Page:Alerielorvoyaget00lach.djvu/140

118 to obtain sovereignty over all the rest—a sovereignty bought at a terrible price. All countries were desolated; population was reduced to a hundredth. Many evil souls were sent forth from our world unfitted for a higher state. Then God looked on us with pity. Our world was losing her use in this vast creation, as the fitting abode of spirits for awhile incarnated to prepare for a higher life in happier spheres. Then, in His love. He sent the Holy One to teach us better. He taught us useful lessons, that peace, not war, was the source of happiness; that love, not hate, was the due of all; but the Holy One taught us also to hate sin, and lying, falsehood, and gross low pleasure. And our ancestors learnt the lesson. We had been united by force into one state, and now were taught to love one another. Peace was established; but still our sensitive, irritable natures were eager to hate something. We were taught to hate sin, and, if needed, to slay the sinner. A great war arose then against Sin, and was waged against all who erred against our pristine nobleness; and so the law was instituted that those who erred against truth, or honour, or (in females) against modesty, should be cast out of our world; but yet cast out lovingly, in