GIFT OF 
 
 9 
 
 (^ . t. 
 
 H 
 
LORD BYRON 
 
[ife in Jwo l/iforlds 
 
 INSPIRED BY 
 
 GEORGE GORDON BYRON 
 
COPYRIGHT, MAY, 1917 
 
 BY MARIE E. HENSLEY 
 
 San Rafael, California 
 
 All rights reserved 
 
Introduction 
 
 I, the author, claim that this york was writ 
 ten under inspiration, impressed by Lord Byron, 
 the poet. 
 
 Inspirational is very different from auto 
 matic writing. Those who write under in 
 spiration are fully conscious that they are im 
 pressed by an influence, independent of them 
 selves, which uses their brains and minds, as 
 instruments to connect them with the material 
 world. 
 
 Those who write automatically, like auto- 
 onatums, are conscious of nothing. Their 
 brains and minds are almost completely mag 
 netized into insensibility, which makes it very 
 difficult to give reliable information or truth, 
 as a torpid, magnetized brain is not as good an 
 instrument as a conscious one, or, very rarely 
 done, the hand is automatically controlled, en 
 tirely independent of the brain and mind. 
 
 All works of a religious or a spiritual na 
 ture are inspired. 
 
 In harmony with the sub-conscious or sub 
 jective mind, they are impressed, by those who 
 inspire, to give truth which can only be received 
 according to the development or the receptivity 
 
 363022 
 
of the material brain and mind and expressed 
 according to the development of the brain, mind 
 and senses. Hence all inspirational works 
 partake of the channels through which they 
 flow. 
 
 If the brain and mind of a person believes 
 firmly in any especial religion or philosophy, it 
 is difficult for them to receive that which is 
 contrary to their belief, hence, a theosophist, 
 under inspiration, adheres to theosophy, a 
 modern spiritualist to modern spiritualism, a 
 Catholic to Catholicism ,etc. Those who im 
 press ever impress the truth. The difference 
 in the various expressions is not due to those 
 impressing, nor to the spirit or mortal impress 
 ed, but due to his instruments, his mortal brain 
 and senses, the sole instruments connecting 
 him with both the spirit and material world. 
 
 All give, according to their mental ability, 
 hence, the various, conflicting statements in 
 inspirational works. 
 
 Inspiration is recognized by many leading 
 material scientists, Sir Wm. Crookes, Sir Oliver 
 Lodge, etc. 
 
 Prof. Edgar Lucien Larkin states regard 
 ing it, 
 
 "The literature of this complex subject, 
 now extensive, is increasing. The fact is, the 
 universe, beyond all doubt includes hundreds 
 
of facts and laws of whose very existence we 
 are at present entirely ignorant. And so great 
 that this interior universe may be called a uni 
 verse all by itself, separate from the material 
 universe. 
 
 "Science has now reached a point where a 
 beginner, a designer, a planner is absolutely 
 required, in a sense, a creator." 
 
 "Substance is a remarkable word. It 
 means stand under, then substance is not mat 
 ter. It precedes it." 
 
 I quote from Edwin Markham, 
 
 "As I take it man has a spiritual body with 
 in his material body, and the spiritual body is 
 the source of our thinking and feeling. This 
 concept of a spirit body is the only thing that 
 makes immortality thinkable." 
 
 I could quote from many other thinkers and 
 great scientists who know telepathy to be a 
 fact, but space forbids. As telepathy is proven 
 to be a fact, it is true that individual minds 
 after death to their material bodies, as it is a 
 power of mind, use it as when attached to mor 
 tal bodies. Hence this work was, unques 
 tionably inspired by the poet, Lord Byron. 
 
 As "A Dweller in Two Planets," "Intra 
 Muras" and various other inspirational works 
 have been accepted as such, there is no reason 
 why this should not be the same as the author 
 
vouches for it, and, as she has also written 
 fiction knows the great difference between it 
 and truth, hence solemnly avers that this work 
 is just what it claims to be, the work of Lord 
 Byron, the poet. 
 
 He who is mentioned in the revised version 
 of the bible 1881 I quote from "Testimony 
 for the Bible," 
 
 "Lord Byron in a letter to Mrs. Shepard 
 said, Indisputably the firm believers in the gos 
 pels have a great advantage over all others. 
 If it is true they will have their reward here 
 after, and if there be no hereafter, they can 
 be but with the infidel in his eternal sleep, hav 
 ing had the assistance of an exalted hope 
 through life, without subsequent disappoint 
 ment at the worst for them out of nothing 
 nothing can come, not ever sorrow ." 
 
 The following lines are also said to have 
 been found in his bible: 
 
 "Within this awful volume lies 
 The mystery of mysteries. 
 Oh! happiest they of human race, 
 To whom our God has given grace, 
 To hear, to read, to fear, to pray, 
 To lift the latch and force the way; 
 But better had they ne er been born, 
 Who read to doubt, or who read to 
 
 scorn." 
 
Sir Walter Scott claimed Byron was of 
 "boundless genius/ great of heart and soul, 
 "nobly purposed, etc/ 
 
 He was loved and esteemed by many, by 
 those who knew the real man, not the despicable 
 character portrayed by enemies, detractors and 
 critics, or those who unfamiliar with the truth, 
 through self interest, blackened not only his 
 fair fame but that of his sister, who was highly 
 respected by all, even by Lady Byron, to the 
 day of her death. 
 
 Truth is mighty but it can not always be 
 expressed in this world. Many as blameless as 
 Lord Byron have never been justified. 
 
 Although this work portrays the real man 
 it is not only for the purpose of justifying him, 
 but to give truths to the world not yet given. 
 
 It is difficult with finite mind, to grasp the 
 mortal within the spirit body. Those who 
 can not must imagine as best they can, that the 
 real and true spirit, in the real and true body, 
 is ever with the mortal or material body, un 
 less detached by sleep, trance or death. 
 
 "That in Heaven their angels (the real 
 ones,) do ever behold the face of my Father 
 which is in Heaven." 
 
 The Lord and His Apostles taught of three 
 bodies in one. The celestial or spiritual, the 
 real and true, the psychical a living frame or 
 
vital body to vitalize the physical or natural 
 body. This is grasped by many Christians, 
 even though they have been taught that the 
 soul becomes transformed into a spirit body, 
 upon death to the mortal body. 
 
 Also grasped by the Buddhist and theosoph- 
 est who believe in four bodies in one. 
 
 No religion nor philosophy up to that given 
 through this author, teaches of the spirit or 
 soul in the spirit body, the same personality as 
 brought forth on earth brought forth conjoint 
 ly living in the real life while attached or 
 impressing the material or natural body. 
 
 All excepting ambiguous statements made 
 by several mental branches and psychics, teach 
 of a spirit life that follows the mortal, not a 
 life conjoined to it, a dual life, not the identical 
 spirit animating the material, actually living in 
 his real and true body, while conscious on the 
 mortal plane, and solely conscious in the spirit 
 when his mortal instruments are magnetized 
 into insensibility, -into that cognized as sleep 
 or trance, and he detached or apart from the 
 mortal life and body. 
 
 Prof. Larkin truely observes, \"This uni 
 verse may be called a universe all by itself, 
 separate from the material universe." 
 
 Those who think, like him, cognize also a 
 body separate from the material body. 
 
If "substance is not matter but precedes it," 
 thinkers also grasp there may be oceans of 
 substance out of which all worlds and bodies 
 are formed, the spiritual substance formed with 
 interstices to permit the material to inter 
 penetrate it. 
 
 Our material organs, not our spiritual senses, 
 are limited. "The material senses shut out 
 truth and healing." But the material senses 
 are the real spirit ones Imperfectly adjusted to 
 suit that which is necessary for each spirit, his 
 senses very imperfectly expressed through his 
 poor material brain and sense organs. The 
 sense organs are adapted to this plane of con 
 sciousness. 
 
 If science has reached a point where "a be 
 ginner, a designer, a planner" is absolutely nec 
 essary, in a sense, a creator, does it not seem 
 possible that a creator may be a Supreme Being. 
 The Father, as taught by the Lord, and the 
 elder religions, the Father of Humanity." 
 The Supreme God of the Brahmins, "The 
 Divine Idea" of Christian Science, He, whom 
 all Christians worship as our Father, God 
 Omnipotent. 
 
 Creator, a beginner, a designer in the 
 sense that all spiritual and material worlds are 
 formed out of the already existing substance, 
 vitalized by his life principle. And, although 
 
his principles vitalize all substance, He, as 
 creator, distinct from the things created, that 
 which emanates from, an effluence from Him, 
 while vitalizing all, still not the source. 
 
 Hence as Lord Byron, Emmanuel Sweden- 
 berg and others claim to have seen the Father 
 as Divine Person, and as all religions teach of a 
 supreme God, those who solely cognize "na 
 ture," "the elder brother," "the sole begot 
 ten son," should not ridicule that which they 
 are not prepared to grasp. 
 
 Emmanuel Swedenborg, quoted, revered 
 by many leading Divines, claims in his work 
 "Heaven and Hell," that solely "the highest 
 and purest see Him in Divine Person." , Lord 
 Byron says all are pure and good, all children 
 of God, that all see Him in the real life. As 
 belief in evil is being wiped out of conscious 
 ness and it is recognized as it really is, due to 
 undeveloped conditions, on earth, it can not be 
 difficult to understand now that in the spirit 
 life, all are pure and holy and not as, when 
 Swedenborg gave his work but the elect, a 
 limited number. 
 
 All who profess to be Christians, etc., can 
 not doubt that which their religions teach that 
 many of their inspired or prophets have seen 
 and conversed with Him, even today some on 
 the fields of battle claim to have seen "The 
 
 10 
 
White Comrade," The Lord As humanity is 
 more developed, has more developed brains and 
 minds, why should they not see Him now as 
 then? 
 
 Even though some can grasp naught higher 
 than "the Elder Brother," or "the Sole begotten 
 Son," they know that "the Spirit who animated 
 the Lord must have been on a higher plane 
 to themselves, and though they can not grasp 
 him as God Omnipotent, at least ought not to 
 pervert the teaching of Him who distinctly 
 stated, "I and the Father are one, not you and 
 the Father, but / and the Father. Before 
 Abraham I was, not before Ahohenu you were." 
 
 I close with quoting from "The Prayer of 
 Nature," by Lord Byron, the following verses 
 and ask the unprejudiced, enlightened reader to 
 judge, if even at that day, he had not a clearer 
 conception of true religion than those who 
 maligned him? 
 
 If He had been deemed the disreputable 
 character portrayed by enemies, he would not 
 have been mentioned in the bible nor esteemed 
 by those of his contemporaries who were worthy 
 of esteem and on the same plane as himself: 
 
 "Father of Light, Great God of Heaven, 
 Hearest thou the accents of despair 
 Can guilt like man s be e er forgiven 
 
 11 
 
Can vice atone for crime by prayer? 
 
 Shall man condemn his race to hell 
 
 Unless they bend in pompous form, 
 
 Tell us that all, for one who fell must perish 
 
 in the mingling storm? 
 Shall such pretend to reach the skies 
 Yet doom his brother to expire 
 Whose soul a different hope supplies 
 Or doctrines less severe inspire? 
 Shall these by creeds they can t expound. 
 Prepare a fancied bliss or woe? 
 Shall reptiles, growling on the ground, 
 Their great Creator s purpose know! 
 Shall those who live for self alone 
 Whose years float on in daily crime 
 Shall they by Faith for guilt atone? 
 And live beyond the bounds of Time. 
 Thou, who in wisdom placed me here 
 Who, when Thou wilt, can take me hence, 
 Ah; whilst I tread this earthly sphere 
 Extend to me thy wise defence. 
 To thee, my God, to Thee I call, 
 Whatever weal or woe betide, 
 By Thy command I rise or fall. 
 In thy protection I confide 
 To thee I breathe my humble strain, 
 Grateful for all Thy mercies past, 
 And hope my God, to thee again 
 This erring life may fly at last." 
 
 12 
 
This is perfect faith, implicit reliance upon 
 God, grateful for all mercies content what 
 e er befall, whether weal or woe betide, adver 
 sity or prosperity, to leave all to the Father. 
 
 No prayers, nor petitions for favors, no de 
 sire to be blessed with rewards to be cursed 
 with punishment, no attributing to humanity or 
 mortal mind greater power than God. No 
 fear of The Devil, no fear of any but God. No 
 faith, nor belief in aught but Him who "placed 
 me here" who, "when Thou wilt, can take 
 me hence." Is it strange that such a man, who 
 had a contempt for creeds not based upon truth, 
 love, should e en in the real life strive to dispel 
 the illusions of mortal mind, and give his time 
 pnd service to help, in all ways possible his 
 brethren and sisters on the dark earth plane? 
 
 13 
 
TO THYRZA. 
 
 Tho roamed I the world over, 
 
 Far, far from the haunts of men, 
 
 Tho* ever and ever a rover, 
 
 And exile, and cared not when, 
 
 My life would end for ever, 
 
 If, perchance, I could fly to thee, 
 
 But, alas, never, no, never 
 
 Was I e en granted glimpse of thee. 
 
 Only in great exaltation, 
 
 Oft allowed poets like me, 
 
 Was I blessed with inspiration 
 
 To behold or speak with thee. 
 
 Tho oft with contrite, humbled heart, 
 
 I essayed to rend the vail, 
 
 Hoping, perhaps, you might impart 
 
 A glimpse to him beyond the pale, 
 
 14 
 
Still within the depths of my soul, 
 Submerged neath waves of despair, 
 Not mine I d feel, to reach the goal, 
 Alas, here or anywhere 
 Of communion, my love, with thee, 
 Not mine to feel soul, and mind 
 In unison with thine and free, 
 Not mine to feel the more refined 
 Love of thy spirit for me. 
 
 But now, with bliss of love divine, 
 
 Absolved from vain regret, 
 
 Never to be thine or mine, 
 
 For the love we ne er can forget, 
 
 We come like seraphs on the wing, 
 
 Heart to heart and soul to soul, 
 
 Sweetest assurances to bring, 
 
 To those who ve not reached the goal, 
 
 Who still uncleansed, unpurged by fire. 
 
 Slaves to insatiate desire, 
 
 Have yet each and every-one, 
 
 To learn as we, "Thy will be done." 
 
 15 
 
MY LIFE IN TWO WORLDS 
 
 MARIE E. HENSLEY 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 HEN I first began to think, in my 
 real home in the spirit world, 
 where all spirits live while they 
 animate mortal bodies, I was 
 amazed at the extremely realistic 
 dreams, as I deemed them, of a place where I 
 lived on the earth called London. I distinctly 
 remembered and freely discussed them with my 
 mother, who also dreamed like me, and with 
 Elaine and Clara, whom I learned later, were 
 rny instructors, and governesses, called on the 
 earth, guardian Angels. 
 
 Elaine and Clara had lived on the earth 
 long before I had, but had stopped dreaming, 
 and were to take care of and educate me, until 
 I would stop dreaming as I supposed. 
 
 I could not tell which I loved best, my 
 mother was very sweet and beautiful, so were 
 
 17 
 
Elaine and Clara, who were with me more fre 
 quently. Sometimes I was taken to my mother 
 who seemed to be asleep, but who, in reality, 
 was conscious on the mortal plane. 
 
 I often remained with her until she awaken 
 ed, when I would see Elsie, one of my mother s 
 guardian Angels, help her to rise. My mother 
 would clasp me in her arms and exclaim loving 
 ly, 
 
 "Oh, here is my own real little boy," But, oh, 
 my poor little lame boy on the earth." I would 
 invariably reply, so lately from the earth myself, 
 "Here is your little lame boy, Mama, I am that 
 little boy, to-day you sent me from you and," 
 she would interrupt me with caresses and sigh, 
 "How I wish I could be my real self on the 
 earth, how sad it is." Radiant and beautiful 
 spirit that she was, her lovely eyes would fill 
 thinking of the little earth boy upon whom she 
 vented occasionally, not always, poor earth 
 mother, the grief of a stricken, proud nature, 
 no not always, poor dear mother, only when 
 tortured beyond endurance, would you lose con 
 trol. 
 
 Such scenes as these were my first recollec 
 tions upon the spirit plane. My first of earth 
 life were of a dreary, gloomy house in London, 
 in a more dreary, gloomy room, where the sun 
 scarcely ever penetrated, and where I played, 
 
 18 
 
often hours, alone with some cheap, home-im 
 provised toy or tool. I remember one day my 
 father entered, redolent of liquor, my mother, 
 shivering near an almost extinct fire in a small 
 coal grate, pointed to me and reproachfully said, 
 
 "Well, what are you going to do, you have 
 about ruined me?" 
 
 He replied sneeringly, 
 
 "Look out for him yourself, I am going to 
 clear out." I will not describe the scene that 
 ensued, babe though I was ,it made such an im 
 pression, I could not forget it for days. 
 
 Ere I proceed, I shall try to make as clear as 
 I can our seemingly dual lives, while we dwell 
 on the earth, or rather animate our mortal 
 forms. Every earth, material world, such as 
 ours, is within, seemingly to spiritual conscious 
 ness, a spiritual world. Every mortal babe, 
 brought forth upon earth plane within a spirit 
 babe, brought forth similarly upon the spirit 
 plane. The spirit world and child, the real 
 and true, destined to exist forever, immune to 
 change and destruction, the material world or 
 earth, destined to exist until it has brought forth 
 all the children required by God, our loving 
 Father, when it is resolved into the primal ele 
 ments of which it is composed. 
 
 The material body, instrument for the spirit 
 child, is ordained in conjunction with the spirit- 
 
 19 
 
ual, to give it personality, as well as a certain 
 amount of training and discipline, varying in all 
 After it outlives its usefulness it is cast aside by 
 the spirit and consigned to dust and oblivion. 
 Therefore, I, as every other spirit on mortal 
 plane, lived two lives, a dual life, until my de 
 tachment from the material body, by that which 
 is called on earth, death, but is, in reality, awak 
 ening for good, in the real life. As Lord Tenny 
 son says. 
 
 "There was and e er shall be on mortal plane 
 
 of earth, 
 
 The wonder, the mystery attending ev ry birth, 
 There was, and e er shall be with failing of the 
 
 breath, 
 The sweetest peace and glory attending ev ry 
 
 death, 
 
 From mortal plane so low to spirit one so near, 
 From earth s mis ry and woe, to those we love 
 
 most dear, 
 
 Is but ceasing to dream, awaking to the true, 
 That the beings we seem are neither I nor you." 
 
 As I grew on spiritual plane when detached 
 at night from my mortal body, which was al 
 ways in the charge of an advanced Angel, I 
 soon learned that I was a child of Omnipotent 
 God, who was not only God of our spiritual 
 world and its earth, but of all spiritual and 
 
 20 
 
material worlds in existence, all of which He 
 had created, and of the great Celestial King 
 dom which like Him, had ever existed without 
 beginning or end. 
 
 I also learned that there was a great 
 difference between the two planes of 
 consciousness, the spiritual, the real, in the 
 sense it lasts forever, and the material, owing 
 to its fixed duration, in a degree, unreal and 
 transitory, though as real where all the things 
 which constitute consciousness, the true sense of 
 being are concerned. I also learned that while 
 1 could recall, on spirit plane, all my life on 
 the material, the earth, when free at night, I 
 could recall nothing of the spirit life on earth 
 save occasional glimpses, as I developed and 
 became more in harmony with the higher attri 
 butes of the soul, and detached myself from the 
 grosser elements of materialism. Although God 
 was my real Father, taught to worship Him by 
 Clara and Elaine as well as conscious, as an indi 
 vidual soul-child, of receiving a continual influx 
 of the soul gifts from vibrations connecting me 
 with Him, I also loved very dearly my spirit 
 father, with whom I was thrown in contact dur 
 ing my mother s connection with him on earth. 
 
 I remember one night, while we were all 
 seated at a table with relatives and friends, I 
 heard him say, looking sadly at my mother, 
 
 21 
 
"Well, I presume this will be our last meet 
 ing on both planes for some time." My mind 
 at once reverted to a scene I had witnessed on 
 earth that day, and knew what it meant, and 
 was not surprised, so different from what she 
 seemed on earth when she replied as sadly, 
 "Yes, we must be disciplined, we know why we 
 suffer there." 
 
 Turning from their sad faces, I, one by one, 
 carefully, slowly surveyed all at the table. I 
 noted the radiant, glowing faces, the sweetness of 
 expression, the tranquillity, the utter freedom 
 from care and worry of all those who had passed 
 the portals of death, who, safe in port at last, 
 could never again know, even in dream life, 
 either pain or suffering, and, child though I 
 was, I sighed and wished my earth life, and my 
 dear father s and mother s were ended, and I 
 said so all could hear, although I scarcely 
 raised my voice: 
 
 "Mamma, I do not like to go where you do 
 not like me, and where you and papa cannot be." 
 
 Ere my mother could reply, Elaine, next to 
 me, said lovingly: 
 
 "Georgie dear, you know you only dream 
 these things." 
 
 I answered quiveringly, "I know, but they 
 are real and true while I am there." 
 
 My mother, in the flowing garb worn by all 
 
 22 
 
spirits attached to the mortal, hastened to me, 
 clasped me in her arms, and said, with love 
 ineffable expressed in touch and tone (ah, 
 would the little lame boy on earth could have re 
 membered, how the gloom of that sensitive na 
 ture would have been dispelled) : 
 
 "My boy, my little real boy, you know your 
 real mother loves you and that she is not herself 
 on earth, or she would tell you even there, how 
 dearly she loves you." 
 
 When it was time to go back to dream on 
 earth, Elaine sang me to sleep. Before drifting 
 off I prayed, "Dear Father, let me remember 
 a little on earth. " But, although I did not re 
 member when I was taken from London to 
 Aberdeen to a lonely life with my mother, I 
 tried to be reconciled to her varying moods, 
 her erratic display of emotion, and. alrhough 
 several times when, utterly beside herself with 
 earthly trials, she alluded to my slight deform 
 ity, I was bitterly wounded and magnified my 
 affliction until it became my greatest form :iu, 
 still I ever within my soul, indubitably cor 
 rectly impressed, felt but her real true love 
 and devotion, no matter how poorly expressed. 
 
 In later years the wanton attacks upon that 
 mother, the exaggerated accounts of her treat 
 ment of me, was one of my greatest grievances 
 against the cold and callous criticism of a 
 
 23 
 
superficial and decadent class. I will not again 
 allude to my life on the mortal plane, save to 
 refer to it here and there, until I severed the 
 link binding me to the material for good, neither 
 shall I dwell upon my youthful days at Aber 
 deen, Dr. Glennies school, where I was tor 
 mented beyond endurance by a stupid policy, 
 nor my life at Harrow, rendered so dear to me 
 by the complete understanding and love of some 
 of my dearest friends, friendships made there 
 which were to last throughout eternity. 
 
 It is not my purpose to affirm nor deny any of 
 the numerous love-affairs, and numberless escap 
 ades attributed to me, nor to enter into my very 
 short connection with the House of Lords, and 
 the demoralizing influence and effect of my so 
 cial life. 
 
 I wish to state that almost all that has 
 been published about my private life posses 
 ses barely a grain of truth, I impress this frcm 
 my Home in the spirit principally to clear the 
 name of one especially dear to me, as well as to 
 give truths not yet given upon mortal plane. 
 This will compel me to enter the closed sanc 
 tuary, to even my most intimate relatives and 
 friends, of my married life, fraught with such 
 direful misery to all connected with many fam 
 ilies, particularly to my beloved sister Augusta. 
 
 Although I am in a spiritual atmosphere of 
 
 24 
 
love and harmony, although I understand per 
 fectly why our mortal lives are filled with dis 
 cordant elements, still, so indelibly are earth 
 experiences recorded, e en would I, I cannot for 
 get, especially that most wanton, of all un 
 founded charges, that which sullied the fair 
 fame of one of earth s saints and be draggled 
 in the mire the reputations of many connected 
 with the unfortunate Byron. 
 
 How often had I, on earth, wept tears of 
 blood, how often had I sent crazed petitions and 
 anathemas to God only to have all recoil upon 
 me with redoubled affliction. I supposed when I, 
 not only had been made the laughing-stock of 
 London after my meteoric career, but had lost 
 friend upon friend, and my mother whom I 
 mourned greatly, besides that other, the star of 
 my life for so short an earth period, that I had 
 quaffed life s bitterest potions, that I had in a 
 measure conquered and rehabilitated myself in 
 the eyes of the carping critics and fair weather 
 friends before I married Miss Milbanke, but I 
 little imagined the most harrowing of all was 
 vet to come. 
 
 25 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 In a world transcendently fair, naught upon 
 earth with it to compare, in the spirit world, 
 the real, true world, in all ways superior, 
 greater, grander than the earth, two young 
 people stood before a vine-covered, flower-be- 
 garlanded snowy white villa. 
 
 It stood on a slight eminence commanding a 
 view of the sea in front. Neither a spirit on 
 spirit nor spirit on mortal plane, can adequately 
 portray the glory of that sea. 
 
 It was night in that part of the 
 spirit world, the spirit country of merry 
 England. Night there is even more beautiful 
 than the most perfect day on earth. It is ever 
 lighter than the softest twilight, and, often as 
 the first glimmer of dawn. All the spirit worlds, 
 apparently much larger and nearer than on the 
 earth, appear like immense, scintillating globes 
 dotting the Heavens everywhere. These alone, 
 irrespective of the perfect radium and electri 
 cal systems, give all the light that is necessary. 
 
 26 
 
The two young people stood, in front of 
 the house, glancing at the sea. Two other 
 young people sat upon the porch ostensibly un 
 conscious of the others. I, George Gordon 
 Byron was standing with my love, Thyrza. 
 The others were Clara, one of my dear Guard 
 ian Angels, and Marie, one of Thyrza s. 
 
 We had been detached during sleep, had de 
 voted some time to receiving instruction, seeing 
 relatives and friends, and had sought, ere return 
 ing to mortal life, a few moments to enjoy that 
 solitary intercourse which is dear to spirits on 
 both planes. 
 
 Enraptured, both so lately from the 
 sombre dull skies and tints of the earth, we 
 gazed, almost speechless, at the indescribable 
 beauty of sea and sky. The sky was of the 
 same pale blue and gold as the sea, with flashes 
 of constantly changing colors, through which 
 the great stars behind produced the lumin 
 ous glow, the despair of artists. The sea, ah, 
 the wonder, the glory, the radiance, the vary 
 ing tint and hue in the tiny wavelet, the rip 
 pling billow and the great breakers. Then 
 the rhythm, the music of the water, and above 
 all, the celestial beauty of the beings floating 
 above and in crafts of all kinds in the sky and 
 on the water. Small, one person air-ships to 
 
 27 
 
immense ones carrying thousands, tiny canoes 
 to monsters of the deep on sea. 
 
 Every craft known on earth and many more, 
 but, unlike earth, constructed of substances of 
 imperishable beauty, wondrous symmetry of line 
 and marvelous speed, for everything manufac 
 tured upon the spirit plane, yes, manufactured 
 scientificaly, not with the wand of fairy or the in 
 cantations of witch or wizard, is perfect of its 
 kind. 
 
 As spirit substance is the sole indestructible 
 substance, it can be understood that the spirit 
 world and spirit bodies are more real, and sub 
 stantial than the material. ALL people, for 
 spirits are people, as human in appearance as 
 mortals only more perfect in all ways, are of as 
 solid and much more wholesome flesh than mor 
 tals. All made in the image of their Father 
 are necessarily perfect and beautiful, all with 
 varying types of beauty and physique, but all 
 with perfect forms, features, complexion, hair, 
 eyes, brows and lashes. 
 
 As all God s children are really spirits 
 born in the spirit world and simply 
 animate or impress the mortal bodies 
 which are destined to return to dust, the real 
 life is the life of the spirit, but as all spirits, 
 up to the time of their death on mortal plane, 
 spend three-fourths of their time on that plane, 
 
 28 
 
it naturally is as real to them, while living it, 
 as the real life. Therefore Thyrza and I, more 
 at home on the earth, less familiar with the 
 glories of the spirit, restricted as all attached 
 spirits are, were more than enthralled with the 
 wonders visible on all sides, and, though we 
 loved deeply with the true, conjugal love given 
 but to soul-mates, we could not refrain from 
 gazing, not only upon ourselves, far superior in 
 beauty and charm to our mortal selves, but 
 upon the ever changing panorama of harmon 
 ious beauty surrounding us. But, feeling the 
 time was drawing nigh when we would be com 
 pelled to return to the mortal plane, I fastened 
 my eyes upon my love, Thyrza, most beautiful 
 of all maidens on earth in faulty mortal form, 
 ah, how infinitely more so in her real spiritual 
 one. 
 
 No one can do justice to the beauty of 
 any spirit, all are exceedingly beautiful, but, as 
 on the earth there are different types of both" 
 beauty and ugliness, so in the spirit world there 
 are varying types and degrees of beauty alone. 
 The difference is not in feature and form so 
 much as in expression. A subtle charm, a 
 magnetism, a glory, a radiance indefinable, 
 yet as distinct as features and form. Those 
 who are more in harmony with the soul vibra 
 tions from God, manifest a greater sweetness, a 
 
 29 
 
more hallowed expression, a purer radiance. 
 
 All Celestial Angels possess in a marked de 
 gree this soul essence of beauty. Claire and 
 Marie are Celestial Angels, while Thyrza is 
 equally beautiful in all the essentials, they pos 
 sess a Divine sweetness lacking in Thyrza, I 
 have been told, but so great is the love for the 
 twin-soul, imperceptible to me, who saw em 
 bodied in Thyrza the acme of perfection in face, 
 form, expression and radiance. 
 
 With the infinite love of my soul, I gazed 
 upon her splendid, ripe, wholesome beauty, 
 nothing etheral about her, a beautiful girl, rich, 
 red blood flushing the cheek, deepening in the 
 lips, and delicately faint about ears and eyelids, 
 all the rest of the skin as white as a snow-drift. 
 The eyes, which frankly returned my look of 
 adoration, were of dark azure, shaded with long 
 lashes, great eyes flashing with merriment, 
 dewey with love, tender with pity, or langorous 
 with meditation. 
 
 No one on spirit side, cognizes aught of the 
 animal feelings and propensities, all express but 
 the spiritual attributes of love, power, wisdom, 
 strength, etc. Whenever we refer to and speak 
 of animal qualities and material conditions, w r e 
 do not cognize them as we seem to on the earth. 
 
 It must not be supposed, since we express 
 nothing but these higher attributes of the soul, 
 
 30 
 
that we are insipid, colorless beings, all as alike 
 as the fashionable puppets of society on earth. 
 Not at all. Those who have all the wisdom, 
 all the learning, all the wonders and marvels 
 of countless spheres and worlds to learn from 
 and explore, cannot but be vastly superior to 
 those who are limited to one world and sphere 
 of activity and that but little higher than the 
 animal. 
 
 In the erect poise of the body, the queenly 
 set of the head, the royal glance of the eye, the 
 spirit child of God looked forth. I saw con- 
 srious wisdom, conscious power, conscious love 
 and a limitless sweetness, a saintliness so Divine, 
 as to fill me, so fresh from the earth with the 
 awe and homage one accords a superior. 
 I was amazed when Thyrza broke forth, 
 "Oh, George, how like a god you look, if you 
 were not so sweet and lovable I would feel like 
 worshipping you, instead of our loving Father." 
 Both she and I burst into peals of laughter. 
 Claire and Marie arose and stood underneath 
 the sparkling lights in full view. Although 
 nightly Thyrza and I saw them, yet regularly 
 we bowed in spirit before their Angelic super 
 iority. They joined in with rippling peals of 
 music, while we feasted on their loveliness, but 
 though I felt their superiority in everything to 
 us, that very superiority seemed to bring us 
 
 31 
 
closer, more in harmony with them. Claire 
 was as dear as my mother to me, Marie as dear 
 as Thyrza s to her. 
 
 After we ceased laughing, I tried to discern, 
 as often before, that which made them more 
 beautiful. I compared them with Thyrza. All 
 were perfect in form, feature, coloring, expres 
 sion, yes, Thyrza s expression was as sweet. I 
 looked again, I saw the conscious spirit of power, 
 of love, of learning in Thyrza. At last I had 
 found it. Thyrza was conscious of her super 
 iority as child of God, Clare and Marie had 
 long since forgetten it in being Children of 
 God. Thyrza had just begun to realize her 
 royal heritage, Clara and Marie had progress- 
 er throughout countless cycles of time and num 
 berless spiritual worlds, acquiring all the essen 
 tial knowledge and attributes requisite to fit 
 them to enter the Celestial Kingdom. As, even, 
 upon the earth, the greatest are the meekest, 
 so in God s realms, the Celestial Angels the 
 highest and greatest of all are the humblest, 
 the most self - abnegating and self - forgetting. 
 
 Clara and Marie were utterly and entirely 
 regardless of self, heart, mind, soul ever filled 
 with thoughts of others. Thyrza still thought 
 of self. Therein lay the difference, and, as 
 upon the earth plane, there is a law of com 
 pensation, as well as laws of heredity, so also 
 
 32 
 
upon the spirit there is the Divine law of 
 an increased influx of soul gifts, when the 
 spirit advances as all must. 
 
 Thyrza and I were upon the first or lowest 
 plane of spirit advancement, of course much 
 higher than the very highest of the material 
 plane, as all spirit children are endowed with the 
 soul gifts of love, wisdom and power which con 
 nect them directly with the Father, and hence 
 enable them to advance more rapidly on the 
 spirit than on the mortal plane, as it is very 
 difficult for the material mind, evolved from 
 the animal, to be impressed with the truths 
 which they constantly receive through number- 
 less vibrations, as well as are systematically 
 taught by their Guardian Angels. But, never- 
 the-less though I discerned the difference, and 
 saw the greater love and glory irradiating their 
 peerless faces, still, with the true love given 
 us by our Father, my eyes lingered most admir 
 ingly upon the face of my love. 
 
 I noted her eyes turned longingly above, she 
 wanted to float, to become a part of the merry 
 pageant. 
 
 "Have we time?" I glanced at Marie and 
 Clara, who nodded, and hastened within to don 
 floating garbs, such as all attached spirits wear. 
 
 Within a few seconds, followed by mother 
 and several others, we all softly arose, floating 
 
 33 
 
indeed, veritable angels, not on the wing or 
 with wings, but with a motion as easy, but 
 much more pleasurable than walking, as natural 
 to spirits, on spirit plane, as walking on the 
 mortal. 
 
 "To London?" I asked Thyrza, she smiled, 
 and we joined the great crowd traveling in that 
 direction. As order is Heaven s first law, every 
 where, where populated, order and system are 
 enforced, not only on land and water, but also 
 in the air, therefore there are aerial roads for 
 aerial craft going in different directions, with 
 great aerial depots. Also aerial roads for fly 
 ing spirits, hence, there is never confusion nor 
 disorder of any kind. 
 
 When we reached the heights desired, we 
 were filled with the most exquisite sensations. 
 The soft, balmy air, the sky and water spark 
 ling with lights, the esplanade, bordering the 
 sea, thronged with happy spirits afoot and in all 
 sort of equipages and vehicles, the magnificent 
 residences, the radiant beauty of the flying spirits 
 impressed me anew with the glorious privilege 
 of being a child of God, and thrills of love and 
 gratitude to our loving Father swept through 
 me with resistless force. 
 
 If the eyes were gratified with the ever 
 varying pictures of beauty, no less were the 
 ears with the varying melody and music of the 
 
 34 
 
different sounds greeting us as we flew. 
 
 No discordant,ear-splitting noises,as on earth. 
 Every sound, whether that made by boats, in 
 air, on sea, by vehicle or equipage, or by the 
 many animals visible on esplanade, or in many 
 of the grounds over which we flew, as well as 
 by the countless beings everywhere to be seen, 
 was musical and attuned to give pleasure to 
 the most fastidious ear. 
 
 Spirits possess the five senses, much more 
 perfectly and highly developed, as well as sev 
 eral more, undreamed of on mortal plane, but 
 whensoever they will they can control them, for 
 instance, although the average sight is much 
 keener than on earth, when sufficiently advanced 
 like Clare and Marie, not like Thyrza and my 
 self, they can, whensoever they will, either see 
 as far distant as the most perfect telescope, the 
 "world in big," and, excelling the most perfect 
 microscope the "world in little." 
 
 The heavenly sounds, the rhythm of the wa 
 ter, the soft cadences of the voices, were now and 
 and then entirely silenced by the entrancing 
 peals and strains from great bands, comprising 
 every instrument imaginable, and, now and 
 then, voices of infinite range and sweetness. 
 
 Within a short while the spirit city of Lon 
 don appeared before us, gleaming like silver 
 and gold, every building of a pale silver and 
 
 35 
 
golden hue, mammoth buildings almost touch 
 ing the sky, with turrets, spires and towers iri 
 descent w r ith millions of lights, but, to relieve 
 the glitter and glow, everywhere parks and 
 streets lined with trees and shrubbery of 
 green and flowers of various kinds. 
 
 We were about to descend when Claire said, 
 
 "Time to return." 
 
 When we arrived at the porch, all enter 
 ed except Thyrza and I left alone for a 
 few moments to take our parting embrace, ere 
 returning to our couch to be attached to our 
 mortal bodies. 
 
 "I dread to return, George/ Thyrza sighed, 
 "If I could remember just enough to make me 
 stronger to endure that which I am ever antici 
 pating, it is ever before me. Ah, how awful 
 when we part." 
 
 She placed her dear face next to mine and 
 looked beseechingly into my eyes as she con 
 tinued, 
 
 "I know we are soul-mates, destined to be 
 come one when we become detached, but oh, 
 the weary, heart-breaking time before, the 
 sleepless nights which keep me even from this 
 peace," and she embraced me lovingly, I lifted 
 her face, lovely, glorious spirit though she was, 
 her eyes were filled with tears, her form quiver 
 ed with that which she could not understand 
 
 36 
 
on spirit plane but which still caused suffering. 
 
 Attached spirits are the only ones who suffer. 
 They are those which undeveloped psychics 
 call "earth-bound." While detached, as we 
 were, w r e know why we must endure the pain 
 and suffering, but even so, as it is a part of our 
 discipline, it only in a degree relieves. 
 
 I held her to me, deploring equally our re 
 turn. I knew what she had to contend with, I 
 knew, though she was as pure as her spirit in 
 sight of her Heavenly Father, that upon the 
 earth, through my inability to impress my mate 
 rial mind correctly, she occupied an anomalous 
 position in the eyes of those who knew of our 
 relations, one unworthy of her character and 
 training. I also knew while I loved her and 
 would ever be true to her while she lived on 
 earth, I would not do that which I knew her 
 sweet spirit craved. Even more poignantly 
 than she I felt, though I knew how irrespon 
 sible I really was, for spirit, pure and holy on 
 spirit plane, cannot always control mortal mind 
 and body. 
 
 The material brain and body with the 
 animal diseases and propensities, evolved 
 from the animal, make it extremely difficult 
 sometimes for the spirit to control. The ma 
 terial brain is formed of and dominated by 
 millions of entities, with a certain degree of 
 
 37 
 
intelligence, reason and consciousness. When 
 these entities are undeveloped they combine in 
 the aggregate and often prevent the spirit from 
 transmitting and receiving impressions correct 
 ly, of course all permitted under God s law for 
 the purpose of giving each child the discipline, 
 the certain amount of suffering and pain deem 
 ed essential by the Angels in charge. 
 
 God is Omnipotent. Nothing is left to 
 chance. His children are ever objects of 
 His tender care. The mortal life, though 
 transitory, and in a sense unreal, is essential, 
 trie training necessary, therefore, while I only 
 too sadly realized my material limitations, I 
 knew that though my way was beset with 
 thorns and I was stung beyond endurance, I 
 must resign myself to the inevitable. I an 
 swered tenderly, 
 
 "It is said on mortal plane, whom 
 the god s love, die young, darling, let 
 us hope that our pilgrimage may be short, 
 that we may quaff all the horrors in a little 
 while and not have to linger as so many do. 
 Better a short life of intense agony, than a pro 
 longed one of continual suffering." 
 
 She answered cheerfully, 
 
 "Never fear, dearest, I can endure anything, 
 I know I am thine, and you are mine, no matter 
 how the mortal dream may end." 
 
 38 
 
I gave a last, lingering glance at 
 the sweet face, eloquent with faith and 
 love, while I, impressed upon her mind, 
 too overcome for speech, the vows of eternal 
 fealty, ere we entered the house to return to 
 the earth life of darkness and misery. 
 
 39 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 It was morning in London. All society 
 was in a ferment of great excitement. In 
 club, drawing - room, Hyde Park, in fact 
 wherever society met or congregated, one topic 
 engrossed the attention to the exclusion of all 
 others, that was the approaching nuptials of 
 the popular poet, the irrepressible scape 
 grace and scribbler, known to all as Lord 
 Byron. 
 
 I was alone in my chambers. I had 
 dismissed my valet and sat down for a few 
 moments to recall, as I ever did, one face from 
 the many who had here and there claimed my 
 public attention and interest, never, never, that 
 of my heart and soul. 
 
 I had, acuated by several motives, de 
 cided to marry Miss Milbanke. The 
 event was to take place within a few hours. 
 I desired to take a long, farewell glance at the 
 face so dear, ere endeavoring to relegate it for 
 once and all to a sanctuary so sacred that I, un 
 til freed by death, could not intrude and be 
 false to the trust reposed in me by the cold, 
 passionless young lady soon, (alas, too soon, I 
 felt as I gazed with heart and soul at the en 
 trancing face), to be my wife. Ah, that face 
 
 40 
 
so beloved, the face of one who had, unknown 
 to the world, excepting to a very few of my in 
 timates, been all in all to me, who had abjured 
 faith, family and friends, aye, even that which 
 the world called honor, all sacrified, without 
 compunction, upon the altar of her love for one, 
 who, to his credit be it said, never betrayed that 
 iove during her short life, and ever after, until 
 the last hour of his mortal life held that love 
 the one priceless boon granted God s children, 
 the love of the twin-soul. 
 
 This was the secret sorrow, the canker 
 which had eaten into my very vitals, 
 which overspread my countenance, in the 
 midst of gayety, with gloom which had 
 made me a misanthrope, and which, hard as I 
 tried to disguise it, breathed and lived a hurt, 
 quivering thing, in most of my writings. Many 
 had suspected an unholy entanglement, few 
 knew the truth, and they were as true as truth 
 to me. They knew that my soul was bereft 
 beyond salvation, that whilst mortal life lasted, 
 I should never again taste the nectar of the one 
 great passion, the sole, true conjugal love, 
 whether sanctioned by mortal law or not. 
 
 Like a lioness deprived of her whelps, a 
 mother of her first-born, a wife of her best- 
 loved, a husband of his wife, and above all a 
 tortured soul of its one true soul-mate, I gazed 
 
 41 
 
long and yearningly at the pictured face, and, 
 stumbling with excess of emotion, I placed it 
 in a secret compartment of a box, in a trunk 
 which ever accompanied me, made a strong ef 
 fort to recover my composure, and was soon in 
 the hands of my valet, preparing for the expect 
 ed ceremony. 
 
 Within a short while, with my newly wed 
 ded wife, I was the center of a group, who 
 little dreamed of the tumult through which I 
 had so lately passed. 
 
 My wife looked very fair, placid and 
 complacement, as she eyed me approv 
 ingly, until I saw her glance down, and 
 only one so ultra sensitive, so abnormally self- 
 conscious, could have discerned the faint, irre- 
 spressibte shudder. 
 
 When alone with her in the privacy of our 
 chamber, I willed myself to forget and to live 
 up to my vows, I did not, so material was I, 
 truth compels me to state, in sight of her chaste 
 loveliness, find it very difficult to do. 
 
 I found her sweet and coyly reserved. I attri 
 buted it to maidenly modesty, deeming it would 
 soon pass away, but it never did. The maidenly 
 modesty became so exaggerated as to require 
 almost constant importunities for her to grant 
 me after the honeymoon, even the caresses ac 
 corded a lover. 
 
 42 
 
As months passed by, her peculiar actions 
 continued, varied with occasional attempts to 
 thaw out, to put a little life and love into herself. 
 I began to imagine I had wedded one as frigid 
 as an ice-berg, and naturally began to get cold 
 myself, until I came to the conclusion, through 
 overhearing a remark made to her confidential 
 friend as well as maid (she whom I had been 
 so criticised for making immortal in The 
 Sketch) that she was by no means cold, 
 but, in truth, a veritable volcano of slum 
 bering forces awaiting an outlet to overwhelm, 
 either with love or hate, any object who could 
 inspire her with these feelings. 
 
 I began sadly to imagine I had never inspired 
 the former, and to wonder why she had mar 
 ried me. She had rank, position, money and 
 was charming in appearance and manner. Al 
 though her father was but a Baronet, she was 
 the heiress of Lord Wentworth. I was an 
 impoverished Peer, beset by debts, ostracised 
 by some (defamed and slandered by many) , with 
 but a fleeting fame and popularity. To my 
 sorrow and consternation, that fame and popu 
 larity seemed to irritate more than please her 
 to such an extent she coolly asked me, "when I 
 intended to abandon the folly of verse-making 
 and make some real use of my life." Natural 
 ly exasperated by her lack of sympathy, I often 
 
 43 
 
replied irascibly and more often left her with 
 every appearance of disgust and scorn. I 
 have no excuses to make for my conduct with 
 her, simply to state I was in a state of continual 
 apprehension and misery during our short time 
 together. Execution upon execution had been 
 levied upon my property, and although she 
 knew it, all my worries called forth neither 
 sympthay nor love. Ada, our little one, in 
 stead of being a bond, proved the opposite. 
 The few weeks she was with me after her birth, 
 she could not endure to have me show the 
 child any affection. It often appeared to me 
 as though she feared even personal contact, 
 doubtless dreading not only mortal, but physical 
 contamination. Only one was cognizant of 
 this state of affairs, (my wife was ever sweet 
 and gracious in public) the maid, whom I soon 
 began to suspect. 
 
 One morning my wife and I met at 
 the breakfast table, she was very sweet, 
 apparently in a bright and merry mood, very 
 unusual for her. As I gazed upon her, fair 
 and stately, with every appearance of goodness 
 and good nature, I could not conceive how or 
 why she could be so different in private. So 
 although there were several present, I said 
 sneeringly, 
 
 "You are possibly your true self this 
 
 44 
 
morning, why not leave the false one here 
 instead of taking it into privacy, abandon it, I 
 pray, my dear." 
 
 She did not change her expression, still 
 wore the calm, serene one familiar to all out 
 siders, but she gave one scarcely perceptible 
 glance downward at my cloven foot, possibly, 
 it may have been innocently, thoughtlessly done, 
 but my wounded heart could endure no more, 
 I left abruptly, incoherently muttering audibly 
 something about a devil in the guise of an 
 angel. 
 
 As I stood at the door I gave a parting 
 look of disdain, and was astonished to see a 
 tear and quivering lips, the others observed 
 also and felt, possibly as I did myself, that I 
 had been brutal. 
 
 It is true I never had a great love 
 for my wife, that she was not the one love 
 of my life, but she had personally attracted 
 me, and I had felt more than tenderness for 
 her when we were first wedded, and, although 
 her manner often repelled and unnerved me, I 
 attributed it to her peculiar temperament and 
 her condition, ere the child was born, and ever 
 and always, overlooked and forgave all that 
 hurt and perplexed me, and, therefore, was 
 always ready to make the amende honorable 
 and take her to my heart again. 
 
 45 
 
It has been published repeatedly that I mis 
 judged and mistreated her mercilessly. Like 
 all married people, we had our tempests and 
 storms, but also the sun shone for days, and all 
 would be as tranquil and serene as her appear 
 ance until, often, a glance, a word of mine 
 thoughtlessly spoken, would dispel the sunshine 
 and darken the atmosphere for weary days and 
 nights. Vain all my protestations, vain my 
 efforts to repair the mischief. Ever and always 
 I noticed glances of understanding between 
 her and her maid. Once I overheard the 
 latter say, ere I barely got outside the door, 
 4i He cares for no one but himself." 
 
 Sir Ralph and Lady Milbanke, at that time 
 when I was undergoing the terrible humilita- 
 tion of my financial condition, kept aloof, more 
 or less, but I felt sure Mrs. Claremont kept 
 them accurately, too accurately informed of all 
 our domestic trials. In justice to my wife, I 
 do not think that up to the time she left me, 
 she had either discussed or criticised me with 
 anyone but this maid, who was so close to her 
 that it was impossible to keep anything from 
 her, especially as she was of the prying, feline 
 kind, who look through keyholes or listen 
 wherever possible. With the exception of one 
 or two of my most intimate friends, I kept all 
 of my domestic affairs to myself. These alone, 
 
 46 
 
knew the truth, fortunately for me, or I would 
 have been more bitterly condemned. 
 
 My position, at last, through the insistent 
 demands of creditors, and domestic inharmony, 
 grew so intolerable that I often lost control, 
 and though, it is true, I was never cruel to my 
 wife, I deliberately wounded her with good 
 reason often, but chiefly with the desire to 
 make her abandon the imperturable calm of 
 a manner which irritated me to the verge of 
 distraction. Of all exasperating natures, that 
 which masked a slumbering volcano, and had 
 its fires under perfect control, evinced only in 
 the white of the eye, the curl of the lip, the 
 almost inperceptible smile of derision, was 
 above all, to me most exasperating. Had she 
 retaliated, had she been frank, had I been able 
 to see her as she really was, I would in all prob 
 ability have acted differently, and thus averted 
 that separation which made me a homeless wan 
 derer for years. 
 
 Mrs. Claremont came to me one morn 
 ing as I was in the nursery with my little 
 Ada. Ah, how often I would steal, when 
 wife and Mrs. Claremont were not there, for 
 just a little kiss, a clasp of those little baby 
 fingers. No one, save Augusta, Tom Moore, 
 Precy Shelley and the Countess ever realized 
 
 47 
 
the absorbing love I felt for that little one who 
 had been with me for so short a time. She 
 tugged at my heart-strings, with incessant ap 
 peal, from her birth until I passed out, in the 
 springtime of life, to the truths of being. I 
 have knelt by her cot and prayed God, with 
 all the fervor of a heart and soul at war with 
 all but good, no matter how wrongly judged, to 
 bless and care for that little soul, which I felt 
 would soon be taken from me. I do not even 
 now like to dwell on that time. Mrs. Clare- 
 mont eyed me suspiciously, with an air of dis 
 pleasure so strongly displayed as to elicit from 
 me the stern command, "Mrs. Claremont, I de 
 sire to be alone with my child." She looked 
 contemptuously knowing my weakness, at my 
 foot. This enraged me so, that I said, "Either 
 you or I leave this house to-day." With a 
 covert smile of malice, she left. As it was not 
 my first encounter with her, I knew what that 
 smile portended. I had watched, with grow 
 ing disfavor and despair, her influence over my 
 wife. I had found her in my chambers look 
 ing through my private drawers, I had lost the 
 precious box containing the picture of my 
 love, doubtless purloined by her, I had 
 caught her at key - holes, eyes glued and 
 ears alert. I had seen so much of her snake 
 and cat-like nature, I deemed I was justified in 
 
 48 
 
my attack of her in The Sketch. 
 "Oh, wretch, without a tear, without a thought 
 Save joy above the ruin thou hast wrought, 
 The time shall come, nor long remote, when thou 
 Shalt feel far more than thou inflictest now." 
 
 At that time I was not developed as I be 
 came later, and solely was impressed with hor 
 ror and loathing, instead of pity for all things 
 low and material, even my own failings, I bit 
 terly lamented and despised. 
 
 I was prepared when my wife entered, with 
 her most stately, imperious manner, never worn 
 in public and seldom before anyone but to 
 me and her maid. I noted astonishment of 
 nurse and maid present. She, also, ever alive 
 to the opinion of the world, suppressed at once 
 all visible signs of perturbation, changed her 
 manner and very sweetly and coldly said she 
 would like to see me in private, and withdrew, 
 I meekly followed. In icy, concise language 
 she demanded I abstain from seeing my child, 
 save in her presence. I refused. She said, 
 "I insist that solely in my presence, or that of 
 Mrs. Claremont, shall you be permitted to see 
 her." 
 
 I retorted, 
 
 "I shall see my own child when I please, and 
 I insist that that woman leave the house to-day." 
 
 She elevated her eyebrows and pointed to 
 
 49 
 
the door. I half maddened, placed myself be 
 fore it, just before the keyhole, I felt who was 
 without, and said scathingly, 
 
 "Any woman who would consort with 
 a kitchen wench, born in a garret, bred in 
 slime, and "I opened the door just in time to 
 see the snake raise herself from a crouching 
 position before the keyhole, and pointing at her 
 I continued derisively, 
 
 "A fitting companion for a lady." 
 
 I did not turn, but felt the abject humilia 
 tion of my wife who, unquestionably, was a 
 lady. 
 
 Several days elapsed ere my wife forgot 
 the mortification of this scene. She sedulously 
 avoided me. All my attempts to see her priv 
 ately were unavailing. Mrs. Claremont also 
 kept out of my way. It was well she did, I 
 had decided to resort to almost anything to 
 drive her out of the house, for I felt truly she 
 was the apple of discord, the sole cause 
 of estrangement between my wife and myself. 
 Had my wife not possessed such a reticent, 
 secretive nature, had she come to me with the 
 vile suspicions inculcated by this woman, all 
 would have been satisfactorily explained, but 
 never did she give me a chance to exculpate 
 myself, never beyond intimation and innuendo 
 did she ever openly charge me with anything 
 
 50 
 
tangible. True to the vows which I had 
 made when I bade farewell to that dearest of 
 all faces, I had refrained from looking on 
 it again, even in periods of deepest despair, as 
 well as refrained in all ways from seeking others. 
 
 Here in the spirits true Home, where naught 
 but truth can be given, I solemnly state, no mat 
 ter how many charge me with infidelity and all 
 the crimes of the decalogue, that I had, ever 
 since, I lost my one faithful love, been seeking 
 for one like unto her, that I had fondly imagined 
 that the time had arrived when I could find a 
 constant one in the person of my wife, and had 
 been true to her, no matter how bitterly disap 
 pointed. 
 
 My wife, suffering from the pangs, as 
 she supposed of unrequited love, as well as 
 filled with scorn and contempt for a being she 
 considered entirely outside the pale of church 
 and society, never failed to show in speech and 
 manner her supreme contempt for all my weak 
 nesses, during the few remaining days we lived 
 together after the scene alluded to. 
 
 Mrs. Claremont, more brazen and self as- 
 sumptious, continued to throw herself in my way 
 frequently, and, invariably, after a first glance of 
 venom into my eyes, would tantalizingly rivet 
 upon my lame foot. I felt myself quiver with 
 paroxysms of rage and chagrin, and, often, 
 
 51 
 
found it hard to refrain from jumping on her, 
 1 was so near a nervous collapse, that she be 
 gan to affect me as cats did the great Napoleon. 
 My horror of her grew so intense, I felt like 
 fleeing from her whenever I chanced to meet 
 her, and shouting like Napoleon, "Un chat, un 
 chat." 
 
 One day, ascending the stairs I met my wife, 
 Sir Ralph and Lady Milbanke descending, 
 Mrs. Claremont in the rear. I saluted them, 
 but soon as I caught sight of Mrs. C. 1 lost 
 all control. I felt myself screaming, 
 
 "You cat, you snake," and was seized by Sir 
 Ralph, who said, 
 
 "For God s sake, what is the matter, are 
 you crazy?" My wife pulled her mother 
 and without a word of sympathy, passed on. 
 Mrs. Claremont turned her head, shot me a 
 malignant glance, and obtruded her tongue, un 
 seen by Sir Ralph, who was holding me. I 
 made a spring towards her like a wild animal, 
 but she eluded me, Ere I could proceed, I was 
 again seized by Sir Ralph and the foot-man 
 who helped me to my room. Sir Ralph strove 
 to calme me, 
 
 "Why, surely you cannot be yourself 
 to let a woman like that annoy you," he 
 cried, looking at me peculiarly, while my valet 
 placed me on a couch. 
 
 52 
 
"I do not believe I can be myself," I answer 
 ed, "But my patience has been taxed beyond 
 endurance." 
 
 "I am afraid it is your nerves, you are un 
 strung, and imagine a good deal. You had 
 better consult Dr. Baillie." He muttered some 
 thing about ministering to a mind diseased, and 
 shook his head, as he, rather reluctantly, left 
 me. 
 
 I have reason to believe that, after this af 
 fair, he spoke to his daughter, but with very 
 little effect, save to cause her to come to me 
 and advise me to seek a physician. I also 
 heard later, she had gone to Dr. Baillie claim 
 ing I was insane. He said no, she also went 
 to Dr. Lushington, and had several interviews 
 with her mother, doubtless regarding my sanity. 
 She really believed me mentally unbalanced, as 
 well as morally and physically unfit, but pos 
 sibly to avoid a violent outbreak, several days 
 before and when she left for Kirksby Mallory, 
 she was sweet and serene. 
 
 Her desire for a separation, although I had 
 been more or less prepared, came as a thunder 
 bolt, particularly on account of my child, whom 
 I had barely seen save for the few stolen min 
 utes. Infidelity, incompatibility of tempera 
 ment and all else can be briefly dismissed. The 
 truth, not known to me until death liberated me, 
 
 53 
 
was the substantiated charges made by Mrs. 
 Claremont to her, my picture and private let 
 ters without date were given to her, pretending 
 to have been sent me after my marriage to her, 
 or possibly believed by Mrs. Claremont as they 
 were fresh and apparently little handled, also 
 every tale, true and false concerning my career, 
 she had carefully garnered and retailed to her 
 naturally suspicious mistress, who, due to my 
 reputation and hot-headed as well as gloomy 
 nature, had credited all and not even given me 
 a chance to defend myself. 
 
 As ever my devoted sister, Augusta, Mrs. 
 Leigh and my friend Tom Moore stood by me 
 unflinchingly as well as scores of others, but, 
 alas, all they could do could not stem the cur 
 rent set in so strongly against me. My wife s 
 character was too well known, my reputation, 
 far worse than my character, was not good 
 enough to cause even a ripple in my favor, out 
 side the few who so loyally stood by me. 
 
 In despair, never dreaming it would be 
 published, I wrote, "Farewell to my Wife," 
 also "The Sketch" which were publish 
 ed unknown to me, having the opposite effect 
 to that hoped for by the friends who so mis 
 takenly committed this error. This was the 
 last straw to the already too heavily burdened 
 British back, and again maledictions deep and 
 
 54 
 
dire swept away the little fair fame I had so 
 painfully acquired in the home of my birth 
 upon the mortal plane. 
 
 1 determined to put the wide seas between, 
 never more to return, to go forth again an exile, 
 to roam and seek peace and solace in some far 
 distant clime. 
 
 It was said that my wife had made certain 
 charges to Dr. Lushington. No one, at that time, 
 ever intimated aught against my beloved sister, 
 her reputation and character were above re 
 proach. My wife was her friend and both con 
 tinued on a friendly footing throughout life, had 
 there been aught of truth in the charge against 
 my sister, my wife s character, exemplary in the 
 extreme as far as virtue was concerned, almost 
 Puritanical, as well as her contempt for lax 
 morals were so well known that no one, had 
 such an aspersion been breathed, would have 
 listened. It remained for a later period, for 
 a woman of the same Anglo-saxon race, in a 
 country whose first children were born under 
 the same flag, to bemirch the fair fame of one 
 of earth s angels, simply to cast odium upon the 
 memory of one who, whatever his failing, had 
 ever fought for equality, liberty and fraternity, 
 and who so loved liberty, that denied the 
 right to fight for it in his own country, he died 
 fighting for it in another, while that sister lived 
 
 55 
 
to exemplify in her every act the eulogisms be 
 stowed upon her by her brother, and to richly 
 merit every one of his many benedictions, 
 How often, when far away I felt, 
 u For thee, my own sweet sister, in thy heart 
 I know myself secure, as thou in mine, 
 We were and are, I am even as thou art 
 Beings who ne er each other can resign 
 It is the same, together or apart 
 From life s commencement to its slow decline 
 We are entwined, let death come slow or fast 
 The tie which bound the first endures the last." 
 
 This poem, as well as the one commencing, 
 "My sister, my sweet sister, if a name dearer 
 and purer were it should be thine," have been 
 not only misconstrued, but entirely miscompre 
 hended. 
 
 "The tie which bound the first," the 
 tie of blood, ever, like true conjugal love, 
 endures the last. If a dearer and purer name 
 for a saint sister could have been coined, I 
 most assuredly would have coined it, I could 
 find none. 
 
 56 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 When, almost overwhelmed with grief and 
 humiliation, I beheld the shores of my native 
 land gradually recede from sight, I felt im 
 pelled to curse it, with impotent fury, when I 
 reflected upon the terrible indignities which I 
 had endured. 
 
 I stood on the deck, of the little 
 boat, aloof from everyone, unconscious of 
 ail, but as I then deemed, my degradation. I 
 had been made a target by all able to scribble 
 a line, had been malignantly and grossly attack 
 ed by leading members of the press, had been 
 even condemned by many friends and relatives 
 who, despite the fact that no charge, nothing 
 tangible had been brought against me, credited 
 me with everything base that a malicious mind 
 could invent and a mischievous one spread to 
 the four winds of heaven. 
 
 "My native land," I sneered, "I cure 
 the day I was brought forth upon you, 
 I curse the soil, every foot I ever trod, 
 every foot to be trod by generations to be 
 born, I curse," but suddenly stopped, I thought 
 I heard a voice, sweet and low, one long since 
 
 57 
 
with the Angels, "Thyrza, Thyrza," I sighed, 
 and placing my hand to shade my eyes that 
 none could see the fast gathering moisture, I 
 listened eagerly, all my soul listening for that 
 well-remembered voice, but naught but the 
 swish of the water, the fog-horn and a medley of 
 various sounds could I hear. But though I 
 heard it not again, it diverted my mind from 
 the present, and, ere long, in thought I was once 
 more with my beloved, she whom I had relig 
 iously refrained from dwelling upon since my 
 marriage. Think it not strange, that though 
 in the depths, bereft of all that I valued, wife, 
 home, child, friends, position, good-fame, coun 
 try, all swept away, still I felt a sense of free 
 dom and a thrill of joy that I could with ap 
 proval of conscience, (denied me by the many 
 who knew naught of me) once more look, if 
 only in memory, with the eye of my spirit, for 
 even then I had begun to be impressed with 
 more than glimpses of the truth, upon the 
 beauteous countenance of her whom I felt to be 
 my twin soul. 
 
 It is a truth we can freely discuss all but that 
 which touches us most deeply. Our most sacred 
 emotions are those caused by those bound to us 
 by the greatest of all ties, the one true love, and, 
 though often unsanctioned by man-made laws 
 and society, are too hallowed, too akin to God 
 
 58 
 
and His Angels, ridicule if ye will, I know 
 whereof I write, to be shown to our most inti 
 mate friends. Not even Augusta, my precious 
 sister had I permitted to enter that holy of holies, 
 the inner-most sanctuary, devoted solely to that 
 one, whom I felt near me then in the hour of 
 my greatest anguish and shame. 
 
 Oblivious to all around, engrossed by the 
 rapturous thought that she lived and was near 
 me, I sought vainly within the recesses of my 
 soul for an impression, if naught else, but I 
 could get nothing, and after awhile, was aroused 
 by a child s voice saying, 
 
 "Oh, look, how booful," I turned expecting to 
 see a little child, nothing, nobody but a friend 
 who was to accompany me into exile. I ask 
 ed, 
 
 "What child was that?" 
 
 The answer was, 
 
 "You have been dreaming." 
 
 I could not explain it. I thought of all the 
 little children I had ever known, dead and liv 
 ing, but could recall none with a similar voice, 
 so pulling myself together, fearing that even my 
 friend might think me a non compus mentis," I 
 excused myself and retired. 
 
 After travelling a little, I located in a 
 villa near an Italian town. As all my life, 
 step by step, has been chronicled and many 
 
 59 
 
steps that I did not take, as well as more words 
 and acts graphically and untruthfully portray 
 ed, I shall confine myself to that which I wish 
 to give in this work, my soul experiences and 
 my life on the spirit plane. 
 
 I kept myself very secluded, determined to 
 associate with but few, to lead as isolated a life 
 as possible. Besides being handicapped by 
 lack of funds, although I traveled with every 
 appearance of luxury, I was not only in very 
 poor health physically, but affected mentally, 
 and, often, myself began to doubt my sanity. 
 Of all afflictions, to doubt one s sanity, is the 
 greatest. I had thought I had drained 
 the cup of misery to the dregs, but, as I pored 
 moodily over my books, as I vainly tried to 
 catch an idea, faltered for a word, and my hand 
 ever quick to respond, remained inactive, pow 
 erless for lack of ideas and words to move, I 
 dreaded I would soon be a victim to melancho 
 lia, and possibly put an end to all. 
 
 In this frame of mind one day while I sat 
 upon the sand, gazing on the blue of the ocean 
 dotted with numberless white fishing sails, I 
 was strongly tempted to seek rest and peace 
 beneath its softly rippling waves. So domi 
 nant had the desire become that I arose with 
 the full determination to carry out my cowardly 
 resolve, when again I heard the soft, musical 
 
 60 
 
voice, but much more clearly, 
 
 "Stop George, stop." 
 
 Every doubt dispelled, perfectly sure that 
 she was with me, that, although my mor 
 tal eyes failed to see her, she was actually pres 
 ent, I fell and almost buried my face in the 
 sand, so overjoyed and overwrought was I. 
 Again as before, all my troubles, past and 
 present, fled before the light which drove away 
 the fiends of darkness, in reality, the hallucina 
 tions of undeveloped material mind. Now, 
 with open receptive mind, I anxiously awaited, 
 praying fervently to the great God of all to 
 grant just once again the priceless boon of hear 
 ing that voice, if not able to see the sweet spirit, 
 I was more than repaid, I heard soft and low 
 as an Aeolian harp, 
 
 "Fear not, I am here, and thy God loves 
 thee, dear." 
 
 To a man about to perish by his own crim 
 inal act, to cut off the life given him by his 
 Great Father, to plunge into the unknown, life s 
 mission not yet fulfilled, these words seemed, 
 as in truth they were, a message and command 
 from God Almighty. "Fear not, I am here, 
 thy God loves thee, dear," Ah, blessed words, 
 thrice blessed messenger, she was here, and 
 my God loved me, the unfortunate victim of 
 heredity, and of still more unfortunate condi- 
 
 61 
 
tions and environment. I wept. Great 
 tears slowly formed and welled forth and one 
 by one trickled down my face, suppressed sobs 
 shook me for several moments. 
 
 When I again arose, I was master of 
 myself, and, in a certain degree, of my 
 later life on earth. I arose with perfect 
 faith in God and life immortal, with a 
 resolution, which never wavered, to dedicate 
 that life, which that blessed message had saved 
 from greater obloquy to (inasmuch as in me 
 lay, trammeled as I was by material limita 
 tions), a life of utility and duty. Yea, duty, 
 Byron the profligate, the scape-grace, the lib 
 ertine, the misanthrope so called and judged 
 by those who knew him not, took within sight 
 of the blue rippling sea, within the silent re 
 cesses of his soul the vow to live henceforth up 
 to the highest and purest aspirations of the 
 most advanced of earth s children. This vow, 
 regardless of all the calumnies by word of 
 mouth or pen, I sacredly kept until I awakened 
 for once and all upon the spirit plane. 
 
 That night when I retired to my solitary 
 chamber, unshared by one who had wantonly 
 thrust herself upon me and followed me from 
 England, a creature of shameless impulses and 
 more shameless morals, I prayed God to let me 
 get one more glimpse of my beloved. 
 
 62 
 
In the* dusk of my room, no light visible save 
 the far off, twinkling stars, I concentrated my 
 mind on her and all things holy. I remembered 
 not when I drifted off into sleep or consciousness 
 on the spirit plane. But the following morn 
 ing I recalled vividly all that had transpired, 
 although at that time I cognized it but as a 
 sweet vision. 
 
 Thyrza stood at my bedside, more radi 
 ant and beautiful than I had ever seen 
 her in the world, her eyes luminous with love, 
 she was dressed in a white, softly flowing shim 
 mering robe, neck slightly decollete, arms bare 
 to the elbow. No halo surrounded the head 
 covered with a wealth of wavy, auburn hair, 
 which with little silken tnedrils of curls escap 
 ing here and there, was plaited in one great 
 braid, falling far below her waist. She was 
 a thing of such beauty, I who had not seen her 
 for some time in spirit, parted as we had been 
 for so long on the mortal plane, could scarce 
 ly breathe, (as I arose from the couch in the 
 spirit room within which was my material 
 room, fully awakened on the spirit splane,) so 
 awed was I by the splendor of her loveliness. 
 "Thyrza, Thyrza," I clasped her to my heart, 
 "So long, so long since I saw you." 
 
 "At last, at last," she sighed, "Again we are 
 together, but come, your mother and many 
 
 63 
 
are eager to see you." 
 
 "Nay, nay, a moment first with you, love," 
 I cried, pressing her again and again ecstatically 
 to my blosom. 
 
 All returned to me, I remembered this was 
 the real life. Thyrza could not come to me al 
 though we were soul-mates, but now I was free 
 she would always seek me, as she was detached, 
 able to come to, to be with me on the spirit 
 plane, so long as I was not living with another 
 on both spirit and mortal plane. I knew that 
 I myself had put the wide, impassable gulf be 
 tween us on both planes, and, like a guilty 
 thing, although we both knew all that is, is 
 ever the only discipline required for us, I al 
 most fell at her feet. 
 
 "Stop, George dear, not to me, not to me, to 
 n oone, child of God, pure and holy in His 
 sight, forbear," came in low thrilling tones. I 
 lifted my humbled head, looked into her grand 
 eyes, realized my own heritage, and devoutedly 
 said, 
 
 "I shall not murmur nor rebel, but how 
 bitter, how severe my discipline." 
 
 "Nay, dear, like mine, it may be short, some 
 suffer more in a minute than others do in an 
 hour. Mine was short, but you know how in 
 tensely severe." 
 
 Yes, /, above all others, knew, for I had been 
 
 64 
 
the cause of all that sweet Angel s greatest sor 
 rows on the earth plane, for me she had under 
 gone more than a martyr s afflictions. She 
 had endured much more with the sweetest 
 resignation than I, who had been spared the 
 ignominious fate of a suicide, through her in 
 strumentality. I was not surprised when she, 
 (all spirits are gifted with mind reading and 
 thought transference) interposed, "Yes, just an 
 instrument to prevent that act, but not the 
 suffering, remember our dear Father always 
 works through His instruments, but here is one 
 impatient to see you," and I turned to be wrap 
 ped in a mother s fond embrace. My dear 
 mother, dearer far on the spirit plane, where I 
 had ever realized that a mother s love is equal to 
 that of soul mate, and where I had realized that 
 a son s love for his mother, although of an es 
 sentially different quality, not eclipsed by that 
 of soul mate, for both are equally precious. I 
 looked with delight upon her beauty and spirit 
 uality. I saw she was advancing as all God s 
 children are. 
 
 I said, 
 
 "Mother, you ll be able to teach your little 
 lame boy many things when I come Home." 
 
 She smiled merrily as she replied with a sup 
 pressed sigh, All mother s hearts are ever ill at 
 ease until all their children are through with 
 
 65 
 
the earth discipline. 
 
 "Would it were now, my boy." 
 
 Quite a number of detached friends had 
 gathered in my spirit home to meet me for a 
 few moments. Many eminent spirits on both 
 planes. After the banquet, where about thirty 
 or forty were present, I bade all, save my mother 
 and Thyrza farewell, while I retired with Clara 
 and her soul mate Hubert who had taken 
 Elaine s place as I advanced, not that he was 
 superior in wisdom and attainments to Elaine, 
 but to be with his soul-mate, Elaine whom I 
 loved equally as Clara, had been one of the 
 first to greet me as I entered the banqueting 
 hall. 
 
 After some time devoted to spiritual 
 instruction, I returned to my mother and 
 Thyrza, who were in a superb drawing room. 
 My mother, as detached spirit was attired in 
 pale pink, soft and sheeny, white flowers in 
 corsage and hair which was piled high and gave 
 her a most queenly bearing. They advanced, 
 each took me by the hand and led me to a most 
 sumptuous couch. With their heads resting 
 on my shoulders, we remained for a while in a 
 peaceful silence, broken only by a pressure of 
 hand and glance of the eye, as we turned from 
 one to the other. 
 
 We were so happy to be united, we disliked 
 
 66 
 
to even allude to the earth troubles, but finally 
 my mother withdrew from my encircling arm 
 and raising my hand tenderly to her lips said, 
 
 "My son, I have been informed by one close 
 unto the dear Lord, that your pilgrimage will 
 
 soon cease." 
 
 Thyrza lifted her head, exclaiming, 
 "Oh, how glorious, how happy we shall be." 
 My mother continued in a tremulous voice, 
 "And darling, you will be liberated, while 
 seeking to liberate others, more oppressed than 
 yourself. My son, your pity for the down-trod 
 den, your sympathy for the afflicted, your bat 
 tles, since a child for the truths the Lord Jesus 
 Christ taught, equality, liberty, brotherly love, 
 will after your detachment on mortal plane, be 
 appreciated and acknowledged by those in har 
 mony with spiritual truths, ever in the minority 
 on that plane. All your failings inherited 
 from your material ancestors for Divine pur 
 pose, also understood, dear son, be comforted. 
 Believe me thine are insignificant compared 
 with many who are deemed to be your super 
 ior. Has not the human race ever denounced, 
 maligned, and willfully misunderstood many? 
 Why should you with your material limitations 
 escape? Did even our dear Lord escape? Ah, 
 my boy, we on the spirit side are ever in touch 
 with mortal conditions. When we enter the 
 
 67 
 
material consciousness, permitted by the dear 
 Lord for those who have a great love or desire 
 to be of use to the mortal, we read every thought, 
 we know every motive, every act, no matter 
 how secretly, how privately done. Not that 
 we actually witness, for no spirit is ever allow 
 ed to obtrude upon the privacy of any on either 
 plane, but all are under the supervision of 
 Angels, who exercise their judgment under law 
 and will of God, and regulate in all ways the 
 different conditions of each plane as well as of 
 each spirit. Therefore, my beloved son, all 
 is in God s hands, and if, when you awaken on 
 mortal plane you recall aught of to-night, re 
 member that your mother says, Tear not ," 
 
 "Thy Father is with thee," added Thyrza 
 in the soft tones, like an Aeolian harp, heard 
 by me before. 
 
 "Come," mother cried, jumping up like a 
 young girl, as in truth she was, as youthful, as 
 beautiful, as charming as Thryza, though of an 
 entirely different type. 
 
 "Let us go outside a few moments, ere you 
 
 return." 
 
 We three, my arms entwined around each 
 waist, stepped out of glass doors into a lovely 
 porch. We went to front steps and stood mute 
 before the entrancing beauty of the scene be 
 fore us. 
 
 68 
 
It was a night of veiled brilliancy. Here 
 and there great stars shone through a haze 
 of silvery sheen, patches of pale blue, flak 
 ed with gold, formed picture upon picture of 
 skyscapes, more pleasure and wonder inspiring 
 than the most bewildering of landscape effects. 
 The most beautiful, most marvelous of all 
 beauties in our supremely beautiful spirit world 
 are the peerless color blending and harmoniz 
 ing pictures, in truth formed, as Ruskin claimed 
 on earth, by Angels. 
 
 When it is understood that every world 
 is governed by exalted Angels, who are 
 familiar with all chemical lore and ac 
 tion, who work in harmony with law, 
 and put the forces of so-called nature, in reality 
 the Energy of God into operation, it will be 
 grasped that nothing is left to chance, that even 
 though, as cognized on mortal plane, dust from 
 the earth, and its numerous outlets forms the 
 many atmospheric changes, dust is but one of 
 the elements which make the surprising results. 
 
 Although on the first plane of spiritual ad 
 vancement, we three knew many of the causes 
 which make the beautiful effects on both the 
 spirit and mortal plane, still, as on the earth 
 the seemingly creative genius of man only in 
 creases the joy in his achievements, so it is with 
 the awakened spirit, who, ever impelled by the 
 
 69 
 
soul within, seeks but to add to his treasures 
 of knowledge, and incidently increases his pow 
 ers of appreciation and enjoyment. 
 
 From the sky which held us spellbound, 
 with its kaleidoscopic changes, we turned to the 
 wide, smooth beach of firm, glistening white 
 sand, no esplanade here, no great concourse of 
 spirits, for this, as o nearth, was a sequestered 
 spot. 
 
 The sea, like polished sapphire, was tranquil 
 and smooth as a mirror, save where it broke, as 
 it neared the beach, into rippling wavelets of 
 foam, even above there were few floating spirits, 
 and fewer aircraft. I breathed a sigh of relief, 
 still obsessed with my desire for isolation and 
 seclusion, as I noted the peace and restfulness. 
 
 I had seen my friends, had been one of the 
 merriest at the banquet table, but these last few 
 minutes I wished to be alone with my dearest 
 undisturbed even by the almost compelling 
 attraction of sky and sea. 
 
 We neared the edge of the water and sat 
 down, as before on the couch, an arm en 
 circling each. I looked, the silvery 
 light of the stars shining full on the two 
 most exquisite faces in the universe to me, 
 determined to, if I possibly could, with God s 
 will, to so impress them upon my mind that I 
 could take their pictures with me, to inspire 
 
 70 
 
me to keep me true to the vows I had made. 
 They read my thoughts. Thyrza whispered, 
 "Oh, George, how I hope I will not be replaced 
 on earth, so I can be with you here." 
 
 My mother smiled rather sadly, 
 
 "Thyrza, dear, you speak as thought it is as 
 George wills. You know if his material mind 
 cannot be impressed correctly, with his spiritual 
 almost magnetized, he really is powerless to 
 control material conditions." 
 
 "I know," Thyrza answered gently, "No 
 wonder many on mortal plane find it so difficult 
 to know where human will, if God is Omnipo 
 tent, comes in, and why the necessity for indivi 
 dual effort. I, so lotely detached, sometimes bare 
 ly discern correctly myself. Ere I could in 
 terpose, my mother responded quickly, 
 
 "All God s children, all spirits are born right, 
 think right, act right in a world of beauty, bliss 
 and love on a plane of consciousness which can 
 not realize nor really comprehend death, sin and 
 disease, as on earth, since in realitz there are no 
 such things to the spirit, who ever lives, immune 
 to these three things, which are deemed essential 
 by God Omnipotent to develop certain charac 
 teristics, as well as to acquaint His children with 
 pain and suffering, to enable them to ever be 
 able to enjoy the perpetual peace, love and har 
 mony of the spiritual spheres." 
 
 71 
 
"But," Thyrza remarked, "why does it seem 
 to us on earth we are masters of our own des 
 tinies, arbiters of our own fate, that with will 
 we can do as we please, when, in fact, we are as 
 irresponsible as are the degenerates, imbeciles 
 and mentally unbalanced?" 
 
 My mother smiled, 
 
 "My children, the degenerates, imbe 
 ciles, mentally unbalanced are no more 
 irresponsible than the physically diseased 
 and disabled, and the physically diseased and 
 disabled not more irresponsible than the sound 
 and wholesome in body and mind. All are 
 subject to the laws of the different planes. We 
 advance on the spirit side whether on mortal or 
 not. Each child whether a degenerate, in 
 capable of advancing on mortal plane, whether 
 insane, seemingly retrogressing there, or the 
 righteous actually advancing, exercising will to 
 all intents and purposes, is subjected to the very 
 life and discipline adjudged by those in charge 
 of him, hence, we who know cannot question 
 God s wisdom nor His authority in providing 
 different training and schooling as He provides 
 many different places for His children to obtain 
 the necessary discipline to fit them to enter the 
 Celestial Kingdom." 
 
 I w r as amused at Thyrza s questions which I 
 had long since solved on the spirit plane, but 
 
 72 
 
which I knew would perplex and torment me 
 when I would return to the mortal. 
 
 "Dears," I said, "Let us discuss these prob 
 lems no more. I must soon leave you, and I 
 want to take back with me, if I can only re 
 member, the sweet assurance that you will 
 strive your utmost to make me feel your pres 
 
 ence." 
 
 Thyrza nestled closer and pressed my hand 
 to her heart, while my mother fondled my other, 
 both too full to speak. I continued cheerfully, 
 "You must not grieve about me, no matter 
 what I do, no matter how unworthy I may seem, 
 or how much misery I must endure. I shall bear 
 it, not like a poor, handicapped mortal, but I 
 hope as befits a child of God on mortal plane, 
 one who even there, regardless how debased or 
 depraved he may appear to others, instinctively 
 cognizes his true heritage." 
 
 My eyes wandered to the pale, silver 
 haze of th e sky, which slowly dissolved 
 revealing the glory of the blue and gold, 
 and the great stars, almost perceptibly 
 quivering, so near they seemed. From the 
 sky to the sea, from the sea to the dear faces 
 which reflected the love and beauty of their 
 Divine Father, and I bowed my head reverent 
 ly, while my soul bowed in greater reverence 
 before their infinite love. 
 
 73 
 
TO THE COUNTESS. 
 
 When first I saw thy loveliness rare, 
 I deemed thee the fairest of the fair, 
 Methought not e en my angel above, 
 Could excel thee in sweetness and love, 
 And often, often in thy lustrous eye, 
 Methought I saw her spirit gazing 
 
 through, 
 
 And in thy gentle, familiar sigh, 
 Felt her sympathy loving and true. 
 
 Never a glance, and never a tone, 
 But breathed of my love, my love alone, 
 The subtle charm you e er had for me, 
 Was she seemed to live again in thee, 
 False to her I ne er was, ne er could be, 
 The pangs of my heart I bared to thee, 
 Tho all the world deemed me thy lover, 
 Thou knowest that to thee and thee alone, 
 Could I my oppressed soul uncover, 
 
 74 
 
And expose its ev ry sigh, and groan, 
 That which I had gave I unto Thee, 
 Dear, sweet and entrancing as of yore, 
 That which ye had gave ye unto me, 
 Could either of us ,1 pray, do more? 
 Tis true I kept not vows undefiled, 
 And, alas, let loose my passions wild, 
 But ever my love, the divine flame, 
 Burnt on, unextinguished by shame. 
 
 Known to thee there could be no pretense, 
 Thou to whom I need make no defense, 
 For that decreed by Great God to be, 
 But one soul mate, she alone for me. 
 While you, sweet one, tried and true, O, 
 
 so dear, 
 
 You who so oft, dropt the pitying tear, 
 You, too, are in spirit spheres sublime, 
 Mated to thine own true love for all time. 
 
 75 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 Next morning when I awakened in my bare, 
 primitive chamber, I was so bewildered I could 
 scarcely collect my thoughts. A moment be 
 fore I had been with my dear ones, in a home 
 of beauty, midst precious friends. I recalled 
 all that had transpired distinctly, every ex 
 pression on my mother s and Thyrza s faces, 
 every word, gesture and tone. I knew I had 
 been with them, I gloried in it, I was in ecstacy, 
 I breathed prayer upon prayer of fervent grati 
 tude. 
 
 I lay for some time going over and over 
 everything, thrilled with peace and content. 
 Even when cold reason resumed its sway, I 
 could not abandon faith in its reality, and 
 felt, though it might be but a sweet vision, it 
 was sent not only to keep me true to my vows, 
 but to let me know my beloved ones were liv 
 ing and waiting for me. 
 
 As I recalled the conversation, my 
 mother s views, her prediction concerning 
 my early demise, my apparent knowl 
 edge and familiarity with all things per 
 taining to that life, I knew it was true. I 
 
 76 
 
resolved to say nothing about it to anyone, not 
 even to the .Shelleys, whom I expected shortly 
 to see. 
 
 That day to the party who had had the 
 temerity, against my express commands, to fol 
 low me from England, (who had placed me 
 in a false position with those who judged from 
 appearances, and, truth compels me to state 
 she had made the appearances so incriminating 
 that I had been forced into acceptance of a 
 state of affairs absolutely repellant to me), I 
 made it so plain, in a very heated interview on 
 the beach, that I would submit no longer to a 
 liaison neither sought nor desired by me, that 
 she, vowing vengeance, with demoniacal fury, 
 left me to a solitude many days yearned for. 
 
 I congratulated myself upon my freedom, as I 
 watched her go down the beach, every little 
 while turning to make a grimace or menacing 
 gesture, till I wearied and sat down, on the 
 sand, to muse again over the delightful vision, 
 for, by this time so it appeared, of the previous 
 night. 
 
 But in spite of all cold reason urged, 
 backed by all the erudite opinions of the wise 
 and learned (?) of the earth, I still could not 
 divest myself of its actuality. At last, after 
 urging all their opinions and bringing all of 
 my own, I, with the prophetic spirit ever 
 
 77 
 
given to poets, felt, with Shakespeare, that 
 there were indeed "more things in Heaven and 
 earth" than dreamed of and what more appeal 
 ing to even cold reason, what more convincing 
 than the wise words of my mother relative to 
 man s discipline and destiny. 
 
 If God was Omnipotent, all wisdom, all 
 good, the only power, as Christendom claimed, 
 why should there be a fallen Angel or fallen 
 people waiting to be redeemed for having been 
 created in the Divine image of God, with so 
 much knowledge, although of a different, super- 
 ious nature, superior to that of their Creator, 
 which enabled them to create evil out of good. 
 The natural inference was that either God was 
 not Omnipotent or that He was not Good, or 
 that He was Good, and evil was not created by 
 Him, but by another great Power, as Zoroaster 
 claimed, fighting for supremacy. To one familiar 
 with the history of the race from primitive 
 man to the present, who could trace the gradu 
 ally developing good, the slowly evolving in 
 telligence and conscience, ever advancing from 
 low to high, little by little unfolding in indivi 
 dual and race the spiritual qualities, which 
 designated man from the animal, it was easy 
 to perceive a Supreme Intelligence supervising 
 all, one who was not sharing power with any, 
 but carrying out a specific plan, pre-arranged 
 
 78 
 
with such marvelous wisdom and ingenuity as 
 to be even cognized by man on a low plane. 
 
 No one, even with brain of an ape, could pos 
 sibly cognize that Power, which was bringing 
 order out of chaos, good out of evil, as either 
 haphazard chance, or a malignant power creat 
 ing poor, irresponsible humanity for the sole 
 purpose of, not only torturing it upon the earth, 
 but gleefully prodding it with plitchforks into 
 fire, brimstone and eternal damnation. The 
 latter insensate conception entertained by many 
 learned scholars, even at that stage of my ad 
 vancement appeared entirely inconceivable to 
 me who had studied the life of the Lord Jesus 
 Christ, been impressed by the Divine love and 
 charity exhibited in His mission, life and works, 
 which were filled with pity limitless, love 
 boundless, and a charity unknown to earth. 
 
 I had formed my opinion from His Life, 
 His acts, not the foolish interpolations, which, 
 seemingly to those who never see beyond the sur 
 face, contradicted these God-like attributes. 
 Knowing He had blessed and healed, regard 
 less how fallen, the thief on the cross, Mary 
 Magdalene, and a host of others, who were not 
 even questioned whether they had faith, such 
 as Lazarus, who was dead, Japeth s daughter 
 and others far from Him who had been healed 
 by Him, knowing He healed all, irrespective 
 
 79 
 
of faith, of creed, of. character, of nation or 
 race, I was not influenced by the teachings of 
 any church or religion, which, despite the 
 glorious acts, formed so utterly false a con 
 ception of that highest of all characters, as to 
 endo wit with the failings and weaknesses which 
 it was His mission to overcome. 
 
 As I mused over Christ s life and mission, 
 after having traced, step by step, the life of every 
 great teacher preceding Him, as I noted, in or 
 derly sequence, the lower succeeded by the 
 higher, until He came, I could not doubt that 
 God was not only Omnipotent, but Good and 
 Loving, hence He never created evil and we 
 were not fallen not accursed. No revisor, trans- 
 later, expounder of His mission had, in its true 
 significance, given it to the world. All, more 
 or less had interpreted it to suit the prevailing 
 spirit of the different planes of advancement 
 as my mother called them, just as others, com 
 ing later, would interpret more clearly. 
 
 Bound as I was by materialism, I could not 
 grasp my mother s meaning regarding discipline 
 and man s destiny, although her ideas appealed 
 much more strongly to my reason than any 
 thing I had yet thought, been taught or learned 
 on the earth. 
 
 I had become o engrossed with my cogi 
 tations, hat pulled forward to prevent rays 
 
 80 
 
of the sun, I had not noticed any unusual 
 sound until I heard a welcome voice and a 
 merry peal of laughter. Percy and Mary stood 
 before me, brown and happy. Percy as true 
 and lovable as ever, Mary as sweet, dear friends 
 equally as true and loyal. 
 
 Both grasped my hands and helped me to arise. 
 I was so glad to see them; how my heart, pained 
 by one too well known to them, rejoiced! After 
 shaking hands and clapping on the bacq time and 
 again in British style, we sat down to discuss 
 events and experiences since our last meetting. 
 
 I looked at Mary, I observed a rather hurt, 
 humilated look in her clear, honest eyes, and 
 the same look, after the laughter ceased, on 
 Percy s mobile face. 
 
 Mary began nervously, 
 
 "You know, George, we met her, she told 
 us all and was in a dreadful rage. She has 
 such a passionate nature, I am so grieved, I 
 wish it could have been arranged more pleas 
 antly." 
 
 I had not been perfectly frank with these 
 dear friends for obvious reasons. Their rela 
 tion, bitterly censured by the world, had ever 
 appeared to me one of the most holy unions, 
 sanctioned by God, though not by man, I had 
 ever had the pleasure to be thrown in contact 
 with, bound as they were by the sole tie which 
 
 81 
 
renders any union indissoluble, or eternal, the 
 true conjugal love, so well explained by Eman- 
 uel Swedenborg. They hoped a being, who 
 had forced upon me the most odious relation 
 of my life, would keep me faithful as they were, 
 not knowing the truth, which out of respect for 
 them I had ever withheld, that I had never, at 
 any period, had aught but an animal attraction 
 and a pitfying contempt for one who had ever 
 deliberately thrust herself in my way, and, at 
 the time when all the world was bitterly assail 
 ing and stoning me with more venom than the 
 Jews did our Lord, at a time when I desired 
 solitude, when I, like a wounded animal, sought 
 my lair to endeavor to recuperate my forces to 
 prove them liars and defamers, this woman had 
 thrust upon me an open liaison, rendering it im 
 possible for me to vindicate myself, as I could 
 otherwise have done. It did indeed seem, as 
 my mother said in the vision, I had not willed 
 nor desired this woman s presence, I had 
 through sheer good nature, tender regard for 
 these friends, closely connected with her, not 
 thrust her forth. Even now I could not ex 
 plain without wounding deeply. I resolved 
 to remain silent. What cared I how many 
 more condemned or judged falsely, so I 
 merely said, 
 
 "Friends, I cannot discuss this with you. 
 
 82 
 
Believe me, it wounds me as much as you." 
 
 Percy, even quick to divine the truth 
 with a look of staunch friendship, cried, 
 
 "I know you, your reasons must be good. 
 We ll say no more. Hush, Mary, we are the 
 last to interfere with the soul s free choice." 
 
 That was enough for Mary, "What! inter 
 fere with the greatest gift of all, love? Force 
 upon anyone an uncongenial relation?" Not 
 Mary Godwin, who had forsaken all to cleave 
 to the man she worshipped. Ah, I thought, 
 no wonder she worshipped that rare genius, 
 that closest of all friends, in many respects, to 
 me. Never breathed a truer spirit, never walked 
 upon the face of the earth, a purer soul, more 
 loyal lover, devoted friend than Percy Shelley, 
 I looked as fondly at him. 
 
 "Percy, you indeed know me, would to 
 God, dear friends, others knew us as we really 
 
 are." 
 
 He smiled, 
 
 "That is your last remaining weak 
 ness. I care nothing for the empty 
 plaudits of the world. Its condemnation tor 
 tures you to the quick. That is your inherent 
 weakness. Look it in the face, tread it under 
 foot, though ever brave, independent of pub 
 lic opinion, you act to suit yourself, yet so 
 bound are you by the conventions and pre- 
 83 
 
cedents of an insular isle, so small as to be 
 scarcely seen on the map of the world, that you 
 allow the often thoughtless, not really felt, 
 words of the superficial, to rend your very soul 
 with anguish. Get on the heights where you 
 belong, and look with the superiority born 
 within you upon the little crawling ants, too 
 insignificant to hurt the real man." 
 
 1 smiled at the force and feeling of the 
 closing words, thinking that he may possibly 
 have misconstrued my motive in ridding my 
 self of my whilom female incumberance, but I 
 said nothing, as I led the way to the villa. 
 
 We were togther many days after this. My 
 life became more bearable, I grew lighter in 
 spirits, more bouyant, cheered by their tender 
 ness and sympathy, and strengthened by Percy s 
 clarity of vision and clear insight into human 
 nature. We discussed all the questions, all 
 the problems of the day, all our experiences, 
 save my inner soul life. 
 
 Gradually I regained control of my 
 self and resumed writing with increased 
 power and vigor, impressed as I now 
 know more truly, the false and true comming 
 led, the true evinced in my correct impressions 
 of the spiritual attributes, the false, alas in the 
 majority, the erroneous ones controlled by 
 material conceptions, formed by material en- 
 
 84 
 
vironment and conditions. All the time not 
 devoted to writing, was given to the Shelleys 
 and the very few whom chance, or curiosity 
 threw in our way, for, we were still, in a sense, 
 lions, to be either reviled, feared, feted or pro 
 pitiated. 
 
 What hearty laughs, what satire, what irony 
 were evoked by many. Verily I could have 
 surpassed, "English bards and Scottish Review 
 ers," had I cared by simply portraying the 
 actual, ludicrous experiences which occurred 
 to the Shelleys and me, and had not Percy s 
 tragic death put an end to all of that nature, 
 I would have, possibly, written something of 
 that kind. 
 
 Again I was left alone. I will pass over 
 the attack on my life, and the many unpleas 
 ant incidents connected with it, especially the 
 scurrilous attacks of the press. I will not 
 dwell upon poor Percy s tragic fate, nor Mary s 
 more tragic sorrow, save to say I mourned him 
 greatly until I too followed somewhat later. 
 I shall pass over all except the woman who was 
 to become to me that which I never expected 
 to find upon earth. Not only one who loved 
 me devotedly for myself, but one who helped 
 me, beyond all others, in unfolding that part 
 of my nature which had been, even to me, in 
 my most blessed days of happiness with my 
 
 85 
 
love, a closed book. All the world is familiar 
 with our romance as portrayed by many who 
 were but familiar with the externals of our 
 lives, and, as, such, judged accordingly. 
 
 Now for the first and only time will the truth 
 be given of that woman and her friendship. 
 Driven to extremity by the most inhuman treat 
 ment, in her simplicity and guilelessness she 
 turned to me, whom not Destiny nor Fate, but 
 the guardian Angels influenced, knowing that 
 I would appreciate and cherish the elevated 
 character, entrusted to me, and that she would 
 be able to help me unfold the latent gifts which 
 not yet had been called forth, 
 help me unfold the latent gifts which not yet 
 
 One who judges impartially, familiar with 
 the tremendous amount of work I accomplished 
 while with her, can see how little time I must 
 have devoted to the follies and excesses attributed 
 to me by a censorious world. Neither then nor 
 now do I make excuses for my connection with 
 this pure soul. Ere I decided, during the long 
 pure soul. Ere I decided, during the long 
 weary days forced to accept the hospitality of 
 her ihusband, upon the course, (I must con 
 fess, within my soul, which I reluctantly took,) 
 I was impelled and actuated by the highest 
 motives. Daily, nightly I besought God and 
 the sweet spirits of my beloved ones to lead 
 
 86 
 
me. As a child, I turned to them, beseeching, 
 imploring light to guide me. But, alas, no 
 response of any kind came. 
 
 Almost unnerved from the effects of 
 wounds to my body, as well as my wor 
 ried mental condition, kept me, as I learn 
 ed later, from receiving the impressions, 
 When the fatal moment came, the decision left 
 to me, I could not let that sweet child, that 
 noble soul take a step fraught with such terri 
 ble consequences, without knowing all the truth 
 concerning me, I opened my soul to her, I laid 
 bare the secrets of my heart, I told her of the 
 deathless love I had for Thyrza, of my hopes of 
 reunion with her in Heaven, in fact, to her and 
 her alone, I told the truth, and left the decision 
 with her. Every one is familiar with that 
 decision and our later life, sanctioned by her 
 father, and approved, not condoned, I disdain 
 any such word, in connection with that pure 
 soul, by all who knew and met us during the 
 period we sojourned together. 
 
 Although I wrote almost incessantly, early 
 in the morning, often late at night, and must 
 have taxed her beyond measure, never a word 
 of complaint did she utter, never an impatient 
 expression marred the beautiful serenity of her 
 face. 
 
 She love me with the hallowed love a 
 
 87 
 
child give sto a loved father, never did I sound 
 the depths of her soul any more than she did 
 mine. No unfortunate chain of circum 
 stances brought us together; as I said before, it 
 was ordained, as are all things by the Angels 
 in charge. Although she assisted me in unfold- 
 ment more than I did her, I was the instru 
 ment who removed her from an extremely un 
 pleasant atmosphere and environment. 
 
 It is almost a century of earth life since 
 these events transpired, and while every incident 
 is as fresh in memory, as they all necessarily 
 appear in their true light, I cannot linger over 
 them with the enjoyment of one engaged in 
 writing fiction. I pass on to my efforts in be 
 half of liberty for the unfortunate isles of 
 Greece. 
 
 I knew it lacerated the sweet heart of 
 the Countess to have me engage in that, 
 seemingly, hopeless struggle for the rights of 
 that brave people, whom I saw so valiantly 
 struggling with such terrific odds against them. 
 Their impassioned love of country and liberty 
 touched me extremely. I knew there was but 
 a fighting chance, a very frail one at that, but 
 I determined to devote all my strength of 
 body and powers of mind to help, if even in a 
 fruitless effort, which, in all probability, would 
 terminate in reuniting me with my loved ones, 
 Reuniting me with my loved ones. Has any 
 one upon the mortal plane yet imagined that 
 
 88 
 
Byron went into that desperate, hopeless strug 
 gle, without counting the cost, without realiz 
 ing to the full, the almost certain end of life 
 upon that plane? Methinks those who took 
 me for a fool must have been, as they judged 
 me, woefully deficient not to have realized thaf 
 though the sweet Countess did all she could to 
 still the clamorings of my soul, to appease the 
 heart-hunger, and though I was seemingly con 
 tent and peaceful, / must have forseen my fate. 
 I was led by the spirit within. Truth compels 
 me to state, I plainly forsaw the utter hopeless 
 ness and uselessness, but impelled by the spirit 
 I could not resist, since it was but myself hun 
 gering for release, it was inevitable. 
 
 When, with fever, almost delirious, I 
 was besought by all to attend to myself, 
 also impelled by the spirit within, all the 
 more clamoring for release, I defied pain and 
 fever, until powerless, I succumbed, and laid 
 down that life, as predicted by my mother, 
 although not in actual combat, in the cause of 
 liberty. 
 
 o 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 I awakened to the sound of longed 
 for voices. I oponed my eyes, I saw 
 my mother and Thyrza gazing on me with looks 
 of rapture, I had been, I was informed later, 
 
 89 
 
in an unconscious condition for some time on 
 spirit side, ere I was prepared to be detached. 
 
 Clara, Hubert, my mother and Thyrza had 
 been with me almost incessantly. Hubert and 
 Clara, my guardian Angels, fulfilling their 
 last duties with the wisdom known but to the 
 Celestial Angels, of re-connecting me more 
 directly with God as a detached spirit, thus, 
 revitalizing me more completely than was 
 necessary, when detached, during the short 
 periods allotted to sleep of the material body. 
 
 As the material brain is completely changed 
 every year or so, every convolution and entity 
 replaced by new, it can be seen that all experi 
 ences would, unless registered upon the true 
 spiritual, the sole brain immune to change, be 
 completely obliterated and lost to the spirit, 
 therefore, the spirit, even on mortal plane, 
 would be unable to remember aught of the past. 
 Ever and always the Celestial Angels select 
 and discard all the experiences not judged es 
 sential to be retained, just as when the link is 
 severed between the two planes of conscious 
 ness, they prepare the spirit for his final awak 
 ening. 
 
 The spirit, as I have stated heretofore, 
 is ever fully conscious, when detached during 
 sleep, of life on both the planes, or rather re 
 members distinctly the life in the two worlds. 
 
 90 
 
But when detached by that which is called 
 death on mortal plane, when the tie is com 
 pletely sundered, the spirit memory, due to 
 connecting the spirit more perfectly with God 
 the Father, sometimes is more or less magnet 
 ized for certain periods, varying in different 
 ones from a half hour to two or three days, 
 according to mortal time, hence when all first 
 awaken, very few recall life on the spirit plane, 
 and only remember the mortal life. 
 
 For a few seconds, in a half dreamy condi 
 tion, I gazed on them, too bewildered to speak, 
 "effect of the fever," I thought, "a dream too 
 good to be true," then, more hopefully as I 
 saw Thyrza smile, "another true vision, oh, 
 thank God." 
 
 The two beauteous beings, who had been 
 hovering nearer than my mother and 
 Thyrza, left. My eyes followed them, so love 
 ly they appeared, half conscious as I was, obliv 
 ious of even my great love, when my mother 
 raised my hand to her lips and arrested my 
 wandering gaze. I looked conscious at last, 
 into eyes filled with a mother s divine love. 
 
 "Mother, mother," I gasped. 
 
 I heard Thyrza s voice, sweet and soft, 
 
 "George, George, don t you know me?" 
 Thyrza seized my other hand. 
 
 I turned my eyes upon her, and, filled 
 
 91 
 
with the strength and power of a God, I arose, 
 and folded my arms first about one, then about 
 the other, I know not which came first, or cared> 
 both were equally, though differently, dear. 
 Ah, the ecstacy when first freed from the tram 
 mels of the flesh, one realizes, still in the mate 
 rial consciousness, in a degree, the immortal 
 ity of life and love. The peace and the joy 
 illimitable, in the knowledge that there is no 
 such thing as death and the cold grave, that 
 never again can pain and disease harass and 
 torture one, is beyond the power of finite lan 
 guage to portray. 
 
 After looking on the love illumined faces, 
 taking in every detail of their appearance in 
 one all embracing glance, the sheeny, flowing 
 garbs, barely exposing the equisite symmetry 
 of form, their extreme beauty, I remarked 
 gratefully, not at all recollecting my spirit life, 
 excepting the vision. 
 
 "So it is all true, I was with you, and this 
 is our real Home and life." 
 
 "Yes, the only true life," Thyrza replied. 
 
 After awhile, I glanced around. I had pass 
 ed out, as all know, in camp, midst a hetero- 
 genous collection of all sorts of things, although 
 I had been so overcome with fever, I had been 
 conscious but little of surroundings, so I was 
 naturally surprised when I noted the luxurious 
 
 92 
 
appointments of the room, superior in beauty 
 to any I had ever seen on earth. 
 
 "Where .am I, did you bring me here?" 
 
 "No, dearest, I ll tell you later, come with 
 us now home," my mother said. 
 
 We passed out into a beautiful conservatory, 
 thence to a veranda. When the glorious view 
 broke on my sight, I stopped involuntarily, 
 absolutely overwhelmed. Even if I had been 
 able to recall my spirit life, as I had never 
 seen daylight during my attachment to the 
 material, this, my first view of spirit daylight, 
 would no less have held me transfixed. 
 
 It was apparently mid-day. The immense sun, 
 apparenty much larger than on earth, scintillat 
 ed above, emitting numbeless vizrations of great 
 golden shafts, encircled with beautiful rings of 
 countless pale tints of every color imaginable, 
 so harmoniously blended, as to cast over all an 
 especially clear and solft light. The sky sur 
 rounding the superb circles of color, or rather 
 on the outside, was of a pale blue, through 
 which gleamed, here and there, the silver luster 
 of the great spiritual worlds, like ours, as 
 plainly visible as at night. Aerial craft 
 and glorious beings were everywhere to be seen 
 on many aerial roads, (so regulated as to give 
 no appearance of crowding or confusion,) 
 which, instead of detracting, only added to the 
 
 93 
 
beauty of all the great expanse. From the sky to 
 the sea I gazed. But first I gave another long, en 
 raptured gaze on the faces of my dear ones. 
 
 Shall I ever forget the glory of that sea, or 
 the almost dazed awe with which I drank in its 
 sublime peerlessness? Far as the eye could 
 reach, save here and there, the spirit Isles of 
 Greece, which I had so greatly admired on the 
 earth plane, was a sea of the same azure as 
 the sky, tremulously reflecting its varied tints 
 and hues. The isles were covered with stately 
 white edifices, in the midst of verdure and parks 
 of most delicate shades of green, while every 
 where to be seen, as in the sky, were water 
 crafts of all kinds, filled with people, ships and 
 steamers of great size and wondrous beauty, 
 flying the colors of all nations on earth. 
 
 I murmured amazedly, 
 
 "Flags in the spirit world?" 
 
 "Why not?" my mother replied, "We 
 are even more natural and substantial here than 
 on earth." 
 
 I could not comprehend, not etherial, 
 not cherubim nor seraphim playing on 
 harps? thank God." I looked with delight 
 on Thyrza. Solid, wholesome flesh, yea, flesh. 
 I noted the clear transparency of the skin, 
 tinged with the rich red blood of perfect 
 health. I felt a greater wave of gratitude 
 
 94 
 
sweep over me. I realized that life, real life 
 was just beginning, not ending. They per 
 mitted me to gaze a while longer on the mar 
 vels of sea and sky, ere my mother said, 
 
 "Come, dear, we must go," and guided by 
 them, I felt myself strangely leaving the ground. 
 I thought of the vision, and, instinctively, like 
 a bird, I ascended with them. I have referred 
 to the exquisite sensation before, one of the most 
 pleasurable of all. 
 
 We floated quite rapidly, and joined 
 a great concourse going in one direction, 
 on one side a road devoted to air craft 
 going in the same direction, on the other, float 
 ing spirits returning. I was thus enabled to 
 see the numberless different types, all beautiful 
 and perfect. The men appeared veritable 
 gods, faces expressive of the greatest wisdom 
 and love, in fact, many were gods. Celestial 
 Angels of high degree. The women, all beau 
 tiful, none appearing over twenty-five, were of 
 every type known on earth, perfected and 
 glorified, and, like the men, all equal in beauty 
 with varying expressions ot sweetness and radi 
 ance. 
 
 That which held my attention most was 
 the radiance, the lustre, the spirit of the 
 eye and marvelous velvety texture of the skin, 
 varying from magnolia cream to pearly white, 
 
 95 
 
in many a faint sea-shell pink, barely percepti 
 ble, giving the countenance a warm glow, inde 
 scribably beautiful, others with the cream and 
 strawberry complexion of old England, much 
 clearer and more delicate, and many like 
 Thyrza, white as sea-foam, with rich red in the 
 cheeks coming and going in waves of 
 beauty. A veritable feast of beauty passed in 
 endless review before my admiring gaze. I 
 am no less a poet on spirit than the mortal 
 plane, it is my nature to admire beauty. 
 
 I asked Thyrza, 
 
 "Where are we going?" 
 
 "To Paris," she replied. 
 
 "To Paris," I ejaculated. 
 
 "Yes, the spirit city of Paris," my mother 
 chimed in merrily, "I am staying there at pres 
 ent, my son." 
 
 We had come some distance, and had 
 passed over many cities, towns and vill 
 ages, so far below us, that, absorbed as I 
 was in the wondrous beauty of the spirits, I 
 had failed to observe aught else. All still 
 seemed more or less like a beautiful vision, en 
 grossed with the joy of seeing my dear ones, 
 and the many wonders I had entirely forgotten 
 all. on earth. With a pang, I recalled the 
 Countess, she who had been so faithful, my 
 sole comfort on that dark, mortal plane. Un- 
 
 96 
 
abashed, with the love of my soul by my side 
 and my own dear mother, knowing intuitively 
 that they, even more than I myself, absolved 
 me from all blame, I exclaimed, 
 
 "I must return to see, to comfort her." 
 
 My mother answered gently, 
 
 "Not yet, my son, later. Many dear rela 
 tives and friends await anxiously our arrival." 
 
 I resigned myself gladly, as I was my 
 self more than eager to meet the dear friends 
 who had gone before, and especially Percy, 
 who had been with me more recently. 
 
 Although we had traversed many miles, I 
 experienced a vigor, a bouyancy unknown upon 
 earth, I seemed to thrill with the ecscacy of 
 perfect strength, perfect health, limitless and 
 incessantly renewed vitality. I thought of my 
 mother s words in the vision. "No such thing 
 as death, disease, and evil " I gloried in be 
 ing able to demons traU and prove her words 
 as I was doing. Oh death, glorious liberator," 
 1 thought, "how sweet and hallowed thy sting, 
 what a joyous awakening you biing." We de 
 scended with the crowd to a lower strata, where 
 we obtained a better view of all below and 
 above. We were, from t- ie similarity of topo 
 graphy, in Southern France. I recognized 
 the river, the valleys, the mountain ranges, but 
 nothing else. Unlikj earth, the water reflect- 
 
 97 
 
ed the glory and wondrous coloring of the sky, 
 while the verdure and vegetation were incon 
 ceivably more beautiful and luxuriant in un 
 populated and thinly populated places. The 
 towns, villages and cities all appeared greater 
 and grander, I noted castles and palaces sur 
 rounded by parks. I said, 
 
 "Eminent people doubtless live in them." 
 
 Thyrza replied, 
 
 "All eminent people here, all are God s chil 
 dren, no distinction of caste." 
 
 "Thank God/ I exclaimed, "in a really free 
 country at last. This is worth struggling, dy 
 ing for." 
 
 They both smiled in reply. Joyously we float 
 ed on, inhaling air, more soft and balmy than 
 Italy s choicest. It seemed to me I could have 
 continued thus indefinitely without tiring. Fin 
 ally a great, a wonderful city of white and gold 
 appeared in the distance, with domes, turrets 
 and spires mounting to the sky, not at all like 
 the cities portrayed in the Bible, as it was filled 
 and surrounded with parks, which softened the 
 glitter and added greatly to its beauty. As we 
 neared, I observed numberless vines and shrubs 
 softening the gold. Gold, white and pale 
 cerise were the sole colors I noticed, save in the 
 parks where flowers of all shades were to be 
 seen. 
 
 98 
 
I saw great boulevards, tree lined with 
 rippling streams, crowded with animated 
 throngs of exquisitely attired people. On all 
 sides I noted evidences of a civilization far 
 superior to the earth. The buildings were 
 inexpressively grand and sublime, but as my 
 mother and Thyrza accelerated their speed, I 
 could only obtain fleeting impressions and views 
 as we hastened to the northern suburbs, where 
 we stopped before a stately mansion. 
 
 We alighted on the front steps. I had not time 
 to take more than a cursory glance as we 
 ascended the steps, white and smooth as velvet 
 like choice onyx. The immense front doors 
 were open. I was hastened to the rear of a 
 magnificent hall, into a lift, which arose to the 
 second story, we saw no one although I heard 
 music and merry voices. My mother opened 
 the door and we entered a magnificent apart 
 ment, she placed her arms around me and 
 kissed me tenderly. Thyrza stood by with 
 great eyes brilliant with joy and excitement. 
 
 "You will find all prepared for you. 
 Thyrza and I will change and return for you." 
 
 Merry peals of laughter and gay, jubilant 
 voices resounded through the hall. They gave 
 me another warm embrace and I was left alone. 
 
 I hurried to an inner door, thence into dress 
 ing room. I saw a complete suit of immac- 
 
 99 
 
ulate white, everything laid out on a couch 
 carefully, no sign of a valet. Saw a most in 
 viting bathroom, and within a short while 
 attired myself carefully. When I glanced in 
 the mirror surmounting my dressing table, I 
 was delighted with my appearance, as I had 
 been in the bath, to note that I was perfect in 
 form and feature, all my defects vanished. I 
 looked as glorious as many of the grand spirits 
 I had admired. I was all in white, even to 
 a tiny boutonniere. My suit was much like 
 the earth dress-suit, of a singularly fine mate 
 rial, my shirt sheer, with filmy lace, like unto 
 cobwebs, a soft tie of lustrous white, with one 
 large pearl. The shirt had cuffs, fastened also 
 with pearls. The suit was very comfortable, 
 and fitted me perfectly. I thought I had 
 never seen a costume which suited me so well, 
 so simple, but elegant in the extreme. Just as 
 I finished, I heard a rap and the door opened. 
 A very distinguished man, young and hand 
 some, advanced with outstretched arms, I re 
 cognized him immediately though my spirit 
 memory had not returned. 
 
 "Father, my father," I cried, as he pressed 
 me to him repeatedly, "This is too good to be 
 true. You here and " I hesitated, I had 
 but the earth recollections instilled into me by 
 my mother on earth plane and many prejudiced 
 
 100 
 
relatives. 
 
 "Yes, my son, we are all God s children, no 
 black sheep here, all white." 
 
 "Thank God, thank God," I reiterated. 
 This was joy indeed. The ties of blood 
 are very strong, I had endured much 
 on his account, but had never forgotten he 
 was by father, and had, ever in my soul 
 loved him. My mother and Thyrza entered. 
 When I looked on them, I forgot him for a 
 moment, so overwhelmed was I. They were 
 both in white of most etherial lace, the neck 
 and arms were bare, no jewels, save pearls of 
 exquisite beauty and buds like mine in their 
 corsage and hair. Thyrza, tall, superb, $nuwy 
 neck and arms, hair like an aureole of sun 
 shine, looked like a glorious young goddess, 
 too divine to be approached were it not for the 
 tender archness of the rich, ripe mouth, and the 
 moist tenderness of the great sapphire eyes. 
 
 Waves of delicate carmine mounted the sen 
 sitive face? 
 
 "How do I look?" 
 
 Ah, not too angelic I thought, not yet an 
 angel, but just an unusually beautiful and love 
 ly girl. 
 
 "Heavenly," I said. 
 
 Then I looked at the other dear one, wait 
 ing with a mothers tender sweetness and love. 
 
 101 
 
Truth forces me to say while looking at Thyrza, 
 1 could not refraim from looking at her, so 
 exquisitely beautiful she was. Both were 
 equally lovely, though entirely different. My 
 mother, very much unlike her mortal self, so 
 unlike as never to have been recognized by me, 
 had not I intuitively known with the spirit love 
 which ever knows its own, was, although tall, 
 of a marvelously formed figure, hands and arms 
 incomparably beautiful. Her face, a perfect 
 oval, not as round as Thyrza s, was that term 
 ed, "strawberry blond, " her eyes, soft as a 
 gazelle s, were neither gray nor hazel, but a 
 blending of the two, magnetic and beautiful. 
 Her shapely head was crowned by masses of 
 soft, dark hair, several long ringlets fell below 
 her waist on one side, a white rosebud nestled 
 near her tiny ear. Both were so entrancing, I 
 could not remove my gaze, and did not dare 
 to caress for fear of disarranging the perfection 
 of their appearance. My mother broke the 
 silence, with the familiar gesture of the vision, 
 she raised my hand to her lips, and her voice 
 tremulous with feeling said, 
 
 "At last our time of weary waiting is over, 
 at last Thyrza and I are free from the pain of 
 your sorrows." 
 
 Thyrza took my other hand and said as 
 tremulously and tenderly, 
 
 102 
 
"George, we are in our own home, every 
 thing is very different here than on earth. Alt 
 parents prepare for and give a reception upon 
 the liberation of their children from the earth 
 discipline. We are soul mates, but, under 
 God s laws, soul-mates are also united with a 
 simple ceremony when not united on earth by 
 ties of marriage. This ceremony will be per 
 formed presently before all our dearest and 
 nearest and " the quivering voice stopped. I 
 pressed her to me, with emotion so strong I 
 was powerless to speak. 
 
 After recovering our composure, another rap 
 sounded. My father had left long before, I 
 saw my mother s eyes light, and, ere he ap 
 proached, I greeted him, to all their amaze 
 ment. 
 
 "So glad to see you, Albert, I remember all." 
 My spirit memory returned, as I recognized 
 my mother s soul-mate, whom I had met fre 
 quently before detached. All were pleased 
 that it returned before the ceremony. I said 
 happily, 
 
 "Well, I am done, finished, now I am free 
 at last." 
 
 I remembered, with the wonderful memory 
 cf the spirit, every incident of my life on both 
 planes, I recalled all, even Thyrza s distress, 
 and my mother s approval of my connection 
 
 103 
 
with the Countess. All was made clear. But 
 I shall continue with that later. My mother 
 and Albert, Thyrza and I, arm in arm. descend 
 ed into the lower hall, which was softly yet bril 
 liantly illuminated, white flowers and ferns and 
 smylax everywhere in evidence. Strains of 
 music softly rose and fell, sounding like a 
 wedding march. 
 
 I shall never forget the dazzling scene 
 which met my gaze as we entered the immense 
 reception rooms. I could but see the general 
 effect. It was furnished and decorated in 
 white, not a touch of color anywhere, save the 
 walls which were paneled with matchless paint 
 ings, and the ceiling representing; a scene with 
 the Lord Jesus Christ in the center. 
 
 Although I had my love on my arm, and al 
 though I could glimpses of faces of many very 
 dear to me, eager to welcome me, I was com 
 pelled to look on the beauty of that countenance. 
 My spirit bowed in homage before its Celestial 
 glory and Divinity. The compelling power 
 of the eyes, the infinite love, the irresistible 
 sweetness chained me for a spell, then slowly 
 I removed my eyes, and no longer was per 
 mitted to see anything outside of my number 
 less friends and relatives who had assembled to 
 joy with me upon my emancipation. 
 
 With memory returned I greeted all, whom 
 
 104 
 
I had known and met on both planes, as well 
 as many I had only known on spirit plane, with 
 the love and confidence all spirits entertain 
 for each other, bound as we all are, by indis 
 soluble tie, the same parentage, all children of 
 God Omnipotent All my friends, with whom 
 I had been thrown in contact on both planes, 
 and many whom, on earth plane, I had consid 
 ered enemies, in the true life, I knew them as 
 they really were and accordingly so esteemed 
 them. So there was no surprise, only pleasure 
 deep and true evinced on all sides that one 
 more was free to enter into the glories and bliss 
 of the detached spirit. 
 
 A handshake here, a tap on the shoulder 
 from one dear, a warm tone, a loving eye greet 
 ed me here and there. After all had wel 
 comed me, a stately spirit, one whom I recog 
 nized as my guardian Angel Hubert, accom 
 panied by Clara, and Marie, Thyrza s guardian 
 Angel, accompanied by her soul - mate, all 
 resplendent and love inspiring beyond words 
 to convey, entered slowly and softly, while 
 Celestial music accompanied them. I, with 
 Thyrza on my arm, joined and followed them, 
 my father and his soul-mate, my mother and 
 hers, friends and relatives, into an immense 
 apartment open to the sky. Its great columns, 
 wreathed with white flowers and delicate ferns, 
 
 105 
 
were the sole obstruction to the view outside of 
 unsurpassing beauty. The sky, softest white 
 and azure, was iridescent with the light of 
 numberless spiritual worlds, which cast a soft 
 glow over the grounds, enabling one, without 
 artificial light, to see them distinctly. 
 
 When we took our places in the center, our 
 guardian Angels on either side, friends and 
 relatives in various circles surrounding us, 
 music, incomparably sweet and melodious, arose 
 in triumphant swells of harmony, then slowly 
 subsided with trills and softened cadences. 
 Then all became quiescent, while the majesty 
 of perfect peace and silence reigned for a few 
 moments. Marie took Thyrza s hand and 
 placed it within mine. My eyes sought and 
 met the sweetest eyes in the universe to me, 
 Hubert took both our hands, joined them again 
 gently and lovingly, then, as breathless silence 
 still reigned, said very softly, yet so distinctly 
 that all, even on the outmost circle of the vast 
 room heard distinctly. 
 
 "Sisters and brethren, children of our lov 
 ing Father, again we gather to joy upon an 
 other dear one s freedom from the dark and 
 tempestuous atmosphere of our mortal plane. 
 Every liberation brings feeling of relief, of 
 peace and joy. We are so intercorelated, so 
 closely knit, the material within the spiritual 
 
 106 
 
that, despite the hallowed blessings and privil 
 eges of the real life, our souls are ever, more 
 or less, in close communion with the mortal, 
 each and every one of us having trod the same 
 thorny path, on our God-imposed pilgrimage 
 from low to high, we cannot but rejoice, as we 
 do now, when freedom comes to those with 
 whom we have been so closely united. It is 
 my especial pleasure, as guardian of my be 
 loved brother of not uniting two, whom their 
 Father has already united by the eternal bond 
 of twin soul for its mate, but by and in behalf 
 of our loving Father as His representative, who, 
 owing to the millions of children being con 
 stantly emancipated, cannot be in person, only 
 very occasionally at such functions, I, in His 
 holy Name, pronounce this union blessed and 
 eternal throughout everlasting life." 
 
 He placed his hand upon both our bowed 
 heads; all knelt, while he impressively con 
 tinued : I 
 
 "Thy Father s blessing, thy Father s love, in 
 finite and illimitible, is thine forever." 
 
 Music arose in anthems of entrancing 
 melody, voices so celestial they sounded, seem 
 ingly of seraphim and cherubim, vibrated and 
 revibrated, ,within and without. Within a 
 tew seconds we arose, not to receive congratu 
 lations as on earth, but to involuntarily gaze 
 
 107 
 
above, attracted by the wonderful waves of 
 harmony and sublime voices. Angels, not as 
 imagined in the retrogressive forms of seraphim 
 and cherubim, but splendid, magnificent be 
 ings, with faces of transcendent beauty and 
 glory, floated above, and sang while they fast 
 ened their joyous and sympathetic eyes upon 
 us. 
 
 "Welcome, welcome to thy home on high, 
 To thine and mine to which all must fly, 
 Welcome, welcome to the bliss Divine, 
 Free to me and mine, to thine and mine." 
 
 The beaming, ecstatic faces swam before my 
 tear-moistened eyes, I felt Thyrza quiver in 
 union. We watched them, one last look of bene 
 diction, and away they floated to the Celestial 
 Kingdom, for these were of God s highest, 
 like unto our guardian Angels. 
 
 A band, instruments of all kinds, started as 
 they disappeared, a wedding march sounded 
 from without. The grounds, as if by a magic 
 wand, suddenly transformed from the soften 
 ed glow cast by the great stars, to a light bril 
 liant and dazzling, were revealed in all their 
 beauty. Not upon earth had I, in the most 
 highly cultivated of landscape gardening, or 
 the most charming of natural, uncultivated, ever 
 beheld such trees, shrubs and flora. All our 
 choicest, as well as many more, much more 
 
 108 
 
beautiful, were so artistically arranged in vari 
 ous styles and effects, as to create a scene of in 
 comparable loveliness. We passed out arm 
 in arm, as we had entered, upon a path as soft 
 and smooth as velvet, here and there, peerless 
 statuary, until we reached a large, circular 
 space, a lawn of pale pink and green, surround 
 ed by trees, entwined with flowers. In the 
 center was a table, large enough to seat the 
 at least one thousand who were present. For 
 the first time, I noticed attendants, and I recog 
 nized from the (Stolid, impa ssive faces, auto 
 matons, inferior beings, created for the especial 
 purpose of performing menial work. They 
 have no souls, and their intelligence is limited 
 to the duties for which they are made. Mate 
 rial science, or rather spirits on mortal plane, 
 will some day create similar, soulless beings 
 out of mortal substance, which is impregnated 
 with the life forces. 
 
 The table was most simply and artistically 
 appointed with many articles unknown upon 
 earth. The automatons, in spotless white of 
 lustrous material, performed their duties with 
 perfect precision and system. I looked at 
 each face of all surrounding me, every one 
 beautiful, every one expressing the soul s high 
 est qualities. My mind reverted to a similar 
 one on earth. I recalled the sordid, sycophan- 
 
 109 
 
tic animal faces, and with voiceless gratitude, 
 I joined in the Te Deum which the band was 
 playing, and which was accompanied by the 
 exquisite melody of bird, waving tree, flower, 
 and rippling brook. 
 
 110 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 It took me some time to adjust myself to 
 the novel conditions. I had spent three-fourths 
 of my life on the mortal plane. I found, despite 
 my nightly detachments, I was more or less 
 imbued with many of the earth impressions 
 and experiences, and, although the life of the 
 spirit was filled with joy, I often felt myself 
 inadvertently recalling material conditions. 
 
 My parents, acting under my instructions, 
 had prepared a home for me in old England, 
 near where my old ancestral home, Newstead 
 Abbey, on mortal plane, was located. Thyrza 
 and I repaired thither almost immediately 
 after our nuptials. The spiritual Newstead 
 Abbey was very different from the material. 
 In the spirit world no one is allowed more than 
 a certain allotment of land regulated by law. 
 The government is under Celestial Angels, sub 
 ject of course to God Omnipotent, and is in 
 finitely superior to the highest conceptions of 
 the greatest Socialistic teachers. y ALL are 
 equal, all have the same privileges. All de 
 sire congenial employment, and all have the 
 privilege of trying various kinds until they 
 
 111 
 
find the most congenial, and of changing when 
 soever they desire. 
 
 As we are all children of a God of Wisdom 
 and Love, as we inherit these Divine attributes, 
 it is natural for us to strive to emulate, as much 
 as possible, our Father, and ever to seek, im 
 pelled by the soul within, to advance. It is 
 our pleasure to conform to law, and to strive 
 ever and always to serve others. This serving 
 others, not by performing menial labor of any 
 kind, but by assisting those in need of cheer 
 and sympathy, such as the earth bound and 
 their friends of this and other spiritual worlds, 
 is the chief aim and object of every advanced 
 spirit, even greater than that of advancing in 
 tellectually. 
 
 None of my spiritual ancestors had ever felt 
 attracted in any way to the spot where my 
 father and mother selected my home. Accord 
 ing to law, in this section, I was only per 
 mitted ten acres, but this small area is, in point 
 of beauty and cultivation, so far superior to 
 the material that there is no comparison. It 
 is still one of my homes and very dear to me. 
 I selected with the exception of more and 
 larger windows, a building similar to the 
 Abbey in design externally, but very different 
 within, for all spirit homes are the quintens- 
 cence of not only beauty but comfort. 
 
 112 
 
The substance used is one of the most beau 
 tiful, manufactured in great quantities, a golden 
 topaz, hard as rock, and like liquid sunlight. 
 This golden topaz, decorated with a pearl sub 
 stance, makes a very pretty effect, especially 
 when covered with vines, ferns and flowers. 
 Paler than gold, it glitters and glows with all 
 hues imaginable. 
 
 We were surrounded by friends and rela 
 tives, who had selected homes within the 
 neighborhood, and far as we can see are visible 
 stately edifices of various colors and designs, 
 all equally if not more beautiful than ours. 
 When it is realized that there are vast tracts 
 of lands reserved for nothing but immense man 
 ufactories, which turn out ceaselessly, under 
 scientific management, all varieties of food 
 products, furniture, clothing, art-ware and 
 everything known and many things unknown 
 on earth, free to all God s children who can 
 select and order all that they desire, irrespective 
 of cost, quantity and quality, one can see there 
 is nothing denied any. Everything is open 
 and free to all. Great institutions of learning, 
 hotels, restaurants, places of amusement, stores 
 of all kinds, air, water craft, all ways and 
 means of locomotion, of travel, free to all. 
 Therefore all are provided for far more boun 
 tifully, more luxuriously, save in point of land, 
 
 113 
 
which is restricted, than any earthly potentate, 
 and, as all parks and private grounds are free 
 and open to all, no one desires more than the 
 portion allowed him. 
 
 Thyrza and I took up our life with delight. 
 Our home was always filled with guests, I 
 found a dozen automatons excelled in skill, 
 efficiency, and labor treble that number of help 
 on earth. There is no dust, dirt nor refuse, 
 due to certain atmospheric conditions, hence 
 work is easily performed. Thyrza had already 
 selected an occupation, that of sculpture. I 
 decided to continue writing, also to help the 
 earth-bound, who were born like me with this 
 taste. As detached spirits require but a couple 
 of hours or so sleep, we have ample time to 
 devote to work, study and recreation. We 
 selected the early morning hours, just before 
 dawn, for our work. 
 
 I visited the dear ones on earth, accom 
 panied by Thyrza, endeavored to make myself 
 felt, without result, and returned from the 
 material consciousness somewhat saddened, 
 although I saw them while detached quite 
 often. 
 
 Several weeks elapsed, I was beginning to 
 be obsessed with the one great desire, the great 
 est desire and soul hunger possessed by all the 
 newly detached equally, that of seeing our lov- 
 
 114 
 
ing Father. Thyrza and my mother had seen 
 Him several times. I never tired of hearing 
 about Him, and ever thrilled with joy when 
 I saw their eyes brighten and voices soften 
 when they spoke of Him. 
 
 We were in London, one day where we had 
 gone to attend a great university. Thyrza 
 and I decided, after having a light luncheon, 
 in one of the small parks, to go for a sail on 
 the Thames, thence to a park to meet some 
 friends. We took a tiny boat, and after a 
 very enjoyable trip, found ourselves on a land 
 ing. I had observed, with an appreciative eye 
 and various exclamations of pleasure, the 
 pellucid clarity of the water, enabling one to 
 see the many forms of water life, happily swim 
 ming to and fro, also the varying beauty, no 
 uniformity on the banks, as within the city, of 
 the great esplanades which were lined with 
 trees, and beautified with small parks, each 
 with a pavilion in the center, and with foun 
 tains and statuary of marvelous design and 
 beauty. Mortal London is considered a great 
 and densely populated city, but it is, in all 
 Ways,, to the Smallest detail, excelled by its, 
 in a degree, spiritual counterpart, which covers 
 a much greater area, has no building less than 
 fifty stories high in all the sections devoted to 
 business and commerce and has a population 
 
 115 
 
of many millions more. Order is one of 
 Heaven s first laws, hence all traffic is regu 
 lated so as to cause no over-crowding nor con 
 fusion. Certain portions are reserved for 
 open and closed trains coming and going, 
 others for autos and other vehicles, esplanades 
 for pedestrians. Aerial and ocean craft are 
 regulated similarly. Floating is not only done 
 for pleasure but is ever used when spirits are 
 in a hurry, or desire to go any long distance 
 with the greatest speed; no kind of locomotion 
 can equal the speed of the spirit when he de 
 sires to exercise it. 
 
 We entered one of the parks of the esplan 
 ade, and seated ourselves, slightly removed from 
 a few who were in the pavilion listening to the 
 music. Thyrza was in white, a simple walk 
 ing costume, and looked, save of course, much 
 more perfect, in every way, very much as she 
 had no earth in general appearance and style. 
 The mortal life as it unfolds, and according 
 to how it unfolds, manifests and expresses, as 
 much as possible, all that it receives from the 
 spirit, and is, hence, very similar to the spirit 
 ual in many ways. The spirit life is the life 
 of the spirit on mortal plane, with disease, 
 death, and sin eliminated, on a much grander, 
 more splendid scale. It should not be a mat 
 ter of surprise to know that, like on the earth, 
 
 116 
 
there are many different styles, suited to a 
 more highly civilized world, as all are enlight 
 ened; never having really lived any other life 
 than that in which born on the spirit plane, 
 all necessarily are of high development. There 
 can be no greater heritage than child of God. 
 
 Thyrza s head was uncovered; she rarely 
 wore head-gear of any kind. Her magnificent 
 auburn hair, gleaming like gold in the sunlight, 
 was, as usual with her, in a Psyche knot, with 
 little curls about face, her hands ungloved, 
 (spirits rarely hide the beauty of their hands), 
 looked like snow-flakes, with dainty finger-nails 
 which never require attention, as they are 
 always kept perfect simply by bathing in the 
 marvelous water of the spirit world, which, 
 possessed of certain properties, keeps the body 
 constantly rejuvenated and in perfect condition. 
 Naturally little thought is given to one s ap 
 pearance, conscious ever of absolute perfec 
 tion of beauty and cleanliness. 
 
 While of course the soil appears like unto 
 that of earth, it is entirely unlike, as it does 
 not soil nor cling to one, no matter how damp, 
 and as all dust, dirt and refuse is absorbed by 
 the atmosphere s little cleansers, there is no 
 visible dirt in any of the spirit cities. Im 
 maculate cleanliness, spotless purity is every 
 where in evidence. 
 
 117 
 
Thyrza sat looking before her, so strangely 
 silent, that I, who had been examining the 
 fountain near us, a gem of art, felt impelled 
 to look at her, and was struck by the expression 
 of rapture and worship illuminating her face. 
 I knew what it portended. I almost ceased 
 to breathe, so overwhelmed was I when I saw 
 the most majestic, most kingly form in all 
 creation approach. My soul at once recog 
 nized its Father, God Omnipotent. O, deride 
 if you will, you undeveloped on mortal plane, 
 smile with derision, you little illumined, accept 
 your preposterous theories, much more unten 
 able and ridiculous of hydra-headed monsters, 
 of nature, whom but the most benighted and 
 illiterate know to be but force in operation, of 
 The Spirit, whom they know not where to 
 locate nor how to describe, an elusive, intan 
 gible principle which only the superficial imag 
 ine they comprehend, while those who really 
 think know it to be but a manifestation of a 
 reasoning, supreme Intelligence, and as the 
 highest type of intelligence, on mortal plane; 
 is embodied, naturally deem it not improb 
 able, but very probable, and possible, that this 
 great Intelligence is embodied in a Superior 
 Personality, especially as the only reliable evi 
 dence ever given on mortal plane was given 
 by the inspired who taught that man was made 
 
 118 
 
in the image of his Maker, like unto his holy 
 Father. 
 
 An attached spirit rarely sees his Father un 
 til liberated. It is known among all His 
 children that He cannot endure to look on their 
 sorrow while undergoing that part of discipline 
 which is absolutely essential to some. There 
 are indeed more things in Heaven and earth 
 than are dreamed of on the very limited mor 
 tal plane of consciousness. Many things 
 which cannot be told, many which would add 
 to the problems and perplexities which so 
 harass spirit on that plane. All that benefits, 
 all that alleviates, mitigates unnecessary suffer 
 ing, He empowers His Angels to do, as I am 
 now doing, writing this in the not futile hope, 
 that many thousands will feel these truths, and 
 be greatly strengthened and consoled. Would 
 that I, on the earth could have found such a 
 work. I feel although my life would not have 
 been changed, I would have been encouraged 
 and rendered much less hopeless and despairing. 
 
 My eyes were riveted upon that Sublime 
 Figure. My Father, God Omnipotent, not 
 George Gordon Byron, erstwhile wronged and 
 impoverished peer of a petty isle, but son of 
 God, Heir to His Kingdom, ordained to be a 
 Celestial Angel; I saw a Being grand and 
 splendid, with magnificent physique, very 
 
 119 
 
tall, perfectly proportioned, a countenance un 
 paralleled throughout all creation, peerless in 
 beauty, sublime with love. Ah, the glory of 
 that Great God, the love of the soul-embracing 
 eyes, the tenderness, the compassion, the in 
 finite peace, wisdom, strength, power person- 
 sified in the form of God Omnipotent. His 
 face resembled somewhat the highest ) earth 
 conceptions of the Lord Jesus Christ, infinitely 
 superior in feature and expression. The con 
 tour of the face somewhat similar, the dark 
 hair waved back from the full forehead, slightly 
 arched eyebrows over the most splendid eyes, 
 ever varying in color and expression, from grey 
 to olive, brown, and it is claimed by some blue, 
 all shades constantly changing. But it is the 
 soul looking through, and from these great 
 orbs of beauty which capture and hold one 
 enchained. No halo as is claimed and port 
 rayed on earth, surrounded that most majestic 
 of heads. He looked like unto His children, 
 only incomparably superior. He was attired 
 in a plain costume of white like my own. 
 
 Smile again, oh, my friend; He should, 
 according to your conceptions, wear gowns of 
 ermine, flowing sleeves, and a diadem on His 
 brow. He should emit rays of light, and 
 shoot forth lightning from His eyes, but in 
 stead, almost simple as Christ, He approach- 
 
 120 
 
cd and raised me from my seat, I was too dazed 
 to rise myself, and folded me in a most loving 
 embrace, just as my spirit father had, but in 
 that embrace, close to that mighty Heart, from 
 whence emanates all the ceaseless energy pour 
 ing forth in countless vibrations of life, love, 
 wisdom, strength, I felt a very perceptible 
 quiver, a tremor, like a great dynamo, only, of 
 course, modified considerably. This fact is 
 hard to grasp, friends, that a being no matter 
 how great, should have potentially within him 
 self, the never ceasing, limitless outpouring of 
 the great force, from which the minor forces 
 are put into operation. 3ut as you yet can 
 not tell from whence comes the ceaseless energy 
 of a petty piece of radium, desist from ridicule 
 and derision, until at least you can answer that, 
 or until you can explain satisfactorily anything 
 at all about the giant, imponderable forces of 
 which you know nothing. 
 
 I could say nothing. I could but feel my 
 self seemingly vibrate in unison, absorbing 
 such feelings of love and power as I had never 
 experienced before. It was, as though, I was 
 bathed in an ocean of vibrations, every nerve, 
 every pulse quivering with delight, like little 
 living things drinking of the waters of life. 
 Gently He released me, and placed me on the 
 seat, ere He looked at Thyrza, and said, in a 
 
 121 
 
voice once heard, never forgotten, vibrant 
 with love, pregnant with the feeling and wis 
 dom of God Almighty: 
 
 "My son, I wish for thy peace, I could have 
 called you Home sooner, like this sweet child." 
 He turned to Thyrza, and clasped her two 
 hands tenderly, "but your days were short, you 
 suffered only that which had to be. When 
 you advance you will know why these things 
 are necessary. As yet you are but infants in 
 knowledge, but it never takes my children 
 very long after they become free to solve," 
 smiling whimsically, "the seemingly abstruse 
 and inexplainable problems of the mortal life." 
 
 I recovered my composure and replied, 
 
 "My Father, I have already gleaned enough 
 to know that you would not wish your children 
 to evolve from the lowest forms up to the high 
 est, were it not for best of reasons, necessary for 
 development, unobtainable in any other man 
 ner, and, though, it is true, I suffered in the 
 conscious mortal form, and must have also in 
 the unconscious forms, not as child of Thine, 
 but not unconscious, as I was a spirit 
 which evolved on both planes, till I was con 
 nected with Thee, and made Thy child, and ," 
 He interposed tenderly: 
 
 "Never, as child of Mine, were ye conscious 
 in animal forms, although more or less conscious 
 
 122 
 
on mortal plane, animating man. These things 
 will all be clarified in time, and ye will not 
 mistakenly deem me, as do so many of my chil 
 dren, while undergoing the mortal experience, 
 cruel and unfeeling." 
 
 Ere I could answer, Thyrza exclaimed, "Oh, 
 Father, I now know, he will soon know, but 
 the earth children cannot know, until they 
 advance and cleanse themselves of all impurities 
 and animal limitations; I mean those born free 
 from disease and strong propensities." 
 
 "Much more yet to learn, little daughter, 
 but ye will soon learn," then with a parting 
 benediction, He left. 
 
 We watched Him stop here and there, until 
 out of sight, with yearning hearts, and souls 
 filled with such love, as I had never deemed it 
 possible to feel before. Thyrza nestled closer 
 to me, but I was so completely filled with the 
 influx of the highest, holiest emotions, that I 
 could not even be withdrawn by the powerful 
 magnetism she ever had for me. 
 
 No detached spirit ever feels perfectly in 
 unison with the Father, until he has been in 
 personal contact, and been charged from that 
 Divine Being personally. All thereafter ad 
 vance much more rapidly. After I collected 
 my thoughts, I pressed Thyrza to me, while her 
 lovely eyes sought mine with perfect under- 
 
 123 
 
standing and sympathy. "George," she mur 
 mured softly, "let us go to St. Paul s." 
 
 Nothing could have suited me better. St. 
 Paul s, located in the spiritual world, in the 
 very place where is located its material counter 
 part, impressively beautiful and imposing, of 
 the Celestial style of architecture the most per 
 fect of all, was in the center of a small park, 
 of a peculiar charm, inasmuch as its color 
 scheme was solely white and green, restful in 
 the extreme. Before the immense front en 
 trance there is a small circular plot of a velvety 
 white lawn, in the center, a sublime statue of 
 God Omnipotent, so life-like, so wondrously 
 wrought, of such artistic pre-eminence, that one 
 involuntarily halts, arrested by the Divinity of 
 the magnificent eyes. I sank on my knees, 
 and prostrated myself before that sublime repre 
 sentation of Him. Thyrza sank by my side, 
 both regardless of our brethren and sisters, who, 
 familiar with such sights, in complete harmony 
 and sympathy, passed noiselessly by. We arose 
 restored and tranquilized. 
 
 I looked up at the mighty edifice, called 
 after St. Paul. 
 
 It was formed of a pale silver, lustrous sub 
 stance, not in great blocks, but all so welded 
 together as to seem to be made of one piece, 
 trimmed with delicate traceries of gold on the 
 
 124 
 
mighty domes, turrets and spires. The im 
 mense pillars, in the front somewhat similar to 
 the Church of Madeline, Paris, only much 
 larger and grander, were wreathed with delicate 
 forms and orange blossoms, which covered 
 various parts. In the spirit world, wherever 
 it is possible to add to beauty and artistic effects, 
 flowers and vines of indescribable beauty are 
 seen everywhere to the exclusion of all other 
 ornamentation. No statue, no figures of any 
 kind, desecrate the flawless symmetry, the classic 
 lines, the wondrous color schemes. 
 
 To my surprise, I noticed quite a number 
 when we entered. It was my first visit to a 
 great cathedral. I had seen many on earth, 
 and, although I had become familiar with the 
 peerless beauty everywhere visible in the spirit 
 world, I was amazed at the magnificence of 
 the immense sanctuary. The walls represented 
 scenes of the Celestial Kingdom, and seemed 
 so natural, as to appear real. They gave the 
 effect of enchanted visions, far more beautiful 
 than anything in the spiritual world which 
 to me who had not, as yet, seen any representa 
 tion of the Celestial Kingdom, had I still been 
 attached, would have seemed incredible. In 
 the center was an elevated platform, around 
 the platform, pillars wreathed with blossoms 
 and ferns, the color scheme, like that of the 
 
 125 
 
exterior, was of green and white, with the 
 exception of the circular walls and the ceilings 
 of the covered portions. The platform, open 
 to the sky, was surrounded by seats in circles. 
 Upon the platform was a magnificent table and 
 fountain combined. A man of stately presence 
 stood apparently bowed in prayer. 
 
 As we took our seats, music flooded the vast 
 apartment, a profound silence ensued. All 
 sank on their knees. We felt an ineffable 
 peace and quiescence restore us to our normal 
 condition. A soft, distinct penetrating voice 
 aroused us. I recognized in the speaker one 
 of my friends who had been to celebrate my 
 liberation, one of the greatest divines on earth 
 while I was a boy. We listened to one of the 
 most instructive, soul-edifying discourses, re 
 plete with wisdom that I had yet heard. It 
 banished some of my still lingering material 
 conceptions, and helped me to comprehend 
 many things which I had found very mystify 
 ing. After its close, I hastened to him. I 
 told him of my meeting with our Father, of 
 my feelings, and of the help he had just given 
 me. He smiled encouragingly. 
 
 "It will not be very long before all the 
 earth problems will be solved." I answered 
 happily, "How can it be otherwise with so 
 many able instructors and institutions of all 
 
 126 
 
kinds to help us on the upward march." Again 
 he smiled, somewhat whimsically, like our 
 great Father. 
 
 "George, -all do not advance equally. There 
 are different planes, as on earth. One has to 
 depend upon individual effort to progress, 
 although all are impelled on spirit side to 
 advance by the soul within, many content with 
 present conditions do not exercise especial ef 
 fort, but are satisfied with a slow, gradual pro 
 gression, but I feel you are not inclined never 
 have been to go slow." 
 
 Thyrza joined in merrily, "I am afraid he 
 will soon outgrow me." 
 
 "That can never be," he answered, "soul- 
 mates are one in all things. In soul gifts, 
 spiritual attributes, and hand in hand, soul to 
 soul, advance ever and always together." 
 
 I asked, "How is it with one who has be 
 come detached, and advances here, while the 
 earth bound mate retrogrades?" 
 
 "The spirit never retrogrades. All is so 
 arranged that that which the detached spirit 
 acquires, his soul-mate, very shortly after de 
 tachment, acquires rapidly. Ah, no, the great 
 est blessing, of true conjugal love, is that two 
 are one in all things. Not to the male alone 
 wisdom, nor to the female love, but both equally 
 possess all gifts." 
 
 127 
 
Thyrza beamed. Apparently this was a 
 problem she had not yet solved, and was over 
 joyed to find that, even in knowledge, we would 
 be equal. Lovingly I clasped her dear hand, 
 and with another warm clasp of that of our 
 brother, just like on old earth, we parted from 
 him. As we emerged from the door, we were 
 met by Percy Shelley, 
 
 "George," he said, "I wish you and Thyrza 
 would go with me. There s a case at one of 
 the sanitariums I would like you to see." All 
 who have seen Shelley s picture on earth, the 
 splendor and size of the eyes, the fascination 
 of the whole countenance, can understand how 
 love-compelling must be the real man on spirit 
 side. Suffice to say, dearer than ever was my 
 friend to me, brother always of my soul as he 
 had ever been. He led us to an auto, a gem 
 of artistic beauty, and we whirled away with a 
 speed appalling to mortals. Floating vistas of 
 boulevards, magnificent buildings, thronged 
 streets, out into the suburbs we whirled, way 
 beyond earth London, until we came to a great 
 sanitarium. 
 
 Methinks I hear, "sanitarium in a world 
 free from disease, sin and death, how strange, 
 how inconcievable." There are thousands of 
 spirits who pass away in jails, asylums, and in 
 the slums in various countries on earth, away 
 
 128 
 
from dear ones, who awaken on the spirit side 
 in institutions, similar to those in which they 
 pass away, save of course, in beauty and com 
 fort. 
 
 On the spirit side these places are even 
 more luxurious than the most palatial and ex 
 clusive hotels on earth, all surrounded by 
 grounds highly cultivated. The spirits of this 
 class, who have no near ones detached, are 
 sometimes kept in these luxurious places until 
 spirit memory returns, and they decide what 
 they want to do. Although on earth the ma 
 jority of them are from that which is called 
 the criminal or pauper class, are insane, degen 
 erates and mentally unbalanced, and, therefore, 
 are unable to advance, on the spirit, when 
 detached at night, all advance, and some much 
 more rapidly than those who have not been 
 restricted by heredity, bad associations, training, 
 poor environment and various adverse mate 
 rial conditions; hence when liberated, find them 
 selves as far advanced in spiritual attributes 
 and knowledge far superior to that acquired 
 through the limited media of the five senses, 
 as any of their seemingly, more favored brethren 
 and sisters. 
 
 The majority realize, as soon as spirit 
 memory returns, their divine heritage as chil 
 dren of God. With perfect faith, though, as 
 
 129 
 
yet, unable to comprehend, they rely implicitly 
 upon Him, recognizing His Omnipotence, and 
 realizing that their limitations and sufferings 
 on earth must have been permitted for some 
 good purpose, all absolve themselves, if crim 
 inal, and joyously go forth to mingle with their 
 own, and march upward and onward, as rapid 
 ly, if not more so, than many, as I said before 
 less materially restricted. But there are quite 
 a number to whom spirit memory does not re 
 turn for several days, upon whose spiritual 
 brains have been impressed the terrible acts 
 for which they have been incarcerated, such as 
 murder, and the horrible crimes peculiar to 
 mortal plane. This element, after memory 
 returns, even though they realize their divine 
 heritage with gratitude and joy, thankful in the 
 extreme for the bliss of immortal life, and 
 know that their real life is the life of the spirit, 
 still so acutely recall the horrible acts commit 
 ted while on mortal plane, that they cannot for 
 a while, realize their irresponsibility. Hence, 
 Celestial Angels, many spirits and often our 
 Father Himself visit these unfortunate ones, 
 ro inspire and strengthen, until they are con 
 vinced that they in spirit have ever lived a 
 pure, holy life, and are absolutely irresponsible 
 for the evil acts and experiences of mortal 
 plane. Fortunately these periods of depress- 
 
 130 
 
ion linger not long with the joyous influences 
 surrounding them, excepting in very rare cases, 
 such as the one I now relate. 
 
 Within a few moments, we arrived at a 
 broad avenue lined with trees, and drew up be 
 fore a stately building under a great porte 
 cochere. I noticed a very pretty lake, edged 
 with lilies on one side, a white esplanade encir 
 cling it, with seats, filled with happy spirits. 
 We entered a hall, magnificent in size and 
 decoration, a floor of variegated satin woods, 
 walls and ceiling frescoed, and flowers every 
 where. I glanced into charming reception 
 rooms, a great library, and several apartments 
 devoted to amusements. Thyrza said, "Come, 
 dear," as I lingered looking around. 
 
 Percy rapped on a door, we entered a large 
 sitting room, furnished exquisitely, and were 
 greeted by a tall, distinguished spirit, who took 
 Percy by both hands, then, without introduc 
 tions, none are needed, all are brothers and 
 sisters, he seized one of mine and Thyrza s. 
 There were several others present who greeted 
 us very affectionately. As every thought, every 
 deed is known to all on spirit plane, there is 
 nothing of a private nature, but as spirits are 
 even more refined in their sensibilities and have 
 much more delicacy than they can express on 
 earth, never, unless to render others happy, or 
 
 131 
 
to be of use, do they use the gift of mind read 
 ing, hence all are even freer from undue super 
 vision and intrusion than on earth. No one 
 alludes to earth discipline, of a private nature, 
 to any newly detached spirit unless he or she 
 introduces the subject. i 
 
 This spirit, who shall be nameless, had been 
 a great criminal, and but little impressed by 
 the spirit spheres, and had, like his animal pro 
 genitors, followed but the animal instincts while 
 on mortal plane. Even had he had proper 
 environment, training, association and educa 
 tion, had not the malignant blood disease been 
 cured, and the propensities kept under leash 
 by the spirit, he would still have been a vic 
 tim of disease and propensity, powerless to act 
 differently. This poor spirit, even according 
 to the undeveloped science of to-day was en 
 tirely irresponsible, hence to spirit, in the tru& 
 light of the spirit, one can see how lightly 
 these terrible crimes, which are the effect and 
 lesult of undeveloped conditions, appear. 
 
 Within a short while he began voluntarily, 
 speaking with great feeling, glancing from one 
 to the other, 
 
 "You all know my terrible earth experiences; 
 I know I am really innocent, I know I killed 
 no one, I have seen all whom I killed, all for 
 give and love me. I know I did many fear- 
 
 132 
 
ful deeds on earth, for which I really am not 
 to blame. I know I suffered a thousand deaths, 
 years of torture in a short period. I do not 
 know nor understand what death is on this 
 plane; all is life here; I do not know what 
 stealing is, all is open, free to all; I do not 
 know what adultery is, all love the soul-mate; 
 I do not know what evil and crime are, all 
 are good and pure. I am good and pure, have 
 always, on this plane, been so, always and ever 
 deplored at night, my awful deeds on earth. 
 But, even though I really am guiltless and know 
 that there are in actuality no such things as 
 evil and death, surrounded as I am by visible 
 proof, besides my own consciousness, connected 
 with our loving Father, which alone gives me 
 not only faith, but absolute knowledge, .still, 
 the suffering of that last year, in prison, alone 
 in my agony, nailed to wall in straitjacket, in 
 dark cell, and besides the scourge and whip, will 
 remain with me, I fear, despite all the peace, 
 love and beauty of my real home," he faltered, 
 
 "Alas," I thought, vividly recalling the 
 woes and sorrows of my life there. Despite 
 all our efforts to console him, his face retained 
 such a look of sorrow, that we, Percy, Thyrza 
 and I, so recently from the earth, felt once more 
 the cruel dominion of that plane. 
 
 The door opened noiselessly, we raised our 
 
 133 
 
heads. Our souls told us. Again the waves 
 of rapture, the peace ineffable swept over us 
 at sight of that most majestic of all beings. He 
 gave all a look of love, then raised that hum 
 bled figure which fain would have fallen at 
 His feet, with such infinite compassion and 
 tenderness, that we, in perfect union with the 
 poor supplicant, felt tears rise to our eyes. 
 
 Many awe-inspiring, wonderful scenes, 
 which had touched me to core, had I witnessed 
 before, but none to equal this. Not even im 
 pressing the Lord Jesus Christ, had God been 
 able to express His great love and power. As 
 spirit can only discern spirit, spirit can only 
 commune with spirit, our God Omnipotent 
 could not embody His Supreme Personality in 
 a mortal body any more than a child of His 
 could on mortal plane. All He did was to 
 connect Himself, by countless vibrations, with 
 the Lord Jesus Christ and impress him, as we 
 impress our mortal bodies, only much more 
 perfectly, because the Lord Jesus Christ was 
 brought forth from as pure an instrument as 
 could be found, the purest, most devout of all 
 God s children on earth, and one of the most 
 exalted in the spirit world. iMethinks it were 
 well for all who seek to belittle the Hebrew 
 people, to remember that great God Omnipo 
 tent impressed, lived and suffered ignominy 
 
 134 
 
intolerable, anguish insufferable in a Hebrew 
 body, brought forth by the purest Hebrew body 
 on mortal plane. 
 
 The love our loving Father was powerless, 
 yes, powerless (our own great God acts not 
 contrary to His own immutable law, though 
 He can and often does change minor laws) to 
 express to the repentant thief on the cross, now 
 was expressed and manifested, as but Lord Em 
 bodied can express and manifest, and one who 
 witnesses that expression and manifestation, 
 can but feel oneself blessed indeed. Such 
 were our feelings when we beheld the Glory 
 and Radiance of God, in a faint degree, reflect 
 ed on the countenance of the would-be prostrate 
 spirit, who was enfolded in the same embrace, 
 with the same love and tenderness accorded all 
 from the lowest to the highest. It seemed to 
 me, I saw the spirit quiver in harmony with 
 God, and I thought that possibly our dear 
 Father, since He quivered more perceptively 
 than I, thought he required more potent vibra 
 tions than had been given me. 
 
 When our Father released him, instead of 
 the shrinking, despairing being who had so 
 lately deplored his unhappy fate, we saw a 
 face radiant with glory, a child of God indeed, 
 self-confident, and self-poised. At once he 
 took his rightful place as child of God, freed 
 
 135 
 
forever from the illusions and delusions of mor 
 tal plane. 
 
 Our Father lifted His hands, gave all a 
 benediction, and passed out. We all fell upon 
 our knees, and after a few moments arose. 
 Our transformed spirit, overjoyed, said he was 
 going home to some grand parents, whom he 
 soon expected to call, that he felt entirely re 
 lieved, at last realizing; with the most perfect 
 faith and conviction that God decrees all for 
 the best. 
 
 We devoted some time to a merry talk con 
 cerning the awed expressions and amazement 
 of many of the newly detached, and of some 
 ludicrous experiences. One who had been a 
 reporter, on being taken in an elevator, never 
 having seen one on earth ejaculated as he ar 
 rived at the fourth floor, 
 
 a Oh, let me get out quick, I must tell Smith." 
 (the editor of his paper.) 
 
 His guardian Angel asked, "Where do you 
 think you are?" 
 
 "Why, of course in hell, or I d not be go 
 ing to Heaven, mounting to the sky, but I say 
 if this is hell, I bet Heaven can t beat it." 
 
 Another who had been a stockman in the 
 wilds of America was so dazed and thunder 
 struck at the beauties surrounding, and re- 
 
 136 
 
mained motionless for so long a time, that his 
 guardian said, 
 
 "Well, what do you think of it?" 
 
 He wishpered imploringly, 
 
 "Hush, hush, Ido not want to wake up." 
 
 We refrained from the sorrowful and heart 
 breaking ones, such as many who leave dear 
 ones in trouble, who, not until spirit memory 
 returns can be comforted, who persist in im 
 ploring so pitifully to be taken back that often, 
 ere they have seen anything, they are permitted 
 to enter the material consciousness, and will 
 not leave until memory returns and they know 
 the truth. 
 
 After we left our friend we went with Percy 
 to his place, on the coast within sight of the 
 sea. Percy had on earth, like myself a great 
 love of the ocean. High up, on the top of a 
 jagged pile of rocks, picturesque and beautiful, 
 he had put his eyrie. 
 
 He, like myself, had selected two country 
 homes, one on this coast, the other one adjoin 
 ing mine which I had not yet seen in Scotland. 
 As all hotels and great apartment houses, with 
 apartments of all sizes, are free and open to all 
 in the cities, many prefer country homes. 
 Spirits are extremely sociable, all homes are 
 open to any and all, with the exception of one s 
 private apartments. Every home is more or 
 
 137 
 
less filled with guests, unless when one, in quest 
 of seclusion for some especial object, seeks 
 retirement in some sequestered spot in the wilds 
 or the mountains. 
 
 As detached spirits are but more advanced 
 attached ones, they by no means change their 
 tastes, likings and aspirations after the change. 
 Mortals never express the real spiritual being, 
 it is not the love of the mortal, but the love 
 of the spirit that endures ; all soul-gifts, spirit 
 ual attributes endure forever. Therefore, all 
 spirits, who, on earth plane, have loved that 
 which is called nature, which we know as but 
 manifestations of angelic wisdom, have the 
 same love on the spirit plane, and seek the 
 country, fresh from the hand of the Celestial 
 Angels, untouched by spirit, to gratify that most 
 absorbing, and enthralling of all longings, the 
 longing to be outdoors with animal creation. 
 Not to be more in harmony, as is supposed on 
 mortal plane, for one is in closer touch with 
 Him, when more closely in touch with His 
 children, but solely to enjoy the ever appealing 
 charm of solitude and to gratify the desire for 
 change, inherent in all spirits, whether on mor 
 tal or spirit plane. , 
 
 Percy had selected this home, chaste and 
 almost primitive in its simplicity, to devote 
 himself more assiduously to his work, that of 
 
 138 
 
revising his earth poems to conform to the 
 spiritual plane, as well as composing many 
 more, for spirits are great readers. Every 
 home has a large library. Great publishing 
 houses are constantly bringing forth works 
 upon every conceivable subject, as well as opera 
 houses and theatres producing operas and 
 dramas innumerable. There were no near 
 neighbors, with the exception of one or two, 
 on either side, some distance away; no guests, 
 no living beings save his sister, a couple of 
 automata and several pets. We had come in 
 the auto, which, as I said, fairly flew over the 
 road. Percy not only kept this auto, but also 
 a small airship, and several magnificent horses. 
 
 Thyrza and I were welcomed very lovingly 
 by his sister, whom we had not seen since our 
 nuptials. 
 
 "Thyrza, George," she exclaimed, as we 
 alighted, "this is delightful, you are among the 
 very few whom Percy would bring to this 
 retreat; I am more than delighted to see you." 
 Ere she could say more, we were attracted by 
 the wonderful beauty of the sky. We sat dow r n 
 upon the piazza and gazed, astounded at the 
 first real, living, moving pictures I had ever 
 witnessed in the heavens, which were aflame 
 with golden glory, commingled with blue. 
 Feathery clouds would part and surround 
 
 139 
 
every few minutes, with masses of gold and 
 azure, views of the Celestial Kingdom, perfect 
 reproductions of actual scenes. Amazed as 
 we had been by the life-like paintings in St. 
 Paul s, we were trebly so, witnessing these mar 
 vels, free to all beholders. iEvery sunrise and 
 sunset, in certain sections of the spiritual world, 
 are accompanied by these peerless representa 
 tions, works of the greatest artists, in all God s 
 realms, as well as reproductions of actual cities, 
 similar to mirages seen upon the earth. !As it 
 is vain to portray any of the glory and beauty 
 of the spirit world, it is much more so to give 
 the faintest conception of the grandeur and 
 majesty of some of the views, as well as the 
 infinite loveliness and perfect harmony of others. 
 Thyrza remarked softly, 
 
 "Of all the wonders and pleasure of our 
 spirit world, nothing can compare with these 
 divinely beautiful, Celestial moving pictures." 
 Percy, poet soul in rapture, remained silent. 
 I thought in reply, too charmed to move, "Just 
 a glimpse of the life to come." 
 
 A scene of marvelous splendor formed, a 
 city of stupendous size, of spotless white, in 
 the rear, undulating foot-hills and mighty 
 mountains, covered with satiny green turf, a 
 river, scintillating with colors innumerable, 
 was visible on the highest eminence, winding 
 
 140 
 
here and there, on its downward course over 
 mountains, forming gigantic falls, cascades, 
 lakes, mirrors of purity and lovliness, thence 
 through the center of the city, spanned by 
 bridges of great size and etherial beauty, 
 through a magnificent park, on to a sea of in 
 conceivable beauty, irridescent with gold and 
 rose, upon which walked Celestial Angels, a 
 gift enjoyed by all spirits when they so desire. 
 The Celestial Angels, in their own home, appear 
 to radiate with glory akin to our Father. The 
 scenery and architecture cannot be portrayed 
 in earth language or conceived by one on mor 
 tal plane. No wonder we gazed with bated 
 breath and suspended animation upon one of 
 the homes yet to be ours. 
 
 Irrepressible Thyrza again interposed, 
 
 "We are not fit for that yet, so we are given 
 all we loved on earth until we mount higher." 
 
 "Greater, nobler things to aspire," Percy 
 answered, "I came here mainly for these pic 
 tures, no other place in England are they seen 
 or perfectly. They inspire me, add to my 
 conceptions of life to come." 
 
 "I never dreamed of this," I said, "no one 
 lold me." ! 
 
 "You ll find," Mary said, "many things we 
 are left to enjoy with the surprise and joy of 
 the entirely unexpected and undreamed of." 
 
 141 
 
The picture slowly dissolved, the azure and 
 gold faded as the sun sank behind the horizon, 
 and the after glow followed. Then the twi 
 light, a soft, beautiful light, (no black night in 
 this section of the spirit world) increased by the 
 lustre of the great spiritual worlds. 
 
 142 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 We stayed several days at Percy s. My 
 first attempt at walking on water was made 
 with him. I watched him, his sister and 
 Thyrza walk without effort, without fear, as 
 we had seen the Celestial Angels in the moving 
 pictures. Percy called out, a few yards from 
 shore, at ease, on top of a great wave, 
 
 "Come on, you cannot drown, you are spirit. 
 All entities are subservient to and love spirit." 
 
 We were all in floating garbs, the costume 
 used for bathing also. Without hesitation, real 
 izing that nothing can destroy nor harm a spirit, 
 1 walked on, not into, but on the surface of the 
 water, which seemed to form every step into a 
 solid phalanx of immovable entities grouped 
 together to give the necessary support, which 
 is the truth. Every life organism on spirit 
 side manifest and express love. All love and are 
 subservient to the spirit children of God, 
 therefore, whenever one desires to walk, they 
 know and group themselves together to buoy 
 him up ; when he desires to bathe, part and let 
 him submerge. 
 
 Could mortals see with the sight of the 
 spirit, they would see the countless minor or- 
 
 143 
 
ganisms which fill the water and air. Spirits, 
 when they desire, see the tiny creatures form 
 en masse both in the water and the air. All 
 spirit life is immune to destruction, some forms 
 transformed, regenerated by the very same pro 
 cess, now lost to mortals, possessed by primi 
 tive man of regenerating, like several species of 
 the vertebrates, certain members of the body. 
 As I have said before, all organisms cherish, 
 protect and obey, through Divine love of the 
 spirit, the most potent law, all God s children. 
 Fearlessly, willing myself to see the tiny en 
 tities, I walked, soul akin to the little creatures 
 so happily engaged in upholding me. 
 
 "Ah, I see," said Percy, noting me glancing 
 downward, "you have solved one of the myster 
 ies yourself, we never, or rather rarely tell be 
 fore hand. We like to see God s child real 
 ize, himself, his loyal dominion." 
 
 Thyrza, quite a way out, said softly in her 
 usual dulcet tones, yet I could hear her dis 
 tinctly, 
 
 "Join us, and we will all go to the bottom." 
 
 This was what I had been contemplating, 
 so, within a trice, we were all together. We 
 felt ourselves gently being let down, as well as 
 saw the little mites part on the surface, all fully 
 conscious of that which was desired of them, 
 then as we slowly, little by little, sank and the 
 
 144 
 
little things crowded around and about us, it 
 seemed as though we were caressed and fond 
 led by billions of the tiniest gleams of beauty 
 imaginable; in some I could see tiny eyes softly 
 shining; I sent a thought to Thyrza, 
 
 "Beyond the joy of floating. * 
 
 She returned, 
 
 "Infinitely so, but nothing to equal being 
 embraced by our dear Father." 
 
 "Yes," Percy wired, "nothing can equal 
 that." 
 
 While we were sinking, we were approach 
 ed by various species of fish and reptiles, all 
 with love-filled eyes, all possessed of intelli 
 gence and reason. One, a whale of immense 
 size, remained at a distance. We could see 
 him distinctly, satin-smooth white skin, eyes 
 soft as a gazelle s. I sent him a love thought. 
 He recognized it by approaching nearer. A 
 shark, being caressed by Percy and his sister, 
 was similar to the earth, excepting repulsive 
 features modified, with small mouth and dove- 
 like eyes. 
 
 Our submersion was welcomed with speech 
 less, it is true, but not thoughtless, love and 
 joy, for every form, from the lowest to the 
 highest, that we saw, expressed love and devo 
 tion. We were inexpressively touched by 
 the mute and eloquent homage accorded by our 
 
 145 
 
lesser brethren. "Oh," I thought, recalling 
 the earth ocean, filled with the horrib e, grotes 
 que counterparts of these loving things, "This 
 is the real, that the false; Oh, it is blessed to 
 be with the true and see things as they really 
 are." If poor mortals could obtain just a 
 glimpse of the real enveloping and surround 
 ing them, how comforted they would be, but al 
 though given all the glorious truths of spirit, 
 even by God Himself, if not sufficiently ad 
 vanced to grasp on that plane, they would scorn 
 and ridicule. Not until they reach a certain 
 height can they even imagine that which is in 
 comprehensible to the animal nature of earth. 
 
 Accompanied by our lesser brethren, vicing 
 with each other in mutely expressing love, we 
 reached the bottom. Fairyland indeed broke 
 on our sight. A land not only filled with 
 beauty, but sweetest melody. There was a con 
 tinuous soft ripple of harmonious soft vibra 
 tions, exquisitely soothing, varied occasionally 
 by peals upon peals of peans of rejoicing, made 
 by the surf overhead, as it embraced the land, 
 so similar to bands of Celestial music, that un 
 til told by Percy, I supposed the water echoed 
 the music from the many parks of a little city 
 not far distant. 
 
 The topography was like the bottom of the 
 earth ocean, varied by mountains, abrupt 
 
 146 
 
eminences and declivities, all of substance 
 etherial, and marvelously chiselel and tinted. 
 Mountains of lace-like coral, topaz, pearl, 
 crystal like unto cut diamonds, emerald, ruby, 
 sapphire, jade, amethyst, and of many gems 
 rare and unknown to earth. In many valleys 
 and declivities, the bottoms were soft and downy 
 like velvet moss. The flora and vegetation 
 were even more beautiful, if possible, than 
 above, for the beauteous entities, of the water, 
 added to instead of decreasing their beauty, 
 and as spirit can when necessary regulate sight 
 and hearing, we regulated ours so as not to let 
 the entities interfere with the view. 
 
 Animals do not prey upon each other like 
 on earth; all eat, not to sustain life or strength, 
 but to help keep the body in perfect condition, 
 as well as to afford enjoyment. There are cer 
 tain vegetation which are free from organic 
 life; solely that which is free from life is used 
 for food by spirits as well as animals; also wa 
 ter entirely free from life organisms for spirits 
 and their lesser brethren. No spirit ever 
 drinks water composed of living germs. In 
 all sections are vast reservoirs devoted entirely 
 to drinking water, while in the ocean are num 
 berless chasms filled with water for its deni 
 zens, untirely free from animalculae. , I have 
 mentioned before that bathing water possesses 
 
 147 
 
wonderful properties of rejuvenating and beau 
 tifying. I must not fail to state that drinking 
 water is as marvelous and revitalizes wonder 
 fully. 
 
 Somewhat later Thyrza and I decided to 
 take up, for a while, some regular, systematic 
 sanitarium work, hence we took an apartment 
 in the suburbs, in a large apartment building 
 where we made ourselves more than comfort 
 able. The establisment was supervised and 
 managed by automata, who attended to the very 
 smallest matter, even to ordering meals. In 
 the spirit world there are, in all cities, immense 
 establishments called cookeries, where foods of 
 all kinds are prepared by especially skilled 
 chefs. Everything known upon earth, and 
 many more never imagined, is provided, free 
 to all. As life cannot be taken, imitations, 
 superior to the real, of game of all kinds, as 
 well as of substances similar to beef, pork, 
 mutton and many more, with more delicious 
 flavor, are made. These establishments pre 
 pare complete meals, which are served when 
 ever ordered within a few minutes of receiv 
 ing the order. Housekeeping is unknown, 
 homemaking essentially different. Spirits 
 have absolutely no trouble regarding these mat 
 ters. Give order at table, and have, within 
 the city limits, orders delivered and served im- 
 
 148 
 
maculately, more promptly than in a first-class 
 earth hotel. 
 
 Thyrza and I enjoyed the change very 
 much. We found ourselves in the center of 
 greatest activity, with never an idle or spare 
 minute. Every home from the smallest bun 
 galow to the most palatial, ever open to us, a 
 guest chamber in all always ready. One, liv 
 ing in apartments therefore, in a sense, is 
 equally as well provided for. It must be 
 borne in mind there are no distinctions among 
 your own family, and all are your own, chil 
 dren of the one Father, hence all homes, all 
 grounds, all places, are ever yours, as much 
 as anyone else s, even your homes, excepting 
 your private chambers, oratory and study, are 
 open to all. It is the greatest delight to enjoy 
 this love, this perfect confidence, this equality 
 with all, to know and feel that all are your own. 
 
 The first pleasure of the morning is to enter 
 one s oratory, and offer up a silent morning 
 greeting to our Father. Soul-mates ever do 
 this together before proceeding to aught else. 
 
 One morning, in the breakfast room as 
 Thyrza was playfully feeding several birds of 
 wondrous beauty, with my mind reverting to 
 the old earth, I thought how natural she looked, 
 how very unlike the earth conception of spirit. 
 She was attired in a simple costume, made in 
 
 149 
 
one piece, which fitted her figure perfectly, dis 
 playing its exquisite contour, of a pale lustrous 
 pink, low in the neck, with wide white collar, 
 cuffs and belt embroided with pale pink, low 
 cut white shoes, embroided with pale pink 
 rose-buds similar to costume. No jewels, no 
 furbelows. Spirits do not need and seldom 
 use head-gear, gloves or parasols. Hair, as on 
 earth, is the crowning glory and more beauti 
 ful than the most effective millinery confec 
 tions, which ever detract from the really beau 
 tiful. One rarely takes luggage or impedi 
 menta of any kind when visiting or traveling. 
 If one does not care to visit the great establish 
 ments, one finds in every guest chamber cos 
 tumes of all sizes and styles, with every essen 
 tial to the most minute detail. All costumes 
 include everything to correspond. 
 
 Thyrza pressed a button for auto. Many 
 carriages, autos, and equipages of all kinds are 
 kept in certain parts of the suburbs devoted to 
 these establishments. Within a few minutes, 
 we were seated in a bijou one of white, decor 
 ated with roses formed of various jewels. 
 
 It was an extremely beauful morning. We 
 whirled past a park aflame with color and 
 crowded with happy spirits, from little ones of 
 all ages to adults, no decrepit or old age, all 
 young, all joyous, all radiantly beautiful. The 
 
 150 
 
banks of the Thames were even more filled with 
 gay and animated throngs; the Thames, pel 
 lucid and placid, reflecting the golden glory 
 of the sky, ever to me a source of delight, was 
 also filled with steamers and boats brimming 
 with people. 
 
 Merry laughter, gay voices, peals of music, 
 commingling with the songs of birds, and pur 
 ring rhythm of the water, reached us on all 
 sides. All were filled with joy, no cares, no 
 frowns, no sorrow in evidence anywhere here, 
 all wore joyous countenances, expressive of the 
 noblest aspirations, the highest emotions, the 
 greatest love and purity. 
 
 "What a pleasure," I remarked to Thyrza, 
 "to note the joy and happiness; blessed, blessed 
 indeed are we to be free, think how wretched 
 ws used to be on earth, ever fretting about 
 something or other, never in peace." 
 
 "Yes," she answered, "you, I think hardly 
 realized how I suffered there, dear; even now 
 I cannot bear to recall it. But I feel I must, 
 because our Father must will it so, or we should 
 forget entirely." 
 
 "Yes, we are beginning to grasp the very 
 good reason why we should. How could any 
 one with a desire for change, inherent in all 
 living beings, know how to appreciate the per 
 petual peace, glory and beauty, were it not for 
 
 151 
 
that dark and drear experience, and the ever 
 varying change of employment and scene, as 
 well as the countless spiritual worlds to explore, 
 and the limitless knowledge to be acquired." 
 
 Not yet had we heard very much about the 
 Celestial Kingdom. The farther we advanced, 
 the more we began to understand that enlight 
 enment, on this line could only be obtained after 
 all the claims of self had been conquered and 
 eliminated. This could only be developed and 
 acquired in the service of others f hence our de 
 sire to devote more time to the less happy than 
 we. 
 
 The sanitarium we were to visit, one in the 
 place of a great insane earth institution, was 
 located a block or two from the Thames, in 
 the midst of artistic grounds. After visiting 
 this sanitarium, we were to visit some friends 
 in Wales. 
 
 The building was of the Celestial style, of 
 pale grey marble, with columns of gold and 
 grey. The grounds were filled with spirits 
 with contented faces, some inconceivably radi 
 ant, who had just become detached, and were 
 obtaining their first impressions ere spirit mem 
 ory returned. We gave several, as we passed, 
 loving smiles of greeting. 
 
 Thyrza went to the rooms assigned to her, 
 I to mine. We were regular visitors to this 
 
 152 
 
place, with regular duties. I had been chosen 
 this morning to visit two who had passed away 
 by their own hands. One, an elderly man who 
 had been a violent maniac for almost a decade, 
 another a young man, who had been a victim 
 of a blood disease which had caused imbecility. 
 I went first to see the old man. He was just 
 awakening on thi sside. He had no near rela 
 tives save his mother and father, who were 
 seated by his side, with his guardian Angels. 
 They greeted me gently, I sat down some place 
 from them. 
 
 His guardian Angel was occupied attending 
 to his duty with both hands on his head; the 
 spirit had a very fine, noble countenance. A 
 tremor passed through him. He made a con 
 vulsive movement to arise and opend His eyes. 
 The Guardian Angel stepped aside. The 
 mother, a radiant young spirit, eyes glowing 
 with love and tenderness stood over him. His 
 eyes fastened on her with wonder, then joy 
 unspeakable illumined his whole face, 
 
 "Mother, mother am I dreaming? Am I 
 crazy?" he whispered faintly. 
 
 "You are yourself, darling, your real true 
 self. You have been dreaming, you are at last 
 awake." His father grasped his hand. 
 
 "Will, my boy, don t you know me?" 
 
 "Father, father, where am I?" 
 
 153 
 
"At home, with your own, my son. Come, 
 get us." He arose in a flowing garb. His 
 guardian Angel welcomed him with a few 
 simple words. I was surprised and pleased 
 to hear him say, as he held out his hands, warm 
 ly, "Why, Lord Byron, you are as great a joy 
 as were your poems to me " he stopped 
 abruptly, and added ruefully, 
 
 "I can only remember up to the time I lost 
 my fortune. Oh my poor wife, I wonder 
 where she is?" 
 
 A look of great distress overspread his face. 
 The earth memory up to the time he lost his 
 mind returned, the rest, of course, a blank. His 
 mother seated him by her, holding him close 
 to her, as she told him all, finishing with, 
 
 "Dear, we will take you to see her very 
 soon, she ll soon be free, she also is very near 
 the change." 
 
 "Oh, that gives me joy indeed. Only to 
 have her, and I ll be happy. But Oh, I am 
 so overjoyed to find you dear ones, to know 
 that I have never lost you, and to know we 
 live and love forever. Oh, what joy, what 
 peace, what happiness." Then he turned to 
 me, "Lord Byron," 
 
 "No lords here," I said, "Your brother, you 
 are a lord as much as I ame." His eyes shone. 
 
 "What, no petty distinctions, all equal in 
 
 154 
 
God s sight?" but he added, "there must be, of 
 course, distinction in advancement, as on earth, 
 but I want to tell you, my brother," emphasiz 
 ing brother tenderly, "what your poems meant 
 to me. Your sorrows purified, and cleansed 
 all that really was not of you, a child could 
 discern the true and feel the true spirit despite 
 material conditions." 
 
 After a fe wminutes, promising to see him 
 again soon, I sought the room of the young man, 
 who in a fit of melancholia had cut short his 
 material discipline. I saw at his bedside his 
 guardian Angel and his sister, who had passed 
 to spirit side in infancy, unknown to the 
 brother. 
 
 This poor boy, from his earliest childhood 
 had been inpregnated with a loathsome dis 
 ease. All that the best medical skill could 
 do had been done. He had been of noble 
 blood and great wealth, but had become such 
 a source of anxiety and humiliaaion, his family 
 were forced to put him in a private institution, 
 where he had been neglected, with the result 
 that in an especially despondent mood, he had 
 strangled himself to death. His sister, a dainty, 
 winsome blonde, with sunny hair and pansy 
 eyes, looking like the earth conception of 
 Angels, sat by his side, patting his hand, while 
 his guardian Angel, of magnificent beauty and 
 
 155 
 
regal presence, stroked his head. Suddenly 
 the youth gave a long, slow sigh, the eyelids 
 began to quiver, the blood transfused his count 
 enance, and he awakened, after having been in 
 this state, according to earth time, for twenty- 
 four hours, oblivious of both planes, complete 
 ly magnetized by his guardian Angels. 
 
 He had been an imbecile since his birth, 
 never having had the mental capacity to acquire 
 knowledge. As his spirit memory had not re 
 turned, he awakened with but the little light 
 gleaned on mortal plane during his lucid inter 
 vals, hence a child s guilessness and innocence 
 looked forth from eyes very similar to his sis 
 ters, which became riveted upon her charming 
 face, with a child es worship of the beautiful. 
 
 "Where I am? Who are you?" he asked. 
 
 "You are at home. I am your sister," she 
 replied gently. ; 
 
 "Who are you?" glancing at his Guardian 
 Angel. 
 
 "I am your guardian Angel." He looked 
 al him long and searchingly, the wonder in his 
 eyes replaced by love, called forth by the love 
 of the Angel. Then reluctantly he turned his 
 gaze on me. I must have pleased him. He 
 said, "You look like my papa," and smiled a 
 child s wistful smile of recognition. 
 
 156 
 
His sister helped him arise, while she, his 
 Guardian Angel and I escorted him outside to 
 a large auto. He clung to me and did not 
 like to let me go until he saw his grandmother, 
 to whom he took a great fancy. Within two 
 days his spirit memory returned, and he proved 
 to be a rather advanced spirit, eager to progress. 
 I made an engagement to visit him also in the 
 near future and returned to meet Thyrza. 
 
 I found her awaiting me on the portica, 
 accompanied by an exquisite little girl of about 
 four years, a veritable little sunbeam, but a 
 rather drenched and woe-begone one, who 
 clutched desperately at Thyrza s hands, and 
 looked around on all sides with looks of pain 
 and pleasure. Her flowing ringlets, lustrous 
 blue eyes and pearly skin were very beautiful, 
 the little mouth a Cupid s bow, the dainty little 
 figure still in the flowing garb. I put my arms 
 arms around her, and gave her such a loving 
 embrace, that a smile, like the sun in an April 
 shower, broke over her face, and for a moment 
 she forgot her sorrow. 
 
 "I want to see my marmie and papa and my 
 brother Charlie," she said piteously, "won t 
 you take me to dem? She says she will." 
 
 "I have promised Amanda that we would 
 take her to her mother, still on the earth," 
 Thyrza said. 
 
 157 
 
"Of course," I readily responded, "where 
 shall we find her?" 
 
 "She lives in the suburbs, not far from 
 here." We entered our auto, and soon arrived 
 at the house, intuitively known as soon as we 
 saw it. We were met at the door by a charm 
 ing girl, with an eager, expectant air. Soon 
 as she saw the child, she tenderly clasped and 
 caressed her, ere welcoming us. 
 
 "Amanda, little Amanda," she fondly said. 
 Then after greeting us, said, "I shall take you 
 to the father and mother." 
 
 These spirits were still attached and in the 
 charge of their guardian Angels. One of 
 Amanda s had entrusted her to Thyrza im 
 mediately after she became detached, the other 
 had returned to perform some duty for the 
 attached ones. Amanda had been sent to the 
 institution a few weeks before, after a severe 
 fever which had resulted in dementia. The 
 parents had been compelled to part with her, 
 owing to their illness, as well as the incessant 
 care and attention demanded by their little 
 crippled boy, Charlie; They were cousins, 
 one child a cripple the other Amanda, from 
 birth not exactly an idiot but feeble minded. 
 
 We found them seated at a table, eyes closed, 
 in a seemingly comatose condition, oblivious of 
 all on spirit plane, whilst conscious on the 
 
 158 
 
mortal. As the spirit, while attached to the 
 mortal, is under control on earth, of the mor 
 tal, in the spirit world, it seemingly performs 
 all the acts of the mortal and accompanies it 
 wherever it goes, therefore, on the spirit side, 
 there are always everything essential that the 
 mortal uses, in the very same place as on mor 
 tal plane, such as chairs, couches, tables as well 
 as everything necessary for them when detached 
 at night. The room, in which they were with 
 guardian Angels, was dainty and attractive, fill 
 ed with flowers. They were apparently en 
 gaged in eating, judging from their motions, on 
 mortal plane, and by the motions of two other 
 attached spirits who seemed to be waiting on 
 them, and who also were assisted, on spirit 
 plane, by their guardian Angels. In the 
 room, therefore, were four attached spirits and 
 four guardian Angels. Although an attached 
 spirit has two guardian Angels, it is only nec 
 essary to have one in attendance. 
 
 Thyrza had promised to take the child to 
 her people on earth. We decided to enter with 
 her the material consciousness. The child s 
 guardian Angel magnetized her into uncon 
 sciousness of the spirit plane, so just about the 
 time Thyrza and I became conscious on the 
 mortal plane, she also became conscious with 
 us in the material room within the spiritual 
 
 159 
 
room, which was a large, airy apartment, we 
 saw seated at the table, the father and mother, 
 both weak and ill, faces haggard with physical 
 and mental suffering. They were evidently 
 refined and well educated. The attendants 
 were nurses, the mother was endeavoring, be 
 tween sighs and moans, to eat, the father, more 
 engrossed with her, paid little attention to him 
 self. Amanda sprang to her mother s side, 
 clasping her around her neck, kissing and hug 
 ging her. 
 
 "Mama, mama," she cried, "don t you know 
 me?" But the mother oblivious of all, replied 
 riot, but continued looking into space. 
 
 "Mama, mama," tears, falling rapidly, 
 "don t you know me?" repeated the little child. 
 No response. 
 
 "Don t you see me, mama?" Again, no re 
 sponse. Then she ran to her father, climbed 
 into his lap, put her little arms around his neck, 
 her head upon his chest. 
 
 "Papa, my papa, ain t you glad to see me?" 
 Again no sign, no response of any kind. Thyrza 
 took her in her arms and said, 
 
 "Darling, you papa and mama are dream 
 ing, you shall see them tonight." The father 
 then spoke to the mother. 
 
 "Amanda, why grieve so? Our child is 
 better off, we shall soon go to her, we cannot 
 
 160 
 
last very much longer. Be comforted, my poor 
 wife." The child eagerly listened. 
 
 "Oh," sighed the mother, "if I had only 
 been able to see her die, even to go to her fun 
 eral. Oh, my little girl, my baby, my baby." 
 
 "Mama, mama, I am here," cried the little 
 one, running to her, and again clasping her. 
 The mother s guardian Angels may have im 
 pressed her, for she brightened visibly, and she 
 said happily, 
 
 "Oh, Albert, I know, I feel my little one 
 
 is near me." 
 
 "Of course she is," he answered, "I feel her 
 all the time." That pleased the child so much, 
 she really thought they saw her. The door 
 opened, a little lame boy, with a sweet face, 
 accompanied by a tutor entered. He was like 
 his parents, suffering from the same disease in 
 another form, a victim, like them, to that most 
 malignant of all diseases which numbers its 
 victims by millions, and causes death innumer 
 able under its various branches, consumption, 
 leprosy, insanity, imbecility, the most common 
 of blood diseases, rampant, where it permeates 
 all classes from the lowest to the highest on 
 earth. These innocents, victims to heredity, 
 pure and stainless in character and life, were 
 soon to be set free. Naturally one queries, 
 "Why should the innocent suffer for the guilty?" 
 
 161 
 
I was beginning to see quite clearly that the 
 dream of mortal life, in comparison with the 
 eternal life of the spirit, appears (to the awak 
 ened spirit, conscious of the dual life on both 
 planes,) transitory and fleeting, a moment in 
 comparison with eternity. Its sorrows and 
 actual sufferings ephemeral, excepting the mem 
 ory which alone survives, to remind one of the 
 discipline which can never be forgotten. 
 
 All God s children are brought forth upon 
 the two planes simultaneously. The material 
 plane not solely absolutely essential as a birth 
 place, but also a school for many, not for all, 
 to obtain the peculiar kind of discipline 
 adjudged essential for those ordained to under 
 go it. Millions of children in millions of 
 worlds, are being constantly born, their life 
 force and intelligence having evolved from the 
 very lowest forms of life, until endowed with 
 soul as child of God, born in both worlds 
 simultaneously. 
 
 It is essential for every child to have an epi 
 tome of all knowledge acquired through all 
 species up to spirit child of God. Spirit com 
 posed of spirit body and spiritual brain, and soul 
 connected with God, thence onward, through 
 countless spheres and worlds, not freed from 
 animal limitations as often stated, for the spirit 
 knows naught of animal, conscious ever and 
 
 162 
 
always as child of God, but educated in all 
 branches of knowledge, to fit one for the Celes 
 tial Kingdom. In reality, after detachment, 
 never before, a spirit realizes the earth experi 
 ences with its manifold horrors and tribula 
 tions, is no more painful to the spirit than the 
 discipline given the earth child in college, aca 
 demy, university, to the mortal. , Although to 
 the spirit on that plane of consciousness, it is 
 made to appear as it does to impress it upon 
 the spiritual brain, as all experiences are im 
 pressed for the purpose of discipline and train 
 ing. 
 
 Although it may appear that criminals, de 
 generates the insane receive but little discipline, 
 since their material brains are deficient or dis 
 eased; every spirit feels the necessary pain and 
 suffering, and many experiences are registered 
 upon the material brain, which in turn are reg 
 istered upon the spiritual, even though the 
 spirit can but imperfectly express itself. 
 
 Every unfortunate in penal institution or 
 insane asylum, regardless how irresponsible, 
 receives the discipline, hard as it may seem, 
 deemed necessary. How otherwise call God 
 Omnipotent? // not for Divine purpose, un- 
 apprehended by mortal, with good reason the 
 superficial would deem Him a monster of cruel- 
 ity and turpitude. But although God is 
 
 163 
 
Omnipotent, his instruments under law follow 
 His behests and instructions, all children are 
 endowed, save those through disease and acci 
 dent, with reason and free will. That is, each 
 spirit not handicapped by a diseased material 
 brain, can impress the material instrument more 
 or less with the spiritual attributes of liberty, 
 love and wisdom. All spirits are perfectly 
 free and individually independent. None are 
 restricted in any way, excepting as, on 
 mortal plane, all are under mortal law, 
 so all are under law in the spiritual. With 
 the sole exception of property regulations 
 in certain sections of the spiritual world, and the 
 little while required for employment, all spirits 
 are entirely free, and can exercise their will 
 and desires in all things pertaining to them 
 selves and their soul-mates, who are in reality, 
 the other half necessary to make one. That 
 spirit cannot exercise their will on mortal plane, 
 especially in the conjugal relation, is due to the 
 imperfect control of their material instruments. 
 Could a spirit correctly impress, there would 
 be more true unions and less divorce. The 
 spirit must yield to the animal mind swayed 
 by physicial attractions, but ever and always 
 the spirit seeks to impress with the result that 
 many co-called libertines are but following the 
 dominant instinct, and longing of the spirit for 
 
 164 
 
his own soul-mate. Free will, individual ef 
 fort resolves itself into the truth that only so* 
 much will and effort are manifested as the spirit 
 can impress his material brain with. 
 
 The spirit advances on spirit plane, and 
 strives to impress upon his material brain the 
 spiritual attributes and knowledge acquired 
 here. When this truth is rightly comprehended, 
 one can see that material brains must advance 
 to enable spirit to manifest will and effort, and 
 that when material brains are developed suf 
 ficiently, will and effort are the will and effort 
 of the spirit, who ever and always expresses his 
 own especial attributes, hence there can be no 
 remaining at a standstill nor retrogression to 
 the spirit who, on mortal plane has a wholesome 
 and good instrument. The material brain can of 
 ten be developed by developing a sound, whole 
 some body. Therefore the trite, and in a de 
 gree, true saying, "a sound body makes a sound 
 mind," both brain and body recognized by the 
 advanced as but instruments for the spirit child 
 of God. But there are many in diseased 
 bodies with developed brains, who express much 
 more perfectly than many with seemingly sound 
 and perfect ones, for all who appear sound are 
 not so. 
 
 Amanda, when she saw her dearly loved 
 brother enter, ran to him and threw her arms 
 
 165 
 
about him, as she had her parents, 
 
 "Brudder, brudder," she cried, "I is here, 
 don t oo know me?" 
 
 Charlie, assisted by his tutor, unseeing, 
 passed by her. 
 
 "Brudder/ she reiterated, "I is here, Mandy 
 is here." The little lame boy, (how my heart 
 went out to him, thinking of one other, who 
 had been similarly afflicted,) was caressed by 
 Charlie." Her guardian Angel then took her 
 his parents, and then deposited on a couch. 
 
 After letting Amanda caress and bid them 
 good-bye, we were soon on the spirit plane. 
 Amanda exclaimed upon awakening, 
 
 "I saw them, my marmie, my pap and 
 Charlie, for she remembered all her life on 
 over to her parents in the spirit form and said, 
 
 "Look at them, there is your real father and 
 mother. They will awaken tonight and you 
 will see them." The little one s spirit memory 
 returned as she was speaking, and she cried 
 with delighted eyes, 
 
 "Oh, I know my papa and mamma," and 
 she ran over after kissing them and kissed 
 spirit side, ere taken to the asylum. Then 
 the weeping little Niobe was transformed into a 
 happy little girl. Some grandparents shortly 
 arrived and it was decided that she should 
 
 166 
 
remain with her parents, in charge of her guard 
 ian Angels, until she would become recon 
 ciled to be taken elsewhere. With returned 
 memory came the great love for her guardians, 
 so we, after our short period of depression, de 
 parted joyfully. 
 
 167 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 After a certain period devoted to attending 
 lectures, imbibing all the wisdom and knowl 
 edge possible, sanitarium work, helping others 
 on mortal plane who have the gift of inspira 
 tion and writing, social affairs and various 
 places of amusement, we decided to accompany 
 Percy and some friends to our places in Scot- 
 for me. 
 
 I had told her to use her own judgment and 
 land, where my mother had prepared a home 
 taste. I was not surprised when I saw she 
 bad selected a small vale, between rugged 
 mountains, whose lofty peaks were almost iden 
 tical with those of earth Scotland, save that on 
 the very highest, inaccessable on mortal plane, 
 were many castle and palaces of magnificent 
 beauty. The little valley is somewhat circu 
 lar, and so small that there were but three other 
 places, besides my own. It was divided in the 
 center by a small stream, all under the highest 
 state of cultivation, no fence or lines of demark- 
 ation between. My house was at the base, 
 close to the mountains, which were left in their 
 natural state, some with bare slopes, others with 
 magnificent trees, flora and shrubbery. With 
 
 168 
 
the exception of the stately castles on the peaks, 
 no other homes or signs of habitation were 
 visible. 
 
 My mother had chosen this retired stop 
 especially for its silence and tranquility, feeling 
 that we, as on earth, needed a change and a 
 chance to relax after our busy life in the great 
 city. Not that a spirit ever wearies, or that 
 the life of a spirit is not always delightful, full 
 of interest and incident, but even the most aspir 
 ing feel that there are times when one desires 
 more particularly the charms of solitude, as 
 well as the society of those most congenial and 
 most beloved. 
 
 We had a very small house party. My 
 mother, her soul-mate, her parents, Thyrza s 
 sister and grandparents; her parents were still 
 attached. Percy s home was adjoining mine 
 and close also to the mountains. 
 
 These mountains were reserved for animals 
 under the care of superintendents. We had a 
 small establishment, cottage of a dozen rooms. 
 We were charmed with it, Thyrza especially. 
 
 The exterior was of choice satin wood, 
 smooth and lustrous, dark cherry, decorated 
 with cream, wide veranda below, great bay- 
 windows above. The inside was finished with 
 choice woods, and furnished to correspond, sev- 
 er-al fountains, plants, flowers, etc. 
 
 169 
 
In every spirit home harmony is the 
 keynote. The gorgecus splendor, daz 
 zling display of gold and silver, divers 
 colors and violent contrasts; the utter lack of 
 harmony in many things on earth, is not in evi 
 dence on spirit plane. Although gold and 
 white are used very much, the gold is very spar 
 ingly used, simply for a delicate trimming, whilst 
 public institutions, cathedrals, opera houses, 
 hotels, and large apartment houses are all more 
 splendid and grander in every way than on 
 earth, none are flamboyant nor over embellished, 
 all are in the best of taste, and characterized by 
 a degree of simplicity much more pleasing. 
 
 Ma:ny have homes much larger and more 
 luxurious than the most regal upon earth, many 
 more have bungalows and cottages, one can 
 always change, after tiring of a small place to 
 a larger whenever one desires. No one is re 
 stricted. But, although, spirit feels that all 
 are his, open, free to him, (as on earth there is 
 a particular love for home which here is much 
 stronger,) almost all cling to and change their 
 own particular homes, when desirious of change, 
 in style, architecture, and appointments, and 
 even the grounds, which some change almost 
 daily. 
 
 We had a few horses, allowed to roam in the 
 mountains, an air-ship, several autos, and quite 
 
 170 
 
a number of pet animals, dogs, cats, birds, all 
 at liberty, none caged. Even in cities aviaries 
 are open. Birds of the most dazzling plumage, 
 more beautiful than the peacock, of snowy 
 white, and all colors, flitted to and fro and all 
 about our place, even on the veranda, and, oft, 
 through the open window, some with sweetest 
 notes, far excelling the nightingale. 
 
 From the rear of our veranda, we could see 
 those called wild animals on the earth, lions, 
 tigers, elephants, etc., even great anacondas and 
 cobra de capellas. But, ah, how different, all 
 our loving brethren yet to be, all displaying 
 the same tenderness as the water ones, and yet 
 so delicate as not to intrude in to the valley, 
 but keeping strictly within their domain. 
 
 Percy and his sister are still alone excepting 
 their grandparents. A Mr. and Mrs. Morri 
 son, of the United States occupied the place 
 opposite to us, and one who had been, on mortal 
 plane, a Scottish knight, the one adjoining. As 
 we were all literary, we were very congenial. 
 While there can be no distinction, as all are 
 God s children, and all are more highly de 
 veloped and cultivated than the highest on 
 earth, still, as all exercise individual taste, one 
 inclines slightly to those who have similar, 
 though one is attracted much more potently to 
 those who excel in the highest emotive and 
 
 171 
 
spiritual attributes of self-abnegation here as on 
 the lower plane. 
 
 We took our meals "al fresco" in the 
 grounds, for the especial purpose of seeing the 
 beautiful moving pictures at sunrise and sun 
 set. After they cease the sky returns to tints 
 of exquisite delicacy and beauty, forming sky 
 scapes entirely distinct from the moving pic 
 tures, for the moving pictures are actual repre 
 sentations of life both in the spirit and Celes 
 tial Kingdom, whilst the skyscapes are pictures 
 portrayed by the Celestial Angels. 
 
 Thyrza s grandparents were, in every way, 
 as youthful as we, so we were a party of young 
 people filled with the strength and buoyancy of 
 immortal youth. One morning, seated on the 
 veranda, after we had watched the sun rise in 
 his majesty, Thyrza said abruptly, breaking 
 the enraptured silence, "This is indeed glor 
 ious, I never tire of these pictures," her sister, 
 as lovely as she, a petite brunette of classic 
 features, and slumbrous dark eyes, said with 
 trembling lips, (she had been but recently de 
 tached) 
 
 "Everything is marvelous, I thank God for 
 every breath I draw, and yet," she sighed, "I 
 do so want mamma and papa free to enjoy it 
 
 too." 
 
 "Yes," Thyrza answered feelingly, "that is 
 172 
 
my great worry, if I may call it worry," glancing 
 at me sadly, "were it not that we see them fre 
 quently, it would be very, very hard to bear." 
 
 Thyrza s grandmother, May, we called her, 
 very much like Thyrza in appearance said 
 seriously, 
 
 "According to earth time, it is over twenty 
 years since I left my dear children, although I 
 have all that the most favored mortal ever 
 dreams of, and far beyond my greatest hopes 
 and expectations, I cannot be really happy until 
 I have my dear children free all the time to 
 enjoy with me." To all their surprise, not 
 even to Thyrza had I intimated aught of the 
 kind, seeing again a picture I had often seen 
 in my mind, a young man bowed in grief over 
 a little babe s bed, and once more feeling the 
 touch of baby fingers, I felt my eyes suffuse, 
 and said brokenly, 
 
 "And I would give, ah, how much to see 
 my baby girl just as she was again," Thyrza 
 placed her arm around me and whispered, "Oh, 
 George, let us thank the dear Father, we see 
 them all on spirit side." 
 
 Very often had I seen my child since my 
 detachment. Both Thyrza and I had been to 
 see her just before we left England. Our last 
 night had been spent with her and her mother, 
 who, in the real life, knowing the truth, entirely 
 
 173 
 
absolved me. She gave me the particulars 
 regarding Mrs. Clairmont, and was perfectly 
 satisfied, (knowing, as all spirits know their 
 own soul mates, I was not hers,) that Thyrza 
 and I were conjoined. I smiled in return and 
 answered cheerfully, 
 
 "Oh, ye of little faith, even here questioning 
 our Father s judgment. Know ye not that He 
 knoweth best?" Smiles replaced the transi- 
 tary gloom, and shortly we were planning an 
 airship excursion to some islands north of us. 
 
 That afternoon Thyrza, May, Percy and I 
 took a long mountain walk. We selected a wide 
 path that led to Colonel Carr s place, I give the 
 title, as he was recently detached. 
 
 He was an American who had taken the 
 place for the summer. We have seasons, vary 
 ing in different sections, as on earth. The 
 path led first over a slope of downy moss, soft 
 as velvet, of different shades of green, appear 
 ing like a mosaic in sun light and shade, thence 
 into the heart of the primeval forest, free from 
 entangling underbrush, with carpet of moss and 
 trees of all varieties. Here and there an 
 isolated monarch towered high above his fel 
 lows, with intervening spaces of lawn between, 
 here and there were graceful trees of various 
 colors, not seen on earth, pale pink, blue, red, 
 great patches of shrubs and plants with won- 
 
 174 
 
derful flowers, others with fruits and nuts of 
 all kinds. Many trees, orange, lemon, all 
 earth fruits and many more unknown on earth, 
 leathery bushes, not vines, of strawberries 
 and every other kind of berry. 
 
 We saw animals, great and small, divested 
 of the repellant features of earth, scattered all 
 over, some grazing, some eating fruit, many 
 lying in sun and shade, others drinking at vast 
 reservoirs, looking like small lakes, edged with 
 moss and ferns. 
 
 "A veritable animal paradise," May ex 
 claimed, "Oh, how beautiful, but look at that 
 lion coming to us." 
 
 A lion, lying under a tree, arose and came 
 to us. Thyrza held out her hand and petted 
 him. All he lacked was speech. He gave a 
 soft growl, while eyes glowed with love and 
 admiration. We were soon surrounded by our 
 lesser brethren, who gathered, from near and 
 far, to make us welcome, every one with eyes 
 shining with pleasure and love. 
 
 "Oh, you darlings," Thyrza said, "you 
 know we love you all." All responded with 
 sounds soft and melodious. Percy gave regu 
 lar bear hugs to many, exclaiming, 
 
 "Ah, this is life and love in truth, when 
 even our earth enemies love us." 
 
 ITS 
 
I responded reverently, "Therefore we 
 should never murmur, God knows best. We 
 must forget the trivial past sorrows and live for 
 the glorious present and future. 
 
 "When all our dear ones will be free," May 
 added. 
 
 "But there will always be someone s dear 
 ones, Thyrza said. 
 
 "Somebody s darlings," Percy answered, 
 "but we must all be prepared." Thyrza patted 
 a great white elephant, "just think what these 
 dear things have yet to go through." 
 
 "Taste some of this delicious fruits. I do 
 not even know its name," said May, plucking 
 some great golden globes, looking somewhat 
 like oranges, "the most delicious I have ever 
 tasted." 
 
 After regaling ourselves with it and others 
 equally delicious, we proceeded on our way out 
 of the forest. We had ascended a considerable 
 distance, so sat down to enjoy the view. Be 
 neath lay the forest from which we had emerg 
 ed, below that the mosaic tinted slope, farther 
 down the bowl-like valley, with sparkling 
 stream and brilliant gardens, in front the 
 mountains, over whose jagged peaks and curved 
 points, we could see the varying landscape of 
 meadow, valley and plain, and far beyond, the 
 glistening, sapphire sea. When we glanced 
 
 176 
 
above, we saw a sky, fit to canopy such loveli 
 ness, in which the sun, pale and golden, rode 
 high, and the stars sparkled like mammoth dia 
 monds. 
 
 In a little while we arrived at the top, the 
 highest peak thereabouts, upon which was 
 located a stone castle, made out of the same 
 stone as the peak, a soft gray and black, with 
 naught but a green lawn surrounding it and 
 waxy red flowers and vines covering it, a big 
 stone castle, nothing else, no out buildings, all 
 essentials kept in the great basement. 
 
 A large party, standing on the vast front 
 veranda, joyously made us welcome, and we 
 were soon regaling ourselves with such a view 
 as but the spiritual spheres can produce. Not 
 only that which I have described, but on one 
 side, mountain peak upon mountain peak, 
 rugged cliffs bathed in roseate hues, through 
 which the pale green was plainly visible, while 
 on the other, mighty crags, wonderfully wrought 
 gleamed through a soft golden haze. Upon 
 every peak, a stately castle, like the Colonel s, 
 of different colors and of magnificent archi 
 tecture, added to the beauty of the scene. 
 
 Colonel and Mrs. Carr were very charm 
 ing. The Colonel said, 
 
 "Never was anyone more thoroughly dazed 
 than Sarah and I when we found ourselves 
 
 177 
 
walking on the ocean, when the boat turned and 
 carried us to the bottom,) and surrounded by 
 beautiful beings. Had it not been we recog 
 nized our relatives we would have been per 
 fectly at sea, as well as on sea, never on the 
 earth ever having the slightest faith in immoi- 
 tality or God."* 
 
 They had recently become detached by 
 drowning. I looked surprised. Thyrza 
 smiled at me sympathetically, I read her 
 thought, "More clouded than we." Mrs. Carr 
 added, 
 
 "We were atheists. We simply could not 
 believe in an Infinite Being, an Omnipotent 
 God, it seemed absurd, incredible. We con 
 sidered, as a great many do still, on earth, that 
 religion had evolved from the very lowest and 
 that the highest, the Christian was almost on 
 a par with the earliest conceptions, and had not 
 sufficiently advanced to outgrow the crude 
 belief in the supernatural." 
 
 Thyrza smiled. 
 
 "I perceive you could not have given much 
 serious thought to it, or you would have seen 
 that the religious instinct, one of the most potent 
 in mortals, must have been given for a pur 
 pose. The instincts, in all forms of life 
 have been, on earth, solely developed by the 
 intelligence invisible governing the instinct. 
 
 178 
 
The religious, one of the greatest, instead 
 of remaining dormant as others, less important, 
 in man developed, in some apparently retro 
 grading, in others steadily advancing, until the 
 Christian religion was evolved, the highest 
 type of religion upon the earth today. 
 All were impelled by the spirit in charge, 
 to advanve, until spirit man was bless 
 ed with soul, and impressed his mortal 
 mind, little by little, with the truths im 
 perfectly grasped, helped at successive stages 
 by the great minds, who, more perfectly im 
 pressed, were beacon lights and teachers for 
 the less illumined. Although I could not 
 grasp a Supreme Personality, I could still per 
 ceive the guiding, controlling hand of a Su 
 preme Intelligence." 
 
 Mrs. Carr responded laughingly, 
 
 "It did not take us long after our spirit 
 memory returned, to realize how circumscribed 
 had been our belief, how narrow our outlook." 
 
 I said, "Although it is true, I did not write 
 as much as many about the soul, immortality 
 and the duties of life, and confined myself, mate 
 rially bound, to the beauties and attractions of 
 earth, still I ever, regardless how seldom ex 
 pressed, felt the Omnipotence of God, and the 
 truth of life immortal." 
 
 A magnificent man, a noted English Sur- 
 
 179 
 
geon on earth plane, spoke impressively, 
 
 "On the earth I, in my profession, had many 
 opportunities of proving many of the potent 
 arguments of unbelievers fallacies. I studied 
 mind or the brain especially. I dissected ani 
 mal upon animal, vivisection, so abhored by 
 many, gave me the key to a great deal. I 
 found certain animals, entirely deprived of 
 brain, could live and governed by instinct, im 
 possible to locate, attend to all their wants. I 
 found by transfering the brain of one animal 
 to another, I could change the characteristics 
 and nature of the animal. I found that man 
 could live deprived of all, save a part of the 
 medulla oblangata, called the vital knot. I 
 found the gray matter contained the corpuscles 
 that make the gray matter superior to the 
 white, I found the brain, filled more or less 
 with corpuscles, was but an instrument for an 
 invisible, impossible to locate, presence. I 
 found when the brain was in good condition, 
 it enabled this invisible presence to guide and 
 control much more perfectly, than when out of 
 order. I found the seat of sensation not in the 
 brain, as claimed by the majority. I found 
 sensation felt, after all the brain in certain ani 
 mals had been removed. I found the brain 
 instrument for this invisible spirit, could be 
 drugged. But as all these are well known 
 
 180 
 
facts on earth to many and by you all, I shall 
 merely say, I had seen so much of the entirely 
 inexplicable materially, that I was forced to 
 seek within for the truth, and I found it in the 
 inner recesses of my soul, where all on earth 
 find when they seek rightly." 
 
 "Only when the brain is developed enough 
 to be impressed with the desire to seek" May 
 replied. 
 
 "Exactly as I said, the brain must be a good 
 
 instrument." 
 
 Mrs. Carr, changing the subject, asked how 
 long we would stay in the mountains, express 
 ing a hope we would remain whilst they were 
 there. I answered, 
 
 "We shall remain several weeks, then a short 
 while in London, and then a trip to the United 
 States." 
 
 "Do join us, we return shortly," she ex 
 claimed. 
 
 Thyrza replied, "Only too gladly." 
 
 After discussing various topics of interest, 
 and making arrangements to accompany us in 
 our airship the following morning, we returned 
 home. 
 
 The next morning, just as the sun appeared 
 over the top of the mountains our two parties, 
 in airships which would have astounded mor 
 tals at that period, gently ascended, until we 
 
 181 
 
reached the road leading to the islands, our 
 destination. We had several rooms necessary 
 for comfort and pleasure, and a very large deck, 
 fitted with every comfort. To sail through 
 the air, with a speed almost miraculous, while 
 not as pleasurable as floating, is very enjoyable. 
 Not only to (comfortably at ease, reclining on 
 divan, couch or easy chair,) watch the differ 
 ent craft and floating spirits, an ever varying 
 panorama of beauty, but the great spiritual 
 worlds, with their alluring beauty high above, 
 as well as the constantly changing loveliness 
 below. All our party were seated on the great 
 deck. My grandmother, May, Thyrza, her 
 sister, Percy s sister and grandmother, attired 
 in simple white gowns, with either flowing or 
 braided hair, looked like young girls just 
 emancipated from school, but never upon 
 earth such charm of person, such angelic sweet 
 ness, such musical voices. 
 
 Thyrza started, "Nearer, my God, to Thee/ 
 All spirits possess voices of marvelous compass, 
 melody and expression. It should not appear 
 strange to mortals that many newly detached 
 spirits, love and recall the earth very often, 
 hence, "Nearer, my God to Thee." We sang 
 one of Tom Moore s little melodies, one of 
 mine, one of Percy s and the last, one sung in 
 the great cathedrals. 
 
 182 
 
"Glory, glory, to the lowest and the highest, 
 Throughout infinity, 
 
 Glory, glory to the farthest and the nighest, 
 Throughout eternity. 
 
 Glory, glory, to thee, and to me and to all, 
 Wherever we may be, 
 
 Glory, glory to everyone, within, without call, 
 In peace or misery. 
 
 Glory, glory, to our Father, great God Sublime, 
 
 Though far away, still near. 
 
 Glory, glory to Him, in ev ry place, in ev ry 
 
 clime, 
 Though everywhere, still here. 
 
 Glory, glory, to the lowest and the highest, 
 Every world Divine, 
 
 Glory, glory to the farthest and the nightest, 
 Mine and thine, thine and mine. 
 
 Like a meteor winging its flight through 
 space, or a colossal eagle with outspread wings, 
 we flew. We stopped not at a depot, but 
 swept swifty on, balmy zephyrs, perfume 
 laden, softly caressed us until we came to the 
 sea, the wonderful sea, glittering under the 
 rays of the sun, with a beauty unseen, un 
 known on earth. 
 
 The salty taste of its brine, mingled with 
 
 183 
 
the delicious land scents, greeted us as we 
 neared it. The sky above, with fleece of snow 
 and crimson of russet glory, the sea below with 
 its waves of white sea foam, were filled with 
 ecstatic beings, and ocean and air craft innum 
 erable. But as we sped on, far, far out to sea, 
 both changed, almost inperceptibly, by de 
 grees, into a beauty unparalleled, May called, 
 
 "Oh look, look," it seemed as though the 
 Heavens parted and we saw our dear Father, 
 Omnipotent God, accompanied by entrancingly 
 lovely Angels, playing on harps, whose strains 
 of melody reached us. Our Father seemed to 
 be more Majestic, more sublime, yet infinitely 
 gracious and loving. We caught, on vibra 
 tions, the message, "My beloved children, I 
 am ever with you." 
 
 I saw whence came the earth conception of 
 the Lord, and cupids playing on harps. Won 
 derful clouds, etherial and filmy as lace, form 
 ing flowers of exquisite beauty, surrounded our 
 Father. We stopped the ship and remained 
 motionless, our souls and hearts filled with 
 wonder and love, looking upon their glorious 
 loveliness, until the beauteous clouds and flow 
 ers softly covered them, and again naught but 
 the sky could be seen, with great masses of 
 flowers, which gradually faded to a soft haze 
 of a royal purple and gold. 
 
 184 
 
The purple and gold of the sky, the blue of 
 sea continued for many miles, until we could 
 see no signs of land or of life, excepting great 
 ocean steamers, airships, and floating spirits, 
 en route to various places in our world and other 
 spirit worlds. 
 
 "Greenland, at last," we exclaimed simul 
 taneously. We had come many miles with a 
 speed, impossible on earth, in mortal atmos 
 phere. The island, a vast continent here, soon 
 appeared in full view. We could see great 
 mountain ranges, some covered with snow, 
 sharp pointed saw-tooth peaks, alert sentinels, 
 glittering like polished rapiers, rugged cliffs, 
 grim, forbidding slopes. As we appreached 
 we saw a white beach, beyond undulating hills 
 covered with verdure. 
 
 No signs of life where we descended, under 
 a wide spreading oak tree. A silence pro 
 found, a solitude soul refreshing, a rest infinitely 
 soothing, breathed over all. Gladly we emerg 
 ed from the ship and sank upon the ground 
 under the branches of the old oak tree, which 
 reminded me forcibly of the old oak at New- 
 stead Abbey, so dear to me on earth. Lov 
 ingly I caressed it. Me thought I could hear 
 it murmur a greeting. 
 
 We decided to leave the ship and walk 
 inland, so gayly we started forth. The hills 
 
 185 
 
were covered with moss, flowers sprang up as 
 we walked, and upturned sweet faces with lov 
 ing welcome. Ere long, we came to a large 
 stretch of gray and sombre, neutral tinted coun 
 try, the sky also partook of the same dull 
 murky hue, so familiar to earth England. Many 
 white albatross, eagles and condors flew above. 
 Piles and monuments of fantastic rocks jutted 
 forth. To all but the detached spirit it 
 would have appeared inexpressibly mournful 
 and dreary and a suitable place of punishment 
 for the most criminal, according to Emanuel 
 Swedenborg s conceptions, or rather erroneous 
 impressions. But as spirit is free to go where 
 soever he will, as all spirit realms and places 
 are open to all, and all fly wherever they de 
 sire, no one unless willing, ever seeks or abides 
 in places of this kind. 
 
 "I have never seen on earth a place like 
 this," said Thyrza, "I suppose Greenland looks 
 like this on earth." 
 
 "Oh, no," said Percy, "this looks more like 
 certain sections in Arabia." 
 
 "Or like deserts in the United States," said 
 the Colonel. 
 
 "I suppose those who love the great wide 
 places, the open, the silence, and grandeur, 
 even here seek it for a change," observed May. 
 
 Soon we saw, seemingly, an oasis, a green 
 
 186 
 
patch, a small habitation and several animals, 
 horses, cows. A familiar earth atmosphere 
 enveloped all so strongly, as to make one think 
 oneself upon earth. 
 
 The gray stone cabin, the oak and walnut 
 trees, a weeping willow near a well, the red 
 geraniums and homely nasturtians, the forget- 
 me-not, the helotrope all familiar earth flowers, 
 rhe cats, the dogs, the chickens roaming here 
 and there. 
 
 The Colonel exclaimed, 
 
 "I have seen many like this in the middle 
 West. I am sure an American lives here." 
 
 We stopped at the gate of a large corral 
 and looked at the animals who all flocked to 
 us with lovelit eyes. 
 
 A man and woman came to the stable. I 
 had not yet seen similar costumes in the spirit 
 world. But the Colonel s eyes sparkled as he 
 cried, 
 
 "Americans, Americans." The man, a fine 
 tall spirit, of a strongly marked, distinctive 
 type and the woman, with a lovable, saintly 
 face, approached with cordial, outstretched 
 hands, < 
 
 "Welcome, welcome," they cried jubilantly. 
 The man had on a pair of overalls, a negligee 
 shirt, leather belt, the woman a plain, simple 
 gown. They laughed as we looked at them 
 
 187 
 
rather curiously. 
 
 "We loved our earth home so much, we try 
 to duplicate wherever we go, for a short per 
 iod," the man said. 
 
 "We lived in the wilds, we raised our fam 
 ily there. It was home for so many years, we 
 cannot forget," the woman said, a tender, 
 reminiscent gleam in her eye. 
 
 "You must have been very happy there," 
 Mrs. Carr remarked. 
 
 "No, often full of dread and fear, with the 
 terrible trials of the early settler, but we loved 
 and had our children there for so many years, 
 so we still love it, and as we cannot go back, we 
 try to live it here occasionally, as nearly sim 
 ilar as we can." 
 
 We entered a bare living room, a large 
 stone fire-place, imitation animal skins on the 
 floor, wooden chairs and tables, very crude and 
 primitive, and home made utensils filled with 
 immortal flowers, the sole things of beauty 
 visible. 
 
 "I did not suppose such things were made in 
 the spirit world," my grandmother said, point 
 ing to the chairs. 
 
 "Nor are they, save by the individual spirit 
 who so desires. Our loving Father permits 
 perfect freedom to all His children to do and 
 live as they wish. So there are sections of the 
 
 188 
 
spirit world reserved for all those who wish to 
 exercise individual taste, but," he smiled pleas 
 antly, "very few continue very long anything 
 like this, as our true home has ever been the 
 spirit." 
 
 "The love of change inherent in all, the 
 desire that has brought us hither as well as 
 tender associations, must, of course, make it 
 pleasant," chimed in Thyrza. ( 
 
 Our hostess, with her own hands, prepared 
 a simple repast, Thyrza and May assisted. No 
 automatons required here. Soon we were 
 refreshed with bowls of milk, apparently fresh 
 laid eggs, with squash and mince pies of the 
 Yankees. Col. Carr said, 
 
 "This is indeed going back to the old 
 home." Our hosts answered, 
 
 "We soon leave for London, and then go on 
 to the United States." 
 
 "Why did you not duplicate this nearer 
 home?" I asked. 
 
 "We have been traveling considerably in 
 Europe and Asia, and provided this for inter 
 vals between." 
 
 We shortly bade our friends good-bye and 
 started for a town close to the base of a moun 
 tain range which they had pointed out 
 to us. As we neared it, we were surprised to 
 see the whole mountain covered with snow, as 
 
 189 
 
 
well as the country surrounding it for quite a 
 distance. The snow, the first we had seen in 
 the spirit world, also forcibly reminded us of 
 the earth. Although deep, without effort or 
 undue exertion, glowing from the cool, crisp 
 air, we almost skimmed over it, so lightly, so 
 rapidly does spirit walk. 
 
 Ere long, we reached the outskirts of the 
 city and were soon on a very pretty street, lined 
 with beautiful homes basking in the genial rays 
 of the sun, all was spotless, not a speck of 
 slush nor now visible. 
 
 We were greeted by many smiling friends 
 and brothers, who entreated us to accompany 
 them to their homes. We told them, as there 
 were so many of us who desired to keep together, 
 we would go to one of the hotels. Shortly 
 we entered a splendid hotel, replete with all the 
 comforts and luxuries of a spirit one, vastly 
 superior to the best of earth, inasmuch as it 
 provides everything essential, as well as private 
 theatres, assembly hall, ball room, and many 
 rooms devoted to amusements and games un 
 known on earth. The music room, a vast 
 apartment, had four sides with electric buttons 
 connecting one with all the great opera houses, 
 theatres, moving picture shows, churches, lec 
 ture halls in the spirit world, not to any especial 
 country, but our entire spirit world. The 
 
 190 
 
principal ones are connected with private re 
 ception room of each suite. Although tele 
 pathy is universal, wireless telephones, and 
 telavues, enabling one to see whilst talking are 
 in every room. One of the first things I did, 
 was to call up my mother, who had not accom 
 panied us, and I soon had the pleasure of see 
 ing her radiant face as well as hearing her lov 
 ing voice, both preferable to telepathy. 
 
 After changing completely, Thyrza especi 
 ally beautiful in primrose silken material, with 
 white buds in corsage and hair, I in a white 
 dresssuit, we joined the rest in a magnificent 
 banquet hall. We entered from the hall and 
 saw a vast apartment, two sides of crystal, the 
 one facing us in the rear all open, affording a 
 good view of the grounds, which seemed like 
 a conservatory, with fountains, statues, and 
 numberless birds flying to and fro, also a part 
 of the jagged peaks gleaming with snow. 
 
 In the center of the dome-like ceiling of 
 crystal, beautiful flowers formed of jewels, cast 
 a soft, mellow light over the charming appoint 
 ments of the room, enhancing, if possible, the 
 exceeding beauty and radiance of the spirits. A 
 very large fountain was in the middle of the 
 room, a large snow-white swan, surrounded by 
 a brood of little ones, swam in a large basin 
 wrought of cut diamonds like the ceiling. The 
 
 191 
 
basin sat on an immense pedestal of intricate 
 beauty and design, formed of pearl, enjeweled 
 with emeralds and rubies, columns of the same 
 extended above forming a canopy of dome-like 
 effect over the fountain, with one immense 
 flower in the center studded with lights. Around 
 this fountain, on a floor of mother-of-pearl, in 
 circles were tables of uniform size, first circle, 
 tables for two, second four, and so on, up to the 
 outermost circle. The tables were like the 
 floor, of mother-of-pearl with doilies of filmy 
 lace, and bowls of exquisite glass filled with 
 delicate flowers and ferns, the chairs to har 
 monize, nothing else in the room. Soft strains 
 of melody were intermittently played. 
 
 Within a few moments after we wired our 
 orders, we were served with the first course by 
 spotless, noiseless automata. No hoisting up 
 from beneath, tables fully equipped, as is done 
 in some places but very similar to earth, except, 
 of course, superior in perfection of service and 
 detail. At the close of the meal, as we arose, 
 the band in the grounds started a merry waltz, 
 and many of the guests wended their way to the 
 ball-room, but our party decided to visit the 
 opera-house. Without change of any kind, 
 we entered the opera house, which was exquis 
 itely chaste and beautiful, no ceiling but the 
 azure of the sky and silver of the great stars. 
 
 192 
 
Seats in tiers, similar to the earth, were already 
 filled with spirits. No evidence of orchestra, 
 though music reached us as we entered, seem 
 ingly from behind the stage at one end. I 
 looked at the audience, I noted the chaste ele 
 gance of the women, few more than slightly 
 decollette, very few jewels, mostly flowers, hair 
 in style to suit, no prevailing style in hair or 
 costume, hence none disfigured or caricatured 
 as on earth. I thought of the consciousness, 
 affectation, the hauteur shown by the grande 
 dame, the social aspirant, the climber of the 
 mortal plane. I recalled the supercilious cold 
 stare, the air of self-satisfaction, the soulless 
 expression, the vapid, silly talk, the gracious, 
 patronizing manner, the senseless extravagance 
 of the spirits in mortal form, and I again thank 
 ed God that all those defiling, sordid experi 
 ences were unreal, that they, in reality, in their 
 true home expressed but the Divine love and 
 wisdom manifested on all countenances sur 
 rounding us. 
 
 The artists, equally as simple and chaste in 
 appearance and costume, were all, to use an 
 earth expression, greater than "stars of the 
 first magnitude," with genius and voices un 
 known on earth. Although, unlike the earth, 
 only the soul s highest qualities were expressed 
 in the opera, and naught of the material, pathos, 
 
 193 
 
thrilling to the core, representing a newly de 
 tached spirit s sorrow, ere spirit memory re 
 turns, love sublime, sweetness ineffable, com 
 pass vibrant with the strength and power of a 
 child of God, were so constantly varied as to 
 give all the change necessary, and leave naught 
 to be desired, with those who cannot appre 
 hend, on spirit plane, the debasing animal 
 qualities. 
 
 We sought our apartment after a glimpse 
 into the ball-room, and walk in the grounds. 
 "We shall have to do extra work when we re 
 turn," Thyrza said, ere we retired. 
 
 "Of course," I replied, ere drifting off to 
 slumber, to recall, as we often do, earth experi 
 ences. 
 
 194 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 We returned from our pleasure trip, after 
 visiting some wonderful geysers, and several 
 isolated districts entirely devoted to large stock 
 ranches, somewhat similar to those of Western 
 America, in charge of spirits who like a change 
 of this character. It is surprising how many 
 will, for a short time, seek a life of this kind, 
 when all the glories and beauties of the spirit 
 world are open to them. , But it is generally 
 the class, who, newly detached, still enjoy a life 
 similar to the earth experience, where they can 
 exult in the great distances, the solitude and the 
 open, and the unrestricted in any sense life. 
 As all stock are loving and tame, a mortal 
 would suppose that they lack all that rendered 
 such a life exciting and thrilling on earth. But 
 spirits, on their own heath, their own plane, 
 enjoy but the real pleasures of the spirit, there 
 fore find more pleasure in riding tireless, happy 
 animals, and mingling with all, on the same 
 terms, as with one s own especial dog or horse 
 on earth. These stock ranges have unfailing 
 crops of various food stuffs, perpetually grow 
 ing, and immense reservoirs of water. The 
 
 195 
 
superintendent and automatons are all housed 
 and provided for as they desire. The animals 
 are especially beautiful, with clean, satiny 
 skins. Even, as on earth more than in the cities, 
 the peace, the tranquility impresses one more 
 strongly, hence I was not surprised when I 
 found that quite a number, not only came f rorri 
 the class who had loved this life on the earth, 
 but those who, having lived an entirely differ 
 ent life, still felt so strongly some of the earth 
 experiences as to find the solitude, the silence, 
 and the companionship of their lesser brethren, 
 the essential factors to enable them to complete 
 ly readjust themselves, ere taking up a more 
 social life, in the centers of activity. 
 
 After our return to London, we went to a 
 magnificent hotel, preparatory to leaving for the 
 United States. Thyrza and I regularly de 
 voted considerable time to our work, to visit 
 ing sanitariums, and many attached spirits whom 
 I could impress, besides attending cathedrals 
 and lecture halls. There are social functions 
 even more varied and numerous than on earth. 
 It is very easy to be sociable when it costs one 
 neither effort, labor nor trouble, where every 
 thing is provided, where all places of amuse 
 ment, all modes of travel are free, and, above 
 all, where all are on the same social footing, 
 all God s children, although not all advanced 
 
 196 
 
spirits of great attaintment. I grew more and 
 more in love with my new life as I became more 
 familiar with its numberless blessings and at 
 tractions, as I gradually developed my soul 
 gifts, and, as I grew in love for the real things 
 in spirit life, I found I grew in love and wor 
 ship of Him from Whom all blessings come. 
 Not very frequently do we see Him as we saw 
 Him in the sky, nor often elsewhere, although 
 He visits every child, at least once, within a 
 certain time after detachment. It must be 
 lemembered that our Father is the Father of 
 trillions of spirits in many other \vorlds. It 
 is not possible for Him to be with us, but a few 
 moments at a time, but no matter how many 
 children He has, He knows and loves each in 
 dividually, and, although He cannot be with 
 them personally, directs and cares for them, 
 through His great administrative departments 
 of Celestial Angels. 
 
 Time flew rapidly, one does not sense it as 
 mortals, after a certain period has elapsed, for, 
 although the sun rises and sets in the seemingly 
 old way, and though the seasons come and go, 
 we know there is no such thing as time. No 
 past, no future, as sensed by mortals, but the 
 great and glorious present which ever is, there 
 fore, we often lose count of mortal time, and 
 make many errors when striving to cognize as 
 
 197 
 
mortals do, material conditions. 
 
 We decided, in company with the Carrs, 
 and several members of our family, my mother 
 and Albert, Thyrza s sister and grandparents, to 
 take an ocean steamer instead of an aerial one, as 
 we had not yet had the pleasure of ocean travel. 
 These colossal floating palaces travel as swiftly 
 as the aerial. I will not mention how rapidly, 
 for fear you might think the author drawing on 
 her imagination, instead of writing under in 
 spiration. The earth s greatest are very infer 
 ior in appointments, comfort and ease of 
 motion. No matter how rough, and often in 
 midocean it gets distinctly so in storms, although 
 not like earth storms, as they are entirely free 
 from all terrifying elements, the motion, so 
 perfectly are they formed and poised, is like 
 gliding over a smooth surface. Besides hav 
 ing all the luxuries of the earth ones, they 
 possess several novel features. No necessity 
 for wireless, as perfect telepathy is universal, 
 but in each suite are wireless telephones and 
 telavues for visual and vocal communion, as 
 well as numerous instruments putting one in 
 touch with all the leading places in the world, 
 therefore, in the privacy of one s apartments, 
 one on board can constantly be in touch with 
 all sections of the spirit world. 
 
 The upper deck, several thousand feet in 
 
 198 
 
length, and over a thousand in width, is devoted 
 to an actual park made of soil, encircled by an 
 artistic hedge of flowers and vines. In the 
 center a band, composed of numberless instru 
 ments, and here and there divers attractions. 
 
 The evening before our departure, I, in 
 company with Thyrza, visited her parents, and 
 went into the material consciousness, and later, 
 visited my wife, my little daughter, my dear 
 sister Augusta and the Countess. A great 
 pleasure as well as a sorrow, much like looking 
 at the beloved faces of the dead on earth, for, 
 although, we see and are with the real ones 
 often, we love and never cease to love their 
 mortal bodies. Not until all the loved ones 
 are free, not until time rolls on through that 
 which, on earth is called cycles, can the dear 
 faces of the loved ones become obliterated from 
 spirit memory. Very often Thyrza and I 
 sigh, and shed a silent tear or two, for 
 the dear earth forms we loved so well. This 
 is the only grief of the spirit, and, although, we 
 know it gives us pain, still, whensoever we can, 
 we go into the blessed material consciousness, 
 if we still have loved ones on earth, if not, steal 
 away to drop a tear, or to give a tender 
 thought to the memory of the beloved mortal 
 forms. 
 
 After inspecting our new quarters on bo.ird, 
 
 199 
 
Thyrza and I took a lift to the park on the top 
 deck. Quite a number had already congregated; 
 no necessity of introduction to one s own. 
 I left Thyrza and in company with the Colonel 
 and one or two men, I shall so designate the ? *\ 
 for in reality they are such, and not the mortal, 
 sauntered over to one of the sides, to obtain a 
 good view r . 
 
 We had left but a few minutes before, and 
 already the shore was almost out of sight. On 
 all sides, in mathematical precision, were many 
 different routes, until we got out far from la"d, 
 filled -with craft of various styles and sizes, ull 
 flying the national colors as on earth. As all 
 is first evolved on spirit, ere impressing the 
 mortal plane, all must be first real and perfect 
 on the spirit, ere impressed more or less cor 
 rectly on the mortal, therefore, as spirit man 
 from the beginning was on a higher plane than 
 the most exalted mortal plane, all languages 
 were very soon acquired by him, and slowly, 
 gradually as mortal advanced, impressed by 
 degrees, (seemingly evolved,) until the differ 
 ent languages were impressed more or less 
 correctly. 
 
 While all are God s children in all the dif 
 ferent countries, all of the same origin, still in 
 the various countries, as on earth, there are 
 different languages, and, although all know 
 
 200 
 
their common origin, still designate themselves 
 as on earth, and fly the national colors, not in 
 the sense of being distinct nations, but meerly 
 to designate different sections. Similar changes, 
 varying in degree, transpire on the spiritual as 
 well as on the mortal, for instance, when a whole 
 country or continent on mortal plane has been 
 wiped out, the detached spirits have abandoned 
 and left it to new attached ones to evolve 
 another and higher civilization. On the 
 earth, in the same places, geology proves, 
 have been several successive civilizations. All 
 the detached spirits, of each civilization, seek 
 ing new places in the spiritual world, and leav 
 ing these sections to the attached spirits about 
 to evolve a new civilization on mortal plane. 
 
 The great steamer glided smoothly on, with 
 no perceptible motion. The ocean assumed a 
 pale, emerald tint. Overhead great aerial 
 craft accompanied us, their decks crowded with 
 passengers, jubliant voices hailed us. ,We were 
 not, as on earth, on a solitary ship speeding on 
 its gruesome way, beset by earth s malignant 
 elements, subject to destructive forces, ever and 
 always, with the timid, fear blanching the 
 face, clutching the heart, at overcast threaten 
 ing sky or unusual noise, but all enjoying per 
 fect peace and confidence. What, though un 
 known in spirit realms, the immense steamer 
 
 201 
 
should be blown up, spirit would be but blown 
 in his own element, and soar with the clouds. 
 What, though perchance, spirit should be 
 hurled against aerial craft, spirit, immune to 
 change and destruction would but glance off, 
 like unto a ball. What, though the steamer 
 should be submerged, spirit cannot drown, all 
 entities are subservient to him. 
 
 Could but mortals see, with spirit sight, 
 when spirit so desires, the millions of life forms 
 filling the atmosphere, and realize the mission 
 for which created, could they but see these tiny 
 denizens help buoy up spirit as he floats, and 
 feel the love expressed in varying degrees, as 
 they caress him, from the faint zephyr when 
 they faintly caress, to the violent, but no less 
 loving ones of the mighty wind, they would 
 realize somewhat of the truth of that which 
 makes these manifestations, and know that, re 
 gardless how infinitestimally small, each and 
 every one has its especial place, as essential to 
 the well-being of all, as the greatest aggregation. 
 
 Col. Carr, (we do not give titles in the spirit 
 life, but T shall, as this is for mortals, give him 
 his earth title,) and I gazed upon the interest 
 ing scenes for quite a space, ere he broke the 
 silence, 
 
 "Why I declare there must be an earth ship 
 wreck. Look at all the spirits congregated 
 
 202 
 
over there, on the ocean." 
 
 A mile or so away, according to earth dis 
 tance, were various groups surrounding those 
 who had been wrecked, or the newly detached. 
 I observed the glorified, ecstatic expressions 
 of many, the wonder, the delight, and 
 several with mingling expressions of joy and 
 pain. Within a few seconds we reached them, 
 ere they started to float in various directions. In 
 the meanwhile, the ocean had changed from pale 
 emerald to marvelous blue, whilst the sky and 
 the sun, with its peerless rainbow tinted rings, 
 were ablaze with gold and sapphire. I was 
 pleased that it had changed to these beautiful 
 effects in time for the newly detached to be 
 impressed with the glory and splendor of their 
 real home. 
 
 Thyrza and my mother joined us, and in 
 sisted upon us going below and joining them in 
 a game of cards. I know you will smile, and 
 associate it with gambling, "playing cards," you 
 will ejaculate, "what next?" Yea, playing 
 cards, with a very great difference, we play 
 only for pleasure and pastime. Although one 
 is a child of God, heir to all the Divine gifts, 
 we must cultivate certain gifts, and exercise 
 individual effort in development, much more 
 than on earth, hampered by a poor instrument, 
 for here is no obstruction, nothing to prevent 
 
 203 
 
individual effort and will. Card playing, as 
 on earth, tends to develop a certain efficiency, 
 concentration, etc. The animal and basilar 
 qualities are unknown to spirit, hence, in the 
 spirit world, there is naught but purity and 
 good in all things. We were soon in a room 
 devoted entirely to card playing, and played 
 with as much interest and more enjoyment than 
 for the highest stakes. I watched the animated, 
 intent faces, more joyous when defeated, than 
 when victorious, notwithstanding all made 
 every effort to win. It only adds to one s 
 pleasure to give pleasure to others. Unselfish 
 ness, self-abnegation, is more or less universal, 
 though varying in degree and expression. 
 
 After a few games we went on deck again, 
 and listened to the music, thence to the dining 
 room. Our party selected one of the smaller 
 ones, one side completely open, and one of 
 glass, giving us a very fine view. We took 
 seats, no table in evidence, placed in a circle, 
 wired our orders below, and presently the floor 
 opened in the center, and a table laden with 
 delicacies, arose and settled in place, several 
 automatons soon appeared and, with skill and 
 celerity, waited upon us. Flowers of exquisite 
 tints and delicate fragrance were arranged in 
 the center and around the different covers. 
 
 "This is all beautiful," Thyrza remarked, 
 
 204 
 
"but I prefer it in the main dining room.* 
 
 "I think I do too," said Mrs. Carr. 
 
 "I like it here," my mother said. We all 
 smiled when May exclaimed, 
 
 "I prefer it served on the ground, before a 
 camp-fire, in the good old earth way." 
 
 I chimed in, "Are ye never satisfied? Even 
 here amidst the greatest luxury and profusion, 
 you long for the grapes beyond reach." 
 
 "Oh, no," my mother answered, -nothing 
 beyond reach of the spirit. Come float with 
 me, May and we ll soon find a tree, camp-fire 
 and all to suit you." 
 
 "Nay, nay, this answers very well for the 
 present," May lauhed happily. We could 
 see distinctly the vast banqueting hall, and sev 
 eral smaller ones, thronged with thousands in 
 the height of good spirits, unmarred by care or 
 sorrow. All attired to suit individual taste, 
 and as good taste is universal, all dressed to 
 suit the occasion, an early luncheon on ship 
 board, in morning costumes, principally white. 
 After lunhceon, we ascended to the park Where 
 we were entertained by many noted artists. 
 The ocean trip, filled with pleasure, came to 
 an end only too speedily. 
 
 New York, the great spirit city, appeared 
 almost encircled by water, as we drew up before 
 an immense wharf. Mighty fleets of com- 
 
 205 
 
merce, from all parts of the world, passed us, 
 while immense passenger ships, similar to ours, 
 accompanied us on both sides to their respective 
 wharves. Although crowded, there was such 
 systematic order, that, without difficulty or stop 
 page, we entered our dock and soon walked from 
 the beautifully polished deck to a magnificent 
 passage way, thence into a great reception room, 
 which was crowded with spirits awaiting friends 
 and relatives. 
 
 To our surprise and delight, we were wel 
 comed by several of Col. Carr s relatives, who 
 insisted upon all of us accompanying them to 
 their home, which was situated upon the Hud 
 son. Ere long, in autos, we were speeding 
 over a great boulevard, passing residences like 
 those of London, the sole distinction, the color 
 scheme, white and gold. The boulevard ex 
 tended over a mighty bridge, which we soon 
 crossed and followed the winding curves of the 
 river. The river, boulevard and esplanade 
 were crowded even more with spirits, if possi 
 ble, than in any part of London. We went 
 so rapidly we had but little time to observe in 
 detail anything, until we turned to the left, 
 and ascended through the center of a private 
 park, to the front of a picturesque palace, on the 
 summit of a small hill. It was of cream 
 alabaster, covered with green and red vines, 
 
 206 
 
and surrounded by a terraced green lawn. On 
 both sides of the massive stone steps were superb 
 fountains, whose waters fell in cascades over 
 a slope of alabaster, and formed below, on both 
 5-ides, a small lake, edged with flowers red and 
 white. This was the home of a sister of the 
 Colonel s, a Mrs. Mordant, whose husband was 
 still attached, with whom she was living on the 
 spirit side, and was, therefore, the home of 
 attached as well as detached spirits. Her hus 
 band on the earth was living on a farm, the 
 farm-house within the spirit palace. Mrs. 
 Mordant had selected this as one of her homes 
 and was daily expecting her husband s release. 
 
 We were soon within a suite of rooms in the 
 front, from whence we could obtain a most 
 entrancing view of the river and surrounding 
 country. The Hudson far excels the Thames 
 in size and scenic effects and is much more 
 beautiful than its earth s prototype. Every 
 place, every scene has its own especial charm 
 and feature. } Even on the earth, the "bad 
 lands" and desert countries have a beauty pecu 
 liarly their own. The charm of the Hudson 
 from this point, was the extended, unobstructed 
 vista of diversified scenery. The river, with 
 its sinuous grace and winding curves, and sky 
 were a symphony of color. 
 
 Mrs. Mordant had devoted much thought 
 
 207 
 
and time to making this home as perfect as 
 possible, so that it was especially splendid and 
 attractive. Instead of the forbiding ugly 
 earth styles, every building near to and within 
 the great cities, is a master-piece of art. Much 
 more precious and costly material, far more 
 beautiful than the choicest of earth, is used for 
 building purposes. We could also see the 
 lawn, the gardens in the rear were a mass of 
 wild luxuriance and varied colors, with foun 
 tains, seats, rippling brooks and birds innum 
 erable. 
 
 "I like a garden like that, 7 Thyrza said, 
 "it looks so natural. Let us lay out ours that 
 way when we return." 
 
 "I prefer it too," I answered, smiling, for 
 we had changed our grounds many times with 
 in a very short time. 
 
 After a dainty meal, served in a large din 
 ing hall, finished and furnished in a choice 
 wood, finer than mohogany, exceeding smooth 
 and highly polished, we were all taken into 
 the room devoted to Mr. Mordant and his Angel 
 guides. Besides Mr. Mordant, who was re 
 clining on a couch, were the spirits of his earth 
 attendants, who in oblivious condition, assisted 
 by their guardian Angels, were leaning over 
 Mr. Mordant. Mrs. Mordant remarked, as 
 she placed herself by his side, and lovingly 
 
 208 
 
caressed him, "He is very low. It will not be 
 very long now, will it?" addressing one of the 
 Angels seated by his side. He replied joy 
 fully, it is ever joyful to us when the tie is 
 severed. "Just a few moments more." 
 
 "Time for us to withdraw," I said, when his 
 mother and sister entered, to join in welcoming 
 him upon his awakening. 
 
 209 
 
CHAPTER XL 
 
 We remained several days with the Mor 
 dants, and accompanied the Carrs on a few trips 
 to the leading eastern cities. All were magni 
 ficent, almost as large as the city of New York, 
 which was larger than London, and equally as 
 beautiful. With the exception of the color 
 jchemes, and slight topographical difference, 
 they were very much alike in general, as all are 
 flawless productions, the finished work of per 
 fect artists, typical of the highest civilization 
 znd greatest culture. The Celestial style is 
 more popular, all great institutions and the 
 business sections generally of that style, or a 
 combination of it and the Colonial. 
 
 We were the guests of the great earth presi 
 dent and liberator of the United States, George 
 Washington, our dear brother, who, loyal to 
 his love of his earth home, has in Mt. Vernon, 
 his spiritual home in the same grounds, but ah, 
 how different from that humble, simple home 
 is the great palace which overlooks the mighty 
 Potomac of the spirit world. His home, a 
 combination of Celestial and colonial is of spot 
 less white, covered with vines, and surrounded 
 
 210 
 
by a great park dotted with stately trees and 
 gorgeous flowers. 
 
 As he impressed his mortal mind so cor 
 rectly, as to become one of the really great in 
 struments of mortal plane, so upon the spirit 
 he is one of the foremost in America, and rapid 
 ly advancing. He alluded quite frequently to 
 our earth careers, spoke very feelingly about 
 the hardships endured in the great struggle for 
 freedom, and said with moistened eyes, 
 
 "I often go into the material consciousness, 
 to impress many of our struggling mortals, and 
 take an especial interest in all who are fighting 
 for liberty. Could they but see the many 
 who, from love, are present during their 
 sanguinary struggles, their awful battles, they 
 would feel that, although the righteous cause 
 does not always triumph, love and sympathy 
 are always with them. Could their spiritual 
 sight open, they would see mighty hosts in bat 
 tle array in the air, around and about them." 
 
 I knew this is a truth. There are great 
 companies in all cities of the spirit world, who 
 drill, as on earth, simply for love and pleasure. 
 These, often, when nations are struggling on 
 earth, attend the different battles, seeking to 
 impress peace, as much as possible, before the 
 battle, and after love and sympathy, with the 
 Angel guides who awaken the dead, or de- 
 
 211 
 
tached. 
 
 He resumed musingly, "I can well com 
 prehend the perpetual interest we all take in 
 the world within the womb of ours. How 
 can it be otherwise. We spent our infancy 
 within its consciousness, our children likewise, 
 why should we not visit our nursery and help 
 the babe on the first plane? The saddest of 
 all is that so many have to be disciplined so 
 severely." 
 
 Mrs. Carr, with a slight flash of the eye 
 said, 
 
 "Of course, no spirit child of God can ques 
 tion His good reason for thus training some of 
 His children, but I really cannot understand, 
 even yet, why they should not be disciplined 
 simply and solely with love." 
 
 "The peculiar discipline, decreed for those 
 who have to undergo the mortal discipline, can 
 only be acquired in this manner, to fit those 
 who undergo it to advance on certain lines," he 
 answered gravely. "All do not undergo even 
 on mortal plane, similar discipline, as is proven 
 by their removal at various ages." 
 
 I interposed, "Strange ,theosophists have 
 not seen the absurdity of taking children off ere 
 born, ere they have obtained any discipline to 
 be reincarnated again. They seem to take no 
 account of the thousands taken ere they can 
 
 212 
 
have a chance to build another temple." 
 
 "And," Mrs. Carr exclaimed, "we know 
 that inaminate matter cannot suffer. It is the 
 spirit, not dead matter which is disciplined, we 
 who suffer." 
 
 Ere our host could reply, Thyrza answered 
 thrillingly, 
 
 "Again, permit me to say, on neither plane 
 have you, as yet, sought to answer this problem, 
 or your guides would have answered you satis 
 factorily. You know our embodiments, on 
 spiritual plane, as well as our reflections on 
 mortal, have been evolved from the animal, 
 each embodiment, as it ascends in the scale of 
 being, composed of a superior class of life 
 organisms, the life organisms, on spirit plane, 
 advancing singly as well as the aggregate of each 
 embodiment, until the body is regenerated to 
 fit it to become the temple of a conscious child 
 of God on spirit plane. The mortal reflection 
 or attachment of the spirit, evolves conjointly 
 to give personality, and discipline to those spirit 
 children whose spiritual progenitors have not 
 developed certain essentials which can only be 
 acquired on earth plane." 
 
 Our host added gently, "And permitted by 
 our loving Father for the ultimate good of all." 
 
 "Why create them thus? Why not, since 
 our Father is Omnipotent, create all without 
 
 213 
 
the necessity of undue suffering, instead of a 
 few," Mrs. Carr persisted, eager for light. 
 
 The great earth patriot replied reverently, 
 
 "You, who are on the first spiritual plane, 
 who have but recently awakened, cannot in 
 your present state of development, grasp the 
 Infinite Wisdom of our Father, any more than 
 you can conceive of the infinite multiplicity of 
 the countless superior spiritual realms and 
 spheres, through which we must progress, ere 
 we become fit to enter the Celestial spheres." 
 
 "Then the reason, even though given me, I, 
 at present, cannot grasp? Have you solved 
 it?" 
 
 He bowed his head humbly, "I have." 
 
 "Have you?" turning to Thyrza. 
 
 "I have." 
 
 "Have you?" turning to me. 
 
 Even more devoutly I murmured, "I have." 
 
 "Why have not I?" 
 
 "Ah," the Colonel chimed in, "I begin to 
 perceive, although all life, all love comes from 
 our Father, all life organisms do not evolve 
 simultaneously, it takes some a little longer 
 than others, therefore by the time the major 
 ity, composing a body about to be regenerated 
 to become a child of God, are sufficiently 
 advanced, there are many who are not. The 
 brain, therefore is composed, not solely of the 
 
 214 
 
advanced, but of many in different stages, and 
 thus many children are, when first brought 
 forth, more or less different, with individual 
 tistes and aspirations, as well as certain traits 
 and tendencies, which, although spiritual, still 
 must be corrected ere they can advance." 
 
 "Not quite that," our Tiost answered, "in 
 stead of possessing traits and tendencies to be 
 corrected, they lack certain ones which can 
 only be acquired through the pain and suffer 
 ing of the earth discipline." 
 
 "Therefore the spirit unfolds on mortal 
 plane?" the Colonel asked. 
 
 "Oh, no, no spirit needs unfoldment, as 
 cognized on mortal plane, since the spirit child 
 inherits but the spiritual attributes and qual 
 ities; but some spirits must have certain earth 
 experiences recorded on spiritual brain, abso 
 lutely essential for unfoldment on spirit plane." 
 
 "Then it is only those spirits, whose animal 
 progenitors have failed to advance on certain 
 lines deemed necessary, who must undergo the 
 earth discipline?" 
 
 "Not exactly, you must learn to look upon 
 the little earth, not as a great world, where 
 mortals evolve from matter and unfold, little by 
 little material intelligence, but as one of the 
 smallest kindergartens, for certain spirits to 
 acquire the rudimentary discipline, not register- 
 
 215 
 
ed upon the brain inherited from the spirit 
 animal progenitors, this discipline only to be 
 acquired on earth, varying in degree and time 
 to suit each child." 
 
 "As our Father is Omnipotent, why not have 
 all developed enough to obviate the necessity 
 lor the terrible earth life?" Mrs. Carr ask 
 ed, wonderingly, the question perplexing many 
 on the mortal plane, 
 
 "Our Father is Omnipotent, but even so, 
 He necessarily must have instruments to fulfill 
 His will and law. The creation of the spirit 
 ual worlds and their attachments, the material 
 worlds, are performed by the greatest Celestial 
 Angels under law. The spiritual substance is 
 impregnated with life, which, under immutable 
 law, in different organisms slowly evolves until 
 spirit man is born. Those spirits (whose 
 organisms have developed sufficiently along all 
 essential lines,) find !the earth ^discipline un 
 necessary for them, hence, the many who are 
 severed before birth, on mortal plane, and the 
 thousands with but limited experiences, during 
 early life." 
 
 "Therefore, only the unfortunate, through 
 no fault of theirs, are subjected to the earth 
 pain and sorrow?" still persisted Mrs. Carr. 
 "The spirit child of God, who lacks certain 
 essentials, must suffer agonies and " 
 
 216 
 
Col. Carr interposed eagerly, "Dear, you 
 know better." 
 
 Again our host impressively resumed, 
 
 "The majority do not require the earth dis 
 cipline, but are disciplined similarly, in many 
 respects, which, although physical pain is un 
 known on spirit plane, cultivates and develops 
 the necessary characteristics. The spirit, who 
 impresses a mortal brain and body, who seem 
 ingly lives in and suffers with it, who is destined 
 to acquire discipline in this manner, to fit him 
 for his own especial place in the Celestial 
 Kingdom, is by no means discriminated against, 
 but is educated, in the only possible way, to 
 develop and call forth his peculiar powers. 
 As on the earth, great minds are essenial on 
 all lines of endeavor and activity to evolve and 
 develop the material resources, as well as to 
 develop the material and spiritual qualifications 
 and attributes, so, in the countless spiritual 
 worlds, minds devoted to especial pursuits and 
 pursuits and purposes are developed by the 
 higher in charge, therefore all require differ 
 ent education and discipline." 
 
 "No one," Mrs. Carr asked, "as on earth 
 exercises either will or effort independently?" 
 
 "All exercise will and effort on both planes, 
 but all are bound and restricted by law. On 
 mortal plane, all suffer who violate law, on 
 
 217 
 
spirit, none violate law, but ever exercise will 
 and effort in following the will of their Father, 
 in all ways pertaining to developing the high 
 est within all, not simply striving to develop 
 the highest within self, but ever seeking to 
 develop the highest within others," smiled the 
 great earth president on the beauteous spirit 
 eagerly listening. Her eyes sparkled, 
 
 "Oh, I see, I see, no, no, I know I have not 
 advanced in this way, for I never sought, even 
 on this plane, when detached at night, I love 
 music and other things more, and I dd not ask, 
 so my dear guardians did not foice me lo 
 acquire that which I did not seek. No won 
 der I did not seek to solve these things on mor 
 tal plane, when I did not on this, but now I 
 known I shall advance, impelled by my soul/ 
 
 Lovingly he replied, "Service, service i/ 
 others, love will show the way when our 
 Father wills, dear sister." 
 
 The conversation was then changed by our 
 host asking us to look throughout the house and 
 grounds. It was of imposing dimensions. Th * 
 state or reception room;; vast and grand, ceiling 
 and walls different in all, some exquisitely 
 frescoed by celebrated artists, others hung with 
 tapestries, richly embroidered, others simple and 
 elegant of choice woods, but his own private 
 chambers were almost severely plain. The} 
 
 218 
 
command a fine view of river and grounds, and 
 opened on to a small circular balcony, fitted up 
 simply with large desk, bookcase and a couple 
 of arm chairs. 
 
 "Here,". .he said, "I do most of my reading 
 and writing. I find, as on mortal plane, we 
 require quiet to insure good work." 
 
 "And seclusion and solitude," I agreed 
 heartily. 
 
 The grounds were charming in their sim 
 plicity. That part devoted to the attached 
 spirits in charge of the spirit home, within 
 which is the earth Mt. Vernon, was in the rear, 
 encircled by a lovely hedge of roses. It was 
 filled with attached spirits, and their attend- 
 ents, hurrying to and fro, as on mortal plane, 
 viewing the historical earth home of the well- 
 beloved "Father of his Country." The lawns, 
 smooth as velvet and lustrous as satin were of 
 a pale emerald, great trees of different varie 
 ties, here and there a superb statue or fountain, 
 and parterres of brilliant flowers relieved 
 the simplicity. I noticed a lamb or two and 
 many dogs, also several birds, no other pets 
 were visible. In the rear, and on both sides 
 the enclosed hedge of roses, were two small 
 lakes or rather ponds, filled with numerous fish 
 of various colors. 
 
 We met many charming people, the guest 
 
 219 
 
chambers were full, and were entertained in 
 every delightful way. The great patriot is 
 on a high plane of development, and much 
 beloved by all. He is at the head of one of 
 the greatest universities, and in personal charge 
 of several departments. He also is very often 
 selected for missions of importance to various 
 spiritual worlds. His mortal life helped to 
 fit him for that which he is, a born leader, one 
 eminently capable of inspiring all to emulate 
 him, to follow his example, whither soever he 
 leads, and as he leads, in the true life of the 
 spirits, to heights sublime, he has marvelous 
 influence with all with whom thrown in con 
 tact. 
 
 Ere we parted, he took us on a visit to his 
 university, located quite a distance from his 
 home, in a very large city, not known on earth, 
 one populated entirely by detached spirits. 
 Adjacent to all cities for the attached, are sec 
 tions or shrubs devoted to the detached, but 
 the greatest and grandest, the detached cities 
 are situated on the highest peaks of the most 
 inaccessible ranges. I find I have overlooked 
 this, I have mentioned the great cities of Paris, 
 London and New York, and have failed to say, 
 that the most sublime and peerless of all are 
 the cities of the detached. 
 
 The city, wherein is located the great uni- 
 
 220 
 
versity in charge of George Washington, is 
 situated in a section never to be occupied by 
 attached spirits as it is incapable of being either 
 cultivated or made use of on the earth, being 
 extremely barren and rocky, in a district little 
 known and frequented by mortals. 
 
 It is a vast place, much more splendid than 
 r:ny city I have ever seen. Being a city 
 devoted solely to the detached, it was naturally 
 much more beautiful, as it did not have to con 
 form at all to the proscribed limit and area of 
 the mortal plane, hence we were amazed at 
 the stupenduous size, the marvelous architect 
 ure, the sublime style of the buildings, far more 
 lofty and sky-soaring than the most lofty of any 
 of the attached cities, and, unlike them, on 
 extremely wide boulevards, not restricted, as 
 many of the streets are in the attached cities. 
 
 This city covers mountain upon mountain, 
 plains and small valleys, similar topography 
 to the earth, but, ah, how indescribably beauti 
 ful and perfect. High mountain peaks are 
 surmounted by wondrous edifices of golden 
 glory, from which descend to gulches below, 
 great boulevards, thence up another mountain, 
 and down again into a valley, to terminate 
 at a lake of limpid beauty. Two rivers 
 with splash and dash of snowy foam, over huge 
 piles of rock, here and there, ripple jubilantly on 
 
 221 
 
to the sea are fringed on both sides with homes 
 of celestial loveliness. A park, of great size, is 
 unique, one side of a mountain terraced down 
 to the valley. A river divides it, forming 
 cascades and waterfalls over which flew spirits 
 arid animals in wildest glee, lovingly entwined 
 a child, with a great Newfoundland, or an 
 adult with a pet lion or tiger. Another moun 
 tain, a wilderness, a forest primeval in the 
 heart of the city, adjoining this a section un 
 paralleled in artistic effects, another devoted 
 entirely, beneath the shade of giant trees, to 
 games of various kinds. 
 
 The city comprises within its great era, 
 every amusement, except that of ocean travel, 
 known on both planes. , It is formed of a pale 
 golden onyx, trimmed with white, and covered 
 with flowers and verdure, and excelled every 
 thing excepting representations of the Celestial 
 City, we had so far seen. 
 
 When we alighted, in floating garb (the 
 patriot generally floated to the university, as it 
 was some distance from his home,) on the top 
 of one of the highest peaks, capped by an 
 immense palace, we stood, drinking in the 
 magnificent spectacle visible on all sides. 
 
 We entered a circular rotunde. On each side 
 of the large entrance, in the rear, were very wide 
 stairs and several elevators. We entered a 
 
 222 
 
lift with our host, and accompanied him 
 to his own especial study in the story above, 
 thence through great court-yards, open galler 
 ies, with immense columns of choicest marbles, 
 connecting various apartments. The palace, 
 in reality, many separate buildings united by 
 gallery and court-yard, covered many acres, 
 and exceeded in grandeur, in artistic beauty and 
 appointments anything we had yet seen. It 
 had thousands of students, and a great many 
 professors of advanced learning. It was but 
 one of many of similar kind in this great city, 
 and was devoted solely to youths of about 
 fifteen to twenty, many of whom lived with 
 rheir parents. Those who had attached par 
 ents were domiciled within the university. 
 
 All the great universities of the earth sank 
 into insignificance in comparison, appearing 
 like pigmy or fairy habitations. Several of 
 the temples and court-yards equalling the tem 
 ple of Karnac, and the mammoth piles of Baal- 
 bee in size, but far excelling them in every 
 other respect. 
 
 We were cordially greeted by professors 
 and students as we passed through. It was a 
 pleasure to witness the beauty and simplicity 
 of all, and the mode of instruction, so differ 
 ent from the earth. All were left in perfect 
 freedom to devote themselves to what ever they 
 
 223 
 
desired, with no regular class or forced studies. 
 Lectures alone the sole class instruction. 
 
 The professors were all spirits, who had 
 devoted themselves to especial studies. The 
 spirit must first acquire all the knowledge, 
 pertaining to his own spiritual and material 
 world, in universities of this kind, later, attend 
 similar institutions to acquire the knowledge of 
 other spiritual worlds, or, if he so desires, after 
 graduating in his own spirit world, can visit 
 and attend universities in the different worlds, 
 hence, all these colossal institutions are ever 
 filled with countless spirits, ever seeking, ever 
 advancing. Thyrza and I, when at home, 
 regularly attend one or two in the suburbs 
 of London, devoted exclusively to detached 
 spirits. We parted from our dear brother with 
 reluctance, promising to visit him ere we re 
 turned, 
 
 224 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 We embarked on an aerial steamer, for the 
 west, in point of comfort and size fully equal 
 to the palatial ocean one which had brought us 
 to this land of beauty. It was devoted especi 
 ally to tourists from other sections and regu 
 lated its speed to afford a good view, there 
 fore, we had ample opportunity for enjoying 
 the varying scenery. 
 
 Our course, to give one some idea of the 
 magnitude of this country, extended far out west, 
 to, as yet, on earth, a thinly-populated, com 
 paratively unknown section. We passed over 
 mountains, plains, meadows, valleys, rivers, 
 lakes, until we arrived at a river of great size, 
 the earth Mississippi. Although, at that time 
 but little traveled on earth, on spirit side it was 
 filled with craft, and alive with life and merri 
 ment. We sailed over its sparkling waters for 
 quite a distance, thence passed over another 
 peerless detached city, high up on the peaks 
 of the Rocky mountains, a city ;much more 
 extensive than the one we had just left, and, if 
 possible, more beautiful and glorious. It was 
 of pure, spotless white. We stopped at an 
 aerial depot, above a colossal hotel, for a few 
 minutes, to give us a good view. 
 
 "Oh," Thyrza breathed rapturously, "this 
 
 225 
 
almost equals the Celestial City. Ah, how 
 divine. 
 
 "Divine, indeed," my mother softly replied. 
 
 Col. Carr said, while his wife gazed with 
 aw r ed breath, 
 
 "I little imagined, in our young earth coun 
 try, we had such cities on this side." 
 
 All passengers gazed spell-bound upon the 
 grandeur of this peerless city. It was located 
 upon, and took in numerous mountain peaks, 
 hills, valleys and meadows, but the grandest, 
 greatest buildings crowned the most majestic 
 peaks and highest mountains, and looked, as 
 they were, master pieces of art, and whilst of 
 immense size, still etherially lovely, for this 
 city was not formed of anything known on 
 earth, but of a substance indescribably beauti 
 ful, peculiar to this section of the spirit world, 
 a lustrous white, seemingly, externally, as 
 fragile as Sevres, and, like diamonds, reflect 
 ing numberless colors. Great bridges of fairy- 
 like lace spanned peaks here and there, marvel 
 ous works of skill, colossal columns held them 
 in place, while the railings were as beautiful as 
 filigree and more delicately wrought. 
 
 Beginning at low foot-hills, tier upon tier, 
 chain interlacing chain, crag upon crag, finally 
 culminating in stupendous peaks, upon some 
 shimmering lakes, upon others palaces and 
 
 226 
 
castles of various architecture, the city extends 
 for miles upon miles. Tiny rivulets emerging 
 from lakes, gradually increasing until, at the 
 base of mountains, they became mighty rivers. 
 Small lakes nestle in the embrace of foot-hills, 
 glens emerge from deep-set gorges, valleys and 
 meadows covered with magnificent homes. 
 Parks here and there on the mountain sides, 
 some covered with dense vegetation to the high 
 est peaks, others lustrous and green, with but 
 gigantic trees at great distances, others perfect 
 mosaics expressing the highest art of daz 
 zling, floral combinations. Added to this, a 
 sky of surpassing splendor, shifting clouds of 
 filmy white, commingled with gold, rose and 
 azure, reflected and transformed upon the wa 
 ters of lake, rivulet, reservoir, with kaleidoscopic 
 effects of varying colors and far off in the dis 
 tance, extending from the foot-hills on all sides, 
 a country of virgin charm and freshness, pre 
 sented a scene of unparalleled and greatly 
 diversified beauty. 
 
 "Oh, how lovely," Mrs. Carr sighed, "Oh, 
 I want to see more, I want to go on, on to the 
 Pacific." 
 
 We decided to transfer to a steamer going 
 farther west, on to the Pacific, and we were 
 soon grouped upon the deck, taking a farewell 
 glance of the wondrous city. I noted the Col. 
 
 ?27 
 
and Mrs. Carr looking with more than admira 
 tion, with a little bit of earth pride, I smiled 
 and said, , 
 
 "What lovely homes our Father provides 
 for all His children. No distinction of race, 
 nation or country, but all for all." 
 
 "That, above all, the greatest charm to the 
 awakened spirit, neither mine nor thine, but 
 all ours," the Colonel replied. 
 
 As we proceeded on our way, we w r ere over 
 whelmed, the Col. and Mrs. Carr especially at 
 the unexpected, marvelous cities, equally lovely 
 as the one we had seen, all detached, and all 
 situated similarly, upon the highest, most in 
 accessible ranges. 
 
 "I see," Thyrza remarked, " these are the 
 eternal cities of this spirit world, never to be 
 abandoned to the envcroaching attached spirits, 
 as all this upon earth is unfit for mortal." 
 
 There were no large attached cities in the 
 west at that time, no great Chicago or San 
 Francisco as at present, the tides from the east 
 had not yet set in. The Indians were still, 
 more or less, in possession west of the Missisi- 
 ppi, but, although, on earth all was compara 
 tively unsettled, we were pleased to find great 
 sections inhabited on spirit side. We passed 
 mining camps, aye, mining camps, all precious 
 metals are in use, but not as mediums of 
 
 228 
 
exchange, nor is the menial work performed 
 by spirits, but by automations. Also stock ranhces 
 and farms of all kinds. Besides great manu 
 facturing centers, devoted exclusively, with 
 the exception of adjacent cities for residences, 
 to industries of various characters. 
 
 We noted on rivers and lakes great freight, 
 as well as passenger boats, also aerial ones. We 
 also saw great droves of buffaloes and wild 
 animals, the spirits of the earth ones, and im 
 mense flocks of small game. 
 
 ."A veritable hunter s paradise on earth," I 
 remarked, "excels even Africa." 
 
 "Cruel, cruel sport," May said, "even on 
 earth I loathed it." 
 
 "All that inflicts pain upon any of- God s 
 creatures, is cruel," my mother said. 
 
 "And, yet, we, on earth, would even have 
 sacrificed our brethren in the interests of peace 
 and liberty," the Colonel smiled. 
 
 "Impelled by the propensities of the animal, 
 because it was necessary for us to develop that 
 way," his wife retorted. 
 
 We flew over that which is the northern 
 part of California, and saw in that most 
 beautiful of lands on earth, villages, towns and 
 hamlets, rivers, mountains and valleys of peer 
 less charm, and several magnificent detached 
 cities up in the Coast range, as we neared the 
 
 229 
 
Ocean. Then we took a northerly course, 
 north of the city of Seattle, not even dreamed 
 of by the mortal of that time, and soon after, 
 the glory of the Pacific, pacific in truth, upon 
 spirit side, looking like an immense mirror of 
 polished glass, appeared. 
 
 North of Seattle, upon mountains, bordering 
 the ocean, is located a detached city. These 
 mountains, varying little in size and uniformity, 
 with an isolated sentinel, rearing here and 
 there its lofty crest, are entirely covered with 
 magnificent buildings. This city, with the 
 prescience of the Celestial Angels, was formed 
 for the detached, and in all probability will 
 never be occupied by the attached, as this sec 
 tion, even today, has not yet been settled. Upon 
 its few lofty peaks are temples of wondrous 
 height and breadth, crowned with towers ex 
 tending hundreds of feet skyward. Not upon 
 earth, not any of the grandest of ancient and 
 modern, has equalled aught on spirit plane, 
 even in the attached cities, but it is impossible, 
 for finite mind to grasp, as it is for finite lan 
 guage to do justice to the glories of the spirit 
 world. Therefore, when I say, these buildings 
 are of the highest art of spirit spheres, one 
 must let the spirit impress a correct image, if 
 possible. Imagine these buildings, combining 
 the beauties of the Milan Cathedral, the 
 
 230 
 
etherial grace of the Taj, double the size and 
 height of St. Peters and the chaste simplicity 
 of the Madeline. Each characteristic, excell 
 ence and beauty, so enlarged and independently 
 evidenced, as but to add to the perfection of 
 the whole. 
 
 This city, unlike the majority of detached 
 and attached cities, combines a blending of 
 several colors, the prevailing shades, blues and 
 soft greens, relieved by occasional buildings of 
 crushed strawberry and white, covered with 
 verdure. 
 
 The mountains, facing the ocean, are ter 
 raced to the water, esplanades on each terrace. 
 The esplanade, bordering the ocean, extended 
 for miles on either side the city, certain por 
 tions devoted to shipping, for this is a great 
 commercial entrepot. Immense fleets coming 
 trom Asia and Isles of the Pacific, as on earth. 
 
 We spirits are a very substantial, and the 
 only real people, and raise and manufacture 
 more than upon the earth, although our 
 methods of procedure and development are in 
 trinsically different and more humane. We 
 raise nothing with life organisms, all our food 
 stuffs are free from life, although many, the 
 choicest, are raised in soil, as on earth. We 
 manufacture out of certain soil, free from life, 
 all varieties of food. We form all kinds of 
 
 231 
 
game, all sort of beef, and varieties of fish, 
 with same flavor as of earth, and many more 
 delicate and savory, therefore, we need but 
 little soil to provide sustenance tfor millions. 
 As our Lord transformed the loaves and fishes, 
 so our great manufacturers, with the chemical 
 lore known to the Angels, manufacture im 
 measurable quantities of produce and food of 
 all varieties. Our countries, as on earth, 
 make a speciality of different products, hence 
 rleets of commerce are ever in operation, pleas 
 ure craft and bathing pavilions, are permitted 
 on the ocean esplanade, which extends com 
 pletely around the city. In the heart of city, in 
 extensive circular grounds, are the great admin 
 istrative departments, a colossal pile of splen 
 did buildings, in the Celestial style, surrounded 
 by a great park and a boulevard. The busi 
 ness sections are on other boulevards, in circles, 
 extending over foothills and mountains to the 
 ocean, the circles, near the ocean, devoted to 
 magnificent homes. On the outside of the cir 
 cular boulevards, a great area, are lakes, parks 
 and other sections devoted to various styles of 
 homes, from bungalows to palaces. 
 
 We put up at a palatial hotel, on the sum 
 mit of a lofty peak overlooking the ocean, 
 surrounded by a park, and, some distance away, 
 a magnificent temple, on similar peaks on 
 
 232 
 
either side. 
 
 This hotel was formed entirely of highly 
 polished green and soft blue crystals, covered 
 with pink and white roses. It had several 
 court-yards and magnificent chapel, in the 
 building proper, besides opera-house and vast 
 apartments devoted to all kinds of amusements, 
 a city in itself. All homes in the detached 
 cities, save those who prefer smaller ones for 
 a change, are of great size and splendor. 
 
 An open dining-room, on one of the front 
 verandas, overlooking the sea, was a feature of 
 this hotel. In the open, caressed by air soft 
 and balmy, with a beautiful view of the smiling 
 Pacific, we partook of our first repast in this 
 charming place. Thyrza, as usual, enraptured 
 with all, had changed the style of our homes 
 and grounds many times since we had left the 
 Mordants. Gazing on the ocean, with a look 
 of joy, she said softly, 
 
 "I think I would like to stay here forever, 
 it is so beautiful." 
 
 Her grandmother overheard, and responded 
 merrily, 
 
 "So you will think, dear, when you arrive 
 at the next beautiful place." 
 
 The Colonel said also, with a look of mor 
 tal pride, I was amused to see, 
 
 "Well, our new baby country beats the old 
 
 233 
 
country on the spirit side any way." 
 
 We burst into peals of laughter, Mrs. Carr 
 shook her finger, and exclaimed, 
 
 "Oh, you boastful Yankee, even in your 
 own true home, you are of the earth, earthy. 
 I blush for you, when, Oh, when, will you 
 cease to be bound by your animal limitations?" 
 
 He smiled somewhat ruefully, 
 
 "I really believe it was a little of mortal 
 pride not yet eliminated." 
 
 My mother checked her merriment, and 
 said, 
 
 "We all, when first liberated from school, 
 feel the same, all are, more or less, tinged with 
 the prevailing likes and opinions of our Alma 
 Mater, mother earth, but they very soon dis 
 appear when we become completely adjusted." 
 
 "When you consider," Mrs. Carr patted 
 him tenderly, "how the dauntless Yankees and 
 Americans fought, on earth plane, for liberty, 
 when you think of Washington at Valley 
 Forge, one can overlook a little of that not un 
 worthy pride, so long as it confines itself to 
 the real, true things of the spirit, but when you 
 pride yourself on weakness come from the ani 
 mal, dear, we must draw the line." 
 
 Thyrza interposed, sapphire eyes blue as 
 the ocean, lustrous with feeling. 
 
 "Dear friends, I have been a little longer 
 
 234 
 
freed from earth s conditions, and have had 
 more time to give to spiritual matters. All 
 war, all taking life on the earth, even though 
 in the interest of freedom and liberty, is the 
 same as the animal fighting for its life and 
 young, the instinct of self-preservation, per 
 mitted until the race advances, until man, on 
 mortal plane, is advanced enough to grasp the 
 truth, that all are brothers and sisters." 
 
 "Oh, this earth life," Mrs. Carr sighed, "I 
 cannot refrain from, go where I will, in the 
 midst of Heavenly joy and glory, thinking of 
 the ones suffering there. I ll not be happy 
 until all mine are free." 
 
 May broke the silence which ensued for 
 several moments, while all gave thoughts to 
 their dear attached ones. Mine flew to mv 
 dear little girl, a dear, dear sister, and to the 
 sweet Countess, companion of my exile. 
 
 "Yes, I have still dear children bound, I 
 cannot really rejoice until they are free. But 
 I have learned to submit to the Father s will, 
 and, how grateful I am, they are in reality 
 here, w r here we can always see and find them, 
 and not wiped out of existence, as so many 
 deem on earth." 
 
 Again my beloved s face became illuminated. 
 "Yes, thank our dear Father." 
 
 "Only a day in spirit time, and all will be 
 
 235 
 
free," I comforted her, pressing her hand. 
 
 "Here s a toast, as on earth, To our dear 
 absent ones , said the Colonel raising his glass 
 to his lips. 
 
 "To our dear absent ones," with moistened 
 eyes, we quaffed with him. 
 
 Time flew on golden wings in this especially 
 favored place. We took ocean excursions. 
 We visited in airships different sections. We 
 were overwhelmed with the beauties of the 
 spirit Columbia, the diversified beauties of the 
 Golden West, so called on mortal plane, the 
 wonders of the Yosemite, the great bay of San 
 Francisco, which peerless as it is on mortal 
 plane, is naturally excelled in the real life. 
 We visited several detached cities in the Coast 
 Range in Oregon and California. It is im 
 possible to do justice to the Yosemite, left in 
 pristine loveliness, fresh from the hands of the 
 Celestial Angels, never to be desecrated or 
 changed on spirit side, also to portray another 
 section little known on mortal plane, above the 
 Yosemite, with lakes of wondrous beauty, and 
 peaks of majestic grace, and vales and meadows 
 still unpopulated. Although the Colonel and 
 Mrs. Carr urged us to visit with them Yellow 
 stone Park and the Grand Canyon of the Colo 
 rado, we postponed that pleasure, and decided 
 to take air ships for Niagara Falls, 
 
 236 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 We parted from our friends with prom 
 ises to meet in the near future in New York, 
 prior to our departure. They proceeded on 
 a tour of the Southern States. We engaged 
 passage in a splendid airship, as large, as finely 
 equipped as the most palatial ocean steamer. 
 It would astound mortals to know its size and 
 capacity, though, in time, they will have similar. 
 
 On the top deck, devoted to park, we, after 
 visiting our rooms, congregated to take a last 
 farewell glance of the city, wherein we had 
 spent so many pleasure filled hours. A last 
 glimpse at the crowd below waving us good 
 bye, another to the grand and inspiriting sea, 
 and we turned our faces to the front in quest 
 of the novel and unexplored, other scenes to 
 behold, all, if not as perfect as the one so lately 
 beheld, possessing the unfailing interest ever 
 attending the new and unknown. I was find 
 ing daily from whence came the mortal s rest 
 lessness, his "divine discontent." It is the 
 soul, on its quest for all knowledge, all experi 
 ence, giving the spirit the desire for change 
 and novelty inherent in all. Solely in one 
 thing does the spirit never desire change, the 
 
 237 
 
most Divine gift of our Father, the greatest of 
 all, our love for our dear ones, especially our 
 own soul-mates. Can I doubt? I who sought 
 vainly on earth to find relief from the one, 
 dominant passion, which, despite my folly and 
 transitory fancies, ever abode with me, render 
 ing me impervious to the attractions of the dear 
 est friend ever vouch-safed mortal upon earth, 
 the still precious and loved Countess? "How 
 inferior," I thought, " are all feelings to the 
 one I feel for my twin-soul, Thyrza." 
 
 Methought, as I had thought countless 
 times before, looking at the lovely girl stand 
 ing by my side, hand clasped in mine, eyes 
 luminous with love, of all the glorious and 
 beauties of the spirit world, of all the peerless 
 and beautiful beings, she to me, was and ever 
 would be, the Fairest of the fair, for so our 
 Father wills it. Then, loyal to the core to my 
 lovely mother, also standing near her soul s 
 choice, I extended my other hand, and we 
 four stood apart, drinking in with ever renew 
 ing interest, the constantly changing scenic 
 effects as onward we flew. Miles of fresh 
 virgin country, then again outposts, signs of 
 life, great ranches, manufacturing centers, and 
 a city just forming on the Columbia, both at 
 tached and detached, one destined ere long to 
 be the great city of Portland. The Columbia, 
 
 238 
 
in beauty on spirit plane, transcends all rivers 
 I have seen, revealing with every bend and 
 curve some novel beauty. The Dalles and ail 
 its attractions perfected, with the added glory 
 of the transfiguring touch of exquisite colors, 
 known but to spirit plane. On and on we 
 flew, passing innumerable aircrafts filled with 
 passengers, hailed from below, as well as greet 
 ed in the air. 
 
 When we reached Canada, we were sur 
 prised by an equally, if not more beateous land 
 of great size, we sailed over miles of im 
 pressive mountains, snow tipped peaks, haughty 
 crests, jagged saw-tooth ranges, some bare and 
 grim, with rocky slopes, others clothed with 
 dense forests primeval indeed, with few signs 
 of life, save the spirits of the attached Indians, 
 and the numerous wild game of mortal plane. 
 
 I am pleased to state there are no distinct 
 races, no different nationalities, therefore all the 
 spirits of these Indians are like unto their 
 Father God, and like unto ourselves, and in 
 charge of Angel guides, as all His children 
 are. Even on earth, some of these are more 
 correctly impressed than their more civilized 
 brethren. Many worship the Great Spirit, all 
 believe in life immortal, the Happy Hunting 
 Grounds, and many have a more humane mode 
 of interring their loved ones, such as placing 
 
 239 
 
them within the cliffs, or in lofty places, to 
 allow them to wither under the sun s rays, in 
 stead of in gruesome tombs, hiding them in 
 ground, or cremating them. This, above all, 
 the saddest of all. Even on spirit plane, the 
 advanced spirit hates to see his dearly beloved 
 wiped out in that manner. 
 
 After speeding over great stretches of 
 sparsely populated country, a detached city 
 appeared, a golden city, spires, turrets and 
 towers scintillating upon a vast plain. We 
 stopped not, but onward flew above it, over a 
 mighty river, thence onward to other moun 
 tains with great falls, cascades, lakes here and 
 there, attached stock-ranches, mining camps, 
 small villages, until finally we came to the cities 
 of Montreal and Quebec and Ottawa, all opu 
 lent and grand, especially Quebec. We flew 
 over the St. Lawrence with its thousand isles, 
 upon each a stately palace, almost equal in 
 beauty and charm to the Columbia. We stop 
 ped at a picturesque hotel, located on several 
 islands, joined by graceful bridges. It was a 
 great crystal palace, covering both the land and 
 water of about half a dozen islands. The main 
 roof covering all, a vast dome was of extremely 
 transparent glass, and towered over the others 
 of the different structures. Each palace of 
 various delicate shades, was connected by 
 
 240 
 
bridges with the main building, which was in 
 the center and occupied the largest isle. On 
 all sides were great openings, passages to the 
 outside, the grounds of each palace terraced to 
 the water. A great depot was some distance 
 off, on one side of the river. Every hotel was 
 of immense size with wide porches and balcon 
 ies. One Island was devoted to opera-house, 
 theatre, and a great ball-room, another to 
 baths and amusements of various kinds, another 
 to a church and lecture hall. This place was 
 at that time a very pleasant resort for tourists. 
 We spent a few hours and resumed our journey 
 to Niagara by rail. The depot, located on 
 river, encircled by park, was a stately palace 
 covering several acres. As all travel in exceed 
 ing swift and luvurious quarters, is free to all 
 no spirit train provides sleeping accommoda 
 tion. When one desires to prolong a journey, 
 one stops at any desired place, if in a hurry, one 
 proceeds by swiftest rail or boat; if in an espec 
 ial hurry, one dons floating garb, and swift as 
 a swallow, wings one s flight whither soever 
 desired. 
 
 In spirit life, no one. as all are ever familiar 
 with all they wish to know concerning every 
 thing, is ever forced to hurry in this way, save 
 for the great pleasure of the most exhilerating 
 and most enjoyable of all modes of travel when 
 
 241 
 
going to great distances on business or any 
 especial mission. 
 
 After a trip of short duration, every moment 
 disclosing new beauties through a more or less 
 populated country by the attached, diversified 
 occasionally by great detached cities, crowning 
 the highest eminences, our route ran parallel 
 with a river, ere we arrived at Lake Cham- 
 plain, tranquil and slumbrous, its banks un 
 touched, untrod by spirit, save when desiring 
 the silence and solitude of the wilds. 
 
 Following May s suggestion, we alighted 
 at a small depot, and watched the train disap 
 pear in the distance, ere we took a view of our 
 surroundings. The depot had in connection 
 a small hotel, located on the edge of the lake, 
 no other place visible. After a meal, we 
 procured floating robes, and flew over the 
 placid water, faintly gleaming, neath the glory 
 of the setting sun, with quivering rays. All 
 were silent, no roads above or below ran near, 
 only in the far distance could we see flying 
 craft and floating spirits. All around and on 
 the lake were no indications of life, excepting 
 here and there, a few attached spirits and their 
 angel guides, in canoe or small boat. Rapidly 
 we floated, exhilerated with the wine-like air, 
 and within a short time alighted on the opposite 
 side of the depot, on a soft, pebbly beach. 
 
 242 
 
"Isn t this delightful?" Thyrza cried, "How 
 I long to get away, away, with no one but 
 ourselves. 1 
 
 "Selfish, selfish," admonished my mother 
 gently, 
 
 "Possibly, then you are so also, for I see 
 how yo love it, and you do, too, dear," appeal 
 ing to me. 
 
 "Indeed, I do," I answered, "it just suits 
 me for a change," admiring her rippling hair, 
 which had fallen betwitchingly as we flew, 
 forming a glistening aureole and her eyes 
 gleaming with excitement. 
 
 "This is just like it used to be on earth," 
 May remarked, "I remember when my dear 
 husband and I lived in the wilds. Don t you 
 remember?" turning to him. A glow over 
 spread his face, his hand sought hers, lovingly, 
 
 "Ah, dear, we never forget. There is 
 where we first learned to love, suffer and be 
 strong." 
 
 "You learned that on earth, that greatest 
 blessing was reserved for me on this plane," my 
 mother said. 
 
 In the rear, the wilderness grew almost to 
 the water s edge. We saw a trail, took it in 
 single file, and followed it into the forest. 
 The Sun had just disappeared over the horizon, 
 and the soft after-glow, the twilight and great 
 
 243 : 
 
spiritual worlds gave us a clear light, which 
 revealed, almost as plainly as day light, the 
 great trees, ferns and flowers as we wended our 
 way on this lonely trail. We followed it, 
 quite a distance, over hills, into canyons, with 
 out seeing anything but an occasional bird, or 
 small animal, more or less quiescent or drowsy. 
 
 "I love this silence, * sighed Thyrza, "how 
 thrilling it is. Just like places I read about, 
 but never saw on earth." 
 
 "Yes," May answered drily, "you must love 
 it, you are so eager to break it." Peals of 
 mirth greeted this retort, while we stood awhile 
 to take a view ere proceeding. 
 
 We had reached the summit of a very high 
 peak, far from the lake. Far as eye could 
 reach, we looked over the surrounding country. 
 The lake, its slumbrous waters, calm and silvery, 
 reflecting the wonderful light of the spiritual 
 moon and stars. The small hotel and depot, 
 the sole habitation within sight. On all sides, 
 the dense forest, a solid phalanx, and the 
 sombre depths of the gulches and gorges 
 through which we had passed. Peaceful, 
 peaceful, restful, a mighty silence kept watch 
 and ward over the solemn solitudes, and even 
 the voice of spirit was hushed for many mo 
 ments, ere we ventured to break the soothing 
 spell. At length Thyrza, the irrespressible, 
 
 244 
 
sighed, 
 
 "Oh, how I love this silence." All again 
 broke into mirth. 
 
 Then again we became quiet, calmed irresis- 
 tably despite ourselves, and again looked upon 
 that scene of sleeping forces, and thought of 
 it as upon earth, possibly, at that moment, the 
 calm waters lashed into fury, the solemn quiet 
 ude disturbed by the murderous Indians on 
 the war-path. Thyrza read my thought, 
 
 "Oh, do let us enter the material conscious 
 ness and see how it is on mortal plane." 
 
 We seated ourselves upon the ground, con 
 centrated wills and minds, and ere long, found 
 ourselves seated beneath a great tree, unlike 
 the graceful, beautiful one which sheltered us 
 on spirit side, with heavy branches destitute of 
 leaf and foliage, covered with snow. Beneath 
 our feet, where we sat, was a heavy mantle of 
 white snow, scarcely seen with the feebly flick 
 ering light of the earth-moon, and the dim, 
 obscured stars. Great patches of white were 
 visible through the blackness of the heavy, 
 murky atmosphere. We could not see the 
 lake, nor aught else, naught but the snow. 
 Naught could we hear save the yelp of the 
 coyote and the weird cry of night-birds. 
 Thyrza whispered, "Oh, how glad I am that 
 
 245 
 
I m a spirit. I do not like this." 
 
 A profound stillness reigned v which was 
 soon broken by great peals of thunder, while 
 flashes of lightning irradiated forest, lake for 
 a moment, and again inpenetrable darkness, 
 then a deluge broke forth, hail as large as 
 pebbles, great splashes of pelting rain beat us 
 and fell away as harmlessly as water off a duck s 
 back* We stood up beyond the widely spread 
 ing branches of the mighty oak, 
 
 "I like this," May cried, "the dear, dear 
 
 ram." 
 
 "What lightning," responded Albert, as 
 reverberation upon reverberation resounded, 
 and lightning began to play upon lake and 
 forest. The elements were at their wildest, 
 and whipped and scourged all nature merciless 
 ly. Great trees fell, torn from their roots, 
 snow and hail filled the air, and lashed all into 
 fury, awakened wild animals and birds of prey, 
 which joined in. The howl of the coyote, the 
 roar of the mountain lion, the braying of wild 
 donkey, the cry of the panther, the weird toot 
 of the owl came from all sides. It was a scene 
 of dread and terror to the mortal who chanced 
 to be exposed to it. 
 
 "How I hope no poor brother or sister is 
 out in this," sighed my mother, "they could 
 never stand it." 
 
 246 
 
"Think of the countless, unhappy scenes 
 transpiring elsewhere on this unhappy earth," 
 I answered, thinking of some with w T hich I 
 had been familiar in the Alps, of the many 
 lives which had been severed in crevasse and 
 glacier. A great flash illuminated all again, 
 and we saw coming up the trail toward us, a 
 lonely attached spirit, a youth. He tottered 
 and fell at our feet, gave a moan of exhaustion 
 and became insensible. He was not over 
 twenty and evidently a trapper. His Celestial 
 guide said as he leaned over him, 
 
 "His time has come, he iwill succumb to 
 the cold and exhaustion, one more to bid fare 
 well to the delusive life dream." 
 
 "Delusive, but, ah, how pitifully real," 
 Thyrza sighed, tenderly caressing him, "poor, 
 poor boy, so far from home, so young and so 
 brave. Ah, where is his mother?" 
 
 "Here," said the Angel, and we saw through 
 the trees a beautiful spirit eagerly pass and 
 seat herself by the boy s side. 
 
 "Soon?" she inquired, looking at the Angel. 
 
 "But a few minutes," he replied, "he will 
 soon awaken." 
 
 "How I hate to leave his poor mortal body 
 alone here, to be eaten by the wild beasts," she 
 looked at us imploringly. 
 
 "We ll stay some time," I said, "return so 
 
 247 
 
as to be on time to meet him. We ll stay, 
 possibly, you can impress some one to come 
 here," to the Angel. 
 
 Within a short time we were left alone with 
 the poor inanimate form of the young trapper. 
 Alone in the gloom of that gruesome forest, the 
 clamor of the wild animals, the wild war of 
 the elements, the sole requiem. 
 
 "How glad I am that he is in peace at 
 last," Thyrza sighed. 
 
 The elements subsided, the thunder ceased 
 lo reverberate, the lightning to flash, the murky 
 dense atmosphere vanished, the moon became 
 visible, the stars gave forth a clear, brilliant 
 light. But we still kept our vigil, for the cry 
 of the wolf, the howl of the coyote, the roar 
 of the lion came nearer and nearer, all on the 
 quest for game. The scent, the animal s un 
 failing guide, drawing them to the poor corpse, 
 whom w r e were powerless to help, and yet, and 
 yet, I hoped I might be granted the power to 
 ward them off. With a voiceless prayer to our 
 loving Father, each reverently imploring help, 
 we stood around the boy. Nearer, nearer, 
 came the discordant growls, the furious cries 
 of the hungry animals eager for their prey. 
 We heard their rapidly approaching footsteps 
 even on the soft yielding snow. We saw their 
 sneaking, crouching forms in ambush, ere 
 
 248 
 
coming in full view, ere taking chances, then, 
 as they gained courage and security, we saw the 
 gleaming eyes, the opened mouths, displaying 
 langs and red, protruding tongues. Unseen 
 by them, they approached within a few feet, a 
 large panther in the lead, eyes aflame, about 
 to make the first leap, when, lo, as though 
 struck by a shot, he fell motionless upon the 
 snow. The animals in the rear, ceased their 
 yelps, their hungry cries, and transfixed by a 
 power unseen by us, and yet felt, we watched 
 the animal struck by lightning at our feet, and 
 his brethren, as one by one they slowly recov 
 ered from their terror, and fled in trepidation 
 from a power they could not fathom. 
 
 We resumed our seats upon the snow. 
 
 "I wonder if he has relatives near," observed 
 Thyrza, "how long we shall have to wait?" 
 
 The boy s countenance was rapidly freez 
 ing. Slowly the majesty of death, the ecstacy 
 of the spirit, ere it became fully detached, im 
 pressed it with the ineffable peace, the sign 
 ;md the seal of the liberated. 
 
 "He may possibly live alone," I answered, 
 "I know many trappers do." 
 
 "Few so young as he," May s husband 
 vouchsafed," in this part of the world." 
 
 Soft footsteps, accompanied by voices harsh 
 and guttural, were heard. Through the drip- 
 
 249 
 
ping branches, laden with snow flakes, gleam 
 ing like jewels, as the moon swung high over 
 head in a clear, cloudless sky, emerged fantas 
 tic figures, Indians in war-paint and feathers. 
 They started as they saw the prostrate figure. 
 The chief, a man of splendid stature, eagle 
 eyes and commanding presence, grunted, "He 
 is the boy trapper." No signs of animosity or 
 hate visible, while all looked with more or 
 less of pity upon the boy. We saw their spirits 
 and their guides endeavoring to impress them. 
 The chief muttered, "The Great Spirit calls 
 him to His Hunting Grounds, we leave him 
 here, his people soon find him." Although on 
 the war-path, their spirits had successfully im 
 pressed them to abstain from the revolting 
 practices in vogue among them. Thankfully 
 we watched them disappear through the forest, 
 nnd again resumed our vigil. 
 
 "How awful those Indians looked," whis 
 pered Thyrza, "oh, how glad I am, in reality 
 there are no such beings." 
 
 "Yes, above all we should be grateful we 
 have none of the fearful earth conditions in our 
 real home," sighed my mother. 
 
 "Enough hell upon earth to satisfy the 
 most undeveloped nature," replied Albert. 
 
 "Oh, no, not all," smiled May, "or they 
 would not be so eager to believe in it. There 
 
 250 
 
are a great many who will not do without 
 hells." 
 
 "For others, not themselves," I joined in, 
 "hells are all right for one s foes, and those 
 one s does care for, but, by no means, for 
 oneself and one s own." 
 
 "That is an entirely different matter to the 
 low plane mortal, for only those on the lowest 
 plane can consign pitilessly to places of tor 
 ment even their most bitter foes," Thyrza said. 
 
 "Our dear Father taught, ( I bring ye one 
 new commandment, that ye love one another/ 
 alas, that on earth we should have such a false 
 conception of love," I answered. 
 
 "Oh, ye of little faith," chided my mother 
 reverently, "you know why this misery and 
 suffering are essential?" 
 
 "And that all His children, regardless how 
 low, how fallen, how abject, how degraded 
 their mortal bodies, are ever the object of His 
 tenderest care in the real life/ came in im 
 pressive tone from a Celestial Angel who ap 
 peared in view. "I have come to relieve you," 
 he continued lovingly, "you can go on your 
 way." Ere He ceased, again we heard soft 
 footfalls and the hurling aside of branches. 
 Two trappers clad in animal skins and cover 
 ed with melting snow, carrying rifles and bows 
 and arrows appeared in sight. One cried with 
 
 251 
 
anguish, 
 
 "Oh, my boy, my boy," and threw himself 
 in agony of grief beside the boy, "Oh, God, 
 not one, not one left. This the last, my one 
 ewe lamb, all gone, all gone," he moaned piti 
 fully, "Why can t I go? I m so tired of fight 
 ing Red-skins and wild animals. My God, 
 what an accursed fate." His friend, who also 
 appeared grief-stricken said, 
 
 "Don t take it so hard, John, it is God s 
 will." 
 
 "God s will, the devil s, not God s. No just 
 God could torture, so bereave a man. What good 
 power could let fiendish Indians slay one s 
 wife and children, burn his home to the 
 ground, and leave him alone with but one left 
 to comfort his old age, and then take him, the 
 only one left? I cannot believe in such a 
 God," the man cried frenziedly, standing 
 erect and clenching his hands, "I curse such a 
 God, I curse " 
 
 "Stop, stay, John, you are beside yourself," 
 The man tottered and fell with a moan upon 
 his boy s form, his heart could stand no more. 
 The Angel reverently said to his Angel guide 
 and to us, 
 
 "He will awaken on the other side." 
 
 Shortly we returned to the spirit side and 
 awakened just as the sun began to rise in the 
 
 252 
 
east, and found ourselves in midst of a group 
 who had come to guide and greet the two trap 
 pers. We waited until they became conscious. 
 It was joyous indeed, after the natural sorrow 
 of the mortal plane to see the transfigured 
 faces of the awakened when they saw the be 
 loved faces of wife, mother, and different 
 members of the family. Especially affecting 
 was the emotion of the father who thanked and 
 blessed God with the abandon of a little child 
 and the gratitude of a heart filled to overflow 
 ing. 
 
 "Oh, how could I have cursed my God," he 
 cried a little later. 
 
 "You did not, dear, grieve not," comforted 
 his wife," you will know all later." 
 
 We felt we had experienced enough so 
 returned to the hotel without prolonging our 
 outing. It had terminated entirely different 
 from that which we had expected, but although 
 we had failed to explore far into the wilder 
 ness, we were grateful to feel we had been of 
 a little use, particularly when recalling the rapt 
 faces of the liberated. 
 
 253 
 
CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 We arrived at Niagara Falls the following 
 day, and found them far excelling all we had 
 imagined. Exactly as upon earth in size and 
 volume of water, but in the wonderful trans 
 figuring power of light and color far beyond 
 mortal conception. Great sheets of glittering 
 silver, transformed into avalanches of snowy 
 loam, irridesceet with ever varying tint, and 
 tone of exquisite shades, softly fell with musical 
 rhythm one moment, the next transformed into 
 marine blue mountains, flaked here and there 
 with white or shot with gold, within a flash 
 changed into terraces of turquoise, amethyst, 
 and accompanied by deep toned volumes of 
 sound, broke into foam spume in the gorge be 
 low. 
 
 Thus, constantly changing, the water swept 
 over the huge embankment, carrying number 
 less happy spirits in its seething froth and foam, 
 and many animals, all in the wildest spirits. 
 
 Our party donned floating garbs on the 
 island, and joined the enthusiastic, mirth-filled 
 throngs. We flew with the celerity of the 
 wind over the falls, and were whirled away on 
 
 254 
 
the eddying current, one moment submerged 
 beneath the dancing, translucent water, the 
 next gently floating, anon flying above, to be 
 again whirled into its eddying depths. 
 
 Thyrza was jubilant with glee, and appeared 
 like unto a goddess, that which she really was, 
 of almost Celestial beauty. Unlike the 
 imagery of mortal poets, sprites, elves and 
 gnomes find no place here, no lodging place in 
 jutting stalactite, nor in flora nor jewel-bedeck 
 ed cave, neither peeped they forth from the 
 etheral ferns and grasses which grew on the 
 island, nor from the giant trees which formed 
 a great canopy over a part of the Falls, in 
 which sang and also sported bird upon bird, 
 accompanying with sweet melody, ever in har 
 mony, the gentle rhythm, or the deep tones 
 reverberations. 
 
 In Canada and the United States were 
 parks and great esplanades thronged with peo 
 ple. We met many celebrated mortals of 
 earth fame, Benjamin Franklin and others 
 equally noted, and accompanied several insist- 
 ant ones to their homes in Buffalo, ere proceed 
 ing to New York. Buffalo was, even then, a 
 very populous city, and, like all spirit cities, 
 typical of the highest civilization and beauty. 
 
 We attended Church, a most magnificent 
 cathedral, and had the extreme pleasure of 
 
 255 
 
hearing one of the greatest of earth s apostles, 
 St. John, who was still in the spirit world, 
 though long fitted for the Celestial Kingdom. 
 He was on a tour of the States, and gave an 
 address in every place where he stopped. We 
 were wonderfully impressed with him and his 
 wise discourse, his countenance as expressive of 
 love and divinity as the lecture. Our party 
 sought him and had a few words with him ere 
 leaving. Thyrza said, extending both hands 
 which he grasped cordially, 
 
 "This is one of the greatest pleasures we 
 have yet experienced." His eyes swept over 
 all in a comprehensive glance of sympathy, as 
 he first patted one on the cheek, then grasped 
 a hand or two of each of us ere replying. A 
 Celestial Angel, ready for the Celestial King 
 dom, with the countenace worn only by the 
 elect and divine, he stood before us, a great, 
 grand god, combining the simplicity, and 
 guilessness of a child with the wisdom of the 
 most exalted. My mother remarked regret 
 fully, 
 
 "We shall, ere long, lose you. You will 
 soon go Home to our Father." 
 
 "Yes, this, in a sense, is a, farewell tour, but 
 I shall often return to visit you all, but I 
 hope," smiling tenderly, "before long I shall 
 welcome you all there." 
 
 256 
 
"According to earth time, many long aeons 
 will pass ere any of us are ready," I replied. 
 
 Thyrza essayed softly, 
 
 "But according to our time, not so very long, 
 ere we too shall find one of the mansions await 
 ing us." 
 
 "I must admit, I am well content here, if 
 it is neither aspiring nor grateful, I am sorry, 
 but, Oh, I so love our own dear spirit world," 
 May said. 
 
 "I can well understand you. We," turn 
 ing to a transcendently lovely Angel, who shall 
 be nameless, one of the purest, if not the 
 purest known on mortal plane, "have delayed 
 for that very reason, and, of course, because we 
 have been needed." His soul-mate, worship 
 ped on earth as a Saint, although regally beau 
 tiful, unaffected and simple in manner and 
 expression, greeted us all lovingly. 
 
 "Yes," she said, "we love very dearly this 
 beautiful world, and shall often return. 
 
 "You cannot desire to return, except to see 
 the dear ones. I long for my time to come," 
 said Albert. My mother looked at him rather 
 wistfully. 
 
 "Why, Albert, I am so very, very happy 
 now." 
 
 "So am I, dearest, but we must keep mov 
 ing, advancing, that is our destiny." 
 
 257 
 
"Be not in too great a hurry. When God 
 wills your time will come, not before/ St. 
 John replied gently. 
 
 Albert blushed slightly, "That, of course, I 
 mean." My mother exclaimed quickly, smil 
 ing at St. John, 
 
 "The desire to get Home, no matter how 
 happy we all are, is within us all." 
 
 "The Kingdom is within you," I intervened. 
 
 "Ah, dear," laughing merrily, she said, 
 "not cognized on this plane, as on the mortal. 
 Although we know the reality of time and 
 space, still we must have real manifestations of 
 both, as on mortal plane, to enjoy the anticipa 
 tion of the Kingdom to come, or anything at 
 all. We are not perpetually twanging on 
 harps, but divine beings brought forth, not 
 solely to progress eternally, but to enjoy and 
 live in its fullest sense, the glorious life our 
 Father gives us." 
 
 "Even on the earth He taught," Thyrza 
 added, "be not as the Pharisees are with their 
 dolorous, sanctified faces, their senseless inter 
 pretations of good and godliness." 
 
 "Did not our Father desire us to enjoy all 
 the blessings of both planes, they would not 
 be in existence," remarked St. John s soul-mate 
 happily, eyes as sparkling, tones as gay as 
 Thyrza s, very similar to her in appearance, 
 
 258 
 
save the indescribable radiance I have touched 
 upon before. 
 
 "I cannot understand why on earth so many 
 persist in thinking the spirit is an intangible 
 essence confined within the mortal body, which 
 on liberation, is miraculously transformed into 
 a being like themselves," my mother said. 
 "They think soul is located within this elusive 
 being, and that soul must unfold on earth." 
 
 "The Lord Jesus Christ proved beyond 
 doubt that a very real body ascended, and 
 taught in all ways, that spirit and spirit life 
 were more real than the mortal life. He said, 
 In my Father s Home are many mansions, I go 
 to prepare for you. An etherial, elusive 
 essence would not need a mansion, nor could 
 such an essence be transformed, within a few 
 seconds, into a child of God. St. Paul taught 
 of a celestial and terrestrial body, a spirit and 
 a natural body, of a Celestial Kingdom in exist 
 ence, of spirit bodies of the living and the so- 
 called dead existing, not only those who had 
 become detached existing, but the ones living 
 on mortal plane. If a spirit (all who believe 
 in a Supreme Power, believe in spirit and 
 spirit life) must have a body as a medium of 
 expression on mortal plane, it must necessarily 
 have one on spirit plane in the true life. The 
 spirit, born in the real life, develops the bodies 
 
 259 
 
on both planes, neither dwelling within or 
 without, but each body solid and substantial 
 according to the different groupings of the true 
 spiritual substance of the spirit plane, that 
 which is cognized as matter, in reality etherial- 
 ized, true spiritual substance. The spirit un 
 folds on spirit plane the soul gifts and spiritual 
 attributes, and impresses the material with as 
 much as is essential. The Lord proved the 
 unreality of sin and disease by healing them, 
 wiping them out of consciousness, out of exist 
 ence. Were they of the spirit, realities, they 
 could not be destroyed even on mortal plane. 
 Were they destined to unfold the spirit, He 
 would not have destroyed them, but allowed 
 them to continue to unfold those afflicted. 
 Spirits unfold on spirit plane, spiritual quali 
 ties, and suffer on mortal plane, to acquaint 
 them with certain experiences deemed essen 
 tial for those destined for mortal life discipline, 
 but cannot acquire, from mortal plane, spirit 
 ual attributes, knowledge nor wisdom. The 
 highest spiritual qualities are indicative of 
 qualities and principles which dominate Uhe 
 low r er, the animal, and influence it by the ele 
 ments of spiritual existence. Therefore, as it 
 is conceded by all who have developed along 
 these lines on earth, that the spiritual and ani 
 mal are entirely distinct, it can be clearly 
 
 260 
 
seen, mortal life is not for the purpose of 
 spiritual unfoldment. Casting out evil spirits 
 meant destroying disease and its disastrous 
 effects, manifested in many ailments which 
 cause crime and mental and moral degeneracy, 
 not in casting out evil beings, a crude belief 
 entertained by those who do not give good 
 spirits body, but give body to evil ones, per 
 mitted to torture God s children. The dis 
 cipline, cruel as it seems, is essential, but as 
 unnecessary is not, God has impressed and 
 impresses those called the inspired among the 
 duflerent races and nations, and went Himself 
 to mitigate as far as possible, their suffering, to 
 assure them a home in the Celestial sphere? 
 await them. Hence, those who advance enough 
 to grasp these truths, have the certainty, the 
 hope, the comfort of realizing the limited 
 period of their mortal life, those who do not, 
 more or less animal, incapable of suffering 
 mentally, obtuse and torpid, suffer no more 
 than is adjudged necessary for them, and we, 
 on this plane cognizant of these truths, know 
 that our Father knows that which is best for 
 each individual child, and must resign our 
 selves, with perfect faith and implicit obedi 
 ence, to His will," gravely answered the wise 
 spirit. 
 
 After several visits to the great lake Ontario 
 
 261 
 
and the adjacent country, we met our friends, 
 the Carrs in New York, and some time later 
 returned to our home, Newstead Abbey. Thyrza 
 and 1 had developed considerably. We had 
 endeavored to learn all we could on our trip, 
 besides regularly devoting several hours to 
 study and writing. 
 
 Following the advice of our Guardian 
 Angels, we decided to take up some systematic 
 work. We resolved, so as not to be separated, 
 to develop on the same lines. To attend a 
 certain university, we located in a detached 
 section adjoining London. In a beautiful 
 suburb, we selected several acres and erected 
 two fine castles, one for my mother, and one 
 for us. Thyrza decided upon the style, sim 
 ilar, although on a smaller scale to a home we 
 had seen in America, one with great galleries, 
 courts, and a private chapel. She was wild 
 with delight when first we moved in, and like 
 an earth maiden, never tired of gazing on her 
 treasures. She would roam from gallery to 
 court, to chapel ,to banqueting halls and guest 
 chambers. 
 
 "Oh, how beautiful, how lovely, the very 
 finest home we have had yet." Then she 
 would fly to the grounds, stand absorbed before 
 a statue, thence sink by the stream, like a little 
 child, and play with the beautiful fishes and 
 
 262 
 
hirds 1 a merry, happy girl, and I, like a gay, 
 frolicsome youth would join her, forgotten all 
 but the pleasures of the moment. Ah, the 
 halcj^on, endless pleasures of spirit life, the 
 countless beauties ever unfolding the novel 
 sights and sounds ever developing, the ever 
 lasting peace and joy. No discord, no worry, 
 no cares, no sorrows, always peaceful and 
 happy. All pleasures delightful, all duties 
 joyful. Love reigns over all. 
 
 After we had attended a class, for the pur 
 pose of impressing mortals, for some time, we 
 we were fitted to impress our dear attached 
 ones. As all attached spirits are oblivious of 
 spirit plane while conscious on mortal plane, 
 the spiritual brain almost entirely magnetised 
 by the Angel in charge, the spirit, the soul, the 
 real I, is conscious upon mortal plane, with 
 only the material brain as instrument to con 
 nect one with mortal life. Consciousness is 
 the gift or power by which the soul knows its 
 own existence, the soul connected with the 
 Father by numberless vibrations, but these 
 vibrations, under law are cut off by the Angel 
 in charge, merely leaving the feeling of con 
 sciousness, independent of all spiritual knowl 
 edge, while on mortal plane. 
 
 Therefore, while soul, the real I, is con 
 scious, on mortal plane, of its existence, it is 
 
 263 
 
not conscious of spiritual life and truths. In 
 credible as this may appear to spirit on mortal 
 plane, limited to the imperfect, incorrect con 
 ceptions and knowledge gained through the 
 five senses, and to the, no less incorrect, im 
 pressions from the spiritual plane, unless both 
 minds are in accord, which simply means that 
 the soul, or I, and its material mind agree, 
 think similarly on certain subjects, and are 
 therefore in harmony on these subjects with 
 the spiritual plane, incredible as it may appear, 
 it is no less true. 
 
 When spirit, on mortal plane of conscious 
 ness, can grasp these truths, he will be able to 
 explain the wonderful mechanism of the mor 
 tal body, and the more wonderful laws govern 
 ing the countless ganglia corpuscles and other 
 entities controlling the brain, all under spiritual 
 laws, governed by Celestial Angels under 
 God. When the spirit, on mortal plane, is 
 in accord with both its brains on certain sub 
 jects, it can give all pertaining to these sub 
 jects, which it has acquired on both planes, but 
 solely on the subjects in harmony, unless the 
 spirits in charge magnetize the spiritual brain 
 and use the material brain. 
 
 When we understood the law governing 
 attached spirits, we learned how to attach and 
 detach, how to magnetize the two brains, and 
 
 264 
 
to impress with all deemed necessary by their 
 Angel guides, no more, no less, so ever and 
 always, we first received instructions from them 
 ere impressing. All upon spirit plane, both 
 attached and detached, are subject to law. No 
 one can interfere in any way with an attached 
 child of God, unless permitted by the Angels 
 in charge. 
 
 Whenever a spirit, on mortal plane, is 
 obsessed by different personalities, or to cor 
 rectly express it, impressed by different ones 
 attached for any length of time, it is done with 
 the authority and by the Angels in charge. 
 Whenever a medium is controlled correctly and 
 governed by spiritual mind, he or she is not 
 impressed by different persons, but by the 
 Angels in charge, or those, who, like Thyrza 
 and myself, have developed for this especial 
 purpose. It can be seen that no matter how 
 God s children suffer, on mortal plane, for pur 
 pose of discipline, on spirit they are under the 
 protection and care of His exalted Angels, 
 their own brethren and sisters. It can also be 
 seen how little given by the average medium 
 is correct, although honestly given by the 
 soul, the I, when both brains are not in accord, 
 and the spirit, on mortal plane, gives all he can 
 with the sole instrument he can use. When 
 these facts are understood by those investigat- 
 
 265 
 
ing psychic gifts and phemomena, they will do 
 justice to the poor, misguided medium. In 
 stead of retarding by skepticism, and seeking 
 for material tests from a spiritual source they 
 will strive to develop the material brain to fit 
 it to become a good instrument for the spirit. 
 
 We began our work by first visiting my sis 
 ter Augusta, and helping her in many ways. 
 When detached she said, that, although uncon 
 scious on earth, she felt she was becoming more 
 in harmony with the higher truths, and thus 
 enabled to bear more patiently and hopefully 
 her earth pilgrimage. In this manner we 
 helped many of our friends and relatives. I 
 influenced my little girl considerably, and im 
 pressed her, despite the harsh judgment of 
 many, to love my memory, and developed her 
 to become the intellectual woman she became. 
 Many who have a gift for writing, also. This 
 psychic I impressed since a little child quite 
 frequently, and could have developed her much 
 more, had not her earth discipline required 
 more of her time in other ways. ; 
 
 We also devoted some time to many, more 
 or less, mentally afflicted, and helped to lighten 
 the burdens of those attending them. Thus 
 devoting many hours to visiting the newly de 
 tached in sanitariums, and the attached in their 
 various homes, we found we were not only 
 
 266 
 
helping others, but unfolding spiritually. We 
 took regular courses of different studies, at 
 tended lectures delivered by the most erudite 
 and exalted, and, ere long, noted much im 
 provement in our writings. We produced a 
 volume of poems about the same time that Percy 
 Shelley published the work, upon which he had 
 been engaged, prior to my detachment. 
 
 Many years elapsed. We welcomed many 
 loved ones, visited all sections of our spirit 
 world, made our home in various places for 
 long periods, sojourned in America for many 
 months at a time, and were there when our 
 brethren were undergoing all the horrors of 
 the Civil War. With George Washington we 
 formed one of the immense battalion which 
 visited various battles. Had it not been ordain 
 ed by our great God, we could have impress 
 ed much more correctly, but no spirit is ever 
 permitted to act contrary to God s will. All 
 we were allowed to do were to impress love and 
 hope before and after the conflicts, and wel 
 come and guide many to their various homes 
 in company with Guides and relatives. The 
 Angel legions, not to witness the combat, (com 
 posed of those who had been noted officers and 
 soldiers on mortal plane,) disbanded immediate 
 ly upon the cessation of warfare, and joined 
 those ministering to the detached or dead. 
 
 267 
 
We visited the great Lincoln, after his 
 assassination, and attended his reception, one of 
 the greatest celebrations ever accorded a lib 
 erated spirit. We saw the true man on spirit 
 plane, and recognized from whence came the 
 divine nature, the great heart, when we were 
 gripped by his strong hands and noted the beam 
 ing look of joy and love. At home in his 
 true home, among his own, gone forever was 
 the sadness and gloom caused by the lack of 
 development of those whom he could not make 
 see clearly. When America was prostrated 
 with sorrow, steeped with gloom, he, a freed 
 spirit, realizing the truth of the transitory mor 
 tal life, that all is in God s hand, submitted 
 with grace, and, though, oft a tear bedimmed 
 his eye, and a sigh escaped for his earth 
 brethren, he joyfully resumed the real life, 
 which he, more correctly than many, had been 
 permitted to express on earth. 
 
 To spirit, on mortal plane, subjected to the 
 petty aims, the selfishness, the impurities, the 
 crimes, this atmosphere of peace and love may 
 appear tame and colorless, whereas to spirit, on 
 its true plane, the mortal appears as unendur 
 able and unpleasant as the life of the slums to 
 the genuine Christian. 
 
 268 
 
CHAPTER XV. 
 
 After visiting Lincoln, we returned to Eu 
 rope, and later took up our abode in a mountain 
 city, in the Himalayas, one of the greatest and 
 most peerless in our spirit world. Like all great 
 detached cities, it was located upon the highest 
 peaks. Upon several of the highest, from 
 whence one could look all over the country for 
 a great distance on all sides, were lakes of great 
 size, upon which w r ere boulevards extending 
 from bank to bank, with beautiful homes, in the 
 rear boat-houses and waterways like Venice. 
 This city is one of the greatest of Asia, and is 
 populated by many belonging to the different 
 earth nations. As it is a very ancient city, it is 
 one of the most advanced on spirit plane, com 
 prising among its inhabitants great spirits of 
 Celestial development who, like St. John, for 
 several reasons, still continue in our world. 
 
 We met many of the noted on earth, among 
 them Guatama,the Buddha and Mohammed,the 
 great twain who have vied with our Lord Jesus 
 Christ in attracting the faith and attention of 
 many, who, according to Angels in charge, are 
 fulfilling their destiny and who acquire all that 
 is needful for them, as God Omnipotent desires. 
 
 269 
 
When the time is ripe for some to accept the 
 Christian faith, the Angels will attend to it 
 through their instruments upon the earth. In 
 the meanwhile, efficient and tireless workers in 
 the Lord s vineyard, rest easy; God Omnipotent 
 will see that none of His children are lost or 
 shut out from the home they now occupy, just as 
 He has in charge all who preceded the Christian 
 era; those of the many prehistoric races who ad 
 vanced to a high plane, as well as the poor, be 
 nighted heathen, the thousands of imbeciles, de 
 generates, and mentally and mortally afflicted. 
 They are all His children, the heathen, the 
 humblest, the most fallen as dear as the highest, 
 and most saintly. 
 
 We had many interesting conversations with 
 the great Guatama. His home is a castle, daz- 
 zingly lovely, all white excepting flowers 
 both within and without, with several court 
 yards, miracles of beauty, with palms, statues, 
 fountains, flowers, and one temple fit to com 
 pare with the most splendid in architectural per 
 fection, w r herein he often lectures to many of his 
 friends who come from far and near to visit 
 him. The rear of the castle, situated upon a 
 boulevard of one of the great lakes, commands 
 a view of all the country beneath, of river, gar 
 den, valley, meadows and a great park. 
 
 One evening, upon a large, upper veranda, 
 
 270 
 
we, in company with many guests from differ 
 ent countries, listened to him with great interest 
 and pleasure. The veranda was entirely open, 
 save a railing of white, covered with vines and 
 flowers; it was, in fact, an open conservatory 
 fitted up with easy chairs and lounges. Our 
 host sat, in the center upon a divan, not 
 reclining in a restful, Oriental posture, but 
 erect, with military bearing and stalwart grace 
 a man of kingly presence, with flashing eyes, 
 noble brow, great sweetness and tenderness of 
 expression. One of the most sublime of mortals, 
 he was at that time one of the most exalted in 
 spirit world. Clustered around, we men and 
 women more real than on earth each as dis 
 tinctly individual, and perfect of his or her 
 type, sat in groups, or stood looking at the 
 charming scene outspread below. 
 
 Thyrza and I were in easy chairs near Gua- 
 tama, more interested in him than aught else. 
 Next to Thyrza was his soul-mate, a being of 
 splendid beauty and irresistable charm. Both 
 were in white, soft and filmy as cobwebs, with 
 flowers in hair and corsage. Glancing from 
 them to a marvelous brunette, with dewy brown 
 eyes of melting tenderness, thence to my mother 
 with her entrancing type, and to many others, 
 all equally lovely, I, as ever, could not get ac 
 customed to the different types of beauty, each 
 
 271 
 
perfect and flawless. 
 
 After discussing many topics of interest to 
 spirits on a high plane, one very recently de 
 tached, imbued still with many of the earth 
 ideas and opinions, remarked, 
 
 "Even yet I find myself often thinking that 
 I will have to leave this charming world, to 
 begin a new life on the earth, I find it so diffi 
 cult to banish that conception." 
 
 Guatama smiled pleasantly as he replied, 
 
 "Many years have passed since I was im 
 pressed with that theory, for that is in truth, 
 what it is. My material mind, like unto the 
 minds of all, was only ready to be impressed 
 with that which it could receive. As you prog 
 ress, you will see the absurdity of reincarnation, 
 and realize the truth that after attaining to the 
 consciousness of a child of God, as a personal 
 spirit, not mortal, a personal spirit, that spirit 
 personality and body is as eternal and imperish 
 able as is the Great Father, in whose image you 
 are made, and absolutely immune to change and 
 destruction." 
 
 "Does it not seem reasonable that we must 
 return to advance from primitive man up to 
 spirit on that plane?" 
 
 "To human reason, to mortal material mind, 
 yes, but not even to spirit, when impressed cor 
 rectly on mortal plane. Owing to the prevail- 
 
 272 
 
ing materialism of the time, not one, as yet, im 
 pressed with the truth of God Omnipotent, ma 
 terial minds filled with the reincarnation of ani 
 mal up to primitive man, I was decreed to give 
 as I did. It was the pabulum capable of being 
 assimilated by minds on that plane, as today, it 
 is accepted by those not yet fitted to receive the 
 higher. No one, at that period, cognized the 
 fact that all was and is impressd all knowledge, 
 every impression received by animals and 
 man, has come from the spirit on spirit plane, 
 and very few on earth to-day grasp the fact 
 that all was and is impressed, so much and no 
 more, by the Angels in charge. All are im 
 pressed and receive that which is decreed essen 
 tial for them on mortal plane. On spirit all of 
 the spirits of primitive man advanced and were 
 on a higher plane than the highest on earth to 
 day, and did not have to return to acquire know 
 ledge or perfect character, since all of God s 
 children are like unto Him, pure and holy." 
 
 "I know these truths, of course, but I pre 
 sume it will take time to forget the erroneous 
 earth conceptions." 
 
 "If a spirit child of God, prior to being re 
 incarnated, in a Heaven body of inferior form, 
 living in the Heaven, where one develops 
 mentally, morally, spiritually, why return to the 
 animal plane, subject to animal limitations? 
 
 273 
 
Unless impressed by the spirit or from the 
 spirit spheres no spirit, or mortal can advance 
 on mortal plane, or learn from those on the 
 same plane as themselves. This is the real life 
 all progress here. The different planes of ad 
 vancement on earth are not due to the real spirit 
 but to the difference between the material in 
 struments, not built by them, but by those called 
 the Lord s of the Creative Hierarchies, who give 
 each child the brain and body requisite for the 
 necessary discipline, that, after acquiring the 
 necessary qualities from monad to self-conscious 
 spirit, but a little remains, to be developed, that 
 the majority require none; whereas, those who 
 do receive it in one attachment, not reincarna 
 tion, to a mortal body. 
 
 "If spirit impresses evil, spirit must be evil; 
 then how can mortal grow? From whence de 
 velop the spirit attributes necessary for all prog 
 ression? Even those capable of reasoning, on 
 mortal plane, when material mind is not clouded 
 nor magnetized by the prevailing thought, grasp 
 these things, realizing that an Omnipotent 
 Power is all powerful, and that so-called evil is 
 permitted to give discipline, to some of God s 
 children, for certain purposes acquired by them 
 not living on mortal plane, but merely animat 
 ing mortal bodies for certain periods. I am sure 
 none of the liberated retain any incorrect im- 
 
 274 
 
pressions, after spirit memory returns, and but 
 few of the correctly impressed upon mortal 
 plane. All religious beliefs and philosophies do 
 the work decreed by God and are suited to the 
 various planes of development." He ceased 
 with a few more remarks suited but to the lib 
 erated spirits comprehension. 
 
 The emancipated theosophist replied rever 
 ently: 
 
 "Naturally, ere my awakening when de 
 tached, I grasped many of these things, but I 
 have spent a long period on the mortal plane of 
 consciousness, and I often recall many of my for 
 mer opinions and beliefs, even though knowing 
 the truth." 
 
 The great Angel answered with even greater 
 reverence: 
 
 "Our Father is Omnipotent, whatsoever He 
 will is right; all believe as He desires, all are 
 advancing as He deems best among all races and 
 nations. The higher advanced, the more 
 humble, the more ready to acknowledge His 
 Supremacy, to say, Thy will, not mine, be done/ 
 Therefore none can have regret in the light of 
 the spirit for all know all is as He wills." 
 
 All faces turned to the great Angel, and all 
 bowed in silent homage to the dear, loving 
 tather, ever present, though not always seen; 
 ever connected to His children by numberless 
 
 275 
 
vibrations. 
 
 We accompanied Buddha to the temple 
 which was crowded with spirits who had come 
 to listen to him. It was a scene of singular splen 
 dor, a vast circular apartment, encircled by an 
 open gallery, supported by immense columns, 
 *vhich extended to the vast dome, ablaze with 
 light. Between the columns were great urns of 
 ilowers. In the center was a small platform 
 which Guatama ascended. From our seats, di 
 rectly in front of him, we could see the terraces 
 in the rear, the lake and the boulevard on the 
 edge of the mountains, below the park, illumin 
 ated, almost as clearly as day, by great lights of 
 wondrous beauty surmounting every pillar and 
 post of the boulevard, here and there in the giant 
 trees, and on the domes, turrets and spires of the 
 amphitheaters, temples and pleasure places 
 below. 
 
 From the enchantment of without, we turned 
 to Guatama, who gazed with tenderness upon all 
 the beauteous beings eagerly awaiting. How in 
 significant appeared all the charms without to 
 the perfect forms of beauty, the highest types of 
 all spirit expressions of beauty, God s children. 
 As I have said before, words are inadequate to 
 portray the glory and luster of the eyes, the 
 sheen and luxuriance of the hair, the purity and 
 satiny texture of the flawless skin, the length of 
 
 276 
 
the eyelashes, the perfect shape of the brows, the 
 exquisite contour and curve of face and form, 
 the perfection of features, the ever varying 
 charm of expression, the divine radiance of all, 
 and yet everyone distinctly unlike all the rest. 
 Verily, I thought how blessed, to claim kinship 
 with such beings, to be one among them, and 
 again my soul bowed in homage to our Father. 
 
 A deep, wonderfully penetrating and musi 
 cal voice aroused me, and I fastened my gaze 
 upon Guatama, who grand and tall, stood under 
 neath the sparkling chandelier, about to begin 
 his lecture. 
 
 "Brethren and sisters, again I come with re 
 newed pleasure to take you with me to the home 
 of our Father, if for but a few fleeting moments, 
 to impress upon your souls the certainty of the 
 greater love, peace and glory awaiting you in 
 your last, eternal home. Although you have 
 visited many scenes of Celectial beauty, in 
 t isions, and have seen correct representations in 
 the sky, these are necessarily, imperfect and lim 
 ited. When you consider the trillions of spiritual 
 worlds through which you must yet pass, to par 
 take of the diversified knowledge of each world, 
 you can readily perceive how many aeons will 
 have to elapse ere you are ready for the Celestial 
 home. As you all know I have advanced rapid 
 ly, and have spent much of my time in the dif- 
 
 277 
 
ferent worlds, fitting myself for the destiny m 
 store for me. Were it not that much of this 
 knowledge is similar to our own world, it would 
 have taken me very much longer, as it is- but a 
 short while since my detachment. I am, at last, 
 prepared, and will, in the near future, depart 
 to continue my sphere of activity nigher to the 
 Father, in one of the worlds of the great Celes 
 tial Kingdom. 
 
 The Celestial Kingdom is in all respects and 
 essentials infinitely greater and more sublime 
 than the spiritual worlds (which have been 
 formed by God Omnipotent, in conjunction with 
 the material solely as birth-places and prepara 
 tory schools), and has existed, like God Omni 
 potent and His greatest administrative Angels, 
 from time immemorial, with neither beginning 
 nor end. 
 
 All outside the Celestial Universes have been 
 created by God Omnipotent, and altho you have 
 seen but a glimpse behind the curtain of God s 
 immensity, you have more than a faint concep 
 tion of the inconceivable grandeur of the innu 
 merable universes comprised within the Celes 
 tial Kingdom, therefore, dear brethren and sis 
 ters, I can, with truth, say, I am just emerged, 
 in comparison, from a kindergarten, and am 
 about to begin life with but the ignorance and 
 inexperience of a little child. You, many among 
 
 278 
 
you, but lately emancipated from the thralldom 
 of material limitations, amazed at the wonders 
 and glories of the spiritual worlds, can, as yet 
 form but vague, imperfect conceptions of the 
 greater life to come. As on mortal plane we 
 were gradually prepared by the great Angels in 
 charge, so are we all being slowly trained and 
 disciplined for the grander, more glorious awak- 
 einng to the ever greater and higher truths be 
 yond, yet to be grasped. As spirits, you realize 
 that continual progression, not going in a circle, 
 progressing and retrogressing, but continually 
 advancing, is the greatest law ever in operation 
 throughout all space, all worlds in existence, 
 among all forms of life, from amoeba to Celes 
 tial Angel ; therefore, there is and must be im 
 measurable space, countless Celestial worlds, 
 and illimitable knowledge. Unexplored space 
 ever to be traversed, ever to be explored worlds, 
 and ever new knowledge to be acquired. 
 
 As spirits you know there is no such thing as 
 retrogression. Mortal worlds and mortal plane 
 of consciousness are subject to the illusion of re 
 trogression permitted for good reasons, but even 
 on that plane, the thinker realizes that, altho an 
 individual or a nation may apparently retro 
 grade, the great majority are ever on the up 
 ward march. Impressed by the spirit spheres, 
 all advance as decreed, retrograde or remain at 
 
 279 
 
a standstill on that plane, but progression, eter 
 nal progression is the birth-right of all God s 
 children, my destiny, your destiny, and the des 
 tiny of the lowest forms of life. 
 
 Ere I leave you, I wish to give you one more 
 glimpse behind the curtain, a forecast of the 
 glory yet to be thine. Some of you have visited 
 other spirit worlds, riot unknown to you are the 
 enchanting beauties ever unfolding on the num 
 berless routes, the endless chain of aerial roads 
 leading to those distant; not so distant in a sense, 
 yet, in another, comprehended solely by the lib 
 erated spirit, mighty worlds, some much larger 
 and superior to ours, and can, therefore, form 
 clearer conceptions, more vivid pictures than 
 those just detached. For the benefit of the lat 
 ter, I bid all to ascend with me into the vast 
 empyrean. We take that route, "indicating 
 with a glance of the eye, a great aerial road 
 thronged with flying spirits," and we shall fly 
 the swiftest mode of travel, and, to the spirit, 
 ever renewed with strength, vigor and bouyancy. 
 the most enjoyable of all. 
 
 "Altho we have different lines of aerial craft 
 connecting us with many worlds, we, as we wish 
 to enter, permitted me several times, the Celes 
 tial Kingdom, and reach there as speedily as pos 
 sible, shall not avail ourselves of any of these. 
 Not with wings, not on pinions, but naturally as 
 
 280 
 
all spirits, we find ourselves among that great 
 hurrying multitude seeking the various worlds. 
 "As we have mighty distances to traverse, our 
 destination the country of far distances, we adopt 
 the greatest speed, we fly with the celerity of the 
 greatest cyclone known on mortal plane. Ye, 
 who are familiar with that which makes all mo 
 tion in the atmosphere, that which creates and 
 keeps motion ever in operation, know the bliss, 
 the effable joy of that exquisite sensation, car 
 essed by the tiny forms of life, held in place by 
 them, buoyed up and propelled by their resist 
 less currents guiding and forcing ye onward, ye 
 know, with the knowledge unknown on mortal 
 plane. On, on, higher and higher, till even 
 with spirit sight, far superior to the eagle, all 
 save the vast concourse, thronging the different 
 routes, are faded from view." 
 
 "Ah, the ecstacy of that flight accompanied by 
 the hosts of the Lord, the hosts becoming more 
 and more numerous as we speed on, coming from 
 all directions from worlds afar and anear to 
 join the mightiest concourse of all, that en route 
 for the Celestial Kingdom, our own brothers and 
 sisters, brought forth as we, from the lowest, now 
 on the first plane of Celestial development, 
 fitted to be admitted to that wisdom and power, 
 which alone can make us realize in its fullest, 
 most complete sense, life and live." 
 
 281 
 
"Our route lies through that called the 
 "Milky Way," past stars of the first magnitude, 
 mighty sums, with their planets and satelliles 
 seemingly in the distance, whirling and revolv 
 ing throughout space, but, as we approach, 
 borne up on the waves of the tumultous atmos 
 pheric ocean, apepar as placid and tranquil as 
 the world we have just left, many similar in to 
 pography and of varying size. Bathed in the 
 golden glory of suns, exilarated by the power of 
 their rays, to spirit but pleasantly warm, we 
 whirl bye." 
 
 "On, on, the vast concourse, the mighty host 
 break into song, and an outpouring of melody, 
 from the most musical of all instruments God s 
 children wells up from every throat, vibrates 
 through the atmosphere in perfect harmony, 
 making the music of the spheres so dimly sensed 
 by the great composers of mortal plane, and only 
 heard by those en route to the Eternal Home. 
 
 The sublimity, the unparalleled grandeur of 
 the mighty suns, forming the most beautiful at 
 mospheric effects, the wondrous circles of 
 beauty, perfect arches of variegated colors, the 
 ocean of vapor every varying, showing behind 
 and between the great suns and their satellites 
 seen from the distance is impressively enchant 
 ing and affords us great enjoyment. But we 
 speed on with ever renewed vigor and bouyancy, 
 
 282 
 
exulting to the greatest pitch, and like all God s 
 Celestial Angels, immune to all that can hinder 
 or restrict. Altho we have mighty distances to 
 travel, altho we can stop over and rest at any of 
 the various worlds, as we flit by, as we are fit 
 to enter the Celestial Kingdom, we are sustained 
 by the continual influx, getting more and more 
 potent as we near the spheres of our Father. Ye 
 all know we are in reality sustained from the in 
 flux from our Father, the ceaseless vibrations 
 from Him, as well as by the life sustaining 
 forces of water and the atmosphere more indi 
 rectly from Him, and so do not actually require 
 food, the pleasure of taste, mainly one of pleas 
 ure, and not absolutely essential ; therefore, tho 
 our road is long, we are not troubled by craving 
 for food or rest. You, familiar with the reali 
 ties of time and space, know it takes us but an 
 incredibly short time, in comparison with that 
 cognized on mortal plane." 
 
 "With prayer, with song, we fly on. Too 
 swift our speed for converse, but not too swift 
 to permit us to see the wonderful works of the 
 Almighty Father. What is time? What is 
 space to the freed spirit, especially to the Celes 
 tial Angel? These, to the mortal plane, abstruse 
 problems are divested of all mystery, and re 
 vealed by the higher knowledge, understood per 
 fectly." 
 
 283 
 
"Greater suns, greater worlds, more and more 
 dazzlingly beautiful atmospheric effects, greater 
 circles of more marvelous beauty, greater arches 
 of wondrous hue and tone, unfolding novel 
 beauties, ever and constantly multiplying, en 
 compass us as we near the uninhabited distances 
 between our spiritual worlds and the Celestial 
 Kingdom." 
 
 u Soon we leave all behind, and are surround 
 ed by naught but the great aerial ocean. No signs 
 of life visible, but one road, almost too far to 
 be distinctly seen, thronged with Angels coming 
 from the Celestial Kingdom on their way to 
 various spiritual worlds. Ere long we lose sight 
 of them, and see naught but the ever changing 
 billows and waves of the atmosphere. Ah, the 
 power of Angels, no suns to give light, far, far 
 behind are mighty suns, none of their rays reach 
 us here in the heart of this the most alluring of 
 all oceans, still light of delicate, exquisite tones 
 anable us to see as far as spirit sight can reach. 
 Whence comes light? What is light? Another 
 problem known to the Celestial Angel Onward 
 onward, bathed in the quivering, vibrating, ever- 
 changing light we fly, and again break into 
 song, chanting a Te Deum. 
 
 "Voice upon voice of infinite range and com 
 pass, combined with sweetness and melody unim 
 aginable if never heard, join in until the mil- 
 
 284 
 
lions of voices unite in one great voice of un 
 paralleled range and harmony, and, rising in tri 
 umphant exultation one moment, anon falling 
 to softest cadences of love and tenderness, vibrat 
 ing throughout the profound stillness of the 
 quiesent spheres, until, it seems as tho the very 
 heart and soul of music is personified in one 
 supreme being, so perfect is the unison of soul. 
 
 Ah, now we begin to perceive from whence 
 comes the idea of all uniting in one, the dimly 
 perceived, imperfectly impressed truth of all, so 
 in harmony, so in accord as to appear like unto 
 one, but never, never to lose individual con 
 sciousness, as in a way, I believed on mortal 
 plane. 
 
 "From deep and sonorous chanting to the 
 heights of sound unparalleled, we gradually, 
 one by one, grow silent as we notice coming in 
 sight a world, not whirling, revolving, as all 
 world s had seemed in the distance, but seeming 
 ly motionless. We note its gigantic, collossal 
 proportions, and its marvelous halo of circles of 
 gold, white and azure encircling it. As we get 
 nearer and nearer, its sublime grandeur and 
 beauties excelling aught we have ever imagined, 
 become more apparent, and soon, farther be 
 yond, systems and clusters of other worlds ap 
 pear. Motionless, like birds suspending their 
 flight, we gaze upon one of the universes of the 
 
 285 
 
Celestial Kingdom unfolding before us. Words 
 are inadequate to portray the stupendous glory 
 and splendor of the worlds, one by one, coming 
 into view, but, which, as we near our world 
 our destination begin to appear to us as the 
 other spiritual worlds do to us here. 
 
 "We continue our flight, over mountain 
 ranges, to which the most lofty of our spirit 
 worlds look like ant-hills. Now we see the vast 
 ocean, how marvelous to note it embracing the 
 atmosphere, and yet keeping rigidly aloof, not 
 allowing one of its tiny drops to mingle with it. 
 How well each little life organism comprehends 
 its mission, and how mighty that Power which 
 rules all. Now rivers, inland seas, and lakes of 
 wondrous size and beauty, in harmony, in pro 
 portion to the gigantic size of the world, altho 
 here and there we see small ones, amongst moun 
 tains and hills, and marvelous forests. 
 
 "Scenes of peerless loveliness vie with each 
 other in charm and allurement. As we approach, 
 we see a city, one of the Celestial ones dreamed 
 of, hoped for, never to be seen or ever correctly 
 hnagind, until with the eyes of the Celestial 
 Angel, we can grasp and comprehend its beau 
 ties. The greatest detached cities in our spirit 
 world, appear fairy-like in comparison. Lakes 
 rivers, falls, cascades, valleys, glens, parks in 
 numerable, here and there, give diversity. From 
 
 286 
 
the ocean, with a very wide beach of lustrous, 
 golden sand, thence over a wide plain, rolling 
 hills, up to the heights of a sublimely beautiful 
 mountain range, thence down on the other side 
 into a valley, over hills and more mountains, and 
 the city ends, covering a distance of several 
 hundred miles. We approach on an aerial route. 
 We see immense aerial and great roads thronged 
 with Angels. Our host diverges, each selecting 
 the line or road leading to their destination in 
 other worlds or to different sections in this. 
 
 We, in company with many, alight on an im 
 mense aerial depot, and all gather to look upon 
 the sublime spectacle. It is early morning, this 
 huge world seems to have many sums. Over a 
 lofty chain of mountains, we see six of great size 
 and splendor, encircled with rings of delicate 
 shades. Between the great circles, the aerial 
 ocean of softest azure, through which sparkle 
 countless worlds, emitting streamers and shafts 
 of silvery sheen, giving the delicate azure a glow 
 indescribably beautiful. Lingeringly w r e turn 
 from it to the sea, and tho, familiar with beauty, 
 are almost overwhelmed with awe. We have 
 thought our seas and oceans beyond compare, but 
 this one, pre-eminently splendid, surpasses be 
 yond expression all others beheld before. Vain, 
 vain to portray in speech its transcendant beauty. 
 Far as sight can reach, to where the great oceans 
 
 287 
 
of water and air meet, we see a vast expanse of 
 gently undulating water. It is, at the present 
 time, for it is constantly changing, of a pale 
 azure, and this changes again into hues and 
 shades of all colors. No great craft marrs the 
 beauty or obstructs the view, altho we see, on 
 cither side, of the great city, which fronts the sea, 
 a snowy gleam here and there of a sail. 
 
 "Slowly we turn from the sea, then gaze with 
 removed rapture upon the city. It is of golden 
 hue, formed of a substance superior to topaz, 
 although somewhat like it. All buildings re 
 flect, through the pale gold, the countless tints 
 of the sky, and are here and there, decorated with 
 delicate ferns, vines and flowers. No color 
 but the pale gold, the reflected tints, and flow 
 ers of various colors in the different sections and 
 parks, to insure the perfect harmony ever visi 
 ble in Celestial spheres. Great esplanades and 
 boulevards, hundreds of feet in width, with 
 park in the center, encircle the city. Upon 
 these boulevards are palaces, in extensive 
 grounds, of prodigious size, and supernal glory. 
 In the heart of the city, surrounded by the in 
 nermost circle are the great administrative 
 buildings, situated upon an immense lake, con 
 nected with the boulevard by bridges of ex 
 quisite topaz twined with vines and flowers. 
 Here and there, we note small lakes and rivers 
 
 288 
 
in the various private grounds and parks. On 
 one side of the city, a mighty river, which 
 would dwarf our greatest, and make them ap 
 pear fit for a pigmy race. 
 
 All is on a mammoth scale to harmonize 
 with this world and city, some buildings 
 cover acres in extent, and are of sublime archi 
 tecture, with spires and domes rising hundreds 
 of feet above the buildings. We see from 
 whence comes our impressions of the beauties 
 and glories of our spirit world. Here, on the 
 outermost ridge of the Celestial Kingdom, the 
 first world for the newly admitted Celestial 
 Angel, we are dazzled, and yet how many, many 
 more ere we can enter the center, the greatest, 
 the highest where our Father dwells, and thence 
 continue ever and even advancing through the 
 countless worlds encircling it. 
 
 When we see our Father, in our world, in 
 His simplicity, not to dazzle His children, be 
 fore able to stand His Glory, how little we real 
 ize His Omnipotence. As we advance, we 
 begin to perceive and comprehend the soul 
 gifts given by Him, and, more and more feel 
 our Divine heritage, and though the beauty and 
 glory at first dazzle and awe, within our souls, 
 we know, we claim it as our own, and accept 
 each new change as ours by right of child of 
 God. Is there, can there be a more glorious 
 
 289 
 
heritage, than that which unites you to the 
 Creator, and makes you a part of the great 
 creative system, forever creating and forever 
 advancing. Here Buddha continued with a 
 few remarks fitted only for the liberated spirit s 
 comprehension, and then resumed, "Now we 
 return to our Golden City, and as I have a 
 home already prepared, we shall visit it ere re 
 turning, to give you some idea of the glory and 
 power yet to be thine. Therefore, let us take 
 one more glance at sky, sea and city ere float 
 ing to it. Glorious, indeed, are Thy works, 
 Oh, my Father. Reverently let us bow the head 
 and waft a vibration of love and gratitude in 
 return for our countless blessings. 
 
 "Look at that lofty mountain bordering the 
 sea, thitherwards we wend our flight, not now 
 with the celerity of a cyclone, but slowly to 
 note the many points of interest. Over the 
 great center, saw ye ever such buildings, such 
 splendid temples, such colossal columns of 
 wondrous beauty? Note that portal, its gigan 
 tic size, its peerless loveliness, and there, that 
 vast court open to the sky. Did ye ever dream 
 of such? In an ascending scale, closer to the 
 soul, the essence of beauty we are progressing. 
 
 "Ever greater beauty, greater marvels as 
 onward we go. Note the water of the lake, 
 the etherial delicacy of the bridges, both water 
 
 290 
 
and topaz shimmering and reflecting tints of 
 the sky. See that opera house, it covers many 
 acres and seats thousands, observe the per 
 fect symmetry, the chaste simplicity of its de 
 sign, the extreme beauty and fragility of the 
 many flowers, and note how beautifully the pale 
 gold, of the same substance as the buildings, 
 the streets and pavement harmonize with the 
 exquisite emerald of the lawns and parks. 
 
 "Look at the Angels, not too angelic to be 
 human, only our own a trifle more advanced, 
 floating here and there, and the millions, on 
 pleasure and business bent, thronging beach, 
 esplanades and boulevards. We are but a few 
 seconds in coming to my home, but saw ye ever 
 such a one? It is located upon the boulevard 
 which faces the sea, and comprises many acres. 
 The palace alone covers several acres. Ah, yes, 
 we have pleasures undreamed of, even in spirit 
 worlds here, and need ample space. Although 
 we can exercise taste as we wish, as our ideals 
 of beauty advance, naturally we seek to put 
 them into effect, to give them life and form. 
 Thus, in this home, I have embodied many of 
 mine, ever felt but suppressed on mortal plane 
 in my ignorance, that beauty one of the great 
 est gifts of our Father, is to be cultivated and 
 perfected in all ways. 
 
 "Not in lone wilderness, isolated places, far 
 
 291 
 
from the haunt of men ,is obtained even on 
 earth, the best discipline, but, nearer to God, 
 in the centers of population where His chil 
 dren dwell, the jgreatest expression of His 
 divinity, no matter how imperfectly impressed. 
 
 "That which is called nature, with its peace 
 and quiesence is essential, to bring the soul 
 in closer communion, for a limited period, but 
 a prolonged one benefits none, and prevents one 
 trom higher development in helping the lowest 
 as well as the highest of His creatures. Hence, 
 had it not been so willed, or rather permitted, 
 a distinction comprehended by advanced 
 spirits, I, instead of suppressing the ideals of 
 beauty clamoring to be expressed, would have 
 expressed many of them as I have in this home. 
 Pray observe the elaborate yet simple design, 
 selected from the most beautiful, and harmon 
 iously blended. Note that lofty dome in the 
 center, and that exquisite portal in front, now 
 the open gallery on this side leading to the 
 great central court, on the opposite side another, 
 leading to a smaller court. From the great 
 central court inside, a closed gallery in the rear 
 leads to a temple, a chapel of great size, an 
 other gallery in front to magnificent reception 
 rooms, on either side of the great portal. 
 
 "Look at that noble flight of steps, the splen 
 dor of the columns, the peerless beauty of the 
 
 292 
 
substance. Ere we descend, glance at the 
 icar, observe the great portals above and below, 
 and how the wings extended beyond the 
 main building on both sides, giving one 
 a view of the front, and all the coun 
 try within a radius of hundreds of earth miles. 
 Although this home of mine cover so large an 
 area, and, is, in fact, several buildings in one, 
 all are so harmoniously united as to give the 
 effect of but one. 
 
 "Now we alight. Before entering let us go 
 to the boulevard edging the mountain, and fac 
 ing the palace, where we can obtain a good view 
 of it. Note its foundation, the superb pedestal 
 on which it rests, and the many grand flights of 
 stairs in the front and on the sides. See the 
 intricate beauty of the columns in front, and on 
 the wings, jutting out from the main structure. 
 Note the gallery on either side, in conformity 
 with the open corridor of the front, with the 
 difference nothing obstructs the view of the won 
 drous sea in front, while the columns of the 
 wings are covered with vines and flowers up 
 to the roof. 
 
 "It is a home fit for a child of God, such as 
 ye all are and destined to have. Now the 
 grounds, look at the main entrance, an immense 
 pillar capped with superb flowers, then a tree 
 of faultless grace and beauty, and so on up to 
 
 293 
 
the front steps, on each side a statue of two of 
 the most exalted Celestial Angels, mounted on 
 pedestals to conform with the size of the build 
 ing. Look at that lake, on the right side, and 
 observe. Ah, you are all looking at it that 
 magnificent statue of our Father, upon that isle 
 in the center. Our Father, not to us, as we 
 advance God Omnipotent, but our Father, our 
 greatly beloved Father. Again send we a 
 greeting ere we proceed to Him from whom 
 all our blessings come. Saw ye ever such 
 beauty, not even in spiritual world have ye seen 
 that substance, nor yet attained to that perfec 
 tion of art. Now glance to the left at another 
 twin lake, in the center, another magnificent 
 statue of one who shall be nameless," again he 
 stated a truth fit simply for the awakened, ere 
 he continued, 
 
 "That one who is nameless, almost as dearly 
 beloved by the Celestial Angels as our great 
 Father. Saw ye ever such hallowed Divinity 
 of expression, and goodness. Naught else but 
 the great lawns, the flowers bordering lakes, 
 v/alks, boulevards in the front and on each side, 
 here and there a tree with seats, statues and foun 
 tain. But, see, on this side the wonderful gar 
 dens with an occasional building, far excelling 
 the Taj, devoted, not to tombs, but pleasure and 
 joy. Note the happy throngs congregated, 
 
 294 
 
eager for my arrival, brothers and sisters all. 
 Now to the rear, almost similar, to the front, 
 save instead of two, there is one large lake rilled 
 with small pleasure craft. There, a little dis 
 tance beyond, is where I shall often spend many 
 pleasant hours, a small wilderness with mighty 
 trees, mammoth rocks from whence issue cas 
 cades and a small rippling brook, and animals 
 of various kinds, which, like all in the Celestial 
 Kingdoms, save the spirit children, have existed 
 from time immemorial. As ye are all familiar 
 with the animals of the Celestial Kingdom, I 
 shall not dwell upon them," again truths com 
 prehensible but to the awakened, were given. 
 
 "Now we enter the open gallery on this side, 
 which leads to the central court covered by the 
 mammoth dome. In the center of the dome, 
 an immense picture, a landscape surrounded by 
 pillars extending to the third story, from the 
 corridor encircling it, above the third story to 
 the dome, walls corresponding to it, with pic 
 tures of beauty. In the center of the court, 
 which is an enclosed garden, is a large pond 
 filled with fish and surrounded by trees and 
 flowers, in which are birds of exquisite plum 
 age. We linger for a few seconds and pro 
 ceed to the temple, my hall of learning, where 
 I shall not teach as here, but where will come 
 
 295 
 
many from the higher planes to instruct me, 
 and those visiting me. 
 
 In this sphere, learned though I am pre 
 sumed to be in our spirit world, I am but a 
 novice, and must be taught, even as a little 
 child, hence, in all homes in this world are 
 similar temples. Wherever we chance to be 
 visiting, we are instructed, and as Celestial 
 Angels are very sociable, and every home, more 
 or less, filled, such places, as well as numerous 
 guest chambers and reception rooms are indis 
 pensable. Not only have we great institutions 
 of learning, but every home has its own especial 
 temple and chapel, suitable for a patriarchal 
 style of living. Note ye not the many here, 
 many of my own who have proceeded me, my 
 own earth progenitors. Here is my temple, 
 lofty, grand imposing, yet chastely beautiful. 
 Observe how wonderfully the ceiling is paint 
 ed and the columns, marvelously decorated, the 
 harmony everywhere evinced, and now to the 
 chapel, where we love to assemble and offer 
 in company, our homage and love to our Father. 
 As white and spotless as the soul we are striving 
 to emulate, with dome of glittering crystals and 
 walls of lustrous white. No altar here, no 
 one to preach, all equal, all kneel, soul to soul, 
 and send upon vibrations love and greetings 
 and receive the same in return. 
 
 296 
 
"Now to the banqueting halls and dining 
 rooms. This is a large establishment, and 
 will number its guests by the hundreds, hence 
 this banquet hall, several hundred feet in width 
 and breadth, and adorned and embellished to 
 give pleasure to all, and, hence these numerous 
 smaller breakfast and dining rooms, finished 
 and furnished in faultless taste. Now to the 
 great reception rooms, embracing all the front, 
 a series of vast apartments, comprising libraries, 
 reception rooms, music rooms, and others devot 
 ed to various amusements. Now we ascend to 
 two floors devoted to guest chambers, no less 
 than a hundred or more suites, with bath and 
 every convenience on each floor, above, ball 
 room and theatre. 
 
 You perceive this home is on a scale 
 and of a size suited to a child of God. 
 While in the spirit world there are a few of 
 equal size, there can be none to equal this, for 
 this is of a higher development of beauty, un 
 known there and upon mortal plane. Unpar 
 alleled as this beauty and splendor is in spirit 
 ual worlds it is but the beginning of the Celes 
 tial, which gradually develops, ever and ever 
 on an ascending scale, the perfect ideals i n- 
 herent in all God s children, until they cul 
 minate in God s own Home in perfection, but 
 although these ideals end in perfection, wisdom 
 
 297 
 
continually unfolds throughout illimitable time 
 and space. 
 
 "Ere we leave, let us take a glance into the 
 semi-basement in the rear of the house. The 
 pedestal, foundation, does not extend beyond 
 the wings, thus giving to the culinary depart 
 ment light and air, as essential in Celestial as 
 spiritual spheres. We enter from the side of 
 the lower portice, a paved gallery of white, 
 which connects with the large middle hall, also 
 of white, lustrous substance superior to marble. 
 On one side, the hall opens, or rather extends 
 into a court with flowers, fountains and statues 
 as beautiful as the ones above, in the center of 
 it a large pool, in the floor, encircled by flow 
 ers, beyond many reception rooms and cham 
 bers. All on this side is devoted to the auto 
 mata, who in Celestial spheres are endowed 
 with greater capacity for pleasure, but no 
 greater intelligence. On the left, we enter the 
 large kitchens, see the large staff of automata, 
 (many relatives and guests are preparing for 
 me.) 
 
 Look in here at these contrivances to lift 
 up tables fully set if required, served so, and 
 at these many dumb waiters connecting over 
 head. Everything is spotless white even to the 
 attire of the automata. In this great pantry, 
 see the countless buttons for turning on various 
 
 298 
 
beverages, see this subterranean passage, with 
 various snowy cars, connecting as we proceed, 
 with divers others, all snowy white, garlanded 
 with flowers, connecting this establishment with 
 the great culinary departments and vast store 
 houses where every thing is prepared, similar 
 to, although on a more perfected scale, than in 
 the spiritual worlds. Note these cars, equip 
 ped with conveniences for vessels of all kinds, 
 ready to be dispatched to the various places, 
 unaccompanied by automata, and returned with 
 all ordered, with the utmost dispatch. Now let 
 us ascend to the higher portice, and take a glance 
 at the sea. We take the stairs in the front gal 
 lery, and proceed to the front, and enter the 
 great portal. Look at this hall, its immense 
 proportions, the great stairs, in the center, 
 branching off to each side, of a substance sim 
 ilar to pearl, exquisitely lustrous. Ah, here we 
 are in the corridor above the central court, look 
 below upon that attractive scene once more, now 
 this gallery to the portice, now gaze upon the 
 entrancing spectacle of the city, and all around 
 its peerless glory and beauty, and ere we leave, 
 let us take another glance at the sea, and again 
 with awe, and with a voiceless prayer to our 
 loving Father, take a farewell glance of all the 
 alluring beauty. 
 
 "Brothers, sisters, now, with me, ye have 
 
 299 
 
visited my first Celestial home. Feebly have 
 I portrayed its manifold charms, those appeal 
 ing to our love of exterior beauty, far inferior 
 to the superior charms of the soul, the soul 
 which, as it advances, unfolds the greatest and 
 highest of all, the limitless love of the Father, 
 that love which in time so increases as to ren 
 der one entirely forgetful of self, conscious more 
 of others, and, in this sense, becomes as one 
 with the consciousness of all, hence, while each 
 personally, little by little loses all thought of 
 self, all concentrate their love upon others, and 
 thereby are infinitely more lovingly provided 
 for, than if they concentrate thought upon self 
 solely, in all soul gifts and spiritual attributes. 
 This is the law of the mortal plane, of the spirit 
 ual, and of the Celestial, there is no evading it, 
 all must advance until, that which I imperfectly 
 grasped on mortal plane to be reincarnation, 
 we become one with all consciousness in soul, 
 in unison with all, yet retain our personalities 
 as individual children of God." 
 
 300 
 
CHAPTER XVI 
 
 We spent a few days with the great prophet 
 Mohammed,w ho is a very advanced spirit. He, 
 at that time, was also sojourning in that city. 
 He had selected a very high peak upon which 
 was located a palace more sumptuous than any 
 he had ever imagined on earth plane, surround 
 ed by grounds which extended far down on 
 either side of the mountain affording him am 
 ple space to gratify his love of outdoors. They 
 were not at all like the houri-filled fascinating 
 ones he portrayed on mortal plane, although 
 more beautiful and infinitely more chaste and 
 truly spiritual. 
 
 One morning we met in a charming grove 
 on the side of the mountain overlooking the 
 city, where he had ordered breakfast to be 
 served. A dewy softness, a delicious fragrance 
 was in the air. Upon a velvety lawn, canopied 
 by superb trees, we gathered around a large 
 table, with our host at the head. The pale, 
 silver light of early dawn began to change into 
 crimson flame and golden glory, heralding the 
 rising of the great monarch of day, which soon 
 overspread all the sky with their brilliant colors, 
 slowly changing into paler shades of soft rose 
 
 301 
 
tinged with gold. On the outer edge, a great mass 
 of full blown flowers, (exquisite blossoms in 
 the center,) of still more delicate rose, these, 
 replaced by great streamers of deeper gold and 
 sapphire, again slowly changing into pearl and 
 amethyst. A greater glory, nearer, nearer 
 approached his majesty, shafts of scarlet and 
 firey gold imperiously banish all paler shades, 
 and he impressively, grandly salutes us with an 
 overwhelming effulgence of light and color, 
 leaving a benediction of rosy tones, bathing 
 lawn, trees, brook and beautiful faces with a 
 flush of beauty, ere proceeding to mount on 
 his dirunal journey. 
 
 Mohammed drew a slow breath of pleasure, 
 "What a fascinating sight, I never weary 
 of it." 
 
 He had a countenance of great charm and 
 divine power, and was like Buddha, of com 
 manding presence, and although not as far ad 
 vanced, still within gleam and sight of the 
 Celestial route. 
 
 "I practically live out of doors," he con 
 tinued, "You see I have this fitted up with all 
 comforts, and look over there at my study, and 
 there, at my resting place." The lustrous 
 expanse of lawn was furnished with tables, 
 chairs, couches next to the brook, on the other 
 side, in a sequestered sheltered nook overhung 
 
 302 
 
with feathery ferns and flowers, were desks and 
 bookcases filled with books, lounges and easy 
 chairs. 
 
 u This side of the mountain, I reserve 
 principally for study and reflection during the 
 early morning hours. I find inspiration in all 
 forms of outdoor life." 
 
 Thyrza remarked, 
 
 "Just as we do, we rarely stay indoors, un 
 less necessary. It is so much more beautiful 
 outside." 
 
 u And yet we have great beauty within, mar 
 vels of beauty and wonders of art which I never 
 tire of admiring," observed Mohammed s mate, 
 seated next to him, a beauty far excelling all 
 the houris he had ever dreamed of, and like 
 him on the verge of the Celestial Kingdom. 
 
 "I think I enjoy everything in our beautiful 
 homes, wherever we are, and must confess the 
 domestic ever has appealed to me. I love all 
 parts and departments of a home," said May. 
 
 "And so do I," my mother exclaimed. 
 
 Thyrza replied merrily, "Why so do I." 
 
 "Only the present beauty with you always 
 appeals more potently," said May. 
 
 "That is as it should be, the present enjoy to 
 the utmost, Mohammed replied. 
 
 "But I must confess I love some places 
 more than others, in fact," hesitatingly, "I love 
 
 303 
 
my home in England more than any. I love 
 It so much I fear it may keep me from pro 
 gressing." 
 
 Mohammed laughed heartily, 
 
 "Nothing can keep a child of God from 
 advancing, especially love of anything given by 
 Him to us. To appreciate and love that which 
 He gives us, can hinder no one from advancing." 
 
 "So long as one does not love these things 
 to the exclusion of the greater love of Him and 
 His children," my mother said, "which of 
 
 course we can not. ! 
 
 After breakfast, we repaired to an out door 
 temple open to the sky, where we listened to 
 Mohammed address many newly detached 
 Mohammedans, still imbued with reverence 
 for their great mortal prophet. He, among 
 many remarks fitted but .for tjhe understand 
 ing of the liberated, alluded to the erroneous 
 mortal conceptions. 
 
 "Not with regret or shame do I recall my 
 false, material views. Familiar as we all are 
 with mortal discipline, we know the truth of 
 mortal life, and that all reflect and are im 
 pressed with just as much as is necessary for 
 each individual discipline. I was but an instru 
 ment, I gave that which I was impelled to. 
 The detached spirit attaches no importance to 
 the petty differences of the various impressions 
 
 304 
 
of the mortal plane, while the illuminated of 
 that plane recognize the Omnipotence of God, 
 and know that all are the living children of 
 the One Living God. As mortal life amounts 
 to the limited schooling of a primary grade 
 not necessary for many for a very transitory 
 period, we know it to be put a plane of con 
 sciousness to acquire certain experiences for a 
 limited number, whose incorrectly impressed 
 beliefs and lack of development are counter 
 acted by the truths with which ever familiar in 
 the real life." 
 
 "And thank our Heavenly Father for it. 
 How terrible would be the state of the great 
 majority if their false conceptions were true." 
 
 "And were salvation and abodes of peace 
 but for a limited number, how absurd to think 
 that a God of love would create so many to be 
 uselessly tormented," Mohammed s soul-mate, 
 said. "Ah, how blessed we are to have a Father 
 of love and justice and not the impotent, un 
 loving one the ignorant, and credulous unde 
 veloped ones judge as themselves, not at all 
 higher or purer than their conceptions." 
 
 "The dammed would so far upset the equili 
 brium given by Swedenborg upon that plane, 
 as to draw all into the hells," Thyrza cried, 
 "Oh, how lovely to be free from these fallacies." 
 
 "How very few would be saved, according 
 
 305 
 
to the divers religions. Even the highest of 
 all, the Christian, accords salvation to none but 
 the redeemed. Those solely, no matter how 
 sinful, who accept the Lord Jesus Christ, 
 whether Catholic, Protestant, or that of the 
 more illuminated interpretation of the great 
 est of all Gospels, Swedenborganism and Chris 
 tian Science, all exclude the majority who are 
 perfectly irresponsible through inherited ail 
 ments, the millions who never heard of Lord 
 Jesus Christ in prehistoric and later time up to 
 the Christian era, and the majority comprising 
 the other religions, also who never heard, or 
 who, if hearing, have not the development to 
 comprehend, " Mohammend said. "We can see 
 how backward are all on the mortal plane, 
 when the highest of all, that claiming to 
 teach and promulgate the doctrine of love, has 
 so little conception of it, as to exclude many 
 from the presence of their Father, He whom 
 they claim to be Omnipotent, and yet make man 
 more potent, create evil out of good, and com 
 pletely ignore love. Christ said, Whoever 
 shall humble himself as this little child, the 
 same is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. 
 Take heed that ye despise not one of these 
 little ones, for I say unto you, that in Heaven 
 their Angels do always behold the Face of my 
 Father which is in Heaven, for the Son of man 
 
 306 
 
is come to save that which is lost, even so that 
 it is not the will of your Father that one of 
 these little ones shall perish. A new com 
 mandment give I unto you, that ye love one 
 another, bless them that curse you, forgive 
 seventy times seven. Thus God impressed 
 correctly the Lord Jesus Christ, but not im 
 pressed correctly those who ascribe to one on 
 that lofty plane the ungodly qualities of revenge 
 and bitterness, evinced in many of the words 
 never impressed by God. The mission of the 
 Lord Jesus Christ was to save the world from 
 delusions, to purify, to render them more amen 
 able to spirit control. And I will pray the 
 Father shall give you another comforter. In 
 reality meaning the spirit being able to im 
 press more correctly. But the Comforter, 
 which is the Holy Ghost which the Father 
 will send in my name, He shall teach ye 
 all things. The doctrine of love has re 
 mained since first given a sealed book to the 
 majority, parable and allegory interpreted ac 
 cording to the spiritual illumination. The 
 more correctly interpreted by those more 
 illumined by love, hence when Christ s doc 
 trine is rightly impressed and cognized, all the 
 spurious, unworthy qualities attributed to Him 
 by those on a lower plane, of an inferior nature, 
 will be eliminated, and the true Christ religion 
 
 307 
 
in time will be the invincible, immortal doc 
 trine of love, correctly impressed from this 
 plane, and will bring all races and nations into 
 the true conception ere the material world is 
 resolved back into its primal elements." 
 
 308 
 
CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 We were invited by an American of note, 
 Professor William James, of Harvard Univer 
 sity, shortly after his awakening, to hear Henry 
 Ward Beecher deliver an address upon "The de 
 velopment of consciousness." 
 
 We were visiting some friends of the Mor- 
 daunts, on a recent trip to America ; and were 
 staying at one of the great hotels, a palatial 
 edifice, located in the center of Central Park. 
 
 As on the mortal plane it is vacant, not 
 occupied and seldom visited by attached spirits, 
 it is patronized chiefly by the detached. Al 
 though grounds were filled, as on earth, with 
 attached spirits and their guides or tutors, they 
 were rarely crowded and beautiful in the ex 
 treme. 
 
 Prof. James, when we entered the reception 
 room grasped us eagerly by the hand. His fine 
 countenance radiated joy. 
 
 "You cannot conceive what an inestimable 
 blessing it is to be Home at last," he exclaimed, 
 "even yet I can scarcely realize the glorious 
 truth. To know, without doubt, that all, much 
 more beautiful than I believed on earth, is 
 
 309 
 
true, is indeed joy unspeakable, but," he added 
 ruefully, "I can not get in touch with the mor 
 tal plane as I would like. I cannot find one 
 psychic who can be impressed correctly. Vain 
 ly have I sought without satisfactory results. 
 1 now know why it is so difficult to obtain 
 reliable messages on earth. I would like to 
 comfort my dear ones, whilst they are on the 
 mortal plane and fulfill a promise I made to 
 several, but," brightening, "they all know the 
 truth, when detached by sleep, so I must be 
 patient until able to reach them." 
 
 "When the laws governing mediumship will 
 be known on earth," I replied, "it will be known 
 that only on spirit side are psychics developed, 
 and that but a limited number are permitted 
 or impressed to give material tests or aught 
 concerning material affairs, not because it inter 
 feres with material conditions, all are super 
 vised here, but because it would prevent that 
 which is necessary for those who learn or de 
 velop in this manner. Were they cognizant 
 of the truth, did they know the spirit life 
 is as it is, they would have to develop in some 
 other way, and, possibly, suffer more, hence, 
 ignorance for them is necessary. 
 
 "But," Thyrza interposed, "there is an ever 
 increasing class, who, having undergone the 
 necessary training in other ways are being de- 
 
 310 
 
levoped to be good instruments when the time 
 is ripe." 
 
 "Yes, I know the mistakes they make is due 
 to undeveloped brains and minds, filled with 
 their own misconceptions and opinions." 
 
 Thus conversing regarding the beliefs pecu 
 liar to the mortal plane, we descended, to the 
 esplanade, in front of the hotel, and, as it was 
 but a short distance to the Cathedral where Mr. 
 Beecher was to lecture, we decided to walk. 
 
 Central Park, on earth, is a very inferior 
 reflection of its spiritual counterpart. Every 
 attached spirit, statue, tree, shrub, bush, flower 
 and all animal life are perfect and indescrib 
 ably beautiful. Instead of the trees, etc., be 
 ing merely one shade of green, they are of 
 various tints and tones of one special or several 
 colors, harmoniously blended. The marvel 
 ous diversity of form and color, all graceful and 
 beautiful, the exquisite flowers, from fairy ones 
 of fragile loveliness to others of prodigous 
 size, on very large trees and bushes, often sev 
 eral birds, of brilliant plumage, emerging from 
 their chalices, are a source of extreme pleas 
 ure, especially to the new y detached. The 
 Professor exclaimed rapturously at every novel 
 feature. When he espied a statue of George 
 Washington, he cried with delight, 
 
 "The Father of our dear old earth coun- 
 
 311 
 
try! What a grand figure! How I wish, 
 whilst on earth, we could know how perfectly 
 natural and human is the spirit life. What a 
 blessing to know that we are ourselves, the 
 identical ones who lived on earth, that not 
 solely do we feel and think almost similarly, 
 but that we look a great deal as we did." 
 
 "Yes," Thyrza laughed merrily, "a blessed 
 relief to find we are not infantile cupids twang 
 ing harps or retrogressive globular forms or 
 heaven bodies, verily I think the perfected hu 
 man form infinitely superior." 
 
 "Very much better," I acquiesced, joining in 
 her mirth, "than a windbag of wisdom, seraphim 
 or cherubim." 
 
 The Cathedral, a mighty structure of ex 
 treme achitectural beauty appeared in sight. 
 It was of a lustrous white, with the exception 
 of the windows, spires and turrets which were 
 completely covered with vines and creepers of 
 variegated colors. Although the substance of 
 which it was constructed, from its transparency, 
 appeared as fragile and thin as spun glass, it 
 was as solid as marble. The magnificent main 
 entrance, great portals thrown open, was of 
 extreme beauty. The broad steps and balus 
 trade exquisitely carved. /All was much more 
 awe-inspiring than St. Peters; Majesty, power, 
 strength, glory and beauty incomparable evi- 
 
 312 
 
denced in all. It arose in towering grace, a 
 fit abode wherein, in truth, is enshrined, not our 
 hopes of immortality, as I wrote of St. Peter s, 
 but our hopes realized. 
 
 The exquisite perfume of countless flowers 
 and blossoms greeted us as we entered. The 
 interior was arranged very differently from any 
 of the earth cathedrals. Instead of aisles, were 
 groups of tables and chairs, arranged as in a 
 sumptuous salon or drawing room. The great 
 audience were already seated. The Professor 
 had a good view as we took our seats, directly 
 in front of a splendid platform. 
 
 I saw the Professor look with bated breath 
 and enraptured gaze upon the sublime beauty 
 and majesty of the assemblage. He was al 
 most overwhelmed. 
 
 "In my wildest dreams I never imagined 
 anything like this," he murmured. "I do not 
 believe the Celestial Kingdom can excel it." 
 But glancing above at the vast central dome, a 
 view in one of the Celestial cities, he remained 
 mute before the greater glory and beauty. 
 
 "You look rather handsome yourself," I 
 said, "and I assure you, you compare favorably 
 with the majority here." 
 
 "I know I look remarkably well, beauty 
 seems to be general, but, of course, there s a 
 difference in the radiance, the light, the ex- 
 
 313 
 
pression. Look at Beecher, how sublime he 
 looks!" 
 
 I had met Mr. Beecher several times and 
 esteemed him very highly, as did all who knew 
 him, not only for his great love of poor human 
 ity, bur for that which the mortal plane regards 
 as spiritual. You may smile thinking that all 
 possess the same gifts here. While it is true 
 that all receive all soul gifts on constant vibra 
 tions, they here, as on earth, express differently, 
 according to the development of their brains 
 and minds. While there are countless who 
 are farther advanced than Mr. Beecher, there 
 are countless more who are not as far advanced, 
 hence I was not surprised at the vast audience 
 eager to hear him. 
 
 I had been looking at our brother, who, be 
 fore ascending the rostrum had been conversing 
 with some friends. His type, even on spirit 
 side, is distinctly marked and individual. The 
 severity of his massive head and commanding 
 presence, is softened immeasurably by the glory 
 arid radiance of his expression and the splendor 
 of his eyes. I had been admiring his com 
 plete unconsciousness of self after he ascended 
 the platform, his entire absorption in the inner 
 communion, awaiting illumination. I feel the 
 query illumination from whom, from what? 
 From the Divine Mind, The Oversoul, The 
 
 314 
 
Absolute? How possible, unless from a 
 Supreme Conscious Being who directs all? No 
 one Being, regardless how Supreme, could be 
 in constant conscious communion with quad 
 rillions of different beings. The Divine Mind, 
 the Oversoul, the Absolute are not conscious 
 reasoning Beings, but merely expressions, used 
 by the unillumined, to designate the force 
 which emanates from God, the Father, the 
 Supreme Being. 
 
 The Force or Energy, put in operation by 
 Himself and greatest Angels, with which He 
 guides and directs all He, the Supreme, directs 
 the highest, these the next to them, and so on 
 to those in charge of the mortal plane, the low 
 est plane of all. 
 
 As electricity is beginning to connect the 
 earth the various force, from which electricity 
 radiates, connects all the Celestial and spiritual 
 worlds. Thus, from those directing his plane, the 
 great earth divine sought illumination. For a 
 moment he closed his eyes, then opening them to 
 their greatest extent, he, seemingly embraced 
 all with a searching, comprehensive gaze ere 
 he began to speak in a voice so delicately attuned 
 as to seem like softest melody. Genuinely 
 religious on earth when but imperfectly im 
 pressed although sometimes almost totally en 
 tranced, oblivious of all he said he is much 
 
 315 
 
more so in the real life, where true religion is 
 a religion of acts and not words. Mr. Beecher s 
 earth discipline demanded much mental suffer 
 ing, caused by a half-demented woman and her 
 husband, a very poor instrument for truth. No 
 one, correctly impressed, ever heeded the charges 
 made against him, which were only believed 
 by those capable of similar acts. Those in 
 capable, knowing how many innocent persons 
 have been misjudged and condemned through 
 perjured and circumstantial evidence intuitive 
 ly realized his innocence. 
 
 "Brothers and sisters, I am pleased to be 
 able to address you before I leave for my 
 home in the West, that West which is becom 
 ing so populated with attached spirits as to 
 render imperative the departure of many who 
 are not bound to it by the ties of attached dear 
 ones. Within the near future I shall move to 
 one of our great detached cities, where, in con 
 nection with many known to you, I shall re 
 sume my work, whilst developing myself. My 
 address is, as you know, upon the development 
 of consciousness. You are all familiar with 
 the development from the spark Divine, destined 
 in time to become the self-conscious child of 
 God. From the primordial cell, in the two 
 worlds, on the two planes of consciousness, the 
 spiritual and the material, through the lowest 
 
 316 
 
species or forms, developing until brain and 
 a nervous system is formed in the higher am- 
 mals. 
 
 You know that the consciousness of the 
 animal the little spark divine from God, is 
 not self-conscious as a child of God, and cannot 
 become so until a brain is developed, to enable 
 it to receive that which gives it self-conscious 
 ness, hence, all animals, while conscious of all 
 appertaining to themselves, receive no soul gifts 
 directly, but are impressed, under law, with 
 them, therefore, are not conscious soul, until 
 the spark divine, through that cognized as the 
 Divine Mind, becomes self-conscious as a per 
 sonal child of God. This does not mean, as 
 is presumed by the mortal plane, that soul is 
 an essence from God, it means that the evolv 
 ing spirit or monad as cognized by some, from 
 cell to human or man, spirit child of God, be 
 comes conscious of not solely being, but akin to 
 God, when he or she receives direct from the 
 consciousness of that presumed to be the Divine 
 Mind, the Oversoul or the Absolute, the feel 
 ing of individual personality, the conscious 
 ness, which once felt as a distinct personality is 
 never lost nor changed. 
 
 "What is this I? From whence come the 
 countless different I s or personalities, all entire 
 ly distinct on different planes of advancement, 
 
 317 
 
though not conscious of it on the mortal plane, 
 when first conscious? No two Ts are alike or 
 can ever be the same, not even soul-mates. 
 Each ever retains his or her individuality and 
 personality. Is God conscious through all 
 these? Is He really the same I manifesting 
 through all forms of life? Is "from the 
 Absolute to the Absolute true?" Are all 
 merged or absorbed, or are all individually 
 conscious, independent of the consciousness of 
 God? 
 
 "That in God we live, move and have our 
 being is true, in the sense that all life and con 
 sciousness come from Him, but not as under 
 stood by many, on the lowest planes, that all of 
 manifest creation is God, all forms of life, that 
 He lives and manifests, is conscious through 
 all. This is not so, but a very erroneous con 
 ception of the truth. A spark of His energy 
 materialized into form in the primordial cell 
 is not God although formed by Him. The 
 consciousness evolved by this spark is not the 
 consciousness of God, although directed and 
 unfolded by His instruments, under Him, who 
 guide and care for it until it developes the con 
 sciousness of a child of God but not conscious 
 ness of God. 
 
 "What is consciousness? It is, in the first 
 318 
 
place, the sense of being. This sense or attri 
 bute, as it advances, develops others. Thus the 
 spark divine first feels alive, then it reproduces, 
 divides and subdivides its cells and feels through 
 and with all, in the sense, that, as it advances 
 from form to form, or in truth is developed, 
 under directivity, its consciousness increases, as 
 sense by sense, nervous system and brain are 
 developed until the consciousness of all the life 
 organisms or entities, in charge of the vital 
 organs, become, in the aggregate in unison with 
 the spark divine, on that which is transmitted 
 directly to its descendent as a child of God, an 
 independent I personality. 
 
 "The consciousness of the I is not the con 
 sciousness of God individually nor potentially, 
 but is the developed consciousness of the spark 
 divine, which, under law, is fitted to receive 
 self-consciousness, but this self-consciousness 
 and responsibility, this I feeling does not come 
 until brain is connected with that called the 
 Divine Mind and receives with this conscious 
 ness an influx of the soul-gifts. This is all 
 known to you who have been detached for some 
 time, but not to the large number in this audi 
 ence, those recently detached who, due to 
 other aspirations and desires, did not develop 
 along these lines when detached by sleep. 
 
 "What are the soul gifts? They are love, 
 
 319 
 
righteousness, power, wisdom and are the heri 
 tage of every child of God. When a child s 
 brain is in harmony, when all that composes it, 
 its countless organisms are lovingly subservient 
 to the child of God, the I in control, the child 
 receives the soul-gifts according to the develop 
 ment of his brain, or to put it more plainly, is 
 filled with love, expresses truth, wisdom, right 
 eousness, power, according to how his brain is 
 developed, and individual mind formed, through 
 his own free will and individual efforts after 
 he becomes self-conscious. Those whose brains 
 are in harmony and need not mortal training, 
 advance according to their own will and ef 
 forts. Those whose brains still require more 
 development, develop in one attachment to a 
 human body, and before and after death to it, 
 advance also through free will and individual 
 efforts. 
 
 "While all are assisted until they become 
 self-conscious, and are ever assisted by those 
 on higher planes, still all must rely upon self 
 and make individual effort. Individual mind 
 is formed according to how the soul gifts are 
 received and expressed, and, as on earth, accord 
 ing to environment, education and training, 
 and as all have that which is suitable to their 
 plane, all advance from plane to plane. As 
 will and efforts depend on the brain and senses^ 
 
 320 
 
on earth so likewise do they here, depend upon 
 the spirit brain and senses. 
 
 "Only when a brain is in a perfectly har 
 monious condition, can the free will of a child 
 of God be rightly expressed. The spiritual 
 brain is the most marvelous thinking, reason 
 ing machine ever formed. It is formed of 
 living entities, living records of all that has 
 transpired from the lowest up to man. Those 
 ordained for mortal life have many mortal ex 
 periences indelibly recorded on these living 
 cells, whose mission as they advance, in conjunc 
 tion with spirit, is to create new cells and rec 
 ord all that forms individual mind. Thus 
 the consciousness, as new senses and mind areas 
 develop, increases and spirit advances from 
 plane to plane, until he arrives at the first plane 
 of Celestial development,thence on till he attains 
 to the highest plane of Arch-Angel, when his 
 consciousness, through the acquisition of knowl 
 edge previously expressed by others, and the 
 expression of the wisdom received by himself, 
 through vibrations from the Divine Mind in 
 reality, impressions from those on higher planes, 
 until he receives directly from God. But 
 even then his consciousness does not become 
 the consciousness of God, he does not lose his 
 individual consciousness but becomes so in 
 tune, so in harmony with God, as to express, 
 
 321 
 
in the fullest sense truth, love, power, wisdom 
 and righteousness. 
 
 "You, brethren and sisters, are free from the 
 delusions of the mortal plane, from its mysti 
 fying theories and conceptions, ever clothed in 
 the most redundant and verbose phraseology. 
 Words, words destitute of ideas and truth. You 
 know how to conceal our ignorance, paucity of 
 ?deas and lack of wisdom on the mortal plane, 
 we use words and terms incomprehensible to 
 the average mortal, who, lacking a good brain 
 and mind, is impressed with our superior 
 knowledge. Many still adhere to an obsolete 
 language to impress the ignorant within the 
 churches. 
 
 "Here in the clear light of truth, we use 
 language understood by all and impress ideas 
 independent of language. Hence, the Un 
 moved Mover, the Oversoul, the Absolute, the 
 Divine Mind are used by many who cannot 
 explain save in befogging more and more this 
 class of brain, who like themselves cannot 
 cognize the truth. They can, apparently, 
 grasp that the Supreme Being, the Absolute 
 is a vast aggregation of countless universes, that 
 these worlds and planets are sentient beings 
 within Him, that He is All in All, and contains 
 within Himself all forms of life through which 
 He manifests from the lowest to the highest. 
 
 322 
 
But although they believe that they under 
 stand this, they cannot explain to the compre 
 hension of those who think, the difference be 
 tween the Creator and the things created, aor 
 why the Absolute should develop Himself from 
 low to high when He is already the Absolute, 
 nor why the Divine Mind should be so miser 
 ably reflected in suffering humanity. 
 
 "Why should this all prevading Omni 
 potent Being or Principle develop to a certain 
 stage and then destroy, not solely the physical 
 forms but the countless personalities through 
 which He manifests? If already the Absolute, 
 conscious throughout all life, why the neces 
 sity for building or reproducing countless new 
 forms on the mortal plane? If not the Abso 
 lute, from whence comes the wisdom which 
 brings forth and develops all life forms? The 
 Absolute is Omnipotent wisdom, the Divine 
 Mind likewise, hence need not to evolve from 
 the lowest to evolve either knowledge or wis 
 dom. 
 
 The Unmoved Mover, the Oversoul are 
 equally as incomprehensible and only explain 
 ed in ambiguous phraseology and understood 
 by those inspired to give these terms or rather 
 by those incorrectly impressed with truth. 
 Religion is very different here from the various 
 expressions on earth, where many still adhere 
 
 323 
 
lo idolatry and others, on higher planes, so 
 adulterate it with cant and hypocrisy, that the 
 earnest seeker after truth gives up in despair, 
 or goes into the byways of philosophy and gets 
 stranded upon some complex problem, too ab 
 struse to be solved with material reason and 
 logic, only grasped intuitively, or inspiration- 
 ally. Therefore as all religions possess little 
 more than a grain of truth and the various 
 philosophies but a little more, it is not strange 
 that many are driven to Christian Science, 
 spiritism, spiritualism, New Thought (-is old 
 as the hills) and agnosticism. 
 
 "As the religious instinct, next to that of 
 self-preservation, is the paramount, dominant 
 instinct, it must be satisfied in some way, for 
 it is inherent in the spark divine, the little ray 
 destined to bring the mortal from darkness into 
 the light of the spirit. Hence, all races ac 
 cording to their development, have different 
 modes of worship, whether they worship a stick, 
 an animal or a god. Although this instinct 
 seems evolved, and there is, unquestionably, 
 evolution in religion, it is not so. As races 
 advance, their brains become better instruments, 
 their conceptions become clearer, their vision 
 clarifies, mists fade away, problems are solved, 
 until the correctly impressed of all races recog 
 nize the truth, on all the different planes, 
 
 324 
 
whether low or high, that there is but one God, 
 the Supreme Being and we, each and everyone 
 His children. i 
 
 "On earth, this truth is grasped by those 
 who are satisfied with nothing but the truth, 
 who hunger for it, toil for it and would die for 
 it. All who seek for light, who demand it as 
 their birthright regardless of what race or per 
 iod, whether learned or ignorant, are im 
 pressed with the truth that nothing can shake 
 nor conquer. Never were uttered more in 
 spiring words than Seek and ye shall find, and 
 strange as it appears to those who are not im 
 pressed with the religious instnct, who through 
 various reasons are kept from the realization of 
 this truth, when they awaken here, like many 
 lately detached in this audience, they awaken 
 to the glorious truth that there is an Omnipotent 
 God, a Supreme Being, our great and loving 
 Father. 
 
 u To the real thinker, not the superficial, 
 who acquire opinions from others, on the mor 
 tal plane, no other explanation is satisfactory. 
 No vague, intangible Principle, merely His 
 Energy in operation, can explain the wisdom, 
 the Supreme Intellect, the marvelous reason 
 ing power necessary to make even the smallest 
 cell or seed in mortal life. The tiny seed 
 from whence grows the mighty oak, the ex- 
 
 325 
 
quisite color and beauty of flower, sky and sea, 
 the glory of the butterfly s wing are all mar 
 vels and impossible to the greatest material 
 scientist, although he can make sea urchins out 
 of life inpregnated substance, and will in due 
 time form automata, low scale beings devoid 
 of soul, such as are here. Yet they cannot, 
 unless they go to the spirit, through themselves 
 or other psychics, explain from whence the 
 vital principle, the life force comes. 
 
 "Science cannot do the impossible. It can 
 not solve the apparent mystery of life with 
 material reason and logic. It must go to the 
 spirit and receive illumination. There is only 
 one way and there, no matter how science pro 
 gresses, will ever be but the one way, for all 
 wisdom and knowledge come from the spirit. 
 The giant, imponderable forces are not mate 
 rial. All are, in the last analysis, spiritual, 
 as all matter in truth is. 
 
 "Here, in the true light, we know our Father 
 alone reigns. That the Divine Mind, the 
 Oversoul, the Absolute, the Divine Idea of 
 Christ or the Sole-begotten Son, is in truth, our 
 Father. When this truth is realized, on the 
 mortal plane or here, the peace that passeth 
 understanding, lifts the mortal, the sole "earth- 
 bound" spirit and the emanicpated to the in 
 effable bless of their glorious heritage. This 
 
 326 
 
realization has come to many on earth who 
 never heard of the Lord Jesus Christ, who 
 knew not that God impressed Him. Not 
 solely to the Christian is the light of the spirit 
 given. All who seek righteously find it. Not 
 only those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ 
 shall enter the kingdom of Heaven, but all, 
 whether they believe in a stick, a stone or an 
 animal, for all are His children, as ye all know. 
 
 How teach the poor mortal fool or weak 
 ling, whose brains are afflicted by disease, or 
 who, for purpose of discipline are impressed 
 with the animal propensities, never to be locat 
 ed by material science, or predispositions, a 
 term glibly used, which prevent the truth from 
 being impressed. We know that God, under 
 law, through His mighty legions, directs all, 
 that Divine law is inimitable, that a sparrow 
 cannot fall to the ground without the knowl 
 edge of those who control, that indeed every 
 hair is numbered. But because He directs all 
 does not do away with responsibility on the 
 mortal plane, even though all are really irre 
 sponsible here of mental evil. 
 
 " As ye sow, so shall ye reap is verified 
 only in those cases who are to advance in this 
 way. All, whether they advance or not on 
 mortal plane, undergo essential discipline. All 
 selfishness from disease or propensity, all 
 
 327 
 
ignoble or criminal acts, whether powerless to 
 prevent, from either mental or physical causes, 
 under law, entail suffering or not, for not all 
 suffer who sin, and not all sin who suffer. This 
 is entertained but by the superficial. Many, 
 seemingly swayed by human reason or logic, 
 violate natural law under Divine law. Evolved 
 from the animal, his material vehicles im 
 pressed to give him the necessary discipline, 
 are not solely under his control, but the control 
 of those who form them for him. 
 
 "We know that the Lord Jesus Christ was 
 not the Divine Idea of Christ, a child of God, 
 but the Physical Instrument, the vehicle im 
 pressed solely by God alone. We know that 
 our Father lives in the Celestial Kingdom, that 
 there is no Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ, 
 although our Father is often recognized by 
 newly detached Christians ere their spirit 
 memory returns, as the Lord. We know that 
 we are all His children, destined when we ad 
 vance to dwell with Him in the Celestial King 
 dom if we so desire, for He never separates us 
 from our loved ones. We who advance can 
 stay in our spirit world until all we love are 
 prepared to go with us, as eventually we all go 
 there. 
 
 "These are known facts, hence our religious 
 rites are unlike those of the mortal life. It is 
 
 328 
 
true we have magnificent churches, cathedrals 
 and temples, named not after, but like unto 
 those on earth. This is the world of cause. 
 All on earth are named after the real and true 
 to endure indefinitely or for a certain stage of 
 advancement. But we have only one religion, 
 that which we strive to impress on earth, the 
 worship of the Father. As all are righteous, 
 we need not religion in the same sense as on 
 earth, hence our Father desires neither useless 
 eulogy nor incessant praise. Merely a brief 
 matutinal greeting sent on vibration, the silent 
 voiceless communion which all are familiar 
 with 
 
 "As we come into the true consciousness of 
 our Divine heritage, little by little we, like our 
 Father, become so in harmony with law as to 
 become a part of it, and thus a law unto our 
 selves. But this takes many centuries. We 
 must advance from sphere to sphere, plane to 
 plane. 
 
 Although it is true incorrectly grasped on 
 earth, that all wisdom is ours, yet it cannot be 
 expressed by us, until we attune our instru 
 ments to the greatest perfection, through will 
 and effort. Those who claim the spirit is per 
 fect fail to explain, whilst pure and holy, he 
 can only become perfect through his own will 
 and efforts. He is not born nor brought forth 
 
 329 
 
perfect. If perfect he would not even dream 
 of the mortal plane. There would be no nec 
 essity for growth or unfoldment either in the 
 spirit or mortal life. Nor would he return 
 to the lowest plane to advance mentally, moral 
 ly, nor spiritually. 
 
 Therefore, as on the mortal plane when we 
 awaken or rather when our brains and minds 
 are ready to be impressed rightly our con 
 sciousness of that which is real and true becomes 
 clearer, so here, as we advance, does our con 
 sciousness, of the marvels and beauties con 
 stantly unfolding, become greater and as 
 we have the senses more perfected and several 
 developed, prior to their development on earth, 
 also others never to be expressed there, it is much 
 easier to advance. New senses are constantly 
 unfolding until when we become archangels, 
 like unto the Father, we can, when we will, 
 although not in person present, become omni 
 present, omniscient and omnipotent, in the sense 
 that when we, with the highest, manifest His 
 power, we all collectively and individually, are 
 in perfect unison with Him, and through this 
 perfect harmony conscious with and through 
 Him in this sense, so in accord as to seem like 
 one Supreme Being, though never like unto 
 Him, the Source, the Fountain Head!" 
 
 Mr. Beecher concluded with some remarks 
 
 330 
 
utterly beyond the mortal plane, which I omit. 
 
 The Professor had listened with greot inter 
 est. After Mr. Beecher ceased he sat in deep 
 meditation until he said softly, 
 
 "Did you understand his concluding re 
 marks? They were perfectly unintelligible 
 
 to me." 
 
 "Yes, I answered, "they will soon be made 
 clear to you, when you attend church or relig 
 ious services you will see what he meant about 
 all the service being given in music. Not an 
 audible word is uttered yet every thought, every 
 idea as correctly grasped as with speech, much 
 more melodiously expressed. You will feel 
 the peace and love you receive with the morn 
 ing greeting to the Father and almost as potent 
 vibrations of life and love as when embraced 
 by Him." 
 
 331 
 
CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 One early morning sitting in the little 
 park, encircling a cathedral, I heard a sweet and 
 familiar voice, 
 
 "Why, Byron, what are you doing here? 
 Waiting for me I presume." 
 
 Glancing up I saw a lovely, unusually dis 
 tinguished looking woman, accompanied by 
 several children, all simply attired in white. 
 
 I had met this lady many times since her 
 detachment. We were devoted friends. I 
 loved her no less now that she was joined to her 
 soul-mate than when I had known her, on earth, 
 as the Countess Guicciola, for my love was 
 exactly as it had been there, really the love of 
 a brother. 
 
 "Meditating not about you, but some of the 
 old earth problems," I replied merrily, as she 
 seated herself by my side. 
 
 "Why didn t Thyrza come too? Where is 
 she?" 
 
 "At home, where I should be, had I not felt 
 your desire. Well, what is your problem? 
 Although I really know it and I, myself, im 
 pressed you with the desire." 
 
 332 
 
"I know, of course, you did. I know the 
 earth problem you are now interested in, and, 
 as I love Mary Glover and know her wish to 
 correct some of her wrong impressions, I thought 
 you would take us to the instrument engaged in 
 this work." 
 
 "Yes, we are now ready for her. I have 
 met Mrs. Eddy or rather Mrs. Glover several 
 times lately. You really felt the desire, 
 as I myself have, of those directing this 
 work, many advanced spirits interested in 
 it. The time is ripe for a clearer in 
 terpretation of the Mission of the Lord Jesus 
 Christ and His doctrine of Love. This instru 
 ment has been developed for it since a child, 
 though unconscious of it on earth," I replied. 
 
 "Just as Mary Glover was, Oh! her name 
 is Mary, too, strange." 
 
 "Oh, no, you know spirits are named here, 
 Mary, in truth, means sorrow, tribulation, 
 purgation. Those who are ordained to be 
 vehicles for the spirit spheres are purified and 
 cleansed through fire and travail, ere they can 
 attune the material. Although they often 
 err, ever come forth, after every lapse, better 
 instruments for truth. Mrs. Glover learned 
 through sorrow and suffering, this instrument 
 also, and all who are developed for this pur 
 pose. There are others being developed to put 
 
 333 
 
the truths given through her in operation after 
 she is detached. These truths will revolu 
 tionize mortal thought, even more than Chris 
 tian Science has done, and although few at 
 first will be able to grasp the true realization 
 of the Doctrine of Love, due to material limita 
 tions, many will before long." 
 
 Mrs. Eddy and Countess Guicciola friends 
 and sisters in the real life! Mrs. Eddy, the 
 revered founder of a religious organization, 
 and a woman known as the mistress of a low- 
 plane mortal. 
 
 "Impossible, incredible," I think I hear the 
 undeveloped exclaim. Not as impossible as 
 you think. That revered teacher taught that 
 all are God s pure, holy ideas. The Countess, 
 in the real life, has ever been as pure and holy 
 as her sister, not at all obsessed with the mor 
 tal delusion of evil, as truly claimed by Mrs. 
 Eddy, "a false mortal concept." 
 
 That afternoon, in the home of the psychic, 
 are gathered, in the room where she is writing 
 as distinguished company according to mortal 
 sense. 
 
 The psychic is our sister, a child of God, 
 undergoing mortal development, being fitted 
 on both planes for the task of helping her 
 brothers and sisters, no different from them in 
 the real life, and, only on earth having a brain 
 
 334 
 
amenable to and able to express love, hence 
 the truth, love, the greatest power of all. 
 
 Around the table as she writes are her Celes 
 tial tutors or Guardian Angels, her father and 
 husband or soul-mate, several great spirits 
 known and unknown on mortal plane who di 
 rect material conditions, the Countess, Mrs. 
 Glover and myself. 
 
 The object is, as this work portrays, the 
 clearer interpretation of the one true religion, 
 the correction of its misconceptions, and the 
 portrayal of spirit life as it really is, hence, 
 instead of, as I am giving this work, dealing 
 with great characters of my mortal native land, 
 England, I am giving that which I, also an 
 instrument of those on higher planes, am im 
 pelled to give, therefore all, regardless how 
 great their material rank, wealth, knowledge, 
 who were and are not instruments for truth, the 
 truth of spiritual and mortal life, are not 
 desired in this work, which independent of the 
 little given of my private life, is for the pur 
 pose of giving the truth. 
 
 Mrs. Glover, a beautiful spirit, with a radi 
 ant expression of the peace, love and harmony 
 she sought to express on earth, sat next to an 
 other Mary, one who is worshipped as a Saint, 
 even more beautiful, with greater radiance 
 and glory. 
 
 335 
 
She said to Mrs. Glover, "Now dear, tell 
 how you feel regarding your mortal work, and 
 you, yourself, correct your faulty impressions." 
 
 "Even though it may not be accepted by the 
 undeveloped, there are many, within your own 
 especial fold, who, even though they come not 
 fourth publicly, out of respect to their organ 
 ization, will accept and many more who un 
 ashamed will come forth and acknowledge the 
 truth, and many more, amongst the different 
 religions and philosophies, be given the light 
 to spread the truth of the One Father, the one 
 true religion and the Doctrine of Love, given 
 by Him for all, of every race, religion and class." 
 
 I, with my hand on the psychic s head, as 
 I am permitted to personally impress, clasped 
 Mrs. Glover s hand in mine and all willed the 
 psychic to write as she is, while Mrs. Glover 
 seriously, lovingly speaks: 
 
 "To the dear ones on the earth, not only 
 to my followers, Christian Scientists, but to 
 all, all my own, I impress this. This comes 
 from me in the real life, though invisible I be 
 to ye, much more alive, more in the truth, 
 more correctly impressed than when I sought 
 to give myself. First you must know that this 
 psychic values neither mortal commendation 
 nor condemnation, that, on the border, wait 
 ing to come home, she values neither material 
 
 336 
 
approval nor material glory, hence, know that, 
 although she must give it, for it is the truth, 
 she values nothing for self, and when the time 
 is ripe, after her work is accomplished, will 
 gladly leave it to others. 
 
 "When I was first impressed with my beau 
 tiful interpretations, I was harassed with mate 
 rial worries, and could not be impressed 
 all the time correctly. 
 
 "It was almost impossible to keep out the 
 naturally resentful, indignant feelings caused by 
 unjust persecution and harsh judgment, especial 
 ly when bereft of child; husband and family, I 
 sought seclusion in solitude. 
 
 "Although my work was delightful, and I 
 was filled with a sweet buoyancy and peace 
 ineffable, I could not refrain from an occasion 
 al thought of bitterness, especially later when 
 my students arose in open rebellion, and I was 
 forced to resort to diplomacy to keep my organ 
 ization intact, within my own hands, hence, 
 could not receive truth correctly and gave sev 
 eral misconceptions as truth. But the truth of 
 there being only love, peace, harmony in the 
 real life, the unreality of sin and disease to the 
 spirit, that evil appertains solely to the mortal 
 plane, was correctly impressed and first publicly 
 given by me, although many were impressed 
 with these truths and several had published 
 
 337 
 
them in an obscure way. That our Father, 
 God Omnipotent was in Body, like unto His 
 children, that His children, His pure, holy 
 ideas, were really made in His Divine Image 
 and Likeness, I could not grasp, I attributed all 
 to Principle and taught of a Being, like unto 
 that which Buddhaism and Theosophy cognize 
 as The Absolute. This was my greatest mis 
 conception. Often I was impressed to give the 
 truth. A few of my writings still extant ex 
 plain my perturbation, uncertainty and doubt. 
 But there is enough in Science and Health to 
 show that the Divine Idea of Christ really 
 meant our Father. 
 
 "As Plato and other thinkers ignored matter 
 and accepted only ideas as real, I could not, 
 influenced by them unconsciously, be impress 
 ed with the truth, that while the spirit is really 
 in his true body, that the material, although 
 transitory, is as real and as necessary as the 
 spiritual, and that the material universe, though 
 worlds are transitory, is as real and immune 
 to destruction as the spiritual, for while there 
 are worlds ever being wiped out of existence, 
 there are countless coming into and ever in 
 existence. 
 
 "Although I recognized a human species 
 and animal propensities, as I had been incul 
 cated with the orthodox belief in a special crea- 
 
 338 
 
tion, I could not believe in evolution as grasped 
 on the mortal plane, and more correctly im 
 pressed knew that evil did not originate with 
 the animal, and as I could not believe that evil 
 could come from God and could not be im 
 pressed to explain how, under God s law, it is 
 but in truth, a state of consciousness, the sole 
 explanation I could arrive at was that all per 
 taining to mortality was an illusion not im 
 pressed with the truth that every state of con 
 sciousness is of God. 
 
 I could only grasp that we were false mor 
 tal concepts, false beliefs which we would con 
 quer, that the real spirit would then manifest, 
 as many believe now on the mortal plane. I 
 could not explain the difference between the 
 two worlds, the two bodies and the two planes 
 of consciousness. This not a misconception 
 but an impossibility to me. My other miscon 
 ception, upon which the superficial deem that 
 my teachings mainly rest, is that mortal mind 
 creates disease, sin and death, false beliefs and 
 that the Divine Mind heals them through mak 
 ing the spirit come into the consciousness of the 
 truth that there is no such thing as sin, disease 
 and death. 
 
 "This is not only a misconception but an 
 error. If they were but false mortal concepts, 
 false beliefs, there would be no necessity for the 
 
 339 
 
Divine Mind to conquer them, for as I taught 
 they had not reality. I failed to make the dis 
 tinction that while evil is, in truth ,a false mor 
 tal concept, the material body and brain is as 
 real, though transitory, as the real, also not to 
 plainly teach its necessity, not vaguely that sin 
 and suffering are but stepping stones to higher 
 thing, thus, to the thinker implying their 
 necessity. As God is Omnipotent, matter a form 
 of spiritual substance, the mortal plane a 
 phase of spirit consciousness, material creation 
 and life are a part of the spiritual and as nec 
 essary as that cognized by me as the spiritual 
 and under God, as I state several times in Sci 
 ence and Health. 
 
 "Christian Science, when it relies solely on 
 the truths given by me, with its mission of heal 
 ing rightly understood, when it casts aside its 
 misconceptions, as in time it will mainly 
 through these revelations, will become a greater 
 power for good among the very large class who 
 demand, upon the mortal plane, not only the 
 spiritual gifts of peace, love and harmony, but 
 those cognized as material, although also spirit 
 ual, fine churches, domiciles, raiment and 
 fare. It will then know the truth that the 
 Christ Spirit teaches that all are under guid 
 ance and directivity, that when prosperity fails, 
 adversity teaches and vice versa in giving that 
 
 340 
 
which is essential, that the good gifts of the 
 Father on the mortal plane are given as those 
 in charge of that plane deem necessary for each 
 individual case, that while practitioners and 
 healers are necessary for one plane of develop 
 ment, they are not for another. 
 
 "Christian Science is for a very large class 
 just awakening to the truth, a class who 
 repudiate the orthodox teachings, this is for a 
 class who are even beyond Christian Science 
 and need the clearer interpretation of the Doc 
 trine of Love, which teaches, not to strive for 
 the material, unless to benefit and uplift others, 
 to ever and always make it subordinate to the 
 spiritual, not with the hope or object of acquir 
 ing material prosperity for self. It teaches 
 that the true wealth are the soul gifts of love, 
 wisdom and righteousness. These alone to be 
 striven for irrespective of all else. This does 
 not mean that one on earth should deny one 
 self aught essential for cleanly living. When 
 one awakens to the truth and seeks to live up 
 to his highest, the good gifts of righteousness 
 are added whether he receives material gifts or 
 not. 
 
 "With the true light of the Christ Spirit 
 ever comes the patience to bear all deprivations 
 of the material and the peace, whether in 
 
 341 
 
adversity or prosperity, which is ever given to 
 all who live rightly. 
 
 "Healing is not solely confined to Chris 
 tian Science but is done by many in the various 
 races, who never heard of the Lord, in other 
 ways, but that which I taught, especially adapt 
 ed for this class, is doing that which under law 
 it is ordained to do." 
 
 "The Christ Spirit teaches all who seek 
 rightly, without desire for material goods, ever 
 and always placing the spiritual first, how to 
 heal oneself independent of healer, mentally, 
 morally and spiritually, to receive directly 
 from the Source of all good God Omnipotent 
 ac well as through His instruments, advanced 
 spirits, more than the greatest material minis 
 ter or practitioner can give on the mortal plane 
 hence do not need them. And will teach in 
 the future, in language so clear that the unlet 
 tered and ignorant can understand, all that will 
 be necessary for the lowest as well as the high 
 est who, like the lowly fishermen, in harmony 
 with the spirit will be able to grasp." 
 
 Mrs. Glover ceased speaking and turned to 
 the Angel by her side who said lovingly, 
 
 "This is all that is necessary to give in this 
 work." 
 
 "The time is not far distant," said a stately 
 spirit, "when many, on earth, will prove all 
 
 342 
 
given in this work by seeking within for the 
 light which is ever given to all who seek per 
 sistently and unselfishly. Many will not only 
 see and hear individual spirits, but recall, after 
 awakening from sleep, many things of the real 
 life, actually witnessed by them when detached 
 at night." 
 
 343 
 
CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 A large splendidly formed woman sat be 
 fore a fire in a magnificent drawing-room. Her 
 eyes, shaded by deeply fringed lids were lower 
 ed, her hands were clasped as though in prayer. 
 Suddenly her expression changed from deep 
 gravity to sparkling animation. She arose, 
 exclaiming, 
 
 "Of course I must go and explain, as did 
 Mrs. Glover, my misconceptions." 
 
 Madame Blavatsky, known on earth as the 
 famous Theosophical leader and seer, is in the 
 real life advancing rapidly and often laughs 
 over her earth opinions. 
 
 She smiled as she noted her reflection in the 
 mirrored wall, 
 
 "I am so thankful," she murmured, "that I 
 do not look as I did upon earth, and above all 
 glad I am not as I was on that plane in any 
 respect. I know I am desired by those in 
 charge of the latest revelations to explain as best 
 I can why I believed as I did." 
 
 She was visiting friends in one of the eastern 
 cities of the United States and had just been 
 impressed that she was needed in the West, so 
 
 344 
 
ere long, was seated in an air ship bound for 
 San Francisco. 
 
 Within due time she arrived in San Fran 
 cisco and later in San Rafael, where, as the 
 psychic writes, she is seated with the same com 
 pany who were with Mrs. Glover, those engag 
 ed, not only in this work, but the Aprocryphal 
 Revelations, given to the world, by the psychic 
 as she is impressed to do, to prove that true 
 religion will in the future be given free of 
 charge. 
 
 Naturally it may appear peculiar that Lord 
 Byron, a profligate poet and peer should be se 
 lected to give a work of this nature. But, in 
 the real life, as stated before, I am a child of 
 God on as high a plane as Mrs. Glover and 
 Madame Blavatsky, nay, truth compels me to 
 state a. higher, due to the greater period of my 
 detachment from the material. I have also 
 been selected because I have, although harshly 
 criticised by many, been of great interest to the 
 mortal plane, in fact of much more interest, 
 through my presumed profligacy, than I would 
 have been had my life been known to be as in 
 truth it was 
 
 Madame Blavatsky, with her gorgeous 
 beauty and ample proportions, seems to fill the 
 small room, on the spirit side charmingly beau 
 tiful with its glorious view of San Pablo Bay. 
 
 345 
 
Her large magnetic eyes became focused on 
 the psychic, who, with eyes gazing on mortal 
 life, and mind on the mortal plane was engaged 
 in writing. We do not need to enter the mate 
 rial consciousness, hence impress her on this 
 side. 
 
 Our sister Mary, the Celestial Angel, allud 
 ed to in the preceding chapter, spoke to Helene, 
 who, with a smile, placed her hand within mine. 
 I placed my hand on the psychic s head and 
 transmitted to her that which the Madame said, 
 hence she writes now impressed by me, through 
 permission of her guardian Angel or tutor. 
 
 "Ever since my detachment I have desired 
 to give the truth, but, as you are all aware, I 
 could not give more than a few brief, incorrect 
 impressions, through various psychics not yet 
 prepared. Although it is true there are many 
 more developed, on certain lines, than this 
 psychic, she has been fitted especially for this 
 work I know, through, like others of her class, 
 love for God Omnipotent and her brethren and 
 sisters. 
 
 While others have seen and mingled with 
 some on this side consciously and retained fleet 
 ing impressions of the truth, they were, more or 
 less, commingled with the material upon the 
 return to the material plane, hence as they 
 would and could not believe in a Supreme Be- 
 
 346 
 
ing, God Omnipotent, they gave that which 
 they could as I did. 
 
 "As I believed in reincarnation, I could not 
 grasp that we live in our true bodies, similar 
 to those brought forth on the mortal plane, and 
 that we merely use the physical whilst awake 
 on that plane. Hence could not believe nor 
 give the truth that the Lord Jesus Christ was 
 impressed solely by the Spirit, God Omnipo 
 tent, that He was not a great Spirit or Master 
 reincarnating but simply and solely the one Phy 
 sical Embodiment of God Omnipotent. 
 
 "As the Aprocryphal Revelations explain 
 these matters, I shall, as briefly as possible, give 
 my reasons for becoming a theosophist and a 
 believer in reincarnation. 
 
 "The mortal plane is familiar with my life 
 through my works and friends, but not with 
 that which actually induced me to enter a 
 monastery. A few think they know the truth. 
 Several were indeed partially confided in, with 
 the result of not only making them more eager 
 to join me in my soul quest after knowledge, 
 but also making them fancy they had an occult 
 claim on me. 
 
 "I had, in youth, a most harrowing experi 
 ence, which clouded all my life, and made me 
 a devout student of the occult. When I first 
 began to seek, I doubted there was aught of 
 
 347 
 
good on earth, although I demanded the high 
 est, the truth, of those in whose charge I put my 
 self to develop the spiritual. /I smile as I say 
 spiritual, so little deemed I then of what was 
 really spiritual. 
 
 "I sought, mainly, to make me understand 
 why I, guiltless of all wrong doing, should 
 have been so unjustly afflicted. The sole 
 explanation I could arrive at (after running to 
 the mortal, and forgetting the truth, retaining 
 but a fragment or a glimpse of the real, whilst 
 recalling scene upon scene of the supposed 
 astral plane, really motion pictures of scenes, 
 more or less illusory for purpose of instruction,) 
 was that I suffered for wrongs committed in 
 previous lives. And, as I saw repeatedly the 
 same great spirits in scenes of both ancient and 
 modern times, and believed I conversed with 
 them, regarding the different epochs, apparent 
 ly as real as on the mortal plane, I naturally 
 believed them real and did not know that it was 
 but a state of consciousness, produced by those 
 in charge, to give me that which would benefit 
 me most, therefore, I presumed the astral life as 
 real as the physical. 
 
 "Thus, while I acquired many lessons psy 
 chically and recalled much, which I gave in 
 my writings, of the real and true spiritual life 
 I remembered very little. 
 
 348 
 
"In future times, one on earth, will, in mo 
 tion pictures, see many of the present and later 
 periods and reproduced, in various later pic 
 tures, in different eras, will be the great heroes 
 and artists of today. In this manner are pic 
 tures presented to all who seek, not through 
 love of God and humanity but through love of 
 wisdom and self. As ; s well known in theo- 
 sophy, if the thinker develops solely the intel 
 lect, the entire nature deteriorates, for intellect 
 alone, unless accompanied by spiritual discern 
 ment, is cold and heartless. No selfish de 
 sire is ever spiritually answered, ever and al 
 ways psychically . 
 
 "That we seemingly converse and recall, 
 after our return to the mortal plane, conversa 
 tions, is due to the impresisons recorded on our 
 brains by our Angel tutors. Just as many, who 
 cannot learn, unless provided for bountifully, 
 are provided with the flesh-pots, material goods, 
 etc., so, those who cannot express love, on the 
 mortal plane, through a brain not able to be im 
 pressed with it, are given that which their 
 minds can grasp and their brains record, the 
 sole instrument connecting them with the two 
 planes of consciousness, the spiritual and mate 
 rial. 
 
 "My mind formed from unwholesome ex 
 periences, my tormented, restless, insistent brain 
 
 349 
 
my body, poisoned with various drugs, tobacco, 
 etc., prevented correct spiritual impressions, 
 hence while I was developed greatly psychic 
 ally, I was limited spiritually. 
 
 "My love nature, the genuinely spiritual, 
 was a sealed book to me, hence, all my soul 
 journeys on the astral plane and in higher 
 spheres, in truth, were actual experiences in 
 this life or motion pictures, ever illusory. 
 
 "Had I really loved one being on earth, been 
 able to express my true love, I could not have 
 believed as I did. The love of the mortal is the 
 love of the spirit imperfectly expressed through 
 physical instruments, hence cannot cease to 
 exist after destruction, or rather disassociation 
 of the entities composing the psychical and 
 physical bodies. 
 
 "The love expressed by the higher manus, 
 the divine ego, the spirit for parents, child, 
 soul-mate, all ever living the real, true life in 
 the real, true bodies, lives on, and lasts forever, 
 the identical love for the spirits who are the 
 mortal parents, children, etc. 
 
 "No one who sacrifices the love of the spirit 
 for parent, child, etc., to acquire spiritual glory 
 or intellectuality, who renounces, not alone the 
 claims of the flesh, but the love of the spirit, ever 
 advances spirituall. To mortify the flesh, to 
 deny the demands of the soul, is not spiritual, 
 
 350 
 
it is. carnal. The physical is but a vehicle of 
 expression for a transitory period. All who 
 claim to be the ones born on earth are the same 
 personalities brought forth in the real life con 
 jointly. All who return to earth to dictate, 
 inspire, impress, ever claim to be the one known 
 on earth, the one particular identity and not 
 dozens merged in one. 
 
 "Reincarnation means to reincarnate, to be 
 born in the flesh on the physical plane, again 
 and again, for the purpose of developing the 
 monad or spirit until he is fitted to become in 
 unison with The Absolute. As no spirit ever 
 is born in flesh but merely animates and impress 
 es the physical instruments, the term is mislead 
 ing. 
 
 "Omnipotent Wisdom, Infinite Mind is 
 purely spiritual. While the physical is a form 
 of the spiritual, it is of the lowest plane. The 
 monad does not descend into matter to advance 
 mentally, morally or spiritualy. All advance 
 ment is done in the real life, but the monad, 
 in all forms up to man, the self-conscious child 
 of God, develops qualities, attributes, which 
 can only be developed on the physical plane 
 through a physical body. When these are 
 developed, he no longer needs physical instru 
 ments and advances, as ever in his own true 
 body. 
 
 351 
 
"These qualities are developed through all 
 species and forms of life, from the primordial 
 cell up to self-consciousness as a child of God. 
 When man becomes self-conscious, if all his 
 brain is in good working order, a perfect instru 
 ment for him, he needs no more physical bodies 
 and advances, not in a heaven body, a shapeless 
 mass, but a body made in the Image and Like 
 ness of his Father. 
 
 "Those whose brains still need mortal de 
 velopment, very few in comparison with those 
 who do not, who are detached ere being brought 
 forth or still-born, need only one attachment to 
 a physical form, as they have but very little to 
 develop. All are developed in one human 
 mortal life. The difference in planes of ad 
 vancement, as all ever advance and are spirits 
 in the real life, is not due to the spirit impress 
 ing the physical body but is due to the material 
 brains and bodies formed by those who form 
 every body up to the time of self-consciousness 
 and after. 
 
 "Whilst all spirits are on different planes of 
 advancement in the real life, all good and 
 righteous, there are different expressions, not 
 solely of goodness and righteousness, but of 
 intellectuality. All do not express similiarly, 
 but undeveloped conditions and states of con 
 sciousness regarding that sensed as evil apper- 
 
 352 
 
tains solely to the physical, and are ever aban 
 doned with it. 
 
 "Physical bodies to suit each undividual to 
 give the necessary discipline, are formed by 
 those who, under Divine law, have in charge 
 this department of mortal life. As spirits do 
 not build their own material bodies, those who 
 have imperfect, defective instruments to give 
 the essential discipline, acquired on the lowest 
 mortal plane as well as the highest, all only 
 develop these qualities, and progression men 
 tally, morally and spiritually is due to the de 
 velopment of the brain in this life, it 
 can be seen there is no necessity to return 
 again and again to advance in wisdom, intelli 
 gence or in morals. 
 
 "All when detached at night by sleep are 
 educated in the real life, therefore, an idiot, an 
 imbecile on earth, due to a malformed brain, in 
 the real life, with his own good spiritual brain, 
 may be on a higher plane than the superinten 
 dent of the institution in which he is confined, 
 the criminal likewise, a better instrument than 
 the judge who sentences him. All real educa 
 tion and learning is done in the real life. The 
 discipline of the mortal plane is but to develop 
 certain qualities. All from the lowest to the 
 highest develop that which is essential. The 
 
 353 
 
highest, like the Buddha, but imperfectely ex 
 press love and wisdom. 
 
 "Guatama did not attain to the plane of the 
 Lord Jesus. The spirit who impressed the 
 Buddha was not The Spirit which manifested 
 through the Lord. Guatama is Guatama still, 
 has not returned in a higher form nor ever will. 
 "The Lord Jesus was impressed by the 
 Father. No teacher, before or since, has ever 
 equalled or can equal Him in expressing love 
 and wisdom, as He had a brain especially form 
 ed to be in harmony with God. 
 
 "Many centuries of earth life have passed 
 since His advent and not one in the slightest 
 degree, notwithstanding superior brain develop 
 ment in the psychical forms, has attained to His 
 standard, Mrs. Eddy, one of the latest, pre 
 sumed by many on earth, to be on a plane of 
 high spiritual unfoldment, formed one of the 
 greatest organizations, in a sense more medical 
 than religious, but, due still to undeveloped 
 conditions, founded her organization upon a 
 commercial basis, as was essential for success. 
 But no one, unless with a peculiarly distorted 
 vision, can claim she gives a higher interpreta 
 tion of the love and wisdom of God, than the 
 Lord, who had not a place to lay His head, who 
 although He stated the laborer was worthy of 
 his hire, charged His apostles to take naught 
 
 354 
 
but food and shelter for their services. 
 
 "Thus, it can be seen by those who make 
 the material subordinate to the spiritual, that 
 the love and wisdom, lived by the Lord, exem 
 plified in every act, is not expressed by any 
 religion or philosophy on the mortal plane. If 
 not now by those who claim their religion is 
 founded upon love, how could it by the Buddha 
 at an earlier stage of development? How 
 could it have been expressed through me who 
 was not able, like unto all, to express through 
 a brain not formed or developed to express it? 
 
 "How can love be received and transmitted 
 by those who are powerless, through the brain 
 and sense organs to express it? As only the 
 true, conjugal love is expressed by the soul-mate 
 so the mother love is only, in its entirety and 
 sacredness expressed by the mother who has a 
 good instrument through which to express it, as 
 the numberless divorces and unmotherly mothers 
 prove on the mortal plane. 
 
 "Those who know not the soul-mate love on 
 earth, deny it, have no faith in it. Those who 
 have not the mother love, e en though they be 
 mothers, also deny it. But this does not do 
 away with the truth, that the true conjugal love 
 and the unselfish selfless love of the true mother 
 exists, e en though poorly expressed by a very 
 few on earth. 
 
 355 
 
"And as the love of the soul-mate and the 
 mother is expressed by but a limited number, 
 so even a less express the love of God, even 
 whilst claiming to worship Him as Divine Per 
 son. But because they are unable to express 
 it, does not prove it to be, as claimed by many, 
 founded upon illusions or delusions. The high 
 est conception is that which worships a God of 
 Love and Wisdom, by no means is that the 
 highest which teaches of hapless souls being 
 consigned to either the hell of the Christians 
 or Karma Loca as it is taught on earth today, that 
 all those who enter this plane at death, with all 
 their potencies for evil in full sway, no Devan- 
 chan is possible, and as all their desires rage 
 furiously earthward, their very force will carry 
 them speedily to a new reincarnation and we 
 then have a Jesse Pomeroy, etc. 
 
 "I smile when I think of the doctrine which 
 recognizes that the physical is but a vehicle of 
 expression, and teaches it is constantly renewed 
 or changed on earth, that the astral is formed 
 of matter immediately above or within that of 
 the physical. It disintregates with the body 
 and yet will make a being, spirit or soul suffer 
 for the transgressions due to the transitory, con 
 stantly changing brain. 
 
 "Thus, while I recognized that were the con- 
 356 
 
nection broken between Manus and the 
 brain, intelligence could not be manifested, 
 unless through projection of the astral body, I 
 could not grasp that this is really impossible, as 
 the astral, in reality is but an etherial counterfeit 
 to vitilize and hold the physical in place. Hence, 
 all my teachings were, as are all religious and 
 philosophies, on earth, more or less contradict 
 ory. Jewels of light and truth, ever obscured 
 by the material, incapable of being discerned 
 save by the genuinely unfolded spiritually, not 
 psychically. 
 
 "Instead of being able to explain intelligi 
 bly that the divine ego or soul ever lives in the 
 one true body, made in the Likeness of God, and 
 not in a heaven body, That the Head Atma 
 and Buddhi are in Heaven and the feet Manas 
 walk in hell," can be explained in a few words, 
 the spirit ever in Heaven, the physical inter 
 penetrating it on the mortal plane, the sole hell 
 in existence. 
 
 "The lower Manus is the lower brain, the 
 animal brain, the higher manus the divine ego, 
 the spirit, but I will not continue, as I know 
 all these misconceptions are explained in the 
 Aprocryphal Revelations." 
 
 "Yes," I said, "you now are aware that the 
 Doctrine of Love, given by the Lord Jesus 
 Christ, is but a higher expression of the one 
 
 357 
 
true religion, interpreted by all preceding teach 
 ers of all races, according to the fitness of their 
 instruments, the development of their brains, 
 and as the elder religions teach that the high 
 est are in the Aryan race, in the higher forms 
 of today, it should not be a matter of surprise 
 or doubt to those who believe in their teachings 
 to realize that that which is given today can be 
 more correctly impressed than centuries ago. 
 Although in truth, brain development and spir 
 itual unfoldment on the mortal plane is under 
 the charge of this plane, still humanity are not 
 automatons and themselves develop the special 
 qualities necessary to enable them to advance 
 here. From primitive man up to the present 
 all have been and are being given that which 
 is necessary. The time is ripe for a clearer 
 elucidation of the mission of the Lord Jesus 
 Christ and His Doctrine of Love. The New 
 Revelations explain the misconceptions of the 
 various expressions and harmonize all. They 
 show that while all have truth, the truth has not 
 been either understood or practiced. That 
 while one expression, such as Buddhism, is 
 farther advanced on certain lines, it is not cor 
 rect in others. That whilst the truths, the 
 wisdom given by the Lord on all lines was super 
 ior to that given by Buddha, it was not under 
 stood by those to whom given and for other 
 
 358 
 
uiore potent reasons, was withheld until the 
 present." 
 
 Mary interposed, "Hence, all are, more or 
 less, tinged with the material, with love of the 
 material benefits to be received from the ex 
 pression of religion not one but what receives 
 remuneration of some kind, for that which 
 should be given freely, hence the Christ Spirit, 
 the latest interpretation, will teach all who are 
 ready to go to God individually. Within the 
 Revelations they will find that which if prac 
 ticed, will give them the truth and the light to 
 live rightly. The enlightened theosophist, 
 Buddhist, spiritualist, and Christians of all races 
 and classes, who are awaiting these Revelations, 
 will welcome them with joy. Wherever there 
 ?re mortals ready, this work, under the directiv 
 ity of the spirit spheres, will be accepted. The 
 truth will then be known that the Doctrine of 
 Love is for every child of God of every race, 
 religion and class. The Christ spirit will bring 
 them into the light so that all who seek, will 
 prove the truth." 
 
 Helen turned her glowing face and said, 
 
 "I shall certainly do my best. I am im 
 pressing several great theosophists who are com 
 ing into the light." 
 
 "These are destined for a great work, to 
 359 
 
spread this doctrine, and are under great mas 
 ters," Mary answered. 
 
 "Great masters, ever on this plane who in 
 struct and impress, but never reincarnating often 
 in inferior bodies, as I thought," laughed Helen 
 merrily. 
 
 "If you thought as you did/ said a great 
 spiriti ,"you could not do otherwise. You gave 
 that which was essential for those like unto you. 
 There are many who will still adhere to your 
 teachings for the same reasons that a thug be 
 lieves in strangling until, if so ordained, they 
 or he advance to a higher plane. All under 
 law as it should be, for all the different planes. 
 Hence, the undeveloped who, in the name of 
 the Prince of Peace, misinterpret His Doctrine, 
 are loved on this plane as children of God un 
 dergoing very unpleasant mortal training, 
 which, were it not imperative, would not be." 
 
 360 
 
CHAPTER XX. 
 
 I wish to give but a little more relative to 
 life on the true plane. I have given all I could 
 impress. I have not explained nor expressed 
 certain matters as clearly as I should like, owing 
 to it not only being very difficult to give the 
 infinite through the finite, but mainly because 
 our Father only permits that which will not 
 interfere with the discipline necessary for those 
 who have to undergo mortal life. It has been 
 impossible, through limited vocabulary, to give 
 correct ideas of the grandeur and beauty of the 
 spirit realms, as well as to make comprehensible 
 to spirit on mortal plane the higher spiritual 
 truths, but everything that has been given is cor 
 rect with the exception of a few minor details. 
 
 Ere I close, for the benefit of those who still 
 believe in punishment and evil spirits, I shall 
 give an interview between the famous seer, 
 Emanuel Swedenborg, and a newly detached 
 member of his church. 
 
 Emanuel Swedenborg was seated in his 
 library when one entered with both hands out 
 stretched in glad greeting. He arose hastily 
 and clasped the tall, blond spirit tenderly. 
 
 361 
 
"My dear brother, how glad I am to wel 
 come you. I could not be present at your 
 reception, as you know, but intended going to 
 see you as soon as I could arrange it." 
 
 "I could not wait any longer. I wanted to 
 see the one, next to our dear Lord, who had in 
 spired and helped me more than anyone else on 
 the dark and dreary earth plane," answered his 
 visitor genially, blue eyes gleaming with pleas 
 ure. "This is one of the greatest pleasures 
 accorded me in this haven of pleasure and hap 
 piness." ; 
 
 Emanuel Swedenborg pulled up a chair 
 and holding him by the hand said, 
 
 "Come be seated, this is a great pleasure, I 
 have ever been in close touch with you, and 
 although, I have only seen you but once, still 
 love you dearly, and am gratified your period 
 of trial is over. I grieve it was severe at the 
 last." 
 
 His visitor threw back his head covered 
 with golden curls, a smile of perfect peace and 
 happiness irradiated his countenance, as he re 
 plied with much feeling, 
 
 "I am so overjoyed to be free, to be no longer 
 compelled to return to a life that had become 
 unendurable, that all other feelings are sub 
 merged in gratitude, especially as I find I never 
 have been the sinful, erring creature I deemed 
 
 362 
 
myself, that I was not born in sin and that there 
 is no such thing as evil." 
 
 "And yet you know these things were not 
 true when freed during sleep, so of course, were 
 not surprised when your spirit memory return 
 ed." 
 
 "Nevertheless, like those who have spent 
 three-fourth of the time on earth, that life seems 
 very real at first, and, although I have been 
 some time free, I still think of many of the false 
 conceptions I had." 
 
 The exceedingly benign and noble face of 
 he who had been one of the greatest of mortal 
 seers clouded a trifle, "Yea," he replied earnest 
 ly, "were it not impossible to grieve where we 
 know the truth I would over the erroneous ones 
 given through me. I have often wished it 
 were possible to give the truth personally, to be 
 able myself to correct some of my earlier false 
 impressions." 
 
 His visitor exclaimed eagerly, "Possibly you 
 may yet be permitted." 
 
 "My Father knows this desire of my heart, 
 and when the time is ripe will doubtless permit 
 
 me." 
 
 "Particularly as you yourself were not 
 responsible." 
 
 "It was decreed that I should be the instru 
 ment to found a church to meet the require- 
 
 363 
 
ments of a few, on similar planes, who were im 
 bued with the one great truth of God Omnipo 
 tent as Person, but who were not developed 
 sufficiently to be impressed with the truth of 
 Him being a God of love alone, not also one 
 of hate." 
 
 "The majority of all material brains on 
 earth plane are on too low a plane to permit 
 the spirit spheres to impress rightly. The 
 strong, ever preying on the weak, devoid of love 
 and pity, manifest the animal characteristics 
 the spirit has not yet been allowed to overcome," 
 said his visitor. 
 
 "Therefore as the majority of those who had 
 been brought into the Christian religion in my 
 time still believed in pagan crudities and cere 
 monies, not ready to apprehend the doctrine of 
 love given by our Lord, I was selected to see 
 personally, to give all that their material brains 
 could receive. Not upon a brain which mixed 
 the chaff and the wheat, filled with the primi 
 tive ideas of the Old Testament, (permitted by 
 God if not inspired by Him, for those on the 
 low planes then and later,) the inconsistencies 
 of the New Testament, and the revelations, 
 utterly unintelligible to all but those who claim 
 to interpret their obscure meaning, could the 
 truth be "impressed." 
 
 "And yet I grasped your explanation regard- 
 
 364 
 
ing many, although I often doubted the hells 
 and places of punishment. The Lord Jesus 
 Christ taught of love, forgiveness, pity and 
 charity, healed the sick, forgave the sinning, I 
 could not understand why He should forgive on 
 mortal plane and not in the spirit, where dwelt 
 His perfect Father, and all was pure and holy. 
 Although He said, Tear Him which is able to 
 destroy both body and soul in hell, really the 
 grave, He also said, Are not two sparrows 
 sold for a farthing, and one of them shall not 
 fall to the ground without your Father, but 
 the very hairs of your head are all numbered, 
 fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than 
 many sparraws/ Could such a Being say, but 
 with pity, free from condemnation, Woe, woe 
 unto thee, Bethsoida one moment, "it shall be 
 more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of 
 Judgment than you. And the next Come unto 
 rne all ye who labor, and I will give ye rest. 
 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for 
 I am meek and lowly at heat, and ye shall find 
 rest unto your soul." Within my soul I felt 
 the truth that He should be judged by His in 
 finite compassion, and the love displayed in 
 all His acts^ and not by the allegories, parables 
 and saying interpreted superficially, that a God 
 of love who would counsil His creatures to for 
 give seventy times seven, who forgave the most 
 
 365 
 
erring on earth, would do likewise in the world 
 of spirits, and ,yet, with the passions and lusts 
 of the animal, I could not be impressed with 
 the truth, but turned to that most congenial to 
 my material nature." 
 
 "Alas," replied the great seer, "were it not 
 imperative, were it not solely through stern dis 
 cipline that many on the lower planes must ad 
 vance, I should bitterly deplore. It was or 
 dained that I was to forget the truth after my 
 return to the material plane. It was my mis 
 sion to strengthen the belief in the horrors of 
 hells and places of punishment, to compel the 
 undeveloped through fear to do that which 
 they could not in any other way. Although 
 many have progressed beyond these crude con 
 ceptions, my church still adheres to these obso 
 lete dogmas, and, which despite the enlightment 
 of many and their correct impression, retard its 
 growth. You were far above the average, and 
 still you accepted these errors." 
 
 "Simply through my faith in you, and lack 
 of correct spiritual impressions, but it is not 
 solely our church which inculcates these errors, 
 both the Catholic and Protestant teach the sam^ 
 thing. They, with the exception of many with 
 in, who are illuminated, and more on the out 
 side who abjure such ungodlike, unchristian be 
 liefs, delight in, and would not do without hells, 
 
 366 
 
fire and brimstone, even though they know the 
 real meaning of hell to be not a place of pun 
 ishment but the grave." 
 
 "Not yet are they ready to be impressed cor 
 rectly, but they are gradually becoming more 
 illumined, and abolishing many of their most 
 primiitve conceptions." 
 
 The visitor laughed merrily, "Oh, I know, 
 I acknowledge my limitations. I argued with 
 many, not nearly so enlighted on material mat 
 ters as I, who were much more correctly im 
 pressed, many, too big to wish salvation HOT 
 accorded to all, who were infidels, atheists and 
 agnostics, and many spiritualists, undeveloped 
 modiums, who saw with a clearer vision, who 
 midst many laughable absurdities, grasped the 
 truth of a God of love and ridiculed our great 
 er absurdities and fallacies." 
 
 The seer laughed also as his visitor continu 
 ed, "That which suprises me is the attitude of 
 the churches regarding spiritualism, not recog 
 nizing that all religions have a spiritual founda 
 tion and are of spiritual origin. All worship a 
 God of Spirit, hope for a spiritual life, and 
 teach of heavens and hells. The Lord Jesus 
 Christ ascended to the spirit world, proved 
 its existence and the life of the spirit in many 
 ways. The Old Testament is filled with spirit 
 ualism. St. Paul devotes a chapter to it, the 
 
 367 
 
12th chapter of the Corinthians, To another the 
 workings of miracles, to another discerning of 
 spirits, to another divers kinds of tongues, etc., 
 and yet the orthordox Christians who accept 
 hells for their foes, never for themselves or their 
 loved ones, deride these people more orcrectly 
 illumined than they, regardless how low in 
 social scale or how illietrate, I speak now of 
 myself, who was one of the most intolerant also." 
 "I must confess when I felt compelled to 
 give the aweful pictures I thought I had seen, 
 1 felt my soul protesting and filled with pity 
 but could not give clearly spiritual truth at that 
 time." 
 
 "How correctly impressed was St. Paul 
 when he said, So that they who are in the flesh 
 cannot please God, so as many as are led by the 
 spirit of God, they are the sons of God. The 
 spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that 
 f we are the children of God. For I am pur- 
 suaded that neither death, nor life, nor Angels 
 nor principalities, nor powers, nor things to 
 come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creat 
 ure shall be able to separate us from the love of 
 God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Ah, 
 these sublime promises to all of God s children, 
 so erroneously claimed to be but for a few, but 
 for the righteous of whom the Lord said, I 
 come not to bring the righteous, but sinners to 
 
 368 
 
repentance. Also St. Paul, For though we 
 walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh, 
 for the weapons of our war-fare are not carnal, 
 but mighty, through God, to the pulling down 
 of strongholds. Also, For the fruit of the 
 spirit is in all goodness, and righteousness and 
 truth? It seems to me so strange now that I 
 interpreted so many of these truths incorrectly, 
 that I could not see that ever and always the 
 life of the spirit, the life of the flesh both exist 
 ing, were on two planes, utterly distinct, tha 
 advise, instructions, promises, denunciations 
 were for the mortal (, not for the spirit of right 
 eousness, goodness and truth." 
 
 "All intended for the spirit on mortal plane" 
 "Entirely distinct from the spiritual, and 
 different discipline for each individual one, He 
 dsciriminates aganst none, all are prepared for 
 different lines of activity, hence many are called 
 home at varying ages, and many upon acquiring 
 personality ere brought forth. I never could ex 
 plain to my sense of right and justice, the end 
 destined for that class, as well as the large ele 
 ment of degenerates, weaklings, mentally un 
 balanced and insane, I felt they were irrespon 
 sible, and that our Father could not hold them 
 responsible." 
 
 "It will be but a very short time," said the, 
 seer, "when spirits, on mortal plane, will be 
 
 369 
 
impressed with the truth, thhat, not only are 
 these unfortunate brethren and sisters irrespon 
 sible, on that plane, but that the large criminal 
 element are equally so. Science will solve and 
 prove these truths, when those in charge de 
 cide the time is ripe. The truth then will be 
 known, that those deemed so terribly afflicted, so 
 discriminated against, do not suffer more than 
 others. The degenerate, the weakling, the 
 moral pervert, the mentally unbalanced, are so 
 lacking in wholesome entities forming brain and 
 body, that it is impossible for the spirit to re 
 ceive from the various nerve centers correct im 
 pressions regarding aught of the mortal body, 
 except the pain and suffering adjudged essen 
 tial. The criminal oft the offspring of this 
 class, or victim of disease and propensity, the 
 same, as either brain or body, subject to disease 
 and propensity, cause equally as deplorable re 
 sults, and also renders him so dense are his sen- 
 sibiliites, so undeveloped his brain as unreliable 
 an insrtument as the insane." 
 
 "Christian Science, one of the latest inter 
 pretation of the Bible, that mortal mind, or 
 rather material brain creates the delusions dis 
 ease, evil and death on the plane is not correct." 
 
 "Knowing the truth as we do, we know that 
 Mrs. Eddy was impressed to give certain truths, 
 as I was, to meet the requirements of a large 
 
 370 
 
class, who cannot believe in hell and damnation." 
 "A dnyet this class accept theories as im 
 possible to credit. They believe in Principle, 
 and not in a Supreme Personal God. They 
 believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as His "Sole- 
 begotten Son." They accept, yet deride spir 
 itualism. They accept "The Spirit" which 
 impressed Mrs. Eddy, and is presumed to im 
 press their healers. They do not give form 
 to God nor location to the spirit world, although 
 they believe In the real, true spirit life and man, 
 and ignore mortal life and beings. They grasp 
 the great truth of the unreality of evil, disease 
 and death to the spirit, the real and the true, 
 but cannot see the inconsistency of the real and 
 the true in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, 
 who said, "Who seeth me, seeth the Father" 
 abandoning the real and the true world, the 
 real and true body, to sacrifice an unreal one, to 
 save unreal beings, created by mortal mind from 
 from unreal mortal beliefs. Were mortal life 
 created out of the spirit s erroneous beliefs, and 
 mortal mind and life illusions, God Almighty 
 would not come Himself, or send His sole-be 
 gotten Son to dispel an illusion of a mortal mind 
 and body, an unreal body and mind. Pure, 
 perfect spirit has no delusions to dispel. Chris 
 tian Science ignores all mortality, gives spirit 
 its true place, yet ridicules spiritism, claims 
 
 371 
 
truly, "only spirit can discern spirit," yet denies 
 that spirit, on mortal plane, can see or com 
 mune with spirits, whilst claiming all are 
 spirits and mortals do not exist. The spirits 
 who believe in spiritualism but not in Christian 
 Science cannot commune with, or see spirits, 
 but are shut out from spirit consciousness as 
 well as association. False beliefs of the true 
 spirit create mortal mind, which creates the 
 delusion of death, evil and disease, Christian 
 Science founded by a mortal, a false concept of 
 mortal mind, heals these false bodies and false 
 beliefs, so that the real and ever true spirit child 
 can advance, otherwise the real and true would 
 suffer for the false and unreal. And yet sen- 
 sible people, who cannot accept hell and damna 
 tion because it shuts out all from immortality 
 but a chosen few, as interpreted sujerficially, 
 accept these statements because they give hope, 
 and with the truths grapsed and comprehended, 
 with faith in the name of God, the Lord Jesus 
 Christ, does good, and heals and reforms those 
 ordained to be healed." 
 
 "Yea, yea, it reforms, reforms the brain and 
 body by the power of the spirit, when the mor 
 tal brain is fitted to receive impressions, never 
 otherwise, only when God wills! 
 
 "Certainly. Christian Science is especially 
 for the class I alluded to, as the Salvation Army 
 
 372 
 
is for another, both doing effective work, al 
 though Christian Science is a step in advance, as 
 it, not only recognizes the unreality of evil, dis 
 ease and death, but proves the unreality of disease 
 by healing it, when God wills, and when it heals 
 disease, by the same power, heals evil. Mrs. 
 Eddy made the mistake of not giving matter 
 and the material creation its true, legitimate 
 place, as essential in God s scheme of creation 
 as the spiritual" 
 
 "Nay," corrected Emanuel Swedenborg, 
 "Mrs. Eddy made no mistake, Mrs. Eddy was 
 impressed to give that which alone could ap 
 peal to, and comfort a certain class, as the truths 
 we know will be given to another class, to com 
 fort them. These, if given to Christian Scien 
 tists, not yet ready, would be rejected, just as 
 when I shall be allowed to give the truth to my 
 church, only those correctly impressed will re 
 ceive it. The majority, unable to grasp a God 
 of Love, dominated by the carnal, eager to pun 
 ish their fellow creatures, will still cling to 
 their hells and material conceptions as you did. 
 You could not grasp the truths of Christian 
 Science and condemned it, simply, because you, 
 on certain lines, more enlightened, discerned 
 where truth had not been misrepresented, but 
 vaguely expressed. You know, impressed by 
 ner spirit and others, not as cognized by her, 
 
 373 
 
"The Spirit, God Omnipotent," she was im 
 pressed to give publicly the unreality of evil, 
 disease and death, the power of God through 
 the spirit to heal the disease and evil of the 
 mortal plane, and, in reality, to those who com 
 prehended her in spirit, (only those who were 
 not in spiritual light failed to grasp, as she did 
 herself), the truth. But Christian Science 
 makes mortal mind, while denying its reality, 
 more potent than God, makes it build the body, 
 and create disease and evil, Instead of explaining 
 lucidly that God Omnipotent created material 
 and spiritual worlds conjointly and the two 
 planes of consciousness. That the material 
 world is as necessary as birth-place for His 
 children as the spiritual, and necessary as pre 
 paratory schools of discipline for many. It 
 ignores the fact that spirit has, while on earth, 
 a "natural as well as a spiritual body," also the 
 scientifically proven fact that mortal mind, or 
 rather material brain, is not responsible for all 
 the divers mental and physical afflictions man is 
 heir to. That, instead of innocent babes just 
 born, foully diseased, creating disease, opposed 
 to all justice and common sense, their parents, 
 through perversion of thought, inflicted upon 
 them, the parents, in reality, are victims of dis 
 ease themselves, which has been transmitted 
 from generation to generation by pure and 
 
 374 
 
honorable people, incapable themselves of 
 creating or perpetuately by unholy, impure 
 thought, the diseases which have originated 
 with the animal and primitive man seemingly 
 through ignorance and violation of law. Chris 
 tian Science assumes that many diseases not 
 caused by fear and worry, but the physical con 
 dition preceeding, the effects of conditions 
 known to us, are caused by mortal mind. The 
 actual truth is that no disease is caused by that 
 which is presumed to be the mind, that the 
 spirit knows naught of disease. The spirit 
 through a material brain is unable, unless, un 
 der control or directivity, to keep body in 
 health or disease. But, that which is sensed as 
 a disorder, defective, malformed brain unable 
 to follow law, debilitates the body, lowers its 
 vitality, -and produces disease, or that which is 
 sensed as disease." 
 
 "It is then, as I assumed on mortal plane, 
 that mortal mind does not create disease, hence 
 Christian Science does not impress these facts 
 clearly, although it clearly proves that God 
 heals disease and sin. It does not explain how 
 it heals to the satisfaction of any but those for 
 whom it is intended, whose brains can grasp 
 idyosincrasies incomprehensible to others, or 
 who accept the truths, which the majority do, 
 content to leave to the spirit the power to unfold 
 
 375 
 
the apparent contradictions and inconsistences. 
 Christian Science cannot graps a Personal God, 
 makes all manifest God. This is true as chil 
 dren of God, we are all of Him, but not true in 
 the sense that we are or ever can equal Him. 
 Christian Science does not explain the truth of 
 God Omnipotent Personally impressing the 
 Lord Jesus Christ, recognizing the Lord Jesus 
 Christ as a Son on an equal plane. The great 
 truth of a Personal God Omnipotent is taught 
 by our church, which has not advanced simply 
 because we teach hell and places of punishment. 
 I frankly confess Christian Science is doing bet 
 ter, greater work." 
 
 Swedenborg replied, "It is impossible for 
 the majority until ready to be impressed, to 
 credit a Personal God, that, as I say in "Heaven 
 and Hell," is but discerned by the highest. 
 Christian Science was brought forth by Mrs. 
 Eddy, the instrument, to impress those in har 
 mony with the truths they were fit to receive. So 
 long as they realize the Omnipotence, whether 
 cognized as Principle or Person, the Divinity 
 of Christ, the Divine Commandments, all is as 
 God wills. Little by little all will advance, 
 there will be no necessity for exterior forms of 
 religion, all will find within the true light. It 
 is true that there are many undeveloped healers 
 in Christian Science, that many of its followers 
 
 376 
 
are even more undeveloped, that it does not 
 interpret clearly the Gospel of Love, that it 
 still, more or less, on material plane, fails in 
 many ways, as do all religions, but it is just 
 creeping, when it eliminates its false concep 
 tions, become truly spiritual, it will be a greater 
 power for good." 
 
 "Do you not think it probable in time that 
 true Christian Spiritualism may advance?" 
 
 lie smiled, "True Christian Spiritualism, 
 amongst all races, whether accepted as Christian 
 spiritualism or not, is more powerful than any, 
 has more followers among all the different 
 religions, philosophies than any other belief. 
 Modern spiritualism, with its "Elder Brother" 
 theory, will merge into the true which ultimate 
 ly will number openly, as it now does privately 
 thousands, who, divested of the fear of pre 
 judice will come forth from the churches, 
 Christian Science and the various philosophies, 
 and unafraid, unashamed, acknowledge the 
 control of the spirit. It were as absurd to 
 attempt to wipe creation out of existence, as to 
 attempt to stem the mighty forces of all out- 
 spirit spheres, all, under our loving Father, 
 working in unison, to gradually, not incompati 
 ble with discipline, bring the two planes into 
 closer communion, to lighten, as far as possible, 
 the otherwise too severe discipline. As the chil- 
 
 377 
 
dren progress, the material brain becomes a 
 better instrument, and brings spirit in closer 
 touch with material life, hence unless instructed 
 regarding the truths and necessity for this 
 discipline, they would suffer more than is ad 
 judged necessary. No one is permitted to 
 suffer in the least more than is actually necessary 
 for individual discipline. The more developed, 
 the more unfoldled the spirit, in closer touch 
 with mortal life, feels more keenly the impres 
 sions received from the mortal brain and body, 
 as well as expresses or transmits more perfectly 
 spiritual impressions. In consequence were 
 the spirit unilluminated with faith, hope and 
 knowledge while on earth, as he advances and 
 become mo^re conscious of material life, he 
 would naturalyl suffer more. Therefore, a3 
 the spirit gradually comes in 1 closer touch, teach 
 ers, suited to each plane of advancement, have 
 been prepared for the different races. When 
 the time arrived, when a greater than any who 
 had preceeded, was needed, when some were so 
 advanced that only the truth could satisfy them, 
 when the great masses, on the lower planes, had 
 arrived at that stage where more light was 
 needed, light that could not be destroyed by the 
 sophistry of any unstable philosophy or reli 
 gion, our loving Father, the God of Love, 
 brought forth, on earth, the Lord Jesus Christ, 
 a perfect material instrument, one fit to be im- 
 
 378 
 
pressed perfectly. He, Himself, impressed 
 and at various times attached Himself to Jesus, 
 through Jesus He suffered all the ignominy and 
 pain of His life and crucifixion. Only in this 
 way, with truth, could our Lord say, "I and 
 my Father are one." In verity in more accord 
 and unison than any spirit with his mortal body. 
 Our loving Father, to inspire His children with 
 faith, hope and love, suffered, on mortal plane, 
 while attached to the Lord, as much as any of 
 His children, and in this manner, brought the 
 spirit and mortal life into closer union, satis 
 fied with actual knowledge those clamoring for 
 the truth, and, in parable and allegory, gave all 
 that was necessary for the masses. The little 
 grain of truth, the tiny ray of light which they 
 were and are capable of being impressed with, 
 is just enough to force them, incapable of being 
 governed by love, to greater effort through 
 fear. It is the mission of the Celestial Angels, 
 directing attached spirits, to gradually impress 
 the spiritual attributes of love, will, under 
 standing, knowledge, intelligence. In truth 
 there is no such thing as human reason or logic, 
 there is material brain, which has a certain 
 degree of reason, intelligence and conscious 
 ness, the reason, intelligence and consciousness 
 of each separate entity inhabiting it, all under 
 directivity or control. When these combine, 
 as a whole, in the aggregate, under control, for 
 
 379 
 
purpose of discipline, they transmit incorrect 
 impressions, and, seemingly, bear false witness. 
 The Angels, in charge of all these entities, under 
 their supervision, develop the conditions re 
 quisite for the especial discipline for each 
 spirit on mortal plane. Were it not for this 
 supervision a mortal babe, even among the most 
 advanced races, would develop no more than 
 the babe of the most primitive. The Angels 
 develop the brain within the first six months, 
 to enable the spirit babe to be impressed, when 
 ready. Every child, upon mortal plane, is 
 impressed from the spirit spheres by their own 
 especial Angel Guides." He ceased. 
 
 "Therefore, the child, his visitor added, "of 
 the most highly advanced spiritually and mate 
 rially, suffers no more, in reality, than the 
 abandoned waif of the slums, or the millions in 
 famine stricken places, who succumb to starva 
 tion, or the thousands of child slaves who toil 
 for a pittance." 
 
 "Often so, all have individual discipline, 
 many suffer necessarily more on this plane, 
 although the waif of the slums, the famine- 
 stricken, the child slaves in a much shorter per 
 iod are called home." 
 
 "Those taken, prior to birth, upon acquiring 
 personality, early in life, require but little mor 
 tal discipline." 
 
 "The especial work of various kinds for 
 380 
 
which they are destined require entirely differ 
 ent training, or they most assuredly would not 
 be detached unless necessary. 
 
 "They do not suffer at all then, therefore 
 must be more greatly favored." 
 
 "Not at all. Nothing is left to chance in 
 all God s realms. All, even to the hairs of our 
 heads are numbered. That for which a child 
 is destined is known prior to birth on spirit 
 plane, all that Divine love and wisdom can 
 do, to fit him for that destiny, is done, as there 
 are millions brought forth daily in all the spirit 
 worlds, the discipline of all varies considera 
 bly. The mortal life so transitory, so dream 
 like, despite is suffering, appears but a mo 
 ment to the awakened spirit. 7 
 
 "Then there is no such thing as free will 
 upon mortal plane?" 
 
 "The spirit, upon the mortal plane of con 
 sciousness, is only impressed by Celestial 
 guides, with that which is deemed essential for 
 mortal discipline, until he advances under 
 law of the mortal plane. The work of the 
 Celestial Angels in charge is to make the free 
 will of the spirit, of mortal plane, to accord 
 with the God will of the spirit, when the mor 
 tal discipline requires it. The will of man is 
 free only within the bounds of law, man is 
 neither a puppet nor an automatum upon his 
 true plane, but, upon the mortal, he is ever un- 
 
 381 
 
der law and supervision. In all spirits spheres 
 law is invariable, universal and immutable, so 
 invariable that perfect science foretells the 
 future with absolute certainity. Upon the 
 mortal plane, science has advanced so rapidly 
 as to predict phemonena many years in advance, 
 were conditions as perfect as on spiritual, spirits 
 on mortal plane, could be able to foretell with 
 accuracy all things pertainingly to physics. As 
 law is but an expression of the Divine will, all 
 that has been in the past, and all that is, and all 
 that will be, is but an expression of His will. He 
 acts not contrary to His own Divine law. Even 
 the phemonena, determined by the variable con 
 ditions, under which law operates, on mortal 
 plane, attributed to mans free will, are under 
 law." 
 
 "Then, in reality, there is no such thing as 
 freewill?" 
 
 "Spirit, on mortal plane, is free to act as he 
 will under these variable conditions, yet no 
 one, outside the mentally and criminally afflicted 
 but seeks within for the light to guide him, the 
 impressions that he can receive from no where 
 else but the spirit plane, where God s will is 
 his will in his own true home. Hence, he acts 
 according to the impressions transmitted and 
 while apparently free, yet is guided and direct 
 ed as his guardian Angels know to be neces 
 sary for him." 
 
 382 
 
"Do you not think that there are many on 
 earth to whom the knowledge of this truth might 
 make cast off responsibility, cease individual 
 effort, and rely solely upon their guardian 
 Angels?" 
 
 "That could not be, all rely upon Him who 
 said, "Take no thought of the tomorrow, but, 
 although all impressions are from the spirit, all 
 receive, according to their plane, according to 
 those in charge, none can act otherwise than as 
 they decree or as God wills! 
 
 "The Lord s prayer says, "Thy will be 
 done, lead us not into temptation, deliver us 
 from evil." 
 
 "The Angels, in charge, arrange these con 
 dition of apparent temptation and evil. This 
 prayer was and is for all subject to material 
 conditions, no matter how advanced." 
 
 "As mortals advance, will evil cease to 
 tempt, and be conquered?" 
 
 "The law of progression, in all spirit 
 spheres is universal, invariable, on mortal, for 
 the purpose of discipline, it is variable. Al 
 though here and there an individual or race 
 retrograde, or are wiped out of existence, the 
 majoriety are ever on the upward march until 
 they attain to the highest material advance 
 ment. If unaccompanied by spiritual unjold- 
 ment to harmonize, the pendulum swings back, 
 races disappear, are wiped out, become extinct, 
 
 383 
 
to begin anew until both material and spiritual 
 are in accord. When that time arrives, the 
 earth will have accomplished its mission like 
 the material body, cease to exist as a world, and 
 be transformed into the true spiritual substance 
 of the vast atmospheric spiritual ocean. But 
 in spiritual worlds, in the true life, the spirits, 
 the real beings, ever in peace, love and harmony, 
 whether their mortal attachments advance or 
 not, advance, and upon their release from the 
 mortal, find themselves upon a higher plane 
 than the highest material plane in all wisdom 
 and knowledge, and more spiritually unfolded 
 than the most God-like and saint-like. God s 
 will, their will, where the unreality of evil dis 
 ease and death, the illusions of the mortal van 
 ish as with us. The apparent conflict between 
 the material and the spiritual, the animal pro 
 pensities and diseases, which seemingly cause 
 the undeveloped conditions, are, under law, 
 caused by the Celestial Angels for purpose of 
 discipline. Hence, from the beginning of 
 human life up to the present, these conditions 
 are necessary for the majority or they would 
 not exist while spirits are being trained in all 
 material worlds." 
 
 Swedenborg ceased, his visitor said rever 
 ently, 
 
 "Thy will be done." 
 
 384 
 
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 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY