The execution of the judgment in the world of spir- its in 1757 removed many infernal and obstructing in- fluences which hindered the progress and improvement of mankind. A vast dark cloud of evil hovering over Christendom in the invisible world was dissipated, and better influences from heaven began at once to flow in, taking effect over the whole Church, and in all parts of the world. The extraordinary changes that have since taken place, and the new age of light and progress smce inaugurated, are regarded as proceeding from this cause, as being visible tokens of the Lord's second advent, and as striliing confirmations of Swedenborg's representa- tions. The presumption is that the changes will con- tinue, the opinions of men gradually modifying, until these truths are generally recognised and accepted.
From the divine Word thus opened, explained, and interpreted comes the system of divinity here taught, a revealed system, the one meant by the Lord, and be- lieved and understood by the angels, and thus taught in the Church in heaven. The institution of a Church on earth having the heavenly platform, and therelbre en- deavoring to establish the heavenly truths in the world, is what is meant by the New Jerusalem which John saw, and is described in Kev. xxi and xxii, and also meant in Daniel by the "kingdom" to be set up in the latter days — to be the crown and completion of all churches," and to last forever. The glory and honor of the nations are to flow into it, while those who are saved
NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH 17 NEW JERUSALE:M CHURCH
will walk by the light of it. It will be composed of all those wlio acknowledge and ajiproach tlie Lord Jesus Christ alone as the only God of heaven and earth, and lead a life of obedience to his precepts. It is called the Bride, the Lamb's wife, because it worships the Lord Je- sus on\Y, being spirituall}^ conjoined to none but liim. As this earth is needed as a seminary for the propaga- tion and instruction of the human race, marriage is the divinely appointed means to that end; in itself a holy institution, the very foundation of heaven and the Church. The union of one man with one woman is es- sential to its very existence. By shunning every im- purity as a sin against God, the love for each other in the minds of such partners becomes constantly cleaner and purer; the distinction of sex pertains to the soul, the two minds are exactlj' fitted to form a union, and the spiritual love and friendship of a pair remaining obedient to the divine precepts may continue to eter- nity. Wedlock is not only more useful than celibacy, but to those who foUow a life of righteousness is spirit- ually purer, and more conducive to regeneration. Ev- ery departure from strict conjugal chastity, even in thought, is a divergence towards hell. By some re- viewers, Swedeuborg has been charged with looseness in this respect. Nothing can be further from the truth. He discriminates very clearly and justly the different degrees of disorder and criminality, but affords not the slightest plea for the least latitude on the part of a Christian. (See the editorial additions below.)
The difficulty, or rather impossibility, of giving an adequate idea of this system, or any of its parts, in a mere statement, arises from its comprehensiveness, and its exhaustive thoroughness in all its particulars. It is pervaded throughout by a profound philosophy of man, the soul, human society, and the universe, which cannot be wholly transferred to other pages than those on which it is originally found. It is alleged by its most intel- ligent students to be perfectly consistent and coherent throughout, and to answer satisfactorily every question which the rational religious mind desires to ask. It has undoubtedly definite teaching on a larger number of points than any other system of theology or philosophy that has ever appeared in the world. For some account of the writings in which it is contained and the litera- ture of Swedenborgians, see the article on E.manuel SwEDEXBORG in this work.
II. History and On/nnizntion. — Swedeuborg took no steps towards an ecclesiastical organization, nor was there any movement of the kind until many years after his death, the first notices of it appearing about 1780. Since then there has been a steady and nearly uniform increase, zealous advocates of these doctrines being now found in all parts of the Christian world, and to some extent in regions beyond. Tliey are making progress in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Russia, France, Ger- many, Switzerland, Great Britain, South Africa, Aus- tralia, and the East Imlies, as well as in America. In Great Britain Swedenborgianism found its earliest or- ganization under the name of " Theosophical Society" in 1783, and thus continued until 1788, when Robert Hindraarsh (q. v.) and friends liired a chapel in London, and established public worship and preaching according to Swedenborg's doctrines. The example was soon fol- lowed in other places, and there is in that country since the beginning of this century a General Conference, which was composed in 1873 of 58 societies, 20 minis- ters, and 4019 members, holding annual sessions, main- taining publishing and missionary societies and periodi- cals, besides many churches or congregations not in con- nection with the general body. Tliere are numbers, too, of clergymen and laymen adopting a large portion of the views while retaining their comiection witli the other denominations. In Canada there is an associa- tion, composed of several ministers and churches, with scattered members, having an " ordained minister," or presiding bishop.