t earth are such, they appear in the eyes
of other spirits, not in a distinct human form, as others do, but as
clouds, in most cases like a dusky cloud, with the fair human colour
interspersed; but they said, that within they are fair, and that when
they become angels, this duskiness is changed into a beautiful blue;
which was also shown me. I asked whether, during their life as men in
the world, they had entertained such an idea respecting their bodies.
They replied that the men of their earth make no account of their
bodies, but only of the spirit in the body, because they know that the
spirit will live for ever, but that the body must perish. They said
also, that many on their earth believe that the spirit of the body has
existed from eternity, and that it was infused into the body when they
were conceived; but they added, that now they know that it is not so,
and that they repent of having ever been in so false an opinion.

150. When I asked them whether they would like to see any objects on
our Earth, informing them that it was possible to do so through my
eyes (see above, no. 135), they answered first, that they could not,
and afterwards, that they would not, because the things that they
would see would be only earthly and material things, from which they
remove their thoughts as much as possible. But nevertheless, there
were represented before them magnificent palaces, resembling those
on our Earth possessed by kings and princes; for such things can
be represented before spirits, and, when they are represented, they
appear exactly as if they existed. But the spirits from that earth
esteemed them as nothing, calling them marble images; and then they
related that they have more magnificent things belonging to them,
which are their sacred temples, built not of stone but of wood. When
it was objected that these were still earthly objects, they replied
that they were not earthly, but heavenly, because when they gaze upon
them they have not an earthly but a heavenly idea; believing that
after death they should also see like objects in heaven.

151. They then represented their sacred temples before the spirits
of our Earth, who declared that they had not seen anything more
magnificent; and as they were also seen by me, I can therefore
describe them. They are constructed of trees not cut down, but growing
in the place where they first took root. They said that on that earth
there are trees of a wonderful size and height