The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1845-10-09
Professor Bush on swedenborgians.

X.
SrR,-The report of my last evenings Lecture on
the " Relation OF Mesmerism to the doctrines OF
Swedenborg, which appears in to-day's Herald, SIS
tar as 1t is Ineligible at all gives such an entirely
distorted view of the drift OF my remarks, that
some Of my friends, members of the N. J. Church,
are exceedingly panied by it especially when they
find me represented as saying that "the claim OF
Swedenborg was, that through the phenomena OF
Mesmerism ne was abe to hold communion with
The spirits of another world, and inform himself
upon their state and mode of existence" So far
rom having uttered anything like this, ! asserted
1lrecty the reverse, to wlt-Ihat Swedenborgs
psychological state In his converse with spirits was
entirely OF another NATURE and identical with that
u the ancient prophets under the llapsl OF The
Holy Ghost. | was moreover extremely careful so
10 present the subject as to guard against the impress
sion that the doctrlnal views OF the New Church,
now in the least degree dependant upon or commit.
ted by, the asserted facts OF Mesmerlsm In ward
ng OIL this impression from my audience, think
was entirely successful, with perhaps the single ex-
ceptlon OF your reporter. What kind of influence
could have come over him, that he should so
strangely have reported me, | am at loss to con-
;eive. did not once appeal to Swedenborg as ex-
emplifyingin his own person, ANY OF the phenomena
VI Mesmerism. remarked-and this was the gen.
erai scope OF my ecture-that the state OF Mes
merle subject approximated to that of disem
'odled spirit, inasmuch as the soul was then
wake and active, while the bodily sensations
we're dormant. Consequently in this state
ne spirit manfests itself more fully under the
'"o PioPi W HhIufe HS SVfIU, anu uiuS
round is afforded Tor comparing It's conditions fol
ne time being, with what Swedenborg afiims OF
he permanent laws and conditions Of spiritual exis
lrnce IN another world. The resulto OF the compar
'on was most striking coincidence in the two
states, so much so, that If the alleged facts OF the
nesmerlc ecstacy be admitted, 1t forces upon us the
conclusion, that Swedenborg has made true report
II the world OF spirits, and that his claim as
pernatural seer ,recelves from this source strong
continuation. He makes that world to be what we
hould naturally expect IT to be, provided the higher
,henomena OF mesmerlsm be true. To this extent,
and this only, do identity the intormations drawn
rom two sources. But whether the mesmeric man
destatlons are true or FALSE the evidence from other
quarters hold to be amply sufficient in itself veri
y Swedenborg's claim TO supernatural insight into
ne sphere OF spirits. At the same time, admitting
nesmerlsm to be true, believe Swedenborgs reve-
alions TO afford the only satisfactory clew to the
utons OF the phenomena. The reasons OF this be.
net were largely detailed in the lecture
trust, That as matter of Justice to religious
body, whose sentiments are peculiarly liable TO be
misconceived and misrepresented, you will give
place to the above attempt to set both them and my
sell in rather truer light than we are lett in proba-
oily without design, by your reporter
Respectfully yours,
G. Bush.
New YORK, Oct ., 1S45