THE FOURTH WORLD IN THE STARRY SKY AND ITS SPIRITS AND INHABITANTS

I was taken to yet another world in space outside the solar system; this was brought about by changes in my mental state, changes, that is, affecting my spirit. For, as I have said several times before, a spirit is taken from place to place by nothing but changes in his inner state. These changes seem to him exactly like movement from one place to another or travelling. It took around ten hours of continuous changes for me to reach their state of life from my own, so for me to travel there in my spirit. I was travelling eastwards, towards the left, and I seemed to be gradually climbing above the horizontal plane. I was also able to watch clearly my progress and advance from my previous position, until at length those I had left behind disappeared from view. Meanwhile I conversed on various subjects with the spirits accompanying me.

We had with us a certain spirit who during his life in the world had been a most impassioned prelate and preacher as well as writer. My spirit companions thought from my idea of him that he must be an outstanding Christian at heart. For in the world an idea is formed and a judgment made based on a person's preaching and writings, rather than on his life, if this is not manifest; and if there seems to be anything discordant in his life, excuses are offered. For the idea formed, one's thought and perception about anyone, puts a favourable gloss on everything about him.