dination of Mr. Warren Goddard as their Pastor; he having previously accepted their invitation to this office. This request was complied with by the Convention, and either of the ordaining ministers who might be invited to officiate on the occasion, was authorized to perform the service. We accidentally omitted to state in our last number, that in pursuance of an invitation from the society in North Bridgewater, Mr. Goddard was regularly ordained as their Pastor, by Rev. Thomas Worcester, of Boston, on Thursday, Sept. 19th. The society appears to be well united, and in a prosperous and growing condition.

INSTITUTION OF A SOCIETY IN PROVIDENCE.

A society, consisting of eleven, was regularly instituted in Pro- ^ vidence, by Rev. Thomas Worcester, of Boston, on Tuesday, October 15th. Several of the members of the new society had been for some time, members of the society in Bridgewater under the pastoral care of Rev. Samuel Worcester. But they at length came to the conclusion, that it was desirable that they should become organized as a distinct society, and made application for this purpose. We trust that the new and important responsibilities involved in this step, may be duly regarded by all the members; and that the beneficial effects which have been anticipated from it, may be more than realized.

BOOK BOARD OF THE MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION.

"

It may not be known to all the readers of the Magazine in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, that a "Book Board " was instituted by the Massachusetts Association at their meeting in April, the object of which was to supply the social Libraries within the limits of this Association, with one or more volumes of the writings of Swedenborg, and other New Church publi

cations.

The Board was organized and have raised funds for this object, and they have already supplied about forty social Libraries in various places, within the two States.

The object of this notice, is to invite the coöperation of scattered receivers of the Doctrines, in making application to the various social Libraries in their vicinity, for the purpose of ascertaining whether they are willing to receive, as a donation from the Association, such of the New Church Works as the Board may be able to supply; and to forward the names of all who signify their willingness to receive them, to the Secretary of the Board.

By order of the Book Board.

OTIS CLAPP, Secretary.

NEW JERUSALEM MAGAZINE.

NO. CXLVIII.

DECEMBER, 1839.

DISCOURSE FROM LUKE XVIII. 15, 16.

By JOSEPH PETTEE.

And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when is disciples saw, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

In regard to the state of infants, and the treatment proper to them, we learn much that is new from the revelations made to the New Church. We are taught in regard to the state of infants, that they suffer themselves to be governed by the angels, and not from the proprium, as adults, who govern themselves from their own judgment and their own will; that infants suffer themselves to be governed by those angels, is manifest from the Lord's words in Matthew: "See that ye despise not one of these little ones, for I say unto you that their angels in the heavens, do always see the face of my Father." (See A. C. 5608.) This being the state of infants, it is manifest that the treatment proper for them, is such treatment as recognises them in this state. learn furthermore, that there is association in the first stages of infancy, with angels of the highest heaven; thus that in that stage there is an ultimate manifestation of the state of the angels of the highest heaven, and thus that in every thing pertaining to this stage of life the sphere of the angels of the highest heaven is really present. Those who have the care of infants, especially mothers, are more or less affected by this sphere, and make it more or less manifest that they are affected by it. When they have the care of infants, they act much less from their own proprium than at other times. This is true whether they in their

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We

understanding distinctly recognise the state of infants or not. It is true whether they as of themselves will and seek for the infants, the ends which the angels are willing and seeking, or not. If they cannot will and seek, as of themselves, the ends which the angels will and seek, the opposing things, in their proprium, can be made for the time quiescent, and then they can at least act from the sphere of the angels, while it is not really appropriated to themselves. We learn from the doctrines of the church, that association with angels, as to the external life continues, not only through the stage of infancy, but also through childhood and youth; and that this external association does not cease until adult age arrives, that then a new order commences, that mere external association with heaven ceases to characterize the man, and that then he comes into a state of freedom, from internals to appropriate those states through which he has been externally led, or not. Now the sphere of the evil spirits who hold hereditary possession of the man, begins to manifest itself. The states of innocence, of charity, and of affection for truth, which have before existed externally, are withdrawn and protected by the Lord, and they can only return so as to be appropriated, in proportion as evil spirits, and the evils and falsities which they excite are freely rejected.

"And they brought unto him also infants.'

When

By bringing is not meant natural carrying in the arms, but a spiritual corresponding thing is meant. We bring infants to the Lord when we are affected by the sphere of the angels manifested by them, and regard that sphere as from the Lord's presence. The angels as of themselves bear themselves to the Lord, by recognising him in all the good which they do. the angels, in acting as of themselves, perceive that they act from the Lord, they are borne to the Lord. All the innocent affections which the Lord gives them, they instantly bear to him, by means of their power of making the acknowledgment, that they are from him, and that he is in them. Now if parents, when the types and mediums of innocence are given them by the Lord, while they rejoice in them, and are made happy by them, if they have and use the power of receiving them from the Lord, and of recognising him, and the sphere of those angels who always behold his face in them, then they bring them to the Lord. When infants are thus brought to the Lord, the sphere which affects them from the spiritual world, is not resisted in the natural world. Parents, by suffering those evils which are made quiescent in infants to operate in themselves, in the treatment of their infants, do what they can to produce the mischief which would follow, if evil spirits were permitted to affect infants as they do

adults; in other words, which would ensue, if hereditary evil were active in infancy.

But in order to understand well what it is to do, according to what is contained in these words, when by infants is understood infants literally, it is necessary first to understand what it is to do it, when by infants is understood what infants spiritually signify.

Infant then in its spiritual sense signifies innocence. Innocence is signified by infant, because through infants the sphere of innocence from the inmost heaven is manifested. The sphere of the life of an infant is no other than the sphere of the innocence of the angels. This sphere manifests itself through infants, because in them, none of the evils which are opposed to the sphere of innocence have been confirmed. Neither is the innocence by which infants are affected confirmed with them. Those to whom the sphere of innocence which manifests itself in infancy is appropriated, are in genuine infancy, because in genuine innocence. Thus the angels from whom comes the sphere of innocence which surrounds an infant are in genuine infancy.

Spiritual conceptions correspond to natural conceptions, spiritual births, to natural births, and spiritual infancy, to natural infancy. Spiritual conception takes place when there is a union of love and wisdom in the interiors of the mind, spiritual birth. takes place when the fruits of that conjunction appear in the external mind. Those innocent things, which manifest themselves in the exterior mind, as the fruits of the union of love and wisdom in the interior, are spiritual infants; and the state of mind which exists when the sphere which surrounds them prevails, is spiritual infancy. These are what should be brought to the Lord, that he may touch them.

It may be expedient to illustrate more fully what spiritual conception, birth and infancy are. All conjunction of love and wisdom in the interiors of the mind, which is spiritual conception, is effected from the Word. Thus with those who regard the Word as holy, when they read it in illustration, or pray in illustration from it, or in illustration attend to preaching from it, the union of love and wisdom in the interiors of the mind is effected from it. The consequence is that there is interior perception and affection, and interior delight. The very delight of the angels is in some degree interiorly felt, and their illustration is in some degree interiorly enjoyed. What intervenes between this state, and that of spiritual birth, is what is meant in the Word by carrying in the womb. The intervening state is necessary, in order that what has been interiorly conceived, may be prepared to be brought forth into exteriors, and that the exterior mind may be prepared to receive it. Let the true doctrine respecting the state of infants

serve as an illustration. This doctrine is from the Word-from the union of the divine love and wisdom therein. It is one thing inwardly to perceive, and be affected with this doctrine, and to be delighted with it; and it is altogether another thing, to live externally under the influence of its light and heat. But after it is conceived in our minds, the Lord is present with us in it, and the inmost sphere of heaven surrounds it, both in the endeavor fully to bring it to the birth. Man cannot be prepared for its birth, except such things as would destroy it, if born, are in some way separated from him. All that occupies the external mind of man, except as spiritual infants are born to him, is evil and false. The removal of this evil and falsity, by man as of himself, prepares him to receive that which is to be born. The birth takes place when there is an entire renunciation of that which would destroy what is born. This renunciation is what is meant in the Word by the pangs of a woman in travail. After spiritual birth takes place, the sphere which was before interiorly present, becomes exteriorly present. It was before a sphere making preparation, for the introduction of a spiritual infant into the world; it is now a sphere of protection around it in the world. The state of an infant in a natural sense, and its need of constant attention and protection, are but images of the state of a spiritual infant, and its need of constant attention and protection. How helpless is the true doctrine of the state of infants in our external minds, and what need there is of constant attention to it, and protection of it against the evils and falsities which we inherit, and have acquired to ourselves. It is by carrying spiritual infants to the Lord that he may touch them, that we are truly qualified properly to cherish and protect natural infants. We carry spiritual infants to the Lord, when we are affected by them from Him, and not from ourselves, that is, when we are as of ourselves affected by them, on account of what they are in themselves, on account of what the Lord has made them, and not on account of what we can make them to us. By touching is signified communication, and reception, and consequent conjunction. This is signified by touching, because the touch corresponds to such communication, and is the medium of it. We bring the true doctrine respecting infants to the Lord, and desire him to touch it, when we desire that doctrine to be on the earth as it is in heaven, when we desire it still to live from him in the exteriors of our minds, as it did in the interiors. When we thus apparently bring that doctrine to the Lord, it really brings us to him, and we can properly cherish the tender spiritual infant which has been given us, because as of ourselves we cherish it from him. The sphere which surrounds the infant which we carry to him, affects our