William Ogilvie

“ Excuse me, Sir, that does not contradict one word that I have said, but you seem not to understand the parable, whose only end is to illustrate the truth, that a man may be very happy and flourishing in this world, and most wretched and miserable in the next ”

“ Tell me then, since such is your ability, that you can fly a thousand miles in the twinkling of an eye, if your desire to do these oppressed justice, be as great as you pretend, what is the reason you do not fly to the coffers of some rich Jew or Banker, where there are ten thousands of gold and silver: Invisibly lift, and invisibly return it into the coffers of the injured: And since your wife has sufficient fund and more, why cannot you empty her purses, in your invisibility, to make those people amends? ”

“ There are a great many things I can answer, that the living are quite ignorant of: There are a great many things, that notwithstanding my additional knowledge I have acquired since my death, I cannot answer; and there are a great many questions and things that you may start, of which the last is one, that I will not answer. ”

“ I am loath to believe all that you have said at this time, Cool, (but I will not dispute those matters with you) because some things you have advanced, seem to contradict the scriptures, which I shall always look upon, to be the infallible truth of God; for I find in the parable of Dives and Lazarus, that the one was, immediatly after death, carried up by the angels into Abraham's bosom, and the other immediately thrust down to hell. ”

“ The punishment or hell of the wicked immediately after death, consists in the dreadful stings of an awakened conscience, and the terror of facing the great Judge, and the sensible apprehensions of eternal torments ensuing ”

“ No, but a great many particular men have, and there are but few houses of distinction especially, but what have at least one attending thein, and from what you have already heard of these spirits, it is no difficult matter to understand how they may be serviceable to each particular member, though at different places, at a great distance. Many are the good offices which the good angels do men that fear God, though many times they are not sensibie of it, and I know assuredly, that one powerful angel, or even active, clever soul departed, may be sufficient for some villages ”

“ You are a little too forward this night, Sir, and incline much to banter, what I have said, might satisfy you; but since it does not, I will tell you further, that no spirit, good or bad, have power to take any money or gold: The good never do, though the bad, if one in an age, 'tis no small quarrel, for if we were allowed them, then they would be very successful in their business, and never fail of gaining their points. ”

“ So indeed, the state of some good folks differs but little in happiness from what they enjoy in the world; save only, that they are free from the body, and the sins and sorrows that attend it: On the other hand, there are some who may be said, rather not to have been good, than that they were wicked, while living; their state is not easily distinguished from that of the former, and under that great class comes a great herd of souls, a vast number of ignorant people, who have not much minded the affairs of eternity, but at the same time, have lived in much indolence, ignorance, and innocence. ”

“ A gross mistake, and it is not the alone mistake which living folks fall under, with respect to the other world, for the case plainly is this, an ill man will not stick at any falsehood to promote his design, so, as little will an evil soul departed, stand at any thing that can make him successful, but in making report, he must tell the truth, or woe be to him ”

“ Well then Cool, let me have a peaceable and easy conversation with you for the time we ride together, and give me some information about the affairs of the other world, for no map inclines to lose his time in conversing with the dead, without hearing or learning something that is useful. ”

“ Both the good and bad angels have stated times of rendezvous, and the principal angels who have the charge either of towns, cities, or kingdoms, not to mention particular persons, villages, and families, and all that is transacted in these several parts of the country, are there made open; and at their rencounter on each side; every thing is told as in your parish, in milns, kilns, and smithies, only with this difference, that many things false are talked at the living rencounters, but nothing but what is exact truth is said, or told among the dead ”

“ I read, that there are ten thousand times ten thousands of angels that wait upon God, and sing his praise, and do his will, and I cannot understand how the good angels should be inferior in number to the evil. ”

“ These are not so much under the load of divine displeasure, as they are out of his grace and favour; and you know it is one thing to be discovered, and quite another thing to be persecuted with all the power and rage of an incensed earthly king. I assure you, mens' faces are not more various and different in the world, than their circumstances after death. ”

“ You must know, that there are sent from heaven angels to guard and comfort, and so to do other special good services to good people, and even the spirits of good men departed, are employed on that same errand. ”

“ And there are inferior angels or fouls departed, to whose peculiar care such a man of such particular weight or business is committed. Now, Sr, the kingdom of Satan does ape the kingdom of Christ as much, in matters of politics, as can be well known that the course of wisdom is from above; so that from hence are sent out Millionaries in the same order; but because the kingdom of Satan is much better replenished than the other, instead of one devil there are in many instances, two or three commissioned to attend a particular family of influence and distinction. ”

“ Did I not say, that whatever the number be, the spirits departed are employed in the same business, so that as to the number of original deities, whereof Satan is chief, I cannot determine, but you need not doubt, but there are more souls departed to that place, which in a loose sense you call hell, by almost in infinity, than what are gone to that place, which in a like sense you call heaven, who likewise are employed in the same purpose ”

“ A great many the like instances were told, of which I cannot remember the persons' names and things: But, says he, What vexes me more than all these, is the injustice I did to Homer Maxwell, tenant to my Lord Nithsdale, for whom I was factor: I borrowed two thousand merks from him, five hundred of which he had borrowed from another hand; I gave him my bond, and for reasons I contrived, obliged him to secrecy; he died within the year, and left nine children, and his wife had died before himself. ”

“ And when I heard of Robert Kennedy's death, with the same help of Chappel, I got a bill upon him for an hundred pound sterling, of which I got full and complete payment, and Chappel got the half. When I was at Dumfries, the day that Thomas Grier died, to whom I was owing an account of thirty-six pounds sterling, Chappel my good-brother was then at London, and not being able of myself, (being but a bad writer) to get a discharge of the account, which I wanted exceedingly, I met accidently with Robert Boyd, a poor writer lad in Dumfries, I took him to Mrs. ”