791. The odor of offences
I perceived a general feeling of spirits that was so made up of offences, 1that 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.
Footnotes:
1. I.e. offences against the faith, or stumbling blocks.
791. THE ODOR OF SCANDALS
I perceived the general sentiment of spirits to be so composed of scandals, that they would not acknowledge the Lord as the Lord of the universe and the Savior of all; this was the general sentiment which I perceived. I therefore compared it to a kind of odor, for anything like this can be compared to an odor, and it is also represented by an odor. As often as it is pleasing [to the Lord], it is also sensed as an odor, both by man and by spirits. That odor was then perceived; it was like that of stinking water, or of water defiled with refuse. I sensed this, and it was told me that such is the odor of those scandals. 1748, Feb. 15.
791. Odor scandalorum
Percepi communem sensum spirituum, quod ex scandalis ita conflatus esset, ut non agnoscerent Dominum, ut Dominum universi, et Salvatorem omnium, qui sensus erat communis 1
, a me perceptus, ideo comparabam eum cum odore quodam, nam quodlibet simile, comparari potest cum odore, ut etiam per odorem quoque repraesentatur, et quoties placet 2
, etiam per odorem, tam ab homine quam a spiritibus sentitur, dein odor iste perceptus est, qui erat similis aquae putidae, seu ex quisquiliis conspurcatae, quem sentiebam, et dicebatur mihi, quod talis odor est. 1748, 15 Febr.
Footnotes:
1. sic in J.F.I. Tafel's edition Manuscript communi quod forte stabit
2. inteltexerim quoties [Domino] placet