BOOK OF SETHANTES, SON OF JEHOVIH.
FIRST GOD OF THE FIRST CYCLE OF THE EARTH AFTER MAN’S CREATION.
CHAPTER I.
1. In the beginning of the inhabitation of the earth, the angels of heaven assembled inHored, a heavenly plateau resting on the earth.
2. And the archangel Sethantes was the wisest of them all, and he said unto them:
3. Behold, we have come from far-off heavens; by the voice of Jehovih came we topartake of the glory of the red star, the earth. Jehovih said unto us: Come ye andenjoy the new world I have created. Partake ye of all the fruits thereof, save of thetree of knowledge, which is the fountain of life. Partake ye not of this, lest ye die.
4. But the voice of the earth spake unto us, saying: Partake ye, for indeed Mine is the treeof everlasting life.
5. And many obeyed not the voice of the Father, and are now bound by the tie of life,which is in the blood.
6. And the voice of Jehovih came to me, saying: Sethantes, My son, behold, I gaveinto thy charge in My etherean heavens millions of angels, and thou has broughtthem to the earth, and they are fallen from their high estate. Go thou, deliver them.
7. And I said: What shall I do? And Jehovih said: Bring thy angel hosts to Hored, forthere will I crown thee God of these heavens and earth for the redemption of angels andmortals. And it shall be a new heavenly kingdom from this time forth to the end of theworld. For it is the time of the arc of Wan, and I will bring from etherea My high-raisedGoddess, Etisyai, chief factor of Harmuts, and she shall crown thee in My name, GOD OFHEAVEN AND EARTH.
8. God said: When I had thus spoken in Hored before the angels of heaven, a great light,like a sun, was seen descending from the firmament above. And I commanded myes'enaurs to chant in praise of the Father and His works.
9. Meanwhile I had the angels of Hored numbered, and there were of them twenty-sevenmillions and six hundred thousand, and these were the same who were on anexcursion in my charge when the voice of Jehovih commanded us to visit the earth.
10. The light above us descended fast toward us, like a ship of fire it came nearer andnearer, till we saw that it was wider far, than the place of Hored and all my angel hosts.
11. And it came to pass that when the great light had descended to the plateau ofHored there came forth out of the light one million archangels, from the arc of Wanin the Hosts of A'ji, in the orbit of Fow'sang in etherea, and they bore regaliaand crowns from the Orian chief of Harmuts. Foremost of the archangels wasEtisyai, and her brother Ya'tiahaga, commissioners from the etherean heaven.
12. When they came near me, Etisyai gave the sign of Jehovih's name, greeting,halting, and saying: All hail! In Jehovih's name, and in the love of Harmuts, Orian chief,we come to greet thee, first God of the lower heaven, belonging to the corporeal earth!
13. I said: All hail, O emissaries of Harmuts, Chief of Orian worlds! Come, O Etisyai,and thy brother and all this host! Come honor My throne, in Great Jehovih's name!
14. The archangels then came forward, saluting, and Etisyai said: In Thy name, OJehovih, I found here a throne!
15. And she caused to rise the form and substance thereof, and she ascended thereon,and Ya'tiahaga with her. And the other archangels formed a crescent in front ofthe throne, all of them bearing crowns or diadems, but they stood upright. And nowthe angels of the host of God took their places, that they might witness thetestimony of Jehovih's commission, but the lights from the columns of fire,brilliant in all colors and shades and tints, baffled many of them from seeing plainly.
16. When all things were in readiness Etisyai, standing erect and brilliant like a star,raised her right hand, saying: JEHOVIH! ALL-WISE AND POWERFUL! INTHY NAME,THIS THYSON, GOD, ICROWN! FROM THE ORIAN CHIEF, HARMUTS, RAISED TO THE RANKOF GOD, AND BY THEE, O JEHOVIH, ORDAINED! HENCEFORTH TO BE KNOWN FOREVERIN THE EMANCIPATED HEAVENS AS THY SON! PEACE! WISDOM! LOVE! POWER!
17. And now with her left hand she raised high the crown, so that all might see and bearwitness, and giving the sign again of Jehovih's name above the crown, wherefrom a flameof light shot forth brilliantly. Thereupon she placed the crown on God's head, saying:
18. ARISE, O MY SON, THOU SON OF JEHOVIH! Instantly there arose from the millionsof souls one universal shout: All hail, O Son of Jehovih! And God rose up, having thecrown on his head, and the people cheered him lustily, for he was well beloved.
19. Etisyai said: Bring forth thy five chief Lords that I may crown them also. God thencaused the five chief Lords whom he had selected to sit at the foot of the throne.
20. Again Etisyai raised her right hand, saying: O JEHOVIH! ALMIGHTY! FROM WHOM ALL GLORIES EMANATE! INTHY NAME, THESETHYSONS, ICROWN LORDS OF THE EARTH, AND OF THE WATERS OF THE EARTH! FROM THEORIAN CHIEF HARMUTS! BY MY COMMISSION DO I RAISE THEM TO THE RANKOF LORDS FOR KINGDOMS OF HEAVEN! PEACE! WISDOM! LOVE! POWER!
21. Then Etisyai took the crowns, which were handed her by the other archangels, andplaced them on the heads of the Lords, saying:
22. ARISE, O MY LORDS, ANDBEYELORDS OF JEHOVIH FOR HISGLORY! AND BE YE THE LORDS OFGOD, HAVING DOMINION OVER THE EARTHAND THE WATERS OF THE EARTH, IN LOVE, WISDOM AND POWER, AMEN!
23. The Lords rose up, having on their heads the crowns of Lords, and again themultitude saluted with great cheering. When the applause ceased Etisyai said:
24. My God and My Lords, give now the sign of Jehovih's name that His glory may be fulfilled. (For this was the oath of office.)1
25. And God and the Lords saluted Jehovih before the hosts of heaven. And they stoodapart a little distance, and Etisyai said:
26. Behold the All Light, Jehovih, encompasseth me. My voice shall be His voice. By theglory of Faith in Him am I One with the Father.
27. And a fleece of golden hue descended from above and encompassed Etisyai aroundabout, and she was like a central star with rays of light emanating. She was entranced byJehovih. Through her the Creator spake, saying:
28. My Son, even God, I brought thee forth out of corpor, quickened into life everlasting. By faith I inspired thee to do whatsoever thou hast done. Faith gave I unto thee, as thetree whereon ALLPERFECTIONis the fruit. By that faith within man that nurtureth theI AM within Himself unto perfection, becometh he My son, doing by virtue of Mypresence. According to thy wisdom and love have I given thee strength; and by thystrength raised thee up.
29. Behold, this day have I given thee a kingdom in atmospherea, and made thee Godbefore all the kingdoms of heaven. This place shall be thy place and Mine also. Here shaltthou dispense wisdom and laws, and appoint officers in My name and by virtue of Mypower.
30. And thy kingdom shall be like two kingdoms: One here with the hosts of heaven,and one on the earth, even over these thy Lords. For thou art the judgment seat andCreator of order over the whole earth, and in the heaven belonging to the earth.
31. Stretch forth thy hand, My Son, and clothe thyself in the golden fleece.
32. God made the sign, and then raised his hands upward, saying: Jehovih! Jehovih! Bythy command I call upon Thee to array me in Thy golden fleece! Behold I am Thy Son.
33. And the archangels tossed up the raiment and regalia they had brought from theiretherean arc in a'ji, and, by the faith that was in God, the substance flew to him andencompassed him around in raiment of the upper heaven.
34. Then Jehovih spake to the Lords, saying: As God hath built a kingdom in Hored, andreigneth over this heaven, and over ye and your helpmates, so shall ye build kingdoms onthe earth, and ye shall rule over mortals in My name, teaching them of Me and Myeverlasting kingdoms in the firmament above. In testimony of my voice receive ye thisraiment of silver and gold from My archangels.
35. The archangels then draped the Lords in shining raiment. And Etisyai came downfrom the throne, still entranced, saying:
36. Though, My Daughter Etisyai will rise up in the flame of fire, yet will I, evenJehovih, abide with thee, O God, and with ye My Lords, now and forever! Andthen Etisyai took God's hand and led him to the center of the throne, saying: Sitthou on this throne for it is thy Father's kingdom in the lower heaven of the earth!
37. When God sat down, the entrancement departed from Etisyai, and the Light ofJehovih went and settled upon God and the Lords. But Etisyai sat down at the foot of thethrone, and thereupon all the archangels sat down also.
38. God said: Behold, she that is greatest maketh herself least of all. Arise, O Daughterof Jehovih, and enjoy my kingdom, for it is Jehovih's also. And God came downfrom the judgment seat and took Etisyai's hand and she rose up, whereupon Godproclaimed the freedom of the hour. Thus was established the first throne of God in theseheavens. And now all of the hosts mingled together, angels and archangels, joyfully.
1 The sign is the circle twice cut. For further information see Emethachavah, Book of Saphah.
CHAPTER II.
1. When the hour was ended, God again ascended the throne, and the marshals raisedthe signals of order, and the archangels went and stood in a crescent in front of thethrone. Etisyai sat at the feet of God, and the splendor of her glory, unadorned, save withwhite and yellow drapery, shone through all the talents Jehovih had given her, theperfection of purity, wisdom, and love, the like of which only Gods had looked on!
2. God said: In Thy name, O Jehovih, do I now found the session of Thy kingdomin the lower heaven. As long as man and woman shall bring forth heirs unto Thee,this kingdom shall not cease to glorify Thee. Let the Lords approach the throne.
3. The es'enaurs now sang, and in the meantime the marshals and escorts conducted theLords before the throne. When they were in order, the music ceased, and God said:
4. Five great divisions of the earth there are, and I have ordained ye the five Lords thereofin Jehovih's name. According to the number of inhabitants on the earth's divisions, andyour relative rank before heaven have I placed you. When ye have seated yourselves inyour respective kingdoms, ye shall have each twelve messengers, whose duties shall bebetwixt ye and me. Choose ye, therefore, your messengers, even this hour, that ere theresurrection of the archangels they may be confirmed and their registry borne to heavenabove.
5. The Lords chose their messengers, and they were confirmed in the name of Jehovih,and the swift messengers, who ply with the upper heavens, made a record of their namesand places. Thereupon God said to them:
6. According to your talents have you been chosen; according to your excellence will yebe promoted to wider fields of labor. May the wisdom. love and power of Jehovih be withyou all, amen!
7. And now Etisyai signified that her time of departure had arrived.
8. God came down from the judgment seat, and standing one moment in sorrow, reachedforth and took Etisyai's hand, saying:
9. Arise, O Daughter of Jehovih, and go thy way!
10. Etisyai rose up, pointing upward, said: My house is in the arc of Wan. Jehovihdwelleth with thee and me! My swift messengers shall come to thee at times. My lovewill abide with thee and thy Lords, and the harvest of thy resurrection. In Jehovih's name,farewell!
11. Etisyai then walked to the ship of fire; but ere she entered, she turned and tookone more look at the hosts of Hored, and, then stripping from the frames, luminousdrapery, cast it playfully over the en'enaurs, and quickly disappeared in the light.
12. The es'enaurs chanted, and the hosts of archangels joined in with them, and in thatsame moment of time the ship began to rise, and it was as thousands of columns of firesurrounding one majestic column, and the whole circle rising in spiral form, turning andrising, rising and turning. And when it was a little way up it seemed like an ascendingsun; and then higher and higher, like a far-off star, and then it passed beyond the vision ofthe angels of Hored.
13. When order was proclaimed, the All Light began to gather around about the throne,covering over God and the Lords. Jehovih, through God, said:
14. Hear ye, for I abide also with these My Lords of the hosts of heaven.
15. The Lords said: What shall we do? And Jehovih answered: Summon all the angels topass before the throne of God, one by one, that I may judge them. For as many as dwelton any of My corporeal worlds of the fifth of the second rate shall abide in thekingdom of Hored, and their labor shall be with es'yans only; but all of the full of the firstrate shall abide in the kingdoms of My Lords, and their labor shall be with corporeans.
16. The marshals then arranged the angels and they passed in front of the throne, and sogreat was God's wisdom that, in looking on the angels as they passed, he perceived therates of every man and woman. And those destined for labor in atmospherea only, hecaused to turn one way, and those for the earth, as ministering spirits with mortals, to turnthe other way; and when they had all passed, they were correctly divided according toJehovih's commandment.
17. God said: Hear me, O ye Lords! Take your laborers and repair to your respectiveplaces on the divisions of the earth, and the waters of the earth. And ye shall be Lordswith me, your God, for the glory of Jehovih. Whatsoever ye do on the earth will I ratify inheaven; whomsoever ye deliver from the earth will I receive in heaven. As ye shape andbuild up mortal man, delivering his spirit into my kingdom, so will I receive him andaward him.
18. That your kingdoms may accord with me and Mine, I give you messengers sufficient,and they shall pass daily betwixt us: According to their proficiency and power to passfrom place to place, so have I chosen them.
19. Let a record be kept within your own kingdoms, and these records shall be your own,to be carried upward with you in the next resurrection.
20. And yet, ye shall have a record jointly with me, separate from your own record,pertaining to your kingdom's relations with mine.
21. When mortals die and are born in spirit, ye shall receive them and enter them in yourrecords as es'yans, signifying new born in heaven. And for these es'yans ye shall providetemporary abodes, where they shall tarry, some for a few days, and some for the space ofone year or more. Of their numbers and conditions ye shall inform me, through themessengers, and I will send ships to bring them to My kingdom.
22. Ye shall appoint asaphs, whose office it shall be to receive es'yans from the ashars.
23. Whilst a mortal is alive on the earth, the ashars shall abide with him, guarding him inthe name of the Lord, and in My name. But when he dieth the ashar shall deliver thees'yan to the asaph, saying: In Jehovih's name receive thou this new born spirit. He wasMy protégé; for the good or evil in him, charge thou to Me. And the ashar shall deliver upa record of the mortal life of the es'yan, and the record shall be kept within your ownkingdoms.
24. And the asaph shall take the es'yan, saying: In Jehovih's name, receive I this new bornspirit. He shall be my protégé according to the commandments of the Lord my God. He shall then take the es'yan to the place to receive it, where it will have nurses andattendants according to its requirements.
25. When ships come to your kingdoms, the asaphs shall deliver all the es'yans they havereceived, and My officer shall receive them, and bring them to My place in heaven.
26. When God had ended the instructions to the Lords, the Lords answered, saying: Wewill be thy Lords, O God, doing thy commandments, for the glory of Jehovih, our Father.
27. God said: To each of you have I given a great division of the earth, and each divisionshall be named after you, each in its place.
28. This, then, was the rank assigned: Waga (Pan); Jud (Asia); Thouri (America); Vohu(Africa); and Dis (Europe). And the lands were called after the names of the Lords and soentered in the books of heaven in Hored, by command of God in the name of Jehovih.
29. And the record of the Great Serpent showed the firmament of Tem'yi in the thirdcircuit of c'v'wark'um and dan'ha twenty-four.2
30. When all was finished the Lords went and sat down at the foot of the throne, and thees'enaurs chanted a hymn of praise to Jehovih and the entire multitude jointed therein.
31. When the hymn was ended, God rose up, standing amidst a sea of light, and raising upboth hands, said: O Jehovih! Almighty and everlasting! Help Thy servants in foundingthis Thy Kingdom for Thy glory! Peace, Wisdom and Power!
32. Then making the sign of Jehovih's name with his right hand, he came down to the footof the throne, and taking the hand of Waga: Lord of Waga, he said: Arise, my son, and gothy way; and Jehovih will bless thee.
33. Waga rose up and stood aside, and then in like manner God raised the other fourLords and they stood aside also.
34. The marshals filed past the throne saluting, and after them the Lords, saluting also;and after them came the asaphs, and lastly the ashars; and the procession was under way,passing off between the pillars of fire with which God's laborers had ornamented Horedaround about.
35. This was the beginning of the first kingdom in the lower heaven, and the first of thereign of the Lords on earth.
2 This would make the age of the earth at that time 9,470,500 years old.
CHAPTER III.
1. And God appointed in heaven angel surveyors, to survey the earth and atmospherea;and astronomers, to note the place of the stars; and enumerators, to number theinhabitants of the earth and atmospherea, to grade them and apportion their places; andnurses and physicians, to receive the es'yans and administer unto them; and builders ofheavenly mansions; and weavers of fabrics for covering the newborn, the es'yans; andbuilders of heavenly ships for carrying the inhabitants from place to place. And Godappointed unto all of these, officers and teachers, according to grade appointed he them.
2. And when God had completed his appointments, the people were apportioned inheaven every one to his place, to begin the work allotted to them. And God called theasaphs, and he said unto them:
3. Go ye down to the earth, and bring to me the first fruit of the resurrection.
4. And the asaphs said: Thy will is our will, but what meanest thou by the first fruit of thefirst resurrection?
5. God said: The spirits of the dead. The asaphs said: The spirits of the dead. Who arethey?
6. God said: When a corporean cometh forth out of his corporeal body, this shall be calledDEATH.
7. The asaphs said: Who then are the spirits of death? And God answered them, saying: Oye that died in infancy, how can ye learn corporeal things! Go ye then to my Lord,Wagga, and he will show you.
8. The asaphs departed and went down to the earth, and the Lord, through the ashars,delivered unto the asaphs five hundred es'yans, and they brought them to Hored, beforethe throne of God. And God said unto them: Who are these?
9. The asaphs said: These are the first fruit of the first resurrection. Behold, we know nowthe beginning and the end of corporeality; the earth body of these es'yans was but a wombfrom which they are now delivered.
10. God said: Well done. Take ye these es'yans and feed and clothe them, for this is yourlabor.
11. The asaphs answered: Alas, we have tried them with all manner of food on which weourselves subsist, but they will not eat.
12. God said: Alas, O ye innocents! Ye feed on ethereal food; these es'yans must haveatmospherean food, even as corporeans subsist on corporeal food. Go, then, fulfill thisfirst resurrection; for as much as ye deliver them, so will ye be delivered in time to come.
13. The asaphs then departed, taking the es'yans with them. But in course of time theyreturned again to God, saying:
14. Behold, O God, we have gathered of the atmosphere of trees of all kinds, and of seedsand plants that grow on the earth, all most beautiful to our senses, and savory to the smell,and we gave these to the es'yans, but lo, they will not eat. Being alarmed, we againhastened to thee for information.
15. God said: O ye of little wisdom, knowing so much of heaven and so little of earth. Goye back to the place whence ye brought these es'yans, and learn what manner of food theysubsisted on.
16. The asaphs went back with all haste to learn in reference to the food. And in due timethey came again before God, saluting, saying:
17. What shall we do, O God? Behold, these es'yans, whilst in the corporeal form feastedon fish and worms. How can we bring them the atmospherean part of these things?
18. God said: Even the last time ye were present ye said ye had gathered of theatmospherean part of trees, and seeds and plants growing out of the earth. Why, then,cannot ye gather of the atmospherean part of fish and worms?
19. The asaphs said: Alas, this difference have we observed: The trees, and plants andfruits emit delightful atmospheres, most nutritious to the spirit, but that which is emittedfrom the living fish and living worm is foul-smelling, being but the sweat and deadsubstance evaporating. What, then, shall we do?
20. God said: Go ye to the place where mortals kill fish and worms; and in the same timethat mortals tear these things with their teeth, snatch from their hands and mouths theatmospherean parts of the food and give it to these es'yans. Remember, also, that little bylittle ye shall teach them to live on other kinds of food.
21. And as ye do by these es'yans, do ye also in after time to others, remembering thatwhat men subsist on in corporeal life, is entailed on them in spirit for a space of time afterentering atmospherea; and of like substance shall they be fed spiritually. The asaphs thendeparted.
22. On the third day thereafter, as above mentioned, the Voice of Jehovih came to God,saying:
23. My Son, behold what the asaphs have done in thy name thoughtlessly! They came tothe fishery and did as thou badest, gathering food for the es'yans, and at their side stoodthe es'yans, saying: Why gather ye food for us? Behold, we are now strong in spirit;suffer us to gather for ourselves. And the asaphs said: It seemeth well; do as ye desire.
24. Thereupon, the es'yans went to the fishermen and fisherwomen, who were eating rawflesh, and the es'yans laid hold of the atmospherean part, and ate thereof a sufficiency. And then the asaphs said to them: Ye have feasted sufficiently; come ye away with us.
25. But lo, the es'yans engrafted themselves on the fishermen and fisherwomen, andwould not depart. The asaphs, not knowing what to do, called on My name. Send thou, OGod, quickly to them, those skilled in deliverance, that My es'yans be preserved untoeverlasting life.
26. And God summoned those skilled in deliverance of engraftment, and dispatched themhastily with messengers to the place of the fisheries.
27. Jehovih said: From the trees, the fruits, the flowers, the grains and seeds, and rootsthat grow in the ground, have I created a ceaseless harvest going upward into theatmosphere, which shall be the sustenance of the spirits of men newborn in heaven. Butwhosoever feasteth on flesh on earth, shall not find spiritual food in heaven, but heshall return to the butcheries and eating-houses where flesh is eaten, and he shall feast onthe atmospherean part thereof, before it is rotten. Be ye guarded of them, lest theyengraft themselves on mortals, feasting on their feasts, and so go down to destruction.
28. After many days the asaphs came before God, saying: The physicians severed such aswere bound, and we brought them away. Shall this be our labor day and night, to leadthese es'yans about, finding them clothes and food? This have we observed, the more wedo for them, the less they do for themselves.
29. Jehovih spake through God, saying: A nurse I provided for the newborn, but when heis grown I command him to provide for himself that he may be a glory in My kingdoms. By charity alone ye cannot raise man up; but be diligent to teach him to try continually toraise himself, for herein lieth the glory of manhood.
30. The asaphs said: If we leave the es'yans alone, they will return again to the fisheriesand fasten themselves upon mortals, doing nothing but eating.
31. God said: Near the fisheries, but in atmospherea, go ye and fashion a colony, and itshall be your colony in heaven. Thither take these es'yans, not showing them the way ofthe fisheries. In the colony put ye them to work, weaving and making clothes andotherwise producing; but go ye for the food at the fisheries, and bring sufficientevery day, giving only to them who labor, or to invalids and helpless ones. By this yeshall inspire them to labor, which is the foundation of the growth of the spirit; and incourse of time they will not only care for themselves, but join ye in helping others, whichis the beginning of the second resurrection.
32. Behold, this lesson have ye learned: that according to the diet and the habit of mortalson earth, so must ye provide their spirits when first entered in heaven.
33. Choose ye, therefore, of your own people a sufficient number to make all thingsrequired in a delightful colony, whether it be food and clothing, or nurseries, or hospitals,or place of worship, or place of dancing, and receive ye as many es'yans as may bedelivered from the earth, raising them up in industry, virtue, wisdom, mirth, love,benevolence and adoration, and this shall be a new heaven unto you all.
34. Ye are My chosen, and an example colony of all the kingdoms I shall build in Myheaven. The time cometh when the whole atmosphere around about the earth shall befilled with countless millions of angels born out of the earth.
35. Be swift in your labor; the people spring up from the earth rapidly into heaven, andevery colony ye now found shall, in time to come, be a great kingdom, requiringexperienced workmen. Whosoever laboreth most efficiently for Jehovih, him will Ipromote to wider fields.
36. Ye are as one of the corner-stones of Seffas, and his house shall embrace atmosphereaand the whole earth. Words are already taking root in the mouths of mortals; andfor tens of thousands of years will war reign; might against might; darkness againstdarkness. Hundreds of millions will be slain in wars on the earth, and their soulsbe thrown into chaos. Even as ye beheld these spirits fastening on to mortals for food,so will spirits in chaos, millions of them, fasten themselves on the battlefields,still battling; or fasten themselves on mortals, obsessing them to madness and death.
