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 revealings without causing more or less disturbance in his society and denomination. By such announcement, therefore, he violates the plain teaching of our heaven-illumined scribe. Nor is his offense one atom less grievous, nor his violation of peace and order less palpable, even though a majority of his society should agree to retain him as their minister—a thing that would rarely happen.

The third and only remaining course is that which we advise, and have for more than forty years advised as often as our counsel has been sought. It is, that a minister who receives the heavenly doctrines should remain right where he is so long as his people are glad or willing to have him, and quietly teach the new truths as they are able to receive them—pursuing a straightforward, prudent, and judicious course, and making no mention of Swedenborg or the New Church until such time as he thinks he can do so without any disturbance in his society. See, now, if this course be not fully justified by the Word and the Writings.

The Lord counsels his disciples to exercise prudence and circumspection. This, we are told is what He means when He tells them to be prudent as serpents, and guileless as doves." (Matt. x, 16) And we read in the Arcanα Cœlestia that "among the most ancient people,