present day, when interiorly examined.’” CHAPTER XXV. _Persecution—Letter to the Academy of Sciences—Leaves Stockholm for the last time._ On Swedenborg’s arrival in Stockholm, he found that the long peace he had enjoyed from external interference and persecution was at an end. The first manifestation of hostility took place in the seizure of some copies of his treatise on Conjugial Love, at Norkjoping, which he had sent from England, intending to present them to his countrymen. The ground of their seizure was, a law prohibiting the introduction of any works into Sweden at variance with the Lutheran faith. The seizure having taken place in the diocese of his nephew Filenius, he naturally turned to him for explanation and redress. Filenius thereon embraced and kissed his uncle, and assured him that he would fulfill all his desires, and procure the restoration of his books. But his actions were the reverse of his words; for he was, in fact, the prompter of the seizure, and secretly did all he could to insure their confiscation. By and by Swedenborg discovered the hypocrisy, and remonstrated with Filenius; whereupon he dropped the mask, and insisted on the books undergoing clerical revision before they could be surrendered. Swedenborg urged that as his treatise was not theological, but chiefly moral, its revisal by the clergy was absurd, and that such censorship would pave the way for a dark age in Sweden. But Filenius was unmoved; and Swedenborg, now fully convinced of his double dealing, likened him, as he well might, to Judas Iscariot, and said that “he who spoke lies, lied also in his life.” Having brought some copies of his treatise on Conjugial Love with him to Sweden, he presented them to many of the Senators, the Bishops, and the royal family. He had no fear of the result of free and open criticism. But worse things lay in store. Dean Ekebom, of Gottenburg, was indignant that Doctors Beyer and Rosen should have embraced Swedenborg’s views, and the clerical deputies from that town were instructed to complain of Swedenborg and his disciples to the Diet. They found in bishop Filenius, then President of the House of Clergy, a willing instrument to further their designs. They plotted to have Swedenborg put upon his trial, presuming that when questioned he would openly assert his divine commission and powers of spiritual intercourse, and then they would pronounce him insane, and have him committed to a mad-house. Count Hopken revealed to Swedenborg this cunning device of his enemies, and advised him to fly the kingdom. At this news, Swedenborg was much afflicted; and going into his garden, he fell on his knees, and prayed to the Lord to direct him what to do. After this prayer, he received the consolatory answer that _no evil should touch him_. And so it turned out. His inoffensive bearing, his rank and connections, all tended to intimidate his adversaries, and prevent the execution of their designed outrage.