77、记事三：
第二天，天使向导又来了，说：“准备一下，我们去拜访西方的天堂，第三时代也就是青铜时代的人住在那里。他们的天堂从南方经西方一直延伸到北方，不过尚未进入北方腹地。”我就做好准备，同天使前往，从南边进入他们的天堂，遇到一片茂盛的棕榈树和月桂树林。穿过树林，在西面的边界，我们遇见了身材倍于常人的巨人。他们问：“谁让你们穿越树林的？”“天上的神。”天使回答说。“我们是西方古天堂的守卫，你们过去吧。”巨人说。
我们继续前行，从一个望台看到一座高耸入云的山脉。在我们所站的望台和高山之间是一座座别院，别院之间有花园、树林和田地。我们经过别院，直达山脚，就开始登山。山顶不是一个尖峰，而是一块平地，上面建有一座广阔的大城。城内所有的房子皆由树脂类的木头筑成，房顶是一块块木板。我便询问：“这里的房子为何都是木头筑的呢？”天使回答说：“因为木头象征属世的良善，第三时代的人在世时就处于这种状态。青铜也象征属世的良善，所以这个时代就被先人称为‘青铜时代’。这里还有橄榄木构建的圣殿，圣殿当中有一处圣所，里面放着一个约柜，柜内存有一卷圣言，是神赐以色列圣言之前赐给亚细亚居民的圣言。其历史部称为‘耶和华战记’，预言部称为‘圣谕’（ENUNCIATIONS），摩西皆曾提及（民数记21:14，15，27–30）。此圣言在现今的亚细亚国家已经遗失，唯独大鞑靼地区尚有保存。”天使就把我带到一处圣殿。我们朝内观看，看到了当中的圣所，发出最强烈的耀眼白光。天使说：“这光发自古亚细亚圣言，因为在天堂，一切神圣的真理都闪耀光芒。”
从圣殿出来，我们听说消息已在城里传开，说有两个陌生人进了城，必须查问他们从何而来，到此有何目的。法庭差来一名使者，要求我们到庭为自己陈述。当被问及我们从何而来，到此有何目的时，我们回答说：“我们穿越松树林，通过守护你们天堂的巨人居所，再经过别院区，才到达这里。由此可知，我们不是凭自己来到此地，而是依靠天上的神。我们来访的目的是了解你们的婚姻，想知道你们是一夫一妻还是一夫多妻。”他们回答说：“何为一夫多妻？那不等于淫乱吗？”
法官便委派一位智者，安排我们到他家作客，由他给我们说明这个问题。到家以后，他把妻子叫到身边，对我们说：“在世时，人类最初的先祖在婚姻之爱上是至为美满的，所以他们比任何人更能享受那爱的甜美和力量。如今他们住在东方的天堂，享受最幸福的生活。我们从他们领受了有关婚姻的训诲，一直留传至今。我们是他们的后裔。他们把生活的法则传给我们，如父亲教导儿子。其中婚姻方面的法则包括：‘孩子，你若愿意敬神爱人，希望成为智者，获得永恒的快乐，就当接受我们的劝告，在婚姻上一心一意。你们若违背这个法则，属天的爱与智慧就会离你而去，你就成了无家可归的人。’我们遵守了这个法则，如同儿子谨记父亲的教诲。我们认识到其中的真理：人若钟爱自己的配偶，就成为属天的内在人，反之，就成为属肉体的外在人。这等人只爱自己，沉溺于自己的妄想，愚蠢糊涂透顶。
“由此训诫，我们这天堂的人都是一夫一妻的。因为一夫一妻，我们天堂的边界设有守卫，以防止一夫多妻、犯奸淫、好色邪荡的人进来。一夫多妻者进来，就被投入北方的黑暗之地；犯奸淫的人进来，就被投入西方的猛火之地；好色之徒进来，就被投入南方的幻光之地。”听了智者的话，我问北方的黑暗、西方的猛火、南方的幻光各有何义。他回答说：“北方的黑暗指头脑简单、不明真理；西方的猛火指邪恶的欲望；南方的幻光指被歪曲的真理。这些都是灵性上的淫乱。”
然后他说：“请随我去参观一下我们的宝库。”我们起身相随。他给我们展示上古人类的一些记录，起初是刻在木版和石版上，后来是刻在光滑的木简上，集结成册。到了第二时代，人们将文字记在兽皮上。他拿出一卷兽皮，上面记录着远古人类的法则，是从石版上誊录下来的，其中就有关于婚姻的法则。
参观完这些以及古时的其它记录，天使说：“我们该离开了。”主人出到花园，从树上拧下一些枝条，扎成一束，交给我们，说：“这种细枝只有我们天堂才有，其汁液具有香膏的芳香。”我们就带回来，从东方一条没有守卫的路下了天堂。细枝突然变成闪亮的铜，枝尖变成黄金，作为我们访问第三时代，也就是青铜时代的纪念。
77、第三点是：
第二天天使陪伴着我并且说：“做好准备，我们要到住在天国中的西方的人那里去，他们来自于第三个时代即铜纪。他们住的地方从南边延伸到西面并继续朝北，但却没有进入到北方。”
于是我们从南边来到了他们居住的地方。我们看到一个非常美丽的棕榈树丛和月桂树。我们走过去，在西边我们看到有常人两倍大的巨人。
他们问：“是谁让你们走过那片树丛的？”
天使说：“天上的神。”
他们说：“我们是西方古天国的卫士，请过去吧。”
过去后，我在一个眺望台上看到一座直伸入云的山。在眺望台和山之间是一座座的村庄，一片片园子，树丛和田地。我们走过村庄来到山上。噢，在山顶上不是一座高峰而是一片高原，之上是一个绵延出去的城市，城里的房子都是用有油脂的木材制成的，房顶是木制的支架。
我问：“为什么这里的房子是木头泥？”
天使回答说：“因为木头象征着自然的善，这一时代的人处于这种善的状态中。因为铜也象征着自然的善，后来的人把这时代命名为铜纪。”
“这里有一座圣殿，是用橄榄树木头建成的。在它中间的圣台上的方舟是赐给亚洲人的《圣经》，这比以色列人的《圣经》要早。其中叙事性的部分叫《耶和华之征战》，预言部分和神谕部分摩西《民数记》21:14、15，27-30节中提到过。
“现在在亚洲国家已经找不到这个《圣经》，而只是在鞑靼人中还保存着。”
天使带我来到一个房子前。只见它中间的圣台笼罩在白光中间。天使说：“这光来自于亚洲的古圣经，因为天国中所有的真理都是发光的。”
走出房子后，我们听说有人已经报告了，在城里有两个陌生人。并且要调查此二人来自何处及到此的目的。有个卫士从宫殿中跑出来叫我过去受盘问。
于是他们问我们从哪来到想做什么。我们回答说：“我们走过一片棕榈树丛，经过巨人的处所，又经过一系列的村庄来到这儿，你们应该猜得到，我们不是私自前来而是神的帮助。我们到此来考察你们这里的婚姻情况，看一看是一夫一妻还是多妻多夫。”
他们回答说：“什么是多夫、多妻的婚姻？那难道不是淫乱吗？”
那里的官员们叫了个聪明的人来向我们讲解。我们来到他家，他把妻子叫到他旁边说道：“最早期或者说最古时候的人们处于真正的婚姻之爱之中，因此他们拥有比其它人更强、更有力的婚姻之爱。他们现在处于最有福份的东部天国之中。我们从他们那里了解到婚姻的规则，并且在我们中间保存着它。我们是他们的后裔，他们传给了我们的生活的规则，关于婚姻的规则，有以下的说法。
孩子，若你要爱神和他人，若你要智慧和永远快乐，我们告诉你要遵守一夫一妻制，若你们违背这一规则，你们将会失去一切天国之爱，会失去智慧，会成为被驱逐在外的人。
“我们遵守了父辈们传 下来的规则，并且体会到了其中的道理。我们知道若一个人只爱他的配偶，那他就是有灵性的，是内在的人，若他不只爱他的配偶，那他就是自然性的，是外在的人。后来这种情况下的人不爱任何人而只爱他自己及自己的思想，他是愚蠢。
“这就是为什么我们都是一夫一妻。因此，我们所在的天国是有卫从把门的，将多夫、多妻的人拒之在外。若这种人进到我们这里来，他们就会被抛入北方的黑暗之中去。若奸夫、淫妇进为，他们会被抛到西边的火堆中去。若淫秽的人进来了，他们就会被抛到南面虚幻的光中去。”
他回答说，北方的黑暗是指头脑麻木，无视真理；西方的火堆是指对恶的爱；南方的虚幻的光是指扭曲真理。“最后一个是一种精神上的淫乱。”
后来他说：“跟我到我们的珍藏室来。”
我们跟进来，他给我们看了古时候的文字记载。他说这是先写在木或石板上，后来写在光滑的木片上制成的书上。第二个时代的人将他们的记录写在动物皮上。他拿出一块兽皮，上面是从石板上转录下的有关婚姻的规则。
看到这些古时的记录后，天使说：“该回去了。”
主人到园中折了些小树枝，系成一束送给我。他说：“这是园中我们这里专有的树，它的树液中有香味。”
我们拿了树枝从东面回来了。那边没有卫从，树枝突然变成了闪光的铜，这就是我们去过铜纪的纪念。
77. The third experience.
Next day my angel guide and companion came again, and said: 'Get ready, so that we can visit the inhabitants of heaven in the west, who are some of the people who lived in the third or copper age. Their homes extend from the south through the west towards, but not into, the north.'
When I was ready, I accompanied him, and we entered their heaven on its southern side. There we found a magnificent wood composed of palms and laurels. We passed through this, and then exactly on the border of the west we saw some giants twice as tall as the average human. They asked us: 'Who let you in through the wood?' 'The God of heaven,' said the angel. 'We,' they answered, 'are the guardians of the approach to the ancient western heaven; but you may go in.'
[2] We passed through and from a view-point we saw a mountain soaring to the clouds. Between the view-point where we were and the mountain we saw one village after another, with gardens, woodland and fields between them. After passing through the villages we reached the mountain and climbed it. Its summit turned out to be not a peak, but a plain, on which was a large and spacious city. All its houses were of the wood of resinous trees, and their roofs of planks.
'Why, I asked, 'are the houses here made of wood?' 'Because,' the angel answered, 'wood stands for natural good, which was the good of the people of the earth's third age. Copper also stands for natural good, so the early people called this the copper age. There are also sacred buildings here made of olive-wood, and in their centre is a sanctuary containing in a chest the Word which was given to the inhabitants of Asia before the Israelite Word. Its historical books are called The Wars of Jehovah, its prophetic books The Utterances. Both of these are mentioned by Moses (Numbers 21:14-15, 27-30). This Word is now lost in the kingdoms of Asia and is only preserved in Great Tartary'. 1
Then the angel took me to one of the buildings, and we saw the sanctuary in the middle, all in the whitest light. 'The light,' said the angel, 'comes from the ancient Asiatic Word; for all Divine truth shines in the heavens.'
[3] On leaving the building we heard that the presence of two strangers had been reported in the city, and they were to be questioned about their origin and what business they had there. An officer hurried up to us from the assembly and summoned us to court. Asked where we came from, and what our business was there, we replied, 'We have passed through the palm-tree forest and also the homes of the giants, who are the guardians of your heaven, and after that the region of villages. You can tell from that that it is not we ourselves, but the God of heaven, who has brought us here. Our business here is to learn about your marriages, whether you are monogamous or polygamous.' 'What does polygamous mean? they answered. 'Is it not the same as promiscuous?'
[4] Then this court of law delegated an intelligent man to take us home and teach us about this subject. When he reached home, he asked his wife to join him, and then spoke as follows. 'The earliest or most ancient people, who enjoyed truly conjugial love, so that they excelled others in the strength and power of that love while in the world, and who now live in the most blessed condition in their own heaven in the east, handed on commandments about marriage for us to keep. We are their descendants, and like fathers to sons they gave us rules of life, amongst which are these about marriage. "Children, if you wish to love God and the neighbour and to be wise and happy for ever, we advise you to adopt a monogamous life. If you depart from this commandment, all heavenly love will desert you, and along with it inner wisdom, and you will be banished." We have obeyed, as sons should, this commandment of our fathers, and we have seen how true it is. To the extent that anyone loves his wife alone, to that extent he becomes a heavenly and an inward person. To the extent that anyone does not love his wife alone, to that extent he becomes a natural and an outward person; and he loves only himself and the ideas he thinks up, becoming mentally unbalanced and foolish.
[5] 'This is why we in this heaven are all monogamous, and being so, we keep all the borders of our heaven closed to polygamists, adulterers and fornicators. If polygamists break in, they are cast out into the darkness of the north; if adulterers, into the furnaces of the west; if fornicators, into the deceptive lights of the south.'
On hearing this I asked what he meant by the darkness of the north, the furnaces of the west and the deceptive lights of the south. He replied that the darkness of the north was darkness of mind and ignorance of truths; the furnaces of the west were loves for evil; and the deceptive lights of the south were falsifications of truth. These are types of spiritual fornication.
[6] After this he said, 'Come with me to our treasure house.' So we followed him, and he showed us the scriptures of the most ancient people; they were on boards of wood and stone, and later on books of smoothed tablets. The second age wrote its scriptures on skins; and he brought a skin on which the rules of the earliest people had been copied from stone tablets, and among them was that about marriage.
[7] When we had looked at these and other things remarkable for their extreme antiquity, the angel said, 'It is now time for us to leave.' Then our host went out into the garden and plucked a few twigs from a tree, which he tied into a bundle, and gave it to is with these words, 'These are twigs from a tree native and restricted to our heaven; its sap smells sweetly of balsam.' We brought this bundle with us as we came down by a path close to the east, where there were no guards. The twigs we saw turn to shining bronze, and their tips to gold; this was a sign that we had visited the people of the third age, which is called the copper or bronze age.
77. The third account:
The next day my angel guide and companion came again and said, "Prepare yourself, and let us go to the inhabitants of heaven in the west, who are some of the people who lived in the third period or copper age. The places where they live stretch from the south across the west towards the north, but not extending into the north."
So, having prepared myself, I accompanied him, and entering their heaven from the south side, we found there a magnificent grove of palm trees and laurels. We passed through it, and then on its western border we saw giants twice the height of ordinary people.
They interrogated us. "Who let you in through the grove?"
The angel said, "The God of heaven."
And they replied, "We are guards to the ancient western heaven. But go ahead and pass."
[2] So we passed, and from a watch-tower we saw a mountain rising to the clouds, and between us in the tower and that mountain we saw villages after villages, with gardens, groves and fields in between. We then passed through the villages to the mountain and ascended. And lo, at its summit was not a peak but a plateau, and on it a city widely extended and spread out. All of its houses, moreover, were made out of wood from resinous trees, and their roofs out of wooden planks.
I asked, "Why are the houses here made of wood?"
The angel answered, "Because wood symbolizes natural goodness, and the people of the third age on the earth were in this state of goodness. And because copper also symbolizes natural goodness, therefore the age in which they lived was named after copper by people of earlier times.
"There are also sacred halls here, built out of boards of olive wood, and in the middle of them is a sanctuary, containing in an ark the Word given to the inhabitants of Asia before the Word which the Israelites had. Its narrative books are called the Wars of Jehovah, and the prophetical books, Oracles, both referred to by Moses (Numbers 21:14-15,27-30).
"In the kingdoms of Asia it has now been lost, and it is preserved only in Great Tartary."
The angel then led me to one of the buildings, and looking in, we saw in the middle of it the sanctuary, all bathed in a brilliant white light. And the angel said: "The light comes from that ancient Asiatic Word, for all Divine truth shines with light in heaven."
[3] As we were going out of the building, we heard it had been reported in the city that two strangers were about, and that they were to be investigated to find out where they came from and what their business was here. Moreover, an attendant came running from the court and ordered us to appear for a hearing.
When we were then asked where we came from and what our business was here, we replied, "We passed through a grove of palm trees and then through the abodes of giants, the ones who guard your heaven, and afterwards through a stretch of villages. You may conclude from this that we have come here, not of ourselves, but thanks to the God of heaven. As for our business, the reason for our coming, it is to be instructed regarding your marriages, to find out whether they are monogamous or perhaps polygamous."
They replied, "What are polygamous marriages? Are they not forms of licentiousness?"
[4] Then the panel of magistrates there selected someone intelligent to instruct us in his own home about this matter. And when we arrived at his house, he called his wife to his side and said the following:
"The earliest or most ancient people were in a state of truly conjugial love, and they therefore experienced the strength and power of that love, more than any other peoples in the world. They are now in a most blissful state in their heaven, which is in the east. We have precepts from them regarding marriage which we have preserved among us. We are their descendants, and they have handed down rules of life to us, like fathers to sons, and the rules which have to do with marriage include this maxim:
Children, if you wish to love God and the neighbor, and if you wish to be wise and be happy to eternity, we advise you to live monogamously. If you depart from this precept, all heavenly love will escape you, and with it inward wisdom, and you will become outcasts.
"We have obeyed, like children, this precept of our fathers, and we have perceived the truth in it. The truth we perceived is that a person becomes heavenly and internal to the extent that he loves his married partner only, and that a person becomes natural and external to the extent that he does not love his married partner only. In the latter case, he loves no one but himself and the imaginations of his own mind, and he is foolish and stupid.
[5] "This is why all of us in our heaven are monogamous. And because we are, therefore all the boundaries of our heaven are guarded to keep out polygamists, adulterers and licentious people. If polygamists get in, they are cast out into the darkness of the north. If adulterers get in, they are cast out into the fires of the west. And if licentious people get in, they are cast out into the illusory lights of the south."
Hearing this I asked what he meant by the darkness of the north, the fires of the west, and the illusory lights of the south.
He answered that the darkness of the north was dullness of mind and ignorance of truths; that the fires of the west were loves of evil; and that the illusory lights of the south were falsifications of truth. "These last," he said, "are forms of spiritual licentiousness."
[6] After this he said, "Follow me to our treasure house."
So we followed, and he showed us some written documents of very ancient peoples, telling us that they wrote on wooden and stone tablets and afterwards on polished sheets of wood assembled into books, and that people of the second age wrote their records on parchments of animal skin. Then he brought out a parchment containing maxims of the earliest peoples transcribed from their stone tablets, including also the precept regarding marriage.
[7] When we had seen these records and others from very early antiquity, the angel said, "It is now time for us to go."
Then our host went out into the garden and took some sprigs from a tree, and, tying them into a bundle, he presented them, saying, "These sprigs come from a tree native or peculiar to our heaven, whose sap has the fragrance of balsam."
We took away this bundle of sprigs with us and descended by a way, over to the east, which was not guarded. And behold, the sprigs turned into shiny bronze and their very tips into gold, as a memento that we had been among a people of the third age, which is named after copper or bronze.
77. The third story: The next day the angel guide and companion came up and said, "Get ready, and let's go to the people living in the western heaven. They come from the people who lived in the third era, or Copper Age. Their homes spread from the south throughout the west up to, but not into, the north."
I got ready and went with him, and we entered their heaven at the south side. There was a magnificent grove of palms and laurels there. We went through it, and then, right at the western boundary, we saw giants twice the size of ordinary men. They asked us, "Who let you in through the grove?"
The angel said, "The God of Heaven."
They answered, "We are guards for the ancient western heaven. But go through."
We went through, and from a vantage point we saw a mountain as high as the clouds. Between us, at our vantage point, and the mountain, were town after town with gardens, groves, and fields in between them. We went through the towns to the mountain and climbed it. Its peak was not a peak but a plain with a big, wide city on it! And all its houses were made of wood from resinous trees, and their roofs were made of planks.
I asked, "Why are the houses here made of wood?"
"Because wood stands for good on a material level," answered the angel, "and the people of the third age enjoyed that kind of good. Copper stands for material good, too, so men of old called the age when these people lived 'Copper.'
"There are also holy temples here, made of olive wood, and in their center is a sanctuary where the Word that was given to the inhabitants of Asia before the Israelite Word, lies in a case. Its historical books are called The Wars of Jehovah and its prophetic ones Proverbs. Moses mentions them both in Numbers (21:14-15,
27-30). Today this Word is lost in regions of Asia and is preserved at present in Great Tartary."
Then the angel led me to a building, and we looked in and saw its sanctuary in the middle, all in very brilliant light.
"This light is from that ancient Asian Word," the angel said, "for all divine truth shines brightly in the heavens."
Coming out of the building, we heard that it had been announced in the city that two strangers were there and should be questioned to find out where they came from and what they wanted here. A court attendant ran up and ordered us to the judges.
To the question of where we were from and what we wanted here we answered, "We came through the palm forest and also where the giants are who guard your heaven, and then to the place where the towns are. So you can tell that we didn't get here by ourselves, but by the God of Heaven. And what we want is to be taught about your marriages - whether they are monogamous or polygamous."
"What are polygamous marriages?" they responded. "Isn't that fornication?"
Then the judges who were gathered there appointed an informed person to teach us about this matter in his own house. In his house he joined his wife, and here is what they said:
"The earliest or most ancient people had a real love for marriage, so more than anyone else they enjoyed the strength and potency of that love in the world and still do, in their very happy situation in their heaven in the east. And we have preserved their concepts about marriages, among ourselves. We are their descendants, and, like all parents, they gave to us as children rules of life - including this one about marriages: 'Children, if you want to love the Lord and your neighbor, and if you want to be wise and be happy forever, we advise you to live monogamously. If you abandon this principle every heavenly love will escape you and so will inner wisdom, and you will die out.'
"As children we obeyed this precept of our parents and we see the truth of it - that the more you love one partner, the more you grow heavenly and internal, and the more you do not love one partner, the more worldly and superficial you become. A person like this loves nothing but himself and the notions in his mind. He is silly and foolish. This is why all of us in this heaven are monogamous, and because we are, all the boundaries of our heaven are protected against polygamists, adulterers, and fornicators.
If polygamists get in, we send them into the northern darkness, if adulterers do, we send them into the western fires, and if fornicators get in, we send them into the false lights of the south."
I heard this and asked, "What do you mean by 'northern darkness,' 'western fires,' and 'false lights of the south'?"
He answered, "Northern darkness is mental dullness and ignorance about the truth. The western fires are loves for evil.
And the false lights of the south are falsifications of the truth - spiritual fornications."
After this he said, "Follow me to our treasure house."
We followed him, and he showed us things written by the earliest people on wooden and stone tablets, and then on polished tablets of wood. The second age wrote their writings on parchments, and he brought a parchment with rules of the earliest people copied onto it from the stone tablets. Among the rules was the one about marriages.
After we saw these things and others worthy of note from that ancient time the angel said, "Now it's time for us to be going."
Then our host went out into the garden, picked several twigs from a tree, tied them in a bundle, and gave them to us. He said, "These twigs are from a special tree native to our heaven. Its juice smells of balsam."
We took the little bundle away with us and went back down by a path near the east, which was not guarded. The twigs turned to shining brass! And their tips to gold! It was a sign that we had been among the people of the Third Age, called Copper or Brass.
77. The Third Memorable Relation:
The next day, the angel guide and companion came again and said: "Make ready and let us go to the heavenly inhabitants in the west who are from the men who lived in the third or COPPER AGE. Their dwelling-places extend from the south over the west towards the north, but not into the north." So I made ready and accompanied him.
We entered their heaven at the southern side, where was a magnificent grove of palm trees and laurels. Having passed through this grove, we then saw, just on the western border, giants of a stature twice as high as the ordinary human stature; and they asked us, "Who let you in through the grove?" "The God of heaven," said the angel. They responded, "We are guards to the ancient western heaven; but pass through," and we passed on.
[2] Then from a watch-tower we saw a mountain towering to the clouds; and between us on the watch-tower and that mountain, we saw villa after villa with gardens, groves, and fields between them. Passing by these villas, we went on to the mountain and this we ascended. And lo, its summit was not a peak but a plain, and on this plain was an extensive and spacious city, all whose houses were of the wood of resinous trees and their roofs of planks.
I asked the angel, "Why are the houses here of wood?" and he answered, "Because wood signifies natural good, and in that good were the men of the third Age of the earth. Copper also signifies natural good, and therefore the Age in which they lived was named by the ancients from copper. Here also are sacred buildings constructed of olive wood. In their center is a sanctuary, and there in an Ark lies the Word given to the inhabitants of Asia before the Israelitish Word. The historical books of this Word are called THE WARS OF JEHOVAH, and the prophetical books, ENUNCIATIONS; 1both are mentioned by Moses in Numbers 21:14-15, 27-30. In the kingdoms of Asia, this Word is now lost, being preserved only in Great Tartary." He then conducted me to one of these sacred buildings, and looking in we saw in its center the sanctuary, the whole sanctuary being in a white light of the utmost brightness. The angel then said, "That light is from that Ancient Asiatic Word; for in the heavens all Divine Truth shines."
[3] Passing out of the building, we heard that it had been announced in the city that two strangers were there and that they were to be examined as to whence they came and what was their business. An attendant of the court then came up and ordered us to the judgment seat.
To the question whence we came and what was our business there, we answered: "We have come through the grove of palm trees and have also passed the abodes of the giants who are the guards of your heaven, and afterwards through the region of villas; from which you can conclude that it is not of ourselves but of the God of heaven that we are come hither. The business for which we came, is that we may be instructed respecting your marriages, whether they are monogamous or polygamous." They responded: "What are polygamous marriages? Are they not scortatory?"
[4] The judicial tribunal then delegated an intelligent man to instruct us concerning this matter in his own home. There, in his home, having his wife by his side, he spoke to us in these words: "Preserved among us, we have precepts concerning marriages which have come down to us from primeval or most ancient peoples who, in the world, had been in love truly conjugial and hence above others in the virtue and potency of that love. They are now in a most blessed state in their heaven, which is in the east. We are their posterity, and, as fathers, they gave to us as their sons canons of life, among which is the following respecting marriages: Sons, if you would love God and the neighbor, and if you would be wise and happy to eternity, we counsel you to live as monogamists. If you depart from this precept, all heavenly love and with it internal wisdom will flee from you and you will be destroyed. This precept of our fathers, we as their sons have obeyed. Moreover, we have perceived its truth, which is, that so far as one loves his consort alone, he becomes heavenly and internal, and so far as he does not love his consort alone, he becomes natural and external, and then loves only himself and the images of his own mind and is silly and stupid.
[5] It is because of these canons that we in this heaven are all guarded against polygamists, adulterers, and whore mongers. If polygamists invade, they are cast out into the darkness of the north; if adulterers, they are cast out into the fires of the west; and if whore mongers, they are cast out into the fatuous lights of the south."
On hearing this, I asked him what he meant by the darkness of the north, the fires of the west, and the fatuous lights of the south. He answered: "The darkness of the north is dullness of mind and ignorance of truth; the fires of the west are the loves of evil; and the fatuous lights of the south are falsifications of truth, which are spiritual whoredoms."
[6] He then said, "Follow me to our treasure house." We followed him and he showed us the writings of the most ancient peoples, that they were on tablets of wood and stone, and later, on waxed tablets, and that those of the second Age were inscribed on parchments. He then brought us a parchment on which the canons of the primeval men had been copied from stone tablets, and among them was the precept concerning marriages.
[7] Having seen these and other memorable things of ancient times, the angel said, "It is now time for us to depart." Our host then went out into his garden and plucked some twigs from a tree. These he tied in a bunch which he gave us, saying, "These twigs are from a tree native or proper to our heaven, the sap of which has a balsamic fragrance."
Bringing the bunch away with us, we descended by a way neighboring on the east, which was not guarded. And lo, the twigs were turned into shining brass, and their tips into gold, as a sign that we had been with a nation of the third Age which is named from copper or brass.
Footnotes:
1. Translated Proverbs in the A.V.
77. 1III
The next day my angel guide and companion came again and said, "Make ready, and let us go to the heavenly inhabitants in the west, the people who lived in the third epoch or Copper Age. Their dwelling-places extend from the south over the west northward, but not into the north."
I made ready and accompanied him. We entered their heaven from the south, where was a magnificent grove of palms and laurels, through which we passed. At its western border we came upon giants, of twice the size of ordinary men. They asked us, "Who let you in through the grove?"
"The God of heaven," said the angel.
They responded, "We are guards of the ancient western heaven, but pass on.
[2] We proceeded and from a lookout saw a mountain towering to the clouds. Between us on the lookout and the mountain was village after village, with gardens, groves and fields between. We travelled past the villages to the mountain and ascended. Its summit proved to be, not a peak, but a plain with an extensive and spacious city on it. All its houses were of rosin tree woods and their roofs of boards.
I asked, "Why are the houses here of wood?"
The angel replied, "Because wood signifies natural good, and the men of the third era on earth were in that good. Copper also signifies natural good, and therefore those early people named the age in which they lived from copper. The sacred buildings here are also built of olive wood. In the center of each is a sanctuary where in an ark lies the Word given to the inhabitants of Asia before the Israelitish Word, the historical books of which are called, 'The Wars of Jehovah,' and the prophetical books, 'Enunciations,' 2both mentioned by Moses in Numbers 21:14-15, 27-30. This Word is now lost in the countries of Asia and is preserved only in Great Tartary."
The angel then led me to one of the buildings, and we looked in and saw the sanctuary at the center, all in the most brilliant white light. The angel said, "The light is from that ancient Asiatic Word; all Divine truth shines in the heavens."
[3] Leaving the building we heard that the news had spread in the city that two strangers were there, and that they ought to be questioned whence they were, and what their business in the place was. An attendant from the palace appeared and ordered us before the judges.
To the question whence we were and what our business was, we answered, "We came through the grove of palm trees and also passed the abodes of the giants who are the guards of your heaven, and afterwards through the district of villages, from which you may conclude that it is not of ourselves but of the God of heaven that we have arrived here. The business on which we have come is to be informed about your marriages, whether they are monogamous or polygamous."
They replied, "What are polygamous marriages? Are they not scortatory?"
[4] Thereupon the assembled judges deputed an intelligent man to instruct us in his own house on our business. At his home he drew his wife to his side and addressed us as follows:
"We possess precepts on marriage preserved among us from the primeval or most ancient people, who were in true marital love and thus more than others in the vigor and potency of that love in the world, and who are now in a most blessed state in their heaven, which is in the east. We are their descendants. They as fathers gave us as sons canons of life, among which is this on marriage: Sons, if you would love God and the neighbor, and if you would be wise, and be happy to eternity, we counsel you to live in monogamy. If you depart from this precept, every heavenly love will flee from you, and internal wisdom with it, and you will be destroyed. To this precept of our fathers we as sons have hearkened. And we have perceived the truth of it, which is, that in so far as a man loves his married partner alone he becomes heavenly and internal; and that in so far as a man does not love his married partner alone he becomes natural and external, and does not love at all, except himself and the imaginations of his own mind, and is foolish and mad. Hence all of us in this heaven live in monogamy.
[5] Because we do, all the boundaries of our heaven are guarded against polygamists, adulterers and whoremongers. If polygamists get in, they are cast out into the darkness of the north; if adulterers, they are cast out into the fires of the west; and if whoremongers, they are cast out into the fatuous lights of the south."
On hearing this I asked what he meant by the darkness of the north, the fires of the west, and the fatuous lights of the south.
He answered, "The darkness of the north is mental obtuseness and ignorance of truth; the fires of the west are loves of what is evil; and the fatuous lights of the south are falsifications of truth. Falsifications of truth are spiritual whoredoms."
[6] Then he said, "Follow me to our treasure house."
We followed, and he showed us writings of the most ancient peoples, pointing out that they were on tablets of wood and stone, and later on polished tablets of wood; while the second age inscribed its writings on parchments. He brought out a parchment onto which the canons of the first people had been copied from tables of stone, among which also was the precept on marriage.
When we had seen these and other memorable things of very early antiquity, the angel said, "It is time for us to go now."
Thereupon our host went out into his garden, broke some twigs from a tree and tied them in a bunch, and gave them to us, saying, "These twigs are from a tree native or peculiar to our heaven, the sap of which has a balsamic fragrance."
We brought the bunch away with us, and descended by a way at the east, which was not guarded. Behold, the twigs turned to shining brass and the tips of them to gold, as a token that we had been with the people of the third age, which is named from copper or bronze.
Footnotes:
1. These Memorabilia are repeated with some variations in Coronis,37.
2. Translated "Proverbs" in the Authorized Version.
77. The Third Relation:
The day after, the angel guide and companion came and said, 'Make ready, and let us go to the heavenly inhabitants in the west, who are from the men that lived in the third or Copper Age. Their dwelling-places are from the south through the west towards the north, but not into the north.' I made ready and accompanied him and we entered their heaven at the southern side. There was a magnificent grove of palm and laurel trees. We passed through this grove and then just upon the western border we saw giants, of twice the stature of ordinary men; and they asked us, 'Who let you in through the grove?'
The angel said, 'The God of heaven.'
They responded, 'We are guards to the ancient western heaven, but pass on.'
We went on and from an eminence saw a mountain towering to the clouds; and between us on this height and the mountain were villas and villas, with interjacent gardens, groves, and fields. We passed by the villas even to the mountain and ascended. And lo! its summit was not a mountain top but a plain, with an extensive and spacious city upon it. And all its houses were of the woods of resinous trees and their roofs were of planks. I asked, 'Why are the houses here of wood?'
The angel replied, 'Because wood signifies natural good, and the men of the third age of the earth were in that good; and as copper also signifies natural good the age in which they lived was named by the ancients from copper. There are also sacred buildings here constructed of olive wood; and in the midst of them is a holy place where lies in an Ark the Word given to the inhabitants of Asia before the Israelitish Word, the historical books of which are called, 'The Wars of Jehovah,' and the prophetical books, 'Enunciations,' 1both mentioned by Moses in Numbers 21:14-15, 27-30. This Word at the present day is lost in the countries of Asia and is preserved only in Great Tartary.'
The angel then conducted me to one of these buildings and we looked in, and saw the holy place in the midst of it, all in most brilliant white light. And the angel said, 'This light is from that ancient Asiatic Word, for all Divine truth shines in the heavens.'
Passing out of the building we heard that it had been announced in the city that two strangers were there, and that they ought to be examined as to whence they came, and what is their business here. And an attendant of the court came up to us and ordered us before the judges.
To the question whence we came and what was our business here we answered, 'We came through the grove of palm trees, and also passed the abodes of the giants who are the guardsmen of your heaven, and afterwards through the region of villas, from which you may conclude that it is not of ourselves but of the God of heaven that we are come hither. And our business for which we came, is that we may be informed respecting your marriages, whether they are monogamous or polygamous.'
They responded, 'What are polygamous marriages? Are they not scortatory?'
And then the assembled judges commissioned an intelligent man to inform us in relation to this matter in his own house. And at his house he set his wife by his side and spoke to us in these words:
'From the primeval or most ancient people who were in love truly conjugial, and hence were before others in the virtue and potency of that love in the world, and are now in a most blessed state in their heaven, which is in the east, we have preserved among us precepts respecting marriages. We are their descendants, and they as fathers gave to us as sons canons of life, among which was this respecting marriages: 'Sons, if you would love God and the neighbor, and if you would be wise and be happy to eternity, we counsel you to live in single marriage. If you depart from this precept every heavenly love will flee from you, and with it internal wisdom, and you will be destroyed.' To this precept of our fathers we as sons have been obedient. And we perceive the truth of it, which is, that in so far as any man loves one only married partner he becomes heavenly and internal; and that in so far as any man does not love one only married partner he becomes natural and external, and does not love at all, except himself and the imaginations of his own mind, and is foolish and insane. It is from this that we in this heaven are all in single marriage. And because we are so the boundaries of our heaven are all guarded against polygamists, adulterers, and whoremongers (scortatores) 2If polygamists enter they are cast out into the darkness of the north; if adulterers, they are cast out into the fires of the west; and if whoremongers, they are cast out into the fatuous lights of the south.'
On hearing this I asked what he meant by the darkness of the north, the fires of the west, and the fatuous lights of the south.
He answered, 'The darkness of the north is dullness of mind and ignorance of truth; the fires of the west are the loves of evil; and the fatuous lights of the south are falsifications of truth. These are spiritual scortations.'
He then said, 'Follow me to our treasure house.'
And we followed, and he showed us the writings of the most ancient peoples. They were on tablets of wood and of stone; and after that upon polished tablets of wood; and the second age inscribed their writings on parchments. And he brought a parchment on which the canons of the first people had been copied from the tables of stone, among which was the precept concerning marriages.
Having seen these and other memorable things of very early antiquity the angel said, 'It is now time for us to depart.'
Our host then went out into the garden and plucked several little branchlets from a tree and tied them in a bunch and gave them to us, saying, 'These branchlets are from a tree native or peculiar to our heaven, the juice of which has a fragrance from balsam.'
We brought the bunch away with us, and descended by a way nearly eastward which was not guarded. And lo! the branchlets were turned to shining brass and the very tips of them to gold, as a token that we have been with the people of the third age, which is named from copper or brass.
Footnotes:
1. Translated in the common version, Proverbs.
2. We see that: 'By scortatory love is meant a love of adultery which destroys conjugial love,' n. 424.
77. Tertium Memorabile. Post diem adhuc venit Angelus ductor et comes, et dixit, "accinge te, et abeamus ad Coelicolas in Occidente, qui sunt ex hominibus, qui in Aetate tertia seu in Saeculo cupreo vixerant; habitationes illorum sunt a Meridie super Occidentem ad Septentrionem, sed non in hanc;" et accinctus illum comitatus sum, ac intravimus Coelum illorum a latere meridionali; et ibi erat magnificum Nemus ex palmis et lauribus: illud pertransivimus, et tunc in ipso confinio Occidentis vidimus Gigantes proceritatis duplae supra humanam communem; hi nos interrogaverunt, "quis vos per Nemus intromisit;" dixit Angelus, "Deus Coeli;" et responderunt, "nos sumus Custodiae ad Coelum Antiquum Occidentale, sed vos transite;"
[2] et transivimus, et e specula vidimus Montem elevatum usque ad nubes, ac inter nos in specula et illum Montem villas et villas, cum intermediis hortis, lucis et campis; et pertransivimus villas usque ad montem, et ascendimus, et ecce Culmen ejus non erat culmen, sed Planities, et super hac Civitas extensa et spatiosa; et omnes Domus ejus erant ex lignis arborum resinae, et harum tecta ex asseribus; et quaesivi, "cur domus hic ligneae sunt;" respondit Angelus, "quia Lignum significat Bonum naturale, et in hoc Bono fuerant homines Aetatis tertiae telluris; et quia Cuprum etiam significat Bonum naturale, ideo Saeculum, in quo vixerant, a priscis vocatum est a cupro: sunt quoque hic Aedes Sacrae ex Lignis olei exstructae, et in medio illarum est Sanctuarium, ubi in Arca jacet Verbum datum incolis Asiae ante Verbum Isra'liticum, cujus Libri Historici vocantur Bella Jehovae, et prophetici Enuntiata, utraque nominata a Mose, Num: XXI: Vers: 14-15, et Vers: 27 ad 30; hoc hodie in Regnis Asiae deperditum est, et modo in Tartaria Magna reservatum:" et tunc Angelus duxit me ad unam Aedem, ac introspeximus, et vidimus in medio ejus Sanctuarium illud, totum in candidissima luce; et dixit Angelus, "Lux illa est ex Vetusto illo Asiatico Verbo, omne enim Divinum Verum in coelis lucet."
[3] Exeuntes ex Aede audivimus, quod nuntiatum sit in Urbe, quod duo peregrini ibi sint, et quod examinandi, unde illi, et quid negotii hic; et accurrit e Curia satelles, et mandavit nos ad judicium; et ad interrogationem unde sumus, et quid negotii hic, respondimus, "transivimus Nemus palmarum, et quoque Domicilia Gigantum, 1qui sunt custodes vestri Coeli, et postea Regionem villarum, ex quibus potestis concludere, quod non a nobis, sed quod a Deo coeli, huc pervenerimus; et negotium, propter quod, est ut instruamur de vestris Conjugiis, num sint Monogamica, vel num Polygamica;" et responderunt, "quid Polygamica; suntne haec scortatoria:"
[4] et tunc Judicialis hic Caetus ablegavit unum Intelligentem, qui nos in domo sua de hoc negotio instrueret; et hic in Domo sua adjunxit sibi Uxorem, et loquutus est haec; "ex Primaevis seu Antiquissimis, qui in Amore vere Conjugiali, et inde prae caeteris in illius amoris Virtute et potentia in Mundo fuerant, et nunc in Coelo suo quod in Oriente est, in beatissimo statu sunt, Praecepta de Conjugiis apud nos reservata habemus; nos sumus Posteritas illorum, et illi sicut Patres nobis ut filiis dederunt Canones vitae, inter quos de Conjugiis sunt haec." "Filii, si vultis amare Deum et proximum, et si vultis sapere, et felices esse in aeternum, consulimus vobis ut vivatis Monogami; si ab hoc Praecepto recesseritis, fugiet vos omnis coelestis Amor, et cum hoc interna Sapientia, et exterminabimini": "huic Praecepto Patrum nostrorum obedivimus ut filii, et percepimus veritatem ejus, quae est, quod quantum quis amat conjugem solam, tantum fiat coelestis et internus, et quod quantum quis non amat conjugem solam, tantum fiat naturalis et externus; et hic non amat nisi se et imagines mentis suae, et hic est vecors et stultus.
[5] Ex his est, quod omnes in hoc Coelo Monogami simus: et quia tales sumus, ideo omnes termini nostri Coeli a Polygamis, Adulteris, et Scortatoribus, custoditi sunt; si Polygami invadunt, ejiciuntur in Tenebras septentrionis; si Adulteri, ejiciuntur in Focos occidentis, et si Scortatores, ejiciuntur in Luces fatuas meridiei;" his auditis quaesivi, quid per tenebras septentrionis, focos occidentis, et luces fatuas meridiei intelligit; respondit, quod Tenebrae septentrionis sint hebetudines 2mentis, ac ignorantiae veritatum; quod Foci occidentis sint amores mali; et quod Luces fatuae meridiei, sint falsificationes veri; hae sunt scortationes spirituales.
[6] Post haec dixit, "sequimini me ad Cimeliarchium nostrum;" et sequuti sumus, et monstravit nobis Scripturas Antiquissimorum, quod essent super Tabulis ligneis et lapideis, et postea super Caudicibus laevigatis; et quod Secunda aetas exaraverit suas scripturas super Membranis; et adduxit Membranam, super qua erant Primaevorum Canones exscripti ex tabulis lapideis, inter quos etiam erat praeceptum de Conjugiis.
[7] His et aliis ex ipsa Antiquitate Memorabilibus visis, dixit Angelus, "nunc est nobis tempus abeundi;" et tunc hospes exivit in Hortum, et desumpsit ex Arbore aliquot termites, et ligavit in fasciculum, et donavit, dicens, "hi termites sunt ex Arbore nativa seu propria nostri Coeli, cujus succus fragrat ex balsamo;" hunc fasciculum deportavimus, et per viam juxta Orientem, quae non fuit custodita, descendimus; et ecce termites versi sunt in Aes nitidum, et summi apices illorum in aurum; in signum, quod apud Tertiae Aetatis gentem, quae nominatur a cupro seu aere, fuerimus.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: Gigan um,
2. Prima editio: habetudines