"The Early History of the New Church in America, VIII"

Robert Carter to George Wythe, October 11, 1792. Reprinted in the New-Church Messenger (March 17, 1917), 187.

A series of articles in the New-Church Messenger (Chicago) from 1917 discuss the early interest in America in the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg, Swedenborgianism, and the New Church. Several articles are devoted to Robert Carter III, of Nomony Hall (sometimes, Nomini) in Westmoreland County, Virginia, who in the late 18th century endeavored to proliferate the works of Swedenborg to friends in Virginia, and beyond. In 1790, Carter began ordering and subscribing to works by Swedenborg directly from the printers Robert Hindmarsh, in London, and Francis Bailey of Philadelphia. Carter provided funds for the first American edition of The Liturgy of the New Church to be printed in Baltimore in April, 1792.

This article, part eight in the series, reprints a 1792 letter from Robert Carter to George Wythe, which Carter dispatched to Wythe in Richmond along with four of Swedenborg's "theological writings" in English translations:

• The True Christian Religion, vol. 1 (Philadelphia: Francis Bailey, 1789)
• Nine Queries Concerning the Trinity, Etc. (London: R. Hindmarsh, 1786, or 1790)
• A Short Account of the Honourable Emmanuel Swedenborg and His Theological Writings (London, printed—Baltimore: Samuel and John Adams, 1792)
• The Liturgy of the New Church (Baltimore: Samuel and John Adams, 1792).

Carter also mentions Swedenborg's A Treatise Concerning Heaven and Hell (London: W. Chalklen, 1789) being sold by a merchant in Richmond.

Wythe replied a few days later, thanking Carter for the books: "I return to you thanks for you friendly remembrance of me, and kind attention to my welfare, and wish I had power to remunerate your beneficence by sending books to you which would do to you no less good than those handed to me by Mr. Dawson ought in your opinion to do to me."

Article text, 7 March 1917

Page 186

The Early History of the New Church in America
VIII.
THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE EARLY RECEIVERS.

The three principal points where the Doctrines were first preached and published were Philadelphia, Boston and Baltimore. To us these points seem close together on account of the ease of communication by rail and rapid mail facilities. But in the latter part of the eighteenth century the communication was by stage coach and without good organized mail facilities, and the difficulties of intercommunication were very great. When Robert Carter became interested it took him about a year to get into communication with Mr. Bailey in Philadelphia. It was only by persistence that the way was finally opened. When a letter was written a person or vessel was sought by which it could be sent. The time consumed before an answer was received was great. When books were ordered the response was slow. The people of the country were fringed in the colonies along the Atlantic coast. The earliest period of the New-Church propaganda coincided with that of the reconstruction of the government after the Revolutionary War. It was a period of discussion, of analysis of human rights, of discarding the old governmental assumptions and habits of thought. The prevailing spirit was "away with the old and on with the new." This spirit was favorable to the reception of the New Doctrines now first proclaimed in the New World.

Robert Carter entered into correspondence with the Rev. William Hill while he yet resided in England. On his coming to this country and his locating in Boston the correspondence continued, the interest centering on the two points, first, the publication of the books and the nature of the new revelation, and second, the understanding of them and their application to the organization of the Church in external form.

The first great problem which confronted the early New Churchmen was how to get these doctrines into the hands of the public to interest them. As it is always with new receivers who see the new dawn and rising sun from the mountain tops, they believed that many others were as ready to receive as themselves, and they looked forward to a rapid accession in numbers. Their zeal entered vigorously into a propaganda of wide distribution of the books. This spirit was very manifest in the early times of the New Church in this country. The intercommunication between Great Britain and America was too slow and difficult to depend on England for New-Church literature. Consequently it was a prime necessity that means of publication should be devised. We can see the hand of the Divine Providence most clearly in the provision for this important, this foundation use. Although very few were interested, only a handful, among the first was Francis Bailey in Philadelphia, one of the first to become interested through Mr. Glen. He was not wealthy, but being a printer he could publish and circulate the books, where others could not. We learn from his correspondence that sales did not bring back the cost of paper and materials. Rev. Wm. Hill had means and published books in Boston at his own expense, and Robert Carter, a planter and man of great influence, co-operated with these two, and also financed the publications in Baltimore.

This co-operation led to correspondence between these three persons, which also extended to a large number of other persons who were interested. Early in the last decade of the century Robert Carter purchased an estate in Baltimore and resided there part of his time, and took a leading part in organizing and supporting the efforts being made to propagate the Doctrines and organize public worship.

Among the persons with whom these three men were in active correspondence were the leading New Churchmen of England: Robert Hindmarsh in London, the publisher of the books there; Rev. John Clowes in Manchester; James Hodson, Ralph Mather, Rev. Joseph Proud, Mr. Banning and others. In this country the correspondence ramified to every nook and corner where the Doctrines had gained a foothold. Through the publishers the names of those ordering books were known. Through those who distributed the books the names of those who were favorable were learned. Soon the radiating influences from Philadelphia and Baltimore and the Virginia New Churchmen reached far into the West, following the tide of migration from the East, which soon after the Revolution set westward with ever increasing flow. In the South the tide went toward West Virginia and Kentucky. From Philadelphia the tide crossed the Alleghenies to Pittsburgh, the Ohio Valley, and throughout that state. From Boston at a rather later period the New-Church books and influences were carried into Maine, New Hampshire, throughout Massachusetts and into New York State, and through that to Northern Ohio, Canada, Michigan and further West.

Among the names found in Robert Carter's correspondence are some important personages in Virginia; Bryan Fairfax, the eighth Lord Fairfax, the intimate friend of Washington, became interested in the Doctrines about the year 1792. Ferdinand Fairfax, Shannon Hill, Berkeley County, Va., was interested, and Thomas Fairfax, Lord Fairfax the ninth, son of Bryan Fairfax, was an active New Churchman in connection with the Society in Baltimore. We will give more about this family in a later article.

As showing Robert Carter's efforts for the circulation of the books among his friends, we will give the following letter as an example, directed to

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George Wythe, the Chancellor of the High Court of Chancery. There is part of the first draft of the letter and also the copy of letter sent. It reads as follows:

Nomony Hall, 11th October, 1792.

May it please your Honour: A few English translations of the Theological Writings of Baron Emanuel Swedenborg having fallen into my hands, whose System of Divinity I have embraced, which Doctrines are contained in his Book called the True Christian Religion.

The Theological Writings of the honorable E. S. are published in Latin. Translations thereof are now very general in Christendom-and English Editions of said Writings are now Reprinting in the United States. Mr. Bailey, printer, at Philadelphia, is printing a Body of Divinity called the True Christian Religion-2nd vol. not finished.

Under a particular Influence I present to you the following Books, viz., the first vol. of the True Christian Religion, 9 Questions concerning the Trinity proposed to E. S. by the Rev. Thos. Hartley, also, His Answers. A short account of the honorable E. S. and His Theological Writings, and the Liturgy of the New Jerusalem Church. The Liturgy is a Production arising from the Baron's Writings; for Societies are established in several of the most principal towns in Great Britain, styled members of the New Jerusalem Church, which was foretold was to be by the Lord, by the Prophet Daniel and the Evangelist John in the Revelation.

It is said that many copies of a Treatise on Heaven and Hell by E. S. were imported by a merchant of Richmond Town, which work communicates much comfort to Believers.

I am, with due respect, your Honour's very Humble Servant,

R. CARTER.

To the Chancellor

of the High Court of Chancery

Geo: Wythe—Chancellor.

Among other names of correspondents of Robert Carter are the following: Samuel and John Adams, printers; Christian Kramer, Peter Collin, John Cooper, John Campbell, Henry Didier, Thomas Jones, Joseph Leigh, Ralph and Mrs. Mary Mather, Philip Merry, William Prout, Henry Self, Elisha White, Rev. James Wilmer, John J. Maund, Rev. John Hargrove; George Carter, son of Robert; Joseph Townsend, Ferdinand Walfahrt, George Higson, Opie Lindsay and also correspondence with various committees in England and America.

In these letters we have a mine of information concerning the early movements of the Church and its early stages of growth and development. Some of these facts will be presented in succeeding. papers.

JOHN WHITEHEAD.

See also

• Robert Carter to Wythe, 19 January 1779
• Wythe to Robert Carter, 17 October 1792

External links

• Read this article in Google Books.