LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 Gl FT OF 
 
 Class 
 
9.V.W,fS*& 
 
 
GENERAL AGENTS: 
 COLBY &, RICH, 9 BOSWORTH STREET, BOSTON. 
 
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1889, by 
 
 AMELIA GREENWOOD, 
 In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 
 
 COPYRIGHT, 1892, BY CARLYLE PETERSILEA. 
 
 Presswork and Binding by 
 F. H. GILSON COMPANY, BOSTON, MASS. 
 
183102 
 
 
 
 
*> 
 
 OF THE " A 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 I. 
 
 HERFRONZO. 
 
 HAD passed the meridian of my life, and was fast verging 
 toward the twilight of age. I had never been a success 
 ful or a rich man, and to be happy was to me but the 
 vagaries of a dream. Toil and sorrow was the sauce which 
 I took with my daily bread. I knew no other. I married 
 twice, but never understood the meaning of conjugal love; 
 neither of my wives gave me but very little comfort. Children 
 were born to me; I loved them after a fashion, but knew not 
 how to make them happy, and now my life was nearing its 
 close. I had never been happy myself, I had never made 
 others happy, very few loved me, I had never been loved, so 
 I thought ; yet with all my unhappiness I had always been a 
 deep thinker and this part of my being was my actual life. 
 I had studied for the ministry in my youth, but the more I 
 studied and thought about creeds and the life after death, as 
 preached by the clergy, the less I believed and the more un 
 fitted I became to teach others that which I could not accept 
 myself. So I gave it up in despair and turned my attention 
 to music. This, at least, I could conscientiously follow as a 
 
2 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 profession, and it would not trammel or interfere with the 
 flight of thought ; it bound me to no creed and I loved music 
 for its own sake, it carried and aided my thought with its 
 inspiring wings ; yet after all, music should not have been my 
 forte, nature had intended me for a profound thinker, and I 
 should have been a philosophical writer, but like many others 
 I mistook my calling, was never happy, nothing fitted me ; I 
 wondered if after all there really was a life beyond the tomb? 
 
 I had about come to the conclusion that death ended all, 
 that we were born to a world of toil and trouble, and death 
 took us off the weary stage of life forever ; and I now know 
 that this is the experience of the greater part of humanity. 
 If I could have known then a small part of what I now know 
 my life on earth would have been to me a pleasure instead 
 of pain, and it is to tell others a little of that which I now 
 know that I write this book. 
 
 I desire to benefit humanity, to make them wiser, better 
 and happier ; absolute truth can do no harm under any cir 
 cumstances, and whoever reads this book may know positively 
 that it contains nothing but the truth, although written by 
 the hand of a so-called dead man, one that ought, according 
 to the Church creeds, the creeds that he spent years of his 
 life in studying, one that ought, according to all this, have 
 been banished into hell with the devil for his master and 
 burning fiends with gnashing teeth for his companions. 
 
 How sad; oh ! how sad it is, that man, who should be 
 crowned with wisdom,can for one moment, countenance such 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 3 
 
 folly. That it should be taught to little innocent children 
 with plastic minds and souls ready to receive truthful im 
 pressions which would make their lives a pleasure to them 
 instead of a miserable failure as mine was and thousands of 
 others are. On the other hand they are taught that if they 
 believe in a person called Christ, he will wash away their 
 sins although they be as black as night, and when they die 
 they will go to a place called heaven, far beyond the stars 
 and spend an eternity praising a being called God. But 
 whether hell is beyond the stars or not,they are not informed. 
 It is information on these points that man most needs at the 
 present time. He wants to know positively whether he is 
 immortal or not? and for this knowledge many would give 
 every drop of blood they have in their bodies. 
 
 Man has now reached that point in his earthly career, 
 when he can no longer believe in the heaven or hell as just 
 depicted; when he must know something more truthful and 
 better,or settle down under the conviction that death ends all. 
 But on one point the Church with all its error is right. Man 
 is an immortal being, as I now know by actual experience 
 and as I hope to prove to those,yet in the body, that read this 
 book, before I have done with the writing of it, and it is my 
 actual experience after the dissolution of the body, that 
 I now propose to give to the world. 
 
II. 
 
 DEATH. 
 
 length, I found myself on a sick bed ; my friends all 
 said that I must die, and I, too, felt that my hours on 
 earth were numbered. Some of my friends urged me 
 to have prayers and get a change of heart, have my sins for 
 given, so that I might be able to squeeze into heaven at the 
 last moment, but, although I knew not what awaited me in 
 the great unknown future if indeed there was a future I 
 was not mean enough to try to enter heaven, after this, as it 
 seemed to me, sneaking fashion. If I did not deserve heaven, 
 I would not try to get in through the merits of another per 
 son. If Jesus merited heaven, let him enjoy it. If I did not, 
 then let me go to hell, if there was one, which I very much 
 doubted, and if there was no hell, then of course the blood 
 of Christ was not needed and prayers would be of no avail 
 and Jesus could be no other than a very good man, for the 
 idea that man was saved through Jesus Christ depended 
 entirely on the belief that there existed a hell and a devil. So 
 I concluded to let matters take care of themselves and if there 
 was a life after the death of the body I would take my chances 
 with millions of others that had gone before, and in this frame 
 of mind I composed myself to meet the great unknown, and 
 so passed out of my body, and if all I now have to tell seems 
 like some fairy tale, believe me that it is true as it is beautiful. 
 My eyes closed to all things pertaining to earth. The 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 5 
 
 senses of my material covering were dead, and for a short 
 time I was at rest, like one that is sleeping, then there was a 
 gradual awakening of the spirit. 
 
 I felt myself supported by an angel, a form on either side 
 of me. The angel seemed to be moving with considerable 
 swiftness, supporting and half carrying me beneath my arms. 
 I felt currents of air strike my face like the dash of cool, soft 
 spray, and my eyes flew wide open. My first thought was 
 one of questioning curiosity and I turned my gaze full upon 
 the form at my right and then to the one on my left. The 
 angel did not appear to be looking at me, or taking notice of 
 my questioning gaze, but was looking straight ahead with 
 eyes turned a little upward, and I found that we were moving 
 forward, always inclining upward, not in a perpendicular line. 
 I cast my eyes downward and I saw the dark shadow of a 
 vast globe which was fast receding from my view. I exper 
 ienced a sensation of great relief as it disappeared entirely 
 from my sight, a great joy filled me, for I now knew that I 
 was immortal. 
 
 I now turned my eyes in the same direction that the 
 angel was looking. I did not feel like questioning the angel, 
 but greatly desired to find out things for myself and did not 
 wish to talk. The angel seemed to understand me perfectly 
 and entire silence reigned supreme. As I looked,! saw in the 
 distance a sparkling city which we were rapidly approaching ; 
 soon, a great extent of country burst upon my sight and it 
 was a glorious world of heavenly beauty. Cities," towns 
 
6 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 villages, scattered homes, trees, forests, shrubs, flowers, 
 rivers, lakes, seas and an ocean. Rivulets, ponds, mountains, 
 hills, valleys, glens, meadows, green lawns ; but no fences, 
 no manufactories, no death or decay of any kind. 
 
 Presently, the angel paused before a golden arch. The 
 keystone of the arch appeared to be an immense magnificent 
 diamond and the word Wisdom blazed within it. On either 
 side of the arch, two forms appeared with hands clasped above 
 the keystone, each wore a golden crown and set within the 
 crowns in sparkling diamonds; upon the one, the word Love, 
 and upon the other, Truth. 
 
 I gazed at this magnificent archway and understood its 
 meaning. Wisdom, Love and Truth ; these were the only 
 methods whereby one could enter into perfect happiness and 
 never by the blood of any Christ. 
 
 My mind was now set at rest on two important questions, 
 immortality and being saved from hell through Jesus Christ. 
 The angel now glided with me through the archway and I 
 felt that my new and spiritual life had commenced in earnest 
 and those three words kept ringing, ringing within my soul, 
 Wisdom, Love and Truth; these I must attain before I 
 could be happy, before I could even enjoy all this beautiful 
 world which was spread out before my enraptured vision, but 
 for the present I was a stranger in a new and strange 
 world,although so gloriously beautiful, yet I was not fitted to 
 enjoy it ; the angel that escorted me was too far above and 
 beyond me, to be in any light, a companion for me. I felt 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 7 
 
 heavy and weary and longed for rest. The habits of earth 
 life were yet strong within me. I wanted a home and a loving 
 companion ; one not so bright as the angel that was with me, 
 but one through whom I could learn by easy stages, and as 
 these wishes and thoughts shaped themselves within me the 
 angel smiled sweetly and we paused before the door of a lovely 
 little cottage, nestled down in a wild and secluded glen. A 
 rustic easy chair stood near the door of the cottage, the angel 
 led me to this chair and I sunk into it with a sigh of restful 
 satisfaction. The angel gave me a long searching gaze, then 
 waving an adieu with their white hands, slowly disappeared 
 from my view. 
 
 I leaned my head back, closed my eyes and gradually 
 my powers of thought and observation gathered themselves 
 together as I thus rested. How long I sat there I am unable 
 to say ; but when I again opened my eyes, a feeling of intense 
 happiness ran through all my being. Oh, joy ! joy ! I had 
 passed through that weary dark shadow called death, that all 
 human beings fear and dread, and here I was, safely landed 
 on the other shore of life, and of course I knew that eternity 
 rolled on forever before me. 
 
 Now thought I, there is no hurry, I am not pressed for 
 time, time is now nothing to me, my thought need not leave 
 any subject until I understand it thoroughly, and as I rested 
 and thought, my eyes began to rove around the beautiful glen. 
 I wanted to examine everything closely and find out all about 
 this new world in which I found myself. 
 
III. 
 
 THE GLEN. 
 
 glen was apparently, a quarter of a mile wide by 
 three-quarters long. At the back of the cottage moun 
 tains appeared and a small cataract leaped from rock to 
 rock, ending in a purling and sparkling stream of water that 
 wound itself in and out about the glen and then disappeared 
 at the further end. There were rocks, trees and shrubs of 
 various kinds, trailing vines and beautiful wild-flowers ; a blue 
 and etherial sky and fleecy white clouds. A little winding 
 path ran into the glen and up to the door of the cottage. 
 
 A restful, home-like feeling penetrated through all my 
 soul, and I thought, this looks almost like the earth I have 
 just left, and yet I know all this which I see before me is 
 not real material substance, and as I gaze I find it lacks all 
 the coarseness and imperfections of earthly things. There 
 is not one dead or decaying leaf in all this beautiful foliage, 
 not a single imperfect tree. Every flower is perfect , bright 
 and exquisitely lovely. This cottage is the most beautiful and 
 graceful thing imaginable, and this chair the most easy and 
 restful. 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 9 
 
 Again I closed my eyes, and when I opened them, a great 
 dog stood with wagging tail, resting his nose lovingly across 
 my knee and gazing into my face with soft, intelligent eyes. 
 A dog! Could it be possible that dogs were immortal? 
 Great Caesar ! In the wildest flights that my imagination had 
 ever taken, this thought had never crossed my mind before. 
 But the dog was unmistakable; it was no creation of my 
 fancy, for he was intelligent and had a will of his own as I 
 soon found out. I laid my hand caressingly upon his head, 
 I patted him on the back, he wagged his tail violently and 
 whined fawningly. I felt something rubbing against my legs, 
 and looking down I saw a beautiful cat, rubbing her soft 
 sides against me and purring gently. Still more astonished, 
 I heard a little bird twittering in a tree near by, and looking 
 up I saw many birds flying around among the trees. So, I 
 thought, birds and animals are immortal as well as myself. 
 
 Oh, what happiness ! How could I part with such 
 creatures that I had been familiar with during all my earth 
 life ? How satisfied I felt with the truth as I found it. 
 
 The dog pulled at my sleeve, softly, as though to ask me 
 to take a stroll, and I arose to my feet ; how light I felt. I 
 seemed to glide, rather than walk, in whatever direction I 
 wished to go. I noticed a beautiful spot not far distant, 
 where the water lay, deep and placid, in a shining pool, and 
 to this spot my mind carried my aerial body. 
 
 The bank was green and mossy, and I reclined thereon. 
 The dog bounded and frolicked about me. A couple of 
 
-10 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 beautiful birds perched in a drooping willow just above my 
 head and sung sweetly to each other. Now I will try and 
 understand how all these things are, I thought. They do 
 not seem like earthly things, and yet they look like them, 
 only so much more exquisite and beautiful that I can hardly 
 make a comparison. I wanted to examine everything 
 minutely and discover just how this beautiful world was 
 made. I looked down upon the ground and saw a number 
 of insects and worms similar to those of earth. I glanced 
 into the water, a speckled trout and a few minims met my 
 gaze. A mosquito and a fly, or two, buzzed about me but did 
 not bite or sting me. At sight of these smaller creatures I 
 laughed outright. It had surprised me very much to find 
 that dogs were immortal, but when it came to fishes, flies 
 and worms, the idea was too ridiculous. I laughed and brush 
 ed my hand across my eyes to see if I could not brush the 
 cobwebs out of them, but I could not, there the things were 
 as plain as the nose on a man s face. 
 
 I heard a rustling sound and looking up I saw a deer 
 peeping shyly at me through the bushes across the pool. 
 Gazing upward I saw an eagle soaring aloft over the crest of 
 the nearest mountain, and as my gaze wandered over the 
 sides of the mountains I could perceive various wild animals 
 roaming among the trees. I was greatly puzzled. I never 
 had any distinct idea how heaven ought to be and so was 
 entirely unprepared for heaven as it really was. But, then, 
 why not? It is far more natural and reasonable than the 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. n 
 
 heaven they used to tell me about when I was a child, and 
 the hell with which they used to frighten me. 
 
 The heaven was a very shining and select place, the 
 streets were paved with gold, there was nothing there but a 
 few angels clothed in white, and a great white throne with 
 God seated upon it as a judge, and Jesus Christ at his right 
 hand, also four and twenty elders oh, yes, I forgot and 
 some beasts. Well, then the idea was not so new after all? 
 there were beasts in that heaven which they used to tell me 
 about and they were bowing before the throne of God, and 
 thus thinking I looked at the animals more complacently. 
 Well, if they allowed beasts in that shining, golden heaven, 
 surely they could not be out of place in this spiritual glen, and 
 and as the creatures were actually there I had to give up the 
 point, "and those that were burning in hell were also stung by 
 scorpions." So, then the idea that scorpions were immortal 
 was not so new after all, and I concluded that the little worms 
 before me, had just as good a right to immortality as the 
 scorpions inhell. These gnats and worms did not sting as the 
 scorpions did, and therefore I thought they had the best of it. 
 
 I reached forth my hand and tried to break a twig from 
 one of the trees, but could not ; I tried in every way to break 
 off leaves and branches wherever I saw them, but could not 
 break or destroy a single twig, leaf or flower ; they remained 
 precisely as they were before, defying all my efforts, and I 
 found that the substance out of which they were composed 
 was not material in any sense of the word but entirely 
 
1 2 THE DISCO VERED CO UNTR Y. 
 
 spiritual and imperishable. I tried to crush the little insects 
 and crawling worms, but could not, they remained entirely 
 unhurt and were as imperishable as the rest. The dog came 
 to me and I thought I would choke it, just to see if that too 
 could not be hurt ; I choked away to my heart s content, but 
 the dog remained just the same good natured, jovial fellow 
 as ever ; he could not be strangled or killed, so I arrived by 
 successive stages to the fact that everything which I saw was 
 spiritual and imperishable the same as I now knew myself 
 to be. 
 
 I examined the rocks and tried with a little stone to chip 
 them, but could make no impression upon them whatever ; 
 they were as spiritual as the rest. I tried with my fingers to 
 dig in the ground, but could not. I tried to pluck the moss, 
 but could not ; and now I bethought me of the water. I 
 went down to the edge of the pool and with my hand scooped 
 up some water. 
 
 Ah, here was something at last ! The water yielded. My 
 hand was full of the sparkling drops. Instinctively,! carried 
 it to my mouth, and thus drank my fill. 
 
 Oh, how cool ! How refreshing ! How exhilerating ! It 
 seemed as though I could never get enough. But at length, 
 for a time at least, I ceased to quaff this refreshing nectar. 
 
 But the water still enticed me. I thought I would wade 
 in and take a bath. So I stooped down to pull off my shoes 
 and stockings, but my feet were entirely bare. I thought I 
 would remove my clothes, but could not discover that I wore 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 13 
 
 
 
 any, yet, I surely was not naked ; and as I examined myself 
 more minutely I found that I was covered by a cloud-like 
 substance which seemed to emanate from the interior of my 
 body and thus surround me outwardly. 
 
 I put my hands to my head to see about my hair ; it was 
 long and I took it up in my hand; it was dark, wavy and 
 very thick, with not a thread of gray in the shining mass. 
 
IV. 
 
 THE MEADOW. 
 
 <T WADED out into the deep water. I waded up to my 
 Y neck. I plunged my head beneath the shining surface. 
 The dog came in after me and we frolicked and splashed 
 for some time ; then, regaining the bank, I felt so invigorated 
 I thought I would take a long walk. 
 
 A lovely meadow, filled with beautiful flowers, stretched 
 its inviting length before me ; and so, my dog and I started 
 for a walk across the meadow. The dog had attached himself 
 to me, and seemed to own me for his master. I had not gone 
 far when a fine cow raised her head and looked at me with 
 slow mild eyes. I now saw a number of cows and bulls, all 
 perfectly mild and harmless. As I went on, the bleating of 
 sheep attracted my attention, they were as white as snow and 
 very beautiful ; and I thought of the good shepherd that 
 feedeth the sheep ; and under the circumstances was not 
 surprised at seeing these sheep. Presently, I espied a man 
 seated on a grassy knoll, apparently watching the sheep. 
 The dog bounded toward him, and I also approached him. 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 15 
 
 He raised his eyes to my face and they were as bright and 
 shining as the dome of heaven. He was clothed in a soft 
 flowing robe of palest grey, nearly white. His hair waved 
 down over his shoulders until it nearly touched the ground, 
 pale red in color. His beard, which hung down on his breast, 
 was a bright blond, or red. His form was round and full. 
 His hands and feet were bare, and he was white and trans 
 parent as alabaster. A shepherd s crook lay on the ground 
 by his side, and a book lay open on his knees, as though he 
 had been reading. The dog bounded up to him, manifesting 
 the utmost delight. Another dog lay at the shepherd s feet, 
 very much like the one that had accompanied me. The 
 shepherd patted my dog upon the head, saying, in deep 
 musical voice and a sweet smile, "well, Caesar, where have 
 you been ? We have missed you greatly." 
 
 The dog turned his soft eyes to my face, wagging his tail, 
 then looked wistfully at his master, as I now saw the 
 shepherd must be ; and these dogs were very fine shepherd 
 dogs. 
 
 11 Caesar desires, very much, to introduce his new found 
 friend to my notice," said the shepherd, with his slow sweet 
 smile, looking me directly in the eyes. 
 
 4 What may I call your name, sir ? 
 
 My name my name ? Well, really ; I did not know how 
 to answer him. I stammered. I think I must have blushed; 
 but if I did it was the first time in my life that I had ever 
 blushed to own my name. 
 
16 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 Well, I said with a deep sigh, you may call me by whatever 
 name you think best. I am a stranger in this land, have 
 not been in this country more than an hour, and you 
 are the first person whom I have met. Perhaps you will not 
 be ashamed to own your name ? 
 
 " A name is of very little importance. I have not heard 
 the name by which I was called when I lived on the earth, 
 since I came to this world. My friends here call me Voncelora." 
 
 Voncelora? A very pretty name, I said. I should be very 
 happy sir, if you would kindly give me a name. He drooped 
 his head thoughtfully for a moment, "I think we must call 
 you Herfronzo," he said, waving his hand with careless 
 grace. "And now, Herfronzo, will you take a seat here by 
 my side and help me partake of my lunch ? Meanwhile we 
 will have a little pleasant conversation." 
 
 The dogs were gamboling and playing about the sheep, 
 and across the flower be-sprinkled meadow. I seated myself 
 in a half reclining attitude near my new found friend. A 
 wide shepherd hat filled with his lunch, stood near him. He 
 placed it between us, with his slow beautiful smile, and 
 raising his heavenly eyes, said, "help yourself, Herfronzo; 
 do not be afraid, there is plenty where this came from, 
 and the more you take the better it will be for us both the 
 better it will be for all in whom you are interested." 
 
 Are you thirsty, Sir ?" And he drew from his breast 
 pocket a flask of red wine and laid it beside the hat. "If so, 
 drink drink freely. You are welcome. I had just begun to 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY, 17 
 
 feel a little hungry, wondering if spirits could eat as well as 
 drink, for I had drunk from the pool and therefore knew that 
 spirits could drink. 
 
 I glanced into the hat curiously, to see what manner of 
 food was offered me. A few slices of pure white bread, a 
 little fruit, two or three large bunches of grapes and the flask 
 of red wine. I took a slice of bread in one hand and a bunch 
 of grapes in the other and so began to eat, very daintily, 
 letting my eyes roam dreamily, over the flock of white sheep. 
 I did not wish to hurry in the least, for my reason told me it 
 was not necessary. 
 
V. 
 
 GRAPES. 
 
 ONCELORA sat with his eyes fixed upon his book. 
 Do these sheep belong to you ? I asked, simply. 
 "They belong to me in one way ; and in another way 
 they do not." 
 
 In what way, then, do they belong to you ? 
 
 "They belong to me by right of the love which exists 
 between us. In the other way, they belong to nature and to 
 nature s God." 
 
 Why then do I find you here as a shepherd ? 
 
 "It is my pastime," he answered. "I come to this quiet 
 spot often. The sheep hear my voice and follow me." Tak 
 ing up a bugle that lay by the side of his shepherd s crook, 
 he blew a musical call upon it. The sheep all raised their 
 heads and looked earnestly in our direction. 
 
 May I ask you, Voncelora, the title of the book in which 
 you seem to be so much interested ? 
 
 He held the book up before my eyes, and upon the cover 
 I saw these words in large golden letters. "Pages from the 
 Book of Nature." From the title I should judge that to be 
 a very interesting book. By whom was it written ? 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 19 
 
 He pointed upward, then downward; he swept a circle 
 with his finger. 
 
 "The leaves of this book were taken by me from the 
 book of Eternal Ages," he answered. "There never was a 
 beginning ; there never can be an ending." "I have been 
 able to gather these few leaves and put them into a conveni 
 ent form, that I might fetch them to this quiet spot for medi 
 tation. 
 
 But who wrote the Book of Nature ? 
 
 "It was written by the Eternal Ages," and he again swept 
 a circle. 
 
 You seem to be a very wise man, Voncelora. Will you 
 kindly answer a few questions that I would like to ask you ? 
 
 I will answer any question that you desire to ask me 
 to the best of my ability ; yet I may not be as wise as you 
 think me. I am only a simple shepherd, and am not versed 
 in any book, except this book which you see before me." 
 
 Before I put my questions, however, I would like to say 
 that I am considerably astonished to find that I am actually 
 immortal. I never could believe the Christian s religion as 
 taught by the Churches on the earth which I have just left, 
 and I had nearly come to the conclusion that there was 
 no life after the death of the body. Finding now, that I was 
 mistaken, and this world so entirely different from any pre 
 conceived ideas so entirely different from the teachings of 
 the Christian churches, I feel that I am extremely ignorant. 
 I cannot even understand how it is, that these things exist 
 
20 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 which I see around me ; water, earth, trees and animals. 
 
 "Herfronzo, did you understand how they all existed on 
 the earth when you were there ? You must have lived there 
 many years." 
 
 Oh, yes ! All things grow there. 
 
 "All things grow here" he said. 
 
 I looked at him wonderingly. But, Voncelora, I did not 
 grow here. 
 
 "Well, you intend to, don t you?" he asked nonchalently. 
 "I think you have grown considerably already. I do not 
 believe you have ceased growing for one moment since you 
 breathed your last on earth." 
 
 "You seem to be very hungry, and want to ask a great 
 many questions, and as all things grow by being fed, so now 
 Herfronzo, allow me to feed you, that you may grow." 
 
 I laughed. He certainly had the best of me. 
 
 Where did this spiritual ground come from? I asked, 
 striking it with my hand. 
 
 "From the earth you have just left. Examine it more 
 closely, Herfronzo, and you will discover that it is attenuated, 
 or spiritualized matter. Being a spirit yourself, it is to you 
 now, as substantial as your earth was when you were in an 
 earthly body. It is spiritualized earth to spiritualized man." 
 
 But the water, Voncelora. How can I account for water 
 being here ? 
 
 "How do you account for its being on the earth ?" 
 
 Why ! I said, I really don t know. 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 21 
 
 "Well then, I think I have the best of you there, for I do 
 know how the water came to be here." 
 
 Well, how ? Voncelora, tell me how ? 
 
 "It came directly from your earth," he answered. "It is 
 attenuated, and spiritualized to fit the spiritual man and the 
 spiritual earth." 
 
 "Now, Voncelora; the grass, the flowers, the trees, the 
 shrubbery, the mountains? 
 
 "They, also came directly from your earth. Nothing pro 
 pagates itself here in this spiritual world ; there is growth and 
 progression, but not propagation. The material earths are 
 the only places where propagation takes place. But all 
 spiritual things have their root in the material. The grass, 
 the flowers, the trees, the shrubbery, come from earth. The 
 spirits of all things that die on earth, pass directly to that 
 earth s spiritual spheres, and take their places according to 
 natural law. That is the true meaning of all death." 
 
 "Nothing decays, nothing dies here, nothing can be injured; 
 all things grow more and more beautiful as the ages roll on." 
 
 And the animals, Voncelora. How is it that I find animals 
 Acre? 
 
 "Foolish Herfronzo ; were you not an animal when you 
 were in the material body ? Have not other animals just as 
 good a right to exist as you ? Are not my sheep just as 
 beautiful in their way as you are, or as I am ? Not so intelli 
 gent, perhaps, but just as necessary in the chain of existent 
 things as either you or I." 
 
22 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 I said, "not so intelligent, but more perfect in their way, 
 for do your best, and you could never make a sheep believe 
 in a burning brimstone hell and a fiery devil ; or the blood 
 of Christ washing away their sins." 
 
 "These sheep are white, but nature made them so, and 
 not the blood of Christ." 
 
 Well, Voncelora, I agree with you there, for that, I never 
 could believe, even when I was in the earth-life. But tell 
 me, dear Von., did there ever exist such a person as Jesus 
 Christ? 
 
 "Oh, yes," he answered. There did live in the time of 
 Pontius Pilate, a bright youth a child of love, as all children 
 should be so harmonious and beautiful in his nature, that 
 he inspired reverential awe in the minds of those more 
 ignorant than he was. He was a man, like many others, 
 ahead of the time in which he lived. A sensitive soul that 
 received impressions directly from the spiritual realm ; and 
 he never intended to convey the idea to the people that he 
 was anything more. All that, has been added fictitiously to 
 the story of his life, as Church and Priest desired for their 
 own ends to make it appear and the plan of salvation is an 
 entirely man-made plan ; nature and the spiritual world never 
 had anything to do with it." 
 
 "But it must be the work of the Angels to clear and wipe 
 it out from the earth for its well being and happiness. For 
 truth is better than error; wisdom than ignorance, and love 
 than hate." 
 
THE DISCOVERED, COUNTRY. 23 
 
 We had now finished our lunch and I was greatly re 
 freshed. One more question dear Von. and I will tire you no 
 longer. How did this bread and fruit come into existence ? 
 
 "The spiritual fruit exists on spiritual vines and trees, and 
 can be plucked to feed the spiritual man the same as the 
 water can be quaffed by him ; but they are not diminished 
 when you eat and drink. The bread was prepared by one 
 whom I shall have the pleasure of introducing to you, shortly." 
 
 He arose and I followed. He went to the edge of the 
 meadow where some vines appeared, and they were filled 
 with purple grapes. He plucked a bunch of grapes from the 
 vines, and I watched him with great curiosity. He held the 
 bunch in his hand, and yet it appeared on the vine the same 
 as before. 
 
 "These grapes represent spiritual truth ; and you cannot 
 diminish truth by being fed with it." 
 
 He put the grapes in my hand and I commenced to eat 
 them, one by one. There were no seeds within them and the 
 skin was merely a sweet waxen substance that melted away 
 within my mouth. 
 
 How is it, I asked, that the grapes are not diminished by 
 plucking them, and they bear no seed within them ? 
 
 "Spiritual fruit of any kind does not produce seed. Seed 
 germs are left entirely in the earth-life. "You ask me, how 
 it is that fruit is not diminished by the plucking ?" 
 
 "Your fruit on the earth is not diminished by the gather 
 ing of it. You look surprized, dear Herfronzo, and well you 
 
2 4 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 may, for you never thought of it in that light before ; but 
 after you have gathered your grapes in the fall, are they not 
 on the vine precisely the same the next fall ? And so you 
 keep on gathering from the fruitful vine as long as it 
 lives, and the fruit is not diminished by the gathering of it 
 each fall." 
 
 Ah, but my dear Voncelora ; it grows new each year. 
 
 "Very true, so this spiritual fruit grows new each time 
 you pluck it ; but as we have no years here, and Eternity is 
 all the time we have, and there are no seasons, neither day 
 nor night, our fruit forms necessarily, immediately after the 
 plucking. And now, Herfronzo, will you go home with me ?" 
 
 Well, I really did not know what else to do. Yes, many 
 thanks, Voncelora; but first tell me, dear sir, where your 
 home may be ? 
 
 He pointed in the direction of the little cottage where the 
 angel had seated me on my arrival in this new world. 
 
 "Did you not perceive a cottage on your way hither ? he 
 asked. 
 
 Oh, yes ; and I rested near the door of that house for 
 some time before I crossed this meadow. We now together 
 wended our way back to the door of the cottage. The door 
 which had previously been closed,was now open. He entered 
 and I followed. The hallway ran directly through the little 
 house, and the door at the back was also open ; a wide stair 
 case ran up to the floor above. He knocked gently on a 
 door at one side of the hall. 
 
VI. 
 
 KATRINA. 
 
 HE door was opened by a lady. She welcomed us 
 with a sweet smile. 
 "Katrina," said Voncelora, "this is a friend of mine 
 whom an angel left at our door, not long since; he has but 
 just arrived from earth." 
 
 "Herfronzo, this lady is my wife. " 
 
 She gave me her hand, saying : 
 
 "Welcome ; Herfronzo, to the land of Souls the Imperish 
 able World." 
 
 We became seated, and I looked at the lady. Certainly, 
 she was the most beautiful woman that I had ever seen. 
 She looked about twenty-five years of age. Her form was 
 exquisitely rounded and graceful. Her hair, bright golden, 
 extremly thick and waving, hung in two heavy braids far down 
 her back, the ends being left unbraided for about a quarter of a 
 yard, each braid being tied with a knot of pale blue ribbon. 
 Her robes appeared to be of soft white muslin, confined 
 about the waist by a sash of pale blue. Her face was a 
 study, and one might look forever, and yet desire to look again. 
 A heavenly face ; purity, truth, wisdom, love, all were reflect 
 ed there. Her eyes were large and blue, and a soft steady 
 
26 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 light shone within them. Her skin was very clear and white; 
 her cheeks peachy. Her lips were as red and sweet as two 
 rosebuds ; long golden lashes concealed the bright eyes at 
 her pleasure. Voncelora had left the room for a few 
 moments and now returned. His attire was changed, and he 
 hardly appeared to be the same shepherd with whom I 
 had become acquainted out in the meadow among the sheep. 
 His appearance was now that of a very refined gentleman. 
 His blond hair still hung in waving masses over his shoulders. 
 His bright beard still fell upon his breast. His eyes were 
 yet as blue as heaven. He was the same, and yet not the 
 same. He now wore white satin breeches. His coat was a 
 deep mazerine blue, as were his silken stockings. His shoes 
 had golden buckles, and he wore knee buckles of gold. Soft 
 white ruffles were about his wrists and upon his bosom. His 
 features expressed great nobility of soul. His hands were 
 well formed, strong and white. He was rather portly, and 
 his bearing was that of a nobleman. My eyes took in the 
 details of the room. The room was large ; it was not square, 
 but circular. The ceiling was a complete dome, frescoed in 
 blue and gold, the blue representing the vault of heaven ; 
 the gold, the sun and stars ; and a silver crescent the moon. 
 White fleecy clouds appeared here and there. 
 
 A soft carpet covered the floor dark mossy green with 
 modest flowers and vines running gracefully all over it. 
 There was no set pattern and the flowers all differed one 
 from another. There were daisies, and roses ; violets and 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 27 
 
 pinks ; blue forget-me-nots, and white lilies-of-the-vailey. 
 There were butter-cups, and bright little humming birds. 
 The carpet had a border of white immortelles. 
 
 A Grand Piano was the next thing which caught my 
 attention. A book was open on the rack, and I caught sight 
 of the title page. I started in great surprise ; it was my own 
 book that I had spent years of my earth-life in writing and 
 compiling, a book into which I had put my whole soul, a 
 complete Piano System. 
 
 Tears rushed to my eyes, I was completely overcome. My 
 book then, was immortal as well as myself ; and it seemed as 
 though a great compliment were paid me by these strangers ; 
 they had placed my book, which seemed to me like so much 
 of my heart s blood before my eyes, to welcome me, as 
 though it had preceded me to the everlasting life. A little 
 fire of sweet incense burned within a golden grate. A large 
 center table, covered with books and flowers, three or four 
 easy chairs, and a large sofa. A leopard skin rug lay upon 
 the hearth ; the windows looked out front and back. I had 
 not been long in taking in all these details, and now Katrina 
 spoke, I will not call her Mrs. Voncelora. 
 
 "Herfronzo," she said, with her sweet and radiant smile, 
 "you are not an entire stranger to us." 
 
 Indeed, Madam ! I do not remember of ever having seen 
 you, or your husband before to-day. 
 
 4 No, I see that you do not remember us. But, dear Sir, 
 pray consider this your home as long as you are pleased to 
 
28 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 remain with us. We owe you a debt of gratitude, and per 
 haps we may in this way, be able to recompense you in part." 
 
 I do not understand you, Madam. I do not know to what 
 you refer. 
 
 She glanced at Voncelora. He gave her an affectionate 
 look and slightly waved his hand. 
 
 "Herfronzo," he said, "no act of kindness is ever forgotten 
 by an immortal soul ; and if the one that confers the favor 
 does not receive his reward on earth, he is sure to meet with 
 it in the heavens." 
 
 "I extend my invitation with that of my wife that you 
 consider this house your home, and ourselves your warm, 
 true friends, as long as you are pleased to remain with us. 
 At the same time we will guide and accompany you wherever 
 it may be your pleasure to go." 
 
 Many thanks; kind friends, I answered, tears springing 
 to my eyes. I really need a home and kindness just now, for 
 I am a stranger and know not to what manner of life I have 
 come. 
 
 "Great joy and happiness is the only life to which you 
 can look forward to, as there is no other for the soul of man ; 
 and as time rolls on every creature that lives will attain it ;" 
 said Katrina, with that firm steady light in her lovely blue 
 eyes; "meanwhile, dear Herfronzo, will you play some of 
 your favorite airs ?" 
 
 With pleasure, Madam, I answered, approaching the Piano. 
 
 I was only too glad to get to that Piano. I wanted to 
 
THE DISCO VERED CO UNTR Y. 29 
 
 turn over the leaves of that book and find out whether it was 
 a phantom or a real thing. I could not understand how it 
 was that books and pianos existed here in this spiritual life ; 
 so taking my seat at the piano I ran my fingers over the keys. 
 The piano was Steinway s best; and gave forth sweet 
 sounds. Then I turned the leaves of my own book, and for 
 a short time I was oblivious to all things else. I played 
 many of my favorite pieces, and was very happy to think that 
 music was not to be denied me in this spiritual life. When 
 I had finished I asked Katrina to play, and she readily 
 acquiesced. She played like the angel she was, selecting the 
 very pieces from my book that I considered to be the best 
 and most difficult. I then asked Voncelora to play. He 
 excused himself, saying that he thought I must be weary and 
 need rest, 
 
VII. 
 
 HELENE. 
 
 EANING back restfully in one of the easy chairs, I 
 asked. Tell me Voncelora, how is it that I find my own 
 book in this life ? Certainly books do not have souls. 
 
 "Do not be so sure of that, dear Herfronzo," he answered, 
 a deep look filling his heavenly eyes, "the book which you 
 wrote is a part of your own soul, and the thoughts within you 
 become real things in this life. That book is a thing which 
 you created, it is projected from your soul and becomes a real 
 spiritual object in the spiritual life ; and your thoughts put 
 into this form, other spirits can make use of for their instruc 
 tion and benefit." 
 
 "My wife, as well as myself, have made use of your 
 excellent book for some time, and consider ourselves greatly 
 benefited by it; for which, dear Herfronzo, receive our 
 heartfelt thanks." 
 
 "We do not have money in this life with which to repay 
 you, but we hope to benefit you in other ways, for we 
 exchange here one truth for another." 
 
 "Your book is a great truth, based on truthful principles ; 
 therefore it lives in this life ; for no truth, whatever may be 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 31 
 
 its nature, ever perishes; it is as immortal as the soul of man." 
 
 "The piano which you see before you is another great 
 truth. We did not invent it but we avail ourselves of the 
 inventions of other men and are benefited thereby. They 
 avail themselves of that which we have to give, and are 
 greatly benefited." 
 
 Let none that read this book laugh or deride it ; for if 
 you are a member of any church, remember that within 
 the heaven in which you believe, there are said to be harps 
 of gold, played by angel fingers; and Katrina was an 
 extremely bright, lovely and beautiful angel; and I hope 
 that I shall prove to you, before I finish, that she played 
 before the throne of God. Again, do not doubt the existence 
 of books in heaven ; for according to your own theories the 
 recording angel writes in a book against every one s name, 
 their good or their bad deeds ; and if one book can exist in 
 heaven, is there any good reason why there may not be many? 
 
 Be that as it may, my book was there before my eyes, a 
 real thing, palpable to my sense and sight, as was also the 
 piano. 
 
 Tell me, Voncelora, how did you come into possession of 
 this house and all I see within it ? 
 
 "Well," said Voncelora, my wife and I desired just such 
 a little home, and together we constructed it within our 
 minds. And as all our thoughts are real spiritual things, 
 they flow outward from us and become objective to us, and 
 we dwell within our thoughts. Dear Katrina did the most 
 
32 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 toward the furnishing of it ; and our house, which was and is 
 our thought is an object to other spirits as well as ourselves ; 
 they can enter and abide with us if we and they so desire it. 
 Do not let this surprise you, Herfronzo, for even the Christ 
 ian s Bible says : In my father s house are many mansions, 
 and as this spiritual sphere is one of our father s houses, you 
 must expect to find in it, many mansions not made with hands 
 eternal and in the heavens." 
 
 Katrina had left the room while we were conversing. 
 
 She now returned, saying : 
 
 "Dearest husband, dinner awaits us." 
 
 "Come, Herfronzo ;" and giving her my arm, Voncelora 
 led the way to a room across the hall, and throwing wide the 
 door, we entered. It proved to he an extremely beautiful 
 dining hall. A table, spread with a snowy cloth, stood in the 
 center of the room. It was set for four, and its appointments 
 were most beautiful and elegant. Just as we were taking 
 our seats, a lady entered. 
 
 "Welcome, dearest Helene," said Katrina. 
 
 "Allow me to introduce, Herfronzo; but lately come to 
 this world. He has been with us but a few hours." 
 
 "Herfronzo, we call this lady Helene; or if you please, 
 Fraulein Helene. She is our dear sister and friend. 
 
 The lady bowed gracefully, and took the seat opposite me 
 at the table. Katrina was very beautiful ; but this lady was 
 still more beautiful. She was not at all like Katrina ; but 
 her very presence thrilled me through and through. I could 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 33 
 
 scarcely understand the reason why. I had been accustomed 
 to the society of very beautiful ladies in the life I had lately 
 left; but never before had one thrilled me as this one did. I 
 could scarcely keep my eyes from her face. She was rather 
 tall, slenderly and beautifully formed, and bore herself like 
 a queen. Her hair was very dark, and looked like shining 
 satin in its smoothness. She wore it in a large knot at the 
 back of her queenly head, and a silver arrow was thrust 
 through the dark mass. Her eyes were large, dark and very 
 soft. Her face was pale and highly intellectual, and when 
 she raised her large dark eyes, they shot forth quivering rays 
 of magnetic flame that seemed to set my whole being in a 
 blaze of light. Katrina did the honors at the table, but the 
 lady opposite fascinated me to that degree, I could scarcely 
 taste of anything. I do not now remember what the dinner 
 consisted of, but the conversation I can recall distinctly. 
 
VIII. 
 
 BEAUTY. 
 
 ERFRONZO," said Voncelora, "this life is entirely 
 different from anything you expected to find. We 
 know, my dear Sir, just what your feelings are; and 
 deeply sympathize with you in your wondering strangeness ; 
 for we have all passed through a similar experience." 
 
 "We have not been in this world very long, ourselves ; but 
 yet, long enough to know that we are supremely happy and 
 blessed, and that all life has a deep meaning within it. The 
 longer you are with us, the happier you will become ; for at 
 every turn you make, you will learn some new and unexpect 
 ed truth that will give you supreme joy. Before we came to 
 this life, even in the wildest flights of our so-called imagina 
 tion, we never supposed that spiritual beings could be seated, 
 as we now are, and partake of food, I know by your counte 
 nance that such thoughts are now passing through your 
 mind." 
 
 You are right, Voncelora. It really does seem so strange 
 to me, that I was wondering if it might not, after all, be a 
 dream ; and that I might awake and find myself back in my 
 old body again. It makes me shudder to think that I might 
 have to take it up again. I feel like some weary traveller, 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 35 
 
 that has carried an enormous burden in the heat of the noon 
 day sun, and has at last found a refreshing shade and cast 
 his burden down by the cool banks of a stream ; and I feel 
 as though I could never take it up again. 
 
 "My dear Herfronzo, this is a supreme joy which we all 
 feel, that we shall never again be obliged to take up those 
 heavy burdens." 
 
 "Our old burdensome bodies of material matter are cast 
 from us forever ; and we are above and beyond all death and 
 decay. This truth alone is enough to render us supremely 
 happy. Then on the other hand, when we find we have lost 
 nothing but gained all things, and that in losing our material 
 bodies we have cast off a heavy and decaying garment, or 
 covering, how supremely light, blest and happy we feel. But 
 you will find, dear Sir, the longer you remain with us, that 
 this life is but a continuation of the one which you have left. 
 How could you, or any other spirit, pass directly from the 
 habit of partaking of food three times a day, for perhaps the 
 space of sixty or seventy years, to a life where there was 
 no such thing as food, or the partaking of it? How could 
 you, after bathing for this length of time, pass directly into a 
 life where such a thing as a bath was never thought of? 
 Almost the first thing that spirits do, after resting a short 
 time, is to plunge into the first water they find ; and they are 
 usually led, or placed by superior beings, or the guiding angel 
 that receives their soul, near a stream of water, or lake, for 
 this purpose ; if they are adults, they are then left alone until 
 
3 6 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. , 
 
 their bath is over ; for people in the earth-life usually take 
 their bath in private, and it makes the new-born spirit feel 
 more at its ease and at home; and very shortly after that, 
 they are hungry, and desire food. This event is of a more 
 social kind, and they eat and drink for the first time with 
 near and dear friends that have preceded them to the 
 spiritual life. A child that is born into earth-life, is first 
 washed, then dressed, and shortly afterwards given food; 
 at the same time it commences its first little lessons in its 
 new life; it commences to observe and learn; it is very 
 hungry, both for sustenance and knowledge. That lower life 
 is merely a type, on a small beginning scale, of this the higher, 
 superior life; and whatever you do in that life, be sure you 
 do in this on a grander scale." 
 
 I felt just now as though I were very weak and ignorant; 
 although I had considered myself a deep thinker in the life I 
 had just left, and could rout and put to flight, almost anyone 
 with whom I condescended to argue a point. What 
 argument could I bring to bear against Voncelora s plain un 
 varnished truths? This was nearly the first time in many 
 years that I had sat at table and conversed with one of my 
 own sex without entering into an argument of some kind; 
 and I had always felt that I had the best of my antagonist, 
 but here I sat almost mute, and another man was talking 
 to me in this superior way, and I could answer him nothing. 
 I could only sit at his; table like a child, and be taught; and 
 this man had been teaching me from the beginning of my new 
 
THE DISCO VERED CO UNTR Y. 3 7 
 
 life. He had also intimated that the new born spirit always 
 sat at table, for the first time, with near and dear friends; but 
 I felt sure that I had never seen either one of these three 
 people. They were very young as well as very beautiful. I, 
 on the other hand, was a man past sixty years of age. 
 Voncelora and Katrina did not look a day over twenty-five ; 
 and Fraiilein Helene did not appear more than twenty. 
 
 Voncelora again spoke. 
 
 "You perceive, dear Herfronzo, that we have neither 
 flesh, fowl nor fish on our dinner table ; nothing but bread, 
 fruit, water and a little wine. We cannot here destroy 
 anything that has life. Although you have seen fish, fowl 
 and many animals, yet not one can be killed to satisfy any 
 man s hunger ; he must live by bread and fruit alone." 
 
 But, Voncelora, allow me to ask if you raise wheat in this 
 world ? And if there are mills here that grind the wheat into 
 fine flour ? For this bread is as white as snow, and as light 
 as bread can be. You have already told me how the fruit 
 and grapes grow, and I also saw for myself when you plucked 
 the bunch of grapes at the edge of the meadow ; but how 
 this beautiful bread is made I do not know. 
 
 Voncelora s eyes rested upon Katrina, and their expression 
 was one of the deepest love and reverence. 
 
 " My Katrina prepares my bread, which is my food, for 
 me. I gather the fruit from the natural living vines and trees, 
 but my bread, which is the staff of my life, my wife prepares 
 and gives unto me. You ask me if wheat grows in this world ? 
 
38 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 There is plenty of spiritual wheat here, but this bread is not 
 made from wheat ; but my Katrina s little hands gather it 
 from out the higher heavens, and it is compounded of Wisdom, 
 Love and Truth ; but this, Herfronzo, is past your com 
 prehension just at this present time. Eat now, through 
 me, of my Katrina s bread, that you may live and be prepared 
 for one, that shall shortly feed you with bread from heaven. 
 
 4 Did not the wives of old, as your bible hath it, go forth 
 and gather the manna, as it fell from heaven, wherewith to 
 feed their household ? And my Katrina has been gathering 
 manna." 
 
 "Eat, Herfronzo, eat ! " 
 
 Katrina sat with downcast eyes. Her cheeks glowing 
 like a fresh blown rose. I glanced at the Fraulein Helene. 
 Her soft eyes met mine in full. A deep blush suffused her 
 otherwise pale face ; but she said nothing. I felt almost like 
 an awkward school boy in the presence of Voncelora 
 and his wife, and this exquisitely beautiful Fraulein Helene. 
 I really could not find my tongue. I wanted to converse with 
 her, but could find nothing to say. She had not spoken thus far, 
 and Katrina had been very silent. To pay them compliments 
 seemed out of place ; they were so lovely, pure and dignified. 
 Compliments merely paid them for the sake of entering into 
 conversation, seemed too vulgar, even for me to think of 
 paying them for one moment, but I thought I would venture 
 a remark or two, about age. 
 
 Pardon me, Fraulein Helene, I said, but will you tell me 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 39 
 
 which is the eldest, yourself or your sister ? You are not in 
 the least, alike. 
 
 " Katrina is not my sister," answered the Fraiilein. 
 
 Ah ; then you are the sister of Voncelora ? 
 
 She raised her eyes to his face, and I saw a look of 
 amusement play over his features. But you resemble him, 
 even less than you do Katrina. 
 
 "Voncelora is not my brother," she said; and now her 
 own eyes drooped beneath their long dark lashes. 
 
 Excuse me, Voncelora, but I understood your wife to say, 
 that the Fraiilein Helene was your sister. 
 
 "Katrina said, that Helene was our sister and friend ; but 
 did not mean that she was born of the same parents." 
 
 "Oh -ah; I said, a little confused; but may I ask you 
 Voncelora, what your age may be ? It seems so strange for 
 me, an old man, to hear one so young talk so wisely and well. 
 He looked more amused than before and laughed outright. 
 
 "Fraiilein Helene," he said, "look well at Herfronzo 
 and myself, and tell us truly, which appears to be the 
 oldest ?" 
 
 She looked more amused, even, than Voncelora, as she 
 answered. 
 
 I should judge you, Voncelora, to be many, very many 
 years older than Herfronzo." 
 
 I looked a/: her in astonishment. Could this lovely and 
 beautiful woman be making game of me ? Was she holding 
 me up for ridicule? I think I must have looked slightly 
 
40 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 angry. The idea was altogether too preposterous ; for Von- 
 celora looked even younger than twenty-five ; and I had set 
 him down as I thought, at the last figure. 
 
 "Katrina, let us have your opinion. Herfronzo does not 
 appear to be well pleased with the judgement of the 
 Fraiilein Helene." 
 
 "Well, answered Katrina slowly, I know you to be many 
 years older than Herfronzo." 
 
 "Herfronzo, how old do you think me ? 
 
 "I should think you to be about twenty-five. 
 
 He laughed again. 
 
 " What if I were to tell you, reckoning time as you do in 
 the life you have just left, that I am something more than a 
 hundred; that Katrina is very near my own age; that the 
 Fraiilein Helene is somewhere about sixty-five, and that you, 
 Herfronzo, are the youngest person at the table, instead of 
 the oldest, as you thought yourself. Another thing I shall 
 tell you which will surprise you more. You are an unmarried 
 man; and what is more, you never were married." 
 
 "Ah ; Fraiilein Helene, do not blush so much." 
 
 Voncelora, I see plainly, that you know very little about 
 me, I said, indignantly; If you did, you would know very well 
 that I am not only a married man, but a twice married man, 
 and the father of a number of children. In fact, the father 
 of two families : that one of my wives must be here in this 
 life the other still remains on earth. 
 
 "Well, well; said Voncelora, soothingly, pray excuse me, 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 41 
 
 Herfronzo, I have been talking a little out of order; but your 
 past earth-life is not unknown to me." 
 
 I certainly did not feel quite at my ease, but could not 
 gainsay what Voncelora had said. I looked at the Fraulein 
 Helene. 
 
 Then, of course, you must all have passed out of the 
 earth-life while still very young ? 
 
 "On the contrary," answered Voncelora, "we were all 
 well stricken in years," 
 
 Pray tell me, Fraulein Helene, how long have you been in 
 this life ? 
 
 " I think it about six months, as time is reckoned on earth," 
 
 I looked in amaze, at this youthful and beautiful creature. 
 Then, do you mean to tell me, that you were past sixty at the 
 time of your departure from earth ? 
 
 " Yes, dear Sir, I was in my sixty-fifth year. Voncelora 
 and Katrina, were nearly seventy years old when they came 
 to this life." 
 
 They call you, Fraulein Helene. You were never married, 
 then? 
 
 " Oh, yes," she answered, with great sweetness, " I was 
 married and the mother of many children and grand-children." 
 
IX. 
 
 DO THEY MARRY IN HEAVEN? 
 
 T seemed to me as though I could never get things right. 
 "Well," said Voncelora, "the Fraiilein Helene is not 
 alone, neither are you, Herfronzo ; Katrina and myself 
 are not only grandparents, but we are great grandparents." 
 
 Katrina smiled and glanced at me with her great spark 
 ling blue eyes. 
 
 "Dear Herfronzo," said Voncelora, can you bear a little 
 more of my lecturing?" 
 
 I assented, well pleased ; for I wanted to know how all 
 this might be. Before I came to this life, I had thought, if 
 there was a life, at all, after the death of the body, that each 
 remained at the same age they were when they died. That 
 a child remained as a child, and a man, a man ; and an old 
 person, still old. 
 
 "When we leave the earth-life," said Voncelora, "we 
 appear, for a short time, much as we did when we left it ; but 
 the moment we commence to learn heavenly wisdom, that 
 moment we commence to grow young and beautiful ; we do 
 not go back to childhood in our appearance, neither, do we 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 43 
 
 ever again have the same appearance that we had in the 
 earth-life ; but as we throw off error after error, and take on 
 wisdom, love and truth, we become perfect and beautiful in 
 our outward appearance ; and every mark that time leaves 
 upon us, is one of perfection and beauty. 
 
 Some of the angels here, are so bright and glorious, that 
 even we, that have been here many years, cannot behold 
 them ; and those that come here as children, grow in love 
 and wisdom, until they appear as full grown men and women, 
 and then they go on like the rest." 
 
 I now remembered how I had taken my hair in my hand, 
 and looked at it, and it was bright and shining, without a 
 thread of gray ; and I was well pleased to think, that I might 
 yet be as beautiful as those with whom I was sitting at table. 
 
 Dinner now being over, we went back again to the pretty 
 parlor, the Fraiilein Helene accompanying us. I did not 
 speak much, I was most eager to learn. 
 
 Voncelora, I questioned, after we had become seated, 
 what was your meaning, when you said, that you knew of my 
 life on earth, and that I was not a married man ? 
 
 "I meant precisely what I said." 
 
 But I certainly have been married twice. 
 
 "Well then, dear Herfronzo, tell me, which one of those 
 ladies was your wife ?" 
 
 I had them both to wife. 
 
 "But a man may not have two wives, according to natural 
 law; and as both those ladies are in existence, one here and 
 
44 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 one there, which of them do you claim as your wife?" 
 
 I did not know how to answer him; but I said, I had 
 supposed that if I lived at all after death, there would be no 
 marrying or giving in marriage. 
 
 "How would you like that, dear Katrina?" asked Von- 
 celora, turning to his wife. 
 
 She gave me a radiant smile, and placed her beautiful 
 hand in that of Voncelora s. 
 
 The Fraulein Helene sat with downcast eyes and man 
 tling blush. 
 
 I take it, Voncelora, that you were never married but 
 once, and that you must have dearly loved Katrina, and per 
 haps, waited for each other until you were reunited in this 
 
 world ? 
 
 "Not so not so ! Katrina and myself were never 
 married in the earth-life ; we met and loved each other, yet we 
 were never married according to the laws of earth." 
 
 How is it, then, I asked, that you had children ? 
 
 "Her children were not my children ; and my children 
 were not her children." 
 
 "I was married twice on the earth, she had three hus 
 bands ; and yet, neither she nor I were ever married until 
 
 Your talk is very paradoxical, I said. 
 "Then answer my question, dear Herfronzo, which one of 
 those ladies that you married is your wife , for in this life 
 you cannot have but one." 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 45 
 
 I have not said that I desired any, I answered. My life 
 as a married man has never been a very happy one ; and I 
 think I had rather go on by myself. I do not think that I am 
 well fitted to be the husband of any woman. 
 
 I glanced at the Fraiilein Helene as I said this. Her 
 beautiful head drooped lower and lower upon her breast, but, 
 if I must claim one of those ladies for my wife if it is 
 expected of me then of course I must claim the one that is 
 already here ; for I am separated by death from the one 
 below. 
 
 "But your separation from the one that is here, is immeas 
 urably greater than your separation from the one on earth 
 in fact, it would be an impossibility ; for she is as far beyond you 
 now, as the brightest angel is beyond the vilest man on earth ; 
 not only this, but she has been for many years united to 
 another, and that other, her rightful other-self, or true counter 
 part ; so to claim her is entirely out of the question. Now 
 then, your only alternative is the wife below, or consider 
 yourself an unmarried man." 
 
 But, I said, I have long desired that death might separate 
 us ; for we were never happy together ; and according to all 
 earthly law, when death separated us, we each had a right 
 to take another husband or wife as the case might be. 
 
 "Then you prefer to call yourself an unmarried man ; and 
 that is exactly what I called you a short time ago, and you 
 were quite indignant." 
 
 I understood you to say, Sir, that I had never been married. 
 
46 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 "Precisely," said Voncelora, "and I meant exactly what I 
 said. Your body has been married, but not your soul, or 
 spirit. Your body is now lying dead, down below, it soon 
 will be buried out of sight forever; and you, yourself, your 
 living self, have never been married." 
 
 "You cannot be united to the lady that is here in spirit ; 
 you cannot be united to the lady below ; for your soul in 
 either case had not found its complement ; and therefore, 
 dear Herfronzo, you area perfectly free man, unmarried, and 
 you never were married. Very few persons are ever truly 
 married, until they get here ; and no man can marry here, 
 until he finds his rightful other-self, or counterpart ; for no 
 half, that is not the other half of his spirit can possibly fit 
 him ; for it is the soul or spirit that is to be married, and 
 not the body; and the soul of man, cannot unite itself to 
 any other, than the other half of his own soul. Am I para 
 doxical now, my dear Herfronzo ?" 
 
 What answer could I make this man ? In heaven, they 
 neither marry, nor are given in marriage. 
 
 "Well, Herfronzo, we will not argue this point to night ; 
 but my Katrina shall prepare a room for you. I think, dear 
 friend, that a little rest will do you good. You are weary 
 and can hear no more just know." 
 
 "Fraiilein Helene, will you favor us with a song ?" 
 
 The Fraiilein seated herself at the piano, and turning over 
 the leaves of my book, she selected a soft and plaintive air 
 that I loved well ; and played and sung in the most perfect 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 47 
 
 and beautiful manner. Her voice penetrated my whole 
 being. Tears rushed to my eyes ; for I had taught that very 
 piece to one whom I had loved well in the earth-life, and I 
 had often played the accompaniment, whilst she sung. I 
 was deeeply moved, and very weary. Katrina had been 
 absent for some little time. She now re-entered the room, 
 saying: 
 
 "Herfronzo, dear friend, your room is ready, Voncelora 
 will conduct you to it." 
 
 Voncelora arose ; and we went up the wide staircase to a 
 room above. He kindly bade me "good night ;" and left me 
 to myself. 
 
X. 
 
 REST. 
 
 room was a gem of neatness and beauty, A soft 
 white bed stood in one corner, surrounded by hazy 
 curtains. A window, softly curtained like the bed, was 
 open, and a gentle invigorating breeze filled with the per 
 fume of flowers, struck my face, as I seated myself at the 
 window. The room was at the back of the house and the 
 view from the window was very mountainous but extremely 
 beautiful. Hill, after hill, mountain, after mountain, arose 
 in the distance ; and I could not see where they ended. The 
 scene was so exquisite and romantic that I sat for a long 
 time, gazing from the window, and thinking deeply as I 
 
 gazed. 
 
 My mind reviewed all that I had seen and heard since I 
 had left the earth; and this was the sum and substance of 
 what I had learned in perhaps, the space of twelve hours. 
 
 First, that there actually was a life after the death of the 
 
 body. 
 
 Second, that a glorious angel had accompanied me to 
 this world that it was not like anything I had ever conceived 
 of, or had been taught or rather it was a world something 
 like the one I had left, but of entirely spiritual substance, 
 instead of material, that it was on a vaster and grander scale. 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 49 
 
 And now my mind began to ponder on the last lesson 
 which Voncelora had taught me that there existed for the 
 spirit of man, an eternal counterpart or, other- half. He 
 had also told me, that my first wife had long been united to 
 the other half of herself; and I was severed from the wife 
 on earth by the death of my body, which he said, "was the 
 only part of me that had ever been married." 
 
 I had always been conscious that my soul, or inner being, 
 had lived entirely alone; and now that my body was left 
 behind, I felt that 1 was wholly alone, except, for these kind 
 friends with whom I was now staying. But, Voncelora was a 
 married man, and this was his home, not mine ; and then I 
 threw myself upon the bed, and the image of one that I had 
 dearly loved when in the earth-life, rose up before me, and I 
 thought, I wish I knew whether she were in this life, or not; 
 for she had often told me, that if she were to die first, she 
 would never forget me, but would wait till I came, no matter 
 how long a time might intervene between her departure and 
 mine. She was not like myself in one respect. She had 
 firmly and fully believed in a future life, although she had 
 of ten- said, that she did not know just what kind of life it 
 might be; but she was convinced that it was not such a one as 
 the most of people believed in. And now, her gentle voice 
 seemed to ring in my ears once more. Her soft eyes to look 
 into mine as they had often done in the earth-life, when she 
 would try to comfort and encourage me, in my otherwise sad 
 existence. I had now found that she was right, and I had 
 
SO THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 been wrong ; thus thinking and greatly wishing that I might 
 meet her here, I fell asleep ; and as I slept, I dreamed that I 
 was roaming with her, hand in hand, through this blest and 
 beautiful land. 
 
 How long I slept I do not know, but a knock at my door 
 aroused me, and going thither, I opened it and Voncelora 
 entered. 
 
 "Have you rested well, dear friend ?" he asked. 
 
 I have not only rested well, but have been visited by 
 delightful dreams, I answered. 
 
 He smiled. 
 
 "Dreams! Will you tell me your dreams, Herfronzo?" 
 Yes, I may as well tell you. My dreams were of one, 
 whom I met years ago in the earth-life. I loved her very 
 dearly. In fact, I think she was the only one whom I ever 
 did really and truly love ; but as we were both married at 
 the time we met, of course, we could be nothing more to each 
 other than very dear friends. But she above all others, 
 encouraged, comforted, and held up my drooping spirits 
 but for her friendship, life would have been to me an intoler 
 able burden, which I would gladly have lain down. My 
 dreams, dear Von. were of her. I thought we had met 
 again in this life, and were united; and, hand in hand, we 
 were roaming into the most heavenly places. This little glen 
 is very beautiful ; and this cottage as pretty and home-like as 
 cottage can be ; yet, I feel as though I should not like to stay 
 here always. I caught sight of beautiful cities and towns, as 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 51 
 
 the angel was fetching me here. Voncelora, I think I should 
 like to visit some of those places. 
 
 "Certainly, my dear Herfronzo, I have come to you for 
 the purpose of asking if you would not like to take a short 
 journey with me ?" 
 
 Nothing would suit me better, dear Von. 
 
 "How would you like to go back to earth for a short time, 
 before visiting any of the other places ?" 
 
 It would suit me very well, I answered, 
 
 We passed directly out of the cottage, without seeing 
 Katrina,or the Fraiilein Helene. We took the little footpath 
 that led out of the glen; and soon, a vast and beautiful 
 country burst upon my view. I had thought it extremely 
 lovely when I was with the angel ; but now it appeared more 
 gloriously beautiful. The air felt to me, like crisp, fresh, 
 dewy morning; and the towns and cities glowed and 
 sparkled like so many glistening jewels ; and on the sides of 
 hills I caught sight of shining palaces and stately mansions; 
 glistening minarets and towers were upon the mountains. 
 Rivers and lakes sparkled here and there. I paused. The 
 sight held me spell-bound. I clapped my hands in ecstacy of 
 delight. 
 
 Oh, Voncelora! I exclaimed. 
 
 I cannot move! I am faint with joy! This is rapture. 
 This is the real heaven, the immortal life! I feel as 
 though I must go back and tell all my friends, on the dark 
 and unhappy earth, of the glorious reality; the surety of a 
 
52 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 future life, and how vast and beautiful this heavenly country is. 
 
 Voncelora stood gazing out over this glorious scene. If 
 he had appeared grand and noble before, I now looked at 
 him awe stricken. He appeared like a God. Grandeur, 
 glory, and heaven, were all reflected in his deep blue eyes. 
 
 He waved his hands toward this beautiful country, as 
 though he were blessing it, and then turned to me. 
 
 "Come come, my friend, let us go. The earth is dark 
 and unhappy as you say, and now our work lies principally, 
 
 there." 
 
 I now experienced a sudden revulsion of feeling. A shud 
 der passed through me. I thought I could never go back to 
 earth and work any more. The burden seemed too heavy, 
 and I shrank back. 
 
 Voncelora, I do not care to go, even to see the friends I 
 left. They will all get along very well without me. Let us 
 go, instead, into that lovely town which I see just ahead. 
 
 "We must earn all things before we can enjoy them," he 
 answered, "Dear Herfronzo, we must work and create and 
 then enjoy. You must gain wisdom yourself, and then give 
 of your store to those that have not as much light as you 
 
 have." 
 
 "Have you not left children in the earth-life? Do you 
 not wish to see them to read their souls aright and help 
 them ? You were the means of bringing them into existence ; 
 will you leave them now to struggle on alone, without light 
 and help from heaven ? Herfronzo do not yield to such selfish 
 
THE DISCO VERED CO UNTR Y. 53 
 
 feelings. You may not enjoy heaven alone, you must 
 help others to enjoy it with you; the heavens here are just 
 what the angels make them. Heaven does not create itself; 
 the natural heaven exists the same as the natural earth, but 
 if man remained on earth in the natural or savage state, he 
 would never rise much above the wild animals ; if spirits re 
 mained crude and ignorant here, there would be no heaven. 
 Most of the souls that come here are crude and ignorant ; 
 they know not how to create their share of heaven, and must 
 first be taught by those wiser than themselves ; and if those 
 on the earth did not receive wisdom direct from the angel 
 world, there would be no progression there, and man would 
 remain on a level with the brute. Now, Herfronzo, let us go ; 
 for I may not remain idle." 
 
 "Katrina usually accompanies me to earth, every day. 
 We work until we are weary, and then we return to our home 
 in the heavens to rest and happiness which we have earned." 
 
 Why does not Katrina go with us to day? I asked. 
 
 "She remains to comfort the Fraiilein Helene, and enter 
 tain her," he answered. 
 
 "Dear Katrina will not be idle in our absence ; and the 
 Fraiilein is a little lonely just now, and needs her." 
 
XI. 
 
 BACK TO EARTH. 
 
 E were floating swiftly onward as he talked, at a 
 gentle inclination downward, and soon the earth came 
 into view. 
 
 Voncelora, I said, of course you must know as well as 
 myself, that for a few years back there has been a great 
 commotion and discussion among the people of earth. Some 
 say, that spirits return and communicate with them, aid and 
 help them. Others will not admit that this is the case, and 
 laugh and sneer at those that think they are conscious of the 
 presence of the departed ; and they stubbornly insist, that 
 no one ever returns to earth, after the death of the body. 
 Before I left the earth, I had come to the conclusion, 
 that if man was immortal, he certainly could and did return. 
 But I had not come to the conclusion that he was immortal. 
 I did not consider that I had any positive proof of the im 
 mortality of man ; but now I have the positive evidence in 
 my own person, and as we are actually returning to earth, and 
 even now, I can see my own door, of course, I can doubt no 
 longer that the spirit of man returns. 
 
 "True," answered Voncelora, "but if you had followed 
 your inclination, instead of my advice, you never would 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 55 
 
 have known, by actual experience, that spirits did return. 
 They might have told you so, but if you did not experience 
 it in your own person, by what right would you positively 
 know it?" 
 
 "And now, let us go in and look at the body, that was 
 once yours, for the last time ; for to-morrow they bury it, 
 and every spirit should look upon its own body, before it is 
 put beneath the ground; for a spirit does not care to pene 
 trate below the surface of the earth, and a decaying body is 
 very disgustful to the spirit that once inhabited it. A man s 
 body is very repulsive to him, when once he is out of it, and 
 it is very trying to him, to see his friends weeping and mourn 
 ing over the filthy, worn out piece of cold clay very trying 
 to his bright, light, happy self, that has just found 
 immortality." 
 
 And as he said these words, we entered the house and the 
 room where my dead body lay. No one happened to be in 
 the room at this moment, and we approached and looked 
 into the coffin. I looked at the form that lay there, for a few 
 seconds, and then turned away with a sick disgust. Oh ! 
 how glad, how happy I was, to think, I was out of it forever. 
 I never looked upon it again. I never wanted to. 
 
 We now turned our attention to the inmates of the house. 
 She, that had been my wife, was there. She was sorrow 
 ing a little, but never gave one thought to anything beyond 
 my earthly form. Truly, I thought, it was that body which 
 was married, and not myself; and when that is put out of her 
 
56 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 sight, I am dead to her henceforth and forever. My duty 
 and mission to her is done. My next thought was of my 
 children. One by one, I visited them, They were all dear 
 to me, and I greatly desired to benefit them in some way. I 
 turned to Voncelora, saying; my children are very near my 
 heart, I would that I could take away all their sorrows, and 
 make them happy. Dear friend, can you show me how I may 
 be able to do this ? 
 
 "Your children will have to bear their own sorrows, as 
 you have had to bear yours," he answered. 
 
 But I can now see, that I have been more or less, the 
 cause of much of their sorrow. 
 
 Yes ; and ignorance and error is the direct cause of all 
 sorrow and pain. If you had been possessed of all wisdom 
 yourself, dear Herfronzo, you could have taught your children 
 how to be happy." 
 
 I lingered over one dear boy, longer than any of the 
 others. He had been a very talented and gifted youth ; the 
 pride of my life a noble generous boy too generous for his 
 own good. My first wife had been his mother. He was now 
 a man in the prime of life. Voncelora and I approached him, 
 by some method not then understood by me, Voncelora drew 
 aside the veil that rested between myself and this child s 
 soul, or spirit, and I was greatly surprised to find my son, so 
 different from what I had ever supposed him to be. Not that 
 I found his talents less, but more than I had ever dreamed he 
 possessed ; and as his spirit stood exposed to my view, I 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 57 
 
 could see that he was far very far my superior in all 
 things. I had tried to instil into this boy s mind, my own 
 materialistic views ; but they never found root or lodgement 
 there. He had drifted about on the sea of opinion, for many 
 years ; but had eventually made up his mind, that there was 
 a life after the death of the body, and that the spirit of man 
 could return to earth and influence those yet in the body. 
 On making this discovery, I was highly delighted; yet I had 
 known that he thought something like this, before I 
 passed into the higher life ; but we had never talked much 
 on the subject. 
 
 "Now," said Voncelora, "we will return. This is the first 
 step in the work that lies before you ; but my dear Herfronzo 
 you must become extremely wise yourself, before you can 
 teach this man, your son." 
 
 I looked at Voncelora, and then at the uncovered spirit 
 of my son. The great resemblance between the two, struck 
 me as being very singular. Voncelora noticed my astonish 
 ment and smiled ; laying his hand at the same time on the 
 shoulder of my son, and standing side by side with him. 
 
 Merciful heavens! What a likeness! They were pre 
 cisely of the same height the same complexion the same 
 full, dark blue eyes the same bright beard. They were 
 proportioned very nearly alike ; and as Voncelora s beautiful 
 white hand rested on my son s shoulder, I noticed the peculi 
 arity of its shape. My son s hand had always been a very 
 peculiar one ; and here it was, over again, in the hand of 
 
58 THE DISCO VERED CO UNTR Y. * 
 
 Voncelora. I was greatly mystified. What a striking resem 
 blance! How very strange! Yet one was a spirit and the 
 other in mortal flesh. 
 
 Do you know, dear Voncelora, I said, that my son s spirit 
 as you now reveal it to me, is almost a fac-simile of 
 
 yourself ? 
 
 "Yes," he said, "and that is why I so reveal it." 
 "I am your son s guardian spirit; and have been for many 
 years. He is, and has been far more to me, than he ever 
 was or will be to you ; but you being his father, shall help 
 me in my work with him ; and remember, Herfronzo, we have 
 no common person to deal with. His body was directly pro 
 pagated by yourself. His soul belongs tome by right of 
 near kinship. And now, Herfronzo, let us go. Katrina 
 awaits us." And so we swiftly passed upward to the im 
 mortal country. 
 
XII. 
 
 THE LAKE. 
 
 EFORE we reached the glen, we were met by Katrina 
 and Fraiilein Helene. They wore wide hats, their 
 hands were filled with flowers, their cheeks glowed, 
 their eyes sparkled. The dogs were bounding and frolicking 
 about them. Katrina hastened to meet Voncelora, with out 
 stretched hands. He clasped her to his heart and kissed her, 
 again and again. She laid her bright face against his 
 shoulder. 
 
 "We are not often separated," he said, turning to me. 
 "We will rest awhile at the cottage and then we will find 
 something more to interest us." 
 
 And so he walked rapidly on, with one arm thrown fondly 
 around his Katrina s lovely form. Fraiilein Helene and I, 
 were left far behind; and I loitered still more, for I wanted 
 to be alone with Helene. I offered her my arm. She 
 accepted it. I gazed into the lovely face. Her eyes were 
 downcast and her hand trembled a little, as it rested on my 
 arm. There was something inexplicable about her. I was 
 greatly attracted and should have given her my heart at once 
 if it had not been for my dreams at the time I slept. Earth, 
 and all its troubles and cares, now seemed very far awayi 
 and I do not know as ever I should have wanted to return to 
 it again, but for the remembrance of that dear son, whom I 
 
60 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 had just left. He seemed to be the one link that bound me to 
 the dark and unhappy earth. I knew the lady whom I had 
 loved was in this beautiful world somewhere and this kept me 
 from making love to the Fraiilein. I could not forget that 
 noble woman. Her image was constantly before me. I must 
 try and find her. The love that I once bore her seemed 
 purified and intensified. I wondered why she had not met 
 me ? for she had promised me this much when in the earth- 
 life. And so, Helene and I walked slowly on. 
 
 Voncelora and Katrina, had long since disappeared within 
 the cottage ; but I did not wish to enter the cottage at present. 
 I thought that Voncelora might like to be alone with his 
 Katrina ; and I think Helene thought so too. We wandered 
 on, until we came to a little dell, and before us lay a placid 
 lake in miniature. Its banks were green and mossy, and its 
 surface was dotted here and there with pure white lilies. A 
 little boat lay moored to the shore, her white sails all spread 
 to catch the breeze. 
 
 Fraiilein Helene, I said, suppose we take a sail in that 
 little boat, yonder. We may do so if we like, may we not? 
 
 "Oh yes," she answered. "That little ship belongs to me, 
 and I sail in her whenever I like." 
 
 We went down the gently sloping bank, and got into the 
 boat. Taking our seats, I weighed the little anchor. A 
 gentle breeze caught our sails and the boat glided out upon 
 the placid water. Helene s soft dark eyes sought my face ; 
 and as her glance met mine, it thrilled me, through 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 61 
 
 through. I thought I should like to know more about this 
 lovely being. 
 
 Fraiilein, I said, you have been in this world for some 
 time, have you not? 
 
 "About six months," she replied. 
 
 I suppose you have learned a great deal in that length of 
 time? 
 
 "Yes," she answered, softly, " I have learned much." 
 
 "Were you happy, on the earth, below? 
 
 "Oh, no," she said. "Perhaps, as happy as most 
 people ; but I was very thankful when the time came for me 
 to lay my body down^ and take up my life in this heavenly 
 land, where there is no more death, and where all wrongs are 
 shortly righted." 
 
 Did you suffer much wrong in the earth-life, Helene ? 
 
 "Yes," she answered. "I lived there for more than sixty 
 years, unappreciated, unloved. My life was filled with care 
 and trouble and much toil ; but my reward here, awaits me." 
 
 "You say, it awaits you. Have you not entered into your 
 reward yet ? "No," she softly said, "but the blessing for 
 which I have waited so long, is about to descend upon me." 
 
 A sigh escaped my lips ; for I was thinking of the woman 
 whom I had loved for so many years loved with such a 
 yearning affection and yet, the streams of our lives must 
 run apart. 
 
 Fraulein Helene, I said, I would like to make a confidant 
 of you, and perhaps you can help me. I dreamed when I 
 
62 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 slept, of one whom I loved for many years in the earth-life. 
 I dreamed that we met in this land, and were united ; and 
 hand in hand we roamed through this vast and beautiful 
 country, gathering wisdom at every step we took. Dear 
 Fraiilein Helene, have you ever met this lady ? for I do not 
 know how to find her. She promised me that she would 
 await my coming, and be the first to meet me, if as she was 
 sur e there was another life. But I have not seen her, and 
 feel very much disappointed. I cannot keep her out of my 
 thoughts. Oh ! I would that I could see her! 
 
 "You have not met many people here yet," she answered, 
 "but tell me the lady s name, and how she looked?" 
 
 Her name her name was Mrs. Mrs. Bancroft. 
 
 "Oh, her given name, I meant." 
 
 "Her given name let me see if I can remember I do not 
 think I ever heard it called more than once or twice. Yes, I 
 remember now, it was Ellen. She was of German parentage, 
 and must in her youth, have been called Fraulein Helene. 
 
 A little shock went through me, as Helene s great dark 
 eyes met my own. 
 
 "And tell me, my friend, how did she look ? Was she 
 beautiful ?" 
 
 She looked very beautiful to me, I answered, for I loved 
 her very much ; it was her soul I loved, and not her body; and 
 yet, I think her body was very comely. When I first became 
 acquainted with her, she was a lady somewhat past forty ; 
 the mother of quite a number of children. She was a second 
 
THE DISCOVERED COU2WRY. 63 
 
 wife. Her husband was a merchant in good circumstances. 
 His wife saw but very little of him. She often told me that 
 her husband was almost a stranger to her, she saw him so 
 seldom, and there was no such thing as love between them. 
 I gave music lessons to this lady s daughters for about ten 
 years ; then they married, and I had no more occasion to 
 visit at the house, and so lost sight of her ; but her image 
 never left my heart. No, not for one moment ; and now 
 that I am here, she is my first thought. 
 
 "Do you think you would recognize her, if you were to see 
 her here?" 
 
 T think I should, I replied. She must be now over sixty. 
 She was quite fleshy and matronly in her appearance, her 
 eyes were very dark, her hair was somewhat gray, but her 
 expression was one of goodness and refinement combined. 
 
 The Fraulein remained silent ; which caused me to look 
 at her inquiringly. I thought her the most beautiful creature 
 I had ever seen. Slight and extremely graceful; not more 
 than twenty in her appearance. Her great dark eyes 
 reminded me of a soft starlight night. Her complexion was 
 creamy, her cheeks the color of a blush rose. Her soft dark 
 hair was not now confined as it had been at dinner, but was 
 floating around her, like a dark cloud, the breeze catching it 
 up and waving it to and fro. Her beautiful white hands 
 lay listlessly upon her lap, her broad hat had fallen at her 
 feet. Her dress was soft and flowing, nearly white, just 
 tinged with green. I wanted to fall at her feet and wor- 
 
64 THE DISCO VERED CO UNTR Y. 
 
 ship her; but thoughts of that other-one restrained me. 
 
 Presently, she again raised her large, pleading eyes to my 
 face she stretched forth her beautiful hands, which were 
 as white as the lilies resting upon the bosom of the lake. 
 
 "Herfronzo ! Dear dearest Herfronzo ! Do you not 
 recognize your Helene ?" 
 
 Her voice had a little pleading wail in it. 
 Oh, merciful heavens ! Could this beautiful, youthful, ex 
 quisite creature, be the matronly, somewhat plain Mrs. Ban 
 croft, that I had known and loved in the earth-life ? that I 
 still loved, but never dreamed of finding her in this beautiful 
 guise. For a moment or two, I sat like one stunned ; and 
 then, with a great cry of joy, I clasped her in my arms. 
 
 Yes, it was she ! It came home to my soul all at once. 
 How blind I had been. I might have known she would be 
 changed, and yet, I had thought of her as meeting me, 
 looking very much as she did the last time I saw her. 
 
 "Herfronzo, dear Herfronzo ! I have kept my promise. 
 I have known from the first, every movement you have made. 
 I met you, as soon as I thought I could consistently do so, 
 and I have waited patiently all this time to be recognized. 
 Darling ! I could wait no longer. The only man I ever loved, or 
 ever shall love, or ever can love ; my other self ; my count 
 erpart ; the other half of my own soul !" "And now, dear 
 est Herfronzo, we are an angel ; whereas before this, we were 
 but spirits, separate beings, and not a whole, or unit; and none 
 can become angels until they are made whole." 
 
THE DISCO VERED CO UNTR Y. 65 
 
 I listened to her like one entranced ; then, I at last said ; 
 
 Voncelora is an angel ? 
 
 "Oh, yes," she answered, "he has been an angel for many 
 years." 
 
 Tell me, Helene, who was Voncelora in the earth-life?" 
 
 Dearest Herfronzo," she answered, "I will not forestall 
 him. If he has not already revealed himself to you, he has 
 good reasons for not doing so, and it is not my place to thwart 
 them. Be patient, my darling, for no one need hurry here in 
 this world." 
 
 Oh, Helene, I said, I feel, now that we are united once 
 more, as though my progress in wisdom would be very rapid. 
 
 "Yes, dear Herfronzo," she replied, "no man can be wise 
 without love, and no woman can truly love and not be wise, 
 they must go hand in hand together." 
 
 Then, this was the meaning of the figures I saw in the 
 arched way, as I entered this life with the angel, true love, 
 clasping hands with wisdom. Our little boat had now 
 touched the shore. 
 
 "Dear love," said Helene as we landed, "it is not neces 
 sary that we go back to stay with Voncelora and Katrina any 
 more ; in fact it would not be proper for us to do so. Each 
 angel, here, live by themselves. We may visit the angel 
 Voncelora, but we may not reside with him. It was for my 
 sake, he took you in, and it was I, that bade the receiving 
 angel leave you at the door of the cottage." 
 
 Who was the receiving angel, that fetched my spirit hither ? 
 
66 THE DISCOVERED COUN1RY. 
 
 "It really was Voncelora and Katrina, that received your 
 spirit, and I was really with them, leading the way, but invisi 
 ble to you for we all thought it best as you were not then 
 prepared to recognize me, and be united to me." 
 
 But, Helene, I said, is there no kind of marriage cere 
 mony here? Do we just live together and unite ourselves? 
 
 "We will talk of this at some future time," she answered, 
 gently, "just now, you shall be my guest if you desire it. 
 Come, dearest Herfronzo, this is my home for the present. 
 Come, and we will dine together." 
 
XIII. 
 
 HELENE S VILLA. 
 
 UR little ship was now wafted to the shore, and 
 we walked up a pebbly beach; but the pebbles 
 were like so many jewels, and as we walked along the 
 shining shore, I could distinguish saphires, rubies, topaz s, 
 emeralds, pearls, diamonds, opals, garnets, and every valu 
 able and beautiful jewel that I had ever seen, and the sand 
 appeared to be of silver and gold. I thought of that heaven, 
 which the Christian s believe in. But even this little shore, 
 lined with jewels of untold value, was far more beautiful ; 
 and my Helene was all my own my affianced my bride. 
 This was far better than the other heaven, for there they 
 were supposed not to marry, or be given in marriage ; and I 
 had always thought that I should prefer not to go to that 
 heaven, for it would be a most lonely and unnatural life 
 loving every body just the same, all, clothed alike, in 
 long white robes, walking about streets of gold praising 
 God; and he forever seated on a great white throne 
 whether he ever descended from that throne did not appear. 
 But this was the reality; and oh; how much better I liked it. 
 
 "Look! Dear Herfronzo," said Helene, "that is my 
 home." 
 
 I looked and a beautiful valley lay smiling before me. A 
 shining highway ran through this valley. The lake over 
 whose bosom we had just sailed was its western boundary ; 
 in the east, green undulating hills appeared. The valley was 
 
68 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 dotted here and there with beautiful villas, erected after the 
 most fanciful styles. Many of the villas were white with 
 azure domes and golden cupolas. The shining porches were 
 twined with honeysuckle and roses ; and all manner of beau 
 tiful flowers bloomed in the gardens. Fountains and white 
 statuary gleamed through the green and perfect trees. 
 
 Helene pointed to one of the most beautiful of these little 
 villas, saying. "That is to be our home for the present, dear 
 est Herfronzo." And we paused a moment before entering, 
 for I wished to observe it. It was a beautiful little edifice, a 
 fitting home for my lovely Helene. Three pearly steps led up 
 to an arched doorway. The door itself glistened with dia 
 monds. The house was laid in blocks of polished marble ; 
 the windows were very quaint and of stained glass. It was 
 crowned with an azure roof and golden cupola. 
 
 We entered an exquisitely appointed room. 
 
 I was somewhat weary after my visit to earth; she 
 seemed to know this without my speaking of it ; she pointed 
 to an elegant lounge, saying. "Rest there for a short time, 
 dearest Herfronzo, whilst I go and prepare the dinner. 
 
 You do not mean to tell me that you prepare the dinner 
 with your own hands? I said, in some surprise. "Certainly, 
 I do." she answered. "If your dinner was not prepared by 
 me, by whom should it be prepared ? 
 
 Beautiful ladies, like yourself, on the earth, keep servants 
 I said. They would consider it degrading to do menial 
 service. 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 69 
 
 To prepare a dinner for you, is not menial service," she 
 answered. "No service can be too great for us to render 
 those whom we love, we serve each other for love in this 
 world, and we have no paid hirelings." 
 
 And are you the only one that loves me in this life ? I 
 asked. Not that her love did not fill my being and satisfy 
 me completely, but I had many relatives here and thought 
 that some of them ought to meet me. 
 
 "Oh, no my darling; I am not the only one; there is 
 not an angel in this life but what loves you ; but my love 
 exceeds all other love, and it is my privilege to prepare food 
 that you may eat and your hungry spirit be satisfied 
 therewith." 
 
 She now left me to myself for a short time, and I lay 
 pondering on all that I had seen and heard. I experienced 
 a delightful feeling of supreme rest and satisfaction. I was 
 here alone, in an elegant spiritual home, with the woman of 
 all others that I had most loved in the earth-life. She was 
 now youthful and beautiful beyond anything I had ever 
 dreamed. The house seemed to be just large enough for 
 two ; or, as they had told me, the rightful male and female 
 were one angel. Everything was quiet, peaceful and rest 
 ful. No servants, no toil. 
 
 I started up but Helene must be toiling if she were pre 
 paring the dinner herself, and while she was toiling, I was 
 lying here at rest I would find her and help her and 
 then, an inner voice whispered to me but you have toiled 
 
70 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 back to earth, that was hard work, and you are weary, rest- 
 rest. You can help your Helene at another time. So, in a 
 delightful trance of peace and rest I fell asleep. I cannot say 
 how long I slept ; but I felt a soft hand on my arm, and open 
 ing my eyes, Helene was bending over me. 
 
 "Come, dear Herfronzo, our dinner is ready." 
 I rose to my feet. Her sweet lips met mine in a fond 
 kiss, and taking my hand, she led me forth, and crossing the 
 hall we entered the neat little dining room. 
 
 If Katrina s dining room had been beautiful, this was far 
 more so ; and we took our seats at a little table just large 
 enough for two. The table was spread with a snowy cloth ; 
 a silver fountain stood in the centre, containing wine and 
 water; there was pure white bread and grapes; this was 
 all. I had already discovered that spirits ate nothing but 
 bread and fruit, and I had gradually lost all sense of hunger, 
 such as one feels when in the body; for I no longer had a 
 material body to sustain. Helene s lovely eyes looked into 
 mine, and I read there, immortal, imperishable love, the 
 love that I had always longed and yearned for, but never 
 found until I found my Helene. And, as her gentle gaze 
 met mine again, and again, a strength and power seized me, 
 and I felt as though I could scale the mountain heights of all 
 wisdom ; for now, true love was at last mine ; and love and 
 wisdom, equally balanced, is the great lever that moves all 
 heavenly and spiritual life. 
 
XIV. 
 
 HELENE S STORY. 
 
 TJ ELENE, I said, tell me something of yourself. I heard 
 [ incidentally that you were dead, and that is all I have 
 J known about you for many years. Tell me, dear, did 
 you suffer much before you left the body? 
 
 "I did not suffer any in the act of dying, but I suffered 
 much, physically and mentally, for some months before my 
 departure." 
 
 "My children were all married and scattered; one here 
 and one there ; my husband s one thought was the getting of 
 money, although we were far, very far, above want, he being 
 already a millionaire." I had begged him for some few years 
 before my departure, to give up business and take me abroad. 
 I longed to see more of the world in which I lived; and I 
 thought if he were more with me, he would learn to love me ; 
 and my heart thirsted for love. But he would not listen for 
 an instant to my wishes. He always had one answer for me. 
 First of all, he said, he could not afford it; and he would not 
 give up business until he was worth at least five million. 
 
72 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 He considered that he was still, a poor man. He thought I 
 might stop my whining and sit still and do nothing, without 
 troubling him with my complaints. He had married me 
 when I was a poor girl. He considered that he had con 
 ferred a great favor upon me by so doing. I had sometimes 
 told him that I longed for his affection that I was dying for 
 want of love which seemed to make him very angry, and he 
 would say. "Are you not comfortable? Do you want for 
 anything that I do not provide for you ? How silly for a 
 woman of your age, to talk about love;" and, perhaps, we 
 would not see each other again for some weeks, he having a 
 suite of rooms by himself, and taking his breakfast in his own 
 rooms. He dined at a fashionable hotel, and did not return 
 home till late in the evening, when he would go directly to 
 his own rooms ; and thus, my life passed in sorrow and lone 
 liness, until one morning my body was found, but my spirit 
 had escaped." 
 
 "Mr. Bancroft now, is about to marry a young girl ; and 
 it will be another miserable, loveless marriage. I have visited 
 earth a great many times since I have been here, and find that 
 the young lady whom he is to marry, does not love him in the 
 least; but her parents desire her to marry him for his money, 
 and the position it will give her m society; and she is noth 
 ing loth ; yet, at the same time she secretly loves another ; 
 and that other will be broken hearted on the day that she 
 marries Mr. Bancroft. Mr. Bancroft imagines he loves the 
 young lady. But it is not love. It flatters his vanity to 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 73 
 
 think, that he, an old man, can marry a young girl. He is 
 too blind to see, that she marries him solely for his money; 
 and not for anything that is good or noble in himself. I pity 
 them both ; for she will lead a loveless life unless she is false 
 to Mr. Bancroft ; and Mr. Bancroft s soul will become more, 
 and more withered, as time goes on ; and when he comes to 
 this life, his spirit will be very much distorted." 
 
 "Dearest Herfronzo," she said, as she passed me the 
 bread and rilled my goblet with red wine, "if it had not been 
 for the few hours that I occasionly passed in your society, 
 whilst you were giving lessons to my daughters, and after 
 wards would stay a short time and converse with me, I never 
 should have known the meaning of the word love, during my 
 earthly life." 
 
 "My poor Helene, I said, my heart used to bleed for you, 
 and if it had been possible to either of us, you never should 
 have led that suffering, loveless life. 
 
 "Herfronzo," she said, "if I had then known what I now 
 know, and had been sure of it, my sufferings would have been 
 greatly lessened ; yet, I had a secret hope that buoyed me up 
 considerably; and it was, that I should be permitted to meet 
 you after death, and possibly, we might then be together ; but 
 it was a dim, far off hope to me, and I knew not whether it 
 would be so, or not. Oh ! the reality, as I have found it, 
 surpasses all my dreams. Herfronzo, my darling, I have 
 been with you every day since I came to this life ; and I have 
 only left you long enough to learn how to prepare a place, 
 
74 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 and happiness for you: Voncelora and Katrina have been 
 my teachers. Spirits are usually placed within schools but 
 the angel Voncelora, knew that you would soon join us here 
 and his love and interest in you, led him to take a deep in 
 terest in me ; and so they have spent much of their time in 
 teaching me that which I ought to know. We have visited 
 earth every day together, and whilst I was lingering near you, 
 Voncelora and Katrina hovered near your son Karl. I too, 
 sometimes lingered near him, for he interested me greatly." 
 
 My dearest Helene, I said, you will now teach me all that 
 you have learned since you have been in this life, I am very 
 eager to know all that may be known. 
 
 "Yes, I will teach you all that I have learned since coming 
 here ; and then, hand in hand, we shall spend an eternity 
 together, learning all there is to know ; for this I have learned 
 since coming here that every soul in existence has a mate, 
 or counterpart ; the actual other half of itself ; and until they 
 are reunited as a whole or perfect being, they can never be 
 really happy, or make much progress in wisdom. Until love 
 and wisdom are united, truth cannot come to light, and error 
 and darkness reign." 
 
 Dearest Helene, do you mean to tell me that you and I are 
 the actual halves that make the perfect whole ? Is this one 
 of the things that you have learned since you came here ? 
 
 "Yes," she answered, her face lighting up in a heavenly 
 smile. "This I have learned beyond all peradventure 1" 
 
 Oh, Helene 1 Helene, my darling ! How supremely happy 
 
THE DISCO VERED CO UNTR Y 75 
 
 and blest your words make me; for I could desire no greater 
 joy than to work and learn with you. But, what proof, what 
 evidence have you that this is really the case, and that we can 
 not be mistaken ? 
 
 "You are the same Herfronzo that you were in the earth- 
 life," she said, with a sweet smile. "You must have pos 
 itive proof of all things, or, you will not believe." 
 
 Dearest He^ene, I said, it is not that I do not wish it to 
 be so ; it is not that I do not love you above all other 
 women, and greatly desire that it should be so; but my mind 
 is so constructed that I cannot accept anything on faith. I 
 must have evidence. I could not have faith in a life after 
 death, because I had no actual proof of it ; but now that I have 
 experienced it, the evidence is incontrovertible. My dear 
 Helene, I desire evidence of things here, just the same as I 
 did there. I cannot take everything for granted without 
 proof. 
 
 "Well," she answered, "as I am the other half of your 
 self, I knew all this before; and have, therefore, pre 
 pared myself with all the proof necessary. When I was a 
 little girl and went to school, I used to do a plain sum in 
 arithmetic, and then prove it by another method ; and the 
 sum was not considered perfect, until it stood this double 
 test. Dear Herfronzo, our mutual and unselfish love for each 
 other, and my desire to wait for you in the heavens, and your 
 desire to meet me here, and our perfect fitness for each other 
 the fact, that no other has awaited you the fact, that your 
 
76 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 wife on the earth only thinks of you as you were in the body, 
 and does not think of your spirit at all the fact, that your first 
 wife has long ago been united to her own otherself and dur 
 ing all this time you have been united to another woman 
 the fact that when you and I met on earth, we found rest 
 and peace in each other, that no one else could give the 
 fact, that when we met our minds worked together in perfect 
 harmony and bright truth was eliminated by the contact. 
 This was one of the greatest tests that we could know while 
 we dwelt in the earthly sphere. This is doing the plain sum 
 the first time. Now to prove the sum by the double test. 
 The germs of eternal truth are lying dormant within every 
 spiritual being that exists. Sound your own soul, dearest 
 Herfronzo. Sound it to the very bottom, and if you can con 
 ceive, within the remotest corners of your being, of a female, 
 that you think would in any way suit, or fit you better, then, 
 I am not your soul s counterpart. But the one that you can, 
 even in the remotest depths of your imagination, place before 
 me, or think she would excel me in some way, then that one 
 is your other self, or your soul s counterpart. Put the test to 
 your own soul, my darling ! Sound it again and again. Take 
 plenty of time. You do not have to search the spiritual 
 spheres outside of yourself. You are not obliged to meet this 
 spirit, or that spirit, or innumerable spirits, and try to make 
 your choice from them ; the image of your counterpart is for 
 ever reflected within your own being. Look in a mirror, my 
 dearest Herfronzo, and you see your own reflection. You 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 77 
 
 are not mistaken ; you know it to be the reflection of yourself. 
 Your own soul is a mirror in which your other self is reflected. 
 It is reflected perfectly. There is no mistake about it. It 
 cannot make a mistake. The mirror, which is your own soul 
 is perfect. You have been accustomed in earth-life to call 
 this reflection the ideal, or, your beau-ideal, and people talk 
 very glibly about their beau-ideals, never dreaming they are 
 striking a great fundamental truth; and you have often 
 heard them say ; "Oh! a person never can attain to the ideal ! 
 Their beau-ideal s are never realized." 
 
 "This is not true, my dear ; for soul-mates often meet in 
 the earth-life, and when they have once met, they can never 
 be separated. Their earthly bodies may be separated for a 
 season, but their souls, nevermore. If oceans and continents 
 rise up between them, it makes no difference ; their souls will 
 gravitate together as naturally as the apple falls to the ground ; 
 for there is a law of soul gravitation, just as there is a law of 
 material gravitation, and one cannot possibly keep his soul s 
 counterpart away from himself; but, like the apple, they do 
 not gravitate together, until they are ripe ; not, when they are 
 ignorant, green or crude. The apple does not fall to the 
 ground, until it is ripe ; neither do soul counterparts gravi 
 tate together until they are fitted for each other." 
 
 But, my dearest Helene, many apples fall to the ground 
 while they are yet very imperfect. 
 
 "Yes," she replied, "those that are worm eaten, not the 
 sound and perfect apple. The worm eaten may represent 
 
78 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 those that passed into the spiritual world while they were yet 
 infants and children." 
 
 I looked in astonishment at this perfect and lovely Helene. 
 It seemed impossible that such wisdom could issue from the lips 
 of a beautiful girl, that did not look more than twenty years of 
 age ; although I now knew her to be a spirit, and the former 
 Mrs. Bancroft. Yet, Mrs. Bancroft of old, had not such 
 heavenly wisdom. She had been a very gentle, and sensi 
 ble lady, and I had loved and admired her greatly; yet, I did 
 not at that time understand anything about soul-mating ; but 
 whenever I had met and conversed with this lady, I had 
 never felt a jar of any kind; it had always made- me happy 
 and my burdens easier to bear; 
 
XV. 
 
 THE UNIT. 
 
 ^TELENE, I said, if you had not proved your sum by the 
 [ double test, I might have taken exception to it; but 
 * this double test interests me greatly. I understand 
 you to mean, that eternity dwells within the soul of man as 
 well as outside of it ; and when he turns his mind inward, and 
 searches the depths of his own immortal and eternal being, 
 there, he may find reflected the image of his other-self. That 
 is, the very highest of the high ideal that he can possibly im 
 agine, is the true reflection of his other-self , as he will surely 
 find her some day, on earth, or in the heavens. 
 
 "Precisely so, my dearest Herfronzo ; but, this ideal must 
 fit him everywhere ; that is, his counterpart must fit him at 
 all points, and this is another true test ; for if there is one 
 spot of his eternal inner being that is left unmatched, uncov 
 ered, or not exactly fitted, then he has not found his other- 
 self; he is deceived and she is not his own; there is but 
 
8o THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 one soul throughout eternity that belongs to him. For as he 
 can never be any other being than himself, so she, his other- 
 self, can never be any other being than herself. And as he 
 can never be anybody but himself, which to all must be a 
 self-evident truth, so the other half of himself can never be 
 any other than the other half of himself." "Now, this 
 is, two halves make one whole, and is too simple a sum 
 to need any other proof. But, if children in wisdom need 
 any other proof let them take one half, and then a quarter, 
 and try to make a whole; they will find that instead of 
 a whole, or perfect thing, they have only got three 
 quarters, and not a whole ; or. they cannot match a half with 
 a fragment ; they must have exactly another half to make a 
 unit or one." Not only this, but the true halves were 
 one from the beginning, and were separated into two forms 
 that they might take on material substance or, a mate 
 rial body for the purpose of propagation and progression ; 
 very soon after leaving their bodies behind, they are again 
 united and become one angel." 
 
 " My dear Herfronzo, you shall remain my guest as long 
 as you please, until you are fully convinced that all I say is 
 true, or otherwise. We will meet in the parlor and converse 
 together. We will dine together. We will walk and sail to 
 gether. We will visit other angels. We will go into cities 
 and towns. We will visit the earth and the loved ones we 
 have left there. We will invite Voncelora and Katrina to 
 dine with us and accompany us often. You shall even stay 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 81 
 
 with Voncelora and Katrina if you prefer ; and not until your 
 own soul recognizes the truth in all its bearings, and you are 
 convinced, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that I am really 
 your other-self, will we unite ourselves more than this. We 
 will be the same as lovers. And after you have visited these 
 places, and you have seen all that you can see in this sphere 
 for you cannot leave it until you are an angel, as this is the 
 spiritual and not the angelic sphere, angels may come here 
 but we may not go to them until we become an angel if, 
 after all this, you still doubt, then we will not be united ; 
 but, if you are thoroughly convinced, then we will become a 
 very angel indeed." 
 
 "Herfronzo, you never could accept anything on faith; 
 nature does not design that you shall, and you must prove by 
 actual experience all that I have said in this respect." 
 
 "I certainly match you, for I am anxious that you should 
 prove it to your entire satisfaction." 
 
 When we were in the earth-life, you doubted immortal 
 ity. I did not; and you have now found that I was right. 
 I am the spiritual half of yourself, and the spiritual half of 
 man reaches upward after the bread of life, therefore, dearest 
 Herfronzo, eat of the bread which I prepare for you." 
 
 Helene, when I become convinced that all you say is true, 
 will there be some one to perform a marriage ceremony 
 for us ? 
 
 "No, " she answered, "there is no such thing throughout all 
 the heavens. It would be considered sacrilegious for another 
 
82 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 angel to presume to unite those whom God, or natural law 
 united from the beginning; or those that were created as one; 
 it would appear to them like an unmeaning mummery, or 
 mockery." 
 
 Our dinner was over, and as I looked out from the back 
 of the house, a beautiful arbor met my view. It looked so 
 shaded and retired that I thought I should like to go there 
 and think over all that Helene had said, and so I went and 
 took a seat within it. 
 
 Helene remained within the house. She had said that if 
 we were one, time, nor eternity could not separate us, and 
 therefore there was no hurry. I should have plenty of time 
 to do as she had requested, and the idea rather pleased me 
 than otherwise. I thought I should like to be young again, 
 and court my bride. 
 
XVI. 
 
 MY FIRST WIFE; 
 
 <HIS idea of eternal soul mates was entirely new to me; 
 but, as I sat there thinking it all over, I remembered 
 that Swedenborg had written something like it; and 
 Voncelora, Katrina, and Helene, had now corroborated it; 
 and Helene had told me how to test the truth of 
 it ; and so I commenced to search my soul to its very re 
 motest recesses to see just what my highest ideal might 
 be, and how nearly Helene resembled it. After thinking 
 deeply and trying in every way to imagine a lady that 
 might excel Helene, I gave up the task. She certainly 
 was my ideal my very highest ideal. She had been 
 my ideal when in earth-life. She had been all that I then 
 could imagine, a noble, intelligent, kind-hearted and refined 
 lady ought to be. Extreme beauty had very few charms 
 for me, unless the person possessing it had all the afore 
 said virtues, as well; and, although, some might have called 
 Mrs. Bancroft plain, she was in my eyes a very beautiful 
 woman; for the spirit within her body was this most lovely 
 Helene. Katrina was very beautiful ; yet her beauty did 
 
84 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 not impress me as Helene s did. I could look upon Katrina 
 as a lovely sister, but she would never impress me in any other 
 way ; but Helene quickened me to the innermost recesses of 
 my soul. I did not doubt what she had said in the least ; but 
 still, I thought I would do as my mind impelled me, prove all 
 things, and not accept anything on faith. While I thus sat 
 in pleasant reverie, gazing out over the beautiful green hills, 
 there suddenly appeared in the doorway of the arbor, a 
 supremely lovely being. A Lady. She stood there for some 
 few minutes without speaking ; a soft smile on the perfect 
 lips, gazing at me with her radiant blue eyes. She was 
 gloriously beautiful ! So beautiful that she dazzled me, and I 
 covered my eyes for a short time, for I felt dazed and almost 
 stunned. Presently she approached me and laid her beauti 
 ful hand on my arm. 
 
 "Herfronzo," she said, u do you recognize me ?" 
 
 I trembled like a leaf. Oh ! my reader ; try to imagine 
 what my feelings were at this moment. 
 
 Yes, I recognized her. This beautiful angel was the 
 woman I married in my youth ; the mother of my eldest child 
 ren ; and she had been in this life for many many years. 
 
 "Do you know who I am ?" she again asked with a winning 
 smile. 
 
 Yes, you are Mary, are you not? 
 
 "I was called by that name many years ago in the earth- 
 life," she answered sweetly ; "and I am come to pay you a 
 visit and talk of our children, and of other things besides." 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY 85 
 
 I had been sitting by a lovely little table, with my arm 
 resting upon it ; she took a seat at the other side of the table. 
 
 "My dear Herfronzo," she said, "tell me of what you were 
 thinking ? for you seemed to be in a very thoughtful mood." 
 
 I gazed at her but could not speak. How could I tell this 
 lady, that was once my wife, the thoughts that had just been 
 passing through my mind. That I had been thinking 
 of paying my court at another shrine. I experienced a feel 
 ing akin to that of shame. 
 
 "Well," she said, archly, "if you do not care to tell me, I 
 think I can tell you every thought which has passed through 
 your mind since you have been sitting here." 
 
 I felt a blush rise to my face as I regarded her. 
 
 "Herfronzo, I wish you would answer me one question ; 
 and answer it in all sincerity. Yet, it would make little dif 
 ference whether you answered it sincerely, or not ; for it is 
 impossible for us to deceive each other in this life; but, 
 which do you love best, Helene, or myself?" 
 
 I again raised my eyes to her heavenly face. I looked at 
 her as one might look at a bright star. I felt a sublime awe 
 gradually creep through all my being; but to love this glori 
 ous angel on a conjugal basis, I knew would be utterly im 
 possible. She was as far above, and beyond me, and as far 
 from me in every way, as the stars are above and beyond, and 
 far off, from the earth. 
 
 "You do not answer my question Herfronzo, and I will 
 answer it for you." 
 
86 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 "You love Helene better than you do me ; yet, I am not in 
 the least jealous. All the love that ever belonged to me, I 
 have always received from you. Can I find any fault with 
 this ? That which does not belong to me by natural right, 
 is not mine ; and if I were to take that which was not mine, I 
 should become a robber; but we cannot become robbers 
 here, for we cannot deceive each other in any way." 
 
 "How revolting and shocking are many of the so-called 
 marriages in the earth-life ; constantly deceiving, bickering, 
 and quarrelling with each other among the less refined ; but 
 a thousand times more deceptive are the so-called upper 
 classes, for they are always trying to make it appear they 
 dearly love each other, and their earthly lives are often 
 spent in acting out a great falsehood ; for many of them are 
 not conjugal mates, and never can be; they are robbing not 
 only themselves, but the one they are trying to deceive." 
 
 "Herfronzo, set your mind forever at rest on one point. 
 I am not your conjugal mate. I never was, I never can be. 
 Forever cast aside that feeling, which belongs wholly to earth, 
 that you owe me some conjugal duty. You owe me not one 
 particle of conjugal love, or duty ; and even the thought of it 
 has caused your cheek to be dyed with shame." 
 
 "In earth-life, our sin was the sin of ignorance. We were 
 children in wisdom, filled with error; and so, I am the 
 mother of some of your children and you are the father of 
 mine ; that is the only tie that exists between us, except the 
 tie that exists between all spirits and angels. You are to me 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 87 
 
 a brother spirit. I am to you a sister angel. The wife which 
 you have left on earth, is still less to you than I am, for her 
 spirit cannot even enter into the least sympathy, or rapport with 
 you, and this, I am able todo." "Now, once for all, Herfronzo, 
 look look at me long and well. Enter into sympathy with me 
 as much as possible, and then answer the first question that 
 I put to you. Which do you love best, Helene, or Mary?" 
 
 I did as she bade me. I looked at her long and well. 
 I searched my soul to its remotest depths; and then I 
 answered her. 
 
 Mary, I said, I find that I admire you, that I revere you, 
 that your presence fills me with awe, that I love you as one is 
 supposed to love the angels ; but I cannot find within my 
 soul, one particle of conjugal love for you ; and I now see 
 that I never did love you with real, conjugal love. 
 
 "This is as it should be," she replied. "You are learning 
 wisdom very fast, and are nearly ready to become an angel. 
 I am eager that you should become an angel as soon as pos 
 sible, for then you will be better fitted to visit and help our 
 dear Karl, who still remains in the earth-life, as well as our 
 other children. But our work will lie mostly with Karl ; for 
 through him will the most benefit be done to the greatest 
 number. This is the economy of heaven." 
 
 "And now it is forever settled that your conjugal love 
 does not belong to me, or to the wife that is still on the 
 earth. Now the question is, to whom does it belong?" 
 
 "It is useless for me to tell you that it belongs to Helene, 
 
88 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 for you have no moral right to believe anything because 
 some one else tells you so ; you must have positive evidence 
 through the experience of your own soul, before you can 
 actually know anything. 
 
 Now the spiritual world is not as large and extensive as 
 many suppose ; for spirits are very soon made angels, and as 
 you already know, an angel is one that has become united to 
 its other-self ; and after it has become united to that other-self, 
 it can no more be separated. It is one angel. It has 
 answered the end and aim of being cleft in twain, which is 
 merely an earthly condition for the purpose of propagation ; 
 and as there is no propagation here, there is no necessity for 
 it to remain in halves any longer, and it speedily becomes 
 one ; for love and wisdom must be joined, that truth may be 
 come apparent; and thus you see, Herfronzo, you cannot 
 seek your other-self among the angels, for it must be clear to 
 you that she cannot by any possibility be there ; for there are 
 no mistaken marriages among the angels ; that is another im 
 possibility; for if there was the least discrepency they could 
 not unite themselves in conjugal love ; it would not only be 
 apparent to themselves, but to every other angel in existence 
 for there can be no deception here, and there is no law here, 
 by which a priest can tie two discordant spirits together ; and 
 there is not such a thing as a priest, throughout all the world 
 of angels; that is another entirely earthly condition; then, 
 Herfronzo, it only remains for you to seek your conjugal mate 
 among the spirits, or down in the earthly sphere." 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 89 
 
 At the mention of seeking my conjugal mate in the earth 
 ly sphere, a shudder ran through me, and I said. 
 
 Rather than seek my mate in the earthly sphere, I would 
 live without one for eternal ages. I am so tired and weary of 
 earth, that even the thought of returning as a spirit is ex 
 tremely distasteful to me. 
 
 "You will feel very differently, bye and bye, when you 
 find how much good you can do, and how much happiness 
 you can give to those yet in the earthly sphere ; if I did 
 not know this to be absolutely true, I would not venture to 
 say so. And now it only remains for you to seek your mate 
 in the spiritual sphere. But the laws of the spiritual sphere 
 are not like those of the earthly sphere. In the earth, the male 
 seeks the female, or rather he is inclined to roam after a 
 promiscuous fashion ; and the female that is fortunate enough 
 to net him or enthrall him long enough to have a legal 
 marriage ceremony performed, considers herself very fortu 
 nate indeed ; and she does not often stop to ask, whether he 
 is fitted to make her happy, or not ; but, if he has money 
 and can keep her in style ?" 
 
 Now there is nothing of all this in the spiritual world, 
 and no male ever seeks his female, that law here is reversed, 
 and there is no such thing as roaming promiscuously. Im 
 mediately a spirit comes here, they are either placed in schools 
 where they are taught the true laws of their being, or like 
 yourself, my dear Herfronzo, they are met by their own other- 
 self. In this case it is not necessary that they be placed 
 
90 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 within schools, for as soon as they become angels they reside 
 by themselves ; and as soon as you become an angel you will 
 understand the work and mission of angels. Now the male 
 here, does not seek the female ; but the female is prepared 
 for the male ; that is, his true spiritual half is taught just who 
 her other-self is. If she comes to this life first, which is the 
 case nine times out of ten, she is placed in a school of wisdom 
 and love, and instructed by angels ; and they in their higher 
 wisdom make no mistakes in these matters. But, it some 
 times happens that the male comes first ; and when this is 
 the case he becomes earth bound, he cannot rise until his 
 spiritual half is here. 
 
 There is a law of soul gravitation, and he gravitates to 
 the spirit of his female half and remains near her, until she 
 too, becomes a spirit ; and she seldom, or never, remains long 
 in the earth after her true counterpart is in the spiritual life." 
 
 "Now then, my dear Herfronzo, Helene came to this life 
 about six months ago. She has been taught by higher wisdom, 
 just who her other-self is, and has been fitted to receive you. 
 She is your rightful counterpart; and there is no mistake 
 about it. I shall leave her to tell you her own experience." 
 
 Mary arose to depart. 
 
 "Adieu! dear Herfronzo, I shall see you again and 
 often ; for we have a common interest, and a work that each 
 must help to perform Our first thought and care after be 
 coming angels, is for our children, and you have much to 
 learn. 
 
XVII. 
 
 AN AGED MAN. 
 
 (T T will be remembered that the lake over which Helene 
 } and myself had sailed, lay in front of the little Villa, 
 and a beautiful vista of green hills and mountains at the 
 back. As my eyes now roamed over these lovely hills, I 
 thought I should like to take a walk across them. Walking 
 here, requires only an effort of the will. It requires nothing 
 more than that in the earth-life, the only difference between 
 here and there, is, that on the earth you have a heavy 
 material body to carry, that grows very weary after a short 
 time and one cannot walk far, whereas here, your body is 
 light, airy and refined, and it can be moved by the 
 will with almost incredible velocity or it can remain 
 quiescent, or move slowly at one s pleasure. We are often 
 weary, and require rest; but it is more of the mind than of 
 the body. One s feet need not touch the spiritual earth, un 
 less one pleases. I preferred to float gently along and pause 
 at those spots that most interested me ; and just now it 
 seemed to please me to be alone ; yet my thoughts were with, 
 and of Helene ; and I desired to ponder well the words 
 that Mary had spoken. All that she had said bore truth upon 
 
92 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 its face ; the highest, best, and purest truth. How could I 
 cavil, or question anything which she had told me? Could 
 my mind replace it with anything higher, or better ? and yet, 
 after all, how simple, as all nature is simple when once under 
 stood. Oh, how much better* how infinitely better was the 
 truth as I found it, than the hocus pocus mess of twaddle 
 and laborious twistings and turnings of a plan of salvation 
 which amounts to this that God in the form of a man, 
 created an earth out of nothing ; then he made a fiery hell 
 and a devil, then he made a man out of some dust, put him 
 in a garden and gave him his orders. He was not to have 
 any wisdom which is of course, knowledge if he did he was 
 to be driven forth ; and when he yielded up his spirit, it was 
 to be turned over to the devil, to be burned and tormented 
 forever. But, after a great many thousand years, God re 
 pented of what he had done, thought he had made a great 
 mistake, and he would now try and rectify it ; so he came 
 down and visited a girl, and she soon after bore him a child ; 
 then he causes this child, after he has become a very good 
 man, to be murdered, so that all that had faith in him and 
 washed in his blood, might escape this firey hell, which God 
 had made for man, and squeeze, without any merit of his own, 
 into another place called heaven where God resided, there to 
 sing praises to this lovely God for ever more. But why man 
 should praise this most horrible and imperfect being does not 
 appear, for man could know nothing but sorrow during his 
 whole earthly existence. 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY 93 
 
 Thus I pondered as I moved on over this most exquis 
 itely beautiful country ; my very existence, and every motion 
 that I made giving me the most intense delight Now, I had 
 never believed in this plan of salvation ; my brain being so 
 constituted that I could not accept anything on faith. I 
 must have reason, or, positive proof of all things, before I 
 could believe ; and, here I was, actually in the life after the 
 death of my body and there was neither Hell, Devil, nor God, 
 as represented by the Christian Church; but, instead, a most 
 natural and beautiful world; many degrees more beautiful 
 than the earth I had left; and this world was peopled with 
 angels and spirits. Instead of retrogression of any kind, 
 there was progression of all kinds. I had already met a few 
 of my friends and expected to meet many more. All these 
 things as I found them, gave me intense delight and 
 satisfaction. 
 
 I had wandered on over these hills in this thoughtful mood 
 for some time. I had passed very many pretty dwellings. 
 Dogs had occasionally followed me a little way, fawning upon 
 me and lapping my hand as I patted their heads. Little 
 birds would flit about me and sometimes perch on my head, 
 or shoulder. I had long since lost sight of Helene s resi 
 dence, and I did not know just how to find Voncelora s, 
 With all my happiness I felt a little forlorn. This had been 
 my nature always. I was slow to accept, and slow to give up 
 that which had become an established fact to me. I thought 
 I would not return to Helena, for awhile. I wanted to see 
 
94 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 what truth I could glean by myself. This was an old habit 
 of mine and was yet strong within me ; and so, on and on, I 
 wandered, hoping that I might meet with some kind of 
 adventure. 
 
 I had not, thus far, met anyone. I had now left the hills 
 behind me and was slowly passing through a forest. I seated 
 myself by a little purling brook, and very nearly fell asleep. 
 Everything was so pleasant and delightful that I did not feel 
 the need of a house and found myself wondering, why people 
 had dwellings here? why they did not remain out of doors? 
 Presently, T heard a footstep, and looking up I saw an old 
 man approaching me. His hair was perfectly white, and fell 
 over his shoulders in true patriarchal style. His beard was 
 white, full and flowing. His brow was broad and white, and 
 somewhat furrowed. His eyes were a deep sparkling blue. 
 His cheeks were a little thin, his hands long and white and 
 he held a staff, yet he did not seem to use it for support. He 
 wore a purple robe confined about his waist by a cord and 
 tassels of gold. The robe fell a little below the knee. His 
 feet and head were bare. He saluted me and extended his 
 hand. I arose, bowed, and took his hand. 
 
 "Be seated, my son," he said, "and we will have some 
 pleasant converse together." 
 
 So I again sunk down upon the soft moss, and he took a 
 seat by my side. 
 
 "From whence earnest thou, my son, and whither art thou 
 going?" he asked. 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 95 
 
 I came from the earth, only yesterday, I answered, but 
 whither I am going I cannot tell. 
 
 "Hast left many friends there, and hast thou many friends 
 
 here?" 
 
 I have left many friends on earth, and I have many here ; 
 but I have not been here long enough to see many of them 
 yet. 
 
 "And why art thou alone, my son, so soon after coming 
 
 to this life ?" 
 
 That is entirely my own fault, I answered. I was met by 
 kind and loving friends; they tried to detain me with them, 
 but, in a fit of perversity, I wandered away from them. 
 
 "Dost thou intend to return to them again, my friend?" 
 I cannot answer that question, for I do not know myself. 
 I do not think I could find them again without some one to 
 show me the way; for I am a stranger here and do not know 
 my way about. 
 
 4 Dost thou feel in a hurry to return to thy friends once 
 more ?" 
 
 No, I answered, I feel more like finding my way about by 
 myself, for awhile. 
 
 "Wouldst like the company of a stranger? Wilt thou ac 
 company me for a few days, more or less, as it pleaseth thee?" 
 
 I now looked at this old man more intently before I an- 
 wered. My friend, I said, you have asked me many questions 
 and I have answered them all, frankly ; it is my turn now, 
 I take it 
 
96 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 You look to be an old man, and I have been told since 
 coming here, that the law of age is reversed in this world, 
 that instead of being old, all appear youthful and beautiful. 
 
 You are certainly beautiful in your way, but how is it 
 that I find you appearing as an old man with a staff? 
 
 "We are able, through the force of our desires, to put on 
 any appearance which pleaseth us ; and it pleaseth me, just 
 now, to put on the appearance of an old man ; for, most truly 
 as you count years, I am old; very, very old ! therefore, my 
 son, thou art not deceived. Go on and propound thy 
 questions. I am here to answer them." 
 
XVIII. 
 
 GROWTH. 
 
 fdo not care for your personality, although it pleases me 
 well ; but I desire to be wise, to understand all things. 
 Are you able to answer my deepest thought ? 
 
 "Propound thy questions, my son, one by one ; and when 
 we come to one that I cannot answer we will go hence." 
 
 Tell me then, is there a God, creator of heaven and 
 earth? 
 
 Your question is not clear," he answered, "make it 
 plainer; make it plainer." 
 
 Why ! it is as plain, as plain can be. Is there a God, 
 creator of heaven and earth ? 
 
 "Which heaven and which earth dost thou mean ? as thou 
 hast specified but one ; and there are more heavens and earths 
 than thou couldst count for ages, more in number than thou 
 hadst figures in the earth-life to count with ; more even, than 
 thy mind can possibly contemplate." 
 
 Well, is there a God, and did he make them ? 
 
 "Plainer, my son, put thy questions plainer." 
 
 Well then, I will simplify. Is there a God? 
 
98 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 "I do not understand thee, my son. Tell me first, what 
 thou meanest by a God ?" 
 
 Well then, is there a being in form and feature like a 
 man ; that lives somewhere, and by word of mouth spoke all 
 these innumerable earths and heavens into being ? 
 
 "No, there is not such a creature in existence." 
 
 Tell me then, how do you know there is not? 
 
 "Because, I have roamed through the vastness of eternity 
 and cannot find any such being. I have questioned the 
 angels, and the arch-angels, of this, and many other worlds, 
 and they cannot find any such being. And they have ques 
 tioned the angels that have been in eternity for countless 
 ages, and they have not seen, or heard of any such being- 
 therefore, I think my answer a truthful one when I say, there 
 is no such being." 
 
 Then, how did all these countless worlds come into ex 
 istence ? 
 
 "My son, if we find out how one apple grows we shall 
 discover how all apples grow. So, if we find out how one 
 earth and heaven came into existence, we shall find out how 
 all earths and heavens came into being; but we will start 
 right to commence with." 
 
 "One apple was never made out of nothing; but it has 
 within itself just as much substance as composes it. This 
 is a self evident truth, is it not ?" 
 
 Well, yes ; yes, of course. Of course it has just as much 
 substance as composes it; 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 99 
 
 "So an earth has just as much substance as composes it. 
 Is an apple made out of nothing ?" 
 
 No, oh no ! no. 
 
 "What is it made out of?" 
 
 Well, really now, I do not know. 
 
 "Crush, or squeeze an apple and see if thou canst 
 answer my question then ?" 
 
 Oh, yes, of course ; everybody knows that it is made out 
 of fluid and solid. 
 
 "So is the earth made out of fluid and solid. Where did 
 the apple get its fluid and solid?" 
 
 Oh, it grew. 
 
 "So did the earth grow." 
 
 Oh, did it? Did it indeed? How do you know? 
 
 "How do you know that the apple grew ?" 
 
 Why; why, I have watched them from the commencement, 
 and seen them in all the different stages of growth. 
 
 "So have I watched the earths as they grew; and I have 
 seen them in all the different stages of growth." 
 
 Indeed ! Can I believe you ? That must be most interest 
 ing ! Will you not take me that I may see them grow ? 
 
 "I shall be most happy to do so when thou becomest an angel." 
 Yes, but just now, I feel more interested in the growth 
 of worlds than I do in becoming an angel. 
 
 "Yet thou mayest not see them grow till thou becomest 
 an angel. So go on with thy questions, my son; but first, 
 answer thou me." 
 
100 
 
 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY- 
 
 "From whence does the apple obtain the substance 
 composing it ?" 
 
 Why, from the tree on which it grows. 
 
 "True, but from whence cometh the tree ?" 
 
 Why, from the earth. 
 
 "Not so, my son. The tree springs forth from a small seed, 
 which is placed a little way beneath the soil, and the little 
 seed holds within it a living spiritual germ, an exact mini 
 ature copy, invisible and spiritual, of the tree that is to be de 
 veloped from it." 
 
 Why, yes, I see I see ! 
 
 "Then it strikes its roots deep into the earth, and raises 
 its arms aloft into the heavens." 
 
 Yes! 
 
 "The tree is the parent of the apple, and the apple, or 
 seed of an apple is the parent of the tree." 
 
 Oh, certainly 1 
 
 "Well, then, all earths grow from a parent tree, yet the 
 parent of an earth is not in the form of a tree, but, in the 
 form of a globe." 
 
 "My son, I think you will agree with me, that the earth is 
 not the tree, and the tree is not the apple; but that the earth 
 must first exist that the tree may exist, and the tree exists to 
 bring forth the apple." 
 
 Your assertion is a self-evident truth. It cannot be con 
 tradicted. 
 
 "Then, as the apple is not the tree, but the product of the 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 101 
 
 tree, so the earth from which thou earnest is the product of a 
 parent globe." 
 
 Well, that seems to be a very reasonable supposition, I 
 answered. 
 
 "Is it merely a supposition that the tree produces the 
 apple, or, is it a self-evident fact?" 
 
 Well, the fact is very evident that the tree produces the 
 apple, but not so evident that a parent globe produced the 
 globe from which I have just come. 
 
 "If you give a child an apple that never saw a tree that 
 produced apples, you might say, this apple grew on a tree ; 
 the boy, in his ignorance, might answer and say, oh ! that is 
 only a supposition, I don t believe it ! God made this apple 
 out of nothing ; but it is a very good apple and I am going to 
 eat it. The boy wants proof that the apple grew on a tree. 
 But, when you take that child by the hand and lead him to a 
 tree on which apples grow, then he is convinced of the truth 
 of what you say." 
 
 k< Now, Herfronzo, I shall, bye and bye, lead you to these 
 parent globes, and allow you to observe how they produce 
 other globes ; but as I cannot do this just at present, I will 
 content myself by answering your questions." 
 
 Tell me then, the parentage of the globe from which I 
 have just come? 
 
 "My son, didst thou ever hear of a child being produced 
 from only one parent ? or, of anything being produced from 
 only one parent?" 
 
io2 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 No, I never did, was my reply ; for even Christ, is said to 
 have had God for his father and Mary for his mother. 
 
 "Well, the apple is not produced from one parent alone; 
 neither are the earths produced from one parent alone. The 
 apple has for its parents, the earth, the tree, and the heavens. 
 The earth, has for its parents, the sun, the sun s magnetic 
 counterpart, and the great eternal ocean of matter and spirit, 
 as it exists now, as it ever has existed, as it ever will exist ; 
 and within spirit dwells another principle, which we will call 
 God, or force, or power, or will. It makes but little differ 
 ence what one may call it. It is the power that moves all 
 the rest. And, my son, this is God! as I have discovered it, 
 and as all other angels have discovered it. It is the only way 
 God is made manifest to us. And now your first question 
 is answered. Is there a God, creator of heaven and earth? 
 what mayest thy second question be ?" 
 
 Tell me then, how did the sun beget the earth ? 
 
 "I will tell thee, first, how the sun came into being ; and 
 when I tell thee how the sun, belonging to thy earth, came 
 into being, it will tell thee how all the suns that exist, came 
 into being. Like the tree and the apple, my son, they grew, 
 they grew." 
 
 Well, how did they grow ? 
 
 "Tell me, if thou canst, how the apple tree grew?" 
 
 Oh! from a little seed in the soil. 
 
 "So the sun grew from a little seed, buried within the vast 
 ocean of matter." 
 
THE DISCO VERED CO UNTR Y. 103 
 
 But the seed of the sun, the seed of the sun ! where did 
 that come from ? 
 
 "Where did the seed of the apple come from ? 
 
 Why, from another apple, of course. 
 
 "Not so, my son. Each apple produces its own seed, and 
 there the circle is complete. The seed produces the tree, the 
 tree the apple, the apple the seed. Now we come to the 
 question, how is the seed of the apple produced ? From a 
 living spiritual germ, that the petals of the flower grasp from 
 out the atmosphere, or, from out the heavens, or in other 
 words, from out the vast ocean of spirit and matter." 
 
 You surprise me, sir. I knew that apple trees had blos 
 soms, but it never struck me in this light, before. 
 
 "And why did you suppose the tree blossomed? for noth 
 ing is in vain." 
 
 Well, really, I did not know ; I never thought about it. 
 
 "My son, we will take one blossom, and that wiii tell thee 
 how it is with them all. Within the petals of the blossom, is 
 a little magnetic cup, that attracts and holds in its embrace 
 an invisible germ, which exists within the etherial atmos 
 phere, or spiritual atmosphere; the petals of the flower 
 close over it ; the magnetic attraction holds it; it is the seed, 
 the spirit of the seed, and without it no seed can come forth. 
 So the apple does not, in reality, produce the seed, but the 
 petals of the flower of the tree ; yet, the petals are worthless 
 without the spiritual germ." 
 
 Well, how does this apply to the seed of the sun ? 
 
104 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 "First, then ; the seed of a sun exists forever within the 
 vast ocean of spirit and matter, It is a little invisible, mag 
 netic, spiritual flame, or germ, it attracts matter and holds 
 it fast, until it becomes a perfect atom ; then it attracts other 
 atoms like itself, until a small globe is formed about the size 
 of a goose egg ; this is the real material seed of a sun, the 
 visible nucleus; and there are countless millions of these 
 nuclei, or perfect seed of suns, that are all destined to take 
 root and grow into perfect suns, in the vast ocean of matter 
 and spirit. Now, how does the little seed of an apple grow 
 into a large and perfect tree ? It grows by the power of at 
 tracting and appropriating atom after atom, to its own use 
 and benefit. So the nucleus of the sun grows by its power 
 of attracting and gathering to itself atom after atom, as 
 it rolls through the vast ocean of matter and spirit." 
 
 "But a young apple tree does not produce flower and 
 fruit, until it arrives at a state of maturity." 
 
 "Now, an apple is composed of solid and fluid, and it is a 
 soft smooth globe, so the body of a sun, that is to be, is com 
 posed of solid and fluid, and it is a soft smooth globe, like 
 the apple it is equally and evenly mixed together ; but this 
 young sun, unlike the apple, is revolving with great rapidity 
 in space, gathering and growing, gathering and growing, 
 until the time arrives when it has reached an enormous size. 
 Being soft, about as hard as an apple, the outer surface has 
 at length, become somewhat harder than the inner part ; the 
 sun is now ripe and ready for propagation ; the inner part, 
 
THE DISCO VERED CO UNTR Y. 105 
 
 by its rapid motion becomes loosened from the shell, or, 
 harder part, and this, at length cracks open and gradually the 
 inner globe escapes from the shell, or, harder part. Now the 
 shell gathers itself together, by the power of attraction, into 
 a distinct and separate globe ; these globes by their motion 
 repel each other and keep each other at just a proper dis 
 tance; and yet their power of attraction holds each the 
 other, at just a proper distance ; this shell or ring which the 
 sun threw off, at length, becomes just such an earth, as thou 
 earnest from." 
 
 i Oh ! but this is intensely interesting ! Go on, my wise sage 
 and tell me more. Does this sun produce other worlds, as 
 well ? 
 
 "Yea, it produces seven in all; and this eventually be 
 comes a system of worlds, eight in number; the sun being 
 the first, or primary world; and all suns are first, or primary 
 worlds; and all earths, are second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, 
 and seventh worlds; all differing somewhat from each other; 
 these, are the children of the sun." 
 
 Tell me, father, where did the sun obtain its light? what 
 makes it shine ? why is it so hot ? 
 
 "Thou art, in thy eagerness, asking three questions instead 
 of one. I did n6t agree to answer thee but one at a time. 
 I will answer thee the first. Where did the sun obtain its 
 light?" 
 
 "I have already told thee, that the sun was composed of 
 atoms; that the central point of each atom was a little in- 
 
106 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 visible magnetic flame, in other words, a point of pure mag 
 netism. After a sun throws off all its children it begins to 
 grow old, and at length dies, or yields up its spirit; and as 
 thou canst readily see, from what I have already told thee, 
 each atom is composed equally of spirit and matter, therefore, 
 spirit and matter are the parents of a sun, and the uniting or 
 marriage of the two produce other worlds but the sun must 
 at length yield up its spirit. Up to this point the sun had no 
 light of its own ; it did not shine ; and before the sun could 
 shine it must yield up every particle of its spirit, or magnetic 
 flame ; and so for ages the sun was dying, or yielding up its 
 spirit ; but as all spirit retains the exact form of the body 
 which it has left, so the sun s spirit retained the exact shape 
 of the sun and became its invisible magnetic counterpart. 
 The material body of the sun still retained its form; and so 
 the dark body* of the sun and its magnetic counterpart form 
 a perfect electric battery. Magnetism is forever setting the 
 dark body of the sun in a blaze of light ; and thus, light and 
 heat exist. And now I have answered thy question "How 
 did the sun obtain its light?" This is the shining light of the 
 sun." 
 
 And did human beings ever exist on the sun ? 
 
 "No, they never did ; for suns are not inhabited worlds. 
 A tree is not an apple, but the parent of the apple, and it 
 exists first, that the apple may exist. So a sun, is not for 
 the purpose of habitation, but for the purpose of giving birth 
 to worlds that are to be inhabited; and after it has become a 
 
THE DISCO VERRD COUNTRY. 107 
 
 spiritualized world, to fit those other worlds, its children, for 
 
 habitation." 
 
 I begin to fear, I said, that if we remain here until I ask 
 
 a question that you cannot answer, it will be longer than I 
 
 should like to stay. I would like, even now, to be going. I 
 
 am eager to see more of this lovely world. 
 
 "Very well, he said, shall I bear you company?" 
 
 Oh ! by all means ! It is so much better to have a wise 
 
 man by my side than to be alone. 
 
 So we arose and departed on our way. 
 
XIX. 
 
 ARISTOTLE. 
 
 jFTER gliding onward for a short distance I asked. By 
 what name shall I call you, Sir? 
 
 "You may call me Aristotle ; for by that name I was 
 called when I lived on the earth." 
 
 I started back, almost affrighted. I looked at him in 
 wondering amazement. Could this unobtrusive old man be 
 the great Grecian Philosopher, Aristotle ? And he had con 
 descended to sit with me by a purling brook, and tell me how 
 the sun came into being. 
 
 May I ask you, Aristotle, where you live? 
 "I make my home in many places," he answered, "and 
 work wherever I find work to do ; just now, I am going to 
 that shining town, yonder." And he pointed with his staff to 
 a lovely town which just now came into view. 
 
 It was, indeed, a shining town ; and as it lay glistening in 
 all its beauty before us, I felt like singing some glorious old 
 anthem. 
 
 "If thou wouldst like to sing," said he, "let us sing" and 
 so we commenced. 
 
 We sang an anthem that I had been familiar with when 
 in the earth-life; it was a composition of one of the grand 
 masters in music and seemed to express my feelings exactly ; 
 and as our voices rose and fell in perfect harmony, the sway 
 ing motion of our etherial bodies, as we glided onward, kept 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 109 
 
 perfect time to the music. We soon neared the town. What 
 is the name of this town ? I asked, turning to my companion. 
 
 "It is called the city of Brotherly Love," he answered. 
 
 And why the cky of Brotherly Love ? I questioned. 
 
 "Because there are no ladies living within this city." 
 
 No ladies ! I exclaimed, in some astonishment. 
 
 "Not one," he answered. 
 
 I must admit a pang of disappointment shot through me ; 
 and yet, why should I feel disappointed ? I had left Helene 
 alone and wandered forth by myself in quest of knowledge 
 and adventure ; surely, this must be a very fitting city for me 
 to explore. And now I began to feel eager and curious to 
 know more about this shining town. We approached an 
 archway and paused to examine it. It appeared to be of 
 granite, and set with glittering diamonds was the word 
 Wisdom. The town was very beautiful. The streets were 
 white, the dwellings were small and perfectly square, with flat 
 roofs of shining gold, and all the houses were set with mili 
 tary precision, and all precisely alike. 
 
 In the centre of the town, on a hilltop, stood a large 
 square edifice, exactly like the others, all but its size ; it cov 
 ered about an acre of ground. Not a flower, not a shrub, 
 not a tree, not a green thing of any kind could I see ; noth 
 ing but this grand shining town that reminded me of some 
 military post. Not a living thing could I see but files of 
 shining soldierly men, going and coming, to and from, this 
 large building ; all keeping step, and walking with precision ; 
 
no THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 and as each man approached his own little dwelling, he 
 would right about face and enter. 
 
 I was greatly amused and looked at Aristotle. I noticed 
 a laughing twinkle in his bright blue eye, and the vestige of a 
 smile hovered about his lips. 
 
 "I have been sent to deliver a discourse in the Temple of 
 Brotherly Love," he said, l and overtook you on my way 
 hither. I intend to remain here for a short time. They have 
 prepared forme a little house, somewhat larger than the 
 others. Will you be my guest until I go hence?" 
 
 Most gladly, I answered, and many thanks. All the 
 men which I could see, were dressed precisely alike. They 
 wore white pants, black shoes, red coats trimmed with gold 
 lace, tall black hats and white gloves. Presently one of these 
 men espied us, and as we passed him he turned and saluted us. 
 "I am Aristotle," said my companion, "and am come to 
 talk in the Temple of Brotherly Love; Will you kindly show 
 me the house in which I am to live whilst I remain here ?" 
 
 The Soldier bowed gravely, saying, "follow me." And 
 he conducted us to a house not far away. It was precisely 
 like the others excepting, that it was large enough for two. 
 
 "They all know that I will never live alone," said Aris 
 totle, as we entered, "and, as they will not allow me to fetch 
 my wife, I always pick up some wayfaring spirit that needs 
 instruction on the very subjects which I intend to treat in 
 my discourse." 
 
 The Soldier saluted, and left us. 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. in 
 
 The room in which we found ourselves, was a large square 
 room, without ornament of any kind. A square, hard looking 
 table stood in the middle of the room. The room had but two 
 windows and they both looked out on the white and glistening 
 street. Two straight backed chairs and a large bed in one 
 corner of the room completed the furniture. The floor, walls 
 and ceiling were all of a glistening white, unbroken by orna 
 ment or picture. The bed was without curtains and looked 
 hard and uninviting. I had become a little weary and threw 
 myself down into one of the chairs, but it gave me very little 
 rest. Aristotle took the other, and we both sat for a few 
 moments staring out into the white street. T sighed 
 audibly. He gave me a furtive glance and a half smile. Just 
 then, one of the soldiers brought in our dinner and placed it 
 upon the bare table without spreading any cloth. Two shin 
 ing silver plates were set, and two silver mugs. A silver tur 
 een filled with cold soup, a silver ladle to dip it with, and a 
 silver pitcher of cold water, comprised the dinner. We drew 
 our chairs up to this rather uninviting repast. I think they 
 have forgotten the bread, I said. 
 
 "No," Aristotle answered, "they eat no bread in this 
 city." He helped me to some soup. I tasted it. It had a 
 sour bitter taste, and puckered my mouth, and as soon as I 
 had swallowed a few mouth fuls it affected me strangely. I 
 felt almost as straight and stiff as the soldier who had placed 
 it there. Aristotle did not partake of his soup at all ; he 
 drank a little water and that was all. I felt a little sour and 
 
H2 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 dissatisfied. This soup is wretched ! I said. How do they 
 make it ? 
 
 "They gather a few wild herbs outside the city limits," he 
 answered, "and compound it of them and water." 
 
 And where do they get the water ? 
 
 "They construct shallow artificial pools and obtain the 
 water from them," he answered. 
 
 This city looked very shining and imposing in the distance, 
 I said, but it seems to be a very cold and desolate place, when 
 once you are within it, 
 
 "Yes," he said, "I would that such a city did not exist, 
 and am doing all I can to abolish it." 
 
 Are there many more cities in this world like this one ? I 
 asked. 
 
 "No," he answered, "this is the only one of its kind 
 within this Spiritual Sphere." 
 
 As the soup was so unpalatable, we did not sit 
 long at table, and being weary, I threw myself down 
 upon the hard looking bed, but Aristotle did not follow 
 my example. 
 
 How soon are you to deliver your discourse ? I asked, 
 sleepily. 
 
 "There is no particular time specified," he answered." 
 Sleep as long as thou wilt, there will be time enough when 
 thou awakest. 
 
 And so I fell asleep and dreamed of Helena. I thought 
 she had visited the arbor, soon after my departure, and find- 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 113 
 
 ing that I had gone, she knew not whither, without bidding 
 her adieu, her soul was filled with grief and amazement. 
 Tears rolled down over her cheeks ; she stretched forth her love 
 ly arms crying, "Herfronzo ! Herfronzo ! Come back to me, my 
 darling ! Art thou gone to seek wisdom, by thyself alone, and 
 left thy loving Helene behind thee ? Remember the words 
 written over the archway, when the angel Voncelora and 
 Katrina first brought thee to this life !" And then in my dream 
 I again saw the archway, and the words written thereon, and 
 the beautiful figures with clasped hands, Wisdom and Love, 
 which beget Truth. When Wisdom and Love are united, 
 Truth is made manifest. I awoke, dejected and unrefreshed. 
 To be sure I had learned how the sun came into being, and 
 no doubt there was very much more to learn ; my head was 
 satisfied, but not my heart; and I was very, very hungry. I 
 longed to get back to Helene. I wanted bread and fruit, not 
 bitter soup. Aristotle was not in the room, but presently he 
 entered. 
 
 "Hast thou slept well, my son?" he asked, with a smile, 
 "thou appearest rather forlorn." 
 
 Not very well, I answered. But may I ask where you 
 have been ? Not at the temple without me, I hope ? I may 
 have over-slept and missed your discourse. 
 
 "Not so," he answered, "I have been out walking up and 
 down, up and down, with a number of these misguided men, 
 trying to teach them the true principles that govern their 
 being; and I think my words have not been without effect." 
 
XX. 
 
 THE TEMPLE. 
 
 me, father, something about this city and these 
 men. Why do we find a city like this without ladies, 
 and all these men, so grave and soldierly, banded 
 together ? 
 
 "Thou findest this city here, because these men must live 
 somewhere ; and a natural law of like, attracting like, causes 
 them to gravitate and band together. They construct these 
 streets and dwellings in the same manner that all spirits con 
 struct streets and dwellings, within their minds ; and man, in 
 the earth-life, constructs his dwellings in the same way, 
 within his mind, and then clothes his spiritual construction 
 with material substance ; but this is not necessary in the spir 
 itual sphere, for the thought, or construction of a spirit, be 
 comes objective, a real object to itself and all other spirits 
 and angels. Therefore, you and I, and all others, perceive 
 this city as these men have constructed it. Their spirits, 
 really, all differ, one from another ; but their differences are 
 held in abeyance ; for they are firmly agreed on one point, 
 and that being their most prominent, or central idea and 
 thought all things must succumb to it; and that one powerful, 
 determination is, that they will have nothing, whatever, to do 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 115 
 
 with the female half of their being. None of these men passed 
 into the spiritual life whilst young; they were all old men, and 
 most of them had become embittered against women in 
 their youth, and had lived for many years, entirely aloof from 
 the other sex ; they have all been what is called woman 
 haters. Some of them are men that led very debauched 
 lives, and women had been their entire ruin when on the 
 earth ; and they had cursed all womankind for their own blind 
 mistakes. None of them have been in this life very long; 
 and none of them remain in this city any great length of 
 time ; and the city would die a natural death if new ones were 
 not continually coming," 
 
 "These men are all, the hard, firm, unapproachable kind; 
 for if they could be taught in any other way, this city would 
 not exist. Most of them were men of high renown, and edu 
 cated ; many were Priests among the Catholics ; but not one 
 of them had the least idea of the spiritual life as it is ; they 
 were all, to a man, rooted and grounded in the idea of a 
 heaven and hell, a personal God, and a personal devil ; and 
 no common love, or teaching, will change the souls of these 
 men ; therefore, the higher angels take this city into consid 
 eration, and weigh very carefully the method whereby they 
 may be brought to a knowledge of the truth." Their counter 
 parts might be brought to them, or they be carried to their 
 counterparts ; but they repudiate and firmly put from them 
 any such idea. They will not even look at a woman, or ad 
 mit one within the city, saying, that all trouble and sin springs 
 
n6 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 from woman, and there would be no end of trouble if one 
 were te come within the city. They have builded a Temple, 
 as you see ; they firmly believe in the old doctrines of heaven 
 and hell, and think they are only waiting here for the day of 
 judgement, a kind of intermediate condition. They think 
 their only mistake was, in supposing they slept in their graves 
 till the judgement. But the Roman Catholics think it is Pur 
 gatory. They are willing to admit into the Temple, occa- 
 sionly, some person that was famous on earth ; some one of 
 the old Philosophers and teachers, such as Confucius, Ly- 
 curgus, Demosthenes, Galen, Hannibal, Socrates, Herschel, 
 Columbus, and your humble servant Aristotle. The angels 
 knowing this, take advantage of it, and often delegate and 
 send some of these men to discourse with them within their 
 Temple ; and in this way, many are brought to perceive the 
 truth, and are prevailed upon to leave the city, and shortly 
 after, are united to their own true other-self, and become 
 happy and progressive angels; and all, as time goes on, 
 eventually leave the city; but as fast as some leave, new ones 
 from earth replenish it; and thus the city still lives." 
 
 4 Now, Herfronzo, I am about to go to the Temple, and 
 shall be glad of thy company." 
 
 And so Aristotle and myself, slowly ascended the hill and 
 entered the Temple. It was a large square hall, very much 
 like many in the earth life. Opposite the entrance was the 
 Rostrum. The place was filled with hard looking, straight 
 backed seats, arranged in even perfect rows, and nearly every 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 117 
 
 seat was occupied by one of those straight hardfeatured, 
 soldierly looking men ; and a silent grave melancholy per 
 vaded the whole place. We took our seats as silently as the 
 others, for someone was speaking from the Rostrum. He 
 looked very much like the others, excepting, that he wore a 
 long black robe with flowing sleeves, and on his head, a close 
 black cap. He was speaking slowly, and with great solemn 
 ity, and one felt that he weighed and measured every word 
 with great care. 
 
XXI. 
 
 THE EXHORTATION. 
 
 RETHREN," said the speaker, "this, as you all know, 
 is the great Temple of Brotherly-Love ! We find our 
 selves here, as spiritual beings, and yet, we have not 
 attained heaven, and we do not find ourselves in hell ; neither, 
 are we asleep in our graves; and therefore, we know that this 
 must be an intermediate state of existence, and that our 
 brethren, the Roman Catholics, are right. We also know, 
 finding it true by actual experience, that the Priesthood of 
 the Catholic Church, lead the most perfect lives; that we 
 were all created in the image of God, and the nearer we live 
 to, and like that God, the more perfect we become; and find 
 ing us faithful and worthy, he will soon open the gates of Heaven 
 to us. We lead a life of perfect celibacy, for God is a male, 
 and he has no wife; and even Satan never had the 
 slightest idea of taking to himself a wife. Only man, is fool 
 ish ! Of course, we all know that marriage must be in the 
 earth-life, for a season, for the sole purpose of propagation; 
 but those that can live single, even there, are the most blest 
 and happy, escape all turmoil and trouble, and live nearer to 
 God than those who marry. 
 
 We do not admit a woman within the limits of our city, 
 fearing that some of the weaker brethren might be inveigled 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 119 
 
 and tempted ; for we know that Eve tempted Adam, and 
 caused him to fall from his high estate and likeness unto God. 
 
 Man, is by nature more nearly allied to God, and woman 
 to Satan, for the Serpent was Satan in disguise and could 
 more easily reach the woman than the man ; and as woman 
 is the connecting link between hell, the devil and man, 
 we repudiate and cast her off altogether ; allowing her to sink 
 down to the Satan that tempted her; whilst we, by so doing, 
 raise ourselves nearer to God and Heaven. We doubt not, 
 there may be many women in heaven, especially Nuns, and 
 those women that have led holy lives, Virgins that have 
 never known a man, those that have with shame-facedness 
 abased themselves penitently before God for their common 
 sin with mother Eve, in being the direct cause of man s 
 temptation and fall. We suppose that even wives may be in 
 heaven ; but only those that have never sinned in any way 
 against their husbands ; those that have purified themselves 
 continually ; those that have worn no ornaments and led holy 
 prayerful lives; these, may, many of them, be in heaven; but 
 if so, we know they there become unsexed, and are more 
 nearly allied to man ; and that in heaven all are angels ; there 
 is no sex whatever ; and they do not marry nor are given in 
 marriage." 
 
 And then he exhorted them all to be faithful, prayer 
 ful, and watchful that no woman tempted them ; for satan 
 did not tempt man, it was woman whom he tempted, and it 
 was only through woman that man could fall ; therefore, as 
 
120 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 they had missed heaven it was entirely because they had 
 been tempted by some woman while they lived on earth ; and 
 their only way now to reach heaven, was, to be very watchful 
 that no woman entered the city ; and no man was to leave 
 the City, because if he did so, he was sure to meet with woman 
 and be tempted by her- 
 
 They were a band of God-like brothers ; dwelling together 
 in brotherly love ; and when he had finished his discourse 
 all the men bowed and solemnly ejaculated, Amen ! Amen ! 
 
 The speaker now let his glance fall on Aristotle and my 
 self. He recognized Aristotle and beckoned him to ascend 
 the rostrum ; he then said with a bow. 
 
 "I will now give you an opportunity of hearing that most 
 learned and renowned man of Athens, the great Aristotle ! 
 But, while we are listening to him, we must all remember 
 that he has never reached heaven yet ; although he was not 
 plunged into hell, because of his great wisdom ; and he has 
 been wandering for more than two thousand years, within 
 the limits of creation, around the outskirts of heaven, not be 
 ing able to enter; but being so profoundly wise, we allow him 
 to come here and discourse to us ; yet, I warn you all against 
 anything he may say in contradistinction to what we already 
 
 know. 
 
 ARISTOTLE S DISCOURSE. 
 
 Aristotle s deep blue eyes sparkled, and a slow benign 
 smile wreathed his lips, as he bowed low to the audience. 
 The men s faces all lighted up with an eager expectant 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 121 
 
 look, and a slight stir of interest was manifest, altogether 
 different from their former dogged, stolid and melancholy 
 appearance. 
 
 "Brothers," he said, "I am not here to speak on the 
 woman question, neither for, nor against her. To speak in her 
 favor is not allowed on this platform ; and to speak against 
 her is to speak against the mother that bore, and nourished, and 
 fanned with the breath of her loving,self-sacrificing, and suffer 
 ing life, the germ of my soul into being ! But for her, Aristotle 
 could not have been! But for thy mothers, not one of thee could 
 be sitting here now, listening to me, or to the brother that has 
 just spoken. Even that brother himself, could not have 
 spoken to thee ; and when my tongue shall utter a word 
 against woman, then may Aristotle cease to exist. 
 
 But, I am here to talk to thee of things as I have found 
 them, as I now find them. My life on earth was for many 
 weary years; and I have been in this life, as time is counted 
 on the earth, for more than two thousand years ; and I have 
 not seen thy God, nor thy God s heaven, neither hell nor the 
 devil ; and I have questioned the angels and the arch-angels 
 that have been here for many, many thousand years, and they 
 have not found those things ; and so I justly conclude that 
 such things do not exist, except in the erroneous opinions 
 of ignorant men. Is there one among you that can blame 
 me ? But I am not here even to speak of those things ; but 
 to tell thee about the things which I have found ; to speak of 
 things as I found them in a long life on earth, in a longer life 
 
122 THE DISCOVERED COUN1RY. 
 
 within the heavens. I have spoken to thee before from this 
 platform ; and then I told thee how the sun came into being, 
 I told thee how the earths, which are inhabited, came to be, 
 how they were thrown off from the suns, how the suns, after 
 they had yielded up their spirits, became magnetic batteries 
 of electric light and heat. In this discourse I propose to show 
 thee how the earth, from which thou all earnest, for thou art 
 now within the spiritual sphere of that earth, was prepared that 
 thou mightest exist. The ring, or shell, which was thrown off 
 from the sun, being somewhat harder than the real body of 
 the sun, in gathering itself together, by the law of attraction, 
 at its central point in order that it might become a round 
 globe, cracked in pieces on its surface ; it became seamed 
 and ridged everywhere ; it was yet equally mixed together, 
 solid and fluid, and of course was still very soft ; and at this 
 time, it had neither water nor atmosphere. As an apple ap 
 pears to be rather a hard body, until it is squeezed, so the 
 earth must be squeezed, or baked, that its water might ap 
 pear." "As soon as the sun became a blazing body of light 
 and heat, its rays struck this immature earth ; and as the 
 earth had no atmosphere to shield it, it began to bake and 
 harden very rapidly; and as it thus hardened, the water was 
 entirely squeezed out from the solid parts, and the solid part 
 at length became solid rock. Thou all knowest that water 
 seeks its level, as all other things seek their level, and it ran 
 down and filled up all the chasms and fissures of the earth; 
 and now the earth instead of being soft, like an apple and 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 123 
 
 equally mixed, was nothing but solid rock and water ; but 
 there was no atmosphere. The earth being then young, was 
 much nearer the sun than it is at the present time ; for all 
 planets as they become mature and more perfect, recede from 
 their parents, as all apples when they are ripe leave the tree, 
 and as all children leave their parents. The earth, lying very 
 near the sun, was intensely hot. The rocks were like coals 
 of fire, and the waters all became seething cauldrons ; and a 
 dense vapor surrounded the earth, about three miles in thick 
 ness; this, was an antidote for the intense heat, and within this 
 water, or vapor, the air resided and was evolved from it. 
 
 Now, as the earth gradually receded from the sun, and 
 the vapor condensed and cooled, great storms arose; terrible 
 deluges and rushing whirlwinds; forked lightnings constantly 
 split the rocks asunder, and many of the pieces were hurled 
 with awful force into the chasms ; but all this was only per 
 fecting the earth and rendering it more evenly balanced." 
 
 At length, all things took on a milder form. The water 
 was now comparatively cool. The action of the rains and 
 the waters, kept wearing away at the rocks, and as they pul 
 verized and separated the substances that composed the 
 rocks, the waters carried these substances along in their em 
 brace; and, as like attracts like, the metallic substances 
 settled in mines, or beds by themselves ; but salt and lime and 
 many other substances were soluble in water, and the water 
 retained these. At length, the waters levelled the rocks to 
 that extent, that an ocean was formed, and after awhile, the 
 
124 1HE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 earth, receding farther and farther away from the sun, the 
 waters became cool enough for life to make its appearance 
 upon the earth. The rocks were so cool that moss and small 
 ferns began to form upon them. Sponge, jelly-fish and snails 
 began to form within the sea; then maggots, worms, insects 
 and reptiles, gradually were evolved, one from the other, 
 then butterflies and small birds. 
 
 The ocean is gradually and constantly changing its bed ; 
 and as the ocean receded, it left rich alluvial soil which brought 
 forth rank tropical vegetation, and at length vast forests; 
 and after ages had passed, the forests were filled with wild 
 animals ; then the ape and gorilla, and from them, the low, 
 squat savage appeared; and from this man gradually arose 
 to his present estate." 
 
 "Now, after the water had yielded up its atmosphere, the 
 atmosphere in its turn, yielded up its etherial, or, spiritual at 
 mosphere, and within this, as thou all knowest, we are at this 
 present moment living. It is the first spiritual atmosphere 
 that surrounds the earth from which thou earnest. 
 
 Brothers, thou hast not, any of thee, been in this life but 
 a short time ; yet, thou art well aware that I am Aristotle, and 
 consequently, have been in the heavens for more than two 
 thousand years ; and have not only dwelt in this sphere, but 
 in many other heavenly spheres. I have, also, been able to 
 visit thousands of other planets and their spheres, both spirit 
 ual and heavenly ; and I have not been able to find God, 
 Heaven, Hell, or the Devil; nor yet Christ 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 125 
 
 The earths, and the first spiritual spheres around them, are 
 the lowest that I can find ; and from them, are being gradu 
 ally evolved the higher heavens. 
 
 Brothers ; this is no speculative theory. It is as I actually 
 find things ! What more can I say ? Brothers, leave this city 1 
 Come with me, and I will show thee all that I have seen I I 
 will teach thee all that I have learned 1" 
 
XXII. 
 
 RETURNING TO HELENE. 
 
 Aristotle finished, these grave men s faces all wore a 
 brighter look; he descended from the rostrum, and to 
 gether, we went back to the little house ; but this city, 
 and this house had lost all charms for me, and I was anxious 
 to be gone ; but I loved this man of Athens, and so I said ; 
 How long are you going to stay in this city ? 
 
 "I am to deliver three discourses in all," he answered, 
 " and that will take me three days, counting time according 
 to earth. I give but one discourse in twenty-four hours ; the 
 remainder of the time I spend in-walking and talking with 
 these men, as many of them as will listen. But thou need not 
 remain. I will see thee again as I leave this city. Return thou, 
 to thy Helena s Villa. She awaits thee." 
 
 I do not think I can find my way, I answered. 
 
 "Thou hast nothing more to do than to wish and will thy 
 self there, and thou wilt soon find thyself where thy desires 
 take thee." 
 
 And so I went forth alone, and left the city behind me. 
 I had no wish to ever see it again. I longed to see 
 Helene once more. I wondered how T had ever found it in 
 my heart to leave her so long. I felt so eager to return, that 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 127 
 
 I trembled with impatience ; and as I desired and willed, I 
 found myself moving with great velocity in the direction from 
 which I came. 
 
 Soon, the green hills, the lovely lake, and Helene s beau 
 tiful Villa came into sight ; my heart bounded with joy ; but 
 perhaps, and justly, she would be angry with me for leaving 
 her in the unceremonious fashion in which I had. This 
 thought cooled my ardor somewhat, and I moved more slowly 
 as I approached the door. Perhaps I should find her in 
 tears, and she would reproach me with bitterness. Perhaps, 
 alas ! she might not be at home. It might be, finding that I 
 neglected her, she had become indifferent to me, and would 
 not treat me with the same loving kindness. All these things 
 and more I thought I deserved ; but still I had learned much 
 during my absence. Perhaps, Helene would forgive me when 
 I should tell her that I had met with the great Philosopher, 
 Aristotle ! when I should tell her all that he had taught me ; 
 and I would tell her all about the shining city which I had 
 visited in company with Aristotle ; and the grave and singu 
 lar looking men I had seen. Thus thinking I ascended the 
 pearly steps. The door was open ; the hallway looking rest 
 ful and inviting. The parlor door was also open. A beauti 
 ful little dog, Helene s pet, met me with great delight ; but 
 Helene was not in the parlor. Her chair stood by the open 
 window and a book lay open on the table. I glanced over 
 the page; for I knew she had been reading; and these words 
 met my eyes. 
 
128 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 "Our thoughts are constantly with the absent loved ones ; 
 and they are conscious of them. If we are blaming, or think 
 ing ill of them, they feel it. If we allow jealousy to rankle 
 within our breast, they become uneasy and unhappy, or sad 
 and dejected ; and often those in the earth-life, not under 
 standing this great natural law of their being, drive those loved 
 ones to commit the very acts which they so much fear they 
 may be committing, by allowing thoughts of this nature to rest 
 in their minds ; consequently, we should never allow, or har 
 bor, a single thought of an absent loved one, except it be of 
 the most loving and forgiving nature ; no matter how per 
 verse, or guilty of neglect that one might be ; we can never 
 make them better by thinking ill of them. On the contrary, 
 by cherishing the highest and best thoughts possible, we are 
 often the means, unknown to themselves, of reforming even 
 the guilty ones on earth. This great law is well understood 
 in the heavens, and ought to be better understood on the 
 earth. How often, a mother, has been the means of reform 
 ing a wayward and absent boy. It is said, her prayers were 
 answered. She prayed that her boy might be good, or, if he 
 had gone astray, his feet might be turned into the paths of 
 virtue. But the answer to those prayers, is not the direct re 
 sponse from a personal God ; but the earnest thought of the 
 mother reaches her boy, wherever that boy may be, and influ 
 ences that boy to be virtuous and good ; and the same 
 law holds good with all, more especially, with soul mates, or 
 counterparts; for one-half cannot suffer without the other 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 129 
 
 half suffers too. One half, cannot bear an ill or jealous 
 thought of the other half, without that other half being de 
 pressed in consequence. More than this : We can compel 
 that other half to return to us if we will, by earnestly desiring 
 it, and continually calling in all loving kindness. In fact, we 
 C2 i influence and almost control our absent loved ones." 
 
 I was a little weary after my homeward flight, the couch 
 looked very inviting, and after reading that which I knew 
 Ilelene had just been reading, all thoughts of her meeting me 
 in anger or reproach vanished from my mind, and I sunk 
 upon the couch in blissful repose. The little dog nestled 
 down by my side. A bird perched on the window sill, and 
 sung a sweet song. 
 
 Oh, this was home 1 This was rest ! This was heaven ! 
 And so my eyes closed and I fell into sweet and restful 
 slumber, and as I thus slept, I felt Helene s soft fingers move 
 gently through my hair and around my temples. Presently, 
 I opened my eyes, and they rested on my darling as she sat 
 there by my side, caressing my hair and temples with her soft 
 white hand. Her beautiful dark eyes looked into mine with 
 tender love. Her lips wreathed themselves into a sweet smile 
 and kiss. 
 
 "So my darling wanderer has returned to his Helene?" 
 she said archly. 
 
 Forgive me, Helene, I replied, I know not what impelled 
 me to leave you as I did. 
 
 "There is nothing to forgive dearest Herfronzo ; you were 
 
i 3 o THE DISCOVERED COUN1RY. 
 
 in quest of wisdom and have brought home a goodly amount, 
 I doubt not, and now you will share it with Helene, I am very 
 sure, and by so doing make her happy." 
 
 Have you been very unhappy in my absence ? I asked. 
 
 "No, not unhappy," she said, "and yet, not quite happy. 
 Helene can never be quite happy away from her soul s 
 counterpart. I knew my darling would soon return, and so 
 I tried to hold my soul in patience. And now dear love, let 
 us.. go to dinner; you must be hungry after your long fast." 
 
 How do you know that I have fasted ? Helene. 
 "Because, it is not allowed that any should feed you with 
 the bread of life, except, Helene. You may search the 
 heavens and the earth, through all time and space, and only 
 she that feeds your soul with the bread of life, or true know 
 ledge of heavenly things, is your own other self." 
 
 "So, come Herfronzo, and let us dine !" 
 
 She took my hand and led me to the dining room. I was 
 exceedingly hungry, and there, the beautiful white bread was 
 piled high, the silver dish was heaped with fruit and lucious 
 grapes, the red wine glowed and sparkled : and a beautiful 
 little boy sat at table awaiting us. 
 
 I did not, at first, recognize the child. He looked a bright, 
 beautiful, roguish little fellow enough. 
 
 Ah ! I said, whose little boy is this ? 
 
 The child looked up at me with large, soulful, recognizing 
 eyes. The recognition was mutual. It was my son Karl s 
 boy. 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 131 
 
 He had not been in this life but a short time. I opened my 
 arms, the child sprang into them with fond kisses for Grandpa 
 
 Well, my little boy ! I said, how did you come to be here ? 
 
 "Grandma fetched me here yesterday," he answered, "and 
 said, she would leave me for a little visit, for Grandpa would 
 want to see me." 
 
 Do you live with Grandma? I asked. 
 
 "No," he answered, "but she comes to see me a great 
 many times." 
 
 Where do you live then, little one ? 
 
 Oh ; I live in a school with some other little boys and 
 girls. You will come and see me too, won t you, Grandpa ?" 
 
 I certainly will. I put the little fellow down and he ran 
 out with the dog, into the garden to play ; and I could hear 
 the dog s joyful bark, and the little boy s happy laughter, dur 
 ing the entire time I sat at table. Helene s soft eyes sought 
 my face, and I knew that she would like to hear about 
 the things which I had seen and heard since I went away 
 from her. 
 
 I then related to her all that had transpired; how I had 
 met Aristotle, and the things which he had told me ; about 
 the shining city, and the men that would not have any women 
 with them ; and how dissatisfied I was with it, and how glad 
 I was to return to her, and home, once more. Helene, I said, 
 I think it is useless for me to demur longer about eternal 
 soul-mates ; we had better be united at once. I feel that you 
 belong to me ; and your home is my home. 
 
132 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 "Very well, my dearest," she answered, "we will consider 
 ourselves as one ; but our considering ourselves one, will 
 never make it so ; and if at any time you should find another 
 that you consider my superior, or one that fitted you better, 
 then we will disolve the partnership at once ; for in that case 
 we should be mistaken, and I would not be your soul-mate ; 
 but, if we continue to grow more aud more perfect in each 
 other, and our love grows brighter and brighter, as time rolls 
 on ; that will prove to you, beyond the shadow of a doubt, 
 that we truly belong to each other." 
 
 And as we sat there at table, our soul marriage took place, 
 never more to be dissolved throughout the eternal ages. Yet, 
 I did not understand it then, in all its completeness, as I now 
 do i for many years have passed on since then. 
 
 "And now, dearest Herfronzo," said Helene, "we must 
 commence to learn and to work, for from this time, hencefor 
 ward, we are an angel; and as fast as we gather truth, we 
 must distribute it to our loved ones. We can if it pleases 
 you, take up a certain line of work and follow it to the end ; 
 or, until we have consumated all that we wish to in that di 
 rection ; then; we can take up another ; and so forever, we 
 can joyfully learn and work together, and we can never have 
 two minds about anything, or by any possibility disagree on 
 any subject." 
 
 Helene, I said, do you suppose it possible for two to live 
 together without disagreements arising sometimes ? 
 
 "Herfronzo, she answered, when we have our first quarrel, 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 133 
 
 we will separate, never to come together again, for that would 
 prove beyond a doubt, that we were not soul-mates." 
 
 Just then, my little grandchild came running into the 
 room, with the little dog at his heels. His little chubby 
 hands were filled with flowers. His face was bright and 
 shining. His large, beautiful blue eyes sparkling with joy. 
 
 "Grandpapa !" he said, "I want to go back to my school; 
 and you are to go with me, are you not?" 
 
 I glanced at Helene. She smiled as she said ; 
 
 "Would you like to go, dear love ?" 
 
 Very much, I answered. I should like to visit some of 
 the schools in heaven; and more especially the one in which 
 this little one is placed. It must be a good school, for he 
 seems to be the personification of happiness, 
 
XXIII. 
 A SCHOOL IN HEAVEN. 
 
 O talcing the little boy s hand with my left and Helene 
 | on my right, we started forth; the little dog gamboling 
 on before us. This was better than it was when I started 
 out over the hills alone. We were now floating along over 
 beautiful meadows and fertile valleys, the lake on our right 
 and the green hills at our left. The child could not be re 
 strained and so he ran on before us, chasing butterflies and 
 playing with the dog. Presently he came up to me, with 
 great inquiring eyes. 
 
 "Grandpa," said he, "what have you done with my papa ? " 
 
 What have I done with your papa? Not anything, dear 
 child. 
 
 "Yes," he said, "you carried my papa away." 
 
 No, little one, I did not carry your papa away. 
 
 "Well," he said, "my papa went away off over the seas 
 and they put me in this nice school, but I want to see my 
 papa ! Has he come home yet ? " 
 
 Oh, yes; he has been home a long time. 
 
 "Then why don t he come to see me?" he asked, "and 
 mama with him?" 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 135 
 
 Because he cannot, I answered. You shall go with me 
 some day to see your papa and mama, but they cannot come 
 to see you, not at present. 
 
 A shade of disappointment passed over his bright face, and 
 then his laughter rang out joyous and happy once more as he 
 ran and frolicked about. We soon came in sight of a lovely 
 little cottage. It was a home-like affair. A pretty trellis ran 
 over the front door, covered with roses and honey-suckles. 
 A little garden in front filled with pinks, forget-me-nots, sweet 
 Williams bachelor-buttons and various other old-fashioned, 
 sweet, home like flowers. A beautiful green lawn sloped down 
 to the edge of the lake. A little boat was moored close by 
 and I could see other little boats dancing over the lake. A 
 picturesque little island was distinctly visible. A grand old 
 forest was at the right of the cottage, with hills farther on. 
 Waving fields stretched away at the back of the little house; 
 a number of tiny outbuildings were clustered about it. 
 Certainly, it was the sweetest little spot that I ever saw. A 
 number of beautiful little children were playing on the lawn. 
 A great dog with a string of silver bells about his neck, was 
 also playing with them. A lovely lady sat by one of the 
 windows, with a book in her hand. As we entered at the 
 little gate, she arose to meet us. The little boy had joined 
 the other children and was now shouting and playing with all 
 his might. The lady was extremely beautiful and yet I no 
 ticed a tinge of sadness about her. Helene introduced her 
 as "Mary;" saying, "that she had charge of these children;" 
 
136 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 there were about a dozen of them, an equal number of boys 
 and girls. None of them exceeded five years. 
 
 The lady herself, looked to be about eighteen ; a sweet, 
 dainty, dark-eyed brunette. She greeted us affectionately, 
 looking at me as though she were deeply interested in me. 
 
 This is not much like the schools of earth, I said. What 
 is your method of instruction ? 
 
 "We have no particular method," she answered, with great 
 sweetness, "these little ones play the most of the time and 
 they learn about all they need to know in their play." 
 
 That is a very singular way of teaching children, I said: 
 it differs very much from the way in which I have been accus 
 tomed to see them taught. Do you not have any strict 
 discipline ? 
 
 "No," she answered, "I merely grant their wishes ; that 
 is all." 
 
 This did not seem to me to be the way that children ought 
 to be educated. Yet they were all very small, perhaps that 
 was the reason why they were taught in this very strange 
 manner. Presently, a little girl came running in, her lovely 
 face all aglow, her golden hair flying about her like a cloud. 
 She ran up to Helene and Helene took her upon her knee. 
 The little creature woun$ her arms about Helene s neck and 
 they kissed each other fondly ; then the child looked shyly at me. 
 
 "Get down, darling, and go and kiss grandpa," said Helene. 
 
 The child came towards me with both her little hands 
 outstretched. 
 
THE DISCO VERED CO UNIR T. 137 
 
 I really did not know who this child was that called me 
 grandpa. 
 
 "How is my papa?" she asked, after kissing me. 
 
 Your papa ? I questioned, I do not think I know him. 
 
 Helene looked at me smilingly. 
 
 "This is your son Edwin s little daughter," she said. 
 
 I put the child down and she ran away to play with the 
 others. Do you live in this cottage by yourself? I asked, 
 with no other company except the children? 
 
 "Yes," Mary answered, "but interested persons, like your 
 self and Helene, visit us continually ; and the nearest relatives 
 these children have, usually place them here and then visit 
 them almost every day." 
 
 Why do not these children live with there relatives ? 
 
 Because it is better that in the spiritual world they should 
 all live in little schools by themselves ; and there are thousands 
 of these schools here, all graded to suit their age. The child 
 ren of this school are from three, to five years of age when they 
 are placed here, and they leave this school at the age of ten." 
 
 Do I understand you to say, the only way they are taught, 
 is, by granting their wishes? How very strange! Suppose 
 they should wish for things that were harmful, would you 
 grant those wishes? 
 
 "They cannot wish for anything that is harmful." 
 
 Well! I was getting very much puzzled by this lady s 
 answer. Suppose, for instance, they wanted to sail out on 
 that lake, alone, and all get drowned, would not that be 
 
138 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 harmful? I asked, not thinking as deeply as I might. 
 
 "They do sail on the lake, alone, or together, just as they 
 please," she said. You forget that they cannot drown under 
 any circumstances ; and they learn as much while they are 
 sailing as at any other time." 
 
 Well, suppose they wanted, one, or all of them, to roam 
 into that dark forest, yonder, and get lost, or torn by wild 
 beasts ; for I see wild beasts exist here in the spiritual world ? 
 
 "They can neither be lost, nor torn by wild beasts," she 
 answered. Wild beasts here, do not tear or kill anything. 
 It is an impossibility; and if a child is lost, which is not 
 often the case, all we have to do is to earnestly desire its return. 
 It can neither starve, nor perish with cold nor hunger and 
 whenever it wishes to return the wish fetches it to us. Occa 
 sionally a child wanders off and enters some other school, but 
 it always returns again." 
 
 Do they ever quarrel among themselves? 
 
 "No," she answered, "for if one child desires something 
 that another has, the wish or desire creates the same thing 
 for itself. Wishing for a thing here creates it ; for all thoughts 
 become objects to be enjoyed by the thinkers and others." 
 
 But suppose they had bad or wicked desires, how would 
 it be then? 
 
 "They cannot have bad, or wicked desires," she answered. 
 What bad, or wicked desire do you think they could have ? " 
 
 Well really ! I must think. Suppose they hated something. 
 
 "What can they hate?" she asked. 
 
THE DISCO VERED CO UNTR Y. 139 
 
 Not you certainly; but suppose they hated each other? 
 
 "They cannot hate each other; there is nothing within 
 them to be hated." 
 
 Then the idea of natural depravity is not correct? 
 
 "It is not," she answered. Well, don t these children cry 
 and annoy you ? 
 
 "They never cry, except as you hear them now, shouting 
 joyously as they play." 
 
 I looked out of the window at them as they played on the 
 green lawn. 
 
 Why, what are they doing? I asked; for they were run 
 ning in and out of a little village of play houses. 
 
 "Oh, they are building a village," she said, with a smile. 
 "They create with their thoughts all kinds of playthings. 
 They reproduce, or imitate, everything which they have ever 
 seen or heard of and my work with them is to attend and guide 
 them. For instance, when they get tired of playing about 
 this house and wish to see anything that is new, or wonderful 
 to them, they all flock about me and ask me to take them. 
 Then we all float off joyously together. We visit something 
 new and interesting almost every day. We sail on the lake. 
 We have all kinds of pleasure and happiness and when we are 
 weary, we return to this little home, or school. We often visit 
 earth together; but, if not together, perhaps some one of the 
 children that has lately come from earth and left parents, 
 brothers and sisters, desires to go back oftener than the others; 
 and then I take that one, or two, or three, together, just as it 
 
140 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 pleases us, They are now imitating in their play, as nearly 
 as they can ; a village that we visited yesterday. It is an 
 Indian Village and it pleased the children very much. We 
 carried presents to the Indians and the Indians gave us all, 
 presents. If you look at their little playhouses closely, you 
 will see that they are Indian wigwams." 
 
 I looked at this young and beautiful girl intently. For 
 some reason, not then understood by me, she held more than 
 a common interest for me. 
 
 Have you guided this school long? I asked. 
 
 "No," she answered, " I have been with them but a short 
 time. I left a school wherein I was being taught, or guided, 
 to take charge of this, for the teacher which they then had, 
 was about to become an angel." 
 
 Then you are not an angel ? 
 
 "No," she answered, a little sadly, u my counterpart is still 
 in the earth-life; but I have not long to wait; he will soon 
 be with me here." 
 
 When that time arrives, I suppose you will give up this 
 school? 
 
 "Oh, yes ; " she said, "angels do not dwell in schools, they 
 visit them, but do not live in them." 
 
 I suppose if you did not have a school, you would be very 
 lonely until your husband came to you here ? 
 
 "Yes," she replied. "Spirits all busy themselves, or arc 
 being taught in schools until they become angels." 
 
 You interest me greatly, I said, I should like to visit this 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 141 
 
 school again ; and as I have two grand-children here, I shall 
 try and come very often. 
 
 "Herfronzo," said Helene, "there is nothing strange in 
 your being interested in your own daughter and her school." 
 
 My daughter ! I said surprisedly, surely, she is no daughter 
 of mine ! 
 
 "She is your son Edwin s other-self, or counterpart," said 
 Helene, "and Edwin is soon to be with us, here." 
 
 Mary smiled and blushed and I was astonished at what 
 I heard ; but I was making up my mind not to be astonished 
 at anything. 
 
 "Herfronzo, dear love, shall we now return to our home ? " 
 
 I assented: and bidding adieu to Mary and the children, 
 we were soon at home once more. 
 
XXIV. 
 A BRIDAL TOUR. 
 
 E took our seats at the open window, looking out over 
 the placid and beautiful lake. 
 
 Helene, I said, you told me that lovely girl, the 
 teacher of the school we have just left, was my son s other 
 self, or counterpart ; I am now beginning to understand this 
 truth, but those in the earth life do not. 
 
 "No," she replied, "but if they did, how much better the 
 eaith would be." 
 
 And thus we sat conversing together, a peaceful calm 
 resting over all things ; our hearts filled with pure, holy, con 
 jugal love. Presently, we espied in the distance, a little white 
 sail, that glowed and glistened with beautiful light, as it rapid, 
 ly approached our landing. 
 
 What little boat is that ? I asked. 
 
 "I think it is Voncelora and Katrina, coming to pay us a 
 visit," Helene replied. 
 
 Soon, we could see them distinctly. She was right. It 
 was Voncelora and Katrina. We went down to the shore to 
 meet and receive them; and as we greeted them, they seemed 
 to sparkle with joy and light. Katrina and Kelene went into 
 the house, whilst Voncelora and I took some seats in a lovely 
 little boat house, close by the lake. I could not take my eyes 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 143 
 
 off this beautiful being. He sat there, the personification of 
 wisdom and love ; and when he turned his heavenly blue eyes 
 full upon me, their sweet, wise, forceful power, caused me to 
 tremble as the weaker and more ignorant ever must before 
 great wisdom, which gives power, beauty and light. He 
 wore a shirt of dark blue satin, trimmed with white, and 
 white silk trousers. His bright hair fell down over his shoul 
 ders in a graceful waving mass. His golden beard covered 
 his breast and on one of the fingers of his beautiful white 
 hands sparkled a brilliant diamond. 
 
 "You left us rather unceremoniously, did you not?" he 
 questioned, looking at me with a radiant smile. 
 
 Truth to say, I did ! was my reply. 
 
 "Did you find friends that pleased you better?" 
 
 A blush rose to my face. I found one friend in whom I 
 have felt a great interest for many years. 
 
 "Ah, indeed! I suspect it must be the Fraiilein Helene?" 
 and his face took on a roguish expression. 
 
 You are right, was my reply, but she is Fraiilein no longer ; 
 we have united ourselves in marriage. 
 
 He grasped my hand, joyfully. 
 
 "What ! so soon ?" he questioned. "You accepted truth, then, 
 more quickly than I supposed you would ; and now that you have 
 become an angel, suppose we take our boats and sail over 
 to that shining city, which you can just perceive in the dis 
 tance, on the opposite shore." 
 
 I should be delighted. But are we to go by ourselves? 
 
144 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 "By no means," he replied. "When once we become angels 
 we do not go by ourselves, unless for some special purpose, 
 as I did when you first met me with the sheep. 
 
 Helene with Katrina, now came gliding down to the shore . 
 we entered our respective boats and steered for this city of 
 angels. In a short time our boats grated against the golden 
 sand of the shining shore. A little band of angels greeted, and 
 welcomed us to this beautiful city. They all greeted Von- 
 celora as an old friend and companion, and he introduced us 
 as a new born angel, who had just donned their wedding 
 garments the bride and bride groom the new made angel 
 whose feet for the first time were treading the shores of the 
 angelic city through which ran the highway of heavenly wis 
 dom and happiness whose feet had but just now entered on 
 the road of everlasting love, and the fruit of the marriage should 
 be pure and shining truth ; not one truth, but a family with 
 out number, many jewels of all colors and sizes, riches untold, 
 so many, they never could be counted. As the angels es 
 corted us up the shining shore, I turned to look at Helene, 
 as she glided by my side, her beautiful hand resting within 
 my arm. She had changed so much that I hardly recognized 
 her as the same Helene. Her robes were of the purest white, 
 gauzy and shining with light. A misty bridal veil enveloped 
 her and almost concealed her from my sight. A wreath of 
 snow-white lilies decked her brow. Voncelora and Katrina 
 had undergone a similar change. We were all now floating 
 instead of walking. Voncelora and Katrina appeared as 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 145 
 
 glorious angels of light, as did also the others. The city lay 
 sparkling before us in golden glory. I will not stop here to 
 describe the beautiful and elegant structures that went to 
 make up this heavenly city ; enough, that I describe one, and 
 that the one to which Voncelora escorted us. 
 
 As we approached this house, the angels bade us adieu, and 
 we paused a moment before entering, that I might have an 
 opportunity to take in the details of this lovely abode. The 
 body of the house seemed to be composed of an immense dia 
 mond, cut after the fashion of a prism and its flashing, sparkling 
 light, emited all the rays of brilliant coloring that it is possible 
 to imagine. The roof was a saphire and domed. A golden 
 spire pierced the heavens. The statues of two white angels 
 stood in four forms as sentinels upon the roof. The steps 
 were of polished marble. The door of shining gold. The 
 windows of topaz. Beautiful flowers bloomed in elegant urns 
 in front of the house. Fountains and shrubbery were mingled 
 together in dreamy confusion at the left. At the right, a 
 sparkling brooklet meandered across the way; and all around 
 were other houses as lovely as this one and some even more 
 so. We entered. Voncelora and Katrina were the same and 
 yet not the same. They were now a shining and glorious angel* 
 
 "Dearest Herfronzo," said Voncelora, "you are now with 
 in one of the innumerable cities of the angels ; and this is one 
 of our homes within the heavens. You are now an angel and 
 can never again be a mortal, or a spirit; never again other 
 than an angel." 
 
146 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 "You may now go on in love and wisdom until you reach 
 the highest heavens belonging to your earthly sphere ; after 
 that, you may go on until you become an archangel ; and then 
 you may visit all other planets and their spheres of love and 
 wisdom." 
 
 We had now become seated within the most sumptuous and 
 brilliant parlor. Helene and Katrina had laid aside their 
 veils and now all their glorious beauty shone forth. Katrina s 
 bright hair surrounded her like a cloud of golden glory. Her 
 blue eyes were as soft, bright and fathomless as the never 
 ending vaults of heaven. Her misty flowing robes of white, 
 were just tinged like a beautiful sunrise, whilst Voncelora was 
 as beautiful as herself. His hair waved just a shade heavier. 
 His eyes a little more forceful if not quite as penetrating. He 
 wore a soft white cloak, with breeches of pale gold. And 
 Helene ! My beautiful bride! My bride of heaven ! How can I 
 find words to describe her? Her night black hair her great 
 dark eyes that shone like the stars of midnight her perfect, 
 graceful, rounded form. 
 
 Dear reader, did st ever walk on a cool summer night, 
 when every star was visible and clear, when not a cloud could 
 be seen in the dark blue vault of heaven, when solemn still 
 ness reigned and you thought you could almost hear the grand 
 march of the worlds about you, when you drew long inspira 
 tions of the elixir of life? if you have, you know something 
 of the feeling I experienced as I gazed at my lovely bride. 
 There was not a Piano in this parlor, but we burst forth 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 147 
 
 in a grand chorus of song ; our voices rose and fell in perfect 
 unison as our souls thus gave vent to happiness that we could 
 express in no other way. 
 
 "And now, Herfronzo, your labors must commence," said 
 Voncelora. "You have not, thus far, been strong enough to 
 accomplish a great deal, for you have only been in the 
 spiritual condition. No angel is ever idle, any more than the 
 worlds that never cease in their revolutions. If there was 
 such a hell as many believe in on the earth, every angel with 
 in the heavens would rob it of its victims; and if they would 
 not, they would deserve to be in it themselves. In one way 
 the angels must rob hell of its victims, for hell is nothing 
 more than error and ignorance and for every truth that an 
 angel imparts, hell is robbed of an error." 
 
 Now that I had become joined to Helene, I felt powerful 
 and I was full of active, energetic life. I wanted to be at 
 work and I could perceive there was work for me to do for 
 ever more. Many in earth-life think if they did not have to 
 work, they should be happy. Many more, think it is degrad 
 ing to work ; but the great eternal law of nature is work, labor, 
 movement, progression ; and the worlds in space never cease 
 for one moment in their motions, in their growth, in their 
 progression; neither do the angels; they change and rest, 
 but do not become oblivious. Spirits sleep, but angels do 
 not. I was now an angel and my work must commence; yet 
 I still needed guiding. 
 
XXV. 
 
 THE HOUSE NOT MADE WITH HANDS. 
 
 is my home, my dear Herfronzo," said Vonce- 
 lora. Helena has only her Villa out in the spiritual 
 realm. I perceive you still need a little guiding and I 
 will say, that your first efforts should be to construct a home 
 within the city of angels. You will find plenty of space just 
 at the left of this house. You can make your residence as 
 beautiful as you please and you will not have to buy your land ; 
 all land is free here and in the spiritual realm." 
 
 Now, to build a house, was precisely what I most desired 
 to do. Helene s Villa was very beautiful, yet I had no hand 
 in constructing it and my feeling was, that I should prefer to 
 build a house for Helene. 
 
 "Come!" said Voncelora with a smile, "let us go out and 
 look at the spot where your house is to stand." 
 
 And so we all went forth and looked at the beautiful spot 
 where our house was to stand. We were to remain with 
 Voncelora until our house was completed. We were to 
 build until we became weary and then retire to have rest, 
 pleasant conversation and music, until we should go to build 
 again. 
 
THE DISCO VERED CO UNTR P. 149 
 
 Said Voncelora, "Herfronzo, we will lay the corner-stone 
 now ; all the rest, you and Helene shall construct by your 
 selves." 
 
 And so then and there, we four laid the foundation stone; 
 it was of solid jasper, four square, spotted and veined in the 
 most beautiful manner. Now we four constructed this stone 
 within our minds and this is the way in which we did it. 
 We first decided where the house should stand ; then, just 
 how large we wished the stone to be. Voncelora stood at 
 one corner, Katrina at the other, Helene at one corner and 
 myself at the other ; we. then in concert fixed our minds in 
 tently upon just what we wanted, and, behold ! there it pre 
 sently appeared; a solid and beautiful jasper; and it would 
 remain there as long as we desired that it should; the 
 only way in which it could be removed, would be in the same 
 manner in which we had placed it there. And when we had 
 laid the foundation stone, Voncelora said "Let us now go to 
 the Temple of Wisdom and hear the angels discourse." And 
 so we floated onward. 
 
 Presently, the Temple of Wisdom came into view; a 
 glorious and beautiful edifice; and the most lovely angels 
 were going in and coming out, and as we passed those that 
 were coming forth, they would wave their white hands to us 
 and a dazzling smile would light up their features. The sight 
 was grandly beautiful ! These white robed angels, their faces 
 shining \^ith wisdom, each one in two forms, male and female 
 making the one angel ; each one strictly and evenly balanced; 
 
i 5 o THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 not as they are on earth, mismatched, mismated, one small, 
 the other large, one desiring one thing, the other something 
 else, one understanding a thing one way, the other another 
 way; but they were inseparable ; they were never parted un 
 less they separated for a very short time to carry out some 
 work which they had in common, as for instance, Voncelora 
 left Katrina for a short time while he sat by the sheep, they 
 were working in unison together, to teach my ignorant spirit; 
 whilst my darling, my other self, my Helene, awaited with 
 Katrina, my coming, awaited till my ignorant soul should get 
 enough wisdom to know and accept the truth. 
 
 Then again; Voncelora went with me alone, back to earth 
 that I might see the last of my body and visit my son Karl ; 
 whilst Helene and Katrina awaited us in the spiritual world ; 
 but they were merely working together, as one, to bring about 
 certain results, and such as this is all the separation an angel 
 knows. 
 
 Now, as these angels appeared, they fitted each other; 
 and yet, they were very distinctly marked, male and female ; 
 but no blue-eyed male, was mated to a dark-eyed female ; both 
 had blue eyes, or both had dark eyes and in size they were 
 the same. They perceived truth alike and had one mind in 
 all things. It was impossible for them to disagree in anything. 
 They were loving inseparable souls, forever journeying on 
 together in the paths of wisdom and love, scattering bright 
 truth around them. 
 "Look!" said Voncelora, "Is not the Temple most beautiful?" 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 151 
 
 Yes, I answered ; beyond the power of description ! Yet, I 
 will try to describe it to my readers. It stood on a slight ele 
 vation. It had the appearance of two temples joined as one, 
 yet there was but one grand entrance. There were two domes 
 of saphire, with glittering spires on each; and the building 
 was constructed of innumerable jewels, all of the most rare 
 and beautiful kind; but no two jewels were alike; all differed; 
 no two were of the same color, yet all blended in beauty to 
 gether. It was a blazing, sparkling, Temple. Two white 
 flags floated from the spires; on one, in letters of gold, was 
 the word, Wisdom ; on the other, Love ! We now entered 
 this magnificent Temple and the interior was yet more beauti 
 ful than the exterior. In the centre of the hall was a pure 
 white throne ; and the congregation was an angelic throng. 
 An Angel male and female was speaking from the throne. 
 Their thoughts took tangible shape and became bright and 
 sparkling truths ; it is just the same in earth life, only it is 
 not understood ; all thoughts are real ! they cannot be seen 
 with the material eye, yet the spirit of man feels them be they 
 good, or bad. For instance, if a person in earth life enters 
 the presence of another, he feels that other s thought, although 
 his words may be entirely different from the thought; for man 
 can try to deceive, but the angels never 1 
 
XXVI. 
 
 VONCELORA REVEALS HIMSELF. 
 
 E listened to hear what the Angel was saying. 
 
 "This Temple," said the angel, "and the truths 
 that are taught herein, is expressly for those that have 
 just entered Angelhood ; those that do not, as yet, know just 
 how to work, or, just what to do ; and we are sent here to give 
 them instruction on this subject. The very first duty that 
 each angel must perform, is to teach those below them in 
 wisdom. Each angel must take up the duty that lies nearest 
 to itself; and the first duty is, to instruct its own children; 
 those beings that have come into life eternal, by and through 
 them ; they must teach them all they have learned themselves, 
 at the same time they may impart to as many others as will 
 listen and accept; and when they have faithfully imparted all 
 the clear bright truth which they know, then they shall go up 
 higher." 
 
 Now, this was all the teaching that was to be given forth 
 at this time to the new-made angels ; but what a world of 
 thought and labor was contained in this one jewel; and so 
 as the angels heard it, they passed out with shining faces,, 
 each one intent on his work ; and we too, went forth and rested 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 153 
 
 together for a short time, in the house of Voncelora; and 
 while we rested, thus we talked. Said Voncelora. 
 
 "The time has come when I shall reveal to you who I am. 
 I could not before, for you were not ready to receive the truth. 
 But first, look at me well and see if you can tell who I am. 
 
 I gazed at him a little tremblingly; for I had long de 
 sired to know just who he might be ; when, lo ! My own father, 
 stood revealed to my sight. But Katrina was not my mother. 
 My mother had been a dark-eyed woman of Jewish descent 
 and Katrina was a lovely blond. Where, then, was my 
 mother? My eyes had not as yet beheld her. Voncelora, 
 as I shall still continue to call him, perceived my thought 
 and answered: 
 
 "Thy mother is far far on her journey among the angels; 
 but you shall see her when you have performed your first 
 work ; and that will be your first decade. I shall now tell you 
 who Katrina was when in the earth-life. When you were a 
 little lad, you often heard me say that in my young manhood 
 I lived in Normandy, and my occupation there was that of a 
 shepherd. Lads and Lassies both followed the same occu 
 pation in Normandy and there was where I first saw Katrina. 
 She was at that time a lovely little shepherdess ; perhaps, ten, 
 or twelve years of age. Her long yellow hair hung in two 
 braids far below her waist ; her eyes were as blue as the skies 
 and full of mischievous fun. Her short full skirts, black 
 bodice and white sleeves, made her a picture worth looking 
 at. as she bounded over the rocks with her bare feet, swinging 
 
154 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 her broad hat by the strings. Her flock of sheep was not a 
 large one. Mine was a larger one. I had a bugle with which 
 I called my sheep. We each had a large shepherd dog, and 
 they became fast friends as the days went on. When the time 
 came to take my lunch, I blew a blast on my bugle ; this was 
 for Katrina to come and lunch with me, and we used to sit in 
 just such a spot as the one in which you first found me and take 
 our lunch together. Katrina brought wheaten bread. I had 
 nothing but black bread which was considered good enough 
 for me. I gathered wild grapes and fruit in their season. I 
 gave my black bread to the dogs and shared with Katrina, her 
 white bread, whilst she shared with me my fruit. When we had 
 finished our lunch, we used to go to just such a pool as you took 
 your bath in on entering this life and drink ; and while the sheep 
 were peacefully grazing, we sat in the shade and made love to 
 each other. I used to say to her, that as soon as we became old 
 enough I should marry her and we would build a little cottage 
 on just such a spot as you found our home when you sat by 
 its door. Oh, we were very happy then and our love for each 
 other was something wonderful ! But our dreams were never 
 realized on earth. My father left Normandy and went to live 
 in Germany and I saw Katrina no more; but her image 
 never left my mind for a moment whilst life lasted. Years 
 passed on. I grew into strong manhood and at length mar 
 ried your mother, a dark-eyed girl of Jewish descent. Although 
 she made me a good wife, we were not intended by nature for 
 each other ; and when death came we were forever separated ; 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 155 
 
 but I can never express the joy I felt when I found Katrina 
 awaiting me in this life. She had loved me always ; although, 
 she too had married and was the mother of many children. 
 But, all the dreams of our youth were now more than realized. 
 We found in spirit, the exact representation of the beautiful 
 spot, in which we made love as children ; and there, we erect 
 ed a cottage, the one in which you first found us, and we have 
 learned all and more that we have been teaching you." 
 
 This then, *was my father s history ! 
 
 "We often go to that little mountain glen," he continued, 
 "for pleasure and rest; and it was just the spot in which to 
 receive your new born spirit and give it its first lessons. We 
 also received Helene s spirit, and instructed her in the truth 
 as it is ; and she builded that beautiful Villa in which you 
 were to dwell for a short time, until you should become an 
 angel. And now Herfronzo, let us go forth ; for I am curious 
 to see you and Helene at work on your house." 
 
 And so we went forth, and my Helene and I finished 
 building our house in the city of the angels. It was an ele 
 gant and beautiful affair. Voncelora and Katrina watched it 
 with great interest, as it grew into shape and consistency as 
 we together constructed within our minds and put everything 
 in its proper place. And when we had finished it, we entered 
 and rested within it for a season. Helene, I said, this must 
 be about the time Aristotle leaves the city of brotherly love ; 
 he said he would see me again as he departed from that city. 
 I think I should like to see and hear him once more. 
 
156 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 "Very well, dear love," she replied, "we will go and meet 
 him as he comes forth. We will invite him to come with us 
 to the Villa." 
 
 So we glided forth and entered our little boat and sailed 
 across the lake; and then we floated over the hills until we 
 came near the gate of the city of brotherly love. Leaving 
 Helene for a few moments, I entered and asked for Aristotle. 
 The words had scarcely passed my lips, when he stood before 
 me and extended his hand with a beaming smile. 
 
XXVII. 
 
 ATOMS. 
 
 ARISTOTLE, I said, my wife is just without the gates; 
 I have come to invite you to our Villa, that we may 
 hear something more of your wonderful discourse. I 
 can never rest, until I hear more of that which you can im 
 part. It is the knowledge for which my soul has thirsted 
 ever since I came to the years of discretion. 
 
 "I will accept your invitation gladly," he replied, "but first 
 I will go and get my own wife. Our separation has been a 
 long one, but she is patiently waiting for me. We should 
 never be separated at all, but it is the only way in which I can 
 instruct those dwelling within the city of brotherly love ; and we 
 must all work for the good of those that are below us in wisdom." 
 
 So together, we left the city of brotherly love and joined 
 Helene, just without the gates. Aristotle promised to be 
 with us at the Villa, very shortly, and Helene and I returned 
 to it and waited for him. We had not long to wait, for pres 
 ently he appeared in radiant glory, his counterpart by his side, 
 and we took seats within the lovely little parlor. 
 
 "Well Herfronzo," he said, "what would st thou that I 
 should tell thee?" 
 
158 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 I would like to know more about the worlds in space, 1 
 answered. When on the earth, I often gazed at the moon 
 and wondered how it came to be and the method by which it 
 was created? 
 
 "My son," said Aristotle, "the moon belonging to your 
 earth, is a child of your earth, not a spiritual child, but a 
 material child." 
 
 Yes, I said, I have often thought something of the kind; 
 but I should like to know how it all came to be ? 
 
 "Thou rememberest the statement I made about the sun 
 yielding up its magnetic spirit ; and that it was a primary 
 world, never intended for habitation. Thou also remember 
 est, I stated that the earth from which thou earnest was a 
 secondary world, a child of the sun ; and being a secondary 
 world, was intended for habitation. All things toil together 
 to bring forth intelligent, imperishable angels ; therefore, your 
 earth must yield up its spirit. But the earth having brought 
 forth man, he was eventually to become an intelligent angel; 
 and as you now see, for you are dwelling within it, all things 
 on your earth yield up their spirit, and it goes to make the 
 spiritual and heavenly realms in which the spirit and angel 
 may dwell. Now, when an atom within the composition of 
 your earth has once yielded up its spirit, it cannot be replen 
 ished on the earth ; it is worthless and drifts about at the 
 mercy of a higher law; it has lost its power of attraction and 
 of being attracted, the atmosphere takes it up, carries it and 
 thrusts it out beyond its limit. Now there are countless mill. 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 159 
 
 ions of these atoms, thus rising continually ; and when they 
 get beyond the atmosphere, they crowd and push each other 
 until they lie in a helpless mass, or belt; or, in two or three 
 belts as one can see by looking at the planet Jupiter. There 
 is a law by which these atoms are replenished, or revivified 
 and spiritual essence put into them." 
 
 Helene and myself were listening with great intentness 
 to this wonderful Aristotle. He paused ; his eyes looked so 
 deep, we felt as though we were swallowed up within his 
 grand soul. His counterpart quivered in glorious light. 
 
 Oh, go on ! I said. Go on for pity sake ! 
 
 "My son, he continued, "these worthless atoms must be 
 replenished in some way. All the other atoms in space, are 
 filled with spirit, they cannot be robbed ; each atom has only 
 enough for itself and they repulse the worthless ones. How 
 dost thou suppose these atoms become revivified, or again 
 filled with spirit ?" 
 
 Oh, I do not know. I cannot tell ! 
 
 4k Well, I can; for I have been present and watched how 
 it was done, he replied. 
 
 4 Comets are not the nucleus of other worlds as many 
 suppose ; but torches great magnetic torches vast oceans 
 of pure spiritual essence devoid of matter ; and they circle 
 and sweep around among the planets and revivify every worth 
 less atom with which they come in contact. Now when these 
 atoms have again received the spiritual essence, they have 
 the power of attracting and of being attracted ; and thus, they 
 
160 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 weld themselves together in the form of a ring, such as thou 
 wilt observe around the planet Saturn. After this has taken 
 place a great many times, the ring becomes very large and 
 heavy and the earth, by its motion, is constantly repulsing and 
 throwing it off; it at length breaks in pieces, then by its own 
 inherent power of attraction, it draws itself together at its 
 central point ; and of course its surface is all in great yawn 
 ing chasms, fissures and mountains; but it is soft as the apple 
 before mentioned ; yet it has become an independent orb and 
 commences its own revolutions. The earth holds it at the 
 proper distance and there rolls your moon. The earth is 
 young, she has but one moon yet. Jupiter is older, he has 
 four. Thus the planets go on, until they have cast off seven. 
 By this time they have yielded up their entire spirit and they 
 then have seven moons and seven spiritual spheres. When 
 the earths have accomplished this, the remnant of matter 
 which is left, broken and robbed in part of its spirit, falls in 
 pieces ; as one can see by looking at the Asteroids ; these 
 pieces in their turn fall in pieces and drop as meteors into 
 some other planet. The Asteroids "are gradually dropping in 
 pieces in this way and sending meteors and meteoric showers 
 on to the earth from which thou earnest." 
 
 He smiled upon me benignly. 
 
 "So," he said, thou hast become an angel! Happy art 
 thou 1" 
 
 He rose to depart. 
 
 Oh, stay, stay ! I exclaimed. Do not leave us ! 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 161 
 
 "My son, I am aweary. I will go and rest and visit thee 
 again at another time ; then, I will tell thee more." 
 
 "But thou, thou ! Hast thou not a work to do ? Me 
 thinkst angels have been feeding thee, hast thou none to feed ? 
 The jewels which thou receivest, thou must give unto others, that 
 they may have wisdom like thyself." Saying this, he departed. 
 
 Helene, I said, I feel a cord pulling me back to earth. 
 
 "Yes, dear love," she answered, "I have perceived this 
 cord for some time ; it is a prayer, a desire from some one on 
 the earth that loves thee. Let us follow it. Let us go back. 
 
 And so, hand in hand, we started and followed the cord 
 which continually pulled me and I soon found myself back 
 to earth, face to face with my son Karl. And now I could 
 see him as I had never seen him whilst I was in my body. 
 His great soul was absolutely starving for spiritual light and 
 food, and it was my work, as well as my duty, to feed my own 
 child, to give him of the light and wisdom which I had re 
 ceived. My son was a member of the church ; and yet he was 
 starving for truth, for wisdom, for light. He tried to believe 
 in the words which he heard repeated Sunday after Sunday 
 and so long as he asked no questions, so long as he did not 
 use his brains at all on the subject, so long as his mind re 
 mained inert, inactive, it did very well outwardly, but when 
 he was alone his mind would act in spite of himself, and 
 questions of vital import would arise within him ; and these 
 were some of the questions. 
 
 "How could God come down from Heaven and beget a 
 
162 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 child? Where was heaven? Where was hell ? How strange 
 it was, such a perfect being as God, that had power to create 
 all things, should make such a creature as a fiery devil and 
 such a place as a burning hell to torture and burn forever 
 the very beings that he had created ! 
 
 And thus my poor boy s mind see-sawed backward and 
 forward. 
 
 If God was the perfection of wisdom, why could he not 
 have done better than all this? and he thought that almost 
 any man could and would have done better. He did not know 
 of a man living, that could be so cruel. "According to this, 
 man was better than the God which created him." 
 
 As I have before stated in this book, when I was on earth 
 I could not accept such ridiculous nonsensical stuff and not 
 knowing the truth as it was, I had settled down under the 
 conviction, that man came into being through natural law 
 and death ended his life. How could I now teach my son 
 that which I had learned? Since I had actually passed 
 through that which is called death, I could readily enter into 
 sympathy with his inner life and his spirit was so fine and sen 
 sitive, and so easily impressed, that I found little difficulty in 
 photographing the truth upon his soul ; and so as questions 
 of this nature arose within his mind, I would photograph, or 
 stamp the answer back upon his sensitive soul. Helene and 
 myself now visited him daily, and we had the happiness of 
 seeing him grow in wisdom and the perception of truth as it 
 is. My son was a man of genius; far higher in the scale of 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 163 
 
 being than I had been. He was the only one of my family 
 that I could reach directly and instruct in heavenly truth. 
 All the others were too set in their opinions, and these im 
 portant questions did not arise in their minds, but I visited 
 them all and did what I could, and then with my bride I 
 would return to our lovely home among the angels, or to 
 Helene s villa in the spiritual realm; and after awhile we 
 builded another home more retired than the other two, on the 
 confines of the spiritual world, where the natural and the 
 spiritual almost meet and blend together. Inclination as 
 well as duty, now prompted me to visit my son continually ; 
 to enter into sympathy with him, to answer his wishes, or 
 prayers ; and although he did not fully realize that it was his 
 father s soul, my work with him was none the less effectual. 
 As before mentioned, my son was a man of genius ; he was, 
 in fact, a musical prodigy; stamped at his birth. His soul 
 was not content with the music that earth could afford. He 
 had long since mastered all the written compositions left on 
 the earth by the greatest composers that had ever lived there ; 
 his spirit now soared aloft ; he desired to grasp at the heavens 
 and fetch down music from thence ; and this he should do ; 
 and who so well fitted as myself, to be the medium between 
 his spirit and the great masters of music within the angel 
 world; but first I must meet with some of these great masters 
 in music myself. This thought gave me great delight and I 
 was intensely eager to find some of these great souls. 
 Helene s thought was one with my own, and together we 
 
164 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 floated back to the world of Angels, intent on paying a visit 
 to some grand composer. 
 
 As we thus floated along through the city of the Angels, 
 with this desire uppermost in our minds, there presently came 
 into view a large and magnificent edifice. I have already 
 stated how the buildings are erected here in the spiritual and 
 angel world, so of this I need not speak; enough that I 
 describe it as it appeared to my enraptured view. 
 
XXVIII. 
 
 TEMPLE OF HARMONY. 
 
 NE angel alone had not constructed this elegant Hall, 
 or Conservatory of Music; but many, very many souls 
 had aided in building it until it was the perfection of 
 art and beauty. These souls had all been in harmony together 
 like the ascending scales in music ; some had laid the foun 
 dation and corner stones, while others had built upward; 
 others had added priceless jewels; and art which is but 
 nature after all had joined the whole together in one spaci 
 ous, grand and most beautiful building. The centre of the 
 building was an immense dome; the body of it was not built 
 in angles, but rounded everywhere. The dome was built of 
 saphire, and a large golden spire, sparkling with innumerable 
 jewels, towered upward from its center towards heaven. Four 
 smaller spires stood outward and around it like watchful 
 sentinels, all of gold and precious stones. A beautiful flag, 
 waved with gentle undulating motion from the central spire, 
 of gauzy cloud like texture and on it these words in bright 
 golden letters "Harmony Is The Eternal Law Of Heaven." 
 A smaller flag waved in the same manner from each one of 
 the other spires. On these flags appeared mystic symbols, 
 which I will not stop now to interpret. A massive arched 
 entrance approached by seven steps; the first of polished 
 granite, the second veined marble, the third of pure white 
 
166 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 marble, the fourth of pearl, the fifth of opal, the sixth turquoise, 
 the seventh a diamond sparkling with light. The main body 
 of the building was seven stories in height, with seven win 
 dows in each story ; each window was arched with a sparkling 
 jewel for a key-stone in every one ; but there were no windows 
 on either side the massive entrance for its grand architecture 
 took up all the space below. Curved golden hand rails ran 
 up on either side the beautiful steps, as aids and supports to 
 the trembling soul that desired to enter the Sanctuary of 
 Harmony. The windows were of stained glass ; but the colors 
 were blended in such perfect harmony that one could not tell 
 where one ended and the other commenced. 
 
 Now there were wings to this building, seven on either 
 side, and they were gently graduated from the highest down 
 to the lowest ; that is, they commenced on either side with the 
 lowest and so gradually ascended until they joined themselves 
 to the main building; they were all rounded into perfectly 
 harmonious proportions. The first building at either end, was 
 one story in height with seven windows ; the second was two 
 stories with fourteen windows ; and so on until they numbered 
 seven either way, all joining themselves together in perfect 
 harmony. 
 
 There were beautiful fountains and lovely flowers every 
 where; and statuary grand master pieces of art they 
 were not a glaring white, but a lovely shade of palest pink 
 and all the coloring was in perfect accordance with the natural 
 divine. 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 167 
 
 As we paused before this grand master-piece of nature and 
 art combined, my whole soul trembled for joy; and then as I 
 looked again, I saw children and fawns skipping and playing 
 about; beautiful plumaged birds bathing and fluttering in the 
 fountains. There were groves near by and gentle breezes 
 sighing through the trees. We drew nearer, and entering the 
 wood, stood with clasped hands and enraptured upturned 
 ^ faces, for nature had commenced a grand overture and invo 
 cation. I was spell-bound, entranced, lost to all objective 
 things. My soul was thrilling with ecstatic rapture; and then 
 the heavenly voice of my companion joined in the chorus. 
 The trees were filled with song-birds; a soft stillness was 
 around us at first, but presently I heard a little bird twitter 
 to its mate, then the answering call, then a gentle breeze swept 
 through the trees ; louder and yet a little louder ! then my ear 
 caught the sound of falling water, it fell gently at first, then 
 rippled, then rushed softly, then a gentle roar; while the birds 
 twittered and sung in perfect unison. Now I heard a distant 
 bugle call, and the sound of pattering feet; nearer, still nearer 
 they came; and now the strains of martial music caught 
 mine ear, and the perfect rythmical tread of marching hosts; 
 and yet underlying all, in perfect harmony and time, still 
 kept on the twittering birds, the sighing wind, the softly 
 falling, rippling, rushing, roaring water. 
 
 "They are marshaling the hosts of heaven 1" Whispered 
 my darling. 
 
 "I did not see them, for my soul was now all enraptured 
 
168 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 with musical sound. Nearer, yet nearer, I heard the march 
 ing feet of the angel choir ; louder, still louder rang the 
 bugle s blast. I could hear other distant bugle calls, and the 
 far off sound of marching hosts ; then, all at once silence 
 profound. Then the sound of a clear, sweet, ringing soprano, 
 and the solemn answering bass; the second soprano and 
 tenor caught up the strain, and it echoed and re-echoed 
 through the wide expanse of heaven. Then came the chorus, 
 and such a chorus may I hear forever more ; for it will never 
 leave my soul throughout Eternity. 
 
 The birds all sang their loudest and sweetest, the wind 
 sighed and soughed and weirdly whispered, the water rushed 
 and roared, the bugles called their loudest and sweetest 
 notes, and all the voices of the heavenly hosts rang loud and 
 clear, and the wide expanse of nature echoed and re-echoed 
 the heavenly strain ; then .silence profound. 
 
XXIX. 
 
 BACH. 
 
 k OW" said Helene, "we are prepared to enter the 
 Vestibule of Harmony, which is the name of the 
 edifice before us." 
 Imagine my feelings at this supreme moment. Here I 
 stood, an immortal soul ; passed the portals of that which is 
 called death ; all doubts had forever vanished away with the 
 dark and dreary past, and I stood now in the bright and 
 beautiful sunshine of actual, experimental certainty ; and I 
 was about to enter, what my soul now longed for, a most 
 beautiful and magnificent building, wherein were gathered 
 some of the greatest composers and masters of music that the 
 earth had ever known. My soul was awe-struck; and trem 
 bled with joyful emotion. The massive portals swung wide, 
 we glided through them and paused for a short time, for the 
 light and glory within was too much, at first, for my new 
 born and tender soul. Presently, I heard a deep and sympa 
 thetic voice near us, and looking up, a gentleman stood there 
 with extended hand. He was tall and finely proportioned, 
 with large, dark, piercing, yet sympathetic eyes ; wide, full, 
 clear brow ; fine dark curling hair, that waved to his shoul 
 ders ; sweet, full, sensitive lips, with clear cut harmonious 
 features. His clothes were fine and dark in color, and fitted 
 
i 7 o THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 his supple form perfectly. A small jewel flashed and burned 
 on his breast with such dazzling brightness that I could not 
 look at it, and as he extended his hand, I caught the gleam 
 of a similar one on his finger. He looked so much like a re 
 fined gentleman of earth, that my embarrassment and fear 
 left me, and I took the hand so cordially extended to me. It 
 was soft, yet firm ; but it sent such a thrilling shock through 
 my whole being that I dropped it in sudden fright. He gazed 
 at me with his luminous eyes and a soft smile parted his per 
 fect lips, showing his beautiful teeth of dazzling whiteness. 
 
 "Take my hand once more," said he, "and it will give you 
 strength ; for you will need all the strength at your command 
 as well as all that I can impart to you, in order to meet those 
 whom you will see and hear within this hall." 
 
 I took the extended hand once more, and with the clasp, 
 gentle thrilling shocks passed through and through me again, 
 until I began to feel large and strong and powerful, as though 
 I could bear to see the heavens open before me ; and then 
 the soft and gentle voice of Helene; said : 
 
 "Herfronzo, this is^Bach!" 
 
 I gazed at him. Great waves of love and joyful emotion 
 filled my soul, for he had been one of my favorite composers, 
 and times without number, I had played his grand anthems, 
 his soft prayerful melodies, and his gliding, whispering, spirit 
 ual songs. Oh, I had loved and appreciated him well ! How 
 little I then thought, that he knew it all, that he had often 
 been near me, listening and lending inspiration to my touch; 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. I7I 
 
 but now one glance revealed the whole. For a moment I felt 
 as though I could fall down and worship him, but he restrain 
 ed me, saying. 
 
 "Brother, would you like to hear me play?" 
 That was the wish then upermost in my mind . He led us up 
 a gently inclined way that ran on either side the wide portals, 
 and ushered us into a sanctuary. It was lighted by one of 
 the large stained glass windows before mentioned. The 
 place looked so home-like and withal so exquisitely beautiful, 
 that I lost my embarrassment at finding myself in the presence 
 of one that my soul had revered and that I supposed would 
 be so far above and beyond me, that I could never hope to 
 meet him on such terms of intimacy and equality as I now 
 found myself. He politely and affectionately asked us to be 
 seated. We seated ourselves in some soft and elegant chairs 
 that stood about the place, and then my eyes roved about, 
 drinking in the beautiful vision. The room was circular in 
 form, the ceiling a dome of pale azure, but so lofty I could 
 not tell of what it was composed; what surprised me more 
 than anything else, was seven large globes, turning, wheeling, 
 revolving within this domed arch. I sat gazing at them hi 
 pleased astonishment. There was an exact representation 
 of the Sun, the central point of attraction, light golden in color, 
 sending forth his rays of light, which was as Aristotle had 
 explained to me the coalescing of two great principles in nature, 
 Magnetism and Electricity. Circling around the Sun, on the 
 outermost limits, was a pale silvery planet; it was the Mag- 
 
172 
 
 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 netic counterpart of the Sun. It rolled in pale majesty, over 
 and over, around and around; and the Sun, by the power of 
 its magnetism, obeyed its every motion. 
 
 The grandeur of the whole thing nearly overpowered me. 
 Helene glanced at me with her large magnetic eyes; strength 
 and assurance returned to me and now I looked again. There 
 was Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus. 
 Now these planets were all revolving precisely as they do in 
 the heavens and I could see all things appertaining to them, 
 which ones were inhabited, their differences, manners and 
 customs. Oh, it would take ages to learn all that might be 
 learned of this one system alone. 
 
 "Well," said Bach, in his sweetly thrilling voice, "those 
 seven planets represent the seven fundamental sounds in 
 music. All things in nature correspond, as you will not be 
 long in discovering if you are an apt pupil, which I am very 
 sure you are." And he smiled his brilliant smile, and the 
 jewel on his breast flashed and glittered and sent forth rays 
 of dazzling light. 
 
 The walls were panelled, but in a very strange and beauti 
 ful way. As I looked at these panels it appeared as though 
 I were looking out through a vista dim; yet, as I looked, each 
 view became clearer, brighter, more entrancing; and again 
 the thought that it would take ages upon ages to understand 
 all one might see in this direction. I closed my eyes to bring 
 my senses back to what was immediately before me. I glanced 
 at the window, and T was looking out into a heaven so ex- 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 173 
 
 quisite, so dazzingly beautiful that the window must be stained 
 to soften the glory, so that pupils lately arrived from earth 
 could look and not be completely overpowered. The floor 
 of the room was an Emerald, and as I gazed downward I saw 
 dim visions of spheres upon spheres below me, and if one 
 were to look long enough, one could decipher them all. 
 
 BACH PLAYS. 
 
 Again the sweetly melodious voice of Bach said. 
 
 "Brother, would you like to hear me play?" 
 
 Yes. Oh yes ; I had almost forgotten that. 
 
 I now saw the room was filled with all kinds of musical 
 instruments. A grand Organ, an elegant Piano, a Violin and 
 Violoncello, and all the various instruments, both great and 
 small, that I had ever seen or heard of, and many more I 
 knew nothing about. 
 
 Bach seated himself at the organ and commenced to play. 
 Soft and tender and low. It was the crickets chirping under 
 the hearth-stone in the house where I was born, in that far 
 off time, in the Vater-land; and now the soft voice of my 
 mutter, crooning pretty measures to her baby-boy; and now 
 my little sisters began to chatter and play and sing their 
 childish songs. The little birds and streamlets joined their 
 voices, the summer winds caught up the song, the trees waved 
 their broad arms aloft, and the ocean commenced her boom, 
 boom, boom ; and then a. pause. Now I was dancing with 
 my sweetheart on the floor of the old barn; now my marriage 
 
i 7 4 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 bells rang out sweet and clear; then the rocking of the 
 old ship as the waves dashed about her ; then the new bright 
 land appeared too new and bright to be very comfortable 
 at first and then the hand over hand struggle for existence ; 
 then came sad and touching requiems, the heavens opened 
 and an angel ascended; they closed again and heavy clods 
 fell on the coffin lid; then commenced the wailing sound of 
 grief, and motherless children. Then again, marriage bells ; 
 but this time they had lost their glad sound and were faint 
 and far away; then the paean took on a grander, wider sound 
 and the march of life began in earnest ; little fresh new voices 
 were added all the way. Then I was lost to all objective things 
 in the grand finale. It ended, and there I sat like one en 
 tranced. Ah; that was playing as I could never play." 
 
 "And now," said Bach, rising, "I want to hear you play; 
 but I thought I could not after hearing him, it seemed as 
 though my touches would be mere infant s play ; his gentle 
 smile encouraged me, and I seated myself at the Piano. 
 
 I touched the keys softly ; the notes took on a heavenly 
 
 sound, and I played a miscellaneous jumble until I was tired. 
 
 "Now," said Bach, "we are going to straighten that all 
 
 out, every thread of it, until it shall make complete and 
 
 heavenly music, are we not?" extending his hand to Helene. 
 
 Her beautiful eyes filled with tender light, answered him ; 
 
 and then he waved us an affectionate farewell, and we left 
 
 the grand hall for this time to return to it again and again, 
 
 whenever we wished. Helene and I, already had three 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 175 
 
 distinct homes. We were eventually to have very many more, 
 and we learned that the angels have a great many homes. 
 When we desired to live, for awhile, very near to earth, and 
 the lowest or primary forms of nature, that we might gather 
 wisdom in matters we had not fully comprehended when in 
 the earth-life; then we would remain for a season, in this last 
 home which we had builded in the lowest spiritual sphere, 
 very near to earth; and it was often easier to work for earth 
 and its inhabitants from this home than from the ones higher 
 up in the spheres ; and from this home we could put our 
 selves in communication with my son Karl for hours and 
 even days at a time ; and as our work for a long time was to 
 lie principally with earth, we needed this home, therefore I 
 will describe it. 
 
 It was a small white cottage with only two rooms, one 
 above and one below; front and back windows; front and 
 back door ; hallway and stairs. A lovely pond, or small lake 
 lay at the back of the house with a little boat moored to the 
 shore. In front of the house was a sweet little flower garden. 
 A winding road ran in front of this and disappeared in 
 wooded regions yet unexplored by us. Mountains and hills 
 were in front of the house, over which we could not see ; and 
 to the right were cities, towns and villages ; and here we 
 were close in contact with spiritual, animal life. 
 
XXX. 
 
 TEMPLE OF WISDOM. 
 
 E shall not be obliged to prove to our readers that 
 there are constantly coming to us a vast number 
 of souls from earth-life, These spirits or souls .are 
 of all ages and conditions ; no two are alike ; all differ. No 
 two ever come to us under the same circumstances. The ex 
 perience of one is never the same as that of another, and yet 
 in many things there is a similarity. Now these spirits have 
 been passing up into spiritual life for ages, and can any 
 rational being suppose they are all shut up in some little 
 heaven or hell, or resting in the bosom of God ? Such non 
 sense is not worthy the brain of a very small child. If you 
 in your small earth-life have space and variety, and your life 
 is but the commencement of a grand eternal life, can you 
 think that we lack anything that you have, or ten thousand 
 times more ? We have already said how the soul of man is 
 lead by the beautiful hand of love, through the gates eternal 
 into the regions of bliss. We have given a description of a 
 visit we made to a Hall of Harmony. We introduced to you 
 the soul of Bach, and now I shall ask where you suppose music 
 originates ? Do you think it has its origin within the body of 
 man ? Nothing originates within the body of a man, all things 
 have their origin within the spirit, and in the spiritual realm. 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 177 
 
 After we had rested from our visit to Bach, my dear 
 Helena said we would now visit some other place of interest; 
 and so, hand in hand we floated outward and upward. She 
 did not tell me where we were going, and therefore all we 
 saw was a pleasant surprise to me. I will not stop to tell ail 
 the heavenly beauty we saw as we passed onward, until we 
 arrived and paused before a palace of such magnificence and 
 brilliant beauty, that at first we could not look at it; its 
 dazzling beauty blinded us like the sun ; but presently our eyes 
 were able to drink in the glorious vision. The building was 
 a massive structure in three distinct parts. The whole 
 building glistened and sparkled, and seemed to be composed 
 entirely of diamonds with all their deep flame colored light. 
 The massive entrance was sparkling and bright ; the steps, 
 three in number, were of opal. There was an ebony knocker 
 on the door, for whoever entered here must knock. We 
 ascended the steps and Helene knocked three times. The 
 door opened on the instant and a glorious vision stood before 
 us ; it was an Angel. 
 
 The angel bowed low and in gentle silvery tones bade us 
 enter. The vestibule was large and spacious, and the interior 
 of this building was lined with pearl. The angel, in polite 
 and gentle tone, asked us "why we came ? What our busi 
 ness might be here ?" and we answered ; we have come to 
 see and to learn. 
 
 Welcome, most welcome!" said the angel, "for none 
 that wish to learn are ever turned away." 
 
178 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 Two doors were opened softly and silently by another 
 angel ; their two forms standing, one at each door ; and we 
 entered a spacious hall, followed by the first angel. A vision 
 now met our view, too glorious to be accurately described. 
 The immense dome receded until it was lost to view, and yet 
 we were conscious that it was there. And now appeared 
 the most interesting sight of all. Here, there and everywhere, 
 hovering and floating about, were the little forms of smiling 
 cherubic children. None of them seemed to be walking or 
 touching the floor, but hovering around and above, smiling, 
 dancing, kissing each other, holding each other by the hands, 
 forming into circles and throwing flowers everywhere. These 
 flowers, as they were thrown, would come into full sight and 
 then vanish or fade away. Many of these little ones I rec 
 ognized. Many of them I had known in the earth-life. 
 They were all little wanderers from earth and had no parents 
 in the spirit world. They were all very young and had never 
 reached the age when children walk. 
 
 The children that were under the guidance of Mary, were 
 of a larger growth ; those that had been old enough to run 
 and play and learn, and knew much about earth-life, and 
 remembered their parents well ; these had all been too young 
 for that and remembered nothing of earth, or how they had 
 been ushered into being. Their wants were few, but their 
 little minds were eager to drink in heavenly wisdom, and so 
 they hovered over and above those that were really their 
 teachers. Opposite the entrance, within a rounded alcove, 
 
THE DISCO VERED CO UNTR Y. 1 79 
 
 was a golden throne, inlaid with all manner of precious stones. 
 The throne was reached by three golden steps. A large 
 golden chair stood in the center of the throne, and two 
 smaller chairs, one on either side the larger chair, formed a 
 half circle. An immense volume in crimson and gold rested 
 on a small table in front of the large chair ; and I saw in 
 shining letters, back of all this, these words : Temple of 
 Wisdom and Love. 
 
 Now this large and spacious hall was filled by a concourse 
 of angels, and seated in the large chair upon the throne, was 
 a bright angel. If a denizen of earth had been ushered at 
 once into this place, after leaving the body, he would have 
 thought he was in the heaven he had believed in, and this 
 bright and shining angel was God; but of course, we had 
 been in this heavenly life long enough to know better than 
 this, and we knew that this was only one comparatively 
 small place within the Angelic Spheres. 
 
 A soft silence rested over this large concourse of beings, 
 and the bright angel on the throne arose and opening the 
 large book, raised their eyes upward. No words issued from 
 the pure lips of Wisdom and Love, but the action in itself 
 was enough; they were calling down blessings from a power 
 higher even than themselves. And now in sweet and ringing 
 tones they commenced to read from the book. 
 
 <4 There is no law higher than this That ye love one 
 another." 
 
 "Blessed are the meek and lowly, for they shall 
 
 : HE 
 
i8o THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 inhabit the kingdom of Heaven which means happiness." 
 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God; 
 which means all that is good." 
 
 "Pray for them that dispitefully use you and persecute 
 you, for they of all men most need your prayers." 
 
 The Angel seated themselves, and we heard the notes 
 of a grand Organ, and the congregation commenced to sing 
 a glorious Anthem. The music was so sweet and grand we 
 were entranced, and when it was finished the angel again 
 arose and commenced an eloquent and beautiful discourse, 
 and this lecture I should like to give verbatim as it issued 
 from the lips of an holy Angel, for each word is impressed 
 on my memory forever more. 
 
XXXI. 
 
 JEWELS. 
 
 Sisters, Spirits, Angels;" said the 
 speaker; "we are assembled here to-day, to speak 
 upon subjects of the most vital importance. We 
 know that we as angels, cannot be idle; for we well know if 
 we were to become idle, that moment we should fall from 
 our high estate ; that moment our sparkling jewels would 
 become dim. We know it is impossible for us to cease mov 
 ing onward and upward ; for if we did not move in this direc 
 tion we should, most assuredly, fall backward and downward. 
 We know we must work and be dilligent ; and the question 
 each one of us, here assembled at this time, must ask of our 
 selves, is; where can we work to the best advantage? It is 
 only necessary that you question your own souls ; if you 
 question thus, you will always receive the answer. No other 
 soul can give you back the response. The light, the glory, 
 is within you. We do not stand here as a teacher, but 
 as one that would cheer and encourage you in all good 
 works as one that would aid in giving you strength 
 to carry out all the high and holy purposes that you find 
 within yourselves. Neither, can we allot to you any one of 
 your missions ; you each and all have your mission but it is 
 best known to yourselves, another may not intermeddle with 
 it. But this we all know; unless we are guided by love and 
 
182 . THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 wisdom we had better remain idle. This beautiful Temple 
 which represents the body, spirit and soul of man, has been 
 erected by the combination of Love and Wisdom as it exists 
 within each one of you here present, for you all lended a 
 hand in the building of it. It is but the outgrowth of your 
 own beautiful and industrious souls ; but it is a real building 
 and not a delusion ; for as you banded yourselves together 
 and placed your minds on that which you desired, it became 
 objective, an outgrowth of the beautiful within you, and this 
 most elegant edifice is the result. You find it is necessary 
 for you to band together and rear such grand halls wherein 
 to assemble for renovation, that you may renew your strength 
 and courage for the work that is constantly before you. We 
 do not admit within these walls any low or ignorant being ; 
 they cannot enter here until they are fitted by love and 
 wisdom to add glory, beauty and strength to our Temple. 
 Every jewel that enters into the construction of this glorious 
 building must be real and of true value ; firm and enduring 
 and brilliantly beautiful without and within ; it must not be 
 marred by either spot or blemish, and it must be kept con 
 stantly bright and untarnished by the earnest dilligence of 
 the builders. We all know our work lies directly with the 
 souls of our brother man ; and so long as there is one soul 
 on earth or within the spiritual Spheres, that is ignorant, that 
 is unhappy, that has a single spot or blemish upon it, just so 
 long our work lies before us and requires our love, our wis 
 dom, our time, our dilligence; and whilst we are working for 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 183 
 
 our brother, we are unconsciously adding brightness and 
 beauty to our own souls, and adding jewels of untold value 
 to this, our beautiful temple. When we last met here, jewels 
 of immense value were fetched by each one of you, and 
 given into the treasury of heaven to be added to this our 
 structure. They have been placed by the hand of Wisdom 
 and Love, where they were most needed to strengthen and 
 beautify our Temple. At this meeting we expect that many 
 more will be added." 
 
 The angel now descended from the throne and stood be 
 hind an alter of gold. The angel that had spoken stood be 
 hind a polished table of ebony, and the other angels stood 
 one on either side. 
 
 "Now" said the first angel, "we are ready to receive your 
 gifts. You all know that order is one of the first laws of 
 heaven, and so each one comes in his turn." 
 
 Thereupon, there was a gentle stir in the audience, and 
 commencing with the first they filed, one by one, past the 
 alter, and as each one passed they left a precious gem on the 
 table. When all had returned to their places there remained 
 upon the table a heap of glittering wealth. The angel reach 
 ed forth his hand and raised a brilliant jewel between his 
 thumb and finger and held it up that all might see ; but he 
 called no names, and none but the angel that left it knew to 
 whom it belonged; for it hath been said: "let not your left 
 hand know what your right hand doeth." Holding up the 
 jewel the angel read therefrom. 
 
184 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 "A cry ; a prayer ascended up to us from one who dwelt 
 on earth where we were born. The cry came from a soul in 
 agony, a lonely desolate soul; one too weak to fight the 
 battle of life alone. The cry was for help; help from on 
 high. We heard that prayer, we hastened to answer it, we 
 gave to that soul, struggling in the bondage of error, light, 
 knowledge, truth in its various forms. We aided the soul to 
 cast off its bondage of darkness and it became light, bright, 
 happy and strong ; and able to aid other souls, that were 
 brought in contact with it, to cast off the bondage of error in 
 which they were struggling, and to become free and happy in 
 the light of truth." 
 
 The jewel blazed and sparkled as the angel handed it to 
 the one on his right. The angel picked up another, and 
 read thus. 
 
 "We heard a sob ; a sigh ; we hastened to see from whence 
 it came. It was from the soul of a little child. One suffer 
 ing under cruelty, injustice and wrong. Its little spirit 
 struggled hard to be released. We found a kind soul that 
 needed that child; we augmented and increased the desire 
 of that one to take that child and care for it kindly ; and 
 then breathed into the child a spirit of love and peace. 
 
 The jewel glistened like a tear as the angel gave it to the 
 one on the left. They held up another and this was the 
 reading. 
 
 u We heard the cry of a strong man, and he said. All is 
 darkness. The life on earth is but a bubble, and the death 
 
THE DISCO VERED CO UNTR F. 185 
 
 of the body the end. Life is not worth the living. The 
 struggle for existence is too great I almost have a mind to 
 end it and lay my weary body down in the grave, where all 
 is darkness, oblivion and rest. I stand on the cold mountain 
 heights alone. No one loves me, or if they seem to it is 
 not for myself, but for what I may be able to do for 
 them. No one understands me, or has any sympathy in 
 common with me. The constant cry is, give ; give ; give ; 
 but where am I to receive strength that I may be able to 
 give ? for light and hope dwell not within my soul. And we 
 went and found one who could answer every cry which the 
 strong man sent forth ; and his soul was lightened of its 
 burdens, and he found within that other soul all he needed, and 
 the path of Eternal Life was made clear to him, and his cry 
 for unselfish love met with its fulfilment, and he became 
 strong, hopeful and happy, and able to meet the great de 
 mands made on him." 
 
 The jewel glittered and blazed and burned, and the angel 
 passed it to the one on the right ; and yet, they picked up 
 another, and read thus : 
 
 "A little child had passed through the Gates Eternal, and 
 was lying happy and content in the arms of an angel. We 
 heard the mother s wail of grief, and hastened to comfort her. 
 She was kneeling by the grave of her baby, desolate and 
 heart-broken ; to her the child was dead she would never 
 see it more the heaven she believed in was too far off, too 
 indefinite ; she felt that her baby was lost to her forever. 
 
1 86 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 We whispered words of hope and comfort to that sorrowing 
 heart, placed the spirit-form of the babe within her arms, and 
 then with gentle magnetic touches we opened the mother s 
 spiritual sight and she saw the babe within her arms, she 
 felt its little hands caress her face, its little lips as they were 
 pressed to hers, she looked into its beautiful spiritual eyes 
 and her tears were dried. My baby ! oh my baby ! You 
 are not dead but here with me." 
 
 The jewel was a pearl, and it sent forth rays of soft 
 and beautiful light as the angel passed it to the one on the 
 left. 
 
 "You all know," said the angel, "that every jewel here 
 has its own story. Some kind and loving deed was done ; if 
 not directly to the denizens of earth, to some new-born spirit. 
 Some of these jewels represent the taking and caring for 
 infants sent into spirit-life, before they ought to come, 
 through the ignorance of parents. Other of these gems, are 
 of those that think out inventions and improvements of all 
 kinds for the benefit of both earth and heaven. Others, for 
 the amelioration of all suffering, and using their influence 
 to bring those together that will give the greatest amount of 
 happiness to each other ; for happiness is heaven and heaven 
 is happiness; and you all know that ignorance and suffering 
 is all the hell there is, or ever will be ; and it is to save man 
 kind, both in and out of the body, from ignorance, suffering, or 
 hell, that we all are constantly working. We also know that 
 whenever any creature suffers there is ignorance and wrong 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 187 
 
 i 
 
 some where. If the wrong has not been committed by the 
 sufferer, it has been committed by some one ; and it is to 
 right these wrongs, and to bring all things into harmonious 
 and happy relations, that we are constantly at work. The 
 greatest amount of suffering known to us is caused by igno 
 rance. To enlighten those below us in wisdom will event 
 ually create a heaven for all, and at last all will inhabit the 
 kingdom of heaven which is happiness. 
 
 The angel now closed the book; the other two angels 
 gathered up the jewels and gently glided behind the throne ; 
 and the angel that had spoken raised their hands and eyes 
 upward and blessed the congregation ; then the organ sent 
 forth a glorious, heavenly peal, and the angels passed out, 
 each one to their work, and Helene and I followed. 
 
 Helene s lovely eyes had gathered new strength and 
 beauty ; her sweet lips wore a more heavenly smile ; her ex 
 quisite form swayed in unison with her happy thoughts and 
 high resolves, and I followed her lead, for without her I was 
 but a dark and unhappy being. Now for a short time we 
 would go and rest ourselves. 
 
XXXII. 
 
 WALALU. 
 
 went to the piano and commenced playing. First a grand 
 impulsive wave, with a minor undertone of sorrowful re 
 gret. Then soft, tender, sympathetic, tearful sounds, as 
 it were angels weeping over their loved ones yet in sorrow 
 and darkness. Then the grave, deep, solemn, yearning 
 earnestness of a father s soul that had found immortality, 
 peace, rest, joy and heaven. Then the thrilling, sweeping, 
 wave upon wave that would not cease in its effort, until it 
 reached earth and the loved ones left therein and the quiver 
 ing sounds entered their souls and pierced and stirred them 
 up, until they should comprehend immortal truth, which means 
 the immortality of the soul. Then the gentle ceaseless 
 patter of untiring effort to raise them upward and guide them 
 onward. Now the sweet ecstatic sounds of a blending, har 
 monious, heavenly love; the giving and receiving of the 
 sweetest and most harmonious chords of the soul of man. 
 Now the soft gentle sounds of angels hovering near. Now 
 the joyful, thankful sounds as they find their efforts rewarded 
 by slow but sure recognition. Now the grand joyful anthem 
 of never ending thankfulness and praise. 
 
 My being became enraptured with the music it bore with- 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 189 
 
 in it, and I played the joyful strains over and over again; now 
 louder, now softer ; now louder, still louder ; then sinking to 
 the softest, sweetest whisperings ; and so I kept on. I cannot 
 say how long; Helene s sweet voice singing in perfect unison 
 and time with every note struck, her beautiful enraptured 
 face turned heavenward, her soft eyes filled with liquid 
 heavenly light. Then we finished with the sounds and 
 words: Oh ; this is rest ; this is peace; this is joy; this is 
 life eternal ; this is the heaven long sought for and obtained. 
 This the never-ending joy; this the everlasting peace; this 
 the eternal heaven. I ceased playing; some other soul was 
 standing near. I looked around and my eyes fell upon an 
 extremely beautiful creature ; it was the form of an Indian 
 girl with her lovely hand resting on the neck of a fawn which 
 stood close by her side, its great beautiful eyes looking 
 straight into mine as though listening intently and with 
 pleasure, to my music. 
 
 The girl s straight lithe form was swaying like the wind, 
 her dark eyes gleaming and dancing with joy. Her long, 
 thick, black hair streaming down almost to her feet. Her 
 neck, arms, feet and legs were bare. A little crimson robe, 
 reaching to the knees, clung gracefully about the rounded 
 and beautiful form, confined about the waist by a sash of 
 gold. A jaunty little cap adorned with an elegant white 
 feather, rested on the graceful head. Her appearance was 
 that of one about sixteen years of age. Helene went forward 
 and gave her hand to the Indian maiden. 
 
190 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 "Welcome, dear Walalu," she said. "Did our music 
 fetch you here ?" 
 
 "Me love music much" answered the silvery voice. "That 
 very small thing make very big music," meaning the Piano; 
 but great forest trees make much better." 
 
 What kind of music do you hear in the great trees? I 
 asked, deeply interested in the lovely wild creature. Her 
 eyes dilated. She raised her dark lovely arms aloft, swaying 
 them to represent the motions of the trees and their branches ; 
 her head and the uppper portion of her body moving in 
 unison and time as she went on. 
 
 "Me sing you sweet song the trees sing to me." And 
 this is the song she sung, the silvery voice imitating the 
 winds and swaying branches. She commenced with a low, 
 soft, sighing sound; her lovely hands and arms moving 
 slowly and gracefully above and around her swaying head. 
 Then the leaves on all the trees began to flutter, her little 
 fingers quivering and fluttering as did her voice. Her mo 
 tions and voice changed rapidly as she represented the leaves 
 of the different trees of the forest ; the trembling flutter of 
 the poplar; her little fingers would straighten out like the 
 needles of the pine, and her voice would sing a mournful 
 hush; then the beach, the oak, the maple, the cotton-wood, 
 all were represented. Then the wind would blow with great 
 er power, and the gale would become so strong that her arms 
 and body swayed in all directions, until she would nearly 
 touch the floor at every motion ; her voice exactly imitating 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 191 
 
 the sighing, rushing, roaring wind, Gust after gust, now 
 would strike the trees; then all at once she stood motionless, 
 her eyes flashing, her breast heaving. Then the scream of 
 an eagle broke the silence, her arms waving majestically as 
 he soared aloft. Then all the little frightened birds began 
 to chirp and flutter; some flying to their nests, others with 
 little screams of fright, scurrying before the wind. Suddenly 
 she drew a glittering sword from her girdle, that had hitherto 
 been concealed by the folds of her crimson skirt, and flashed 
 it with such rapidity in all directions, that it nearly blinded 
 us ; then amid her gustful swayings, the low thunder mutter 
 ed ; then more screaming of frightened birds; then with a 
 swish, swash, swish, the rain came down in floods. Again 
 and again the rain came down in torrents. Again and again 
 the lightning flashed, the rain beat and poured, the trees 
 waved and swayed madly in the gale, the thunder muttered, 
 bellowed, roared and crashed ; suddenly she appeared as if 
 broken at the waist ; her head fell to the floor, her long black 
 hair lying in a wide circle all about it and she made a noise 
 like the splitting and breaking of a tree in the wind ; then 
 righting herself she represented the wind as blowing with 
 great fury; then again the lightning flashed with blinding 
 force; rip! split! split! rip! A tree had been struck and 
 torn to pieces. 
 
 I gazed at the beautiful creature in amazement. Helene s 
 eyes wore a look of enthusiasm. 
 
 "How you like my music? questioned Walalu. 
 
192 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 Extremely well ; I answered. It is the very essence and 
 poetry of music. Who taught you to perform like that? 
 
 "Great Spirit above," she answered, raising her eyes up 
 ward. 
 
 "Did you ever see this great Spirit you speak of? 
 
 "Me never see him, me feel him," she answered. 
 
 Where do you feel him ? 
 
 "Little heap of him live here," she said, placing her hand 
 upon her lovely palpitating breast. 
 
 Walalu, I asked, how long have you lived in this world ? 
 
 Long, big time ; since me come to happy hunting 
 grounds," she answered. 
 
 But there are no storms, or thunder and lightning here, I 
 said ; it seems quite strange you should remember and sing 
 and act so well. 
 
 "Oug; oug; that nothing, me go down, down, walk with 
 my people much big time," meaning that she visited earth 
 and her tribe a great deal. 
 
 Walalu, I said, your people are very near right when they 
 teach of the great spirit and happy hunting grounds ; much 
 nearer right than the Christian, when he teaches of a revenge- 
 God, Hell, Heaven, and washing in the blood of Christ and 
 thereby becoming white as snow. 
 
 4 Oug; me get all red and sticky, me wash in blood" said 
 she. "Me wash in clear running water, make me clean." 
 
 And even at that, it does not make you very white, I said, 
 laughing. 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 193 
 
 "Me no pale face, me Indian," she said with an arch 
 smile, hiding her face in the soft neck of the fawn. 
 
 Well, Walalu, I said, rising. Sit down here and let me 
 see if you can play on this piano. She shook her head, look 
 ing contemptuously at the instrument. 
 
 "Oh ; said she, "what for you play on that ?" 
 
 Why, to make grand music, I answered. 
 
 "Eh," said she, maybe you like um; me don t. Birds, 
 trees, water, big wind, soft wind, thunder, lightning, big 
 waters, all good music ; much better piano to me," and she 
 gave the piano a little contemptuous push. 
 
 "Oh," that much too little." 
 
 She arose to her feet and placing her hands to her lips, 
 gave a long, shrill, peculiar cry ; and in a second or two, it 
 was answered by a similar cry in the distance. Her eyes 
 looked expectant and danced with joy. Soon, there entered 
 at the door a tall brave, the dog following and licking at his 
 hand. He bowed his tall form before us and then taking 
 Walalu in his arms, he kissed her bright face, over and over 
 again. 
 
 "Me hunt ; hunt for you," he said, "me no find you any 
 where." 
 
 She nestled close into his -breast as she answered. "Me 
 run away like the wind, make you hunt; no find me; you 
 hear me when I blow?" 
 
 " Yes, little storm cloud, you make me heap trouble; you 
 come, then you go ; you give me sunshine, then big cloud." 
 
i 9 4 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 She patted his cheek fondly with her dark hand and then 
 pointed at the piano. 
 
 "Pale face make big music in him," she said* 
 
 He looked at me, then at the piano ; and shaking his 
 head said: 
 
 "You show them how make big thunder music?" 
 
 "She bowed assent ; he came up to the piano, struck a 
 few notes upon it, then turned on his heel and went back to 
 where Walalu was standing. 
 
 1 White-feather," said Helena, "will you play some of 
 your music for us ? 
 
 He bowed low. "Not now, some other time me play you 
 good music," and taking Walalu s hand they departed as 
 silently as they had come. 
 
XXXIII. 
 
 THE NAZARENE. 
 
 fT was nothing uncommon for us to have visitors, and I 
 hope yet to speak of many. But now we thought we 
 would take a little sail out on the beautiful lake, and so 
 passing down to the water s edge we entered our own little 
 boat. A lovely little white poodle dog lay curled up in the 
 boat, waiting and watching for us. 
 
 "Flossy," said Helene, "poor little Flossy! a cruel heart 
 sent you away from your mistress before you ought to have 
 come. But we shall take care of you, little dog, and your 
 mistress will surely see you again." 
 
 We shall not stop to describe our boat ; suffice it to say 
 that it was a beautiful little restful affair, just large enough 
 for the ease and comfort of its occupants, and it danced on 
 the waves with a gently pleasing motion. We have no blazing 
 sun here to burn and scorch us ; and our air is spiritual and 
 etherial in its nature, and has a soothing revivifying effect 
 upon us. We never need anything such as an outside gar 
 ment, and so we move airily around, clothed in magnetic 
 gauzy substance from our interior throwing outward to the 
 exterior, We had entered our little boat now, more for 
 
196 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 pleasure and rest than anything else, and we were continually 
 giving and receiving each other s thoughts. My mind was 
 constantly reverting to my dear Karl. Perhaps some will ask, 
 why to him more than your other children? I will tell you 
 why. Because on coming to the spiritual world, where I 
 could understand the interior souls of my children, I found 
 his soul was the most gifted and spiritual of all my children, 
 and consequently the most desolate and lonely ; and I found 
 that he was to the world at large, extremely reticent, and 
 that his inner being was so completely isolated, it was feeding 
 and preying upon itself in the most frightful manner. On 
 our return we found Aristotle seated on the veranda waiting 
 for us. We greeted him joyfully; and shortly afterward 
 there entered, Voncelora and Katrina. 
 
 "I am sent, dear friends, to invite you to a feast that is 
 to be given in one of the mansions of our father s house ; and 
 we shall meet there, one, whom I am sure you will be glad to 
 see. Will you come ?" 
 
 We accepted the invitation gladly, for we knew that 
 wherever Aristotle invited us to go, a feast of the soul was in 
 store for us ; and so together, we three Angels passed upward 
 into the regions of bliss. It is useless for me to describe 
 this third Paradise; there are no words that can give an idea 
 of its glory. There were no buildings in this particular part 
 of paradise, but a long table stood in a field Elysian, and the 
 most magnificent and beautiful scenery met the eye at all 
 points. We saw as we approached, many people seated 
 
THE DISCO VERED CO UNTR T. 197 
 
 around this table. Aristotle gave us our appointed seats 
 taking a seat himself at my right hand. I allowed my eyes 
 to roam over the assembled company. I knew by intuition 
 who many of these angels were ; and those I did not at once 
 recognize were made known to me by Aristotle. But my 
 eyes rested and riveted themselves on one that was seated 
 directly opposite me. And it was Jesus ; formerly of Naza 
 reth. He was gazing straight into my eyes, and his own 
 were piercing, deep and sweetly blue. 
 
 My soul thrilled delightedly. This, then, was Jesus; that 
 on earth was called the Christ. I should now understand it 
 all. Power and majesty lay all around him, but it was simply 
 the power of great love and wisdom evenly balanced. It is 
 needless for me to say that there were two forms, male and 
 female, which constituted the one Angel ; and this was so of 
 all that were present, for there were no spirits at this table. 
 Jesus was a beautiful, bright and shining angel as were all 
 the others. I was eager to talk with this son of Nazareth, 
 and was not at all afraid of him. He gazed at me with his 
 loving eyes, saying : 
 
 "Welcome, Herfronzo, to the land of redeemed souls." 
 Redeemed, Redeemed? Now I should have a contest 
 with Jesus. I glanced around the table, and every eye was 
 turned upon this man of Nazareth and myself, but the eyes 
 were all deeply loving, deeply wise. I found my tongue at 
 last, and my old earth love of argument returned upon me 
 hot and heavy. 
 
198 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 Redeemed? I said at last. Am I to understand by 
 this, that you consider yourself the redeemer of mankind ? 
 
 "Yes," he answered mildly, ;< I am a redeemer of mankind. 
 I hope, dear Herfronzo, that you will also become a redeemer 
 of mankind. 
 
 Am I then to understand there is a hell from which the 
 spirits and angels of this life have been redeemed ? 
 
 "Yes," he answered more mildly than before, "there is a 
 hell from which all human souls are constantly being redeem 
 ed ; but the proper name of this hell is error and ignorance, 
 and I am constantly doing my best to redeem man from this 
 hell. All other angels are redeemers as well as myself." 
 
 Were you begotten by the Holy Ghost ? well, on earth 
 it is understood to mean God ? 
 
 "That is right," he said. "God and the Holy Ghost are 
 one. I was begotten by God, which is the Holy Ghost." 
 
 Then you mean to tell me that Mary was your mother, and 
 God was your father? 
 
 "Yes" he replied, "Mary was my mother and God was my 
 father." 
 
 Your assertion sounds very strange, coming as it does 
 from the lips of a pure white Angel as you certainly appear 
 to be. 
 
 "I and my father are one ;" he repeated, "and if I and my 
 father are one, then I am the father of myself." 
 
 His wise and loving eyes held mine in a magnetic grip. 
 The father of yourself, I said, a derisive smile curling my 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 199 
 
 lips, for I had always cherished a slight prejudice against 
 Jesus, and I believe I could have faced Hades and its repu 
 ted master, rather than allow such nonsense to go un 
 challenged. I glanced at Voncelora, for he was my father, 
 and I, at least, had not been begotten by the Holy Ghost. I 
 laid my hand on Voncelora s arm, and as I did so, Jesus did 
 the same to one that sat by his side. 
 
 This is my father, I said. Do you claim that you had no 
 earthly father ? 
 
 "I and my father are one," he again repeated, "I am the 
 father of myself, and so are all other beings." 
 
 If I had not been an Angel and in heaven, I should have 
 been angry ; but a solemn gentle stillness reigned over all 
 the assembled company. No derisive smile was on any face 
 but my own. Helene sat with bowed head. Jesus hand 
 rested on the arm of the angel that sat by him. 
 
 "Now, Herfronzo, I know my talk sounds as paradoxical 
 to you, as Voncelora s did when he told you that you were 
 not a married man ; and that you never were married. But 
 I believe he proved to you the truth of his statement ; and I 
 also hope to prove to you that I existed before my father, or, 
 at least, was co-existent with him. And as you say that Von 
 celora was your father ; so in the same manner, this Angel 
 that sits by me was my father." 
 
 But I understood you to say that you were begotten by 
 the Holy Ghost ; and that Angel is not God, or the Holy 
 Ghost, and must have once been a man, like as we all were. 
 
200 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY, 
 
 "Yes," he replied, "and we were all begotten by God, or 
 the Holy Ghost." 
 
 I began to feel a little ashamed of my anger. 
 
 Oh ! I said, I begin to understand you. Then you do not 
 claim that you were begotten any differently from the rest of 
 us? 
 
 "No," he answered, "and I never did intend to claim, 
 when I was on the earth, that my earthly parentage was any 
 different from that of other men. My words were misunder 
 stood by men, the same as you have misunderstood them 
 now ; but I meant to be understood spiritually instead of 
 literally. I meant that my earthly father was not the first or 
 primal cause of my being ; that I was co-existent with God, 
 or the Holy Ghost ; and I was right. I said, I and my father 
 are one ; and I meant by this that I was God, and God was 
 I, as all other men and angels are God, as all things that 
 exist are God, as the great whole constitutes God, and God 
 or the Holy Ghost dwells within all things." 
 
 "Are you willing now to admit that I and my father are 
 one, and that I was begotten by the Holy Ghost ? Are you 
 also willing to admit that I am a redeemer." 
 
 But the churches on the earth teach that you are the only 
 redeemer, or Saviour. 
 
 "Herfronzo, will you be one with me to help redeem the 
 Churches from error and ignorance on this point? The 
 Angels within this sphere are all redeemers, and are at work 
 as I am at work." 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 201 
 
 Well, I said, before I can work with you, I must be 
 thoroughly enlightened on many points. 
 
 "True;" he replied, and that is why you have been invited 
 to this supper ; to you it is the Lord s Supper." 
 
 Again I felt nettled. I am not willing to own you for my 
 Lord and Master ; in fact, I think I like Voncelora much 
 better. 
 
 "He that loves father or mother, brother or sister more 
 than me is not worthy of me." 
 
 Then I am not worthy of you, I answered, for I love 
 Helene and Katrina, Aristotle and Voncelora, better than I 
 do you. 
 
 Again his eyes held my own with their sweet magnetism. 
 
 "Is it their personality which you love, or the love and 
 wisdom which shines through that personality ? And when 
 I said, he that loved father or mother, brother or sister more 
 than me, was not worthy of me, I merely meant the love and 
 wisdom that was higher than myself, or any other personality ; 
 the love and wisdom which shone through the personality. 
 
XXXIV. 
 
 SPIRITUAL GERMS. 
 
 "OU have not yet made it clear to me how you can be 
 co-existent with God, or the Holy Ghost. 
 
 "In order to make this perfectly plain to you, I 
 will introduce Galen and Harvey." Two angels arose as 
 Jesus spoke, and gently inclined their heads toward me and 
 
 again seated themselves. 
 
 "Herfronzo," said Galen, "you are willing to admit that 
 spirit and matter are forever and eternal, they had no begin 
 ning, they can never have an end; that spirit and matter is 
 God, the great father and mother of all things, or in other 
 words, of all form that exists. That the blending, or union 
 of spirit and matter produces, or brings forth form, and all 
 forms are the children of spirit and matter ?" 
 
 Yes, I answered, this is to me most reasonable. 
 
 "Then the germs of all things reside within the never 
 ending ocean of spirit and matter ?" 
 
 Yes, this view of it seems grand truth to me. 
 
 "And it is truth," he answered, "as all wise angels know. 
 Then, if the never ending ocean of spirit and matter is God, 
 father and mother in one, and their blending brings forth 
 form, and the germs of all things reside within this eternal 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 203 
 
 fount, and they never had a beginning and consequently can 
 never have an end, was not Jesus right when he said, I 
 and my father are one, and by the Holy Ghost was I begotten ? 
 And now I will explain this matter to you a little. Jesus was 
 a despised Nazarene. Could any good thing come out of 
 Nazareth ? This was the way the people talked and it was to 
 teach them that it did not matter who his parents were, or 
 from what town he came ; all this was unimportant, he was 
 a son of God, or Wisdom ; and existed long before his earthly 
 father had taken on a form, and was co-existent with God. 
 But the most of the people, in those days, had smaller brains 
 than Jesus ; he was a man ahead of the times in which he 
 lived, and therefore became a martyr, as thousands of others 
 have, to truth." 
 
 . I now looked at Jesus more complacently. I was being 
 reconciled to Jesus ; but in a different way from which it is 
 commonly understood by man. 
 
 You say, we were all co-existent with God, or rather, 
 that we all existed within the ocean of spirit and matter as 
 germs. This interests me greatly. Will you not go on and 
 tell me more ? 
 
 "With pleasure," answered Galen. "When I lived on 
 the earthly plane, I was a physician, as perhaps, you well 
 know; and I studied deeply into all things pertaining to the 
 life of man. Man, know thyself. This thought was con 
 tinually within my mind, and I was greatly desirous of under 
 standing the law of propagation, and for many reasons which 
 
204 
 
 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 I will not now mention, I became convinced that if a man 
 had a spirit or soul, it was not propagated down through 
 generations of men, and boys had not the power of propaga 
 tion. I came to the conclusion that man s soul was put into 
 his body in some mysterious way after birth. This was as far 
 as I could go when in the earth-life. As soon as I became an 
 angel my mind again reverted to this subject, and I soon 
 learned the truth. I found that man existed as a germ with 
 in the everlasting ocean of spirit and matter. That these 
 germs were breathed into the lungs of men. That man being 
 the positive force, attracted and held them. From the lungs 
 they passed into the blood, and there became clothed with 
 material substance; and after they had been nourished and 
 fed by the mother, they were born into the earth-life as 
 human beings. Therefore, man is co-existent with God-is a 
 part of God and as Jesus said, is the father of himself." 
 -Harvey," said Galen, "will you tell Herfronzo what you 
 
 discovered?" 
 
 "With pleasure," answered Harvey. 
 
 "I suppose, my dear Herfronzo, you are aware that I was 
 the first to discover the circulation of the blood ; and while I 
 was making minute examinations, I discovered within the 
 product of man s blood, germinal points. Since my time on 
 earth, other physicians have, under the microscope, discover 
 ed and analyzed these germinal points, and many are convin 
 ced that these germs are breathed in from out the atmos 
 phere by man, and this is true. In the form of spiritual 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 205 
 
 germs we had no beginning; in the form of progressed angels 
 we can have no end; we are eternal, and co-existent with 
 God, which meaneth all things that are, or ever shall be." 
 
 I do not yet comprehend the law of soul mates, or counter 
 parts ; although already united to my counterpart and conse 
 quently a completed angel ; yet I am still ignorant of the law 
 which governs it." 
 
 "Socrates," said Galen, "will you explain to our brother 
 Herfronzo, the great law of counterparts?" 
 
 "Herfronzo," said Socrates, "let us examine one of these 
 spiritual germs before it has ever been breathed in by man, 
 and we shall soon discover the law which regulates soul 
 counterparts. Saying this, he waved his hands toward me 
 in a gentle manner. Immediately my sight expanded and I 
 saw innumerable small pellucid transparent globes floating 
 here, there and everywhere. I took one of them in my hand 
 and examined it closely. I found it was an indestructable 
 spiritual germ, in the form of an egg, and within it were two 
 perfect forms, the man and woman to be ; the male and fe 
 male in one ; the future angel. The forms were perfect, but 
 the eyes were closed ; they were not yet self-conscious, or 
 intelligent. Consciousness and intelligence were yet in store 
 for them. 
 
 How is it, I asked, that children are born singly, not in 
 pairs as this germ would indicate ? 
 
 "These globes which you now see, are perfect germs, they 
 have never yet been breathed into the lungs of living man ; 
 
206 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 that is reserved for them," answered Socrates. "When 
 these perfect germs are breathed in by man, the positive or 
 male half germinates, or develops first ; the female half or 
 negative is thrown back into the atmosphere in the form of 
 an oblong globe, for they must be separated in order to be 
 born male and female ; for if this were not so the law of pro 
 pagation would be at an end. This latter globe, being 
 oblong, never rises above the dense atmospheie, and the 
 lungs of man have a far greater attraction for it than they 
 did when it was a perfect globe ; therefore, it almost immedi 
 ately becomes incarnated. And now I have explained to you 
 the true law of the sexes, for they are born into life in equal 
 numbers. Now after these germs have expanded and become 
 intelligent men and women, or otherwise, and then leave 
 their bodies or die, they are again united and form one com 
 pleted Angel. Yourself, dear Herfronzo and Helene, once 
 existed within one of these perfect globes or germs, as one ; 
 from thence you became man and woman, performed your 
 work on earth, becoming conscious and intelligent; from 
 thence you have become again united and are now a 
 perfected Angel, far on your road toward heavenly wisdom. 
 Which would you prefer to be, Herfronzo, an Angel, or the 
 undeveloped germ of an Angel? for many people say, they 
 wish they had never been born." 
 
 There is but one answer to this question, I said, It is as 
 much better to be an Angel than a germ, as it would be if 
 there were a hell, to be in heaven instead of hell, for now I 
 
THE DISCO VERED CO UNTR Y. 207 
 
 can examine all things with intelligent eyes and be wise as 
 a God. I can now enjoy the happiness of eternal love ; truly, 
 love and wisdom are the everlasting hand-maidens of God. 
 
 XANTHIPPE, 
 
 Socrates, allow me to ask you if that is Xanthippe by 
 your side? 
 
 "No," answered Socrates, "Xanthippe and myself were 
 not mated. It was not her fault, poor lady, that I was a con 
 stant source of annoyance to her ; we did not then understand 
 the law which governs the true union and love did not abide 
 with us. Heaven be praised ; this is not Xanthippe, but my 
 own true counterpart ; in the germinal globe we were together, 
 we are again united as an Angel. Happy Socrates ! This is 
 also true of every Angel present, and of all angels that exist 
 throughout eternity, and Jesus is no better than any other 
 angel that is as wise and good as he. Natural laws are just 
 the same to him that they are to all other men and angels. 
 He is just as much of God as we are and no more." 
 
 Jesus looked at me wisely and lovingly, and rising, ex 
 tended his hands and blessed the assembled company, and 
 each angel went his way. Helene and myself were a little 
 weary, and so we returned to her Villa, and there we rested 
 in love, until we were refreshed and ready to again visit earth 
 and work for those that needed us ; and there were none that 
 needed us more than my own son Karl. This man was so 
 hungry for heavenly wisdom he had come near unto the 
 
208 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 gates of death, from sheer soul starvation , but in the eyes of 
 heavenly wisdom he ought not yet to come; his work and 
 earthly mission were not yet completed ; for unless some of 
 these sensitive souls remained on earth and were taught true 
 wisdom by the angels, how would it be possible for earth to 
 progress? The great eternal, natural law, is, onward and 
 upward, around and around. Now this starving child of 
 mine must be fed with wisdom from on high. Voncelora and 
 myself must be the direct agents to feed him, and as fast as 
 I myself was fed, I must return and feed this child. 
 
 The question is asked by many on earth, of what use or 
 benefit is it to man, that the spirits of the departed return 
 and communicate with him ? Now I in return will ask, of 
 what use or benefit is it to a child to be taught wisdom by 
 its teachers or parents ? Of what use is it to teach the igno 
 rant anything? Why not let a babe remain a babe in wisdom 
 forever? Why not let a germ remain a germ forever? In 
 fact, why need there be germs, or anything at all ? But the 
 great eternal truth is, that all these things do exist and there 
 never was a time when they did not; therefore, the great 
 eternal law is, that the higher shall teach the lower, and that 
 is why angels and spirits communicate with man, and that 
 was the reason why I must teach my starving child and all 
 others that could and would accept my teachings; and I 
 must be taught by those higher than myself, and so on forever. 
 A globe is an emblem of eternal wisdom, bearing within 
 itself the germ of all possible things. If a man s body is not 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 209 
 
 fed it starves and perishes. If a man s soul is not fed with 
 wisdom it shrivels away and falls into darkness and error, 
 and therefore my starving son must be fed, and I now had 
 plenty of wisdom to feed him for a long time, and there ex 
 isted a never ending supply for myself within the higher heavens. 
 
 When Helene and I returned to earth we were often in 
 the company of many other angels that were returning, like 
 ourselves, to visit and feed with wisdom from on high their 
 own particular loved ones ; and I soon discovered that no 
 one in the earth-life was without some loving angel that often 
 walked with them, and fed them as much as was needful for 
 them, or as much as they would accept. The more we teach 
 earth of heaven, the nearer earth will approach heaven the 
 happier and better it will be. I had now become a working 
 angel ; our pleasure and pastime, the quest after wisdom ; 
 our labor, that of teaching others below us and visiting earth, 
 yet our labor was the labor of love. We were constantly 
 visiting Halls of Wisdom ; we were constantly meeting higher 
 angels, but Voncelora and Aristotle were the friends which I 
 loved best. Aristotle had become an Archangel ; and that 
 means he had visited many other worlds besides the earth on 
 which he, as well as myself, were born. 
 
 Voncelora had also visited one or two. They now thought 
 that I, in their company, might be able to visit one; and 
 they left me to decide which one it should be. Of course 
 the first one that I visited must be one of the planets belong 
 ing to the same system as the earth. I thought I should like 
 
2IO 
 
 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 to visit one that was inhabited; also, one that was in advance 
 of earth, and Jupiter was the one which I selected. 
 
 1 Now," said Aristotle, "I have visited Jupiter many 
 times ; Voncelora has been there once or twice, and it will 
 take us many days, as time is counted on earth, to go to 
 Jupiter and return ; for it is, even to an angel, a long dis 
 tance, and the planet is very large, many times larger than 
 earth, and we shall be obliged to rest on our way thither." 
 
XXXV. 
 
 JUPITER. 
 
 so when we were fully refreshed, we three started ; 
 but we had not gone very far on our way, when we 
 were joined by many other angels, for many new angels 
 were eager to go, as was myself; and many archangels were 
 delighted to take them, for they joyed in teaching wisdom. 
 By the time we arrived on the planet Jupiter, we were a large 
 company, and I have not yet discovered that angels visit 
 a planet alone. We found Jupiter far in advance of earth in 
 all things, more perfect in every way. We settled directly 
 down upon the planet, and were met by a great concourse of 
 the people there ; for they are so far on in the scale of pro 
 gress, they can perceive spirits and angels with their natural 
 sight. Their material bodies are very light, etherial, and 
 intensely refined; they are very nearly in a spiritual condi 
 tion. When I describe the planet Jupiter, and its inhabi 
 tants, it will show what Earth and its inhabitants are to be 
 some day. 
 
 The surface of the planet was gently undulating; there 
 were no Volcanos ; there was no fire upon the planet of any 
 kind; fires had long since ceased to exist, and consequently 
 the need of fire. Water had become so light and airy, it had 
 not the power of drowning anything, although it lay in beau- 
 
2i2 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 tiful lakes and small seas all over the planet, but it was not 
 very deep anywhere, for the reason that the planet has lost 
 its inequalities ; all its surface has become smoothly undula 
 ting. It is never cold, it is never hot ; it is so far removed 
 from the sun, and its atmosphere is so rare, and so many 
 miles in thickness, that the rays of the sun are greatly 
 scattered and modified. It is never cold there, because the 
 air is so many miles in thickness, and because it does not 
 rush rapidly and create great vacuums. Consequently there 
 are no storms of any kind, except occasionally, soft gentle 
 rain. There is no snow, there is no ice, for it is never cold 
 enough to freeze. There are gentle breezes, but no high 
 winds ; there is occasionally a little thunder and lightning- 
 From Jupiter s surface his moons look very nearly as 
 bright as the sun, and give him almost as much light; he 
 has no extremely dark nights, his darkest hours are not much 
 darker than earth s twilight ; therefore, he needs no artificial 
 lights, and if he did he could not have any, for fire has ceased 
 to be with him. Go where one will, upon his surface, there 
 are always three large planets visible in his heavens, giving 
 him light, besides the stars, and the stars appear much larger 
 to him than they do to the earth, because of his rare and ex 
 tensive atmosphere, and for the same reason the sun and 
 Jupiter s four moons appear much larger and their light 
 is more diffusive. When the sun is visible there are also two 
 moons shining, and his moons are much larger than earth s 
 moon. When the sun sets there are three moons visible ; one 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 213 
 
 near the zenith, one in the north, and one in the south, and 
 the sun has left a pathway of golden light behind it that does 
 not disappear until it is about time for it to rise again in the 
 east, and long before it rises it is heralded in the same way 
 by a broad pathway of beautifully colored light. The people 
 eat no flesh; that has long since been a thing of the past, 
 and their record calls it the barbarous age, or the age of 
 death. No animal is ever killed there, and if such a thing 
 were to occur it would be considered murder in the first 
 degree. Many animals that are known to earth have long 
 since disappeared from off the face of Jupiter. 
 
 Cereals, fruit and vegetables are all the food they have, 
 and all they want or require ; but their cereals and vegeta 
 bles are not like those of earth, for cooking is not known on 
 the planet Jupiter. Their vegetables are more in the form 
 of large sweet ground nuts that do not require cooking. 
 Their fruits are more like large .apples, bananas, oranges, 
 cocoanuts and sweet bread fruit. Their cereals are all very 
 different from those of earth. They have corn, but it is very 
 large, sweet, soft and milky, and they merely eat it one ker 
 nel at a time. They have oats, but they grow very large and 
 sweet ; none but the animals eat them. There is wheat and 
 various other small grains, but only the birds and animals 
 eat these ; they are not needed by man on the planet Jupi 
 ter. The most brilliant and beautiful flowers grow in all 
 available places. There are no very steep or high moun 
 tains, there are no pine trees, there are no serpents. None 
 
214 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 of the lower animals exist there now ; they have long since 
 had their day. 
 
 The age of man on the planet Jupiter is a thousand of 
 earth s years ; and he does not die as man on earth does ; he 
 at length becomes so etherial that he ascends into the 
 heavens in plain sight of the inhabitants, merely shaking off 
 as it were, a little of the material body that is too heavy to 
 ascend. The people on the planet Jupiter are very large ; 
 they are born in pairs, male and female, and there is no 
 death either by disease or accident ; that has long ceased to 
 be with them. The male and female are one from their 
 birth, man and wife, and remain so until their ascension. 
 
 The planet Jupiter has long since ceased to multiply in 
 numbers, they merely hold their own, and the man and wife 
 never have but two children which are born at the same time 
 and are the future man and wife to be. The inhabitants of 
 Jupiter are very far on their road to perfection ; they are ex 
 tremely wise and God-like. Although they are very large, 
 yet they are extremely light and very beautiful. When the 
 children are born they know very nearly as much as the 
 wisest man does on earth, and in three days from their birth 
 they walk and talk and appear somewhat as your boys and 
 girls do at twelve years of age. Very little clothing is 
 needed on the planet Jupiter, and very little is worn. One 
 soft flowing garment is all they wear ; it is always made in 
 the same style, but they have many of various colors. They 
 perform but very little labor, and very little is needed. They 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 21 j 
 
 \iave no very large crowded cities or towns, and the popula 
 tion is quite evenly dispersed over the face of the globe. 
 They do not buy, or sell, or barter in any way. Land is 
 neither bought nor sold ; and all their congregations meet in 
 the open air. They have no winters, and the land produces 
 all the year round. Their houses are all made out of a 
 light material, something like bamboo, which grows extreme 
 ly light and large, Their houses are built in two apart 
 ments ; that is all, and all that is needed, a parlor and sleep 
 ing apartment. They do not need barns or outhouses, for 
 they can gather their food as they wish to eat it, at all times, 
 and do not need to store it. 
 
 They eat but once in their long day, and then at the 
 noon-tide. Their table is spread beneath the branches of a 
 great tree which bears, all the year round, a delicious 
 bread-fruit; it is their principal food and would sustain them 
 if they ate nothing else. They plant one of these trees 
 whenever their children are born, and the life and hearing of 
 the tree is about the length or the life of the man. They do 
 not travel much and they have no cars, but there are very 
 large animals there, something after the style of a camel, 
 and when they travel they ride upon his back. This animal s 
 gait is very swift and easy ; great love exists between these 
 animals and their owners. These animals are capable of 
 talking in monosyllables, as for instance, yes and no ; and 
 many other monosyllabic words. They also have the power 
 of smiling ; they need no shelter and usually remain near the 
 
2i6 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 residences of their masters ; they are not bought or sold, and 
 very rarely produce more than two or three of their kind, but 
 they are born singly. 
 
 The people do not have ships or vessels of any kind, for 
 it is not needful, but there are very large birds, in form, some 
 thing like a duck, that both fly and swim, and the inhabitants 
 ride on the backs of these birds, and as no animal has any 
 fear of man, but only love, they all delight to serve him, and 
 one of the inhabitants of Jupiter looks as natural on the back 
 of one of these birds as man on earth does on a horse, and 
 the bird flies, or swims at its pleasure and to please the rider. 
 The riders use motions and words in order to guide the birds, 
 this is all that is necessary. There is no large ocean on the 
 planet Jupiter, and there are no tides. The waters are never 
 lashed into fury by storms or hurricanes. There are no 
 cyclones or water-spouts. The planet has an abundance of 
 water, but it is more evenly distributed than it is on the 
 earth, owing to the planet s comparatively smooth and even 
 surface ; it has small seas and lakes with now and then a 
 very broad and gently flowing river. 
 
 There are no kings, queens, or presidents upon the planet, 
 for none are needed. The people have become so perfect 
 that each one is a law unto himself; and there are no laws, 
 or by-laws. Their music is beyond anything that I ever 
 heard on the earth, and they often form into large bands, and 
 their music is most heavenly. Their musical instruments 
 I cannot describe, for they are not like those of earth, they 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 217 
 
 have been improved, until they bear no resemblance to earth 
 ly ones They call the angels that visit them from the spheres 
 of earth, fairies, or a word that means the same thing, little 
 men. Their language is not like that of earth. The lan 
 guage which they speak has been simplified until there are 
 but comparatively few words in it, and the same language is 
 used all over the planet. There are no schools on the planet 
 Jupiter, none are needed ; the parents teach their two child 
 ren all they themselves know ; and they can know but very 
 little more than they do, until they become entirely spiritual 
 ized. Angels from other planets are constansly visiting them 
 and teaching them all they know. There is a great deal of 
 uniformity on the planet, but it is of so high an order that 
 one does not tire of it. 
 
 The belts of Jupiter are not visible to its inhabitants, they 
 are hundreds of miles distant from its surface and beyond its 
 atmosphere ; they are composed of the worthless, or worn out 
 atoms that constantly arise from the planet and are pushed 
 up by its atmosphere, and as the ages roll on, they will be 
 again revivified by a large comet, and at length become 
 another moon. 
 
XXXVII. 
 
 THE SHIP. 
 
 |S soon as the new angels had become familiar with the 
 main facts concerning the planet Jupiter, we again re 
 turned to the spheres of earth; and as we greatly de 
 sired to talk with Aristotle about the planets, we invited him 
 to remain with us as long as he could. 
 
 Voncelora was to remain also, and it was decided that we 
 would not remain within the house, but go down by the sea 
 and go on board a ship and sail out on the broad bosom 
 of the spiritual ocean. And so we three angels floated down 
 to the shore, and there we found a beautiful ship ready to re 
 ceive us, and we went on board, and taking our seats on the 
 main deck we were soon out of sight of land. 
 
 And as we sat on the deck of this beautiful ship we began 
 to converse. 
 
 Why is it, I asked, that they have no ships or vessels of 
 any kind, on the planet Jupiter ? And why do they not have 
 carriages, cars and locomotives, the same as they do on earth? 
 
 "My son," answered Aristotle, "no planets or peoples 
 have anything which they do not need. Jupiter was once in 
 the same stage of progress that the earth is now, and then he 
 had cars, carriages, locomotives and vessels of all kinds, but 
 he has no need of those things at the present time ; his com 
 merce has long since ceased ; the hurly burly and hurry of 
 traffic is forever over with him ; his inhabitants have all be 
 come even, one with another, their wants are so few and so 
 easily supplied that he needs nothing which you did not find 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 219 
 
 upon his surface. No kind of tree grows there heavier than 
 the bamboo of earth; there is not a rock throughout the 
 whole vast globe, and his weight is only about that of cork 
 of the same size. The men on the planet Jupiter are large 
 and light in accordance with the planet, as are also the 
 animals and birds. As crowds and traffic are no longer a 
 feature of the planet, of course cars, carriages, locomotives 
 and ships would be superfluous. The people never travel 
 very far at any time, and as the globe and the people are 
 very uniform, there are no sights to see different from those 
 which they see at home. The need of long journeys is over, 
 therefore, their animals and birds are all they want. Cook 
 ing is a thing of the past, and all that labor with its appur- 
 tanances is over, and there is now no labor upon the planet, 
 except to build a small bamboo house in which to retreat 
 when they have those gentle rains and in which they sleep. 
 Their only method of cutting the bamboo is by a long and 
 sharp knife, which they make from the breast-bone of a bird; 
 they do not kill the birds in order to make the knives, but 
 only take the bones after the birds die a natural death. 
 Each family have about half a dozen knives of various sizes, 
 one with which they cut their fruit, and one, or two, with 
 which to build their houses. They could not have anything 
 made of iron, for that ore has long since disappeared from 
 the planet. Their musical instruments are made chiefly from 
 the intestines of their dead animals and bamboo. They 
 make a kind of reed instrument, upon which they perform 
 
220 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 most wonderful music. Their garments are made from the 
 skins of animals and birds ; and their method of preparing 
 the skins is this : When an animal dies, they carefully re 
 move the skin, stretch and pin it to the earth, and then scrape 
 it very thin and clean ; they then allow it to remain in the sun 
 until it is perfectly dry ; they then rub it between their hands 
 until it is very pliable and soft ; it is then stretched again and 
 coloring applied to it; and they have as many beautiful dyes 
 as the rainbow, which they make by stirring together juices 
 of various plants. They have no pottery, or crockery of any 
 kind; they could not make it if they would, for the planet 
 has long since ceased to furnish material; but gourds grow 
 plentifully, and their few utensils are made out of gourds, 
 and some of them are extremely beautiful, for they are painted 
 and decorated in the most elegant manner. And now my 
 son, said the great philosopher, we will turn our attention to 
 other wonderful things in nature." 
 
 I drew a long sigh of intense delight. Oh ; how good it 
 was to be an angel. What wonderful things I was learning 
 every moment. Well; we sailed on in the most delightful 
 way for a long time, each one intent on his own thoughts, and 
 the gentle breeze that wafted and filled our white sails was the 
 very elixir of heavenly life. If a mathematician of earth 
 wanted to know, positively, the exact size of the men on the 
 planet Jupiter, all he would have to do, would be, to find out 
 just how much larger the planet is than the earth which he 
 has already done and the people on the planet are just as 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 221 
 
 many times larger and lighter than the people of earth. 
 
 "It is not absolutely necessary that either men or angels 
 should visit the planet to find out these things ; they can 
 arrive at correct conclusions through the law of correspon 
 dences and exact mathematical calculations, said Voncelora." 
 
 Oh ; how I should like to convince my son Karl, beyond 
 the shadow of a doubt, that he will surely live after the death 
 of his body ! How I should like to convince all men on the 
 earth below, of the immortality of the soul ; for more than 
 half the people are unconvinced, and one fourth of them 
 believe in a fiction. The spiritualists are the nearest right, 
 and yet they have not the truth in all its purity, I said, as an 
 uncontrollable desire to this effect seized me. 
 
 "Well, my son," said Aristotle, "man cannot be convinced 
 of anything except through his reason. Appeal to your son s 
 reason, and your wish will be assured to you. The boy at 
 school never doubts the accuracy of mathematics, after he has 
 once learned the multiplication table, he is positively sure 
 beyond the shadow of a doubt that it is true, and you can 
 convince men of the truth of immortality in the same way. 
 Teach man absolute truth, without error, and he can no 
 longer doubt. But a child that has never been taught math 
 ematics is ignorant of the truth of them." 
 
 Aristotle, will you accompany me to earth and show me 
 the exact method by which I may convince my son ? 
 
 "Yes; with pleasure," he answered." Voncelora shall go 
 with us also." And we left the ship and glided down to earth. 
 
XXXVIII. 
 
 COMPLEX MAN. 
 
 we three angels, bearing six forms, stood around 
 a scribe that we found there, and compelled the scribe 
 to write for us, for the good of my son, and for the 
 good of mankind in general. 
 
 "Now," said Aristotle to the scribe, "write out my proof, 
 which is pure reason that man bears an immortal spirit 
 within his material body. But first, we will telegraph for two 
 eminent physicians. Let them come and help us Galen 
 and Warren." 
 
 And we sent a telegram for them, and they shortly arrived. 
 Now we all worked in concert together, and that which 
 follows is the result. 
 
 When you look at a man you see nothing before you but 
 a man composed of skin, or, epidermis ; and if you trusted 
 to nothing but your eyes, without reason, you could not say 
 that man was composed of anything but skin. Now there is 
 the perfect form of a man composed of skin. Underneath 
 the epidermis is the true skin, which is to the sight invisible. 
 So there is another perfect form of man, composed of true 
 skin. Underneath the true skin is another perfect form, com 
 posed of veins. Take away all else, and there stands the 
 man of veins. 
 
THE DISCO VERED CO UNTR T. 223 
 
 Next, there is the perfect arterial man. Next, there 
 stands the perfect form of man, composed of nerves. Now, 
 we have the perfect form of man, composed of muscles. Then 
 there stands the perfect form of man, composed of bone 
 per se a skeleton. 
 
 Now all this is matter, or material substance, which would 
 be inert, or dead, if it were not for an animating principle 
 that permeated every particle of this complex structure ; and 
 that animating principle is the perfect spiritual man ; and 
 this spiritual man is composed of magnetism and electricity. 
 
 Now there is a perfect form composed of magnetism and 
 another one composed of electricity ; and these two are the 
 immortal, imperishable form of man ; they are united, and go 
 hand in hand. One cannot exist without the other. Now 
 there is a third principle, which we will call the soul of man ; 
 and the magnetic form, and the electric form, bear the soul 
 within them. The soul is the guiding principle of the spirit 
 ual body ; and it clothes itself with magnetism and elec 
 tricity; that is, it holds it together in the perfect form of 
 man. Now, when the soul leaves the material body of 
 man, it takes the magnetic and electric body with it; for 
 these three bodies are inseparable. Magnetism, as all know. 
 is invisible, except under certain conditions ; and electricity 
 is also an invisible substance, except under certain conditions 
 and the soul is an invisible substance, except under certain 
 conditions ; and if man did not have a magnetic and an elec 
 tric body, there would be no heat within him ; for it is the 
 
224 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 uniting of magnetism and electricity that causes all light and 
 heat. When the soul leaves the material body of a man, and 
 has taken with it all the magnetism and electricity, the 
 material body falls apart or decays ; for its animating princi 
 ple has left it all that could think, hear, feel, or see, has 
 left it. 
 
 Now this that has left the material body, we call the 
 spiritual body ; and it is triune in its nature the intelligent 
 body, the magnetic body, and the electric body and this 
 body has lost nothing but a gross covering of matter, which 
 it no longer needs. All that thinks, hears, sees or feels, it 
 retains ; for these are of the soul and not of the material 
 body ; for if they were, the material body would still continue 
 to think, hear, feel and see, just the same when the soul had 
 fled. Now the soul has an electric and magnetic body ; and 
 the magnetic and the electric body are perfectly and evenly 
 balanced; they are in exact equilibrium; they are the clothing 
 and the vehicles of the soul; and these three bodies in one, 
 are all invisible to the material sight of man, because com 
 posed of invisible substance, for all know that electricity is 
 invisible, and magnetism is invisible, and the soul is invisi 
 ble, but this body may be visible under certain conditions. 
 Now the soul is the intelligent, or animating principle of the 
 magnetic and electric body ; and it can move its electric body 
 with the swiftness of electricity, or it can gently float, or re 
 main quiescent ; and the magnetic body attracts and holds 
 together the electric body ; for the magnetic body permeates 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 225 
 
 the electric body, and the intelligent soul permeates and 
 guides the whole ; and the God that man talks so much 
 about, sits enthroned within his own body for God and the 
 soul of man are one and the same person ; and the soul oi 
 man first exists as an invisible germ within a little invisible 
 magnetic and electric globe ; male and female in one, as has 
 previously been stated in this book. Therefore, God is both 
 male and female, equally balanced, and co-existent. 
 
 "Now," said Voncelora, "let us return to our gallant 
 ship," and so we all together, quickly returned to our beauti 
 ful vessel, and the vessel was built in the same way that out 
 houses had been; but by many angels acting in concert 
 together. And as she rose and fell on the magnetic waves 
 of a vast electric sea, thus we talked together. 
 
* XXXIX. 
 
 THE PULSING HEART. 
 
 Angels, I said, before I left the material body, 1 
 used to ponder deeply on the cause of a man s heart 
 beating ; for when the heart ceased to beat the man 
 was dead ; or, that was the way that I looked at it, and I 
 used to think if there were a way to keep a person s heart 
 beating, possibly he might never die. But the question that 
 I desire to ask, is, what causes a man s heart to beat ? For 
 my heart, now that I am an angel, is stiM beating ; and it has 
 never ceased to beat, to my knowledge. The beating merely 
 left the material heart, it still pulses on. 
 
 "Well," answered Galen, "that thought often crossed my 
 mind when I was on the earth; and shortly after becoming 
 an angel, and finding my own heart still beating, I inquired 
 of some of the archangels and received the desired informa 
 tion." 
 
 "My dear Herfronzo," said Galen, "what causes the pis 
 ton, within the cylinder of a locomotive, to work up or down ; 
 or in other words, to move, to pulse or beat, what is the 
 motive power ? 
 
7 HE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 227 
 
 Well, I answered, in my day it was steam ; but they are 
 now getting electricity as a motive power. 
 
 "We will take steam, then, as the motive power ; for I 
 think I shall be able to make it clearer to you, and I shall ask 
 you, what is the cause of steam ?" 
 
 Why, boiling water. 
 
 4 What causes the water to boil?" 
 
 Well, the cause of that would be evident to any child 
 heat, of course. 
 
 "What is the cause of heat ?" 
 
 Why the burning of something. 
 
 "What causes the burning ?" 
 
 Why, a thing that can burn is ignited. 
 
 "What causes a thing to be ignited ?" 
 
 Really, Galen, you must answer that question for me. I 
 am afraid I do not know. 
 
 "Well said Galen, "a. spark of electricity." 
 
 4 Oh; ah; yes, I said. 
 
 "But we will take a thunder bolt, as an example. Of 
 course you are well aware that lightning is an electric fluid ; 
 per-se the lightning rod." 
 
 "Well, Herfronzo, our next question must be, what is 
 electricity ?" 
 
 Oh, dear ; I said, I am afraid we are wading out beyond 
 my power of comprehension. 
 
 "Not so, he answered, " we are now getting at the great 
 pulsing heart of all things the eternal motive power ; and 
 
228 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 the motive power is the little invisible flame called magnet 
 ism. Now magnetism is a pure, invisible, spiritual flame, or 
 in other words, the vast ocean of spirit and matter are coun 
 terparts. Each little flame of magnetism attracts and holds 
 an equal proportion of matter; which makes a perfect atom. 
 The little flame is the central point, or nucleus of the atom ; 
 and the coalescing of the two principles, matter and magnet 
 ism, generate heat, or the little magnetic flame within the 
 atom heats the atom to a white heat ; therefore heat is the 
 coalescing of magnetism and matter ; and thus worlds are 
 formed. But atoms, nor worlds, never cease in their motion, 
 they forever obey the great law of magnetic attraction ; and 
 the magnetic body within a man, which animates the electric 
 body and forever hides within it ; is the secret cause of the 
 pulsing heart. It is the spirit within a man which pulses ; 
 and magnetism 01 spiritual flame is the motive power. There 
 fore, dear Herfronzo, your heart still beats, and will keep on 
 
 beating while the eternal ages roll." 
 
 Oh ; how good it is to be an Angel ! I exclaimed, Joy ! 
 
 joy ! forever more. We had been sailing on and on, all this 
 
 time. 
 
 "Herfronzo," said Aristotle, "do you realize that we are 
 
 sailing on great magnetic waves of a spiritual sea ?" 
 
 Well I suppose it must be so, I answered, for it is not 
 
 water such as there is on earth ; neither is it water such as I 
 
 found in the lower spiritual spheres. 
 
 "We are now beyond the spheres of earth," he said, "and 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 229 
 
 we are rapidly sailing towards the sun of your earth. Ex 
 amine these waves, Herfronzo ; examine them well." And I 
 obeyed. 
 
 It was a vast ocean of pure amber flame, rolling in great 
 waves all in one direction, and that direction toward the sun, 
 as I could now see. 
 
 "This is a pure magnetic sea" said Aristotle, "devoid of 
 matter; and its destination is the sun. Presently we shall 
 arrive there." 
 
 And soon we landed on the sun. Now the sun is not a 
 solid globe like the earth, neither is it inhabited; and it is as 
 black as the blackest night; and is composed of pure matter, 
 devoid of spirit, or in other words, it is pure carbon devoid 
 of magnetism ; but as these great magnetic waves strike it, 
 and penetrate it, it continually bursts into golden flame and 
 sends forth its rays of life, and light, and heat. The body of 
 the sun is a dead, primary world, that has yielded up its 
 spirit countless ages ago ; and that spirit retains its form, as 
 we retain ours ; and it constantly sends back great magnetic 
 waves to the body of the sun, which causes the sun to 
 blaze in golden glory. 
 
 "Now, said Aristotle, "we will go and pay a visit to the 
 sun s counterpart ; for the sun, like ourselves, is actually but 
 one sun in two forms, male and female; magnetism and 
 electricity. But we will leave our ship behind and travel on 
 rays of light." 
 
 And as fast as electricity and light can travel, we 
 
230 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 journeyed toward the sun s magnetic counterpart ; and pre 
 sently we arrived there. And here we found a great chemical 
 laboratory. For every ray of light and heat which the sun 
 shoots forth, travels directly to this magnetic globe, and is 
 there again resolved into magnetism proper ; and then rolls 
 back again in great waves to the sun. This magnetic globe 
 is invisible to man, as all magnetism is; and the electric 
 body of the sun is also invisible to man ; it is the result that 
 is visible ; it is the light and heat of magnetism and electricity 
 that man sees and feels ; for the light and heat of the sun 
 strikes and bathes in glory, all the planets that lie between 
 it and its counterpart; and the great magnetic waves, as 
 they roll towards the sun, strike and bathe, and nourish all 
 the planets that lie between it and the sun. Now as the 
 clothing or form of the soul, is composed, equally of magnet 
 ism and electricity, it finds no difficulty in traveling on the 
 wings of either ; and if man on earth wishes to know how 
 fast an angel can travel, he has only to watch the lightning s 
 flash, and that truly reveals it to him. Or, an angel can 
 move or glide, as slowly as it pleases, or remain perfectly at 
 rest. 
 
XIv. 
 
 HOW A SCRIBE IS MADE TO WRITE. 
 
 ,FTER visiting the sun, and its magnetic counterpart, we 
 were all very weary, and going on board a ship, which 
 we found ready to receive us, we sailed back to our 
 own native spheres back to Helene s villa, which we dearly 
 loved. Warren and Galen took their leave of us at the door, 
 but Aristotle and Voncelora remained with us, at our earnest 
 request; for I longed to converse with them about all that we 
 had seen on the planet Jupiter, and the Sun and its counter- 
 part. But first we needed rest and refreshment. The ladies 
 retired to prepare our dinner, and we three gentlemen remain 
 ed in the parlor. My weariness was greater than that of the 
 other two, for it was my first long journey, and I really could 
 not sit up, and so I lay upon the sofa. Aristotle and Vonce 
 lora rested within easy chairs but let me here say, it is not 
 the body of an angel that becomes tired, but it is the soul ; 
 it must rest and digest that which it has seen and heard, 
 just the same after leaving the material body, as it does while 
 within it. 
 
 I should like very much, to witness the ascension of some 
 one of the people on the planet Jupiter ; it must be a very 
 interesting occasion. 
 
 "It is," answered Aristotle. When a man and his wife 
 
232 2 HE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 have lived for about a thousand years of earth s time it is 
 not a thousand years of Jupiter s time they are ready to 
 make the ascension. Their material bodies have become 
 very attenuated, not shrivelled, or shrunken, but larger and 
 more expansive, lighter, thinner, more like vapor, it is a 
 time of great rejoicing with all their friends ; they gather 
 about them with bands of music ; they feast and dance for 
 joy ; and when the spiritual part of the ascending one has 
 become entirely disengaged from its material body, it slowly 
 ascends in plain sight of the assembled company. The 
 etherial body has again taken on all its youthful beauty, but 
 greatly heightened; it has become heavenly beauty. As 
 these two forms slowly rise, they look down and bless the 
 people assembled ; and with sweet and heavenly smiles, they 
 gradually disappear with a group of angels that join, 
 and receive them. Then the company gradually disperse 
 with joy and gladness. One of their number has gone from 
 their midst, and is now with the angels in glorious and 
 heavenly light. The nearest friends gather together the form 
 that is left, and cast it forth with other refuse matter, as of 
 no account ; they think of it, only as they do the husks of 
 their grain or fruit, and treat it just the same." 
 
 Presently, the ladies came and invited us to the dining 
 room ; and we took our seats at the festive board. 
 
 "As soon as we are completely rested and refreshed," 
 said Voncelora, "I propose that we visit earth and see how 
 our loved ones are there." 
 
THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 233 
 
 We all agreed to this ; and in a few hours we started ; but 
 instead of lingering near my son Karl, we went directly to 
 our scribe ; for we had many things that we wished written 
 for the good, not only of my son, but for the people in general. 
 "Now," said Aristotle to the scribe, "we desire that you 
 should write how it is that we influence you to write that 
 which we desire you to write. Many people ask the question, 
 why it is that people, when angels are near them, influencing 
 them, shake and shiver, and feel cold -chills run down their 
 backs, their hands shake and twitch, and we will tell them " 
 We have already told you that our bodies are composed 
 of magnetism and electricity, held together and guided by 
 onr intelligent soul. Now when we put ourselves in juxta 
 position with a material body, and with our stronger and 
 more powerful will, overpower and control the soul within 
 that body, our electric and magnetic body often enters the 
 material body of the one we are controling; and it is the 
 sudden electric shocks which chill and shake them so. It is 
 the foreign and surplus magnetism and electricity which fills 
 them. Our subtile and refined body fills them and our 
 stronger will overpowers theirs. It is then they do not appear 
 like themselves, but wiser, more God-like, more powerful; for 
 it is not themselves, but ourselves. Again, magnetism and 
 electricity are able to penetrate most material substances ; 
 and that is why we are able to pass in and out, and stand 
 by your side, when all doors are closed. That is why we 
 come to you like flashes of light, and then are gone. Or, we 
 
234 THE DISCOVERED COUNTRY. 
 
 can remain with you as long as we please. That is why 
 orators, and men and women of genius, are constantly out 
 doing themselves, and talking and writing better than they 
 know. It is not they but us ; and a so-called dead man has 
 written this book in this way. In other words, this book and 
 the everlasting truths it contains, has been entirely written 
 by an Angel ; and it is a part of his experience in the spirit 
 ual and angelic life. 
 
 It is no work of the imagination, and I will not allow it 
 to pass as such. But it is absolute truth, stripped of error ; 
 and I am not conscious of one false thing herein written, 
 except in the matter of two names. My own name and that 
 of Voncelora. And tne right names I would have most 
 willingly given to the world, but could not on account of 
 my son whose name is not Karl. 
 
 The end ! Not of Life Truth, or Love and Wisdom 
 but the end of this book. 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF 
 
fSYCHICKLHoVEL 
 
 ARLYLE 
 
 TERSILE 
 
PRESS NOTICES. 
 
 A PIANO VIRTUOSO TURNS AUTHOR. 
 
 CARLYLE PETERSILEA S PSYCHICAL NOVELS. 
 
 BOOKS upon psychical or occult subjects have been frequent of late, and 
 command considerable attention from the reading public and the press; 
 but it is seldom we find a musician entering the literary field. Not long 
 since a volume entitled "Oceanides," a psychical novel, made its appear 
 ance in Boston, under the author s nom de plume of Ernst von Himmel. 
 It commanded large attention in that cultivated community which listens 
 to any theory concerning the present or the life to come without preju 
 dice, and is just as apt to accept or reject any radical idea set forth, if it be 
 presented with logical force. It has just been made public that the author 
 of the work, also a second, entitled "The Discovered Country," is Mr. 
 Carlyle Petersilea, renowned for his Beethoven playing, and the director 
 of the Petersilea Music School, which has taught thousands of students, 
 and been in operation for the past twenty-one years. 
 
 The son of an eminent musician, Petersilea was known in his childhood 
 as a prodigy who took to Bach s preludes and fugues as other children 
 take to tops or marbles. In fact, he played the whole forty-eight from 
 memory, and made a stir as a pianist at the age of twelve. His career as 
 a pianist and teacher, and his extraordinary memorizing of the entire list 
 of the Beethoven sonatas, and his inspiring performances of the same, 
 are too well-known to require reiteration at this late day. He now comes 
 before the public as the author of these extraordinary books, which have 
 called forth many strong letters from some of Boston s advanced men and 
 women in the literary world, including Oliver Wendell Holmes. Mr. 
 Petersilea began last night a series of six Friday pianoforte recitals at the 
 First Spiritual Temple, Boston, in which his programmes are chosen from 
 Mozart, Schubert, Beethoven, Chopin, and Rubinstein, with songs by 
 Lassen and Franz. These recitals will be interspersed with readings from 
 his two books. The programmes are prefaced with the following sentence 
 
 3 
 
NOTICES, 
 
 from "The Discovered Country : " " In the ages to come, Love, Wisdom, 
 and Goodness which is Heaven will prevail ; -while Hate, Barbarism, 
 and Criielty ^uhich is Hell shall pass away," which seems to be the key 
 stone of this singular work. But to the book in question, we reproduce 
 the chapter from "The Discovered Country" on the visit to Bach in the 
 celestial world : 
 
 BACH. 
 
 " Now, said Helene, we are prepared to enter the Vestibule of 
 Harmony, which is the name of the edifice before us. 
 
 " Imagine my feelings at this supreme moment. Here I stood, an 
 immortal soul ; passed the portals of that which is called death ; all 
 doubts had forever vanished away with the dark and dreary past, and 
 I stood now in the bright and beautiful sunshine of actual, experimental 
 certainty ; and I was about to enter, what my soul now longed for, a 
 most beautiful and magnificent building, wherein were gathered some of 
 the greatest composers and masters of music that the earth had ever 
 known. My soul was awe-struck, and trembled with joyful emotion. 
 The massive portals swung wide ; we glided through them and paused for 
 a short time, for the light and glory within were too much, at first, for my 
 new-born and tender soul. Presently I heard a deep and sympathetic 
 voice near us, and, looking up, a gentleman stood there with extended 
 hand. He was tall and finely proportioned, with large, dark, piercing, 
 yet sympathetic eyes; wide, full, clear brow; fine, dark, curling hair that 
 waved to his shoulders; sweet, full, sensitive lips, with clear-cut, har 
 monious features. His clothes were fine and dark in color, and fitted his 
 supple form perfectly. A small jewel flashed and burned on his breast 
 with such dazzling brightness that I could not look at it, and as he ex 
 tended his hand, I caught the gleam of a similar one on his finger. He 
 looked so much like a refined gentleman of earth, that my embarrassment 
 and fear left me, and I took the hand so cordially extended to me. It 
 was soft, yet firm ; but it sent such a thrilling shock through my whole 
 being that I dropped it in sudden fright. He gazed at me with his lumi 
 nous eyes, and a soft smile parted his perfect lips, showing his beautiful 
 teeth of dazzling whiteness. Take my hand once more, said he, and 
 it will give you strength ; for you will need all the strength at your com 
 mand, as well as all that I can impart to you, in order to meet those whom 
 you will see and hear within this hall. 
 
PRESS NOTICES. 5 
 
 " I took the extended hand once more, and with the clasp, gentle 
 thrilling shocks passed through and through me again, until I began to 
 feel large and strong and powerful, as though I could bear to see the 
 heavens open before me ; and then the soft and gentle voice of Helene 
 said : 
 
 " Herfronzo, this is Bach ! 
 
 " I gazed at him. Great waves of love and joyful emotion filled my 
 soul, for he had been one of my favorite composers, and times without 
 number I had played his grand anthems, his soft, prayerful melodies, and 
 his gliding, whispering, spiritual songs. Oh, I had loved and appreciated 
 him well ! How little I then thought that he knew it all, and that he had 
 often been near me, listening and lending inspiration to my touch; but now 
 one glance revealed the whole. For a moment I felt as though I could 
 fall down and worship him, but he restrained me, saying : 
 
 " Brother, would you like to hear me play? 
 
 "That was the wish then uppermost in my mind. He led us up a 
 gently inclined way that ran on either side the wide portals, and ushered 
 us into a sanctuary. It was lighted by one of the large stained-glass win 
 dows before mentioned. The plac^looked so home-like, and withal so 
 exquisitely beautiful, that I lost my embarrassment at finding myself in the 
 presence of one that my soul had revered, and that I supposed would be 
 so far above and beyond me, that I could never hope to meet him on such 
 terms of intimacy and equality as I now found myself. He politely and 
 affectionately asked us to be seated. We seated ourselves in some soft and 
 elegant chairs that stood about the place, and then my eyes roved about, 
 drinking in the beautiful vision. The room was circular in form, the 
 ceiling a dome of pale azure, but so lofty I could not tell of what it was 
 composed ; what surprised me more than anything else was seven large 
 globes, turning, wheeling, revolving within this domed arch. I sat gazing 
 at them in pleased astonishment. There was an exact representation of the 
 Sun, the central point of attraction, light golden in color, sending forth his 
 rays of light, which was, as Aristotle had explained to me, the coalescing 
 of two great principles in nature, Magnetism and Electricity. Circling 
 around the Sun, on the outermost limits, was a pale, silvery planet ; it was 
 the Magnetic counterpart of the Sun. It rolled in pale majesty, over and 
 over, around and around ; and the Sun, by the power of its magnetism, 
 obeyed its every motion. 
 
 " The grandeur of the whole thing nearly overpowered me. Helene 
 
6 PRESS NOTICES. 
 
 glanced at me with her large magnetic eyes ; strength and assurance 
 returned to me, and now I looked again. There were Mercury, Venus, 
 Earth, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus. Now these planets were all 
 revolving precisely as they do in the heavens, and I could see all things 
 appertaining to them, which ones were inhabited, their differences, man 
 ners, and customs. Oh, it would take ages to learn all that might be 
 learned of this one system alone ! 
 
 " Well, said Bach in his sweetly thrilling voice, those seven planets 
 represent the seven fundamental sounds in music. All things in nature 
 correspond, as you will not be long in discovering if you are an apt pupil, 
 which I am sure you are. And he smiled his brilliant smile, and the 
 jewel on his breast flashed and glittered and sent forth rays of dazzling 
 light. 
 
 " The walls were panelled, but in a very strange and beautiful way. As 
 I looked at these panels, it appeared as though I were looking out through 
 a vista dim ; yet, as I looked, each view became clearer, brighter, more 
 entrancing ; and again the thought that it would take ages upon ages to 
 understand all one might see in this direction. I closed my eyes to bring 
 my senses back to what was immediately before me. I glanced at the 
 window, and I was looking out into a heaven so exquisite, so dazzlingly 
 beautiful, that the window must be stained to soften the glory, so that 
 pupils lately arrived from earth could look and not be completely over 
 powered. The floor of the room was an Emerald, and as I gazed 
 downward, I saw dim visions of spheres upon spheres below me, and if 
 one were to look long enough, one could decipher them all. 
 
 BACH PLAYS. 
 
 "Again the sweetly melodious voice of Bach said: 
 
 " Brother, would you like to hear me play? 
 
 " Yes. Oh, yes ; I had almost forgotten that. 
 
 " I now saw the room was filled with all kinds of musical instruments. 
 A grand organ, an elegant piano, a violin and violoncello, and all the 
 various instruments, both great and small, that I had ever seen or heard 
 of, and many more I knew nothing about. 
 
 " Bach seated himself at the organ and commenced to play. Soft and 
 tender and low. It was the crickets chirping under the hearthstone in 
 the house where I was born, in that far-off time in the Vaterland ; and 
 now the soft voice of my mutter crooning pretty measures to her baby-boy ; 
 
PRESS NOTICES. 7 
 
 and now my little sisters began to chatter and play and sing their childish 
 songs. The little birds and streamlets joined their voices, the summer 
 winds caught up the song, the trees waved their broad arms aloft, and the 
 ocean commenced her boom, boom, boom ; and then a pause. Now I 
 was dancing with my sweetheart on the floor of the old barn ; now my 
 marriage bells rang out sweet and clear ; then the rocking of the old ship 
 as the waves dashed about her; then the new, bright land appeared, 
 too new and bright to be very comfortable at first, and then the hand-over 
 hand struggle for existence ; then came sad and touching requiems, the 
 heavens opened, and an angel ascended ; they closed again, and heavy 
 clods fell on the coffin lid ; then commenced the wailing sound of grief 
 and motherless children. Then again marriage bells ; but this time they 
 had lost their glad sound, and were faint and far away ; then the paean 
 took on a grander, wider sound, and the march of life began in earnest ; 
 little fresh, new voices were added all the way. Then I was lost to all 
 objective things in the grand finale. It ended, and there I sat like one 
 entranced. Ah ! that was playing as I could never play. 
 
 " And now, said Bach, rising, I want to hear you play; but I 
 thought I could not after hearing him : it seemed as if my touches would 
 be mere infant s play ; his gentle voice encouraged me, and I seated 
 myself at the piano. 
 
 " I touched the keys softly ; the notes took on a heavenly sound, and 
 I played a miscellaneous jumble until I was tired. 
 
 " < Now, said Bach, < we are going to straighten that all out, every 
 thread of it, until it shall make complete and heavenly music, are we 
 not? extending his hand to Helene. 
 
 " Her beautiful eyes, filled with tender light, answered him ; and then 
 he waved us an affectionate farewell, and we left the grand hall for this 
 time, to return to it again and again whenever we wished." American 
 Art Journal, February 20, 1892. 
 
 LOVE AND PHILOSOPHY. 
 
 Oceanides is the name of a nnu psychical novel by Ernst von Ifim- 
 mel, author of that charming book, " 7"he Discovered Country." 
 
 THIS octavo of four hundred and eighteen pages further emphasizes the 
 theory of the author, that true marriage is a soul-mating, and that if not 
 in this life, certainly in the spirit-world, all shall eventually find their 
 soul-mates, and there live together in perpetual harmony and love. 
 
8 PRESS NOTICES. 
 
 Besides this pleasant theory of eternal mating, the author relates sev 
 eral conversations he claims to have with ascended spirits, who teach him 
 how our planet was made, and how organized life came to exist upon it. 
 This part of the book is particularly interesting to those who are speculat 
 ing upon the origin of man. Mr. von Himmel adopts the evolutionary 
 theory, and brings man out of the gorilla. But the steps taken in evolv 
 ing the first organism from invisible germs floating in the atmos 
 pheric ether in space, are really novel, and will arrest the attention of the 
 reader. 
 
 The book, both in its story and in its speculations, will hold the reader 
 to a close perusal to the end. It is a very enticing book. We give 
 below a glimpse at the author s theory of world building: 
 
 "There is an infinite, ethereal sea, and within this ethereal sea is the 
 atomical sea, and the atomical sea completely fills the ethereal sea, yet 
 the ethereal sea completely surrounds each atom, so that no one atom 
 absolutely touches another atom; the atoms are a shade heavier and more 
 dense than the ether, yet the atom is counterpoised and evenly balanced 
 by a third principle at its very heart, or central point, which .is a pure 
 flame, pale amber in color, just a point, a dot of pure magnetic flame. 
 
 " Out of this ethereal and atomical sea, spring forth all things that are 
 or ever shall be, suns and moons and stars, constellations and systems 
 and zones of worlds, angels and archangels. 
 
 " Within this sea, which extends throughout all space and time, lie the 
 germs of all possible things; the material out of which all existent things 
 are formed; and it is the uniting or marriage of the magnetic flame and 
 translucent matter that gives birth to all form." 
 
 Von Himmel is then shown a new world, which has now attained great 
 size, and his teacher says, " From a small nucleus of atoms has grown 
 into shape and size this immense globe. It has grown to this size by its 
 constant motions and revolutions by attracting and holding atom after 
 atom. You can readily see this globe is still soft and warm. Although 
 it has grown to this enormous size, it has become a little harder than a 
 ball of jelly : it is now about the consistency of an apple, and very much 
 the same color as an apple without its skin; its own motion, weight, and 
 growth has hardened it; it is warm, for each little atom still holds its 
 central magnetic flame: thus the cold, translucent matter is warmed 
 
PXSS NOTICES. 9 
 
 throughout all this great mass; it bears its life, growth, and heat within 
 it, just as a little animal does when it grows rapidly; and this young or 
 primary world grows very rapidly. It feeds and grows from outside sus 
 tenance, just as a planet or animal does. It constantly gathers atoms, and 
 appropriates them to its own use; the "only difference being, that, like a 
 snow-ball, it gathers as it rolls; it rolls within the atomical sea, and holds 
 to itself every atom with which it comes in contact. But it only gathers 
 the atoms which are composed of magnetic flame and translucent matter; 
 the ethereal and germinal sea are still left intact, and it has robbed and 
 appropriated all the atoms within the space wherein it has moved. 
 
 " In this way it creates a vast orbit for itself, for it is still to roll where 
 it can gather its food; it shuns that part of the sea which it has deprived 
 of its atoms, for it attracts the atoms, and the intact atomical sea attracts 
 it : this is the manner in which the primary worlds create their own orbits. 
 
 " At length this immense globe, rolling within its vast orbit, ceases to 
 grow. It has reached a point in its career where it must drop a portion 
 of its weight ; it has become too weighty to hold itself together any 
 longer. 
 
 " The law of attraction and growth ceases with it; its weight and rapid 
 motion cause the outer surface to harden still more, but the inner part 
 yet remains soft. It now presents more the appearance of an orange 
 with its rind, the harder and softer parts being about in the same propor 
 tion; and as it still rapidly revolves within its orbit, the inner part gradu 
 ally becomes loosened from the rind. As the inner part becomes loose, 
 the motions of the now two distinct bodies are not the same; the inner 
 part, being softer and warmer than the rind, by its more rapid motion 
 constantly drives off the rind, thus causing the rind to crack open; and as 
 this primary world has but two motions the revolving on its own axis 
 and the rolling in its orbit, it has become elliptical, like an egg, and thus 
 the shell cracks all around the central part. 
 
 " The intact globe within still rolls on, and for a certain time the shell 
 or ring is still carried by the power of attraction along with it. But 
 there comes a time when the ring, ,by its own weight and the centrifugal 
 motion of the central globe, breaks all in pieces and falls away from the 
 inner globe. The inner globe escapes entirely, and still rolls on by 
 itself." 
 
10 PXSS NOTICES. 
 
 But our readers must get the book. In it they will see further develop 
 ment of von HimmelPs theory of soul-mating. There is a very pretty 
 love romance interwoven with the novel speculations of world-building. 
 Altogether the author has added to his reputation by this last work. His 
 first work, " The Discovered Country," is still attracting much attention, 
 and drawing many readers. There is a refinement of thought and lan 
 guage which is gratifying, especially as the books purport to be written 
 under special inspiration. There is more scholarship and polish of diction 
 in both these works than is usually found in mediumistic productions. 
 
 Novel readers will here find a fascinating romance, and spiritual philos 
 ophy will find some very new speculations on the nature and operations 
 of matter and force which we have not space to admit. 
 
 AL-CY-O-NE (with the accent on cy) : a Spiritual Journal; issued fort 
 nightly, 20 numbers a year, 1st and I5th of the month; by the STAR 
 PUBLISHING COMPANY, 93 Sherman Street, Springfield, Mass. H. 
 A. BUDINGTON, Editor. 
 
 OCEANIDES. 
 
 IF anything commendatory were needed to accompany this remarkable 
 book upon its introduction to the great reading public, the fact that it is 
 from the pen of the author of "The Discovered Country" should at once 
 gain it an unqualified passport to the favorable consideration of all intel 
 ligent, serious, and thoughtful readers. 
 
 The scope of the book is limitless; for it takes us through that "thin 
 partition which separates this world from the next," and brings us face to 
 face with the visible aspects and seemingly inscrutable mysteries of the 
 spirit- world. The dual nature of " Oceanides " will give it a powerful 
 hold upon the minds of its readers. The episodes that are essentially 
 material, are sufficiently interesting and exciting to enlist the sympathies 
 of the more literal reader, while the glowing pictures of "the world be 
 yond," and of the nature and essence of things in the infinite universe of 
 which our earth is but an infinitesimal atom, fill one with measureless 
 wonder and amazement. The inception, growth, maturity, and gradual 
 decadence, and ultimate death of a world is minutely explained upon an 
 apparently reasonable hypothesis, and in such a vivid manner as to enchain 
 the entire attention of the reader and hold it to the end of the volume. 
 
 The countless readers who have perused with delight the pages of "The 
 
PRESS NOTICES. II 
 
 Discovered Country " will readily recognize its grand themes and their 
 fuller developments in " Oceanides." The casual reader whose only 
 desire is to be entertained for the moment, will be loath to lay aside the 
 book until he has read every word of it. The seeker after the truths of 
 the sublimest phases of human existence in this world, and of its mysteri 
 ous and invisible connection (except to the eye of faith) with the "life 
 beyond," will herein find the fullest consummation of his most ardent 
 longings. " Oceanides " is a radically pure book, the chief aim of which 
 is to raise humanity to the highest possible condition of physical and 
 spiritual estate. The Folio. 
 
 OCEANIDES: A PSYCHICAL NOVEL. 
 
 LAST year we had "The Discovered Country," by Ernst von Himmel, 
 which is the nom de guerre of a gentleman I am not at liberty to name. 
 Indeed, the story has a dual authorship, and seems to come chiefly from 
 an occult source, as the name "Himmel" suggests. The book is well 
 printed, and is published by the Himmel Company, Hotel Boylston, 
 Boston. 
 
 It deals with the unseen, with the origin of worlds and creatures. It 
 represents every human germ as originally double, by-sexual. These 
 halves are separated in the earth-form, and unless each half finds its 
 proper fellow in marriage the union is incomplete and inharmonious; just 
 as each section in a whole orchard of halved apples must find its proper 
 mate, or else that particular apple is not complete. 
 
 The father of Ernst is in the other world. He guides his musical son 
 by means of dreamy, spiritual intercourse, having in mind specially the 
 clearance of the way between Ernst and the heroine, who is Ernst s true 
 counterpart. It happens that Oceanides is a worthless scamp s wife, whose 
 attempts on her life and peace would do credit to a modern English melo 
 drama, and are very interesting. By unseen help she is saved from her 
 lord s malice, and at last becomes Ernst s helpmeet. 
 
 Not only is the story interesting, but there is much originality in the 
 treatment of the subjects involved. No one should fail to read it who 
 cherishes a doubting faith in the unseen. American Art Journal. 
 
 THERE will yet come to the world, and that we predict right speedily, a 
 revelation from the realm of spirit so clear and so convincing that error s 
 
12 PRESS NOTICES. 
 
 misty cobwebs will be quickly brushed aside, and the eager, longing ones 
 on earth who are seeking through spiritualism a fuller revelation than any 
 that has yet been given, will rejoice with joy unspeakable at the utter 
 goodness of the great glad tidings soon to be revealed. 
 
 W. J. COLVILLE. 
 
 Two years ago a little volume of two hundred and thirty-three pages, 
 bound in blue, appeared under the title " The Discovered Country." The 
 author s name was given as Ernst von Himmel. As its name would im 
 ply, it is a story of transcendental motive, in which, in a certain way, 
 Plato s idealism is quite cleverly adapted to a conception of the life that 
 succeeds to the material life on earth. Last year the some author followed 
 it up with another entitled " Oceanides: a Psychical Novel," which was 
 dedicated to the Reverend Minot J. Savage. Mr. Savage, in a private 
 letter, declared that "The Discovered Country" was a "most striking 
 work, and well worthy the study of all those interested in the great psychic 
 problems." 
 
 It gradually became known that the author was Mr. Carlyle Petersilea, 
 who has been for many years associated with the highest interests of music 
 in Boston. Mr. Petersilea was born in Boston in January, 1844. His 
 father, a pupil of the great Hummel, was the author of an admirable sys 
 tem of pianoforte instruction, and began to teach his son when the latter 
 was eight years old. In 1862 the boy was sent to the famous Leipzig 
 Conservatorium, where he graduated three years later, receiving a special 
 testimonial of his brilliant talents signed by eleven of the professors, in 
 cluding Moscheles, Reinecke, Richter, and was besides granted the prize 
 of the Helbig fund. A year or two later he made his first public appear 
 ance in Boston at a concert of the Musical Union. He afterwards estab 
 lished a Conservatory of Music here, at which he instructed many pupils, 
 who have since become distinguished. In 1884 Mr. Petersilea was in 
 Europe, and passed the spring in Weimar, where he saw a great deal of 
 the famous Liszt. On one of the walls of his delightful rooms, which 
 look out across the roof of the Young Men s Christian Union building 
 toward the harbor, hangs a large photograph of Liszt seated] in his study 
 in the " Hofgaertnerel," and this bears an autograph dedication which is 
 extremely interesting. Mr. Petersilea is his own publisher, and he has 
 several other stories which he hopes ultimately to bring out. Such enter- 
 
PA SS NOTICES. 13 
 
 prises are rather unusual on the part of men devoted to music, and cer 
 tainly it deserves commemoration. JOHN WANAMAKER, Philadelphia. 
 Book News. 
 
 NEW BOOKS. 
 
 Two remarkable new books have recently appeared from the pen of a 
 new writer, Ernst von Himmel, and are published by the Ernst von 
 Ilimmel Publishing Company of Boston. They are "The Discovered 
 Country," and "Oceanides: a Psychical Novel." They are similar in 
 conception; both treat a unique subject, that now, more than ever before, 
 engages the attention of a large number of people, and each is written in 
 a fresh, glowing, and charming style. 
 
 In "The Discovered Country," the author has followed the line of 
 speculation traced by Elizabeth Stuart Phelps in her " Gates Ajar; "but 
 the story is in no sense an imitation, for he has not only clarified and 
 amplified her idea, but succeeded in giving a stronger color of reality and 
 lifelike tone, so to speak, to Miss Phelps s somewhat pale and shadowy 
 realm beyond the gates. The story consists of a series of pictures and 
 conversations embodying the author s idea of the spiritual life, and they 
 are presented in a beautiful and attractive style. In a word, the realm 
 depicted is one of transcendental beauty and bliss; the life a continuation 
 of the earthly one, but purged of all its gross and materialistic features. 
 " The Discovered Country " will be a solace to a host of^ readers whose 
 spiritual ideas are still vague and unsatisfactory to themselves. 
 
 In " Oceanides " the author has followed the same vein of thought; the 
 spiritual idea is still the dominating one, though the story more closely 
 concerns the matter-of-fact affairs of the material world. Nevertheless, 
 it is spiritualistic throughout ; but the author expressVy disclaims sympathy 
 with the gross and materialistic phenomena that a pseudo-spiritualism in 
 later days professes to exhibit. The ideal, spiritual marriage is the domi 
 nant theme of the work ; and the struggles, experiences, and spiritual 
 growth of "Oceanides," wedded at first to a vicious and evil-minded 
 brute, in attaining that ideal, is the motive of the narrative, which is told 
 in a refined and consistent style. Norwich (Conn.} Evening Record, 
 January 26, 
 
 "OCEANIDES " is a very extraordinary tale: it boldly touches the mar 
 riage question, and explains the theory of spiritual counterparts in a very 
 
14 PRESS NOTICES. 
 
 interesting and graphic biography of a noble but greatly afflicted woman. 
 This volume is dedicated to Rev. M. J. Savage, the widely respected pas 
 tor of the Church of the Unity, Boston. We should much like to read 
 his opinion regarding the peculiar scientific and religious as well as 
 advanced social theories with which the book abounds. As a novel it 
 deserves to rank almost among the masterpieces of the greatest writers 
 of fiction, which, after all, is only fact disguised. The plot is a very 
 strong one, and all the characters are well sustained ; it could be success 
 fully dramatized, as it abounds in striking and even sensational incident. 
 The writing is smooth, forcible, eloquent, and, at times, heroic and sub 
 lime. It abounds from first to last in intense human interest, and may 
 well become a standard classic. It compares favorably with many of the 
 stirring novels of Balzac and other vivid authors who carry their readers 
 along with them from beginning to end by the double force of a pecu 
 liarly intricate plot and unusually successful handling of good and copious 
 material. 
 
 "The Discovered Country" we have only seen in handsome cloth 
 binding, price $1.00. " Oceanides," in strong paper cover (418 pages), 
 can be obtained for 50 cents, or we can send it with one year s subscription 
 to Problem of Life, for $1.35. 
 
 The Problem of Life : a monthly magazine, devoted to Spiritual 
 Science and Philosophy as related to Universal Human Progress. W. J. 
 Colville, Editor. Frank F. Lovell & Company, 142 & 144 Worth Street, 
 New York. 
 
 AT the present time every thoughtful person is to some extent or other 
 interested in the powers invisible, which we often feel without understand 
 ing, and which seem so mysterious in their workings. The greatest 
 problem to humanity life is invisible to mortal eye, though its mani 
 festations prove its presence; and any one who speaks intelligently of 
 phases out of the average experience is always listened to with inter 
 est, even if not fully agreed with. "The Discovered Country," by 
 Carlyle Petersilea, is one of the notable and strong books of the day, and 
 since its publication has been widely read, and with the warmest of interest. 
 "Oceanides" is his most recent volume : "a psychical novel." Both 
 show scientific understanding, broad thought, and genuinely individual 
 methods of treatment. They are both works that will repay reading, 
 winning interest and arousing thought. The Boston Times. 
 
PRESS NOTICES. 15 
 
 OCEANIDES. 
 
 CARLYLE PETERSILEA, who writes under the nom de plume of Ernst 
 von Himmel, is the author of a new psychical novel entitled " Oceanides." 
 The contents of this book, the writer claims, were communicated to him 
 by the spirit of his father. The volume is dedicated to the Rev. M. J. 
 Savage, widely known as the pastor of the Church of the Unity, Boston. 
 
 The book is fascinating from beginning to end. The story is remark 
 ably well written, and, while not entirely an ideal story, the writer, in 
 touching upon the marriage question, gives an ideal theory of spiritual 
 counterparts. 
 
 Oceanides, the heroine of the story, is supposed to represent to the 
 mind of the writer the highest type of womanhood. This is a question 
 upon which readers will disagree, and gives an interesting question for 
 discussion. All will agree, however, that it is a strong character, well 
 sustained throughout the book, and that the influence of the production is 
 moral, elevating, and optimistic. 
 
 The author of the book is a professor of music, and has a music school 
 at 62 Boylston Street, Boston. The book is published by the Ernst von 
 Himmel Publishing Company, Hotel Boylston, Boston. The Michigan 
 Patriot. 
 
 OCEANIDES. 
 
 SOMETHING more than a year ago a novel made its appearance with the 
 name of Ernst voi>,Himmel given as its author, entitled "The Discovered 
 Country," which was a very remarkable story for its high flights of imagina- 
 nation and its psychic character. Another story of a somewhat similar 
 character, by the same author, and which he terms a psychical novel, has 
 just been published, entitled "Oceanides." Ernst von Himmel is the 
 hero of the story, and his psychical experiences are of the most marvel 
 lous character. His spirit is lured from his body by some very lovely 
 spirits who have passed from this life, and who take it in charge, and 
 show it many of the glories and mysteries of the spirit-world. The same 
 ideas of natural selection by the celestials that were given in "The Dis 
 covered Country " are very enticingly presented in this story. There is 
 more exciting interest in "Oceanides," which is the name of the heroine, 
 a beautiful young married woman, with whom Ernst falls desperately in 
 
1 6 PRESS NOTICES. 
 
 love, and who is living a life of direst misery with a brutal husband, who 
 several times tries to murder his gentle and faithful wife, but is thwarted 
 by the influence of guardian spirits, who are Ernst s dear friends. The 
 story is decidedly ingenious, and has an added interest in showing to 
 what a height the imagination can soar. Home Journal, Sept. 27, 
 
 ANY one of a progressive turn of mind will find a very interesting vol 
 ume in Carlyle Petersilea s "The Discovered Country," a response to 
 HowelPs " Undiscovered Country." Its logical reasoning is both inter 
 esting and helpful, and affords food for thought. Mr. Petersilea has also 
 written a psychical novel called " Oceanides," full of advanced theory 
 and enlightening argument. The Boston Times. 
 
 OCEANIDES. 
 
 ERNST VON HIMMEL, author of " The Discovered Country," which ap 
 peared some time ago, and was noticed in these columns as distinctly 
 worthy of note for its system of spiritual belief and the mode of its ex 
 pression, has recently published another work entitled " Oceanides," a 
 psychical novel. Its aim is to show the meaning of love, its spiritual 
 nature, power, and law; which it accomplishes in a manner noticeable 
 greatly for the vivid reality and presentness, so to speak, of the scenes 
 and situations which embody its meanings. 
 
 The two individuals who are the central figures of this love-story are 
 characters of strong worth and possibilities, endowed with spiritual per 
 ceptions of unusual power. At the opening of the story they seem two 
 very separate individuals ; and, judged by ordinary appearances, likely to 
 remain so. But, through the working of spiritual law, whose method is 
 in this instance revealed to the consciousness of the hero of the story, the 
 law of love, which makes two souls one in their identity, whether sepa 
 rate or apart in appearance, leads them one toward the other with the 
 invincibleness of an absolute power. 
 
 The story deals with mighty truths, and, in all essential aspects, in a 
 manner showing deep logical understanding and high, uplifting perception. 
 The explanation of the formation of worlds is full of mighty force and 
 suggestiveness, and a description showing potent energy. The whole 
 treatise is redolent of profound thought and experience, and is delightful 
 for the vividness of its manner of portrayal. There are points with which 
 
PRESS NOTICES. I/ 
 
 we should take issue, but the central theme is full of the deepest of truths, 
 which are worked out in an ever-broadening process of beautiful, vitalized 
 thought. The whole story is symbolical in a strong degree, true in all 
 the essentials of Truth, and beautiful in ways too numerous to specify. 
 
 The open, easy, natural way in which spiritual truths are presented as 
 living, ordinary facts, contrasts well and in forceful aspect the freedom of 
 spirit, and the limits of materiality. Indeed, one of its strongest features 
 is the clear way in which causes and effects are contrasted, reconciled, and 
 explained, through the relations of spirit and body. " Oceanides " covers 
 so broad a ground as to be able only to touch on certain principles of life, 
 which are nevertheless so referred to as to sufficiently indicate their position 
 in the author s thought. 
 
 The vitalities of life, which he treats very strongly, are shown as having 
 their foundation in love itself (considered in the highest, deepest, most 
 spiritual sense), and his theory is full of potentiality. Music is amoving 
 factor in this narrative, and is beautifully treated, illustrated, and made 
 vital. In certain ways " Oceanides " is curious and unique; but it always 
 radiates vitality, arouses thought, calls forth the perceptions, and appeals 
 to the conscious truths within us all, as well as to tinge with conscious 
 ness certain spiritual sensibilities which were but sleeping. 
 
 "OcEAN iDES " is a psychical novel, and therefore, fortunately perhaps, 
 does not come under the ordinary standards of notice as a work of fiction. 
 The author of "The Discovered Country " continues to lift the veil. In 
 this book, by means of spirit guides, he reveals the mystery of world for 
 mations and the yet deeper secrets of the still mystic human nature. 
 The influence of the unseen forces on the human life are here suggested 
 with consummate force, and the theory that true marriage is a union only 
 of absolute affinities is emphasized. In the book the story is of a man 
 in love with a married woman who is allied to a drunken and murderous 
 brute. She remains proof to all persuasion to leave her husband, and 
 only consents on condition that the legal separation shall be consummated 
 before the hero receives his reward by her hand in marriage. It is shown 
 also that if mistakes in marriage are made here they are corrected in the 
 other world, where each soul finds its true mate, and can affiliate with no 
 other. The work will be read by all who are curious and like the bold 
 speculative quality which distinguishes this line of investigation. Boston 
 Globe. 
 
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