The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1869-04-29
Swedenborgianism.
What it is and What it is not

ciples call the New Church" but what
is far more generally known by the name
of it's eminent founder, as the Sweden
borgian Church" afford curious ilIustra-
ton of the sodium theologicum." Few
persons who have not made them the sub
Iject of special study know at all what
those doctrines arc. Even the well-ln-
formed clergymen have sometimes
vague notion that they are "spirituails.
tic,h or 'infdcl," or "Unitarian;" ana
Swedenborgianism, and "free-love," and
SOCIALISM" are most singularly inter
mixed in the minds of good many peo-
ple who ought to be better informed con-
corning the character of denomination
| which is really characterized by nothing
more than by the excellent lives aud pure
character Of most of its adherents. 80
far from being amenable to the charge OF
immortality, the theology of Swedenbor
gianism insists with great strenousness
upon interior purity of heart. So far
from being Unitarian, it recognizes in Je-
sus the only one living and true God, the
Infinite Divine Spirit, not united with
human nature, but simply tabernacled in
human body. So far from being inf
del" the Swedenborgians pay to the
written Word reverence only less than
that paid by the ancient Jew to his sacred
Scriptures SO far from being "Spiritu
alistic," they denounce Spiritualism with
yigor intensified by their mystical faith,
of a dealing with evil spirits, the very
sin punishable with death by the Mosaic
code. acknowledgements is the very an
tipodes of Rationalism. The one rcog-
nizes reason as the supreme arblter in re-
ligion the other POUNDS its religious be-
liefs on faith. In the Rationalists, ideali-
tv and mavelousness are almost wholly
wanting; IN the Swedenborgian they
predominant. The Rationalsts are critics;
the Swedenborgians are men of imagina-
ton. Among the Rationalists are a
large proportion of scientists; to the
standard of Swedenborg flock quantities
of poets, artists, musicians. HIS church is
composed of men of refined and cultured
tastes, rather than of skeptical or vigorous
understandings To one, religion is a
science; to the other a poem.
Whoever desires to understand modern
theology. and the elements which have
contributed to its formation, has need to
study the writings of Emanuel Sweden
borg What ever minister desires to IN
derstand modern religious thought in his
own congregation must know something
of Swede nborgianism, though he has not
Swedenborglan in his parish 1t is not
probable he wlllIever become o convert TO
the New Church. 1t is not probable he
will ever have to warn others against it.
But he needs none the less to be acquaint-
ed both with its truths and errors. InI
the former he will find much from which
he may obtain useful information. In the
latter he will find much which he strives
in vain to comprehend.
To our thought, the best work for such
investigations is Swedenborg's "True
Christian Religion" 1t is to Swedenbor-
gianism what Calvin's Constitutes" are to
of the New Church in an authentic and
authoritative form. Of course, he who
desires to familiarIZe himself with that
theology Will investigate further doctrines
further in special treatises But he who
desires simply to have in comprehensive
firm the general teachings Of Swenden-
borg has them in these two handsome
volumes. They are far better for the stu
dent than any mere modern treatises by
Isrhs quent writer's For though SwedeE-
borg has many enthusiastic followers. he
has produced no original thinkers. We
have found very little value in the works
of his disciples save that they translate
into modern phraseology the thoughts Of
their eader. To gather these thoughts
from the library of volumes he gave tothe
world, requires painstaking study that
few but his Disciples have patience to
give. But every Catholic theologian who
desires to trace theology to its source, and
to other churches than his own, should, if
his means enables him 20 do SC, make
room for this work upon his library
shelves N. r Independent.
How Phil. KEARNEY DIED.-The New
ark Courier Says: We are informed by q
promine Mt lawyer Of this city that while
sojourning in Amboy, one night last week
he passed pleasant hour in company
with former rebel officer, who was at
tached to Stonewall Jackson's division of
the confederate army during the war,
and who related an interesting remenis-
cence of the death of General Kearney,
of which sad event he was an eve witness.
1.-THE gallant Kearney," he said, "receiv
ed his death wound from private under
my command, and when he fell from his
horse, | FASTENED, with many others, to
the point where he lay, not supposing
that his wound was a mortal one. Just
MS we reached his body, however, his
limbs gave one convulsive culver, and
then all was over. Seeing that he was a
Major General, word was sent to head
quarters to that effect, and General Jack
son coming to the spot Immediately gave
one glance at the dead officers features,
and exclaimed, My God, boys, do you
know who you have killed. You have
shot the most gallant officer in the United
States army. This is Phil Kearney, who
lost his arm in the Mexican war He
thon inyoluntarily lifted his hat, every
| o.. Il, f.llo,,r;rnr Lie