11. 'Which are in Asia' signifies to those who are in the light of the truth (veritas) out of the Word. Since by all the names of persons and places in the Word are understood things of heaven and the Church, as was said before, so are they also understood by 'Asia' and similarly by the names of the seven Churches there, as will be plain from the things following. By 'Asia' are understood those who are in the light of the truth (veritas) out of the Word because the Most Ancient, and after it the Ancient, and then the Israelitish Church, was in Asia; also, because with them there was an olden Word and afterwards the Israelitish Word; and all the light of the truth (veritas) is out of the Word. That there have been Ancient Churches in the Asiatic world, and that they had a Word that was afterwards lost, and eventually the Word that [we have] at this day, may he seen in THE DOCTRINE OF THE NEW JERUSALEM CONCERNING THE SACRED SCRIPTURE (n. 101-103). It is, then, in consequence of this that by 'Asia' here are signified all who are in the light of the truth (veritas) out of the Word. [2] 'Concerning the Olden Word that used to be in Asia before the Israelitish Word, this new thing deserves to be mentioned: It has till now been preserved among the peoples who dwell in Great Tartary. I have spoken with spirits and angels who were from there in the spiritual world, and they said that they possess a Word, that they have had it in their possession from ancient times, that they perform their Divine worship in accordance with that Word, and that it consists of nothing but correspondences. They said that even the Book of JASHER that is mentioned in Joshua x 12, 13, and in 2 Sam. i 17, 18, is in it; also, that with them are the books, THE WARS OF JEHOVAH and THE PROPHETICAL [ENUNCIATIONS],* mentioned by Moses (Num. xxi 14, 15, and 27-30); and when in their presence I read the words that Moses had quoted therefrom, they searched to see if they appeared there, and found them. From these things it was plain to me that the Olden Word is still with them. In the course of the conversation they said that they worship Jehovah, some as an invisible, and some as a visible God. Afterwards they told me that they do not suffer foreigners to enter among them, except the Chinese, with whom they cultivate peace, because the emperor of China is from there. Then they also told me that they are so densely populated that they do not believe any region in the entire world is more densely populated; which is indeed credible on account of the wall so many miles long which the Chinese built up a long time ago for their own protection against invasion by them. Ask about it in China, and perchance you will find that [Word] there among the Tartars.' * See the explanation of this title in SS 103 and TCR 265.