Chapter 3
Osire spoke from the throne, saying: Proclaim it in the east and west, and north and south, there is a God in heaven! That which has transpired in Gau, go tell the false Gods and false Lords in hada, adding: Osire has come!
Messengers started out for every quarter of the world, inspired by the impetuous utterances of the commanding God. And so, half breathless, and in hastening speed, these young Gods and young Goddesses, the messengers, dropped in upon the Lordly defamers of holiness, and told the tale of the overturned Gau, where proud Utaya fell. And they, in manner and custom, inspired the false rulers to imagine an even worse calamity had occurred; and that much had been concealed out of deference to Utaya and other usurpers.
Osire called his Council and appointed new positions, with new officers, having nothing in common with all past administrations of the Gods of earth and heaven. So far, these appointments came from his etherean hosts, and, moved by the fire of his own energy, they quickly assumed their most honorable duties: some to build, some to survey and lay the course of streets, and places of habitations; and yet others to remove the old hospitals and nurseries, and make way for new ones, and for factories, and all requirements for the millions of souls now scattered, lost, or in dire confusion, currently struggling in the outside darkness.
From which arose a constant wail of fear and torment, strangely wild, compared to the glorious light spreading quickly from the rising pillars of fire around the throne of God. Osire’s hosts of fifty million, attuned to harmony and precision, were proceeding briskly with their labor, each one knowing his part and playing close to the text in every motion; and yet in number these were as nothing compared to the millions scattered in the gloomy darkness, wailing beyond the walls.
Here, a road! Osire would say; or, with his hand, command: An otevan to those hapless slaves! And, as if his thoughts had spoken to his hosts, his etherean workmen rushed to make his will omnipotent. There was no loss of time or space to inquire how the matter should be done; for heaven’s trained workmen have learned the power of concentrated effort, and the power of knowledge braced to a single point, by which the elements stoop to do their wills. To learn this simple harmony, FOR ALL TO BE AS ONE, how many countless millions must rise up from the earth, to be hurled back, discordant and powerless, before Jehovih’s Sons and Daughters!
Yes, and kings, queens and potentates (rulers), high strung in unwarranted conceit, are cast down to beg, beseechingly like a child. Like a furious lion is tamed, his giant power worthless before the hands of man, whose strength by knowledge triumphs; so do the ethereans from high heaven descend to humiliate first, and then to teach the false Gods and false Lords of hada.
Jehovih says: What more, O man, have I put upon you than to learn? And strewn your path with lessons rich in happiness! To learn the elements, and master them; this it is to be a God or Goddess. And where one man is weak, let two or more unite; a simple thing, by which even the stars of heaven can be turned from their course.
Jehovih says: Have I not said: The weakest king is he who has the most soldiers; and the strongest nation, where no soldiers are required. How, then, do the false Gods expect by evil deeds to fortify their thrones? Lo, My etherean hosts come unarmed, and by a breath blow away their mighty kingdoms. ||
And so it was in Gau; only one earth-day had come and gone since Utaya reigned over a hundred million slaves, who daily brought up tribute from the earth, to ornament this crown-like city; and now the dawn of another world stood supreme in the demolished kingdom.
What greater pity is there than to see the former slaves still loyal to their deposed master, here Utaya, coming to him in his banishment, fifty million swearing terrible oaths of fidelity to him forever; a most pitiful sight. For the Great Spirit created man capable of such, even to wed himself to misery, for zeal, in ignorance, to prove a most foolish love. And were it not for Utaya’s guardians, his very slaves would have smothered him, in desperate effort to manifest fidelity.
Then Yesta spoke to him, saying: Raise your voice against this unseemly crowd, and be commander still, at least to save yourself. Remember how Jehovih gives this lesson to mortals, to say to evil: Away! For lo, to allow first one and then another to fasten upon one’s self, is as great a crime as a debauched passion unchecked. Order them to go! For love of self, which is your gift from Great Jehovih, be yourself! It will better them also!
Utaya, struggling, said: Alas, fair angel! These were my slaves! The hardest blow of all is their acknowledged love. The fire of the throne of Osire was tame compared to this. For hundreds of years, I gave these creatures pangs and wretchedness, and now they give me love. Poor idiots! I cannot drive them away!
And so, sobbing, Utaya bowed his head, for such sudden great truths turned all his judgment into the darkness of his past deeds and wickedness, even while, crowding close on every side, the fifty million kept up their ceaseless assurances of endless love. Nor was there any way open to escape from their ignorant jargon and foul breath. So, when Yesta saw how helplessly Utaya had given up, she raised her hand, saying: What shall I do, O Jehovih?
Upon which, the Light descended, and Jehovih spoke through Yesta, saying: Flesh of My flesh I created man; from My Own Spirit I gave man a spirit also; and to all men alike I gave all things in My worlds. But some men are not content with what I gave, but ask for more, even that they may have their fellows for subjects. To these I have given in answer to their prayers. Behold, then, O man, why do you seek to put away today even that, which a day before, you did pray for? They are as good today as yesterday.
You have said: Man can make himself whatever he will! So, your Creator is worthless to you. If you do not desire to carry their love, which is the lightest of all burdens, how did you carry their hate for so long? Nevertheless, if you desire, you can put them away: They are yours; do as you will.
Utaya said: How can I put them away? I cannot reason with fifty million! No, before I persuaded twenty, the first ones, so ignorant, would forget what I said. Tell me, then, O Goddess, what shall I do to free myself from this great multitude?
Yesta said: Do not call on me, but on your Creator; and not to be freed for your own good, but for wisdom to do some good to them over whom you have long been a remorseless tyrant. These are a small curse to you, compared to your own judgment, for from yourself you can never flee. You shall undo your selfish deeds, which you have practiced for so long. So, turn at once, and make oath to Him Who made you, that from this time forward you will do good to others with all your wisdom and strength.
Utaya said: Alas, your words are wise and holy, but I have no faith! I have no faith!
Yesta said: Do not say this! Your words are another bondage on your soul. To say, I have no faith, is to imprison yourself away from All Light. Come, quickly, or lo, I leave you; for if you do not profess faith, why should I labor any more with you? Say: I have faith in You, O Jehovih! I can, I will, raise up these I have cast down. || Utaya wept, and answered: O if only I had faith like yours! But for long years I taught myself that prayer to Jehovih was not required of one as great and strong as I. Alas, I smothered out the fire. And, amid his sobs, Utaya fell prostrate at Yesta’s feet.
Quickly, now, she raised her slender hand toward high heaven, saying: O Jehovih, by Your power vested in me, I here encircle this, Your prostrate child, with adamantine light! Down from above came phosphorescent flames of light, with which Yesta drew a circle around her small group, at which the multitude stood back and looked on in wonder and fear. But the surging mass beyond pressed forward, shouting: Utaya! Utaya!
Little by little, Yesta extended the light, and her assistants put up a structure to guard the place, so that in a little while it was like a miniature throne in heaven. Yesta then assumed the power, and so, took command, placing helpless Utaya by her side. Meanwhile, her assistants sped through the multitude, making roadways, and selecting out the most intelligent of the former slaves, and making guards of them.
Yesta said to Utaya: Now I will give you a lesson in righteousness; for you shall educate and develop all this host, your former slaves, to your own level, before you raise yourself the tiniest fraction. Do not think it is easy to assume to be a God or a Lord, or even a mortal king. Those who make servants of others must also raise them up to be angels of light. Heaven is just, as well as bountiful. To whom Jehovih has given bountifully, it is commanded he shall give bountifully. For hundreds of years you have had the service of these hapless creatures; so now you shall serve them by making them intelligent men and women. Yes, till the lowest of them are your equals, of whom you can be proud, and say before the Father: Behold, my sister! Behold, my brother! || you, Utaya, shall not be free!
Utaya said: I perceive your words are from the All Highest. This is justice! I perceive now that while I rated myself supreme judge of right and wrong, I judged with partiality to myself. Yes, without an All Highest, I perceive there can be no justice in heaven or earth. O You All Light, how can I approach You! I have been feeding myself with an endless poison; my darkness was my fortress. || Teach me the way, O angel of Light! Whatever Jehovih wills, that I will do, from this time onward, with all my wisdom and strength.
So Yesta restored order, and divided the multitude into many parts, and sent officers among them to select and assort them, so that, as soon as Osire would decree asylums and schools for them, they could be taken to them.