|
March 29th, 1917
Received by James Padgett
Washington D.C.
I am here, Robert G. Ingersoll.
Well, I come first because I am more modest than the other spirits
who are present, and will say a few words and then give place to
the others.
I have been with you while you were reading the work of Swedenborg,
and was much interested in the impression made upon your mind by
what he said, and found that your impressions were not very different
from those that I had when I read his book while on earth, except
this, that I had no belief in the spirit world, while you have.
Of course, you know from the knowledge that you have received through
the messages that have come to you that many of his assertions are
erroneous and the creatures of a mind that was fitted with a great
knowledge of scientific things as accepted in his day, and also
of a desire on his part to reconcile his knowledge of science and
of theological teachings with what he supposed had been imparted
to him by spirits and angels. But the result was that they could
not be reconciled, and the consequence was that he declared doctrines
and teachings that were utterly at variance with spiritual truths;
and no one knows better than he does at this time of the falsity
of many of his teachings.
Swedenborg had many opportunities for receiving and imparting the
truth, but his great learning in the sciences and his beliefs in
the old orthodox doctrines of the church in which he had been reared
led him to conclusions and declarations of truths - as he believed
- that were contrary to both science and religion in its higher
and true sense.
Well, you may wonder that I write on this subject, and to answer
any question that may arise from your surprise, I only desire to
say that since I have received a knowledge of God's plan for the
salvation of mankind and some of His Divine Love, I have been investigating
with all the energies of my soul the great truths that exist and
which are never changed. And in such investigation I have talked
with Swedenborg and have learned from him the sources of his wonderful
declarations and doctrines as set forth in his works. He is now
in full knowledge of the truth, and also of his errors of his own
learned disquisitions,1 as his followers believe and pronounce them
to be.
He can best explain to you the causes of his erroneous beliefs
and what led him to attempt to explain the teachings that he received
in the spirit world and his experiences in the mystical way that
he did. I will not write more on the subject.
But I, Ingersoll, who was truly and honestly an agnostic, can and
do say that in this spirit world I had less darkness and less erroneous
beliefs to get rid of than had Swedenborg; and while he had more
of this Divine Love in his soul than had I - for I had none - yet
his mind was so warped by his intellectual conceptions of the truth
that it was easier for me to find the true way and progress in it
towards the Father's Love and the Celestial heavens than it was
for him. This he has told me, and I have listened to him with much
interest, and have learned that the way of the narrow and bigoted
orthodox believer is a harder road to travel than that of the agnostic
who has not in his soul been too much defiled by sin and evil.
I am still progressing and praying, and believing and receiving,
the inflow of this Wonderful Love. Oh, I tell you that this Love
is the greatest thing in all the spirit world, as well as on earth,
and the only thing that brings the soul in close union and harmony
with the Father. I will not write more now, but soon I will come
and write my promised letter.
So, my dear friend, with my love and gratitude,
I will say good night.
Your brother in Christ,
R. G. Ingersoll
1 A long or elaborate essay or discussion on a particular subject.
|
