1783. I was told they were the kind who in former times slaughtered whole armies, as we read in the historical portions of Scripture [see Judges 7:22, 1 Sam. 14:20, 2 Chron. 20:23], having induced insanities on them. For they rushed right into the chambers of their brain, then struck them with terror, so that the one would kill the other.
I was told that they had also been able to inspire terror, but at this day only a little. Nowadays the restraints on these spirits are very seldom relaxed. It occurs only in the case of someone who is of such a character that it must be permitted rather that they perish as to the body than as to the soul. For unless the person perished as to the body in this manner through insanity and suicide, he or she could not but perish to eternity.
