the celestial man in a degenerate state.[1] This man, in a good degenerate type, must be a willing obedience to some master;[2] and, in a bad degenerate type, must be the most revolting combatant for dominion over his fellows—
- ↑ To show that, among all heathen nations, the Africans stand preeminent as men of an interior and celestial order, we quote the following authorities: In revealing the third state of men after death, "which is the state of instruction of those who come into heaven," our church thus describes the character and genius of the heathen nations: they "who, in the world, have led a good life in conformity with their religion, and have thence derived a species of conscience, and have done what is just and right, not so much on account of the laws of their government, but on account of the laws of religion, which they believed ought to be kept holy, and in no respect to be violated by overt acts—all these, when they are instructed, are easily led to acknowledge the Lord; because it is impressed on their hearts that God is not an invisible being, but a being visible under a human form. These, in number, exceed all the rest. The best of them are from Africa." (H. & H. 511.)
"Such among the Gentiles as, in the world, have worshiped God under a human form, and have lived a life of charity according to their religion, are conjoined to Christians in heaven; for they acknowledge and worship the Lord more than the rest. The most intelligent of them are from Africa." (L. J. 51.)
"The Gentiles are also distinguished according to their genius, and their different capacities of receiving light through the heavens from the Lord; for there are among them both interior and exterior men, which arises partly from climate, partly from parentage, partly from education, and partly from religion. The Africans are a more interior people than any other of the Gentiles." (U.T. 8.35.) - ↑ "Among all the nations in heaven, the Africans are most beloved, for they receive the goods and truths of heaven more easily than others. They wish especially to be called obedient, but not faithful. They say that Christians, because they have the doctrines of faith, may be called faithful; but not they, unless they receive it; or, as they say, are able to receive it." (H. & H. 326, A. C. 2601.)
Monks who visit them, and at Christians who talk of a threefold divinity, and of salvation by mere thought—asserting that there is no man, who worships at all, that does not live according to his religion; and that, unless a man so lives, he must needs become stupid and wicked, because, in such case, he receives nothing from heaven. They likewise give the name of stupidity to ingenious wickedness, because there is not life but death in it." All "the things contained in the doctrine of the New Jerusalem," which are now revealed from heaven, for the use of a new and true christian church in christian countries, by writing and the press, "are now revealed, by word of mouth, through angelic spirits, to the inhabitants of that country." (Con. L. J. 75, 7G.)
"The new church is planted in the centre of Africa amongst those who live a good life, according to the best of their knowledge, and worship one God under a human form." (C. L. 114.)
