Thaumat-Oahspe

THAUM�T � OAHSPE. BY J. NELSON JONES. MELBOURNE. J. C. STEPHENS PTY. LTD. CHURCH LANE. 1912. How Oahspe was Written. Mr. J. B. Newbrough, through whom "Oahspe" was written, gives the following account of its transmission:-- "Some two years ago, Oahspe was mechanically written through my hands by some other intelligence than my own. Many Spiritualists are acquainted with this automatic movement of the hands, independent of one's own volition. There are thousands and thousands of persons who have this quality. It can also be educated, or rather, the susceptibility to external power can be increased. In my own case I discovered, many years ago, when sitting in circles to obtain spiritual manifestations, that my hands could not lie on the table without flying off into these "tantrums." Often they would write messages, left or right, backward or forward; nor could I control the many other way than by withdrawing from the table. Sometimes the power thus baffled would attack my tongue, or my eyes, or my ears, and I talked and saw and heard differently from my normal state. Then I went to work in earnest to investigate spiritualism, and I investigated over 200 mediums, travelling hundreds and hundreds of miles for this purpose. Often I took them to my own house, and experimented with them to my heart's content. I found that nearly all of them were subject to this involuntary movement of the hands, or to entrancement. They told me it was angels controlling them. In course of time, about ten or fifteen years, I began to believe in spiritualism. But I was not satisfied with the communications; I was craving for the light of heaven. I did not desire communications from friends or relatives, or information about earthly things; I wished to learn something about the Spirit world; what the angels did, how they travelled, and the general plan of the universe. So after a while I took it into my head that wise and exalted angels would commune better with us if we purified ourselves physically and spiritually. Then I gave up eating flesh and fish, milk and butter, and took to rising before day, bathing twice a day, and occupying a small room alone, where I sat every morning half an hour before sunrise, recounting daily to my Creator my short-comings in governing myself in thought and deed. In six years' training I reduced myself from two hundred and fifty pounds to one hundred and eighty; my rheumatism was all gone, and I had no more head-ache. I became limber and sprightly. A new lease of life came to me.  Then a new condition of control came up on my hands. Instead of the angels holding my hands as formerly, they held their hands over my head (and they were clothed with sufficient materiality for me to see them), and a light fell upon my own hands as they lay on the table. In the meantime I had attained to hear audible angel voices near me. I was directed to get a type- writer, which writes by keys like a piano. This I did, and I applied myself industriously to learn it, but with only indifferent success. For two years more the angels propounded to me questions relative to heaven and earth, which no mortal could answer very intelligently. I always look back on these two years as an enigma. Perhaps it was to show me that a man is but an ignoramus at best; perhaps I was waiting for constitutional growth to be good. Well, one morning the light struck both hands on the back, and they went for the typewriter, for some fifteen minutes, very vigorously. I was told not to read what was printed, and I had worked myself into such a religious fear of losing this new power that I obeyed reverently. The next morning, also, before sunrise, the same power came and wrote (or printed, rather) again. Again I laid the matter away very religiously, saying little about it to anybody. One morning I accidentally (seemed accidental to me) looked out of the window and beheld the line of light that rested on my hands extending heavenward like a telegraph wire toward the sky. Over my head were three pairs of hands, fully materialised; behind me stood another angel with her hand on my shoulders. My looking did not disturb the scene; my hands kept right on, printing -- printing. For fifty weeks this continued every morning, half an hour or so before sunrise, and then it ceased, and I was told to read and publish the book Oahspe. The peculiar drawings in Oahspe were made with pencil in the same way. A few of the drawings I was told to copy from other books, such as Saturn, the Egyptian ceremonies, etc. Now during all the while I have pursued my avocation (dentistry), nor has this matter nor my diet (vegetables, fruit, and farinaceous food) detracted any from my health or strength, although I have continued this discipline for upward of ten or more years. I am firmly convinced that there are numberless persons who might attain to marvellous development if they would thus train themselves. A strict integrity to one's highest light is essential to development. Self-abnegation and purity should be the motto and discipline of everyone capable of angel communion. " J. B. Newbrough. NEW YORK, January 21, 1883."  PREFACE.. Some of the articles in this pamphlet appeared in the Melbourne "Harbinger of Light." As the subject is continuous, and deals with the views announced by "Oahspe" on the falsity of Theological Christianity, it was thought better to publish the whole series in pamphlet form, and it is hoped they will be read with interest and profit by many who would miss their import if they had been separated by monthly intervals. "Oahspe," in denouncing Christianity as being false, attacks only its theology and its resultant creeds and doctrines. Jesus of Nazareth and his teachings are fully endorsed; a history of his preparation in the spiritual world for a special work is given, that work being "to restore the ancient doctrines which were lost." It is important that readers should clearly understand that the terms God. Lord, Saviour, etc., etc., so frequently used by Oahspe, never in any case refer to the INFINITE BEING, whom Christians usually address as "God," but always to some highly-raised spirit who had been, "at one time mortal," but now advanced to power and rule in some of the innumerable heavenly kingdoms of JEHOVIH. This latter name is the distinctive one for the Uncreated ONE, Supreme Overall. It has been said in some quarters that the controlling spirits represent themselves to be Jehovih. This is totally untrue. In no case is it so; they invariably represent themselves to be Servants of Jehovih; when such expressions as "Jehovih said" occur, it means that the Infinite One spoke through a highly-raised and ruling spirit by afflatus (entrancement). In similar manner are given all spiritual communications even upon the earth plane. No price is put upon this pamphlet. It is for free distribution in the cause of breaking down error and setting up of Truth. It can be obtained by application to Mrs. Annie Bright, "Harbinger of Light" Office, 117 Collins-street, Melbourne, or to the writer, J. Nelson Jones, "Leamington," Moyston-road, Ararat. Friends who approve are asked to aid in the distribution. J. NELSON JONES. Ararat, 2nd March, 1912. Things to be heeded by readers of Oahspe as an aid to the understanding of it. As but few have the whole book, and, therefore, the greater number of its readers will have seen only excerpts, it may be desirable to devote a page or two in explanations that may aid to a comprehension of the wonderful volume. Its historic parts are said to be "transcripts from the libraries in the heavens." That it was given through an amazing manifestation of spirit power, exercised through Mr. John Ballou Newbrough of New York, we know, and the matters treated of will be an index as to the source from which they spring. This alone would account for some of those singularities that are said by some to be a new language, and affords collateral confirmation of the claim of its writers as to its source. Such heavenly records would, naturally, embrace all the most ancient languages of the earth, and the spelling evidently follows the usage of some of them. Thus, Egupt (Egypt), Uropa (Europe), Vind'yu (India), Par'si'e (Persia), Gautama (America), etc. etc. From what has been said of the Ether of Space ("Harbinger of Light," April and May. 1911) being the veritable heavens and hells as to location, and these being stupendous "Principalities and Powers" with appointed Rulers under Jehovih, it follows that they would have innumerable names never heard of before on earth, nor is it necessary to attempt to learn off by heart these long and difficult lists of names. For a faithful transcription, and to enable us to get more transcendent ideas of what these Etheric or Spiritual realms really are, we may assume that it was necessary to give them in full. Another point which tends to make the oahspian style a new language is the following fact which should be carefully noted by students. This is that there is but ONE Infinite Supreme Jehovih, Ruler overall; but there are an enormous number of Gods, Goddesses, Lords, and other Rulers in the innumerable etheric realms, all of whom were "at one time mortal." The etheric realms are mapped out and named, and lengthy lists of the names of official Rulers (for a season) are given. This conception is so different from the ordinary one, in regard to God, heaven and hell, that it cannot be too strongly impressed that in Oahspe, the titles God, Lord, etc., etc., never mean the Supreme Creator, but always refer to a "one time mortal" who has risen to power and rank in the course of long and faithful service. There is but ONE Uncreate, named variously in the different regions of the earth and indifferent ages. Jehovih is the name mostly used in Oahspe: being formed from the "sounds the wind uttereth" E-O-I-H. A few quotations will put this matter into its proper light, and remove the ambiguity that prevails with all who entertain the old ideas, and are unacquainted with the real characters of the multifarious heavenly kingdoms and their Rulers, who are termed Gods, Goddesses, Lords, Orion Chiefs, Nirvanian Chiefs, etc., who were all at one time mortal. These are appointed to ruling positions for a season. It is important to heed this because it is a key where with to unlock much, and it also disposes of the old doctrines of Angelology and Demonology, which postulates a distinctly separate creation for these intelligences. The following will be illustrative:--"Hear the words of thy God, man--I am thy brother, risen from mortality to a holy place in heaven: profit thou in my wisdom, and be admonished by my love. For as I am thy elder brother, so shall it be with thee, to rise also in time to come, and look back to mortals and call them to the exalted heavens of the Almighty. "Hear thy God, man, and distinguish then, that the twain, God and Jehovih, are not the same one; nor more is thy God than what thou shalt be in time to come. "Nor is this all; for there is a third resurrection, in which the angels rises till higher in wisdom, love and power, and are sent by thy God into Etheria, midway between the planets-- the highest of all heavens--over which there are Chiefs, who are also Gods and Goddesses of still more comprehensive attributes." These passages will elucidate the subject, and account for much that looks like a new language. A great number of ancient words also are used for which no exact equivalent is to be found in English. They seem to come from the Panic; the language of the continent of Pan, submerged in the Pacific Ocean, the northern portion of which still remains, and is called Japan at the present day. These words are given in a glossary in the book itself, and it would be well to give the meanings of them in brackets, when quoting isolated passages: -- Thus, "A'ji" (first degree of density of an atmospherean world); "Ji'ay" (second degree of density of the same); "Su'is" (clair-audient, clairvoyant; seership mediumship) "Sar'gis' "(materialised angel, or medium for materialisation); "Hindan"` (highest light); "Dan" (light regions); "Dan'ha" (time from dawn of one period of light to the succeeding one). These periods or "arcs" are mapped out in the book for the last 24, 000 years; 8 arcs of about 3,000 years duration each. The present arc of "Kosmon" was entered in 1848. This most remarkable year is noted by what is known as the "Rochester Knockings" which really inaugurated what is now called "Modern Spiritualism." One of the great merits of the book is that it is written in plain and unmistakable English, so far as that was possible in dealing with a world's history embracing a period of some 80,000 years. Moreover, this plain English is now exactly as given by the angel messengers but a few years ago. It has not undergone the inevitable errors incidental to hand-copying from scroll to scroll; of translations into countless tongues with re-translations; of excisions and interpolations innumerable to suit the needs of priestly doctrine. In fact, we have it unadulterated and in its purity. It is given as a revelation for this advancing age of "Kosmon." Its religion is, ONE INFINITE CREATOR who is "FATHER," hence, all men are BRETHREN. Its ethics are of the very highest, being the Eternal Truths which are ever the same, whether given to an ignorant world by Abram, Moses, Confucius, Buddha, or Jesus. Its discipline and rules for life are sublime, which if put into practice would quickly revolutionise the world. Its freedom and liberty for all is intense. All are children of one Eternal Father. Man is free; but he shall judge himself and his Creator. Yet, this book is regarded by many very good people with doubt, horror, and contempt. Why? Because it is outside the current "Orthodoxy" of the day. Does this matter? Right is right; purity is purity; whether it comes through this source or that. Every man must judge for himself, and apart from priestly Authority. The Heavens and the Hells. As it is important for students of Oahspe to note its teachings in regard to Gods and Goddesses, equally so is it to note what is said of Heavens and Hells. The old "orthodox" ideas of one heaven and its anthropomorphic God, its suggestions of everlasting monotony, and of one hell of eternal torment is utterly exploded by Oahspe. There are myriads of Gods and Goddesses, and myriads of heavens wherein they rule. No monotony but work, in which the spirits of men can delight. A life of uplifting others, and of being uplifted, and so an eternal progression for ALL Heaven is order, organisation, love, peace, and joy. Hell, is disorder, confusion, anarchy, hate, discord and misery. Swedenborg says, every heaven has its opposite hell. This is not only conceivable, but rational, for every virtue and truth has its opposite vice and falsity. The following quotation from Oahspe will be found in the Book of Osiris, Chapt. VII. page 162. It is so beautiful that it is hoped it will, in conjunction with what has been said about the Ether of Space (See "Harbingers" for April and May, 1911), serve to throw a new light upon the important questions of heaven and hell. "Who shall tell the glory of the Gods of heaven! Their mighty kingdoms overspreading the whole earth! Hundreds and hundreds. And thousands! their libraries of records of holy and valorous deeds! A council chamber of half a million souls! Hundreds of departments, thousands! Here aboard to select young students to the colleges of messengers. Another board to select students to the colleges of arts. Another to select students to mathematics. Another for prophecy. Another for great learning. Another for factories. Another for compounding and dissolving the elements. Then come the departments of the cosmogony of the stars; then of the ethereal worlds; then the road ways of the firmament; then a'ji and ji'ya, and nebulae; then Se'mu; then Hi'dan; then the dawn of Dan; then histories of corporeal affairs, and of the affairs of the heavens far and near; then genealogy of thousands, of Orion Chiefs; the creation of mineral vegetable, and animal kingdoms. Yea, but to enumerate the half of what cometh before a God and his Council would itself fill a book. Who, then, O Jehovih, shall venture to tell the labour and wisdom of Thy etherean Gods! How shall the second resurrection give up its mysteries? Shall Thy recorder follow the young student for messenger, and disclose the training put upon him? "How like a carrier dove he is taught to go from place to place, but holding the message in his head? Then follow the student in another department, and make a record of how he is taught? And of the multitude of questions that come before the council from far-off places. Then the rites and ceremonies, and the unending variety and magnificence of the music. Can a man describe a million men and women and children? A hundred million! A thousand million! Five thousand million! Who hath seen so great a man to do this? And yet this is but Thy lower heaven, Jehovih! A strange voice riseth up from the earth, saying:--Have they anything to do in heaven? O, ye Gods! And one half of the earth-born coming hither in infancy! And the countless millions who know little more than the beasts of the field! To be falsely taught that these unfortunates would skip off to paradise and possess great learning in the hour of death! O, that their understanding could be opened up to Thy kingdoms, Thou All-extending Creator! That their eyes could look upon the greatness of even Thy lower heaven! To behold a thousand departments reaching as wide as the earth! And then the hundreds of thousands of branch departments, of hundreds of grades, adapted to every soul that riseth up from the earth. "O that they could look into the dark places in Atmospherea! That they could see a million souls plunged in chaos by terrible war! Crazed spirits, wild and battling! Not knowing they are dead! The ceaseless toil of a million nurses and physicians, labouring day and night with them! O, the darkness upon them! O, the glory of Thy exalted ones! Who is there, having seen the magnificence of Thy glories, will not bestir himself every moment to lift up his brother, and point the way to Thy throne. O, that they could see Thy swift Gods of dawn! How they hear a hundred tongues at one time, and frame answers to them all, and by a motion of the hand, dispatch messengers to fulfil the same in words! How they select officers, to know a hundred at a glance, and know where to place them; and that everyone shall fit his place! Who is there, Father, can frame into words the proceedings of heaven, so that mortals can comprehend even a fraction of Thy great glories! Shall a man light a candle and say it representeth the Sun? How, then, shall they find the affairs of mortals comparable to Thy kingdom? O, that they knew the meaning of the difference betwixt tall Light and the darkness of man's judgment! O, that they knew THEE, Thou Central Sun of all LIGHT! They have put away Thy Person, and they go in any direction. Thy great Gods are but myths to them, because of the darkness of their souls. Behold, they look for a small man with a large sword! The power of great wisdom they know not. That they could behold the coming and going of thousands of messengers, from far-off kingdoms, before the throne of Thy God! "How he hath answered their matters suddenly! And the while heeded the voices of a thousand marshals! O, that man knew the glory of Order! The power of Harmony! They have seen a clock with a hundred wheels, and the eye of its maker overseeing its every part in motion, and they call it wonderful! But how can they know Thy councils, Jehovih? Thy millions? And Thy God on his throne, mantled in Thy Light, overseeing a whole heaven! What majesty of words can make mortals comprehend his wisdom, and power, and great labours!" Glossary for the foregoing:-- A'JI. - First degree of condensation of an Atmospherean World. JI'AY - Second degree of the same. ATMOSPHEREA - The etheric worlds near to the earth; the lower heavens, the nearest being carried round with its rotation. SE'MU - Jelly-fish. Green scum. (Qy; Protoplasm, beginnings of life?) HI'DAN - Highest Light. DAN - Region of Light. Dawn of DAN - Commencement of a Light Cycle. Several of these periods are described in the passage of the Solar Phalanx through the Etherean Heavens during the past 24,000 years. These heavens are charted and named. False Religions. In this age of criticism when the foundations of every cult are being subjected to the test of most rigid investigation, it is well to remember that, whatever the result of such criticism may be, it cannot touch the great and abiding realities of the Spirit. When Christianity is put under the lens, it is not the divine ethics of Jesus of Nazareth that are assailed, but the travesty of them as evidenced in the aggressive ecclesiasticisms of to-day which have obscured the light that illuminates, not only the pages of the Gospels, but the teachings of every true son of God. Egyptologists are continually finding parallel ethical passages in the Book of the Dead, buried for ages before the Christian Era, even passages that are found in Jesus' sermon on the Mount. This does not detract from the value of the teaching, but shows that The Infinite God, our Father, has never left Himself without a witness, and that inspiration is universal. As Dr. Silvanus P. Thompson says, as quoted in the July "Harbinger of Light":--"If all our Churches were pulled down. If all our creeds were blown to the four quarters of the earth, if all our Bibles were unfortunately burnt, there would still remain that which was the real and one essential thing--without which Churches and Bibles and Creeds were simply worthless--there would remain God Almighty in Heaven and the human soul, and God could reveal Himself directly if He chose.." But the world has been in the past, and now is, full of false religions. If anyone doubts this assertion, it is only necessary to point out a significant fact that will prove it. The devotee of any cult will always most stoutly maintain that his system is the true one, and all others more or less erroneous; and this, even with only shades of differences in the same cults. Can they all be right; or rather, can any of them be true? The rational answer to the question is that none can be entirely true, while all may hold some germs of truth, so smothered up and obscured by the creeds and traditions of men as to be almost indiscernible, and to have been so perverted as to have lost all their original significance and meaning. Now, Oahspe boldly states that the world has been dominated by four great false systems of religion. That there may be no misunderstanding of this we will quote from the book; but to economise space, a portion may be abridged. The opening chapter in the book describes a series of eras after the creation of man, and after the third era of development, it says: -- "In that same time the BEAST (Self) rose up before man, and spake to him, saying:--'Possess thou whatsoever thou wilt, for all things are thine, and are good for thee.' And man obeyed the Beast; and war came into the world. This was the fourth era. And man was sick at heart, and he called out to the Beast, saying:--'Thou saidest: Possess thyself of all things, for they are good for thee. Now, behold, war and death have encompassed me about on all sides. I pray thee, therefore, teach me peace!' But the Beast said:--'Think not I am come to send peace on the earth. I come not to send peace, but a sword. I come to set man at variance against his father; and a daughter against her mother. Whatsoever thou findest to eat, be it fish or flesh, eat thou thereof, taking no thought of to-morrow.' And man ate fish and flesh, becoming carnivorous, and darkness came upon him, neither yet heard he the voice of Jehovih, nor believed in Him. This was the fifth era. "And the Beast divided itself into four great heads, and possessed the earth about; and men fell down and worshipped them. And the names of the heads of the Beast were, Brahmin, Buddhist, Christian, and Mohammedan. And they divided the earth, and apportioned it between themselves, choosing soldiers and standing armies for the maintenance of their earthly aggrandisement. And the Brahmins had seven million soldiers; the Buddhists twenty million; the Christians seven million; and the Mohammedans two million, whose trade was killing man. "And man in the service of the Beast, gave one sixth of his life and his labour to war and standing armies; and one third of his life he gave to dissipation and drunkenness. This was the sixth era. Jehovih called to man to desist from evil; but man heard Him not. For the coming of the Beast had changed man's flesh, so that his soul was hid as if in a cloud, and he loved sin. Jehovih called unto His angels in heaven, saying:-- `Go ye down to the earth once more to man, whom I created to inhabit the earth and enjoy it, and say ye to man: thus saith Jehovih: Behold the seventh era is at hand. Thy Creator commandeth thy change from a carnivorous man of contention to an herbivorous man of peace. "The four heads of the Beast shall be put away; and war shall be no more on the earth. Thy armies shall be disbanded. And from this time forth, whosoever desireth not to war, thou shalt not impress; for it is the commandment of thy Creator. Neither shalt thou have any God, nor Lord, nor Saviour, but only thy Creator, Jehovih! Him only shalt thou worship henceforth forever. I am sufficient unto Mine own creations. . . . And the angels of heaven descended to the earth to man, and appeared before him, face to face, hundreds of thousands of them, speaking as man speaketh and writing as man writeth, teaching these things of Jehovih and His works. And in the thirty-third year thereof (the Kosmon era) the Embassadors of the angel hosts of heaven, prepared and revealed unto man in the name of Jehovih, His Heavenly Kingdoms; and have thus herein made known the plan of His delightful creations, for the resurrection of the peoples of the earth. Not INFALLIBLE is this book, OAHSPE; but to teach mortals HOW TO ATTAIN TO HEAR THE CREATOR'S VOICE, and TO SEE HIS HEAVENS, in full consciousness, whilst still living on the earth; and to know of a truth the place and condition awaiting them after death. Neither are, nor were, the revelations within this OAHSPE wholly new to mortals. The same things have been revealed at the same time unto many, who live at remote distances from one another, but who were not in correspondence till afterwards. Because this light is thus comprehensive, embracing corporeal and spiritual things, it is called the beginning of the Kosmon Era. And because it relates to earth, sky, and spirit, it is called OAHSPE." The first thing to note in this remarkable utterance is that, at a certain stage of man's development what is called the "Beast" arose within him. This Beast is the Selfhood, the principle of evil, as opposed to the principle of good; the divine spark of Conscience. It is Paul's "Carnal mind," which is "not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." Why? Because God's Law is Love. The next point to note is how the Beast speedily brought discord and war into the life of man; and falsities in the shape of perverted truths, or false religions; and war in the name of religion became a sanctioned thing. If anyone doubts this, let him read the histories of the Crusades, which for 176 years devastated the world; Christians against Moslems; Moslems against Christians. Thus the world continued, and still is arming to the teeth; Nation against Nation. But, Oahspe declares that, in this Kosmon Era, this state of things is to be abolished. The Kosmon Era commenced about the year 1848, that memorable year of remarkable upheavals in the social and political worlds. In this year also occurred those "Rochester Knockings" which created such a furore, and may be called the commencement of what is termed "Modern Spiritualism." Since that time the "angels of heaven have descended to the earth, to man, and appeared before him face to face," as predicted. It is to this wonderful eruption of spirit forces that we may attribute the great changes in religious ideas, and the general desire to enter into peaceful relations that is to be observed in ever increasing ratio since 1848. It must also be observed that, in this opening chapter of the book, as throughout the whole of it war is made a sort of test of falsity in religion, for it is the direct consequence of the rule of the Beast, instead of the rule of Love. The Christian Religion, if we may accept the histories as we have them in the Synoptics, was heralded by the angel song of "Peace on earth, and goodwill towards men." Jesus of Nazareth, according to the same authority, said: "Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God," and, "If a man smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other also," and again, "agree with thine adversary quickly, whilst thou art in the way with him." The whole spirit of the ostensible founder of Christian Religion, is Peace. If then war be an attribute of a false religion, how can Christianity as a system set up a claim for truth? The whole of the Christian World is at the present moment engaged in the invention of the deadliest engines of destruction the world has ever seen, each one vying with the other for supremacy. Oahspe makes no special attack on Christianity. It is simply grouped with three other great systems as one of a class of false religions, having certain qualities in common. Instead, then, of ignoring or ridiculing the (statement, it should be calmly investigated with the view of arriving at truth; for the truth concerns us all, whatever be our creed. At the beginning of this paper it was said that, probably, a substratum of truth ran through all these false systems of religion, and it is a matter of deep interest to try and discover what that truth is. It must be simple, because it must be universal. Throughout the ages from time to time have ever been given heaven-sent messengers for the purpose of guiding poor humanity, and opening its expanding intelligence to a perception of spiritual things. Such heaven-sent messengers were Zarathustra (Zoroaster), Abram, Moses, Jesus and others; whose mission was to put truth, philosophy and ethics into the world in a manner suited to the genius and character of the peoples to whom they were sent. A study of the teachings of these Lights will reveal the fact that, the essential teaching has always been. The oneness of Jehovih, His Fatherhood and the Brotherhood of Man. This is simple and universal. A child can understand it. It embraces the whole of a true religion. They are the basic truths in all religions, though smothered and stifled by the conceits of men. False Gods and False Heavens. To the Christian mind accustomed to the idea of one God (the Supreme), and one heaven (the highest), the above heading will appear paradoxical; but it is not really so. The idea of a false God implies the idea of a false heaven where he rules. Swedenborg talks of "false heavens," and explains the paradox by saying that, from all cults there are continually passing into the spiritual world hosts of spirits, who are right in their genuine goodness of life, but wrong in their intellectual conceptions about their religion. All such pass into a heaven of their own, and are happy; but it is not a true heaven, for to constitute a true heaven, the spirits inhabiting it must be right in their goodness, and right in their intellectual conceptions of truth. In other words, the love and the intelligence must be conjoined. Love and Will must harmonise with Wisdom and Truth. Swedenborg further states that all these spirits are visited by spirits from true heavens, and are instructed. Many who have open and receptive minds soon receive the truths presented, abandon their false ideas, and pass into higher heavens; others, who are bigoted in their beliefs, cannot be touched for a time, and just remain where they were until they can receive truth; it may be for centuries, but all must eventually be brought into harmony. This presentation of a false heaven is conceivable-- we have in the religious communities of earth something quite analogous. Oahspe presents a somewhat different idea. Though Swedenborg's definition may still apply, the origin of the false heavens seems to have been false Gods who set themselves up as being the Infinite Creator, Jehovih, which, of course, they were not; having been themselves at one time mortal. Thus we have histories of four false Gods presented--Ennochissa, Kabalactes, Thoth, and Looeamong, being respectively the inspirers of the four false systems of Brahminism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Mohammedanism; and the Rulers in the false heavens of the earth. It is Looeamong as the falsifier of, or rather, inventor of, the theological system called Christianity with whom we shall have to do in these papers, because this system, which is lauded as the only true system, has overrun the western world, and affects ourselves most nearly. It is noteworthy that three of these false Gods were Triunes, and entered into a confederacy in opposition to Jehovih. As a matter of course, they all came to grief; have been brought to judgment and sentenced, but we cannot at present enter into this. It is the intention first to try and show how Oahspe explains the origin of the system under which we live, and in what its falsity consists. It is the common belief that Christianity, as we have it now, commenced with Jesus of Nazareth in Palestine. This is a great error. It commenced under Emperor Constantine and the Council of Nice in A.D. 325. If we search the pure and simple teachings of Jesus, we cannot find anything of the complex theological doctrines propounded by the Christian Church. The whole of his religion is summed up in the utterance: "Thou shalt love the Lord, thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself," and as though to emphasise the complete sufficiency of this, he added: "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." This teaching is in perfect accord with that of Zarathustra, Moses, and other heaven-sent messengers of previous ages; but where in all these can we find anything about Three Gods in One, and One in Three, and Vicarious Sacrifice? Jesus never taught it. It came into our theological system with Constantine and the Council of Nice, and as will be presently seen from Oahspe, under the inspiration of the false God Looeamong, who had assumed the name or title of KRISTE, which means ALL Knowledge. In this was his sin and falsity; he claimed an attribute which belongs to Jehovih alone-- Omniscience. In the consideration of this subject of false Gods and false heavens, the suggestion occurs, as to why the Infinite Over Ruler of all permits these high and powerful spirits to go wrong. The answer to the query would seem to be in the fact that the Infinite Father, Jehovih, has placed all His intelligent creatures, man and spirit-man, however much advanced, in PERFECT FREEDOM. Hence, occasionally, advanced spirits, being led by a spirit of Selfhood, go astray; for perfection can be predicated for Jehovih alone. A little thought will show that this absolute freedom is an essential for progression. Looeamong erred. He had to run his course, make miserable failure, be brought to judgment and sentenced --as with all of us. In illustration, the Book of the wars against Jehovih has the following: Chapt. XVII.:--"God the Ruler of the heavens of the earth, thus bewailed because of falsity in his kingdom--"Great Jehovih, how have I failed in Thy Kingdom. Behold, Thou gavest into my keeping the earth and her heavens, and they have gone astray!" 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. 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." This question of all being placed in perfect liberty cannot be too strongly impressed, because it gives the key to the unlocking of what seems otherwise inexplicable. "Hearken to the wisdom of your Creator, My sons and daughters. Wherein have I not given liberty to all people? He that doeth a right, wherein is he not free? He that doeth a wrong, wherein hath he liberty? Whoever endeavoureth to surpass himself, have I not shown him his limit? I created man at zero, but for him to add to himself forever. Liberty I gave him to add only that which perfecteth his own soul. Wherefore, if he eat poison, it taketh from him his body which I gave. Herein made I a boundary, both on earth and in heaven, which is to say, inasmuch as a man accumulateth virtue wisdom, patience, love, truth, and pure words, he is free; because in so doing, he followeth Me in My works. But he that seeketh to glorify himself in his possessions bindeth himself; because he is unlike Me, for I gave ALL, and thus made the universe. Two states, therefore, have I created open to all men, both on earth and in Atmospherea, which are liberty and bondage. And man I made to choose that which he will; but that he might not err, behold, I send My emancipated angels to explain these things beforehand." (Oah., page 102, I to 3.) Again:--"Liberty, first of all, unto all people; then discipline and harmony, and then the improvement of all the talents I created with all." (Oah., 730, 11.) Jehovih hath said:--"Even to them that choose darkness and evil have I given liberty also; for they shall learn by experience, in time to come, that all these guides and leaders, be they kings, or gods, or lords, or saviours, are but snares from whom soon or late, they must turn in order to rise out of the hells they have built for others. For, because they put Me afar off, or denied My Person, or called Me void like the wind, I cut them not off; but they cut themselves off from Me, and thus fell into torments. For I am as near to the corporean (man of flesh) as to the es'sean (spirit-man): let them disown their kings and gods, and whomsoever hath a kingdom to glorify; and they shall espouse Me, for I am ever present. For this, all people shall do, either on earth or in heaven. My kingdoms are not by violence or by war, but by liberty to every soul; and whoso practiseth peace and love and liberty unto others, are My chosen. They are on the way to everlasting resurrection."` (Oah., 453, 9, 10.) Jehovih saith:--"Because I gave thee liberty, thou art responsible for all thou art, and for all thou makest thyself, and for all that shall come of thee, and for thy peace and happiness, both in this world and the next." These passages, if carefully studied, show that perfect liberty for all is the Infinite Father's Order; that it is a necessary element in the spiritual progression of His creature man, and that it imposes a responsibility on him that he cannot escape. Moreover, it offers a sufficient explanation of why both men and gods go wrong whenever, in their freedom, they listen to the inherent devil of Self. Jesus of Nazareth. It is thought and said by many that Oahspe wants to "get rid" of the Christ. If Jesus of Nazareth be the Christ this is a false assertion, because, in its pages we have a fuller account of John or Jesus than we get in our New Testament. There is nothing, indeed, about an immaculate conception, but there is an interesting account of how Jesus was specially fitted, by spirit power and control, for a special work; that work being the restoration of the old truths formerly given to the Israelites, and which had become partially lost, or at least, perverted and falsified. It will be best to make a somewhat lengthy quotation in elucidation of this very interesting subject; premising only the following note of explanation to enable the reader to understand what is said. In the spiritual or etheric worlds there are, it would seem, a class of angels or spirits whose special business it is to supervise, order, and arrange the generation of men upon earth, probably, for the purpose of continually improving or evolving higher grades of the race. Occasionally when a heaven-sent messenger is needed upon earth, these angels are commissioned to raise a man who is fitted to hear the Voice; that is a sensitive with what we to- day call remarkable mediumistic powers, and which Oahspe calls "Su'is," and "Sar'gis," that is clairvoyance, clairaudience, and materialisation of spirit form. (Oah., Book of Eskra, Chap., XLII.) "God, Jehovih's son, was wise above all these trials, for he had the light of Jehovih's kingdoms with him. And it will be shown, presently, how much farther ahead are the plans laid out by Jehovih's sons, than by his enemies. Because Pharaoh persecuted the Israelites, Moses put a curse upon Pharaoh. Now, after hundreds of years in the lower heavens, behold, Pharaoh was cast into hell, and then into chaos, and none but Moses could deliver him, as hath been previously described. So, Moses descended from the higher heavens and delivered Pharaoh, and he provided Pharaoh a new name, Illaes, and sent him back to the earth to labour with the Israelites, in order to fulfil his shortness in righteous works. Illaes, therefore, became a willing volunteer, and many angels with him. And these angels inspired seven hundred Israelites to separate themselves from all other people, and to go and live by direction of the angels of Jehovih. Moreover, the angels inspired these people to call themselves Es'eans (Essenes) as commanded by Moses in heaven. These Es'eans were, therefore, a separate people, pledged to Jehovih, to have no king nor earth ruler, save their rab'bahs (heads of communities). And they dwelt in communities and families of tens and twenties and hundreds, holding all things in common. But in marriage they were monogamic: neither would they have more than one suit of clothes each; and they lived on fruit and herbs only; nor ate they fish nor flesh of anything that had ever breathed the breath of life. And they bathed every morning at sunrise, and worshipped before the altar of Jehovih, doing, in all things, after the manner of the ancient Faithists. By virtue of the angel hosts, who were with them, did they these things. And they held communion with the angels of heaven every night before going to sleep. Illaes had said: Because I persecuted the Faithists, and raised up my hands against them and against Jehovih, I was instrumental, in part, for their fall. Now will I labour with them, to re-establish them in purity and love. And he so laboured. And Illaes and his angel hosts made the camps of Es'eans their dwelling places, watching over these few Israelites day and night for hundreds of years. Yea, without leaving them, these faithful angels guarded them from all the warring hosts of angels belonging to the armies of Baal and Ashtaroth and to the Triune God, Looeamong, and his hosts. And, though the Es'eans lived in great purity of body and soul, yet they were evilly slandered by the world's people around about them on every side. But Jehovih prospered the seed of the Es'eans in holiness and love for many generations. Then came Gafonaya, chief of the Loo'is, according to the command of God, to raise up an heir to the voice of Jehovih. And in four generations more an heir was born and named Joshu (Jesus in Greek), and he was the child of Joseph and his wife, Mara, devout worshippers of Jehovih, who stood aloof from all other people, save the Es'eans. And, because of the extreme youth of Mara, the child was of doubtful sex, whereupon the rab'bahs said the child was an iesu, signifying neutral. The time of the birth of the child was three days after the descent of a heavenly ship from the Throne of God. And many of the Es'eans looked up and beheld the star, and they felt the cold wind of the higher heavens fall upon the place and around about the tent, where the child was born. And they said, one to another; "Jehovih remembers us." Gafonaya, the chief angel of the Loo'is, knew beforehand what the birth would be, and he sent out around about the Es'ean encampments extra guardian angels: and these notified the descending hosts of heaven of what was near at hand. So the messengers from heaven tarried until after the child was born, acquainting Illaes of the time ahead when Moses and Elias, with their hosts, would come to complete the deliverance of the spirits of the Eguptians, whom Moses had colonised in atmospherea (heavens of the earth). Illaes said:--"Thank Jehovih, I shall once more look upon Moses' face." When the birth was completed, the angels of heaven re-entered their star-ship and hastened back to Paradise--God's heavenly seat. When Joshu was grown up, and ready for his labour, God provided a host of one hundred million angels to make a line of light from his Holy Council down to the earth; and they so made it. And God provided a guardian host of two thousand million angels to protect the line of communication; for it was war times in heaven and earth. Then came Moses from his etherean realms, accompanied by Elias and a sufficient host; and he came to Paradise, to God on the Throne, where due preparation had been made for them. For the heavenly kingdoms of God were stirred from centre to circumference, when it was heralded abroad that Moses and Elias were coming. And Paradise was like a new heavenly city, being acceded by an influx of more than a thousand million visitors for the occasion. And heralds and receivers and marshals and musicians extended every way. A whole book might be written on the glory of the occasion, when that etherean ship descended from the higher heavens. Suffice it, Moses was received according to the custom of gods. And God said to Moses and Elias: "Come ye, and honour my throne; and I will proclaim a file before the throne, to be followed by two days' recreation." Then Moses and Elias went up and sat on the Throne of God. And God proclaimed the file; whereupon hundreds of millions, thousands of millions, filed past the Throne of God, that they might look upon Moses' face. And Moses stood up before them. Moses said:--"I remember standing on the earth whilst the hosts that came out of Egupt passed before me! Great Jehovih, what symbols of things Thou givest. And ever with a new thrill of joy to the soul. O Thou Almighty!" That was all he said; but so great was the love and glory in his face as he stood on the Throne of God that every soul that passed said:--"Moses, blessed son of Jehovih!" And God granted two days' recreation, during which time the ethereans mingled with the atmosphereans in great delight. After that, Moses with his hosts went to Elaban, his colony of Eguptians who were now raised high in the grades. And Moses had them removed to Aroqu, where they were duly prepared and adorned as Brides and Bridegrooms of Jehovih.  And after suitable preparation, Moses provided for their ascent to the Nirvanian fields of Mesopotamia, in etherea, sending them in charge of his own hosts. After that, Moses and his remaining hosts descended to the earth, to Kanna'yan (Canaan), to the tribes of Es'eans, which had been raised up by Illaes (Pharaoh). And great was the meeting betwixt Illaes and Moses. The former broke down with emotion. He said:--"All praise to Thee, Jehovih! Thou hast remembered me at last." Moses came to him, and said:--"I have come for thee, Nu'ghan! I have a place prepared for thee and thy hosts in my etherean kingdoms! Thou hast done well! Then Moses and his hosts drew their otevan (ship) down to the angel camp, which was near the camp of the mortals, the Es'eans, and they made the light to fall upon the boat; and it came to pass that many of the Es'eans looked up and beheld the otevan, calling it a chariot. And Moses and Elias went and stood before Joshu, and he saw them. Moses said unto him:--"My son! my son! the light of Eloih (Jehovih) is upon thee. Israel, through thee shall regain the All One, which was lost. Thereupon, Moses and his hosts, together with Illaes and his hosts, went into the otevan, and immediately took course for Paradise, God's heavenly seat, where they arrived in due season. And after three days, they again entered the fireship, and took course for Moses' etherean realms. Jesus of Nazareth. (No. 2.) It will be well, at this stage, if the reader will bear in mind that the interesting narrative of the events given in the last quotation from Oahspe, as having occurred on the earth and in the heavens of the earth, at the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, was given upon a typewriter through the hands of John Ballou Newbrough, and without any knowledge on his part of what was being written; also that the matter given claims to be a transcript from the libraries in the heavens. From its very nature this account must have transcended the knowledge of the medium. We might, then, reasonably conclude the communication to be approximately true; unless, we fall back upon the assumption that a band of high-grade spirits descended to earth for no other purpose than to amuse themselves by deluding their poor ignorant brethren in the flesh. This would surely be the reductio ad absurdum, for the whole ethical and spiritual teaching of the book forbids such an assumption. This remark is made because in the quotation that must follow, the whole truth or falsity of the doctrinal system of our common Christianity is involved. It. therefore, becomes a question of accepting or rejecting what Oahspe has to say about Jesus of Nazareth. There are some, even to-day, who will be ready to believe that the Devil has transformed himself into an "angel of light." and that the remarkable book we are studying is his particular effort to overthrow a creedal cult, which is but one amongst many other cults with claims equally as good in the eyes of their devotees. But, in view of the sublime teachings of the book, such an idea could have no place in the minds of intelligent people. We venture to think the idea may be wholly dismissed. Two or three interesting points in the last quotation may be noted:--"It gives an account of the formation and the naming of the Jewish sect called "Essenes," and shows that Jesus of Nazareth was both a Communist and Faithist, which there is every reason for thinking his earliest followers were also. It shows that, although there is not the slightest suggestion of immaculate conception, nor of an incarnated Jehovih, there was yet a special preparation in the spiritual world whereby Jesus was fitted for special work, and it shows what that special work was, for in the apparitional interview with Moses and Elias, the former addressed him thus:-- "My son! my son! The light of Eloih is upon thee. Israel, through thee, shall regain the all one, which was lost." This is definite, the mission of Jesus was to restore the ancient Faith to Israel. Not to be a propitiation for the sins of the whole world. We now proceed to show what Jesus taught, in the following quotation, which agrees largely with the sermon on the Mount as recorded in Matthew:--  "God said (not Jehovih):--'These were my doctrines, as I taught through Joshu (Jesus):-- Thou shalt keep the Ten Commandments of Moses. Thou shalt not engage in war, nor abet war. Thou shalt eat no flesh of any animal, or fish, or bird, or fowl, or creeping thing which Jehovih created alive. Thou shalt dwell in families (communities --Ed.), after the manner of the ancient Israelites, who held all things in common. Thou shalt have no king nor queen, nor bow down in worship to any, save thy Creator. Thou shalt not call on the name of angels to worship them, nor to counsel with them on the affairs of earth. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, and do unto thy fellow man as thou would'st have him do unto thee. Thou shalt return good for evil, and pity to them that sin. It hath been said:--"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth; but I say, return good for evil. If a man smite thee on one cheek, turn the other unto him also. The man shall have but one wife, and the woman but one husband. As the children honour the father, so will the family be blessed with peace and plenty. Remember, that all things are of Jehovih, and ye are His servants, to help one another. And as much as ye do these services to one another, so serve ye Jehovih. Behold only the virtues and wisdom in thy neighbour; his faults thou shalt not discover. His matters are with his Creator. Call not on the name of any God or Lord in worship; but worship Jehovih only. And when thou prayest, let it be after this manner:--Jehovih, who rulest in heaven and earth, hallowed be Thy Name, and reverent amongst men. Sufficient unto me is my bread, and as much as I forgive those that trespass against me, so make Thou me steadfast, to shun temptation, for all honour and glory are Thine, worlds without end. Amen! To visit the sick and distressed, the helpless and blind, and to relieve them; to provide for the widow and orphan, and keep thyself unspotted before men: these are the way of redemption. Thou shalt take no part in the government of men, but observe the will of Jehovih, being obedient unto all governments for His sake. All men are the children of ONE Father, who is Jehovih; and whosoever chooseth Him, and keepeth His commandments, is His chosen. To preserve the seed of His chosen, thou shalt not wed but with the chosen. Contend not with any man for opinion's sake, nor for any earthly thing. And let thy speech be for other's joy; or open not thy mouth, if thy words will give pain. Therefore, be considerate of thy speech; teaching others by gentleness and love, to be respectful toward all men. Preserve the sacred days of the rab'bahs; and the rites and ceremonies of emeth-achavah (the brotherhood of Faithists). For three years Joshu travelled amongst the Israelites preaching, and restoring the ancient doctrines. And there were gathered in groups, of tens, twenties and fifties, more than two thousand Israelites, of the ancient order of Moses, who became steadfast followers of the teachings of Joshu. But, because of persecutions, by the apostate Jews, they kept themselves aloof from the world, having signs and passwords whereby they knew one another. First, the God, Baal, and after him, Thoth, inspired the kings and rulers against these Faithists. And they proved them by commanding them to eat flesh, even swine's flesh, the which, if they refused, was testimony sufficient before the laws, to convict them of being enemies against the Gods. So, they were scourged, and put to death, whenever found." Here the narrative returns to the history of Jesus, and it becomes necessary to particularly note it, because on the truth or otherwise of the statement depends the truth or falsity of the current Christian theological system:-- "Now, it came to pass, that Joshu went into Jerusalem to preach, and in not many days thereafter he was accused of preaching Jehovih. And he was arrested, and whilst being carried to prison, he said: `Ye are hypocrites and blasphemers! Ye practise none of the commandments, but all the evils of Satan. Behold, the temple shall be rent in twain, and ye shall become vagabonds on the earth.' At that the multitude cast stones upon him, and killed him! And Jehovih sent a chariot of fire and bore his soul to Paradise." There is but one comment possible here. If the above transcript from the libraries of the heavens is true, then, Jesus of Nazareth was not crucified on Calvary, nor can he be the same as the Christ of the Christian system. Oahspe distinctly shows that he was not, but that his life and teachings became mixed up with that of the God-man or Man-God of Christianity. Jesus of Nazareth. (No. 3.) That Jesus was stoned to death in Jerusalem, is a staggering blow to all who have accepted the history of the crucifixion, as given in the Gospels; but coming from such a source as it does, it ought not to be dismissed without some consideration, given in the light of history, common sense and present-day facts which may affect or thrown light upon the question. We propose to offer a few thoughts. That Jesus was stoned to death in Jerusalem seems to be far more probable than death by crucifixion. Stoning to death is exactly what a fanatical mob would do in those times when their fanaticism was assailed; it is exactly what they did with Stephen, the Martyr, under similar circumstances. See Acts, Chap. vii. But more it is recorded in John viii., ver, 59, that they actually did take up stones to kill Jesus, but he evaded the catastrophe by what would be called a miracle. The verse reads: -- "Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by." This is a very singular statement, and suggests two thoughts; one is as to whether or not they did really kill him, but it did not suit the compilers of the Scriptures in Constantine's time to avow the fact, and so they thought to get rid of it by declaring a miracle of deliverance, and the other is that, if Jesus escaped death by stoning through rendering himself invisible, for that is the inference, why should he not have escaped death by crucifixion in a similar manner? In this connexion, it will be shown later how the canon of Scripture was settled. Another point as to the improbability of Jesus having been crucified as narrated in our Gospels is the fact that it was contrary to Roman Law to put any to death on account of their religion; nor would the Roman Governor have had power to authorise such an execution without first submitting it to the Roman Emperor for his final decision. If we consider that, at the period of history with which we are dealing, the Romans were busily engaged [... excerpt truncated; full document held on file, contact an admin for the complete text ...]