Earths in the Universe · 11 of 14

A Second Earth in the Starry Heaven

138.A SECOND EARTH IN THE STARRY HEAVEN, ITS SPIRITS AND INHABITANTS. I was afterwards led by the Lord to an earth in the universe which was further distant from our earth than the foregoing of which we have been just speaking. That it was further distant was plain from this, that I was two days in being led thither as to my spirit. This earth was to the left, whereas the former was to the right. Inasmuch as remoteness in the spiritual world does not arise from distance of place, but from difference of state, as was said above, therefore from the slowness of my progression thither, which lasted two days, I might conclude that the state of the interiors with them, which is the state of the affections and thence of the thoughts, differed proportionately from the state of the interiors with spirits from our earth. Being conveyed thither as to the spirit by changes of the state of the interiors, I was enabled to observe the successive changes themselves before I arrived thither, This was done whilst I was awake.

139.When I arrived thither, the earth was not seen, but only the spirits who were from that earth; for, as also was said above, the spirits of every earth appear about their own earth, by reason that they are of a genius similar to that of the inhabitants, for they are from them, and in order that they may serve them. Those spirits were seen at a considerable height above my head whence they observed me as I approached. It is to be known that they who stand on high in the other life can look at those who are beneath them, and the higher they are the greater is the extent of their vision; and they can not only look at them, but likewise can speak with them. From their state of elevation they observed that I was not from their earth, but from another afar off; wherefore they addressed me inquiring concerning various things, to which it was given me to reply; and among other things I related to them from what earth I was, and what kind of earth it was. Afterwards I spoke to them concerning the other earths in our solar system; and at the same time also concerning the spirits of the earth or planet Mercury, that they wander about to many earths for the purpose of procuring for themselves knowledges of various matters. On hearing this, they said that they had likewise seen those spirits with them.

140.It was told me by the angels from our earth, that the inhabitants and spirits of that earth have reference in the Greatest Man to keenness of vision, and for this reason they appear on high, and that they are also exceedingly clear-sighted. Because they had reference to that, and because they saw very clearly what was beneath them, in talking with them I also compared them to eagles, which fly on high, and have a clear and wide vision around them. But at this they were indignant, supposing that I believed them to be like eagles as to rapine, and thus that they were evil. But I replied that I did not liken them to eagles as to rapine, but as to keenness of sight.

141.They were asked about the God whom they worshiped; and they answered that they worshiped God visible and invisible, God visible under the Human form, and God invisible not under any form; and it was found from their speech, and also from the ideas of their thought as communicated to me, that the visible God was our Lord Himself, and they also called Him Lord. To this it was given to reply, that on our earth also God is worshiped as invisible and as visible; and that God invisible is called the Father, and visible the Lord, but that the two are one, as He Himself taught, saying that no man hath ever seen the form of the Father, but that the Father and He are one; and that He who sees Him sees the Father; and that the Father is in Him, and He in the Father; consequently that the two are the Divine in one Person. That these are the words of the Lord Himself, may be seen in John (v. 37; x. 30; xiv. 7, 9-11).

142.After a while I saw other spirits from the same earth, who appeared in a place below the former, with whom also I spoke. But they were idolaters, for they worshiped an idol of stone, resembling a man, but not beautiful. It is to be known that all who come into the other life have at first a worship like their worship in the world, but that they are gradually withdrawn from it. The reason is, that all worship remains implanted in man’s interior life, from which it cannot be removed and eradicated but by degrees. On seeing this, it was given me to tell them that they ought not to worship what is dead, but what is living; to which they answered that they know that God lives, and that a stone does not; but that they think of the living God when they look upon a stone in the form of a man; and that otherwise the ideas of their thought cannot be fixed and determined to the invisible God. Then it was given me to tell them that the ideas of thought can be fixed and determined to the invisible God when they are fixed and determined to the Lord, Who is God visible in thought under the Human form; and thus that man can be conjoined to the invisible God in thought and affection, consequently in faith and love, when he is conjoined to the Lord, but in no other way.

143.The spirits who were seen on high were asked whether on their earth they live under the rule of princes and kings; to which they answered that they do not know what such rule is; and that they live under themselves, distinguished into nations, families, and houses. They were asked whether they are secure in this way. They said that they are, since one family does not envy another, nor wish to take anything away from it. They were indignant at being asked such questions, which seemed to imply that there was hostility among them, or need of protection against robbers. What more is needed, they said, than to have food and clothing, and so to dwell contented and quiet under themselves.

144.Being questioned further about their earth, they said that they have meadows, flower gardens, woods full of fruit trees, and also lakes in which are fish; and that they have birds of a blue color with golden wings, and animals of various sizes. Among the smaller they mentioned one kind which had the back humped, like the camels on our earth. They do not, however, eat the flesh of these animals, but only the flesh of fishes, and also the fruits of trees and leguminous plants of the earth. They said further that they do not dwell in built houses, but in groves, in which they make a shelter for themselves among the foliage against rain and the heat of the sun.

145.They were asked about their sun, which is seen as a star from our earth, and they said that it appears fiery; not larger to the sight than a man’s head. I was told by angels that the star which is their sun is among the smaller stars, not far distant from the celestial equator.

146.Spirits were seen, in a similar appearance to what they had when they were men on their earth. They had a face not unlike that of the men of our earth, except that the eyes and nose were smaller. As this seemed to me somewhat of a deformity, they said that to them small eyes and a small nose are marks of beauty. A woman was seen, dressed in a gown on which were roses of various colors. I inquired of what materials they make their garments on that earth. They answered that from plants they gather such things as they can spin into threads, and that they then lay the threads side by side in double and triple layers, and moisten them with a glutinous liquid, and so give it consistency, coloring it afterward with juices from herbs. I was likewise shown how they prepare the threads: they sit leaning back on a seat, and twist the thread with the toes; and when it is twisted, they draw it to them, and finish it with the hands.

147.They also said that on that earth a husband has only one wife, and not more, and that they have from ten to fifteen children. They added that harlots are also found there; but that after the life of the body, when they become spirits, they are sorceresses, and are cast into hell.