1. AND God appointed in heaven angel surveyors, to survey the earth and atmospherea; and astronomers, to note the place of the stars; and enumerators, to number the inhabitants of the earth and atmospherea, to grade them and apportion their places; and nurses and physicians, to receive the es'yans and administer unto them; and builders of heavenly mansions; and weavers of fabrics for covering the newborn, the es'yans; and builders of heavenly ships for carrying the inhabitants from place to place. And God appointed unto all of these, officers and teachers, according to grade appointed he them.
2. And when God had completed his appointments, the people were apportioned in heaven every one to his place, to begin the work allotted to them. And God called the asaphs, and he said unto them:
3. Go ye down to the earth, and bring to me the first fruit of the resurrection.
4. And the asaphs said: Thy will is our will, but what meanest thou by the first fruit of the first resurrection?
5. God said: The spirits of the dead. The asaphs said: The spirits of the dead. Who are they?
6. God said: When a corporean cometh forth out of his corporeal body, this shall be called DEATH.
7. The asaphs said: Who then are the spirits of death? And God answered them, saying: O ye that died in infancy, how can ye learn corporeal things! Go ye then to my Lord, Whaga, and he will show you.
8. The asaphs departed and went down to the earth, and the Lord, through the ashars, delivered unto the asaphs five hundred es'yans, and they brought them to Hored, before the throne of God. And God said unto them: Who are these?
9. The asaphs said: These are the first fruit of the first resurrection. Behold, we know now the beginning and the end of corporeality; the earth body of these es'yans was but a womb from which they are now delivered.
10. God said: Well done. Take ye these es'yans and feed and clothe them, for this is your labor.
11. The asaphs answered: Alas, we have tried them with all manner of food on which we ourselves subsist, but they will not eat.
12. God said: Alas, O ye innocents! Ye feed on ethereal food; these es'yans must have atmospherean food, even as corporeans subsist on corporeal food. Go, then, fulfill this first resurrection; for as much as ye deliver them, so will ye be delivered in time to come.
13. The asaphs then departed, taking the es'yans with them. But in course of time they returned again to God, saying:
14. Behold, O God, we have gathered of the atmosphere of trees of all kinds, and of seeds and plants that grow on the earth, all most beautiful to our senses, and savory to the smell, and we gave these to the es'yans, but lo, they will not eat. Being alarmed, we again hastened to thee for information.
15. God said: O ye of little wisdom, knowing so much of heaven and so little of earth. Go ye back to the place whence ye brought these es'yans, and learn what manner of food they subsisted on.
16. The asaphs went back with all haste to learn in reference to the food. And in due time they came again before God, saluting, saying:
17. What shall we do, O God? Behold, these es'yans, whilst in the corporeal form feasted on fish and worms. How can we bring them the atmospherean part of these things?
18. God said: Even the last time ye were present ye said ye had gathered of the atmospherean part of trees, and seeds and plants growing out of the earth. Why, then, cannot ye gather of the atmospherean part of fish and worms?
19. The asaphs said: Alas, this difference have we observed: The trees, and plants and fruits emit delightful atmospheres, most nutritious to the spirit, but that which is emitted from the living fish and living worm is foul-smelling, being but the sweat and dead substance evaporating. What, then, shall we do?
20. God said: Go ye to the place where mortals kill fish and worms; and in the same time that mortals tear these things with their teeth, snatch from their hands and mouths the atmospherean parts of the food, and p. 20 give it to these es'yans. Remember, also, that little by little ye shall teach them to live on other kinds of food.
21. And as ye do by these es'yans, do ye also in after time to others, remembering that what men subsist on in corporeal life, is entailed on them in spirit for a space of time after entering atmospherea; and of like substance shall they be fed spiritually. The asaphs then departed.
22. On the third day thereafter, as above mentioned, the Voice of Jehovih came to God, saying:
23. My Son, behold what the asaphs have done in thy name thoughtlessly! They came to the fishery and did as thou badest, gathering food for the es'yans, and at their side stood the es'yans, saying: Why gather ye food for us? Behold, we are now strong in spirit; suffer us to gather for ourselves. And the asaphs said: It seemeth well; do as ye desire.
24. Thereupon, the es'yans went to the fishermen and fisherwomen, who were eating raw flesh, and the es'yans laid hold of the atmospherean part, and ate thereof a sufficiency. And then the asaphs said to them: Ye have feasted sufficiently; come ye away with us.
25. But lo, the es'yans engrafted themselves on the fishermen and fisherwomen, and would not depart. The asaphs, not knowing what to do, called on My name. Send thou, O God, quickly to them, those skilled in deliverance, that My es'yans be preserved unto everlasting life.
26. And God summoned those skilled in deliverance of engraftment, and despatched them hastily with messengers to the place of the fisheries.
27. Jehovih said: From the trees, the fruits, the flowers, the grains and seeds, and roots that grow in the ground, have I created a ceaseless harvest going upward into the atmosphere, which shall be the sustenance of the spirits of men newborn in heaven. But whosoever feasteth on flesh on earth, shall not find spiritual food in heaven, but he shall return to the butcheries and eating-houses where flesh is eaten, and he shall feast on the atmospherean part thereof, before it is rotten. Be ye guarded of them, lest they engraft themselves on mortals, feasting on their feasts, and so go down to destruction.
28. After many days the asaphs came before God, saying: The physicians severed such as were bound, and we brought them away. Shall this be our labor day and night, to lead these es'yans about, finding them clothes and food? This have we observed, the more we do for them, the less they do for themselves.
29. Jehovih spake through God, saying: A nurse I provided for the newborn, but when he is grown I command him to provide for himself that he may be a glory in My kingdoms. By charity alone ye cannot raise man up; but be diligent to teach him to try continually to raise himself, for herein lieth the glory of manhood.
30. The asaphs said: If we leave the es'yans alone, they will return again to the fisheries and fasten themselves upon mortals, doing nothing but eating.
31. God said: Near the fisheries, but in atmospherea, go ye and fashion a colony, and it shall be your colony in heaven. Thither take these es'yans, not showing them the way of the fisheries. In the colony put ye them to work, weaving and making clothes and otherwise producing; but go ye for the food at the fisheries, and bring sufficient every day, giving only to them who labor, or to invalids and helpless ones. By this ye shall inspire them to labor, which is the foundation of the growth of the spirit; and in course of time they will not only care for themselves, but join ye in helping others, which is the beginning of the second resurrection.
32. Behold, this lesson have ye learned: that according to the diet and the habit of mortals on earth, so must ye provide their spirits when first entered in heaven.
33. Choose ye, therefore, of your own people a sufficient number to make all things required in a delightful colony, whether it be food and clothing, or nurseries, or hospitals, or place of worship, or place of dancing, and receive ye as many es'yans as may be delivered from the earth, raising them up in industry, virtue, wisdom, mirth, love, benevolence and adoration, and this shall be a new heaven unto you all.
34. Ye are My chosen, and an example colony of all the kingdoms I shall build in My heaven. The time cometh when the whole atmosphere around about the earth shall be filled with countless millions of angels born out of the earth.
35. Be swift in your labor; the people spring up from the earth rapidly into heaven, and every colony ye now found shall, in time to come, be a great kingdom, requiring experienced workmen. Whosoever laboreth most efficiently for Jehovih, him will I promote to wider fields.
36. Ye are as one of the corner-stones of Seffas, and his house shall embrace atmospherea and the whole earth. Words are already taking root in the mouths of mortals; and for tens of thousands of years will war reign; might against might; darkness against darkness. Hundreds of millions will be slain in wars on the earth, and their souls be thrown into chaos. Even as ye beheld these spirits fastening on to mortals for food, so will spirits in chaos, millions of them, fasten themselves on the battlefields, still battling; or fasten themselves on mortals, obsessing them to madness and death.