7L NEW-CHURCH MESSENGER

March 3, 1956

rThe Best is Yet to Be THE PARTIAL LIST PUBLISHERS & NEW-CHURCH OF CHURCHES DIRECTORY OF MESSENGER BOOK ROOMS BALTIMORE, MD. Official organ of The General Convention THE NEW-CHURCH PRESS Calvert Street, near Chase of the New Jerusalem In the United States (Hoard of Publication) of America. Convention founded in 1817. BATH, ME. 108 Clark Street. Brooklyn 1, N. Y. (Swedenborslon) Middle and Winter Streets American and foreign publications of • BOSTON, MASS. all New-Church Publishing Houses. Re Bowdoin Street, opp. State House ligious and Children's books of other Member of the Associated Church Press BIIIDGEWATER, MASS. publishers. • Central Square Convention service books & The Mes Published bi-weekly at 153 South Jeffer senger. BROCKTON, MASS. son Street, Berne, Indiana, by The New 34 Crescent Street, near Main NEW-CHURCH BOOK CENTER Church Press, 108 Clark St., Brooklyn, American New-Church Tract & Pub. New York. CAMBRIDGE, MASS. 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Year of Decision 73 2516 W. 12th Avenue Letters to the Editor 76 WASHINGTON, D.C. Human life is unbroken and con News 79 16th and Corcoran Sts. WILMINGTON, DEL. tinuous, and the world of the spirit Baptisms, Memorials 80 Pennsylvania Avenue and Broome Street is real and near.

66 THE NEW-CHURCH MESSENGER THE HARVEST YEARS

By Gwynne Dresser Mack

LAST of life, for which the first was are inseparable on earth, they are not the same thing. made," said the poet Browning, speaking The body is machinery which gets used up; but the of old age on earth—but how seldom the soul is Motivation and Awareness, and these are world thinks of it that way! This is the problem-era, everlasting. To think that because the body is fail and not least among the problems crowding in upon ing, the spirit can go no further, is like supposing us is how to make our older people happy. For they that a driver is forever immobilized when his 1941 are fast becoming a large segment of the population. Ford gives out! During the past half-century the number of per When we see life whole we realize that the later sons over sixty-five, in this country, has quadrupled! years are no more superfluous in the scheme of It is estimated that by 1980 one of every seven liv things than are the thirties and forties which seem to ing persons will be sixty-five years of age or beyond. a school-child like the dreariest of denouements. It is In twenty-five years from now there will probably illogical to think that a human personality which be thirty-two million persons in the sixty-five or takes so long to grow, which must be so tenderly pro older age-range The difficult economic factors in tected in infancy, so wisely nurtured through child volved are already being recognized; but there are hood and adolescence, and is subject in maturity to so less apparent aspects which need as much if not more many disciplines, is not intended somehow to come attention. These have to do with the morale and mo to full flower at the point when growth and training tivation of this special group of people accumulating and labor have been completed. Far from regarding in our midst. old age as a time for slumping into carelessness and It is commonly thought that when a man must re self-indulgence, for being waited on and making no tire from work or when a woman has finished rais efforts simply because "at my age I am entitled to", ing her family, the important part of life is over for should we not by then expect to make perfect our them. Many of the disorders of senility grow from habits and to bring our efforts into sharper focus? the delusion that old people are useless—that a man Are these not the harvest years, for which the plow is "all washed up" when his earning days end, that a ing and planting, the weeding and watering, have woman is not needed once her children are grown. been done? The years that follow are regarded as, at best, a How, then, to help our older people to believe this? time-killing interim to be spent in self-indulgent lit How to prepare all of us for becoming joyfully and tle pleasures, or at worst an indefinite period of side usefully old? Should not the Church find here its line-watching and shelf-sitting. That old age is ac special challenge, its application of all that it tries cepted as a state of deterioration is borne out by the to teach concerning the good life and rewards for the prediction that in another ten years our accommoda spirit? tions in state mental hospitals (already comprising For the problems of old age, in spite of economic over half the hospital beds in the country) will have complications and physiological considerations, are to shelter 55% more patients over sixty-five than at really spiritual problems. Dr. Theodore G. Klumpp, present. Since 1920 this age-group in our mental in an address to a hospital issociation last year, said hospitals has increased by over 300%! that the difficulties of older people are largely due to the fact that they have stopped using their abilities; "All Washed Up?" they stop learning—not becmse they cannot learn Is it inevitable for old people to feel useless and go any more, but because they hive lost their incentive. to pieces? Is it reasonable to think that because one They no longer have anything to look forward to. job in life has been completed, there is nothing more to do? Of course, we can not ignore the truth that Nothing to Look Forward to? what old age means is a slowing-down and wearing- Is it not because they lack kiowledge of the life out of body-mechanisms, so that obviously much of beyond death? Not to know whit it is like, not even the activity possible in earlier years is not appropri to be sure of its reality, must certainly make the cul ate later in life. And it is also a blunt fact that one mination of existence on earth seem without mean reason our aged population is increasing, is because ing or value. For the child, it is enough to see ahead medical science now keeps alive—without necessari the attainment of that huge freecom called "grown- ly curing—diseased and impaired bodies which other upness". For the youth there is the magic of romance wise would have died. Thus many older persons actu and the promise of becoming somebody in the world. ally are physically limited. But this is not the same For the maturing adult there is tie steady develop as being useless spiritually. ment of career and family, requirhg daily doing in Somehow we must make more effort to see life stead of dreams. And as responsibilities become full- whole—to understand that although body and soul filled, there looms the inviting oasis called retire-

MARCH 3, 1956 67 ment—the days of rest and leisure and fun that there cially for the retired; but Sunday-schools as well hasn't been, time for before. But what then? should teach, even to the primary class, the related- Part of being human is being able to anticipate. ness of life before death to life beyond. Reading- The greater the intelligence, the more the mind en material could be prepared for old folks who are compasses the future. From the child's first compre homebound or hospitalized; and carefully chosen hension of the meaning of tomorrow, the human visitors, trained to discuss Church teachings, would mind forevermore relates itself to things to come. be a means of bringing both instruction and friend How inevitable, then, that the mind should suffer if ship to shut-ins. Such visitors might do reading aloud finally forced to lose sight of land ahead! and—to give practical application to the doctrine of But this need not be. The climax of the Lord's Use—also take materials for useful hand-work to be work was to show the reality of life beyond death. done by the invalid when possible. Churches might To teach this should be the climax of church work, maintain workshops where those able could go to for upon the conviction that man himself never dies do construction or repairing of articles for charitable rest all our beliefs in God and in the worth of fel organizations. low-man and self. Of what use to urge regeneration, Age of Freedom unless it is something that carries on? Of what use If the Church can do a good job of teaching the to learn so difficult a lesson as love of fellow-men, if elderly to see themselves as in an important transi we are not to be with them afterwards? Of what im tion stage between phases of life, rather than as lone portance is it to worship God, if we are not to move ly left-overs from a life that is finished, it will go a always closer to Him? To see old age as the time at long way toward alleviating other conditions which last for drawing near to the great permanencies of make old age distressing. For the work that has been existence, for tying up the loose ends of regeneration done in spiritual therapy proves that release of the in preparation for promotion to the life beyond—is spirit from anxieties and depressions is a powerful to see these years as a busy time for the spirit, a pe means of releasing the body from its ills; and the riod of learning the vast amount there is to know of economic problems which are ever with us through the spiritual facts of life and oi the marvelous world out life, are easier to meet when the spirit is strong. that is to be experienced soon. To really see that it is "the last of life for which the Usefulness first was made", and to know that this "last of life" is Because the New Church has these facts so speci the introduction to life without end, freer and more fically outlined, it has a special responsibility to give wonderful than any yet experienced, should surely help in this situation of old age. To understand the put a stop to the small self-pities which give old folks life following death of the body, requires under the feeling that they are not needed, forgotten, and standing also of the Law of Use which is basic to the neglected. One can not feel shunted aside if one is explanation for man's existence. Nowhere can knowl busy enough getting ready for something edge of this doctrine be better applied than to one's Let us hope and pray that as time rolls on, gath philosophy of life in later years. It is recognized that ering into our population more and more men and much of the restlessness of the elderly is due to find women of advanced years, the church can make ing no satisfaction for the instinctive urge toward known among them the truth so beautifully express usefulness, largely through not comprehending what ed by Swedenborg (Arcana 4676): true usefulness can be. "Man's spirit does not know what old age is; but as Swedenborg defines usefulness as doing to the best the body or external man grows old, the internal of one's ability whatever one finds oneself having to passes into a new period of life, man's spirit being do, and says: "The mind, when devoted to its occupa perfected by age ... By old age, in the internal sense, tion or employment from a love of use, is kept knit is signified life." together." Being useful then. does not mean finding (Mrs. Mack, author of charming books for children and things to do which we think will make us happy—it frequent contributor to the MESSENGER is well known to means doing happily what we find ourselves having our readers. She has long been a keen and thoughtful stu to do. And it means doing things which make others dent of psychological problems viewed from a religious stand happy. For an old person this might well be some point. Recently a book by her, "You Shall Be Healed", has little labor not enjoyed in itself, but gladly done be made its appearance.) cause it lightens another's load. Or it could even be simply to work at a cheerful and undemanding at titude, and to be willing to keep out of busy people's SWEDENBORG'S WRITINGS way. If this is whst an old person ought to do, to do To new readers, 10 cents; regular, 25c each: it gracefully is to \e useful. Heaven and Hell Not only do the elderly themselves need instruc Divine Love and Wisdom Divine Providence tion and encouragement in these ideas; the teaching The Four Doctrines must begin before old age sets in, for mental habits Swedenborg Foundation Incorporated are hard to chsnge once they have crystallized. 51 East 42nd St. New York 17, N. Y. Churches might sponsor classes and discussions espe

68 THE NEW-CHURCH MESSENGER velopment of a higher life is not attainable until the lower impulses are subdued? EDITORIALS The truly regenerate life is not one in which every so-called human impulse is extirpated—that would be impossible. But it is one in which these impulses Which Shall Rule? are directed to a higher end, and made servants, not rulers. The self-discipline, generally associated with the season of Lent, recognizes that there is in every in dividual a conflict between the natural and the spir Not Bread Alone itual. Man is born natural, of the earth earthy; but There was a time when the problems of old age is to become spiritual. This means that the natural were largely economic. The great dread of the aging, must come under the dominion of the spiritual. who were without means, was supposed to be the Swedenborg says: journey "over the hill to the poorhouse." In the "Regeneration is for nothing else than that the na United States and the larger part of the western tural may be subjugated, and the spiritual obtain world this is not the case today. Homes for the aged, dominion, and the natural is subjugated when it is pensions, etc., provide modestly for the physical brought into correspondence. And when the natural needs of those no longer self-supporting. Indeed, it is is brought into correspondence it no longer resists not uncommon now to find some people looking for but acts as it is commanded, and follows the behest ward with happy anticipation to the time of their of the spiritual,—scarcely otherwise than as the acts retirement. Then they hope to be free of responsibili of the body obey the dictates of the will, and as the ties, to have peace, security and the leisure to enjoy speech with the countenance is in. accordance with things denied them in the past. Often this dream the influx of thought." (Arcana Coelestia, n. 5651) fails to come true; and hence arise the problems This need for a control of the natural with its lusts discussed at some length in this issue of the Mes and egoistic impulses has been known throughout the senger. ages. It has at times led to many strange practices The dream is unrealized because happiness, peace such as self-inflicted torture of the body, the fore and contentment are not mere by-products of leisure going of sleep, discomfort—all aimed at schooling the or economic security. Rather they come from the will and altering the everyday attitudes and be habits of thinking and living that are formed over a havior. Even today the Indian ascetics believe that lifetime. Most people gladly pay their social security they can so train their bodies as to gain' conscious taxes and contribute to pension funds hoping there control over physiological processes that are norm by to provide for their old age. Or they carefully ally carried on unconsciously. Some authorities hold save with the same goal in mind. All this is impor that the practices of the Yogis enables them to at tant. The economic distresses of old age when earn tain a high degree of detachment from the things of ing power is gone must not be neglected. But it is not this world. However, one wonders if mortification all. Provision must also be made for the spiritual and ascetic practices are of much higher moral value needs of the sunset years. This cannot be obtained by than the efforts of those "who have tried to break money payments. Only the person who has entered records by sitting on flagpoles or by holding out into at least the first stages of regeneration and there longest in Marathon dances. To endure pain and suf by learned to find happiness within, can face the fu fering just for the sake of enduring, may rise more ture without fear. « from motives of pride than from a desire to subdue The regenerating person, even though old, will the natural. adjust himself to the new conditions which retire The spirit of Lent does not call for extreme ascet- ment may force upon him. If, for example, he must ism but for rational self-control. Rational Christiani move in with his children or some other family, he ty has more in- common with the Stoic schools of will be ready for the give and take called for by such Ancient Greece, which sought to cultivate the moral a step. He will not expect to be the boss, or to be sense, to study virtue, to exercise moderation in all pampered and cared for above all others. We have things and thus attain prudence and self-control, known people in our homes for the aged who lived than with St. Simon Stylites, hermits living in caves, happily and contentedly. We have also known others and others who sought the spiritual life by bringing in the same homes, whose conversation consisted most torments upon the body. ly of complaints against the management, other resi Lent does, however, call upon us to be willing to dents and, indeed, everything relating to the home. surrender the satisfactions which men normally All too plainly they indicated that they felt life had crave. But is not this just what the wisdom of the cheated them out of every blessing. The trouble was ages has taught? Have not all the ages even down not in the environment but in themselves. to Bernhard Shaw insisted that happiness is impos Preparation for old age must be made long before sible without renunciation of the things of this this stage is entered. It must be spiritual as well as world as the supreme values of life; that the de economic.

MARCH 3, 1956 69 NEW HORIZONS

By Andre Diaconoff

IN THIS brief introduction to a great subject, that here and they belong. The knowledge of them alerts of the process of aging, we should like to point man to see that age is not a nondescript, confused and out some of the strands or streams that go into the sub-human matter, which obeys blind laws of material making of the whole process. Our study rises out of fate merely, but is a responsive, balanced, intelligent, some simple observations. A man leads a busy life. loving and beneficient process. It is of Divine order. The years go on and man finds himself aging. He It belongs in a Divine purpose and plan for human recognizes signs of the process, some more affirma life. That sensitive and perceptive medical thinker, tive, like the gaining of experience and with it of a Dr. Alexis Carrel wrote, in his work, Man the certain sense of perspective on people and events, least the first two years of college, provided the that change which we describe sometimes as increas Unknown, p. 184,

ing maturity;other signs more negative, like a feeling "Physiological time is generally referred to physical of weariness which comes sooner in the day. time, to the time of a clock, inasmuch as we are part of This further observation: Man does not live alone. the material world ... On the contrary, physical time may He lives in society. From the first of existence a be referred to physiological time, and the time of a clock expressed in terms of human duration. Then, a strange human life is related to other lives. In adult life par phenomenon occurs. Physical time loses the uniformity ticularly a man assumes obligations. He establishes of its value. The content of a year in units of physiological habits. Others have obligations towards him on many time becomes variable. It is different for each individual, levels of life, in family life, in business, in civic and and for each period of an individual's life. One perceives, mutual human relations. In this world, human life more or less clearly, the changes in the value of physical has a social duration, so to speak, as well as a physi time, which occur in the course of one's life. The days of our childhood seemed very slow, and those of our maturity cal duration. In the way individuals meet the process are disconcertingly rapid. Possibly we experience this feel of aging, whether successfully or unsuccessfully, ing because we unconsciously place physical time in the happily and peacefully or sadly and wastefully, both frame of our duration. And, naturally, physical time seems the individual and society come in for judgment. to vary inversely to it. The rhythm of our duration slows And this further observation: A man is not just a down progressively. Physical time glides along at a uni complex of psychological and physiological factors. form rate. It is like a large river flowing through a plain. At the dawn of his life, man briskly runs along the bank. He is a spiritual being, whose true identity is of the And he goes faster than the stream. Toward midday, his spirit, but who lives in this world through the use, pace slackens. The waters now glide as speedily as he and with the cooperation of his psychological and walks. When night falls, man is tired. The stream acceler his physical make-up. In spiritual life the calendar ates the swiftness of its flow. Man drops far behind. Then years do not count, not numerically. Physical time he stops, and lies down forever. And the river inexorably provides a setting, but is not of the essence of spir continues on its course. In fact, the river never accelerates its flow. Only the progressive slackening of our pace is itual experience. Those earthly years do count responsible for this illusion." however in bringing man (as we already indicated) into a new relationship with fiis family, his neighbor, Deeper Awareness his work, his future. The spiritual being, that man is Now we do not agree with Dr. Carrel that "man centrally, finds that those conditions matter, as they lies down forever." In his lines he has suggested to call on him for choice, for thought which weighs us however, that there is such a thing as "uncon values and looks for more use and joy to others and sciously placing physical time in the frame of our to himself, for right attitude and decision. duration." What then, when mankind recognizes that Those observations may seem obvious. The first "duration" more and more strongly as eternal in the and the second, in which we said that with increasing spiritual world? What,—when the frame of man's age a man observes change in his outlook and vigor, thinking is actively formed by an awareness of that and that a man's life is related to others, are gener spiritual identity of every man, and of the non- ally recognized observations. The third observation— physical realm of man's living here and hereafter? It that man is a spiritual being and that consequently is both earlier and later than we sometimes think: there is a spiritual factor in the aging process,—is not later, because as a race, and as individuals of our race as obvious, (not to some observers at any rate), but and culture, we have for so long neglected the spir it is of paramount importance. Great human good is itual dimension in our thought and practice; earlier, yet to be discovered and used in the assessing of that because we are here only at the beginning of our spiritual dimension, of age. journey, and because a new day of thought and prac Time Values Change tice is dawning. Let us recognize all those factors. They are all That deeper awareness may or may not find ex-

70 THE NEW-CHURCH MESSENGER pression among people in language generally termed nearly 800 of the 1,000 persons who sought its aid, trans "religious". Yet it is religious in content. It calls for forming the cantankerous, the crotchety, the forgetful, in an active appreciation of values that enrich human to useful, happy and constructive men and women. .. The shattering of such fallacies is only one indication life, that are deeper and more enduring than merely that America need not take her new 'aging problem' ly social and economic values, and that give man a fore ing down .. . Conscious efforts to do something about the taste, as it were, of heavenly fulfilment. problem of the aging got under way formally in the United To put the same thought differently, the spiritual States in 1939. In that year a club for research in aging sense (which we just called a deeper awareness), is was formed, and the Josiah Macy, Jr. Foundation financed a conference on the subject Proceedings of the conference, not only of endless duration but of the vast and edited by Professor E. V. Cowdry, were published as Prob limitless possibilities of love, of thought and study, lems o/ the Aging and became the definitive text in the of understanding and use that are lodged in the hu field. In 1940 the U.S. Public Health Service established a man soul, mind and strength. unit on gerontology (the study, from all angles, of the One is reminded of the passage in Divine Provi process of aging), and in 1945 the Gerontological Society was formed, its membership drawn from some fifty pro dence, in which Emanuel Swedenborg writes of "An fessions. This society now has an international counterpart image of the Infinite and Eternal in the fructification The medical profession has a definite field of treatment of and multiplication of all things ..." and says: the diseases of the aged, geriatrics. The religious concern The same is true of men in regard to their affections led to the launching of a special study by the Federal which belong to their love, and their perceptions which Council of Churches which resulted in the publication of a belong to their wisdom. The variety of both of these is in work Older People and the Church, by Paul B. Maves and finite and eternal; so, too, their fructification and their J. Lennart Cedarleaf. multiplication, which are spiritual. No man enjoys affec Capstone of the legislative efforts to 'do something1 . . . tion or perception so like another's as to be the same; are bills introduced in identical versions in the two houses nor can such ever be. Moreover, affections may be fructi of the 84th Congress by Senator Charles E. Potter and Rep fied and perceptions multiplied without end. That knowl resentative Steven B. Darounian. They call for a Federal edge is inexhaustible is known. This ability to fructify Commission on the Aging and Aged, to study and investi and multiply without end, that is, infinitely and eternally, gate the implications of the increasing proportion of the men have in natural things, the spiritual angels in spiritual aged in the nation 'from the standpoint of the national things, and the celestial angels in celestial things . . .— economy and the general welfare.' in great things and in small; they are such because they (The Christian Century, Oct. 19, 1955, pp. 1203-4) have their existence from the Infinite and Eternal .. . Those excerpts from the splendid articles by Mar (Divine Providence 57.) garet Frakes will give the reader some idea of the To invite and to make possible such a continuing scope of the work being done, and a first group of ref harvest (or fructification in usefulness and multi erences to organizations and publications. The work plication in understanding) in human life is a call is barely started. There is need of study, of human faced by human society in general and by our nation service, of accurate organization. There is need of in particular. We cannot shunt the thought and the constant spiritual direction. There is a part for every solution simply to "the other world". In spiritual devoted and understanding friend. In our Church life and in matters of spiritual justice, we are in "the body, the General Convention of the New Jerusalem, other world" now. The call is upon this day. There the work in progress by the Pension Fund and the is a growing knowledge of it. There is also a grow Contributory Pension Fund Committee is moving ing sense that we are pioneers and explorers in a vast forward in this vast field. area of human relations, that needs fresh understand Eternal prospects and immediate practical deci ing. sions are together of vital import here. We cannot write any neatly worded conclusion to this, for in the Present Efforts process of aging, and in the thinking and services The Christian Century recently published, from that enter into it on different levels, nothing is con the issue of Oct. 19,1955, to the issue of Dec. 7,1955, cluded or ended. New horizons are opening up. a series of eight articles by Margaret Frakes, associ (Mr. Diaconoff, pastor of the Los Angles New-Church So ate editor of that magazine, on "The Church and ciety, has worked for the help of the aged. This is a subject OlderPeople." That series is a fine and well document to which he has devoted much thought and study as shown ed contribution to our understanding. We recom by the above article.) mend it to you. I cannot bring into this essay all the good things the writer of those articles gives us in her writing. May I just quote some lines out of the THE SWEDENBORG EPIC opening article of the series; the writer is meeting in By Cyhiel O. Sigstedt Regular $4.50 Edition—Now only $2.00 these lines ideas that would tend to discourage any A special shipment, advantageously bought, special interest or service in the field: makes possible this low price. Buy it as a gift Take the fallacy that older people can no longer learn: for someone. studies have shown that this is far from true ... or con Order from sider the belief that unlovely character traits c'onnot be re THE NEW-CHURCH PRESS formed after 65. The Old Age Counseling Center, in San 108 Clark Street Francisco reported recently that in eighteen years it has Brooklyn 1, New York successfully rehabilitated, mentally and emotionally,

MARCH 3, 1956 71 the Pacific theater of World War II; nor were these "Time lessened after he was flown back to this country from Guam to spend months in a naval hospital on the Is a Kind Friend" Pacific Coast. There were anxious hours when my youngest daughter, an army nurse, worked around By Josephine H. Johannson the clock, as the wounded from the American in vasion of France and the battle of the Bulge were THERE is a country road not far from Buf being brought in. Tears fell on the letter from her, falo, N. Y., over which I have traveled many in which she cheerfully assured me, "All that I am times. It is lined with beautiful trees: maples, doing seems as nothing by comparison with the suf box elders, a few oaks, a few ash and a few ever ferings of the poor boys I am taking care of." greens. Regardless of the season, there is a fascin ating loveliness about those trees. But the season Now in addition to the joy of seeing my children in which they seem to me to be at the height of grown-up, healthy in mind and body, taking a place their beauty is in the fall, when the leaves have of their own in their community, I have the added turned to a rich golden brown. Nature, I some pleasure of welcoming grandchildren. I see re-ap times think, has been working all the months of pearing well-remembered gestures, actions and looks spring, summer and fall, to distill into the foliage, from past years. What a promise of immortality! And so soon about to fall, this entrancing beauty. To how strongly it reminds the parent, that every ac me it is a picture of old age as God intended it to tion of his, even his very thoughts, have, to use be. A growth toward a beauty consisting of tran- Swedenborg's words, "consequences to all eternity." quility, gentleness and love, fed by fond memories Whatever I was to my children, was in some small of the past, in which there are many delights as way built into the fabric of their being, and is now well as some sorrows. being built into the character of my beloved grand Of course, it is not without a touch of nostalgia children. Three times, twice from my son and once that I think back to the earlier days of my mar from my daughter, the request has reached "Mom" riage, to the birth of our three children, their first to come and be present when a grandchild was to stumbling attempts to walk or to talk. I can re arrive. Never in my youth or at any other time was member as clearly as if it had happened this morn such thrilling news brought. How could I wish my ing, my nearly two-year old son, our first born, self to be other than a prospective or actual grand coming and saying, "Bed, Bu." He had never ut mother! And how could I now as I see these two smil tered these sounds before, but I knew at once he ing grandsons and the lively, dancing granddaughter was asking for bread and butter. And I recall the wish for myself anything better than to be a grand thrill of delight when after I had given him a les mother, who sees in her grandchildren the future son on the alphabet with the help of some blocks, unfolding and knows that some tiny part of herself is his younger sister, then two and a half, who had in it. All of it illuminates what Swedenborg means been quietly standing in the background, began in saying: "To grow old in heaven is to grow young." repeating the letters. When her father came home, Have I not a foretaste of heaven in the joy of wit she proudly took him by the hand and began to show nessing the arrival of grandchildren and seeing them him how many blocks she could identifly by the grow? letters printed on them. Benjamin Franklin, speaking about his life, said And how well I recall one time when I was away that in it there were certain "errata" he would cor from home. A package with Easter gifts arrived rect were he to live it over again. So would every one, from my husband's sister. Our youngest, a girl of especially a parent. But with the arrival of grand four, boldly peaked into it and seeing hats and East children, it seems that an angel voice whispers: "See er bonnets, found one she liked and announced she how kindly time deals with you. Here you see your was wearing it to school. (She attended kindergart self going on in the natural world even after you en.) The lady who was taking care of the children have left for the spiritual world." tried to persuade her not to, but to no avail. So off to Dread old age? No, I will try to grow old along kindergarten she went wearing a blue hat intended with the poet, Robert Browning, by keeping in mind for a woman of thirty. that "The best is yet to be." When and if the time The floodgates of memory are easy to open. At comes, when I have not the strength to participate times they make me exclaim in my heart: "Back actively in the plans and dreams of my children, I ward, turn backward, O time, in thy flight." Never will—the Lord willing—still participate in them in theless, I know that the compensation brought by the my mind. At the same time I will refresh my memory years far outweigh the losses. with what I know about the life hereafter. I shall These joys of later years are not bought without a dream of the home I will try to build there with the price. Graying hairs and wrinkles in the face may be help of loved ones already gone—the home into the receipt for the payments made. There were anx which I shall hope to welcome other loved ones as ious hours when my son was serving in the Navy in they follow me.

72 THE NEW-CHURCH MESSENGER YEAR OF DECISION After 100 years of service, Urbana Junior Col Presenting Swedenborg lege, Urbana, Ohio, has sent out a letter to all the By Edward B. Hinckley members of the New Church asking, "what now?" To give you the necessary information to answer this IT IS my conviction that any one or all of Swed- question, two quotations from Edward F. Memmott, enborg's teachings come with more impact to any President of the College, are enclosed in the letter, the casual questioner if he knows something of Swed- first from Facing Reality, 1950-1955, (The Messenger, enborg's qualifications for having worthwhile opin Sept. 3, 1955), and the second from "a Report on Ur ions about such fundamental matters as life after bana Junior College," as prepared for the 102nd an death, God, the Bible, and the good life in this world. nual meeting of the Ohio Association of the New So I begin wherever possible with a brief run-down Church. This letter therefore, reports to the entire of Swedenborg's life to show that by family back membership of Convention something of the stew ground, by education, by experience, by contempor ardship of the Board of Trustees, the desires of the ary reputation, and by every ordinary standard, he Board, and the conditions under which the Board was a man whose ideas commanded respect in his and the President work to fulfill those desires. In the own day and command respect today. I point out that letter Mr. Memmott also raises the question as to his father was royal chaplain to the King of Sweden what support (including financial) is available from and was a confidential adviser and friend of both the Church in advancing the desire of the Board to the King and Queen, so much so that they ennobled re-open the college dormitories, to engage a resident him while he was the Bishop of Skara. I then go on staff, to continue the freshman-sophomore curricu to point out that Swedenborg was sent to the Uni lum and to contribute to the Church's educational versity of Upsala where he acquired the best educa program. We quote Mr. Memmott's opinion on this: tion obtainable in his day. "Frankly I have not, and I believe Board Rocks members have not, a clear conception of how Then I sketch some of Swedenborg's activities up next fall we can re-open dormitories, engage a on graduation, how he interested himself in natural resident staff, contribute more to the Church's science, and made a number of important discoveries educational program and operate within our in in the fields of metallurgy, mining and geology, so come. Perhaps we ought to modify our goal or much to his credit and so helpful to the industrial de our conception of how Urbana College should velopment of his country that he was ultimately function, or both." made a member of the Royal College of Mines, and This letter is an invitation and a request to you to remained an expert and valued consultant to the write to Mr. Memmott or any member of the Board, mining industry for the rest of his life. I mention, in your conception of goals for Urbana Junior College passing, his habits of travel and that he visited for and means of achieving these goals. Specifically, if months at a time in all the countries of Europe, you are a parent of teen-age children, would you studying their methods of manufacture, their indus seriously consider sending them to Urbana for at tries, their educational institutions, their politics, least the first two years of college, provided the and their governments. I tell my interlocutor about College is ready to receive him? his quaint habit of taking rooms with an instrument Mr. Memmott's address is Urbana Junior College, maker and learning from him how to make different Urbana, Ohio. The present members of the Board of precision instruments; of living for some weeks with Trustees and their addresses are listed below: a bookbinder until he had mastered the art of book

Philip M. Alden Robert G. Lawson binding, of seeking out wherever he might be quar 507 N. Chester Rd. 9500 Cunningham Rd. tered for men who were expert in their trade, and Swarthmore, Pa. Cincinnati 27, Ohio learning from them the special skills of that trade. I

Thomas O'Keefe mention his studies in engineering, resulting in prac Yeatman Anderson 213-15 E. Broad St. tical advantages as when he transported overland a 6450 Kincaid Rd. Columbus 15, Ohio fleet of boats for his King's -army. I allude casually Amberly Village 13 to his investigation of a method of determining the Cincinnati, Ohio Dr. John S. Peck 105 Garth Rd. longitude of any spot on the earth's surface by a de Scarsdale, N. Y. Laurence R. Atwood termination of the moon's position. If you need a parallel at this point to lend point to your argument 114 Wyoming Ave. Miss Catherine Snow Maiden 48, Mass. 2400 Grandview Ave. that Swedenborg was something of a universal gen Cincinnati 6, Ohio ius, say that he reminds you of Ben Franklin in his Rev. William H. Beales absorbing interest in the growing body of scientific Mr. Edward F. Wunsch 5082 S. Clarendon Ave. 825 Edgemont Park knowledge and in his practical application of that Detroit, Mich. Grosse Point, Mich. knowledge to problems of eighteenth century living.

Mrs. F. H. Blackmer Rev. Wm. F. Wunsch To Plants and Animals 32 York St. 3518 Park Place, N. W. Then I bring in his shift of interest to the natural Andover, Mass. Washington 10, D. C.

73 MARCH 3, 1956 history of the world, to his studies which culminated sermons. And then I launch into a discussion of the in the monumental work on the Economy of the Ani cardinal doctrines, the most important teachings, or mal Kingdom and to the studies of the plant world the teachings which have meant the most to me, which preceded it. Following this I cite his interest choosing my example as best I may from what I in the human body and its anatomy—the very detail know of the chief interests of my auditor. (And here ed study which he made of the constitution of man, is where real skill is demanded.) his nerves, his muscles, his veins, his digestive or gans. I venture to say that no one not a member of Doctrines to Fit Listener the medical fraternity ever made such a careful and With a hardheaded scientist or materialistic think comprehensive study of human anatomy as Sweden- er, I begin with Swedenborg's interpretation of the borg. From this subject it is easy to pass to the creation of the earth and point out that in Sweden guiding search of Swedenborg at this point—his borg the discrepancy that many modern men feel search for the human soul. He, in common with all exists between the Biblical account of Creation and men of science of his day, thought the soul could be that generally accepted by scientific men of today is located in a particular organ or spot in the body; and readily resolved if you realize that the "days" in the there for years he sought for it. Then he realized— Biblical account do not necessarily represent 24 hour and this interestingly enough marks the transition to periods as we know them, but may stand for inter his absorption with things spiritual—that the soul vals of millions of years. I point out also the inter could never be isolated by mechanical dissection, esting fact that Swedenborg's own development of that it was substantial, but not material, and that to interests paralleled to a striking degree the evolu find out the laws which governed its development tion of this earth from rocks to plants to animals to and life he would have to abandon the scientific, man. (Swedenborg started off as a geologist and min this—world type of investigations which had been ing engineer, you remember.) If, on the other hand, his chief study up to this time. my questioner is interested in psychic phenomena, I tell him about Swedenborg's experiences in this To Man field, the story of the fire 300 miles away, of the lost Next I inform my friend that for the balance of receipt and of the secret known only to the Queen of Swedenborg's life, his publications deal only with Sweden and her dead brother. Then I go on to tell religious and theological topics. The last book men some of the points made in Heaven and Hell, which tioned in the last paragraph appeared in 1745, and so beautifully describe and explain the awakening only four years later the first volume of the Arcana after death into the far more desirable world of spir was published. From then until his death in 1772, its. I tell of how we are allowed to choose our circle Swedenborg devoted his entire time, energy, and of companions until we find that group which is com intellect to developing and setting down in an posed of the most congenial friends, all interested in amazingly ordered and coordinated system of books the same things we are. And I point out what a what we might rightly call the "true Christian re Heaven or Hell that makes our environment! ligion." These 30 odd volumes, written in Latin, and averaging in the modern English translations ap Perhaps our friend is interested in the Bible and its proximately 500 pages each, present a comprehen interpretation and explanation. Then he is ready to sively organized system of theology more complete, listen to the Doctrine of Correspondences and I tell better integrated, and more thorough and satisfac him of the heavenly secrets embedded in the Word tory in answering our modern problems than any and of the grand yet simple pattern, the story of writings of any other denomination in the world— man's regeneration, which emerges from that epic of this in the opinion of a great many people outside the Jewish history. Church as well as in the opinions of those within the Or perhaps he is an amateur theologian and wants Church. At this point I mention some of the tributes to know what God is like, and the relation between to Swedenborg and the names of some of the great God and Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Then I men of the world who have used and valued Swed give him the Doctrine of the Lord, and describe the enborg's teaching. I mention Helen Keller, and urge ways in which we receive his love and wisdom in this my questioner to read her little book. My Religion, world, and the next. For Swedenborg contains the and also the magnificent preface which she wrote answer to all the problems that we can raise. All to the Everyman edition of the True Christian Re roads in his writings lead to God, and it does not mat ligion. I go on to list some of the distinguished men ter by what avenue you start walking toward a of letters by whom the name of Swedenborg was knowledge of the Lord,—you are sure of reaching tremendously honored. In this list are found, of the same destination! course, Emerson, Coleridge, Carlyle, Henry James, Browning, Tennyson, Ruskin, Thoreau, Goethe, Bal (Dr. Hinckley is the president of the Babson Institute. He zac. I mention further that many noteworthy min is an ordained minister in the New Church, and frequently isters of the United States and other countries have conducts services /or societies without a poster. The above w the first part of a paper read by him to the "Men's Club" read Swedenborg and used his teachings in their o/ the Boston New Church.)

74 THE NEW-CHURCH MESSENGER The Commission to Print and Publish

By John Sanford Peck

In 1771, Swedenborg wrote: in Shropshire in 1808. The moving spirit was the Rev. John Clowes, and the purpose of the meeting was to "Since the Lord cannot manifest Himself in person, as has just been shown above, and yet He has foretold gather together the early receivers of the Writings, that He will come and establish a New Church, which from London, Manchester, Liverpool, and Birming is the New Jerusalem, it follows that He will do this ham. Ways to spread the Writings were discussed by means of a man, who can not only receive the doc and a committee of New-Church ministers in Lon trines of the Church with his understanding but can don was formed to "create a fund for the express also publish them by means of the press. I testify that purpose of reprinting solely the Theological Writ the Lord has manifested Himself to me his servant, and sent me on this duty." The True Christian Re ings of Baron Swedenborg." Further meetings of this ligion (n. 779). committee were held, and on Feb. 26, 1810, the Swedenborg believed that he had a direct com "Society for printing and publishing the works of mission from the Lord to print and publish the truths Hon. Emanuel Swedenborg" was born. This Society that were being revealed to him. If the New Church is what is known today as the Swedenborg Society. was to become anything.it must be a reading Church, About 1817-1818 publishing work began in other and it was vital that the works of Swedenborg be countries, largely the result of individual efforts, kept in published form and available for all men to such as Tafel in Germany, Dougherty and others in read. And it is this direct commission from the Lord the United States, Le Boys de Guays in France, Kahl through Swedenborg that the great publishing So in Sweden, and many others. On Nov. 15, 1849, a cieties, the Swedenborg Society of London, England, group of "members and friends of the New Jerusa and the Swedenborg Foundation of New York, carry lem Church residing in the City of New York and its on today. vicinity," met in the house of Mr. Samuel R. Waldo, The printing and publishing of the Writings began 16 Warren St., New York, and organized the Ameri some time before the establishment of an organized can Swedenborg Printing and Publishing Society, Church. Swedenborg himself commissioned John with the purpose of "encouraging a wider circulation Marchant to translate the second volume of the of the Theological Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg." Arcana Coelestia, and the Brief Exposition into Eng A constitution was adopted and various officers elect lish and these were published in London in 1750 and ed. Donations and subscriptions were received. The 1769 respectively. In 1770, Hartley and Cookworthy Society achieved in a few years a firm and solid foun translated The Intercourse of the Soul and Body, dation. It is interesting to note that auxiliary socie and in 1776 there was established in London a "Socie ties were formed in Cincinnati, Detroit, and Mar ty of Gentlemen for the preservation of Baron shall, Michigan. But those lacked the vitality of the Swedenborg's posthumous works." New York movement and after a few years, ceased In 1781, Rev. John Clowes in Manchester, trans to exist. lated and published the True Christian Religion. In May 1851, the Society published its first book In the next year, 1782, the Manchester Society "for Divine Love and Wisdom. This was followed by oth printing, publishing and circulating the works of er titles until by 1857 the "Octavo Edition" was com Emanuel Swedenborg" was formed. pleted. When the plates of the Octava Edition became In 1783, a group of five people under the leadership worn out, the Library Edition was brought out dur of Robert Hindmarsh, met in London and formed the ing the period 1885-1913. Also by this time four titles "Theosophical Society" for the purpose "of promoting in paper binding, called the Missionary Edition were the Heavenly Doctrine of the New Jerusalem by published. As a practical matter, it was found un translating, printing and publishing the Theological desirable to continue both the Octavo and Library Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg." The two London Editions and in 1915 the Standard Edition, consisting Societies later joined forces and became known as of thirty volumes was published and continues to the the London Society in 1807. present time. By 1810, the work of the London and Manchester In 1928, the name of the American Swedenborg Societies, together with the efforts of certain in Printing and Publishing Society was changed to the dividuals in other countries had produced ten trans Swedenborg Foundation, Inc. lations published in the United States, thirty-eight in Germany, one in Holland, thirteen in Sweden, Such has been the birth and development of the fourteen in France and one hundred and thirty-eight two main sources of the published Writings. Neither in England. In spite of this impressive record the of these Societies is a missionary society. Their func London Society became somewhat moribund. But tion is to see that the Writings are available in the it received a new impetus as a result of the first of best published form for all who want them. But the Hawkstone Meetings, held at theHawkstone Inn these Societies serve other functions as well.They are

75 MARCH 3, 1956 centers of information where anyone wanting in The main sources of revenue for this most impor formation about the New Church may obtain it. tant work are interest on endowment funds, dona They both, the Swedenborg Society especially, main tions, and rentals from properties owned. As both tain libraries, that contain all the English, Latin, and organizations are decidedly eleemosynary, they must modern foreign language volumes possible. For ex depend entirely on funds and patrons for their sup ample, there have been in all two hundred and twen port. However, it can be said, that at the present ty-one editions of Heaven and Hell, of which the time this work of printing and publishing is one of library of the Swedenborg Society contains one hun the most generously supported of all Swedenborgian dred and one, and they are in some eighteen different activities. languages. The day to day work of these two Foundations in Important reference works have been published, volves the sale and grant of books by parcel post, including Potts, swedenborg Concordance 1888-1905, express, and over the counter. Swedenborg himself and James Hyde's Bibliography, containing a list had his books printed at his own expense and made with the fullest descriptive and bibliographical de no profit from their sale. He very frequently gave tails of all printed editions of the writings in all them away to friends and others whom he knew to languages up to 1906, and the Dictionary of Cor be interested. respondences, first published in 1841, and now in its The Society and the Foundation have followed in fourteenth edition. Also certain collateral works his footsteps. The books are sold well below cost and have been published by the Foundation, notably many donations of free books are given away, both Helen Keller's My Religion, Trobridge's Sweden here and abroad. No requests for books which appear borg, Life and Teaching, and Wilde's Digest of the to show a genuine interest are ever refused. In such a True Christian Religion. manner have the Society and the Foundation en Both the Swedenborg Society and the Swedenborg deavored to carry out Swedenborg's original com Foundation give financial assistance to the publica mission, which came to him from the Lord. tion of the Writings and some collateral works in foreign languages, such as the German translation NOTE: The author acknowledges with.appreciation of My Religion published by the Swedenborg Verlag his debt to Dr. Freda Griffiths, Honorary Secretary in Zurich and the Japanese translation of The True of the Swedenborg Society for all the information Christian Religion published' by a group in Tokyo, she furnished him relating to the early days of the under the leadership of Rev. Yonezo Doi. Swedenborg Society. (Dr. Peck is the vice-president of the Swedenborg Foun dation, Inc.; the president of the New York Society, a member of Convention's General Council as well as a devoted student of the Writings.)

Mrs. Ernest Martin's article hit home too, since LETTERS to the EDITOR || we have three small children and the six-year-old had informed me that he knew who Santa is—"Je sus." It stopped me for an answer, but made me FROM AN ISOLATED think.... I thank all the good people who take time To the Editor: to write the things published in The Messenger. I am a member of the Wilmington, Del., Society Florence Swartz Kearns of the New Church and have only attended one San Ardo, Calif. New-Church service in the nine years I have been in California. RAISE QUESTIONS In that time one forgets the "Church" as a build To the Editor: ing and a form of service and falls back on all the In the Messenger of Oct. 29, 1955, I note concern truth learned earlier plus current reading of New- for the failing membership of our church. So I am Church material. However I have attended a com moved to suggest the following, as the result of munity church and Sunday School and find such meditating upon Jesus' suggestion to His disciples real and honest Christianity among the members that they cast their net on the other side. that I marvel at their strength. Point 1: The church buildings themselves should In the November 26 issue of The Messenger the be as attractive and comfortable as resources and letters, "Reversing a Trend", "An Objective Com loving help will permit. Many of our houses of ment" and "Go by Twos" have expressed my deep worship are dark and forbidding in their interiors. est feelings about our Church much better than What would be the symbolic meaning of this? Per I could have done. Living isolated from our serv haps the use of the colors which Swedenborg de ices has taught me many things that otherwise I scribes as prevailing in the three heavens, employed! may have overlooked. I see others living what we to bring out the relationships of these three degrees are taught. within ourselves, might be attractive and helpful.

76 THE NEW-CHURCH MESSENGER In the instructions given for the building of the Tabernacle, and of the Temple, much is made of FREEDOM IN OBEDIENCE form, design, and color, and why should not a NEW I will not go out free signifies the delight of church produce something NEW along these lines, obedience ... "Hebrew menservants" [signify instead of following traditions which grew up in the those] of such a nature that they cannot be Dark Ages? regenerated, but only reformed. They who Point 2: Would it not be helpful to advertise suffer themselves to be regenerated, act from sermons on our bulletin boards in the form of a affection according to the precepts of faith; question, rather than a statement? "Do You Think but they who do not suffer themselves to be Jesus Would Advocate A Preventive War?" "What regenerated, but only to be reformed, do not Does the Bible say about 'Preventive' Measures?" I act from affection, but from obedience. The think many more people would be attracted to come difference is this: They who act from affec and hear our messages if we always added to the tion, act from the heart, and thus from free titles of sermons: "What does the Bible say or dom; ... but they who act from obedience do teach about this?" We should make our congre not thus act from the heart, consequently not gations concordance conscious. On the same bulletin from freedom. . . And his master shall bore boards, we could invite all, whether strangers or through his ear with his awl. That this signi members, to write the minister about his views on fies a representative of obedience is evident the subject to be considered. And why not slant from the signification of "the ear" as being our topics to the problems about which the majority obedience ... Here obedience is treated of as of people are troubled, or in conflict? We might being to assign [a servant]; and therefore it have permanently written on every bulletin board: follows that "he shall serve him forever," "STRANGER, HAVE YOU SORROWS? THE MIN means shall be obedient.— ISTER WOULD LIKE TO HEAR THEM AND OF Arcana Coelestia 89871, 8, 8990 FER YOU HELP, Hours—etc. Point 3: Hymns: Let us add to our church, music Swedenborg has given to the intellectual world the that is exhilerating and stimulating (not sleep in highest and the deepest truths ever to penetrate the ducing)—the hand clapping kind that appeals to human mind. He has no peer in the realm of the the child in us. Sing more about Jesus and His mind and spirit. And' his star will continue to love for us, and fewer hymns of general praise. shine brighter and brighter until the perfect day, Point 4: The text with which we open our serv as it dawns in the minds and hearts of men. ices: "The Lord is in His Holy Temple; let all the As we read his writings and study their truth earth keep silent before Him," is a good one, but and wisdom, revealing the inner meaning of God's to me it seems general and to need supplementing Holy Word, we are ready to exclaim with the by something that definitely says that Jesus is Psalmist: HERE, and let us rejoice together. Let us show The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; Him how much we love Him by our gentle words The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening and deeds of kindness to our neighbor. the eyes; The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever; What I am trying to say is this: The New Church The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous stresses God and Christ (cold truth) too much, in altogether. spite of our general use of the general term Lord, This has been my experience, and of others too and Jesus (the Divine Love, made manifest) too numerous to mention. Frank H. Wood little; and so the church is dying. It doesn't need Burnham, Pa. to die if we quickly cast our net on the other side. Virginia Spiers Norris A CORRECTION Editor of the Messenger: SHARED KNOWLEDGE It was good to see the warm invitation to join the To the Editor: Arcana Class in your last issue, but there are two I wish to thank Mrs. Cornelia H. Hotson for shar corrections I have to ask you to make. ing her knowledge of the Word and the Writings! The one who wrote that call to us to go forth to of Swedenborg with those of us who are novices meet our returning LORD is the Rev. John White- in the study of that remarkable man, the fore head. I could not have my name put in place of that runner and messenger of the most profound yet illustrious one. the most simple philosophy of life, the revelator The other error is, that although I am still the Sec of the spiritual meaning of God's Word and seer retary of this same class, which the Rev. Louis A. of the "great spiritual world." Dole is carrying on, and am the one to write to about The revelations which God gave to the world joining and receiving the class material, I do not live through Swedenborg are so far beyond the com at Shepherdstown, Pennsylvania. mon run of secular scientists, philosophers and My address is: Serena K. Dandridge theologians that there is actually no comparison. Shepherdstown, W. Va.

77 MARCH 3, 1956 To me—God sent his angels for Carl. I am sure they were angels HELP FOR BEREAVEMENT that he recognized. He wasn't frightened. I was so broken-heart ed, as I loved him so. He was my There are no figures to indicate he wanted to go back. He was get baby; we were so close. He was al ting along beautifully. In fact, he how many have been comforted in ways so interested in God; always times of sorrow by the revelations wanted me to have a party for him wanted to know who made God. I given by the Lord to the world in school to thank all the children always told him that we would through Emanuel Swedenborg. But that were so nice to him during his have to be spirits to know the an illness. We had the party Friday, ever so often we hear from some swer to that one. one on this subject. As is known, Dec. 10. He had the most wonderful the Swedenborg Foundation, Inc. time, and made everyone happy by I know he went to Heaven, and is now placing advertisements of bringing his record player to school he is happy with God. But I still do Swedenborg's works in various and playing for them his favorite not know why God wanted him, daily papers throughout our coun childrens' records. why he wasn't allowed to grow up. try. Recently a letter was received I loved him so, and I know that I by the Foundation from a bereav That was his last day in school. am teaching all my children about ed mother who most touchingly ex He got the virus again; this time God and how to live, according to presses her gratitude for the mes it settled in the base of his skull, God's plan for us. sage of the book, Heaven and Hell, and he had terrific pains off and Since then Carl has come back to which she purchased as a result of on. The doctor told me that it was me—in my dreams. It was sup this advertising. H. W. Helmke, like a migraine headache. The day posed to be the last day of school— manager of the Foundation, has he left, Friday 17th, he had break he brought me his report from kindly sent the letter to the Mes fast in bed—slept until noon, as he school. But, instead of an or senger with the writer's permission was up all night. At noon he came dinary card, it was a piece of art to print. We give it here in full as out to the kitchen table, had lunch with one of his brothers and me; paper. Carl gave it to me and said an example of how much the Writ "Look Mommy, this is what I did ings can mean in hours of sorrow. then he went into the living room to watch television for a while. He in school." On the paper were writ The letter reads: was feeling much better. He watch ten the words "GOD IS LOVE. I ed "Search for Tomorrow." In this LOVE GOD." To me it was an January 20, '56. story the mother made a record for answer to all my questions and 901 Spruce St., her little girl. They were words of doubts. Those simple words are the Irwin, Penna. her own but played to Brahm's answer to any question that can Dear Sir: "Lullaby." I commented to Carl possibly arise. About a month ago I sent for about how beautiful it was. Little Now you know why I was inter your book by Swedenborg, "Heav did I realize the words were meant ested in getting your book ia the en and Its Wonders and Hell. I re for Carl. To me it was no coinci first place, and why I would like to ceived it, and I am so impressed dence that the words were meant have more of them. I am enclosing with it that I would like for you to for the girl. To me it was God's way $1.00 for the copies. send me four more copies to give to of calling Carl to heaven. When the Thanking you in advance. my friends. story was over, Carl asked me to turn off the television as he was Mrs. Walter Schade. This book describes in detail tired and wanted to rest. I left to things that I know to be true. On go into his bedroom. A few minutes Dec. 17, 1954, just a little over a later I came out, and Carl was year ago, my youngest son, Carl, at gone. Money For Your Treasury that time eight years old, left and OVER 1,500,000 went to heaven. I couldn't bring The words that called him to SUNFLOWER DISH CLOTHS Were sold in 1935 by members of Sunday myself to say he died because I Heaven were: Schools, ladles' Aids. Young People's couldn't feel that way. He had been Groups, etc. They enable you to earn money for your treasury, and make sick all that summer, caused by a "Close your eyes, sleepy head, friends for your organization. Sample FREE to an Official virus infection which settled in his Bright angels will guard you. stomach. From the middle of July Close your eyes, sleepy head, SANGAMON MILLS Established 1915 Cohoes, N. Y. until the middle of October we doc Blessings follow you to bed. tored with him. He loved school so much that as soon as he was able Lullaby and good night Till the dawn's early light. Lullaby and good night COLLECT STAMPS? Till the dawn's early light. GOWNS SSS Help Your Missions Too "Go to sleep, sleepy head, Try our Famous Mission Mixtures Worldwide accumulations. Only two Satisfaction in Every Stitch since 1912 Bright angels will guard you. kinds. U. S. only, $1.00; All-World, Go to sleep, sleepy head, $1.00 Postpaid. Rich in old, new, QUAIITY FABRICS Angels gather near your bed. commems., airs, etc. Large lots off- LASTING BEAUTY on paper. Big variety. Write for catalogue IC-1 Lullaby and good night MISSIONS STAMP OUTLET BENTLEY £ SIMON Time to turn out the light Rev. Leslie Marshall, mgr. 7 WEST 36 ST • NEW YORK 18, N.Y. Lullaby and good night Box 386, St. Petersburg 1, Flu. Time to turn out the light."

78 THE NEW-CHURCH MESSENGER name is Eric Paul, a hardy con phia, and New York. From there he struction worker and good member went to London and toured Eng of the National Association. It was land, Scotland, and Wales, and in the bulletin of the latter group then went to the continent, and was that Mr. Paul noted the suggestion homeward bound via Suez and of Clark Dristy that members sub Ceylon. scribe to the Messenger. "The Relative Positions of the "You and Miniver Cheevy," was Academy and Those of Convention" the topic of Donald Dunbar, inter was the subject of a talk by the im minister of the Brockton, Mass., General Pastor of the Massachus New Church, at a banquet in the etts Association, the Rev. Everett vestry of the Bridgewater Congre K. Bray, at the Bridgewater New gational Church one evening early Church, Feb. 5. About 30 attended. in February. This was part of the The St. Louis Society has met its NEWS By Carol Lawson celebration of Youth Week and quota for the Annual Appeal in the about fifty young people were last two years and is well on its there from various youth groups way to doing it again. As they say, With the gift of $8000 sent to Ja in Bridgewater (including the "The Societies which reach their pan by Mr. Wayne Collins, San New-Church Y. P. L.) as well quota each year are not necessarily Francisco, the Rev. Mr. Doi's as school and town officials, the larger churches." dream of a representative New- clergy, and other prominent people From Fryeburg, Maine, comes Church building is nearing fulfil who were guests. The dinner was the cheering news that their well- ment. The money was given by Mr. known New-Church artist, Miss Collins in memory of his wife and prepared by a committee of women from the Bridgewater churches. Cary Bradley, is her same won in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Bruce (Miniver Cheevy, you may remem derful self and seems to be improv Porter. ber, was born too late, according to ing steadily, looking forward to the The unusually rainy winter in California, combined with warm his creator, Poet Edwin Arlington day she can leave the hospital in Portland and go home to Fryeburg. temperatures, forced the Japanese Robinson.) plum trees in the garden of the San The birthday cake for the Detroit A smile from Kitchener's Bul letin: Francisco Church to bloom a month Church's Swedenborg Birthday A group of clergymen were taken early, in January rather than Febru party had to serve about 110 peo on tour of a mammoth General Elec ary . . . More garden news is that ple. The Rev. Wm. Beales and Mr. tric plant. After seeing the buildings the Church Committee of the above Harry Guest did the cutting and jammed with precision instruments church recently authorized the re serving. The cake was made and and machines, they crossed a rotunda moval of one of the four remaining decorated by Irma Guest . . . The which contained a tank of tropical old poplar trees on the Lyon St. Swedenborg Anniversary celebra fish. sidewalk. This will give more light tion by the Southern Area Coun "Wonder what they're doing here?" to the church sign in the evening cil of New-Church Societies commented one of the ministers. and prevent danger of falling (Brockton, Bridgewater, Elmwood, "Probably," one of his colleagues branches; no dead wood for San Mansfield, Mass.) at Brockton, Jan. observed, "they put it there as a Francisco. 26, was very successful. About 80 reminder that some things were in "Relax—and die!" was the title were present to enjoy the pot roast vented by God." of the discussion group at the New- dinner served by the Elmwood Where will it stop? they are ask Church House, New York City, one Ladies and to appreciate the splen evening in February. Rev. Wm. R. did address by Rev. David P. John ing in Wilmington, Del., where an Woofenden said, "With a growing son, Kitchener, Ont., — President enthusiastic group of painters hav ing done the kitchen and the nurs number of physiologists, psychia elect of the General Convention. The Lenox Community New ery, are looking for new fields to trists, and clergymen preaching the Church in Wisconsin is looking for conquer. They are moving out into gospel of "release from tension" as the hallways at present. We quote the goal of life, the counterbalanc ward to a visit this spring from a their bulletin: "It has been said ing teachings of the New Church group of the National Association. Their Sunday School is building (but not confirmed) that Mr. Sam on this subject are sorely needed." uel Hanby is planning to give up ... The New York bulletin also not up,—there were 34 children, 26 his real estate business in order to ed that their Thursday Night Thes adults, and 7 teachers present at a pians were giving a play, The recent session. devote his full time and attention to redecorating the church. This is Ogboddy's Outing, and 'fearing the A trip around the world was be the kind of building committee anxiety to be caused by the de- gun Feb. 19 by Dr. and Mrs. Robert chairman we need ..." denouement of this gripping saga Bowie (Ruth Boericke), San Watch "The Fruitless Fig Tree" the management' had arranged for Francisco Society. They plan to over the National Broadcasting some relaxing entertainment to fol make stops at Tokyo, Manila, Company television network on low, which sounds like a complete Hong Kong, Singapore, Ceylon, Sunday, Mar. 25, at 2:30 p.m. reversal of policy. But we trust and India .... A counter-clock (EST). that the relaxation just wowed 'em wise trip around the world last and didn't kill 'em. year was made by Mr. George The most northern point ever to French, Sydney, Australia, who Going To Florida For be reached by the Messenger, in went from Australia east to the The Winter Season? our estimation, is the first copy sent U.S. From San Francisco he took in Then be sure to visit the beau to our new subscriber at Point Bar the cities of Los Angeles, Salt Lake tiful New-Church Center in row, Alaska, which as a matter of City, Rapid City, Madison, Chicago, St. Petersburg, on Crescent fact is about as far north as white Cleveland, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Lake. men usually get. The gentleman's Washington, Baltimore, Philadel o-

MARCH 3, 1956 79 "SUNDAY TIMES" NATIONAL BOOK EXHIBITION Baptisms, Confirmations, Memorials It is not often that it can be re ported that within a fortnight 50,- 000 people have had their attention BAPTISMS at Boston, Mar. 2, 1871, the son of-Joseph drawn newly and effectively to the Stine — Dorothy Elaine, baptized in Hiller and Marie Cromwell Wellman. He works of Swedenborg. This was a beautiful family service held in the had a long line of distinguished ancestors made possible by the Swedenborg Wilmington, Del., New- Church, Jan. 15,; being descended from Elder William Society's exhibition stand at the the Rev. Ernest O. Martin officiating. Brewster of Mayflower fame. Sunday Times National Book Ex ' Dorothy is a pupil in the Sunday School. Mr. Wellman attended the New-Church hibition held at the Royal Festival Chhistensen — Candis Lee, infant Sunday School in Newtonville, Mass., and Hall, London, Nov. 14 to Nov. 28, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Chris- prepared for college at the Brookline 1955. tensen, San Francisco, baptized Jan. 22, in High School. He attended Harvard Col The Society's stand was small the San Francisco New Church; the Rev. lege and was graduated in 1894 with cum but well-sited and adequate to its Othmar Tobisch officiating. laude rank. He was one of the few mem purpose of displaying a wide selec bers of that class elected to Phi Beta Kap tion of its publications. A lively CONFIRMATIONS pa. and effective means of attracting Miller, Ayton, Poole — Mr. and Mrs. After graduating from Harvard Mr. the notice of the passers-by was the Elbert F. Miller, James Stewart Ayton, Wellman was connected with the Boston prominently displayed poster—an and Henry Stafford Poole, baptized at ihe Atheneum serving as assistant librarian nouncing the stand as the only one Wilmington, Del., New Church, Feb. 5; the there. In 1897 when the post of supervisor devoted to the works of one author. Rev. Ernest O. Martin officiating. of branch libraries of the Boston Public Another useful poster stating brief ly the purpose of the Swedenborg MEMORIALS Library became vacant he was chosen for Mxns—Dec. 31, 1955, only a few hours the position. Society and plainly readable at a before the commencement of a new earth His work of reorganizing the Boston distance, was displayed on an out ly year, Giovanni Mitis, faithful pioneer, branch libraries won wide commendation side wall of the stand, well in view of the visiting public. The Society unforgettable inspirer and generous work and in 1898 when the position of librarian er of the Italian New Church at Trieste, of the Brookline Public Library became received unexpected publicity by a mention in the Sunday Times passed, at the age of 91, to his eternal vacant, Mr. Wellman was offered the po "write-up" of the Exhibition where New Year of higher life. sition. In 1902, the trustees of the Spring the writer told his readers that His valuable and zealous service to the field library sought a man capable of suc every time he got lost among the Church is pursued, no doubt, in a differ ceeding John Cotton Dana, who had been multiplicity of publishers' stands ent sphere of uses, with spiritual bonds to called to the Newark Public Library, as (about 150 of them) "the Sweden his beloved Community on earth. librarian. The outstanding work of Mr. borg Society (Inc.) popped up from His surviving sons Giorgio, Irma and Wellman placed him in the front rank of Hagar, with families, his relatives and the candidates. He accepted the position nowhere." A steady small sale of books and friends, his brethren in the Lord's New and began his duties there May 1, 1902. booklets took place during the Ex Church, announce their amazement in The wing of the City Library which hibition, the "best sellers" being having lost such a bodily presence; but al houses the fine arts ' department was Trobridge's Life of Swedenborg, so their inward confidence and joy for his designated Wellman Hall in 1942 in honor Sutton's Genius of Swedenborg, attained crown. of Mr. Wellman's 40 years service. Mr, and Johnson's Revelation through The funeral and resurrection service Wellman received one of the highest hon the Ages. Several thousand leaflets was conducted, according to the truths ors hi the gift of members of his own and booklets describing the Socie and rituals of the New Christian Church, profession when he was elected president ty's publications and the Society it in the morning, Jan. 2, 1956; in the wor of the American Library Association. He self, were distributed. ship-room that Mr. Mitis had built in his also served as secretary of the organiza house for the profession of the New Faith. tion. For several years he was the head of the Massachusetts Library Club. Mr. Briecleb — Dr. Charles F., a member Wellman served for several years as of the Illinois Association, died Dec. 7, president of the Springfield Adult Educa PERRY 1955. He had been making his home for tion Council. KINDERGARTEN the past two years with his daughter, Mrs. On Sept 20, 1900, Mr. Wellman married NORMAL SCHOOL Wilbur Wright, 4624 Cedar Oaks Lane, Miss Emily A. Whiston, Newtonville. Bellaire, Texas. Dr. Briegleb was a retired ESTABLISHED 1898 Mr. Wellman was a Swedenborgian and surgeon for the Frisco Railway, and a Students upon graduation at the was active in the Swedenborgian society member of the American Medical Associ end of three years' training are pre which existed in Springfield for many pared for teaching in nursery ation, Missouri Medical Society, Modern years. He served as president of the socie school, kindergarten and primary Woodmen of America, and the I.O.O.F of grades. ty for eight years and was prominent in St Clair, Mo. Services and burial were Graduates of Perry Normal may state activities of the denomination. He held in St. Clair, Mo. He is survived by obtain their B.S. degree in Educa leaves his wife, Emily A. (Whiston) Well his daughter and a son, Phillip Briegleb, tion through College credits al man; a son, Bertram of Greenville, N. H.; lowed and attendance at College New Orleans, a sister, Mrs. Leo Fisher, three daughters, Mrs. Constance Greene summer school sessions. Sullivan, Mo., six grandchildren and of New York; Mrs. Margaret Woodworth Send for catalog three great grandchildren. of Boston; Mrs. Ellen Muth of Seattle, Mrs. H. H. Jones, Principal Wellmah—Hiller Crowell, who retir Wash.; five grandchildren; a sister, Miss F. Gamhneb Pebby, Manager ed in 1948 after having served as librarian Mabel T. Wellman of Bloomington, Ind.; 815 Boylston Street, Room M of the Springfield City Library for 46 two brothers, Noel Wellman of North Boston 16, Mass. years, died Feb. 3, in Springfield, Mass., Conway, N. H.; Harold O. Wellman of at the age of 84. Mr. Wellman was born Waban.

80 THE NEW-CHURCH MESSENGER NEW-CHURCH MESSENGER

Save Me

By Alice Archer Sewall James

O AVE me when least I cry for saving, Save me when strong my foot and steady; Save me when in my happy craving Hell's hand is on the latch-string, ready.

Save me when swept and clean my house is. Save me when I would save another. Save me when mental pride carouses; Save me when I forgive my brother.

Save me when I have passed temptation; Save me when peace and joy are round me. Save me when, heedless of salvation, Scarce know I that my Lord has found me!

(The Messenger, Feb. 25, 1925)

Temptation

March 17, 1956 A Lenten Number PRINCIPAL FOREIGN THE PARTIAL LIST NEW-CHUECH OF CHURCHES MISSIONS MESSENGER BALTIMORE, MD. STATIONS AND OUTPOSTS OF Official organ of The General Convention Calvert Street, near Chase THE GENERAL CONVENTION of the New Jerusalem In the United States BATH. ME. of America. Convention founded In 1817. Middle and Winter Streets (Usually the city listed Is the field head (Swedenborglan) quarters of the missionary or leader.) BOSTON. MASS. • Bowdoln Street, opp. State House Member of the Associated Church Press BRIDGEWATER, MASS. AUSTRIA • Central Square Vienna, Llniengasse 31/10, VII Published bi-weekly at 1S3 South Jeffer BROCKTON, MASS. BRITISH GUIANA son Street. Berne, Indiana, by The New 34 Crescent Street, near Main Georgetown. Robb & Light Sts. Church Press. 108 Clark St.. Brooklyn. CAMBRIDGE. MASS. New York. Qulncy Street, corner Klrkland CHINA Nanping. 32 New Town. San Yuan Fen Entered as second-class matter at the CHICAGO, ILL. 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EL CERRITO, CALIF. 1420 Navelller Street DUTCH GUIANA Paramaribo, 102A, Welderstraat OFF1CEBS OF CONVENTION ELMWOOD, MASS. West Street ECUADOR Rev. Franklin Henry BUekmer. President. FRYEBURG, ME. Cojlmes, Manabi MMI Bowdoln Street. Boston 8. Mass^ Mr. Main Street Georf e Pansch, Vlee-Presldent. 209 South- FRANCE way Guilford. Baltimore 18, Md.: Mr. GULFPORT, MISS. Paris, 14 Sentler des Theux, Bellevue Horace B. Blaekmer, Recording Secretory. 2608 Kelley Avenue GERMANY 134 Bowdoln St. Boston 8. Mass; Mr. INDIANAPOLIS Berlin. Gelsenhelmestr. 33. Wilmcrsdorf Albert P. Carter, Treasurer, 511 Bar 623 No. Alabama Street risters HaU. Boston 8. Mass. Mr. Chester Bochum, Glockengosse 50 KITCHENER. ONT. Stuttgart, Stitzcnburgstr. 15 T. Cook, Auditor. Margaret Ave. N. and Queen St. ITALY EDITORIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE . LAKEWOOD. OHIO Rome, Via G. Costellini 24 Philip M. Alden. Mrs. Ernest O. Martin. Corner Detroit and Andrews Avenue Edward F. Memmott, Rev. Clayton s. Trieste. Via Dello Scoglio 35 Priestnal. R«v. WUllam F. Wunseb. LAPORTE. DTD. Venice. S. Croce 7a Indiana and Maple Avenues JAPAN LOS ANGELES. CALIF. Tokyo, 2308, 3 Chome. Setagaya. 509 South Westmoreland Avenue Setagaya-Ku Editor MANCHESTER. N. H. MAURITIUS BJorn Johannson Conant Street Curepipe, Rue Remono MANSFIELD. MASS. Port Louis, Rue Champ-de-Lort Row 2 West Street Associate Editor MONTEZUMA, KANS. MEXICO Main Street Monterrey, N. L., 132 Morelos Ave., Ote. Carol Lawson PHILIPPINE ISLANDS NEWTONVTLLE. MASS. Manila. 82 Leon St. Malabon Highland Avenue Address all editorial correspondence and NORWAY. IOWA SWEDEN manuscripts to the Editor, Box 65, Evans- Lenox Township Church Stockholm, Tegnerlunden 7 ton Branch, Cincinnati 7, Ohio. NEW YORK CITY SWITZERLAND 35th Street, bet. Park and Lexington Aves. Herisau, Gossauerstr. 17a The opinions of contributors do »•♦»•- Clark Street and Monroe Place. Brooklyn Zurich, AppoUostrasse 2 eessorily reflect the views of the editors Harlem New-Church Mission. 166W.138St. Geneva. 6 Rue de TUniversite or represent the position of the Church. ORANGE, N. J. Lausanne, Rue Caroline 21 Essex Avenue near Main Street Vevay, 3 Rue du Leman PALOS VERDES, CALIF. Vol. 176, No. 6 Whole No. 4675 Wayfarers1 Chapel. Portugese Bend March 17, 1956 PATERSON. N. J. 380 Von Houten Street of 3Fattl| PAWNEE ROCK, KANS. PRINCIPAL CONTENTS Main Street PHILADELPHIA. PA. nf EDITORIALS: 22nd and Chestnut Streets Frankford. Paul and Unity Streets There is one God, and He is the Holy Week •- ••• jjjj PITTSBURGH. PA. Ministers and Social Security ...86 Sandusky St. near North Ave. Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Annual Appeal 8b PORTLAND. ME. 302 Stevens Ave. cor. Montrose ARTICLES: PORTLAND, OREGON The Word is Divine and contains "Tempted in All Points" 83 2037 S.E. Spruce Ave. a spiritual or inner meaning where John W. Spiers PRETTY PRAIRIE, KANS. by is revealed the way of regenera Association Patterns 87 East Main Street RIVERSIDE CALIF. tion. Franklin H. Blaekmer 3645 Locust Street Meet Temptation Humbly 89 SAN DIEGO. CALIF. Wilfred Gould Rice 4144 Campus Avenue Saving faith is to believe in Him SAN FRANCISCO. CALIF. Temptation and Life of the Lyon and Washington Streets and keep the Commandments of Spirit •■ ■-91 ST. LOUIS. MO. His Word. Paul D. Hammond 620 N. Spring Avenue ST. PAUL. MINN. > FEATURES: S.E. cor. Virginia and Selby Ave. ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. Evil is to be shunned as sin ! Notice of Proposed Amend- 1915—5th Street. N. against God.

i ments ^5 VANCOUVER, B. C. • ! Book Reviews 92 2316 W. 12th Avenue Human life is unbroken and con i Letters to the Editor 94 WASHINGTON, D.C. I6th and Corcoran Sts. tinuous, and the world of the spirit 1 News 9jj WILMINGTON. DEL. is real and near. - | Baptisms, Memorials 96 Pennsylvania Avenuo and Broomo Street

THE NEW-CHURCH MESSENGER 82 "TEMPTED IN ALL POINTS" By John W. Spiers WHEN MY TROOP-SHIP landed in New York, I went at once to call on the Rev. Julian K fell upon that company of hardened men. This con Smythe and was invited to remain for din tinued for a full minute after I sat down ner, to the course of the evening many war-stories Then the officer in charge arose, and said, «Boys, were told, and one in particular impressed Mr we had really forgotten that this was Christmas Smythe as of more than usual significance. It illus_ Day. Let us go back to our barracks and try to strates the psychology of temptations. make this day more like what it should be " On Christmas Day following the Armistice we While waiting for my bus at camp Meade, where we were mustered out, I heard that same top-sergeant were camped on the upper Marne, not far from groan. We were seated- on our bunks opposite each caves on the walls of which insignia of Caesar's legions are still seen. It was a clear winter day other. He caught my glance and said, with a look of despair I shall never forget, "Spiers, if you've got a with a light snow on the ground, and the groves of leafless birch trees cast deep shadows on the white religion that can help me, for God's sake give it to mantle^ Being off duty I went for a walk with a me now!" He was returning to his wife and family a sick man, physically and morally. New Testament in my pocket. Recollections of Temptation is a vast subject and we have space Christmas celebrations at home and in church in for only a thumb-nail sketch. years gone by, like the Song of the Angles, lifted) The familiar quotation chosen for our title (Heb my mind to holy things. In this mood I returned to camp around noon. 4:15) takes us at once into the presence of "a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief." (lsa 53-3) A banquet had been prepared with the French Cognac and American whisky in evidence. Towards The Lord's life recorded in the Gospels confirms the end of the dinner the officer in charge called such temptation-passages. And Swedenborg's dis closures of His inner life in the Arcana fills in the on various soldiers for stories, songs and vaudeville picture with many details. stunts, there being considerable talent in our com pany This tank-corps unit, please notice, was made Freedom of Choice up of a tough group of men, with a few exceptions To choose in freedom is to create: that is when And these new weapons called "tanks'*—still in impulses of the will, more or less good or evil, unite the experimental stage-had proved to be death with intellectual ideas, more or less true or false traps on many occasions. We were formed out of abiding spiritual substances are created within the the remnants of three former batallions. These men mind or soul. Swedenborg calls this the 'spiritual moreover, had not been home for many weary' marriage' and educators call it 'character building' months. It was perhaps to be expected that every In the Lord this resulted in casting out what was story told, every song sung and every stunt put on evil and false in His maternal human, and in the reeked and burned with all the filth of Hell. gradual but rapid union of His Divine and His I turned my deaf ear to as much of it as I could Human. Definite processes and stages are involved which constitute the 'wisdom of the angels' out but finally got up and went out into the clean sun lines of which have been given in the New Revela shine again. As I was about to leave, the top- tion. sergeant came out and, against my wishes, drew me back into the barracks, saying, "The boys want "Remains" The materials for wise choices in temptations are you to talk to them." I objected that under the stored up from gestation and throughout life These circumstances I had nothing to say. He only laughed and insisted that I return. What to do? are called "remains" in Revelation. They are ca pacities for receiving influx from the Lord and Heaven. "Give Me Religion" Then I recalled a bit of advice which Lincoln In the Lord there were also such forms or "capaci once gave to a young speaker, to the effect that ties" to begin with, but these rapidly "became Di when called upon suddenly he should tell his audi vine" (a paradoxical but necessary way of speak ence something he had recently been thinking about ing), and now His Glorified Human is the Source So I recounted what I had done that morning, speak Itself from which all life proceeds in Heaven and ing of the Christmas celebrations back home and on the earths. "As the Father hath life in Himself reading the Christmas stories,—yet feeling all the so hath He given to the Son to have life in Him time as if I were "casting pearls before swine". self." (John 5:26) To have Life in Itself is to be Except for two or three cat-calls which were hush Divine. This possibility and process are beyond ed up by others near by, and one attempt to pull finite comprehension (hence the above paradox) ex me down which was also repressed, complete silence cept as we see it reflected in the parallel process of our own regeneration. MARCH 17,1956 ~~ 83 here and there, of course. First, here were men In the Lord these remains and the evil inheritance living in two worlds, with spiritual souls and ma from our fallen race brought Him into direct con terial bodies. About them were gathered friends tact and communication with the heavens and the and foes, angelic spirits and evil spirits. Just as, a hells. This opposition within few weeks earlier, these opposing forces had been His humanity resulted in in a death-struggle with each other on the earthly temptations as also in our case. battle field, so angelic and diabolic forces were still In His parable of the Tempta contending for the souls of these men on the spint- tion in the Wilderness (Matt. ual-world) battle field. 4:1-11) the Lord outlined His Keep in mind this law: it takes two wires to light own unnumbered temptations an electric lamp or to cause an electric heater to and summarized ours. To be glow—and it takes two co-operating influences, one "tempted of the Devil" means on earth and the other in the spiritual world, to to receive influx from Hell. awaken heavenly light in the mind and to produce Regeneration heavenly heat within the will. The Lord must have Since we are born self-centered,—that is, linked! the co-operation of both men and angels in our re with the hells,—we can reverse our state and be generation. While angels came and ministered to come centered in the Lord only by becoming aware the Lord after His temptations (Matt. 4:11), He of our predicament, and then taking advantage of tells us that only He fought "alone, and of the peo the Lord's provisions for our salvation. As Sweden- ple there was none with Me." (Isa. 63:3) borg puts it, "No one can get out of Hell until he Now science today knows that personality spheres sees that he is there." or influences are more or less powerful. When they By communion with the Lord's Glorified Human spring from the marriage of truth and good, de ity (symbolized in the Holy Supper) we can, and! scribed above and seen so obviously in Abraham must if we would be saved, make wise choices andl Lincoln, they are just as powerful as that marriage "be faithful until death". One then receives a which is full. In the Lord, therefore, as He united "crown of life" eternal which "no man can take from the truth gained from the external way, by means him". (Rev. 3:11) He becomes regenerate, and an of His instruction in the Old Testament Scriptures angel in Heaven. especially, to the Divine Good within, His Personal Temptation Defined ity Force, called the Holy Spirit, became increas We can now define the nature and function of ingly potent, and at last omnipotent. When it is temptations: these are communications with the said that "the Holy Spirit was not yet, because Je heavens and the hells simultaneously, by influxes sus was not yet glorified" (John 7:39) this stresses into holy remains and into our hereditary self-hood. the fact that only with the complete union of the These two opposed forces are, normally, kept in Divine and the Human did this Personality Force balance by the Divine Providence, giving us the become omnipotent. But even before this, evil opportunity to make free and rational choices. This spirits "wallowed foaming" in the Lord's presence, "freedom," however, is only a shadow of the true as we read in the Gospels—because His sphere cut freedom which follows victory: for true freedom is off the sources of their evil lives, and as His con to be caught up into the Lord's life, which, being trary rays struck them "they writhed like serpents absolutely unselfish, does not enslave." If the Son cast into the fire," as Swedenborg puts it. shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (John In a small degree, of course, that is exactly what happened in that barrack there in France on Christ 8:36) Seen from the spiritual world side this is a real mas Day, 1918. battle between personalities from Heaven and from There were a few who could stand up to that situ Hell. But we feel these 'wars of Jehovah' within ation with quiet conviction, having enough truth ourselves as tensions and labors, decisions and in and good united in their characters to drive back decisions, etc. As our temptations are the means the forces of eviL Of the Lord it is written, "I for reducing the external natural man into sub looked and there was none to help, etc." (Isa. 63:5) jection to and correspondence with the internal On that occasion in France He had a few "to up spiritual man, so the Lord's temptations-which hold," and—reluctantly on my part, and by force bring Him so close to us in understanding and of circumstances—He used me, from without, as the sympathy — were the means of uniting His Divine co-operating agency with His angels, from within. and His Human. Not until His last temptation on Spiritual light and heat were released and did their the cross did He cry, "It is finished!" healing work. I have found that often only a little added force The Psychology of Temptation is needed to tip the scales in such situations. Those The factors of the war-story told at the beginning men were young enough not to have confirmed show the basic elements of a typical temptation- either good or evil, to any great extent, and could) combat, with victory for some and defeat for others be swayed this way or that by, opposing winds. But as the outcome. One must 'read between the lines', THE NEW-CHURCH MESSENGER 84 the forces of good from without, which the church an affection for spiritual truth. The name means was meant to supply, were often entirely absent Then "Hell broke loose/' as we say. "wrestling" or "struggle". When she named him Rachel said, "With the strugglings of God have I "Be of Good Cheer" struggled with my sister, and have also prevailed " This must be added: only by the power of Him (Gen. 30:8) Leah, her sister, represents an af Who was tempted in all points as we are, but with- fection for natural truth. out sin," can we conquer. All merit therefore is His alone. "In the world ye shall have tribulation, But, as we saidi this is a vast subject. The reader is referred to the great Arcana for endless detail but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) on this and related subjects of the utmost importance to every regenerating man. The tribe of Naphtali represents in the Word this temptation process, when attended with victory His the ** Porte>lnd- Societv mother was the handmaid of Rachel, who represents

three years. They shall make loans from time to GENERAL (CONVENTION OF THE NEW time from the Building Fund as heretofore pro JERUSALEM IN THE UNITED STATES vided, or as hereafter provided from time to time OF AMERICA by the Convention. In case of a vacancy on the The 133rd Annual Session of the General Board, the General Council may fill the vacancy Convention of the New Jerusalem in the U.S. for the unexpired term.'" A. will be held in La Porte, Indiana, centering At the New York Convention in 1954, the Gen at the Church of the New Jerusalem, at Indi eral Council recommended for adoption an ana and Maple Avenues, from Friday morn amendment to Article X of the By-Laws, specifying ing, June 22nd to Sunday, June 24th, with that of the four members to be elected each year preliminary meeting of auxiliary bodies from to the Board of Managers of the Theological School June 19th. at least two shall be ministers recognized as such Franklin H. Blackmer, President by Convention. In view of discussion which arose Horace B. Blackmer, Convention referred the amendment back to the Recording secretary. General Council for further study. The Council now reports that after study by its Research Com mittee and further consideration by the Council it NOTICE OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO self, the Council again recommends to Convention CONVENTION BY-LAWS for adoption the proposed amendment to Conven As an item of information and as due notice of tion By-Law X in the same form as presented to a proposed amendment to the By-Laws, the Gen the 1954 session. Article X at present reads: eral Council in its report informed Convention at "The Board of Managers of the Theological its session last June, that the Council has approved! School shall be entrusted with the care and con a proposal that the administration of the Building duct of the Theological School. It shall consist Fund, in lieu of the present provision of Convention of the President of Convention, ex offido, and By-Law XH, be in a Board of three trustees ap of twelve elective members, four of whom shall pointed by the General Council. Article XII at be elected annually by the Convention to serve present reads: "The Board of Trustees of the Build for three years; the Board shall elect the Presi ing Fund shall continue to consist of six members, dent of the School, and he shall be ex offido a two of whom shall be elected annually by the Con member of the Board." vention to serve for three years." The suggested wording of the amendment, ap The General Council now recommends to Con proved by the General Council, is a rewriting of vention for adoption the following amendment- Article X to read as follows: "That Article XII of the By-Laws of the Gen "The Board.of Managers of the Theological eral Convention be amended by striking out the School shall be entrusted with the care and con whole thereof and inserting the following to be duct of the Theological School. It shall consist known as Article XII: of the President of Convention, ex offido, and of 'Article XII—Board of Trustees of the Buildina twelve elective members. Four members, at least Fund two of whom shall be ministers recognized as 'The Board of Trustees of the Building Fund such by Convention, shall be elected annually by shall consist of three trustees who shall be ap the Convention to serve for three years. The pointed by the General Council, to serve initially Board shall elect the President of the School, and for one, two, and three years, respectively from he shall be ex offido a member of the Board." July 1, 1956; their successors to serve each for HORACE B. BLACKMER, Recording Sec.

MARCH 17,1956 85 earnings. Two different recomputations would be made at this time: 1. his total earnings for 1955 and for 1956 would EDITORIALS be added together and averaged out over the corresponding 24 months, 2. his earnings for 1955 would be added to one- half his earnings for 1956, and the total aver Holy Week aged out over a period of 18 months. He would In the Gospels, Matthew devotes almost seven of then be paid the benefit amount based on the his 28 chapters to the one week, beginning with higher of the two averages. The amount of the Lord's triumphal entrance to Jerusalem and any increase in his benefit amount over what ending with the burial arranged by Joseph of Arim- he had been receiving would then be payable athea. To the same period, Mark devotes five of to him retroactively to the month of his re his 16 chapters; Luke, five of his 24; and John, tirement. eight of his 27. To have average monthly earnings of $350, and In the simple Gospel narrative of this one week so qualify for the maximum benefit of $108.50 a there are related such momentous events as the month, a minister retiring during 1956 would have Lord's triumphal entrance into Jerusalem, the to have net earnings of $4200 in 1955 and $4200 in cleansing of the Temple, the institution of the Holy- 1956. If he had been earning exactly $4200 a year, Supper, the arrest, trial and crucifixion of the Lord. and retired in mid-1956 after he had earned $2100 Also we have a record of discourses, prayers and par without any additional earnings for the year, his ables by Him. average monthly earnings, under the 18-month com Truly these were seven days that shook the worlds putation described above, would be based on his and are still shaking it. Well may Christians com $4200 earnings for 1955 plus one-half of the $2100 memorate these days as Holy Week. which were his total earnings for 1956 ($4200 plus Varied as are elements that go into the story, $1050—a total of $5250). His average monthly earn they all center around one theme: the complete ings would come out to about $291, resulting in a surrender of the human nature that the Lord had! benefit amount of $96.70 a month. Under the 24- assumed to the Divinity within Him, thereby glori month computation, his 1955 earnings of $4200 would fying that human nature. be added to the $2100 he earned in 1956, and the During Holy Week men might well remind them total divided by 24 months would give him average selves that as they surrender to the will of God monthly earnings of about $262, and a resulting they share in a small way in the Glorification. monthly benefit of $90.90. He would, therefore, be paid the benefit of $96.70 based on average monthly Ministers and Social Security earnings of $291. Questions still come to the Messenger about the The Annual Appeal new Social Security Act as this relates to ministers. The time is drawing close when ministers must elect According to the last report to reach us concern or not to come under this law as self-employed per ing Convention's annual appeal, the goal of $19,695.00 has not yet been reached. The bulk of the earlier sons. Those who have not already done so are urged to look into this matter at once. The in contributions came largely from a few who made formation given here has been furnished to us by generous donations. But left to hear from are the Washington office of the National Council of many who could make a contribution of ten, five Churches, and the authority for it is the Bureau of or even one dollar. But there is still time. The Old Age and Survivor Insurance, Social Security drive does not end until March 31. So now make a fast decision and send what you can to enable the Administration. A minister 65 years of age or older, who has elect Appeal Committee to reach the goal, maybe go over ed to be covered by social security beginning with the top. 1955 may qualify for old-age insurance benefits as The needs of Convention are as great this year as at any previous time. It needs everyone's support early as April, 1956, if he had net earnings of at least $400 in 1955, and if he can establish that his whether that be big or little. There are the mis net earnings for 1956 will be at least that much. sionary activities which must be advanced rather The amount of the monthly benefit checks which than curtailed. There is the help for students for may be payable as early as April, 1956, would us the ministry and for weaker societies that are not ually be based upon his earnings for 1955, the only themselves able to pay the cost of keeping their year for which he had already filed a social security places of worship open. And there are the needs tax return. These earnings would be averaged out of the Pension Fund. Give your contribution to over eighteen months. At the beginning of 1957 the local collector in your society or mail it to the when his tax return for 1956 is available, his benefit Treasurer of Convention, Mr. Albert P. Carter, 511 amount would be refigured to count in his 1956 Barristers Hall, Boston 8, Mass.

THE NEW-CHURCH MESSENGER 86 ASSOCIATION PATTERNS By Franklin H. Blackmer (The following is an extract o/ the repon ^^ ^ ventUm* president, the Rev. Franklin H. Blackmer, to the Illinois Association made a concerted effort this sea mid-winter meeting of the General Council. /„ our next issue son to attract younger members, and succeeded in there will be a report of this meeting by Mr. Blackmer.) having about a dozen travel to St. Louis, including the President and ex-President of the National MY GENERAL activities have centered in League; this has since been followed up by a new- the nurturing of the fourteen associa r£T h°T^Ty at the ChicaS° Philosophical tions which are members of the Conven Centre and holds out encouragement for reviving of tion with especial attention upon helping them some local Leagues in the Illinois Association, under to become more active administrative units in Association sponsorship. In emphasizing responsi the Church organization. Through the year I bility of Associations for their young people-Asso have attended the meetings of all the Associations ciation responsibility to help their local societies except one which has held no meeting for sevS counteract the feeling of smallness in youth group years. In some cases I have also attended interim compared to other enterprises in local commLties meetings of the Executive Committees. I calcS -I have stressed the role of our summer camps in that in such meetings I have had contact with about providing experiences in living together as New- 375 members of Convention who were present in Church people. I have called attention to the fact these Associations as delegates or members of their that in California specifically, and to a considerable committees-the active participants in group-work extent m Michigan and New England, the camps beyond the local level throughout Nor^A^a which now operate are related to Association activi Attending these Associations has also brought me ties. This season three other Associations have be into personal contact with about 650 othe? adult gun to talk about sponsoring family-type camps for members of the Church who have attended Associ their members: in Kansas, in the Canadian North ations though not delegates, usually for Sunday west and in Florida. Meanwhile the California As worship and Communion. This total of 825 sum sociation, with two camp-sites in operation, a third marizes the scale upon which our regional organ one being developed^ and a fourth one talked of in izations operate at the present time, in respect to Oregon, is taking steps to coordinate camp policies group-meetings. supplies, financing. ' J^leI**** *°ncerns for vouth. or for nurturing It is noteworthy that almost relationships of family-groups to the Church, show all of these Associations have some appreciation of area-development by Associ had a better-than-average year, ations, the fact remains that the policies of our As as regards attendance at meet sociations are dominated by the traditions that they ings by out-of-town members are federations of local societies-for the most part and as regards the active con quite loose federations. The cement binding our As cern about Association busi sociations together is still pretty thin and fractious ness on the part of the dele The groups that are active from week-to-week are gates. One meeting especially for the most part local societies, thinking locally was quite spirited throughout. Blackmer The fact is that in the majority of our Associations I have been especially pressed this year, in all parts of Convention, with little is done between annual meetings, beyond oc the initiative shown by lay-members beyond the casional meetings of ministers. Limited funds go usual nucleus of faithful wheel-horses. In a salu far in accounting for this. Except on the Atlantic tary way people have been asking questions about seaboard, great distances make a further handicap the objectives of their Associations and the modus Most of our societies have a fairly high proportion operandi. I believe there is a more definite stirring of absentee members, but Associations tend to as sume that contacts with such members are society away from traditional attitudes and procedures and a keener awareness that the Associations have responsibility, although most of our societies make little systematic effort in this direction except for responsibilities for area-development of our Church bulletin mailing-list. While the majority of our As organization. I have tried to emphasize this trend sociations have geographical areas in which theo and to help the people realize the mission of the New Church to contemporary living. retically they operate, the fact is that outside the radius of commuting to our societies very little is One characteristic of the Association meetings is accomplished by our parent or subsidiary organiza that there are relatively few young people, and not tions. I am not saying this to be critical of our groups, for I know well that our local units are an impressive proportion of young adults. The doing what they can, with few workers who are MARCH 17,1956 87 teach, and it has ministers with background con not already busy people and with limited incomes. cerned for some years with higher standards of edu I call attention to this because it underscores that cation. If Convention can get these present or latent the Association pattern is far from meeting the forces working together, and then can extend their needs of our people. influences gradually into and through the several A year ago the Research Committee and the Gen Associations, the complexion of our Church will eral Council took the position that Convention needs change. There are two ways in which Convention to take measures to strengthen its Associations. The as such would enter into a project of this sort: the device for doing this mentioned at the time was the first is coordinated planning and staffing; the second proposal that Convention treat the Associations as is subsidy to overcome the inequalities of distance having responsibility in certain types of activity; or the inequalities of financial resources in our re but no types were defined. Tacitly some persons spective Associations. may have been thinking in terms of geographical A small step in this direction is being proposed areas- but the fact is that geographical areas tradi in a report to this meeting from the Committee on tionally ascribed to these Associations are indefinite Leadership Education, in a beginning proposed in in most cases, and in several instances they overlap. relation to the Almont Summer School. A follow- Regardless of what Constitutions say, in practice the up to this effort might also be extended this sum Associations are aligned as groups of societies, for mer to Fryeburg and to California, depending upon the most part, and for many years very little has who comes together at Almont and how much been done to "care for" the areas between societies money is allowed for the season. The beginning in unless there were "mission groups" in those inter relation to Summer Schools might well be cor stices. Even when direct mail contacts have been related with the adult-education program going on used the bulletins are oriented to the majority of at Urbana, as sponsorship by the Convention demon members as grouped in societies. So far, so good; strates a need for another form of gathering to but not enough. gether by New-Church persons concerned about edu I have been counselling that the Associations set cation procedures for our youth. themselves to the particular responsibility of de Related to this matter of our Associations, and how veloping programs for their youth, or at least of they operate, is another question on the docket of helping their youth get to the centers where these this meeting: the National Association. There are programs are in operation. As already noted* some various facets of conflict in that Association that Associations have developed these programs, some have taken considerable attention the past few what; but they need more. Other types of program months. One phase is a conflict of personalities. traditional in some Associations are missionary in There is also a conflict between an extremely ex nature (although in fact quite limited in scope) or clusive view of Newchurchmanship and a broad tol involve subsidies to member-societies. Whatever is erance of people in transition from orthodox church being done in such programs, the critical point now es to the New Church. There is the question of the which needs to be added, or intensified, is youth technicalities of a Constitution written under Con work (including children's work as a feeder where- vention auspices but applied from the outset with ever feasible). liberal interpretations, so that at the very time the I believe that the Associations are in a state of National Association was accepted by the Conven readiness to participate in a Convention-wide effort tion as one of its autonomous member-units the Con in education, or re-education. I believe it is an stitution was not being observed to the letter. The enterprise which can be a joint effort between Con result is that the National Association is similar to vention and the Associations, between laity and other Associations in that it has overlapping clergy, between adults and youth, between the geographical connections. But unlike the other As Church as an institution and the home. Some would sociations, it is made up of individuals, not of so say that the part of Convention in this effort is to cieties—individuals bound together by a certain type hire an expert and let him begin "serving" constitu of interest in being isolated from our societies. ent groups. I believe that what is most needed It should be observed that several of our Associ from Convention is a channeling of co-operative en ations are going through more definite phases of deavor among New-Church people concerned with their organization this year. The Kansas Association this problem—and there are many concerned about is becoming incorporated. The Western Canada Con it. The trouble is that their efforts are scattered, ference, also in process of incorporation, held its and local. The greater part of Convention doesn't first meeting in one of the prairie cities (instead of get the benefit of them. I believe it would strength the rural parishes) and decided to meet annually en both Convention and our Associations if we de instead of bi-ennially, with more definite Executive- velop a series of conferences and institutes on cor Committee government. The South-Eastern Associ relations of the New Church with modern education ation is clarifying its position as a regional expres techniques. Every Association has teachers in it, sion of the Church for the Atlantic southern states, and it has parents concerned about advances in edu maintaining also its incorporated status in the State cation, and it has alert young people who can

THE NEW-CHURCH MESSENGER 88 of Florida. The Society of Gulfport, Miss., which joined Convention as an independent unit, is now Meet Temptation working out its incorporation. The development of these groups in the Northwest and the Southeast might be said to be achieving Association status in Humbly activity within Convention, and I raise the question, whether they should begin reporting to Convention! By Wilfred Gould Rice as Associations, rather than through the Board of "Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of Missions. For many years their respective minis the Lord, which he will shew to you today." Exodus ters have been financed by the Board of Missions, 14:13. and have reported to it. There is a problem of or IT IS widely believed in the Christian church that ganization here which needs to be reviewed, in line temptations are marks of disgrace, and that one with what is best for the Church in the long run must fight them as though his life depended upon in the way of developing autonomous Associations. the outcome. For this reason, great emphasis is plac ed by members of the clergy upon such texts as the following familiar words from the Epistle to the DONALD R. DUNBAR RECEIVES SCHOLARSHIP Philippians: Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able Donald R. Dunbar, interim pastor at the New to stand against the wiles of the deviL For we wrestle not Jerusalem Church, Brockton, Mass., has been named against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against one of nine Boston University students and gradu powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore ates receiving financial aid this year under the Uni take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be versity's Augustus Howe Buck Educational Fund. able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, Dunbar, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Cecil R. Dunbar, to stand. (Phil. 6:11-13) graduated from Boston University's college of lib That temptations should be opposed is unquestion eral arts in 1954, with the highest honors of the ed, but many in so doing fail to "put on the whole ar graduating class. mour of God." Indeed the more that one prides him A summa cum laude graduate, he won special self upon the strength of his will power and begins to departmental distinction in the field of philosophy depend upon it, the easier a prey he becomes for the as the result of work with Prof. Richard Millard. powers of evil. This fact is illustrated by accident He was elected to membership in the Massachusetts reports, which show that each year more people who Epsdlon Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. can swim a little are drowned than those who can He was also awarded a Fulbright Scholarship for not swim at all. The reason is fairly obvious: non- study abroad, a government grant given for highest swimmers are aware of their limitations and, except scholastic achievement. Dunbar studied a year at for children or reckless persons, seldom venture into the University of Freiburg, Germany, returning to dangerous places. These with some ability to swim, this country in the summer of 1955. however, often overestimate their capability. After his return, Dunbar enrolled for a semester As we read in the doctrines of the church (Arcana at Andover-Newton Theological school and is now Coelestia 8172) "He who believes, when tempted, that matriculating at Boston University school of theology he can resist of his own forces, yields. But he who as a fellow under the Buck fund. (Brockton Enter believes that the Lord alone resists, conquers." prise) A Little Practiced Virtue The story of Mr. Dunbar»s contact with the Brock It would appear that humility is a virtue neither ton New Church as related to us by the Rev. Harold widely practiced nor highly esteemed in this country, R. Gustafson, Bridgewater, Mass., is interesting. "He and for this reason its power is rarely appreciated. went to the Brockton High School with a son of Byron Some individuals who scorn to practice it them F. Vinton. Mr. Vinton served for many years in selves, however, know how to instill it in others most the Brockton Fire Department. On retirement he effectively. The late William Randolph Hearst, for became the Sexton of the Brockton New Church. example, made a habit of frequently telling the tal His son saw Donald Dunbar and told him that the ented Arthur Brisbane that he was the second best New Church in Brockton had not been able to ob editorial writer in this country. One day a friend tain a minister—so Donald contacted Mr. Vinton, asked Hearst who was the best in this field, and he and through him he contacted Fred French, Clerk frankly replied that he did not know. When the of the Brockton Society. Result was that Donald friend then asked why he continued to call Brisbane became the Interim Pastor. ... He is especially in the second best, the answer was, "Well, it keeps him terested in work with young people and is doing a on his toes." It is possible also that this attitude kept good job with the young people in the Brockton Brisbane's salary demands within reason. New Church. ... He is a popular speaker for youth The chief value of humility in meeting temptations groups in this area." lies in its power to remove the delusions which grow

MARCH 17,1956 89 out of self-love. The more one is obsessed with ideas temptations of daily life, and in our gradual progress of his own importance, the less room there is for toward the spiritual life, there is surely a place for thoughts of the Lord; and in this way he loses the humility. In the words of our Lord: "Whosoever most important part of "the whole armour of God." therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the Further instruction is found in this message from same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven." The Doctrine Concerning Charity (N. 146). (Mr. Rice is pastor of the St. Paul New-Church Society, and When a man shuns evils as sins, he flees them because the General pastor of the Illinois Association.; they are contrary to the Lord and to His Divine laws; and then he prays to the Lord for help and for power to resist them—a power which is never denied when it is asked. By these two means a man is cleansed of evils. He cannot "PLACE OF THE MONTH" be cleansed of evils if he only looks to the Lord and prays; It is not unlikely that the two-page spread on for then, after he has prayed, he believes that he is quite the Wayfarers' Chapel in Holiday Magazine for without sins, or that they have been forgiven, by which he understands that they are taken away. But then he still March is the most important piece of publicity the remains in them; and to remain in them is to increase them. Church at large has received for many years—per Nor are evils removed only by shunning them; for then haps at any time, taking everything into account. the man looks to himself, and thereby strengthens the The charm of the picture, the affirmative article origin of evil, which was that he turned himself back from accompanying, occupying a full page, the magazine's the Lord and turned to himself. four million or more readers, the choice of the Use of Temptation Memorial Chapel as "The Place of the Month," It is only when a person has humbled himself thor all add up to an imposing introduction of our cause oughly that he can view a situation accurately and and of Swedenborg, which could hardly be more impersonally, for as long as self-love is present there happily presented. will be distracting thoughts and impulses. Tempta There is sometimes the criticism that such pub tions which are nearly conquered often come to life licity is not sufficiently conservative or is not di again when a person turns back even momentarily rectly helpful in the progress of the New Church— from the Lord to himself. It is possible that this is and similar comment has been heard respecting! the meaning of, "I'ray without ceasing." For the such a production as the Ripley Believe It or Not truly Christian life is one in which the desire to fol cartoon leaflet, but the fact is Swedenborg needs low the Lord in thought, word and deed is always to be introduced before one can become better present. "I am the way, the truth, and the life," He acquainted with him. said; and there is no other way out of temptations, Were our author at a reception with say Wesley, Linnaeus, William Perm, or any other of his con unless one weakly yields to them. One of the important contributions of our Church temporaries, to whom the guests present were well to thought on this subject is the revelation that the known, but not Swedenborg, we, as host, surely would hasten to introduce him personally, and then spiritual life of man is opened by means of tempta would come a few words concerning his work, after tions. This teaching is briefly stated in The Doctrine of Life (N. 33): "That He made His Human Divine by which perhaps some who then had met the sage would be happy later to become better acquainted, temptations admitted into Himself—Thus, when man, perhaps even an adherent of his teachings. from the Lord, overcomes in temptations, he is drawn In our opinion, there is in this no glorification of out of hell, and is elevated into heaven; and hence it the man, or undue emphasis on person rather than is that through temptations, or combats against evils, on the "instrument" (and surely the living thing is man becomes spiritual, thus an angel." more significant), if only all concerned make every In this view, much of the unwarranted stigma is effort, through manifold means, to introduce what removed from temptations; they are not, as some be we have to offer, or contribute.—L. M. lieve, marks of depravity, but are instrumentalities provided by the Lord for our salvation. Thus a man A few excerpts from the Holiday article referred to undergoing temptations is no more to be condemned by Mr. Marshall appear below. The article was writ than though he were carrying a high fever as part of ten by Carl L. Biemiller. the curative process in some disease. For that is what ... Beside it (the chapel) rises the admonishing finger of temptations are intended to do—to bring interior a white sandstone campanile, and when the soft floodlight ing bathes it at nightfall the fishermen working the waters evils to the surface so that they come to our atten off Santa Catalina Island murmur, "Ah, the candle of God." tion and can be removed. .... This is a place in beautiful context with an age In final mention of the importance of humility in prone to confuse motion with progress, likely to find aim meeting temptations, there is a challenge for us in less panic in what could be fruitful leisure hours. It is a these words from a dedicated and very successful spiritual oasis ministering to one of the major needs and missionary: "If we really broke down and got humble one of the greatest of all possible blessings of increased personal time, the need to "Be still and know that I am enough, the Lord might surprise us with a revival God." Here, at any hour . . . comes the fundamental reali that would astonish everyone." In all our hopes and zation that for all men life is a journey. (Holiday, March, aspirations for the future, in meeting the trials and 195S.)

90 THE NEW-CHURCH MESSENGER Temptation and Life of the Spirit

By Paul D. Hammond "W" T SHOULD now be clear that every one can be spondent about failure to meet and overcome temp I saved by the Lord; if He is not saved, it is his tation. If we turn to the Lord, knowing evil is strong ■••own fault for not co-operating with Him" er than a man, and that He is stronger than evil, and True Christian Religion, 580. if we turn to the Lord in temptation, promptly, then,- On this earth we are to learn how to co-operate we can be victorious. Likewise, be assured tempta with one another. If we are co-operative we usually tion will return with the spiral and we shall be of have our reward. Life is easier, we prosper, and en fered over again the same thing in another form. It joy our moments and our days. So, it pays to get is for each of us to know his own particular weak along with the neighbors and the other peoples in ness. 'Forewarned is forearmed.' the world, regardless of color, class or creed. If we have studied the biology of the spirit as The Animal Mind Swedenborg did we should realize as he did that co It is equally important that we live a normal operation has rewards which are yet more practical wholesome, biological life, if the spirit is to fulfill its' and interior. useful purpose on earth, according to The Economy: In speaking of the biology of the spirit he said: So long as we live as animal beings, a perpetual round of cupidities is exciUng the animal minds; nor in Thus we see what it is that external sensation, the af deed is there anything which more frequently affects it fections of the animal mind, hilarity, gladness, laughter, etc., contribute to promote the circulation of this liquid! one perpetually following upon the steps of another. Those which are short and just beginning, escape our at And how it is that sadness, anxiety, grief, and painful emo tention; but as their duration lengthens, they extend their tions impede its course; inasmuch as the former open, and influence, and come within the sphere of the senses; thus the latter close, the passages through the sinuses and they become conspicuous, and are called appetencies, pas cranial bones. For according to the experience of Willis, sions, affections, cupidities. Unless by these the animal this fluid pursues its course from the pituitary gland mind were constantly resuscitated and warmed, unless the through the manifold passages and pores of the cranium, fibre inhaled its spirit, the capillaries of the arteries and into the lateral sinuses and jugular veins. (Economy of veins would lie idle and their functions discontinue; for the Animal Kingdom, 361). these cupidities are media, which are employed as excitants Freedom to Co-operate of life, such being the will of the Deity. Unduly repressed or Of course, we have freedom to co-operate with the indulged, they become detrimental to life, and assume the spirit and life within us just as we have freedom to nature of vices, which are the more inexpiable the more they invade the higher region of the mind, disturb and try to get along with the neighbors. Both have their invert the operations of reason, engage it to find specious rewards. But it so happens that the temptation not to excuses, form second natures, and then cleave to us, and co-operate with the neighbors, our family, or busi thus lay desolate the economy of the system, depriving it ness associates is in reality the cause of our failure to of the exercise of all public rule and authority. (210) co-operate with the flow of the spirit within us— The general picture of the world today is about the or, is it the other way around? same, from the point of view of temptations, as it We have to exercise our freedom to go against was in Jesus' day, and in Swedenborg's day. He ob our own nature. The temptation is to take the path served, of least resistance and not exercise our freedom to The dignity of the soul we have degraded to the dust. We have abandoned ourselves to the tyranny of the body, the make the gain in growth and development that we blood, the world, or externally inciting causes; for we are can. Temptations: An Opportunity under the arbitrary control of pleasures and desires, by For example: A child is told to help his mother which we are hurried away to ends which are often con trary to the more universal, and to Him who is of all ends with the dishes. The normal reply is "I don't want the most universal. In the whole world, therefore, there is to." Nevertheless, if the child is loved by the parent nothing more imperfect than man in such a state; as may he will say, "Make yourself want to." That illustrates be seen by comparing him with brutes; for animals, when what Swedenborg means by exercising freedom, excited by external causes, are incapable of acting except in a manner suitable to the nature according to which provided the child makes himself want to obey, and they have been organized. Whilst man frequently both in thereby exercises his freedom to obey. tends to act, and also does act, in a manner little suitable "Therefore, let no one suppose that the Lord is to his organization, and this, by the aid of a perverted present with those who merely adore him. He is reason .... This imperfection we must in our present present with those who obey His precepts, that is, state measure by the degree in which we abuse the remain ing faculties with which we were endowed for perfecting who are useful, with these he makes his abode." our nature, or reason, will, and liberty. [Ibid, 240] (Divine Love and Wisdom, 335) In conclusion, let us rejoice not that the spirits Temptations are an opportunity; they are a means are subject unto us but rejoice rather that our names of giving us heaven here and hereafter. But we do are written in heaven. not always promptly add the traditional 'cubit' of (The author is an ordained minister of the Neva Church. quality to character structure. However, be not de He now lives in California.)

MARCH 17,1956 91 The final chapter is a list of healing thoughts from the Bible, and a bibliography of source mater BOOK REVIEW ial. Mrs. Mack, in our opinion one of the neatest and most logical thinkers in the New Church, has made a valuable contribution to our collateral litera ture on a practical and popular subject. AND I SHALL BE HEALED. By Gwynne Dresser Mrs. Mack is very well equipped to do a work of Mack. Published by Daniel E. Kxehbiel, Pretty this nature. She is the daughter of the late Rev. Prairie, Kansas. 51 pp., 1956. Paul Dresser and the niece of Dr. Horatio Dresser, THIS BOOK IS a practical application of the well known psychologist. After preliminary studies teachings of Emanuel Swedenborg, focussed at Bates and Radcliffe Colleges, she graduated from upon the interrelation and consequent health the Boston School of Occupational Therapy, and for of the soul, mind, and body. The first chapter in a time she was Director of Occupational Therapy at troduces the subject of spiritual healing which Mrs. Danvers, Mass, in a psychiatric hospital of 2,000 Mack says is as old as Christianity but which be beds, and had charge of the student-training pro came lost as a function of the Church. The next gram there. chapter deals with the spiritual healing which is Mrs. Mack's literary abilities have also come in going on inside of us so continually that we take it for notice. Several years ago she wrote and illus for granted and points out its possible obstructions, trated charming stories for children, the best known such as forgetting that we were created by God and of which are The Broolin' and Swish. Later she that we are spiritual beings, and forgetting to turn won first prize in a Reader's Digest essay contest, constantly to our Maker for guidance in daily liv and it will be recalled that she won second prize in ing. The third chapter discusses the greatest physi the literary contest held by the Messenger. cian of all, Jesus, who stressed that in order to con In addition she has found time actively to work nect with His power, man must have a will to be for Convention; having formerly served for four well and faith in God's ability to do anything; and years as Field Secretary of the American New- finally that man must always acknowledge that it Church League, and as editor of its journal. She is God who does the healing. has been on the staff of the Messenger, has served The bulk of the book is in Chapter IV, What Does on various committees and is currently a member Swedenborg Teach? in which Mrs. Mack gives the of the Council of Ministers' Committee on Spiritual highlights of his thought as it relates to the well- Healing. About her own interest in spiritual heal being of man. In its inclination not to leave any ing Mrs. Mack says: little stone unturned (a result of understanding the I have always been familiar with the subject of spiritual "wholeness" of the picture), this condensation may healing, since my paternal grandparents—Annetta and seem to the New-Churchman, somewhat lengthy. Yet Julius Dresser—had been students of the famous Phineas this reviewer can see that as an introduction to Quimby, and themselves were very successful in doing Swedenborg, starting from the angle of spiritual healing work. My training in various types of hospitals brought extensive knowledge of human disorders; but it healing and widening into a view of the whole scope was specialization in psychiatry which taught me how in of Swedenborg's theology, this is a comprehensive separable the life of man's spirit is from the life of his and succulent digest of many, many volumes writ body. Some years later, through experiences of my own. ten by Swedenborg. I began to learn how immediately possible the use of There follows a chapter on how spiritual therapy spiritual healing is—and how definitely it is connected with should be used,—to make men whole, through re spiritual states. From then on I have been interested in correlating some of Swedenborg's teachings with what is generation. known about spiritual therapy, and am convinced that in To be restored to order, to wholeness, man must bring such applications we can make the Truths of the Second the whole of his being,—that is both the will and the un Coming meaningful to a waiting world. C.L. derstanding to the Lord. p. 45. The Power is God's; the faith is man's and is the opened door through which this Divine Power enters to put the "THE SEARCH FOR BRIDEY MURPHY," by human house in order, p. 45. Morey Bernstein; Doubleday, 256 pp., $3.75. Mrs. Mack adds that "although this is simple, that In the few weeks since its publication, this book does not make it easy." has climbed to first place on the non-fiction best She emphasizes that spiritual healing must not seller list. It is a discussion of hypnosis, extra-sensory try to prevent death, for death is the final putting perception, life after death, and reincarnation. Which in order, complete healing. of these things is the public hungry for knowledge of, True healing brings peace to body and spirit, so that or that it should devour the first edition before the pub der is restored in the form either of physical functioning or lisher could get out another? of final spiritual release. Death is the great event whereby In his notes on extra-sensory perception, the au man moves farther into life, and when it is orderly this thor mentions Swedenborg—calling him a "renown event is painless and peaceful. Man, therefore, may always ed Swedish scientist and philosopher" who clairvoy- pray for the return to order, but God alone decides what antly described a fire going on many miles away. This that order is to be. p. 48.

THE NEW-CHURCH MESSENGER 92 is probably the first time Emanuel Swedenborg has TWENTIETH CENTURY MINISTERS been introduced in a nation-wide best-seller. Although New-Church readers would not be sym X TIS the fate of this generation," according to pathetic to Mr. Bernstein's conversion to the concept J^Dr. Roswell P. Barnes, Associate Secretary of of reincarnation and his conviction that Bridey Mur the National Council of Churches, "to live in a phy proves it, they should nevertheless be pleased by period when change in patterns of life is so rapid and the interesting corroboration given by Bridey to tumultous that the characteristics of crisis will prob Swedenborg's description of life after death. For ably continue for many years: insecurity, shifts in those who may not yet have read the book, if there centers of power and coalitions of power, the break are such, it can be summarized as interviews with a ing up of customary social patterns, the general un predictability of events." personality who talked through a hypnotised subject, who called herself Bridey Murphy and claimed to With this introduction the Rev. Edwin G. Capon, have lived in Ireland about a hundred years ago. She Vice-President of the New-Church Theological gave names, dates, and incidents which later were School, preached a sermon at the Washington, D. C, verified. Since some of her statements seemed to in Church, Jan. 22, on behalf of the school. He went on dicate identification with the person under hyp to say, "The teachings of the New Church are not nosis, the author (who is the hypnotist) feels this tailor made but divinely made for today—this I am is proof of reincarnation. going to assume. I am addressing New-Church peo Bridey's comments on her life following death are ple." all in keeping with what we have learned from Assuming that his listeners appreciated the prob Swedenborg's writings of the nature of the spiritual lems that the world presents to the men of today, Mr. world and of the individuals in it. She remembers her Capon said that they shared a mutual concern for his death clearly, and her activities afterwards. These subject, a ministry for today. He stated the need for consisted of "watching", lingering near the few per learned ministers, men with a firm background in sons and places she cared about, trying to make her Scripture, theology and philosophy, psychology and presence known, and learning nothing special. Since social relations, history and current conditions. In her personality is obviously devoid of imagination or addition Mr. Capon brought out that a learned min striving, her environment and life after death are ister is not necessarily a good teacher unless he knows likewise empty. She says she did whatever she how most effectively to preach, teach, lead, and coun "wanted," and "willed"' herself wherever she wanted sel. to be. She saw her father but not her mother. Mr. Capon then stated, "Your New-Church The ological School is trying to provide a more learned It is noticeable that the subject under hypnosis is ministry capable of more effective teaching in to very like Bridey; she owns no encyclopedia or library day's world in a number of ways." First, in finding card, cares more for bridge and baseball than for and admitting only the best possible men, those with investigating this mystery about herself. Such simi a record of scholastic achievement, those with a high larity would, doubtless, seem to the author another degree of personal adjustment, and those with per point in favor of reincarnation; but to this reviewer sonal commitment to the path of regeneration ac it is corroboration for a theory that the system of cording to the doctrines of the New-Church. Sec "attendant spirits", fully explained by Swedenborg, ond, in building a better faculty; in developing a is the basis for the distortion called reincarnation. well-rounded curriculum; in following the best guid The hypnotist, far from unravelling his subjects's re ance available. This latter point brought up the mote past as he supposes he is doing, has instead value of guidance by such standards as are necessary made contact with her "attendant spirit" or even for membership in the American Association of The perhaps with some intrusive soul who thus, at last, ological Schools. has succeeded in making her presence known! Laymen can help by recruiting, by encouraging G. D. M. good public relations, and by making their churches' program fit the needs of today's people. "In other words," Mr. Capon concluded, "by providing a job STILL IN SCIENCE NEWS worth doing." In Natural History, Feb. 1956, official monthly A few days before preaching in Washington, Mr. magazine of the American Museum of Natural His Capon spoke to a group of the Wilmington, Del., So tory, N. Y., there is an article titled "The Glacial ciety, on the same subject on behalf of the School. Concept is Born." The author, Richard J. Hardtes- The talk in Wilmington was illustrated by koda- veldt, states that "Emanuel Swedenborg, in 1719, was chrome slides made by Mr. Kenath Traegde. In a let one of the first to theorize along this line." (That a ter to The Messenger Mr. Capon said, "I think it is deluge of water moved great stones from one section fair to say that my experence in these two societies to another, rounding them by rubbing one against warrants the School's hoping that I may have simi another.) A picture of Swedenborg heads off a page lar opportunities to spread the gospel of the New- of illustrations. Church Theological School throughout Convention."

MARCH 17,1956 93 I have seen several articles in the Messenger over the years in which the writers had the wise men at LETTERS to the EDITOR the manger in Bethlehem, but a study of the events shows that this was not possible. Wm. Groundwater, FLORIDA CALLING! New Westminster, B. C. This is addressed to all readers of The Messenger (Editor's note: We must bear in mind that it was years wherever you may be; we need your help! after the events took place that they came to be associated As you no doubt know, Florida is one of the fastest with certain festivities. This is the case in using Epiphany to celebrate the coming of the wisemen. There is little known growing states in America. Thousands of people about the exact date of these events.) are moving down here every month. Some of them may be interested in Swedenborg*s teachings and! the New Church, or already may be members. MAKING NEW If you personally know of any friend or relative CONTACTS who has moved to Florida, please send the name andi As is well known the Swedenborg Foundation, Inc. address to the Rev. Leslie Marshall, P. O. Box 386, has been advertising Swedenborg's books in city St. Petersburg, Fla. newspapers throughout the country. This is a new We are bending every effort to contact everyone policy which has been met in Cincinnati by a newly interested, but feel that there must be many people set up committees of the Cincinnati Society, called whom we have missed. Please help us carry on the the Committee on New Contacts. The Church Council work and teachings of the New Church in this new has named Miss Catherine Snow as Chairman. This and growing field. Your response to this appeal Committee aims to contact by letters, telephone, and will be greatly appreciated. personal calls, all those who have bought books by Ernest Frederick Swedenborg through the recent advertising by the Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Foundation in the local papers. The committee will a try to discover whom among these buyers have or AN OVERSIGHT show an interest in New-Church teachings and to en To the Editor: courage them in further studies. The readers of the valuable article by the Rev. The Committee meets for dinner every Friday for John C. King, in the Messenger, Jan. 7, on the Inter- as long as the campaign lasts to plan the approach seminary Plan of our School, should know that Mr. and to hear the results attained. On March 23, all the King writes out of his own experience with the plan. people who have been contacted will be invited to Through the working of this plan, he obtained an come as well as the Committee, who are the Rev. and S.T.B. from the Harvard Divinity School at the same Mrs. Bjorn Johannson, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph C. Har- time that he was doing his work here at our School. grave, Mrs. Mae Owens, Mrs. Leonard King, Sylvia By an oversight this degree was omitted from the King, Brown McGill, Lise Jungshoved, Mrs. John information concerning Mr. King as author of the Dodd, Florence Murdoch, Margaret Schneider, article. Everett K. Bray, Charles J. Coch, Elsie Istecki, and Lula Bell. New President, New-Church Theological School readers of Swedenborg are invited to bring to this Cambridge, Mass. meeting questions that may have arisen for them in the course of their reading. The meeting will large CANDLEMAS AND EPIPHANY ly center around such questions. To the Editor: Candlemas, Feb. 2, is in honor of the purification FITCH GIBBENS SAYS: of the Virgin Mary. It was at this same time that Were one to take the trouble to live one new fact Mary and Joseph brought the Christ Child to Jeru every day of his life, he would have collected no less salem to present him to the Lord according to the than 25,550 pragmatized truths that he could take law of Moses, (Lev. 12 and Luke 2:22. Epiphany, with him into eternity in return for his "three-score- Jan. 6, is the time of the visit of the wise men, which years-and-ten" of having been an amateur liver on could not have taken place in the same year as the earth. purification because the child was forty days old when they brought him to Jerusalem. The visit of the wise men could not have been before the forty SWEDENBORG'S WRITINGS To new readers, 10 cents; regular, 25c each: days as Mary could not be present at the temple hav Heaven and Hell ing already fled to Egypt immediately after the wise Divine Love and Wisdom men's visit to stay there until the death of Herod. Divine Providence Children of two years and under were slain at the The Four Doctrines time the star appeared. If the star appeared when Swedenborg Foundation Incorporated the Christ Child was born He would have been two 51 East 42nd St. New York 17, N. Y. years old when the wise men found Him.

THE NEW-CHURCH MESSENGER 94 he and his cook-for-an-evening nib Christian Churches, U.S.A. he bled away, they listened to some maintains an interest in New- close barbershop harmony by the Choir, and before they knew it the Church teachings. At present he is evening and the box lunch were— head of the Department of Speech gone. and Journalism at Bennett County High School, Martin, S. Dak. Miss He may not be a full-fledged minister yet, but Mr. Paul Zacha- Bichacoff is a graduate of the Medi cal School of Johns Hopkins Uni nas, student minister at Elmwood Mass., wasn't afraid to give a ser versity, and for the past year has mon Feb. 19 on "The Facts of practiced medicine in Montana. Life." The wedding will take place, May 13, m Rapid City. A contest was held recently in the Detroit New-Church for the Speaking of Rapid City reminds NEWS By Carol Lawson best essay by a young writer on the us of the March Bulletin of the life and work of Swedenborg. The ■National Convention in which we The 'New Look' of the publica- executive committee of the ANCL saw a very fine letter by Mrs. Clara xrOn OJ;,the Illinois Association, The in cooperation with The Messenger Browning Goodman who says in New Church Visitor, will have sub is working on a similar project. part: "The editor of The New- scribers taking a new look too, be Sharpen your pencils and your Cfiurch Messenger is a trained cause it really has a natty appear wits. Be ready at the word to GO! journalist, competent from every ance. Co-Editors are the Rev. David point of view, and he and his staff J. Garrett and Robert Hoover, Kir- Fifty years ago on Feb. 25 some are producing a paper singularly ven After many years of happy thing very wonderful happened — free of dogma, and remarkably for- residence in Chicago, the Visitor Mr. and Mrs. William E. Weeks word-looking and challenging." She has now returned to St Louis were married by the Rev. James then goes on to urge that National where it was first put out by Rev E. Reed. They celebrated their Association members get their ser Dirk Diephuis. In Chicago the Edi golden anniversary amid the warm mons, doctrinal item, from the able tor was the Rev. Immanuel Tafel congratulations of all their friends ministers and laymen who write in under whom the paper increased in the Boston Church last month The Messenger and shorten their its circulation significantly as well ... Other couples celebrating their Bulletin to contain only their spe anniversaries, in 1956, not neces as maintaining a high standard of cial needs and business items. readability and attractiveness sarily golden, were invited by the In Kitchener. Hugh Cuthbertson, The El Cerrito Hillside Church's Rev. Othmar Tobisch to revisit Lome Biggar, Ted Ahrens, and the new bulletin is also looking very their wedding church on Lyon Pastor met recently to consider the new and readable.. . The Wilming Street in San Francisco, Mar. 4, formation of a boys' group This ton bulletin has also been revamp when the annual service was held would be for boys in the 9-12 brack ed, 'it's new, it's blue ...' for all those who have been mar et with two or three older boys as After a short business meeting ried there. Rev. Tobisch spoke on leaders. and supper, those escapists, mem "What Marriage Should Accomp The V.I.P.S of the Convention bers of Boston's New-Church Men's lish." Golden anniversaries might Program met in La Porte, Ind. at Club, got away from the bleak be one answer. the end of February. Among February weather by a magic car An Important Engagement has those who journeyed, here were the pet trip with John Perry and Law recently been announced by the Rev. Franklin H. Blackmer Con rence Capon, to Germany and Eng Dean of the General Theological vention President; the Rev. David land, the magic carpet being colored Seminary, (Episcopal) New York, P. Johnson, the new President slides and exciting experiences and whose daughter and Edward elect; the Rev. Wilfred G. Rice the observations. The Rev. Thomas Hinckley, son of Dr. and Mrs. Ed General Pastor-elect of the Illinois Reed also spoke, and later on in the ward B. Hinckley, will be wed. Mr. Association; and Wilfred C. Locke month conducted the Sunday serv Hinckley plans a trip to Florida, Detroit. Mr. Rice preached at the ice at the Church of the Open soon to visit his grandmother, Mrs. Sunday service, Feb. 26, at the La Word, Newtonville, Mass. Charles H. Kuenzli, a Lay Leader, Porte Church on "Opportunity Un active in Florida. Mrs. Kuenzli, in limited." Afterreadingin'theMESSENGER cidentally, may be heard over of Mrs. Paul Dresser's hunt for a Arbor Day Note: The Johnny WSUN, Saturdays at 11:30 a.m small apartment in Boston, Miss Appleseed Club of the Detroit Clara Chase, Brockton Society The Rev. Ernest Frederick also ac Church has received permission to voluntered some clues. tive in Florida wrote recently, plant a tree on the lawn of the 700 copies of HEAVEN AND "meetings are being held regularly Church on Arbor Day thus car HELL have been mailed out in Miami and Ft. Lauderdale, and rying on very fully the ideals of through requests from advertising many new people have been con John Chapman. We'll be disap tacted who are interested in the pointed if it's not an apple tree by the Rev. Erwin Reddekopp to Teachings." all parts of Alberta, but with the Another Interesting Engagement bulk mailed in the city of Edmon has been announced, that of Billie ton. Money For Your Treasury Dolores Bichacoff, Fort Wayne, OVER 1500,000 Going, going, gone!—a delicious Ind., and the Rev. Robert W. SUNFLOWER DISH CLOTHS box supper prepared by one of the Were sold In 1955 by members of Sunday Shields, Rapid City, S. Dak. The Schools. Ladies' Aids. Young Pete's winsome ladies of the Lakewood, Rev. Shields at one time attended Croups, etc. They enable you to earn Ohio, New Church. Bought at auc money fop your treasury, and make the New-Church Theological mends for your organization. tion by one of the hungry gentle School, Cambridge, Mass.; al Sample FREE to an Official men on Feb 26 at six o'clock in the though he later became an ordain SANGAMON MILLS evening in that church. And while ed minister of the Congregational- Established 1915 Cohoes, N. Y. Angeles for 43 years. She was a person of a loving and understanding spirit, her friendly smile and conversation express Births, Baptism, Confirmation, Memorials ing her open-hearted nature. Mr. and Mrs. Earl P. Marshall, Los Angeles and Pasadena, were her first cousins. She is the Los Angeles Society. He was born, survived by a son, Mr Burdett Grant, Jr., BIRTHS Jan. 12, 1876, in New York. He was in and a daughter, Mrs. Zada Latham. The Bohdula.—Born in October, to Mr. and our midst a man of character and of services were held in Grace Chapel, Mrs. Bordula, Calgary, Canada, a daugh deep and alert intelligence. His experi Inglewood, Calif., Jan. 5, 1956; the Rev. ter, Deborah Rose. Mr. and Mrs. Corn ence Included business and civic service. Andre Diaconoff officiating. elius Hiebert are the maternal grandpar He was for some years mayor of Fuller- ents. ton, California. He was until his last, W. N. C. U. FACES APRIL Ganley.—Born, Jan. 6, to Mr. and Mrs. brief illness an active man, interested in Lyle Ganley (Edna Sawatzky), Meadow history, news events, freedom and justice. DEADLINE Lake. Sask., a daughter, Lhida Jean. He and his wife had a lovely home, where At the moment a decision is be Mazza.—Born, Jan. 7, to Mr. and Mrs. he passed away peacefully. ing made by the Western New-

Ralph Mazza (Elinor Young), Rolling ••• Church Union regarding their Book Hills, Calif., a daughter, Christina Lucille. Wizemann.—Adolph F. Wizemann, New Room: whether to release their Christina is the 18th grandchild of Dr. York Society, passed into the spiritual present location in the Chicago and Mrs. Walter Young. world, Dec. 22. Masonic services were Loop area, or not. Some previous Johnston.—Bom, Jan. 21, to Mr. and held in Englewood, N. J., Dec. 24. sources of revenue can no longer

Mrs. James Johnson (Marjorie Minett), « « a contribute to the Book Room after Wooster, O., a daughter, Christine Taylor. Kraa—Leonard King, Cincinnati So April 30, according to C. L. Moul- Cahill.—Born, Feb. 7, to Mr. and Mrs. ciety, passed into the spiritual world, ton President of the Western New- Warren CahilL Elmwood, Mass., a son, Feb. 25, at the age of 42. Resurrection Church Union. The Book Room has Donald Edward. services were held Feb. 28; the Rev. been in the Stevens Building for 35 Bjorn Johannson officiating. Mr. King, years and in the Loop for 50 years. Besides serving as a book room, the BAPTISM one of the most active members of the present location also functions as a Bush.—Robert Edgar, son of Mr. and Cincinnati New Church, in which he was meeting place for the weekly meet Mrs. Edgar Bush, Burnaby, B. C, bap brought up, has served at various times ings of the Christian Fellowship tized, Nov. 6, Vancouver, B. C; the Rev. on the Board of Trustees, as Comptroller, Laymen, a small but active discus J. Zacharias officiating. and Superintendent of the Sunday School. His presence and his enthusiasm will be sion group. The Book Room was al sorely missed. Fuller mention will ap so scheduled to serve as headquar CONFIRMATION pear later. ters for follow-up work in Chicago Hanson.—Mr. Bradley Everson, con «• 0 for the advertising to be done in firmed in the faith of the New Church, Grant.—Mrs. Burdett Grant, (Florence Chicago by the Swedenborg Foun Nov. 20, Vancouver, B. C; the Rev. J. Marshall) passed away in Los Angeles, dation. _ , Zacharias, officiating. Jan. 3, 1956, after a long illness. She Thus the Western New-Church was born in Lapeer County, Mich., the Union has the choice of finding MEMORIALS daughter of Mr. Charles Marshall, who funds elsewhere if it feels that GnJxsra.—Edwin S. Gillespie, Boston with his father and brothers were the these functions of the Book Room Society, for whom resurrection services pioneers and builders of the Almont are worth continuing, or giving up were held, Jan. 23, at the Shepherd Church and Summer School in Michigan. their lease and storing the books Chapel, South Weymouth, Mass., with Mrs. Grant studied music and became nn until the projected new Chicago committal at the Lucy Stone Chapel, For organist in Chicago, when the Rev. Lewis church at Park Ridge is an actual rest Hills; the Rev. Antony Regamey of Pyle Mercer was the pastor of our New ity. ficiating. Church there. She also taught music for O 0 4 many years. She married Mr. Burdett Carhart.—James Ralph, passed away at Grant, a mining engineer, who preceded his home in San Gabriel, Calif., Feb. 15, her to the spiritual world. Mr. and Mrs. PERRY 1956. The services were held on Feb. 18; Grant made their home for some time KINDERGARTEN the Rev. Andre Diaconoff officiating. in Mexico, where he was engaged in min Mr. Carhart was a beloved member of NORMAL SCHOOL ing. Mrs. Grant was a resident of Los ESTABLISHED 1898 Students upon graduation at the THE FINAL JUDGMENT The New Church end of three years' training are pre Theological School pared for teaching in nursery and the school, kindergarten and primary rev. Everett K. Bray, President CONTINUATION grades. rev. Edwin G. Capon, Vice-Pres. Graduates of Perry Normal may by • Training men for the New Church obtain their B.S. degree in Educa tion through College credits al Emanuel Swedenborg ministry. lowed and attendance at College • If you have any thought of dedi summer school sessions. Rotch Edition 1955 Reprint cating your life to this calling, Send for catalog Paper bound 156 pages perhaps we can be of help to you. Fifty cents • The New Church needs ministers. Mrs. H. H. Jones, Principal Address inquiries in care of F. Gardiner Perry, Manager MASSACHUSETTS the President 815 Boylston Street, Room M NEW CHURCH UNION 48 Qulncy Street Boston 16, Mass. 134 Bowdoin St. Boston 8. Mass. Cambridge 38, Mass.

THE NEW-CHURCH MESSENGER 96 %e NEW-CHURCH MESSENGER

Immortality

Walk quietly— With thy head turned down in thought, Thine eyes seeing not the objects over which they pass, Thine ears insensible to any sound- It is a time for deep reflection on things that really matter most. Sometimes the world of nature slips away from us in thought When we turn our minds to a dear one close by but yet unseen. And then for just a fleeting moment we are carried out of space and time To be in company with one we love. Too soon our thoughts turn back to things on earth, And daily chores begin to crowd our minds again. Yet be assured, Wherever thou shalt be on earth at any time of day or night— If thou wilt turn with loving thoughts to one who dwells beyond the range of sight and sound— Once again will nature and the world of sense give way before that world so much more real, And you will be together. Theodore T. Foster

March 31, 1956 Easter THE PARTIAL LIST PUBLISHERS & NEW-CHURCH OF CHURCHES DIRECTORY OF MESSENGER BOOK ROOMS BALTIMORE, MD. THE NEW-CHURCH PRESS Official organ of The General Convention Calvert Street, near Chase (Board of Publication) of the New Jerusalem in the United States BATH, ME. of America. Convention founded in 1817. 108 Clark Street, Brooklyn 1, N. Y. Middle and Winter Streets American and foreign publications of (Swedcnborglan) BOSTON, MASS. all New-Church Publishing Houses. Re • Bowdoln Street, opp. State House ligious and Children's books of other Member of the Associated Church Press BRIDGEWATER, MASS. publishers. Convention service books & Tbe Mes • Central Square senger. Published bi-weekly at 153 South Jeffer BROCKTON, MASS. son Street, Beme, Indiana, by The New 34 Crescent Street, near Main NEW-CHURCH BOOK CENTER Church Press, 108 Clark St., Brooklyn, American New-Church Tract & Pub. CAMBRIDGE, MASS. Society, 2129 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, New York. 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Margaret Ave. N. and Queen St EDITORIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE Bryn Athyn, Pa. Philip M. Alden, Mrs. Ernest O. Mirtla, LAKEWOOD, OHIO Swedenborg's scientific writings. The Edward F. Memmott. Rev. Clayton 8. Corner Detroit and Andrews Avenue New Philosophy. Frleslnat, Bev. William F. Wunsch. LAPORTE, MD. WESTERN NEW-CHURCH UNION Indiana and Maple Avenues 17 No. State St, Chicago. LOS ANGELES, CALIF. Swedenborg's scientific and theological 509 South Westmoreland Avenue works and collateral literature. Editor MANCHESTER, N. H. SWEDENBORG PHILOSOPHICAL Bjorn Jobannson Conant Street CENTRE • MANSFIELD, MASS. 5710 So. Woodlawn Ave.. Chicago. Associate Editor West Street Public reference library. Send for MONTEZUMA, KANS. copies of free lectures. Carol Lawson Main Street NEW-CHURCH BOOKROOM NEWTONVTLLE, MASS. • 8009 So. Westmoreland Ave., Los Angeles. Highland Avenue Swedenborg's works and collateral. Re Address all editorial correspondence and NORWAY. IOWA ligious education dept. recently added. manuscripts to tbe Editor, Bos 65, Evans, Lenox Township Church Loan Library. Reading room. tan Branch. Cincinnati 7, Ohio. NEW YORK CITY NEW-CHURCH LIBRARY • 35th Street, bet. Pork and Lexington Aves. Oak and Winslow Sts., Cincinnati. The opinions of contributors do not ne Clark Street and Monroe Place, Brooklyn Reference works, Books sold and loan cessarily reflect the views of the editors Harlem New-Church Mission. ICOW.lMSt. ed. Swedenborg's Works: theological or represent the position of the Church. ORANGE, N. J. and scientific. Collateral, biographies, Essex Avenue near Main Street periodicals, rare editions. PALOS VERDES, CALIF. VoL 176, No. 7 Whole No. 4676 Wayfarers" Chaoel. Portugese Bend March 31. 1956 PATERSON, N. J. 380 Van Houten Street i-BBpnttals of 3Fattl? PAWNEE ROCK. KANS. Main Street PRINCIPAL CONTENTS PHILADELPHIA, PA. nf 0% Sfero QH|itrrlj 22nd and Chestnut Streets EDITORIALS: Frankford, Paul and Unity Streets There is one God. and He is the The Easter Message 103 PITTSBURGH. PA. Sondusky St near North Ave. Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. ARTICLES: PORTLAND. ME. 302 Stevens Ave. cor. Montrose To The Hilltop 99 PORTLAND, OREGON The Word is Divine and contains Immortality 100 2037 S.E. Spruce Ave. a spiritual or inner meaning where RichaTd H. Tafel PRETTY PRAIRIE. KANS. by is revealed the way of regenera East Main Street General Council Meeting 104 RIVERSIDE CALIF. tion. 3643 Locust Street Franklin H. Blackmer SAN DIEGO. CALIF. Mission Notes - 106 4144 Campus Avenue SAN FRANCISCO. CALIF. Saving faith is to believe in Him Leonard I. Tafel Lyon and Washington Streets and keep the Commandments of ST. LOUIS, MO. His Word. FEATURES: 620 N. Spring Avenue ST. PAUL, MINN. Poetry ..._ 105 S.E. cor. Virginia and Selby Ave. Evil is to be shunned as sin Letters to the Editor 106 ST. PETERSBURG, FLA, 1015—5th Street, N. against God. The Children's Corner 108 VANCOUVER. B. C. 2516 W. 12th Avenue The Swedenborg Student 109 WASHINGTON, D.C. Human life is unbroken and con News Ill 16th and Corcoran Sts. tinuous, and the world of the spirit WILMINGTON, DEL. Births, Memorials 112 Pennsylvania Avenuo and Broome Street is real and near.

98 THE NEW-CHURCH MESSENGER TO THE HILLTOP

"And when they saw Him, they worshipped Him: but some doubted" (Matt. 28:17). The account of the Resurrection as given in the Gospels is simply stated. The two Marys who first saw Him brought word that He was risen, and that the disciples were to go to Galilee where He would meet them. Peter had seen the empty tomb; Cleopas had walked with Him to Emmaus. But all this was hardly enough to bring the conviction that He had risen from the dead. To believe in so great a miracle required overwhelming evidence. Still they went to Galilee and to the ap pointed hilltop. There they saw Him plainly with their own eyes. No longer could they dismiss as idle tales the stories brought by the women and others. The Risen One stood before them and they worshiped Him. Yet some doubted. The miracle was so great that even the evidence of their own senses did not offer complete proof. However, in the end all, even Thomas, were convinced. And surely other doubters, among them perhaps those who had not believed in the Lord previously, were convinced. Paul tells us that "He was seen of James" (I Cor. 15:7). The James here) mentioned is generally identified as the "brother of the Lord"—one born of Mary and brought up in the same household as Jesus. James became a great leader among the early Christians. But it will be recalled that the Gospels tell us that those who were known as His brethren, in the sense of a blood kinship, did not believe in Him (Jn. 7:5). But James became a firm believer. Was it because he saw the Lord after the Resurrection? And yet some doubted. Could those who doubted also have worshiped the Lord? Surely not in the deepest and fullest sense of that word. The spirit of doubt and of worship do not go together. In saying this we are not unmindful of the truth contained in Tennyson's lines: "There lives more faith in honest doubt, Believe me, than in half the creeds." Or P. J. Bailey's: "Who never doubted never half believed, Where doubt there truth is—'tis her shadow." To doubt is man's right—at times his duty. But worship in the spirit of sincere desire to know the truth and to approach closer to the Lord will resolve doubt. It will give the substance in place of the shadow. And as the doubt is removed, the worship becomes a deeper and more real religious ex perience. Can man then worship if he harbors doubts? Yes, if in all humility he desires to know the Lord and in prayer and meditation will seek for Him. True, the heart must be inclined to the Lord if there is to be genuine worship. The Lord makes no imperious demands on anyone to believe un til he is ready to believe. The Lord did not harshly rebuke Thomas for his doubts. Indeed, He offered him the evidence for which he had asked. But He added: "Blessed are they that have not seen yet have believed" (Jn. 20:29). Certainly worship requires faith, but let it be remembered that worship deepens faith. When the disciples set out for that hilltop in Galilee, even the most sceptical had enough faith to hope. No worship is possible if disbelief fills the mind. But honest doubt is not the same as disbelief. Doubt implies hope, a willingness to know. The worshiper who sincerely desires to know the Christ will also have Him arise in his heart. The supreme Easter response for all Christians should be a worship of the Risen Lord, the Glori fied Humanity. In worship His abiding presence is to be felt as in no other experience. There may remain unanswered questions about the theology that centers about the Christ but worship can still be very real. Many old beliefs and dogmas are now dead, but the Lord lives and is near us even if we are slow to recognize Him. But to worship Him is to recognize Him; and to recognize Him is to worship Him. The fact of the Lord's Resurrection can never be established by such tests as the natural man may demand, but it can be established for every individual who in humble adoration worships the Lord.

MARCH 31, 1956 99 Immortality

by Richard H. Tafel

EASTER brings us the assurance of Immortality, in the days of Amos, and as it was attacked by the glorious news that life is unending. The that prophet. There had grown up in Israel the Post-Resurrection Appearances of our Lord to conviction that God was one day coming into the His disciples, showed the further fact of the un world. The nation looked forward to this coming, broken continuity of human personality: the per- of God, referring to it as "The Day of the Lord." sistance of character, the assurance that .we remain It was to be, they thought, a glorious time. God the same person when we pass through the gate would restore the fortunes of Israel, and punish of death and emerge on the other side in the World her enemies. Amos, on the other hand, painted the of Spirit. Remember how, when their spiritual eyes picture in blackest colors, questioning the unfound were opened, the disciples recognized their dear ed optimism of his people. It was not to be a day Lord, heard His beloved voice again, rejoiced once of glory and rejoicing, but a day of wailing and more in His presence, and knew that they had not lament, a day of terror and judgment for Israel, lost their Master? At first, of course! they were because of her deeds! startled and afraid when He appeared among them "Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, again. But He spoke to them as of old, and, one and npt light? even very dark, and no gathers, with just a touch of humor, "Behold my brightness in it?" hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, It was as plain as that. But as we know, Amos did and see; for a ghost hath not flesh and bones, as not succeed in changing this popular delusion; it ye see me have." Thus our Lord God finished the has persisted to this day. work-He came on earth to do: to bring Himselfl In modern times, it has taken the form of the to us, and to keep us bound to Him by the cords confident optimism expressed in the attitude, "there's of love and understanding; to show us our God, a better time coming," "every story has a happy at once divine and yet so surpassingly human! ending." No matter how dark the picture becomes, In showing Himself to us in His risen and glorified we confidently expect a happy outcome. "Every Humanity, our Lord lifted the veil which had for thing is going to turn out all right." So sure are so long shrouded death. "Because I live ye shall we of this, that we want our stories, our plays, live also." What glorious news for the world! What and even our tragedies, to have a happy ending. a wondrous crown it places upon life! But stop And we need not worry about our children with and consider for a moment, too, what this means their hair-raising comic and radio programs in to us now. We are not so much concerned with which the hero meets overwhelming odds single- life in the other world, for we are busy, and should! handed, and undergoes terrific adventures. They be busy, with life right here about us. This life is know, even better than we, that it will end happi so real and so full, engaging all our attention and ly, and that it must fall into the expected pattern. powers. And it should be so; we do not want to Unfortunately, the same philosophy is carried over live life here with one eye on life hereafter! And into our ideas about the future life. "Everything yet, and yet, just knowing that life goes on and will be all right!" "Every story ends happily ever on, that it is not confined to some eighty or ninety after!" years of earthly existence, and that we are now The Ruling Love living but one phase of it, makes a mighty differ In most things we are confirmed, hard-headed, ence. realists; but here we are the most ardent, imprac A Great Delusion tical optimists! Because it stops' us from thinking? So we should stop and think, every once in a Because we do not want to face reality? Because it while, about life as a whole, and learn to see the is more pleasant to dream and to make believe? present in light of the future. Then our whole The old-fashioned religion tried to bribe people teaching about the future life serves its true function: with heaven, and to threaten them with hell. The giving purpose and meaning and interpretation to new religion urges us to look at life as we know it, life as we live it day by day. to take a long range view of life, and then to see As a matter of fact, it does happen that from the implications inherent in it. It would have us, time to time we catch ourselves thinking of the in short, be realists. future, and often with an awful sinking sensation We know a lot about life, and are learning more as we realize, all too clearly, the importance of all the time. For there is nothing more interesting the passing minutes. But just as quickly there be than human nature: how and why it acts and re gins to operate a delusion which has misled the acts in the way it does. In the first place we know world for thousands of years. We see it working that {personality, the essence of the individual, is

100 THE NEW-.CHURCH MESSENGER a continuous reaction to life. While it is emerging, growing, developing, the experience of today rests upon, and grows out of, and is conditioned by, the ENTERING LIFE BEYOND experience of yesterday, and so on. It achieves As soon as man's corporal organs grow cold, this continuity through memory. But even with which [occurs shortly] after his decease, he is this, personality or character would be rather raised again of the Lord by celestial angels who chaotic, unpredictable, and uncoordinated. We are first attendant on him; but in case he be would not know how we were going to act from such that he cannot remain with them, he is one moment to the next, nor would we know what then received into the care of spiritual angels; to expect from other people. Experience, however, and successively afterwards into the care of teaches us that the human being, quite early in life, good spirits. For all who come into the other achieves a certain stability. He tends to react more life, be they who they may, are welcome guests and more in a predictable manner, and as he does who meet a kind reception. But as every one's so he becomes more and more an individual. desires follow him, he who has led a wicked Psychology calls this, we remember, "the in life cannot abide long with the angels and good tegration of personality." But long before it came spirits, but successively separates himself from up with that very apt definition, Swedenborg was them, repeating those separations until he using the term "ruling love," and had shown how comes among spirits whose life is similar and life organizes itself around a center. And, as love— conformable to that which he had while in the desires, cravings, wants—is the fundamental com world. ... It is according to the laws of order ponent of life, it furnishes the dominant drive about that every one should return into his own life which the rest of the personality is centered. We which he had in the body [i. e., manifest the have several choices between such dominant drives same character], and should thence be let down which determine and color our lives. Our Lord re into hell by degrees. The Lord casts none down ferred to two, calling them "masters," in His famili into hell, but every one casts himself thither ar saying about serving God and mammon. Life They who have led a good life are by degrees can be integrated about the love of God as a center elevated by the Lord into heaven. — (Arcana or as a dominant drive or "ruling love," or it can Coelestia, 2119, 2121) be centered about self and its interests. In either case, personality tends to crystalize more and more definitely about its center, and the individual to to be filled in more or less fully as we mature and become thus more and more of a person. ripen. No Certain Happy Ending Set for All Time Now if this is the true picture, and if we believe Personality, character, the emerging self, is the in personal survival as our Lord taught it, we can most plastic and impressionable substance imagin hardly maintain the philosophy of the automatic, able. We can do anything with it: mold it, twist happy ending. We cannot hold such a conclusion it, bend it, fashion it. But in time, it also has the on the basis of facts as we know them. To do so property of setting in a v form that is as hard as would mean, again contrary to all we know, that concrete. That it does so set, we know from ex something magical happens at death. It would mean perience, and because of the fact that we seek sta that with the putting off of the material body the bility above everything else. We all know how whole current of life, which we had deliberately hard it is to break habits which are laid on muscle directed to a certain course and which had bourn and nerve, and that the longer they persist, the us along on its bosom, can suddenly be diametrically harder it is to change them. But what about he Changed! But that is opposed not only to reason, inner controls which set those habits—motives, ap but also to everything that life itself teaches us. petites, desires, wants, and cravings? In other words, It would mean that there is no relation between what lies at the heart of life, at the core of our be what we have done, what we have chosen, what ing, also becomes more and more fixed, more defi we have become, and what we then are. It means nitely determined as time goes on. "Where your that while there may be immortality of a fashion, treasure is, there will your heart be also." there is no survival of human personality as we All of which is a way of saying that human per know it And I think that we are only interested sonality is a continuous, emerging, developing in immortality if it means that we continue to be response to life. It becomes more and more con ourselves. This is what our Lord Himself taught sistent with, and determined by, the dominant mo us by appearing again to His disciples after His tives which it selects as its source or center. There; Resurrection: will be, of course, development, refinement, and "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I progress forever, because growth is one of the char myself." acteristics of life. But the main lines of character This, it seems to me, is the purpose, the meaning, are laid down rather indelibly, and the details tend the value of a sure teaching and belief in the Life

MARCH 31, 1956 101 alter Death: that we see life as all of a piece; that, there is no break, no drastic change in human ex REPORT OF THE APPEAL DRIVE perience, no more than that between infancy and CONTRIBUTIONS TO MARCH 7, 1956 ....$13,136.69 childhood and youth and adulthood. It means that CONTRIBUTIONS NEEDED BY jour beloved ones, who have passed on ahead of us MARCH 31, 1956 19,695.00 into the Heavenly Mansions, are, in every vital PERCENTAGE CONTRIBUTED TO respect, the same well-known and deeply loved men MARCH 7,1956 66% and women we knew here. And also, because we The $13,136.69 has been reached by 448 individual ourselves shall continue fundamentally the same •kind of persons we are now, we confidently look contributions, and contributions from 19 Societies forward to resuming the tangible and visible re and Associations. These contributors represent a very lationship with them that we once had. small percentage of the members of The General Con vention to whom the Annual Appeal letter was sent In much the same way, our Lord, upon opening last November. the spiritual eyes of the disciples, showed them that To those who have not contributed and still wish He was still their same Lord and Master. to do so, if their contribution is received by Mr. Al This is a most comforting assurance, in keeping bert P. Carter, 511 Barristers Hall, Boston 8, Mass.,by iwith. reason, with experience, with revelation, and April 15, it will be credited to this year's Appeal with the dictates of the human heart. It is at the Drive. same time a most disquieting teaching! It forces Adolph T. Liebert, Jr. us to ask ourselves some very deep, and soul-search Chairman, Appeal Committee. ing questions: "Am I satisfied with the person I am becoming?" "Is this the kind of person I want to be for all CALLING YOUNG LEADERS! ,time and eternity?" "On the basis of my life, am I qualified to live A Leadership Education Institute for young people with the people I have known, and admired and is being sponsored by Convention in co-operation with Almont Summer Camp, July 22 to Aug. 12. The loved?" Searching questions these! Questions which might young people will be trained for leadership in the Well send us hurrying back to life with new pur general area of League-work, Sunday-School work, pose, with fresh zest, and with an added sense of and other responsibilities usually faced by the young the importance and the possibilities of our todays adults of the Church. After one week of classroom and tomorrows! training, students at the Institute will have two "To every man there openeth weeks of actual experience as junior members of the A way, and ways, and way, Almont staff under the guidance and supervision of And the high soul climbs the high way, the senior counselors. The expenses of the young peo And the low soul gropes the low, ple attending the Institute will be paid by the local And in between, on the misty flats churches, and when necessary, by subsidies from the The rest drift to and fro, ,. . But to every man there openeth Associations and Convention. A high way and a low Every minister and society is invited to send the And every man decideth names of their young people who would benefit the The way his soul shall go." most from leadership training to the Chairman of the (John Oxenham) Leadership Education Committee, the Rev. David J. Garret, 6807 Wise Ave., St. Louis, Mo.

DECISION ON BOOKROOMS . The President's Committee on Employment of the A meeting of the Western New-Church Union was Physically Handicapped presented a special.plaque called Mar. 4, to decide the answer to their location to Helen Keller, famous leader in work for the problem, now that the lease of their present quar blind, during the celebration of the Fortieth Anni ters in the Stevens Building, Chicago, is about to ex versary of the American Foundation for Overseas pire. (See Messenger, Mar. 17, 1956). According to Blind on November 14. the minutes of the Secretary, Mrs. Julia Anger, it The plaque, part of which is in braille, cites Miss was moved that"... the Western New-Church Union Keller for a lifetime of service to handicapped peo continue its work in the present site for the next ple throughout the world. year, and in the meantime a thorough investigation Greater cooperation between private philanthropic will be made of other possible and desirable sites to organizations, national governments, and the United be reported to the Union as circumstances warrant, Nations was the theme of talks given at the luncheon and any deficit shall be withdrawn from the prin by Miss Keller and by Chester W. Bowles, former cipal investment account, though a special effort U.S. Ambassador to India. shall be made to raise the difference."

102 THE NEW-CHURCH MESSENGER cendental importance. To uc«i a very imperfect illustration: A famous au EDITORIALS thor of mystery stories said that he always began by writing the final chapter: the unraveling of the mys tery. When this was done, he was ready to start on the first chapter, and make everything conform to the last. All that was written from thereon would be fully understood only after the last chapter was fin ished. It is this last chapter of the Gospels which gives meaning, not only to the life of the Lord on earth, but to life itself by a proclamation of victory. "Because I live, ye shall live also." These words link together the Resurrection and human immortality. Human per sonality is not extinguished or even changed, when the instrument through which it operated in the realm of nature is no longer adequate. Human per sonality is a manifestation of a Life that streams from the very heart of God. In the prayer recorded in John 17:21, we read: "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also The Easter Message may be one in us: that the world may believe that Millions crowd the churches of the United States thou hast sent me." every Easter Sunday. Of some it may be said that this This prayer is an expression of the Lord's wish is the only day of the year that they show themselves that all men in every age may be aware that life in the church. Beautiful flowers decorate the chan comes from God and is indestructable. The destruc cels, special music is planned for, and in some man tion of human personality would represent a victory ner or other all are reminded that on Easter, the for hells, but the Lord overcame the hells. Resurrection of the Lord from the dead is commem Death, as we know it, is a weapon of the hells; but orated. it is also a weapon of God's. The Lord wept at the At the close of the service as the worshipers file tomb of Lazarus—certainly not because Lazarus was out, there is an exchange of happy greetings, and gone, for He knew that within minutes He would probably all, both the active workers in the church bring him back. He wept because He felt the sorrow and the.once-a-year worshipers, feel happier because of the human race—the sorrow of every individual they have paid homage to the Risen One. In doing so who is bereaved. But He knew that this very sor they have also paid homage to life. For does not the row could be the means for everyone to understand, Easter story of the Gospels give the firmest assurance that because He lived no human personality ever of the triumph of life over death? died. Death had been conquered, and henceforth Truly, Christ is risen. On that there is no differ could not be an effective weapon for the hells against ence among Christians, so Christianity may well be the believer. called the religion of Resurrection. But what is the significance of this event? For the disciples, it was THE FOLLOWING theme has been chosen the one overwhelming fact of their lives. Each of the for the Gospels is written with the foreknowledge of this 1956 CONVENTION event as the climax. Indeed, it is this event along Power From the Lord with the Incarnation itself which gives meaning to Look up — Lift up — Abide in the Lord the Gospel message. Not for an instant would we try (Micah 7:7) (Ps. 121) (John 15:4-7) to make a choice between the miracle of the Incarna (John 12:32) tion and the miracle of the Resurrection. The two are (AR 490) indissolubly bound together. Either one would be of doubtful meaning without the other. In the light of the Resurrection everything in the SWEDENBORG'S WRITINGS life of the Lord came to have meaning for the dis To new readers, 10 cents; regular, 25c each: ciples. They now knew why the wise men had come, Heaven and Hell and why the angels sang to shepherds at His birth. Divine Love and Wisdom Divine Providence They now understood what manner of a Messiah, The Four Doctrines King and Savior He was. Yes, the agony in the gar Swedenborg Foundation Incorporated den, the betrayal by Judas, the mock trial and the 51 East 42nd St. New York 17, N. Y. crucifixion now came to have a meaning of trans

MARCH 31, 1956 103 Council has appropriated $5,000 to make possible GENERAL gathering together of the right kind of staff and a truly representative group. As another means of assisting in the educational work of the Church, the Convention has for some COUNCIL years been allotting $400 to help our Summer Schools with their staff expenses. The General Council in creased this appropriation to $1500. Several years ago, summer institutes for ministers MEETING were held at the Theological School. It is planned to have another this coming summer, and $1,000 has been available for that purpose. By Franklin H. Blackmer In short, the General Council added over $7,000 to IN THE middle of January the General Council the budget of Convention, for educational activities— members spent a busy twenty-four hours as the in addition to continuing appropriations amounting Executive Committee of the Convention. There to $2,500 for the Sunday School Association, the Com were many of the customary business matters, in mission on Religious Education, and the work of the cluding plans for a record budget during the fiscal Young People's League. year which begins April first. Some provisions were Wayfarers' Chapel made for the next Convention, including acceptance Another subject which received much time of the of an invitation from the Illinois Association to have General Council was the Wayfarers' Chapel. Reports our meeting at La Porte, Indiana—since decided to were received from a committee of the Council which be June 19-24. had visited the Chapel in September and from mem The report of presidential visits to Association bers who had attended a meeting of the Chapel meetings during the summer and autumn noted that Board of Managers in mid-January. Appointment by most of the Associations have had a better-than- the President of two California members of the average year as regards attendance at meetings by Board were confirmed: Mr. Earl Pack Marshall and out-of-town members and as regards active concern Miss Mary Schellenberg. The Chapel is one of Con about Association business on the part of delegates. vention's larger financial enterprises and as it has Leadership Education grown, there have been many problems of organiza The General Council considered at some length a tion. The reports described these and indicated steps definite step in developing a program of Leadership toward systematizing the business of the Chapel. Education: the holding of at least one Institute on Further building is in prospect, beginning this Spring this subject during the coming summer. The subject with construction of permanent entrance gates and as a whole has been discussed in the Committee on walks, roadway and parking facilities. Detailed plans Research (a sub-committee of the General Council) are being prepared for an educational building and and plans have been worked out by a special commit an amphitheatre to the east of the Chapel; the Gen tee on Leadership Education which reported through eral Council authorized this addition, and beginning its Chairman, Rev. David J. Garrett. The plan is to of construction is expected before the year is out. hold an Institute, primarily for young people of col With these facilities, the Chapel could accommodate lege age, at Almont, beginning in a sort of "retreat" the Convention when it meets again in California. one week before the usual Almont Summer School The Committee from the Council feels that the Way and continuing with some of the Institute leaders on farers' Chapel is so important to the Convention that the Almont staff, while some of the young people every member of the General Council should observe participate in the Almont program as counsellors. its operations during a week-end; consequently the Camp counselling technique will be the center of at Council made provision for a trip by each of its mem tention at our Institute, and it may be possible for bers who has not had such a week-end, and expects some of these young people to participate also in In to continue the policy during the first year of persons stitutes of Leadership conducted by organizations elected to the Council in the future. other than the New Church. It is anticipated that Business Affairs both staff-members and young people who begin at In his triple capacity as Vice-President and Chair Almont will have other contacts during the coming man of two important sub-committees of the General year to nurture a cooperative approach to Leadership Council—Business Organization Committee (hand problems. It is hoped that the group which gathers ling most legal and property matters) and Research at Almont will be representative of all parts of the Committee—Mr. George Pausch reported on a num Church, and of the other Summer Schools, so that ber of matters which have taken considerable time benefits of the work done this summer will begin at between meetings of the General Council. There have once to reach other centers of our organization. For been loans to negotiate, like the one to the Portland, these efforts during the coming season, the General Oregon, Society, as the Convention helps in financing

104 THE NEW-CHURCH MESSENGER their new building. Some years ago the Convention erty in Manila has now been agreed upon, to which acquired mineral rights in Texas; prospecting for oil the Convention has assented. Very gratifying news in that vicinity gave a cash value to these rights, so was received that money is being given for a church that through joint efforts of Mr. Daniel Krehbiel and in Tokyo. Steps are being taken to aid the Society in the Business Organization Committee, a sale has been Berlin to acquire a building suited to their needs. completed. There have been further developments in There was consideration of needs in Seoul, Korea. regard to pensions for our older ministers, as they The Committee on Research is asked to give study to have become eligible under Society Security, and for the suggestion that an International Council of New recognition by the government in Canada of our Churches be sponsored by the General Convention. Pension Plan. There are other properties where Con Budget vention has responsibility which have been requiring The budget of general expenses approved by the attention this season. A number of the subjects be General Council for the fiscal year beginning April 1, fore the Committee en Research have already been 1955 comes to $63,700, a total increase of $10,000 indicated in this article, and other items of policy- over previous budgets, chiefly for new educational study are pending. expenses as indicated above. Budgets of the follow International ing special Boards were also accepted by the General Council: Augmentation Fund—nearly $23,000, Board International and missionary aspects of our Church of Missions—$45,300, Pensions—nearly $13,400, The also had some attention. It is quite a few years since Messenger—$5,600 (plus $4,000 included above in there has been an official visitor from the General "general expense".) This aggregate of $151,000 is the Conference in Great Britain at our Convention. We scale of Convention operations as now planned. are hoping that can be resumed this year; an invita (The author is the president of convention, and one of our tion, with some urgency, has been extended. The leading authorities on education. He has served as president independent church in the Philippines has been ex of the Urbana Junior College and of the New-Church periencing a division; an adjustment about the prop Theological School)

The Thorn-tree Do Not Weep (Arcana Coelestia 1976) So sweetly through that humble home When death shall come, The rippling laughter went Don't weep at the grave for me, That Mary felt the world's blue dome But lift your ear Too small for her content. To the breeze in a murmuring tree, Or tranquil eyes And careful Joseph, while he held To a wave rolling in from the sea. The boy in grave caress The parting soul Wist not what tender thrill dispelled Leaves simply a shell behind His workday weariness. When man takes flight To levels immortal of mind The crown sat softly, only rings Where angels scan Of baby hair agleam To appraise what the heavens shall find. With lustre dropped from angels' wings Where mountains rise And starlight down a dream. In glistening mantles of snow, Where flowers bloom The thorn-tree was a seedling still Or buffalo grass shall grow— With laughter's frolic chime There watch for dreams The Christ Child did His Father's will, I may send to the planet below. As when, of older time, For the Lord above

Sends wisdom of what should be, A ruddy lad in Bethlehem And dreams come down Was keeping sheep and played When spirits are happy and free— Blithe music on his harp to them And surely they'll wrap Before the psalms were made. And ship you a bundle for me. Katherine Lee Bates. William Rawlinson

MARCH 31, 1956 105 ing Switzerland. Here, beside Zurich, he established Mission Notes centers in Herisau and Berne; and visited groups in Berlin, Vienna and elsewhere. By Leonard I. Tafel In 1900 he found that the group in Berlin was ready For various reasons the spread of the New Church for corporate work as a society and instituted it as in Germany has lagged far behind that in many other such. We shall wish to speak particularly of Berlin countries. The earliest interest we know about was later, but can say here that Rev. Fedor Goerwitz shown by Johann Romelsbacker, in Stuttgart. This made annual visits there as long as he lived: a task was as early as 1775 and sporadic interest about that which was continued when his son Rev. Adolph L. time caused two editions of the True Christian Re Goerwitz succeeded him. Since 1920 Berlin has had ligion to be published (in 1784 in 3 volumes, and in the continuous ministry of Rev. Ehrich L. G. Reiss- 1795 in two volumes in Basel). Yet, in 1817, Mr. Mul- ner, and in 1930 numbered a hundred. The late war lensiefen, father-in-law of Dr. Immanuel Tafel, says has changed the picture, but with the advent of two he 'knows of only five or six receivers in all Germany. new men in the German-speaking field (Messrs Horn Serious work began about this and Gutfeldt) the Board of Missions feels warranted time when Dr. Tafel proposed in feeling most optimistic about its work among German-speaking people. translating and printing all the (Dr. Tafel is pastor of the Frankford New Church, Phila theological works of Swedenborg delphia, and serves as secretary of the Board of Missions. in the German language. This he He was formerly president of Convention.) accomplished with the assistance of friends in England and America. Engrossed in this exacting work, taken in addition to that of a Pro LETTERS to the EDITOR""] fessor and Librarian in Tubingen University, his missionary work was confined largely to that ac ETERNAL PUNISHMENT? complished during his vacations in German-speaking Editor of the Messenger: Switzerland, where several little groups were found New-Church people are naturally interested in any ed. As a result of the gradual distribution of the Writ fundamental problems raised by Swedenborg's writ ings, and assisted by a monthly periodical by Dr. ings and so I submit the following, numbering the Tafel, interest was quickened until, in 1848, it was quotations for ease of reference: decided to hold a Conference of German receivers. 1. All men have been predestined to heaven and no This was held in Constadt, near Stuttgart, with one one to hell. (Divine Providence 330) hundred receivers present from all parts of Germany 2. The operation of the Divine Providence for the and marked, for a long time, the high tide of interest salvation of man begins at his birth and continues in Germany. until the end of his life and afterwards to eternity. The Conference came at a critical time in the po (Divine Providence, 332) litical affairs of Germany. It had been possible only 3. God Messiah, who hath all power in heaven and in consequence of the religious liberty granted by the on earth, is inmostly and most intensely ardent with National Congress in Frankfort. In the complete ov the love and mercy of saving the universal human erturn which followed there was a great exodus of race, for the power of His love and mercy is omni liberal-minded Germans from the homeland. Dr. potent. (Spiritual Diary, 300) Immanuel Tafel and his brother Dr. Leonard Tafel 4. It is evident that all who come into hell remain had to leave Germany, together with the thousands there to eternity. (New Jerusalem, 239) who emigrated during this troubled period. Dr. Im If 4 is true, although Swedenborg himself reports a manuel Tafel, after a short sojourn in Sweden, was number of exceptions, some human beings defeat allowed to return to his post in Tubingen and con God, or the Infinite is defeated by the finite, the good tinue his work; but wide interest in the New Church by the evil, the potentially strong by the potentially had to await a more auspicious time; though the weak, and not temporarily but "to eternity." How is work of editing and publishing continued until the that possible? death of this indefatigable worker. We must also consider the following: Among the many who came to America during the 5. Every child wheresoever he is born, whether 'stirring times of 1848' was Fedor Goerwitz, of Thur- within the Church or out of it, whether of pious par ingia, Germany. Led to the teachings by Dr. Felix ents or of impious, when he dies is received by the Boericke, he was ordained in 1879, married a niece of Lord and is educated in heaven, and according to Immanuel Tafel, Mina Tafel. Under the encourage Divine order is taught and imbued with affections ment and sponsorship of Mr. Mittnacht, he returned for good, and through this with knowledge of truth; to Germany as a missionary—planning starting with and afterward, as he is perfected in intelligence and the small group in Stuttgart. Differences arose, and wisdom, he is introduced into heaven and becomes an Mr. Goerwitz went on to Zurich, in German-speak angel. (Heaven and Hell, 329)

106 THE NEW-CHURCH MESSENGER 6. From omniscience all things are made manifest the secretaries of the two groups, and after consider to the Lord. (Apocalypse Explained 298) ation by the members of the South Ohio District, If 6 is true then the Lord either knows which of the invitation was accepted. those children born into the world will be "lost" or The first joint service was held, Feb. 19, 1956, in which are most likely to be, and since He has, besides the church of the Convention Society of Urbana. It His omniscience omnipotence and a supreme desire was conducted by the Rev. Louis King visiting from to save all men (2 and 3) will He not provide for the Pittsburgh, Pa., together with the Rev. Frederick hopeless cases by bringing their lives to an end in in Schnarr visiting from Chicago, 111. The Rev. Louis fancy? Otherwise would we not have to suppose that King gave a special talk to the children, and an in of a pair of identical twins, let us say, A and B, A dies spiring sermon to the adults on 'Happiness'. The Rev. in infancy and is "saved" while B grows up, makes Frederick Schnarr officiated at the baptism of Mrs. wrong choices and is allowed by the Lord to become Rudolph Barnitz of Glenview, 111., who was visiting "lost to all eternity"? in Urbana. This baptism greatly added to the sphere All answers to these questions will be most wel of the occasion, both because of the happiness shared come. in welcoming a new member to the Church, and also John R. Swanton. because of the fact that the husband of Mrs. Rudolph 22 George St., Newton 58, Mass. Barnitz was baptized in this same building in 1901 by the Rev. Russell Eaton.

URBANA The attendance at this first official joint service To the Editor: was most encouraging. Members and friends of both On February 19,1956, an event occurred in Urbana, the Convention and the General Church were pres Ohio, which we believe will be of interest to the ent from Columbus, London, Cincinnati, Ohio; Louis members of both the Convention and the General ville, Kentucky; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Glenview Church. For the first time in the history of the New and Chicago, Illinois. With the renewed and com Church in Urbana, a joint service has been held be bined efforts of both groups, we have every reason to tween the members of the Convention Society of Ur believe that our attendance will steadily increase. bana and the General Church members of the South What is taking place in Urbana is somewhat of an Ohio District. experiment for both the Convention and the Gener Over the past number of years, the Rev. Ernst al Church. No one can foretell what the outcome will Tolle has been conducting monthly services for the be. However, both the members of the Convention Convention Society of Urbana in their church build Society of Urbana, and the members of South Ohio ing in Urbana. While this was being done, the Gener District, believe that where there is a spirit of chari al Church members of the South Ohio District, first ty, and a sphere of comradeship and common purpose under the direction of the Rev. Louis King, and now to establish the New Church, our efforts cannot but under the direction of the Rev. Frederick Schnarr, bear fruit. We look forward to the development of were also holding monthly services in Urbana, in the the New Church in Ohio with hope and confidence, home of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Barnitz. Since, the two resting in the sure knowledge that where men strive groups did not hold services on the same Sunday of with sincere endeavor to further the life and the use the month, many of the members of each group at of the Church, the Lord will guide and lead them tended both services, with the result, that a general through the operation of His Divine providence. feeling gradually arose that it would be desirable to The Rev. Frederick L. Schnarr hold regular combined services. (Visiting minister to the Southern Ohio District) As this feeling became increasingly stronger, the Rev. Ernst Tolle, at a recent meeting of the Conven tion Society of Urbana, proposed a motion to extend The Convention Appeal an invitation to the South Ohio District of the Gen is for the larger needs eral Church, to hold combined services in the church of our church building of the Convention Society of Urbana. The idea of the motion was, that when the Rev. Ernst Tolle conducts a Convention service, the Convention, order and form of worship be used; while when the THE SWEDENBORG EPIC By Cyriel O. Sigstedt Rev, Frederick Schnarr conducts a General Church Regular $4.50 Edition—Now only $2.00 service, the General Church order and form of wor A special shipment, advantageously bought, ship be used. This motion was passed by those pres makes possible this low price. Buy it as a gift ent at the meeting. But to further assure that the for someone. motion was clearly understood, a ballot was circulat Order from ed by mail to all the members of the Convention So THE NEW-CHURCH PRESS 108 Clark Street ciety of Urbana. The returns confirmed the acceptance Brooklyn 1, New York of the motion. Letters were then exchanged between

MARCH 31, 1956 107 "Quick! Sit down at the table," their mother called from the kitchen. "Here comes Janie." The Children's Corner Janie hurried in. "HE'S GONE," she said out of breath, "CHIPPER'S GONE!" Her big brown eyes looked up at Daddy. No one said a word. Suddenly came a shaking noise, a pecking, and chirping. Janie ran over to the birdcage. "Here he is !" She squealed. "Chipper came back! Chipper, nice Chipper, pretty boy," she said to the bird. "You came back!" And her trusting eyes turn ed back to the other children, "I knew he would." "But really Daddy br ," Johnny blurted out, JANIE but Daddy said, THERE ONCE was a little blue parakeet, Chip "Shh, Johnny, please pass the baked potatoes!" per. He used to make a lot of noise in the dining That night after Janie had gone to bed, very happy, room where his cage hung, by hopping, chirp and Alice and Johnny were in their pajamas, their ing, and pecking at his cuttlebone. And then some father sat down in his big chair and put them on his thing happened to Chipper. He got sick. He stopped lap. "I am glad to see," he said, "that you understand eating and huddled on his perch. One day he fell over so well about bodies being buried in the earth and sideways and died. He didn't hop or peck or chirp souls going to heaven." any more, and the cage in the dining room seemed "Janie doesn't," said Johnny quickly, (a bit jealous very quiet. The children buried him under the earth of the amount of attention Janie had attracted during and leaves in the garden. the past week.) But every morning when nobody was watching, "No," said their father, "But she is more right Janie, who was four, would go to the garden and dig about parakeets than you think." him up. And she would come to the breakfast table "We are right about people," said Alice. and say, "But she is right about Chipper," said Daddy, "you "CHIPPER IS STILL THERE." can always get another blue parakeet, just the way She was waiting of course, for him to go to heav when flowers die in the fall the seeds grow more en. Alice who was the oldest child in the family, said, flowers in the spring." "Janie, you don't understand,—Chipper's body won't "But the flowers are different flowers," Alice said, go to heaven,—his soul will."* "The same ones don't grow up the next fall." "He just leaves his body here," said Johnny, "be "And our new Chipper is not the old Chipper." cause he's through with it." But Janie's round brown added her brother. eyes just looked at the other children and their fa "That's true," said Daddy, "but it doesn't make so ther and mother sitting around the table, and the much difference in animals and birds as it does in next morning she would come in from the garden and people, because Chipper was born for a different rea say, son than you were. He was born to be a pet and live "CHIPPER IS STILL THERE." in a cage." "Daddy," said Alice, "How are we going to stop her "Flowers are born to make things pretty." said from digging up Chipper's old body every day?" Alice. "But why are people born?" Daddy whispered something to Alice and Johnny "To learn about the little Lord Jesus, born away in and added, "If you will do that, I will surprise you to a manger, and to learn the difference between good night." Daddy went off to work and after lunch and bad, and to be good on purpose," Daddy answer when little Janie was taking jher nap, Alice and ed. Johnny went to the garden with their small shovels In the dining room, happy in his new home, the and moved Chipper's body to a different place, under new Chipper began to sing and whittle away at the a big, scratchy raspberry bush where Janie would cuttlebone. "I think he's awfully pretty," said Alice, never go. "But I have a feeling Daddy is right: I don't think At suppertime Daddy came home and called, "Oh Chipper could understand a story in his head about Janie, will you go see if Chipper is still there?" Jesus in the manger ... or that he could be good Then after Janie had trotted off, important in her on purpose, the way we are." red overalls, Daddy went out to his car and came "You mean sometimes," said Johnny. Then the back into the dining room with a cardboard box children went to bed while their father covered the which had holes punched in it. Johnny and Alice new Chipper's birdcage for the night. jumped up and down when they saw him open it and put a new, blue parakeet in the birdcage, and then they ran over and hugged him.

• Doctrinairians, persevere to end of story.

108 THE NEW-CHURCH MESSENGER CONDUCTED BY THE BEV. LOUIS A. DOLE FOB THE 8WEDENB0BG FOUNDATION

ARCANA CLASS I—April. 1956 Testimony as to this power of the Volume XH, 10591—10683 Word to reach all people is the April ever-increasing number of copies 1- 7 10591—10608 printed. No other book ever ap 8-14 10609—10632 proached it in this respect. Today 15-21 10633—10648 it is just as living as when its first truth; and also that salvation and 22-30 10649—10683 chapters were given thousands of eternal life are from Him," can re The Bible story in this month's years ago. It will never become ceive enlightenment. reading is the giving of the second "out of date," but will continue to 10640. Care must be taken against two tables of stone after Moses had give forth greater light through all appropriating any teaching that broken the first tables. Spiritually future ages. That is because it is a supports what is evil. interpreted it tells how revelation living Book; the Lord is in the 10661. "All good that a man has followed men down to reach them midst of it. "Let the Lord, I pray, from the Lord is given him by in their lowest states. go in the midst of us." Just as the truth." We read in Isaiah lv, "For my affections and thoughts are the thoughts are not your thoughts, man, so the Divine affections and ARCANA CLASS H—April. 1956 neither are your ways my ways, thoughts that are within the letter Volume VH. 5633—5727 saith the Lord." There must be of the Word are the Lord. "In the April some means by which the Lord can beginning was the Word, and the 1- 7 5633—5651 make Himself known to men, that Word was with God, and the Word 8-14 5652—5671 there may be conjunction with was God." Children love to hear 15-21 5672—5702 Him, for He is the source of life the Bible stories, for the Lord is 22-30 5703—5727 and without this conjunction men present with them as they hear or The forty-third chapter of Gen would perish. So there has always read them. Even those who hold esis tells of the return of the sons been a revelation adapted to the the Word in contempt are indebted of Jacob to Egypt bringing Ben capacities of men to receive it. For to it for whatever orderly life they jamin with them. They are fearful the Divine Love and Wisdom can have, for the fundamental precepts as to how they will be treated. not be immediately received. This of the Decalogue are incorporated Joseph receives them kindly and is true of the revelation to the Most in the laws of the society in which prepares a feast for them, but does Ancient Church as well as of those they live. In the explanation of not make himself known to them. to the succeeding Churches. The the words "And called, Jehovah, The Jewish Church was a repre Ancient Church had a written Jehovah, God, merciful and gra sentative of a church. A church Word adapted to its needs. The cious" we are told that the Word has no real existence except as it opening chapters of our Bible are was given in its present form from is embodied in individuals. The taken from that Word. Apart from the Divine love and mercy toward Jews of Jacob's day were a very this the Word that we have today all mankind. In its internal mean external people, and the Lord could is different in its letter from the ing it tells how He deals with us be with them only as they kept Ancient Word. It is adapted to the in whatever state of life we may outwardly the commandments, states of natural men, written in be. statutes, and precepts given them language that they can in some Notes through Moses and the prophets. measure understand. "The external 10591-10596. A remarkably clear The letter of Scripture testifies to this, and the Lord when on earth of the Word is the sense of the let statement of the internal and ex ter." The second tables were giv ternal man and of the nature of the spoke of them in the same manner. Yet we need to remember that all en because men had become wholly resurrection. natural and the inner planes of their the Apostles were Jews. Today 10602. A good statement of just anti-Semitism is under condemna minds were closed. In Matthew how the representative church xxix, 8 we are told that the Old tion among enlightened people, but among the Jews could serve to we should not let any popular Testament was given through Mos keep the connection of mem on es in its particular external form trend blind us to facts. Every na earth with the heavens and with tion by its own choices over the because of the hardness of their God. hearts. When clothed in this most years has developed shortcomings 10603. The Temple was built at external form the Word reaches as well as virtues. Evils and falsi Jerusalem and the people were men in. all states of life. So it was ties are harmful wherever they are commanded to go there to worship commanded, "Hew thee two tables found and need to be pointed out. in order to keep them from falling of stone like the former ones, and A Rabbi who is a reader of Swe- into the worship of the gods of the I will write upon the tables the denborg said recently that when he Gentiles among whom they dwelt. words that were upon the former first read the condemnation of the 10624. On religious errors. Note tables." Though the external form Jews in the Arcana, he was angry particularly the last sentence. of the Word would be different, its and put the book down. But he internal meaning would remain the 10637. External rites and cere later took it up again, and when he same. In one sense the Word we monies were abrogated by the Lord found that Swedenborg said just as have is more marvelous than pre when He came on earth. harsh things about Christians, both vious revelations, for it can meet 106382. Those who acknowledge the Protestant and Catholic, he felt the needs of all men, not only the chief precepts of the Word, name better about it. wise and good but even the wicked. ly, "that they should not acknowl One of the most obvious impres It has reached and converted even edge any other God than the Lord sions one gets from the literal story savages. and that from Him is all good and under consideration is that of the

MARCH 31, 1956 109 fear of bondage which almost over loss. Read 5647 and 5660 carefully. tion." We are created in His im whelmed the sons of Jacob. Spir Notes age, and we cannot think of Him itually the reading treats of the 5639. "The spiritual is the very af except as possessing in an infinite subjection of the external mam* to fection of good and truth for the degree those capacities and quali the internal, or of the natural to sake of good and truth, and not for ties which are in us in a finite de the spiritual. This is the process the sake of self, and also the affec gree. All our facilities are from of regeneration: from natural men tion for what is just and fair for Him. we are to become spiritual men. the sake of what is just and fair, 57711 ff. On diseases. All things Regeneration involves a change in and not for the sake of self." have a spiritual origin and cause. the aims of life. Instead of living 5648. "The internal sense is espec The natural world exists and sub for self and the world we must, if ially for those who are in the other sists from the spiritual. Diseases we are to become regenerate men lite." That this internal sense is have a spiritual cause. When, how and women, learn to have regard also for men is stated forcefully ever, a disease comes into outward to "the neighbor, the public, the in the closing sentences of this existence, it may become a cause church, the Lord's Kingdom, and number. in itself in a lower sphere. Hence thereby to the Lord Himself" 5658. Am important statement con diseases may become contagious. (5660). How many today are cerning the golden, silver, copper, 5717. "Such spirits as had slain "afraid" to join a church, thinking and iron ages, and also the age of whole armies." We read in the that they will have to give up what clay. Word of an "angel" destroying is most dear to them! They feel 5663. It was the Divine Human that armies, and in some instances of that they will come under bondage. the Ancient Churches worshiped. soldiers turning against each other. Indeed the self life must be given This number emphasizes the neces This number shows that the "an up but, unknown to them, this will sity of a right idea of God, of think gel" used was an evil spirit inspir bring freedom and not bondage. ing of Him as the Divine Man. "For ing terror and madness. All good and truth and all happi if we think of the Divine Itself the 5718. The principle here mention ness come from the Lord alone. If thought falls as it were into a ed—"Divide and conquer"—is one we give up selfishness, we gain un boundless universe, thus is dissi of the recognized methods of com selfishness—a gain rather than a pated, whence there is no conjunc- munism in the world today.

THOUGHTS FOR EASTER THE FINAL JUDGMENT Have you ever thought how the Lord used their efforts for His and the keenly the Lord disappointed the purposes, is another story. CONTINUATION earthiy hopes of His Disciples? And The New Church has a new in by have you realized that all the New terpretation of Scripture which Emanuel Swedenborg Testament literature, Epistles, Gos overturns many of the cherished pels and Acts was written to prove traditions of both Christians and Rotch Edition 1955 Reprint that in spite of difficulties and ap Jews. The teachings of the New Paper bound 156 pages pearances to the contrary, Jesus Church unfold a great deal about Fifty cents was the Messiah, the Christ, The the Lord's inner life so that we can Anointed One? To believe this re understand something of how the MASSACHUSETTS quired a new interpretation of the Lord glorified His Human Nature Scriptures which all Jews held as and made it Divine so that ever NEW CHURCH UNION sacred and true. The Lord gave since His life on earth He can be 134 Bowdoin St, Boston 8. Mass. the first lesson of this interpreta with us as He never could before, tion of the Scripture in Luke 24:25- because He has lived through and 27 and 44-48, but it does not tell conquered all the evils that could just how He interpreted. ever attack a human being. THE CAUSE OF THE It is not the usual thing in his Thus the New Church has an in NEW CHURCH tory to consider a man great who terpretation of Scripture that is lets himself be put to death by his different from the ordinary and This pamphlet, defining the enemies without even allowing his the usual "Christian" interpreta Convention's position on the followers to fight for him. Also, tion of Scripture. The Messiah Bible and the Theological the idea which even good Jews which the New Church proclaims Works, is available without might get of the Messiah from the in His Second Coming is as differ charge. Write: Law and the Prophets, their Scrip ent from the Christ the Funda The New Church Book ture, was quite different from the mentalist Christian expects as Je Center person they saw in Jesus of Naz sus of Nazareth was different from areth. The "Day of Jehovah" was the Messiah the Jews hoped for 2129 Chestnut Street, often described by the prophets in and could be led by some of their Philadelphia 3, Pa. language which did not suggest the Scripture to expect. miracles of healing and the day by The literature of the New day teaching of Jesus of Nazareth. Church, given through Sweden- The great effort of all the writ borg, explains a Messiah Whom Money For Your Treasury ers of the New Testament was to men and women of our own day OVER 1,500,000 SUNFLOWER DISH CLOTHS explain that Jesus was the prom and age can accept, if they know Were sold in 19SS by members of Sunday ised Messiah and confirm it by enough about what the New Schools, Ladles' Aids, Young People's Scripture. The Epistles do this by Groups, etc. They enable you to earn Church has to offer and are willing money for your treasury, and make expounding a religious system, to accept the new interpretations friends for your organization. the Gospels do this by a straight of Scripture the New-Church Sample FREE to an Official forward account of the life and teachings make necessary. SANGAMON MILLS works of Jesus of Nazareth. How Cornelia H. Hotson. Established 1915 Cohoes, N. Y.

110 THE NEW-CHURCH MESSENGER has generously supported the Dark Hammock, spring production, Southeastern Association's broad of the Alpha Omega players, San casting for some years, has made a Diego Society. April 28 will be gift to the Association of $1600. opening night. Everyone likes to hear about Calorie watchers, better not join weddings, especially New-Church the Kenwood Society in Chicago, weddings, and there are two of who ate their way through Sun them on the next page. Mr. De day. Mar. 18. Dinner was served Mars, the groom of Feb. 25, is in at The Swedenborg Centre follow the U.S. Naval Air Service and is ing the morning worship service. stationed at Cecil Field in- Florida. Next came the regular business He and his bride will have an meeting of the parish, and then apartment at 4250 Melrose Ave., everyone was invited to a snack at Jacksonville. The other newly- the new home of Mr. and Mrs. Vin NEWS By Carol Lawson weds, the Frank Vincents, will live cent Ewald. in .their attractive home on Squirrel Immortality and the distinctive Hill in Pittsburgh, 1919 Murray features of New-Church teachings The famous father of Lesley Beth Ave.; Louise Vincent, (then Louise about it, was the theme of th> Rev. Alexander, who was baptized re Dally), was surprised at the Feb Harold R. Gustafson's talk, Mar. 11, cently in the Wayfarers' Chapel, ruary Ladies' Aid meeting by the at one of the Lenten Sunday Eve (see Baptisms), is none other than grand finale, when the ladies aided ning talks—a project of the South Ben Alexander who co-stars with the bride-to-be with a shower of ern Area Council—at the Elmwood, Jack Webb as Frank Smith in Mass., Church. Dragnet. Mr. and Mrs. Smith were gifts. Everyone likes to hear about ba There will he a New-Church married in the Church of the New bies too, especially Student Min camp again this summer at Green Jerusalem, San Francisco, and, ac isters' babies, and one of those ar Pastures, the sheep farm of Miss cording to the Rev. Kenneth Knox, rived, Feb. 23, to Paul (and Pat) Serena Dandridge. have a "deep appreciation of our Zacharias, Elmwood, Mass. He was The new Cherry Park Church, religious concepts." given a warm welcome, all 7 lbs. Portland, Ore., which held its open The ministers of the New York, and 14 ounces of him, and the name ing service Dec. 4, was dedicated Pennsylvania, and Maryland Asso of Matthew PauL Mar. 4, by the President of Con ciations met in the Wilmington, Everything sounds well organ vention, the Rev. Franklin H. Del., Church, Mar. 5. This was a ized at the El Cerrito Hillside Blackmer. The week-end was a busy month for the Wilmington, Church, California, where Sunday, festive one beginning with the Fri minister and his family, the Ernest Mar. 4, all functions had fine func day night reception of Mr. Black O. Martins, for the following week tionaries: Candlelighters were Ter mer, which was high-lighted by Mrs. Martin's birthday was cele ry Husa and David Pillsbury, a play written by Mr. E. A. Hob- brated Mar. 12, their fourth child Greeters were Mr. and Mrs. El son, A Message from Swedenborg. and second daughter was born Mar. Ellsworth Seibert, and Ushers were Saturday evening open house was 13, and Mr. Martin was scheduled Alfred Bateman, Lloyd Delahaye, held at the parsonage by the Rev. to depart from New England Mar. Charles Foster, and E. Ellsworth and Mrs. Calvin E. Turley with Mr. 14, for meetings of the Commission Seibert. Blackmer as the guest of honor. on Religious Education and the La Porte will be a nice place to Mr. Turley graduated from theNew- Board of Managers of the Theo be in during June, for it lies in the Church Theological School during logical School. But he had to be midst of several pleasant lakes and Mr. Blackmer's presidency of that back in Wilmington, Mar. 16, for Lake Michigan is only 12 miles institution. The Cherry Park bul the annual meeting of the Wil letin says, mington Society! away. We sympathize, and San Diego "Rev. Blackmer past President of A special meeting of the Detroit dwellers can feel complacent, at the New-Church Theological School Society was called for Mar. 19. this wistful note in the Boston has closely followed the construction This was expected to be the final Church's bulletin: "Can Spring be and development of our Church. move before building operations Far Behind?" The bulletin then Through his sympathetic interest our on the upper part of the church goes on to ask for plant cuttings, requests for financial assistance have commence. bulbs, house plants, and seeds for been successfully steered through Mr. and Mrs. Al Esser, arranged Spring Garden Day, April 27, pro committee at the national level of our for free tickets to be Ice Capades ceeds of the sale to be used for church. We feel deeply grateful to for the children of the St. Louis the renovation of the Sanctuary. Rev. Blackmer for his part in bring Sunday School. The children es Oh, that long New England winter! ing the vision of Cherry Park Church corted by teachers and parents A near-fatal accident on St. Val into reality and we anxiously look spent a glorious afternoon' at the entine's Day had a happy ending. forward to having him with us on this ice show, Mar. 3. Mr. Clarence Wiebe, North Battle- historic occasion." Indications are that the St. Pe ford Society, Canada, who was so From Japan the Brockton Socie tersburg Society may need a larger seriously injured in a highway col ty welcomed back Mr. Warren Rich place of worship in the near future, lision that it was reported to his and his Japanese bride, Hideko, so that the Southeastern Associa family at first that he had died, is better known as Jackie. They were tion has opened a building fund, of going' to fully recover, soon! . .. presented with an electric percola which Mrs. Chas. H. Kuenzli is Incidentally, North Battleford has tor from the Society. Mr. Rich has treasurer, and the St. Petersburg been chosen tentatively as the site returned from three years of army Society itself has started such a for a one week experimental camp duty, two of which were in Japan. fund for which Mrs. Leslie Mar next summer, a Canadian Frye- This same church had two of its shall will receive contributions. . . burg. regular 11 a.m. services broadcast J. C. Williams, Richmond, Va., who Ethel Swanton is the director of over WBET in recent weeks.

MARCH 31, 1956 111 Justice Stearne was educated in the public schools of Philadelphia, later en Births, Baptisms, Weddings, Memorials tering the Law School of the University of Pennsylvania from which he was graduated cum laude in 1005. He practiced law in Frankford and Philadelphia until BIRTHS Vincent-Dally.—Louise Dally and appointed to the Orphans Court of Phila Lundberg—Born to Mr. and Mrs. Merle Frank Vincent, Pittsburgh, were married delphia in 1027, an appointment confirm Lundberg, Los Angeles, a son, Michael Feb. 29, in the New Jerusalem Christian ed by election for a ten-year term the Church, Pittsburgh; the Rev. Leon C. Allen. same year, and renewed again in 1937. Hodgeson.—Born, Feb. 11, to Mr. and Le Van officiating. From this bench he was elected in 1942 Mrs. Ken Hodgeson (Anna Wiebe), Sas De Mars-Brown.—Marlow Charles De to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, on katoon, Sask., a son, Scott Andrew. Mars, Jacksonville, Florida, and Sarah which he served until his decease. Freeman. — Born Feb. 15 to Mr. and Louise Brown, Wickford, Rhode Island, Justice Stearne carried his New- Mrs. James Freeman (Leslie Washburn), were married at the home of the bride, churchmanship into a great number of ac Boston, Mass., a son, Curtis Edwards. Feb. 25, 1956; the Rev. Harold R. Gustaf- tivities outside his Church, activities Lindquist.—Born Feb. 15, to Mr. and son, Bridgewater, Mass., officiating, as which made him a man much sought aft Mrs. N. R. Lindquist (Carol Walker), sisted by the Rev. Harold J. Friend, Wick er for advice and counsel. In addition to Bath, Maine, a daughter, Meredith. ford. Church and bar associations, he was ac Perry.—Born Feb. 18, to John C. and tive in the general work of his communi Anne (Brooks) Perry, a daughter, Laur MEMORIALS ty: the Union League, Frankford Hos en Rae. The grandparents are Mr. and Churchill.—Forest White Churchill, 60, pital, University Club, Sons of the Ameri Mrs. F. Gardiner Perry and Mr. and Mrs. Bridgewater, Mass., died at his home, Feb. can Revolution—to mention but a few. Milton Brooks, all of Needham, Mass. 20, 1956. He was the husband of Amy He was a 33rd degree Mason and active Zackabias.—Born, Feb. 23, to Mr. and Churchill, and a brother of F. Loring in the local Blue Lodge. Justice Stearne Mrs. Paul Zacharias, Elmwood, Mass., a Churchill, West Dennis, Mass. is survived by his wife, a sister Mrs. son, Matthew Paul. Mr. Churchill was born in Brockton, Hyatt.—Born, Mar. 5, to Mr. and Mrs. the son of Fred and Lillie (White) Marian Marriott, a daughter Mrs. Dorothy Kent Hyatt, Wilmington, Del., a son, Col- Churchill. He attended Brockton schools M. Starkey, and three grandsons. lin Glenn. and Wentworth Institute, Boston. He was Resurrection services were held in Martin.—Born, Mar. 13, to the Rev. first employed as a plumber in Bridge- Philadelphia on Friday, March 2; the Rev. and Mrs. Ernest O. Martin, Wilmington, water in 1915, and began his own business Willard D. Pendleton, Bryn Athyn, of Del., a daughter, Rachel van Rensselaer. in 1949. He served in the Navy during ficiating. World War I from 1917 to 1919. He was L. I. T. BAPTISMS a life member of Paul Revere Masonic Eide.—Lila, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lodge, Brockton; a member of Bridge- Harold Eide, Venice, Calif., baptized, Feb. water Post American Legion; the Bridge- COLLECT STAMPS? 5, at the San Francisco New Church; the water Men's Chorus; and the Brockton Help Your Missions Too Rev. Othmar Tobisch officiating. Society of the New Jerusalem Church. Try our Famous Mission Mixtures Caldwell—Elizabeth Joleen, daughter Although he was very active in the New Worldwide accumulations. Only two of Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Caldwell, San Church in Bridgewater, he always re kinds. U. S. only, $1.00; All-World, Francisco, baptized, Feb. 12, at the San tained his membership in Brockton. $1.00 Postpaid. Rich in old, new, Francisco New Church; the Rev. Othmar Services were held in the Bridgewater commems., airs, etc. Large lots off- Tobisch, grandfather of the child, officiat New Church February 23; the Rev. Har on paper. Big variety. ing. old R. Gustafson, Pastor of the Bridge- MISSIONS STAMP OUTLET Alexander.—Lesley Beth, daughter of water Society, officiating. Rev. Leslie Marshall, xngr. Mr. and Mrs. Ben Alexander, baptized, Stearne.—Allen M. Stearne, Justice of Box 386, St Petersburg 1, Fla. Feb. 26, in the Wayfarers' Chapel, Por the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, tuguese Bend, Calif.; the Rev. Kenneth passed into the higher life from Hahne- W. Knox officiating. mann Hospital, Philadelphia, Feb. 28. Edson, Gowen.—Kevin Bruce Edson, Of English heritage (he was a descend son of Bruce and Barbara Edson, Elm- ant of Laurence Sterne, author of Tristans PERRY wood, Mass., and Wendy Lynne Gowen, Shandy1) the family came to America in KINDERGARTEN daughter of Willard and Constance Go 1765 and settled in Frankford (Phila NORMAL SCHOOL wen, Elmwood, were baptized, Mar. 4, delphia). His grandfather, Thaddeus ESTABLISHED 1898 in the Elmwood New Church; the Rev. Stearne, was among the earliest members Edwin G. Capon officiating. of the New Church. His grandfather, his Students upon graduation at the father, Edwin Stearne, and Justice Stearne end of three years' training are pre pared for teaching in nursery WEDDINGS himself were all officers of the Frankford school, kindergarten and primary Lecedf-Pocock.—A quiet double ring Society of the New Jerusalem during grades. ceremony was solemnized at the home of their adult years—the Justice being pres Graduates of Perry Normal may the Rev. and Mrs. Henry Reddekopp, ident and Honorary President up to his obtain their B.S. degree in Educa Saskatoon, Feb. 18, when Helen Rosina decease. tion through College credits al Pocock became the bride of Paul Ens His larger church affiliations are well lowed and attendance at College summer school sessions. LeCerf; the Rev. Henry Reddekopp offici known to many members of Convention. ating. Mr. LeCerf is a grandson of the Serving repeatedly on our General Coun Send /or catalog late Mr. Gerhard Ens. cil, he helped to shape the policies and Mrs. H. H. Jones, Principal Wong-Tong.—Cary Wong and Gloria manage the finances of Convention. In F. Gahmneb Pebhy, Manager Tong were married in the presence of addition he was for many years a Trustee 815 Boylston Street, Room M over one hundred guests, Feb. 26, in the of our Building Fund and active on our Boston 16, Mass. San Francisco New Church; the Rev. Committee on the Conservation of Church Othmar Tobisch officiating. property.

112 THE NEW-CHURCH MESSENGER