- 18 - spiritual nature and undergoing a certain condensation. This not only impairs the intellect, but above all deprives the spirit of all recollection of its previous existence. Consequently, the spirits in the sphere of paradise were unable to recall the splendour in which they had lived in God’s kingdom before their fall. Could they have done so, the test to which they were submitted in paradise would have been impossible, for had they possessed any conscious recollection of their past happiness, and compared it with their actual lot, their choice would have been made without a moment’s hesitation. But they remembered nothing whatever of the splendours they had forfeited, or of the spirit battle that had been fought, or of their own defection in that battle. They were aware only of their existence at the moment, just as you mortals are aware only of the life you are actually living and have no recollection of any previous state of existence, most people believing that their present birth as human beings is also their first life. They know nothing of their erstwhile dwelling with God or of the subsequent incarnations of their spirit on earth. Only a few have a dim awareness of having lived before. The test provided for the spirits in paradise consisted in a prohibition laid upon them by God, the purpose of which they could not understand, and which the Bible pictures as a certain fruit which they were forbidden to eat. This prohibition extended to all partisans who, like Adam, had participated in the revolution, who dwelt in the same sphere with him and who were clothed in a similar odic body. These spirits were the object of particular attention for the loyal hosts of heaven as well as for the sinister powers of the abyss, the former seeking to persuade them to remain steadfast and to observe God’s command, the latter sparing no pains to convince the spirits that it would be best for them to ignore that command and dangling alluring prospects before them. It was the same battle that rages today for every human being. On the one hand he hears the insinuations of Evil, counselling the violation of the Divine laws and picturing sin in an advantageous light, and on the other, the inner voice of conscience, warning and admonishing him not to yield to temptation. • It is for him to decide, which of the two he will follow. Whenever you humans wish to attract the great mass of the people to your cause, you seek first of all to win over persons of standing in the community, and those whose judgment and course of action are likely to be the deciding factor with the masses at large. Such also was the case with the hosts that dwelt in paradise. Among whom towered Adam, once a high prince in heaven, stood out prominently by virtue of his great spiritual qualifications. It was, therefore, natural that his attitude toward God’s prohibition would decide the course to be taken by the other spirits in paradise. For this reason, Evil was primarily concerned in bringing about his downfall, and for that purpose made use of a female spirit, the same one which had been allotted to Adam as his dual, and which is known in your Bible as ‘Eve’. Eve fell victim to the temptations of Evil and in her downfall caused Adam’s as well. Their example was followed by all the hordes of spirits dwelling in the sphere of paradise. Through this second sinful fall, Adam and the other partisans became the property of the Evil One, and fell almost to the level of Lucifer himself. Driven from the sphere of paradise, they were hurled into the darkest depths, and from then on Lucifer was lord over them. In his own realm he was an autonomous ruler. It is true that he was still subject to the might of God, and, hence, not entirely
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