Page images
PDF
EPUB

but it would be more satisfactory if Mr. M'Cully, who comes forward as a champion of this body, would clearly define his own relation thereto. I have carefully read his papers in the I. R. and the "Recipient," and am at a loss to reconcile them. If in I. R. he blames H. for protesting against it how is it that in the "Recipient," vol. 3, p. 276, he approves of an organization of free gospellers of the New Church; men who shall be encouraged to trust their spontaneousness, feeling His (the Lord's) influx to be the true calling and all-sufficient ordination?" (which the Conference does not do) and if in I. R. he accuses H. of "blasphemy" and the "lie direct," how is it that in the " Recipient," p. 276, he predicts a great future in store for

H.'s writings?"

66

Mr. M'Cully next says "Have none been driven into infidelity" by H.'s writings? I answer, none that I know of, nor does Mr. M'Cully know of a single case, else he would have mentioned it. He should also have known that "infidelity" means a disbelief in a revelation at all from God, not in H. or S.; and the attempt to charge with "infidelity" a writer who believes in "the sublimer glories of the third heaven" (I. R. p. 534) shows that the critic must indeed be at his wit's end for argument. And here again I have to mention that he takes no notice of the rest of the conclusion of my first paper; and I will again say if the Lord has deceived me in this matter in answer to earnest prayer how can I trust him at all?

met.

Now comes another mistake on the part of the critic, who says H, saw his father in the spirit-world; here he has quoted from memory, as he accuses me of doing; H. says (A, Chr, i. 400) that it was his grandfather whom he Mr. M'Cully next points out a contradiction in the writings of S,, no doubt thinking that I shall do so, and that he will anticipate me and answer the objection at the same time. But here again he should have proceeded more cautiously, for I had forgotten all about this discrepancy; and in endeavouring to get S. out of the difficulty he has got him into a greater one. Mr. M'Cully argues that part of H. and H. must have been written before the last judgment, and so the maximum of thirty years in the spirit world would apply to the time previous to that event; the twenty years which S. gives elsewhere as the maximum, to the subsequent period. This will not do; if a man publishes a work, the facts contained in it are supposed to be true at the time of publication, so far as his knowledge extends, not at the time when it was written. Moreover, if before the last judgment the maximum was thirty years, how is it that he meets St. Peter (not to mention many others) in the spirit-world, hundreds of years after his death? It will not do for the critic to say that this was before S.'s illumination, for he says (I. R. p. 171) "hence when he tells us that he saw St. Peter, not in heaven but in the spiritual world, and deprived of his keys, i.e. shorn of his prerogative, we have no ground for questioning the circumstances, after we find S. distinctiy writing 'hoc pro certo vobis asseverare possum.' Clearly therefore, unless there is some other explanation of the difficulty, Swedenborg made a mistake (unimportant it is true) after his illumination.

[ocr errors]

Mr. M'Cully next accuses H. of "imitation," because he says he witnessed a "Last Judgment." Hence again the critic shows his want of acquaintance with H. or S. or both. The L. J. in 1757 was in the entire spirit world to separate the sheep from the goats; that in 1857 was a judgment on the wicked in the lower spiritual world only (A. Chr. i. 426). Where is then

the imitation?

Mr. M'Cully concludes by expressing his hope that he has answered me "satisfactorily." Whether he has done so or not, I leave to your readers to decide. He says he has pointed out only a portion of H.'s inconsistencies. It is a pity he did not complete his work; I should have been perfectly ready

and willing to answer these charges also in a fair field; but if they have no better ground than those he has already brought against him, it has been a saving of time and space that they have been omitted. Ex uno disce omnes. He says further that H.'s works are fenced round "with invectives and anathemas." I do not think that his words justify this accusation, but if they do, he has a precedent in S., who says (T. C. R. 108), "The prayers also of every man who lives in a Christian country and does not believe in the Lord, are henceforth not attended to. This is the case from henceforth with all worship which is directed towards a Trinity of distinct persons, and not towards a Trinity in one person." What does Mr. M'Cully say to this? Does he believe with S. that infinite love now rejects prayers because they are not worded in the most proper manner? Is not this a specimen of "invective and anathema" on the part of S. Lastly, his statement that the Brotherhood are required to abandon free thought, is a final truth of his inacquaintance with the subject, and comes with a bad grace from one who throughout his long paper has been attacking H. for exercising the privilege of free thought with regard to some statements of S. On this point it will be sufficient to give two questions from A. Chr. iii. "If she resists, he seeks to find some means by which everything can be removed from her organism which keeps her from perfect freedom and nationality” (594). "There is no effort to biologise, to persuade, to possess, but on the contrary, a constant demagnetising and dispossessing process is carried on" (419).

In conclusion, I would say a word to three classes of people-(1) those who know nothing about H.; (2) those who accept him as a teacher; (3) those who oppose him. To the first I say; If what H. says about Internal Respiration be true, then the world can by it be restored to order, man being led by direct inspiration in all things. If it is not true, what other means of restoration exist?

To the second I say; do not be deceived by false reports about H. or the Brotherhood; take nothing on trust without verifying it. If H.'s writings and works are celestial, we must expect that they will meet with infernal opposition; at the same time, we must have perfect charity towards his maligners, remembering that evil spirits have at times the power of obscuring the perception and judgment of the best of men.1

To the third class I say; what results do they expect from their opposition? This controversy I know has excited ill-feeling, not on the part of the readers of H., but on the part of Mr. M'Cully and his followers. Is this a desirable state of things to be brought about? Does Mr. M'Cully think that one single receiver of H. has been shaken in his faith by his remarks? I have not heard of one; but on the contrary, I have since my first paper received letters from different parts of the world asking for information and encouraging me in my work; in fact, a greater impetus to the study of these celestial writings has been given by the discussion than he has probably any idea of. Truly the Lord makes even the wrath of man to praise him.

Trusting that Mr. M'Cully will pardon anything I may have said contrary to a true spirit of charity (which does not shrink from speaking plainly, and even causing pain for the good of another),—I remain, Sir, your obedient servant, E. W. BERRIDGE, M.D.

254 St. Paul's Road, Canonbury, London, N.,

Nov. 8, 1871.

1 H.'s maligners have even availed themselves of misprints (there is one in the Introduction to A. Chr. i., respecting the plague of lice) to accuse him of inaccuracy. But this is a dangerous game for Swedenborgians, because two can play at it.

[We had intended this correspondence to close with Mr. M'Cully's last letter. At the end of an article that gentleman had made some strictures on Harris and Harrisism. When the truth of his statements was called in question, he, as a contributor to this Magazine, was entitled to be heard in reply, and here the matter should have ended. We found, however, that the friends of Harris considered this as unjust; and to remove even the appearance of unfairness, we consented to hear Dr. Berridge again. To end the discussion with the present volume, we have printed his long article entire; and to prevent complaints against the appropriation of space which might be devoted to uncontroversial matter, we give with the present number an extra half sheet--not at the expense of Conference. We now close the discussion with some remarks of our own.

Our readers have now had an opportunity of hearing what two competent witnesses have to say for and against Harris and Harrisism-in their professed relation to Swedenborg and the New Church. For Harris, as most of our readers are aware, claims to have been ordained in heaven to teach the celestial sense of the Word-as Swedenborg, according to Harris, had been commissioned to teach its spiritual sense. And as he who stands on the shoulders of another not only sees farther, but in some respects better, Harris not simply supplements, but to some extent corrects the narrower and more imperfect view of his predecessor. We have not the least doubt that Mr. Harris sincerely believes in his celestial ordination, and that his utterances are the inspiration of the Almighty. And there are not a few, we understand, who share his belief with him. For our own part we cannot accept him either as a true seer or as an enlightened expositor. We regard Mr. Harris simply as a spiritualist, although, we are happy to be able to say, as the very best among spiritualists. His revelations are, we are convinced, the same in origin and nature as those of Davis, their great superiority to those of the Poughkeepsie seer being owing to the accidental circumstance of Harris being a wiser and a better man. Harris's mode of writing and what he has written can be accounted for on spiritualistic principles. According to the law of spiritual intercourse, spirits speak with and teach men by means of what they find in their memory, the memory being the record of a man's knowledges, imaginings, and beliefs. There is another and abnormal kind of spiritual intercourse, in which the attendant spirit or spirits do not put on the memory of the man, but the man puts on the memory of the spirits. This by Swedenborg is called obsession, and is what by New Testament readers is known as possession. All spiritualistic phenomena result from one or both of these modes of communication. What Harris teaches in common with Swedenborg he had received believingly from his writings. But in one notable instance in which he differs from him it is not difficult to see whence the difference arose. Swedenborg emphatically teaches the eternity of the hells. Harris, on the contrary, teaches the final recovery of all lost, or aberrant souls. But when we recollect that Harris was a universalist before he was a seer, we can easily trace the connection of cause and effect between his faith and his sight. He did not believe what he saw, but saw what he believed.

As to his explaining the celestial sense of the Word, this, we think, can only be believed by those whose imagination is stronger than their understanding, however strong this faculty may be.

Supposing Swedenborg had not explained in any instance the celestial sense of the Word, which he, however, in many instances has done, yet he has taught us so clearly what the nature of that sense is, that any one adequately acquainted with his principles can recognize it when presented, and can easily distinguish between the genuine and the spurious. Tried by this test it will be found that Harris's celestial sense has really nothing truly celestial in it. As an example let us take his explanation of Genesis i. 11, "And God said let the earth bring forth grass," which he explains to mean the creation of man in the universal orb of earths, that is, in all the earths of the universe. Now what celestial sense is there in this? What celestial truth does it teach? what celestial good does it lead to? According to Swedenborg the celestial sense of the Word is within its spiritual sense, and consequently above it. Is Harris's celestial sense of the passage more interior and more exalted than Swedenborg's spiritual sense? If it

is celestial, it is in the astronomical, certainly not in the the theological or religious sense. It is in fact simply a natural sense, extended indeed to all the earths of the universe, but not less natural on that account. It is different, indeed, from Swedenborg's spiritual sense, nay contrary to it, for the author of the Arcana Calestia declares that the passage has no literal or natural sense at all. To confirm his explanation Harris quotes the text, "All flesh is grass;" but this again is not the celestial, nor even the spiritual meaning of that divine declaration, but only its natural figurative sense. That which Harris gives as the celestial sense is not all of this mundane character, but it is all little less remote from what can justly be recognized as the genuine celestial sense of the divine Word. Harris says a good deal about love, which is the celestial principle. But does he describe or analyze it better, does he exalt it more highly, or enforce it more strongly than Swedenborg does? We venture to say that he is as far behind Swedenborg in this as he is in his expositions.

We say nothing of Harris's teaching concerning internal respiration, the restoration of which was to mark the beginning of the celestial church of the future, as its removal had marked the end of the celestial church of the past; and the restoration of which was to form a crisis and be marked by a catastrophe similar to those which had occurred at the end of the most ancient church. The predicted time of its accomplishment being now past, we may regard the prediction as having falsified itself.

Harrisism is, we believe, one of the effects of the state of the spiritual world at the beginning of the New Dispensation, when the new light in descending thence into the natural world passes through disorderly mediums. Yet, though coming to us through such channels, we have no doubt that it is permitted for a wise purpose, and will be over-ruled for good even to the church to which it claims kindred. Every church, like every individual, requires something to excite doubt as well as to produce conviction, for perception and faith remain narrow and superficial until the truth has been confirmed in contradistinction to something of the nature of an opposite. When Moses appeared in the presence of the Israelites as a messenger from God he cast down his staff and it became a serpent. This he had been instructed and empowered to do, as a sign to the children of his people, that the Lord had sent him; but no sooner was this appeal to their faith made than the magicians each threw down his rod and it became a serpent. Why did He who had ordered the true miracle as a means of conviction, permit the spurious to inspire a doubt? To lead the people to doubt before they believed, to reflect and to compare before they concluded, and thus enable them to arrive at a full conviction of the truth from a perception of its character and its power. For when the rod of Moses swallowed up the rods of the magicians then was their belief in the veracity of Moses established upon a deeper and broader foundation than it would otherwise have been.

Such is our profound conviction of the real character of Harrisism, and such we believe is its providential use and such its destined end.

In thus plainly stating our convictions we do so without any bitterness or any sectarian feeling, and with every respect for those who conscientiously accept the offered testimony of Harris as a message from heaven. We know several amiable and we have no doubt excellent people who believe in Harris; and although we believe that their faith in his writings is an amiable weakness we earnestly wish to preserve with them relations of charity. Harris's disciples are not however all of this character, and some of them are in the habit of speaking with some degree of contempt of the Swedenborgian sect and of their idol worship of Swedenborg. On the appearance of Mr. M'Cully's first strictures we received a letter from a "Harrisite, ," whom we had known a good many years ago as a zealous though not very clear-headed " Swedenborgian," denouncing that writer's attack on Harris in the not very celestial terms of cowardly and dastardly, with other choice expressions coined in the same uncelestial mint. If we cannot agree let us at least treat each other with Christian respect and charity.]

Miscellaneous.

One

TO OUR READERS. The close of another volume affords the editors the opportunity of a word with their readers and correspondents. A fact long confined to the New Church is now generally acknowledged by all observant and thoughtful persons-the fact that we have entered on a new age and are surrounded by new and powerful influences which are intensely active both for good and for evil. of the features of this age is the increased employment of the press and the wide diffusion among all classes of the people of a cheap periodical literature. This literature is of the most varied kind. It seeks to supply every demand and to meet every requirement of the growing intellect. Religion, science, literature, or amusement all find their organs. The New Church, which is alone acquainted with the secret causes which are at the root of this quickened life of the world, ought not to take a subordinate place in this uprising of society. Every orderly means of disseminating the truth and guiding the public mind should be actively and earnestly employed. Whatever is true in conception or beautiful in execution should be eagerly embraced and earnestly pressed into her service. And those who have been permitted to behold the light which it is her mission to disclose should esteem it at once a privilege and a duty to aid every orderly means for the dissemination of the truth and the building up of the church. One of these means is the support of our periodical publications. Our Magazine is established for the illustration and diffusion of the truths of the Lord's second advent, and as a medium of communication among the members of the New Church. The number of our readers has of late years considerably increased, but there is room for a still wider increase. Many New Church families are still without this monthly visitor; and we feel certain that there are none who would not be benefited by its store of varied instruction. We would also gladly interest the young in an effort to extend the circulation of the Magazine. By a united and vigorous effort this

circulation might he widely extended and the usefulness of our work thereby extended. To those who have aided the work, and especially to those who have enriched its pages by their contributions, we tender our sincere thanks, and to all we express a fervent hope that the coming year may be one of increased interest and extended use

fulness; for the promotion of which end no effort will be spared on the part of the editors.

ARGYLE SQUARE. · - The Fifteenth Annual Festival of the Junior Members' Society was held in the Schoolrooms, on Wednesday, Nov. 8th, and about two hundred members and friends sat down to tea, provided under the superintendence of Mr. Heffernon. Precisely at seven the Rev. Dr. Bayley took the chair, and, in a brief but vigorous speech, most cordially invited all young people who sought improvement to join heart and soul with their Society in one or more of its various engagements. The evening was pleasantly spent in music and recitations prepared by the members and classes of the Society. An interesting feature of the proceedings was the presentation of an elegant gold chain and locket to Mr. Heffernon, the "refreshment contractor." The Rev. Dr. Bayley said he had great pleasure in presenting Mr. Heffernon with a little token of the regard in which he was held by the Society, particularly by the Sunday School teachers and conversational class, for whose convenience he provided a good tea every Sunday, and who were the principal subscribers to the gift. The tea was a means of keeping those who had a long way to come and go both to the conversational class and the evening service in the Church. He had for many years opportunity of observing Mr. Heffernon's usefulness in this and many other ways. He had come into the school fifteen years ago as a Sunday scholar, and ever since he had been associated with them and been always a chief assistant in arrangements for children's treats, festivals, tea meetings, &c. The teachers and others had thought therefore it was

« PreviousContinue »