Lectionary Readings for Monday, May 13th, 2019

Book of Wars Against Jehovih Chapters XVIII and XIX

Chapter XVIII

OF THE BATTLES OF THE GODS FOR THE NDOMINION OF THE EARTH AND THE
LOWEST HEAVENS; AND THESE WERE CALLED BATTLES OF A THOUSAND YEARS.

1. De’yus was no slow hand; not a dull God. He had two thousand seven hundred years’
experience, and his soul quick and strong in mighty works. He rushed not in without first
measuring the way, most deliberately and in great wisdom.

2. At first he felt his way along, to humor the populace, doing as if by proxy Jehovih’s
commands, till safely fell into his dominion and power his flattered Gods and officers,
then boldly launching forth: I, the Lord God, command!

3. The very audaciousness of which overtopped his friends’judgment, and made them
believe for a fact that De’yus was the foremost and greatest, mighty God. To do whose
will, and reverently applaud his name, was the surest road to home laurels.

4. To win great majesty to himself, and after having sworn to havoc the whole earth in
order to establish the name De’yus, and Lord God, he called to his side his five chiefest
friends: the Gods, Hikas, falsely named Te-in; Wotchissij, falsely named Sudga; Che-lemung, falsely named Osiris; Baal, and Ashtaroth. And thus in dignity De’yus spake to
them:

5. It is well, my Gods, ye stand about and see the battles; but let your generals and high
captains go forth and mingle in the bloody work. In your kingdoms be constantly
upraising your magnificence, and in times sallying forth to the earth valiantly, as when
kings and queens and prophets are to win a victory, or be plunged into mortal death,
to show how your august presence turned the tide of battle. Then hie ye back in dignity
to your thrones, leaving your officers and inspiring hosts to go in the game of mortal
tragedy.

6. Then spake Osiris, falsely named, saying: To exalt thy name, O De’yus, thou Lord God;
and to persuade mortals that thou, of all created beings, can stand in Hored, and by thy
will control the victory to whomsoever applaudeth thee and praiseth thy name, be thou to
me the bond of my solemn oath, so will I lose or win battles on the earth accordingly
as they shall honor thee and despise the Great Spirit, or any other God or Lord.

7. Then Te-in, also falsely named, said: To keep mortals in constant war for a thousand
years; to teach them that battles are won or lost according to the loudest call and praise
to thee, O De’yus, under thy thigh will I be as an oath renewed from everlasting to
everlasting.

8. Sudga, the false, said: By all my parts, to shape the arms and legs of the unborn in
comeliness, shall my legions drum into the ears of enceinte women a thousand years,
swearing them to thy name, O De’yus; or, if refusing, to curse with crookedness all their
progeny. And when these mothers sleep, my legions shall find their souls in their dreams,
and give them delight or torment, accordingly as they, when awake, applaud thee, my
most might Lord God.

9. Baal said: To overturn the oracles of Jehovih, and to make the prophets and seers
receive and announce thy name, O’De’yus, thou Lord God of heaven and earth, have I
already sworn more than ten thousand oaths.

10. Ashtaroth said: The work of my legions shall be to deal death to thy enemies, O
De’yus. To them that raise the name Jehovih, or Ormazd, or Great Spirit, my legions shall
carry foul smells to their noses whilst they sleep. And for thy enemies, who may win a
battle against thy people, my legions shall carry inoculation from the rotten dead; in the
air shall they carry the virus to the breath of them that will not bow down to the name,
Lord God!

11. De’yus answered them, saying: So spoken, so shall these things be; I, the Lord your
God, command. Send forth your generals and high captains thus decreed; to each and
every one sufficient armies to make patent these, our high resolves. Into three great
armies shall my legions be divided for the earth battles: one to Jaffeth, one to Vind’yu,
and one to Arabin’ya and the regions lying west and north. Of the latter, thou, Osiris, shalt
have chief command; and thou, Baal, and thou, Ashtaroth, ye twain, so linked in love and
one purpose, shall be the earth managers to Osiris’will. For your efficient service, behold,
I have given you these high-raised generals and captains: Jah, Pluton-ya, Apollo-ya,
Petoris, Hi-ram, T’cro-no, Egupt, Ares, Yube, Ali-jah, Afro-dite, Ar-ti-mis, Ben, Aa-ron,
Argo, Atstsil, Nadar and Oyeb, besides Peter, Yact-ta-roth, Haur, Abel, Said, Josh and
Wab, who shall be the conquering spirits to play on both sides in battles, urging stubborn
mortals on to religious feud till both sides fall in death, or till one, to me and my
Gods, boweth down in fear and reverence. And they shall sing their names in mortal ears
day and night, and teach them to live in praise of the Lord, your God, the De’yus of
heaven and earth, and to be most daring in the overthrow of Jehovih, most hated of Gods.

12. To thee, Te-in, another third of my legions is committed, to deal with the land of
giants, and urge them on in the same way, to greatness or to death, doing honor and
reverence to me and my kingdoms. High raised are thy generals: Wah-ka, Ho-jou-ya,
Oke-ya-nos, Thu-wowth, Haing-le, Gochin-woh-to-gow, and Eurga-roth, besides Yamyam, Hi-rack-to, Kacan-cat, Isaah, Lutz-rom and Le-Wiang, and others of high grade and
power.

13. And to thee, O Sudga, in like manner have I given another third of my legions to play
battles with mortals for a thousand years. Like Osiris and Te-in, to set mortals up in war,
and move them one way and then another, and thus plunge them into each other’s bloody
arms and death. That they may learn to know of a truth they are but machines and
playthings in the hands of angels and Gods; that they are worked like clay in a potter’s
hand, till they cry out: Enough! I will bow my head to God, who is Lord over all, great
De’yus. Yea, more, I will fight for him and drink even my brother’s blood, if De’yus but
prosper me and mine in slaying Faithists, fool-worshippers of Ormazd, the Unseen and
Scattered Wind. To him, in likeness of a man, with head, and legs, and arms in boundary
and size of a man, sitting on a throne in Hored; to him, the great Lord God, will I ever
bow in reverence.

14. And thou, O Sudga, shalt play war in Vind’yu, with the most, highest learned people
of the earth. For which purpose thou shalt have these, my high-raised generals and
captains: Asij, Gaeya, Naiswichi, Samen, Yube, Sol Mung-jo, Don, Hefa-yis-tie, Lowtha,
Daridrat, Udan, Brihat, Bogir, Eshong, Weel, Vanaiti, Plowya, Vazista, Kiro, Cpenista,
Visper, Cpenta-mainyus and Urvasta, and many others, most determined to rescue the
earth from the dominion of far-off Gods.

15. De’yus continued: Go forth, ye Gods, and in majesty build your thrones; in great
splendor ornament your high places, that even the magnificence shall be as a million
preachers’tongues proclaiming the heavens’well-chosen Gods. And as fast as mortals fall
in battle, gather the spirits of the dead into groups, not suffering them for pity’s sake
to lie in chaos, but bring them to your kingdoms in easy riding ships. And when
thus housed, apply your physicians and nurses diligently, to restore them to their senses
and new condition; and when they wake up in heavens, beholding the great glory of
your thrones and kingdoms, initiate them by solemn rites and ceremonies to sworn
servitude to yourselves and to me, your Lord God, to inherit such bounteous kingdoms.

16. And as ye shall thus despoil those of earth, to make them know my power and yours,
so shall ye pursue those newly-arrived in heaven, to make them swear solemnly against
Jehovih, the Great Spirit, the Ormazd, and against all other Gods; but if they stubbornly
refuse, though in heaven, even as they did on earth, take them before my son, Anubi, who
shall further examine them; but if still they refuse, Anubi, with his strong guard and
brands of fire, shall send them down in hell.

17. I, the Lord God, have spoken; my commandments are gone forth in heaven and earth;
whosoever praiseth and glorifieth me, with everlasting service for the exaltation and glory
of my kingdoms, shall enter into everlasting happiness; but whosoever will not bow down
to me shall be cast into everlasting torments

Chapter XIX

OF THE HOSTS OF OSIRIS, THE FALSE.

1. Now sallied forth the captains, generals, and well-disciplined hosts of hada, the angels
of De’yus, bent on independence to the earth and heaven from all other rulers save the
Lord God, and to establish him forever. Foremost of the three mighty divisions was
Osiris’army, of more than a thousand million angels, going boldly forth to cover the great
lands of the earth, Arabin’ya, Parsi’e and Heleste.

2. In the front, dashing madly on, was Baal, and next him, his assistant Goddess,
Ashtaroth, followed by their first attendants and high exalted officers. Some of whom
displayed great maps of mortal cities and cultured lands, where the peaceful worshippers
of Jehovih dwelt, hundreds of thousands. And the lists of altars and temples to the Great
Spirit, where the righteous came daily and deposited their earnings and products as
sacrifices for benefit of the weak and helpless. And the wide fields, where toilers brought
out of the earth, religiously, wheat, and flax, and cotton, and barley, as gifts from the
Great Spirit. And the canals, filled with boats, carrying produce, and fruit, and cloth, in
interchange, one district with another. And the mounds and tree-temples of the I’hins, the
sacred people, small, white and yellow; the forefathers and foremothers of the great
I’huan race, the half-breeds, betwixt the brown burrowers in the earth and the I’hins.

3. Over these maps, and charts, and lists, the generals and captains discoursed as they
descended to the rolling earth; most learnedly laying plans to overturn Jehovih’s method,
and build up De’yus, the God of Hored.

4. Osiris himself, to display such dignity as becometh a great God, halted in his heavenly
place, and now head-quarters of the belligerents. And so rested on his throne, with his
tens of thousands of messengers ready to answer his summons and bear his will to the
remotest parts of his mighty army, and to bring him back news in return of the nature of
the proceedings. And betwixt Osiris’and De’yus’thrones another long line of messengers
extended, a thousand angels, high raised and resolute, suitable to travel in the everchanging atmospherean belts of great velocity.

5. Beside Baal, on the downward course to the earth, but a little behind him, woman-like,
was Ashtaroth, with her thousand attendants, all accoutered to show their high esteem for
their warring Goddess. By the oft-changing wave of her hand, her part of the army had
learned to know her will, and most zealously observe her commands.

6. And now, on every side, farther than the eye could see, the thousand millions rushed
on, some in boats, some in ships and otevans, and others in single groups, descending. As
one can imagine an earthly kite sufficient to carry its holder high up in the wind, so,
reversed, and single-handed, hundreds of thousands flew toward the earth by ballast flags,
the most daring of angels.

7. Toward the earth they came as if on a frolic, full of jokes and loud boasting, sworn and
swearing to forever clear the earth of Jehovih’s worshippers. Many of them, long trained
in schools and colleges and factories, in heaven, only too glad for a change of scenes and
labor, and all promised by their superiors that now they were to take their first lessons in
becoming Gods and Goddesses. Of whom thousands and thousands hoped for some
daring deed, in order to gain sudden promotion.

8. To the east and west, and north and south, Baal and Ashtaroth spread out their armies,
wide as the three great lands they had sworn to subdue unto the Lord God, who, of
woman born, was the most presuming son the earth had yet brought forth. And to alight
on the earth, to flood the temples and altars with so great an abundance of spirits as would
drive Jehovih’s ashars into disastrous confusion, and vanquish them, was the theme and
project. To be foremost in so great a work was the temptation of promotion, which caused
them on every side to strive with their utmost speed and power.

9. The which Jehovih foresaw, and so spake to God in Craoshivi, warning him; whereof
due observance of the danger had been communicated by messengers to the managing
angels in the altars and temples of worship. And these again, through the rab’bahs and
the oracles, had spread abroad amongst mortals the threatened dangers, cautioning them.

10. Thus Jehovih’s angels fortified themselves, through the faith of mortals, and held on,
bringing together their scanty numbers, knowing well that by Jehovih’s law they must not
resist by arms, but only through words and good example, high-toned by faith in the
Father over all.

11. Down, down, down on these, on every side came the destroying hosts, the thousand
millions; with oaths and loud clamor rushing for the altars and temples; flying suddenly
to the holy arcs; in hundreds of thousands of places, shouting:

12. Avaunt this arc! Avaunt this altar! Avaunt this temple! Ye Jehovian usurpers, begone!
In the name of the Lord our God! We command!

13. But alas, for them, every arc, and altar, and temple to Jehovih was invincible. There
stood His angels, so strong in faith, unmoved and majestic, that even the assailing spirits
halted, overawed. And as they stood a moment, contemplating whence came so great
majesty, to be in such common place, the Jehovians made this reply:

14. To none we bow in adoration but Great Jehovih! Whose Very Self contributed to
make us what we are, His servants in doing good unto others with all our wisdom and
strength! In Him we stand to shield His helpless ones by virtuous peace and love
harmonious. Wherefore, then, come ye in arrogance, demanding our wards to service of
your God, born of woman?

15. The Osirians said: Fly, O sycophants! Ye that bow down in fear and trembling to One
hollow as the wind, and Personless. Too long have earth and heaven been cajoled by faroff foreign Gods, who come hither to win subjects for their kingdoms’glory, by that
pitiful tale of an Ever Presence Over All, Whom none have seen nor known. Begone!
Give us these earthly anchorages! To build in unit, earth and heaven, to rule ourselves by
Gods we know and reverence!

16. The Jehovians said: Is this your only power? By threats and commands? O harmless
words, in mockery of truthful Gods! No good works nor promises, save to exalt the self
of earth and hada, and glorify your masters, born only equal with yourselves. Why not
rush in and carry us off, ye that are a thousand to one, and by your deeds prove the great
source whence ye draw your power?

17. The Osirians said: To give ye a chance of liberty, to save ye from the Savior’s
judgment, Anubi, who shall cast ye into hell, we hoped to find your willing departure in
peace. Behold ye, then, we will wall this altar around and shut off the attendant ashars
with mortals, and flood the place with drujas, to obsess them to total madness. If, then, ye
love your wards as ye profess, abandon all to us, for the glory of De’yus, whose son is
Osiris, our commanding God.

18. The Jehovians said: Words! words! words! At first no explanation, and only your
command. Now, forsooth, an argument! And presently ye will withdraw, deceived in
what your commanding Gods told you would result. We tell you we will not hence, save
by our superiors, Jehovih’s, rightly raised to precedence.

19. The Osirians said: For which reason, behold our Lord God, who was honored in the
title through Jehovih’s hand; whom ye should obey according to your oaths.

20. The Jehovians said: Till such time the Lord God put aside Jehovih, we were his; but
when for his self-glory he denied his Creator, his false position freed us from his
obligations. To obey him now, would make us false to Jehovih, and forever weaken us in
reaching the Nirvanian kingdoms.

21. But now the clamoring angels, Osirians, in the background crowded forward
menacingly, and the tide rose to the highest pitch. The morning sun was dawning in the
east, a most wonderful assistant to Jehovih’s sons in time of battle; and their messengers
brought from the fields and country places many ashars who had been on watch all night
with sleeping mortals. The Osirians saw them coming; knew the turn, one way or another,
was at hand! But by the audacity of the Jehovians, one to a thousand, were kept looking
on in wonder till the sun’s rays pierced their weapons and melted them in their hands.

22. First one and then another of the Osirians, then tens and hundreds and thousands,
turned away or looked about, discomfited, like a host of rioters attempting to assault a
few well-trained soldiers, and, becoming affrighted, turn and flee harmlessly. So
Jehovih’s sons and daughters won the victory in the first assault, save in rare instances,
one in a hundred, where the Osirians triumphed and got possession.