ner and beating the ground with the
soles of their feet, and said, "They may thus by their feet make holes
in the floor." At this the angel smiled and said, "They appear to stand
in this manner, because they never think on any subject that it is so,
but only whether it is so, and dispute about it; and when the thinking
principle proceeds no further than this, they appear only to tread and
trample on a single clod, and not to advance." Upon this I approached
the assembly, and lo! they appeared to me to be good-looking men and
well dressed; but the angels said, "This is their appearance when viewed
in their own light; but if light from heaven flows in, their faces are
changed, and so is their dress;" and so it came to pass: they then
appeared with dark faces, and dressed in black sackcloth; but when this
light was withdrawn, they appeared as before. I presently entered into
conversation with some of them, and said, "I heard the shout of a crowd
about you, '_O how learned!_' may I be allowed therefore to have a
little conversation with you on subjects of the highest learning?" they
replied, "Mention any subject, and we will give you satisfaction." I
then asked, "What must be the nature of that religion by which a man is
saved?" They said, "We will divide this subject into several parts; and
we cannot answer it until we have concluded on its subdivisions. The
first inquiry shall be, Whether religion be anything? the second,
Whether there be such a thing as salvation or not? the third, Whether
one religion be more efficacious than another? the fourth, Whether there
be a heaven and a hell? the fifth, Whether there be eternal life after
death?" besides many more inquiries. Then I desired to know their
opinion concerning the first article of inquiry, Whether religion be
anything? They began to discuss the subject with abundance of arguments,
whether there be any such thing as religion, and whether what is called
religion be anything? I requested them to refer it to the assembly, and
they did so; and the general answer was, that the proposition required
so much investigation that it could not be finished within the evening.
I then asked. "Can you finish it within the year?" and one of them said,
"Not within a hundred years:" so I observed, "In the mean while you are
without religion;" and he replied, "Shall it not be first demonstrated
whether there be such a thing as religion, and whether what is called
religion be anything? if t