The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-14
EMANUEL SwEDENBORG.
Visiting the Home Where the Famous Seer
Communed with Angels and Saw Visions.


Correspondence of the Indianapolis Journal
STOCKHOLM, Feb. 20--One of the places in
fhis city that is inquired of by the traveller and
towards which the feet of the curiosity seeker
naturally tend, Is to what remains OF the house
where Emanuel Swedenborg thought wrote and
saw visions. The courier, whose business it is
20 pilot the stranger to all places of interest, can
give one more information concerning Sweden
borg than the best-informed inhabitant. 1t is in
the line of his business for such one 20 know o
little of everything of historical natural inter
est, while the other cares nothing for the great
scholar ana thinker, and very much less for the
product of his thought hence to this class his
name nor works excite neither admiration
nor respect However, being curious some
what myself, went one day to look
ct the remnant of the home where, now nearly
one hundred years ago, Swedenborg held con-
verse with spirits and angels, and revealed the
wonderful things" as he expressed it, "seen
and heard in heaven and hell The grounds are
now in busy part of the city; but in the philoso-
piers time they were somewhat isolated, and 1t
is possible his were not dinned by the traffic
from the paved streets, or his serene contempla-
eion disturbed by any other noise save that made
by the tapping of the angels wings who used TO
come and visit him in his summer-house The
residence has given place to large structure, a
combination of shops and residences. while the
famous summer-house has entirely disappeared.
All that remains is a one-story, dilapidated,
weather beaten room, said TO have been the
library and now used for the base purpose of a
coal oil storehouse And yet there seems to be
something poetical in the use-the light of
Swedenborg has been succeeded by the light
from petroleum. But many believer in
6wedenborgs peculiar doctrines looks upon the
remnant of the old house as Mecca, and he is
content to press the same ground, sit beneath
The same shade, and breathe in the same fresh
air, it comes off the Baltic as did the philoso-
pher and then feels himself repaid for the long
Journey by the new inspiration gathered from
the actual scene of Swedenborg's labors. A
year ago, enthusiastic disciple from los
ton tried to purchase the old house with view
30 removing it to that city, but the attempt was
given up when he found the old logs had become
30 saturated with the highly penetrating and
pungent odor of coal oil as would have betrayed
10 the Boston disciples the indignity to which
they had been subjected in Swedenborgs own
city.
Emanuel Swedenborg was born in Stockholm
hn $685. and died IN his eighty fifth year in Lon
Acn. He was the son of Jasper Swedborg, a
minister of the gospel. and the first Swedish
bishop of North America. By a patent of no
biiity, issued to the father by the King of
Sweden in ITO, the name was changed to Swed-
enborg. By this title Swedenborg was entitled
TO seat in the House of Nobles-a privilege of
which he never avalled himself. He was edu
Gated at the Upsalea University, at that time. as
now, the most important university of all north
ern Europe. Swedenborg was man of great
learning, and chose originally as his profession
mining engineering, which led ultimately to
making him assessor of mines by Charles XII, q
position he held for many years. He was nearly
sixty years of age when he turned his thoughts
to religious subjects. From thence forward to
mis- death ne wrote and published great number
of works setting forth his peculiar notions He
was a simple and modest man, extremely earnest
IN propogating the new doctrine, which has ever
since born his name.
Ii is however, a curious commentary on the
labors of Swee.enborg, that the peculiar doctrine
which he taught never took root in the soil of
Sweden. There Is not chapel in the united
kingdom where his faith is taught and hardly
> handful of its adherents When spoken of he
is referred to as mailman, who saw visions and
communed with angels, and, out of his prepos-
ferrous idiosyncracies, built up structure as
baseless and as unsubstantial as dream. /
know very little of the merits of different theo
logical beliefs, and it is possible that any reli
gious notion that tends to make men better is
NOT without merit, and it is barely possible that
the failure of Swedenborg to impress his doe
frines upon the minds of his countrymen is to
be found more in the fact that the new religion
had to contend with that of the state church,
and in such a contest there was little room
for the success OF any innovation on the estab-
lished creed.
just about the time the mind of Swedenborg
was turning from the more practical questions
of mines and mining to the contemplation of
heavenly Visions the government Of Sweden
enacted that if any Swedish subject change his
rAiiCion he should be banished from the king
dom and lose all rights Of inheritance, both for
himself and his descendants. as well as proscrib
Eng heavy penalties for those who taught any
new faith The severity Of this law may have
rspressed the acceptance Of the superstitious
81 hxxG rdo.,h n~fy fnr IN oil
else the people were well calculated to readily
embrace a system of religious belief that ad
dressed itself more to their superstition than to
fheir understandings It does not transpire that
the governmental pattern of religion suffered in
the least or that the great dreamer was ever
disturbed by the state. although it is more than
probable had there heen any cause of alarm the
state clergy would have seen to 1t that the law
WAS enforced and the man of heavenly visions
banished the kingdom.
Notwithstanding their failure in this country
che teachings of Swedenborg found acceptance
elsewhere, first In England and afterwards in
she United States. But even In the latter coun-
kry so conducive to the growth OF all varieties
ef religious belief, the tenets of this strange
faith have made but slow progress. Emanuel
Gwadenborg, however, impressed himself on
the world. His peculiar notions were probably
more advanced than his countrymen, and men
could not bring themselves, in SO important
. matter to cut loose from the faith
Of their fathers powerfully protected as it was
by the state, and embrace new religion, albeit
Al was milder and more consonant with human
happiness than the harsh and unnatural creed of
the times This year the last vestige of Sweden
borg's home lie 90 be removed, and save the tree
planted by his own hand, and from which the
pious as well as sinful pilgrim who visits his
former home, break and carry away branch.
shere will be nothing left to mark the spot where
sae author of THE True Christian Religion
saw heavenly visions, communed with angels.
md wrote books. NJ