The Great Gospel of John
Volume 8
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord and His adversaries
- Chapter 147 -
Snow and ice.
After a little while, the captain asked Raphael again: "Listen, our young, beautiful and highly honored friend, regarding the working of the electron, there just came something to my mind, and I gladly would like to hear from you briefly if the winter phenomena are also a result of the activity of the ether spirits, and how."
2
Thereupon Raphael said: "This is certainly so. In the winter - and more precisely in the regions of the Earth that are located more to the north of the Earth, and also in the lands, islands and seas that are located far to the south - the rays of the sun fall always slantly on the Earth, which is, like the atmospheric air around it, round like a globe. By that, the ether spirits near the poles in the northern and southern hemisphere will then be less disturbed in their rest by the rays of the sun, which clearly become weaker, and also much less than at the equator of the Earth, because the friction of the air that reaches unto the ether becomes less. By that, they become less active and are consequently exercising less influence.
3
As a result of such passiveness, also the air spirits themselves become less active and would finally also completely press upon one another without any movement, as if stiffened if in such parts of the Earth the inner earth spirits would not ascend in great numbers and disturb their rest. These in a certain way uninvited guests detect the present ether spirits in the air and begin mostly to flee toward the place where there are less earth spirits, and this happens in the direction of the equator of the Earth. At such occasions the volatile ether spirits force the air spirits that are similar to them to flee with them, and then for the feeling of men, animals and plants the ice-cold winds begin to blow, which are cold because of their much less activity, for only a raised and increased activity produces warmth.
4
When the impure spirits in the air of the Earth continue to increase in number, then by that, also mists and clouds will be formed and will show themselves as masses that become more and more dense, and these will be carried away and be firmly pushed together by the already described winds. By that, a battle is going on, by which the impure spirits in the form of ice will be thrown on the Earth and will therefore also be purified, and this happens often with great numbers at the same time. This is then also good and useful for the surface of the Earth, because the snow will fertilize the soil and its fertility will increase.
5
But I still can see a question in you, and this means that you as captain, driven by your thirst for knowledge, would still like to hear from me if the ice on rivers, lakes, ponds and also on the seas are also produced by these specific spirits.
6
Most certainly. By too little activity and their longing for rest they are pushed together even more tightly, in a certain way pressed together, without coming to any active movement. Thus, being combined with the air spirits, they become heavy, press upon the spirits of the water, which are by that also becoming completely passive, and this complete passiveness is now that which shows you the ice on the water. Thus, the less activity the spirits - that were now sufficiently explained to you - develop in themselves, the colder it will be in the regions where the spirits have too less opportunity for increased activity. That is why fast streaming rivers and brooks will freeze more difficultly in the winter than calm still waters, because those specific spirits within are forced to be more active than in the still water.
7
Look, men and also animals who are slow and passive are not perspiring by the warmth, and during a cold season not in the least, but men who are really active will, even in the winter, still not lack an inner natural warmth of life. Slowness in everything is in a certain way the death and the judgment of every being.
8
Therefore, urge your fellowmen to activity, because through activity, life will develop itself, through slowness however, the death. With this, I have now also given you in this respect a good and real light. Use it according to the truth, then it will bear good fruit to you."
9
Upon this, all of them thanked Raphael also for this lesson and praised the wisdom that he had, also in exposing and thoroughly and clearly expounding all phenomena in the natural world, which before no natural scientist could know or explain, not even approximately, according to the truth.
10
But these new disciples could still not form a correct idea about the outer form of the Earth, despite the wise words of Raphael.
11
That is why the captain said to Raphael: "I can visualize very well most of the things that you have taught us, because I understand how those spirits or those secret powers of nature are everywhere and how they work, but of the form of the Earth I still have not a correct idea. Could you not draw an image of its shape and capacity by which I could visualize it better?"
12
Raphael said: "My dear friend, with words this will absolutely not do, because even if I would describe to you the shape of the Earth 1 year long, then you still would not have a completely correct idea of it. But for you newcomers I will do something else to instruct you more clearly about the shape of the Earth. That is, if you want, to do the same as what I have done with you to explain the continuance of the life of the soul after the death of the body. In such an increased condition of vision of the soul you will be able to overlook the whole Earth for a few moments, and in this manner you will have a true idea of its shape.
13
We will however not need the third degree of vision of the inner condition of the soul, but only that of the second, and then you will oversee the Earth completely from the North- to the South Pole, just like it is, and when I will awaken you again from this ecstasy, I will also take care that you will continue to remember as clearly as possible what you have seen. So if you want this, I will also do it now."
14
They all said: "We ask you to do it for us."
15
But now, also the other Romans stood up and said: "Listen, although we have received from the Lord a wonderful explanation about the outer shape of the Earth, by which we were able to view it also, so that we know it very precisely from the North- to the South Pole and in its total scope, but we believe that it would also be useful to us if you would also bring us into ecstasy, together with the newcomers, so that we also could testify in all truth of what we have seen. If you think this is all right, then do this favor to us."
16
Raphael said: "Although it is no more necessary for you, but for the sake of a greater testimony I also can do this favor to you. Thus, prepare for it."