Sunsets Into Sunrises
Bishop Martin - The Progress of a Soul in the Beyond
- Chapter 91 -
BISHOP MARTIN'S LOVE OF THE LORD. - RECEPTION OF THE CHINESE MARTYRS AND THEIR REFRESHMENT.
Following My words, Bishop Martin quickly gets to his feet, embraces and kisses Me affectionately, and after this truly childlike demonstration of his love, he says:
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(Bishop Martin): "Ah, what a relief now that I have been able to somewhat give vent to my mighty love of You, my beloved, holy Father. I could spend a whole eternity pressing You to my heart! However, I will now do as You have suggested and take these Chinese to my house, led by You, of course, for without You, o Lord, it would be impossible to walk a single step! But now to work!"
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(Bishop Martin turns to the hundred and says): "Now, my dear brothers and sisters, get to your feet and follow me to this house. Let the weakest lean on me, so that we may all go together into my house, where you will get care and tending. The very weakest will be taken care of by my mighty friend here, who will take the lead to the house."
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"But, friend," say some of the party, "how can we, in such an unclean state, enter your clean house? Don't you know that we have a law which forbids lepers to enter any house? The violation of this law is punishable by death. If the mighty on earth respect this divine law so much, how much more will it be respected here! Therefore, allow us to remain in this garden until we have become clean. And only then allow us to enter your house."
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(Bishop Martin): "Dear friends, brothers and sisters, do not let those ancient tyrannical laws, which neither you nor your rulers understood, bother you here. For we are not subject to worldly laws, - only God's law counts, and that is the eternal law of love. This law is being imposed on you now and demands of you to follow love unreservedly. Therefore, do now willingly what my love is demanding of you."
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Following these words, the hundred get to their feet and, hesitantly, follow Me and Martin into the house. Finding themselves in the vast, majestic hall, they cry out in astonishment and fright:
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(The hundred): "O Lama, Lama, Dalai Lama! This must be the dwelling of the eternal Brahma! Oh, we poor wretches, now we have been betrayed and are lost forever! For it is written: 'He who enters the holy dwelling of the eternal Brahma in an unclean state, will be seized by the evil Ahriman and tortured everlastingly.' Woe betide us!"
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(Bishop Martin): "But dear brothers and sisters, what is all this nonsense? I assure you, by my love for you, Brahma is a great deceiver and quite as mortal as you were. Neither he nor your emperor know Lama [God], nor do any of you.
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I, Martin, a former Christian bishop on earth, in Europe, am the actual owner of this house, forever. And no Brahma will ever have any business here unless he comes like you, seeking help. Therefore, calm yourselves and do not be afraid so unnecessarily. For nobody will ever come to harm in these sacred halls who has not been barred from entering them!"
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These words obviously reassure the hundred. They are, however, so overwhelmed with the splendor and magnitude of the hall that they forget to thank Martin for his comforting words.
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At the same time, Borem arrives with bread and wine, which I secretly bless, to refresh the new guests. After both bread and wine have been blessed, Borem says to the guests:
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(Borem): "Dear friends, brothers and sisters, do be seated and take this refreshment which you so badly need after your long fasting. Our Lord, God and Father is boundlessly loving, kind, meek and patient, and absolves you from all sin which burdens your consciences.
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Therefore, you should be serene and happy, and enjoy all that is given to you without misgivings or fear. What you will receive here will strengthen you for eternal life and help you to a true cognition of God, which in its essence is the true eternal life. This was expressed by God, the Lord Himself, when He said: 'And this is life eternal, that they [the disciples] might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.' "
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After these reassuring words, the hundred new guests sit down, and Borem distributes the bread and wine. They all reach for it eagerly, expressing their thanks, and eat and drink avidly. This is a good sign, for with the same eagerness with which they are partaking of the bread and wine, they will afterwards accept the even more spiritual Word of God.