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.
Footnotes:
1. Swedish for "cotton"
4673. CONCERNING THE DWELLERS IN THE UNIVERSE.
(I was led by the Lord, above the magical hell, to an earth in the universe, to the left in respect to the sun there - which is the Lord; and at last, after two days, I came to certain spirits who were from a certain earth there. They were seen very high above us; and thence they explored those things which are below, and also observed them attentively, and likewise observed me, and then spoke with me, thence, concerning various matters, and wondered exceedingly that anyone should come to them from somewhere else. I told them from which earth I was, and how many earths there were in our world, especially telling them about the spirits of Mercury, who wander around everywhere, in order to acquire knowledges for themselves. They said that they had also observed them with themselves.) (It was asked what God they worshipped; they said the Lord, concerning whom they had the idea of a Divine Man, and it was acknowledged that it was the same Lord with our Lord; but they said that they acknowledge and worship, besides, an invisible God; but it was granted me to tell them, that we, also, in like manner, 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 man; and that, therefore, we worship one God, not several, however we may err concerning the person and concerning the persons.) (Moreover, they were penetrating in sight; and, because they were on high, they saw from thence all things that were below, and also observed them. They were told that they are like eagles, which fly aloft, and see beneath far and wide around. Then were they indignant, supposing that I compared them to eagles, regarded as rapacious birds; but it was granted me to reply that [I compared them] to eagles, because they see everything below widely and sharply, not that they are rapacious; and that yet there is a correspondence, because spiritual food is knowledge and wisdom thence; but that the food of eagles is birds and poultry that are beneath them; which, therefore, they look for in a similar manner. It was said by the angels that they correspond to the external power of sight in the Grand Man.)
(Afterwards, it was granted me to see and speak with spirits from the same earth, who were lower down. They were seen lower down, and more forwards, a little further removed; but these were idolaters, for they worshipped a certain idol of stone, resembling a man, but not a handsome man. They were asked why they do that, and why they worship not a living but a dead [God]: they who were the wiser replied that they worship the living God, when their look is directed to the idol; and that they know that God lives, and is not a stone; but still that their ideas can thus be fixed on the Divine, who is otherwise invisible. [Reflect] on the quality of idolaters.)
(I inquired [of them] concerning their earth. They said that they there see their sun, which is a star to our eyes, of a fiery color, but not greater than the head of a large man; so that it appears less than our sun. Somewhat less than half. They then said that they likewise have lakes and fishes there, that they have meadows, flower gardens, and woods full of fruit-trees; that they feed on these and pulse, and a certain fruit of a tree, which [fruits] are as large as our melons and of a sweet taste. They also stated that there are very beautiful birds there, of a blue color, with golden wings, and also smaller and larger animals; the smaller with backs not unlike camels in a smaller mould, dotted with golden spots. They also said that they have no houses, but dwell in wooded glades, and there, among the trees, place for themselves a shelter for the rain and for the heat of the sun; and that thus they dwell under that shelter. There appeared to me such a domicile, and that an idol was there. They stated that they do not feed on the flesh of animals; but some of them [on that] of fishes.) (Spirits were seen, who were like themselves had been when men in their earth. They had a face similar to the men of our earth, but with the difference that their eyes and nose were small. This, in my view, deformed them: but they said that small eyes and a small nose, were, with them, a beauty. There was also seen a woman of that description, who was taller in body than the women of our earth, but with a smaller face and with similar eyes and nose. She was dressed in a toga wherein were roses of various colors. She appeared to be dressed in a garment like [we have] in our earth, made of silks of a similar kind. I inquired whence they provide themselves with such garments: they said that they gather materials of such a kind from their herbs, [make them into] webs [barkan 1]; and that they weave them into threads, and then arrange these threads with their hands, and, so that they may be connected with others and for the sake of a better join, they moisten them with a glutinous fluid and compress them; and then they color that [fabric] with the colors there, derived from herbs, and other things which are there known; and thus make them into a garment. It was also shown how they make these materials into a thread: their women do this: they sit reclining on a seat and twist these with the toes of the feet, and draw them to themselves with their hands, and thus they are worked into a thread; and [it was said] that they are exquisitely sensitive in the toes of the feet. They said that they have one wife, and no more; and that of her they have many children, as many as ten, thirteen, and more. It was also perceived, that there are many prostitutes there.) (It was said by the angels, that they are in a world, in the circle of the equator, [and the star which is their sun is 2] among the lesser ones there.) (There were seen many spirits from thence - many women who were sorceresses, and who were cast into their hell.) (They said that there they do not live under governments; but that there is the family, and the domestics. [They] were asked whether they were thus secure from others. They said, why should they not be secure? what more is needed, when they have food and clothing? of what profit is the rest? They were indignant that such things should be asked, because they implied enmity and protection from it, when no family envies another, nor wishes to take aught from it; and that no such thing is perceived. Thus they live, fearlessly, near each other, according to the state of those of whom mention is made in the Word, 3where blessedness is treated of; the Lord thus guarding them and averting such thoughts.)
Footnotes:
1. A Swedish word meaning a sort of camel-hair cloth.
2. The portion within brackets is inserted by the Latin Editor. The present Editor, however, sees no difficulty in the rendering: "they are in a world, . . . among the lesser ones there," viz., among the lesser worlds in that solar system
3. The allusion is doubtless to such passages as Jer. 30:10; Ezek 34:28; Micah 4:4; Zeph. 3:13.
4673. De incolis in universo
Ductus sum a Domino ad tellurem in universo, ad sinistrum respective ad Solem ibi, qui est Dominus, super infernum magicum, et tandem post binos dies perventum est ad quosdam spiritus qui e tellure quadam ibi. Visi sunt altissime supra nos, et inde perspexerunt illa quae infra, et quoque sedulo observarunt, et quoque observaverunt me, et inde tunc mecum loquuti sunt de variis, ac mirati valde quod aliquis aliunde ad illos perveniret, narrabam illis ex qua tellure essem, et quot tellures in nostro mundo, imprimis de spiritibus Mercurii, qui pervagantur ubivis ad comparandas sibi cognitiones, dicebant quod etiam illos apud se observaverint. Quaerebantur quem Deum colerent, dicebant quod Dominum, de quo ideam habebant Divini hominis, et agnitum quod idem Dominus esset cum nostro Domino; sed dicebant quod praeterea agnoscant et colant Deum invisibilem; sed illis dicere datum, quod etiam nos similiter Deum invisibilem colamus, sed quod Ille sit idem cum Domino, quia quod infinitum non videri potest, sed quod apparet ut homo, et quod nos ideo unum Deum colamus, non plures, utcunque erremus de persona et de personis. Praeterea visu perspicaci erant, et quia in alto omnia inde videbant quae infra, et quoque observabant, dictum est illis, quod sint sicut aquilae, quae alte volant, et vident infra late circum, tunc indignati sunt, putantes quod assimilarem illos cum aquilis, quatenus aves rapaces, sed respondere datum quod cum aquilis quod videant late et perspicaciter omnia infra, non quod rapiant, et quod usque correspondentia sit, quia cibus spiritualis est scire et inde sapere, et aquilis cibi sunt aves et gallinae quae infra, quas ideo non dissimiliter quaerunt. Dictum est ab angelis, quod correspondeant aciei visus externi, in maximo homine. Postmodum datum est videre et loqui cum spiritibus ex eadem tellure, qui inferius erant, qui visi inferius et magis antrorsus paulo remotius, sed illi erant idololatrae, nam colebant quoddam idolum ex saxo, simile homini, sed non pulchro, dictum est illis cur id faciunt, etcur non adorant vivum sed mortuum, respondebant illi qui sapientiores erant, quod Deum vivum colant, cum intuitum suum habent in idolum, et quod hoc sciant, quod Deus vivat et non saxum sit, sed quod usque sic ideae possint figi ad Divinum alioquin inconspicuum. De idololatris quales. Quaerebantur de tellure sua, dicebant quod ibi videant Solem suum, qui est stella coram nostris oculis, coloris ignei, sed non majorem quam caput magni hominis, sic ut minor nostro sole appareat aliquantum minus quam ad dimidium; tum dicebant quod illis quoque lacus sint et ibi pisces, quod prata, floreta, sylvae plenae arboribus frugiferis, quod vescantur illis et leguminibus, et fructu quodam ex arbore qui magni sunt sicut nostri melones, sapore suavi; dicebant etiam quod pulcherrimae aves ibi sint, coloris coerulei cum aureis pennis; et quoque animalia minora et majora, minora cum dorsis, non absimilia camelis in forma minori, punctata aureis maculis; dicebant etiam quod non habeant domos, sed in lucis sint, et ibi tectum ponant sibi pro imbre et pro aestu solis, inter arbores, et quod sic sub illo tecto sint; apparuit mihi tale domicilium, et quod ibi idolum; dicebant quod carne animalium non vescantur, sed quidem piscium. Visi sunt spiritus, qui similes sibi cum homines in sua tellure fuerunt, erant facie simili ac hominibus nostrae telluris, sed cum distinctione, quod oculi eorum parvi essent, et quoque nasus, hoc coram meis oculis deformabat illos, sed dicebant quod parvi oculi et parvus nasus apud illos pulchritudo sit. Visa erat faemina etiam talis, quae altior erat corpore quam faemina nostrae telluris, sed facie minori, similibus oculis et naso, induta fuit toga in qua rosae varii coloris, apparebat ut induta veste sicut in nostra tellure, quae sericis talibus; interrogabam unde sibi parant tales vestes, dicebant quod legant ex herbis suis tales telas, bomul, et quod contexant illa in fila, ac dein componant manibus fila illa, unum juxta alterum, etiam supra ligationis causa, et sic humectent aqua glutinosa, et comprimant ac dein colorent illud ex coloribus ibi ex herbis et aliis qui ibi inventi, et sic faciant illa in vestem. Quomodo faciant illa in filum etiam ostensum est, hoc faciunt mulieres eorum, sedent supinatae in solio, et per digitos pedum convolvunt illa et per manus trahunt illa ad se, et sic subigunt in filum, et quod exquisite sentiant digitis pedum. Dicebant quod unam uxorem habeant, non plures; et quod ex illa plures liberi, ad 10, 13 et plures; perceptum quoque quod sint ibi plura scorta. Dictum ab angelis quod in mundo in aequatoris circulo sint, in minoribus ibi. Spiritus inde visi sunt, mulieres multae quae magae, quae in infernum suum conjectae sunt. Dicebant quod ibi non viverent sub imperiis, sed quod familiae et familiae, quaerebantur an sic securi ab aliis, dicebant cur non securi essent, quid magis opus est cum habent victum et amictum, ad quid reliquum prodest? indignati quod talia quaererentur, quia insimulabantur hostilitates et inde tutelae, cum una familia alteri non invideat, nec derogare velit, et quod nihil tale percipiatur; ita vivunt sub se secure, secundum statum illorum de quibus in Verbo ubi agitur de beatitudine [cf. Jes. XI: 6-9]; Domino sic tutante, et tales cogitationes avertente.