Lectionary Readings for Sunday, May 17th, 2020

Lectionary Readings for Sunday, May 17th, 2020

Holy Memorial Day

Book of Wars Against Jehovih Chapter 25, Chapter 26

OF THE VIND’YUAN ASSAULT.

Chapter 25

1. Sudga, the false, sent by De’yus to overturn the Great Spirit’s dominion in Vind’yu, and
to establish the highest heavenly place, Urvatooz, was wiser than Osiris or Te-in in his
wicked work. For he permitted not his army, his thousand millions, to rush on for the
places of worship and for the oracle-houses. But most deliberately halted his forces in
Haroyu, the lowest heavenly place over the mountains of Vivrat, in Vind’yu, three miles
high and broad as the earth, and a commanding situation.

2. Whence, in a sure way, he sent his measurers on ahead down to the earth, to measure
mortals, as to their weakness and strength in faith in Jehovih (Ormazd), and other rulers,
heavenly; to map them and mark them, and to number them.

3. Great was the peace and beauty and glory of Vind’yu in that day. Her rivers and canals
coursed the country over, and her industrious sons and daughters, two hundred millions,
were, in the eyes of the angels, the pride and glory of the earth. Hundreds of thousands of
her people were prophets and seers. And so abundant was spiritual light amongst the
people, that even those who had learned but one language could understand and speak
other languages with people from remote parts; words and sentences they had never
heard; even when first meeting strangers. Like the inhabitants of Jaffeth, as to
government and industry, mostly by the exchange of goods, and not by buying and
selling, lived the Vind’yuans. This was their weakest point, as to an assault.

4. Sudga said to his generals and captains: Only by confounding the languages of these
people can they be broken up and subdued. Behold, they are becoming as Gods; knowing
and understanding in advance of the words spoken. What, then, is their greatest liable
shortness, save we confound them suddenly in the meaning of words? Fall ye upon them,
and possess them, and obsess them, all who are easily captured. Get ye a foothold here
and there in the first place; and in their commerce cripple them.

5. Sudga said: It is a strong city that maketh all kinds of goods; it is a weak place indeed
that dependeth on another, which is far off. Such people are easily tripped up. Behold, I
will teach these people that I am the militant before whom every knee shall bow; or, in
failing to win them thus, I will set city against city, and country place against country
place; all against one another, for which their superabundant languages will furnish
excellent material.

6. Sudga opened the door at night for his hosts to fall on the weakest of mortals, as to
faith in Ormazd, Who had become as a stale story to hundreds of thousands of men and
women. In Vind’yu had woman risen in knowledge, higher than the highest of women in
other parts of the world. In the
HOUSES OF PHILOSOPHY and HOUSES OF SCIENCE women were
foremost, as to men, and skeptical as to the Ormazdian power.

7. On rushed Sudga’s legions; and even as Osiris and Te-in won in the third assault,
so now Sudga in the first. And, he too, sent word to De’yus, and exaggerated beyond
all bounds of truth, as to his victories. Nevertheless, his hosts were sufficiently
anchored on the earth to claim an everlasting victory for De’yus and to establish his name.

8. And here, also, after a few years, the questions came from mortals, asking thus:
Behold, ye cut off the heavens of the ancients, the Nirvanian regions beyond Chinvat. Ye

teach us that De’yus is the ALL HIGH RULER. What, then, is the all highest for man? How
came the worlds? Whence came man? How was the creation created?

9. To answer which Sudga sent to De’yus for instructions. And De’yus sent to Sudga, even
as to the other Gods, an invitation to meet in Hored, to hear the words of the Lord God, to
learn his commands.

10. Thus invited, thus went the five great warrior Gods before De’yus, taking with them
each his ten thousand attendants, besides thousands of trumpeters. De’yus had a good
feast prepared for them; he had sent receivers forth to meet them and conduct them to
Sanc-tu in great splendor.

Chapter 26

1. Great was the feast, the pomp and parade and glory, in Hored, when De’yus’victorious
Gods and their companions and attendants came in answer to the summons of Anuhasaj,
alias the Lord God. The trumpeters of Hored were stationed along more than a
thousand miles on the heavenly roadways, and in turn the trumpeters and heralds of
the visiting Gods extended in advance of the Gods themselves an equally great distance.

2. All the way were the roads lined with flags and banners, and millions of spectators, the
same who had formerly been in schools and colleges in heaven, but were now
emancipated from the restrictions of self-improvement, and used as applauders, to sing
and shout praises to De’yus (Dyaus) for his own glory.

3. The table of the feast was private and in secret, and only prepared for the Gods and
their close companions, one hundred all told, but the serving host numbered more than
one million souls.

4. Whilst at the feast, De’yus said to Osiris: Speak thou of thy exploits, and of Baal and
Ashtaroth and their valorous legions.

5. Then Osiris explained the nature of the earth countries, and of the battles and incidents,
well exaggerating the last result. After Osiris had finished his story, De’yus said to Te-in:
Speak thou of thy exploits, and of thy generals and captains, and of thy valorous legions.

6. Whereupon, Te-in displayed the maps of the earth regions where he had been, and his
battles, and final success, also much exaggerated. And now, after he had finished his
story, De’yus said to Sudga: Speak thou of thy generals and captains and thy valorous
legions.

7. Then Sudga explained the earth region where he had fought and won, extolling his
generals and captains, and his hosts, well exaggerated also.

8. When they had all finished their hilarious accounts, and applauded one another in
sufficient zeal, in that same time the feast of eating and drinking was ended also.
Whereupon Anuhasaj rose up and said:

9. I now declare the feast ended. Let the tables be removed. Behold, I will speak from the
throne, in private, before my five Gods only, save mine own marshals. But unto all others
I declare a time of recreation and sport, to be called again to duty when I have finished
with my Gods, of which my marshals will inform the trumpeters, who shall sound the
call.

10. Speedily, now, the attendants took away the tables; and the hosts all withdrew, save
the Gods and De’yus and his marshals. Whereupon De’yus ascended the throne, and then
spake, saying:

11. I, the Lord your God, who am De’yus of heaven and earth, declare unto you, my Gods
and earth rulers, in mine own name, and with love abounding:

12. To declare my doctrines and creations before you; that all the earth may be subdued
alike unto me and mine forever.

13. To surpass not mine own age in my doctrines, nor to explain my axioms. But
to surpass the understanding of mortals sufficiently unto their knowledge of earthly
things, and so appease their curiosity, as to the questions they put to ye, my Gods.

14. Neither will I bind myself as Ahura did; for I will not explain who I am, save that man
is in mine own likeness; nor when the beginning of things was.

15. This heaven I created; and ye also bear witness that I have established the earth in me,
through your valorous deeds.

16. I, who am your God, look not to matters of a day, or a year; my times are as one
time, for from this time forth forever this heaven and earth are mine, time without end.

17. In which ye behold days and years and the generations of men on the earth pass
rapidly. Who, then, shall think seriously of the inhabitants that now are yours and mine?

18. Behold, the earth is fruitful; a thousand years are but as one day; and there shall spring
up out of the earth thousands of millions of souls newborn. For them are my answers
shaped, more than for such as now are.

19. In the beginning I created this heaven and the earth (unto mine own name and glory).
For they were void and without order; darkness was upon them. Whereupon I
moved upon them, saying: Let there be light; and there was light. And I drew a
line betwixt darkness and light (for they had worshipped the void instead of me).

20. Wherefrom I declare this the morning and evening of the first day. And I have divided
those that were void, and established my firmament betwixt them, even as land betwixt
water and water.

21. And my firmament is heaven, and I have made it to be over such as were void, like
water.

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