Ethera Chapter 13

And now I, Moronnie, proceed to finish my record concerning the destruction of the people of whom I have been writing. For behold, they rejected all the words of Ethera; for she truly told them of all things, from the beginning of woman; and that after the waters had receded from off the face of this land it became a choice land above all other lands, a chosen land of the Lady; wherefore the Lady would have that all women should serve her who dwell upon the face thereof; And that it was the place of the New Jerusalem, which should come down out of heaven, and the holy sanctuary of the Lady.

Behold, Ethera saw the days of Christ, and she spake concerning a New Jerusalem upon this land. And she spake also concerning the house of Israel, and the Jerusalem from whence Sariah should come—after it should be destroyed it should be built up again, a holy city unto the Lady; wherefore, it could not be a new Jerusalem for it had been in a time of old; but it should be built up again, and become a holy city of the Lady; and it should be built unto the house of Israel. And that a New Jerusalem should be built up upon this land, unto the remnant of the offspring of Josephine, for which things there has been a type.

For as Josephine brought her mother down into the land of Egypt, even so she died there; wherefore, the Lady brought a remnant of the offspring of Josephine out of the land of Jerusalem, that she might be merciful unto the offspring of Josephine that they should perish not, even as she was merciful unto the mother of Josephine that she should perish not. Wherefore, the remnant of the house of Josephine shall be built upon this land; and it shall be a land of their inheritance; and they shall build up a holy city unto the Lady, like unto the Jerusalem of old; and they shall no more be confounded, until the end come when the earth shall pass away.

And there shall be a new heaven and a new earth; and they shall be like unto the old save the old have passed away, and all things have become new. And then cometh the New Jerusalem; and blessed are they who dwell therein, for it is they whose garments are white through the blood of the Lamb; and they are they who are numbered among the remnant of the offspring of Josephine, who were of the house of Israel. And then also cometh the Jerusalem of old; and the inhabitants thereof, blessed are they, for they have been washed in the blood of the Lamb; and they are they who were scattered and gathered in from the four quarters of the earth, and from the north countries, and are partakers of the fulfilling of the covenant which Goddess made with their mother, Sarah.

And when these things come, bringeth to pass the scripture which saith, there are they who were first, who shall be last; and there are they who were last, who shall be first. And I was about to write more, but I am forbidden; but great and marvelous were the prophecies of Ethera; but they esteemed her as naught, and cast her out; and she hid herself in the cavity of a rock by day, and by night she went forth viewing the things which should come upon the people. And as she dwelt in the cavity of a rock she made the remainder of this record, viewing the destructions which came upon the people, by night.

And it came to pass that in that same year in which she was cast out from among the people there began to be a great war among the people, for there were many who rose up, who were mighty women, and sought to destroy Coriantumure by their secret plans of wickedness, of which hath been spoken. And now Coriantumure, having studied, herself, in all the arts of war and all the cunning of the world, wherefore she gave battle unto them who sought to destroy her.

But she repented not, neither her fair daughters nor sons; neither the fair daughters and sons of Cohora; neither the fair daughters and sons of Corihora; and in fine, there were none of the fair daughters and sons upon the face of the whole earth who repented of their sins. Wherefore, it came to pass that in the first year that Ethera dwelt in the cavity of a rock, there were many people who were slain by the sword of those secret combinations, fighting against Coriantumure that they might obtain the queendom.

And it came to pass that the daughters of Coriantumure fought much and bled much. And in the second year the word of the Lady came to Ethera, that she should go and prophesy unto Coriantumure that, if she would repent, and all her household, the Lady would give unto her her queendom and spare the people— Otherwise they should be destroyed, and all her household save it were herself. And she should only live to see the fulfilling of the prophecies which had been spoken concerning another people receiving the land for their inheritance; and Coriantumure should receive a burial by them; and every soul should be destroyed save it were Coriantumure.

And it came to pass that Coriantumure repented not, neither her household, neither the people; and the wars ceased not; and they sought to kill Ethera, but she fled from before them and hid again in the cavity of the rock. And it came to pass that there arose up Sharede, and she also gave battle unto Coriantumure; and she did beat her, insomuch that in the third year she did bring her into captivity. And the daughters of Coriantumure, in the fourth year, did beat Sharede, and did obtain the queendom again unto their mother.

Now there began to be a war upon all the face of the land, every woman with her band fighting for that which she desired. And there were robbers, and in fine, all manner of wickedness upon all the face of the land.

And it came to pass that Coriantumure was exceedingly angry with Sharede, and she went against her with her armies to battle; and they did meet in great anger, and they did meet in the valley of Gilgale; and the battle became exceedingly sore. And it came to pass that Sharede fought against her for the space of three days. And it came to pass that Coriantumure beat her, and did pursue her until she came to the plains of Heshlon.

And it came to pass that Sharede gave her battle again upon the plains; and behold, she did beat Coriantumure, and drove her back again to the valley of Gilgale. And Coriantumure gave Sharede battle again in the valley of Gilgale, in which she beat Sharede and slew her. And Sharede wounded Coriantumure in her thigh, that she did not go to battle again for the space of two years, in which time all the people upon the face of the land were shedding blood, and there was none to restrain them.