks.
     Doctrine is all-pervasive. The Lord's higher rocks are everywhere. No area of life is exempt. The New Church Writings give answers which no one could have thought up: How did the creation of the universe take place? From a Sun in heaven, through which the Infinite God, by withdrawing His infinity, finited all stars, and planets from these. How did human life on earth begin? By the Sower Himself successively sparking the earth's germinating urges into ever new forms of life, up to one that could fully receive Him. Why is the human race so varied and far-flung? Because the Word has been revealed successively, spelled out through self-determined geographical migrations, conquests, explorations and trade.
     And on a personal level: Do you feel satisfied with your work? The New Church Writings urge us to serve well the use found within our job. How about romance and marriage? The Writings talk about eternal, idyllic yet reasonable ideals, all but lost in modern life, and the self-discipline in the Lord's Name needed to reach them. Do you enjoy rearing children? The Writings talk about the Lord giving happiness via the parents but not from them; also how we tend to punish our children just for reminding us of our own faults; also why forbidding promotes rebellion. Do you have few friends? There is an incredible range of proper types of friendships which copy the template of family trees.
     Whatever the problem or challenge, the Lord opens up doctrinal answers. Because the Lord has also experienced despair, we can turn to His Rock of the Word whenever we reach the "end of the earth," when "our heart is overwhelmed."
One important rock in our lives is the knowledge of the Lord Himself. The clearer your view of Him, the greater the improvements in your life.
     Some may question the practical value of knowing more about the Lord.

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They would perhaps cry, "What is the use of knowing about the Lord? Can that help my life?"
     Yes, it can. Listen: knowledge about the Lord, about the trinity and glorification has a universal application to our lives, for on our view of God as Man, thus seeing the Lord as God in One Person within whom dwells the trinity, depends our very location in heaven. Every angel has a position in heaven depending on his idea of God as a Man (see DLW 13). For "The idea of God," we read, "enters into the whole of religion, and by it conjunction and salvation are effected" (AR 839).
     So our eternal lifestyle is improved by understanding the Lord. We can see why if we ask ourselves, "Is it easier to worship the Lord if we first understand a bit about Him?"
     Of course "Yes." Knowing more about Him brings our worship closer to our life. It is, after all, He who says, "Come unto Me all you who labor . . . I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you . . . for My yoke is easy and My burden is light" (Matt. 11:28-30).
     How can you learn more about the Word, about the Lord? By filling the unoccupied spaces in your mind with what the Lord says about your own goals in life. What are your ambitions? Look them up in the Word, both Scripture and Doctrine. Get a minister to help. Even an evil longing may prompt research. Look up your guilty feelings, your "secret desires, and murmuring or discontent." Think about them without loving them. Knowing your enemy without succumbing to him is a strategic advantage in temptations.
     In our lesson the Lord explains how evil desires are separated, purified, rejected and withdrawn by the Lord's secret processes (see DP 296:10). Thoughts about evils which break off connection with the love of them allow for their expulsion (see TCR 659, DP 294:4). So even when alone with our thoughts, or even while we sit and talk with friends and discuss our longings and hopes for success, the Lord cares for us. He bundles our loves into groups and mixes them together with natural delights, and so secretly prepares to expel our problems for us. This is like mental metabolism. Knowing a little about this secret is also a rock of hope. For our very unhappiness can also be part of an expulsion process, and so misery is not for nothing.

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     To take the Lord's light burden on ourselves is a self-imposed test of faith, a challenge to head for a Rock higher than ourselves whenever our heart is overwhelmed. Thinking about our evils allows for them to be ferreted out and expelled by the Lord. And the Lord is God-Man; the clarity of the very idea of Him gives strength. He has endured what we endure. All this lets us find endless comfort and hope in the words, "From the end of the earth I cry unto Thee when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the Rock that is higher than I." Amen.

Lessons: Psalm 61, Matt. 11:25-30, DLW 13, TCR 659, DP 294:4, 296:10 ASSEMBLY BY THE LAKE 1990

ASSEMBLY BY THE LAKE       Editor       1990

     Don't miss out on a bargain! The 31st General Assembly, scheduled for June 12-16, 1991, offers an opportunity for New Church men and women from around the world to enjoy four days and nights for the sum of $189 for meals, registration and lodging.
     A full calendar of meetings, worship services, social and athletic activities is planned.
     Pick and choose; become as involved or uninvolved as you choose. Mark your calendar so that the choice is yours. You will receive a full program and agenda in the mail in fall 1990 to help you plan.

[Overhead photograph of Carthage College.]

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FROM THE SWEDENBORG FOUNDATION CAN WE? WILL WE? 1990

FROM THE SWEDENBORG FOUNDATION CAN WE? WILL WE?       Kerry Clements       1990

     Can we make Swedenborg better known? The Swedenborg Foundation, publishers of Swedenborg's works since 1849, is trying to make more people aware of Swedenborg and Swedenborgian thought. In addition to keeping Swedenborg's works in print, we also sponsor contemporary translations, print attractive and inexpensive paperback editions, and run a fascinating bookstore in New York city.
     Chrysalis, the Foundation's journal published dime times a year, is, first, a continuing effort to make Swedenborg's name known to the public. Second, Chrysalis is a low-key invitation to its readers to become acquainted with Swedenborgian thought.
     Chrysalis has made a good start at accomplishing those two goals. About 750 non-New Church people subscribe to Chrysalis, and several hundred writers have sent in candidate manuscripts. Both the readers and the writers are asking for more information on Swedenborg.
     However, the Foundation can neither support nor make full use of this project without the help of New Church members, and there are, in fact, only 250 New Church subscribers. A total of 3,000 subscribers would make the Chrysalis project self-supporting. The Foundation could then afford to spend the money needed to market the magazine widely, thus making Swedenborg known to many thousands of potential readers.
     Why not take a moment today to subscribe (or re-subscribe) for one, two, or even three years? Each Chrysalis focuses on a theme presented from various viewpoints, and it also presents several Swedenborgian perspectives. Upcoming themes are: Home, West Meets East, The Archetype of the Wise Man, Science and Spirituality, and The Future of Human Nature. Do you not have friends who like to read and are interested in these topics? Why not send them gift subscriptions?
     Let the Foundation know you support this unique outreach to the reading public. It's easy to help, and you will enjoy the outcome. Call in your order today: 1-800-366-7310, and charge it to Visa, MasterCard, or American Express. We'll be looking forward to your call!
     Kerry Clements
          Executive Director, Swedenborg Foundation

299


EVOLUTION, THE LIMBUS, AND HEREDITARY EVIL 1990

EVOLUTION, THE LIMBUS, AND HEREDITARY EVIL       Rev. MARK R. CARLSON       1990

     III. THE HYPOTHESIS OF FORMATIVE CAUSATION

Morphogenetic Fields

     One idea which suggests a feedback mechanism for the process of evolution is the hypothesis of formative causation and the concept of morphogenetic fields as postulated by Rupert Sheldrake in his book, A New Science of Life. Sheldrake's hypothesis proposes that the form, development, and behavior of living organisms are shaped and maintained by "morphogenetic fields" together with genetic inheritance. In theory the hypothesis of formative causation provides a mechanism by means of which the acquired characteristics of previous generations can be passed on to future ones. It avoids completely the whole question of how the genetic material could be altered by acquired characteristics because it posits that the new information is stored not in the genes themselves but in the morphogenetic field.1
     The morphogenetic field is thought to be a field of information which exists apart from space and time. This field of information acts with the same intensity on all similar organisms with no loss of intensity due to separations by space or time. Sheldrake calls this action of the field on similar organisms "morphic resonance." The field of information is affected by the patterns and behaviors of present physical forms, and is constantly being updated by the condition of present systems; the updated field in turn helps to guide the formation of future systems. The condition of present organisms and the strengthening or weakening of various muscles and organs from use or disuse may take thousands of generations to register strongly enough within the field to actually change future forms.
     It can be seen that the hypothesis of formative causation reincorporates Lamarck's notion of acquired characteristics with a new twist.

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What disturbs scientists most about Sheldrake's theory is that it suggests that information can be stored in a non-material medium. We would note that such a possibility is well within the scope of doctrinal possibility!
     Sheldrake's theory further postulates that the DNA molecule in the cells of all living things does not contain all the information necessary for the formation of the organism, or for its continued life process, but rather that DNA is in a sense a finely tuned receptor which taps into the information field for that species.2 Thus not only is the formation of the organism's body guided by the morphogenetic field, but the field also continues to provide the organism with the mysterious behavioral information we call instinct.3 In a similar fashion, the theory can be used to explain the mystery of human memory; it states that in effect our brains are not so much libraries full of old memory files as they are sending and receiving stations that leave a continuous trail of experience imprinted on the morphogenetic field,4 again a notion well within the scope of doctrine.5
     Two things distinguish Sheldrake's theory from so much theosophical babble. In the first place, Sheldrake's credentials are impressive: he is a biochemist and a scholar of Clare College, Cambridge, a Frank Knox Fellow at Harvard University, and a Rosenheim Research Fellow of the Royal Society. In the second place, Sheldrake thinks it is possible to demonstrate the existence of morphogenetic fields by the scientific method.
     Since the publication of the first edition of A New Science of Life in 1981, further experiments with the hypothesis have been carried out and reported in a revised and expanded edition of the book.

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For example, Sheldrake carried out several controlled experiments using television broadcasts with the cooperation of the British Broadcasting Company. According to the theory, if many people have been taught to see a hidden puzzle image, others should be able to see that image more quickly. Thus millions of TV viewers were taught to see hidden images in puzzle pictures. Before the program aired, a base line was established by observing how well people could distinguish the hidden image. After the program aired people who could not have seen or heard of the program from all over the world were again asked to find the image. The results indicated significant improvement in worldwide non-viewers' ability to distinguish the image.6
     In 1988 Sheldrake published a second book, The Presence of the Past, in which he more specifically relates the hypothesis of formative causation to the process of evolution. Here he states that the morphogenetic field can be thought of as a probability structure which reduces the indeterminism of the random process of genetic mutation and variability, so that "out of the many possible patterns of events that could have happened, some now become much more likely to happen as a result of the order imposed by the higher-level field."7
     It is clear that Sheldrake's revolutionary idea of morphogenetic fields is a contribution to what has been broadly called the "New-Age Paradigm," perhaps most widely popularized by Fritjof Capra's The Tao of Physics. This new paradigm is a synthesis of such unexplainable scientific phenomena as the behavior of subatomic particles blended with ideas from Eastern mysticism. There are many similarities between Sheldrake's morphogenetic field and Karl Pribram's holographic paradigm, as well as with David Bohm's idea that the universe contains both implicate and explicate order.8

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All of these new ways of looking at the universe accept some form of transcendental reality and should be of great interest to the New Church.
     However, there is as yet no support for the hypothesis of formative causation within the mainstream of biology. It is possible that even if morphogenetic fields do exist and do play a part in determining the forms of animals, plants, and minerals, no conclusive evidence for their existence will ever be found. While there is as yet no felt need for such a concept among most biologists, perhaps one day when biology has come closer to the limits of empirical investigation, as has the field of physics, it too will embrace a greater openness to metaphysical concepts.

Support from Doctrine

     There are a number of doctrines which would appear to support Sheldrake's hypothesis. The existence of the morphogenetic field itself is implied by the doctrine of spheres, forms, and conatus; perhaps we can understand these doctrines better in the light of Sheldrake's theory. For instance, observe the following teaching:
     "It was also perceived that a sphere flows forth not only from angels and spirits but also from each and all things that appear in the spiritual world-from trees and from their fruits, from shrubs and from their flowers, from herbs, and from grasses, even from the soils and from their very particles. From which it was patent that both in the case of things living and things dead this is a universal law: that each thing is encompassed by something like that which is within it, and that this is continually exhaled from it. It is known, from observation of many learned men, that it is the same with the natural world that is, that there is a wave of effluvia constantly flowing forth out of man, also out of every animal, likewise out of tree, fruit, shrub, flower, and even out of metal and stone.

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This the natural world derives from the spiritual, and the spiritual from the Divine."9 Observe the emphasis on the forms (forma) of things in the Writings, as in DLW 309:

     (1) In lands there is a conatus to produce uses in forms, that is, forms of uses.
     (2) In all forms of uses there is a kind of image of the creation of the universe.
     (3) In all forms of uses there is a kind of image of man.
     (4) In all forms of uses there is a kind of image of the Infinite and Eternal.

     Clearly, the form of a thing is tied to its use in the world, and the form of a thing is produced by correspondence modified by and made suitable for use according to external circumstances. This implies the existence of the feedback mechanism referred to above between the form of the thing and the field or sphere from which it was created. In the following, notice how form is said to be determined by use:

     Natural forms are effects and cannot appear as causes . . . . Instead they take the forms they do from the use they perform in the place where they belong. Nevertheless the forms taken by effects represent the things that exist among causes. . . .10

     It is a universal law of correspondences that the spiritual fits itself to use, which is its end, and actuates and modifies the use by means of heat and light and clothes it by provided means, until there results a form subservient to the end, and in this form the spiritual acts as the end, use as cause, and the natural as effect . . . .11

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Likewise, notice how similar the idea of the morphogenetic field is to what the Writings describe as the conatus in lands which strives to produce uses in forms:

That there is such a conatus and such quality in the substances and matters of lands is plain from the fact that seeds of all kinds opened by means of heat even to their inmost core are impregnated by the most subtle substances, and through this they have power to conjoin themselves to use, from which comes their prolific principle. Then through conjunction with matter from a natural origin they are able to produce forms of uses, and thereafter to deliver them as from a womb that they may come forth into the light and thus sprout up and grow. This conatus is afterwards continuous from the lands through the root even to outmosts, and from outmosts to firsts, wherein use itself is in its origin.12

     What is missing from Sheldrake's hypothesis is of course the connection between the morphogenetic field and the Divine influx of life through the spiritual world. Sheldrake implies the connection with a higher power, but he does not pursue the issue since this is beyond the limits of investigation.

Illustrations and Confirmations of Doctrine

     There are at least seven areas of doctrine which are interesting to look at with Sheldrake's idea of the morphogenetic field in mind.

The Limbus

     In the pre-theological works Swedenborg seems to sense the need for something akin to Sheldrake's morphogenetic field. From a scientific and philosophical point of view as expressed in The Economy of the Soul's Kingdom Swedenborg believed that a spiritual entity, or soul, directed the natural development of the embryo. He was not a preformationist, for he observed that in the egg there could not be found a type of the future body.13

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He later concluded that "there is a certain formative substance or force that draws the thread from the first living point and afterwards continues it to the last point of fife."14 Because of the very refined nature of this substance, he said it could "never be followed by the mind, unless it be previously instructed in the doctrine of series and degrees.15
     As time went on, Swedenborg began to call this undetectable substance "the purest fluid" and finally "the spirituous fluid." He speaks of this fluid as being contained in the cortical cells of the brain, and that it is capable of "mutation" and "harmonic variety" (morphic resonance?). Finally, he thought of the "spirituous fluid" as being a kind of organic basis for the human soul.16
     Later in the theological works this idea is described in more detail and Swedenborg begins to call it a limbus, or border, because it is composed of the finest things of nature and exists, as it were, at the very edge or border of the natural world.17 We are given the most complete view of this unique and puzzling doctrine in The True Christian Religion:

To this I will add the following arcanum: The soul, which is from the father, is the man himself, while the body, which is from the mother, is not the man in himself but is from the man; it is simply the soul's clothing, woven of such things as are from the natural world, while the soul is woven of such things as exist in the spiritual world. After death every man lays aside the natural which he took from the mother, and retains the spiritual which is from the father, together with a kind of border (limbo) from the purest things of nature about it.18

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     Hugo Odhner in The Spiritual World makes a thoughtful attempt to understand these "purest things of nature" from the scientific knowledge of the twentieth century. He notes that modern science conceives of matter as gravitational fields of force, and also observes Swedenborg's statement that the highest natural sphere originates in the force of gravity.19 Thus he says, "for all we know, the 'limbus' might be a structure of wave-patterns, the form of which we can describe only by abstractions, and which is perpetually reintegrated without losing its characteristic uniqueness."20
     The difficulty with Odhner's suggestion is that there is no known connection between living things and the inorganic wave-patterns of gravity, magnetism, or any other form of electro-magnetic energy. The hypothesis of causative formation, however, provides us with the hypothesis that living things do indeed produce and connect with wave-patterns of an unknown type. Of course there is also no hard evidence for the existence of Sheldrake's concept of the morphogenetic field, but at least his theory provides us with a new way of thinking about the limbus and its function in both the natural and spiritual worlds.
     Let us observe the similarities between the function of the limbus and the concept of the morphogenetic field. First, clearly both the limbus and the morphogenetic field are a function of the natural world, and both have been thought of as a natural "field" rather than natural substance. Second, the limbus apparently serves as a kind of form-causing agent for the spiritual body, giving man's spirit a fixity and permanence according to his life in the world.21 Likewise, the morphogenetic field contributes to the external form of all natural living and non-living things, giving fixity and permanence to the various species' solutions to the challenges of their environment.

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Third, the limbus is said to be that medium in which man's mental states and natural memory become fixed and permanent,22 a non-material yet natural storage medium for human memory. Likewise, the morphogenetic field is thought to be a non-material storage medium for memory in humans, and for instinct in lower animals.
     Obviously there are great differences between the doctrine of the limbus and the concept of the morphogenetic field. For one thing, the possibility of a continuing function for the morphogenetic field after the death of the human body is not addressed by Sheldrake, nor would we expect it to be. For another, morphogenetic fields are thought to be associated with all living and non-living forms. However, since both of these concepts are at the moment perhaps more in the realm of philosophy than of science, certainly we can say that insofar as the idea of morphogenetic fields applies to human beings there is a great deal of similarity and overlap between the idea of morphogenetic field and the teachings concerning the limbus.
     Let us now assume for the sake of argument that there is at least a relationship between the theory of the human morphogenetic field and the Divinely revealed truth concerning the limbus. We then have some interesting illustrations and confirmations of doctrine.

The Nature of the Spiritual Body

     Ray Gill touched off the controversy over the nature of the bodies of spirits and angels in an article in New Church Life in November of 1911. In this article he suggested that the true human form was not the shape of. our material bodies, but rather another more perfect human form contained in the first cell of a child and known to the Lord alone.23

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Gill cited many other teachings to support this idea, including ones that speak of how spirits from another earth who despised their bodies after death appeared in the form of clouds.24 In response, those who held that the spiritual body after death merely "appeared" in the same form to the angels but really wasn't that form pointed to teachings which referred to the cortical vessels of the human brain and the limbus,25 while those who held that the appearance of the human form after death was a "real appearance" pointed to the teachings which clearly state that after death man is possessed of every limb and organ of the body as in the natural world.
     The teachings concerning the limbus, such as DP 319 and DLW 270, which speak of "coiled gyres" and "vortex-like inward and outward gyrations" seem to be Swedenborg's best analogous idea of what a "field" might look like. If we assume that the limbus and the morphogenetic field are the same, then in a sense the information in these "fields" is the source of the human form itself in both worlds. The field provides, as it were, the information which determines the skin or shape of the spiritual body,26 while the perfection and beauty of this body is freely chosen according to the quality of one's life in the world. There is no contradiction between the teachings concerning the human form itself, or that which causes its form, and the human shape. What is new here is the thought that the limbus in its general state, before one has impressed upon it a unique life quality, is also the source of information for creating the physical body in the womb of the mother.

The Creation of Evil Animals

     As mentioned previously, the Writings give us the troublesome teaching that evil animals arose when mankind began to behave in evil ways. Just what is meant by this is difficult to imagine.

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It is almost impossible to say that such animals as bats, owls, wolves, tigers, rats, and mice, arose after human beings reached the scene, and then only after they had turned to evil. Something else must have happened that changed man's relation to these creatures, many of whom have existed for hundreds of millions of years. Sheldrake's concept of the morphogenetic field may shed some light on this problem.
     Sheldrake conceives of the morphogenetic field as being a universal field with a different "frequency" or "morphic resonance" for each species, a frequency which is tuned in by the unique DNA structure of that species. There is also what might be called a subset of the species frequency for each individual organism, with genetically related organisms sharing very similar individual frequencies or resonances. As the behaviors of individual organisms change, this behavior is stored as a sort of behavioral memory in the individual's frequency, but as more and more organisms take on a new behavior, the memory spreads to the whole field, so that at last other organisms with a similar morphic resonance may take up the new behavior spontaneously. In other words, the cumulative effect of the behaviors of individuals gradually affects the behavior of the whole species.
     We see here a mechanism whereby the behavior of mankind could eventually also affect the behavior of other living creatures. As mankind turned more and more toward a self-centered, animal-like approach to life, this behavior could have affected the universal morphogenetic field, which is also the origin of the instincts and behaviors of animals. What may have happened is that as man became more animal-like, this new behavior gradually registered through the morphogenetic field. Then, like other animals, he simply became fair game for predators such as wolves and tigers, while at the same time he became susceptible to infection by microbes and parasites.
     The change from internal to external breathing, which apparently happened some time after the new evil behaviors of mankind, appears to be the result of a morphological change in the human race.27

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This pattern seems to fit with the concept of the morphogenetic: field as being a mechanism whereby the behavior of past organisms can influence the morphology of future ones. This change apparently did not involve a major change in human physiology, but it does appear that a minor physiological or psychological change took place which added conscious control of the breathing apparatus.28 Such conscious control would be necessary for the development of spoken language, which we know also took place after the fall.29

The Virgin Birth

     Perhaps the similarity of the doctrines concerning the limbus and the theory of the morphogenetic: field may help us enter with greater understanding into this most holy of miracles. How did the Lord bow the heavens and come down? It seems unlikely that He did so by creating a male DNA structure out of nothing to intertwine with the DNA of Mary. But if the DNA is primarily a mechanism for tuning into the purest things of nature, or the field of the limbus, which is the real source of the formative information for the growth of a fetus in the womb, then I think we can see a little more clearly how the Lord's birth into the world may have been accomplished.
     In TCR 103 the primary topic is how the soul of a child is created from the soul of the father. Here we are told that in the seed there exists a graft or offshoot of the father's soul within a sort of envelope formed from the elements of nature. It is clear from CL 183 that the "elements of nature" in TCR 103 are indeed the "Purest things of nature," or the limbus:

In the seed of man is his soul in a perfect human form, veiled over with substances from the purest things of nature, out of which the body is formed in the mother's womb.30

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     Again note the emphasis in this teaching on the formative function that is performed by the soul and its vessel of the purest things of nature. These purest things of nature which also serve the vital function of maintaining a conjunction between heaven and earth are no doubt always under the Lord's direct control. It is not contrary to any known natural or spiritual order for the Lord to project His presence into the field of the limbus and concentrate its vital force into the ovum of Mary, thus creating a kind of "Divine Seed." In support of this idea it is interesting to observe how in the last sentence the focus of TCR 103 shifts away from the soul of man to the soul of the Lord:

With respect to the Lord: While He was in the world He put off by the acts of redemption everything of the human from the mother, and put on a Human from the Father, which is the Divine Human: and this is why in Him Man is God, and God is man.31

The Redemption of Mankind

     If there is any truth to the notion that the doctrine of the limbus and the theory of the morphogenetic field are similar concepts, then we also have a new implication for the work of the Lord's redemption while He was in the world. There is only one teaching that I am aware of that hints at the connection between the Lord's life in the world and the limbus:

With the Lord, however, after He had cast out hereditary evil and so purified the organic elements of the Human Essence, these too received life so that the Lord, who was already Life as regards the Internal Man, became Life as regards the External Man as well.32

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     It is possible to interpret the "organic elements of the Human Essence" (Humanae Essentiae organica) referred to here as meaning simply the Lord's "physical body," but if that is what "organic elements" means, why the obscure terminology when a very clear and commonly used term is at hand? Since the concept of the morphogenetic field includes the idea that the behavior of each organism affects the universal field for all individuals of a species, perhaps we can see how the Lord, by His life in the world, not only restored the spiritual world to order but also restored order to the purest things of nature as "these too received life." We might consider the possibility that at the time of the Lord's birth the morphogenetic field was so defiled by evil that the human race would soon have died out by an inability to reproduce healthy children. A similar process seemed to have begun after the fall with the Nephilim.33
     In the realm of pure speculation, one might wonder what role, if any, the Divine Limbus which also "received life" continued to play after the Lord's resurrection. Is it possible that the Divine Natural, or Human Essence, that which was added to the Divine, somehow continues to be associated with the Divine Limbus?34

     In the conclusion of this study next month you will find the following headings:

Conjugial Love
The Function of a Special Church
Hereditary Evil
A New View of Hereditary Evil

     1 Rupert Sheldrake, A New Science of Life (Los Angeles: J. P. Tarcher, 1981), paperback, pp. 137-149.
     2 Ibid., p. 122.
     3 Ibid., P. 175.
     4 Rupert Sheldrake, The Presence of the Past (New York: Vintage Books, 1988), p. 210-222.
     5 AC 2474, 2475, 2478, 2494, HH 345.
     6 Sheldrake, 1981, p. 250.
     7 Sheldrake, 1988, p. 120.
     8 Ken Wilber, "Physics, Mysticism and the New Holographic Paradigm," The Holographic Paradigm and Other Paradoxes (Boulder: Sharnbhala, 1982), ed., Ken Wilber, pp. 157-186.
     9 DLW 293.
     10 AC 2991.
     11 D. Wis. 11:4.
     12 DLW 310.
     13 I EAK 249.
     14 Ibid., 253.
     15 Ibid., 167.
     16 Ibid., 314.
     17 See DP 220, DLW 257, 260, Wis. viii: 4.
     18 TCR 103.
     19 LJ Post. 312.
     20 Hugo Odhner, The Spiritual World (Bryn Athyn PA: The Academy of the New Church, 1968), p. 40.
     21 DP 319, DLW 270.
     22 Odhner, op. cit., p. 35.
     23 AC 3633.
     24 AC 10314, SD 1668.
     25 See AC 4040, DLW 366, 369, 388, DP 319.
     26 DLW 257.
     27 AC 97.
     28 Carl Th. Odhner, The Golden Age (Bryn Athyn PA: The Academy Book Room, 1913), p. 77.
     29 AC 1120, SD 3322, 3324, 3490.
     30 CL 183.
     31 TCR 103:3.
     32 AC 1603.
     33 AC 557, 567, 581, 1673.
     34 AC 1461.

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SEEING THE LORD 1990

SEEING THE LORD       Rev. BRIAN W. KEITH       1990

     Adapted Slightly from the Council of the Clergy Paper

     Given in 1990 (Part 2)

People from Other Earths

     A visible appearing of the Lord occurs regularly to inhabitants on other earths (see AC 9359). Although in Swedenborg's time few knew about the Lord's birth, His person was familiar to them because He had appeared to them on their native planets as He had to Moses. So among those who are not idolaters there is an acknowledgment of the Lord in a human form as the only God (see AC 6700; AE 7).
     On Saturn "the Lord sometimes appears . . . in angelic form, and thus as a man; and then the Divine beams forth from the face and affects their minds" (AC 8949). On Venus "they had seen Him, walking among them" (AC 7251; SD 1453). Appearances to others are also noted (see AC 7173, 8543, 7477, 10737).
     The recollection of the Lord's natural image affects them when they have entered the spiritual world. It leads some to look for Him and find Him (see AC 8541; SD 523, 531). It determines how they envision Him to appear (AC 10737). And it even affects how they expect Him to behave, for spirits from Venus "represented Him as if to the life walking with them" (SD 1453). This is further illustrated in a delightful episode involving what presumably are newcomers from several worlds. " . . . the sun of heaven appeared to [spirits from Mercury] . . . . When the sun was seen, they said that this was not the Lord God because they saw no face . . . . Then suddenly the sun appeared again, and in the midst of it was the Lord encompassed with a solar circle. On seeing this the spirits of Mercury humbled themselves profoundly and settled down. Then also the Lord from the sun was seen by spirits of this earth who when they were men had seen Him in the world; and they all, one after another and thus many in order, confessed that it was the Lord Himself; and this they confessed before all the company.

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Then also the Lord from the sun was seen by the spirits of the planet Jupiter, who said in a plain voice that it was He Himself whom they had seen on their earth when the God of the universe appeared to them" (AC 7173; see also EU 40; SD 3292; cf. AC 8543).
     A sight of the Lord is dependent upon one's state, which may mean that the representations we embrace in this world condition how He can appear in the next.
     As on our earth, some inhabitants of other worlds abuse correspondences or are extremely simple in their sight of the Lord. Some on Jupiter set themselves up as lords and claim the sun is the face of the Lord (see AC 8736; SD 563). Those on the first earth worship an angel who appears as a Divine man with flashing light (see AC 9694; cf. SD 1514). And on the fourth earth the common people worship an old bearded man (see AC 10711; cf. SD 3275, 3281).
     But while there may have been a variety of visions of the Lord in natural life, all in heaven come to see the Lord as the sun in addition to the human form (see AC 6700).

The Spiritual Sun

     In the spiritual world the most universal appearance of the Lord is as the Sun. This was pointed to at the transfiguration where "His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light" (Matt. 17:2). Although not the Lord Himself, His first proceeding so appears because He is the source of all life, creating and sustaining it (see DLW 86, 93, 97, 291; AR 961). The light coming from the sun is the presence of the Divine Human with the angels (see AC 6280; DLW 5; cf. AC 6892, 9594:7, 9956; AR 465; AE 1111:4).
     As the angels are interiorly oriented toward the Lord's love, this sun appears before their faces (see DLW 130). Stationary at a middle altitude, it is described as "of the same size as the sun of the natural world; also fiery like it, but more glowing" (DLW 102, 85). It is surrounded by radiant belts and also by clouds protecting the angels (see HH 120; AE 412:16; AC 6849:5; D. Love III).

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     The Lord is the soul of the angelic heavens, but because there can be no conjunction with Him as He is in Himself, the sun appears at a distance (see DP 162; DLW 10, 125). The Lord is not removed from the angels, but this appearance of the sun depicts an internal reality. It is explained in this way: "When angels think interiorly of the Lord, they do not think of Him otherwise than as being in themselves. Real interior thought does not cause distance, but exterior thought, which acts as one with the sight of the eyes; and for the reason that exterior thought, but not interior, is in space; and when not in space, as in the spiritual world, it is still in an appearance of space. But these things can be little understood by the man who thinks about God from space" (DLW 130).
     The appearance of the sun, while in general is as one would expect, also has variety. After the Lord's advent the sun shone with "stronger radiance and in greater splendor than before His advent" (DLW 221, 233). How the sun looks also varies, depending upon the state of the angels. During the course of a day in the celestial kingdom its appearance evolves from golden red and glittering in the morning to acquiring a great dark belt, then becoming white until it finally takes on a moonlike brilliance (see HH 159; SD 4639).
     The sun's appearance varies depending upon which heaven sees Him. "The Lord appears to those who are in the inmost or third heaven as a sun . . . . He appears to those who are in the middle or second heaven as a moon . . . but in the lowest or first heaven, the Lord does not appear as a sun nor yet as a moon but only as a light which far surpasses the light of the world" (AC 6832:2; see also AC 1053, 2034, 3235, 10809; HH 118; AE 412:16).
     And in hell He cannot actually appear "except as a dusky cloud and thick darkness" (AC 6832:2, 10809; HH 123).
     The division of heaven into quarters also is reflected in where the spiritual sun appears. "Those who are in love to the Lord from the Lord see Him directly in front; these, therefore, are in the east and the west; but those who are more in wisdom see the Lord obliquely to the right, and those who are less in wisdom obliquely to the left; therefore the former are in the south and the latter in the north" (DLW 125).

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     The sight of the sun is both internal and external, for "the Lord is present with angels both within and without; an angel can see God, that is, the Lord, both within himself and without himself; within himself when he thinks from love and wisdom, without himself when he thinks about love and wisdom" (DLW 130).
     This speaks to the frequency of sight of the sun. It constantly appears within, for angels constantly think from love and wisdom. But the sun does not always appear before the eyes of all angels, for their conscious minds think about other things also.
     As would be expected, their frequency of thought about the Lord and His resultant appearance as the sun differs in the three heavens. For "angels of the third heaven see it constantly, angels of the second heaven very often, and angels of the first or outmost heaven sometimes" (DLW 85; cf. DLW 67).

The Lord Appearing in the Human Form in the Spiritual Sun

     Generally, the spiritual sun appears just like our natural sun, and is not in a physical human shape (see Five Memorable Relations 16). While the human form can be perceived by the angels in the heat and light of the sun (see HH 79), the external shape of a human body is also necessary, for "unless in heaven they had in respect to God the idea of a human shape, they would have no idea, or an unbecoming one; and thus they could not be conjoined with the Divine either by faith or by love; and this being the case, in heaven they perceive the Divine in a human form . . . whence comes the conjunction through which is salvation" (AC 7211; see also 6876:2).
     This need can, on occasion, be met through the sun (see DLW 97). Recall spirits from Mercury who could not accept the Lord as the sun until they had seen a human shape there (see AC 7173, 8543; AE 40; SD 3292). However, other
references to seeing the Lord in the sun seem to be non-literal-the angels see the Lord in the sun not in natural shape but in their mind's eye (see AC 10809; AR 961).

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     (A minor footnote here. I could not find any reference to the Lord's face alone appearing in heaven's sun, as Hymn 161 says. In some ways it strikes me as a good image to have-a warm, smiling face serenely beaming forth. However, there may be a greater value in seeing the entirety of the Lord's body there rather than just one part.)

The Lord Appearing in Heaven as a Man

     Even if the Lord did not appear to the angels in a human shape, they would still think of Him in the human form, and this for several reasons. Since it is the Divine Human inflowing which inspires thought, there is a propensity to see everything in the human form (see HH 79). Also, an angel's thinking is heavily influenced by those around him. Heaven is in the human form, so that pattern is bound to be reflected in an angel's thinking (ibid.).
     But the Lord is seen in the human form outside of the spiritual sun (see AR 465; DLW 97). On these frequent occasions "He does not appear encompassed with a sun, but in angelic form, yet distinguished from angels by the Divine shining from His face" (HH 121, 55). Once this was "on high, outside the sun in an angelic form a little below the sun" (HH 121). The appearings may be without much fanfare, for "when the Lord appears in the midst of angels He does not appear thronged about by many but as one in the angelic form" (HH 52).
     The Lord also appears as He did on earth. Once, in a memorable relation, successive representations of a temple appeared. When the highest heaven was opened, "then by virtue of the light inflowing therefrom, the whole of that temple disappeared, and instead of it there was seen standing upon the foundation stone, which was the Word, the Lord Only in an appearance similar to that in which He was seen by John (Rev. 1)" (AR 926:4; TCR 187:4).

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     In these appearings it is not the Lord Himself who is there, for He "is always encompassed with the sun, but He is present by view" (HH 121). Presence by aspect is quite common in the other world. Angels can appear in places other than where they really are. As the Lord makes heaven, He is present everywhere and thus can appear in a variety of places.
     When the Lord is present by aspect it is by His inflowing into an angel, even as He did when He appeared on earth (see AR 938; TCR 691:2), "for He fills an angel with His aspect, and thus with His presence from afar" (AE 412:2). These references suggest to me that whenever the Lord appears in heaven it is through the agency of an angel, even when in a human shape about the sun.
     What, then, has become of the glorified Human? Is it not He who appears? If we think of the glorified Human spatially, then there is no need nor possibility of His using an angel to appear. My thought is that the glorified Human cannot be measured, even spiritually. I might even suggest that the Divine substantial body of the Lord is not in a fixed shape, but is in one sense the underlying foundation for all spiritual substance. So when the Lord flows into an angel it is the glorified Human present there in a unique way. The glorified Human does not exist in a separate human shape, but as the Divine truth shining from the spiritual sun and present in the angels.
     One minor sidelight here. The representation of the Lord in the human form is apparently able to be enhanced by the angels. "I once heard very many angels of the interior heaven who were working together or in unison to form a representative . . . . By means of representations they were forming a golden crown set with diamonds around the Lord's head" (AC 3350).
     It is difficult to imagine exactly how this took place. Was the crown for the Lord as He appeared among them as a Man? Was it the Lord appearing in a human shape in the sun or in the sky? Or was there some representation present, like a portrait? Whatever the case, the image of the Lord in Human form was visibly displayed.

     (To be concluded)

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ADVENTURE OF A NEW CHURCHMAN IN NEW ENGLAND 1990

ADVENTURE OF A NEW CHURCHMAN IN NEW ENGLAND       Jr. EDWARD B. LEE       1990

     Some time ago I attended a Sunday church service at the Third Congregational Church in the little village of East St. Johnsbury, Vermont, which is only a mile from the Lee farm in Waterford. The farm has been in my family since 1801, and my wife and I spend many happy times there.
     On the stained glass window in the front of the church building is a list of the twenty founders in 1840. This list includes eight Lees, including spouses. We often go to church there. I enjoy singing in the pickup choir that shows up for practice about half an hour before the service begins. There is another church of the same denomination in Lower Waterford served by the same minister, who begins in the East village at 9:30 a.m., leaving about 10:45 to drive seven miles to Waterford for the next service at 11:00 a.m.
     The ritual on Sundays includes greetings to the visitors and a request that people greet each other, exchange introductions, and hold up their hands if there are announcements to be made, special prayers needed, birthdays or anniversaries to be celebrated, etc. This informal, friendly secular atmosphere often encourages the minister during or after his sermon to ask questions, some rhetorical and some directed right to the congregation, awaiting response. I particularly remember one sermon about the Garden of Eden with quotations from Genesis. There followed a direct question to the audience: "Do you believe that this expulsion is the fall of man because Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil?" There were quite a few responses, such as: They should have been obedient, and since they were not, they were punished by God and mankind after them; or, Now that we have lost grace by this original sin, the world is a mess, but good Christians may still survive if they obey the Ten Commandments, confess evils, read the Bible, and have faith that the Lord will forgive sins, especially those of commission.

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     I decided to express a different thought, so I arose and stated in so many words: I think the story is an allegory, not a history. It is a representation of the life of every man or woman who lives now, ever did live, or will live in the future. God alone is love and truth and is the only gardener. We (mankind) can only be caretakers and cannot decipher the secrets of life, for in so doing we will tend to think that we are God and can develop ideas of what is good and true for us, and maybe even for others too.
     I continued: Once we are tempted to think that by our own efforts we can find happiness or reach eternal life, we will find only illusions such as pleasures of the intellect or the body, or lording over lesser creatures. Then we have eaten of that fatal apple. But we don't have to. God has given us free choice so we can remain good followers, or weeders, and stay in the garden. We can continue to till the soil, enjoy plenty, avoid sin, and do good every day. We can even backslide a little, even touch a branch or take a sniff, but as long as we acknowledge that anything we grow or have success with is not ours but comes from God,, we have not eaten the apple and can continue to live in and love the goodness given to us.
     After I sat down, nobody said anything more and the service continued with the final hymn, the prayer to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and the exit of the minister to the foyer, where he shook hands with all present before driving off to his next duty. At that point, the parishioners either left to go home or went downstairs for coffee and doughnuts. I usually elect to enjoy the social events even though hard pressed to remember names and faces. On that particular Sunday I was besieged with individual questions about what I had said.

Q. Where did your idea come from? Can you interpret the Word of God?
A. No, I read the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg, who did have Divine inspiration.

Q. Who was he? Could he talk to God?

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A. God inspired him to be an enlightened penman, revealing heavenly secrets which he could write down to help people like me to rearrange their own communications with the Lord, Jesus Christ, who is God.

Q. I heard what you said. Does that make you holier than me?
A. No, but I don't count on getting into heaven by faith alone. I have to work at repentance, building up treasures in heaven, not upon earth, and learning to love God and the neighbor, and to "walk humbly."

Q. Humility is not a virtue that gets anybody very far in this day and age when we must have self-confidence and go easy on too much morality to get ahead or even put food on the table. How can one be humble and succeed?
A. I give to Caesar and can be successful in my chosen work, but the Lord has given me useful talents which it is my duty to use daily for myself, my employer, or my neighbor. New Englanders know that Emerson once said in his essay on self-reliance that "You shall not tell me of the importance of your partners, nor the names of the books you have read, nor of your piety. I am to infer all this from your manners and the wealth and accuracy of your conversation." The mark of a man of the world is the absence of pretension. Humility need not be detrimental to worldly success.

Q. Is duty more important than love?
A. I think it is a Christian duty to love God and your neighbor. If I remember my Latin history, Cicero said, "in the observation of duty lies all that is honorable, and in the neglect of it, all that is dishonorable." Love must have truth to guide it.

Q. I bought your book East Village Portrait about a woman born right here in the village and happy in her faith. Why have you deserted it?
A. I didn't. Am I not here? I simply learned to add to the Christian beliefs I already had and am trying to be better. As Bobby Bums said, "the rank is but the Guinea's stamp, the man's the gowd, for a' that."

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Q. You could put East St. Johnsbury on the map by peddling your book, getting a good review in Vermont Life. It could be a best-seller.
A. Thanks for liking it; that's good enough for me. Every human being has a unique mission no one else can perform. Men like Michener may write books and be considered great in the sight of men, but those who do things men write about from the principle of usefulness are doing greater work. If my motive is to achieve fame and fortune, perhaps I am eating of that apple and will have to leave the garden. The Lord's Divine Providence governs, and I must learn to "meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two impostors just the same."

Q. Will you get to heaven by reading Swedenborg and not the Bible?
A. I read both. Nobody is promised salvation simply by reading; deeds count too. I have to work at what we Swedenborgians call regeneration, a process of shunning evils as sins. Sure, I'm a sinner (I hope a little one rather than a big one) because I covet, criticize others, am sometimes intellectually arrogant, and get mad at people, but I try to quit these things and cheerfully do a little good deed every day instead of waiting for a great one bye and bye.

Q. I never got an education beyond high school, and all I have ever done is housework, and now that my children are gone, I have no energy left to try something different. Have I buried my talents?
A. Of course not. What would a home be without a careful housekeeper? Be thankful that you have had the opportunity to be helpful to those who are near and dear to you. You are laying up treasures in heaven, and the Lord will be pleased for He counts what is done for others as done for Him. You'll probably get to heaven before me.

     While all this chit chat was going on, the crowd (about 40 people in all) had gradually left. I was the last to leave except for the cleanup crew. As I drove home, I felt some glow of satisfaction-not merit, but warmth in the thought that maybe I had said something that might be remembered by some to their benefit.

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     Afterwards I told my wife about my adventure, and her advice was: "Better practice what you preach. What happened to that Yankee self-reliance you talked about when we first met fifty-some years ago?" I replied, "Didn't you notice that I illustrate a lot of my New Church ideas with quotations from English literature and my Unitarian background? New Englanders understand that. Remember I was not educated in the New Church doctrines as you were. I have simply absorbed them."
     I thought I would give that nice Mrs. McGinnis a copy of Heaven and Hell but then I changed my mind. Let her ask for it.
NEW LITURGY 1990

NEW LITURGY       Rev. L. R. Soneson       1990

     (The following is from an Editorial in New Church Home by Rev. L. R. Soneson.)

     Though officially in retirement, this editor has found his days, and some evenings, filled with a real challenge. This double issue of New Church Home is late in getting into the mail, partly because of another assignment. Bishop King asked for assistance in winding up loose ends prior to publishing the new Liturgy.
     Revisions to the 1939 Liturgy were rather substantial. That edition came out in 1966. But those changes seem minor compared to the challenge facing the Worship and Ritual Committee with this new edition. For example, the gospels, law and prophets, sentences and other quotes from the Old King James Version are now coming out using the New King James translation. Wherever such expressions as "Thee," "Thou," "doest," or "art" were acceptable in the present edition, the new one had to convert prayers, words to hymns, and paraphrases of the Word to be consistent with NKJV. It will address the Lord as "You."
     There has been a careful search for new music, some coming from other hymnals and some from our own church composers. This has been a tedious task for the music committee who have been reviewing new submissions for over four years.

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Indeed, the weekly minutes taken at the W and R Committee chaired by Bishop King date back to the late '70s! Numbered paragraphs that cover specific discussions and decisions of this dedicated group now number over 1,000. Wording used in hymns, selections, anthems, etc., has been studied and compared against original languages for accuracy, as well as what we have been comfortable with in the past.
     (324)Another challenge facing the committee is to incorporate all children's music and prayers, previously under a separate cover. Considering the added new music for adult services, children's music, and some of the music from the Psalmody, keeping the overall size manageable has been almost overwhelming.
     Other additions to the new Liturgy will include a second Holy Supper service, a second resurrection service, and a combined children and adult service (used by nearly every circle and society in the General Church outside of Bryn Athyn and Glenview). Though the antiphons will not be included in this edition, there will be additional passages from the Old and New Testaments and the Writings for many of the rites and sacraments. There will even be a service for use in the home at the time of the death of a loved one.
     Another challenge to the committee is not only to use superior translations of the Writings, but also emendations, recommended by our translators, to the New King James Version. Though nearly every quote from the Old and New Testament uses the new version, the Lord's Prayer will be retained in the form with which we are most familiar.
     It is true that some of our circles and societies prefer printing a small pamphlet for each service, taking advantage of desktop publishing tools now available. One circle (Tucson) has printed about twenty pamphlets with attractive covers that are updated with different offices, announcements, and messages from the pastor for use on the Sabbath. This can be a definite advantage for newcomers, who often have trouble finding their way through the Liturgy the first time.
     It is likely the new Liturgy can be purchased unbound. Individual groups could then select what music and offices they want and place them in a spring-back binder.

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Bound copies will probably be available for larger societies and for individual usage in homes. Also, the whole Liturgy will be on a computer disk for those pastors who choose to print their own services each week. Indeed, with the new state of the art in computers, future liturgies will be easily revised and compiled from data making up this forthcoming edition.
     Hopefully this publication will be in the hands of the printer before the end of the year, but there is no guarantee, considering the snags already slowing it down. Ideally, though, this new edition will have enough of the old to satisfy those raised on older editions, and enough new music, updated translations and language to meet the requests of the next generation.
LETTER FROM THE WHITE HOUSE 1990

LETTER FROM THE WHITE HOUSE       Editor       1990

     We have been publishing a few things about the beliefs of Professor George Bush, the great-great granduncle of the current president of the United States and a dedicated proponent of the Writings. (See the February issue.) One of our readers, Dr. William R. Kintner, having been acquainted with the president, sent him the item from New Church Life together with other material. The reply from the White House is dated April 30th and reads as follows:

Dear Dr. Kintner:
     Many thanks for your good letter sharing the works of theologian and scientist Emanuel Swedenborg. The passages you sent are most interesting, and I appreciate your thinking of me. With best wishes, in which Barbara joins.
     Sincerely,
           (It is signed by George Bush)

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Editorial Pages 1990

Editorial Pages       Editor       1990

     WILL YOU GET WHAT YOU WANT? IF SO, WHEN?

     Does anything in your life or in the lives of your acquaintances bear out the following statement about the faithful? "They rarely obtain the objects of their desire while they desire them, but yet, if it be for their good, they obtain them afterwards, when not thinking of them" (SD 3538).
     We invite you to ponder this and hope to offer thoughts about it in a later editorial. For now, consider another teaching. It has to do with how the Lord deals with us in our lives. It has to do with refusing something at first but eventually accepting it.
     Sometimes when we refuse something our purpose is actually to awaken affection. Someone offers us a gift and we say, "No, you didn't have to do that." And perhaps they say, "Oh, but I want to," and then we accept it. Well, "in spiritual life man is led by the Lord by things nearly like those by which a man leads others in civil life, in which it is usual to refuse to accept, to the end that the giver may act from affection; thus not from thinking only, but also from willing. For if the favor should not be accepted, the end in view would be lost; and therefore the end urges the giver to think of it still more intently, and thus to will it from the heart" (AC 4366).
     Is this consistent with your experience?
     Do these two things seem almost opposite? On the one hand, the granting is delayed until you have stopped thinking about it. On the other the granting is delayed until there is an even stronger will for it.
     Let us think about this some more and discuss it later.
     Note: Here is the way John Elliott renders part of AC 4366. "Man is led by the Lord in the spiritual life by means of things that are virtually the same as those by which one leads others in everyday life. In everyday life it is quite normal to refuse an offer so that the one who makes it may do so with affection, thus not simply because he has thought of making it but also because he desires to do so."

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OPEN WORD 1990

OPEN WORD       Alan G. Ferr       1990




     Communications
Dear Editor:
     In the letter of Mr. Richard R. Gladish in the May 1990 edition of New Church Life he expresses his feelings in a kind and thoughtful way concerning the opening and closing of the Word. I have the highest respect for this point of view, for it is obviously presented with deep affection. I wish I didn't have to disagree with him.
     I recognize and share the feelings of discomfort Mr. Gladish expresses in having the Word open all the time-that he should pay attention to it, walk more softly. After having a particular way of doing anything for so many years, anyone would tend to feel uncomfortable with a change in practice; in this case even more so, because our highest affections are involved, and this change also involves a change in attitude.
     The ritual of opening the Word is not a requirement for us to turn our conscious attention to the Lord. The opening prayer of the minister can be just as effective. "Speak, Lord, for your servant hears . . . . Now, O Lord, we, with our limited minds, are attentive; we are focusing on You. . . . "
Similarly, the minister's blessing can be an appropriate way to end the service-"Now, O Lord, we are going to turn our conscious thought away from You. We are going to apply the things we have learned today to our lives, and we acknowledge that our life flows in from You-that You are continually present with us even when we are least aware of it."
     Should the Word only be open when we are going to turn our conscious attention to it? I think not. During our services of worship, there are activities that involve our conscious attention. Singing from hymnbooks, listening to the readings from the Word, listening to the sermon (if we stay conscious) are activities that, if our conscious thought is not involved, we will not perform well.

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     In the presence of the open Word, why do we feel uncomfortable then? We feel that the Word is so holy that we must walk softly before it, that we must not do anything that would imply a lack of respect for something which we hold in the highest reverence. But is there anything which we would otherwise do if the Word were closed? Is the Word less holy when it is closed? Which activities cause us to feel shame? Perhaps if the Word were open always, we would refrain from doing things which we would otherwise excuse. In innocence we would hear the Lord: "Suffer the little children to come to me and forbid them not."
     In the Olivet Church in Toronto, for many years we have had the practice of having services in which the first part of the service is suitable for both children and adults. At the end of the first part of the service, the children and their Sunday School teachers leave. Some parents also escort their children to Sunday School and then return to the service. During this time, the Word is open on the altar. Is this "happy accident" of a continuously open Word because " . . . their [little ones'] angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven . . . "? (Matt. 18: 10) In the heavens the Lord is always before angels no matter which way they turn. On earth, the continuously open Word can be a symbol of this heavenly reality.
     Are we so emotionally tied to our present traditions that they cannot be changed? We must, on occasion, examine our traditions to make sure that they should be continued, and that they are not there merely from force of habit. Inappropriate traditions can inhibit church growth.
     The whole of TCR 508 is to me a powerful confirmation that the Word should be open continuously in the New Church. This section is a "memorable relation" of Swedenborg in the spiritual world. A magnificent temple is described. The stranger Swedenborg is permitted to look within. " . . . on the south side and facing the west was a pulpit on the right on which lay the open Word." You will note that this vision does not take place during religious services. And further "while I [Swedenborg] was looking at these things there flowed into my thought a
perception of what they all signified. The temple signified the New Church . . . .

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The Word, open upon the pulpit and illuminating the upper part of it, signified its internal sense, which is spiritual, now revealed." In the following subsection: "when I approached nearer I saw this inscription over the gate, 'Now it is permitted' [Nunc Licet], which signified that one may now enter with understanding into the mysteries of faith." And in subsection 4, therefore, among Roman Catholics, of the Divine Providence of the Lord the Word has now been taken out of the hands of the laity; but among Protestants, it is an open book, although it is closed where it is maintained . . . that the understanding is to be kept under obedience to their faith." And under subsection 6, "After these things I saw, as it were, an infant overhead, holding in his hand a paper . . . but as it was written in the curved letters peculiar to that heaven, I gave it back to him requesting . . . the meaning of the words. . . . He returned it, and this is what was written, 'Henceforward enter into the mysteries of the Word, which has hitherto been a closed book; for all its truths are so many mirrors of the Lord.'"
     The continuously open Word is a perfect symbol that "Now it is permitted to enter into the mysteries of faith"-that the Word is open to all who in innocence wish to know about the Lord and the things that relate to everlasting life.
     Alan G. Ferr
          Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada
ANSWER TO CROSSWORD 1990

ANSWER TO CROSSWORD       Editor       1990

     The answer to the crossword question on page 290 is "New Church." This appears in the June 11th issue of National Review on page 61.

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Church News 1990

Church News       Sharon Lee Kunkle       1990

     THE WASHINGTON SOCIETY

     The Washington Society has been growing and changing by leaps and bounds since our last report. In the fall of 1983, Rev. Lawson Smith was called to be its pastor. His assistant pastor was Rev. Mark Alden. We enjoyed Mark and Kay and their family during what turned out to be a brief one-year stay here before they moved on to Bryn Athyn so that Mark could follow his life's dream of going to medical school.
     Our next assistant was Mark's brother, Ken Alden, who with his wife Kim and their two boys moved here from the Oak Arbor, Michigan, Society in 1984. We very quickly found numerous ways to keep both Ken and Lawson busy, as they explored each other's various talents and worked to become a forward moving pastoral staff. Naturally, their duties included not only sermons and classes but teaching in the school and acting as headmaster, which both men did over the course of Ken's stay with us. Despite declining enrollment in the 1986-87 school year, both Ken and Lawson encouraged parents and teachers alike to focus on what our school had to offer while remembering that small enrollments rarely last any length of time. This belief proved well founded, when in the first month and a half of the 1987-88 school year enrollment suddenly leaped by six children!
     Providentially we have not lacked for excellent teachers during these up-and-down years. Carole Waelchli and Mary Cooper have been our anchor teachers as we said hello and goodbye to James Roscoe (now graduated from law school and working for a firm), Emily Barry (married and mother of a baby girl), and Rebecca Barry (married in April of 1989), and Bonnie Cowley, who with Sheila (Fitzpatrick) Smith opened a ten-student kindergarten in 1988-89. Our current staff includes Erin Junge, who has been with us for three years as the primary grades teacher; Kathy (Cooper) Johns, who this past fall began teaching grades 4-6 full-time after teaching here part-time for five years; Miss Vera Kluss, who has added a wealth of support to teachers and students with her part-time work over the past two years; and Jim Gese, presently teaching part-time but returning to our full-time staff in the fall.
     In 1988 we waved goodbye to Ken and Kim and their family, who were moving to Caryndale. Ken's replacement was none other than Tom Rose, who had spent the previous fall with us during his candidacy for the priesthood. Tom and Annette added five children to our growing school, bringing our enrollment up to 28. After a year to get his bearings, Tom has taken over the principal ship from Lawson. We were delighted to select Tom unanimously as our Assistant Pastor this fall. Now this team is preparing to lead us into the 1990s.

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     Another group that is growing is our young singles and marrieds. The recent years have seen many happy gatherings for baptisms, confirmations, engagement announcements, showers (bridal and baby) and weddings. From 1983 to 1989, our statistics book tells of 35 infant baptisms, 10 adult baptisms, 8 confirmations, 8 betrothals, and 5 weddings! Six more babies arrived this fall and winter and three more are on the way. Several are first children to young people who were born and raised here themselves. These celebrations and events are wonderful indicators of the Lord's presence with us. They serve to strengthen our conviction that we are working in the right direction, even though each of us may see different ways to accomplish common goals.
     We can really see the progress in Acton Park, the development surrounding our present church building. After many years of patient persistence, eight lots adjacent to the church are ready for single-family homes. The Clarence Mitchells, Keith Hyatts, William Kunkles and Joel Trimbles all moved into their newly built homes within the past six months. At this writing, all but two of the remaining lots are sold. There are many other opportunities nearby as well for anyone wanting to live near a church.
     In the spring of 1988 our "Women's Group" became a local chapter of Theta Alpha. This will allow us to continue the uses the group has performed in the past with the added support of the Theta Alpha International. Other recent activities of the society have included our biennial bazaar, bake sales, and get-acquainted parties, to name a few.
     Goals and dreams have been a lot on our minds recently. Rev. Lawson Smith, aided by Col. B. Dean Smith, has been encouraging us to dream, plan and budget for the far as well as immediate futures. We had two enthusiastic, energetic meetings this fall. It is an exciting challenge to see our school rooms overflowing and our sanctuary Ming up. The Lord will show us the way and provide for His uses.
Best wishes to all the other New Church societies, circles, groups and New Churchmen far and near from the Washington Society!
     Sharon Lee Kunkle

     (More Church News on page 334.)

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CONFESSIONS OF FAITH 1990

CONFESSIONS OF FAITH       Editor       1990




     Announcements

     Olson-At Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, May 20, 1990, Mr. Matthew D. Olson, Rev. Eric H. Carswell officiating.

     Synnestvedt-At Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, May 20, 1990, Miss Mara Lee Synnestvedt, Rev. Prescott A. Rogers officiating.
Church News 1990

Church News       Bill Kuhl       1990

     WHAT HAPPENED AT THE 1990 YOUNG ADULT RELIGIOUS ASSEMBLY

     The May 5th Religious Assembly in Pendleton Hall in Bryn Athyn went over spectacularly well this year with 45 people in attendance. It was well organized and everyone there had something unique and special to add. Angela Rose started off the discussions with charm and flair describing a memorable conversation she had in Alaska with someone who spoke very little English. After this Les Sheppard got up and fearlessly gave us a talk on why we should be proud and thankful for the revelation given to us and why we should share it with others. Later we heard from Rev. Tom Kline who gently instructed us on the issues surrounding the journey of life and of marriage.
     After these main presentations, we broke up into discussion groups. For me, the issue of the Lord's love in relation to our decision and action kept coming up, and I think that all of us had a chance to reflect on what His leading was for us individually.
There were smaller presentations to choose from throughout the day, and there was an opening service given by Rev. Tom Rose and a closing service by Rev. Don Rose.
     These various presentations all related to the general theme of thinking about and applying what we know from the Word and making application to the uses of life. By the end of the day I felt thankful to every participant for insights and perceptions. Thanks everyone! Your help and participation were appreciated! Let us hope for just as good a success in years to come.
     Bill Kuhl
PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES 1990

PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES       Editor       1990

GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
The Right Rev. Louis B. King, Bishop
Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania 19009, USA

PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES

     Information on public worship and doctrinal classes provided either regularly or occasionally may be obtained at the locations listed below. For details use the local phone number of the contact person mentioned or communicate with the Secretary of the General Church, Cairncrest, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009. Phone (215) 947-6811.
(U.S.A. addresses next month)


AUSTRALIA

Canberra
Mr. and Mrs. Rex Ridgway, 7 Whalen Place, Kaleen, ACT, Australia 2517.

Sydney, N.S.W.
Rev. Douglas Taylor 22 Dudley Street, Penshurst, N.S.W. 2222. Phone: 57-1589.

Tamworth
See Rev. Douglas Taylor under Sydney.

BRAZIL

Rio de Janeiro
Rev. Cristovao Rabelo Nobre, Rua Lina Teixeira, 109 Apt., Rocha, Rio de Janeiro R.J. 20970. Phone: 21-201-8455.

CANADA

Alberta Calgary
Mr. Thomas R. Fountain, 115 Southglen Drive S.W., Calgary 13, Alberta T2W OX2. Phone: 403-255-7283.

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Edmonton
Mrs. Wayne Anderson, 6703-98th Street, Edmonton, Alberta T6E 3L9. Phone: 403432-1499.

British Columbia
Dawson Creek
Rev. Glenn G. Alden, Dawson Creek Church, 9013 8th SL, Dawson Creek, B.C., Canada VIG 3N3. Phone: (office) 604-782-8035; (home) 604-786-5297.

Ontario
Kitchener
Rev. Louis D. Synnestvedt, 58 Chapel Hill Drive, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2G 3W5. Phone: (home) 519-748-5605; (office) 519-748-5802.

Ottawa
Mr. and Mrs. Donald McMaster, 684 Fraser Ave., Ottawa, Ontario K2A 2R8. Phone: (613) 725-0394.

Toronto
Rev. Michael Gladish, 279 Burnham-thorpe Rd.. Islington, Ontario M913 lZ4. Phone (church): (416) 239-3055.

Quebec
Montreal
Mr. Denis de Chazal, 17 Ballantyne Ave. Natal So., Montreal West, Quebec 114X 2131. Durban Phone: (514) 489-9861.

DENMARK

Copenhagen
Mr. Jorgen Hauptmann, Strandvejen 22, 4040 Jyllinge. Phone: (02) 389968.

ENGLAND

Colchester
Rev. Christopher Bown, 2 Christ Church Court, Colchester, Essex C03 3AU.
Phone: 0206-575644

Letchworth
Mr. and Mrs. R. Evans, 24 Berkeley, Letchworth, Herts. SG6 2HA. Phone: 0462-68471.

London
Rev. Frederick Elphick, 2IB Hayne Rd, Norden Beckenham, Kent BR3 AJA. Phone: 011-44-1-658-6320.

Manchester
Rev. Norman E. Riley, 69 Harewood Rd, Norden, Rochdale, OL11 5TH, England. Phone: 0706 54003.

HOLLAND

The Hague Mr. Ed Verschoor, 01menlaan 17, 3862 VG Nijkerk.

NEW ZEALAND

Auckland Mrs. H. Keal, 4 Derwent Cresc. Titirangi, Auckland 7, New Zealand.

NORWAY

Oslo
Mrs. Klaas Biermann, Bakketoppen 10A. 1165 Oslo 11. Phone: (0) 2 283783.

SCOTLAND

Edinburgh
Mr. and Mrs. N. Laidlaw, 35 Swanspring Ave., Edinburgh EH 10-6NA. Phone: 0 31-4452377.

Glasgow
Mrs. J. Clarkson, Hillview, Balmore Nr. Torrance, Glasgow G64 4JA. Phone: Balmore 262.

SOUTH AFRICA
Rev. James P. Cooper, 30 Perth Road, Westville 3630, Natal, Republic of South Africa. Phone: 01127-31-821612.

Transvaal
Transvaal Society
Rev. Andrew Dibb, P.O. Box 816, Kelvin 2054. Republic of South Africa. Phone: (011) 804-2567.

Zululand
Kent Manor
Rev. James Cooper, visiting pastor Mrs. D.G. Liversage, Box 7088, Empangeni Rail. 3910. Natal, South Africa. Phone: 0351-2341.

Mission In South Africa
Rev. Andrew Dibb (address above).

SWEDEN

Jonkoping
Contact Rev. Bjorn A.H. Boyesen, Bruksiter. Furusjo. S-566 00. Habo. Phone: 039220395.

Stockholm Contact
Rev. Bjorn A.H. Boyesen at the above address.

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Unlocking Your Spiritual Potential 1990

Unlocking Your Spiritual Potential       Editor       1990

Unlocking Your Spiritual Potential
A Twelve Step Approach
by
Grant R. Schnarr

     Anyone who desires to grow spiritually can benefit dramatically from following the Twelve Step Program. By working through these Steps regularly and thoroughly, a person will find a new sense of freedom from the destructive tendencies within: guilt, fear, anger, want, resentment, and a whole lot more, and also a completely new way of life. Those who use this Program for spiritual growth find a happiness and a peace of mind they did not know existed. They undergo a spiritual awakening. They become aware of people, themselves, their God in a new way which brings sheer joy to their lives. They come into a new relationship with their God which is not based on a blind faith and obedience but a knowing, loving, heartfelt, and free union with their Maker. They come into a life which can be can called truly spiritual.

Paperback $4.95 Plus 900 Postage

General Church Book Center Box 278, Cairncrest Bryn Athyn, PA 19009


Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30-12:00 or by appointment Phone: 215-947-3920

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Notes on This Issue 1990

Notes on This Issue       Editor       1990



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     Notes on This Issue

     We do not include in this issue a write-up of the summer camps, but we can observe that 1990 was the year when the various camps really blossomed. The "Maple" camp in Canada was a great success, and the Laurel camp in Pennsylvania exceeded by more than a hundred any previous enrollment in the past twenty years.
     "When parents are angry they cannot exercise good judgment nor act justly, and so they defeat their own ends . . . " "Permissive parents are courting disaster, and their children are the victims." See the sermon on the opposite page.
     "Elijah's was a dramatic, confrontational ministry. Elisha, on the other hand, was a smooth operator-a gentle man who showed great self-composure under the most difficult of situations. Both men represent the Word of the Lord, but at different states in our spiritual development." (See "A Double Portion," p. 358.)
     One letter we received had to be "bumped" to the September issue, but we had room to publish six this month. It is nice to get the response. One of the letters is about "an interesting number," and this reminds us that this year we hope to start again talking about numbers in the Writings in a series called "Among My Favorite Passages."
     Note the ministerial announcements on page 364.

     Midwestern Women's Renewal Weekend

     This will be held October 26-28th at the St. Joseph's Retreat Center in Des Plaines, Illinois, very near Glenview. The theme is "Trusting the Voice Within." The leader will be Louise Rose. The cost is $75 (scholarships available).
     Deadline for registration is October 1st. Registrar is Fran Blaesing, 3515 Pleasant, Northbrook, IL 60062. Phone (708) 272-3724.

     General Church Office of Education Catalog 1990-91
     This 12-page catalog is now available. We will tell more about it later. Order at Box 278, Caimcrest, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009 (phone 215-947-4539).

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PARENTAL CONTROL AND DISCIPLINE 1990

PARENTAL CONTROL AND DISCIPLINE       Rev. DANIEL W. HEINRICHS       1990

     "As many as I love I rebuke and chasten; therefore be zealous and repent" (Rev. 3:19).

     As long as there is evil in the world and the hereditary nature of man remains the same, discipline, reprimand and punishment will remain essential ingredients of life in the natural world. The Writings declare that if evils were not punished, the world would become so infested with evil that human society would perish (see AC 225 8e, 1079 1). The reason given is that all people have from birth a tendency to delight in evil, and of themselves would rush to destruction (see AC 587). The only way we can be deterred, we are told, is by punishments (Ibid.; see also AC 9982, 7280).
     Punishment, therefore, is not against love and mercy, as many believe, but rather is from it. That is why the Lord, who is love and mercy itself, says: "As many as I love I rebuke and chasten." In explanation of our text we are told in the Apocalypse Revealed that zeal in the Lord is not wrath; it only appears so in externals; interiorly it is love. It appears so in externals because the Lord seems to be angry when He rebukes man, especially when man's own. evil punishes him. The punishment is permitted from love so that the evil may be removed (see AR 216).
     The subject of discipline and punishment, while not a particularly pleasant one to dwell on, is nevertheless a very important one, especially to parents. If parents do not have a right idea of the purpose, origin, nature, and use of punishment, they cannot be truly wise and effective parents, however well-intentioned they may be. We are told that parents who do not punish their children for wrongdoing are not in genuine charity, nor do they really love their children. Children are not regenerate, and therefore, during their childhood and youth they commit many evils of greater and lesser degrees of seriousness. Charity is exercised toward someone who is in disorder, we are
told, by "exhortation, discipline, punishment, and consequent amendment.

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Everyone knows that a father who chastises his children when they do wrong loves them, and that on the other hand, he who does not chastise them [for wrongdoing] loves their evils, and this cannot be called charity" (TCR 407). Again we read: "A parent . . . , if he loves his children, suffers them to be chastised for the sake of removing their evils" (AR 216; see also Charity 163, TCR 459:15).
     There is an old saying that charity begins at home. This saying applies to our consideration of parental discipline as an expression of charity. When parents wisely and justly discipline their children for wrongdoing, they are promoting their real welfare. But this saying has wider implications. The "begin" implies extension and continuing progression. Thus charity, while it begins at home, should look beyond the home to the welfare of others. If parents seek only the good of their own children, they are being selfish, for their home is then merely an extension of themselves. In disciplining their children, parents who are in genuine charity seek not only to amend their children but to protect society from the harm which their children would otherwise inflict on the community. Parental discipline, then, should look to two ends-the amendment of one's children and the protection of society.
     We read: "That man is in charity and mercy who exercises justice and judgment by punishing the evil and rewarding the good. There is charity in punishing the evil, for to this are we impelled by our zeal to amend them, and at the same time to protect the good lest they suffer injury at the hands of the evil. In this way does a person consult the welfare of the one who is in evil . . . and express his good feeling toward him as well as to others and to the community itself, and this from charity toward the neighbor" (AC 2417:7; see also SD 4547m, AC 4730e). Those responsible for maintaining order show greater mercy in punishing wrongdoers than exercising unseasonable clemency on their behalf (see AC 2258e; also AC 10791).
     There is a spiritual law which states that "those who do what is good . . . from the heart receive what is good from others; those who do what is evil . . . from the heart receive evil from others.

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Hence it is that every good has its reward attached to it, and every evil its punishment" (AC 8214). That is to say, the penalty is in the evil itself (see AC 6559). He who separates himself from the laws of Divine order casts himself into the laws that are opposite to Divine order, thus into punishments and torments (see AC 2768). This law operates immediately and without fail in the spiritual world. In the natural world, however, both rewards and punishments are often long delayed, sometimes even until a person comes into the spiritual world, but the law does operate unfailingly nevertheless.
     In what way can the knowledge of this law help us in the discipline and amendment of children? For one thing, it enables us to see that when we punish a child for wrongdoing the punishment is not from us but from the breach of order committed by the child-it is the inherent penalty of wrongdoing; we are merely the agents who administer it. An understanding of this unfailing spiritual law should also lead us to appreciate the necessity for being consistent. That is, insofar as is humanly possible, we should see to it that wrongdoing is always punished. We should also carefully weigh the seriousness of the offence and make the severity of the penalty consistent therewith. If we realize that the punishment is the result of the transgression of a law of order, and that we are merely administering the law, it will help us not to become too emotionally involved in the act of punishing. It will help us to be at the same time just, firm, and merciful.
     The following quotation illustrates what our attitude should be when punishing a child who has done wrong, and also why the punishment is necessary. We read: "a mild and clement king who intends and does nothing but good must needs suffer his laws to punish the evil . . . (although he punishes no one, but grieves that they are such that their evils must punish them), for otherwise he would leave his kingdom itself a prey to them, which would be the height . . . of unmercifulness" (AC 2447:3).
     A failure to understand this spiritual law of punishment and to act according to it usually results in erratic discipline. On one occasion we will severely punish a child for a minor transgression, and another time we will lightly punish the child for a serious offence.

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Then again, we are apt to punish the child for a particular transgression at one time and at another time fail to do so. In other words, because we unconsciously tend to think of the punishment as coming from ourselves, we are apt to punish the child according to our personal feelings at the time we become aware of the offence. If we are tired and irritable we become easily annoyed and then are apt to administer harsh punishment. If we are in a serene mood and do not wish to be withdrawn from it, we are inclined to overlook the transgression entirely. If the child's wrongdoing affects us directly, we tend to be severe; if somebody remote from us is the victim we are apt to treat it more lightly.
     What is the effect of such erratic discipline on the child? Firstly, like ourselves the child fails to learn a fundamental law of life, a law that operates unfailingly on the spiritual plane throughout life in the world and openly after death-the law that punishment is inherent in wrongdoing. Secondly, because of the parents' inconsistency the child fails to understand which evils are serious and which are milder. Instead of learning to respect the laws of order, the child learns to study the moods of the parents and gauge his conduct accordingly the child becomes crafty. Unconsciously and subtly the child's respect for the parents is undermined and the child becomes a prey to unrecognized, but nevertheless real, feelings of insecurity. He cannot rely upon his parents for the judgment and control which he knows he needs.
     Consistent and firm discipline is the bedrock of a child's security. Children want to know, and need to know, where the boundaries are. When parents make the boundaries of acceptable behavior unmistakably clear, their children are relieved of a great burden. In the process of defining these boundaries for our children, reasonable discussion has its place, but there are times when adult reasoning is not effective; then the children need imposed control. The discipline should be administered firmly but not in anger. When parents are angry they cannot exercise good judgment nor act justly, and so they defeat their own ends.

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     When children realize that certain behavior will not be tolerated, they then have the assurance that when they are threatened with overpowering impulses they can count on help to control them. They find security in their parents' consistency and firmness. And each time they control, with the parents' help, one of their wrong impulses, it becomes a little easier to manage on their own. Thus all parental control and discipline should lead eventually to self-control and self-discipline. This is what parents should be aiming for and preparing for.
     When children reach adolescence, the problems become more complex. Younger children, because of the restrictions of their environment, need protection from forces within themselves, but adolescents need protection from forces outside of themselves as well. They are establishing independence, which may manifest itself in unreasonable rebellion. They are struggling with forces, both within themselves and outside of themselves, that they cannot control (see CL 456). At this time more than ever they need, and secretly want, their parents to stand fn-m, despite appearances to the contrary. They are testing the values for which their parents stand. If their parents give in to them, they reject the values; for, apparently, their parents did not really believe in them themselves or they would have stood firm. Thus their confidence in, and respect for, their parents is undermined.
     This is one of the great tragedies of the present day. Many parents mistakenly believe that if they are not yielding and flexible when their adolescent children begin to rebel, they will lose their love. They think their children's love will turn into resentment and possibly even hatred. And so, in an effort to retain their children's love, they lose their confidence and respect. They leave their children rudderless in a tumultuous world-victims of their uncontrolled passions and a prey to worldly seductions and allurements that they cannot resist by themselves. This is the major cause of the wave of moral disorder, promiscuity, and drug abuse that is sweeping our country. The children of today are no worse than those of previous generations. The fault is in the parents. They have let their children down in their time of greatest need by failing to impose firm control at a time when it is most needed.

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     Even when an adolescent child is tempted to do wrong, he also wants to do what is right according to conscience. He knows he will feel guilty if he doesn't act according to conscience. But above all, even if it is not apparent, adolescents want their parents' approval. If the parents are rock-firm in their disapproval of certain behavior, children and adolescents will eventually abstain; they do not want to let their parents down, nor do they want their parents to feel ashamed of them.
     Parents should know that firm parental control is just as essential to the development and welfare of their children as love and food. While the parents should make it clear that their children can count on their love, they should also make it clear that they can only count on their approval and support if they live and act according to the spiritual and moral standards which are acknowledged in their home. Children and young people want strong, firm parents whom they can admire, respect, and follow as an example. Permissive parents are courting disaster, and their children are the victims. Not only do they suffer emotional insecurity, but they are a potential threat to a stable, well-ordered society.
     We are told that in ancient times parents were respected, loved, and accorded dignity by their children, not because they were their parents but on account of the wisdom and instruction which they received from them (see DP 215:2). So would it be today if parents imbued their children with wisdom through proper instruction and firm and intelligent discipline. Let all parents heed these words of the Lord, uttered from infinite love, mercy and compassion, and regard them as a maxim: "As many as I love I rebuke and chasten; therefore be zealous and repent" (Rev. 3:19). Amen.

Lessons: I Sam. 2:12-17, 22-25, 27-35; Rev. 3:14-22; SD 4421 CONCERNING PUNISHMENT: IT IS OF MERCY 1990

CONCERNING PUNISHMENT: IT IS OF MERCY       Editor       1990

     If a father does not chastise a son or a daughter who is wayward and does evil but indulges him, he is then unmerciful (SD 4421).

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EVOLUTION, THE LIMBUS, AND HEREDITARY EVIL 1990

EVOLUTION, THE LIMBUS, AND HEREDITARY EVIL       Rev. MARK R. CARLSON       1990

     (Concluded)

Conjugial Love

     We have seen above in TCR 103 and CL 183 that the limbus is associated with human seed. Perhaps by considering the idea of the morphogenetic field we can better understand certain teachings concerning the communication between husband and wife through the act of love. A woman is said to be actually formed into a wife by receiving into herself the image of her husband as her body receives the "offshoots" of his soul which are in his seed.*
     * CL 193, 198.
     Perhaps the emphasis on the "formation" of the wife from the reception of the seed of the husband is a little more understandable when we think of the "offshoots" of the husband's soul as a field of information concerning the quality of his soul. This makes more sense than thinking of the process as a mechanistic transference of physical material which somehow has a formative psychological effect in the woman.

The Function of a Special Church

     We are all familiar with the teachings that those in the church universal are sustained and kept alive spiritually by means of the special church, although it may consist of comparatively few individuals.* The idea that the thoughts and behaviors of a select group of individuals could somehow affect the thoughts and behaviors of millions of others is close to what the theory of formative causation would predict. Perhaps the idea of the morphogenetic field gives us a way of thinking more concretely about just how those of the special church may serve so many others in the natural world.
     * AC 2853, SS 104.

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Hereditary Evil

     My thoughts turned to the doctrine of hereditary evil several years ago when reading the work of Murray Bowen, a researcher in the field of family therapy. One of the things which set his work apart was his longitudinal research project which followed the development of families for a period of up to thirty years. Bowen noticed that a tendency to similar dysfunctional behaviors appeared to be transmitted down through the generations of a family. He called this process the "multi-generation transmission process."* Bowen's theory of family systems looked to me very much like a mechanism for the transmission of what the Writings call "hereditary evil," the process whereby the evils of parents are transmitted to off-spring as a tendency to those particular evils.** Behaviors that psychologists term "dysfunctions" and what we would call "evils" are not necessarily synonymous, but there is a remarkable overlap between the two concepts.
     * Murray Bowen, Family Therapy in Clinical Practice (New York: Jason Aronson, 1978), p. 384.
     ** AC 313, 494, 1573, 1902, 3701, 4317.
     Bowen did not suggest that this transmission of dysfunctional behavior was a genetic transference, but rather one which was transferred to children in part by means of the behavior of the parents toward the child, but more importantly by the "system" of the relationships within the family. We cannot say that Bowen's "multi-generation transmission process" is synonymous with the transmission of hereditary evil, but there would appear to be some connection. This seems all the more likely when we observe that the core of Bowen's theory has to do with the degree to which people are able to distinguish between the feeling process and the intellectual process,* or in terms of the Writings, the separation of the will from the understanding.
     * Bowen, op. cit., p. 355.

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     We tend to assume that hereditary evil is just that, something that one inherits from parents the same way as one inherits brown eyes and freckles. But we live in a post-Mendelian age in which such concepts as genes and chromosomes are taken for granted as the mechanism of heredity. In Swedenborg's day this was not the case. What Swedenborg meant by "hereditary" (haereditarius) is not necessarily what we picture in our minds today. Hereditary evil may be as much a function of the way parents treat their children as it is- of some deeper form of inheritance.

A New View of Hereditary Evil

     If there is any validity to Bowen's "multi-generation transmission process" and Sheldrake's concept of the morphogenetic field, there are at least two ways that hereditary evil can be transmitted to a child: first, by the effect of the parents' behavior and family system on the child; and second, through heredity, through genetic transmission and/or by means of "morphic resonance" between the morphogenetic fields of parents and their children.
     Family counselors have long noticed how almost mystical is the effect parents have on children. It is a commonly accepted view that many problems exhibited by children can be traced back to problems parents are experiencing either within themselves or in the marital relationship. The sharing of pathology within a family is so widely accepted that when one member of a family presents a problem to a therapist, that member is often called the "identified patient." The assumption is that the real problem does not necessarily exist simply within that individual. The psychological view of this phenomenon is that the context in which the family exists and the patterns of relationships within the family cause the shared pathology.

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But from doctrine there is no reason for us to doubt that the medium of transmission is also on a much deeper level than psychology has yet considered. But there are also tendencies toward good that can be passed on to children:

     For every characteristic which parents have acquired from frequent practice and conduct, that is, which they have taken into themselves by their own actions in life until with them they have become so habitual as to appear natural, is passed on to their children and becomes hereditary. If parents have led a good life from the love of good and have experienced delight and blessedness in that life, and if this is their state when they conceive an offspring, their offspring acquires from them an inclination toward this same form of good.*
     * AC 3469:3.

And related to the above teaching is the following concerning conjugial love:

     That the offspring born of two who are in love truly conjugial derive from their parents the conjugial of good and truth, from which they have an inclination and faculty, if a son for perceiving the things that are of wisdom, and if a daughter for loving what wisdom teaches.*
     * CL 202.

     As we have seen, the mechanism of acquired characteristics through morphic resonance, together with natural selection, may be the very mechanism that has provided for the evolutionary progress of all life on earth. But regardless of what may have happened in the past, surely we must conclude from these teachings that some mechanism of acquired characteristics now provides for the hope of mankind on earth and the continued "evolution" or progress of the Lord's church on earth.

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AC 3469, quoted above, and other teachings do indeed speak about the state of parents at the time of conception as being a factor in what tendencies are transmitted to their children. But in the light of Bowen's research and Sheldrake's hypothesis, together with how well the theories of both men appear to illustrate a number of teachings of the Writings, I would suggest that we expand our thinking about just what is meant by hereditary evil and hereditary good.
     I think we have to consider the possibility that hereditary tendencies to both good and evil can continue to be transmitted from parents to children after birth, through the family system as Bowen suggests, and even after they leave home, as is suggested by Sheldrake's hypothesis. If there is something akin to "morphic resonance," the quality of the parents' life will continue to affect the children for as long as they live-and perhaps even after death? What is more, we should consider the possibility that if a parent enters into a secret state of evil that remains unknown to his or her children, still that evil may have an adverse effect on his children.
     But, of course, the reverse of this is also true. Parents who had not really begun to think about spiritual things or paid much attention to the work of repentance before their childbearing years may yet be able to pass on to their children an inclination to good affections and to conjugial love if they begin that work later in life. If the abatement of hereditary evil is the future hope of the church on earth, this seems to be a much more workable, optimistic and even logical view. It provides a mechanism whereby a great deal more can be accomplished by each new generation of a family than would appear to be the case if the "die is cast" with the conception of a child.
     It makes sense to me that the same mechanism has been at work in the formation of both man's physical body through evolution and his spiritual body through the inherited tendencies toward good and toward evil. It also seems safe to conclude that the same mechanisms will continue to work in the future for the increased perfection of the human race. Surely, both the past and the future of mankind are intertwined by means of a "perfecting" process, whatever that process may be.

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Conclusion

     Like Wallace, I believe mankind has indeed risen above the perfecting process of natural selection with his highly developed intellect and his ever-increasing ability to control his environment. And I believe that another process continues for our perfection in a manner Darwin never dreamed of, a process which may be closely associated with what the Writings call the "limbus," and a concept which is presently denied by science-the transmission of acquired characteristics-a concept first postulated by Lamarck and later accepted by Darwin. Whatever the process may be, surely we must agree that the acquired characteristic of a tendency toward conjugial love is the hope of mankind and the hope of the future of the church on earth.

     Bibliography

Bowen, Murray. Family Therapy in Clinical Practice. New York: Jason Aronson, 1978.

Brackman, Arnold C. A Delicate Arrangement: the Strange Case of Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace. New York: Times Books, 1980.

Bronowsky, J. The Ascent of Man. Boston: Little Brown and Co., 1973.

Darwin, Charles. The Origin of species. New York: The New American Library, first edition 1859 (Mentor MY 1050 paperback, 1958).

Dawkins, Richard. The Selfish Gene. New York: Oxford University Press, 1976.

Dawkins, Richard. The Blind Watchmaker. New York: W. W. Norton and Co., 1986.

Eiseley, Loren. Darwin's Century. Garden City, New York: Doubleday and Co., (Anchor A 244, paperback), 1961.

Eiseley, Loren. Darwin and the Mysterious Mr. X. New York: E. P. Dutton, 1979.

Gould, Steven J. Ever Since Darwin. New York: W. W. Norton and Company, 1973.

Gould, Steven J. An Urchin in the Storm. New York: W. W. Norton and Co. (paperback), 1987.

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Gyllenhaal-Davis, Charlotte. "Chance, Evolution, and the New Word," The New Philosophy 81 (1978), pp. 271-283.

Hitching, Francis. The Neck of the Giraffe. New Haven: Ticknor and Fields, 1982.

Hubbard, E. Little Journeys to the Homes of the Great Scientists. New York: P. F. Collier and Son, 1928.

Hull, D. L. Darwin and His Critics. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1973.

Kittlewell, H. H. D. "Darwin's Missing Evidence," Scientific American, 201 (1959), pp. 148-153.

Kuhn, Thomas S. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. Chicago: University Chicago Press, 2nd. ed., 1970.

Mayr, Ernst. Toward a Philosophy of Biology. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1988.

Monod, J. Chance and Necessity. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1971.

Montagu, Ashley. (Ed.) Science and Creationism. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1984.

Odhner, Carl Th. The Golden Age. Bryn Athyn, PA: The Academy of the New Church, 1913.

Odhner, Hugo Lj. The Spiritual World. Bryn Athyn, PA: The Academy of the New Church, 1968.

Odhner, Hugo Lj. The Human Mind. Bryn Athyn, PA: The Academy of the New Church, 1969.

Odhner, Linda Simonetti. "Recapitulation Theories and Man's Place in the Universe." Swedenborg and His Influence. Bryn Athyn, PA: The Academy of the New Church, 1988, pp. 199-226.

Sheldrake, Rupert. A New Science of Life: the Hypothesis of Formative Causation. Los Angeles: J. P. Tarcher, Inc., 2nd ed., 1981.

Sheldrake, Rupert. The Presence of the Past, New York: Vintage Books, 1988.

Stanley, Steven M. Macroevolution: Pattern and Process. San Francisco: W. H. Freeman and Co., 1979.

Swedenborg, Emanuel. References to all theological works are from Swedenborg Foundation standard set, with the exception of the Arcana Caelestia, references from the first 6 volumes are the Elliott translation; and Divine Providence is the Dick translation, both published by The Swedenborg Society.

Swedenborg, Emanuel. The Economy of the Animal Kingdom, New York: The New Church Press, 1955.

Swedenborg, Emanuel. The Spiritual Diary. London: James Speirs, 1883-1902.

Taylor, Gordon Rattray. The Great Evolution Mystery. New York: Harper and Row, 1983.

Wallace, Alfred Russel. Contributions to the Theory of Natural Selection. London: Macmillan and Co., 1870.

Wallace, Alfred Russel. My Life. New York: Dodd, Mead and Co., 1905.

Wilber, Ken. (Ed.), The Holographic Paradigm. Boulder: Shambliala, 1982.

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SKILL OF GOOD CONVERSATIONS AND HOW TO HAVE THEM 1990

SKILL OF GOOD CONVERSATIONS AND HOW TO HAVE THEM       LAVINA SCOTT       1990

     We can begin by listing some things that are not good conversation. But first consider two passages from the Writings, for it is the spirit of charity coming from Divine revelation that inspires us to seek the skill of good conversation.
     From the love of self a person "thinks about himself, talks about himself, and acts for the sake of himself, for his life is a life of self' (NJHD 55).
"One should not bind or incite another to confirm one's own truths, but should hear him and take his answers as they are in himself For he who binds and incites another to confirm his own truths causes the other not to think and speak from himself but from him" (AC 9213:6).

     What Is Not Good Conversation

1) A monologue or a lecture. One person talks; the other person or persons are forced to listen because they are too polite to walk away.

2) A scolding or bawling out. One person harangues, steamrollers, accuses or rants; other person or persons squirm.

3) An argument. Two or more persons engaged in a verbal fight, usually accompanied by accusations, anger and heated debate.

4) Simultaneous monologues. Any number can play. Each person in the group talks simultaneously or in turn, but on any number of different topics, as individual talkers choose their own topics, and none listens to what is said by anyone else.

5) A cross-examination. One person asking prying questions, the other person trying desperately to "get off the stand."

6) A solo conversation. One person trying to take an interest in the other person, but the other person not responding in any way (like trying to dance a tango by yourself).

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     Conversation Stoppers. Try to avoid these.

1) Try not to be long-winded and repetitious, taking so long to reach the point of your story, and repeating yourself, that your listeners fall asleep or drift away.

2) Avoid offering compliments to which there is no reply: a) because it is embarrassing or too flattering (e.g., "Your body is perfect in every way!")

b) because it is so generalized as to seem insincere (e.g., "I'm so glad you are our new neighbor! I've always loved Americans!"), or whatever the case may be.

3) Don't ask a secular group of people engaged in a conversation about natural things (like comparison of cigarette brands) a religious question: (e.g., "Do you believe in a life after death?") unless you need silence to hear falling pins.

4) Don't ask a question that's totally unrelated to the topic under discussion.

5) Don't use technical words or ideas that are above your listeners' heads.

6) Don't always "grind the same axe" or "play the same tune" so that people dread seeing you, knowing that they will have to endure listening to your same opinions again and that you can turn any conversation around to your pet topic.

     A Good Conversation: What It Is

     Whether a conversation is between just two people or is a group experience, a good conversation is one in which each person is actively participating more or less equally, for the enjoyment of all the others in the group. What is said is listened to and heard by the others, and is responded to in a courteous way. There is a sharing of concerns, news, joys, sorrows and humor (as long as the humor is not at someone else's expense). Sometimes there is a sharing of thoughtful silence. Taking a few seconds to reflect on what the other person has said is a real compliment. There is a spirit of mutual acceptance without overtures of confrontation or accusation.

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Each person speaks for himself without gossip or slander, without bragging about one's own accomplishments, and without running others down in comparison to oneself. Each person speaks about his or her own feelings or beliefs without putting words in someone else's mouth, and without assuming that you know what someone else is going to say, or butting in to say it before he does. Each person is courteous and hears the other person out without cutting him off before he is finished speaking. A good conversation is generally characterized by a feeling of good will toward the other person or persons in the group, by an attitude of looking for that which is good and admirable in the other person (or persons), and the desire to support and strengthen those good qualities and ideas with them. There is also lots of room in good conversation for lively, non-malicious and good-natured kidding.

     How to Start Having a Good Conversation

     The most important thing you can do is to adopt an attitude of taking an interest in the other person, who he is, where he comes from, why he is here, what he likes, believes, and values, what he does or works at, when and how he does what he likes doing, what he has done or experienced or learned, what he enjoys the most, and why. Most people are delighted with the chance to talk about themselves and their interests if someone else shows an interest in them, and they will be glad to open up and tell you all about themselves.
     However, it is imperative that you also listen to what they say in answer to your question, in order to be able to ask an intelligent second question.
     If you take an interest in someone else, and he does not in turn ask anything at all about you or what your interests are, nor gives you a chance to talk about your ideas, you have lost nothing. After all, you already know all about what's in your head; it is the other person who has lost the opportunity to learn something new. By taking an interest in another person you always come away from any encounter having learned something new, and you end up feeling that you have had an interesting time.

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     An added bonus that comes your way from learning to take an interest in other people is that soon you will find that more and more people enjoy your presence and want to be around you. Most of us would be quite happy to be in that position.
     Don't waste precious time (days, weeks or months) waiting for someone to come and take an interest in you. Take the first step yourself of going up to someone else who looks a little lost or insecure, or idle or shy, and start a conversation. There are opportunities all around you, and interesting people to be discovered!

     Fine-tuning Your Conversation Skills

     Be careful to ask a question or make your opening observation in a way that would not embarrass or offend the other person, so think before you speak (e.g., it could end up totally embarrassing if you ask someone in a doctor's office waiting room what he or she is waiting to see the doctor for).
     Learn to be skillful in how you pose a question so that the person you are trying to talk to does not feel that he is being grilled or cross-examined.
     If you can size up a situation and subtly show that you are interested in something that that person likes (e.g., to the lady across from you on the train who is knitting, a compliment on the beautiful colors of the wool she is using). It makes it very easy for the other person to relax and start talking with you.
     Try to assume a "body language" position that makes you approachable by that person or child. (For example, if you see someone standing four square, glaring at you with his arms crossed, would you feel as if that would be a warm welcoming person, interested in your ideas? Not likely. So if you look defensive like that, don't expect visitors. But if you were standing or sitting in a relaxed position, leaning slightly forward and having a pleasant look on your face, or looking at someone with a warm smile, that person would feel at ease with your warm welcome.)

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     Often it is easy to get into a conversation with a child by getting yourself closer to the level of the child, and by taking an interest in something that he or she obviously is interested in or curious about. Children will often come up to you to see what you are doing. Conversations with children at their level of interest are often very delightful and interesting, and give you lots of entertainment, besides excellent practice in learning to take an interest in other people.
     Lastly, learn to be a good catalyst-someone who can draw other into the group and skillfully encourage everyone to participate. If you are talking to someone else or wit a group and another person walks up, try to be a bridge that can offer to the extra person a way of joining in. Don't just ignore that person and go on talking till he walks away! If you know the extra person, introduce him or her to the person you are talking with, or to the group; and if you don't know that person, introduce yourself and your acquaintances and ask the person to introduce himself! It's not hard!
     And what to do if you find yourself being the odd person out and nobody invites you to join the conversation? Either simply ask, "May I join you? It sounds interesting." Or look around and find another person who needs someone to talk to and start your own conversation.
     Be alert to the conversational "ball" that someone may try to toss you, to enable you to join a conversation group. Don't let the ball drop! Graciously accept the chance to join in, and start trying out your new skills of taking an interest in other people!
It all boils down to the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you!"
NEW CHURCH MENTAL HEALTH SYMPOSIUM IV 1990

NEW CHURCH MENTAL HEALTH SYMPOSIUM IV       Editor       1990

     This will be held in the Bryn Athyn Society Building November 23-25. Full registration (including meals) is $40.00. The registrar is Mr. Paul Simonetti. Information coming in the September issue.

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"A DOUBLE PORTION" 1990

"A DOUBLE PORTION"       Rev. CEDRIC KING       1990

     Charter Day Address 1989

     "And it came to pass, when the Lord was about to take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal" (II Kings 2:1).

     What would life be like without its moments of ecstasy? That's a Greek word which means "to drive out of one's senses." It sounds crazy, but of course it isn't. Each of us has had moments of sheer inspiration-states of exalted delight in which normal understanding is felt to be surpassed. When Einstein discovered that acceleration and gravity are really the same thing (his equivalency principle), he called it "the happiest thought of my life!"
     The discovery of truth is like that. It can so overwhelm the mind with beauty that one simply has to bow down in reverent awe. The deepest truths are seldom articulated. They touch us more as a profound feeling of goodness. For example: what is it really like to give birth to a child?-to know that one has served as the link between the infinite and the finite in bringing a potential angel into the world?
     The birth process is a wonderful analogy to spiritual growth because it involves our cooperation. One of the misconceptions about states of ecstasy is the belief that we have no control over them. They simply invade our consciousness when we least expect them to, sometimes only after a severe crisis. The Lord does use moments of crisis to startle us from spiritual sleep, but there is a superior path to enlightenment which involves our free and reasoned consent and our persistent cooperation at every turn.
     Childbirth should begin with a commitment to love. Learning to love another is hard work! A woman must consistently put the needs of her growing baby above her own. She may feel as if she is going downhill. She loses her figure and gradually her patience. Today, with the emphasis on careers, there must be at least some concern that the world is passing her by and that she will never catch up.

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Toward the end, however, there is little time or energy for such reflection. Her whole attention is consumed by the urgency of delivery. The miracle occurs! Let the world wait its turn. She holds heaven in her arms.
     We don't find the kingdom of heaven. It finds us. It impregnates our minds with a new vision. As that vision grows it vies for our attention. It makes ever greater demands upon our conscience and energy. The old familiar feelings rise up indignantly, but the urgency of new life calls out, "Keep silent!" Finally, through heart-wrenching pain we emerge as new creatures.
     How does it all begin? Through the Word. The Word of God is different. It is unique. Whatever its crude outward appearance, within its stories is contained the "Father's Seed"-the Divinely prolific principle. "By the Word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth" (Psalm 33:6). That same Word creates our own private heaven when we open ourselves to its leading.
     Elisha steadfastly follows Elijah, his master, and is rewarded with a vision of heaven and a double portion of power. We see Elijah, the greatest of the Old Testament prophets, at the end of his earthly ministry. He will shortly be transferred to a higher realm and Elisha will assume the function of chief prophet in his stead. The men are alike in certain respects, but very different in others.
     Elijah's was a dramatic, confrontational ministry. Elisha, on the other hand, was a smooth operator-a gentle man who showed great self-composure under the most difficult of situations. Both men represent the Word of the Lord, but at different stages in our spiritual development. For much of our lives the Word seems harsh and confrontational, accusatory and threatening. It warns us that we are sick and in need of the Lord's salvation. We don't like this message, partly because in our hearts we suspect that it is true and we are simply not courageous enough to admit to the fact as yet.
     So we deal with the Word at a distance. We listen to its teachings but we close our minds emotionally to the direction it is encouraging us to take-a strait and narrow way which appears to lead to death, the demise of our natural desires.

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     Recall how all the sons of the prophets stood around and talked about Elijah's impending death, whereas only Elisha followed his master. "As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!"
     Of course the Lord lives. He is the only source of true life in the universe. But we will never really come to understand and believe this fact unless we make it our passion to apply to our own lives what He says. "If you love Me, keep My commandments, and I will come and make My abode with you."
     It is a lonely journey, this spiritual trek from Gilgal to the Jordan and beyond. It begins in the fertile mountains of good intentions, forges downward through the rushing waters of repentance, and leads us into the harsh wilderness of despair at our own lack of progress. Yet there in states of spiritual maturity, when we have lost so many of the comfortable urges which our conscience will no longer allow us to get away with, the heavens may suddenly be opened to us. The Lord's Word is resurrected in a glorious new form. Its essential message of love becomes emblazoned on our hearts.
     We feel free, absolutely free and unafraid. No longer tormented by the urges that controlled and bound us, we begin to imagine what we really want to do with the rest of our lives.
Only after the two men had crossed the Jordan did Elijah turn to Elisha and say: "Ask! What may I do for you before I am taken away from you?" This is the great outcome of the regenerative process. The Lord secretly leads each of us to the point where we can ask for the right things and receive them.
The Academy of the New Church exists to prepare you for this journey. It cannot go with you, but then it doesn't have to. For you see, you are the Academy. You are its hope and its future.
     I could stand here and extol the great visionary leaders of the past-and the Academy has fostered some truly great men and women. But the Academy cannot live in the past if it is to survive. It can no more rely on the inspiration of the past than the human body can continue to breathe the same air over and over again.

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No, the Academy is dependent upon your generation to bring it new perspective. It is looking to you to reinforce its heart, to sharpen its eyes and ears, to quicken its step, so that it can go forth and become a more prominent force in the world.
Does such a challenge fill you with pride? It will soon humble you. In your personal struggles to live what you are learning here you will meet with great resistance. This resistance does not come primarily from the outside world, but from within our own hearts. "A man's enemies," the Lord said, "will be those of his own household."
     One of the greatest enemies we all face is fear. I must confess that I wrestled with fear in preparing this address. There was the fear of offending your sensibilities by saying what was really on my mind.
     We all have an instinctual fear of revealing too much about ourselves. There is the risk of rejection, the fear that others would stop loving us if they really knew what we are like deep down inside. Such fear is understandable and even useful in certain states of self-preservation. But we pay a high price for holding onto it. Our fears keep others and the Lord at a distance. "The more there is of fear," the Writings say, "the less there is of faith, and still less of love. Conversely, the more there is of faith present in worship, and even more so of love, the less there is of fear" (Heavenly Secrets 2826).
     I remember a turning point in my first pastorate. As my work seemed to blossom outwardly I was dying inside. For a while I pretended my own needs weren't important-that I could lose myself by serving my people more and more vigorously. It was a lie. I grew more lonely.
     Then one day an older member encouraged me to sit down and really talk about what was going on inside of me. There's only one way to describe how I felt as I drove home that afternoon-ecstatic!
     People! They are the only truly important things in life. Human relationships are the only things which last and which bring lasting joy. We can hear the Lord's tender words to Martha: "Martha, Martha! You are troubled by many things, but Mary has chosen the better part which shall never be taken from her."

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     Each new generation needs to discover the Lord's presence in one another. This was the secret to the bliss of the Most Ancient peoples. They knew that everything of human value which they recognized in each other was the Lord's own with them. Is it any different today?
     These are exhilarating times to be alive and serving the New Church and the Academy. The Lord's Holy Spirit is surely at work today as never before, if for no other reason than never before have we felt a greater need for His Divine love and wisdom.
     The painful issues which have burdened the Academy recently are but birth pains as she prepares to bring forth new and exceedingly powerful states of love and usefulness to her faculty, students, and the world at large. What a tragedy it would be to lose heart when we are so close to the dawning of a new day.
     Let's not be deceived by appearances. To the eyes of many we seem to be going downhill, like the descent from Gilgal to the Jordan Valley and beyond. We find ourselves more and more a part of that wilderness which is the fallen spiritual state of the world around us and within our hearts.
     No wonder, then, that the only way to survive is to ask for more than our fathers did-a double portion of His spirit. Elisha made the request for he personifies the spiritual sense of the Word, not as concealed in static facts upon a shelf but as a living vision born of our own personal regenerative experiences.
     So ask for a double portion. Ask in the name of the glorified Lord, not the limited Jesus of fallen Christianity. Ask for eternal success, not just temporal advantage; ask for inspiration, not just enlightenment; ask for that interior vision of the Divine love now available to the New Church which alone can conquer all our foes. "Greater works shall you do because I go to the Father."
     "So he [Elijah] said, 'You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you!' " (II Kings 2:10).

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DECLARATIONS OF FAITH AND PURPOSE 1990

DECLARATIONS OF FAITH AND PURPOSE       Various       1990

     I believe that the Lord is one in Essence and Person, from whom flows all life, all power and all wisdom and understanding, and who is the Redeemer and Savior of the world. I believe that no one can know the Lord unless he turns to His Divine Word. I believe that this Word consists of the Lord's threefold revelation. It consists of the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Testament of the Second Coming that was given by the Lord through Emanuel Swedenborg.
     I believe that true faith comes only with a life based on careful thought from the principles taught in this Word. And because all instruction and understanding come from the Lord, when reading His Word we must turn to Him in prayer for the sight of how these teachings apply to life.
     I believe we are not to do evils because they oppose the Divine Order and they harm the neighbor by attacking what is good in him. Yet I believe that no one has the power of himself to turn away from his own evil desires and do what is good (TCR 330). While the appearance is that the battle is done from ourselves, the reality is that it is the Lord alone who can successfully wage combat with the hells. And it is the Lord alone who gives us both the love and the ability to serve the neighbor in place of that evil.
     The function of a priest is to teach people the way to heaven and also to lead them. A priest has the responsibility to live according to, and teach according to, the doctrines of his church (AC 10794). I believe that I have been called by the Lord to serve as a priest in His New Church. My purpose is to help people understand the Lord's wondrous truths. It is my prayer that I may inspire people to take those truths freely and bring them into their lives so that they may find peace in a life of the Lord's Divine Order.
     My prayer is that I may be granted the Lord's light to see how His truths may be applied to life, and be granted the skill of teaching them to others. And finally, I pray that I may be given the humility to see and shun the obstacles of my selfish thoughts and loves that stand in the way of this use, and in their place be granted the Lord's love of saving souls.

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     "In You, O Lord, I put my trust; let me never be ashamed; deliver me in Your righteousness. Bow down Your ear and hear me; deliver me speedily; be my rock and my refuge, a fortress of defense to save me" (Psalm 31:1, 2).
          David H. Lindrooth

     I believe that our Lord, Jesus Christ, is Jehovah God, the one God of heaven and earth. He is our Creator, Redeemer and Savior. In order to save us, He came onto this earth and glorified His Human. By that life He became the Man. He showed us by His example the ideal of what it is to be human. He demonstrated perfect love and perfect wisdom by doing all that He did not for Himself but for our salvation and happiness. He showed us that even our God is among us as one who serves.
     I believe that the Lord has revealed Himself in His threefold Word so that we can come to know Him, love Him and follow Him. The Word of the Lord is just that, the words He speaks to us that are to be the spirit and life within us. In those words He is directly present with us, urging us as a loving Father to forsake our selfish ways and to obey Him.
     The primary doctrine that the Word teaches is the doctrine of charity, of service to the Lord and to our fellow man. "A person is born for no other purpose than that he may perform use to the society in which he is" (AC 1103:2). When we shun what is evil as sinful and do what is good because it is the Lord's will, we open ourselves to receive the Holy Spirit. Our focus then becomes the eternal welfare of those around us.
     I believe a priest is a servant of the Lord and of those he seeks to lead. As a representative of the Lord he should strive to teach and lead with authority. As a servant he should follow the Lord with humility and place the good of those he serves ahead of his own. I believe that the Lord's command to His disciples after His resurrection is the Divine commission to the priesthood.

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In that commission He says, "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
     I present myself for inauguration into the priesthood with the hope and prayer that the Lord will be with me always, guiding me to become a good and faithful servant in spreading His church to all peoples and nations.
          Erik J. Buss
MINISTERIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS 1990

MINISTERIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS       Editor       1990

     Rev. Erik J. Buss has been appointed Assistant to the Pastor of the Glenview Society effective July 1, 1990.
     Rev. Mark R. Carlson will be the housemaster of Stuart Hall in Bryn Athyn, and will be teaching sophomore religion in the Academy Secondary Schools effective July 1, 1990.
     Rev. Geoffrey H. Howard has been called to serve as Pastor of the Boston Circle effective July 1, 1990.
     Rev. David H. Lindrooth has been appointed Acting Pastor of the Stockholm Society effective July 1, 1990.
     Rev. Thomas H. Rose, Assistant Pastor of the Washington Society and Principal of the Washington New Church School, will be the visiting pastor to the Baltimore Society effective July 1, 1990.
     Rev. Erik E. Sandstrom will be teaching full-time in the Academy of the New Church College and Theological School effective July 1, 1990.
NEW BOOKLET 1990

NEW BOOKLET       Editor       1990

     NEW BOOKLET: Awaken from Death is the title of an excellent new booklet we have received. It includes chapters from Heaven and Hell, an engaging biography of Swedenborg, and some testimonies.

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SEEING THE LORD 1990

SEEING THE LORD       Rev. BRIAN W. KEITH       1990

     (Concluded)

Other Appearances of the Lord in Heaven

     In addition to appearing as a Man, the Lord is seen in other ways. The angels recognize the light from the spiritual sun as the Lord (see AC 1529, 6832). And when Swedenborg was "with angels, the Lord's presence was noticed before my face, not actually seen and yet perceptible in a light; and angels have quite often testified that this is so" (HH 143). Related to this, He also is seen in a fiery way, "once in the midst of angels as a flame-like brightness" (HH 121).
     Once the human form was seen in clouds. "There was then seen a dim cloud toward the east descending from some height, and which as it came down gradually appeared bright, and in the human form; and finally this form was in a flaming radiance, around which were little stars of the same color. In this way did the Lord present Himself before the spirits with whom I was conversing" (AC 10810; HH 69; SD 5513a:6-8). Actually this was a heavenly society "in the midst of which was the Lord" (AC 10811).
     In addition, the angels see in all the representative features of their world the Lord Himself. "Inhabitants of the first heaven see within their representatives such things as manifest themselves within the inner sphere of the kingdom. And within these they see things more interior still, and so, though remotely, things that are representative of the Lord. Inhabitants of the second heaven see within their representatives such things as exist in the inmost sphere of the kingdom; and within these they see representatives of the Lord more closely. Inhabitants of the third heaven however see the Lord Himself" (AC 3475e).

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One presumes that the sight of the Lord by the highest angels means seeing the direct connection between external phenomena and Him, perhaps even by seeing the Lord in the representations rather than by having thoughts of Him stirred by looking at the outward appearances.

Speech with the Lord

     Are we likely to engage in conversations with the Lord when we see Him? The evidence is anecdotal and scant, but interesting.
     It ought first to be said that the Lord has already given His Word. He spoke with the Ancients, and then in a different fashion to the prophets, by an influx into their interiors (see HH 254). But since His glorification, His direct speech with inhabitants of this earth has apparently become non-existent. This is to preserve our freedom.
     In the other world there are some examples of the Lord's speech. Swedenborg said he knew one extremely simple spirit had spoken with the Lord (see SD 2663). Other spirits were allowed to speak and say they were the Lord (see SD 2886). Elsewhere it is declared, that "the Lord speaks in person with the angels in heaven, yea with different ones separately, and so to many at once. That the Lord speaks in person with many, and with each one specifically or in particular, according to every one's mind; yea at the same time [does] so to many, this is the truth. It seemed to me that I perceived it. This is a heavenly truth ... 1748, August 10" (SD 2786 ).
     A representation appeared in heaven which also involved the Lord speaking: ". . . suddenly there was driven below the sun a bright cloud, which did not dull but transmitted the light; and in that bright cloud appeared angels as with trumpets, and round about them were altars and tables, upon which in heaps lay half-open books; and above the cloud the Lord appeared, speaking out of the sun with the angels" (Five Memorable Relations 18). This was explained to the newcomers who were watching as a depiction of the Lord's coming. The speech of the Lord refers specifically to inspiration (ibid. 19).

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     For the purpose of effecting judgment, the Lord speaks. During the Last Judgment in the spiritual world "there appeared as it were a hand stretched out by the Lord over the heavens, and then began that battle between Michael and the dragon which is described in the Apocalypse" (SD 5742). As the battle progressed, "the Lord was seen to descend out of the sun, as it were in a bright cloud, to the heights, and gave judgment that all of such a character should be cast down" (SD 5743).
     In all of these instances it appears that the Lord is heard to be speaking by the spirits. Measured against this must be the vast amount of doctrine describing the Lord using the media of preachers, the written Word, and wiser angels to convey truth. It may be that as the highest angels see the Lord most frequently, so they can speak directly to Him; but the lower angels would rarely if ever discourse with Him (see HH 214).
     Perhaps His "speech" with angels is His inspiration in angelic conversations. "He is above the heavens and appears before the angels as the sun, does not speak thence to the angels but inflows; and that which inflows is received in heaven and declared" (AR 809). This would be akin to speech with the Lord in prayer-He answers in a variety of ways, but not audibly.
     I suspect that no one engages in casual conversations with the Lord, and that His presence is primarily for the purpose of adoration.

Conclusion

     The New Church is to worship the visible God. He is visible to our internal sight through the truths He has revealed. They are so many mirrors of Him. To solidify His visibility and demonstrate His Humanity, He appears in human form. He was seen this way in all the churches and is so seen on other earths in the universe. The Lord becomes visible when internal and external sight are both used. The Lord is visible neither from truths alone nor from external manifestation alone.
     In the spiritual world the Lord is seen by the angels perpetually within because they think from good and truth, and at times without when they think about the Lord.

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The primary appearance of the Lord there is in His spiritual sun. It is the first proceeding and is Divine love in human form. The Lord is also seen in other ways. All phenomena represent Him. And He is frequently seen by the angels either above them or among them.
     Where there are genuine ideas about the Lord, a wide variety of pictures of Him can anchor our thinking and be a focus for our affections. From images derived from Scripture to various artistic renderings, if we see Divine features present, our thinking and feeling can become more clear and full. So the Writings pose this question: If a person "saw a picture of one Divine person with rays of heavenly light around his head, with the label: 'This is our God, at once Creator, Redeemer and Regenerator, and so Savior,' would not a wise man kiss such a picture and take it home in his pocket, so that his own mind, and those of his wife, children and household, might take pleasure in looking at it?" (TCR 296:4; cf. TCR 787).
     The Lord should become ever more visible to us as we gain a greater understanding of Him and draw closer to Him in regeneration. Then our sight of Him is from love and "attended with awe at the Divine majesty" (AE 76e). This majesty we shall see-in our minds and before our spiritual eyes in heaven.

     Bibliography

Caldwell, W. B., "The Lord's Appearing to Men" NCL 1932:557; "The Lord's Manifesting Himself in Person to Swedenborg" NCL 1924:360

David, Rev. J. S., "The Manifestation of the Lord on Other Planets" NCL 1916:607 de Charms, Rt. Rev. George, 'The Lord and the Spiritual Sun" NCL 1946:1

Odhner, Rev. Carl Th., "The Lord's Personal Manifestation to Swedenborg" NCL 1900:1; "The Son of Heaven as Represented in Ancient Mythology" NCL 1907:83; "As the Light of Seven Days" NCL 1908:140; "The Preadamites" NCL 1912:397

Odhner, Rev. H. Lj., "The Lord in Glory" NCL 1956:145; The Spiritual World, Academy Publication Committee, 1968

Pendleton, Rev. N. D., Discussion of "The Everlasting Gospel and the Divine Proceeding," NCL 1913:503

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Editorial Pages 1990

Editorial Pages       Editor       1990

     WILL YOU GET WHAT YOU WANT? IF SO, WHEN? (2)

     "On the one hand the granting is delayed until you stop thinking about it. On the other the granting is delayed until there is an even stronger will for it." This is what we were saying in last month's editorial.
     On the one hand it is said: "They rarely obtain the objects of their desire while they desire them, but yet, if it be for their good, they obtain them afterwards when not thinking of them" (SD 3538).
     On the other hand there is refusal with the purpose of increasing the affection of the one who wants to give something (see AC 4366).
     We will consider two types of things we might want-two types of things for which we might pray. We smile at the petition which goes, "I want patience, and I want it now!" For now let us consider the things we know we should pray for.
     We learn from the Word that there are things we ought to seek. In the Sermon on the Mount we are told not to say, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?" Rather we are to "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness." There is also the saying in John 6, "Do not labor for the food which perishes but for the food which endures to everlasting life."
     This makes sense to our intellectual side, and we dutifully ask for things that are more lasting and real than the things we naturally crave. Our prayer is not insincere, but there is not much strong feeling in it. Perhaps what we ask is withheld from us for a while so that we may be prompted "not from thinking only but also from willing" (AC 4366).
     Actually, when we pray for a virtue or something good, it is as if we are giving something up. We almost feel that we are offering to give God something. If we pray for a humble heart, we are offering to give up pride, and that means giving up something dear to us.

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If the Lord took us up on our petition too quickly, we might regret it.
     A person who now treasures sobriety, upon hearing this passage from the Arcana, recalled a time when the sobriety was desired but maybe not desired enough. It was prayed for, but the lure of alcohol was still strong. In a later stage the sobriety was prayed for with intensity and desperation. It is now something that this person thanks the Lord for every single day.
     There are, on the other hand, things we seek not because we have learned intellectually that we should seek them; we just want them. We will consider them next time.

     GOOD CONVERSATION

     Elsewhere in this issue is a good article about conversation. It begins with a passage on a self-centered inclination to talk about oneself. It also mentions the teaching that instead of dictating to another we "should hear him and take his answers as they are in himself ' (AC 9213). We are reminded of the description of some who managed to get into a discussion "about matters of great importance." Unfortunately they could not really participate in that discussion. Their preoccupation with self gave them a kind of blindness or a lack of awareness. "It was perceived that they were unable to give any thought to the business under discussion, or to see matters as they are in themselves, or to speak with reference to the use of the thing, but were able to speak only with reference to self" (HH 563).
     What a blessing it is to enjoy good conversation. Sometimes we have the pleasant experience of hearing a room buzzing with the good variety of conversation. We don't even need to hear the words to realize that there is interest and a spirit of charity. The tone has a sparkling quality.
     A striking passage about the beautiful things of heaven includes the following statement: "They engage in conversation, in which each one delights another, in such an orderly manner that, taken together, they constitute one harmonious concord of thoughts. These things are perceptible" (SD 5159).

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     We have observed pleasing scenes in societies and circles of the church. They may be especially so in those circles in which people travel a distance to be together for a service or class. We need to get together, and we hope that in striving to be charitable we can experience something of the spirit of the early Christians of whom the Writings say:
     Whatever subject they talked about, charity with its delights and joys was in their speech. The spiritual sphere that prevailed . . . cheered the mind of everyone, softened the tone of every voice, and from the heart communicated festivity to all the senses (TCR 433).
CZECHOSLOVAKIA 1990

CZECHOSLOVAKIA       Editor       1990

     The May issue of Lifeline contains a letter written this year from a New Church man in Czechoslovakia. It speaks of the loss of hope there following "the liquidation by the state of all church activities." 1990 has seen a new wave of hope in that country.
SPIRITUAL DIARY (SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES) IN LATIN 1990

SPIRITUAL DIARY (SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES) IN LATIN       Editor       1990

     Two hundred copies have now been printed of the second volume of the Latin Spiritual Diary (Spiritual Experiences). Why the Latin edition is important was explained in this magazine in March of 1984, and in April of that year we outlined the history of the title of the work and reasons why the title "Spiritual Experiences" will probably be given to the next English translation.
     The present Latin volume Experientiae Spirituales covers paragraph numbers 973-3427 and comes to 761 pages. Dr. J. Durban Odhner is to be congratulated for this achievement. He has pointed out how indebted we are to the Swedish Council for Research in the Humanities and Social Sciences. They have supported this project and have provided the funds that make the publication possible.

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LIFE OF THE EMBRYO 1990

LIFE OF THE EMBRYO       Rev. William Ross Woofenden       1990




     Communications
Dear Editor,
     I have read with considerable interest and a degree of both astonishment and bewilderment the two-part article of David Holm entitled "The Eternal Life of the Embryo." What sums up my bewilderment is his statement on page 219: "In no sense do we claim conscious life in heaven for the soul of the unborn infant." Earlier on the same page he had said that a person without will and understanding would be "like an automaton." I quite agree, but at the same time I fail to see any significant difference between that state and that of the soul of an embryo if the latter soul has no conscious life.
     It was also a bit surprising to me that no mention is made by either you or David of previous articles on this subject. There may be several that I am not aware of, but I am aware of the exchange in The New Philosophy in 1931. May I presume that you are also aware of the article in the April 1931 issue by E. E. Iungerich titled "The Safeguarding of Foetuses and Infants for Heaven," and the rebuttal by F. E. Gyllenhaal in the July 1931 issue, "Why the Prenatal Soul Is Not Immortal"?
     Without studying the topic in great depth, I have always felt comfortable with Iungerich's position and appalled by Gyllenhaal's. Now David Holm's article muddies up the issue for me a bit. Too bad he's not still around to talk further about it. His reference to AC 1999 seems to imply that what is discussed there is straightforward and easily understood. It does not appear that way to me! And apparently I'm in the good company of my wife, who has been reading Elliott's translation, and when I looked up 1999 I found a question mark she had put in the margin at the critical point!
     Do you intend to pursue this topic any further? I note that in the April 1931 issue of New Philosophy Acton has an editorial paragraph which says, "In this issue we print an article by Dr. Eldred E. Iungerich, which presents one side of a question that from time to time has been the subject of debate among students of Swedenborg's Writings.

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In the near future, we hope to present the other side of the question." This would seem to imply that the debate had been going on for some time even then, and from that I wonder if earlier articles may have been published in one or another of the several New Church periodicals?
     It may be of some use to state as briefly as I can my problem with F. E. Gyllenhaal's rebuttal of Dr. Iungerich's article. He seems to base his case on the absence of any direct statement that an unborn child has an immortal soul. I cannot hope to tackle the intricacies of his argument, but I see his article as a clear case of thinking from the negative principle (see AC 2588). Iungerich, on the other hand, although he is admittedly careless with the meaning of the Latin foetus uses the positive principle throughout.
     Let me just call attention to a few references. I find these particularly significant and pointing positively to the likelihood that once a new soul is formed by the Lord it is gifted with eternal life. AC 4931 says, "While man is an embryo, or while he is yet in the womb, he is in the kingdom of the heart." It goes on to state that the goal of life is to return to that kingdom. AC 6468 says, "It is evident that the all of life is from the Lord from the fact that the soul of man can in the womb so wonderfully form a body." Link that to CL 400 and 401 and I believe we are dealing with a process that, once started, cannot come to an end in loss of immortality. No. 400 states that "all operations in the universe progress from ends through causes to effects." It continues that "in themselves these three are inseparable, though in idea they seem separated. No. 401 links this chain of end, cause, effect to "the sphere of procreating and of protecting what is procreated."
     Rev. William Ross Woofenden
          Sharon, Massachusetts

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INTERESTING NUMBER 1990

INTERESTING NUMBER       Richard Linquist       1990

Dear Editor,
     Most visitors to our cathedral, I believe, travel on route number 232 to Cathedral Road to get here. That number probably is just below the surface of the consciousness of our guests when they ask the guide, "What does your religion believe in?"
     A reasonable response, it seems to me, would be for the guide to hold up a piece of paper on which is written the number 232. Now at this time those visitors who thought that we are a bizarre cult might flee through an open or closed teak door.
     Any visitors who remain and reveal signs of curiosity could be informed in this manner: "This number is a symbol of our religion. We believe in the one God, the Lord Jesus Christ in whom is a trinity of Divine qualities. This is represented by the three digits and the 3 in the center of this one number. The number 2 on each side of the 3 represent His Divine Love and Wisdom which are omnipresent in the sustaining of His creation. What is His third quality? He does something with His love and wisdom which is to create and to love what is created. Perhaps we can see that love does not rest in passivity when we consider that His love within us prompts us to move and think every day. We might even give that a test now by making our minds do some really difficult calculations such as adding the three digits in the number 232. Let's see, 2+3+2 equals 7, a rather important Biblical number. I suspect that many of us are now thinking of the seven days of creation. Emanuel Swedenborg, you may know, wrote extensively about the internal meaning of the stages of creation which refer to the states of man's recreation or regeneration."
     If all of this seems like farfetched thinking, maybe that is because the thoughts were fetched from afar. "I have also seen writings from heaven made up of mere numbers set down in order and in a series, just as in writings made up of letters and words; and I have been taught that this writing is from the inmost heaven . . . .

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For all numbers correspond and have a meaning, the same as words do, in accordance with the correspondence . . . " (HH 263).
     Maybe this unusual method of communication would not apply easily, if at all, in the natural world. Anyway I thought that I would offer this reader's light-hearted response to your editorial notes, "Guided Tour of the Cathedral" in the May issue of New Church Life, on page 232.
     Richard Linquist
          Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania
"ON THE NATURE OF THE WORD"-CORRECTED 1990

"ON THE NATURE OF THE WORD"-CORRECTED         Heulwen M. Ridgway       1990

Dear Editor,
     In my article "On the Nature of the Word," published in the May 1990 issue of NCL, you have introduced the words it emphasis added" following the quotation from AC 2897 of item b) on page 224. The emphasis, in fact, was not added by me; the quotation (with emphasis) is exactly as given in my Swedenborg Society (A. H. Searle, 1904) edition. It is obvious that you have checked my quotations in a different edition, which is quite understandable since several are available and I did not specify which one I had used.
     However, I do wish to draw attention to the fact that I did not add the emphasis. Had I done so, it could be inferred that I was saying that the Ancient Word had an internal sense because it had historical and prophetical parts. I was not inferring anything of the sort. I was merely quoting from AC 2897, where it states that the Ancient Word, which consisted of historical and prophetical parts, had an internal sense.
     Since, unwittingly, you have prompted me to write again to New Church Life, I would like to take the opportunity of asking others with views on the passages mentioned in my article to respond through the pages of NCL so that we may share our various insights.

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     Miss Heulwen M. Ridgway
          Canberra, Australia
WOMEN'S WORK SCHEDULES 1990

WOMEN'S WORK SCHEDULES       Charis P. Cole       1990

Dear Editor,
     I feel that New Church organizations should make a big effort to accommodate women employees' work schedules to their family needs. It seems to me that the Writings teach unequivocally that being wives and mothers are the essential uses of women. Therefore women should make these their first priority.
     But in the church, as in the rest of the world, many families feel that they can't make it financially without two incomes. Besides this I think that elementary school children and high school girls need women teachers who are wives and mothers.
     Should we not, like many businesses, arrange a "Mommy Track"?
     If this reasoning is wrong, I'd appreciate it if someone would tell me why.
          Charis P. Cole
               Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania
STATEMENT OF FAITH 1990

STATEMENT OF FAITH       Rev. George F. Dole       1990

Dear Editor,
     The statement of faith on p. 281 of the June 1990 issue of New Church Life, drawn largely from the opening paragraphs of True Christian Religion, is virtually identical to that used by Convention churches for many years.

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In the 1950 edition of Convention's Book of Worship it was amended to bring it into closer accord with its source. The tide of "Redeemer" was moved into the opening sentence, and the statement that "Without Him no mortal could have been saved" was changed to read "Without this no mortal could have been saved," "this" being the incarnation.
     True Christian Religion 2 states that "The Lord from eternity, who is Jehovah, came into the world to subdue the hells and to glorify His human." It then goes on to say et quod absque eo nemo mortalium salvari potuerit-" without eo no mortal could have been saved." Grammatically, eo could be masculine, but to my knowledge Swedenborg never uses this pronoun in referring to the Lord, always preferring the appropriate form of Ipse. "Without eo" should therefore not be translated "without Him" but "without this," as is further indicated by the statement in paragraph 3 that "without the Lord's coming into the world no one could have been saved."
     Rev. George F. Dole
          Sharon, Massachusetts
INSPIRING EXAMPLE 1990

INSPIRING EXAMPLE       Rev. Robin Childs       1990

Dear Editor,
     I am excited, as I know others are, with the recent interest and growth in the New Church around the world and in particular congregations in the United States and Canada. I'd like to testify as to why I think the Chicago New Church is growing and affecting the lives of so many visitors. .
     The truths that are taught are the same truths taught in all our churches. The way they are preached is different. The sermons are always completely impromptu, energetic, engaging, at times humorous and dramatic. The messages portray the delightful vistas of the internal sense and are also applied to everyday life using ample examples and brief stories.

     (Continued on p. 381)

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ORDINATIONS 1990

ORDINATIONS       Editor       1990




     Announcements
     Buss-At Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, June 10, 1990, Erik James Buss into the first degree of the priesthood, Rt. Rev. Louis B. King officiating.

     Lindrooth-At Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, June 10, 1990, David Hutchinson Lindrooth into the first degree of the priesthood, Rt. Rev. Louis B. King officiating.
INSPIRING EXAMPLE 1990

INSPIRING EXAMPLE       Rev. Robin Childs       1990

     (Continued from page 377)

     The order of service is a very light garment. There are at most four songs, a children's talk, and a sermon. At the end of the service there is a silent prayer with all people present holding hands. No robe is worn by the minister.
     The Chicago New Church is a new church with a fresh appeal to people who were disenchanted with the high church order of services and dogmatic sermons of their youth. This new church has put new wine into new wine skins and it is a joy to experience. Are most of the rest of our church groups having only small success because we have put new wine into old wine skins? What are your thoughts?
     Rev. Robin Childs
          Glenview, Illinois
GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES 1990

GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES       Editor       1990

(USA addresses only)

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Alabama:
Birmingham
Dr. R. Shepard, 4537 Dolly Ridge Road, Birmingham, AL 35243. Phone: (205) 967-3442.

Huntsville
Mr. and Mrs. Wynne Sullivan, 1107 Princeton Drive, Madison, AL 35758. Phone: (205) 772-0074.

Arizona:
Phoenix
Rev. Fred Chapin, 3724 E. Sahuaro Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85028.

Tucson
Rev. Frank S. Rose, 9233 E. Helen, Tucson, AZ 85715. Phone: (602) 721-1091.

Arkansas:
Little Rock
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Holmes, 2695 Mark Lane, Batesville, AR 72501. Phone: (501) 793-5135.

California:
Los Angeles
Rev. John L. Odhner, 5022 Carolyn Way, La Crescenta, CA 91214. Phone: (818) 249-5031.

Orange County
Rev. Cedric King, resident pastor, 21332 Forest Meadow, El Toro, CA 92630. Phone: (home) (714) 586-5142, (office) (714) 951-5750.

Sacramento
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ripley, 225 Woodlake Lane, Newcastle, CA 95658. Phone: (916) 663-2788.

San Diego
Rev. Nathan Gladish, 7911 Canary Way, San Diego, CA 92123. Phone: (619) 2680379. Office: (619) 571-8599.

San Francisco
Mr. and Mrs. Philip C. "Reds" Pendleton, 2261 Waverley Street, Palo Alto, CA 94901.

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Colorado:
Colorado Springs Mr. and Mrs. William Rienstra, P.O. Box 422, Simla, CO 80835.

Denver Rev. Clark Echols, 3371 W. 94th Ave., Westminster, CO 80030. Phone: (303) 429-1239 or 428-6019.

Connecticut:
Bridgeport
Hartford
Shelton
Mr. and Mrs. James Tucker, 45 Honey Bee Lane Shelton CT 06484 Phone: (203) 929-6455.
Rev. Geoffrey Howard, visiting pastor. Phone: 508) 443-6531.

Delaware:
Wilmington
Mrs. Justin Hyatt, 2008 Eden Road, N. Graylyn, Wilmington DE 19810. Phone: (302) 475-3694.

District of Columbia: see Mitchellville, Maryland.

Florida:
Boynton Beach
Rev. Daniel Heinrichs, 10687 E. Clair Ranch Road, Boynton Beach, FL 33437. Phone: (407) 736-9235.

Lake Helen
Mr. and Mrs. Brent Morris, 264 Kicklighter Road, Lake Helen, FL 32744. Phone: (904) 228-2276.

Pensacola
Mr. and Mrs. John Peacock, 5238 Sound-side Drive, Gulf Breeze, FL 32561. Phone: (904) 934-3691.

Georgia:
Americus
Mr. W.H. Eubanks, Rt. #2, S. Lee Street, Americus, GA 31709. Phone: (912) 924- 6531. 9221.

Atlanta
Rev. Ray Silverman, 2119 Seaman Circle, Chamblee, GA 30341 Phone: (office) (404) 452-0518.

Idaho:
Fruitland (Idaho-Oregon border) Mr. Harold Rand, 1705 Whitley Drive, Fruitland, ID 83619. Phone: (208)452-3181     

Illinois:
Chicago
Rev. Grant Schnarr, 73A Park Drive, Glenview, IL 60025. Phone: (home) (708) 729-0130, (office) (708) 729-9296.

Decatur
Mr. John Aymer, 380 Oak Lane, Decatur, IL 62562. Phone: (217) 875-3215.
Glenview Rev. Brian Keith, 73 Park Drive, Glenview, IIL 60025. Phone: (708) 724-0120.

Indiana:
Rev. Patrick Rose, 785 Ashcroft Court, Cincinnati, OH 45240. Phone: (513) 825-7473.

Kentucky:
Rev. Patrick Rose, 785 Ashcroft Court, Cincinnati, OH 45240. Phone: (513) 825-7473.

Louisiana:
Baton Rouge
Mr. Henry Bruser, Jr., 6050 Esplanade Ave., Baton Rouge, LA 70806. Phone: (504) 924-3098.

Maine:
Bath
Rev. Allison L Nicholson, HC 33 - Box 61N, Arrowsic, ME 04530.

Maryland
Baltimore
Rev. Thomas Rose, visiting minister, 3809 Enterprise Rd., Mitchellville, MD 20721. Phone: (301) 4644585 (home), (301) 464-5602 (office).

Mitchellville
Rev. Lawson Smith, 3805 Enterprise Road, Mitchellville, MD 2U721. Phone: (301) 262-2349.

Massachusetts:
Boston
Rev. Geoffrey Howard. Phone: (508) 443-6531

Michigan
Detroit
Rev. Grant Odhner, 395 Olivewood Ct., Phone: (office) Rochester, MI 48306.

East Lansing
Mr. Christopher Clark, 5853 Smithfield, East Lansing, MI 48823. Phone: (517)351-2880.

Minnesota
St. Paul-Minneapolis
Karen Huseby, Secretary, 2800 Lake Blvd., North St. Paul, MN 55109. Phone: (612) 777-6962.

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Missouri:
Columbia
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Johnson, 103 S. Greenwood, Columbia, MO 65201. Phone: (314) 442-3475.

Kansas City
Mr. Glen Klippenstein, Glenkirk Farms, Rt. 2, Maysville, MO 64469. Phone: (816) 449-2167.

New Jersey-New York
Ridgewood, NJ
Mrs. Fred E. Munich, 474 S. Maple Ave., Glen Rock, NJ 07452. Phone: (201) 445-1141.

New Mexico:
Albuquerque
Mr. Howard Leach, 4215 12th Street, Albuquerque, NM 87107. Phone: (505) 892-0936.

North Carolina:
Charlotte
Rev. Bill Burke, 6010 Paddington Court, Charlotte, NC 28226. Phone: (704) 8466416.

Ohio:
Cincinnati
Rev. Patrick Rose, 785 Ashcroft Court, Cincinnati, OH 45240. Phone: (513) 825-7473.

Cleveland
Mr. Alan Childs, 19680 Beachchff Blvd., Rocky River, OH 44116. Phone: (216) 333-4413.

Columbus
Mr. Hubert Heinrichs, 8372 Todd Street Road, Sunbury, OH 43074. Phone: (614) 524-5708.

Oklahoma:
Oklahoma City
Mr. Robert Campbell, 3108 Eagle Pass Road, Edmond OK 73013. Phone: (405) 478-4729.

Oregon-Idaho Border: see Idaho, Fruitland.

Pennsylvania:
Bryn Athyn
Rev. Kurt Asplundh, Box 277, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009. Phone: (215) 947-6225.

Elizabethtown
Mr. Meade Bierly, 523 Snyder Ave., Elizabethtown, PA 17022. Phone: (717) 365-3964.

Erie
Mrs. Paul Murray, 5648 Zuck Road, Erie, PA 16506. Phone: (814) 833-0962.

Freeport
Rev. Ragnar Boyesen, 122 McKean Road, Freeport, PA 16229. Phone: office (412) 353-2220 or home (412) 295-9855.

Hawley
Mr Grant Genzlinger, 4 Main Street, Hawley, PA 18428. Phone: (717) 226-2993.

Kempton
Rev. Jeremy Simons, RD 2, Box 217-A, Kempton, PA 19529. Phone: home (215) 756-4301 office (215) 756-6140.

Pittsburgh
Rev. Eric H. Carswell, 299 Le Roi Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15208. Phone: Church (412) 731-7421.

South Carolina: see North Carolina.

South Dakota:
Hot Springs
Linda Klippenstein, 537 Albany, Hot Springs, SD 57747. Phone: (605) 745-6629.

Texas:
Austin
Mr. Robert Grubb, 510 Academy Drive, Austin, TX 78704. Phone: (512) 447-6811.

Dallas-Fort Worth
Mr. Fred Dunlap, 3887 Antigua Circle, Dallas, TX 75244. Phone: (214) 247-7775.

Virginia:
Richmond
Mr. Donald Johnson, 13161 Happy Hill Road, Chester, VA 23831. Phone: (804) 748-5757.

West Virginia:
Mrs. Thelma Smith, Route 1, Box 447, Peterstown, WV 24963. Phone: (304) 753-9508.

Washington:
Seattle
Mr. Thomas Andrews, 5035 NE 180th, Seattle, WA 98155. Phone: (206) 365-2194.

Wisconsin
Madison
Mrs. Charles Howell, 3912 Plymouth Circle, Madison, WI 53705. Phone: (608) 233-0209.

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SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSONS FOR PRIMARY GRADES 1990

SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSONS FOR PRIMARY GRADES       Editor       1990

This Immanuel Church Sunday School Curriculum is a thematic presentation of lessons from the Old and New Testaments and the Writings. The lesson plan format enables teachers to teach directly from the plans or to adapt them to their own needs. The lessons are directed toward younger elementary school children, approximately kindergarten through fourth grade, and each contains a project idea.
     This curriculum has been created and organized by Donna Carswell, Gretchen Keith, Roxanne Junge, and Deborah Lehne. They have incorporated many existing project ideas into a good lesson framework. The reproduction of these lessons has been accomplished by Myra Asplundh, for the General Church Sunday School Resource Center, and they are available through the General Church Book Center.

Phase I The Life of the Lord (35 lessons) $5.00
Phase 11 Unit 1 -Creation (7 lessons)     $4.00
Unit 2 - The Life After Death (16 lessons) $4.00
Unit 3 - Revelation (12 lessons)          $4.00
Phase III The Story of Israel (35 lessons)$15.00

General Church Book Center Box 278, Cairncrest Bryn Athyn, PA 19009
Please include $1.25 for postage
Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30-12:00 or by appointment
Phone: 215-947-3920

385


Notes on This Issue 1990

Notes on This Issue       Editor       1990



386




     The presentation herein by Ragnar Boyesen is not only the result of study. It is the result of years of reflection. He has asked that his message be included in a single issue, and this will be good news to those who do not like to see items spread over more than one issue.
     We are starting a new series this month called "Among My Favorite Passages," and in the first few months we will be hearing from people who are relatively new to the Writings. Quite recently Mr. Laws discovered the Writings in Australia's capitol city (see p. 408).
     Also from Australia come thoughts by Norman Heldon on a movie that, as he says, has been seen by many in the church.
     Do you remember that students from the Academy College went down to work on the grounds of a new building to be dedicated in Florida? (We described this in the June issue.) Well, we are glad to show off this striking new building in the photograph on page 431.
     We have appealed to some societies to give us news of what they are doing. Let the response from Glenview on page 426 be an example to other societies.
     It is a healthy sign that a plethora of new literature is being produced in the church. We will try to get the books reviewed, hoping next month to publish a review of Evangeline's Way by the late Zoe Simons.
     In May we spoke of the flow of visitors who come to see the architecture of the Bryn Athyn cathedral. Such a visitor was Mr. Ben Dettinger a year ago. As one who was interested in the subject of heaven and hell since his childhood, he offers a fascinating "viewpoint" on page 410.

     Note: For information on the Mental Health Symposium coming in November see page 422.

     For more information about the upcoming assembly in June 1991 see page 430.

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DOGMATISM AND TOLERANCE IN THE NEW CHURCH 1990

DOGMATISM AND TOLERANCE IN THE NEW CHURCH       Rev. RAGNAR BOYESEN       1990

     From ancient times churches have debated which came first, faith or charity. This question has been called the debate over primogeniture, or the right of the firstborn. The oldest son had tide to the possessions of his forefathers, which were handed down through the birthright of the firstborn. The ancients knew that no possession except good and truth would continue to have value in the afterlife.
     A classic picture of primogeniture is given in the book of Genesis, when Tamar is to give birth. Zerah first puts out his hand and a scarlet thread is tied around his wrist to identify him as the firstborn, even though he later withdrew his hand and gave way for his brother Perez. The Writings explain that in this beginning of the church which was born of Judah, good, or charity, was represented by Zerah, the firstborn, even though it seemed as if faith were firstborn.
     We face a similar question today in the New Church. Which is first, the statement of doctrine or the spirit of love from the Lord for the neighbor? Is it possible to know anything of this spirit before the truth is known? Obviously not,, but once the truth is known in all its glory,, it can only point out the proper heir of the law of primogeniture,, or the firstborn: it is charity, which nourishes itself by its brotherly love of truth. In order to present the problem to be discussed here, permit me to use a servant of religion as a vantage point from which to get a comprehensive view. By servant I am referring to the doctrine of reflection, in which the Writings say are all the arcana of wisdom. This reflection on the problem of dogmatism and tolerance is quoted from a paper offered to the Swedenborg Symposium in Bryn Athyn in 1989 by the New Church psychologist Dr. Thomas W. Keiser:

     One trap that accompanies the possession of an elegant system of thought is the fallacy that the system explains everything.

388


A corollary to that fallacy is that we understand the system perfectly, or rather that our individual interpretations of it are the final word. Some fundamentalists seem to feel they know everything about the Bible, quoting it copiously in response to every challenge. Analogously, some New Church people seem to espouse a kind of fundamentalism when they appear to conclude that all life's answers are in the Writings. They see it as unnecessary, even harmful, to examine insights from areas such as psychology or comparative religions to see if these can supplement or expand their understanding of the Writings. Attitudes like this tend to be similar to those found in the cults whose members rely solely on authority and will not venture outside the confines of an "official" ideology. I have heard New Church people speak of truth as though all truth were contained in the volumes of the Writings. There is a failure to see truth as a process of dispelling fallacies in our lives rather than a set of scholastic propositions to be learned. Swedenborg, on the other hand, insists that we never achieve truth as it is in itself, but that all of our insights are only approximations to genuine truth, mere appearances adapted to human understanding (see AC 3207).
     Elements of cultism can occasionally be heard in the proclamation of some New Church teachers, ministers and lay persons when attempting to teach from the Writings. Statements are sometimes made conveying the impression that a speaker feels that his or her reality is the true reality. Such persons do not preface their statements with the qualification that they are merely offering an opinion but imply that their position is the only correct one. To impressionable young minds this can be devastating to their incentive to explore ideas on their own and voice their opinions. An authoritative pronouncement from an authority figure can stop the process of creative thinking in midstream. The recipient of the message loses out in that he or she is deprived of the essential New Church doctrine of personal freedom that mandates the communication, "This is my opinion; here is my evidence; look for yourself and decide." In the former case the instructor takes the role of God since only God has the capacity to convey absolute truth. The rest of us, in fact, are merely human beings, at various stages of development, struggling for understanding in a complex world (Keiser, "Swedenborg, Cultism, and the problem of Evil," Swedenborg and His Influence, pp. 127, 128).

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     The question can be asked: Are we in the General Church the New Church fundamentalists?

Dogmatism

     In theology the term "dogma" is used to identify statements which are a priori or statements which are without Proof, also called "axiomatic." In a more restricted sense, a dogma, according to Webster, is "stating an opinion in a positive or arrogant manner" (Webster's Unabridged, 1983). The Writings, to be sure, are written in an axiomatic way. However, are we always well advised to imitate them? As it has been observed, individualism may exhibit such arrogance and is in our time the new dogmatism. C. S. Lewis puts this very well when he says:

     Ancient man approached God (or even the Gods) as the accused person approaches his judge. For the modern man the roles are reversed. He is the judge: God is in the dock . . . . But in all other ages the plain man has accepted the finding of the mystics and the philosophers for his initial belief in the existence of the Supernatural. Today the ordinary man is forced to carry the burden himself. Either mankind has made a ghastly mistake in rejecting authority, or the power or powers ruling his destiny are making a daring experiment, and all are to become sages. A society consisting solely of plain men must end in disaster. If we are to survive we must either believe the seers or scale those heights ourselves (God in the Dock, pp. 244,276).

     This is our modern dilemma: we can rely no longer only on external authority.
     Personal experience has from time immemorial been used in settling arguments. Today few elect to argue with someone else's experience out of deference for that person's rights. However, very few will risk assimilation of someone else's experience in order to truly learn from it. Today we suffer as much as ever from the burden of legalism, the brother of dogmatism.

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And yet, experience is at the heart of the development of humans on the way to heaven. If we were not constantly challenged, as indicated by Dr. Keiser, to extract the essence of what life's meaning is for each of us in our personal stages of development, and with our own statements, be these verbal or graphic, we might fall for the temptation to remain in the memory of formulated doctrine, trying to remember what to do rather than in the dynamic expression of what doctrine intends.
     Modern man needs to be helped, if he is not a seer, to see for himself or herself, what seers see, in order to prepare for what it takes not to be pseudo copies of angels but to be free human beings. In the perspective of history this has translated into the acceptance that no man or men have any authority from the Lord over the conscience of others, even though they may seek to influence conscience by His Word. It is generally agreed to be despicable to persecute any person of any religion whose principles do not agree with one's own.
     So we ask, Why are men drawn to dogmatism? The cardinal point regarding human nature as given through the Writings is the sense of individual life given to everyone. This sensation of life-vivid, intense and personal-is nevertheless passing, endlessly involved in the interdependence with fellow humans in the world, and interiorly with the various spirits and angels in the other world. The sum total of the sensation of independence is the feeling that man is his own thought and feelings. Yet he is not his thought or his feelings, even though these may reflect states he is passing through at the time. This powerful appearance, it seems to me, is the origin of the fallacy of dogma, namely that when anything is perceived to be true, it is true because it is my truth. Because I have perceived this truth, I am entitled to hang onto it. I feel that I have a new mental possession which I even might be proud to display.
     However, the Heavenly Doctrine declares against this appearance: "The origin of all the errors of the church has been the persuasion that men live of themselves" (Inv. 26).
     The New Church is not immune to this error. Insofar as the church feels its doctrinal possessions to belong to itself and not to the Lord who originated them, even the New Church will be prone to a dogmatism which the Heavenly Doctrines outline with a warning:

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. . . for churches separate themselves according to their dogmas, and he who believes otherwise than as dogma teaches is cast out from their communion . . . (AC 4689:2).

     Now we might dogmatically be prepared to renounce all dogma. When a dogma is a teaching of authority which has helped someone in a church with a certain form of life, we are told this is accepted by the Lord, provided some charity can be conjoined with it:

     Everyone supposes his own dogma to be true, and thence receives a conscience . . . . For many are regenerated by the Lord in every dogma, and when they have been regenerated they do not receive any immediate revelation but only what is insinuated into them through the Word and the preaching of the Word. But because they receive charity, the Lord works through charity upon their cloud, from which there springs light, as when the sun strikes a cloud . . . (AC 1043: 2).

     Since dogmas are likened to clouds, the Writings explain that "The doctrinal things and dogmas of faith are not faith but are of faith" (AC 2116:3, emphasis added).
     Faith itself is not likened to the cloud in the sky but the moisture in the ground, helping the sprouting seed to prepare itself for harvest. As long as the knowledges from the Word remain separated from life, there is a tendency for these knowledges to take the form of a cloud. Men call that cloud a reality by itself. We are ever to be reminded that in ourselves we can only generate a natural faith, which is ". . . a persuasion that a thing is so because some person of authority has said it" (TCR 359). This person may very well be ourselves. What this points out is that the New Churchman who knows doctrine, but has not as yet approached the Lord in order to get the help to make the truths living by means of charity, still lives in the Ishmael rational, which is an argumentative approach to the neighbor, full of judgmental self-righteousness, without a real concern for the spiritual welfare of the neighbor.

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     What, we might ask, could change this? In order to move away from a dogmatic approach to life, such a person needs to focus attention on the doctrinals of good rather than those of truth. There is a surprising number in the Arcana to this effect:

. . . the doctrinals of charity teach what good is, but the doctrinals of faith what truth is, and to teach truth without good is to walk as one blind, because good is what teaches and leads, and truth is what is taught and led. There is as great a difference between these two doctrinals as between light and darkness; and unless the darkness be illuminated by the light, that is, unless truth be illuminated by good, or faith by charity, there is nothing but darkness. Hence it is that no one knows by looking at it, and consequently neither from perception, whether truth is truth, but only from doctrine imbibed in childhood and confirmed in adult age (AC 4844).

     We need to reflect on two facts in this striking number. First of all, truth does not lead good but it's the other way around. This means that a dogmatic approach to life is contrary to the very nature of revealed truth, since the essence of faith is charity. If it is true that we feel life to be our own, we are capable of making the choice to put charity before truth, and to solve in our very own life the ancient question of primogeniture.
     We have a surprising example of this referred to in the Writings-Luther's salvation based on his love of charity as outlined in TCR 796.
     The second thing to be noticed is that we are prone to think and proceed with our life according to how we were raised. Since we cannot receive truth from truth but only from good, we have a tendency to remain anchored in the forms we learned in early life. If these forms are not according to the internal sense of the Word or its true spirit, we will be held back in our spiritual development because we have a natural affinity toward dogmatism. Even in the New Church one can hear that something is truth because it is "my" truth, as I have always understood it.

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     The functional use of doubt is a. useful antidote to dogmatism. With a positive process of doubt, every New Churchman is encouraged to maintain his freedom and spiritual balance. Without doubt there cannot be a preparation for a proper reception of truth:

     No one ought to be so persuaded about truth in a moment . . . that there is no doubt left, because the truth so impressed becomes persuasive truth and is devoid of extension, and is also devoid of what is yielding . . . . Hence it is that as soon as any truth is presented before good spirits by manifest experience, there is presently afterwards presented something opposite, which causes dubiousness. Thus it is given them to think and consider whether it is so, and to collect reasons, and so bring that truth rationally into their minds . . . (AC 7298:2).

     Once it has been maintained that doubt is useful to counterbalance dogmatism, it should also be stated that once the reasons have been collected and the struggles of temptation have been passed through, the need for doubt ceases. "Man begins to be wise when he begins to be averse to reasonings against truths, and to reject dubiousness" (NJHD 27).
     In the revolutionary doctrines given to the New Church the Lord has come again to set mankind free from the shackles of false dogmatism. By His subjugation of the hells He has made it possible for each one of us to reach to the exalted state of mind which distinguishes between the essentials of a spiritual morality and the forms of morality, which will change with the times. What remains the wonderful task of the individual is to seek the renewal of these forms, which calls on the new freedom given mankind by the Lord through the three heavens. The need for freedom in the world will continue to increase as men learn to harness the true depths of spiritual power in the natural.
     As an enlightened church we will come to know and acknowledge that spiritual progress will be made synchronously with the abandonment of the love of dominion and the delight in arrogant superiority.

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Both the loves of power and fame for its own sake remain the chief weapons of the hells, because by means of them we can be turned against ourselves. As long as freedom is protected in the church, as long as each New Churchman is willing to protect not only his own but the freedom of his brothers and sisters in and outside of the church, the prophetic function of the spiritual Word will remain with us. In this spirit we will continue to cultivate the spirit of tolerance, which is the second portion of this paper.

Tolerance

     If we were to take a practical view of the revolutionary nature of the Heavenly Doctrines, we would bring the idealism of the spiritual sense of these doctrines down into a practical, workable relation to other churches here in the world. This would mean that the man of the New Church would actively seek the spirit of freedom from bigotry and prejudice as he/she looks to just cooperation within the brotherhood of fellow humans. Such a broad, remarkably tolerant view of how we are encouraged to deal with our neighbor is outlined in this well known Arcana passage:

     What pertains to doctrine does not itself make the external, still less the internal [of any church]; nor with the Lord does it distinguish churches from each other, but that which does this is a life according to doctrinals, all of which, provided they are true, look to charity as their fundamental. What is doctrine but that which teaches how a man must live?
     In the Christian world it is doctrinal matters that distinguish churches, and from them men call themselves Roman Catholics, Lutherans, and Calvinists, or the Reformed and the Evangelical, and by other names. It is from what is doctrinal alone that they are so called, which would never be if they would make love to the Lord and charity toward the neighbor the principal of faith. Doctrinal matters would then be only varieties of opinion concerning the mysteries of faith, which truly Christian men would leave to everyone to hold in accordance with his conscience, and would say in their hearts that a man is truly a Christian when he lives as a Christian, that is, as the Lord teaches. Thus from all the differing churches there would be made one church; and all the dissensions that come forth from doctrine alone would vanish; yea, all hatreds of one against another would be dissipated in a moment, and the Lord's kingdom would come upon the earth (AC 1799:3, 4).

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     Shortly after this magnificent number, it is explained that such charity and cooperation should be based on first principles, which are "the Lord, eternal life, and the Word, and provided it was not contrary to the Divine order, that is, to the precepts of the decalogue" (AC 1834).
     Now this is an extraordinarily wide frame in which to view Christian cooperation. As I understand this statement, it means that New Church people can freely cooperate with and practice Christian charity when they can be sure these first principles are taken seriously by their Christian friends: i.e., the Lord, meaning the apostolic faith in Jesus Christ. "The Lord said that upon this rock He would build His church, that is, on the truth and confession that he is the Son of God" (TCR 342). Indeed the very heart of the faith of the New Church is "confidence in the Lord God, the Savior Jesus Christ" (TCR 344). This is called a general principle of faith which the New Church teaches. We share this with thousands of Christians, if not millions, throughout the world.
     I personally believe that it belongs to the tolerance of the New Church to acknowledge that if we can cooperate with a Christian brother, based on the belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, we are mandated by the Writings to do so. I do not believe that we need to demand an acceptance of the doctrine of the glorified Divine Human in order for us to feel safe in cooperating with our brothers in the Christian world.
     When the Writings indicate that a Christian needs to believe in eternal life, I believe it is meant that we can cooperate with any Christian who accepts such a life but who may not be particularly enlightened about this life. Insofar as there is emphasis on the life of charity, the knowledge of eternal life will not seem threatening to him, since it is offered in the spirit of cooperation.

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     The third criterion for cooperation was said to be the Word. By this I believe the Writings want us to cooperate with our brothers and sisters in the Christian world, not only based on the internal sense of the Word, or the Word of the Second Coming, but also on the Word prophetic and descriptive of the first coming, the Old and New Testaments.
We seem to labor under the impression in the General Church that we need to reassure ourselves that the "other" Christian is at least somewhat accepting of the Writings in order for us to feel safe in dealing with him.
     However, the Writings themselves indicate that the formal knowledge of the internal sense does not reach to the heart of tolerance. Indeed, the internal sense of the Word does not in itself consist of the statements of the Writings, even though these are called the internal sense of the Word. The Writings are the formal internal sense of the Word, but the spirit of these Writings is the spirit of love to the Lord and the neighbor as outlined in the Arcana:

. . . to do violence to the internal sense is to deny those things which are the principal thing of this sense, and which are the essential holy things of the Word; and these are the Divine Human of the Lord, love to Him, and love toward the neighbor. These three are the principal things of the internal sense, and are the holy things of the Word; they are also the internal and holy things of all doctrinal things that are from the Word; and are likewise the internal and holy things of all worship; for in them is the Lord's kingdom itself. A fourth is that the Word, as to all things therein both in general and in particular, nay, as to the smallest point, is Divine (AC 3454).

     In the spirit of tolerance in the New Church we are allowed to ask ourselves if we accept the faith of our fellow Christian as saving when there is a demonstrable love of Jesus Christ. Note that I did not say "if we accept the official doctrine of our fellow Christians as saving."

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If the Lord is accepted as the Son of God, who rose from the dead, who will judge the living and the dead, whose laws we must follow, then there is agreement between the generals of the New Church and the faith of the Christian Church. A cooperation and productive exchange can be built on this ground, particularly since the mutual love to the Lord and love to the neighbor is shared. This accords with the principle of the Writings. (See the chapter on faith in TCR.)

. . . when life conjoins [the men of the church], doctrine does not separate them, but if doctrine alone conjoins them . . . then they separate themselves from each other (AC 4468).

     We are forbidden, however, to think that the old wineskins will hold the new wine. The agreement will be with the private doctrinal understanding of our fellow Christian, not his knowledge of the official statements of his denomination.

     All who are in the heavens and who are in the church must be one through mutual love from love to the Lord. An angel in heaven and a man in the church who does not thus make one with the rest is not of heaven nor of the church (AE 1004).

     I believe the essence of the spirit of tolerance in the New Church is the supreme acceptance of the only one who is tolerant, the Lord Himself. The Lord is tolerance; indeed He is nothing but mercy toward all men. Insofar as we are to be like Him-and He does seriously call on us to become like Him-we will express the spirit of tolerance. "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect" (Matt. 5:48). Obviously we can never become perfect. However, we are asked by the Lord to continually be in the effort to be like Him. Just as He continually comes down through the heavens, He wants man to strive to meet Him in an effort to receive this good and truth (see AE 254:3).

     There are two things that make the church, charity and faith. Charity is of affection and faith is of thought therefrom.

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Affection is the very essence of thought, for apart from the affection no one can think; everything of life that is in thought is from affection. From this it is clear that the first thing of the church is the affection that is of charity or love. But faith is called the first thing of the church because it is the first to appear; for what a man believes, that he thinks, and by thought sees; but that whereby he is spiritually affected he does not think, and therefore does not see in thought, but he perceives it by a certain sensation that has no relation to sight but to another feeling called the feeling of enjoyment. This enjoyment, as it is spiritual and is above the sense of natural enjoyment, man does not perceive, except when he has become spiritual, that is, when he has been regenerated by the Lord. For this reason the things that are of faith, and thus of sight, are believed to be the first things of the church, although they are not first except in appearance . . . . spiritual men, like the angels, are lifted above appearances and perceive the Word as it is in its internal sense; consequently they perceive that charity is the first thing of the church, and that faith is therefrom; for . . . the faith that is not from charity and that is not of charity is not faith (AE 229).

     In the New Church we are well advised to remember that the law of tolerance is the very law of the celestial heaven. Indeed this is the message of the Lord in the Sermon on the Mount. The celestial spirit of the Lord's own life is naked for everyone who searches for the Lord's own spirit to follow:

. . . love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven . . . (Matt. 5:44,45).

     Having outlined the heavenly source of tolerance, permit me to interject the problem we earthly beings have in applying this celestial spirit.
     The problem can briefly be summarized as the opposition between good and evil, truth and falsity, in the human mind. As long as we live in the natural world, we are not always capable of distinguishing good and evil, not even aware of the extent to which these two opposites become intertwined in our own thinking.

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As long as we live in this world, we live in an equilibrium between these two forces in order that we at all times may be free. This places an extraordinary demand on thought, humility and affection.
     As long as there is a mingling of these forces without the recognition that they both produce effect in our lives, we will be prone to a resulting disharmony which springs from the conflict of these two forces. As long as we live in the states of the disharmony of the opposing forces in our minds, we lack the balance of thought for proper distinctions. If we acquire the habit of applying our own limited range of observation and judgment to the predicaments of our fellow humans, we are tempted to place Divine authority on our own limited opinions. The history of religion has shown that it is all too easy to condemn a contrary opinion as heretical, whether this is in the sphere of theology, morals or politics. Humans are and remain fallible. Without the humble acknowledgment of this fact we risk an escalation of divisions, misunderstandings, grievances from wounded sensibilities.
     If we look at the organized Christian churches, there are countless examples of bitter opposition, intolerance of doctrinal differences, rivalry and political dishonesty. It is as if the lack of tolerance has breathed a spirit of false witness and hatred.
     At the mention of such a grim picture, we may want to turn aside, because surely this cannot happen in the New Church, can it? Yet if we look upon the history of the New Church, there have been two bitter splits in its short history. There are still feelings of animosity among some in the three main bodies. This is certainly not a New Church spirit or the spirit of tolerance. According to the doctrine of choirs and the doctrine of charity, there should be a cordial and intimate cooperation among all New Church organizations. There should be no trace of rancor or rivalry but a sincere spirit of mutual tolerance and effort to spread the good news.
     However, men say, we must be practical. Often this means we must wait and see what is being done out there before we ourselves can move.

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We back up our thinking with the argument that even though there can only be one way to be tolerant, which is the way of the Lord, we must remember that He gives His tolerance two forms. When His mercy governs those who respond to good and truth, it is called Providence. When He governs evil and falsity, it is called permission. It is one tolerance, but two expressions. Must not man also be able to be like the Lord in this respect? He must use his judgment. Surely we must.
     However, the temptation for us is to apply the laws of permission, which place strictures to guard against evil more readily in others than in ourselves. This is a very real temptation in the New Church.
     What has been accepted as the ideal of the. New Church is to keep the Lord's wishes constantly before us. Practically, this means we are asked not to confirm evil in other people, although we are admonished to constantly be aware of its emergence in ourselves before doing good. I believe the Writings uphold an old Christian idea for the unity of the universal Christian Church. The idea was formulated in 1656 by George Calixtus, attempting to present the essence of Christianity in the formula: "Unity in essentials, variety in nonessentials, charity in all things."
     Since the Lord has created man because He desires His own love to be man's, He has endowed man with the ability to see that this love is not his own but is given to him in accordance with the integration of the will to approach the Lord, and to make the truths of the Word to be living in and for himself and others.
     As far as I can understand New Church history, there has been a desire to be governed by the truth of the Writings. However, the failing of many New Churchmen has been that they have not felt safe in calling someone a brother unless corresponding truths have been found in him, when yet the corresponding goods are what make conjunction possible. Good unites; truths divide.
     As long as we construct rules for conduct and intercourse, we tend to become dogmatic, forgetting the heavenly spirit of tolerance.

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If we were to choose the doctrine of charity as our primary emphasis in the church, we would never be short of expressions of charity, which would adapt itself in a myriad of forms. We would come under the balmy influx of the celestial heaven where the love of the freedom of our fellow man becomes more important than our own freedom.
     In such a state we would come to appreciate the delicate balance of applying the Lord's will to our life. We would love to see applications of the love of ruling for the sake of the neighbor but abhor any love of dominion. This is the example of the celestial angels, who are the governors of heaven. We would not react nervously or with suspicion whenever the church needs to move forward to put its enlightenment into practice.
     Celestial angels stand guard over men's freedom, even that of devils as far as they are permitted. Therefore, heaven seeks to influence our very attitude to our neighbor. There is a constant attempt to see from love, guided by the wisdom of applying truth to life. Under the primogeniture of love the moral laws developing among us would reflect their spiritual conception in heaven.
     In such a state we would be on guard against judging our brothers and sisters from our own accepted moral standards alone. Most of all we would develop a fear of self-justification which seeks to persuade to the point of compelling others to compliance with our own standards. There will be a sense of horror attached to any sphere of condemnation either from a will to gossip or to judge others because they are different from ourselves.
     The mark of a tolerant New Churchman is the will to respect the moral and spiritual freedom of others, particularly those who are different from ourselves. The golden rule must apply universally, that if we expect freedom for ourselves as a church, we must grant it to others. The spirit of contempt or dominion must be shunned at all cost.

     If charity were in the first place and faith in the second, the aspect of the church would be different, for then no others would be called Christians than those who live a life according to the truth of faith, that is, a life of charity; and they would also know what charity is.

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Then, too, they would not make a number of churches by making a distinction among them according to opinions about the truths of faith, but they would say that there is one church, in which are all who are in the good of life, not only those within the region where the churches are, but also those who are outside of it. In this manner the church would be in illustration about such things as belong to the Lord's kingdom; for charity enlightens, and never faith without charity; and the errors that are brought in by means of faith separated would be clearly seen.
     Hence it is evident how different an aspect the church would have if the good of charity were in the first place, that is, were the essential, and the truth of faith in the second, that is, its formal (AC 6269:2, 3).

     All those conjoin themselves with internal truth as with a harlot who believe only the external sense of the Word, that is, only its literal sense, and entirely reject all its internal, that is, its spiritual sense . . . but not by those who indeed believe in simplicity the literal sense of the Word and yet live according to those things which are of the internal sense, that is, in love and charity, and thence in faith-for these are of the internal sense of the Word-and who also from the literal sense teach these things; for the internal and external senses come together in the two precepts-to love the Lord above all things and the neighbor as oneself (AC 4868:2).

     I understand this to mean that there are potentially thousands of quiet Christians in the internal sense of the Word who have never even heard of the Writings.
     The challenge to the tolerance of the New Church is not whether it is capable of so loving the Lord and the neighbor, but whether it is willing to do so even if it implies taking the "risk" of associating constructively with Christians who may be deficient in truth but earnestly attempting to live a life of good. If we desire to overcome our dogmatism in the New Church, we can be reassured by the Lord that even though many Christians live in falsified systems of doctrine, their love of salvation and of following the Lord in their life makes them receptive to the leading of good.

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We can meet them in the fields of their private Christian charity rather than in the drabness of their doctrinal peculiarities.
     For the sake of the health of the New Church we can learn a lot if we constantly remember that all good and truth belong to the Lord. Under no circumstances are they man's possession. This is brought out in the Arcana under the explanation of Jacob's choice of black lambs, leaving all the white ones for Laban:

     In the opposite sense "white" signifies man's own righteousness, or his own merit; for truth without good is attended with such self-merit, because when anyone does good not from the good of truth, he always desires to be recompensed, because he does it for the sake of himself, whereas when anyone does truth from good, this good is then enlightened by the light that is from the Lord . . . . Innocence is the very essential of love and charity, consequently of good. A proprium [or an own] that is innocent is to know, acknowledge, and believe, not with the mouth but with the heart, that nothing but evil is from one's self, and that all good is from the Lord; and therefore that what is man's own is nothing but blackness; that is to say, not only the own of his will, which is evil, but also the own of his understanding, which is falsity. When man is in this confession and belief from the heart, the Lord flows in with good and truth, and insinuates into him a heavenly own, which is white and lustrous. No one can ever be in a true humility unless he is in this acknowledgment and belief from the heart; for he is then in annihilation of self, nay, in the loathing of self, and thus in absence from self, and in this manner he is then in a state capable of receiving the Divine of the Lord. It is by this means that the Lord flows in with good into a humble and contrite heart. Such is the own that is innocent, which is here signified by the "black among the lambs" that Jacob chose for himself; but the white among the lambs is the self-merit that is placed in goods (AC 3994:1, 2).

     The Writings point out to us that a truth from the Word is true no matter who speaks that truth. Countless Christians are searching hard to express truths the best way they know how even if there is a perception among many that the Christian Church is failing in modern times, particularly since much immorality can be registered within its walls.

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The concept of the "post-Christian era" may be familiar to us, and perhaps even affirmed as the logical consequences of the last judgment.
     However, the humility of the New Church is not strengthened by implying that the "former Christian Church" applies to the people who make up the various expressions of it in our times. While these people may live with the inadequate forms of truth because of its present doctrinal position, nevertheless the efforts of the individual speak earnestly of a living, caring and slowly-changing church.
     The point I am making is that the dragon and the beast exist in the spiritual world, attempting to gain dominion. Because of this fearful prospect we are warned in the Writings: "The faith of the New Church cannot by any means be together with the faith of the former church, and if they are together, such a collision and conflict will take place that everything of the church with man will perish" (BE 102).
     The collision here spoken of is, as I understand it, between the previous false doctrines of the Christian churches and the doctrine of the New Church. This does not mean, however, that there is a collision between the life of charity in and from the individual people of these churches as we interact with them in the world. The collision is between doctrinal systems and organizations which represent these.
     When this is said we are also asked to remember that the earth helped the woman in the wilderness by swallowing the flood of the dragon. The Writings explain that: ". . . the church that is called the New Jerusalem is to tarry among those who are in the doctrine of faith separate while it grows to fullness, until provision is made for it among many. But in that church there are dragons who separate faith from good works not only in doctrine but also in life; but the others in the same church who live the life of faith, which is charity, are not dragons although they are among them . . . reasonings are only with the learned leaders of the church, and are not known to the people of the church because they are not understood by them; therefore it is by the latter that the New Church which is called the Holy Jerusalem is helped and also grows" (AE 765).

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     The humility of the New Church would grow if it would recognize that the New Church is needed by all the Christian churches. In our day-to-day lives this could mean that we make an effort both officially and privately not to denigrate Christianity, but to try to help it.
     I love the image of the New Church given to the young people of Stockholm by Rev. Gustav Baeckstrom, who said: "The New Church is not an armored tank, but an ambulance."

Conclusion

     I hope the New Church can dream of the day when every branch of the church will cooperate with the other branches, will support each other, help each other, defend each other, without first looking to doctrinal correctness but to the integrity of a life lived in the spirit of the Lord.
I hope the day will come when the New Church will be faced with a similar dilemma as when Peter interpreted his dream of a mixture of animals, clean and unclean, let down from heaven in a sheet (in Acts 11:5), where he was led to choose to spread Christianity even to the gentiles.
     I hope the day will come when the tolerance of the New Church will be such that we will seek to help the Christian world to see the heavenly spirit, indeed the true prophetic spirit of the Old and New Testaments. I hope the day will come when we can rise above the pejorative stamp of cultism to demonstrate by our lives that we are serious Christians, compassionate brothers, and willing witnesses to heavenly secrets, given plainly to those who seek new ways for life in an increasingly complicated world.
     I hope the New Church will develop the strength to deal with its own addictions, lies and confusions. In the eyes of the world we are as yet nothing. But in the eyes of heaven there is a tender plant to be nourished in the earth. When it will produce sweet fruit for the nourishment of the nations, it will grow to fill the earth.

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     Without a trusting yet intelligent submission to the Lord's leading we will remain unable to receive the spirit of celestial toleration. If we persist, however, the Lord's own love will bring to our hearts and minds the splendor of truly loving Him in our uses, and our neighbor as ourselves. We will come to love that it is so, that the highest form of the love of the neighbor is love for the truth in the Word, which testifies to the Lord's own mercy by its own unalterable foundations. When we so love the Word that it is seen as our neighbor, we are lifted above dogmatism. Then we will be able to recognize in tolerance the presence of the Word in our neighbors.
     Such a universal frame of reference is offered to us in dealing with the individual Christian, indeed even the non-Christian:

     I can love all in the universe according to their religion, not more those in my own country than in other kingdoms, nor more those in Europe than in Africa. I love a gentile more than a Christian if he lives well according to religion, if from the heart he worships God, saying, "I will not do this evil because it is against God." But I do not love him according to his doctrine but according to his life, since if I love him according to his doctrine alone, I love him as an external man; but if according to his life, I love him also as an internal man. For if he has the good of religion he has also moral and civil good. They cannot be separated. But a man who is only in doctrine cannot have religion. His moral and civil good has, therefore, no life in it. It is merely external. It wishes to be seen, and to have it believed that it is good (Char. 89).

     So what can we offer as a church if we are not to fall into the pit of dogmatically judging our neighbor only as to doctrine? What could be an extension of the internal of the New Church to the Christian world? I believe this simple "to do" list could reflect our understanding of the spirit of the Word:

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1. Demonstrate our love to the Lord in all that we do.
2. Courageously defend spiritual values wherever seen.
3. Preserve the holiness of marriage.
4. Defend the sanctity of life.
5. Teach the relationships between spiritual, moral and civil life.

     There is, of course, much more that we could do. But we can start here. We can start among our own family members and friends. Slowly our children and associates will come to see that there is a new reliable well-the Lord Himself as the Word.
     The most practical tolerance of the church will be to love the Lord's truths so that we yearn for the marriage of truth and good. May it become emblazoned on the minds and hearts of the New Church that the law of life is the Lord's truth which speaks the heavenly voice of good.
NEW TRANSLATIONS IN YUGOSLAVIA 1990

NEW TRANSLATIONS IN YUGOSLAVIA       Editor       1990

     "With the disintegration of the Iron Curtain the future for Eastern Europe is full of hope." So begins the summer issue of Logos, the newsletter of the Swedenborg Foundation. In the same article Rev. Risto Rundo speaks of his translation of Nebo I Pakao, or Heaven and Hell, into Serbo-Croatian. Five thousand copies sold at the first printing. Now Mr. Rundo is working on a translation of the Four Doctrines. A translation of Helen Keller's My Religion has also been published.
     There are three circles presently studying Swedenborg in Belgrade. One of the groups meets regularly for worship (attendance is 30-40).

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AMONG MY FAVORITE PASSAGES (1) 1990

AMONG MY FAVORITE PASSAGES (1)       Richard W. Laws       1990

     When I first came in touch with the New Church, something that made a great impression on me was the combination of pairs of spiritual qualities, such as love and wisdom, good and truth, and faith and charity.
     This first struck me in Heaven and Hell, the first book I read, where these spiritual qualities are described in terms of their correspondences to things in the natural world; for instance, love and wisdom to heat and light, and charity and faith to the sun and moon. Then when I read True Christian Religion, I saw clearly how these pairs related to the regeneration of man, so my favourite passage so far is TCR 766:

     The Lord is present with every man, urgently desirous to be received; and when a man receives Him by acknowledging Him as his God, Creator, Redeemer, and Saviour, then is His first coming, which is called the dawn. Then the man, as to his understanding, begins to be enlightened in spiritual things and to increase in wisdom; and as he receives this wisdom from the Lord, so he progresses through morning into day. This day continues with him to old age, even till death; and after death he is raised up into heaven by the Lord Himself. There, although he may have died an old man, he returns into the morning of his life; and then to eternity he advances in the wisdom to which he was first introduced in the natural world.

     This passage struck me very particularly; it really stopped me in my tracks because I saw its relevance to my own life and the world around me.
     The marriage within each individual pair is essential to the religious life of the church and to our regeneration through different states, that is, from infancy to old age, from night to day, and winter to spring. This combines with the progression of the end of the church, or "night," to the beginning of a new church, or "day," through our Lord. Also, the coming of the New Church is a personal matter in the mind of each person, depending on his relationship with the Lord.

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     I can also see that no matter how much knowledge or wisdom we think we have, it is nothing in comparison with the wisdom of the angels, and that we have to humble ourselves and see that what we have is not ours but is from the Lord.
     Richard W. Laws
     Canberra, Australia
1990 CHARTER DAY 1990

       Editor       1990

     All ex-students, members and friends of the General Church and friends of the Academy are invited to attend the 74th Charter Day exercises to be held in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, Friday and Saturday, October 12th and 13th. Highlights are:

Friday, 10:30 a.m. - Cathedral service
Friday, 9:00 p.m. - Dance
Saturday, 6:30 p.m. - Banquet

     Banquet Tickets

     Tickets can be purchased by contacting Mrs. David Roscoe at the Academy switchboard, Academy of the New Church, P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009 (phone 215-947-4200). They can either be mailed (please send a self-addressed, stamped envelope), held at the switchboard for pickup by 10:00 a.m. Friday, or picked up at the door on Saturday night.
     In Bryn Athyn tickets can also be purchased at the Development office in Pitcairn Hall or the college office in Pendleton Hall. Tickets will also be on sale in the society building before and after Friday suppers.
The banquet is Saturday, October 13th at 6:30 p.m. Ticket prices are: Adults $8.00 and students $4.00.
     Checks should be made payable to Academy of the New Church.

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VIEWPOINT OF A NEWCOMER 1990

VIEWPOINT OF A NEWCOMER       BEN DETTINGER       1990

     I have been vitally and personally interested in heaven and hell (the places) since early childhood. No truly satisfactory answers were forthcoming, however, until my involvement with the New Church began.
     As a very young student in parochial school, I asked Sister what a person would do in heaven. She answered that one would worship God forever by continuously kneeling in prayer and singing hymns. (No wonder I have arthritic knees today.) After several days of extended thought on the matter, I got back to her with my feelings. I expressed the feeling that such a heaven sounded rather boring, and that I was not at all sure I really wished to go there, although I was quite sure that I didn't wish to go to hell. "Are there any other options?" I asked.
She gently admonished me to be more appreciative of what God was offering me, and that I would someday realize how wonderful it would be; and that in the presence of the Beatific Vision, one could scarcely do otherwise than kneel in prayer and sing hymns. I continued with the view that it was quite a boring thought, although I kept it to myself lest I be considered a blasphemer. Unfortunately, I already felt like one since I had been so unappreciative of God's great gift to all "good" people.
     Now I know through my New Church studies that heaven will not be boring, but rather will be challenging and exciting. Of course praying to our Lord and singing praises to Him will be part of our life, but our main praise and prayer to Him will consist of the uses we perform out of love to Him and to the neighbor. Even in this world no greater sensation and feeling of satisfaction can be experienced than doing something worthwhile for another with no hope or desire for reciprocity-especially when you do it out of love for the Lord or love for that person as a child of the Lord. Furthermore, the opportunity to continue studying the Word in even deeper levels of meaning will make life worthwhile for all eternity.

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And, most importantly, in heaven the truths learned from the Word will be lived and not merely stored in the memory.
     As a very young student in parochial school I did not, however, ask about hell. This wasn't only because I didn't want to go there. I had already heard and learned enough about hell to satisfy whatever curiosity I dared entertain. It seemed strange to me even then that so much was apparently known about a horrible place that no one wished to visit, while so little was known about a place that everyone wanted to call his future home. Who did not know, for instance, that a soul damned to hell would burn forever in a fire that was unquenchable and more intensely hot than any fire on earth? Such ones would be tortured for all eternity. They would writhe and twist and turn in anguish, with pain unending and unremitting in severity. Even then, however, I could not believe that a loving God would or even could torture someone forever. I knew that I couldn't do that to anyone regardless of what that person had done to me, and certainly God was an infinitely better person than I am.
     The church, however, was telling me that this was hell. How could the feeling of a mere boy stand up to Mother Church? I also kept these feelings to myself lest I be deemed a blasphemer. This time, however, I didn't feel blasphemous since I felt that God's justice would balance the scales, but in a way that was tempered with mercy.
     Prior to coming to the New Church I spent many years searching for truth. Many valuable experiences were gained in that journey. I now consider it all a preparation that uniquely enables me to wholeheartedly and joyfully embrace the truths taught by the New Church. In one instance, however, a part of my journey initially made a New Church doctrine difficult to accept.
     As an adult I have always known that a loving God would not torture anyone for all eternity. In my studies with the Jehovah's Witnesses I finally received doctrine that fit my feeling in this matter. The wages of sin are death-pure and simple. If you proved unworthy to live in God's kingdom, you would not live. Hell was the grave, the ground-no torture, just nonexistence; no resurrection. This fit my concept of a loving God-at that time.

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     It took almost seven months of studying and attending inquirers' class to satisfy my concern that justice be meted out against the evil-doers. (I had also realized for a long time that God was Justice as well as Love.) What really threw me was the New Church concept that the Lord condemns no one to hell. Furthermore, that everyone in hell cast themselves down there. How could the scales of justice be thus balanced? Who would choose hell?
     I realize now that justice is indeed satisfied, and in a way that causes me to more deeply appreciate our Lord as a God of total love than I ever truly fathomed before. Obviously, He wouldn't torture anyone for even the minutest blink of an eye, much less for all eternity. He wouldn't deprive anyone of eternal life since, even in this world, no crueler punishment can be visited upon man (whose power of reflection and thought make it so) than to deprive him of this fleeting life. Rather, an evil man will choose hell because he cannot stand the good that is heaven. So he will cast himself down headlong into hell to be with like companions. Evil carries with it its own punishment and, indeed, is its own punishment. Everyone would rather be in heaven because it is such a wonderful place. It is the good of the Lord that makes heaven what it is. Likewise, it is the evil of the wicked that makes hell what it is. Evil is insanity. Although they really wish they could go to heaven, the evil cannot change from the basic interior persons they have formed of themselves in this world. Hell is a horrible place because the wicked live there and constantly will evil against one another. But, the wicked could not live in heaven because they have become an evil itself, the evil that they loved above all others in this world. The good in heaven repulses them and restrains them from entering.
     In heaven, however, the inhabitants love the Lord and will only good to each other. No one desires to exercise dominion over the others. No one seeks position or honors except to the extent that it enables them to do more for others. In this world we are to love the neighbor as ourselves.

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Those in the highest heaven love the neighbor more than themselves. In heaven an are employed in uses that best utilize their love and talent. Husband and wife will more truly be one than was ever possible in this world. What greater joy can be imagined than the reality of heaven where one can live in the love of the Lord, employed in meaningful and joyful uses, living in wedded bliss for all eternity?
"DEAD POETS SOCIETY"-THE MOVIE 1990

"DEAD POETS SOCIETY"-THE MOVIE       NORMAN HELDON       1990

     Many in the church will have seen this movie and found it, as I did, an unusual and powerful drama, with lessons for parents, students, teachers, college administrators, and indirectly the church.
     There seem to be two themes, namely, 1) Daring to upset well entrenched and rigidly conventional tradition in the scholastic world will bring dishonour and dismissal; 2) For parents to rigidly control their children's lives is to court disaster. The key word is "rigidly." Everyone recognizes that some control and discipline is essential, but a parent in this story was obstinate and unyielding. He did not allow the warmth of love that he undoubtedly felt for his son to show.
     A teacher with a refreshingly original and imaginative approach to the teaching of poetry first has his students bemused, then amused, then thrilled and excited, stirred to think for themselves instead of passively accepting the ideas of learned literary critics, then afterwards no doubt regurgitating the same views at exam time. However, this teacher falls afoul of the school's headmaster, who is strictly uncompromising and bigoted. The school is hidebound by Tradition. Parents also are affected by the strait-laced atmosphere of the school, that obsession with Tradition and, of course, traditional methods of teaching.
     One student, inspired by the teacher to think creatively and to follow his bent, eventually defies his father, but is afterwards humiliated.

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The dramatic climax in which the young man commits suicide surprises but saddens. This was powerful drama, but it would be unfortunate if some young people were to see suicide as the way out when their problems seem insurmountable.
     It is a rare family that doesn't have problems, especially where there are adolescents. New Church families are certainly not immune, though they ought to be better equipped to cope. There are many heartbreaking conflicts, but fortunately very few would have such a tragic consequence as suicide. It may well be that the church can do more to help when families are in trouble.
     The Theta Alpha Journal is a popular and useful publication. Partly the reason may be that some contributors tell how they had to face up to traumatic circumstances but still try to remain faithful to the New Church teachings. That must be of considerable help to others, for in fact all of us must do the same in some way or another. Pastors, especially if they have some training in counseling and are good family friends, may give a great deal of help. Some sermons and classes might focus on application of religion to life in actual circumstances. The time will come also when the New Church can reach out to help many people.
     Providence is over all things, but we know that the Lord does not wish or bring upon people traumas or tragedies. He works too to bring good to pass from circumstances that are disorderly.
     Shakespeare, who has something worthwhile to say on most aspects of life, caused a character to remark: "There is a divinity that shapes our ends, rough-hew them how we will." That is close to the truth, but now that we have the wonderful teachings of the New Revelation we must remember to seek the Lord's aid by going to His Word and by prayer. "Blessed [happy] is the man who confides in the Lord."
     "Dead Poets Society" is a stimulating, challenging story, and its success shows that moviegoers appreciate more than just entertainment. The New Church will surely some day use the medium successfully and perform a great use in that way.

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DEDICATION OF THE NEW CHURCH AT BOYNTON BEACH 1990

DEDICATION OF THE NEW CHURCH AT BOYNTON BEACH       Freya H. Fitzpatrick       1990

     Two and a half years after moving to 10687 El Clair Ranch Road, the New Church at Boynton Beach, Florida, was finally able to dedicate their striking new church building.
     When they moved to the site, they were surrounded by several farms and a few housing developments which were just starting to be built. Two and a half years later there is only one farm in the immediate vicinity, and the numerous housing developments continue to grow. They have been growing with the area around them, and are now ready to actively enter the community and serve as a local church in an area where the next nearest church is several miles away.
     They officially opened their doors on June 24th, 1990. Their new building, with a capacity of 116 seats, was filled to overflowing with local members, New Church guests from around the church, and with over thirty friends and well wishers from the local community. Rt. Rev. Peter Buss and Rev. Daniel Heinrichs entered the church from the back door and proceeded up the aisle. They carried a new copy of the Word to be placed in the new building. The Bishop performed the dedication with a simple but powerful ceremony which involved the presentation of a key to the Bishop of the General Church, and the placing of the Word on the unhewn altar of stone. Following the service, which included special music by both local and Bryn Athyn musicians, the congregation gathered on the lawn, surrounded by the lush, sub-tropical landscaping installed entirely by volunteers.
     Saturday night preceding the service the adults celebrated with a banquet at a local restaurant. The toastmaster, Brad Heinrichs, introduced the three speakers. Ted Farrington, a long-time local member and member of the Board of Directors of the General Church, spoke on the past and the events leading up to the relocation of their society from Miami to Boynton Beach. Chris Lermitte, who recently moved to South Florida from Caryndale with his family, spoke of the present and all the work that went into their building project.

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Daniel and Freya Fitzpatrick were joint speakers on the future and how the group can grow through evangelization and by reaching the youngsters with a full Sunday School program. Several people stood up to express appreciation to the pastor and his wife for their untiring efforts to see this dream realized. As one person said, the South Floridians were indeed misled when they were told to expect a pastor being sent down to retire!
     The New Church at Boynton Beach welcomes visitors who may be vacationing in Florida to their 10:00 a.m. services, and welcomes inquiries from anyone interested in relocating to sunny South Florida.
     Freya H. Fitzpatrick


     [Photograph of the interior of the Boynton Beach Church.]

     See a photograph of the exterior on p. 431.

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Editorial Pages 1990

Editorial Pages       Editor       1990

     WILL YOU GET WHAT YOU WANT?
     IF SO, WHEN? (3)

     We spoke last month of things we know we should want. We should want humility. We should want the affection of serving others. We might go through the motions of asking for such things but without much enthusiasm. The words we may use in prayer are one thing, but what the Lord looks at when we pray is our heart (see AC 10143). The answer to a prayer may be delayed until some changes occur in the heart. One such change is the arousing of a real desire for what we have prayed for with our mouth. Sometimes the refusal or delay is for the very purpose of increasing that desire (see AC 4366).
     Another change is in our understanding of what it is that we are praying for. Anyone would pray to get to heaven, and that includes people who have no idea of what heaven is like. AC 2027 describes people who haven't the faintest idea what heaven is like but who really think they want it. They are very conscious of the dutiful and pious lives they have lived. They feel they deserve heaven, and they see themselves as way ahead of others whom they rate as less deserving.
     One can have a vision of heaven as a state of delightful preeminence. There are those who cannot imagine "any other delight than that which results from pre-eminence; and because this is the only delight that is seated in their minds and makes all their life, therefore they are utterly ignorant of the heavenly delight that results from humiliation and the affection of serving others-that is, the delight of love to the Lord and of charity toward the neighbor-consequently of the blessedness and happiness thence derived" (AC 3417:3). Don't think that the Lord gives up on people like those just described. The Lord's own twelve disciples had this characteristic (as the above passage points out). The Lord worked very patiently with them and with the ambitions or "wants" that at first motivated them.

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     The Lord also works very patiently with all of us as He looks upon the desires of our hearts. We might be inclined to ask the Lord for something noble in hopes that in so doing we may obtain what we really want. When Solomon asked for an understanding heart the Lord rewarded him with that and also with the riches that he did not ask for. In the Sermon on the Mount we are told to seek first the kingdom of God "and all these things shall be added unto you." What if the other things are what we really want and the petition we dutifully make is only a means of getting those other things?
     A classic case of this is asking to be the least in order that you may be the greatest. There was once a remarkable Christian whose exemplary life earned him high esteem. He was willing to be so humble-even to be trodden upon. In his heart he rated other people as of very little worth compared with himself, and his end was pre-eminence over others. "He was willing to be the least in order that he might become the greatest in heaven" (AC 952).
     There are descriptions in the Writings of people who thought heaven consisted in being on high and being above others. To their credit they were ashamed when they were shown the truth of the matter (see AC 450). Swedenborg had the chance to talk to some in the other life who honestly believed that heaven consisted in "being the greatest." When people like that are shown the Scriptural truth that in the Lord's kingdom the least are the greatest, they naturally conclude that all they have to do therefore is to seek to be the least! "They were told that heaven does not consist in desiring to be the least in order to be the greatest, for in that case the person is really aspiring and wishing to be the greatest" (AC 452).
     At any stage of our life, the Lord sees what we are aspiring for and wishing for. His response is always for the sake of our welfare. When we tell the Lord what we want, therefore, we can do so with an open mind and a willingness that the want itself may be modified. We can "submit the hearing to the Lord" and pray afterwards that not our will but His shall be done (AC 8179).

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     "MEN" IN THE GOSPELS

     How things have changed since the appearance some forty years ago of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible. In the early 1950s a new translation of the Bible could cause quite a stir. But there have been so many new translations since then that people hardly notice when yet another appears.
     The New Revised Standard Version of the Bible has recently come into our hands. Looking through it we notice some interesting things, and among them is the use of the word "men".
     In the Greek of the gospels there are two words that have commonly and not incorrectly been translated "men." The word "men" was retained in the Revised Standard Version, but the new RSV has another way of handling it.
     One of the words means men, masculine. In this case the word "men" has been retained. Examples of this are "And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children" (Matt. 14:21). " . . . men came in carrying a paralyzed man on a bed" (Luke 5:18). "Suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them" (Luke 24:4).
     The other word is used far more frequently, and it is not limited to the masculine gender. It is used in the phrase, "I will make you fishers of men." In this case the new RSV in contrast to the old RSV substitutes the word "people." (See also Matt. 23:13.) In other cases the word "others" is used; for example, "Let your light shine before men" becomes "Let your light shine before others."

     It has been common in English translations of the Writings to use the word "man" fairly frequently. For example, the heading of Conjugial Love 46 states that after death the love of the sex remains "with every man . . . " But in the version being prepared by N. B. Rogers (as quoted by this magazine in June of 1988) we read, "In every person after death, love for the opposite sex continues to be what it was like inwardly . . . "

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     We are accustomed to hear at weddings the words of no. 64. Conjugial love is said to be holy, pure and clean "above every love which is from the Lord with the angels of heaven and the men of the church." In the new translation as printed in the July issue of 1988 we read of this love which "exists from the Lord in angels of heaven or people of the church."
     There are numerous other examples.
"I AM" 1990

"I AM"       Editor       1990

     Rev. Ian Arnold had an excellent idea for a series of talks. In the gospel of John the Lord says, "I am" 1) the Bread of Life, 2) the Light of the World, 3) the Door of the Sheep, 4) the Good Shepherd, 5) the Resurrection and the Life, 6) the Way, the Truth and the Life, 7) the True Vine.
     The Women's League of the Sydney Society of the New Church arranged for these talks to be put into one booklet. This is now available in Australia, and we hope that copies will be made more widely available.
CATALOGUE FROM THE OFFICE OF EDUCATION 1990

CATALOGUE FROM THE OFFICE OF EDUCATION       Editor       1990

     The date on the front cover is 1990-91 in red type. It tells in twelve pages what is currently available from the General Church Office of Education.
     You can order videotapes, Sunday School lessons, pre-school materials, elementary grades lessons, high school, college and adult study courses. And more.
     Write for this free catalogue to Cairncrest, P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009, or phone (215) 947-4539.

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AWAKEN FROM DEATH 1990

AWAKEN FROM DEATH       Editor       1990

     Some excellent literature has been produced over the years designed to introduce people to the Writings. But it is the nature of homo sapiens to be striving for better and better ways of doing something. The booklet we want to tell you about is the result of a basic good idea that was submitted to a couple of willing "think tanks." In some think tanks the wish is expressed to find that definitive piece of literature that is "just right." If such a thing is ever actually produced, that will be good news. We will have the piece of introductory literature. Until that day comes we will content ourselves with a piece of such literature.
     The idea for this one was to have three basic components: 1) Direct quotations from Heaven and Hell on states immediately after death. 2) The story of Swedenborg. 3) Chosen "testimonies" about Swedenborg and the Writings.
     Well, by the time this idea got through the think tanks, it was determined that the "testimonies" should be sprinkled throughout the book instead of occupying a third section.
     Ideal length? "About sixty or seventy pages," said the experts.
     So now we have it. After an introductory page we get five chapters straight from Heaven and Hell, including the chapter about its not being difficult to live the life that leads to heaven.
     Then in about fifteen pages the story of Swedenborg is presented in an engaging manner by Jim Lawrence. Then there is a list of the books of the Writings. It is attractively bound, and although the cover says $6.95, you can actually get it for an even $5.00. Ask for Awaken from Death, A detailed description of the soul's journey into the spiritual realm upon bodily death.
     Congratulations to David St. Amour and Jim Lawrence and the others who took this from the idea stage right through to such an effective rendering.

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NEW CHURCH AND MENTAL HEALTH SYMPOSIUM IV 1990

NEW CHURCH AND MENTAL HEALTH SYMPOSIUM IV       Editor       1990

     Sponsored by the Academy of the New Church

Dates: November 23-25, 1990
Place: Bryn Athyn Society Building
Cost: Full registration -$40.00
Partial registration - $20.00
               Meals -$25.00

Goals:
1. To stimulate reflection and productive thought on the part of those interested in the relationship between mental health and spiritual growth.

2. To provide an opportunity for people to share interests and ideas with each other.

3. To help increase awareness of the potential beneficial interaction between New Church teachings and the mental health fields.

4. To promote increased participation and fuller use of programs in the areas of mental and spiritual growth.

5. To foster community building and relationship healing.

Program:
     The program will include workshops and talks by Rev. Messrs. Geoffrey Childs, Mark Carlson, Willard Heinrichs, Horand Gutfeldt, Grant Schnarr and Ray Silverman, and Alan Bader, Wendy Barry, Sheila Brown, Michael Brown, Bob Merrell, Penny Reiss, Dr. Jamie Pendleton, Dr. Mark Reuter, Peter Rhodes, Louise Rose, Jacob Stone and others.

Registration:
     Write or telephone Paul Simonetti, Box 162, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009, (215) 947-4981. Early registration is recommended, as the number of participants is limited.

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MORE ON THE "OPEN WORD" 1990

MORE ON THE "OPEN WORD"       Richard R. Gladish       1990




     Communications
Dear Editor:
     When first I read Mr. Ferr's answer in the July Life, I thought: "If TCR 508 says that, he must be right and I was wrong; I must have indeed thought from tradition rather than true doctrine."
     But during the night watches I reasoned further. TCR 508 describes a heavenly temple representing the New Church. (Houses, temples, scenes, people can appear and disappear in heavenly representative creations.) An open Word was shown, but as the representative of the Word's being open to all men under the aegis of the new dispensation-open here meaning available, permitted, made understandable. In the same memorable relation a shrine is also shown, with a veil, opened, containing a "golden cherub, with a sword which he waved this way and that." This would not seem to be customary in all church services in heaven.
Other descriptions in the Writings of temples in heaven say nothing about the appearance of a copy of the Word, although it is stated that every heavenly society has its own copy of the Word, accommodated to the genius of the society. In the nuptials described in CL 20 the Word is not mentioned, nor is a priest or minister involved.
     And so I speculate that there are priests in heaven who conduct worship services in temples or churches; that they reverently open the Word to start the service and close it to end the service. If anyone has reason to behold a representation of the New Church, that might well appear as in TCR 508.
     Also, among New Churchmen on earth it is common for laymen to conduct family or group worship when a priest is not present. (I did it in the dormitory for thirteen years.) Generally the Word or (less often) a book of the Writings is used and reverently opened to commence the service and closed at the end of it.

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Since the General Church regards the Writings as well as the Biblical Word as part of the Word, should all copies of the Writings as well as the Bible be kept open in the house or office? Should sanctuaries be done away within our homes and if not, should the Word be kept open within them?
     The brilliant vision of the Word open and its light illuminating the heavenly temple of TCR 508 is a wonderful representative of the New Church, but is it also a description of heavenly worship? And further, is it a prescription for services of worship on earth?
     Are we wrong if we seek to protect and hallow the Word in our services-to make it special, not common, exposed, vulnerable in an unprotected state? I have in mind a recollected picture of an Old Church service in which the Bible was open, leaned upon, and thumped during the service.
     The first books of the Word were scrolls, rolls of parchment or paper or papyrus. They could not be opened in the way modern books can be. Perhaps this is part of the representation of the Word in our day in the day of the Second Coming.
     Richard R. Gladish
          Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania
ABRIDGMENTS OF THE WORD 1990

ABRIDGMENTS OF THE WORD       William L. Weaver       1990

Dear Editor,
     In the translator's preface to the Swedenborg Foundation's 1968 translation of Apocalypse Revealed is a quotation from the elder Henry James, quoted here in part:

     [The Writings] would seem to be mercifully constructed on the plan of barring out idle curiosity . . . Many readers become disgusted, and only those persist whose vocation for Truth is so genuine as to make any labor incurred in her service welcome, if not pleasant.

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     Is this the way it should be? Is this how the General Church wants it to be? I don't know the answer to either of the questions, but I do wonder if something might be done to increase the chances of the Writings being read by those unfamiliar with them.
     On the one hand, in July 1988 NCL Rev. Norman E. Riley warns us rather strongly of "Infringement of Divine Copyright." However, some of his statements may not meet with general agreement, as that the Writings are "the Word for this New Age." (Note "the" and see January 1990 NCL).
     Probably it is more generally accepted that the Writings are, as they have been called, "the third Testament," and differing from the Word itself (to use Swedenborg's term) in several ways, including not having an internal sense of their own. Perhaps we can even see something (apparently) of Swedenborg himself in these Writings-his choice of words; his decisions to include or exclude certain things; his philosophical arguments and examples from nature and the science of his day.
     Then there are the collateral works-numerous publications that attempt to explain various aspects of the new revelation, and to invite readers to the Writings themselves. Most of these, I imagine, the elder James would find readable.
     Should Swedenborg's words be presented to those unfamiliar with the New Church in a manner more likely to stimulate curiosity, idle or otherwise? Is it better to have someone read an abridged version of Heaven and Hell than not to read it at all?
     Aren't we frequently presented with abridged versions of the Word itself?. The lessons at Sunday services often include certain selected non-consecutive verses from the Word, as well as parts of various numbers from the Writings. Swedenborg also quotes selectively from the Word. The Christ Child, by the Petershams, is a fine example of an abridgment of the Word, which, with pictures, makes the Christmas story understandable to children. Many collateral works use abbreviated selections from the Writings, as do What the Writings Testify Concerning Themselves and Striking Quotations.

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     I won't presume to say specifically what might be omitted in such an accommodation of some of the Writings, but certainly there is precedent for such a thing. Would it be a good idea to try?
     William L. Weaver
     Largo, Florida

P.S. I just ran across a letter from Swedenborg to Leyden University (page 649 of Letters and Memorials (SSA) referring to the just-published Brief Exposition, "which contains an abridgment of all the doctrinal points treated of in all my other writings"-a very brief abridgment, as a matter of fact, and I wonder if it really does include all the doctrinal points previously made.
     Yes, Swedenborg was qualified to make abridgments of his own works, but in his absence is no one else able to produce a readable introduction representative of these Writings?
Church News 1990

Church News       Naomi G. Smith       1990

     GLENVIEW

     There have been changes upon changes in Glenview during the past year, most of which have been accomplished with a minimum of fuss and very little furor. Last fall we placed a lovely blue-green carpeting in our church, the color of which matches the stained glass in some of the church windows. Most of the beautiful wooden floor of the chancel was left uncarpeted to improve the acoustics for the new organ that was almost a year in the making, and was dedicated the weekend of February 2, 1990. Our music has been immeasurably enhanced by this lovely instrument, given to the Glenview Society by the family of Maud and Harold McQueen in memory of these two staunch former members of the Immanuel Church.
     The year saw two more six-unit condominiums built. These were placed on the former site of the Geoffrey Blackman house (which house was moved, under the watchful eye of the whole school and half the village, to a new location on Park Drive). That all twelve units were sold before the construction was completed is perhaps an indication of the need they filled.
     Our June 19th pageants have been expanded to include scenes of the spiritual world, this year's representation of the holy city New Jerusalem being especially striking.

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     And speaking of the spiritual world, our thoughts have been focused on that world to an extraordinary degree because of the many society members who have left us to take up their uses in the next life. When you consider that our pastor, Brian Keith, has had sixteen memorial services in the past eighteen months, you can imagine how large a gap has been left in our ranks. (One can't help but reflect that recent gatherings in the other world must have a distinctly Glenview flavor.)
     For the past two years we have felt fortunate to have been able to enjoy the special talents of Rev. Mark Carlson. Mark and Kris leave us this summer to take up their residence in Stuart Hall in Bryn Athyn. We wish them well in their new uses, and look forward to having Rev. and Mrs. Erik Buss with us. Less than a year ago Rev. and Mrs. Robin Childs arrived in Glenview from Australia with their young son. We are happy to have them here, Robin guiding the Midwest Academy during this challenging period of its development.
     Aside from the usual church functions, we've hosted a Women's Renewal Weekend (which some thirty women attended), and had Dr. George Nash come from Arizona to give two lectures, one being "Science, Spirituality and Ancient Wisdom" and the other, "Spirituality and the Twelve-step Program." Each lecture drew over one hundred people, about fifty of whom were newcomers to the church.
The entrance to Park Drive now boasts a "Johnny Appleseed" tree. No ordinary sapling this; it has papers to prove that it came from one of the trees planted by John Chapman, the Johnny Appleseed who dispersed pages from the Writings to early American settlers along with his apple seeds.
     And amid all this change and growth and renewal, this year we have the unique pleasure of preparing for the 31st General Assembly, which will take place a scant hour from our doorstep, at Carthage College in June 1991. Plans proceed apace, and we eagerly await our chance to host this historic event, to greet and visit with New Churchmen from all over the world. Come join us!
     Naomi G. Smith
TIMETABLES OF HISTORY 1990

TIMETABLES OF HISTORY       Editor       1990

     This is a volume published by Simon and Schuster in 1978. In parallel columns it lists significant happenings year by year in such categories as politics, science and religion/philosophy. We notice that for the year 1768 the item singled out was the publication of the work Conjugial Love (in Latin title). Swedenborg's birth and death are noted in 1688 and 1772.

428


BOOK NEWS 1990

BOOK NEWS       Editor       1990





     Announcements






     We have seen a copy of the book Channels of Spiritual Strength, just published by New Church Collateral Publishing. A hundred and fifty years ago the legendary John Clowes wrote a book which is often referred to as one of the great ones. Why not reprint it, since it is virtually impossible to obtain? One would have to do the work of updating the English and reducing the length. Well, that work has at last been done, and we will tell you more about this good-looking volume in a later issue. It is now available for around $8.00.
A new edition of The Journey of Life by Tom Kline has been published. Price is $4.00.

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ASSEMBLY BY THE LAKE 1990

ASSEMBLY BY THE LAKE       Editor       1990

     All paths will cross in Kenosha, Wisconsin, June 12-16, 1991 at the 31st General Assembly to be held on the campus of Carthage College.
     Watch your mail In October you will receive an eight-page edition of the Assembly Newsletter, which will include the full assembly program outline, details on hotel and camping options, and final cost projections.
     Based on a very strong response to the first mailing, an early registration option allowing you to save $23 per person over our original projection is included, and you can use your Visa or MasterCard.
     Plan now, commit now, to attend the Assembly by the Lake.
CONCERNING PLACES OF WORSHIP 1990

CONCERNING PLACES OF WORSHIP       Editor       1990

     The information on General Church places of worship in the United States appeared in the August issue. Those outside the United States appeared in the July issue.
REVIEW OF THE OXFORD BOOK OF MARRIAGE 1990

REVIEW OF THE OXFORD BOOK OF MARRIAGE       Editor       1990

     A reader living near Oxford in England has sent us a review that appeared in June in The Sunday Observer. The first sentence in this review of The Oxford Book of Marriage is as follows: "The mystic maths of two into one might have suggested all sorts of speculations, from Spenser to Swedenborg (man and wife make one angel, and such)."

431


NEW CHURCH AT BOYNTON BEACH 1990

NEW CHURCH AT BOYNTON BEACH       Editor       1990

     [Photograph of the exterior of the Boynton Beach Church.]

     THE NEW CHURCH AT BOYNTON BEACH, DEDICATED JUNE 24, 1990 (see page 415).

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SWEDENBORG'S JOURNAL OF DREAMS 1743-1744 1990

SWEDENBORG'S JOURNAL OF DREAMS 1743-1744       Editor       1990

     Emanuel Swedenborg

     We are privileged to see here what is probably the oldest and longest series of dreams available in any language. For those who really want to understand spiritual development we could not have had a more fortuitous kind of material. The Journal was written just when Swedenborg, the scientist, was changing to become the religious seer. These dreams show the development leading to his later experience of heaven and hell.

     Second Edition, 1989

Paperback 120 pages, Postage paid $9.90.
General Church Book Center Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30-12:00 Box 278, Cairncrest or by appointment Bryn Athyn, PA 19009 Phone: 215-947-3920

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Notes on This Issue 1990

Notes on This Issue       Editor       1990



434




     You drive through a red light, and what do you say to yourself?. You are so busy you leave your clothes lying around. What does this have to do with honesty? Well, read the sermon in this issue. We suspect that no one will be left wondering how this sermon may be applied to everyday life!
     What has the name of a new cola got to do with New Church planning? Well, Rev. Donald Rogers says, "I made up this story in order to make a point" (p. 449).
     Before you read the Bishop's report, make an estimate of how many worship services (public and private) he conducted in a year. Then for the answer add the number done on episcopal visits (p. 459) and the number in Bryn Athyn (p. 460).
     Did you know that the artist John Flaxman was a friend of John Clowes? See the article by Rachel Glenn. By coincidence a new version of a book by Clowes gets attention on page 466. That venerable gentleman wrote eloquently on the subject of faith alone, and we have quoted some of his remarks thereon.
     The British Academy Summer School has an inspiring record. It is always a pleasure to learn how it is doing. That is true particularly for this year (see p. 455). We thank Ruth Goodenough for writing the report. While she and her husband were in England they also attended the British Assembly. Can you find them in the photograph on p. 475?

     See the photograph of theological students at the Academy of the New Church on p. 479 and the note on p. 460.

     The countdown to the Assembly by the Lake continues. See p. 476.

     We are sending this issue of the Life to scores of young people. We hope that they enjoy it!

     Charter Day Banquet Change. This may reach you in time to inform you that the banquet in Bryn Athyn on October 13th has been moved to 7:00 p.m. This was
previously announced as 6:30 p.m. (Sept. issue, p. 409).

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HONESTY 1990

HONESTY       Rev. GLENN G. ALDEN       1990

     "Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears God's words" (John 8:47).

     We are all familiar with the commandment, "Thou shalt not bear false witness." On the surface this commandment forbids false testimony. A person is forbidden from testifying falsely about any matter. False witness, in a broader sense, means not only to be a false witness but it means all lying or fraud or slander. If you misrepresent a product you are trying to sell, you are bearing false witness. If you try to harm someone's reputation by spreading lies or rumors about him or her, you are bearing false witness. Even if you fail to speak in defense of an innocent victim when you know he is innocent (because you do not want to become involved), you are bearing false witness. It is easy to see the importance of this commandment in society. For deceit, lying and slander break down the very fiber of trust upon which the smooth running of society depends.
     In the spiritual sense false witness means to declare something false to be true, or something evil to be good, and the converse. Pornography is a good example of something which equates evil with happiness. Much of our culture bears false witness when it equates power and material success with happiness.
     In the supreme sense the commandment against false witness forbids all blasphemy against the Lord and His Word. To deny God, or to attribute evil to God, is to bear false witness. To use the Word to defend some false idea or some evil practice is to bear false witness. So today we read about the Lord's discussion with some of the Jews about the reason why they were persecuting Him and would eventually put Him to death. And He said to them, "If God were your father, you would love Me . . . Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do."

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Plainly, the reason the chief priests and Pharisees hated the Lord and wanted to put Him to death was the truth He taught. For they saw that His teachings threatened their own power and self-interest. Their loves of power and money and status were threatened by the Lord's words, and so from those selfish loves they judged and wished to condemn His teachings.
     We are no different. Our selfish loves of power and money and reputation are continually pressuring us to bend the truth or to see things in ways that bring our own advantage. If I drive through a red light, I tend to excuse or minimize it, especially if no accident results. "No harm done, but I had better wake up and pay attention," I think to myself. But if someone else runs a red light in front of me, I am outraged. "Stupid jerk!" I think, and I imagine that the other driver is totally selfish and vicious, with no care at all for the rest of humanity, and no remorse if his actions had caused harm. Isn't this false witness? Am I not seeing the "facts" the way I want to see them? It happens just as easily with those we live with and care about. If I lose my own tools, it is a misfortune. If my children lose my tools, it is a selfish act of laziness, showing total disregard for my things. If I leave my clothes lying around the house and forget to put my boots on the rack, I am "very busy" but the children are "inconsiderate and thoughtless" if they do the same. Self-love causes us to put evil interpretations upon the things that other people do and say, while we put a good interpretation upon the things we do and say. On the surface this does not seem like a terrible thing. The truth is that it destroys relationships, causes harm to others, and prevents us from seeing evils in ourselves that could easily be shunned. We do not grow spiritually because we see our own evils in a good light and justify them or excuse them.
     Honesty means telling the truth about what is really happening in our lives. And in a higher sense, honesty means continually asking the Lord to show us what the truth is in our lives. We are so experienced at lying to ourselves about what is going on in our own lives that we cannot see the truth about ourselves without the Lord's help.

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It is interesting to observe that whenever you hold a public discussion about honesty, one of the very first things to come up is the question of "white lies" and of the need sometimes to say things that are not true. Somebody always makes the point that you shouldn't tell your wife or other friend that they look ugly in their new hairdo, even when they insist you tell them what you really think. Certainly it is useful to discuss "white lies," but what is really happening? Is not the subject of honesty very threatening to the hells? They immediately want us to begin to make room for dishonesty. If they can get us to think that it is useful, even charitable, to tell lies sometimes, they have eroded our resolve always to see the truth. For if we think that it is sometimes all right to lie, we will almost never tell the truth when our own interest is at stake.
     Personal spiritual growth is impossible without honesty. You cannot be changed by the Lord until you are willing to look at yourself honestly and see the things that need to be changed. Most of the time personal dishonesty involves ignoring what is happening in your own life. If your anger is a problem, you are probably very good at denying the fact that you even get angry. And when you do blow up and really lose your temper, you are probably very good at forgetting that you were angry. Do you notice that you tend to wall off certain subjects or problems within your own mind? It is as if you create a blind spot in your thinking about certain subjects that are painful. If somebody comments about my anger, or if the subject of my anger comes up in my own mind because I have been losing control a lot lately, I tend to try to turn my mind away as quickly as possible. "Yes, yes," I think quickly to myself, "I must do something about that." And as quickly as I can, I close the door on that subject so I won't have to look at it. Actually, I am bearing false witness about what is happening in my life, because my loves feel threatened and I don't know how to change and control my anger. So it is easier for me to minimize the anger, or pretend it isn't much of a problem, than to look honestly at the harm my own anger causes. I need to remember that the Lord is trying to help me to see the truth, not so that I will feel guilty or bad about myself, but so I can be freed
from that evil.

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"You will know the truth," He said, "and the truth will make you free."
     True marriage love is impossible without honesty. In a genuine marriage each partner learns to think and will as the other. He becomes her understanding and she becomes his will. Of course this can only happen when they both have a true understanding and a good will. Otherwise they only love themselves and prefer to think whatever supports that self-love. But you cannot build a true marriage without honesty. How often do we close our minds and hearts to our married partners? Men especially do this because they have been raised to think that they must be strong, and so they are afraid to share their fears or weaknesses with their wives. One way this manifests itself is that men are often embarrassed to pray with their wives, or to lead their family in prayer, except in the very ritualistic "grace" at meals. They are afraid to show their humility. Many men have been raised to believe that they should provide spiritual leadership, and so they are afraid to show their ignorance or lack of understanding. This often means that they rarely talk about doctrine with their wives, though this is probably what a wife wishes most of all. And men very often feel that their evils are so awful, especially evils that they have done in the past, that they dare not share them with their wives. They are afraid that if their wives knew what they were really like, they would not love them. Isn't it foolish the way we hide our true self from the very person we wish to become one with? Ask your wife; I am sure she will tell you that she would love you much more for sharing your struggles and feelings of guilt than she does when you pretend you are better than you both know you are. Marriages grow when married partners begin to be really honest with each other.
     Good parenting is impossible without honesty. It is probably harder to be honest with our children than with anybody else. This is because we are so confused about what is good for our children, and so confused about our relationships with them. Who does not have the idea that as a parent you must always be right? And what little child does not want to believe that his parents are perfect?

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We know that we are often not right, and our children know we are not perfect, and yet we both play these roles. By the time they become teenagers, our children think we are hypocrites, and we are torn between resentment at our children for expecting us to be perfect, and guilt because we have betrayed their trust. Honesty could prevent many of these problems. Perhaps most of all, honesty means being willing to admit to your children that you are wrong when you are wrong. If you lose your temper and feel guilty about what you said to your child, tell him you lost your temper and you feel guilty about what you said. Otherwise, whom are you really fooling? Children may be sad to discover that their parents have evils, but if you are always losing your temper and then denying that you have a problem, they will think you have a bad temper and you are a liar. Better that they think you have a bad temper and are honest.
     Honesty means not making idle threats. Sure, you want your children to be good, and sometimes it seems that if you threaten horrible punishments, that will keep them from being bad. But every time you threaten to spank them and then feel sorry for your threat and don't spank them, you are lying. And they will learn to ignore you when you promise to beat them, or chop off their hands, or whatever outrageous threat you make. Honesty means trying to keep your promises. Parents want to do nice things for their children, and the more they are busy, or the fewer nice things they are able to give to their children, the more they tend to make promises that they can't keep. When we feel guilty about how little we have done for our children, or when we feel guilty because we have hurt them, we tend to make promises which we wish we could keep. "I wish I could make you feel better" becomes, "Next year we will go to Disneyland." You are wishing that what you have promised could come true, but you have no plans and don't even know how it could be true. The more guilty we feel, the more extravagant our promises become. Gradually our children learn that we cannot be trusted. Instead of saying what you wish were true, say something you know can be true. "Here, come sit on my lap for five minutes," or "Let's go outside and play a quick game of catch." Those are promises you can keep.

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They may not seem like much to you, but they will mean much more to your child than any grand promise that you will never be able to keep.
     It can be really frightening even to think about being honest. But this is because the evils we most dearly love are threatened by honesty. Honesty exposes all the faults and weaknesses we know we have and think we shouldn't have. Honesty makes us afraid that we will be condemned for the evils we now admit we have. Honesty makes us admit that we have been less than perfect parents and spouses. Don't be afraid. The Lord already knows what you are like. Once you are willing to see it, the truth will make you free. Amen.

Lessons: Leviticus 6:1-7; John 8:31-47; Doctrine of Life 87-89 Evangeline's Way 1990

Evangeline's Way       Rev. Robert H. P. Cole       1990

     Evangeline's Way, A Story about Spiritual Marriage, by Zoe Gyllenhaal Simons; 1988; 113 concise, small-size typed pages; edited by Vera Powell Glenn (Zoe's Ashley Road, Bryn Athyn, neighbor).

     There is definitely something blessed and moving about this charming, gently thoughtful book. In Evangeline's Way Zoe Simons provides the kind of pleasant New Church-flavored reading that keeps you interested and looking forward eagerly to what comes next, until the very end.
     As Vera Glenn indicates in her introduction, everyone has his or her own ideas about modern life after death. Zoe had hers, and now knows what it is really like. (She passed into the spiritual world shortly after completing Evangeline's Way, just before Thanksgiving as did Evangeline!) My own theological school thesis was of a similar nature, so I was able to observe with special delight and admiration Zoe's calm, careful handling of the planned meeting and reuniting of true lovers after death, her matter-of-fact, smooth-flowing descriptions of the other people, spirits and angels, as well as many involved situations in both worlds at once.

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     Evangeline's Way is a fascinating fictional account, based on the Writings, of a comfortably situated New Church family, their friends and acquaintances. Vera Glenn says that Zoe Simons wrote this book primarily "for women-women who are members of the church and those who may become members; all women involved in forming a marriage relationship, in raising children, or considering a career and uses outside the home, and young women too, those just deciding on their future." She felt that she had a message of importance for them if they were interested in spiritual things, understanding the Lord's truth, making a vital contribution to the harmony of uses in this world and in the eternal kingdom of uses.
     The Lord is referred to directly six times, according to my count, in Evangeline's Way, and upon reflection, can be seen leading and guiding the events according to His own Divine qualities and laws (good and truth), although individual angels and spirits take various roles and fulfill their respective tasks, appearing at just the right time or precisely when needed or thought of, and fading into the background when their presence is no longer necessary for the change of state involved or (as with the two evil spirits) becomes undesirable. Evangeline prays for their removal from her garden area when fighting her tendency toward love of dominion. One wonders if after their accident the "someone she presumed the conductor" who helped her down onto the platform, and also gave her an especially friendly smile, was the Lord Himself. [Compare: "She, supposing Him to be the gardener . . . " (John 20:15); also Swedenborg said of the Lord's appearance to him in Holland that He sat on his bed and was smiling (see Journal of Dreams 52.)]
     Heaven is at first seen to be one place after death. Then we are given a careful but living and vibrant description of the resumption of life in the world of spirits, where all events take place, except in chapter twelve at the end. Here the author describes the actual entrance into heaven of the main characters, Evangeline and Henry. The wife wears a beautiful dress of filmy material and a diamond and sapphire necklace, a gift from the Lord through her husband. He wears a resplendent dark blue suit.

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They are chauffeured by Chad, a young man Evangeline has counseled successfully following a drug-related accidental suicide. They are driven in an elegant car past some trees along a winding lane, upward through stone gates to a stately mansion. Their welcoming hostess (her earthly mother) wears a pearl necklace. (Eternity follows an eager discussion of uses to be filled and the playing of heavenly music.)
     But Zoe's message goes far beyond the wonderful external surroundings and friendship of good people entering heaven. The theme of Evangeline's Way can perhaps best be seen, most fully realized and demonstrated, in the harmonious relationship between men and women, in the mutual fulfillment of spiritual uses. Dwelling at length on the differences between the masculine and feminine, Zoe points out, tends to weaken the conjugial union and trust in the Lord proper to the relationship in a spiritual marriage, although careful instruction in the teachings drawn especially from modern translations of the Writings is very important (see CL 33, 159, 174-177).
     This reviewer feels that while there are many things appealing to newcomers in Evangeline's Way, the book is best suited to New Church people, to men and women already attending classes, services or discussion groups, as well as older Academy students. The ideas expressed are refreshingly up-to-date and based on sound doctrine. But even though real people are depicted in a fictional manner, there would appear to be a need for at least some orientation, previous knowledge and understanding of several New Church terms, such as "Heavenly Doctrines," "the Writings," "world of spirits," "heavenly societies," "evil spirits," "will and understanding," and "conjugial love." Also, a few words and letters are missing, and Joseph (not John) Smith wrote The Book of Mormon.
     I have crossed the bridges at Linden Hills many times; these ingenious path connectors form the basis in Evangeline's Way for the deftly involved concept of tangible uses that continue in both worlds in nearly simultaneous order. One whose first contact with the New Church is this very fine book could have some difficulty in sorting out terms, ideas and everyday or vacation concepts which many of us take for granted or as second nature according to our customs and surroundings.

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But those genuinely interested in reading and learning more clearly and fully about surprisingly similar things in the life after death and the amendment of life on earth that leads to a happy, heavenly one will find in this book a most enjoyable, intriguing, in-depth, lasting experience.
     We are also treated to some excellent family-raising psychology by Zoe Simons. Her suggestions for helping young people in their struggle to stay away from alcohol, smoking, drugs and pushers are original and well worth noting carefully. The constructive ways suggested to cause conscientious changes in children and adults are superb.
     Aside from the serious things of life on earth and after death, much good hearty fun is depicted, and some delightful nuances inserted here and there: "the kids' happy chatter," "bustling around in the kitchen [dirty dishes that disappear],"gorgeous flowers unusually late in the season," Alan's "rabbit girl" that he takes a shine to. Even the family dog Banner is mentioned by Henry in pleasant conversation with Evangeline on the way to heaven-and Henry does not have to wear a tie going through the gates!
     A thoroughly delightful book on the spiritual values of marriage and the family, hard to put down until you have read it twice, Evangeline's Way provides an unusually believable good picture of modern life after death that awaits us all. The dramatic and profound lasting effects upon those remaining on this side of the eternal curtain is shown by Zoe Simons to be directly related to the thoughts, words and deeds of angels and spirits acting everywhere, and causing all things to happen under the Divine Providence of the Lord.
     Rev. Robert H. P. Cole


Note: The reviewer suggests that this book could be helpful to readers who have learned a little about the New Church (and have perhaps toured the Bryn Athyn cathedral).

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VISION OF SERVICE 1990

VISION OF SERVICE       Helen Keller       1990

     (From an address by Helen Keller delivered May 14, 1928, in Washington, D.C.)

     "Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem . . . . shake thyself from the dust" (Isaiah 52:1,2).

     Since the publication of my book in which I acknowledge my profound indebtedness to Emanuel Swedenborg for a richer interpretation of the Bible, a deeper understanding of the meaning of Christianity, and a precious sense of the Divine Presence in the world, I have been asked a great many questions which trouble my heart and awaken disturbing thoughts in my mind. What I am going to say to you today has been suggested by these questions and my reflections upon the state of mind they reveal.
     An earnest friend asks me, "What is the attitude of the people who believe in Swedenborg's 'Doctrine of Charity,' which you explain in your book, towards the practical problems of our day? What are they doing to promote peace and goodwill among men?" A college student writes: "I do not find the New Church which embodies the teachings of Christ so powerfully elucidated by Swedenborg leading any movement for world betterment." A zealous worker for universal peace and brotherhood inquires: "Did the followers of Swedenborg stand together in an effort to uphold the principles of their seer and of our Lord and Savior in the debacle of the World War?" A radical writes: "It seems to me that your New Church variety of Christians is not very different from the other churches; like the Episcopalians, Roman Catholics, Presbyterians and the evangelical denominations they confess the Lord in the sanctuary and deny Him in the market-place." A young man says: "The acquiescent, conciliatory attitude of the Christian Church towards a corrupt, cruel, and acquisitive society is a repudiation of the Christ Gospel."
     These are only a few of the questions which have been brought to my attention the past six months.

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They indicate the feeling of many thoughtful people that Christianity is receding rather than growing in power. Some of the churches realize that their people are leaving them, and, without understanding the cause, they try all manner of expedients to hold their flocks together. They say, "We are living in a materialistic age; we must give the people material attractions in the churches." As a result, we see preacher-actors, concerts, motion pictures, "jazz" and frenzied acrobatics in some of the churches. Still the exodus continues, and the people murmur, and the light of faith grows dimmer in men's hearts.
     What is the cause of this ever-increasing darkness in the tabernacles of God? Why is humanity losing its belief in the liveableness of Christianity? While seeking the answer to these questions, I opened Swedenborg's True Christian Religion, and there I found the answer. "Where there is no good of life there is no longer a church." Where people cease to apply their beliefs to practical living there is no faith. Is not that what has happened to the Christian Church? No church can inspire noble ideals in the people if it does not follow the aims laid down for us by our Lord.
     My friends, we have let very different aims choke the seed He would plant in our hearts. We have pursued vain things. Possessed by ambition for earthly power and dominion, we have sought to subject others to our will and law. To satisfy our desires we have profaned our faith and desecrated the Holy of Holies in the lives of our fellow men. By word and deed we have denied the Lord and betrayed Him to His enemies.
     Two thousand years ago He clothed Himself in flesh that He might walk with men and show them how to live together in peace. Through poverty, through persecution, through betrayal He lived His life before their eyes, going about His Father's business, healing the sick, comforting the sorrowful, opening the eyes of the blind, and setting free captive minds. He dwelt among the poor and despised of the people and ministered to their physical needs. He never told them it was an advantage for men to live in horrid, unwholesome dwellings, nor did He tell them it was a disadvantage for men to live under healthy, pleasant and decent conditions. Neither did He ever say that impoverished people were necessarily good.

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That would not have been true. The poor must perforce think more than they should about external necessities. That is a part of the misery of being poor. What Jesus did say was that accumulating or possessing external things is not an advantage. Happiness and virtue are inside of us. If we could only realize that, we should not want to be rich. When the rich young man came to Him asking what he should do to be saved, Jesus said, "You should give up hampering possessions. They prevent you from realizing the best that is in you."
     He said the same thing to His disciples. He told them to go out into the world and preach His gospel of service. He said that the world would not welcome them, but this was not to trouble them. They were to be calm and speak boldly. If a man took their cloak, they were to give him their coat also, just to show that material things were of secondary importance. Even if people used violence against them, they were warned not to be violent in turn. "They who take the sword shall perish by the sword," He told them. Love is the power that saves. "Love ye one another as I have loved you, and ye shall be blessed of your Father which is in heaven."
     How, then, can deliverance come through churches which begin their deliberations by banishing love? Love carries away the light when it departs.
     My friends, we have wandered very far from the teachings of our Lord. We have lost our way in the maze of an evil system which makes a lie of Christianity. We cannot have a Christ-like civilization until we have a Christ-like church. If the people are to find spiritual joy, the church must establish upon earth practical Christianity. It must make of human life something more than a battlefield of ruthless competition. When Christians live by the Golden Rule, there will be no empty churches. The church will then in very truth be the home our hearts yearn for.
     It seems to me the New Church has a great mission in the world. The people are in need of just the message which Swedenborg gave for mankind. Instead of merely listening to that message, we should go out and teach it.

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We have a precious treasure in the vessel of the New Church, and we must be careful not to value the vessel more than the treasure.
     I sometimes think that the withdrawing attitude of the New Church keeps people from knowing what a glorious message it has in trust for those who are lost in the fogs of materialism. With all its abounding humanity, Swedenborg's message does not reach the ears of all sorts and conditions of men. If the message does not reach them, it is due not to any narrowness in the Christian ideal which it foreshadows, but to lack of zeal on the part of those who possess it. I want to see the New Church put on its beautiful garments and shake itself from the dust of aloofness.
     It is understood by some today that religion must not be treated as an elemental force, but as a "good form" diversion, somewhat tiresome and conventional. The one point agreed upon by all, or nearly all, cautious, discreet preachers is that no pulpit reference should be made to any controversial topics. "Let not such problems as politics and war and industrialism be touched upon in the sanctuary." We assume that the powers that be are ordained of God. We belong first to the State, and must have no will of our own. We may discuss ad infinitum evidences of Christianity, but most of the evidence is in the past. It occurs to very few people that God still speaks to His children! May it not be the mission of our little band of New Churches to spread over the kingdom of the world the astonishing fact that the religion of Jesus Christ is a contagious reality-that there is still in the lowliest men and women something called faith which will respond to men speaking with the greatest of all authority, the authority of an inward conviction of the truth of His message?
     Then society will be so completely transformed that in nothing will the new order resemble at all the old. Christianity will yet inundate the world like the ocean at flood-tide; it will overwhelm, submerge and regenerate mankind. No man-built barrier of warships, armies and fortifications shall stay the oncoming of the mighty waters. Sex, color, races and creeds shall be washed and purified in the tidal waves of fraternal transformation.

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     When that day dawns, a man will walk with the Sun of Love before his face, and it will shine wherever two men look at each other. For the Sun of Love is of all created things the substance and the life. In its bosom lies the future of all things. It is from the Sun of Love that wisdom springs, and through its potency man develops whatever in his nature is patterned after the Divine.
ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME . . . ONLY CAUSES CONFUSION 1990

ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME . . . ONLY CAUSES CONFUSION       Rev. DONALD K. ROGERS       1990

     There was once a marketing firm that was asked to package and sell a new soft drink called "The New Cola." This was quite a challenge for this firm because they were to do their marketing in a foreign country that had some strange laws about packaging. This country's government would not allow them to use bottles that were manufactured outside of their country, and the product had to be bottled and sold only in the type of bottle that was manufactured regionally. For example, one region only manufactured plastic bottles, another only brass bottles, yet another only glass bottles, and so on. That meant that "The New Cola" would have to be put into different kinds of bottles in the different regions.
     Undaunted, the marketing firm accepted the challenge and the laws of the country. They bottled and sold "The New Cola" in different kinds of bottles in the different regions. Unfortunately they made one big mistake. They decided to label the bottles according to what the bottles were made of instead of using the product's name, and they also used different names for its contents. So in one region "The New Cola" was sold under the name of Glass Cola, in another, Brass Soft drink, and in another, Plastic Soda.
     Since the New Cola went by so many different names, it never really caught on because people by nature are leery of trying unfamiliar things. And since the New Cola was called something different in each region and people moved around a great deal, the New Cola remained unfamiliar and people stayed suspicious of it.

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Needless to say, the New Cola was not selling very well. Not only that; far more money was spent on advertising than necessary, because when they advertised Glass Cola in one region, the name recognition could not be carried over to another region where the New Cola was called something else. And it was useless to do national advertising because the New Cola was sold under too many different names.
     To solve this problem the marketing firm decided to print as many different names as they could on one bottle. One glass bottle said, for example, "Glass Brass Plastic Cola Soft drink." It would have said more but they ran out of room. Unfortunately, so many different names on one bottle caused even more confusion.
     By now you have all figured out that the best solution would have been to print "The New Cola" on all the bottles no matter what the bottles were made of or where it was sold. It's just common sense. Then they could advertise the New Cola under one name locally or nationally, and before long everyone would know about it, and the fear of unfamiliarity would be dispelled.
     I made up this story in order to make a point. The point is that we are going to have to make some changes in the way we name our local churches if we want effectively to market "The New Church." As it stands, the New Church is suffering from an identity crisis of our own making. In the church we have made it a tradition for each congregation to have its own name. So we have the Sunrise Chapel, the Swedenborg Chapel, the Hillside Chapel, the Olivet Church, the Immanuel Church, the Bryn Athyn Cathedral, and so on and on. To further complicate matters we have used at least four different names for our religion: The Church of the New Jerusalem, Swedenborgian, The New Church, and The New Christian Church.
     Like our fictitious example some congregations have tried to cover all the bases by using as many names as possible when they advertise their local church. I saw one sign that read: "The Church of the New Jerusalem," and under this, "The New Christian Church," and then "(Swedenborgian)."

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A person unfamiliar with the church might assume these were three different churches meeting at different times in the same building!
     I've seen pamphlets that tried to do the same. One such pamphlet was mailed in an envelope that had "Such-and-such Church of the New Jerusalem" as the return address. Then inside the pamphlet read, "The Such-and-such Church is a branch of the New Christian Church, sometimes called Swedenborgian. The New Church teaches . . . " No wonder the Denny Report says, "Without even considering the external reactions to some of the names used to refer to the church we can draw one conclusion from all the surveys, particularly the external one-the plurality of names causes confusion."
     Fortunately, like the story there is a simple common-sense solution. Every local congregation can call itself "The New Church." That is, after all, the contents of our buildings. That is what we call our religion among ourselves. There is no reason to suddenly change gears when addressing people outside of the church. They can look up "New Church" in the dictionary.
     In order to differentiate between congregations, all that is necessary is to add the location to the name. For example, you can have "The New Church of Atlanta," or "The Chicago New Church." In heaven the different communities have different names representing their different states, such as Michael and Gabriel, and they dwell apart. However, on earth, when we dwell apart we don't live in Michael land or Gabriel land but in Atlanta or Chicago. And even in heaven the different communities are known collectively as being part of the New Christian Heaven. We could say they live in the New Christian Heaven of Michael land or Gabriel land.
     One big advantage of using one name for our religion is that our advertising dollars will go much farther. When one congregation advertises "The New Church" in one area, it helps advertise "The New Church" in other parts of the country because we live in a very mobile society. Furthermore, if we ever want to do national advertising, it will be much more effective if we are all identifiable by one name.

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AMONG MY FAVORITE PASSAGES (2) 1990

AMONG MY FAVORITE PASSAGES (2)       Jim Hauck Chicago       1990

     Even before the Lord led me to the New Church, I had felt the Bible to be "all-of-a-piece" and therefore ultimately unexcerptible. That feeling is only strengthened when one starts his journey into the Writings (which in one sense are "merely" a deeper level of the Word).
     Having said this, I must still admit that I keep a small journal into which I copy passages from the Writings which seem to hold particular interest for me. I believe that your efforts in the current project to collect passages from the Writings will bear much fruit. For me, developing an interest in reading the Writings and thereby better living in accord with them is the essence of the New Church.
     Among my favorite passages are these:

1. What has been said in this work about heaven, the world of spirits, and hell will be obscure to those who have no interest in learning about spiritual truths, but will be clear to those who have such an interest, and especially to those who have an affection for truth for the sake of truth, that is, who love truth because it is truth; for whatever is then loved enters with light into the mind's thought, especially truth that is loved, because all truth is in light (HH 603).
2. On miracles and Swedenborg's vision (Invitation to the New Church 39, TCR 501).
3. Regeneration (AC 848).
4. Growth of the New Church will be slow at first (AR 547, 561, 533). The Lord's "anger" is an appearance (AC 10618).
6. A "primer" on religious psychology (SD 4627, DLW 184-186). On the nature of the Word and its internal sense (AC 2606-2609, Preface to the 18th chapter).
8. Presence of good and evil spirits (AC 904).
9. On remains (AC 2284).
10. The nature of Divine and human goodness (AC 4564).
11. Steps in Divine Providence (DP 222-224).
12. Insights into the nature of hell (DP 340:6).

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     The Writings truly contain an infinite number of practical insights on how to make spiritual/religious feelings, which all people have, a living presence in day-to-day living.
     Hoping this aids in your project.
     Jim Hauck Chicago,
          Illinois
JOHN FLAXMAN'S KNIGHT OF THE BLAZING CROSS 1990

JOHN FLAXMAN'S KNIGHT OF THE BLAZING CROSS       RACHEL GLENN       1990

     John Flaxman was a British artist who lived from 1755 to 1826. He was a reader of the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg, and he joined the Swedenborg Society. As well as his many classical subjects, Flaxman illustrated phrases from the Lord's Prayer and passages from the Arcana Coelestia.

     In 1796 John Flaxman wrote and illustrated a little book, the Knight of the Blazing Cross, as a birthday gift for his wife Ann. At that time the Flaxmans had just returned from a seven year sojourn in Rome. The couple was not wealthy and the trip, made for the sake of John's art, had required sacrifices from both of them. It was partially in recognition of this that Flaxman, in gratitude, wrote and illustrated the small book. The dedication page of the Knight is decorated with the typically Victorian symbol of clasped hands surrounded by a wreath with the words "Hail Wedded Bliss" above it.
     From childhood Flaxman had been fascinated with the concept of the noble knight who rescued damsels in distress, vanquished dragons, and stood for the ideals of chivalry (charity) and truth. Flaxman was a partial invalid in his early childhood and required crutches to walk. But at the age of ten he became much stronger, and this induced a "spirit of romance and adventure," reports H. N. Morris in his biography of Flaxman.1 It was in this mood that the young Flaxman read the adventures of Don Quixote and was inspired by them one morning to take a small sword and set out in search of adventure in Hyde Park in London.

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Although he did not meet with any danger and did not make such an attempt again, Flaxman continued to admire the humanity and courage of the eccentric hero all his life.2
     Flaxman drew on this life-long admiration to make The Knight of the Blazing Cross. He chose to use the image of the knight throughout this piece, even in his depictions of the afterlife, where the suit of armor appears slightly incongruous upon the flying guardian angel. The story is that of a knight who, after overcoming demons and temptations on earth, becomes a guardian angel in heaven. As the story begins, the knight sets forth, eager to do battle for the right. He has early victories but then falls into temptations. After a literal fall from grace, he faces the turmoil and fearful giants of his own spirit. Flaxman represents the "fiery passions" as michelangelesque devils cavorting menacingly in the sky. Freed through repentance and led back to the light, the knight is surrounded and reassured by angels as his death approaches. With his mind fixed on God and the blazing cross before him the knight walks forward toward his death, while the demons of temptation fall away from him. Having grown strong in good he enters into happiness, performing many different uses as a guardian angel. He controls the elements of fire and wind, watches protectively over a sleeping traveler, and forces a lion from the traveler's path. The book ends with a plate of the sun pictured as a glowing ring of flowers.
     The Knight of the Blazing Cross is a story about regeneration and the life of heaven, as well as medieval adventures. The allegorical nature of the work is stressed by the fact that the third-person narrative lasts for only the first quarter of the book. From then on Flaxman uses the second person to actually address the knight, and indirectly the reader as well.3 One plate shows an angel woman surrounded by young children and with a text that begins: "Behold th' employment of thy Heavenly Love!" Flaxman probably intended this to refer to his wife rather than the knight.

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The poem ends with a universally applicable phrase: " . . . so shall thine own free Spirit learn to spurn this prison house of flesh and rise to Heavenly Bliss and Freedom."
     The Knight is a departure from Flaxman's usual Neo-classical style. In it he reflects the prevailing interests of the later eighteenth century, with the allegory's medieval and supernatural themes and ballad-like narrative. Nevertheless, there are aspects of the Knight which cannot be explained merely in the context of the period. Dr. Harriet Whittemore Fowler, in her dissertation on The Knight of the Blazing Cross, hypothesizes that the piece actually demands a Swedenborgian interpretation. There are certain phrases which have no specific meaning for the time but which she feels take on importance in the light of the Writings. Dr. Fowler also believes that discrepancies exist between the drawings and the text which can only be resolved with the aid of correspondences.4 In her dissertation she develops this theory, going step by step through each of the Flaxman plates.
     Flaxman's interest in the Heavenly Doctrines and his involvement in the New Church are well documented. Over his lifetime Flaxman was a member of various Swedenborgian discussion groups and societies, and was a friend of Rev. John Clowes. Apparently Clowes was shown the manuscript one evening after dinner in the Flaxmans' home. A few days later he wrote a letter to John Flaxman urging him to publish the book:

. . . . it appears to me you have in your Cabinet a rich and interesting Manuscript, which so long as it remains in your Cabinet cannot be of the smallest possible Service to any Human Being, whereas if it was taken out of your Cabinet and put by the Engravers into general Circulation, the Church, especially the New Church, would be at once delighted and instructed by its rich contents; . . . 5

     Although the Knight of the Blazing Cross was not published, the original is now in the Fitzwilliam Museum at Cambridge. Glencairn's study gallery of New Church artists has photographs of each of the twenty-six plates.

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The book itself is charming, with delicately drawn pictures, and the story is endearing both as a labor of love and as the expression of Flaxman's personal fascination with the age of chivalry. For New Churchmen the Knight holds additional importance in its religious content. Rev. John Clowes would no doubt be pleased that the work is now available to New Churchmen for their delight and instruction.

     Endnotes

1. H. N. Morris, Raman, Blake, Coleridge and Other Men of Genius influenced by Swedenborg, Together with Flaxinan's Allegory of the Knight of the Blazing Cross (London: New Church Press, Ltd., 1915), p. 2

2. Morris, p. 3

3. Harriet 'Whittermore Fowler, John Flaxman's Knight of the Blazing Cross, thesis (Ann Arbor, Michigan: University Microfilms. International, Cornell University, 1981), p. 3

4. Fowler, p. 28

5. Fowler, p. 35
B.A.S.S. 1990 1990

B.A.S.S. 1990       Ruth P. Goodenough       1990

     The British Academy Summer School

     Is there another place in the world where you would find a group of English, Danes, Swedes, Norwegians, Canadians, and Americans, ranging in age from 14 to 28, together exploring New Church teachings under the informal guidance of astute theologians? Every beautiful day for two weeks, in the sunny commons room of "Purley Chase," these young people opened their minds and their notebooks to record points made by their teachers and responses evoked both in themselves and in others by the sphere of young minds focusing on truths which the Lord offers to guide their lives.
     Vital and strong teachings were stressed. For example:

* In all revelation the central message is the Two Great Commandments, love to the Lord and the neighbour.

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* The Ten Commandments are the means of carrying out the two great ones.
* Every story in the Word teaches us something about these commandments.
* Everything in life has some relation to them. The teachings about conjugial love are to guide our own lives, not for judging others.
* If we focus on friendships, the Lord will take care of conjugial love.
* Evil spirits are satisfied only by getting us to carry out their selfish and hurtful impulses.

     And many questions were probed: Why do people live after death? What do angels do? Do marriages last forever? Why is there a hell?
     What is the essence of a good leader? What is the difference between authority and power? Did the Lord compel Moses to lead His people?
     Is there a relationship between current events in Europe and the Last Judgment which took place in 1757? What would the world be like if the Last Judgment had not happened?
     What is the use of doubt? Where is the natural world, and where is the spiritual world? What is the real question in trying to determine the origin of evil?
     (Imagine trying to consider all these hefty questions in a foreign language, as the non-English young people did.)

     But it wasn't all classes. Every afternoon and evening there were excursions, games, dancing, entertainment-in a word, fun and friendship; Warwick Castle, Bosworth Field, Drayton Manor Park and Zoo; rambles, football, softball, capture the flag, ultimate frisbee, team games and relays; a table tennis tournament, "Smile if you love me," Pictionary, wink murder, talent night: a magician, a moving scene from Romeo and Juliet, disco-jazz dancing, guitar and fistophone music, personified shoes, a crash course in speaking Danish, a re-enactment of the conflict between Richard Absurd and Henry Two-door; trips to town and to the swimming pool; mischievous nocturnal shenanigans.

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     All these events and all this learning came about by the organization and leadership of Director Rev. Chris Bown (and his Apple Mac). Bishop Louis King and Rev. Messrs. Fred Elphick, Dan Goodenough and Chris Bown taught classes and led worship services, assisted by David Roth (a theological student), who also led the students in candlelight worship services indoors and out. Andrew Bruell gave a lively class on energy, and there were programmes on the Academy College and the worldwide General Church. Nancy Dawson provided piano music for all worship services, and saw to countless necessary details, including the mothering of those who needed it. Irene and Wilf Woodhouse kept the energetic young bodies fueled, and protected Purley Chase from the effects of this energy.
     The Theta Alpha awards for participation and leadership in the spirit of the British Academy went to Kirsten Biermann of Norway and Tuan Hauptmann of Denmark, with honorable mention for Helena Lindstrom (Sweden), Alan Davies (England), Brannon Smith (U.S.A.), and a special award to Dave Roth for his unique student-teacher contribution.
     B.A.S.S. is the only New Church education some European young people receive, and it is obvious that they value it because they are aware of their need for it. They listen and learn because they know they will need these truths in order to live well, not because they want a good grade. And they thoroughly enjoy the brief but close association with other young people who value the same things. And it is a great privilege for students from North America who "take religion" as a regular school course at ANC to see and share this life approach to learning New Church teachings. Everyone associated with the summer school is enriched and strengthened.
     Ruth P. Goodenough

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REPORT OF THE BISHOP OF THE GENERAL CHURCH 1990

REPORT OF THE BISHOP OF THE GENERAL CHURCH       Louis B. King       1990

     July 1, 1989 to June 30, 1990

     Looking back over this fourteenth year of my tenure as Bishop of the General Church, I see an admixture of some of the happiest and also the unhappiest states of my career. Perhaps that is a typical perception as the reality of retirement approaches.
     Personnel changes in the Academy Secondary Schools generated much unhappiness for all of us directly or indirectly associated with the institution. As always, there were two sides to each issue, but that does not diminish the intensity of feelings of those involved.
     On the other side of the ledger several General Church societies, previously enduring discouraged states, experienced remarkable changes for the good. The development of the General Church in a number of new areas of the world heightened our hopes for the future of the Lord's kingdom on earth, and a remarkable increase in involvement in the uses of the church by both laymen and priests conjured up positive and delightful feelings in the episcopal office.
     "The Divine Providence works in every person in a thousand ways, even to the most secret, and its unceasing end is to purify him, because its end is to save him" (DP 296). Indeed, "He wills to save everyone and to draw him with mighty power to heaven . . . to Himself" (AC 1038). Providence "continually leads us to salvation, and this through various states, sometimes glad, sometimes sorrowful, which the man cannot possibly comprehend; but still they are all profitable to his eternal life" (AC 8560). How comforting!
     "Involvement" is a word describing the cause of much happiness that has accrued to the membership of the General Church during the past year. Doctrinal classes and discussion groups, spiritual growth sessions, retreats for men and women respectively, drug and alcohol support groups, etc., have demonstrated a new era in the church for individual commitment to sharing what the Lord has given us in His Second Coming.

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The Word in its three testaments is the medium of conjunction between the Lord and the human race. However, "the Lord does not teach men truths except mediately by means of the Word, preaching, reading, conversations and communications with others, and thus by thoughts within one's self about these" (AE 1173:2; see also Char. 174). Note the importance of "conversations and communications with others, and thus by thoughts within one's self about these." There is a time for reading the Word or hearing it read. When these are followed by conversations and communications with others about these things and shared reflections concerning them, the church is alive, vibrant and responsive to the Lord.

Statistical Activities

As Bishop of the General Church
Annual Council of the Clergy meetings Bishop's Consistory meetings - 12
Bishop's Council meetings - 3
Bishop's Representatives meetings - 5 Board and Corporation meetings - 5
California District Assembly
Dedication of church property in Buccleuch, South Africa Episcopal Visits - 34
Inaugurations into priesthood - 3
Recognition of General Church Mission priests and societies as General Church priests and societies
Total services conducted on episcopal visits (festival, public and private) - 74
Western Clergy meetings
Worship and Ritual meetings - weekly

As Chancellor of the Academy

Board and Corporation meetings - 7
College Chapel - 9
Faculty opening worship

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Secondary Schools Chapel - 9
Teaching assignment: Government Theological School Faculty meetings 5

Ministrations in Bryn Athyn

Arcana classes - Tuesday evenings
Bryn Athyn Church School worship - 5
Cairnwood Village classes - Wednesday mornings
Society doctrinal classes - 3
Total services conducted (festival, public and private) - 50
     Louis B. King
          Bishop
NOTE ON SCHOOLS 1990

NOTE ON SCHOOLS       Editor       1990

     Next month we print the official figures on the enrollments of the various New Church schools, including the Academy schools. It seems likely that we will report an enrollment of 159 for the Academy College, with 32 of these being part-time. We expect a dozen in theological school. All but the four seniors appear in the photograph on page 479. Once again there is an international flavor in the student body.
     The Girls School at the Academy has 79 students, and the Boys School 101/
     The two largest New Church elementary schools are Bryn Athyn with 254 and Kempton with 70.
INSTRUCTOR OF BIOLOGY 1990

INSTRUCTOR OF BIOLOGY       Editor       1990

     ANC College is considering applications for the position of instructor of biology. The successful candidate should have or be seeking a Ph.D. degree. Applicants should send vita to Dr. Gregory L. Baker, ANC College, Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

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Editorial Pages 1990

Editorial Pages       Editor       1990

     THE BEGINNING OF NEW CHURCH MAGAZINES

     One of the things that New Church people have done and continue to do is publish magazines. Did you know that this year is the 200th anniversary of the first such magazine? Rev. Claud Presland has sent a reminder of this fact, and we are hoping to see an article by him on the subject.
     A significant thing this year for the New Church people in Czechoslovakia is their gaining permission legally to publish a New Church magazine. For so many years this was forbidden in their country. I cannot read the Latvian language at all, but I look with admiration at the many copies of a magazine entitled Jaunais Laikmets. At the top of the front page is the phrase in Hebrew, "Let there be light"; then the phrase in Greek, "Behold I make all things new"; then the phrase in Latin, "Now it is permitted." But the issues of this magazine that are before me were published in the United States, because it was impossible to publish them in Latvia. Will that magazine be revived in the years ahead?
     Listing the New Church periodicals currently being published would be an interesting enterprise. Listing those that have existed in the past would be a work of some magnitude. The first of the magazines was really quite impressive. It was called The New Jerusalem Magazine, or a Treasury of Celestial, Spiritual and Natural Knowledge. The year of its appearance was 1790. It was intended to come out monthly. The first issue had impressive illustrations. There was a picture of Swedenborg under which was the phrase:

     To him the LORD appear'd in radiant Light,
     Made him his SCRIBE, and taught him what to write.

     The issue includes the first rendition into English of part of the book Delights of Wisdom concerning Conjugal Love. (The English word "conjugial" did not exist in 1790.) There is an artist's impression of the seven virgins of the fountain in CL 293, and a powerful portrayal of the scene "The Tiara Shall Go to the African" in CL 114.

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     So that was the first of New Church magazines, and the very same year yet another began. It was called The New Magazine 6f Knowledge concerning Heaven and Hell published by "a society of gentlemen." We may pause on this 200th anniversary and give a thought to the many ladies and gentlemen who have edited, written for and published New Church magazines!
     (This particular magazine is finishing its 1 10th year of publication, and there is such a brisk flow of material that we have the good feeling that New Church Life will long continue.)

     WILL YOU GET WHAT YOU WANT? IF SO, WHEN? (4)

     In previous editorials we have spoken of things we should want, and for which we might pray halfheartedly. But what of things we just want very much? We have noted the saying that the faithful "rarely obtain the objects of their desire while they desire them, but yet if it be for their good, they obtain them afterwards when not thinking of them" (SD 3538).
     Something in the context of this passage indicates that a reason for delay is in order to preserve our freedom. The passage says that things "happen in such a way that man may not perceive it." Suppose you asked the Lord for something, and then the Lord immediately provided it for you. This would be contrary to the law that the workings of the Divine Providence should not be obvious to us (see DP 175).
     "When things turn out happily" there are few who believe in their hearts that they are from God. This is said in AC 8717:3, a passage we will mention again in a moment. The Lord could have something turn out happily in such an obvious way that we would be virtually forced to acknowledge the Providence in it. Timing makes a great difference. If it occurred while we were asking for it, we might be overwhelmed, and we can see that there could be good reason for it to happen "afterwards" when we are "not thinking" about it. "The Divine Providence works invisibly and incomprehensibly in order that a person may in freedom ascribe an event either to Providence or to chance" (AC 5508:2).

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     Swedenborg describes times "when I was thinking that the things I awaited and desired were not coming to pass" (AC 4654). At such times he was occasionally influenced by simple spirits "who when they lived in the body and prayed for anything and did not obtain it were indignant, and gave way to doubts concerning Providence" (Ibid.). Delay can affect different people in different ways. And conversely there are some who could receive what they desire more promptly without danger to their freedom.
     This difference in individuals brings us back to AC 8717:3. "The Lord provides for the good, who receive His mercy in time such things as contribute to the happiness of their eternal life, riches and honors for those to whom they are not hurtful, and no riches and honors for those to whom they would be hurtful" (emphasis added). Are there not people for whom some honor and riches would be all right? In other words, is this not a matter of degree? Furthermore, would not the same individual be in a different category at a later stage of life? Indeed, does it not seem likely that the yearning for fame and wealth at a certain early age is a yearning for something that would at that time be detrimental? And could not that same person in a more mature state obtain these things without harm?
     The final line of AC 8717 is beautiful. If the Lord sees that riches and honors might harm us, He can give us something else in their place, namely, a sense of contentment.

     SAYING IT VERY SIMPLY

     If you know any Latin, you are excused from reading what follows. Although it relates to translation, it is really just about stating something in simplicity.
     Many of us now have a fair collection of translations of the Bible. I did not feel I was adding significantly to my collection when I ordered a copy of The Everyday Bible, an edition of the New Century Version published by Guideposts in 1988. A goal of this version was "to make the language simple enough for anyone to read the Bible and understand it for himself."

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     "For anyone to read!" And that would include high school dropouts and foreigners with rudimentary English. Bible versions are not the subject here, and so we will not go into examples. But this version turned out to be more interesting and helpful than anticipated, and this is what got me to thinking about simple renderings of the Writings. There are people of different nations who do not have the Writings in their native language, and so they often have to use English versions. They want to get the meaning without too extensive vocabulary and without too complicated phrasing.
     What about "everyday" renderings of parts of the Writings? Since stories of the Memorable Relations are so suitable for children, some excellent work has been done putting them into simple language. (See note on this below.) But what about doctrinal concepts?
     Let's try some examples. (If you are a Latinist, you should have tuned out by now, but if you are still with us read on with patience and indulgence.)

1) "If you think it out sensibly, you can see that status and wealth in the world are not real Divine gifts, even though we may call them that because of the pleasure they give us. These things don't last, and meanwhile we get carried away by them so that we turn away from heaven. But eternal life and the happiness that comes with it are real gifts from the Divine."

2) "A common view these days is that we should consider all people to be our friends on an equal basis, and that we should help people who are too poor to support themselves. But good Christian sense tells us we should take a closer look at how people are living and show kindness to them accordingly. Deeply religious people make these distinctions, which means they show kindness to people intelligently. But superficially religious people can't make these distinctions, so they show kindness to people indiscriminately."

3) "If we do not accept conscience in the world, we can't accept it in the other life either, which means we can't be saved. We are missing the place inside of us that heaven flows into and works through-meaning the place the Lord works
through to lead us toward Himself. Conscience is the place and the reservoir where heaven flows into us."

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4) "Since I am being allowed to make known step by step how someone passes from the life of the body into that of eternity, and so that it might be known how a person is awakened, I have been shown not by hearing but by actual experience."

     These are four examples of saying something very simply. They are conveying the following passages of the Writings.

1) "Everyone who rightly considers may know that eminence and opulence in the world are not real Divine blessings, notwithstanding man, from his pleasure in them, calls them so; for they pass away, and also seduce many, and turn them away from heaven; but that eternal life and its happiness are real blessings, which are from the Divine" (NJHD 270).

2) "It is a common opinion at this day that every man is equally the neighbor, and that benefits are to be conferred on everyone who needs assistance; but it is in the interest of Christian prudence to examine well the quality of a man's life and to exercise charity to him accordingly. The man of the internal church exercises his charity with discrimination, consequently with intelligence; but that man of the external church, because he is not able thus to discern things, does it indiscriminately" (NJHD 85).

3) "They who have not received conscience in the world cannot receive it in the other life, thus they cannot be saved. The reason is that they have no plane into which heaven, that is, the Lord through heaven, may flow in, and by which He may operate and lead them to Himself. For conscience is the plane and receptacle of the influx of heaven" (NJHD 138).

4) "Being permitted to describe in connected order how man passes from the life of the body into the life of eternity, in order that the way in which he is resuscitated might be known, this has been shown me not by hearing but by actual experience" (AC 168).

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Note: Lisa Hyatt Cooper has translated some twenty of the Memorable Relations into English at the elementary school level. Most of these have been published in New Church Home, and eventually they will be published together in booklet form.
     John Odhner has translated into language suitable for primary grades the Memorabilia on the joys of heaven. These have been published as a booklet entitled Heaven's Happiness.

     CHANNELS OF SPIRITUAL STRENGTH

     Another Accomplishment of "New Church Collateral Publishing"

     There are some great stories of how people were led to accept the Writings. Perhaps the story told more times than any other is the one about Rev. John Clowes. Well, that story is told yet again at the beginning of a book just off the press. The book was written by Clowes himself and was published in 1814. It is regarded as one of the classics of New Church literature. Some of those classics would be almost impossible to get these days but for the work of "New Church Collateral Publishing."
     We first heard of this enterprise in 1983. In our June issue that year is a challenging letter from Leslie Sheppard. Writing from Queensland, Australia, he spoke of a commitment that he would set for himself-"the task of republishing priceless New Church collateral books that are no longer in print."
     Perhaps we did not realize back then how serious this commitment was. But as the books started being published we got the message. These valuable books came out in attractive modern binding. This included the children's book called Willie Harper's Two Lives and Louis Pendleton's novel The Invisible Police. New Church Collateral Publishing made believers out of us!
     The present volume has been rewritten to modernize the presentation. The word "channels" is used alternately with the word "means" to indicate intermediate agencies in all of God's creation.

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     There are in this book seven main chapters with some twenty subject headings. We would recommend looking at the book and glancing over the table of contents. People who have recommended this work have mentioned the way the final chapter handles the subject of "faith alone." Here are some pages from that chapter:

     Let us now see what we are to understand by the expression faith alone, so that we may be better able to discover whether or what it contributes to a person's justification.
     Faith alone plainly implies faith separate from repentance, from charity, from good works, and from all the other graces and virtues of a Christian life; otherwise it could not properly be called faith alone. Does this not indicate that the promoters of the doctrine of justification by faith alone are insisting that people may be justified by a principle separate from repentance, charity, good works, and all the other graces and virtues of the religious way of life? Can there be another dogma so utterly contrary not only to the constant declarations of the Sacred Scriptures but also to the common sense and reason of mankind?
     Why, then, it may be asked, do they express themselves so incautiously? Why do they adopt terms which are so liable to mistake and misapprehension, and which, by thus misleading, are capable of producing the greatest possible trouble? For what can be conceived that would be more disastrous than the effect of that tenet which intimates that a person may be justified and thus saved without repentance, without charity, without kind works, and without any of the heavenly graces and virtues pointed to in the Gospel? The abettors will perhaps reply that evangelical faith is a grace so preeminent and so distinguished above all other Christian graces that it encompasses all the rest in itself, and that consequently it includes repentance, charity, good works, and every other Christian excellence which has any tendency to justify persons or to render them just in the sight of God.
     Let it be granted that evangelical faith is a distinguished grace which ranks high in the list of Christian principles, and ought on that account to be held in veneration by every Christian.

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But to contend that this grace is pre-eminent, above all other graces, including all others in itself, is surely to contradict the testimony of the apostle, who, in setting the rank of comparative excellence respecting the three principal graces of faith, hope, and charity, assigned pre-eminence unequivocally to charity or love, saying expressly, "The greatest of these is love." [I Cor. 13:13] It is also worth noting that this apostle, in treating of these graces considered them as distinct from each other, manifestly inferring that they do not of necessity accompany each other. A person, for instance, might have both faith and hope and yet not have attained to the grace of love. Therefore, if we are to believe the apostle, faith does not include charity or love, as the promoters of justification by faith alone would have us believe. In the same way, faith does not include repentance, for if it did why are we exhorted to repent and believe the Gospel? [Mark 1: 15] If faith alone were always accompanied by repentance, there would have been no necessity for this twofold exhortation.
     Thus it is greatly to be lamented that any doctrine should ever have been expressed so irresponsibly in the Christian church as the doctrine of justification by faith alone. If it had been said that a person is justified by believing in Jesus Christ as God and Savior, and by living a life according to his precepts, this doctrine would have been at once both rational and scriptural, easy to apprehend, uplifting in its intention, and not liable to any devilish and dangerous misinterpretation. But when it is said that a person is justified by faith alone, the single word alone is enough to alarm every well-disposed mind; for it implies that by assigning to one grace such an unwarranted ascendancy and unlimited operation, all other virtues are downgraded and in danger of being lost sight of.
     The wise and conscientious believer will begin, therefore, to explore carefully the Sacred Scriptures to see if there is in fact any reason to attribute such exclusive importance to faith. And in so doing the surprising discovery will be made that the Lord, in the Sermon on the Mount, where he gives a long list of justifying and saving graces-such as poverty of spirit, meekness, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, mercifulness, purity of heart, peace-loving, patience under persecution-never once mentions the grace of faith, still less of faith alone!

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     This same seeker may also be surprised to find how much stress is laid in the Gospel on repentance, on doing good as well as believing; that is, on keeping the commandments of the Lord. The person learns that it is indeed necessary to believe in the incarnate God. But on reading the declaration, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven," [Man. 7:211 how powerfully the person is struck with the conviction that it is not faith alone, but the life of faith; it is not believing alone, but doing also; it is not merely speculation of the intellect or confession of the lips, but a hearty and pure love of God and one's fellow humans which renders a person just in the sight of God, securing at the same time the invaluable blessing of eternal life.
EVOLUTION 1990

EVOLUTION       Dr. Horand Gutfeldt       1990




     Communications
Dear Editor:
     My congratulations to the articles of Mark Carlson in New Church Life (July 1990, p. 299) on evolution. The main ideas are well summarized, especially as far as they are of interest to the New Church.
     Just recently I have mentioned Sheldrake in an article that I have sent to the New Philosophy, and which included some scholarly research, tracing some of these ideas concerning the origin of life through Swedenborg, Schelling, K. E. von Baer, Bergson and others. Sheldrake was influenced by Bergson's book Creative Evolution. For the science of today it is a great problem to accept the reality of any non-material energies. Swedenborg was not encumbered with such blinders, and it helped him to obtain a much more wholistic and universal concept of creation.
     It seems hopeful that a few modern physicists succeed in freeing themselves from purely atomistic views that claim particles alone to be the main building elements of the universe.

470


Some see that "fields of energy" may cause the appearance of atomic and subatomic particles, yet at times appear also as waves. We are fortunate to enter an age that makes at least some scholarly discussion of alternate views possible, yet such ideas are still held only by minorities. How far is our age getting ready for approaching new truths? One is seized by impatience to see even greater changes!
     Dr. Horand Gutfeldt
          Berkeley, California
SUMMER READING APPRECIATED 1990

SUMMER READING APPRECIATED       Rev. Erik E. Sandstrom       1990

Dear Editor:
     How does one comment on so much interesting material as in the August issue of New Church Life?
     Self-control and self-discipline are the keys to raising happy children (see p. 343 of Rev. Daniel Heinrichs' sermon). He points out that evil punishes itself and "is inherent in the wrongdoing" (p. 342). Discipline is a basic reenactment of how wrongdoing penalizes itself. I enjoyed this strong doctrinal message.
     Sheldrake's "morphogenetic fields" with "almost mystical morphic resonance" (p. 347) in Mr. Carlson's fascinating article raise the picture for me of parents' evils flowing into and inflaming the hereditary tendencies in their children. Influx is according to reception! Parental influx reinforces the offspring's innate "die-cast" tendencies, even at a distance, so that hell can "play the same tune" on parents and children at once, giving rise to the appearance of a mystical "morphogenetic field." Just a thought. Thanks for making us think.
     Conjugial Love 202 helps this whole field: "Inclinations [of parents] . . . are inborn. But it is of Divine Providence that the [parents'] very thoughts and actions do not follow [in the offspring], in order that perverse inclinations may be corrected. The faculty for this has been implanted, from which comes the effectiveness of the correction of morals by parents and masters, and later by [the offspring] themselves when they come to act from their own judgment."

471



     I was uplifted by Lavina Scott's article, "The Skill of Good Conversations" (p. 352). Since we talk with each other all the time, there are opportunities galore for applying her simple guidelines on how not to hog the conversation but to let the light banter bounce 'round the room. We all recall both extremes. Ouch, and thanks.
     I agree with Heulwen Ridgway in deploring the phrase "The Word and the Writings." It may be innocently enough said, but needs explanation. I elect to say "the Word of Scripture" and "the Word of Doctrine." Then teachings such as these make perfect sense: "The internal sense of the Word is identical to the doctrine they have in heaven ... called heavenly doctrine ... [This] was revealed to me out of heaven. To deliver this doctrine is the object of the present book" (NJHD 7).
     I, however, feel a bit uneasy about many Words, each with an internal sense. When Judas betrayed the Lord, the internal sense is the same as when Judah said, "Come, let us sell Joseph" (AC 4751).
     There is also the Lord's inner garment, meaning the internal sense of the Word, which the soldiers did not tear up, meaning that the internal sense of the Word cannot be dispersed (see John 19; cf. TCR 130:3). And the New Jerusalem has both the names of the twelve tribes and the twelve apostles. The internal or spiritual sense seems fairly cohesive.
     But since the doctrines let us "know that in which we are not," we have to rely on the gradual process of coming "actually into" the things talked about. Once we are actually in the thing talked about, "that is to know, whereas the former was both to know and not to know" (Life 76). I believe this second kind of knowledge of doctrine from experience is what has for long been referred to as a conjectured "internal sense" of the Writings. But we could see this "internal" as being in our life rather than in the Writings.
     Thanks for an enjoyable summer-reading issue.
          Rev. Erik E. Sandstrom
               Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania

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DR. IUNGERICH'S VIEWS 1990

DR. IUNGERICH'S VIEWS       Nadia (Iungerich) Williams       1990

Dear Editor:
     In reply to Rev. William Woofenden's request for other references in his study of the immortality of the soul in the embryo, I'd like to refer him to Iungerich's book The Soul and Its Representatives published by Tuirnbull and Spears, Edinburgh, Great Britain 1936. The second section of this book, entitled "Divine Mercy Toward the Unborn," has seventy pages on the subject. It is written in the form of a Galilean debate in the spiritual world, and gives many references taken from the revealed Writings and from Swedenborg's scientific works to ponder and question their interconnection, particularly the weight given to passages from Swedenborg's preparatory and revealed publications.
     I am currently writing a biography of my father, Dr. Iungerich, and would welcome the thinking on this subject of Dr. Woofenden after he has made his further examination of the topic. I would particularly like his opinion of Hugo Lj. Odhner's thinking on this subject. His reply or that of any others would be most helpful.
     I am trying to assess the opinions of others on the place Dr. Iungerich played historically on church scholarly thought. Besides the above topic I am examining

* the limbus (early studies). I found fascinating the analogy to this subject in Mark Carlson's July New Church Life article on morphogenesis.
* spiritual substance.
* celestial sense of the Writings, a subject that caused schism in church organization and which Iungerich examined closely in his pastorate at the Hague. I hope the Life will publish the searching class given this year by Prescott Rogers on truth and apparent truth, which further examines this topic. [Corrected. See NCL 1990, page 518.]

     My research has already assembled a fairly complete record of the major events of Iungerich's life, but I need the opinions of others on the historical place his studies and thinking had on advancing New Church thought.

473


I'd like to hear not only from his former students and his parishioners but the offspring of his colleagues and parishioners who may remember family comments on these subjects. If they also recall incidents and events which would contribute to a portrayal of his personality (negative as well as positive) as he served as teacher, pastor, and lively member of the community, I'd love to hear the stories.
     Do drop me a note or phone me and I will call you back for a telephone discussion at your convenience, or make a special trip to interview you face to face.
     Nadia (Iungerich) Williams
          188 Goranite Street, Box 2337
          Pigeon Cove, MA 01966
          (508) 546-2166
How do you value the works of Swedenborg? 1990

How do you value the works of Swedenborg?       Editor       1990

     How do you value the works of Emanuel Swedenborg? A casual reader perhaps? A member of an associated body? Simply interested in Swedenborg's scientific work or in one of his contemporaries? An enquiring mind? Whatever your interest, the Swedenborg Society has something to offer.
     For the reader, the Society publishes many excellent modern translations of Swedenborg's work, such as the recent translation of The True Christian Religion by John Chadwick, and the continuing publication of Arcana Caelestia translated by John Elliott. Those with an interest in related organizations will take great pleasure in meeting friends at a number of meetings held each year, whilst those with a more incidental interest in Swedenborg will benefit from the occasions when speakers from a wide range of disciplines are invited to speak about Swedenborg's ideas and influences as these relate to their work.
     Of course, the Society is international in its outlook and boasts many hundreds of overseas members. While it may not be possible for overseas members to participate to the same extent, they are nonetheless kept in touch with the Society's work by way of the reports and the recently launched Swedenborg Society Magazine.     
     The Swedenborg Society has maintained translations of Emanuel Swedenborg's writings for over 180 years.

Consider membership NOW!
Simply complete and return the coupon and help to continue Swedenborg's Great Mission.

474




The Swedenborg Society, Swedenborg House,
20-21 Bloomsbury Way, London WCIA 2TH. UK. (0714057986)
I/We hereby apply for annual / life membership of

The Swedenborg Society, for which I/we enclose L................. (Minimum L5 Annual or L50 Life. For those aged 65 and over-:L2 Annual or L10 Life. For a married couple - one-and-a-half times the normal individual subscription, whether for Annual or Life.)

Name(s)...........................................

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Or you may apply for membership through your local collector.

Collectors for The Swedenborg Society

The General Church of the New Jerusalem Mrs. Kent Cooper, 503 E. Morebank Road, Willow Grove, PA 19090, U.S.A.

Australian Societies
Mr. N. Heldon, King George's Road, Roselands N.S.W.
Dr. R. R. A. Brock, 4 Margaret Street, Sefton Park, S. Australia 5083.
Mr. J. Benson, 5 Boyne Place, Killarney Heights, N.S.W. 2087
Mr. A. C. Uren, 60 Wyatt Road, Bayswater, Western Australia 6053

South Africa:
Transvaal Mrs. Mary Roebuck, 5 The Oval, Irene, Transvaal.
Durban Mrs. L. C. Berto, 15 Clencairn Close, Westville 3630

Toronto
Mr. H. Keith Morley, 6 Burkston Place, Islington, Ontario.

France
Monsieur Paul Sovin, 75 Rue Denis Gorgue, 92140 Clamart (Seine).

475


Title Unspecified 1990

Title Unspecified       Editor       1990

     [Photograph of British Assembly participants, August 1990.]

476


ASSEMBLY BY THE LAKE 1990

ASSEMBLY BY THE LAKE       Editor       1990

     The Glenview Society cordially invites you to join us for the 31st General Assembly to be held on the campus of Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin from Wednesday, June 12th through Sunday, June 16th.
     Located approximately midway between Milwaukee and Chicago, and situated on the shores of Lake Michigan, the college offers an ideal setting for our church's quadrennial gathering of minds and bodies. So please make your plans now to join us for this occasion.
     The prime purpose of this assembly will be selection of our next executive bishop. In addition there will be ample opportunity for interchange of ideas at the morning and evening sessions. A wide range of on-campus social and recreational activities is planned, with optional tours and visits to either of the two great cities on the lake.
     To keep costs low so as to meet the needs of as many as possible, several registration packages are available.

                                   Early          Student
     Package               Adult          Bird          (HS/College)
Meals, room and registration     $180          $166          Less $25
Meals and registration          120          114          Less $25
Banquet and registration          45          45          Less $25
Registration (meetings only)     25          25          Less $25
Banquet only (no meetings)     20          20               $20

     If you have never attended an assembly, it is the time to see what you have been missing. If you have already attended an assembly, you know what others have been missing. In either case, mark your calendar now to come join us at the Assembly by the Lake!
     For more information contact Assembly by the Lake, 74 Park Drive, Glenview, 11L 60025, or call (708) 724-0120 between 9:00 a.m. and noon (central time) Monday through Friday.

477


Title Unspecified 1990

Title Unspecified       Editor       1990




     Announcements






     [Group photograph.]


     Theological students 1990-1991

(Left to right) Mauro de Padua, Peter Buss, Simpson Darkwah, Kurt Asplundh, Jong (John) Jin, Leslie Sheppard, Derek Elphick, Goran Appelgren
(Not pictured are the seniors: Mark Pendleton, David Roth, Martin Gyamfi, Mark Perry)

480


CHANNELS OF SPIRITUAL STRENGTH 1990

CHANNELS OF SPIRITUAL STRENGTH       Editor       1990

Originally titled

ON MEDIUMS,

THEIR
Divine Origin and Important Uses,

ESPECIALLY IN
THEIR INSTRUMENTALITY
TO PROMOTE THE

REGENERATION AND SALVATION

OF MANKIND

BY THE

REV. J. CLOWES, M.A. 1814
Edited and rewritten by William Ross Woofenden

Published by New Church Collateral Publishing 1990

Soft cover 178 pages $8.00 plus 900 postage

General Church Book Center Box 278 Bryn Athyn, PA 19009
Hours: Mon-Fri. 9-12 or by appointment
Phone (215) 947-3920

481


Notes on This Issue 1990

Notes on This Issue       Editor       1990

Vol. CX                    November,               1990 No. 11

                     New Church Life


482




     Notes on This Issue

     The article on dogmatism and tolerance by Ragnar Boyesen in the September issue has generated some pleasing mail not for publication. Please note that the postscript (page 491) to the first article in this issue is on this subject.
     If you read the Church News in this issue you will have a good sense of the busy society in Toronto. We are delighted to have a photograph of the Toronto school students accompanying this. Let this be an encouragement to other societies! Send us photographs, black and white or clear color.
     As we publish our final editorial on getting what you want, we have a letter from Rev. Lawson Smith with an intriguing ending.
     We have been told that some people use the directory (p. 497ff) in mailing Christmas cards. There are more than a dozen new assignments listed on page 508, and this sometimes involves a change of address.
     But obviously the directory has more significant uses! Note the listing of 23 societies, 33 circles, and 33 groups. In making up lists the secretary must face awkward questions. Would you list one of the Canadian societies under "C" for Carmel Church or under "K" for Kitchener?
     You will find on page 516 a total enrollment in all schools of 994. That is up from last year's figure of 953.
Title Unspecified 1990

Title Unspecified       Editor       1990

     Applications for Admission to the Academy Schools-see pages 496 and 516.
Title Unspecified 1990

Title Unspecified       Editor       1990

     Job Opportunity: Co-manager of the Swedenborg Foundation's New York bookstore. Send your resum? and accompanying letter to: Mr. Kerry Clements, Exec. Director, Swedenborg Foundation, 139 East 23rd St., New York, NY 10010.

483


NEW CHURCH IN TODAY'S WORLD 1990

NEW CHURCH IN TODAY'S WORLD       Rev. MARTIN PRYKE       1990

(From a speech delivered at the New Church Day banquet in Washington, D.C. on June 17, 1990)

     Our celebration of the 220th anniversary of the occasion when the Lord sent out His twelve apostles throughout the whole spiritual world is perhaps an appropriate time for us to ask ourselves some questions. What is the function of the New Church? What has been accomplished since the time of its birth? What direction should the church be taking in today's world? What direction should we as individuals be taking?
     The history of the organized New Church has been a checkered one, with some very significant ups and downs. From outward appearances we do not seem to have had a very significant impact on the world. Our numbers have not shown a very significant increase, if any. The General Church has gown steadily, but very slowly. The participation of our members often seems to be minimal. There appears to be an apathy regarding the value of joining with other New Churchmen in the work of the church, in the uses of worship, in the need for instruction.
     Of course there have been accomplishments in the church. The Writings have been translated and published, at least in English. Surely worship has been conducted and instruction given for tens of thousands during our history. Many have undoubtedly been led to a good life, and so have fitted themselves for entry into the New Heaven. We have established a prosperous, valuable, indeed essential, educational system.
     Yet it will always be very hard to judge the past. We cannot assess spiritual states; we cannot read with complete confidence the working of Divine Providence. We may make some kind of tentative assessment, but the real need is for us to build on the past and then to move forward into the future. But this must be done with a clear view of the purpose of the Lord's New Church.

484




The Mission of the New Church

     We must, then, first remind ourselves of why it was that the Lord effected His second advent, and why He established this final dispensation. Apart from the works of redemption, the last judgment and the formation of the New Heaven (which are not our concern in this paper), what is the mission of the New Church to itself and to others?
     We suggest that this can only be seen properly if viewed within the framework of what the Writings teach us about the church universal. This, as we know, comprises all those people throughout the world who, whatever their faith, however mistaken their beliefs may be, are salvable because they have acted from conscience. This conscience, although mistaken in concept, is genuine in its motivation; its love is for what it sees to be good and true. Such people have shunned those things which they believe to be evil, and so in the other life gladly receive instruction and make their final preparation for the life of heaven. If we did not know of the existence of the church universal, what hope could we have for the world? But these people are our brothers; they are of the kingdom of God.
     The church specific, on the other hand, lies within the church universal and is made up of those who do possess the genuine truth and who live according to it. These are the regenerate whose lives are in true order because they know what true order is. The church specific is now the New Church, but of course its membership is known to the Lord alone. We are not speaking here of any human organization. Those of the genuine church specific will be found in all organizations and also outside organizations.
     We may well ask that if people can be saved without a knowledge of the truth, then why is such a knowledge of any significance except to satisfy man's intellect? What function does a church specific serve that cannot be equally well served by the church universal? It is important that we know the answer to these questions.
     The Writings teach us that the church specific is to serve as the heart and lungs of the church universal. It is to be a center of love and wisdom which will provide spiritual blood to the grand man of the church universal. But how is this to be accomplished? Presumably by both overt and covert means.

485



     The church specific will nourish the church universal by the example of its way of life, by its spreading a knowledge of the truth, and by the extension of its sphere of love. But there will also be an unseen influence by means of spiritual communication. We all live in both worlds, and so the sphere of the church specific reaches out, spiritually, to all who can receive it. In this way also the heart and lungs serve the body of the church.
     Secondly, the church specific is to serve as a means of communication between the heavens and men on earth. Everything spiritual must rest in the natural; this is the order of creation. So it is with the heavens as the kingdom of God -they need a resting place on earth into which they can flow and from which they can receive their fixity. The church specific is able to provide this communication with heaven because it is in a spiritual state which can be associated with the heavens. The influx from heaven which results from this communication then reaches mankind through those of the church specific, which is the kingdom of God on earth.
     A third function of the church specific is to establish this kingdom of God throughout the world. It is to restore order to chaotic civilizations, to replace a society of greed and self-service to a society of mutual uses. But note that the New Church is to provide solutions, not palliatives. Civil law, treaties between nations, and adherence to moral law may all help provide an external order and peace. They may force a kind of order even among evil hearts. But the causes of disorder are spiritual, evils flowing in from hell, loves of dominion and gain. These can only be solved by spiritual means.
     To provide such lasting solutions involves a knowledge of spiritual truth, an awareness of spiritual needs, a recognition that the spiritual is of more value than the natural. It is only the Lord who can provide such a means for cure, and this He has done in the revelation of His second coming. Other means may patch an external problem; the New Church is to face, in its thought and life, the underlying issues.
     These are daunting responsibilities: to serve as the heart and lungs of the church universal, to provide a means of communication between heaven and earth, and to establish the kingdom of God on earth. Daunting! Yet the tools are at hand: spiritual truths which will sustain us.

486


We see being ushered in a new dispensation based upon a new revelation which brings a new understanding of God and His purposes, a new understanding of what is to be the way of man, what is God's will for us. There is to be a new and rational approach to the problems of mankind.

Today's World

     If we are to begin to understand our part as New Churchmen in today's world, we should briefly reflect on that world in which we find ourselves and in which we work-the world into which the New Church was born.
     Firstly we realize that it is the world of the fallen Christian Church. Its principal doctrinal errors have, of course, been the division of the Godhead into three persons, and in the conviction that man can be saved by faith alone. We know that these stemmed from a growing love of self and the world, of dominion and riches. These evils infested both the organized church and individuals. These brought about the consummation of the Christian Church; it could no longer function as a church specific, providing the life-blood of the church universal.
     Clearly the Christian Church of today is not the same as that of two hundred years ago. Some sects do indeed remain loyal to the familiar self-destructing heresies, but many (even of the church bodies) pay little heed to doctrinal matters. They mistake a moral life and a life of good works for real spiritual good-good which looks to spiritual ends. Certainly these are people to be respected and often admired. They are an influence for natural good and external order, but they do not constitute a genuine spiritual force. Many such must be numbered among the church universal. They are our neighbors in whom there is good that may be understood, appreciated and loved, but they do not hold the key to the solution of the world's problems.
     Of course there are increasingly many in the western world who lie outside the Christian community entirely. They may be atheists, more likely they are agnostics, but they include those who seriously doubt or completely deny such concepts as the Divinity of Christ, the authority of the Scriptures, the existence of a life after death, and, perhaps the most destructive of all, the existence of any absolute truth.

487



     Ever since I came to the Academy I have been deeply and increasingly concerned about the impact of today's world on the youth of our generation. Twenty years ago I wrote (speaking of the situation in the world around us):

Our generation has proved to be a materialistic one; we measure success in influence, power, and in wealth. It is the day of human expediencies, which are a poor substitute for Divine law. It is a day in which it is believed that the improvement of the material environment will solve all problems . . . .
Physical health is often rated above spiritual and moral health in importance. One young person once said, "This is a 'thing' culture, and I want it to be a 'people' culture."
What, then, has our generation passed on to today's youth? It has passed on no sense of authority, no belief in God or eternal life, no basis for moral principles, no awareness of the need for self-discipline, and no real sense of values.
Is it surprising that for the most part we face a generation which is rebellious, because we have not shown them where they are going, or given them valid objectives; a generation which is insecure because our generation has given them no source for security; a generation which is unpatriotic because we have not taught them what real love of country is; a generation lacking in respect for our traditions because we have never convinced them that they truly stand for anything-if they do; a generation disloyal to age because age has offered no cause for loyalty or respect . . . .
A . . . consequence is that well-intentioned young people today feel helpless in the face of this situation. They see no realistic prospect of being able to help to improve it, especially in the face of the huge impersonal "establishment," as for example, the multi-university. As a consequence they become disillusioned and cynical.

     This seems to be as accurate a picture today as it was twenty years ago. What an unproductive soil this all is for the seed of truth offered by the second advent! Yet this is where the Lord scattered that seed, and it is our responsibility to nurture it and bring it to fruit in our own lives, in the lives of our children, and of those about us.

488




Our Part

     We have noted the functions of the church specific, of the New Church. It is appropriate to ask what are the responsibilities of those who have been led to a knowledge of its teachings. What are the immediate challenges for us as individuals and for the organized church? What should be our immediate objectives? What should be our order of priorities? Any suggestions I make are, of course, subjective although, I hope, based upon clear indications in the Writings. Others will have different lists. We should exchange ideas about these important issues. I shall suggest five areas of responsibility and suggest their relative importance, although even the first cannot be undertaken without the latter ones also being involved.
     Surely our first responsibility must be to remove evil and falsity from our own lives, for these will surely stand in the way of the establishment of the Lord's kingdom. How can we be a part of the true church specific; how can we serve as a part of the heart and lungs of the church universal; how can we be a part of the foundation for the heavens if we are not on the path of regeneration? The greatest gift we can make to our fellow man, and our greatest contribution to the work of the Lord, is our own regenerate life. At first blush it may seem selfish to speak first of our own lives, but the regenerate life can never be selfish, and where else can we begin?
     It seems to me that our next responsibility must be to preserve our understanding of revelation. The New Church can only be built upon the truths of revelation. Our understanding of these truths must be kept pure insofar as that is humanly possible. There is a constant and imperative need for us to preserve the integrity of doctrine; without this the life of the church will be led astray.
     This means that we must not allow ourselves to be turned away from the truth; we cannot ignore the plain teaching of the Word; above all, we cannot manipulate truth so that we make it teach what we want instead of what the Lord wants.

489


Self-justification is an insidious temptation, and is one that we can only resist by a strong determination to keep the church's understanding of truth inviolate.
     To the layman this means that he must go to the Writings for himself, reading them and studying them regularly, lest he simply accept the teaching of the clergy as the truth itself without examination. It also means that the laity needs to encourage and support doctrinal study, and even research, on the part of the priesthood. Every priest must have time to do independent study; none can afford to rely on what was learned in theological school. Renewed study is necessary for every class and every sermon. It is easy for the laity, and for the priest himself, to allow other demands on his time to take precedence over this essential function of his office. Without it a priest may become simply an effective social worker, no longer one who teaches the truth, because he has not kept that truth alive within himself.
     We suggest that our next responsibility is to the organized church of our choice. This too may seem a strange high priority, but reflect on the fact that without an organized church there could be no church specific. An organized church is a group of men and women formed for this very purpose. It is not the true church, the spiritual church, but it is an essential means to establishing such a true church. How could any church specific today exist if it had not been for the work of our fathers in translating and publishing the threefold Word, in providing worship addressed to the one God, the Lord Jesus Christ? In addition, the organized church provides doctrinal instruction in many forms and to all ages, and it provides an environment in which striving New Churchmen may support one another in the performance of our distinctive purposes, in the living of our daily lives.
     Organizations (the "establishment") are not popular today. Of course they do have, and will have, many weaknesses-they are comprised of frail human beings. Yet they are an essential tool and we need the support of everybody, not merely to enlarge them but to strengthen and perfect them.

490



     Surely our next responsibility must be to pass on what has been our most precious possession to the children who have been entrusted to our care. Not only is this an obvious responsibility, but it has proved to be a very fruitful field of evangelization. What more receptive field can we find than those who have been raised in New Church homes, in an atmosphere affirmative to the teachings of the church.
     This concept has long been recognized in the General Church, and our New Church educational systems have really made astonishing strides in the more than one hundred years of their existence. What courage those founders had. How delighted they would be to see the Academy and our society schools now! Yet we must always be on our guard to see that the real objectives are not forgotten and lost in the face of merely worldly pressures. We have always recognized that sometimes we will have to accept lower natural standards for the sake of our spiritual ends, but today the sacrifice does not seem to be very great.
     It is my observation that our real need now is to care for those young people who are not in our schools both those who could not attend and those who have moved on to other schools or occupations. Continued instruction is needed for all of these. They need opportunities to discuss the problems which face them in the light of the Writings. They need to be involved in the life of the church. They need to be communicating with older generations, for the sake of both parties. Perhaps it is partly due to the fact that we have not been successful in this field that our young people are showing themselves slow to join the church and participate in its life.
     Lastly, we have a real responsibility to carry the message of the second advent to those beyond our borders. The General Church has adopted evangelization as one of its proper functions, and clearly we cannot refuse the responsibility to reach out to all those who feel a need for spiritual direction. I doubt whether we should ever try to convert those who are entirely satisfied with their present faith. There is too much danger of destroying what they have and then failing to replace it with something else. We should seek seekers.

491



     My own particular sense tells me that our greatest success will come as the result of personal contact, from a one-to-one situation. To this end I suggest that we need to do two things: build up strong centers to which we may bring those who show interest in what we offer, and to educate our laity so that they not only are thoroughly and comfortably versed in the primary doctrines of the church, but also are skilled in the art of presenting those doctrines to others. Hopefully the lives they lead and the philosophy of life they express will lead people to inquire of them concerning their faith. From such contacts fruit may come.
     Whatever we do, we need to remember that the growth of the Lord's New Church (the church specific) in integrity of doctrine and life is more important than a growth in numbers.

Conclusion

     It is sometimes overwhelming to think that we, so few, have been called to labor for the establishment of the church of the Lord's second advent. But we know that this is of the Lord's Providence, and we know that we are not asked to do that which is beyond our ability. We know that we are able, if willing, to play our small part in the great work.
     The tasks are of immeasurable scope and of eternal significance and worth, but they come one at a time. Remember that we are not called upon to solve all the problems of mankind, or to plan the entire future of the church. Actually our own responsibilities are not difficult to see; they lie close at hand.
If we will but establish the Lord's New Church in our own lives, in our own hearts; if we will but raise our children to understand and love the truths of the Lord's Word; if we will but spread the gospel wherever we may, then we need not fear, for the future of the church is truly in the Lord's hands.

     POSTSCRIPT

     I would like to add some words which come to my mind as a result of reading the article "Dogmatism and Tolerance in the New Church" by Rev. Ragnar Boyesen (NCL Sept. issue, p. 387), which seems to be related to the topic of my paper.

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Mr. Boyesen raises many important points which certainly stimulate our thinking, but I confess that it left me feeling uncomfortable on a number of occasions-a discomfort which arises no doubt in part from a guilty conscience but also from some serious doubts about some of the points there made. Perhaps I may remind the reader of some other familiar teachings which seem to me to have a bearing on the topic and are necessary to a complete understanding of what the church should be thinking and doing.

Dogmatism

     Divine revelation is the only source of spiritual truth; neither God nor the soul of man can be discovered from an examination of the natural world. Yet the sciences of the world, the lessons of history, the inspiration of the arts, and the knowledge we have of the remnants of truth existing in all world religions will illustrate and confirm the truths of revelation. More than that, they will broaden our understanding of revealed truth and place it in a better perspective. We deprive ourselves of a deeper understanding of the truth if we isolate ourselves from the knowledges and experiences of the world. Is this not one reason why we have established New Church education? Revealed truth and science are to be harmonized but never mixed or confused.
     The article's warning against dogmatism usefully points out that "our view," our understanding of the Writings, is simply that; it is not the truth itself, which is only to be found in Divine revelation. Yet each man must be able to act from what he sees to be true, while remaining tolerant of others who hold different views. But "our view" is not to be denigrated, for it is what we have to work with and to live from. We cannot work or live from something that is constantly in doubt. We know that we may be mistaken, but we should not fear to have convictions and the determination to live by them. Mr. Boyesen quotes "Everyone supposes his, own dogma to be true and thence receives a conscience" (AC 1043:2, emphasis added).

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     Further, I would make the point that exhortation to love (or tolerance) needs to be accompanied by a realization that we cannot change our love. We cannot decide that tomorrow we will start loving the neighbor. The real process is clearly defined in the Writings. We must first learn the truths of the Word. Then, from this knowledge of good and evil we must shun evils as sins, regularly and assiduously. Then the Lord will give us a new love, which is charity. Only the Lord can change our loves to what is good, and this He can only do as we clear the way of all impeding evils, by shunning them in thought, word, and deed. It is after this that good can lead truth in understanding and application. Before that time truth leads. The cure for an improper dogmatism and intolerance is not simply to look at things in a different way, but to shun those evils head on, in thought and life.

Tolerance

     The teachings of the Writings which speak of how the Christian Church was rent asunder by doctrinal differences where there was no charity clearly have application to us in the organized New Church, and it is evident that we have not been very successful in heeding this teaching.
     Our attitude to those outside the New Church must always be one of tolerance; we should always look for the good in the neighbor. But Mr. Boyesen's presentation in this area seems to me to miss two very important teachings which must be considered if our views are to be balanced. I refer to the teaching concerning the church specific and the church universal, as well as the teaching regarding the New Church as being a new and final dispensation-the last in a series of five churches.
     We have shown in the above article that the church specific is where the Word is, where the Lord is acknowledged and where men, on these bases, have led a life of regeneration (see NJHD 244, 246, AE 351). At this time it is the regenerate of the New Church who constitute the church specific; that is, those who turn to the threefold Word and who acknowledge the Lord as He is there revealed in His glorified Divine Human, in His second coming.

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The Christian Church has, by default, relinquished this use, although this fact by no means condemns its members as individuals.
     The church universal is, as we have said, made up of those who, without benefit of genuine truth, yet live a good life, acknowledging an authority outside of themselves, living from conscience, even if that conscience is sometimes mistaken. Such can be prepared after death and brought into heaven. These will be found in all religions, not only in the Christian Church as Mr. Boyesen seems to imply. The church universal includes, then, those of all world religions, many of which possess remnants of truth from the Most Ancient and Ancient Churches.
     We have observed that the whole church is seen in the eyes of the Lord as one great man; the church specific is the heart and lungs of that man (see AE 351). I believe that if we are to perform our function as the church specific, it is imperative that we preserve clearly in our minds the nature of the church specific and of the church universal-recognizing the distinction between the two while recognizing also the good in all of our neighbors. To preserve the distinction is not intolerance; it is charity, for it looks to the establishment, preservation and strengthening of the whole of the Lord's kingdom on earth. The heart and lungs are not the same as the rest of the body, but they do communicate constantly with every small part thereof. We should extend our sphere of love, of use, to the world around us, and should share the Lord's truths with all who will listen. Moreover, such extension will at the same time strengthen us; cutting ourselves off will not do so; the heart and lungs need the nourishment coming from the rest of the body.
     One more comment. Mr. Boyesen enjoins us to "be on guard against judging our brothers and sisters from our own accepted moral standards alone" (p. 401). I am not quite sure what he means by this, but there is an implication that there is no such thing as a genuine morality. There is, based on revelation. When people act from a mistaken concept of morality, we should not condemn them for doing so, for they have acted sincerely; but we should condemn the act for it is a sin against God.

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Let there be no mistake; there is a genuine morality based on the Word of God. Beware of the danger of falling into a friendship of love (see TCR 446-449).
AMONG MY FAVORITE PASSAGES 1990

AMONG MY FAVORITE PASSAGES       Margherita Faulkner       1990


     AMONG MY FAVORITE PASSAGES

     " . . . man as to his soul is born spiritual, and is clothed with what is natural, which forms his material body" (TCR 583).

          As the day progresses with its concerns of getting everything finished in good style, of fulfilling our infinite responsibility to those around us, of balancing our several and taxing lives, we keep these words in our minds: " . . . man as to his soul is born spiritual." Once we have made a habit of thinking them and living them, they become a conscious part of our being. We return to them when our lives feel upside down, when we discover that we are losing ourselves to the chimera of time, or security, or the passion for acknowledgment.
          It is a matter of logic: if my soul is the most distinguishing part of me, I must respect its needs first. There is no need more basic than longing for spiritual kinship with God. Longing, respect, and logic are themselves the proof that I was born spiritual. And given this as birthright, the achievement of it is my most serious human task.
               Margherita Faulkner
                    Lafayette, Indiana

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APPLICATIONS FOR ADMISSION TO THE ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH COLLEGE 1990

APPLICATIONS FOR ADMISSION TO THE ACADEMY OF THE NEW CHURCH COLLEGE       Editor       1990

     Students interested in entering the Academy of the New Church College for the fall term of the 1991-1992 academic year should send their requests for application forms to

Dean Brian L. Schnarr
Academy of the New Church College
Box 278 Bryn Athyn, PA 19009 USA

     The completed forms should be received by Dean Schnarr by March 1, 1991. This information may be sent to the college by Fax machine (215) 938-2637. Applications received after March 1, 1991 will be subject to a late fee of $50.00. Requests for housing received after this date will be honored on a space-available basis.
     For more information about the college, or a copy of the catalog which describes programs and course offerings, please mail your request to the address above. Prospective students are welcome to visit the campus and attend classes at any time the college is in session. Sleeping accommodations will be provided in the dormitories and meals in the dining hall. Reservations for visiting students can be made Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. by phoning the college secretary, Mrs. Gerald Bostock (215) 938-2543.
     As the Academy College operates on a three-term system, students can be admitted to any of the three terms. Applications for the spring term of the present academic year, beginning March 18, 1991, are acceptable if they are received by February 1, 1991.
Title Unspecified 1990

Title Unspecified       Editor       1990

     The Assembly by the Lake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, June 12-16, 1991, is reasonably priced (see October issue, p. 476).

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DIRECTORY 1990

DIRECTORY       Editor       1990

     GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM

     1990-1991

     Officials and Councils
     Bishop:               Rt. Rev. Louis B. King
     Assistant Bishop:      Rt. Rev. Peter M. Buss
     Bishop Emeritus:     Rt. Rev. Willard D. Pendleton
     Acting Secretary:     Mr. E. Boyd Asplundh

     Consistory
Bishop Louis B. King
Rt. Rev. Peter M. Buss; Rev. Messrs. Alfred Acton, Kurt H. Asplundh, Christopher D. Bown, Geoffrey S. Childs, Daniel W. Goodenough, Daniel W. Heinrichs, Geoffrey H. Howard, Robert S. Junge, Brian W. Keith, Thomas L. Kline, Donald L. Rose, Frank S. Rose, Erik Sandstrom, Frederick L. Schnarr, and Lorentz R. Soneson

     "GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM"
     (A Corporation of Pennsylvania)

     Officers of the Corporation

President:          Rt. Rev. Louis B. King
Vice President:           Rt. Rev. Peter M. Buss
Secretary:          Mr. E. Boyd Asplundh
Treasurer:           Mr. Neil M. Buss
Assistant Treasurer:     Mr. Bruce A. Fuller
Controller:           Mr. Ian K. Henderson

     BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CORPORATION
Rt. Rev. Louis B. King, Rt. Rev. Peter M. Buss; Mr. Edward F. Allen, Jr., Mrs. Gregory L. Baker, Messrs. Peter H. Boericke, Eyvind H. Boyesen, Theodore W. Brickman, Jr., Neil M. Buss, Mrs. A. Dale Doering, Messrs. Henry R. Dunlap, Roy B. Evans, Theodore C. Farrington, B. Reade Genzlinger, Dale B. Genzlinger, Terry K. Glenn, Geraldo C. Gomes, Murray F. Heldon, Mrs. Albert D. Henderson, Messrs. Hugh D. Hyatt, Denis M. Kuhl, Robert D. Merrell, H. Keith Morley, Duncan B. Pitcairn, Dr. William B. Radcliffe, Messrs. Bruce Reuter, Brian L. Schnarr, S. Brian Simons, Garold E. Tennis, James G. Uber, Gerald G. Waters, Dan H. Woodard, Phillip R. Zuber

Honorary Life Member:          Rt. Rev. Willard D. Pendleton
Ex Officio Members:          Rt. Rev. Louis B. King, Rt. Rev. Peter M. Buss

     BISHOPS

King, Louis Blair. Ordained June 19, 195 1; 2nd degree, April 19, 1953; 3rd degree, November 5, 1972. Continued to serve as Bishop of the General Church and General Pastor of the General Church, Chancellor of the Academy of the New Church, President of the General Church in Canada, President of the General Church International, Incorporated. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

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Buss, Peter Martin. Ordained June 19, 1964; 2nd degree, May 16, 1965; 3rd degree, June 1, 1986. Continued to serve as Assistant Bishop of the General Church, Head of Evangelization, Vice President of the General Church Corporation. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

Pendleton, Willard Dandridge. Ordained June 18, 1933; 2nd degree, September 12, 1934; 3rd degree, June 19, 1946. Bishop Emeritus of the General Church, Chancellor Emeritus of the Academy of the New Church. Retired. Continued to serve, conducting various rites and sacraments. Address: P.O. Box 338, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

     PASTORS

Acton, Alfred. Ordained June 19, 1964; 2nd degree, October 30, 1966. Continued teaching at the Academy College and Theological School, serving as Secretary of the Council of the Clergy, Chairman of the General Church Translation Committee and pursuing a graduate degree program. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

Alden, Glenn Graham. Ordained June 19, 1974; 2nd degree, June 6, 1976. Continued to serve as Resident Pastor of the Northwestern district of Canada, resident in Dawson Creek and Visiting Pastor to Crooked Creek, Calgary, Oyen, Red Deer and Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Address: 9013 8th Street, Dawson Creek, B.C., Canada VIG 3N3.

Alden, Kenneth James. Ordained June 6, 1980; 2nd degree May 16, 1982. Continued to serve as Principal of the Carmel Church School and Assistant to the Pastor of the Carmel Church in Canada. Address: 107 Evenstone Road, RR2, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2G 3W5.

Alden, Mark Edward. Ordained June 10, 1979; 2nd degree May 17, 1981. Currently unassigned. Has received medical degree and is doing his residency. Address: 2959 Sycamore Road, Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006.

Asplundh, Kurt Horigan. Ordained June 19, 1960; 2nd degree, June 19, 1962. Continued to serve as Pastor of Bryn Athyn Church and Bishop's Representative for the Northeast United States. Address: P.O. Box 277, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

Barnett, Wendel Ryan. Ordained June 7, 198 1; 2nd degree, June 20, 1982. Continued to serve as Principal of the Bryn Athyn Church School as well as Assistant to the Pastor of the Bryn Athyn Church. Address: P.O. Box 277, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

Bau-Madsen, Arne. Ordained June 6,1976; 2nd degree, June 11, 1978. Continued to serve as Associate Pastor to Kempton, and Visiting Pastor to the Wallenpaupack Circle, and as translator. Address: Box 527, Rt. 1, Lenhartsville, PA 19534.

Bown, Christopher Duncan. Ordained June 18, 1978; 2nd degree, December 23, 1979. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Colchester Society and Senior Pastor for Great Britain. Bishop's Representative for Great Britain, Holland and France. Address: 2 Christ Church Ct., Colchester, Essex, England C03 3AU.

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Boyesen, Bjorn Adolph Hildemar. Ordained June 19, 1939; 2nd degree, March 30, 1941. Retired, on active assignment. Continued serving as translator of the Writings from Latin to modern Swedish, as Pastor of the Jonkoping Circle and Visiting Pastor to the Copenhagen Circle. Address: I Bruksoter, F?rusjo, S-5661 001, Habo, Sweden.

Boyesen, Ragnar. Ordained June 19, 1972; 2nd degree, June 17, 1973. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Freeport Society. Address: 122 McKean Road, Freeport, PA 16229.

Burke, William Hanson. Ordained June 7, 1981; 2nd degree, August 13, 1983. Continued to serve as visiting minister in the Southeast District and Resident Pastor in Charlotte, North Carolina. Address: 6010 Paddington Court, Charlotte, NC 28226.

Butelezi, Ishborn. Ordained August 18, 1985; second degree, August 23, 1987. Recognized as a General Church minister November 19, 1989. Continued to serve as Resident Minister of the Impaphala Society and visiting minister of the Umlazi Group. Address: P.O. Box 281, Ntumeni 3830, R.S.A.

Carlson, Mark Robert. Ordained June 10, 1973; 2nd degree, March 6, 1977. Continued to serve as Assistant Pastor of Immanuel Church. As of July 1, 1990, housemaster of Stuart Hall and instructor of sophomore religion in the Academy Secondary Schools. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

Carswell, Eric Hugh. Ordained June 10, 1979; 2nd degree, February 22, 1981. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Pittsburgh Society. Address: 299 Le Roi Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15208.

Chapin, Frederick Merle. Ordained June 15, 1986; 2nd degree, October 23, 1988. Continued to serve as Acting Minister to the Baltimore Society, visiting minister to the Wilmington, Delaware, Group and visiting minister to the Virginia District. As of July 1, 1990, Pastor of the Phoenix Circle and Visiting Pastor to the Albuquerque Circle. Address: 3724 E. Sahuaro Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85028.

Childs, Geoffrey Stafford. Ordained June 19, 1952; 2nd degree, June 19, 1954. Continued to serve as President of the Academy of the New Church and Bishop's Representative. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

Childs, Robin Waelchli. Ordained June 6, 1984; 2nd degree, June 8, 1986. Continued to serve as Principal of Midwestern Academy and Assistant to the Pastor of the Immanuel Church Society. Address: 2700 Park Lane, Glenview, 11, 60025.

Clifford, William Harrison. Ordained June 6, 1976; 2nd degree, October 8, 1978. Resigned August 15, 1986. Address: 509 Scarlet Lane #819, Lansing, MI 48917.

Cole, Robert Hudson Pendleton. Ordained June 16, 1963; 2nd degree, October 30, 1966. Retired. Address: P.O. Box 356, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

Cole, Stephen Dandridge. Ordained June 19, 1977; 2nd degree, October 15, 1978. Continued to serve as Assistant to the Pastor of the Oak Arbor Society, Detroit, Michigan. Address: 5789 Orion Road, Rochester, MI 48306.

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Cooper, James Pendleton. Ordained June 13, 1982; 2nd degree, March 4, 1984. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Durban Society. Address: 30 Perth Road, Westville, 3630, Natal, Rep. S. Africa.

Cowley, Michael Keith. Ordained June 13, 1982; 2nd degree, May 13, 1984. Continued to serve as Assistant to the Pastor of the Toronto Society. Address: 11 N. Heights Road, Etobicoke, Ont. M9R 2T2, Canada.

Cranch, Harold Covert. Ordained June 19, 1941, 2nd degree, October 15, 1942. Retired. Address: 501 Porter Street, Glendale, CA 91205.

Dibb, Andrew Malcolm Thomas. Ordained June 6, 1984; 2nd degree, May 18, 1986. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Transvaal Society and Director of the ministerial training program in South Africa. Address: P.O. Box 816, Kelvin 2054, Rep. S. Africa.

Echols, John Clark, Jr. Ordained August 26, 1978; 2nd degree, March 30, 1980. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Central Western District, resident in Denver, Colorado. Address: Church of the New Jerusalem, Box 1065, Westminster, CO 80030.

Elphick, Frederick Charles. Ordained June 6, 1984, 2nd degree, September 23, 1984. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Michael Church, London, England and Pastor of the Surrey Circle. Address: 21B Hayne Road, Beckenham, Kent, BR3 4JA, England.

Gladish, Michael David. Ordained June 10, 1973; 2nd degree, June 30, 1974. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Olivet Church, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Address: 2 Lorraine Gardens, Etobicoke, Ontario, M9B 4Z4, Canada.

Gladish, Nathan Donald. Ordained June 13, 1982; 2nd degree, November 6, 1983. Continued to serve as Pastor of the San Diego Society and Acting Pastor of the San Francisco Bay Area Circle, resident in San Diego. Address: 7911 Canary Way, San Diego, CA 92123.

Goodenough, Daniel Webster. Ordained June 19, 1965; 2nd degree, December 10, 1967. Continued to serve as Associate Professor of religion and history in the Academy of the New Church College and Theological School. As of July 1, 1990, Dean of the Academy Theological School. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

Heilman, Andrew James. Ordained June 18, 1978; 2nd degree, March 8, 1981. Continued to serve on the faculty of the Academy of the New Church. Assistant to Pastor of the Hathoro-Horsham Circle. As of July 1, 1990, Assistant to the Pastor of the Kempton Society. Address: R.D. 2, Box 172, Kempton, PA 19529.

Heinrichs, Daniel Winthrop. Ordained June 19, 1957; 2nd degree, April 6, 1958. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Miami Circle and Visiting Pastor in the Florida District. Served as Chairman of the Traveling Ministers' Committee. Address: 10687 El Claire Ranch Road, Boynton Beach, FL 33437.

Heinrichs, Willard Lewis Davenport. Ordained June 19, 1965; 2nd degree, January 26, 1969. Continued to serve as instructor in theology and religion in the Academy of the New Church College and Theological School. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

501




Howard, Geoffrey Horace. Ordained June 19, 1961; 2nd degree, June 2, 1963. Continued to serve as Assistant to the Pastor of the Bryn Athyn Society and visiting minister to the Connecticut Circle. As of July 1, 1990, Pastor of the Boston, Massachusetts, Circle. Address: 138 Maynard Road, Sudbury, MA 01776.

Junge, Kent. Ordained June 10, 1979; 2nd degree, June 24, 1981. Resigned March 23, 1989. Address: 14812 N. E. 75th Street, Redmond, WA 98052.

Junge, Robert Schill. Ordained June 19, 1955; 2nd degree, August 11, 1957. Continued to serve as Dean of the Academy Theological School until June 30, 1990. Pastor of the Hathoro-Horsham Circle. Bishop's Representative in certain developmental areas outside the U.S. Address: 851 West Bristol Road, Ivyland, PA 18974.

Keith, Brian Walter. Ordained June 6, 1976; 2nd degree, June 4, 1978. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Immanuel Church in Glenview, President of the Midwestem Academy, and Bishop's Representative for the midwest United States. Address: 73 Park Drive, Glenview, EL 60025.

King, Cedric. Ordained June 10, 1979; 2nd degree, November 27, 1980. Continued to serve as Visiting Pastor to the Phoenix Circle and Resident Pastor of Orange County. As of July 1, 1990, visiting minister to the Seattle Circle, resident in California. Address: 21332 Forest Meadow, El Toro, CA 92630.

Kline, Thomas Leroy. Ordained June 10, 1973; 2nd degree, June 15, 1975. Continued to serve as Assistant Pastor of the Bryn Athyn Church. Address: P.O. Box 277, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

Larsen, Ottar Trosvik. Ordained June 19, 1974; 2nd degree, February 16, 1977. Unassigned. Resigned July 31, 1987. Address: 1505 Grove Avenue, Jenkintown, PA 19046.

Mbatha, Bhekuyise Alfred. Ordained June 27, 1971; 2nd degree, June 23, 1974. Recognized as a General Church minister November 26, 1989. District pastor in Natal, Visiting Pastor to the Kwa Mashu Group and resident pastor of the Dondotha Group. Address: P.O. Box 27011, Kwa Mashu, Natal 4360, R.S.A.

McCurdy, George Daniel. Ordained June 25, 1967; Recognized as a priest of the New Church in the second degree July 5, 1979; received into the priesthood of the General Church June 9, 1980. Continued to serve as instructor of religion in the Academy of the New Church secondary schools, chaplain for the secondary schools, and head of the religion department. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

McMaster, Robert David. Ordained June 18, 1978; 2nd degree, February 15, 1981. Unassigned.

Nernitz, Kurt Paul. Ordained June 16, 1963; 2nd degree, March 27, 1966. Unassigned. Address: 887 Middle Street, Bath, ME 04530.

Nicholson, Allison La Marr. Ordained September 9, 1979; 2nd degree, February 15, 1981. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Bath, Maine, Society. Address: HC33-Box 61N, Arrowsic, ME 04530.

502




Nkabinde, Peter Piet. Ordained June 23, 1974; 2nd degree, November 13, 1977. Recognized as a General Church minister November 2, 1989. Continued to serve as district pastor of Transvaal, Resident Pastor of the Diepkloof Society, Visiting Pastor of Quthing Society and the Tembisia Group. Address: 2375 Diepkloof, Zone 2, Soweto, Johannesburg 2100, R.S.A.

Nobre, Cristovao Rabelo. Ordained June 6, 1984; 2nd degree, August 25, 1985. Continued to serve as Resident Pastor of the Rio de Janeiro Society in Brazil. Address: Rua Lino Teixeira, 109 Apto 101, Rocha, Rio de Janeiro, 20970, Brazil.

Odhner, Grant Hugo. Ordained June 7, 1981; 2nd degree, May 9, 1982. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Boston Circle and Traveling Pastor to Cape Cod and New Hampshire. As of July 1, 1990, Pastor of the Oak Arbor, Michigan, Society. Address: 395 Olivewood Court, Rochester, MI 48306.

Odhner, John Llewellyn. Ordained June 6, 1980; 2nd degree, November 22, 1981. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Los Angeles Society. Address: 5022 Carolyn Way, La Crescenta, CA 91214.

Orthwein, Walter Edward, III. Ordained July 22, 1973; 2nd degree, June 12, 1977. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Oak Arbor Society and Principal of the Oak Arbor Society Day School. As of July 1, 1990, instructor in the Academy of the New Church College and Theological School. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

Pendleton, Dandridge. Ordained June 19, 1952; 2nd degree, June 19, 1954. Continued to serve as instructor of theology and religion in the Academy of the New Church College and Theological School. Retired as of August 31, 1990. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

Pryke, Martin. Ordained June 19, 1940; 2nd degree, March 1, 1942. Retired. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn PA 19009.

Reuter, Norman Harold. Ordained June 17, 1928; 2nd degree, October 13, 1930. Retired. Address: 566 Anne Street, Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006.

Rich, Morley Dyckman. Ordained June 19, 1938; 2nd degree, October 13, 1940. Retired. Address: c/o Mrs. Leslie Alden, P.O. Box 461, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

Riley, Norman Edward. Recognized as a priest of the General Church January, 1978. Continued to serve as Resident Pastor of the Manchester Circle and Visiting Assistant to the Pastor of London and Surrey. Address: 69 Harewood Road, Norden, Rochdale, OLI1 5TH, England.

Rogers, Donald Kenneth. Ordained June 6, 1984; 2nd degree, May 25, 1986. Unassigned. Resigned June 30, 1989. Address: 3601 Nessa Court SW, Smyrna, GA 30080.

Rogers, Norbert Henry. Ordained June 19, 1938; 2nd degree, October 13, 1940. Retired. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

503




Rogers, Prescott Andrew. Ordained January 26, 1986; 2nd degree, April 24, 1988. Continued to serve as a teacher in the Academy of the New Church College and visiting minister to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

Rose, Donald Leslie. Ordained June 16, 1957; 2nd degree, June 23, 1963. Continued to serve as Assistant to the Pastor of the Bryn Athyn Society and Editor of New Church Life. Address: P.O. Box 277, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

Rose, Frank Shirley. Ordained June 19, 1952; 2nd degree, August 2, 1953. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Tucson Society and Bishop's Representative in the West. Address: 9233 E. Helen Street, Tucson, AZ 85715.

Rose, Patrick Alan. Ordained June 19, 1975; 2nd degree, September 25, 1977. Continued to serve as visiting minister of the North Ohio Circle and Resident Minister in Cincinnati, Ohio. Address: 785 Ashcroft Ct., Cincinnati, OH 45240.

Rose, Thomas Hartley. Ordained June 12, 1988; 2nd degree, May 21, 1989. Continued to serve as Assistant Pastor of the Washington Society and Principal of the Washington New Church School. As of July 1, 1990, Visiting Pastor to the Baltimore, Maryland, Society. Address: 3809 Enterprise Road, Mitchellville, MD 20721.

Sandstrom, Erik. Ordained June 10, 1934; 2nd degree, August 4, 1935. Retired. Address: 3566 Post Road, Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006.

Sandstrom, Erik Emanuel. Ordained May 23, 1971; 2nd degree, May 21, 1972. Continued to serve as Visiting Pastor to the New York-New Jersey Circle and Visiting Pastor to Stockholm Society, Sweden. As of July 1, 1990, instructor in the Academy College and Theological School. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

Schnarr, Arthur Willard, Jr. Ordained June 7, 1981; 2nd degree, June 19, 1983. Continued to serve as Assistant to the Pastor of the Olivet Church, Toronto, Evangelization Minister of the Olivet Church and the General Church in Canada, and Visiting Pastor to Montreal and Ottawa. Address: 66 Cronin Drive, Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada M9B 4V4.

Schnarr, Frederick Laurier. Ordained June 19, 1955; 2nd degree, May 12, 1957. Continued to serve as Bishop's Representative for Education, Director of General Church Religion Lessons, Director of Adult Education, Permanent Chairman of the Education Council and Chairman of the Headmasters' Committee. Editor of New Church Home. Address: Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

Schnarr, Grant Ronald. Ordained June 12, 1983; 2nd degree, October 7, 1984. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Chicago Circle and visiting minister to the Midwest District. Address: 73A Park Drive, Glenview, IL 60025.

Silverman, Raymond Joel. Ordained, June 6, 1984; 2nd degree, June 19, 1985. Continued as Pastor of the Atlanta Society. Address: 2119 Seaman Circle, Chamblee, GA 30341.

Simons, David Restyn. Ordained June 19, 1948; 2nd degree, June 19, 1950. Retired. Address: 1630 South Atlantic Avenue, Apt. 6, Cocoa Beach, FL 32931.

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Simons, Jeremy Frederick. Ordained June 13, 1982; 2nd degree, July 31, 1983. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Kempton Society and Principal of the Kempton Society School. Address: R.D. 2, Box 217A, Kempton, PA 19529.

Smith, Christopher Ronald Jack. Ordained June 19, 1969; 2nd degree, May 9, 1971. Continued to serve as instructor of religion in the Academy of the New Church Secondary Schools. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

Smith, Lawson Merrell. Ordained June 10, 1979; 2nd degree, February 1, 1981. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Washington Society, and Assistant Principal of the Washington New Church School. Address: 3805 Enterprise Road, Mitchellville, MD 20721.

Soneson, Lorentz Ray. Ordained June 16, 1963; 2nd degree, May 16, 1965. Retired. Continued to serve as Chairman of General Church Publication Committee, Secretary of Consistory, Chairman of the Liturgy Revision Committee. Address: Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

Stroh, Kenneth Oliver. Ordained June 19, 1948; 2nd degree, June 19, 1950. Retired. Address: P.O. Box 629, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

Synnestvedt, Louis Daniel. Ordained June 6, 1980; 2nd degree, November 8, 198 1. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Carmel Church Society, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. Address: 58 Chapel Hill Drive, RR #2, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2G 3W5.

Taylor, Douglas McLeod. Ordained June 19, 1960; 2nd degree, June 19, 1962. Continued to serve as Pastor of the Hurstville Society, Australia, and Visiting Pastor to Tamworth Circle of the General Church, Australia, and Auckland, New Zealand. Address: 22 Dudley Street, Penshurst NSW, Australia 2222.

Weiss, Jan Hugo. Ordained June 19, 1955; 2nd degree, May 12, 1957. Unassigned; has done volunteer missionary work producing printed material and video tapes. Address: 2650 Del Vista Drive, Hacienda Heights, CA 91745.

Zungu, Aaron. Ordained August 21, 1938; 2nd degree, October 3, 1948. Recognized as a General Church minister November 25, 1989. Mission translator. Address: c/o Kent Manor Farm, P-B Ntumeni, KwaZulu 3830, R.S.A.

     MINISTERS

Ankra-Badu, William Ofei. Ordained June 15, 1986. Continued to serve as minister of the New Church, resident in Ghana, West Africa. Address: P.O. Box 11305, Accra, West Africa, Ghana.

Barry, Eugene. Ordained June 15, 1986. Resigned from ministry June 30, 1988. Address: 23642 Verona, Laguna Hills, CA 92653.

Buss, Erik James. Ordained June 10, 1990. Assistant to the Pastor of Immanuel Church, and Visiting Minister to St. Paul/Minneapolis, Minnesota. Address: 156 Park Drive, Glenview, IL 60025.

de Figueiredo, Jose Lopes. Ordained October 24, 1965. Retired. Continued to give assistance to the Pastor and Vice President of the Rio de Janeiro Society in Brazil.

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He has been engaged in translating. Address: Rua des Isidro 155, Apt. 202 Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro 20521 RJ, Brazil.

Fitzpatrick, Daniel. Ordained June 6, 1984. Resigned June 30, 1988. Unassigned. Address: 5845 Aurora Court, Lake Worth, FL 33643.

Kwak, Dzin Pyung. Ordained June 12, 1988. Served as Minister of the General Church in Korea (on special assignment). Address: #102 1019-7 Daechidong, Kangnam-Ku, Seoul Korea 135-281.

Lindrooth, David Hutchinson. Ordained June 10, 1990. Acting Pastor of the Stockholm, Sweden, Society. Address: Aladdinsvagen 27, S-161 38 Bromma, Sweden.

Mcanyana, Chester. Ordained November 12, 1989. Acting Pastor of the Alexandra Township Society. Address: 5221 Orlando East, Morta Street, Soweto 2100, R.S.A.

Rogers, N. Bruce. Ordained January 12, 1969. Continued to serve as Translator, Associate Professor of Religion and Latin in the ANC College; Chair-man of the General Church Word Committee and Secretary of the ANC Publication Committee. Head of the Committee for the Revision of the King James Version of the Word. Secretary of the ANC Publication Committee. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

Rose, Jonathan Searle. Ordained May 31, 1987. Served as visiting minister to the Newtown, Pennsylvania Group, and full-time Latin graduate student. Address: P.O. Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

Schorran, Paul Edward. Ordained June 12, 1983. Unassigned. Address: RD 2, Box 14, Kempton, PA 19529.

     AUTHORIZED CANDIDATES

Gyamfi, Martin. Address: Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

Maseko, Jacob. Address: 8482 Zone 5, Pimville, Soweto 1808, Rep. of South Africa.

Pendleton, Mark Dandridge. Address: Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

Perry, Charles Mark. Address: Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

Roth, David Christopher. Address: Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

Tshabalala, Reuben. Address: 1428 Zondi, P.O. Mozodo, Johannesburg, Rep. of South Africa.

     ASSOCIATE MINISTERS

Nicolier, Alain. Ordained May 31, 1979; 2nd degree, September 16, 1984. Pastor to the New Church in France.

     EVANGELIST

Eubanks, W. Harold. Address: Rt. 3, Box 136, Americus, GA 31709.

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SOCIETIES, CIRCLES AND GROUPS

     Society                    Pastor
Atlanta, Georgia          Rev. Raymond Silverman
Baltimore, Maryland          Rev. Thomas H. Rose
Bath, Maine               Rev. Allison L. Nicholson
Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania     Rev. Kurt H. Asplundh
                    Rev. Thomas L Kline, Assistant Pastor
                    Rev. Wendel R. Barnett, Assistant to Pastor
                    Rev. Donald L. Rose, Assistant to Pastor
Cincinnati, Ohio          Rev. Patrick A. Rose
Colchester, England          Rev. Christopher D. Bown
Detroit, Michigan          Rev. Grant H. Odhner
     (Oak Arbor Church)     Rev. Stephen D. Cole, Assistant to Pastor
Durban, Natal, R.S.A.          Rev. James P. Cooper
Freeport, Pennsylvania           Rev. Ragnar Boyesen
Glenview, Illinois          Rev. Brian W. Keith
                    Rev. Erik J. Buss, Assistant to Pastor
                    Rev. Robin S. Childs, Assistant to Pastor
Hurstville, NSW, Australia     Rev. Douglas M. Taylor
Kempton, Pennsylvania          Rev. Jeremy F. Simons
                    Rev. Ame Bau-Madsen, Associate Pastor
                    Rev. Andrew J. Heilman, Assistant to Pastor
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada     Rev. Louis D. Synnestvedt
     (Carmel Church)     Rev. Kenneth J. Alden, Assistant to Pastor
London, England
     (Michael Church)     Rev. Frederick C. Elphick
Los Angeles, California          Rev. John L. Odhner
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania     Rev. Eric H. Carswell
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil          Rev. Christovao R. Nobre
                    Rev. Jose L de Figueiredo, retired
San Diego, California          Rev. Nathan D. Gladish
Stockholm, Sweden          Rev. David H. Lindrooth
Toronto, Ontario, Canada     Rev. Michael D. Gladish
     (Olivet Church)          Rev. Michael K. Cowley, Assistant to Pastor
                    Rev. Arthur W. Schnarr, Assistant to Pastor
Transvaal, Rep. S. Africa     Rev. Andrew M. T. Dibb
Tucson, Arizona          Rev. Frank S. Rose
Washington, D. C.          Rev. Lawson M. Smith
                    Rev. Thomas H. Rose, Assistant Pastor

     Circle                    Visiting Pastor or Minister
Albuquerque, New Mexico     Rev. Frederick M. Chapin
Americus, Georgia          Rev. Raymond Silverman
                    Mr. W. Harold Eubanks, Evangelist
Auckland, New Zealand     Rev. Douglas M. Taylor
Boston, Massachusetts          Rev. Geoffrey H. Howard
Boynton Beach, Florida          Rev. Daniel W. Heinrichs Rev.
Central Michigan          Rev. Stephen D. Cole
Charlotte, North Carolina     Rev. William H. Burke

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Chicago, Illinois               Rev. Grant R. Schnarr
Connecticut
Copenhagen, Denmark          Rev. Bjorn A. H. Boyesen, Visiting Pastor
Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas     Rev. J. Clark Echols, Jr.
Dawson Creek, B. C., Canada     Rev. Glenn G. Alden
Denver, Colorado          Rev. J. Clark Echols, Jr.
Erie, Pennsylvania          Rev. Stephen D. Cole
The Hague, Holland          Rev. Christopher D. Bown
Hatboro-Horsham, Pennsylvania
                    Rev. Robert S. Junge
Jonkoping, Sweden          Rev. Bjorn A. H. Boyesen
Lake Helen, Florida          Rev. Daniel W. Heinrichs
Letchworth, England          Rev. Christopher D. Bown
Manchester, England          Rev. Norman E. Riley
Montreal, Quebec, Canada      Rev. Arthur W. Schnarr
North New Jersey/New York
North Ohio               Rev. Patrick A. Rose
Oslo, Norway               Rev. Bjorn A. H. Boyesen
Phoenix, Arizona     Rev. Frederick M. Chapin
Sacramento, California
St. Paul/Minneapolis, Minnesota
                    Rev. Erik J. Buss
San Francisco, California     Rev. Nathan D. Gladish
Seattle, Washington           Rev. Cedric King
South Ohio               Rev. Patrick A. Rose
Surrey, England               Rev. Frederick C. Elphick
Tamworth, Australia          Rev. Douglas M. Taylor
Wallenpaupack, Pennsylvania     Rev. Ame Bau-Madsen

     Group                    Visiting Pastor or Minister
Ashland, Oregon
Batesville, Arkansas          Rev. J. Clark Echols, Jr.
Birmingham, Alabama          Rev. William H. Burke
Blacksburg, Virginia
Brisbane, Australia          Rev. Douglas M. Taylor
Calgary, Alberta, Canada     Rev. Glenn G. Alden
Canberra, Australia          Rev. Douglas M. Taylor
Cape Cod, Massachusetts     Rev. Geoffrey H. Howard
Carletonville, Africa          Rev. Andrew M. T. Dibb
Central California
Charlotte, North Carolina     Rev. William H. Burke
Crooked Creek, Alberta, Canada
                    Rev. Glenn G. Alden
Days Creek, Oregon
Decatur-Wilmington, Illinois     Rev. Brian W. Keith
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada     Rev. Glenn G. Alden
Erwinna, Pennsylvania          Rev. Ame Bau-Madsen
Kansas City, Kansas           Rev. J. Clark Echols, Jr.
Kent Manor, Africa          Rev. Andrew M. T. Dibb
Lancaster, Pennsylvania          Rev. Prescott A. Rogers
Langhorne/Newtown, Pennsylvania
                    Rev. Jonathan S. Rose
New Hampshire          Rev. Geoffrey H. Howard

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Norfolk, Virginia
Oral/Hot Springs, S. Dakota     Rev. J. Clark Echols, Jr.
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada     Rev. Arthur W. Schnarr, Jr.
Oyen, Alberta, Canada          Rev. Glenn G. Alden
Penn State, Pennsylvania
Peterstown, West Virginia
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada     Rev. Glenn G. Alden
Richmond, Virginia
Staunton, Virginia
Vancouver, B. C., Canada
Wilmington, Delaware

     New Assignments for Ministers 1990-1991

Rev. Frederick M. Chapin has been called to serve as Pastor of the Phoenix Circle effective July 1, 1990.

Rev. Robert S. Junge has been called to serve as the Resident Pastor for the Hatboro-Horsham Circle effective February 25, 1990. As of January 26, 1990 Mr. Junge has been appointed as a Bishop's Representative in certain General Church developmental areas outside the United States.

Rev. Grant H. Odhner has been called to serve as Pastor of the Oak Arbor, Michigan, Society effective July 1, 1990.

Rev. John L. Odhner has been called to serve as Resident Pastor of the Los Angeles Society effective February 4, 1990.

Rev. Walter E. Orthwein will be teaching in the Academy College and Theological School effective July 1, 1990.

Rev. Christopher D. Bown has been appointed as Bishop's Representative for Great Britain, Holland and France.

Rev. Andrew J. Heilman has been appointed Assistant to the Pastor of the Kempton Society effective July 1, 1990.

Rev. Erik J. Buss has been appointed Assistant to the Pastor of the Glenview Society effective July 1, 1990.

Rev. Mark R. Carlson will be the housemaster of Stuart Hall in Bryn Athyn, and will be teaching sophomore religion in the Academy Secondary Schools effective July 1, 1990.

Rev. Daniel Goodenough has been selected as the next Dean of the Theological School of the Academy of the New Church effective July 1, 1990.

Rev. Geoffrey H. Howard has been called to serve as Pastor of the Boston Circle effective July 1, 1990.

Rev. David H. Lindrooth has been appointed Acting Pastor of the Stockholm Society effective July 1, 1990.

Rev. Thomas H. Rose, Assistant Pastor of the Washington Society and Principal of the Washington New Church School, will be the Visiting Pastor to the Baltimore Society effective July 1, 1990.

Rev. Erik E. Sandstrom will be teaching full-time in the Academy of the New Church College and Theological School effective July 1, 1990.

509


1990 LAUREL FAMILY CAMPS 1990

1990 LAUREL FAMILY CAMPS       JOHN ROSE       1990

     It was probably the largest New Church camp in history. The brochure for Laurel Leaf Academy 1990 said, "Twenty Years of Growing." As if in answer, record enrollments poured in, reaching 400 persons. After the usual last-minute cancellations the final figures were:

                Week #1     Week #2     Total
Men               37                29                66
Women               42                42                84
Total adults          79                71           150
Under 21          118          118          236
Total attendance     197          189          386
Average overnight     179           176          177.5

     State parks require that overnight attendance be reported for every day of every camp, which is approximately the same as full-time equivalent persons. These are the figures used in the following history of family camps. It also should be noted that 64 persons attended part or all of both weeks, so that the number of different persons who attended Laurel '90 was 322.
     In 1984 attendance at the one-week family camp reached 142, close to the camp limit of 148 persons. At the same time, attendance at the one-week adult camp which followed had dropped to 35 persons. Following this camp a decision was made to have two family camps at Laurel Hill State Park back to back. Here are enrollments since that time (equivalent full-time):

          Week #1     Week #2     Total
1984          142          -          142
1985          135          90          225
1986          106          137          243
1987          86          146          232
1988          108          127          235
1989          134          101          235
1990          179          176          355

510




     Why did enrollments jump 50% over the two previous years? Well, a number of families started coming every other year or every third year, and we knew they might all arrive at once some year. Also, new families come every year and in turn bring other new families. Then, too, the Berlin Wall came down and changes swept across Europe. Perhaps renewed interest in the family emerged in 1990. Finally, the camp improved each year as the staff fine-tuned the schedule to better meet the needs of New Church families.
     The schedule for the six-day camp is complex, and an attempt will be made to describe it here. Although Laurel is about growth and change, the staff resists change to the schedule because so many years were spent getting it to work really well.
     Sunday morning there is Group Leader training from 9:30 until noon. This training has preceded every camp since 1983 when fifteen persons attended a six-hour session in Pittsburgh on how to run a group.
     The camp is formally opened at 3:00 p.m. Sunday by the pastor, who introduces other staff members. It is made clear that all adults are on staff and volunteers are requested for unfilled jobs. At 4:00 new families have a special orientation to the schedule for the week. At 5:00 adults meeting in the dining hall and grade-level staffing and daily projects are worked out for the Laurel Mountain Elementary School, with each adult teaching one morning. In the meantime those under 21 meet in the rec hall to plan details for more than 100 children and young people under the care of the two lay directors.
     After supper comes family introductions, with each family or extended family introducing itself and telling a joke. With almost 200 people in camp, this takes a while. This is followed by short introductory group meetings and a vespers worship service.
     The five-day schedule then begins. After an optional spiritual awakening at 7:00 in the rec hall, breakfast to order is served in the kitchen for an hour and a half. The big favorite is buckwheat pancakes. The bell at 8:45 signals that it is time for everybody to work on camp chores.

511


Bathrooms and the dining room are cleaned, the rec hall is made ready, children work on cleaning up the grounds and gathering firewood, and two groups work in the kitchen preparing the famous Laurel salad bar.
     At 9:15 singing begins in the rec hall as people arrive for morning worship. After worship one class at a time leaves with its teacher for the day, and sitters take out the toddlers and babies. Adult lectures are given in the rec hall while the Laurel Mountain Elementary School meets in the dining hall. Then in the short time before lunch there is a recap of the lectures for the adults who were teaching in the school, and young stamp collectors have a stamp session (40 children participated this year).
     The adult lecture program this year was on the theme "Becoming Spiritually Reborn." The Monday through Friday program developed topics such as, "How can we see ourselves as we really are?"; "How can we make amends to those we have harmed?"; and "Does our relationship with God allow Him to help us?" Each morning a minister and a lay lecturer shared an hour and a half time period to present ideas and raise issues relating to the day's topic. While being quite thoughtful and far-reaching in their implications, the presentations are often informal in tone, laced with humor and/or moving in how they give witness to the speaker's commitment to understanding and following the Lord. The presentations and discussions which they foster also give testimony to the deep commitment and faith of those in attendance. Truly there are many who are working to make their religion a matter of life.
     Lunch is served buffet style. Afterwards families are free to do their own thing, whatever it is. This is an important part of the schedule worked out after years of experimenting.
     Well, not entirely free. The afternoon groups meet from 4:00 to 5:30. Generally one spouse attends the afternoon group meeting while the other cares for the children.
     Supper is at 6:00 p.m. Despite the large crowd, all meals were right on time this year.

512


The blessing is sung or said in different ways at each meal, and birthdays are appropriately noted.
     The evening program begins at 7:00. This too has been worked out over the years to a fixed schedule: Monday-square dance, Tuesday-fun night, Wednesday-talent show, Thursday-another fun night, and Friday-acknowledgments. At 7:45 the entire camp joins in a large circle under the trees to say goodnight to the little ones; then it's off to bed, to children's groups, or to the adult evening groups.
     Vespers at 10:15 include prelude music, beautiful singing, and worship followed by more singing. With sixty or more adults in attendance the singing is especially moving. Teen vespers follow at 11:15, and at 12:30 all lights should be out (curfew time).
     The talent show produces some rare talent, and always runs late, which puts the whole schedule back half an hour. The Thursday night Holy Supper vespers takes place in a beautiful setting of stone altar, fresh-picked flowers, and candles.
     That's the schedule, the same for five fast days. Although apparently complex, it is actually very simple. But what really happens in those days can be told only by the participants. For twenty years critiques have been requested from those attending camps, asking how it went for them and for suggestions for changes. Some of the comments follow.
     But first there's one more thing on the schedule: breaking camp. Everyone works on Saturday morning, including the work crew that comes back up from Pittsburgh. Mixed in with fond goodbyes and a staff debriefing meeting, the camp gradually changes from the site of loving human activities to become once again just a quiet, natural woodland setting.

     What Did You Think of Laurel 1990?
     Some Written Responses

     The lectures were excellent. The worships were wonderful. It went so smoothly, considering the number of people in camp-it seemed like the miracle of the loaves and fishes. No matter how many people, there was enough room for everyone.

     (Continued on p. 526)

513


LOCAL SCHOOLS DIRECTORY 1990-91 1990

LOCAL SCHOOLS DIRECTORY 1990-91       Editor       1990

Office of Education, Cairncrest, Bryn Athyn General Church Schools Support System
     Rev. Frederick L. Schnarr     Director
     Mrs. Neil M. Buss           Educational Consultant and Reference Center Director
     Mr. Donald C. Fitzpatrick     College Advisor and Publication Chairman

Bryn Athyn: Rev. Wendel R. Barnett               Principal, Religion
     Mr. Karl E. Parker                     Vice Principal
     Mrs. Peter Gyllenhaal                    Supervisor of Remedial and Support Uses
     Mrs. Derek Elphick                     Kindergarten
     Mrs. Stephen Lindrooth                    Kindergarten
     Mrs. Bruce Rogers                    Kindergarten
     Miss Gael Boatman                    Grade 1
     Mrs. Charles Lindrooth                     Grade 1
     Mrs. Dean Morey                    Grade 1
     Mrs. Jaikoo Lee                          Assistant Grade I Assistant Grade 1
     Mrs. Christopher Smith                     Assistant Grade 1
     Mrs. Hugh Gyllenhaal                    Grade 2
     Mrs. George McCurdy                    Grade 2
     Mrs. Walter Orthwein                    Assistant Grade 2
     Mrs. Claire Bostock                    Grade 3
     Mrs. Sigfried Soneson                     Grade 3
     Mrs. Robert Zecher                    Assistant Grade 3
     Mrs. Andrew Glover                    Primary Assistant
     Mrs. Willard Heinrichs                    Grade 4
     Miss Rosemary Wyncoll                    Grade 4
     Mrs. Prescott Rogers                    Grade 5
     Miss Rebekah Brock                    Grade 5
     Mrs. John Boatman                    Grade 6
     Mr. Wade Heinrichs                     Grade 6
     Mrs. Walter Childs                    Intermediate Grades Assistant
     Mrs. David Doering                    Grade 7-Girls
     Mr. Steven Irwin                    Grade 7-Boys
     Mrs. Christopher Simons               Grade 8-Girls
     Mr. Robert Beiswenger                    Grade 8-Boys
     Mr. Robert Eidse                    Physical Education
     Mrs. Harry Risley                     Physical Education
     Mr. Christopher Simons                    Music
     Mrs. Steven Irwin                     Music-Primary
     Mrs. Richard Synnestvedt               Art
     Mr. Reed Asplundh                    Computer/Science
     Mrs. Robert Alden                    Co-librarian
     Mrs. Bradley Smith                    Co-librarian
     Rev. Kurt H. Asplundh                     Religion
     Rev. Thomas L Kline                     Religion
     Rev. Donald L. Rose                    Religion
     Mr. Les Sheppard                     Religion
     Mrs. Amin Zacharia                    Tutor

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     Mrs. Gordon Rogers                     Tutor
     Miss Rachel Genzlinger                     Tutor

Detroit:      Rev. Grant H. Odhner               Principal, Religion
     Rev. Stephen D. Cole                    Assistant, Hebrew, Greek, Religion
     Miss Nadine Zecher                    Grades 1, 2
     Miss Sheila Parker                    Grades 3-6
     
Durban     Rev. James Cooper                    Headmaster, Religion, Computer Science
     Mrs. Luigino Berto                     Grades 1-3
     Mrs. Michael Edmunds                    Grades 4-7
     Mrs. Elizabeth Andrew                    Math, Science, Art
     Mrs. Caroline Lester                    Junior Primary Religion, Art
     
Glenview: Rev. Brian Keith                    Headmaster
     Rev. Erik Buss                         Religion, Greek
     Rev. Robin Childs                    Religion, Physical Education
     Mr. R. Gordon McClarren               Principal, Math, Science
     Miss Yvonne Alan                    Keyboarding, Grade 8 Art
     Miss Laura Barger                    Kindergarten, 1 and 2 Art
     Mrs. John Donnelly                    Music, Physical Education
     Mrs. Kent Fuller                    Homeroom teacher Grades 7, 8
     Mrs. William C. Hugo                    Librarian
     Mrs. Benjamin McQueen               Homeroom teacher Grade 3
     Miss Alison Pryke                    Homeroom teacher, Grade 4
     Miss Marie Odhner                    Homeroom teacher Grades 1 and 2, Grade 3 Hebrew
     Mrs. Russell Rose                    Grade 3 Art
     Mrs. Grant Schnarr                    Grade 4 Art
     Mrs. Joel Smith                         Grade 5 Art
     Mrs. Daniel Wright                    Homeroom Grades 5 and 6, Grammar 7, 8

Kempton: Rev. Jeremy Simons                    Principal, Religion
Rev. Ame Bau-Madsen                    Religion
Rev. Andrew Heilman                    Religion
     Mrs. Dale Glenn                    Kindergarten
     Miss Bryn Junge                     Grades 1, 2
     Miss Jana Hyatt                     Grades 3, 4
     Mr. Curtis McQueen                     Grades 5, 6
     Mrs. Stephen Conroy                     Grades 7, 8, 9, 10
     Mr. Eric Smith                          Grades 7, 8, 9, 10
     Mr. Mark Wyncoll                     Grades 7, 8, 9, 10
     Miss Kate Pitcairn                    Latin
     Mr. Yorvar Synnestvedt                    Resource Person

Kitchener: Rev. Kenneth Alden                    Principal, Religion, Grades 4-8
     Rev. Louis Synnestvedt                    Religion, Grades 4-8
     Mrs. Edward Friesen                    Kindergarten and Pre-kindergarten
Mrs. Ernest Watts                     Grades 1, 2
     Mrs. David Hill                     Grades 3, 4

515



     Mrs. Roger Kuhl                    Grades 5 and 6, Music 5-8, French 3
     Mrs. Harry Currie                     French 5-8
     Mr. James Bellinger                    Grades 7 and 8, Physical Education 5-8, Math 4

Pittsburgh: Rev. Eric Carswell                     Pastor, Principal, Religion
     Mrs. Larkin Smith                    Head Teacher, Grades 1-3
     Miss Judi Elphick                    Grades 4-6
     Mrs. Mark Gruber                    Kindergarten and Pre-kindergarten

Toronto: Rev. Michael D. Gladish               Pastor, Religion
     Rev. Michael K. Cowley                    Asst. Pastor, Religion
     Mrs. Gillian Parker                     Kindergarten
     Miss Julie Niall                         Grades 4, 5, 6
     Mr. Philip Schnarr                    Principal, Grades 1, 2
     Mrs. Philip Schnarr                    Music
     Mr. Stephen Krause                    Grades 7, 8
     Mrs. Arthur Schnarr                     Asst. Primary

Washington: Rev. Thomas H. Rose               Principal, Religion
     Rev. Lawson M. Smith                    Asst. Principal, Religion
     Miss Erin Junge                         Grades 1-2, Music
     Mrs. Bradley Johns                    Grades 3-4, Language, Art
     Mr. James T. Gese                     Grades 5-6, History, Literature, PE
     Mrs. Fred Waelchli                    Grades 7-9, Latin, Math, Science
     Mrs. Wynne Hyatt                    Kindergarten
     Mrs. Geroge Cooper                    Art
     Mrs. John Alden                     Primary PE

Midwestern Academy (MANC):
     Rev. Brian Keith                     President, Religion
     Rev. Robin Childs                    Principal, Religion, Physical Education
     Mr. R. Gordon McClarren                Algebra, Science
     Miss Yvonne Alan                    Word Processing, French, Eng., Hist., Broadcasting
     Mrs. John Donnelly                     Music, Physical Education
     Mrs. Kent Fuller                     History, Geometry
Mrs. William Hugo                     Librarian
     Mrs. Joel Smith and Mrs. Grant Schnarr          Art

     SCHOOL ENROLLMENTS 1990-1991

     The Academy

Theological School (Full-time)           12
College (Full-time)                127
Girls School                     79
Boys School                    101
     Total Academy                         319

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     Midwestern Academy

Grades 9 and 10                    6

     Local Schools

Bryn Athyn                    352
Detroit.                         22
Durban                         23
Glenview                    56
Kempton                    70
Kitchener                    48
Pittsburgh                    30
Toronto                         32
Washington                    36

     Total Local Schools                    669

     Total Reported Enrollment in All Schools      994
APPLICATIONS FOR ADMISSION TO THE ACADEMY GIRLS SCHOOL AND BOYS SCHOOL 1990

APPLICATIONS FOR ADMISSION TO THE ACADEMY GIRLS SCHOOL AND BOYS SCHOOL       Editor       1990

     Requests for application forms for admission of new students to the Academy Secondary Schools should be made by April 1, 1991. Letters should be addressed to Mrs. Gloria Wetzel, Ed.D., Principal of the Girls School, or Mr. T. Dudley Davis, Principal of the Boys School, The Academy of the New Church, Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009. Letters should include the student's name, parents' address, the class the student will be entering, the name and address of the school he or she is now attending, and whether the student will be a day or a dormitory student.
          Completed application forms should be forwarded to the Academy by June 30, 1991. A late fee of $20.00 will be charged after the June 30th deadline.

517


Editorial Pages 1990

Editorial Pages       Editor       1990

     WILL YOU GET WHAT YOU WANT? IF SO, WHEN? (5)

          Here is a final editorial on that saying about rarely obtaining the objects of one's desire while desiring them, and yet if it is good for us, obtaining them "afterwards, when not thinking of them" (SD 3538).
          The Writings speak of those who had "a constant desire and longing to come into heaven" (AC 4949). Would they get what they want, and if so, when? Well, in AC 2130 we read of those who wanted to get to heaven. "But they were answered that they could not be received as yet." Why was this? "Their not being admitted was because they were not yet prepared to be capable of being among the angelic societies."
          There is a wonderful statement about people who have left this world but have not yet gone to heaven or hell. We are told that whatever they want is granted! But there is an "if' clause attached to this. Whatever such a spirit wants is granted "if it will benefit him" (HH 400).
          What do they frequently want? Why to get into heaven, of course. It is said that this is particularly true when they hear how joyful heaven is. It has frequently happened that on hearing about heavenly joy "they wished to share in it. This therefore was brought about" (111-1400). But as soon as the joy was communicated to them they felt terrible pain.
          Some spirits complained that they had not been admitted into heaven. The reply was given "that heaven is denied to no one, and that if they desire it, they will be admitted." Again these spirits, not being fit for heaven, found it most unpleasant "and they said afterwards that to them heaven was hell, and that they would never have believed heaven to be of such a character" (AC 4226).
          In one dramatic incident a spirit told Swedenborg that "there was nothing he so much longed for as heaven; that he had often desired the enjoyment of heaven, but that they were unwilling to admit him." He begged Swedenborg to tell him how he could get in.

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"It was given me to say in reply that he could not come into heaven till he had laid aside the intense desire (cupiditas) of entering it; for such an engrossing desire, even if he was in the height of felicity, would hinder his perceiving it; and thus he could not enter heaven till he had gotten rid of that cupidity; and all the more because he did not know what heaven really was. Being interrogated, he said that it was a joy and felicity greater than could be expressed" (SD 2049).
          The passage adds that this man was typical of many who have an idea of heaven being just wonderful but are "utterly ignorant" of its real nature. And the following passage makes the general statement that as long as people have a passion or cupidity to get into heaven, they cannot get in, because that very passion would keep them from having a sense or perception of it "and therefore they would never be content" (SD 2050).
          These statements about wanting heaven help us to understand other "wants." Just take the example of someone here on earth who passionately wants to be happy. There are certainly ways of entering into happiness, such as getting involved in useful pursuits. As the attention is turned to being helpful and useful, the stage is set for happiness. This will not be achieved if the person's dominating passion is simply, "I want to be happy now!"
          Let us remember that the Lord's love is to grant happiness to all. As the Psalmist says: "Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass" (Psalm 37:5).
CORRECTION: 1990

CORRECTION:       Editor       1990

     The letter from Nadia Williams in the October issue reached us with a line missing. The sentence near the bottom of page 472 should read: "I hope the Life will publish the searching class given this year by Prescott Rogers on truth and apparent truth, which further examines this topic."

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TIMETABLES OF HISTORY 1990

TIMETABLES OF HISTORY       D. Bruce Powell       1990




     Communications
Dear Editor:
          "The Timetables of History" blurb in the Sept. issue (p. 427) brought to mind several similar references I had noted in Simon and Schuster's follow-on work, The Timetables of Science (1988). This latter book is also done in parallel columns but with the following headings: General, Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Medicine, Physics, and Technology. Beginning at the year 1735 another heading, Earth Science, is squeezed in.
          Swedenborg's birth goes unremarked in the 1688 panel. He is mentioned for the first time as a cofounder with three other men of a "private scientific society" in 1710. Then, in 1734, Swedenborg is credited with publishing a "three-volume survey on the nature of matter and the laws of motion." He is mentioned again in that same year for providing "an account of mining and smelting techniques." He is not mentioned in a special six-page overview on the industrial revolution spanning 1735-1819. In fact, he is not mentioned again at all until his death in 1772.
          Only three unremarkable references for such a long and prolific career certainly seems to suggest that Swedenborg is not held in very high esteem outside New Church circles. But then this was, after all, "The Timetables of Science." Perhaps if Simon and Schuster decides to do a "Timetables of Philosophy" Swedenborg might get a little more recognition?
     D. Bruce Powell
               Franklin, Virginia

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IMPROMPTU? 1990

IMPROMPTU?       Rev. Grant R. Schnarr       1990

Dear Editor:
          I appreciate Rev. Robin Childs' kind words about the Chicago New Church and the pastor's style of preaching. I was amused at the word "impromptu" to describe my style, and having spoken to Mr. Childs I have discovered that this word was inserted by the editor to take the place of the original word "extemporaneous." I do not wish to engage in any petty argument about the proper use of either word, but am eager to make the point clear. I have an extensive outline for each sermon, and have spent many hours practicing my delivery in the empty church all week before giving it Sunday. When Sunday morning rolls around, not much is left to chance or supposition.
          That doesn't mean they are always brilliant orations where the people chant, "O how wise!" In fact, from time to time a visitor will actually get up and walk out. That has a tendency to throw the most experienced speaker. Once, back in the No Exit Cafe, a street woman walked in and halfway through the sermon started shouting, "Father, Father, can I get a drink of water?"
          That type of thing doesn't happen any more since we moved to a new location. But you can see why I might think twice before cutting short preparation.
               Rev. Grant R. Schnarr
                    Glenview, Illinois


There is another letter on page 527.

521


Church News 1990

Church News       Doris McDonald       1990

     TORONTO, CANADA

          Two years have already passed since you heard from us here in Toronto. We continue to see many changes under our enthusiastic pastor, Rev. Michael Gladish, and his equally enthusiastic assistants, Arthur Schnarr and Michael Cowley.
          During the summer of 1989 we said our fond farewells to Larry Posey, who taught our intermediate grades. Larry was married in June of 1989 and decided to move to California with his new wife and family and enter into new uses. We were very happy to welcome Julie Niall from our sister society Caryndale to our staff at Olivet, teaching grades 4, 5 and 6. This past September we also saw several changes in our school staff. Alison Pryke, who was our primary teacher for two years, took a teaching position in the Glenview school. We wish her well in her new challenges. Gretchen Schnarr has very kindly stepped in to job-share with our principal, Phil Schnarr, in teaching our primary grades, and Steve Krause has joined the Olivet Day School staff to teach grades 7 and 8-all welcome additions! Including the kindergarten ably taught by Gillian Parker, we have 30 students in our school this year.
          In addition to our more traditional functions there appears to be a desire for a variety of small group and special interest classes (such as AC, DP, TCR and DLW). These classes are being offered this year. Also instituted this fall is a family worship service once a month at 9:45 Sunday morning followed by the traditional adult service at 11:00 a.m., with a program being provided in our hall downstairs for the children during that time. Another break away from tradition this past year was the June 19th service, which was held outdoors in nearby Centennial Park, including a procession with our New Church flags. Following the outdoor service, which seemed to be well received, members stayed on for a bring-your-own picnic supper, after which there were games and activities for all.
          These past two years we had the pleasure of having the John Jin family here from Korea. They were a welcome addition to our society, and so it was with great sadness that we had to say goodbye to them this past summer as John made a decision to enter the Theological School in Bryn Athyn. We feel Bryn Athyn is very fortunate to have them for a while, and we wish them well in their future endeavors.
          Although we are always a little bit saddened when someone leaves, we always look forward to seeing new faces. This year is no exception. It is nice to have Steven Dyck here from Alberta, Vera Goodenough from Bryn Athyn, Danny and Jennifer Allen and their three children from Atlanta, Georgia, Barry Lester from South Africa, and last but not least, Stephen Krause from Florida. Hope you all stay with us for a while!
          As our needs changed and grew, a Long-range Planning Committee, consisting of five members, was appointed approximately a year and a half ago.

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[Photograph of Olivet Day School faculty and students.]

523


It has been a very active committee, meeting regularly, trying to come up with a unified vision for our society. This vision was achieved partly from a very detailed survey. A special society meeting was called for May 30, 1990 when a motion was passed to form a Building Committee to investigate an addition to our existing building. This fall a committee of five was appointed and is now active. At our next writing we will let you know what transpired. As a direct result of the survey it appeared to be the desire of the society to have a book distribution/enquiry center located at our church building rather than our present retail operation. During the transition period we are moving to smaller quarters near the church the beginning of November, where we will concentrate on book distribution. Donna Ruch, who has been our capable manager for the past number of years, has decided to have a career change and move back to her family homestead in Muskoka, Ontario. Our thanks and best wishes go with her. Vera Goodenough's arrival seemed timely, as she has offered to take on the management of this center. Another indication of our need for an addition is a portable classroom on our property.
          Since we last reported, three of our younger people were called into the spiritual world. Little Laura Cook passed away at the age of five, six months following a heart transplant. Warren Jean-Marie died at the age of eighteen, a young man who spent his last few years as a normal teenager after spending a great deal of his life in and out of hospital with kidney problems. Barry Scott, in his mid-thirties, was tragically killed in an automobile accident. In addition, twelve of our senior members were called to the other world. Their physical presence is missed by us all.
          We have witnessed 23 infant and adult baptisms, which is always a joy. It is also moving to see a couple come before the Lord to be joined in marriage. We have shared in their joy on thirteen occasions. It was indeed a delight also to have a confirmation this past summer, the first in many years.

As I said before, we always welcome new faces. Toronto is a beautiful, clean city which offers something for everyone. Our cost of living may be high, but the benefits are many. Come see for yourselves! To everyone throughout the church we wish you a happy and useful year!
     Doris McDonald
Title Unspecified 1990

Title Unspecified       Editor       1990

     For information about the Assembly by the Lake write to 74 Park Drive, Glenview, Ill. 60025.

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WRITTEN LAUREL RESPONSES (Continued from p. 512) 1990

WRITTEN LAUREL RESPONSES (Continued from p. 512)       Editor       1990




     Announcements






     Focusing on the spiritual for a week in such a supportive sphere heightened our awareness of "love to the Lord" and "love to the neighbor."
          
          I think camp is going to increase next year also. I told my family about it and they really want to come now.

527



          
          Although I often have doubts about this or that aspect of Laurel, and doubts about whether I want to attend every year, I have no doubt that Laurel is good or even necessary to the health of the church as a whole, and for that reason I will do what I can to encourage the growth of the "Laurel movement." One thing that keeps me coming back each year is how much my children enjoy it, and how much they get out of it.
          
          Worship at Laurel is alive, vibrant and joyful, and we brought that sphere back home with us to our family worships. Never again will we be quite as solemn as we had been! . . . . We are unanimous in wanting Laurel to be a part of our family life for at least the next twenty years!
WILL YOU GET WHAT YOU WANT? 1990

WILL YOU GET WHAT YOU WANT?       Lawson M. Smith       1990

Dear Editor:
          I am enjoying your series of editorials "Will You Get What You Want?" I have learned a number of things about prayer from your commentary and selection of passages.
          One passage that interests me on this subject is AC 139. It is an explanation of the words, "And Jehovah God said, 'It is not good that the man should be alone"' (Gen. 2:18). The Arcana points out that in fact men were the ones who thought it was no good for them to be alone, that is, alone with the Lord. These words mark the beginning of mankind's decline from living with the Lord and being celestial. The last sentence says, "Indeed, when this is what a person desires, he is already under the influence of evil, and his wish is granted." It shows that we had better be careful what we allow ourselves to wish for deeply, because the Lord might have to pen-nit it to come true.
               Lawson M. Smith
                    Mitchellville, Maryland

528


Awaken from Death 1990

Awaken from Death       Editor       1990

A detailed description of the soul's journey into the spiritual realm upon bodily death

Part 1: Insights into Life after Death by Emanuel Swedenborg

Heaven and Hell excerpts translated by George F. Dole

Part II: Swedenborg's Epic Journey by James F. Lawrence

          Swedenborg offers a beautiful, sensible, and believable picture of life after death. First, life does continue after physical death - in fact, our existence never ends. Swedenborg shows that heaven and hell are not places so much as states of being. And we learn that God does not send anyone to either heaven or hell, but that we live in complete freedom to choose and create the life we want to have.

     J. Appleseed and Co.

     1990

Softcover 70 pages $4.00 plus 900 postage

General Church Book Center Box 278, Cairncrest Bryn Athyn, PA 19009

Hours: Mon-Fri 9-12 or by appointment Phone: (215) 947-3920

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NOTES ON THIS ISSUE 1990

NOTES ON THIS ISSUE       Editor       1990

     Vol. CX December, 1990 No. 12

New Church Life

530




     NOTES ON THIS ISSUE


     "No matter in what state we find ourselves, there is a truth that we need from the Lord." See the sermon on the opposite page.
     William Radcliffe, M.D., was in a car. At the wheel was the minister who would officiate at his baptism into the New Church. He stopped the car to see if Dr. Radcliffe had any questions. And then what happened? See p. 536. This delightful talk was ready for print months ago. We have such a bounty of printable material that we are continually postponing things to later issues. Oh, the joy of an editor whose bag overflows with printable things!
     The report of the secretary (p. 543) is handled differently this year. In the past we arranged the names of new members under geographic locations, the countries and the states of the USA. This year the secretary has arranged them under societies and circles, etc. This means that new members in the Tucson Society are listed under "T" rather than under "A" for Arizona.

     POSITION AVAILABLE

     The Bryn Athyn Church School (K-8) has a full-time position available for a New Church physical education instructor beginning August 1st, 1991. Please send letter of application, r?sum? and transcripts to Rev. Wendel Barnett, P.O. Box 277, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009.

     NEW PUBLICATION

     Truly Good is a monthly publication that has been launched by Rev. Clark Echols.
     Letters and subscription questions should be addressed to the editor at Box 1065, Westminster, CO 80030.

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OUR MANY MOODS OF CHRISTMAS 1990

OUR MANY MOODS OF CHRISTMAS       Rev. LOUIS D. SYNNESTVEDT       1990

"Then Mary said to the angel, 'How can this be, since I do not know a man?'" (Luke 1:34).

     Sometimes things may be going well for us and we feel a general sense of well-being or even excitement. We are getting along with our friends. Plans are beginning to work out. There are no major financial or other troubles. We feel content about ourselves and in control over our lives. Our evil tendencies or shortcomings are not troubling us as much as at other times. Christmas may come upon us when we are in a positive frame of mind, and we easily experience the special joy of the season.
     We may not be so happily disposed, however. Things may not be going that well for us. We may be experiencing an unwelcome bout of sickness. We may be at odds with those we usually consider our good friends. We encounter unforeseen difficulties as we try to achieve our goals. When we reflect upon ourselves, we may not especially like who we are, at least in our current state of mind. Christmas could not come at a worse time because all the talk of Christmas cheer makes an uncomfortable contrast with our generally depressed mood.
     We may find that one of these outlooks describes our present state. We may be feeling happy, or sad, or somewhere in between. Whatever the case may be, here we are; all of our preparations leading up to Christmas have come to an end, whether we have completed them to our satisfaction or not. It is now Christmas day. This year we may find ourselves very touched by the celebration of the Lord's birth. On the other hand, the wonderful feeling we like to associate with this season may have escaped us because of circumstances within or around us.
     Whatever our current mood or frame of mind, it should be safe to assume that we all want to make this annual celebration a meaningful one.
     One way of describing the meaning we are looking for is the hope we have that the Lord's love can be born into our hearts.


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As expressed in the carol, "In our hearts make speedy room, for the Christ, the Lord, is come!"
     Will He only come to us if we are happy? Or will He come to us even if our frame of mind is not what we consider very positive? I believe that the Lord will come to us if we make room for him despite the variety of moods we may bring with us into Christmas day.
     If we go back to the Scriptures, we will discover a wide range of emotions and states involved in the telling of the Christmas story. If we look at the story with open eyes, the Lord will show us states which, in certain ways, reflect our own state. When we see our feelings and outlook pictured there, we can have confidence that the Lord speaks to our present situation, that His birth can have special meaning for us.
     Perhaps life is rolling along in a generally predictable way. We are tending to our duties and find satisfaction in carrying out our obligations. If so, our state may be pictured in the lives of Zacharias, the faithful priest, and his wife Elizabeth. It is recorded that they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
     We may find ourselves discouraged. The thing we want so much for ourselves, for our family, or perhaps for the New Church, is beyond attainment. We try our best to bring it about, but we feel our efforts are going against the grain. Discouragement is an emotion that may be implied in the story on account of Zacharias and Elizabeth's having had no child and being now advanced in years. They had prayed for a child, and their prayers were heard. When they were told that they would have a son, another state is pictured-one of bewilderment and joy.
     We may, however, feel worse than discouraged. We may feel out-and-out depressed. Perhaps we easily get into fights with the people we love, and the underlying problems are not being resolved. We feel heavily burdened, perhaps by hidden fear or guilt. We are longing for not another emotional high that is fragile and short-lived, but for some security and a gradual return to normal relationships and a happier state. This state seems to be incongruent with the spirit of Christmas, yet we should remember that the Lord's birth took place "in the days of Herod the king."

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This king hated any rivals to his power, and sought to destroy the Lord. The time of his ugly reign was precisely the time that God chose to be born among men. So it may be with us.
     We may simply feel a bit lost or off course. Think about how inconvenient it was for Joseph and Mary to undertake a journey using primitive methods of transportation just as she was about to give birth to a child. Surely they would have preferred to stay in Nazareth. But a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. Joseph might have complained to the authorities, "Do you not know that my wife is soon to give birth to the Savior of the world? We should not have to comply with this unreasonable request." Evidently, these guardians of the soon-to-be incarnate God meekly complied. So also must we contend with worldly necessities which appear to take us far away from our worthy and noble goals.
     Other emotions are portrayed in the Christmas story. The warmth of friendship is illustrated when Mary comes to greet Elizabeth, who was "great with child" at the time. Coldness is portrayed when Joseph and his expectant wife searched for lodging in Bethlehem and were turned away. Rejoicing is pictured when the angels glorified God when they appeared to the shepherds who kept watch over their flock. Mary was meditative as she looked upon her Child when the shepherds came to see. "Mary," it is said, "kept all these things and pondered them in her heart" (Luke 2:19).
     Whatever our state of mind, the promise of Christmas may be fulfilled in our own lives. The Lord with His love can be born in our hearts-not once and for all, but gradually as we learn to let Him in.
     The promise of Christmas is like the angel's announcement to Mary: "Rejoice, highly favored one; the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women . . . . And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus" (Luke 1:28, 31).
     This promise is not going to be fulfilled automatically even though the Lord can come to us in the variety of states in which we may find ourselves.

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The promise was addressed to one person: Mary, the mother of Jesus. For us, the promise will be fulfilled through that part of us represented by Mary.
     But, we may ask, how can this be? Mary said, "How can this be since I do not know a man?" (Luke 1:34).
     According to the Heavenly Doctrines, the women of the Scriptures represent the affections and loves of the human heart. Mary, being a virgin, represents a special affection deep within our spirit: the love which makes the church with us-the affection for truth. The Lord will not be able to enter our hearts and gift us with renewed love unless we have this longing for truth. The vision we have for love and happiness requires a sight of truth, for truth is what leads the way and shows us what love is and how we may attain true happiness. Truth is what enables us to behold our God.
     Whatever our state, we must allow that affection for truth to be active. That means we must take the time to read and meditate upon the Word. We may be so caught up in our emotions, negative and positive, that we have forgotten to allow ourselves to be inspired with truth or with a desire to seek more. Mere human opinions will not satisfy. Worldly knowledge, no matter how extensive, will not satisfy. Only truth from a Divine source will satisfy this affection for truth represented by Mary. Such truth which leads to deeply held convictions will fulfill the longings of this spiritual affection.
     Mary's question, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" can be understood this way: In general a man represents truth, and specifically the truth of the church when it is joined to its own affection. However, Mary's saying she knows not a "man" refers to truth that could not give birth to the Immanuel God with us. It represents truth which is not really true, for the reason that it would be of a human origin. Remember: the Lord had no earthly man as His father. So to put it into our words, we would say, "How can I come to know the Lord's presence since I am not 'joined to any man,' that is, I am not inspired by any truth?" "I just have thoughts and opinions; I do not have a sense that the truth I know is really Divine."

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     The problem is that the truth we now have, or think we need, is not truth that comes by an inner way, that is, from the Lord. It is just something we hold in our mind as an opinion or as a series of logical ideas. Or it may be an easy cure-all formula that we say or know. Or it may be the statement of others which we do not really see for ourselves.
     We need to see truth for ourselves. And it is not enough simply to fall back onto some truth we believed years ago. The reason such truth is not enough is that if the truth we see is not continually renewed, it just sits around in the mind as memory knowledge. We must allow the Holy Spirit to come upon us as it did with Mary so that the Holy One, the Son of God, may be born within us. In other words, we must have a willing spirit and a desire not only to know about truth but to see it, to embrace it, and to live it.
     No matter in what state we may find ourselves, there is a truth that we need from the Lord. The Lord will come as soon as we are prepared to see the truth which our state requires, to embrace it and to live by it.
     Mary responded to the angel, "Let it be to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38). May this be our response. If our state is a happy one, let us rejoice that the Lord is near. If it is less than happy, let us not feel that our current state of mind is out of the Lord's reach during this Christmas season. Let us not try to leap directly from a state of depression into a state of joy. Instead, let us allow the Lord gently to awaken in us an awareness of His angel messengers who provide us with an influx of affection and light into our soul. That influx simply waits for us to make "speedy room" for our Savior. If we long for that truth which will reveal to us His love, Christmas surely will come to us in the days ahead.
     Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" (Matt. 19:26).

Lessons: Luke 1:57-66, 26-38; CL 119:2

536


1990 ACADEMY COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS 1990

1990 ACADEMY COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS       Dr. WILLIAM RADCLIFFE       1990

     We are commemorating an important transition in your lives. It calls to mind a transition in my life. Twenty-five years ago I was baptized into the New Church by Rev. Robert Junge" in Connecticut.
     Mr. Junge was driving me to one of the weekend's events and pulled over to the side of the road, doused the lights, turned off the engine, got comfortable and asked, "Bill, before you go through with this are there any questions you would like to ask me?"
     My mind went blank. Questions? Questions? I don't have any questions.
     I've reviewed twenty volumes of the theological writings of Emanuel Swedenborg and I don't have any questions. Only an idiot would say that! Think of something fast and make it good!
     I pulled myself together and turned to Mr. Junge. "Well, there is one small point that has been puzzling me. Just exactly what are good and truth?"
     Mr. Junge talked for a while. Mr. Junge talked for quite a while.
     (Turning to Mr. Junge on the podium), "Bob, I'm still searching for the answer."
     "What a man loves, this he wills, and what a man loves or wills, this he thinks, and confirms by various means; what a man loves or wills is called good, and what a man thinks therefrom, and confirms by various means, is called truth" (NJHD 23).
     You will be asking that question with your minds and answering it with your lives for many years to come.
     When I was graduating from school and college, the works of the English historian Arnold Toynbee were sweeping academia. His thesis was that the proper study of history is the study of the rise and fall of civilizations of the world.

537



     We know from the Writings of Swedenborg that this should be taken one step further; the study of history is the study of the rise and fall of the major religions of the world.
     We in the New Church are sitting on the kernel of teachings which should be the foundation of the next major religious and social order. This very fact is a challenge to all of us. The paradox is that we are closet revolutionaries who crave respectability.
     If we decide on growth as a response to this challenge, there are three main devices we can employ.
     There is the "Dead Letter Drop." An example of this is leaving books off in public libraries. This is straightforward, spares the worker many personal encounters, but is nevertheless important work. The results are difficult to assess.
     There is "Centrifugal Growth." This is starting from a central base and spreading out in concentric circles-the pebble-in-a-pond analogy. Mailing invitations to worship to the community surrounding a New Church society comes under this category.
     There is a "Centripetal Growth." This consists of finding receptive persons scattered over a wider area and bringing them into New Church groups. Leon Rhodes is a master of this approach. I recently sent some New Church literature to the organizer of near-death experience support groups. I received a cheery letter back: "We know all about that. Mr. Leon Rhodes is one of our members." She then turned around and tried to sell me some of his pamphlets.
     Not surprisingly, our more successful efforts, such as Grant Schnarr's Chicago New Church and Frank Rose and the Tucson Society's, combine centrifugal and centripetal growth, with a variety of methods, beautifully described in recent issues of the Missionary Memo.
     We are on the threshold of major happenings in the church, and experimentation should be encouraged and supported.
     I have not been making a distinction between the New Church as the Lord's church and the General Church as a secular organization. Let's take a minute to examine the General Church, the organization.

538



     In externals, at least, it is the strongest organization in the New Church today. I base that on:

     Physical Assets
     The Financial Base
     The School System
     A Strong Priesthood and
     A Style of Governance which seems to be working.

     This is a powerful infrastructure. What is its purpose? What is its prognosis? Let us look at some possible directions.
     No growth. This is a prescription for demise.
     Slow growth. Perhaps another 500 members by the end of the century. Possible.
     How about exponential growth? Don't dismiss this too lightly. This is the age of the mass media, a time that a major ideology in Eastern Europe can crumble in a matter of months. Freedom and the quest for an improved standard of living reign supreme. Maybe there will be a major shift back to religion too.
     Watching Bjorn Borg play tennis over the years I have had this recurring fantasy. After the match the microphone is jammed under his chin. "Bjorn, you've just won Wimbledon for the third time. Your tennis has never been better. To what do you attribute your success?"
     "Well, Bud, I've never said anything to anyone before, but it is my religion. I am a Swedenborgian-you know, that 18th century philosopher, mystic, and scientist."
     Back in Bryn Athyn it is pandemonium. Every light on the telephone switchboard is lit. TV vans are tearing up the lawns, Peter Jennings and Dan Rather are jostling one another on the steps of Pitcairn Hall to get the first exclusive interview with Bishop King. You get the picture.
     There could be bypass growth. By bypass I mean another group grabs the ball and runs with it. Consider this scenario. A charismatic African preacher sweeps the country with new Christian teachings based on the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg. The African connection is particularly persuasive to our black communities.

539


As it turns out, he was trained in Ghana by a graduate of our theological school, but is reluctant to acknowledge this background. (Or he could be from Asia or any place in the world.)
     Maybe this is our destiny-to be a sort of religious starter kit for some other group.
     Maybe it's an issue of lead, follow, or get out of the way, as one of my ex-paratrooper buddies in Washington likes to say.
     What does all this mean to you as new graduates? Simply this: You are the future. Your decisions, your non-decision, your training, your attitudes will shape future events.
     I have a friend in Washington who is a newcomer to the church. I shared my ideas for this talk with him and he responded, "Bill, we don't know the Lord's timetable."
     He's right. The vision is obscure, but it's not total darkness. There are things we need to do.

     We need to recruit.
     We need to continue to prepare for growth, whatever form it takes.
     We need to experiment in church building.
     We need to devote more of our resources to all of these activities.

     When I was in school I had a craving for a motorcycle. The hot bikes in those days were British, the Triumph and BSA (British Small Arms). I was finally able to get a small under-powered, second-hand BSA Bantam when I was in medical school. It was later that the upstart Honda appeared on the scene.
     When we lived in England in the mid-sixties, Triumph was losing its market share. There were editorials in the papers about cheap Japanese labor undermining English quality workmanship. You all know the outcome of that contest.
     When Triumph went under, a royal commission was appointed to investigate. Their report showed Japanese wages were actually higher than British. The Triumph factory was housed in an obsolete pre-World War II shed, and one to two percent of earnings were reinvested in the plant.

540


Honda had a modern state-of-the-art factory, and annually reinvested 36-38% of earnings back into product improvement.
     When I look at the discretionary funds we allocate each year for new programs in church growth, it looks uncomfortably close to 1-2% of the budget.
     Strengthening our schools is preparation for future uses. We should endorse and support the long-range goals of our college, so well articulated by Dean Schnarr.
     We should encourage the internationalization of our theological school and the introduction of the master's degree program.
     I believe the boys and girls secondary schools should strive for a combined enrollment of over 500 students. This is the ideal size for expansion and diversification of the curriculum, and at the same time preserving our intimate sense of community. If we are to influence the world around us, we must learn its ways.
     I returned this spring for my 40th high school reunion. Chinese and Arabic will be added to the curriculum next fall. The headmaster told us this is essential to prepare students for the world they will enter. Besides, if we reach 500 students, maybe Dudley Davis will let us have a soccer team!
     Reunions make you realize how indebted you are to your teachers. You will come to appreciate your teachers more with time. I thank the faculty for their perseverance and dedication in educating and guiding our children.
     For those of you with a bent for languages, we need to extend the translation of the Writings into foreign languages, and accelerate the production of modern English translations.
     For budding authors among you, there is a pressing need for more collateral works designed for the general public to bridge the gap between short introductory pamphlets and the Writings. Bruce Henderson's superb Window to Eternity stands as a model for this kind of work.
     We need masters of new technologies, like the work Bob Heinrichs is doing with the video studio, and Chuck Ebert with the STAIRS computer program.

541



     I invite you to be part of that select group that makes some of these things happen:

     The innovators
     The trailblazers
     The pathfinders
     The pioneers of the New Church.

     The rest of us must be tolerant and supportive-tolerant and supportive of the pioneers and also tolerant and supportive of the newcomers who arrive to worship and commune with us.
     There is no longer room for dropouts from our ranks. There is too much work to be done.
     I hope I have stimulated you this morning. I pray that the Lord leads you and shows you what is good and true.
APPLICATIONS FOR ADMISSION TO THE ACADEMY GIRLS SCHOOL AND BOYS SCHOOL 1990

APPLICATIONS FOR ADMISSION TO THE ACADEMY GIRLS SCHOOL AND BOYS SCHOOL       Editor       1990

     Requests for application forms for admission of new students to the Academy Secondary Schools should be made by April 1, 1991. Letters should be addressed to Mrs. Gloria Wetzel, Ed.D., Principal of the Girls School, or Mr. T. Dudley Davis, Principal of the Boys School, The Academy of the New Church, Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009. Letters should include the student's name, parents' address, the class the student will be entering, the name and address of the school he or she is now attending, and whether the student will be a day or a dormitory student.
     Completed application forms should be forwarded to the Academy by June 30, 1991. A late fee of $20.00 will be charged after the June 30th deadline.
     Admission procedure is based on receipt of the following: 1) application, 2) transcript, 3) pastor's recommendation, 4) health forms. The applicant is then notified of acceptance and any further accommodations will depend on the individual applicant's needs. Orientation takes place at the opening of school.

542


REPORT OF THE EDITOR OF NEW CHURCH LIFE 1989 1990

REPORT OF THE EDITOR OF NEW CHURCH LIFE 1989       Editor       1990

     Two changes have been made in this magazine. In the December issue we changed to a large type face produced differently. So far the reactions we have received to this change are overwhelmingly affirmative. Although this is a report for 1989, 1 will mention the plan we have been trying since July of 1990 to mail the magazine without envelopes. And we wish to watch carefully to see if this is satisfactory.
     Our circulation is up from 1,877 in 1988 to 1,938 in 1989. Below are the figures on how our pages were used.

                              1989      1988
                              Pages      Pages

Articles                     256          219
Sermons                         59          52
Reports                         21          31
Communications                    57          54
Announcements                    30          30
Church News                    24          37
Editorials                     33          36
Reviews                         10          20
Directories                    34          38
Memorials                     12          4
Miscellaneous                    36          38
Total Pages                    572          559

Number of Contributors:
Priests                         35          40

Laity
Men      34     32
Women . . .13     11
Total Laity . . .     47     43
Total Contributors . . 82     83
                         Donald L. Rose, Editor

543




     ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM

     Between July 1, 1989 and June 30, 1990 one hundred ninety names were added to the roll of General Church members.
     Around 1920 many blacks in South Africa joined the New Church, and this growth resulted in the establishment of "The General Church of the New Jerusalem Mission in South Africa." These members and their priests were always regarded as part of the General Church, but the membership records were maintained in South Africa. Under Bishop King's leadership this anomaly was corrected over the last two years. The 85 members of the Kwa Mashu, Empangeni, Impaphala and Hambrook societies and the Umlazi group listed in this report are long-time members of the General Church, not recent converts. The societies have been received by the Bishop as societies of the General Church.
     Five members resigned during the year, and the secretary's office received notice of the death of fifty-seven members, some of which were delayed reports of deaths that had occurred prior to July 1, 1989.

Membership July 1, 1989 .........................4133
New members (Certificates 7725 to 7914) ...... 190
Losses: Deaths .................................-57
Resignations.....................................-5
                                   ____________
Membership July 1, 199.......................... 4261

(Net Gain during the period July 1, 1989 through June 30, 1990 - 128)

     NEW MEMBERS

     Societies

     Baltimore, Maryland
Minger, Mr. Frederick          

     Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania          
Asplundh, Miss Bethany (Now Mrs. Claudio Maestri)     
Asplundh, Mr. Kurt H.          
Bedford, Miss Margo J.          
Echols, Mrs. R. Kirk (Cheryl Roberts)
Eynon, Miss Dianne E.
Feerrar, Mr. Phillip W.
Horigan, Mr. James P.
Hyatt, Mrs. Hugh D. (Pamela Cook)
Kerr, Mr. Wm. Christopher
Kuhl, Mr. Matthew D.
McQueen, Mr. Clay D.
Ryan, Mrs. William H. (Casiana Rojas)

544



Sullivan, Mrs. Daniel B. (Jennifer Brewer)               
Synnestvedt, Mr. Matthew W.     
Synnestvedt, Mrs. Leo (Suzanne Urban)               
van Zyverden, Mr. Randolph H.
Vasilyeva, Mrs. Larisa     

     Cincinnati, Ohio
Childs, Mr. Stephen A.          

     Detroit, Michigan
     (Oak Arbor Church)
Freedland, Mrs. Lillian          
McCardell, Miss Tracy L.     

     Durban, R.S.A.               

Cox, Mrs. Gregory Quentin (Karen Haygarth)               
Gillespie, Miss Delayne E.     
Haygarth, Mr. Brent P.          
Mansfield, Mr. Lance S.          
Osborn, Mrs. Haydn B. (Alison Frost)               
Waters, Mr. Gary E.
     
     Empangeni, R.S.A.               
Dlamini, Miss Priscilla P.     
Dumakude, Mrs. Selina (Selina Biyela)               
Khulu, Mr. Derryl N.          
Khulu, Mr. Donald S.          
Khulu, Mrs. Donald S. (Margaret Cele)               
Khulu, Miss Eudora S.          
Khulu, Miss Nokulunga B.     
Khulu, Miss Vaughn Nozipho     
Mthalane, Miss Christian Z.     
Mthalane, Mr. Churchill Vuyo     
Mthalane, Mr. Cyril B.          
Mthalane, Mrs. Cyril B. (Margaret Ntornbela)          
Mthalane, Miss Fortunte N.     
Mthalane, Miss Grace T. N.          
Mthalane, Mrs. W. Dunn (Nancy Ngema)
Ngema, Miss Doris S. Bongile
Ngema, Mrs. S. A. (Swelani Msomi)
Ngema, Mr. Thokozani Elijah

     Freeport, Pennsylvania
Heilman, Miss Karen

     Glenview, Illinois
     (Immanuel Church)
Cole, Mr. Colin S.

     Hambrook, R.S.A.
Buthelezi, Mr. Hinnom. N.
Buthelezi, Mrs. Hinnom N. (Fribinah Sigubudu)
Buthelezi, Miss Lungile G.
Buthelezi, Mr. Mabhoyi S.
Buthelezi, Miss Rejoyce N.
Dhakathi, Mrs. Florence (Florence Zondo)
Dludlu, Mr. Aaron P.
Dludlu, Mrs. Aaron P. (Cynthia Cele)
Msimango, Mr. Mandla M.
Msimango, Mrs. Mandla M. (Keslinah Mshingila)

     Impaphala, R.S.A.
Biyela, Miss Elka. S.
Biyela, Mrs. John (Mavis Xulu)
Buthelezi, Miss Brenda N.
Buthelezi, Mr. Ishborn M.
Buthelezi, Mrs. Ishborn M. (Elizabeth Cele)
Khulu, Mr. Michael Babo
Khulu, Miss Phyllis N.
Khulu, Mrs. Solomon John
Khulu, Mr. Solomon John (Gladys Xulu)
Magwaza, Mrs. Albert (Alice Mkhize)
Mkhize, Mr. Kenneth S.

545



Mkhize, Mrs. Kenneth S. (Mirriam Ndlela)               
Mkhize, Miss Rejoice N.          
Mkhize, Miss Talitha               
Mthethwa, Mrs. Janet (Janet Mkhize)                    
Mthethwa, Mrs. Asaoh (Lauretta Gumede)               
Mthuli, Mr. Bhekithemba          
Mthuli, Mrs. Bhekithemba (Pricilla Ndlovu)               
Nduh, Mr. Bethuel                    
Nduli, Mrs. Bethuel (Zisizile Ngema)               
Ngema, Mr. Bonfa               
Xulu, Mr. Bethuel M.               
Xulu, Mrs. Bethuel M. (Charity Ntuli)               
Xulu, Mrs. Daniel (Creda Mcanyana)               
Xulu, Mr. Frederick B.          
Xulu, Mrs. Frederick B. (Sbongile Zungu)               
                              
     Kempton, Pennsylvania          
Evans, Mr. K. Richardson          
Evans, Mrs. K. Richardson (Suzanne Funk)                    
Griffin, Mrs. Daniel F. (Angela LoBello)               
Griffin, Miss Julie C.               
Powell, Mr. Thomas K.          

     Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
     (Carmel Church)                    
Davidson, Mr. Mark T.               
Davis, Mrs. Josephine Mary          
Hill, Mr. David M.
Riepert, Mr. Allan D.          
                              
     Kwa Mashu, R.S.A.               
Biyela, Mr. Norman T.          
Biyela, Mrs. Norman T. (Lindiwe Makhanya)
Chamane, Miss Beauty
Chamane, Mr. Lameck S.
Chamane, Mrs. Lameck S. (Flossina Shezi)
Khanyile, Mr. Dumisani A.
Langa, Ms. Ellen
Mazibuko, Mr. Petros
Mazibuko, Mrs. Petros (Mirriam Ndlela)
Mbatha, Mr. Bhekuyise A.
Mbatha, Mrs. Bhekuyise A. (Sharon)
Mkhize, Mr. Golden S.
Mkhize, Mrs. Golden S. (Phumla Khwishana)
Mkhize, Mrs. Signe (Signe Zungu)
Mkhize, Mr. Sondlo P.
Mkhize, Mrs. Sondlo P. (Ntombizile Angel Mcineka)
Mkhize, Miss Thobekile G.
Mngadi, Mr. Duncan
Mngoma, Mr. Bongani M.
Mngoma, Mrs. Bongani M. (Maureen Ndimande)
Mthalane, Mr. Dunnet W.
Mthalane, Mrs. Dunnet W. (Marjorie Yeni)
Mthalane, Miss Rachel B.
Mthembu, Mrs. Gordon (Patience Zungu)
Mthethwa, Miss Dorothy
Muntuyedna, Miss Thabile J.
Ngwane, Mrs. Albertina N. (Albertina Vengeni)
Zuma, Mrs. Howard (Francina Vincen)

     Los Angeles, California
Carlson, Mr. Lawrence R.
Carlson, Mrs. Lawrence R. (Tami Fitzwater)               

     Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Kunkle, Miss Marion C.

546



Olson, Mr. Matthew D.               
Olson, Mrs. Matthew D. (Denese Johnson)

     Stockholm, Sweden               
Bryntesson, Mr. A. Fredrick          

     Toronto, Ontario, Canada
     (Olivet Church)                    
Fountain, Norah                    
Hotson, Dr. John H.                    
Ladouceur, Mr. Paul
Niall, Miss Julie A.                    
Young, Mrs. Denis A. (Sharene Crampton)

     Transvaal, R.S.A.                    
Brown, Mr. Kenneth T.               
Lester, Miss Beverly H.               

     Tucson, Arizona                         
Brown, Mrs. Kevin (Mary Arendt)                         
Chulak, Mr. Christopher B.               
Jensen, Mrs. Boone                    
Lewallen-Hutchison, Mrs. Diane
Spencer, Mrs. Michael (Virginia Fischer)                    
                                   

     Washington, D. C.
Henderson, Mr. Scott C.
Newkirk, Miss Heather                         
Radcliffe, Miss Laura C.                         
van Kesteren, Miss Elizabeth A.

     Circles

     Boston, Massachusetts                         
Blair, Miss Brittany (Now Mrs. Jonathan P. Hay)
Heilman, Dr. Carl B.                         
                                        
     Chicago, Illinois                    
Custer, Mr. Charles F., Jr.

     Copenhagen, Denmark
Hauptmann, Mr. Johan

     Dawson Creek, B.C. Canada
Hendricks, Mr. Leslie J.
Silk, Mr. Michael L

     Denver, Colorado
Natzke, Mr. Michael A.
Natzke, Mrs. Michael A. (Laura Gorby)

     Lake Helen, Florida
Alden, Miss Zanna

     North New Jersey/New York
Barry, Mr. James H.
Barry, Mrs. James H. (Barbara Benigno)

     Groups

     Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Beatie, Mrs. Scott A. (Katherine Friesen)

     Umlazi, R.S.A.
Mathengele, Mr. James
Mathengele, Mr. Joseph
Mathengele, Miss Ntombimpela M.


     Unassigned

     Australia
Laws, Mr. Richard

     Brazil
de Oliveira, Sr. Tarcisio S. P.

     Canada
Anderson, Mrs. Darrel I. (Rhonda Evens)

     England
Burniston, Mrs. Mark (Kerry Glebe)

547




     Ghana                                   
Ankra-Badu, Mrs. William O. (Vivian Laud-Baddoo)                              
Anochi, Mr. Nicholas W.
Boakye, Mr. Isaac                              
Boakye, Mrs. Isaac (Dorothy Larbi)                              
Dagbey, Mr. Grey C.                         
Eshun, Mr. Ekow Essiedu               
Godwin, Mr. Prince Zattey               
Kuatsinu, Mr. Kwaku                         
                                        
     Holland
Verschoor, Mr. Edward

     Japan
Hayashi, Mr. Michio                         
Hayashi, Mrs. Michio (Terue Fujii)                                   
Kanamaru, Miss Michiko                         
Kanamaru, Mr. Morimasa                         
Mine, Mr. Yoshiaki                                   
Mine, Mrs. Yoshiaki (Chizuko Sahara)                         
Nishizawa, Mr. Tomoyuki                         
Susuki, Mrs. Shiro (Mariko Kani)                                   
Tadano, Mrs. Mitsuyoshi (Yuriko Yamada)                                   
Takizawa, Mr. Iwao                         

     Korea                              
Kim, Mr. Sung Gil                    

     Republic of South Africa                    
Schuunnan, Mr. Warwick

     U.S.A.                                   
Amaro, Mr. Hector A.                    
Amaro, Mrs. Hector A. (Nancy Reppert)                              
Hartfield, Mrs. Gregory J. (Kim Golden)                              
Kloc, Mr. Douglas C.               
Sandstrom, Mr. Jonathan R.     
Synnestvedt, Mr. Matthew B.


     DEATHS

Alden, Mr. Guy S.
Anderson, Katherine Bainbridge (Mrs. Gordon G.)
Barry, Mr. John
Bittencourt, Lea Villela (Mrs. Joao B.)
Blackman, Emily Gartner (Mrs. Geoffrey)
Boker, Athlyn Evenson (Mrs. William E.)
Bostock, Rhona Glenn (Mrs. Frank)
Brickman, Mr. Theodore W.
Briscoe, Miss Beryl G.
Burnham, Elva Zent (Mrs. Edwin)
Campbell, Mr. John
Carter, Mr. Cecil M.
Carter, Mr. Harold
Cooper, Christine Waters (Mrs. Garth D.)
Coulson, Rev. Frank F.
Crockett, Mrs. Patricia J. Price
Cross, Mr. Edgar II
Curtis, Agnes Nora McDonald (Mrs. Cresswell)
Ebert Jane Heilman (Mrs. Stanley F.)
Echols, Mr. John Clark
Fiedler, Jay Ross (Mrs. F. Thomas)
French, Beatrice Waters (Mrs. Peter)
Friesen, Annie Wiens (Mrs. David)
Friesen, Mr. David
Friesen, Mr. Harry
Frommer, Berith H. Schroder (Mrs. Raymond M.)
Fuller, Agetha Starkey (Mrs. David M.)
Gladish, Lucy Wright (Mrs. Victor J.)
Gladish, Rev. Victor J.
Goodman, Frances Bostock Schaill (Mrs. Roland A.)

548



Grubb, Mr. David                         
Gyllenhaal, Mr. Charles P.                    
Headsten, Ruth Synnestvedt (Mrs. Joseph B.)                              
Heldon, Mr. Lindthman                    
Junge, Amy A. (Mrs. Felix)                    
Kintner, Mr. J. Richard                         
Kirby, Mr. Robert M.                         
Lavine, Dr. Theodore F.                         
Lechner, Mr. Frederick                         
Lupker, Mr. Daan                              
Mellman, Mr. Henry                              
Merrell, Gwynneth Wells (Mrs. Donald)                              
Nemitz, Freda Schoenberger (Mrs. Bert P.)                         
Nicolier, Kathleen McIlrath (Mrs. Alain)
Nzimande, Rev. Benjamin
Powell, Mr. Benjamin L.
Powell, Mr. Joseph
Price, Mr. Donal
Schnarr, Marjorie Coyne (Mrs. Arthur W.)
Schnarr, Mr. Wilfrid
Sellner, Rachelle Vinet (Mrs. Harold E.)
Smith, Mr. Gordon B.
Smith, Jocelyn Olds (Mrs. Arnold M.)
Synnestvedt, Mr. Kenneth P.
Synnestvedt, Mr. J. Ralph, Sr.
Wainscot, Mr. A. Stanley
Wright, Katherine Weirbach (Mrs. Neville T.)
ANNOUNCEMENTS 1990

ANNOUNCEMENTS       Louis B. King       1990

     The El Toro, California, Group has been recognized as the El Toro Circle of the General Church of the New Jerusalem effective October 10, 1990, with Rev. Cedric King as its resident pastor.
     Rev. Grant Schnarr has been appointed to the position of Director of Evangelization. This will take effect July 1, 1991, with some duties being assumed on January 1, 1991. Mr. Schnarr will be provided with appropriate assistance in this new position so that he may continue serving, at least for the present, as Pastor of the Chicago Circle.
     Mrs. Albert Henderson (Thelma Pike) has been selected to serve as chairperson for the General Church Salary Committee replacing Mr. John Wyncoll.
     Louis B. King Bishop

549


Editorial Pages 1990

Editorial Pages       Editor       1990

     C. S. LEWIS AND SWEDENBORG

     The Macdonald Connection

     How many discussions there have been speculating upon or arguing about whether C. S. Lewis read the Writings. His religious books are so thoughtful and compelling, some say, that he must have read the Writings. Some insist that he did not read the Writings.
     I was living in London the year that Lewis died, and I had some correspondence with a man who was planning to write a biography of that great Christian apologist. The man could give no confirmation that Lewis read Swedenborg.
     But there is the Macdonald connection!
     Way back in 1883 a writer in this magazine was talking of special books. He spoke of certain novels "which give evidence that the author, though not a member of the New Church, has read the Writings. The most powerful writer of this class is George Macdonald, who is considered by many as 'almost a New Church man'" (p. 177).
     The next year (1884) this magazine referred to a lecture given in London entitled "The Writings of George Macdonald and Their Relation to the New Church." The lecturer considered Macdonald to be virtually a New Church man, but he was by no means certain that Macdonald had read anything of the Writings! (p. 144).
     William H. Benade once wrote of Macdonald: "A gentle and tender thoughtfulness . . . runs through all his writing . . . but this thoughtfulness is free, vigorous, and manly . . . . He aims to teach and improve his readers by leading their minds to what he believes to be the truth." Further on Macdonald's writings Benade said, "Their value does not lie in the story of his characters, but in the portrayals of their internal states of affection and thought which move and determine their actions. And although he fails to realize the full force of the doctrine that man is a spiritual being whose true life is the life of the internal man, . . . [yet] he apprehends the truth . . . sufficiently to . . . prepare the human mind for its reception" (New Church Magazine, Dec. 1872).

550



     Of all the people whom Macdonald influenced few were as explicitly appreciative as C. S. Lewis, who regarded this writer as his master. In the book The Great Divorce, a fantasy of heaven and hell, the narrator encounters George Macdonald. The narrator speaks: "I tried, trembling, to tell this man all that his writings had done for me." Macdonald then explains to the narrator many difficult truths about heaven and hell. Although Lewis never met Macdonald, he acknowledges the tremendous influence of this man on his own thoughts and writing.
     Well, did Macdonald read the Writings? His son Greville wrote that Macdonald "knew enough of Swedenborg's teaching to feel the truth of correspondences." In his book about the great author, Roland Hein says that Macdonald's conception "derives in part from Swedenborg's thinking, such as is found in Heaven and Hell" (The Harmony Within, p. 46).
     His strongest statement is to the effect that "Swedenborg seems to be the fountainhead of Macdonald's ideas with some influence provided by Blake and Law."
     Is it any wonder, then, that readers of C. S. Lewis sometimes feel that there is something "New Church" in the ideas that are expressed?

     ADMIT YOUR FAULTS TO ONE ANOTHER

     The epistle of James is famous for its emphatic declaration that faith alone is dead. As the Writings say, "That the faith of those who are without works is dead appears from the epistle of James" (TCR 453). (See TCR 327 and 643 for striking use of James in the Writings.) James tells us not to seek refuge in mere belief. "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well. The devils also believe, and tremble" (chap. 2).
     In the fifth to last verse in the epistle is the admonition to admit our faults. "Confess your faults one to another." Did this play a part in the Roman Catholic custom of confession to a priest?

551


The Writings emphasize the spiritual duty of confession before the Lord Himself. They add a comment on a natural practice of possible benefit in confessing to another human being.

     It Doesn't Hurt

     "It does no harm for one burdened in conscience to enumerate his sins before a minister of the church" (TCR 539). What good could come from it? For some it possibly "lightens the burden," and for some it initiates "into a habit of examining himself and reflecting upon each day's evils" (Ibid.).
     What about admitting your faults to a friend? How very different we are in this regard! No way will some mention their shortcomings. Others might enjoy confession and might overdo it. Swedenborg interviewed some Protestants who were terrified even to look at their own faults, much less to identify them. In their presence he interviewed some Catholics and asked them whether they found it difficult to confess to their ministers. "They replied that after they had been initiated into it they were not afraid to recount their trespasses to a confessor who was not severe, that they gathered them up with a kind of pleasure, telling the lighter ones cheerfully and the more serious somewhat timidly" (TCR 562).
     Most of us cheerfully admit the failings which are all too plain to our close associates. Perhaps sometimes when we mention our failings we are really fishing for compliments. "Oh, I am no good at all at this." "Oh, but you are." On the other hand we are sometimes amazingly blind to our failings. A person with a drinking problem can come up with all manner of reasons why his life is failing, and miraculously leave out the obvious. We can be "in denial" of an array of faults.
     What a powerful thing it is for addicted people to do the very opposite of denial. They get used to coming right out and saying, "I'm Bill, and I'm . . . " Some who have spent many years pretending otherwise courageously say that. The fifth of the Twelve Steps is: "Admit to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs."

552


Rev. Grant Schnarr mentions this in his book Unlocking Your Spiritual Potential, and we may speak of this another time.

     VOLUME SEVEN OF THE ARCANA

     The dust jackets of the new volumes of the Arcana Caelestia have been in varying colors. This new one is a handsome brown. John Elliott ends some translator's notes with the following sentence: "Finally, for all the knowledge and insights available to the world in Arcana Caelestia, may Jesus Christ be praised! "
     This part of the Arcana gives the internal sense of the Joseph story and inter-chapter material about the "Gorand Man." We have had time to look at some striking passages. Here are three examples:

In a peaceful dream I once saw some trees planted in a wooden receptacle, one of which was tall, another shorter, and two were small. The shorter tree gave me very great delight, and all the while a very lovely feeling of peacefulness, beyond my ability to describe, was filling my mind . . . . The tall tree meant a husband, the shorter his wife, and the two small ones their children. Those angelic spirits went on to say that the very lovely feeling of peacefulness which filled my mind served to indicate the loveliness of peace enjoyed by those in the next life who have led lives of genuine conjugial love (5051).

The fact of the matter is that a person exists in the world to the end that he may be introduced through the services he renders there into the things of heaven. But his life in the world lasts barely a moment, so to speak, compared with his life after death, for the latter goes on for ever. Yet there are few who believe that they will be alive after death, which explains why heavenly things are of little importance to them. And this I can positively declare, that a person is in the next life as soon as he has died, carrying on to the full the life he was leading in the world (5006).

553




From infancy to childhood, and sometimes on into early youth, a person is absorbing forms of goodness and truth received from parents and teachers, for during those years he learns about those forms of goodness and truth and believes them with simplicity - his state of innocence enabling this to happen . . .

When however the person grows older, when he starts to think for himself and not, as previously, simply in the way his parents or teachers do, he brings back to mind and so to speak chews over what he has learned and believed before, and then he either endorses it, has doubts about it, or refuses to accept it . . .


The truths that a person learns and believes in his earliest years when he is a young child but which later on he either endorses, has doubts about, or refuses to accept, are in particular these: There is God, and He is one; He created everything; He rewards those who do what is good and punishes those who do things that are bad; there is life after death, when the bad go to hell and the good go to heaven, and so there is a hell and a heaven; the life after death lasts for ever; also, people ought to pray every day and to do so in a humble way; they ought to keep the sabbath day holy, honour their parents, and not commit adultery, kill, or steal; and many other truths like these. Such truths are learned and absorbed by a person from earliest childhood; but if, when he starts to think for himself and to lead his own life, he endorses them, adding to them further truths of a more interior kind, and leads a life in conformity with them, all is well with him (AC 5135).

     We salute the translator and the Swedenborg Society for bringing us yet another volume upon which we may comment in the future.
READER'S DIGEST QUOTES THE WRITINGS 1990

READER'S DIGEST QUOTES THE WRITINGS       Editor       1990

     On page 161 of the November Reader's Digest: "Conscience is God's presence in man. - Emanuel Swedenborg"

554


GENERAL CHURCH TREASURER'S REPORT 1990

GENERAL CHURCH TREASURER'S REPORT       Neil M. Buss       1990

     For the Year Ended December 31, 1989

     The year 1989 was a very successful one for the General Church from a financial point of view. For the first time, revenues exceeded $2 million, and we not only had a balanced budget but were able to transfer $46,000 to special reserve.
     $20,000 of this was transferred to a reserve account to enable us to pay for wives of all ministers to accompany their husbands to the 1991 Assembly in Kenosha, Wisconsin. $10,000 was placed into our reserve to assist in moving expenses for ministers, and a further $16,000 was set aside to pay for the costs of developing the new Liturgy.
     Our commitment to the former mission societies in southern Africa increased by 53% to $22,000, and this has been further increased in 1990.
     We continued to fund construction of a beautiful church building in Boynton Beach, Florida. This church was dedicated by Bishop Peter Buss in June, 1990. Bishop Louis King broke ground at a ceremony in the Transvaal, South Africa, for a new church to be built there at Buccleuch to serve New Church members in the cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria.
     During the year a great deal of attention was paid to our benefits package for employees. These benefits are administered by a joint committee of the boards of the Academy and the General Church. Truly significant benefit increases were approved by both boards for retiring personnel. An increase was approved for existing retirees, and a tax-deferred plan was put into place to allow employees to contribute additional sums toward their retirement. Outside professional counseling services are now available free of charge to employees. We also revised the health plan, which involved changing the main carriers, but health costs were rising rapidly and were threatening essential uses unless steps were taken to contain these and share them, to a limited extent, with employees who desired full-choice health coverage.
     We will continue to provide all full-time employees with completely free coverage for themselves and their families, where appropriate, through H.M.O. of Pennsylvania, which is ranked as one of the best H.M.O.'s in the country.

555


All organizations are facing the same problems in the area of health care, and solutions are not easy.
     1989 was certainly a year of progress for the church. It is strong financially and has enjoyed several years of substantial increases in endowments and balanced budgets. We can look with confidence toward the 1990s.
The audited financial statements are included in this report.
     Neil M. Buss, Treasurer

     Report of Independent Auditors

     We have audited the accompanying balance sheet of the expendable and nonexpendable funds of the General Church of the New Jerusalem as of December 31, 1989, and the related statements of support, revenue, expenses, capital additions and changes in fund balances and of cash flows for the year then ended. These financial statements are the responsibility of the church's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit.
     We conducted our audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
     In our opinion the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the General Church of the New Jerusalem at December 31, 1989, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year then ended, in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.
     Ernst and Young
     Philadelphia, PA

556






December 31, 1989 with comparative totals for 1988
                                                       Total
ASSETS                    Expendable     Nonexpendable (memorandum only)
                              Funds     Funds          1989     1988

Cash and cash equivalents     $1,157,520 $2,448,676     $3,606,196     $2,608,523
Accounts receivable, principally     
from related entities           487,670     305,109 792,779     1,050685     
Pledges receivable from
Glencairn Foundation                                         564:551
Inventory                     100,433               100,433      97,347     
Prepaid expenses                124,345               124,345      91,517                    
Loans to related societies
and employees, net               1,879,518           1,879,518     2,090,688                    
Loan to Cairnwood Village, Inc.     748,000               748,000     737,500
Investments                    12,634,480 27,890,825 40,525,305     37,705,721
Land, buildings and equipment,
net of accumulated depreciation     974,445               974,445      796,326     
Due from Expendable Funds      __________ 191,000     191,000      168,516
                                        
                         $18,106,411     $30,835,610 $48,942,021 $45,911,374

LIABILITIES AND FUND BALANCES

Accounts payable               458,158               $458,158      $62,487
Agency funds                71,616                571,616      549,834
Loans payable               456,000                456,000      400,000
Due to Nonexpendable Funds     191,000                191,000      168,516
Deferred capital support                $459,588     459,588      420,274
Annuities payable           ______      84,818      84,818      138,950
Fund balances:               1,676,774     544,406     2,221,180     1,740,061
Unrestricted- available
for current operations      1,505,985               1,505,985     1,135,214
Restricted -available
for current operations          220,679                220,679      253,229
-designated for specific purposes
Endowment                14,702,973               14,702,973     14,060,929
                                   30,291,204     30,291,204     28,721,941

                         16,429,637     30,291,204     46,720,841 44,171,313

                         $18,106,411     $30,835,610 $48,942,021 $45,911,374

557




     GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM STATEMENT OF SUPPORT, REVENUE, EXPENSES, CAPITAL ADDITIONS AND CHANGES IN FUND BALANCES

     Year ended December 31, 1989 with comparative totals for 1988

                                              Total
     ASSETS          Expendable     Nonexpendable (memorandum only)
                    Fund           Fund      1989     1988

Support and revenue:
Contributions
and bequests          $607,563      $206,758     $814,321     $991,902
Investment income     2,476,704      661,539     3,138,243     2,747,510
Printing and
publishing           246,573                    246,573     189,100
Gain on sale
of investments          13,109          292,729     305,838     191,413
Pension plan
income               840,831                    840,831     692,266
Other revenue          187,036          594      187,630     106,580
Total support
and revenue          4,371,816      1,161,620     5,533,436     4,918,771

Expenses:
Program services:
Pastoral and
educational          375,376                    375,376      345,601
South African
Mission               22,000                    22,000      14,400
Information and
other serviced      279,569                    279,569      273,013
Employee benefits     656,808                    656,808      429,118
Development grants
to societies          81,493                    81,493      62,200
Pensions paid      364,697                    364,697      404,495
Investment savings
plan withdrawals     284,059                    284,059      270,071
Other services     452,195      272,431          724,626      804,019
Total program
services          2,516,197     272,431      2,788,628     2,602,917
Supporting services:
Administration     811,626                    811,626      732,599
Total expenses     3,327,823     272,431          3,600,254     3,335,516
Excess of support
and revenue
over expenses
before capital
additions and
other changes     1,043,993     889,189          1,933,182     1,583,255
Capital additions:
Contributions and
bequests                    770,515          770,515     2,415,674
Investment income ______      169,815          169,815      100,744
Total capital
additions      ________      940,330          940,330      2,516,418
Excess of support
and revenue over
expenses after
capital additions
and before
other changes     1,043,993     1,829,519      2,873,512     4,099,673
Other changes:
Pension plan
funding          (579,648)                    (579,648)      (529,029)
Investment savings
plan funding      255,664                    255,664          237,140
Transfer          260,256                (260,256)          _______
Total other
changes          (63,728)     (260,256)      (323,984)      (291,889)
Excess of support
and revenue over
expenses after
capital additions
and other changes 980,265     1,569,263      2,549,528      3,807,784
Fund balances,
beginning of year 15,449,372     28,721,941     44,171,313      40,363,529
Fund balances,
end of year     $16,429,637     $30,291,204     $46,720,841      $44,171,313

558





     GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM STATEMENT OF CASH FLOW

     Year ended December 31, 1989 with comparative totals for 1988
                                                   Total
                    Expendable     Nonexpendable     (memorandum only)
                    Funds          Funds           1989     1988
Cash flows from

operating activities:
Excess of support
and revenue over
expenses after
capital additions
and other changes     $980,265      $1,569,263      $2,549,528     $3,807,784

Adjustments to
reconcile to
cash provided
by operating
activities:
Depreciation          19,289                         19,289          19,495
Other               2,512          (437)           2,075          23,076
Gain on sale
of investments      (13,109)      (292,729)      (305,838)      (191,413)
Interest accretion
on loan to
Cairnwood
Village, Inc.      (56,000)                     (56,000)
Changes in
operating assets
and liabilities:
(Increase) decrease
in accounts
receivable          563,015          (305,109)      (257,906)     (63,518)
Decrease in
pledges receivable                564,551          564,551          8,594
Increase in
Inventory          (3,086)                     (3,086)          (2,280)
Increase in
prepaid expenses     (32,828)                     (32,828)      (64,237)
Increase in due
to/from expendable
funds               22,485          (22,485)
Increase (decrease)
in accounts payable 395,671                     395,671     (114,675)
Increase in
agency funds          21,782                         21,782      45,412
Increase (decrease)
in deferred capital               39,314          39,314     (32,044)
support Increase
(decrease) in
annuities payable     ________      (54,132)          (54,132)     46,346
Cash provided
by operating
activities      1,899,996      1,498,236      3,398,232     3,482,540

Cash flows from
investing activities:
(increase) decrease
in loans to related
societies and
employees, net     211,170                     211,170          (94,884)

Payments
received on
loan to Caimwood
Village, Inc.     45,500                         45,500          62,500

Purchases of
investments (1,145,962)      (3,223,464)          (4,369,426)     (7,572,186)
Contributions of
investments                    (60,680)          (60,680)      (349,881)
Expenditures
for land,
buildings
and equipment     (197,408)                     (197,408)      (230,110)

Proceeds
from sale
of investments (45,000)     (1,869,285)          1,914,285          2,733,270
Cash used
in investing
activities     (1,041,700)     (1,414,859)      (2,456,559)     (5,451,251)

Cash flows
from financing
activities:
Increase in
loans payable     56,000          ______               56,000
Net increase
(decrease) in
cash and
cash equivalents 914,296      83,377          997,673      (1,968,711)
Cash and cash
equivalents,
beginning of year 243,224     2,365,299          2,608,523     4,577,234
Cash and
cash equivalents,
end of year     $1,157,520     $2,448,676     $3,606,1961     $2,608,523

559


DISPLAYS AT THE ASSEMBLY 1990

DISPLAYS AT THE ASSEMBLY       Marguerite Acton       1990




     Announcements






     I'm writing concerning space for displays at the assembly next June.
      We ask that any exhibit be the entire responsibility of one person in your group. We will have materials to help you put up your display, such as staplers, scissors, tacks, and markers, but we expect you to do the work of arranging and fastening your display to the boards, and also the disassembly and packing and cleanup of the area afterwards.
      We hope that we can give everyone who wishes a place to display New Church materials and art work. It will be a welcome addition to the assembly.
      In order for us to know how much space will be needed, and the number of tables and display boards to put up in the freestanding areas, please let me hear as soon as possible from any group interested in having space. Contact: Marguerite Acton, Display Committee, 1110 Shermer Road, Glenview, 11L 60025.

562


GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES (USA addresses) 1990

GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM PUBLIC WORSHIP AND DOCTRINAL CLASSES (USA addresses)       Editor       1990

     UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

     Alabama:

     Birmingham
Dr. R. Shepard, 4537 Dolly Ridge Road, Birmingham, AL 35243. Phone: (205) 967-3442.

     Huntsville
Mr. and Mrs. Wynne Sullivan, 1107 Princeton Drive, Madison, AL 35758. Phone: (205) 772-0074.

     Arizona:

     Phoenix
Rev. Fred Chapin, 3724 E. Sahuaro Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85028.

     Tucson
Rev. Frank S. Rose, 9233 E. Helen, Tucson, AZ 85715. Phone: (602) 721-1091.

     Arkansas:

     Little Rock
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Holmes, 2695 Mark Lane, Batesville, AR 72501. Phone: (501) 793-5135.

     California:

     Los Angeles
Rev. John L. Odhner, 5022 Carolyn Way, La Crescenta, CA 91214. Phone: (818) 249-5031.

     Orange County
Rev. Cedric King, resident pastor, 21332 Forest Meadow, El Toro, CA 92630. Phone: (home) (714) 586-5142, (office) (714) 951-5750.

     Sacramento
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ripley, 225 Woodlake Lane, Newcastle, CA 95658. Phone: (916) 663-2788.

     San Diego
Rev. Nathan Gladish, 7911 Canary Way, San Diego, CA 92123. Phone: (619) 2680379. Office: (619) 571-8599.

     San Francisco
Mr. and Mrs. Philip C. "Reds" Pendleton, 2261 Waverley Street, Palo Alto, CA 94901.

     Colorado:

     Colorado Springs
Mr. and Mrs. William Rienstra, P.O. Box 422, Simla, CO 80835.

     Denver
Rev. Clark Echols, 3371 W. 94th Ave., Westminster, CO 80030. Phone: (303) 429-1239 or 428-6019.

     Connecticut:

     Bridgeport

     Hartford

     Shelton
Mr. and Mrs. James Tucker, 45 Honey Bee Lane, Shelton, CT 06484. Phone: (203) 929-6455. Rev. Geoffrey Howard, visiting pastor. Phone: (508) 443-6531.

     Delaware:

     Wilmington
Mrs. Justin Hyatt, 2008 Eden Road, N. Graylyn, Wilmington DE 19810. Phone: (302) 475-3694.

District of Columbia: see Mitchellville, Maryland.

     Florida:

     Boynton Beach
Rev. Daniel Heinrichs, 10687 E. Clair Ranch Road, Boynton Beach, FL 33437. Phone: (407) 7369235.

     Lake Helen
Mr. and Mrs. Brent Morris, 264 Kickhghter Road, Lake Helen, FL 32744. Phone: (904) 228-2276.

     Pensacola
Mr. and Mrs. John Peacock, 5238 Soundside Drive, Gulf Breeze, FL 32561. Phone: (904) 934-3691.

     Georgia:

     Americus
Mr. W.H. Eubanks, RL #2, S. Lee Street, Americus, GA 31709. Phone: (912) 9249221.

     Atlanta
Rev. Ray Silverman, 2119 Seaman Circle, Cliamblee, GA 30341. Phone: (office) (404) 452-0518.

     Idaho:

     Fruitland (Idaho-Oregon border)
Mr. Harold Rand, 1705 Whitley Drive, Fruitland, ID 83619. Phone: (208) 452-3181.

563




     Illinois:

     Chicago
Rev. Grant Schnarr, 73A Park Drive, Glenview, IL 60025. Phone: (home) (708) 729-0130, (office) (708) 729-9296.

     Decatur
Mr. John Aymer, 380 Oak Lane, Decatur, IL 62562. Phone: (217) 875-3215.

     Glenview
Rev. Brian Keith, 73 Park Drive, Glenview, IL 60025. Phone: (708) 724-0120.

     Indiana:
Rev. Patrick Rose, 785 Ashcroft Court, Cincinnati, OH 45240. Phone: (513) 8257473.

     Kentucky:
Rev. Patrick Rose, 785 Ashcroft Court, Cincinnati, OH 45240. Phone: (513) 8257473.

     Louisiana:

     Baton Rouge
Mr. Henry Bruser, Jr., 6050 Esplanade Ave., Baton Rouge, LA 70806. Phone: (504) 924-3098.

     Maine:

     Bath
Rev. Allison L. Nicholson, HC 33 Box 61N, Arrowsic, ME 04530.

     Maryland:

     Baltimore
Rev. Thomas Rose, visiting minister, 3809 Enterprise Rd., Mitchellville, MD 20721. Phone: (301) 464-4585 (home), (301) 464-5602 (office).

     Mitchellville
Rev. Lawson Smith, 3805 Enterprise Road, Mitchellville, MD 20721. Phone: (301) 262-2349.

     Massachusetts:

     Boston
Rev. Geoffrey Howard. Phone: (508) 443-6531.

     Michigan:

     Detroit
Rev. Grant Odhner, 395 Olivewood Ct., Rochester, M1 48306.

     East Lansing
Mr. Christopher Clark, 5853 Smithfield, East Lansing, MI 48823. Phone: (517) 351-2880.

     Minnesota:

     St. Paul-Minneapolis
Karen Huseby, Secretary, 2800 Lake Blvd., North St. Paul, MN 55109. Phone: (612) 777-6962.

     Missouri:

     Columbia
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Johnson, 1508 Glencaim Court, Columbia, MO 65203. Phone: (314) 442-3475.

     Kansas City
Mr. Glen Klippenstein, Glenkirk Farms, Rt. 2, Maysville, MO 64469. Phone: (816) 449-2167.

     New Jersey-New York-Ridgewood, NJ
Mrs. Fred E. Munich, 474 S. Maple Ave., Glen Rock, NJ 07452. Phone: (201) 445-1141.

     New Mexico:

     Albuquerque
Mr. Howard Leach, 4215 12th Street, Albuquerque, NM 87107. Phone: (505) 892-0936.

     North Carolina:

     Charlotte
Rev. Bill Burke, 6010 Paddington Court, Charlotte, NC 28226. Phone: (704) 846-6416.

     Ohio:

     Cincinnati
Rev. Patrick Rose, 785 Ashcroft Court, Cincinnati, OH 45240. Phone: (513) 8257473.

     Cleveland
Mr. Alan Childs, 19680 Beachcliff Blvd., Rocky River, OH 44116. Phone: (216) 333-4413.

     Oklahoma:

     Oklahoma City
Mr. Robert Campbell, 3108 Eagle Pass Road, Edmond OK 73013. Phone: (405) 4784729.

     Oregon-Idaho Border: see Idaho, Fruitland.

     Pennsylvania:

     Bryn Athyn
Rev. Kurt Asplundh, Box 277, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009. Phone: (215) 9476225.

     Elizabethtown
Mr. Meade Bierly, 523 Snyder Ave., Elizabethtown, PA 17022. Phone: (717) 365-3964.

     Erie
Mrs. Paul Murray, 5648 Zuck Road, Erie, PA 16506. Phone: (814) 833-0962.

     Freeport
Rev. Ragnar Boyesen, 122 McKean Road, Freeport, PA 16229. Phone: office (412) 353-2220 or home (412) 295-9855.

564




     Hatboro/Horsham (Ivyland)
Rev. Robert S. Junge, 851 West Bristol Road, Ivyland, PA 18974. Phone: (215) 957-5965.

     Hawley
Mr. Grant Genzlinger, 4 Main Street, Hawley, PA 18428. Phone: (717) 226-2993.

     Kempton
Rev. Jeremy Simons, RD 2, Box 217-A, Kempton, PA 19529. Phone: home (215) 756-4301, office (215) 756-6140.

     Pittsburgh
Rev. Eric H. Carswell, 299 Le Roi Road, Washington: Pittsburgh, PA 15208. Phone: Church Seattle (412) 731-7421.

     South Carolina: see North Carolina.

     South Dakota:

     Hot Springs
Linda Klippenstein, 537 Albany, Hot Springs, SD 57747. Phone: (605) 745-6629.

     Texas:
Austin Mr. Robert Grubb, 510 Academy Drive, Austin, TX 78704. Phone: (512) 447-6811.

      Dallas-Fort Worth
Mr. Fred Dunlap, 3887 Antigua Circle, Dallas, TX 75244. Phone: (214) 247-7775.

     Virginia:

     Richmond
Mr. Donald Johnson, 13161 Happy Hill Road, Chester, VA 23831. Phone: (804) 748-5757.

     West Virginia:
Mrs. Thelma Smith, Route 1, Box 447, Peterstown, WV 24963. Phone: (304)753-9508

     Washington:

     Seattle
Mr. Thomas Andrews, 5035 NE 180th, Seattle, WA 98155. Phone: (206) 3652194.

     Wisconsin:

     Madison
Mrs. Charles Howell, 3912 Plymouth Circle, Madison, WI 53705. Phone: (608) 233-0209.

     (others than USA)

     AUSTRALIA

     Canberra
Mr. and Mrs. Rex Ridgway, 7 Whalen Place, Kaleen, ACT, Australia 2517. Sydney,

     Sydney, N.S.W.
Rev. Douglas Taylor, 22 Dudley Street, Penshurst, N.S.W. 2222. Phone: 57-1589.

     Tamworth
See Rev. Douglas Taylor under Sydney.

     BRAZIL

     Rio de Janeiro
Rev. Cristovao Rabelo Nobre, Rua Lina Teixeira, 109 Apt., Rocha, Rio de Janeiro R.J. 20970. Phone: 21-201-8455.

     CANADA

     Alberta

     Calgary
Mr. Thomas R. Fountain, 115 Southglen Drive S.W., Calgary 13, Alberta T2W OX2. Phone: 403-2557283.

     Edmonton
Mrs. Wayne Anderson, 6703-98th Street, Edmonton, Alberta T6E 3L9. Phone: 403-432-1499.

     British Columbia

     Dawson Creek
Rev. Glenn G. Alden, Dawson Creek Church, 9013 8th St., Dawson Creek, B.C., Canada VIG 3N3. Phone: (office) 604-782-8035; (home) 604-786-5297.

     Ontario

     Kitchener
Rev. Louis D. Synnestvedt, 58 Chapel Hill Drive, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2G 3W5. Phone: (home) 519-748-5605; (office) 519-748-5802.

     Ottawa
Mr. and Mrs. Donald McMaster, 684 Fraser Ave., Ottawa, Ontario K2A 2R8. Phone: (613) 725-0394.

     Toronto
Rev. Michael Gladish, 279 Burnhamthorpe Rd., Islington, Ontario M911 IZ4. Phone (church): (416) 239-3055.

565




     Quebec
Montreal Mr. Denis de Chazal, 17 Ballantyne Ave. So., Montreal West, Quebec H4X 2B I. Phone: (514) 489-9861.

     DENMARK
Copenhagen Mr. Jorgen Hauptmann, Strandvejen 22, 4040 Jyllinge. Phone: (02) 389968.

     ENGLAND

     Colchester
Rev. Christopher Bown, 2 Christ Church Court, Colchester, Essex C03 3AU. Phone: 0206575644.

     Letchworth
Mr. and Mrs. R. Evans, 24 Berkeley, Letchworth, Herts. SG6 2HA. Phone: 046268451.

     London
Rev. Frederick Elphick, 21B Hayne Rd., Beckenham, Kent BR3 4JA. Phone: 01144-1658-6320.

     Manchester
Rev. Norman E. Riley, 69 Harewood Zululand Rd., Norden, Rochdale, OL11 5TH, England. Phone: 0706 54003.

     HOLLAND

     The Hague
Mr. Ed Verschoor, Olmenlaan 17, 3862 VG Nijkerk.

     KOREA

     Seoul
Rev. Dzin P. Kwak, Horim #102, 10197, Daechi-dong, Kangnam-Ku, Seoul, Korea 135-281. Phone 82-2-562-7344.

     NEW ZEALAND

     Auckland
Mrs. H. Keal, 4 Derwent Cresc., Titirangi, Auckland 7, New Zealand.

     NORWAY

     Oslo
Mrs. Klaas Biermann, Bakketoppen 10A. 1165 Oslo 11. Phone: (0) 2 283783.

     SCOTLAND
     Edinburgh
Mr. and Mrs. N. Laidlaw, 35 Swanspring Ave., Edinburgh EH 10-6NA. Phone: 0 31-4452377.

     Glasgow
Mrs. J. Clarkson, Hillview, Balmore Nr. Torrance, Glasgow G64 4JA. Phone: Balmore 262.

     SOUTH AFRICA

     Natal
     Durban
Rev. James P. Cooper, 30 Perth Road, Westville 3630, Natal, Republic of South Africa. Phone: 01127-31-821612.

     Transvaal
     Transvaal Society
Rev. Andrew Dibb, P.O. Box 816, Kelvin 2054. Republic of South Africa. Phone: (011) 804-2567.

     Zululand

     Kent Manor
Rev. James Cooper, visiting pastor. Mrs. D.G. Liversage, Box 7088, Empangeni Rail. 3910. Natal, South Africa. Phone: 0351-2341.

Mission in South Africa Rev. Andrew Dibb (address above).

     SWEDEN

     Jonkoping
Contact Rev. Bjorn A.H. Boyesen, Bruksoter. Furusjo, S-566 00. Habo. Phone: 039220395.

     Stockholm
Contact Rev. Bjorn A.H. Boyesen at the above address.
ASSEMBLY BY THE LAKE-GIFT IDEA 1990

ASSEMBLY BY THE LAKE-GIFT IDEA       Editor       1990

     Gift certificates for fully paid advance registrations are available from the Assembly Registration Committee, 74 Park Drive, Glenview, IL 60025.
Title Unspecified 1990

Title Unspecified       Various       1990

SWEDENBORG FOUNDATION
New York City
Publisher and distributor, of Swedenborgian and related literature since 1850. Non-sectarian center for dissemination of Swedenborgian thought Contact point for Swedenborgians all over the world.

The Swedenborg Foundation seeks an:

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
to manage its operation, interact with the public, and work with the board of directors to build support for its work.
Candidates must demonstrate expertise in administration and fund-raising. Expertise in marketing publication is essential.
Interested individuals should send a resume and salary history to: John R. Seekman, Vice President, Swedenborg Foundation, 139 East 23rd Street, New York 10010, 212/673-7310.

STUDY AT GLENCAIRN AND IN FRANCE WITH THE ACADEMY COLLEGE June 21-July 11, 1991
For an itinerary and application form write Glencairn, Box 278, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009, or call (215) 947-9919.


EVANGELINE'S WAY
A Story About Spiritual Marriage
by
Zoe Gyllenhaal Simons 1988
Published by David Simons 1990
      Zoe wrote this story for all women involved in forming a marriage relationship, in raising children, or considering a career and uses outside the home; and for young women just deciding on their future. Zoe felt that she had a message of importance for all women who were interested in spiritual things, in understanding and living the Lord's truth, in making a vital contribution to the harmony of uses in this world and to the eternal kingdom of uses.
                                        Vera P. Glenn Editor

Postage paid $5.90
General Church Book Center Box 278, Cairncrest Bryn Athyn, PA 19009
Hours: Mon-Fri 9-12 or by appointment Phone: (215) 947-3920