not yet depraved and vastated, and from a written Word not yet lost. Nature eminently illustrated religion in its primeval history, and seeing the civilization of Egypt has been the marvel of all succeeding ages, we may well augur the most magnificent results upon human society, now that we have the true sense of the Word at length excavated from the tomb of ages, and have at the same time the power of yoking it with science to the car of human progress. The colonies of Egypt were religious missions, whether proceeding from Meroe or Thebes; and were sent out that the soul of man might have instruction wherever human works, such as architecture or manufactures, were wanted. And the soul of man so instructed in the principles of true religion! how soon and how memorably it paid back to science and society in the achievements of art and wonderful civilization the instruction it had received. Athens, the eye of Greece, may well be cited to demonstrate this. It began with the foundation of a temple to Neith.

The progress of the Brahminical mission in India was like the progress of the Egyptian, except that the former had military attendants. The amazing things that the Brahmins achieved in astronomy, art, and metaphysics, are to be traced back to the time when the religion was spiritual. With the corruption of the priesthood, as in Egypt, have been the loss of its science, and the gross idolatry of the people. All that is left of the vast and almost incredible science of the Brahmins is the poor ability to construct and explain the almanac, and even this scanty amount of knowledge is the portion of but few of their members; while the division of society into castes, puts an almost hopeless barrier upon the progress of missions, except among the Pariahs. To show how difficult the work of Christian missions in India is, we may mention, that a native embracing Christianity loses caste by partaking of the Lord's Supper; and what the penalty of losing caste is, all know. Thus the adoption of Christianity involves a total change of opinion in the constitution of society, and therefore the Hindoo religion is found to be almost unconquerable by Christian missionaries. There is one hopeful thing, however, and which brings a mission to India perfectly within the power of religious persons of both sexes, and that is, the Brahmins offer no objection to the instruction of the young in various branches of useful knowledge, and such instruction too is universally desired by the people. Connected with an effort of this kind should be the formation of colonies of laymen, religious artisans of missionary spirit, persons versed in agriculture, some of the operations of engineering, useful arts, and in medicine. There would be no doubt of success in such communities where love to Christ, conjoined with holy conjugial love, and love to the brethren were the only impulses of action. The plan was tried with eminent success by the Jesuits in Paraguay. These communities would form places of refuge, employment, and maintenance for those new converts who in quitting their former creed are often cut off from society and the means of subsistence, and in this way without a new opening to enable them to provide for their own living, must become a burden and discredit to the new society with which they have become con

nected. The amelioration of the soil around missionary stations, and improved methods of culture, would be attended with manifold advantages: it would give a visible reply to the objections of the most sceptical as to the use of missionaries. How great a change in missionary stations would even an acquaintance with the best method of irrigation produce! It was owing to this art that the Arab dominion in Spain owed much of its prosperity and glory. The children of the desert, in their own burning regions, had been taught the economy of water; the same skill which produced a wretched garden in the Sahara, created a paradise in Spain; and to the art of directing the streams which were descending from the snows of the Alpuxaras may be attributed those magic wonders which Madame de Stael could never hear of without feeling her pulse beat faster, "Les orangers du royaume de Grenade, et les citronniers des rois Maures."

The Boodhist mission may be here noticed in connection with the Brahmin. As a religion it is greatly elevated above either pure Paganism or Hindooism, and is deeply interesting from its being the most prevalent form of religion upon earth. The number of the human race being estimated at 965 millions, nearly one-half or 400 millions are Boodhists. The comparatively superior character of this religion. connected with the recent settlement, and certainly destined importance of California, makes it worthy of much attention, and perhaps brings the Boodhists nearer to us than any other people out of Christendom. Mr. Howard Malcolm, in his "Travels in the Burman Empire," says that Boodhism is professed by half of the population of China, Lao, Cochin China, and Ceylon; by all of Camboja, Siam, Burmah, Thibet, Tartary, and Loo-Choo; and a great part of Japan, and most of the other islands of the Southern seas, are of this faith. In some parts of India, it is the great rival of Hindooism, but its principal stronghold is in the adjoining empire of Burmah.

It appears to the writer that the articles of the Boodhist faith cannot be meditated on by the Newchurchman without stirring up strong emotions of interest. Nothing is too vast for modern ideas-nothing too strange and startling for modern ability to achieve. There is a rich harvest of souls among these Boodhists when the set time shall

come.

A few particulars of their faith are mentioned as tending to excite Christian interest towards these people:

1. Boodh is a general term for Divinity; he has been incarnate several times, and he will appear once more; the future Boodh (or Messiah) is to be named Areemadayah.

2. Boodhism is the Protestantism of India. It is a denial of Brahminism. Brahminism has a host of idols. Boodhism has only one. That enjoins bloody sacrifices; this forbids all killing. That requires atrocious self-tortures; this inculcates fewer austerities than Catholics. That makes lying, theft, and other vices sometimes commendable and describes the gods as excelling in these enormities; this never confounds right and wrong, and never excuses any sin.

3. Boodhism inculcates no principle of caste. Brahminism probably grew out of Boodhism, and gained power and numbers in Ĥin

dostan till the close of the first century of the Christian era, when the Brahmins were able to commence that persecution of which their own records speak, and which drove out the teachers of Boodhism into Farther India, whence it extended into China.

4. The most extraordinary peculiarity of Boodhism is the want of any existing god. The Boodhists have an image of a being who was god at some former time, and they are to worship him till the appearance of the next Boodh. They have a Bible called Bedagat.

5. The Boodhists hold that merit consists in avoiding sins and performing virtues; and they have a pentalogue consisting of these five positive laws, viz: (a) Thou shalt not kill. (b) Thou shalt not steal. (c) Thou shalt not commit adultery. (d) Thou shalt not lie. (e) Thou shalt not drink any intoxicating liquors.

6. The Boodhists divide their sins into three classes: (a) Those of the body as killing, theft, &c. (b) Those of the tongue, as falsehood, discord, harsh language, idle talk, &c. (c) Those of the mind, as pride, covetousness, envy, adoring false gods.

7. The Boodhists believe in the metempsychosis, but that it will terminate in nic-ban or annihilation.

8. There is scarcely a prohibition of the Bedagat which is not sanctioned by our Holy Scriptures.

9. Worship is not performed collectively, though crowds assemble at the same time on set days. Each one makes his offering and recites his prayers alone.

10. Any one may become a Boodhist priest, and any priest may return to a secular life at pleasure.

The 4th particular above mentioned brings to mind the doctrine of Swedenborg, that the human mind in thinking of God must think of an image of man; that without such an image it is lost in vacuity, just as the eye loses itself in gazing on a black expanse of the firmament. The image of the Boodh is used as the crucifix is used by the Catholics. Mr. Malcolm says that he is invariably represented in the same manner, except that sometimes he is made to wear a crown, necklace, and ornaments on his arms: the lineaments and expression of the face are always the same. These images of Boodh may be seen from half an inch long to 75 feet. In the Apoc. Ex. 1115, Swedenborg says: "I will relate what must needs seem wonderful; every man in the idea of his spirit sees God as a man, even he who in the idea of his body sees him like a cloud, a mist, air, or ether, even he who has denied that God is a man: man is in the idea of his spirit when he thinks abstractedly, and in the idea of his body when he thinks not abstractedly. That every man in the idea of his spirit sees God as a man, has been made evident to me from men after death, who are then in the ideas of spirit; for men after death become spirits, in which case, it is impossible for them to think of God otherwise than as of a man."

99

(To be continued.)

T. W.

ARTICLE III.

INSANITIES.

ACCORDING to the pathology in vogue, we find no other definition of the word insanity than that of mental alienation, delirium, dementia. If the sense is given more minutely the different forms of hysteria and hypocondriasis are included. When the external types of the malady are enumerated, it is supposed to be fairly defined, without necessity of proceeding farther.

But the intelligent reader of Swedenborg learns a rationalé more profound than any idea embodied in these defining terms. He is above treating derisively a series of relations replete with science and philosophy, which account for the influences that pervade the outward world; and is filled with wonder at the immense amount of knowledge thereby opened to his mind. While the attention of others is directed to manifested facts, his is brought into the sphere of causes. He knows that that is the field which best compensates for diligent and patient research. And so far as his fidelity impels to investigation, does he arrive at most valuable discovery. Valuable indeed in his hands; for to the true Newchurchman, knowledge is only a means to accomplish important uses.

Amidst the general ignorance of the philosophy of insanity, the works of Swedenborg, appear like light purposely sent to dispel the thick darkness. We are directed at once to consider the spiritual agencies which occasion the peculiar phenomena of every day life. And in the case of the malady now under our notice, we learn that they are demoniacal and satanic. The depths of insanity are verily the depths of Hell.

We premise our remarks by the statement that we give the word insane its etymological signification of unhealthy; we are allowed a latitude as great as we need in the scope of our argument. In a sense not widely different from this we understand the term made use of by the scribe of the New Jerusalem. And so far as we have been able to explore, this is the legitimate meaning and includes the usual definitions before mentioned.

We are aware that skeptical theorizers may sneer at the liberty which we take, and at the philosophy which we endorse. But in the issue before us, these are matters of little moment. The all-important object is truth; and it transcends all others.

The illuminated Swedenborg declares that life in itself is the very esse of Jehovah; from whom it is diffused throughout the wide creation. Man is not a being who exists by virtue of any inherent vitality, but is solely a receptacle, and if not momentaneously sustained by influxes, would perish. Nor can he receive these influxes, as pure as they are when radiated from the Divine, especially in his present degradation. The auras must pass through mediums till they become sufficiently crassified to be adapted to each individual's capaci

ty of reception. Angels and spirits of different mould furnish such mediums; so that a good man may receive a purer element, while a wicked person obtains the influent life in a vitiated and even an inverted state. For if selfishness has dominion over all the affections, disorder must pervade the whole corporeity, making it a rendezvous for evil spirits.

Every one must be aware how contemptuously many apparently intelligent men treat the idea of an intimate consociation with malignant demons. Not competent to oppose it with ability, nor willing to concede its correctness, they resort to such means of evading the issue. Yet the sentiment is evidently well founded. When the inhabitants of this world pass into the unseen state they must do so with characters similar to those which they possessed while here. By the laws of association they must be joined very intimately with those now alive in the world who are nearest like themselves. That sphere which each individual carries about with him, he diffuses upon others; and, following the same law, spirits in the other life will dif fuse their spheres and auras upon those of like mould and moral character. Thus good men will be favored with an aura of good and truth, and the wicked will be receivers of influxes replete with evil and insanity.

Superlatively ignorant is the person who would arraign the Divine Providence for not prohibiting this conjunction of evil spirits with bad men. As the life of man is his love; if that love were extinguished, or unsustained by corresponding influxes, the individual could not live. A good affection can have no analogy with an evil will; there can, therefore, be no conjunction of good spirits with bad men. A necessity exists from the nature of the case, that the interiors of the wicked should enjoy the presence of similar spirits; by providing which the Lord preserves this portion of mankind.

Nevertheless, bad as these spirits may be, they would be innoxious to men, if human depravity did not give them an arena in which to carry out their malignancy. They can have no dominion in men's hearts only so far as men submit to it by performing wicked actions.

It is a universal law that every love shall have its corresponding truth. The converse is equally general; every evil has its analogous falsity. When men suffer any lust to sway them, it never fails to produce in their minds a fatuity sufficiently strong to unbalance their rational faculties. In the generality of cases among evil-doers this is probably the form which their insanity assumes. If they are religious, they are led to imagine that their favorite sin is only venial, or perhaps a virtue; and so live a life of evil and disorder. Thus at the present day many people do not regard covetousness as a great evil; while it underlies most of the wretchedness and suffering met with in our streets. Very many think dishonesty and petty deceptions to be excusable, if not commendable. Adulteries and seductions are themes of merriment; and marriage is considered as similar to them in fact, though not in name. Hence it is that many, very many professing Christians are so infatuated by the evils into which they are sunk, that they know no delights purer or choicer than those which the seer of