I perceived a general feeling of spirits that was so made up of offences,* that they would not acknowledge the Lord as the Lord of the universe and Savior of all. This was the general feeling that I sensed, so I was comparing it with a certain odor. For everything of this kind is so comparable to an odor, that it is even presented by means of an odor; and whenever it so pleases [the Lord], it is indeed smelled as an odor, both by those on earth and by spirits. Then I became aware of the kind of odor like that of stinking water, or water polluted with garbage; and I was told that this is the odor [of offences]. 1748, 15 February. * I.e. offences against the faith, or stumbling blocks.