LECTURE XIII.

THE MENTAL CONDITION OF ANCIENT PROPHETS,

SEERS, AND RELIGIOUS

CHIEFTAINS.

THE subject of these lectures has already unfolded and expanded under the pen far beyond my own anticipations. True, the sublime theme before us towered up, in the very commencement, like a spacious edifice, with many compartments and lofty turrets. Nevertheless, I supposed that the beautiful grounds, extensive parks, different vestibules, and attractive departments of this particular temple of truth, could all be shown you in a much less period of time. But it is highly gratifying to me to continue the reception of a philosophy so exalting; or the illustration of a science so intimately related to the hidden impulses and powers of our com

mon nature.

As it will be observed, this philosophy of the psychological and psycho-sympathetic manifestations of the human mind, is fatal to all theological assumptions of supernaturalism. It most beautifully harmonizes all developments of mind with the established laws of Nature; shows the psychological condition of the ancient prophets to be substantially identical with the mental illumination or aberration of several persons in this age; and thus, most distinctly and permanently, our philosophy lays bare the stupendous arcana or mysteries of human life; and develops, without any virtual disparagement, the real character and intrinsic excellence and beauty of all Scriptural accounts and other sacred developments of prophetic power

The vast utility of such a spiritual philosophy, is very manifest to the thinking mind. In the first place, it throws a new and beautiful light over the mental constitution of man. The soul is no longer a dreamy, vaporish breath-a bubble in the air-a thin, shapeless combination of ethereal elements-floating, after the event of death, in the vortical depth of infinitude-conscious, yet undestined; meditating, yet unsubstantial as the passing breeze. Nay; not so. Nor yet, a mere undefined nonentity, sleeping in the cold prison-house of death; the mere companion of dust and corruption; until the thundering tones of the fabled trumpet shall arouse the dreaming soul to unite with its cast-off body, and ascend on high, to await its trial and final verdict. But unspeakably superior to all this mythological teaching, are the disclosures of the philosophy under investigation. The soul is made to appear in its true character, as a high-destined, beautifully endowed, and symmetrically substantial individual, the inheritor of an eternal life of infinite progression! And all superstition passes away beneath its benignant influence, as tears of sorrow before the joys of the Spirit Land. In this respect, its teachings are inexpressibly important and happifying. If it frees our mind of certain local attachments-of peculiar forms and institutions of theology-of longfostered household gods and revered personages; it, at the same time, provides us with vaster fields of thought-with the profoundest disclosures concerning the moral and intellectual nature of man--with the most stupendous attainments in every possible sphere of knowledge—and with a new and divine development of the hitherto hidden arcana of a world beyond the tomb! If the supernaturalism of religious superstition be thoroughly stripped from the character of any deified personage,-what then? If the true philosophy of psychology and mental sympathy is logically and intrinsically adequate to remove, from your minds, much unhealthy veneration for certain opinions and doctrines-what then? Are you injured by

the Truth? Are you deprived of any means of salvation from error and imperfection? Far from it! Every new disclosure, in science or in religion, is a new power placed in your possession. Every discovery of error adds another gem of wealth to the casket of your intellectual knowledge. When error is removed, truth is seen in its native majesty. Gold is pure and beautiful only when chemically disengaged from its earthly impurities; and believing so, I can not but press forward in the work of separating truth from the noxious superstitions and absurdities of supernaturalism, which have been thrown around its body by perverted and misdirected men. By these means, the world will progressively learn to highly respect all prophets, and seers, and religious chieftains; not with that unnatural and unhealthy veneration whereby men are converted and deified into Gods, but with that sound and healthy deference which is due to all our brothers who stand, or have stood, before the 'world in the pure character of philanthropists or moral reformers. Such are the motives which actuate me-such the thoughts which perpetually flow into my understanding.

It will be remembered that, in the foregoing lectures on the general philosophy of clairvoyance, I have progressively treated on man in the rudimental state, in the psychological state, and the sympathetic state; but, in accordance with my present inflowing impressions, I will proceed to consider the human mind in the transition state, which is midway, or intermediate, between the sympathetic state and the opening of the interior or spiritual senses.

The transition state, as the term implies, is characterized by neither absolute sympathy nor absolute perception, but by a blending or interfusing of one condition with the other-to the confounding and utter superconfusion of both. The individual, in this state, is, occasionally and transitionally, sympathetic and independent. There is a constant fluctuation between two extremes. The mind

indicates a distinct vision at one moment, or during one period of its exercises; but perhaps, on the succeeding occasion, the same mind will utter the thoughts and impressions of its own memory, or will lose its individuality of character in a close and apparently complete sympathy with the minds or circumstances which surround it.

It requires a thorough understanding of the laws of mind to properly comprehend the phenomena consequent upon this condition. In this state the mind is not clairvoyant, neither is it occupying a spiritual position from which the soul can discern the broad territories of the Spirit Land. But the mental state is one of momentary fluctuation-a passing to and fro from one extreme of sympathy with surrounding things to a more interior communion with the inward elements and educational prepossessions of his own mind, which are magnified and multiplied to an extent almost beyond belief.

These operations of the soul are very interesting phenomena. to study and analyze; but they have been the cause of much misunderstanding and even superstition among religious sects. And especially, is this form of superstition reviving in this century, supported by a strong array of ecclesiastical erudition, and with a splendid display of apparently logical argumentation. My mind is now upon those who have received the theological writings of Baron Swedenborg as "divinely imparted and infallibly certain"— who have deified the man, and accepted the innumerable repetitions of his prolific mind as the certain emanations of immortal Truth. In their adoration, they unfortunately forget the imperfections of their self-proclaimed prophet, and hence invariably associate him with the Lord. It would seem that the world has had lessons enough in the fallacy of deification. Every religious chieftain, that ever lived, has always claimed personal exemption from error and other imperfection natural to man in the great system of universal

progress, on grounds precisely identical with the enormous professions of Emmanuel Swedenborg--viz.: being a special agent for "the Lord" in the transaction of some mundane business in the theological field, and, consequently, being a particular favorite of the Lord, the Lord maintains him in a state of purity, and makes him a vessel for the introduction, into the great world of "sinners" about him, of infallible doctrines-doctrines, which, because of their direct emanation from the august source of Truth, must not be surveyed by reason or questioned by flesh and blood. This is the dogmatism of Swedenborg; and such is the voluntary deification of those, who accept his teachings with only their faculties of marvelousness, to which, however, they devoutly resign their Reason; or else they compel it very meekly and cautiously to perform the functions of a determined promulgator of a system which is claimed, at the commencement, to be direct from the Lord. But there are hundreds of instances recorded in history, and many that were not deemed of sufficient importance to record, where men have set up a claim as high, and in the precise manner, as that erected by Swedenborg. We have Moses, and Joshua, and all the Bible authors; all the Priests and Bishops appointed by Constantine to vote the Hebrew writings, and other histories, canonical and divine; and Mohammed, and many of the Catholic clergy; the descendants of Joseph Smith--the dignitaries of the Mormon gospels and government; and very many chieftains among the Shakers, and among other sects, who hold miraculous inspiration to be possible to certain persons--the agents and favorites of the Lord.

It is on all hands acknowledged, that these personages are, and were, perfectly human; not exempt from sin and imperfection; not pure and immaculate, but possessed of different and peculiar personal characteristics--such as are, all over the world, in all ages and among all nations, the common inheritance and distinguishing peculiarities of humanity. But why do Christians believe in the perfect