The Last Judgment (Posthumous) · 6 of 18

The Africans

114.[115] THE AFRICANS. There are, among the blackest of the Africans, those who love to be punished and treated harshly; and who come into heaven, saying afterwards that they detest blackness, because they know that their souls are white and their bodies black.

115.[116] I have heard it announced that at this day a church is being established with many in Africa, and that revelations are made at this day; and that they are receptive of the Heavenly Doctrine, especially concerning the Lord.

116.[117] I was conducted through several regions in front towards the left. Afterwards I saw a great palace, and a spacious court there. A certain one spoke with me there, saying that a revelation had been promised, and that he was expecting it. And then something luminous appeared in obscurity, which was an indication that now there will be a revelation. And as I was attending, I heard that they were expecting a revelation concerning Christ, whom they call the Only Man, from whom every man is a man. And one of the angels then spoke with them, and instructed them concerning the Lord, that He is the only God. They replied that they perceived this, but not as yet that He was born a man. But when they were instructed by the angels, they understood this also, saying, that this was done for the sake of the salvation of the human race. Moreover, they knew many things respecting heaven and hell, of which Christians are ignorant. It was said that they were Africans. I was afterwards conducted thence towards the right, where I heard them saying that they had expected a revelation, and that angels were now speaking with them from the Lord, and were instructing them concerning the Lord, with the promise that they were about to receive the Heavenly Doctrine. These said that it could not be otherwise than that God, the Creator of the universe, should appear in the world, because He created men, and loves them; and that His appearing must be made even to the ocular sight in the human form.

117.[118] It was afterwards shown in obscure vision how the Heavenly Doctrine would proceed in Africa; namely, towards the interior parts, even to the middle of it; and that it would then proceed towards those who were at, the sides on the Mediterranean Sea, but not to the coast; and then, after a time, would turn itself back towards Egypt. Thereupon the angels were glad, that there was now the Lord’s coming anew, and that a New Church was being established, with whom they could be conjoined. That doctrine does not extend as far as to the Africans that dwell near the coasts, since the Christians come thither, who insinuate scandals, and who have a human and not a Divine idea concerning the Lord. The Africans are more receptive of the Heavenly Doctrine than others on the earth, because they freely receive the doctrine concerning the Lord, and have it as if implanted in themselves that God will altogether appear as a man. They are in the faculty of receiving the truths of faith, and especially its goods, because they are of a celestial disposition. It was told them that a prediction was made by the Lord concerning His coming, and concerning the New Church after the old one; and that His appearing is made through angels who teach.

118.[119] I was conducted again to the Africans by a way running first to the north and afterwards to the west; and I saw there as it were a palace, where someone walked; and afterwards higher up, where I stopped, and heard a vast number sent forth out of the Christian heaven to those who were Africans; and those were there who in the world had lived according to their religion and had acknowledged one God under the human form. It was told them that he who has lived in good according to religion is also in the affection of truth, because the good of life desires nothing more than truth; for it desires to know how one is to live well. Thence they rejoice when they are informed; and that all such receive truths from the Lord, and are enlightened according to the quality and quantity of their good of life: this they acknowledged, and were glad. The African race can be in greater enlightenment than others on this earth, since they are such that they think more interiorly, and so receive truths and acknowledge them. Others, as the Europeans, think only exteriorly, and receive truths in the memory; nor do they see them interiorly from any intellectual light, which they do not acknowledge in matters of faith. I said there, that few Christians live according to religion, but only according to the civil laws, and live well morally for the sake of fame, honor, and gains; and that they rarely think of living according to their doctrinals; believing also that they are saved by the faith of doctrine, and not by the life: on which account they have no doctrinals of life. At this the Africans wondered exceedingly, not being willing to believe that it is so; believing that there is no man who does not live according to his religion; and if not, that he cannot but become stupid and evil, because he then does not receive anything from heaven.

119.[120] All are explored after death as to what idea they have concerning God. That idea is the chief of all, because conjunction with the Lord and conjunction with heaven is according to it, and all of the love and faith of the church is hence according to it, because the Divine is the all of the church, yea, is God: hence the all of the church with a man is from his idea of God: such as that idea is, such is heaven to everyone. The Africans also differ from each other according to their idea of God. Some worship an invisible God, and some a visible one: some make of them two, and some make of them one and the same. Some have been instructed by Christians that God was born a man, and they receive this; and when they hear that they distinguish the Divine into three Persons, they go away, believing, however, that the Christians, although they say three, still think of one: for they do not comprehend what a Son born from eternity is. Some, who are the best of them, believe that God is altogether a Man. They say that those who believed that God was born a Man, formerly saw a bright star in the air. The wiser of them believe that God was born a Man in the world, and so manifested Himself.

120.[121] It was said that in a certain region of Africa there is from ancient times a book which they regard as holy. It is written by correspondences in a similar manner as the Word is with us.

121.[122] A certain priest, who had supposed that the idea of the Divine Human is not given with anyone, was transferred into societies of Africans, and he found that they had no other idea than that of the Divine Human.

122.In Abyssinia, in Africa, they have some psalms written in a style similar to that of our Word, and they sing them in their temples, and spirits are sensible of communication therefrom. In the spiritual sense they treat of one God, the Redeemer of the human race; but these things have been treated of before, where the Word is spoken of, Spiritual Experiences [n. 5947].

123.[123] It has been granted me to speak with African spirits on various subjects, and they perceived all the truths of the church with a clear perception; and when the Word was presented to them, they understood it as to the internal spiritual sense, and carried it to their elders, who said that they have a Word with them, and that it is most holy.

124.[124] They afterwards showed me the quality of those who are in Africa, which they know from the societies of that race in the spiritual world; namely, that interiorly in Africa are the best and the wise: that those that are not good are near the Mediterranean Sea, also near Egypt, and at the Cape of Good Hope. The tract where the good are, lies from Ethiopia towards the middle, into which part strangers from Europe are not admitted; and if they enter, and are not willing to perform service, they sell them to the Asiatics; and they said that at this day some speak with Africans in the world, and instruct them orally; and that their speech with them falls especially into their interior perception; and that they perceive the influx, and so receive the revelation with enlightenment; and that such speech is with their instructors, in whom they have confidence.