Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Sidor ...
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
TESTIMONY OF DR. H. JUNG-STILLING. 105
is so extraordinary, so strange, and uncommon, that you will perhaps not take
it amiss of a sincere friend of truth, if he desire incontestible proofs, that you
really have intercourse with the invisible world. S. It would be very unrea-
sonable if I took it amiss ; but I think I have given sufficient proofs, which can-
not be contradicted. M. Are they those, that are so well known, respecting the
queen, the fire in Stockholm, and the receipt .’ S. Yes, those are they, and they
are true. M. And yet many objections are brought against them. Might I ven-
ture to propose, that you give me a similar proof.’ S. Why not .’
Most willingly
!
M. I had formerly a friend, who studied divinity at Duisburg, where he fell into
a consumption, of which he died. I visited this friend, a short time before his
decease; we conversed together on an important topic: could you learn from
him what was the subject of our discourse ? S. We will see. What was the
name of your friend ? The merchant told him his name. S. How long do you
remain here ? M. About eight or ten days. S. Call upon me again in a few
days. I will see if I can find your friend.’ The merchant took his leave and
despatched his business. Some days after, he went again to Swedenborg, in
anxious expectation. The old gentleman met him with a smile, and said, *
I
have spoken with your friend ; the subject of your discourse was, the restitution
of all things.’ ^He then related to the merchant, with the greatest precision, what
he, and what his deceased friend, had maintained. My friend turned pale ; for
this proof was powerful and invincible. He inquired further, •
How fares it
with my friend ? Is he in a state of blessedness ?’ Swedenborg answered, ’ No,
he is not yet in heaven ; he is still in Hades, and torments himself continually
with the idea of the restitution of all things.’ This answer caused my friend the
greatest astonishment. He ejaculated, ’ My God ! what, in the other world r
Swedenborg replied, ’ Certainly ; a man takes with him his favorite inclinations
and opinions ; and it is very difficult to be divested of them. We ought, there-
fore, to lay them aside here.’ My friend took his leave of this remarkable man,
perfectly convinced, and returned back to Elberfield. What says highly enlight-
ened infidelity to this ? It says, ’ Swedenborg was a cunning fellow, and that
he employed a secret spy to get the matter out of my friend.’ To this I candidly
reply, that Swedenborg was •of too noble a mind, and had too much of the fear
of God ; ^nd my friend was too discreet to act in such a manner. Such like
evasions may be classed under the head of the * transfiguration of the Redeemer
by means of moonshine i’*
* As taught ia the Neological Scheols of Theology in Germany, in which they en-
deavored to account for all the miracles mentioned in the Scriptures on merely natural
principles. These neologians, as they are called, are the confirmed Sadducees of the
present day. It must, however, be gladly admitted, that, at the present time, this ab-
surd and pro-fane system of explaining the Scriptures is not so prevalent ia Germany as
it was.
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
