5518. On this planet the African people can have more enlightenment than the rest of the peoples, since they are such that they think more deeply. As a consequence they receive truths and recognize that they are true, differently from other peoples, like the Europeans, who think superficially and only receive them in the memory, and do not see that they are truths from any other reason than that they have been told that it is so from early childhood and that someone has said it whom they trust knows it, thus on the basis of authority. The Africans in our world are of the nature of those who are angels in the heavenly Kingdom. The Europeans [are of the nature of those] who are from the spiritual [kingdom], the differences of the nature of which may be seen in AŮ 1In a word, the Africans live according to their religion and its laws, which they love, and therefore they are such, that is to say, inward. It was said to them
[5518 1/2.] that Christians do not live in this way by their religion but by the civil laws, and have the teachings of religion merely in their memory and seldom think from them for sake of a way of life, but merely for doctrine; for they believe they are saved by faith in their doctrine, and not through their way of life, nor do they have teachings about life. They were greatly amazed by this, unwilling to believe that it is so, believing that there is not any person who does not live by his or her religion, and if people did not, they could not do otherwise than become stupid because then they do not receive anything from heaven.
Footnotes:
1. I.e., Arcana Coelestia (cf., 3887, 3969, 5922, 6366, 6435 et passim).
5518. The African race is the one in this earth which is able to be in illustration beyond all other races, because they are such that they think interiorly, and receive truths, and acknowledge that they are truths from that ground, differently from other races, for example, Europeans, who think exteriorly, and only receive those things in the memory; nor do they see that they are truths from any other ground than that they have been so instructed from infancy, and that someone said so about whom they have faith that he knows - thus, from authority. The Africans in our globe are the ones who are of the genius in which are the angels in the Celestial Kingdom; Europeans, those who are of the spiritual [genius] - the difference in the nature of which may be seen in the A[rcana Coelestia].
5518a. In a word, the Africans live according to their religion and its laws, which they love; and, therefore, they are of such a character, namely, interior. They were told that Christians do not thus live according to their religion, but according to the civil laws, and only have the doctrinals of religion in the memory, and rarely think from them on account of life, but only on account of doctrine; for they believe they are saved by the faith of doctrine and not by life, nor do they have doctrinals of life. This they wondered at exceedingly, not being willing to believe that it was so; believing that there is no man who does not live according to his religion, and, if he does not, he cannot do otherwise than become stupid, because, then, he does not receive anything from heaven.
5518. Gens africana est in hac tellure quae prae reliquis gentibus in illustratione potest esse, quoniam tales sunt ut cogitent interius, et inde recipiant vera et agnoscant quod vera sint, aliter ac aliae gentes, ut Europaei, qui exterius cogitant et modo recipiunt illa in memoria, nec vident quod vera sint aliunde quam quod ex infantia ita instructi sint, et quod aliquis dixit, de quo fidem habent quod sciat, ita ex auctoritate: Africani in nostro orbe sunt qui ex genio in quo angeli in coelesti Regno; Europaei qui ex spirituali, quae qualis differentia videatur in A..... 1
Verbo Africani vivunt secundum suam religionem, et ejus leges, quas amant, et ideo tales sunt, nempe interiores.
[5[518] 1/2. Dictum illis quod Christiani non vivant ita secundum suam religionem, sed secundum leges civiles modo doctrinalia religionis habent in memoria, ac raro cogitent ex illis propter vitam, sed modo propter doctrinam, credunt enim salvari per fidem doctrinae non per vitam, nec habent doctrinalia vitae, hoc valde mirati sunt, non volentes credere quod ita sit, credentes quod nullus homo sit qui non vivit secundum religionem suam si non quod non possit aliter quam fieri stupidus, quia tunc non recipit aliquid e coelo.
Footnotes:
1. h.e. Arcanis Coelestibus (cf. Nn. 3887, 3969, 5922, 6366, 6435 et passim)