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his Master side by side with the Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration. And in the vision of John the
Divine, they are again depicted as coming to revisit the earth in still later days.
" " " " " " " "
[I did not at all understand the allusion made to his return in later days when the communication was
written, November 2, 1873. It has only been lately that I have been led to refer it to the two witnesses
mentioned in Revelation xi. 3, etc. Nor should I have noticed this at all, but for a pamphlet on the
Apocalypse which some unknown friend sent to me. The pamphlet deals with these witnesses, and their
prophesyings, and came to me most opportunely to elucidate what I could not undestand.
I asked some questions at the time, and, among others, whether there were not some before
Melchizedek who were recipients of Divine inspiration. It was replied: ]
Assuredly. We commenced with the first link in the chain which culminated with Jesus. In it we left many
links unnoticed, and we expressly said that out of it there were many who were recipients of Divine
inspiration. Such was Enoch, a highly-gifted spirit. Noah, in like manner, but imperfectly. Deborah was
highly favoured, and all they whom history calls Judges of Israel, were chosen for the special reason that
they were amenable to spirit-influence. It were long to particularise all, and we shall speak hereafter of
other manifestations of spiritual power in the Jewish records. For you will see that we confine ourselves
now, first, to the Jewish records; and, next, to one particular chain in these records.
You said that the ancient records were not to be depended on for literal accuracy. As to the
Pentateuch, is it the work of one author?
The Books to which you refer are the compilation of the days of Ezra. They were compiled from more
ancient records, which were in danger of being lost, and some parts of which had to be supplied from
tradition or memory. The original records of the days previous to Moses did not exist; and the record
which you have in Genesis is partly imaginary, partly legendary, and partly the transcript of records. The
account of the Creation and the story of the Deluge are legendary. The account of the Egyptian Ruler,
Joseph, is transcribed from records. But in no case are the books as they now stand the work of their
reputed author. They are the compilation of Ezra and his scribes, and do but embody the conceptions
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SECTION XXIII
and legends of the period. The accounts which concern the Mosaic law are more exact, because precise
records of the code were preserved as sacred books, and from thence the particulars were drawn up.
We mention this to avoid at once the necessity of replying to any texts from these books which may be
quoted as an argument. The records themselves are not of literal accuracy in the earlier portions not to
be relied on at all, and in the later, only where they refer to that part of the Mosaic record which was
preserved.
Imaginary, you say.
It was necessary to supply lost books, and what was drawn up was from memory or legend.
Abraham. You speak slightingly of him.
No; but in comparison with the great spirit, who was to him God s messenger, he was on a lower plane.
We do not show man s opinion in all such matters. His name has been widely known; but he has played
no great part with us.
The translations of Enoch and Elijah. What were they?
Legendary beliefs. A halo of glory was shed around even the death of those whom men reverenced. In
earliest days the man who attracted to himself the reverence of his fellows, and round whose name a
certain reverential awe had gathered, was fabled to have been taken to join God in the heaven for which
his life had fitted him. Moses, the mysterious agent of Divine power, the commanding head of his people,
was so fabled to be mysteriously removed from earth. He had talked familiarly with the Deity whom he
had revealed, and now he was to go to join Him. Elijah, in like manner, the strange, weird, mysterious
power, who came and went as with the freedom of air, who seemed to be guided by no human laws,
governed by no such restrictions as fence in man s movements he, too, it was imagined, was translated
from earth to heaven in such sort as he had lived. In all cases it was the imaginings concerning an
anthropomorphic God and a material heaven that lay at the root of the fancy. We have before told you
that man can only receive such ideas about God and heaven as he is fitted to grasp by his spiritual
development. In the early days of your world s history man pictured a God who was but an omnipotent
man a man in every respect, with certain qualities superadded, those qualities being such as man would
fancy as natural additions to the being with which he was already acquainted. In other words, man took
the highest ideal of humanity, and added to it certain qualities; the result he called Deity. In this he was
doing only what man has always done. The human conception of Deity must ever be clouded with mortal
mist, even as the revelation of God can only come through a mortal medium, and be proportioned to
human capacity. This is a natural and invariable consequence of the conditions under which you exist.
So, the knowledge of God being progressive, and man having grown in wisdom, he discovers from time
to time that his conception of God must be revised. The need is felt, and the additional light is given.
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