had observed his descent through the air. He replied, "My commission is
to call together such of the inhabitants of this part of the spiritual
world, as have come hither from the various kingdoms of Christendom, and
have been most distinguished for their learning, their ingenuity, and
their wisdom, to assemble on this little eminence where you are now
standing, and to declare their real sentiments, as to what they had
thought, understood, and inwardly perceived, while in the natural world,
respecting Heavenly Joy and Eternal Happiness. The occasion of my
commission is this: several who have lately come from the natural world,
and have been admitted into our heavenly society, which is in the east,
have informed us, that there is not a single person throughout the whole
Christian world that is acquainted with the true nature of heavenly joy
and eternal happiness; consequently that not a single person is
acquainted with the nature of heaven. This information greatly surprised
my brethren and companions; and they said to me, 'Go down, call together
and assemble those who are most eminent for wisdom in the world of
spirits, (where all men are first collected after their departure out of
the natural world,) so that we may know of a certainty, from the
testimony of many, whether it be true that such thick darkness, or dense
ignorance, respecting a future life, prevails among Christians.'" The
angel then said to me, "Wait awhile, and you will see several companies
of the wise ones flocking together to this place, and the Lord will
prepare them a house of assembly." I waited, and lo! in the space of
half an hour, I saw two companies from the north, two from the west, and
two from the south; and as they came near, they were introduced by the
angel that blew the trumpet into the house of assembly prepared for
them, where they took their places in the order of the quarters from
which they came. There were six groups or companies, and a seventh from
the east, which, from its superior light, was not visible to the rest.
When they were all assembled, the angel explained to them the reason of