Page:Beauty for Ashes.djvu/77

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THE NEW DOCTRINE.
71

esting are exhibited to their senses, and they are greatly delighted with them; and by means of such objects, all of which are correspondences replete with heavenly instruction suited to their states, the interiors of their minds are gradually opened, formed and perfected, and heavenly intelligence insinuated into their innocent affections. Thus they are led on by their angel teachers to the fulness of angelic wisdom, far more rapidly as well as more pleasantly than children in this world, even under the best instruction; for the wisest of teachers on earth, are at best but distant approximations towards those in heaven. No harshness, no severity, no compulsory processes are resorted to there, but all are led by their affections; for the angels, on account of their superior wisdom, know how to insinuate heavenly intelligence into the minds of little children through the medium of things most agreeable to their senses. They know how to instruct them in such a manner, and by such representatives, as are most interesting and delightful to the children. To cite again the language of Swedenborg:

"The manner in which infants are educated in heaven, shall also be briefly described. They learn to speak from their teachers. Into their affections—which all proceed from innocence—are first insinuated such things as appear before their eyes, and are delightful; and as these are from a spiritual origin, the things of heaven flow into them also at the same time, and thus their interiors are opened, and they become every day more perfect. When this first period is completed,