Year: 1869

| many years back "As soon as splrits begin TO
speak they come out OF their spiritual state into the
natural state or man, and In this case they know
that they are with man, and conoin themselves with
the thoughts OF MS afrecHcn, and from those
! this circumstance that the speaking spirit
Is IN the same principles with the man
and likewise that ne exctes them and by his aiec
ton, conJolned To the mans aifecton, strongly con-
firms them" He says, again. that 'when man believes
the Holy Spirit speaks with him or operates upon
him, the spirit also believes that he is the Holy
| spirit" Again, sit has many times been shown TO
me that the spirits speaking with me did not know
otherwise than that they were the men who were
the subject OF thought; and neither did other spirits
known to me In life was represented by one who
was so like him In all things which belong to him, so
lar as they were known TO me, that nothing was
mere ike. wherefore let those who speak with
spirits beware lest they be deceived when they say
that -. they are those whom they know.
sentatons are true, that spirits when they speak
with man come out OF their ordinary spiritual
state ana are not permitted TO nse their own MEN,
ory, two things foow:-First that with the loss OF
memory they necessarily lose their own Identity;
second, they can reveal nothing from the other side
OF the curtain. or from the spiritual world proper.
They can only speak from the know edge stored up
III the memory Of men, unless they have calrvOy-
ant faculty, and are able 10 natural things and
describe them, which, 60 say the least Is somewhat
doubtful or at best an uncertain faculty. But they
enterinto all his memory and into all the sciences of
memory which man possesses" They 'know all
the thoughts which the man himself knows, and
also the smallest minuti@ of the thoughts and afec-





things as t Is impossible for MIN to know in the lie
or the body" 'Ihus they put on all things which
are mans, msomuch that they know no other than
that those things are theirs"


In the light OF the above teachings upon the sup
position that there Is any truth in Swedenborg's
presentations and In Spirtualtsm, able to see
why no dependence can be placed on the identity Of
sprlts; why, If you please, spirits protesting to be
Thurston, who fell from balloon at Adrian Mich,
some years ago appeared to various mediums and
directed that search for his body should be made
away over In the marshes OF Lake St Clair, beyond
nhnrn Tho hiatt hU
ing. instead of down in the woods below Detroit
where 1t actually was. No living man knew where
the body until was found and therefore spirits
could not TELL swedenborg says that 1T is danger
to speak with spirits for they apt TO induce
so strong persuasion that they are speaking the
ing; whereas he says:-nWhen spirits begin to
speak with man, he must beware lest he
believes them in anything for they say almost any
lie For If they were permitted to relate what
heaven is and how things are in the heavens they
would tell SO many lies, and indeed with solemn
affirmation, that man would be as.onished." He In
forms that evil spirits desire TO destroy man. both
spiritually and naturally The chief danger is that
mans familiar spirits or those In harmony with his
hereditary or acquired evil incnations, with whom
he comes IN contact almost inevitably when he seeks
open intercourse. VIII lead him TO deny the Lord
His Holy Word and the necessity for regeneration
and to progress in his present unregenerated evil
life; for If man changes for the better his associate
spirits must change and lose their chance to aabble
in the things of the natural world which prospect Is
not satisfactory to them, and they VIII strive by


After having perused somewhat carefully many OF
the writings OF Swedenborg and OF modern Spiritual
ism, 1t seems to the writer that II we grant that
spirits ever communicated with the prophets and
seers OF old, or communicate through mediums at
the present day. l. is Impossible to reject the concu
sion that Swedenborg actually had communication
with splrits as he claimed, and believe this gen.
orally admitted BY Spirtualists. II were to admit
that there is any truth In splritualsm, my reading
has satisfied me that Swedenborgs writings underlie
modern SplritualSln like the original granite under
the recent formations; that when we consider his





which he had spiritual intercourse and Its fulness
and freeness, and the wonderful consistency OF his
relations scattered through many Volumes 1t would
seem that his revelations ought 10 be as much more
reliable than those OF all later writers as are Huc's
travelled through China and spent years in
studying the language, habits and manners
Of the people, more reliable than those OF the
thousands OF sailors who have barely sailed along
the coasts ana had glimpse here and there OF Its
cities and inhabitants. 1t seems to the writer that
no man should examine Spirltuallsm without having
first read Swedenborg, and after having read his
writings whatever may be their conclusion in regard
to tbeif truth; but very few Will have any desire
can say be they true or false. no mans reverence
for our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ, and for the
sacred Scriptures as special revelation from God to
man, will ever be lessened by reading Swedenborg's
writings; and he will there, at least be most dis
tincty taught that regeneration faith in the Lord
and life according to His commandments are indis-
pensable for salvation and eternal happiness, which
are very different results from those which not un-
frequently follow seeking communications from
spirits, and investigating the phenomena OF modern
Splrltualsm; and every reader must judge for him.
self whether they are better or worse.


The Fourth of July In the Churches of Rhode


Island.


Bishop Clarke has issued the following form of
prayer and thanksgiving to Almighty God for the in
estmable blessing OF religious and civil liberty, as
here set forth and allowed to be used In all the
churches and chapes OF the diocese OF Rhode Island
on Sunday morning next, July 4, 1s69:--


The service shall be as usual, except where it is
hereby otherwise appointed.


Among the sentences at morning prayer shall be
the fOiiowing:--


The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are
the everlasting arms-Deuteronomv xxxl 81


Happy art thou, D Israeli who is like unto thee, o
people saved BY the Lord, the shield Of thy help and
who Is the sword OF thy exceencyl--Verse 29.


The Lord hath been mindful OF us, and He shall
bless us: He shall bless them that fear Him, both
small and great-Psam cxv., IL, l3.


Tue nrst lesson shall be Deuteronomy vlii and the
second lesson shall be Romans xiii.


thanksgiving for The day, to be said after the


q Cod whose name is excellent In all the earth
and Thy glory above the heavens; who, as on this
day, didst inspire and direct the hearts of our dele
gates In Congress to lay perpetual foundations of
peace, liberty and safety, we bless and adore Thy
glorious Majesty for this Thy LOVING Kindness and
providence. And we humbiy pray that the devout
sense Of this signal mercy may renew and increase
I'M spirit OF love and thankfulness to Thee ITS
laws and government Of our country and a spirit
OF fervent zeal for our holy religion which Thou hast
preserved ana secured 10 us and our posterity May
we improve these inestimabe blessings for the adj.
vancement Of religion, liberty and science through
out this land, till the wilderness and solitary place
shall be glad for us and the desert rejoice and bios
som as the rose. This we beg through the merits OF
Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.


the collect TO be used with that for the day.


Almighty Godl who hast in all ages shown forth
Thy power and mercy In the wonderful preservation
OF Thy Church and in the protection Of every nation
and people processing Thy holy and eternal truth,
and putting their sure trust In Thee. we yield Thee
our unIelgned thanks and praise for all Thy
public melcIes, and more especially for that signal
and wonderful manifestation OF Thy providence
which we commemorate this day Wherefore not
unto u.s. 0 Lord not unto us, but unto Thy name be
ascribed oil honor and glory 10 ali the churches OF
the saints, from generation to generation through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.


The Episte-Phii w., As.


= Rejoice In the LORD always; and again say, re.
joi6e.- Ler y2nr moderation be known unto ali men.
The Lord is at hbd. BE careful Tor nothing; but I'm
everything, by prayer aid suppiicauon with thanks
giving let your requests pe made known unto God.
min