339. CONCERNING MAHOMED* AND THE MAHOMEDANS Because certain of the dead who were in the entrance to heaven were indignant, they went away to seek another heaven, as they supposed, where another than God Messiah reined, and at length they seemed to themselves to have found another heaven, namely, one over which Mahomed reigned. No doubt they spoke with Mahomedans who had been dead some years. When they wished to point this out to others whom they wanted to seduce, it then seemed to me that another so-called heaven was opened in the depth, whence I could hear them talking, and I was then instructed that they were Mahomedans who supposed that they were come there to their own heaven, that is, to be there. When I had spoken with them for some time, God Messiah appeared to them in glory by means of an angel. They then fell upon their faces and adored devoutly. Afterwards Mahomed was quickly raised up thence and was with me and spoke much with me, and I can testify that when he was instructed concerning God Messiah he spoke modestly, indeed more modestly than many Christians. I could feel that he thought in like manner. He also instructed these who were in the depth that he could do nothing whatever of himself, and that he perceived that he was no god, but a simple man, and that perhaps certain spirits had spoken with him. He also wants to be instructed in the doctrine of the true faith. I also showed him the city of Amsterdam and the City Hall** there from two aspects, also the interior, and he was surprised at the great number of marble [statues]. He is now also present and declares the same thing. 1747, Dec. 14. * The Mahomed here spoken of seems to be the same as the one referred to in LJ (Post.) n. 71, and is not the Mahomed who wrote the Koran and founded Islam. See CL 344. ** The City Hall (curia) here referred to is the Stadhuis which is said to be one of the finest buildings in Europe. Its walls are lined with Italian marble and adorned with many marble sculptures.