THE WANTS OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
The Christian Church at this day, first of all, needs true doctrines which
are in harmony with the Sacred Scriptures, and which all men who are
willing to see and obey, using the reason with which God has endowed them,
can accept and see to be true.
Second, such a law or principle of interpretation of the Sacred Scriptures,
that when they are interpreted in accordance with it, every man and woman
who is willing to see and obey the truth will find there is actually no
conflict between the Word of the Lord and His works, and no real
contradictions to be found in the Sacred Scriptures.
In the writings of Swedenborg the Lord has shown us that "all religion has
relation to life, and that the life of religion is to do good;" and that,
if we would enter into the heavenly life, or have heaven within us, we must
strive faithfully and honestly to keep the commandments, not simply in
external acts, but also in our motives, thoughts, and words, as well as in
act. In the writings of Swedenborg the Lord has clearly revealed Himself
and has come down to the comprehension of man--God in Christ and in His
Word.
The Science of Correspondences enables us to see that the first eleven
chapters of Genesis are purely allegorical, and in their spiritual and true
sense treat of the regeneration of man, and his fall through the seduction
of his lowest or sensual nature and appetites, as men are seduced to-day;
and of a flood of evils and falses, similar to the flood which threatens to
overwhelm the Christian world, at least in our land, at this day; and a New
Church as an ark of safety. While the Science of Correspondences shows that
there are no more contradictions in the Word of the Lord than in His works,
there are apparent truths and real truths in both. It is an apparent truth
that God is angry with the wicked every day; but the real truth is that God
is never angry, but when man disobeys His laws and brings upon himself
consequent suffering, it appears to him that God is angry. So it appears to
us that night and darkness are caused by the going down of the sun, but the
real truth is that the sun always shines and that night and darkness are
caused by the earth's diurnal revolution on its axis. It will therefore be
seen that if the Sacred Scriptures are the Word of God and in accordance
with His works, they must contain both apparent and real truths.
No man who has ever diligently and faithfully, without prejudice, read the
Sacred Scriptures in the light of the Science of Correspondences, as
revealed by the Lord through Emanuel Swedenborg, has ever failed to be
satisfied that the Sacred Scriptures are Divine and plenarily inspired, and
that they differ as much from the writings of men as do the works of God
from the works of men. At this day, when so many of our clergy and
intelligent laymen are beginning to doubt the special inspiration of the
Sacred Scriptures, a knowledge of the Science of Correspondences, in
accordance with which they were written, is wanted above every thing else,
that the Christian Church "may revive again and draw breath through heaven
from the Lord."
The Lord speaks to man in parables, and "without a parable," we read,
"spake He not unto them." The Lord intimates in many passages that the
Sacred Scriptures, or His words, contain a spiritual sense, as in the
following: "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing;
the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life." "The
letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life."
"The early Christian Fathers, Clement of Alexandria, and Origen, understood
that the Sacred Scriptures have a spiritual sense; and Origen--when that
shrewd enemy of Christianity, Celsus, ridiculed the stories of the rib, the
serpent, etc., as childish fables--reproaches him for want of candor in
purposely keeping out of sight, what was so evident upon the face of the
narrative, that the whole is a _pure allegory_."--_Noble's Plenary
Inspiration._
"The idea of a spiritual sense in every part of the Scripture was the
generally received doctrine of the Primitive Church--believed and taught
by Origen, Ignatius, Justin Martyr, Jerome, Augustine, Pantaenus, Tatian,
Theophilus, Pamphilius, Clement and Cyril of Alexandria, and nearly all the
early Christian Fathers. And the same belief has been held by many eminent
theologians ever since. Dr. Mosheim, speaking of the illustrious writers of
the second century, says: 'They _all_ attributed a double sense to the
words of Scripture; the one _obvious_ and _literal_, the other
_hidden_ and _mysterious_, which lay concealed, as it were, under
the veil of the outward letter.' But the Fathers had no recognized rule for
eliciting the spiritual sense. Each one's own spiritual perception was his
only guide. A hundred different expositors, therefore, might give as many
different expositions of the same text."--_Rev. B. F. Barrett_.
Every natural object is the form and embodiment of some spiritual idea or
principle; and therefore it is the most perfect expression or type or
picture of that idea.
"Inasmuch as the end of the creation is an angelic heaven out of the human
race, and thus the human race itself, therefore all other things that are
created are mediate ends, which being referable to man, look to these three
things of man, his body, his rational part, and his spiritual part, for
sake of conjunction with the Lord. For a man cannot be conjoined to the
Lord unless he be spiritual; nor can he be spiritual unless he be rational;
nor can he be rational unless his body is in a sound state. These things
are like a house, of which the body is the foundation, and the rational is
the house built upon it; the spiritual comprises those things which are in
the house, and conjunction with the Lord is being at home in it."
Here are outlined clearly and distinctly three fields for much needed
labor.
We see above, clearly taught by Swedenborg, that "a man cannot be spiritual
unless he be rational, nor can he be rational unless his body be in a sound
state." The reason is plain: for the natural corresponds to the spiritual;
natural diseases and natural causes of disease correspond to spiritual
diseases and spiritual causes of spiritual disease.
Swedenborg says that: "Diseases correspond to the lusts and passions of the
mind; these, therefore, are the origins of diseases; for the origins of
diseases in general are intemperance, luxuries of various kinds, pleasures
merely corporal; also envyings, hatreds, revenges, lasciviousness, and the
like; which destroy the interiors of man, and when these are destroyed the
exteriors suffer and draw man into diseases, and thereby into death."--
_Arcana Coelestia_, 5712.
For this reason, if a man is to be reformed and regenerated, his
reformation must commence by his shunning natural falses and bad habits of
life, which correspond to his spiritual evils.
Swedenborg's writings give us a wonderful insight into the causes and cure
of both spiritual and natural diseases, as we shall hereafter see, and many
suggestions which it would be well for us to heed. He says:--
"The man who is willing to be enlightened by the Lord, must take especial
heed lest he appropriate to himself any doctrinal which patronizes evil;
for man in such case appropriates it to himself, when he confirms it with
himself, for thereby he makes it a principle of his faith, and still more
so if he lives according to it. When this is the case, then evil remains
inscribed on his soul and his heart; and when this effect has place, he
cannot afterwards in any wise be enlightened by the Word from the Lord; for
his whole mind is in the faith and in the love of his principle, and
whatsoever is contrary to it, this he either does not see, or rejects, or
falsifies." (A. C. 10,640.)
Every one can see how true this is in regard to evil habits which destroy
health, reason, and life, such as the prevailing use of tobacco and the
drinking of intoxicating drinks. If a man drinks thoughtlessly, without
knowing any better, he can be taught and shown that it is wrong and a sin
to drink poisonous fluids which are entirely unnecessary, and which
endanger health, reason, life, and the welfare and happiness of all
associated with him, and actually destroy vast multitudes of those who
drink them moderately. All children and young persons who are free from bad
examples and false teachings can be taught and can readily see that it is
wrong and a sin to use such drinks; but let a man strive to justify such
habits by the Sacred Scriptures, and to make them accord with his religious
principles, and we all know how difficult it is for him ever to see the
truth upon this and kindred subjects.
MUCH-NEEDED INSTRUCTION.
Inquiry should be made into the natural causes of disease, into which
spiritual causes flow and cause the suffering, wretchedness, and premature
deaths which prevail, and men and women should be led by precept and
example to see them as evils and to shun them as sins against God.
Swedenborg says:--
"Thus, by washing the feet, is meant to purify the natural principle of
man; for unless this principle appertaining to man, when he lives in the
world, is purified and cleansed, it cannot afterwards be purified to
eternity; for such as the natural principle of man is when he dies such it
remains; for it is not afterwards amended, inasmuch as it is that plane
into which interior things, which are spiritual, flow in--it being their
receptacle; wherefore when it is perverted, interior things, when they flow
in, are perverted like it." (A. C. 10,243.)
There are two great hindrances to the reformation of the world at this day;
the first is false teaching in regard to evils, by which unlawful
indulgences are justified, and in moderation held to be good; for by this
the individual is strongly confirmed in their favor and prevented from
seeing the truth. The second is the love of the evil which the truth
condemns, which closes the mind against the truth, and, as it were, binds
and imprisons the individual (see A. C. 5096). It must be self-evident to
every intelligent Christian that if it is wrong to deliberately appropriate
falses and evils "temperately" or moderately to the building up of our
spiritual organizations, it is equally wrong to appropriate temperately
those natural substances which correspond to falses and evils in a vain
attempt to build up healthy natural bodies. Total abstinence in both cases
is the only law of life. The lover of intoxicating drinks can never be
radically reformed or regenerated until he resolves, with the help of the
Lord, to stop drinking intoxicating drinks and sets himself honestly about
it; so the thief must stop stealing, the vain woman must stop her tight
dressing and habits of idleness; and so of all other evils affecting
physical and spiritual health and life.
But to-day the great difficulty is, that multitudes of the young and of all
ages become "bond-servants" to evil habits, which impair health and reason
and shorten life, through ignorance, hereditary inclination, and the bad
example of others. And how are they to regain their freedom, and the
innocent to be protected from contamination and from a like slavery? The
truth can alone make them free; and even when received by the willing and
obedient, line upon line and precept upon precept may be required. And they
will often have to endure many a hard struggle; and those who are free
should have sympathy and charity, and judge them not. Men, women, and
children must be taught that they have no right to follow habits which will
endanger health and reason, and which observation and carefully collected
statistics show will shorten the average duration of life; for to thus act
is to violate the command, "Thou shall not kill." The causes of ill health,
deformity, and the prevailing insanity and premature deaths must be sought
out and exposed, and a call to repentance must be made.
In the good providence of the Lord, we have men who, by education, diligent
investigation, and careful observation, are most admirably adapted to give
the needed instruction--physicians. Let physicians arm themselves with
true doctrines, with the spiritual sense of the Word, with the Science of
Correspondences and a knowledge of natural sciences, and they will be able
to combat the prevailing evils as no other men can; and they should lead in
all the great necessary reforms of this age that have regard to physical
health, life, and morals. In almost every society of our Churches of any
size will be found one or more medical men who have devoted their lives to
the study of anatomy, physiology, the causes of disease, diseases and their
cure, and the effects of poisons and the bad habits of dress, and other
habits injurious to health; and they are able to speak with authority in
regard to the prevailing evils of life, which are so destructive to our
race. These men, thus providentially prepared, should be called into the
field as lecturers. There is not a religious society which does not
actually need the services of such teachers; and we can send no other
missionaries to those outside of our church organizations who will, to the
same extent, command their attention and respect. In order that the body
with its environment may be a fit dwelling place for the Spirit, there are
provided--
"_Uses for sustaining the body_, comprising its nourishment, clothing,
habitation, recreation and enjoyment, protection and conservation of state.
The uses created for the nourishment of the body comprise all things of the
vegetable kingdom which are good for food and drink; fruits, berries,
seeds, pulse, and herbs; all things of the animal kingdom which serve for
meat, oxen, cows, calves, deer, sheep, kids, goats, lambs; not to mention
milk; also fowls and fish of many kinds." (D. L. W. 331.)
"Good uses," says Swedenborg, "are from the Lord, and evil uses are from
hell. Evil uses were not created by the Lord, but they originated together
with hell." (D. L. W. 336.) Among the evil uses he enumerates all kinds of
poisons--in a word, "all things that do hurt and kill men." (_Ibid_.
339.) Here, then, is a criterion by which we must judge of the suitability
of any article for nourishing and supplying the wants of our natural
bodies. It should be evident to every one that substances which have their
origin from hell, which, when used as we use legitimate articles of food
and drink, seriously endanger, hurt, and kill men, should never be used for
such purpose.
Who are better qualified to judge as to what are evil uses than the
physician, who has made them the study of his life? The men and women who
are violating the laws of life cannot see that such violations injure them;
for such violations palliate the sufferings which they cause, and make the
transgressors feel better every time they indulge. The true physician, by
precept and example, is qualified to lead all who are willing to be led to
a higher life and to protect the innocent and the young.
That such teachers are most important at this day is manifest "from the
signification of physicians as denoting preservation from evils--the evils
which obstruct conjunction. In the Word, physicians, the art of physic and
medicine, signify preservation from evils and falses.... That in the Word,
physicians, the art of physic and medicine, signify preservation from evils
and falses, is manifest from the passages where they are named.... Hence it
is evident what _medicine_ signifies, viz., that which preserves from
falses and evils; for when the truth of faith leads to the good of love, it
preserves, because it withdraws from evils." (A. C. 6502.)
Here, then, we have the men suitable for this use. Shall we call them into
the fields which are ripe and ready for the harvest?
A clergyman who has a knowledge of the medical profession and of medicine,
in speaking of the importance of such teachers, says: "Moreover, from their
relation to the sick and suffering, from their habit of analyzing the
mental and moral states of their patients, and from the deep, tender
sympathy which sincere, God-fearing physicians have for suffering human
beings, they are placed in a much closer relation to the people than any
other vocation could give them. How many persons have been comforted,
strengthened, instructed, and turned to uprightness of life through the
kindly ministrations of their physicians!"
And church organizations are languishing for the want of such teachers, and
can never thrive in true doctrine and good lives, as they should, without
them.
Surely every one can but see of what immense benefit such lecturers would
be, especially to the young in our churches. One physician might be
employed by and serve several societies, giving to the different societies
once or twice a week a lecture in each society, fully illustrated by
drawings, plates, stereoscopic and microscopic views, which would attract
young and old, and fill our churches to overflowing with those who now
attend no church; and the latter, when they found a physician, with the
consent of the church, thus clearly pointing out the great evils of life
which cause so much suffering, wretchedness, sorrow, and so many premature
deaths, and calling young and old, from a religious standpoint, to shun
them as sins against God, could but feel that our churches are striving to
elevate humanity, and are a great blessing, and that it would be desirable
to belong to them, and especially to have their children brought up under
the influence of the Church.
Nearly the same could be said in regard to the important services which a
second class of teachers of which I am about to speak could render. By the
lectures of the two new life would be infused into our churches, and they
would stand upon a sure foundation by manifesting love to God and man in
our external natural lives, by teaching and leading men to act from
spiritual motives, and to be willing to see their evils, and to commence by
shunning well-known evils as sins against God. What a glorious day would
this open up to our churches and for the elevation of our race through
them!
THE SECOND CLASS OF TEACHERS REQUIRED.
Physicians as teachers in our churches should have for a special work the
teaching of truth as to the physical life of man in connection with his
spiritual life--the laws of health, the causes of prevailing diseases,
deformities, insanities, and premature deaths, together with the methods
and the duty of shunning them as sins against God. But there are other
evils and questions which require careful consideration in our churches,
such as the true relation, according to the laws of justice, mercy, and
right, which should exist between men as neighbors, citizens, and
Christians; and the clear light of this New Day should be brought down to
guide men into a life of peace and harmony and good-will in this wilderness
state of the world. Important questions are pressing for a solution, and
for a careful consideration, by the religious teachers of our churches,
such as the ecclesiastical and civil government best adapted for men of
different countries and races, especially for our own country and churches;
the relation of capital and labor; the right of single individuals to hold
an unlimited amount of real estate, and transmit it to their children; the
rights of corporations and of women; and our duties to others in all the
relations of life. Fortunately, we have in our churches legal men or
lawyers, who, while familiar with the doctrines of the Church, have devoted
their lives to the consideration of such questions. It would not be
difficult to point out several members of the legal fraternity belonging to
our church organizations who would be able to perform a great use to the
Church as lecturers and acting as missionaries among those who do not
attend church as opportunity may offer. They would enter into a field of
usefulness almost altogether beyond the reach and influence of our present
ministers. Their advice, their counsel, their discourse, in their legal
practice, are channels for the introduction of Christian thought and
doctrine otherwise closed. There is one passage in the Writings which
indicates this use:--
"_And strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die_--that
hereby is signified; that the things which pertain to the moral life should
be vivified, appears from the signification of strengthening, as denoting
to vivify the moral life by truths; _for truths from the Word vivify that
life_, which, when it is vivified, is also strengthened, for it then
acts as one with the spiritual life." (A. E. 188.)
To meet and vivify the moral life of man with truths from the Word is a use
eminently adapted to the position and mind of the legal profession. We need
the services of such ministers, especially at this day, when we inherit
from the fallen churches of the past an inclination to the love of
spiritual and temporal dominion or rule, and the love of money and of vain
show without regard to use. The evils that result from the gratification of
such perverted affections must be fearlessly exposed, and a call to
repentance made, before the injustice, oppression, and wrong which exist
all over the world can be materially lessened. Lawyers, by making a special
study of the Word in connection with their professional-studies, could not
fail to impart much valuable instruction both to the Church and the world.
Christian physicians and lawyers would take hold of men in their present
low state, showing them what acts are evil and wrong, and why they are so;
and would call on them to repent and stop doing the evil acts which the
truth condemns, fully realizing that a man must cease doing evil before he
can cease thinking and willing evil; or, in other words, that reformation
must commence on the natural plane, and from the highest motives of which
the individual at present is susceptible.
It is the duty of our clergy to teach spiritual truths and the spiritual
sense of the Word, and to lead men and women to live good lives, in
obedience to the Divine commandments, from spiritual and celestial motives.
But it is difficult for them to fill the entire field where religious
instruction is needed, for we are living in the midst of the most direful
evils of life, which must be put away before the New Jerusalem can descend
and have an abiding place with men. Evils so terrible as to destroy vast
multitudes of men and women of all ages, and even innocent children, all
around us, too frequently go unheeded by our clergy and the periodicals
under their charge. I know that in this respect there are some noble
exceptions among our clergy and editors; but however willing and anxious
they may be, it is impossible for one man to possess the knowledge and to
impart all the necessary instruction as perfectly as three men thoroughly
educated and trained for the different fields for labor could do it.
To recapitulate: The physicians are required to teach and to lead men to
obey, from a principle of obedience, the spiritual and natural laws of
health and life; the lawyers are required to teach and lead men by
spiritual truths to act from a principle of justice, truth, and neighborly
love in all their relations with others; our ministers are required to
teach and lead men to act from love to the Lord and thence the neighbor,
and to do right because it is right, and to administer the ordinances of
the Church.
While some church organizations are laboring earnestly for the reform of
men and women addicted to evils, and are striving to guard the innocent and
young; and while in many of the churches in England they are organizing
their temperance societies and "Bands of Hope," many of our organizations
are as silent as the grave in regard to these evils. Can our churches
prosper without teachers who are able to point out the evils of life which
are so destructive to our race, and who are sufficiently free themselves to
be able earnestly and consistently to call men to repentance, and to lead
them to live orderly lives?
Various denominations of Christians, in sending forth missionaries to
distant lands, have, of late years, been sending, among others, some
well-educated physicians as missionaries, and have found them very
efficient in reaching and influencing the people among whom they labor. May
not all take a hint when some of the religious organizations around us are
beginning to see the advantages of sending out medical missionaries? If we
would reach the Gentiles, or non-church goers, in our midst, should we not
follow their example? A vast number of children and young people are
growing up in our country, who are more ignorant of the spiritual and
natural laws of health and life than many in Gentile lands; many of them
rarely read or hear the Sacred Scriptures read, and do not even know the
Ten Commandments.