5947. About the inflow of the Word into Heaven and communication with gentiles
Africans dwelling in Abyssinia in Africa were with me, and it was said that in that country there are many psalms written by a pious man that are sung in their temples. These psalms are composed in a style similar to that which is in the Word. And because the spirits from there do not know that our Word has an inflow into heaven, their ears were opened so that they might hear the singing of a psalm in their Temple there on earth, and it was granted to me to hear also. They sang about the one God, the Redeemer of the human race, and the spirits then felt a desire in their hearts to sing a psalm like it. And after a short time their ears were closed so that they did not hear the singing coming from their land, which was still going on; and while it was the spirits were filled with great joy from the song. They said that at times they have such joy and also understanding [about what the singing is about], but they did not know what it came from. It is the same with the Word as well.
[2] At that time I also perceived the joy of angels who are in the Christian heaven, effected by communication, from which it was evident that there is a communication of the whole of heaven from the Christian Heaven where the Word is, and thus that the Word is the source of wisdom and inner joy. The communication is like the communication of light and like the communication in the human body from the heart and lungs to all the viscera.
5947. INFLUX OF THE WORD INTO HEAVEN, AND COMMUNICATION WITH THE GENTILES [gentibus].
Africans who dwelt in Abyssinia, belonging to Africa, were with me; and it was stated that there are in that land many psalms composed by a pious man, which are sung in their churches, which psalms were written in a style similar to that of the Word; and as the spirits from that country were unaware that our Word had an influx into heaven, their ears were opened to hear a certain psalm being sung in a church of theirs on earth; and it was granted me to hear also. They sang about the one God, the redeemer of the human race; and those spirits were then touched with affection of heart to sing it in like manner. And presently their ears were closed, so that they might not hear the singing of those from the earth - which still continued; and then the spirits were affected with great joy from the singing. They said that they have such joy sometimes and intelligence also, but were unconscious that it was from that source. It is similar, also, with the Word.
I also perceived at that time, by communication, the joy of the angels who are in the Christian heaven; from which it was manifest that there was a communication of the whole of heaven, originating in the Christian Heaven where the Word is; and, thus, that it is the Word from which are wisdom and interior joy. The communication is like the communication of light, and like the communication of all the viscera in the human body from the heart and lungs.
5947. De influxu Verbi in Coelum et communicatione cum gentibus
Erant apud me Africani habitantes in Abyssinia Africae, et dictum est, quod in terra illa sint plures psalmi facti a viro pio, qui in templis eorum cantantur, qui psalmi simili stylo conscripti sunt quo Verbum, et quia spiritus inde nesciebant quod Verbum nostrum influxum haberet in coelum, apertae sunt illorum aures ut audirent cantare in Templo eorum in terra aliquem psalmum ibi, et quoque datum est mihi audire, canebant de Deo uno, redemtore humani generis, et illi spiritus tunc afficiebantur cordis affectione, ut similiter eum cantarent; et mox aures eorum occlusae erant, ut non audirent cantum e terra eorum, qui usque perstabat, et tunc afficiebantur spiritus ex cantu multo gaudio, dicebant quod quandoque illis tale gaudium, et quoque intelligentia, sed nescierant quod illa inde esset, simile etiam cum Verbo.
[2] - Percepi etiam tunc gaudium angelorum qui in coelo Christiano, per communicationem, unde patuit quod communicatio esset totius coeli ex Coelo Christiano ubi Verbum, et sic quod Verbum sit ex quo sapientia et interius gaudium, communicatio est sicut communicatio lucis, et sicut in corpore humano communicatio omnium viscerum a corde et pulmone.