Page:Swedenborgs Maximus Homo.pdf/50

 "There are a few who are totally ignorant of God; but these, if they have lived a moral life, are instructed by angels after death, and receive a spiritual principle in their moral life. It is the same with those who worship the sun and moon, believing God to be there. They know no otherwise. Therefore this is not imputed to them as sin; for the Lord says: 'If ye were blind,' that is, if ye did not know, 'ye should have no sin. (John ix, 41.) But there are many, even in Christendom, who worship idols and graven images. This is actually idolatrous, but not with all; for there are some to whom graven images serve as a means of awakening thought concerning God." (D. P., n. 254.)

No one can fail to see that the foregoing extracts are all aglow with the very spirit of heaven—full of the infinite and tender mercy of the Lord. And we may search in vain for any such teaching in the old theologies. There was nothing like it before Swedenborg's time. Yet it would not be difficult to fill a moderate-sized volume with extracts from his writings similar to the above. But it is by no means uncommon now to hear from the pulpit, or to read in religious journals reputed orthodox, substantially the very same teaching. There are hundreds of ministers in our country (and possibly as many in England), and they are among the most intelligent, popular, and influential, too, whose beliefs and