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156 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
a spiritual state of existence, and to replenish their minds
with more accurate and copious views respecting heaven,
the final home of the good, and hell, the final abode of
the wicked.
"This conversation of Oberlin’s seemed highly reason
able and delightful ; and I inquired further, by what
means he had arrived at convictions so solid respecting
the truth of Swedenborg’s statements and descriptions
concerning the world of spirits, and heaven and hell.
He replied, that he himself had had ocular and demon
strative experience respecting these important subjects,
and that, strange to say, he had come into that state of
open communion with the world of spirits, which he had
formerly considered as a rank species of superstition, and
which he had endeavoured to extirpate from the valley.
He observed, that the inhabitants of that mountainous
district had always been notorious for this peculiar kind
of spiritual experience, and in this respect much re
sembled the highlanders of Scotland, of whom he had
heard and read similar accounts. He, therefore, could
readily understand Swedenborg’s case, who, for most
useful and salutary purposes, was mercifully permitted to
enjoy an open intercourse with the world of spirits, during
so many years of his life, in order to instruct mankind
in respect to subjects of the greatest moment to wisdom
and happiness, and of which they are so deplorably
ignorant with regard to himself, however, he had only
had glimpses, as it were, into the spiritual world, which
continued only for short periods, and at distant intervals ;
and if he had not read Swedenborg’s work, he could not
rationally and satisfactorily have explained to himself the
various objects and phenomena he had beheld.
66
From this time, he observed, he ceased to manifest
his opposition against the ’ superstition’ in question, and
endeavoured, when any thing occurred, to turn it to the
instruction and edification of his people. He carefully
wrote down every occurrence, and drew from it some
salutary instruction, which either warned his flock against
evil, or encouraged them in goodness and virtue. He
said that he had a large pile of papers, which he had
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