444 The Academy Collection of Swedenborg Documents (Green Books) Available Online

The question of what to do with Emanuel Swedenborg’s possessions arose shortly after his death in 1772. “In London, where he had been living, his signet ring and some other valuables were gathered up and sent along with some papers and clothing back to Sweden in case any of his relatives wanted them. The remaining items were given to various friends. A bundle of letters to Swedenborg from Voltaire, Rousseau and others was not considered worth saving and was tossed into the fire! When the box of Swedenborg’s effects arrived in Stockholm two of his heirs, who were bishops in the Swedish Church, tried to have his papers burned as trash” (Marvin B. Clymer, “Academy Collection of Swedenborg Documents,” New Church Life 2009, 18). The Swedenborg family subsequently made the decision to donate his manuscripts, diaries, and papers to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Soon afterwards, members of the New Church began to study and organize the material held by the Academy of Sciences and to seek out additional materials that had not yet been found. By the beginning of the twentieth century, a great deal of work still remained to be done.

In 1902, Alfred H. Stroh (see photo, left), who had recently received a Bachelor of Theology from the Academy of the New Church in Bryn Athyn, PA, was sent to Sweden to oversee the copying of several of Swedenborg’s unpublished scientific manuscripts, as well as a phototype of part of the Spiritual Diary (see New Church Life 1902, 657). Stroh began to find other unknown Swedenborg documents, and quickly became devoted to researching and publishing Swedenborgiana. Continue reading » » » »