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 the evil in the way—the evil being cast into marches and lakes, many too being scattered about in a certain remote desert. But the good were led through the east to a land of great extent near the south, and habitations were there given them. They who were led thither had in the world acknowledged the Lord as the greatest Prophet, and as the Son of God, and had believed that He was sent by the Father to instruct mankind, and at the same time had lived a moral-spiritual life in accordance with their religion. Most of these, when instructed, receive faith in the Lord, and acknowledge Him to be one with the Father. Communication is also granted them with the Christian heaven, by influx from the Lord; but they are not commingled with it, because religion separates them.

All of this religion, as soon as they come into the other life among their own, first seek Mahomet; yet he does not appear, but in his place two others who call themselves Mahomets, and who have obtained seats in the middle, under the Christian heaven toward the left part of it. These two are in the place of Mahomet, because all after death, whatever be their religion, are first led to those they had worshiped in the world (for every one's religion adheres to him); but they secede on perceiving that these can render them no assistance. They are thus yielded up to their own religion at first, as the only possible means of effecting their withdrawal from it. Where