4673. About the inhabitants in the universe
I was led by the Lord to a planet in the universe, on the left with respect to the Sun there, which is the Lord, above the magical hell, and finally after two days we came to certain spirits who were from a certain planet there.
They were seen very high up above us, scanning the things below from there, watching them attentively too, and watching me too. And from there they then spoke with me about various matters and were very much surprised that anyone should come to them from elsewhere. I told them from which planet I was, and how many planets there are in our solar system, especially about the spirits of Mercury, who wander around everywhere to gather concepts of things. They said that they had also observed them among themselves.
On being asked what God they worshiped, they said the Lord, about whom they had the mental image of a Divine person, and they recognized that He was the same Lord as our Lord, but they said that in addition they acknowledge and worship an invisible God. But it was given me to say that we likewise worship an invisible God, but that He is the same as the Lord, because what is infinite cannot be seen, but that He appears as a human being, and that we therefore worship one God, not several - no matter how much we may be in error regarding the person, or the persons [of God].
Moreover, they were very sharp sighted, and because they were on high, they viewed from there all things below, and were indeed watching them. They were told that they are like eagles that fly on high and look far and wide down below them. They were indignant at this, thinking I was likening them to eagles since eagles are birds of prey, but it was granted me to reply that the comparison to eagles was made because they have a wide, sharp sight of everything below, not because they are rapacious. Yet there is a correspondence, because spiritual food is acquiring knowledge and growing wise, and the food of eagles is birds and poultry below, which they hunt in a rather similar way.
It was told by the angels that [those spirits] correspond in the grand human being to the sharpness of outer vision.
Afterwards it was granted me to see and speak with the spirits of that same earth who were lower down, and who were seen lower down and more toward the front, a little farther away. But these were idolaters, for they worshipped a certain idol of stone, just like a person but not a lovely one. They were asked why they did this, and why they did not adore a living one, but a dead one. Those who were the wiser ones replied that they do worship a living God when they look at the idol, and they know that God is living and not a stone, but in this way their mental images can be fixed on the Divine, which is otherwise invisible.
On being questioned about their planet, they said that there they see their Sun, which before our eyes is a star, as of a fiery color, but is no larger than the head of a large person so that it appears smaller than our sun, somewhat less than half its size. Then they said that they also have lakes and fish there, that they have meadows, flower gardens, orchards full of fruit trees; that they eat them and vegetables, and a certain kind of fruit from a tree. The fruit is large, like our melons, and sweet-tasting. They also said that there are the most beautiful birds, sky blue with golden wings, and also smaller and larger animals, the smaller with backs not unlike a miniature camel, dotted with golden spots. They also said that they do not have houses but dwell in groves, where among the trees they set up a shelter from the rain and the heat of the sun, and dwell under it. A dwelling of this kind appeared to me, and that there was an idol there. They said that they do not eat the flesh of animals but do eat fish.
Spirits were seen who were similar to what they were like when they were people on their earth. Facially they were similar to the people of our earth, but with the distinguishing characteristic that their eyes were small, and likewise their nose, which to my eyes deformed them, but they said that to them small eyes and a small nose are beautiful.
A woman was seen who was also such, but whose body was taller than that of a woman of our earth, but with a smaller face, similar eyes and nose. She was clad in a gown in which there were roses of various colors. She appeared dressed in a garment such as we wear on our earth, made of a kind of silk. I asked them where they obtain such garments. They replied that they gather those materials from their herbs (bomul 1
); and that they twine them into threads and then arrange these threads with their hands, one beside another and also one above, for the sake of binding them together; and prepared in this fashion moisten them with a gluey liquid and compress them. Then they color this [fabric] with the dyes they have there from their herbs and other things they have discovered, and so make them into a garment.
How they make them into thread was also shown. Their women do this. They sit reclining on a chair, and using the toes of their feet they twist them and pull them toward themselves with their hands, and thus work them into a thread. They are said to have a very fine touch in the toes of their feet.
They said that they have but one wife, not several, and from her many children, up to 10, 13 and more. I gathered, too, that there are many prostitutes there.
It was said by the angels that in [their] world they dwell on the circle of the equator on the smaller [islands] there.
Spirits from there were seenحany women who were sorceresses, who were cast into their hell.
They said that they did not live under governments, but families by families. They were asked whether in this way they were safe from others. They asked why they would not be safe, what more is needed when they have food and clothing, what use is anything else? They were indignant that they should be asked such questions because they imply there are hostilities and as a consequence defense actions, when in fact one family does not envy another or wish to take away anything from it, and no such desire is felt. So they live securely among themselves, in the state of those spoken of in the Word where it treats of blessedness [see Isa. 11:6-9]. The Lord is thus protecting them and turning away such thoughts.
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