ding, but also to publish them by the press. That the Lord has
manifested Himself before me, His servant, and sent me on this office, and
that, after this, He opened the sight of my spirit, and thus let me into
the spiritual world, and gave me to see the heavens and the hells and also
to speak with spirits and angels, and this now continually for many years,
I testify in truth; and also that, from the first day of that call, I have
not received anything that pertains to the doctrines of that church from my
angel, but from the Lord alone, while I read the Word."

It is stated with great positiveness by Swedenborg's followers, and indeed,
apparently by the seer himself, if we may take as authoritative, the
translations of his works, that the revelations accorded to him covered a
period of many years, whereas, we find in most instances of cosmic
consciousness, the illumined ones have alluded to some specific time, as
the great event, even while claiming that the effect of this illumination
remains indefinitely--in fact, forms a part of a wider area of
consciousness which is ever increasing.

But when we take the numerous instances of revelations, in which the devout
ones firmly believe that they and they alone have been accorded the vision,
we must realize that this phenomenon is impersonal, looked at as a favor to
any one human being. By that we mean that Illumination comes to every soul
who has earned it, just as mathematically as the sun seems to set, after
the earth has made its hourly journey.

Perhaps this comparison is not as clear as to say: when the normal child
has grown to manhood or womanhood, his consciousness has widened, beyond
that of the infant; not excluding that of the infant but inclusive of all
hitherto acquired knowledge. Without in any degree lessening the
importance and the verity of Swedenborg's visions, it may be assumed that
his record of these visions and their meaning has partaken more or less of
the limitations of mortal mind.

Spiritual consciousness can not be set down in terms of sense. The external
world symbolizes spiritual truths; each interpreter must of necessity weave
into his interpretation and attempt at finite expression of these truths,
something of his own mortal consciousness; and this "mortal mind"
consciousness is bound to partake of the time and age, and conditions of
environment of the person who has experienced the revelation.

Making due allowance, therefore, for the im