Chapter 18
When the groups were prepared to visit Uz, Tae himself took charge of one dozen, going with them. As the incidents of these visiting groups were similar, the following account of Tae’s group suffices here:
Tae took them to the city of Meig, to the most fashionable hotels, and had them provided with every luxury, so-called.
He had only just provided for their accommodations, when they came to him, saying: Our rooms are small; the air of the city smells foul.
Tell us, what is the meaning of so many people strolling about in idleness? Why do they sit reading papers? Which are the masters, and which the servants? How do they know? Why do the servants not be masters, and have the others serve them? What beautiful wagons! What beautiful mirrors! What do the women have their clothes stuffed for? What are those bells ringing for? Are they in the temples of Jehovih? Take us there! What causes these disagreeable smells? See that old woman with a half naked babe, and leading that dirty child! Why does she hold out her hand as we pass? Is she a servant or a master? Why hasn’t someone told the rich, it is wrong to pass that poor woman by without helping her to a home? Why does she not come into our hotel, and have a room? What do the people mean about rights and privileges? Can one person in Uz have more rights and privileges than another? And why so?
What is that sour smell, down there, in that cellar, where they talk so loud? What is sour beer? Look, a man with a bloody face! Fighting? What with, a tiger? Are those the flesh-eaters? Why do they smoke? Why hasn’t someone told them they should instead seek to purify themselves, than to do the opposite? O, here is the temple of worship, take us in!
Tae took them in, and they heard the sermon, and afterward, they said:
O the mystery of mysteries! How can those things be? The Chief preached most excellently; he knows all the doctrines for right- doing; but why is it that his people do not heed him? Why does he not gather up little children, and raise them up to observe the commandments? He must be the best of men. Take us to see him.
Tae took them, but a servant met them at the gate, and demanded to know their business.
They answered: We have come to consult about the poor. Then the gatekeeper withdrew a while, but returned, saying: The preacher is not at home!
From an upper window, behind the lattices, they saw his face; not at home!
They said: Can these things be? O, take us to the poor; to the streets of misery! Let us see them.
Tae took them, and when they looked about, they asked: Why do the poor live in the dirty streets? Why do they not go away, and dwell in the beautiful places? Who gave these different allotments to the rich and poor? Why do the poor not clean themselves, and clean their clothes, and clean their houses? Why do the poor remain in the cities? And huddle together in such little rooms?
What is that large house? A theological college? What is that for? What is the meaning of, teaching religion? Can it be learned with words? What is the reason they do not live religion? Why hasn’t someone explained to the professors that religion is a thing of practice? Could they not understand? Why do they not love their neighbors as themselves? Dividing up what they have, with the poor? Why do these children go without shoes, and so ragged and dirty? Why do the professors and students in the theological college not go, and wash them and clothe them? ||
In that way, Tae took them among the fashion and splendor, and among the poverty and shame of Uz; showing them the banks and great merchant houses, and the fleets of ships; and then to the prisons and poorhouses, and to the houses for the insane, and to the hospitals.
Now, since their infancy up, many of them possessed su’is, and could see the spirits of the dead, even as they saw mortals. And they asked Tae about these spirits:
Who are these restless, sullen spirits, strolling about the banking houses?
Tae answered them: These were bankers; these were the founders of great banking houses. As they bound their minds and thoughts to earthly gain while they were mortal, so they drift now, even as they bound themselves on earth. They cannot leave.
Again, they asked: Tell us, then, what spirits are these strolling sulkily in merchant houses and on the docks?
Tae said: These were great merchants and their shipmasters; see how they also float into the places they bound themselves.
Tell us, then, who are these drunken, foul-smelling spirits in the saloons?
Tae said: These were tipplers, drunkards, gormandizers; these were their mortal resorts. They cannot depart.
And in that way, Tae explained the tens of thousands of spirits that huddled in the different places in the city of Meig, in the land of Uz.
Now at the end of the visit, Tae said to them: What will you do, remain in Uz, or return to Shalam?
And they answered: O, take us back; give us clear air to breathe; let us be where we can hear and see Jehovih!
But since you and your people gathered us up in Uz, and took us from here, let us go and gather up children also, and take them with us. We will raise them up in the light of our Father in heaven.
So, in fact, they did; and they returned to Shalam, taking with them a great number of homeless, abandoned and orphan children.