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CHAPTER 14

HEAVEN AND HELL

And it came to pass that the spirit moved in Athlyi and he became full with the holy ghost.

And he cried out saying, "Hear me O children of Ethiopia. There is not a heaven nor a hell but that which ye make of yourselves and for yourselves.

"In heaven there are few while in hell there are many. But those who are in heaven are the Champions of time who have conquered over sin and slothfulness."

"The fool slights the things in life and seeketh heaven after death.

"Verily, Verily I say unto you, he shall not find it. But the spirit of him that establishes a heaven on earth shall dwell in heaven everlasting.

"Unto him that is empty in love, faith, righteousness and industry there is no heaven."

"Heaven is a splendor. A source of peace and happiness where the spirit of God is visible in its appearance."

"He that passeth from this heaven is exalted into heaven eternal. Beyond strife and death, where pain and sorrows are unknown."

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"Hell is a dark and shabby place; a den of thieves, murderers, gamblers, drunkards, liars, blasphemers, hypocrites, underminers, vooders, fortune tellers, begrudgers, raggedmen, yellers, backsliders, lazymen, deceivers, loafers, jormandizers, leppydoes, hoers, hoerlets, poverty, lice and diseases."

"Consequently the victims of the devil eat the fruit of the tree they have sown and therefore live in disgrace among men."

Woe be unto the spirit of him that passeth from this hell. He shall be lowered into eternal hell where peace and happiness are unknown.

He that is of the devil shall be segregated from the children of God; but he that is of God weareth the badge of the master, and the doors of heaven shall be opened unto him."

"Lo, I heard a cry in hell," saith Athlyi, "calling upon me in God. And I looked and beheld a man striving to conquer hell and escape from his horrible condition."

And Athlyi spoke unto him saying, "Who art thou?"

I am Amos who persecuted thee and lied about you. Now I would rather be a sweeper in the Gaathly than to be a prince in the palace of kings who believeth not in thee."

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And Athlyi spoke unto him saying, "Thou doeth thyself this harm for there is no hell for him who believeth in me."

And Amos reached out crying, "Forgive me, O Athlyi and redeem me from this misery. For I believe that thou art a man of God with power to save."

Then Athlyi reached down and lifted him up saying, "Arise and stand above the devil and his hell. Thy faith in me shall bear thee up, but he that is weak in faith shall fall through his faith.

"For I am not of myself but of God, the Father, who is in me. He that gives himself up to me wholeheartedly, I shall nurse him at my breast and he shall be strong.

"There shall be no devil to conquer him, neither shall there be any hell to hold him; for they that are of me, shall help him that is in me. They that helpeth not their brother in me are not of me; likewise he who is not in harmony with the Law of this gospel is not of me.

"He that cometh unto me halfway, I shall not receive him," saith Athlyi, "for he is weak in himself in me and shall therefore fall in himself."

"He that withholds from me, that which he is able to give, shall lose it without compensation; but he that soweth in me wholeheartedly shall reap a reward ten fold. For I am of good soil, and God p. 75 the Father in me, shall water that which is sown in me."

"In the lives of those that are in me," saith Athlyi, "there is but one God, one Shepherd, and one Gaathly. The Holy law is of God and is God with those in me."

"They that are of me shall help those that are in me. They shall march together to defend their dignity and create projects to supply their necessities in life.

"At the sound of the bugle of war all Athlyians shall gather around their Rulers. Then, at the Shepherd's command go forward to defend their rights.

"Knowing that our reward is Heaven everlasting if our enemy we shall conquer, it is therefore the sole spirit of the Athlyians to die in honor rather than to live as dependable dogs in disgrace, subject to the dictation of others who are not in me."

Then Athlyi called his Cledgers around him and placed his hands upon the right shoulder of each saying, "Blessed are the creators in me. They shall sit with me in heaven eternal and return with me to inspect the earth and crown the worthy.

"He that is not clean, industrious and thrifty is not in me, for I am a lover of cleanness, Lord of p. 76 industry and a builder of commerce, that men may be happy in me.

"For he that liveth a productive life in me, seeketh and shall obtain heaven terrestrial and heaven eternal.

"Go ye out upon the earth, beneath the earth, upon the waters, beneath the waters and upon the trees Gather in the blessings of God and develop them in me that ye prove yourself worthy of compensation. For weakness and poverty is of the devil but richness and power is of God.

"But where there is no love, righteousness, and faith in your transactions the glory of heaven shall vanish and the misery of hell shall occupy the soul."


Next: Chapter 15. The Beggar