d praise to eternity; in consequence of a
belief they had entertained in the world that they should then see God,
and because the life of heaven, originating in the worship of God, is
called a perpetual sabbath. "Follow me," said the angel to them, "and I
will introduce you to your joy." So he led them into a little city, in
the middle of which was a temple, and where all the houses were said to
be consecrated chapels. In that city they observed a great concourse of
people flocking together from all parts of the neighboring country; and
among them a number of priests, who received and saluted them on their
arrival, and led them by the hand to the gates of the temple, and from
thence into some of the chapels around it, where they initiated them
into the perpetual worship of God; telling them that the city was one of
the courts leading to heaven, and that the temple was an entrance to a
most spacious and magnificent temple in heaven, where the angels glorify
God by prayers and praises to eternity. "It is ordained," said they,
"both here and in heaven, that you are first to enter into the temple,
and remain there for three days and three nights and after this
initiation you are to enter the houses of the city, which are so many
chapels consecrated by us to divine worship, and in every house join the
congregation in a communion of prayers, praises, and repetitions of holy
things; you are to take heed also that nothing but pious, holy, and
religious subjects enter into your thoughts, or make a part of your
conversation." After this the angel introduced his companions into the
temple, which they found filled and crowded with many persons, who on
earth had lived in exalted stations, and also with many of an inferior
class: guards were stationed at the doors to prevent any one from
departing until he had completed his stay of three days. Then said the
angel, "This is the second day since the present congregation entered
the temple: examine them, and you will see their manner of glorifying
God." On their examining them, they observed that most of them were fast
asleep, and that those who were awake were listless and yawning; many of
them, in consequence of the continual elevation of their thoughts to
God, without any attention to the inferior concerns of the body, seemed
to themselves, and thence also to others, as if their faces were
unconnected with their bodies; several again had a wild and raving look
with their eyes, because