Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1909-12-09

hold or condemn a philosophy which many thousands of people in this land
and elsewhere have embraced Is a religion.
The orphans court decided in favor Of, the granddaughter, this condemn
ing the work of the Church of the New Jerusalem, which is based N the
teachings of Swedenborg. Carried to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, the
opinion Of the lower court a reversed, the Supreme Court deciding that
the works of the Swedish mystic are not in derogaton of the laws of Penn.
sylvania O repugnant to public policy.
In many instances men instrumental in giving to the world what at
least a portion of its pebble accept a religion have been of lowly birth. of
little learning. Samuel Swedenborg, ennobed with his family by the queen,
sol of a bishop who had tn confidence and favor of the king and a. him
self a learned nan born into a world of intellectual rather than of emo.
1onal INTERESTS. That TIT works of such a la should have attracted and
held the attention of thinkers like Emerson, Coleridge and IIerder is not
them. But that at the same time there should be found in his writings the
basis for a church to which the 1essle learned could come and find comfort
that is the amazing thing.
Jesper swedberg, bishop of skava, preacher, teacher, reUmer, writer
and scholar, was The father of nine children. all born to the first If three
wel[beloved wives. 81 an fully convinced" he wrote, that children ought
tic be called such names IS will awaken in them and call to their minds
TN ear OF God everything that is orderly and righteous. 3 The
name of my 10 Emanuel signifies God with u.s. that he may always re-
Henper Gods presence, and tat intimate, holy and mysterious conjunction
with u good and gracious God, into which we Ire brought by faith. bv
which we ae conJolned with Him and are in Him. And blessed be the
LORDS name, God has to this hour been with him."
Perhaps the good bishop was right and the name did play it's part in
making the Sol the mystic which he became. The father was a good bishon
Son of a min owner whose large wealth as lot sc large when divided
among, many members Of a large family, Jesper Swedbrg, whose father
ws Damel lsakSon, followed a custom Of his country and took his name
flm the homestead, called Sweden. 1t Gems a curious custom which thus
each generation of the same family a different surname for after the
family "as ennoped Emanuel the Sol of Jesper Swedberg, became Sweden
Dorg-hls father "a Swedberg; his grandfather, Daniel Isaksson. sn of
laac Nilsson, h was the Sol of Nils Ottesson, sol If Otto of Sundborg.
After Jesper Swedberg had taken his theological scholarship at the Uni,
verStyo OF Upsal, he married a wealthy widow and, with the aid of her for
tune travelled extensively, meeting men of learning and proftfng thereby
heturnhn TO MS native land, he was, made chaplain of the kings regiment
OF III guards. So ardent was he in the performance of his dutios hat =.
promised to give a cahNhsm to every soldier of the regimen who o,r,.
rea IL at tn ext annual inspection. The first year there were 300 who
demanded catech1sms I'M tn next 900, so the poor preacher had to beg as
slstanfe from the king, A little later he a appointed W tbe king mon.
yer OF d commission to revise the Swedish Bible and as so eager To bacen
the Vol that he advanced money belonging to his wife and cbildron r. Nv
port the materials and workmen for printing
rTN~S