10585. CONCERNING THE FOURTH EARTH IN THE STARRY HEAVEN.
To this earth, now to be described, I was not conveyed as to other earths; but the spirits themselves who were from that earth were brought to me. And when they were at a distance they were seen as a roll stretched out in length, not continuous, but in distinct parts; for there were many of them, and they were in companies. At first they were carried toward the lower parts, and it was perceived that they were trying to rise up from thence, and thus to come to me; but that they could not. Wherefore they proceeded a little to the left in front even to the earth Mars, and there they strove to rise up, which was done, but with difficulty. The reason of this was that they were of a totally different genius from the spirits of our earth; and those who are of a different genius are conveyed through various ways, so that spirits may be associated with them by means of whom conjunction may be effected. For it is the affections and thoughts that conjoin and disjoin spirits and angels. Insofar as they differ in respect to these, so far they appear separated from one another; but still they are conjoined by means of intermediate spirits, when it so pleases the Lord. This was the reason why they were brought as far as the earth Mars.