Spiritual Experiences (Odhner) n. 1675

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1675. A certain rebuking spirit came to me, but stood, not-like those from among the spirits of Jupiter-at my side, thus speaking to me, but above my head, near the fontanel, or pulsating membrane. There he was, speaking with me. He had the ability to explore the very small details [of my memory] and bring them out in their exact connection so as to encompass my entire thinking on any subject, without departures. He took out whatever he found, and scolded me; but certain matters he was not allowed to bring forth. The matters he did produce were those in which he considered me to be involved, and at fault. When I had spoken with him for a while, I was given to understand that he was from among those spirits just spoken of, one who reproved the people during their life, but delicately. Hence I concluded that the people of that region or planet were distinguished by very deep thinking, and were reproved in this manner. Therefore I was allowed to speak in the same way. He, too, desired to become an angel, but when I said that it was not angelic to look only for a person's evils, but to look for good, and then excuse the bad things, he insisted that it was done for the sake of improvement, and was therefore good. But hearing me say that it was not angelic, his retort was that neither was it angelic for me to speak that way to him and to expose his evils. I told him that I could do nothing else but say what I did when the matter presented itself, and so, I am not looking for his evils, but he himself is exposing his evils to me, and thus telling them to himself. For what was said by me came from him. Then he did not want to remain any longer, yet he loved my saying that he could become an angel, provided he does not love [reproving]. It cheered him to hear that he could become and angel, and I conversed with him for a while on that subject.


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