The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1916-05-19
But what information are they able

cease 10 be an individual and cOherent
mentality when death ends its ex-
istence in a physical body?
TO be sure. the additional informa-
tion they present Is very meagre.
Their efforts have been to accumulate
the kind OF evidence that tends to
prove the fact OF Immortality, rather
than to inform us OF the conditions
I'm which human beings find them
selves as discarnate existences.
Conditions In the Other World
However, there are works dealing
with the actual conditions surround
Ing those who are In the spiritual
world; and OF these none is more
worthy OF note than the treatise on
the life after death by Emanuel Swe-
denborg, based upon his own unique
experiences and Investigations.
Professor +. w. H. Myers, one
or the original members of the So
ciety for Psychical Research. and
author OF monumental treatise
("Human Personality, and It's Sur
Ftfai VI DodiiJ DCdth lLihb
the results of the investigations or
that society during the first twenty
years OF its existence, speaks In that
work OF Swedenborg and his state
ments as follows:
For my own part regard Sweden
borg as true and early precursor or
that great inquiry which 1t Is our
present object to advance'''and as
the most notable recent case where
such communication has been claimed
"'Swedenborg's writings on the
world OF spirits contain accounts or
what he saw and felt in that world,
and OF such inferences with regard
to It's laws as his actual experience
suggested'' story-one Of the
strangest lives yet lived by mortal
mems corroborative OF the slowly
rising fabric OF knowledge OF which
he was the uniquely gifted precursor.
Sir William F. Barrett, +. X. S.,
who may rightfully be called the
founder of the Society for Psychical
Research, has made the following
statement concerning the noted Swed-
ish scientist:
"Swedenborg carries into all his
writings the calm, unimpassioned air
OF science. He declared that the
change we call death is not an abrupt
transition from the ordered mystery
or life and law We know here to a
nebulous and unimaginable realm
wholly different from the present; but
that the other life Is a continuation
and development OF the present life''-
He claimed to have had intromission
to the spiritual world, and his state
ments OF the life and activities there
in, throughout all his voluminous
writings, are so consistent and ap-
parently veridical, that they deserve
respectful consideration.
After these estimates OF Sweden
borg by leaders'c psychical research,
the following opinions OF other, noted
persons are of interest.
The great English poetess, Eliza
beth Barrett Browning. expressed her
views in these words: ITO my mind
the only light that has been cast on
the other life Is found in Sweden
borgs philosophy"
The late Rev. r. Heber Newton,
the celebrated rector OF All Souls
Protestant Episcopal church in New
York city, published an article some
years ago. in which he said:
THE first really new conception
OF the character OF Immortality given
to the world for eighteen centuries
came through the great savant and
philosopher and theologian of Sweden
Emanuel Swedenborg'''W Whatever
the nature OF the sources OF his
thought, its character was revolu-
tionary. He reconstructed the whole
idea OF the hereafter. For the first
time In eighteen centuries-one might
almost say for the first time in the
history OF humanity-it took on sane
and sensible forms, and became ra-
ftional and conceivable, natural and
necessary"
Detaileo Informdtlon
II is impracticable to give here any
explanation OF Swedenborgs ideas
concerning the life after death. For
that purpose considerable space
would be needed. However, he
wrote a special treatise upon the
subject, entitled Heaven and He'll"
and anybody who may desire to
read 1t will find II In any public
library or can get 1t at slight ex-
pense through any bookseller.
From the standpoint OF the Society
for Psychical Research. Swedenborg
is the most remarkable instance in
all history OF a person who has
claimed full knowledge OF the condi-
tions in the spiritual world from ac-
tual experience. While the informa-
tion that he gives is largely beyond
veritication at the present time. II
fs very significant that (as Professor
Myers states In the passage quoted
above) his story Is corroborative or