Sunsets Into Sunrises
Bishop Martin - The Progress of a Soul in the Beyond
- Chapter 112 -
SATAN AS A MONSTER IN THE HALL. THE INVIGORATING MEAL. GELLA RECOGNIZES THE LORD.
After a short while, the door of the hall opens and both Martin and Borem, each with a strong chain in his hand, pull in a hideous-looking monster, attached to the chains and followed by a great number of smaller monsters which are just as hideous-looking.
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Seeing these terrible guests, Chanchah and Gella are panic-stricken, and Chanchah screams:
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(Chanchah): "Oh, Lama, Lama, for the sake of Your holy name! Whatever have we done that You now want to destroy us through Ahriman and his scum? Oh, you, my glorious friend, if it is at all possible to you, save us and yourself by maybe destroying them Oh, how horrible they look and how furious!"
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(Say I). "Do not be afraid, Chanchah, for the monsters are in our power and cannot harm us in any way. You can see this from the fact that, notwithstanding their size and ferocity, our two brothers have mastered them.
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So have no fear, but come with Me to meet the monsters, and you will hear how they howl terribly at My approach and see how they writhe and twist. But all that must not frighten you, for I alone am mighty enough to completely destroy countless monsters such as these with but one glance - just like I suddenly called into existence that fig tree. Therefore, follow Me without fear, for at My side you are safe forever, and there is no power that can defy Me!"
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I now go to Martin and Borem, who have quite a lot of trouble mastering the monster.
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(Martin says): "Oh, Lord, what fine guests these are and what pleasure they are going to give You! Unfortunately, we did not find anything else, so we brought these with us. But if this isn't Satan himself with his followers, I will be very surprised!"
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(Say I): "Never mind, I have foreseen this, and it will be of great benefit to all of you . . . for your education and your equanimity. He who wants to apprehend the very highest must not be left in ignorance about the very lowest. Bring the dragon closer to Me!"
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The two pull the chains with all their might, but to no avail.
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(Says Martin): "Lord, it is impossible to drag this monster any further."
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(Say I): "Then leave it where it is. But fasten the chains to the columns of this hall and let it rave there in vain for a while. Meanwhile, we shall have the meal which has been prepared, and we shall strengthen ourselves for this fight/'
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(Says Martin): "Oh, yes, in this undertaking a meal blessed by You will be of the greatest benefit to us. It is as well that our beastly guests are tied up in the background or their sight might ruin our appetites! Also, the air around them does not remind one of roses, but rather of a mixture of sulphur, pitch, and dirt.//
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(Say I): "Good, My brother, now go and invite everybody to the repast that I have prepared for all of you to strengthen you for the everlasting life of the spirit."
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Martin quickly does as told, calling everybody to the table, where bread, wine, and plenty of the most delicious figs are waiting.
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They all rise to Martin's call and walk over to the large table quietly and modestly.
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When all the numerous guests are assembled, they look in My direction, for all of them - except Martin and Borem - still take Me for a messenger of God, and have no idea that I, the Lord Himself, am in their midst. Thus, they now think that I, as a messenger of the Lord, am going to tell them great and important things.
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(However, I only say): "Eat and drink, My dear children - everyone of you according to his need. The food has been blessed for all who love God and their brothers and sisters as themselves."
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(Now they all cry): "Praised be our great God in the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Glory be to Him alone, and praise forever!"
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Then they all reach for the bread and wine, and the Chinese for the figs; some of them also try the bread and enjoy it more than the figs.
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Chanchah and Gella, however, are standing by Me, and cannot make up their minds whether to take bread and wine or only the figs.
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(So I say to them): "My children, eat what you like best. It will all strengthen you for eternal life." Now they both reach for the bread, and Chanchah finds it extremely tasty. Gella agrees, but remarks:
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(Gella): "I thought that bread of heaven would taste like a consecrated wafer!"
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(But I say to her): "Gella, you are now in heaven at the Lord's table, not on earth at the table of Babel! Therefore, you should think now only of celestial things and not of the things that belong to the earthly Babel, whose lord can be seen there in the background"
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Gella is startled by these words, and has a feeling as if I might even be the Lord Himself!
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(But I comfort her, saying): "Gella, even if it were true what you now suspect in the depth of your heart, keep it to yourself for the sake of the others, and think that God, the Lord of all of you, is not inaccessible, but as a most loving Father, bending down to all His children, staying among them like an unpretentious brother. Do you understand this, My little daughter?"
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(Says Gella): "Oh, my Lord, my God, my Father!"
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(Chanchah, noticing this, asks Gella immediately): "Oh, sister, whom did you address with those meaningful words? Could it be that Lama is somewhere in our midst? Do tell me so that I may hurry to Him full of awe and love."
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But I reassure Chanchah that she, too, will soon recognize Lama, and she is quite satisfied.