Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1871-01-18

70 Hell--sAlso the difference petheeu Ah4eA
and Devils ard the rest OF us---And how things
20 On In heaTen--Ward Besoher and Bishop
Clarke
A New York Sun reporter having
been sent forth to find out what Swe-
denborgianism is, and what its teach
ers and upholdeTs are driving at, he
betook himself to the Cooper Insti-
tute, where he remembered to have
seen & sign hung out to this ungOdly
generation, informing them that the
fountain of pure theological truth was
flowing hard by, and inviting them
tocome and slake their spiritual thirst
at prices named in the bills. Having
arrived at the Cooper Institute. the
reporter discovered that room twenty
was the fountain in question, and
venturing therein, he inquired who
was the head man of the sect herea-
bouts, ~ he wanted to find out what
the Swedenborgian doctrines are. To
which a gentleman replied:
% There is no head man in our sect
that is TO say, there is no one whose
lead we follow without question. We
all think for ourselves, although, OI
course, some are more familiar with
the writings Of SwedenboTg than 9th
ers."
"DO you understand the doctrines, y
we asked.
/" I do. 1 have studied them about
twenty-five years"
"Suppose L interview you, then p
"I have no objection.
VIII you Oblige me with you
name %
% NV name is Thomas Hitchcock.
&" Are you known among the Swe
denbOrgians pretty exteGsively?"
=" I am pretty well known amoni
them"
livery well. TlI now begin tn
interview, II you please.
"Go ahead, % said Mr.. Hitchcock.
THE INTERVIEW.
Reporter-WeI, what are you Swe
/ denborgians driving at?
Mr.. HitchcOck-We think we haV
the true science of religious truth, an
want to teach it to the world.
Reporter Science Of religion
truth Do you mean TO say there
any science in religious truth?
Mr.. HitchcOck-We mean TO say
and We do say that religious truth
as capable of scientific Rrrangemen
and explanation as any other truth
and that we are able to give this SCI
entific explanation. The SwedenbOi
/ gian theology bears the same relatiol
to all other theOlogies that the Copel
niean system of astronomy bears {
the Ptolemaie, the Arabic, the HiI
doc, and the Chinese systems {
astronomy. Those systems Of astroI
omy were based on the mistake
appearances of things, whereas CC
pernieus and his followers got at %
realities. Just 50 other systems {
theology are based on appearances
while the Swedenborgian system
based on the real truth.
Reporter-What do you mean b
appearances ?"
THE KEY 10 Observation-Disclosures.
Mr.. Hitchcock mean the wa
that things appear to the senses FL
example, the sun appears to rise an
set, and to go daily round the eartl
The sky appears to come down to Il
earth, forming what we call the hOr
zon. The earth appears to be station
]
The sun appears TO be g small orb. m
a milliOnth part as large as the eartt
the planets seem to be no bigger tins
marbles; and the fixed stars to
mere twinkling points. All these a
pearanees are cOntrOverted by scienc
ard the senses have to yield to reasO
1t is the same in spiritual and reli
ious matters, which abound with Is
laeious, misleading appearances, al
these appearances have to be co
reeted, and in the SwedenbOrgis
system Of theology are corrected |
, the spiritual science.
Reporter That all sounds We
: well, in q general way; but let rs G
: at something specific. What do "
say, for example, to the doctrine
total deprayity? l used 10 know {
- old lady, when I was boy, who W
[ strong on that doctrine, and wi
always closed every argument on q
subject by saying, Well, when Y,
take away my total depravity, y
take away all my religion :" WI
do you say TO that?
n Mr. HitchcOck-Our doctrine as
that matter is that all human bein
9 are born with sinful inclination,
. need not commit sin unless th
Is choose to do so, and are not account
. guilty of sin unless they do actual
z commit II.
RepOrter-Then you must hold Il
all children that die before theyrea
the ace Of moral accountability go
heaven, no matter how wicked
3 heathenish their parents may be.
Mr.. Hitchcock-We do, most e
phatieally; it is mOnstrOus error
suppose otherwise.
Reporter-But IL no babies VIII
ever 90 to hell, what becomes Of
- doctrine Of infant damnRtion?
Mr.. Hitehcock-I'm sure I ca
say, unless it goes to hell instead
!, the babies, as it certainly should.
Reporter-But if the doctrine
total depravity is not true, what M
al have we Of a Saviour
r. Mr.. HitchcOek-To save US Fl
50 our sinful iuclinatiOns and from act
sin committed by every one pers,
ally.
he do that?
Mr.. Hitchcock-It is not easy
tell, off-hand, how he does it.
e order to explain, it is necessary,
2 \. -ns.ew -