F w-elphick-outline-notes-the-general-church-the-hague-position-alpha-ladybrand-ofs-south africa-1939

OUTLrNE NOTES

CONCERNING

THE AGREEMENT AND DIFFERENCES

BETWEEN

,.
THE GENERAL CHURCH "

AND

THE HAGUE POSITION"

Based upon, and supplementary to, Lectures given

to the Native Ministers of the General Church

Mission in South Africa, at the

va rious 1'1 ission Sta tions.

DECEMSER. leSe-JUNE. 1939,

BY

REV. F. W. ELPHICK.
MISSION SUPERINTENDENT.

PUBLISHb:D BY TH"~ AlITHOR,

Printed By

The General Church of the New J erusalem.

(Mission in South Ah'ica)

Alpha, Ladybrand, O. F. S.

NOTE

fiDe Hemelsche Leer,' '-uf which the English equivalent
is "The Heavenly Doctrine"-is the name of the journal
published by those favouring the new doctrinal position.
The "Fascie/es" referred to in the text arf' extracts
from this journal translated into English.

PREFACE.

These ûlitline notes are the reslilt of a request by the
Ministers and Leaders of" The General Church " Mission in
South Africa, to have the two sides of the recent controversy
presenced to them.

This treatise, however, is not intended to be an exhaustive
one; but it is hoped that the brief analysis made, may he of
use to those who are trying to understand the Crowning
Revelation.
F. W. E.
"Alpha," Laclybrand,
O.F.S.
August. 1939.

CONTENTS,

PAG~:

1. THE DOCTRINAL AGREEMENT, 1

II. THE ESSENTIAL DIFFERENCE
THE FIRST THESrS OF De Hemelsâll! Lcl'r. , . 2

TIl. 'l'HE SECmW THESIS OF DI' f{rmdscl1f l.ecr. . . 20

IV. THE 1'HIRD THESTS OF 1)(' Hemelsclie Le('I'. . 2

V. THE U SE OF THE TERM ,. DIVINE." . 36

VI. HUMAN GOOD AND HUMAN TRUTH. 48

VII. CONCLU DING REFLECTIONS. .' .. 52

OU'TUNE NOTES CONCERNING THE AGREEMENT

AND DIFFERENCES BE:TWEEN "THE GENERAL

CHURCH" AND "TITE HAGUE POSITION."

1.

THE DOCTRINAL AGREEMENT.
Ailhough the followillg notes will be chieny concerned
with the differences between "The Genel'al Chllrch" and
''The Hague Position" in the interpretalion of a number of
doctrines given in the Yritings of the New Church; yet
it is usefu!, in the first place, '10 oulline the ngreemenl of
faith existing between the two secticms concerned. Such
agreement, we suggest, may be expressed in the following
bI'Ïef statements:-
Bolh groups hel ieve:
1. That God is One in Essence and in Pel'son, in
Whom is the Divine Trinity of Fathet, S:m, and
Ho!y Spirit.
2. That the Lord came into the worlel to glorify His
Human, and thus redeem the human rncc.
3. That al! are saved who bclieve in Him and keep
His Commandments.
4. That is, ln other words, bolh acknowledge the
Faith of the New ChUl'ch in ils Universn! and
Particular fonns, as given in "The 'l'l'Ile. Christi:)]}
Religion" in numbers 2 and 3 of Ihat ·work.
5. Both sections believe in the 'rrhree Essentials of
The Church," namely:
1. An admowleclgmcnt of the Divine of (he
Lore!.
2. An acknow1l'dgmC'nt of the !wlincss of the
Ward. '
3. The lire which is called charity. (D.P.25Û/:3)
6. Bo th hclieve in:
1. The Divine Aulhority of lhe SCl'ipluJ'C's
(Aecording 10 the CanoI) in A.C. 10.32;»).
2. The Divine Authorily of the Theologien!
Wrilings of Emanuel SWC'dC'llhorg.
1

2

II.
THE ESSENTIAL DIFFERENCE.
THE FIRST THESIS OF DE HEMELSCH E LEER.

In examining the differcnces, it js neccssary to have weIl
jn mind the PRINCIPLES of both groups as cxpresscd
by each group officially and in prinl.
The first and essenlial diffcrence is found hy comparing
"The Faith" of "The General Church," [lS expressed in the
official pamphlet, published by that body, Vith the First of
the Tinee Leading Theses of De H emelsche Leer, as found
on several of the tiUe pflges of the English Fascieles.
These read:-
THE GENERAL CHURCH. THE HAGL E POSITION.
The Sacrild Scripture is the The Writings of Emanuel
Ward of God and the Divine Swedenborl{ are the Th i l' d
Truth. It has a spi ri tua 1 Testament of the Word of the
sense within the literaI sense,
Lord. THE DOCTRINE OF THE
and is given for the use of
ange1s and men. The Lord NEW JERUSALEM UONCERN-
has made His Second comillg ING THE SACRED SCRIPTURE
by means of a man, His Ser- must be opplied to the thl'ee
vant, Emanuel Swedenborg, Testaments alike. (lst of the
before whom He manifested Three Leading Theses; back
Himself in Person, and whom of Title Page, De Hemelsche
he filled with HiM spirit to
teach the Doctrine of the New Lee1', 3rd-6th Fascicles; Feb.
Church, through the W ord 1932-Aug. 1936.)
from Him. In the doctrine
sa revealed, the Lord appears On Page 80 (1st Fascicle) it
as the W ord to establish on is also s t a t '3 d: "Thil t the
ea l'th a New ChI' i s t i a n Writings are the Word may
Chur0h, which is signjfied by now for the first t i 111 e be
the New J erusalem in the rationally ullderstood in par-
Apocalypse, and which is to
ticulars C10W that it appearR
be the crown of ail the Chur-
ches which have hitherto in particulars that the Doc-
been in the world." trine concerning the Sacred
(Extract from .. ASta temen t Scripture must be oppli('d to
of the Order and Organization the ln without difjerea,ce Qnd
of the UêneraTChurch ortne reserve."
:N ew JëriïSâlem' I)"y th'eTa te
Bishôp-N. D. Fendleton, Bryn
Athyn, .B'en. 1925, revised,
amended and reprinted 1935.)

fl

Nutes on tlte ubulJe naliled DiJ/erence8.
The fkst essential difference arises in Ihe use and appJii
cation of the term WaRD.
"Are the Wrilings the Word?" has b('en a cOI1tI',wersial
maltel' for the past one hundred and sixtY years.
ln 1875 the "Academy of the New Church" to:)k a firm
sland on the Divine Allthority of the Writings, and in
deveJoping a slrong affirmative attitude to [haC Divine
Authol'ity, 'the concept thal Ihe Writings wel'e, and ShOilid
be regarded "as the Word" became more fjrmly estahlished.
Later. when 'The General Church" wasfonned. and the
"Academ,y" conCined to cducalional uses wilhin the Chnrch
(see note helow) * the phrase "The Wl'itings are the Worel"
became of common usage. Note, however, the very CUl'erU}
1lhrasing in the pamphlet just quoted, namely: "In the
Doctrine so revealed, the Lord appears as tlze l'o{'d, to
establish on earth a new Christian Church."
Note. too, "the (lhrasing of the cl'eed in the GC'nernl
Churdl LiIUl'gy: (See Gencl'al Offices Nos. 1-7. ~
"1 believe ln the Sacred Scriptures, the Word of
Goel, the Fountain of 'Wisdom, the Source of 1ife aI1V
the way to heaven."
"1 beJieve in the S2cond Coming .of Ihe LOI·el. in
the Spiritual Sense of the Vot'd, and in the Heavenly
Doctrine of the New Jcrusalem."
Berc we nole that nlthollgh the Wrilings are regnl'ded
"as the Word," yet distinction is made between (hem ane(
the Script ures, wÎlich in Chri~tian lands and by the
WriLings thcmselves, are called THE WaRD OF GOD.
But the Hague School devel,~ps a furlher dedllcl:ion and
emphasis. Without nny consielel'a1ion of othel' teachings
in the Writings, the Hague School l,lkcs it LI' g('[lnted ihat
THE WRITINGS ARE THE WaRD, and then applies 10
them "without elifferenec and l'ese-rvc" what the Wrilings

;, .. The Academy of the New Caureh is a body of the ehureh organized
under the laws of the State of Pennsylvania" for the pnrpose of propagat
ing the Heavenly Doctl-ines of the New Jerusa!em, prolllot.ing edücation
ill ail its various forms, cducating young men for the ministry, puhlishillg
books, pamphlct.s and othrr prinlcd matter, and establishing a libr>1ry."
These uses of the Academy are now bein~ conducted at Bryn AthYII,
PennFlylvania." (Ordcr and Or,.:auization of the Gp.nera! Chnrch, Page 7. )

4

state about lhe Scriptures. Bence the sUllement "The
Doctrine of the New Jcrusalem concerning the Sacred
Scripture, must be applied to the three Testaments alike;"
calling the Writings the Third Testament.
uU:, ihen is the First Thesis. lt is a premise. H is
a base bath of faith and of argument.

HOW IS THIS STEP ARRIVED AT?

If we tum to pages 77.-78 of the First Faseicle we find
this statement:
"We read further; "From this il may be denr lhnt
those who read the Word wilhout Doctrine are in
obscurily concerning al! truth. and that their mincis
arc wavering ane! unsetLled, prone to error, ànd n]so
fall into heresies, which lhey also cmbrnce, in Celse
the,)' are urged by favour al' authority, and thcir
repulation is not endangered. F or the W onl is to
l11e111 as a candiestick "iilhout ligiü :uid the.v sec
many things in the shnde, whercas they see hardly
anything, for the Doctrine alone is the lamp" (n.228)
ie T.C.R.-; here il dearly appears that thcy vho
read the Word ,,,ithout Doctrine, are in obscurily
as to ail truth. From Ulese few passngcs il m<l.,v be
evident that the Chureh cannat possibly intcriorly
,understand the Vriiings, unless it form for itsrlf
according toorcler a Doctrine which shall show it
the way. In further 'Confirmation we shaH now quolc
only one mDre passnge l'rom the same York, :1l1d,
in m'C1er to have this tI'uth speak sa mllc'h more clearlv
,YC shaH ('a eh lime where the words "the Ward"
occur, read "the Wrilings" instead: "1~he gcnuiJe
truth, which will belong to the Dcctrine, appears in
the sense of t!Je letter of the WRITINGS tJ Lhosc
only who arc in cnligblcllillcnt from the Lord. EJ1
lighlenmentcomes l'rom the Lord alone, and i.~ wiIJJ
[hase who love truths because they are ll'llths, and
malec thern to the uses of lire; Vith ethers there is no
cIilighlenrnent in the WRITINGS. These arc the"y
who are enlightened when they read Ih:' WR1T1NGS,
and ta whorn the WRITINGS arc lucicl and Irans

!)

parent. The WRI TINGS, tü lhem are llll:ic] :lllÛ
transparent hecause a sDirilual anc! cC'lcstial sense
are ln every parr of the WRLTINGS. ane! lhese senses
are in the light of Heaven; IherefOl-e lhe Lord, by
these senses and the light therdrom in1'lows into the
nalma[ sense of the WIUTINGS. and inlo the light
thereof in man. ,The COI1lrary is the case Vith those
who read the VRJTINGS from 1he doctrine oF a false
religion; but still more Vith them who confirm this
doctrine from lhe WRITINGS; wilh suèb the trulhs
of the WRITINGS are in the shade of nigh~, a ne] the
falsilies in lhe light of day. They read the truths hut
do not see them; and if they sec the shuc}ow of them,
the)" falsiry lhem. ConsequenUy their light in the
spirilual things of the Church heeomes mcrely natllral"
(n.431,232); il is not diffiClI1l ta sec in lhcse words
a Divine description of the state of those who read
the 'Wrilings wilhout the rational cO...!:lnilion of the
Dodrine of the Chnrch lhat the vVriling;; nre Ihe Worel
ilsclf; but just as in the Jirsl sta/.c, 'ovhich W;lS n:1tural,
and which ruled up to the presrnl, al! lire and
truc prosperily resulted from the c:~gnilion lba/. lhe
Wrilings are the Ward. so :il will aupear in the fu,l:urc
that the Chmch will j-îse ta ils second stale, which ,is
spiritual, only in sa far ~ adually :;œplies the
DOCTRINE OF TT-lE NEW JERUSALEM CON
CERNING THE SACRED SCRIPTUHE in aIl ils par
ticulars ta lhe Vriliugs"
lu lhe i"Dhird Fascicle, pages 130-132, wc also fincl sneh
.stalemcnts as the follo'ing:
"TIIESES:

1. The Writings are the Worel.
The Tl'tre Christian !?ell:(lir)rl, 226:
2. The Worcl witlJout· Jjoctrine is nn'il1tclligihle.
;i. The Word, in ils literaI sens(', COllSISls of pure
correspondences .
4. Spiritual and celeslial things lie hiclclcn in that
leUer.
5. The lelter serves as a hnsis, and spirilll;ll lhings
arc confirmer] Ihrrrin.

e

Ü. Divine lrnlhs in lhe leller are rarcly found un
coyere((.
7. Divine lrulhs are elolhed in app('arances of Il'Ull1.
8. These appearanecs are aceoll1111odtlled to lhe ap
prehension of the sim pic.
9. Some things appear ta be eonlractictory.
10. There is not a single contradiction in the Word
seen in spiritual light.
11. Such being the natme of thc Ward in th~ literaI
sense, il is very cvident that wjthOllt Doctrine
the Ward cannat possibly be lIndcrstord.
Bere wC' only quote 11 of the 32 statemcnts made, rel'er
ring the reader ta T.C.R. 227 to 233.. On2 shoulrl l'cac!
the enlire set.
Now this direct way of describing the nature of the
Wl'ilings, slaling thal they are "Ihe Ward" nnd then npply
ing Vhat the Writings teach about the Word---ll1c Scrip
tUi-cs-in the "Doctrine of the Sacred Scripllll',>"-~lIlrl
apply this ta the Writings "without d:ffcrence and l'l'serve"
needs ta be examined.
FirsLly. may we aller the subjcct malter or Ihe "Doctrine
of the Sucred Scripture" tlS givcn in the sever:Il work:> or
the Wrilings'! The orclinary rules of tllll ring <.ln <'Iuthor's
meaning forbid, Jel alone thc fael that we are altel"ing the
teaching of Divine Revelation. Who are we to do such a
thing!
But if wc do make the suggestcd change, what hnppens?
It immcdiately forccs lhe conclusions tlwt:
1. The Writings have a literai sense, likc Lhe Scriplurcs.
2. The Writings have a Naturnl. Spiritual and Celestial
sense, Iike Ihe Scriptures.
il. The Wl'itings al'e wl'illcn acc.orcling to "pllr,'" CC)l"
l'es pondcnces.
-1. The Wl'itings, witl10ut Doctrine, arc as a cHl1cllesUck
wilhollt lighL, and those wh.:> l'ead Lhe Writings
witllout Doctrine are in clarkness <18 10 ail lrlltl1.
The Hague position accepts lhe change nnd eont'il'ms
the allplicalion of what is said of the SCl'ipt11l"cS to the
Wl'ilings, and lhis "wilhout diffcrence and reserve." If
then, wc accept the PREMISE as :true and make it a base
of argument, we aecept the Dlitch School of thOllght. If

7

we do nolaccept Ihe premise and make it a base of argu,·
menL. wc do nol a (:r.cr>1 Ihe Hagne views. Ever)' olle is
free ta sec Ihe differenœ and in l'l'eedom. eilher aecept l;r
reject Ihe premiM!, according as Ihey,see the Irulh as given
in Ihe Writings Ihemselvt's. ft is cieal' Ihat if we aCCCIlC
Ihe premise,and mu'kc Lhe conclusion, wc are faccd wHh
a new mode of expGsilion, Concerniug Ihi.;; wc shall refer
10 ialer.
Here let us noIe how one is ta lI11clersland the term
"WORD" in the phrnse "The Wriling~ are Ihe 'lord."
IL is necessary la find out from the Wriiings the follow-
ing: -
1. How the Wrilings l'cfel' 10 lite Scriplul'l~S.
2. How lite Writings refel' La themselvcs. O.', piaced
in anoLher way, How dGes Swedenborg himsell' l'der
10 Ihe Doctrines of Ihe New .Jerllsaiel1l?
Consider Lhe lirsL propcsilion.
1. How do the Writin(j8 re/el' tn the 8criptU?'es.
The following arc a fc' quclalions ouI of m:lll.':
"1 have been laId how lhe Lord spoke wilh Ihe
propheLs Lhrollgh whem Ihe Word Vas given, H~ did
noL speak with Lhem as He did with Ihe an('i~llts. l>y
influx into Iheir inleriors" but IhrC'llgh sp;rits who Vere
senl La Ihem, whom He filled wilh His presence, and
thus inspircd wilh Ihe words whdl they dietatL'cl 10
Lhe prophels; sa Ihat it was Iwl infiux bul dicLaliiHl.
And as thc words came [orlll direcll)' from the Lcrd,
eaeh one was fi!led wilh Ihe Divine: 11lld cOlllains wilh-
ill it an inlernai sense. whidl is sLlch Ihal the ,ll,gels
of hensen underslnnd lhem in a henv,'llly and spiritual
sense, whcn men pcrce:ve them in a natlll'ni se;lse.
l'hus has Lhe L'ord conjoinecl heavcn and Ihe worlel by
mennsof Ihe Ward." (B.IT. 25-1.)
"As Ihe Lorel's Di"ine influx does néll stop l11i.!'n~·.
bul gocs on Lu ils ou[m~sls ... nnd fiS this micic!:c parI
Ulrough whic:h it passes is Ihe alJgcli,~ heavPIl, while
Ihe outmosl is in man. and as nothing can exisl un-
connectcd, it follows Ihat the conneclioll :1l1cl conjunc-
lion al' heaYCIl ,vith the hlllHall race is su ch Ihat
one Itas iLs permanenl exislen('c~ from tlte I)lhel ar,cl

R

th aL Lhe human l'ace apart from heavcn wonld he like
a ehain without a ho)k; and hC:1v('n wilhout Ihe
hUl11an race would be I:ke a hünse wiLheut l'oundalion.
nut man has so severed th:s connrcLion with heavcn
by Lurning his extrriors away from heaven and tllrn
ing them to Lhe worId and t~ s~1f hy mé'ans of his
love of self and of the worId, thel'eby sa wilhc!I'Hwing
himself, Lhat he no longer serves as a bnsis and
foundaLioll for heaven, thercfore Ihe Lord has pl""'idcd
a medium to serve in place of Lhis base and 1'ouurlalion
for heaven, and aiso for the conj llnction of heavcn
Vith man. This medium is the Wore!." (I-I.I-I. :lO4-5.
See aiso B.B. 306; A.C. 1775,1776; C.L. 128J
" ...... Heaven is in its wisd!Jm fl"Om Lhe Word when
il is being read by man, and ihc:1 aL the same lime
Lhe man is in 'conjunction wiLh hrav('n. "P') thls end
has s llch a Vord been gi ven ta m an. From t!lis iL
follows that if this medium Df conjunction were n' t
in Ihe world, conjuncLion with heflvcn would p~'r;sh,
and ViLh this conjunclion aH glod of the w,"I1 and
tmth of the underslanding in man." (A.C. 10542.)
'n'he Ward, beillg Divine, has not b('en wl'itlcn fol'
man only but also fJr the ange1s with man, in orc!el"
ihaL il might serve noL only for the us~ Lo thr iJuman
race, bul also for use in hcaven and that in this way
the Ward is a medium ul1iiil1g heawn w:th the earlh.
This union takes place by means of th~ r.hurr.h, ar.d
in fael by means 01' the Vard in Lhe chnrc!l, whicl1
is for the reasan that it is dislingnished l'l'nm al! other
wriling." (A.C. 2310.)
"The Lord speaks ViLh the man of the ,chureh
througll no other way than LhrougiJ the Ward But
the Lord spoke with Mcses and the Pro.phcls by a
living voice, in arder that the Ward might be pro~
mulgaled, and be su ch thal each amI aIl things have
an internai sense.;· (A.C. 10290.)
"IL iSDcrpetuai :carrespondences [hat make lhe "Nord
ho(y and Divine, for thus 'by ascenl the literaI sense
becomes sr>irilual, and Ihis even ta the Lord. where il
is Divine. This is inspiration." (A.C. 4373.)

9

(See also section in T.C.R. l'nLiLlcd "The Sacrccl
Scripture;" "The Four Doctrines;" (SeeLion on "The
Sacreel Scripture"); "The Vorel" as re'c rre cl 10 in
"The White Horse;" also A.C. 17H/-17ï/, 1869-18/0;
and A.E. 1065-1089.)
From snch passages we learn cunCC'rning 1he slrucl ure,
function, place ~U1d use of the ScripLurcs, callcd in lhe
VriLings "The Ward."
Turn, now, Lo the second proposition, namcly:

2. nôw t/w TrVriti/lfls re/er tu tlwm,selves.

:oLc such passages as the foll:nvillg:
" ... In order Lhat the True Christian Brl igi~H1 lJl ight
be manifested, it Vas absoluLply necessary that S::mlC
one shoulel be inLrocluceci iuto Lhe spiritual worlel, and
del'ive [rom Lhe mouth of the Lord genllitH' tnllh ont
of Lhe "Tord. l'Ile Lordcannot eniightcn an.'·on(~ ",ith
His light, unlcss He is approac:l1ed illlJ11ecliatdy :1l1cl
acknowledgcd as the Ged cf hcaven." (Invitation 38.1
"II has pleased the Lore! 10 prepare me fl'Ol11 my
earlicsl J'oulh ta 11erceive tlle Vircl, ancl r-h~ has
inLI'()c1uced me inLo the spiritual w n'IcI.. :md Jws ('11
JigIlLened me wilh the Ji.glil of Hi, Wonl m:rre pl'oxj:
maLeiy. }'rom this iL is manifesL that l'lis surp:'s<ses
ail mirac:lcs." (Invitation 5.). Sec <11so 4:3 <Incl 4'1.)
"Anyone may sec that th" ;poen~yps(' c:JlIcl 11('"pr
he eH)lainccl excC'J)t by the Lord nlone, fDr the single
words there contain a rc alla , which c()ulct neVCI' be
known ",jthout singlliar illusLra'i III and th li"; reve
lation. Whererore il has pleased the Lord tf) qpcn 10
me the slght of m.'" spirit and ,lo teach. DJ not bl'lieve.
therefore, thaL 1 hnw Laken anYlhing lherc~ l'rom my~
self. nor l'rom an~: angrl~ bu 1 frum ) ill~ Lord :ilom'.'
(:.R. Preface.)
" ... In pla{~e or mirades, there !las. aL this d.I)'. [a!;en
place a manifestation of Ihe L:Td IIil11sl'lr. an intro
mission inLo the Spiritual Tor/d and cilliglltl'llm:'nt
there by immccliale light from the Lord in sueh .things
as :lrr intprior Ihings of .the ('hm'ch. BII! chi:JIY the

lO

oDcnina of lhe sDirilual sense of lhe WOI'd in which
the Lord is in His own Di vine Light." (Cm"onis:
Miracles IV,)
"From lhese and many oLher lhings in llw Wont it
1S evident that the things which cxist in Lhe spiritwü
world appeared to many before and after the Lord's
Advent. Why wonder thal they shoulÜ' appear nuw
also, at the beginning of a church or at the dcscent
of the New Jerusalem from the Lord, out of heaven,"
(CL. 40,48.)
"In the New Church il is permilted lo enter with
the understanding and to penetrate aH its secre/s, ar.d
also to confirm them by means of the Word, T'his is
because its doctrines are continuous tnlths laid open
by the LOl'd by means of the Ward." (T.C.R. ,,)08.)
"For several years I have talked with spirils and
wllh angels; nor has aqy spirit dared 0' any angel
wished to tell me anything. still l~ss to instrucL me
about any matter in the Word; but I have b2en
taught by the Lord alone who was revealed to me."
(D.P. 135.) .
From the "Documents":
"When heaven was opened to me, I had first to
learn the Hebrew language as weIl as the correspond··
ences, according to which the whale Bible is wriUen.
which led me to read the Wortl of God many times;
and as God's Word is the source whence al! Lheology
must he derived, I was enable'd therehy to receive in
struction from the Lord, who is the Word." (DOCll~
ments 234.)
"[fhe style of the Word consisls altogelhcr of cor~
respendences, wherefore it is effective of immcdiatc
conjunction with heaven; but in doctrinal writings
thcre js a different style, which indeed has commulli
cation w1th heaven but Înediatelv." (Documents "2!J.4.)
~ 7.
"These writings of mine, concerning the New Jeru
salem,cannot be called prophecies but revelatians."
(Documents 229.)

11
"Why, fl'om being a philosopher, 1 have ]wen
chosen? Answer: The cause of this has been LhuL
the spiritual things which have been revealed at the
present day may be taught and undersLoocl nalurally
and rationally." (DocumenLs 232.)
Passages of the above namedéharactcl' could he lTIul
tiplied, but sufficient have been given to denole the slruc.
[Ure, function, place and 'use of 'the Doctrines of the New
Church revealed through the insLrumentality of Emanue[
.swedenborg, but from the Lord.
I-Iow, now, l'an we come to the conclusion that ":The
Vritings are Lhe Word." Only by slll1u!.1arizing a ron,..
victioll which has grown up in the New Church, par
ticularly in the "General Chureh." This summary cOllid
J'ead as follows:-
Since Divine iTruLh ean onl.v he givcn to men hy
Divine Revelation, and since Ihe HewlaLion given to
Emanuel Swedenborg was Tro/11 the Lord alone, and
not tram a man, therefore tfle Wrilings given .through
Swedenborg are a 'Div.ine Revelation whi2h contains
Divine il'ruLhand Divine Doctrine-or the Loret's 'Vord
Lo men. Since wliat pl'oceetls fl'om 'the 'Lord is Divine
Tl'uth. or His Vord. thereforc "'l'IlE' WriLings al'C the
Ward" by means of whieh the Lord's Second Coming
is made l(nown and the New Churdl rs(a[)ifshed.
Since the Vritinê, in sa manv words. nevel' l'ail thcll1" J
seh'es '11Ihe Worel," th(~rase~'The VrÙings are 'lbe
V6RI"'ls, i'ilrëüliLy, a derivaiive doe[rine. So t.hat when
thc Hague Sellool of thoughl C~}/11ll1encc w;th their
PHEMISE "The Wl'iLings al'e Lhe WoreL" Iheir ]);lse of
failh and of argumrnl is a clel'ived doclrine. And Lu
make oLher "derivalive" doctrines on a derived doctrine,
needs much thoughL and qualificaLion lest Lhe Nrw Church,
in her clevelopment of Doctrine, in the course of Lime,
departs from the true source of Doclrine. As an cx.ampk,
we have the wrilings of Paul. Tihesc 'are c1eriwcl doctrines.
based on the Lord's teaching, and yet the Chrislian Church
has taken more notice of them than il has of the Scrip,"
tures. Henee aH studcnts of Lhe New Church Doelrines,
Heecl ta be cautious iu the acceptance of theories and
views rrgflrcling lhe Writings.

LZ

The phl'ase, however, ''The Wrilings arc the Word" may
be used, providing we undcrslnnd lhe many phases of Ihe
tenu VORD, vhic:h the WriLillgs lhems~'lvC's disclose. For
the vVdlings make "differences" and the,Y make "reserve"
regarding lhat lerm, and the majority of G~'nzral Chnrch
ministers recognize those dislinctions. The Rev. Hugo
Odhner noies snch distinctiocs in his first revbw of "De
I-Iemelsche Leer" in the January "New Church Lire," for
1931, pages 26-41. ,T'be question ïs, then, HOW m"c wc
ta understand the use of the Lerm .WORD. Th3 Writings
use 1he term varionsly as:
1. "The Lord is the Vord" rLC.R. 203; D.P. lï2;
A.R. 820.)
2. "The Sacred Scripture is the Ward." (S.S. 1-7;
T.C.R. 189.:
3. "The Word is the Divine 'l'rnth I1sC'If." T,CR. HO,
HW, 224.)
4. "The "Vord is the Divine Proc:eeding.·' (D. L:;r<l 2)
5. "'Ille Ward is the doctrine of good." (A.C. 9780.)
6. 'The Word Ï..<; the iDivine Wisdom vf Ihc Divine Love."
(D. Lord 1.)
7. "The Word is the Doctrine of Divine Trulh." (A.E.
612. )
8. The Ward "specifically meant is the same Worel 1h:1I
was manifesLed by means of Mos~s, Ihe prophe!s and
the evallgelists." (D.Lord 2.)
9. -'The Ward of the Old Teslament; the Word of the
New lTestament." (A.R.1D3/5; A.C.2005, 2900.)
10. "Our iVord," (S.S. 105.)
11. "The Lerm "Ward" in the Hebl'ew language SIgnifies
various things, as speech, thought of the mind. every
thing that really exists and a1so something. (A.C. 4692,
2;,)33, 5075, 9987.) The Ward signifies the Dj'im~
TI"uth and the Lord. (A.C. 4692,507;'5.!HJ87.) Words
signify truths. (A.C. 4692, 5075.) They sigllify doe
trinals. (A.C.1288.) The teu words signify aU Divine
tmlhs. (A.C. 10,688.)" (Sec "White Hors~" 17.)

1:l

If then the term "Word" can cmbody such a vUl'Ïety of
meanings, itcan be used-if one pleases-to SD dcsignatlj
the Wrilings given through Swedenborg as w[1heWord."
For the "thought of the mind" expl'cssed in those WriLings
is not of man but of God. 1
y ct the thought so expressed in the Writings is doél rinal
and didactic, and it is necessary to see the distinction
which Swedenborg makes himsclf, namely, '~T:he style of
the 'Vord consists al t<ügethel' of cOlTespendences, wherel-
fore it is effective of immediate boùjuntion with hcaven;
but in doctrinal writings there isa differcnt style, which
has indcedcommunication with heaven but media/ery."
(Italics OUl'S) So, we repeat, to apply what is said in the
Wl'itings about the Scriptures to the Writings Ihemselves
"without difference and resel've," neecls the closest. sludy.
The Hague School accepts this application as truc. Let
us follow thei!' exposilion, as given in "De Hell1elschc
Leer."
Of a number of examples givcn in lhe Firsl Fascide
we only have space for a few. These are:-

"The llnuifestatioll of the .• This menns, not the Lord's
Lord and intromission into manifestation hefore Sweden-
the spiritual world surpasses borg but His appearance in
ail miracles." (Invitation 52.) the fllincss ~f His se~ond
coming in the Doctl'Îne of the
Church." (lst Fascicle pp 50.)

"This Ilas 110t beeu gl'anted " The New Ch urch th rough
to !l.ny one since the creation. the Divine Hu III ail of the Lord
as it has been to me," (Invi- is the crown of ail chnrches;
tation 52) and ail previolls C!l ure b es
frolll the begillinv have exist-
ed for the sake of this church
and have striven towal'd it,"
( lst Fascicle pp 50-~1. )

14
"The wonderful things seen These words" signify that
in the world of spirits and in each genuine rational state of
the heaven of angels are mat! or each state determined
prefixed and subjoined to each by the ra tiona 1from the celes
chapter," (From Title Page tial, is preceded by states of
to A.C. ) faith, and that it is followed
by states of faith from the
celestial. A .. chapter " in
the Latin cvput, that is, head
-signifies in the in ter na 1
sense a spi rit u a 1 st!!. te in
which the Lord makes and
de ter min e s everything;
for the Divine things of the
Lord make the spiritual he ad
of man " (Idem. p. 123.)

.. This Churoh is not insti ..... Here the meaning is simi
tuted and established through lar. By the person of Swed
miracles, but through the enborg is here described in
reveJation of the spiritual the internai sellse the man of
sense, and through the intro the New Church, by"my spirit
duction of my spirit, and, at and my body" the internai
the same time, of my body, and the externaJ are indicated
into the spiritual world, so which both are being regene
that 1 might know there what rated. In the highest sense
Heaven and hell are, and that however, it is the Divine Hu
in light 1 might imbibe imme man of the Lord Himself,
diately from the Lord the which is spoken oL"
truths of faith, whereby man (lst Fascicle, page 50.)
is led to eterna 1 life." ( 1 nvi
talion) (lst Fascicle, page 50.)

"Man lives a man after "The really living man of
dea th." (lst Fascicle, page 49.) the New Church is described,
who according as he rises
from the grave of the letter,
becomes a Man that is an
image and likeness of the
LOl'd, who alone is Man."
( lst Fa~cicle. page 49.)

15

"For this reason it has " Here also there i8 clearly
pleased the Lord to prepare spokan of the illustration by
me from my earliest youth to the Doctrine of the Church;
perceive the VvT ord, and Re the word .• the truths of the
Church out of the word" can
has introduced me into the
have no other signification.
spiritual world, and ha s In 0 l' der to understand a
llnlightened me with the light passage of this kind it must
of Ris W ord more proxi never be lost sight of that by
mately. From this it is mani "the Word" everywhere not
fest that this surpasses aH only the Old and the New, but
miracles." Second Summary also the Third Testament ls
meant. The words "from my
55.--i.e: 'Invitation' 55) (lst earliest youth to prepare me
Fascicle, p:'lge 51.) to perceive the Word " again
signify that beginning with
the Most Ancient Church,
aH Churches have striven to
wards the Crown of Churches
and her illustration, and that
they ha ve gradually prepared
th~ human race for this; they
a Iso signify the prepara tion of
every man of the Churchfrom
the earliest states of inno
cence ta the fuHness of illus
tration in the Doctrine of the
Church; in the highest sense
they sig nif y the Divine
Ruman itself in His Second
Coming." (Ist Fascicle, page
51.)

Again in the IThird F asoicle. lla~es 28, 29:-
From Spiritual Diary No :5668: "On the education of
little ~bildren in heaveri":

"They are with their "A nurse represents inno
nurSes whom they caH their cence or " the spiritual-ce!es
mothers." tial, " innocence guards, pro
tects. and feeds the spiritual
affection of truth, for UIl
less th is cares for i t as a
mother, the affectiün of trnth
perishrs."

Iô

.. They are dressed aCCOJ ding " As has been shown above
La their diligence, especially, their diligence refers ta the
with flowers and garlands." acquiring of scientific~; they
who do this in humility and
innocence are gifted with gar
ments. The flowel's and gar
1 nds repl'esen t the th ing~ of
a
intelligence, with which the y
are endowed."

We iCould continue ta quotc, but read for yoursel ves in
the First Fasciclepages, 45, 46, 47, 67. 103-:1. 107. 123;
and Second Fascicle 12-14, as wel'l as from the Third', as
just mentioned.
This is aIl very interesting. Il is fas(~inating. Il is
thought out very brillian~y. Il is a clever intcU~cLion;
and by intellection we mean "the act of uflf1erstanding."
But what is happening! Where is aH (hi, expos:tion
Jeading us to? Let us pause a moment and examine ils
methods. We snggest the following notes:
1. iThe method of expDsilion dcpend's on the premised
idea that the Writings are to be tl'eaLed like the Sc ri!)
tures in aIl detail without diffet'ence and reserve.
Every word, sentence, paragraph and chapter has a
"spiritual" or "internai" meaning.
2. But in the explanation of these wards and phrases,
the doctrine given in the Writin~s on kindl'ed subjects,
and in plain and direct statements, is uscd ta explain
these other statements of the Wr:lings.
3. Does snch a process reveal a ~.pirilllai s~nse tH' Î11trr
nal sense in the Wrilings?
4. Thus the fundamental question at'iscs: Whon, in l'ead,
ing the Writings, is the suggcsted transposition of the
term "Ward" for Writings" ta be made? And, also,
whcn NOill to be made? If made-and, as we have
suggested, it is against allethic:al prineiple ta aller an
author's meaning-we meet with confusion. Sometimcs
the result appears to give reasonable reading. CH at
least confirms the premised idea of De H emPlsc/ze

]7

Lccr in illlerpreting T.C.n. 228. BlIt, at o,lhl'r times,
Lhe change definitely leads in Lhe Wl"Ong direcLion and
draws Lhe mind aVay from the plain subject and ob
ject Vith whieh Lhe Wrilings may be deaïng. In olher
insLances Lhechange leads to absolllte alslIrdi lieS'. So
that, in am" opinhn, this idea, 01" l'Ille. of tl"ansposi!ion
of lerms is not in any wa,y to he )"clied on. If
~llidancc is wanted al Lhis lime, and a rnle is asked
for in Lhis resped, we advise a very simple one. Il
is lhis: Use the term Word, Cl::; J'f'ferJ'ed tn in the
lVritin{/8, os the Writings use it theU/selvps. 'Ve cannat
go wrong on thal. In statil!g t!lis, wc rely on 'the
revealed ,.
,
fael Lhat the tenu WOHD J.l;IS manv varictics
- ~..
oI~ng.

5. The scicnce of elymokgy is treC(llenlly llSPC! hy lhe
Dukh Sehool of vriters. This scicnce is a lls2l'n! siudy.
IL deais with "the invcsti~alion of the dc'riv:1Lion .111<1
original signilï2ation (lf words," alsa of their" oi'igin
and hislory. But il nced;; ta he hancHe'd with care,
for such learning !can lead Lhe mimi astray. Elymokgy
may, 1'11 many instances, widclI our visi;)I1 and wc
may see a suggestion of SJmo "corrcs()()ndc'ncc.·' BliL
'Il Lhese malLers wc shoulct be very earcÎlIi Iwtlo Le
tao certain of 0111' coucIusbns. Bence la lise eLymology
as a s.cience-like tbat of "corresp~ndp"llc:'s and sig
-,
nificalives"-to l'ind a spil'ilunl sens'), or a hidd"ll
rneaning "wiUün" lhe plain slat:nl:'nls oi' Ihe WI iiings.
requires very grcat caution. Besiùes. whal c1l1 plies
La one language does nol apply to annthrr. This is a
difficnlty which lhe Editür of De [[eme[selze Leer
I11rels on pages 14 and 38 of thL' Glh Fnsciele. 'Wc
musl not jump al nny conclusi:JIl lhal lite,r d('ver aml
fascinaling sLudies are (Lselosillg any 'spililual sers .~'
of lhe Wrilillgs.
6. IL is [1Iso greally open to qucsli'lll il' slle!l mell10ds
of exposilÏJn ùisclose a Disel'~le Di..'gre(~ of ll'uth in
{he Wrilings. ,This 0lwns 10) exlensive ii '1r.TR:I'" fCJI"
a rew-noles, for it mcans lhaL V~ musl l'l'vise our
whoIe knowledge cflthe 1)(},,!rinc of D~grecs)as gt'VCll
in the "Triting.;. This <io"ll'inr l'r!alrs tn UH' [,(;)'(1.

lK
Ihe S[.Jirilual and Nalural Suns, the Spirilual anù
N atllral Almospheres, The Hem"cns, Divine Trulh, The
Word, and the mind of man. 'But hei'e W~ w:ll only
slale, lhat wh en the Docll'ine al' Discrelc Degrees 1$
applicd ta THE WORD, that is tn the Scripiures, ns ln
S.S. 38, D.L.W. 208, aud A.C, 6·1;H(2; (Iaking lhese
as il few ke)' passDg~'S) Ihe Writillgs l'der la the con
slruction of the Scri[;tllre:;. 1'.0 a))))lv iL tQJ.lle Wrilings
lhemselves is pllre assllmption. IlHlced, the ide~i is
suggested thal the -wrTfmgs have Dis~rete Degrees,
from the foundalion tea~hing of De Hem('[sclLe Leer
that what ever applies to the Scriplures app:ies la
the Writings "without difference and reserve." Yet.
no student of lhe Dr:ctrines will den)' that I.here
are Discrete Degrees of Trulh. But ho,," al! thescin
theil" Infinite spiritual variet)' can be exprrsscd in
natmal language and drawn oùt of lhe Wriling3 wh:ch
express rational trulhs relating ln spiritua.L.ili.i]1g;,
il is difficllit ta say. Again TB UTII is not the only
concern. There is GOOD and discrcle (legrees of
good. Good, as you know 'pertain:; ta love, lo nHectîon,
ta will; and, in their essence, one Canl1(lt describe
them. On this, say'lhe Writings: "The lhought lhat
lhere is such a thingas good is a truth; and knowina
and thus thinking lhat a thing is gaad is regal'dedflS
a truth; but vhen that tl'uLh in the thought is sa
Joved as ta be willed, and from br,il~g will :xl is (Ione.
then sinee il belon~s 10 the hv~ il hceoll1es ,Qocd."
(See A.E. 458/1.) Again: "Charil~r is :l spirilu:ll
affection which, for the mûst part, cannot br, l'xpressed
in words, exeept in most general things.'· (A.C. ï t:ll.)
Fol' our part, then: we Ul:gC muclt !11(we sludy on
thése- subjects.
Sa that if il besaid 'The Wrilings fl.'e lhe Yard," il sll{)lIld
e seen that the term WORDlîl this 'Ql1l':-lse. is IIS('(! in :1
genel'al sense and not in a specifie 'Sense. AIL Di"ine Hc'(',
Jalion 15 ffïC"Worct; but each Divine Hcvelalion POSSl'SSCS
its own special structure and use. And if wc appl)' one
sLt'ucture and use ta another structure and use, W':UHlut flU)"
difl'erence and reserve,' only confusioILQf lenns ancl iQ.!}('r
tians and lises arise. And byïlôLing Ihe sn))slancc of the

19

phrase 'The Vrilings are the Yunl," wc do nul in auy
~iaY discredit the Divine Aulhenlicily of the Vrilings. The.v
arc, if one lil<es ta describe thëm, "Thc Doctl"Înal Worel;"
hut the way in which writers -i---nIJetIem('l.~clle LeerÎHlve
applied that term, has given l'ise, in P:lIt, to [he l'eecnt
controvcrsy. ;Iany studenls of the Vdlings are nOl pre
l)arcd ta consent ta such a prmClple, as seL 10rth in the
First of the l'hree Leading Theses of the Dutch School
of Thought. Yet, freedom has ta be given ta those who
wish ta helieve in such a princi pIc, ta develop their
OW11 mode of understanding the Doctrines.
You, then, as ministers of YOllr OW11 people, need to see
the differences and make up your own mind about lhem,
according la your conscience. Yet, atthe same timc; we
3sk you La seriously consiùer the severaC poinls we havc
been discusslng. For those responslble for teaching theo
logy in the New Church can onl~r point out whal the Scrip
tures and the Writings teach. They can suggest solnlions
la ùifficult passages and note diffcrent inter.prctnlions m::tde
by elifferent studenls; but they shonld rcfrain from heJ'ng
dogmatic and dictatorial. Eence the phrase. so often used,
"As far as 1 unelerstand this;" or, "ln my opinion." This
is ta presel've freedom of thought. At the same lime the
idea wilhin is: The Writings, as given, are the hasis of
our faith. To them wc mllst relurn agnin and again.

20
III.
TRE SECON D THE8r8 OF

DE HEMEL8CH~ LEER.

,. The Latin Word without Doctrine is as a candie
stick withollt light, and those who reild the Latin
Word without Doctrine, or do Dot acquire for them
l selves Doctrine from the Latin Word, are in darkness
as to ail truth." (cf. 8.8. 50 -61.)
Before taking up the Second of the Thcscs in detail,
il is necessary to make a few remadŒ conc.:'rning the
order of the "General Church."
The "General Chm'ch;" as an oqpn1z[l(ion of the New
Church, has not laid down in set statement lznw the
'Vritings are to be understocd, or how tlwy :U'2 1) be read.
As an organization il hns given direct and free appr,}[Ich t1
the Writings. Under "Principles" in the pamphlet en
titled "A Statcment of the Ord~r an:) Organizalion .of the
General ,ChUl'ch of the New Jernsalem" by the late Bishop
N. D. Pendleton, il is noted:
"It is not of right or order that the couneil cr flS
sembly should, by majority YJte, or pronollllocment
from the Chair, dccide doctrinal issues) and 'lhcreby
bind the conscience of the Church. The Wrilings, as
given, arc the suprcl11~ alltho:'ily in rn:llu,''s of faith."
(Page 2.)
'And furthcr:
"U is the policy of the General Chllrch, apart (,'om
the requi'emenls of the civil law~ to aV:lid pas>.ing
regulalions with a view to conlrolling its future
actions. The object in this is tJ encourag~ a l'l'ce ard
ready development of the life of the ChUl'Cl1 ns l'C
presented in its form and organization." (Pag; 2 )
Although no formai pronouncements on Doctrine W~'re
made from the "Chair" in the discussious on De Herne/selle
Leer in 1D33, 1934 and 1937. yet many minis!c's of the
General Churx:h could not ngl'ee w:th the theses ;1I1d decnc:
lions propounded by those pres2nlîng the Hagne PosLÎJn.
Hence, the "General Church," as an or{fani::ation, hns Ilct

H

defined in any detail, how individuals are to understanq
this or that doctrine as given in the Writin(!s. For such
maUers are afways open for study and discussion on the
basis that "The Vritings, as glven, are rtle sllpreme
amnority in matters of faith." This principle of no vote
01' pronouncement on doctrinal matters is hased on the
injunction in "The True Christian Religion" (n. /189):
"Bllt. my friend, put faith in no council but in the Lord's
Word, which is above oouncils." (Sec also Bishop N. D.
Penclleton in NelU ClIurch Lite, 1933, pp264,-26,').) The
fact that there was eventually separation bC'twecn lhe two
schools of thought rerers to matters 'prl"tailling 10 "distur'-
bance," "freedom," and "order~" (Sel' the pamphlet cnll-
cerning lhe Separation of the Rev. Pfeiffer, Bryn ,Uhyn,
Apl'il 7th, 1937; and 1:he two issues of ''The Crisis," May
and June, 1937 eclitoo by the Rev. Theodore Pilcairn and
those associated with him ;-all dncumenL"i Vhich you
Lieaders have l'l'ad.)
Here, howevcr, we are only concerned Vith the doctrine.
But these matters al'e menlioned, sin~e il is necessary
for you to see the l'easonJS as to nü dcfinite decisions
in doctrine being officially made in counci!. For it
is natural that you Ministers and Leaders look tn 1he
Europeans for advice and leadership. You want to kllOW
who is right and who is wrong. Yel, in Ihe New Church,
.we cannat overlook what is said in Ihe Writings about
pladng tl'USt "in coullcils;" and in obedience to that ad'-
monition, the General' Church has tri rd If) he consistent.
So that in dealing Vith the Second ,1Ild Tltird Thcscs ot
the De lIemelsclle Lee,., olle call1lot place ag<linst the
Hague statemenls, what Ihe "General Chllreh" bl'l:eves as
an organ(zation, in the fenn or conntet' stat€'IlH'utS. Ve ean
onIy find Vhat the Vritings teach and whatindividual
ministers of the General Chur,ch bclieve la be tl'lle fr,ml
their respective studies. Sa here, wc st.ill keep to the
priuciple, lhat Ihe Writings, as giveu, arc the sllpt'cme
auLhorily in mallers of failh, and cit the same linlC uole
what studeuts have ta say as ta t!leir undcrstanding d the
subjects in hanù.
Now let ilS consider the SC'cond T:hesis.

;J,!.

"The Hague Posi lion" slales:
"'l'hl'! L~tin Ward without Doctrine i5 as a cCltld:e
stick without light, and· those who read the Latin
Ward witbout Doctrine, or do not Ht;quire for them
selves Doctrine from the Latin Word, are in darkness
as ta aIl truth" (cf. S.S 50 - 61).
Examine this in the light of quolal i:Jns frum 'lhc
Vritings and references ta the studies of "General Church"
Ministers.
From the W ritings:
Numbers 50-61 of the "Sacred 'Scriptllr~" should he r~aû
in ful!'Conlext. "Te only give here the snmmary llCadings.
S.S. 50. 'l'rhe Docltine of the Chllrch is lo h:- drawn
from lhe sense of tlle lett.er of the Word, andis 10 he
eonfirmed thereby."
1. ITheWord cannat ;be understoO<1 without. d·ctrine.
2. Doctrine mnst. be drawn from the sC'nse of t.he
leUer of lhe W ordo
3. But the Divine truth wlüch mnst be of doctrine
appears 'la none but. th:)se who are in enlighlcn;
ment from the Lord.
S.S. 51: refers the reader ta many Scr:pture pnss
ages and shows how they cann:ll he nnderstcod wi th
ont doctrine. (Note the "subje'ct" in thcse ~um!:ers is
'iThe Scriptures." The term "Word" T:f2rs ta them)
S.S. 52: "From al! this it 'is evident that they who
read the 'Vard withoul !dootrine, or wl1'J do Ilot nCfjllil',~
fOl' lhemsel ves 'doclrine from 'the Vurd. al' 2 ln oh
scurity as ta every truth, and that thei!' mind, are
wavering and nneertain and prone la errer;; and J'liant
ta heresies, which they also embrace wherever in
clination (")]" authorily favours, and their reput:ll i )Il is
not endangered. For the Woriù ta them is like a :lamp
stand without a lamp, and in their gloom they secm
ta sec many things, and yet s~arci'ly :mything, for
dodrine alone is a lamp. 1 have S2en sneh pers ms
cxamined by angels and found la Jx~ able te) confirm
from the Ward whatevel' they pleas,~, and it was'
also found that they confirm what is of lheir own
love, and of the love of 'those whom lhey raya ur .
And 1 have seen them stripped of lhei!' garmenls.

')'l
<,,1"

a. sign Ihat lhey Vere devoid of truths; fol' in the
spiritual world gamlents are lruths'"
S.S. ;)·1: reads: "That by menns of doctrine lite
Word not only bocomesinlelligibk, hul also as il
Vere shines Vith light, is becalls~ ",jthont doctrine' it
is not understood, arîd is Iike a Inmpsland .ccandlestick
is anolher translation) without a lamp ...... "
S.S, 56: "ft might be believed that the doctrine of
genuine tl'nlh could be procul'ed by mea.ns of the
spil:rrlt:11 Sënse of the Word Vhich is fumishec! lhrough
a 'knowledge of correspondenc2s. But doctrine is 11')t
procured by means or lhal scn:.;c, but .is only lightcd
up and corrobclI'ale'd. FOI' as s:üd bef, rè (To. 20)
no ones <x)mes'into the spiritual s::mse of the Word by
means of corrcspondenc~s llnl(,ss he ;s firsl in gClluinc
truths from doetrine. If man is nol firsl in gellllinc
lruths he may falsify the Word by men ns of s.lIne
corresponclenecs with whil'h he is acqmlilllcci. by COll
Ilocting them logethrr and inlerpreling lhem so us ln
'confinn thal which clcavcs 10 his mincI f!'om S()l1C
prilldple .pre...iously l'ec~i';·d. I(OI'COV('1' the sr.Hltwl
sense of the Word is not giwn anyone excepl by the
I...ord ,alone, and il is g,ùrdcu b.Y IIim as heav(,ll is
gual'ded, for hcm'en is in il. IL is ]wllcl' llirrefore fuI'
man to study lhe Word in tlle S,'I1',(' of tlle lette!";
fl'om lhis a~one is d:.:elrine rllrllishcd."
(Nole, again, Ihc suhjed 111:1ller of lhe alx1Ve is
'~The Scriplllres." The reauêr is eOllsidel'ing, in his
m!nd '~Tihc Doclrinc or llie H,)ly S(;ripllll'c:-or, 'The
Doctrine of lhe le' J,'rlls,-t/C'1ll cmcerning the S~lcred
Seripl.urc." )
Re/erellcl's tv .ç/udies 0; "General Churdl Minis/ers."
In an article Lo De, lleml'lsche Lee!' Dr Aeloll Yl'iles:
"These pos:tions have. b~ell arri"ed nI as a logi(,<ll COll
sequence of lhe assnmplion Ihat Vll:II, in th:: Wrilillgs,
is said of the Sacrecl Scriptllre must b,~ :lpplied Lu
lhosc Tl'ilings Lhemsclv~s "wilhoul any cliffercnce or
l'eserve" (pp 27, SO-i.e. First Fas:.:iclc)_ Past slucl('nls
have held lhal Lherc lllUSt h..'re he <!s(,l'imiu:llion., l:e1·
C:luse of lhe diJ'ïercnl plane on Yliiclllhe Vrilings arc

~·1

wrillen; for if the ultimates of revelalion m'c distinclly
different, then the means of unfo!ding th·:~se u11imntcs
must likewise be distindly different. Ccl·tuinly wc
coutel not apply ta the Wl'itings "withont any dif
1 ference or rcserve" the teaching that "being in wardly
spiritual and celestial, the Ward has b~~cn wn'tleu by
mere correspondences; and what is wrîtten by mere
correspondences is written in the ultimate .<;ense. in a
style such as in the Protlhets and Gospels" (S.S. 8.)
) Clearly the Wrilings are not written in sneh Il style.
, (De Hemelsche Leer. Second Fasciclc pp. lÜ'-l1.)
"Itisnotcontencled, (Vrote Bishop W.F. Pc'ndleton)
that the Writings are the Ward such as il is in hcaven
in ils enlirety or fulness." And, as thong:l f,.lrcs2eing
the future, he adels; "Il seems necessary to s~y this
but it should Ilot be necessary."(N.C.L. 1900; p. 116.)
Qlloted by Dr Aclon; Second Fascicle J),~ Hemclsche
Leer p. 16.)
(N ote: The subject matter also )"<'fcrs to "dce,·
trine." The whole chaptcr enlillecl "The Doctrine
of Genuine Truth" as given in Bishop W. F.
Pendleton's "Science of Exposition" should be rc
read. We only quote in. part);
"Doctrine is teaching, and Divine Doctrine is Di
vine teaehing. Il is the Lord .t~aching the trut h con·
cerning Himself and the way to Him. Hence we
read that "inasmnch as the Lord is the WOI'C1, Hc is
also doctrine" (A.C. 2533.1 28:')9.) and that "tile L'0rd
is doctrine itself, for the aH of doctrin3 proceeds frem
Him, and the ail of doctrine trcats of Him." (A.C.
5321); also that "The Lord is dcclrine ilself,and
therefore in the Ward He is called the Worel; the
'l'ruth. the Light, the Way, the Door." (A.C. 2516.
2531, 3364, 3393.) "The internai sens<) is doc
trine itself" (A.C. 9380). "The doctrine which sholiid
be for a lamp is what the internai sense teaches,
thus il is the internai sense itself" (A.C. 10400). '~T'he
trué 'doctrine of the Church, is what is hcre called
the internai sense." (A.C. 9025.) "The doctl'ine (of
the New Church) is from heaven, being Tram the
spiritual sense of the Ward, which is the same as the

:!:i

doctrine that is in heaven" (H.D. 7). Tt is :11so said.
as in number 3712, that "hy doctrine is mcanL the
Word as it is in its literaI sense." (A.C. 7089.)
"IL is clear, therefore, thnt the tr'rm doctrine is used
in more than one sensé' in the 'Vl"ilings, but we are
here interested in the doctrine which is callee! the
doctrine of genuine truth, bec~use it is tl'is do~trine
that is specially iï1ëant when it is s~c id tha 1 the
Wordis not une!erstooct wilhout do::;trine. (A.C. 10582;
S.S. 50,51,52; V.H. 8; A.H. 320; A,E, 356:)
IL is also saicl of this docctrine that it is to he
drawn from the lileral sense of the 'Yord;
(A.C. 3447, 3464, 107{j3; S.S. ;53-;')6. 59; T.C.H.
229'-230.) and that il e!oes not appear in the sense Gf
the lelte]" of the 'Yore! to an~T but ihose who are in
illustration fI' am the Lore!. (A.C. 9121; S.S.57-61;
T.C.R. 231,-233); also thnt by the genuine truths
of the literaI sense of the Vord which are 'at the
samc lime general trulhs. there is introdllc!ion t:l
the internai sense."
" ...... '1'here is slill anolhcl' S"llSC ill which the tCl'ln
doctrine is used in the Wrilings. Bé'sides the Divine
Doctrine in its various forms rcveal~'d for the instrllC':
tion of men. lhere is d')(~lrinc' drawn from revelaLion
and confirmed by it for lhe use of lhe church by those
who arc in illustration frul11 the Lord. Evcry church
01' bodv cf lhe c1mrch musl have ils doctrine so for
mulnled and cmbodied thal it may becomc i:s working
crecd. Divine Hevelalion, allhough it i, Divinc Doc
trine or teachillg Divillely giv~'n ta men. is like a se:!
or immense l'olleeliull of watc'rs surrouilding conlinents
und islancs. lhat needs to be ex!)lored and sun·cyec1 .
he fore lhat which il eontains can he l11'ld~' of use in
the orWl11izec work of men. Tt is n('l'~'ssal'Y: lhcrcf'orc,
lhal greal masses or co:leclions of' truths. ('VCII lite
trulhs of nalure, shoulc be l'edllc.'cl t) d:)('lrine und
lhus made ready for use. A ehurch or organic body
01' men cannol hdcl tlgl'lhcr.. caHnct evën l~x:sL with
ouf ils own coctrinc or creecl, fGl'lllulaL'c1 l'rolll the
immense mass of revl'1alioH which lite Lord has given
lo m3nkinc!. Hencc wc have tilt' leaehing thill "the

26

case is the same in general with the dllln.:h Whèll it
is being established anev-Ihe doetrlnals of g')(id' and
truth must be gathered into on2, for iL is upon t hcse
Ihat the church is built." (A.C. 3786.) ("Science or
Exposition" pp. 406, 407, 40D, '110).
In his l'eview of the Dutch Sehool aI Ihollght, BislFlp
N. D. Pendleton wrote:
"Ever)' Vord ever given ta man Vas designed' to he
the doctrine of the chureh, t:J which, or for the sake
of which, it Vas given. . And each successive 'Vonl
has been increasingly doctrinal in form. Unlcss we
see the Vritings as 'doctrine, and as the Doctrine of
the Church, wc shaH come undè~r some ether doctrine
and sorne othel' dominion. Certainl)', as wc receive
theWord of Doctrin~, our undcrstand'ing will, in
accord Vith ils qualiLy, form doctrine thence, <'ven the
doctrine which will serve it as a light la glli(i<'. This
isa God-given gift to man, and sa a human nccessity.
;'Phis necessity brings withit the gravest of nSQons
ibilities, for in the formaLi·on of dedved doctrine the
mind of man may take a l'ight or a wrrmg turning.
IThe mind ma)' turn and return ta the revea!ecl Vol';!,
in faithfulness, or it may turn 'in andllpon itself, and
there, in an endless cyde, 'become entangled vith the
vision of its own states; sa mliéhS1 as 10 mistake
those states for the univcrse of truth."(New Churoh
Lite, May, 1933, p. 275.)
Many more quotations Icüuld be givCll, but as thC'se noIes
::Ire only intended la be an outline, imficating a number
of important and useful points in the differcncds eoncerned,
we will refrain from further comment at this jLlllc!lll'C.
In our concluding section we shall indicate how the sub...
jects hel'e noted touch the work of OUi' field as MissLmaeics.
Bere the chief point to be nated is thnt numhel's 50-61
of 11he DOtCtrine of the Sacred Scripture, if app:Iied ta the
Writings "withçmt difference or reservc:' is an appE-
cation, whieh, as has already been seen, is seriously open
to question. T!he Writings definitely l'efer ta the Scrip'
tures, in these numbers. '1Ihe lise and appEcation of the
termWORD, as used in the Writings) indicat2s that dis
tinction and qualification are necessary.

Z7

IV.
l'HŒ l'HIRD l'HESIS OH
DE HEMELSCHE LEER.

"The genuine Doctrine of the Church is~.lrilllal
out of celestial oriE~n, but nût out of rational <»Tgiil.
The Lord is that Doctrine itseH." (cf. A.C. 2496,2497,
2510,2;)16,2533,2859 i A.E. 19.)

Ali the numbers in the ftrcl1na Cœleslia here referred ta.
need ta be read, as also p1aces where the Vrilings, in
those numbers, refer the reader ta other numbers for more
expli'cation. Indeed, the whole chapter of the InternaI
Sense of Genesis XX. (A.C. 2~196'-2588) should he stlldied.
Here, however, we will guote a Humber of the given re
ferences. since il is essential ta note the subjeets treated
ofimmediately and (1 iI'ccU y : These are:
;Le. 219fi:
"ln the IweHth chapter ahovc, Abr:llwm's sojourll
ing in Egypt has been treated of; lJy which ~vas
signified the Lord's instruction in memory-knowledgcs
.csc'ictltificis) while still a boy. In this chapter the
subject treated ofis Abraham's sojourn in Ger::r,
where Abimelech Vas; by wl1'ic'h Ihe L'ord's instruçtlon
is in like manner signifïed, but in the doctrinal
things or charity ancl [aith. The subject that is
especially trealed here is the doctrine of charity and
faith in resped la its origin; namely. that il is
spiritual from acclcstial o['igin, but is Int from the
rational."
iLC. 2497:
"The Lord's slale in whkh Ile was wh~n lIe lïl'sl
instructed Himself in Ihe doctrinal thjl1g~ of ellal'ily
and failh is trenled of; the state ilself is signified
by "Kadesh and Shur," the docll'ine of faith ily "Alli··
melech king of Gerar." (verses 1,2.) That he first
thought in regard ta the rational thaL il sIJOuld he
consultcd (verse 2). That still il Vas not <::onsultecl
(verses :-3,4,8,9), The l'casons why He so lhnught

ZR

(verses 5,6,10 lo 13). Thal lhe ùodl'Îlle of charily
und faith is spiritual t'rom u !celeslÏell origiu (vers,:) 7).
l'hatHe was so inslrllelcd; ami thnt theu :11 lhings
rational, as wcll as ail memory-knowledgL's (scicn
l.it'ica),wcre of' service to Him, bé'ing likc à cevel ing
or garment (verses 14 to 16). And in this way the
doclrine was perfcct (verse 17) Thal il wOllld llélve
been otherwisc if the doclrine h:1Ù c:ane l'n)ll} the
rationaJ" (verse 18).
A.C. 2510:
"Thal "Abimclech" is the doctrine of faith LJoking
to rational Ihings, is evident from tite facl thal. he
looked upon Sarah, not as Abraham 's wJe, but as his
sister; and by Sarah as a ,sistel' is signi ficd ralion:l~
truth (n. 2508). The same is also manif"s!. l'rom wh:)t
follows; for Ihe doctrine of fail1l is there lrcatcd cf,
as to whethel' it has its origin [l'(,m the ralÎJn:ll. or
from the célestia!. Henc2, "Abim'~lech" signifies .the
({oelrine of t'aith Iooking 1.0 rati;)I1~11 things. 'Doctrine
s said to look to 'rational thing.> when njlhi ng is
acknowledged as truth of Ickclr:nc cxccp:t wila! can De
,comprehended by the re,lson, sn that th~ c;mideratkn
of ,a1'l' things which are of d:clrinc is l'rom the ratinna!.
Yet that the doctrine of faith is no;!. froma rational
bul from a ce:estial origin, is laught in tl1einternal
sense in what follow,;":
A.. C. 2511:
.. And look Sarah. "That this signifies the affection
consuning Lhe raLional, is evident from Ih~~ ~ignifi('alion.
of Sarah as a "sister:' as being ration1.1 trulli (sec
n.2508):and alsofrom the signifkalion 01 ''!aking''
her, ~s bein.g from aIfectioll bward her ,:thus, in the
internai sense. from Ihe affection of conslilling the
ratIOnal. Thc things conlall1ed in this verse invi:lve
Ihe Lord's first thought respecting the d;;cLrine of faUh.
as to whether it would be wen la ,consult 1he rational
or not. The rcason why the first thought Vas 01
such a ~hal'acter 1s that the Lord progrçssé'd {lccé,y'ding
to ail Divine Order; and whatevcr Vas of the Human

20
into which He was bol'11, and which He derived from
the mother must necessarily b:? put off in order tbal
He miJ!ht 1;mt on Ihe DiYinp; l!lus nrso Ihis hUlIlal,
thonght, namely as [0 whelher the ralional Vas tu
be consullcd in J'('~ard 10 the doctrInal lhillgs of Taith."
A.C. 2516:
" Belwld. thou 1.t1Jt eUe lw<:au.~(' of the 11:011/011. Thal
Ihis signifies Ihat the doctrine of faith wouldb~comc
null and void if the rational Vere consulter! as ta its
contents, is evident from the sign:t'ic.ation of "Abime
1cch," who is her~ addresed, as being the doctrine cf
faith; from 'the signification of 'dring,' as .Deinrr io
bœome nul! and void; and from Ihe signi/ïeal iall of
a "sisteJ·." who is here ca'ilcd "the woman." as bein~
Ihe rational (see n.2508). Helice. now by "Abimelcch
dying because of Ihe wamnn" is signilï~'d that the doq·
tJ'inc 6f failh would hecome oecame null and y·.:hl'if
the rational wel'c consultcd. (2) The reason why there
is. no doctrine of faith from ·the l'a lion al. is lhal the
rational ïs· in appeal'ances of goou' and trlllh. which
appearances are not in tht,JtJsdvcs truths .Cas hefore
shawn. n.2053. 2196,. 220l 2209.) Mare(),cr the
rational has under it faUacies which arc from l'xlcrnfll·
sensllous th:ngs coniinned by l1Iemory-knowlecJgrs,
~scienlifiea) which i nducc obscurity in Ihese appear
~mees of tl'uth. The rational fol' the mostuart 15
merel)' human, as also is evjd~nt l'rom its birlh; and
this is why nothing doctrinal of faith can begin from
il, and slill less be 'conslruded from it; hut musi he
l'rom the Lord's D.ivil1e llself and Divine Hlll11an.
This is ils origin, and indee:! sa cnlirely thnt the
Ll()rd 'ls doctl'ine itself; on _wli.ich aceollnt also ln the
Ward, He is callcd Ihe Wor!â, the l' l'Il th, the Lighl,
the "Vay, the DoOJ'; and twhat is an arcanuJtJ) all
doctrine is fJ'om the Divine good ard the Divine [l'lIth.
and has in ilself the heavenly m<uTini:('. Doctrine
that 'has not this in il is not the gcn ui He dodri ne of
fwth.' Bence il is that in aIl IJarliculars of the Word
(the source of dodJ'inc)'theJ'e is an imag~ of a marI
ringc(sce n.(j83~ in:l. 801). (:n fil thelil(~r;l1 01'

~fJ

exlernat sense of the Ward lhe dodrinc of f3ith does
indccd appear as if il poss::ssed much from Othe
rational, :md even from lhe llalnral; but this is he
cause thc 'Vonl is fOl' man, mil! has been 111 (his
manner accommodated to hirm'; but still in itself il
is spiritual from acclestial ori.gin, that is from Divine
truth coriioined with the Divine goodo Th::!t Doctrine
would become null and void if as to its con"tents the
rational wel'e consulted, wiU be illustratcd by examp:lcs
in what follows."
Arter reading these passages, and it is hope;! that th:s
whole ~hapter of Genesis (xx) will be read. each stuclent
of the Writings, aocording to his knowledge an:! stalc of
'mind, will draw information an'd make his own conclusion.
This process will take place ln eac11 generation. For the
moment, however, we sllggest the folbw:ng ohservations:
1. That !Ît is very essenlial that the fall Lext 'of Ihe
Writings be studied and not eiltir~ reliance Le
made on a condense<:l Thcsis of such high and
deep doctrines as are hcre refcned ta.
2. That the basis of the doctrine here givcn rests
on the Word--The Scriptures-here Gencsis XX.
3. That the Writings are here giving the truc doctrine
concernina: the internai sense of Genesis XX.
4. No one will doubt that the genuine doctrine of the
church is sRiritual out ota celestial orlgill ~nd
not oufOë a~alional origin. . - 0- .
5. That the teaching in these nllmbers of lhe Arcana
Cœlestla rcfers ta (1) The Lord, His Perce,plion
and the process of His Glorification in which Hi3
lIuman is made Divine. And (2) 10 man's rc
cep(ion of doctrinc. Hence 'careful distinction
has ta be ~made betwcen them, and the process of
the former should not be applied tothe lallcl',
The condition of 'an image' should al ways be
rcmembered.

31

6. That the dodrinal things of fa.ilh, at"c iù lhl'il'
entîl'ely from the Divin~;'whidl"is i~'irii,tely above
the. human raqon~l.(Scci ,ho:én~üri6el' 2~t n,)
'.;' ',. . ".

7. ThdUgh: it appèats 'as if man's failh, his charity,
4is, doctrine is from a rational origin, yel in
~cssencc, in first origin, lhese things are from the
Divine-from the marriage of Good and Tl'n!h,
Love and Wisdom in the Divine.
Now the differcncc betwccn "The General Chul'cll'! and
"The Hague Position," in thesc doctrines, secms to he not
in the doctrine, as a doctrine, bat in ils :lpplîcalion to
individual en1ïghtenment and ta the cnlighlenment of the
church as a whole. A few examples of the differenc'C
may be scen 'in the fo!lowing qllotali,ms:

THEGENERALCHURCH THE HAGLE POSITION.
(As expressed hy Dr Acton,) (As e x pl' e s s e d by Rev.
"'l'he doc tri ne that the Pfeiffer. )
Writings have an intern:d .• The essential con te n ts
sense, and that this is revealed of t.hese ûiucic!ations are the
in sorne way by or in connec twoahove Ilarlled teachings,
tin with the doctrine of the namely that th e DOCTRIN E
Ch urch bOl:n in tht' regenera te of l'HE SAC RED SCRlP
man, has led the D li te h TURE must he applied to the
writers to the fur the r con Third Testanlent w i th 0 ut
clusion that the doctrine thus C!ifferenee and reserve, and
born is iTselfDivine. Stal·ting tliat theDoctrint'ofthe
with the te a chi n g that the Chllrch is of Divine Origin, of
Lord can dwell only in what Divine essence and of Divine
is His own, a syllogism is con· Au th ori ty." (Second Fascicle
structed which ends with the p 165.)
conclusion that man's rccep
tion of the Lord i8 also Divine,
and' that cOIH;equently. the
doctrine of the Chul'ch which
is thusboi'n i;;" of Di -Ir in ë
Origin, of Divine Essence, and
of Divine Au thority." (N. C.L.
May Hl:13, p.l7:1. )

:~2

" The thought that I:he (Heviewing Dr Actou, Rev.
doctrines of the New Church Pfeiffer states:·)
must be drawn from the
Writing'l and con fi r m e d ..... Jf~f;ile the doct?'ine of the

" ... b :.' ~ .. - - '. . ChuTcn dmw71 !rom. those and

tne.e V ,.., tl·y n<l men,,·", ney," j~ '71' ," [• . J ' . 't's e"l'J/
'. "'" . . 7 . . .... " . ...." li' (/ el! oy ,nen,.z Z op '~ "!J
111 the ChurL.h. hM 1" BL,W revealed. The reVlewer IllIS
.in the present view is thélt in takes the litHal ~en!-'e of the
the 'Writings the Heavenly Doctrine for the proper Doc
Doctrine is covered with a trine itself, of which it. is said
veil ( 1/7) and so His not a.ppa.- "thar~lr is. ~pi,~itual ,out.9.f
. t" ( 1{73) h'l ' th celest1al orlgl!l ( A. C. 2946,
l'en. p. ,w 1 e!Il e 2510) "that the Lord is that
doctrme ofthe Cnurch drawn Doctrine it~elf" (A. C. 2859)
from those Writings and and "tbattheint.ernalseni'e
formulated by men, it is open- is the Doetrine uf the Church
ly revealed, In other words, itself" (N.J. H. D. 260: A. C.
thE' men of the Church will 9025. 9nO, 10400, and in many
be able to supply a vehicle of other places.) It.has b e e n
, clearly explallled JO De He·
words where-m the Heavenly melsc1;e Lee)" that this Doc.
Doctrine is clearly set forth trine is an internai vision of
to view, while Swedenborg (thetruth 'froin'tne Lord~-ffiat
was unable to do this, or unit ex'ists onlYi~stcl.te of
willing. And the question will enlightenment in the living
naturally arise: if Sweoen- mind of a regenerll.ted man,
· that in the moment in which
borg was unable, b y vutue 1 18 expresse d '1 t t e n
.
't . or w l'
of what supenor adva.ntages down in natural words the
shall others be ahle? or if un- truth thetoof for those' who
willin~, on what grounds shall 1 are not likewise in tha t sta te,
others be willing? 1 is again veiled and sealed;
(De Hemelsche Leer Second yea, the veil of truth in the
Fascicle p. 22, The ?':ferences lit,aral sense of the Doctrine
.. of the Church has become
11 11 re/er to Fzrst Fascwle still thicker th an it was in
7, 73,
and respective partes.) the lett,er of t.he Third Testa.
ment. It is entirely in dis
agreement with the position
of De Hemelsche Lee?' to say'
that the trnth has been openly
reveaJed in the letter of the
Doctriue, for m u 1 cl. t e d by
men." (The criticslll >:hould
be read further, pages 183 on·
ward, Second Fascicle)

:Ll

Te could conliuue lo (ruole aL lellgtll and pl ace sLl [('1l1('!1l
agaillsl statement, for this Jitcrature hns been sent to you
for consideralion."" And wc fintl the lüarned men of Lhe
ChllI'ch differing tram each olhel' in lhe ullderslanding of
doctrine, yet oul of justice ta bolh sides, wc 'ShOllld hear
bath sides' and read both sides. In the end we have lo go,
each one. as'-if-of-himself, to lhe source of Divine Be'ela
lion,' and learn what the Sc~ri.l)tLlrcs and the Vril ings haye
to teach us. And in this lfr A 'will never scecxactly
the sa'll1e 'as Ml' B. An that A and B can do is (0 uniLe
on a general prill'ciple. If lhey do not agl'ce on Ihat, there
will be a differencc, and Ihey will agree to ditTer.
Te find, also, (hat one doctrine lc'a:ds tcJ <llwLller, and
Lhat one docll'ine depcniZls 011 anothcr. This is s.) 1wcalisc
of the unit y which exisls betwcen all things of God and
Man and belween Heaven ana The Chur'ch, ilS SEEN BY
. 'l'lIE LORD J-lIM5ELF. And as 1!le Wrilings ~pe[lk c~n-
ccrning DEGREES~in the Lord. in the Heavcns. in the
, "Voni. in llle mind of 111aI~ jlhe 1l1:lltcr of the oiJcninu:
of Lhe degrecs in man, as a result or rcgcllCI'tllion, {:Oll!CS
Lo noti,ce. This, again, is an exlensivc slLh,j.:'el, hllL ~IS a
general guidance il is US:~flll to Ilote Ihe folloVing. Vc
quole fram "The Divine Love HIl(l ïsdolJl" 237, 238,
(Halics Oll1'S):
"'hen man is ])ol'n hl' ~()m~'s fin;! iuto the nalliraJ
-
degrce. and [his grows in hilll by continuily, accoi'dillg
-
(0 his kJloYledges and the undcrsLaljding HCqllÏl'cd Ily
means of knoY]cdgc;s ('VCl! lo Ill(' highesl point (JI'
lIuderslancling, whidl is e:llled lhe raLii2,lwl, Yd no!
by Ihis Illeans is the second degl'cc opene:L Yhich is
callcd Lhe spirilual. Thal drgree is opend hy l1lC[lJ)S
of a love of uses in accardanee with t1w lhings d .lhe

'~S('!'
.:nd Fascic!e, Dr HCllI. Lcrr, pp. ,-J-D/), RI'iJiew by Dr rJelon.
Idem. pp. 109-197. Rev. I~r{'(lfrr's rCfiLy.
Sec {{Iso Ncu' C/lIIrcfJ L((r, May, ./.988, pr. ./ôÎ-ln. "Thr CrI/rial
Point in the Dl/tciJ Pllsilion." 13y Dr Aclon.
Idem. May, 1!J38, pp. [9[- -:06. "Thc Nature {/nd Deri
'ililtiou (If Doctrine>. " kt. Rr'l). Gr(l1~!!,'r dr Ch:lrms.

:-1

ullderslanding, allhough by a spirilual love of nses,
which is loyetoward the neighbour. This degl'ee may
grow ll1 fike manner by continuous dcgrces to ils
height, and it grows by means oT knowledges of, truth
and good, that is by spïritual tl'llths. YeL even Il,)'
snch h'uths the third degree which Î<; callcel Ule
cerestial is not opened; for this dcgrc(~ is opcned hy
means of the celestial love of use, which is lo'e lù the
LoI'd; and love ta the Lord' is nolhing else than com'
mitting to We the j)reccpts of Ule Word. the sum of
which is to nee ,from evils because they are hellish
and devilish, and to do gDod becaus:" it is hC'avenly
and Divine. In this manner lhes:; lIuee dcgrees arc
successively opened in man."
"Sa long al) man lives in .the world lw knows nolhil1g
of the opening of these degrees wilhin him, becausc LW
is then in the natural degree, which is the ontmost, and
from this he then thinks, wUs, spcaks and 'acls; and
the spiritual degree, which is iulerior, cornmllllicates
wI'th the natural degree, not hS conlinuii.y, but by
'Correspondences, .and communication I)!J Clorres pond
ences is not sensibly lell. But wh en man puts off
llie natural degree, vhich he does at dcath, he cornes
iulo lhat degree which has heen Ol)ened 'iihin him in
the vorId; he in whom the spÎl·jt ual dl'g"C'~ has heeJl
opened,coming into lhaldegree, and he witltin whOl1l
the celestial degree has been opencd, coming intI) thal
degree. He who comes into the spirrilual de~re:.'. aller
death no longer thinks, will s, speaks and acls n:ltul'ally,
but spiriLually; and he who cornes into the celcsli:H
(.!l'gree lhinks,wlIls, speaks and acts according to t!lal
degree. And as there can be comm unic.ation h
tween lhe three degrees only by correspouc!enc('s. {fte
'differences of love, wisdom and use as regards t/7ese
degrees are such as to have no common ground by
means of anythi~g continuous. From aIl this it is
plain that man has three 'degrees of height that may
he sllccessive!~r oppned in him. n

:35

There is then the need tü keep in mind that the 'COIn!
munication: by means of correspondences, "IS NOT
SENSIBL y FELT." and that as "long as we live in the
world we kno,," nothing of the oQ...ening 01' these oe.grees
----- .....~
within us. We cannot wrl1e about those things of which
we arc unconscious.
This condition is noteo by Bishop Pel1dleton.as follows:
"AU New Churchmen pray thata spiritual under l
standing may be given Ihem; but as 'to whether the
iJC.lerior de;;l'e~s of their ,minds 8r~ o1)ened by regenef.
ration they know not, as long as Iife lasts. And this
or merey, because of the dang,'Ts which arise from
a conscious feeling {hat the spiritual oegl-ee of the
- _.~---

mind is o,pened as a resu/t of regeneration. These
dangers are more 1han can be here stated. Henee
the warning in the Writings; "tlTa"tan openin8'-of ~he
interior degrees of the mind is not per.ceiueà orsensed
by man uritil alter his departure out 'or the .world."
(D.P. 32.) (N.C.L. May, H):~:1. p 2ï:1.,)

:"$(i

v.
THE USE OF. THE TERil "DIVINE."
Interwoven with the consideration of the Three Leading
Theses of lhe "De Hemclsche Leer," is th? disCL1S' ;ion of
the nature of the reception of the Divine in <1ngels and
men.
The collateral literature on the subject is as under:
"A Correspondenoe on the Essence of the Latin Y';r'd
and lhe Divinity of the Doctrine of the Chnrch."
"De HernelseIze Leer" <!th Fascicle. pp. 37-142.
(This is a record of leUers betwecn Revs Ernest
Pfeiffm', Albert Bjorck and Thcodore PitC<l.iril.)
"The Non Divinity of the Reg~nerale 7I'1;m," by the
Rev. J-lugoLj. Odhncl'. 'Wew ChumIz Li/-,,' ;'IIay: 1933
pp. 238-2.50.
"The Divine !within 'Men and Angels:" by Bishop N.D.
Penclieton. "New Chul10Iz Lite" iM·ay, 1934 pp. 163-173.
"Divine Creation and the Divine Proceeding" by
, Bishop George de Charms. "New CIzliraIz Lite June,
1937, pp. 250-263.
From a sludy of the above namccl contributions. the
difficully seems to be lhe interprclation and application
of the tenu 'Divine;' though, il appears, that both sides
agree that man cannàt become 'Divine.' The following
comparison would affirm lhis:

THE GENERAL OHUROH. THE HAGUE POSITION.
(As stated by Dr Acton.) (As stated by Rev, T. Pitcairn)
"WeIl 1 know that man "It wonld be a ter r i b 1 e
cannat he or become Divine, thing indeed ta make man
and that the ward" Divine" Divine. The whole thought
of" The Lord's .N ew Chur~!l
can nevar be appliecl to bim in the New Jerusalem» (tbe
any sense whatsoever, Ta name we now have)* is tbat
do sa would be monstrons." man of b i m sel f bas no
(N.C.L. May, 1933, Page 73.) spiritual life, but of the Lord's

• The official name now is :
THE LORO'S NEW CHURCH WHIOH 18 NOVA HIEROSOLYMA.

:17

llwrey lil:l can l'ecuive good
and trnth fro Hl the Lor cl
which is the Lord's with him
'lnd. never man's but whiclJ
the Lord ca use" to appear as
if it werl:l man's, although the
man must. never claim it as
his o~n, but must ascribe ail
goocl and truth to the Lord,"
(F r 0 lU ale t ter: ., Ta a
member of the Mission in
repiy to a letter." August,
2~)th, 1938.)

Note, howeyer, should he made of the phrase "The
Divine from itself." (D.P. 52.)

As an example of the diffcrcnee of view, compare the
following:

THE GENERAL UHURCH. THE HAGUE POSITION.
(As noted by Rev. Hugo Lj, (As not;od by Rev, E. Pfeiffer)
Odhner.)
,; ... The meanillg of a term
It is i li ti matecl hy one of the is Ilot Illa:l(~ by man but it- is
writers that the teach~rs of found hy him in the W 0 rd.
tile New Ch m'ch have thus far The point thefol'e i~ not that;
neglected an important item other;;; have not been aware
of doetrine. He say;;:" The.v that we have given sueh a
a 1'0 not aware of the cognition meanillg to the term Divine;
out of the Third Tèstament but the point is that we are
that not only the Divine itself ignorant of the faet that this
is called Divine, but also that IS the meauillg wh i e h the
w hich is from the Div i Il e Latill ,l'orel always gives the
down to the very lasts ofcrea term Divine when the subject
tian is called Divine ... But it is not the Dù:ùze ùz itself, but
is plain from the Thire! Testa the Divine lrom itiself( D. P.
ment that there is a Divine ;B. ) 'L'here ':lr() several places
in ltself which is Ul1create whel'e tile Latin Word ex
and infinite. and there is the plicitly speaks of "The Divine
Divine from the Divine. You things of thb Church" (see one
have i g n or e d this fun da place D. P. 215.) And whereas
mental truth ... The differenee nnn whel he is being regclH)
between the Lord's HUllJan rated is made a Chureh ( A. C.
and man's human after rcgc a654, 39:39. 4427, 6113, g:rZ;j,
neration b Ilot that. the olle j;.: 10:110,) ir i;; a!so po"... ihle and

:H<

Divine and the other not Di orderly to spaak of" the Di
vine, but that the one is the vi ne t hi n g s of ma n." lt
Divine Itself and the other i~ ought. ta he plain that thereb.v
Divine from the Div i Il e ... the Lord is exalted. and n~t
"EI>;ewhere it is said, " Also mar' ...... When man' sees the
l'ecipients ( of the Divine, ) Divine things nfthe Ward
though fini te, must be purely within himself, which can
Divine." (see De Hemelsehe on1y be by virtue of the open
Leer 4/p. 82;è:lld 67. ) irJg of the spiritua 1 ùegree
In defense of this usage of of the mind, he sees t,ruths
the tertn Divine to apply ta in light (cf D. L. W. 252. )
finite things, (like the new That man CHn see the Divine
proprium of man-De Hemel· things within himself, and
selle Leer, 4/p. 98), the writer that this seei ngis out of
disa vows any desire to create Heaven, is describecl in 10675
a new nom e n c 1 a t ure, of the .Ar~ana·' (De H. Leer.
but claims tbat "this is the 4/133. )
meaning wbich the Lat i n
Word always gives to the
term Divine when the subject
is not the DiviGe ltselfbut tbe
Divine from the Divine (D. P.
52." De H. Lee,., p. 133.)
If this were indeed true,
then the writer's disclosnre
would be of utmost impor
tance. We are convinced,
however, that the w rit e l'
merely reads an erraI' into the
Writin~s,-an error wh i ch
originates with the ancient
confusion between that finite
thing w hic h may represent
or signify the Divine and the
Divine whicn is repre5ented.
This error has been carried
up tbougb the ages by my
thology, ancient phihsophy,
mysticism, and poetry, and
has even come in ta cam ~on
speech. "
...... ln the Writings ...... the
term Divine is carefully de
fined to mean what is Inft'·
râte." (N. C. L., May, 1933
pp. 238, 239. Article should
he .read. )

:i!)

This discussion covcrs many, many pagês . but <In idl'<l
of the difference of view may be obtained from the
foregoing. But let us note, again, sorne direct qllolMions
from the Writings thcmselves, which Vere llscd Il.'' the
wrilers who took part in these discussions.
iLC. 9338: Seelion 6:
"For heavcn is nothillg cise than Ihe Divine tmlh
. which procecds from the Lord's Divine good. The
angels of heaven are recipicnls of truth. in good; and
in sa far as the)' receive this, so far Ihey make heaven.
And-this is a secret-the Lord docs not dweH with
an an gel except in His .Own wilh him. In like
manner He dwells ,>,yith a .man; for Ihe Divi:1e .rnust
be in Vhat is Djvine, and not ill what helongs to
allY man. This is me:mt by tile words of the Lord
concerning the union of HimSt'lf with those wIn arc
in the good of love, in John:
"ln that day ye shaH know Ihat 1 am in the
Falher ~nd ye in Me, and 1 .in YOIl. He lhat
loveth Mc keepcth lV[y ward, and Ve will come
inlo him, and mnkc 0111' aboc!e with him." (XIV.
20: 23.) (John XVII. 22, 26; atso quoted.)

ILC. 3·l!.)ü: ("The Contents" of (;cnC'sis XXVII.)

"In the preceding chapll'rs, wherc Isaac and Rc
bekah arc treated of, the subjceLinlhe jnternal S2nse
IS rhe rational and how the Lord made il Divine in
Himself. In the present chapler, in the internai sense
Ihe subject is the nalural, and how Ihe Lord made il
Divine in Himself. "Esau" is the good tlwreof. and
"Jaeob" the lrnlh. Fol' when the Lord Vas in lhe
world He made His whole r-{lIman Divine in Himsrlf,
bolh the interior Human whlch is Ihe rational and Ihe
exterior lIuman which is the natilral, and nlso t.he
very cor poreal; and 1his nCl:Ol"ding to Di Yi iLC order,
according lo which fhe Lord also makes new ùr r('
generates man. And, lhcrefore, in Ihe represent.ativc
sense Ihe rrgeneration of mail as 10 his Ilatllrat is als~
treated of, in which sense "Esuu" js Ihe goad oi' lhe
naluraL and 'Ja'cob' the trllth thel'cor and Yl!l bot,/).
Divine, because al! lhe good and tmtll in one who is
regener'alc are From Ihe Lord." (HaUes ollrs.)

:10

A.C. 2023: ,:lnd la lJzy seed aller il/ce. (Gcncsis XVII:i.)
"That this signifies the Divine thmce cterived Vith
those who have faith in Him, is e'idcnt from the sig'
nificaLion of "seed," as being the fa1th of charity (sel'
n. 1025" 14,17, 1610); and a.Jso from the s:gnirication
of "artel' thee," as being to follow Him (exphün('d
just ahove, n. 2019). The Divine with those who
have faith in the Lord ls love and 'charity. By love
is meauf love to the Lord; and by 'c'lIOI'il!J: love toward
the neighbour."
.1.e. 10151. (Exadus XXIX:44.):
"And the aUar." "That this signifies reccp!ivity of the
Divine from the Lord in the highel' heavens, is evirIent
from the sl.gni1ïœtion of "sanclifying,' as heing reœp'
tivity of the Divine from the Lord (s:'c above 11.101-19),
and from the signification of "Uw altar," as being a
representative of the Lord as to Divine good (n, 99ô4)
'here as to the Divine gocid proeceding [rom Him in
the heavens where it is received, thus fn theh igber
heavens, for the1'e the Lord is 1'('ccived as to Divine
good; but in the 10we1' heavens the Lordis receivecl
as lo Divine truth (as Vas shown jus!' Ilbove. n.10150).
'( 2) Be it known that whatever represented Ihe Lürd
Himself alsa rep1'esented heaven, fOl' the Divine that
proceeds from the Lord. wheu received' hy the angelsJ
makes heaven. Thus in respect ta what is their own
the angels themseh'es do not make heaycn; hut in
respect to the Divine which they receive from the
L'ord. That this is sa can be seen from 'the faet
that each one of them the1'e acknowledges, believes,
and also perccives, that there is nothing of go~)(l fmm'
himself, but on1y from the Lord.; and that whateycr
is from himself is not good; th us whon~ accoeding
to the doctrine of the church, that al! good cornes from
ahove. As this is so, il foHows that it is the Divine
. of the Lord which makes the hea'Cllly lire with
them, consequently heaven. Prom this il ean be seen
how il is to be undel'stood that ,the Lal'tl is the aH in
aH of heaven; also that the Lord dwells there in His
OW11; and likewise that by an "angel" in the Word

41

js si~nlfied somclhing of the Lord (as has been shown
in the preceding pages throughout.). (3) So il is with
lhe chul"ch. In respect to what ]s t'heir own the men
of the churchdo liot make 'the dulreh. bnl in rc'sLwct
ta what is Divine which they recrïve from the Lord;
for every one in lhe JcIhurch .'ho does not ackllowiedge
ana believe that aIl the good .01 love :uid lhe lrllth
of faith are from God, is not of the church; fOl' he
wishes to love Gad from himself, ane( ta helieve in
God from himseU, which however no one can do.
From th~is also il is evidenl :thal l.he 'DivillC of the Lord
makes the chl1rch, as it makcs hcaven. Moreovcr the
!(:hurch is lhe Lord's heaven on earLll; coliseqllenLly
lhe L:ord is h1so the aH in aH in the church, as He is
in heaven, and there dwells in His own with men)
as 'He does wilh the angels in Heavcn. Moreover
after their life in the worId, the men 01' .thechureh
who in this way receive what is Divine oE the Lord
in love and faith, become angeis oE heaven.; and no
olhers. (4) That the Divine ot' the Lord makes His
kingdom wilh man, thal is, heaven :lnd the church
wilh him. the Lord aiso lcuehes in John:
''The Spirit of truth shaN abide with you. and shal1
be in yon, and ye shaH know that 1 :lin in iMy
Falher, and ye in Me. and l'in ,you" (XIV.17.20).
"The "Spirit of tl'uth" denotes lhe Divine truth 'lhat
proceeds from the Lord, al' which it 1S said thal il:
"shaH àbide in you": and aflerwanl that '-I-[e 1S in
the Fathcr, and Ihey in Him, and He in them," whero
by is signified thal ~hey wOl1ld be in Vhal is Divine
of the Lord, and that what is Divine of lhe Lord
shouicl be in them. Thal Ihe Divine Human is th:1I.
which is there meanl is plain. And <Ig:1in. in the
samc:
., ;-1bide in Me, and J in 1jou;'(fS tlte '!Jmnc!l. cannot be(J!'
fruit of itsel./; except il abide in tht: vine; so neitlwr cau Ile,
excrpt ye abide in 111e; Fie that abirLeth in Me, and J ill M'fil.,
the saine bern'eth 'lrt'Uch .ti·uit; fo!' lIJitlw~1l 11:1(' ur (:111/. rio
notltiny." (John XY, 4; ;').)

,p

A.n. 961-. (The whole '"Relation" should be l'end):
" ......That which is fl'om Gad is nol. called Gad', but
is cal1ed: the Divine; for whal. is a God from God; .and
thus wItat is a Gad from Gad bom from etel'nity;
and what is a Gad from Gotl procecding thl'ough a
Gad barn from eternity, but words in which therê is
not the 1east light from heaven? Il is ol.hcrwisc in
the Lord Jesus Christ; in Him is the Divine Ess::l
ltself from which ail things arc, ta which the soul
in man corresponds, the Divine IIuman, t8 wnich the
body in man corresponds, and the Divine proc:.'eding,
ta which activity in man corresponds. This Tdne
is a one, because from the Divine from which al!
things are is the Divine Human, and thcl1ce from the
Divine from which ail things are, through the Divine
Human is the Divine proceeding. Thcrel'ore â~so, in
cvery angel and in every man, because they are
images, there is a soul, a body, and a'Clivity, which
make one; slnce from the souI is the br:dy, and fr .. m
the sauf through the body is thc ac[ivity."
A.E. 627/11, ln Job:
"Let my shouldel' blade fall fmm the shoulder, and
mine arm be broken therefrom !hy a reed; fOl' the
dl'ead of the tiestruclion of God is upon me, and by
reason of His majesty 1 can do nothing. Have 1
made gold my hope, and said ta pure gold, Thou art
my confidence?" (XXXI.. 22-24.)
"This, tao, tI'cats of the confidence of self-intel
ligence, and in the :spiritual sense these words des:Tibc
tItat from this nothing of truth is seen, but only whrlt
is false~ which does not cohere with any truth" ......
"By Teason oT His :rmijesty to be able ta do nothing,"
signifies "that nothing of the understanding and per~
ceprlOn of truth is from wilat is m:1n's own (pro~
prium), but aU from Gad; "ta make gold a hope,
and ta say ta pure gold, Thou art my confidence"
signifies that he cOllfided not in himsclf, by believing
anything of good ta be from himsclf."

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