Herein is revealed the manner in which the Gods carried out what had been previously stated.
1. Thus was established the Confederacy of Selfs; that is, the false Lord God, and his false Gods, were as many kingdoms united into one; yet every god was secretly sworn unto himself, for his own glory.
2. From the time of the beginning of the revolt until it was completed as a confederacy was sixty and four days, and the number of inhabitants in these heavens at that time was eight thousand millions, men, women and children. And they are well-ordered, in nurseries, and hospitals, and schools, and colleges, and factories, and in building ships, and in surveying and in road-making, and all such other occupations as belong in the lower heavens, objective and subjective. Four thousand million of these were presently sent to Hored, to De'yus.
3. De'yus at once set about the work laid out, and issued a decree commanding the destruction of all otevans and other vessels plying to the upper plateau, Craoshivi; and commanding the seizing and destroying of fire-ships or other vessels that might come from the upper regions down to the lower. De'yus said: My people shall not ascend to other heavens. I have made the earth and this heaven sufficient unto all happiness and glory. Whosoever buildeth a vessel, saying: I will ascend; or if he say not, but my judges discover him, he shall be cast into the hadan region, prepared for im. And if a man or a woman preach in my heavens, and say: Behold, there is a higher heaven, that person shall be cast into hell, as my son judgeth.
4. And I, De'yus, command the locking up of all the books in the libraries of my heavens that in any way teach of Jehovih or Ormazd, or of heavenly kingdoms above mine or greater. For I, the Lord God, will have but one kingdom, and I will draw all people into it to abide with me forever.
5. And my Gods, and my marshals, and generals and captains, shall take their hosts and go around about the regions of Hored, and make a clean roadway, and cut off all connection with the outer kingdoms. And they shall place in the roadway around my heavens a standing army, sufficient to guard my kingdom and my Gods' kingdoms forever. And no man-angel, nor woman-angel shall pass outward beyond my roadway forever.
6. These things were carried out, save as to the libraries. But there were destroyed four thousand otevans and other ascending ships; and of the places for manufacturing ships for the outer heavens that were destroyed, more than seven hundred. And there were thus thrown out of employment seven hundred millions, men and women! And many of these were compelled to go to Hored, where they were assorted as to grade, and put to work, beautifying the capital and Council house and palace of the Lord God, the false. Others were impressed into the standing army, being allotted seasons and years.
7. After the outward extreme of hada was thus secured in every way, De'yus turned to the interior. He said: Now will I hide away text-books in my heavenly places, as relate to higher kingdoms and to Jhovih; for from this time forth He is my enemy and I am His. Upon my own self have I sworn it; the name of Jehovih and Ormazd shall be destroyed in heaven and earth; and my name, De'yus, even the Lord God, shall stand above all else.
8. For sixty days, the armies of destruction traversed the lowest heavens, high and low, far and near; and they hid away many of the records, and books, and maps, relating to the higher atmospherea and to the etherean worlds beyond; and in sixty days the work of destruction was complete in these heavens, and there was nothing left within sight to prove or to teach the higher heavens, or of Jehovih, the Ormazd.
9. The Lord God, the false, said: Let my name and my place, even Hored, be replaced instead of those destroyed, for I will make the name De'yus to rule in one-half of the world, and the name Lord God to rule in the other half.
10. The inhabitants of heaven and earth shall know where to find me, and shall behold my person, and witness the strength of my hands. Yea, they shall know my pleasure and my displeasure, and serve me in fear and trembling.
11. And the books in the schools and colleges of these heavens were thus made to rate De'yus and the Lord God as the All Highest, Most Sacred, Most Holy.
12. When these things were established thus far, De'yus gave a great feast, and brought into his companionship all the valorous fighters and destroyers that had proved themselves great in fulfilling his commandments. In the meantime, the laborers and officers in charge had extended and beautified the palace and capital of the Lord God in Hored beyond anything ever seen in these heavens. So that at the time of this feast, the place was already one of magnificence and glory. And the order, and temper, and discipline of the officers and servants, more than one million, who had charge of preparing and conducting the feast, were so great that the assembled Gods and great generals, and governors, and marshals, and captains, for a long while, did nothing but ejaculate applause and astonishment.
13. Besides these, De'yus had provided receiving hosts, fifty thousand, and of es'enaurs and trumpeters half a million, and proclaiming heralds one hundred thousand; and the latter, when conducting the distinguished visitors into the presence of De'yus, proclaimed them, amidst the applause of the Holy Council, such honor surpassing anything that any of them had ever witnessed.
14. The substance of the feast, being above grade twenty, which was above the animal region, was, consequently, of vegetable and fruit es'pa from the earth, previously brought by trained shippers and workers, for this especial occasion. But there was no es'pa of flesh or fish present on the tables; but an abundance of the es'pa of wine, and this was called nectar (su-be).
15. The walls of the chamber of the feast were ornamented with sprays of colored fire, and from the floor of the chamber there rose upward innumerable fountains of perfume, which were also es'pa brought up from the earth, and forced up in the fountains by more than one million servants, impressed into service from the regions of shippers, which had been destroyed previously.
16. At the feast, with the Lord God and his Gods, there were in all one thousand two hundred guests; and the feast lasted one whole day, and the Gods and guests ate and drank to their hearts' content, and there were not a few who felt the intoxication of the rich nectar.
17. When the feast was ended, De'yus, through his marshals, signified that he would speak before them; and when quiet was restored, he said: What greater joy hath any one in a matter than to make others happy! Because ye served me, doing my commandments, behold, I have served you. My feast hath been your feast; my substance have I given unto you, that ye may rejoice in the glory I have received from your hands.
18. Yet think not that the Lord, your God, so endeth this proceeding: I will not so end it. I have commanded you here that I may honor those that deserve honor from me, your God. My Gods have also great exaltation in the labor ye have done in my heavens, for my heavens are their heavens, and yours also. Because ye have destroyed the ascension, the most worthless and foolish of things, and cleared away the rubbish of my heavens, ye have also prepared a place for endless glory for yourselves.
19. For which reason, and in justice to you, I have appointed this time to promote you all, according to your great achievements. Nor shall ye fall back on my promotion, resting in ease; for I have a greater labor for you, as well as greater honor and glory.
20. Behold, I have commanded the earth and her dominions; and ye, my Gods, shall subjugate her to my name and power. And ye that have proved yourselves most valiant in heaven shall be their chosen officers to go down to the earth in my name, with millions of my heavenly soldiers, to plan and fix the way of mortals unto my hand. As ye have cast out the names Jehovih and Ormazd in heaven, even so shall ye cast them out on the earth.
21. Remember ye, I am a God of anger; I have declared war against all ungodliness on the earth. Whoever worshippeth the Great Spirit under the name Jehovih, or Ormazd, shall be put to death, both men and women. Only little children shall ye spare, and of them shall ye make slaves and eunuchs and whatsoever else that shall profit my kingdoms.
22. Whether they have an idol of stone, or of wood, or of gold, or of copper, they shall be destroyed. Neither shall it save them to make an idol of the Unseen; for such is even more offensive in my sight than the others. For will I leave alive one Faithist on the face of the earth.
23. To accomplish which, my Gods shall select ye who are of my feast; according to their rank shall they choose; and when ye are thus divided and selected, ye shall receive badges from my hand, and repair with my Gods to the places and service they desire.
24. And when ye are come down to the earth, ye shall possess yourselves of the oracles and places of worship, driving hence all other angels, and Gods, and Lords, and familiars. And when mortals come to consult the spirits ye shall answer them in your own way in order to carry out my commandments.
25. And when ye find prophets and seers, who accomplish by the Unseen, who have with them spirits belonging to the kingdom of Craoshivi, ye shall drive away such spirits and obsess the prophet or seer in your own way. But if ye cannot drive hence the Ormazdian angel, then shall ye go to the depths of hell in hada and bring a thousand spirits of darkness, who are foul and well skilled in torment, and ye shall cast them upon that prophet until he is mad. But if it so happen that the prophet or seer be so protected that spirits of darkness cannot reach him, then shall ye send evil spirits in advance of him to the place he frequenteth, and they shall inoculate the place with virus that shall poison him to death.
26. But if a prophet of Jehovih repent and renounce the Great Spirit, and accept De'yus, or the Lord God, then shall ye drive all evil away from him, and put a guard around about him, for he shall be my subject in time to come.
27. And whether ye reach a king of the earth by means of the oracles, or through prophets and seers, or by obsession, it mattereth not; but ye shall come to him by some means, either when he lieth asleep or is awake, and ye shall inspire him with the doctrines and the love of the Lord your God. And he shall rise up in great war, and pursue all people who do not profess De'yus, or the Lord your God; for he shall be as an instrument in your hands to do my will.
28. When De'yus ceased speaking, the Gods immediately made their selections, and the generals and captains were thus allotted to new places. And now the attendants carried away the tables of the feast, and the Gods, each with his captains and generals, faced toward De'yus, and formed twelve rows; whereupon De'yus conferred badges, as previously promised.
29. De'yus then departed to the Council chamber, and took his seat on the throne. The guests, and Gods, and Councilors, entered the south gate, and went and stood in the midst of the floor of the chamber; whereupon the Lord God saluted them, Warriors of God, and they embraced in the Sign of Taurus,signifying, to enforce righteousness, for the image of a bull was one of the signs above the throne. (And this was called the Edict of the Bull.)
30. These, then, are the names of the Gods and Goddesses, with their generals and captains, that were empowered in heaven to go down to the earth to subjugate it unto the Lord God, the false, that is to say:
31. The Gods were: Anubi; Hikas, now called Te-in; Wotchissij, now called Sudga; Che-le-mung, now called Osiris; Baal, Ashtaroth, Foe-be, Hes-loo, He-loo, Orion, Hebe and Valish.
32. Their generals were: Hoin, Oo-da, Jah, Knowteth, June, Pluton-ya, Loo-Chiang, Wah-ka, Posee-ya-don, Dosh-to, Eurga-roth, Neuf, Apollo-ya, Suts, Karusa, Myion, Hefa-yis-tie, Petoris, Ban, Ho-jou-ya, Mung-jo, Ura-na, Oke-ya-nos, Egupt, Hi-ram, T'cro-no, Ares, Yube, Feh-tus, Don, Dan, Ali-jah, Sol, Sa-mern, Thu-wowtch, Hua-ya, Afro-dite, Han, Weel, Haing-le, Wang-le, Ar-ti-mis, Ga-song-ya, Lowtha, Pu, Tochin-woh-to-gow, Ben, Aa-ron, Nais-wiche, Gai-ya, Te-sin, Argo, Hadar, Atstsil, E-shong, Daridrat, Udan, Nadar, Bog-wi, She-ug-ga, Brihat, Zeman, Asrig, Oyeb, Chan-lwang, Sishi, Jegat, At-ye-na and Dyu.
33. Their captains were: Penbu, Josh, Yam-yam, Holee-tsu, Yoth, Gamba, Said, Drat-ta, Yupe-set, Wag, Mar, Luth, Mak-ka, Chutz, Hi-rack-to, Vazenno, Hasuck, Truth, Maidyar, Pathemadyn, Kop, Cpenta-mainyus, Try-sti-ya, Peter, Houab, Vanaiti, Craosha, Visper, Seam, Plow-ya, Yact-ta-roth, Abua, Zaotha, Kacan-cat, Hovain, Myazd-Loo, Haur, Abel, Openista, Isaah, Vazista, Potonas, Kiro, Wiska-dore, Urvash, Ashesnoga, Cavo, Kalamala-hoodon, Lutz-rom, Wab, Daeri, Kus, Tsoo-man-go, and Le-Wiang.
34. Besides these, were one thousand officers of lower rank; and now, when they were sealed as to rank and place and allotment, they withdrew; and De'yus gave a day of recreation that the Gods with their officers might make the selections from the multitude, as for their private soldiers.
35. And in one day's time the armies were made up, two thousand million angels, and they departed down to the earth to destroy the Faithists and the names Jehovih and Ormazd, and establish De'yus, otherwise the Lord God, the false.
Chapter XVII
1. God, in Craoshivi, bewailed heaven and earth. He said: Great Jehovih, how I have failed in Thy kingdom! Behold, Thou gavest into my keeping the earth and her heavens, and they have gone astray!
2. Jehovih said: Behold the plan of My government; which is, to come against nothing in heaven or earth; to seize nothing by the head and turn it round by violence to go the other way.
3. Though I am the power that created them, and am the Ever Present that moveth them along, I gave to them to be Gods, like Myself, with liberty to find their own direction.
4. I created many trees in My garden, the greatest of which is the tree of happiness. And I called out unto all the living to come and dwell in the shade of that tree, and partake of the fruits and its perfumes. But they run after prickers and they scourge themselves; and then, alas, they fall to cursing Me, and accusing Me of shortness in My government.
5. I confined them in their mother's womb for a season, showing them there is a time for all things. But they ran forward hurriedly, desiring speedy happiness and wisdom, without halting to observe My glories by the road-side.
6. I said unto them: Even as I have given liberty unto all My people, so shall ye not impress into your service your brothers and sisters. But the self-assuming Gods make slaves of their fellows; they build roads round about, and station armies of soldiers to prevent My newborn from coming to My most glorious kingdoms.
7. They go down to the earth and inspire kings and queens, and rich men, to do the same things. And they portion out to their servants, saying to them: Serve ye me, and I will do for you. They little think that their servants will become as thorns, and stones, and chains, and spears against them in the far future. They build up a justice of their own, saying: As much as my servants labor for me, so will I render unto them. But I have said unto them that no man shall serve another but for love, which shall be his only recompense.
8. The king and the queen of the earth, and the rich man, shut their own eyes against Me, thinking by that means I cannot see them; they flatter themselves that in heaven they will give the slip to their servants. But I sowed a seed of bondage in My garden, and I said: Whosoever bindeth another, shall himself be bound. And behold, when they are risen in heaven, their servants and their soldiers come upon them; their memory is as a troubled dream that will not away from them.
9. Nevertheless, with these great examples before them, still there are angels in hada that have not profited therein. For they say unto themselves; I will build a great kingdom in heaven; I will become the mightiest of Gods; millions of angels shall serve me; I will shut out the Great Spirit and His far-off heavens; I will wall my place around with an army of soldiers, and with fire and water.
10. As a libertine stealeth an unsuspicious damsel to abuse her; and, in time, she waketh up to the matter but to curse him, so do the false Gods steal upon the inhabitants of My places and carry them into bondage. But the light of My understanding dwelleth in the souls of My little ones; it waiteth for the spring sun; and it will spring up and grow into a mighty tree to accuse these Gods.
11. God inquired concerning warfare?
12. Jehovih said: I answer all things by good. To the good at heart I give good thoughts, desires and holy observations. To the perverse of heart I hold up My glories and the beneficence of virtue and peaceful understanding. To them that practice charity and good works unto others, laboring not for self, I give the highest delight. Though they be pricked in the flesh with poverty and wicked persecutions, yet their souls are as the waters of a smooth-running river. Amongst them that practice evil, and destruction, and war, I send emissaries of benevolence and healing, who have plenteous words of pity.
13. These are My arrows, and spears, and war-clubs, O God: Pity, gentle words, and the example of tenderness. Soon or late, these shall triumph over all things in heaven and earth.
14. Behold, these wars in hada and on the earth will continue more than a thousand years. And the inhabitants will go down in darkness, even to the lowest darkness. For which reason, thou and thy successors shall provide not hastily, as if the matter were to change with the wind. But thou shalt organize a new army of deliverers for My Faithists, and it shall have two branches, one for the earth and one for hada. And the business of thy army shall be to rescue My people from them that seek to destroy them. And as to the spirits of the dead who were Faithists on the earth, provide thou means of transportation and bring them to thy new kingdom, which thou shalt call At-ce-wan, where thou shalt provide a sub-God, and officers, and attendants, hundreds of millions.
15. And in At-ce-wan, thou shalt provide the sub-God all such places and nurseries, hospitals, factories, schools, colleges and such other houses and places of instructions required, in the kingdoms of My Lords in hada.
16. And when thou hast this matter in good working order, thou shalt speak before thy Holy Council; in My name shalt thou say to them after this manner: Two hundred thousand hath Jehovih called; by Him am I commanded to find them; and they shall be wise and strong and without fear. For they shall be angel-preachers in Jehovih's name to go down to Hored, the place of De'yus, the Lord God the false, and to the kingdoms of his Gods; and their labor shall be to preach and proclaim the Father and His glories in the etherean worlds.
17. And my preachers shall not say one word against the Lord God nor his Gods; but rather the other way; by majesty of Jehovih's love, be loving towards them and their officers and subjects. For by this means shall my preachers have peaceful dwelllings in these warring kingdoms; and thus their voices shall have great weight. For the greatest wisdom of a great diplomatist is not to be too opposite or too vehement, but conciliating.
18. Jehovih said: And thy preachers shall travel constantly in the lowest kingdoms, teaching and explaining My boundless worlds, sowing the seed of aspiration with the wise and with the ignorant, and especially with the enslaved.
19. And to as many as become converted, and desire to ascend to Craoshivi, thou shalt say: Go ye to the border of your kingdom, whither the Father's laborers have a ship to take ye to His kingdom. But thy preachers shall not go with them to excite suspicion or hate, but continue on preaching and inciting the slaves to ascend to higher and holier heavens.
20. Then God, of Craoshivi, fell to work to carry out the commandments of Jehovih. And his Council labored with him. At-ce-wan was established and Yotse-hagah was made the sub-God, with a Holy Council of one hundred thousand angels, with a thousand attendants, with fifty thousand messengers. He was provided with a capital, and throne, and with ship-makers and builders of mansions, one million angels.
21. After that God and the Council of Craoshivi organized all the armies as commanded by Jehovih. And there were in these armies, all told, seventeen hundred millions, and two hundred and eight thousand five hundred and sixty, all of whom were above grade fifty, and some as high as ninety.
22. And it so turned out that these organizations were completed and in working order two days prior to De'yus and his hosts beginning their war on the earth. But the Faithist angels were distributed mostly in hada and the regions above. So that whilst De'yus' hosts of two thousand millions were gone down to the earth, there were of Faithist angels for the same place but four hundred thousand, save the ashars who were in regular service.
Chapter XVIII
Of the battles of the Gods for the dominion of the Earth and the lowest heavens; and these were called battles of a thousand years.
1. De'yus was no slow hand; not a dull God. He had two thousand seven hundred years' experience, and his soul quick and strong in mighty works. He rushed not in without first measuring the way, most deliberately and in great wisdom.
2. At first he felt his way along, to humor the populace, doing as if by proxy Jehovih's commands, till safely fell into his dominion and power his flattered Gods and officers, then boldly launching forth: I, the Lord God, command!
3. The very audaciousness of which overtopped his friends' judgment, and made them believe for a fact that De'yus was the foremost and greatest, mighty God. To do whose will, and reverently applaud his name, was the surest road to home laurels.
4. To win great majesty to himself, and after having sworn to havoc the whole earth in order to establish the name De'yus, and Lord God, he called to his side his five chiefest friends: the Gods, Hikas, falsely named Te-in; Wotchissij, falsely named Sudga; Che-le-mung, falsely named Osiris; Baal, and Ashtaroth. And thus in dignity De'yus spake to them:
5. It is well, my Gods, ye stand about and see the battles; but let your generals and high captains go forth and mingle in the bloody work. In your kingdoms be constantly upraising your magnificence, and in times sallying forth to the earth valiantly, as when kings and queens and prophets are to win a victory, or be plunged into mortal death, to show how your august presence turned the tide of battle. Then hie ye back in dignity to your thrones, leaving your officers and inspiring hosts to go in the game of mortal tragedy.
6. Then spake Osiris, falsely named, saying: To exalt thy name, O De'yus, thou Lord God; and to persuade mortals that thou, of all created beings, can stand in Hored, and by thy will control the victory to whomsoever applaudeth thee and praiseth thy name, be thou to me the bond of my solemn oath, so will I lose or win battles on the earth accordingly as they shall honor thee and despise the Great Spirit, or any other God or Lord.
7. Then Te-in, also falsely named, said: To keep mortals in constant war for a thousand years; to teach them that battles are won or lost according to the loudest call and praise to thee, O De'yus, under thy thigh will I be as an oath renewed from everlasting to everlasting.
8. Sudga, the false, said: By all my parts, to shape the arms and legs of the unborn in comeliness, shall my legions drum into the ears of enceinte women a thousand years, swearing them to thy name, O De'yus; or, if refusing, to curse with crookedness all their progeny. And when these mothers sleep, my legions shall find their souls in their dreams, and give them delight or torment, accordingly as they, when awake, applaud thee, my most might Lord God.
9. Baal said: To overturn the oracles of Jehovih, and to make the prophets and seers receive and announce thy name, O'De'yus, thou Lord God of heaven and earth, have I already sworn more than ten thousand oaths.
10. Ashtaroth said: The work of my legions shall be to deal death to thy enemies, O De'yus. To them that raise the name Jehovih, or Ormazd, or Great Spirit, my legions shall carry foul smells to their noses whilst they sleep. And for thy enemies, who may win a battle against thy people, my legions shall carry inoculation from the rotten dead; in the air shall they carry the virus to the breath of them that will not bow down to the name, Lord God!
11. De'yus answered them, saying: So spoken, so shall these things be; I, the Lord your God, command. Send forth your generals and high captains thus decreed; to each and every one sufficient armies to make patent these, our high resolves. Into three great armies shall my legions be divided for the earth battles: one to Jaffeth, one to Vind'yu, and one to Arabin'ya and the regions lying west and north. Of the latter, thou, Osiris, shalt have chief command; and thou, Baal, and thou, Ashtaroth, ye twain, so linked in love and one purpose, shall be the earth managers to Osiris' will. For your efficient service, behold, I have given you these high-raised generals and captains: Jah, Pluton-ya, Apollo-ya, Petoris, Hi-ram, T'cro-no, Egupt, Ares, Yube, Ali-jah, Afro-dite, Ar-ti-mis, Ben, Aa-ron, Argo, Atstsil, Nadar and Oyeb, besides Peter, Yact-ta-roth, Haur, Abel, Said, Josh and Wab, who shall be the conquering spirits to play on both sides in battles, urging stubborn mortals on to religious feud till both sides fall in death, or till one, to me and my Gods, boweth down in fear and reverence. And they shall sing their names in mortal ears day and night, and teach them to live in praise of the Lord, your God, the De'yus of heaven and earth, and to be most daring in the overthrow of Jehovih, most hated of Gods.
12. To thee, Te-in, another third of my legions is committed, to deal with the land of giants, and urge them on in the same way, to greatness or to death, doing honor and reverence to me and my kingdoms. High raised are thy generals: Wah-ka, Ho-jou-ya, Oke-ya-nos, Thu-wowth, Haing-le, Gochin-woh-to-gow, and Eurga-roth, besides Yam-yam, Hi-rack-to, Kacan-cat, Isaah, Lutz-rom and Le-Wiang, and others of high grade and power.
13. And to thee, O Sudga, in like manner have I given another third of my legions to play battles with mortals for a thousand years. Like Osiris and Te-in, to set mortals up in war, and move them one way and then another, and thus plunge them into each other's bloody arms and death. That they may learn to know of a truth they are but machines and playthings in the hands of angels and Gods; that they are worked like clay in a potter's hand, till they cry out: Enough! I will bow my head to God, who is Lord over all, great De'yus. Yea, more, I will fight for him and drink even my brother's blood, if De'yus but prosper me and mine in slaying Faithists, fool-worshippers of Ormazd, the Unseen and Scattered Wind. To him, in likeness of a man, with head, and legs, and arms in boundary and size of a man, sitting on a throne in Hored; to him, the great Lord God, will I ever bow in reverence.
14. And thou, O Sudga, shalt play war in Vind'yu, with the most, highest learned people of the earth. For which purpose thou shalt have these, my high-raised generals and captains: Asij, Gaeya, Naiswichi, Samen, Yube, Sol Mung-jo, Don, Hefa-yis-tie, Lowtha, Daridrat, Udan, Brihat, Bogir, Eshong, Weel, Vanaiti, Plowya, Vazista, Kiro, Cpenista, Visper, Cpenta-mainyus and Urvasta, and many others, most determined to rescue the earth from the dominion of far-off Gods.
15. De'yus continued: Go forth, ye Gods, and in majesty build your thrones; in great splendor ornament your high places, that even the magnificence shall be as a million preachers' tongues proclaiming the heavens' well-chosen Gods. And as fast as mortals fall in battle, gather the spirits of the dead into groups, not suffering them for pity's sake to lie in chaos, but bring them to your kingdoms in easy riding ships. And when thus housed, apply your physicians and nurses diligently, to restore them to their senses and new condition; and when they wake up in heavens, beholding the great glory of your thrones and kingdoms, initiate them by solemn rites and ceremonies to sworn servitude to yourselves and to me, your Lord God, to inherit such bounteous kingdoms.
16. And as ye shall thus despoil those of earth, to make them know my power and yours, so shall ye pursue those newly-arrived in heaven, to make them swear solemnly against Jehovih, the Great Spirit, the Ormazd, and against all other Gods; but if they stubbornly refuse, though in heaven, even as they did on earth, take them before my son, Anubi, who shall further examine them; but if still they refuse, Anubi, with his strong guard and brands of fire, shall send them down in hell.
17. I, the Lord God, have spoken; my commandments are gone forth in heaven and earth; whosoever praiseth and glorifieth me, with everlasting service for the exaltation and glory of my kingdoms, shall enter into everlasting happiness; but whosoever will not bow down to me shall be cast into everlasting torments.
Chapter XIX
Of the hosts of Osiris, the false.
1. Now sallied forth the captains, generals, and well-disciplined hosts of hada, the angels of De'yus, bent on independence to the earth and heaven from all other rulers save the Lord God, and to establish him forever. Foremost of the three mighty divisions was Osiris' army, of more than a thousand million angels, going boldly forth to cover the great lands of the earth, Arabin'ya, Parsi'e and Heleste.
2. In the front, dashing madly on, was Baal, and next him, his assistant Goddess, Ashtaroth, followed by their first attendants and high exalted officers. Some of whom displayed great maps of mortal cities and cultured lands, where the peaceful worshippers of Jehovih dwelt, hundreds of thousands. And the lists of altars and temples to the Great Spirit, where the righteous came daily and deposited their earnings and products as sacrifices for benefit of the weak and helpless. And the wide fields, where toilers brought out of the earth, religiously, wheat, and flax, and cotton, and barley, as gifts from the Great Spirit. And the canals, filled with boats, carrying produce, and fruit, and cloth, in interchange, one district with another. And the mounds and tree-temples of the I'hins, the sacred people, small, white and yellow; the forefathers and foremothers of the great I'huan race, the half-breeds, betwixt the brown burrowers in the earth and the I'hins.
3. Over these maps, and charts, and lists, the generals and captains discoursed as they descended to the rolling earth; most learnedly laying plans to overturn Jehovih's method, and build up De'yus, the God of Hored.
4.Osiris himself, to display such dignity as becometh a great God, halted in his heavenly place, and now head-quarters of the belligerents. And so rested on his throne, with his tens of thousands of messengers ready to answer his summons and bear his will to the remotest parts of his mighty army, and to bring him back news in return of the nature of the proceedings. And betwixt Osiris' and De'yus' thrones another long line of messengers extended, a thousand angels, high raised and resolute, suitable to travel in the ever-changing atmospherean belts of great velocity.
5. Beside Baal, on the downward course to the earth, but a little behind him, woman-like, was Ashtaroth, with her thousand attendants, all accoutered to show their high esteem for their warring Goddess. By the oft-changing wave of her hand, her part of the army had learned to know her will, and most zealously observe her commands.
6. And now, on every side, farther than the eye could see, the thousand millions rushed on, some in boats, some in ships and otevans, and others in single groups, descending. As one can imagine an earthly kite sufficient to carry its holder high up in the wind, so, reversed, and single-handed, hundreds of thousands flew toward the earth by ballast flags, the most daring of angels.
7. Toward the earth they came as if on a frolic, full of jokes and loud boasting, sworn and swearing to forever clear the earth of Jehovih's worshippers. Many of them, long trained in schools and colleges and factories, in heaven, only too glad for a change of scenes and labor, and all promised by their superiors that now they were to take their first lessons in becoming Gods and Goddesses. Of whom thousands and thousands hoped for some daring deed, in order to gain sudden promotion.
8. To the east and west, and north and south, Baal and Ashtaroth spread out their armies, wide as the three great lands they had sworn to subdue unto the Lord God, who, of woman born, was the most presuming son the earth had yet brought forth. And to alight on the earth, to flood the temples and altars with so great an abundance of spirits as would drive Jehovih's ashars into disastrous confusion, and vanquish them, was the theme and project. To be foremost in so great a work was the temptation of promotion, which caused them on every side to strive with their utmost speed and power.
9. The which Jehovih foresaw, and so spake to God in Craoshivi, warning him; whereof due observance of the danger had been communicated by messengers to the managing angels in the altars and temples of worship. And these again, through the rab'bahs and the oracles, had spread abroad amongst mortals the threatened dangers, cautioning them.
10. Thus Jehovih's angels fortified themselves, through the faith of mortals, and held on, bringing together their scanty numbers, knowing well that by Jehovih's law they must not resist by arms, but only through words and good example, high-toned by faith in the Father over all.
11. Down, down, down on these, on every side came the destroying hosts, the thousand millions; with oaths and loud clamor rushing for the altars and temples; flying suddenly to the holy arcs; in hundreds of thousands of places, shouting:
12. Avaunt this arc! Avaunt this altar! Avaunt this temple! Ye Jehovian usurpers, begone! In the name of the Lord our God! We command!
13. But alas, for them, every arc, and altar, and temple to Jehovih was invincible. There stood His angels, so strong in faith, unmoved and majestic, that even the assailing spirits halted, overawed. And as they stood a moment, contemplating whence came so great majesty, to be in such sommon place, the Jehovians made this reply:
14. To none we bow in adoration but Great Jehovih! Whose Very Self contributed to make us what we are, His servants in doing good unto others with all our wisdom and strength! In Him we stand to shield His helpless ones by virtuous peace and love harmonious. Wherefore, then, come ye in arrogance, demanding our wards to service of your God, born of woman?
15. The Osirians said: Fly, O sycophants! Ye that bow down in fear and trembling to One hollow as the wind, and Personless. Too long have earth and heaven been cajoled by far-off foreign Gods, who come hither to win subjects for their kingdoms' glory, by that pitiful tale of an Ever Presence Over All, Whom none have seen nor known. Begone! Give us these earthly anchorages! To build in unit, earth and heaven, to rule ourselves by Gods we know and reverence!
16. The Jehovians said: Is this your only power? By threats and commands? O harmless words, in mockery of truthful Gods! No good works nor promises, save to exalt the self of earth and hada, and glorify your masters, born only equal with yourselves. Why not rush in and carry us off, ye that are a thousand to one, and by your deeds prove the great source whence ye draw your power?
17. The Osirians said: To give ye a chance of liberty, to save ye from the Savior's judgment, Anubi, who shall cast ye into hell, we hoped to find your willing departure in peace. Behold ye, then, we will wall this altar around and shut off the attendant ashars with mortals, and flood the place with drujas, to obsess them to total madness. If, then, ye love your wards as ye profess, abandon all to us, for the glory of De'yus, whose son is Osiris, our commanding God.
18. The Jehovians said: Words! words! words! At first no explanation, and only your command. Now, forsooth, an argument! And presently ye will withdraw, deceived in what your commanding Gods told you would result. We tell you we will not hence, save by our superiors, Jehovih's, rightly raised to precedence.
19. The Osirians said: For which reason, behold our Lord God, who was honored in the title through Jehovih's hand; whom ye should obey according to your oaths.
20. The Jehovians said: Till such time the Lord God put aside Jehovih, we were his; but when for his self-glory he denied his Creator, his false position freed us from his obligations. To obey him now, would make us false to Jehovih, and forever weaken us in reaching the Nirvanian kingdoms.
21. But now the clamoring angels, Osirians, in the background crowded forward menacingly, and the tide rose to the highest pitch. The morning sun was dawning in the east, a most wonderful assistant to Jehovih's sons in time of battle; and their messengers brought from the fields and country places many ashars who had been on watch all night with sleeping mortals. The Osirians saw them coming; knew the turn, one way or another, was at hand! But by the audacity of the Jehovians, one to a thousand, were kept looking on in wonder till the sun's rays pierced their weapons and melted them in their hands.
22. First one and then another of the Osirians, then tens and hundreds and thousands, turned away or looked about, discomfited, like a host of rioters attempting to assault a few well-trained soldiers, and, becoming affrighted, turn and flee harmlessly. So Jehovih's sons and daughters won the victory in the first assault, save in rare instances, one in a hundred, where the Osirians triumphed and got possession.
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