New-York daily tribune., 1858-12-25
swEDENBORG ON THE SPIRITS.
IL :. =. l. l.

Sir: have read with much interest the discourse OF
Dr. Randolph, "the Converted Medium published
in your paper Of the 18th int. Considering his long
experience in medamsbip,' so-csled, the terrible
dect pons prsctced upon HIM by the spirits the cruel
tuf riT gs Be has eudured-snd many other mediums,
DO doubt mgBt relate similar sad experience fel
TO thank him for this rsrk confession Of his folly and
sn ard sincerely hope that this published narrative of
his bitter experience oi the fruits OF " SpiTltussm
may be enin.nty usefl 10 others. Dr'. IL naIratng
bis experience Df Randolph has twice thrice INTRO
due, d the name Of Swelenb1rg in such manner aod
CONNECTION as | think be would not have done had he
been be- tier tn the character aud writings
of that great and good man. For instaI CO, when he
,peaks uf Andrew JaCkso Davis az " companion OF
"SveJepbUIg, Ga'er, Tom, Harry, joe, D.ck, and
tie devil or anght I know to the CONTRARY he
does an injustice, of which he u not probably aware,
to the OF sSsedenborg, by casting II into
Ii. cstegOIy of snch noiabes.
Permit me further . say, that, had DR. Randolph
been se acqna0ted with the writings ot Swedenborg
before be ensnared by thai most eDSerons form
" # feusualism that ever cursed nation, age or
"people,' think he would never have been led away
AZ lie has been by Sgrituallsm m-would never have
known tha, wild "Jeirum of mad philosophy"
against which he nov hits voice Of such solemn
war.Iug. | have been dihgeut stadent
uf the writings Of SFedenb0rg for tho last
twenty year, ari am free 10 ray that know ofno other
pmed writings which Offer such a. efectlai pro-
teCton against tie bofrOr9 Of " spDiluals n, wOcb
Or Il. hH- well depicted, do these very writings.
Tie fearful dangers of h.s coas. are her; recorded
with Oh accuracy To- BE- found nowhere Else. Over aud
agein does this author warn US o the danger OF
holding IntercouTse with spirits, or of - MANI rHiy
"Jte'iHg their operation" a. IN the case Of modern
. ne diuns." Aud IL teaches vfy such inter-
course IS so dangerous. Thus he says IN his ApOca-
lypse Explained in lis.):
= II Is believed BY macy ths' man may De taught Of
the Lord hy spirits speaking with him; bat they who
believe ts ana will 10 believe It, do not know
that il is CONNECTED UA danger 10 fktir s0as Forthe
tho flusiu -
vi ON be speaks whether they be true or false and
lkewne excites them, and by BIS affection cOnjoined
10 tie mans affection, strongly cothrms them
Thus Il the man II in the coucet OF his own nte.u
g.nce bis attendant spts favor every thought winch
thence ceriyed IN Ike msrner, II any one is dis-
pOs.d 10 favor psrtl ,u'r principles enkndled by a
certain ire which hath place With those who are not
in truths from genuine affection. When spirit from
similar aiv ,ton fa.vIs d man thoughts principles,
then leads the other, as the blind the bhnd,
until bot d fal into the pit"
How completely this is illustrated and confirmed by
of u.OdeIn " 1T diums, IS Well known, ASaiu,
SwedenboTg says:
That spirit relate things exceedingly false. When
they begin to speak vita man, he must beware lest
be bele', them IL anything, tor they are extremely
fnd vi fsbneatDe, AID whichever any subject OF dis
pTUpOsed they tank that they knOs H. hGd
give their opinions upon 1t, one N one way ana an
othtr III another, altogether az they knew; and II
nan the listens and believes, they press on and ID
care and stduce in divers ways. For example,
they were permitted to tell about Thugs 10 me,
about thing. known in the universal heaven shout
All things Whatsoever THAI man desires, yet tey
would tell all toe I. lDss iasely while from themselves
wherefore Lt oercre lest hey 6el'eUe them On
tni- account the state OF speaking with spirits On ts
earh is mos. y. rilOus uDess one - ~ true iaith
They induce so .tropg persuasion tdat is the
lor! Him III WHO speaks ard VINO com nADds tudt
nan cannot but believe and obey (Spir.taG. D.ary,
623 AID else sh,re ~ tie same work th- NJ lsir-
ou- author says that spirits who speak "lta man,
"thlk tbat they know everything, AMI indeed
81 Ia So .tt 4 : "
(lb. i,so*) -,
sweieuborg a-o tells us tha. spirits speaking with
men, or manf, st,y rspressiEg them, can deceive IN
ot,er uay- than by their WORDS. lney nave the
poer - s ii the appt rance, tones gestures, &C.,
OF VI atev,r person the msn thinks OF "T desires u
con WITH ard ihey 10 TINS soneti nes ~ per
fectionryen per uaGng Themselves ior tA7 tine Iha'
.hey are inst person. They can al-o relate many
TIN - which the man may Know about tlat p-F'on,
aud which they derive from MS memoryi inr spirits
can 2. al tie things n nan memory a. easily a. We
can read book. Tlls SsedenbOrg says:
"Thst RI irts mey be Induced sho Teprs'e4f aaoAer
rtrSos aid t. spirit, $50 he wIo was Known ID
tie spilt, caup0t knOS otherwise thsn that be wts
the sane. Tn, has May times been sh0"H me, III -
the spirits speaking with OH not know otherwise
than hat they were the men were the subject of
thought; ard ;her di ctber sp MT kno~ otherwise
NbeT,iore let those sho speak With sprits 5eee'e 'e'
ueg IL decc.re4 VIXEN the spirits say that tlsy are
- whom they know. When thiHsi are called up
in tie memory Of rsn and are thus represented 10
spits they think that they are tie ssme person ,aen
toe thugs ere called ioftn RON tne Henhy 'hlSh
rlrrsert those persons, both tie so;is, tie Peech
,le tone ttr gest,rt, and other thirgs.' lSPTGLa
Dilry s,r-tl.l -
How vel il oil this sustained by DIR. RandOlphs
osu experience sid now hrn convictions " tOr
"seves years be says. 81 held daily intercoaf's
"vitb what purpor,ed - be my mothers spirit.
an now truly persuaded that it was nothing but
"an evil spiri:-sn irferual demonyho IN that suise
gained NY soul confidence, and led me 70 the very
brink OF ruin" Inis ooncilsion IS undoubtedly corr
70, Ard lad the d octor been familiar with tie
Writings Of Swedeuborg and h.i hs tei<r'4 ghs. ee
teaches about fASSses and aI.hses OF evil spirits
lie woao have come - thls eoBclnsion N the very
Outset, and DC: have permitted aInssd % te tie eou