5511. Many things could be said about the purifications of societies since there are countless kinds of evils and of falsities stemming from them that must constantly be separated, or rather, the heavens must be purified of them. These too must be separated from one another, those who are best in the middle, and those not so good separated out to the surrounding areas and, depending on their dispositions and affections, some put to the east there, some to the south, some to the west, and some to the north, which also happens in the same way. As a result everywhere one knows the nature of [spiritsӝ disposition and affection from the place alone, that is to say, the location in the cities and in the mountains and rocks, and even in smaller places, as in churches, priests [know people's disposition from where they are].
5511. There are many things which might be said about the purgings of societies, inasmuch as there are innumerable genera of evils and resultant falses which must be detached continually, or from which the heavens must be cleansed. Also, they are separated alternately: those who are best in the middle, and those who are not so good at the outskirts; and some, according to dispositions and their affections, are placed there at the east, some at the south, some at the west, some at the north - which, also, occurs in a similar way. Thence it is everywhere known what they are in disposition and affection, solely from the place, or situation, in the cities, and on the mountains and rocks; also, in the smaller societies as in the churches. 1
Footnotes:
1. The arrangement of worshippers in the churches, according to state, is described in nos. 4929, 4936, 4938. -ED.
5511. Multa sunt quae dici possunt de repurgationibus societatum, quoniam innumera genera malorum et inde falsorum sunt, quae separanda continue, seu a quibus coeli repurgandi: etiam separantur ab invicem, qui optimi in medio, et qui non ita boni ad circumferentias; et quidam secundum animos, et affectiones eorum ponuntur ibi ad orientem ad meridiem ad occidentem et septentrionem; quod etiam fit similiter. Inde cognoscitur ubivis quali animo et affectione sunt ex solo loco seu situ in urbibus et in montibus ac petris, etiam in minoribus [locis] sacerdotes, ut in templis.