Lectionary Readings for Monday, December 9th, 2019

Book of Jehovih’s Kingdom on Earth Chapter 18

1. When the groups were prepared to visit Uz, Tae himself took charge of one dozen,
going with them. As the incidents of these visiting groups were similar, the following
account of Tae’s group sufficeth here, to wit:

2. Tae took them to the city of Meig, to the most fashionable hotels, and had them
provided with every luxury, so-called.

3. Hardly had he them located, when they came before him, saying: Our rooms are small;
the air of the city smells foul.

4. Tell us, what is the meaning, so many people strolling about in idleness? Why do
they sit reading papers? Which are the masters, and which the servants? How do they
know? Why do the servants not be masters, and have the others serve them?
What beautiful wagons! What beautiful mirrors! What do the women have their
clothes stuffed for? What are those bells ringing for? Are they in the temples of
Jehovih? Take us thither! What causeth these disagreeable smells? See that old woman
with a half naked babe, and leading that dirty child! Why holdeth she out her hand as
we pass? Is she a servant or a master? Why hath not some one told the rich, it is wrong
to pass that poor woman by without helping her to a home? Why does she not come
into our hotel, and have a room? What do the people mean about rights and privileges?
Can one person in Uz have more rights and privileges than another? And why so?

5. What is that sour smell, down yonder, in that cellar, where they talk so loud? What is
sour beer? See, behold, a man with a bloody face! Fighting? What with, a tiger? Are
those the flesh-eaters? Why do they smoke? Why hath not some one told them they
should rather seek to purify themselves, than to do in the opposite way? O, here is the
temple of worship, take us in!

6. Tae took them in, and they heard the sermon, and afterward, they said:

7. O the mystery of mysteries! How can these things be? The chief preached most
excellently; he knoweth all the doctrines for right-doing; but why is it that his people
heed him not? Why doth he not gather up little children, and raise them up to
observe the commandments? He must be the best of men. Take us to see him.

8. Tae took them, but a servant met them at the gate, and demanded to know their
business.

9. They answered: We have come to consult about the poor. Then the gate-keeper
withdrew a while, but returned, saying: The preacher is not at home!

10. From an upper window, behind the lattices, they saw his face; not at home!

11. They said: Can these things be? O, take us to the poor; to the streets of misery! Let us
see them.

12. Tae took them, and when they looked about, they asked: Why do the poor live in the
dirty streets? Why do they not go away, and dwell in the beautiful places? Who gave
these different allotments to the rich and poor? Why do the poor not clean themselves,
and clean their clothes, and clean their houses? Why do the poor remain in the cities?
And huddle together in such little rooms?

13. What is that large house? A theological college? What is that for? What is the
meaning of, teaching religion? Can it be learned with words? What is the reason they
do not live religion? Why hath not some one explained to the professors that religion
is a thing of practice? Could not they understand? Why do they not love their
neighbors as themselves? Dividing up what they have, with the poor? Why do
these children go without shoes, and so ragged and dirty? Why do not the professors
and students in the theological college go, and wash them and clothe them?

14. Thus, Tae took them amongst the fashion and splendor and amongst the poverty and
shame of Uz; showing them the banks and great merchant houses, and the fleets of ships;
and then to the prisons and poor-houses, and to the houses for the insane, and to the
hospitals.

15. Now, since their infancy up, many of them possessed su’is, and could see the spirits of
the dead, even as they saw mortals. And they inquired of Tae concerning such spirits,
saying and inquiring:

16. Who are these restless, sullen spirits, strolling about the banking houses?

17. Tae answered them: These were bankers; these were the founders of great banking
houses. As they bound their minds and thoughts to earthly gain whilst they were mortal,
so drift they now, even as they bound themselves on earth. They can not go hence.

18. Again, they asked: Tell us, then, what spirits are these strolling sulkily in merchant
houses and on the docks?

19. Tae said: These were great merchants and their ship-masters; behold, they float also
into the places they bound themselves.

20. Tell us, then, who are these drunken, foul-smelling spirits in the saloons?

21. Tae said: These were tipplers, drunkards, gormandizers; these were their mortal
resorts. They can not go hence.

22. Thus, Tae explained the tens of thousands of spirits that huddled around about the
different places in the city of Meig, in the land of Uz.

23. Now, after the time of the visit was completed, Tae said unto them: What will you,
remain in Uz, or return to Shalam?

24. And they answered: O, take us back; give us clear air to breathe; let us be where we
can see and hear Jehovih!

25. But since thou and thy people gathered us up in Uz, and bore us hence, let us go and
gather up infants also, and take them with us. We will raise them up in the Light of our
Father in heaven.

26. So, in fact, did they; and they returned to Shalam, taking with them a great number of
waifs and castaways and orphan babes.