Sunsets Into Sunrises
Bishop Martin - The Progress of a Soul in the Beyond
- Chapter 24 -
A NEW TASK FOR THE BISHOP. - PUTTING OUT A FIRE AND SAVING LIVES. - THE FIRE VICTIMS ARE TAKEN IN AND FITTED OUT WITH CLOTHES.
1
(And I say): "Look to the north! Do you see the fire? We must hurry there and stop the fire, or the whole area here might suffer. A fire of evil in the spirit world spreads much faster than a fire in the natural world."
2
We hurry toward the fire and have already reached it. A very poor village is enveloped in flames, and we see a crowd of wretched, totally naked villagers fleeing from their burning huts. In the center of the village, however, we see a better-type house with a balcony, on which there are five people pitifully shouting for help. The flames have almost reached them and could devour them in a moment!
3
(Bishop Martin, seeing this, shouts): "Friends, for heaven's sake, where could we find a ladder so that I might climb up to them and possibly save them, with your help?"
4
(Say I): "Look, there is something like that lying at our feet. Take it and follow your heart!"
5
Bishop Martin grabs the ladder and rushes to the house with the balcony. The house is already completely enveloped in flames. He leans the ladder against the balcony, climbs up fearlessly, takes two of the people who had already collapsed on his shoulders, and carries them to safety, while the three stronger ones follow behind him. Thus he has saved the soul-lives of five in a minute's time.
6
After completion of this task, the bishop returns to Me and says: "Oh, thank God that I succeeded in this rescue! I thought already that my zeal had got me into serious trouble.
7
Oh, friends, what heat! My hair must be all singed! But it doesn't matter as long as these poor people are safe! Two were already near death, and it was high time to rescue them from the flames. But they are quite revived now, and this gives me more happiness than if I had gained the beatitudes of the three or seven heavens.
8
And, brothers and friends, let us take the poor people whom I rescued and all the homeless ones crouching along the fence, naked and lamenting, to our place. Oh, dear brothers, do allow me this joy."
9
(Say I): "Of course, we'll do it! That is mainly why we did come here. But first, we have to put out the fire, and after that we can take the poor things home with us! So let us fight the fire!"
10
(Bishop Martin): "That would be all right if we had a little ocean on hand. But I cannot see a drop of water anywhere. How are we going to fight the fire without water?"
11
(Say I): "See that staff on the ground, similar to the one Moses carried? Take it up and thrust it into the ground. If you do that full of faith, we shall have plenty of water. For this area here is quite swampy. So do it!"
12
Bishop Martin does as I suggest, and a spring gushes from the ground. The bishop says: "That is fine! Now we'll have to get some vessels to carry the water."
13
(Say I): "Friend, that will do! The water will do its part by itself, for this mighty spring will soon quench the flames. Therefore, we can now take the rescued people home with us, have some rest and refreshment so that we can tackle a new task. Go now and bring them all to Me!"
14
Bishop Martin, in the best of spirits, goes to fetch the poor fire victims, and we all enter the palace where the guests are accommodated in another spacious room.
15
And there, since they are still naked, the bishop takes off his peasant smock and puts it around the shoulders of the one he considers to be the poorest and weakest of all. And his vest he gives to another one who seems just as pitiful; whereupon everybody praises his attitude.
16
But he, like an upright man, says: "My dear, poor friends and brothers, do not praise me, but rather praise God and my two friends here! For I myself have been taken in by them only recently and they have done so much for me. I am only a poor servant of these friends, but your rescue has given me great joy, and that is my best reward!"
17
(Say I): "So it is right, beloved brother! You have changed from a Saul into a Paul! If you continue in this way, you will soon be a real helper for Me and My friend and brother. But let us now go to our apartment!"