Chapter 16
When the time of recreation ended, Fragapatti ascended the throne of Jehovih, and signaled to the marshals to proclaim order and labor; and the vast multitude took their places at once; and in the same instant, the es’enaurs played music, with anthems, which, when finished, was the signal for heavenly business. Fragapatti said:
Again I am about to depart, and again I shall leave the God of Mouru, Athrava, with you. But Hoab, and those of his hosts as I may choose, shall go with me. For, according to the rank and glory of Gods, I must now deliver Hapacha and his kingdom of Ipseogee, raised up from Guatama.
So Fragapatti descended to the foot of the throne and sat down; and Athrava, God of dawn of Mouru, came down and took him by the hand, in ancient manner, and said: Behold, you have honored my throne, and the time of your departure is upon you. Arise, then, O God, and go your way.
And Fragapatti rose up and stood aside, and signaled for Hoab to go and be raised in the same manner; which he did, becoming wise in the behavior of Gods toward one another.
The marshals had lined up fifty thousand attendants, as well as ten thousand es’enaurs, and, at a signal from Fragapatti, marched forth out of the capital, followed by the hosts of Hoab and one hundred thousand ethereans.
And once they were beyond the lights of Mouru, behold, some of the hosts of Hoab rejoiced, because they were more pleased to be where there was less light. Yet there were seven hundred million of them who did not rejoice, but rather loved the light more.
Then Fragapatti said: It is well that not all are of one mind. The seven hundred million, who love the light more, shall be my traveling companions to Ipseogee. Because they are strong in light, I have work for them. But the others shall be taken back to Zeredho, where I will also come in due time.
And after they are settled in Zeredho, behold, I will send a God to them, and they shall found a new kingdom, in Jehovih’s name. Let all hands, therefore, enter the avalanza, following me.
At once the hosts entered the ship, and Fragapatti gave the word to be off, and they sped forth directly for Zeredho, led by swift messengers who well knew the nearest route and the lightest places. And the route taken was through the sea of Foo’witchah and the Oram of Haiti.
Hardly had they gotten under way, when the light of the upper heavens began to descend on Hoab, whose excitement, from the wondrous scenes, made him propitious to the change; and feeling the buoyancy of the light, he thus spoke, saying:
How could I forget You, O Jehovih? Or in observing your purposes, deny Your designs? How did I not see that at my quickening in my mother’s womb, I was the farthest from You? And yet, even then, Your breath was upon me!
And when You had fashioned me and bade me walk upright, You sent Your angels to me, saying: Behold, Your Creator lives. You are life of His Life; flesh of His Flesh He created you. And He gave you yourself in proof of Himself.
I was conceived in the earth; housed up in darkness; of Yourself built up; nor of myself was I anything under the sun.
And You created the honeybee, and bade him speak to me for my own benefit. He said: Behold me, O man! I am a worker. In a community I live with my brothers and sisters. I shut my eyes to things sour and bitter, and I store my house with sweet provender only. Soul of man, hear me! I am the voice of your Creator. Behold the harmony of my house, and the provision I make for my newborn!
And You created the ant, and bade him speak to me for my own benefit. He said: Behold me, O man! I am a worker. In a community I live with my brothers and sisters. Soul of man, hear me. I am the voice of your Creator. Behold the industry of my house, and the burdens we bear jointly into our stores.
And You created the spider, and bade him speak to me. He said: Behold me, O man! I am one with your Creator. I move by the spirit of things; I build my house by the geometrical figures of the unseen worlds. Do not think that I reason or take lessons from other spiders; I take no lessons; I move by the spirit within me, and it moves in concert with the spirit of things outside. Hear me, spirit of man! There are two ways to knowledge before you; one is by the soul of things, and one by reason. ||
And You continually held up before my eyes that the unseen ruled over the seen. Then I became vain before You, O Jehovih! I said: When I am dead, and born a spirit, then I will see the unseen, and cannot err anymore.
But lo, my folly in Your sight! When I was risen in spirit, I saw the spirit of things; but, alas, the soul lay still beyond. And to me the soul was now the unseen cause, and ruler over the spirit.
Again Your holy ones came from the etherean worlds, speaking to me, saying: And yet beyond the soul comes Nirvania.
Now I have seen Your crystal spheres, and Your matchless glories. Yes, I look into this sea of Foo’witchah, where I had often gazed before, seeing nothing then; but now, seeing ships laden with Gods and Goddesses from Your Nirvanian fields, moving in higher works and worlds.
And Your Fire stirs me to the soul, to expand to the mastery of these atmospherean heavens. O if I could express the hallowed glory You have bestowed upon me! O if only I could thank You for the happiness I have because You created me!
O that I could open up the souls of men to behold Your wondrous works, and the majesty of becoming one with You, You Almighty, Jehovih! O if they would hear me and believe! O if only they would not turn away from Light! O that they could learn to glorify You every day, for the little Light and little joy they receive! How like Gods and Goddesses they would become in Your kingdoms.
But they harbor discontent; they discourse on the little they have received from You. Like the cankerworm, that grows to devour, they feed their sorrows by recounting them over and over. For pain they cry out; and for disappointment they weep. Yes, they feed their own darkness with darkness, and in the end forget You, You All Light!
Hoab ceased, but gazed at the coursing ships in the atmospherean heavens; in a little while Fragapatti said:
Behold Your wisdom, O Jehovih! Those whom You would make strong, You have made to feel adversity’s sting. For the emergencies that lie ahead, You plan Your Gods to run near the cliff’s edge where millions perish.
Who can attain to know Your wisdom, O Jehovih! Who can comprehend the trillions of Your Sons and Daughters! And yet You know every one, and carry them by a breath, so gently they do not feel You, or know You. To a very hair’s breadth You take them; and in the time of desperation, Your hand comes to the rescue of the righteous.
Man says: Now I will fortify myself with riches and houses, and all manner of possessions; adversity shall not come upon me; I have more faith in my possessions than in Jehovih. Mine is a kingdom I can see; but Jehovih is far off. ||
But You are suffering him, in his vanity, to go away from You for a season. Sooner or later You bring him in with a short turn; either on earth or in heaven. And he goes down as an example to hundreds and thousands that envied him.
You have set up the poor man in faith; he toils day and night; he is weary and sore; he cries out with hunger; his rags are a shame to him; but he remembers You, O Jehovih! In Your praise he sings a song in his soul every day. To do good to others is his great delight.
And afterward Your hand reaches down to him; his soul is like a giant. You have planned him for a very God in heaven!
The spark of faith that was in him, he nurtured, and it became like a mighty tree that did not fall before the blast. The good he received he exalted, and it fructified and grew as a harvest in rich soil; and he stood mighty in all places.
His songs are in Your praise, and they endure forever; his psalms are the voice of Your loves; and the multitude of Your people remember him, while all else are cut down and destroyed. Your work has a sure foundation; Your Wisdom stands before man’s wisdom; not one has found a failure in Your word, as it speaks to his own soul.
Your labor is from the subtle and unseen; Your footstool the cause of causes. But the vain man looks to Your object; he turns Your ways upside down; he makes the cart push the horse. And You suffer him to drink to the full of his own vanity; and when he runs himself into torments, You find a way to reach him and bring him home to You.
Great is his glory when he finds You; his voice becomes the love of Your loves forever! For You had shaped him as an example, and given him scope to run to his extreme, for his own glory. Yes, You had planned him to be one of Your great workers, who would not go down afterward.