The Book of Chihiro

The Book of Chihiro was the eighth book of the Holy Writ, dealing with the teachings of the Archangel Chihiro, laying down the history of the creation of Safehold and Shan-wei's fall.

By ancient tradition, there was always a blank page between the last page of the Book of Chihiro and the first page of the following Book of Hastings. 

Although authorship was attributed to the Archangel Chihiro, or to the real Chihiro, it was unknown who actually wrote the Book. It was believed that it was written after the destruction of the Alexandria Enclave. 

Chapter 5

 * 10-14: "Then the Archangel Langhorne stood upon Mount Heilbronn, looking down upon the Field of Sabana, where so many had fallen opposing evil, and his eyes were wet with tears, and he said, “The time must come when only the sword of justice can oppose the many swords of evil—of pestilent ambition, of greed, of selfishness and cruelty, of hatred and terror. Might may be used to destroy might, and strength may be used to oppose strength, but justice is the true armor of the godly. That which cannot be done with justice must not be done at all, for only the Dark cannot stand in the brilliance of God’s Light. So you will abide by justice, by keeping faith with that which you know is right. You will do justice not in the heat of battle or the white fury of your anger, be that anger ever so justified. You will do justice soberly, with reverent respect for that love of one another God has placed within you. You will not condemn out of hatred, and he who uses justice for his own ends, he who perverts justice into that which he wishes it to be rather than what it truly is, that one shall be accursed in the eyes of God. Every man’s hand shall be against him. As he sows, so shall he reap, and the mercy he denies to others shall be denied to him in his turn. I will not shield him from his enemies. I will not hear him when he calls to me in his extremity. And in the final judgment, when he comes before the throne of God, I will not see him. I will not speak for him, and God Himself will turn His back upon him as he is cast forever into that bottomless abyss reserved for him throughout all eternity."

Chapter 7

 * 23: "And Holy Langhorne said unto him, 'Surely, God will give over His enemies to the destiny prepared for those who serve corruption, to be conquered and humbled for their sins, and to be bound hand and foot and sent into captivity by the just.' "

Chapter 9

 * 11: "Then said the Lord to the Archangel Langhorne, 'Behold I have created my Holy Church to be the mother of all men and women on the face of this the world I have made. See to it that she nurtures all of My children. That she teaches the young, supports the footsteps and wisdom of those who are grown, cares for the elderly. And, above all, that she trains up all of My children in the way they should go.' "


 * 12: "Find men worthy of this great charge among My priests. Instruct them in all of their duties, examine them and mea sure their souls, weigh them in the scales of My balance, fire them in the furnace of My discipline, hammer them upon the anvil of My love."


 * 13: "And when you have done these things, when you are confident that these are the priests fit to lead and feed My sheep, set them in places of authority. Give them that which they need to do My will, and remind them, and the priests who will come after them, and all the priests who shall follow them, that their purpose, and their charge, and their duty is to do My will and always and everywhere, in every way, to serve My people.' "


 * 14: "And the Archangel Langhorne listened to all of these instructions from the Most High and Holiest, and the Archangel bowed his face to the earth, and he said unto the Lord his God, 'Truly, it shall be as You have commanded.'"