The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-09-23

| ed by the mldne-s al spring, Ia winch,
after The necessary preparations, succeeded
/ the heat uf summer. To have thrown
upon man, whilst ~ this irozen and Torpid
moral curdition, the fall heal. felt by chris
tiaus III the latter aud PRESENT asr-, des-
! tfnciion rather than the restoration of iilo
would have ENSURED. II thtrays ofiue sun,
suddenly emerging fIom the Tofrid Zone
al Alrlea, should be thrown upon the rnid
and lee bound rrgipns at The North, whist
Iclothrd IN the babllimenis at wiltor, what
do YOU think would be- the elect Would
II not be destructive 10 the vegetable world,
and ienpardise human existence Would
mol nature herself b. overcome aud ready
~ dissolve ? Similar eaasta produce 81
mlar effects in the natural and moral world.
Ii, with pure aud sublimatrd affections,
Moses could not behold God and live,
could you expect that those whose hearts,
corrupted win III. crime Of apostacy, with
the worships of sticks aud 81 stones, and
whose affections were CHILLED with the de-
basng influence of ldolairy, could sustain
themselves under the ds,rIopement of
the mysteries al Godness, aud those ant
mating discoveries aud com nunlcatlons
which have been made ~ Averages As wei
might you expect to throw into the eyes of
one in midnight darkness the splendid
beams OF a meridian sun, without injury 10
the visual organ. The revelation made
1900 years ago was all that could then he
borne But, rs the summers heat il ne
ccssary To- mature the plant, resuscltatrd
Ivy the yirifying Influence Of spring, 50 WAS
another revelation necessary to warm, ami
| ~. at,I ,nN 10 IuI, nt UI
lille. The first revelation, tlro' Christ, VAS
made through the grosser aud natural sen
ses, supported by evidence of a similar
nature--the last from the improved splrl-
tnal state of man, was mada, Through the
medium of the spiritual or intellectual
principle. OF this, Swedrnborg claims to
bc the instrument. At what time, since
the christian ern, have religionsts been go
much divided in their doctrines, object and
mode Of worship, and in their opinions Of
the relation which man hears to his Creator,
each supporting his opiuion with 81 much
iolce ii argument, nv ~ the last and present
century, and all deriving their opinions and
their proofs from the same source--the
Bible Suppose for a moment being
nsheied INTO the world, with his faculties
IN the full perfection of mature manhood,
de,llous of learning his duty 10 God, and
Of worshipping him, in the most acceptable
manner.
He hears in succession the articles OF
! faith, and witnesses the different modes of
Worship of the various aud widely differing
s.cts of the past and present ages. Would
he not be surprised, when told that all of
them derive their proofs at the truth Of
their religion from the Bible What would
be his opinion of that sacred book, and
what Of thos,s who, SO widely differing,
made their opinions the object OF worship,
and the test of truth Would he not be
apt to suppose that they were all wrong,
and that The Bible was Il fountain from
which he would be as likely to- imbihe error
as truth Following the advice Of Socla-
les, he would choose 10 worship God, till
there was special Revelation from him,
deciding which of all the various modes of
worship was the right one. II we are to
credit the assertion of Swrdenborg, there
is now u dawnng Of light which common.
ced slnce the year 1880, which is gradually
increasing in strength, and ere long will
dispel the glooms and darkness which en-
compasseth us around, aud be the sure lamp
10 the christians feet.
Having, rs hope, adduccd some strong
proofs of the necessity of a Revelation,
will next examine whether the Baron Swe.
denhorg was a suitable instrument for this
Revelation. This leads MS into an exami-
nation ot his character and of his life. lie
was the son OF Il bishop, of celebrated cha
facter-he was member of the society for
the propagation %. the Gospel-ht travelled
all Europe--he had the favor and personal
friendship of tharlrs the l2,h, King of
Swrden--in PIC hc was appointed by The
King to the opce Of Assessor in the Netul-
len College, which he held MI i7l7. which
he quilted against the Kings wishes at
this time he was offered IA higher office,
which lac declined accepting, that he might
devote himself 10 religion. He was a Eel.
low of thu Royal Academy of Scitnces.-
lie Ind two brothers IN law who We're BIZ
shops-he WAS in friendship in 1863. with
all the bishops, being ten, IN his country
lie Was beloved and hunortd by all the
{ s'enators-he WAS frequently inl tied to
dime with the Hing and Quccn--in 17i5,
the Lord FIRST manifested himself To him.
His worldly wealth was sufficient He com.
menced writing his Arcana shortly after
the first vision. lie wrote in Latin, and fas-
ter than his works could be printed-he
desired the authors name to be kept secret
he predicted that his system of religion
would not spread I'll after 1780-he died in
177l-he refused to SCH his books at IA pro-
fit. After he quilted the office of state, he
lived in obscurity, devoted te the publica-
ton of his Arcana-aud remained in OBJ
security I'LL his death. Possessing Talents Of
the first order, he commanded the respect
of all-hs father bishop, and brothers in
law bishops, he received a religious cduca-
ton and WAS the associate of religious
persons-he WAS deemed by those Of his