A.C. 2084 , Part : II -Novel-
Continuing from : A.C. 2084, Part I
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11
Yes, I left there in a hurry, because I was going to serve (I hope He will be satisfied too!) another Prophet’s establishment of another great religion, as a matter of fact, number one to start with at the Monotheistic episode of mankind, the Jewish Faith. I was rushing to the Jewish sinagogue, to meet (Chief) Rabbi David and Rabbi Braun, the head of the Kabbalah Center, this Friday afternoon at the opening ceremonies there, for “Week Day Afternoon Ceremonies” that I was just a little bit late.
Thou I was tired, I was contended what I was doing. Here at the Jewish Center, thank God, I was not going to talk for now, just being a listener and participant. All religions of course are respectable and dignified, but Jewish celebrations appear to be having much more “live ethical” components to me: Stories are alive, colorful and meaningful rituals are executed cheerfully with a lot of show, so to speak. Children run around -in others not that free- with their caps, attires what they have and are the source of cheer. You feel the family sincerity more. So, there seems to be just a little bit fun in Jewish celebrations.
Both rabbis who also are my sincere friends for many years, greeted me respectfully. Besides newcomers, there were plenty of old ‘customers’, the people from other denominations like me. Soon after I arrived and I took my place, Head Rabbi David started to his opening speech with his deep, strong voice.
“This Friday afternoon, I do welcome all of you to our services. To day, I would like to give outlines also exercise weekday afternoon services in Judaism, also preparing for tomorrow’s great Sabbath services. From time to time, I shall remind you for ceremonial attitudes here in the Synagogue, for the newcomers of course.
“Every day in the year, there exist three services of prayer: Shahrit - Morning Service; Minhah - Afternoon Service, and Arvith - Evening Service. On “Sabbaths” and “Festivals” a Musaf – Additional Service is added to the Morning Service.
“As one enters the synagogue, one bows reverently toward the Torah in the Ark, joining the Psalmist (5:8) in worshipful obeisance to where the Temple of old stood in the Holy City.
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“In the Minhah – Afternoon Service, as in the Shahrith – Morning Service, prayers are brought as an offering to God every day as was done in the Temple in Jerusalem of old. The name Minhah, which means ‘gift’ or ‘tribute’, was given especially to the grain offering that was brought both morning and afternoon Services in the Temple. It is also associated with “menubath hashemesh”, the sun set, which begins at half hour after midday when the reading of the afternoon service may start. Traditional Jewish thought ascribes the origin of the Minhah prayer to Isaac, of whom we are told (Genesis 24:63) that “he went out to meditate in the field toward eventide.”
* ASHREI :
“The afternoon Service is opened with Biblical verses, Psalms 84:5 and 144:15, proclaiming the happiness of those who dwell in God’s sanctuary. The ecstatic universal vision and sublime praise of Psalm 145 are climaxed by the verse Psalm 115:18 expressing our wish to bless the God to whom we would sing praise – Halelujah. Now we start and let us sing and perform together.
(On entering the synagogue say):
“Lo, though Thyne abundant love I enter Thy house;
In reverence for Thee I bow toward Thy holy temple.”
* Ashrei :
“Happy are they who dwell in Thy house,
Forever shall they praise Thee, Selah.
Happy the people whose whose lot is thus,
Happy the people whose God is the Lord.”
A Psalm of Praise. Of David. Psalm 145
I extol Thee, my God, the King,
And evermore would bless Thy name.
Every day I shall bless Thee,
And I would praise Thy name forever and ever.
Lord, Thou are great and highly extolled,
Yet inscrutable is Thy greatness.
One generation to another shall praise Thy works,
And recount Thy mighty acts.
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Let me speak of brillant glory of Thy majesty.
And of Thy wondrous works,
And I will declare Thy greatness.
Men shall speak of the night of Thine awesome acts,
They shall recount Thy goodness abundant,
And joyously sing of Thy righteousness.
The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
Long forbearing and of great mercy.
The Lord is good to all,
And His tenderness is over all His works.
All Thy works shall praise Thee, O Lord,
And Thy devoted servants shall bless Thee.
They shall speak of the glory of Thy kingdom,
And talk of Thy power.
To make known to the sons of men Thy mighty acts,
And the glorious splendor of Thy kingdom.
The kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Thy dominion is through all generations.
Lord, Thou upholdest all the falling,
And raisest up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all wait on Thee,
And Thou givest them their food in its season.
Thou openest Thy hand
And satisfiest all living with favour.
The Lord is righteous in all His ways,
And merciful in all His works.
The Lord is near to all who call on Him,
The all who call on Him in truth.
He fulfills the desire of those who revere Him,
He hears their cry and saves them.
The Lord preserves all who love Him,
But all the wicked He will destroy.
My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord,
Yes, all flesh bless His holy name forever and ever.
“And we, we will bless the Lord
Henceforth and forever, Hallelujah – Praise the Lord.”
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* READER’S KADDISH :
“For the recitation of the devout prayer of glorification of God’s name there is required the presence of at least a minyan, the religious quorum of ten men of the Jewish people. This short Kaddish marks the end of the preceding Biblical readings.
(Recited by the Reader in public worship.)
Exalted and hallowed be God’s great nam
in this world of His creation.
May His will be fulfilled
And His sovereignty revealed
In the days of your lifetime
And the life of the whole house of Israel
Speedily and soon,
And say, Amen.
(Congregation and Reader respond) :
Be His great name blessed forever,
Yea, to all eternity.
Be the name of the most Holy One blessed,
Praised and honored, extolled and glorified,
Adored and exalted Supremely,
(Congregation and Reader respond) :
Blessed (*) be He,
“Beyond all blessings and hymns, praises and consolations
That may be uttered in this world,
And say, Amen.(**)”
________
(*) Between Rash Hashana and Yom Kippur say instead: Far beyond
(**) for the order of the afternoon service on the Fast of the tenth, Reader continue with the reading of Shemoneh Esreh. (See following!)
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* THE SHEMONEH ESREH (Eighteen Blessings) :
“The central prayer around which the daily morning service, afternoon and evening services which are built is the Shemoneh Esreh, ‘Eighteen Blessings’. This prayer had been offered more than two thousand years by the worshiper while standing feet together and facing together the Holy Land. It is prayed individually and silently, and in a congragation it is repeated aloud by the Hazzan (*) in the morning and afternoon sessions. Originally twelve and thirteen prayers of petition are offered between the three opening blessings praising God and three final blessings of thanksgiving.
(The congregation rises to read the Shemoneh Esreh in silent devotion. The Reader repeats the Shemoneh Esreh at the conclusion of silent prayer).
“As I proclaim the name of the Lord, ascribe greatness to our God. Lord, open my lips, that my mouth may declare Thy praise.”
“Blessed (**) art Thou, Lord our God and God of our fathers, God of Abraham, God of Isaac and God of Jacob, the God who is great, mighty and awesome, God sublime who lavishes tender goodness. Master of all, Thou art mindful of the loving piety of our fathers, and for Thine own sake Thou wilt lovingly bring a Redeemer to their children’s children.
(Between Rosh Hashanah (***) and Yom Kippur (****) add):
”Remember us for life, divine King who delights in life. Inscribe us in the book of life to fulfill Thy purpose, God of life.
“King who dost succor, save, and shield, blessed (**) art Thou, Lord, shield of Abraham.
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(*) HAZZAN : Hebrew name for the ‘Cantor’, the official in the synagogue who is the leading person to lead worshippers in prayer,
(**) BLESSED : Before invoking the name of God one bows here.
(***) ROSH HASHANAH : Meaning “the head of the year”, terming the Jewish New Year observance. It is celebrated on the first and second days of the month of Tishre, namely September-October, and indicates of the Ten Days of Penitence.
(****) YOM KIPPUR : Hebrew for the Day of Atonement, and the most solemn day in the Jewish religion. It is observed on the tenth day of Tishre. In the Bible it is described as a “Sabbath of Solemn Rest”. Work, as well as taking of food and drink are strictly forbidden but to pray constantly in the synagogue.”
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“Lord who art mighty for all eternity, Thou revivest the dead. Thou art is great in saving the living.”
(From Shemini Hag Atsereth (*) until Pesah (**) add):
By making the wind to blow and the rain to fall.
“Sustaining them in love. Thou upholdest the falling. Thou healest the sick, Thou freest the bound. In Thy great love Thou revivest the dead, keeping faith with those who sleep in the dust. Who is like Thee, Lord of power! Who can be compared with Thee, King who sends death, and who in the flowering of Thy saving power gives life!”
(Between Rash Hashanah and Yom Kippur add):
Who is like Thee, merciful Father, in Thy compassion remember- ing for first
Thou hast created!
“Thou wilt keep faith in reviving the dead. Blessed art Thou,
Lord who revives the dead.
* KEDUSHAH (Holiness):
“In the HAZZAN’s repetition of the theirs blessing in the Shemoneh Esreh, the Kedushah - ‘Holiness’ is included. Then all stand and join in the sanctification of God’s name by echoing from prophetic visions the words of the angels proclaiming that the divine holiness fills all the earth (Isiah 6:3) as other angels respond that His glory fills all (Ezekiel 3:12), and the Jewish people affirm with the Psalms (146:10) that Zion’s God will be supreme forever.”
(In the repetition, The Kedushah is recited while standing)
(Congregation and Reader respond) :
”Let us hallow Thy name in this world below, own as in the prophet’s vision
“The Seraphim hallowing it in the heavenly heights calls to one another:
_____________
(*) SHEMINI HAG ATSERETH (Sukkot) : Hebrew name of the “Feast of Tabernacles”, the fall festival that begins on the 15th day of Tishre. According to the Bible, the eighth day shall be observed as a “Feast of Conclusion” (Shemini Atzeret).
(**) PESAH (Passover) : The Jewish festival, commemorating the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt. The first day of the festival falls upon the 15th of April (March-April) and lasts for eight days.”
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(Congregation and Reader respond ):
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts,
The fullness of all the earth is His glory.”
(Congregation with the Reader responding ):
Responding in blessing, they say :
(Congregation and Reader respond) :
“Blessed and glorified is the Lord from His abode.”
(Congregation with the Reader responding) :
And in His Holy Words is written :
(Congregation and Reader respond):
“The Lord shall reign forever,
Your God, O Zion, through all generations.
Hallelujah – Praise the Lord.”
(Reader)
“To all generations we would proclaim Thy greatness, and to all eternity declare Thy holiness, and may the praise of Thee, our God, never leave our mouth, for Thou art God and King, great and holy; * blessed art Thou, Lord, the holy God.”
________
(*) Between Rash Hashanah and Yom Kippur, conclude this blessing thus: “blessed art Thou, Lord, the holy King.”
________
* AL HANNISSM :
During the eight days of Hanukkah, there is added to the Shemoneh Esreh in every service a special thanksgiving introduced by cumulative words of praise. I It recalls the divine deliverance from the terrible Syrian tranny in the days of the Maccabees. On PURIM (*) there is added a similar paragraph that is also introduced by Al Hannissim. This recalls the deliverance which came to the Jews in Persia in the days of Mordecai, as recorded in the Biblical Book of Esther. “For all this, divine King, be Thou blessed and exalted overmore.”
________
(*) PURIM : Jewish festival observed annually on the 14th day of Hebrew month of Adare (February-March), commemorating the miracle of survival from Haman’s plot to kill all the Jews in Persia.)
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* AL HANNISSIM :
(On Hanukkah add the following Al Honnissism) :
“We thank Thee also for the wonders, the deliverance, and the triumphant victory and liberation which Thou hast wrought for our fathers in days of old at this season. It happened in the days of Mattathias son of Johanan, and his sons the Hasmonean high priests. Then the cruel Hellenist power rose up to force Thy people Israel to forget Thy Torah and transgress the commands of Thy will. In that hour of their trial, Thou in Thy great mercy didst rise to take up their cause and defend their rights. Meting out retribution Thou hast delivered the strong into the hand of the weak, many into the hand of the few, the impure into the hand of the righteouss, and tyrants into the hands of devotess of Thy teaching. By Thy great and saving deliverance of Thy people Israel Thou hast made for Thyself unto this very day a great and holy name in Thy world. Then Thy children came to the profaned shrine of Thy house, cleared Thy Temple, cleansed Thy sanctuary, kindled lights in its holy courts, and instituted these eight days of dedication to sing thanksgiving praise to Thy great name.”
(On Purim add the following Al Honnissim) :
“We thank Thee also for the wonders, the deliverance, and the triumphant victory and liberation which Thou hast wrought for our fathers in days of old at this season. It happened in Shushan, the Persian capital, in the time of Mordecai and Esther. Then the wicked Haman rose up and sought to slay and utterly annihilate all the Jews, young and old, women and babes, in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, Adar. In Thy great mercy Thou hast frustrated his counsel and subverted his designs, causing them to recoil on his own head until he and his sons were hanged on the gallows.”
After the last “Amen”, I left the Synagogue, while mythical sounds and prayers still vibrating in the air. Naturally I am planning to attend Kabala classes, next week. Tomorrow is the greatest day of Jewish Faith: Sabbath. We shall observe it together.
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12
To day is saturday. This is first saturday after our newcomers honored us, last week-end. Since to day is famous Jewish holiday Sabbath.
So, I had my breakfast with my lovely wife and three cats, at least two of them laying on the dinner-table, having been first fed by my wife. What beautiful scenery is that! What say those beautiful ocean deep, ocean blue eyes? Then, I had just a look in the New Atlantis News where there was nothing other than usual daily happenings, week-end screening programs and alike. Then, I gave a ring to Rabbi David:
-Hello Rabbi David.”
-Oo, hello honorable President.”
-Well, it was very nice of you that you illuminated us yesterday, as usual. I assume, to day, you shall continue particularly about Sabbath, aren’t you?”
-Yes, prinicipally yes; but I would like to give some knowledge about our people’s origins, connected with it.”-Superb. You don’t have any objection then my being there too?”
-You just give us honor. See you at 10.00 A.M.
-See you. God Bless you!
-God Bless you too.”
And, there I was again at the beautiful synagogue, at downtown, after about 12-minute train ride. Rabbi David in front, in his official Rabbi’s robe, his helpers behind, greeted me respectfully and I too, also respectfully bowing toward the Torah in the Arc, took my seat, in the first row in this magnificent Solomon’s Hall. Whole synagogue was full and there was an obvious joy and sincerity easily inspired in the air for this first holly togetherness among newcomers. Soon after my arrival, Rabbi David took his place and began to discourse:
“I am Rabbi David and the Head Rabbi and the President of this New Atlantis Synagogue. I assume I have met many of you yesterday. I whole-heartily welcome all of you, for a joint togetherness: Child and aged, old and new, children of Abraham, in this beautiful temple, in this beautiful land of New Atlantis.
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“I assume almost all of you are of Jewish Faith, and see that twenty seven newcomers all are here, plus, I see some new faces too. Our doors are open to all God-lovers and believers, regardless of your religious background. Consequently, first I would like to make an introductory speech, about the Jewish Faith and values, later on we shall enter in our regular Sabbath ceremonies. You shall find your “Siddur” on your desks that are written both in Hebrew and English. During the week, I would like to get together with the heads of the families and structure some programs for both grown-ups and children in reference to our regular ceremonies and Kabbalah Readings. For your acknowledgement, I would like to say, our practice and teachings all are under the auspecies of The Rabbinical Council.
“Well, as you may very well know that SIDDUR is the Jewish Prayer Book that carries the depths of not all the Jewish faith, but the history of all humanity. It constantly and continually radiates optimism. It greets every single new-born day with the cascading assertion that God had endowed men with a pure soul. In human soul, there is undeniable basic goodness.
“The exiled, wandering Jew has tiredlessly passed forward leaden-winged centuries joyously ever, to regenerate his own people again and re-built Zion. In his divine destiny, the Prayer Book has been a must instrument to survive. It had been confirmed repetitiously that IT SHALL REMAIN FOREVER to comfort the Jewish People for its sorrows. The ideals of Golden Age are set mot in the past, but in and for the future; blessings and prayers in this book, are addressed not to God only, not only as ours and our fathers’ God, but also to Him, as Avinu shebashamayim, our Father who art in heaven, Meleh haolam, the King of the whole universe, and, Ribbono shel glam, the Universal Lord. The Daily worship echoes the Biblical ideals of daily living and the brotherhood that all men should live together, under the sovereignty and dignity of one Father, the Father of all mankind.
“The Prayer Book also reflects the Jewish social idealism. It aims to reach out a noble, spiritual society. Communal praying and worship, brings a lot of strength and through devotion, the congregation, reads in the Psalmist’s word, ‘Let my prayer come to Three, O Lord, in an acceptable time,’ is destined for the God’s kingdom on the earth.
“The SIDDUR also contains ecstatic praises of Good as man’s infinite ideal. The springing Biblical Psalms, praise God’s love and compassion and His mercy that tempers justice for all. Meah Berahoth (hundred blessings) link everyone to His blessings by a spiritualizing transformation right into the souls.
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“Judaism demands that every single Jew should study TORAH, “The Book of Proverbs”, in order to be the victor of his quest of conquering the knowledge and truth that leads to “right”. As you may know, the meaning of the word of Torah is “teaching”. It responds to the demands and questions of the soul, particularly those of mystical longings. Judaism insists upon the celestial marriage of faith and reason.
“Now, I would like to talk about ISRAEL, our Homeland’s historical background a little bit..
“As Bible says, the Patriarch Joseph, by the angel of God, was named “Israel” with whom he had wrestled with. Therafter, the descendants of Israel afterwards were called “Bene Israel = The Children of Israel.”
“After the death of King SOLOMON, ten Israelite tribes that were living on Northern Palestine revolted against the ‘House of David’, and under the leadership of Jeroboam, son of Nebat, the Kingdom of Israel was established in B.C. 933. That kingdom lasted for 211 years, ending at the year of B.C. 722. The capital was Shechem, then King Omri moved it to Samaria. There was no outside invaders for a while, however constant inside struggle and changings continued on. The tribes, under Kings used Idol worship when Prophet Elijah open a war against IDOLTRY. Last King was Hoseha (reigned between B.C. 734 – B.C.722) that the kingdom was destroyed by Assyrians that year. Naturally some exile had begun. Some 150 years later the people of the Southern Kingdom of Judah also suffered exile that had been almost a fate for the Jewish People,until they finally established a State, after World War II, on A.C. May 14’1948 when Palestine was divided into a Jewish and an Arab state.
“As far as origins are concerned; according to the Bible, first semitic tribes of Hebrews emigrated from Mesopotamia at about B.C. 2,000 and settled in Canaan. Jacob and his family later on moved to Egypt to search a better life and established themselves in the Goshen area. There, all along the several centuries, the descendants of the Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, multiplying greatly they developed into twelve Israelite Tribes – Children of Israel. However, the Pharaohs of Egypt took them under slavery, and the Israelites were freed by Prophet Moses and returned again to Canaan under the leadership of Joshua.
“After a long sttrugle they finally united under the kingship of Saul, followed by Samuel, David and Solomon, were able to establish the “Kingdom of Israel”. After Solomon’s death, the Israeli country was divided into Northern -Israel- Kingdom that comprised ten tribes, and, Judah – the Southern Kingdom. After 200 years of existence, the Northern Israel was destroyed by Assyrians, thus, the Southern Israel, Judah, did survive and represented the Jewish alone, as a nation. However, in B.C. 586 Judah too was destroyed and taken over by Babylonians that most of the people had to move into Babylon. After this event, for hundreds of years,
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Judians lived under Persian, Egyptian and Syrian submissions. Then, in the year B.C. 168, as a result of Maccabean uprise, Judea again had become re-established until Roman rule that occured in the year B.C. 63. Then, until A.C. 1948, spreading around the world, they had remained “wondering Jews”. As history notices, in A.C. 16th Century, the King of Spain called them out of the country, then, the Emperor Great Soleman of Ottoman Empire, invited them to settle in the territories of the said empire. The faithful Jewish people had never forgotten that Turkish hospitality.
*
“No doubt, the Prayer Book is an outgrowth of the Scriptures. Even though its language is that of the Biblical Hebrew, it is also mixed with that of Aramaic which also is seen here and there in Bible. In it, there are very valuable phrases, thoughts and inspirations, also important information about the Synagogue services, more than fifty of psalms from the Scripture’s Rupt Hymn Book, reflecting the Jewish spiritual vision, two thousand years ago when Biblical prophets had sopken.
“The services today are reminiscents of the organized Israeli Children’s worship, in the Tabernacle of Moses and Aaron, in the wilds and shrine at Shiloh, as well as in King Solomon’s Temple and later on, in the Temple that was erected in Zion. The Psalms that we are chanting today, were all chanted gloriously in the Temple of Old, those days.
“Now, let us ubserve the Sabbath.
“It had been said that “more the Jews preserved the Sabbath, Sabbath had preserved the Jews!” How true is that. From old times on, the faithful Jewish People, before the sunset that was going to give birth to Sabbath, had prepared themselves for that glorious event. As we read from Talmud, Rabbi Hanina used to put his best clothing on, saying: ‘Come, let us go forth and greet the Sabbath queen.’ In this spirit, now we are reading “The Biblical Song of Songs”, in praise of the Israel’s bride that had already come. Please be aware of the fact that, beginning of next week, we shall read parts 2 and 3 on next friday afternoon and there on.
“Chapter One – The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s
“He would kiss me with the kisses on his lips; thy wooing is sweeter than wine. Sweet art thou as fragrant perfume, as scent poured forth art thou; maidens needs must love thee. O take me with thee, that we may run away; for the king has brought me to his chambers, saying, “We shall be glad and rejoice in thee, and chant the praises.” But thy coming is sweeter than wine. Maidens needs must love thee.
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“Dark am I, but comely, ye daughters of Jerusalem, dark as the tents of Kedar, comely as the curtains of Solomon. Stare not at me because I am swarthy, for it s the sun has scorched me. My own mother’s sons dealt harshly with me; They made me keeper of the wineyards. My own wineyard -(my fairness)- I have not kept.
“Tell me, O thou whom my soul loves, where art thou pasturing they flocks? Where now dost thou let them rest at noon? Lest I wander astray by the flocks of thy companions.
“As if thou knows not, thou loveliest of women! Roam forth in the tracks of the flock and pasture thy kids beside the tents of the shepherds.
“I liken thee, my dear one, to my steeds in Pharaoh’s chariots. How comely would be thy cheeks bedight with jeweled wreaths! How comely thy neck arrayed with chains of jewels! We will make thee wreaths of gold for thy cheeks and for thy neck pendants of silver.
“So long as thou, O king, wast in thy divan, (and in my wineyard,) my spikenard gave forth its scent. My belowed is to me a cluster of myrrh which rests all night on my heart. My belowed is to me a spray of henna in the wineyards of Engedi.
“Lo, thou, my dear, lo, thou art fair. Thine eyes are dovelike.
“Lo, thou, my belowed, art fair and very sweet, and our couch is a simple green bower. Our house beams are of cedar, our rafters of cypress.”
“Now, we are proceeding with LEHU NERANNENAH
“Come, let us sing praises to the Lord” is the opening call of Psalms 95 to 00 and Psalm 29; six Psalms symbolize the six working days of the week. In the sixth, seven times repetition of the phrase “the voice of the Lord” is also reminiscent of the seventh day Sabbath and is associated with the seven benedictions od the Sabbath Amidah. “The Lord will bless His people with peace” is a very suitable introduction to Sabbath that brings the blessing of peace.
(Psalm 85)
“Come, let us sing praises to the Lord,
Let us chant in joy to the Rock (*) of our salvation.
Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving.
With joyous songs we shall chant to Him.
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(*) Rock of Ages = Maos Tzur : Opening words of the Hebrew hymn for Hanukkah (One of the biggest feasts of the Jewish religion; it starts on the 25th day of the month Kislev, -third month of Jewish calender, corresponding to November-December, of 30 or 31-day duration- and lasts for eight days. It means “Lights of Dedication”, or, “Feast of Dedication”, sung after the lighting of the Hannukah candles. In English literature it is known as “The Rock of the Ages” and signifies the Maccabean victory (A dynasty that started by Judah Maccabeus in the second century B.C., fighting against the despotic ruler of Syria, Antiochus. It lasted for 120 years and at the end bowed to Persian rule.) and compares is to the deliverence of Israel from Egypt.”
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For above all gods.
The Lord is a great God and a great King.
In whose hands are the depths of the earth,
And the heights of the mountains are His.
His is the sea, it is He who made it,
And His hands formed the dry land.
Come, let us know bow down and kneel,
Let us bend the knee before the Lord our Maker.
For He is our God,
And we are the people of His pasture,
The flock guided by His hand.
O that you would this day hearken to My voice!
Harden not your heart as at Meribah,
As on the day at Massah in the wilderness.
When your fathers tried Me;
They tested Me, though they had seen My work.
Forty years was I wearied with that generation
And I said they are a people who err in their heart;
So that I swore in My anger
That they should not come to the resting place I had appointed.”
(Psalm 96)
“Sing to the Lord a new song,
Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, bless His name;
Day by day proclaim His saving power.
Declare His glory among the nations,
His wonders among all the peoples,
For great is the Lord and exalted in praise;
Awesome is He Above all gods.
For all the gods of the heathens are idols,
But the Lord made the heavens.
Grandeur and majesty are in His presence,
Strength and beauty are in His Temple.
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Ascribe to the Lord, you families of nations,
Ascribe to the Lord glory and might.
Ascribe to the Lord in the beauty of holiness;
Bring an offering and come to His courts.
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness;
Tremble before Him, all the earth,
Though the world is fixed that it he not moved……
Declare among the nations, “The Lord reigns;
He will judge the peoples with equity.”
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice.
Let the ocean roar and the fullness thereof,
Let the field rejoice and all that is therein,
Let all trees of the forest then sing for joy before the Lord.
For He comes, yes, He comes to judge the earth;
He will judge the world with righteousness,
And peoples with His undeviating law.”
“A Sabbath cannot be a Sabbath without “The Sabbath’s Psalm” This is the92nd Psalm. This was chanted by the Levites (The members of the tribe Levi; third son of Jacob, and the father of the tribe Levi.) on the Sabbath day in the temple of Jerusalem. Then comes the 93rd Psalm that acclaims the God of the creation which was completed in the sixth day, before the Sabbath.”
A PSALM. A SONG. FOR THE SABBATH DAY
(Psalm 92)
“It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
And sing praise to Thy name, O Most High,
To declare Thy loving kindness in the morning.
And Thy faithfulness at night,
With a ten-stringed harp and with psaltery,
With solemn song upon the lyre.
For Thou, O Lord, hast made me rejoice through Thy work,
I sing praise of the works of Thy hands.
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Lord, how great are Thy works,
How exceeding deep Thy thoughts!
The dullard observes not,
Nor does a knave understand this,
That when evil men spring up as grass,
And those who do only iniquity flourish,
It is for their utter destruction.
But Thou art supreme forever, O Lord,
For lo, Thine enemies, O Lord,
For lo, Thine enemies shall perish;
They who do only iniquity shall be dispersed.
But my horn of strength Thou hast raised up
Like that of the wild ox;
I am anointed with fresh oil.
My eye has looked on those who lie in wait for me,
My ears hear when the wicked rise against me.
The righteous shall flourish as the palm tree,
Growing strong as a cedar in Lebanon.
Planted in the House of the Lord,
They flourish in the courts of our God.
They shall bear fruit still in old age,
Vigorous with the sap of life shall they be.
To proclaim that the Lord is just,
My Rock, in whom is no unrighteousness.”
(Psalm 93)
“The Lord reigns, robed in majesty,
The Lord is robed and girt with power
So that the worls is set firm
That it cannot be moved.
“Thy throne is established from of old,
From everlasting art Thou.
The floods have lifted up, O Lord,
The floods have lifted up their voice,
The floods have lifted up their roaring.
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But above the thunder of many waters,
Mighty waters, breakers of the sea,
Mighty art Thou, Lord on high.
The testimonies are exceeding sure;
Holiness beseems Thy House,
O Lord, for evermore.”
——
So, that was the end of today’s Sabbath services at the New Atlantis Synagogue, downtown. It was so serene and blissful. God bless all people who attend and also who do not attend Services. It is time to go home and be with my family.
Before taking off at the street-car station near-by, I wanted to extend my voyage nad have a tour around. Pushing the music botton again at the side of window, choosing Vivaldi’s “Double Concerto Per Eco” for Violins and String Orchestra, leaned back and plunged into deep thoughts for 65 minutes’ duration of that magnificient music and silently absorbed the miracle of being alive and a part of living, seeing and feeling world. This land was “a chosen land”; years ago, when our ancestors, including mine, when chose this territory, were in a dreaming stage, whether they were going to find an eternal happiness through living like “just human beings”, away from all kind of indicencies, mockery, envie and bloodshed. Their dream had come true, Thank God, and here we were and how happy I was simply being a worldly President of this lovely poeple, young and old. I returned home completely refreshed and rested. Hugged my beloved ones at home, sipped my lemonade in front of the Big Screen and watched some sportive events. It was a quite loaded week, full of events, and everything seemed to be in good controls.
“What your plans are for tomorrow, my Dear,” whispered my wife.
“Oo, let me think, I guess it will be good idea to visit the French Catholic Church for their Sunday Services tomorrow morning. In the afternoon, I am afraid I shall have to make some preparation for the evening’s Cabinet Meeting. You know, some new people want to establish a Masonic Lodge. We have to interview them too. Now, I should make some calls for those. I am glad you alerted me.”
“My pleasure. When you shall meet upstairs for the Cabinet Meeting, we, wives could get together for a cup of tea and cake, this shall be lovely,” cheered Juda.
I got up and called Keeth that he should call the other ministers, for a Cabinet Meeting here, tomorrow, Sunday evening at 20.00 P.M., as well as the applicants for a possible Masonic Lodge establishment meeting, at 21.00 P.M. at the Presidential Rectangular Office, at the 33rd floor as well. These arrangements had been confirmed in ten minutes time. I succumbed into my comfortable arm-chair again. A youngster was screaming at the top of his voice: “Goal…. Goal, goal, goal..”
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13
The French Catholic Church, is a relatively small but very charming gracious building, is situated at the corners of Mega Station and Venus Avenues. Its President, Pere Pierre Durand, is originally from Negal of Rika, a retired medical and a sage religious man. As he was getting older, like all of us, his ey’sight had begun to diminish that had upset him terribly due to the fact that he was an avid reader. But, he, solemnly had said then, “As Old Greeks say, when humans’ ey’sights weaken, the wisdom eyes shine!” So, he chose the pius occupation. His great personality, in spite of the fact of his being black, had spread and conquered everybody’s hearts. His lovely and devoted wife Lola, had always been his “eye and ear”, directing him everywhere near-by.
So, as we arrived this graceful church, Pere Pierre and Lola were just getting out of their quarters. We met at half-way and hugged each other with love and compassion. Then Juda and I, took our ‘pre-assigned seats’ for Government Cabinet Members, of course at the first row, as usual. Needless to say, before taking our seats, we did not neglect to burn candles and to kneel down before the altar. The beautiful odors of the scents had already filled the entire air. And, right on the dot at the eleven o’clock, as org began to vibrate its celestial melodies, Pere Pierre and his assistants, also alter-boys on the line, entered the ceremonial area. The church was completely full of prayers, very few of them with the ear-phones (trans-cares) in their ears, all rised. The small reading books in our palms, with the priest we began to read:
“PETIT JESUS, NOUS OFFRONS AVEC VOUS LA PATENE A DIEU, NOTRE PERE DU CIEL, PAR LES MAINS DE NOTRE BONNE MERE LA SAINT EGLISE, C’EST A DIRE EN UNION AVEC LE PAPE, AVEC NOTRE EVEQUE ET AVEC NOS PRETRES.”
(Jesus Child, we are offering the sacred bowl to God with you, our Father in Heaven, by the hands of our church’s servant angel, namely with the unity of the Pope with our Bishop and Priests.)
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Then, we sat down solemnly and, Pere Pierre, read the Morning Payer, while we listened to carefully and whole-heartily.
“Au nom du Pere, et du Fils, et du Saint-Spirit.”
(In the name of Father, and of son and of Holy-Spirit.)
“Mon Dieu, je crois fermement que vous etes partout et particulierement en ce lieu. Je vous adore comme mon Créateur et mon souverain Maitre, et je me soumets entirement a Vous. (I believe firmly that You are everywhere and paricularly in this place. I adore You as my Creator and frequenter Master, and I submit myself entirely to You.)
“Je vour remercie, o mon Dieu, de m’avoir crété, de m’avoir racheté et fait chrétien, comme aussi de toutes les autres graces que j’ai reçues de vous, et particulierement de m’avoir conservé durant cette nuit. (O my God, I am grateful to you for you created me, you redeemed me and made me Christian; and all the other graces that I receive from You and particularly of conserving me during to night” And so on.
After the communion was performed for the ones who desired, with the accompaniment of org, the prayers sang a hymn:
“Marchons, chrétiens : Christians, let us walk!”
“Marchons, chrétiens au combat, a glorie,
Marchons, chrétiens, sur les pas de Jésus.
Nous remporterons la victoire,
Et la couronne des élus.”
(Christians, let us walk to the glory,
Christians, let us walk to war, (and the) glory
Christians, let us walk on the feet of Jesus.
We are winning the victory,
And, the crown of the eleets.)
The ceremonies ended with Schubert’s “Gloria”
“Gloire, gloire au Seigneur, a Lui gloire,
Diront sans fin les esprits bien heureux
Gloire, gloire au Seigneur, a Lui gloire,
Paix au coeur droit ne cherchant que les Cieux”
(Glory, glory to God, glory to Him,
Let us say endlessly happy spirits
Glory, glory to God, glory to Him,
Peace to the right soul that searches nothing but skies!)
How serene all of these were. Undescribable and unforgettable.
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14
For tonite’s Cabinet Meeting we gathered at the RECTANGULAR OFFICE, as I had cited before. Why they had called here “rectangular, the reason was very simple. In this room, at the top of the 33rd floor of Pyramid I, everything was shaped in from of a rectangle. Was there a ‘secret’ freemason amongst our founding fathers, I don’t know. The windows, tables, chairs, the library material, electrical systems and decorative material all in were of a rectangular shape. From the windows, it were possible to see far away distances by kilometers the four corners of the Republic Island. Also the “IGL = Information Gathering Laboratory” and an “Observatory” were occupying the top place. Even though for a possible fire all precautions were taken care of, and just in case of a power failure, an iron made staircase, protected with unbreakable glass of 10 cm. thick, in a spiral way, is descending from here down to the bottom at the outside of the building, passing-by every single storey in the building, available to evacuate the people if and when needed. Next to the lightning rod at the utmost point, there was a waving flag: The flag of New Atlantis, a white base and a rainbow at the middle: Hope of all mankind.
No need to say, all my ministers were right on time in the Rectangular Office, taking their seats all around me at the Rectangular Table. I touched the “registration” at the beginning of the Conference. THERE IS NO NEED FOR MINI-SKIRTED FEMALE SECRETARIES TO ACCOMPANY US IN OUR MEETINGS LATE SUNDAY NIGHTS. At the end, we compile our printed material by hand, each receives one, one extra copy left on the table that the following morning a regular clerk when comes to work, by the direction of the Personnel Department Head, shall file the minutes of the meeting, whatever forms are proper.
“Okey gentlemen, the prospects shall be here within an hour or so. We shall interview them, and if everything is o.k., naturally we shall give green light. Keath, you had given me the list of the five men and some characteristics:
George K., 33, bachelor, Country came from: REECE;
Smith L., 39, married, from: GLAND;
Clarke M., 28, single, from: RANCE;
Gregor S., 34, married, from: MERICA, and,
Yani Z:, 30, single, from: ALTA ISLAND.
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“Keith, would you be kind enough make photocopies of this list for the other ministers? Thank you!” As Keath went to the next room to the Copying Center for that purpose, I continued:
“Needless to say, Keith is going to check tomorrow morning on the International Information Center through “double-pink lines” whether these men have any record or not. Suppose they don’t have any, how we should proceed?
“Where they are going to function?” asked Jack, “namely where they are going to meet? Do they need any permanent housing, any supplies? Or, are they going to use one of the temples that already exists?”
“Since they are going to to their own secret meetings, continuous ceremonies and rituals, they need a separate, independent place. Where do you think such a place could exist?”
”Atilla, what do you think; as I visited the French Church this morning, there I saw the unusued chapel, at the other corner of the garden, under chestnut trees. (I adressed that minute to Keith who was just returning from the copying room who was distrubuting the names’ list) Keith, is that building suitable for them you think or we have to provide some other place?”
“Mr. President, I think it is available. The last we had used that gracious building for three elderly French nuns as special dormitories as well as for some private praying sessions, but when they needed more supervised medical care, we took them to the Retirement House. Since then it is free. Jack, why you, tomorrow morning, don’t send me one of your building supervisors to my office that we should visit the French Church and see what we can do.”
“You bet I shall do Keith.”
“I myself too, in the morning I shall call Pere Pierre, and request a permission from him for such possibility,” I said. “I want to be sure that he should not have any other respectable projects on his mind. Okey?”
“Okey.”
“Furthermore, for any other cleaning, repair, personnel, kitchen or service material and needs, you Jack and Keith, between you, I am sure you’ll arrange then, aren’t you?”
“Yes Sir, by all means“Jack, I have a very special request from you. The other night, as usual I was secreening the entire Halls, especially the sacred meetings of course with no Screen on, but the sound appeared to be somewhat disappearing, week or interrupted, noisy. Particularly that of Mormon’s Church. Would you be kind enough to check there, of course in as much as in a natural manner possible and let me know whether there is anything wrong in communication channels? For this prospective building to, on the grounds of St. Ethienne Church?”
“Sure, Mr. President. Now already is the beginning of the summer, we are about to start to make a general surveillance for all. I shall pay a particular attention to the buildings that you mentioned. And, I will report you back.”
“Thank you Jack. And, your gracious ladies, Edith and Debra, I did not lean upon you to night that much. Besides the subjects that we had spoken personally at the beginning of the week, is there anything that you would like to contribute to night?”
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Both ladies with velvety smiles, “Thank you, Mr. President. You are quite loaded to night. Nothing special. If there shall be, you know, we are quick to lay eggs!” (Everyone laughed!)
At this point the group of five, in their clean attire and polite mannerism, appeared at the open door and, after the customary formal introductions and name exchanges amongst all, sat down on the chairs around the Rectangular Table.
“Well, gentlemen, first of all I hope you feel very comfortable here, in our land, that also is going to be your land. There had been a complete week since your arrival, is everything in order? Settlement in the houses, the routine evaluations?”
“Yes, Mr. President, everything is in order, nearly perfect.”, responded Smith L. “We are from GLAND, have two children, Alec 5, and Heather 7, who immensely loved the clean and orderly way of life. Plenty of room to run. Big screen to watch everything big, you know kids. I am sure, Mr. Gleem’s office received the total evaluations. I guess, in a short while, we shall be provided with some jobs that I am quite anxious to start.
“What was your job or training in your Home?”
“I am a mechanic; I worked as a master mechanic in auto-repair business, then in some industrial machinery, milk industry and alike. My wife used to work in nursing homes for elderly.”
“You gentlemen, let us start from George, Mr. K. Would you like to summarize with a few sentences who are you and what you were doing?”
“Well, I am from REECE, a bachelor. I worked in sailing business and, in the production and repair of sailcloath, aslo worked in winehouse, as taster for years.”
“I am sure we shall use your first qualification at large. Well, Mr.Clarke M., what about you?”
“Sir, I am from RANCE; also single. I am principally an auto-mechanic. I was one of the private chauffeurs of a motor company vice-presidents.
“Mr. Gregor S., you Sir?
“Well, I am from MERICA, Sir. I worked at a News’ stand for years, then I had my own. I am married, having one son of 7, Gary. He is quite a boy. My wife worked at the Education Department as teacher’s helper with the pre-schoolers.”
“And you, Mr.Yani Z, the last but not the least, what about your whereabouts?
“Well, I’m from ALTA ISLAND and a graduate of a Junior College, specializing in Public Relations, also doing a lot of work to guide the tourists. I am a bachelor too.”
“Very fine gentlemen, for this briefing. Now, would you tell me how did you get the idea of establishing a Free-Masonry Lodge in this New Atlantis Republic? Did you know each other before and most importantly, what are your credentials in Freemasonry, if you would like to be the founders of this Brotherhood?”
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“No, Mr. President, we did not know each other until we came here, to the Island by boat,” replied Mr. Smith L., “We all belong to certain nominations, as usual, and the least, has third, namely “Masters” degree in Freemasonry in our original homes, registered officially in the lodges that are internationally registered and recognized. I, for the past two years, was “The Right Worshipful Senior Grand Warden” at the Battleborough, Lodge No:176 in Land, having been finished my 33rd degree two years ago. Junior Grand Warden then, I was. You should not have any doubts about it, otherwise, how we could initiate this very responsible and respectful project here? On the way, before reaching New Renfusa, as we have met by chance -as you may have heard how masons do recognize each other by their general mannerism and way that they walk, talk etc.- were talking whether any Lodge in our new land was present; naturally neither of us knew what facilities were present here that we could practice.”
“This is much more than I expected Mr. Smith L., truthfully. The rest of you, also are registered in an internationally acceptable free and accepted masons lodges?”
“Yes Sir, sure we are!”
I plunged into thoughts and then looking to the faces of my Cabinet Members whether the things were satisfactory or not for them too. After reading a green light in their looks, I started to talk slowly:
“Gentlemen. Based upon your words, I, as President of this Republic of New Atlantis, also taking into the account of my cabinet members ‘silent’ okeys, initially give you a start for your noble project. Starting tomorrow morning on, through Mr. Gleem’s office, the Minister of Administration and Personnel, your names will be forwarded to your original Lodges where you are registered. Again by tomorrow, our Administrative Department officials shall be starting for a search for your worshipping place. Initially we thought the old chapel at the St. Ethienne French Catholic Church grounds, if Pere Pierre has no objection.”
Clarke joyously intervened my talk, “Oo, Mr. President, I hope it will come true. It is a beautiful place. Incidentally, I saw you there this morning with your wife. It was my first visit, but I loved it.”
“Oh, good, I am glad you liked it. And, as I know somehow about the Freemasonry, I advice you start up working within yourselves. First of all,
1) Addressing to me, write up your project and apply and register at the Department of Administration,
2) For the offices be held, divide the possible titles and duties among yourself. To start with, since your are just five people now, I advise the following offices and officers should be decided and nominated by you: The Most Worshipful of Grand Master, The Right Worshipful of Junior Grand Warden, The Very Worshipful of Grand Secretary, The Very Worshipful of Junior Grand Deacon, and The Worshipful Grand Sword Bearer. Forwad those names immediately to me.
3) I shall forward these nominations and my approval of them, of course temporarily, to the lodges that you are registered with, and with their final advice, either directly or through them, I shall endeavour to register you with International Free and Accepted Masons.”
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4) At the first opportunity, that is to say within a few days, or a week or so, I would like to present you to the entire Nation first on the Big Screen, and give some introduction. I am sure that some people know something about this organization. I personally don’t want anything hidden or secretive, as open as a clean heart, all your activities and sharing shall be at the open, as Old Greeks used to say, “A real honest person could act when he is alone, as if he is at the presence of Zeus!”
“D’accord gentlemen?”
“D’accord Mr. President. Thanks by millions.”
Then, they shook hand one-by-one and left us. The general consensus among us had been a very favorable one. And, our ministers extended their congragulations and thanks to me for a brief but efficient, fruitful and informative meeting. I said, “This is my duty. This is why I am here for.”
“Okey three musketeers, pick up your wifes and kids, and go home. Ladies, thanks to your graceful existence too. I have to meditate and read some books. Pleasant dreams!”
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15
This is monday morning. Another “not that much routine week” is just starting. The only difference is: The newcomers to the State. For every other six months or so, they bring new flesh and blood, the City-State is in a state of livelyhood and joy. So, I requested Edith to accompany me who very graciously agreed upon a train-ride city tour, at times coming down to the very streets, restaurants where people are shopping, eating, taking new things to their new homes in a joy. This is quite an education for us, I am sure for them too.
So, at about 10.00 A.M. we got on the train right in front of Pyramid I and circle around, as I call it “newcomers follies.” Old timers used to say in French, “Bon observeur, bon médécin!” (Good observant is a good medical man!) Trains of course were presently much more fuller than the previous weeks. The people who almost completed all medical and personal achievement tests and evaluations, now are throwing themselves to the street, ice-cream parlors, restaurants and shopping plazas for indeed a free-dreamland satisfaction. We are witnessing first these wishful shopping chit-chats, like, “Mom, I really want to have a nice, pink night-gown. May be two. The other day I have seen such beautiful gym-shooes. All white and blue, red stripes around. Wow!” “Dad, I saw a blue-jean as I used to dream of. Is it tre they say all for free? Then, I would like to go to ice-cream parlor too, I haven’t eaten a banana split for a long, long time!” “Mom, do you remember, you promised me an Angora cat. This week-end shall we go to the Animal World and get one?” “Of course my dear.” “I hope it is not that expensive.” “It is for free for the citizens, we don’t have to pay anything!” “Mom, how come? Why the things should be for free? Who pays those monies?” “Government. Money is not circulating in the market, but I and daddy shall be working every day somewhere. So, everyone helps everyone even without knowing each other and every person is equal. Isn’t it nice? On our way back, we can buy some toys too.” “Good Mom, but what we shall do when Santa Claus comes to town in Christmas?” “Here Christmas is every day. Santa Claus, as you have just started to understand and discover last Holiday Season that is just a symbol of goodness, kindness and givenness. If human beings would and realy could be a Santa Claus, here is our chance. That’s why we left your grandparents and the other belowed friends behind, not just for an adventure but for a dream that can come true not through the statesmen, politicians and armed soldiers but through very essence of our own existence: God loving, human loving, unselfish, hardworking, non-envious, giving, sharing individuals. Let’s get off. We came to downtown!” I cannot add anything else to these beauties.
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There, we got off too. We entered into one of the largest department stores in downtown, “Jacey’s!” There too, you can easily track the eager-beaver new customers, who, in spite of their best wills and dignity, shall nearly attack whatever is offered or on the scene, but within the next six months or so, for the next newcomers, they shall just smile with a comfort, remembering how themselves had behaved six months ago.
My old habit is to visit bookstores of course where the people do not look for “Do-it-yourself” or “How you can be more successful in business or sex?” “The name of the game is money” kind of books that we don’t display that much because people want differently, and indeed there is no need for them. Teen-agers, of course, still dream of a sentimental life, “Heidi”s, “Sleeping Beauty”s, some may still prefer “Anna Carenina”, “Doctor Jivago” or existentialistic and post-existentialistic novels, “stranger, now?”, “return of Hamlet”, “Would King Lear Live in 21st Century?”, “Don Quijote, welcome home!”, “Celestial Melody”, “Shaman’s Loves”, “Dimensions of Sky Life”, “The Fate of the Universe”, “Physiology and Histology of Thinking and Love”, “Art of Praying and Dying”, “Angel Follies”, “The Anatomy of the Religion”, “Frequencies in Thinking and Feeling For Each Other”, “Stories from Previous Lives”, “The Poetry of Non-Being”, “Phobias in Flowers”,“The Invisible Bridge Between Sun and Moon” are best-sellers now, of course just by definition, otherwise as anything else, all books are free too.
Thou human beings continue to eat: Pop-corn, cheee-burgers, musroom-burgers, burger-burgers, chocolate candies, cheesoronies, macoronies, roni-ronies, fried potatoes, fried bananas, pickled melons and watermelons; drink mineral waters, sherbets, fruit juices and every kind of meat: Frogs, crocodiles, fish, sheep and chicken, fresh or cooked, baked or fried. We encourage green vegetables: Cauliflowers, spinach, squash and beans, salads, broccolis, carrots, mashrooms and fresh apples, peaches, melon, grapes, figs, fresh or dessicated. So, nothing is new in this old world.
Toy stores are in a real booming stage. Younger the ages, more ambitious and unsatiable the children are. “Hey, look at that, mom, I want this electric train. I want that flying helicopter too. Oo, look at the blocks, second-aid kit. Mom, are there any guns, machine guns here? No? Oo, too bad?” The attending clerk advices one type of toy from each department; so one has to chose either electrical train or helicopter; crayons or water-color set; if you choose a three-wheel bycycle, you can not have a two-wheeler at the same time. Note book, unless required in a very special type from the school, one at a time. You can eat chocolate, or cholate cake, even chocolate cake with ice-cream on it, but cannot eat chocolate cake and mille-feuille pastry too. It is a health principle. Too much is too much, and overweighing is a medical sickness. Besides, from earlier ages the children have to learn to control their ambitions. We respect the old saying, “One is what he eats!”
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Dress and clothing departments are much the same in essence but at a much more slower pace and less ambitions displayed. “I love these skirts, can I have two of them? No? Okey, I can have only one, this straw yellow one. Thank you.” “Can I have this shawl? Okey, Thank you. This pair of gloves. I need undercloth too. How many? One pair each? Okey. Measure:36 please. Handkerchiefs? One? Okey. This pair of Moccasins? No.8,5 for my feet? Perfect! Thank you. Let me try, oh, fits perfectly. Let me see, what else? Can I go to parfumery department too? Today? Oo, thank you.”
Edith and I set at the cafeteria for a light luncheon. Service is either self for ready things, or you may order to cook, like omelet as we both did. With an additional fruit salad, and a glass of milk, we were quite satisfied. The people who were serving around were very pleasant doing their shift work very diligently and willingly, and the second and then the third shifts would be coming. Three-shift cafeterias and restaurants were restricted only to populated areas, like hospitals, factories and alike, otherwise two-shift services are generally good enough to serve the entire population. Drug stores also were working only two shifts, and in case of any need, hospitals, health centers throughout the Island could supply the emergency medicine. As we said before, transportation, namely rail-car service is available for every other ten minutes that is also on twenty-four hour a day basis, but, after 22.00 P.M. to 01.00 A.M. they come down to every other twenty minutes, and from 01.00 A.M. until 07.00 A.M. they are available for every other half an hour. Should there be any accident or mishap of any kind and someone need any help, transportation or any health issue, you could push one red botton that is placed on a special small concrete construction with one hundred meters intervals at the both sides of the streets, in a few minutes an emergency vehicle from nearby hospital, a male helper and a registered nurse with a first-aid kit in hand, will rush to your area immediately, since those concrete blocks all numbered, coded and mapped. On the same block, protected with a thick glass, there is also a red phone laying that you also could pick it up and speak to someone who can help you twenty hours a day, regardless who you are and wherever you are. We love our citizens and care about them.
Well, this kind of life might be boring to some people because of non-existence of gangsters, car races, police chases, bullet firing and drunk people’s halloring, shouting around. When I was a young boy at our arrival here, still there was no police force; instead some night-watchmen were making rounds. They were not carrying guns, but mops. They were dressed in dark blue coats with the same color caskets on their heads. Their communication system was that of their whistles. On each street there was one, and were letting each other know about their whereabouts. They were ready to help the people if needed, like someone was assaulted or a house was about to be broken, like two hundred years ago some third world countries used to have them. They were very frendly fellows, woul chat with the young girls who were coming late from movies, would accompany them if needed, an alderly lady would ask for help to cross the street, someone was searching for a pharmacy and alike. Now, everything is more efficient, fast and -fortunately or unfortunately- formal. After briefing these to Edith who did not have this experience as a youngster, I thanked her for her lovely company and wished a nice time for the rest of the day.
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16
Well, this is monday evening again, and after having my supper with my wife, in my home and special work desk. As I experienced something strange last monday evening, I am dying to hear what is going on in Mormon Church!
I touched the “sound” button and am awaiting anxiously. At last something began to be heard.
“Sarvan abhivadaye vah! Oo, they speak of Sanskrit. (Meaning: I greet you all!) (A few unclear voices.”)
“Ciram adarsanem aryasya vayam udvignah!” (We have been distressed of not seeing your Honor for a long time!)
”Cirasya kalasya praptah asi.” (You have arrived after a long time.)
“Anyah kuh agacchati?” (Who else is coming?
“George ca Kevork!” (George and Kevork)
“Sadhu.” (Good)
“Bhhagavant..” (Your reverence)
“Mitranam eva priyam etat. (To friends, this is a welcome night.) Arya, api satror uyasenam upalah-dham?” (Have you discovered a weakness of your enemy, sir?)
“Na tatha!” (Not yet!)
“Jnayatam punah kim etad iti!” (Find out again what it is!)”
“Api khalu svapna esa syat?” (Could this indeed be a dream?”
“Kim uktavan asi?” (What did you say”)
“Api khalu svapna esa syat, aryah?” (Could it be indeed a dream, Your Excellency?”
“Khalu!.. punar, drsya..” (Certainly! but, to be seen..)
“Akarnayati!” (Listen to!) (then, something incomprehensible..)
“Nı ayam katha-vibhago ısmabhir anyena va sruta:parvah.” (This part of the story has not been heard before by us or anyone else.” -a few sounds, then-
“Tat kim ity asankase?” (Why then you are afraid?)
“Avagacchami te tesmin sauhardam.” (I understand your fondness for him.)
“kim tu ‘katham asmahbir upagantavya’ sampadharayami!”
(But I am wondering how we should approach him!”
“İcchathı aivı aitan, na va?” (Do you want this or not?) Dehi me prativacanam.” (Give me an answer.)
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“Asmi!” (I am).
“Distya dharma. Sadhu! Su:yanah. N’edam vismarisyami.(Congragulation! Bravo! Good man! I will not forget this!)
“Sru! Apnuhi prathama… anyutha, hata! Asti mant Moroni Plates. Band ca pariraksyantam asya pranah. Aduna!” “Listen! Obtain first… otherwise, kill! He is the possessor of Moroni Plates. Enter into his friendship and spare his life! Now!)
I turned the knob off. I had heard enough. These were really and truly astonishing for me, and were occurring for the first time at the Presidential level. From time to time, we hear some loose talk, threat or some uprise-like moves but they never come alive in spite of the fact that we do not have any armed police force. People come here in their own choosing but knowing a little bit personal and social psychology, when the basic needs are not satisfied, then oppressed, repressed envies, desires and feelings may come close to the surface. But, I sincerely belive that the system in toto does not permit for grandiosity or foul play. If you don’t have monitary system, in spite of the fact that this may partially curtail a healthy challenge in the commerce and may be in the national growth and advance in some areas, but we are advanced enough as far as civilization is concerned; we people who came from old worlds, know better what “we should not do”, other than “what we should do”. At the moment, the Republic is going through the second generation -like me- who is in power and eveything (not everything, except this last mystery to be truthful!) seems to be under good controls. But, I sincerely believe that after the third generation’s dominance, the nation shall really get level off.
Anyway, let us come to the puzzle. There are a lot of serious questions need to be answered. First of all, why people speak Sanskrit?. I am the only one in this nation, due to my social psychiatry education know that dead language, as I had mentioned earlier somewhere. It is well possible they don’t want anybody should hear and know what they are up to. Perhaps, perhaps not. Secondly, who is this “Your Majesty?” Since we are not a political empire or an Emirate, or a “safe” place for escapees from genocides, this could well be a religious or sacred chevaliers group’ adventures or ambitions or something like that. The request for establishment a Freemasonry Lodge which came contemporary with this mystery, now gains a special importance; is it a complete coincidance or is there any interrelatedness between? What are those “Moroni Plates”? Never heard of them. The person, I gather supposedly have them is who? One of the state greats? Or ME? Oh my gush, I really thrilled, since they talked of a “killing” that had never occurred in this State’s history within the past sixty years, not even once. I know I do not have such a thing in my possession. I don’t have any ambition of any sort, any unsatisfied envie, an eye on anything, God knows that and my poeple here know that. I do not have any hidden property or steel safes or… Wait a minute, let me think. When I said “steel safe”, that brought to my mind my grand-father’s belongings that were passed from him to the third generation, namely to me for safe-keeping; but for God’s sake, I even don’t know what are they? Anyways, this is one important point to search for. But before anything else, I am going up to the Presidental Library and make a little bit research in ancient books and
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and encyclopaedias, and see what they write about Mormons and those Moroni Plates. As I started to move, I felt better. If there is a hidden mystery somewhere and I could do something to solve this uneasiness, I know I am the person who could do and would do that. Oh, I already feel better now.
Our library may not be comparable to those of Atican’s or ancient nations’ national galleries, but for the reserach, is uncomparably better and much more practical than most of them, in a way, quite unique. As I had been elected as President to the New Atlantis Republic, I had donated my ten thousand of Latin, French, German, English, Italian, Sanskrit, Spanish, Turkish and Arabic volumes to this very special library. Secondly, since my childhood on I myself kept writing “the contents” and “idioms” to the tops of the pages with crayon of the books that I read, that, later on, those notes were classifed and entered into our Supreme Mega Computers. Throughout years either at the University while teaching or in general education programs, I advocated this system to the entire nation that, now, almost anyone who reads a book does the same, and, whether they donate the book or just bring it in temporarily let be borrowed by our master librarians for a while, all these titles are compiled in huge volumes. For instance, as you may touch the word “love”, in a split second, the compilation of all idioms, sayings, the verses from poems or a few sentences from all write-ups come true on your screen, like, from “Bible” or “Koran”, from Aristo’s “State”, or “Aristoteles’ “Greek Theatre”, or Solon’s “Sayings”, Homer’s “Iliada”, Shakespeare’s “King Lear” or “Hamlet”, V. Hugo’s “Miserables”, S. Zweig’s “The History of Yesteryears”, Chechov’s “Three Sisters” etc. This system, of course permits for valuable research projects in depth. Any case, for this personal contribution of mine, I am really proud of myself. Once more, whaetever I have learned in this world, is not mine, it is the product of this culture and shall remain so consciously, and will be renewed, rejuvanated and re-appearing in the subconscious of the forthcoming generations as”collective unconscious”. Incidentally, for old-timers like me the best gift to give a friend is a book, especially old prints. The rest, is published by the State and free-exchange is already the mode. We share everything openly in this land.
There were relatively a few books and limited information about MORMONS and MORONI PLATES, but, old good Encyclopaedia Ritannica, Panati’s book about “Sacred Things and Customs” directly gave me the initial information and knowledge that I badly needed. I could not find an original “Book of Mormons” that I should request from the Leader of the Church right tomorrow morning that could also give me a chance to visit the church tomorrow evening anyways. (Let me see whether I shall be able to identify those voices that I heard from the system. Shame, shame on me!) As you also shall learn with me, the relatively short resources about this subject are due to Mormonism’s quite late presentation to the world, say for the last couple of centuries or so, thus not being a well-studied subject to the thinkers and philosphers of the world, as the other great religions might have been.
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Well, here it is what the books say about this religion.
Old Testemant informs us that God, assigned three archangels to different duties: Michael was the national guardian angel for Israel, is “like God” (Hebrew), is imagined as the warrier leader of the heavenly hosts against the forces of evil. At the early and medieval Christianity, he is regarded as helper of the Christian forces against the heaten. He is the heavenly high priest, keeps the keys of haven. In Islam, called as “Mika(i)l”, is recognized as the controller of the forces of the nature, with his 1,000 assistants, called “karüibiyün” (cerubim), providing men food and knowledge. He was the one who delivered Moses the Ten Commandements which tuned to a much more deeper piety. His feast day is on September 20th. Along with Gabriel, they did herald the birth of monotheistic Judaism, Christian-based Christianity, and, Koran inspired Islam.
Gabriel, is conceived as “God’s man” (Hebrew), “God’s messenger,” who announced to the Virgin Mary she was to bear Son of God as well as announcing the coming birth of John the baptist. In Islam, recognized as “Gibril”(Gebreal) – ‘faithful spirit’, also reveaaled the Koran to Mohammed. In Christian art, Gabriel is depicted as a human figure with a long hair and multicoloured wings, holding a sceptre, or a lily. His feast day is on March 24th.
Raphael, “God heals” (Hebrew), is known as the healer of the Tobit’s blindness (The apocryphal book of Tobit) and the conquerer of the demon Asmodeus. Also ‘patron of travellers’, He is “the angel of the spirits of men”. His feast day is on October 24th.
In the A.C. 1820’ies, in the U.S.A., in Palmyra, N.Y. to be exact, the Mormon Archangel Moroni inspired a teen-eager, named Joseph SMITH, to establish the “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”
As MORMON doctrine dictates, GOD, who was a MAN once upon a time, had married a “heavenly mother” and therefore had been a father of “spirit children” who had assumed outwardly bodily shapes and populated the world. Marriage is a very sacred thing for Mormons; and they are expected to marry at a Mormon Temple, in two styles in their own choice: “for time”, and “for eternity.” First through “baptisim”, then “marriage through a Mormon Temple”, a Mormon himself becomes God-like.
Consequently, Mormons are very much attached to the Church labor deeply, even endlessly one would say. One of the most prominent believes is that they are “able to convert the souls of deceased non-believers”, through a ceremonial staging, called “babtism of the dead.” In A.C. 1995, Jews had asked Mormons “to stop converting dead Jewish Holocaust victims” of the World War Two (A.C. 1938-45) into the Mormon faith. Upon this request, Mormon Church Administration Headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah, had agreed to remove more than 380,000 Jewish people’s names -that were registered at the International Genealogical Index- from such baptism. However, it is known that the Church still practices to convert the dead souls, at the moment about 20 million being registered.
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Mormon life, in reality, heavily depends upon the Family, however male oriented. Wife achieves exaltation, a kinf of ecstasy through participating in her husband’s eternal priesthood. Husband who is a man, is a kind of priest and even God, or His representative. Their belief extends to the point that, the glorified-exalted couples spend eternity in painless and pleasurable procreations; they must continue their existence in all other planets too where they may be worshipping the original Heavenly Father and Mother.
Mormons believe that, they did live in CHRIST’s time. We already know that the Christianity, had itself figured out from the Jewish Sacred Scriptures, beyond any doubt. Similarly, according to the Islamic belief, Jewish Prophet Abraham was the first Muslim. Thus, if this is true, Islam antedates Judaism. According to the Latter-day Saints theology, during His lifetime, Jesus Christ himself had established here, on the earth, particularly at Jerusalem the original “The Church of Jesus Christ”, and, “the Saints” were its members. After His resurrection, Jesus had visited the New World (America), and there, before ascending to heaven, He had established a church that was the beginning of the official re-starting of Mormons in modern world.
In the year A.C. 1820, a fifteen-year old young man Joseph SMITH (A.C. 1805.- A.C.1844) received his first divine vision. Jesus Christ, through his (Mormon) Archangel MORONI had warned him “not to go to any other church, since until then, a true church did not esist!” Following that, in the forthcoming ten years or so, he inspired a serie of revelations that had claimed him as a Reverend, then the First Prophet of the new church, namely the “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints”. Then, previously established “The Earlier-day Saints” Church, had been extincted. Rev. Smith, however, had to be involved in several bloody battles, like Mohammed, moved around a lot with His followers, and died at a very early age of 39, during one of those battles.
Since Mormons also believed in “polygamy” and practiced so -including the Founder Prophet), in A.C. 1856, a Republican presidential platform enacted a law against that. Until A.C. 1890, more than one thousand men were convicted on ‘poligamy’ charges. At the same date, the U.S. Supreme Court gave its final decision on this issue: “The Polygamy is illegal!” As a coincidance, a Wilford Woodruff, the head of the Mormon Church in Utah then, said he had “received a divine command on the issue that the multiple wives practice should be stopped!”, therefore it did stop.
The history of the religions teaches us that, all religions and/or sacred belief systems, had their own books of inspiration: For JUDAISM: Tanak-Old Testament; for CHRISTIANITY: New Testament-Apocrypha (Hidden things); for ISLAM: The Koran-The Recitation; for CONFUCIANISM: Analects-Selected Sayings of Conficious; for HINDUISM: The Vedas-the wisdom; for BUDDHISM: The Tipitaka-three baskets; and for MORMONISM : the Book of Mormon.
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Joseph Smith, the founder prophet, had received from the Angel MORONI, the “golden Moroni plates”, a kind of “tablets” that were the proofs of old Israeli registration of Mormons, sacred history and beliefs, that due to wars and constant moves during the settlement in mid-west provinces of the United States in A.C. 1850’ies, were completely disappeared and until nowadays, their whereabouts are not known. Supposedly, Reverend Smith translated that knowledge into English and turned them into the Mormonic Bible. The Book of Mormons that accepts God as a real person with a visible body of flesh and bones; that is originally registered in papyric writings, collected and saved at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City…
The other very interesting claim in the Book of Mormon -reportedly, I did not read it yet!-, according to the writings who supposedly read them, is that, the virtuous, industrious, fair-skinned Nephites, later on were exterminated by the sinful, red-skinned Lamanites. There follows the life philosphy of Mormons: God’s good people are first very prosperous and prideful, then decadent; finally, they are punished and they repent. This moral cycle is very well known and recorded in the sacred literature.
The Book of Mormon, denies the existence of the “original sin” and the family relationships could be eternal. This view is more anthropometric than that of theocentric.
One of the Joseph Smith’s revealed scriptures was: “The Book of Abraham”, Similar writings, as said above, on papyrus exist in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In Smith’s translation, person with ‘black skins’ were cursed, and, as to pertaining to the priesthood, black Afro-Americans were excluded from any office in the Mormon Church.
Very interesting material, tiring to eyes and mind, but taught me several things and fired me forward to search more. It is quite late at night; tomorrow morning I shall make arrangements to attend to the Mormon Church, perhaps to start with a private visit tomorrow evening; then, yes, then to open my grandpa’s memoires and start to read. I believe it contains very important information, may be the keys to this puzzle that possiby, or probably may be threatening somebody’s, including my own life. Anyways. For to nite, at least our “Idioms’ Encyclopaedia” gained some new ‘key words’ and corresponding entries, like: Mormons, Joseph Smith, The Book of Mormons, The Book of Abraham, Nephites, Lamanites, Moroni Plates, Wilford Woodruff and enrichened the World War II Haulocasts, Archangel Michael, Archangel Raphael, Archangel Gabriel, Mohammed, Polygamy, Islam, Judaism and Christianity.
I am going to bed. Goodnight everybody!
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16
As I sat at my desk, naturally first thing came to my mind that to call Mormon Church headquarters at down-town, and request an appointment for this evening, if it were possible, from Reverend Arthur, the President of the Church. It did not take that too long to accomplish that; Rev. Arthur, in his very calm and settled, sure tone of voice, greeted me in his usual gentelmanly and charmingly attitude:
“Good morning Mr. President!”
“Good morning Reverend Arthur.
“It is indeed a pleasure to hear from you. I know how busy you might be that we have not seen you in our Church for a while. What can I do for your Excellency?”
“My dear friend, I would like to make a visit with you, if possible this evening. Are you too busy?”
“Yes and no, but for you naturally no. From these newcomers there seems to be a very interesting small group that would like to join our Church, so they are coming to visit us again this evening. You may meet them if you wish but not absolutely necessarily. We could meet in Parish Hall or in my office, can invite a few others, commensurate with the intent of your visit, by all means.”
“Okey, thank you, I shall be there; say at 19.30 P.M., alright?”
“Alright Sir, perfect. See you then.”
I took a deep breath. My heart was slightly poundering in my chest cage, but, this was to be done as they used to say in old country, “You have to hold the bull from horns, otherwise he can nail you down!” Also, as French say, “Anything that starts, has to finish!” Soon after that I received a message from Edith, Minister of Education -you also know her by now- who would like to send her assistant, Michael Deem, if I wish to, for the Summer Literary Festival. Naturally I said yes, at this point and time in my life, I needed a little bit festival-like activities, even the thought of it that should relax my mind a little bit that recently, as you know well, had been under some tension.
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Michael Deem, is a slim, tall, serious looking gentelman, with an Education Degree (Ed.D.), soon appeared in my office. He greeted me very gently and shook hands warmly. He was holding a rather thick bunch under his arm.
“Sit down, please, last week when we were talking about the Festival with Dr.Plump, even thou we did not fix a proximate date for the event, we both had the impression that, particularly of being quite busy with prospective citizens, the Festival would be displayed toward the end of the summer. Is there any change in planning?”
“Yes, Sir. You were right, we were already busy with the evaluations anyways, but they finished astonishingly early; and, during our contacts with people, they showed a tremendous interest for some musical and theatrical festival, staging their original countries dresses, music, dances and alike total cultural activities too. Consequently, Dr. Plump and I thought we should consult with you, and if you wish, either we should replace the Literary Festival with that type of more elaborate, cultural festival towards the end of the summer, or, do the Literary Festival soon, say in a few weeks, and then, toward the end of the summer, stage the other. What do you think, Sir?”
“Thank you asking me. Well, I still favor of doing the Literary Festival for the fact that for the past twenty five years, it had almost been a traditonal event; we should not skip this year. Is there any other obstacle or reason we should not make it soon?”
“Oo, no, we could do it anytime. If you wish.”
“I shall call the Communication department right away and give necesssary directives for Big Screen appearances and advertisement, you also may get in touch with Mr. Clarke who is the chief of that division for further details. I think general plan should be this way: People should be informed that the Festival will be of two-day duration, at one week-end, say two or thee weeks from now, depanding upon your readiness. The subjects for competiton for this year, again are “Poems” and “Short Stories”. Every one shall participate with only one entry, and shall read himself or herself. As a place, I still recommend the “Torpedo Fish Beach Green Field”, the picnic field next to the Animal World that while people challenge with each other, people can have a chance to go to visit animals, also to swim too. Between the challengers, celebrity literary men and women should read some poems, literary pieces between, just to decorate the event. What do you say, Mr. Deem?”
“Sounds very good Sir.”
“Naturally, Dr. Plump and you make the final decision and the time-table. I am sure, you will not forget to select a jury, under Edith’s chairpersonship, of course including you too. So, by Friday let us get in touch with other and see where we are. Okey youngman?”
“Thank you Sir, much obliged!”
It took for another two minutes to give a call to Mr. Clarke and give him highlights of our plan. As usual, in our State everyone is in “alesta”, ready to sail any minute anywhere. I was rushing, on the other hand, to run and get out of the diary of my grand-father’s sealed bag that had been in dusts for almost half a century. How exiting is uncovering some mysteries and hidden material, as we used to enjoy in our mid-childhood, playing hide-and-sick in closets.
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17
Even though I know whole-heartily that time has come that I should open the past history and read my grand-father’s diary. I had avoided this for a long time, but as if there was a hidden hand was pulling me back. My grandfather who was also a physician, an analyst, the first man in the family tree who had crossed the family and country boundaries, extending himself to the other challenges of the world. A man with a legend in his own life style, adventures, accomplishments and glories and defeats which he has been through. My father, Ismailov the 2nd, or with his first name Souhi, used to talk about him all the time, frankly I appreciated those very much, but I am a person who, as a principle, lives in the present and the future while still being respectfull, non-judgmental and silent about the past, because human beings do whatever they can do under those circumstances, nothing else. However, in spite of the fact that my attitude’s being “past is past, let it rest there!”, I wanted to remember my grandfather as he was in my memories. Some people are legend, they might be great, it is so because they are presented that way to assume so, to live with them day-to-day might be a different story. Therefore, if it were my choice whether I could live with him or not, is a different thing. When I came to “New Atlantis” with my Dad, as I said before, I was only ten years old, and left grandfather in Old Country. He died 18 yers later and my Dad went to his funeral and brought back his ashes that are right here now, in a steel brief-case, right in front of me now. My father had told me that, since my grandfather had not died in this country, we did not need to stock his ashes with the common Crematory here though if one day I wanted to do it, I could do so. I should keep this case that contains “the body ashes” and “very important material, diary etc.” that might involve me one way or the other, and, one day, the situation was going to speak for itself and in a way, obliging me to open it and reveal the secrets, if it had any. To me, right time seemed to me ringing its invisible bells. Opening code of the lock of the steel brief-case was 177, my primary school number that was most sacred to grandfather, as my father has said. So, here we are, without any ceremony other than my heavy sounding heart beats, I said “Open Sesame!” and lack was opened.
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At the left side of the brief-case, there was a wooden box, obviously hand-made and looked very special. It is covered with very delicate flowery figures all around. A small wooden key is in its hole. Obviously this the ash-box. Under it, there lays a “Glorious Koran”, as I was told, was given to him his most belowed person in his life, his aunt, with the promise “to be burried with it!”. The rest of the case, is full of beautifully and compulsively arranged several cartoon files. Each of them carefully marked for its content: “My childhood”, “School Years”, “University Years”, “Military Service”, First Marriage”, “Across the Ocean”, “My Children”, “Second Marriage”, “Glorious, Achievement Years”, “Decline and Return!”
I am a very patient person and I would have wished I would have read all of them, line by line and in order, from the beginning up to the end. May be one day. Now, I have to be away from all sensitivities and emotions, I would like to find some facts that most probably caused my grandfather’s constant moving around, unexpected decline and the rest of the circumstances. What was the mystery? What was the inside story of those recordings that I have not been able to connect? Since I was the grandson and carrying “the remainings of my ancestors”, hopingly thorugh reading and uncoding, if necessary, these documents, would have brough an end to the unrest, just decribed.
I already remember the high-lights of his beginnings, medical school years in old country and then crossing the Ocean with a boat for a “New start” somewhere, as we all done; trials and tribulations connected with those; but I am so impatient, and would like to start from the Second Marriage of which even my father who himself lived it through was not very much acknowledged, not knowing about the tiny details of insight stories, and, as a matter of fact, a half-brother who he has had but had never seen him life-time. So, I think for many good reasons, I would start from the second marriage on.
DR. ISMAILOV, Sr
(Diary - The Second Marriage)
July 19 1968
Code Island
I am very excited to day. My son Ismailov Jr., whose nick-name is Souhi, had begun to take piano lessons. This could be a simple event for anyone I assume, but it is quite important for me. As I had detailed my youthhood events, during my educational years, I was mesmerized by the piano melodies that used to spring from our next neighbor’s walls. Listzs, Schuberts, Schumans, Beethovens were my dream-fathers. In spite of my beggings, my father and step-mother refused to do anything about it, because “it was unnecessary” in spite of the fact that my father was the owner of a small-grocery store, also a three-storey apartment at the mid-town, and, step-mother who’s six years old son was going to a private
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school; a good money earning dress-maker herself… Then, I had gone to an Classical Oriental Music School, and learned Eastern Music, all by myself, but had promised to myself that “one day, yes, one day, I would grow up, earn some money, and buy a piano.” As I had also given some information in the chapters of the inconveniences and mishaps at the first marriage diary, the day that my son was born, I had bought a piano for him, a “Stark”, upright piano. My ex-(first) wife then had shouted, yelled at me, saying that I had not bought that gift to her but to myself, since that was an old wish of mine (forgetting the fur that I had bought for her after the delivery of the same son). After she left us, my son was too small to play yet and myself, due to work in the hospital and prepare myself for medical examinations, really had not a chance. But now, after having passed the medical examinations and being appointed as Commissioner in the State, and my beloved son reached the age 8, the time was right to start.
So, I asked around. They recommended a Mrs.K., a young mother of late twenties, a private music teacher. I arrranged first in a way that I should come at the beginning of the lesson, go to my work again and come back at the end which I did. A pleasant, blond lady gave her report that my son was above of a mediocre talent, had a “good ear”, and we would start, if I wish. After having my son’s consent, we started. To my son’s honor, I had already brought a chocolate cake that we shared together. I believed my son’s start was also going to give me an initiation, an incentive in the same subject. Due to my age, business and so, I would not start like a small child, but perhaps a correspondence course and a local supervising teacher would do the job, since I knew the notes and the tones, musicality and the rest quite a bit, in general. Anyways, this is how did we start to this thing.
August 17’1968
Code Island
Piano lessons with my son go very well. In the evening, after having our supper, he plays some melodies. Now he is fingering “The Jingle bells, Jingle bells”. I bet he will be playing the Christmas melodies at the Holy Season. In school he is doing very well too, being at the top. The only thing is worrying me that since he is the only child in this small family, with no mother, plus the fact that father is a workaholic, virtually has no time for anything else, and, my son has very few friends. He goes to the sportive activities, baseball practices that I seldom visit during those times. I don’t want to bring him up in a complete isolation from the outside world. He has very good manners, is well-accepted among his friends. I sometimes invite them to play at our small backyard and mostly go with friends, but they have to come back at sun-down. We don’t have anyone to take care of our house on permanent basis; as I myself decided to do so. On saturdays two of us vacuum the one-and-a half storey ranch where the floors are covered with wall-to-wall carpets, pile up the garbage together and then go for a ride, to the restaurants, bowling, basketball or baseball games. Good and clean life, but needs a little bit more coloring.
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This sunday morning while my son was studying piano, and I, in my pajamas, sweeping, vacuuming the basement where also my home office located, the door-bell rang. Since I was not dressed properly yet, I hesitated a little bit; then, ‘what heck!’, the automatic sweeper in my hands, opened the door. There, a young lady about twenties was standing, thin and polite, also holding a book in her hand. With a gracious smile in her face, she asked:
“Is there a lady in the house?
A little bit angry perhaps, but polite, I answered, “No young lady, there is no lady in this house, here I am, and there, my son is playing piano. What can I do for you?”
“Do you belive in God?”
“Of course I believe, but why you are asking these questions to me right at the door, and obviously I cannot invite you inside because you came in unprecedented, and visibly, I am not in good shape to accept a guest, particularly a lady! But what is the relevance of your question?”
“Well, we are Seventh-Day Adventists (She was alone, but at the cross of the street, a young man was standing-by and perhaps considering him she referred as ‘we’) and would give you a chance to know Lord better that can help you in case off…..”
“Look Lady,” I roared, “what I need now neither Lord nor, what did you say, seventh day…”
“Seventh-Day Adventists!”
“Yes, Seventh-Day Adventists… but a lady who shall make my bed also share it and sweep the floors for me!..” and perhaps being a litle bit rude, I closed the door gently.
Well, this type of behavior was somewhat strange even to me for a such well-tempered man, but I did not think that I have done terribly wrong. Perhaps He -from Upstairs- was sending me messages that there was really something lacking in the household.
September 1’1968
Code Island
My lack about a new marriage is giving me signals but in strange ways.
To day sunday again, and the picture in the house is just the same. Some light house work and my son’s studying piano or playing with Atari and Nintendo.
The doorbell rang again. Strange. I do not have many friends, and if I have, mostly professionals. Poeple very rarely contact me, and if they do, they call me first, as the rule is. Anyway, at least I am relatively better dressed than the previous episode. I opened the door. There stood two relatively older looking couple, of Oriental features, probably Chinese, and a relatively young looking girl, all cleanly dressed up, bowed politely.
“Hello, I am Dr. Ismailov, Sr. Are you sure you are at the right place? Who you are looking for?”
“Oh. No. We are at right place!” replied the fatherly gentleman. “You don’t know me but we know you. Yes you are Dr. Ismailov. Can we come in?”
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With their boldness, a little bit surprised I was, but since the cleaning was almost over, and I had nothing else to do particularly at that time, I invited them in. Indeed, exactly similar to the visits that were in my old Home: You visit someone anytime you want to, as if they are ready for you since they may not have nothing else to do other than just waiting for the guests that God sends you. If you don’t find anyone home at the time of you visit, it does not matter, you can come again until you succeed. A little bit hesitantly I opened the door wide. “Please, come in!”
We climbed five-to-six stone stairs to go upstairs hall. Up there, there is a saloon-day room, next to it a kitchen, one is facing the street and the other backyard. Towards left, three bed-rooms of medium sizes. For me and my son, comfortable enough. After I got rid of what I had in my hands, we sat altogether in day-room, and, a few minutes later my son who did not know what was going on, also came in and greeted them silently and went right back to his room. For a while we exchanged the smiles with no words. Of course I asked them whether they would like to drink some tea or coffee, with a similar smile all on their faces, a “tea!” sound ‘with accent’ came out.
“With sugar?”
“Yes, please!”
It took just a few minutes for me to prepare the tea-cubs and tea bags to offer them.
“Any biscuits or salteens, cookies with ?”
“No, thank you!”
A while later we were all sitting together, sipping from our tea-cups and still smiling at each other. This time I was decicive not to ask any questions and go along with the pandomime. The gentleman finally broke and, very politely started to his speech:
“Sir, you don’t know us, we are very honorable people; we do know you, as we searched out, you are a very honorable person too. We know you are also a wise, learned man from Orient; a doctor and a professor, single, taking care of his child, alone. (After cleaning his throat and looking at his wife and his young) My daughter is here, now a student at the University of Code Island. We all are citizens and living very comfortable here. We thought …. that… you may need… to have a wife, in your accustomed style, but your are not citizen and you may be soon, after completing your permissable time here, your visa shall expire and you shall have to leave this Country. Correct?”
“Yes, correct, so far.”
“Well, what my wife and I thought, since it is very hard to find an eligible man of good character, if you wish to, we would like to offer our daughter to you as wife. You automatically become citizen and live happily after. Do you understand?”
“Well, not only I understood well, but also greatly bewildered by the boldness of the offer.” I raised my eyes to the ceilings and sent a silent message to the Creator, “How quick you got the message? Seventh-Day Adventists may have a direct red line with you!’ Then, I succumbed into thoughts. Yes, I have heard a lot about these “arranged marriages leading to citizenships” and could have been, or would have been possible. I asked a question to the father:
“How old the you“Twenty, but she is very skilled in home affairs and child-rearing. She took care of the other five children of us until recently.”
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I looked at the girl; she was smiling with a grace. A negotiaton has been going on concerning her entire life and she was quite submissive, accepting the deal even before start.
“Well,” I responded, “as you may appreciate well, in spite of the fact that I am 39 years old, however healthy and relatively young, yes, I do contemplate the marrige at times, especially in a strange Country like here. But, this offer came to me rather suddenly and as a surprise, to tell the truth. Please leave your business card, with your names and telephone numbers and allow me certain time to think and share this important subject with my son. Either you shall hear positive, or, … you won’t hear anything. Thank you very much for this honor.”
We bowed in two lines, facing each other, and they left quietly, as they came in. Was this a dream? This book, needless to say, was closed even before it was opened.
September 15’1968
Code Island
I had become appointed as chief consultant to a Child Psychiatric Service that was a quite surprise to me. This was rather a ‘Residential Care Center’ for children ages 6 tru 18, giving a long term treatment to the children with psychiatric disturbances, pricipally of behavior disorders, somewhere between one-to-three years. It is a kind of hospital where all medical and neurologic studies are done, but which also contains an educational unit where with some specially trained people, called “Residential Care Center Workers” and “special teachers”, all children attend to school too, hand-in-hand with the private psychiatric care. That was great. So, it was possible to sit with children in classes where their most disturbances were observed directly, then, in the aftrernoon, we were able to offer the children group and occupational therapies along with sports and activities. That also gave a chance to everyone involved to work as a close together working team, gathering with the families in order to train them also, as well as giving better service to the children. Night time, they slept there, and we and young residents were also on duty. Besides being consultant to the Unit, I was also assigned to be the Chief of Autistic Unit that was a brand new, mysterious field that had been very recently under scope of research and treatment. As to my State job, since I was literally ‘timeless’ there, I would also have worked up to two days somewhere else too, they said. Very good indeed.
In that Unit, there was a young teacher, just out of college, having been trained as “counselor” to this kind of children, however with no clinical experience. These children do not speak, they do not relate to people; when they look at you, they “look through you”. They are much more in inanimate world than that of animate one. Anyways, of course they need more intimate care, like being held by hands, singing together in circles, spelling every single letter and syllable of the things for they were just trying to have them to register in their minds. When they cried, they cried with an unearthly voice that we all had to squeeze them over our chests, to give them an inner sense of love and security. This tedious work, of course brought me too
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close to the young lady too and vice versa, who, indeed, most of the time feeling helpless and incompetent before these children who even don’t smile or give any humane emotional response to your most inner driven hugs. At times she was coming close to tears in her eyes, telling “In church, I pray to God for these helpless children, at nights they enter in my dreams. What unjustice is this, as if these are from Mars? So, God help me!”, most of the time, ending in my arms.
Since I was getting, -I guess- from the same God some messages about another union, I began to think about this young girl, ‘may be?’ She was 21, I myself almost 40. Mary, -that was the worker’s name-, as I have been respectfully treating her in the service, as well as giving some rides some late afternoons to her home since she did not have a car yet. One day she invited me in to meet her mother. Naturally I accepted. They were living in a mediocrely furnished two-storey house at the other side of the city. Her older sister was already married and living at the other side of the Ocean. Mother was a chemist-pharmacist, and divorced from her husband who was owning an antique furniture store near-by, seldom visited house, and always slept in his shop. They were catholics, as I newely heard the inside story about catholicism that since they were married in the church, if they were permitted to get a divorce, this was conditioned not to marry again since in the church they already have made a committment to God ‘for good’.
I never met her father during this relationship but mother, who, in general stood by between Mary and I, all the time, giving her frank opinion as “friendship is o.k., marriage is: N.O.
I have them met my son too, and some sundays, almost two out of three, I brought him into their house in the morning, then we went to church altogether and there I began to take some cathechism classes. According to the priest, those classes were not a guarantee that the Catholic Church was going to give me an o.k. for a possible marriage. I, as a divorced muslim, may not marry a single, unmarried Catholic girl in the church, in spite of the fact that since I was not baptised before, my previous marriage may not have been counted anyway; but in order to make a final decision, whole case may go to Bishop’s office, then perhaps up to Rome.
Well, these days are lightful one side, and dark on the other. I am the victim of the battle among two religious principles who are suppose to make we, poor, human beeings human loving, good and happy citizens in this world and prepare us to the other side: God’s eternal residence. How many times in my dreams I observed Mohammed’s playing sword with Jesus Christ. God, help me!
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September 30’1978,
Code Island
Eveything is going alright, since I see Mary in the Center, go to my State job, then make consultations to the other clinics around and come home and cook hamburger, rice pilave and make salads for both my son and myself. The relation with Mary, from closeness sems to be turning to love and affection, however sometimes spoiled with her mother’s witchcraft attempts and, in reality, Mary’s some young student friends coming to visit her home, thus, giving mother a chance to strike, stating, “Look, here are some young Christians, you are just waisting your time with an old goat! If you shall really be getting serious about the marriage, I may put my head in the owen, like old Jewish mothers used to do about their unfaithful daughters!”. When I heard these, of course worried a lot, but ‘I offered my help’ to her mother, namely should she wished to put her head in the owen, could I help her then? She banged the telephone to my face.
The cathechism classes are going really good. To my surprise, I have re-discovered a lot of religious material that were similar to my native religion that were obviously coming out of Old Testament. If we shall have time, we’ll come back to Old Testament, for now, since our time is limited for six months, I would like to start “to study the Bible, according to Mathhew,” said father Protano, my sponsor. So, we started. First we studied “The Book of the Origin of Jesus Christ – The Coming of the Savior.” ‘Now when Jesus was born in Betlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, Magi came from the East to Jerusalem, saying: ‘Where is he that is born king of Jews? For we have seen his star in the East and have come to worship him.’ But when King Herod heard this, he was troubled, and so was all Jerusalem with him. And gathering together all the chief priests and Scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. And they said to him. ‘in Bethlehem of Judea’; and thou Bethlehem, of the land of Juda, art by no means least among the princes of Juda; for from thee shall come forth a leader who shall rule my people Israel.’ …… ‘And when they saw the star they rejoiced exceedingly. And entering the house, they found the child with Mary, his mother, and falling down they worshipped him. And opening their treasures they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh…….‘But when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph, saying, “Arise, and take the child and mother, and flee into Egypt, and remain there until I tell thee. For Herold will seek the child to destroy him. So he arose, and took the child and his mother by night, and withdrew into Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod.” ‘Then, “The Baptism of Jesus”: ‘Then Jesus came from Galilee to John, at the Jordan, to be babtized by him. And John was for hindering him, and said, “It is I who ought to be baptized by thee, and dost thou come to me?” But Jesus answered and said to him, “Let it be so now, for so it becomes to us fulfill all justice.” Then he permitted him. And when Jesus had been baptized, he immadiately came up from the water. And behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and coming upon him. And behold, a voice from the heavens said, “This my belowed Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Naturally at times I was asking some stupid questions to my mentor, like “Why God didn’t help little Jesus and his mother Mary right in his native town to protect from the wrath of King Herod? How come a God and Son-of God -that itself very hardaaa to accept for a foreigner, at least at the beginnings- had to be baptized by a mortal being John even thou he was also great and closest to Jesus? I cannot write here my priest’s answers for those and like questions that I asked throughout, but he principally told me that, in belief systems, either you believe or you don’t; you cannot question the scriptures, miracles, revelations or any of the divine inspirations. They are celestial and immortal, they are as they are, what they are, that’s all!
Then, the journeys of Jesus eveywhere to preach. He was at Capharnaum. ‘The people sat in darkness have seen a great light; and upon those who set in the region and shadow of death, a light has arisen.’ From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Then Jesus while walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishermen). And he said to them, “Come, folllow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” And at once they left the nets, and followed him. And going further on, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John, in a both with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And immediately they left their nets and their father, and followed him.
Thus, Jesus started to his mission of preaching and showing miracles in the synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people. And his fame spread into all Syria; and they brought to him all the sick suffering from various diseases and torments, those possessed, and lunatics, and paralytics; and he cured them.
Needless to say I am deeply grateful to Father Protano who dictated all of these word by word, line by line from his notes and different Bibles to me since no book was allowed to be brought out of the church. This way, those valuable informations were becoming more valuable to me too. I did write all of them in my own hand-writing and shall keep them the rest of my life.
October 7’1968
Code Island
To day’s cathechism was the best of all. Father Protano, in an almost ecstasy, read to me the highlights of Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mountain”.
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“Blessed are the poor in spirit, since theirs is kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the earth. Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. Blessed are they who suffer persecution for justice’ sake, for their is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when men reproach you, and persecute you, and, speaking falsely, say all manner of evil against you, for my sake. Rejoice and exult, because your reward is great in heaven; for so did they persecute the prophets who were before you.”
After hearing all these great sayings, my eyes, chest and heart were all full of bliss. “My dear Father,” I said to Father Protano, “I don’t know whether there is or there shall be a heaven after death; but why we all don’t emphasise the importance of man himself, whether he is the representative of God that could be- or not; and, apply all the principles what Jesus brings spring-water clear to the world: Love and justice, caring and sharing, empathy for each other; don’t forget that I, you, he or she, even it, we, you and they, all are blessed with the same stuff that Jesus prescribes; and, the importance of existence and truly exercising to live a truly good life, as we already have a chance of just being on the Earth”. Father’s eyes were grown big; he took a deep breath and said, “I can frankly say, you are a far more advanced Catholic than my any of my original ones. God bless you. You are learning and advancing tremendously.” Since I had found a chance to be a little bit personal, without thinking of taking any advantages of this closeness I posed a question to Father:
“Father, what do you think my chances are with Mary to be with? All, we are two good, innocent people; we both are free and not interested in someone else but ourselves; we do attend to the same church and embrace the same moral values, then, why not?”
Father, though sincere, took a rather serious position, telling me that, as long as a divorce case and a child do exist, church has to put forward certain stiff religious principles to be obeyed with.
“But, father, if someone commits a crime and ask for forgiveness, even in one confession session if God forgives one for a moral sin committed, let me ask for forgiveness from Him not just once but thousands of times but what kind of immorality I am charged with? Is it a sin of being born onto another religion that might be another great prophet’s way of explaining the same routes of eveyday living to reach the same God? I feel persecuted and how this persecution fits into Jesus’ sayings, as above, ‘Blessed are you when you are reproached and persecuted!’?”
“Son, your lesson is finished today. See you next sunday, after the Mass.”
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Well, I returned home, but divided within myself, as believer or not a believer of anything at all. I called Mary and explained to her what has happened this noon time. She also had mixed feelings too. “My dear Ismailov,” she said, “I went to church all along my life, and as long as I did go by books, everything appeared to be beautiful. I still am not doing anything wrong, I believe, the church’s dogmas can appear to us beyond logic or any reasonable comprehension, but they are put and they shall be going as such, til eternity. Look my dear, what I have been thinking… Hey, are you there, do you listen to me?; “Yes, my love, of course I am here, I am not in love with Father Protano but you!”; “O.K. honey, look. I don’t know whether you know, there is a Presbytarian Church that is the closest to the Catholic Church amongst all others. That church, thou somewhat tough, in principles does not care too much about divorce. So, it may be possible to get married there; I, in all whites; but I guess, first, I have to convince my mother in that matter, second, we have to find a priest that may sympatize with us.” “Okey, until she gives a positive answer, I am going to put the oven off for a while then. (Both laughed!) Well, that’s it now. Let me prepare my son to go out and perhaps, have a nice Chinese dinner and play miniature golf next to it. Love you, bye!” “Bye, love you too!”
October 11’ 1968
Code Island
To night, we are invited to Mary’s home for my birthday. (Strange, I never knew that my grand-father’s birthdate was october 11 too. What resemblence! Very striking!) Souhi and I dressed well, bought a cake for four, also having a bouquet of flowers for Virgina, Mary’s mother. -She looks like Virgina Woolf, except her genie and ingenuity in creativity, personal grace… and… sometimes I wish her Woolf’s fate.-
Both Mary and mother were also dressed nicely and I did not feel any hostile feelings to start with. It was nice to be with a family, at least in certain times of the year, like Thanksgiving and Christmas. Virginia asked my son how the piano lessons were going. She did not need to ask me how the business was going on since I was most of the time with Mary, she might have obtained the daily news from her. Besides, indeed there is not too much fun, or rather something to report in my business. What you can speak about human misery, suffering, strange and unacceptable attitudes, feelings etc. Just to be polite, I asked Virginia how the things were going in her work, with a cool look, said, ‘As it is, always. No change!’ I was dying to hear from mom anything at all about our situation, but she maintained an absolute silence. She indeed was a good Catholic, except the divorce that she had exercized like me, and, according to her religion, that action was permissible, and my divorce that was permissible in my faith, was not acceptable to hers. I am getting confused.
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“After a brief celebration and the exchange of personal gifts, Mary wanted to murmur some news to my ears and we found a quite corner for a while. She, in a warm and sincere voice that mother last Monday had gone to see the head-priest, Father Pagan in the catholic church and asked seriously the probabilities of our prospective marriage. Fathers Pagan and Pratono had given for me a clean, respectable and passable note upon my personality, character, attendance to the classes and sincerity in the will to unify with Mary; but the “Catholic church can not be managed with Cannon rule; love is love, people can do anything what they would like to do; even we, could have married outside of church but considering new trends, namely newely mortifying attacks on the Catholic Church, the validity of the Trinity Principle and the death and resurrection of the Jesus Christ and alike subjects were pushing the church to be quite rigid and firmly standing on basic principles of it.”
So, they decided that I should apply to the bishop’s local office for such permission. Should it not be granted then, that is quite possible, I shall have to write to Rome, to His Holiness’ Ecumenical Council for consideration. Mary was smiling, “Isn’t it good? At least they are showing a way and perhaps testing out, but nevertheless the only way.” “Rome may take at least two years to respond my dear, and, WHAT IT SHALL RESPOND if it responds? That blows my head off and tomorrow I am going right into those priests’ office and ask them very very important questions. I am fed up and drawing my sword off. That is enough idiocy!” Then, I pulled my son as fast as possible and left there. Mary was thoughtful and worried and her witch mother was triumphantly smiling from the window and wawing her hands.
I am not going to write the details of what happened the next day at the Church Office. Whatever I had been suffering from the minute that I stepped in, in this Continent, itseems to create enough hell in me that is going to breake lose. Well, I am sure, you shall read in a few months, or next year probably in a book form what and how I had suffered in this Dante’s Hell. I already decided abut the name of the book: “Wheelwright”. First I have thought as “Challenge of Believing versus Non-believing””, or “Wars among Gods” that was going to sound a Grecian style write-up that would sound like a drama. However, I wanted to make it a human comedy where there was no winner, but everybody was going to have fun, so, I insist about the name ‘Wheelwright’. Read it and remember me. For the time being, I am closing this book with the intentions of not to open it again, whatsoever. “So long and see you in Heaven, Mary, if I go there; see you in Hell, Virginia, if I go there.”
October 25, 1968
Code Island
“Mrs. K., my son’s music teacher, for the first time complained, rather gently pointed out my son Ismailov 2nd’ın relatively poor performance as far as piano is concerned. She claimed, “I see a kind of disinterest, unwilling-
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ness to commit himself. He does not seem to have the joy he used to possess. Naturally he is a young, growing boy, may have some transitory issues to cope with, approaching the pre-teens. But regardless how little I know about you, I feel and breath a nearly perfect, comfortable air whenever I come to your house, and, I know I cannot put my nose into your private family affairs… but my empathy and respect for the little guy is quite deep. Is there anything I could do?”
I outlined to her that he had lost his mother since the age of two years and nine months old and had never seen her again. Recently I was in a serious relation with a young lady that might have ended up with a matrimony; however, due to some external factors, that possibility was nullified. We did not talk to him yet about the details of it, we both, in a rather quiet, passive ways, are trying to absorb the outcome of it, I guess. Since this was a reality, we had to deal with it as it came out. That was all. I thanked her for her interest, and requested that she should not probe anything, please, and does not need to be much more kinder than before, just keep going on with an understanding, that was all I wish at this moment. She thanked for my frankness and wished good days to come.
Well, I guess, we grown-ups all behave, the same way. ‘The child is child, he could be seen but not heard.’ We do not know how to approach them. There is no school for it. To lose his mother was not his choice, was rather mine due to incompability in the family and, for heaven’s sake, on long run, it was going to be far more deleterious than whatever could happen now on. Of course this is my fantasy, and since there is no way of measuring it up, we have to live and learn, if we can. Even though I am a prominent child psychiatrist, that does not help me too much, other than perhaps preventing myself from doing something wrong, with good will, like being overly indulgent with him, feeling sorry for him and treating accordingly, buying useless toys or make some pleasant offers, as if nothing bad happened. I never forget the French proverb, ‘L’enfer est pavé de bons intentions!’ (The hell is paved with good intentions!) Yes, I am holding tight nowadays, but when I am ready, I am sure, I shall speak about our mutual fate, at least I’ll thank him for his understanding and not complaining what he has been through and alike. Kant, I am losing my respect for you, where was that individuals were determining their own fates? Uufff. I am tired, I am going to bed!
November 24’1968
Code Island
I have not been writing for a long time. I guess, I had not had enough energy. I was quite busy too. I had resigned from that Private Child Psychiatric Hospital and indulged rather keenly and deeply in Community Mental Health affairs. Since it was in my power and duty, I was in touch with clergy-men, fire-men and teachers to make meetings with them, and discuss about the community mental health protective services, child neglect,
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unnecessary punishments, early detection of behavioral difficulties, parent-child interaction, how we can detect the tendency to suicide and not to succumb into drug habit and alike. I was arranging state-wide symposiums, conferences and T.V. talks. I indeed felt quite good and energetic. Between, whenever was possible, I was able to talk with my junior too, referring to our mutual loss, his durability and capacity to endure this sort of things and finally telling him how much I was proud of him.
Yesterday was Thanksgiving Day and we were invited to our piano teacher’s home, as guests. That was our first visit to their home and also having a chance to meet her husband and nine-year old daughter. The atmosphere was very good, simple and sincere, filled with the natural ingredients of a natural home. No doubt I felt I missed Mary and related home atmosphere. We watched plenty of College Football follies too. After a while, when husband and two children were watching T.V. and looking at the family album, Mrs. K., with a very sincer voice and friendly manner, talked to me about my possible loneliness, plus the fact that the child needs a female touch and so on so fort, so, if I am willing to meet an unmarried young lady, a nurse, with a strong sense of family and integrity; no smoking, no drinking, no premarital adventures, she would do whatever she could. Of course my heart was empty, I could not put myself in my son’s shoes whether he needs a mother or not, my need for a faithful wife was obvious.
I told her I would think of it; at my age and life experiences perhaps a ‘logical marriage’ was, or could be a much more logical preference than a ‘love story.’ I asked more about that young lady. She said, she is a Mormon girl, age 26, living with her father and mother who are very dignified people; mother of course a housewife, the older sister had already been married for the past three years, having a small baby girl. Father, an engineer, also holding a very high, important position in the church administration, ‘Councillor or something like that’. Family lives in their own house, in a small village called Lake Laman, right at the border of the other neighbouring State. She works as a registered nurse at the surgical unit of a local district hospital.
I told Mrs. K. that I tentatively and hesitantly say ‘yes, let me meet her,’ provided that I do not know anything about Mormons, while she could make an arrangement for such a brief togetherness, I would search, perhaps thru encyclopaedias about the religious principles and customs of that Church. Needless to say, I was not going to go through another experience upon ‘divorce’ story. So, I think I felt a little bit anxious about the possibility of this new adventure, but indeed it was getting a little bit strange to sit at the Govermental dinners all alone, at one head of the table all by myself, and an unmarried priest at the other top, and all the others, including the Governor and the ministers with their delightful wives. For sure, I was missing something, and, this adventure that probably was going to be the last, may be was worth to try. Needless to say, last night, it took too long to fall asleep, and in my dreams, Father Protano with a devilish smile, kept looking at me, without saying a word.
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December 1st’ 1968
Code Island
During the week I had a chance to go to the library and seek out some information about Mormons, from various books. The best came out again from ‘Encyclopedia Tannica’ (Gush, one hundred years later what coincidence!). It may be of public knowledge for an ordinary citizen but for a foreigner, it is a brand new history and quite interesting to read. I had to rush because Mrs. K. Had already arranged with the Lady Francis (That was the prospective lady’s name!) to go to a movie, however three of us altogether since going alone with a strange man was also not permissible in Mormonism, so someone had to shaperon us. Good so far. This shall take place tomorow evening.
Well, in summary, ‘The Book of Mormon, taken from the plates of Nephi, is written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the house of Israel; and also to Jew and Gentle – Written by way of commandement, ans also by the spirit of prophecy and of revelation – Written and sealed up, and hid up unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed – To come forth by the gift and power of God unto the interpretation thereof – Sealed by the hand of Moroni, and hid up unto the Lord, to come forth in due time by way of the Gentile – The interpretation thereof by the gift of God.’ I was surprised to note that they were also of Israel origin, the boom takes its origines from the Old Testament, the book of Moses and that of Abraham. The historians had found some evidence, written on the original Egyptian Papyri that been found at the Common Egyptian Funerary Texts, about the existence of these tribes then, there. The old books say about the Nephrites, their having a history of virtuous, industrius and fair-skinned people. Sinful, red-skinned Lamanites, tried to exterminate them, so they followed the same fate of Jewish people: Wandering around the world. One big gap is that, from those before Jesus days until A.C. 1830, Mormons were not heard of. Then there suddenly comes a Reverand James SMITH (New York born, A.C. 1805), proclaims that He is the prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and establishes his head-quarters first in Missouri, building an entire brand new Mormon City, Zion, in A.C. 1931. Their biblical existence, was taken from ‘golden plates’ and a very specially made golden plate with special stones that were placed in silver bows, also called Moroni Plate, as a proof of the glorious Israeli and Gentile backgrounds of Mormons, was delivered to Prophet Smith by a male angel, MORONI himself in Kirkland, in front of two witnesses: David WHITMER and Martin HARRIS. That plate, was to be saved and protected at the Mormons’ head-quarters until eternity.
“The essential principals of Mormonism could be summarized, as follows;
. GOD has evolved from man,
. MEN might evolve into gods,
. The Persons of Trinity are of distinct beings,
. Human souls pre-existed. Christ came to the earth so that ‘all might be saved and raised from the dead’, but, ‘a person’s future is determined by his-hers own action.’
. Justification is by faith and obediance,
. Obediance to be ordinances of the church,
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. Repentance and Babtism are performed through immersion,
. Laying on the hands for Spirit Gifts, including prophecy, revelation, speaking in tongues (I had met some people in one of the ‘Born-Again Christian Churches who were speaking in tongues, meaning without knowing about anyone, they were able to speak, communicate with each other not only with persons, but with their ancestors too which was quite an experience for me!)
. Faitful members of the church, would inherit eternal life as gods.
. When Christ will return, then shall be ‘the temple work’, principally “Baptism on behalf of dead” shall be in order;
. Proselytism, Polygamy were set by Smith himself, but legally declined in 1890.
As I understand Prophet Smith and His followers, had a quite opposition to their existence and celestial claims that they are from Israel long before Jesus Christ, their priesthood and rituals are “true representa-tives of true church”, the American Indians are their descendents, the Prophet is ordained as such by an angel MORONI to settle this discipline throughout the U.S.A., spreading to Ohio and Missouri, using even force when necessary and alike, have them involved involved in actual battles with the Government and a lot of blood was shed, like The Mountain Maedows Massacre, A.C. 1857. (Mohammed too was indulged in several wars while trying to spread Islam.) Rev. Smith himself was killed in one of these battles as early as in 1844, at the age of 39, right after building a new city, NAUVOO in 1839 A.C.; however his disciples, Lieut.Gen. Brigham YOUNG who later on became Governor in A.C. 1852, and his son, Joseph Smith III, in Iowa and Illinois set the church (A.C. 1852-60) on very strong foundations and and worship in Utah thereafter, however extending themselves up to England and Scandinavia. Prophet Smith was once in touch with a Masonic Lodge and present in their meetings quite frequently, also reported.
As far as the administrative structure is concerned, each church has a president that is one of the descendants of the Prophet and is appointed by revelation. In every church there are two Councilors who possess very powerful political power, a Council of Twelve Apostoles, The First Council of Seventy.
Mormon people live close-by their churches; attend to them very regularly and religiously. 4,000 to 5,000 people live in “Stakes”, a few hundred stakes are managed by a President and the Bishop.
Well, sems to be interesting; sounds to me a Middle-Age-Chivalry-kind institution with some mystery course. I felt a kind of chill too. Anyways, now at least I feel half-ready to meet young lady Francis, my prospective bride, I guess. An untouched girl, late sixties in Merica, non-smoker, non-drinker and at the service of man obediantly? Hard to believe, but we will see.
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December 2nd’1968 Code Island
It is slightly after mid-night. We just returned from “Camelot”. Its music had mesmerized me. Needless to say Mrs. K., I and Lady Francis were altogether at the Central Cinéma, at the first balcony. Having a third person between, had really facilitated this important ‘first get together’, especially when it was amalgamated with a historical and mythical masterpiece.
Lady Francis is of medium height, somewhat plumb but not necessarily fat, with curvy blondish hair, gross green frog-eyes, talking nearly in an alto voice, however giving a sense of purity and serenity. On a few occasions when our fingers touched each other I felt a kind of cold and sweaty, trembly but definitely not-estrogen driven and ridden body extentions. One immeditaley feels a kind of security and trust. After movies too, not much has been said. We shook hands and said good-bye to each other.
About half-an-hour later Mrs. K. Called me up and with a curious sounding voice asked my opinion about Lady Francis. Of course I could not completely know a person in such relatively short time, neither she, but my first impression was positive. Love, could have developped later on, at this age and moment in my life, a logical marriage was perhaps much more wiser than an immediate fall in love, I guess. Mrs. K. Said Lady Francis had liked me a lot; I was serious, mature but witty too, and, trustable. “What shall be our next step?” I asked Mrs. K.; she said that, if it is alright with me, next sunday I am invited for a sunday dinner, in their home with the family. This jet speed, while somewhat scaring me, was giving me some sense of ‘right’ since, if the things were not this much in order, the succession of the events could not have been this smooth. So, I keep my fingers crossed, and shall wait for next sunday. Meanwhile I’d better to read a little bit more about Mormons.
December 10th’1968
Sea-Chief, Chussett
To day at noon, I and my junior, were present at Lady Francis’ home, one of the small private properties in the assigned locality in one of the Mormon stakes, in a small town called Sea-Chief, in our neighboring state Chussett. All names around here old American Indian Tribes’ names. As Mormons state that Indians are coming from Mormon blood, they may feel very secure and comfortable with their choice of settlement.
All family members greeted us right at the door, including father that really impressed me. That was the custom that I am used to observe. The family really impressed me as a very honorable one. Father, in his fiftiees with slightly greyish hair and eye-glasses, a serious but sincere man, an engineer, as I said before; a healthy, strong man and obviously the true head of the house. Mother, who looked like exactly her daugher: Somewhat plumb, emotional but sincere, thanked many times for the bouquet of the flowers that my son presented to her. The older sister was not present at the beginning, she was going to visit later on with her husband and the baby.
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Without talking too much, we silently and solemnly sat at the pre-designed seats at the dinner table. Lady Francis and I were facing each other, husband and wife also, and my son somewhere between. Father, before start, raised her hands half-way through and said his prayers:
“I pray to the Father in the name of Christ; O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it; that they may eat in rememberence of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee. O god, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him, and keep his commandements which he hath given them, that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.” And after he took his first bite of bread, we were allowed to take our own.
Lunch went on in a quiet but superficial air and exchange, with random talks about mine and father’s jobs, my son’s school, Lady Francis’ Hospital work and alike. As desert, cold cold fruit juice was served. All were fine with me. I was dying to be alone with my bride-to-be and talk about various facts of life, her feelings about marriage and sharing life with someone who had come from abroad, with a son in hands, whether she has any thoughts about having more children, future home namely where to live, finances and alike. However there did not occur any chance for these kind of things for we never were left alone long enough. These things were obviously taken for granted, mature grown-ups could have made their own decisions later on or any time; obviously the most important thing at the present time was my suitability to the Mormon congregation.
Thus, early in the afternoon, while the rest of the family was busy with getting acquainted with each other, the Father and I sat aside and he drew the conclusions. He said, openly, he had liked me; he already has heard about my reputation, righteousness, decency, hard and humanitarian work that I had been doing, and specially taking care of my child, all alone. It was not fair for a man with my qualities to carry on this kind of lonely life. God himself could not stand to be alone and had created man thereof. “Here we are,” he said. “We are opening our arms to you. If you don’t have any objection, next sunday morning, please come to Church, be our guest and observe the ceremonies. There, the President of The Church shall explain to you the basic rules of the church and what to do for a church wedding that is absolutely required.” Then, if everything was going to be alright, by Christmas time, at the Holy Season that was just a feew weeks ahead anyway, we would marry. I whole-heartily accepted the program for especially the day before Christmas was my son’s birthday; why not we could not meet the dates?
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Early in the afternoon, Lady Francis’ older sister, husband and their nearly two-year old baby-girl arrived. They were too, open, sincere and joyous people. They wished us luck and we, vawing hands, took off, going for a ride in the beautiful surroundings and wilderness of the nature, in spite of winter season. Everywhere was white, but roads were clean and sun was shining all-over. I asked my son’s opinion how he is feeling about this forthcoming marriage; he, with a very clever smile, answered, “Dad, this is your business, it does not make any differrence to me as long I am with you.” This boy should have been a prophet himself. May be he is, time will show.
December 17th’1968
Code Island
I woke up early this wintery sunday morning. I took my bath, and put my best suit on. I don’t need to impress anyone, but I do not wish any technical matter should be a subject to spoil my image. I left my son with hy next neighbor, doctor’s family from Uba. I am not rich, but I always had good cars to run since I even do not know even how to change the tires. Anyways, my blue Mercedes shines and slides over the crisby icy snovy roads and here I come.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is one of the newely-set, well-built churches in Code Island, close to Sea-Chief, Chussett town line. Mr. Normand, my prospective father-in-law who was the senior Councillor and Deacon in the church hierarchy, personally met me at the door aside the President of the church. After shaking hands, quickly we entered in one of the small administrative offices. Office was furnished very neat and simple. On the walls Rev.Smith’s pictures were faced with that of Jesus Christ, on the other.
Rev. Harold, in a very nice voice, asked about my original religion, marital status, and the degree of the knowledge about Mormonism. I summarized briefly my status and mentioned about my willingness of marrying Mr. Normand’s daughter Francis. He informed me that in Mormon Church, there are two kinds of marriages; one, “marriage for time”, and the other, “marriage for eternity,” or “celestial marriage.” The marriage for time, is losing its validity after death. It is believed that some ‘not that much responsible people who neither are not out of the world, nor are supposed to give in marriage, may prefer’ that type. One way, they do not abide by the church’s law completely, not out-cast, they ara saved too, but without enlarging themselves, they remain singly and without exaltation. In short, this lower form of marriage, if one wants to, may prefer this, or the person’s civic condition may not be suitable more than this.
Celestial marriage is only performed in the holy temples, like here, and the participants eventually shall be rewarded with a celestial or higher garde of exaltation to come. The other name for this type of marriage is “Sealing”. Indeed, two good people, are sealed to each other until eternity and even thereafter; the President who also is ‘chief priest’, said: “By a reve-
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lation by Prophet Smith, in A.C. 1843, polygamy was permitted. Then prophet has spoken of women “given unto him to multiply and replenish the earth… and for their exaltation in the eternal worlds, that they may bear the sould of men,” namely, says a note, “the souls or spirits of men to be born in heaven.” But, with another revelation in A.C. 1890, conforming with the Federal regulations, the polygamy was abolished. President Wilford Woodruff, on A.C. November 1’1890, addressing to the saints at Logan, Utah, saying, “I want to say this: I should have let all the temples go out our hands; I should have gone to prison myself, and let every man go theree, had not yhe Gıd of heaven commanded me to do what I did do; and when the hour came that I was commanded to do that, it was all clear to me.” (Published in Deseret News, A.C. November 7’1891.)
“Therefore, my son Ismailov, if you marry Francis, as long as you remain married to her, you may not marry another person at the same time. Knowing Francis and now you and considering Mr. Normand’s position, in this church, you owe to marry in celestial form, only that fits you. That means, you shall have some ceremonies prior to declaration and sanction of the wedding which is unseparable part of our rituals. You shall never tell anyone in life time about the details of those rituals, may be just of highlights, or your personal feelings if and when deemed to be necessary, in good will and not serving any evil souls, that’s all. Otherwise, the results may be unthinkable. We recognize one year’s time as adjustment to the church and its principles; so, God forbid if anything happens within the next twelve months, even separation may be possible; but after a year, your said and unsaid- committments to Church, seals you them until eternity.
“I repeat my son again that, just as the relationship between husband and wife who are married only ‘for time’, does not carry over into the spirit world, so also is the bond od parents and children broken by death, unless they are sealed by the proper temple rite. It is a part of the celestial marriage rite to seal the children to the parents for eternity. But for a son (of who you have one!) whose parents were not so sealed til eternity a way is provided whereby a family connection in the future world may be continued. He can, by proxy, marry his parents for eternity and be sealed unto them through these proxies. This is frequently done today by new converts to the faith. But here, too, the sealing is not accepted unless it is freely accepted and all the conditions met by those who are sealed. Do you understand all what I am saying?
“I believe so, Sir!”
“Well, then, what date you choose? Mr. Normand mentioned one day before Christmas. Even though the church is exceedingly busy those days, as you may already know, if you wish we could arrange it. D’accord?”
” D’accord!”
“See you on December 23rd, 02.00 P.M., for your celestial marriage. Good luck to you for now.”
“Yes Sir, on December 23rd, 02.00 P.M. for celestial marrriage. Thank you.”
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We all shook hands, and I left the church however in a kind of half-daze. It first appeared to be very plausible, acceptable and honorable principles, perhaps paving a road to a clean life, I am sure they still are, but what created a kind of chill in me because of those committments. I am a man of belief and committment, but I had never plunged into this deep chain of committments. I felt I was a small drop in an ocean, fresh and entacing, but frightening too. Well, “Courage mon ami, courage!” (Courage my friend, courage!), I consoled myself. I don’t think I shall be able to sleep to night, and considerimg my son’s age, that is almost nine, I am not going to give any details about these church committments that more than half of them are obscure events even to me, at least at this point.
December 24th, 1968
Two Thousand Islands
Well, you can congratulate me for my giantic courage what I had achieved yesterday noon, at the Mormon Church. Francis was all in her whites and I was all in my blacks: The eternal challenge of contrasts. All guests were ready on time, including my own little son, who was dressed-up nicely with a black bow-tie, solemnly standing, having been gathered at the Ceremonial Hall.
As we had practiced before, Rev. Harold invited Francis and me to stand before him, and began to read some paragraphs from ‘The Book of Mormon’:
“Here, Ismailov and Francis are standing before me, also meaning before Jesus Christ, the Eternal God, to perform a celestial marriage in this Holy Church. However, according to our covenant principles this sort, Ismailov has to be ‘ordained’ an elder in the Melchizedek Priesthood (this was not told me before, and don’t know what is all about!) and also receive the other blessings pertaining the house of Lord, all of which the Lord has indicated shall be administered in his holy temple. As these blessings are made available for the living, they are also made avilable for their worthy dead. Now, we are taking our groom to be ordained and gone through some ritualistic, spiritual experiences before the Council of Twelve Apostles in our celestial ceremony chamber.”
He began to walk and I followed him. After two or three minutes walk, in eastern part of the church, we entered in an incense filled ‘holy room,’ before the said members of the church. There, they blinded me with a folder, turned the electricity off and pushed me forward. (I cannot say what experiences I had thereafter, what kind of questions were asked and what kind of suggestions were made due to high secrecy. I was not bewildered or scared whatsoever because I had had similar experiences at the initiation of my third degree of ‘master’ freemasonry, just two years ago.) Obviously I had passed the necessary trials and tribulations. Then, I was unfolded and returned, being held my hand by Rev. Harold to the Ceremonial Hall.
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There, again Rev. Harold, before the crowd, began to read some passages from the Book of Moroni:
“And again, I exhort you, my brethren, that ye deny not the ‘gifts of God’, for they are many; and they come from the same God. And there are different ways that these gifts are administred; but it is the same God who worketh all in all; and they are given by the same manifestations of the Spirit of God unto men, to prophit them (10:8).
“For behold, to one is given by the Spirit of God, that he may teach the word of ‘wisdom’ (10:9);
“And to another, that he may teach the word ‘knowledge’ by the same spirit (10:10);
“Wherefore, there must be ‘faith’, and if there must be faith there must also be hope; and if there must be hope there must also be charity (10:20);
“And again I would exhort you that ye would ‘come unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good ‘gift’ and not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing. (10:30).”
Then, Rev. Harold addressed to me: ‘The rings, please!’
I extended them, with somewhat trembling fingers. Holy man, took both of them and after examining for a very short while, passed them through my fiancé Francis’ and mine’ ring fingers; and he finished his blessings:
“Francis and Ismailov; as both of you came unto Christ, King of heaven, our creator, to conjugate in the form of celestial marriage in this holy church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, having been passed successfully all the necessary qualifications tests to be a member of this congregation before the President, Councils, The Council of Twelve Apostles, Deacon, all priests, in order to share the gifts of Jesus Christ on this earth and in death thereafter, I declare you husband and wife. God bless you too. Amen. Now, you can embrace each other.”
That was it and I am now a junior member of Mormon Church. I am sure, I shall abide with all rules and regulations of it. There is no reason why I may not do so. I am coming to a close in my writings, because my bride is just awakening. So long.”
*
I read the above written parts of my grand-father’s life story even without raising my head from the top of my desk; and, when I raised it up, I was in a kind of daze. I sure was mesmerized with the fluidity of the events, all intertwined with each other though appear occurring independently, displaying a faith. Were they personal choices or pre-destined? I wouldn’t know. Oo, my God, the time is almost 18.00 P.M., I should rush to my lovely wife for sharing the dinner; then of course, you know where I am going. Now, at least I feel much more confident and sure of myself that I could control the situation better than before, whatever the circumstances would bring. Because, because I am much more acknowledged and equipped than before. We shall see.
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19
I had previously mentioned about the architecturial designs of our houses that were mainly depended heavily upon the earth-quake proof principles, and built accordingly: as many stories possible, high but almost pyramid shaped, looking like old Assurian Ziggurats. Old people’s homes were built much more closer to the earth, nonetheless they may look like alike. However, we permitted to built the worship centers to be constructed as they were or might have been in their original features in old times. Thus, their looks, besides being very distinguished and serene, offer to eyes a beautiful panaromic scenes of different worlds. Classical Christian churches, Muslim mosques and Jewish temples are already known too many people but Mormon Church, due to its rarety presents a different kind of construction. One would say, “Oo, how beautiful Gothic chateau it is. Look at that cathedral from Middle Ages!” It is rich, big and grandiose from outside but warm and friendly from inside. However, wherever you go, you feel yourself as if you are in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Anyways, I was at the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints, just on time, for a visit, as previously cited. Needless to say, with a small group of followers behind, Reverend Arthur Brenner, President, shook hands with me quite lively, shaking a few times successively and presented me to his company: “Here is Mr. George Kwell..” When I shook hands with him, I immediately recognized him: He was the person who had come with a group of five for the possibility of the establishement of the Masonic Lodge. He too was very much emotional of being with me again. “Here is Kevork Papazian.. One of our most precious servants of the Church, Councillor.” “How do you do Mr. Papazian!”, and Rev. Arthur continued to present, “Here is the one of the utmost respectable persons, the last treasure who just joined us; His Excellency Reverend Pudowski!” A deep, bas-bariton voice while saying “My pleasure, Sir!” shook me because that was the exact voice, however speaking in Sanskrit then, who last night was giving the orders around. I looked into his eyes, they were as large as and as deep as oceans, and appeared to be spotlessly clean. Nonetheless I felt myself uncircled and queezed with a fiery-red iron. “The other councillor and the deacon shall join us later on. They are getting ready for to night grand assembly. Let us go into my office, if you wish,” and we walked. Still under the influence of my readings from my grand-dad, I and others followed him into his private office where I had never been before. I sat down in a comfortable easy chair, right at the entrance. The others also sat silently, after me. I looked around and make a polite comment about the beautiful internal design and delightful furnishings. President, calmly and quietly responded with a few polite words, but behind them, I felt there was going to come a strong wind, playing innocent perhaps, silently but strongly pushing me into a rather difficult situation, “Okey, please tell us, why you are here?”, knowing that, as we used to say in poker games in old home, “having the Ace of Spade in your palm!”, he did not need to worry about anything. “The card is in my hands!”
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Of course he did not ask the above question, kept looking, -as matter of fact, all doing the same- into my eye. After an initial anxiety state that I experienced for certain seconds, I said:
“Mr. President. I have some questions and puzzles on my mind, perhaps related to Mormon Church and Mormonism, however I do not feel competent enough to find some plausible answers and be fair to myself and to the entire people in this Republic, including you Mormons, who had been very respectable citizens throughout. I don’t want to go in the circles and repeat things that I myself am not clear.”
“I appreciate your frankness and sincerity,” replied Reverend Arthur. “Your nobility and fairness is well-known to everybody in the State. We do know your values and good-will, but still we do not know the essence or matrix of the problem, how we can help you, Sir?”
“As time goes by, I am sure, I will be more specific. At the present time, I enriched my knowledge just a little bit more about Mormon Church, but of course, they are not good enough. I went over the known encyclopaedias and some religious books, naturally not good enough. (After pausing for a while) I very specifically want to know more about MORONI ANGEL and MORONI PLATES… (As soon as I mentioned these, their eyes circled around, gave some sparks to each other, may be so, may be my paranoia) I don’t know whether you permit ‘The Book of Mormon’ circulate outside of the church, do you?”
“Under normal circumstances ‘no’, but for your Excellency, isn’t it (looking at the others, and then getting up and going to one of the cabinets, bringing out a rather small book with a dark blue jacket) here is your Honor, this should be our gift to you, keep it as long as you wish. And, after reading, if you need some interpretations, needless to say, we all are under your service.”
I was really grateful to them in a way, may be connecting inner thoughts and feelings via subconscious avenues, but outwardly nonetheless polite and helpful they were. I was just at the beginning of the mystery, but my conscious was clear from the very beginnings that, there was an unfinished business somewhere, and that was touching, if not threatening somebody’s, perhaps mine existence and only someone like me with a State power and good-will for humanity and fairness of “Khalifa Omar”, could make some people happy and, at the same time, fulfilling some justice, long awaited. I really felt quite eased up thru putting myself forward wide open, though sincere and innocent, perhaps a kind of securing myself too, or the other important person whoever could be, asking for extension of time. In other words, in a civilized way, we had crossed some messages for everybody’s benefit. I believe human beings could resolve all man-made problems, provided that they should keep their good-wills and intentions wild open, addressing to the very hearts of the other brothern. Well, once again, here is the greatness of the New Atlantis Republic: One is for all, all is for one!
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20
Although I am all worked-up for the Book of Mormon, to night, I have to fulfill my previous committment to the Shamanistic Center. If you have some free time and would like to listen to me in this subject, please come as my guests, follow me at the Center and come up to performance on the stage, as one of the most remarkable practices of Shamanism since we do not show those worship activities on Big Screen.
It is a rainy day today. At an island state, the rain usually comes as storm, since the Island is wide open from four sides, with a tremendous noise and high speed, wind comes and sweeps everything whatever can. It is as if another Flood. Birds fly around with wild screams restlessly, the sun is also hidden behind angry clouds, nature takes its cold shower and then, suddenly everything stops, sun smiles, clouds are getting whiter and thinner and fluffy, then the nature symphony starts from adaggio again.
So I watched the rain drops playing their last dances from my window, succumbed into thoughts again. Yes, where I was? The other nights’ hearing bells ring in my ears, repeating, “Sru! Apnuhi prathama… Anyutha, hata! Asti mant Moroni Plates. Band ca pariraksyantam asya pranah. Aduna!” “Listen! Obtain first… otherwise, kill! He is the possessor of Moroni Plates. Enter into his friendship and spare his life! Now!) George and Kevork ha! How friendly they were in the church. Wouldn’t they know I am innocent if there is some secret in it? Yes, I am innocent. Do they know I am innocent? Yes, they know. What they are after is somewhat known to me, but why is not known. Shall they give me enough chance to resolve this problem? Yes, it appears so. If I couldn’t resolve, could they harm me? I don’t know, yes or no. I am anxious to finish up my grand-father’s diary and read a little bit more from the Book of Mormon. But now, I am on my way to the Shamanistic Center and here I am in a place with different air.
The Shamanism Center’s leader, Ibn-ul Kadeem, greeted me warmly, and jokingly asked, “Are you ready to be on the stage, Excellency?” “By all means, I always feel young when I am coming here. People are ready? I brought my hat and mask that are in my hand-bag; did you prepare a shaman’s drum and a small rug at the stage for my use?” “Yes, all are ready, Your Excellency!” “Six of your students too?” “Yes, Your Excellency!”.
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“Good evening ladies and gentlemen;
“Last week, we have talked somehow about some principles or components of the “culture” and seeing Shaman as a cultural embassador of any given, particularly those of primitive, or developing masses of human societies. We have talked about the “Initiation exercises of Shaman” and related experiences, and as anyone of you could be a shaman candidate, we had looked over the small personal experiences that could make, for instance having “underworld” and “sky trips” and other visits. As you may recall, during these trips, shaman generally takes his drum, may use his mask and may resort to his”sacred animal” if he needs too.
“As you may imagine, all the details of these performances are cultural patterns of the people whoever they represent. Culture, of course, is closely related to some symbols that are transmitted from generations to generations. Though these symbols may change from time to time, (as Swastika was originally a mid-Asia sign to show the four-corner on the roads that used for the same purpose in South America too, also meaning ‘fortune’, ‘luck’ well-being’ in Sanskrits, Nazis used them in A.C. 1930’ies for different cause), they have to give some service to the nation which it belongs to. Some of those practices may not seem to be acceptable by general views such as in Old India women were burnt after their husbands’ death, on the other hand, to day, in Enga, the same is observed; however the woman is strangled; blood related people through father are not permitted to marry, but if a child is born from such relation, there is permission for infanticide.
“As Mircea Eliade (A.C. 1907 Bukarest, Romania – A.C. 1986 Chicago, U.S.A.) who is the dean of modern anthropology taught us first how shaman is charged with some almost impossible looking, a kind of clearance of dirty jobs. In Borneo, for instance, it is believed that a devil psyche (thou might be her next neighbour) enters in a woman’s body (Incubus) and shaman (Bungai) is called to take that devil out her body through some black magic and rituals. There for every 200 poeple there is one shaman. If someone is sick, that means his or hers healthy soul is angry at that person, leaves and goes somewhere else. Shaman, in general with his drum, has to travel, find it, and bring it back.
“Here, as a practicum let me show how this is done.
“Suppose we have a sick person, a young woman. (I call a woman, from the crowd who listens to this lecture.) She has tremendous abdominal pain and suffering. (I lay a small rug at the middle of the stage and let the woman actually lay on the rug!. I also take out a shaman’s hat out of my bag, that is a round, cane or wicker hat, with several feathers around and a shaman’s mask, looking like taken from old African Tarzan movies, wear both of hem In addition I take the drum that I am provided by the Center, starting to beat it with regular strokes, of medium height for number of minutes. Then, with a serie of three quick strokes, I stop drumming, put the drum aside and lay to the floor, next to the sick lady. Then, addressing to the audience while
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laying down) “So far, through opening ceremonies, we gave the signal to the ‘sick soul’ of the lady ‘here we are coming to look for you!’. Now, I am going to examine the lady’s body wheather her soul is there or not!” (I put my ear on her abdomen. After searching through for a while, I tell her:) “Your soul left you. She might have been angry with you, and hostile to you. Now, my duty is to find it out, and bring it back to you!”
(Then, I straightened myself up and clap my hands, six students of Ibn-ul Kadeem, run to the middle of the stage, form a “canoe” around the patient, kneeling down with some distance between, namely two at each side, one in front and one at back; I tell everyone:) “This is the spiritual canoo, and we all are going to search this woman’s soul who left her!”. (I also sit at the middle in the canoo, next to the patient, and drum slowly and regularly, with simple beats, with regular intervals. During this drumming, six youths, with only arms, imitate rowing forward, also syncronizing their bodies accordingly. This scenery gives the false impression that as if the ship is going forward, after the lost, rather escaped soul. Anyways, after six or seven minutes’ beating, I suddenly beat the drum with vigor, three times with three sharp beats, and stop. All arm and body movements stop too. That means we came to a cave where the escapee soul might be hidden somewhere. I got up alone, get out of the boat, and go to the audience one by one, asking,)
“Do you have an extra soul on you? Ha? Any extra guest? (Also checking with my finger-tips their immediately reachable pockets, their hair on the head, even touching their stomach. Finally, like a magician, I find the soul somewhere, -generally in an innocent child’s pocket- I hold -imagery- something very delicate in my fingers, carry it very carefully in the air, show the audience turning one hundred and eighty degrees around and and then putting it in my pocket. Then I re-enter the canoe, sit down then lay down slowly, take out the soul out of my pocket),
“Now, I put the soul in my mouth, and breath it to the patient’s abdomen!” (I do this a few times, with deep breathings. Then I ask the sick woman:
“How do you feel now?”, she, (somewhat stunned, thinks and moves her eye-lashes anxiously, checks herself how she feels, and) finally murmurs:
“Oo, indeed, I feel very well!
“O.k., your soul is back; your are reconciled. Now on, you give good care to it!”. (Then, I took my drum in my hands again, started to the same beats as before, but this time, six youths, start again to move their arms, hands and bodies move, but this time in reverse; namely we are going home. Again, after a few minutes strıke, I bit three times three strong beats then stop. We all get out the boat and greet the audience. Plenty of applauds, deservedly so!)
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“Not only in primitive societies, but in higly cultured populations and nations too, Shamans are charged with important duties. In old Hungary, shamans are called “Taltos” and their prinicipal duties are to cure, to find out the witches, to limit the devil’s mis-deeds and alike. In order to achieve these, a shaman can transmute himself into a horse or a bull; do his job in reality or in his dreams. According to their beliefs, a shaman is created in his mother’s womb; thus he is sacred; if there is a war on the earth, he flies in the skies to save his country. He has a very strong sense of “finding the things out”, particularly those of treasures. Here it is, a very well known Hungarian myth, regarding a shaman’s endeavour to recover a treasure, and the games that he played even to his own people.
“Once upon a time there was very famous shaman (taltos), a Francis Csuba, (1721 A.C.), in Csökmö. To the people’s belief, there was a hidden treasure in a nearby swamp, however under the control of a monstrous dragon. Csuba, promised to his people to recover this treasure and give to them, as they deserve. So, he takes a long and thick rope; with one end he ties ties it to the entire people’s hand, and promises to tie it to the dragon’s hand although he cheats them, and ties the other end to a tree. In addition, he makes his helper sit on a nearby tree, with nude bottocks facing the paysants, having him blow a trumpet. Then, he addresses to people: ‘Who he is in sexual relation with his neighbor’s wife, has to let go the robe due to the reason that the dragon will eat him first!’ Everybody in a panick leaves the rope and escapes as far as he could go. Some other version of the strory is that, taltos, is a very good-willed person, scares the dragon off and the people gain their treasure.”
* *
“In more than one way, we said, shaman is a mythologic hero. He rises from everybody’s ordinary life style, when necessary utilizing “the helping spirits”, goes to his journey; that could be travelling the world, underworld or skies. One of his most useful tools that accompanies him in almost every trip is that his drum. One of the grand masters of anthropology, Joseph Campbell, in A.C. 1980, cites these notes about that famous drum of shaman:
‘Once upon a time, there was a famous shaman, Morgan Kara, in the tribe of Barade of Siberia, who had the custody of a double-faced drum which had been said, through it, the shaman was able to call dead souls. On the other hand, the head of his clan, Örlin Khan, who also had believed that it was in his rights to call the dead souls and even to protect them. Having a heart-broke, Örlin Khan complains shaman Kara to Tengri, the head of gods, to correct the situation. God Tengri, wants to challenge young, demanding shaman in a competition, as follows. He puts a dead man’s soul in an empty bottle and hides it somewhere. Morgan Kara goes for an “under-world” journey to search that soul with his famous double-faced drum, but cannot find it anywhere. Then he tries the “upper-world”, sky-land, and there observes that the soul is resting in an empty bottle, but the God Tengri’s finger is blocking the open end. Shaman Kara immediately
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transmutes himself into a hornet and bites god Tengri from his forehead. Naturally god Tengri takes his hand off the bottle and holds his forehead; then, shaman Kara picks up the soul and runs to “middle-world”. Tangri, being mad, instantenously creating a thunderbolt that strikes Kara’s drum, and that day on, a shaman can never have a double-faced drum again.’
“If we can sum up shamans daily responsibilities and functions:
1) D e v i n a t i o n : To answer the directed questions, for example “to search a teacher in the universe”.
2) C l a i r v o y a n c e : Fortell the events that presently are not in sight, shall occur in near future;
3) F i n d i n g, s e a r c h i n g : Of lost souls, valuable belongings and alike.
4) H e a l i n g, c u r i n g : To do whatever possibly be done, as had been demonstrated above, searching through “spiritual canoe.”
“Shaman, travels at three levels (Shamanic Format) :
“1) At the L o w e r W o r l d: The world of dead, the ancestors resting place.
(You can exercise this too. Lay down for about ten minutes. A drum, played by someone else, can accompany this trip. Shaman candidate, closes his eyes, and lets himself go underworld. Since this could be somewhat scary, he can call his “spirit helpers” -those are invisible souls- to accompany your body, or your own ‘Power animal’ (that you usually carry in your heart, as an image, even as a bracelet or a neckless, or ring, primarily a symbolic docile animal like cat, dog, cow, but cannot be a serpent, bird or any kind of reptiles). Candidate, during trip may ask whoever he is seeking: Dead ancestors, an old friend, even his own power animal; can ask how people feeling there, then about in ten minutes, returns back, under the provisions of his power animal. The trip ends when the drum beats fast and loud on four successive occasions.)
“2) At the M i d d l e W o r l d : The world which we live in.
Thus, he again travels through under the leadership of his power animal, or all alone, primarily in Nature: Rocks, plains, plants, forests, country. Solitude, therefore, is one of the most fundamental principles of shamanhood. However this is not a passive but rather an active experience. A shaman candidate, during this ‘Nature Trip’, searches and finds out “Power spots” in nature, sings “Power Songs”.
“Thus, to strengthening your ‘survival skills’, utilizing this kind of trip, you should do this kind of exercises:
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“Exer. 1 : Just before sundown, sit in your seat, close your eyes, shake your ‘Bell’-which is another tool you must carry on you as a shaman candidate-, and invite all (living) souls, try to sing joyously. That should take about 15-20 minutes.
“Exer. 2 : Do your ‘Devination’ job. Close your eyes, go for a trip to the places that you already know; a friend’s, grand-mother’s house, school, foreign countries, and come back.
“Exer. 3 : Do travel and search places that you had never been in. 10 minutes.
“Exer. 4 : One evening, right after sundown, go alone for an outside ride; rise your head, look up to the skies, choose a star; enter into that star, travel together with that star in the sky; come back after 10 minutes.
“Exer. 5 : Visit your close friends, relatives for 10 minutes.
“Exer. 6 : Quarz crystal that you also must carry on you as the symbol of power, is one of your important helpers. With him, travel in this physical world with pride and strength, go to unknown places, meet the unknown people, and come back within ten minutes.
“3) At the U p p e r W o r l d : The ultimate place where gods live.
“Exer. 1 : Lay down, and close your eyes. Think of the top of a mountain or the flames. Climb step by step, look around and admire the beauty and majesty of the universe; in order to achieve the ascendance, you have to pierce through a “membrane” that could be scary, so use you power animal or helping spirits. You must turn back within 10-12 minutes.
“Exer. 2 : You may repeat the above mentioned exercise through using ‘quarz crystal’ as your power animal.”
-Thus ended the exercizes.-
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21
Sipping my coffee, longing into complex possibility and probability issues about current unsolved problems, I am trying to program the day. Let us see, everything seems to be under control. All starting and ongoing programs are on their tracks. First, I should check with Administration and Personnel Department whether Keath was able to do something about the chapel for a probable Freemasonry House site.
“Keith, good morning!”
“Good morning Sir!”
“Did anything come out with Pere Pierre in reference to our prospective plans at the Chapel?”
“Yes Sir, yesterday afternoon I have been able to finalize with Pere Pierre who gladly gave his consent. This morning the cleaning team is going to wash and dust the entire place. I am sure, electricity, heat and other services that will be ready by this afternoon too. Then, of course, I shall wait from you and the group for specific requests and changes have to be made.”
“Very good. Would you be kind enough to get in touch, let me see, which one could be considered as leader? Smith L. I guess, oldest, wisest and most advanced in degree, anyhow would you tell him, or whoever you can catch from the group that I would like to meet them to night at 20.00 P.M. at the Chapel that we should make some planning? Any results yet about the personal backgrounds from Ternational Biography Center?”
“Not yet Sir, I shall get in touch with Mr. Smith right away. Incidentally, if you permit, I also would like to be at the Chapel myself to see the things first hand.”
“Thank you Keith, be good!”
“Thank you, Sir, much obliged!”
Good, that was okey. Now what? Even though it was just on tuesday, the day before yesterday, with Michael Deem, the supervisor of the Summer Literary Festival, I wondered whether they had come to a conclusion about the date of the Festival?
Then, I gave a ring to Edith.
“Hi, Edith, gracious lady. What’s up?”
“Everything is in order, Sir. The other day, you obviously have made a very useful meeting with Michael. As usual, you are one step ahead of me, I was going to give you a call that we should put the Festival in the air one week from this coming week-end.”
“Very good Edith. Make your final plans and start to advertise right away. The beginning of the next week we should get together and review the things that are already done. Oo, you know my neurosis, if you put me too among the celebrities who would read some ‘decoration’ poems between, I appreciate very much.”
“I already put Sir, without your olympic torch, we are lightless. You know that.”
“You are a jewel. God bless you! So long!”
“So long, Sir!”
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With a comfort that I felt inside of me, I am reviewing my speeches, classes and attendance for the rest of the week. Let us have a look upon them.
This afternoon, I could read perhaps my grand-father’s diary that is thrilling, or, The Book of Mormon, or can review the other notes, let me decide what to read after lunch.
This evening, that is to say, thursday afternoon, as you know, I am going to the French Church Chapel to meet the founders of the prospective Masonic Lodge applicants. To see Mr.George K. who also is among the Mormon Church celebrities gives me a little bit vertigo. Any misconnection, misdeed? I do not know yet, but I have to keep a close eye on him.
Tomorrow noon, I have to continue at the Muslim Mosque, with the lecture about “recognizing Islam!”. Since it involves a lot of historical names, dates and data, whether it comes rather heavy to some people, I don’t know. Since I am the President, the people even thou they know better, don’t dare to criticise me one way or the other.
Saturday, I cannot miss the Jewish Temple. This year I don’t want to interrupt the serie of beginning classes that are quite educational.
For sunday, I have to consult my wife too. We will wait and see, whatever comes up.
Thus, even without waiting for lunch, with an inner impulse of curiosity I immersed myself into The Book of Mormon.
In the “Introduction” section of the book, it simply cites, “The Book of Mormon is a volume of holy scripture comparable to the Bible. It is a record of God’s dealings with the ancient inhabitants of The Americas and contains, as does the Bible, the fullness of the everlasting gospel.”
The Testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith is the most striking part of the beginnings of the book:
“On the evening of the … twenty-first of September (1823) … I betook myself to prayer and supplication of Almighty God…
“While I was thus in the act of calling upon God, I discovered a light appearing in my room, which continued to increase until the room was lighter than at noonday, when immediately a personage appeared at my bedside, standing in the air, for his feet did not touch the floor.
“He had on a loose rob of most exquisite whiteness. It was a whiteness beyond anything earthly I had ever seen; nor do I believe that any earthly thing could be made to appear so exceedingly white and brillant. His hands were naked, as were his legs, a little above the ankles. His head and neck were also bare. I could discover that he had no other clothing on but this robe, as it was open, so that I could see into his bosom.
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“Not only was his robe exceedingly white, but his whole person was glorious beyond description, and his countenance truly like lightning. The room was exceedingly light, but not so very bright as immediately around his person. When I first looked upon him, I was afraid; but the fear soon left me.
“He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni; that God had had a work for me me to do; and that my name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken all people.
“He said there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang. He also said that the fulness of the overlasting Gospel was contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants.
“Also, that there were two stones in silver bows -and these stones, fastened to a breastplate what is called the Urim and Thummim- deposited with the plates; and the possession and use of these stones were what constituted Seers in acients or former times; and that God had prepared them for the purpose of translating the book.
“Again, he told me, that when I got those plates of which he had spoken -for the time that they should be obtained was not yet fulfilled- I should not show them to any person; neither the breastplate with the Urim and Thummim; only to those to whom I should be commanded to show them; if I did I should be destroyed. While he was conversing with me about the plates, the vision was opened to my mind that I could see the place where deposited, and that so clearly and distinctly that I knew the place again when I visited it.”
The other important chapters of the book are spread all over. It sems to be indeed a kind of testament we know, but decorated with different references. In deep-notes, they were corresponded with their classical Biblical versions. If I can take a few, for instance,
“The First Book of Nephi”, in:
‘Chapter 1’, cites: “Nephi begins the record of his people – Lehi (Younger son of Helaman) sees in vision a pillar of fire and reads a book of prophecy – He praises God, foretells the coming of the Messiah, and prophesies the destruction of Jerusalem.”
‘Chapter 2’, “Lehi takes the family into the wilderness by the Red Sea – They leave their property – Lehi offers a sacrifice to the Lord and teaches his sons to keep the commandements…”
‘Chapter 3’, “Lehi’s sons return to Jerusalem to obtain the plates of brass – Laban refuses to give them up.”
‘Chapter 5’, “Sarah complains against Lehi – Both rejoice over the return of their sons – They offer sacrificies – The plates of brass contain writings of Moses and the prophets…
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‘Chapter 6’, “Nephri writes of the things of God – His purpose is to persuade men to come into the God of Abraham and be saved.”
‘Chapter 7’, “Lehi’s sons return to Jerusalem and enlist Ishmael and his household in their cause…”.
‘Chapter 8’, “Lehi sees a vision of the tree of life..”
‘Chapter 9’, “Nephi makes two sets of records – Each is called the plates of Nephi – The larger plates contain a secular history; the smaller ones deal primarily with sacred things.”
‘Chapter 10’, “Lehi predicts the Babylonian captivity – He tells of the coming among the Jews of a Messiah, a Savior, a redeemer – He tells also of a coming of the one who should babtize the Lamb of God – Lehi tells of the death and resurrection of the Messiah…”
‘Chapter 15’, “Lehi’s seed are to receive the gospel from the Gentiles in the latter days. The gathering of Israel is likened unto an olive tree whose natural branches shall be grafted in again.”
‘Chapter 16’, “The wicked take the truth to be hard – Lehi’s sons marry the daughters of Ismael – The Liahona guides their course in the wilderness – Messages from Lord are written on the Liahona from time to time – Ishmael dies…”
‘Chapter 17’, “Nephi is commanded to build a ship – His brethren oppose him.”
‘Chapter 18’, “The ship is finished – The births of Jacob and Joseph are mentioned – The company embarks for the promised land – The sons of Ishmael and their wives join in revelry and rebellion – Nephi is bound, and the ship is driven back by a terrible tempest – Nephi is freed, and by his prayer the storm ceases – They arrive in the promised land.”
‘Chapter 19’, “Nephi makes plates of ore and records the history of his people – The God of Israel will come six hundred years from the time Lehi left Jerusalem – Nephi tells of His sufferings and crucifixion – The Jews shall be despised and scattered until the latter days, when they shall return onto the Lord..”
‘Chapter 20’, “The Lord reveals His purposes to Israel – They have been chosen in the furnice of affliction and are to go forth from Babylon..”
‘Chapter 21’, “Messiah shall be a light to the Gentiles and shall free the prisoners – Israel shall be gathered with power in the last days..”
‘Chapter 22’, “Israel shall be scattered upon all the face of the earth – The gentiles shall nurse and nourish Israel with the gospel in the last days – Israel shall be gathered and saved, and the wicked shall burn as stubble – The kingdom of the devil shall be destroyed, and Satan shall be bound.”
And, these are some excerpts from the “Second Book of Nephi”:
“An account of the death of Lehi, Nephi’s brethren rebel against him. The Lord, warns Nephi to depart into the wilderness and he journeys there.”
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‘Chapter 1’, “And now my son, Laman, and also Lemuel and Sam, and also my sons who are the sons of Ishmael, behold, if ye will hearken unto the voice of Nephi ye shall not perish. And if ye will hearken unto him I leave unto you a blessing, ye, even my first blessing.”
‘Chapter 2’, “Redemption cometh through the Holy Messiah – Freedom of choice (agency) is essential existence and progression.”
‘Chapter 3’, “Joseph in Egypt saw the Nephites in vision – He prophesied of Joseph Smith, the latter-day seer; of Moses, who would deliver Israel; and of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon.”
‘Chapter 5’, “The Nephites separate themselves from the Lamanites, keep the law of Moses, and build a temple – Because of their unbelief, the Lamanites are cursed, receive a skin of blackness, and become a scourge unto the Nephites.”
‘Chapter 9’, “Jews shall be gathered in all their lands of promise – Atonement ransoms man from the fall – The bodies shall come forth from the grave, and their spirits from hell and from paradise – They shall be judged – Atonement saves from death, hell, the devil, and endless torment – The righteous to be saved in the kingdom of God – Penalties for sins set forth – The Holy One of Israel is the keeper of the gate.”
‘Chapter 10’, “And now, I, Jacob, speak unto you again, my belowed brethren that Jews shall crucify their God – They shall be scattered until they begin to believe in him – America shall be a land of liberty where no king shall rule – Be reconciled to God and gain salvation through his grace.”
‘Chapter 12’, “Isaiah (The son of Amos) sees the latter-day temple, gathering of Israel, and millennial judgement and peace – The proud and wicked shall be brought low at the Second Coming.”
‘Chapter 15, “The Lord’s wineyard (Israel) shall become desolate and his people shall be scattered.”
‘Chapter 16’, “Isaiah sees the Lord – Isaiah’s sins are forgiven – He is called to prophesy – He prophesies of the rejection by the Jews of Christ’s teachings.”
‘Chapter 17’, “Ephraim and Syria wage war against Judah – Christ shall be born of a virgin.”
‘Chapter 19’, “Isaiah speaks Messianically – The people in the darkness to see a great Light – Unto us a child is born.”
‘Chapter 20’, “Destruction of Assyria is a type of destruction of wicked at the Second Coming – Few people shall be left after the Lord comes again.”
‘Chapter 21’, “Stem of Jesse (Christ) shall judge in righteousness The knowledge of God shall cover the earth in the Millenium – The Lord shall raise an ensign and gather Israel.”
Well, all are beautfiul and enlightening but very very powerful. I emphatize with my grand-father but I wonder how he might have carried this load since, as I am, I believe he was a believer but a scientific, medical man too, doing whatever he was supposed to do, from births to autopsies, trying to heal people at the best, still remaining a deep-believer and an objective man of this life and death game? This is why I am quite curious about his adventures, We all see. Now, I am hungry and willing to eat something.
*
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Evening meeting at the Chapel was short but a nice one. All concerned, that means I and Mr. Gleem from the Administration and five fellows, George K., Smith L., Clarke M., Gregor S. and Yani Z., the building-keeper on the grounds Mr. Chevalier were present and walking around and objectively trying to figure out what was needed. Pere Pierre was on night prayers that he could not attend. A few time-beaten doors and windows needed to be repaired and painted, so did the Hall. The small room that was situated at the end of the corridor that was going to be used eventually as ‘spare room’ for the candidates 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree of examinations, and also presently for storing the necessary clothings, the decorations and brick and bra, this and that, could also be placed there. One or two closets, a couple of book-cases would suffice for now. Needless to say, the little bath-room also had to be revived and renewed in many ways.
So, we decided these things will be taken care of immediately, and upon hearing the clearance of the candidates and completion of the building, after some public advertisements through Big Screen, we shall make an opening. Everybody involved was in a genuine cheery mood. We said “good-night” to each other and, without any mishap or unwarranted mystery of threat, like being followed by strange, dark shadows, some puzzling signs and write-ups that you usually read in mystery books and watch in movies, did not occur. Those kind of covered things don’t and can’t happen in New Atlantis. Indeed can’t? We shall wait and see.
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21
To day friday. In the morning, we had our usual Cabinet Meeting with members, but there was nothing unusual to note. The outcomes of the newcomers’ evaluations had begun to crystalize as to man-power principally, the living headquarters and immediate extra needs that were invisible before; the Chapel’s repair of course, again the program of the Summer Literary Festival, the review of the Energy resources and stocks in hands and alike. It however took longer than I had thought, and I missed the ‘namaz’ portion of my visit to the Mosque. To my surprise, there was a massive crowd who would dare to listen to my historical speech.
“Wessalamun aleykum” (God’s greetings for you!), I greeted them, and got the classical reply, in chorus: “Aleykum salam!” (For you too!)
“I am continuing of speaking upon the religion before Mohammed and His Koran in Arabs. As we had said last week, this is necessary to understand the birth and the development of Islam.
“The religion of the Arabs before Mohammed, which they call the state of i g n o r a n c e, in opposition to the knowledge of God’s true worship revealed to them by their prophet, was chiefly gross idolatry. The Sabian religion having almost overrun the whole nation, though there were also great numbers of Christians, Jews, and Magians (Old Persian Priests), among them. The S a b i a n s did not believe one God, but produced many strong arguments for his unity; though they also paid an adoration to the stars, or the angels and intelligences which they supposed reside in them, and governed the world under the supreme Deity. They endeavoured to perfect themselves in the four intellectual virtues, and believed the souls of wicked men will be punished for 9000 ages, but will afterwards be received to mercy. They were obliged to pray three times a day, the first, half an hour or less before sun-rise, ordering it so that they may, just as the sun rises, finish eight adorations, each containing three prostrations; the second prayer they ended at noon when the sun begins to decline, in saying which they perform five such adorations as the former; and the same they did as third time, ending just as the sun sets. They fasted three times a year, the first time thirty days, the next nine days, and the last, seven. They offered many sacrifices, but eat no part of them, burning them all. They abstained from beans, garlick, and some other pulse and vegetables. As to Sabian Kebla, (the part to which they turn their faces during pray) authors greatly differ; one will have to it to be to the north, another the south, a third Mecca, and the fourth the star to which they paid their devotions. They did go to the pilgrimage to a place near the City of Harran in Mesopotamia, where great
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numbers of them dwelled, and they also had a great respect for the temple at Mecca, and the Pyramids of Egypt. Fancying these last to be sepulchres of Seth, and of Enoch and Sabi, his two sons, whom they looked on the first propagators of their religion; at these structures they sacrificed a cock and a black calf, and offered up incense. Besides the book of Psalms, the only true scripture they read, they had other books which they esteemed equally sacred, particularly one in the Caldee tongue which they called “the book of Seth”, and was full of moral discourses. This sect said they have taken the name of SABIANS from the above mentioned SABI, though it seems rather to be derived from SABA or “the host of heaven” which they did worship. Travellers commonly called them Christians of St. John the Baptist, whose disciples also they pretend to be, using a kind of baptism, which is the greatest mark they bear of Christianity. This is one of the religions the practice of which Mohammed tolerated in that expression of Koran, those to whom the scriptures have been given, or literally, the people of the book.
“The idolatry of the Arabs then, as SABIANS, chiefly consisted in worshiping the fixed stars and planets, and the angels and their images,which they honoured as “inferior deities”, and whose intercession they begged, as their mediators with God. For the Arabs acknowledged one supreme God, the Creator and Lord of the universe whom they call Allah Taala, the most high God, and their other deities, who were subordinate to him, they called simply al Ilahat; i.e. the goddesses; which words the Grecians not understanding, and it being their constant custom to resolve the religion of every other nation into their own, and find out gods of theirs to match the others, they pretended that the Arabs worshipped only two deities: Orotalt and Alilat, as those names are corruptly written, whom they will have to be the same with Bacchus and Urania; pitching on the former as one of the greatest of their own gods, and educated in Arabia, and on the other, because of the veneration shows by the Arabs to the stars.
“The worship of the stars, The Arabs might easily be led into, from their observing the changes of weather to happen at the rising or setting of certain of them, which, after a long course of experience, induced them to ascribe a divine power to those stars, and to think themselves indebted to them for their rains, a very great benefit and refreshment to their parched country.
“The Ancient Arabians and Indians, between which two nations was a great conformity of religions, had seven celebrated temples, dedicated to seven planets; one of which in particular called Beit Ghomdan, was built in Sanaa, the metropolis of Yaman, by Dahc, to the honour of al Zoharah or the planet Venus, and was demolished by the Khalif Othman (Osman) by whose murder was fulfilled the prophetical inscription set, as it was reported, over his temple, “Ghomdan, he who destroyeth thee, shall be slain!” The temple of Mecca is also said to have been consacrated to Zuhal or
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Saturn. “Though these deities were generally reverenced by the whole nation, yet each tribe chose some one as the more popular object of their worship.
“Thus, as to stars and planets, the tribe of Hamyar chiefly worshipped the sun; Misam, al Dabaran or the bull’s eye; Ölakhm and Jodam, al Moshtari, or Jupiter; Tay, Sohail or Canopus: Kais, Sirius, or the dog star; and Asad, Otared or Mercury.
“Of the angels or intelligences which they worshipped, the K o r a n makes mention only of three, which were worshipped under female names: Allat, al Uzza, and Manah. These were by them were called goddesses, and daughters of God; an apellation they gave not only to the angels, but also their iages, which they either believed to be inspired with life by God, or else to become the tabernacles of the angels, and to be animated by them.
“A l l a t, was the idol of the tribe of THAKIF who dwelt at Tayef, and had a temple consacrated to her in a place, called Nakblah. Mohammed, in the ninth year of Hejra (Immigration to Medina), sending Abu Sofian to destroy this idol to great dismay of the tribal women especially. There is a question whether ‘Allat’ is coming from the same origin of ‘Allah’, that may also be a feminine significance, signifying the goddess.
“A l U z z a, was the idol of the tribes of KOREISH and KENANAH, and part of the tribe SALIM. A chapel called Boss, built and consacrated by one Dhalem, from the tribe of GHADFGAN, where also there was an Egyptian torn, or Acacia, was destroyed by Kahled Ebu Walid, sent also by Mohammed, in the eight year of Hejra. Some said, Dhalem himself was killed by one Zohair, becasue he consacrated this chapel with design to draw the pilgrims from Mecca, and lessen the reputation of the Kaaba. The name of the diety is derived from the root ‘Azza’, signifying ‘the most mighty’.
“M a n a h was the object of worship of the tribes of HODHAIL and KHOZAAH, who dwelt between Mecca and Medina. Some say, AWS, KHAZRAJ and THAKLIF also worship the same. This idol was a large stone, destroyed at the eighth year of the Hejra, by one Saad. The name seems to be derived from the flowing of the blood of the victims sacrificed to the deity.
“There are also important but nonetheless secondary idols that we would like to outline in summary forms. Koran mentions all of them by name: Wadd, Sava, Yaghuth, Yauk and Nasr. These are said to have been antediluvian (anti-flood, anti-nature disasters) idols, which Noah preached against, and were afterwards taken by the Arabs for gods, having been men of great merit and piety in their time, whose statutes they reverenced at first with a cicil honour only, which, in process of time, became hightened to a divine worship.
“Wadd was supposed to be the ‘heaven’, and was worshipped under the a form of a man by the tribe of Calb in Daumat al Jandal.
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“Sava was adored under the shape of ‘woman’, by the tribe of Hamadan, or, Hodhail in Rabat. This idol, lying under water for some time after the deluge, was at length, it is said, discovered by the devil, and was worshipped by those of Hodhail, was instituted pilgrimages to it.
“Taghuth was an idol in the shape of a ‘lion’, and was a deity of the tribe of Madhaj and others who dwelt in Yaman. Its name seems to be derived from gatha, which signifies to help.
“Yauk was worshipped by the tribe of Morad in Hamadan, under the figure of a ‘horse’. It is said he was a man of great piety, and his death much regretted; whereupon the devil appeared to his friends in a human form, and undertaking to represent him to the life, persuaded them, by way of comfort, to place his effigies to their temples, that they might have it in view when at their devotion. This was done, and seven others of extraordinary merit had the same honours shown them, till at length their posterity made idols of them in earnest. The name Yauk probably comes from the verb aka, to ‘prevent’ or ‘avert’.
“Nasr was a deity adored by the tribe of Hamyar, ar at Duh’l Kalaslı in their territories, under the image of an ‘eagle’, which the name signifies.
“There were two idols, Asaf, the image of a man, and, Nayelah, the image of a woman, which were imported from Syria and placed on mount Safa and mount Merwa, respectively. Asaf was the son of Amru, and Nayelah the daughter of Sahal, both of the tribe of Jorham, who committing whoredome together in the Caaba were, by God, converted into stone and afterwards worshipped by the Koreish, and so much reverenced by them, that though this superstition was condemned by Mohammed, yet he was forced to allow them to visit these mountains as monuments of divine justice.
“Some of the pagan Arabs believed neither a creation past, nor a resurrection to come, attributing the origin of things to nature, and their dissolution to age. Others believed both; among whom were those, who when died had their camel tied by their sepulchre, and so left without meat or drink to perish, and accompany them to the other world, lest they should be obliged, at the resurrection to go on foot, which was reckoned very scandalous. Some believed a metempsychosis, and that of the blood near the dead person’s brain, was formed a bird named Namah, which once in a hundred years visited the sepulchre; though others say, this bird is animated by the soul of him that is unjustly slain, and continually cries, “Oscuni, Oscuni,” that is, “Give me to drink,” meaning of the murder’s blood till the death be revenged; and then it flies away. This was also forbidden by Mohammed.
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“Among the idolatrous Arabs, there also were some who had embraced more rational religions.
“The P e r s i a n s had, by their vicinity and frequent intercourse with the Arabians, introduced Magian religion among some of their tribes, particularly that of Tamin, long time before Mohammed.
“The J e w s, who fled in great numbers into Arabia, from the fearful destruction of their country by the Romans, made proselytes (converts) of several tribes those of Kenanah, al Hareth Ebn Cabaa, and Kendah in particular, and in time became very powerful, and possessed of several towns and fortresses there. But the Jewish religion was not unknown to the Arabs, at least a century before; Abu Carb Asad, taken notice of in the Koran who was king of Yaman, about 700 years before Mohammed, is said to have introduced Judaism among the idolatrous Hamyarites. Some of his successors also embraced the same religion, one of whom, Yusef, surnamed Dhu Novas, was remarkable for his zeal, and terrible persecution of all who would not turn Jews, putting them to death by various tortures, the most common of which was throwing them into a glowing pit of fire, whence he had of opprobrious appellation of the “Lord of the pit.” This persecution is also mentioned in Koran.
“C h r i s t i a n i t y had likewise a very great progress among this nation, before Mohammed. Whether St. Paul preached in any part of Arabia, properly so called, is uncertain; but the persecutions and disorders which happened in the eastern church, soon after the beginning of the third century, obliged great numbers of Christians to seek for shelter in that country of liberty; who being for the most part Jacobite communion, that sect generally prevailed among the Arabs. The principal tribes that embraced Christianity were Hamyar, Ghassan, Rabia, Taghlab, Bara, Tonuch, parts of the tribes Tay and Kodaa, the inhabitants of Najran, and the Arabs of Hira. The Jews of Hamyar challenged some neighbouring Christians to a public disputation, which was held sub dio (bishop’s office)) for three days, before the king and his nobility, and all the people; the disputants being Gregontius, bishop of Tephra, for the Christians, and Herbanus for the Jews. On the third day, Herbanus, to end the dispute, demanded that Jesus of Nazareth, if he were really living, and in heaven, and could hear the prayers of the worshippers, should appear from heaven in their sight, and they would then believe him; the Jews crying out with one voice, “Show us your Christ, alas, and we will Christians.” Whereupon, after a terrible storm of thunder and lightning, Jesus Christ appeared in the air, surrounded with rays of glory, walking on a purple cloud, having a sword over the heads of assembly – “Behold I appear to you in your sight, I, who was crucified by your fathers.” After which the cloud received him from their sight. The Christians cried out, “Kyrie eleeson,” that is, “Lord have mercy upon us!” but the Jews were striken blind, and recovered not, till they were all baptized.
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“The Christians at Hira received a great accession by several tribes, who fled thither for refuge from the persecution of Dhu Novas. Al Nooman, surnamed Abu Kabus, king of Hira, who was slain a few months before Mohammed’s birth, professed himself a Christian on the following occasion. This prince, in a drunken fit, ordered two of his intimate companions, who overcome with liquor had fallen asleep, to be buried alive. When he came to himself, he was extremely concerned at what he had done, and to expiate his crime, not only raised a monument to the memory of his friends, but set apart two days, one of which he called the unfortunate, and the other the fortunate day; making it a perpetual rule to himself, that whoever met him on the former day should be slain, and his blood sprinkled on the monument, but he that met him on the other day, should be dismissed in safety with magnificent gifts.
“On one of the unfortunate days, there came before him accidentally an Arab, of the tribe of Tay, who had once entertained the king, when fatigued with hunting, and separated from his attendants. The king, who could neither discharge him, contrary to the order of the day, not put him to death, against the laws of hospitality, which the Arabians religiously observe, proposed, as an expedient, to give the unhappy man a year’s respite, and to send him home with rich gifts, for the support of the family, on condition that he found a surety for his returning at the year’s end, to suffer death. One of the prince’s court, out of compassion, offered himself as his surety, and the Arab was discharged. When the last day of the term came, and no news on the Arab, the king, not at all displeased to save his host’s life, ordered the surety to prepare himself to die. Those who were by represented to the king that the day was not yet expired, and therefore he ought to have patience till the evening; but in the middle of their discourse, the Arap appeared. The king, admiring the man’s generosity, in offering himself to certain death, which he might have avoided by letting his surety suffer, asked him what was his motive for so doing? to which he answered, that he had been taught to act in that manner, by religion he professed; and of Nooman demanding what religion that was, he replied the Christian. Whereupon the king, desiring to have the doctrines of Christianity explained to him, was baptized, he and his subjects; and not only pardoned the man and his surety, but abolished his barbarous custom. This prince, however, was not the first king of Hira who embraced Christianity; al Mondar, his grandfather, having also professed the same faith, and built large churches in his capital.
“Since Christianity had made so great a progress in Arabia, we may consequently suppose they had bishops in several parts, for the more orderly governing of the churches. A bishop of Dhafar has been alredy named, and that Najran was also a bishop’s see. The Jacobites (of which sect we have observed the Arabs generally were) had two bishops of the Arabs subject to their Mafrian, or metropolitan of the east; one was called the bishop of the Arabs absolutely, whose seat was for the most part at Akula (or Cufa), others a different town near Baghdad. The other had the title of the Bishop of the Scenite Arabs, of the tribe of Taalab in Hira (or, Hirta), as the Dyrians call it, whose seat was in that city. The Nestorians had put one bishop, who presided over both these dioceses, of Hira and Akula, and was immediately subject to their patriarch.
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“These were the principal religions which obtained among the ancient Arabs; but as freedom of thought was the natural consequence of their political liberty and independence, some of them fell into other different opinions. The Koreish, in particular, were infected with Zendicism, an error supposed to have very near affinity with that of the “Sadducees” (Descendants of Zadok, believing only the written laws, but nothing else, like soul, angels, resurrection and alike) among the Jews, and perhaps, not greatly different from “deism”(Believing the Creator but not recognizing the other religious believes); for there were several of that tribe, even before the time of Mohammed, who worshipped one God, and were free from idolatry and yet embraced some of the other religions of the country.
“What about the s o c i a l l i f e in Arabs before Mohammed?
“The Arabians before Mohammed were, divided into two sorts, one, those who dwell in cities and towns, and two, those who dwell in tents. The former lived by tillage, the cultivation of palm trees, breeding and feeding of cattle, and the exercise of all sorts of trades, particularly merchandizing, wherein they were very eminent, even in the time of Jacob. The tribe of Koreish were much more addicted to commerce, and Mohammed, in his younger years, was brought up to the same business; it being customary for the Arabians to exercise the same trade that their parents did. The Arabs who dwelt in tents employed themselves in pasturage, in sometimes pillaging of passengers; they lived chiefly on the milk and flesh of camels; they often changed habitations, as the convenience of water and of pasture of their cattle invited them, staying in a place no longer than they lasted, and then removing in search of other. They generally wintered in Irak, and the confines of Syria.
“The Arabic l a n g u a g e is undoubtedly one of the most ancient in the world, and arose soon after, if not at, the confusion of Babel. There were several dialects of it, very different from each other; the most remarkable were that spoken by the tribes of Hamyar and the other genuine Arabs, and that of the Koreish. The Hamyaritic seems to have approached nearer to the purity of the Syriac than the dialect of any other tribe; for the Arabs acknowledge their father Yarab to have been the first whose tongue deviated from Syriac (which was his mother tongue, and is almost generally acknowledged by the Asiatics to be the most ancient) to the Arabic. The dialect of the Korish is usually termed the pure Arabic, or, as the Koran, which is written in this dialect, calls it, the perspicuous and clear Arabic; perhaps because Ismael, their father, brought the Arabic he had learned of the Jorhamites nearer to the original Hebrew.
“But the politeness and elegance of the dialect of the Koreish is rather attributed to their having the custody of the Caaba, and dwelling in Mecca, the center of Arabia; as well more remote from intercourse with foreigners, who might corrupt the language, as frequented by the Arabs from the country all around, not only on a religious account, but also for the composing of their differences, from whose discourse and verses they took whatever words or phrases they judged more pure and elegant; by which means the beauties of the whole tongue became transfused into this dialect.
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“The Arabians are full of the commendations of their language, and not altogether without reason; for it claims the preference of most others in many respects, as being very harmonious and expressive, and withal so copious, that they say no man, without inspiration, can be perfect master of it in its utmost extend; and yet they tell us, at the same time, that the greatest part of it has been lost; which will not be thought strange if we consider how late the art of writing was prescribed among them. For though it was known to Job, their countryman, and also to the Hamyarites (who used a perplexed character called al Mosnad, wherein the letters were not distinctly separate, and which was neither publicly taught, nor suffered to be used without permission first obtained) many centuries before Mohammed, as appears from some ancient monuments said to be remaining in their character. Yet the other Arabs, and those of Mecca in particular, were, for many ages, perfectly ignorant of it, unless some of them as were Jews and Christians.
“Moramer Ebn Morra of Anbar, a city of Irak, who lived not many years before Mohammed, was the inventor of the Arabic character, which Bashar the Kendian is said to have learned from those of Anbar, and to have introduced at Mecca but a little while before the institution of Mohammedism. These letters of Moramer were different from the Hamyaritic; and though they were very rude, being either the same with or very much like the Cufie, which character is still found in inscriptions, and some ancient books, yet they were those which the Arabs used for many years, the Koran itself being at first written therein; for the beautiful character they now use was first formed from the Cufic by Ebn Moklahi Wazir (or Visir) to the Khalife al Moktader, al Kaher, and al Radi, who lived about 500 years after Mohammed, and was brought to great perfection by Ali Ebn Bowab who flurished in the following century, and whose name is yet famous among them on that account; yet it is said, the person who completed it, and reduced it to the present form, was Yakut al Mostasemi, secretary to al Mostasem, the last of the Khalifs of the family of Abbas, for which reason he was surnamed al Khattat, or the scribe.
“Then, we could summarize the a c c o m p l i s h m e n t s o f A r a b s, as follows:
“The accomplishments the Arabs valued themselves chiefly on were, 1) Eloquence, and a perfect skill in their own t o n g u e; 2. Expertness in the use of arms and horsemanship; and, 3. Hospitality. The first, they exercized themselves in by composing of orations and poems. Their orations were of two sorts, metrical, or prosaic, the one being compared to “pearls strung”, and the other to “loose” ones. They endeavoured to excel in both, and whoever was able, in an assembly, to persuade the people to a great
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enterprise, or dissuade them from a dangerous one, or gave them other wholesome advice, was honoured with the title of Khateb, or orator, which is now given to the Mohammedan preachers. They pursued a method very different from that of the Greek and Roman orators; their sentences being like loose gems, and the acuteness of the proverbial sayings; and so persuaded were they of their excelling in this way, that they would not allow any nation to understand the art of speaking in public except themselves and the Persians, which last were reckoned much inferior in that respect to the Arabians.
“Thus, the p o e t r y, was in so great esteem among them, that it was a great accomplishment, and a proof of ingenious extraction to be able to express one’s self in verse with ease and elegance on any extraordinary occurrance, and even in their common discourse they made frequent applications of celebrated passages of their famous poets. In their poems were preserved the distinction of descents, the rights of tribes, the memory of great actions, and the propriety of their language; for which reasons an excellent poet reflected an honour on his tribe, so that as soon as any one began to be admired for the performances of this kind in a tribe, the other tribes sent publicly to congratulate them on the occasion, and themselves made entertainments, at which the women assisted, dressed in their nuptial ornaments, singing to the sound of timbrels the happiness of their tribe, who had now one to protect their honour, to preserve their genealogics, and the purity of their language, and to transmit their actions to posterity.
“Common discours upon poetry was never made cheap, they never did it but on one of three these occasions, which were reckoned great points of felicity, i.e. on the birth of a boy, the rise of a poet, and the fall of a foal of generous breed. To keep up as an emulation among their poets, the tribes had, once a year, a general assembly at Ocadh, a place famous on this account, and where they kept a weekly mart or fair, which was held on Friday. This annual meeting lasted a whole month, during which time they employed themselves, not only in trading, but in repeating their poetical compositions, contending and vying with each other for the prize; to excel were laid up in their king’s treasuries, as were the seven celebrated poems hung up on the Cabaa, which honour they also had by public order, being written on Egyptian silk, and in letters of gold; for which reason they had also the name of al Modhahabat, or the “golden verses”.
“The fair and assembly at Ocadh were supressed by Mohammed, in whose time, and for some years after, poetry seems to have been in some degree neglected by the Arabs, who were then employed in their conquests; after their being completed all sorts of learning were encouraged. This interruption, however, occasioned the loss of most of their ancient pieces of poetry, which were then chiefly preserved by memory, the use of writing being rare among them in their time of ignorance. Though the Arabs were so early acquainted with poetry, they did not at first use to write peoms of a just length, but only expressed themselves in verse occasionally nor was their prosody digested into rules till some time after Mohammed.
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“The exercise of a r m s and h o r s e m a n s h i p they were in a manner obliged to practice and encourage, by reason of independence of their tribes, whose frequent jarrings made wars almost continual; and they chiefly ended their disputes in field battles; it being an usual saying among them that God had bestowed four peculiar things on the Arabs, that their turbans should be to them instead of diadems, their tents instead of walls and houses, their sword instead of intrenchements, and their poems instead of written laws.
“H o s p i t a l i t y was habitual to them, and so much esteemed, that the examples of this kind among them exceed whatever can be produced from other nations. Hatem of the tribe of Tay, and Hasn of theat of Fezarah were particularly famous on this account.
“The s c i e n c e s that the Arabians chiefly cultivated before Mohammedian were three; that of their genealogies and history, such a knowledge of the stars as to foretell the changes of weather, and the interpretation of dreams. The Arabians as the Indians also did, chiefly applied themselves to observe the fixed stars, contrary to other nations, whose observations were almost confined to the planets; and they fortold their effects from their influences, not their nature; and hence, as has been said, arose the differences of the idolatry of the Greeks and Chaldeans, who chiefly worshipped the planets, and that of the Indians, who worshipped the fixed stars. The stars or asterisms they most usually foretold the weather by were those they call anwa, or “the houses of the moon”. These are twenty-eight in number, and divide the zodiac into as many parts, though one of which the moon possess every night, as some of them set in the morning, others rise opposite to them, which happens every thirteenth night and from their rising and setting, the Arabs, by long experience, observed what changes happened to the air; and at length, as has been said, came to ascribe divine power to them, saying, their rain was from such or such a star; which expression Mohammed condemned, and absolutely forbade them to use it in the old sense, unless they meant no more by it than God had so ordered the seasons, that when the moon was in such or such a mension or house, or at the rising or setting of such and such a star, it should rain or be windy, hot or cold.
“Now, I would like to talk a litle bit about the state of CHRISTIANITY of the Eastern Churches and JUDAISM at the time of appearance of MOHAMMED; The methods taken by Him for the establishing HIS RELIGION.
“By the beginnings of the A. C. third century on, quite contrary to several historians and clergymen who wanted to glorify the newely born Christianity and consequenly by changing the niceties of it into controversy, and dividing and subdividing about them into endless schisms and contentions, they had so destroyed that peace, love. And charity from among them, which the gospel was given to promote; and istead, continually provoked each other to that malice, rancour, and every evil work; that they had lost the whole substance of their religion, while they thus eagerly contented for their own imagination concerning it; and in a manner
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quite drove Christianity out of the world by those very controversies in which they disputed with each other about it. In these dark ages it was that most of these suıperstitions and corruptions we now justly abhor in the church of Rome, were not only broached, but establihed; which gave great advantages to the propagation of Mohammedism. The worships of saints and images, in particular, was then arrived of a scandalous pitch, that it even surpassed what is now practiced among the Romanists.
“After the Nicene council the e a s t e r n c h u r c h was engaged in perpetual controversies, and torn to pieces by the disputes of the Arians, Sabellians, Nestorians, and Eutychians; the heresies of the two last of which have been shown to have consisted more in the words and form of expression than in the doctrine themselves and were rather the pretences than real motives of those frequent councils, to and from which the contentious prelates were continually riding post, that they might bring every thing in their own will and pleasure. And to support themselves by dependants and bribery, the clergy in any credit at court undertook the protection of some office in the army, under the colour of which justice was publicly sold, and all corruption encouraged.
“In the W e s t e r n c h u r c h, Damasus and Ursicinous carried their contest at Rome for the episcopal seat so high, that they came to open violence and murder, which Viventius the governor not being able to supress, he retired into the country, and left them to themselves, till Damasus prevailed. It is said that on this occasion, in the church of Sicininus, there were no less than 137 found killed in one day. And no wonder they were so fond of these seats, when they became by that means enriched by the presents of matrons, and went abroad in their chariots and sedans in great state, feasting sumptuously even beyond the luxury of princes, quite contrary to the way of living of the country prelates, who alone seemed to have some temperance and modesty left.
“These dimensions were greatly owing to the emperors, and particu- larly to Constantious, who, confounding the pure and simple Christian religion with anile superstition, and perplexing it with intricate questions, instead of reconciling different opinions, excited many disputes, which he fomented as they proceeded with infinite altercations. This grew worse in the time of Justinian, who, not to be behind the bishops of the fifth and sixth centuries in zeal, thought it no crime to condemn to death a man of a different persuasion from his own.
“The corruption of the doctrine and the morals in the princes and clergy was necessarily followed by a general depravity of the people, those of all conditions making it their sole business to get money by any means, and to squander it away, when they had got it, in luxury and debauchery.
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“The Roman empire declined steadily after Constantine, whose successors were for the generality remarkable for their ill qualities, especially cowardice and cruelty. By Mohammed’s time the western half of the empire was overrun by the Goths; and the eastern as reduced by the Huns on the one side, and the Persians on the other, that was not in a capacity of stemming the violence of a powerful invasion. The emperor Maurice paid tribute to the Khagan or king of the Huns; and after Phocas had murdered his master, such lamentable havoc there was among the soldiers, that when Heraclius came, not above seven years after, to muster the army, there were only two soldiers left alive, of all those who had borne arms when Phocas first usurped the empire. And though Heraclius was a prince of admirable courage and conduct and had done what possibly could be done to restore the discipline of the army, and had had great success against the Persians, so as to drive them not only out of his dominions, but even out of part of their own; yet still the very vitals of the empire seemed to be mortally wounded; that there could no time have happened more fatal to the empire; or more favourable to the enterprises of the Arabs; who seem to have been raised up on purpose by God, to be a scourge to the Christian church, for not living answerably to that most holy religion which they have received.
“The P e r s i a n s had also been in a declining condition for some time before Mohammed, occasioned chiefly by their intestine broils and dissensions; great part of which arose from the devilish doctrines of Manes and Mazdak. The opinions of the former are tolerably well known; the latter lived in the reign of Khosru Kobad, and pretended himself a prophet sent from God to preach a community of women and possessions, since all men were brothers and descended from the same common parents. This he imagined would put an end to all feuds and quarrels among men, which generally arose on the account of one of the two. Kobad himself embraced the impressions of this imposter, to whom he gave leave, according to his new doctrine, to lie with the queen his wife; which permission Anushirwab his son, with much difficulty prevailed on Mazdak not to make use of. These sects had certainly been the immediate ruin of the Persian empire, had not Anushirwan, as soon as he succeeded his father, put Mazdak to death with all his followers, and the Manicheans also, restoring the ancient Magian religion.
“In the reign of this prince, deservedly surnamed the ‘just’, Mohammed was born. He was the last king of Persia who deserved the throne, which after him was almost perpertually contended for, still subverted by the Arabs. His son Hermuz lost the love of his subjects by his excessive cruelty; having had his eyes put out by his wife’s brothers, he was obliged to resign the crown to his son Khorsu Parviz, who at the instigation of Bahram Chubin had rebelled against him, and was afterwards strangled. Parviz was soon obliged to quit the throne to Bahram; but obtaining succours of the Greek emperor Maurice, he recovered the crown; yet towards the latter ends of a long reign, he grew so tyrannical and and hateful to his subjects, and they held a private correspondence with the Arabs; and he was at length deposed, imprisoned, also slain by his son Shiruyeh. After Parwiz no less than six princes possessed the throne in less than six years.
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“These domestic broils effectually brought ruin upon the Persians; for though they did, rather by the weakness of the Greeks than their own force, ravage Syria and sack Jerusalem and Damascus under Khosru Parviz; and while the Arabs were divided and independent, had some power in the province of Yaman, where they set up the four last kings before Mohammed; yet when attacked by the Greeks under Heraclius, they not only lost their conquest, but part of their own dominions, and no sooner were the Arabia, united by Mohammedism, than they beat them in every battle, and in a few years subdued them.
“As these empires were weak and declining, so A r a b i a , Mohammed’s setting up, was strong and flourishing, having been peopled at the expense of the Grecian empire, whence the violent proceedings of the domineering sects forced many to seek refuge in a free country, as Arabia then was, where they who could not enjoy tranquility and their conscience at home, found a secure retreat. The Arabians were not only a populous nation, but unacquainted with the luxury and delicacies of the Greeks and Persians, and inured to hardships of all sorts; living in a most parsimonious manner, seldom eating any flesh, drinking no wine, and sitting on the ground. Their political government was also such favoured the designs of Mohammed; for the division and independency of their tribes were so necessary to the first propagation of his religion, and the foundation of his power; that it would have been scarce possible for him to have effected either, had the Arabs been united in one society. But when they had embraced the religion, the consequent union of their tribes was no less necessary and conducive to their future conquests and grandeur.
“Mohammed came into the world under some disadvantages, which he soon surmounted. His father Abd’allah was a younger son of Abd’almotalleb, and dying very young and in his father’s lifetime, left his widow and infant son in every mean circumstances; his whole substance consisting but of five camels and one Ethiopian she-slave. Abd’almotalleb was therefore obliged to take care of his grandchild Mohammed, which he not only did during his life, but at his death enjoined his eldest son Abu Taleb, who was brother to Abd’allah by the same mother, to provide for him for the future; which he very affectionately did, and instructed him in the business of a merchant, which he followed; and to that end, he took with him into Syria he was just thirteen, and afterwards recommended him to Kadjah, a noble and rich widow, for her factor, in whose service he behaved so well, that by making him her husband she soon raised him to an equality with the richest in Mecca.
“After he began by this advantegeous match to live at his ease it was that he formed the scheme of establishing a new religion, or, as he expressed it, of replanting the only true and ancient one, professed by Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and all the prophets, by destroying the gross idolatry into which the generality of his countrymen had fallen, and weeding out the corruptions and superstitions which the latter Jews and Christians had, as he thought, introduced into their religion, and reducing it in its original purity, which consisted chiefly in the worship of one only God.
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“Whether this was the effect of enthusiasm, or only a design to raise himself to the supreme government of his country, or as some say, particularly of Christian writers, the ambition and desire to satisfy his sensuality; his original design of bringing the pagan Arabs to the knowledge of the true God was certainly noble and highly be commended. Mohammed was no doubt fully satisfied in his conscience of the truth of the grand point, the unity of God, which was what he chiefly attended to; all his other doctrines and institutions being rather accidental and unavoidable, than premeditated and designed.
“Since then Mohammed was certainly himself persuaded of his grand article of faith, which in his opinion was violated by all the rest of the world; not only by the idolaters, but by the Christians, as well as those who rightly worshipped Jesus as God, as those who superstitiously adored the Virgin Mary, saints, and images; and also by the Jews, who are accused in the Koran of taking Ezra for the son of God; it is easy to conceive that he might think in a meritorious work to rescue the world from such ignorance and superstition; and by degrees, with the help of a warm imagination, which an Arab seldom wants, to suppose himself destined by Providence for the effecting that great reformation. And this fancy of his might take still deeper root in his mind, during the solitude he thereupon affected, usually retiring for a month in the year to a cave in Mount Hara near Mecca. One thing which may be probably urged against the enthusiasm of this prophet of the Arabs, is the wise conduct and great prudence he all along showed in pursuing his design, which seem inconsistent with the wild notions of a hot-brained religionist. But though all enthousiasts or madmen do not behave with the same gravity and circumspection that he did, yet he will not the first instance, by several, of a person who has been out of the way only quad hoc (unique, quite special-Lat.) and in all other respects acted with the greatest decency and precaution.”
“Well, good people, thank you very much of listening to my long, long speech but I thought if we shall be fair about “what was fair”, knowing the truths and sequences of historical events, seeing the religion not only a “very personal belief”, but also as a cultural heritage, growth and social and self-refinement of mankind throughout the human history, then “living religiously” -whatever belief system one might belong to- shall become so natural way of “living humanly”.
“God bless you all. See you some weeks later, after our Summer Literary Festival and other thrilling founding experiences are over. So long!”
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22
To day is very important to me: Rabbi Braun is going to talk about Kabbalah exclusively that I do not want to miss. Among all, Kabbalah, for some reason or other means a lot to me. As you know, my ancestors had come from a Muslim background, and, my father and I have been a Unitarian, since the birthplace of my grand-father was Thessalonika, Greece, I wonder there was a Jewish blood somewhere between, for the Jewish Faith had interested me a lot; like the stories and movies about the concentration camps of the World War II were used to bring tears to my eyes all the time; “Fiddler on the Roof” was the best musical that the entire family had cherished for the past century; the most celebrated painter to the entire family genealogy is that of Marc Chagall, Russian born Jewish artist.
Anyways, full of joy, I rushed to Jewish Synagogue and caught Rabbis David and Braun just on time. “Without you, we already could not start Mr. President,” commented rabbi Braun with a kind of pride and his quiet, comforting voice that he started to preach.
“KABBALAH, also written as CABALAH, in Hebrew means “a traditional teaching, a learning that had been transmitting from generations to generations.” It comes from “Kibel – KBL”, meaning “to receive it”. That refers to “receiving the secret doctrine of old Jewish religion, orally!”
“The beginnings of Jewish mysticisim, could be found in the ancient times in first establishments in Palestine, and later on Babylonia. The following apocalyptic literature appeared in the writings of the Essenes and in the Talmud. They call this as Gaonic period, lasting between A.C. 7th and 19th centuries. The significant works were done by Otiot de R. Akiva and Sefer Yetzirah. With an eclectic work in the following A.C. 10th to 12th centuries and through the contributions by Sefer Raziel, Sefer Hasidim and Rokeah, and a principal man, a Sefer Ha-Bahir’s philosophical contributions, Kabbalah officially shaped up and spread Spain, Germany and mid-Europe considerably. Then, at the A.C. 17th Century, these teachings and mysticisim reached Palestine; and, there, in the city of Safed, a Rabbi Isaac Luria created a new Jewish system of mysticisim.
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“The principal teachings of the Kabbalah are, as follows:
1) G o d, did not create the world, directly. God is above all, eternal, and the En sof (‘Endless’). Higher and lower forms of life and conduct, emanate, proceeding God, from the more spiritual to a lesser one. The Ten Spheres (Sefirot) had emanated and sprung, in the following order: Crown, Wisdom, Intelligence, Greatness, Strength, Beauty, Firmness, Splendor (Zohar), Foundation, and Kingdom. The Kingdom, which is the last sphere, created the physical world. Through these spheres, God rules the world, and all His activities are performed this way.
2) Eveything that exists is a part of D e i t y; and only man through the acts of piety and moral conduct can achive union with God. Through the observance of the commandments every Jew can influence the Spheres, and, through which can influence God, in behalf of the mankind. The Jewish people were chosen by God to preserve the world by the strict observance of the Law.
3) Man is judged by his s o u l. This is the most important thing of his being. During Creation, all souls were created at the same time; the soul, is in contract with the body says pure while being alive, whereas after death, it becomes a part of the world, ruled by the Ten Spheres. The contaminated-impure souls, after death, re-inhabit and migrate from body to body, until they are purified.
4) E v i l does not exit in itself but is a the result of the negation of good. It could be overcome through praying, repentance, self-afflicting, and absolute observance of the Law.
5) The text of the B i b l e is full of hidden messages and meanings. In spite of the fact that is written in man’s language, the vords contain plenty of concepts of divine and mysterious nature. Man, by any means, should endeavour to uncover them. This could be achieved through different techniques that are applied by Kabbalists.”
“The KABBALAH is both a philosophical and teosophical system to endeavour to be able to find some answers on the subjects like: God – Creation – Universe – Faith and, Mankind. Through it, the significance of human life and its relatedness to the universal laws, is demonstrated and expressed through some numerical correspondence.
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“If we can review, in K a b b a l a h, the principal thema is under-standing, absorbing and re-using mental-psychic or para-psychological powers. Thus, the interpretation and expressing of the outer life in terms of our inner creative powers.
“BOOK OF GENESIS opens with, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth!”, however this was not in reality, just in potentiality. PLATO, in his book Timaeus, describes the “Creation of the Universe” as, “…. God was the all-perfect ruler of the spiritual world, brought it down and endowed it with life, soul and intelligence. He also created, as lesser gods, Dyonisoen gods: Zeus, Apolllo, Athene; then created birds, animals and the rest..”
“God said, “Let there be light, and there was..” That was the first day of creation. On the 2nd day, “water” and the “vegetable world” were established. On the 3rd day, “the firmament of earth was settled!” Then on, everything on did co-exist simultaneously and manifested themself under the Light that was God himself. Thus, the world was completed within six days, and seventh, that falls on Sabbath, the “rest” was ordered.
“According to old Kabbalists, the first five chapters of Genesis were written in ‘code’ with Hebrew letters. As we shall see a while later in much more details, each letter has a specific meaning which also corresponds a certain number, however with no mathematical significance. Each letter and the corresponding number are simply an ideogram or symbol of a cosmic force. There is also an ongoing cosmic energy interaction in the universe and the man.
“PYTHAGORAS had also talked about “Nature Geometrizeses”, referring to the same kind of interaction. Psychiatrist CARL GUSTAVE JUNG, believing a “mutual-cosmic unconsciousness = collective unconscious” in all human beings, had thought that the material of the collective unconscious is residing at the depth of the subconscious (unconscious), and related numbers to these materials, in the form of “arche-types”, did pre-exist even before the birth. The term of “Law of Synchronicity” was also coined by him, meaning that “two meaningful events connected with each other, also with numbers, did exist in the pre-conscious.” A number is a symbol and conveys an idea. In a way, it is also a language, also conveying to communication.
“KABBALAH intends to make the people belive that God created the universe by means of Hebrew Alphabet. In that alphabet, there are twenty-two letters and, they represent twenty-two types of different states of consciousness.
“If we divide these letters into three further groups, we find:
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1) Three “mothers”, also called “trinity”:
“ALEPH is the essence of “air”, also giving birth to “spirit.” In humans, it forms “chest”. In day-to-day living, it is the casue of “temperate weather”.
“MEM is the essence of “fire”, and “heavens” are created from it. In humans, it forms the “head”, it causes “hot” season; it interplays with SHIN, to create the opposite forces“
SHIN, is the essence for “water”, “earth” is created from it. In humans, it forms the “belly”, it creates the “cold” season.
2) Seven “doubles”:
“BETH, representing “Wisdom” and “Folly”,
“GIMEL, representing “Grace” and “Indignation’,
“DALETH, representing “Fertility” and “Sol
“CAPH, representing “Life” and “Death”,
“PE, representing “Power” and “Servitude”,
“RESH, representing “Peace” and “War”,
“TU, representing “Riches” and “Powerty”.
3) Twelve “simples”:
“HE – Sight”,
“VAU – Hearing”,
“ZAYIN – Smell”,
“CHETH – Speech”,
“TETH – Taste”,
” YOD – Sexual Love”,
“LAMED-Work”,
“NUN – Movement”,
“SAMEKH – Anger”,
“AYİN – Mirth”,
“TZADDİ – Imagination”
“QOPH – Sleep”
“We also should not forget that, the twelve (simple) letters mentioned here, are also:
“12 months of the year,
“12 months of Zodiac,
“12 organs of man : 2 hands, 2 feet, 2 kidneys, 1 spleen, 1 liver, 1 gall-bladder; sexual organs, stomach, intestines.
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“Well, this was the opening class. Pretty soon, for the newcomers, I would like to spare sometime during the weekday evenings, some KABBALAH teachings and practices that we have been doing for some time.We will get together, choosing the most available times. For that purpose, I am stopping here and promising what kind of subjects we are going to go into, as follows:
“Kavvanah” in meditation; Elements of Kabbalistic ritual (Identification with Nature & Purification with holy oil; Life Tree; Avatar; SIDDUR: The vehicle of Kabbalah; Course of the tides; the cosmic egg, Zahar etc.
“Now, before closing off, I would like to give brief answers to two questions were asked to me, before the ceremonies were started:
“What is K a d d i s h ? One newcomer from another faith, had asked me.
“K a d d i s h is an important portion of the daily liturgy in the synagogue. It had been used for many centuries as a mourning’s prayer. Originally it is a prayer, written in Aramaic, meaning of “Sanctification.” When used as prayer, it is recited by the mourner at the grave-side of parents or close relatives, and during the three daily prayers in the synagogue, for the first eleven months, following the death event. Strange enough, the Kaddish has no direct reference to the dead or to mourning; essentially it is a doxology, praising God and praying for the speedy establishment of God’s Kingdom on the earth. It is only the special burial Kaddish incorporates a prayer for the resurrection of the dead. In the reform liturgy the Kaddish is recited only as a mourning’s prayer.
“The second question, rather request was that of, “would you please outline the Ten Commandements?”
-The end of PART: II; Please follow in PART: III-
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