Page:The Other Life.djvu/114

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"The lucid interspace of world and world,
Where never creeps a cloud or moves a wind,
Nor ever falls the least white star of snow,
Nor ever lowest roll of thunder moans,
Nor sound of human sorrow mounts to mar
The sacred, everlasting calm."

If heaven be thus far off in space, they ask themselves, how can any living man mount up to it? how can any one return from it? how can we know anything about it? Very pertinent questions if the premise were true.

Swedenborg affirms that the spiritual world is neither material nor immaterial, but substantial; a mediatory form or state of existence between the abstract essence of spirit and the concrete forms of matter. This is the biblical doctrine, and the great Swede, standing faithfully by it, deduces from it a system of truth, which throws a new light upon science, psychology and theology; so powerful a light, indeed, as to make all things new under its magic power.

The spiritual world is substantial and living.

The light of the sun, the glory of the clouds, the majesty of mountain scenery, the witchery of woods and vales, the poetry of waters, and the beauties and wonders of the mineral, vegetable and