Sunsets Into Sunrises
Bishop Martin - The Progress of a Soul in the Beyond
- Chapter 93 -
EMBARRASSING SCENE AT THE REUNION OF THE CHINESE. - THE STORY OF THE INFORMER.
Now the hundred are happily coming out from behind the protective screen, and are again surprised at the great splendor and size of the hall, in the southern part of which are the other thousand guests, plus a few hundred more who were also redeemed in connection with the salvation of the monks and nuns.
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The hundred are astonished at the great numbers of guests, many of whom are still in their natural attire. They are also astonished when they recognize the missionaries who had wanted to bring Christianity to them. But when they also catch sight of the Chinese woman among them, who had betrayed the chief missionary and all of them with him, they begin to scowl and then say to Me:
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(The hundred Chinese): "Listen, dearest friend, we find the sight of this woman rather embarrassing, but since you do not seem to mind, it is all right with us too. It is peculiar that the messenger whom she also betrayed seems to be on the best of terms with her, since we see that they are having quite a friendly discussion. She is beautiful and agreeable - and that is why this messenger loved her in the first place. She was also a popular beauty in the emperor's residence in Peking, and a great favorite of all the people in the city. However, following her despicable betrayal of all of us, she probably lost the respect of the great city's people, and she soon died of a broken heart, so we heard.
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What surprises us most is that this evident servant of Ahri-man, who betrayed the Jesus-Lama through us, has come to these sacred halls. Could it be that the Lama Himself finds pleasure in her beauty, too?"
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(Say I): "Dear friends, did you not have children too? Weren't some of them good and others rather wicked? Did you throw the wicked ones to the hyenas and tigers, or did you not concentrate more love and care on these wicked children than on the good ones? You all agree with me and say: 'Yes, yes, that is true!'
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Behold, if you who have never been good yourselves have done only good to your wicked children, how can you think that the eternal, most kind Lama would be harsh with His children if they repented and asked for His mercy?
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This maiden, in a way, did sin against you in the world. She had loved you all very much before she betrayed the chief messenger and, through him, involuntarily, all of you. Afterwards, she repented deeply of her presumed bad deed.
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Thus the good Lama is right if He does not condemn forever one of His children which might have done wrong, but comes to Him asking His forgiveness with a truly penitent heart.
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Therefore, the good Lama need not be in love with a beautiful woman in order to redeem her. It is sufficient for Him to be a good Father to all men and to be known as such. Especially if the latter is the case, a weak daughter of the world will have no difficulty with her salvation.
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What do you think now, friends? Is the good Lama doing the right thing or not?"
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(Says one of the hundred): "Yes, in that way the great Lama is acting completely just and right! But look, the fair Chanchah has noticed us and is hurrying towards us. I wonder what it is that she wants to tell us?"