"You forsake this earthly form which goes to dust, but you still
live on for ever and ever....
"This life is but the shadow of what your future lives will be."
The Heavens are studded with stars, works of an Almighty Creator; their
pale rays give but a feeble indication of the glorious brightness of
worlds, many peopled by beings of a beauty, goodness, and power
excelling all that human understanding can conceive.
By the grace of Him whose might embraces the universe, I will speak of a
star where the inhabitants are formed like the people of the Earth, and
as the dawn of day gradually discloses earth's marvellous beauties, so
shall my revelations throw light on the customs of that star-world for
whose well-being I worked with devoted love.
Some of my world's ways will appear strange to you. Remember that they
belong to another planet, another country, another people, so that like
wise travellers in a distant land, you should for a time lull your own
world's prejudice, and accompany me in thought to Montalluyah, for such
is the name of the city where I lived.
I was the son of one of the twelve kings called Tshialosoli, rulers of
the country.
These Tshialosoli are less powerful than kings in your world, there
being a ruler with full power over them and the whole State, who is
called in our language "Tootmanyoso," or "The Father of the World."
All my youthful zeal and strength were applied to study and deep
reflection. The most able men were appointed to superintend my
education. I outstripped my masters.
The extent of my knowledge, judgment, and foresight filled with wonder
the most learned and powerful in the land. Their approving praise did
but encourage me onwards in the search for knowledge.
People related everywhere how wondrous were the gifts of the heaven
favoured student.
Early inspired by the desire to benefit my fellow-creatures, I often
asked myself why, in a world teeming with blessings, so much suffering
existed? and why endless riches in the seas, in the air, in the earth,
remained unworked as though they did not exist for the use of man?
At that time the state of civilization and knowledge in Montalluyah was
in many respects not unlike that of the most civilized countries of your
world. The religion of fire had long been replaced by the worship of the
living God, and morality and goodness were respected by most, preached
by many, and practised by a few.
Wars were waged with relentless cruelty by brother against brother, bad
passions ruled, the rich oppressed the poor, and became in turn the
victims of their own excesses, and vice, disease, and misery were
rampant throughout the land.
We had money of various metals and precious stones. The greed to possess
money was the cause of great crimes and loss of power. I asked myself
whether men could not be brought to seek knowledge and goodness as
ardently as they sought money?
I could not then answer the question, but saw that, could this be done,
the boundaries of intelligence being everywhere extended, the discovery
of never-ending fructifying resources would follow, with the means also
of multiplying those already known.
Notwithstanding wars and pestilence, the numbers of our people had
largely increased, whilst our stocks had seriously diminished, and
scarcity and dearth afflicted my world.
The increasing numbers of the population would, I saw, become a means of
plenty, by supplying additional numbers and power to the phalanx of
nature's workmen, each, with redoubled skill fitly applied, joyfully
labouring in his sphere to create abundance and secure the general
well-being.
I applied myself with unwavering perseverance to the study of humanity
and the arts of government, and soon found that like aspirations had
ruled many wise and good men in the different ages of my planet. I
applied myself to the knowledge of their great wisdom and many precepts,
and sought to discover why, notwithstanding the truthfulness and beauty
of the golden lessons of these sages, and the eloquence and persuasion
of their words, corruption and ruin still so largely prevailed.
Not content with meditating on what had been done and written, I
attended the schools, observed the children's ways, and the mode of
educating and rearing the husbandmen of Nature's vineyard. I visited the
hospitals for the sick, and the theatres of anatomy. I examined into the
causes of disease, and the effects of the existing remedies. I visited
the prisons, and studied the results of punishment and the causes of
crime. I visited the poor in their hovels, the rich in their palaces; I
observed mankind in various phases, and as it were dissected men's minds
and passions. I saw everywhere never-ending power in man and nature
recklessly wasted or turned against the community.
My labours were rewarded by frequent advancement. Honours did but
stimulate me to further exertions; the greater I became the more I
applied myself, ever thirsting for knowledge and the power of doing
good, till at length, after passing the severest tests, I became
Tootmanyoso (Father of the World), and head of the State.
Then indeed my real labours began. Light from Heaven had enabled me to
see the causes of the evils afflicting my planet. I had now to apply
remedies for changing the poisoned torrents into sources of fertility,
refreshment, and delight.
The dangers and obstructions before me were immense. I felt that no
unaided mortal power could overcome them; but I was encouraged to
believe that, "like a chariot at full speed, which turns a narrow and
dangerous corner, so would I pass over my mountains of difficulty, and
run free in the wide space beyond."