Sunsets Into Sunrises
Bishop Martin - The Progress of a Soul in the Beyond
- Chapter 71 -
CONVERSION OF ONE OF THE JESUITS. - VENGEANCE OF THE OTHER TWENTY-NINE SPIRITS.
Bishop Martin once more watches the back of the head of the Jesuit in front of him, and he sees the thirty look somewhat uneasy, and one of them says:
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"Brothers, we have won a victory but, looking at this matter more closely, it appears to me that we have dealt with the caravan, now burning in hell, most unjustly and without any authority. Although they grossly abused us, according to the Gospel, we had no right to judge and condemn them.
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Besides, I now remember the warning we received from the celestial messenger prior to our entering this completely free state of our existence. According to his wise teaching, we were to meet any provocation solely with love, meekness, and humility. On this occasion we have not shown any trace of these qualities. On the contrary, even the greatest devils have surpassed us in meekness and justice, which proves that we are much more wicked than they.
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What do you think about this, brothers? I admit this is beginning to worry me. Altogether, everything in this spirit world appears fallacious. Our arbitrary act, in no way authorized by God's messenger, now appears to me quite contrary to the order prevailing in this mysterious world. I also have the feeling that someone is whispering to me: 'For this most cruel act, all of you will have to repent in eternity!' Oh, oh, I wish I had not been a witness to this happening!"
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(This somewhat startles the other twenty-nine Jesuits, but after a short pause, they say): "Basically you are right, but then, how could we have acted differently, being what we are? And whoever has endowed us with rage and all the other negative attributes of our souls, will just have to put up with them!
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Whoever gave the rattlesnake its deadly venom must have wanted it to be like that, otherwise he would not have made the evil reptile the way it is. Thus also we Jesuits had to be what we are, taught by our order how to give way to emotions of rage and vengeance, and do evil with the best conscience in God's honor. So we are fully that, what we were meant to be! What more could you, or rather, could God, expect of us?"
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(Says the one Jesuit): "Yes, you are right! We are meant to be fiends and have perfected our image! What else could you expect? Consequently, we cannot expect to go to heaven, but only to hell! So we may as well continue with our wickedness and malice to speed up our eternal damnation! That is how you see it, and good luck to you on your road! However, I shall now part company with you, for I do not crave the honor of finding myself any moment floating together with you in the hot floods of sulfurous vapor! Be assured, I shall not grudge you that honor, ever!"
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(Say the other twenty-nine Jesuits, unanimously): "What, you want to forsake your order? You want to turn away from the sublime founder, Ignatius, and his most sacred teaching? What has come over you? Do not forget that all of us have still to face a Day of Judgment, and how will you fare then? If you really do this, your fate shall be worse than that of the caravan!"
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(The one Jesuit): "Never mind! You please yourselves, but I shall still adhere to my resolution, and may God strengthen me! I do not worry about the Day of Judgment, but I do worry about eternal damnation, of which I am assured of in your company. I do not care about Ignatius or the order, but I shall, in future, follow the advice of God's messenger.
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As I see it now, the Lord must be utterly disgusted with our whole order, including its founder. All the Lutherans, Calvinists, and the Orthodox, are angels compared with us who, with our rules and institutions, are the worst kind of devils.
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Do with me as you wish. I shall not revenge myself. I now feel the deepest remorse about the way I treated the poor Chinese woman. But thank God I have been severely punished for it, together with you. However, my participation in the condemnation of the poor caravan is already tormenting me like hell. What would happen if I stayed on with you as your accomplice? No - I am leaving you now, so farewell!"
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After these words of the one Jesuit, all the others surround him, damning and cursing and mangling him, distributing his skin among themselves. Then they push him out from their midst, pelting him with stones and calling to the devils to come and get him.
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The devils do come, but not to get the skinless one but only those who called them. These are trying desperately to defend themselves, screaming for help. Now the skinless one gets to his feet and orders the devils to leave the blind ones alone. And, look, the devils obey him and withdraw from the frantic spirits.
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Bishop Martin is quite impressed with this scene, and eagerly waits to see what is going to happen next.