Beyond all my power of description are the splendors of the Throne itself.
As we approached nearer the center of the great city and to the region of the Father’s Throne, mighty waves of light and glory came constantly rolling over us, and with them came such refreshing baths of love, peace and joy, that our gladness was indescribable, having reached a degree of perfection never known before. The noiseless chariots were moving in all directions. Countless crowds of happy spirits, clothed in the purest garments and the expression of every face being that of the serenest peace and composure of soul were moving toward and away from the Throne.
Vast numbers like ourselves were approaching the Throne for the first time, many of whom had been within the boundaries of the majestic wall a long time, but the entire satisfaction with all the surroundings and the perfect contentment of soul made them linger long at each new object with which they came in contact. It was well for them that they did, for the glory of the Throne which excels all else would be too great for them.
I saw many who, on account of the majesty, glory and light, were so overcome, that it reminded me much of the experience of many on earth during great revival meetings, whose spiritual perceptions were greater than their physical ability to endure, so people would fall face down on the ground, or there would be trances, fainting, shoutings and kindred or shared spiritual experiences. I found even in heaven that there was a development and growth of the powers of the soul even to an endless perfection, and a strength of mental capacity unknown on earth or even at the first entrance into the heavenly state.
Yes, endless advancement, and still, while approaching, never quite able to reach the perfection of God.
The majesty of the Throne is indeed beyond description. Notwithstanding we had been graciously prepared for it, yet we were so overawed at our surroundings and the sight before us that we did not know what to say—or even think. Comparisons with earthly scenes, the richest and grandest or the greatest works of man would give but a faint idea—even human language itself is too tame to tell the story. The memories of childhood experiences were constantly rushing through our minds, so that I said to myself again and again, ‘Is this only a dream or is it real? Have I seen a vision or am I really in heaven? No dream ever came to me on earth like this; no grandeur ever equaled it; no dream of glory so enchanting.’
We had been standing awestruck a long time, when a man whose face was beaming with a halo of light came to us; he seemed to realize our situation and said, “Dear brethren, have you just come to the Throne for the first time?”
As he came near us and spoke, we thought we recognized him, but having met so many in such a short time we were not sure that he was of those in the chariot. “Indeed,” I replied, “we have been for quite a little time inside the city, but have been detained with so many things and wonderful scenes, that we could not reach the Throne earlier.”
“You have been wise,” said our friend, who was interesting himself in us, “for even now you are none too well prepared for the great things which are just before you. If you would like to have me, I will accompany you for just a little while in your introduction to this most blessed and exalted place in our Father’s house.”
“We would be much pleased to have you do so, for we don’t understand much of what is before us.” I turned to Bohemond and said, “How fortunate to have such company and assistance, and yet we knew that in our Father’s house with its many mansions we need have no fears for our needs would be met at the right time.”
At this he brought us to a sparkling fountain not far from one of the great entrances to the Throne, and with a golden goblet gave us a drink, then he went a little distance to a mammoth tree whose branches were everywhere hanging low and brought us each a cluster of its fruit, when we had eaten it, he pronounced a blessing upon us and suddenly our eyes and minds were prepared for the greatest glories to which a mortal man has ever been exalted, and to those scenes we will now turn our attention.
* * * * *
We were so entranced at the vision before us that Bohemond fell on his face and poured forth his praise to God as I had never heard him before. In fact, we all felt completely overcome in wonder and admiration.
The vastness of the various compartments of the Throne is beyond all earthly comparison. For several kilometers [13] it was spread out in all directions before us. Bohemond came close to my side and said in a low voice, “Whoever could have thought of such glory!” Light, all filled with glory, heightened beyond all human conception of earthly things revealed the splendors of the Throne beyond the powers of a man to describe, so that I kept thinking of the word which I had so long heard: “That God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5) We stood long in wonder and admiration.
[13. “Many furlongs.” That is a few miles. One furlong being about 200 meters (660 feet).]
Our guide now came to us and said, “We will now go forward and see more of the greatness of this, our Father’s Throne. You need have no fears, for we are all children of God and He delights in our highest enjoyment and is pleased for us to know of these treasures of His love. So come with me, and I will show you at a glance a little of what God had in mind when He laid the foundations of the earth and made man in His own image.
“I have been here during thousands of earthly years. There were but few of earth’s inhabitants when first I came, compared to the unnumbered millions now, but a vast number of angels were about the Throne when first I looked upon this glory.”
“Yes,” I said to him, “and I remember in God’s word it is said: ‘Ten thousand times ten thousand angels are about the Throne.’”
“Sure,” said Bohemond, “and that is a hundred million and I think there is room for a hundred million more!”
We found that our guide was none other than Enoch of ancient birth, whom we had met in the chariot and also at our first entrance into paradise and again at one of the great praise services in this city. But we had met so many hundreds and even thousands in such a short time and then the bewilderment that came over us at the great sight, we were slow in distinguishing him from so many ancient men. His body shone like the light itself and he was the picture of health and youth and the man of all others, who never tasted death. “Oh, Enoch, you blessed of God!”
“Come with me,” said he, and we followed him to a raised elevation many feet above the floor of the Throne. From this we could see the innumerable company which John saw in his vision, or such portion of it as our eyes could reach, which no man could number. Countless crowds from all nations of earth clothed in the purest white garments. They seemed to be moving in all directions in a joyous service for their Lord.
I said in a subdued voice to Bohemond, “I wonder if John is anywhere among this mighty host, for I do remember his words how he foretold this wonderful scene: ‘After this I beheld and lo, a great multitude which no man could number of all nations and kindreds and peoples and tongues stood before the Throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes and palms in their hands.’” (Revelation 7:9)
Enoch now said, “Shall we now go further on, for there are wonderful scenes yet before you!”
“Oh, indeed, we should like to see all.”
“But,” said Enoch, “you will be here a long time before you see all.”
As we passed along, we again met many whom we had seen in other parts of the city. Everyone seemed so contented and happy. They wanted nothing they did not have. There were differences in the experiences of the people, but the holy harmony was like the music of the strings of a harp—not a discord throughout the entire realm of the city or even paradise.
Enoch now led us to the Throne itself. It was encircled by wonderful majestic bands of light with all the colors of the rainbow, which signified the attributes of the Almighty God and Father of us all. We seemed now to comprehend God as we never had before. I thought of the band of light that encircles the planet Saturn, the gold tinged clouds of an earthly sunset, but no comparison could describe its glory. Beneath the circle of this rainbow was the seat of the Almighty Father. For beauty, grandeur, glory and majesty, it cannot be described. It was simply upholstered glory, with all the colors of the rainbow tinting everything.
Now it will not do to think of the Almighty in His greatness and power as consisting in bulk. Every attribute of the Father was in His Son, Jesus Christ. All power was His, both in heaven and earth, and while He is everywhere present at the same time, yet His omnipresence does suggest that He is a person and that person has a seat on His Throne and from this Throne issues the governing power of the universe. His spirit and power are operating in all worlds and His Throne is likewise in all celestial kingdoms.
“Had you not been prepared for it,” said Enoch, “you could not have endured this exceeding glory.”
Just at this moment Moses, whom we had met at one of the fountains near the Judean gate and with whom we had such a pleasant visit, now stepped to our side, and with a pleasant bow of recognition he said, “Dear brethren, be not overawed with this glory, nor with the fear to see your Father’s face, for you are in His image now. I once wished and prayed on earth to see His face—yet I did not really know what I was asking for. God declared to me then that no man could see His face and live, yet He veiled His face while His glory passed before me, but I did see His back parts—but now you can look upon His face and not only live, but enjoy the vision with increasing raptures throughout eternity.”
“Oh, bless His name!” I said. “My soul is so filled with exceeding joy at the inexpressible glory of this scene, that I cannot restrain my feelings,” so with many others who were standing quite near us and who had recently come to the Throne, we fell before God with adoring praise and continued doing so for a long time. Suddenly we heard a mighty chorus of voices of ten thousand times ten thousand angels, along with the innumerable company of saints, saying, “Blessing and honor and glory and power be unto Him that sits on the Throne and unto the Lamb forever and ever.”
As we arose I saw the glory of God as I never had before. His face was as the light and all His divine attributes seemed revealed and stood out in such sweet harmony that I could only think of love, goodness, mercy, power, wisdom and knowledge, and that all our needs would be supplied by Him.
I looked again, and such pure and holy thoughts filled all my soul. I thought of some lines I had learned long ago:
Eternal light, eternal light
How pure that soul must be
When brought within thy searching sight,
It shrinks not, but with calm delight,
It lives and looks on you.
His all-seeing eyes were eyes of love.
I knew that all things in heaven and earth and in all worlds both small and great were naked and open before these eyes. His hands, I knew, had made them all.
Enoch and Moses both stood close to us and said, “We have been here for thousands of earthly years and yet we only begin to know God. You may think you have seen those eyes, yet you have only seen one ray of light compared to what you will see. You may think you have seen His feet, yet the earth from which you have so recently come is only one small footstool.”
“Oh, yes, indeed,” I replied, “I just now remember His word: ‘Heaven is my throne and earth is my footstool.’” (Isaiah 66:1, Acts 7:49)
“His greatness,” said Moses, “you can never know. You see Him seated on His Throne, but then His Almighty Spirit is everywhere. His creative skill lacks no knowledge, and His everlasting energy knows no fatigue. He is never weary in upholding all His works. His all-hearing ear listens to all rightly offered prayers. His omniscient eye sees everything. His almighty hands are quick to bless or curse. His will simply becomes almighty law.”
I looked again, to scan the Throne once more, and saw twenty-four seats of most exquisite beauty on both sides of the Throne. I knew from the blessed word these were for the elders (Revelation 4:4)—but they were mostly vacant now, for the elders, I had found, are very busily engaged in service for Him who is on this Throne—yes, the Throne of the universe. I saw further that the Throne consisted of a double compartment and I at first wondered. But Enoch came, seeing my perplexed curiosity, and said to us, “Our Lord Jesus who reigns both in heaven and on earth has likewise His seat on the Throne, with His Father, for He overcame and forever has His seat on this Throne.”
I quickly remembered the scripture where in the Gospel it is declared, that: “He was received up into glory and sat on the right hand of God,” (Mark 16:19) and again the blessed martyr Stephen said: “I see the heavens open and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God.”(Acts 7:56)
I said to Enoch, “Where is He now?”
“Oh, He is somewhere about the Throne, or in the city; you will see Him soon, for He is always at the great convocations at this place. Have you not met Him?”
“Yes, indeed, at the Judean gate, and at a great praise service in another part of the city, but I am eager to see Him again.”
“You will be delighted with inexpressible joy beyond all you have yet met or seen, when not only Himself but the great convocation of saints and angels occurs, which will be quite soon. We often meet here for further explanations of the kingdom by our Lord or His servants, and of God’s further purposes with His people. We have not yet learned all there is to know about the purposes and plans of God concerning these mighty multitudes of the saved.”
“Those most honored of God as His servants on earth, are greatly honored here,” said Enoch, “and are His ministers in heaven. These often take part in the elaborations of eternal truth. Of course, you will not leave the Throne until the great praise service is over?”
Bohemond came up and said, “Well, I do not think we will ever want to leave. I feel such glory in my soul. I never even dreamed while in my earthly life that such real things were in store for us.”
Then I looked again into the face of Him who sits on the Throne and said, “Oh, my God, my Father, I praise You forever, for ever thinking of me, an unworthy mortal man, and for bringing me to this exceeding glory!”
“Now,” said Enoch, “I must leave you for a time, for I see the mighty crowds are coming from all quarters of the city.” And so saying he waved with his hand a most pleasant good-bye, as he said, “I will see you again.” Moses also had disappeared among the millions of happy souls.
Bohemond and I now stood in wonder and with increasing praise to God for the great things we were now beholding when suddenly four mighty angels arose and were flying about the Throne, having golden trumpets in their hands, and with one great blast they made the arches and domes of heaven ring. But they quickly disappeared through the great avenues of the city. We knew the meaning and to what followed we will now turn our attention.
* * * * *
I turned and said to Bohemond, “What shall we do? I feel such an awe and fear, we know so little of the order of things here.” We asked some standing near us about it.
“Oh,” said they, “have no fears, go where you like—we will all find our places, and you will be near the Throne.”
We widened the circle of our vision and behold, we saw a vast number of seats both at the back and also at the right and left of the Throne. They rose in terrace form like a great amphitheater. These, we soon found, were filling up with the great choir of heaven. They filed in with beautiful order, each having a golden harp. At last the seats were all filled with those who had been the most devoted leaders in the choirs of earth, with very many also who never sang in an earthly concert, but because of heavenly musical voices trained in the praises of God on earth, they were chosen by the blessed Bishop of all souls in heaven for these great occasions.
I looked again. The elders had mostly taken their places, many of whom we had met. They gave a lovely bow of welcome. When all our cares were met we felt much at home.
I looked again, with adoring wonder, and lo, our blessed Lord Jesus Himself accompanied by Moses and Paul came to the Throne. Our Lord took His place beside His Father—Moses and Paul beside the elders.
Countless crowds were pouring in from all directions. Chariots were bringing tens of thousands. The robes of the high priest of ancient times could not compare to the beautiful flowing draperies of these millions of the blood-washed. All seemed so happy and joyous. Many of our friends whom we had known on earth so well, and who had come from remote parts of the city or paradise now came to greet us. My own mother, Genevive and Mary were among them. Dear old grandfather, now so young and beautiful, also stood with us. Several comrades of my youth, who had passed on many years ago also came. Among them was one whom I never expected to see in heaven, but who, like the thief on the cross, was saved in the last days of his life, and although he had spent a long time in the remoter regions of paradise as he afterward told me, yet now he was here. We had many congratulations and joyful unions, while the great assembly was filing in.
For five or six kilometers [14] or more distant from our great Father’s seat was the outer circle of the mighty crowd gathered beneath the great arched canopy of this imperial Throne. The four angels now returned and flying in the midst of the Throne, were sounding through their trumpets, saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, which was, and which is, and which is to come.” When those archangels had finished this note of praise, then the twenty-four elders fell down before Him that lives forever and ever, and sits on the Throne, and worshipped Him, saying, “Worthy are You our Lord and our God to receive the glory and the honor and the power for You did create all things and because of your will, they are and were created.”
[14. “Thirty furlongs.” That is about 3.75 miles. One furlong being about 200 meters (660 feet).]
While they were lying prostrate on their faces, the great choir of one hundred thousand voices arose and sang a new song before the great company, which for sweetness, sentiment and feeling was never equaled on earth—not one discordant voice or harp was heard among them, but the music rolled up and away, and reached even with its faintest tones to those in the utmost limits of this wondrous gathering, for in the pure atmosphere of heaven voices can be heard for a long distance, and all the great assembly replied, “Amen and amen.” I looked again, and behold, I saw ten thousand times ten thousand angels and heard them sing with loud voices saying, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches, and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.” And all the elders stood and said, “Amen.”
They then announced a familiar hymn, familiar to earth as well as heaven, for I had heard it many years ago. The choir led, but all the people sang and praised God until I certainly thought that the earth itself would resound with these praises and echo back the wonderful melody. I was so entranced that an awe and fear again took hold of me as I saw the greatness and wonderfulness of Almighty God as I never had before.
I looked again and an elder whom I had met, invited to his side by gesturing with his hand. I quickly obeyed and jumped up to the great gallery where the elders sat, and he said, “Look again at the great crowd beyond,” and I saw indeed the great multitude which no man could number, out of every nation and of all tribes and peoples and tongues standing before the Throne, and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, having palms in their hands, and they shouted with one great voice, saying, “Salvation to our God which sits upon the Throne and unto the Lamb,” and all the angels fell on their faces and worshipped God and said, “Amen.”
After this, at the elder’s suggestion, I descended to the floor of the Throne and joined the company I had left, and in a low voice I said, “I never knew how to worship God before. Our love and zeal were so cold in the earth, and our worship so formal and lifeless.”
“Truly,” whispered Bohemond. “If I only were back to earth for one single week I would teach my people how to worship God. It does seem a little strange that we loved God so little while on earth.”
After this little episode of conversation had passed, our Lord arose and stood and with one motion of His hand, before His majestic presence, profound silence reigned, and every head was bowed before Him who was our All in All. r
* * * * *
As our Lord arose to speak, all heads were deeply bowed for a few moments and then most earnest attention was given. We all hung on His words as when He spoke the sermon on the mount on earth. The theme was, “The coming dispensation, now about to be ushered in, when He shall once more descend to the earth taking with Him all this mighty assembly of saints and angels, when will occur the resurrection of the bodies of all His saints.”
The great audience listened with profound attention and received the word with great gladness, for everyone was deeply interested personally in the matter. Thousands of saints shouted aloud with joy at the thought that so soon would occur the “redemption of the purchased possession.”
The angels themselves were dancing for joy, for our Lord had said that they should take a most prominent part in the great event. Very many, indeed, of the unnumbered and countless host had been waiting for this even for thousands of years, and waiting for their spiritual bodies which we knew would be given us at that time. Then we should be equal to the angels themselves, which the elders now are, and are preferred before them, for the place of the elders indicated this, being near the Throne.
The emotion and feeling which our Lord displayed during this sermon was beyond anything we were accustomed to on earth. We were melted into deep emotion. He expounded at great length on the ideas which Paul had advanced so long ago while writing under divine inspiration when he said: “Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He has purposed in Himself: That in the dispensation of the fullness of time, He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in Himself.” He called attention to the superior advantage the elders now have on account of their resurrection. He described to the mighty host the order of events in connection with the closing history of His spiritual reign on earth, the events of the last times, the great political changes, and devastating wars of the closing period. He declared also that in the last times great effort would be made among the leading civilized nations to bring about a peaceful settlement of national troubles. That much had been done and much remained to be done.
How quickly I thought of the words of the prophets when he wrote concerning this same theme: “They shall beat their swords into plow shares and their spears into pruning hooks.” (Isaiah 2:4)
He went on to speak of the worldly character of many of the churches on earth, their loss of spiritual power, and the very great slowness of making disciples of all nations, many of the churches having almost forgotten their real mission in bringing the world back to God, as He repeated again some of His words uttered so long ago: “The church is the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its savor wherewith shall it be salted?” (Matthew 5:13) As He spoke upon this point a holy fervor and deep emotion clothed His words until the mighty crowd most solemnly bowed their heads with the very impressive thought that His words had a deep meaning suited to many thousands of us only a little while ago.
Oh, how many of us whispered to ourselves and to those about us, “If I only could go back even for a brief time, how differently I would live and labor for the great end for which our Lord suffered and died.”
He spoke also of the alarming formalities in so many of the Protestant and Catholic churches, of the corruptions and whoredoms so extensive throughout the world. As He was speaking of the degeneracy of His church on earth, I most deeply felt the force of His words uttered nearly two thousand years ago: “When the son of man shall come, will He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8) “But,” said He, “there is a very great crowd of blood-washed souls who are looking for His return and faithfully toiling while waiting for their adoption into this mighty company above.” He hinted again that the time was drawing near when He, with all this great assembly, with millions in paradise and all parts of the celestial city, should again go back to celebrate the earth’s great Sabbath.
Mighty angels with their trumpet voices should lead the hosts until the thousands of thousands of chariots should reduce their speed and slow to a stop in the regions of that terrestrial world. Then the great trump of God should be sounded, of which the blast of Sinai was but a little hint, and awaken all the dead saints who should instantly rise with spiritual bodies and each soul of us should have our own.
When He had thus spoken, all this mighty host led by the angels, shouted, “Hallelujah! the Lord omnipotent reigns!”
“And further,” He said, “the living saints who have never died will never die. Death shall have no dominion over them, but from thenceforth is destroyed forever, and with them we shall be joined in one great united church, world without end.” Again the great crowd said, “Hallelujah!”
But the most solemn and moving of all His utterances from the Throne before the great assembly was His reference to a present condition of the church on earth. He referred to a new and most cunning device of Satan, the old enemy of man, to introduce into the church of all Christendom a most destructive criticism of the Holy Scriptures. “This,” He declared, “is a revelation of the man of sin—the son of perdition, only in a new form in the last days. The mystery of iniquity was at work in the early days of the church in the various forms of the spirit of anti-Christ, but it was withheld until the Gentile world should have their opportunity of salvation. But now that wicked one is being revealed whose coming is after the working of Satan and with all deceivableness in them that perish because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved. So they are denying much of the Holy Scriptures of God, nearly all the Old Testament saints and all that is miraculous, even assailing His own divine origin, miracles and atonement. And so God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie. (2 Thessalonians 2:11)
“Oh, Satan,” he shouted, “your doom will soon be sealed in the vortex of hell.”
I can only repeat a little of His sermon. When He closed, a number of the elders followed Him with brief elaborations of truth somewhat along the lines of which He had already spoken.
Many, like ourselves thought how clearly the blessed Book of God on earth has told us many of these things, and what comfort, as well as sorrow, to the saints to know the great things which are yet before us!
Far in the distance as our eyes could reach we saw the seats glittering like the purest gold, raised amphitheater-like, to a great elevation which entirely encircled the majestic Throne.
Many responsive hymns were sung, those in the distance responding with choruses, which seemed like great waves of the sea that rolled in splendor over the great crowds of the redeemed. At last, the great convocation was drawing toward its close. Our Lord now arose and with a voice distinctly heard to the utmost bounds of the Throne, invited us to a royal banquet given by Himself in honor of the most recent arrivals. The doxology of heaven was sung by the great crowd. Our Lord’s benediction and dismissal followed. We all retired to a great pleasure ground just next to the Throne on the east. Many hundreds of rows of tables, about five kilometers [15] in length, were spread before us. These were loaded with the richest choice foods that paradise ever knew. A hundred varieties of the tree of life grow everywhere in the city, but especially in the valleys and upon the hillside of paradise. Twelve kinds of fruit grow on each tree. From these the tables were most gorgeously furnished. The angels were waiters at the tables and surely we lacked for nothing.
[15. “More than twenty-four furlongs.” That is about three miles. One furlong being about 200 meters (660 feet).]
As we were eating, Bohemond arose and said, “My brother, Seneca, look at what is before us.” I arose and looked across the great sea of human spirits interspersed with many thousands of angels whose delight it was to serve these honored guests. Far toward the center of this great dining hall was a stupendous fountain, a fountain of fountains. It was indeed immense in its dimensions and the height of its spray. The royal gardens, fountains and palaces of the kings of the earth could in no wise be compared to it. From this fountain we were all refreshed and also from the river of life from which its multitude of branches have their source.
While eating and drinking with the saints of all ages, and in the presence of our King, we certainly thought of the words of the Book and how truly the beloved disciple had written concerning these great occasions: “And the Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountains of water, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:17) ‘Indeed,’ I thought to myself, ‘and who can ever cry again but those of the lost ones who shall lift up their eyes, being in torment?’
During the banquet the great choir sang many new and beautiful hymns of praise. While our Lord gave everyone such a glad welcome, and especially those who had so recently entered the doorways of paradise and passed through the gates of the city and were now forever at home. Many of the ancient men and women also took part in giving short words of welcome.
David also tuned his harp and sang the words of the beloved disciple in meter, which nearly everybody in heaven knows: “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away. And He that sat upon the Throne said, Behold I make all things new. And He said unto me write, for these words are true and faithful. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst, of the fountain of the water of life freely, and he that overcomes shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my son.” (Revelation 21:4-7)
Again the congregation shouted, “Hallelujah,” and the choir sang the dismissal.
We were now soon scattering for distant points of the city. A hundred thousand chariots were filled with the busy hosts of heaven. Salutations and momentary good-byes were heard everywhere. Smiling happy faces knew no limit to the joyful expressions and greetings with which every soul overflowed. Not one conflict or discord or ruffled feeling or disappointed look was to be seen anywhere. Oh, this was heaven indeed!
When the great crowd had somewhat disappeared, there still remained an innumerable company of saints and angels. The returning chariots were bringing multitudes of others in place of those who had gone. Those who led the music and sang their sweet solos had nearly all gone. The seats of the elders were vacant, but hosts of others were crowding in. As one of the elders passed near us, Bohemond and I called him to us for a conversation.
He said, “Let us step on a chariot and go to a quiet place.” In a few moments we were slowing down at one of the fountains just outside one of the gateways to the Throne. After giving us a drink from the fountain, he said, “We will now walk to the cluster of trees over there.” From them we gathered some fruit and sat down to have him explain the mystery to us. s