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TORONTO, CANADA: The Austin Publishing Company, Limited. |Sa»«a0e of ^»»irltttaU»ttt io the QTntentieth ®cntur». I must have been but half awake— for I had been sleeping in a dark valley— when I lifted my eyes to the eastern sky and saw a beautiful girl, c'ad in white raiment, tripping down the cloud banks of the heavens till her feet touched the rosy hiU-tops, then leaping from peak to peak until she stood on the mountain brow aoove me, fair and beautiful as the image of youth and love incarnate. Her rosy cheek, flashing eye and raven locks were bathed in the glory of the rising sun, and the dew- drops of the morning glistened like jewels in her hair. **Who .-t thou? Wheocvi art thou, Fair Stranger"? I asked. "Some style me the Daughter of God," said she, •• others call me Truth- and in later days many speak of me as Spiritual Philosophy. I come from the bosom of Infinite Life and Love and my mission is to the sons of men." '♦ What is thy message and thy mission, Fair Child of Heaven?' I asked. "I am come to repeat and emphasize all of truth and inspiration that have ever come to human minds and hearts. I am come to re-echo every noble prophecy of past days, to sing again every song of love and sweetness of the poets ot the olden time, to give new meaning and empha- sii to the wisdom of sages and philosophers, to veru^ every noble dream of the reformer, and to perpetuate and multiply the words and works of all the world's Christs. I come to give absolute liberty to man, woman and child — to break every human fetter ; to banish sickness, poverty and suffering ; to make mankind one happy human brotherhood ; to prepare men for pure and noble living here and nowari thus set up God's kingdom on earth- rather than per- petuate the morbid views of the past that religion is to prepare man for dying and for some fanciful and irrational condition hereafter. I come that all men may have life, free, joyous, abundant, full oi power and progress. I come to lift all men into a consciousness of their divinity, — to banish fear, and enable every nar to stand amidst th3 great forces of the universe and rule them as the driver does his steeds, by force of hand and will. I come to crown man Sovereign, and to place in his hands the sceptre of the universe. I come to unfold and develop man's spirituality and divinity — and I alone can save him. While many a one has come before in my name and under my inspiration has so taught truth and lived it as to become a Saviour of men or a Christ, I alone am The World's Saviour ; I alone am The IVurUPs Christ." •* The Spiritual Philosophy!'^ I said m some surprise, " Why that,, according to my orthodox teachers came not out of the skies hut from the pit. I have heard it ill spoken of by the religious teach- ers, as a mixture of fraud and nonsense. I would test thee, F '■' Stranger, with a Jew questions — first as to wh you teach to men and, secondly, as to what you propose to do Jor men. Now, for example, I have heard my friends say that yoi teaching leads to immorality — that you remove the old stand- ards 0/ conduct and leave men to follow the passions oj their hearts and the whims and fancies of their minds. What hast Ihou to say to that? " •• Spiritualism," my fair visitant replied, '• fur- nishes the highest ethical . -^ndard of in-an con- duct. It asserts that law reigns unv sally and that obedience to law is lift— disc uedience is death. Every act of man, th '^elore, brings its own reward or punisb'ent. T' i re is no escape, no exception, no inte - -ence in his world or the next, n the part of God or mar., with the sover- eign sway of divine law. A good deed can no more fail of its reward than nature can cease to be. It requires no set tribunal — no august judge — no formal sentence— no arbitrary judgment. Nature's order is perfect : her plan faultless : her rewards and punishments imbedded in the very constitution of things. How can such teaching properly understood lead to anything but purity of thought and life ? Spiriti alism teaches the potency of thought — its creative power and its rulership over the physical and material realms. Its mandate, therefore, is to all : learn to think clearly, logically, lovingly and purely of all things : purify the inner temple of your being . ' A/ake the house where Gods may dwell, heautijid, entire and clean.'^ Spiritualism asserts and prov .s that our highest personal development and happiness can only be securec' by altruistic endeavor for others' good. Its religion is, therefore, essentially that of good deeds. Its religion is briefly expressed in this couplet : — •• Out of the bondage of man-made creeds Into the practice of loving deeds." Spiritualism teaches that a man cannot fulfil the law of his own being, cannot unfold his nobler nature, and cannot taste the highest bliss, with- out a life of loving ministry to his fellows. Spir- itualism rejects no standard of human conduct that experience has proven to be for man's advance- ment or society's good. It tests all ethical stand- ards by appeals to experience and to nature. It has not ten commandments, but one, and it is this : Live up to the highest ideals of your spiritual nature. It is true Spiritualism rejects much of the con- ventional morality of this and other lands which rests upon observance of certain days, rites, cere- monies — and upon professed revelations from the Almighty. We deny the authority of all these commandments except so far as experience has demonstrated their utility or they approve them- selves to man's moral consciousness. Their authority lies in their utility and in their agree- ment with nature and not in any supernatural origin. The charge of immorality does not lie against the Spiritual Philosophy — but rather against the creedal teachings which assert the possibility of cheating Nature by securing rewards we have never earned — and of escaping punish- ment our just due. The creeds deny the sinful- ness of sin by making it a thing to be forgiven — to be atoned for by another — to be escaped from bv an act of faith.' The charge of immorality lies against those who teach that a man may live a sinner and die a saint — that " between the saddle and the ground, pardon may be sought and found" — that man may cheat outraged moral laws of the universe by substituting an innocent victim to bear his pain — that he may lean upon a tortured Christ and gain admittance to a heaven he has never merited. Surely it lies not in the lips ot orthodoxy to assert that Spiritualism leads to immorality. If Spiritualists are ever — like too many others — immoral, it is against the whole teaching and trend of their Philosophy. Spiritualism by demonstrating the continuity of life, by proving the universality of law, by showing that the future character and life is a natural, orderly development from this life, by teaching the potency of human thought for good and ill, by its doctrine of telepathy proving that no man liveth to himself, or dieth to himself, and by its doctrine of angelic ministration showing that all our con- duct is under the inspection of our arisen friends, has placed the greatest possible safeguards around human character and conduct. No other philosophy known to man offers such natural and powerful motives and such exalted inspiration to noble living. ** But what does Spiritualism teach regarding the Home ? " I asked • " / have heard it asserted hy its opponents that it destroys homes rather than builds them. This is a serious charge.'^ " Spiritualism," said my fair Visitor, "recog- nizes the home as the one fundamental institution of humanity. Its foundations are laid in nature. Humanity can exist without schools, churches and 8 government better than without the home. No civilization and progress can come to man without the home. Out of this primal integer grows the school, the church, the government. All other institutions in human society may be called arti- ficial : the home is the very foundation of human progress. All olher institutions may be called human : the home is imbedded in the very nature of humanity and is divine. Its foundations are love and justice, and just in proportion as the school, church and government are patterned after the ideal home will they contribute to human progress. Man's nature makes home a necessity and in all his future unfoldments it is doubtful if the home will not be to man a word of larger signifi- cance and increasing sweetness. Man's growing and affectional nature will add ten thousand new charms and meanings to the word as he uniolds through the centuries. A religion, therefore, that does not recognize the sacrednes;^ and supreme value of the home and teach the people how to build and perpetuate and preserve the sanctity of the home, must stand for- ever condemned. Spiritualism, however, does not recognize four walls and a wedding certificate as constituting a home. It asserts that home is the heart union of man ''and woman, based on natural adaptation, mutual love and unselfish devotion. If these be absent all the wealth of Ophir, all the sanctioi. of the marriage rite, and all the benedictions of the clergy, are but desecra- tion of true marriage and constitute only a coun- terfeit of the true home. Nature teaches that oil and water will not unite while certain atoms of hydrogen and oxygen in definite proportions form a compound. You cannot upset, reverse or ini- prove nature's ordination. True marriage is based we say on nature : marriages are made in heaven : the counterfeits are often manufactured here by avarice, pride and false social ideals and blessed by priestly hands. Out of these counter- feit marriages and counterfeit hemes, spring the discords and divorces. Spiritualism holdi ^g to the doctrine of the absolute liberty of man and woman and child asserts that no man or woman should be compelled to live a lifetime in domestic hell because in their ignorance and blindness they entered upon a foolish and unnatural contract. Yet so sacred are the relations of married life, and so many the interests involved, that no one should lightly make or break the marriage bond. If it be said, therefore, that Spiritualism de- stroys the true home, our answer is that the charge is maliciously false in every respect. Spiritualism recognizes the supreme sanctity and and value of the true home, blesses it, pronounces it the most sacred and holy spot on earth : and rightly regards it as the largest factor in human progress. But this is quite in harmony with the liberty we teach of living happily apart rather than in a domestic hell together. The fact that a minister has unwittingly pronounced the bans upon oil and water is no reason for perpetually keeping them in one bottle. Gunpowder and matches are jafer some distance apart. We deny the inference that a marriage rite can constitute a true home and until a clergyman can cause two diverse elements — devoid ofeiiemical lO affinity — to unite in one compound by pronouncing' the banns of union and saying the doxology, un- til that hour we must deny his power and that of the church or government to make a true marriage or a home. Spiritualism does teach fidelity to marriage vows, the union of one man and one woman as the law of nature, and has no sympathy whatever with unions that are easily formed and broken at the dictates of avarice, fashion or lust. "Free love" — as a term of reproach — is charged against Spiritualism and by it something vastly different from free love is meant, tor what love is there but free love ? But free love is not free lust! And in the sense in which the charge is made it is false and malicious. No purer, sweeter and more loving homes are found on earth to-day than those built and per- petuated under the principles of the Spiritual Philosophy. Oh, if our leaders of wealth and fashion, if those who have the time and freedom, were to seriously ponder the great underlying principles of true home-building — how to mate and marry according to Nature's ordination, if they would learn the laws of sacred generation, and thus build homes of divinest harmony what a god-like race of men and women wonld we rear upon the face of the earth ! Earth and heaven would grad- ually melt into one and men and angels would dwell as one family on earth But many of the "400" in the principal cities have no time for these problems without neglecting their poodle- pets» dog shows and ping-pong ! II So Spiritualism estimates tl home— teaches the true principles of home building— and sings the praises of home to men and angels. If all the harmonies ot earth and heaven were united, if all the sweet singers of the past and the present, of mortal and spirit realms, w?re to join in one glad chorus, if "11 the spheres were to sing in unison— if all nature were to vibrate with divine pulsations of joy and peace — no sweeter music could be pro- duced by earth and heaven, by men and angels, than the echo in a truly loving heart of that divine song, " Home, Sweet Home." "What of the School?" I asked my beautiful young friend. " The schoryl is the hope of the future so far as it is removed in its teachings from traditionalism and authority, or in other words, so far as it fol- lows nature and brings the student face to face with nature's divine revelations it is an unmixed blessing ! Unfortunately the school and College are not fully emancipated yet. Custom, tradition and authority of great names still rule the class- room work. Those schools which e.ncourage free enquiry, emphasize the teachings of science, and blaze out new pathways of progress for the en- quiring mind are among the worids greatest treasures. The Schools of Theology are the n.ost unpro- gressive, retrograde and stereotyped of all schol- astic institutions because they are founded upon the idea that theology is a completed science, be- ing P finished revelation, and since revelation is closed, all improvement is impossible. Nay, the ver- dea of improvement or of additional revela- tion is scouted as impossible and irreligious. This 12 attempt to fetter the human mind to the narrow- ness and ignorance of past days is only partially successful and— owing to the rising tide of New Thought which threatens to sweep away all an- cient landmarks— every theological college is a whirlpool of faith and douht and scepticism. Imprison as the church attempts to do the minds of her youth in mediaevalism, nature's evolution- ary processes of growth are so strong and so mighty that heretics spring up in every church until to-day the Theological Training Schools are hot-beds of heresy." ♦* What of the Churches and Creeds and Religions and Bibles?" I asked, '« Are any of f em divine? any authori- tative?" " All are divine and all are authoritative," said she, " in the same sense and in proportion as they contain truth. All are outgrowths of man's spiritual nature reaching out after God. All have a measure of authority and that is the amount of truth contained in them which appeals to reason and to man's moral conscionsness. None of the Churches or Creeds or Religions or Bibles are absolute or infallible or ot any other origin than human. The theory of one perfect, ab- solute, ifiJaHible religion of supernatural origin coming direct Jrom God as contrasted with the mul- titude oj religions supposed to he merely human, im- perject and erroneous, is receiving its death-blow at th'- hands of the new Science oJ Comparative igion. What has this new department of human study and the Higher Criticism taught us? I. That in our Christian System (which is cer- tainly the one perfect and infallible and superna- tural religion if there be one) are many evidences of imperfection and many proofs of merely human origin. (a) We know now that much of our Bible is mythical, legendary and in place of being original revelation to the men, who, it is said, wrote it directly under lnfsx''ible inspiration, i^ a borrowed literature of earlier agts and peoples. (h) We know from the Higher Criticism that there are the same errors, contradictions, mistakes and absurdities found in the Jewish and Christian Bible as in sacred books of other religions ! (c) We know that on great and fundamental questions such as the Soul's Immortality— the con- dition of the dead— thfcj standards of human con- duct and character — and the methods of salvation, the Bible is not one book but a library reflecting the diverse and conflictinf. ideas of different ages and different peoples. 2. We know now *hat all religions are profes- sedly based on revelc: ns from the spirit -iziorld, and that from the diversity and contradictory char- acter of many of these teachings they are all best explained as messages and inspirations from the intelligences of men and women who formerly dwelt upon the earth plane. 3. The traditions that are common to all the great religions concerning the Creation, Garden of Eden, Deluge, etc., and the common use of sacri- fices and atonements, are all best and most easily explained as the outgrowth of cotnmon experiences^ common desires, common fears, and common hopes. 4. The doctrine (common to so many religions) of a personal Saviour or Deliverer — of his super- 14 natural origin— his foretold birth— his natal star —his Virgin mother— his atoning sacrifice— his death and resurrection or translation, found in substantial equality in many of the great religions, all point to a common origin and prove that these are not original with Christianity. In short— without having absolute proof— we know as well as history and instruction can teach us that all religions ure one and the same—a.\\ the outgrowth of man's moral nature, differing only according to the intelligence and advancement of the people among whom they originated." '* What does Spiritualism teach about Prayer ? I asked. " Everything depends on your definition of prayer," said my fair teacher. «' If you mean to associate the idea of prayer with the creedal teach- ings of a personal God, arbitrarily ruling the earth and man, and setting aside his own laws at the whim or request of his creatures, assuredly Spiri- tualism does not believe in nor teach the doctrine of prayer. If you mean by prayer the emphasiz- ing of certain formulas and public petition. Spiri- tualism does not urge it upon men. But if you mean by prayer that aspiration of all noble souls for communion with the invisible, that fervent desire after the good, the true, the beautiful which all pure minds experience, that reaching outot the soul after God which is the very law of soul growth and progress, then Spiritualism teaches it, emphasizes it, magnifies and encourages it, and declares that nothing is more important to the soul's growth and progress than prayer. Such prayer is not an abject cringing before a terrific God ot Vengeance, nor is it any attempt to re- verse nature's order, nor is it any verbal flattery 15 of the Almighty, nor any attempt to in^^^^^i^f^ as to how to manage the universe. Oh. "° !| '^ as natural as the breathing of an mfant s slumber, ?t is as spontaneous as the flow of the fountam .t s as beautiful as the love and confidence of a chdd Tn tts mother. Prayer ^^the flight of the soul God- ward on the wings of love and hope ! P/ay^'^ The cry of the chL in danger to the heart of mfi- lite fatherly love ! Prayer the law of sou growth and progress through the cycles of eternity. Prayer the touching of the electric keys of power That start the machinery of the spiritual universe working out the edicts of our will ! ^^^y^%\'^^?^ Tne path over which all the great souls of earth have^progressed ; it is the one fountain in which all the world's Christs have been baptized ! -What is ReUgion?" I asked my fair teacher. .« Religion is the soul's cry after the divine, the ever-longing, ever-seekir. -er^aspiring and perpetual quest of the soul 'te-- its e ernal source divine. The best expression of religion is ove-not some vague emotion toward a personal God-but love felt, cultivated and exemplified to- ward one's fellowmen. It is substant.ally what 7esus and Buddha and Confucius and all the great Sers and saviours have taught, viz., kindness, ust?ce, truth and love in our conduct toward men. We mky well leave the Gods to take care of them- selves if we save ourselves and our fellow-men ! Another definition of religion is '';:^>^^^^ °^ Meness or health, with special reference to the spiritual nature. Just as obedience to »aw m th physical realm brings health ot body, «° ^^f'^ io the great laws that govern in the moral realm brings health of soul, wholeness, or holiness, and this iM religion in its internal aspect. But as all thinrtn in xj)inf tewl iiiirnnl t'.ri>r('Kxi<>n in (vtinn ninf nutlile inant/e^ifafioH, so religion expresses itself in a life of love and charity and good will to men. True reli- gion has no necessary connection whatever with a creedal system — a ritual service — or the formulas of church life. Religion— it is the love of child- ren and all things beautiful. Religion — it is acting the part of the Good Samaritan. Religion — it is the ibarity that beareth all, believeth all, hopeth all, endureth all and sacrificeth all for one's neighbor — that forgets self and serves God by helping his children." *t What will Spiritualism do for the world ?" I asked. " Spiritualism," said the fair Prophetess before me, •' will do much for Society and for the Indi- vidual. " The first great work it will do for society will be a practical recognition of the claims of human brotherhood — resulting in equality of rights and privileges to all. Spiritualism will recognize the equal right and claim ol every man to nature's bounties. The earth, the air, the precious and useful metals, the treasures of wood and coal, of lake and ocean, belong of right to cai-tfi'n inhahitatits in common. They are not for the few but the man;/, and society must be re-c^nstituted, re-organized and regenerated so that as Gerald H. Massey sings : " The few shall not forever sway, The many moil in sorrow." Gladstone declared the bes. constitution was that under which il was easiest to Jo right — so we say the best economic constitution is that under I »7 I which it is easy for every man to attain at least the necessities of life ! How can men study na- ture or the human soul, how can they advance in knowledge ani nobility and wisdom, when the in- cessant, ever-recurring problem of daily living is how to keep body and soul together— diive the wolf from the door— pay the landlord and tax col- lector ? Nature furnishes abundance of food and fuel and air and sunshine, and it is only the ra- pacity and selfishness of men, taking advantage of wrong economic conditions, that makes it easy for the few to become very rich and so hard for the many to get food and shelter. Spiritualism is not anarchy — it is not Socialism as many under- stand it — but it does stand for a new economic system under which the monopolies of nature's bounties and of the privileges of our civilization shall belong not to the for but to the mariy. If Spiritualism had the direction and control of hu- man society the peoph' would turn the treasunx earth hati laid up in her Ijosohi — the coal, the iron, the oil, the gold and silver and copper ; the people who make the wealth of the nation would get more than a paltry 17 per cent, of the profits of their labor ; the people would own the railroads and canals and telephone a*- ' ^graph lines ; the people would own the nises of the great cities. If Spiritualism ru._J it would be indeed : A government of the people, by the people and for the people. Under such a government r >verty would be eliminated, and the standing disgiace of of our boasted Christian civilization — the squalor and vice and wretchedness of our slum population, the Ignorance and brutality of our army of crimi- nals, the idleness and beastliness ot our tramp population— would be replaced by order, industry, i8 comfort and at least the necessaries of life for all. Our eco- omic system of cut-throat competi- tion, of greedy grasping and selfish monopoly of nature's bounties, of stealing by bribery and cor- ruption the great franchises of the people, is a practical denial of human brotherhood. "Such questions" you may say "are ques- tions of sociology and not of religion." We reply that true religion is the kingdom of God here and now realized in happy hearts, pure homes and pro- gressive and prosperous society. Spiritualism aims at heaven upon earth : justice, truth, equality love, peace, plenty, power and purity realized m human society here and now. Make heart and home and society right here : the future will look after itself. Save thyself ami thy l/rvther man : the Gfjflu will save themselves. Spiritualism means- -if its teachings be fol- lowed — perpetual peace among the nations. It will turn the thoughts of men from the great guns and armor-plated ships and engines of destruction to the alluring fields of scientific discovery, to the conquest of nature's forces, and to the study of the human soul in its unfolding divinity. Europe will no longp" be an armed camp but a vast uni- versity for science, philosophy, the arts, and m- ventions. America will awake from its dream of Imperialism through war and aim to lead the nations in education, in invention, in commerce, in discovery and in spiritual science. The Christ- ian and the Heathen nations will not seek at the point of the bayonet to thrust their religious sys- tems upon each other, but each shall become so enamored of truth, so judicial in judgment, so appreciative ot goodness and truth wherever found. i 19 that they will lend and borrow the especial u<>f »'» ^<^^ TJs^jetenu, of religion. The Orient w.H rece.ve from the Occident, science, art, mverit.on, com- merce, and while rejecting theology and sectarian- bm will accept the pure Gospel of the Nazarene, eToJ^^ing in him one of the world's Savours and rSng in his wonderful minisi.y of love o men. Tie Ocdient will receive from the Orient Us pure Spiritual Philosophy, its doctri..es of self-conquest of the soul's rulership over nature and w.ll rejoice to recognize in the teachings of Budc a and Con- fucius and the Adepts and Mahatmas. truths essentially divine and in harmony w.th the simple teachincfs of Jesus. , Spirituali^n comes to wij>e awai, hwmnity s tmr.. By disclosing the tr .5 nature of death as a trans.- tion into a higher state, a change as natural and as blessed as** birth, by showing that .t is no a oenaltv. a judgment, an arbitrary sentence but a Resurrection and an ascension, in every sense a gain Spiritualism has removed forever the gloom fnd sorrow and torment which humanity suffered through the false church teachings co"""?'"/ death By showing to us that the spiritual king- dom nterpenetrates the physical and material S heaven and earth are one locality, that our dead are not departed from us, not forgetful of us, and that in nature's order and under natures law telepathic communications can and do take place betweln the living and the so-called dead, in sho^t by proving that communion between the two worlds is possible and actual, SjnntMahxm ha." he- came the warm consolatUm. Spiritualism asserts a nobler optimism than the world had known be ore^ Paul-under spirit guidance and teaching 1900 .-ears ago— the highest inspiration possible, per- 20 haps, in his age, recognized the lofty truth that " all things work together for good to them that love God." Spiritualism asserts and proves a nobler optimism that "a// ^///w.v-s" n-ork together for (food to all.'' It proves that cause and eifect in nature's ordination are always linked by noble purpose and beneficient in their outworking. Spiritualism recognizes an unfolding of the divine nature in every life and asserts with Tennyson that "Good shall fall— at last- Far off— at last to all," and "every winter change to spring." Spiritualism is destined to transform humani- ty s conception of sin and of crime. It will over- throw the view so long taught by the churches that sin and crime originate in inherent, heredi- tary depravity of man's spiritual nature and prove that they originate out of man's ignorance and un- developed condition and out of wrong environ- ment. It will reform our treatment of the crimi- nal population — doin^^ away entirely ivith the vindi- ctive or retributive idea of punishmeuty (based, I think, on wrong ideas of divine government ) and substituting remedial punishment. Spiritualism asserts that all nature's punishment is remedial and none of it vengeful. Our treatment of prisoners ( while much in advance of that in past ti s and systems in other lands ) in its indiscri- minate herding of criminals — is wrong, as well as in the unnecessary indignities heaped upon prison- ers. In bringing together so many undeveloped and vicious elements as we do in our large prisons, we produce a school of crime — a battery of power for the vicious in both realms to operate — and a 21 I', moral pestilence which would soon be dissipated if these elements were scattered. We ought to abolish the words prison and prisoner and substi- tute " sanitarium " and -patient." With pure air, wholesome food, abundant sunlight, books, and lectures, kindness, patience and love, we could rescue most ot our criminals from cri- minality. Spiritualism is full ot kindliest thought and in- tent towards the Christian churches. It recogni- zes in them much of truth, sincerity and unselfish devotion, and to these Spiritualism would ever nay its devoutest homage. Spirituahsm would not abolish— if it could— these various religious bodies, recocrnizing their necessity for multitudes in their present state of mental and spiritual un- foldment. Still it recognizes from -without what church leaders are now recognizing from laithtn, the growing inadeqnacv of the church to the spiritu- al needs of the community. It recognizes that while humanity has been growing into larger thought, nobler sentiment and higher conceptions of nature and of God, the churches have been (in their creedal svstems and formulated teaching) prartiralJti at a .l.riwf nal deity and ritual services in a temple, humanity needs the religion of charity and justice in human intercourse between man and man; it denounces war and inhumanity, and seeks to turn the thoughts of men to spiritual culture and spirit communion; it comes with divinest con- solations to the poor and sick, the suffering and the sorrowing, bringing consolation and hc^-'e and comfort to every life; it seeks to spiritualize and 26 purify the church teachings and methods, that sincere people in the churches may find bread in place of a stone and comfort in place of uncertain- ty; it would turn every church into a school — every pulpit into a rostrun-.— every class-room into a science hall or a seance room and set men to work studying the human body, the human mind, the human soul as the noblest engagement of life. Thus Spiritualism goes forth with the glory and radiance of eternal morning on her brow ; with the Star of Hope for every man, woman and child shining on her pathway ; with the blessed benedictions of ten thousand ministering angels ; with the loving gratitude of her millions of followers, redeemed from fear, ignorance, and slavery ; in her heart all the love, and sa -rifice, and heroism of the world's Saviours; in he hand the world's Consolation ; on her lips a benediction for humanity, and around her the music of the spheres as she leads her followers to the heights! " 27 Dais big Dais. Day by day the world is growing older, wiser, better, too ; Sun by sun the race is rising into manhood jnj.t and true. See from human souls in darkness clouds of error roll away, As the sun of truth ascendeth, mounting to meridian day. Lo, from human hearts upgrowing, as the flowers that deck the lea, See the graces of the spirit, justice, truth and charity. Now the gory fields of battle yield the husbandman's in- crease, . . Cannon's roar and shrieking shrapnel, yield to symphonies of peace. New sectarian strife and discord melt to notes of patient Now angelic music swelling echoes from the courts above. Now the streams of inspiration flowing from their source on high Thro' the souls of seers and prophets, human graces mul- tiply. Everywhere the work of spirit ; everywhere men hear the "word" ; Soon fulfilled the prophets promise, "every man shall know the Lord." Human souls in countless numbers sense the World of Spirit near. Infidels and scofiing sceptics are compelled to see and hear. Like the swelling tide there rises up within this soul of mine, This new sense of human goodne;.s, this new thought, I am divine. Da oy day more loving angels, throng our paths and linger near ; r • • • j j Sun by sun mankind are sharing more of spirit aid and cheer. ;-.- ■i#fi. -% a8 Along^ the crowded streets she passed, with caj^er tread, Her quick, excited g'lance interrogating" every face, Her eye now cold and dull, now blazing with the lurid light of passion, Her hair dishevelled; and the vagrant tresses of her brow. Now prematurely grey, tossed by the wanton breeze, "The Mad Woman of St. Marks. " Clutchit g by arm each passer by. And with a look that pierced the secret soul. And a voice that thrilled with awe the inner being. She would ask, " Have you seen him ? " '* Of whom speak you, my friend, " I asked. *• Why, my boy, of course, my lovely, precious, darling son My boy — long gone from me — about whose fate So many tales are telling — mostly lies, — I seek him here and yonder, every hour, I seek by day and night, on hill and plain. To bring him to my heart and home again. " "And was he young and beautiful ? " I asked, " Oh, sir, you mock me, for you surely know He was the fairest thing the hand of God e'er made As he came to me, my blessed, lovely babe, — Two dimpled hands whose velvet touch upon my cheek. Drove out all sorrows from my heart and life, — Two eyes like twinkling orbs of light set in a cherub's face, A face which was my firmament, in which All glories of the earth and heaven shone out — A voice so soft and low and sweet, and full of all the finer harmonies Of that bright sphere from which he came. That it awoke more music in my soul Than all the stately anthems of the choir — A form so fair and innocent and pure — So rich in curve and symmetry and grace That you might say, and truly say, He was divine, as truly born of God, as Je.jus was of old — Rut now — Great God ! I miss him so — And search for him each waking" hour of life. But only in my sleep he comes and nestles in my arms again ; uiT^ 29 Oft times when storms blow fierce and wild across my path And I am cold — and sick — and weary — oh, so weary — And sink in faint or sleep — he comes, And once again I press my lovely child, my only son, Unto my heart again— and feel the soft, sweet touches of his hands — And hear his lisping, crooning cry while lying on my breast, And drinking from the fount of mother-life and love — But when I wake, oh Stranger say, % My Icve will not surmount, Nor light up fires of torture which my love can't quench, Nor form a gulf so deep but love will fathom it and bridge it o'er . Stronger than God's throne itself— for that is built on love. Stronger than jndgment and the power of death, Is this mother love of mine ! And all the gods that walk Olympus, All the dark distorted progeny of gods Which men have first created and then worshipped. All the heights and depths, the principalities and powers. Shall never rob me of my darling babe, My Boy, Nor quench the fount of mother love within my breast ! Say, Stranger, if you see him" — but I heard no more. And soon her form was lost amid the surging crowd, But the tragedy of human life sped on its course. ^e ilet»er glnotv. We never know the good that we are doing Along life's lUgged way. When we attempt to lift a brother's burden Or wipe his tears away. We never know how far a thought of kindness May spread its circling wave, Nor how an effort to redeem one brother A multitude may save. The thought unvoiced and unexpressed in writing. All silent in the soul. May reach some distant friend in benediction And make the sick one whole. We never know when we are stoutly struggling Against some giant wrong, How many unseen friends are gath'ring near us To make us wise and strong. And when some sad affliction, deep and painful, Robs life of hope and clieei , We never know how many blessed angels In sympathy draw near. TWxrrTP'n^ssn r*7kT»T7W-r*^ KT I^SPI?^ ■?Ir^ ■TTT We never know which one of life's conUit'onH, The )fht, Shall hrinff us richest joy or greatest soul-growth In realms of peace and liffht. But^ some day we shall know that by our pathway God's angels ever stood, And each experience, both sad and joyful. Has worked out for our good. Whii yafeep for (FThoftr yillto |ta0« ^luua? Why weep for those who pass away, VVhose wearied hands in peaceful rest Lie folded o'er a tranijuil breast Free from all toil and care for aye? Why weep when bird with pinion strong, I.' iig prisoned by its iron bais, E'^iapes to view its n.itive stars. And tills the skies with richest song? ■Why weep wh.Mi friends long s. hooled in pain, Long burileiu'd with disease and care, Kscape to find their mansions fair And greet their loved and lost again ? Why weep when from your bed of llowers. Some plants in form and fragrance rare Transplanted to a realm more fair, Enrich with beauty Eden's bowers ? Oh, selfish sorrow ! foolish, blind ! To wish our ransomed friends again Enslaved to sorrow, care and pain. And in this prison form confined. Oh, foolish grief! For those we love Are never lost. Death's cruel darts Kilt sunders bodies, while our hearts .More closely cling to friends above. W^e lose them not who pass away, Por round our path thej' linger still In ministry of love, and fill Our lives with sweetness day by day. Hi iMiitewi ^b'.-v4^':^iv, I ji-,jf^itatt: THE SERM@N In "The Sermon" Monthly Magazine the Lectures and Addresses of Dr. Austin appear, in whole or in part, from month to month. The Address and Poems herein are re- published from this interesting Monthly. IT COSTS 50c. PER YEAR. A full line of works on New Theology and Psychic Research. AUSTIN PUBL. CO., LIMITED, Toronto. Canada.