Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-08

he removed to Germany, and In Holland he
met his most extraordinary experience,
which resulted in his openly e1pounding
the creed of universalism. He fell into a
wasting consumptive disorder. He felt
himself die by degrees. and was regarded as
dead by his friends for AZ hours. He saw
them prepare his body for burial and inclose
it in a coffin.
During the interval he had one of the
most remarkable visions on record. He re-
lates this experience and describes his sem
sations In little volume written by his own
hand in the French, an English translation
of which was published in 1904 in Philadel-
phia. Only two or three copies OF this little
book are now e1tant. One is in the posses
sion of the Congressional Library at Wash
ington, and is pronounced by Librarian
Spoford to be, in commercial sense, worth
double its weight in gold. In the latter
pages of the book De Bonneville relates his
trance. Occult mysteries, things hidden
from the wise and prudent, are set forth
with a vividness of coloring recalling the
works of Virgil and Dante in the same line.
He says:
DE BENNEvILLE's TRANCE.
"I felt myself die by degrees. Exactly at
midnight was separated from the body and
saw the people occupied in washing it, &C
cording to the custom of the country. In
mediately I was drawn up as in cloud,
and beheld great wonders where passed,
impossible to be written or expressed. ]
quickly came to place which appeared to
my eyes as a level plain, so extensive that
my sight was not able to reach its limits,
filled with all sorts of fruit trees. In thi.
place found had two guardians, one al
| my right hand and the other at my left, eI-
haa 1f,,1
| had wings and resembled angels, and had
/ shining bodies and white garments. One
took his place at my right hand; immedi
atsly We were lifted up in the air, and some
time alter we arrived in dark and obscure
place, where nothing but weeping and
| lamentation and anguish could be under
stood. I was conducted into each of tht
i seven habitations OF the damned. After We
I had passed through we were lifted up some
distance from the place, where we reposec
ourselves. A messenger was sent to us wht
said, My dear sir, and my dear brother, tn,
Most Holy Trinity orders that You shal
proclaim to the people of the ~Qrld
universal gospel
"a glorious multitude approached. The
glory caused US to fall down. After they
had passed US we were lifted up, and ar
rived in the places OF the seven habitationl
| OF tue udmueu. we COulQ perceive
more darkness Then all the heavenly hos
shouted with one voice, 'An eternal ant
everlasting deliverance, and eternal ant
everlasting restoration Presently W,
passed through the seven habitations of tn,
damned, and a multitude were delivered
from each. Many thrones, palaces, temple
and buildings were erected in all parts, will
fruit trees intermixed, and rivers OF pleasure
gliding along through the celestial land.
''Then my guardian took me up and re
conducted me to the house from whence
came, where perceived the people assem-
bled and discovering my body in the cofil
was reunited with the same, and foun,
myself lodged within my earthly tabernacle
aud, coming to myself, 1 knew Brothe
Marsey and many others; who gave me al
account of nv being % hours in the coffin
which altogether made AZ hours. To m
this seemed as many years"
JOHN D. CREMER.