Helga’s way to the One

A tale from the beyond

I.

In one room, three people, two men and a young girl, stood facing each other. With soft, clear, sympathetic features the older of the two men, the younger wrathful, unrestrained and wild. The girl in hot anxiety tried to calm, to mediate.

„Shut up, you serpent, you liar! Who knows how long you've already deceived me!" the younger man shouted at her. And you, Sir, did you know that this lady was my bride?" - he turned to the person who was still standing there quite affected, who then said quite calmly: "Yes, dear young friend, I knew it, but - -“

Suddenly the man with unrestrained jealousy interrupted him: "You scoundrel, take that as your reward!" Lightning fast, he pulled his revolver out of his coat pocket and fired. The girl threw herself between them, was fatally hit and sank to the ground. - -

Let us leave the earthly world in which this jealousy-murder of Helga Sarrenius happened and follow the girl into that invisible world she is about to enter.

There she stands in a wonderfully lovely landscape flooded by eternal sunlight, supported by two loving, blessed spirits, still completely crushed by the terrible experience. "Stop, stop! Don't shoot, oh don't shoot! What have we done to you?" - she cries out and sinks down with a groan. She does not yet see the splendor of the eternal spring that surrounds her, her soul still trembles in horror and dread. The youth at her side speaks softly: "Be quiet, dear sister, no-one is shooting here anymore."

Then the girl straightens up arduously, looks into the infinitely sweet faces of her new friends and asks: "Yes, - yes, - who - are you then?"

No answer.

"Where am I?"

"Look around you!" - whispers the youth softly. She does it and almost passes out from amazement!  “This is certainly not our world!?" she exclaims.

“No."

Thus I am in the afterlife? - - Thus I was shot, shot by him whom I did no harm!? “

"Yes, so it is."

"My God, my God, this is not true after all, this is impossible! Oh Rudolf, what have you done!? - What happens to him? They will condemn him to death for my sake! Oh God, oh Jesus, for my sake a man dies! No, no, no, this can, this must not be!"

She rears up against the inexorable fate; her own death no longer hurts, since on earth she has already explored the secrets of life and heard of the hereafter.  But that for her sake a once beloved man should suffer death at the hands of the executioner, fills her with unmentionable fear.

She grabs her companions violently by the arm, shakes them and pleads: "Oh help, you heavenly ones, just help! Just do not let the terrible happen!"

Sadly, the two shake their heads and say: "Here only One can help, Whom you certainly know; turn to Him confidently. We have command to leave you now. Be blessed!"

They leave. Helga is left to her wild, confused, storming thoughts. In her distress, she turns to the One who was already infinitely dear to her on earth, to Jesus. And look, the delightful flame of love, which was already blazing in her heart before, now ignites anew and creates clarity in her troubled soul.

So how was it then? Was she really not to blame? How stood it now with her soul, with her inner love? She had read many new revelations of God on earth; she, the little stenotypist, had built a wonderful kingdom in her burning heart, in which, however, two rulers struggled for the crown; the earthly and the heavenly love.

Oh, she remembered well the nightly boat trips with her youth-friend Rudolf, who desired her with flaming, impatient love as a wife. And she also remembered the evenings she spent with the other sorely afflicted man, who set her whole soul aflame with his warm, deep humanity. She had fought against this love, as did the man, who was bound to another woman, an unhappy creature who seemed to be forever addicted to madness.

Both of them had spoken much of the One whom they wanted to follow in willing, sacrificial love and renunciation. But then came the blessed hour when she was allowed to lay her hands on the sick soul at the request of her heavenly Father in Jesus, and see, from that hour on, it became visibly better with this woman. Helga helped the man at her side build a modest happiness.

His last visit was a thanks and a forever-farewell. Then the terrible, the incomprehensible happened!

She agonized and reproached herself for having caused the disaster by her allowing his last visit. Anew a wave of hot fear took hold of her.

What now?

"Only One can help!" - it sounded inside her. "Jesus" - she cried - "JESUS, beloved Father and Savior, oh help, help, just come to me!" Weeping, she threw herself down to the earth and lay in fervent prayer for some time.

Suddenly, she felt herself being gently lifted up. Through her veil of tears, she saw before her an infinitely kind, lovely face, a pair of wondrously shining eyes beamed sunnily at her, so that it soon became freer and lighter around her heart. It was He, the fervently longed-for One; but she could not bring a word over her lips, her tears flowed, her hands lifted slowly, timidly towards Him. Sweet love fought in her with shy hesitation and trepidation. Jesus had detached himself from her and stood a few steps away in front of her to leave her time to collect herself.

At last her lips quivered softly: "Jesus, You eternal God and Father, You came to me?"

Jesus replied with a mild smile: "My dear child, you have called Me, why should I not come then?! - But now let us go to that house there, you must strengthen yourself."

With these words, the Lord turned and went ahead. Still shy and trembling in all her limbs, Helga followed Him. They entered the house, which was situated in a beautiful garden in which stood trees laden with the most delicious fruits. Helga hardly paid attention to these glories; she saw only the One for Whom her heart glowed more and more in unspeakable, blissful love.

The house seemed to be uninhabited, no-one was seen, but the precious golden and crystal bowls on the tables were filled with either fruits or flowers. Jesus now offered her a bowl of fruit in a hearty, fatherly manner and invited her to eat. But she stood before Him, spellbound by His glance, His captivating loving nature, her eyes could not leave  His eyes, His love-emanating face. Having to detach her eyes from Him now seemed so impossible to her that she took the bowl out of His hands, placed it on the table, and said: "My Jesus, Your love is my nourishment forever!“

Jesus drew her to His holy bosom and was silent; at His heart, every trouble of her soul was loosed; a current of such overwhelming love, such blissful happiness flooded through her, that she thought herself hardly able to bear this bliss.

Jesus said, recognizing the limit of her capacity to bear, gently detaching Himself from her: "Now, My little Helga, what have you to entrust to Me - reveal your interior, then we will free your soul from the burden that rests upon it."

"Oh Father, my soul has never been so well, an infinitely deep trust fills me, I feel no more sorrow!" "Now, near Me, you are well, but that will change when you no longer see Me" - Jesus replied earnestly - " much earthly-wrong still lives in you, much still needs to be cleared up in you."

"So then, I will open up my heart, my inner life, to You; You, my God and Lord, know indeed everything better than I can tell You, nonetheless, Your Holy Will be done!"

My youth was poor in love, I knew only hardship, and work, hunger, cold and I was not spared crude maltreatment. When I was fifteen years old, I met Rudolf Foerster, the only person who brought me happy hours at that time.

Later, through an older colleague, I was given wonderful new revelation writings, books that I initially ravenously devoured, and only then read calmly. In what a different light did life appear to me there, but in what a new light also Rudolf's love! He showed no understanding for these treasures of Your love, scolded me for being a hysterical little fool, our friendship suffered a deep rift; it became an ever increasing alienation, when I rejected his sensual caresses.

A deep longing had awakened in me for the pure, spiritual love of a man who could also understand me in my inner life. Disgusted by the erotic pursuits and harassment of my boss and the broken family- relationships at home, I escaped from my hometown. I also wanted to separate from my friend, but he followed me to that foreign city, forced his help on me, pursued me with his passionate, jealous love so much that I became weak, gave in to his urging and became his bride. I was fond of him in spite of the spiritual differences between us, and I also hoped that life would soon make up for this difference, and I believed I owed a debt of gratitude to the kind protector of my early youth.

Then one day the man stepped into my life about whom my heart rejoiced from the first hour, he was bound to an unhappy woman whom I was allowed to heal through Your immeasurable kindness.

Oh Father, have mercy on me, weak one! I, oh yes, I wretched one have loved this man with all my soul, with all my senses, with the most fervent ardor! At night in my dream I would lay in his arms, in the early morning, I fought with a thousand tears against this tremendous love!

Forgive me, Most All-Merciful One, I have sinned a thousand times in thought!

That it did not happen with words and actions was due to Your merit, Your power, Your wonderful heavenly kindness! Oh, how often would I have love-glowingly sunk into his arms, if Your hand had not held us both!

So we talked for the most part only about You, I gave him the wonderful books that had brought me comfort, he also drew strength from them to the selfless, renouncing love.

To our salvation, the hour soon came when I was allowed to heal Irene and experienced the happiness of her taking the path to You with her husband. Then I persuaded him to let himself be transferred by his superior authority to a distant city. He understood me and fulfilled my wish, his last visit was a forever-farewell.

Then my fiancé joined in, showered us with wild reproaches and invectives, and finally fired in a furious rage. How must the poor one have suffered! I am guilty of everything, My Father! When I think back on what has happened, I am seized with a hot fear for the soul of the man who may now already stand before his earthly judge and must surely die, die because of me, through my fault!"

She threw herself before Jesus on her knees, clasped His feet and cried out: "Oh Jesus, You Who are so incomprehensibly gracious to me, save him, help him, and forgive me!"

Jesus said: "Arise, and torment yourself no longer with wild self-accusations and in foolish fear! Do you not know that all things in heaven and on earth must serve My purposes? Your heart has glowed with impure love through the power of satanic sensuality. I allow that almost every human soul is tempted by this infernal power. The real sin of your free will lies not in the temptation itself, but in voluntarily submitting to sin. Now judge for yourself how far you have failed. My act of mercy to lrene was already then the answer to your anxious questions about your guilt.

Your greater guilt lay in your weakness toward your fiancé. Ask yourself if you couldn't have avoided many of the things that provoked his jealousy?

Man has a duty to exercise caution towards the faults of his fellow men, so that he gives them as little opportunity as possible to emerge. You have ignored this caution. - - -

Your stormy love must be joined by wisdom, a deep humility must make you soft and docile to My will, only then you will be ripe for My heavens. Be assured of My forgiveness, of My endless love! I will make up for your mistakes. Trust Me and firmly believe that with Me, your God, no thing is impossible!

I must now send you down to the vicinity of earth - there tasks are waiting for you, which are necessary for the training of your soul and for the salvation of other beings. My peace remains with you! Amen!"

Kindly, the Savior gave her His hand and the next moment, was gone.

II.

Now she felt herself sliding gently down into darker and ever more desolate realms. In a desolate valley, two beautiful youths were waiting for her, who explained to her that she were here in the Middle Kingdom, the temporary gathering place of the souls departed from the world, would have to pay attention here to every occurrence, no matter how minor, and may only act after the most intimate connection with the inner light-Spirit from God in her heart. After delivering of this message, the two angels raised their hands in blessing greeting and left.

She was now alone with her helplessness and despondency, her nameless longing for the only One, the beloved Savior. 'Oh, why had He, the most loving Father, left her so suddenly?' She asked her heart; recalling the angelic words she had just heard, there she clearly heard these words: "Not in pleasure does the soul grow stronger, even the highest pleasure of My love is not enough for this.  Fight now with evil powers for the souls of fallen brothers and sisters, only through this you will be able to endure highest delights and to accomplish great things."

Then it became light in her. Filled with gratitude, she sank down to the earth and prayed wordlessly. Soon she rose and looked around.

In a distance, she spotted a house from which a faint light shimmered. Following the inner instruction, she walked towards the house, opened the door and entered. Darkness reigned in the long hallway, only a faint ray of light stole through a crack in the door. The door opened almost by itself at the soft touch of her hand, she entered a sparsely lit room and - oh great God, that was indeed - -. She almost fled again from the man she saw sitting there at the desk, as she had once left her hometown on earth for his sake; it was her former boss, Councilor of Commerce, Hugo Muehlheim.

Remembering her high task, she bravely remained standing, her counterpart did not see her, he had broodingly propped his head up in both hands. "My God“ - she thought fearfully - "whether he would recognize me?" She looked down at herself and felt reassured, a distinguished, long, dark blue silk dress flowed around her tall shape, the little stenotypist had changed so much that this sinister, unholy being could not recognize her if she did not want him to. And she most certainly did not want to be recognized!

She took a few noisy steps towards the rigid, broody man, who startled and stared at her dumbfounded, but rose after a few seconds, bowed to her and asked politely:  "You come so late in the dark of night, madam, what leads you to me?"

Helga hesitated. Didn't he know then that he was dead for the earth, where day and night replaced each other? She should have immediate certainty.

"I have come to help you, Mr. Councilor of Commerce" - she said simply.

"Help me? Yes, with what then? I am a rich man, healthy as in my youth!"

"You are rich? Where do you have your riches?"

"Well, dear madam, you are a strange creature, coming here at night time to ask me about my riches!  Well, if you are interested, and because you are so beautiful, I will tell you, although most of the time it doesn't bring any gain to men when they tell the truth to beautiful women.

So I own: about two and a half million marks of assets in cash, stocks and forex, a villa at the Riviera - - "

"Yes, a house in Paris, a racing stable, a secret account with Torak A.-G., a aristocratic wife, an expensive mistress named Hermine Koester, a second-class sweetheart named Polly from the Central Theater in W., and - -"

"Stop it, madam, now you are getting creepy on me! I ask you, whence do you know all this!!?"

"I'm not done yet, this house is yours too, would you kindly show me the garden?"

"In pitch black night?"

"Yes, why not then, if I ask you cordially for it?!"

Hugo Muehlheim went to the door leading out to the "garden", tried to open it in vain, it did not give way. He wanted to unlock it, the key was missing. He tried to get out the other door - also impossible. He looked everywhere for the key, but did not find it.

Helga watched these efforts with stoic tranquility. At last, when Muehlheim's excitement had reached a high degree, she asked kindly: "Perhaps I may try to open the door?"

I don't think you'll have any more luck than me, but at least try!" - was the reply.

Helga went to the door and touched the handle only with her fingertips, then it opened wide. She quickly stepped down the steps of the open staircase. Hesitantly, astonished, the man followed her.

The path through the wasteland, which really could not be called a garden, became worse and worse, thorn bushes and wild scrub blocked it.

Abruptly, Helga turned resolutely around and said: „Mr. Councilor of Commerce, I didn't know that your gardens on earth have ever been in such disarray as this here!"

"Yes, I also really wonder about it, I don't know what to think of it! This ghastly, dark, endless, pitch-black night, the only light here floods from your golden hair, your white face! Most beautiful woman, come back into the house, there is at least some light there!" - he asked.

But Helga replied: "Back into the house? Never! For me, there is only an onward in this wonderful kingdom!"

"In which kingdom?"

"Well, do you still believe we're on earth? There you would never have chosen such a sad, desolate place as a destination. But here it does not depend on earthly wealth, not on the egoistic desires of an epicurean bon vivant, here only the measure of pure love which you brought over in your heart, is decisive! How much that is, you can gauge by the amount of light that surrounds you."

His face became completely pale, his eyes widened in deepest fright. Helga saw it with burning pity, but outwardly she remained cool. "

So - I am - dead and - still alive?!?" - he gasped out laboriously.

"Yes, you poor soul, the earthly sun no longer shines for you, people no longer tremble before your whims, here you are no longer a wealthy councilor of commerce, but an unhappy, lightless and loveless being, that must yet ask, plead, work and serve most humbly for a long time, if you want to create a tolerable lot for yourself.

Thus know, Hugo Muehlheim, in front of you stands not a "gracious woman", but a loving sister, who God in His ardent mercy has sent to you for your salvation, if you want to follow His advice. Now, if you want to practice humility and love of the purest, most selfless kind, follow those two young men to a somewhat friendlier region.

There you have to build a house with your hands without ceasing, form a blooming garden out of a barren land, feed the poorest beings with the fruits of your garden and thus serve your salvation and that of other souls.

As a reward for the unspeakably difficult work, finally reconciliation with your God awaits you.

If you do not want to follow His advice, return to the house and await a new messenger of light for centuries in gruesome night and loneliness.  Consider that the tears and curses of countless people cling to the unjustly acquired gold! God created the earth, it's fruits and treasures for all people, but you have turned the products of life into objects of speculation and brought untold misery over the world. Do you realize your great guilt?"

Affected stared the poor person, who was once so rich, in Helga's face; the fire of her pure love had stirred his innermost; So, he sensed that there was a still higher order to which he now had to submit, something good had awakened in him and made itself known in the following words: "I still do not fully understand all of this. I do not know God. He indeed must be there, since you wondrous woman claim to have been sent to me by Him. You know things about my life that my best friends had no idea about, that your claim speaks of. Surely, you will have received such information from an omniscient being. I don't want to argue with you about business transactions, speculations and the like. It is possible that I have violated the law in this."

"And pure love?"

"Yes, I don't know what that is; maybe some rhapsody of yours. I have also loved on earth, but selflessly? No! Whether I will ever be able to do that?"

"Yes" - said Helga - "I firmly believe that one day the hour will strike for you, too, when pure love will blossom in your heart. Be blessed! The peace of the Lord be with you! Amen!"

Two youths had approached, saluted seriously and took Hugo Mühlheim into their midst, who followed them willingly. Soon the three had disappeared from Helga's sight.

Now came for Helga a time of unceasing activity in the otherworldly gathering place of all souls who, departing from the world, cannot seek their own way to the light, but need patient guidance. Her teachers were the two youths whom Helga had first seen in this world.

III.

After a period of hard work, which had brought her much joy, but also oh so often bitter sorrow and bitter disappointment, the secret pull of her heart led her alone and away from her companions into a barren, stony region. Here she looked around searchingly whether not a new task beckoned her. After a few moments, she saw a bright figure coming towards her.

This figure amicably stretched out his hand towards her.

"Be heartily greeted by me, you trusted sister, in the name of Jesus our Lord!  You probably don't know me?“

Helga returned the greeting and shook her head to the question. Then the memory came to her.

She had already seen this kind, clever, energetic man's face. But where?

Now an image from her young girlhood rose before her. At that time, she was an apprentice in the office of Councilor of Commerce Hugo Mühlheim. She was sent to the then legal counsel of her company with some important documents.  He was just present and welcomed her himself with such heart-warming benevolence and friendliness that her soul, so hungry for kind humanity, fed for a long time from this friendly little encounter.

He was called the "lawyer of the poor"; he had soon parted with the head of her company, however, because of serious differences. After her flight from her homeland, she learned that he had succumbed to a severe flu.

With lightning speed, these memories went through her soul and she replied to the friendly spirit: "Yes, now I remember you. You lived as Attorney Dr. Sanders in my hometown, didn't you? But how did you recognize me, since you saw me only rarely and fleetingly on earth?"

"Dear Helga, here one immediately recognizes all the souls with whom one is related. There is a great mystery about the congeniality; if more attention and research were paid to these wondrous spiritual processes in the world, there would be much less misunderstanding, less discord, and also fewer divorces.

Believe me, I was an unhappy person who found comfort only in a sometimes still beneficial work, in the grateful shining of the eyes of people whom I was allowed to advice and help with God's help. And this God also sends me to you, that I may henceforth guide you through these desolate regions.

Helga had listened to his words with the most intimate participation and asked: "You seem very serious and sad to me, are you not happy here either?"

"Sometimes, yes" - was the answer - "we indulge in blissful worship of God in the sunny, lovely fields of Paradise, where it is indescribably beautiful! And yet I have an anxious, longing feeling, as if there must be something higher, an eternal happiness without measure and end, which wants to burst one's breast! Such nameless suffering, which I also have to show you, I already saw here, so that I said to myself that if there is such a tremendous fall into the gruesome depths, then an equally gloriously blissful ascent to the highest delights must also be possible. And that indeed only through God!!! But how?"

"Yes" - exclaimed Helga enthusiastically - "you are right, only too true have you spoken. But the way to the highest blessedness is narrow, it is called humble, sacrifice-willing love and a voluntary bowing of the heart to the One, the Eternal, Who in His greatest mercy, descended to the dark earth, became from the greatest to the smallest, to man - JESUS!  If you can understand this unspeakable love and humility, which did not disdain to take human form on our dark earth and even allow itself to be crucified by deluded people!  If you can understand that a loving God and Father could not act otherwise at all, then the way to the highest happiness is opened for you!”

"But Helga, you are literally glowing with love and happiness! Is it true then what you say? The churches, to which I paid little attention, teach that Jesus was God's Son and through His sacrificial death reconciled humanity with the holy Father-God, who was angry because of their sinfulness."

"Dear, noble human soul, who once brought a little sunshine into my young, sad earthly life, for the sake of your greatest salvation, I ask one thing of you: Give credence to my words if you are able! Even now, do not let your mind be weighed down by rigid, denominational dogmas, but follow your inner, soft wondrous longing for happiness. The more happiness and peace you bear within you, the more capable you become of making others happy. God does not want sad head-hangers, but joyful proclaimers of His great message of love!

Again and again He calls out to the matured spirits who can take it: I am not a distant, unimaginable God! I am JESUS, the most perfect, loving, merciful human. Yes, I am HUMAN, like you, who are to mature into My likenesses under the sun of My grace, for which My dear, longing Father's heart once called you into existence. Come all to My breast and drink here the delights of the most blissful, purest love! And what you have enjoyed in blessedness, share it with the poor, dark brothers, who you should love as yourselves! - -

See, dear friend, this is the way. You, too, have the inheritance of God in you, the light-spark of the Spirit, which you know on earth only as "conscience"; ask your heart, wherein He dwells, if this way is the true one, and the most joyful answer will clearly sound within you!

Helga kept silent and read in his face how anxious doubts argued with blissful joy. Her heart implored Jesus to let this glorious soul know and feel the fullness of His love and mercy. Then she felt herself flooded by a stream of delicious happiness and most wondrous love and knew, also the other soul experienced this miracle. A reddish golden light flooded over them from the east, the brother knelt wordlessly, stretched out his arms longingly for that light, and wept.

Then a voice so well-known and familiar to Helga, sounded: "My dear son, behold, I come to all who desire Me as pure in heart as you do. Have patience still a little while and await Me, then you will see Me!

My brother, know that I have always loved you and love you more and more with every hour, as you mature towards Me and will be able to bear My great love better and better. You will see Me soon. My peace be with you, My beloved children! Amen!"

Now Helga also knelt down with tears of love and gratitude in her eyes. Both remained silent for a long time and let the words of love of the highest Father echo in their hearts. –

IV.

Then suddenly voices came to them, wailing, sighing and screaming. Startled, they rose and turned to the gloomy west, from where the sound came. The most miserable female figures came towards them, so horrible and pitiful to look at, that Helga initially hid behind the broad back of her brother. Then, however, she gathered herself, mercy conquered the horror in her, and she looked bravely and helpfully towards the coming ones, who were followed by a large crowd of peculiar little beings. Helga also realized that these dark women had not yet seen them, but torn by agony, tormented by pain passed them by.

Several of these strange little spirits were clinging to one of the women, calling out: "Oh Mother, why have you cast us out?!? Who are you then?! Exactly what do you want?"

"Leave me alone!" - wailed the tormented woman.

"Oh, terrible is our lot through you, through you, you foolish women, who have killed the life that God awakened in you!" - is how it sounded towards the women from many throats. "What did we do to you that through your heavy fault we now have to wait a long, long time until a new gate into life finally opens for us?!"

"Who are you then, that you lament so for your lives?" asked a woman who looked a little better than her companions . Then a bright, elf-like creature emerged from the crowd of small beings and spoke: "We are the unborn. After thousands of years of toils, we have broken free from the bonds of the hardest matter by God's power and wisdom, and have risen through plant- and animal-bodies to human form.

God's grace has chosen us to seek on His dark earth the most holy path to becoming children of God. Oh, if you knew what an infinite longing fills us all, partly consciously, partly unconsciously, for incarnation! With what joy were we souls, who have come from the sun and the stars, ready to endure the most bitter hardships, the hardest sufferings and trials, when we learned that we have the prospect of becoming children of the eternal God.

You were chosen to willingly open your body as a gate for us to fulfill this task. What did you do? You shut the gate betimes or you destroyed the holy life out of God under your heart! Oh you miserables, we accuse you, you and your devilish henchmen on earth! Now we stand weeping and wailing at the gates of life from which we are always repelled!"

The women broke down groaning; some produced all kinds of excuses, they spoke of poverty, shame, dishonor, illness, also of hereditary burden.

There Helga felt urged to intervene. Kindly soothing, she looked the little sun-angel in his weeping face, stroked his golden curls and said: “Be confident and do not lament anymore, hope and do not let your companions become hopeless either! God's endless wisdom already sees light here and a way out, where you, still looking at dark shadows, are afraid and worried. A new journey of life will be opened up to you. If the dark earth should not suffice for the Father's plans of love, so He finds another school of life for your longing. Be full of trust and hope, His help is near to you.

But you, foolish, deluded women of the earth, to you I say: There is no excuse for your most atrocious sin against God's most holy law of life, against His greatest mercy! Your poverty does not excuse you; for precisely hardship is the best educator of the soul.

Not in the greedy enjoyment of life the soul gains strength, no, in the bitterly hard struggle for existence, it steels itself and matures towards it's divine destiny. Therefore, disgrace before men does not excuse your offense, because honor before the world cannot give honor before God. Especially that which is high and respected before the world, is an abomination before God!

To kill a flourishing life because of a disease is foolish and presumptuous, since only One is Lord over life and death. You should have left it up to Him whom He leaves alive, mother or child, or whether He wants to call both over to the otherworldly kingdom. It is haughty foolhardiness when the most miserable, wretched people raise themselves to become mighty masters of fate.

The same applies to the hereditary burden and all other worldly-clever justifications, which your highly learned, devilish accomplices bring to bear for this "permitted" and legally still-to-be-sanctioned satanic, mortal sin. (This scene is set in 1925)

No, I say at God's behest, nor is there any reason that could justify these atrocities! Since you did not bear your cross patiently in life, do so now, and in repentance and humility recognize your horrible guilt! God's grace be also with you lost ones! May He give you peace and forgiveness if you sincerely repent! Amen!”

In flaming indignation she had spoken, nevertheless with merciful kindness in her heart; she seemed like an angel of judgment to most women, who shyly backed away from her. But one of them, who had already spoken before, stepped over to Helga and said: "Dear Sister, I think your words penetrated well into everyone's soul like red-hot swords. Many will now realize their injustice, I hope. As for me, I realized it long ago.

At that time on earth, however, I was young and inexperienced. Coming from a noble family, I also feared the disgrace, the boycott by the so-called society, but my relatives feared this even more. I do not want to accuse them, they were indeed all blind, did not know the Divine laws of life. Neither did I, but I had a dim inkling of something heavy and terrible whereto one wanted to entice me.

I traveled away to friends who did not know of my condition. I wanted to work for myself and my child. My friends laughed at me because of my plebeian weirdness, as they called it. Secretly, they informed my parents of my plans. One day my brother was there and threatened me that I should follow him home benevolently or he would tell my friends the truth.

In that hour - dear sister, do not judge me - I became weak. I lost courage, cheated, betrayed as I was, and gave in."

"And the father of your child?" - asked Helga sympathetically. "Oh don't ask about him, I don't know him at all. The funny, romantic adventure of a cocky carnival night took a sad end. The beguiling man was masked, I have never seen him."

"How did it end?" - - -

My brother took me to the clinic of a famous gynecologist; I was treated discreetly, nobly, according to my high rank, namely so well that the operation succeeded brilliantly. Only my heart took a plunge, I could never laugh again! I first hated my relatives, then pitied them, and shortly before my death I reconciled with them. I dedicated the last years of my life to foreign, poor children.

So, now you two messengers of light know everything; forgive me, I had to pour out my heart to you!"

Then Felix Sanders took the word and said: "Dear soul, no sin is so great that it couldn't be forgiven. Be brave and confident, your repentance has been fully honest and true. For the most part, your guilt is already atoned for; you must accomplish one last thing now! Be a patient, loving guide to these souls!

Look, there greets you a lovely hill, the trees that stand on it bear delicious fruits that God's goodness has prepared for you.

The source that flows there shall refresh and purify your souls! Keep the sun-angel by your side, it is your child who was snatched from you, he will be able to tell you much of God's love and wisdom!

Your task later will be to warn women living on earth, who are in the same position as you once were, of this sacrilege - thereby you will reap rich blessings.

Now farewell, dear sister, receive from me this garment of grace; soon we must part, for a new high task awaits us. Be blessed in the name of Jesus! Amen!"

At the last words of the brother, Countess Leonore had knelt down, a soft, light blue dress suddenly enclosed her soul-body, a light red cloak hung over it; thus dressed, she looked wonderfully changed: Her face shone in blooming beauty, dark blond hair fell in rich curls over her shoulders, from her brown eyes shone a new will to live, a blessed confidence of faith!

Helga felt happy that also in the heart of this sister, the sweetest longing for the All-Good, All-Loving One had awakened, and her interior was filled with jubilation! Also with the other women, a gratifying change had taken place: In beautiful human shape, simply dressed, they stood modestly behind Leonore. True remorse and heartfelt compassion for their fate had embellished them.  now addressed some heartfelt words to them, and all willingly followed her to the hill, also the little sun-angel.

A last wave and greeting, then Helga and Felix were alone, ardent  gratitude and jubilation about God's merciful love in their hearts, which had just proven itself so gloriously to the poor women.

V.

Then the spiritual brother admonished his sister: "Now come, Helga, we must descend to earth by Father's wish, which I read in my heart, and take part in an event that particularly concerns you." Helga looked questioningly at her friendly companion, then, all at once it became clear to her what it was all about.

"Yes" - said Felix Sanders seriously - "you guessed it, Rudolf Foerster will stand before his earthly judges on this earthly day; we both are allowed to intervene regulatory and mitigatingly in the trial."

At these words, they both floated down deeper, it became darker and sadder around them. In the surroundings of the earth they saw with spiritual eyes the abominations of human sin and depravity. Horrified, Helga trembled back before the satanic grimaces that grinned towards her in eery demonic power, before the breath of pestilence that blew around the poor earth.

But soon her merciful love overcame the horror; from the depths of her being, a light shone, that softened the effect of the ghastly apparitions on her soul.

Now they stood at cloud-level above the earth, above their German homeland. How terrible the spiritual picture of the big cities lay before their clear-sighted eyes! How friendly and pure appeared to them those meadows and heights which rarely a human foot stepped on!

Now the sun rose and woke up all the good nature-spirits and oh so few noble human souls, encouraging them to extol and praise their God and to a beneficial day's work. Helga realized with a shudder that the sun's rays were not even able to penetrate the dark, ghastly shadows that threateningly surrounded most of the people!

“Oh poor earth, how will you end? How shall the powers of heaven bring you salvation if you may not cry out for salvation and redemption!“ - Helga sighed with tears in her eyes.

"Take comfort, dear sister" - said Felix Sanders - "the time is not far off anymore, when God will nevertheless break the power of all evil on earth. See those bright crowds coming down from the bright heights to help the Lord win the victory. Immeasurable is the number of the heavenly messengers; see how they distribute over the gloomy world, relieving other endless multitudes in their hard service to sinful humanity."

"Yes, I see them, oh, how many cry! They sure went out from the Lord in hopeful joy, driven by merciful love, and filled with sorrow and concern for their charges, they now return to their paradisiacal or heavenly dwellings to seek strengthening of their own love, longsuffering and patience in the love of the heavenly Father. Oh, brother, it almost looks like many of them have worked in vain."

They left the place from where they had watched the work of the good and evil spirits for a while and hurried towards the big city where the criminal trial against Rudolf Foerster was to begin that morning. Following an inner directive, the brother led Helga to a suburban neighborhood where mostly poor people lived.

They entered a house, hurried instantly up three flights of stairs and were soon standing in a small, poor, but spotlessly clean apartment. In the bedroom, two women - one older and one younger - lay tormented by restlessness in their beds.

"For God's sake, that's Edith, my former colleague!" - Helga whispered, startled. "What she thinks, I see clearly - - But that is not possible yet! I didn't know that! She has loved Rudolf already for a long time, incited him to violence in her immoderate jealousy and is now tortured by fear and remorse. How awful!"

"She is the actual cause of your death, Helga. But look over there! Felix Sanders pointed to the other bed. On it, a pious mother was wrestling in prayer for the soul of her erring child, who had fully confessed the truth to her. Hot tears wet the pillows, the hands cramped in passionate pleas for mercy.

In surging compassion, Helga went close to the praying woman, put her hand on her forehead and whispered gentle words of comfort to her. The cramped fingers began to loosen, milder flowed the tears, a gentle peace of God now wafted through that sore heart.

Then Helga turned to the other bed. Abruptly her foot faltered! What did she want from this wretched, hypocritical soul, who had shown friendship to her, yes, even an almost rapturous adoration, only to be able to coincide more and more often with the man whom she, Edith, passionately loved?!

Unrequited remained this love, then the friendship of this small, pretty Edith to her clever, beautiful colleague changed into envy, to ardent hatred! Was it also now not only the fear of the hard, own fate, which trembled Edith's egoistic soul, which tossed her restlessly back and forth in bed? Seriously and reproachfully, Helga looked at her friend.

Lost in deep contemplation, Helga suddenly saw within her a most lovely face that had shone so unspeakably graciously toward her in a wonderfully happy hour.  Had He, the One whom she loved above all, not spoken, "Love your enemies!“?? - - And didn't she just want to judge and condemn instead to love?

Quietly she stepped close to the girl's bed, grasped her restlessly twitching hands and caressed them soothingly. "I forgive you everything, just as the Lord graciously forgave my guilt! Be quiet sister, we will help you!"

Here, too, Helga could perceive with pleasure the calming effect of her action and her words, even if the latter were not understood. She looked deeply into the girl's soul and saw in it a great love, ready for every sacrifice, for the man to whom she herself had only been able to offer friendship after all. She decided to save Edith from the impending disaster.

Then the alarm clock shrilled. Both women startled up and dressed quickly; Edith was visibly burning with impatience to get out of the house. Felix and Helga followed her. Helga saw that Edith did not even know how to get away from the office to the court, where she had been summoned to as a witness. She had changed her job and didn't want to tell her new boss the truth. The girl looked wretched with excitement, and it was easy for Helga to stir the heart of her good-natured boss, who simply sent his inattentive, jittery secretary, trembling with excitement, home to bed.

Surely no-one in this city have breathed more freely at that moment than Edith, who immediately turned towards the court, even though she still had plenty of time. Her spiritual friends had the same goal, but were understandably there sooner.

They sought out Rudolf's cell, where Helga, shaken by the pitiful sight presented to them, leaned against her spiritual brother. There was a man in whose soul the most conflicting feelings struggled for dominance; disgrace, shame, fear of his overly sad fate, anger, hatred and jealousy, but then remorse rose in him.

Great was the anger in him at the woman who had incited him to the act of violence, who had increased his jealousy by clever allusions into senselessness. It seemed as if he wanted to attribute the main blame to her.

"Oh God" - he groaned - "if only I could make that night undone! Oh that wretched girl, first she throws herself on my neck, then she incites me to murder! I have to pay for it now and she is free! Hahaha! That's what I call justice!

Whether to give her letter to my lawyer? Pah, what use is that? I'm really ruined for life anyway!

Oh God, rather die than have to continue living like this! Oh Helga, Helga, why didn't you love me? Then we would have been spared all this, to you the gruesome death and to me this torment, this dishonorable life! To the penitentiary?! No, no, I can't stand that! I’d rather die!!"

In impotent rage he ruffled his hair, banged his fists on the table, and paced back and forth in the cell in supreme agitation. Helga stood at the door as if frozen to stone and felt powerless for the first time since the crossing into the otherworldly realm, powerless against the raging of these wildest elements of hell in a tortured human soul.

Then Rudolf tore a wide strip from his shirt and pulled it through the grid in front of the small window. Helga jumped to him in fervent fright, clutched his shoulders and pleaded, crying: "Don't do it, oh please, don't do it! It's the most horrible thing that can happen to you! Leave it!"

In vain... Rudolf continued his plan. Even Felix's earnest inner admonition was of no avail. The noose was already put around Rudolf's neck. Then both spirits knelt down and cried to the Father of all beings for help in this utter distress.

Then they saw how a hand grabbed the strip of cloth and tore it. Rudolf fell to the floor and hit his head against the wall, he suffered a slight injury. Stunned, he lay on the floor for a while. Helga and Felix knelt beside him in prayer and thanksgiving; how Helga's heart rejoiced at the merciful love of Jesus, Who is pure love, even in hell!

Only now the influence of the two light-beings had an effect. Waking from his stupor, Rudolf looked around in amazement, noticing the torn strip next to him on the floor and wondering how it could tear at all. But immediately, his thoughts turned towards his fate.

It was miraculous to him how much calmer and more composed he now await the proceedings.

Then footsteps sounded, the cell door was opened. Rudolf quickly grabbed the scraps of cloth and hid them, he pulled together his jacket over his chest and silently accepted the morning meal. But the guard saw the wound on the head and asked about it. Rudolf said that he had bumped his head due to carelessness and asked for water and a towel, which would be enough for the small scratch. The guard had his own thoughts, brought him what he wished for and kept silent.

It did not last long, then Rudolf was led into the courtroom. Helga saw that he had left Edith's letter, whose contents could be fatal for this girl if Rudolf revealed it, in his jacket pocket and was still toying with the idea of handing it over to the court in order to achieve extenuating circumstances. Helga was highly astonished by this. How fickle and characterless this person was after all! First he wanted to die, and now he wanted to make another human child who loved him, unhappy in order to reduce his own punishment.

The trial proceeded according to secular terms rather soberly and without sensation. "Manslaughter in the heat of passion out of jealousy" - was the charge. The facts were clear, one expected a tingling sensation in vain. All gathered, however, were astonished by the brilliant, moving defense-speech of the defendant's lawyer.

Behind him was an invisible aide, Felix Sanders, who used his influence with all negotiators so that Rudolf's prospects became increasingly favorable. Helga had taken care of the almost desperate Edith, whose eyes were searching in vain for Rudolf's glances; he had sure noticed her among the witnesses, had heard her deliberately insignificant statement, but had not given her one look.

Then Helga's eyes sought the man she had loved so much on earth, he was not present, prevented from appearing due to illness. Indeed, he would have had to travel a long way to get here, thus a written statement was read out loud.

It was a plain factual report that included the comment, that he only had been connected through a spiritual friendship with the murdered woman based on a common religious worldview, Rudolf's shot had been meant for him, not for Helga Sarrenius! –

After the testimonies and defense pleas, a break was taken and the court withdrew itself for consultation. Edith used this time to draw closer to Rudolf.

"Rudolf" - she said - "forgive me! What I did, only love for you drove me to it!  Oh I have always been so fond of you, have mercy on me! Look at me just once!"

She held him by the arm, which hand in the jacket pocket held the fateful letter.  A police sargeant, who had always stood behind the defendant and had only stepped aside a little before the break began, rejoined, put his hand on Edith's shoulder and said good-naturedly:   "You surely know, Miss, that speaking to the defendant is forbidden!"

Edith did not let go of Rudolf's arm and continued to speak insistently to him. Then Rudolf jumped up and wanted to push her back, but the official became energetic and yanked her back, thereby the letter was torn from Rudolf's pocket and fell to the ground.

Helga saw it first. To recognize it's content, to assess it's effect and with the exertion of all her willpower to destroy this unfortunate letter in which Edith informed Rudolf of Helga's meeting-place with her supposed lover, and at the same time called upon him for a decisive act of revenge, was the work of a few moments!

Felix kept silent. This process had not been noticed by any person. Helga breathed a sigh of relief, but she was not entirely comfortable thereby!

Then the Court returned from deliberation, and now, at last, the disappointed spectators yet still experienced their sensation: "Acquitted!" - was the verdict.

An almost pathological jealousy had driven the defendant to this act, bleak despair over an unrequited, years-long great passion. –

Helga would have collapsed with jubilation and gratitude if Felix Sanders had not held her! From Edith's lips sounded a cry of released fear! Again she rushed to the beloved and begged: "Rudolf, mercy has been shown to you, have mercy on me too!"

But for the second time, he pushed her back.

The light-helpers no longer took notice of the proceedings; they had left the courtroom.

VI.

In that blissful land, where battle-weary earthly pilgrims may rest in bliss and peace if they have pure love in their hearts, some blessed beings were gathered in a wonderfully lovely garden. They were seemingly awaiting a pleasant event, because their faces wore the expression of blissfully restless expectation.

Now two more women entered the garden. One of them was Leonore, who we already know. In a soft voice, she spoke: "You dear souls, of what nature is this certainly most blessed event, of which this dear sister told me so mysteriously, and wherefore she led me here?"

Then a bright figure stepped towards them and said: "What is being prepared here, is also happening in your heart, that's why we were allowed to call you here. Now ask your heart what it most fervently desires, then you already have the answer to your question!"

"Oh dear, so heavenly bright brother, if it is that what my heart longs for, oh God, that would be too beautiful, not imaginable! How infinitely blessed I would be! And yet I wonder whether I great sinner, I shallow, unworthy creature, am ever worthy of such grace!"

"A grace shines brightest to the most unworthy, one can never be worthy of a grace, otherwise it would not be a grace, but a merit!" - was the angel's serious answer. "So look forward to grace and love, and an immeasurably great happiness will soon blossom in you!"

These words filled Leonore's soul with high joy and increased her blissful, anxious expectation. The angel went to the table, which was in the middle of the garden - this garden was decorated with the most beautiful flowers and surrounded by the most beautiful trees and bushes - and provided the table with bread and wine.

When everyone sat down at the table, two blessed spirits also entered the paradisaical garden, resplendent in the rich splendor of spring, joyfully welcomed by Leonore, also warmly welcomed by all the other spirits: Helga and Felix..

"A mighty pull of love and joyful expectation drew us both here, what wonderful secret blowing is here around us, as if from afar all the heavens were cheering us!" - Felix said, inhaling the balsamic scents, deeply delighted.

“Oh how wonderful, how unspeakably beautiful is it here! Such splendor is for sure not known in the most beautiful areas of the world. How infinitely gracious is God that He bestows such glories upon us poor, sinful earthly children!”

Here Helga's speech was interrupted by the angel, who quietly said to her: "Do not say aloud what you think and suspect, it is better to be silent here. Let only your heart speak, dear sister!"

Meanwhile, Felix had turned to Leonore, to whom he said softly: “How happy I am to see you here again, so happily and gracefully bloomed in the light of Eternal Love! I was deeply moved by your life-story, thereby I already had the feeling as if I had known you long ago."

"You, too, are so dear and intimate to me, stand closer to my heart than the other so glorious brothers, of whom yet one always seems more beautiful and lovable than the other. Yes, I believe there rests many secrets hidden in our souls that only One knows: Jesus, our God and Savior."

"You are right, dearest, fair sister-soul" - said Felix softly - "we want to wait until He illuminates the secrets in our souls. But now come to the table, we are already being beckoned!"

Helga had already gone ahead and taken a seat at the bottom of the table; Felix was about to put his arm around Leonore and also go there with her, when he heard a familiar voice: "My dear son, come to Me, by the river of this valley I await you!"

Such a feeling of joy, such high delight flowed through him there, that every other sensation before it sank back into the depths of his soul and he left the garden in a stormy hurry. Now the company at the table waited in deep silence for the love of the Lord our Father, immersing themselves in the love of their own hearts. How light and cheerful everyone felt, only Helga was troubled from time to time by a heavy worry when she thought of her last experiences on earth.

"You, my beloved Jesus" - she pleaded within herself - "surely I have made a great mistake in my overzealousness. Oh, forgive me, Father, and make amends for my misstep!"

"Peace be with you!" - it sounded in Helga's anxious thoughts. "Be blessed, My dear little child!"

Arm in arm with the extremely happy Felix, He, the One to whom Helga's fervent plea was directed, stood at the garden gate, His right hand raised in blessing. Leonore, who had first seen Him, had rushed towards Him and was now kneeling at His feet, tears of love and remorse in her eyes, her hands raised longingly to Him.

"Oh You All-Merciful, You who call us Your children, will You also accept in mercy me, an unworthy sinner, as Your child? Me, who  have uselessly wasted almost my whole life on nothingness? I know I am not worthy to be loved by You, but I feel it, You love me anyway, You reach out Your hand to me lovingly in spite of my great guilt?! So I dare it then, my longing for You is too great!"

She rose, conquered and encouraged by the abundance of love that flowed towards her from His face, from His gracious, now in the most wonderful, divine glow shining eyes; upright she stood, a holy fire glowed from her gaze, her pure, noble features: So father and child, God and human stood opposite each other, in the flaming Fatherly joy the One, the Eternal, in brightly blazing, heavenly, fiery ember of love and the strengthened daughter of God!

The other blessed spirits were also shaken to the depths, many trembled with delight and in intimate witnessing, Helga was also enraptured by the depth and fervor of this love; it almost seemed as if the fire of Divine Love wanted to consume the fair, tender soul, but she remained standing.

Quietly, Jesus said to this love-glowing child: "My beloved Leonore, pleadingly you come to Me in the emotion of your earthly guilt, which I wrote long ago in the sand, where the wind of My love blew it away. If you knew what a great gift you give Me with the humility of your heart, which enables you to the most ardent love, to endure even My divine fire, oh you could now have sympathized with My joy, you would perish in an instant with exceeding delight!

Do you know what it means when I tell you that for a long time I have not experienced such joy through a child of the earth as now through you?!!!  Come to My heart, you most delightful flower of humble love, and receive here blisses without measure or number!"

With a cry of joy, Leonore flew into His arms. She looked into His eyes in bright rapture and felt what no earthly word can describe. Gently, the Father lifted her face, which was glowing with love, close to His and kissed her on the mouth. It seemed to her as if the jubilation of all heavens shook through her soul all at once! Trembling, she hid her face against His breast, then a deep, holy peace trickled through her whole being.

Now the heavenly Father took Leonore to His right side (Felix was still standing to His left in blissful emotion) and walked to the table among the two most blissful children. There, too, they had to sit by His side. All the other spirits who had reverently raised themselves at the approach of the Heavenly Father, including the bright, high angel, sat down quietly, deeply moved with teary eyes.

The love-feast began.

Jesus blessed the bread and wine, commanded His children to use this food wisely and lovingly for themselves and their protégés on earth, and ate the bread Himself and also enjoyed the wine with them.

Such a sublime peace emanated from His being, that some souls could hardly breathe in order not to disturb this heavenly peace. Tremendous celestial power streams surged through all the participants in the holy love-feast, as the Lord of all heavens rose and came to each one, bestowing a word of blessing.

When He came to Helga, she grasped His hand in pleading apology, but Jesus said in deep earnest: "What that sister (looking at Leonore) just gave me, I also desire from you! Remove from your soul everything that lets you act rashly and thoughtlessly against My will. The gentle, soft humility, completely surrendering to My will of love, is the only thing that you, My children, can give Me.

Now worry and grieve no more for mistakes made, but beware of new ones, and look with hope into your most blessed future! Amen."

In blessing, the hand of the Most High rested on Helga's head, then Jesus continued. At last He turned to Felix and Leonore, seized their hands and joined them together in His hands, saying: "My dear son and you, My dear daughter, now I want to reveal a blessed secret of your souls before your eyes. Already at first sight you felt strangely connected, as if you had known each other for a long time. Behold, I created you simultaneously long ago and for each other, and now, in your most blessed state of maturity, I want to join you together in true, heavenly marriage for My great joy and yours, for the salvation of many souls. I read in your love-inflamed hearts that you know no greater happiness than to be with Me, than to love Me! This happiness shall always be granted to you, if you desire it in fervent longing.

But I have created you in such a way, man and woman, that you should need each other in the different activities of My great kingdom, and that you should complement each other in heavenly soul-harmony. So walk together towards the highest goals, encouraging and igniting each other to ever greater love for Me and for all beings! Amen!"

Felix' and Leonore's eyes were glued to Jesus' lips, they saw only Him. Smiling mildly, He blessed them both.

Then, full of fatherly love, He turned to all those gathered, shook hands with each child in farewell and - disappeared. Highly delighted, all sat together in silence. Then Helga turned to the angel and asked if she could go out alone without hurting anyone.

The light-spirit smiled: "Dear sister-heart, you are free, completely free, do what you want!"

Then she approached Felix and Leonore, stretched her hands towards them, she could not speak in view of this high, holy happiness; she silently embraced Leonore, waved warmly to all the other souls and left the garden.

She needed to be alone, for her heart was full to bursting, and after all the great experiences, she also felt a strange longing for peace, solitude and composure.

She paced over hills and through lovely valleys, following the course of the river that intersected this heavenly region. She was surprised that no bridge could be seen far and wide. Beyond the river, the land seemed to be even more glorious, still much more radiant in heavenly splendor. Helga could see indescribably precious palaces in the direction between morning and noon.  There the river also made a bend, but became even wider.

At this point, the path strewn with golden yellow gravel, on which she had walked until now, stopped. In front of her, in lush greenery, adorned with flowers and shrubs that provided wondrously refreshing shade, lay a small, lovely meadow, a patch, so quiet created to rest and linger. Delighted, Helga threw herself into the high grass. The sun shone in the sky, which all blessed beings behold; she knew: In this sun dwells God! In it's light was that holy city which only those angels and children of God may enter who are completely purified from the mud of the earth, in whose hearts only love and humility dwell.

Yes, humility - the quality that the One, fervently Beloved towards which her heart glowed in unspeakable longing - longed for from her as a gift!

For a long time, her heart lingered on the Lord's request for this one thing, which was more difficult for her than for that lovely sister, whose greatness of soul had also taken hold of her. At this thought, something hard and stormy melted in her soul, dissolved into the softest of emotions. - -

Suddenly she heard her name called. She knew this voice, she looked around, nobody was to be seen. She called back that she wanted to come, only she didn't know where to. Again the call sounded; she looked into her heart and saw the image of that land, and saw Him whom she loved so overly powerful, standing on the other side of the river, beckoning her.

She hurried down to the river, but even now could not perceive a bridge. Sadly she shook her head, but Jesus beckoned her again to come. Then, impromptu, she threw herself into the tide and wanted to swim.

Suddenly the thought came to her that the love for the eternal Father should carry her across the water, just like once the lovely little Jarah.

She straightened up and walked hurriedly over the water that carried her as if it were solid land. Highly astonished, she stood before her Master in a few moments. Jesus looked lovingly into her eyes and asked: "Well, My dearest Helga, would you not rather rest at My heart than in that beautiful meadow?"

"My Father, you are overkind, far too loving to me! I can hardly bear it, because my soul is still burdened by so many faults and weaknesses. Help me to be wise, gentle and humble! I would love You, oh my dearest friend, my heart-Jesus, with the fervor of all the suns at once, but oh, how weak I am still!" --

"Do not despair!" - said Jesus, full of love - "come with Me now, at My side you shall gather strength for the last great trials of freedom to which I must still expose you, but then you will be free from all dross, from all earthly things. See, My child, even the blessed spirits you left - except for one, must still go through the great trial, before they are ripe for their high, eternal destiny.

You know what you are still lacking, and that is good. Don't worry about it! The development of a soul cannot be rushed, you children of the earth are so different! Your path is difficult, and yet it is made easy through love! Now come, My beloved heart, to My breast and seek there strength, love, bliss and happiness!"

Helga stood in front of him, breathing heavily. Could she dare to approach Him so intimately, empty-handed, without the delightful gift He had asked for so much? - The heavenly Father stretched out His hands to her, and she timidly approached Him and sank to His breast. He pressed her tightly to His heart, His hand softly stroked her curls, her cheek; then a hot tear beaded on her face. - His melancholy seized her too, and she cried for a long, long time.

In this stream of tears, all fetters were loosened from her soul, the last self-willed, self-important and earthly in her being melted away as her tears flowed together with the holiest tears of love of her God and Savior.

Silently, the Eternal then led her on quiet, lonely paths through a fairy-tale land, whose wonderful glories her senses could hardly grasp. What did she care for all this splendor, this shine, without the One who walked unspeakably loving and caring by her side.

A wistful solemnity lay like a light veil over the splendor of her young, yearning love of God. It also happened from time to time that her thoughts rushed to the earth, anxiously and mercifully caring about the fate of the people whose misery she knew. Then she was met by a gently reassuring look from Jesus' eyes. With an extremely happy certainty she thought of how good it is after all to know that all human destinies are in these almighty and so extremely kind hands.

The way continued through more and more wonderful realms, whose splendor and beauties cannot be described. Everything Helga had ever dreamed of in the splendor of heaven, paled in comparison to what she was now allowed to see. And to imagine now that all this came out of the being of the only One who walk beside her as an ordinary man!!!

Again her thoughts wandered to the earth, she thought of earthly days full of worry and distress. And now she walked at the arm of her God through heavenly worlds! What a glorious lot! -- In blissful absorption she had not noticed that the path was gradually leading uphill, but one thing surprised her, namely that no living being met them. She asked her Divine Guide about it and received the answer: "I lead you the secret ways of My love, a sweet secret shall be revealed to you here. The numerous beings that inhabit this heavenly land feel My will and leave us alone."

"What secret do you mean, dear Father?"

"Be patient a while longer, My child, you will learn it in a moment" - was the Lord's reply. Meanwhile, they had effortlessly reached the height of the mountain.

With an exclamation of delight, Helga clung to her beloved Jesus. "Father, oh Father, this is too beautiful, almost unbearable is the splendor!"

Sighing deeply, this exclamation came from her, it was also a sight that human words are not able to describe; nevertheless, I will try to give a very faint idea of the tremendous picture which presented itself to the two wanderers. They stood on a dizzying height of a mountain that sloped gently on all sides, only steepening a bit toward the east. Under Helga's surprised eyes, a land of manifold design stretched out in such a lush blaze of color that Helga didn't know where to look first!

From the east, a sun shone in unearthly splendor, it's rays making the silver waves of the many streams, lakes, and mighty rivers shine even brighter, the white marble and golden domes of the fantastically beautiful palaces gleam even more magnificently through the lush green of the trees, and the numerous gems of all kinds that adorned the palaces, the little round garden-houses, the magnificent ships, bridges, and railings sparkle even more delightfully in a thousand-colored symphony.

Yes, in countless colors, forms, scents and sounds, this heavenly masterpiece of Divine creative power, rustled up to Helga, whose heart swelled in admiration.

Only after a long time of blissful viewing did she manage to stammer: "Oh You eternal God, all this have You, You alone created! How incomprehensible, how immeasurable is Your goodness! Such glories You left to come to us on the dark earth, to become man?! Oh I poor one, I eternally cannot grasp it! Your love is incomprehensible!"

In burning, adoring love, she sank down before Him. But He, full of kindness, stretched out His holy hand to her, which she pressed to her lips. "Arise, My dear heart, and turn your gaze toward the east!" commanded Jesus gently. She followed His invitation and tried to penetrate with her gazes the sea of light that poured from the Divine sun onto the areas lying close below her. She couldn't. Pleadingly, she approached the Lord and spoke: "Too great is the glow of Your love from Your Sun of Grace, how can a human eye penetrate it?! Give You, oh Father, me the strength to do this; I can no longer do anything without You!"

"Your request brings great joy to My heart! Now behold, I want to strengthen you.”

After these words of the eternal Father, Helga turned her eyes again to the east, and, oh wonder, now she could soon recognize the outlines of an over-glorious city; she knew it was Jerusalem, the most blessed city of God! Through a gate of immense splendor, she looked out onto a golden street where beings walked in blissful jubilant delight. A sweet song rang over all; now Helga could also see that these completed spirits were all streaming to the gate and coming to meet them.

Then Helga turned to Jesus, asking: "How infinitely happy, filled with supreme bliss, these greatest angels must already be! But tell me, my dearest Father, why then do the angelic spirits standing in the very front, cover their faces?"

"Dear Helga, these are My completed children who have discarded everything earthly, they are therefore even more beautiful than their surroundings; For your sake, they cover themselves; for you can not bear such beauty!"

These words of Jesus moved Helga deeply and rekindled her longing to come spiritually very close to her dearest heavenly Friend. With painful longing she felt at that moment how great a distance still stood between her and the heavenly Father. In order to tear away these inhibitions, the personal-essential presence of her God alone was not enough, she herself had to do something to it.

Again she thought of the one thing He had asked of her “humility” as a precious gift. Overpoweringly the longing burned up in her for the most intimate union with her all-loving Father Jesus, and her heart fervently pleaded for clarity, for speedy attainment of this highest goal. Jesus saw with heartfelt joy this desire of a pure heart, which was extremely pleasing to Him, and said: "Long ago I decided to help you reach the highest ultimate goal by all means. –

Would you be willing to make a great sacrifice to Me, yes to Me and to a soul pleading for salvation in eerie depths?"

"Yes, oh yes, with a thousand joys! I will do everything, everything, to finally make your dear Father-heart completely happy. Send me down into the deepest hell, I will gladly, oh so gladly go the hardest path of pain, if I may give You joy for once, You my beloved Jesus!"

Glowing with love and sacrificial courage, she stood before Him, Whose eyes now permeated her soul in the fire of holy earnestness of love. "Helga, have you considered what you just said?" was His deeply serious response. "Child, you don't know what the deepest hell means! Look but once around you!

You want to leave this heavenly, lovely region and descend into the most gruesome night full of torment and horror? You can humbly take up residence here in one of the beautiful palaces, let yourself be slowly led up to the heights by the most blissful light-spirits; then you would also always see Me when your longing for My personal presence inflames hotly. Now decide!"

"My Jesus, my God and Lord, I do not know hell with it's horrors, but I know that You, oh Father, also control it with Your unfathomable love, Your infinite mercy. Wherever I go, there Your love's indomitable power reaches, there Your arm protects me!

One thing I still know: I cannot indulge in heavenly delights while poor, wandering souls are down there wailingly plead for help.

I do not want to fear hell. I am only afraid of making You wait too long, You All-Glorious One, for what You desire from me. That is how I feel, I cannot speak otherwise. Your will Be Done! Whatever You, my most beloved Father, also may decide, I humbly bow to Your most holy will of love. Amen!"

Then the Lord came to the love-glowing human child, laid His hand blessingly on her head and said: "Then, go and save from the most severe distress that soul which cries for help from the depths of hell! My power flows through your soul and empowers you to defy the horrors of the deep. Call trustingly to Me in the greatest need, do nothing without My advice. My love, My power and My Divine peace escort you on your ways. Amen!”

VII.

Helga quickly glided away from under His holy Father-hands. The next moment she found herself in an eerily dark, wildly rugged mountain region. She needed a lot of strength to get used to this change. Even with herself, a change had taken place. Instead of the radiant robe of light, she now wore a simple gray-white smock, the fullness of her golden-blond hair is concealed by a similar cap.

Nevertheless, so much light emanated from her figure that she could clearly see her immediate surroundings. She followed a narrow path that squeezed between immense masses of rock. Helga looked up at a rock, she could barely see the top of this eerie rock colossus. And what shapes of the most hideous kind the rock masses had adopted! Here a devilish grimace grinned towards her, there a dragon's head, there a death-mask! She shivered. 'Just don't get discouraged right at the beginning!' The drive to help, urged her on.

The mountains had been crossed. In front of her, a dark basin spread out, permeated by fumes of sulfur and clouds of smoke. She continued on the arduous path. However, Helga soon succeeded in overcoming all obstacles thanks to the strength given to her by God.

In the distance, she now saw misshapen creatures moving, but no-one dared to come near her.

Then suddenly she recognized the outlines of a city. The ominous, dirt-faced walls instilled trepidation in her. She controlled herself and strode boldly towards the strangely open city gate. No-one hindered her from entering. Helga was surprised. She reached a street that was a little busier than the sad surroundings of this horrible city. But who then live here? Helga hardly dared to look at these hideous figures.

She stepped into a house which her heart assigned her. Two demons of terrible appearance (which is better not to describe) blocked her way. But she was calmly able to command the beings: "In Jesus' name, give free way!" The devils trembled at the call of this name and hesitantly made room for Helga. She entered a large hall, in which a sparse, gloomy red light burned.

But what happened here!? Sounds of an animalistic, terrible kind, and sighs of greedy wantonness sounded towards her! Helga was tempted to turn back, such a wild horror took hold of her! All the abominations of stray sensorial instincts were perpetrated in this room. Helga overcame this horror as well, walked through the hall, and at first remained unnoticed. She even managed to get into the second room almost unnoticed and unchallenged, from which an unspeakably sad moaning, sighing and lamenting sounded towards her. Here those had fled, who - tired of these atrocities for once, were writhing in the most ghastly agonies.

A shrill cry of pain came from a dim corner of the hall and made Helga wince. She went after this sound. And what did she see?

On a resting bed crouched a somewhat human-like figure, which was about to be forced with violence by some of the most ghastly monsters to stand up and give in to their ghastly lust. This unfortunate creature fought back and screamed desperately: "Oh no, no, I can, I want no more! Enough of the abominations, of the most atrocious sins! My God, have mercy and save me!"

This plea initially earned the unfortunate woman severe maltreatment from her tormentors. She might have experienced this already many times; for she replied on it with all firmness: "This time you won't force me! No, you won't make it this time! Tear me to pieces then, destroy me, I don't want any more!"

Helga had already pushed herself to the side of the desperate woman, comforting her with the words: "Be confident, dear soul, God has mercy; He will save you. His love reaches here as well."

Then a sword flared up and protectively covered Helga and the repentant sinner. Only now did Helga realize the serious angel who had followed her and had safely protected her. He also now kept the evil spirits at bay, so that she could turn towards the poor soul in peace. This one looked pitiful, a skeleton covered with numerous wounds and ulcers, the face like a death-mask. Helga asked seriously: "You called on God for help. Do you believe that He can save and heal you? Do you feel strength within you to implore this healing together with me?"

"Oh you messenger of light, thanks be to the eternal God that you came! If you had come later, I would not even have had the strength to speak to you. I deserve this terrible lot. Yes, I was a greedy, wasteful woman on earth, completely devoted to sensual pleasure.

I don't have much strength left, I can't say much anymore, but I want to plead for mercy, for salvation from this hell!"

“Oh you pure soul, go no further here! What happens in this house, is still harmless compared to the wild activities in the other streets and houses, from which no-one can get out of anymore. If you get me out of here, it is an unspeakably great miracle!  Oh, I wretched one lie here in the greatest disgrace through my own fault!" The last words came out intermittently, softly like a breath from the poor soul's mouth.

Helga, the messenger of Eternal Love, knelt down in prayer at the miserable woman's bed, grasping her hands. Then a mild, soothing current passed through both souls; The wounds on the body of the repentant soul closed, the boils disappeared, leaving barely visible stains, the bones covered themselves with some flesh.

Gratefully, this woman felt the cessation of pain; if she also looked miserable, she had now become a human being again. A dark gray linen skirt covered her body. Grateful, she looked at Helga. She, however, rejected all thanks and with warm, kind words asked her to testify her gratitude to God by a new life of humble love-activity.

The woman made the best of resolutions, promising her rescuer to do everything that is pleasing to God. Then Helga and the angel took the saved soul among them. Howling in furious rage, the demons threw themselves in their path. With the sword, the angel made a small alley and quickly led the two women out into the open. At the gates of the horrible city, all three praised and glorified God, that He has done so great a thing for them and for the poor soul, and has delivered it from the most dreadful distress through His immeasurable love, which does not make a stop even at the gates of hell!

When they had finished their prayer of thanksgiving, a bright, beautiful woman approached them, greeted them warmly and spoke: "I have been sent here to receive this soul and bring her to a kinder life."

Helga rejoiced: "It is you, Leonore, oh how glad I am that you are coming, dear sister! I gladly hand over this repentant soul to you. Take her with you, so the will of the Lord be done!” Leonore hugged Helga lovingly and soon disappeared with her protégé.

Helga, however, remained under the protection of God and the angel in this eerie, gloomy wasteland. Her thoughts lingered on the One who had again given her such a great proof of His boundless mercy. - -

Slowly she continued walking by the side of the silent heavenly friend. A mountain of enormous size towered before them, from which they were separated by a wide, deep abyss, but over which a small bridge crossed.

Beyond the bridge, on a projecting rocky plateau, stood a creature that captured Helga's attention. It wore a boldly cut, haughty face framed by black curls, the dark eyes burned in unsteady glow, a trait of defiance and cruel cynicism lay around the blood-red mouth. Shyly the girl looked at the unusual face. She had the desire to address the dark youth, but she first turned in her heart to Jesus. The answer was: "Yes, My child, talk to her, but in peace and love!"

Helga entered the small bridge and said: "You strange being, whoever you are, I have to address you, and I feel thereby the desire to rather meet you in a friendlier region! You indeed appear gloomy and defiant, an enemy of God, yet enthroned on your bold face are the traces of past glory."

“You young daughter of God are very bold, you daring one, do not know yet who you are talking to. Yet you spoke truth. I, too, once knew the happiness in which you heavenly spirits revel. But I, too, love my children; I, too, have a happiness to offer, whose sweetest enjoyment you proudly spurned on earth, whose hottest intoxication you despised!"

"Ha, now I recognize you, Lucifer, you liar! I have already gotten to know your ‘happiness’ behind the walls of that desolate city! "

"Helga, it is not wise of you to remind me now, right after the freshly accomplished deed, that you snatched a soul from me who was a bungler in savoring my happiness, just as you are still quite bungling in evaluating the heavenly possibilities of development. But you have fire, I especially love such souls - -"

"No further!" - said Helga seriously. "You talk of love, but your cruel, cold eyes continually sanctions your lies!"

"So that you will not always accuse me of lying, I am ready to prove to you the truth of my words. Oh I too can make happy, but in a different way than your God. Don't you want to get to know this happiness at least once, you sweet, foolish enthusiast?"

At the last sentences, Lucifer's appearance had strangely changed, he had stepped up to Helga onto the narrow bridge, his now demonic beauty beamed at her, a sweet, poisonous intoxication emanated from him and threatened to confuse her senses. In her most heartfelt union with the heavenly Father, she overcame temptation and answered the prince of hell with calm resolve: "Even your beauty does not make me believe in your happiness. Only One gives true love, whom you certainly know.  Only one happiness I know, which humble, sacrificial service gives us."

"So, you then don't want to follow me into my realm, to at least learn to understand how I, too, am able to delight beings who are completely devoted to me for eternity? Or are you scared?"

"I know I have nothing to fear, God's love lives in my heart and guides my thinking, speaking and doing. So in this matter too, only God's will be done! Amen!"

Again Helga heard in her innermost heart a soft voice: "My child, go with him, I protect you!" Thus, Helga spoke and prepared herself to follow God's adversary. The angel now came to them and said: "At God's command I go with you to protect Helga."

Lucifer abruptly turned and replied; "This is what you call freedom?! For a while, at God's own wish, this soul belongs to me! "

The archangel replied with great decisiveness:  "I only protect, as before, my sister's person from your violence, but not her knowledge from error!"

"I understand and agree!" - was Lucifer's short reply.

The next moment they were already in a dark red illuminated hall, furnished with great splendor, in which colorfully dressed servants went to and fro and paid all kinds of attention to extremely sumptuously decorated beings of both sexes. A bewitching music sounded in the room, the creatures in it were indulging in all kinds of amusement.

But one spirit always seemed haughtier, more domineering than the other, Helga soon noticed. The cold, stereotypically smiling faces also struck her as suspicious. She walked spontaneously around what appeared to be an overly polite chatting couple - and, oh horror! - from behind, these creatures looked as if they had laid in their graves for years!

Helga noticed something else thanks to the light of God in her soul: These hell-dwellers were masked in the most elaborate way. With one grip, she tore the masks from the couple's faces, held them before Lucifer's eyes and said: "Do you think you can fool me with such pathetic masquerade? Oh no, such an evidence fails to convince me!"

She came to the side of the angel, ready to leave the terrible realm with him, when Lucifer asked her: "No, don't go yet! Follow me to the next hall, there you will learn to believe me." "Well, let it be," she said somewhat mockingly, "but I already don't believe anything you say!"

Lucifer went ahead and opened the door to the next room. This one flaunted in the highest earthly luxury; bright red, green and magical blue light dimly illuminated the darkness with a dull glow. In golden basins burned blue fires, which were maintained by red and yellow dressed dwarfs by laying-on dry herbs and spreading a sweetish, confusing scent. In the extremely tastefully and comfortably furnished niches, two or more people sat together with beings of such great, sense-bewitching beauty that Helga now finally stopped in awe. "How is that possible?" - she asked herself.

She looked questioningly at the angel, whose countenance remained unmoved. He did not give her his opinion for her to understand with either a movement or with a look. Then she went alone to the niches to take a closer look at this "happiness". Couples sat together inside in the sweetest intoxication, some holding each other, others looking at each other and seeming to want to perish with supreme delight at the sight of the beauty of the other. Others again caressed each other in tender dalliance play, many of them seemingly intoxicated with the wealth that surrounded them.. None of these enchantingly beautiful creatures had the desire to come away from here one day.

Helga approached the most beautiful couple with the greeting: "Jesus' peace be with you!" Then she was met by a look so full of flaming anger, that it gave her clarity. But the anger of these two spirits seemed to subside quickly; for they asked the heavenly guest to take a seat with them for a while.

Helga, however, asked the couple to follow her to Lucifer. He commanded them with his eyes to obey the wish of the celestial spirit. Helga saw the quiet smile of triumph around Lucifer's lips, but pretended not to notice. "Look, you ruler of this realm" - she began softly - "here I bring you the most beautiful couple from this hall full of the intoxicating happiness of hell. But not even this enchanting beauty is able to convince me. You are about to learn why I doubt.

Here, too, everything is masquerade and deception! And so I command you all in the name of my God and your God and Lord, in the name of Jesus, the Almighty, to assume your true form!!!"

Loud and powerful sounded Helga's words. The angel's hand reached for the sword, Helga's boldness astonished him, too.

Lucifer stood, boiling with rage, before the courageous child of God and railed at her: "Presumptuous, how dare you command here! Only one commands here - - !"

"And this One is Jesus, in His name I call once more: Obey!" Now Lucifer stepped close to her, his eyes glowing menacingly at her: "You wretched fool, don't you dare again to call this name here, to arrogate to yourself my sovereign rights!"

"And for the third time I command in the name of JESUS, my God, show yourselves in your true nature!" Immediately the heretofore so beautiful spirits stood in the most hideous dragon- and indescribably disgusting monster-shapes before Helga's horrified eyes.

She sent a quick, fervent plea to the Lord, then she felt a hand on her shoulder, a stream of warm Fatherly love strengthened her hesitant soul, but she could not see the Divine Helper, she only perceived with reassurance that the angel's hand let go of the sword.  This happened in a few seconds, so that she, practically following her third call, said to Lucifer: "I do not need to make you show yourself to me in your true form, you have not left me in the dark about your nature from the beginning. But I tell you still one thing: I will warn every soul of the happiness you have to offer! The grace of God be with you too! Amen!"

She walked towards the door, followed by the angel, and the next moment, they were in a barren area into which only a pale twilight penetrated from the east. With the most heartfelt gratitude to her almighty Protector in her heart, she sank to the helpful angel's breast.

VIII.

"Blessed are you, dear sister, mightily shines the grace of Jesus, our most loving Father, in your glorious spirit, which has conquered your soul's hell to the deepest! Yes, I feared for you when you faced grave deceptions. But now rejoice, dear sister, greatness awakens in you". With these words, the angel raised Helga's head and looked deeply into the radiant eyes.

She, however, looked amazed and blissfully surprised into the traits gloriously illuminated by heartfelt joy, whose iron closedness had been loosened by the reflection of the softest emotions of the warmest co-experience of the miracle that happened in Helga's soul. She felt something vast, great, almost all-encompassing take hold of her whole being. Before this new vastness, hell lost it's horrors. - -

Then she looked deeply into the angel's eyes, from which even now the expression of a noble seriousness, a wistful sadness had not given way. It was as if joy could not shine into those so over-serious eyes, which were accustomed to penetrate oh so often into the deepest depths of hell! Now it became clear to her who was standing in front of her.

"Oh how gracious beyond measure is my God and Father!" - she exclaimed - "that He sent down His mightiest angel to my protection, as I believed to walk alone through dreadful night!"

“God never allows a celestial spirit who has not yet reached the highest goal to go down alone to such depths. And yet you were free, despite my presence. In this freedom you have won the greatest things, therefore pay attention to your inner being, look into your heart, what reveals itself in it, and make everything known to me, if you want" - was Michael's answer.

Helga embraced him in ardent happiness and said: "I feel so light, so happy, I had to press you to my heart, you wonderful brother! But now I will follow your wise counsel and gladly tell you all that will show in my heart."

Now both of them were silent, the girl sank into her inner being, which all at once seemed so wide, so light, and she was amazed to see a whole world in it. Suns of tremendous size and glory wandered past her.

"Oh Michael, I see in myself the whole, immense universe, and I have the feeling that I could be anywhere I wanted to go. Oh see, now our sun is approaching me, that shines to the earth. However beautiful it also may be in their worlds, my heart longs to see the poor, dark earth! There is it already, closer and closer it comes. It is night in those regions that I once wandered through; my heart searches for the people I knew in the world.

Suddenly I am standing in the living room of the man I loved so much. Oh, I see light around him, he is reading a glorious work from the grace of our heavenly Father. Be blessed, dear earthly pilgrim, soon you too will see your eternal home.

And Irene? There she lies, blossoming in the lovely beauty of her soul, in sweet slumber on her resting bed. But danger still threatens her. Oh Father in Heaven, protect her from the lurking, gloomy shadows!—

But Edith? On which paths do you wander?

Already I am standing in her bedchamber, which I already know; she is very, very ill, in a high fever, tormented by longing for the man who rejected her. Her mother is not with her; a nurse keeps watch at her bed. My Father, whose mercy knows no bounds, heal her soul, save, save her! Your will be done! - Then the door opens, two people enter, her mother and - Rudolf Foerster. How transformed is his appearance! What compassion speaks from his features. Oh, now I know everything - everything will be fine. May these two hearts find each other in pure love and walk together through earthly life, purified!"

Helga now looked up to the angel, saying: I saw enough to know what glorious things were opening up to me, to feel how great are the delights which the inner riches of our fully awakened spirit of light, kindled to bright blazing flame, make us taste!"

„Thus, I must leave you now, dear sister; but glorious tasks await you here in the gloomy middle kingdom, only then a most blissful event awaits you! More I am not allowed to tell you. Be blessed! Amen!" With these words, the angel bowed to Helga and disappeared.

Deeply moved, Helga slowly walked on. Her soul was filled with a hitherto never known consciousness of power; and yet everything in her had become so soft, gentle and yielding, with ever deeper delight, she felt this transformation without fully comprehending it. This secret became clear before her eyes only later.

Suddenly she heard sounds of many footsteps going back and forth, something was thrown and caught, loud shouts of many men's voices reached her ears. She looked up. Yes, what was that then?

Some distance away, a real earthly sports club was raving. There might have been about twenty youths who passed the time with sports games in the extremely dim twilight. - Now it was handball's turn. Helga knew that she had to intervene here and bring light to these souls. But it would be necessary to act fast. She got the thought of looking similar to these lightless earthly children to not stand out particularly right away.

Already she had a dark tracksuit with matching cap on her body instead of the gray smock and strode quickly toward the laboriously prepared playground. She found the poor fellows in a bitter quarrel, a brawl threatened to start at any moment. The reason: In the darkness, many mistakes had been made; in the zeal of the game, one had pulled the other to the ground.

Then Helga called into the crowd: "Gentlemen, will you let me join the game?" Taken aback, those lying on the ground rose, curiously all looked into the delicate, beautiful girl's face. A herculeanly built man, who from a distance could be identified as a sport-enthusiast, came towards her and fended her off with the words: "No, that's not possible, we are just the right number and attuned to each other, your playing along would result in unnecessary disturbances." Another player pushed near, and said good-naturedly: "Come on, don't be like that, let the girl join in, it'll be a bit more interesting straight away!"

"Yes, yes, she can play along" - said the others - "we could do with a bit of variety".

"Well, be honest, big guy, we've already had interference anyway, so a little more or less really doesn't matter!"

"Yes, you are quite right" - the tall one replied a little more gently - "but the thing must have it's order, in each party there must be an equal number of players"

"Yes" - replied the Berlin boy - "that's right, you're right. But I know what to do. Hello, you little one from back there, come here!"

From the back row, a fine, pale person with sympathetic features approached Helga, looking at her exploringly. The Berlin boy grabbed him by the arm and said: "Listen, little one, you haven't really felt like it for a while, do you want to let the young lady play for you?"

"But yes, very much if the lady cares so much to play with you!?"

"Yes, I care a lot!" - said Helga to him, withstanding his incessant exploring gaze.

He said: "Who are you? I can see that you don't belong here, you dear soul, you come from a country full of splendor and beauty. - Everything seems so strange to me here! I know you can give me clarity."

Helga answered him quietly: "You are certainly right with your assumptions, but wait! I can not tell you anything particular yet."   Louder, she added: "And I ask one thing of you: count the games we play!"   He nodded, and Helga stepped into the ranks of the athletes.

The game started.

At first, the sport-enthusiast fought with her in the same group that easily won every game. Everywhere Helga stood it was a little brighter, making it easier for her party to win. The constantly defeated became dissatisfied, especially since they realized that the girl surpassed all of them in agility. She played as flawlessly as if she had never done anything else.

The only spectator, however, had his own thoughts about the game. Soon he propped his head in his hand and devoted himself to his musings:

Now one has studied on earth, struggled with all denominations, dogmas, gnostics and church-fathers, and when one wanders over into this strange beyond, then everything is so different than it would be assumed according to the wisdom in all the learned tomes. Here is nothing of the millions and millions of years-lasting sleep of the souls, until the angel of the judgment awakens the sleepers. No, immediately with the crossing into this gloomy realm it became clear to me that an active Father-God is not interested in a long, idle sleep of His children.   Everything is development.

But on what level do I stand? - -

How happy I was when, after a long, desolate loneliness, I finally met people I could talk to! They didn't want to know about God, sport is their highest pleasure! Now comes a bright, beautiful soul, from which I hoped for clarity, and she does sport with these godless people, instead of finally quenching my thirst for knowledge! Oh, what is this for a strange world!

Or - is everything here a deception - or a dream? - - -"

With these doubting considerations, the student touched himself vigorously everywhere to convince himself of the reality of his existence. Finally, he sat down unwillingly and violently on a large stone, which even caused him some pain, and again indulged his thoughts:

"No, it doesn't seem like a dream after all. But blessed spirits playing handball, that's foolishness after all? What should become of this? If this continues, maybe I will yet get to see Christ our Savior in such a situation? Where remains the holiness, the sublimity of the concept of God, of all heavenly thinking and acting? No, I need to get to the bottom of the matter!"

"Hallo, dear friend, you're not paying attention!" - sounded Helga's voice into his thoughts. "We've then already done three games!" The girl stepped out of the crowd and looked at him half mischievously, half reproachfully. "Don't brood so much" - she warned softly - "just be patient, all your anxious doubts will melt away before the glow of the truth you will soon realize."

Startled, he looked at her, so she had read his thoughts! "I need to know one thing" - he urged - "Who are you?"

"A human being like you" - was the reply - "ask your inner being, your innermost feeling, whether I am good or evil, true or deceptive!"

Turning to the rest of the young men, she shouted: "The game continues!"

"But I'm going to fight you now" - said the sports-enthusiast. So this game became a battle between Helga and the ambitious athlete; the other youngsters soon joined in only for pretense; the wild game tired them out.

The student had forgotten his musings and followed the fierce duel with intense attention, obediently counting the games. With what playful ease this strange girl caught and threw the ball! The sports-enthusiast played with great zeal at first, but slackened and visibly tired, it was only the fury of ambition that kept him demanding revenge. In his game obsession, he hardly noticed that his comrades had long since gone on strike.

He only stopped when he really couldn't go on and his teammates called out to him: Then finally stop, big guy, you're indeed losing every game, and we don't participate anymore! Nobody is a match for this girl!"

Helga looked pityingly at the weary crowd, went to the only spectator and asked him loudly the number of games completed. He named a very high number, so that all his friends looked at him in consternation.

"That is not possible, it must be a mistake, thereto we would have needed several days!"

"No, I wasn't mistaken, I can still count!" - said the theologian somewhat unwillingly.

"Yes, the number is correct, I know it" - Helga confirmed - "however, it would take us several earthly days to do it if we were on earth, if that makes sense to you. - Now look around you! Just as at the beginning of our game, only the pale twilight from the far East is reaching us now. Doesn't that surprise you?"

"Yes, that is very strange. But where else should we be then?"

"That you are no longer on earth, is then proven. If you were on earth, you would have had to see the sun rise and set several times during your game! I will tell you where you are. You are in the beyond, in the spirit-realm, as poor, ignorant human souls.

"What, I am supposed to be there!? Maybe you can sure tell me what I died of? ", the Berlin boy asked, full of derision.

"I will not tell you that, Franz Kellner, it is enough for you to know that no earthly sun will wake you up to bad deeds anymore. Your life has been dark enough, yet God has mercy on you if you let sincere repentance move into your heart again, like at that time, when yet a loving girl wept at your breast!"

Franz Kellner was at first afflicted by Helga's knowledge, but then he laughed out loud and jeered: "God?! Ha, what kind of nonsense are you talking about!! I'm not falling for this priest-swindle!"

Then other young men intervened, pushed the Berlin boy aside and said: "If only you roughneck wanted to keep your big mouth shut! Are you then blind? Don't you see that this girl knows more than all of us, and can do more than the best one among us? - - -

You, dear friend, tell us more about this life here, even about God who we do not know. In our youth we didn't care about Him, we had our pranks and stupidities in mind. Now we suddenly stand in a life full of uncertainty. We cannot play sports here for ever, romping around and killing time with it. Be so good, lovely girl, and enlighten us!"

"Yes" - added the sports enthusiast - "I've truly had enough of this silly gimmick for a while, and I also want to start something more useful. Some still muttered some snide nonsense, but did not dare to let their opposing view become loud. So Helga began: "My dear new friends, you have now partially realized that you are in the spirit-realm. Thus, now know that this barren region corresponds to your life. You came here completely destitute of knowledge and love. Just as poor, lightless and barren is your environment.

Here in the "beyond" is only one law: love. This regulates all relationships and conditions here. A better lot can blossom for you only when true repentance for your earthly deeds and transgressions, committed out of lovelessness, purifies your hearts and enables them to the reception of the pure love for God and brother."

"You said: Love of God and love of brother" - a soul objected - "so it is true that you are to love God above all and your neighbor as yourself, as it says in the Bible? - How then should I love a being whom I don't know or cannot see at all?"

"That's right, that's the catch! You see, I wasn't really wrong!" - the Berlin boy let himself be heard again. "Yes, this God, where is He then, He should take better care of the people!

He lets us degenerate into misery and then still demands 'Love above all!' No, that is too much to demand!" spoke another, who found much applause. Some calm, level-headed people, however, admonished: "Be quiet, just let the girl talk!"

Gradually the crowd calmed down and Helga continued: "When you were looking for a woman on earth to please you, didn't you first make an ideal image of her? Didn't you often say that she had to look like this and like that, have these and that qualities? Wouldn't you be literally in love with your ideal, which you only found later in a woman who mostly only outwardly resembled the archetype in your breast?

Just as earthly love seeks it's ideal, so an ancient yearning of humankind longs for an ideal of the most perfect human being and the completed harmonious life. You will find this deepest longing among all the peoples of the earth. The primary cause of this longing is the heart's homesickness for the lost kingdom of heaven.

In order to fight for this happiness, to regain it, God makes people go through hardship and suffering. God separated Himself from man one day, so that they might become free from the compulsion of His Divine power and mature to the reception of the Divine Fatherly love!

That is why God also became a human in Jesus, so that we, encouraged by His example of love, His sacrificial courage, would want to turn from power-bound creatures into the freest children of God!"

After these remarks, a fierce movement arose in the crowd, the pros and cons were eagerly discussed. Those who had more or less understanding for Helga's words gathered around the sport-enthusiast, but the opponents, who were in the majority, gathered around the Berlin boy.

The theologian immediately turned to Helga with the questions: "Are your words really heavenly truths? Is it thus true that our church errs in considering Jesus to be only the Son of God, but not God Himself? Why do you, as a blessed spirit, not walk according to His Word and participate in the follies of earthbound, lightless spirits?"

"I want to answer your last question first. It stems as much from your dogmatic, rigid bondage as your remaining ones. See, out of love that respected the inner freedom of the brothers, I went into their sphere.

I was not allowed to frighten them with heavenly splendor and great beauty and overwhelm their weak souls - no, tenderly and comfortably, I had to fit in to their inner life and then give them light. For the sake of free love, also God does not encourage humans by the fact that He reveals Himself to us miserable sinners as the almighty, powerful God and Lord only, but thereby that He descended as an ordinary man into our depth, exemplified to us a life full of love, greatest humility and devoted sacrificial courage and permitted the freedom of the blinded present humans even to deliver His body to  earthly death! God truly could have had it easier!

If He had appeared as a supreme light-figure and had thundered His Divine will with a powerful voice into the hearts of the people, verily, there would have been not one on earth who would have dared to doubt His Divinity, to oppose His commandments or to lay hand on Him!

But all people would then have lost one thing: The freedom of will, the most precious good, the only bridge from the awe-stricken creature to the free, love-glowing child of God. Without the freedom of will, no ascent to the highest heaven of light and love is possible, but also no fall into the deepest depth! –

So, my friends and brothers, God's all-wise Father-Love had to set you free if He wanted to make your highest development possible.

The freedom of the will is conditional as a self-fulfilling gift, that different ways are open to the beings endowed with it to walk, also on ways far from God, far from free, selfless love, far from true happiness.

Out of free will, most people have chosen the way far from God and thus brought misery and hardship upon mankind. Out of this misery, God, in His goodness, let redeeming powers arise, which should compel the souls that have gone astray, to reflect on their misguided life and to follow their inner, purest longing.

This longing also lives in you, my dear friends, follow it's course! Desire a life connected to the most holy life of God, our loving Father, and you will be blessed. I don't know any other way out.   Examine my speech with your heart and act according to your free will!

Great was the impression of these words of love on all listeners, also on the at first so eager counter-speakers, but most of all on the student, who seemed to literally blossom under their influence.

The spellbound listeners had not noticed that their crowd had increased. Immediately after the beginning of this generous question-answering, several very scanty-looking women and girls had quietly approached. -

Even if no-one dared to say anything to Helga and not everyone understood the deep meaning of her words of light, but it had become a little brighter in each soul. The scales had fallen from the eyes of the theologian, in the light of the last revelations of the Divine Spirit through Helga's mouth he clearly recognized his errors, his rational, narrow thinking, which had kept his bright and loving soul gagged until now. It was as if all the shackles fell clattering to the ground, his soul strengthened and visibly beautified itself in the finally regained freedom.

“Oh, how wonderful I feel" - he whispered to Helga - "I feel as if I am only now beginning to live and love! A longing fills my heart to see Him, my Savior, to greet, to embrace Him lovingly!

Yes, I loved Him very much already on earth, only the wrong ideas inhibited my love for Him. Now I understand why our God and Father had to become human. In His inconceivable love for us sinners, He could not act otherwise. He had to bridge the gap between us and Himself if He wanted to escape His loneliness. For even the most light-filled loneliness of an almighty God harbors a deep suffering. I have gotten to know the agony of loneliness very thoroughly on earth and also here.

Oh brothers, believe me, my heart rejoiced when I finally found you! There is no greater happiness than to love God above all and to be allowed to love your brothers and sisters more than yourself!"

Moved, all souls had listened to his words of love, the fire that glowed in him and in Helga seemed to awaken in their devout listeners also a pure love-life; because they unanimously declared to want to follow the two spirits of light and asked for their guidance. Then Helga said: "What we were allowed to give you, we have let stream to you from our overflowing hearts. Now turn - each according to his ability and freest will - in your hearts to the heavenly Father in Jesus with the humble request for light and clarity, for kind improvement of your lot. So be it done according to His Holy Will! - Amen!"

Then Helga and her love-illuminated brother, the former student, knelt down; the other brothers and sisters followed their example. Many wept with remorse and emotion. After a while of deep, fervent supplication, it became brighter around them, the area took on a friendlier appearance, a magnificent deciduous forest rustled around them, lovely, sweet huts arose at some distance, blessed, mildly smiling spirits approached the praying crowd and asked the souls, surprised to the highest degree, to accept their modest services in this land.

How lovely and beautiful, though similar to earthly climates, was this apparently fertile valley, given a peculiar charm by the wondrously radiant starry sky that arched above it in magical splendor. Also the appearance of all up until now so sad figures, had mysteriously changed. In light, colorful, fragrant garments that matched the spring-like landscape, they, men and women, stood joyfully and happily in front of Helga, who similarly to them, wore a simple summer-dress.

A glorious light-figure came to them with a golden harp in his hands. With an infinitely touching voice, the angel sang a song of thanksgiving, to which all those gathered, gradually joined in. Powerfully it swelled; in sweet, harmonic chords, it swung itself up to the primordial Source of all bliss.

After the completion of this heart-refreshing song, another angel of light came to Helga and whispered softly to her: "Your work is now done here, depart in the direction which I will take before you! Jesus is waiting for you. Be blessed!"

The bright heavenly messenger disappeared towards the east, Helga's eyes followed him longingly. As quietly as he had spoken, his words had still been heard by two souls besides Helga: The former student and a girl standing next to Helga.

IX.

When Helga was about to follow the angel, the student and the girl approached their sister of light with the request to take them with her. Helga looked scrutinizingly at the latter, in which she had long since recognized Hilde Meissner, her former colleague. She knew only too well how many times this former gross sinner had mocked every faith in God in the world! She, Hilde Meissner, had been one of those modern women who recognized only their personal desires and inclinations as a guideline for life. To live out, to cultivate individualism in every direction, had always been her motto, which she had lavishly followed.

In the earthly love she had taken it by no means so exactly, never asked whether she snatched the dearest from another woman. And this human child now desired to be led to the Lord!

"I see you hesitate, you distrust me" - Hilde said - "and I deserve such distrust. My life was sin upon sin! But if you knew what I have already suffered here, oh certainly, you would have mercy on me and lead me to our infinitely kind Father, so that I could plead at His holy feet under a thousand bitter, hot tears for forgiveness of my countless sins and transgressions!

But now I believe I recognize you, at least you bear a strong resemblance to my former co-worker Helga Sarrenius, only you are incomparably more beautiful than that slight, delicate, blonde girl, which I envied so ardently at the time for her happiness with the rich Councilor of Commerce Muehlheim, and whose flight from this brilliant position as his private secretary, I could not comprehend."

"Yes, you guessed right, I am Helga Sarrenius, but let bygones be bygones now, you too are going towards a most blissful future. God has already shown you much grace. He will lead you to the highest bliss if you kindle the flame of love more and more in your heart. In this light, everything will finally become clear to you what hitherto seemed incomprehensible to you."

Then Helga was silent for a short time to hear the answer of her Holiest Father to the request of the two souls in her heart. It immediately sounded in her: My dear child, lead these dear souls to Me, My heart longs for them! Amen!"

"Come with me; for our most loving Father is awaiting you!" - Helga whispered to the light-hungry, love-longing spirits and hurriedly preceded them. The path led uphill, getting higher and steeper. They soon reached the crest of the mountain and - oh what a wonderfully surprising miracle! - Before them in the heavenly sunshine, lay a land full of splendor and manifold beauty! This sight elicited exclamations of the highest amazement and brightest delight from the two souls, who until recently had languished in darkness, they could hardly get a hold of themselves! This childlike, excessive joy forced warm tears of joy into Helga's eyes.

Deeply moved, she put her arms around the shoulders of her siblings and asked them to descend with her into these paradisiacal valleys where a great adventure awaited them. After a while of blissful watching, the three descended to the valley.

They suddenly saw a strange crowd of children approaching from the west, led by a being whose peculiar beauty astonished even Helga. It was a woman - long hair of greenish color surrounded her upper body, this hair was loosely held together by a pearly barrette. Her skin was of an exceedingly dazzling whiteness, her form of the highest symmetry.  Approaching closer, they saw eyes of luminous green in the snow-white, overly tender little face.

A tight-fitting undergarment shimmering in all colors covered her body, over which hung a gossamer, bright blue fabric that heightened the ethereal delicacy of this girl figure.

"What a wonderful, strange creature" - Hilde said softly - "one could truly still learn to believe in mermaids here!"

Even the children, of which many looked pathetic and miserable, seemed to think they had to do with a water-fairy; because they argued about whether it would maybe be advisable to get the lovely being to tell fairy-tales. Their effort was in vain, for the peculiar creature made the mostly very degenerate earthly children's souls understand through signs that she came from another world and speak a foreign language.

Then the wildest children rushed behind her and wanted to tease her. Quick as an arrow, the blissful creature fled from these little tormentors and thus came close to our three friends. She caught sight of Helga first, backed away in fright, and clung fearfully to a tree.

In the meantime, Helga had seen the almost dreamlike, extremely colorful home of this stranger in her inside: it was a large planet with ten moons shining at night, but two suns during the day, one in the yellow light, the other in the blue light.  It orbited far from the earth. She also saw in her spirit the strangely beautiful people, she even suddenly understood their language.

In an infinitely gentle voice, she called to the delicate, timid, fearful creature in the language of her homeland, saying: "Do not be afraid of us, fair Esrida! We will not harm you. If you really want to acquire the childship of God on the holy planet, you must overcome this foolish fear. You are under the protection of the eternal Spirit and no-one is allowed to harm you!"

"Who are you then, that you speak the language of my homeland, since you do not stem from there?" - asked the addressed one, still a bit shy, but at least letting go of the tree trunk.

"A child of the earth which you call the 'holy planet,'" - was Helga's reply.

"You are a daughter of the holy star? The children of the earth I met so far looked different from you. Who are just these mad little tormentors, what do they want from me?" - Esrida wanted to know.

"These little earthly spirits are mostly children of bad, godless parents. They arrive here in a deplorable condition and must be wisely instructed and patiently educated so that their souls can be brought to the Kingdom of Heaven. God's mercy is endless, and He is exceedingly wise. He knows a thousand, even infinite ways for the salvation of His children. Those poor little souls didn't want to harm you, they thought you were a mermaid, a water-fairy and wanted to hear stories from your life. Are you reassured now? - -

At the name of God, you prostrated yourself to the earth and touched the ground with your forehead. Behold, fair Esrida, God is a most loving Father to His children. He raises the creatures from the dust of the earth and draws them to His heart as His children. Do you understand such things?

You, as one of the few souls of your homeland who can decide to take this very serious step, have made the wonderful resolution to wrestle yourself through to the love of God and to love all beings that God loves, to love more for His sake than your own self. If you are to succeed, turn away from oversized reverence and long for nothing but love - love of the purest kind!"

At the last words of the messenger of love, Esrida had courageously taken a few steps closer, and soft as a breath it came gratefully from her lips: "Oh I feel you have reached it, the high goal I have in mind, oh, so far! Dear daughter of God, pray for me that I do not walk the hard way in vain under such harsh conditions on earth!

Show me the way there, I'm so strange here, my language is also incomprehensible to all souls!"

"Have patience for a short time, I will pray with you, but not with the lips, but in the heart full of love," Helga comforted the hesitant. Both souls were silent, and then two bright figures came to the praying ones; Helga, joyfully moved, recognized Felix and Leonore, who embraced her warmly.

"Helga, what for a wonderful bird have you caught there for our Father?" - asked Felix surprised.

"It is a child of an alien planet that you are to lead to Earth, she longs to be allowed to call the eternal Spirit FATHER!" - replied Helga seriously in Esrida's language, which was now also understood by the blessed couple.

Felix and Leonore beckoned Esrida, but she had leaned against the tree, trembling. Felix approached her and asked gently: "Well, fair, lovely child, are you sorry for your decision ? Shall we take you back to your homeland?"

"No, no, just not that!" - cried Esrida. "I do not quake with fear, but this tremendous, decisive event set my poor, weak soul into violent vibrations of great excitement! - A light shines in me! I am ready to go with you in the name of God, who may graciously become my Father!  Amen!"

Then the three disappeared from Helga's sight.

X.

Hilde and Walter, her companion, had in the meantime turned to the children to prevent them from pursuing Esrida further. Hilde developed thereby marvelously in her dormant qualities and abilities: a deep, loving understanding also for misguided child-souls and an enormous patience, likewise Walter, who felt very much in his element with this occupation.

They had led the children to trees that bore delicious, tasty fruit. While Helga was giving courage and comfort to the strange star-creature, the poor little children had been refreshing themselves on the fruits of paradise and through this enjoyment, as well as mainly through attentive listening to and following Walter's teachings, had acquired a healthy, thriving appearance.

But some children did not want to be taught, even spurned the fruit and annoyed the little spirits who had become gentler. Then Hilde thought it would be advisable to separate. At that moment, Helga joined in. "You're just in time for us!"

Hilde eagerly called to her: "We've just been discussing the further upbringing of the little children. Do you want to lead the more mature beings away from here a bit, we'll take care of the unruly beings?!"

"Your suggestion is very good, I will fulfill your wish with pleasure." With these words, Helga led the better children to an out-of-the-way meadow overgrown with beautiful flowers of all colors and lush grass. Here began a lively game of hoops and balls, interrupted by the telling of little stories in which a deep, heavenly meaning was hidden. How great was the joy when the children's answers hit the mark! Thus the blissful girl led her protégés ever closer to the heart of Him for Whom her heart was now calling again in burning longing.

But she knew too well that she had to tame her own heart for the sake of the salvation of the souls Jesus had sent her way. Then she felt that the wondrous, pure feeling of love for her eternal Father was becoming more and more powerful in her - so much, that she believed she had never loved Him before!

Suddenly she saw a man in simple dress standing behind her protégés, she recognized Him, wanted to rush to Him rejoicing, but then a voice in her heart warned her: "Be quiet, don't betray Me!"

The children also noticed the man, and a girl threw Him a ball, inviting Him to play along. Smiling, the stranger threw the ball back, another child caught it, cheering, and so the childish game continued.

Even though the children did not know Who was behind the friendly, simple man, their souls were filled with a joyfulness they had never felt before, which manifested itself after the manner of children through loud cheering, shouting, laughing and joking.

In the other group, sadder things took place at first. The separation from the gentler playmates had not suited the little wildlings at all. They railed in vulgar phrases, lashed out and were difficult to calm down. With a lot of effort, the two noble spirits finally managed to appease the greater part of their protégés, but the wildest boys hid in the bushes.

„Here, these strict disciplinarians can search for us a long time!" They were sought, but by quite different teachers. Ugly spirits crept up on them from the gloomy West and lured them to come with them; because with them, they could do whatever they wanted.  This was evident to the little sinners, but nevertheless the ugly appearance of these unblessed messengers of darkness scared them.

Then Hilde stepped up to and saw the serious distress of her protégés. She had just observed from afar the appearance of the simple man from whom, however, so much love radiated, with the gentler children, and had felt a strange, deep tugging of the heart towards him, when she was distracted from the lovely scene by soft, mysterious whispering in the bushes behind her and knew that now it was necessary to act, to save!

Helga's words of God's incarnation in Jesus came to her mind, of His immense, sacrificial love; she felt that only Jesus could help here. Determined, inspired by holy sacrificial courage, she stepped between her protégés and the dark tempters.

“Let go of the poor children, who were indeed not responsible for their bad life on earth! I, the great sinner in the world, would much rather have deserved an eternal, agonizing existence in your gloomy realm than these little lost souls. But if God was gracious to me and gave me a better existence in response to my fervent, remorseful plea, how much more will He do for these children who hardly knew what they were doing on earth! - -

And so I ask You, Jesus, You true God and man, save these little ones as You saved me, unworthy one!"

After this true prayer of love, a lightning flashed into the crowd of hell-spirits and chased them away. Fearfully, the small, repentant sinners crawled now to Hilde and clung to her skirt. With tears of joy in her eyes, the girl noticed the change for the better. Overjoyed, Hilde led them to the other children, taught them in association with Walter, then both decided to join Helga's flock with them. Willingly, their pupils went with their loving, patient guides to the other company and also voluntarily vowed to be gentle and kind to their playmates.

How cheered the two siblings' hearts there! Soon they stood near the small, lovely crowd and observed with increasing admiration how infinitely lovingly the simple and yet to them already very sublime celestial child-friend dealt with the little children, yes, he even took part in their childish ball-game, so that the little spirits became more and more trusting in him.

Now he turned to the arrivals with the joyful words: "What delightful joy you, dear friends, have prepared for us there! Do these little children now want to join their playmates in peace and harmony?" Before the two guides could say anything in reply, it sounded from many joyful children's voices: "Yes, oh yes, we will play sweetly and kindly with you, will you accept us? We certainly won't bicker with you anymore!"

"Yes, come quickly and play with us, oh now we are more! Oh, it is nice that you want to get along with us!" - the other children shouted happily to them.

Helga stood at the edge of the meadow, bliss and happiness reigned within her, but she ardently longed for a talk with her beloved Heavenly Father. Unfortunately, this wish do not seem to come true for now. Thus she tamed her fiercely desiring heart and devoted herself with ardent love-zeal to all the children, whom she arranged into several circles; also a beautiful new ball was on hand for those who joined. She now had to deal with the children alone; for the loving child-friend had turned towards Walter and Hilde, whom he led up a nearby hill.

The certainty had grown stronger and stronger in these souls that more than an ordinary spirit was hidden behind this plainly dressed man.

Walter was used to always approaching his target straight and honestly, and so he asked without much ado here as well: "If I had met you, dearest heavenly friend, before, when my soul was still burdened with a thousand errors, I would never have suspected anything higher in you.

Despite your exceedingly simple clothing, the almost royal majesty of your being, the infinite greatness and fullness of your love, which shines from your most noble, purest countenance, does not escape me!

Oh my heart burns, the more I address you, the longer I look at you, in ever more fierce, greater love for you, you most wonderful being! Oh, I can tell you nothing more; high, heavenly friend, whoever you may be, have mercy on me and give me light!"

With these words, the brother sank down at Jesus' feet and wept with love, although he did not recognize Him.

Then the Father picked him up and said infinitely gently: "Tell Me, My dear friend, whom did you love most in the world? But before you answer, explore your heart carefully!"

For a while, the love-filled soul was silent, looking steadfastly into His, the Holiest's, eyes, but then Walter's thoughts went back to childhood. He saw his earthly father standing in the pulpit, preaching one of his faith-filled sermons infused with the purest moral rigor, but his young heart had never warmed thereby. He had often gone to his early deceased mother and confessed to her his misgivings, his longing. She had comforted him and put to his heart to one day proclaim to poor humanity the love, the sacrifice-willing love of our Savior.

Yes, now it became clear to him all at once: he had loved JESUS most of all, but how much the thick tomes full of wise, dogmatic rigor and exact science had displaced this beautiful love in his heart! Quietly, almost timidly, he said to the high questioner: "Most loving, wonderful friend, there was a time, there I have - Jesus. But, for God's sake! Was I blind then?! Oh my heart told me it aloud.

You, It's You, yes, I have longed for. You my life, my everything, once, one snatched You from me, but never, never again shall it happen! Oh my, my dearest Jesus, my God and Lord, now I will not leave You ever, if only You do not turn me poor blinded man away from You!"

With these love-glowing exclamations, Walter had rushed to the heart of the Holiest Father, with heartfelt joy and love, the eternal Father embraced him and said exceedingly graciously: "You My beloved son, I will certainly never send you away from Me, I am so happy that you have finally found your way home to My loving Father-heart, which already was awaiting you full of longing for a long time!"

Blissfully, Walter now rested on Jesus' heart of love and could not utter a word for a long time because of his overwhelming happiness. Hilde had looked at this wonderful experience of her brother with the most unsettled emotions. A hitherto unknown, incomprehensible feeling glowed mightily in her, too, but nevertheless she would have preferably crept away modestly, she felt now as never before her unworthy life as a heavy burden of guilt on her soul. She sank to the ground, deeply saddened in her heart, lamenting all her sinfulness. How long she had lain thus in deep mourning, she did not know, suddenly she was lifted up and looked into the blissful and at the same time pitying face of Walter.

A few steps in front of them stood Jesus. Mildness sounded from His words: "Now, dear child, I see your true, deep repentance. But do you have so little trust in Me that you do not dare to ask for My grace and love, and have yet received grace in abundance?! Don't you know how I once forgave Mary Magdalene her guilt?!"

Hesitantly, Hilde began to speak, jerkily, the words struggled themselves from her lips: "Oh You, Jesus, it is You, thus, whom I mocked so often!?! Mary Magdalene has sure sinned a lot, but she did not mock everything that is called faith in God and love of Jesus as I did. Oh You most Holy, You Purest, our God, can You ever forgive me such iniquity?"

Then a look so full of holy, Divine majesty, full of deepest seriousness, flamed down on her that she flinched in burning shock and shied back. She misinterpreted this look and trembled.

"You foolish woman, how can you call upon My Holiness, My Divinity and ask to forgive you such iniquity? God is relentless, but the Father has endless mercy on His erring children. Therefore, beseech the Father, Eternal Love, and salvation shall befall you. Amen! "

She immediately followed this kind invitation, albeit hesitantly and trembling, and Jesus did what He indeed always wants to do when He sees just a spark of true repentance: He forgave her, placing His holy right hand on her head, while His left took her hand and squeezed it intimately. A warm current of love and life ran through her whole being, filling it with never known power and bliss.

"My child" - He said with an unspeakably mild, soft smile - "you are now free from sin and guilt and will yet become to Me an efficient worker in the vineyard. I have big plans for you, because your heart has opened up so wonderfully to love. What you have done in true charity to the little children's souls, that you have done to Me! - -

Now follow Me, My dear children, into the house which I have already long ago prepared for you and your little darlings! Amen!"

The heavenly Father was about to turn around and go ahead with the souls, when Hilde resolutely approached Him, overcoming all her anxiety. Only obedient to the urge of her great love, she embraced Him with all the ardor of her heart and said: ,oh you all-good One, whom I can never thank enough, my Father full of love, forgive me for my intrusiveness, I cannot help it! I must love You unspeakably, I must press You to my heart, too hotly burns the longing for it in me! Oh, I feel it, only love can make up for all sins. Oh, You do not rebuff me, You do not let me perish in the agony of excessive longing that would otherwise consume me!!!"

"Oh, My beloved child, blessed, more than blessed are you, since you suddenly threw everything behind you and literally did violence to Me with your tempestuous love! So I will also do violence to you, as far as your soul can only bear it at all.  Soon you will see wonderful things, what your Father has prepared for His children. Great things, even the greatest things, I now have in store for you, therefore rejoice and exult in My heart!

Feel with Me, as deeply as you are able, how I rejoice more over a regained sinful daughter than over ninety-nine righteous ones who never so needed repentance as you!"

At these sweet and comforting words, the most glorious Father returned the hug of His child, who was inflamed with great love, so that Hilde thought she was going to pass out in supreme bliss! But little by little she became comfortable and light, a high power waxed in her, which helped her to bear this unearthly, incomprehensible happiness.

Walter and Helga stood blissfully moved before this holy image; the latter had quietly stepped closer with her lovely flock at an inner beckoning of her heart. Hilde saw no-one but the One in whose arms she wished to rest eternally. - -

While most of the children kept modestly in the background, two girls had stepped up to Helga, had hung to her tenderly, and were now looking with wide eyes at the plain friend whose last words they had still heard. Oh, if only they could follow their little, burning hearts, they would do just like their big sister there!

Now the Father gently detached himself from the arms of the blissful Hilde and turned towards the two little ones. The braver one immediately went to Him and said: "Oh wonderful man, You who called Yourself the Father of this great daughter, do You sure also want to accept me as Your little child? See, I had no father on earth, and my mother could care for me so little, oh how would I rejoice if I were to get such a loving, good father here!"

Lovingly Jesus stretched out His hand to the fair maiden, and she flew into His arms rejoicing. Encouraged by the little sister's happiness, the other maiden also came up to the Master, saying: "I, too, would be so happy if I might call you 'Father'! My earthly father was not good to me, he beat me so much! I do not need to go back to him, right? Oh, I was so afraid of him; when he came home, I hid from him, but You, You I could love, love more than anything in the world, more than that sweet, dear woman there (pointing to Helga), whom I loved most before you came!

She sure is a big angel, even if she has no wings, but You, oh Father, are more than all the angels, I feel that in my heart all at once!"

Then the Lord bent down to the fair, tender little creature, took her to His heart in hot love and gave her the answer: "You My sweet child, you have just guessed the most blessed secret with your heart. But if I am now more than all angels, thus GOD, why are you then not afraid of me at all?

Give Me the answer quietly; because your other companions - with the exception of your little sister here - are not yet ripe for this knowledge, and it would harm them if they were to learn what you two already may know. So answer Me gently, you dear hearts!"

After this strange question, both children looked at the heavenly Father at first timidly inquiring, but then radiantly happy, and quietly answered Him as if from one mouth: "Oh You Father, how should we fear You then, as You came to us as a simple, loving person?! From Your eyes, Your face, nothing but love, love and such wonderful goodness shines! You also played with us in such an over-friendly way and also told us wonderful stories. Their deep meaning we will eternally never forget anymore. The king's son, who came down from his father's castle in a poor garment to show the evil, deluded people the way to peace, but who was thrown into prison by the wicked, foolish men, yes, he is You! With You, the hideous people have done much worse yet: crucified You! Oh, we both don't understand how people could do such things to you!

Oh no, we never fear You, but we must love You ever more strongly the longer You, dearest Father, hold us so close to Your heart!"

After the outpouring of the hearts of these children, the father kissed them warmly and said: "Your answer of love has given Me an unspeakably glorious joy, you couldn't have spoken any better at all.

Therefore the kingdom of heaven has also become your own, which you shall immediately see with your eyes, you and all your companions, and experience what wonderful glories your heavenly Father has prepared even for His smallest loving little children."

Turning to the three great souls, Jesus continued: "Lead now also the rest of the little children completely to Me!" This wish was immediately complied with, and Jesus blessedly laid His all-good Father-hands on the head of each child. A wonderful change happened with all of them: Their appearance became unspeakably lovely and thriving, an air of the most tender, sweetest loveliness and most refreshing freshness of youth wafted around the little beings now clothed in heavenly splendor and preciousness.

Walter's and Hilde's appearance had also changed a lot. In a rosy red glowing robe of light, adorned with wonderfully radiant woven-in heavenly flowers, her head crowned with a diadem studded with blue precious stones and diamonds in all colors, Hilde stood before her Divine Redeemer, glowing with delight, love and amazement. Walter, too, wore a magnificent, heavenly crown, a blue, light-radiating robe, over it a scarlet mantle, richly adorned at the edges with golden embroidery, studded with light-green, sparkling emeralds.

Stunned, they all looked at each other, not even noticing that they were in a completely different, far more beautiful landscape, where they were surrounded by a great abundance of light. - - Only Helga had come away empty-handed; in her simple earthly summer-dress, she stood there and marveled that she could only feel the most delighted joy at the indescribable happiness of her sisters and brothers. Oh, she too could have sacrificed her earlier life for the salvation of these children, on whose souls ignorant or even evil parents had sinned so grievously. Now, however, she modestly placed herself in the last row of the children, well knowing that her Father's care would now apply to the accommodation of the fair flock in this wonderful land.

When Hilde and Walter had recovered somewhat from their first great astonishment, they asked: "Father full of love and grace, for which we cannot give thanks enough forever, do tell us: Where are we? What is this for a heavenly most beautiful place?

"Be patient for a while, My beloved children, and you will soon learn everything" - the All-Glorious gently put them off.

They were standing in an almost infinitely large, extremely beautiful garden, in whose center was an almost dreamlike magnificent, precious palace of immense dimensions, the abundance of bright colors, of harmonious forms not possible to describe.

Helga remembered having seen similar miracles once before, when she had stood on a high mountain peak with her Divine Father and Guide. Now she is amused to look at one of these masterpieces of Divine Love and creative power in this environment.

She knew where they were, but kept silent and only let her heart speak in delight and joy and also in longing love to the One Who was everything to her.

This One, Most Glorious, however, acted as if He did not hear the language of this burning heart close to Him, as if He had forgotten Helga! But she was far from it, in spite of her secret woe, to envy those so richly presented by His love. Patiently she stayed in the background and awaited everything that was coming. –

Then crowds of the most lovely children of every age, led by their teachers dressed in heavenly, most precious glory and surrounded by the brightest, most dazzling glow, streamed towards them and greeted their new companions with a hearty welcome. Deeply, all bowed before the Lord. The latter, however, went to meet the teachers, squeezed each one's hand most cordially and asked them to immediately integrate the new protégés into the appropriate groups.

The children quickly and with curiosity surrounded their just arrived friends, questioned them, and what the teachers should do, to the great joy of the Father, was mostly done by the love-zealous little children. They cleverly found the little souls of the same age matching theirs and infinitely gently, with winning charm, invited them to enter into their group, as it is required for the order of their development and education. This does not mean a permanent separation from their previous friends, they learn and rest separately, but they all come together to play and learn outside and are then allowed to do whatever they want.

"It must indeed be a blissful life here!" - thought the newcomers, and submitted willingly into the order. After this matter had been settled so smoothly, the teachers approached Hilde, Walter and Helga with friendly greetings and said: "Be greeted in our holy land of the sun, in the kingdom of the blessed children! Oh, what joy the holy, all-loving Father gives us through His coming, which we have so much longed for! He has made us wait a long time this time in His immeasurable love-wisdom, but now we are amply compensated.

If you only knew how happy we are about the stately number of saved, once so endangered little human souls! To Him, our all-good, eternal Father, full of love and mercy, be a thousandfold thanks, warmest thanks offered from the deepest depths of our hearts! But now know: This palace, which seems so infinitely great to you, serves to receive the children's souls, who are greatly endangered on earth, to heal them completely and then to make them blessed!”

Walter stepped forward after these warm words of welcome and replied affectionately: "Our hearts, too, are filled with inexpressible feelings of heartfelt gratitude and astonished admiration at the great love and unfathomable wisdom of our Divine Father and Savior! For His sake, we also thank you for your kindest welcome and for your so valuable insights, and I may well say that you dear, light-filled souls, shall have a warm place of love in our hearts in all eternity.   So it is His will! Amen!"

"Amen, I say too; a firm, holy love-bond should embrace you all. Out of My love I give you, Walter and Hilde, this house - a precious gem of My and your heart. Kneel down and receive from Me blessings, strength and wisdom for this difficult, responsible profession for which you have so much love. Whenever your heart calls out to Me in fervent desire, I will be with you personally. Always pay attention to your heart, therein I will speak to you clearly and audibly at any time, whenever you need My advice!

Thus, be filled with My love, My constantly in-you-growing life. Be faithful in everything, thus I will soon set you over greater things! Amen!"

"Amen" said also the two so richly gifted, blessed people. Walter whispered in anxious hesitation: "How should I, poor soul, presume myself to direct this splendid children's home, I who thought I could do my duty therein as the least servant with scanty need!? For me myself it is not possible, but to You, oh Divine Father, all things are possible. So I want to trust Your grace and believe that You will also give me poor soul, the necessary wisdom for this difficult office. "

"Be confident and go to work trustfully and courageously" - Jesus reassured him. "Your humble love delights My Father-heart very much. But your task is not too difficult for you, as you imagine it now. It takes a lot of love, wisdom and patience; what you still lack, you will receive everything in abundance from Me. But now, My little children, I must leave you; My peace abides with you!"

Walter and Hilde fell around His neck at the last words of the Heavenly Father, as if they wanted to hold Him. For a while, the All-Loving One let His departure be delayed by the love of His children, but then He took an extremely tender farewell from the bystanders. He also turned to the children, was joyfully surrounded by them and was trustingly asked to still stay. New groups kept pouring in; the Savior stretched out His almighty hands over them in blessing.

Streams of power and delight flowed through these blissful little beings, who kept devoutly silent. Obediently, they then made way for Him at His gentle prompting.

With a last radiant look of love, embracing the fair, silent crowd, He strode through the crowd of heavenly little children and walked over to Helga, who was trembling in the most blissful fright of joy. Looking deeply into her eyes, He plainly said: "Come!"

XII.

They walked a few steps, then Helga felt herself embraced by strong arms, being carried on them higher and higher; more and more light flooded around her. She could not recognize anything in the immense sea of light. She saw the Divine face before her, literally emanating in fullness of love and life, heard words from the beloved mouth, which triggered indescribable delights in her.

"You child of My blessed Father-love, now at last the time has come when I may press you so closely to My longing heart, as I have long, long desired! Now you are My beloved heavenly bride!

Now nothing separates us anymore. So great, so unspeakably refreshing is the gift of your humble love to My eternal Father-heart! My dear little daughter, I have tested you on the sun, it was the last time, the last test. To you I say it for delightful consolation: I have truly felt the most heartfelt joy over your conduct!"

With these words, the Holiest inclined His most loving face toward her and kissed her on her quivering lips.

Helga had noticed that they were no longer floating upwards, but had solid ground under their feet, but when Eternal Love leaned towards her in the Fatherly kiss, there the ground again faded away from under her feet, she felt her heart, her whole being merge with the Divine heart. Such a tremendous abundance of love and power pervaded her, that she believed that all heavenly delights and bliss swept through her in mighty, storming floods.

With all the strength of her being, with the ardor of her so love-flaming heart, she wrapped her arms around the most loving Father and returned His holy kiss. - What human expression is well able to describe the overabundance of happiness that surged through Helga's completed soul and filled all her deepest longing for purest love?!

But no form of expression in the vast universe is capable of portraying the immeasurable, noble joy of the almighty Divine Father, who finally, after a long, deep yearning for love, faces a human child completed and steeled through suffering and the most difficult trials, over whom He can let His great fullness of love flow without having to fear that this soul might break under the force of Divine power of emotion and highest bliss. Father and child stood together for a long time in sweet bliss; slowly awakening, Helga looked around her. "Where are we?" - she asked, still completely drunk with delight. Jesus did not answer, but seemed highly delighted, still absorbed in looking at her.

If she had known how heavenly beautiful and glorious she was in her great love, she would have understood that look of her delighted Creator, Who delighted in His well-made masterpiece. But so she looked around inquiringly.

She heard wonderful organ- and harp sounds from inside the enormous house on which roof they were standing, that shone in extremely precious splendor and beauty, in truly divine splendor; from afar, melodious singing sounded in her ears.

Only now did she notice that on the roof were the most wondrous flowers and shrubs, yes, even trees of enormous size, these partly with magnificent blossoms in all shapes and hues, partly loaded with, various delicious fruits.

Around the oversized house, built of marble, gold and rubies, were grouped at a certain distance, somewhat smaller, similar houses, but nevertheless also of huge dimensions, all in the midst of magnificent, immeasurably wide gardens. As far as she could see are houses and gardens in between golden streets, in which most blessed, perfectly beautiful beings walked in heavenly bliss and sang songs of joy.

All songs were directed to the One who stood benevolently smiling here at her side, whose arm still embraced her lovingly, and whose Divine eyes, shining in a never-before-seen splendor, seemed to revel most delightedly in her joyful surprise.

"Our Father, my Father, I blind person! Yes, blind I was with outsized love for You, You my love, my light, oh my life! This is JERUSALEM, Your holiest city! Oh God, have mercy! This abundance of love, of overflowing goodness of Your most wondrous being I cannot grasp forever!

Yes, - is it true then? - Is it not a dream? I, - the poor little Helga, - am a citizen of the holy city of God, of your highest heaven?!? Oh Father, have mercy and awaken me from this fair dream!"

"You dearest heart, it is not a dream, touch Me, you will clearly see how awake you are!" Helga grasped His hands, pressed them to her heart and kissed them in deepest humility. "Oh Father, when I touch You, I do it out of overflowing love, which repeatedly longs for satiation, for the most tender activity, not in order to convince myself of the truth of Your words. But tell me, You my all, my eternal Love, what is this for a house in whose roof-garden we are?"

"My sweet bride" - Jesus said softly - "is it not the custom on earth for the bridegroom to lead his chosen one into his house? So also does your heavenly Bridegroom with you!"

Now Helga's emotion and ever hotter swelling joy knew no bounds anymore! Erupting into stunned sobbing, she fell down at Jesus' feet, clasped His knees, and hid her tear-streaked face in the folds of His robe. For a little while, the Father let her, but then He said kindly and firmly: "Rise up, My beloved daughter! Be strong, you will have to endure even greater things with composure. Something infinitely beautiful has My love already planned for you."

Helga rose obediently and thereby she first noticed the heavenly robe that she wore, shining in royal splendor. Now the heavenly Father held out to her a crown of such value, such noble splendor, that at first she put her hand over her eyes, only gradually did her gaze become accustomed to the dazzling light. Jesus was about to put this heavenly jewel on her head - there she stepped back, frightened!

"No, oh no, my All, this is too much! Never am I worthy of such high honor!" she exclaimed in humble defense. Give this crown to a worthier soul, only let me work here as the smallest maid in Your house, in Your to me so unspeakably dear nearness! You Yourself walk along so plainly, why should I, unworthy one, shine so much beside You!!?"

Jesus pointed to the below strolling crowd and spoke with infinite gentleness and softness: "Look, My child, down there My most blessed little children, how they are adorned with heavenly robes and shining crowns of life. Many at first spoke like you, but they very soon realized that here in the realm of truth, of the highest, purest love, it must be so, that here the outside completely equals the inside!

My simplicity must not disturb you, for I am after all the servant of all of you. Have I not already said on earth that I did not come to be served, but only to serve? So it remains until all eternity!

Nevertheless, every soul which already dwells in this highest heaven for a longer time, frequently sees Me here in My utmost Divine light, in the holy splendor of My Divine majesty. This highest experience will soon also be granted to you, My fiery love-child.

Because I already have long since promised this, that a truly humble heart may even approach my Deity without prejudice to it's inner life.

Behold, My Helga, so every one of My words must indeed fulfill itself here! Do you understand all this?"

Helga could only nod, deeply she immersed her eyes into His brightly and joyfully shining look of love, humbly she bowed her head under the crown still held ready. Benedictively, the holy hands of the Father embraced her blond head. Then He led the astonished one inside His house, where most loving spirits met them in the noblest heavenly glow, lovingly embraced the Father and the new perfected sister. Helga now saw all the most blessed brothers and sisters who had walked with Jesus on earth during His lifetime, all of them greeted her most kindly.

After she had fortified herself in the midst of the heavenly company at the delicious love-feast and had then collected herself a little in her extremely harmoniously and splendidly furnished, but at the same time infinitely comfortable chamber, in which she remained alone for a longer time, behold, there the Holy, Divine Father came to her again and said: "A great joy awaits us at the gates of this city. Will you accompany Me?"

Helga jumped up from her resting bed at His entering and stood before Him in blessed readiness. "And if I should go with You, You my eternal, sweetest Love, much farther than to the gates of this wonder-city. Oh, with a thousand joys, my dearest Jesus! If only You stay with me!"

Smiling, the Heavenly Father admonished her with His finger: "Helga-child, don't promise too much! How about a little descent into the deepest depths? Did you like it so much there?"

"Oh Father full of supreme love and wisdom, if it were Your will, I would go there with You at once; by Your side I would not be afraid at all! Only, oh there it was not exactly beautiful! But only as you want, my All! Amen!"

"Well, My Sweetheart, we will save ourselves such undertakings for later. For now, I want to show you My country home and the simpler, rural suburbs of this city."

With these words, they were already standing on the golden shining main street of the holy city and, surrounded by the never-ending cheers of innumerable most blessed angels, they quickly stepped forward. More and more heavenly hosts joined, waving to them from afar in the friendliest way. The angels standing in front, formed an honorary guard, so that the Lord with His daughter could pass through quickly and still make quite many happy with a warm look, with a heartfelt handshake. Sweet harp-sounds rustled, mightily resounded a heart-lifting song in praise of the gracious God, Who now walked among them as a simple man.

Soon the two blessed wanderers were at the gates of the city, in front of them, an indescribably lovely hilly country spread out, in which countless small huts stood, which looked like many very pretty summer-houses on earth. Helga was amazed by the simplicity, combined with the most charming beauty.

'Here one could feel so completely at home, while the oversized splendor of Jerusalem still confuses and dazzles our kind too much', thought Helga.

Jesus responded aloud to her thought: "You think quite right, dear child of the heart, I also feel extremely well in this simple, so charming landscape, in these cosy huts and spend a lot of time here. You can do whatever you want here, even choose and change your activity at will. Only on special occasions do My commands reach you either in the voice of your heart, or you read them on the luminous tablet placed in your chamber, which you already know from the descriptions of heaven read on earth. For the time being, you will need a longer time to get used to these huge, infinite conditions and also to your now unlimited freedom.

One thing I tell you again and again: I am here for you at all times, as for every loving heart. You know it already, in which way it is possible for Me to be there personally for so infinitely many beings. So always come to Me whenever your burning longing drives you.

The great, so wondrously gratifying fire of your loving heart will for ever and ever be to Me a source of most intimate joy, which you, My unspeakably beloved child, will not be able to measure and grasp for eternity!"

After these love-glowing words, Helga could no longer restrain herself, she fell around the neck of her Divine Father, hugged and kissed Him true to her heart's content.

At last the All-Loving One said to her: "Look, you delicious blossom of purest love, that little company is already approaching us, for the sake of which I have actually led you here".

Helga looked in the direction the Lord was pointing her and saw six bright souls a short distance away, who rushed to the heavenly Father with most joyful excitement.

To her happy surprise, Felix and Leonore were among them. The latter now hurried ahead of the others in the fastest course and fell already in the next moment to the Divine Father's breast. He had received her with wide-open arms and now made this blissful human child happy with the fullness of His overflowing Fatherly love and intimacy.

Oh, how Helga's heart beat there at the sight of the most blissful experience! But she quickly approached the other just now completed spirits and first greeted Felix Sanders and the three women, who had taken the most glorious path of light with Leonore, in the most loving way.

But then she stood before the exceedingly strong and noble shining angel, who had led the love-longing spirits so far, and said: "Oh my brother, everything here is still so new to me, so more than vastly impressive; I almost do not know which happiness is greater: Resting at the Lord's breast or sharing in the joy of the bliss of other souls, to whose salvation we were allowed to contribute a tiny particle out of highest grace of the most loving Father!?“

"My dear sister" - replied the lovely smiling John - "to you, everything here still seems like a fair, sweet dream, but believe me, even we, who are the oldest inhabitants of that Holy City there, tremble again and again with wonder and amazement at the indescribable, unfathomable wonders of our loving Father and His innumerable works! Become ever stronger and more composed in your so ardent love, then you will soon be able to bear greater and constantly increasing delights. - But what happiness is the greatest of all, you must tell me now!”

Helga thought of the previous scene in her heavenly chamber, when she had agreed to descend with the most loving, Divine Father even into the depths of hell, from there her thoughts went to the soul that she had been allowed to save from gruesome distress with God's help. "My dear John" - she answered him softly - "if I could see such souls, which I am allowed to free from the most severe distress and anguish, sinking here in this place to the Father breast of Jesus, that would be for me the very highest, most touching, most blessed experience!"

After this confession of deepest heartfelt love, the Lord's darling drew the young sister to his heart and kissed her wordlessly on the forehead, then both of them joined the overjoyed spirits who had found the fulfillment of their greatest longing at the breast of the Lord and now in the radiant glow of heaven, in perfect beauty, followed the holy, Divine Father into the eternal, most blissful city.

*

Obituary of a completed soul:

Thanks, unspeakable thanks, flows from my heart towards the All-Good, who has led me from the depth of earthly limitation and foolish self-will, to the light-fullest height!

Oh you, my hard-struggling sisters and brothers, who are still walking the difficult path of the freedom-test in the body, follow my advice: Inflame in your hearts daily, even hourly more and more the burning longing for the complete union with Him, the original Source of all love, all life! Do not be so lukewarm! Let your heart's love shine like the brightest, fiery beacons, into the dark lands!

Do not forget one thing, the only thing you can give to Jesus, your Father - HUMILITY - only this leads to the highest goal! - Amen!

Your sister Helga.