The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-04-05
Swedenborg's Mars.

AS good deal Of discussion is going on
nowadays in regard to the planet Mars,
snd among other things whether it is
Inhabited or not, and certain well known
astronomical authorities assert their belief
that there is human life upon that planet,
and that some time men of this earth will
be able to assure themselves of the fact,
1t might not he out of place to quote what
was written over 100 years ago upon "Mars;
Its Spirits and Inhabitants" From the
works of Emanuel Swedenborg these OK
tracts were taken, published in London,
1855, entitled ''The Earths in the Universe
and Their Inhabitants, Also Their Spirits
and Angels, from What Has Been Heard
and Seen" The following extracts will
be read with more than a passing interest;
1t was granted me to know that the
speech of the inhabitants of Mars was diff
ferent from that of the inhabitants of our
earth, in that it was not sonorous, but al
most tacit, nsinuating itself into the in
terror hearing and sight by shorter way,
and consequently that it was more perfect,
fuller of ideas and thereby approaching
nearer to the speech of spirits and angels.
The essential affection also of the speech
is represented among them in the face and
the thought thereof in the eyes, for the
thought and the speech and likewise the
affection and the face with them act in
unity. They account it wicked to think
one thing and speak another, and to will
or desire one thing while the features OF
the face express the contrary. They are
altogether uuacquainted with hypocrisy
and likewise with fraudulent pretense and
deceit.
On II time while the spirits of Mars were
with us and occupied the sphere of my
mind there came some spirits from our
earth and desired also to infuse themselves
into that sphere, but instantly the spirits
of our earth became, as it were, insane by
reason of the utter disagreement between
them and the spirits of Mars They were
in idea turned to the world and to self,
whereas the spirits of Mars were in idea
turned from self to heaven and theirneigh-
Dor; hence came the contrariety. But ut
that instant there approached some angelic
spirits of Mars, and at their approach the
communication was closed, and thus the
spirits of our earth retired.
The angelic spirits discoursed with me
concerning the life of the inhabitants on
" their earth, informing us that they are not
under any forms of government, but that
they live arranged into greater and lesser
societies, and that they are associated with
each other according to their agreement in
mind, which agreement they discover in
stantly by the face and speech, being sell
dom deceived in their judgment herein,
and that then they are instantly united in
friendship. They informed me further
that their conscientious are delightful, and
that they discourse with each other about
what passes in their societies, and especially
about what passes in heaven, for several of
them have manifest communication with
the angels of heaven. Such among them
rs begin to think perversely in their socie-
ties and thereby to incline to evil, are dis
associated and left to themselves alone, in
consequence whereof they lead a most
wretched life, out Of all society, in dens or
other places being no longer regarded by
the rest.
Every one on that earth lives content
with his own property and every one with
his own share of honor, accounting it
enough to be reputed upright and lover
of his neighbor. This delightful and tran
gull principle of mind would perish unless
such as incline to evil thoughts and dispo-
stions were banished from the rest, and
unless a prudent but severe check was
given to the first entertainments of self
love and the love of the world for it was
owing to these loves that empires and
which establishments there are few but
what desire to have dominion and to pos
sess the property of Others there being
few who do what is just and right out OF
real love thereto, and still fewer who do
good from a real principle of charity, being
rather influenced by other motives, such as
the fear of the law and regard to gain
honor, reputation and the like.
In regard to divine worship as practiced
by the inhabitants of that earth, they in
formed me that they acknowledge and
adore our Lord, saying that he is the only
God, and that he governs both heaven and
the universe, and that every good thing is
from him, and that he leads and directs
them; also that he often appears among
them on their earth. 1t was then granted
me to tell them that Christians also OF
our earth know that the Lord governs
heaven and earth, agreeably in his Owl
words in Matthew, GAN power is given tt
me in heaven and in earth, xvii, H.
There was presented before me an in
habtant of the earth. His face resembleC
the faces of the inhabitants Of our earth
but the lower region of the face was black
not owing to his beard, for he had none
but to blackness instead of Il beard, thi
blnckness extended itself underneath tn
ears on both sides; the upper part Of tn
face was yellowish, like the faces of the il
babitants of our earth who are not pei
fectly fair. They said, moreover, that o
that earth they feed on the fruits of tree
especially on kind of round fruit whic
buds forth from the ground, and likewis
on pulse, and that they are clothed wit
garments wrought from the fibrous bar
of certain trees, which has such consls
ence that it may be woven, and ais
stiffened by kind of gum which the
have among them. They related turth'
that they are acquainted with the art
making fluid fires. whereby they hay
light lduring evening and night BoSt
Transcript.