Swedenborgians.—The church of the New Jerusalem, popularly called "Swendenborgians," derives its name from the Apocalypse or Revelation of St. John. The doctrines of the church were first set forth by Emanuel Swedenborg, who was born at Stockholm, Sweden, Jan. 29, 1688, and died in London, England, March 29, 1772. Between 1748 and 1756 he wrote several works, the most important of which was the "Arcana Coelestia," which was published at London in eight volumes. It was followed by "Heaven and Hell," and "The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine," the last named becoming the foundation of the church which bears his name. The books were originally printed in Latin, but translations were subsequently published. They did not attract much attention at first, but in 1783 a printer named Robert Hindmarsh gathered together a few persons in London to read and consider the doctrines. Four years later the first church was organized with 16 members.

In America there are two general organizations of those who believe in the dogma as laid down by Swedenborg, and who recognize his writings in the light of divine revelation. They are "The General Convention of the New Jerusalem," dating from 1817, and the "General Church of the New Jerusalem," which had its beginning in 1876 and held its first general assembly in 1897. These two bodies are distributed over 32 states, in which there are about 150 congregations. The church was established in Kansas sometime in the '80s by Swedenborgian emigrants from the East. In 1890 there were three organizations in the state—1 in Barton county, 1 in Reno, and 1 in Shawnee, with a total membership of 63. Although no new congregations were formed during the next 15 years, the number of members in the three established churches increased to 144 in 1906.