813.灵界的德国人
众所周知，一国的国民会被分成数个省份，其性情各异，他们表现出的个体差异，如同总体上世界各地的人民之间的差异一样多。然而，同属一个国王，因而同守一种法律体系的人仍具有相似秉性。比起周边国家，德国划分的地区更多，它是一个帝国，所有地区都在其普遍管辖之下。每个地区也都有一个君主，他在自己的领地拥有绝对权力。由于国家被分成了大大小小的公国，因此每个公爵在自己的领地就象一个帝王。此外，它们在宗教上也有分歧，有的公国信奉所谓的福音派，有的信奉新教，有的信奉天主教。由于管理和宗教的这种多样性，想通过灵界的德国人来描述德国人的思想、倾向和生活方式，要比其它国家和民族困难得多。但由于拥有同一语种的人都有相似秉性，所以通过汇集他们的思想，也可以在某种程度上看出并描述出来。
813. 灵界的德国人
众所周知, 一国的国民会被分成数个省份, 其性情各异, 他们表现出的个体差异, 如同总体上世界各地的人民之间的差异一样多。 然而, 同属一个国王, 因而同守一种法律体系的人仍具有相似秉性。 比起周边国家, 德国划分的地区更多, 它是一个帝国, 所有地区都在其普遍管辖之下。 每个地区也都有一个君主, 他在自己的领地拥有绝对权力。 由于国家被分成了大大小小的公国, 因此每个公爵在自己的领地就象一个帝王。 此外, 它们在宗教上也有分歧, 有的公国信奉所谓的福音派, 有的信奉新教, 有的信奉天主教。 由于管理和宗教的这种多样性, 想通过灵界的德国人来描述德国人的思想, 倾向和生活方式, 要比其它国家和民族困难得多。 但由于拥有同一语种的人都有相似秉性, 所以通过汇集他们的思想, 也可以在某种程度上看出并描述出来。
813. Germans in the Spiritual World
As everyone knows, in any country that is divided into a number of regions there are different kinds of people that live in the different regions. Local populations can be as different from each other as the people who live in all the various climates on earth. Yet there is a commonality among people who live under the same monarch and the same set of laws.
The subdivisions are more distinct in Germany than they are in the other countries that surround it. There is indeed a German empire, and all in the nation are subject to its authority. Nevertheless, the leaders of each province have a great deal of power in their own territories.
Germany contains larger and smaller states. The leader of each is like a monarch there. Religion, too, is divided in Germany. Some states are Lutheran; some are Calvinist; some are Roman Catholic. Given such diversity in both leadership and religious affiliation, Germans and their minds, inclinations, and lives are more difficult to generalize about from eyewitness experience in the spiritual world than other peoples and nationalities. Because a commonality exists wherever people speak the same language, though, the nature of Germans can to some extent be seen and described if various different concepts are brought together.
813. The Germans in the spiritual world.
It is well known that the inhabitants of any kingdom which is divided into several provinces differ in character, and show as much variation individually as those who live in different parts of the world do on the general scale. None the less there is a character shared by those who are subjects of one king and therefore share a common legal system. Germany is much more divided into a number of regions than the surrounding kingdoms. There is an Empire there under the control of which all come; but there is also a prince in each region who has absolute power in his own territory. For the country is divided into major and minor duchies, and each prince is a sort of monarch in his own region. Moreover, they are divided in religion. Some duchies contain Evangelicals, as they call themselves, some have Reformed churches, some Roman Catholics. Such diversity of control and religion makes it more difficult to describe the Germans' minds, inclinations and way of life from sights seen in the spiritual world than in the case of nations and peoples elsewhere. But since peoples of the same language everywhere share a single character, it can to some extent be seen and described by pooling their ideas.
813. THE GERMANS IN THE SPIRITUAL WORLD.
It is known that the natives of a kingdom that is divided into several provinces are not alike in genius, but differ from each other in particular ways as the inhabitants of the earth's different climates do in general ways, and yet that a common genius prevails among those who are under one king, and therefore under one code of laws. As to Germany it is more divided into separate states than the surrounding kingdoms. It is an empire, with all the states under its general supervision, while the prince of each state enjoys despotic power in his own realm; for there are greater and lesser dukedoms there, and each duke is like a monarch in his own kingdom. Furthermore, religion is there divided; in some dukedoms are the so-called Evangelicals, in some the Reformed, and in some the Papists. With such diversity of both government and religion, the dispositions, inclinations, and lives of the Germans are more difficult to describe from those seen in the spiritual world than those of the nations and peoples of other parts. And yet, as a common genius reigns everywhere among peoples of the same language, this may be in some measure seen and described from ideas collected together.
813. V. THE GERMANS IN THE SPIRITUAL WORLD.
It is well known that the inhabitants of every kingdom that is divided into several states are not alike in genius; and that these differ from one another in particular points just as those who live in the various countries of the globe have their general points of difference; but still that there is a common genius prevailing among those who are subject to one king, and who consequently are under one constitutional law. Germany is divided into more governments than the neighboring kingdoms. There is an imperial government there, which exercises general authority over all, but the prince of each state enjoys despotic right in his particular state; for there are greater and smaller duchies, and each duke is as a monarch in his own state. Moreover, religion is divided in Germany; in some states the people are Evangelical, 1 so called; in some they are Reformed; and in some they are Roman Catholic. Such being the diversity of both government and religion, it is more difficult to describe the Germans as to their dispositions, inclinations and life, from those seen in the spiritual world, than other nations and peoples. However, as a common genius prevails everywhere among people speaking the same language, it may in some measure be seen and described from impressions gathered in that world.
Footnotes:
1. Evangelicals, Low Church Protestants who profess evangelical principles, especially the doctrine that salvation is by faith in the Atonement.
813. DE GERMANIS IN MUNDO SPIRITUALI.
Notum est, quod Incolae cujusvis Regni divisi in plures Provincias, non simili genio sint, et quod inter se differant singulariter, sicut universaliter habitatores Climatum in terrarum Orbe; sed quod usque communis Genius regnet inter illos qui sub uno Rege et inde sub una statuta Lege sunt. Quod Germaniam attinet, est illa prae Regnis circum illam divisa in plures Ditiones; est ibi Imperium, sub cujus universali auspicio sunt omnes, sed usque Princeps cujusvis ditionis jure despotico gaudet in particulari, sunt enim ibi Ducatus majores et minores, et quisque in suo est tanquam Monarcha: et insuper est ibi Religio Divisa, in quibusdam Ducatibus sunt Evangelici ita nominati, in quibusdam sunt Reformati, et in quibusdam sunt Pontificii; cum talis diversitas Auspiciorum et simul Religionum est, possunt Germani aegrius quoad animos, inclinationes et vitas ex visis in Mundo spirituali describi, quam Gentes et Populi alibi: Sed quia usque Communis Genius regnat ubivis inter Populos ejusdem Linguae, potest ille ex ideis in unum collectis aliquatenus videri et describi.