Reece of Marietta Danvis, Berlin, Rensellacrcounlty, Near lYor k
Rosidene~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ —




dittos  beynnfy    tt  a    ft*be
TRANCE
OF
MARIETTA DAVIS.
MROM NOTE BYt
REV. Ja. L-' SCOTT.
SIXTEENTH EDITION.
DAYTON, OHIO:
STEPHEN DEU'EL, PUBLISHER.
1859.




Entered accordirng to Aot of Congress, in the year 1858, by
STEPlIEN  DEUEL,
In the CIerkls Office of the District Court of the United States for the
Southern District of Ohio.




PREFACE,
THE  increasing demand for this work, with so little effort to
call public attention to it, confirms our first impressions, that it
is the Book for the age; one greatly needed to supply the deficiency intuitively sensed by the mind of the present generation.
Edition after edition has been published and passed silently
into the hands of the reading public. Reports of an encouraging nature reach us from all sections where it has found its way;
and the united testimony of those who avail themselves of the
work is, that, to read is to be benefited.
The Press is teeming with publications of new and startling dev!e]oP)ments, following each other in rapid succession. New discNoveries are-being made in all the departments of nature, both
of mind and matter. The restless mind of man has "sought out
manly inventions."  It has forced its way into the great arcaie of
material nature, and searched out its heretofore unknown laws.
It has not hesitated to seek converse with those beyond the,rrave, in order to reveal the mysteries of the spirit land. It
coldly claims to have discovered that the Bible story of the fall
and depravity of man and his redemption by the atonement and
mediation of the Son 6f God, is a cunningly devised fable. That
the Christian religion is worse than useless, because it enslaves
the human mind. It claims to have discovered that man is capable by the "harmonial laws of his nature," and his own "progressive energies," to rise to the abodes of bliss in the world of
teatitude where angels dwell. In these, supposed discoveries,
thousands are wildly reveling, and madly blaspheming the name
of Christ, and scoffing at the religion of the Bible. In support
of this new and startling theory, its advocates appeal, for testimony to the spirit world-to the dwellers in scenes beyond the
grave, and thus the lovers of the marvelous, and the youth of the
land are being entangled in its meshes.




1V                       PREFACE.
Believing as I do, that this system, under the influence of the
powers of darkness is rapidly poisoning the minds of men with
the spirit of infidelity; and believing that this little Book, as
an antidote to this, will do more in counteracting its influence
than any thing that has come under my observation; I therefore
commend it to the public, and more particularly to the religious
portion of it.
Its sound theology, pure religious sentiment, and thrilling descriptions of scenes enacted beyond the grave, as seen by the
spirit of the young girl, while her body lay entranced, cannot, it
seems to me, fail to strengthen the faith of the Christian in the
truths of Revelation, while at the same time it meets the wants
of the curious, and the lovers of the marvelous. More particularly is it adapted to the youthful mind of this age, to awaken in
it a love of the Christian Religion as it unfolds so graphically
the great plan of man's Redemption,-" which things the angels
desire to look into."
I have witnessed its effects upon the youthful mind. They,
while listening to the thrilling story of Marietta, seem borne
along with her enraptured spirit, and with it to witness the unfolding of visions, by which the Infants are being taught to know
their Redeemer, that they too, might be able to realize and love
HIM, who was once a babe in a manger; then a man of sorrows
acquainted with grief; then suffering death and triumphing over
the grave, for the redemption of a ruined and forlorn race. Finally ascended into heaven to his Father's right hand, where he
ever lives to make intercession for us; and where the entranced
spirit of Marietta learned to love and praise him.
Whether she saw and heard what she relates, or imagined it, is
of but little importance. I however unhesitatingly state it as my
firm and unwavering belief, that the spirit of Marietta Davis, like
John, the Revelator, while his body was in the Isle of Patmos,
visited scenes beyond the grave, and there saw and heard what
she relates. However this may be, if the truth can be brought to
reach the mind, and win the affections to the Christian Religion,
all is gained that should be desired.
For the purpose of advancing the cause of Christianity, and
confidently believing that this book, by its peculiar character, is
calculated to counteract the strange, and rapidly increasing infidelity of the day, I have engaged-to issue another and enlarged
edition.                           STEPHEN DEUEL.
DAYTon, O., September 1, 1856.




CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT,    -   -             PAGE 13
CHAPTER II.
MAN AT DEATH,..... 18
CHAPTER III.
CITY OF PEACE,                  -   -..            25
CHAPTER IV.
PILGRIM'S ADDRESS,.   -   -        -               31
CHAPTER V.
THE GLORY OF THE CROSS,    -...         32
CHAPTER VI.
THE CHILD'S NARRATION, -..    39
CHAPTER VII.
ARTiSTIC ORDER OF INFANT PARADISE,                -    43
CHAPTER VIII.
THE PARADISIOAL NURSERY,              - -              47
CHAPTER IX.
INFANTS RECEIVED BY THE SAVIOR....        51
CHAPTER X.
INFANTS RESTORED TO HARMONY,   -  -    -               58
CHAPTER XI.
CHRIST REVEALED AS SUFFERING ON THE CROSS,.   -    63
CAAPTER XII.
THz CITY VIEWED FROM A SUPERIOR PLAIN,  -   -   -    68
CHAPTER XIII.
SaENES OF REVOLVING AND LIVING THOUGHT,  -        -    74
CHiPTER XIV.
T1E FORM OF THE SAVIOR IN THE CLO UD OF NIGHT, -   -    78
CHAPTER XV.
THE PHANTOM SPHERE,,                             -    80
CHAPTER XVI.
ADDRESS OF THE  FALSE PHILOSOPHER,..        92
V




Vi                  CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XVII.
THE PANDEMONIUM-MOCK WORSHIP,.  PAGE 96
CHAPTER XVIII.
MARIETTA ARISES TO THE SPHERE OF HARMONY,..  107
CHAPTER XIX.
CENTRE DOME OF INFANT PARADISE,.   112
CHAPTER XX.
MARIETTA'S UNFITNESS REVEALED BY CONTRAST,.  114
CHAPTER XXI.
SONG OF INFANTS BEFORE THEIR CHIEF GUARDIANS..   121
CHAPTER XXII.
THE FORLORN AND DOOMED BEING, -    -   -       123
CHAPTER XXIII.
THE BABE OF BETHLEHEM.                         132
CHAPTER XXIV.
JUSTICE AND MERCY,......    135
CHAPTER XXV.
THE BETRAYAL,   -..                   142
CHAPTER XXVI.
CRUELTIES INFLICTED UPON JESUS,....154
CHAPTER XXVII.
APOLLYON, -........ 161
CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE TRIBUNAL,    -.....                       163
CHAPTER XXIX.
THE DREAM,.                   168
CHAPTER XXX.
JESUS LED OUT TO BE CRUCIFIED,.            171
CHAPTER XXXI.
JUDAS REPENTING,.......                      182
CHAPTER XXXII.
CALVARY, -........ 192
CHAPTER XXXIII.
THE LAST STRUGGLE,   -...   197
CHAPTER XXXIV.
THE TOMB, -........ 202
CHAPTER XXXV.
THE RESURRECTION,  -......    207
CHAPTER XXXVI.
THE ASCENSION,         -.                   213
CHAPTER XXXVII
THE RESCUE, -... -.   216
THE RETURN. -   -                              222




AUTHENTIC  TESTIMONY.
The following testimonials from the mother and
sisters of MARIETTA DAVIS; and from  EMERSON
HULL, M. D., who has been a resident of Berlin for
many years, and is a physician of eminence, are
but a part of those in possession of the editor, but
are considered sufficient to authenticate the narrativeBERLIN, New York, Nov. 15, 1855.
Rev. J. L. SCOTT:
DEAR FRIEND:- Since you have been publishing the trance of Marietta Davis, in the Mountain Cove Journal, some of the readers have written
to us to ascertain its authenticity. Upon this account, and to relieve you from embarrassment, we
submit the following for your disposal:
MARIETTA DAVIS was a member of our family;she was born in this town, where she lived until
called by death from us.
She was not of open religious habits; being disinclined to religious conversation. During the revival in the winter of 1847-'8, her mind, as you well
know, was religiously exercised; but she could not
realize what others professed, so as to enable her to
unite with her young friends in the ordinances of the
Vii




Til          AUTHENTIC TESTIMONY.
Gospel. In August following she fell into a sleep,
or trance, from which she could not be awakened.In that state she remained nine days; and when she
awoke, she said she had been in Heaven; that she
had seen there many of her old friends and relations
who were dead; and Jesus the Redeemer. From
that time her hope in heaven through Jesus, was
strong; and she rejoiced in the prospect of a final
admission into the Paradise of Peace.
During her short stay with us, after she came out
of the trance, she related what she said she had seen,
heard and learned during her sleep; but much of
what she told us, she said she wished should not be
mentioned then, for the world was not prepared to
hear it. The trance, as you published it, as far as
we can recollect, is correct; only you have omitted
much. Marietta fell asleep in August, 1848, and
died the following March, and at the time and in the
manner predicted by herself.
Yours,
NANCY DAVIS, Mother,
SUSAN DAVIS,      Sisters.
SARAHA ANN DAvIs, 1
BERLIN, New York, Nov. 15, 1853.
Rev. J. L. ScorrTT:
DEAR S:- In the summer of 1848, with yourself, I visited the widow Nancy Davis, of this town,
in the capacity of medical attendant upon her daughter Marietta, who had fallen into a state of catalepsy
or trance, in which she remained nine days, and
from which to awaken her human skill seemed unavailing. When she returned to her normal state,
she related much of a remarkable character, which
she said she had learned while in the trance.




AUTIIENTIC TESTIMONY.            ix
Having read portions of what you have published
in the Mountain Cove Journal, I am prepared to
give my testimony as to its strict correspondence to
what I heard her relate before her death.
Your Obedient Servant,
1t tEMERSON HULL, M. D.
[,'? For Rcommentndatio,, s. s,  4') t sli a)es of tohoe book.




PREFACE.
THE work now presented to the public as depicting "Scenes Beyond the Grave," does not come
without authority for its somewhat startling title. In
the summer of 1848,a young woman named Marietta
Davis, agect twenty-nve years, reslung witn her
mother Mrs. Nancy Davis, at Berlin, New York, fell
into a sleep or trance, in which she remained for
nine days. All endeavors on the part of her friends
and of her physicians failed to arouse her from this
unnatural state. When at last she awoke to a consciousness of external things, she was in the full possession of all her natural faculties, with an almost
supernatural acuteness of perception superadded.
Before she fell into the trance, her mind had been
considerably exercised in regard to her future state;
but there was yet a lingering doubt which greatly
disturbed her. Her mother and sisters were exemplary members of a Baptist Church, in Berlin,
then under my pastoral charge, but Marietta's doubt
seemed to have kept her from the enjoyment of the
hope in which her family so confidently rested. But
when she came out of the trance, in which she had
10




PREFACE.                11
lain for so many days, it was with joy and rejoicing
over the unspeakable things which she had seen and
heard. Her mouth was filled with praises to God,
and her heart swelled with gratitude to Him for his
loving kindness. She averred that while her body
lay as it were in death, her spirit had visited the
eternal world. She informed her friends that she was
not to remain long with them: but should soon go
hence to enjoy a mansion prepared for her in her
heavenly Father's Kingdom. After this she lived
seven months and died at the time predicted by herself; and so perfectly did she know the hour of her
departure, that when it arrived she selected a hymn
and commenced singing it with the family; and
while they sang, her spirit took its flight so gently
as not to attract their attention.  Thus the hymn
commenced with her friends on earth, was doubtless
concluded with the angels in heaven.
The style of Marietta's narrative is peculiar. She
regretted her inability to express her conceptions of
what she had seen and heard, so as to give a definite
idea of the glories of the heavenly world. I have
not felt at liberty to change the style of her narrative, and as far as possible have employed her own
language. Having received the story from her own
lips, I have so preserved it, as to make it in truth
the relation of her own experience.
The tone of the trance is exalted and Christ-like;
and therefore its influence cannot fail to be of a usefil and sacred character. Confident of this, I offer
it to the public. If read in the spirit in which it




12                 PREFACE.
was given, it cannot fail to gladden and encourage
the Christian, and to lead the thoughts of the man of
the world beyond his material existence. For while
following her in her wide range of spiritual thoughts
and visions, forgetting the outer world, we fancy
that the heavens are opened to our view, revealing
their glory and magnificence.  We seem to see
the moving multitudes, who with golden harps and
angelic voices are chanting praises to GOD. With
ecstacy we behold, as mirrored before us, the Infant
Paradise; and appear ourselves to be observing the
order and harmony of the inhabitants of that divine
sphere. Then borne onward and upward by her entrancing story, in the spirit we seem to arise with
saints and angels and become familiar with the
inhabitants of the Celestial Heavens, and are led to
exclaim, Marietta! thou favored of Heaven, we bless
that Providence which unfolded thy vision, while
we read with delight of soul, the revelations of thy
entranced spirit!
J. L. SCOTT.




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT.
THERE are no means to convey to man through
Iris external senses, any just idea of the scenes I
witnessed, while my body was reposing in its unconscious slumbers. Life within the veil, can be
appreciated only by those who experience its moving realities.
No medium of communication is sufficiently clear,
to give the perfect outlines of that which is invisible
and incomprehensible to mortals. Words employed
by men, are too cumbrous and unmeaning to bear
the pure thought in its native form, from the world
within to that without; for human utterance mars
the beauty and perfection of heavenly speech, and
corrupts the purity of thoughts thus conveyed.
Too gross are the vehicles of human sense to conduct to the dormant soul truthful impressions of
the most exterior manifestation of life in the world
of peace. You urge me to a history, and yet I am
so sensible of my utter inability that thoughts
associated with the attempt give me pain.
13




14        SCENES BEYOND TEE GRAYE.
Long had I discovered the vanity of earthly
things, the imperfections of human associations, the
unreliability of vast portions of religious faiths and
impressions, and the want of permanent peace in the
disquieted soul of man. Most earnestly I desired to
know more of the reality of that state called by mortals immortality, for I had early learned that the
outer world perished. At length, meditating from
day to day, and while laboring to determine the nature
and tendency of the human soul, I became less conscious of external things, and my inner mind grew
stronger and more active, until the dim shadows of the
objects and interests of this busy life of mortals ceased
with the expiring view, and my vision closed to the
outer world. Then objects new and strange appeared. Still I knew not that I was retiring from the
world of sorrow and of human strife; nor did I understand that my spiritual vision was opening, and
what I saw dimly moving before me was a reality,
the dawning of an immortal life. Still I seemed to
be departing from some former condition and launching out into a boundless sea, and to be traversing
unexplored regions, veiled in uncertain vision, and
floating in mid air over an immeasurable deep below. Alone and unguided, and possessed of a vague
uncertainty, my timid spirit fain would have returned to the land of shadows whence it came.
Half-conscious of my present condition, with
dreamy thoughts, I seemed to ask, is there no one
familiar with the journey I pursue, to guide me in
my movements through this trackless space? When




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.        15
lo! in the distance, and above me, I saw a light descending, having the appearance of a brilliant star,
thither were directed the concentrated powers of
my perceptive being, until nothing was visible
but the approaching light. As it advanced, its foreshadowing halo illumined the expanse about me,
and my exhausted being received new life from the
invigorating glory that beamed upon it. Gently
Ibegan to move, and ascending, drew nearer the
source Qf that light which gladdened and quickened
my spirit. As I approached it, I began to discover
the outlines of what appeared to me a glorified
human being; gradually the figure became more distinct, until, poised in the atmosphere before and
above me, was an angel, whose excellence far exceeded the highest conception of the fairest image
of my human thought. That form, more lovely
than language hath power to portray, moved silently
as it drew near me. Upon her head was a crown,
formed like gems of clustering rays. The light
of her countenance reflected like a flowing garment the encircling manifestation of celestial love.
In her left hand was a cross, emblem of meekness,
innocence and redeeming grace; in her right hand
a wand of pure intellectual light. With this she
touched my lips, and like a flame of holy love,
it quickened an immortal principle which diffused its enlivening spirit throughout my being.
A new class of sensations awoke within me,
and moving harmoniously, prompted a desire for




16        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE,
companionship with the angelic being from whoso
hand came forth the stream of quickening light. I
looked upon her, wishing to learn her name, when
lo! she spoke. The harmony of her utterance filled
me with unknown delight. She said: "Marietta,
thou desirest to know me. In my errand to thee 1
am called the Angel of Peace. I come to guide thee
where those exist who are from earth, whence thou
art. Wouldst thou profit by the lesson, follow
me. But first behold thy form in yonder world."
There, far below  me, and through a dark and
misty way, I beheld this sickly body of mortality.
Around it were gathered my anxious friends, employing every means to awaken it, but all in vain.
"Behold," said my glorious guide, "a picture
of human life. There, kindred, tortured with sympathetic love, struggle to hold the crumbling vase,
and keep the flickering light from expiring. There,
from youth to hoary- age, rolls the tide of human
woe. Fond hearts are severed. Death veils from
mortal sight the tender, lovely form. The opening
flower that gladdens all around, folds its expanding
leaves, withered with the touch of death. There,
hopes, like dreamy phantoms, float in the mid-air
of fancied bliss. As thy vision expandeth, witness
thou the moving hosts. Earth, with her swarming
millions, presents a mingled scene of rising hopes
ambition, strife and death. Her inhabitants are
dismayed by the approach and fear of Death, the
fell destroyer. Time quickly measureth the fleeting




~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -    ~e     -' - P-    --
"ufrteodhfrm in yonder mrorid."-Page It
"But first behold thy form in  yonder vorr."mse








SCENIES BEYOND THE GRAVE.       17
moments of human existence, and generations follow generations in quick succession."
To this address I replied, "These thoughts are
the burden of my young and inexperienced
mind. These forms thou hast shown me, are
before my vision. Like dew drops they pass
away. This is the cause of my sorrow. Canst
thou tell me in what portion of the universe these
beings find a resting place when their spirits depart? Canst thou remove the veil that conceals
them from mortal vision? Canst thou guide me
where they are? 0! tell me, have they a home, or
a place, and may I follow where my loved ones have
been borne?"
2




CHAPTER II.
MAN AT DEATH.
"CWouLDsT thou know the condition of the departed members of thy race, and be made familiar
with the effects of the habits and associations of perverted man? Measureably thou mayest; but know
thou that their conditions are varied." Then bidding me look upward she said, "What beholdest
thou?" Obedient, I looked above me, and with
wonder beheld an orb brighter by far than the sun
of earth in its meridian glory. Light, pure, beaming along the celestial skies, radiated therefrom."There," said my guide, "are many thou wouldst
see, who, clothed in raiment soft and white, move
in harmony. There, night-shades never fall, and
death and gloom have no element. Those who enjoy
that blest abode do not suffer; no sin or pain disturbs
their calm repose. But more of this thou shalt
hereafter learn. Other scenes less joyous must first
be given thee. Marietta, thou knowest well, that
with man are varied characters. The departure
of the spirit from its unsettled and shattered habi18




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.        19
tation below, worketh no change in its nature."
Then touching my forehead, again she said, "What
seest thou." My vision being opened to a new
scene, I beheld before me forms without number,
struggling in the agonies of death. Some in kingly
palaces on dying couches richly hung with drapery
of costly price. Some in humble cottages; others
in gloomy prisons; haunts of vice anad iniquity;
lone forests; barren deserts, and in deep and
wild waters. Some lying beneath the scorching
sun; some perishing upon bleak and snowy mountains; some surrounded with weeping and attentive
friends; others dying alone and forgotten. Some
perishing for their religion; others tortured by
the cruel savage. Some aged, despised, helpless
and forsaken; others, orphans, cast out and destitute. Some expiring from wounds inflicted by
the assassin; others crushed beneath the heavy
tread of the war-horse in the battle-field.
Thus where time and eternity meet, was revealed
a scene of indescribable misery. " This," said my
guide " is but a faint view of the effects of violated
law."
Touched again by the light beaming from her
right hand, I beheld the immortality of those who
were quitting their house of clay, entering upon
the regions of eternity and commencing new and
untried realities. Around each dying form were
gathered spirits, varied in appearance and in
movement.
Over battle-fields were congregated spirits of the




20         SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
dead, and according to the moral nature of the dy.
ing, was that of attending spirits who awaited their
arrival in the spirit world. In like manner, all
classes and conditions are effected, since this intermediate state or vestibule of the spirit world, is visited
by beings varying in character from the unholy and
wretched, to the bright and sanctified angels who
in multitudes congregate at the portals of death,
as messengers of God. And all classes as they
emerge from the physical form are attracted to and
mingle with kindred associations, beings to whose
character they assimilate. Those of discordant and
unhallowed natures are attracted by like elements,
and enter into regions overhung with clouds of
night; while those, who for the love of good,
desire pure associations, are by heavenly messengers conducted to the orb of glories appearing above
the intermediate scene.
The strange sensations of human spirits as they
mingled with the disembodied multitudes, beholding what was transpiring around them, excited my
wonder, and while watching their movements, I
began to ask myself, if what I saw was a reality
or mere imagery reflected upon my mind in a
dreamy state? Upon discovering my thoughts, my
guide took me by the hand saying, " These beings
moving about thee, once the inhabitants of earth
whence thou art, having left their mortal dwellings, are commencing a new state of existence.
Their surprise is the effect of their sudden change
from external objects and sense to spiritual. and




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.        21
their more immediate knowledge of cause and
effect. Butmore of this state and their condition
shall be revealed, when that instruction will better
befit thy mind. These scenes we will leave and
ascend to yon bright orb." Thus saying she led
me toward the cloud of light.
While passing the intermediate she touched me
again, and I became conscious of additional and
expanded vision.
"Behold," said she, "'the countless, planetary
hosts. Mark the rolling orbs, suns, and systems
of sims, moving in silence and harmony. The vast
expanse is occupied and peopled with universes,
constructed in infinite wisdom. These are inhabited'by holy beings, happy and immortal,
though varied in degree of developement and refined spirituality."
Again the organs of perception were touched, and
lo! above and around me. and far in the distance,
were passing and repassing with the quickness
of thought, spirits of pure light.
"These," said my guide, "are ministering angels; their supreme delight is to go upon errands
of mercy. Their home is with the ever blest.
They are employed as guardian protectors and
messengers of holy thought to those in conditions
below them."
While beholding them ascend and descend, one
drew near me, in whose arms, and borne upon
whose angelic bosom, was an infant spirit. The
angel passed, and I saw that the nourished nestling




22        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
rested in calm security, apparently conscious of its
safety in the hands of its protector. Whence came
this? I inquired; and the angel answered, "I received it from a heart-broken mother at the gateway
of death, as the spark of life expired in the external
world, and am conveying it to the sphere of infancy
in the paradise of peace."
As the infant's guardian spirit proceeded, we
moved silently in the same direction, until the
scenes below  perished from  my vision, and my
being was absorbed in the bright light descending from the orb we were approaching. Soon
we entered a plain, whereon were visible trees,
bearing fruit. Their interwoven branches formed
an arched canopy of evergreen above us. Passing
through these shadowy groves, I was delighted
with the melody of the birds, whose warbling notes
arose in sweetest song. There we paused. Supposing that I was on some terrestrial orb I inquired
its name.
My guide answered, " These trees, these flowers,
these birds occupy the outer expanse of the spiritual
paradise. So pure are they, and so refined, that
mortals with beclouded vision may not behold
them. And so soft their notes that they are not
made audible to the dull hearing of men.
Beings inhabiting forms more gross, do not conceive the reality of the existence of nature so refined.
Absent from thy body, thou canst comprehend
through spiritual senses the existence and reality
of spiritual habitations; but what thou dost now




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.          23
behold is but the outline and more exterior of the
home of spirits. These floral plains, and warbling
melodies, are but the lower order of the external
habitation of the sanctified.'":Dost. thou discover that these groves appear
as if moved with. adoration? and that these melodies which charm and invigorate thee with new
life, are but notes offered to higher degrees of
love?
"Here the redeemed are first conducted by their
guardian protectors, as they leave the valley and
shadow of death, and here they are taught the
rudiments of immortal life. Here they receive instructive lessons relative to their heavenly abode,
and learn the nature of pure love, unmarred by sin.
Here are first tuned the lyres of ceaseless praise,
as they learn to utter immortal accents to the Lord,
their Redeemer, and receive new-born thoughts
which bring to them increasing sense of the reality of their change. Here friends who have advanced in spiritual attainments return from higher
employment to welcome the spirit on its entrance
upon this plane of the spirit world. Here kindred
are permitted to meet and hold converse; and'tis
in these immortal groves where spirits first attempt in unity the song of redeeming grace, and
reposing in soft and heavenly sweetness, breathe
the pure air of paradise."
While listening to this strange, though welcome
address, my spirit burned to meet the friends
long lost to me on earth. The angel said, " Thou




24        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
art not to tarry, since thy present mission is to learn
the condition of the departed child of God. When
thy course on earth is ended, here thou shalt mingle
in the infancy of thy immortal state, with thy kindred and receive lessons, preparatory to an advance
to more exalted mansions, the more glorified home
of the blessed."
Then she reached out her hand, and plucked a
rose that hung over us, and bidding me receive its
fragrance, with it touched my lips. Again a more
interior sight was given, and I beheld around me,
and moving in every direction, through the varied
floral scenes, happy beings without number. Desiring to mingle with them, I sought permission;
but my guide moved on, and upward through forests
becoming more pure and fair as we ascended.




CHAPTER III.
CITY OF PEACE.
AT a distance, upon a superior plain I saw a
dome of light. "That," said my guide, "is the
gateway leading to the City of Peace. There the
manifestation of thy Redeemer is made visible.
There saints and angels abide; on harps of gold, and
stringed instruments, with immortal lyres, in alleluias, chant the Song of Redemption; the song
of peace; the song of love undying."
"May I enter there?" I inqlired.
Again she touched my lips, and they moved,
uttering praise in unaccustomed accents which
melted into the harmony of celestial love.
As we drew near, a class of attendants, more
glorious, gathered around the gateway, and one
foremost addressed my guide in language I could
not understand. Music, the music of love, was in
their conversation, and joy as a halo, encompassed
them as they welcomed us at the entrance of the
Holy Sanctuary.
A gate of jasper, set with diamonds, opened,
and two angelic beings approached, and taking
25




26        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
me by each hand, led my tremulous spirit towards
an inner gate, a more immediate entrance to the
pavillion of light.
Then I remembered my discordant state; then
thoughts of my former sins, my doubts, and rebellious nature, rushed upon my mind, and feeling
entirely unprepared to endure the glory of the assemblage, my spirit failed me. The angelic attendants
then bore me in their arms along the portal to the
feet of a being most glorious. Upon his head was
a crown of pure light, and over his shoulders hung
golden locks! His loveliness, can never be expressed.
"This, Marietta," said an attending angel, "is
thy Redeemer. For thee in incarnation he suffered.
For thee without the gate treading the winepress
alone, he expired." Awed by his goodness, tenderness and love, I bowed, feeling that if worthy I
would worship him.
Reaching forth his hand he raised me up, and
in a voice that filled my soul with inexpressible
delight, said, " Welcome, my child. Daughter,
spirit of a race forlorn, enter thou for a season the
portals of the redeemed." Then addressing the surrounding beings, continued," Receive this your companion spirit." And lo! the worshiping congregation arose as upon the breath of holy love, and,
meekly welcomed me as an heir of grace, and with
tuned instruments the immortal choir chanted the
spirit's welcome1"Worthy is the Lamb who hath redeemed us.




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.        27
Exalt His name, all ye sanctified, yea adore Eim,
ye cherubim who worship in the celestial heavens.
Adore Him, for He hath exalted us. We will praise
His name, the name of our God Most High.
"We will bow down and worship at His feet. We
will sing of His loving kindness. Waft, O ye breezes
of immortal love! waft ye His name throughout
the universe of worshiping beings. For lo! from
the depths of iniquity, and from death is exalted
our sister, who from the hands of our Prince and
Savior, we receive. Utter alleluias to Him forever,
all ye adoring hosts. Utter ye His praise forever."
The music of this soft and melodious utterance,
moved like the voice of many waters, filling the
entire dome, and as the anthem closed, the echo
departed in the distance, as though borne from
wave to wave, along the holy atmosphere.
The spirit of praise so inspired each choralist
with the fullness of divine melody, that moved by it,
they softly touched the silver chords of their golden
harps, causing each note to reverberate as if gliding
along the sensitive nerves of spirit hearts, components of one immortal lyre.
Each measure like noiseless waves swelled over
that sea of mind; and with their gentle undulations
I seemed to be moving when a spirit from the innumerable company approached and addressing me
in a familiar manner called me by name.
The spell of music being broken, I was much
affected to find myself in the embrace of one who
on earth I had loved with the affection of an infant




28        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
soul. With willingness I sank into her arms, and
she with a sister's tenderness pressed me to her
immortal form, saying, " Sister spirit, welcome, for
a season to our home of peace."
"Thrice welcome," uttered the music of a thousand voices, and lo! around me gathered those I
loved, all eager to greet me, and receive me to
their kind embrace.
Around us, and in this spacious room, appeared
seats in form of an amphitheatre, yet glorious beyond description. Hereon we rested. Mingling
with them, were many old and familiar friends.
Although I knew them, their appearance was
unlike that while upon earth, each being an imbodiment of intellect unassociated with the physical
form, in which I had known them before. Not having power, or any means adapted to convey a just
idea, I can only give feeble utterance to my conceptions of their nature by saying, they appeared all
mind, all light, all glory, all adoration, all love
supremely pure, all peace and calm serenity, all
united in sublime employ, all expression of heavenly unfolding joy.
Freely did they converse, nor did they use the
language of human beings. They spoke and no
audible utterance attended, yet thought moved with
thought, and spirit was familiar with the mind
of spirit. Ideas associated with their heavenly life,
flowed from being to being, and soon I learned that
in  heaven there is no concealment. Harmony
of soul, harmony of desire, harmony of speech,




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.        29
harmony in the swelling notes of adoring anthems,
harmony in instructive movement, harmony in increasing thought, harmony was their life, their love,
their manifestation, and supreme delight.
Again with harps tuned in unison of harmonic
praise, and in the ascending octave, they chanted
a hymn to their Maker's name. My guide urged
me to unite in the animating song of redemption.
I could not join them, being absorbed in the contemplation and glory of this long-sought home of rest.
When they closed that sacred hymn, my guide,
touching my lips again with the wand of light,
bade me mingle, a companion, with the members
of this divine abode.
Being after being pressed to mine, immortal lips,
and seemed anxious to fold me in their arms.
As a soul, new-born, they caressed me, after looking up in thankfulness to their Redeemer and
their Lord.
"And is this Heaven?" my spirit said. "Are
these happy souls those who once struggled in forms
of clay? Are these immortal visages, radiant with
the glory of this adoring mansion, the spiritual
countenances of those I have before seen in careworn life? And where has fled that age and decrepitude, ye parent spirits a?"
Often have I listened to you, my earthly teacher,
while laboring to convey to the understandings
of your audience, some faint idea of your conceptions of immortal life. Often have I discovered,manifest grief when in spirit you appeared to realize




30        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
that upon most minds all was but an ineffectual
effort. And then I have asked, can heaven be thus
glorious? is not the picture too highly wrought? and
may man, if he attain to that blest abode, bask in
the sunbeams of such supreme delight? And be
assured, the highest -thoughts of man fail to approach the reality and the delights of that heavenly
scene.




CHAPTER IV.
THE PILGRIMrS ADDRESS.
THEN approached me one whom on earth I had
seen bending tremulously over the pilgrim's staff. I
knew'twas one familiar, one of age and emaciated
form, whose hoary head once told the story of a life
of woe. In immortal youth the spirit stood before
me; no staff was there; no trembling frame, no
grief-worn cheek, no hollow eye, no sickly form;
but light and health and vigor were manifest. And
the spirit said, "Behold in me the efficacy of redeeming grace. This heart was once the cage
of thoughts unholy. These hands were employed
in sin. These feet moved swiftly in the downward
road that led to sorrow and to death. This form
of mine, though not this form, yet that in which
I used to live, was worn with grief, corrupt and
dying with disease. But now, all hail that name,
Immanuel! through Him, redeemed, I wear habiliments of light and exist in immortal youth. This
song I chant, O death, where is thy sting? and
grave, thy victory now? Worthy is the Lamb who
31




32        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
offered Himself to redeem! Worthy —O give Him
adoration, ye countless hosts, ye innumerable
throng! Worship and adore Him, all intelligences I
yea let universes adore? Adore Him, for He is
worthy to receive anthems of universal praise!"And while uttering this psalm, the peopled expanse uniting, lifted on high an immeasurable
volume of notes divine.
Then appeared a company of children, who hand
in hand, moved around and their infant voices
chanted: "Praise Him, for lo! while on earth He
said,' Suffer infants and babes to come to me and
forbid them not; yea, suffer little children, and
forbid them not, to come unto me.,"'




CHAPTER V.
THE GLORY OF THE CROSS.
WHEN  this new  song was ended, light suI
premely above that before witnessed, descended.
I looked, and lo! the dome above me parted,
and beings far more glorious approached. Awed
by the presence of the light, and desiring to flee
before it, I approached my guide, who said, " What
thou hast seen Marietta, is but the earnest of joys to
come. Here thou hast been welcomed, and here
witnessed this manifestation of thy Redeemer, and
the harmony of this entrance to the divine abode.
But, behold! above thee the descending glory of
the Cross appears. Spirits, members of thy race,
redeemed, who are advanced to higher life, attend.
Mark the forshadowing of the glory of the Seventh
Sphere. These angels wait on thee."
Then visible above me appeared a Cross, borne
in the midst of twelve, on whose circle I read,
"Patriarchs, Prophets and Apostles." Above it
was written, " Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews."
Bowing at the feet was a spirit, whose raiment
3                                  33




34          SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
was white, and expression that of holy adoration.
She kissed the Cross, and then descending, approached me, and in music of speech, superior to
that of the anthems to which I had listened with
wonder and delight, she said, " Welcome spirit
from the world of woe. Lo! by the will of Jesus,
even that Jesus crucified, my Lord and Redeemer,
I come to commune with thee.'Tis but by his
permission thou art admitted here; and be not sad,
though thou shouldst be required to return to thy
friends on earth."The thought of being subjected again to the sins
and misfortunes of my former life, so affected me
that it seemed as if I was quitting the divine abode,
and rapidly descending to earth; when lo! I was
embraced by my guide, who said, "When thou
returnest, thou shalt go to bear a message of
holy love, to earth; and at an appointed time,
free from the power of mortal attachments, thou
shalt enter here, a member of the holy band."
The spirit who descended from the Cross then said,
"What thou seest, and the message I give thee,
thou shalt unfold to my son in mortality, struggling
in the vales of night. Relate to him the story
of descending light. In dove-like form, bear from
eternity the olive-branch of Truth. Press it to
his heart, and it shall bud and blossom, and
after much conflict, bear the ripened fruit.
"Marietta, thou hast been conducted here for
a wise end, and for that purpose I am permitted
to instruct thee in many things, pertaining to earth




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.          30
and heaven. The thought of returning makes thee
sad; yet thou shalt go laden with riches, the riches
of instructive truth, which as germs shall prepare
the way for greater light.
"First learn that ALL HEAVEN REVERES THE CROSS.
Before it myriads bow, and around it the redeemed,
delight to linger. Earth's religions are but dreamy
scenes, compared to these. Vague and imperfect
are the highest conceptions of the -human soul,
relative to our condition here.'Tis but just above
the plains of earth, where in perfect order begins
the Spiritual Heaven. Around it move the guarlian spirits. Mingling, as permitted, with the
inhabitants of earth are countless guardian angels;
no day, nor hour, nor moment passeth, but each
mortal is watched by the spirit appointed to his
charge.
"Man knoweth not the nature of sin, nor the
fullness of Grace in his Redemption. He will
not believe, even though from eternity angels
gather round him, to tell the story of immortality.
Numberless are the causes, to prevent the light
of heaven from reaching and controlling the race
of man, wretched and deathward tending. But the
time draweth near, when man shall become more
conscious of the reality of this abode; when his
attention shall be turned more fully to the truth
of Inner Life. Mlan's redemption draweth nigh.
Let angels swell the chorus; for soon the Savior
descendeth, with holy attending angels."
She then led the heavenly diapason of an im



36        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
mortal hymn, too full and too harmonious in
movement to be transmitted by human language.
At its close she said, "Sister spirit, rest thou in
the embrace of holy affection. Observe what passeth around thee; for lo! shall be mirrored upon
thy mind a faint, descending and remote expression of the joy that fills this land of peace. Thou
didst notice when I descended, I kissed the Cross.
All saints delight themselves in thus expressing
their remembrance and regard for their Redeemer
who offered himself a sacrifice."
A pause in the address ensued, during which,
voices, apparantly in the distance, arose in soft
and melodious alleluias. The accents moved like
living beings, seeking to wake the song of redemption in every spirit throughout the vast assemblage.
" Who are these?" I inquired. "These are they,"
she said, " who having come out of great tribulation,
cease not day nor night to raise their anthems high,
in exaltation of their Savior's name. The heaven
of heavens is animate with this celestial love.
From saints, who in earth's cottage humbly adore
and sing of redeeming grace, through pathways
of ascending life, is borne on high the soul inspiring melody of heavenly adoration. Above thee
thou dost discover, moving in primeval light, beings
of higher attainment.
"Wouldst thou dwell for ever in this world of
peace, joy and love divine? Wouldst thou bear
some humble part with the psalms of these im




SCENES IE YOND THE GRAVE.        37
mortal choralists? Be thou admonished of thy
former incredulity, thy want of faith and consecration; for there are no other means than those in
Christ, the Redeemer, by which to attain inheritance in this blest abode."
This last address revived within me remembrance
of my former doubts, my want of confidence in the
Savior, and of consecration to his cause. My spirit
drooped. I saw the justice of the mild reproof, and
inquired, " May I yet hope? Or is the opportunity
to secure this heaven of life forever gone? Fain
would I give myself, my all. Fain would I return
no more to earth. 0, that I could forever dwell
where peace like a river gently floweth, and love
unpolluted, moveth from heart to heart!"
" Be faithful then," said the spirit, "to the light
given, and at last thou shalt enjoy the bliss of
heaven. "Marietta, the scene now passing before
thee, is one fraught with interest. In this assembly
are the Prophets and martyred Saints. See, their
raiment is white, pure and transparent. Upon their
breast is the manifestation of the Cross. In their
left hand is a golden censer, and in their right a
small volume."
The scene expanded and I saw that from the
centre, and around which the multitudes were con
gregated, arose a pyramid whose column was composed of pearls and most precious stones, set with
crosses of spiritualized diamond, upon which were
engraven the names of those who had suffered
far their love of Truth, and who not counting




38         SCENES BEYOND TI  GRAVE.
their lives dear, had endured persecution even
unto death. Upon this column stood three spirits,
in the attitude of meekness and adoration, holding in their hand, and above them a Cross from
which floated a banner ever unfurling,-" These,"
said my guide, "are select, one Patriarch, one
Prophet, and one Apostle. They represent the
triune circle of commissioned saints who shall attend the reappearing of the Son of Man, and shall
go forth in the day appointed, gathering together
the elect from the four winds, from the uttermost
part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven."
" The volumes the spirits hold in their hands unfold the order of creation, the redemption of man,
and the principles which govern the obedient, world
without end."




CHAPTER VI.
THE CHILD'S NARRATION.
As the former scene closed upon my view, the
spirit who kissed the Cross, raised her hand, radiant
with the light of life, and two children drew near.
As they approached, they bowed gracefully, and
each placing a hand in hers, with meekness
looked into her lovely face and smiled.
Addressing me she said, "These children left
the form while in their infancy, aud being innocent,
were conducted to the paradise of innocence in the
Seventh Sphere; which is a state of moral purity
and intellectual harmony."
The eldest of the two, thus introduced, said,
"Marietta, I rejoice to commune with thee, since
thou shalt return to those who loved us and who
mourned our departure from the valley of death.
"When thou art again conversing with mortals,
say to him who now sits by thy body, that we
have learned that though parents may grieve for
us, ours is a cup overflowing with gladness to the
spirit made free.
" Marietta, this is the world we know. Here we
first awoke to the reality of our existence. Earth
39




40        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
we visit, conducted by our guardian angels, but it
is unlike heaven. There we witness sorrow, pain
and death; here, harmony, happiness and life
abide."
He then looked down as if in deep meditation
and all was silent. I thought the subject which
had engaged his mind, had made him sad, but soon
saw that his attitude was occasioned by the approach of an angel who in ascending had passed
just above us. 0, how my being was affected at
the sight! Light surrounded her as a well wrought
garment. Her very movement was the harmony
of harmonies. I desired to follow, and said, "O
tell me, who is this so glorious?  I feel her sacred
influence, and ardently desire to enjoy the society
and the abode of such beings."
"This," said the spirit, "is an angel who belongs to the Infant Paradise. Have you not read
in the Gospel, that blessed expression of the Redeemer, a" In heaven their angels always behold the
face of their Heavenly Father? This angel has the
guardian protection of infants, and is commissioned
to meet infant spirits as they leave the external
world and enter into the spiritual. She pauses in
her ascension for thee. She holds out her arms,
and what seest thou, Marietta?"  "A  small pale
light," I answered.
The angel then breathed upon it, as if imparting
life, and pressed it to her bosom in fondness infinitely -above that manifested by earthly mothers.
I knew the little spirit was at rest. Feeling the




"She pauses in her ascension for thee. She holds out her
arms, and what seest thou, Marietta?"








SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.           41
heaven that encompassed and pervaded the angel,
again I wished to fly away, and with the infant
be forever blessed. But while I was struggling
to ascend, the angel arose-one flash of light and
she disappeared.
Then a far different scene was revealed —below
me in a little room, I saw a female kneeling by the
lifeless body of her departed child. She convulsed,
and at times tears streamed from her eyes, and
then her face was as marble, her eyes set and
glassy, and her whole form quivered while she
pressed kiss after kiss upon the cold cheek of her
lost babe. At this juncture a man dressed in black
gravely entered. Tile group gave way and he
silently approached the weeping mother, and taking
her by the hand said, "Sister arise. The Lord gave
and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name
of the Lord. Jesus said, suffer little children to
come unto me and forbid them not, for of such is
the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, their
angels always behold the face of their Heavenly
Father."
Next I saw that mother, sitting beside a coffin,
in an earthly assemblage. IIer eye was fixed
upon the ceiling. Her countenance wore an expression of despair. Before the coffin stood the
grave looking man, whom I had seen enter the room
of death. He read a Psalm, offered prayer for the
afflicted, and then encouraged the mourners, by
endeavoring to prove from the sacred text, that
the babe, though dead shall live again, and that




42        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
an angel had conveyed it to Abraham's bosom.
The assembly disappeared, and the child ad
dressed me saying, "The lifeless form just seen in
the vision, was the representation of my own body,
the weeping mother was my own mother; the
scene was that which transpired when I left that
body; the grave looking man was the minister of a
congregation in the outer world.
" The angel who while passing us paused, was
the bright spirit who conveyed me far above the
influence of evil magnetism, to a place prepared
for the young and delicate infant, where spirits
appointed, are ever occupied in nourishing infant
minds. Dost thou wish to visit that nursery2"
Thus saying he looked up to the spirit, as if to
ask permission to conduct me there.




CHAPTER VII.
ARTISTIC ORDER OF INFANT PARADISE.
IN a moment we were ascending in the direction
of the angel who had borne along the infant, and
who had disappeared in the light. Soon we drew
near that which at first appeared like a city built
in the midst of a floral plain. There appeared
stately edifices and streets lined with trees whose
foliage cast a lovely shade; on whose branches
birds of all colors appeared; and although all were
singing with different notes, all mingled in one full
and perfect harmony. Many corresponded to those
on earth, and yet were as superior to them as the
Paradise itself was superior to the mortal world.
As we advanced, the beauty and harmony increased, and new scenes appeared. The architecture
of the edifices, the sculptures in the open air, the
fountains that sparkled in the light, the trees that
waved their extended branches, the flowers and
flowering vines becoming more majestic, interwoven
and beautiful. There were also many avenues, each
of which, slightly ascending, led to a common
centre toward which we pursued our way.
43




44         SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
As we advanced, I perceived before me a vast
and complicated structure, whose outer walls and
towers appeared formed of marble, that was in appearance delicate as snow. This served as the foundation of a vast canopy, like a dome, though far
too extended to be expressed by the earthly architectural meaning of that term. We drew near this
building, and I perceived that the dome was suspended over the vast circular space. "This," said
my guide, "is the place where all infants from thy
globe are gathered for the instruction and support
of their infant natures. Thou didst discover, as
we moved along the avenues, on either side edifices.
Each of these corresponds to what mortals call a
nursery for the young. There infants are first
conducted, and there nourished beneath the smile
of their guardian angels. Each, though somewhat
varying, is a miniature of this vast temple of instructive manifestation, and each is a home for
the infant spirits who enter there, until they attain
to higher degrees, and enter the Paradise of more
advanced youthful existence, for degrees of instruction adapted to a more intellectual condition. Over
each of these are appointed seven maternal guardians. Thou seest, Marietta, that no two edifices
are perfectly alike in interior beauty, external
form or decoration, but that all harmoniously
combine; and also, that each guardian angel is
different in the radiative light and individuality
of the face and form. This thou art permitted to
know.




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.            45
"Whenever an infant dies on earth, the angel
guardian who bears up the spirit to the Land of
Peace, perceives its interior type of mind, and
according to its type it is classed with others of like
order of intelligence; and as the skillful gardener
on earth in one floral division trains the various
species of the lily, and in another compartment
roses, and in another the camellias or the honeysuckles; so here angelic wisdom classifies the
infant spirits, and according to their variety of
artistic, scientific, and social tendencies, assigneth
each a home best adapted to the unfolding of its
interior germs of life, into intellectual, artistic or
industrial harmony.
" Over each edifice preside seven guardian angels,
who collectively form one octave of instruction,
each angel being of that type of mind which agrees
with his associates, as one note harmonizes with
the associate tones and semi-tones of the harmonic
scale.
" Each of these seven guardianls is the superior
of a subordinate octave of more youthful spirits,
who perform duties assigned to them, according to
their type of being, in the harmonic system of paradisical instruction; and each of these presides over
a separate class of infant beings.
"Seven of these edifices compose one greater
family, and each separate palace of instruction,
which is embosomed in its own separate gardens
and enclosures, is one of seven of associate variety,
and of like degree; and seven of these in their turn




46         SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
form the subordinate divisions of one more composite and magnificent palatial temple, whose
centre pavilion is adapted to instruction in more
exalted degrees of paradisical truth.
"The centre palace of each ward is thus a magnificent temple of instruction, encircled in artistic
splendors and floral harmonies, corresponding to
its degree, and this is surrounded by seven lesser
pavillions of architectural beauty, encircled by corresponding adornments adapted to their subordinate but exalted conditions; and each of these
last is also the centre of a lesser octave of edifices,
also adorned with stately forms of blooming and
sculptured perfection. In these last the infants
dwell, and are led forth each day, or each successive
period corresponding thereto, to the superior palaces, and to the centre pavilion, for the education
of their unfolding natures.
"As soon as these infants arise to a degree
suitable for the general assembly in the great and
centre dome, or temple of instruction, they are led
first from their several homes to their separate
centre school, and then all emerge from the different
wards and move beneath a cloud of angel choralists,
who chant loud alleluias to their Prince and Savior,
and with whose harmony the infants move toward
the outer temple."




THE PARADISICAL NURSERY.
As the spirit closed, I saw on our right a portion
of one of the lesser temples remove, as if an invisible hand gathered it in a manner corresponding
to the removal of a suspended curtain, and lo! to
my already astonished spirit, there appeared visible
the interior of one of the nurseries, supremely
light with the glory thereof, and adorned with
artistic beauty correspondent to the majestic appearance of the paradise of infants. At first I was
greatly abashed, feeling my own unfitness to behold
any abode so pure, lovely and majestic. " There,"
I unconsciously uttered, "is heaven." My reflections were perceived by my instructress who observed, " Marietta, behold the manifestation of
infant life in Paradise. Let us enter, and there
thou shalt learn the true condition of those who
asbabes leave the world of sorrow, and who are
immediately conveyed to this place and are henceforth happy. Little do mortals know of the blessedness attending their little ones who leave in the
morning of their existence. Those who believe in
Christ, become reconciled to the loss, but this is
47




48        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
mostly upor condition of the law of submission established in the Christian's heart. I was once a
mother in the world of sorrow and loss. There I
learned to weep, and there I also learned the
priceless value of faith in God's mercy through our
Lord Jesus Christ; there, Marietta, did I bid adieu
to the infants, who lived but to pain a mother's
heart at the parting.
"Thrice I pressed to my fond heart the loved
babes, flesh of my flesh, bone of my bone and life
of my life, and looking up to God, adored him for
the precious gifts. But scarcely had I with hope
illumed the future, and placed my heart upon them,
ere, like young and tender buds they were nipped
by the frost of death, and I was left wounded and
forlorn. I hoped in Jesus, and consigned them to
him, believing they were well; but, Marietta, had
I only known, yea could I have but seen what
thou now seest, then would my soul have had from
knowledge added to faith, greater rest, for here the
babe who has left its parents in woe, but waits
their arrival, and here it is safe from the contaminations of the vices and sins of the fallen race. See,
Marietta," she continued "these germs of immortality."
I beheld and lo! the interior that was opened
before me was that of a temple gloriously adorned.
In circular tiers, one rising above another, were
niches or segments of circles, as wrought in gold
and overshadowed with a seraph. In each reposed
an infant spirit. Before each was an attending








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SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.          49
or guardian angel, whose employment consists in
fitting for higher life the germ formation of the
spirit for its eternal existence in holy usefulness.
The angel breathes upon it and every breath causes
its capacity and life to expand, for the breath is
that of holy love and inspiration, as her life is
in God whose Quickening Spirit pervades all angels
in the heavens.
As we entered, I saw that those infants, as they
awoke to still greater consciousness, and as they
beheld their angel bending over them, wore an
expressive smile, and were happy.
Could I portray to you this one nursery, and so
fix it in your mind that you could realize its glorious
magnificence, then would I be more content, but 1
cannot. No means are given me; no mortal can
know. Could you enter there with me, you would
behold in the centre, held in an angel's hand, a
Cross, as of pure, transparent, and spiritualized
gold; and on either hand maternal spirits directing
youthful maidens while employed with the newlyarrived infant spirits committed to their charge.
From the silken, cradle-like resting place, adorned
with blossoms of every hue, overshadowed with the
seraphim, were constantly arising those who had
been laid there by those spirits who had received
them at the hands of bereaved parents. As they
arise they float as with wings of pure light amid the
moving angels who conduct them as they learn to
move and to observe the nature and employment
of the family of spirits who watch over them.
4




50         SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
Each angel also has many forms of external imagery
by which to impress the first principles of truth
upon their minds, as best befits their organism and
capacity.
There are also angels appointed, who touch in
softest notes, the varied instruments upon which
is made melody. This music is ever mingling with
that of angelic voices of sweet and heavenly utterance. The dome or temple is so constructed as to
echo, in gentle undulations, each strain, which
appears to move with the life of the place. So soft,
sweet, and melodious was that music, that it served
as lfe to give action and strength to the spirit
nerve of those who were reposing beneath the smile
of their guardians. " This," said the spirit who had
conducted me there, " is but one of the many of
these great temples, and corresponds to all in this
degree. Here-oh! that earthly parents could realize
it-is, as it were, the birth-place of those who are
not permitted to tarry in the outer form until understanding awakes within them. From this they
ascend to places prepared. But, Marietta, thou hast
not witnessed the most delightful of all the realities
connected with this temple."




CHAPTER IX.
INFANTS RECEIVED BY THE SAVIOR.
As she spoke, each of the guardian angels arose
with the infant of her charge, and poised in the
great space within the galaxy of choralists, and
around the angel who held the Cross. Instantly
a light, infinitely superior to that in the temple,
descended from above; and I was awed with the
august presence of a retinue of angels, in whose
midst was one like unto that glorious Being I had
been informed was MY REDEEMER.
As they approached the centre, the manifestation
of the Cross disappeared before the greater light; the
angel retinue paused, and the Being whom they
attended smilingly said, " Suffer little children to
come unto me, and forbid them not." The sweetness
and gentleness of the expression, and the love that
shone from his face as these words moved from his
lips, overcame me, and I sank at the feet of my
heavenly conductor, who raised me up, and drew me
to her angel breast.
I would that the world could see and hear what
then occurred. As he spoke, those guardian angels
drew near, and each presented him with their trea51




52        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
sure. He moved his hand above them, and goodness, like dew-drops, fell therefrom, and the infants
appeared to drink as from a fountain of living water.
They were blessed. The emanation from that Being
was the breath of life. The temple wore a new
aspect. As the scene was closing, the angels who
attended him played upon stringed instruments,
and sung of Redemption. He moved his gracious
hand as if in approbation of what the guardian
angels had done; and they all bowed, and veiled
their faces in the garment of glory that encompassed
them. Suddenly music, like the voice of many
waters, arose from every temple in the broad nursery of the great city. And as the utterance moved
forth in one swelling wave of angelic song, that
BEING, with those who had accompanied him, reascended, and the angels of this temple resumed
their former movement.
CC This," said my guide, " is but the more simple
portion of the heavenly exercises connected with the
pleasing occupation of those who are appointed to
rear infant spirits, in preparation for unfolding
their being into enlarged capacity and useful employment. The earth, if man had not there departed
from purity and harmony, and thence from affinity
and companionship with beings of an exalted nature,
would have been a proper nursery for new-born
snirits.
" Sin, MIarietta, removed the condition of the sinner from that of angels; for by it his moral nature
became changed. Angels are pure. No stain is




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.          53
found upon them,-no evil desires ever awaken improper energies within them. From them emanates
life in its pure element. That life nourishes a like
element. More dependent spirits arise within their
halo of divine existence. They are, in like manner,
moving withiauthe glory that encompasses the societies more exalted than themselves; and these are,
in like manner, moving in the light, and enjoying
the life-sphere of a still higher class of beings. Thus,
all pure spiritual beings united, exist in spheres of
higher life; and, as one being of greater capacity,
exist in the life descending from God, the Life of all.
Superior orbs and systems, in like manner, move in
the spheres of those more exalted; and, receiving perpetual supplies from them, are refined and exalted,
until the terrestrial becomes the spiritual, and the
spiritual the celestial.
" The discordant are severed from the affinity of
those natures above, and their loss is that relation
which blends them with the harmonic laws and
beings of celestial order. Men do not know the
loss they sustain, while in the darkness consequent
upon their condition, and therefore they do not properly realize the necessity and benefit of a Savior.
Whoever restores the affinity lost, is the Redeemer.
But since one degree of harmonic life descends to
another, and one receiving from, rises to another, by
the Spirit of God, the Life of all, thou canst readily
perceive that none but He who controls life could
cause harmonic life to descend to degrees opposite to
itself. And thus is made manifest the great truth of




54         SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
Redemption by the Incarnate Spirit of God. Here
those who are mature are enabled to understand the
law of salvation, even life in Christ, and by means
of this knowledge, are led to acceptable adoration
of HIim who is their Redeemer.
" Thou didst notice, that as He wba blessed these
little ones ascended, all the nurseries of this great
city chanted as one, praises to God and the Lamb.
This was spontaneous; for those who know the consequences ot sin are the better prepared to behold in
Jesus condescension and mercy infinite, and from
their inmost being, to adore him. But when he
moves in their midst, they utter songs silently,
which, as lie is withdrawing from them, assume
outward expression. These happy beings, Marietta,
could no more refrain from that full manifestation of
joy and thanksgiving, than life could cease to flow
fiorom Him  who is the Author of Life. Thus it is
throughout all heaven, and more especially all
abodes of preparation for spirits of the redeemed.
Dost thou not realize that each breath of those beings
around thee is but a separate volume of praise to
God?
"' If men in the body knew the goodness of God
in redemption, they would cease from evil, and learn
righteousness and the ways of peace.  Marietta,
understandest thou this?"
1 felt the reproof, knowing my former infidelity
as to salvation through Jesus, and fain would have
veiled my spirit from the scrutiny of that spirit who
thus addressed me. I knew I had doubted the im



SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.           55
mortality of the soul, and man's restoration from
evil through the Lord Jesus Christ. And now I
beheld that he is all and in all; the source of every
pure and holy delight, and the theme of all I had
been permitted to see in the world of spirits.
This, beloved Pastor, is the lesson which all the
redeemed study with supreme delight, and which,
when learned, inspires them with love too great for
expression. And while I seek to describe it to you,
I feel my own inability to express, in human language, the extatic fulness of that holy passion. and
the weakness of human language to declare the sense
of that love.
As soon as the angels had resumed their former
positions, my guide informed me, that those infant
spirits I had just beheld blest by the Redeemer, had
been given into the charge of other angels, whose
delight was to gently train the mind by means
adapted to their advancing condition; and that now
was approaching a scene in which I should witness
the reception of infants just from earth. As she
closed, I saw above and around, angels poising in
the serene atmosphere, waiting with their treasures
the moment to arrive for them to enter the temple.
When the former angels had given up their charge,
and were preparing to receive another class, these
entered and occupied the centre around the Cross.
At first their movement was irregular, but not disturbed.  Then the softest and most gentle music
commenced, as if harmony had awakened from her
sacred stillness, and moved in almost silent utter



56        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
ance, like some spirit breath, from the heart of
gentleness and love. I was surprised at the quiet
movement of this sweet music, and felt somewhat
impatient with desire for some angel to touch the
swelling notes now burdened with the melody which
appeared to me suppressed. But my guide relieved
me, by directing my attention to a company of
maternal spirits, who were gathering around those
angels who had just entered. These moved to the
time and serenity  of the music, while engaged
with each angel in nourishing the infants held to
their breasts. The music and movement of these
maternal spirits manifested great caution; while all
others in the temple were motionless, as far as
I could discern, except three spirits, who appeared
to poise above the centre, from whom radiated a
soft and pure light.  "Those angels," said my
guide; "encompassed in a light above that of the
temple, are of a higher and more exalted nature.
From them proceeds a halo of superior light. This
light is the descending life of love. Dost thou not
see how it concentrates, forming a separate spiral.
like embodiment, encompassing and overshadowing
those germinal existences in the arms of the guardian
angels? That which is nourished by each angel is a
spirit whose being is just begun, and who, by reason
of nature's violated laws, has been separated prematurely from its infant form in the external world.
This soft music thrills every fibre of the being,
while the Supreme Spirit is reorganizing and giving
it enlarged capacity-fitting each organ to its fellow



SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.           57
organ in the harmony of perfection, thus establishing tone and proper energy in the system. The lifelight descending enters the sensorium of the infant,
and thence outbreathes as breath of life and soul of
love.  The Quickening Spirit gives energy and
expansion to the life principle unfolding, so that the
intellect may perceive, the judgment operate, the
understanding embrace realities, and the being
enjoy the life thereof."
3*




CHAPTER X.
INFANTS RESTORED TO HARMONY.
AGAIN I was touched with a stream ot light, by
which I was enabled to discover those infants as a
complex and exceedingly delicate instrument unstmung. Each separate or distinct portion hadmovement, but not determination; and appeared separately to lie in a sort of spasm-like action, as if
prompted by an energy not altogether innate, but
applied. The movement was indefinite, but increased
in force, until each organ appeared as if a separate
being composed of numberless organs corresponding
to the infant embodiment. This continued to magnify before my view, until it rose in appearance an
animated form, and began to proceed as if a living
being. This wonder of wonders overwhelmed me;
and, with surprise, I impulsively inquired, " Is this
a being proper?" No answer being given, I continued to address my guide, saying, " At first I saw
in the angel's arms the life-germ of an infant form.
This germ was so delicate, that I could not comprehend how its guardian spirit could save the flickering taper. Then I saw descending from above
a light which encompassed and pervaded the spirit.
58




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.         59
Then it moved as if receiving life and energy.
Again I saw the separate tissue, apparatus, and system  of organs of that infant, and, lo! all were
dissevered. And now, kind angel, I behold each
organ arise in form a living being, and the action
thereof indicates a distinct embodiment. And each
of these subdivided into their several and minutest parts, appear clear and distinct, and, like the
former, are also deranged. Tell me, how shall these
so varied, complicated, and deranged unite in harmony? How shall they proceed? How shall they
be so attuned as to perform their office in the greater
structure?"
Again light encompassed my spirit, and its
brightness penetrated the secret chambers thereof,
in which perceptions most exquisite were awakened,
and a new being of my own appeared to arise and
look out upon the scene. Here I saw that numberless spirit functions, existing in each of these least
organic departments, responded to the touch of some
invisible power, and, thus invigorated, every part,
from their interior, manifested proceeding energy.
These being prompted, embraced each other like
animate and intellectual beings; and were, as if
moved by understanding, resolved to perfect appropriation, so that each harmonized in perfect adaptation; and as they embraced, they coalesced and
were lost in identity, until I could perceive them as
one; and this moved as a being distinct, full and
perfect.  Then each organ and function of the
infant I had seen encompassed within the light of




60        SCENES BEYOND TIIE GRAVE.
the three angels above arose, and, in like manner,
corresponding to the separate organs of these, embraced each other, and so coalesced that distinction
was also lost; and then my soul uttered unconsciously, "Praise him for his mighty works," —for
my spirit looked upon an infant in all the perfection
of angelic life; yes, an infant restored. I had per.
ceived it a flickering taper; then as a complex
instrument unstrung; and then encompassed and
pervaded by the sphere of life from the angels above.
I had scanned each organ as it tremulously moved
while being operated upon by the spirit of life. I had
despaired of its restoration. I had witnessed the
wondrous effect of its movement from  its inmost
interior capacity. Yea, I had seen these arise quickened from above, and, embracing each other, coalesce, and then again arise, and, in like manner,
coalesce, until I now beheld that which was before
dissevered from its associate, and discordant, a welltuned instrument, in form and being an angel spirit;
and as it looked up into the face of the angels, it
smiled. That smile bespoke intelligence and harmony. Truly I thought here is the exposition of
that text, " Marvel not that I said unto you, ye must
be born again." And from what had passed before
me, I felt the force of that beautiful expression of
David when he said, "We are fearfully and wonderfully made." And turning to my guide, I inquired,
"Is this real? Is this a spirit redeemed? Is this
process absolute in the restoration of a soul born of
discordant elements 2"




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.        61
" Truly," said my guide, " what thou hast seen is
real. It is the unfolding to thy understanding
the movement and power of grace upon the spirit
that has been rendered discordant by sin, whch is
the violation of the law,-the law of being and the
law of God. The light descending from angels,
Marietta, could not restore, and the music could not
harmonize, nor could the maternal guardians supply
that which was lost. Theirs was to support the
external, while this dissevering process succeeded,
and the components were restored and fitted for
proper use by Him who is the Redeemer, and who
hath power to tune each fibre of the being, and
purify and inbreathe the life of holiness into the soul,
giving new life, tone, energy, inclination, and love;
then to order their reunion unto perfect life in the
infant form. And now thou beholdest a spirit in
the consummation of the redemption. This spirit is
now prepared to rest in the soft and balmy bed of
repose, whence thou hast seen others arise to higher
life. Marietta, treasure this in thy soul; but learn
while this has passed before thee, it is but one of all
this nursery of infant life which thou hast seen.
This period is, in like manner, devoted throughout,
and each temple in the expanse has been equally
occupied.
" And now the scene changes, and another approaches. Listen, Marietta. The melody of angels
moves upon the holy atmosphere of the city. They
chant praises to God and the Lamb for their redemption; for great is the number of these spirits re



62     -SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
stored to the harmony of perfect beings. And thus,
Marietta, are thanksgivings offered to our Heavenly
Parent at each closing scene, which brings the newborn spirit into the harmony and the possession of
heaven."
Oh! how my spirit caught the heavenly flame as
it rose, volume succeeding volume, in ascending
praise, adoration, and glory, inexpressible and divine!
As said the Revelator, " It was like the voice of
many waters."
It appeared that the whole city resolved itself into
the voice of praise. Oh! is this heaven? I said.
How blessed it is to be accounted worthy to enter
the city of God. And if this is only the Infant
Paradise,-if this is the song uttered in view of the
restoration to harmony and heaven of this class of
infant spirits, though great their number, how vast
and incomprehensible must be that expression of
thanksgiving when redemption is complete, and the
Bride, the Lamb's wife, shall touch the golden harp
as they arise from the marriage supper, in that great
day when God shall make up his jewels?
The bliss was so entrancing in its effects upon me,
that I felt like ascending with the divine aspirations:
blut reflections upon my unfitness overcame me, and
I fell into the holy arms of mv guide.




CIHAPTER XI.
CHRIST REVEALED AS SUFFERING ON THE
CRO SS.
As I lay in the arms of my heavenly guardian, I
looked into her face, which wore an expression of
deep emotion. With earnestness her eyes were fixed
above; and her holy lips moved as if in prayer.
At first the expression of her features was so sorrowful, that I thought she would weep; but tears would
have been a feeble manifestation of that feeling
which, I could plainly see, continued to increase.
Truly, I said, in silent thought, do angels grieve?
Can sorrow enter this IIoly City? The music had
ceased — its echo reverberated, and moved in the
distance. Silence reigned in the vast expanse. I
still leaned upon the breast of my blessed protector,
anxiously observing what was passing. Light fiom
above shone upon her brow with increasing brilliancy. Her eyes were still fixed; and, to employ
earthly expressions her bosom began to heave, her
lips became motionless, and her glowing countenance had the appearance of reverential awe. Her
looks were so expressive, that I felt like shrinking
from her arms; and was so awed, that I did not
63




64        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
notice the cause of her excitement, until she gently,
without turning her eyes, laid her hand of snowy
white and spotless purity upon my head, and then
removing it, raised it upward, until it pointed in the
direction indicated by her fixed attention, and to my
utter astonishment I there beheld the cause of her
silent reverence, and the wondrous admiration which
pervaded the inhabitants of the city. There-oh!
that all the world but knew it!-there hung upon
the Cross-and from all I could discover, bleeding
and dying-my Lord and Redeemer!  Oh! that
sight! No human heart can know its effects upon
the spirits who attend in the Infant Paradise. The
crown of thorns, the nails, the mangled form, the
flowing blood, the look of compassion, were so
plainly manifested and combined, as to convey to
the soul an idea of suffering the most intense and
excruciating.
About the Cross were congregating from every
part of the city, guardian angels with their infant
spirits. All, as they gathered in a circular form,
manifested deep humility and holy reverence. As
soon as they had assumed this uniform  attitude,
they held out the infant spirits whom they had
ill charge, directing their infant minds to the
Cross and the Sacrifice. At this moment an angel
descended, clothed in bright raiment, and moved
around the Cross, holding in his hand his'glittering
crown. Then bowing he worshipped, and,is worship was silent as had been that of all who had
congregated. After this, turning to the guardian




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.        65
angels he said, "Adore Him, for he is the Redeemer of a ruined race. Yea, let all Heayeu
adore Him!" Then as he lifted up his right hand,
I saw in it a little book. In imitation all the angels
in like manner raised their right hands, in each
of which was also a book of like dimensions. Then
appeared, as from an invisible dome, a choir of
angelic beings. These had palms in their hands,
and they with one voice sang praises to God and
the Lamb. The first I could not understand, but
they concluded saying, "'Suffer children to come
unto me. Of such is the kingdom. Out of the
mouths of sucklings and babes Thou hast perfected
praise. Amen, alleluia, amen!" Then the guardian angels drew still nearer the Cross, presenting
the spirits in their charge, while they were addressed in a manner entirely beyond my comprehension; at the close of which each infant was
touched with a stream of light. They smiled and
bowed their heads, while holding up in their little
clasped hands the image of the Cross, which had
been given them by their angels. Again they were
folded in the arms of their protectors; and again
the choir chanted a loud anthem, which, being
echoed by the surrounding spirits, filled the city
with one volume of holy melody. Then the Cross
and Sacrifice disappeared, and the angels returning,
whence they had come, the city was restored to
its former appearance.
During this manifestation, nmy guide had not
moved nor uttered a word, but appeared to enter
5




66         SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE,
into the spirit thereof, and to realize that a scene
of absorbing interest had been presented.
At length I inquired, " Is there no heaven without the Cross and the Sacrifice? Each scene moves
around its manifestation. Each spirit reverences it
with holy awe, and each hymn of praise utters the
name of the Sacrifice." She replied with suppressed
accents, " The Cross is ever before the vision of redeemed spirits. In every circle is seen the Cross.
Every flower, every artistic production, has the
Cross, as by an invisible hand, inwrought throughout. And all instruction is based upon that blessed symbol of redeeming love, and it is the duty
of the guardian angels to instruct the spirits of their
charge, in the great truth of redemption, through
Jesus, who suffered upon the Cross, and for this
purpose each class of spirits, as they pass from
their first guardian protectors, to the care of others,
are in like manner congregated. And by this
means the Cross and the Sacrifice are imaged and
enstamped within their interior sense; and hence
its nature and likeness grow into higher life and
more exalted being with them. All redeemed and
sanctified spirits are thus made to appear. No guile
can in any way be found in them. All angels can
behold the Cross as it shines forth from the soul
which has received its impress. From this cause
malicious spirits or beings cannot conceal from
angels or the spirits of just men made perfect,
their real nature. Where the Cross does not shine,
there is no pure love; and the heart whereon




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.          67
it is not visible, is not at peace with God. Marietta,
in  heaven there can be no guile.  But this,
with  other manifestations, is only an introductory view  of the principles represented, which,
in due time will be more perfectly unfolded in
manifestations more specific and enlarged."




(CHAPTER XII.
THE O!TY VIEWED FROM  A SUPERIOR
PLAIN.
THEN I heard a voice from  above us saying,
" Come up hither."  At this moment I beheld a
circular expanse, like the interior of a tower, whose
spiral walls formed ascending galleries, winding
upward into the superior glory. This lovely pathway seemed formed of rainbows wreathed in spirals
of prismatic hue, and reflecting varying but everbeautiful tints of matchless lustre.
Borne on a cloud of essential light, that like a
chariot gently ascended the spiral, we passed from
the surface of the city, and advanced along the rising galleries of this tower of rainbow forms and
glories. Seated by the side of my companion, the
spirit who had kissed the Cross, a sense of calm
composure, full of holy peace and delight far superior to any previous condition, captivated and pervaded my breast. The spiral gallery, which seemed
to undulate as if moved by breathing elements of
life, became more beautiful as we advanced, and
appeared to be composed of minute gems of floating
68




SCENES BEYOND TtIE GRAVE.        69
light, reflecting and picturing in their tremulous
surfaces each floral beauty, which had gladdened my
eye as I passed through the city from which I had
just arisen.
Time, however, was not afforded me to distinguish
between the several qualities and define their loveliness; for soon we emerged from the ascending gallery
of rainbows and stood upon an aerial plain, resting
in the transparent air above that magnificent and
lofty dome which crowns the centre temple of instruction in the paradisical abode.
From this position I beheld the great city, reaching on every side beneath my view, and was so
situated as to perceive at a glance the general features of its plan, and to contemplate it in its entire
form as a picture of surpassing loveliness.
Beneath me the sublime Temple of Instruction,
builded of most precious materials, and in a style of
architecture which I am unable to describe, arose in
air from the centre of a circular lawn of great extent,
whose green surface appeared covered with the softest
and richest verdure. Majestic trees in groups, and
at regular intervals arose, bearing a profusion of
fragrant and shining clusters of flowers. Beneath
their shade, and on the more open spaces, appeared
minute flower beds, filled with every variety of
flowers and blossoming shrubs and vines. Fountains
of living waters also were visible, some just rising
from the green grass, and flowing through their
marble channels, or through beds of golden sands,
with a low and pleasant murmur; while others




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
gushed forth in full volume to a lofty height, and
descended in glowing streams of every variety of
form, and were received in basins, some of which
were like diamond, and others like burnished silver
or the whitest pearl.
This lawn was encircled by a lofty but open trellis
work; and at its eastern side appeared a gateway
without doors, from the centre of which flowed forth
a stream of living water, supplied from the fountains
within the enclosure.
I now directed my attention to the surrounding
city, and perceived that it was divided into twelve
great divisions by this river of living waters, which
flowing in a spiral course, was bordered on either
side by a wide and regular avenue, in twelve great
curves or circles, proceeding from the centre to the
circumference. I also perceived that twelve other
streets intersected this spiral avenue, centering in
the consecrated ground about the Temple, and radiating to twelve equally divided points in the outer
limit of the scene.
As my vision followed the pathway of the flowing
river and the stately avenues, my mind became
absorbed till all sense of person or time was merged
in the entrancing sight. The city was divided into
one hundred and forty-four great wards or divisions,
arranged in a series of advancing degrees of sublimity and beauty. From the outer limit to the
centre was one gently ascending and encircling
pathway of eveR-increasing loveliness. Each degree
was marked by new and more beautiful forms of




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.       71
tree, flower, fountain, statue, palace, and temple of
adoration. Each building was of vast extent, and
corresponded with all others as the perfect part of a
most perfect whole. Thus the entire city appeared
one garden of flowers; one grove of umbrage; one
gallery of sculptured imagery; one undulating sea
of fountains; one unbroken extent of sumptuous
architecture all set in a surrounding landscape of
corresponding beauty, and overarched by a sky
adorned with hues of immortal light, that bathed
and encircled each and every object with an evervarying and increasing charm.
I now beheld the movement of the inhabitants.
But faint is the idea that can be given, of what
was moving before my sight. I can only describe
it by saying, that the entire movement was melody.
All the angelic multitudes appeared animated from
one Inspiring Love, moving in the wisdom of one
orderly plan, and having in view the unfolding
of their infant charge into a condition of being
which should perfectly correspond to all that visible perfection. No angel manifested a separate,
personal movement, disconnected from the universal
harmony, but all appeared to co-operate and to
be inspired from one Superior Source. I saw that
no rivalry, emulation, or desire of selfish glory
existed in the lovely groups of infants, but that
each group, and the inhabitants of each nursery
or palace, were united in holy affection to the superior, associate and more mature societies; and
that each little child was filled with holy love, and




72        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
desired to become advanced in holy wisdom and
fitted to be used as an angel of light and loveliness. I saw also, that each delighted to learn
from those above, to communicate beautiful forms,
as gifts of holy love and wisdom to those below, and to exercise the entire being in harmonic and unselfish works of love. In this it
was revealed, that each child and each group of
children advanced in orderly series, from temple
to temple, from palace to palace, from circle to
circle, and that as one group advanced it occupied
the place just vacated by an older group and gave
place to a more youthful family, in its former abode.
Thus like the movement of Spring upon some unfallen Paradise, I saw each little child, as a living
blossom  of immortality, unfold from  beauty to
beauty, while all above was glory, and all around
was loveliness, and all within was harmonious
movement of unfolding life, love and knowledge
of heaven and adoration of the Savior, and inspiration of undying joy.
Having thus beheld the City in its glory, usefulness and magnificence, my vision expanded, and
beyond the extreme circle of palaces, I saw more
perfectly, what I had seen before while in the City,
multitudes of angels gathering around, in readiness to enter the outer temples at the appointed
period. I saw that each class was congregating
according to the class or school to which the infants
they had with them were best adapted.
These angels approached as on wings of wind,




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.         73
and around them, enrobing them, was a bright
cloud, which made them appear to me as if clothed
with the sun.  In their arms, as before stated,
were infant spirits whose existence appeared to depend upon their care.
As they drew very near, each would pause a
moment, poising in the holy and serene atmosphere, and then inclining to an appropriate position,
would rest.
This most glorious view in its delightful unfoldings was now  somewhat changed, and my
guide addressed me, saying, " Marietta, behold
the order and glorious wonders of the first and most
simple degree of a spiritual paradise. These angels
thou hast seen in their employment, are ever engaged in this delightful duty. Here, as has been
taught thee, infants assemble from the world whence
we are; and from this blessed realm they are conducted to other and higher schools of instruction:
but before thou art permitted to advance, a solemn
and instructive lesson shall be given thee.




CHAPTER XIII.
SCENE OF REVOLVING AND  LIVING
THOUGHTS.
SHE touched my forehead again, and lo! the
brightness and the glory of the scene departed, and
I immediately descended, and soon was in a low
and gloomy subterraneous vault. Darkness in thick
folds encompassed me, and a feeling of supernatural
dread entered my soul and shocked my being. A
quivering and spasmodic action wrought in fearful
conflict throughout. My spirit startled at every
movement of my mind. Yea, it appeared as if my
thoughts wrestled amid the darkness. A distant
roar broke upon my ear, as if an ocean poured its
mighty waters foaming and surging down some
craggy rock-bound cataract. In vain I sought to
grasp some substance by which to impede my rapid
movement, which appeared to force me downward
toward the awful abyss.
At this moment a blue sulphurous flash disturbed
the vault of nether darkness, and as it disap74




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.        75
peared all around me floated grim spectres, each
enveloped in the fire of unhallowed passion. So
sudden had been the change and so dreadful its
effects upon me, that no thought but that of horror
and despair had entered my mind, until these lurid
ghosts appeared; then a more fearful terror possessed
me, and I turned to seek refuge in the embrace of
my guide, and lo! I found her not! Alone and in
this dreadfll place, no means are left me to express
the most faint idea of the agony of that moment.
At first I thought I would pray, but in an instant,
the whole scene of my life was before me. Then
I exclaimed,' 0 for one short hour on earth! for
space, however brief, for preparation of soul, and to
secure fitness for the worid of spirits.' But my conscience, as if some fiend, in a voice hoarse and
trembling, echoed,' In thy day thou didst reject and
spurn the means adapted to thy necessities, canst thou
hope for successful suit in this dark scene of woe?'
And then to add to my misery, my former doubts
and skepticism arose like living beings, looking upon
me with a piercing glare. They revolved around
me in condemning mockery, as though each was a
self-actuated body. Thus congregated my life's
meditations. No secret thought but now composed
a part qf that attending  throng; even those
thoughts I had, as I supposed, forgotten, proceeded
in order and strength around me. Again they
changed, and each appeared an orb revolving in the
mental, spiritual, and moral atmosphere of my being,
and these, although first alpearing in separate parts,




76        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
at length combined as components of myself. To
escape them was to flee fi-om my own life. To annihilate them would seem to blot out my own existence. Then it was that I realized the force of the
Savior's expression, "For every idle word that man
shall speak, he shall give account in the day of
judgment."
While thus my mental being seemed revolving
in outward vision about my despairing thought,
and while in the most absolute wretchedness my
spirit longed to be delivered from  this nether
gloom, and to repossess the bodily form, another
scene most terrible of all was suddenly made visible.
It was the full and perfect representation of my
Crucified Redeemer. Suddenly and in one continuous vision my entire life of thought concerning him, passed in a separate embodiment before
my mental view. In one compartment of vision,
dotted with appropriate imagery, appeared those
thoughts which I had conceived of him as a man.
In another compartment, also in correspondent
images, appeared a representation of my thoughts
in which I had conceived of him  as Divine. In
another compartment still, appeared a representation of my thoughts concerning his special atonement for the limited number of the elect, and there
in fearful forms, appeared those thoughts which
had been mine when I had conceived myself to
be doomed to endless punishment, because predestined to reprobation from eternity. Still in
another compartment appeared, also in forms ap



SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.        77
propriate, my thoughts concerning the eternal
salvation of all mankind without the necessity of
special moral reformation, and without personal
and living faith in the Savior in regard to his
atonement. And still in another compartment appeared, also clad in images significant of their
interior nature, those thoughts concerning Salvation by morality, independent of a special interior
faith in Divine good. These separate compartments blended in one revolving sphere around me,
in which were ten thousand confused and rapidly
combining and separating images, which at once
bewildered, excited and surcharged my mind. Thus
my mental being moved in fearful vision about
my thought, and every phase of doctrine concerning Christ, Heaven, Hell, Religion, or Eternal Life,
which I had ever heard in discourse, or which I
had conceived by study, or learned in conversation,
or evolved in mental action, made a part of the
tremendous sight.
Oh, how bewildering these conflicting yet associated ideas of the Redeemer! As they encircled
me in one confused yet coherent cloud of imagery.
I saw in each some distorted view of the Savior,
but from none in their separate forms, neither in
the entire cloud of changing views, could I behold
him as he is, and therefore the divine glory, honor,
majesty and perfection could not be manifested
in their exalting and redeeming power, and I could
not see him as a Prince and a Savior in that true
character which he sustains to the world.




CHAPTER XIV.
THE FORM OF THE SAVIOR IN THE CLOUD
OF NIGHT.
BEWILDERED, and ready to abandon all hope
of ever escaping that abode, I had determined in
my mind that the sight was the last which was
to fill up the cup of woe, from which I had drank
already to agony, and which to all eternity could
not be drained, when lo! I saw the Savior extending his arms toward me, while from his lips
in holy music fell the lovely and soul enrapturing
sentence, "Come unto me all ye weary and heavy
laden and I will give you rest."
How vast the contrast, when from the midst of
the cloud, was revealed that glorious Being encompassed with the shining appearance of a sun. Inwrought into the revolving surface of the halo of
light which encircled him, and which moved with
calm but rapid motion, I beheld a representation of
the true relation between the Divine Redeemer and
the universe of light, where holy angels dwell, and
the awful disparity between my own nature and that.
sphere of light and life, harmony and love.
I thus beheld him whom, in my madness, folly,
78




SCENES BEYOND TE GRAVE.         79
and skepticism I had so often rejected. At first I
wished to break from the mental embodiment which
was about my inner being, and mingle the very
elements of my life with this sphere of light, and to
dwell in its beauty, peace, and joy: but being unable
to enter into its reality by reason of the diversity
existing between its intrinsic exaltation and the
impure elements of my fallen mind, a feeling of
distrust and doubt again arose within me.




CHAPTER XV.
THE PHANTOM  SPHERE.
SUDDENLY a sable veil of nether night appeared
to ascend, pervading and encompassing my being.
My inner doubt seemed wrought into a cloud that
shut out the upper glory, and the spirit of denial
plunged me into the vortex of a deeper gloom. I
fell as one precipitated from some dizzy height. The
embodiment of darkness opened to receive me. The
moving shadow of a more desolate abyss arose like
clouds in dense masses of tempestuous gloom; and
as I descended, the ever-accumulating weight of
darkness pressed more fearfully upon me. At length
a nether plain that seemed boundless was imaged
upon my sight, which, at a little distance, appeared
to shine With the resemblance of metallic ores, and
to be covered with the sparkling semblance of vegetation. Luminous appearances, like waving trees,
with resplendent foliage, and flowers and fruits of
crystal and of gold, were visible in every direction.
Multitudes of spirits appeared beneath the umbrage, and luminous mantles were folded about each
80




I I   I    ~~~~~~~~~~~~-~; —-— ~~~~~.II'i,
The Savior revealed in the cloud of night.-Page 78.
The Say~or revaled in the cl -u of night. —Page 78.
The Savior revealed in the cloud of night.-Page 75.








SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.          81
rapidly moving form. Some wore crowns upon
their heads; others tiaras; and others decorations
of which I knew not the name, but which appeared
to be wrought of clusters of jewels, wreaths of golden
coin, and cloth of gold and silver tissue. Others
wore towering helmets; and others circlets filled
with glistening and waving plumes. A pale and
lambent phosphorescence was emitted by every
object, and all appeared a splendid masquerade.
The apparel worn by these busy myriads corresponded with the ornaments of the head; hence
every variety of sumptuous apparel was displayed
upon their forms.  Kings and queens appeared
arrayed in the gorgeous robes of coronation. Groups
of nobility of both sexes, also decorated with all the
varieties of adornment displayed in the pageantry of
kingly courts. Dense multitudes were visible in
costume proper to the highly cultivated nations;
and as they passed by, I discovered similar groups
composed of less civilized tribes, attired in barbaric
ornaments of every form. While some appeared
clothed in the habiliments of the present day, others
were in ancient attire; but every class of spirits
manifested, in the midst of variety of mide, a uniformity of external pride, pomp, and rapidly moving
and dazzling lustre.
Sounds of mingled import-bursts of laughterutterances of revelry, of gay sport and witty ridicule,
and polished sarcasm, and obscene allusions and
terrible curses broke upon my ear. These again
were intermixed with impure solicitations and bacl6




82        SCENES BEYOND THIE GRAVE.
bitings, and hollow compliments, and feigned congratulations, and all in one sparkling brilliancy,
agitated the pained, bewildered sense.
As I advanced, I walked as upon scorpions, and
trod as amid living embers. The trees that seemed
to wave about me were fiery exhalations, and their
blossoms the sparklings and the burnings of unremitting flames. Each object I approached by contact
created agony.
The phosphorescent glare that surrounded the
various objects burned the eye that looked upon
them. The fruitage burned the hand that plucked
and the lips that received it. The gathered flowers
had emitted a burning exhalation, whose fetid and
noisome odor, inhaled in the nostrils, caused excruciating pain. The fiery atoms of the atmosphere
burned as they were wafted by me. The air and the
blast that moved it, alike were burdened with the
very elements of disappointment and wretchedness.
Upon turning to see if I could discover a single
drop of water to allay the fierce and intoleral1e
thirst; fountains appeared, and rivulets flowed amid
the herbage, and lay in calm and placid pools.
Soon, however, I discovered that these corresponded
with the former illusions, and the drops of spray
from the sparkling fountains fell like drops of molten
lead upon the shrinking form. The flowing rivulets
were like the molten river of metallic fire that
streams from a furnace seven times heated; and the
deep still pools were as the white and waveless silver




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.        83
in some glowing crucible, when every atom is burning with a fierce, intolerable glow.
When in solemn contemplation of these fearful
scenes, a spirit approached me whom I had known
on earth. This being appeared externally far more
brilliant than when in the body. The form, the
countenance, the eyes, the hands, appeared endued
with a metallic lustre that varied with every motion and every thought. Accosting me the spirit
said:
"Marietta, we are again met. You see me a
disembodied spirit, in that abode where those who
inwardly deny tlhe Savior find their habitation when
their mortal day has ended.
"Strange emotions agitate your bosom. Thus I
felt, looked, wondered, and moved in sad and bewildered anxiety in the hour when my being here discovered the theatre of its present existence. But I
experienced that which you have never yet realized
in the interior principles of mind. Strange and
incontrollable are the emotions causing me to relate
that inward sorrow which this brilliant exterior
would, if it were possible, conceal.
I" My life on earth was suddenly brought to a close;
and as I departed from the world, I moved rapidly
in the direction prompted by my ruling desires.
I inwardly desired to be courted, honored, admired
-to receive universal adulation, and to be free to
follow the perverted inclinations of my proud, rebellious, and pleasure-loving heart-a state of existence
where all should be pleasure without restraint



84        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
where each should be free to obey the promptings of
every passion, and where every indulgence should be
permitted to the soul,-where prayers and religious
instructions should find no place-where the Sabbath
should not be known-where no rebuke of sin should
ever fall-where existence should be spent in gay
and festive sports, with no superior and restraining
power to molest or interfere.
"With these desires I entered the spirit world,
and passed to the condition adapted to my inward
state. I rushed in haste to the enjoyment of the
glittering scenes which you now behold. I was
welcomed as you have not been, for at once I was
recognized as a fit associate by those who here abide.
They do not welcome you, for they discern in you
an interior desire, adverse to the ruling passions
which here prevail.
" I was welcomed with gay and sportive sounds.
The beings whom you behold in the distance rushed
forward to embrace me. They shouted welcome!
welcome! I was awed, bewildered, and yet mentally quickened and energized by the atmosphere
of this abode. I found myself endued with the
power of strange and restless motion. A flood
of thoughts which had before existed in a germinal
state within my mental organism, burst forth and
filled the mind: until the mental edifice appeared
a minute but corresponding image of the dazzling
scenery and moving lustre of the plane, which had
now become my habitation.
Every organ sent forth and every pore emitted




bOENEX8 BEYOND THE GRAVE.        85
a phosphorescent illumination, which condensed
about the head and formed the appearance of a
brilliant diadem, and reflected on the countenance
a wild, unearthly glow. The exhalation as it extended became a flaming robe, enveloping my
form and causing it to conform in appearance to
the invariable likeness of my spirit associates.
" I became conscious of a strange pervasion of the
brain, and the cerebral organs became subject to
a foreign power, which seemed to operate by an
absolute possession.
" I abandoned myself to the attractive influences
that were around me, and sought to satisfy my
craving desires for pleasure. I reveled, I banqueted,
I mingled in the wild and voluptuous dance, I
plucked the shining fruit, I plunged in the ardent
streams, I surfeited my nature with that which externally appeared delicious and inviting to the
sight and to the sense. But when tasted, all was
loathing and a source of increasing pain. And
so unnatural are the desires perpetuated here that
what I crave I loathe, and that which delights
tortures me. My tortures create within me a
strange intoxication. My appetite is palled, and
yet my hunger is unappeased and unappeasable.
"Every object which I perceive I crave, and
I grasp it in the midst of disappointment and
gather it with increased agony. With every new
accession of experience I am immersed in some
unknown fantasy, delirium and intoxication. New
and strange phenomena are continually manifested




86        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
and add delirium to delirium, and fear to fear. I
seem to myself to become part of that which is
about me, and the varied scenes which are mirrored upon the vision appear radiated from me, in
a thousand phantasmagorial deceptions. The voices
which fall upon my ear, again burst from me in
incontrollable utterances. I laugh, philosophize,
jeer, blaspheme and ridicule by turns, yet every
epithet, however interiorly impure, sparkles with
wit, glows with metaphor, and moves adorned with
every rhetorical embellishment. The metallic ores,
the waving trees, the shining fruit, the moving
phantasms, the deluding waters, seem to form a
dazzling and mocking spectacle, which is ever
before my eyes, and every subject of reflection,
has its fellow  in my heart, from  which, in its
mocking scenery, it meets a response. I inwardly
crave to satisfy my hunger and my thirst, and the
desire appears to create without and around
me a tantalizing illusion of cool waters I may
never drink, and grateful fruits I may never taste,
and refreshing airs I never feel, and peaceful slumbers I may never enjoy. I know that the forms
around me are fantastic and delusive, yet every
object appears to hold controlling power, and to
domineer with cruel enchantment over my bewildered mind.
"I experience the power of the law of evil
attraction. I am the slave of discordant and deceptive elements and of their presiding vice. Every
object by turns attracts me. The thought of men



SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.          87
tal freedom dies within the dying will, while the
idea that I am a part and an element of the revolving
fantasy takes possession of my spirit.
"This realm, curtained with a cloud of nether
night, is one sea of perverted and diseased magnetic
element. Here lust, pride, hate, avarice, love of self,
ambition, contention, and blasphemies, reveling in
madness, kindle into a burning flame. And that
speciality of evil which does not belong to and unfold from one spirit, belongs to and unfolds from
another; so that the combined strength of the aggregate of all, is the prevailing law. By this strength
of evil I am bound, and in it I exist.
"IHere are those who oppressed the poor; who
robbed the hireling of his wages, and bound the
weary down with heavy burdens; the false in
religious faith; the hypocrite; the adulterer; the
assassin; and the suicide, who, not satisfied with
life in the external form, has hastened its close.
"Did mortals but know the dark and dreadful
night into which they are sure to fall if they die
unprepared, they would desire to lengthen the day
of probation rather than to hasten its termination,
however multiplied their scenes of sorrow, and to
wisely improve the fleeting moments which quickly
number earth's probationary scenes. Is man's weary
existence fraught with grief while he walks the
gloomy dells of death, and gropes along the brambly
paths that mortals treadS Here, on either hand,
awake new and multiplied causes of accumulating
gloom. Does hope of peaceful and happy days in




88        SCEMES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
the outer world flicker like the dying taper? In this
abode are ceaseless, unsatisfied, and unholy inclinations.
"Here also sense is infinitely more acute. What
with mortals would produce only a pang, enters into
the very elements of our existence, and the pain becomes a part of us. And as immortality is the
intellectual sensation of man unincumbered with
physical sense, and vastly superior in its ability
to endure to mortality, in like proportion is the
consciousness and capability of sufibring here,
superior to human suffering.
" Marietta, I feel'tis vain to attempt the expression of our deplorable state. I often inquire, is
there no hope?  And my sense replies, How can
harmony exist in the very midst of discord? We
were advised of the consequences of our course while
in the body,; but we loved our ways better than
those which exalted the soul. We have fallen into
this fearful abode. We have originated our sorrow.
God is just. He is good. We know that'tis not
from a vindictive law of our Creator that we suffer.
Marietta, it is our condition from which we receive
the misery we endure. The violation of the moral
law, by which our moral natures should have been
preserved in harmony and health, is the prime cause
of our state. 0 sin! thou parent of countless woes!
thou insidious enemy of peace and heaven I why do
mortals love thy ways?"
Here she paused and fixed her eyes, wild with
despair, upon me.  I shrank from  the dreadful




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.         89
glare, for her appearance manifested inexpressible
torture.
While she was addressing me, a multitude of the
forlorn beings were moviug around her, striving to
suppress their true feelings, while listening to her
relation of the reality of their sufferings. Their am
pearance, her address and the scene which was before
me, filled me with horror; and I sought to escapeUpon discovering this, her grief appeared to deepen, and she hastily said:
CC No, Marietta, leave me not, can you not endure
for a short period the sight and relation of what I
am  continually suffering? Tarry with me, for I
desire to speak of many things.
"- Do you startle at these scenes? Know then that
all that moves around you is but the outer degree of
deeper woe. Marietta, no good and happy beings
abide with us. All within is dark. We sometimes
dare to hope for redemption, still remembering the
story of Redeeming Love, and inquire, Can that
love penetrate this abode of gloom and death? May
we ever hope to be made free from those desires and
inclinations which bind us like chains, and passions
which burn like consuming fires in the unhallowed
elements of this world of wretchedness a?"
Overcome by her deep feelings, she yielded to the
manifestation of grief, and I heard her speak no
more; whereupon another spirit drew near, and addressing me, said:
" Go, leave us to our lot. Your presence gives us
pain, since it revives the more active memory of lost




cf.)       ASCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
opportunities; the indulgence of propensities that
folded around the soul the elements of evil magnetism, and pervaded the spirit with its deadly miasm."
Here the spirit paused a moment, then continued,
"No, tarry; prompted by a cause I know not, I am
desirous to reveal what we have learned while here,
relative to the power and influence of evil and its
magnetism upon the spirit of man, which, though
while man inhabits the tenement of clay is exceedingly subtile, when the spirit leaves the outer
world and enters the interior world, forms the external sphere of his existence. Here it is the more
external. In the world whence we came, it is the
invisible and interior; but now it is our outward
dwelling. It arises from the deep. It unfolds from
the soul. It encompasses all, pervades all, controls
and inspires all. Mortals are opposed to this truth,
and from the love and goodness of God, they reason
that there can not be suffering in the spirit of man.
This reasoning charges evil upon God, since evil
and suffering exist with the family of man in the
outer world and with us prevail. The cause of this
is obvious, and yet men seek to reject the principle.
" When the harmony and movement of law is disturbed or prevented, evil consequences ensue. Man,
by counteracting the movement of law in himself,
produces a contrary effect from what is indicated,
and therefore, that which was ordained unto lifethat which should have perfected him-by improper tendencies, is operative unto death; sin therefore, or the violation of law, unfits the being for




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.         91
proper development, and hence, the violator being
removed from harmony, dies unto (ceases to exist
in) the law of peace and holy development.
" This great and irrevocable truth is manifest in
every degree of physical and moral movement,
where law meets with obstruction; and we have its
fruits with us in abundant and fearful harvest.
" Why will not mortals reason and discover the
results of action, and by preventing the growth of
evil and by cleaving unto God, through heaven appointed means, escape these fearful consequences?
Marietta, you are not one of us, else these elements
would have enveloped your being and absorbed
your life. But.you will return to realms of
peace. Madness and delirium arise and rage within us upon being cited to scenes where love, pure
love, and peace abide. You are thus addressed
because of your return to earth. Tell the inhabitants thereof what you have seen, and warn them of
the danger awaiting those who persist in the gratification of impure desires."
One hideous expression closed the scene; and
being overcome-for I knew what I had witnessed
was real-I was immediately removed. Those
spirits I had known on Earth, and when I saw them
there I knew them still. Oh, how changed! They
were the very embodiment of sorrow and remorse.
How ardently I desired that they might escape and
become pure, and receive an inheritance with those
blessed spirits I visited in the Paradise of Peace.




CHtAPTER XVI.
ADDRESS OF THE FALSE PHILOSOPHER.
DURING these reflections I unconsciously passed
away from that sphere of gloom to a region
where I could perceive nothing but lonely space.
No sun or stars were visible to my sight. Darkness
more dense, closed around me, and I felt that m
doom was sealed, and that I should soon become the
companion of spirits in those fantastic realms. And
when I began to agonize beneath the idea of departing hope, I heard a voice as from the distance, in
tones soft and melodious, say, " Look unto Jesus:
He is the life of the soul." In a moment an inward
feeling arose in rebellion to the idea of adoring that
Jesus who was crucified; when suddenly all that
seemed to sustain me departed, and again I descended as from an immeasurable height, into an abyss
inhabited by beings, whose condition I did not at
first discover, but who were finally revealed as more
desperate than those from whom I had just escaped.
They gathered around me and commended me for
the doubt I had entertained concerning the Divinity
of the Son of God. Then a spirit of giant intellect,
approaching me, said:
92




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.         93
" Religion, the Religion of the Bible, so much re.
vered by many who live in darkness and are unde.
veloped, is but a spiritual farce. The God of the
Bible whom Christians call the Savior of the World,
was but a man. Religious faith circumscribes the
range of human thought, fetters the noble intellect,
and prevents the progression of the race. Those
thou hast just visited, are a class of spirits who,
blinded by the delusive dreams of Earth's religionists, have entered the spirit world unprogressed; hence they still cling to the idea of Redemption through Christ. They appear to suffer;
their suffering is but imaginary. Light will ere
long reach them. Then will they be enabled to
discover the folly of their religious education, to
which, though discarded by their better being,
they cleave with insatiable desires. We are free.
Our intellect ranges unrestrained, and we behold the
magnificence and the glory of the peopled universe.
We enjoy the rich productions of the sublime attributes of mind, and thus-and not by the Religion
of the Cross-we arise into the more exalted spheres
of intellectual attainments, and the moving grandeur
of terrestrial things.
"Marietta, for so thou art called, we saw thee
when darkness overshadowed thee, and well did we
understand that for a moment, from the force of education, thou wouldst have offered prayer for salvation in the name of Jesus. We heard that voice
that spake from above thee, saying,'Look to
Jesus;' still that did not save thee. Learn, then,




94        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
that from the native unfolding of thy being cometh
salvation.
"What dost thou see, Marietta?  Abandon thy
thoughts of the empty Religion of the Bible, and behold the wonders of this sphere of existence. This
is the Second Sphere. Around thee gather minds
from the varied spheres of Earth, minds whose
strength of intellect could not yield to the force of an
imaginary religion. They were not awed into reverence by the priestly garb, nor sang the idle notes
of psalmody, the heartless' music' of the church.
"These sing of nature, of which they are a noble
part; and thus united, ascend tile octave of mental
progressive harmony."
Here the spirit addressing ine became greatly
annoyed; and the nebulous appearance which encompassed him was agitated under the influence of
successive shocks, which caused his very being to
convulse and writhe beneath its influence. I could
not perceive whence they came, and was greatly
terrified, as I saw the whole scene changed at every
successive touch, which was attended with flashes
like broad sheets of lurid light, playing upon the
cloud-like form which enveloped him.
I could also perceive that he was intensely struggling to overcome some power which was about to
control him. Every energy was exerted to its highest capacity, to roll back the tide that was overwhelming him. Suddenly he groaned, as in the bitterness
of one sinking to irremediable despair, and then
yielded to the intrusive influence, when, lo! a vast




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.        95
arena opened to my view, in which I saw at one
glance every imaginable species of vice, forms and
fashions of human society, government, clans, and
all the varied phases and forms of worship, originating in every kind of religion, from the heathen to
fashionable church-going people, who heartlessly
worship under the name of the holy Religion of the
Cross.




CHAPTER XVII.
THE PANDEMONIUM-MOCK WORSHIP.
As this scene opened, I heard a voice from far
above me, saying, " Marietta, fear not; but behold
a pandemonium, where congregate the self-deceived; hopers in false philosophy, together with the
despisers of God; and where also arise, in spectral
form, the false religions of Earth; where hypocrisy
unveils its hideous shape, and religious mockery
speaks in its own language; where are exhibited
human wolves, who appeared in sheep's clothing,
that they might indulge their cupidity upon the
humble and unsuspecting. Hark! listen to that
wild chant which breaks from the thousands who sit
in the galleries of song. They once sung-heartlessly sung-hymns dedicated to the worship of the
living God. Listen to the hoarse voice of the heavy
organ before which they are congregated. See, they
arise; observe their manner, and seek to understand
what they utter."
As I approach the description of this scene,  I
most sensibly feel my incompetency. The reality
none can ever know, save those who personally behold it. I am only able to say, that every evil device
96




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.         97
which prevails with man, appeared organized and
moving in a perfect scene, and each spirit was an
actor performing the part cultivated by him while in
the body. I knew that if they expected bliss, all
was unreal; and yet all struggled to obtain enjoyment, which, however, from its dreadfiul fantasy,
recoiled upon the suffering soul with inexpressible
horror.
As I looked upon them, the occupants of the broad
galleries arose; and as they sung, the hoarse voice
of the spectral organ jarred, as note after note oi
their attempted music fell from lips whose very
accents mocked the effort. My soul pitied them, as
I saw them sink back in utter despair; and yet I
thought I could perceive design in their movements.
Below them were seated a fastidious audience, before
whom was standing, in a pulpit of Gothic architecture, one clad in priestly garb-one who had dishonored the cause of the Redeemer by hypocrisy and
the love of vain glory-Who had made the cause of
the holy ministry a by-word, by a soulless profession
of love for the gifts of grace. This representation of
speculators in religious things, moved in the mock
dignity of his clerical profession.  Before him
lay an open volume, from which he attempted
to read, but every effort was baffled. His voice
was shrill and piercing, and his accents inarticulate.
His features became distorted, and he writhed and
agonized. He then attempted to read again, which
resulted as did the first, increasing his sufferings,
until he burst forth in the most vehement expressions,
7




98        SCSEIES IMYOND THE GRAYE.
cursing his own being, and all around him, and then
blasphemously addressing himself to the Author of
Existence, charged God with all wrong, the source of
every sorrow, and even desired to gather together
the strength of all created intellect with which to
curse the Creator of the Universe. His oaths, his
manner, and his insatiable passion, caused him to
appear so desperate, that I felt impressed with fear
that he had power to accomplish great destruction in
whatever direction he moved.
Soon, however, my anxiety was relieved by the
sudden exhaustion of his entire force, and I saw
that he too, was limited in power, and was, moreover, to a very great extent, under the will of his
audience.
One glance at the throng before him, was sufficient to reveal the cause of much of his suffering.
There, were seated those whose countenances bespoke interior hate, mingling with wild maniacal
relish; those who mocked his futile effort and
indulged in fiendish delight at the expense of his
dreadful sufferings. Yea, they relished his manifestation of keen despair as the uneasy wound
relishes that friction which affords present maddening pleasure, but terminates in more excited pain.
As he sank back, the expression of his countenance
was that of horror beyond description. His being
assumed every imaginable distortion. Around him
flashed lurid fires, and his entire outward expression, revealed an inward consciousness as restless
as some burning crater. His whole appearance




SUCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.        09
bespoke agonies equal to the worst conceptions
of the relentless sinner's hell, and reminded me
of the language of Jesus, who said, "And they
shall go into outer darkness, where there shall be
weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth; where
the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched."
While he lay enveloped in the fires of his own
unhallowed passions, one of his audience arose
and thus addressed him:
"Thou fiend of darkness! thou child of hypocrisy! deceiver, matchless deceiver! thine is
the hell of a heartless religious teacher. Adequate
sufferings thou canst never endure. Thou madest
merchandise of religion and the souls of men. Yea,
because of this, thou didst dwell in temples of
human glory, receiving the adoration of men; then
thou didst wrap thyself in the garments of ease
at the expense of souls; thou didst not seek to
reach the ruined heart with the soul-redeeming
Truth of Heaven, but to please the ear and charm
the fancy. Now thou art tormented. Arise! thou
false teacher, arise! and in thy silken gown display
the order of thy false apostleship. Speak to us
smooth things. Direct the movement of this broad
gallery of mimic song.  Hold thy blasphemy!
vent not thy cursings, for lo! thy Maker is just;
wish not to move him from his throne. His august
majesty thou didst mock. Through thee, his glory
should have shown, and by that light thousands
should hatve been led to seek his face."




100        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
At this sharp rebuke the sufferer sought to
escape, whereupon the speaker continued,
" Nay, thou hypocrite! even though thou wouldst
thou canst not flee. Cast thy vision over this vast
throng of sufferers, then ask thyself the cause.
Though these have sinned, and each to his Master
standeth or falleth, canst thou behold them in peace
and a sense of innocence? Didst thou strive to
lead them up to God? Yea, rather thy learned
essays and elaborate expositions of the Sacred Word,
adorned with poetic genius, addressed with most
eloquent display, did they not lull in deeper slumber the dormant spirit, while wreathing thy mortal
brow with human laurels?."
Here the spirit addressed cried out, " Hold! hold I
spare me   I suffer the tortures of unabating remorse! Dread Retribution! stay! oh, stay! nor cut
thy victim down. I own my sufferings just. In
life I sought the means of human pleasure. I trifled
with the souls of men, and heartlessly wrote of eternal things. I formed my prayers for human hearing, and interpreted the Sacred Text to gratify the
capricious, the selfish, the vaunter in holy things,
the usurper of human rights, the oppressor. Horror,
the horrors of immortal night and keen remorse
take hold of my spirit. I hear the voice of lamentation. I see the madness of disappointed spirits.
These haunt me. If I seek to fly, before me congregate like ghosts the multitude of ills hanging upon
the soul that here finds no rest. These, my par —




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.        101
risioners, drive me mad with their bitter imprecations.
Secret sins, like demons commissioned to inflict on
me immortal pain, arise from the vault of memory.
Spare me a deeper hell!" During these ejaculations
the whole audience arose and mocked his agony.
At the close, the spirit addressing him resumed his
animadversion, saying:
" Well didst thou know our delight was to please
thee; and when we indulged in the gratificationr of
desires unhallowed, and leading in the ways of
death, no reproof was administered by thee, our
religious teacher. The Bible-oh! that sacred Book,
gift of God to guide the wanderer to bright mansions
in heaven-was made, by the false interpretations of
the pleasure-loving and heartless divine, the passport to this scene of woe, where sins ripen into
living forms, where fashions, with their gaudy
folds, enwrap the spirit as with innumerable sheets
of unextinguishable fire, and where Mammon, like
a spectral goddess, sits in the clouds of death,which
encanopy the abyss.
"The law of being, inverted, culminates in the
fantasy in which thou art moving. This thou hast
done, urged on by the love of glory, the glory of
the hypocrite, whose form of religion is like a
whited sepulchre, to the outward view fair as the
spotless Church, which reflects the glory of the
Spiritual Jerusalem from bright worlds on high.
But thy heart was the seat of pride and lust, a
cage of foul birds, a den of reptile thoughts. Yes, a
sepulchre fill of dead men's bones, the anatomic




102        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
fraogments of departed, heartless divines, the legacy
of religious bigots.
"Curse not thy Maker.  This is thy harvest.
Listen to that scripture so often carelessly falling
from thy lips.'He that soweth to the flesh shall of
the flesh reap corruption.'' The wages of sin is
death.'  How those passages of Holy Writ ring
through the brassy chambers of souls congregated in
the realms of night.. Yes, they ring as from spirit
to spirit they move, touching each immortal sensation drawn to its highest tension by the horror of the
doom and the phantom scenes that arise like ghosts
from beneath these spheres of death.
" No, false teacher, let God be true; for sin hath
formed us thus. We suffer the consequences of violated law, the law of our being."
As he spoke these words, a fearful trembling seized
his form. He became more and more agitated, until
he, with the great congregation, quaked and fell
like dead men; and losing identity, presented one
vast body of agitated life. Above this body arose a
thick atmosphere of moving atoms, so dense, that it
appeared like a part of the mass below.
The sight was too much; and being unable to
endure further these scenes of woe, I shrank back
and exclaimed, " Is there not a God of mercy, and
can he behold and not save a"
"Yes," spake a voice from above me, " yes there
is a God of mercy, and that God beholds with pitying eyes the sinner. Mercy yearns over him. Yea,
hast thou not read,' God so loved the world, that he




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.         103
gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth
on him should not perish, but have eternal Jife'
But though salvation is offered to the world, and
Heaven's messengers plead with the sinner, millions
refuse, and millions more who profess, speculate
upon the great truth connected with man's redemption. Sin indulged, forms the sinner for woe;
and there are many who will not forsake their evil
ways until fallen into the most wretched state, the
consequence of the violation of the law of purity and
love.
"Fear not, Marietta, before thee has been portrayed a portion of the consequences of sin upon the
spirit of man. Spiritual sufferings are beyond any
power of expression; nor may they be perfectly
mirrored upon the understanding by figures of representations. He who first addressed thee, represents
that spirit of antichrist which seeks to dazzle spiritual perception by bright pictures of false reasoning,
behind all of which lies the scene of discord, improper affections, impure desires, love of self, false
hearts, cruelty, lust, rapine, and murder; the denial
of God in his redeeming mercy, sacrilege and blasphemy. He strove to direct thy attention to an
opposite scene, and thereby conceal the state of
those whose hearts are not controlled by the love of
God.'" His power failing, represents the utter inutility
of all things out of Christ, to save the soul
from the influences tending to death which, through
sin, infect the unregenerate heart.




104        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.' Then opened a scene in which was likewise portrayed all forms of vice; but too heavily would that
view have borne upon thee, had it been displayed
in its fulness, hence immediately appeared the gallery
of choralists. These represent the world making
melody to the gods of their worship, of whatever
name or character they chanced to be. In their
hearts was no fear or love for the Supreme Being,
whom they mocked with lip service. In the
desk was represented a false teacher, and the
awful consequences of hypocrisy in religion. He
was false, and therefore fallen into this pit of woe.
Before him were those who represent the worshipers in the name of the Cross, but who have not the
fear of God before their eyes. They appeared unto
men to worship, but their hearts were far from God.
They sought to please themselves in their devotions,
while they chose a teacher who in turn sought to
glorify himself with men by gratifying the caprice of
his audience.
" He strove to address them in representation
of the great truth, that the mind works out in the
spirit, the cultivation and impression received in
the outer world. His ineffectual effort represents
the inability of any being to derive real satisfaction,
or to be useful to those around him by false methodls.
" The spirit addressing him, represents the spirit
of those who, in any sphere of existence, had
trusted to false teachers, and had little concern
for their spiritual interests. And thus the discor



SCENES BEYOND TIIE GRAVE.        105
dance of beings not properly united is made to
appear. They charge their sins upon each other.
The spirit's reference to the justice of their condition as a natural consequence  following   the
violation of law, represents the consciousness of
guilt and the goodness of God, conceived by all
who awake from their idle dreamings to a proper
sense of the the requisition of God's holy law upon
them.
I" The dreadful writhing of the spirit addressed
under the dark picture of his past deeds, represents
that those who, in external life follow their carnal
desires, when they meet in spirit reflect great truths
upon each other, by the thoughts and movements
of their being. Their final fall and blending into
one, illustrates the inseparable nature and tendency
of sin; also, that the law of sympathy or magnetic
affinity, exists even with the disembodied spirits
of men; and that, by that law, like character
of inind and afibctions, are attracted  to each
other, and that by accumulation, prevailing elements increase in power and momentum, and
thus each receives from and inflicts sorrow upon the
other.
" The moving cloud above them also illustrates
the atmosphere of thought which fills the great arena
of spiritual discord.
"Finally, Marietta, the scene of the bishop and
his congregation, together with the false teachers of the schools of vain philosophy, illustrates that portion of the sacred text which saith,




106        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.'If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall together.'
" Marietta, thy spirit cannot endure more; but
let this lesson impress thee with the great truth, that'the wages of sin is death.'




CHAPTER XVm.
MARIETTA ARISES TO A SPHERE OF
HARMONY.
As the voice addressing me ceased, I heard an
angel as from some choral band, say,' Marietta,
come up hither!" and I arose into a cloud of light,
which gently ascended. In its pavilion my spirit
rested.
The change how great, how marvelous! A moment before I was with fear and wonder beholding an excited, suffering throng reveling in the
madness of inflamed passions: passions cultivated
while in the body to excessive indulgence. There,
they had sorrow. There, were manifested, undisguised, the effects of evil of every character, of demoralizing habits, secret purposes, and hidden iniquity.
There were contentions, murmurings, and dreadful
blasphemies, while the actors and sufferers were
drawn together and held by prevailing elements,
the elements of their own perverted natures.
And from their condition I had learned that sin
worketh death, and happiness cometh not by disobedience, but by unsophisticated religious faith:
faith in Jesus as the Redeemer which incites the
107




108       SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
true worship of God from a broken heart and contrite spirit. Moreover, I also learned, that deceit
was the element of darkness and the source of many
woes, as well as the covert for the concealment of
the end of falsehood and the fruits of vice. And yet
was plainly revealed the great truth that no deception however finely wrought, can shroud in the
hour of trial; for he who essayed to portray the
glories of nature, and sought by the display of the
emblazoned canopy to allure the soul from the Cross,
and proffer life and peace by other means, failed to
conceal the drama moving in the broad arena where
congregate those who do not love God or regard his
law -despisers of the holy religion of Jesus by
which men are saved.
I was reflecting upon this scene when new light
broke in upon me. I turned to see whence it issued,
when, lo! above me, I saw a lovely being, clad in
raiment bright as the sun, reposing in the glory
surrounding her. Her countenance shone with
heavenly goodness. Calmly she dwelt in the midst
of the divine effulgence. She spake, and her voice
filled me with delight, saying, " Rest spirit, rest.
Let no care depress thee. Dismiss thy thoughts
upon the scenes just passed. For every willing heart
God hath in heaven a mansion prepared. And
whoso seeks shall find the Lord a present help in
time of need. Those thou hast seen are in the element they indulged while in the body. As he who
falls from some dizzy height must bear the pain the
wound imparts, even so he who lives and dies in




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.       109 
sin, receives the counterpart. This is the law of
being.
"Rest, Marietta, rest; for lo! angelic bands descend. List, sister. That harmony, how sweet!
How gently it moves along the heavenly way  It
nears us, Marietta; the volume swells upon the
heavenly breeze. Its notes accent praises to our
Redeemer. Heavenly anthems awake on every
hand. Look up, Marietta; lo! we are near a city
wherein dwelleth righteousness. No evil enters
there. No false spirit shall ever pollute the holy
temples thereof.  Hark, sister spirit, an  angel
guardian of the holy hills, addresseth thee."
Then there came a voice saying, " Marietta,
whence art thou i Hast thou left the world of
mortal sadness? And why art thou inclined to
scenes where evil passions reign?  Does thy being
vascillate between the spheres of good and evil? I
have seen thee in the Paradise of Peace, moving
with the blessed, where songs unite and anthems
are ever ascending in softest melody. I have seen
thee floating in the murky air friendless and alone;
thence I witnessed thy sudden fall into the cloud
that o'erhangs the arena of inharmonious, wicked
beings; and then I saw thee observing every movement until the sight overcame thee; and sinking
beneath the burdened vision, I heard thee call for
help from God or for some kind angel to befriend
thee. Learn from this, that he whose heart is not
established in truth, whose nature is not controlled
by the law of holy love, is exposed to the attracting




110        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
influence of evil; for there is no safety for the soul
not born of Divine Good. He who hath not this
principle, is in moral condition exposed to those
influences which tend to outer darkness, and the
abode of those existing in the sphere of deadly magnetism. Remember that he who would be the disciple of Truth and enter into rest, must deny himself the gratification of the unholy inclinations of
the perverted heart, which cleave to that which does
not inspire reverence for God or a desire to be
found doing His will; and he must convert the
attributes of his being to the exercise of welldoing,
for thus and thus only can be secured through
grace divine, everlasting good.
" Marietta, these scenes and the opening of thy
spiritual perceptions are permitted for a wise purpose. The movement of human minds, unsettled
in religious truth, thou hast represented when attracted to paradise, thence to vacant regions where
Chaos and Night rule chief monarchs; and thence
to scenes of wretchedness where are those whose
characters have been formed by wrong indulged,
and the love thereof cherished, until the receptive
powers have become drunken with the excess of
vice, and delirious under the influence of hallucinating pleasures. And where at last the elements of
evil operate uncontrolled, and the soul made sensible
of the nature of false influence, realizes the tendency
and the effects of sin.'"Thus it is revealed, that when left to itself,
the perverted spirit drives madly on under the in



SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.         111
satiable action of evil, and by association devoid
of restraint, spirits aggravate each other's woe; and
therefore those in the broad arena were mutual
sufferers.
" So also in the world of mortality, sin is
strengthened in proportion to the number of minds
actuated by its principles. Thus one evil doer
supports another in the ways of evil. And herein
is seen how one sinner destroyeth much good. Sin
added to sin enlargeth its capacity, and increaseth
its movement, until families, tribes and nations
arm themselves to do battle in its behalf. 0, that
mortals but knew the power of evil influence! Then
prompted by the law of heavenly love, the Spirit
of Grace, they would unite to prevent its workings in the carnal heart. Marietta, woe may
well be written upon the dome encompassing the
race of man, for by their indulgence in sin they
embitter their mortal existence, and too often enter
the world of spirits preponderating to evil, and
thence become united to those existing where like
elements prevail. But the grace of God if admitted
into the understanding and affections, changes the
character and inclinations; since Divine Life descending into the soul, causes the affections thereof
to incline to its source. And such when they enter
here, by the law of holy attraction, mingle in life's
sustaining sphere, and from God receive the inspiration of holiness, the ever increasing spirit
of divine attainments."




CHAPTER  XIX.
CENTRE DOME OF INFANT PARADISE.
" MARIETTA, this is the city where thou hast
beheld the infant nurseries, to which, from scenes
of sorrow and death thou art permitted to return.
From this position above the centre dome of the
infant nursery, thou canst behold the order and use
of this temple of education.'Here are congregated
the schools of Infant Paradise, and here they are
instructed in the higher degrees of useful employment."
As the spirit closed, suddenly the great dome
below us opened, and presented at one single view
its glory and magnificence. In it I saw united
all the grandeur, variety and order of the entire
paradise. Again, I saw in the centre, the Cross.
Around it were twelve spirits, in each of whose
hands was a lesser cross and a harp. Upon their
heads were crowns bright with gems. Below these
and filling the broad arena encircled with magnificent galleries, were convened the members of
schools from the different temples and wards
throughout the city. Over each was a presiding
spirit whose movements were closely observed by
112




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.        113
those below them. As I looked I beheld unnumbered bands of infants, whose shining robes presented every imaginable hue. In the hand of each
was a rose, in whose folds was combined every
variety of flower that blooms upon the plains. Upon each rose rested a small white dove, and across
the wings was written, "IHoliness to the Lord."
Before each infant was an open scroll, upon which
appeared to be written, in characters I could in
no wise understand, that which was their first lesson
here. All having their position, were motionless
as they poised composedly in the light near their
protecting spirits. Each infant appeared to expect
directions from the twelve spirits who were around
the Cross, upon whom they now fixed their attention. 0, how blissful the silence that prevailed
and which revealed the perfect order and Divine
harmony of the place.
8




CHAPTER XX.
MARIETTA S  UNFITNESS REVEALED BY
CONTRAST.
"LISTEN, Marietta," said the angel; and with her
right hand she pressed my temples, and lo! from
that deep silence came forth music like the angelic
breath, of the most inward and hallowed life of the
spirit.  I could scarcely hear it; still in softest
melody it moved over the octavian organism of my
inward being. Until then I had not known that
within me were elements which could be awakened
to such symphony; or if tuned, could vibrate to the
touch of such sacred and interior melody. For
surely it appeared like the spirit of interior song.
As the notes of that spirit of music arose, I thought
a new nature was given me to enable me to realize
harmony so perfect; and I seemed to blend with it,
until my own volition sought to unite, and then —
oh! then-I felt the effects of a soul unstrung.
Note after note from the invisible source approached
this inward life of mine, but no more moved in
unison with the music chords of my being; since
in striving to blend in the movement they produced
114




SCENES BEYOND TIEE GRAVE.      115
discord, and the several cadences were by it repelled
and broken like the fall of smooth waters upon some
rocky and uneven surface. The music became
harsh to me, in that I knew my unlikeness to its
nature. Then I suffered. Oh! the agony of that
moment. The contrast was dreadful. Every part
of my being was out of order. The waves of harmony that moved softly and gently throughout the
dome, fell like disturbed waters.into my unfitted
and discordant heart. I fain would have escaped,
for any other condition would be preferable by far.
I thought even the arena of mimic worship would
better comport with my nature, and there I could
more easily harmonize with the prevailing law.
But I could not escape. I was a perfect wreck;
and each moment rendered my condition more
awful, until an hour would appear an age. At
length I cried in the bitterness of my soul, " Away;
oh! let me fly from this scene. Other music has
filled me with delight-other melody rendered me
happy. To it I listened; and while I heard I drank
in the spirit of the sacred song. But now, by some
unknown law, I am prompted to attempt union with
this harmonious sweetness, and lo! I am in my
unhallowed nature discovered. All are witnesses of
my discordance; and to myself I now appear unfit
for angelic association, and lost beyond redemption.
My spirit is wounded, broken, fallen; no part thereof
is adapted to its fellow. Oh! let me fly away where
darkness, with her sable pall, may hide me for ever
from myself. Angel, veil, oh! veil this light that




116        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
discovers my deformity, and save me from the torments of this angelic harmony. Ohl is there a
deeper hell  Should demons mock around the lost
spirit, there would be nothing to awaken this new
life, or by calling into action the unstrung spiritual
being, crush it with a sense of its unfitness; and no
other power but this interior harmony can touch the
spirit's most conscious element, and break up the
hidden fountains of the unstrung and unsanctified
soul."
Thus I plead to be released by some method, from
the light, the harmony, and the bliss that filled to
the utmost capacity of enjoyment, the great congregation. My suffering was beyond expression, and
yet at the time I did not consider the cause any
farther than the fact that my soul was unstrung. I
realized my entire unfitness for the employment, the
society, and the happiness of the members of that
paradise. On former occasions I had desired to be
admitted with them, and to ever abide in that holy
sanctuary, but had not properly considered what
qualifications were wanting in me, in order that I
could join them in their holy anthems. True, I had
witnessed the deformity of the infant spirit, and had
with wonder beheld the operations of Grace in its
restoration; but never had I understandingly applied this knowledge to myself.
When I felt drawn by the sphere of darkness, and
saw the very cloud of death part to receive me, I
looked up to the paradisical heaven with a suppliant
desire to enter there and be saved. But little did I




SCErm     BEYOND THE GRAVE.     117
know that even then, were I permitted to enter as a
member into the spirit thereof, that I should suffer
excess of agony from the effects of the love and harmony of heaven upon me, so that my condition
would involve me in perplexity and misery equal to
the deepest hell. In this manner my mind quickly
surveyed the entire scene, while pleading for relief,
and I was enabled to fully realize my condition,
and felt assured that all was lost, and that I was
doomed to woe.
At length an angel said, " Marietta, thou art not
lost. True, thy deformity is exposed; and thou art
suffering by reason of the awakening of thy spirit
so as to discern the true state of a discordant soul,
and by contrast with goodness thou art brought to
a sense of want. In this, perhaps thou wilt be
the better prepared to realize the goodness of God in
the provisions made for redemption through the Lord
Jesus, whom all the heavens adore.
" When thou wast previously admitted into the
society of the sanctified, thy discordant condition
was mostly holden from thy sight, and thou wast, as
a guest, permitted to receive the influence as an
outer sacredness which, like holy dew, fell upon
thee and watered thy thirsty spirit. But so perfect
is the breath of holiness here that when it touched
thy inner life, all thy latent unfitness appeared in
contrast; hence thy suffering. In this also thou art
in a measure enabled to discover the wisdom of a
benevolent Creator in the bestowment of that Providence which causes spirits of like nature and tenden



118        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
cies, whose habits are established, to incline to like
conditions and abodes, so that opposite elements of
absolute good and evil, being separate, shall not
enhance the misery or annoy the bliss of any class.
And thus is revealed why no unclean thing can ever
enter the Holy City, John, the Revelator, saw. For
into this sacred Temple, no unholy disembodied
spirit could enter. Nor can any law of existence
receive the gross, unsanctified soul within that city
of interior life whence originated the soft and spirit
stirring melody which so much affected thee, nor
could the inhabitants of this blessed abode dwell
with spirits unreconciled to -God in the spheres of
darkness. Marietta, behold the goodness of God
in the law of being. How palpable would appear
the injustice of a Righteous Creator, should he doom
to the pales of night, or permit any law to operate so
that one of these little ones should perish by being
attracted into the deadly magnetism of the abode of
guilt, the regions of woe. Their tender and pure
natures would writhe beneath the touch of the inflamed passions of those who are abandoned to the
madness of insatiable desires. In very deed might
God be considered unjust should his law thus expose
the innocent. Likewise, there would be a manifest
want of mercy in their disposition, should any unsanctified and discordant spirit be impelled, while in
that state, into the element of harmony and holiness, since their sufferings must increase in proportion to the degree of light and Supreme Good that
pervades the abode of the pure.




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.          119
"Herein is displayed the wisdom and goodness
of God. No absolutely discordant element in the
world of spirits mingles with the pure and harmonious. And thus is fulfilled the Sacred Text which
saith, when speaking of these conditions;'He that
is filthy let him be filthy still: he that is righteous
let him be righteous still: he that is holy let him
be holy still:' that is, let there be a separation between the qualities of good and evil with the disembodied, and hence let those who are holy enjoy
that without the warring of evil elements, and let
the unholy blend by the law of their affinities.
For in the nature of their existence, in contrast with
that of the unrighteous, it is justly written that
there is an impassable gulf fixed, since these extremes can in no wise blend. Hence it is again
written, Whoso is born of God is born of love,
and love has no likeness to hatred.  Whoso is
under the dominion of evil doth not love God.'
If mortals did but realize this law they would strive
against evil and cultivate righteousness in themselves, and thus through grace, be prepared for
the spiritual inheritance of the just. But, Marietta,
this lesson thou canst not now fully learn nor comprehend. What thou hast witnessed and what
angels have taught thee, consider, when these scenes
are past, and make thou a wise improvement thereof, least a greater evil, than to realize an entire
unfitness for an everlasting inheritance with the
Sanctified, befall thee.
"And when thou art restored to external sense




120       SCENES BEYOND O Th  GRAVM.
and action, look unto Jesus, who alone can pre
pare thee to return and enjoy the rapture, and engage with the worshipers in this abode of the
blessed. Here thou hast learned that the unregenerate cannot become the companions of these
spirits. Weep not, Marietta," said the angel, as
I began to yield to grief, "weep not, for a ransom
is prepared; in a healing fountain thou mayst
wash, by which all the impurity of thy being may
be removed. In this rejoice greatly, since through
great mercy, Redemption is offered, and those who
could not otherwise attain to perfect joy, are exalted from prison vaults to mansions in our Father's
Kingdom. For this grace the saints in heaven
praise God, nor cease day or night to utter hymns
of thanksgiving to Him who is their Redeemer."
Thus saying, the angel touched my forehead,
and a stream of light entered my being, and I arose.
" Now," said the angel, " thou mayst listen to the
soft notes of the song sung by the infants, who
are just admitted from the different temples of learning into this great centre dome of the infant paradise of instruction."




CHAPTER XXi.
SONG OF INFANTS BEFORE THEIR CHIEF
GUARDIAN.
WITH sweetness the music of the infant choralists
arose from their pure hearts, filling the expanse
and swelling into gentle waves, which harmoniously
moved along the atmosphere above. But grandeur
was added to the scene as I beheld them formed
into bands, and uniting class with class, made
one throughout —each class being composed of
equal numbers, each spirit glowing with the holy
fire of the sacred hymn.
Moving from band to band was a female spirit,
clothed in raiment pure and white. Upon her
head was a crown set with gems, which shone
with the brightness of the sun. In her left hand
she held an open volume, in her right, a sceptre.
She appeared to observe every infant, and to
clearly distinguish every voice, so as to know the
relation of their different qualities to each other,
and thence to all. Likewise, her every movement
was noticed by the infants who sought to imitate
her even as pupils do their instructors in schools
with men.
121




122       SCENES EEYOND THE GRAVE.
The parts of music performed were manifold, yet
in harmony; and the melody was the beauty of
perfection. As they sung, their spirit fingers moved
over their soft and mellow-toned harps, while all
were increasingly inspired with confidence which,
adding to the melody, appeared to blend them into
one great soul, whose breath was the spirit and
harmony of celestial love.




CHAPTER XXII.
THE FORLORN  AND DOOMED BEING.
HERE another scene, varying in many parts, was
presented to the infants who were congregated in
the centre dome for that purpose, preparatory to
their advance to the superior plain, where they were
to commence a life of heavenly use, unfolding and
never-ceasing attainments.
In order that you may better understand what I
relate, and the object of the varied representations
before the infants, it is necessary to add, that one
mode of instruction in the spirit world is to reveal,
by figures and scenes, the principles involved in the
several lessons.
There is a law by which every principle, scene,
tragedy, person, creature, color, or substance in any
sphere necessary to be revealed, can be reflected as
from a mirror in reflex galleries; from planetariums,
upon which the likeness of every substance, form, or
color in a system, is daguerreotyped; or they can be
represented by panoramic and continuous, revolving
views; and also by personages performing the
123




124        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
several parts, and thus representing the various
principles and actors in any scene.
By these means, spirits unlearned in scientific or
artistic wisdom, in moral or spiritual laws, or the
plan, structure, and movement of the intellectual,
spiritual, moral, and physical universe, are enabled
to receive the impression intended, so as to discern
the character of all and every idea, substance, thing,
organism, or entity conveyed.  And so perfect
are the representations, that while beholding them
the mind conceives the reality, insomuch that whatever is reflected becomes a part of the understanding.
To fully state the principles involved, and to delineate the varied scenes and figures employed even in
that primary school, is beyond my comprehension or
capacity of narration; and it would require volumes
to contain their statements were they written. I
must therefore condense the relation to a summary
view, and you must be contented with the brief
account I give.
As the new scene opened, the light and glory that
illumined the dome gradually withdrew, until a
twilight like that which follows the setting sun in
an autumnal evening, alone relieved and marked
the outlines of the great city.
All was silence, and every being motionless, and
nought relieved the stillness of the moment save the
sweet whispering of a soft and gentle breeze, which,
like some celestial zephyr, glided over and through
the vast plain.




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.       125
After this great change in the appearance of all
around, and a brief pause, there appeared in view a
portion of earth resembling a moon-light landscape,
in which was represented, as if in some back ground,
and beneath overhanging clouds burdened with
gloom, a subterraneous aperture where lay a human
being wounded in many parts, and apparently expiring. Upon this object, who was struggling as if
seeking relief from his suffering, every spirit fixed
its ardent attention.
His efforts were fitful and convulsive, but in no
wise adapted to his necessities, and his inability to
extricate himself was clearly manifest from his
demeanor. He strove to heal his wounds by administering what he thought to be antidotes; but which,
when tested, proved inadequate, and, by contrary
effects, enhanced his suffering, and if possible, added
to his peril. He used various instruments by which
he hoped to discern the pathway leading from his
gloomy abode, and to build a passage across the
abyss which encircled him. But all failed, and he
fell back in utter despair. Then he sought to be
reconciled to his fate.
While he lay languishing and helpless, I saw a
group, composed of an elderly female, youths,
and children, gather around him. They appeared
to grieve on his account, and endeavored to afford
him some relief. They tried to bind up his wounds,
to raise his drooping head, and to revive vitality
throughout; but all to no purpose. He still groaned
and languished. I now saw that he lay more directly




126        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
upon the brink of the abyss, and that he drew nearer
each moment, as if moved by an invisible and irresistible power. Oh! the intensity of that moment.
The elderly female drew near, and clasping her arms
around his neck, sought to remove him from his
fearful condition. The youths united in the effort,
but all in vain. Still he drew nearer the abyss. I
also saw that his body manifested the increasing
effects of the malady, until every part was one
diseased mass. Finally yielding to the destroyer,
he lay senseless; then to my surprise arose therefrom a being like unto the former, and yet I knew it
was not the physical man, but his spirit. The spirit,
as it stood above the prostrate form, seemed connected, and was still more deformed and dire.
Spiritual and moral disease was inwrought throughout, and controlled each part with unyielding power.
I perceived also that the body and spirit were not
separated, that they still depended upon each other;
and that wherein the body had failed to give
manifestation of grief, the spirit, as a separate
entity, was capable of making full display, and
irresistibly gave full expression of the suffering
of the being. As the body had yielded to the power
of disease and pain, so the spirit also finally languished under the malady which was working within
and throughout. While thus suffering, the spirit
looked up, as if to petition aid from above, but a
cloud of thick darkness overshadowed it. Then it
looked wildly around, evidently seeking some place
of refuge or source of relief. This resulting as before,




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.         127
the spirit sank away, as if yielding in absolute
despair, to the power of ceaseless wretchedness. As
hope declined, the eye of the spirit vacantly fell, and
in the downward look, discovered an abyss yawning
beneath. Then it was again convulsed, and sought to
escape, but in vain. The scene was horrible. The
agonizing, fruitless efforts, and the manifestation of
final despair, combined to present a scene of wretchedness beyond human description. Suddenly the
spirit disappeared, and the man gave signs of returning life and sense; but he only recovered to know
again, in the outer man, excessive misery, and to
more fully feel his forlorn state.
The group, encouraged by the manifestation of
returning life, renewed their efforts to restore him.'This, too, was futile. They had no power to assuage
his grief, or restore the lost health of body or spirit.
While they thus struggled, a light descended, and
lo! I saw that they were also in like condition of
body and spirit, save that the effect had not manifested itself in them so perfectly. Nevertheless, the
result was equally as certain. This they began to
perceive, whereupon they exclaimed, " Is there no
help."   No help in the arm of flesh," answered a
voice familiar to me, but I knew not whence it
came. "Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the
leopard his spots?" continued that voice. " How
shall the unstrung instrument tune itself? —Yea,
how shall the dying, those who are already victims,
restore departing vitality? Shall they escape the
doom awaiting them by the strength of their pros



128        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
trate energies? Nay, where'er they go, there is no
relief. Help must descend from above, or hope
shall not appear."
As the scene closed an angel addressed the
multitude saying, "The gloomy region just revealed
is a view of earth, the birth place of mortals. The
forlorn being, that of man, who there suffers unnumbered ills, physical, moral and spiritual, and
who often struggles to overcome and to arise above
them.
"His ineffectual efforts reveal his inability to
save himself.
"The spirit which arose as the body yielded,
represents the immortal nature which though the
body perish shall exist in a more acutely sensitive state, and its sinking in despair, portrays the
great truth that the death of the body can in no
wise relieve the soul from moral or spiritual degradation.
" The group of friends represent human sympathy,
which inclines members of the race to seek relief
from sorrow, by mutual aid; that principle which
prompts the more benevolent and philanthropic to
devise means. and to prosecute plans for the alleviation of the sufferings of man.
" Those, who indulge this principle feel another's
woe. They deeply sympathize with those who endure pain and anguish from whatever cause. But
being in like condition, and by seeking to remove
evil from the world, and to elevate man through
human devices and in their own strength, fail in




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.       129
the result although apparent relief may inspire
transient hope. From this cause the race have
struggled without success in unnumbered reformatory  measures.  For this reason, earth's reformers have encountered repeated failures until
disheartened they sink into despair; and are often
finally led to discover fundamental want in themselves.
" Thus hath it been with man from age to age.
Periods have succeeded periods, and each have
had their philanthropists who have struggled
through a weary existence, but without attaining
the goal of their purpose.
" Oft the race, to human appearance, have approached the dawn of a better day; and those who
have labored to that end, have sung earth's jubilee.
But ere they have emerged from the gloomy plains,
they have felt the triumph of inbred disease. The
ground upon which they stood, hath yielded to the
pressure; and the muscle upon which they relied
relaxed, quitting its hold. The rock became sliding
sands, and the strength of their hope and effort, weakness. Thus, when they supposed victory won, the
heights attained, sudden quaking has seized the
world of mind, which in its convulsive throes, hath
precipitated them into a still deeper abyss. Thus shall
it ever be, until men cleave unto the Lord, who
alone is a sure defence and a stronghold in the day
of trouble- upon whose shoulders rests the government; and in whom, and by whom, all things subsist. The voice which from above declared that
9




130       SCENE BEYOND THE GRAVE.
help was not in the arm of flesh, was that of Truth,
which ever seeks to reveal to man his true condition, and to awaken him to a sense of his degradation, and to enforce the doctrine of salvation
through the Lord Jesus.'
Then raising his eyes toward the superior heavens,
the angel, in a meek, fervent and exalted manner,
said:
"' Father of All, let thy Spirit inspire these infant
minds with understanding, that they may behold
with profit the scenes which are to reveal the effects
of sin in the world of discordance, whence they are;
also the wonders of thy love in the means of salvation.
" Endow them with supporting grace while beholding the trials of their Redeemer, incident to his
mission, and his passion while suffering the cruelty
of those he seeks to save.
" Grant, 0 Lord our Redeemer, that these may be
prepared to arise through degrees of life and understanding, to the heaven of youths, where thy glory
is revealed in greater degrees of paradisical light,
love, and extatic beatitudes.
"C Let thy will be done by angels who delight to
lead upward the little ones whom thou hast entrusted
to their charge, so that thy glory may be reflected
upon them in a manner well-pleasing in thy sight.
Then shall their spiritual understanding be enlarged,
and the love principles of their beings unfolded, and
thy name, 0 thou Saviour of Men-thou who art all
and in all to us, the ministering servants of thy




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.        131
grace —be glorified in them evermore." " Evermore,
amen," responded the guardian angels and instructors. "' Evermore, evermore, amen,' and the heavenly
atmosphere reaccented it until the echo expired in
the distance.




CHEAPTER XnXI.
THE BABE OF BETHLEHEM.
AFTER a brief pause, a voice as from. a distance
said, " Be instructed by what is given. Truths
connected with your race are revealed to your
understanding. Receive the principles, seek to
comprehend."
Then the choralists touching their glIden lyres,
chanted with loud voices, "Glory to God in the
highest, and on earth peace and good will. to men.
Behold we bring good tidings of great joy which
shall be unto all people, for upon earth is born in
the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the
Lord."
Then was revealed, beneath a pale light, Bethlehem, the birth place of the Redeemer. The condition of the infants in Paradise, moving in the
very glory of Divine Life, attended by angels expressly appointed, blessed by the Redeemer, sanctified with his love, and greeted with choral bands
of the heavenly spheres, reflected a state greatly
in contrast with that now being revealed, in which
was represented the dreary world, and the circumstances attending that memorable event, the birth
of Jesus of Nazareth.
132




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.       133
The humble condition of Mary the mother of
Jesus, while holding in her arms the infant, through
whom Salvation alone could appear unto men,
and in whom was revealed the untold goodness
and love of God, reflected so clearly the truth,
that not only the infants but all the angels, beholding the scene, manifested great emotion. After
a short pause, the angel who before enforced the
truths revealved, said, "'Behold the birth-place
of the Redeemer, even Jesus whose glory illumines
this temple. For you the Spirit of Redemption
assumed this humble form of manifestation.
Through his humiliation, who is the Savior, these
favors areaconferred, and heavenly mansions prepared for all who trust in his grace and are obedient
to the law of Redemption. Adore him for He is
worthy."
"We will adore him ever more," said the chief
guardian; and the infants repeated "We will adore
him." And again all was silent. The scene then
more plainly revealed Mary, meekly resting upon
the breast of Joseph, who pressed her to his heart,
while she gently folded to her pure bosom the Babe
of Bethlehem. Near them were a few Israelites in
humble attitude, steadily looking upon the babe and
its mother. Around them were an innumerable
company of angels, but invisible to mortal vision.
These held in their hands their crowns, while their
harps, which were untouched and silent, lay before
them. Above them rested a cloud of glory, and out
of that cloud proceeded a voice saying, " This is




134       SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
my beloved Son." And another voice said, "Thin
day is made manifest the love of God to man, whe
is fallen, yea, who is dead in trespasses and in sin
Now salvation appeareth. Now truth moveth from
the eternity of its existence, clothed in the garments
of salvation. Justice and Mercy meet upon the
fallen orb, and over prostrate humanity embrace.
Justice declareth against sin; thus the eternal
Throne is vindicated, and the government of the
KEingdomn perpetuated; while Mercy pleadeth the
cause of the sinner who is exposed to unremitting
sorrow by reason of transgression."
"Let us bow down and adore the God of our Salvation," said the chief guardian, and all asumed an
humble attitude; during which another voice from
above spoke, saying, " It becometh thee to worship,
yea, to bow down while infinite condescension is
being revealed. Thus let all heaven adore." The
humble attitude of the angels and the infant spirits
added greatly to the solemnity of the occasion.
Surely there was reverence-sincere acknowledgement of mercies bestowed. I was reflecting upon
the true devotion manifested by the worshipers, when
the chief guardian said, "We will arise. Behold a
new scene draweth nigh;" and raising her eyes to.
ward the higher heaven, she continued, "Be thou
our help, O our Father, in whose life we exist; that
we may understand what Heaven revealeth for our
instruction; that we may know thy love and be
prepared to do thy will ever more." " Amen," responded every infant, led by their separate guardians.




CHAPTER XXIV.
JUSTICE AND MERCY.
THE former objects had passed away during the
worship of the angels and the infants, and new
ones appeared.
A bright cloud rested but a little above the
temple, anifrom that cloud descended a being who
appeared omnipotent in strength. JUSTICE, was
written upon his majestic brow. His movement was
like one supreme, at whose bidding worlds might
flee away, and in whose hand universal law might
pause, and her evolving energies slumber.
This august personage advanced toward a gloomy
glen, encircled by huge mountains whose lofty
peaks ascended far into the blue vault above. His
demeanor indicated purpose.
As he drew very near what appeared the object
of his pursuit, a dark cloud moved down the mountains attended by lightning in all the terror of wild
display, as if the electric fountains were issuing from
an ocean of igneous elements. Heavy thunderings
shook the base of the massive hills. Fire, smoke,
and tempest were emitted, while the elements seemed
to madly embrace each other. The scene was fright1.35




136        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
fully terrific; but still Justice advanced, and the
very lightnings seemed to wreath themselves into
a diadem about his brow.
" Destruction" was now mirrored in super-flaming letters, in the very lightnings, upon the clouds,
and repeated by the stunning peals of thunder.
Beneath this awful display of angry elements,
and the movement of Justice, the earth began to
quake and give way.
At this moment, when the excitement had apparently reached its climax, from beneath the cloud,
and at the foot of the mountain, came a voice
of lamentation, a voice of despair,. saying, "Spare
us; is there no hope."  "No hope," echoed the
thunders, and Justice still advanced. " No hope,"
he repeated, as he raised his hand of might. " No
hope, no hope," chimed the hoarse voice of contending elements. " We perish without hope," said the
voice of wailing which grew still weaker and more
suppressed. "Alas! alas! we perish unpitied," and
in an instant was revealed the forlorn being and the
afflicted group displayed in a former scene.
Over the prostrate man bent the trembling female
as if to screen him from the tempest; but as she saw
Justice raise his mighty hand, she fell back, exclaiming, "All is lost! No hope! We perish! Receive
us, thou abyss!"
Dreadful was the suspense of that moment. Justice still advanced, as if to cut in pieces, to crush at
once the forlorn man whose trembling hands were
upraised in form of supplication, —by whose side,




- I~~~~~~Jutiean    ery-Pg  X5








SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.       13T
and around whom, were fallen his group of friends,
alike helpless and suppliant.
At this period a voice from the burning cloud
said:
" Law's proceeding energies have been violated, and
thence disturbed in thee, O man. And thinkest
thou to trifle therewith, and not to suffer the consequences? Dost thou not understand that law,
when opposed, worketh the destruction of the body
in which it is violated?.Moral law is the law of
sense and goodness. Hrast thou not violated? Yea,
thou hast. Now ensue the dread effects, and thou art
the sufferer."
As this voice ceased, superior light flashed over
the scene, and from above a cloud exceedingly bright
descended, from which came, with the speed of
thought, another being, the very image of meekness,
whose demeanor was the very opposite of Justice;
and embracing Justice, who was still advancing
toward the fallen group, said:
" Art thou inexorable, O thou who vindicatest
the everlasting throne? Must the sinner perish?
Is there no hope?" "No hope in the arm of flesh,"
answered Justice in a voice that shook the firmament
above. The very stars trembled, and the earth quaked
and reeled as the words proceeded from his lips.'No hope or cause of hope exists upon the fallen
orb," again repeated Justice, still advancing. And
as the blow was about descending upon the sinner,
the being who hung upon the neck of Justice bent
over that bleeding form, and placing her left hand




138       SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
upon his heart, raised the right, and touching the
arm of Justice, said, " Thy Throne, O God, endureth
for ever. Thy kingdom is from everlasting to everlasting. Thy Word endures. To thy years there
is no end. Thou, O God, art holy. Righteousness
is the foundation of thy throne-the pavilion of thy
dwelling-place-the glory of the everlasting hillsthe defence and safety of the Heaven of heavens,
where congregate the unnumbered myriads of glorified seraphim. Here, 0 God, is a fallen being. Sin
is the violation of thy law. The sinner hath presumed upon thy government, and touched with
impious hands the flaming sword; hath dared vengeance; trifled with thy will; and contended with
eternal and irrevocable justice. He hath fallen. He
lieth bruised, mangled and expiring. Yet, 0 God,
thou hast created him an immortal being; intellectual, hence accountable; spiritual, hence by sin he
lieth upon the verge of a bottomless abyss, where, if
he fall, he shall feel immortal pangs, and dwell in
unremitting woe. The reed is bruised, but not
entirely broken; the flickering blaze of the smoking
flax, though expiring, still exists. Mercy is my
name. Mercy is an attribute of thy throne. To
thee, 0 God, belong Justice and Mercy! Let thy
love, 0 thou Eternal, descend! and thou, Justice,
spare, 0 spare this fallen being I Spare him though
he hath sinned, and bartered for a morsel his eternal
good!"
Here Mercy bowed her head, as if to wait the
decision and a voice from the cloud said, "Mercy,




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.      139
thou hast plead for the sinner, and heaven giveth
audience.  Canst thou find a ransom?  Justice
pause in thy execution."
Then another voice said, "God so loved the world
that he gave his only begotten Son. He shall
bear their iniquity. By my righteous servant I
will justify many."
Then there was a pause, during which, from the
right approached a female —even Mary whom I
had seen with the beasts of the stall pressing to
her bosom the babe of Bethlehem —and by the expiring form bowed, over which by the aid of Mercy
she extended the babe, and with reverence looked
up toward the-cloud. And the voice continued,
"This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased. A bruised reed shall he not break, and
smoking flax shall he not quench, until he send
forth judgement unto victory. And in his Name
shall the Gentiles trust."
Then replied Justice, "Hath he endured temptation, and suffered without the Gate  Hath he
conquered death! Can he stay the tempest of
warring elements? Can he change the malign nature of that perverted heart? Can he descend the
maelstrom of death, and arrest the heavy tide whose
broad current thence rolls to the bottomless abyss?"
Then said Mercy, " The filture shall answer thee,
O, thou who holdest the balances of equity, the
the scales of universal right."
When Mercy had answered, the scene changed,
and upon the mount, called the Mount of Olives,




140       SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
I saw a being more lovely than the sons of men
He lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, "Lo! I
come, in the volume of the book it is written of me,
to do thy will, O God I"
Then appeared a vast multitude of deformed be.
ings exhibiting every type of human suffering and
shameful depravity; and addressing them He said;
"If any man thirst, let him come unto me and
drink. I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No
man cometh unto the Father but by me." Whereupon another voice said, " This is the Son of
David, the hope of Israel, the bright and Morning
Star.  Now  ariseth the Sun of Righteousness.
Now appeareth Truth in its redeeming glory from
the Eternal Cause. Look unto him, ye who perish,
for lo! He cometh to redeem."
Again I saw the mangled form. These words
had fallen upon his dull and heavy hearing, and
although he scarcely understood them, he raised his
eyes as if to see whence hope was proffered. And
as he looked, He who stood upon the Mount descended and bowed over him saying, "What dost
thou desire?" And the sufferer said, "Oh that I
might find salvation!" Then answered the Personage bending over him, " I came to seek and save
the lost." Then said Justice to Mercy, "Where is
thy ransom?" And another voice said, "Behold
the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the
world." And he who proffered redemption said,
"For this cause came I into the world."  "Even




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.        141
so," said an angel, "by thy stripes is the sinner
healed."
"But," replied Justice, "Hath he prevailed?"
Then addressing Mercy he continued, " Know, thou
who pleadest the sinner's cause, that until he whom
thou proposeth as Redeemer shall approach the
fallen, holding in his hand these contending elements, he shall not rescue. Seekest thou still the
fallen being's salvation, his restoration to harmony 8'
"Yea," answered Mercy " for this I interpose."




CHAPTER XXV.
THE BETRAYAL.
ANOTHER scene appeared; and O how inefficient
are all means of communication to reveal to human
minds its true character! First I saw that same
lovely Being seated, with a company of his friends,
around a table, one of whom leaned upon his breast,
and in pure love's tenderest expression looked up
into his face while listening to the words that fell
from his lips. Mournfully and filled with exceeding
sorrow, the group looked upon him as he said,
"Verily I say unto you, one of you shall betray
me." After which he took bread and blessed it,
and break it, and giving it to them said, " Take,
eat; this is my body. For you my body shall be
broken." He then took the cup and gave thanks,
and gave it to them, saying, "Drink ye all of it;
for this is my blood of the New Testament, which is
shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say
unto you, I will not drink henceforth of the fruit of
the vine, until that day when I drink it new with
you in my Father's Kingdom."
Then I heard a mighty angel whose voice was
like the utterance of Nature'when her forces contend
142




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.       143
saying, " The Son of Man goeth as is written of
him; but woe unto that man by whom the Son of
Man is betrayed: it had been good for that man if
he had not been born!
"Woe to that man; for him it had been good not
to have been born. Woe, woe, woe be unto that
man!" broke forth in a heavy voice which from
many millions in univocal speech, pronounced the
woe, and the elements of the interior shook like the
leaves of a forest when contending with autumnal
tempests.
As the echoings of these awful utterances which
rolled along the bosom of the deep interior ceased,
the little band arose, and after they had sung a hymn
of solemn movement, retired.
Then I saw one of the number, silently and unperceived, withdraw from the band, as they retired
slowly and solemnly from the scene of the last
supper, and as he advanced, his movement changed,
his step was quick and excited, his visage manifested an inward commotion that burned with consuming fires, fires kindled in the soul by antagonistic elements. At this I wondered. Nor could I
perceive by what means a transition so sudden and
so great could be effected. Just before, I had seen
him seated with his friends, and those friends were
suffering greatly by reason of the predictions of him
to whom they looked for counsel and for safety.
They mourned, fearing his departure from them.
They leaned upon him as a dependent child leans
upon a faithfiul parent.  They had hoped, yea, they




144       SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
had exalted their hope in him. The extent or exact
nature of that hope I could not comprehend. Still I
saw that in him they had placed great dependence
for future good or great achievements. And when
his words, which indicated his departure, had been
spoken, they had fallen into despair, and perfect
wretchedness possessed them when he declared that
one of them should betray him. I heard them in
the deepest solicitude inquire, " Lord, is it I? Lord,
is it I?" That had been an awful moment, a
moment that tried the soul, a moment in which
gloom gathered around them as a mantle of thick
darkness.
In their spirits they grieved, when he said,' "A
little while and ye shall not see me; and again a
little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the
Father. But because I have said these things unto
you sorrow hath filled your heart. Nevertheless, I
tell you the truth. It is expedient for you that I go
away. For, if I go not away, the Comforter will
not come unto you; but if I depart I will send him
unto you. I will not leave you comfortless. I will
come unto you. Let not your heart be troubled: ye
believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's
house are many mansions: if it were not so I would
have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. I
will come again and receive you unto myself; that
where I am there ye may be also. Yet a little while
and the world seeth me no more: but ye see me:
because I live ye shall live also. Verily, verily, I
say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament, but




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.       145
the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful,
but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. And
indeed ye now have sorrow: but I will see you
again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no
man taketh from you. These things have I spoken
to you in proverbs: but the time cometh when I
shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I
shall show you plainly of the Father."
These words of promise and of consolation, which
he spake while predicting his departure, they believed; still they were sad and exceeding sorrowful,
because he said, "I go away."
They loved him: he was worthy of all holy affection.
His words were full of goodness; and there was
so much of heavenly love, tenderness, and paternal
care manifested by him, that my wonder was excited
while seeking for a reason sufficient to induce any
one of that little company to withdraw from it that
he might betray into the hands of enemies, a Being
whose presence thus inspired hope, love, reverence,
and adoration.
While my spirit pondered, I heard the angels who
instructed the infants say, " In what thou seest behold
the nature of good and evil contrasted. That little
band was the company of the Lord's disciples who
partook of the passover with him, the evening before
his betrayal. He who addressed them was the Redeemer, who, knowing that his' hour' was at hand,
and also who should betray him, prepared their minds
for the trial? and predicted the events which were
10




146       SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
to follow. IHe who so strangely withdrew, was
Judas Iscariot, who betrayed his master for thirty
pieces of silver.
" Observe more minutely this scene as it passes,
and the two great principles which are operative with
man in a fallen state, shall so unfold themselves as
to impress thee with its purpose, and ingraft thy
being with the solemn truths unfolded."
The angel again withdrew, and he who was called
Judas appeared, and was seen just entering a council-chamber, where were gathered the chief priests
and elders of ancient Israel, who at the time of the
Lord's passion, conspired to take him and put him
to death, and thus bring upon him perpetual scorn
and blasting ignominy. And, oh! how changed,
how entirely changed! His spirit was the opposite
of that which had appeared in the room set apart for
the Last Supper. His outward expression bespoke
inward rage,-the rage of a malicious heart, a heart
grievously treacherous and desperately wicked. At
this time a pale light flashed over his head, which
revealed a group of demoniac spirits. These urged
him onward by their vindictive inspiration. They
manifested all that can be conceived as the embodiment of evil which composes the elementary being
of the arch-fiend; the foe of all good; the destroyer
of peace; the instigator of crime; the enemy of
right; the soul-alluring Satau These poured forth
their fiendish, yea, their hellish Lagnetism, and by
the power of their will surcharged him with the
hate they desired to manifest toward the Son of Man.




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.       14?
As he entered the mimic sanctum, the priests
arose, and with smiles, such smiles as malice, with
a hope of revenge inspires, greeted him. Then the
chief priests, addressing him, said, "'Welcome,
Judas, friend of right, friend of God's ancient
Church, the law of Moses and the people of this
ecclesiastic kingdom. He whom the rabble call
Jesus, and who by his followers is called the King
of the Jews, by his dictum, has long been worthy of
death. He has sought the destruction of this beloved
city, the city especially favored of God. And the
great temple he has prophesied to destroy; to put
down the authority of the Church; to change laws
and customs; upon the ruin of JEHOVAH'S kingdom
to establish his own. He calleth himself God. He
is a blasphemer against high Heaven, and mocks
the throne of the Eternal. He presumes to call uus
hypocrites; even those whom God, by his right
hand, hath exalted as teachers in Israel, he calleth
blind leaders of the blind. He hath charged us with
having the keys of the kingdom, and by our love for
sin refusing to enter into life; and by a vile nature
and love of power, of keeping those from entering
who are willing. Surely he is worthy of death."
" Yea, worthy of the most ignominious death,"
responded in unison all who were present.
1" This man is drawing with him the credulous,
the ignorant, the visionary, and those who are dissatisfied with the Church," continued the priest;
" and by his peculiar nature adapted to work wonders, he hath deceived many who are worthy of a




148        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
better calling." Then addressing his friends, he
continued: " But these will soon become conscious
of his false character and well shall it be for him who
first discovers to us the true character and resort of
this vile deceiver, and shall enable us to bring him
before the people. Upon such a one the nation
shall bestow great honors, and lasting blessings
shall be upon his head."  "And lasting blessings
shall be upon his head," repeated the associate
priests.
This was sufficient to inspire Judas with the desire
of being first in the undertaking. Whereupon he
proposed, in presence of them all, to deliver his
Master into the hands of any band the priest
should then commission for that purpose, upon the
condition-which appeared to have been previously
considered-of his receiving thirty pieces of silver.
Again the scene changed. The mantle of evening overshadowed that portion of Earth. A little
way from the busy multitude I saw him who had
counselled his disciples, moving slowly along with
three of his chosen. He was sorrowful. I can never
forget that scene.  Oh! the loveliness that was
manifest. Truly I thought him the ohiefest among
tenthoucsand, and the one altogether lovely. Still
he suffered. They paused, and he said, " My soul is
exceeding sorrowful even unto death: tarry ye here
and watch with me. Pray that ye enter not into
temptation." He then left them and went a little
farther, and fell upon the ground. And while bowing upon the cold earth, enduring the deepest




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.       149
agony, he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat
was as it were great dxops of blood falling down to
the ground.
Above him the heavens opened, and legions of
angels appeared, apparently clothed in habiliments
of mourning. They veiled their faces as they bent
over the garden of Gethsemane, in which their Lord
suffered. All was silent, mournfully silent. Each
angel beheld the scene with wonder. There was
Christ the Lord, the Divine Man, he whose name
is written in the Scriptures as the Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the
Prince of Peace.
While observing the Savior in his agony, a cloud
descended, resting over the Redeemer, in which were
Justice and Mercy. They observed with intense
interest the scene below.
At length the Savior prayed, saying: cO  my
Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass
from me. Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou
wilt." Then said Mercy to Justice, "Here is the
Ransom."
" Again he prayed, " O my Father, if this cup
may not pass away from me, except I drink it,
thy will be done." Then there descended a mighty
angel, who stood by him, and strengthened him.
Then Mercy said to Justice, " Behold the offering."
The hour of suffering having passed, Jesus arose,
and going to his disciples and finding them asleep,
said unto them, " Sleep on now, and take your rest;




150        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
behold the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is
betrayed into the hands of sinners."
"Behold, in Jesus," said my guide, addressing
herself to me, "an example of meek submission.
From his sympathy with the deranged and dying
race, he agonized beneath the burden of human woe.
Though just, he suffers, by reason of an adopted
affinity with the unjust; and still thou didst hear
him say,' Not as I will, but as thou wilt; not my
will, but thine, O God, be done.'
" This is needful that man may have grace vouchsafed, and by the power of love become united to
heavenly spheres, and thus be exalted from degradation to mansions of righteousness and peace, prepared in heaven for the ransomed of the Lord. But,
Marietta, thou shalt soon behold the contrast; in
what is to pass before thee shall be unfolded the
true condition of the perverted heart."
Again my attention was directed to a dark and
doleful scene. Below me I beheld a heavy cloud,
which was agitated as if burdened with the spirit of
wrangling elements. Discordant sounds arose from
the midst thereof. They were hard to be understood,
and at first the cause was hidden from me. But at
length I heard, as from the voice of an excited
rabble, the enthusiastic inquiry, "Where shall we
find him? Hasten, most worthy guide, to the place
of his retreat. Time wasteth, and the leaders of the
people demand the'outlaw.' He shall perish."
" Yea, he shall perish, and that speedily," clamored
a multitude who were, while moving toward Jesus




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.       151
and his disciples, enveloped in a cloud that overhung their pathway. The contrast between the scenes
was so great, that I was terrified, and turning to
my guide I inquired, " Who are these that disturb
the stillness of this solemn hour? And canst thou
inform me whence they are, and whither bound?
Of whom do they speak in language so excited, and
with a determination so destructive a?"
" These," she said, " are a band of soldiers from
the chief priests and elders of the Jews. The object
of their revengeful pursuit is Jesus, who, in the
agony of his soul, prayed in the garden."
"What hath he done to excite such envy," I
exclaimed.
"Hie hath preached the year of the Lord, and
announced the mission of God's only Son to the
world. He hath given sight to the blind, restored
the deaf to hearing, healed the sick, raised the dead,
comforted the mourner, instructed the ignorant, and
plead with the despisers of the mercy of God to regard the Creator of heaven and earth as their Sovereign, Rightful Lawgiver, Heavenly Father, and
Redeemer."
And is this that for which they seek to destroy
him? I inquired. Hath he never contended with
them?
"Hast thou not read in the Sacred Text that
which the prophet spake, when moved by the Holy
Ghost, concerning One that should come,'Behold my
servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom
I am well pleased. I will put my spirit upon him




152        CW3   E BRYOID THE GRABE.
and he shall show judgment unto the Gentiles. He
shall not strive nor cry; neither shall any man hear
his voice in the streets.' This Jesus, who in his
humility, bowed in prayer, and whom the populace
seek to destroy as a vile outlaw - God manifest in
the flesh-is He of whom the prophet spake.
While the angel yet spake, the exasperated throng,
armed with swords and staves, approached Jesus
and his disciples; and lo I they were led by one of
the company who sat with him at the last supper,
even Judas Iscariot, the same who had left his Lord
and proposed to deliver up Jesus to the chief priests
and elders of the people. As they drew near, I saw
above Judas a mighty angel of darkness, from whom
issued a pale sulphuric flame that encompassed him
and burned in his nerves like living fire. With
wild determination Judas advanced and hailed Jesus
as his friend and Lord, sealing his mockery and
heartless treachery with a kiss. But Jesus appeared
fully to comprehend his design, and addressing him
said, " Friend, wherefore art thou come?" And to
the multitude he said,:" Are ye come out as against
a thief, with swords and staves, to take me. I sat
daily with you, teaching in the temple, and ye laid
no hold upon me. But if ye seek me, let these who
believe in me go their way. For this cause I came
into the world." Then answered one of the multitude, "'Tell us for what cause." " That salvation
might be given to the world, and that all, even those
who assail me, might, through faith and repentance,
enter into rest. Into your hands I submit myself,




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.        153
but these my disciples, no harm shall befall them."
Then said the mockers " Thou art our prisoner, and
we bear thee before the tribunals of the people,
and no one helpeth thee; how sayest thou then of
these thy disciples,'No harm shall befall them?' "
At this the disciples fled, every one his own way,
and forsook him, save one who followed his Lord
even unto the judgment hall.




CHAPTER XXVI.
CRUELTIES  INFLICTED  UPON JESUS.
THEN With cruel hands they led him away amid
the shouts of the rabble.
As this scene was closing, I turned and looked
upon the infants and angelic spectators, who appeared more afflicted than at any former period.
I then inquired, " Can there be sorrow in heaven?
Do angels weep?" When I heard a voice say,
"Well, Marietta, dost thou inquire. Angels have
hearts to feel. And who in heaven could witness
the manifestation of the betrayal of the Savior of
sinners without a soul poured out in sad expressions?" " Amen!" uttered ten thousand voices.
" And who can endure the sight? Behold the innocent sufferer. See! see! they beat him as they hurry
him along the rugged way. They mock, they deride
him; they cruelly treat him. Let all the heavens
pause as they behold the mournful scene; for lo!
the Redeemer suffers in the hands of sinners.
Awake, ye spirit sympathies; lo! Divine Good
whom angels adore is despised and rejected of men."
As the voice ceased, I heard another angel say, —
154




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.        155
"Lo I from the highest heavens angels descend."And I beheld far above the vast assemblage that
witnessed the scene, an inumerable company of superior beings. They had palms in their hands and
crowns upon their heads; and their crowns represented the starry heavens, being a miniature expression
of the wreathed universes which encircle the throne
of the Infinite. As they drew near, a dazzling light
preceded them which pervaded the spiritual atmosphere, and was so exalted in its nature that the
angels of the highest order who had composed the
former audience could not steadfastly behold it. The
approach of this light so revealed the imperfection
of my nature that I sought to conceal myself; but
nothing could be concealed in that holy light. I
fain would have fled, but I had no power to control
that desire. Surely, I said in my mind, if this is but
a manifestation of what is in the higher heavens,
how can mortals ever attain to that divine abode?
How can vile man hope to enter that glory, which
to the unprepared soul, would surely become a consuming fire?
While thus reflecting, I heard one of the cherubic
beings say, "Angels, kindred spirits, inhabitants
of the exalted heavens I bow down before your Lord,
for He is worthy. Adore Him from the deep and
immortal sentiment of your revering spirits; for
lo! all angels delight to offer praises unto Him.
He is worthy of all adoration. Praise Him! Praise
the Lord, the Redeemer of Earth!  While fallen
beings mocking gather around Him and impiously




156      SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
hail Him King, let the harmonious universe be
moved with reverence, and all intelligences humbly
adore."
Then each bowed down in silent adoration, while
feeble and bewildered men hasten him to the judgment hall. As the angels declared him God manifest in flesh, I wondered still the more that having
power, he did not exert it and subdue those who
sought to destroy; and also, as there were myriads
of mighty angels, each having apparent capacity
to disperse at will those who led their Lord away,
that they too did not seek to avert the impending
storm. Perceiving my thoughts the instructor said,
"He came to seek and save, and not to destroy;
he endureth the scoffs of the wicked, and offereth
himself a ransom for sinners; and by his submis
sion fulfilleth that prophecy which saith, A bruised
reed he shall not break-He will not harm the
helpless-and smoking flax he shall not quenchHe will not extinguish the life or hope of man.-His
is a mission of redemption, and not of judgment
and execution."
Then I heard voices as the going forth of many
waters, saying, "'Be amazed, O Earth  for thy
sins have brought upon thee unutterable woe, and
pity hath prompted the offering, and thy Redeemer groaneth beneath the load."
Then said Mercy to Justice, " God as has been
written, so loved the world that he gave his only
begotten Son, a Ransom. This is the Ransom. In
Jesus the nations of earth shall have hope. Behold




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.       157
the offering. In this offering there is a principle
for the removal of sin and unholiness; and to
establish a sympathy between the depraved race
and that life which is above.
Then said the angel to the infants, " This is your
Redeemer. In him alone is that Life which can
quicken and save, and by him you were admitted
into this paradise. Let each observe the scene as
it shall advance, for by it Heaven purposeth to
give an impressionf which shall enable all to estimate, according to their capacity, the value of the
Redeemer to them." While the angel addressed
them, their expression of sympathy displayed the
purity of their being, and the tenderness and emotion with which they had observed the suffering
Son. Then all with one accord said, " How shall
we utter praises and thanksgivings to God, for this
gift, the gift of life through his only begotten Son,
our Savior?"
" Could we not relieve him? Can we not share
his woe? Lo! he is in the midst of his foes. They
know him  not.  They give him  needless pain.
Who can endure the sight? Let us fly to his
relief!" exclaimed the multitude. "I He is our Redeemer!" fell from the holy lips of the occupants
of the infant paradise.
"He is our Lord; He maketh the heavens harmonious with the perfection of his being, and
melodious with the euphony of his speech. He
maketh bliss to arise as the golden morning,
and shed its holy lustre and Divine Good upon




158       SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
the workmanship of his hands. Lo! the heavens
declare his adorable name, and the peopled expanse
vibrates with the soft and gentle cadence of his proceeding love. Yet in form of Divine Man we
behold him hurried onward by fallen beings, as they
bear him through discordant elements toward the
haughty sanhedrim of a heartless church —a church
where Jehovah is named in empty sound, but not
worshipped." Thus spake one of the mighty angels
in the audience of the multitude which man could
not number. Then as the voice of one man they
uttered, 1" Let us arise and beat back the mockers of
the Lord."
" Nay," said another voice; and I looked, and
behold Justice stood in a cloud of exceeding brightness, holding the seven thunders in his right hand,
from which issued lightnings and tempest, and these
overspanned the globe, and enveloped the race both
small and great, the living and the dead, in its awful
cloud, and shook the foundation of earth, aud caused
the souls of men to quake with the greatness of the
terror of the rolling thunderings and blackening
tempests. And in his left hand he held a scroll,
whereon was written in separate sections, an abridged
expression of the eternal law of spiritual, moral, and
intellectual being-abridged according to, and complying with the capacity of man, and in all respects
adapted to his condition and necessity. Before him
was the deformed being before revealed, wounded
nigh unto death, and the blood from his wounds
stained the earth whereon he lay.




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.         159
Again repeated Justice, "Not so, the soul that
sinneth must die.  The result of violated law is
irrevocable." Then I saw Mercy advance, and
enter the tempest, and bending over the wounded
being, in manner as on a former occasion, said,
" Lo! He who was, and is, and is to come, descendeth to Earth, and by the incarnation of the Spirit,
shall renew that sympathy with men which shall
exalt them from their fallen condition, and restore
the ruined soul, and harmonize by the perfection of
his being the discordant race with eternal law; and
then in him shall be perfected that reunion which
shall restore the lost planet. And here," Mercy
again repeated, " Behold the ransom."
"Even so," said Justice, "the Offering is presented. But it is in the law of existence, and accepted
in the law of grace, that he shall tread the winepress alone.-And these," addressing himself to the
angelic hosts, " seek to rescue the Offering, and prevent the issue."
Then said Mercy to the astonished millions,'Thus it behoves Christ to suffer. Keep ye the
awful suspense, as ye witness the effects of sin upon
the sinner's sense and consciousness of right. Lo!
the conflict heightens, and the Son of Man shall
engage in warfare with the powers of death." Then
said the multitude, " Permit that we do not witness
the scene. Who can endure it?"
" Nay," said Justice, "'should not the heavens
behold and wonder, and hades quail beneath the
awful tread. as the God-Man proceeds to enter the




160       SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
death-gate, and conquer the foe of man, and bring
life and immortality to light." CC Amen," answered
all who beheld and heard, " Even so let thy will,
thou Eternal Spirit: in heaven and earth, and by us
and all intelligences, be done, now and evermore;
ever, evermore. Amen."
"Even so, let all heaven respond," said Justice,
" that God shall be all and over all. now, henceforth,
and for ever."  "Amen i hallelujah! hallelujah!
amen!" answered the meek observers of the scene:
"Evermore thy will be done! Amen!"




CHAPTER XXvII.
APOL hYON.
As the voices ceased, the conspiracy against the
Lamb of God arose as from a smoking pit, and
appeared above the throng of exasperated mortals,
in the form of a demon of gigantic dimensions.
Upon his head were many horns, each of which
emitted a volume of lurid flame, which, like a cloud,
enveloped that portion of the earth in the burning
magnetism of fiendish hate. Upon his forehead
was written, " Crucify him, crucify him; for he is
not worthy to live. He is a seducer of the people."
And upon his breast was written, " Apollyon;" or
the " Manifestation of Enmity to Good." Upon
his heart was seen in blazing characters, " Jesus
shall not triumph; but death shall doom him to the
tomb where mortals slumber, and inactivity reigns.
There he who has called himself the Son of God,
and made himself equal with God, shall feel the
death-fetters of my irrevocable decree. Then I will
dash his followers upon the rocks of human prejudice; gloom, and oppression, and dismay shall be
their lot throughout all ages."
11                            161




162       sCEnms BEYOND THE GRAVE.
"C Hear ye this," said a sepulchral voice, " hear ye
this," hissed ten thousand serpent-tongued demoniac
visages, while the vault below quivered as if some
mighty potentate of a nether region had, with his
blazing sceptre, touched the fountain, the mighty
deep.
Then arose out of the pit a flame, which, although
concealed from mortals, ascended amid this throng,
causing the sphere of their being to blend and burn
like mingling flames; and as each appeared a selfsupporter of the fiery element, so by coalescence the
intensity was increased until the host presented the
appearance of a burning destructive tempest. This,
as a magnetic principle, pervaded the congregration
of mortals, who were instruments in the external,
inspired to consummate the merciless and fiendish
design upon Jesus, the meek and humble sufferer.
" The battle heightens," said an angel, who stood
above the tempest in the atmosphere of heavenly
purity; " With wonder, all ye heavens, behold the
scene. Now death and hell combine; now the
powers of evil charge upon the God-Man, who,
while contending with the united force of enmity
and destruction, by reason of sympathy with the
race of mortals, is weighed down with the sorrows
and sins of men."
"And," said another voice, "who shall determine
the issue? for, lo I myriads of the servants of evil
congregate, and mortals who surround the sufferer
are becoming like those who inspire them.




CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE TRIBUNAL.
THEN I saw them lead Jesus into the audiencechamber of the rulers of the people. Upon his
head was a platted crown of thorns. His temples
were pierced, and blood ran down his cheeks. His
hands were also bound. He did not murmur, but
looking upward moved his lips as if speaking.
Suddenly the host that had arisen from  the pit,
fell back as though smitten by some mighty hand,
and exclaimed, " Lo! he speaks with God! and
with pity beholds the multitude of mockers. The
issue is not equal. Our prompter is hate, malice,
revenge; his is love, meekness and submission.
Flee we must from the power of that gentle Spirit.
It is the deepest hell to endure his tenderness, and
we cannot contend with his love."
Then again appeared the especial manifestation
of Evil in gigantic form; and he stretched forth
his hand, from which proceeded a dark volume
of self-consuming elements, and in a voice of
terror said, " Arise! enter the combat, for now
is the battle set! What, though he looks upon his
tormentors in love, I have turned many hearts of love
1S3




164       SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
into hate; many calm spirits into madness; many a
praying soul into the utterance of blasphemy. He
shall not prevail, for now the conflict approaches
the consummation. This day, by my own hand, I
will achieve for myself immortal victory." Thus
saying, he prompted a mortal, who approaching
Jesus as he stood among his accusers, smote
him with the palm of his hand.
Then I heard a movement as if the heavens above
had fallen. I looked, and lo! all the angels were
upon their knees, and bowing their heads, raised
their snow-white and spotless hands toward heaven;
heaven was in mourning.
Then again I saw one approach Jesus saying,
"Art thou the Christ? art thou the King of
the Jews?" And Jesus answered "Thou sayest
it." And lo! the power of darkness gave way,
for his voice disturbed the regions of death, and
all was silent.
" He, your Redeemer," said an angel to the infants in grief, "is smitten by the impious agent
of the sphere of death, and his temples pierced by
the crown of thorns. By this, evil is represented.
It is its element, its determination, to smite the
manifestation of good, and without that disposition
it could not exist. These vile beings that arise from
their nether abode, and like a cloud from  some
smoking pit darken the earth, are those evil spirits,
that torment the sons of men. Filled with lust,
and unable to indulge the propensity, they seek to
vent their insatiate passions in vengeance upon




SCaENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.      165
bewildered mortals. And as Jesus shall rescue
the humble soul from their power, and as he is
the manifestation of the Incarnate Spirit, and his
mission with men, in the condition of a Redeemer
is to sever the power of the enchanter and break in
pieces his kingdom which is established with men,
so the prince of the power of darkness shall seek
to conquer him, and dash in pieces, like a broken
potsherd, the Kingdom of Peace which he shall
establish on earth.
"Moreover, here the two principles meet. Death
and hell arise, from the nether magazine; raging
with the inextinguishable fires of pride and fiendish
hate, and being convinced that the decisive hour is
at hand, prompted by that embodiment, called Satan
or Deceiver, they venture the engagement. The
theatre of action is the external world, for there the,condition of men renders them susceptible to influences from the spheres of good and evil.
"Yea, more, they are intellectual beings, and
responsible, hence moral beings condemned in transgression.  Therefore the righteousness of God's
Throne declares against the sinner; so then Justice,
-and Justice is my name, —must also be maintained if the violator live. Man must perish, or
through some wise provision there must be a me-.dium or mediator between him and the law violated.
To this end a Ransom has been proffered, as embodying all that is necessary to enter the great
vortex of human degradation, and grasp the awful
current. and stand amid the conflicting elements,




166       SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
while rescuing the sinner. And this can only be
effected by the reversion of the movement of the destructive tendency of the race. Those arising from
the pit unite this deadly tendency with the powers
of death and hell; and therefore, to save the sinner,
death and hell shall be held subject to the will of
the Conqueror. The principle of evil shall be bound
by Omnipotent and eternal Will. For the depraved race Mercy hath appeared, and in her arms
bringeth a Ransom, saying on him God hath laid
help, and that he is mighty and able to save. And
lo! the Offering now descendeth the vortex."
Then said a voice, "I am  Mercy. I offer the
Ransom." Again said Justice,'" If he be able, he
shall triumph over death, hell and the grave; but
he shall not strive nor cry, neither in contention
shall his voice  be  heard."  Then, answered
Mercy, "He is like a lamb for the slaughter, like
a sheep dumb before her shearers, he openeth not
his mouth." "Even so," said Justice, "and he
shall also make his soul an offering for sin before
he shall see his seed." Again, answered Mercy,
" Although he descends the vortex of death, his days
shall be prolonged, and the pleasure of the Lord,
the work of Redemption, shall prosper in his
hands." His Kingdom shall be an everlasting
Kingdom, and to his Government there shall be
no end; for through the Mediator, God shall be
just in the salvation and justification of him that
believeth."  " AMEN!" answered Justice. "Halle



SOENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.       167
lujah, hallelujah, amen!" arose from spirits, angels
and seraphs.
Then I heard Jesus say to him who inquired the
nature and object of his mission, and who had referred him to the danger of his position, " For this
cause came I into the world, that the world might
be saved; and since no man can come to the Father
but by me, I submit to the consequence of my mission." Then with great emotion Mercy lifted her
eyes to the heaven above, and said, " Great is thy
goodness, O God, since for the Salvation of the
sinner the just entereth death's dominion and rescueth the unjust."  Then approaching Justice, she
extended her hand saying, " Dost thou accept the
Offering I bring as adequate 2" Then Justice bowed
over the bleeding form of humanity, which again
appeared, and received the extended hand of Mercy,
saying, " When this Offering shall have in meekness endured unto the end, then the sinner shall
be restored through repentance toward God and
fiaith in the Lord Jesus."




CHAPTER XXIX.
THE DREAM.
THEN I saw a company of angels descending
from a celestial band, far above the scene, and, as
if upon some errand of mercy where momentous
consequences were pending, they proceeded to a
palace in the city and paused above it, and one
of them entered a room wherein was a lovely female,
whose mind appeared anxious and disturbed, while
she was meditating upon the scene which moved
the exasperated populace. -The angel did not appear to her external vision, but presently began
to sooth her nervous form into quietude, and to
induce a soft and gentle slumber. How soon,
thought I, that weary agitated form has found
quiet and repose, beneath the influence of an angelic being; and how free from exciting and disturbing care are the inhabitants of the blissful skies t
She rested, and an angel breathed upon her the
breath of pure angelic love.
She awoke in the spirit and dreamed (as mortals
term it) that she stood by a gentle river, garlanded
with the floral beauties of a celestial paradise. The
waters of the river were bright and transparent,
168




~~~~?
~11~~?~' ~       ~      -~-~~ —-... 
MO-~~"2~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*"-'-r'T=-.'- ~
"7'She lifted her hands as if in adoration,'and as she raised her eyes she
beheld innumerable cornpan~es of the blissfuil abode," —-Page 169.
51 ~g0,0     UO      
~~iP,   i ~   he rise, he eye sh
98he lifted her hands as if in  adoration,jans sS
bCteld innumerable companies of the blissful abode."-PPage 169,








SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.         169
upon the bosom of which was mirrored the transcending beauty of the paradisical landscapes that
skirted that living stream, and environed its pathway.  The waters echoed the soft notes of the
feathered choirs.that rested in the branches of the
immortal trees and floated in the spiritual ether
above the floral plains.
Charmed to exstatic delight, she lifted her hands
as if in adoration, and as she raised her eyes she
beheld innumerable companies of the inhabitants
of the blissful abode, who had just paused in a
song of angelic love, the echoing melody of which,
reverberating in the holy skies, in their retiring
anthems awoke the hearing of the enraptured
dreamer. As she stood beholding the angels above
her, she became conscious of the cessation of the
harmonious utterance of the immortal inhabitants,
and the melody of the myriads of paradisical birds,
which died upon the ear. A death-like stillness
held the whole realm as in the embrace of an awful
suspense.
While seeking the cause the scene changed, gloom
veiled the beautiful river; the floral inhabitants
folded their expanded leaves, and dropped their
aroma as tears that fell from the bowed and humbled stamens and folded cups. The forests stood
still, not a leaf moved, for even the celestial breezes
paused. The angelic hosts above had veiled their
faces and a pale light, as if the image of sadness,
occupied the place of the bright glory that had
illumined the world around her. Her heart grew
8




170        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
faint, her hands fell lifelessly by her side, her head
drooped upon her breast, and with her face pale
and the image of perfected sadness, she looked
downward. Her eyes gave up their brilliancy and
life seemed departing, when an angel touched her,
saying, " Pilgrim, wherefore dost thou wonder?
Art thou not of the city of Jerusalem, in the land
of shadows and of night?"
The dreamer, startled by the voice of the strange
speaker, raised her head, and beheld before her one
of the immortal inhabitants clad in mourning. Surprised, she sought at first to escape, when the angel
continued, saying, " Fear not; for in this land no
harm shall befall thee." I come a messenger from
that innumerable company of angels thou didst
behold above thee. My errand is one of mercy.
Thou hast witnessed the glory, harmony, and melody
of this divine abode. Such is the true state of the
pure and ever blessed. They exist in Divine Good.
These rivers, fountains, streams, blossoms, and all
animate existence, unite in one expression of ceaseless praise. But thou hast witnessed the change;
how vast and how sudden. Thou too, art sad, and
would know the cause. For this I come to thee.
We suffer with our Lord, who in thy city is this
day arraigned before a depraved, vindictive, and
mock tribunal. Our Lord, who there suffers, is the
manifestation of the Divine Spirit, the Incarnation
thereof, God manifest in flesh, in the person of
Jesus. Him the Jews seek to crucify. He goeth,
as it is written of him, but woe unto those his false




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.        171
accusers, vile blasphemers, and unjust prosecutors.
And thou, spirit of the lost world, thou art interested; for, lo! thy husband, though conscious of
the innocence of Jesus for the people, bartereth
innocent blood. Go thou quickly to thy lord, fall
before him, and warn him of his danger. Tell him
what thou seest,-how the land where immortality
reigns, mourns; yea, that every tree, plant, and
flower thereof bows in sorrowful attitude, that the
birds of Paradise fold their wings and wait in awful
suspense, that the rivers, the transparent waters,
wear a heavy gloom that veils their glory, that
angels lay down their crowns, and drop their lyres,
and are dumb, and fall down in sadness; while
Jesus thy Redeemer stands before the heartless
tribunal of fiendish men. Go, nor tarry, else a
moment lost may doom Pilate, whom thou shalt
seek to save."  " Awake!" said the angel who had
soothed her to silent slumber; and, lo! she arose
quickly, startled, yea, terrified with her vision, and
hastened to send to Pilate her husband, saying,
" Have thou nothing to do with that just man; for
I have suffered many things this day in a dream
because of Him." But Pilate, disregarding her
entreaties, yielded to the insane demands of the
people, and condemned Jesus to the Cross, and gave
him up to be scourged, then crucified.




CHAPTER XXX.
JESUS LED OUT TO BE CRUCIFIED.
As the sentence was passed, and Jesus was being
led out to be scourged, the vail that had for a brief
period concealed the inhabitants of the regions of
death from our view, was removed, and again the
arch-demon and his hosts appeared. Then he raised
his hand, from which issued a broad sheet of sulphuric flame that moved and flashed like unto a
banner over the vaults below. Upon it was written,
" Victory to Apolyon. This day have I prevailed
with men, and they have condemned the innocent."
Then I heard ten thousand hoarse sepulchral voices
saying, "Hail, thou Prince of Darkness, all hail I
Thou hast prevailed, and man shall feel the sting of
death. Go up to victory l Go ye up; for lo! we
arise from our nether abode, and witness the Godman as he shall writhe beneath the scorpion lash
and agonize upon the Roman Cross."  "Ah-ha, ahha!" arose in swelling volums from the demoniac
abodes below, and the air was rent with the loud
acclaim uniting with the infernal chant from the
mad populace that rushed to the scene of cruelty.
172




SCENE&S BEYOND THE GRAVE.        173'And is it not enough?" cried a voice in manifestation of deep lamentation, " O Justice! art thou
inexorable?  is not the ransom made perfect? Must
we endure the scene?  Shall the innocent suffer at
the hands of sinners longer? Spare, 0 spare! Lo t
his back is torn with lashes! His temples bleed!
His form trembles beneath the heavy burden! He
groans in Spirit! Must the power of evil prevail?
Lo! Satan and his legions shout in hellish jubilee
over the victory, that victory which condemns Jesus
the innocent to the hands of sinners, the crown of
thorns, the lash, and-mourn, all ye heavens!-to
the ignominious and rugged cross, the engine of the
most cruel inflictions!"
Then Justice answered, "He entereth into suffering with the fallen race, and endureth until the time
appointed. His life is not taken, but he giveth it
for many; and although Satan triumph for a season,
the strong man armed shall enter his abode."
" Arise, thou Conqueror, arise, and set the captives free!  Make bare thine arm  and save!
" Spare the cruel scourging!" cried another voice,
and again all the angelic bands and the infants and
their guardians in the Paradise vailed their faces,
and silence prevailed.
The mournful silence of the moment could not fail
to deeply impress the great truth intended by the
scene. No one witnessing could refrain from the most
deep and affecting meditations. The suspense continued until every being was absorbed and pervaded by its influence.




174        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
Again Jesus stood before us; His form was disfigured, and he was weak and faint. Still they
placed upon his mangled back the huge engine upon
which to execute him, and forced him along, amid
the shouts and jeers and blasphemies of the people,
toward the place of crucifixion.
Until this time I had been dumb, made so by the
awfulness of the varied and mingled scenes that were
rapidly passing before me. But as Jesus trembled
and reeled beneath his load, and while his body
was bleeding from the cruel scourgings, and his
temples were gored and swollen from the effects of
thecrown of thorns, and the maddening cry, "Away
with him, crucify him, crucify him!" rolled over
the city, I could endure no longer, and exclaimed to
my guide,' Why will not Justice spare the innocent
and let the guilty suffer? Let the world abide the
consequence of violated law, nor let innocence endure
the pain and woe necessary to that union with the
sinner necessary to his salvation. O why shall this
scene continue? Why shall Jesus bear the cross?
Why shall the infatuated race be permitted to inflict
pain upon the pure, yea, him who seeketh their
good?"
Still Jesus moved slowly along, ready to fall,
faint, weary and in agony. He spake no word, but
looked with love and pity upon his tormentors.
While I was reasoning and wondering, I discovered
that he moved more unsteadily, less firm even than
before, until he sank down beneath his burden. His
humanity had failed, and as he yielded from his




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.        175
Spirit within him, he groaned, and all was still.
For the first time, his persecutors and crucifiers
paused in their cruelty, and manifested care for
him; and I thought perhaps that apparent care was
on account of fear that they should not enjoy his
protracted suffering upon the cross, beneath which
he now lay bleeding. As he faintly yielded, the
effect upon the saints and angels was beyond any
power to describe. Truly it appeared that the very
heavens would fail, and happiness so far depart as
never to be restored.
The scene had been increasing in its awful interest; but when Jesus yielded beneath the heavy
load and the continued scourging, all the spirits
moved as if they fain would have relieved him;
whereupon a voice uttered from afar, " It is written
of him, he treadeth the wine-press alone." " Even
so," said Justice, " and let the inhabitants of earth,
and the angels of heaven, know that he endureth for
sinners. By his stripes they are healed. He entereth the death-gate, that thereby he may rescue those
who, by transgression, have fallen." " Amen," anBwered Mercy, who now appeared above the Cross,
" amen; he offered himself for sinners.  Justice,
here is the Offering I bring." " Thou hast said,"
replied Justice, " he suffers, but he suffers in the
hands of those whom he seeks to rescue from the
consequences of a law they have violated. It is no
vindictive wrath inflicted from the Father of life,
but the consequences of his mission, and the heart
he seeketh to save, made malicious by inversion and




176       SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE..
evil inspiration. Let not the heavens above, or the
earth beneath, or the lost who dwell beneath the,
earth, declare against the goodness of the Lord
Creator; for it is the nature of sin thus to oppose
and inflict, and seek to destroy good, or its manifestation, and in this sin is only made to appear in
its unrestrained nature. Sin, uncontrolled, would
blot out the universal sun, make the heavens a
pandemonium of evil and malicious beings, break in
pieces the government of the universal Lord Creator,
and render void the moral principles and nature of
universal heavens of intellectual existences, demolish
God's throne, and blast eternal things. Sin is the
opposite of good, knows no sympathy, is a fountain of malicious designs; and thus, when Jesus
appears a ransom for the sinner, and by reason of
the law of being, enters into sympathy with those
who are the subjects of violated law, they, controlled
by the principles of evil, seek to torture and destroy
him, although he is the messenger of peace and
good-will unto them. Before you who are assembled
is made to appear-earth being the theatre of action
-the nature and procedure of the two principles.
Above those excited mortals, as a cloud of smoke
and blackness, are gathered together the hosts who
are obedient unto the will of the arch-deceiver, even
Apollyon, who is the concentrated embodiment of
the nature and forces of evil. And demoniacal
beings, by reason of affinity, are enabled to inspire
deluded and enthusiastic mortals, who, like a tempest, are driven by the interior force. Moreover,




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.        177
these mortals are in a degree seekers and lovers of
the ways of evil, and are therefore the willing subjects of the wicked device; hence it is, that on one
plain of action they meet, and that with them union
of envious desire prevails.
" Jesus of Nazareth-God manifest in flesh, Divine
Good, Harmonic Existence, Universal Love, and
Paternal Care-is the manifestation of Good. In
Him is the fullness of the Godhead; the attributes
of Divine Existence, Divine Life, Universal Good.
Men who are fallen, yet not immortal demons, are
the occupants of the intermediate. Their souls Jesus
seeks to save, and demons seek to destroy. Jesus
entered their abode as their Redeemer, Apollyon
approaches to destroy. With these two principles
there can be no union, and therefore Jesus suffersnot by Heaven's decree, btt let it be repeated,
by reason of his goodness, and his mission for
the sinner, and entrance into the scene of combat
with death and hell."
"And shall he prevail?" inquired an angel who
had listened to the address of Justice.
"Yea," uttered Mercy, "he shall prevail. He is
the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the bright and morning Star. He shall prevail, and shall unloose the
seals." "Alleluia! alleluia! he shall prevail,"
arose from the myriads congregated. "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as in heaven."
~' Even so, amen!" said Justice, and again silence
prevailed.
No movement or voice disturbed the spell-bound
12




178        SCENES BEYOND THME GRAVE.
atmosphere while Justice and Mercy paused; for it
appeared that all who witnessed the scene, even the
wicked on earth, and those from spheres of darkness
among the regions of the dead, and those from nether
abodes where evil reigns, felt the innocence of
Jesus the meek sufferer. Surely it could not have
been otherwise when his true character was considered. No fault could be found in him, in his life,
betrayal, or when condemned to the Cross. Thus I
reasoned, and thus must all conclude, when remembering that he had been betrayed-arrayed in mock
royalty before Herod-endured cruel and false accusations of the priests. His temples had been pierced
with thorns, his back lacerated with severe scourging, and yet he had not opened his mouth in complaint. He had in candor replied to those interrogations, upon the answer of which it would seem
his destiny depended. No evasion of truth had
stained his holy lips. Finally, in all things he had
honored his high claims to divinity, and established
his nature in righteousness.
In his life he had moved with men as a benefactor. He had healed the sick, raised the dead, exoroised evil spirits, restoring those who were possessed and grievously tormented by them to quietude
and happiness. He had bound up the broken hearted;
caused the mourner to rejoice. He had forgiven
transgressors, filling their hearts with gladness and
heavenly love. He had faithfully reproved the vile,
and cleansed the temple of money changers. And
when opposed and persecuted, and even condemned




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.       179
to the Cross, he had not reviled, but by his meekness
and harmony he had revealed that which could only
have been Divine.
When the cross upon which he was to be executed
was laid upon his bleeding shoulders, he had meekly
bowed under it, and borne it along, amid loud
acclamations and bitter taunts; thus occupying the
most humiliating, as well as suffering, condition.
And when fallen beneath the Cross, exhausted in
his humanity by excessive and protracted suffering,
his spirit groaned, but without complaint. Then he
looked upon his accusers and tormentors with pity.
Then he remembered their depraved state, and felt
compassion for them. Thus the Savior of sinners
suffered, when none sympathized save a few personal
friends, whose spirits agonized with him, but who
had no means to offer aid.  He bled, groaned,
fainted, and fell, but no tear stole down the hardened
cheek of the cruel Jew. No soft hand touched gently
his wounded temples. No words of consolation were
spoken to him. Alone he endured, alone he bled,
alone he struggled to bear the cross. How could those
who witnessed fail to sympathize with him? or mortals refrain a tear? How fail to love one so excellent! How prevent their souls from adoring one so
worthy, and the more especially since he suffered, not
only innocent, but for their salvation!
Finally, the soldiers commanded Jesus to arise
and proceed to Calvary. Obedient, he struggled
beneath the cross; but his trembling limbs failed,
and again he sank back in his agony. Who can




180        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
depict the scene? What artist, with pencil formed
of immortal colors, could so touch the sense of man,
and blend the light and shadows with skill sufficient
to reveal the great reality of the scene?
There was the Savior, the spotless, holy, and
lovely Jesus, struggling with convulsive effort, under
the scourger's lash, to raise the cross beneath which
he had fallen. Blood from his bleeding body stained
the ground. The severed flesh quivered from repeated
strokes by the athletic scourger's hand. His swollen
visage was more marred than any man's. His eye
of love was concealed beneath blood and tears. His
holy lips moved, prompted by his heart, which was
ever full of love and pity, and they accented, " Sinner, for thee I freely suffer; for thee I endure these
afflictions, yea, I endure them that thou mayest be
saved."
After repeated ineffectual efforts to force Jesus
to bear his cross alone, and anxious to revel in his
sufferings during the final trial, orders were given to
the soldiers, who compelled one Simon a Cyrinean
to bear the cross. And again they proceeded.
As they advanced slowly toward Calvary, a company of females approached the dictators of the dread
tragedy, and bowing before them, raised their hands,
and in the most affecting manner, plead that Jesus
should be released. No attitude could better comport with the object of their prayer. Their sorrow
was inexpressible; their cause was just; their petition
humble and urgent, but all of no avail. "He shall
perish," said the proud priests; and again the mul



SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.        181
titude shouted, "Crucify him, crucify him. Test
his power. If he be the Son of God, let him break
the arm of strength that moves him toward Calvary,
where his weakness, folly and blasphemy shall be
revealed."
" Nay," said the humble petitioners, "spare
him for our sake. Are we not your sisters? Do we
not love you, our brethren? Hear us, let our suit
be regarded. Let woman's love prevail. Let mother's
and sister's find favour in this hour of trial. Ye
know him not. Iis heart is full  of universal
love.  His soul is that of pity and tenderness
We love you no less, though Jesus we also love
nis goodness hath won our hearts. We plead his
cause. Save him. HIis feeble limbs fail; he falls
beneath the load. Can you not spare him? Oh!
remember and regard us; yea, remember the love
of faithful woman in her most endearing relations —
her tenderness and faithfulness in the hour of trial;
then remember Jesus for whom we plead."
" Never 1" coldly and sternly answered a haughty
high priest, "Never? He merits death. He shall
be crucified."  " He shall be crucified," shouted the
multitude; and the group of mediators sank down
in despair.




CHAPTER XXXT.
JUDAS REPENTING.
BEFORE US was now displayed the Jewish sanhedrim. They were expressing many thanks for the
triumph of truth over error, and of sense over fanaticism. They congratulated each other in the hope of
peace that must result from the prompt and efficient
action taken to put down Jesus the impostor.
Their general appearance bespoke a proud despotic spirit rather than that of God's humble servants.
There was more of jocular frivolity displayed than
religion, more phariseeism than meekness, more
lordship than ministry. While they were reveling
in the glow of their triumphant feelings, Judas, now
the picture of wretchedness, rushed into their midst
and wildly exclaimed, " I have sinned in that, I have
betrayed innocent blood." " What is that to us.
See thou to that," replied the priests.
At this cold and repulsive reply, Judas startled;
he had expected their sympathy and aid in his trial;
and having served them, he had resorted to them for
help; and their indignity offered to him upon the
occasion but added sorrow to sorrow, disappoint
182




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.        183
ment to disappointment, remorse to remorse, and
despair to wretchedness. Recovering partially from
the shock produced by the unexpected reply, he at
length said " Should I not in this hour of trouble
expect sympathy from those who pledged honors,
blessings and friendship, to whoever would conduct
them to the capture of Jesus. Did I not faithfully fulfill my engagement and give him into the
hands of soldiers? Why then this cold and indifferent reply. For you I betrayed my innocent Master;
for you I hailed him in my accustomed and confident
manner. Yea more, for you I sealed my treachery
with a kiss. Shall I not now find you as faithful to
your most solemn pledge?"
Then looking down as if in deep and painful
thought, he exclaimed, "When I betrayed him, he
looked upon me in love. That look I now see. I
feel its power. He was just and good. I have betrayed innocent blood."  And hastily throwing
down the silver for which he had bartered Jesus,
he said,'"Here is the price of my Lord and my
peace for ever."
Then answered a priest, "'True, that is the price;
for that we purchased thy services; why trouble us a
Take it, it is thine. We have no more need of thee.
Our object in thee is accomplished. Away, ere thou
dost suffer his fate, who goeth without the gate
to receive the reward of impious folly.
"In thy complaint, thou doest acknowledge Jesus,
the outlaw, to be our king. Away, else the guard
bear thee also to Calvery."




184       SCRNFS BEYOND THE GCRAVE
Then a mighty angel drew near, saying, "Behold
the procedures of men revealed in the case of
Judas, the chief priests and the rulers of the Jews.
They have but followed the native promptings of the
depraved heart. May it not then be said that the
carnal mind is enmity against God; not subject to
his law, neither indeed can be. God is light, and in
him there is no darkness. God is just; his ways are
ways of righteousness. God is good; with love and
paternal care, he looketh upon the workmanship of
his hands. God is faithful and true; his Word endureth forever. His promises are yea and amen.
Are aot the ways of man the reverse, and too
often designed in selfishness and clandestinely prosecuted? Are not the tendencies of man's proceedings
unrighteous?  Seeketh he not his own and not anothers welfare? Is man faithful to equity? Doth
he abide in confidence and keep his pledge? Yea,
doth he not proceed with respect to selfish ends?
Even though he hath engagements,  doth he not
too often fail when his purposes and interest may
indicate reverse procedures?  Enquire of earth.
Let her ages, buried in the past, relate the history,
nd thus revesl the nature of the human heart. Let
the sage, the philosopher, and the poet, give a
faithful answer. Awake from their,silent repose
those who slumber in the tombs! Let lords, potentates, and Priests, speak from their high positions,
and all shall reveal the truth that man is depraved. Let the tears and sorrows of the dependent,
the servant and the slave unite, and they shall re



SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.        185
late the sad story of human woe, whose source is
found alone in the perversion of the heart of man.
" Judas betrayed his Lord, and in that he bartered
justice and goodness for Mammon. His procedure
has been revealed, but his is only the great degree
of that depravity which existeth with unsanctified
desires.  He sacrificed his greater good, his best
friend, for applause and gain. Doth not man often
proceed on this wise? Doth he not often barter
friendship and forsake his brother, leaving him to
struggle amid accumulating sorrows; and though
earth's philosophers fain would conceal the horrid
picture, doth not man betray his fellow for present gain? Whose frescoed walls and costly drapery
are not tinged with human blood? Whose luxuries
may not be traced to the sacrifice of human hearts,
liberty, and peace-the price of fallen helpless
brothers?
In heaven there are no false ones. No sanctified
spirit bartereth spirit into bondage: or for silver or
proffered fame consigneth companions to ignominy
and death. Nay, let angels repeat it. An angel never
could betray his brother for aught the universe bestows." " Nor betray for aught the universe bestows
his brother," answered ten thousand voices, "Or
forsake when in the hour of trial. Never, no never;
There is no Judas in the world of light," continued
the angel. And the immortal company echoed,
" Never, no never; there is no Judas in the world of
light."
" There is no likeness existing betwixt the ways




186       SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
of fallen man and saints on high," continued
the angel; how then can man have the native heart
which, unchanged, could itself arise to angelic life?"
Then said another angel, who approached from an
opposite direction, "May not these truths be revealed to the infant's understanding.?"
Immediately a scene was before us, in which
Earth, with her multiform movements, was displayed.
In this scene were represented brothers betraying
brothers for gain, parents their children, husbands
their wives, friends exchanging each other as mere
commodities, nations in their warings and piracy,
and grievously afflicting the poor and dependent.
Multitudes of human beings were seen suffering
in lowest degradation, living and dying without
hope.
Mothers were convulsively pressing their babes
for the last time to their breasts, and imprinting
upon their rosy lips the farewell kiss, while the suckling clung with dying hold to its mother's neck.
Husbands were looking in despair upon their maltreated wives and heart-broken children. Poverty,
oppression, pain, anguish, rapine, and murder were
revealed. In the midst of these mixed multitudes
were a few who were striving to unloose the fetters
of'those bound; to take from the scourger his cruel
impliments; to provide means for the sufferings of
every class; to feed the hungry, clothe the naked,
bind up the broken-hearted; to change war into
peace; to make the battlefield a nursery for the poor




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.        187
and dependent; to cultivate true friendship, and
enforce true religion; to enlighten the bigot; to
prevent persecution, and establish with men universal liberty and harmony, founded upon justice and
mercy. But their encouragement was limited. Still
they failed not, but were ever engaged in deeds of
benevolence. As we were observing this scene, an
angel said, " Wilt thou instruct the infants relative
to the cause of this strange perversion, and why
those philanthropists do not faint in the toil, seeing
they meet so little sympathy from those for whose
benefit they labor so ardently2'  "Let earth give
answer," said the angel. " The ways of men reveal
the perversion of their hearts. Heaven can reveal
the cause, and also why those messengers of mercy,
who mingle with the sons of men, seeking their
salvation, faint not."
Then a light descended, and over each of those who
were engaged in the work of rescue, was a guardian
angel, who, appointed of Heaven, and full of the Holy
Ghost, sought to encourage them in their labors, and
impress them with holy and benevolent desires. There
was also revealed a light which descended from some
invisible source, and which pervaded the heart of
each mortal, who, in the name of the holy religion
of the Cross, was struggling to lead the forlorn
race.
" This," said the angel " is Holy Inspiration.
The Spirit of God, which inspireth all who are
born of God, that they may labor continually for
man's restoration from sin and its consequent




188       SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
misery, and for his final exaltation to a state of
bliss."    *      *      *      *      *
" But," continued the angel, " no means are capable of revealing to human understanding the depth
of degradation into which a heart is fallen that can be
accessory to such deeds of cruelty as have just been
presented. And although angels with wonder behold
the acts and unfaithfulness of men, so common are
they with man, and so natural to his perverted
being, that he not only witnesseth without regret,
but may be induced to engage therein for mercenary purposes. To redeem man requires goodness
beyond finite comprehension. None but God, who
is Love, and who is mighty and able to save, could
rescue the fallen race. Angels, while contemplating
God's love bestowed upon man, exalt in thankful
praise the name of our heavenly Father."
Then the angels said, "Let all in heaven raise
their voices in praises high and holy; for God
so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten
Son, that all who believe on him should obtain
salvation.
" Yea, we will adore our God for the manifestation of his love to man who is dead in trespasses
and sin," answered the attending angels. " He hath
laid help on one who is mighty and able to save.
We will praise Him, we will praise Him evermore,
amen; ever, evermore, amen."  " Surely," continued the speaker, " He condescendeth to exalt the
ruined orb, to harmonize the discordant race, to
save the deluded spirit. He permitteth human




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.         189
hearts to reveal their hidden natures. In this, God
is just, for heaven witnesseth, and while beholding,
pitieth them. Thence angels commissioned delight to
seek, as ministering spirits, the souls of men. Yea,
they delight to visit earth on errands of mercy."
" Angels delight to do the will of God evermore,"
repeated again the vast assemblage; and the guardian angels waved their hands when the scene
changed.
"Rest," said the chief guardian, "ye infant
observers, rest, for a season mingle in the social
scenes of paradisical enjoyment."
Then addressing a company of spirits at the right,
the angel said, " Bring ye the flowers gathered upon
the holy plains. Let the infant spirit be refreshed.
Let the fragrance from the floral mount descend, and
let joy possess each spirit. Spirit of holy quiet
pervade them with thy everlasting peace."
The entertainment introduced was wisely adapted
to that quietude necessary, after the mind had been
excited upon subjects so vast in magnitude, and
thrilling in interest.
Angels from the superior spheres mingled in all
simplicity with the saints, guardians, and infants.
Familiar sentiment was ever and anon chanted by
bands and companies, who were grouped in different
sections of the temple. Visitors from the plains,
with floral clusters, adorned the temple. Maidens
wreathed flowers of many colors around the infants'
heads, whose golden locks reflected beauty, mingling
with the harmoniously combined prismatic hues.




190       SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
Youths wno accompanied the maidens from  the
plains, waved palms and branches gathered from the
delightful groves. Finally, each infant was presented with a golden goblet, from which they sipped
as from fountains of living waters. And they also
partook of fruit gathered from immortal trees-the
fruit of paradise.
Then I heard a voice saying, "Who could fail to
praise God for existence, for immortality, and for the
bliss of paradise?" The infants caught the sound
and understood the sentiment; and raising their
hands, on each of which hovered a bird of many
colors, whose warbling notes had charmed their
senses, they replied, " We will adore our heavenly
Father, we will ever mention with love and reverence the name of our Redeemer. We will cheerfully be led, conducted by our guardian angels.
And when prepared, and our understanding properly enlarged, we will go forth as servants of
goodness, whither the Lord our Redeemer shall
direct.
" In deeds of usefulness as well as with our voices,
and upon stringed instruments, we will praise and
adore the Lord most high.
"We will learn wisdom as heaven reveals it to
us, and when qualified, we will go to earth to
visit and impress with good and holy thoughts
those there, who we have been taught, are our
parents, brethren, and sisters." 1" Amen," answered the guardian spirits, "For this we delight to
instruct your youthful intellects, and teach your




SCENES BEYOND ME GRAVE.        191
spirits to worship. For this exalted occupation we
will unite in anthems to God evermore."
Then each guardian moved her hand in token
of a change, and all were soon in their former
position.




CHAPTER XXXII.
CALVARY.
THEN a voice, full of sympathy, spake from a cloud
which rested far above, saying, "Calvary revealeth
her wonders. Prepare to witness the last struggle of
the Redeemer, as he meets in death the destroyer."
As this voice ceased, the chief guardian raised her
eyes and holy hands, saying, " O! Lord our Pre.
server, bestow upon us supporting aid. Preserve
our minds while we may witness. Prepare us to
understand. Pervade us with meekness, reverence,
and holy love."
" Around this scene," continued the voice, " gather
interests as lasting as immortality, as momentous
as the worth of undying spirits.
" Let the sun be darkened, and the stars be veiled.
Let nature pause, and heaven keep silence. Ye
seraphim and ye cherubim, lay down your celestial
instruments, upon which ye utter anthems most
holy, while the scene transpires. Ye floral universes,
droop your heads; and hang down your leaves, ye
bowers. Ye waters, stand still, nor let the rippling
murmur break the silence. Ye birds who warble in
192




SICENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.      193
immortal groves be ye dumb; and pause ye breezes
while the Redeemer suffers."
Then appeared Calvary beneath pale shadows. A
throng was perceptible, who were apparently transfixed. In the centre were three crosses, on which,
human forms were hanging. Near them were a
band of soldiers, seated as if they had been engaged
in gaming; but they too were fixed in an attitude,
as if stunned from some unexpected cause.
Mournful murmurings were heard as though at a
great distance. These murmurings. seemed to still
the very spirit of life in all. And a feeling of gloom,
approaching utter despair, was visible upon the
countenance of every spirit.
At length a low whisper passed from guardian to
guardian, saying, " List! nature breathes a solemn
requiem! Nature suffers. Alas! alas!" Again
all was still. No sound or movement disturbed the
silent gloom.
Gradually a pale light shone over Calvary, revealing more clearly the scene. And the three crosses
became more visible, until the form and fiatures of
the sufferers were plainly distinguished.
"It is Jesus!  Jesus suffers! Jesus expires!"
burst from every spirit. A sudden shuddering seized
them; and they bowed their faces, still repeating,
"Jesus suffers! Jesus expires!"
While they were thus bowing, Jesus said, " Father,
forgive them, for they know not what they do."
"Oh! what love, what wonderful goodness,"
exclaimed the humble spirits. "He prays for his
13




194       SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
crucifiers. Give us, O! thou Supreme, of that spirit
evermore."
While Jesus prayed, the soldiers and the rulers
derided him, saying, "He saved others; let him
save himself, if he be the Christ, the chosen of
God." This cold and cruel taunt caused the spirits
to raise their heads, and look steadfastly upon the
scene. But their sympathy and sorrow can never
be revealed.
Near the Cross were bowing a few of the friends
of Jesus, who were past weeping, from their excess
of sorrow. Agony held them even as death holds
the pale corpse. One of that little company was
Mary, the mother of Jesus, who had ever lingered
near him during his sufferings, but who appeared
conscious of the certainty of his trial. She suffered
with him. As a holy mother she suffered, but
could not save.
Jesus turning his eye upon the group, said to
Mary, "Woman, behold thy son." Then addressing the beloved disciple, he said, " Behold thy
mother." And thus in his agony he displayed his
humanity, and invited the disciple to support Mary,
who was sinking beneath her weight of grief.
The disciple then supported Mary, who leaned upon
him as she looked upon her Son in his last trial.
Then one of the malefactors who was crucified
with Jesus, railed on him, saying, "If thou be
Christ, save thyself and us." To this the Lord made
no reply, but looked in pity upon him. The other
malefactor rebuked his fellow, saying, " We receive




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.       195
the due reward of our deeds, but this man hath done
nothing amiss." Then in a devout manner said to
Jesus, " Those who have led thee here exult in their
folly. They vainly suppose thee conquered and
slain; but I feel from thee an influence superior to
man. Thou art from everlasting to everlasting.
Mystery hangeth about thee, O Lord! I know that
in thee exist the fountains of life.  Thou livest
evermore. Wilt thou, O Lord, remember me when
thou comest into thy kingdom?" Then the Lord
looked upon him, and love from his spirit overshadowed and pervaded the suppliant. The Holy
Spirit wrought in his heart that change necessary to his union with the enduring principles ofdivine
life and love. And in answer to his prayer, Jesus
said, " Inasmuch as thou hast from thy heart sought
help, thy prayer is answered. Verily I say unto
thee, this day shalt thou be with me in paradise."
This reply was like life given to the dead; and the
malefactor, although in the agonies of death, manifested that emotion which bespoke a soul forgiven,
a spirit made free. His was a reprieve, not from
the execution of the sentence of an earthly tribunal,
but Heaven's pardon —a release from the power of
sin and death. He feared no more. All heaven,
through Jesus, had been secured in the last and trying moment. His physical sufferings appeared to
operate as holy enchantment to charm the body to
rest, while the soul shone forth amid the darkness,
and hovered over the death-gulf ready for its happy
flight-its exit from death to life, from mortality to




196        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
the possession of eternal realities. While this scene
was transpiring, the mockers around the cross had
not noticed the Divinity of Jesus manifested in the
forgiveness of sin. But the angels and infants
beheld with wonder and gratitude the goodness
displayed in that trying moment. And so deep
was the impression, that ever after, when referring
to the crucifixion, the infants would name the thief,
speak of his prayer, and the propitious answer of
the Redeemer,-that answer by which all heaven
was given to the dying sinner.




CHAPTER XXXII.
THE LAST STRUGGLE.
DARKNESS now began to fold more closely its
mantle around the scene.  No sun, or moon, or
stars were visible. Night in heavy gloom veiled the
earth.
At length Jesus said, " I thirst;" whereupon one
filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop,
and touched his parched lips. This was too much
for the infants; and at the sight, they drooped as if
immortality had failed; their guardians took them
in their arms and supported them.
When sufficiently recovered, they said, " We had
living water from golden cups, but these cruel tormentors gave Jesus vinegar upon a sponge. Is
man thus debased, thus cruel?  Hath the human
heart no pity.? Oh! let us touch our Savior's lips
with these dew-drops that collect in crystal pools in
the flower cups, brought for us from the plains."
While witnessing the scene, which only revealed
cruelty added to cruelty, a form, terrible in appearance, approached Jesus, around whose ghostly
visage, like satellites, revolved unnumbered lesser
197




198       SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
creatures the image of himself. "Thou shalt triumph, thou triumphant king," was written in
broad capitals upon the sphere that encompassed
him. His appearance was like one sure of victory
when engaging in the final conflict-a conflict
upon the issue of which depended the interests of
ages. With a hoarse, sepulchral voice, a voice of
terror, and in a manner characteristic of a neverfailing conqueror, he addressed Jesus, who hung
upon the cross, saying, " I arise and meet thee in
this thy day of folly. Thou art chained. Thou art
a victim. Angels, saints, and men have shouted
thy triumph over death. Death is my name. Thou
hast engaged to reverse that law by which I existthat law which feeds the hungry tombs with the
bodies of infants, youths, and hoary age; that law
which has moved in might, and none can hinder;
that law which this day grapples with thee, and thou
too shalt perish. Lo, I come to seize this vase,
and dash it against the marble rock of dissolution."
Then reaching forth his hand, he seized the body of
Jesus, whose sensitive nerves quivered from the
touch of his cold contracting fingers.
Then Jesus cried, " Eloi, eloi, lama sabachthani.
My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me."
Upon which a voice said from above, " He treadeth
the wine-press alone."
"Nevertheless," answered another voice, "he
suffereth, the just for the unjust."  "Then," shouted
Death, " I have gotten the victory. He who was
in the beginning with God, entereth the destructive




SCENES BEYOND TIE GAVE.          199
elements where violated law breaketh in pieces the
violator. IHe entereth that he may rescue, and shall
also perish. He faileth. Let hades arise and behold
my triumph; and ye angelic hosts who came to
witness, behold and wonder while Jesus struggles
in my right hand. Ye have sung through all
heaven that he should vanquish death. Yea, see
how he struggles while I hold him with my might.
I alone grasp this'God-man,' and leap with him
amid the tombs.  Ah ha! ah ha! chant ye his
victory!  Chant rather his defeat.  I hold the
conqueror. Give back, ye heavens, ere I ascend from
sphere to sphere, and shake the eternal throne, and
make of celestial worlds a cemetery for the dead."
Then with wild exultant glare, he met the Savior's
face, and with menacing reproach said, " How vain
for thee to seek this issue?  Have I not slain
unnumbered legions? And thinkest thou to escape 
Nay, Jesus, thou'God-man,' I sacrifice thee, my
last foe."
Around this scene had again congregated the
hosts of vile spirits-Apollyon leading in his
triumph-waving in the infernal breezes their
black banners, upon which appeared the figures
of Apollyon, the embodiment of evil, and Death
the fell destroyer, embracing each other over
the image of the cross and bleeding sacrifice. Then
followed bold blasphemies, boisterous shouting,
and wild demoniac laughter. The messengers of
evil moved like waves of thick and black waters to
and fro; while their hellish jubilee burst forth as




'30)       SCNES BENYON)D TEE GRAtE.
from a compressed sea of madness and fiendish
delight.
They moved around Jesus, shouting Ah ha I ah
ha! while Death was addressing him, and their
triumph appeared sure.
The infants, upon beholding this scene, inquired,
" Shall they triumph, and Jesus die?"
"If Jesus perish," answered an angel, "the
heavens fail. He holdeth the universe in his right
hand."
" But," said Apollyon in distant reply, " he
faileth in this decisive hour. Strike your deathsong, ye congregated millions! for, lo! Jesus the
boasted Son of God is at last subdued. Death prevaileth 1"
Then the divinity of Jesus said, c" No man taketh
my life. I lay it down of myself. Ye who seek me,
employ men in the external world as agents of
slaughter and execution; but they have no power over
me save what is given them. Lo! I come through
death's portals to bind thee, thou destroyer; and
from thy power, rescue my people-those whom I
redeem.
" That I may prevail, I meet thee in thy dominions.
Lo, I come! Thou art involved in thine own design. I meet thee, not in vengeance, but to open the
tomb and set the captives free; to open the prisondoor of those bound and imprisoned; to bind thee
and destroy thy power. I have descended amid dissolving elements: humanity being the chariot in
which I enter the dark dominions where mortality








"A  soft light descended, revealing a solitary tomb
around which were stationed armed guards. To that
tomb was entrusted the body of Jeaus,"-Page 203,




SCENES BEYOND THE GBAVE.       201
faileth.  Thou art conquered.  The law of life
and harmony shall entwine thy form, and establish
the boundaries of thy dominions. And thus shalt
thou await that day when death and hell shall be
cast into the bottomless abyss, and they shall no
more afflict my people."
Thus saying, he bound Death with a chain of light.
Then raising his eyes toward Justice, who witnessed from the cloud, he said, " Behold! the Spirit
of Life prevaileth over death." And addressing the
roaring tempest of dissolving nature which gathered
its mighty maelstrom around him, and broke in
fearful whirlpools upon him, he said, " Stay, thou
angry flood!  Roll back your waters ye death
currents! Unloose thy grasp thou boasting conqueror, thou prince of terrors! Lo! I come to rescue
the fallen orb, ere it plunge into the bottomless
abyss." Then raising his righT -hand of divine
strength, while standing in the mighty cataract of
dissolving nature, he touched an orb, which,
in its wandering revolutions, had neared, and by
attraction from the abyss, hung upon the brink
ready to plunge, with its swarming and distracted
millions of inhabitants, amid the surging billows
that drive madly down the gulf of death. While
thus holding the suspended orb, he said, " Stay thou
tempest, terrible in might! Although thy waves
fearfiully gather around the fallen world; although
thy current draws with immensity of strength;
although thou hast forced that Earth along the
death surge of ages, be thou still! Earth, reverse
(, o




202        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
thy movement. Arise! the day of thy salvation
dawneth. Ye mighty winds of heaven, fan into life
the expiring orb. Ye pure waters, ever flowing
from life's ceaseless fountains, let your cooling tides
move over her parched and barren soil. And ye
angels who minister in love, gather quickly around
the discordant race, administer life's cordials, and
with truth, antidote the evil of false and perverted
hearts. Bar ye the gateway to immortal slumbers,
that forlorn man may not enter there. And thou
Death," he continued, "although thou dost boast thy
millions slain, upon thee I fix my seal; thou art
bound, and thy days are numbered. Hades, thy
kingdom of mortality, the trophy of victorious ages,
shall fail. And thou, at the time appointed, having
no more kingdoms to demolish, shalt die."
Then addressing Apollyon, he said, " Thou foe of
equity, harmony, peace, and heaven, depart quickly
to regions whence thou art. Lead thy forces deathward, for at the time appointed, thou too, shalt
feel restraining power. Lo! I come to rescue my
people."
Jesus then moved his hand, and Apollyon with
his legions departed, and a dark cloud which accompanied, concealed them from our view.
The Lord then said, "Father, into thy hands I
commit my spirit;" and with a loud voice, cried,
" IT IS FINISHED;" and then holding Death subject
to his will, descended to the spirits in prison.




CHAPTER XXXIV.
THE TOMB.
THE scene of the crucifixion had scarcely passed,
when the land of Canaan appeared, manifesting
that inactivity consequent upon over excitement,
occasioned by the agitation of some momentous
question of national policy.
A soft light gently descended, revealing a solitary
tomb, around which were stationed armed guards. To
that tomb was entrusted the body of Jesus. An
angel standing near, touched the tomb with a
sceptre he held in his right hand, and it became to us
transparent, revealing the body in its quiet rest.
To behold that body thus at rest was pleasure:
for it removed the burden and anxiety caused by
witnessing the sufferings of Jesus, while he passed
through his many trials from the garden of Gethsemane to Calvary, under the most cruel and
painful circumstances.
Now it calmly reposed in the lone sepulchre,
shrouded in clean linen unstained by blood. The
still and noiseless atmosphere, undisturbed by the
clamor of the shouting rabble, and the sweet sleep of
that body, as now presented in its unmolested home,
203




204       SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
conspired to give that relief which could not fail to
soothe the minds of those who had been overwhelmed
by the revolting scenes of cruelty and slaughter,
which had been displayed during that awful period
in which the Lord suffered.
" How calm, how composed is now the body of
Jesus!" said the chief guardian, while we were en
joying rest of spirit as we looked upon it.
"Yea, Jesus resteth," answered a voice, and
Mercy appeared above the tomb. "Yea, he resteth.
HIe maketh the tomb his bed. With his people he
slumbereth in the grave. He sanctified the sepulchre of his saints. But he sleepeth to awake again.
He also shall awaken all who sleep in death."
Then one of the celestial choirs descended and
chanted over the tomb where Jesus lay.
" Peace and quiet slumber, holy rest, fold gently
in thy gracious arms the body of the Lord, which no
more endureth pain forever. IHoly angels, guard the
sacred tomb. Let no intruder pass the portals of
this temple where the body of the Redeemer resteth.
Stay the dissolving elements, that they change it not.
Let it not see corruption. Let not worms feed upon
it. It tath been sanctified through suffering."
Then in a loud acclaim, another company of
angels chanted, " It shall arise again. It shall
ascend to the highest heaven. It shall be the attractive centre around which saints shall gather. It
shall attract unto itself, in the realms of immortality,
the sanctified dust, the renovated bodies of the
saints."




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.        205
"Let it rest," continued the band of quiet singers.
"Be still, ye winds that howl around the walls of
Jerusalem, be ye still. As ye pass this way, fold
your hurried wings, and glide gently by. Jesus,
the manifestation of divine good, hath no more
sorrow. His body slumbereth here. Touch it not,
ye cold and impure winds of earth. Let heaven fan
it with the softest zephyrs. Let the most sacred
harmony in divine breathings linger around this
consecrated tomb."
Again, chanted the choir above, " Let the
heavens resume their lyres, and strike their highest
notes to lofty anthems. Jesus shall awake and
ascend in clouds of glory. Universes shall join the
song of his ascension. Echo, ye everlasting hills,
echo ye his name in triumphant song."
Then the former band continued,  "Soft and
gentle as the breath of new-born love in the serene
heavens, let us sing,'Here slumbereth the body
of the Lord.' We will speak his name in softest
tones.  Jesus, thou external manifestation of our
Lord, sleep on. Rest, thou mangled form. Rest
in the sacred tomb. We will linger near while the
tomb retaineth this precious treasure."
" Fold your arms, and poise in the holy atmosphere, all ye commissioned; let not a voice be heard
while the body rests," said Mercy to the holy ones
attending. And they poised in spiral circles around
the tomb. Never can language reveal that scene, or
in any wise express the sacred peace that pervaded
the spirits before whom it was transpiring.




206       SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
It was joy beyond measure to see the body of
Jesus rest. It was sacred quiet. It was fulness of
harmony to listen to the soft anthems of the angel
band that watched the tomb. Surely it may be said
that Jesus sanctified the grave. I can never reflect
upon that scene without a desire that my poor body
should rest there also. I wish to lay it down in the
tomb. The grave no longer wears a gloom. To me
it is the most sacred place of all on earth. There
Jesus my Redeemer slumbered. There his body
rested. There it was free from pain. Only let me
be worthy, and cheerfully, at the time appointed,
will I step into the grave, and lay my body down to
rest, where, in peace, it shall await the morning ol
the resurrection.




CHAPTER XXXV.
THE RESURRECTION.
" BEHOLD and wonder, ye inhabitants of paradise,"
said a mighty angel as he descended and stood upon
the tomb. " Yea, behold, as the Son of Man cometh
from the abode of desolation, lo! he cometh a
conqueror from the regions of the dead."
While he yet spake, Jesus, even the Incarnate
Spirit, the Spirit of Redemption, appeared walking
among the tombs. And as he looked over them, he
said, " Here sleep the bodies of my people. Long
and dreary hath been the night of your slumbers,
and cold the couch on which ye have reposed.
Massive walls, enclosing this vast arena, have
guarded and confined you while ye have slept.
Precious dust thou art, since thou hast been the
dwelling of spirits I redeem. Thou shalt arise.
This darkness which hath so long shrouded thy
abode in night, adding gloom to gloom, shall be
dispersed by the light of life. Lo, I come to illumine this dark and solitary vault, this charnel-house
of the dead, —to determine the limits of death and
the grave, and to open a door of escape. Sleep
207




208        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
on, ye sacred relics. Dust of my people. Sleep on
until thou art animated by the quickening, purifying,
and exalting principle of eternal law. Sleep on until
life from on high shall redeem and spiritualize these
properties of nature; and prepare the atoms of the
sphere of rudimental life for the immortal and incorruptible habitations of the spirit in its spiritual existence. Sleep on until that day, when thou art
called from this silent slumber to spheres of life.
The tomb shall be illumined. Henceforth the totality of its darkness shall be no more."
Then lifting his eyes, he said, " Watchman from
the everlasting hills, descend and enter thou this
abode. Keep guard until the morning of the
Resurrection, when I will bid thee arise with these
ashes, which, quickened into life, refined, purified,
and reorganized, shall become the outer garment of
my redeemed people. That day in divine certainty
surely cometh." Then one, mighty in strength,
whose garment reflected ten thousand interwoven
crosses, entered the arena, from the mount of light,
and addressing Jesus, said, " Lo! I come to do thy
will, 0 God."
The Lord then replied,'" Guard thou this sepulchre where mortality slumbereth; and placing in his
right hand a sceptre, upon whose burnished shaft,
was engraven the image of the cross; and also in
hieroglyphics, the solemn events of the trial and
crucifixion, Jesus said, " With this sceptre thou
shalt defend and control these dominions until
Heaven calleth for thee."  The watchman answered,




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.       209' Be thou my help; thy will be done evermore."
The Divine Spirit then approached a lone tomb,
even that over which angels watched, and in which
reposed the body of Jesus; and with a voice that
indicated supreme power, said, "Let Life descend
upon this inanimate form. Let the Quickening
Spirit pervade and quicken this body. Let every
finction, tissue, and property thereof, be transformed
into ife, and be thus immortalized: let this body
arise."
Then light from the Divine Spirit encompassed the
body, and a sudden shaking' seized the walls and
foundation of the tombs.
And the body of Jesus arose. Whereupon a
mighty angel said, with a loud voice, " Jesus prevaileth; he ariseth triumphant.  Death hath no
power over him; he breaketh the strong bands thereof; he liveth evermore. Raise your anthems high
all ye who dwell in worlds of light: Jesus reigns.
"Hallelujah! amen! Jesus reigns! " answered
the innumerable companies of angels, who had
witnessed the reanimation and resurrection of the
body. "But although ye shout him victorious, " he
remaineth with the dead," said Justice, who was
still observing the scene.
Then Jesus approached the massive gate, which
shut the passage from the tomb, and reaching forth
his hand, touched its mighty bars, and lo! they
crumbled to dust. He then said, "Be unbarred
thou mighty gate —Lo! thy keeper, even Death,
hath no more power over thee. His limits are de14




210        SC1XES BE'YO9D TIE GRBAV.
termined. Yea, even although, through the violaI
tion of the law of life, man faileth; and as Adam
perished, even so the outer man wasteth away and
dieth; yet in Jesus, by the law of life revealed
through the Incarnate Spirit, man shall be restored;
he shall live again.
" The grave shall not have everlasting dominion
over the ashes of the dead, nor exist as a perpetual
vale of darkness between earth and the regions occupied by those spirits departed from the outer world."
Then said Jesus, "Open ye massive gate; and ye
winds bear it away that it may return no more forever."
The gate then disappeared, and Jesus moved his
right hand over the silent slumberers, saying, " This
dust shall awake; it shall be quickened and prepared for the habitation of disembodied spirits."
"How shall these awake? How shall the grave
give up their dead@?" enquired a voice, and lo!
Justice appeared above the gateway.
Then Jesus arose from the tomb, holding in his
hand the keys of the dark dominions.
And a voice spake from a cloud which rested
above the scene, saying, " This is my beloved Son;
the hope of Israel; the bright and morning star.
Peace be unto the world."
The cloud then descended, and as it approached
JesuS, Mercy moved therefrom, and addressing
Justice, said, " This is the offering I bring, and this
is the trophy of his victory, even the body of Jesus
now raised from the tomb and made immortal.




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.         211
Dost thou, O Justice, accept the offering? Justice
replied, " The offering is accepted since divine
power immortalized the properties of the outer
man, giving life to that from which life had departed.
Then said Mercy, " The offering ariseth in perfection, animate with divine life, and shall henceforth be glorified. In Jesus, the Divine Spirit
came to seek and save perverted man, even as a
faithful shepherd seeketh the lost sheep strayed from
the fold; and henceforth salvation shall be preached to the forlorn race; and hope, like a star of
superior light, shall guide the wanderer to the port
of peace. Jesus controlleth the fury of discordant
elements, henceforth they shall not drive the humble
mariner to the regions of eternal night. At the
gateway of death, remaineth the mighty watchman,
who, by divine appointment, guardeth the cold
sepulchre. Heaven hath determined that death
shall give up her dead in the last day; that day
appointed, when God shall make up his jewels; and,hall spare all who love and obey him, even as a
man spareth his own son that serveth him."
Then Justice, addressing Jesus, said, "Thou art
from everlasting to everlasting, King of kings and
Lord of lords.  Thou hast the keys of death.
Heaven accepts the offering and acknowledges the
victory. Thy mission, trial, and conquest, is inscribed upon the Throne of eternal recollection.
HTenceforth the Cross is engraven upon, and inwrought throughout all things in the kingdom of




212        SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
righteousness-to be kept in everlasting remembrance.
"LoI I come to thee, thou Lamb slain for
sinners; yea, thou upon whose shoulders resteth
the goverment of peace. I embrace thee. Thou art
God." Thus saying, Justice embraced Jesus, and
Mercy said, " Shall the sinner, even he who lieth in
his fallen condition, be rescued? Shall he find
favor? Justice replied, " God in Christ reconcileth
the world to himself, and through his mediation,
Heaven shall be just in the justification of all who
come to God through Him. If the sinner forsake
the evil of his way, and the unrighteous man his
thoughts, and return unto the Lord, he shall obtain
favor. He who seeketh life, shall in Jesus enjoy the
blessings of everlasting righteousness unto peace.
Then Mercy raising her hands and eyes to heaven,
said,'Now is salvation complete. Henceforth, thy
glory, 0 God! shineth upon the fallen orb. And
thy name shall be adored by all who have immortality, because thou hast provided means for the salvation of man.' "
Thus saying, Mercy also embraced Jesus, and a
cloud of light encompassed them, whereupon Justice
and Mercy so blended in the sphere of the Lord as to
loose identity, and they were thereafter only revealed
as in the person of Jesus, who, with that cloud amid
the hallelujahs of legions, arose from the tomb.




CHAPTER XXXVI.
THE ASCENSION.
BEFORE US now appeared the afflicted disciples,
who, having met in a mountain by special appointment of their Lord, were communing with each
other relative to the resurrection. Suddenly a light
shone upon them, and Jesus appeared in their midst,
and said, "Fear not; all power is given unto me in
heaven and on earth. Go ye, therefore, and preach
the Gospel unto all nations; baptizing them in the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I command you: and, lo, I am with you alway,
even unto the end of the world. Ye shall be persecuted of men for my name's sake: but I have overcome; and ye shall also overcome if ye trust my
word. These signs shall follow those that believe.
In my name they shall cast out devils; they shall
speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall
not hurt them; they shall lay their hands on the
sick, and they shall recover. But tarry ye in the
213




214       SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
city of Jerusalem until endued with power from on
high."
Then he lifted up his hands and blessed them.
While blessing them he arose, and a cloud received
him out of their sight. Whereupon a voice, as of a
mighty angel, said, " Lift up your heads, ye everlasting gates; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting
doors, and the King of Glory shall come in."
"Who is this King of Glory," inquired another
from an opposite portion of the heavens.
" The Lord, strong and mighty," answered the
voice; "the Lord, strong in battle. Lift up your
heads, O ye gates; lift up, ye everlasting doors, and
the King of Glory shall come in."
Then the unnumbered millions, who filled the
heavens, with strong hands swept the chords of their
stringed instruments, and, with loud voices, said,
"We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty,
which was, and is, and is to come; because thou
hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast conquered. We praise thee, O Lord, who art King of
kings, and Lord of lords; the Alpha and Omega,
the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last."
Then the cloud arose into the heavens, and
with it the great congregation who attended the
Ascension; and as they arose, they still uttered,
"Thou art holy, O Lord God Almighty, which was,
and is, and is to come. Lift up your heads, ye
everlasting gates, and let the King of Glory come
in. The Lord Redeemer is the King of Glory."
During the Ascension, the disciples had stead



SCE3N7 BEYOND TE GRAVE.         215
fastly looked up into heaven, whither had gone their
arisen and ascended Lord. But as the cloud which
received him from their sight finally disappeared,
they worshipped; and afterwards, in silence arose
and departed for Jerusalem.




CHAPTER XXXVII.
THE RESCUE.
THE former scenes having passed, we heard an
angel, with a loud voice, proclaim, " Now salvation
appeareth.  Hope ye inhabitants of earth; yea,
rejoice; for the Lion of the tribe of Judah hath
prevailed to open the book, and unloose the seven
seals thereof. Let salvation, the year of jubilee, be
proclaimed afar. Go forth, ye messengers; declare
the love of God as made manifest in the rescue of
the bewildered race. Yea, let the heavens echo the
glad news; for God so loved theworld that he gave
his only-begotten Son; that whosoever believeth on
him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
As the angel spake, we heard a voice of lamentation, saying, "O wretched man that I am! who
shall deliver me from the body of this death 2'
From the direction of the voice arose a cloud,
displaying frightful tempests. A little beyond that
cloud arose lofty mountains, from whose very sides
appeared to issue fire and smoke in all the terrors
of waring elements.
216




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.       217
Again said the voice of bitter wailing, " Must we
perish!"
The dark cloud which overhung the scene, parting,
we beheld, by the aid of a pale light, the forlorn
man and: his friends, —the same displayed in a
former scene. By them stood a man clad in simple
apparel. He was holding in his hand a book, from
which he read, " Come unto me, all ye that labor
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." As
he read, the afflicted man looked up, and although
somewhat disturbed by his presence, said, " To whom
may I go? In whom shall I have hope."
" In Jesus, who is the Saviour of men," answered
the messenger.
" But I am polluted from the sole of the foot to
the crown of the head," continued the fallen man.
Then the messenger read from the book again,
"Though thy sins be as scarlet, they shall be as
white as snow; though they be as crimson, they
shall be as wool."
The sufferer replied, " I have sinned against
heaven."
Again the messenger read, "i Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have
mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will
abundantly pardon."  Then said he, it is also
written, The whole need not a physician, but they
that are sick. If thou seekest to enter into life with
all thy heart thou mayest. "Look up," he continued, as he raised his hand, and immediately a




218        SCENES BFv.OND THE GRAVE.
light shone from above, revealing to the inward
sense of the sufferer, the Redeemer as extended upon
the cross; and he heard a voice saying, "No man
cometh unto the Father but by me. I am the Way,
the Truth, and the Life. HIe that believeth on me,
though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth on me, shall never die.
Believest thou this?."
The sufferer replied, " Lord, I believe; help thou
mine unbelief;' and raising his hands he prayed,
" God be merciful to me a sinner." And a light
descended, resting upon him; and the Spirit of God
pervading his soul, spake to his spirit, " Thy sins
are forgiven thee; thy guilt removed; thy wounds
are healed; the Spirit quickeneth thee, bidding thee
arise, for salvation hath come unto thee."
Then the redeemed man arose, and rejoicing,
worshipped; and the light that shone upon him
revealed his inner being, upon which was impressed
the image of the Cross; and upon his heart was
written the law of heaven.
Again the messenger, who still stood near him,
read, " Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall
see God." Then addressing him, said, " Quickened
by the Spirit, thou hast passed from death unto
life; and art restored to harmony, and clothed
with the garments of salvation. Go forth, saith the
Spirit, proclaim the Grace of God, by which thou
kast been redeemed. The harvest is truly great, but
the laborers are few. Go preach the Gospel; seek
the lost. Freely thou hast received, freely give.




SCENES BEYOND TUE GRAVE.        219
This is the spirit of the Gospel of the Lord our
Redeemer. Be faithfiul to the grace given thee.
Watch, that when thy Lord cometh and calleth for
thee, thou mayest give account of thy stewardship."
Then he read again, " Lo! I am with thee, to bless
and strengthen thee. For every trial my grace shall
be sufficient."
The redeemed man then raised his eyes to heaven,
and prayed, " Be thou, O God, my help. I can
do all things if Jesus Christ strengthen me; and,
as a servant of the Cross, an embassador of Jesus,
he entered the cloud, which made dark and gloomy
the plain at the foot of the mountain. And as he
departed, we heard him say, " O Lord, truly I am
thy servant: thou hast loosed my bonds. What
shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits to
me? I will offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and
call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my
vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his
people. Search me, then, O God, by thy Spirit,
and try me, and see if there be any evil way in me;
and lead me in the way everlasting. O praise the
Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people; for
his merciful kindness is great toward men. The
truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise ye the
Lord."
Then an innumerable company of redeemed
spirits drew near, and, led by Mary the mother of
Jesus, chanted with loud voices, "We will praise
thee, O Lord God Almighty, which was. and is, and
is to come, for thy wondrous works with the chil



220       SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
dren of men! Just and true are thy ways, thou
Prince and Author of salvation I Thou hast redeemed us! When we were not mindful of thee,
thy Spirit sought us! Worthy is the Lamb I
Wondrous are thy works, 0 thou who dwellest
above the cherubim; whose throne is the eternity
of cause; whose dominion is over all!  Praise,
glory, and dominion be unto thee, throughout everlasting ages! Amen!
" We will lift up our voice to thee! Thy glory
inspires, and thy love vouchsafed to man who was
fallen, is the burden of our song; is now, and shall
be, world without end! Amen!
"Praised be thy name, most High! From our
hearts go forth alleluias!  Thou hast redeemed us
from sin, which hath dominion over the fallen soul;
and from death thou hast exalted us to the glory of
divine abodes! Oh! praise God, ye who with
exalted voice may utter his holy name! Praise
him, ye congregation of seraphim who adorn the
pavillion of his throne! Yea, bow down before the
majesty of his love, who redeemed us! Let his
name, who is the PRINCE and SAvIoR, be mentioned
with reverence most profound! Praise ye his name
for ever! Praise him for ever! Amen! To him
be glory, honor, and dominion evermore! Amen 
Hallelujah! hallelujah! Amen l"
Finally, an angel addressing me, said, "These
infants, having been prepared, will ascend to a more
exalted plane-a realm where, blessed with superior
advantages, and surrounded with still brighter




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.         221
glories, they shall arise from one degree of attainment to another, and shall bathe in crystal waters
ever flowing. And they shall glide in crystaline
barges over the smooth and transparent floods of
never-failing rivers, and shall gather fruit from the
groves and flowering vines that ever adorn the banks
of those placid waters.
The glory of that sphere descends; and spirits,
whose duty it is to lead these infants upward,
receive them from their former guardians. Let us
arise."




THE RETURN.
THE period at length drew near when I was to
return to the world; and the infants, their attending
angels, and those who had been employed in the
various scenes, were congregated together. They
sung a soft and melodious hymn, during which they
fixed their attention upon me. I felt more than ever
their love, and the value of heaven and heavenly
associations. At length the spirit who had kissed
the Cross approached me, leading the two children,
as on a former occasion, and addressing me,
said, " Marietta, for a season thou art to leave us.
We love and deeply sympathize with thee. Thou
art beloved of all; but it is our Redeemer's pleasure,
and we cheerfully submit. Marietta, we joy in the
precious promise of thy return at a time appointed."
"Yea, in this we rejoice," said the multitude.
"We rejoice also," continued the spirit, " because
thou hast been permitted to visit, in spirit, these
realms, and to behold some of the beauties, and to
realize the harmony and divine order of paradisiacal
abodes and of angelic worship. Yea more, we praise
222




SCENES 3EYOND THE GRAVE.       223
our heavenly Father, because thou hast been permitted to witness the mode by which infants are
instructed in the great truths of man's perverted
nature, and also the means provided for his redemption. Moreover, it fills us with delight to know
that thou hast not only been permitted to behold,
but thou hast been received and blessed by the
Redeemer, in whom we have life, and through
whom we obtain heaven. We will give thee our
spirit of love, and, as one, we will embrace thee.
and patiently wait the happy period when we shall
hail thee at the gate of the Holy City upon thy
return."
Then all arose and formed themselves into circles
around me, and encompassed me as in a dome of
spirits; and the spirit who had adressed me pressed
me to her heart, when I felt their influences as the
embrace of one. Present reflections upon that scene
fill my soul with ecstasy, and to attempt its description is in vain. After this manifestation of love,
the spirit led the two children to me, and they
entwined their holy arms around my neck, and
pressed kiss after kiss upon my lips, saying.
" Marietta, when thou art again with those in the
outer world who love us, and who have mourned
our loss, tell them we are happy; that we have no
sorrow; we are ever with our guardians; that we
love all, and Jesus our Redeemer above all. Tell
them we shall wait with patience their arrival here.
We love thee, Marietta, and will meet thee again."
They once more embraced me, and withdrew; and




224       SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
the spirit who led them to me said, " Marietta, trust
thy Redeemer evermore. Relate on earth the story
of Redemption. Do well thy work of love."
Then from a cloud Jesus descended, and placing
his hand upon my head, addressed me, saying,
"Child, for a wise purpose thou art to return. Be
faithful to thy charge. Relate, as thou art able,
what thou hast seen and heard. Fulfil thy mission,
and, at the time appointed, angels shall meet thee
at the gate of death, and bear thee to mansions in
the kingdom of peace. Be not sad; my grace shall
sustain thee. In thy sufferings thou shalt be supported." Then an angel gave him a golden goblet,
and he placed it to my lips. As I drank I was
filled with new life and fortitude to endure the
separation, and I bowed and worshipped him; and
he with his right hand raised me up, saying, " Child
of sorrow from a world of gloom, thou art redeemed,
thou art blessed for evermore.   Be faithful, and
when thy course on earth is ended, thou shalt enter
into the joy of thy Lord." Then placing in my hand
an olive branch, he said, " Bear this to earth, as
thou hast been instructed." Again he laid his hand
upon my head, and light and love filled my spirit.
The time had come for my departure. I looked
around upon the scenes of that lovely city and upon
its happy inhabitants. I offered myself in thanksgiving to God for the blessings of immortality, and,
above all, for the gift of grace in Jesus, who is the




SCENES BEYOND THE GRAVE.         225
Redeemer; and before the multitudes. I lifted to my
Lord  my larnds and voice in prayer bfor support in
that hour, that I might be kept in his love who had
blessed mre. Then I was borne in the arms of angels
to the gateway of the temple, where I first mlet the
Lord; and firom thence-while angels chanted praise,
to God and the Lamb-with my former guide I
descended to earth; and entering this room where
my body lay I soon awoke.
Patiently I wait the hour which I know is determined, when I shall go hence and enjoy the fruition
of those realms of bliss, where my spirit obtained
its assurance of joys to come. I will praise my
heavenly Father for my hope in Jesus, which is
worth ten thousand worlds to me.  And when I
arrive in paradise, free from mortality, I will praise
him with an undivided and pure heart, and with holy
lips. There I will, in loud anthems, exalt the name
of my Redeemer while eternity endures.




COMMENDATIONS.
LEST some who have not read this Tr&asCE, and are therefore
unacquainted with its character, should class it with books "got
up" by the " spirit media" of the day, and to assure the readel
that its correct sentiment and pure spirit commend it to the confidence of the Religious Public, we insert the following statements of the Rev. Mr. WALLER, of Kentucky, and the Rev. Mr.
MILLER, of Springfield, Ohio.
Rev. G. WALLER, one of the first Ministers of the Baptist order, in Kentucky, whose sound Theology and good sense woll
him, for twenty-five consecutive years, the highest office in his
denomination, and whose name is sufficient commendation for
any Work through the wide field of his usefulness, and wherewvrhis name is known, writes as follows:
"I have carefully examined  a book bearing thu
title: "'Scenes Bevond  the Grave,"  purporting to
be a simple narrative of scenes enacted beyond the
grave, and witnessed by the spirit of a young girl
while she lay entranced, as the testimony shows.
Of this I express no opinion; but fully approve of
its pure and deep-toned spirit of Christianity, and
sound Theology.
"The Scenes are so truly depicted, and so beauti;fully and thrillingly told, that it cannot fail to secure the judgment, and win the confidence and atfections of all who read it.
"I am constrained to say, that in purity of style,
and richness of composition, it is not excelled by




COM)3MENDATIONS.
any work I have read.  I should be pleased if it
could be placed upon the table of every family, and
read in every common and Sunday school in the
land.  Infidelity canl have but little influence where
it is read.  It is particularly adapted to the use of
families and schools, to form in the young mind the
first impressions.  I therefore, very cheerfully recommend it to the public, and particularly to al.
who love the Bible and the Christian religion."
GEORGE WALLER.
LorISVILLE. Ky., June 15, 1855.
Rev. MIr. MILLER, 01 -pringfield, Ohio, Minister of the Metholist Episcopal Church, a mall of deep devotion and marked piety
who has not only the confidence of his Church, but for some
twenty years has held a responlsible office-the gift of the people
of his City and County-in a letter speaks thus:
Rev. J. L. SCOTrr:"I have before me the first part of the Trance
of Marietta Davis, entitled  "Scenes Beyond th-e
Grave," which I have read with inexpressible delight; and it so far exceeds any work I have previously read, which treats upon the lost state of man,
and his redemption through our Lord Jesus Christ,.
that I am constrained to urge upon you the necessity
of placing it in the hands of every family in the land.
"Its richness, and purity of style, its poetic gTandeur and figurative excellence, so possess the mind
of the reader, that he seems himself " entranced,"
and borne far above the darkness and imperfbetione
of earth, to be an observer with the spirit of Mari



COM)INIENDATIONS.
etta, of thlle lovely scenes tllat occupy the inhlabitants of lieaven; and also as was revealed to her.
the realder realiz(es most deeply the depth of iniquity
into w'lichl inal is ftdllen by reason of sin, aIid becomes lost ini tlce (ont(lnplation of the bounlless
good ness betv we 1 in hlis redemlntio(n.
"'Iler d(Iscriltion, ats revealed to her, of the display
of Justice, alndl Mercy, tle  leekness, love, and snl:
firing of the Savior, in the purpose and completion
of' the plan of Salvation, is unequalled; and the
narrative ot' what sle saw in Paradise, where tllh
inlfaints frolll art arel' received,   areeing so perfiuctIy as it does witlt,otir highlest hopes of the blessedl1less of our littli oralse, who have departed this life,
fills the reatlder witlI ecstacy.'-'No language ot' mine is in any way capable of'
explaining the fielings that awaken in the soul,
while reading the narrative, and whatever mayhave been the insp)irinlg cause (and I believe slhe
saw what site relates,) I ftel that whoever reads the
Trance with any degree of care will receive from it,
kisting benefit.'"I am theretbre solicitous that it should be spread
abroad through the land, and the more especially,
since it is so well calculated to counteract the destructive influence of that Infidelity, now so abundlantly promulgated. by the advocates of modern Infid(el Spiritualism.  In the bonds of Christian affection,                I am yours,
REUBEN MILLER.
SPrINGFI, Clark co., O., June 9, 1855.