suffrage of many of my readers, when I conclude, that independently of the assertions of Swedenborg, there are various considerations tending to evince, that the Last Judgment has, in the spiritual world, been performed? Will not all acknowledge, that the spiritual cause thus assigned for the astonishing change in the state of mankind is, at least, likely to be the true one and since no other can be conceived that is adequate to the effect, will not the candid admit it to be at least highly probable, that the Last Judgment, so long looked for, and so much misunderstood, has at length, actually been accomplished?"
In the above extracts the reader has been presented with a few of those reasons on which the New Church rests the belief that the Last Judgment has been already accomplished in the world of spirits.
We are taught in the Word of the Lord to expect such a Judgment: a fair and rational interpretation of the Word shows that it must take place in the spiritual world, and all truth, spiritual, rational, and scientific, bears the same testimony. We do not profess to find in the Divine Word any direct testimony in regard to the precise time when the Last Judgment would take place, yet knowing that every change which takes place in the natural world is the effect of some corresponding but more important change in the spiritual world, we are compelled to regard the political, social and moral revolutions, which are now taking place, as very unequivocal evidences that the Judgment foretold in the Divine Word, has been already accomplished.
Such being the case, it would be reasonable to expect that some direct and positive information would be within our reach in regard to the nature and circumstances of so important an event. Such information, as every receiver of the doctrines of the New Church knows, is furnished in the writings of Swedenborg. The following remarks by Mr. Noble on this point, will be found interesting and appropriate.
