having been baptized or not. And the same is true of children dying at any age prior to the period when they may properly be said to have become free agents, and to have confirmed, by their own free choice, either good or evil principles. To cite the language of Swedenborg:
"Some believe that only the infants who are born within the church are admitted into heaven, but not those who are born out of the church; and they assign as a reason, that infants within the church are baptized, and are thus initiated into the faith of the church. But they are not aware that no one receives heaven or faith by baptism; for baptism is only a sign and memorial that man is to be regenerated, and that he is capable of being regenerated who is born within the church, because the church possesses the Word which contains the divine truths by which regeneration is effected, and in the church the Lord is known, by whom it is accomplished. Be it known, therefore, that every infant, wheresoever he is born,—whether within the church or out of it, whether of pious parents or of wicked parents,—is received by the Lord when he dies, and is educated in heaven. He is there instructed according to divine order, and is imbued with affections of good, and by them with knowledges of truth; and afterwards, as he is perfected in intelligence and wisdom, he is introduced into heaven, and becomes an angel. Every man who thinks from reason, may know that no one is born for hell, but all for heaven, and that man himself is in fault if he goes to hell; but that infants cannot be in fault."—H. H. 329.
Thus, according to the New doctrine, all who die in infancy and childhood go to heaven. They are not angels, however, immediately after their decease,
