possible to me that all that Swedenborg reveals about Mercury in the book,
Earths in the Universe, is a spiritual story – a message dealing with aspects
of our Divine Lord. Looking for natural, physical evidence to support the
spiritual message, then, could be as useful as looking for the “lost ark.”
Martin E. Klein
Boynton Beach, Florida
Correction: In the letter from Heulwen M. Ridgway, “New Church Catechisms,” in the
May/June issue of New Church Life, there is a paragraph, beginning “In my view,” before
the listing of the second catechism. This paragraph should have followed the second
section of Questions and Answers, since it refers to both sections. Our apologies.
O U R N E W C H U RC H V O C A B U L A R Y
Part of a continuing series developed by the Rev. W. Cairns Henderson, 1961-1966.
LAW
The nature of Divine law will be better understood if we think of it as being represented
by the laws of aerodynamics, physics or chemistry rather than by laws enacted by legislative
bodies and then turned over to the judicial branch for enforcement; for the former cannot be
broken, but the latter can.
As is well known, a law of physics is not the statement in the textbooks but the order or
relation of phenomena noted and described in the statement. Divine laws are unchangeable
and unbreakable operations of Divine order, and the revelation of them in the Word is not the
law itself but the statement of the law.
Thus when we are told that it is a law of the Divine Providence that certain things should
not be done, the teaching does not only prescribe a mode of conduct; it states an unalterable
order with which man must cooperate if he wishes to achieve the end. Note that there are no
laws of nature, but Divine laws in nature. (See Arcana Coelestia 7186, 10119, 7206)
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