GLEAMS OF LIGHT 
 
 GLIMPSES THRO' THE RIFT.
 
 ^tl-STAPHA DESCENDING THiv C, I. () R Y- T AT H S.
 
 GLEAMS OF LIGHT 
 
 AX D 
 
 GLIMPSES TURO' THE 1(1 FT. 
 
 ILLUSTRATED WITH FIFTYTWO PLATES, SIX OF WHICH ARE 
 COLOURED PAINTINGS EACH PLATE FINISHED BY HAND. 
 
 "KviT)' proplicl wlioin I send i;oclli forth to establish reli;jion, not pull 
 it up." 
 
 Persian Scripliiies. 
 
 I. O N D O N : 
 E. ALLEX, 4, AVE MARIA LANE, LUDGATE HILL. 
 
 1893- 
 Price Five Guineas.
 
 ^6F 
 
 i 
 
 DEDICATED 
 
 To 
 ThK RKW j. II. SC()\VCRiil-T. S.C.L., M.A., 
 
 Bishops Ituhincton \'icaragh, Lkamington, 
 
 WHOSE 
 
 CON'SISTENT LIFE, 
 
 WISE IXSTRrCTIONS. 
 
 AND EXAMPLE THEREWITH, 
 
 LAID THE FOUNDATION FOR 
 
 THE ASPIRATIONAL TRAIN OF 
 
 THOUGHT AND STUDY, WHICH HAS 
 
 LED " FAITH TO HAVE ITS FRUITION 
 
 IN THE 'SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE' OF MAN'S IMMORTALITV 
 
 BEING DIVINELY REVEALED 
 
 TO 
 
 THE AUTHOR.
 
 P R E y A C E . 
 
 N ushering this work upon the stage of litcrarv 
 exploit we are conscious that it is not so complete, 
 comprehensive, or elaborate as we wished to make 
 it: but whatever imperfections mav be apparent 
 't we are sure that we are adxancing 'J'lntli, and 
 
 /v 
 
 that for the greater part we voucli for tlie al)solulc 
 accuracA" of every statement. 
 
 With regard to any that we make^not in harmonj' 
 with accepted scientific teachings, we ha\e only to sa\- that 
 we have had them from t)ur Inspirers, and are content 
 that thev shall stand upon their own merits for future 
 scientific discoveries to prove or disprove : their reasonableness 
 none can dispiite — they are at least as feasible as most 
 hypotheses — their triith we oursehes do not doubt. 
 
 \\'e here tender our thanks to all authors from whose 
 works we have quoted, assuming that knowledge is imparted 
 to us for dissemination.
 
 iart I 
 
 GLEAMS OF LIGHT. 
 
 Pack 
 ■••ROXTISPIKCK. — PART I. MISTAPHA Sl'MMOMNC A liAXI) OF 
 
 ixspiRixG ixti-:i,i,i<;rxcrs to tiik rhcordkr. 
 
 FROXTISPIKCK. — PART II. AHDri.I.AH's HF,A\-KXI,Y HOMF. 
 
 thf: celestial commission to the 
 recorder. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. i 
 
 The object of llic book — to build u]), not to pull clowu. i i 
 
 GLEAM ONE.— REMINISCENCES. 13 
 
 Cliililish experiences. .\nj;el voices. The influeuce of jjooil people —llie 
 mistaken ideas of friends, .■\bont T. S. W., the causes leadiui; to his 
 death. As a Spirit he advises experiments in photosrapln-. 
 
 GLEAM TWO.— INVESTIGATIONS. 23 
 
 Scatice I. The attempt of T. S. W. to communicate. Recoijnition. .Advice to 
 hold seances. 
 
 Seaucc 2. Visit to Mrs. Nella (medium). Description of T. S. \V. liusy I!ee. 
 Further arrangements. 26 
 
 Seance 3. Xo results. 36 
 
 Seance 4. Further communications from T. S. \V. thriuisjli Busy l!ee. Physio- 
 logical questions. Description of i^uides. Family and business 
 revelations. 37
 
 X Synopsis. 
 
 Page. 
 GLEAM THREE.— INVESTIGATIONS CONTD. 46 
 
 Smnci' 5. Public Meeting. Mr. Croft (medium). The stubborn sceptic anil his 
 
 Spirit son. Advice in respect to promiscuous circles. 
 Sctii/iY 6. Table manifestations. 52 
 
 Sroinr 7. Mr. Croft (medium). V. G. considerate and insistent. Descriptions 
 to Mrs. Winbald and Mrs. Derallen, and advice to the latter. The Jire 
 
 Icsf- 53 
 
 Sconce S. Mr. Croft. \\'. B. Carpenter and his cousin. 65 
 
 GLEAM FOUR.— INVESTIGATIONS CONTINUED. 69 
 
 Seance 9. Mr. Wilderness (medium). At Mrs. Daltin's house. 69 
 
 Seance 10. Mrs. Z. (medium). Questions. Doubts resolved. 73 
 
 Seance 11. Mrs. Z. Clairvoyance. Miss Lowethorne's suital)ilitv challenged. 7S 
 
 GLEAM FIVE.— INVESTIGATIONS CONTINUED. 8^ 
 
 Seances 12 and 13. Mrs. Nella and Jlrs. Z. (mediums). The former corroborates 
 the latter in respect to Mi.ss Lowethorne. 83 
 
 Seance 14. At home. Mr.s. Nella locates a letter. Reference to Jlr. Ancient 
 and the P. vSociety. ,S6 
 
 Seance 15. Mr. Wilderness (medium.) IVrtial detection of Mr. .A.ncient's deceit. 
 Arrangement for weeklv seance. 102 
 
 GLEAM SIX.— INVESTIGATIONS CONTINUED. io8 
 
 Seance t5. Mr. Ancient still further exposed, and leaves the room aliruptly. 
 Seance 17. Good test fpr L. J. J. Mr. W. sees the astral influence of ;Mr. A. 
 
 present. 112 
 
 Seance iS. Mr. W. (medium). The realistic representation of death scene. 115 
 Seance 19. "Mr. W. (medium). Top.sy and the " foolio.sopher. Propo.sed nine 
 
 lectiires. Editorial intimidation. Two of the lectures. iiS 
 
 GLEAM SEVEN.— INVESTIGATIONS CONTINITED.130 
 
 Seance 20. (Teneral S])irit studies. T. S. W. succeeds in establishing his 
 complete identity. Questions re-Astrology. Men not alwavs 
 responsible for their shortcomings: want of balance is often pre-natallv 
 caused: by Spiritual means evils foreshadowed can be averted.
 
 Sy//(>/^s/s. xi 
 
 Pack. 
 Seance 21. Physical manifestations. What could be done if int-n and Angels 
 
 were in conscious hannouy. Passage of matter tlirou;:^!! matter. 
 
 Levitation of the medium, Mr. W., under test conditions. 139 
 
 Seiiiue 22. Devotional seance. Mr. Nosna's elongation. Personal advice given 
 
 poetically. 145 
 
 Seance 23. Public meeting, Mr. Sonillow (medium). His story of his levitalion 
 
 at the General Hospital, and subsequent visit to a Spiritualist* 
 
 meeting. 147 
 
 Seance 24. Public Jleeting. .\n address on Miracles. Paragraph on Mrs. 
 
 Toille's healing. 150 
 
 Seance 25. Paragraph on the antagonism displayed by the town. The solicitor's 
 
 frieiitUy chaniiiionship. .Vddress on the death of Spinosa. 152 
 
 Seance 26. Private seance. .\ prophecy concerning a client. Tlie testimony 
 
 of \V. H. ' 154 
 
 Seance 27. Public Meeting. Wonderful clairvoyance. 157 
 
 GLEAM EIGHT.— INVESTIGATIONS CONTINUED.! 68 
 
 Seance 2S. The father of T. S. W. expresses contrition. 
 
 Seance 29. The astral of a living person seen. 174 
 
 Seance 30. Mr. Tinaus and the large building — tlie foreshadowing of impri.son- 
 
 ment. 176 
 
 Seance 31. -\nother instance of the double. 179 
 
 Seance 32. A visitor clairvoyantly described at Jlr. K.'s house in Yorkshire. iSi 
 
 Seance ;^;i. People and scenes in China described. 183 
 
 Seance 34. A parabolic vision. Moral. 185 
 
 Seance 35. .\ description of the Spirit home of T. S. W. 188 
 
 Seance 36. .A materializing seance. T. S. W. attempts to manifest in tangible 
 
 form. Description of psychopla.smic material. The testimony of Seers 
 
 as to the boy pianist. Otto Hegner. The Spirits that inspired him. 191 
 
 GLEA^I NINE.— CONCLUSIONS.— i^^'CZyaV OjV£. 204 
 
 The jewels of Truth are hidden from the wise and prudent. The Spiritualistic 
 hypothesis accepted as being the best. Scientific terms are misnomers. 
 Metempsychosis — reincarnation — metamorphosis, etc., explained. In- 
 sanity an obsession. A death-bed scene. The origin of all religious 
 creeds is in abnormal phenomena. Clairvoyants and Seers can span 
 the gulf. Evolution in religion as in all else. Methodists, Salva- 
 tionists, and High Churchmen. Quotation of Sempronius. Cycles of 
 re-birth. Karma. .Vvatar-Saviours. Poetic triplets. Knowledge shall 
 rend the veil of materialism. Jacob. .\ Poem. Hovering .Angels. 
 Gideon. Manoali. 205
 
 Sji/o/^s/s. 
 
 Page. 
 
 CONCLUSIONS.— S^CTYO.V TIJV. 205 
 
 Poem. The guidance of Israel's kings. The father of Jesus a ghost. The 
 Adamic sin, histful not edible. The Jewish (white) races. 
 
 GLEAM TEN.— ASTROLOGY. 228 
 
 Quotation from Sibley. Horoscope of the lady and her lover. The stars the 
 indicators of influence — agents of force. Personal certainty of astro- 
 logical truth. Astrological axioms. The trine and the square. 
 The cross. The times for all things. Poems. Director and Manilius 
 Caius. Effects of planetary influence. Natal destiu}-. The S3-mbols of 
 harmonj' and discord. Colour of radiation. The influence of Uranus. 
 Neptune, 7th cycle. Religious aspects of astrolog)-. Hercules, Sth 
 cycle. Trinity of harmony. Daniel and his superior astrology. 
 Quotations: — Scott, Chaucer, Dante, Longfellow, Milton. 229 
 
 GLEAM ELEVEN.— PSYCHIC PHOTOGRAPHY. 
 
 Daguerre's discovery. Photographers and the 'fog.' T. S. W.'s advic-e to e.K- 
 periment in photography. Experiments with professionals. Sent to 
 J. P., the artist. Questions. Non-professionals. Reflections. .Ab- 
 dullah's counsel and advice. The antagonism of the Christian Evi- 
 dence Society. The Southport episode. Abdullah's poetic promise. 
 The haunted lady and her Spirit protectors. The colour of the 
 atmospheric surrovinding of objects. Scientific analogies. 242 
 
 EXPERIMENTS. 260 
 
 PL.\TE I. — The method of operation. 260 
 
 I'L.VfE II.— The Spirit-child. The halo. 261 
 PLATE III. — The same. Extraordinary focal distance. Fourth dimensional 
 
 beings. The light of the .soul, from untouched negatives. 262 
 PLATE IV.— The clown. Reference to newspaper controversy- (page 671). 264 
 
 PL.ATE v.— Amelia Peters. 264 
 
 PLATE VI. — Old gentleman in dressing gown. 265 
 
 PLATE VII.— Figure in Spirit robe. " 266 
 
 PLATE VIIL— Eliza series. Mrs. Derallen's mother. Simon. John \V. 266 
 
 PLATE IX.- 266 
 PL.A.TE X. — Ann, Iri.sh servant, from untouched negative. 
 PLATE XL— Ann's photo. 
 
 PLATE XII.— The artist's father. Jlr. Wedgewood finds a spray of lilies 
 
 pictured on the plate, from untouched negative. 268
 
 Synopsis 
 
 Page. 
 PLATE XIII. — Lady's aunt. Recognition by brother. 268 
 
 PLATE XI\'. — Visitor from Ireland. Faint outline of Spirit, from untouched 
 negatives. Series of four. 271 
 
 PL.\TE X\'.— Outline of Spirit. 271 
 
 PLATE XVI.— Position of Sitters in Plate xvii. 272 
 
 PL.\TE XVII. — ,, ,, Spirit recognised by Irish Visitor. 272 
 
 PL.VTE XVIII. — Black man with white beard. Hindu Fakir. Nineteen per- 
 sons present. • 273 
 PLATE XIX.— Red Indian. 274 
 PLATE XX. — Two halos with heads. 274 
 PLATE XXI. — Mrs. Neal series, .-^s a Spirit. I'ntouched negative. 275 
 PL.^Tlv XXII. — Jlr.s. Neal in the flesh. Sister's testimony. Two editors 
 contrasted. Comparison of existing portrait and Spirit-photo. 276 
 PL.\TE XXIII. — Mrs. Toille's familiar Spirits. Pat — Dr. Spurge — Saxon. 2S0 
 PL.ATE XXIV. -The Spirit hand. 2S0 
 PLATE XXV. — Reggie's experiences, untouched negative. 281 
 PL.ATE XXVI.— Partly materialized form. 283 
 PLATE XXVII. — Bertie's experiences, untouched negative. 2S3 
 PLATE XXVIIL— With two friends. 2S4 
 PLATE XXIX.— The doctor's widow. The lady's father. Soldier hero. 
 Lightning. 2S4 
 PLATE XXX.— Charlotte Bronte. 285 
 PLATE XXXI.— Mrs Brunt. 2S6 
 PL.VfE XXXII. —Well known commercial. Lightning's father. 286 
 
 REPRODUCTION OF DRAWINGS. 
 
 PLATE XXXIV.— Mustapha. Coloured hand painting. 603 
 
 PL.\TE XXXV. — .\bdullah. Remarks of recognition by clairvoyants. 
 
 Coloured hand paintings. 319 
 
 PL.VTp; XXXVII. — Abou-el Hakim. Moorish Astrologer. 291 
 
 GLEAM T\VEL\'E.— PLANETARY ANGELS. 
 
 Clairvoyance, trance and Seership. 
 
 PL-^TE XXXVIII. Neptunites. Al-la-ha-ziel. Mr. Nosna's sketch. Mr. 
 Nosna's Spirit soars to other worlds. Descriptions of the people of 
 Neptune. 295 
 
 PL.\TE XXXIX. — Mr. Cheni's drawing of Al-la-ha-ziel. 299 
 
 l'L.\TE XL. — -\nother of Mr. C.'s drawings. A Neptunite Spirit controlling 
 one from another planet. 307 
 
 PL.A.TE XLI. — The Spirit satis arms and legs. Spirit from Mars. Woman 
 — man — Spirit. Spirit from Jupiter. Reply to Ouerj-: — Is Jupiter 
 inhabited;- Spirit from Vulcan. 301
 
 Synopsis. 
 
 Page. 
 PLATE XLII.— Fire Spirits. 385 
 PLATE XiLIII.— Elemental vSpirits. 500 
 PLATE XLIV. — Abdullah's home in the heavens. Materialized. Hand 
 painted. 311 
 PLATE XLV.— T. S. W's home in the Celestial splieres, materialized. Hand- 
 painted. 131 
 PLATE XLVL— Horoscope of T. -vS. W. 225 
 PLATE XLVIL— Horoscope of T. vS. W's -betrothed. 226 
 PLATE XL"VIII.— Glorified vSpirit. Hand painted. 480 
 PLATE XLIX. — Nebulous intersectional points. Diagram I. 321 
 PLATE L.— The Sephiroth. Diagram II. 336 
 PLATE LI. — Super-Celestial and Celestial Triad. Diagram IV. 391 
 PLATE LII. — Frontispiece. Mustapha summoning to the Recorder the 
 Band of Inspiring Intelligences. i 
 
 Iruticv to i3art it 
 
 FRAGMENTS FROM VARIOUS SOURCES. 
 
 Section I. Spirit. The part the sexes play. 541 
 
 Scclioii 2. The Philosopher's stone. 543 
 
 Stxtioii 3. A voice from the Spirit World. Inseparable sympathy of soul. 
 A Revelation to be made known to T. S. W.'s kindred. The writing 
 of the last letter. A medium's reputation.. The issue is in the hands of 
 God. 549 
 
 Section 4. A Fanuliar Spirit. Timidity of Spiritual Teachers. 
 Section 5. Thought. Cogito ergo sum! 551 
 
 Section 6. Genius. Astrological effect. Effect of ministering Spirit. Remark- 
 able individuals evolved by a band of Angels. Linmeus. Tlie halo 
 of genius and piety. 553 
 
 Section 7. Man's immediate resurrection demonstrated. The Irish wake. The 
 Catholic belief in the ascension of Spirits. The testimony of eminent 
 men. The woman of Endor. Witch and Prophet. The late Prince 
 Consort. Photography. Lincoln. M. A. Oxon. 563 
 
 Section 8. Proverbs. 579 
 
 Scctioii 9. The Communion of Saints. .Spiritual Teachers do not encourage 
 the presence of Spirits. Bible revelations. Ever\- nation's religion 
 is of God. Theological authority branded Jesus in His day as an 
 impostor. Can we attain to the Communion of Saints. Every famih- 
 has its dreamer or Seer. St. John at Patmos. Jesus "in another 
 form." How to attain communion. Formulation of theories to explain 
 away facts. The promise to return fulfilled. 5S3 
 
 Section 10. Prophesy. ^The Moor's prophesy. Mustapha's prophesy. Mr. 
 Sonan's prophesy. 603 
 
 Section 11. -A Spirit's narration of his earth-life experiences. Antonio Garaboni. 
 A parable in musical metaphor. The inspired musician and despairing 
 lover. The death of Sabina. ' 607 
 
 Section 12. Good and bad Spirits. 617
 
 Synopsis. xv 
 
 ^Jsi)d)ir ^^firnrr ?irrturrs. 
 
 Hpprntii.v.— ^Javt I. 
 
 Page. 
 
 I. — Genuine and frauiluleiit Spirit photographs. 631 
 
 II. — The seven heavens. 639 
 
 III. — The use of Spirit photography. 647 
 
 IV. — Tile birth of the Spirit or seconil "hirth. 651 
 
 Extracts from I'oituightly A'niru. 659 
 
 Kxperinients by Mr. Beattie and Dr. Thompson. 660 
 
 Kxperinients of Mr. Hud.son. 
 
 Correspondence in the daily press which led to the compilation of these 
 Inspired pages. 
 
 .clpprntii.v.— ^Jiivt II. 
 
 Glim])ses thro' the Rift Notes.
 
 GLEAMS OF LIGHT 
 AND 
 
 GLIMPSES TIIEO' THE RIFT. 
 
 3. 
 
 GLEAMS OF LIGHT. 
 T\s^ ^Trlrstial (Tommisslon. 
 
 SCENE.— y/rc Recorders Study. 
 
 liiitcr a Spirit, reciting. 
 
 From loftiest spheres they trooping come 
 Translucent as the Heaven's bright dome. 
 Of mighty wing — capacious brow — 
 White as the hill's eternal snow. 
 And Wisdom's pure refulgent beam 
 Shall yield thee knowledge on thy theme I 
 
 B
 
 (jliil//li oj jLig^lt (I lid 
 
 Enter Abdullah, a spirit Stvr and Mystic of the Orient. 
 
 He prays "Before Thy tliroiie O God! we veil our faces! 
 We look to Thee and realise our own nothingness! 
 Our minds are blanks — except in Thy wisdom! 
 Our souls are sullied — except in Thy purity! 
 Our hands are powerless — except in Thy might! 
 We claim, O Father, the promise of Thy protection, 
 That Thy arms may be folded around and about us: 
 That on Thy Infinite Bosom we may repose in confidence: 
 That in Thine eyes we shall see all that can be, 
 And in Thy voice hear all the harmonies 
 That constitute Eternal Things! 
 Be with us now. Amen ! 
 
 Addressing the Rf;corder. How reverent should be the feet of him 
 Who seeks to tread on hallow'd ground! 
 
 I feel as one who is about to lead thee into the sacred portal. 
 On me will rest th' eternal blame — if blame there be — 
 Should I introduce into the Hoh- Place one unworthy. 
 I have followed thy life — I have discerned thine heart — 
 .\nd did I not deem Thee worthy I would hesitate 
 To lead Xhy feet into the glory-jjaths! 
 
 Lifting his hands in invocation. — 
 
 O Thou: Who in the High Heavens 
 Sits Immutable in Thy Holiness and Wisdom! 
 Thy piercing eye can'st trace the wayward steps of man. 
 Before the Holy Place — before the tree of knowledge — 
 Thy angels flash their lightnings, 
 Causing confusion and death, to the unprepared 
 Who dare with impious feet to tread Thy marble steps! 
 Grant unto us Wisdom, Puritv, and Humilitvl
 
 (i//////<s,s thro' the Rift. 
 
 Grant unto us loni;-suffering ami endurance — 
 That we falter not, nor faint by the way: 
 But step-l)y-step with reverential tread 
 Enter Thy Hallowed Courts! Amen I 
 
 To llu- RkcdkdkR:— Sec to it: thai in tliis task which Heaven 
 Hath entrusted unto thee— wherein to convev 
 To Earth the message from tlie spheres — 
 Thou bearesl in mind this my injunction; 
 That thou keepest before thee as a Holy vow 
 Thy purpose: permit no unclean hand 
 To share with thee thy work. 
 Thine own good sense will guide thy judgment: 
 We desire not to hold any to reproach — 
 But to impress thee with the sacredness of thy trust I 
 
 Eiittr the spirit. Mistai'Ha -.i piof>/ii-l. KaJiatiiig intense vita! energy— eiying 
 in a powerful voice. 
 
 As the wind moveth the sands of the desert. 
 
 So Mustapha cometh with a rush I 
 
 1 summon the angel world to thy aid I 
 
 Pointing to ABnfi.i.AH. "He is an angel— 1, :i minister — of grace! 
 See! from the world of spirits round 
 I summon aid. They come, with sound 
 Ivike Zephyr's toying with the palm : 
 Thev come to sooth thee with their balm! 
 
 Enter a mighty host of spirits, among tahom are recognise:!: —Leopold, Byrox, 
 Tennvsox. Lvtton, Beaconsfield, Dickens. Shelley, Shakespeare, Tom 
 P.ux, Darwix, Xewtox, Swedexburg, Paul Edouard, Felicia Hemans, 
 WiLMOT, Xapier, Gordon, McM.\hon, Burxaby, Leoxora, Joxxtra, 
 Chalde.an and Moorish Astrologers, etc.
 
 4 ('i/lii///s 0/ Lii^lit and 
 
 Above this band the spirit AbduIvLah is sint. amid shafts 0/ light coivergiitg 
 froin the glory-paths above— the good gciii of the assembly. 
 
 Recorder. Welcome to you all, good spirits! 
 
 Leopold. I am told that you need m)- good offices — 
 You hope through me to approach my beloved mother. 
 I need not say how proud I shall be 
 To become associated with such a work, 
 And with the aid of my dear father 
 I hope to assist you ! 
 
 Recorder. It is indeed my hope, good 3-outh! 
 But I fear me I shall fail, for much 
 Evil report doth assail me! 
 
 Tennyson. Fear not scandal's bell — 
 It tolls its own sad knell! 
 
 Angels to the right of thee 
 
 Angels to the left of thee 
 Dread not the truth to tell ! 
 
 Scandal spread gossips by 
 Virtue can ere defy: 
 
 Though foes oppress thee 
 
 Angels caress thee — 
 Hoist thy banner high! 
 
 Lead forth the spirit-brigade! 
 Such truths can none degrade: 
 
 Foes to the front of thee^ 
 
 Behind thee cherubs see. 
 Why should'st thou be afraid? 
 
 To minds of sterling worth 
 Thy theme has welcome birth.
 
 G/iw/yscS thro the Rift. 
 
 Regard not \iilgar tattle 
 
 ,'Tis only jealous prattle — 
 
 Thy words shall bless the earth! 
 
 Jlove on to Wctory clear — 
 
 'Tis not howe'er quite near: 
 
 Move on — the project's sound: 
 Move on — tread finn the ground, 
 
 The spirits bid thee cheer! 
 
 The populace will greet thee, 
 Beside the great thou'lt seat thee. 
 
 Welcome! the plaudits ring. 
 
 Welcome! the people sing. 
 The grateful shall requite thee! 
 
 Chorus of a hand of sfiirifs. 
 
 Al last we've found a teacher — 
 
 .\n exponent —a preacher - 
 
 Our thoughts to utter, and thus leail 
 
 The inner minds to know their need! 
 
 Man longs to know — man longs to feel. 
 
 The tide of wisdom o'er him steal! 
 
 /Recorder. What must I do — from what refrain. 
 My lofty soaring hopes to gain? 
 
 i.?/ Spirt/. Work not for self alone — 
 But for thy fellow man ! 
 Work thou — shi overthrow — 
 Help man his God to know! 
 
 RiTordir. .\las! I have not influence enough 
 To win men's souls-^I fear the stern rebuif!
 
 I G/((t///s (>/ J.is.l't mid 
 
 2>id Spirit. Thy path seems cast in lonelj- places, 
 Though thou'rt imbued with heavenly graces. 
 Thy power is weak — but God is strong, 
 He'll help thee if thou press aloug! 
 
 A^ronfrr. Aud shall I have //n help to fight 
 My battle through the day aud night ? 
 
 3;-(/ Sfiirit. Child, we weep whene'er we see thee weeping 
 Beside thee keep, and tint thy face with joy. 
 Like birds, with plumage gay 
 W'e flit across thy way. 
 And with our songs dispel thy sad alloy. 
 That gloomy makes thee waking and in sleeping. 
 
 Enter I'KRSi.\x JI.\Gi. 
 
 Li\idi-r af Afaoi. Child! Offspring of the Sun -bright gleams thy star of Hope! 
 Thy pathway is illumeil with its refulgent lieam: 
 Upon its rays thy bark shall glide into the morn. 
 Men shall gather from thy liosom the light of tlie morning. 
 Yea! thou shalt cleave a pathway out of the darkness. 
 Thou art the anointed of the Lord :\Iost High. 
 The Sun — who wafts with the breezes of the uiouutain.s. 
 ' Beware thou — who art of his children — 
 
 That thou soil not the garments given unto thee. 
 
 Great is thy responsibility! If thou svdliest the spotlessness of thy 
 
 garments 
 Great will be thy sorrow — thou who art a chosen vessel. 
 Thou can'st not have great //?■/// without great reflection being 
 
 required of thee. 
 Guard thy spotlessness as thou would'st thine house. 
 Suffer it not to be stained; but ever be thou ready to strike for Truth 1
 
 G/ini/^scs thro the Riff. 
 
 Oh! ye children of Light I walk thou not in darkness: 
 
 Be ye not disturbed by the petty things of life. 
 
 Let thy feet not be bound l>y things of time and sense. 
 
 He prays. Extend the grasp of our vision, O Lord! 
 Broaden the scope of our thoughts and minds! 
 That we may ever more be encompassed 
 By the fortitude Thy love bestows: 
 That we may be guarded against fear — 
 Yea! though thou comest in the Glory of Thy ;Mi}Tht! 
 Do thou evermore be with us. .\men ! 
 
 To till' Rkcorder. Let thy feel walk in the jjathways of Truth. 
 Be thou not servant to the things of Earth: 
 But grasp them in thy strong right hand 
 And subdue them in thy might! 
 
 Tennyson. Hark! how the voice of prince and sage 
 Conspire to help thee pen thy page! 
 And poets shall the Muse invoke 
 To help thee in thy glorious work! 
 
 Recorder. .\rt thou truly that sweet bard 
 Who crossed the river glory- ward .- 
 
 Tennyson. Now I've crossed the bar, 
 !\Iv ransomed .spirit's free: 
 I donned my spirit robe 
 When I put out to sea! 
 
 I ventured on the deep, 
 — At first 'twas dark to me — 
 Now in the morning light 
 My pilot's face I see!
 
 8 (i/ni/z/s <>/ Linlit and 
 
 He was in anjiel i^uise — 
 ^ One who oti caiih could see — 
 
 We talked — he vowed to meet 
 ' And steer me o'er the sea! 
 
 He crossed the bar quite soon — 
 I watched his spirit flee: 
 He i^uided nie through life_ 
 And noiv across the sea! 
 
 Recorder. And is there a pilot who will lead nie — and help me to carry out 
 this mission? I think, sometimes, that a band of angels must be helping me, and 
 assisting me to overcome my difficulties. 
 
 Leonora. When Morning dawns across the azure sky. 
 Know that we are — don't think we are —close by: 
 To render you our aid throughout the day. 
 No matter what betides — so that you ina\- 
 Be undismay'd, unconquer'd by despair. 
 But fortified in answer to your prayer. 
 The day seems long — yet night comes all too soon, 
 Although 'tis brighten'd by the silvery moon. 
 So thy earth's strife — its loads seem hard to bear. 
 But yet to lighten angels hover near. 
 We ma}- be known or unknown — "tis the same — 
 Our actions gain the merit — not our name. 
 Often 'tis true the friends invoked, may' not 
 Come near to sooth — yet think not thou'rt forgot: 
 Their duties call them to some other place, 
 Where they^ shall minister as God gives grace! 
 
 Recorder. Can any tell what lies before me. 
 
 The ways of life are devious-dark .' 
 Can any shed their radiance o'er me. 
 That I might see to steer my bark?
 
 G//////>s,s thro ///<■ Rijt. 
 
 Moorish Astrologer. Mercury is thy ascending god ! 
 Gracefully wield his lightning rod. 
 Saturn thy blessings would deny 
 But Venus in her car goes by — 
 In thy tenth heaven she rides high! 
 "Tis from her euphony is given — 
 The chorus echoes in the heaven! 
 Then shall there sail into thy trine 
 The potent Jupiter — benign. 
 The Sun shall shed his ray sublime 
 And light thee through the vexing time. 
 And shine when Fortune blessings shower; 
 While Mars doth fight with all his power. 
 On heaving breast shall Neptune bear 
 Thv bark. Thy brow, with lines of care 
 Shall branded be. in that dread hour. 
 When mild Acquaries is in ]>owcr! 
 
 Chorus of aiigclic haiii : — 
 
 Peace ! the angels sang to men ! 
 Peace! the angels sing again! 
 When earth's pilgrimage is past, 
 Peace! will angels sing at last! 
 Angels beckon thee along — 
 Angels sing to thee their song: 
 Listen! to That song again — 
 Peace on Earth — good- will to men! 
 
 An angel's voice now speaks from above: — 
 Though the way appear so dark, 
 Look thou onward to the spark 
 
 Shilling, through the gloom, so dear— 
 Pass thou forward without fear! 
 
 C
 
 Gh-aiiis (i/ I^ii^lit and 
 
 Peace' good-will! The light's beyond! 
 ■\Vhjit then though the way seem long? 
 At the end is Joy and Peace — 
 Angel's songs which never cease! 
 What is done thou knowest not — 
 Dost thou think thou art forgot .- 
 All shall plain Hereafter be — 
 Look beyond— and roij.ow mk ! 
 
 Recorder. I will try and trust thee (_) my guide! 
 I ri'/// press on whate'er l)etide. 
 Though troubles throng my clouded path. 
 And heaven seems palled with shrouded wrath, 
 I'll ever know thou'rt by my side! 
 
 Teiiiiyso)!. Mortal! thy path shall be 
 
 Clearer and clearer! 
 For thee the day shall draw" 
 
 Nearer and nearer! 
 Bravely then struggle on. 
 Though long the Avay thou'rt .gone, 
 Shine shall the da}- o'er you. 
 
 Purer and fairer! 
 
 Earth's joys and loves niu.st be 
 
 Trampled and broken: 
 Love and affection dear, 
 
 Are but a token 
 Of all those joys so pure — 
 Peace, Love, and Bliss secure. 
 Which for thee aye endure — 
 
 B.We, WK NOT SPOKEN.-
 
 G/iiiipscs thro the Rifi. 
 
 Recordi'i: Do the stars disclose my story and my fate — 
 May I not learn my clangers ere too late.- 
 
 Chaldean Asliologcr. When Mars fights Jupiter with Saturn, 
 Mercurj- shall the war-star overcome. 
 And in I'isces shall o'erwhelni him. 
 Justice shall then l)c 'lumined by the Sun. 
 And Hercules bear thee to thy .tclory ! 
 
 JoHiitra, Astrologer. In the morning when thy Sun sliall sliine 
 Shall come the dawning of thy cline.* 
 In euphony thy ])cn shall glide Oh Uu.sy scribe 1 
 -Accruing to thy name, with joy, shall men ascribe 
 Note, honour, renown, because thy thought 
 Shall cleave a way to pa.stures yet unsought. 
 Amazed .some will review — others stanil dumb — 
 A few shall in thy wake, (when gleaning from 
 The splutterings of thy peni win .secondary fame: 
 But thine shall be the honour of a glorious name. 
 Publicly shalt thou claim thy dues. We deem 
 The laurels thine for this discover'd theme. 
 Unfolded truth .shall shine in wond'rous gleams — 
 .\nd men shall wonder if they hear in dreams! 
 Then write — write — write — ^give way unto thy pen, 
 .\nd tell of other worlds — of powers— of other men. 
 The thoughts shall come, as comes the dawning day. 
 Wide spreading as it jiasses on its way: 
 The hill-top fir.st is lit, and then the slopes — 
 It drives the mists like fading human hopes — 
 Until the sweeps of verdant vales are seen, 
 Smiling in all their peace, through tears — serene. 
 
 • obsolete word meaning "resting: place." Recorder.
 
 12 (jhiu/is (>/ Li o III and 
 
 So shall illy light — a swift ascendiiifj Sun — 
 Mounting the skies to full meridian, 
 Be ere progressive in its scheme, 
 Shrining new wonders in its theme! 
 
 Chaldean Astrologer. When Herschel takes red Mars upon his back : 
 Saturn, malign, that plagues thee on thy track 
 Shall be o'ershadow'd by the silvery Moon, 
 Who smiles at thee a welcome to her boon. 
 Jupiter in pow'r — 'lumined by the Sun, 
 In splendid glor}- — sees thy ill undone. 
 Pisces shall bear upon his heaving breast, 
 The bark of Venus to her home of rest. 
 Where time doth cease. .\nd then thy path afar 
 Shall gleam as pure and bright as morning star. 
 Honour shall crown thee when thy victory's done, 
 .\s golden clouds adorn the setting Sun ! 
 
 Moorish Astrologer. When Mars and vSaturu join hand in hand, 
 .A.nd in the sign of Pisces take their stand. 
 Thy ascendant cusp shall Jupiter o'ershade, 
 .\nd bid th}- cares be at his footstool laid. 
 Thy atom shalt thou add to that great whole, 
 The indestructible Over-Soul! 
 
 Recorder. Truly it seems that though I trouble dread, 
 Its wrath shall be averted from my head. 
 For you my friends, who in the Future look, 
 .\nd read it as a scholar doth his book. 
 Can see a hope that 'twill not be in vain, 
 My book I write — it will an audience gain! 
 My thanks sweet friends I pour out lavishly, 
 I take the trust that you repose in me!
 
 G/i>iipscs Ihro the Riff. 
 
 Dictator. I'pon the liill-top sliiiies a star— 
 It j;leanis into the vale afar. 
 Anil ijraves upon the iloublful soul, 
 A promise of the radiant j<oal. 
 It whispers of the lijjht began. 
 
 That o'er the niorninj; hill-tops jjlirlc 
 
 Swift bearing on its flowing tide 
 The Sun to its meridian I 
 
 Recorder. What is this goal of wliich vou speak — 
 Is it the goal of earth-success - 
 Or the glad state of righteousness — 
 
 Or after death ~X.\\<; morning-break? 
 Where is that Heaven .- that mortals' hope 
 Is, hidden far from vision's scope'- — 
 The good-man's goal? — the wearied's rest? — 
 By angels thronged — by saints possessed? 
 They say it shines on every hand — 
 Where may we see it — that happy land? 
 
 /•'(■//<■/</ //iiiuiiis. 'Tis all around us! Heaven's diffused 
 Through eferv state: and 7iwe we used 
 To think that sin and death had met 
 Where Xaturc pays her final debt. 
 The grave —Heaven's open portal is, 
 Where man but dies, that he may live— 
 
 'Tis there, my child! 
 
 l''roni the pure and radiant soul it beams, 
 As the tongue discourses sacred themes. 
 It shines in the kindly act of grace — 
 It glimmers in the saintly face. 
 And all around throng the heaveulv host
 
 14 G lea INS of Lii^lit and 
 
 where in darkest night it shines the most, 
 
 'Tis there, mv child! 
 \ 
 
 The Seer hath seen it. my gentle boy. 
 
 The Soul hath felt its soft songs of joy! 
 
 Though dreams ma}" not picture a world so fair, 
 
 The Soul hath penetrated there. 
 
 .\nd its light shines through amid the gloom — 
 
 Shorn is the terror of the tomb — 
 
 'Tis there, my child! 
 
 One of the band of spirits here steps forit'ard to the Recorder, and in the na)ne 
 of all the assembled host, beston'S the parting benediction: — 
 
 Wilinot. O'er thee a wear}- .sleeper 
 
 Who rests when day is o'er. 
 We. nnseen .\ngels, hover 
 
 Within thy chamber door. 
 We guard thy hours of slumber. 
 
 We hush thy woes- to rest. 
 And always try to comfort 
 
 When thou art sore distressed! 
 Thou knowest noiu we're watching 
 
 Beside thy path each day: 
 Thou know'st that we are leading 
 
 Through life's rough thorny way! 
 And still with love uncea,sing, 
 
 We will Ijeside thee keep. 
 For why.- We need no slumber, 
 
 Nor do we ever sleep! 
 
 Exeunt Spirits.
 
 (i//////^scs thro the Rift. 
 
 Sntvotructiou. 
 
 Have the religions of inaiikiiid no common ground - 
 
 Persian Scriplures. 
 
 ^ISDOM is the compreliensioii of truth, and 
 knowledge is the road thereto. 
 
 Spiritualism has aimed not so much to 
 convince the spiritual minded, who know 
 from the interior, as to give proof of im- 
 " "^^>:/W\'^' "^ mortality to the materialistic and atheistic 
 ^ mind: to the fonner the words Angel and 
 Spirit convey the correct idea, but to the 
 Y latter thev have no meaning at all ; therefore 
 
 there has been a tendency — (not altogether 
 a judicious one) to discard the good old names, and adopt 
 some new ones, better suited to the advanced ideas, and the 
 comprehension of those \\\\o were unable to realize the ex- 
 istence of Unseen Helpers. 
 
 Throughout this work the old and the new terms will 
 be used indiscriminate!}-, iu the attempt to trace all religious
 
 1 6 (tIciui/s ()/ Lio/ii and 
 
 creeds and phases of Sacred Thought to one common centre. 
 Hereinv will be revealed the possibility of worshipping 
 under an universal religion, wherein all will recognise One 
 Supreme Source — GOD — held in focus, both bj- organic and 
 inorganic Nature.
 
 G/iiiipSiS thro llii Rift. 
 
 €>Icam t. 
 
 Ivnninisrrnrrs. 
 
 To (Icvclopt- Ihc- priiici])lcs of our liijjher nature is to know ht-aveii. 
 
 Chinese Scriptiin 
 
 HE Recorder in taking a retrospective view of 
 the earliest experiences in connection with the 
 Unseen world, recalls a time when wa\es of 
 music, from no earthly source, came npon the 
 air, lifting the childish mind into indistinct, but 
 welcome ideas concerning that eternal goal to 
 which religious instruction had taught, all things 
 were hastening. Of voices whispering councils, 
 when such were sadlj- needed, and impressions 
 concerning individuals which ultimate results 
 proved to be correct. Of being interrupted in a flow of 
 childish eloqvience with the question: — How do you know 
 that? Where did you read it?: and awaking to the mor- 
 tifying fact of having no knowledge of ever having heard 
 such details before, and yet having an interior knowledge 
 that the statements were correct, which after years corrobo- 
 rated. But inspiration is not a part of the nineteenth century 
 
 D
 
 1 8 Giia/iii (>/' Lii^/it and 
 
 education — that only which is received from the exterior is 
 acknowledged. In this way the strivings of the spirit are 
 crashed: for such reproofs as the above only serve to compel 
 conscientious ones to watch and suppress any such recurrences 
 in future. 
 
 The potent influence of godl}- men and noble women 
 aided by the promptings of invisible protectors, laid the 
 foundation for that love and knowledge of things Divine, 
 which meet in focus in this book. Of lofty and intelligent 
 appreciation of the higher truth. Of a cognisant commu- 
 nion with the invisible saints. The influence of an exalted 
 ideal of the character of Christ, and a veneration of the holy 
 ones of all ages, with an earnest and prayerful desire to 
 follow their examples, wrought that preparation which was 
 requisite for the intelligent and appreciative study of Spiritual 
 Truth. These interior communings and advice, very generally- 
 contrary to that of the world around, became more and more 
 real, because more correct in an loiivcrsal sense, and the 
 society of the few whose lives were guided b}' the same as- 
 pirational undercurrents, always possessed a charm, though 
 circumstances and the conventionalities of society seldom 
 gave opportunities for a divulgence of these secret leadings, 
 treasured as far too sacred for general ears, which in the 
 3'outhful stages where deemed the whisperings of Jesus : yet 
 they established a confidential reliance, originality of thought, 
 and independence of action, which while astonishing some, 
 proved that man's strength lies in an entire abandonment 
 of self, to the Unseen for support, advice and guidance, 
 in every trivial detail of life. This occult teaching went on 
 till death entered the home, and left its usual blank in life, 
 when to advertise one's loss to the gaze of the ciirious, by 
 donning the sombre garments of woe, presented itself as 
 mocker}-: while to grieve because they were translated to a 
 less fettered field of operation ; seemed nothing less than
 
 G/i////^S(S thro the Rift. 19 
 
 selfish sin, equal to grudging them their happ}^ freedom,- 
 because personally deprived of their visible presence. But 
 when these well remembered voices were heard giving 
 practical, pithy advice in various parts of the house, and 
 their ghosts were occasionally seen, a new field of stud}- and 
 investigation was opened up ; and it is the difficulty, opposition, 
 and general misunderstanding of the subject, which has led 
 to our tabulating the methods pursued, roads traversed, 
 knowledge attained, and conclusions deducted, which are 
 herein recorded, for the enlightenment of those who have 
 fewer opportunities for the pursuit of occult knowledge. 
 Having become satisfied from interior communings, that a 
 right comprehension of all spontaneoiis phenomena in Nature, 
 can in no wa}^ injure the honest truthful student — while 
 the self-sacrificing, moral and spiritual lives, when on earth, 
 of those whose voices were heard, were sufficient proofs that 
 the \isitants were not likely to exert a baneful influence, and 
 fully armed the Recorder with a defence against the chief 
 reasons which have generally led other people to an aban- 
 donment of these sacred studies. In examining the various 
 religions, creeds, and denominations which seem to divide 
 man from man; the one most condemned in this countr\^ 
 — because least understood — has thrown the clearest light 
 on the origin of these religions, and shown why all alike — 
 the Pagan, the Idolater, and the Christian — regard the im- 
 mortality of the soul with so much certainty. 
 
 In order that the reader may follow the author's mental 
 and religious evolutions at this time, an account of the 
 earliest of these investigations, with mode of procedure, are 
 given verbatim from notes taken at the time ; the Recorder 
 being present at all the seances herein related. 
 
 It may be interesting to the reader to know that the 
 ladv who photographed these unseen ghosts has all her life 
 been a religious teacher. At the age of forty she was
 
 20 
 
 (i/iiiii/s cf J.i'^lit and 
 
 engaged for the first time, to a young gentleman, a thouglitful 
 serious stuclent who had not many years left college for the 
 more practical duties of life. Contact with the stern, selfish 
 policy of business men, did not harmonise with his gentle 
 peace-loving nature. How to sacrifice himself for the benefit 
 of others was one of the principles which permeated every 
 action in his life: His one aim was, not to profess to be a 
 follower of Christ, but to iiuitatc His self-sacrifice in all his 
 dealings with mankind — but, to his astonishment, he found 
 that the most prominent of professing Christians, were the 
 ver}' ones who blamed him most, for not looking after 
 himself and his opportunities of making money, which, from 
 his point of view, meant depriving some one else of that 
 opportunit}', who was more in need of it than he himself. 
 
 With such views as these, he knew he should never be 
 a naoney maker, and as his fiancee fully understood and 
 appreciated his scruples, they were content and happy in the 
 prospect of their future, knowing that the Dispenser of All 
 Good is better able to provide for the unselfish than the selfish. 
 
 His father and family, however, had more worldly 
 aspirations with regard to his career, and were not content 
 that he should become an aitiial disciple of the lowly 
 Nazarene, and forsake all the pomps and vanities of the 
 world to follow liiiii: hence there was a continual aiitagonism 
 going on in his mind between what he deemed to be his 
 duty to his father, and his dutv to his God. He soon 
 realized that he could not conscientious^' obey both ; and 
 being of a gentle, aftectionate and peaceable nature, his mind 
 was in a continual ferment between love for, and a desire 
 to harmonize with, the worldly policy of his family, and his 
 duty toward the higher principles of his religious nature. 
 To put an end to this conflict he resolved to leave 
 England — settle abroad, and return at the end of twelve 
 months for his marriagfe.
 
 (j//////>s,s thro the Rift. 2i 
 
 His plans wei-e opposed and frustrated at home, for his 
 father had set his mind on his accepting a partnership in the 
 firm of contractors to whom he was then an articled pupil: 
 the cheque necessary for the completion of the transaction 
 was placed in his hands by his father, but he honourably 
 returned it, saying, that one fourth of that amount would be 
 sufficient to start him in business abroad, where he would 
 have neither family nor appearances to consider. Seeing 
 that he was quite firm in his determination, his father at 
 last agreed to let him go, but only on condition that he went 
 to Africa instead of America, which had been his proposed 
 destination. Glad to have matters thus amicabh- settled, 
 he yielded on this point, though he knew that people should 
 go out verv voung to become acclimatized: still he .silently 
 resolved that he would not settle there until he had tested 
 the effects of the climate upon his intended wife's health. 
 
 His arrangements were soon completed for his departure ; 
 but while on a short visit to Eastbourne to wish an aunt 
 good-b\'e, he received a letter from liis father forbidding him 
 ever to cross his threshold again, and one from his brother 
 stating that his father had sent for a lawyer, and had cut 
 him off with a shilling, and this — because he had placed in 
 an elder sister's room a medical work treating on "Hysteria: 
 — Its cause and cure!" — a malady which had isolated .her from 
 every one but the famih' for years, and he, with his advanced 
 ideas, said he dare not leave the country without placing 
 within her reach, that knowledge which if practised, would 
 alleviate, if not cure her, viz: by change of magnetic con- 
 ditions, and association with complete strangers who knew 
 nothing of her weak nerves, and who could materially benefit 
 her by the vital magnetism the\' would be constantly 
 emanating^ — consciously or unconsciouslv. 
 
 The father's letter caused a shock to his system which 
 completely unhinged his mind, and when he left Bastbourne
 
 22 Gleams of Lis,lit and 
 
 to return to his native town, his aunt wrote to his home that 
 though he was on his way home, she was afraid of his safet}^ 
 This letter the father forwarded to the lady he was engaged 
 to, advising her that if the young man called to see her, to 
 keep him at her home for a few days, and say that all was 
 forgiven. 
 
 When he arrived he was but a wreck of his former 
 self — so great was the change a few days had wrought in 
 his health and appearance: his mind was clear and rational 
 on all subjects except that of his home and his father: when 
 these were mentioned his mind became a blank — he seemed 
 bewildered — terrified — and shook in every limb, with no 
 power of utterance. 
 
 His father made no attempt to see him, but wrote 
 urging them to marrv before he started abroad so that both 
 could go together — suggesting that the wedding should take 
 place at once. She, realizing, that if ever he needed her 
 sympathy and care it was tlicii in his affliction, consented, 
 and in three weeks the father had arranged everything. 
 
 A day or two before the day fixed for the ceremony, 
 however, he found that his father's forgiveness was one of 
 words only — that he had not altered his determination to ciit 
 him out of his will, and in proposing his immediate marriage 
 had intended him to live upon his wife's mone}-, and his 
 own energies — ignoring the fact that he was virtually an 
 invalid. 
 
 With this knowledge he told his fiancee that pleased as 
 he had been to set his own arrangements aside, and fall in 
 with his father's wishes for the sake of having her com- 
 panionship, some means must be devised to postpone the 
 wedding until he was well enough to engage in the pursuits 
 of life — for helpless and homeless as he was then, he had 
 too much manliness — too much self-respect — now that he 
 kneiu he was penniless, and was marr3'ing for the sake of a
 
 G/iiii/^sts thro fin Rift. 23 
 
 home, to bring uutold troubles on one whom he would 
 rather shield from them. He also said, that \\hen anyone 
 had been mentally unbalanced — as he knew he had been — 
 the slightest shock would cause a renewal of the mental 
 disturbance. Until his father had refused either to give or 
 lend him enough monej- to start in life with, he had not 
 suspected the object his friends had, in hurrying on his 
 marriage. He then asked her if she thought Jesus was the 
 only one who had laid down his life for those he loved: she 
 unsuspectingl}^ answered "Christ's sacrifice was of self — not 
 of life — that, the laws of liis country claimed — lie did not lax it 
 down, and his example was being followed daily b}- thousands 
 whose actions were too trivial for iiioi to note, but over 
 which the angels rejoiced. 
 
 This was the last conversation, almost the last words, 
 they had while he was in the bod}^ for later on in the day 
 he shot himself in his father's grounds. 
 
 In a short time after this tragic event, slie began to hear 
 his voice speaking to her, in different parts of the house, 
 giving intelligent advice on matters then being transacted. 
 Not having been instructed in the natural methods of com- 
 muning with saints, and knowing only of its possibilit}- from 
 the Bible — old Church histories — and the Apostle's creed, 
 she commenced a system of occult stud}- and investigation 
 which has placed her in possession of knowledge, which as 
 a religious teacher she deems it her duty to give to the 
 world, for the benefit of those whose religious aspirations 
 have prepared them to receive the fact, that what happened 
 to the patriarchs and prophets of the Bible can also happen 
 to-da}-: and greater things than these, for not only can we 
 see, recognise and talk to saints, ministering spirits and 
 angels who have once lived on earth, but we can photograph 
 them for the benefit of those who cannot see them. 
 
 During one of these hoh' communings with the spirit
 
 24 (j/iiints of L/o/it and 
 
 of her beloved, he advised her to go to a certain photographer 
 to have her portrait taken: and he, the spirit, would also go, 
 and pose at her side or elsewhere, so as to be visible on the 
 same plate. This she did; but having no knowledge of the 
 laws which go\-ern the production of a psychic photograph, 
 and no means just then of acquiring a knowledge of them, 
 except by experience — aided by the advice and observation 
 of intelligent spirits — she was unsuccessful on this occasion ; 
 and as professional photographers do not care to waste their 
 time in experiments, her spirit lover advised her to learn the 
 art, and experiment herself. Even here she found difficulties, 
 for when in her frank manner she stated her reasons for 
 learning, one professional after another, refused to teach her 
 for such a purpose — some thinking .she was in the first stages 
 of incipient liinacv, and others, that it must be wicked to 
 try to photograph that which cannot be seen by the human 
 eye. Mankind in all ages display a fear of that which the}' 
 cannot understand: when the telescope and spectacles were 
 invented, church-members were forbidden to use them as a 
 device of the devil to tempt man to see more than God 
 intended he should, when He made the human eye ; and every 
 thing nra^ is approached in a similar fearful manner. 
 
 While waiting and devising within her mind as to whom 
 she should next apply, she at last heard a strange voice 
 giving her the name- and address of a stranger, Avhom the 
 voice said would be willing to teach and experiment with 
 her in photography. 
 
 Occasionally, during her earlier life, she had heard this 
 voice addressing her, giving advice at prayer often when 
 sorely needed, and she had concluded that it was Jesus 
 who spake, and had always religiously followed the counsel 
 given. 
 
 As the address given on this occasion was in a part of 
 the suburbs to which she was a stranger, it was with mingled
 
 'Tlic Grave Heaven's ojien portal is." 
 
 Mrs. Hem.\n^
 
 G/i////^sis tliiv I lie Rift. 25 
 
 feelings of curiosity and hope that she set out next day for 
 the place mentioned. A quiet gladness pervaded her entire 
 being when she found the correct house and stood face to 
 face with the owner of the name given. 
 
 Her faith was amply repaid for taking, what would 
 appear to most, such a wild-goose-chase when she heard from 
 him that he was expecting her to call upon him, for an angel 
 of light — such as he loved to see — had appeared to him, and 
 told him that a lad}- would visit him — that he was not to 
 refuse her request, nor take payment for his services. This 
 is a modem verification of the stor}' in the Acts of the 
 Apostles — of Paul and Ananias — where an angel first told 
 Paul to go to Ananias, and then the latter that a man was 
 coming to be cured of his blindness. Manj- similar proofs, 
 of the direct intervention of angels in the apparenth' trivial 
 affairs of human life, have since been voiichsafed to the lady 
 through the ministrations of her divinely commissioned spirit- 
 friends, and especially her spirit lover. 
 
 It was arranged that the artist — who was clairvoyant, i.e. 
 who possessed second-sight, and could see the aerial forms of 
 spirits, unseen to others — should attend at the lady's house 
 one evening per week. As the experiments took place at 
 night artificial light had to be used. The details of the 
 means adopted and the conditions imposed, are printed in 
 the "British Journal of Photography:" also in the "Practical 
 Photographer" in which four of these psychic-photographs 
 were re-prodiiced.
 
 26 
 
 Glca/i/s of I^i^lit and 
 
 ®Icam ii. 
 
 Inbrstigations. 
 
 SEANCE I. 
 
 S we were treading on new ground, we first 
 committed ourselves to the special care of our 
 Heavenly Father, and proceeded to the private 
 residence of the ladA' and o-entleman to whom 
 
 <sjiLk^~^^^. jwe were till then quite strangers ; introduced bv 
 ■^ ■^^" a gentleman who was a fellow-member of a 
 Phrenological Societ\'. 
 
 There were some seven or eight people present, 
 mostly ladies, four of whom we afterwards dis- 
 covered were what they called "mediums" — that 
 is, persons with negative organisms, who could as easily be 
 psvchologized bv the invisible world of departed spirits as 
 by their fellow-man, but who appear of necessity to lean upon 
 one or the other for that support and guidance that their 
 sensitive condition seems to demand. They seem bom to 
 be led instead of being leaders — they lack the force or stamina 
 to rule that positive natures possess. The Unseen Intelligences 
 guide, rule and sustain them, much as a mesmerist does his
 
 (i/iinpSiS thro the Ri/t. 27 
 
 subject; hence in the sacred seclusion of an intelligent seance 
 the}- become mediators or the mouthpiece between mortal 
 and immortal man. 
 
 Several gentlemen came in after tea, and when all who 
 were expected had arrived, we were arranged round the room 
 in a circle, and some very sweet and soft part singing 
 commenced the meeting. Afterwards one of the gentlemen 
 offered i:p a prayer for grace, humility, and faith, in the 
 immortalit}- of the soul of man — beseeching that, as reason 
 was a part of his nature, they were there assembled in order 
 to give the immortals an opportunity of proving to that 
 reason, their immortalit}-. The invocation was devout, reverent 
 and spiritiial, marked by a calm earnestness A\hich carried 
 weight with every appeal; at its close every one remained 
 seated, as they were during it, in a subdued light : a total 
 silence prevailed which was undisturbed for a long time. 
 We afterwards learned that all mo\ements in a seance room 
 are carefull_y avoided, for this reason they neither kneel to 
 pray nor stand to sing, each one's thoughts, determining the 
 attitude assumed toward the Divinity, instead of his />ody, 
 as in church or chapel. At last we were surprised to see a 
 gentleman (medium) come forward, fall on his knees at our 
 feet, wring his hands and assume an appearance of distress. 
 A clairvoyant who was present said 
 
 "It is a gentleman of middle-height, slight, reiined, and 
 delicate ; long straight nose, light hazel brown hair, large 
 full prominent eyes, high forehead, small sensitive mouth, 
 slight moiistache and whiskers; iine delicate skin; a great 
 thinker; met his death bv drowning; he is ver}* anxious to 
 speak to the lady and much distressed because he finds he 
 can't use the medium's voice to speak. It would be a great 
 comfort to the spirit if the lad}- could arrange to have a 
 private seance weekly, until he could speak, he has some- 
 thing important to say to her!" With a few gapes and
 
 28 ( J /to /lis of Lio/i/ a lid 
 
 yawns the spirit left the inediuni who seemed ven- much 
 surprised >■ to find himself on his knees on the floor. He 
 was then entranced again; and a little child belonging to 
 someone present, prattled through him, to the delight of 
 its mother. After this other spirits who possessed the 
 knowledge and ability to mesmerise or control the mediums 
 present, spoke to those they knew, and but for the serious 
 and reverent attitude of those present, we might have felt 
 disposed to view it as a comic and amusing attempt at very 
 indifferent acting; yet like the most precious of all metals, 
 amongst much dross and a heap of waste matter, a grain 
 of the priceless treasure was to be discerned by those in 
 search of the rare gem. Truth, and this grain was secured 
 and carried away to be cleared and tested by us in the future. 
 This grain was the very accurate resemblance of the 
 gentleman (spirit) described, to that of the lady's deceased 
 lover, given twice over at different times during the evening. 
 The statement which prevented our immediate recognition, 
 being that he was drowned, whereas in reality he had shot 
 himself. 
 
 But as she was in search of knowledge, she was careful not 
 to volunteer any information which could in any way correct 
 or alter that which had been advanced by the clairvoyant, whose 
 certaint}' of the presence of a gentleman of that description, 
 who she said was vfery fond of the lady, was too startingl\' 
 correct to be a random guess. 
 
 At the close of the seance she asked the host if he could 
 give her any advice as to how she should proceed, so as to give 
 the spirit a chance of speaking to her as he desired. He 
 suggested that she should engage a medium to come to her 
 home for seances as often as she could. She then asked for 
 and obtained the names and addresses of the four who had 
 been pi'esent, but he added they are private mediums and do 
 not mix or hold seances with strangers. He then gave a
 
 G/lmpscs thro the Rift. 29 
 
 printed list of professional mediums none of whom he knew 
 anything about, and so coiild not recommend one more than 
 another. 
 
 Anned with this information she went home, prayed for 
 guidance as to how next to proceed, or whether to proceed 
 further at all. After a refreshing night's sleep she woke with 
 a clear resolve to start immediately after breakfast to the 
 address of a niediiim who was a widow. The trains did not 
 run often in that direction, and those that did were slow, so 
 that it was past noon before we arrived at the nearest station 
 leading to her lioiise, but quite soon enough to be sure that 
 none had preceded us, who were at the seance the evening 
 before, to have any conversation respecting what had occurred 
 or in an}' way to give her information, that may have 
 enabled her to deceive us.
 
 30 Gleams of Light and 
 
 SEANCE II. 
 
 Only the religious man is good! 
 
 And what is Religion ? 
 
 It is the perfect agreement of the will with the conscience. 
 
 Buddhist Scripliiycs. 
 
 ON arriving there the widow herself opened the door; the 
 sign on it indicated that she was a lady's nurse: the 
 house and contents that she was living in humble circum- 
 stances. Everything however was scrupulously clean and 
 neat, though well worn. All this was recognised in the 
 comprehensive glance one takes without appearing to look, 
 when entering a new house or place, and being keenly alive 
 to the importance of accurate observations in respect to new 
 surroundings, before other influences and considerations, 
 intrude, to obliterate first impressions. 
 
 In answer to our request that she would grant us a 
 private interview for a seance, she very decidedly said that 
 she could not, unless we were Spiritualists, or were accompanied 
 by a Spiritualist whom she knew. Exceedingly non-plussed 
 but not defeated, we said that though we did not belong to 
 that body who called themselves Spiritualists; we trusted 
 that we were Spiritual enough to appreciate the value of 
 such a favour. She again very decidedlv said she never sat 
 with strangers for communications.
 
 G/inipSiS tliro the Rift. 31 
 
 We were too niucli in earnest to be thus put off, so 
 said "W'e liave come a tedious journey by train to see you, 
 and if we cannot have a seance, perhaps j-ou won't mind our 
 coming in for a conversation with you till the next train is 
 due." Tlirown thus rather reluctantly off the defensive, she 
 invited us in and apologising, we seated ourselves, asking her 
 in the same breath: — What she meant by a Spiritualist? 
 
 Standing opposite us she replied, "A person who believes 
 in an after life, and knows how to communicate with the 
 departed." 
 
 "Well then," the lady replied, "I suppose I must be half 
 a Spiritualist, for I certainly believe in an after life, and 
 should like to learn how to communicate with the departed. 
 I quite belie\e this is possible from the statement of the angel 
 to St. John, when he liad a vision of the seventh heaven, 
 and knelt to worship him; the angel said 'See thou do it 
 not / am one of tliy brctlinii the Prophets' Many of the Bible 
 narratives have given me the supposition that angels were 
 men once, and that their interests are with men still!" 
 
 "Spiritualists are certain of this!" she remarked still 
 standing. 
 
 "How can they be certain?" 
 
 "Because some Spiritualists can see them, and all have 
 had communications from some one they \\Si\e lost, or rather 
 thought they had lost." 
 
 The lady then remarked, that one Spring-dav while she 
 was working in the garden about noon, she heard someone 
 tapping from the inside, on the breakfast-room window, 
 looking lip she saw her mother who called to her to come 
 in or she would take cold: looking at the grass she saw it 
 was very damp and was in the act of putting her tools in 
 the ground when she suddenly thought : "Wh^- mother's dead!" 
 and looked again at the window; instead of facing it as 
 before, her mother had turned side-wa3's and passed from
 
 32 
 
 G lea 1/1 s o/ Lio/if and 
 
 the window-view with a gliding motion, quite unlike walking. 
 As the sun was shining, and no one in the room, she knew 
 there was no mistake, so she made a few hasty steps and 
 reached the conservatory where she had a view of the break- 
 fast-room door which was shut until she reached it. Opening 
 the door, she found the room empty: but so sure was she 
 of the objective reality of her mother's voice and presence 
 that she accepted it as a warning, looked longingly at the 
 o-round she wanted to put the seeds into, and finally changed 
 her shoes and left them. She found none among the 
 learned of her acquaintance who coiild throw any light on 
 this hitherto, the most remarkable experience of her life. 
 
 "You evidentlv saw a materialization and must be a 
 medium and clairaudient yourself," remarked the widow. 
 
 "What do vou mean by clairaudient?" 
 
 "A person who is able to hear spirits." 
 
 "Then you call spirits the immortal part of dead people." 
 
 "Yes I suppose that's it!" 
 
 "I have sometimes heard an unseen angel's voice speaking 
 to me, but I always thought it was the Voice of Jesus, and 
 still think so! How long have you been a Spiritualist?" 
 
 "Not very long; I was a regular attendant at chapel. 
 Sunday and week-day, till I lost my husband: then my 
 friend's husband, who had been to America and knew all 
 about Spiritualism, persuaded me to go to a circle for comfort. 
 I was a long time before I would, but one evening I was 
 over-persuaded and went: finding it a meeting for singing 
 and prayer, I saw no objection and went again. For this 
 I was reproved bv my minister, condemned by the congregation, 
 and at last refused the rites of membership. Of course I 
 was not going to attend chapel after this, so I joined the 
 Spiritualists, and they taught me how to develope." 
 
 "I don't quite understand what you mean bv develope 
 — develope what?"
 
 GlimpSiS thro tlu Ri/t. 33 
 
 As she had been standing all this time in a room without 
 a fire, and was beginning to be more genial while recounting 
 her experiences, the lady made bold to sa}- "But we shall 
 want some refreshment before we return, and if you won't 
 mind me pa}-ing you for some tea and bread and butter we 
 should enjoy sitting in your kitchen and talking to you 
 while you get it, far better than going to the confectioners 
 for it." — This seemed what was necessary to break down 
 the barrier of reserve; when in the warm kitchen, seated in 
 her own arm-chair by the fire, the cups placed, bread and 
 butter cut, and the bright kettle singing, she said, addressing 
 the lady, "There is a spirit with yon now, a gentleman, a 
 very nice gentleman, who was a good man on earth, and 
 very near to you," and then she went on to describe the 
 same personal appearance that had been given the evening 
 before; for a second or two our hearts seemed to cease 
 beating with surprise. At last the lady found voice enough 
 to exclaim, "Indeed!" 
 
 "He was very thoughtful and gentle." 
 
 "Was he?" 
 
 "Have 3^ou any idea who it is?" 
 
 "I've known so very many people who are now dead, 
 that the description might be made to suit several!" 
 
 "He's a little more than the medium height, with 
 remarkablv small hands and feet. There's a spirit says if 
 you will promise not to toiich me whatever happens, that 
 she will entrance me, and if the spirit can speak through me, 
 to j-ou, he shall try when we have had tea." 
 
 The lady here explained to her. that as she had held 
 office in a phrenological and mesmeric society she need have 
 no fear on that head as she knew the dangers to health, arising 
 from the shock of interfering with mesmerised persons; and 
 she understood the entranced state to be an advanced stage 
 of mesmerism. This she seemed not to know, but appeared 
 
 F
 
 34 Glcai/is of Light and 
 
 satisfied, and after the tea was disposed of, she drew down 
 the blind,' turned the key of the door, telling ns if any one 
 knocked not to open it, bnt let them go, she then sat^down, 
 closed her eyes and appeared to go to sleep. After some little 
 time had elapsed, she sat forward and made some movements 
 as though attempting to speak, without audible sound. After 
 a bit she fell back in her chair and a very remarkable change 
 took place in the widow's countenance, presenting a pivot 
 round which a circle of thoughts and observations have since 
 resolved, as to why, certain of our friends seem to change, 
 look and act so differently one day to what they do another 
 — then a high-pitched voice said, in broken English: — "The 
 gentleman has tried very hard to speak to you, but can't!" 
 
 "Do you know the gentleman?" 
 
 "Not till now!" 
 
 "Can you speak to him?" 
 
 "He hears what you say and smiles, ever such a sweet 
 smile: I should not be afraid to speak to him, though he is 
 a grave grown man and I am only a girl, — he looks so 
 kind and gentle." 
 
 "Ask him then if he can give you his name?" 
 
 "It sounds like T. S. W. , but I can't sa}- 
 
 big English words!" 
 
 Once again our hearts seemed to stand still wdth 
 surprise, that in this out-of-the-way place, we should not 
 only get a correct description but the never-to-be-forgotten 
 name of one we could not see: and how this person should 
 know, except as she professed to do, by seeing him as a 
 spirit we could not imagine. Still we intended to be very 
 sure that it was so, before we accepted as a certainty that 
 the days of miracles and communion with saints were not 
 over, as the Church had taught us since the Reformation. 
 Before that time, old Chiirch histories recorded the super- 
 natural, and we argued "Why not in the present day?"
 
 G/iin/'SiS tJno the Ri/t. 3j 
 
 While endeavouring in the midst of these thouglits, to rouse 
 ourselves so as to make the best use of our present 
 opportunities, we again heard the high-pitched voice of the 
 German Spirit who called herself Bus}- Bee, sajdng: — "The 
 gentleman sa3-s, it was he who was seen with von last night 
 at the seance, but the}- misunderstood the manner of his 
 death, and that put you off the right track." 
 
 Here was another startling surprise, bvit we were getting 
 accustomed to being startled, and coolh* replied: — "How 
 could they mistake the word drowned for shot?" 
 
 "Because he has not ^-et learned how to convej' words 
 correctly through another's brain so as to reach the psj'chic 
 auditory nerve he says, and so he gave his death s^•mbolically 
 which was misintei-preted. He is clever! I think I must be 
 at school again!" 
 
 "Ask him," the lady said, "if it were his voice I heard 
 at home, directing me to re-write a letter to his father?" 
 "Yes!" he says, "he's tried and tried to get you to 
 understand that communion with the departed is not only 
 possible, but right, and so has 3'our mother also." 
 "Ask him if he's seen my mother?" 
 "Yes; she's here now." 
 "Do you see her?" 
 "Yes; shall I describe her?" 
 
 Here she gave a ver}- correct description of her mother, 
 and also said that her mother wished her to say that "Your 
 niece was quite right, and the description given at the 
 meeting j-ou were at together, of a spirit standing behind 
 3'-ou was yoiir mother. The medium called her medium-height 
 and stout, you yovirself being miich shorter, looked upon 
 3'Our mother as tall?" 
 
 This was another revelation! for it could not have 
 been known there, that the lady and her niece had been to 
 a public clairvo^-ant meeting; unless it was a case of mind
 
 36 (j /id /lis of Lii^ht and 
 
 reading, and there was much that cotild not be accounted 
 for by that hypothesis. Here the German spirit's voice said 
 "The gentleman says he hopes you will go on studying this 
 subject, and not give it up because yoix can't explain it 
 yet; it will all be clear if you will persevere: he wants to 
 sav so much to you, he says, which he can't now." 
 
 "What about?" 
 
 "His family, he says." 
 
 ' ' Anything else ? ' ' 
 
 "How grieved he is for all vou have had to suffer mijustly 
 through them!" 
 
 "Tell him I hope he won't grieve on that account. 
 I've got over it." 
 
 "He says its kind of you to say yovi have, but he 
 has not, and shall not until he's changed their attitude and 
 opinions, and he wants you to help him!" 
 
 "/.^" 
 
 "Yes! he says your help is his onlv hope, now he has 
 no material bod}- of his own." 
 
 "How can I help?" 
 
 "He says ^-oix must come here again and he'll tell \o\\, 
 it's all too painful at present, and he is too overjoj'ed to get 
 this second-hand communion to mar it with too many un- 
 pleasant memories." 
 
 "Ask him if he' knew his father was dead?" 
 
 "Yes, he savs." 
 
 "Ask if he's seen him?" 
 
 "He nods and looks very grave!" 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 "I think his father has done something he now regrets, 
 and can't undo, and the conseqviences which follow cause 
 him suffering, and the gentleman appeared to be an affectionate 
 and dutiful son, and is grieved for his father's sake." 
 
 "Does the son suffer?"
 
 (i/i/iipscs thro the Rift. 37 
 
 "Oh no, he's a very bright and happy spirit: when he tries 
 to lielp his father and cheer him, but can't; — he is sad, and 
 a bit pained then, but it passes away as he leaves him, and he 
 need not go to him at all unless he likes, but he's not selfish, lie 
 likes to help others. — I must go now, my medium's son will be 
 coming home soon, and he won't be able to get in unless I go. 
 The gentleman says I miist tell yon he's going home with 
 von and does not mean to leave you till you come here again, 
 and he wishes vou would start a circle in your own home." 
 
 "And will he then leave me?" she queried. 
 
 "He is smiling and savs tliis interview lias made liim 
 very happy." 
 
 With a few vawns, jerks and twitches, similar to electric 
 shocks, this German spirit seemed to relax the muscles of 
 the body it was using, and soon the widow in a sleepy voice, 
 said, looking at the clock: "Why, I've been under control 
 three hours, have you had anything?" 
 
 So sudden and unexpected was the transition from the 
 one style, voice and manner, to that of the other, that be- 
 wildered as we were, we coidd have exclaimed, "Truly there 
 is but a step between the sublime and the ridiculous ! " 
 However, consideration for the widow's feelings checked the 
 utterance, and instead the lady answered: — "Quite sufficient 
 to set us thinking, and to ask if you will consent to us 
 engaging your time, once or twice per week?" To this she 
 replied that it was so uncertain when she could be in, that 
 she would rather make no engagements especialh- for seances, 
 for if she did, and no spirit controlled, she should be put 
 out about it, and she concluded "you would be disappointed, 
 and I never know whether they will or not!" 
 
 "Exactly!" we remarked, "we understand your conscien- 
 tious scruples. Suppose we come here again next Tuesday 
 and find you in, will 3'ou get us some tea again and let us 
 spend the afternoon with you?"
 
 38 G/can/s (if Lis.^/f and 
 
 "Oh yes!" she'd do that if we did not mind if there 
 were no Seance. 
 
 Agreeing to run the risk we wished her good evening 
 and hurried to the station with thoughts it was impossible 
 to analyze just then. Joy, hope, satisfaction, curiosity, sur- 
 prise, doubt and disappointment were all so inextricably 
 blended that to come to any rational conclusion at this early 
 stage seemed impossible, and hence not attempted, till further 
 and more searching proofs had been cautiousl}^ applied. 
 On reaching home, instead of going to bed, we sat up and 
 wrote the account while the words were yet burning into our 
 brain, and this we did after the subsequent seances also.
 
 Glnnpscs thro the Ri/t. 39 
 
 SEANCE III. 
 
 "And they were all Avitli one accord in one place." 
 
 First recorded public seance. Acts ii. i. 
 
 THE lady started a circle in lier own home, but as her 
 friends were even less acquainted with this subject than 
 herself, it took all her energy to bring them into a state of 
 willingness; and then she knew so little herself, that we 
 were groping in the dark, even the directions printed for 
 forming spirit circles were not clearly comprehended by all 
 of us, and to those who did comprehend, it seemed like trying 
 to pronounce the alphabet of an unknown language without 
 a teacher to guide the sounds. We arranged as near as we 
 could a positi\e then a negative beside each other, as in a 
 magnetic chain for mesmeric phenomena; but we had no 
 results, not even a rap on the table. We have since learnt 
 tliat people on a metal plane cannot get physical phenomena 
 not even so much as a rap, and a circle of people on the 
 plnsical plane seldom get ordei'l}- or practical manifestations ; 
 unless a person on the mental plane is present for their 
 surroundings to take the lead, regulate the forces and 
 maintain a s3-stem of order and purpose: but at this first 
 seance we were all at sea, and felt \-er3- impotent and foolish.
 
 40 G/caiiis of Lii^lit and 
 
 vSEANCR IV. 
 
 "All knowledge is given by inspiration, and is profitable for doctrines and reproof." 
 
 Chuirh prayer. 
 
 WE dared hardly allow ourselves to anticipate our next 
 private interview with Mrs. Nella the Clairvoyant; the 
 last had seemed so real ; conversation had flowed so naturally ; 
 the subjects were so interesting yet so painful, and the 
 answers far too intelligent to come from Mrs. Nella's brain 
 alone, and though we thought at first that it was mind 
 reflection, facts sitch as we received seemed to pro^'e that 
 this could not be the source of the intelligence. However we 
 resolved to put one or two questions this time, on which we 
 ourselves were ignorant, and Mrs. Nella, who is an uneducated 
 monthly nurse, also. 
 
 She was verv sociable, showed aspiration for knowledge 
 beyond her station;" seemed very anxious to know what we 
 thought of this power in her, and whether the spirit said 
 anything of interest — for on waking from her trance condition 
 she herself knows nothing, not even that she's been dream- 
 ing, and she seems shy of any one knowing of her gift. 
 When at last she went to sleep the German spirit (who 
 seems to be Mrs. Nella's fauiiliar spirit) said 
 
 "Good evening Missie, I've seen you two or three times 
 since you were at my medium's house." 
 
 " Indeed?" the ladv answered, "where did vou see me last?"
 
 G//w/>sis thro tlu Rijt. 41 
 
 "In a shop, you were buying something to bring to 
 my medium, a short stout woman served you, and you were 
 afraid you should miss the train.* 
 
 "And was the same gentleman with me?" 
 "You've brought him here with you again; he does 
 wish that he could speak now. in his own voice as he hopes 
 to do, and make you know that his spirit and intelligence 
 are not dead; only his material organisation. He has a 
 sliadowy body, which is aerial or astral he savs, and just like 
 the one you knew, but without material substance, tho' quite 
 as real to him. 
 
 "Does he know now what purpose the spleen serves?" 
 "Yes" he nods and I could tell you his ideas of it in 
 German, but my medium does not know the words in English ; 
 but lie sa3-s this shall be one of the first things he explains 
 to you, when he has found a medium he can speak through 
 in his own voice." He says he was pleased with the circle last 
 I'riday,t and but for the fact that one lad\- was so interested 
 in the conversation, he should have been able to arrest our 
 attention, by his efforts to control her. He hopes you will 
 persevere for many of your friends have the undeveloped 
 gift of trance-mediumship for holding communion with a 
 higher and more progressed state of intelligence than man 
 can possess, without the inspirational light given him bv a 
 knowledge of such communion. He says vou have these 
 communions unconsciousl}- ! " 
 
 "Ask him if the spleen is a nianufactorv for generating 
 nerve force!" 
 
 "No! not that." 
 
 * This was quite right — she was in a great hurr\-, the next day being "Good 
 Friday," and she was buying a fish to take to the out-of-the-way village for 
 Mrs. Xella. (Recorder.) 
 
 t This fact had not been mentioned by us to Jlrs. Xella. (Recorder. j 
 
 G
 
 42 Glcann oj Liglit ami 
 
 "Is it a purifying organ the same as the lungs, but for 
 the nervgs instead of the blood?" 
 
 "Something like but not this exactly!" 
 
 "Ask if the pancreas and spleen are for the same 
 purpose?" 
 
 "Different processes, but both act on the nerves, he sa^'S 
 he will explain fully sometime to 3'ou." 
 
 "Ask what is the matter with Mrs. Nella's health?" 
 
 "She is suffering from exhaustion and low spirits." 
 
 "Can von or he, get a doctor in spirit, to prescribe for 
 her, and you tell me?" 
 
 "Yes," she replied after a short silence, "she ought to 
 go oi:t more, where there are plent}- of people, but no sick 
 folk. She should meet the trains coming in at the railwaj- 
 station, and mix in the crowd on the platform!" 
 
 "What an unaccountable prescription!" 
 
 "In liveh' bustling places, especially at holida}- times, 
 the air contains much healthy magnetism of the nature she 
 requires, and the sick usually a\-oid such places as Railwa}' 
 Stations." 
 
 "Do these trances affect her health!" 
 
 "They might, but as long as you are in the room you 
 keep up her supply of vitality, you give sympathy freel}', and 
 thus benefit those ^-ou come in contact \\\\\\. I take care of 
 my medium's health when she is under my control!" 
 
 "Do j-ou rob her of vitality?" 
 
 "I use her powers, but not beyond what she can spare; 
 but there are other spirits who do; I am her guide and have 
 to watch these intruders." 
 
 "Is the young gentleman an intruder?" 
 
 "He would be if he were selfish; but he is patient 
 enough to wait until he finds an organisation to manifest 
 through which he will benefit and not injure. You have a 
 good supply of vitality, you have two very x&ry ancient guides
 
 G/iinpSiS tliro the Ri/t. 43 
 
 who supply you aud keep you health}-, besides two females, 
 who have attached themselves to you latterly, and now this 
 young man." 
 
 "How ven- funny! Who are the two ancient guides? 
 Does the young man know them?" 
 
 "Yes, now he does: they say they lived here centuries 
 ago; they were bigoted priests, wlu) after death saw the 
 error of their wa^-s, and resohed to make amends; the}- 
 floated near the earth till you were born and seeing your 
 organism would suit them they attached themselves to you, 
 the first breath you drew and have used and guided \-ou 
 ever since!" 
 
 "Then according to that / am reanimated spirits, and 
 that which I call /, is not myself at all, but tJicir spirits 
 working" through mv organs, b\- means of the experience cf 
 these men's past lives and intelligence." 
 
 "That's it, and as they are from God, so are you!" 
 
 "How about ni}- two female guides?" 
 
 "The}' have very little influence over you, compared 
 with the two hoar}- men, the}- more affect your body, the 
 men your mind." 
 
 " But I've done nothing to amend these men's lives." 
 
 "You've been doing this all \-our life they say, and 
 even people who misrepresent vour goodness, because they can't 
 understand it: know thev are misrepresenting you, and this 
 faintly awakens thought and conscience in them, and though 
 they may, and do endeavour to stifle conscience by shutting 
 out these thoughts, and mav never confess they have them, 
 some good is done, though only momentarily, by bringing 
 them into personal contact w4th more exalted motives for 
 action, than the\- have hitherto believed possible: and still 
 w-ould doubt but that they suffer in proportion." 
 
 "Then I'm right in not selecting my company; but 
 mixing generallv among the good and evil, living in the
 
 44 Gleams of Light and 
 
 world, but not of it, wliicli some folks condemn me for." 
 
 "Did not the 'Great Example?' He feasted with 
 publicans and sinners: — he did not escape reproach and 
 misrepresentation did he? With what result?" 
 
 "Is this wh}' so man}- people won't meet my eye, and 
 tr\- to pass me by." 
 
 " Possibly." 
 
 "I never let them if I can help it, thinking they are 
 possibly labouring under some mistake and that its better to 
 give them a chance of speaking and putting it right if it 
 be so. Ask the young gentleman if he knows anything of 
 business matters, and if so whether Mrs. Derallen, who has 
 iust lost her husband, had better keep Mr. C. as manager 
 and traveller or get another?" 
 
 "He sa\-s all he knows of business is b}- following j-our 
 thoughts, when 3'ou are anxious, and though he knows very 
 little, he can see that it is better for Mrs. Derallen to keep 
 the management herself, but not let ]\Ir. C. go just yet; he 
 would injure the business." 
 
 "Do you mean keep him as manager or partner?" 
 
 " Not as partner! " 
 
 "But he will stay on no other terms!" 
 
 "Try him; and if he Avon't, Mrs. Derallen must go daily 
 and never give up the authorit\' to him, but gradualh' take 
 an active part in the business herself; this wa\' she need not 
 fear him." 
 
 "Have 3-011 seen Mr. Derallen yet, her husband?" 
 
 "No!" 
 
 "If I were to ask the Rev. J. H. S. to come to one of 
 these sittings and take part in the conversation, would he come?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Which would be most likeh- to come — himself or his 
 wife?" 
 
 "Mr. J. H. S."
 
 G/iiiipsfs thro tlh- Rift. 45 
 
 "But would he believe? — indeed I hardly think I do 
 yet." 
 
 "He would not believe just yet; but it would give him, 
 as it gives \-ou, food for thought and once his attention 
 was roused, he would not be likely to set it aside, without 
 thoroughly investigating it, in an unprejudiced manner." 
 
 "I want someone whom I know, and whose sincerity and 
 truth I have tried, to judge of the rightfulness of holding 
 communion with these unseen and intelligent forces, before 
 I act upon the advice given by them." 
 
 "Wait till I've secured a medium I can speak through 
 and \o\\ shall have the testimony yoii desire. But when my 
 object is accomplished my Divine mission on earth is over, 
 I sliall then leave yon in order to minister entirely to my 
 father, so that we may continue our progress together. You 
 have a long life before }-ou. and when through age you have 
 lost the power of commanding new friends in your own right. 
 I must see that the finger of the rising generation be not 
 pointed against you through my family, for you have yet 
 much to accomplish for mankind." 
 
 "But I don't mind now — it won't hurt me in the future 
 though I grant it has in the past; but I've got over it 
 now." 
 
 "But it will affect the future of mv family, and their 
 children and children's children ; it is this I want von to 
 consider now,- — not A-ourself." 
 
 "What is your mission on earth?" 
 
 "To address you in mv own voice, personally-, if possible, 
 and give you some unmistakable token be^-ond all dispute, 
 in order that you may go and tell my family that I still 
 live, and am waiting for them to be united on this side, if 
 we could not be on earth." 
 
 "Do you mean me to go in mv own person?" 
 
 "Yes! "
 
 ^6 Gleams of Light and 
 
 "Do you know that your brother W. wrote to 
 
 me threatening to shoot me if ever I was seen there again, 
 and how fearfully anxious your family are that this brother 
 of 5'ours and I should not meet?" 
 
 "Yes I know! and I saw \o\\ read his letter, and watched 
 you enclose it to my sister Jane, without an angry thought 
 concerning it, with no fear for yourself, but full of com- 
 passion for him and them!" 
 
 "Whom do you want me to go to?" 
 
 "My mother!" 
 
 "But should I not frighten her?" 
 
 "Yes, no doubt you would; but the result would be 
 worth this." 
 
 "But why your mother first?" 
 
 "Because she is so much under the influence of others, 
 that she would never hear of it unless 3-011 went to her 
 direct, and if she did, it would only be in a way to prejudice 
 her. Had j'ou gone direct to her and taken my brother's 
 letter, all woiild have been well, the contents of your letters 
 were kept from her, the first wife's family control her through 
 her amiability and weakness." 
 
 "I'm afraid the}- would have me put in a lunatic asjdum." 
 
 " She ivoiild'nt; and the rest won't interfere with you, if 
 you go to her direct." 
 
 "I should like -to see her for 3'our sake, your memories 
 of her were alwa^'s tender, consequently mine are ; but I shall 
 have to feel more inspired with a mission than I now do, 
 before I can go where I know I shall not be welcome." 
 
 "You shall! With the rest of the familv 3'our task 
 will be harder; but you must not flinch! Remember I am 
 chained here at variance with ni}- father (which keeps him 
 down until the necessary' reconciliations are made). They will 
 not make the first advance, therefore you must; and I must 
 find you the means. After that I shall visit 3'OU no more."
 
 G/if/if'srs thro the Ri/t. 47 
 
 "Don't sav that! I should like these interviews to 
 continue!" 
 
 "I sliall watch for your coming over the boi'der, I shall 
 alwa3S be near vou: I shall continue to influence you, 
 magneticalh- and inspirationall}- as I have hitherto done, 
 and the more you rest the more influence I get over you ! " 
 
 "Perhaps this is why I have the desire to sleep so much 
 night and dav. \\\\\ don't vou use ///(■ as a medium?" 
 
 "I do! but I can never use 30U to speak through as I 
 do this medium, I can only write through \ou!" 
 
 "When shall you write through me?" 
 
 " I have alread}-." 
 
 " Dear me! when?" 
 
 " When you have been writing to the different members 
 of mv familv, and two or three to vour friend the Rev. 
 J. H." S. 
 
 "Strange! is this why I never felt tired or sleepy when 
 writing these letters, though generally written when the bus^• 
 world was hushed to rest, vet nearly everything else I did 
 seemed to tire me bevond endurance." 
 
 "Yes vou were then inspired, but you must not blame 
 vourself for being lazy, as you do, and goad yourself on so, 
 it retards you regaining strength ; get all the rest and sleep 
 vou feel you require." 
 
 "About the P. AI. S. .society I am in: am I right in 
 staying away from the meetings on Mondays as Mr. Ancient 
 advised ? " 
 
 "It would have hurt you had vou been present and 
 heard all that has been said." 
 
 "Is that all! Is this Mr. Ancient's reason for sa3'ing 
 that I ought not to go into public at all." 
 
 "Partly." 
 
 "How about the annual meeting? Ought I to go then 
 or not?"
 
 48 GUaiiis oj Lii^/if and 
 
 "Go, b}' all means, to clear yourself!" 
 
 "Clear myself! of what?" 
 
 " False cliarges." 
 
 " That is a poor motive to go for, after being away 
 such a long time. What are the false charges? 
 
 "Go, you will then hear!" 
 
 " This medium is tired now, so I must say Good-Night ! " 
 The German then again said "The young man sa^-s he is 
 ver}' pleased to be able to manifest his thoughts to you, even 
 thus imperfectl}'. He says }'our coming here has made him 
 feel very happv. Do you feel a touch on 3/our shoulder?" 
 
 "No!" 
 
 "He has rested his head there and is now gently 
 stroking your cheek. He bids me say that he has no 
 intention of leaving vou, but is going to see 3-011 safely 
 home, and now Good-night!" 
 
 In a few minutes Mrs. Nella, the medium, woke tip, as 
 though she had been asleep with no knowledge ()f anything 
 which had taken place. We afterwards learned that these 
 seances were the result of a double control, that is — the 
 spirit of T. S. W. was too ethereal for him to control diixctlv 
 Mrs. Nella's organism ; therefoi-e he controlled or mesmerised 
 the German Spirit and used her organism, which he often 
 foimd too limited or undeveloped, for the conveyance of the 
 ideas and knowledge he wished to communicate; and so had 
 to wait itntil better means could be afforded.
 
 iplcaiu ill. 
 
 Thou hast led mo by paths that I know not! 
 
 Ji'zcish Scripliircs.
 
 Glivipscs tliro^ the Rift. 
 
 iJublir=:^itting. 
 
 "I win jjoiir out in those days my Spirit: and they sliall prophesy. "' 
 
 Acts ii. iS. 
 
 SEANCE V. 
 
 Medium. Mr. Croft from London. 
 Piisciil. Twenty-eight people. Monday .\pril i8th, 1887, Si'. M. 
 
 ERE we were told, before the audience, that 
 
 (( the lad}' had man}- friends on the other side of 
 
 the grave, and he described one who answered, 
 
 ^i iiW \ "^ every respect to her mother. He, the medium 
 
 ^S:^Wp^i) then singled out another person present, and 
 
 AVxfX then said: — "You were sitting: round the fire this 
 
 T S A afternoon, vour husband was there, and two 
 
 T ip 1 visitors, }-ou were talking of this meeting, your 
 
 y" husband would not consent to come, but your 
 
 friends brought you, and they are here with you. 
 
 The spirit which influenced your friends to urge you to come 
 
 here, stands by you now" — (here he went on to describe it). 
 
 "Do you know her?" 
 
 " Yes, she is my daughter." Here he gave a private 
 message, wrapped up so that only she understood it. "Do 
 you understand what she means?"
 
 52 G lea ins of Lii^lit and 
 
 " Yes it is quite right." 
 
 "She tells me you do uot believe in s^^irit influence — 
 is that so?" 
 
 "Yes! I do iiotr 
 
 "And vou have been vexed with yourself for consenting 
 to come here to-night. — Is this right?" 
 
 "Quite right." 
 
 "I see another spirit with you" (description given). 
 "He says he is your former husband and that your present 
 husband is a materialist; he says yoit have grown children at 
 home, anxiously waiting your return from this meeting, 
 whose salutation as you enter will be a chorus of: — 'Well, 
 did 3'ou get anything?'" 
 
 Here she smiled saying "Very likely." "Your husband 
 is a man of mind in search of truth, and open to receive it; 
 have a circle of \o\\x own, and his spirit-daughter will 
 manifest to him!" He then described several other spirits 
 near her, whom she recognised, her mother, two brothers, 
 and a sister. 
 
 Several quite as clever specimens of insight into the 
 dailv occupations belongings and circumstances of people 
 present, who gave their word to the audience, that the\' 
 were perfect strangers to the medium, were then given and 
 from observation, enquiry, and privately looking up some of 
 these people, we were satisfied that it was so. 
 
 One middle-aged man in particular, of comel\- and large 
 appearance, whom Mr. Croft told the meeting, had said to his 
 friend he had come for a game, not that lie believed in spirits, 
 but to show the impostors up. The medium told him he 
 had wonderful powers as a healer, and if he neglected to use 
 them, so much the worse for himself in the hereafter; talents 
 were not to be tied up and buried, without consequences. 
 He 'also remarked that he would be valuable as a sitter in 
 a circle, and he, the medium, advised him to join one. He
 
 G/iw/>sis thro till Rift. 53 
 
 described several spirits as near hiiu, l)ut when he asked if 
 he knew them, he was lunte each time, unless it was to 
 make some joking remark. At last he described a very nice 
 young girl whom he said died in a lingering consumption; 
 that she stood with one hand on his shoulder, saying: — "Sureh" 
 father, you recognise your own daughter?" 
 
 The man answered "I can't hear her, and if I thought 
 such a nice girl as von describe, was that near me I'd kiss 
 her!" Mr. Croft answered "She is kissing -sow. and says 
 yon do recognise her. Here the man made an audible 
 kissing noise at the air. The clairvoyant immediately went 
 on to describe a young man with him, who had something 
 the matter with his leg — for quoth the control, "my medium's 
 leg has no use in it, it was taken off here," (laying his hand 
 on the middle of his thigh), "if you feel thi.s — the mediums 
 leg — vou will find it cold and stiff while the top part is 
 warm and life-like!" (Here the medium attempted to walk 
 to the man, but fell, this one stiff leg giving way.) Several 
 people got up and tried to assist him, but he drove them 
 awav, sa\ing he wanted help from none but the man he was 
 talking to, but the man did not move, he called to Jiini 
 se\eral times, and the people round all urged him, before 
 he attempted to move. He .seemed determined not to commit 
 himself either bv word or action. 
 
 He — the control — then told him to feel his medium's 
 leg and try to bend it: this he did with all his strength, 
 which was great, but no, it would not give. He then showed 
 the man how to make magnetic passes down it: — he com- 
 menced very reluctantly, and both roughh- and awkwardly, 
 but the leg soon relaxed, and he told him his toiich would 
 have the same benefit on the paralysed, crippled and sick, 
 and if people, whom nature had blessed with such a gift, 
 would use it nnselfishh' on the needy, there would be fewer 
 sick than there now are.
 
 54 GIciuiis 0/ Lii!;ht and 
 
 "Have you such a son passed away?" No answer. 
 
 "Hev was seventeen when he died of a fever, — do you 
 recognise him? — Please; do you recognise him? I\e had 
 respect for your obstinate nature so long, now I mean to 
 have an answer." He then very kindl}- but firmly said: — 
 
 ''Please ; Iiad-you-a-son-a-eripple f 
 
 "Yes I had," he doggedly answered. 
 
 "He is dead — died at seventeen? "Yes." 
 
 "Of a fever?" "Yes." 
 
 "He had his leg amputated." "Yes." 
 
 "From the upper part of the thigh?" "Yes." 
 
 "His name was John?" "Yes." 
 
 "You've not been to a spirit-sitting before?" "No." 
 
 "Do 3'ou believe in its genuineness?" "I don't know." 
 
 "Well! go again and again, till you've satisfied yourself, 
 vou've a scientific mind, and ought to convince yourself, 
 \'ou'll try your healing powers on your afflicted neighbours?" 
 
 "I don't know that I shall, — now trv vour hand on 
 someone else and leave me!" the man said stolidly. He 
 then passed to someone on the other side of the room; all 
 the descriptions were interesting but not so impressive as 
 these two. 
 
 At the close we procured an introduction to ]\Ir. Croft 
 the medium, and told him all this was new to us; that we 
 were investigators and had started a circle in our house, and 
 that as he recommended the obstinate man as such a good 
 sitter and magnetic healer, we would like to siiggest to him 
 that he should join. 
 
 Mr. Croft asked "Which man? 
 
 We pointed him out as he was rising to go, as the man 
 who had the crippled son dead. 
 
 Mr. Croft gave a glance at the lady and said : — "Oh ! 
 no ! his natiire is too gross ; .sitting with you would benefit his 
 mind, but his magnetism and influence is so physically
 
 G//w/>s,-s thro tlh- Rift. 55 
 
 powerful that wliile lie might benefit your health and strength 
 he would injure you mentalh- and psj'chicalh-. 
 
 " How so?" the lady enquired. 
 
 "Your mind would become less ethereal, and vour bod}' 
 more gross from close associations with such a nature." 
 
 "And yet j'ou saj- to him that he can do good by joining 
 a circle, and using his magnetic power?" 
 
 "The masses are below him, intellectualh- and phvsicalh'; 
 he has immense influence over those he moves with ; he 
 would be made a leader and wield much power: his influence 
 for good or evil is great!" 
 
 "Then perhaps by coming to us he might get mental 
 good which would be reflected a hundred-fold?" she suggested. 
 
 "He has good spirits with him, who have more power 
 than you conld have over him : they brought him here to- 
 night. He is in good company. You ought to be ver}- 
 careful indeed whom you sit with!" 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 "Because you can invite the most intelligent and exalted 
 of spirits." 
 
 "What sort of people do you advise me to sit with?" 
 
 "Intellectual, not physical — Listen to your instincts they 
 will guide you, certainly not mixed circles like this." 
 
 "Do vou know what you said to that man?" 
 
 "Yes, I'm not an unconscious medium like most are." 
 
 During these remarks his manner was \er\- gentle and 
 his voice respectful; he had what phrenologists would call a 
 fine quality of organisation, and spiritual-looking eyes, we 
 don't mean sanctimonious, but fine clear truthful ej-es, with 
 a far awa}- look in them.
 
 £;6 G/l(Vi/s of Li old and 
 
 SEANCE VI. 
 
 "Heaven penelrales to the depths of all hearts as day-break illuinines 
 
 the darkest room."' 
 
 C/iiiiese Stiiptiiir. 
 
 ^^ 
 
 J E had invited a private medium ; but as the lady was too 
 ill to be down stairs she only received her information 
 second-hand, therefore we shall only report one extraordinarv 
 thing which was told to lier afterwards and wliich she had 
 never witnessed. It was that a spirit who wanted to see 
 her, took possession of the table, it wriggled round the 
 couch and across the room to the door, which being shut, 
 stopped its progress. 
 
 Evidently there were ph\-sical people present with 
 whom Mr. Croft said she ought not to sit. The lad^- after- 
 wards admitted that such demonstrations would prove nothing 
 to her, certainly not the presence of angels. 
 
 J
 
 G//////<sis tliro till Rift. 57 
 
 SKAXCE VII. 
 
 •In Kinjt Hezekiah's time Jerusalem was delivcrccl from SciiiKicherib; 
 (luring the Babylonian captivity, Sha<lraili, Mesliacli. anil Aliednego wire delivered 
 from the furnace of fire." 
 
 The Tahiuid. 
 
 Tuesday 19th, 7.30. (p.m.) 
 
 ON Friday we received an invitation which inclnded a 
 friend, from the pri\ate medinni, who kneh at tlie 
 lady's feet the first seance we were at — to attend a private 
 circle at his residence. The lady was ill in bed, but the 
 temptation was too great to be refused. She roused herself, 
 dressed and rode there; but with difficulty persuaded a friend, 
 the recent widow Mrs. Derallen before alluded to — to promise 
 to go also. She said she could only stay an hour, so we 
 were surprised to see her stay on and on, until she had 
 missed her last train and was forced to stay in the city all 
 night. 
 
 There were sixteen present, seated round a bright 
 walnut-oval table in the drawing-room. When the medium 
 came in, lie refused tlic easy chair which had been left for 
 him, and when a small stuffed one was handed to him, he 
 said he preferred a cane bottom or a papier machie. 
 
 The first Spirit who spoke through him was a public 
 speaker when on earth. This did not interest us for the 
 voice was harsh, hard, stern, commanding and heavy. He 
 
 I
 
 58 G/caiiis of I.is.lit "lid 
 
 gave a short address on Spirit life. At the close he asked 
 if anyone had a question to ask. One lady (not thinking 
 he meant'' a question on the siibject he had been .speaking 
 on) said: — 
 
 " I have a paper in my pocket, and should like to know 
 if you can tell me anything about it?" 
 
 In a loud reproving voice he said " No, I am not a 
 prophetic spirit, no doubt there are spirits present who can, 
 but I can't." 
 
 Several persons put questions on subtle points, and he 
 gave them answers. At last he closed his subject and sat 
 down, much to our relief, for his voice was far too heavy for 
 the room and seemed to vibrate through every nerve in one's 
 body. 
 
 This must not be taken as the opinion of everybod}", for 
 it must be remembered that the lady's nerves were out of 
 order, probably arising from contact with physical people, 
 as the mediums had warned her of. The chairman gave out 
 a hynin, and at its close, the medium lowered all the gas- 
 burners, saying that he did not like lights over a bright table, 
 when describing the spirits in a room. The host rose to 
 light some wax candles, which were about the room, but he 
 told him to keep his seat and ne\-er mind. At short intervals, 
 he put the gas lower and lower, first extinguishing one, then 
 another as Ave got used to the darkness. 
 
 The second Spirit who spoke through him claimed to 
 be a witch of the olden time. She said she lived among 
 people for twenty 3-ears, but she loved to watch and look 
 into nature, and for fifty-one years lived alone. She was a 
 prophetess, and heard some one ask the last Spirit a question. 
 "Hand the paper to my medium," she said. This was done. 
 Now the room was too dark to see more than the hands 
 meet, and a white something pass, which the medium rubbed 
 on his forehead, on his two cheeks, and then between his hands.
 
 G/im/'Sis thro the Rift. 59 
 
 The witch then said in her o\vii voice, (which though 
 sharp and haggish, was not unpleasant, and carried the 
 impression of rongh honest s\-mpath3-: we watched for over 
 three hours for flnctnations between this shrill womanish 
 voice, and the medium's own manly one, but in \ain.) "The 
 person who signed this agreement was of such appearance, 
 he wore such and such clothes, and though his dress bespoke 
 him a sailor, it was not of the ordinary- type, he was a 
 superior; some kind of captain or first mate — he went across 
 the water thirteen years ago, landed in a very hot country, 
 went on board again — and there I lose him. This paper has 
 been kept with other things instead of separately- and I get 
 mixed — I do not think he ever set foot again on land, but 
 was drowned; certain it is he is not now in the body. Does 
 the description answer to the person?" 
 
 "Yes," the ladj* said, "it did, he went abroad, landed 
 in Eg3'pt twelve years ago, wrote to them from there, and 
 they had not heard of him since." 
 
 The witch, who said her name was Vina Green or V. G. 
 as she liked to be called, said quite sliai-pl}-, "It was not 
 twelve )-ears ago biit thirteen!" 
 
 She said "I go by the age of \\\\ baby." 
 
 V. G. — "I don't care! I say thirteen and I shall stick 
 to thirteen no matter what your bab}''s age is." 
 
 Lad}-. — "My child was twelve this February." 
 
 V. G. — "I say again, I don't care what you say, that 
 5'oung man left England thirteen years ago, and I'm not 
 going to alter \\\\ statement!" 
 
 The lady's husband here interposed, by saving that he 
 (the sailor) went to sea nine months before the baby was 
 bom, so that it would be thirteen vears all but a few weeks." 
 The old witch did seem to exult at this; saying "These 
 people would like to see me alter, the\- think I can't know 
 for certain; but I never sa}- an3-thing I'm not certain of, and
 
 6o Gleams of Liglit and 
 
 then I never alter no matter what they say!" We are not 
 going to>- tell all she said to the sixteen persons present 
 though e^•erything was striking and all different. 
 
 She changed the lady's seat from an easy chair to one 
 opposite to her medium — which strange to say, though a 
 small high one, she found more comfortable, and as it was 
 near a door, she (V. G.) threw a wool antimacassar (which had 
 been pinned on a screen to keep the fire from her medium's 
 back) for the lady to put over her, which she thought was 
 very considerate for a witch, but how did the witch know 
 she was not comfortable where she sat? She gave a diagnosis 
 of the complaint one lady was suffering from, told her how 
 it affected her, and located her pain, advised her to give up 
 doctors and physicians, then get a magnetic nurse, with a 
 warm supple hand, to make magnetic passes down her spine 
 several times a day, and give herself up to sleep after it, 
 and above all things cease to take medicine, sleep as much 
 as she could in the day-time, and she would soon get better, 
 but she never would as she was going on. 
 
 She described one Spirit with Mrs. Wiubald, which she 
 said had light hair. Mrs. Winbald admitted the description 
 was right, except the hair, which was dark. V. G. said: — "I'm 
 not going to change his hair to please you, he's got light 
 hair, and this I'll stick to, he's your brother he tells me!" 
 
 "But," said Mfs. Winbald, "I have two brothers passed 
 away," and perhaps you are mixing them up?" V. G. : — 
 "Mixing them up!" /don't mix people up if you do! I 
 say he's tall with light hair, there he stands, he's not passed 
 away many months." 
 
 ]\Irs. Winbald, " Can you give me something else to know 
 him by? What did he die of?" 
 
 V. G., "I see his beautiful clear skin turned a yellow, 
 then a bronze colour, with a disease of the kidneys, the 
 nerves of which became chalky and crumby, and this chalky
 
 r 
 
 G//M/'Scs thro the Rift. 6 1 
 
 growth round the nerves of the kidneys gradual!}- made the 
 miiscles useless organs. He suffered very much, before death 
 came." 
 
 Air. W'inbald, "You are quite right, \'. G.! he had light 
 hair, and as I was present at the inquest, and saw the kidneys 
 opened, I can testif\- to the chalky state of the nerves there 
 — also to the fact that the}- crumbled under the touch; his 
 complexion was two years changing to the bronze hue!" 
 
 As we had known the man and possessed his photo, 
 we were able to add our testimony to the fact of his hair 
 being light: many shades lighter than his sister's own. 
 Some people have no idea of shades of colour. 
 
 V. G. — " He desires me to to sa}-, Mr. Winbald, that it's 
 the first time he has had the opportunity of speaking through 
 a strange medium to you. He desires me to thank }-ou for 
 tlie manv patient conversations you had witli him, and to sa}- 
 that they enabled him to face death without the sting. He 
 says he finds all here as 3-ou said; there is no burning 
 hell, but incessant progress; he told 3-ou if he could return 
 he would, and he wishes me to say he's glad he could, c\en 
 in this imperfect wav. Is this .so, Mr. Winbald?" 
 
 "Yes, all quite right, he did sa}- so!" 
 
 V. G. spoke of seeing blue light coming from one of 
 the sitters' fingers, our friend Mrs. Derallen asked if slie 
 could see blue lights from an3-one else. "Yes!" she replied: — 
 "from that lad3-! (a lad3' on m3- right seemed to appropriate 
 the allusion as being addressed to her, whereas we were the 
 persons addressed." "Blue light in the shape of a .star!" 
 He then went on to describe a form (Spirit) she saw who 
 gave the name of Thomas. The lad3' on ni}' right said she 
 did not know it. She gave another description and a name 
 John. She did not recognise it. A third figure was described 
 and the name given, all of which the medium said were 
 seen b3- him ver}- clearh' and well defined.
 
 62 GIca)/is of Li^^lit ami 
 
 Again she said, "No! she did not know one of them!" 
 
 The prophetess then turned to onr friend Mrs. Derallen, 
 telling her that she was a luedinni and clairvoyant, but she 
 was not aware of it — when, all at once, the ladj^ who had 
 not separated her thoughts from H. A. (the spirit who had 
 been described with light hair) seemed to realise that the 
 three spirits which had just been described near her right 
 hand neighbour (we sat side by side), and which the other 
 person had failed to recognise, were all known to her, and 
 who answered in ever\' respect to the description given; but 
 it was too late to acknowledge this, the witch had given her 
 iindivided attention to her friend by this time. 
 
 ]Mrs. Derallen asked if the witch saw any Spirit near 
 her. 
 
 "Yes! there is a tall portl}- lady, with broad full 
 forehead, bene^'olent and pleasing expression, spiritualh'- 
 minded woman, with a stately- commanding carriage, a large 
 magnetic and verv positive nature, with deep set black eves 
 and hair, oh my ! such a woman ! it does one good to look 
 at her ; talk of influence, she influenced every one who came 
 near her, and she could easily manage the most difficult and 
 obstroperous of men : ah! two at a time — without an effort!" 
 Here our friend was constrained to say : — 
 
 "Right you are!" though she had resolved on the way 
 to say nothing — and- this she said in a veiy emphatic manner. 
 
 The prophetess then went on to say — " \ly word, isn't 
 she in a fume? 3-011' ve not got your mother's energv — she'd 
 soon alter things^ — she's terribh^ piit about!" 
 
 "What over?" a.sked Mrs. Derallen. 
 
 "You know quite well what over, I can't say here, its 
 private ; but the state affairs are in, she'd like to alter them !" 
 
 "How?" asked Mrs. Derallen again, quite involuntarily. 
 
 "How!" You would not like me to sav here how! 
 Besides it would take an hour and a half to enter into
 
 (i/iw/^scs thro tlic Rift. 63 
 
 particulars. She says you'\e got avaricious people about you, 
 who are taking from \ou what they've not eanied, and never 
 have and never will, and none of you can see it." 
 
 "How can I prevent this?" 
 
 " Confer with the lady in the opera hood, she's in 
 sympathv with \'ou and can help you. I see she's a friend 
 of yours too.* 
 
 The lady asked:— "Is it I?" 
 
 "Yes!" Turning to Mrs. Derallen, ■'your mother wants 
 to manifest through you, you should sit and let her, she 
 would soon materialize and give you some of her positive 
 energj' and scrutiny!" 
 
 These remarks were correct, for Mrs. Derallen had just lost 
 her husband, who had left her in a most awkward position ; sole 
 executrix with a large business, and all her other money tied 
 up in such a manner, that she could not realise it without 
 considerable loss in some one direction. This was agitating 
 her mind, for a woman unused to business does not care to 
 involve hundreds of pounds of money, e\en if she does hope 
 to see it all again in the near future. 
 
 Therefore the lady's advice had been to sell it all and 
 compel herself to live on the interest the proceeds brought 
 in, whether little or much. 
 
 The witch seemed greatly enervated since the invisible 
 entrance of this imcommon woman ; she tiimed to the fire 
 and took off the live coals with her medium's hands, kept a 
 large red blazing coal in one hand for a light, while with 
 the other she raked out all the cinders from the grate; she 
 then said " I can see there's something good in that cupboard, 
 Mrs. Sonan!" then with the coal to light her she emptied 
 the cupboard of its contents, papers, wine bottles, decanters, 
 
 • This referred to the lady, who was sitting near the nick of the door, and 
 had put the wool antimacassar she had thrown round her head, as it was dark 
 none could see this, yet it seemed the witch could.
 
 t)4 G/caii/s of Lio^lit and 
 
 and many precious little valuables, saying what each was as 
 she place4 one by one on the floor; and telling our host confi- 
 dentially that he woi;ld find /s up stairs in a box, in such 
 and such a drawer, which his wife had placed there, and 
 when it was ^5 she would place it in the bank, adding 
 " She's got a book and she does not tell you!" 
 
 Here onr hostess called out: — " V. G., it's too bad of 
 you ; you don't know what an improvident man he is ; he 
 won't save! " 
 
 " I don't care, you should'nt have secrets from 3'our 
 husband, he's a good man and won't mind what you do!" 
 
 Here she went on with her confidences (which were more 
 amusing than serious), the truth of which ]\Irs. Sonan 
 acknowledged, on the quiet after all was over. Her husband 
 merely sa^'ing at the time (not as though he believed it) "I'm 
 glad to find I'm a substantial man, when I thought I 
 possessed nothing." 
 
 While this coniedv was going on, someone who had not 
 observed the fire ordeal suddenly sprang up exclaiming : — 
 "She's got a red coal in her medium's hand, she'll burn 
 him!" and made a spring at his hand. The peaceful conditions 
 t/nis altered the medium dropped the coal which broke and 
 the carpet immediately began to singe, ever^'bodv began to 
 move, but the prophetess called out " Mrs. Sonan your carpet 
 shan't hurt, tell them to keep their seats and leave my 
 medium to me, I'll take care of his hands and vour carpet ! " 
 Everyone re-seated themselves, and she gathered all the red 
 coal up and some black pieces which we could not see, 
 for now the fire as well as the gas was out, and we were in 
 total darkness except the shattered red coal which was now 
 nearly black in his hand; vet, for full twenty minutes she 
 had his hands in contract with these hot coals. 
 
 The hostess who was fidgeting about his dirty hands 
 asked if she had not better let him have a wash ? Not unless
 
 G/inipscs thro the Rift. 65 
 
 I can wash his hands here for him, yon are getting tired!" 
 "Oh, no!" was echoed on all sides. This was qnite enongii 
 for our hostess, anything but those dirt}' hands on ever^vthing ; 
 she sent for water and she washed them there on the floor. 
 A\'e might have added earlier, that the father of our hostess 
 is utterl}- opposed to his daughter and son-in-law entertaining 
 these mediums, believing it irreligious trickery, so by stratagem 
 they had got him there that evening. 
 
 Our host waited very patientl}-, but as \'. G. seemed to 
 pass him by, he called her attention to him, asking if she 
 saw any spirits attending on him. 
 
 She then described one. "Do you recognise her?" 
 No answer. "Poor woman! she was a sufferer here; a good 
 self-sacrificing devout woman, wv, one knew all she suffered; 
 she tells me she's your wife, did she suffer with her throat?" 
 
 "No, not particularly!" 
 
 "I find my medium's throat is swollen, hot and drv 
 with inflammation, by which I know that she suffered in this 
 way, was it not so?" Silence. "She used to have frequent 
 faints, man}- months before the last came; she went off in 
 one; she's ver}* anxious you should recognise her!" Still no 
 answer. — The medium's breath was very audible, short, and 
 gasping, at last we heard a fall ; Mr. Winbald called out : 
 — "She's fainted! lights!" — someone struck a match, lit the 
 gas; and there sure enough la}- the medium white, cold, and 
 breathless. Mr. Winbald raised him and began rubbing cold 
 water on the forehead, when we heard \'. G. speak through 
 the marble lips. " Sit down doctor and leave my medium 
 to me! I'm qiiite capable of taking care of him, I \vant the 
 gentleman to recognise his wife. Do yow Sir?" 
 
 "Ah! sure enough, that's the way she used to be taken!" 
 
 "Very well! please put out the gas; she tells me ^•ou 
 don't believe spirits can return, and we wanted 3'ou to 
 recognise her, because she wants j'ou to know she is not 
 
 K
 
 66 G ha INS of Lii^/it and 
 
 dead, and has al^^•ays been very near yon, and Avonld like 
 to come to yon again among yonr OA\m family ; when she can 
 communicate more fiilly what she desires!" 
 
 "Yes!" the man made answer, in a tone like one 
 dazed — he seemed hardly to know himself, whether I/c was 
 alive or dead. 
 
 Other interesting experiments and psychic knowledge 
 was given by this medium, such as relating conversations 
 between two or more people, the exact time, where, and how 
 seated; which were acknowledged to be correct by those 
 present. ^^ G. told Mrs. Derallen that she tried to get out 
 of coming to this sitting; had made up her mind to say 
 nothing; to treat everything with suspicion; keeps her eyes 
 well open, "And those two dark orbs have done good dut}' 
 to-nio-ht I can tell yon," she added! "Do 3-011 think she's 
 o-oino- to be done, not she; she's too wide awake, but talk 
 to your friend, arrange with her and you'll soon ha\-e the 
 most convincing proof!" Mrs. Derallen told her, she would 
 not allow herself to become a medium, as she considered 
 it injurious to health. "So much the worse for you in the 
 next state of existence! All gifts should be used, and as 
 good spirits can only manifest through those Avhose actions 
 proceed from exalted motives, the masses cannot become 
 mediums for pure intelligences, therefore you, my good 
 woman, and ever\'one who can, should do all in 3'our power 
 to set these masses thinking and show them that the 
 materialistic theory of the da^-, — which scientists have been 
 setting up for a century or more — cannot explain the psAxhic 
 intelligent forces Avhich their own senses tell them live, and 
 have lived in ever}' age, and though it has been put down 
 bv one specialist after another, in generation succeeding 
 generation, still it reappears, for it is not dead, and waits 
 to iiitcnigciif/y coiiumDHcaic ivith all ti'fio zvill on matters known 
 onl}- to those who are passed awa}^ and j-ourselves. God has
 
 G/im/'Sis thro the Rift. 67 
 
 allowed these spirits to reappear to man in e\ery conntry, 
 in all stages of civilization and barbarit}-,* in order to prove 
 that life does not terminate with the death of the body, bnt 
 is an eternally progressive state. In this way He has given 
 man Divine revelations in every langnage; /;/// the Simf^licitv 
 0/ Truth is too sim/</i, for the folitie to i;[rasp ; therefore, they 
 say, it can't be the spirits of the dead who convey these 
 revelations ; and none but children and fools would believe 
 it was, and so they invent all sorts of complications to 
 explain away the Simplicity of Truth, forgetting or rather 
 not knowing that a wise man is always a fool in the estimation 
 of the worldly! for does he not alwa^-s speak the truth e\-en 
 to his own disadvantage ? Consequently he, the fool, the 
 despised among men, can most easih' discern " Truth " because 
 of his own truthfulness. We sa}- we've lived on earth and 
 can pro\e it; yon can't prove ue've not, and still maintain 
 a truthful attitude towards God and your own conscience, 
 because we have ! " 
 
 We have onh- entered into the details of facts given to 
 those present whom we know, and that we were certain the 
 medium (Mr. Croft) knew nothing about. 
 
 At the close of the seance we engaged him to give a 
 seance at the lady's house. 
 
 When V . G. left him and he came out of his entranced 
 state, we also asked him to allow us to examine his hands, in 
 order to see whether the}' were charred or burnt ; but no ! 
 there was no trace of the hot coals left, and he seemed not 
 to know an\- had been in his hands, till our remarks led 
 him to suppose so. 
 
 We asked hini if he had applied anything to his hands 
 to protect them ; for \\\Q.y were soft and supple, quite unused 
 to hard work, so less likeh- to resist traces of the burning 
 
 * See "Xineteenth Centurv Miracles" by Mrs. E. H. Britten.
 
 68 G lea /IIS of Li o lit and 
 
 hot coals. He said he had applied nothing, did not know 
 what wovild protect the flesh from being bnrnt, when it was 
 so long in contact with fire, except the intelligent protection 
 of scientific spirits who controlled all matter," besides, he 
 added, "I never know when V. G. is going to control me, 
 she is the only spirit who can manipulate fire, and she very 
 seldom does so, and then only when there are scientific spirits 
 and people present!" We saw no reason to disbelieve the 
 man, but flashes of the scientific possibility of the story of 
 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, being thrown into the 
 burning fiery furnace and not a hair of their heads singed; 
 having its foundation in natural laws after all, and not fiction, 
 came flooding our minds with light, re\'ealing that by the 
 Psychic Laws of nature we might yet be able to elucidate 
 this very difficult phenomena, the truth of Avhich physical 
 science refuses to confirm b^- neglecting to studv it.
 
 
 G/iiiipxcs thro Ihc Rift. 69 
 
 SEAXCE VIII. 
 
 Only those who carry sincerity to tlie highest point, in whom there remains 
 not a hairs-breadth of hypocrisy, can see the hidden sprinjjs of things. 
 
 Chinese Seriptiins. 
 Medium. — Mr. Croft. Coitliol. — Vina Green. Wednesday, Sth. .S p.m. 
 
 A S arranged Mr. Croft held the seance at tlie lady's house, 
 -^-^ \". G. controlled and spoke of a gentleman standing by 
 Lawyer Daltin's widow. After the description Mrs. Daltiu 
 asked 
 
 "Can you get his name?" 
 
 She said "I see an illuminated C. — then A. R. P. E. N- 
 T. E. R.!" 
 
 "Which of the Carpenters?" was asked. 
 
 "W. B." 
 
 "Ah!" said Mrs. Daltiu, "he was a naughtv wicked 
 man." 
 
 "Yes!" answered \'. G.. "he savs he knows that, and 
 has now come to ask your forgiveness!" 
 
 "My forgiveness? I've nothing to forgive, it's from God 
 and poor Slade, whom he helped to prosecute, that he must 
 seek forgiveness!" 
 
 "Yes; Yes!" he says, "he's much to procure forgive- 
 ness for from you, on account of the opposition he maintained 
 to 3'our opinions and advice, knowing all the while that you
 
 70 G/ca//is of Light (I lid 
 
 were right and he wrong, but to advocate your opinions to 
 the professional world did not pay." — She then said, "My 
 medium and I will come to see you to-morrow at 1 1 a.m. ; this 
 professor of physiology is a relation of j^ours, he says — and 
 has much to say to yoi: which he can't say here as it is 
 private!" 
 
 She said Mrs. Daltin had liealing powers, and lived in 
 a spiritiial state, and tried to do the good she could by 
 maintaining truth and exposing error. 
 
 We thought this very remarkable, and Mrs. Daltin 
 invited us the next da}- to her house, in order to hear what 
 "Carpenter" had to say. 
 
 We were rather surprised to hear him acknowledge that 
 he was actuated more by policy than truth, when he 
 endeavoured to prove that Slade's mediuniship was all fraud, 
 because he said if Phj-siologists once admitted that Slade and 
 other mediums were honest men, it would make them, appear 
 so ignorant in the eyes of the public, upset their profession 
 too, and how then were they, and their sons after them to get 
 along — Besides he admitted that it was not agreeable to the 
 dignity of learned men to acknowledge that such people as 
 mediums, whose education had cost comparatively nothing, 
 could possibly know more than they, who had had so much 
 money spent on their education, therefore tlie profession 
 desired to put it down with a high hand at any cost, and 
 they looked to Carpenter as one of their leaders to do it : this 
 he said was why he took such pains to defeat Slade, though he 
 knew from Mrs. Daltin's in\'estigations that there was more 
 reason in acknowledging that where man's positive science 
 ended, that of Spirits might possibly begin, and be the 
 world of causes — but as this kind of teaching did not come 
 from authorised soiirces, they considered it presumptuous of 
 mediums to attempt to teach them, and resolved to use 
 their influence to prevent others listening to them; but had
 
 G/i»ipscs thro the Rift. 71 
 
 he only known the consequence, he would rather have risked 
 the loss of prestige which an acknowledgement of what he 
 knew to be true would have cost him among his fellows, 
 for his present state was worse one hundred fold. 
 
 It seemed ver}' realistic to hear this energetic old lady 
 scolding the spirit of her Cousin Carpenter, just as if he were 
 a man in the bodv recalling all the conversations and debates 
 the}' had had together, while the trial of Slade was pending, 
 to note his admissions, and sorrow that he had not taken 
 refuge in such and such statements, referring to allusions, 
 conversations, and experiences which he had held with her, 
 and all the time intreating her to forgive him, and she as 
 obstinatel}' declaring she had nothing to forgive, that he 
 should seek Slade and the magistrate whom his false evidence 
 biased not her.— When he said her forgiveness would be a 
 comfort to him, she said, 
 
 "Oh! if it's any comfort to you, you have it, but I shall 
 always feel \er\- angry with you for sending a man you knew 
 to be innocent to prison ! " 
 
 "What I want vou to forgive is ni}- saying 3-0U were 
 out of your mind, and Spiritualism turned everybody's head!" 
 
 "Ah! yes! I know vou were a wicked bad man, because 
 yon lied all through, but it's some comfort to hear that 3'ou 
 are sorr}-, and are working out 3-our own salvation ; no\v I' ve 
 had it owY with you I mav begin to feel more kindh- towards 
 30U! " 
 
 This dialogue between spirit and mortal was sustained 
 for more than one hour, man}- references being made by the 
 spirit to relations, whose names, whereabouts, and connections 
 were as familiar to the spirit as to Airs. Daltin, and totally 
 unknown to the medium. 
 
 We, as neutral spectators partly forgotten, had nothing 
 to do but watch, and take mental notes, — one of these was, 
 
 "How is it possible for these mediums to know in detail
 
 72 Glca/its of Light and 
 
 the private affairs of so iiian\ strangers, unless it is as they 
 assert, tljat they get their information from the risen dead 
 themselves — therefore nntil we can prove that it is not from 
 the resurrected spirit, it is the simplest solution of the 
 difficulty to believe that it is as they state: especially as it 
 is a modern corroboration of Holy writ. 
 
 We were remarkably struck with this seance, biit cannot 
 enter more fully into the details thereof as they were private 
 family matters and not our own.* 
 
 * The matter herein related is reported with tlie kind permission of Mrs. 
 Dal^on and the Spirit of Carpenter her cousin, corrol)orated and witnessed several 
 j'ears later at another seance in the presence of entire strangers. (Recorder.)
 
 €>lcam i&. 
 
 A wise man inusl ilischarjje all his moral duties, even thouijli he docs not 
 couslantly perform the ceremonies of religion: 
 
 He will fall very low if he performs ceremonial acts only, and fails in the 
 discharge of his moral lUities. 
 
 Hindu Scripliires.
 
 G/iiiipSiS tliro (he Ri/t. 
 
 SEANCE IX. 
 
 "Ill Hiui we live and move." 
 
 Christian Scripluirs. 
 
 Mrs. Dalliii's house. The lady, Mrs. Daltiii aiul Mr. Wilderne.ss present. 
 
 HE medium (Mr. W'ildeniess) described T. 
 
 S. AV. and AIr.s. Daltin's daughter; the 
 
 former he .said stood with her left hand on the 
 lady's shoulder, and Laura came with a quantity 
 of white lilies, one of which T. S. W. held and 
 was repeating some poetry- about "the grave, the 
 drearj' grave." Laura he said had been engaged 
 in a new mission for some months now, and it 
 appeared to be the same as the gentleman was 
 
 Mrs. Daltin asked what this was? 
 
 "Purit}-, holiness, health, instruction and guidance!" 
 
 Among spirits or man? Both! 
 
 "Ask if T. S. W. has seen his mother?" 
 
 "Yes;" he brings a fragile lady with a bridge to her 
 nose, and a beautifullv sweet mouth. 
 
 "Has he seen his father's first wife?" 
 
 "Yes;" he now brings a taller lady with a totally 
 different countenance, not so delicate, with a square jaw,
 
 76 Gleams of Liol/f and 
 
 prominent over the eyes, cheek bones larger, grey hair, a 
 verv nic^ old lady, or rather middle-aged lady. He said he 
 heard the name "Elizabeth" pronounced b}' T. S. W., but 
 whether this lady's name was Elizabeth he did not say, bnt 
 he did say the first was his mother. 
 
 The lady asked. "Should she go to have her photo- 
 graph taken, whether he thought he could appear also as a 
 spirit?" 
 
 "Try!" he says — "He thinks it very likelj' if yoii were 
 to sit seven times with Mr. W. — that you would get writing!" 
 
 She asked what good the direct writing would be. 
 
 "To teach 3'ou, guide you, and give you knowledge!" 
 
 "She asked if he were happier now than he was at the 
 first seance he came to!" 
 
 "Oh! yes," he says, he was not unhappy then, only he 
 wanted to arrest your attention and impress you to look 
 
 into this subject The Medium added he always appears 
 
 in a bright and holy sphere, radiant with white lustrous 
 light, so he did not see how he could be unhappy. 
 
 "Shall Mr. G. be present the next time you come 
 
 to commune with me?" 
 
 "Yes; Yes; Yes!" 
 
 "Will Mrs. Daltin be of use in the mission you sa}^ you 
 have for me?" 
 
 "Yes!" 
 
 The lady here remarked that she did not think that 
 acquaintances however trivial they may appear ^^■ere altogether 
 of one's own seeking, God's unseen hand was to be traced in 
 all, by those who troubled to take note thereof, and the 
 Spirits who impressed us to do or say this or that, were 
 simph' his ministering angels, doing His bidding. 
 
 "That's it, that's it!" your spirit lover says: added the 
 medium. 
 
 Mr. Wilderness said he could feel that this spirit would
 
 G/i/iips€s tlirS tJic Rift. 77 
 
 soon be able to speak through liiiii if the lad\- and he were 
 to sit quietly for it — that he was such an intelligent sweet 
 and sympathetic spirit, and brought such an atmosphere of 
 peace atid love with him. that he should be more willing to 
 give himself up to his influence than to that of any control 
 who has ever desired an entrance through his organism. 
 
 He bids me say that your friend Mr. Ancient has 
 beautiful traits in his character, and you must try to look 
 at these more, and his faults less, for yonr own comfort. 
 
 "Yes!" she added, "tell him it's like him to make 
 excuses for the shortcomings of others!" 
 
 The medium said, "I wish vou cotild see his face now, 
 it is radiant with love for you. you ought to be ver^- happj- 
 and contented with such an exalted spirit in such close 
 affinit^■ with you, verv- few mortals are so fortunate I can 
 tell vou!" 
 
 "Ask him if he is with his father?" Mr. Wilderness 
 said his face has grown grave, and he is silent, but looks 
 at you with such an eloquent pleading look. The medium 
 suddenly exclaimed, "why the spirit of Dr. Russel is here!" 
 
 "Indeed!" the lady replied, "a.sk if he has seen Mrs. D., 
 the wife of the Rev. R. E. D." 
 
 "Yes; but not for converse — he says he will get \o\\ a 
 message for her husband from her next time. He says his 
 son and daughter were your invited guests last night, Mrs. 
 Daltin. Was this so? and says he was here also and has to 
 thank you for making them so happy where he can come in 
 spirit also!" 
 
 Mrs. Daltin did not respond to the spirit, but she turned 
 to the lady and explained that she had had an evening partv 
 the dav before, and his son and daughter were dancing and 
 thoroughl}- enjoying themselves. The lady enquired how the 
 spirits appeared, whether they were niide or clothed. The 
 medium said T. W. wore a brown suit, coat, trousers, and
 
 78 Ghwils of Light and 
 
 waist-coat alike, neat but not this present fashion, the details 
 of the description enabled her to recognise a snit he wore 
 when on earth, and asked if he were bnried in them. "No!" 
 he added, "bnt as spirit permeates ever3'thing, and as spirit 
 never perishes therefore the spirit of mv clothes are at the 
 disposal of me as a spirit and I can change my apparel now, 
 at will as easily as I conld then, but I still prefer a brown 
 suit, as you know I alwa^'s did!" 
 This was a fact
 
 G/ifHpscs thro the Rift. 79 
 
 SEANCE X. 
 
 "Heaven exercises man with trials, holds in its hands the issues of things 
 and determines men's lots according to their conduct." 
 
 Chinese Scriptures. 
 
 The Medium. Mrs. Z. 
 
 Public Meeting. 
 
 A N American lady travelling for her health, the visitor 
 -*— *- of the President, of the Spiritualistic Society, who at 
 his request conducted the Sunday services. 
 
 The medium was an exceedingly fine woman, tall, well- 
 made, dignified, commanding, very full of sympathetic 
 kindness, fair, liglit auburn hair, and better than all of a 
 cultivated intellect, which the average mediums as a rule 
 are not. We felt at one with her immediately. 
 
 The medium a.sked the company (of about twenty) to 
 write down anv question whicli might be puzzling them and 
 hand them to her. 
 
 The lady wrote — "How are we to discriminate between 
 good spirits and bad ones, on their first appearance, supposing 
 their advice to be of a subtle nature?" The medium made 
 h3-pnotic passes over her brow and then answered to this 
 eflfect : — 
 
 " As like attracts like, so good thoughts, good desires, 
 good intentions cannot attract evil spirits, and the reverse ; 
 our own intuitions and impressions were far better judges of
 
 8o Gleams I)/ LioJ/f and 
 
 the nature of the spirits advising, or impressing, i.e. — whether 
 good or ^ evil — than a second person could possibh- be : 
 experience of what they were in the flesh will also guide 
 us, for a good spirit here cannot be evil there; also, the 
 nature of the attraction which has brought them to us ! " 
 
 There were manv other questions, some personal but 
 all interesting and well and intelligently answered. I ma}- 
 add that the answer to our C[uestion appealed to our reason 
 and satisfied our intuitions also. This was on Sunday 
 morning. We were so interested in the medium, and her 
 prayers and address so appealed to the Spiritual within us, 
 that we found ourselves in her presence again on Sunday 
 evening, instead of at church. 
 
 The meeting had just commenced, so we sat on the 
 first seat we came to, at the back, away from all the people, 
 not facing Mrs. Z., but sideways. In this position we seemed 
 to be away from everyone, we realised we were alone with 
 her (the Speaker) and the Creator, and everv idea .she advanced 
 after the first prayer seemed to speak directly to us, she 
 might have been probing our minds in oi'der to ascertain 
 the contending opinions that she might set them at rest, 
 so exacth' did she minister to our need. We will only 
 mention one fact as it bears somewhat on matters we ha\-e 
 considered previously. 
 
 The ladv alwavs- realized that her lover was not respon- 
 sible for his last act, that as he had led a good unselfish 
 Christian life, and was physically unable to struggle with 
 the contentions which surrounded him, and as he was 
 deprived of his reason for three weeks before he took his 
 life, she could never think of him as "unhappy," as was 
 suggested at the first sitting she was at: in answer to these 
 thoiights, in the most tender and powerful yet sympathetic 
 voice, the medium said: — "It is a mistake to suppose that 
 any, even the most holy of men, can in a rash moment
 
 G/lni/^SiS thro the Rift. Si 
 
 sever the chord whicli tethered the soul to the bodv without 
 consequences, such ha\e broken a k^w of Nature and the 
 penalt}- has to be paid, and the more exalted a man's life 
 has been, the greater the (temporary) punishment, which 
 consists in a full realization of the freedom of the spirit 
 from the body (of which we have but dim glimpses here) 
 with perfect faculties and desires for the enjoyment of this 
 freedom, while all the time the soul, (or Spiritual body which 
 she said corresponded to the physical, organ for organ), was 
 bound down to the scenes of the contentions from which he 
 had severed himself, and with a full and agonising conscious- 
 ness of the results." 
 
 The less selfish the suicide's life on earth had been, 
 the higher the order of angels he was able to attract to 
 assist him in undoing the consequences on earth of this 
 severance and neglect of his earth duties, b\- impressing 
 magneticallv those, to whom he was drawn b\- the continued 
 remembrance of the earth scenes, to do for him what he 
 was now unable to do for himself, without his own physical 
 bodw Selfish, greedy, grasping suicides, whose lives were 
 of a physical and instinctive character, attracted such like 
 Spirits to their aid. and in such like manner were the 
 magnetic chains for good and evil fastened across the bridge 
 which divides the state wdiich we call life from death — but. 
 which latter Spiritualists look upon as a loiitiiiiiafion of life; 
 an unfoldment; a casting off of a chrysalis; an evolution. 
 The souls in this lower or pln'sical ''state" did not always 
 remain there, the angels were for ever busy trying to attract 
 them magnetically, and not the least among these \\-as the Great 
 Teacher Himself Our Saviour — each order of Spirits attracted 
 the souls in the ''state'' below with this difference, the highest, 
 e\'en the Saviour Himself, conld desceiut to the lowest, 
 whereas souls could only aseend one state at a time, though 
 the best and most self-sacrificing of men ascend rapidly." 
 
 M
 
 82 Gleams of Lii^/it and 
 
 At the conclusion of the meeting the President intro- 
 duced thg lady to I\Irs. Z. She asked her "how it was she 
 spoke of Jesus as 'Our Saviour,' she thought Spiritualists 
 denied him as such." — In a voice as soft as it was before 
 powerful and rich, she answered, "What we hear from 
 Spirits who have communicated througli mediums, is that 
 there is no ' 7/7////" in the interpretation of the Crucifixion 
 as an atniiciiiaif for a/I sinners. One punished for all. Each 
 has to carrv the burden of the consequences of his own 
 sins along with him to the next world, and with all his 
 desires and efforts to fl}' he finds himself clogged by these 
 mistakes in life, all sin and evil arise from igiioraiict, there- 
 fore ' kinmiltdgL is ptwcr.'' It awakens conscience, broadens 
 the mind, makes men think for themselves, judge for them- 
 selves, seek for proofs instead of blindh- leaning to myths 
 and traditions for hope. In this wa\- the God man 
 became our Saviour, He taught a Holier doctrine than tlie 
 Levitical Law. Hard, exacting, and revengeful, it suited the 
 times; had done its work in that generation, and contained 
 some good and useful laws; but the Great Teacher wanted 
 to bring hea\-en upon earth, and the nearer men acted up to 
 heaven's laws, the higher their Spirit's flew when liberated 
 from matter. Love, self-sacrifice, gentleness, peace, these 
 are His laws. — By giving us this new law //(• sa7rd us from 
 the Old Law, and became 01/ r Sa:'/ti//r.'" 
 
 "There are many degrees of Spiritualists as there are many 
 Christian sects, each believing the creed he is organicall}' 
 able to grasp, but," she suddenly broke out, "Look into 
 these things yourself, you are a medium, an inspirational 
 medium, have been one all your life, you understand all I've 
 said and have felt often, that creeds, ceremonies and forms 
 crippled you, did not appeal to jrour inner consciousness ; 
 your reason was not satisfied ; you saw discord between your 
 aspirational and inspirational communings, and the teachings
 
 G/impfcs thro tlu Rift. 83 
 
 of your pastors and masters. I k)ww you have ; the best 
 advice I can give 3-ou is, Sit for Direct writing, with 
 harmonious people, and listen to 3-our instincts. If you feel 
 a person is at the table who ruffles or irritates 3'ou, get 
 up — don't sit a minute, 3^011 are breaking a law in nature, 
 a magnetic law — that of attraction and repulsion — which 
 results in sin, not a ph3-sical sin but a Spiritual sin. Each 
 time you ignore this law 3-ou cripple and therebv wound 
 your Spirit, and limit 3-our power for good, not onl\- here 
 but there. You are in the habit of stifling them, for the 
 sake of others, thinking 3'ou are benefitting them 1)3- this 
 sacrifice : this is a mistake, 3'ou sin against them as much 
 as 3-011 do against 3-ourself. Yours is a la\ish nature, and 
 3'OU give freeh^ even of your vitalit3-, 3-our friends feel this 
 and are better for seeing 3-ou without knowing wh3- ; still no 
 matter 30U ha\-e a strong and healthv guide, who as freelv 
 supplies 3-ou. 
 
 " You ought to be careful whom 3-ou sit with in circle, 
 never sit for Phj'sical manifestations, 3-ou can't attract that 
 class of Spirits, the3' can't get near 3-ou — alwa3-s sit for 
 mental manifestations: You have a guide who is full of 
 love and wisdom ; there's an enormous white halo round his 
 head, and he's 3-our chief guide; 3-ou'll never be an uncon- 
 scious medium, 3-our mind is too active. You need not sit 
 three times if you'll get the right sort of people about vou, 
 before 3-011 get writing direct." 
 
 Much that she said the lad3-'s heart bore testimony- to, 
 but certainh- not the "direct writing" and the mediumistic 
 gift of that she was 3-et ignorant.
 
 g^^ Gleams of Lijr//t and 
 
 SEANCE XI. 
 
 "All good thoughts, words, and actions are from the celestial world." 
 
 Persian Scriptures. 
 
 The Medium Mrs. Z. 
 
 Seance at the President's house. 
 
 THE lady wrote on the envelope of a letter:* — "Can you 
 tell me anything of the writer of this letter, and its 
 contents?" and handed it to the President who read it aloud. 
 — She, Mrs. Z., said "Mr. President, there are too many 
 people here, for me to answer this, and Pm not here for 
 tests — were I alone I would tell the lady." She then 
 turned to a friend whom the lady had brought with her, 
 and described a tall thin lady who suffei-ed much in the 
 body, and held very narrow views, bigoted and cramped, 
 and who was impressing her to hold these views. They 
 had a gloomy and xlepressing effect on her health, and in 
 after-years, she would sufiFer as this aunt had done, if she 
 did not throw a barrier between herself and this Spirit's 
 magnetism. She said she was very sorry to see a Romish 
 Priest (as near to her as this aunt), who was not a minister 
 of wisdom and enlightenment, but dogmatical, doctrinal, 
 
 *This letter had been sent to the lady by an Astrologer, who was writing 
 in a London paper, and who had been corresponding with her as a stranger 
 on abstruse subjects; among them her experiences in Spiritualistic Phenomena 
 which he strongly condemned. (Recorder.)
 
 (l/iiiipscs f/iro the Rift. 85 
 
 and stem; lie lield a crucifix, etc. ; his influence was of the 
 same morbid nature as her sickly aunt, which also aflfected 
 her health, prevented her getting needfiil repose. Some- 
 times she lay tossing about all the night, and could not 
 sleep. These two believed that Penance and needless 
 suffering of a self-inflicted nature were necessary for sal- 
 vation, and though they have both proved the contrar\-, 
 their souls cannot yet get free of these notions through 
 bigotry. She most emphatically warned her of the conse- 
 quence to her health, if she encouraged these spirits near 
 her. We asked how she was to act? Get into bright and 
 young society, think less seriously of life. She then 
 described two young spirits over her who would supply 
 all she needed to counteract the influence of these other 
 two, the younger one had just placed white flowers in her 
 lap. (Two clairvoyants who were present told the ladv 
 afterwards that they saw the child lovingly give her the 
 flowers.) She said they were far advanced Spiritualh-, and 
 desired to help her. She again warned her in reference to 
 her health, saying that in tiy'chc iiioiit/is it would not be 
 in her power to choose, both health and will, will be in 
 their keeping. She said she had the undeveloped gift of a 
 dead trance medium, but would take some time to develop, 
 but she would advise her to sit in a circle, it would improve 
 her health and spirits. The friend acknowledged the sleepless 
 nights, and a secret inclination for a convent life. The aunt 
 and little girl with flowers had been described to her 
 before, bv another medium at a seance. 
 
 A gentleman acc|uaintauce of the lady's was told he 
 was a medium, but would never lose consciousness that he 
 was very aspirational, wanted to get higher all the time. 
 vShe said, " I see you on a platform the centre of attention. 
 Your chief guide is a j-oung lady — you never knew her : 
 she is a well-developed Spirit, she stands now behind you,
 
 86 Gleams oj LigJtt and 
 
 with a hand on each shoiilder and from them flows a pure 
 white light of the brightest description. She gives you 
 inspirational flashes of light, and then you have strong 
 impulses to study, get knowledge, and aspire to something 
 better, but von must stand straight upright, don't listen to 
 yoitr companions right or left, listen to her and her only, 
 she will guide and keep you right if 3-011 will only let her, 
 she visits you from highest spiritual seats, she wants you 
 to stand straight and not give a willing ear to other spirits 
 who would lead 3-011 awa3' from her magnetism ; keep near 
 to her : 3'ou know her influence and what I mean ! " He 
 thanked her and whispered to the lady " Its quite right, I 
 do want to know more and more and am led off, but I 
 begin again alwa3-s ! ' ' 
 
 She described his father's spirit, and its influence over 
 him which was good too, but not of the high inspirational 
 and spiritual nature as the young lady's spirit ; broad and 
 free and of a sobering thoughtful character. She then ver\- 
 abrupth' turned and told the lady that she was sitting in a 
 circle ; that one of the sitters W3& dark ; that he was robbing 
 her of vitalit3-, and that she must get out of him. She 
 asked if it were a lady or a gentleman. She said "I can't 
 see the individual — I only see the conditions and the effect it 
 has on \'ou, and from the power of the dark e3'es to sap 3'ou ; 
 I should sa3' it was. a man!" the lad3- shook her head; the 
 medium asked "How man3- do 3-011 sit with?" The answer 
 was "five." 
 
 "A verx- good number for 3-011; but don't sit with dark 
 people — they are not satisfied with the health3- magnetism 
 3-011 involuntarih- give off, but the3' rob 3-011 unconscious^ ! " 
 She described the lad3-'s mother as a ver3- spirituall3' advanced 
 angel, " she has rapidh* developed, for she has not left earth 
 life man^- 3-ears I see, she keeps ver3^ near 3-011," very 
 thoughtfully she added: — "you are well taken care of!"
 
 G//////s,s thro tin- Rift. S; 
 
 After nmch more of a similiar character the meeting 
 closed, and the lady presented Mr. Greg to Mrs. Z. as the 
 darkest gentleman at her circle, and asked if that was the 
 gentleman she mnst turn ont? "No! yon can sit with him!" 
 
 Among the seven or eight wlio had collected ronnd her 
 was Miss Lowethorn, also one of the ciixle and she stood next 
 the lad\-. Mrs. Z. snddenl}- stretched ont her left hand, 
 while with her right she took the lady's hand and drew lier 
 towards her, pushing Miss Lowethorn away, saying, regard- 
 less of grammar, "That's her, get away!" 
 
 Poor Miss Lowethorn did not yet understand that she 
 was not personally responsible for this magnetic repulsion 
 which the lad\- had always felt, but as the companionship 
 was of Miss L's seeking and not the lady's, she thought it 
 her duty in Christian kindness to ignore it. Miss Lowe- 
 thorn looked so chagrined that the ladv hastened to ask 
 Mrs. Z. if she could sit the next day as they were due at 
 Mrs. Nella's for a seance. "That won't matter, so that 
 volt don't sit next her: she injuries you mentalK- and 
 phvsicallv, of course imintentionally ! " 
 
 She presented Mr. Landgar (the gentleman with the 
 young angel of light as a guide) and asked if //(■ could 
 sit with her. "Yes! but )io dark people, and sit with the 
 lightest gentleman on each side of you, and vou'll soon 
 develop as a writer!" During these and manv other remarks, 
 she retained the lady's hand, toying with it, as though she 
 did not mean her, and, Miss Lowethorn to go away together, 
 but they did, and the lady had hard work to prevent Miss 
 Lowethorn going away from her quite hurt; tlie priest and 
 her aunt were evidenth' with her, not the bright lady and 
 little girl, or she would see that nothing could alter these 
 laws of attraction and repulsion, which were fixed and be\-ond 
 us ; she said she liked the lady's company, etc., etc. We 
 were going to IMrs. Nella's again on the following Wednesday,
 
 88 Gleams of I^ii^lit ami 
 
 and the President invited the lad}- to bring her (]Mrs. N.) to 
 a seance g.t his honse in the evening. We had a bed made 
 np for Mrs. Nella, and kept her all night; so in addition 
 to the sitting at her house with the same Miss Lovvethorn, 
 we had one the next morning alone, with ]\Irs. Nella, 
 which we will now proceed to report as nearl}- as memor\- 
 will allow.
 
 C>Itani &. 
 
 Have only such friends as will advance you in piety and virtue. Friends 
 should give each other good counsel, and stimulate each other to sacrifice of 
 self. 
 
 Chinese Seiipliires.
 
 G/iM/'SiS thro lilt Ri/t. 
 
 91 
 
 SEANCES XII and XIII. 
 
 No man can acquire knowleclije of tlie soul without abstaiuinj; from evil 
 actions, ami having control over his senses and his mind : nor can he obtain 
 it, thoush with a firm mind, if he is actuated by desire for reward. 
 
 Hindu Scriptiins. 
 
 Mrs. Nella and Mrs. A. Z. 
 
 K took Miss Lowethoni, the dark lady, to 
 Mrs. Xella's on the next visit, as she so 
 earnestly desired it. The Gennan Spirit 
 took control of the medium, and the first 
 ^O. Spirit she saw was the lad\-'s lover, ^\'e had 
 "^' a straggling conversation from which there 
 transpired nothing worth recording. She 
 described two Spirits with Mrs. Lowethorn 
 in all respects the same as Mrs. Z. had 
 described as with her — the suffering and 
 melancholy annt, and the bright happy little girl. She seemed 
 mnch impressed bv having this corroborated by another 
 medium, both strangers. 
 
 As I\Irs. Nella was going with ns to the President's 
 house, who was having an evening circle with IMiss Z. as 
 medium, for a few friends ; we had another opportunity of 
 hearing surrounding Spirits described and recognised by people 
 present the same day. We asked how she explained the
 
 g2 Gleams of Light and 
 
 difference between a spirit medium and a mesmeric subject. 
 She ^said a mesmerist was necessarily obliged to be a 
 man of larger magnetic, vital and physical organisation than 
 his subjects, with the sentiments larger also. A man with 
 a smaller brain power could not mesmerise one Avitli a larger, 
 and in all cases the mesmerist must have the sentiments 
 the largest. This accounted, she said, for the limited mani- 
 festations, and these mostly of a physical nature, for only 
 through the muscular movements can a mesmerist keep control 
 of the subjects; but when the intellect meets with the same 
 stimulus, the soul of the individual gets enlarged and some 
 surrounding Spirit enters ; he is then be3'ond the mesmerist's 
 control ; in the one instance, man is mesmerised by man, and 
 in the other he is mesmerised bv Spirits or angels, and as 
 there are degrees of physical mesmerists, some using their 
 poAvers for good, others for bad — so there are degrees of 
 intelligence in Spirits and angels, some of a high and exalted 
 nature, and some in a very undeveloped condition, suihciently 
 so to be called evil spirits — these to a Spiritualist are soon 
 detected. We fully appreciated this answer. She pointed 
 out one gentleman whom she said had Psj^chometrical powers 
 for sensing articles, though he did not know it, and could 
 read the inside of letters without opening them, etc. At the 
 close of the meeting a gentleman, whom we knew, was 
 talking to him, (the . gentleman whom she said had psycho- 
 metric, powers), so the lad}' went to them and putting the 
 letter into his hand asked him to tell her something about 
 it, and so try his psychometric gift: he said "It feels tome 
 as though I'm holding the handle of a galvanic battery — not 
 a letter," and then very positively said that he knew nothing 
 about anything that had been said, he had never heard of 
 such things as Spirits till that week, and was there under 
 pressure, through the people in whose house he had 
 apartments; but he .should come again. Here Mrs. Z. joined
 
 G/iiiipsfs tliro the Ri/I. 93 
 
 us, so the lady put the letter iu her hand, asking her to 
 tell her something of the writer. 
 
 She began : — He is a dark magnetic man, inclining to 
 be tall. You know him. Stop me if wrong — am I right so 
 far? The lady said "I do not know him, but I shall get to 
 know him!" "Then she said, handing the letter back, "It's 
 not safe for me to go on, for I get unmistakably that vou 
 do know him ! " and she looked her throng!: and through as 
 though she did not believe her, and instead of lingering to 
 chat as usual, she turned awa\', and her good-night hand 
 shake was not as heart}- as before. 
 
 There was much of interest but nothing else which 
 stands out prominently in the memory.
 
 C)4 Gleams oj Light and 
 
 SEANCE XIV. 
 
 •Thou God seest all things.' 
 
 Medium — Mrs. Nella. 
 
 Thursday Morniug, May 6th, 1887. 
 
 WHILE we and Mrs. Nella were ha\ing breakfast next 
 morning, she suddenly broke out with these words in 
 the middle of our conversation: - "Will you please to open 
 that drawer, there is a Spirit here who saj-s there's a paper 
 in it, which has no business there, and she's urging me 
 all the time to tell you; she was pointing there last night 
 while we were in this room, and I had to move away for 
 fear I should be compelled by her to open it!" 
 
 The ladv said "There's no paper there, I keep clean 
 lace in that drawer, and nothing else!" "Well," said the 
 medium, smiling, "If you'll oblige me by opening it, 
 perhaps she'll be satisfied!" 
 
 The lady thereupon got up, took out the drawer, asking 
 her at the same time to describe the Spirit. "She says she's 
 your mother, and has tried to impress you to get that paper 
 many times; but something has always turned you from it. 
 She says "two of 3'our servants and someone else have 
 read it!" 
 
 "You see!" the lady replied, taking out the drawer;
 
 G//m/^s,s thro' the Riff. 95 
 
 "there are no papers or documents here," turning the 
 drawer upside down on to a newspaper, "and nothing in 
 the shape of paper except this old letter, at the bottom 
 \o\\ see ! ' ' 
 
 "That's it! your mother's saying, read it!" 
 
 The lady took it out of the envelope, and found it was 
 a letter from the Re\-. J. H. S., in reference to her father's 
 will, which must have been there above four years, but what 
 struck her even more so, than this wonderful proof of her 
 mother's familiarity with her affairs, to such detailed trifles 
 e\-en, was the fact that people should be so devoid of occu- 
 pation for fingers and brain, as to open another person's 
 drawer, and take a letter out of the envelope and read it, 
 as if they had lost all consciousness of the fact that if 
 the}- would not do such an act in her presence, that was 
 no proof that the eves of God were closed and would nut 
 record. She asked if she should burn it, her mother said 
 "No! put it away and lock it up!" Now it's a singular 
 thing that this lady locks nothing up but one drawer, and 
 alwavs leaves her keys about, her mother suggested that she 
 should keep all drawers locked, advice which she did not 
 follow herself when on earth, she remarked. 
 
 After we had finished breakfast, Mrs. Nella went into a 
 trance, saving before she did so that the Spirit of the 
 gentleman was hurrying her to "go off." The German 
 Spirit who controls Mrs. Nella said, "The gentleman has a 
 female with him to-day!" The lady asked jokingly: -"Is 
 she voung and pretty?" "No! not young, she is your 
 mother, a verv Spiritual woman ; she comes to help him to 
 control mv medium, and he is very pleased to have her!" 
 "Is my father there too?" 
 
 "Yes! but he's not on the same Spiritual level as your 
 mother, but they are much together." "Then," speaking to 
 her lover, "you've seen my father now!" "Yes!" "Well
 
 96 Gicaii/s of Light and 
 
 yoii know what yoii said when on earth yon saw him, do 
 yon say the same now 3'ou know him from the interior?" 
 
 " No ! now I know liim, I like him very mnch ; the 
 worst was on the snrface ! " 
 
 " x\sk mother if she's seen John W. ? " 
 
 "No, but she savs slie will, there are black cloiuls 
 between them yet ! " 
 
 " x\sk her if she knows the mischief his mother has 
 been making between Mrs. Derallen and myself! " 
 
 " Yes ! she savs she does ; bnt she also says yon mnst 
 not blame her so mnch as yon have ; it was not she who 
 originated the tale. There's a gentleman in it, in the same 
 business as Mrs. Derallen's husband was." 
 
 "Ah! I see!" bnt why did she say I told her, when 
 I've not spoken to her for eight years, be3'ond a nod!" 
 
 Ah ! wh^• ? bnt don't tronble abont it ; let it rest, some 
 people mnst talk, and lay on others their own faults, and if 
 it were not ^•on, it wonld perhaps be someone who is less 
 able to stand against false witnesses ! 
 
 Here the German ,Spirit said: "The gentleman has 
 been qnite close to you all this time, and now }-onr mother 
 is pointing to him and has gone a few paces away." 
 
 "What does he say about it?" 
 
 "Never mind, von need not care!" He also sa\'S — "I 
 find I did not convey to yon my ideas as I intended in 
 reference to astrology and your death, I cannot wait for your 
 friend Mr. Ancient to develope. I should have liked it, for 
 in some respects he's worthy of the admiration yon give him, 
 bnt it will take a long time for his soul to expand sufficiently 
 to receive visitors from the celestial heavens. It is hedged 
 about with prejudices and pre-conceived notions, theologies 
 and other conceits, which are man-made : these weigh down 
 his wings, —he wants to fly but can't ; but he will as these 
 disappear. The wrong impression you received was this,
 
 G/iiiipscs thro the Rift. 97 
 
 when I stopped you in reading Mr. Ancient's letter at the 
 words "/ kiunv you have not long to /n't, cirf and I said 
 he was mistaken : It was only in his applicatio)i of the science, 
 which is a science of a purely ph^-sical nature, and can only 
 apply to purel}- physical characters. Your soul has extended 
 beyond its phj-sical abode many a long wa}-, therefore, there's 
 not the ph3-sical attraction — the "pull" is the other wa^-. 
 The ) n b * he speaks of will affect you externally, it will alter 
 all 3'our surroundings and your circumstances ; but you will 
 not pass out of the body entirel}- as he predicts ; there will 
 be a much greater Spiritual exaltation, but not so great as 
 death brings. This is more as I wanted \ox\. to understand 
 me. There's another point; — when I spoke of 3-011 and ^-our 
 friend Mr. Ancient I wished j-ou to understand that had 
 he been less worldl}-, and listened to the promptings of 
 his first and pure love, which is God ; the physical, indicated 
 by astrolog}', would have been subservient to his spirit, and 
 he would have been happ}* inwardly and Spirituall}', whereas 
 he will not be happ\- in his present love!" 
 
 "But I? should I have been happy?" 
 
 " Not the first year or so, he would have fettered _you ; 
 but this would not have mattered — ^-our Spirit is freer than 
 his, and his soul would have expanded under 3-our influence, 
 he would have done his best to make 3-ou happ3^" 
 
 " And did you approve of such a marriage or rather 
 one-sided love ? ' ' 
 
 " Yes ! I saw that the good he's tr3-ing to do would 
 have been doubled, could he have had the softening relief 
 of 3'our societ3'; he has a ver3- powerful emotional and 
 passionate nature, and has suffered more than he would 
 admit. 
 
 "I'm ver3' sorr3-," the lad3- remarked, "but I realH' do 
 
 * The moon in square with Saturn. 
 O
 
 98 Gleams 0/ Light and 
 
 not think, even if he had been more pointed, that I should 
 have sai4 ' 3'es ! ' " 
 
 "You could not have done otherwise, had I so impressed 
 you!" 
 
 "Can you explain that last meeting with him? — it's a 
 mystery to me." 
 
 "Yes I can — for a long time he had felt }'0ur indifference 
 (physically), and could get no nearer to you except mentally 
 and in spirit; till at last he could not remain unmoved 
 in your presence. The evening he wrote saying: — he had 
 never trusted any woman as he had yon; was a tr3dng one 
 for him: there was a something in your manner which made 
 him feel he was repelled and must not get any nearer. 
 Then he began to stay away from the society, for as he 
 told you, 'to meet your eye, hear your voice, or touch your 
 hand, was to him a trial in itself: ' then when mortified pride 
 and passion began to assert themselves, passion and love 
 had a terrible struggle, it was at the height of this struggle, 
 that you wrote blaming him for sta^-ing away from the August 
 business meeting as long as he held office. Your evident dis- 
 approval stung him to the quick, and the slumbering fires burst 
 into a flame. He rushed down to see you, and as is usual with 
 such natures as his, sprang from the one extreme to the other; 
 but he's suffered terribl}' since, though he's better now." 
 
 "And yet yoxi wished to see me married to him, you, who 
 know my horror of domestic infelicity?" 
 
 "I did — because from the Spiritual plane, I desired to 
 see him ovcrcovu self, his worldl}- self I mean, and let his 
 Spiritual self reign, and love such as he cherished for 3'ou 
 is born of the Spirit and is God. His health would have 
 become improved, his mind would have become enlarged, 
 his soul expanded, his power for good would have been 
 doubled, and the astrological indications would have been 
 superceded bj- the Spiritual ! ' '
 
 G/iiiipscs tJiro fill Rift. 99 
 
 "But our ages, you forget this!" 
 
 "Age is no barrier to love, it knows not age. Had 
 physical gratification been the object, you were uot suited to 
 each other, had Spiritual and mental communion been the 
 object, vou ct'(7v — the former follows the latter and is inider 
 its control; but the reverse, never! This is whv I fear his 
 union with 'Wad,' but I see ahead." 
 
 "Well! what do yoii advise?" 
 
 "Wait patiently, he will see you again, but I'm sadlv 
 afraid the interview- will not end satisfactorih'. " 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 "For several reasons, but I mean to try to get nearer 
 to him. He keeps me away, because he entertains feelings 
 of jealousy towards me ; I should like to see him as brave 
 morally as he is physically!" 
 
 "I consider he is!" 
 
 "If he were, he would have boldly taken }'our part on 
 several occasions, and stated what he knew of 3'on; he studied 
 how it might reflect on himself instead! Was this moral 
 braver}-?" 
 
 "Never mind! perhaps he was afraid some one would 
 see how matters were with liim, and he would naturally 
 shrink from such an exposure." 
 
 "A man who cannot stand up justly for the woman he 
 persuades himself he loves, because he sees physical conse- 
 quences will result to himself gravitates earthwards, instead 
 of heavenwards ! ' ' 
 
 "Now, aboiit the Society; why do you want me to go?" 
 
 " Serious false charges are made against \o\\, by reason 
 of 3'our absence; the}' do not credit what 3'ou write, and 
 your friend Wx. Ancient is afraid to vindicate \o\\, seeing 
 how it will reflect on himself, who undertook your duties 
 during your absence, and he likes to stand well in the eyes 
 of all."
 
 lOO Gleams of Lii^/if and 
 
 "But not if it lowers him in his own eyes?" 
 
 "Hei. persuades himself it is prudent!" 
 
 "So it is; he would not like an3-one to see he thought 
 of me as you say he does." 
 
 "Is it prudent of a man who studies self before justice 
 to the weak? But I want him to be Spiritual-minded, and 
 study justice to the oppressed, at the expense of self. You've 
 done this in defending him, over and over again, at the 
 expense of losing friends and substance, and he does not credit 
 you with it : if he had done the same, he would feel better 
 and happier." 
 
 "Are 3'ou not just a little hard on him? You've made 
 me feel very tender towards him, and now you try to show 
 him lip ! " 
 
 " Only to induce you to do your duty, to go to the 
 societv and follow the dictates of conscience!" 
 
 "But my promise to his mother?" 
 
 "That's of no import; matters were not there as you 
 think, don't blame her, I can't now explain why ? " 
 
 "Very well; I'll go to the annual meeting! " 
 
 "Why not go to the next meeting, Mr. Ancient will 
 not be there, nor at the annual meeting, neither Avill there 
 be any business discu.ssed?" 
 
 "You are reversing the times, the annual meeting is 
 all business; are you sure he will not be there?" 
 
 "Quite sure!" 
 
 "I'll go ///(■;;, for the first time." 
 
 "This will be a sort of wind up of the society, and no 
 biisiness done." 
 
 "You don't seem to understand; but I shall notice your 
 prophecy.* I am glad my mother is with you now." 
 
 • The lady had not been well, and had been advised by Mr. Ancient to leave 
 her duties as secretary to him. He had neglected the duties, leaving the blame 
 upon her, and at the same time agitated the members to form for themselves
 
 G/ifiipscs tliro ///(■ Rift. loi 
 
 "Yes; she helps me much! I shoi:ld like you to get 
 the medium here, that the gentlemau with the beard spoke 
 to you about, last Sunday, and I will try to control him ; 
 you won't like him, but don't mind that, if by his organs I 
 can address }-ou in my own voice and my own mannerisms, 
 I can't speak through this medium as I want; I need a male 
 organism, and this German Spirit can't command the words 
 I need, and does not in consequence quite conve\- what I 
 mean. On Astrology I've more to say to you, and on many 
 other points!" 
 
 (The President, Mrs. Z's host, had advised the lad}' to 
 engage Air. Wilderness for private seances, as the best way 
 in which to investigate Spiritualism.) 
 
 "You must not think Mr. Ancient iiihiids to be selfish, 
 as I see you are thinking now. His aspirations are right but 
 he lacks moral courage. Several times I have got near 
 enough to impress him and he has gone to ni}- family full 
 of a determination to assert what he knows of 3'ou ; in less 
 than an hour he has allowed himself to be talked over, and 
 come away without doing as he intended. This has been 
 the case on other occasions also, when in company with 
 other people. Don't offend him, you do him good, though 
 at a sacrifice! " 
 
 To our sorrow dinner was now announced, and we told 
 the Spirits this, and in a few minutes Mrs. Nella was herself 
 again. 
 
 a society under a new name, excluding the present secretarj' (the lady) and other 
 members too straightforward for him, and thus the annual meeting was really 
 
 a sort of wind up.
 
 Gleams of Light and 
 
 SEANCE XV. 
 
 •'No virtue surpasses that nf veracit}-." 
 
 Hindu Scnp/iirc. 
 
 The Medium. Mr. Wilderness. 
 
 AS requested the lady engaged the niediuin, the gentleman 
 with a beard had .spoken to her about, for the following 
 Friday. 
 
 The first thing she did was to hand the astrologer's 
 letter to him, and ask if he could say anything of the 
 writer. 
 
 He said, "Yes, I can! he'.s got a character of his own!" 
 
 He then gave her back the letter, and told her to place 
 it in her left hand; after a minute he said put it in your 
 right; she did so, — now put it in your left again. After 
 she had done this he asked, "Do yoii notice any difference?" 
 
 She said, "No! unless the left throbs a little more when 
 in contact with it!" 
 
 "Ah!" he exclaimed quite joyfully, "that's just it; I 
 thought as much. You are psychometrical 3-ourself, only 
 you take no notice of it; you alwaj's get an impression 
 when you touch a thing for the first time. You may not 
 be conscious of it, but you do nevertheless; it's no use anyone 
 writing one thing to you, and meaning another, for while 
 handling the paper you enter into their state of mind when
 
 G/l/iipscs tliro tlic Rift. 103 
 
 ^\•ritiug it, and get a more truthftil impression than the words 
 may conve}-. Yon do not trust to these impressions, indeed 
 you often combat them strongly, deeming them absurd. 
 Heed them more, and 3-ou'll not need a physical science to 
 guide you, or enlighten your path." 
 
 He then went on: — "The writer is a male, past the 
 middle height, dark, of a positive character physically, but 
 negative mentally, and strongly magnetic. This man is at 
 school yet, both in the physical and mental world, desires 
 knowledge, and will get it. Has plenty- of assertion, studies 
 self, aims at justice and truth, but being unevenly balanced 
 perverts both. Would succeed well as a designer, can sketch 
 well from memory. I get the influence of Swedenborg, not 
 that he is a Swedenborgian, he is not, but a visionist of an 
 aspirational kind. He has many sharp edges in his nature, 
 whicli must be rounded off before his visions are reliable." 
 
 "What is his age?" the lady asked. 
 
 "I do not judge him to be twentj'-si.x." 
 
 "Age of wife?" she queried. 
 
 "He is not married!" 
 
 "Yes, he is!" she replied. 
 
 "Then his wife knows nothing about 3'ou, and is not 
 aware of this letter having been written: or else he was not 
 in s\-mpathy with her wlien he wrote it. Is it written for 
 you ? ' ' 
 
 "Yes! " 
 
 "I seem to hear echoed all round, b\- a chorus of Spirit 
 voices," "He is not married! he is not married!! he is not 
 married!!!" 
 
 "Shall I read the last part of his letter?" she said, "I 
 have never seen the gentleman, I simply correspond with 
 him on astral science, he has been advising me not to go 
 into public, or have anything to do with societies, and on 
 no account to hold oflice in such ! "
 
 I04 Gleams, of Light and 
 
 He looked very much astonished at this and said: — 
 
 "W^y you are eminently qualified for this ! Your 
 impartial justice and conscientious discharge of duties, may 
 be a reproach to others, who covet the credit of your qualities, 
 but who do not deserve it. I see no other reason for such 
 advice ! ' ' 
 
 "Well;" the lady remarked, "my past experience proves 
 that I am successful with societies and public meetings ; but 
 not feeling well, I was perhaps too ready to act on his 
 advice, on this account, and leave my duties as secretary to 
 Mr. Ancient!" 
 
 As Mr. W. said he should like to hear what he had 
 to say, she read the following extract from a letter received 
 from an astrologer who was writing for a London paper, 
 and on this science the correspondence had at first commenced, 
 till he expressed a wish to know the result of the seances, 
 she mentioned she was attending, in her investigation of 
 Spiritualism. 
 
 She had therefore been sending in the rough these 
 reports to London to him, and hence his test. The extract 
 from his letter was as follows : — 
 
 Extract :— 
 
 "What have you to show that these be good Spirits? Their knowledge of the 
 past is an attribute of their Spiritual natures, for they can read the minds of all 
 they attach to, but this -they may use as a veil to cover their ugly forms! You 
 have not long to live as I stated, this I know Astrologically. You shall convince 
 me by a simple test that your medium's are true. Let them tell my age, the name 
 and age of my wife and when I was married. If you do this to ray satisfaction 
 I will make a special journe)- to see you, and confirm all I know to be true. 
 We have societies here but I cannot use them. 
 
 I am, dear madam, 
 
 Yours faithfully, 
 
 A,STROLOGER." 
 P.S. "I am sending reports under separate cover." 
 
 The medium continued: — 
 
 "You may depend that what I have just told is reliable
 
 G/impscs thro f/n Rift. 105 
 
 on this matter; there are spirits in your surroundings who 
 wisli you to know tliat 3-ou are being imposed upon!" 
 
 The lady's spirit lover seemed to make no effort to 
 control this medium whom she had engaged at his suggestion 
 for this purpose; but he, the medium, is coming every week, 
 and has chosen Mrs. Derallen to sit with us while he is 
 entranced on Fridays, till the Spirit can manage to speak in 
 his own voice and style; the verv thought seemed to take 
 her breath awa}-. 
 
 He described him in appearance, and then she reached 
 her album, which is full, and asked him to point to the 
 likeness of the nuin, if he found it in. She had reached two 
 albums, he turned the first over until he came to it, and 
 without hesitation pointed it out. She then said, showing 
 him his favourite brother's portrait, "Is not this more like?" 
 
 "Oh dear no!" he replied, "the Spirit I see with you 
 had more maturit}' of character when a little child, than this 
 man has now, besides his features are more strongly marked!" 
 he continued, turned over the pages until he found another 
 likeness of him, then another taken while he was at college 
 three years before the ladv knew him, whicli he said was 
 more like him now, his eyes had a spiritual look, far more 
 like the youth's than the man's portrait, but the beard gave 
 the appearance of age. 
 
 "How old?" she asked. 
 
 "About thirty-four," he answered. 
 
 It's a singular fact that her lover was always taken for 
 over thirty when alive, even thirty-eight, but he was in years 
 only twenty-four, so she thought nothing of this seeming 
 inaccuracy, especially when she knew the age had not been 
 given him b}- the Spirit, but was what he judged from his 
 appearance.
 
 C>Icam iji. 
 
 A ruler must first have virtue in himself, then he may require it in others: 
 he must be free from \-ice himself, then he may reprove it in others. 
 
 • Chinese Seripliires.
 
 <j//w/>sts thro the Rift. 109 
 
 SEANCE XVI. 
 
 '•Ovcrcoim- lalscliooil hy truth." 
 
 l-tii til hist Sniptiires. 
 
 The Medium. Mr. \Vil(lenies.s. 
 
 'HK lady sent the result of the last seances 
 including the answers in reference to his test to 
 the Astrologer. 
 
 On the following week .Mr. Ancient came 
 with Mr. G. and other friends to the seance. 
 ^ ^^> A Spirit was described round Mr. Ancient 
 
 > -K^ ' with a book under his arm. Mr. A. said the 
 '; ■ ■ same description of a Spirit had been gi^■en him 
 ? at a public seance, but he did not know him. 
 
 i He luinded a well filled law envelope to 
 
 Mr. Wilderness, the medium, asking him to psvchometrise 
 it. 
 
 The medium took it, held it against his forehead and 
 then said: — "I sense the influence of many minds; but there 
 is one dominant mind running through it, of such and such 
 description, giving a detailed summary of the appearance and 
 mental attributes of the lad}- — "It would be well for you to 
 
 I
 
 no Glcajiis of Lii^Iit and 
 
 accept the advice herein contained ! ' ' Mr. Ancient then gave 
 him a letter to psychometrise, this he did, giving an accurate 
 description of the personal appearance of Mr. Ancient himself, 
 and then going into minute details as to his mental char- 
 acteristics and defects; winding up with these words: — 
 
 "You are the writer of this letter!" 
 
 Such a clever and truthful analysis of the two-fold 
 character of himself, was too much for Mr. Ancient, who 
 possesses very large self-esteem, and had made up his mind 
 to prove the whole thing a fraud, and the medium an 
 impostor. . 
 
 At finding his object thiis defeated, he lost all control 
 of himself, rose from the circle, and throwing the envelope 
 and the letter across the table to the lady, who was seated 
 opposite, said, 
 
 "It is astonishing to me how any one can sit 
 patiently and listen to such absurd trash; I can not, for 
 not a word I have yet heard has any truth or sense in it." 
 He put on his coat hastily, rudely said "Good night!" to 
 e\'eryone, and left the house, leaving us astonished as to 
 whv he left so abruptly. 
 
 The ladA- opened the envelope and found the reports 
 herein printed, all of Avhich she had submitted to the 
 Astrologer in London ; and now she found that the 
 Astrologer was actually Mr. Ancient himself, member of the 
 B.P.M. Society, who had been writing to her in a disguised 
 hand-writing, and ha\-ing his letters sent to Loudon and 
 redirected to the local town of the lady, and himself, by the 
 editor of the London paper, and \>y this means deceiving her 
 as to the Society, and the Society as to her. 
 
 " But why?" 
 
 The many minds the medium detected in the matter 
 contained in the envelope, is explained b\- the fact that the 
 lady had written her reports on half letter sheets, old
 
 G/iiiipsis t/iro' tin Rift. ill 
 
 business letters, of a few words; mostly old accounts and 
 receipts, and the one positive mind running through was 
 her own concerning the reports written on the clean side, 
 containing the truthful answer to his misleading test. 
 
 For he was twent^'-four years of age, tall, black curly hair, 
 unmarried, living at home with his mother, of a magnetic 
 nature, with a love of and desire to rule, a good memory and 
 draughtsman, ever in pursuit of knowledge; this the lady 
 had seen, and without opposing, had steadil}- held her own; 
 hence his attempt to accomplish by subtilit}' what he could 
 not by straightforward means, and now that he stood 
 revealed and his attempt to prove the mediums were tluit 
 which, the first he consulted had so conclusively -proved him 
 to bi himself, he was like a caged lion, more than a man, 
 and dare stay no longer. 
 
 This abrupt ungentlemanly behaviour, broke up the 
 circle and gave the lad)- plenty of food for thought. The 
 motives he had for such an extreme piece of duplicity she 
 had yet to leani.
 
 G/ecDils of Light and 
 
 SEANCE XVII. 
 
 He who is tolerant with the iiitolerafit, mild with the fault finders, and free 
 from passion with the passionate, him I call indeed a wise man. 
 
 Buddhist Scriptures. 
 
 June 3rd. The McdiuJii. Mr. Wilderness. 
 
 T' 
 
 Present were, Miss S. J. J., Miss T., and Mr. N., call 
 sceptics, and Miss Lowetliorn. 
 
 He first described Miss Lowethorn's grandmother, as 
 being desirous to assist lier in developing her power to com- 
 mune with Spirits. She asked questions concerning a letter 
 she had written to Mrs. Nella; he said he got an influence 
 of worry and hast}- indifference, as though the wrong person 
 had opened it and returned it; this was so, for she had had 
 it returned through the dead letter office, and now enclosed 
 it in a clean envelope. 
 
 He described two Spirits with Miss S. J. J., neither of 
 which she recognised, till he brought up several facts in 
 their surroundings during life on earth, after a time she 
 knew them. 
 
 Miss T. he spent a long time with, in trying to bring 
 to her mind the recollection of an ancient lady, magnificentl}- 
 though quietly dressed, who lived in a statel}' mansion, with 
 a spacious hall, long avenue, and terrace. PiX last he described
 
 G/impses thro the Rift. 113 
 
 every niimite particular of her quaint but costly attire, and 
 the furniture of the sumptuous yet ancient room in which 
 she was seated. 
 
 He then said "'I can see her rise, approach von and 
 give you something!" 
 
 The mental picture was so graphic, that immediately 
 Miss. T. taken off her guard unconsciously exclaimed: — 
 
 ■'It was a piece of cake!" 
 
 "Then you i-ecoguise her now?"" 
 
 "I've a recollection of being in such a place, with such 
 a lady, but I was verv little and remember the cake best!" 
 
 He seemed quite satisfied, sajing: — 
 
 "This dignified lad\- is much with ^-ou. I do not judge 
 her to be a relation, but this ancient family was known to 
 your familv!" 
 
 "Quite right!" she said. 
 
 He described Mr. N.'s father as his second .self, who 
 said, he should be glad to welcome him at death. 
 
 As for the lady herself, she was unable to keep lier 
 nerves quiet, there seemed a drawing influence at work, 
 pulling away at the whole of her body. 
 
 Mr. Wilderness, the medium, said her lover was there, 
 but dimly; and not so closely as he had seen him on previous 
 occasions. He said afterwards it was the magnetism of tlie 
 positive friend, who was present the week before, (Mr. 
 Ancient) : he caught a glimpse of his shadowy astral profile, 
 standing over her: his expression was one of displeasure, with 
 a strong desire to rule her in the matter of these investiga- 
 tions. 
 
 She asked " Shall I be right in allowing him to rule 
 me ? ' ' 
 
 "I can't tell, you must judge for yourself in this matter, 
 and not allow anyone this right : it's evident he dislikes 
 you having anything to do with this Spiritualism. His 
 
 o
 
 114 Gleams, of Light and 
 
 regard for you is strong, and he fears you are being fooled. 
 You yourself must decide whether you are. He does not 
 allow himself time to observe, and draw just conclusions in 
 the matter; like many more, he's prejudiced against 
 Spiritualism, and is therefore too bitter against it even to 
 examine it properlv. " 
 
 I
 
 G/im/'Sts thro the Ri/t. 115 
 
 SEANCE XVIII. 
 
 "He who is bt-loveil of Gotl, honours even.- form of religious failh." 
 
 Buddist Scriptures. 
 
 The Medium. Jlr. Wihlerness. 
 
 AT the next seance, Mr. G. and Mrs. Nella were present, 
 also the niedinm and ourselves. 
 
 After awhile the medium suggested that tliev should 
 sit at a round table in the room. 
 
 This done, his messenger Spirit controlled ; the one who 
 searches out, and gets into rapport with the truthful Spirits 
 round members of an audience, and conveys to Mr. Wilderness 
 anything they may say for him to gi\-e aloud, for their 
 friends who are present to recognise. This is the secret 
 spring that governs psychometry — anything which this Spirit 
 gave him, he was always positive about, because he knew if 
 it were not absoluteh- true, she would not sa\- so. 
 
 This Spirit was a young uegress, and though black out- 
 side, this ^vas not her inward state. 
 
 She told us that the " fooliosipher," (philosopher) — which 
 she called the lad3-'s spirit lover, — was going to tr^' to control 
 her medium that night, and we were not to touch or interfere
 
 it6 Gleams of Lio/if and 
 
 with him in am- way: that she was sent to take care of 
 him, and "I will too," she added, "for I love him." 
 
 We were hardly prepared for the realistic pantomimic 
 scene which followed, for almost immediately the medium 
 sprang into the air with one terrific scream, and fell heavily 
 his full length on the drawing-room carpet, his limbs stretched 
 out stiff, his face paled, his jaw fell, and he had the appear- 
 ance of one in whom life was extinct. 
 
 The lady jumped up to render him some assistance, biit 
 Mrs. Nella said: — 
 
 " It's all right, it's your spirit lover showing how sudden 
 his death was, he can't speak yet, but he will presently. The 
 medium's familiar (the negres.s) controlled, picked him up, 
 and again seated him at the table. 
 
 She went, and the former Spii'it came again; spoke to 
 Mr. G. — thanked him for coming, said his sympath}' had 
 done him good, told whom he was, spoke a few pathetic 
 sentences in reference to that which led up to his death, 
 e\-eryone in the room sobbing and crying through S3''mpathy, 
 while the tears fell like rain from the e^^es the Spirit was 
 using, on to the table-cloth, leaving quite a large wet ring, 
 and though the vocal organs were those of the medium's, 
 the tone, expression, and style, were too mvich like those 
 of T. S. W. to need any further confirmation; both he and 
 the ladv were too uiuch affected to address each other 
 then. 
 
 The painful nature of this seance was suddenly termi- 
 nated by Topsy the negress shouting out: — 
 
 "What are you all crying for?" and with a ringing 
 laugh changed the depressing influence the last few minutes 
 had prodiiced on our minds. 
 
 She chatted pleasantly and comicall}- for some time on 
 various matters of individual interest to the people present; 
 reminded us that she had come to take care of the medium,
 
 (l/iw/'srs thro the Rift. 117 
 
 and assured us the fall had not hurt him, that he would 
 know nothing of it when she left him. 
 
 Accordingly we were not a little surprised to hear Mr. 
 Wilderness, laughingh- come to himself, and assure us he 
 was in no way hurt, and could not be, while Topsy was 
 aboiit, and did not know he had fallen till we told him so.
 
 1 1 8 G/orws of L ioJif a)id 
 
 SEANCE XIX. 
 
 "What we say in secret is known to Him, He sees onr interior nature." 
 
 Egyptian Scriptures. 
 
 The 3fedi!i)n. Mr. Wilderness. 
 
 A T the next seance Topsy controlled for a few minutes, 
 -'— *- as she said to prepare the way for tlie "fooliosopher" 
 \\\\o was about to control and have a little pri\-ate conversa- 
 tion in his own voice. 
 
 We were by this time prepared to receive this astound- 
 ing revelation without the breath-bating wonder which had 
 marked the results of our earlier seances : therefore when 
 the medium's voice .was again heard in the quiet cultivated 
 well-remembered voice of a gentleman; unknown in life to 
 the medium, we were not so much astonished, as we had 
 been on some previous occasions. 
 
 He requested the lady to allow him to speak through 
 the organs of the medium in her school room, to the many 
 who knew and would recognise his voice ; he said he should 
 like to give nine lectures in order to demonstrate to them 
 that "though dead he was alive again." 
 
 The lad\- did as he requested, she wrote to some 
 and advertised in the papers for others, aud so set, many
 
 Glinipsis til IV the Ri/t. 119 
 
 hundreds of people who recognised his voice, seriously 
 thinking. 
 
 Two of these addresses are re-printed below, they were 
 published in a weekh- paper, at the time, but the living rep- 
 resentatives of the family wrote to the editor forbidding him 
 to publish any more on pain of legal proceedings ; and as the 
 editor was weak enough to be intimidated*, the reports of the 
 re St were not taken ; but no threats of legal proceedings could 
 deter the lady herself from giving the spirit of her lover all 
 the opportunities of proving his identit}' and ixsiirrcctioii, 
 which lay in her power; well knowing that the more who 
 knew him and came to hear him, the more likely she was of 
 proving either the falsity or the truth of the subject of Spirit 
 return. 
 
 The fact remains, that though many hinderances and 
 underhand attempts were made, and subtle treacherous schemes 
 were laid to intimidate her, and defeat her purpose, she has 
 steadfastly maintained her right to speak and publish that 
 which she had carefulh" examined and knew to be true, on 
 such an important and religious subject, as the continued 
 existence of man, even though in so doing she has had to 
 expose the treachery and fraud of a few pivjcssiiig Christians, 
 who were diplomatic enough to gain the external applause 
 of their fellow worshippers b}- removing all that appeared 
 questionable in themselves, on to the backs of the defenceless 
 and the innocent. 
 
 These erring ones should be excused and pardoned, but 
 neither screened nor countenanced. 
 
 • The name of the publication is withheld out of respect to the Editor's 
 business, but will be given to any person writing to the .\uthor, care of Publishers.
 
 ( J /cams of L J gilt and 
 
 TWO LECTURES GIVEN BY THE SPIRIT T. S. W. 
 
 LECTURE I. 
 
 Trance Address by T. S. W., Through the Medium, 
 
 Mr. Wilderness, on Physical and Psychical Condition, 
 
 July 31ST, 1887. 
 
 "Every physical object is subject to physical conditions, 
 and it is impossible to have a full comprehension of any 
 production of nature, apart from a knowledge of those 
 Ca/tsfs which evolved it into being. 
 
 You cannot imagine a physical object existing apart 
 from phvsical surroundings. If you could imagine the 
 possibility of placing a physical object outside your con- 
 ception of the universe, it would simply prove that 3'ou had 
 not comprehended the idea of infinite space." 
 
 He then proceeded to deal with the vast and kaleidos- 
 copic display of colours in the physical universe. Referring 
 to the generally-accepted theories as to the origin of colours, 
 he said, "We have on the one hand scientists who maintain 
 that flowers and other physical objects have their colour, 
 inherent in themselves, and that the sunlight only serves to 
 make them visible. Others just as positively affirm that
 
 (j/iinpses thro the Rift. 12 1 
 
 colours are the result of the absorption of those tints 
 inherent in sunlight, which are not )iiadc visible upon the 
 surface. 
 
 He ventured the theory that colours originate from 
 the combined action of undulation, absorption, and reflection. 
 That is to say — Physical objects have not the power latent 
 in thenisel\-es to undulate their own particular colours, 
 neither does the theory of absorption in it.self explain the 
 niyster}-. All objects are constituted to absorb certain 
 elements from the beams of the sun, and tt) undulate to the 
 surface those particles which are calculated to reflect the 
 particular hue which is not absorbed, and conseqncnth' 
 which appears to the eye. 
 
 By absorption, he said, he did not mean permeation, but 
 decomposition, as colours often permeate objects with the 
 same hue which appears upon the surface. 
 
 All colours are the result of combinations of the 
 trinity of colours, latent in the sunbeam, viz.. Red, Blue 
 and Yellow. 
 
 He then brieflv illustrated the \aried degrees of Spiritual 
 mediumship, by a brief comparison of the power of diiferent 
 coloured glasses to transmit heat: a blue-coloured glass will 
 transmit 47 degrees; indigo, 70 degrees; violet, 15 degrees, 
 &c. Now you may concentrate a powerful heat upon an}' 
 one of these glasses until you destroy it in the attempt to 
 force through it a higher degree of heat than its inherent 
 constitution is capable of transmitting. 
 
 If it be so necessary to have a good understanding as 
 to the conditions attending the production of purely physical 
 phenomena, is it not just as necessary to have an approximate 
 comprehension of those delicate psychological conditions 
 which are indispensable to the production of phenomena 
 known as ps}-chical or spiritual? How necessar}^ it is that 
 those highly-strung and sensitive persons known as "mediums," 
 
 K
 
 122 G/c(i/ns of Lio/if (Did 
 
 should be surrounded bj- those material and psychical 
 conditions calculated to develop through their instrumentality, 
 pure and exalted expositions of spiritual truths. ]\Icdiuiusliip 
 i^Iiould never be foreed in tlie hot-bed oj seiiiiiifie and seepfical 
 exferlnieiit; but should be permitted to bud and bloom, even 
 as the i^owers of earth gradually develop their radiant beauty, 
 under the influence of sunlight and refreshing showers. 
 There are varied degrees of mediumship, and many a 
 delicate, nervous organism is ruined by the futile attempt 
 to force a phase of spiritual phenomena lying outside the 
 capacity of the medium. 
 
 If inquirers into phenomena called "Spiritual" would 
 apply the usual common-sense methods of procedure, 
 recognised as essential in other branches of human knowledge, 
 a "Spiritual Science" might be gradually developed, as 
 certain in its results as the demonstrated facts revealed by 
 the laws' of pure physics. 
 
 This is the first of a series of addresses, and is looked 
 upon as an introduction to a more comprehensive exposition 
 of Spiritual philosophy, and of those subtle and delicate 
 conditions requisite for the development of mediumship. Two 
 other controls followed, who were listened to with marked 
 attention. A few good clairvo3'ant descriptions were given, 
 all recognised excepting one."
 
 G/hi!pscs thro the Rift. 
 
 LECTURE II. 
 
 A Trance Address by T. S. W., Throi-gh the Medium, 
 Mr. Wilderness, August 2ist, 1887. 
 
 Pure Spirit, as Spirit, cannot be cognized by the ordinary 
 operations of man's exterior intelligence. The nearest 
 approach the mind of man can make to a cognizance of the 
 sublime life-force designated Spirit, is to observe intelligenth' 
 the operation of the ethereal plu'sical element known as 
 Electricity. 
 
 Electricity is the medium through which Spirit works 
 in the evolvement of the myriad forms of intelligent life. 
 The vital force in man is the product of Spiritual impulsion, 
 evolving through tlie fluids of his physical organism the 
 siiblime life-force known as Animal Magnetism. The true 
 secret of self-conti'ol lies in the power so to direct the flow 
 of the interior Spiritual life-energ}- of the human soul as to 
 evolve real soul-power by successive gradations of Spiritual 
 evolution. 
 
 In all ages of the world, there have been evidences of 
 the possession of powers of self-control, accompanied by the 
 possession of the psychological power to control and utilise 
 the elements which surroiind the physical and mental life of 
 man. The possessors of such seeming!}- miraculous gifts,
 
 124 (i/rn/in of Lis,Jit and 
 
 which caused them to stand out in marked individualism 
 from theii- felloAvs, were looked upon as gods. 
 
 Their modern successors, who lay claim to the possession 
 of similar powers, are known as Adepts, Sensitives, or 
 Mediums, bv those who believe in the vei'ity of such gifts. 
 Your modern phj-sical scientist uses the verj' expressive 
 term "Impostor," to designate all such aspirants to the 
 possession of occult, or Spiritual knowledge. 
 
 If men and women would intelligently consider the 
 marvelloiis powers they possess in the exercise of the ordinary 
 five senses, it would lead them on a step in the direction of 
 an intelligent recognition of the possibilit}' of the existence 
 of still greater Spiritual faculties, latent within the Spiritual 
 being of man and v^oman. 
 
 Yoii have eves bv means of which you can intelligently 
 observe objects in nature, which lie at immense distances from 
 the phvsical bodv. 
 
 You have invented instruments by means of which you 
 can observe objects in nature, which lie beyond the vision of 
 the unassisted physical organ of sight. 
 
 By means of the auditory nerves you are enabled to hear 
 sounds, the intelligent or unintelligent prodiicers of which 
 may be located far away from your immediate scene of action. 
 
 You inhale odours of flowers, and although such flowers 
 may be invisible to sight, you are able to distinguish a variety 
 of perfumes, and so trace them in imagination to the particular 
 flowers from which they emanate. 
 
 It is not our piirpose to-night to enter into a chemical 
 or physiological explanation of these well-known phenomena; 
 but in the light of these simple self-evident facts, is it not 
 irrational to limit the exercise of the still more potent soul- 
 powers of man, to the rcaii/i of the itnnicdiatc vici)iity of his 
 physical organism? 
 
 As you sit in this room j-ou are all physically in con-
 
 (j/impscs f/iiv the Rift. 125 
 
 iiection with an invisible and almost impalpable element 
 known as "common air." Without this element yon conld 
 not live; yon inspire it, and receive a continnons angment- 
 ation of phvsical and mental energy. In the light of this 
 wondrons fact in the realm of pnre physics, does it seem 
 presumption to the mind of any rational hnman being to 
 assnme the possibility of the existence of a still more ethereal 
 element, connecting in Spiritual affinitv the mental and 
 Spiritual natnres of man and woman ? 
 
 Self-control is considered to be of such intrinsic \alue, 
 that men and women who lack will-power, readih- viiitatr 
 those persons who possess it; but it is not to an imitation 
 we invite \-ou, but to the possession of a reality. 
 
 Your Western would-be Adept endeavours to attain to 
 the possession of psychical powers, by the simulation of those 
 mental and physiognomical characteristics, which are said to 
 accompany the exercise of occult psychological powers, by 
 Oriental Adepts. 
 
 Xow we do not for a moment underrate the importance 
 of a correct knowledge of superficial scientific fact, as observed 
 in the relative developments of the faculties of the human 
 mind, while resident in a physical brain organism, but we 
 affirm that real soul-power — iin'olz'ino a complete control of 
 ihe phvsical ami mental forces in man, enabling him to com- 
 municate Spiritualh- by means of the ethereal atmosphere 
 which limks soul to soul and sphere to sphere, thus making 
 him master of, instead of suhject to, those circumstantial 
 conditions of physical and psychological existence — does not 
 arise out of a supremacy of any particular n/ental functions 
 or set of cerebral faculties. 
 
 The true Spiritual man — and consequent possessor of 
 soul-force — exhibits a dignified and manly demeanour, but 
 it is not by the cultivation of exterior ci^otism that you will 
 attain to the same Spiritual dignity. He is unreadable by
 
 126 Gil a Ills of I^is^lit niid 
 
 the merely sensuous eye, yet it is not b}- the cultivation of 
 SLrriih'i'ihSi in cxpirssioii that you w^ill attain to the same 
 Spiritual profundity : his phj'siognomy expresses comprehension 
 of thought, but it is not b}- the imitation of his facial 
 expression that you will arrive at that power of causative 
 Spiritual thought, of which he is the conscious possessor. 
 Signs and symbols are used to indicate Spiritual facts, but 
 vou will not attain to a knowledge of the sublime realities 
 the^• represent by storing these syiiibo/s in your natural iiieniory, 
 and using them to signify- truths which you do not Spiritually 
 understand. 
 
 Such imitative and mathematical methods of procedui"e 
 result in a counterfeit, and conseqviently lack the Spiritual 
 vitalism and soul-power evidenced by those who have by 
 successive stages of Spiritual evolution attained to the stature 
 of a true Spiritual manhood, and consequent self-control, 
 accompanied by the power to rise superior to the elements 
 of circumstances wliich control the actions of less Spiritually- 
 developed men and women. 
 
 The acqiiirement of genuine soul-power is the result of 
 a complete passivity of the imperfect operations of the exterior 
 mental faculties, and the silent but all-potent evolution of 
 the Divine principle resident within the interior Spiritual 
 nature of man. This central Spiritual force is Divine in its 
 origin and essence, -and it is the highest wisdom to cultivate 
 a passionless submission to the silent evolvement of this 
 Divinely-creative principle of God within Man. 
 
 Bv this entire absence of superficial mental effort, all 
 inordinate activity of merely sensuous human thought — pro- 
 ductive of undue mental bias, and consequent imperfect 
 conceptions — subsides, and those deficiencies which result from 
 imperfect hereditary conditions, are surmounted bv the con- 
 tinuous irradiation of the essential soi:l-light and life of man, 
 and thus the human Spirit is brought into eonscioits rapport
 
 C/7/w/>,v<.v thro the Rift. 127 
 
 \\ith the Universal realm of Spiritual Causation, and into 
 conscious conminnion with the mj'iiad human Spirits who 
 have passed out of the imperfecth'-developed mnndane 
 condition, into a higher gradation of Spiritual evolntion. 
 
 Remember — That the Spirit Divine is latent in nian> 
 though not alwa^-s manifest. The cloud fogs of pseudo- 
 scientific scepticism; the mental confusion produced bj- false 
 educational training: and the Spiritual (/arh/nss resulting from 
 erroneous thioloi^/uil doj^was, too often envelop the interior 
 mind in such a veil of moral and mental obscurity as to 
 make the clear outshining of the pure soul-light of God 
 within man. impossible. 
 
 And yet by the dynamic force of creative energy-, resulting 
 in a constant Spiritual growth, man}' of 3-011 may become 
 living examples of 'God manifest in the flesh,' and thus the 
 ideal Spiritual man of Oriental thought, shall in you become 
 actual, and your outward man shall be marvellouslv trans- 
 figured by the splendour of the sphere you shall evol\-e. 
 Then shall you consciously inspire the Spirit of God the 
 Holy, and wield those Spiritual gifts (which now appear to 
 \-ou to be miraculous t, as the natural outi^ro'aih of a more 
 exalted Spiritual derelopnient.''''
 
 C^Icam iii 
 
 "We should not suppose our ])rayers are the only prayers in the worhl. We 
 ought to respect all prayer. Men of prayer belong to all countries: they are 
 strangers nowhere. Such is the doctrine taught by our Holy Books." 
 
 Buddhist Scriptures.
 
 G/iiiipscs thro Ihc Rift. 
 
 SEANCE XX. 
 
 As kindred friends and dear ones salute him who hath travelled far, and 
 returned home safe, so will good deeds welcome him who goes from this world 
 and enters another. 
 
 Buddhist Scriptures. 
 
 The Medium. 
 
 Jlr. Wilderness. 
 
 ',;,if N addition to the public seances held for those 
 who desired to recognise the spirit of the lady's 
 lover, we regularly held one privately with the 
 medium Mr. Wilderness, till at last so certain were 
 we of the separate individualit}' of the medium 
 \\ hen in the trance condition, and the medium when 
 not entranced, that we hesitated no longer to dis- 
 cuss freely, without relaxing however the cautious 
 scrutiny which we considered shoiild characterise 
 such very important investigations. 
 Bv this time the Spirit had by repeated use of the 
 organism of Mr. Wilderness, obtained such complete mani- 
 piilation of his vocal and other organs, that the exact pitch, 
 quality, intonation and phraseology which distinguished the 
 man T. S. W. when in possession of his own body, was 
 manifested by the Spirit through the medium, when entranced. 
 Everything in connection with the details of his life
 
 132 G/eains of Light and 
 
 seemed quite familiar to him now that he could control the 
 medium easil}-, so that uo doubt was in our minds as to the 
 genuineness of the manifestation. 
 
 At one of the many seances which followed, the lad}- 
 asked the Spirit of her lover if he knew she had been 
 studying Astrology' since his death?" 
 "Yes." 
 
 ' ' Did 3-ou know anything of Astrolog}' before you passed 
 away?" 
 
 "Very little! Other things crowded it out, but I've 
 made up for it since lU}- resurrection." 
 "Do Spirits study then"''" 
 
 "Yes, life now is ver\' much like it was, with the 
 advantage of greater facilities; we are neither impeded by 
 material considerations, nor the misunderstandings of those 
 we desire to please; our motives are as clearl}' seen as our 
 features." 
 
 "If 3'ou know that I have been studying Astrology, I 
 suppose vou know who has been teaching me." 
 ■"Yes." 
 
 "Do you remember when 3-ou were born?" 
 "Sept. 2nd., 1858, in the morning about breakfast-time." 
 "Can't 3^ou give me the exact time?" 
 "I was certainl}' present, but I've no recollection of the 
 time: that I got frOm others." 
 
 " Did vou know that Mr. Ancient, who has been teaching 
 me, got that date from 3'our sister, worked out 3'our horoscope 
 and tabulated his judgment thereon, noting the chief events 
 of vour life, and correctl3- stating the peculiar chain of events 
 which led to your death. After 3'our famil3- had read it the3^ 
 said the date was wrong. What do 3^ou think of it ? " 
 
 "I think that if I was not bom on September 2nd I 
 ought to have known it." 
 
 " Do 3'ou know wh3- the3' did such a peculiar thing,
 
 GliiiipSiS thro the Rift. 133 
 
 as to have j-our grave-stone recut, and your birth-date 
 added. It is the only gravestone in the cemetery with the 
 birth on the stone and that was not added till }-ears after 
 vour death, and the only one in the vanlt. 
 
 "Yes, I do know, but I'd rather not talk about it. I 
 can't do so without blaming those I love." 
 
 "There's another thing which I can't understand but 
 which you probably can, your letters to me — do j-ou know 
 where thev are?" 
 
 "I know the}- ought to be in yoi:r possession." 
 
 "Yes! but do you know that ]\Ir. Ancient has burnt 
 them?" 
 
 "I know that IMr. Ancient called upon vou, and in com- 
 paring some astrological aspect with the events preceding 
 my death, he asked you to let him see the letter my father 
 wrote to me, and that you, having nothing to hide, and 
 suspecting no treachery, fetched a large bundle of private 
 letters, containing mine, my father's, \Vl\ familv's, and other 
 private letters; Mr. Ancient's astrological prediction that \\\\ 
 brother would murder you ( ) Sasct.) in 1885, and all his corres- 
 pondence to vou, both on astrology and the societv of which 
 you are both members — that yoxi laid the bundle on the 
 table, and was proceeding to sort out tlie one he wished to 
 see; when he purposely jumped up from his seat startling 
 vou, and at the same time taking the bundle of letters from 
 vour hands, sa^-ing: — "I've just remembered I've an appoint- 
 ment," and while reaching his hat, and walking down the 
 hall, he said, "It will be interesting to me to look over 
 these at my leisure," and before you could recover 3'our 
 astonishment or comprehend his audacity, the front door 
 closed after him, just as you entered the hall, too late even 
 to see him: but they are not burnt." 
 
 "He has written to sa^- they are. Did you know that?" 
 
 "Yes! but the}' are not, I can see them in a drawer,
 
 134 Gleams of Lis^Iit and 
 
 some are biirnt — his own letters to you and the astrological 
 predictions; but not the rest." 
 
 "I expected these were what he wanted, because he had 
 asked me to burn his correspondence and the unfulfilled 
 predictions, but I did not see any reason for so doing, and 
 as he gave me none, I told him I'd rather keep them, there- 
 fore as soon as he had gone, I sat down and wrote, 
 telling him he could burn the letters as he desired to, (I did 
 not wish him to think I set store by them,) never dreaming 
 for one moment that he would appl}^ the remark to any but 
 his own correspondence, or that he would be uugentlemanl}' 
 enough to retain papers he had no legitimate right to. 
 
 I had no sooner sent this letter to the post and sat 
 down when it struck me ; — surelv he won't think I give him 
 permission to burn the lot, so I wrote again — saying the 
 permission to burn them only applied to his oivii letters of 
 course, and that the rest he could return to me at the 
 societv. He would receive both these letters by the same 
 post, and months have now passed, and I cannot get the 
 letters from him, he says they are safest in his possession, 
 at least I have a letter from him which says so. Now what 
 would \'ou ad\'ise me to do to get them back?" 
 
 "I can't advise you.'' 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 "He has a purpose in what he has done, and he thinks 
 b^' depriving you of these papers, in that surreptitious 
 manner, he has pleased those who woiild deprive you of 
 every trifle which could remind you of me, and possessed 
 himself of his own correspondence also." 
 
 "But I don't see the object anyone could have in so 
 doing and retaining letters he has no interest in also." 
 
 "Of course you don't." 
 
 " Do yoti?" 
 
 "Yes."
 
 G/iiiipscs thro titc Rift. 135 
 
 "Won't yon enlighten me?" 
 
 "Time enongh yet, ever^'thing will come right to those 
 who wait." 
 
 "Then you think him right in what he's done." 
 "No, a thousand times no! you are right in what 3-011 
 have done, it was I who impressed j-ou to write the second 
 letter. I saw the construction which could be put on the 
 sentence as you had worded it, and I wished him to have no 
 excuse for his conscience in the future. You will ha\e nothing 
 to regret in whatever comes of it, so forget the matter." 
 "What is the astrological indication of this?" — 
 " When Benefics are above the Horizon in a nativity, a 
 good and benevolent Spirit becomes incarnate from the sphere 
 of the planet occup3'ing the most superior position in the 
 Horoscope. Spirits from other planets in the nativity con- 
 gregate around the incarnate Spirit, and affect the destin\- 
 of the nati\e in proportion to their relative aspects of power. 
 When the Malefics are all above the Horizon and the Benefics 
 below, then the native will be an incarnate embodiment of a 
 Spirit projected from a planet occupying an evil place in 
 ascendancy. In a Horoscope — Malefics ruling — Saturn in an 
 evil place in ascendancy, menaced by Mars, the native will 
 be an incarnation of a Spirit projected from the planet Saturn. 
 He will be shrewd, crafty, scientific, scheming and conscience- 
 less in his general "character, modified by counteracting forces 
 from other planets occupying inferior places, relativel}' 
 influencing according to their angular rays. In a man or 
 woman having such a nattis there will be a life of deep-laid 
 schemes, powerful thoughts, success whenever Saturn shines 
 with power to the place of birth, but alwavs menaced, 
 persecuted by Spirits from ]\Iars and persons in whom the 
 influences of ]\Iars predominate, especially' when the relative 
 aspects of Saturn and Mars approximate t(j their relative 
 position as in the Radix."
 
 136 Gleams oj Light and 
 
 "All pliilantliropists of wide and prudent minds must have 
 mutual aspects of Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars, all in places 
 of power; all the better if Jupiter rule, giving beneficence, 
 intelligence, truth; with Saturn in almost equal power, giving 
 wisdom, policy, deep-laid schemes, and successful plans, 
 surrounding the native with those Spirits in whose horoscopes 
 Saturn held the most exalted position; consequently they 
 will moderate the otherwise too great a disposition to 
 lavishness, through Jupiter's sway." 
 
 "Mars will give force and energy of purpose, where he 
 is exactly square with Jupiter in ascendancy, and Saturn in 
 a powerful place in the mid-heaven the native will be a ruler 
 and a soldier, a general and a warrior, will shed blood with 
 the full intention of benefiting humanity, and reconstructing 
 the human policy." 
 
 "Then you wish me to understand that as he has the 
 malefic ij Saturn exalted in ^ Libra in the house of religion, 
 he is capable of deceit, if he should find that Truth throws 
 an\- reflection on those who pose as religious lights." 
 
 "Exactly: and he would think it his dut}' to play into 
 their hands regardless of truth, and pride himself on his 
 religious devotion." 
 
 "And you approve of this blind selfish zeal?" 
 
 "I excuse; but neither approve nor condone, and only 
 desire to show you that the man is a victim of pre-natal 
 causes: the motives and surroundings which ushered his 
 spirit into matter were not lofty enough to produce an equall}- 
 balanced bod\^ for it to work through ; hence the contradictions, 
 false judgment, and general irregularities of conduct, which 
 have so deceived and bewildered you, as being at variance 
 with his religious pretensions, advice, and general mental 
 acquirements. His religion and yours varies as the two 
 poles of a magnet; you can't understand his, which is 
 external; neither can he comprehend or appreciate yours
 
 G/iiiipSiS tliro the Rift. 137 
 
 which is intenial: this ma}- help 3-011 to judge charitably." 
 
 "But my letters, will he ever return them?" 
 
 "Why trouble about them? it does not matter: it's a 
 matter for ///V conscience now, not voiirs. " 
 
 "About the prediction of my death, Mr. Ancient told Air 
 C. that "nothing" on this earth would save her from being- 
 shot when the Progressive Moon came to the opposition of 
 the a.scendant the Sun, \'enus and Mercury in fiery sign also." 
 
 "I impressed you to write to tlie family lawyer stating 
 what was fore-shadowed astrologically, and suggesting that W. 
 should be sent away on a business journey, till tlie time had 
 passed, in order to save any further trouble to the family." 
 
 "I certainly wrote such a letter; but I had no idea you 
 were the inspirer thereof." 
 
 "Mortals have no idea where they get their thoughts 
 from, and when they do, it is too humiliating for the majority 
 to confess, that thought is not their own, and that it is 
 'in Him we liye and move and have our being' through 
 the ministrations of angels and spirits." 
 
 "Fancy! it being you, who directed me to Avrite that 
 letter! then what's the good of Astrology if it's not a reliable 
 science?" 
 
 "It is a reliable science to material people; but not to 
 those who, like you, yield all their motives and desires to a 
 Higher tribunal than material man. By this means you 
 open your mind for Spiritual light, and angelic messengers 
 are always at hand to di\ert the motives from the material 
 to the Spiritual plane. In this way, and in this way only, 
 can man rule I/is stars instead of letting his stars rule him. 
 Mr. Ancient w-ould consider that scheming and plotting and 
 deceiving would accomplish this; but time will prove to you, 
 that his treacherous schemes have been the means of accom- 
 plishing that evil w-hich was astrological^' indicated, not over- 
 ruling them, as your straightforward action did in your case," 
 
 T
 
 138 Glaviif. of Lio^lit and 
 
 "Then 3'ou deem it to be a correct science crowded out 
 by more '•material studies." 
 
 "I do! I am also aware that all are not capable of 
 studying deeply enough to fathom its m\'steries: it will ever 
 be confined to the student who loves study for the sake of 
 truth rather than as knowledge for parade." 
 
 "I'm rather glad vou know something of Astrology, so 
 few do, and 1 wanted to talk about it to someone who could 
 fathom the incomprehensible contradictions of Mr. Ancient's 
 attitude towards me. I suppose you are aware that since he 
 took my letters I refuse to see him?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 At this point tea was announced, the gentle voice and 
 manner which characterised the lady's lover on earth ceased, 
 and in a minute or two the loud penetrating accents which 
 distinguished Mr. Wilderness' s voice from that of every Spirit 
 we heard speak through him, broke on the atmosphere, 
 changing an intellectual and interesting conversation, to one 
 of cjuimonplace-tea-table talk.
 
 G/iinpsts thro tlic Rifl. 139 
 
 SEANCE XXI. 
 
 131)i)siral ^Jf)rnoinrna. 
 
 And the seventy retiirneil willi joy saWng, "Lord even the devils are suljject 
 unto us." 
 
 And he said unto them, "I l>eheld Satan as lif^htninj; fall from heaven. 
 
 •Notwithstanding; in this, rejoice not that Ihc Sfiiii/s arc subject unto vou, but 
 rather rejoice that your names are written in heaven." 
 
 St. Luke .\. 17 — 20. 
 
 '/'/ir Mt'diiiiii. Mr. Wilderness. 
 
 SO far the seances had been on the mental plane. Instruction 
 - having been given b}- Abdullah, the lady's chief guardian 
 angel, not to seek for physical manifestations in seances 
 especially set apart for this class of phenomena, for all would 
 come in good time in ]:er own house under his supervision 
 when matter should be brotight throtigh closed doors, and 
 physical objects moved without contact. 
 
 This prophec\- was fulfilled on the following occasion : — 
 
 Mr. Wilderness had arrived for an afternoon seance, and 
 
 found two visitors present, Mrs. Derallen and Mr. Wickchad. 
 
 Shortly after Mr. and Mrs. Gorgie called unexpectedly. 
 
 WHiile tea was being served Mr. Wilderness said: — 
 
 "There is a Spirit here who sa3-s if all present will stay
 
 140 Gleams of Light and 
 
 for a seance, there are tlie conditions present for phj-sical 
 phenomena! " 
 
 Tea was hastily despatched, and we were soon seated 
 round a square table. 
 
 No sooner were we seated than the medium was con- 
 trolled, and a Spii'it well-known, asked us to put out the 
 gas, and to be in no way disconcerted, for the manifestations 
 about to be given could not be produced in the light, they 
 were under the conduct of intelligent Spirits; and the only 
 object of the seance was to show what could be done by Spirits 
 who on earth lived on the physical plane, to give an idea 
 of what might be possible if men and angels were only to 
 move and labour in conscious harmony. 
 
 No sooner was the gas extinguished \iy Mr. Gorgie than 
 the Spirit called out "You are all to join hands in a circle 
 on the table." 
 
 This done, immediately some spring daffodils brought 
 by ]\Irs. iDerallen, and placed in water on the mantle-shelf, 
 were dropped on the hands, resting on the table: but though 
 the light touch of the flowers was felt it was not till after 
 the seance that we knew what had produced it. Heavy 
 weights were dropped on the table, one after another, a hand- 
 bell which was on a bracket was rung near the ceiling all 
 round the room first on one side then another; a music 
 stool which in the hurry of seating ourselves had been 
 pushed under the table we heard beating time to a verse 
 
 Hand in hand with Angels through the world we go, 
 Brighter eyes are on us than we blind ones know, 
 Tenderer voices greet us, than we deaf will own, 
 Never walking heavenwards can we walk alone. 
 
 which the Spirit controling had asked us to sing. 
 When the voices ceased Mrs. Derallen asked : — 
 "Has anyone loosed hands? someone is stroking my 
 
 face with feathers?"
 
 G//m/>scs til IV the Rift. 141 
 
 "No I've not!" "I've not!" "I've not!" called ont 
 everyone, \vlien a tremendous thnnip was heard in the direction 
 of Mr. Wickchad, and immediately a shout of "Oh: who 
 is thumping m}- back?" At the same moment Mrs Gorgie 
 said: — "Someone is clasping my leg!" Three others said all 
 at once "Oh! my hair!" "Now they are stroking viy face 
 with feathers!" "Someone is putting something in my ear; 
 has anv one loosed hands?" 
 
 "No! No! No! No!" everyone called, when down dropped 
 the bell which had not ceased to ring till then, nor had the 
 music stool ceased to beat the table. 
 
 The confusion of sounds ceased while the Spirit directed 
 Mrs. Derallen to take the two hands of the gentlemau on 
 her left, and one of the hands of the gentleman on her right ; 
 his other hand was to be given to the lad}- on his right, 
 the mediuui on her right was to clasp with his two hands 
 tlie right arm of this lady below her short-sleeved dress and 
 in her right hand she held !Mrs. Gorgie's two hands. By 
 this arrangement, the two ladies, who required the most 
 conclusive evidence had the hands of everybodv else in their 
 possession. As soon as this was settled, a heav\- something, 
 containing what appeared to be mone}', was flung rattling 
 against the wall behind Mrs. Derallen, then something like 
 a bundle was whizzed past her aud fell heavily on the couch 
 behind her, aud immediately a heavy thud of something hard 
 and solid dropped on the table in front of her: while the 
 lady who had charge of Mrs. Gorgie's two hands, the medium's 
 two hands, and Mr. Wickchad's one hand, said: — 
 
 "There's a soft warm hand pushing something into the 
 the palm of ni}- hand, it belongs to no one at this end of 
 the table." 
 
 "Is it yours? Mrs. Derallen." 
 
 "No!" she called out, "I've not moved nor loosed the 
 hands of the gentlemen here."
 
 142 (jlcai//s of Li gilt and 
 
 "Neither have I, and ^-et some hand is still trying to 
 push somtething into mj- hand." 
 
 "May I loose hands?" she asked the Spirit. 
 
 "No!" the Spirit answered. 
 
 "Someone is pla3'ing with my shoulder," called out Mr. 
 Wickchad. 
 
 At this juncture the Spirit asked Mrs. Derallen to loose 
 Mr. Gorgie, so that he could light the gas. 
 
 This was speedily done, when the most incongruous sight 
 met our astonished gaze. The mantle ornaments were all on 
 the table, the daffodils scattered round it, the music stool, 
 which was under the table when we sat down, was now on 
 it upside down, our chairs were so placed that it was a 
 phj-sical impossibility for the music stool to be brought from 
 under without someone moving a chair, and this could not 
 have been done without the next person on each side feeling, 
 and all hearing. 
 
 The rattle of mone}- which we heard was a porte- 
 monnaie, which Mrs. Derallen carried in her hand when she 
 came in, and had laid on a side table, and all this time 
 the medium's two hands still clasped the lady's arm. 
 
 This most remarkable seance was of but twenty minutes 
 duration. 
 
 In discussing the scientific laws which operated to 
 produce such transcendental phA-sical phenomena at a 
 subsequence seance, we were told, it was the result of an 
 intelligent knowledge of chemistr}' applied on the Spiritual 
 plane b^• human spirits who reverse the polarization of matter. 
 
 The feathers with which Mrs. Derallen's face had been 
 stroked, we found to be a feather brush used for dusting 
 pictures. 
 
 A finished letter and one unfinished, which the lady- 
 had been occupied with, when her guests arrived, had been 
 brought out of the drawing-room into the closed and locked
 
 (l//w/>srs Ihro the Rift. 143 
 
 room, in which they were sitting', and were found between 
 her fingers, wliile her hands still held those she had charge 
 of, and the medium's coat had been taken off his back, while 
 we all retained our places, and thrown on to the couch. 
 His hands were clasping the lady's wrists, and remained 
 as still as his body, which was motionless all the time. 
 This, (the coat,) was the bundle which we heard whizz 
 through the air, and fall on the couch ; his collar was found 
 pinned with his scarf-pin, to Mr. Wickchad's .shoulder; 
 the feather brush was lying on the table opposite to her, 
 instead of being in a corner of the room, and the medium's 
 scarf had been thrown across on to the ground. The hand- 
 bell had dropped from the handle on to the floor, and the 
 handle was placed upright in the very centre of the table. 
 
 The medium's boot had been taken off ivitlioitt thino- 
 Hiilaccd and was on the opposite .side of the table in front 
 of Mrs. Derallen, this proved that the stool had passed 
 through the table: the letters through the walls, and the 
 medium's coat and boot through his body — according to the 
 law that all objects are crystallizations — the result of polarized 
 forces, projected from the invisible plane of intelligent 
 activitv. Suspend these dynamic forces, and the result under 
 intelligent Spirit rule, is, that class of phenomena, which in 
 the past has been termed miracles. 
 
 In the present day it is regarded as Spiritual dvnamics 
 and under the domination of unintelligent Spirits, it often 
 results in confusion, destruction, or injury. 
 
 The following week the same people met with four 
 additional friends. The vSpirit controlled, and we were 
 requested to place the medium in a recess, with the table- 
 cloth nailed before him to the ground, and nailed at the 
 top also; the table was then to be placed close against the 
 recess and the companv round the room in a horse-shoe 
 circle, and to hold hands this would prevent the escape of the
 
 144 Glca/iis of Lii^lit and 
 
 medium from the recess without the kuowledge of at least 
 the two e^id persous. 
 
 This done the gas was put out, and very shortly, after 
 a profound silence, a brilliant blue light of a globular shape, 
 and about a foot in diameter, flitted about the wall. This 
 light revealed the medium stretched full length in a recum- 
 bent position, suspended in mid air about seven and a half 
 feet from the ground. One or two of the tallest stood up 
 and reached out, to feel him as well as see him in this 
 unnatural position. While doing so the light disappeared, 
 and his head was felt to be where his feet were a minute 
 before, and the opposite gentleman said the same of his feet. 
 This reversal of the position of his head and feet was 
 repeated several times to the satisfaction of those present. 
 
 We were then told to light the gas, when lo! in the 
 centre of the table lav the medium, without his coat, in a 
 dead trance, stiff and rigid. 
 
 The recess was undisturbed — the table-cloth still nailed 
 down top and bottom: it was impossible for him to get out 
 at either ends, without disturbing this temporary barrier; 
 the recess was onlv large enough for him to stand upright 
 in and would not admit a chair, so that climbing over or 
 creeping under was equalh' impossible, to say nothing of the 
 breathless silence which would lia\-e detected the slightest 
 movement had there been any, and yet here he was outside 
 in solid bodilv form : the table and curtain were removed, but 
 onlv his coat found in tlie recess: for until this was done 
 we liardlv knew whether to believe there were two men alike 
 in the room or not, one on the table and the other in the 
 recess.
 
 G/i//j/SiS tlno tin- Rift. 145 
 
 SEANCE XXII. 
 
 "Thou can'st not had one cubit to his stature; the very hairs of your head 
 are all numbered." 
 
 Clirislia)! Scriplures. 
 
 The Medium. Mr. Sonan. 
 
 ANOTHER seance which demonstrated the power, which 
 the invisible spirit intelligences have over the matter 
 which crj-stalizes to form man's bod}', occurred at a devo- 
 tional seance, when a private gentleman, abont 5ft. 8in. in 
 height, was controlled hy a Spirit who pra}-ed in an uplifting 
 sj-mpathetic manner, and then addressed each person present 
 separatel}-, in choice poetic phraseolog}-, containing advice, 
 direction, comfort and instruction, in reference to the private 
 details of the individual life, and circumstances of the person 
 he addressed. 
 
 As he passed from one to the other, speaking in a low 
 subdued voice, intended only for the ears of those he was 
 speaking to; the lady observed the extraordinary height of 
 the medium, and secretl}* resolved to draw intelligent obser- 
 vation' to the fact, if a suitable opportunity presented itself 
 
 u
 
 146 Gleams 0/ Light and 
 
 without disturbing tlie devout and impressive sacreduess of 
 the meeting; consequent!}- after the controlling Spirit had 
 offered up the closing prayer, (instead of sitting quietly down 
 while the Spirit left the medium, and his own Spirit becomes 
 reinstated, invigorated by its temporarj- freedom;) the lady 
 asked the Spirit if he could stay while the gas was turned 
 in order for all to see his height.* 
 
 The Spirit answered " Certainly." 
 
 When the gas was at the full, she asked the tallest if 
 he would come and stand beside the Spirit. Mr. Gorgie 
 who is six feet high came forward, and they both stood 
 firmly on the ground together — the Spirit, — or rather the 
 medium, standing much the taller of the two, and she 
 enquired how^ it was possible for the Spirit to effect such an 
 apparent phj^sical impossibility. 
 
 The answer received was, that as he — the Spirit — was 
 a ver}- tall man when on earth, he could not control a 
 medium unless the iutermolecular spaces of the tissues of 
 his bod}- were pliable, and would admit of expansion by his 
 or other Spirit forces. As it w-as, the medium would feel 
 greatly invigorated and refreshed after the stiffness had gone, 
 which would take five or six minutes, for his body by this 
 process had undergone a Spiritual purification, and whatever 
 there was amiss to his health would be eliminated. 
 
 If men only knew that b}- aspiration the}- could call down 
 such forceful powers to their aid, there should be but little 
 — if any — sickness among the human family, but this, he 
 added, can never be until Spirits and angels are welcomed 
 ever}-A\-here by man. 
 
 • The gas is usually lowered while Spirits manifest through Mr. Sonan, 
 sufficient to see one another by, but not enough to distract one's attention from 
 the interior to the exterior objects around.
 
 G/i//i/>sts thro the Rift. 147 
 
 SEANCE XXIII. 
 
 iJi)nsiraI ^JlKnomrna. 
 
 "Darkness is never (lis])elle(l by a painted flame; so Scripture will never free 
 the Soul from fear, without the light of inward experience." 
 
 Hindu Scripliiits. 
 
 The Mediutu. Jlr. Sonillow. 
 
 \ T one of the seances given for the public ; Mr. Sonillow, 
 ■^-^ the medinni, stated that so little is understood about 
 the nature and effects of psvchic gifts b\- tliose in authority, 
 that when he was first entranced, none knew what to make 
 of him: he was placed first under one doctor and then under 
 another, but none could understand or give any advice 
 respecting his "peculiar malad}-" (as they deemed it). As a 
 last resource he was advised to attend the General Hospital; 
 here he was taken as an in-patient, but on the approach 
 of the doctors his bod\- was visibly raised, by invisible power 
 from the bed above the reach of the doctors, while in a 
 state of repose, traiice, or coma. The doctors consulted 
 together on the matter; but knew not how to proceed nor 
 what to make of it. 
 
 The hospital nurse, a s\inpathetic woman, advised him 
 to go home, telling him the hospital was no place for him.
 
 148 Glcdiiis of Lii^f/f and 
 
 He accordiiigl}- did so and met a friend who told him 
 he had been to a Spiritualistic meeting and obtained a 
 promise from him (Mr. Sonillow) to go and hear them: that, 
 perhaps he would have as wonderful things said respecting 
 his past and future life, as had been said of the friends he 
 met, and his own. 
 
 He went, a perfect stranger, and at the close of the 
 meeting he was singled from the audience b}' the officiating 
 medium, who was also clairvo3'ant, and a Spirit was described 
 as being with him, who stated that he had been in the 
 General Hospital, and had left it the previoiis evening — that 
 there was nothing the matter with him (Mr. Sonillow) 
 except that he (the Spirit speaking) and some others wanted 
 to tell him that they were not dead, as he supposed, but that 
 they had risen and were as actively engaged as ever they 
 had been on earth. The Spirit stated that he and other 
 Spirits lifted him up from his bed, when the doctors came, ' 
 because he did not need to be examined or operated upon; 
 as there was nothing the matter with liim ; but if he would 
 come here regularly they would be able to entrance him, 
 and speak with his vocal organs, to the people about the next 
 life. 
 
 Thev told him to get two pennyworth of herbs, and it 
 would put him all riglit. 
 
 This Mr. Sonillow did, and became ver}' shortly clair- 
 vovant — not through the effects of the herbs, but by reason 
 of his attendance for instruction, and while in the trances, 
 which were regarded so cnriousl}- by the medical staff" at 
 the hospital, he soon began to talk, and that on subjects 
 quite beyond the man's normal capacit}' and education. 
 
 We learned that while in this state, the soiil — the man 
 — was free, unfettered by matter, and taking his joyous happy 
 flight among the realms of the blest. The memory of that 
 which is seen and heard in these flights, is not always
 
 (liiiiipSiS tlno the Rift. 149 
 
 retained when again connected with the body, until years have 
 elapsed, and these frequent flights have narrowed the gulf 
 between heaven and earth. 
 
 A gentleman in the audience asked him if he would 
 kindly give him the name of the resident surgeon at the 
 hospital when he was in, the date of the 3'ear, and name of 
 the nurse. 
 
 Mr. Sonillow rose and answered briefl}- that it was eight 
 or nine years ago (making it 1880 or 81) at the General 
 Hospital; he did not know the nurse's name, only that she 
 was No. 6, neither did he know that of the house-surgeon, 
 who was away at the time, his substitute being also a 
 stranger to him, but the case would be in the books there.
 
 150 ■ Glcanii of Light a7id 
 
 SEANCE XXIV. 
 
 .HtitiiTss on i-Hiiarlrs. 
 
 "Go into all the world and preach the gospel. 
 And these signs shall follow." 
 
 St. Mark xvi. 15 — 17. 
 The Mcdimn. Mr. Wilderness, 
 
 tjiven at tlie weekly pnblic tneeting.s. 
 
 AN Oriental control of ]\Ir. Wilderness ga\-e an address 
 on Sunday on "INIiracles," the embodiment of which 
 showed that only those whose minds were incapable of com- 
 prehending the power of the Spirit resident in man, believed 
 in miracles as miraculons, and when man contrasted the 
 miracle of langnage, thought, reproduction, etc., with the 
 miracles recorded of holy men in the Jewish Scripture, the}- 
 would cease to be miracles (or supernatural), and appear as 
 additional oiitlctx through man for the expression of the sa?/ic 
 Spirits. A careful study of the laws regulating the perform- 
 ance of these miracles soon removed them from the supernatural 
 to the natural. 
 
 He went on scientificalh- to show that the oxygen in 
 the air did not aid conditions, at the same time afi&rming
 
 G/im/>SiS thro the Rift. 151 
 
 that the Spirit was neither nitrogen, hydrogen, carbonic acid 
 gas, electricity nor magnetism ; all these were matter. Spirit 
 penneated all these, and thongh it manifested intelligently 
 throngh all parts of matter in a marvellons manner, too 
 common to be regarded by ns in lliis nineteenth centnry as 
 a miracle, it was capable of still further expansion and dem- 
 onstration; and as soon as any particular organization 
 obtained sufficient control over the physical man, and admitted 
 to himself the possibility of transcending the (at present) 
 known powers of man, he created in himself by reason of 
 his own "Spirit" the conditions necessar}- to perform so 
 called miracles. 
 
 A seance followed the public meeting, during which 
 one of the audience was controlled by her aunt, and spoke 
 loving and comforting words to the audience, of the next 
 life and its hope. 
 
 Mr. W. gave many clairovo}-ant descriptions of Spirits 
 with tlic audience, also dates of events in their lives, trades, 
 &c, most successfulh-.
 
 1^2 Gleams of Light and 
 
 SEANCE XXV. 
 
 "Ye shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover." 
 
 St. 3fark xvi. 19. 
 
 The Medium. Mrs. Toille. 
 
 THE free healing circle held here on Fridays, at 7 p.m., 
 by Mrs. Toille's gnides, is doing much good work in the 
 cure of cases hitherto be3'ond human skill. Her operations 
 are painless and speedy. Sufferers who dreaded and shrunk 
 from keeping a second appointment with their surgeons, and 
 choose rather to bear the pain of the disease than the un- 
 natural one of the lancet or the knife, entirely lose all their 
 fear under Mrs. Toille's sympathetic healing touch. Afflicted 
 children even look forward with expectant pleasure to the 
 da}' they are to go to see Mrs. Toille again, so great is the 
 relief the}' get. We have seen her draw a piece of diseased 
 bone through a large and angry-looking abscess, without the 
 least pain, the boy not even flinching, but standing cheer- 
 fully talking to us all the time, apparently unconscious of 
 what was going on. No chloroform nor drug of any kind 
 had been administered, siniplj' her own Spirit power con- 
 trolled bv the skill of her Spirit doctors. 
 
 Two years ago, such a recital as the above would have 
 been listened to b}'^ us as "marvellous," but certainly not to
 
 G/i»//>sis tJtro (lit Rift. 153 
 
 be credited in full. Even if we had known our informant 
 was to be relied upon, we should have thought his senses 
 deceived him in some way. But we have now seen for our- 
 selves, and no one doubts the evidence of his or her own senses, 
 unless accustomed to supplement his own Spirits with artificial 
 ones ; but as we have been teetotalers all our lives, we cannot 
 even rest upon this last straw to bolster up a disbelief in 
 the power of man and woman to work as great "miracles" 
 as are accredited to the apostles of old, if onl}- they have 
 the necessar}- faith in their own Spirit to call do\vn or 
 rather attract the disembodied Spirits to their aid. 
 
 At this time there were those in the town who chose 
 to hold meetings (for the Christian Evidence Societ}') 
 calculated to check the growing influence of Spiritualism and 
 our names were freel}- bandied about by these antagonistic 
 persons. At one meeting specially got up to mar our influence 
 and to formalh- reprove us for what they considered our 
 very questionable conduct, a legal gentleman was asked to 
 take the chair. He consented, while ignorant of the true 
 nature of the meeting. When however he learned that we 
 were being personally assailed, he knowing us, spoke in our 
 defence, and related as a sort of testimony to our genuineness, 
 an incident which occurred within his own experience. We 
 accordingly, on hearing" of his bra\e effort on our behalf, 
 determined to ask him to take a chair at our meetings, and 
 we visited his office, in order to invite him for the following 
 Sunday which he consented to do.
 
 154 G/caiiis of Light and 
 
 SEANCE XXVI. 
 
 "Oh man! who art the Universe in little. Cease for a moment from thy 
 absorption in loss and gain. Take one draught from the hands of Him who offers 
 the Cup of Creation to thy lips; and so free thyself from the cares of this world." 
 
 Persian Scriptures. 
 
 The Medium. Mr. Wilderness. 
 
 AT the Sunday evening service the chairman, a .solicitor 
 of this town, stated that he was introduce:! to Spiritualism 
 b_v the proprietress of an hotel in this town, who sent for 
 him to recover certain lost Club books, which a Spirit had 
 
 rapped out were in the possession of a Lawyer of . 
 
 From the information given by the late steward's Spirit, 
 he recovered the books by law, and relieved the proprietress 
 from her suspicious position. He then introduced Mr. 
 Wilderness to the audience, which was the largest we have 
 yet had. — Mr. Wilderness stated that he preferred to have 
 his subject from the audience; or there might be some who 
 would suspect that he had prepared it beforehand. Four 
 were handed up on slips of paper. The fourth subject was 
 "The death of Spinoza," to which the chairman wished to 
 take exception, but Mr. Wilderness said he would deal with it, 
 more especially as it was sent up to puzzle him.^ — He 
 dwelt upon the li/c of this noble Hebrew reformer, upon
 
 G/inipscs thro I he Rift. 155 
 
 his philosopliy, his solemn excomiuuiiication from the Jewish 
 Church, for daring to assert publicl}- that all nature (from 
 the stone, worm, tree, flower, bird, beast, up to man) was 
 but the expression of the countenance of God ; that God lived 
 in all things, hence all creation was God. For these opinions 
 he lived a living death, forsaken by friends, persecuted by 
 the leaders of religion, and ostracised by society. He lived 
 alone with the angels and his own thoughts. On one 
 occasion he asked his landlady, when she had been to 
 church, if she felt any better for going. Receiving an 
 answer in the afiirmative he said: "Then b\' all means, my 
 good woman, continue to go to church until you feel that 
 your spirit has outgrown the teachings j'ou there receive." 
 And thus it happened that his onl}- friend (the landlady) 
 was at church when the death of this living martyr to a 
 mental truth (now recognised) took place, witnessed b}' none 
 but tlie angels who had been his companions for years. 
 
 Mr. Wilderness gave full phrenological descriptions (from 
 articles given him) of people not in the room, which were 
 accurately correct. He also asked several non-Spiritualists 
 (Sceptics) to hold up one hand. He then gave the dates 
 and events of certain changes in the lives of these men and 
 women, from childhood upwards, which (where memory served) 
 were acknowledged right; those not remembered ^Ir. Wildei'- 
 ness will no doubt, as in former similar cases, receive 
 letters stating that after consulting friends at home they 
 found that he was quite right. He also described living 
 persons with whom these sceptics were associated personally, 
 in each of the changes he spoke of. One of these des- 
 criptions, — not recognised at the time b}' the gentleman, and 
 which Mr. Wilderness said he was rather pleased at than 
 otherwise, because it proved that it could not be thought- 
 transference, and that the gentleman would remember him 
 before he left the room, he was certain — was recognised as
 
 156 G ha/us of Lio/if ami 
 
 Mr. Wilderness stated, for the man returned after the 
 meeting was over to say that he had exactly hit off a man 
 who did go and come to him occasionally, and to whom he 
 had the antipathy he had mentioned. Altogether the meeting 
 was a great success. 
 
 After the public meeting, we had a short private seance, 
 and ^Ir. Wilderness told Wx. K. that there were certain 
 persons who would \isit him for his professional advice on 
 the coming day. 
 
 He also gave the professor a phrenological delineation 
 of one of those persons (a gentleman), which Mr. K. wrote 
 down, and on going home filled in one of his charts according 
 to the delineation given. 
 
 The gentleman actually did arrive, and Mr. K. was 
 agreeabl}- surprised to find that the personal description of 
 his client received the evening before, was remarkably correct. 
 So advancing to meet him — all doubts removed — he said: — 
 "I was expecting a gentleman of ^-our personal appearance, 
 and liave prepared a chart read\- for you, from what I was 
 told last evening." 
 
 The gentleman was \ery much surprised at the state- 
 ment, but he admitted the genuineness of the affair, and the 
 accuracy of tlie delineation. He further sent a letter to a 
 Loudon \\'eekly Publication, which we liere append. It speaks 
 for itself: — 
 
 CLAIR\^OYANCE OF MR. WILDERNESS. 
 
 "To the Editor. — Sir, — On Monday last, the 7th Novem- 
 ber, I called to see a well-known phrenologist who is visiting 
 this town. Soon after I entered the room he, to my surprise, 
 produced a slip of paper containing the description of a person 
 answering closely to un-self. 
 
 The phrenologist told me that on the previous evening,
 
 G/iiiipSis thro I he Ri/L 137 
 
 a little before nine, he was with Mr. \V., who gave him the 
 description, stated that *'I was at that time sitting at a little 
 wooden table in a room with white blinds; was making up 
 my mind to pay him a \'isit on the following day, and should 
 do so." 
 
 This is quite correct. At that very time I loas sitting 
 at a wooden table, and was thinking of visiting the phreno- 
 logist. I certainl}- had not mentioned this intention to any 
 one. The only error in the description is the statement as 
 to "<i '////< blinds." There were, however, I believe, some 
 lio^ht-coloiircd maps hanging on the walls. I may add that 
 although I know Mr. W., I had not seen him for some weeks 
 previously. 
 
 The phrenologist had the description of another individual 
 who would visit him on the same day, and he has since in- 
 formed me that tliis person actually came. — Yours faithfullv, 
 
 Nov. II, 1S87. W. H."
 
 158 G/cams of Lioht and 
 
 SEANCE XXYII. 
 
 i3sj)d)onirtnj. 
 
 "Who hath believed our report?" 
 
 Isaiah liii. i — 3. 
 
 77/r Mrdiitm. Mr. Wilderness. 
 
 COL. PHELPS presided, and introduced Air. W. to an 
 audience largely made up of intelligent .strangers attracted 
 by the advertisement. Several questioris bearing upon the 
 philosophv and phenomena of Spiritualism were sent up bv 
 the audience, and were dealt with in a manner which elicited 
 marked signs of approbation. Mr. W. then gave a few vivid 
 clairvoA^ant descriptions, and a large number of those wonder- 
 fully-clear ps\-chometrical readings for which he is rapidly 
 gaining a reputation. 
 
 1. I see, standing to the right hand of the lady sitting 
 on the first seat in the front row, a Spirit of the following 
 description: A man of large brain-capacity, gre^^ hair, firm 
 and positive expression of face, especially firm upper lip, 
 clear healthful complexion, broad expansive forehead, a gentle- 
 man who in earth life was of the medical profession. 
 Recognised. 
 
 2. I see in bright letters of goldeu lustre the name
 
 Gliiiipscs tliro the Rift. 1 1^9 
 
 "Cornelius" sweeping over the audience, and a Spirit form 
 standing' in front of that gentleman — pointing: An aged 
 man, bordering upon eighty years of age when he died, 
 tall, spare-built, grey hair, forehead prominent over the ej'es, 
 grave reflective look, rather long face, grey beard, his nose 
 large, prominent and of Roman shape, with a marked inden- 
 tation and ridge towards the tip. Do you recognise him?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 Gentleman (sitting near)! "I recognise that Spirit." 
 
 Air. W. "But it stood in front of the gentleman to wliom 
 I described it, and immediately behind the lady to \our left. 
 Does she recognise him?" 
 
 "Yes. It is her father, and his name was Cornelius." 
 
 3. Spirit gave name, "Sarah Jane." Not recognised. 
 
 4. A Spirit of a lady of refined mental temperament, 
 black hair, month refined, face pear-.shaped, chin prominent, 
 nose level in ridge and prominent, pious turn of mind, very 
 sympathetic, suffered with heart disease. Recognised, except- 
 ing heart disease, yet admitted that she was so sensitive and 
 s\-mpathetic that she might have suffered with palpitation. 
 Mr. A\'.; "I .see tlie word 'Mother' written up." 
 
 Gentleman: "It is a good description of my mother." 
 
 5. Two Spirits, not recognised, although very minuteh^ 
 described. 
 
 6. A. Spirit recognised as a brother, by a lady to whom 
 it was described. 
 
 7. I see near to you, madam, the Spirit of a young 
 man, who died of consumption as the result of o\er-stndy. 
 Nose short and somewhat projecting, hair dark. 
 
 Lady: "I do not recollect." 
 
 Mr. W. : "Carr-v vour mind back five years. He sa3'S 
 he died five vears ago, and that you were kind to him." 
 Lady: Now I recollect: he was a neighbour's son." 
 Mr. W. : "Age between 15 and 17 years."
 
 i6o Gleams of Light and 
 
 "Correct." 
 
 8. "spirit of a man, medium height, swarthy complexion, 
 black hair and e^-es, leather apron, hammer in hand, name, 
 "John." Fully recognised. 
 
 Mr. W. next asked the audience to send up letters, 
 handkerchiefs, rings, watches, &c., for psA'chometry. A large 
 number were supplied, and Mr. W. gave most minu^te deline- 
 ations of character in each case, giving in many instances 
 accurate descriptions of bodily ailments, and even in some 
 cases giving correct dates of events which had transpired in 
 the lives of persons connected with articles described. Almost 
 all, out of a very' large number, were pronounced to be very 
 accurate. The following are two typical descriptions: — 
 
 1. The owner of this knife has an active motive tem- 
 perament, has good constructive powers, is shrewd, practical, 
 argumentative, somewhat sceptical, will go a long distance to 
 attain his purpose, but believes in making short cuts to avoid 
 long joiinieys, &c. Two years ago there was a death by 
 consumption in the famih- of the owner of this knife. 
 
 This gentleman acknowledged the correctness of the 
 delineation of his character, said he was agitated and amazed 
 by the concluding statement, as he had lost a davighter by 
 consumption two years and two months ago. When he 
 entered the room, he was ver\' sceptical, but would go away 
 in a very different frame of mind, as he was quite sure Mr- 
 W. did not know him. 
 
 2. The owner of a scarf-pin was described as having 
 artistic traits of character and an enquiring cast of mind. 
 Mr. W. made reference to a serious event which transpired 
 in the history of the owner exactly fourteen years ago. 
 
 This gentleman also admitted that he entered the room 
 in a sceptical frame of mind, but acknowledged the marvellous 
 accuracy of the description given, and said that he was quiet 
 convinced that there was something very mysterious in the
 
 I 
 
 Glimpses thro the Rift. i6l 
 
 power possessed by the medium. He fully intended to attend 
 these meetings for further investigation. This gentleman 
 also was quite unknown to the medium, and had not attended 
 the meetings before. 
 
 Nov. 20th. — A gentleman put the following question: 
 "What relation has Spiritualism to modem Social Reform?" 
 It was sho\\Ti that as all Reform meant Progress, so all 
 progress was Spirit-evolution, even if this progress was 
 attained by means, which may not at the time appear correct. 
 The control distinctly and emphatically stated that it was 
 not his mission to advocate any special political reform, but 
 simpl}- to answer the question. Mr. \V. then gave thirteen 
 ps\-chometrical readings from articles handed up by members 
 of the audience. 
 
 A BOOK. — "This belonged to a boy who was studious, 
 ambitious, with broad head, bright eye, liked freedom, chafed 
 at restraint, was fond of drawing. He has drawn in this 
 book, and stands near his mother, who handed it up." (Quite 
 correct.) 
 
 Ring. — "The owner of this travelled a journe}- seven and 
 a half years ago, passed through much anxiety. Nearly 
 thirteen years ago a marked change in his surroundings, 
 which has left its mark even now." (Right in both particulars.) 
 
 "Have I ever seen 3-011 before?" 
 
 "Not that I am aware of." 
 
 A WELL-FILLED ENVELOPE. — "I sense a condition of 
 change. An agreement partly broken five years ago, eight 
 years ago illness in the familv of the possessor." 
 
 "That is so. ' 
 
 "Have we met before?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 Pocket-book. — (The owner stated that it contained two 
 articles) Mr. W., — "I sense four individuals: one twentj'-five, 
 one forty-five, one sixteen, one thirt^'-two. Can you apply this ?" 
 
 Y
 
 1 62 Gleams of Liglif and 
 
 "Yes, except that the age forty-five was fifty." 
 
 Other general information followed, but owing to the 
 manifest want of knowledge of magnetic laws, evinced by the 
 gentleman to whom the test was given, the medium could 
 not make it clear that the person who was sixteen, and who 
 presented the pocket-book, could in any way be connected 
 with the two individualities whose property was inside. The 
 other cases were equally successful. 
 
 A RING. Holding it in his hand Mr. Wilderness 
 said: "I sense a weakness of the lungs; an ardent, active 
 mind; a sensitive, delicate organization; good artistic capa- 
 bilities ; one who had to struggle with external difficulties ; a 
 keen sense of order; a kindly, sensitive, outspoken woman, 
 with a face which spoke withovit words; delicate heart action, 
 otherwise harmonising both physicall}' and mentally. Answer: 
 ' ' Generally correct . 
 
 Spectacle case. "I get a sense of a pain across his 
 back, lumbago; a nature cautious, considerate, positive, firm; 
 suffered from indigestion; he took an important journey eight 
 years ago. I sense that the owner had a serious accident, one 
 to be rcmcniliei-edy Answer: "Did not consider him positive; 
 other details are quite correct, and he died /rum the effects oj 
 an accident y 
 
 A SMALL PIECE OF PAPER FOLDED LP. "Some one con- 
 nected with you, and with whom \o\\ are in great s}-mpathy, 
 sufters with liver complaint." 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 Phvsical advice was here given. Continuing, the medium 
 said: "I sense an individualitv passing through a state of 
 transition, one who does too much ; is too easily led b}' a 
 friend's advice; has recenth- had a change of surroundings; 
 is ver\' sensitive to praise ; and four 3-ears ago had a dangerous 
 illness." Answer: "Quite correct: but do not remember 
 the illness four 3-ears ago." The medium here detailed the
 
 G/ivipsts tliro the Rift. 163 
 
 general temperament and physical weaknesses of the person 
 described, together with the effects experienced four years 
 ago, which enforced prostration for a short time. 
 
 Answer: "I remember, she might have so suffered four 
 years ago; I will enquire." 
 
 A MARVELLOUS TEST OF CLAIRVOYANT 
 POWER. 
 
 After a short interval, Mr. Wildeniess being blindfolded, 
 invited any member of the audience to step on the platform, 
 saying that lie would attempt to give a positive proof of the 
 existence of the clairvoyant faculty. He did not ask sceptics 
 to accept this as evidence of the existence of disembodied 
 Spiritual intelligence, but if he succeeded in proving to their 
 satisfaction the possession of a power to see or sense, inde- 
 pendently of ordinary ph\-sical sight, it would then be an 
 interesting study for them to still further inquire into the 
 range and scope of the power. He knew that bv the exercise 
 of the same faculty, disembodied Spirits could be discerned- 
 but as the description of Spirits in an audience was as a 
 general rule only proof to those to whom thev were described, 
 the method here adopted, if successful, would bring occular 
 demonstration to all present. 
 
 The medium was now led by the chairman from tlie 
 platform, and took liis stand facing the audience, with his 
 back to the platform. 
 
 A member of the audience walked up to the platform, 
 and took his stand in the position just before occupied by 
 the medivim. 
 
 After enjoining complete silence and passivit\' on the 
 part of the audience. Mr. Wilderness commenced his 
 description: —
 
 164 Glea?ns of Light and 
 
 "I sense that it is a lady I have to describe." A pause. 
 " No," he continued, " it is a gentleman. He is of motive- 
 mental temperament, stands five feet nine inches in height; 
 has a closel3'-fitting undershirt upon him, and a pocket-knife 
 in his pocket; is of ruddy complexion; prominent, somewhat 
 angular features, forehead thrown iip at the temples; his hair 
 is light brown; in firmness a phrenologist would say he 
 ranged from five to six degrees ; he has a strong element of 
 good old English obstinacy in his nature; is sceptical, not at 
 all credulous ; is clean shaven ; has keen perceptive faculties 
 and good constructive power, could make or build musical 
 instruments; his e3^es are grey. About three and half years 
 ago he took an important journey; seven years ago he 
 experienced a complete change of scene and surroiindings." 
 
 The audience recognised the remarkable accuracy of the 
 description of his outward appearance. 
 
 At this juncture Professor J. B. K. who was in the 
 audience, and who is at the present time lecturing in B., testified 
 to the remarkable accuracy of the temperamental and 
 phrenological portions of the descriptions (given under con- 
 ditions which preclude the possibility of the use of the 
 physical organs of vision and touch). The Professor also 
 alluded to the remarkable fact of the medium commencing 
 to describe a lady, and then correcting himself; saying that 
 in his judgment the gentleman would more closely resemble 
 his mother than his father, both ph3'sicalh- and mentall}'. 
 
 The gentleman described rose and said: "I am an 
 Agnostic, but acknowledge the general accuracy of the des- 
 criptions given. I consider my ej'es to be blue not grey; in 
 all other respects quite correct. I am five feet nine and a 
 half inches in height. I do not remember a journey three 
 and a half \'ears ago; three years all but two months ago I 
 went to Ireland. The mediiim is quite correct in saying that 
 I had a complete change of scene and surroundings seven
 
 . Glimpses tln-o the Rift. jg- 
 
 years ago, for at that time I crossed the Atlantic Ocean for 
 England." Concluding, this gentleman said, "I have never 
 met with or spoken to Mr. Wilderness in mv life before this 
 
 occasion.
 
 (Jplram S)iii. 
 
 "They who reiiifiiiber the benefits bestowed by their parents are too grateful 
 to remember their faults." 
 
 Cliiiii'sc Scriptures.
 
 Glimfu-s tln-a flic Rift. 
 
 169 
 
 SEANCE XX\'III. 
 
 "These things I write unto you, that ye sin not; and if any man sin we have 
 an advocate with the Father." 
 
 I. John ii. 7. 
 
 INCE the possibility of the sublime truth and 
 
 comfort under-lying Spirit return had become a 
 
 part of the ladj-'s life, \vhene\er one or two 
 
 ►^friends in harmony with the subject, and with 
 
 _ ^)•sufficient knowledge to set up aspirational con- 
 
 ^^^v^- ditions dropped in for the evening, instead of the 
 
 w 
 
 ■^16 
 
 usual chitter chatter which leaves none any the 
 wiser, she proposes a prayer meeting or seance 
 which always now brings some Di\ine Messenger. 
 On one of these occasions the medium after a short 
 inter\al of silence went into the usual trance. Tlie lady's 
 lover came saying he had been sent as a messenger to sa}' 
 that if it were possible his father would control the medium's 
 voice and speak. 
 
 We were not however prepared for the wild scene which 
 followed, we heard a ^■oice husk}- and weak with age cry out 
 as in a parox\-sni of agony; "Let me go; I don't want to 
 see her now ; she'll curse me, I tell you I won't go." 
 
 "Is it I, you sav will curse a-ou?" the lady remarked. 
 "Of course it's j-ou, who else could I mean" in a fret- 
 ful irritable manner; then suddenly changing to a weak 
 
 z
 
 r^o Gleams of Light and 
 
 whisper lie murmured, "I said I'd come because they said 
 you woifld not curse me." 
 
 "Why should you think I should curse you?" 
 
 In a loud astonished tone, he shouted, "Why? For 
 blighting your life, what else?" 
 
 "But did you blight wv life or your own?" 
 
 "I can't stand being talked to like that." 
 
 "Suppose we enter into explanations at once! Whj- did 
 you write such a cruel letter to Tom, and then carry out 
 your threat for three weeks, and at the same time write me 
 such misleading letters?" 
 
 "I won't be talked to in that strain! Thev told me you 
 had forgiven me, or I should never have said I'd come." 
 
 "Possibly I have forgiven you! Any way to please your 
 son Tom, I try to persuade myself I have, and if you'll 
 explain two or three things it may help me to forget; Tom's 
 affectionate pleadings on your behalf make me feel ashamed 
 of my thoughts of you sometimes." 
 
 "He was alwaj-s called 'The Peace-maker' in the family;" 
 then with more energy he continued, "but he was never man 
 enough to stand up in his own defence, if he had, all this 
 wovild never have happened." 
 
 "Was that a sufficient reason for treating him worse than 
 if he had defended himself?" 
 
 "I judged he was as bad as other ^-oung men, and looked 
 upon his silence as an acknowledgment of guilt." 
 
 "Did it never strike 3'ou that to unjustly accuse tlie 
 innocent, is to give a shock which chains the tongue, and 
 creates emotions which the wise conceal from all but their 
 Heavenly Father." "When you sa}- you thought Tom was 
 as bad as other young men, you are unconsciously telling 
 me what you were as a j^oung man, for you surely can't 
 mean to implv that all 3'oung men are as bad as yoii pre- 
 tended to believe Tom was ! "
 
 Glimpsts thro the Ri/i. 171 
 
 No answer, the oracle had ceased, there was a breathless 
 silence for three or fonr minntes, and then the medinni woke, 
 with no knowledge of what had transpired. 
 
 The next time this lad)- medinm came, she was informed 
 that the father of her lover was coming again ; he did not 
 like being talked to qnite so plainly, but on the whole he 
 liad been better and more content since he had spoken. 
 
 Tlie distressed symptoms were again apparent ilnd tlie 
 first audible words we heard were in a faint humble tone 
 '■ I \\ant to ask you to forgive me. I ought not to have 
 acted as I did. Tom was always a good lad. I reared 
 seventeen cliildren, and Tom was the only one who was never 
 known to tell a lie." 
 
 "I'm glad to hear j-ou say that of him; I want to forgive 
 \-ou. but at the same time I want to understand your changed 
 attitude towards me after Tom's death, and with two or three 
 simple explanations we shall understand each other better." 
 
 "But I can't stand these explanations! I was perstiaded 
 by my eldest family to act as I did, and am now sorry. I 
 was never happy after!" 
 
 "I'm content to let things rest if it di.stresses vou to 
 give me fuller details. Do you understand Tom better now?" 
 
 "He sorrows more about me, than he does about himself 
 or you." 
 
 "Ah you see we have the peace of an innocent conscience." 
 
 "Jane, Jane, oh my daughter Jane ! " he exclaimed in a 
 piteous heart-breaking tone of voice. We waited some time 
 for liim to continue, and then found that tlie Spirit had gone. 
 
 A few weeks after this, the ladj^'s lover came and dic- 
 tated a letter which the father wished sent to his daughter 
 Jane, the lady forwarded it through their family lawyer. 
 
 About two j-ears passed, dttring which time this repentant 
 Spirit was often seen by the clairvo3-ants but he had not 
 spoken again; the seances are established for instruction,
 
 1-2 Glaviii of Li gilt and 
 
 enlightenment and Spiritual growth, hence a Spirit on the 
 mundane ^lane has to obtain permission before he can be 
 heard at these gatherings, and even then there must be a 
 wise end in view, or Abdullah the Angel, at whose feet 
 thev sit, does not grant the required boon. 
 
 At the end of two years however, the private medium 
 before alluded to, his wife, the lady and ourselves were 
 sitting for a seance when a Spirit came sobbing, the tears 
 rolling down the medium's cheeks one after the other in 
 quite a shower; we had no idea who it was, a pocket hand- 
 kerchief was handed to the Spirit whose grief in no way 
 seemed toabate, we had no alternative but to wait patiently 
 till the sobs had in some way subsided, so as to render 
 utterance possible. The first words we heard were, "Tom is so 
 attentive to me, I see it all now! You two were made for 
 each other, and nothing can divide you, not even death. 
 Social union is not necessary when hearts beat as one." 
 
 " Whv ha\-e you not tried to control all this time and 
 tell us how ^•ou were employed." 
 
 "I could not, I had other work to do first. I have 
 been trying to impress my family to look into Spiritualism, 
 but it is hard work." 
 
 "Was this why 3-ou were so distressed?" 
 
 "No; no, it's the business; it's sroine, Sfoing-, goin":; and 
 I can't impress them to do as I want. Will \-ou write them 
 for me?" 
 
 "Well! considering they have not heeded or even 
 acknowledged the messages from heaven which I have sent, 
 I do not feel disposed to write to them on business difficulties; 
 they would be sure to' resent that. I should try again, if I 
 were you, there are mediums among them; and they'll be 
 sure to prove it is a truth some day. I should not trouble 
 about the business if I were you." 
 
 "That's what Tom says, but I should have done
 
 (i/i////>sis tlini' til- Rift. 173 
 
 difFerentlv ; those will feel it the most wlio least deserve 
 it." 
 
 "That is nearly always the case, but conscience prevents 
 them feeling it as much as appearances would suggest." 
 
 "But it does not prevent nic feeling it." 
 
 This is the orthodox hell; regret! remorse! which is 
 constant, and burnetii exer; until the effects are worked off 
 BY THE LIMXG. 
 
 The June following this January the firm filed their 
 petition, and had to compromise with their creditors.
 
 ly^ Glcii/iis of Light cll/J 
 
 PUBLIC SEANCE XXIX. 
 
 "Be thy creed or tin- prayers what they may, unless thoil hasl Truth withii: 
 thee, thou wilt not find the path to true happiness." 
 
 "He in whom the Truth dwells is twice born." 
 
 Hindu Sciiptiiifs. 
 
 The Medium. Mrs. Sonan. 
 
 A T another public seance a gentleman had a Spirit 
 -i^J- described to him by a private medium including everj- 
 detail of clothing, which consisted of the most fashionable 
 bicycle costume. 
 
 Gentleman. — "Has he a dark moustache?" 
 
 Medium. — " He has a moustache but it is very light : 
 his hair is light flaxen, but his moustache is much lighter." 
 
 Gentleman. — "I. remember no one who is dead, of that 
 appearance." 
 
 Medium. — " He has a large dog with him, a very 
 handsome dog (here followed description). Carlo is his name, 
 and yoii called his master Charlie." 
 
 Gentleman. — " I have a friend who answers to the 
 descriptions given, in every respect, dress, dog, names, and 
 everything; but he is not a Spirit: we went a bicycle ride 
 together with the dog to-day." 
 
 Medium. — "Did he know you were coming here?" 
 
 Gentleman. — " Yes."
 
 G/im/>sts lliro tlu Rift. 175 
 
 Medium. — " If the gentleman's Spirit is that of your 
 friend, it is the the first time I have consciously seen the 
 double of a living man, though I have read that such is 
 possible. There is also a Spirit here who sa3s he is your 
 father, and he infonns me that Charlie is your friend and 
 he is not dead. Has your father passed awaj- ? He looks 
 like a minister." 
 
 Gentleman.- — "Yes. he \vas a Unitarian minister." 
 These two instances were corroborated, and we have 
 had many opportunities since, of experiencing that the soul 
 of a li\ang person can be seen many miles away from where 
 his bod^- is, and be heard by the clairaudient seer to utter 
 words which his material organs were using in conversation 
 to his friends, at the same time, or at some previous time, 
 — opening up a world of research in the telephonic distances 
 between two s^^npathetic Spirits, and the nature of the two 
 ends of the current which convev the sounds, etc.
 
 iy5 Glcavis oj J-ig/i/ and 
 
 SEANCE XXX. 
 
 "Come see a Man who told lut all things that ever I did." 
 
 St. John iv. 2g. 
 
 Public Meeting. 
 
 AFTER an address on the philosophy of Spiritualism by 
 Mr. Wilderness, to a very large audience, he exercised 
 his clairvoyant powers in a ver}' satisfactory manner. 
 
 He singled out two gentlemen, friends of Mr. Ancient, 
 with one of whom he described the Spirit of a man. The 
 gentleman said he could not recollect such a person who 
 was dead. 
 
 Medium. — "I did not say he was dead, if he is it is 
 very recent and sudden, for he gives me no feeling of illness 
 or disease; but one of perfect health, enjoyment, and activity." 
 
 Gentleman. — I have just parted with a gentleman of that 
 description, with whom I have been engaged on business." 
 
 Medium. — "Yes, that's the man, and I'm informed b}- a 
 little old lady here, of such and such description, that the 
 less you have to do with him the better for you." 
 
 Gentleman. — "Is the old lady dead?" 
 
 Medium. — "Yes, she has been dead mauA- years; \o\\ 
 knew her when a boy, '"she is risen'' and is ^•er^• much 
 interested in you."
 
 (l/iw/'Sts tliro ilic Ri/l. 177 
 
 Gentleman.^ — "Do I imderstaiid that the Spirit of a living 
 man can be seen awaj- from his bod}-?" 
 
 Medinm. — "This is not the first occasion on which I 
 have seen the Spirit of a living man; you will find that his 
 thoughts are upon you, he is probably dozing, or iu a revsri;, 
 and his Spirit has wandered to you." 
 
 2 A
 
 178 Gleams of Light aiid 
 
 SEANCE XXXI. 
 
 'Keep in subjection thy speech, thine arm, and thine appetite." 
 
 Buddhist Scriptures. 
 
 AT one of the semi-public seances held at the lady's house, 
 there were present three private clairvoyant mediums, 
 several friends and the above gentleman known to the lady as 
 brother to one of her pupils. He held a responsible position 
 as manager of a Railway Axle Box Company — was an 
 active participator in most of the movements of the town, 
 and a prominent member of the Theosophical Society. 
 
 As soon as the seance had commenced, a gentleman 
 described to him a large building, with towers on a high 
 wall, all round it, something like a fortress. Here a lady 
 medium put in — "It's not a fortress" — the manager, Mr. 
 Tinaus seemed to have no recollection of the bviilding, he 
 had travelled much abroad, and might have seen such a 
 place, but had no remembrance of it. 
 
 Gentleman medium — "It's an English building, and I'm 
 told you have seen it, but will have more to do with it in 
 the future, and will then remember the description." 
 
 He then gave an accurate, detailed, description of the 
 building, so graphic that two of those present, after the 
 meeting, timorously said it was not unlike W. G. jail. 
 
 The lady medium went on to describe an old lady to
 
 G/i»i/>ses thro the Rift. 179 
 
 him, with many minute details. ]\Ir. Tinaus was ver}' self- 
 contained and cautious. — did not sa}- whether he recognised 
 such a lady. He was further told to take his mind back to 
 his boyhood's days, and he would remember who she was: 
 the house in which she lived was described to him, and 
 incidents in it which concerned him; but he still gave no 
 sign of recognition, beyond absorbed attention and an occasional 
 question, the answers to which seemed satisfactory, judging 
 from his absent thoughtful manner after receiving the replies. 
 
 At last the medium said : — 
 
 "She was very fond of you, is now, and is very anxious, 
 and grieved at what is going on, — she would like you to go 
 abroad again." 
 
 At this point the lady medium who was not entranced 
 and therefore conscious of all she said and saw, suddenly 
 put her hand over her mouth and struggled with her speech. 
 She then got up and quietly left the room. This interruption 
 broke up the passive mental attitude which is one of tlie 
 essential conditions for holding direct communions with the 
 unseen, for everyone's thoughts sympathetically followed the 
 lady, thinking she was ill. 
 
 The seance was closed — but to our astonishment we found 
 the lady medium apparently all right, dressing to go home. 
 
 She apologised for interrupting, saying that if she had 
 not suddenly jumped up the Spirit of the old lady would 
 have made her say that he must take ship and leave the 
 country and temptation, or his home would be transferred to 
 a prison. 
 
 Mr. Tinaus came to no other seance, and in less than 
 twelve months after, he and the auditor received a term of 
 imprisonment for a series of embezzlements from /lo to £,2-^ 
 per week, ranging over an extended period. 
 
 The question arose among ourselves: "Would matters 
 have been bettered, and his higher nature brought into
 
 i8o Glfains 0/ Light and 
 
 activity, if the lady medium had spoken out at the seance?" 
 She says: No! He had been told enough to show him 
 that angels were grieving, and would rejoice at his change 
 of life, and had she told him more, he would have used his 
 power, and the influence of his position against her to no 
 good purpose, perhaps to prosecute her for libel. He will 
 remember it all now, while in penal servitude, and the 
 recollection will assist in making him a wiser and a better 
 man. 
 
 There was sound sense in this, especially as he had 
 influenced several persons against attending seances at the 
 lady's house, based on his own experiences, so he said. 
 
 A person bent on wrong doing, deceit or fraud, is sure 
 to have the matter brought to their notice, if they attend an 
 elevated Spirit circle; but this is always done in such a 
 delicate and private way, that none know the facts intended 
 to be conveyed, except the person addressed, unless like Mr. 
 Tinaus they preserve an obstinate and antagonistic air of 
 suspicion respecting the truth of the mediums. Then, 
 occasionally the Spirit may speak from the house top, that 
 which is done in secret, and this may throw some light on 
 the class of people who so industriously cry down the 
 advance of Spiritualism — or rather try to — for that which is 
 of God cannot be put down eventually. It rises up from 
 time to time in other forms, but ultimately reveals itself as 
 Trnt/i; which worldly minds do not like, or rather cannot 
 appreciate.
 
 Glimpses thro tlie Rift. 
 
 SEANCE XXXII. 
 
 "Whatever is thy religion, associate with men of opposite persuasion. If thou 
 canst mix with them freely, and art not the least angered whilst listening to their 
 discourse, thou hast attained peace, and art a master of Creation." 
 
 Arabian Scriptures. 
 
 IT happened one eveniug that Mr. K. and his wife were 
 at one of onr private seances. 
 
 The medium, who had never been to Yorksliire, nor 
 heard anything of Mr. K's private life or home, described a 
 room, its furniture and occupants, which Mr. and Mrs. K. 
 recognised as in their home, and the occupants as his family. 
 The medium then went on to describe a gentleman who had 
 just entered, to his overcoat, stick and hat: he even imitated 
 his tone of voice, his greeting and style as he entered the 
 room and addressed those present. Mr. K. laughed, looked 
 at his wife, who intelligenth' answered his look and then 
 said, 
 
 "I know someone like it, it's exactly his manner, and 
 just what he'd be likely to say — but he would not be at my 
 house to-night — he knows we are aw-aj^ from home." 
 
 The mediiim said: — "Yoti may be sure he is there, or 
 I could'nt have seen him. I should enquire if I were 3'ou." 
 
 Here Mr. K. took out his watch to note the time, 
 sa\ang : —
 
 1 82 Gkaiiis of Light and 
 
 "I'll do so, but it's late for him to be out." 
 The ^letter answering his enquiries proved that the 
 medium was right.
 
 G/inipsi-s thro the Ri/f. 183 
 
 SEANCE XXXIII. 
 
 "I do not blame the variety of religious reprtsc-nlalioiis; only let men under- 
 stand there is but One Divine Nature." 
 
 Roman Scriplures. 
 
 A T a public seance the nicdiuin singled out a gentleman, 
 -^^ and described a most exquisiteh'-worked casket, of foreign 
 design and production; he then described the place it came 
 from — said it had been sent as a present from over the seas. 
 
 Answer. — "Quite correct." 
 
 The medium then described a gentleman, and asked, 
 "Do vou recognise him?" 
 
 Answer. — "I do not remember." 
 
 Medium. — "He is sitting in a room of such a shape, 
 etc. (giving a detailed description of the furniture in it). 
 The gentleman is not dead, but is talking about you. Have 
 j-ou a brother answering to the description-'"' 
 
 Answer. — "Yes, I have." 
 
 Medium. — "He is abroad?" 
 
 Answer. — "Yes." 
 
 Medium.- "In Cliina is he notr" There is a lady in 
 the room with him, clothed in a cream-coloured costume, 
 very picturesque!" Here the gentleman addressed, took notes 
 in his pocket-book, while a detailed description of the lady, 
 her features, figure and dress, were given.
 
 184 G lea JUS oj I-is^lit and 
 
 ' ' The gentleman is an Englishman, the lady is a Chinese ; 
 but they are man and wife, yovir brother and his wife — am 
 I right?" Answer — "As far as I can tell — Yes — my brother 
 is a missionar}- in China, and has just married a native lad}-. 
 I have not seen her, nor his home; but I have your des- 
 cription in shorthand notes." 
 
 "They are talking about writing and sending a portrait 
 of themselves, and yoii will find the lad^-'s costume is as I 
 have detailed it." 
 
 This interesting description, time confirmed, everything 
 was correct, even the furniture in the room, ^\'hicll was veiy 
 uncommon. This same gentleman has since de\eloped as a 
 medium himself. But his church did not recognise, under- 
 stand, or approve of what he felt was perfectly in accord 
 with the facts revealed in Scripture, and which seemed 
 perfectly natural. He felt the power was beyond his own 
 control, but the influences were as a rule elevating and 
 Spiritualising. He doubted his own ability' to cultivate his 
 gifts, still less to use them wisel}-. He felt he could not 
 discriminate between good and evil both as regards influences 
 and uses, and like the late Cardinal Newman he felt that he 
 had need of sacerdotal guidance. The Roman Catholic Church 
 being the only institution that recognised the possibility' of 
 miracles, and visible Conniiuniun \\-ith the Heavenly Host 
 seemed to him to be the best haven for which to steer, and 
 he accordinglv became a member of that Church.
 
 Glimpses thro the Rift. 185 
 
 SEA^XE XXXIV. 
 
 "Hath not k"''' ileslroyeil the virtue of millions?" 
 "Did it ever add to the goodness of any.-" 
 "It is the most abundant with the worst of men." 
 "Have not the wisest been those who have least ofit.-" 
 
 Chinese Scripliins. 
 
 AT one of the private seances Mr. Wilderness described 
 a place that he saw, and we wrote it down during the 
 description. 
 
 A PARABOLIC VISION. 
 
 Seen Clairvnyaiitly by Mr. Wililerness. September 2nd, 1S87. 
 
 I SEE a sphere pitchy dark. 
 Curious fact — I see it by the light of my own Spirit. 
 Forms dark as Erebus, haggard as death. It is a hell. 
 I am conscious of an atmosphere of hate, avarice, and 
 despair. 
 
 The countenances of the Spirits are loathsome with an 
 expression of horrible and fiendish malignanc\-. 
 
 No ray of hope or jo}' seems to animate the inhabitants 
 of this dark sphere. 
 
 I traverse a dark cavern where thousands of dusk\- forms 
 are congregated. 
 
 2 B
 
 1 86 Gleams of Lig/it and 
 
 The atmosphere is filled with the odour of tobacco and 
 alcohol. 
 
 Thousands of Spirits here are groping and grovelling as 
 if in a state of drunken stupor. 
 
 Thousands of others are raving as in delirium. 
 
 It is impossible to breathe this atmosphere without feeling 
 drunken in Spirit. I get an insufferable odour from the 
 garments of these Spirits. 
 
 They are ragged and black, and emit an odour as though 
 they had been soaked in alcoholic drink, and look like clothed 
 corpses. 
 
 I will to be taken out of this place, and I am conscious 
 that I am travelling westward, and looking back I perceive 
 by the light of my own Spirit that there is no brightness 
 in its firmament, but I see shining eastwards, as through a 
 rift, a bright star, towards which some of the inhabitants of 
 this dark abode are looking; and I hear a deafening roar of 
 howls, curses, wails, and drunken songs, devoid of mirth. 
 
 I pass into a sphere more quiet, and yet quite as noisome, 
 where I see an innumerable crowd of human Spirits; many 
 of them groping as if in search of hidden wealth amongst 
 their wretched robes of ashen grey, digging into the ground 
 with their hands. Their faces are pale, bloodless, joyless, 
 and their hair unkempt. 
 
 I am struck with the immense quantit}* of prayer books, 
 hymn-books, bibles, and tracts (which appear to be scattered 
 over this wilderness) into which these wretched beings 
 occasionally look, and then continue to grovel in the earth 
 again like a mass of maggots. 
 
 As I proceed onwards I notice with astonishment a 
 great number of Spirits in clerical garb; but ragged and 
 miserable in their appearance and apparentlv preaching to 
 the other miserable occupants of this sphere; from whose 
 preachings these poor wretches seem to get little or no con-
 
 (J/iz/i/'SiS thn> tlic Rift. 187 
 
 solatiou, and yet they oflfer some of the rubbish among 
 which they are grovelling, to these blind leaders of the blind. 
 
 The atmosphere is cold as ice and smells like a death 
 chamber. 
 
 I prav to be brought back to the light of day. and 
 find myself in Spirit standing" outside a large Gin Palace, in 
 tlie midst of a drunken, swearing, struggling crowd of brutish 
 men and women. 
 
 From within I hear the sound of wild and reckless 
 laughter mingled with oaths and cursings. 
 
 I feel conscious of a Spiritual presence and looking 
 round to mj- left hand I see a radiant Spirit, robed in pure 
 white garments, with a bright halo proceeding from its head, 
 and I hear a voice silvery and musical sa}ing: — 
 
 "Behold the entrance to the first Hell you have visited."
 
 1 88 G lea III X 0/ Liglif and 
 
 SEANCE XXXV. 
 
 i3rtbatc ^canrr. 
 
 "And I saw the heavens opened" "Anil the building of the wall of it 
 
 was of jasper; and the city of pure gold, like unto clear glass." 
 
 The Revelation uj Si. Joint the Divine, xx and xxi. 
 
 DURING one of our private seances, the medium, Mr. 
 Wilderness, gave the following beautiful description of 
 the Spirit abode of the lad^-'s lover. 
 
 Beautiful avenues of trees, frail and delicate of 
 beautiful tints. It is twilight. The light is dim, objects 
 obscure as when the sun had gone down — a sense of chill, 
 — I see two mountains, one on either hand, going through 
 the valley I enter a large circular bower formed of trees ; 
 large overhanging cypress trees. 
 
 Inside I see luminous flowers — growing lilies and most 
 extraordinary floA\-ers like roses on tall stems : the^• glint and 
 yet the light they emit does not light the apartment. 
 
 I perceive a small archwa\-, on approaching it I enter 
 into a passage which widens into a beautiful avenue of trees, 
 the tints, which at first are dull and grey, gradually increase 
 in loveliness. The sward is light green, I see numerous 
 flowers, marvellously translucent! the avenue gradually 
 widens and widens: the atmosphere is of an amber hue, yet
 
 G//u//>SiS thro the Rift. 1S9 
 
 soft, mild and warm. Just off" to my left hand I see a falling 
 cascade of water of indescribable beauty, and as it falls upon 
 ledge after ledge upon apparent marble, produces a sound 
 as of music, melodious music. 
 
 On my right hand, I see upon a pedestal a mar\ellously 
 executed vase, which would appear to be the highest imagin- 
 ings of the mind while in the human body. 
 
 A beautiful flower is growing in this vase of amber 
 green, and gold colour, and upon the edge of the vase a 
 bird of most executed plumage, the colour seems to be a 
 mingling of amber, green, and gold. 
 
 It is singing or warbling in musical cadence with the 
 falling water on the opposite side of this delightful avenue. 
 
 This avenue now widens into an amphitheatre, but the 
 foliage is less dense. 
 
 No sun is visible, and the firmament is of an indes- 
 cribable colour, soft, and one catches tints of blue and amber. 
 
 The atmosphere is of a soft golden hue, and is warm, 
 "electric in its influence. In the centre of this amphitheatre, 
 upon a small eminence, I see a spacious circular building, 
 apparently of wliite marble, witli a sloping roof terminating 
 in a pinnacle. The ea\es are richly ornamented with carved 
 work representing flowers, fruits, and emblems indicative of 
 ideal conceptions of art and science. The roof is supported 
 by fluted columns of pure white material, the spaces between 
 these columns in the wall of the building are concave, the 
 whole giving one the impression of a beautiful temple of 
 pure white marble, which in its polished splendour reflects 
 the lustre of the amber air. 
 
 I pass through a portal, and discover that the walls which 
 from without appeared to be opaque, are transparent, revealing 
 in mellowed beaut}- to the occupant within, the lovely scenery 
 surrounding the building. 
 
 This building has onl}- one chamber and corresponds
 
 I go ( I /anus of Li gilt (I'll/ 
 
 within to the configuration witliout. The floor is like polished 
 glass of many colours exquisitely blended, and as it's occu- 
 pant, whom I perceive to be T. S. W. walks upon it, I hear 
 a soft reverberation, sounding like sweet moaning consolatory 
 music. 
 
 There are manv beautiful objects in ornamental profusion 
 surrounding this apartment, lovely vases, instruments of 
 music, statuerv, glowing with a soft subdued lustre, as of 
 latent electricit\-, seeming to reveal the very soul life of the 
 ideal thought embodied in these marvellous expressions of 
 Spiritual thought. T. S. W. is attired in a loose garment 
 not unlike an ancient Roman robe, of cream colour. 
 
 I see him now seated in a subdued light, caused h\ 
 the overhanging shadow of a tree, in form resembling an 
 African palm, w^hicli stands outside the building and casts 
 its shadow inside, and falling o^■er the spot where he is seated 
 upon a chair, covered apparently with a material resembling 
 dull-brown damask, his elbow resting on a table of white 
 nuirble, ha\-ing a rich red lustre glowing through it ! In his 
 right hand I perceive a pair of compasses. There is an open 
 volume on the table with strange hieroglyphics upon it, the 
 meaning of which I know not. He speaks — and in a voice 
 of musical intonation, he says, "]\Iy brother, this is the 
 Temple of ni}- Spiritual Meditation." 
 
 This vision has since been corroborated liy three other seers, unconnected 
 with each other, one of whom a boy of thirteen years, exclaimed — "You have a 
 lovely home prepared for you, T. S. \V. has been taking me over it." 

 
 G/im/>scs thro the Rift. igi 
 
 SEANCE XXXVI. 
 
 fKaten'aliSMtion. 
 
 "Then when the doors were shut, where the disciples were assembled, 
 
 for fear of the Jews, came Jesus, and stood in the midst of them." 
 
 St. John XX. 19. 
 
 MRS. Nella was not onlv a clairvoyant, healing and 
 trance medium, but also a materialising medium, that 
 is, a person who is used by a band of Spirits, who study 
 analytical chemistry on a higher plane than when on earth, 
 and through whom Spirits can build up for themselves tem- 
 porary visible bodies. The father of Dr. P. C. was one of the 
 Spirits of this band, and used occasionally to entrance Mrs. 
 Nella to .speak to us. 
 
 On one of the occasions, when everyone else in the 
 hotise had gone to church; it being Sunda}- evening, Dr. C. 
 spoke, and told us to repair to the stiidv, place a four-fold 
 screen to form a three-sided cabinet with a black gauzy curtain 
 in the front, divided in the middle: the room to be lighted 
 by a lamp, surroinided with red glass. 
 
 These materials were at hand so we speedily arranged 
 as reqiiested. 
 
 A chair was placed inside the cabinet to the left, and a
 
 IQ2 Glcaiiis of Liglit and 
 
 space was left vacant, enough for another chair to the right. 
 
 On 1(he chair to the left Mrs. Nella sat down and drew 
 the black cnrtains before her. In a very short time she was 
 entranced, and Dr. C. spoke, requesting that we should sit 
 about a yard and a half away from the cabinet and keep as 
 calm and still as possible, for the angel world found the 
 present a sviitable opportunity to give what they had long 
 ago promised, the visible and tangible presence of one of 
 themselves who was known to us on earth. 
 
 As he ceased speaking, the medium, who was dressed 
 in a black dress with only white collar and cuffs, commenced 
 throwing or drawing from her side, towards the space in the 
 cabinet to her right, an intensely white vapour, so white as 
 to appear luminous in its intense whiteness, and plainly 
 visible through the black curtain, more white and clear than 
 the cuffs on her wrists. This mist gradually collected to 
 her right and assumed the form of a man ; then the curtain 
 in the centre opened, the medium in black came cut, saying 
 to the Spirit: "Come out to the lad}-: give me your hand: 
 I'll help 3'ou," holding her hand out. 
 
 This intensely white figure stretched out his hand and 
 took hers, made a step forward, and collapsed in the middle; 
 that is, the legs remained on the floor, and the head and 
 shoulders in the air, but the middle part had disappeared. 
 
 (Bxodus xxxiii. 23.) 
 
 Here the medium went again into the cabinet, and 
 resumed the passes from her own body to that of the Spirit : 
 a ray of himinous mist attending the movement and increasing 
 the cloudy vapour which covered the Spirit, till soon the 
 trunk connecting the legs to the head and shoulders, was as 
 plainly seen as the rest. 
 
 Then the medium again came out of the cabinet, and 
 said "The Spirit would like the lady to draw her chair 
 close to the cabinet, where he can reach her." He sa\-s
 
 G/i»i/<scs thro the Rift. 193 
 
 " she has heard his voice aud he would like her to recognise 
 his touch. It is the first time he has assumed a material- 
 ized or protoplasmic body and it is too trauscieiit for him 
 to keep long, and if it will not startle you, it will give him 
 great joy for you to comply." 
 
 The lad}- was in no way nervous, and placed her chair 
 quite close to the cabinet. 
 
 The medium moved to the other side of the room — 
 right awaj' from the cabinet, while the Spirit bent forward 
 and stroked the lady's cheek o\er and over again (a well- 
 known custom of his) with one hand while with the other 
 he held back the dark curtain, which dark as it was, was 
 not dark enough to shut out the luminous white of the verv 
 real figure behind it. 
 
 Tlie touch was warm, soft, and life-like, the hand in size 
 and shape the same as when on earth lie dwelt a man, but 
 the whiteness of it was dazzling. 
 
 The medium walked back to the cabinet, sa\-ing: "Let 
 the lad}- handle your Spirit robe." He placed a corner of it 
 in the medium's hand, which she pulled and gave to the 
 lady. She kept ou pulling and throwing it over the lady's 
 arm, yard after yard, till she had a heap of probably a dozen 
 yards thrown over her; it felt more like mull muslin on 
 account of its extreme softness, but the substance was thicker 
 to the touch and clinging in its folds. 
 
 The whiteness was, as the Evangelist aptly puts it, 
 when describing the materialization on the Mount " whiter 
 than fuller could white it." 
 
 The medium handed the robe back in the same manner 
 that she had pulled it from him, and as he drew it back, he 
 did not seem to wrap it round him, but it appeared to cling 
 round him, and assume its place as a piece of stretched elas- 
 tic would when the strain was relaxed. 
 
 The medium now re-entered the cabinet; and the same 
 
 2 c
 
 1 94 Glfams of Light and 
 
 stream of white vapoury mist was seen passing between the 
 medium's ^side and the Spirit; but this time the reverse 
 way from the Spirit to the medium, from the head first- 
 gradually disappearing till only a small glimmer was seen 
 near the floor. As this suddenly disappeared Dr. C. spoke, 
 saying that we had witnessed one of the greatest marvels 
 in nature which the physical sight of man can behold. 
 
 Lady. — " How long is it possible for a Spirit to remain 
 visible?" 
 
 Dr. C. "As long as the polarization of the forces 
 
 present remain unaltered." 
 
 "What altered the polarization of the forces now?" 
 
 "The minds of the people who are about to enter the 
 house from church." 
 
 "In what way would \\\&y do this? not consciously I 
 presume, for they are — as we were — unaware of what we 
 were going to do." 
 
 "They have no svmpathv with this class of stiidy, consider 
 you might better employ your time; and all thought-waves 
 affect the currents of Spiritual forces to attract or repel. Your 
 thought waves attract Spirits, their's repel them, and as their's 
 are more in number, they are more forceful than vours. It 
 is not often such opportunities occur as we have had this 
 evening. You must understand, this is a perfectly natural 
 phenomena, as natural as any other in nature, and governed 
 by laws which alter not. All Nature is inexorable and 
 works b}' rule. Supply the conditions and slie will accomplish 
 her own work, alone." 
 
 "I'm afraid I don't quite understand what you mean 
 by conditions." 
 
 "Plants yield seed, still the_v are of no use after 3'ou have 
 gathered them, unless you put them in the ground; sowing 
 them in fertile soil, at the proper season, supplies the con- 
 ditions for the seed. B}- intelligently and sympathetically
 
 (l/iw/'scs tlnv the Rift. 195 
 
 desiring the advanced knowledge and wisdom which the 
 departed sonls of earth can give ; with no thovights of terror, 
 nervonsness, suspicion, flnrry, or time, you attract them, or 
 set up the conditions for receiving their visits, and but 
 for the people surrounding you, you would have more 
 visitors, even as yoii have more friends among the Unseen 
 Heavenly hosts, than among the visible haunts of men." 
 
 "Then I must hz highly blest, for thev number some 
 hundreds on this side." 
 
 "You are; if it were not so, we could not have given 
 this materialization, without the imited surroundings of several 
 people to form a circle." 
 
 "Then am I to understand that other Spirits were present 
 to produce the effect called materialization, or was it the one 
 Spirit himself?" 
 
 "There are many Spirits present! A host! Who must all 
 be in perfect harmony, then a disintegration in the particles 
 of the atmosphere is effected by them, and a chemical change 
 in the aura of the medium, which became for a time a 
 chemical laboratory for the manufacture of psychoplasm, 
 which is withdrawn from the spleen near the fifth rib, and 
 crystallizes round the Spirit materializing, and would remain 
 so without interruption, as long as the medium and the 
 materialized Spirit remained together, if there were no 
 changes in the thought-waves surrounding them." 
 
 "Is this the meaning of Eve being taken from Adam's 
 rib?" 
 
 "This is the key to the Hermetic mystery contained 
 under the symbolism of various myths, of which the story of 
 the first man and woman on earth is one. "You must not 
 think that because you cannot see and feel the Spirit now, 
 as you did a few minutes ago, that he is not here; he 
 has not moved, but has stood listening to our conversation. 
 The atoms which were being polarised upon him, in order
 
 196 Ghnnis of Lis^ht and 
 
 to render him a material object, visible and tangible to your 
 material bodily senses, have now dispersed to whence they 
 came, but the Spirit — the man — has not dispersed." "He 
 has now walked over to where he is usually seen at your 
 seances, by your side, leaning on your chair, with his arm 
 round you. Do you feel his hand on your shoulder?" 
 
 "I was only conscioi;s of a motion in the air to ni}' right, 
 like a soft breeze, and a sort of creepy feeling, an^'thing but 
 unpleasant on \\\y left shoulder." 
 
 "You will know now the indication of his presence: but 
 later on in your life you wili as easil}- see, hear, feel, and 
 recognise the silent entrance of Spirits, as of any visitor on 
 the material plane." 
 
 "Why not now?" 
 
 "There are many reasons conspiring to pre\-ent this, 
 and the chief is the lack of sympathy among the people of 
 your acquaintance. They cannot appreciate the bent of your 
 mind: as yoii get older yoiir earthly surroundings will be 
 more harmonious, less metallic and worldly, therefore better 
 conditions will be set up. Yon are in your right place 
 among these now, and have no reason to begin to blame 
 yourself for it* — as I see you are — you have been doing 
 God's work in your right place, and now I must say 
 'Good-night.' " 
 
 With a blessing the doctor went, and Mrs. Xella awoke 
 from her trance. 
 
 It is perhaps well to state here that Mrs. Nella's son 
 had been lately married, and though her son had said his 
 home would always be hers, she felt that his wife did not 
 echo the welcome ; she had, as a consequence, been a resident 
 at the lady's hotise for the past three or four months, and 
 no fabric of the nature of that which was materialized was 
 
 * This was quite correct.
 
 G//////'s,s tliro the Rift. 197 
 
 in the house; neitlier had the medium any in her possession. 
 
 The material drapery (or whatever it might be called) 
 was, as far as the material senses are capable of judging, 
 actually created out of nothing, and after the purpose of its 
 creation was achieved, finally disappeared into notliingness. 
 
 Trulv it appears that the apparent anomaly of the world 
 being created out of nothing, has its explanation in the fact, 
 that Spirit and Spirit force is a sovict/iiiio -a'itliin the veil — 
 bevond our ken, but can be produced when conditions are 
 favourable for its visible production.
 
 198 Gleams of Light and 
 
 THE BOY PIANIST. 
 
 •Behold I have seen a Son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is cunning in playing 
 ...and the Lord is with him." ^ 
 
 I. Scuiiiui xvi. iS. 
 
 ON one occasion we received, tlirongh the kindnes.s of a 
 friend, six reserved tickets for a concert where little 
 Otto Hegner, the marvellous boy pianist of about ten \-ears 
 of age, was the principal performer in the programme. We 
 despatched the tickets to three clairvoyants with a request 
 that thev would write the particulars of what thev saw 
 clairvovantly, in reference to the performers, notably little 
 Otto. 
 
 The following is what a boy of tliirteen saw: — 
 
 During the performance of a solo by Chopin — a young 
 man, apparently an invalid, was lying on a couch, propped 
 up by pillows on the platform close to the piano. He had 
 a very thin pale face, blue eyes, light hair, very long for 
 a gentleman, and very white teeth. 
 
 He had by his side some music. 
 
 The second seer who was a doctor's wife, described the 
 same scene with the alteration of yellow hair, instead of 
 light, and the following additions, that his hands were thin, 
 long and tapering, almost transparent, and that every now 
 and then as he followed the strains of the music, he would
 
 Glimpses thro the Rift. 199 
 
 rise from his reclining position, grow very red with some 
 mental excitement and fall back exhausted, as though his 
 body was too feeble for the manifestation of his Spirit. 
 
 This she believed to be a vision tabulated there by the 
 Spirit himself, of a scene in his earth life, and not of his 
 present life — probably for a wise purpose, because he knew 
 what would be done with the reports of the vision ; for Spirits 
 have a certain pre-vision and pre-knowledge, and seize ever}^ 
 opportunity they can to demonstrate to their beloved ones, 
 that the}^ live on with memory and intelligence intact. 
 
 The third chirvoj-ant, a young lady about twenty-three, 
 saw the same scene, described his hair as flaxen, said the 
 j'oung man was Chopin in the last stage of a decline 
 which set his musical soul free of his body. 
 
 Otto Hegner appeared before the audience three times, 
 each of the clairvoyants described in writing one scene 
 only, and each a different one, though all agreed to having 
 seen wliat the others saw, afterwards when they met; but 
 wrote onh- what made the most impression on their mind 
 at the time. 
 
 The boy, thirteen, described a gentleman of very stern 
 appearance, with heavy eyebrows which almost met, clad in 
 short knickerbockers reaching to the knee, and fastened by 
 silver buckles. His coat was open, showing a large frilled 
 front and collar: his coat, waistcoat, and knickers were of 
 black velvet; his stockings were black, his shoes low, fastened 
 with silver buckles ; he had a large black sash round his waist, 
 tied in a bow at the side. He was seated playing a harpsi- 
 chord; the tune he was pla3'ing seemed to correspond with 
 the one that Otto Hegner was playing at the time. "My 
 Spirit," he continued, "seemed to be on the platform, mingling 
 among the other Spirits there, and from them I learned that 
 this dark gentlemanly Spirit was 'Louis van Beethoven.'" 
 
 The young lad}' said: "While Otto Hegner was playing.
 
 200 Gleams of Light nnd 
 
 I saw him on one occasion overshadowed b\' a lady with very 
 long fingers, she sat nearly a head above his head, she was 
 young, bdt her arms and hands were so much a part of his 
 while he was executing a difficult part in octaves, that to the 
 clairvoyant his arms appeared gone. At the same time a 
 dark gentleman in a velvet suit and sash, was standing behind 
 Otto, with the forefinger of each hand resting under little 
 Hegner's elbows, during the whole time he was playing these 
 octaves. 
 
 He appeared pleased, and a smile of satisfaction lit up 
 his dark face as he finished; he was much more materialized 
 than the lady who overshadowed the boy, and also the plainest 
 Spirit on the platform, and one all the rest deferred to. 
 
 There were many of these, but so shadowy I did not 
 notice one more than another. 
 The doctor's widow said: — 
 
 "I saw the Spirit of an old man with white hair and 
 long white beard, who came in and out with the accompanist 
 and stood beside him beating time, with a pleasant placid 
 manner. He was shorter than the accompanyist, and did not 
 look as old as his white hair and beard indicated. 
 
 Beethoven was the most active Spirit present, not onlv 
 wliile his own compositions were being plaj^ed, but all through 
 every performance, and if the Spirits who composed the 
 various pieces sung and played were present, among a crowd 
 of faintly seen forms, they seemed glad to give way and 
 remain obscure, while he was willing to take the lead. 
 This was only my impression of the silent inactive Spirits. 
 Twice I saw Beethoven stand behind Otto Hegner, and 
 support his little arms by placing his fingers under them, 
 once during an octave passage, and once during the latter 
 pages of a long and brilliant performance. 
 
 While he — Otto — was playing, his hands and fingers 
 seemed twice as long as his own childish ones usually were;
 
 G/i»ipscs tliro the Riff. 20i 
 
 but I could not see clearly the cause of this. If the child were 
 overshadowed, the Spirit was very ethereal, except the hands." 
 
 Oft repeated experiences similar to the above, tend to 
 demonstrate that: — 
 
 "Man emptied of self is full of Deit}-, for Nature abhors 
 a vacuum,"* and herein lies the true secret and cau.se of 
 Genius. 
 
 It is an undoubted fact, that Spirits can and do express 
 their inspired sentiments through persons whose organisms 
 are adapted for the purpose, and these are without doubt 
 men, women, and children of genius. 
 
 The vouthful and impressional are best suited for this 
 purpose; thus Otto Hegner was a pliant instrument in the 
 hands of those Spirits, who wished to perpetuate their 
 inspirations, and prove their continued existence and indentity. 
 But will not the worldly influences unto which these public 
 recitals introduce him, render him less and less pliable to 
 Unseen manipulations? Time will show. 
 
 • Vaughan's "Hours with the mystics." 
 
 2 D
 
 0lt^m ix. 
 
 SECTION I.
 
 Glimpses thro' the Rift. 
 
 205 
 
 (Conclusions. 
 
 We live in deeds, not years, 
 In thoughts, not breaths; 
 
 He most lives 
 Who thinks most, feels the noblest, 
 Acts the best. 
 
 IKE all researchers, after the most precious 
 things of earth, we found them not on the 
 surface, ready to attract the e\e and desires of 
 ever}- beholder, but hidden deep away from the 
 ^eyes of men amidst that which is regarded 
 as rubbish, peculiar, uncanny and unfashionable : 
 Exoteric savants who search for the precious 
 jewel of Tritth, in the modem text books of 
 the schools, instead of in the open pages of 
 nature, — where he who runs may read, and a way- 
 faring man though a fool, does not err therein, — truth, 
 which the sages search for in ponderous tomes, the shepherd 
 finds in the water-worn pebble: "hours which the prophets 
 have longed for are reserved for the shepherd's sight," and 
 humble minds unschooled in the sophistries of human kiioiv- 
 ledgc, are frequently the recipients of Divine illumination. 
 
 As Mrs. Britten puts it, "In mediumship, Spiritualism 
 gives a new and wonderful page of ph3-siolog3', and that
 
 2o6 Gleams of Light ana 
 
 from a book kept onl}' in the Unseen, but veiled from the 
 eyes of the students of the seen Universe."* 
 
 In the superstitious mysteries of the carefully guarded 
 seance-room, we found the priceless gem: — 
 
 Proof of Man's continued existence after DEATH. 
 
 This proof is what the human family is hungering for. 
 "Ask and ye shall receive — knock and it shall be opened unto 
 you. Seek and ye shall find" — not among the fashionable 
 external crystallization of religious dogma — but where man's 
 body is regarded, not as the man himself, but as God's 
 house, the temple of Holy Ghosts, wherein the changing 
 currents of Spiritual individualities constantly glide. 
 
 In the face of the preceding investigations, after every 
 other theor^' had been found inadequate to explain all the 
 facts adduced, or to cover all the ground traversed, we found 
 the simple one advanced to solve the miraculous in life, b}- 
 Spiritualists, the most feasible, the most natural, the most 
 scientific, the most Spiritual, the most universal, and the 
 one which we finally adopted withoiit the reserve of intellect 
 which we conscientiously adopted, diiring the early years of 
 our investigations and experiments. 
 
 I St. — The most feasible because no other theory can 
 demonstrate and explain such well attested cases of identity, 
 where voice, mannerisms, intellect, cultured refinement, and 
 memory were all demonstrated most unmistakably to the 
 satisfaction not of one but man}-. 
 
 Mind Reading- -unconscious cerebration — and all the 
 various stringing together of unmeaning words, which have 
 been invented to cope with this subject, will not explain 
 it, insomuch that the terms themselves are meaningless, and 
 
 * "The Unseen Il'niverse." Page 54. Mrs. H. Britten.
 
 G/!w/>s.s thio the Ri/t. ■ 207 
 
 convey no basic knowledge to any ])nt tlie inventors of the 
 terms, and even they themselves fail to demonstrate their 
 theorv' except within very limited areas; whereas the explan- 
 ation that departed friends become ministering Spirits, and 
 can by reason of the change called death, as easily impress 
 thonghts on the brains of mortals, as mortals can impress 
 their thonghts on a telegraphic battery is qnite feasible. 
 
 and. — That it is natural. 
 
 The fact, once admitted, that the information obtained 
 through trance-mediums, is beyond and outside tlie capacity 
 and knowledge of the medium — then tlie source of their 
 increased powers has to be accounted for. 
 
 If the knowledge, information, and intelligence corres- 
 ponds with tliat which we should expect from some individual 
 friend "gone before," and if this is supported by trans- 
 figurations of mannerism, features and figure, corresponding 
 to some well-remembered friend — such as have invariablv 
 cliaracterised the .seances herein recorded, wliut is more 
 natural to a truthful person than to believe that the Spirit 
 of that lost friend is tlie communicating intelligence, and 
 what is more natural for Spirits on finding themselves free, 
 than to seek out and endeavour to continue the intercourse 
 held on eartli with those to whom their hearts turn. 
 
 That this is not always done intellectuallv or even 
 intelligibly, is very easily accounted for. 
 
 3rd. — The most I'niversal. 
 
 Every person knows that something has gone from a 
 dead body — what or where? only the Seer can perceive. 
 
 In different ages of the world's historj-, under the various 
 names of metemps\-chosis, re-incaniation, metamorphosis, 
 mesmerism, and hypnotism, attempts have been made to 
 explain the influence of the Unseen over the Seen. 
 
 In mesmerism the spirit of a man while still in the 
 body, consciously overpowers the faculties of his subject,
 
 2o8 G/caiiis of Livht and 
 
 inducing in them an unconscious state, in order that his 
 mind m^y act on their entranced organs instead of their 
 own, but there is another form of mesmerism, which is more 
 subtle, and more universal, this is termed Psychology, and 
 is an iiiicoiiscious mesmeric power, which is possessed by all 
 successful speakers, writers and leaders, it consists in the 
 ability to sway or lead the minds of men along the line of 
 thought they advocate or adopt for the time. 
 
 Re-incarnation, metempsychosis or metamorphosis, is a 
 species of re\erie or trance, induced by a disembodied Spirit 
 who in point of fact mesmerizes or overpowers a sensitive 
 person, in the body. When an intelligent understanding 
 exists between angel or Spirit and sensitive mortals it results 
 in an agreeable, aspirational and practically useful communion 
 between the Seen and Unseen worlds of Spirit, but where 
 ignorance of these natural gifts abonnds, the result is 
 insanit}'. 
 
 Idiosyncras^• and madness, is the abandonment of the 
 highest faculties man possesses, to the "dwellers on the 
 threshold," or the most unintelligent and physical Spirits who 
 have died without the light arising from the use of their 
 Spiritual faculties here below, and this through ignorance of 
 Spirit laws. 
 
 In the former case the disembodied can use the organs of 
 another to carry out his advanced knowledge and intelligence. 
 In the latter case, no intelligent understanding exists between 
 the Spirit and the mortal, hence the entrancement is onl}- 
 partial, and a struggle between the Spirit and the man results 
 in confusion or possession by devils — devils here meaning the 
 Spirits of iinintelligent, uninformed men, disembodied. 
 
 The knowledge imparted in a seance room by intelligent 
 Spirits, corrects all this, and has been the means of saving 
 thousands from incarceration in a lunatic asylum, by dis- 
 pelling the unintelligent Spirit, and b}- prayer drawing an
 
 G//////>sis thro the Rift. 209 
 
 intelligent one to take its place, as a familiar Spirit, always 
 near, to aid, assist and keep border Spirits at bay, until 
 properly informed. 
 
 Many Spirits are regularly re-incarnated during the 
 quiet hours of the night, they take advantage of the 
 entranced state of sound sleeping sensitives, and unless too 
 sleepy their bedfellows can elicit knowledge, get intelligent 
 answers to questions on all subjects, which the sleeping one 
 has no recollection of afterwards. 
 
 People who talk in their sleep are generalh- negative 
 to disembodied Spirits, and if patience and perseverance were 
 used in encouraging these disjointed utterances, by answering 
 them and in otherwise intelligently entertaining them ; proof 
 would soon be forthcoming as to the identity of the 
 intelligence, and it would be a means of gaining knowledge 
 far in advance of the sleeper's capacity when awake. 
 
 4th. — It is the most scientific — in that, though the chemical 
 scientist can resolve matter into gases, he is fully aware that 
 these gases are but the refined part of the matter, separated 
 from the residium or coarse part : these gases he can further 
 resolve, till they disappear entirely from the physical plane 
 of vision, but he is too well informed on material subjects, 
 to entertain the idea, that because matter has disappeared 
 from sight, it is lost : he knows matter cannot be lost, changed 
 it may be, and disappear from sight, but only to take some 
 other form, yet he can neither see it, nor follow it. 
 
 This is exactly what takes place at death, it is the 
 chemical change which separates the refined ethereal part 
 from the residium, — the Spiritual seer can see the separation 
 and trace the change. 
 
 A description of a death-bed scene is given by Andrew- 
 Jackson Davis, in " Death and the after life." 
 
 Material scientists are compelled to acknowledge that 
 what we recognise around us as Nature, has originated in the 
 
 2 E
 
 2 10 Gleams of Light afid 
 
 Unseen. Natnre is animated by Unseen forces, and active, 
 conscioufe, intelligence. Indeed these forces are Intelligences 
 gradually unfolding their powers as the leaf, flower-bud, corolla 
 petals, stamens, pistil, and seed-vessel of the plant. Each 
 successive stage of life follows upon a violent struggle, a 
 bursting asunder, a casting away of an envelope in each of 
 the stages of plant life, and to each of the succeeding stages 
 the last envelope is dead, but the life or force which held it 
 goes on and on to advanced beauties and usefulness. 
 
 Man is no exception to this rule, this physical body is 
 not the man, but the material envelope, which has to be 
 thrown aside before the true beauty and usefulness of man 
 appears in its perfection. 
 
 There are few people, even in this stage of life, that do 
 not feel within them the capacity for far greater achievements 
 than the environments of their lives permit of. 
 Again material scientists say: — 
 
 "We are compelled to conclude that every motion of the 
 Visible Universe is caused b}- the Unseen, and that its energy 
 is ultimately carried again into the Unseen. 
 
 Swedenborg says "If God had not been a viaii the 
 Universe could never have been made," this Spiritual thinker 
 and seer was Divinely inspired to comprehend many complex 
 problems of life, instead of his intellect being warped, and 
 his vanity inflated by beholding MAN in the physical form 
 as "The Lord of Creation," he knew embodied man to be 
 embryonic, too feeble, too limited to be anything but a 
 trifling part of one stupendous whole, at present onl}- seeing 
 as through a glass darkl}-." 
 5th. — More Spiritual. — 
 
 There is a greater myster}- yet to solve in the origin 
 of thought, men admit of invisible, intangible, imponderable 
 forces, which are neither imaginary nor incapable of some 
 degree of measurement, such as electricity, magnetism,
 
 G/impscs tJiro the Rift. 2 1 1 
 
 gravity, and actinic forces; therefore is it difficnlt to conceive 
 of Intelligence existing with an Invisible, Unseen, Conscious 
 world of beings, much more refined and subtle than those 
 bodies we now occupy, possessing the power of playing upon 
 the physical brain of man, and discoursing liannonious and 
 ele\ating thoughts — similar to the manner in which a 
 musician plays upon an instrument, producing therefrom 
 harmonv or discord)? Man's own Spirit ruling as a regulator 
 in the choice of these performers, — by driving back bad, or 
 inharmonious thoughts and encouraging harmonious and 
 edifying ones — thus advancing the Evolution of Life, by 
 carefully tending and weeding the ground of life in the brain. 
 
 That man is not lost at death has been conclusively 
 proved by the Psyche. 
 
 The Photographic plate in the camera could not register 
 l^nsecn forms if they were not present witliin the camera's 
 focus: but when these I'nseen forms take voice, and give 
 names and addresses of strangers, to those in the room, who 
 can confirm the account the Spirit gives, it is no longer a 
 matter for doubt in the minds of those who were agents in 
 the experiments : this outside support from complete strangers 
 added to the testimony of their own observations, is to them, 
 beyond controversy. This is our position, not in one instance 
 but in instance after in.stance. Even people who have opposed 
 Spiritualism, have been compelled to believe and acknowledge, 
 that complete strangers could have no interest in going to so 
 much trouble in sending, what purported to be a Spirit 
 photograph of a dear dead friend, whom the}^ recognise as 
 such, if that friend had not stood in the studio in his or 
 her Spiritual body before the camera, and given correct 
 name.* If anj- doubt could possibly have existed in our 
 
 See correspondence in British Journal of Photography. September (7-14-21, iSSS) 
 and January 4th, 1889.
 
 212 
 
 Gkann of Light and 
 
 minds, duriug the preceding in\-estigations, as to the 
 actuality of the substance of future existences, the photographic 
 experiments entire!}' removed them, and as a truthful 
 individual whose word and life is beyond reproach the Recorder 
 gives this testimony to all whose minds are Spiritually pre- 
 pared to receive it, as embodying the facts contained in the 
 Sacred Mysteries which attach to all religions — the knowledge 
 of which, the Protestant religion left behind when she 
 separated lierself from the Mother Church at the Reformation, 
 and has tried to ignore these Spiritual gifts as superstition: 
 thereby multiplying the necessity for lunatic asylums and 
 making laws which necessitate mankind wrapping their greatest 
 talents in a napkin, so as to bury them from the view of 
 prejudiced man. 
 
 A review of the religious persecutions of the world, will 
 reveal the startling fact that in every instance they arose 
 from a Divine all powerful overwhelming influx of Spiritual 
 gifts, being abnormally developed in the persons of unlettered 
 individuals, who were so entirely ignorant of their nature 
 and origin, that they were frequently misused, or applied in 
 opposition to the Existing Church, which has ever held that 
 the use of the Divine Mysteries or Communion with Saints, 
 is the Sacred right of those upon whom the Church bestows 
 Holy Orders. It will thus be demonstrated, that the Churcli 
 errs gravely when -Holy Orders are bestowed upon others 
 than those whom God has especially endowed with Psychic 
 faculties, for the purpose of receiving direct, visible and 
 audible communion with the Celestial heavens and its inhabi- 
 tants. These Divine gifts develope and are manifested among 
 the people ; the masses recognise them as their best guides 
 to heavenly mansions, because thev prove to the mourner and 
 the hopelessly bereaved, that their dearly beloved ones stand 
 before them, and though not visible to their unopened eyes, 
 others can see them, hear them, can photograph them, get
 
 G/iinf'scf thro the Rift. 213 
 
 letters from them in their own uot-to-be-mistaken hand-writing, 
 and can convey to them from the Spirit, all sorts of treasured 
 reminiscences which none but the loved one could give. 
 
 The dignitaries of the Church resent this usurpation of 
 their sacred office by laymen, and instead of turning their 
 attention to, and recognising that these Spiritually gifted ones 
 are the natural Levites of the earth, and possess by the 
 Unerring- luuid of Nature the talents fitted for the transmission 
 of the angels' messages to men, and that they should be 
 educated for their sacred office, and jealoush' guarded from 
 scoffers and curiosit}' mongers, they see only the loss of 
 personal office to themselves and posterity, so, industriously 
 set themselves to oppose this ou-rush of the Divine wave, 
 and without attempting to carefully examine the matter they 
 persistentlv condemn, till at last mistaken enthusiasm, zeal, 
 and obstinate ignorance, carry them to lengths of persecution 
 and cruelty, which mar the pages of Religious Histor}', and 
 hand down to posterity blots on the characters of otherwise 
 good men, whicli eternity itself will scarcely eradicate. 
 
 These repentant souls from their more lofty heights see 
 indications of the same increasing zeal surmounting the better 
 and more Spiritual aspirations of the Religous bodies of the 
 Nineteenth Century, and they wisli to convey to the world at 
 large, the words of these pages, in order that they may search 
 for, and correct the evil; not bv blind persecution, but b\- 
 an intelligent investigation and cultivation of those higher 
 Spiritual gifts, which marked the first public seance recorded 
 in Holy Writ, on the day of Pentecost; — the result of those 
 private ones held by Jesus and his disciples in the iipper 
 room, where thc\- were wont to lock the door for fear of the 
 Jews. 
 
 The masses of mankind have educated themselves up to 
 a point, wherein thev are capable of doing their own thinking, 
 on religious, as well as other subjects, Materialism, Agaos-
 
 214 Gleams of Light and 
 
 ticism, Atheism, Positivism are bvit transition stages along 
 the necessary roads, which lead to Gnosticism or the Pauline 
 School; in the present century called Spiritualism, whose 
 advocates know of a truth from their own personal knowledge ; 
 that their dead have risen, and are actively, and intelligently 
 carrying on the duties of their next phase of existence. 
 
 Neither should it be any marvel that this knowledge 
 and experience has extended among all classes, good and 
 bad, saint and sinner, teacher and pupil, the learned and 
 ignorant, the rich and the poor: — all alike, have some mourned 
 departed ones, and communications can be had from all, for 
 is it not the office of the religions to lead man's thoughts 
 from earth to heaven, by teaching the "Resurrection of the 
 dead?" proved by the authority of examples given in their 
 Sacred Scriptures of men who have returned with warnings, 
 teachings, and advice? The rewards of Dives and Lazarus is 
 an ever-recurring truth, in the experience of Spiritualists ; 
 if we but remove the idea, of the parched dry lips, of a 
 burning, feverish conscience, from that of a material fierj- 
 hell, for but few people leave the earthly body without 
 regrets, which their devouring love for those left behind, 
 ever urges them to try to warn of, but alas! too often, the}- 
 also suffer the same torments of conscientious regret, because 
 of their indifference. 
 
 This — — is the gulf, mediums, seers, and prophets are 
 able to span, and carry messages to the thoughtless, five 
 brethren more steeped in materialism, or questionable busi- 
 ness relations than Dives himself; or to Rachel, hopelessly 
 mourning for her children and refusing to be comforted, 
 because they are not. Such people are not easil}^ convinced 
 that the higher and lower heavens are all round them, and 
 yet these are the hard-headed, difficult-to-be-convinced classes 
 which form the ranks calling themselves Spiritualists: 
 because once convinced that their dead are risen, they are bold
 
 Glimpses thro the Rift. 215 
 
 and courageous in proclaiming it, even if in so doing they 
 know \\\&\ are courting persecution and ridicule. 
 
 Simple, ignorant, and even vicious folk can more easil}- 
 discern a truth than the so-called "wise and prudent." 
 
 The former — the wise — have their schools to follow, the 
 latter — the prudent — self-interests to consider. 
 
 Experience teaches us that there is an Evolution in 
 Religion, as in all things else: ever}' religion and each 
 denomination of that religion, is the outcome of the phreno- 
 logical development of the people who profess it. The 
 warm, vital, and strongly marked motive temperaments of the 
 Red Indians, Hindoo Dervishers, African Fetish worshippers, 
 and the Pacific Islanders — is shown in the mode of conducting 
 their religious services. 
 
 A modified form of this temperament can be traced in 
 the English Ranting Methodists, now nearly replaced by the 
 Salvationists. 
 
 The gradual refining and toning down of tlie boisterous 
 in the .services of the intermediate denominations, till we 
 arrive at the orderly, unemotional High Church Congregation, 
 where the vital and motive temperaments are overpowered, 
 and well under the sway of the mental, is vividly apparent 
 in the artistic taste, luxurious ease, and undemonstrative 
 reserve which characterises their churches and modes of 
 worship. 
 
 Place a High Churchman in a Salvation Barracks, 
 and the excessive energ}- which their superior ph3'sical health 
 and strength, throws into all they say and do, would 
 probabl}- so jar upon his ner\'es, and keen sensibilities, as 
 to appear little short of sacrilege, forgetting to allow that 
 this extreme euerg}- and noise is carried into every act of 
 their lives. ^ 
 
 On the other hand, a Salvationist in a High Church, 
 would be equally out of place, and as incapable of forming
 
 2i6 Gleams of Light and 
 
 a correct judgment of the motives of the congregation, the 
 artistic dreaminess of the place would so lull sight and sense, 
 that before long, sleep would be welcomed in preference to 
 the cold, unsociable quiet of the worshippers. 
 
 A mental and aspirational mode of worship to this 
 useful class of hewers of wood and drawers of water is 
 totally unknown. 
 
 The intermediate denominations seem to possess, by reason 
 of phrenological formations, neither the extreme physical 
 zeal of the one, nor the extreme mental bias of the other. 
 
 The Spiritualist on the other hand possesses the 
 equally balanced mental motive and vital temperament, — which 
 avoids the extremes of both the foregoing t3'pes and e\olves 
 from all the religious denominations all over the world, a 
 set of logical thinkers, who ha\'e ki/ozvlcdgc as tlic basis of 
 their belief. 
 
 They have siifificient mentality to be able to do their 
 own thinking, sufficient motive to follow the ground traversed, 
 bv those who pose as authorities, and sufficient vitality to 
 courageousl}" accept that which they have personally proved 
 to be true, and proclaim it, however much opposed bv those 
 who have not had the same stead}' bold capacity. 
 
 We gather from communications and the foregoing inves- 
 tigations that there are cycles of re-births (not on the earth 
 previously inhabited) but stages of progression upwards 
 and onwards. The Theosophical theory of Karma (or present 
 ills being the compensating results of evils perpetrated during 
 the last life on earth) is quite unknown to au}- Spirits named 
 and consulted by the Recorder in these pages. They know of 
 no Karma beyond the one of hereditary ancestry, wherein the 
 lustful, selfish, or vicious parent entails an enfeebled body, or 
 inharmonious brain organism on their offspring, for their 
 child's Spirit to contend with. This we learn is the only 
 origin and perpetuation of evil on the earth. The world
 
 G/i/ii/'Scs thro the Rift. 217 
 
 called earth has known many avatars (saviours) besides the 
 Christian one — neither will he be the last. The Earthites 
 are not sufficiently purified to do without their periodical 
 Saviours, to work the necessary revolutions which result in 
 evolution. 
 
 When these periodical Saviours are not necessary, man 
 will then have learned how to receive individually, and follow 
 the advice and leading of the Angels. 
 
 "I know that through the dismal night, 
 A Spirit robed in purest while. 
 Is walking, veiled from mortal sight; 
 
 A figure which I cannot see. 
 And yet it's hand all tenderly 
 Is in my own, and leadeth me. 
 
 I cannot see it, yet I know 
 The Spirit by my side. .\nd lo! 
 Ifs light is with me as 1 go. 
 
 .\nd though I stray in lands unknown, 
 That Spirit hand within my own, 
 Will never let me feel alone. 
 
 For when the way is dark and long, 
 And spectre forms around me throng, 
 To still my laugh, and hush my song. 
 
 When through a wear>' desert land, 
 
 I falter, and cm scarcely stand, , 
 
 I feel the comfort of that hand. 
 
 An inwar.l Ii.:,'hl of love and peace. 
 That follows me, and will not cease, 
 But strengthens with a fond increase. 
 
 A light, that sometimes, when my tears 
 Are blinding me, with mist and fears — 
 Like an unclouded east appears. 
 
 What though there spreads a mist to hide, 
 The figure walking at my .side — 
 The gulf is neither deep nor wide. 
 
 But when at last my journey done, 
 Shall bring the setting of the sun, 
 And end of labours here begun. 
 
 / know the close of life will be, 
 .•V sundered veil, when I shall see, 
 The Spirit Guardian leading me." 
 
 2 K
 
 2i8 Gleams of Light and 
 
 Knowledge of Spiritual laws will alone rend tlie veil of 
 materialism and doubt, which hides the world of Spirits 
 from the world of matter; then man will delight to walk 
 and talk with angels, instead of, as now, questioning their 
 existence : and the long looked for millenium will in very 
 deed commence on earth. 
 
 Objections might be made as to the very trivial nature 
 of the communications often received which mostly concern 
 individuals and their mode of procedure, in reference to their 
 daily duties, and their attitude to their fellowmen. — These 
 cjmmunings may — and very possibly do, seem trivial to an 
 uninterested listener, but they are of paramount importance 
 to the personage addressed, and ma}^ be direct and clear 
 answers to pra3'ers wrung from swajdng minds incapable 
 of deciding which is the right course to take out of several, 
 arising from diversity of opinion. 
 
 Does not Holy Writ detail equally trivial instances to 
 these herein recorded. 
 
 After Jacob had deceived his father and brother, left 
 his home in fear, and was wandering alone, along the weary 
 road leading to his uncle's house — the Lord God of his 
 father's family appeared to him, and promised to be with 
 him and bring him back to his home in peace, and that 
 he would also give to him the land on which he then lav. 
 
 Is not this trivial ? Especially when to us Jacob 
 appeared as a culprit who deserved rebuke, not blessing, 
 yet the ultimate fulfilment of the promise shows that God 
 judgeth not as man judgeth. — That the • angels from 
 heaven sliould interfere with the colour of the sheeps' 
 fleece in order to keep faith with Jacob, seems more trivial 
 still. 
 
 The sudden and transient appearance of the writing on 
 the wall at Belshazzar's feast, is another fact deemed worth 
 recording in the Sacred Scriptures, and this is of daily
 
 G/iinpscs thro tJic Rift. 219 
 
 occurrence in writing seances, where angels can write, but 
 seldom speak, the message they wish to give to earth. 
 
 Again, wh\- should the Bible relate that an angel 
 appeared to Hagar and pointed out a spot where she would 
 find water for her sick bov Ishmael, when man had shut her 
 out from human sympathy, through the nature of the social 
 wrong doue to Sarah by her. God sees not as man sees. 
 He commissions ministering Spirits to attend on all who 
 deign to receive their kindly ofiices, good and bad alike. 
 
 Wo liovcr o'er the scenes of earth. 
 
 With Messings from the spheres: 
 We stimulate to harmless mirth. 
 
 The child of tender years: 
 We sanctify the lover's vow. 
 
 With many a holy thrill: 
 Of care and anfO'isli smooth the brow. 
 
 And happine.ss instil 
 In minds, which faint amiil the heat 
 
 Of earth's sad scene of woe : 
 In hearts which madly wildly heat 
 
 We cause a peace to flow, 
 .■\nd breathe a benediction sweet 
 
 On toiling man below. 
 .•\Nr> VET Ot:R VOICK FAI.LS IX'KOLKSS. 
 
 On many a human car. 
 For though our purpose is to bless. 
 
 By banishing the fear 
 Of death, which mars the peace of man 
 
 While in this mundane sphere. 
 To scatter from his thoughts the ban 
 
 Of hell and demon's leer, — 
 THE PRIDK OF M.-\N doth oft refuse. 
 
 An angel's voice to hear. 
 And thus do men a blessing lose 
 
 From angels hovering near. 
 
 That an angel should appear to Gideon in order to 
 inform him to go and fight the Alidianites and he would 
 be with him to conquer, and furthermore vouchsafed to 
 give him as a sign fire from a rock to consume his meat 
 and cakes, with two other signs in accordance with doubting 
 Gideon's request, seems anything but the attitude a Nine- 
 teenth Century critic would expect from a Heavenly Messenger,
 
 2 20 Gleajiis of Light and 
 
 and ^•et the Sacred Writings not only record this, but many 
 errands c^n which angels were sent quite as mundane, and 
 apparently trivial. A man appeared to Manasah's wife when 
 in the field and prophecied that she should become a mother, 
 giving her instructions in I'eference to diet, mode of life, 
 &c. She told her husband, who not only believed her, but 
 prayed God that he might come again, the prayer was 
 answered, and Manasah had the satisfaction of proving that 
 the man was an angel from heaven. None but a Spiritualist, 
 or one accustomed to hold, or was instructed in the possibility 
 of holding communion with Angels, would believe his wife if 
 she related such an adventure, yet the sequel proved the 
 Angel correct, and the child (vSamson) as prophesied.
 
 #kam ix
 
 G/iw/>sts thro the Rift. 
 
 223 
 
 iTonrluslons. 
 
 "Who (lares to seek within the veil, 
 That mental meed that saints affonl, 
 Must nccils in head, be of such mould, 
 That when convinced, he ko^s with hold 
 And fearless heart, in pure accord. 
 With sacred sanction from the Lord, 
 And tells the world the glorious tale." 
 
 Director. 
 
 HK s;()i)d kin.n's of Israel were in tlie habit of 
 liaviiig well proven instances of the andible and 
 \isible leadings of Providential Angels carefnlly 
 preserved within the Sacred walls of the temple, 
 and it is from these Divinely treasured docnments 
 that the Hebrew Scriptnres were collected; 
 a translation of these, together with fragiuentary 
 records of the visible and audible outpouring 
 ^" of the Spiritual agencies of [the Holy Ghost — 
 
 ' instead of Holy Ghosts) which followed the 
 
 teachings of the lowly Nazarine, constitute the Protestant 
 Bible. A careful examination of these records, show that 
 the recipients of these Invisible companions, were of hiimble 
 origin, bom to hard work, misunderstandings and sorrow ; 
 of lowly mind, S3inpathetic with sin and sinners; because 
 more occupied with their owni failings than those of others. 
 Their Wise Unseen Lords teach them to know that the erring
 
 224 
 
 Glcaiii$ of Lii^ht and 
 
 are often more sinned against by their progenitors and con- 
 demners than actnall_y sinning themselves. This gives them 
 a love for all mankind good and bad alike, imitating their 
 noble Exampler who was often denounced by the Pharisees 
 when found eating and drinking with Sinners and Publicans. 
 Pharisees are unable to jerceive that the humble-minded 
 sinners' friends are about their Father's business. Gideon, 
 Daniel, Moses, Joseph, Mordecai, and Jesus were all of humble 
 birth, lowly in mind ; and if wealth and honour were bestowed 
 upon them, they had too entirely given themsehes up to the 
 Guidance of the Masters who visited them in the Glory 
 Paths leading from the heavens, to be tempted to place anv 
 value upon the fleeting pleasures of the world and the flesh: 
 this wealth like themselves they dedicated to the Lord and 
 his Service. 
 
 Why should not the direct interpositions of Providence 
 be tabulated for preservation in the Sacred Buildings of 
 to-day? Divine leading has ne\'er ceased; Man ma^' cease 
 to desire Divine guidance, but God has never ceased to guide 
 those who are willing to be guided. There is no occasion 
 for men to question, cavil, and waste precious time debating 
 as to whether the miracles of the Old Book are possible or 
 impossible, when they are being repeated dail}- in the lives 
 of individuals, who, like Noah of old, fear not the scoffing 
 voices of those who are too much wedded to the pleasures of 
 sense, to listen to the warning voice of the illumined seer; 
 who, full of sympathetic love, would fain save individuals 
 from coming ills, by kindh' warnings; vexing their righteous 
 souls with unappreciated j-eamings for those of wrong doers. 
 
 It is plainly stated in Holy Writ that the father of 
 Jesus Christ was a ghost, — a Holy Ghost. This being so, 
 light is thrown on the origin of the white or Jewish race, 
 taken in conjunction with the experiences of the modem 
 seance room. From the simple statements made in Genesis,
 
 G/if/i/'Sts thro the Rift. 2 2 s 
 
 it is plaiuly appareut to the initiated, that Eve was a 
 materialized Spirit, a ghost, materialized from p3\-choplasm 
 taken from Adam's ribs, when God caused a deep sleep to 
 fall upon him. clearly identical with the entranced state of 
 a materialized medium. Whether Adam was originally a 
 ghost or not. Sacred histories say not, but this is the most 
 feasible origin of the first man and woman on earth ; he 
 being thus a veritable son of God. would account for "The 
 Fall" of Spirit into matter. Contact of the sexes on earth 
 introduced them to temptation, and brought them the know- 
 ledge of El'IL as well as good; the organ of generation is 
 represented as the serpent which tempted Eve; this feasible 
 explanation makes the peculiar nature of the consequences 
 which followed the disobedience of Adam and Eve more 
 reasonable than if their act had been one of an edible 
 disobedience instead of a lustful one; for to this latter can 
 be traced the origin of every ill that man is heir to. 
 
 Granting this to be the origin of the Adaniic Jew, it is 
 a noticable fact that Jews are all white, and no matter where 
 he ma}- reside, or what his nationality may be, he never 
 changes colour beyond the passing ordinary tan. The Jews 
 of the present day are de-;cended from only two tribes, the 
 other ten tribes are scattered over the earth, and according 
 to prophecy were to become more numerous than the sands 
 on the sea shore; this can be applied to the white man only, 
 for no other race has fulfilled this prophec}- so fully. 
 
 We apph- the term "Jewish" to those races in toto which 
 are now known as Circassian, for we have no verj' ancient 
 record of white men other than the Bible. This is the only 
 account revealed to earth of the white man's origin, and it 
 is sufficient to justify our adoption of the term Jewish in 
 relation to all people, beside the Ethiopian, Egj'ptian, Mon- 
 golian, and the Indian, together with the natives of those 
 islands adjacent to the continents. 
 
 2 G
 
 226 Ghams of Light and 
 
 If Adam were a red man, and if during the trance con- 
 dition, one of a new order of beings was materialized from 
 his side, — just as is the case with materialized Spirits to 
 this day well known to the initiates of the Sacred Mj-steries, 
 and experienced by many modern Spiritualists; — what was 
 there to deter — as the result of an union between the red 
 man, and the angelic being Eve — her choice, in finally 
 remaining in contact with matter, and as a consequence the 
 CREA TION of a superior race of beings, — of white colour — 
 which has ultimated through dispersion and exogamy in the 
 Circassian race, and multiplied as the sands on the sea-shore. 
 
 We advance this idea not dogmatically but as a shaft 
 of light to those earnest thoughtful minds, who love to 
 study the origin of types and races.
 
 Diagram — 
 
 THE N A T I V I T Y O K THE L A D V. 
 
 Phi file lines and Fipires":— Radix. Green Lines and Figures .—Solar Return. 
 Red Lines and Figures; — Progressive. 
 
 Date of Birth:— june 28th, 1840. 10.48 a.m. 
 
 Saturn opposition Mars m.c. :— " Expect not to escape the envj- and malice of those 
 from whom you will little expect such trf-atment, much less deserve it. But in some 
 ingratitude is not only grafted into their nature, but makes up their very nfe."—£xlract 
 
 from Partridge on Persons bom June 2Sth, 1840.
 
 <Pkam ^, 
 
 ?i!Uiat Is .Hstrologn. 
 
 "KnowledRc, by favour sent 
 Down from the empyrean, to forewarn us timely." Milton. 
 
 "The stars in their courses fouj^ht a);ainst Sisera." 
 
 Hebrru.' Scriptures. Judges v. 20. 
 
 "Can'st thou bind tlie sweet influences of I'leiailes. or loose the bands of 
 Orien .' 
 
 Can'st thou brinj; forth Mazzaroth in his sea.son, or can'st thou guide 
 Arcturus with his sons.-" Job xxxviii. 31, 32.
 
 G/iw/>sts thro the Ri/t. 229 
 
 ASTROLOGY. 
 
 Man is an epitome of all l>elow and a focus for all above. 'I'he Piirctor. 
 
 ••.\slrolog_v is an attainment of the conlinKeiice and events of futurity 
 from a natural cause, implanted in the motion ami influence of the spheres, which 
 it is at once honourable ami praiseworthy to study." Sibley. 
 
 S we find the action of the stars on man are 
 .simply iii^iiifs, and the elements of which his 
 liuDV is composed subjects of the same, so we 
 find that ns they are situated in the outward 
 world at the time of birth, either as to stniigth 
 or u'ad-//iss, so shall be the inward weakness 
 or \igour of the vital parts of the man born 
 under them. In this action of the stars upon 
 man, it leaves the will of the .soi'l, totally un- 
 constrained, while the body or corruptible 
 part t)Ni.v is influenced, which allures and attracts the will, 
 and, as observation and experience shows us, too commonly 
 leads it captive to all the excesses and intemperances of 
 the material passions. 
 
 But as this is the utmost effect the force of the stars, 
 or the power of the elements is found to produce on our 
 nature ; so the doctrine of Astrologv* goes no further than 
 to define and explain them through all the tracks of occult
 
 2^o G lea Ills of Light and 
 
 speculation and science, just as that of phj^sic aspires after 
 the cure of physical maladies. 
 
 From personal study and observation we know Astrology 
 to be a true science, based on mathematical calculations; if 
 the figures of the nativity are computed properly, the events 
 predicted will as certainly take place at the times calculated, 
 as does the eclipse of the Moon; the rising and setting 
 of the Sun, and the re-appearance and position of Comets. 
 The study of the effects of the Sun, Moon, and Comets 
 is the easiest branch of Astrology, and because the results, 
 the effects of these large orbs bring about, can be seen 
 without study, this branch is universally acknowledged. The 
 same geometrical deductions which with certainty can predict 
 the one, can also predict from the other. 
 
 "Astrology is to exact Astronomy what Psychology is to exact Physiology. In 
 Astrology and Psychology one has to step beyond the visible world of matter, and 
 
 enter into the domain of transcendent Spirit." 
 
 A/.s- / inrilcil. 
 
 Everv thing in nature luoves in cycles — cycles within 
 cycles — wheels within wheels — and tends to repeat itself. 
 Astrology and Astronomy are the same science, the latter is 
 exoteric, the former sesoteric, and is applied to the ob.servation 
 of the Sun, Moon, Planets, and Comets, and includes the 
 effects of these orbs upon man, who, formed of the same 
 elements is subject to the same laws of whicli the planets 
 being larger form indices. 
 
 Man's body is an epitome of the eartli, and therefore 
 contains something of e\erything of which it is composed, 
 in varying proportions; in this way tliey become batteries 
 for the rays emitted from all larger and more powerful 
 bodies in Creation, and thus generate a varietv of forces. 
 Everyone realizes that the Sun emits a different kind of force 
 to what the Moon does, and that both affect man, if the 
 large orbs, why not the smaller ones ? One man's mind affects.
 
 G/iw/'Sts thro tlu Ri/t. 231 
 
 alters and regulates another man's mind; yet man is small 
 compared to a star: in this kind of magnetic influence distance 
 is of no account as we hope to make apparent. 
 
 If in the nativity of a person born near noon the ( ) Sun 
 is found to be unafBicted by cross rays from other orbs, and 
 to receive favourable aspects of the benefics ( ■:: ) Jupiter and 
 ( 9 ) Venus, who are also found to be unafflicted by the other 
 stellar bodies, especially if at the same time they or the (©) 
 Sun should be in Cardinal signs in the tenth heaven of the 
 Nativity, that person is born to become a Teacher of Men, 
 both by example and precept, and his achievements are sure 
 to receive the notice of Royalt}-, with the honour and respect 
 of his fellow-men either during his life on earth or after, no 
 matter how lowly his station in life may have been. He is 
 a s/firial visscl built up by Xaiidr to con\-ey to men s/^ccial 
 Truths direct from the Pix'iiu Fountain of Truth and 
 Wisdom. 
 
 Each of the planets emits a totally different qualitv of 
 force and when projected against the forces generated in 
 man's chemical composition from ( + )* cross angles, ills and 
 cro.s.ses are the lot of the person boni at the time the 
 heavenly orbs were in such opposing juxtaposition. If the 
 ( > ) Moon configurate in such cross aspects the evils are 
 from without, arising from the external world, and unavoid- 
 able contact with it; they are apparent onh-, not real, and 
 disappear with the death of the body; but if the (©) Sun 
 is at cross angular distances with planets, especially afflicted 
 planets, the evils arise from within, are premeditated, prenatal, 
 or deserved, and last beyond time, unless conscious efforts 
 are made to counteract these evils, b}- taking advantage of 
 the trine, or harmonious flow of these forces. 
 
 This is the Astrological SN-mbol of the Trinit\- and the 
 Cross. 
 
 • See Plate of Diagrams .
 
 2^2 Glcaiiis of IJ gilt and 
 
 The real object of the study of Astrology is to show 
 the "times" in a persons life: when to perform an act, and 
 when to withhold from such performance: the times to 
 counteract the evils one is born to, and the times to court 
 the good indicated by a knowledge of an individual's nativity. 
 There is a time for every purpose under the Sun says 
 Solomon the Wise King. 
 
 ".Jl time to lausli, 
 A time to en', 
 A time to live, 
 .A time to die." 
 "A time when the way through life seems new, 
 A time when the sunlight streameth wide, 
 A time when a veil obscures our view, 
 A time when that veil is drawn aside." 
 
 Pirector. 
 
 Thev (.\strologers) niarkeil the influence and observed the power 
 
 Of every sign, and every fatal hour, 
 
 what tempers they bestowed, what fortune gave. 
 
 Who was born a king — who doomed a slave. 
 
 Mail Hill s Cains. 
 
 The effects of these influences are a.s varied as the 
 events which make up the total of what we term life. Thus 
 ( h ) Saturn's ra3's have the power to generate cold and 
 moisture, producing melancholy, malicious thoughts, secret 
 revenge, scheming, planning, &c. If ( b ) Saturn's ra3's are 
 directed from a powerful angle, at the time a person was 
 born the above effects will show themselves in the disposition 
 of that person, in a marked manner; everv time Saturn's 
 rays are directed to the same spot or angular a.spect, and 
 only at such times will the effect be potent. Whereas if 
 ( X ) Jupiter's rays were the most pronounced at the time 
 of birth they produce a natural brightness, joviality, heartiness, 
 truth, magnanimity, health, and forgetfulness of injuries; the 
 effects of these rays unviixcd hy cross aspects are produced 
 in a marked degree every time the planet aspects an angle.
 
 G/iffJ/>siS thro the Rift. 233 
 
 If botli tlicsc planets cast rays, both have a certain power, 
 and tlie ravs of the one will intensify or connteract the ravs 
 of the other in proportion to the strength of their position; 
 a stndy of the potency of these rays, and the times their 
 inflnence will be felt most in comparison with the harmonious, 
 or discordant ravs which the Sun. Moon, and other stellar 
 orbs shed upon the individual at the nativity, is the work 
 which occupies the Astrologer. 
 
 "Astrology is a science as infallible as Astrononiv itself, 
 with this condition however, that its interpreters must be 
 equal] V infallible; and it is this condition (however Sine qua 
 lion, so ver\- difficult of realization) that has always proved a 
 stumbling block to both." — /six L ^iizriAc/. 
 
 It is the first breath an infant draws, charged with the 
 forces, generated from rays then reigning, which indelibly 
 stamps upon its organism the possibilities of the future. A 
 study of these forces in no way results in the doctrine of 
 fatalit\-, but simply shows a natural predisposition to this or 
 that, which is to b^ over-ruled and intelligently directed b\- 
 Spiritual forces on the .-Esoteric planisphere: a knowledge of 
 the strong and weak points in disposition, health and fortune, 
 with the times it is necessary to be on guard is all the 
 Science of Astrology aims at. A .skilled engineer by know- 
 ledge, industry and perseverance is able to turn the direction 
 of a stream from its natural bed into quite a different course ; 
 without tlie engineer's knowledge and efforts, the stream 
 would flow on according to its natural inclination, regardless 
 of its disastrous effects to life and property. Without the 
 power a knowledge of Astrology gives, men follow tlieir 
 natural bent, e\en when it is to the disadvantage of themselves 
 and all around them, and what is worse, through ignorance 
 of the fact that there is a proper fine when the (greatest 
 good ma}- be transmitted in the exercise of every function 
 of Nature, intending parents oftener transmit the evil than 
 
 2 H
 
 2 34 
 
 G/(ii///s of Light and 
 
 the i^ood effects to posterity, thereby niultipl3-ing the evils 
 instead pf diminishing them for unborn generations. 
 
 Nothing apart from Diety can exist without form, 
 therefore harmony and discord must possess forms: these 
 forms are angular, the more perfect and complete the angle 
 the greater the influence it exerts on material bodies. The 
 symbol of discord is a ( x ),* the symbol of harmony a (a). 
 
 When the polarization of forces which result in the crystali- 
 zation of a human body, strike each other from two or more 
 opposing points in the heavens, the magnetic and electric 
 forces — (two modes of action of the same force) — are directed 
 crossways from opposing angles, and the}- cause a commotion 
 which is detrimental to the native. This is the most ancient 
 and true explanation of the origin of the Religious cross, and 
 results in a square ( + )* the expression of sorrow. The 
 harmonioiis vdcys cannot oppose each other from any angle 
 but impinge, and like two rivers meeting, flow on with their 
 united harmonies ( a ). Astrology is thus seen to be the 
 geometrical expression of sorrow and joy in its exoteric 
 form, the aesoteric form which only few astrologers attain 
 to, reveals the ORIGIN and CAUSE of this sorrow or joy, 
 the key to the Sacred AU'steries, this key can only be obtained 
 b\- those who traverse the narrow self-sacrificing road which 
 leads to the SCIENCE OF RELIGION and the Light 
 OF Wisdom. 
 
 , Each planet radiates a separate complexion or colour, 
 which the sun receives in focus, and transmits, with chemical 
 alterations to smaller bodies; these alterations take place 
 within the halo round the body; and just as a prism can 
 separate these colours, so is the science of Astrology able 
 to analyze the infliience they have on the bodies and minds 
 of mankind. 
 
 * See Plate of Diagrams.
 
 Glimf>Si-s thro the Rift. 235 
 
 Not only does each planet transmit a colonr specially 
 generated within itself, but each planet transmits to earth 
 the necessary force for the manifestation of one or other of 
 the physical senses. As we are now nearing the dawn of 
 the sixth C3'cle, so the influence of ( ' 1 ^ IVanus, whom the 
 ancients called Ouranous, the father of Saturn, has entered 
 into the circle of the Solar System fsic diai^rai/ij, and is 
 manifesting gradually in mankind a sixtli sense, or a 
 Spiritual perception. Positive Science too is perceiving a 
 colour in tlie prismatic spectrum be\-ond the violet which 
 had not previously been considered. 
 
 Neptune's influence is at present only exerted on insolated 
 individuals, but these few know, and can predict that his 
 influence on the Earthite in the seventh cycle, will have as 
 refining and purifying an influence on love and marriage, 
 lifting it from the sensual and physical plane to that of tlie 
 mental and Spiritual, just as the influence Hershell's { u ) raj-s 
 have effected on the intellectual faculties, compelling man to 
 do his own thinking on all subjects, religion included. lYoiv 
 a child at twelve years of age has more intellectual advan- 
 tages than his progenitors had at maturit}', yet the influence 
 of this planet is at present only embryonic, and will bear 
 him on the ascending arc from the Iron Age, God ward again. 
 
 The religious aspect of Astrology is Universal, it 
 embraces every religiou and creed known to the earth man, 
 and while it shows that each man can but grasp mentally 
 a bit — a small bit — of the Universal Religious Plan during 
 the fifth era, it demonstrates by means of the ( n ) the ( a ) and 
 their subdivisions the direction from which the celestial 
 influx flows to the bod\-, and determines the kind of views 
 the native is capable of grasping to the exclusion of others. 
 
 All persons will not be able to unite in one l^niversal 
 Religion throughoiit the earth's dominions until the close of 
 the seventh cycle. There is yet another planet (Hercules)
 
 236 
 
 Gleams of I^iglif mid 
 
 which in the path\va\' of our sun will exert its influence on 
 man before the long-looked-for niillenium will reign. Every 
 person will then be in the full possession of psychic and 
 physical senses; wars, revolutions, and persecutions will mark 
 the road at every upward advancing step, but then, when 
 this point is reached, all wars will cease, and the lion will 
 lie down with the lamb; the united forces of two sides of 
 the zodiacal trinity of harmony, ( \i ) Leo and ( t ") Aries will 
 impinge, and, fork like, flow on with increased power, ( a ) ex- 
 erting by radiation their harmonious influence on all men, both 
 materially and Spiritually. 
 
 The celestial, the angelic, the arc-angelic, and the 
 seraphic heavens will be opened to man, for then all will 
 kmnv from the least to the greatest, that men and angels 
 walk and talk naturally together. 
 
 Astrologv is a material science, and its practical use is 
 limited; but to the Divinely illumined soul it becomes a 
 prophetic angel of light, and a natural focus for the .•Esoteric 
 rays of Divinity. 
 
 Astrologv is a purelv mathematical and physical science, 
 based on the fact that dense bodies at angles receive each 
 other's rays. 
 
 The nativity of an individual is cast by a careful con- 
 sideration of the aspects formed by the various heavenly 
 bodies in the particular latitude, where, and at the time, the 
 advent into this world is made \>\ that indi\idual. 
 
 From the moment of birth the infant becomes in itself 
 {i.c its body) a battery, and whenever complete aspects are 
 formed (similar to those at birth) in the heavens — the body 
 of that individiial being material, or composed of physical 
 elements — an electricity is unconsciously generated, varying 
 in nature according to the planet emitting the rays, which 
 has its effect in the life of that person, bv producing those 
 changes in circumstances, temper, health, happiness, pain,
 
 Vl\GR\Sl:-S/iowi>ig .y/agm/ic Cunviils, riilm>,. .V.rcuiy. ft'iius. Eculh, 
 
 Mars, Jupiter. Saliini, and Hcrschel. 
 
 Red Rays :— Primary Currcnls, Planets to Sun. 
 
 Green, Blue, and Bamd Rays .— Secondary Currents. Planet to Planet.
 
 I 

 
 G/i>fi/<ses fJno the Rift. 237 
 
 anxiety, and jov, which are sometimes so mysterious, uncalled 
 for, sudden, unmerited, and withal welcome or unwelcome, 
 which make up tlie phenomena called life. 
 
 The ancients gave much thought and observation to the 
 science of Astrology; all men of learning made it a speciality, 
 hence their greater accuracy than in this hurrying age, when 
 it is studied merel}- as a pastime. 
 
 There is no incentive to the modern student of Astral 
 lore, in these sceptical times, to obsen-e much beyond his 
 own nativit\ , and those who directh^ concern him ; and even 
 these take up the study more to satisfy a natural inquiry, 
 as to whether Noah, Daniel, Samuel, and other admirable 
 Bible Astrologers were really self-deluded, and Astrolog\- a 
 questionable science — as modem scientists teach ; — or whether 
 Astrology has exploded as a science from intellectual stupor 
 and lack of native observation in applying it, amid the whirl 
 of commercial life. 
 
 \\'e should advise all to do their own tliinking on this 
 subject — to give their spare hours for a few vears to the 
 study of this Divine science, and then give their opinion to 
 the world; but until they have, it is well for them to hold 
 a Reverential silence, and not permit others to think for them, 
 who possibh- in their turn have never given an hour's 
 thought to this time-honoured science, not even attempted to 
 master its first principles. Are such capable of giving opinion? 
 And what is it worth when given? 
 
 The same advice applies to those who would on the 
 evidence of others condemn Spiritualism. 
 
 You may be siire when you hear a man who professes 
 to have investigated Spiritualism, and found it a fraud, and 
 its mediums impostors, that this investigator has heard truths 
 from the Spirit world, in reference to his plotting, scheming, 
 over-reaching, secretive, false life, that are far too true, for 
 his diplomatic character to gd honour froyn men by the light
 
 2^8 Gleams of Li^ht and 
 
 of Spirit teaching (the true Spirit teaching), so with a high 
 hand he Strives to "put it down." Vain man! as if that 
 which is of God can ever effectually be "put down?" 
 
 "If the name of Astrology- fell into disrepute in Rome 
 and elsewhere, it was owing to the fraud of those who 
 wanted to make money by means of that which was part 
 and parcel of the Sacred Science of the Mysteries, and 
 ignorant of the latter, evolved a system based oitircly upon 
 mathematics, instead of on transcendental metaphysics, and 
 having the physical Celestial bodies as its iipadhi or material 
 basis. Yet all persecutions notwithstanding, the number of 
 adherents of Astrology among the most intellectual and 
 scientific minds was always very great. If Cardan and 
 Kelper were among its ardent supporters then its later votaries 
 have nothing to blush for, even in its now imperfect and 
 distorted form." — Tlnvsop/iical Glossary. 
 
 From a review of the works left b^- ancient literary 
 lights we find frequent mention made of the Science in such 
 form as to prove that they not only understood its ^teachings, 
 but firmly relied on the occult predictions deducted therefrom. 
 Daniel owed his honours and position in the king's palace 
 to his superior skill in judging from the Astrological signs 
 of the stars. 
 
 "FuU often learn the art to know, 
 Of future weal and future woe, 
 By word or sign or star." 
 
 Scott. 
 
 The father of English poets writes — 
 
 "For in the stars, clearer than in a glass 
 Is written God wot, whoso could rede, 
 The death of every man, withouten drede.' 
 
 Dante termed Astrolog}'
 
 Diagram — 
 
 Till-; NATIVITY OF T. S. \V. 
 
 PuipU Lines and Figures : -Radix. Green Lines and Figures -.Solar Retur 
 Red Lines and Figures .—Progressive. 
 
 Date of Birth : — September 2nd. 1858. £ 
 date of death:- may 5th. 1881. 3 p.m.
 
 p 
 
 I
 
 r 
 
 I 
 
 G/iw/>sts thro the Rift. 239 
 
 "Heaven's <;ol(ien alphabet. 
 Which he who nius may read 
 The virtue and motion of the sacred orbs ; 
 As mallet by the workman's hand, must need 
 By blessed movers be inspired." 
 
 Dante. 
 
 Diseases which are attended with inflanunation and fever 
 have always been fonnd to fall to the lot of those who were 
 boni when Mars was prominent and badl}- afflicted; the 
 illnesses come when Mars b\' progressive motion comes into 
 cross aspect with the afflicting planet or planets, and so on 
 with all the other orbs. 
 
 W'hen Mars is nnafflicted by cross ra3'S at birth it gives 
 energy, vitalit}", and power to assume leadership. 
 
 Oh 1 star of strength I I see thee stand 
 And smile xipon my pain. 
 
 Longfellow. 
 
 The stars o'er man's poor trivial body ride, 
 .\nd raise or lower it easier than a tide, 
 In the eternal volume of the sky. 
 The stars displayed, are characters on high. 
 Where man may read his future and his fate. 
 If dim the tale seem. — 'tis his .sunken state, 
 Unfit by sin, that bright page to de.scry, 
 Writ bv the finger of the Deitv. 
 
 ^rilton. 
 
 And taught the fixed 
 
 Their influence malignant when to shower.
 
 €>kam xi 
 
 'Aild to vour faith knowledge " 
 
 S/. Paul. 
 
 2 I
 
 G/ivi/'Sis thro the Rift. 
 
 24,- 
 
 4Jsi)rl)if ^JI)orogiapl)i). 
 
 "From Sources of little worth come the precious things of earth." 
 
 Buddhisl Scriptures. 
 
 E who gains knowledge of the Universe, b}' 
 means of his sonl travelling directly to the 
 Cause of things, is alone the world's True 
 Teacher. 
 
 A man lazily watching the lid of the tea 
 kettle, received knowledge from the Universal 
 Fountain wliich was destined to revolutionize 
 the methods of locomotion throughout the entire 
 world. 
 
 The school men who build up systems of 
 external knowledge from text books, deem the Soul Illumined 
 discoveries of the unworldly and physically-lazy dreamers 
 as the presumptuous ravings of silly lunatics; as such. Xewton 
 was incarcerated in a mad-house. 
 
 The world's greatest benefactors are always persecuted 
 by their would-be-wise contemporaries. These see only their 
 pet theories and self interests at stake ; those lose sight of 
 "their own small interests," in their sympathetic desire to 
 benefit Universal mankind. 
 
 Who but the Divinely-Inspired observ-er himself ever
 
 244 Gleams of -Lio/if and 
 
 thought that the apparently insignificant observation of a 
 dimly oi^tlined flower on a stone would ultimately develop 
 into the beautiful art called Daguerreotj-pe, again lately 
 improved into Photography in its now many phases of re- 
 production. 
 
 In order to prove that trifles are not to be scoffed at, 
 we could if space permitted demonstrate that from trifles 
 the radical changes in history and the destiny of nations 
 have arisen ; in passing we merely call attention to the fact 
 and leave the student to search himself for proof of the 
 statement: both memory and history will doubtless call to 
 his attention man}' illustrations of this truth. 
 
 It is not without much thought, observation, and Interior 
 Illumination that we present to the notice of those who see, 
 that from small beginnings come great results, the most 
 marvellous of our investigations in the occult realm of 
 Nature's Revelations. 
 
 Religiously following the interior prompting which the 
 present day schools discard as " Imagination'' and which they 
 relegate to a high, not-to-be-cleared shelf, among the dust and 
 cobwebs of neglect, we have attempted to reduce this litter 
 from experimental chaos into some kind of scientific order, 
 and we now present it to our readers for present information ; 
 and future generations to enlarge and build a Spiritual 
 Demonstrating Science upon. 
 
 Most photographers during the development of their 
 plates, have occasionally had what thev call "fogged plates;" 
 the}' have not expended much time, if an}', in attempting 
 to ascertain the cause of the fog: as far as the}- know they 
 have taken the same precautions to prevent fog as in the 
 manipulation of previous plates; still while developing packet 
 after packet of excellent make, one or more is cloudy, 
 the image is not clear, and in some cases not discernible at 
 all ; in these latter cases the busy photographer has no time
 
 G/impsii thro the Rift. 245 
 
 to waste, he writes for his customer to give him another 
 sitting", and the plate-maker is anathamatized for turning 
 out bad ones. "It cannot be the drugs," he argues, "because 
 tlie rest of tlie plates are all right, neither can it be the 
 light, the operator, nor the developer, for if such were the 
 case all the negatives would suffer alike. 
 
 In the light which we ma\- throw on these irregular 
 productions, we suggest that these plates should be completed, 
 printed from, and howe\er ridiculous, unskilful, or inartistic 
 the results, that they should be lodged with the President of 
 the local Photographic Society, and even if not understood or 
 appreciated that they should be preserved among the valuables 
 of that Society. Should a human form appear in the mist, 
 no matter how indistinct, we advise that the Photographer 
 should communicate privately with his customer, ascertain if 
 such a fonn was, or is known to them, consult his customer's 
 wishes as to whether the fact should be made public beyond 
 the Society and act accordingly. 
 
 It is now about twent\' years since the Revelations of 
 Psychic Photography caused a rumbling in the ground upon 
 which the nineteenth century materialist rested — a rumbling 
 prophetic — indicative of the earthcjuake shock which is to 
 overthrow the deductions of material science. If the testi- 
 mony of truthful, honest, prominent men and women of all 
 ages is needed to corroborate the experiments herein given, 
 the}- will be found in the writings of such leanied occult 
 investigators as the late Stainton Moses, M.A., Mrs. E. H. 
 Britten, and others. 
 
 In these pages we intend to confine ourselves to oiir 
 owTi experiences and hold ourselves responsible for the verity 
 of all herein recorded. 
 
 When the voice purporting to be the lady's dead lover 
 advised her to go to a photographers for her portrait, and he 
 would tr\- to come on the plate also, and prove to her in
 
 246 G/caiiis oj Lio^lit and 
 
 this way that he was risen, though Unseen ; she concluded 
 that any photographer would do, and accordingly went to 
 one close at hand, stating her object, and requesting that 
 several plates might be exposed if there should be nothing 
 on the first. Accordingly four plates were exposed in the 
 presence of two clairvoyants and the operator; both clair- 
 voyants saw the Spirit standing by the side of the lady, but 
 the development of the plate showed nothing but the lady 
 herself The photographer, not believing in the existence of 
 o-hosts, did not seem disposed to pursue the experiments 
 further, and so the matter dropped as far as the photographer 
 and the lady were concerned, but not so the Spirit, who, at 
 a subsequent seance, advised her to learn photography herself, 
 so that he might have the opportunity of demonstrating his 
 continued existence by this means, and give her this incon- 
 testable proof to clear away any doubt which might hereafter 
 arise through conversation with modern Sadducees.. 
 
 This she resolved to do, and spoke to several friends 
 one after the other who were amateur photographers, with 
 the endeavour to solicit their interest, co-operation, and 
 services as teacher, but one and all treated her as we are 
 apt to treat a harmless lunatic, or a child who wants im- 
 possible toys. 
 
 So once more she was compelled to take refuge in 
 QUIETNESS AND CONFIDENCE, realizing that if it 
 were God's will that this experience should be hers, it would 
 come; and at the proper time her eyes would be opened to 
 the wavs and means of acquiring it. With these resigned 
 thoughts the matter again dropped. 
 
 Circumstances, other interests and the mixed elements 
 introduced by the various minds who attended the open 
 seances, prevented the subject being brought forward, therefore 
 it was with some surprise, that she heard about six months 
 after, a strange voice from the Unseen addressing her with
 
 G/u///>sts thro the Rijt. 247 
 
 these words "Go to J — . P — . artist, P — . Road — ,H — . he 
 will teach you photography." 
 
 As this was a part of the town she was unacquainted 
 with and the name in no way familiar, it was with mingled 
 feelings of hope, curiosity, expectancy, and fear, tliat she set 
 Dut next day in search of the address; much to her relief 
 this was correct, and almost before she was aware of it, 
 slie found herself standing face to face with a delicate 
 sensitive man of few words, whose eyes seemed to protrude 
 and dance with an interior pleasure, which nothing in the 
 extremely short inter\iew seemed to warrant or give cause 
 for. 
 
 "Are von Mr. J. P r"" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Do \-ou understand photography?" (His lionie was a 
 private house wliich gave no indication that he was a 
 photographic artist. 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Will you undertake to give me lessons?" 
 
 "Yes."" 
 
 "I may as well tell you tliat mv object in learning is 
 to see if it is possible to pliotograph a ghost, and I would 
 rather tell you before-liand, so that if you object to this 
 kind of thing on principle, vou niav not feel that I have 
 deceived you."' 
 
 "Yes," he again said, nodding with an air of satisfaction. 
 
 "Would it be convenient for vou to come to my house 
 next Tuesday at 3 p.m.?" 
 
 "Yes. 
 
 As there was nothing more to be said by the lady, and 
 the artist seemed too much astonished to sa\' anything, she 
 handed him her address and took her departure, exceedingly 
 well pleased to find that the voice of the Unseen had guided 
 her aright so far. She knew now more forcibly than she
 
 248 Gleams of Light and 
 
 had ever known before in her life, was that she being "led 
 by paths that she knew not of." Still the manner and lack 
 of words which this remarkabl}^ meek man displa^-ed was a 
 puzzle which no amount of thinking seemed to solve. 
 
 Tuesday came, and at the close of the lesson when the 
 lady made mention of the, fee for his services, he seemed 
 for the first time to find a command of words, the lesson 
 had been entirely practical with no theory. 
 
 "No," he said, "I mnst take no money for my services; 
 1 knew you were coming to hi}- house, but I did not know 
 what for." 
 
 "Why? how did you know?" 
 
 "An Angel of Light such as I love to see came into 
 the room where I was alone painting and said, 'There is a 
 lad}' coming to see you, do not refuse what she asks, but 
 take no money for your services; I will be with you.'" 
 
 "I see," the ladv replied. "Are 3'ou acquainted with 
 Spiritualism?" 
 
 "Yes, biit I've not sat in a seance for twelve years." 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 "They" — meaning the ghosts of his dead friends and 
 Spirits — "come and talk to me while I'm painting; they 
 show me scenes to paint as well, and I like this better than 
 going to seances to hear them : but it's been 3-ears now since 
 I saw such a glorified Angel as the one who came to tell 
 me you were coming, the light of his presence was so brilliant, 
 that everything else in the room seemed dark for a long- 
 time after he had gone. I've seen him here to-da^•, the 
 light he brings is almost too dazzling to see anything; but 
 he's helping, and he told me he wanted you to do ever}-- 
 thing yourself after to-day." 
 
 "You'll come again next Tuesday I suppose?" 
 
 "If I'm alive nothing will keep me awaj-, now V\& 
 commenced."
 
 G/i»ipsts thro the Rift. 249 
 
 This outbreak of confidence threw much light on the 
 Providential links which had led itp to the realization of the 
 desire expressed by the Spirit of the lady's lover; and was 
 moreover a modem repetition of the Angel appearing to 
 Paul, directing him to go to a street called "Straight," &c. 
 
 Could she do othenvise than feel, with such experiences 
 as these, that she was being Divinely led in her present 
 search after Truth and Knowledge? The certainty of this 
 armed her with a calm courage to persevere, and that in the 
 face of much opposition and persecution from those around 
 her, both in public and in private life, with the result that she 
 dare not do otherwise now than give to the world at large 
 the results of experiments commenced for her own satisfaction 
 only; but which we now feel certain should be studied bv 
 those who are in authoritv as Religious Teachers; for by it 
 can be demonstrated the Proof not only of the Immortalitv 
 of man's soul, but of the Resurrection of his Spiritual body, 
 composed of essences, the refined elements of his former 
 body, which is the fac-simiU of the body laid in the grave, 
 crumbling to dust, but as distinct from it as the invisible 
 ether we call gas is, from the coal which gives it birth. 
 
 The dead body is not the man now the soul is with- 
 drawn, neither is the coke coal, now the gas is withdrawn ; 
 the gas is invisible till ignited; the Soul is invisible till 
 risen ! That this Resurrection is not one great Universal 
 One is incontestably demonstrated by Clairvoyance, Psychic 
 Photograph}-, and other phenomena. 
 
 Why in this progressive age should we trust to the 
 experiences of the ancients for our proofs of Immortality and 
 other Religious Teachings? An^-thing which happened less 
 than eighteen hundred ^-ears ago in reference to Angelic 
 Visitors is received with incredulity, scorn, and ridicule, by 
 people who implicitly profess to believe similar records too 
 old to be authenticated. The Angels are as ready to teach 
 
 2 K
 
 2^0 Glca)>is 0/ Light and 
 
 iDnclfisli aspirants now as ever, "Are they not all ministering 
 Spirits sent forth to minister to those who shall be heirs of 
 the kingdom?" 
 
 We are fnlh' aware that an xmbiased examination of 
 this snbject and the truths it nnfolds, will greatly disturb 
 the preconceived notions of the majority of men in reference 
 to their beloved dead, even as it did our own, but if these 
 notions are sciifii/niits only, which cannot be substantiated 
 by facts oft repeated, surely it should be the attitude of 
 the wise to relinciuish the ^oitimciital for the siidsfa/iiidl 
 which the Light of Truth re\-eals, when the former is found 
 to clash with the latter! 
 
 From this time, under the direction of Abdullah and his 
 angelic messengers, our investigations assumed a more 
 systematic and private form, we invited only those whom 
 we found desired to make a study of the subject, and were 
 prepared to make the personal sacrifices and restraints necessary 
 to further this end. Other claims called first one, then 
 another awaj-, but we continiied to sit at the feet of 
 Abdullah, content with his guidance heavenward, and the 
 teachings he continued to give until now. (See St. Luke, 
 xviii, 29, 30. 
 
 The greatest shock we received from these Angelic 
 Revelations was, that however good persons lived on earth, 
 they do not become Angels all at once; just as a person 
 was when he or she died, so were thev when they rose, 
 eternity was but a continuit}' of the life commenced here. 
 
 One's tastes, efforts, and aspirations here built up the 
 state hereafter, by the essences evolved from thoughts and 
 desires, every person has to pass through the several states 
 of the seven heavens — called in this da}' the Progressive 
 spheres; of these the Earth is the lowest or probationary 
 sphere. 
 
 Under the direction and with the assistance of Abdullah
 
 G/impsiS thro the Rift. 251 
 
 we have entertained and conversed with Spirits from these 
 various heavens, but we have spoken to none, nor can we 
 hear of any who have ever returned to earth as an infant. 
 The information we get in reference to reincarnation, is that 
 Spirits can reincarnate in trance mediums, and sensitives, 
 and do so, often to the improvement of the sensitive person, 
 but sometimes to their detriment, according' to which of the 
 heavens the Spirit \isitor emanates from. Moreover tliis is 
 the way and tlie o)iI\ wxx in whicli disembodied man 
 can progress upwards, by working out his own salvation 
 through matter: in this way the sins and virtues of the 
 fathers descend upon the children unto the third and fourth 
 generation, not alone by means of an enfeebled or improved 
 organization, but by the psychological interaction of Spirit 
 upon man's brain organism, which is as natural as the 
 attraction and repulsion of inanimate life. 
 
 During man's transit or evolution through the first four 
 lieavens, he is more or less associated with matter, and the 
 things of this life which occupied his thoiights and aspirations 
 when in possession of his body. It is the extremely 
 characteristic and natural humanity of tlic communications, 
 sometimes good and holy, and at others actuated with all 
 the lower passions of hate and revenge which has led the 
 religious world to denounce them as evil Spirits. When we 
 realize that no Spirit can return man crtl tliau tliosc xvc live 
 ivitli as Jiiiii and iMiiiiii, and "by their fruit we shall know 
 them," we must exercise the same cautious discrimination in 
 our communion with Spirits, as we do in our comnuniication 
 with our fellow men, remembering always, that so long as we 
 are bent on Trntli, Unselfishness, and Knowledge, no Spirit 
 can approach us without the knowledge and sanction of our 
 Divineh' appointed Guardian Angels. Good desires and 
 actions on our part keep these Potent Watchers ever near 
 us, and if the "dwellers on the threshold" are permitted as
 
 252 
 
 G /cuius of Lii^^lit and 
 
 Spirits to approach us, it is for a wise and good end, for 
 tlieir and our Heavenly Fathers have permitted it for the 
 extended and universal good. Our restless murmuring 
 discontent under these trials brings its own punishment, and 
 hurts none so much as ourselves; besides this the contented 
 and happv usually avoid those who have no siibject to 
 converse upon but their magnified troubles. 
 
 Abdullah had intelligently explained to the lady that 
 the death of her lover, which appeared to her an evil, had 
 been foreordained for the good of both, and mankind at 
 large. He explained that the guilt}' ever seek to transfer 
 their short comings to the innocent, and by this means avert 
 attention from themselves. He further showed that every 
 movement and action in the tragical drama of her life had 
 been under his guidance for a DIVINE END. An end for 
 which this and ever}' unjust event in her life had been 
 preparing her, by gradually leading her to realize that the 
 world at large were unable to credit their fellows with 
 unselfish motives, hence the folly of trusting in men; in 
 this wav an inner reliance on the Almightv had been so 
 firmh' rooted as to enable her to sacrifice a'cryf/iiiio for 
 Truth. 
 
 When the Christian Evidence Society hired halls and 
 paid men to publicly condemn the ladv and her researches 
 as diabolical ; the- clerg}- in her neighbourhood preaching 
 against Spiritualism from the pulpits; the press too 
 denouncing her in long leaders; and public opinion ver}' 
 bitter against her, she heard the voice of her loAcr say, 
 that he was deputed by Abdullah to direct her to shut up 
 her house and go to the sea-side for the six summer months, 
 to have no care for its safety, or for the additional expense 
 it would entail, for he would regulate that, and place Spirits 
 in charge who would see that the inside of the house was not 
 disturbed. This removal he said was necessary to protect
 
 (i/inipscs f/iiv the Rift. 2 S3 
 
 her from an ignorant prejndiced class, whose malice her 
 courageous love of Truth had brought upon her. 
 
 \\'hile contemplating on the possibility and material 
 ad\isability of leaving home for so long, she received two 
 letters, one from a clairvoyant doctor whom she liad never 
 seen, nor did she know any one who had. He therein 
 described his sympathy with what she had passed through 
 in her attempts to give her advanced knowledge to others, 
 the effects it had had on her health, and urged her to take 
 a prolonged absence from her home and work; he said he 
 had seen and talked many limes to one of the Spirits she 
 had photographed. 
 
 The other was from another stranger, expressive of his 
 sympathy enclosing a cheque (for an amount which would 
 cover her travelling expenses) trusting that she would allow 
 nothing to prevent her continuing to develop so rare a gift 
 as the one she was in the possession of. This gentleman 
 has since passed into the world of Spirits, and was no other 
 tliaii Hensleigh Wedg^vood, Esq., who for fifteen \-ears was 
 himself an investigator and convinced defender of Psj-chic 
 Photograpliy. Both these letters the lady treasures, for 
 neither of these gentlemen knew her, nor she them, the 
 letters seemed to come as a rebuke for her hesitation and 
 as an earnest of what was possible as to wavs and means if 
 such were needed. 
 
 After having been away two montlis she found that 
 mucli suspicion and mystery marked the attitude of the land- 
 lady in whose house she was sta^-ing at the seaside, but had 
 no idea as to the cause. To her astonishment at the end of 
 three months late one evening she received notice to quit, 
 for the news of the prejudice and suspicion had followed her, 
 and the landlady dreaded lest she should influence those in 
 her house. 
 
 Mystified, she quietly and calmly packed and left the
 
 2:^4 Gleams of I-ii^Iii and 
 
 same evening, inwardly recognising Unseen Guidance in this 
 as in al? the events of her life, for she had the day previously 
 taken apartments nearer the shore and the park for her 
 friend the doctor's widow, Mrs. Heroop, and so she could 
 o-o straight there herself late as it was. Her position 
 seemed humiliating and awkward, yet in the midst of con- 
 flicting thoughts, Abdullah was heard to give vent in the 
 following inspiring yet hardly satisfactory words: — 
 
 "Have I not told thee, O victim of doubt, 
 That from thy sad troubles I see the way out. 
 My lead do thou follow, I'll keep thee from harm, 
 And cast o'er thy presence a mystical charm." 
 
 She continued to occupy herself in writing till the six months 
 were up. She then returned home to find her house sur- 
 rounded by a disorderly mob, supposed to be— according to 
 press reports — under the control of sixteen policemen, who 
 were told off for the purpose of keeping order among the 
 masses who congregated from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., to see the 
 ghosts, but the way in which the doors were battered and 
 the windows broken did not say much for the influence the 
 policemen exerted. 
 
 It had been her intention to remain at a friend's until 
 her house had been renovated, but once inside to give 
 directions, she had no desire to again face that mob. So 
 she sent the woman she had brought with her, to her 
 friend's house with a note explaining matters, resigning 
 herself to remain alone — 3'et not alone — The door bell was 
 ringing incessantly up till two o'clock a.m., in addition to 
 being battered with stones and brickends, bed was not thought 
 of for three weeks. In her extremity she Avas informed by 
 her Unseen Friends not to open the door to an}' unless they 
 gave a particular knock on the door following a ring. 
 These would be friendly and sympathetic helpers, the rest
 
 G/im/'Sts thro the Ri/t. 255 
 
 only curiosity seekers, and best avoided. Strange as it maj' 
 seem the Guardian voices requested her to remain on the' 
 ground floor in the front part of the house, for there the}- 
 could prevent any missile from reaching her, or any person, 
 — should they burst open the door — from crossing the 
 threshold alive. During all that wearj- time she was calm 
 and confident that she was being led b}- ways that she 
 knew not of, and for a DIVINE purpose. 
 
 The first who gave the signal of knocks was the lad}' 
 in whose house she had intended to stay. This lady and 
 her husband iirged her to leave the house and go with them, 
 but they were reassured by Abdullah, saying, "No danger 
 could overtake her, for she was surrounded by a Heavenly 
 Host." Seeing that she was content and happy, in no way 
 concerned at the way the mob were amusing themselves, 
 thev left her to herself and the Unseen. 
 
 The next signal knock to which the door was opened, 
 displayed a young girl about seventeen, who said she had 
 been sent by a former servant of the lady's — now married 
 — to see if she could be of any use to her. 
 
 This was )iiost Providential because the woman who had 
 accompanied her on her arrival home had been afraid to 
 come because the crowd hooted at her as she went in and 
 out. 
 
 Such cases of Providential help could be greatly multiplied 
 from her experiences during that period of prolonged isolation, 
 which Abdullah deemed necessary to prepare her for a 
 complete separation from the curiosity mongers who sought 
 an audience with her, for no purpose but gossip. The people 
 who were impressed to give the passport knock were 
 chieflv medium's or those in complete sympathy with her 
 work. These saw her surrounded by a ring of brilliant 
 white angels four rows deep, who mo\ed about with her as 
 she moved; all sorts of coloured electric darts were coming
 
 2c6 Glca)ii^ of Lio/if and 
 
 towards her from all quarters all round her, thick and 
 swift, bi\t at about one foot from the outermost ring of 
 angels, the darts fell straight down to the floor, and 
 disappeared in the earth, as though they had struck an 
 iron wall which as they could not penetrate it, fell: these 
 coloiired darting rays we were told was the forceful con- 
 centrated nature of the thoughts and tongues outside watching 
 for ghosts, and desiring to see what the press termed "The 
 haunted lady," and Avhy? Because she had possessed the 
 honesty to openlj^ state her experiences in photographing 
 the risen dead. Few believed her, but because she knows 
 her statements are true, and provable, she herein tabulates 
 her efforts, not for their artistic merit, but as imperfect 
 examples upon which can be built a foundation for the schools 
 of science to further study the subject, and thereon erect a 
 true PSYCHIC SCIENCE which shall demonstrate to 
 materialistic man the truth of his immortality and eternal 
 evolution in the heavens. 
 
 During our experiments we were taiight that around 
 every object in nature, animate and inanimate, there is an 
 etherealized aura of various colours according to the innate 
 nature of the object. The coloiired magnetic rays from the 
 planets were received in focus by this aura and utilised 
 according to the chemical requirements of each man's body; 
 the ra3^s not absorbed were radiated to the surface, if any 
 one ray predominated it tinted the whole with its particular 
 colour. This we were instructed was the reason why some 
 did more ji:stice to the photographer than others. A person 
 with a red or dark aura, would in a photograph always 
 procure a clearly defined sharp photograph of him or herself. 
 A person with a white or light tinted aura seldom gets a 
 satisfactory photograph. Every photographer has had such 
 trying customers, but did not know how to account for the 
 indefinite and changeableness of the person's features: the
 
 Glimpses thro tlit Rift. 257 
 
 fact is they are surrounded by a personal aura so exactly 
 equalized as to be perfecth' white: this does not define the 
 outlines, as a dark aura does. 
 
 Some possess other qualifications in addition which 
 renders the aura fluorescent, so that Spirit forms wliich 
 surround every one of us are visible to the camera onlj'. 
 When individuals with this special kind of aura sit, they 
 cvet very imperfect likenesses, and the photographer is quite 
 unaware — unless clairvoyant — that the unsatisfactory nature 
 of the picture, is due to a partial overshadowing of the 
 features b}* some Spirit's presence, which the light aura not 
 being dense enough to cloud faintly reveals. (See plates 
 in none of which is the lady herself twice alike.) It is the 
 white and light coloured auras in which the clairvoyant 
 beholds as through an open door to tlie heavens, the forms 
 I if tlie departed; an over exposed plate will often sliow tliis 
 aura like a cloudy mist. 
 
 When this aura is white and also luminous the Spirits 
 of the dead can not only be seen by the clairvoyant but 
 their portraits can be registered on the negative by the 
 photographic process, and the m}-steries which liave been 
 though tlesslv relegated to the supernatural realm, stand 
 re\ealed as a natural process governed by simple infallible 
 law. Viewed by this light we turn to historic records and 
 ancient illustrations to find that the Masters of Art depicted 
 the aura and its luminosity round the portraits of noted 
 individuals, chiefly venerated as saints. Such persons as 
 these possess the natural qualifications to become Psychic 
 photographers. 
 
 To explain the reason why some people make iiiisiicctss/ul 
 attempts to photograph Spirits, we ma}- remark that they are 
 not gifted with the necessary- luminous aura which renders 
 the surrounding atmosphere transparent to the heavens and 
 the sensitive plate at the same time. 
 
 2 L
 
 2zS Gleams of Lig/if and 
 
 Positive science should see nothing incongruous in this 
 statement since it has demonstrated that even inanimate 
 objects have an atmosphere of their own, which is more 
 rarefied the nearer it is to the object, and moreover that 
 some of these inanimate objects grown on the same soil 
 have this atmosphere fluorescent. 
 
 " If sesculin in solution be placed in a flask and the 
 rays of the sun or electric lamp be directed through a lense 
 upon it, the cone of light thrown by the lense into the 
 interior of the fluid will be seen to shine with a lovely sky 
 blue colour. The particles of the solution in the pathway 
 of the beam become spontaneous!}' luminous and emit a soft 
 blue light in all directions." 
 
 "There is also a Green Spa found in Alston Moor which 
 by transmitted light emits indigo blue." 
 
 "Quinine in water solution gives a bright blue fluores- 
 cence." 
 
 "Petroleum, which is slightl}' yellow, emits a bliie light 
 but turmeric in solution, also yellow, gives off a green 
 fluorescence." 
 
 "Uranium which is bright yellow glass fluoresces a 
 bright green." 
 
 It is thus clear that positive science recognises a vital 
 or psychic aiii-a s/nivinidiiio inorganic life, and has moreover 
 discovered that round ver^• few of these inorganic objects is 
 the aura fluorescent, while those objects which are luminous 
 are possessed of qualities which distinguish them from the 
 surrounding objects grown on the same soil. Likewise com- 
 paratively few people have a himinous aura, and this explains 
 why when Spirits air photographed there are so few taken 
 which are clearly defined. 
 
 No doubt there are many, scattered throughout the length 
 and breadth of the land who have never heard that it is 
 possible to get photographs of the risen dead, and among
 
 G/iiii/^scs thro the Rift. 259 
 
 these there may be some who are naturally gifted with a 
 luminous aura, the necessar}' qualification to become psj'chic 
 photographers. 
 
 The time is not far distant when these gifted ones will 
 be ranked among the most desired children of the genii. 
 For what is genius? The possession of psNxhic qualifications 
 which are bom with a person, and which no amount of 
 culture can do more than attempt to imitate! Yet the 
 attempt, sows seeds which will appear in future generations. 
 
 The poet, the musician, the artist, the author, and the 
 ps^•chic photographer are born, not made.
 
 26o ( J ha /lis oj Liglit CI lid 
 
 EXPERIMENTS. 
 
 "Greater things than these shall ye do." 
 
 Jesus Christ. 
 
 NO. I. — It should be clearly understood that these experi- 
 ments were conducted in the private study of the lady, 
 no one being present but the artist and ourselves, she alone 
 manipulating the plates and camera under his direction ; so 
 that even if our previous experiences had not prepared us for 
 the realization of that for which the Spirit voice of her lover 
 had advised her to experiment, she was as satisfied as two 
 keen eyes and a tolerably sharp brain, with a pretty accurate 
 perception of human motives, could make her, that she was 
 not being imposed upon by the stranger artist, who at the 
 bidding" of an Angel was giving his time and instruction free 
 to a perfect stranger. On the first evening there was a 
 shadowy outline of a form, and though most photographers 
 would have discarded it as a fogged plate, in view of the 
 object of the seances, it was regarded by us as an encourage- 
 ment to continue. The plates were exposed to several (eight 
 inches long) pieces of lighted magnesium wire, placed in 
 different parts of the room; after the plate had been ex- 
 posed twent}' minutes in total darkness, (the lady only was 
 fccussed;) the artist, who had been sitting with matches read\' 
 to light the magnesium in one hand, at a signal from the
 
 i 'jiioitchid A'c'^afh'f
 
 (i//m/'Sts thro the Rift. 261 
 
 Angel, whom he saw, arose, lit the magnesium, put on the 
 cap, and the lady took out the plate and proceeded to de- 
 \elope it; on all occasions she was careful to manipulate the 
 plates herself. From after experience we learned that the dark 
 exposure enabled the Spirit to pose and become impressed 
 on the plate, while the magnesium light imprinted the lady 
 on the same plate. 
 
 Xo. II. — On the second experimental evening, after the 
 plate had been exposed, magnesium lit and the plate 
 de\eloped, the lady was not seen at all ; something appeared, 
 bv the appearance of the plate, to have been between her 
 and the camera, yet there was nothing there which the 
 human eye could see; but the ultra violet rays (as we then 
 thought) had, during the twenty minutes dark exposure, so 
 indelibh- fixed on the sensitive plate, that which was there, 
 invisible to ordinarj- vision, that the magnesium light had 
 no power to obliterate it, by the more tangible presence of 
 the focussed body of the lady; the round patch of light in 
 which tlie Spirit form is seen to the waist is partly in front 
 and partly over the lady's head. 
 
 At the next exposure the lady was in the same seat; 
 over her head is a cone of light which appears to have cut 
 away part of her head; this same appearance is frequently 
 seen in landscape photography, when the light is very bright, 
 the top part of trees and buildings which have a clear blue 
 sky for a background, are parti}- and sometimes completely 
 obliterated. In this case there was no such I'isiblc heliation, 
 two pieces of magnesium was all the light used. The 
 Intelligences who were operating with the lady and the artist 
 on the Unseen side of life explained it thus. When the halo 
 which is round all people is clear and luminous, it is as an 
 open door through which the Angels of Light can come and 
 go when all is quiet and calm within; this luminosity can 
 be drawn from ever}- part of the bod}' and used by these
 
 262 Gleams of Liglif ami 
 
 Intelligences to illuminate the Spirits, it is this liglit which 
 imprints the Spirit photograph on to the plate, not the 
 magnesium light. The Spirit form on the plate is that of a 
 child about twelve years of age; a pupil of the lady's. She 
 gave her name as Charlotte W., remembered and recognised, 
 the indifferent nature of the photography prevents the plate 
 being here introduced direct from the negative without being 
 enlarged and worked up; where the negatives are clear 
 enough for this, they are introduced as photographs, from 
 the untouched negatives, in other cases they are omitted, but 
 where an object has to be served in illustrating the text with 
 the plate, it has been dealt with as above, and will in all 
 cases be so stated. 
 
 No. III. — This Spirit is seen in the same apparent rift 
 in the clouds; it is recognised as a lady who had been 
 dead several years; there is another form behind this who 
 o-ave her name, but it is not clear enough to be a likeness. 
 
 It is remarkable in these and other plates similar that 
 though the room was only sixteen by eighteen feet, the 
 Spirits must have been from thirty to forty feet away from 
 the camera — that is away outside the wall, which appeared 
 to be no obstruction; that is judging by the usual method 
 of calculating focal distance; and herein lies one of the 
 mvsteries of Spirit so difficult to convey to the uninitiated 
 through the medium of physical language. Professor Zolluer 
 of Leipsic University, tried to convey the idea, by calling 
 it "the fourth dimension in space,"* but it will be clearer 
 perhaps for unscientific minds, to conceive that every solid 
 body, such as bricks, stone buildings, fiirniture, the human 
 body, &c., is composed of a number of round and oval atoms, 
 and that however closely they may be pressed together, as 
 they are round, there is necessarily a space between each, 
 
 * See "Transcendental Physics," by Johann Carl Friedrich Zollner.
 
 Glimpse!: thro the Rift. 263 
 
 which spaces are occupied and appropriated by Spirits: to 
 their etherealized senses these atoms do not exist, while 
 to man's physical senses these inter-moleciilar spaces do not 
 exist — that is, are not apparent, — he is conscious only of a 
 solid physical object, an opaque impenetrable barrier, which 
 will admit of nothing passing through it. In the realm of 
 Spirit forces, the law which regulates the polarization of 
 objects is reversed, that which is solid to man's senses is 
 space to Spirits, and that which is solid to Spirits, man 
 calls space. Man and all objects are the outward and visible 
 signs of that, of wliich Spirits are the inward and Spiritual 
 grace. Spirits are the sustaining inside of that of which 
 bodies are the outside. Those who are able to mentally 
 travel thus far from the physical plane of effects to the 
 psj'chic plane of Causes will be prepared to see the possibility 
 of registering hy means of the camera the active intelligent 
 entities which Spiritual science terms ministering Spirits, 
 Guardian Angels, &c., that is, when the operators have sufficient 
 luminosity of soul to supply that actinic power which the 
 material instruments at present lack; it will also explain whv 
 the same operators succeed at one time and fail at others in 
 photographing the Unseen. The soul of man is not equallv 
 clear at all times. It will also make plain the myster\- of 
 distance, in that walls do not obstruct the light of the soul 
 which penetrates by means of the intermolecular spaces, and 
 registers what is there before the camera, when physical 
 light can not. 
 
 This light of the soul is the medium on which thouglit 
 travels; you think of your friend, and instantly through 
 walls, doors, and all barriers your thought is with vour 
 friend, and in proportion to j-our electric power is \o\\x friend 
 compelled to think of 3-ou in response, and if a psyche he 
 or she becouics conscious of the nature 0/ your thoughts in flashes, 
 undefined, and possiblj- forgotten. This ma\- show the
 
 264 Gleams of Lis^lit and 
 
 difference between Sonl and Spirit. Spirit in the abstract 
 is an Jntelligence ontside of man's. Sonl is the niedinm 
 between this Intelligence and matter. These Intelligences 
 operating through, and in harmony with man's material 
 organs, result in reason, and the chemical changes effected 
 create the sonl. 
 
 This plate, which is good for reproduction by means of 
 the photographic printing process, has unfortunately got 
 scratched. As the lady's experiments were solely for her 
 own satisfaction, that care was not bestowed on the preser- 
 vations of the negatives as would have been taken had she 
 then contemplated making them the subject matter of a 
 work of this nature. 
 
 No. IV. — For the next few weeks nothing appeared on the 
 plates beyond that wliich was material and visible to the 
 eye of everv one ; the next plate of scientific value was the 
 last of four exposed on the same evening. Behind the 
 ladv is the face of a clown, recognised by the artist 
 present, as having been known to him when alive; the loose 
 light drapery about him covers the right side of the lady's 
 dress and chair, and a halo of light is round his head. This 
 is not so clear as in plate iii, but clear enough to see the 
 features of another presence, which was not visible in the 
 room. In answering the criticism in the "Express" and 
 "Star," wherein . a correspondent complained of the very 
 ordinar}^ appearance of the Spirits photographed, the lady 
 replied, "If people live and die ordinary personages, they can 
 but appear as ordinary Spirits; otherwise they would not be 
 themselves, and there could be no recognition. People do 
 not become Angels ivimcdiately after death; this evolution is 
 effected only by successive gradual stages." If the Ethiopian 
 could change his skin he would cease to be an Ethio- 
 pian.* 
 
 * See Adtleiula Note 3 — f to a
 
 Plate 6. 
 
 
 
 / 
 
 'C'- '^^f^f,- 
 
 -M:'^-- 
 
 
 
 
 HE 
 
 '4 
 
 1 
 
 i - — ^ 
 
 ^Kc''*' 
 
 - -*;^ 
 
 fc. . 
 
 Cniouihcd Xcgntr,
 
 Glimpses thro the Rift. 265 
 
 No. V. — During the next three weeks no Spirit nor 
 anything but the lady subject, was seen on the plates after 
 development, though nothing was omitted, and exactly the 
 same conditions had been maintained. The Spirits said the ,■ 
 posed before the camera and could not perceive why the plate 
 had not registered them. Later observations elicited the 
 fact that previous to experiments which were unsuccessful, the 
 lady had always had some argumentative visitor, who argued 
 not so much to gain knowledge, and elicit truth, as to 
 displa}' their skill in mental fencing, utterly regardless of 
 truth. In such unequal mental debates, the psjxhic light 
 was withdrawn uselessl}-, and as a sufficient time had not 
 elapsed for mental and ps3'cliic re-couperation, the actinic 
 element which impressed the Unseen upon the plate, was not 
 present in the necessary magnitude. B\- this we learned that 
 mental repose, a calm unworried atmosphere, and insolation 
 from all opposition, is the necessary outfit for a pjrson with 
 a luminous aura (over and above the usual qualifications of 
 a photographer,) should he aim at becoming a successful 
 Psychic photographer. 
 
 A transparent figure here stands behind the lad}-, the 
 vapoury cloud in which these heavenly visitors alwa\-s appear 
 is in front of the lady, and partly overshadows her, the buttons 
 of her dress can be seen through it, also the Spirit's hands 
 resting on her shoulders; the features of the Spirit were 
 unrecognised, till an Unseen voice said Amelia Peters; this 
 recalled a long- forgotten schoolfellow, who died about five 
 years after she left school, about thirt}- j-ears ago. The 
 plate was too dense for reproducing as a photograph, but has 
 been enlarged, worked up, and reduced to place here to 
 illustrate the foregoing. 
 
 No. VI. — In this exposure an old gentleman appears in 
 a dressing gown, it was very shadowy and the plate was 
 spotted in several places, as a consequence it had to be en- 
 
 2 M
 
 266 Gleams of Light and 
 
 larged and worked up, before the negative could be obtained, 
 the portrait has suffered slightly and the hair should have 
 been quite white. 
 
 No. VII. — The fifth plate exposed the following evening 
 was very much like No. v, in this however the lady sitting 
 before the camera is entirely overshadowed by the Spirit 
 which is not clear enough for the features to be visible, no 
 doubt owing to the lack of skill and experience in the 
 operator; the other four plates exposed the same evening had 
 nothing on but the lady herself. 
 
 ELIZA SERIES. 
 
 No. VIII. — The lad3''s servant maid had expressed a 
 desire to have her likeness taken, so one afternoon, before 
 the experiments were commenced, the camera was taken in 
 the garden for this purpose, and the plate exposed as for an 
 ordinary photograph; when developed there were traces of 
 unseen operators at work as well as ourselves, but as no 
 Spirits \vere distinctly seen, we decided to expose another 
 plate; this first one we have had enlarged, and the Spirits 
 seen b}^ the clairvoj^ant which were only faintly visible on 
 the negative totiched up. The centre one is the mother of 
 Mrs. Derallen, the Spirit seen by V. G., whom she described 
 as '"such a woman." (See page 58.) The one with a Jewish 
 cast of nose is a useful Spirit, known as "Simon;" the 
 front Spirit in the lower group is J. W., recognised as a 
 friend of the lad3'"s; the rest are unrecognised. 
 
 No. IX. — The lady is here sitting before the camera in 
 addition to her servant in order to increase the luminous 
 aura. It was then 4. 30. p.m. in September, the sky during 
 the last exposure was one even sheet of blue, now there were 
 glorious bright red clouds floating about, the air still and
 
 G/iw/>s,s thro the Ri/t. 267 
 
 calm, a longer exposure was given. On developing the plate 
 we saw three heads but none clear enough to satisf}'^ the critical. 
 We reproduce from the untouched negative, in order to 
 lead up to the next plate and likewise to demonstrate, that 
 the plates cast aside as damaged and fogged by the Profession 
 and Amateurs alike, are worthy of closer and more careful 
 observation. 
 
 No. X. — Late as it was a third plate was exposed, double 
 the length of time given to the last one, and the Spirit 
 of an old servant comes clearly out between the two. 
 
 This plate with several others was submitted to the Editor 
 of the British Journal of Photography for examination and got 
 broken in the transit, so this plate is taken froiji a cop\- 
 and is consequently not so good as was the original. These 
 three sun-light pictures prove that the dark exposures are 
 not necessary, except for the purpose of experimenting and 
 giving unseen Spirits an opportunity of observing the Cause 
 of Effects which escape the observation of phj-sical man. 
 
 No. XI. — A portrait of the old servant when younger, 
 the resemblance to that of the Spirit is easily detected, 
 though her after life being rougher and coarser, has left its 
 effects in her appearance. 
 
 No. XII. — Is the Spirit of the artist's father, who had 
 been dead manv \-ears, it is recognised as an indisputable 
 likeness b_v his children, grandchildren, friends, and acquain- 
 tances. This was very satisfactory to the lady herself, for she 
 had opened a new box of plates for this exposure, and the 
 artist had nothing to do with the manipulation, so that even 
 if such a likeness of him existed — which was not the case — 
 he had no opportunit}- of using it in any way. As this 
 possibility has been suggested, it is mentioned here in order 
 that the truth underlying these experiments may appeal to 
 all minds, by answering as far as possible all objections. 
 On the bottom part of this plate the late Mr. Hensleigh
 
 26S Glcatiis of Light and 
 
 Wedgwood, Staffordshire, discovered by the aid of powerful 
 glasses,^ through which he was examining these plates, a 
 spray of lilies of the valley, which he was psj-chically told 
 were Spirit flowers, and wrote asking if this were so. As 
 a fact the lad\' had no flowers in her hand at the time, 
 and had not noticed that any appeared, until Mr. Wedgwood 
 called attention to it. 
 
 No. XIII. — Is the Spirit likeness of an aunt of the lady's 
 on her mother's side, she had nex^er possessed a portrait of 
 her, and did not know whether she had had one taken at 
 all. The lady's brother happened to call soon after this, and 
 she silently placed a print of this Spirit likeness in his 
 hand. He looked closely and attentiveh- at it for a very 
 long time, then threw it down upon the table, exclaiming 
 "You are not going to persuade me that that's your 
 mother." "No!" she replied, "I don't wish to, because it's 
 not our mother's Spirit, but mother's youngest sister." 
 
 "Eh! Eh!" he hastily ejaculated, hurriedly snatching 
 up the carte again, which after criticall}- looking at, he 
 slowly and thoughtfully, even reverentlv laid it down, saying, 
 "Yes; that will do." 
 
 He recognised the family likeness to his mother, but his 
 mother's features were smaller and more refined, this aunt 
 had been dead so long, as not to occur to his memorv. It 
 was his mother's likeness he was expecting, but experience 
 has proved to us that it is not alwa^'S the conditions are 
 present for one particular Spirit, while they are for another. 
 However, this was a convincing test to us of the nearness 
 and thinness of the veil which separated the dead from the 
 living. It has been recognised by her children and grand- 
 children. 
 
 No. XIV. — The next four are the most remarkable from 
 a scientific point of view, in that the}- answer the intelligent 
 criticism in the British Journal of Photography, (Sept. 7-14-
 
 B^^ 
 
 ■ 
 
 ^B -^t' 
 
 1 
 
 kJI 
 
 V^TW 
 
 ^Ri^^ 
 
 1~^«^H 
 
 HH^HBl "^"^^ 
 
 ^Pl' 
 
 I^^^E 
 
 ■
 
 (,//////>s,s thro the Rijt. 269 
 
 21, 1888, and Jan. 4, 1889,) as to the apparent double 
 illumination in some productions of Spirit photography. lu 
 the Mrs. Neal, plate xxi, the Spirit is lit from the right, 
 while the focussed sitter is lit from the left. The lady at 
 the time could not explain the cause of this; we knew there 
 had been no double dealing, and prayed for our Intelligent 
 Masters on the Unseen plane to give us the Cause of this. 
 
 Intelligence is the propeller of the " Universe, and man 
 on the seven different planes of action the means God uses 
 to evolve intelligence. St. John's vision of the seventh heaven 
 given in the Revelations implies that there are six others 
 for man to pass through before he reaches to the seventh; 
 and though the Bible gives uo description of the other six 
 heavens, there is nothing there to show that a knowledge of 
 them cannot be obtained by other people, in the same waj- 
 that St. John learned of the seventh heaven and St. Paul 
 of the third heaven. "Add to your faith knowledge." 
 
 If we are to "covet earnestly the discerning of Spirits" 
 as a g^ft of grace according to St. Paul's teaching. Psychic 
 Photography is evidently a material confirmation that such a 
 gift is in the power of man's possession, and if the gift is 
 attainable, the Spirits must exist, ere they could be discerned 
 or photographed, and if those clair\-oyants who discern them 
 recognise them as their dead friends, and photography, that 
 is Psychic Photography, confirms the vision of the Seer, the 
 Religious Knowledge of the Nineteenth Century is clearly in 
 advance of that both of the Old and New Testament periods ; 
 for there is nothing in the Old Testament which pro\-es that 
 the patriarchs were conscious that the Angels, and Lord Gods, 
 who appeared to them with advice were their forefathers; 
 neither is this knowledge displayed in the writings of the 
 New Testament clironiclers in reference to an}- other person, 
 than that of Jesus the Nazarine. 
 
 All knowledge, political, social, religious, and scientific.
 
 2 70 
 
 Gh'(V)!s of Lio/zf and 
 
 coiues to the world in waves, silently, quietly, but surely. 
 It is n6 use to oppose its progress! The spray is felt 
 hy the few who act as heralds ! The surging wave will 
 not be arrested in its approach, and is sure to engulf those 
 who attempt it. Such a wave is now passing over the 
 Religious Knowledge of the world, and Spiritualism is the 
 spray. 
 
 The evening on which these four plates were exposed 
 had been set apart for a stranger, who wrote asking permission 
 to share our experiments, in order to ascertain for herself 
 whether any one she knew would come on the plate. As 
 she was coming across the channel it was necessary that 
 she should have a night's rest before starting on our 
 experiments. A bed was therefore made for her in the 
 operating room in order that she might examine the room 
 at her leisure, but a telegram arrived before her, recalling 
 her home immediately; she therefore returaed as soon as it 
 was practicable, that is early the next morning, and without 
 the experiments for which she had taken so long a journey. 
 
 It was arranged for the experiments to take place in 
 the evening, the day after her arrival, the same day as usual. 
 For the last few weeks Mrs. A. had been sitting with 
 the lady, this evening she came in late, after the gas was out, 
 and the slide drawn for the twenty minutes dark exposure ; she 
 o-roped her wa}- to her usual place before the camera for 
 the rest of the time, biit as she was not focussed onl}' her 
 chin, body, and hand, came within the field of the lense; 
 the lady herself had on a tight fitting dress, and her hair 
 coiled on the top of her head; the hair hanging on each 
 shoulder is not hers, but belongs to the Spirit who partially 
 overshadowed her. The luminous atmosphere which surrounds 
 these ethereal bodies, on this plate, is seen passing througli 
 the lady's forehead, it covers one eye and part of her cheek; 
 it caused no inconvenience to the sight, nor was she even
 
 Cnloiichcii .y,:^ii/ins.
 
 Gli/npsts thro the Rift. 271 
 
 aware of auy bod)- or object ethereal or otherwise being 
 between her and the camera. 
 
 No. XV. — Before exposing the second plate, the lady 
 pushed her chair for Mrs. A., and she herself sat in front on a 
 lower one. Mrs. A., who is behind the lady's chair, is leaning 
 forward with her hands on the back of it; the Spirit does 
 not appear to have changed position, for the halo is now over 
 Mrs. A.'s head, the long hair is not visible in this exposure. 
 There is also a smaller figure on the left of the plate, the 
 outline of which can just be traced; the front lad\- is not 
 seen at all, being completely overshadoived by the Spirit. 
 
 No. .\\"i. — On the third plate Mrs. A. is sitting upright, 
 so that the halo of the Spirit now passes through her chin, 
 and indistinct traces of the hair is again visible, the faces of 
 the two sitters can be seen, one plainly, the other only fainth-. 
 There was nothing visible to the normal e}-e, \'et a clairvo\ant 
 who was present saw the front sitter transfigured into an old 
 lady with hair hanging on her shoulders ; several other forms 
 standing from about fifteen to sixt\' feet from the camera 
 and a host in the far distance. The apartment itself was 
 iiuly about sixteen by eighteen feet; this phenomenon can only 
 be explained b}- Professor Zollner's theory of the four dimen- 
 sioned spaces, or by imagining crystals in water solution, 
 disappearing from the sight, and \-et remaining intact in 
 another form, which under certain conditions can be again 
 restored to sight b\- evaporation, some such chemical changes 
 are effected in the seance room; but all perfectly natural, 
 and within the realm of attainable knowledge, when the 
 subject is handled in an intelligent and rational manner. 
 The influence in the room on this occasion was calm, peace- 
 ful, and Spiritual, such as one vaguely describes as "The 
 Gate of Heaven." These three plates had each twenty minutes 
 dark exposure, and then eight inches of magnesium lit at 
 both ends.
 
 2^2 (jkaii/s 0/ Light and 
 
 No. XVII. — During the next exposure the sitters remained 
 as in plate xvi. After the dark exposure, the Unseen Intel- 
 ligences directed us to use no artificial light; the plate was 
 therefore developed as it was, having had only the dark ex- 
 posure, this was in order to explain the cause of the apparent 
 double exposures; the one exposure was during the twenty 
 minutes darkness when the Spirits posed before the camera, 
 and were impressed on to the sensitive plate with no light 
 but their own electric luminosity; the second exposure being 
 when the magnesium was lit, for the purpose of registering 
 the lady and Mrs. A. This plate would seem to show that 
 when the magnesium is lit, the material objects before the 
 camera are solidlv impressed on the plate to the ol)l-teratiug 
 of the ethereal forms ivhieh Toere impressed there during the 
 dark exposure or rather to the partial obliterating of them. 
 This experiment will also explain why some Spirits who are 
 evidentty behind the lady, judging b],- the law which regulates 
 focal distances, appear to be in front, and their filmy draper}' 
 to partially eclipse or cover her, whereas in reality this is 
 not so; the Spirit stood behind, and was projected on to the 
 screen, for in the ultra violet rays all solid material objects 
 are transparent, and were therefore no impediment between 
 the camera and the Spirits posing at a greater distance 
 behind. 
 
 A copy of this plate was sent on to the Irish lady who 
 had travelled so far, and yet could not sta}- for the experiment, 
 for we were told by tlie Unseen voices that some of the 
 Spirits belonged to her. Tlie centime figure which can be 
 traced in all four plates, she recognised, the Spirit on the 
 left hand side is an old lady smiling down (the film of the 
 plate got damaged in the developing bath). There are two 
 tiny heads between these close together, of a mother and her 
 son; an Irish peasant on the right hand side, and a host 
 ,of hovering forms over head.
 
 Vntvuchfd S\-gaf'nc&.
 
 G/iw/>s,s thro the Ri/I. 273 
 
 The query to opticians and scientists will be, "From 
 whence came the light to impress these forms on to the 
 sensitive plate?" Intelligence is sometimes called the Light 
 of the mind; it is an ontside force and is possessed by 
 individuals in varving degrees: in some this light burns verv 
 dimly: others again receive so much that they see no limit 
 to the creative power of man wlien unfettered by material 
 hinderances and worldly surroundings, but the knowledge 
 that it is electric or actinic is a REVELATION to Science. 
 
 No. XVIII. — Is the result of a dark exposure in the 
 presence of nineteen persons; the two who were the greatest 
 strangers to the subject were chosen to open a new box of 
 plates, mark them, and watch the process throughout. 
 
 The plate was put in the camera, the lights extinguished, 
 and the cap removed for the dark exposure: then the mag- 
 nesium tape lit. Most of the nineteen people had been in 
 the house all the afternoon and evening, and were well aware 
 that no coloured man was present: the doors were secured 
 during the exposure of the plates to prevent interruption, 
 and yet instead of the people who sat as subjects, there appears 
 upon the negative a black man with a white beard, and a 
 star upon his head, who was recognised as the Guardian 
 Spirit of one of the Seers who was present: he was seen 
 by several of the clairvoyants who were there, being known 
 to them as "Earlv Morning Star." 
 
 It may surprise Protestants, (who are accustomed to 
 believe that the creeds shut out everyone from God's favour 
 who does not adopt them,) to know that ^■er}•, very few 
 dogmatic creedal religionists become at once Guardian Angels: 
 while the African, Hindoo, and Red Indian frequently become 
 so. This is because of their adoption of a natural religion, 
 with its concomitant belief in "The Communion" with departed 
 Spirits, such as the Bible patriarchs enjoyed : they chafe 
 under no sucli restraints as are imposed bv man-made creeds, 
 
 2 X
 
 2J4 Ghaiiis of Lii^Iit and 
 
 for tlieir Religion is simple Truth in harmony with Nature's 
 designs. 
 
 They are thus better iitted for the office of Spirit control 
 than the people who are bi"Oi:ght up under the narrow, and 
 aggressive religious policy and customs adopted by the 
 modern Christian races, whose religion has become so much 
 of a contradictory myster\', even to its adherents, that 
 among them angelic communications have become so rare 
 as to be practically discredited — and death surroiinded b}- 
 terrors and fears, instead of being regarded as the welcome 
 reward of a just soul, who through the grim portal passes 
 into gradual perfection. 
 
 No. XIX. — In this plate we have a portrait of a Red Indian. 
 Also a dark exposure — the same number of people were 
 present — the same precautions taken — and two observers 
 given every opportunity to mark and watch the plates in 
 their extraction from the boxes — into the slide used — in the 
 camera, aird taken again to the dark room for development. 
 
 No. XX. — This plate was inserted in the camera and 
 before iive minutes of the dark exposure had elapsed, the 
 clock struck the hour of cessation: the plate was taken out 
 and put back in the box until the following week when it 
 was exposed again, given the full time, and then developed. 
 The effect of the different exposures can be seen by reversing 
 the plate: during the former no magnesium was used, and 
 yet a faintly formed head and face is seen: in the latter, the 
 full dark exposure and the magnesium light were given, yet 
 the lad}', who sat as subject is not to be seen except very 
 indistinctly throiigh the cloud which surroiinds the small 
 head before mentioned. This was our only means of ascertain- 
 ing which of the two heads visible was the result of the 
 first short exposure, and Avhich of the latter long exposure. 
 Of course we know that much is yoX. to be learned b}' obser- 
 vation and practice, and improvements made in the methods 
 
 \
 
 Untouched Xcgativt'
 
 (.i/iiii/'sis thro the Rift. 27s 
 
 adopted. It is to demonstrate the bi'oad fact that the Unseen 
 dem/ can be photographed that this Avork has been published. 
 No. XXI. — It should be stated en />assant that the artist 
 was a landscape painter — not a photographer — and had only 
 acquired a knowledge of photography as an additional aid 
 and amusement, to his own business: consequeuth- he had 
 not that skill which constant practise confers upon the 
 professional, and hence the specimen plates included in this 
 work are not presented on account of their artistic merit, 
 but to demonsti-ate the possibilities which the author's 
 experience proves lie beyond mere technical perfection, and 
 which future operators will doubtless improve upon. 
 
 This Spirit gave her name— told us where she had lived 
 during earth-life; the name and address of her clergvman, 
 her doctor, her sister, and several other friends who resided 
 in tlie town. As the Spirit was a stranger to us, we did as 
 requested by her. We sent a copy of her Spirit Piiotograph 
 to seven of the addresses given, asking that if they recognised 
 the figure they would let us know. These copies brought 
 the lady many visitors to whom the negative and prints 
 were shown, all recognising it as an unmistakable likeness 
 of their deceased friend, Mrs. Neal, and further corroborating 
 the facts and events of her life as related bv the Spirit. 
 Among these visitors was a sister of the Spirit, who said 
 the portrait was more like her sister than the figure below 
 the Spirit was like the lad}- to whom she was talking. 
 Moreover, she produced a carte-de-visite photo of her late 
 sister, of which the following is a copy: — 
 
 Xo. XXII. — She said it was the only likeness her sister 
 had ever had taken, and as only six of these were printed, she 
 (the speaker) had taken the trouble to go around to those who 
 had received them in order to ascertain if any one had lost 
 their copy, or had lent it to the lady : finding, however, that 
 none of them knew the lady; and that all the pictures were
 
 276 Gil aim 0/ Lii^lit (tinl 
 
 safe; and had not been taken ont of the albnnis since they 
 were put in, she felt satisfied that it mnst be her sister's 
 Spirit; for in no other way conld a perfect stranger get so 
 good a portrait of one whom they knew to be dead ; therefore 
 she considered it her duty to call upon the lady, and say 
 so; especially as the person who had "laid out" the corpse 
 of the deceased, had recognised the V-shaped embroidered 
 front of the robe she had put on the corpse for the burial 
 — a robe which the deceased person had kept for fifteen years 
 for this special purpose — also a frilled cap which she had 
 put iipon her head. 
 
 Unfortunately the Press, who write to please their patrons, 
 and to sell their productions with profit, pa}' little regard 
 to those whom they ridicule and stigmatise as fraudulent or 
 deluded, so long as the}- keep within the bounds of the law, 
 and pander to the tastes of their readers. 
 
 The Recorder feels justified in stating that, without 
 making enquiry from anyone that was present at these 
 experiments — never having seen the lady nor spoken to her 
 — with the above written facts and photo specimens of 
 results in his possession, together with several names and 
 addresses of persons who had recognised the portrait of Mrs. 
 Neal, — the Editor of a London Paper, (that herein shall not 
 be named, but whose name, address, and title of paper shall 
 be given to an}- responsible and serious enquirer) — on 
 receipt of a letter from an interested, but antagonistic 
 party, who perhaps threatened or bribed — sacrifices truth to 
 wealth and influence, and lends his columns to imputations of 
 double-dealing charged against the lady-experimentalist, and, 
 by so doing, negatived any effect her researches may have 
 had upon minds open to receive transcendental truths: and 
 this to please guilty persons who had wronged the living 
 and the dead, and who /cared that if this Psychic Photography 
 and Spiritualism generally \\ere to prove true, steps may be
 
 G//////>s,s thro tlh- Ri/t. 277 
 
 taken ill regard to them — the guilty — to bring about exposure 
 and shame. They dreaded vengeance, for, from their external 
 and worldly plane, they could not imagine a wronged soul 
 coming back to breathe forgi\cncss and to incite charitable, 
 kindl\- thoughts concerning those who had wronged them : 
 that such a soul, from a lofty, intelligent, even prophetic 
 plane could return and communicate with a loved one still in 
 the flesh, and should lead her mind awa\- from a contemplation 
 of their malice and treachery, until she could regard their 
 part in the drama and its result on her life, as being 
 means to an end which the Divine Shaper of our destinies 
 had in view was beyond them. They apprehended retaliation 
 ill exact proportion to their offences, but the Spirit had 
 become a messenger between earth and the Mighty Angels 
 of Light, and he chose rather the part of Peace and forbear- 
 ance, than retaliation. The chain of circumstances related 
 in the foregoing, compel her as a conscientious dutv to 
 openly proclaim facts which have been Divinely Revealed to 
 her through ////// who thus, injured as he undoubtedly was by 
 those \\ho should have been his staunchest friends, yet comes 
 as a Ministering Spirit bringing Peace on earth and Goodwill 
 to all men : this Sublime fact is beyond their comprehension, 
 though they accept the records in the Sacred Writings 
 respecting the man Christ Jesus, whose character and nature 
 is depicted so God-like that many deem it irreligious to even- 
 aiui at imitating that Exemplary character in a world so full 
 of selfish greed. In fact, they say // is iiii/>ossii>/i to live up 
 to that great ideal. Is it surprising, that siu/i people fail to 
 distinguish virtue, purity and truth, from what the}- are 
 pleased to call timidity and cowardice? Is moral courage to 
 refrain from retaliating evil — cowardice? Is the practice of 
 forgiveness, instead of revenge — the result of timidity? No! 
 but men conspire together to oppress, trample on, stigmatise, 
 and misrepresent the people of long-suffering virtue. The
 
 2y8 Giciriiis of Light and 
 
 lady claims that lier unsupported word is as good, nay better, 
 than any editor's unsupported word, because she was present 
 at all the experiments, while the editor was not, nor has he 
 made personal enquiry from those who would be likely to 
 know, but instead of a manly statement of facts personalh' 
 elicited b}^ himself, he seeks refuge in subterfuge and retails 
 unreliable gossip from sources whose foundation has no basis 
 in truth. 
 
 We now give details of several points of difference which 
 prove that the Spirit-Photograph could not have been copied 
 from an existing portrait — the carte-de-visite — as was suggested 
 by the literary^ gentleman already mentioned. 
 
 spirit-Photo. Carte-dc-vistte. 
 
 Spirit is standing. Mrs. Neal is sitting 
 
 Clad in white, loose robe. In tight-fitting dress. 
 
 One hand is outstretched. Both hands are on her lap. 
 
 Wears a white cap — frilled. .\ dress cap on, full over the e; 
 
 Wears embroidered V-shaped robe 
 
 with white front. A plain dark bodice. 
 
 6. The angle and size of face are different in both. 
 
 The above mentioned antagonistic paragraphs from the 
 pen of an editor that can be bought, was calculated to circulate 
 in public the imputation of fraud; we therefore publish herein 
 the facts adduced in the hope that further experiments on 
 the part of professional photographers ma}- be made, and that 
 when they perceive a case of apparent fog which, as to its 
 outline, resembles a hiiman form or face, they may place the 
 same under the scrutiny of calm, broad-minded, but judicious 
 critics, who shall then decide whether the fog can be explained 
 by the usual causes, or whether, the result being curious and 
 unexplainable, that operator should try again and again 
 until perfect results are obtained, and this perfectl}' regardless, 
 of the thoughtless, ignorant, or conscience-stricken press 
 writers.
 
 G//f///>sts lliro till Rift. 279 
 
 111 contrast with tlic conduct of the above mentioned 
 individual, we feel bound to admire the candour and straight- 
 forwardness of the editor of the Practical P/iotoij^rap/icr, who 
 hearing of these experiments deemed it his duty to travel 
 nearh" one hundred miles to see the lady and make his 
 own personal observations of the probabilities and possibilities 
 of the statements being true. He took away with him about 
 three dozen of the ps^-chic-photographs for further exami- 
 nation, four of which he reproduced in his magazine, and 
 he there states like an honest person dealing with an honest 
 person, "There seems to be no good reason why any one 
 should month after month for some years persistenth' practice 
 a fraud, and anyone who knows this lady know^s that s/ic 
 is not a likely person to allow such a deception to continue. 
 As to the suggestion that she herself is a charlatan, we 
 can only point out that she has nothing to gain — but all 
 to lose — by following her psychic investigations." 
 
 We know that the best way to make a child truthful 
 and honest, is to let it know that you implicith- believe and 
 trust it. An honourable man believes every one truthful and 
 honest until he proves otherwise. 
 
 On the contrar}- the rogue treats every man as a rogue 
 until he proves him to be true, and even then, judging 
 others by his own standard, he keeps his weather-e3-e on him 
 for fear he should be bested after all : the former class make 
 sunshine wherever they go; bnt the latter clouds for them- 
 selves and their fellows. 
 
 Only those who are ever on the alert to commit legal 
 frauds themselves are eager to attribute fraud to others, and 
 they attempt to hide their own delinquencies by accusing 
 others of the ver\' irregularities they themselves are guilty 
 of; but unless they produce good proofs of their charges, and 
 support their accusation by substantial evidence, the}- should 
 be received with suspicion; and their allegations be regarded
 
 2 So Gild III s of Li'o/if and 
 
 as danger-signals which should put their listeners upon their 
 guard against the accuser rather than against the individual 
 he is condemning. Such men as these have no conception 
 of another person's abilit}' to overcome temptations \\'hich 
 they inwardly feel they would have succumbed to, thus 
 TEMPTATION proves to be the harvest-time which dis- 
 tinguishes and separates the wheat from the tares. 
 
 PAT. 
 
 No. XXIII. — A lady's accouchier had been told by a 
 Spirit named Pat, that if she could get admittance into the 
 expei-imenting room for her likeness, he would come on the 
 plate also. 
 
 (3n the occasion when this plate was exposed, she, the 
 lady, and a friend were all sitting before the camera, While 
 the plate was being developed, Mrs. Toile mentioned that 
 several Spirits were posing in front of those who were 
 focussed; one was Pat, another the doctor who assisted her 
 (Mrs. Troile) with her patients — that is, assisted her as a 
 Spirit — for she is consciovis of this assistance, indeed this 
 Spirit doctor and Pat are as real to her as an^^ member of 
 her large family. The doctor was in practice at Wolver- 
 hampton, and gave his name as Dr. Spurge. The centre 
 Spirit is an Ancient Saxon; the indistinct one a pupil. 
 
 MENTAL PRAYER. 
 
 No. XXIV. — The lady mentally asked if the Spirit in the 
 room woiild pose before the camera with his or her hand 
 on the ladv's shoulder, there was evidently an attempt to do
 
 
 p^1 
 
 ■ 
 
 ^^^p^' '' 
 
 ore 
 
 9 
 
 ^^^H 
 
 
 p 
 
 
 
 
 iefi& 
 
 
 ''i 
 '•J 
 
 t 'lllullcAlJ XiKll/iffS.
 
 G///f//'Sis thro the Rift. 281 
 
 so, but Spirits on the intelligent plane, have more difficult}' 
 in manipulating matter, than thought, and this may explain 
 why it is easier to photograph Spirits from the first four 
 spheres, than the more ethereal ones seen by the clairvoyant. 
 There is a small face to the riglit. The lady was not well 
 and is reclining in an invalid chair, hence the disproportion 
 between the size of hands and face, the invisible hand which 
 only the camera and the clairvoyant's e3-e could detect, is 
 that of her mother, the small head is a Spirit in her mother's 
 surroundings who is generally seen attending her. The 
 negative has been worked up. in order to show this b\- the 
 aid of an enlargement. 
 
 REGGIE'S PHOTOGR.\PH. 
 
 No. xxw— While the lady was having Public Meetings 
 at her house, a gentleman and lady, perfect strangers, having 
 only just become residents in the town, were drawn thither 
 out of curiosity, and were exceedingly surprised when the 
 officiating medium singled them out of the audience, and 
 told them there was a little Spirit standing between them, 
 a son of theirs, for whose loss they were still grieving, that 
 this grief was sadly undermining the health of the lady. 
 He also told them they had another son at home, about 
 thirteen, who was exceedingly sensitive, etc. They greatly 
 wondered how a stranger could tell so much of their private 
 affairs, and thought of the woman of Samaria, when she said, 
 "Come, see a man who told me of all things whatever I 
 did." 
 
 They called privatelv on the lady to ascertain how the 
 medium could possibl}' know about them, she answered that 
 he knew nothing, and could not have told them anything 
 of tlieir affairs, had there not been a Spirit present who 
 
 2 o
 
 282 (j/caiiis of Lio/it and 
 
 was interested in them, and wished them to know that the 
 dead dieMiot, and who told the medinm all he had revealed 
 of them; he was clairaudient and could hear Spirits but 
 they were not, though they had been told their son, thirteen 
 was, if he cultivated, the gift, for Spiritual gifts, like 
 musical, oratorical, and artistic gifts are of no use to the 
 possessors unless they are cultivated. 
 
 They set about developing the boy's latent gifts. Several 
 times during this process, on his half-holidays, some Spirit 
 would mesmerise him at the dinner table, and walk him while 
 entranced to the lady's house a distance of two miles — his 
 parents knowing from experience that he would be quite 
 safe — the Spirit would talk to the lady for an hour or two, 
 on subjects quite be3-ond the comprehension of the lad, 
 and would then leave him. As he woke from his trance 
 he would sleepily exclaim, "What brought me here? I haven't 
 finished my dinner," or "Oh! I promised to play cricket 
 this afternoon and now it's too late." He could generally 
 describe beautiful places and scenes where he had been 
 during the time the Spirit had occupied his body, and the 
 people he had seen, and talked to, were generally friends 
 who were dead, and who had been known to the lady, 3'et 
 unheard of by the bo}- medium. His parents got quite 
 used to these transition states, and enjoj-ed mam- an hour's 
 conversation with old friends long since passed beyond the 
 veil, whom their son had never even heard of. He was 
 brought in this extraordinar}' wav one afternoon for a 
 photograph, he saw three Spirits posing before the camera 
 — his little brother, the Spirit who brought him, and the 
 lady's lover; none of the three are visible, ^-et the boy is 
 completely- overshadowed, his legs onl}? being partlv seen ; had 
 circumstances permitted him giving up the necessarv time for 
 the cultivation and practice he would ere this have become 
 an excellent psychic photographer.
 
 G/{////>s,s thro the Ri/l. 283 
 
 PARTIALLY ^LA.TERL\LIZED FORAL 
 
 No. XXVI. — The plate on wliicli tliis photograph was taken 
 was marked, pnt in, and developed by two volunteers from 
 one of the Public Meetings. There is a Spirit halo over his 
 head, and the ontline of a small face can be traced therein. 
 There is also a soul materializing by his left knee, but the 
 ps^-choplasm was not there in sufficient quantity to en- 
 tirely cover the Spirit; the cloudy vapour seen is due to a 
 depolarization of the atomic particles present, until the com- 
 plete fonn of the Spirit is revealed, but this temporarj' 
 depolarization does not last, the chemical change is only 
 transitory, and accounts for ghosts so suddenly appearing and 
 disappearing before the eyes of the beholder, as to leave a 
 doubt in his own mind whether it was real or imaginar\-. 
 Had time permitted of more exposures, no doubt a full\- 
 recognised form would have been eventually received. 
 
 No. XXVII. — This is the last plate exposed at these 
 Public Meetings under test conditions. .A hoy medium aged 
 twelve — sou of the gentleman who posed before the camera 
 when the partially materialized form was seen in plate xx\'i, 
 — was focussed the halo is seen, but various reasons conspired 
 to prevent a renewal of these experiments with the Unseen. 
 Two of the best and most complete descriptions the lad}' has 
 received of dead friends, were given to her bj' this boy the 
 first time he entered the ladA-'s experimenting room; there 
 was no hesitation or nervousness in the boy's manner, he had 
 simpl}- called in company with his father, who, through 
 attending the seances she had opened for the public, had 
 received such proofs of immortality, that he gave his own 
 famil}- opportunities to develop the Spiritual gifts thej^ 
 possessed, with the result that this boy shorth- "cultivated
 
 284 Glcains of Liillit and 
 
 the discerning of Spirits," who talked to, and taught him 
 many tMngs. On this occasion he simj^ly said, "One of two 
 Spirits present has smilingly asked me to tell you that they 
 are here, and that I see them:" he was asked to describe 
 their appearance, and without the least hesitation he gave the 
 fullest description of her dead lover, embodying all the details 
 of appearance, dress, hair, beard, hands, habits, and pose of 
 head and bod}-, which she had received in fragments from so 
 man\- other mediums. 
 
 TWO FRIENDS. 
 
 No. xxviii. — This is the result of an experiment with 
 two friends; the one ladj-'s head is completely gone, but no 
 form is visible in this very remarkable rift, the intensit}' 
 of the brilliance obscures whatever objects are in its path, 
 and this phenomena of the camera does but confirm the 
 visions of conscious Seers, who in proportion to their lucidity 
 affirm that material objects fade or disappear entirelv before 
 the brilliant light of heaven. A row of heads one above 
 the other are to the left of the ladies at the plate's edge. 
 
 THE DOCTOR'S WIDOW. 
 
 No. XXIX. — Among those who recognised Mrs. Neal's 
 Spirit Photograph is a doctor's widow, a stranger, who called 
 upon the lady, and has since then been a frequent visitor; 
 on one of these occasions she sat before the camera in the 
 experimenting room; the negative had to be enlarged and 
 touched up before it could be re-produced. 
 
 The centre figure is an excellent likeness of her father, 
 in a position different to an}- he had been taken in before;
 
 PLATc 29. 
 
 
 ■I^^PW 
 
 I^^B 
 
 r 
 
 r^S 
 
 V- 
 
 ^ 
 
 yy^ '■'■* ■ 
 
 J 
 
 m% ] 
 
 Ht^ii^tffll 
 
 m ' I 
 
 ^^^VtH 
 
 u 
 
 III

 
 I 
 
 (;//'///>s,< thro tlu Rift. 2S5 
 
 tlie small head next is one of the two young men who 
 escaped with the colours in the Zulu war and was slain; 
 the only other who has disclosed his identity, is the large 
 featured Indian Healer in the service of Dr. G — 's ps3'chic 
 surroundings. His name was "Lightning." 
 
 CHARLOTTE BRONTE. 
 
 No. XXX. — On one occasion the lady was too ill to get 
 up for the usual experiments, the clairvoyants saw bright 
 lights shining round about her bed, and the lady who was 
 sitting with her suggested that the plate should be exposed 
 as usual, and the eye of the camera directed to the bed. 
 This was done, and the touched-up negative, from which 
 this plate was taken, revealed a glorified angel from earth, 
 with messenger Spirits in her train; she gave her name as 
 Charlotte Bronte. On another occasion a clairvoyant saw the 
 whole room lit up with a heavenl}- light, and the four walls 
 lined half way down from the ceiling with bright white 
 angels ranged in rows like a gallery, and seemed to fill the 
 room, covering the bed and other articles of furniture. It is 
 seldom a clairvoyant medium is able to see into the heavens 
 of light and wisdom, the material cares of life act as shadows 
 which obstruct the clear vision, and only when the minds of 
 those present are perfectly free from mundane anxieties, and 
 the hurr\- and bustle with wliich one event of the da\- pushes 
 on to the next, in the whirl of society; or business life has 
 given wa}- to the calm repose of the unconventional sick, or 
 seance room then the exalted Seer can behold the glorified 
 angels of the Lord, and even then the conditions have to be 
 both peaceful and holy. Clairvoyants can always see Spirits 
 who occupy the heaven thej- are creating around them, but 
 only on rare occasions do they see beyond their own heaven.
 
 286 ( J /id Jin of Lii^ht ami 
 
 No. XXXI. — We can't account for the line seen across 
 the plate, hnless the operator allowed the slide-shutter to drop, 
 or failed to draw it up to its full length at once. The Spirits 
 visible are: — The largest face, a Mrs. Brunt, of Hereford, 
 who was housekeeper to a gentleman of that cit}'. The small 
 face is that of a cousin of the Welsh medium whose drawings 
 we mention. He was at home in Wales at the time, and 
 has only recentlj' discovered the fact. 
 
 No. XXXII. — The Spirits that show their faces on this 
 plate, in the luminous halo, are those of a well-known 
 deceased traveller in draper}^; the Indian, Red Fen's father; 
 and two others not recognised. 
 
 No. XXXIII. — This was the verj- last plate exposed during 
 these experiments. There is nothing but a halo visible, 
 obscuring the boy sitter. xxix, xxx, xxxi, and xxxii are 
 from touched up enlargements, the lady's developsment not 
 clear enougfh to transfer without.
 
 G/tw/'Sts thro the Ri/l. 287 
 
 iSortratts of Spirits. 
 
 Reproduced from Drawings. 
 
 MUSTAPHA. 
 
 No. XXXIV. — A photograph taken from a Spirit drawn 
 nnder somewhat extraordinary circumstances. A Welsh 
 Sensitive was visiting at the lady's house, when a Spirit 
 present said he was an artist when on earth, Jan Steinmetz 
 b}- name, and if the lady would gi\e the Sensitive her water 
 colours, easel and board, he would use his hand to make a 
 portrait of the prophet Mustapha, the Spirit who gave her 
 the prophesy in reference to the political future of Europe 
 up to 1897.* 
 
 She had only just given her paints awa}-, and expressed 
 her regret, when a gentleman from Cambridge University 
 who was present, said he would get on the bus and go to 
 town for some: when he got there, all the shops were closed 
 for the night, and he could get nothing better then one 
 shilling box from a small shop in the suburbs. The easel 
 board and paper were ready when he returned and though 
 he had never attempted to paint or mix colours before, late 
 
 • See Fragments Prophesy.
 
 288 Gleams of Li'i^/it and 
 
 as it was he completed three highly finished artistic portraits 
 before retiring to rest. Pencil drawings of two of these three 
 Spirits had been received at a previous seance, and on con- 
 paring them with these, thej' were found to be the exact 
 counterparts of each other. This is the Spirit Mustapha, 
 whose mission it is to supply the vital energv' needed to 
 accomplish the life schemes of the lady. 
 
 ABDULLAH. 
 
 No. XXXV. — The second of the paintings. Thev have 
 been placed in the hands of more than twenty clairvoj-ants 
 without explaining how the}- were obtained, or -whom they 
 represented, thev one and all exclaimed, "This is the Eastern 
 philosopher so often described to 3-ou as your Spirit 
 Guardian." 
 
 Another joyfully exclaimed, "Why! this is your chief 
 Guardian Angel, you will succeed in everything you attempt 
 which he approves of, he can call all Spirits from the planes 
 below him to his assistance, and that means your assistance 
 also," or, 
 
 "This is an exact portrait of the Spirit whose voice has 
 followed yoix all your life," or, 
 
 "How did you -get that? It's a striking likeness of the 
 Oriental Adept I always see with you ; it is his mission to 
 suppl}' you with the Divine assistance you seek, and it's your 
 dependence on Divinity instead of yourself which brings him 
 so near to you always." 
 
 These are a few of the remarks made by the Seers to 
 whom these paintings were submitted, and it is the unanimity 
 with which the}^ independent of each other, agree as to the 
 identity of these two Spirits which has induced us to reproduce 
 them here. The lady herself is not a Seer, and has only
 
 i 
 
 ^ 
 
 \-v. 
 
 4 
 
 A B D t ■ L I, A H .
 
 Glimpses thro the Rift. 289 
 
 occasionally seen a ghost or Spirit though she is clairaudient, 
 so cannot add her testimon}' to the Seers above mentioned, 
 yet we have no hesitation in giving them to the world, on 
 our experience, of a well proven case of Spirit identity. 
 
 JOHN JOBSON. 
 
 No. XXXVI. — Is taken from a drawing by the same Spirit 
 artist, Jan Steinmetz, and represents the Spirit who is 
 gathering together all the facts attending successful Psychic 
 Photography in order to see what is required for its easy 
 and certain re-production. Whether man must give his 
 attention to Special Developers, Special Plates, or Special 
 Lenses. 
 
 This Spirit calls himself John Jobson, and is seen in 
 the ladj-'s aura at the head of a host of several hundred 
 Spirits, who have all been Scientists, Opticians and Chemists, 
 many of them well known leaders on earth of both Ancient 
 and Modern times. 
 
 A special camera will be shorth- invented on earth witli 
 rarefied gases confined between the lenses which will act as 
 a cerebro-telescopic camera, and will be small enough to be 
 used within the nerve atmosphere of the individual student; 
 it will reveal to Astronomers knowledge of the Unseen 
 Stellar Universe and its inhabitants, at the present time 
 undreamed of. The person who in\ents this carebro-telescope, 
 will consider he found it out by accident, whereas already 
 the thing is in existence in the world of Causation, and only 
 awaits suitable conditions, to give it b}- impression to some 
 one who is in the habit of using the necessary materials for 
 its production. This is casually mentioned, that it may 
 prove when it comes abovit, that every action of man's life 
 is the result of Higher Intelligences than his own. This 
 
 2 P
 
 290 (r/ca/iis 0/ Light and 
 
 may be mortifying to man's personal vanity to own, bnt it 
 is a Trut^ nevertheless. 
 
 ABOU-EL-HAKIM. 
 
 No. XXXVII. — A pen-and-ink-sketch of the Spirit of a 
 Moorish Astrologer, as he appeared in symbolic prophetic 
 form to a Seer. He is standing with one foot on a globe 
 representing "The Earth," the other in space, holding aloft 
 in his hand a symbol of ( li ) the planet Jnpiter, while in the 
 air, blazed in Electric luminous figures the number 20. This 
 was drawn in Wales and forwarded to the lad\' b\- post at 
 the request of the Astrological Spirit prophet. 
 
 It was inspirationally revealed to her, that when ( 1: ) 
 reached her J\/cdiniiicc/i, the world would read, begin to 
 think over, and receive the revelations the Angels had 
 requested should be herein recorded. This Astrologer has 
 been described by several Seers, and drawn by two, who have 
 no communication with each other, and never saw each other 
 till they since met at her house. There is no doubt as to 
 the two drawings representing the same Spirit, the personal 
 features are too well pronounced.
 
 ^,^l, )f*~'- -^j^
 
 C>Ifam vit. 
 
 "Kves have they, Iml see iiol, neither ilo tliey uii.lerstanil." 
 
 Jisiis Cliiiit.
 
 G//M/>SiS thro the Ri/t. 293 
 
 IJIanrtrvij .<lngrls. 
 
 "How lic-ar \vc every iiian speak in his own tongue wherein he was l)oni!-" 
 
 Acts ii. 
 
 URIXG the latter part of the Niueteenth 
 Centur\- in addition to Psychic Photograph\' 
 there has arisen the practice of a certain kind 
 of self-immolation upon the altar of hypnotism, 
 which confirms the former and often resnlts in 
 a form of conscious Seership, in which state the 
 Seer beholds the forms of the departed while in 
 a natural conscious state, at all times, and in all 
 places, minor forms of this gift result in clair- 
 \ovance, this phase is occasional, and is confined 
 more to the material heavens where they can see and converse 
 with friends long since dead, receive messages, from Spirits 
 who were strangers when on earth, for their friends still 
 living, and become as friendly and familiar with these Spirits 
 as if they were near neighbours. Trance is another form 
 of the same gift, with the disadvantage to the entranced 
 person that the benefit derived by the listeners from the 
 communicating Spirit is not shared by him, for he is 
 blankly unconscious, and ma}- have been asleep for all he 
 knows. In this form tlie cerebellum is the most active 
 organ of the brain, and the Spirit Intelligence who wishes
 
 294 (r/ar///s of I.ii^lit ami 
 
 to control the brain does so from the back of the neck, and 
 then controls the whole of the brain. In this state the 
 medium can see and describe Spirit forms, and often give 
 forth knowledge be^'ond his capacity' normally, limited to the 
 extent of the vocabulary of the medium, for the reason 
 that Spirits do not converse audibly but in thought waves 
 which strike the aura of the entranced medium, and are 
 interpreted into words by means of the organism they are 
 projected against. This may explain why some Spirits vise 
 bad grammar when controlling an uneducated medium, who 
 never did so when on earth, and also why foreign Spirits 
 who knew no words of English are able to talk English 
 fluently when thev are using an English medium's organism, 
 but in this latter case the Spirit must be of a celestial 
 order. Mundane Spirits always speak in their own language 
 when controlling a medium. 
 
 Seership, combined with Inspiration, is the highest form 
 of intelligence on earth, and allies its possessor with the 
 Wisdom spheres. Inspiration is not complete without Seer- 
 ship, neither is Seership of any intellectual worth in advancing 
 higher knowledge on the earth, unless interpreted and accom- 
 panied by Inspiration. 
 
 There is a minor form of this gift termed "Impression,"' 
 its recipients speak of having presentiments, these presenti- 
 ments should in all cases be scrupulously followed, even when 
 the road does not seem clear for their accomplishment, the 
 very effort clears away obstacles, and gives the Intelligences, 
 who are at the helm steering one's bark through life, facilities 
 for the accomjDlishment of good, which a non-observance of 
 the impressions given, deprive us of, for God can only work 
 by means. Intelligence is the means He uses to work by; 
 the angels and Spirits His messengers, and man the instru- 
 ment to evolve intelligence through matter. 
 
 Years of patient investigation and experiment have
 
 ^^ ''■'^ 
 
 
 ... -svi 
 
 '1 
 1 
 
 '^v ' /n 
 
 
 
 
 
 ; 't' 
 
 ' M,4} 
 
 
 t. :.'-:;...■■: .. 

 
 (i//w/'Sis thro tin- Rift. 295 
 
 enabled the author, b\- using the facilities afforded l)y mediums 
 of the above t^-pes, to derive knowledge beyond the usual 
 observation of the student of history, and to draw information 
 of planetrv beings who live and have their being in other 
 worlds than ours. 
 
 NEPTUNE. 
 
 No. xx.wiii. — Is tlie sketch of a Spirit from the planet 
 Neptune often seen at the house where the preceding plates 
 were photographed, and as it was obtained in a manner as 
 convincing of the actual presence of the Intelligence as of 
 those we had photographed, it is added to this collection. 
 
 A Seer present was in rapport with this Spirit, while 
 sitting in the room with the author and his wife, he described 
 it, to the dark glistening blue shading of his beautiful electric 
 wings, the tips of which when quite shut, seemed to trail the 
 ground and give the figure an appearance of having shoulders 
 higher than the neck; when spread open the inside of the 
 wings are of a pale pink colour, and the sable hue is lost 
 in a lovely blue unlike any shade seen on earth, the Spirit 
 gives his name as Al-la-ha-ziel. 
 
 The wings of angels are of so fine a substance, that 
 they more resemble the rays of light coming through a 
 chink in a shutter than anything else on earth, and in 
 reality they are an electric force projected at will for the 
 purpose of sustaining the Spirit in the atmosphere of a 
 foreign plauet. 
 
 On this occasion the soul of the Seer was transported 
 through space, up, up, upwards and onwards; his sensations 
 were of intense cold, and utter darkness, the speed of flight 
 almost appalling; the stars in the distance as he was winged 
 on and on seemed to g:row larg^er and larger. As he neared
 
 296 Gleams of Light and 
 
 their atmosphere they lost their apparent luminosity, until 
 only the ^dark bodies of the solid globes were plainly per- 
 ceived; on none of these could he alight. At last one much 
 larger than the rest was seen of a light yellow colour, the 
 size of an orange in comparison with the earth he had left, 
 which he now viewed abovit the size of a Spanish nut. 
 
 On nearing the dark nucleus of this larger orb, he 
 became aware that his guide was the Spirit whom he had 
 sketched; here he once more touched TERRA firma, and his 
 perceptions were opened to the knowledge of a lifetime, 
 fragments of which he gave forth in his exalted state, from 
 the notes of which the following is extracted: — 
 
 The inhabitants of the planet Neptune are in a very 
 pure and more advanced state than the Earthite, the orb is 
 much older than earth, the people have evolved greater self 
 control, the}' wear no clothing, are strangers to lust; women 
 are in the minoritv; feelings of veneration and adoration 
 quite unmixed with selfish desire, marked the men's attitude 
 to their helpmates. 
 
 The curse laid iipon Eve and her descendents, arising 
 through man's fall from the object of generation, to the 
 sensual pleasures of sex, has not descended to the female 
 Neptunite, as a consequence there is a total absence of suf- 
 fering and disease. They display no irregular, morbid, 
 sentimental love for their offspring, perfect confidence in 
 Nature's better judgment, induces them to leave the latent 
 powers of their children to be unfolded b}' their Guardian 
 Angels, in accordance with the inherent principles transmitted, 
 unfettered by the strength and antagonism of the minds of 
 their parents, who although they visit the spot where they 
 were deposited, never interfere with them in any way, beyond 
 a pleasurable display of satisfaction. 
 
 Their complexions are blue between an electric and 
 sky blue, feathers take the place of hair, which constantly
 
 Gliiiif'Sis thro" the Rift. 297 
 
 emit electric sparks, cspeciall}' when in a rage which needs 
 great provocation. The}' are peaceable, unassuming, and wliat 
 we should call, unsociable, with each other; their thoughts 
 and aspirations are with a Higher order of Intelligence than 
 their own. They understand that their contact with matter 
 is to evolve intelligence; this they keep constanth* in view, 
 and instead of looking to each other for knowledge and 
 ad\ice, the}- look up and recei^■e it from Higher Beings than 
 themselves. They realize that the enfranchised Spirit is 
 limited to its own plane of observation and experience, whicli 
 ma}- be a totally different one to the plane on which their 
 neighbours live and desire further teaching and advice: thus 
 for the few to attempt to enforce their ways and views on the 
 many, by making laws, would be productive of the same 
 confusion and disharmony with Nature as is known to exist 
 on the planet Earth, where the teachings, social laws, and 
 politic advice is for ever at variance with the Divine object 
 of their being — harmony — upsetting the plans and increasing 
 the labours of their I'nscen Guardian Angels: therefore they 
 leave each other to their own devices without comment, 
 and all are allowed to live out their highest possibilities 
 without let or hindrance, '"a law to themselves" becoming 
 each a potent world in harmony with, and assisting all around 
 them as the stars, planets, and vegetation are observed to 
 do. 
 
 Their eyes it will be seen are small, not unlike a fish's 
 eye, the white seen all round; their nose eagle-shaped, their 
 bodies long, thick set, and altogether out of proportion to 
 the length of their legs: they are not great pedestrians; 
 though they are well developed and strong physically, they 
 are small eaters, and have consequently small stomachs; their 
 neck is thick and strong, as is also the cerebellum; the one 
 lobe of the brain is not developed at the expense of the 
 other, as a result all appetites and passions are under the 
 
 2 y
 
 2g8 GIca///s oj I-iilf/i and 
 
 control of the intellect; a few feathers are also on their 
 ankles aiwi wrists; feathers is not exactly the word to convey 
 the right idea of this down}- covering, bnt it is the best 
 our language affords; the hairs of the body are magnetic 
 and electric conductors, and the downy feathery covering of 
 the Neptunites is of a finer construction, and more in number 
 than hair. 
 
 They are great lovers of justice, but can be saturnine 
 when provoked b}' injustices, this happens so seldom as to 
 be epochs in their history, for their separate paths in the 
 heavens does not often bring these two orbs into aspect one 
 with the other, and onh' at these times are elements gener- 
 ated magneticallv which tend to implant malific inclinations. 
 
 They possess most extraordinar}-, concentrative, and 
 attractive forces, thev can bring all nature into their service, 
 not b^• labour and mechanical skill, as with the Earthite, but 
 b}- psvchic projection which produces a change of polarit}- in 
 the atoms, similar to that which takes place in the seance 
 room for jshvsical manifestation, called in the last dispensa- 
 tions on earth, miracles. 
 
 The vegetation is blue, and is their only food, the atmos- 
 phere is red, their homes bowers, they seem to have no 
 employment, or rather business; the}- have long arms and 
 fingers with psychic tips, and claw-like nails. 
 
 He saw an imnlense amphitheatre hewn from solid rock 
 not unlike a jelly mould, with a pillar rising in the centre 
 flat on the top, on which their God descends from Heaven 
 periodicall}- in the \-isible shape of a beautiful fair woman, 
 in the sight of many thousands of spectators, who sit on 
 ledges, bulging from the sides of this huge basin like 
 amphitheatre: one person only from each community being 
 deputed to be present ; this temple is more like a natural 
 formation than one constructed by man's hands. 
 
 Their senses are not confined to the physical plane only.
 
 (1/iiJif'siS f/iiv fhc Rift. 299 
 
 Ps\-chic perceptions, which on earth are quite the exception, 
 and are regarded with amazement or incredulity, are the 
 natural birth-right of the Neptunites. Their psychic sense 
 of sight is so accurate, that what we see imperfectly only, 
 rarely, and even then, in isolated cases, of other worlds, they 
 see easily with no artiiicial aid; the continents of earth are 
 clear to them, some can even individualize the people. 
 
 Before the Earthite can \iew the continents of other 
 planets, even with artificial aid, he will have to turn his 
 attention from the construction of unwieldly expensive teles- 
 copes, to small portable instruments, with etherealized gases 
 confined between the lenses, such as can be in the possession 
 of everv one. Tliis instrument will be obtained by man 
 shortly. The method of constructing it will be impressed 
 upon the brain organism of the first dabbler in acoustics and 
 analytical chemistry whom this advanced band of Invisible 
 Intelligences find negative enough to Spirit influences. The 
 fortunate inventor will however be unwilling to acknowledge 
 his indebtedness to the Unseen, biit will say "I foinid it out 
 bv accident." This is already tabulated in the world of 
 Causes, and is given here as a prophecy. 
 
 W'liile the angel from Neptune was still present, the 
 lady, in a mental prayer, asked him if he would go to the 
 drawing seer in Wales, and give him an opportunity of 
 .sketching his likeness, so as to compare the one with the 
 other. She then, without mentioning the fact to any one, 
 wrote to Wales, desiring that if an angel purporting to come 
 from Neptune should visit him to kindly draw it and send 
 it on to her. Plate XXXIX is the drawing he sent, and is 
 an excellent confirmation of the drawing done, and the des- 
 cription given upwards of one himdred miles awa}-. After 
 this he saw other planetar\' angels from Neptinie, all of the 
 same general form and feature. 
 
 No. xr,.- — In one of his soul flights he saw and drew
 
 300 Glcaim of Light and 
 
 Plate XL. As in a rift of the clouds he belield a Neptunite 
 on his mission as a planetery inspirational intelligence to the 
 inhabitant of an earth: The female was quite oblivious of 
 his nearness, or that the nature of her thoughts was due to 
 his presence and electric inspiration, which entered her 
 intuitive faculties as a spark or star, which he magnetically 
 guided to the organ of the brain required, contact with the 
 atoms there generated a particular force which tabulated the 
 thoughts, it was his mission, or his pleasure to create in her 
 mind. From this and similar psychic experiences it would 
 seem that man's brain is a sort of galvanic type-writer, 
 manipulated by Unseen Intelligences, and that the quality 
 of the production is due to the skill of the Invisible Opera- 
 tors, man having little to do in the matter, but remain 
 passive and give utterance to the ideas tabulated, after the}^ 
 have been sifted through the riddle called reason. Great 
 original thought means great passivity to the mesmeric 
 influence of Planetery Angels with the lively consciousness 
 necessary to utter or record them when created. The proof 
 of these inspirational utterances is generally forthcoming in 
 future centuries by means of the gradual evolution of physical 
 science. 
 
 Neptune is a masculine planet, duality is almost lost 
 in unity, all males possess the power of reproducing their 
 species, but whenever a female child is created they know 
 they have been visited by the Gods ; the spot which gave it 
 birth yields its substance towards the nourishment of the little 
 one, and as it grows and matures, so the earth \>y natural 
 laws becomes scoped out and an additional amphitheatre is 
 formed in all respects like the one described in the former 
 part of this chapter. 
 
 We -were taught that there ^\•ere planets where all were 
 males, others where all were females, containing within their 
 own organism the power of reproduction. Others like the
 
 G//w/>Si-s thro the Rift. 301 
 
 earth were dual, both male and female, but all have not 
 fallen to the appetite of lust, and become subject to the evils 
 of suffering, for the}- have not like the Earthite outraged 
 the Angelhood of God, and thereb\- become subject to God, 
 suffering unto purification. 
 
 SERAPHS. 
 
 No. XLi. — There is a class of Planetery Intelligences 
 who are seen without arms and legs, the operations of their 
 present existence being entirel}- mental and psj-chic. They 
 are always seen by the Seer in compan\- with Celestial Spirits 
 whom it is their mission to inspire and guide, of this order 
 is the priest, who is the Guardian Angel of a missionary's 
 son, in whose presence this vision was painted by a Seer. 
 Seraphs of this order are only seen by the mortal Seer who 
 is on an intellectual and aspirational plane, and even then 
 the conditions of mind reigning must be calm contentment, 
 or they are unable to come within the focal vision of the 
 psyshic. They are seldom seen in the presence of more than 
 two Earthites, and oftener in the presence of one only. Of 
 this order were the Seraphs that with the Shckinah shone 
 on the altar of the Holy of Holies in the Jewish temple, 
 wherein none were allowed to enter, save the High Priest, 
 and he but once per year to behold the visible presence of 
 the Lord. 
 
 The Seraphs have no direct contact with material man, 
 but are alwa3-s accompanied by advanced Spirits from earth. 
 The}' inspire, but never control to speak directl}', thro' a 
 medium. 
 
 SPIRIT FROM MARS. 
 
 A female tall, six feet high, hair red, magnetism, red,
 
 302 Glciiuis o/ Lii^lil (Hid 
 
 clothing a loose robe, also red; features broad, jaws very 
 square, t6p part of tbe head is broad, nose thick, square, 
 and pugnacious. A Spirit of gross physical type from Mars. 
 She stands near and breathes out on to the people present, 
 her hands are large, fingers broad, and square at the tips. 
 
 On another occasion we had a vision of a man of Mars, 
 who was nearly seven feet, sqviai'e, and broad, e\-en to the 
 finger tips, with a magnificent aspect, he appeared to be 
 clothed in a ruddy armour of mail as though prepared for 
 war, which shot forth ruddy rays of light, shining and 
 glistening at everv mo\-e, he seemed to bring an atmosphere 
 of energ}', strength, and activity; we were afterwards informed 
 that this was his mission, his visit was in harmony with the 
 Astrological aspects of Mars at the time which were health- 
 giving. 
 
 Another Seer beheld a Marsman who at first appeared 
 to wear a long white cloak over a costume somewhat like a 
 Roman warrior. He had a highly developed physique — of 
 fine quality, rather than hardy-muscular strength: he stood 
 rather taller than the average earth-man— a head taller than 
 a gentleman present who stood five feet seven inches. Tlie 
 cloak (?) while the Seer was looking, assumed a less dense 
 appearance — became like a falling spray over the figure — yet 
 there was no sound or splashing of water. 
 
 Finallv, as the" soul-eyes acquired greater power, the 
 phenomena resolved itself into a current of magnetism which 
 pouring from the ganglionic centres of the Spirit's superb 
 form, radiated all around him downwards to the earth-people 
 he had come to benefit. 
 
 He could take.handfuls of the subtle fluid and inject 
 it into a man's vitals, and it seems to be the pleasure of the 
 Marsites to promote sanguinity and health rather than mental 
 benefits.
 
 G/iiiipscs ///Id' f/ii Ri//. 303 
 
 SPIRITS FROM THR PLANET JUPITER. 
 
 Sitting for a private seance, the medium described the 
 following Spirit bending over the lady purporting to be a 
 harbinger of peace, prosperity, and powerful friends from 
 the planet Jupiter. 
 
 A beautiful female, six-and-a-half feet high; aquiline 
 nose; long wavy golden hair, reaching to the waist; shining 
 red gauz}' silk robe, with a golden lustre; bright rudd}' pink 
 skin; large blue eyes; much more loft\- head than the 
 highest-brained man of earth's inhabitants. She had much 
 brain above, behind and before the ears; the forehead pro- 
 jected, as a whole, being broad and erect; the head was round 
 every way, except down the middle from benevolence to 
 firmness, where it was level like a table; the social sentiments 
 no higher than the intellectual ; tlie upper lip was firm and 
 yet kind : she had a large, broad, well-shaped mouth ; tlie 
 chin and jaw square. Her hands were long, strong and 
 tapering; her limbs plump and well-formed, upon the whole 
 a s\-nmietrical figure. She had an animated briglit and happy 
 expression. On Saturday evening he described a similar 
 Spirit near, but in this case it was a male over seven feet 
 high, broad, handsome and powerful, with a profusion of 
 curling aubuni hair hanging like a mane over his forehead 
 which was high, broad, and square, projecting over the 
 eyes, but not receding; the upper lip was firm as in the case 
 of the Spirit already described. His whiskers and mous- 
 tache were crisp and curling, aubuni in colour. His aspect 
 was grand, benignant and god-like; the form athletic, was 
 clad in a loose robe of a transparent material, the rudd}- 
 flesh glowing through made it appear of a shining red golden 
 hue. His hands were huge and extremel}- well formed, the
 
 _504 G lea Ills of Lio/if and 
 
 nails broad but tapering at the points ; enormous feet clothed 
 in sandals, but not out of proportion to his great stature. 
 He spoke in a voice which was full, deep and sonoroiis, 
 words which sounded like "Rill yap Jarva beza; medza zona 
 zilp; azia zamp yarva," translated by one control to mean, 
 "I come to thee from Jupiter with blessings; sureh' my health 
 shall be thine; my heart flows theeward." When asked how 
 it was possible for a Spirit of earth to translate the language 
 spoken on another planet, the answer given was, — that "Spirits 
 do not need audible words to convey their thoughts to each 
 other, which approach in waves, and need no translation. 
 
 It may be interesting to students of Astrology to learn 
 that the planet Jupiter had just entered the Zodiacal sign it 
 occupied at the ladj^'s birth, and is forming a trine aspect 
 to the Radical Sun in her nativity; Jupiter is sextile to the 
 Progressive Sun ; and by mutual aspect Jupiter and the Sun 
 are now in sextile; the Moon, also, this month comes to a 
 trine of Jupiter. 
 
 Therefore, so far, the Astrological indications agree with 
 the Spiritual import of these celestial visitors from the planet 
 Jupiter. 
 
 The one difiiculty investigators cannot surmount at first, 
 is that our departed commence the next life where thev left 
 off here, that they are not changed, except that they have 
 cast off a body, which encased their souls and weighted 
 them- of this particular planet, thereby making them subject 
 to the effects of magnetic rays from all the dense bodies in 
 the Universe, large and small, which may be directed towards 
 this case or body, during the period termed "life." At its 
 close the real — I — still exists, retains its own individualit}-, 
 carries on its own train of thought, and Spirit evolution, 
 yet remains near, though invisible, to those in the body with 
 whom it is in magnetic sympathy; so that heaven is all round 
 us, invisible to all, except the Spiritually-gifted sensitive.
 
 G/impscs thro the Rift. 305 
 
 Each person on entering the presence of a "medinm" 
 brings his own "Spirit World" with him. These Spirits 
 are good or bad: mirthful or serious; frank or suspicious; 
 artistic or scientific; truthful or deceptive; according to the 
 mood the person desiring an interview with the sensitive may 
 be in at the particular time he sits with him. This is what 
 is meant when Spiritualists talk so mysteriously and vaguelj- 
 about "sitters not supplying good conditions," as being a 
 cause for unsatisfactory seances. 
 
 High-class Spirits, or such as were earth so, in life, 
 cannot now come into the atmosphere of an}- but those whose 
 thoughts and general attitude of mind are similar, and thus 
 attract them. This law of attraction will equally apply to 
 all kinds, classes, and phases of the Spiritual mind. "Like 
 attracts like," is especially true in Spirit return. 
 
 We maj- add that the medium we sat with, knows 
 nothing of Astrolog)', therefore we are satisfied that he did 
 not get an\- hints concerning the good aspects of Jupiter, 
 now operating, to assist him in giving the clairvoyant 
 descriptions above stated. 
 
 IS JUPITER INHABITED. 
 
 Since the telegraphic communications between us and 
 the Spirits from Jupiter have commenced, we have been 
 curious to know the necessarj- conditions, for holding converse 
 with Spirits from other planets. 
 
 We learn that to establish a magnetic telepathy between 
 an inhabitant of earth and the Spirit of another planet, it 
 is necessary- that no malignant rays should be cast towards 
 it from other planets at the time of the birth of the individual 
 desiring to communicate. 
 
 In the lady's horoscope, Jupiter is free from affliction, 
 
 2 R
 
 3o6 Gica/Ns of Light and 
 
 and in trine to the Sun from the loth; favourable aspects 
 to Jupitej- are also operating at the present time. 
 
 In repl}' to Mr. R. Proctor's assertion that Jupiter is 
 not inhabited, we merely state that no science is perfect 
 until all other sciences have been brought to bear upon it. 
 
 From further conversation we learned that the state of 
 the planet Jupiter is luxuriantly tropical, and the heat in 
 the equatorial regions approaches to over 300^ of 3'our earth- 
 life calculation of heat, in the normal condition, but it is 
 often greater, yet in spite of this high temperature, it is 
 the abode of embodied intelligences. 
 
 The lower forms of animal and human life are superior 
 in beauty and intelligence to }'our highest forms of intel- 
 ligence and beauty on the earth. 
 
 The highest aspirations Jupiter-wards meet and blend 
 magnetically with the beneficent Spiritual impulsions earth- 
 wards from the high toned Spirits of Jupiter. 
 
 As every flower has its own odour, so ever}- planet 
 has its own electric and magnetic expressions. The highest 
 Spiritual sphere around the earth is being drawn magnetically 
 Jupiter-wards, hence we seldom hear of Spirits returning to 
 earth past the 7th sphere. This earth and all its visible and 
 invisible inhabitants, is but one thought of the Creator; as 
 many thoughts blend in one mind, so many worlds blend by 
 magnetic attraction into a Solar System*. Their rays are 
 projected even to the atoms composing ever}' world in the 
 Universe, but some of these atoms attract certain rays from 
 particular planets more powerfully than others do, according 
 to the power of the rays projected upon the atoms composing 
 
 * "It is to observed that the vSun of this world does not appear at all to any 
 Spirit— it is as thick darkness to Spirits and Angels." 
 
 Sivcdcnbors:.
 
 1,.^ 
 
 A NEPTUNITE SPIRIT CONTROLLING ONE 
 FROM ANOTHER PLANET.
 
 Ij/i/iipics lino tlh- Rift. 307 
 
 a human bod}', when it first was animated by Spirit at 
 birth. Tlie careful observation, of the effects which these 
 magnetic rays have on bodies animated by conscious Spirits, 
 constitutes the neglected and much-questioned science called 
 Astrolog}-. 
 
 A SPIRIT FROM THE PLANET VULCAN. 
 
 Tall, graceful, dress, is as it were white satin, complexion 
 clear, features sharpl}- defined, only marked b}- being dis- 
 proportionately wide at the jaws, and remarkabl}'- so across 
 the temples, face altogether poetical and refined, with much 
 force, eyes dark blue, hair black. She speaks — "I dwell in 
 a sphere midwa}' between Venus and the Sun." 
 
 A front view shows a very remarkable head. The plate 
 of the skull is high, and \-et far from the sides it rises in 
 the form of an arch, from under which flashes a bright gold 
 light which forms itself into a star over the forehead, and 
 flashes forwards and outwards, yet it gives no impression of 
 a monstrosit}-. 
 
 This arch appears to be a superstructural brain encase- 
 ment, whicli has a connection with the brain l^elow the 
 bridge. 
 
 She draws closer witli an electric star, snowy wliite and 
 gleaming; she places this on j-our head: it descends into it. 
 She withdraws her hand, throws her tresses over her left 
 arm, winding them round and round; she then uses her 
 right hand, and apparently plays upon her hair a sweet tune, 
 while the overhanging bridge of the skull appears to be a 
 sounding-board, which reflects these sweet sounds; and as 
 the harmou}- increases in volume, the luminosit\- before 
 referred to, increases in splendour, suffusing the face with a 
 transfiguring light; when the notes are faint the light 
 becomes dim.
 
 Slie ceases playing, stands erect, tosses her hair back 
 in a glorious volume, and says again: "I come from a planet 
 midway between Venus and the Sun. We serve Jupiter. 
 We serve Mercury. We harmonise the influences of the 
 gods for those who are capable of receiving truth. Mercury 
 carries the messages. We blend together an<l interpret the 
 Divine import of all the messages of light. My sphere 
 envelopes the heavenly orb recently discerned by the earth- 
 man; its celestial name is Zimrah." 
 
 This newly-discovered planet is also inhabited, and by 
 a race of creatures as distinctly different to the earth-man 
 as are the inhabitants of the other known planets. 
 
 We notice that we only ha\e these far-distant visitors 
 when the i^lanet thev profess to come from is at angles with 
 the spot in the heavens occupied by the same planet at our 
 birth, confirming the ancient science of Astrology. We also 
 find that the magnetic effect of their presence is followed 
 by tlie results attributed to the individual planets in such 
 and such an aspect by the sages of old. 
 
 Students of Astrology have to depend upon the geomet- 
 rical calculations of astronomers, therefore Astrology is but 
 the observation of results which follow the electric ra\'s from 
 certain heavenly bodies, projected to other bodies, equally 
 dense but earthlj' and minute, in comparison, absolutely lost, 
 without the fixed science of astronomy whereon to start 
 these observations. 
 
 So little is known of Vulcan's path in the heavens that 
 a correct calculation of the times of his journey are not 
 given in the yearly ephemeris, but when astronomers can 
 give as correct a table as they do of Neptune and Herschel 
 astrologers will commence their observations, and by com- 
 paring them arrive at the effect his electricity has, when 
 directed towards earthly objects. 
 
 Two different Seers have been present when Spirits from
 
 G/li/ipXiS thro the Rift. 309 
 
 Jupiter have been here, the descriptions have agreed in both 
 instances, Andrew Jackson Davis has also been favoured with 
 visions of Jupitarians, which do not differ from the foregoing. 
 He states that the}- are jolly, bright, good tempered, vigorous, 
 athletic; we were told on one occasion by a Spirit who had 
 visited Jupiter that the}- were fond of eating, drinking, 
 merry making, and all social enjoyments, but were too evenly 
 developed all round to carry enjoyment to excess. 
 
 All Seers are united on one point, they state that the 
 spaces between one planet and another are totally dark, and 
 not until the atmosphere is entered which surrounds a planet, 
 is any light perceived ; this seems conclusively to favour the 
 theory that Z^'///' docs not t rave/ from the Sun but is generated 
 at the confines of the atmosphere of each planet, by the 
 amalgamation of the electric and magnetic currents, the 
 equality or inequality of the one class of rays with the other 
 produces the variableness in the quality of light and heat 
 transmitted to the inhabitants of the several globes. The 
 largest orb in a system acts as a condenser, or receiver of the 
 magnetic rays of the rest, the unit\- renders them electric; 
 in this state tliey are reflected i)ack from the largest orb 
 or Sun, and on the confines of the atmosphere generate a 
 luminosity perceived as light and heat.
 
 iait a. 
 
 GLIMPSES THRO' THE RIET. 
 
 ^jjnopsis. 
 
 GLIAIPSE ONE.— Si5"C776'iV ONE. 
 
 Spiritual Kvolution is not accepted as a fact. A coniinon primordial 
 origin. Huxley and Trotoplasni. The nebular theory of worlds im- 
 peached. The magtietic nucleation theory advanced. Regeneration of 
 atoms. Restoration of duality-. Carbon. Oxygen. Nitrogen. Con- 
 sciousness. Primus. Secundus. Adam seeking Eve. 
 
 SECTION TWO. 
 
 The dawn of Creation. Creative impulse. Astral primaries. The 
 Earth of the fifth generation. .\ Table of Parallels. Primus. Secundus. 
 Tritates. Protoplasm. Molecules. Igneous (heat formed). Rock. 
 Granite. Differentiation between animals and vegetables. Epoch I. 
 Epoch II., Fish, reptiles, amphibians. Epoch III., Carnivora. Gre- 
 gariousness. Epoch IV., Era of separate sex. Eve of the tertiary- 
 period. The era of man. Consciousness progressive. 
 
 GLIMPSE "V^O.—SECTION ONE. 
 
 The Ascent of Psychic Powers. Physical development only one 
 hundred and twenty degrees. Laws of the Spiritual, are a continuance
 
 Glcai/is of Light and 
 
 of the Laws of the Natural World. Swedenborg. A. J. Davies. 
 Drummond. ZoUner. Poets and the coming man. Tennyson. Orbital, 
 and Heliocentric motion of souls. Propulsion — compulsion — impulsion. 
 The manifesting vSpirit one hundred and twenty degrees. 
 
 SECTION TlfV. 
 
 The Harmonies. Three Orders of Primal Spirits:— Choice, Necessity, 
 Effort. Three Superior States and Four Auras. Drummond on 
 Cr_vstalization. List of Trines. The Druidic triades. The soul's nature 
 three- fold. Super-celestial — celestial — Progressive Terrestial. 
 
 GLIMPSE THREE.— ORIGINAL MATTER. 
 SECTION ONE. 
 
 The Seer's optical instruments God-made. Inspirational Philosophy, 
 the apostle of love. Science, the disciple of doubt. Didymus. The 
 opinions of the Ancients. Air; breath — ruach. Atom and Ova. 
 Motherhood— a poem. The key to the mysteries of Genesis. Super- 
 stition. The powers of Spirit-intelligences. Spirit masculine. Matter 
 feminine. 
 
 SE C HON Til 'C— MIR ACLES . 
 
 .Spiritual Dynamics. Comparison of Scriptural and Modern Phe- 
 nomena. Definition of a miracle. About certain Saints. The fire test. 
 Anecdote of Clement's. Material vehicle necessary for miracle. 
 Induced electricity. Lytton's coming race. Death a form of coma. 
 No exhaustion to Spirit. Miracles have never ceased. 
 
 GLIMPSE FOUR.— LAW OF CYCLES. 
 
 The movements of public conceptions are slow. The mathematical 
 view. The precessional data. Cieological affirmations. Avatars and 
 cataclysms. Ninevah, Babylon, Rome. Tables of Waves, after Dr. 
 Zasse. Applied to English History. Cycles of 250 years. Cycles of 
 200 years in History. Cycles of 1000 years in Historj'. Cycles of 125 
 years in Histor>-. Of a cycle of 1000:— f=— 4 culminating: 5 fifths- 
 flourishing: -J'' waning. The progress of Literature and Art. Shakes- 
 peare. Mighty men are foci for Spirit influences. The human race 
 approaching perfection. The effect of the wave on Commerce. The 
 wave of Spiritualist.
 
 Glimpses f/nv the Rift. 313 
 
 GLIiMPSE FIVE. -THE SPIRITS OF THE 
 DESCENDING ARC— S^CT/CyV ONE. 
 
 The message of Aziel, A/.erotti. Binarolti, Xetzeroth. Symbol of 
 Di%'ine Being. The Spirits of Morning. Orders of Spirits. The 
 number six. Philo. Six orders of elementarj' Spirits. Three orders of 
 .■\stral Spirits. Progressive or ascending Spirits are the other one 
 hundred and twenty degrees of being to complete the circle. 
 
 The mathematical nomination of Spirits. Evolution predicates 
 Involution. Re-incarnation. The real impersonality of man. 
 
 SECTION TWO. 
 
 PL.ATE XLII.— The fire Spirit. .\ir Spirits. The chemical trine 
 harmonized. The number twelve. The number three. The number 
 four. The number .seven. 
 
 Angels. Orders. Planets. The three's and sixes. Superior. Medial. 
 Inferior. The Trinity. Trinities of the Universe. 
 
 GLIMPSE SIX.— THE RISE OF MODERN 
 SPIRITUALISM.— S^CTYCi^^ ONE. 
 
 Hydesville. Theology and the Bible record.s. JIan's birthright 
 bartered. Conversion of leading scientists. The ado at Rochester. 
 The clergy rampant. 
 
 SECTION TWO.— March, 1848. 
 
 Fox family. The Spirit of a murdered man. Judge Edmonds and 
 Dr. Robertson testifies D. D. Home's mediumship. Mrs. Hall. Ostracism, 
 the penalty of investigation. Faraday and Huxley. Mrs. Haydn. 
 Jlrs. Crowe's Book. The Somersetshire anecdote. The tendenc}' to 
 centre opinions on pivots of received scientific axioms. The uses to 
 which Clairvoyance may be put. 
 
 GLIMPSE SEVEN. 
 
 The philosophy of Spiritualism. It is Religion — based on fact. 
 Admissions and denials of Inspiration. The honoured few who have
 
 314 Gleams oj Light tiiid 
 
 the courage of their convictions. The serfs of Poland. Medium or 
 Minister.? The advantage of Education. Doctors. Pastors. Masters. 
 Degrees of Mediums. The Science of Healing. Musical metaphor. 
 Poem. The lii.storic associations of buildings. Anne Hathaway and 
 Shakespeare. No limit to possibilities of control. Duplication of 
 Master Pieces. Art, Literature, Poesy. The Spirits of the Bible — as- 
 cended humans. God Immutable. Virtue and healing. Comparison 
 of phenomena. Mr. Jervis and the Spiritual Telegraph. Colliers and 
 portends of calamity. Clairvoyance. Nature a storehouse of records 
 of life. Mr. Croft's gifts. Imagination the eye of the Soul. .Mesmer. 
 Reichenbach. Dupotet. ZoUner. Ghostly revels. Earth-bound Spirits. 
 Methodism and Revivals. Sankey and Moody. Pneumatolog3' of the 
 Bible. .\ncient religious form. Early British Church. Culdees. 
 Folk-lore. 
 
 Yankee medium's advent. vSpread of the cause. The acceptance of 
 Spiritualistic Philosophy by Religiovis thinkers. 
 
 Christ, a Divine emanation — abstract principle. The difSculties of 
 thinkers concerning Jesus. The portals of the Dawn. 
 
 GLIMPSE EIGHT. 
 
 The Virgin Marj- — a type of matter. Time and Saturn synon3-mous. 
 Christ a person or personification 'i The mission of the Sun. Tlie era 
 of God-humanity. Human Emancipation. The social evils of civili- 
 zation. Anomalies of Law. Human errors in conduct and judgment. 
 Matter impregnated by Spirit. The Easter-egg. Passover. Pasach. 
 Pasg. The triumph of Spirit. The devils that possess. Immigration 
 opposed and encouraged. The rendezvous of Spirits. Common Form 
 of all animated creatures. Demoniac looking behig. One Will per- 
 formed. Praver. 
 
 GLIMPSE NINE.— THE SONS OF GOD. 
 SECTION ONE. 
 
 First emanations of the Divine Mind. The .glory of Primal Celestial 
 Being, .^donai, Elohim, Sephiroth. 
 
 SECTION TWO. 
 
 The Luminants. Definition. Misunderstood and undervalued on earth. 
 Interior illumination a sine qua non in Art. Ideality can comprehend 
 the Divine Attributes. Pure Spirit or Holy Ghost? The Three Degrees. 
 Supreme. Inspiring. Me.ssengers. The mantle of the Luminants. T. 
 S. \V.
 
 (j/ini/>sis thro the Rift. 315 
 
 GLIMPSE TEN.— THE HIERARCHY OF T?IE 
 SAINTS. 
 
 The control of Bible worthies. Generic names. Roots of words 
 symbolical. Moses and Christ. John Seldon. Gabriel. The dynastic 
 representative on a par vWth his audience. Various grades are one 
 merging into the white light. Jlessiahnic Eras. A suggestion to the 
 Fabian Society. Dynasties and their characteristics. Tribe of Levi. 
 The Sephiroth. Malkulh Tzedac. .\strological guide in determination 
 of a gift. Mortal to .Archangel. 
 
 GLIMPSE ELEVEN.— SPIRITS AS WE KNOW 
 THEM.— .SViCr/aA' ONE. 
 
 The progressive spheres. The earth-bound Spirits. 
 PLATE XLIIL— Ivlemental Spirits. Second sphere. Third sphere. 
 The revelation of high descent. Before .\braham ivas I am. Celestial 
 sphere.s. The shining one. 
 
 SECTION TWO. 
 
 Elementals. Types predicate antetype.-^. The heavens and hells. 
 Celestial Realms. The Home of Abdullah. 
 PLATE XLIV.— A Master Teacher. Abdullah's address. 
 
 GLLMPSE TWELVE.— CELESTIAL SPIRITS. 
 SECTION ONE. 
 
 Joan of Arc. E.\tremes of personal character. Guide Posts. The 
 threshold of Eternity. Iryn Casedyn. The possibility of Prophesy. 
 Mustapha the Prophet. God's eternal symphony. The text-books. 
 Folk-lore. Witches. Friends only within the veil. Knowledge — a re- 
 birth. Poised in worlds of space. Man's mastery over passion. The 
 Sun of man's presence shall re-arise. Super Celestial Spheres. 
 
 SECTION TWO. 
 
 The Merging of sex. Marriage a true duality. Spirits of Choice need 
 not incarnate. The genealog)' of Jupiter. Saturn ( Jj ) a type of the 
 Church. Save the mediums by education and environment. Suns the 
 children of cosmos. Spirits from other planets. The magnetic nucleus. 
 No one hath seen God. Angel's wings. Gustave Dore. Clairvoyants 
 and the .\ura. .A Man's Spirit. Fini.s.
 
 ^ (Tiiroin of (Trration. 
 
 "Analogy is the final word of .Science ami the first of Faith. It is the sole 
 possible Mediator between the Seen and Unseen — between the finite and the 
 Infinite. 
 
 It is the key of all the secrets of Nature and the only Logos of all Revelations." 
 
 Druminoiid. 
 Natural Laiu in the Spiritual World. 
 
 "To enlarge the sphere of Science is apparently to defraud I'aitli: but it is 
 in reality to extent its domain in proportion as it widens its basis." 
 
 /yniiiniiomt. 
 
 "You seek without, what you have within. .Vccustoni yourself to seek God 
 in your heart and you will find Him." 
 
 Hours 7cith the Mystics. 
 
 "The wise give divers names to that which is One. Poets make the Beautiful- 
 winged manifold, by words, though He is only One ! " 
 
 Hindoo Scriptures.
 
 G/ii/i/^scs thro the Rift. 319 
 
 SECTION ONE. 
 
 "There is a deeper unity between the two kingdoms than the analogy of their 
 phenomena — a unity, which the Poet's vision, more quick, than the Theologian's, 
 has already dimly seen!" 
 
 Satural Law in the Spiriliial World. 
 
 T has occurred to us that, amidst all the works 
 which have a bearing upon the emerging of 
 man, as we at present know him, from a primitive 
 condition as much below the aboriginal of New 
 ;' Zealand — to sa\- the least — as the cultured 
 „ r- Eiiropean is above him, due regard has not been 
 } '^ T observed to other than pureh' material agencies, 
 \ nQ| T wliich have operated to his advantage, and brought 
 •^^ about that advancement to which the name of 
 
 Evolution has been applied. 
 Wli\" nia\- not a scheme of mental development be drafted, 
 which, through the various stages of consciousness, instinct, 
 and reason, may be shown to keep pace or run parallel with 
 the three great divisions of Natural History? namely, 
 vegetation, the lower animals, and man : and sub-divide and 
 classify those three into such gradations as may be compatible 
 with the evidences of consciousness, instinct and reason, as 
 our observations of such forms of life may justif}-. 
 
 If we may take it for granted, that from one primeval
 
 320 Gleams of Lio//f and 
 
 form all other forms are descended, and, by change of 
 environiuent, and instinctive adaption to those changes — 
 through tedious and almost incomprehensible paths — the 
 individual descendants of the primal monad presents us to-day, 
 with many diversified classes and species, we may be sure 
 that whatever of instinct or of consciousness that primal 
 nomad manifested, was the incipient stages of psychic life 
 that was to run parallel with the development of its phj-sical 
 differentiation. 
 
 Several thinkers advanced the theory as far back as a 
 centurv ago, that all organic beings have originated in one 
 primordial form,* and that what we call species are various 
 degenerations of the same type, but that the same primal 
 form has not been perpetuated since the origin of all things. 
 
 It is believed by one school of scientists, that a species 
 of gelatinous substance found at the bottom of the ocean is 
 the origin of all forms of life. Professor Huxley, while 
 first of all enunciating the value of the discovery, has been 
 compelled to admit that, after all, he was but imperfectly 
 right in so declaring. While it must be conceded that from 
 some such substance all original organic forms had issue, we 
 have not yet had its particular defined except under the 
 the general name of Protoplasm. 
 
 We may here also state that the nebular theory as applied 
 to the formation of- planetary bodies, is but very imperfectly 
 understood: the nebulosity or apparently fier}- particles are 
 not thrown off from Suns, as is commonly supposed, and 
 afterwards undergo condensation and solidification, but are 
 generated and crystallized by magnetic currents in a manner 
 to be described herein. Every stellar centre, or sun, becomes 
 a focus for magnetic rays which pour from each planet and 
 their satellites and the}' to each other. 
 
 * See Note A. Appendix II.
 
 Glimpses Ihro iJic Rift. 321 
 
 Hence there must of necessit}' be some points at which 
 these ra3-s* cross each other, and these intersectional points 
 become the nucleus at which gather particles, from the 
 alread}- existing bodies, which in time become cometar\- and 
 finall}' stellar. 
 
 Sometimes, it is found, that the unequal pressure of the 
 current's force cause the nucleus to move from the central 
 pivot, and it takes a rapid and somewhat erratic flight through 
 space, until it becomes hinged to a more potent magnetic 
 centre, or disintegrated and absorbed piecemeal b}- other 
 centres in process of formation. Of these comets — more anon. 
 
 Having thus shown how nuclei are formed, it follows 
 that the gradual accretion of matter causes the dimensions 
 to swell, and the whole in time becomes a globe. The 
 processes of condensation and solidification — -the chemical 
 combinations that produce water and its rarefication into 
 vapour, would as inevitably follow as they would under the 
 conditions of the nebula theory-, and chemical interaction 
 would cause the inherent qualities of matter to exert them- 
 selves in the primitive inorganic fonns. 
 
 Faraday was of opinion that the various forms under which 
 the forces of matter are made manifest, have one common 
 origin, and are so directly related and mutualh' dependant, 
 that they are convertible as it were into one another and 
 possess equivalents of power when in action. 
 
 We learn that in those earl}' stages of the planet's history 
 (and we take it that tliey apply with equal force to this 
 earth), the atoms of which it is composed have obtained a 
 revivified complexity or dnalit}' by virtue of the centralization 
 of the magnetic particles of pre-existing bodies : that all the 
 original qualities of the atoms would have been restored by 
 Nature's equilibrium, and all they had lost by depletion, 
 
 * See Diagram I. 
 2 T
 
 :52 2 (1 /cants of Lii^ht and 
 
 restored. Atoms, like everytliing else, suffer from the demand 
 upon their energies, and if Nature is to preserve its equil- 
 ibrium there must be a restoration. This is secured by the 
 meeting of various currents where the reciprocal balance of 
 the negative and positive phases of the atomic character is 
 obtained. Thus Nature, regenerated, begins again her 
 wonderful work of Evolution, and the atoms commence to 
 secrete a kind of mucilage or slime, which unites the atoms 
 into molecule, and the polarity, being thus re-arranged, and 
 spread, so to speak, over several centres, excites to chemical 
 action, so that the primordial chemical Unity becomes a 
 duality, and finalh', a trinity; and further innumerable 
 differentiations ensiie. 
 
 At this stage we find that carbon, — the representative 
 of life's sustenance: oxygen, — the principle of life generation: 
 nitrogen, — the representative of change, decay, and destruction 
 — were the three general principles of chemical ql^alit^^ 
 
 What we mentioned above as mucilage — a secretion 
 of atoms — is by that term very inadequately described, for 
 it is an emission from what might be termed the positive 
 side of the atom which draws to itself the negative side of 
 another atom. In describing it as a species of slime, we 
 were guided b}' the fact that it was positiveh' neither fire, 
 fluid, nor gas; but a combination of all three: and its effect 
 was to encriist the -entire molecule with a sort of shell, over 
 the surface of which were scattered innumerable centres of 
 attraction which cause molecule to gravitate to molecule. 
 Bv an infinite repetition of the process there was laid the 
 foundation of the geological formation of the globe. The 
 fluidic attractive emission which we have called slime, we 
 now denominate with the name of primus, and the coating 
 of the molecules, which we described as having magnetic 
 centres, we will call sccandas. 
 
 We do not wish it to be understood that atomic matter
 
 Gliii/pscs tliro the Rift. 323 
 
 possesses of iticlf this power of secretion, but rather that 
 force or the influence of Spirit manifests in some such form, 
 and that the reaching outward of this fluid like-substance is 
 the earliest development of what we call consciousness in the 
 inorganic realm : it is the recognition of insolation— the need 
 of companionship — the atomic Adam looking for his Eve. 
 The primal atom which we have described as a dual-faced 
 unity, is also unconsciousl}- bisexual: the positive side, 
 unaware that he has within himself an unboni Eve, reaches 
 out to the negative side of other atoms, and thus a corres- 
 pondence is set up which produces the germination of new 
 forms. 
 
 The Bible has it that a "deep sleep fell upon Adam," 
 Genesis ill. 21, and while he slept a new created being 
 issued from his side. This is typical of the unconsciousness 
 of the atom with regard to his other self — of material man 
 as to his Spiritual counterpart. He seeks elsewhere that 
 which he has within himself. 
 
 (See quotation at lieatl of this chapter.)
 
 324 Gleams oj Light and 
 
 SECTION TWO. 
 
 "One thing thinking men are waiting for is the introduction of L,aw among 
 the phenomena of the Spiritual World. When that comes we shall offer to such 
 men a truly scientific theology!" 
 
 Drainniond : Natural Lazo ii? the Spiritual World. 
 
 EETRACING our steps we return to a period at the ver}?- 
 ' dawn of creation, when there existed in a passive, 
 inactive state primordial matter in an envelope of primordial 
 Spirit, held as it were in a state of solution. 
 
 To this the Divine mind imparted the creative impulse, 
 the invocal mandate "Let there be Light!" — and there was 
 light. ^Matter infused with the Divine impulse shot forth 
 rays of activit}-, emerging and making active all atoms impell- 
 ing to vivacity and " fruitfulness, which being analagous to 
 the effect of light, may be symbolised as such. 
 
 The creative impulse resulted in the concentration of 
 the primordial atoms which formed the first-born astral 
 bodies : they began to attract and counter-attract each other, 
 generating those magnetic currents from whence originates 
 the secondary and all subsequent planetary bodies born at 
 the points of intersection. 
 
 We do not propose to enter into an exhaustive and 
 elaborate rationale of those earlier periods, as our object is
 
 Cx/iiiipscs thro the Rift. 
 
 0^5 
 
 TABLE OF PARALLELS. 
 
 INORGANIC. 
 
 Primordial .\tom. 
 
 (a dual-faced unity.) 
 
 Primus. Secundu.s. 
 
 (embalming ooze.) 
 
 Tritates. 
 
 (chemical combination.) 
 
 Molecule. 
 
 Grit substances. 
 
 Primal rocks. 
 
 (early igneous.) 
 
 Aqueous deposits. 
 
 Vapour deposits of Aninio- 
 plant germs on dry land 
 
 Concretion of granite and 
 basalt. 
 
 Animo-plant deposits pro- 
 duce fertilization. 
 Early fossil deposits. 
 
 Formation of carboniferous 
 coal measures. 
 
 Denudation. 
 
 Earlier sand-stones and 
 
 chalk strata. 
 
 Alluvial land. New Red 
 
 Sandstone. Marine Fossils. 
 .\ggregative Strata. 
 Limestone. Slates. 
 
 Later Coal measures. 
 Fossil mammalia. Clay, 
 sand, gravel, limestone. 
 
 Later geological strata. 
 
 PSYCHIC. 
 
 Organic secretion. 
 
 Protoplasm. 
 
 Amoeba;. 
 
 Protozoa. 
 
 Impulse. 
 
 -■Vtfinitive selectiou. 
 
 Reciprocity. 
 
 Progenital impulse. 
 
 Progenital <livision. 
 
 Adhesive animalcuUe. 1 Home-forming instinct. 
 
 Limpet and sponge-like I Selection of environment. 
 
 animals. I 
 
 .-\quatic animo-vegetables. Procreation Iiy deposit. 
 I Instinct of adaption to 
 environment. 
 
 Radiata. 
 
 Differentiation between 
 .\nimals and Plants. 
 
 .Animals lierbivarons. 
 
 Tendency to crystalization. 
 
 Individualization. 
 Creative energj- in both 
 divisions as yet bisexual. 
 
 Gregariousness. 
 
 Shelled animals and fish. 
 Spined plants. 
 
 Reptilia. Annulata. 
 Fishes. MoUusca Birds. 
 
 Boring Animals. 
 Armed Fish. Amphibia. 
 
 Protective instinct. 
 
 Carnivora. 
 
 Mammalia. 
 
 Oviporous orders. 
 
 Troglodj'tes. Man. 
 
 Aggressive instinct. In- 
 sidiousness. Cunning. No- 
 madic instinct. Protective 
 and aggressive instinct. 
 
 Differentiation of sexual 
 instinct. Paternal protec- 
 tive and providing instinct. 
 
 Maternal protective and 
 nurturing instinct. 
 
 Reason and Comparison.
 
 326 Gleams of ^^i^^lit "'H'^ 
 
 rather to indicate lines upon which future science may pro- 
 ceed in the investigation of natural phenomena as soon as it 
 is possible to do so unrestrained by the sophistry of the 
 schools. iVud our main object is to fix upon a point at 
 which we can commence our tracing of the parallel march 
 of Spirit and matter along the line of evolution. Recognising 
 the fact that the first-born stellar bodies were the fruition 
 of the Divine impulse, we call them asfral-primarics. The 
 bodies formed by nucleation at the points of magnetic inter- 
 section, we dub astral-secondaries, and as generation after 
 generation — system upon system — follow each other, we must 
 locate the Earth in the fifth series, and the nebulae of our 
 skies are the embryo of future generations. 
 
 Considering the earth as a type of the fifth astral 
 generation, we propose at this stage to confine ourselves to 
 a study of the plu'sical evolution, and present what we con- 
 sider the true parallels in the three kingdoms, — the Inorganic, 
 Organic, and the Psychic. 
 
 EPOCH I. 
 
 In the attempt at tabulation which we here present for 
 our reader's consideration we start from the primordial ooze, 
 or rather the Divine impetus imparted to the primal atoms 
 which impel them to seek affinity with reciprocal atoms. 
 The same phenomena occurred in respect to the atoms of 
 the Astral Primaries, and will occur to all atoms in the 
 niiclei of future worlds. 
 
 The atomic impulse was the first indication of that 
 intelligent power which has culminated on the material plane 
 in man, and in relation, similar to the phenomena which has 
 been observed in those lower gelatinous forms of life called 
 amceboe.
 
 Glinipxis thro tlic Rift. 327 
 
 The further de\-elopmeiit of the primal ooze, which en- 
 swathed the earlier molecules in a coating analagous to the 
 albumen containing the ^-olk of an egg, was the seat of what 
 we have termed magnetic (surface) centres, and which 
 wrought the first chemical changes — gathering the new com- 
 binations around the centres as niiclei — preparing the wav 
 for the birth of that substance called Profop/as?n. 
 
 These are the first triad of primordial manifestations: — 
 
 The Priiiuis Creating. 
 
 The Secundus Sustaininj;. 
 
 The Trilates Changing form, destroying anil rc-buildiug. 
 
 The result of the triad was — Protoplasm. 
 
 The primordial atom, ircognisiiig t\\^\. "it was not good to 
 be alone," ft/t for other forms, and by so doing in contact 
 gave birth to the first active creative principles. 
 
 The result was primus, and it represents intelligent 
 impulse towards procreation. As the first connective link was 
 tlius formed between matters, positive and negative, Nature 
 directed a sustaining and preserving secretion to enswathe 
 the reciprocating atoms: this was sccuiidits, and it represents 
 the inorganic sense of prcscn'atioji. 
 
 Then came the chemical affinities — called into action 
 with the result that the primary- forms were changed, and 
 new forms set up, which, by constant variation, begat the 
 third class — trittitcx, which represent the cliangcfid character of 
 progressive energy. 
 
 With the tritates terminate the line of primal forms that 
 preceded the organic ; henceforward the three kingdoms — 
 inorganic, organic, psychic, advance side-by-side, the psychic 
 acting through the organic upon the inorganic. 
 
 We now reach the period in which the progenital impulse 
 of the ps\'chic kingdom impels the secretion of the protoplas- 
 mic organism which developed into the animal kingdom 
 through the intermediate animo-plant series.
 
 328 G/ca/iis of Li gilt and 
 
 Here we may remark that the molecule, as known to 
 Science had not been formed until the era of protoplasm; 
 for we recognise the fact, and we recommend it to the 
 consideration of the schools, that the atom, so-called, discern- 
 able in the microscope, is as remote in regard to size, and, 
 indeed, to composition, as the earth itself is from the said 
 atom, and the latter from the original ones. 
 
 Therefore we apply the same to the recognised molecule, 
 and claim that the primal molecule has to be multiplied a 
 great many times before it becomes the molecule of Science. 
 The latter dates from a period contemporary with protoplasm 
 and both indicate the period marked by progenital impulse. 
 
 Molecxiles form the grit substances of earth which 
 culminated in the formation of granite, and contemporaneous 
 with those came the adhesive animo-plant forms of life. These 
 abounded in siich pools of water and shallow seas as the 
 surface of the earth afforded. 
 
 Now with regard to the so-called Igneous Rocks, lest 
 some should cavil at our assumption, we deem a few words 
 necessary. 
 
 We start with the declaration that the earth was not 
 formed of burning matter thrown off from the Sun, but of 
 particles electricall}- aglow, concentrated at an intersectional 
 point in the line of certain currents. 
 
 This fact relieves us of the necessity of assuming that 
 the primal rocks were igneous except in the sense that they 
 were formed of millions of luminous particles concentrated 
 around a nucleus. Those particles flood our atmosphere 
 now, going off to help in the formation of some new world. 
 
 Whatever traces of the action of the heat are apparent 
 in the igneous rocks, we are assured that magnetic fusion 
 at the time of nucleation and the subseciuent chemical reaction 
 would fully account for it. 
 
 This being so we do not need the assumption that before
 
 G/iiiipses thro tlic Rift. 329 
 
 M-ater could exist upon earth a long period of cooling must 
 have elapsed. We affirm that as soon as the globe was 
 formed chemical action resulted in vaporisation and conden- 
 sation. Tlie magnetic glow which was generated b}- the 
 immense \elocitv of the currents practically ceased when 
 concentration occurred, and the tide of fluids reabsorbed into 
 the new current that henceforward poured sun-ward.* 
 
 The counter-action of magnetic heat and the cool sur- 
 rounding air would result in rarefication and condensation 
 alternately as the preponderance of force varied, and thus 
 water was able to pla}- its part in the scheme of evolution 
 quite early in the history of Terra. 
 
 The earl}- igneous rocks now became the basis for a 
 growth of granite, followed hx basaltic formations, and from 
 the auimo-plant deposits of the foregoing era — the dead 
 carcases of animalculas — discarded skins of rapidly changing 
 organisms, etc., the earlier coal deposits of the carboniferous 
 period were obtained. 
 
 What were the mental or rather psychic aspects of this 
 period? The instinctive impiilses were manifesting in home 
 formation — iuhabitiveness and philo-progenitiveuess : selection 
 of en^•ironment■ — adaption to the same : as well as parental 
 instinct. Animated natui'c is at this stage bisexual — each 
 organism is able to pi'oduce its species. Animals become 
 differentiated from vegetables, but still retain their dual 
 sexhood. 
 
 The negative and positive side of the primordial atoms 
 now manifest in separate organisms — the vegetables, posito- 
 negative: the animals — uegato-positive. 
 
 The entire distinction of sexuality and polarity comes at 
 a later period to both, but it is apparent that e\en now, in 
 
 • See Note C, Appendix II. 
 2 U
 
 330 Gleams, of I^iglit oud 
 
 our da}', some animals retain the negative aspect in a minor 
 degree cpniiinct to the positive. 
 
 The negato-positive animals become Herbivarons, and 
 the posito-negative become Carnivorous. 
 
 EPOCH II. 
 
 With the era of differentation between the vegetable and 
 animal kingdoms the earlier phases of the aggressive and 
 protective instincts became apparent as marks of ps}Tliic 
 development : the shell-fish, armed-fish, and various kinds of 
 shell animals represent organic life. 
 
 \^'liile in the inorganic world sands begin to accumulate, 
 laying the beds of the earlier sandstones — denudation being 
 the chief agent. Water had become a prime factor in the 
 organism of the globe, and served perhaps more to niodifv 
 the surface aspect and alter the chemical constituents than 
 ever the heat did — not caloric — which is said to be apparent 
 in the earlier stages. Sandstone, chalkoolites, and the 
 earlier alluvial deposits were the types imprinted in the strata 
 pages of terrestrial history. Marine fossils also prove that 
 fish, reptiles, and amphibians belong to this period. 
 
 EPOCH III. 
 
 This era is indicated in the Inorganic kingdom by the 
 aggregative strata cla3'S, sands, gravels, limestones, etc. In 
 the organic kingdom b}^ the development of the order, 
 carnivora: animals of this kind had reached the ultimate of 
 positive polarity, and began preying upon the weaker ones 
 in lieu of the semi -vegetable food that was their sustenance
 
 G/iiiipsi's thro tlh- Ri/t. 331 
 
 during the intermediate stages of their evohition from the 
 animo-plant state to the entirely- animal one. 
 
 On the mental plane the gregarious instincts of animals 
 prevailed, recognising the defence secured in association — 
 safety in numbers. Cunning, stealth, and qualities akin to 
 these became manifested among the carnivora as well as the 
 reptiles. 
 
 EPOCH IV. 
 
 The era of separate sex. The mammalian order of 
 animals were evolved; the &%<g depositing animals became 
 fewer, confined chiefly to reptiles and birds. 
 
 The animo-plant orders perpetuated their kind b}- seed- 
 deposit in the earth : the bisexual animal and vegetable orders 
 b\- egg-deposit and seed-deposit respectively; but in the fourth 
 era the oviparous were reduced to two or three species, and 
 the rest became embryoparous. 
 
 It was the eve of the Tertiary period and the dawn of 
 the later geological period. For the first time the paternal 
 instinct could be distinguished from the matei^nal, and the 
 exercise of nursing and suckling functions came into play to 
 sustain and cherish the new-born offspring. 
 
 Claj-, sand, limestone, and the later coal measures indi- 
 cated the activities of the Inorganic realm. 
 
 At the close of this period the earth was prepared for 
 the advent of man. He was ushered on the stage of life's 
 eventualities — a being as grotesque in comparison w'ith the 
 man of to-day as the plesaurus or any other of the ungainly 
 monsters of the coal era were in respect to our present 
 race-horses. Primeval man was quadrumenoiis or quadrupetal 
 — a half-hairy, half-seal}', amphibious animal in whom the 
 incipient phases of reason and comparison only denoted one 
 remove from the beast.
 
 332 Gleams 0/ Light and 
 
 But it ushered in the era of man proper gifted with a 
 mental ptower that enabled him to use the animal world as 
 his servants. Then came the invention of tools and implements 
 of various kinds other than Nature had provided, and as the 
 artificial aids approached perfection, nature's defenses, unused, 
 began to disappear, and the scales and hair, as rough wearing 
 apparel was devised, became reduced to their present insig- 
 nificant dimensions. 
 
 Henceforward through the stone-age and now the iron- 
 age, man made and is making headway in the career of 
 perfection Iving before him. 
 
 We have now come to the end of this section, and we 
 trust that our contention has been made good, that traces of 
 the Spiritual side of natural evolution may be discovered by 
 those who care to look, and thus we hope that we have pre- 
 pared the wa3' for a better comprehension, on the part of 
 our readers, of the theory, and the fact of the possible con- 
 tinuation of the psychic element from the stages far below 
 man to stages far above him, and tliat the consciousness 
 manifested b\- the primiti\e life-type and continued unto man, 
 shall progress still, until the euiancipated Spirit shall wear 
 the crown of an archangel possessing dominion and power.
 
 ©limpst iu 
 
 "The Soul is the principle of Life which the Sovereign Wisdom employed to 
 animate bodies." 
 
 Hindu SitipliofS.
 
 Glitnpses f/ird' the Rift. 
 
 335 
 
 SECTION ONE. 
 
 "Matter is inert and perishable, i.e.., subject to change." 
 
 "There is another invisible eternal existence superior to this visible one, which 
 does not perish when all things perish. Those who attain to this never return." 
 
 Hindu Scriptures. 
 
 HERE have been, witliin one liuudred years, 
 a few to whom transcendental knowledge has 
 been \onchsafed and to whom appreciation has 
 been somewhat grudgingly given. Although 
 the character of their revelation has been more 
 or less coloured, perhaps mutilated, b\- the 
 preconceptions and dogmas acquired during 
 their education, they are nevertheless of such a 
 quality that they prepare the wav by which 
 humanity may arrive at a truer conception of 
 Spiritual things. 
 
 Swedeuborg, Andrew Jackson Davies, Theodore Parker, 
 and Zollner, in metaphysics: Shelley, Longfellow, TenuA-son, 
 and Massey, in poetry: Herbert Spencer, Professor 
 Drummond, Charles Bradlaugh, in philosophy: Darwin and 
 Wallace in natural histor}-: Crookes in chemistry: Edison in 
 electricity', and Camille Flammarion in astronomy, have all 
 had a lion's share in broadening the mental scope of the
 
 336 G/ca)/is of Light ami 
 
 public mind, and thns preparing the world for Spiritual 
 unfoldmeHt. 
 
 We shall quote from these such passages that seem to 
 accentuate the salutary effect we design to produce upon the 
 minds we aim to reach, and unite all with such thoughts 
 that may enable us to keep pace with the advancing ideas 
 of our time. 
 
 We have indicated in the foregoing glimpse the lines 
 iipon which we find Intelligence displaying its power in 
 parallels with inorganic and organic development and differen- 
 tiation. We will now direct our attention to the higher 
 development of man- the ascent of his Intellectual powers 
 into the metaphj'sical plane, and higher still we propose to 
 lead the enquiring mind into a conception of Spiritual 
 development through which man's perfected Spirit can attain 
 unto tranquilitv. 
 
 We are of opinion that physical development occupies 
 only* one hundred and twent}' degrees of the circle of 
 evolution, and that we must look elsewhere for the remaining 
 two hundred and forty degrees. 
 
 If the laws which obtain in the physical realm were 
 formulated in the Divine Mind, surely we can conceive that 
 the\' would prevail in the celestial spheres, and that at least 
 as many degrees as mark the ascent from primal monad to 
 man shall be obtainable in the continued ascent from man 
 to Angel. 
 
 Professor Drummond asks, "Is there not reason to 
 believe that many of the laws of the Spiritual world, hitherto 
 regarded as occupying an entirely separate province, are 
 simply the laws of the natural world?" — -P "]. N.L.S.W. 
 
 What an infinite array of Spiritual grades is thus 
 presented to our view! each peopled by unnumbered Spirits 
 
 * See Diagram II., Figure F.
 
 G//m/>st.<; tlird flic Rifl. 2>ol 
 
 that gravitate to their respective spheres, and before the 
 loftiest of whom man, with all his boasted intellect and 
 vaunted achievements is as the veriest pigmy. 
 
 Swedenborg has had some glimmering conceptions of 
 those "mighty brothers of the dawn," and has striven to 
 impart to the average mind what those conceptions were; 
 but alas! few — too few! were the minds that could receive 
 and comprehend the light he imparted, for it is the common 
 fate of Seers to be misunderstood and much undervalued in 
 their attempts to elucidate the m}-steries; 3-et, as a Spirit, 
 liis potent mind is concentrated upon still another attempt, 
 and we pray that these pages may be lucid enough to win 
 the world to the true conception of God and appreciation of 
 Divine Principles. 
 
 Andrew Jackson Davies, in his "'Great Harmonia" and 
 other works, leads us to a study of the possible potentialities 
 of man, and Zollner has imposed the co-relation of phvsical 
 laws upon the spheres transcendental. His experiments and 
 arguments in favour of a fourth dimensional space are well 
 worth perusal. He proves that there are Intelligences around 
 us that can move in directions impossible to us three- 
 dimensional* beings — they can pass through substances 
 impervious to us, and b}* metliods as yet unknown. 
 
 t Professor Drummoud, also moved b}- the impelling in- 
 fluence of an array of Spirits who were determined to lift the 
 world from the slough of materialism through which the}' 
 have to wade, has done a yeoman's service in bringing before 
 minds of narrow tendencies — materialistic or orthodox — a 
 general outline of the universal plan. 
 
 Poetrv, that harmonic music of the gods which in 
 measured numbers materializes the highest inceptions of 
 Spiritual truth, has had for its high priests several exalted 
 
 * See Note D.. Appendix II. t See Note E., Appendix II. 
 
 2 X
 
 7^7^}i G/cai/is of Light a mi 
 
 souls, who, in their works, enshrine the image of the glorified 
 man. He is the epitome of all the concentrated elaborations 
 of chivalrous thought — of the prophetic and idealistic in 
 Art — the culmination of the Sciences, and the apex of 
 harmonial relations. 
 
 In the pages of Shelley, Longfellow, Tennyson, Whittier 
 and others we find a more or less perfect limning of the 
 perfect man. 
 
 We have in the German school of philosophic thought 
 those who in poetry, sociolog3% and philosophy recognise 
 the dawning of a time when an approximate type of the 
 perfect man shall for himself have succeeded in solving all 
 those problems which agitate the social and commercial 
 world to-day. 
 
 The coming man ! Who • can realize how vast and 
 important has been the changes that have led us by almost 
 imperceptible grades Iialf-ivay along the road that terminates 
 in human perfection. How we long to see that time, when 
 
 Slow and sure conies up the lioUlen Year. 
 When "All men's good (shall) 
 Be each man's rule, and universal Peace, 
 Lie like a shaft of Light across the lands!" 
 
 Tcnnyso)i. 
 
 ]]1ilu we in our consciousness realize the fact that /// us. 
 this ideal has been" attained, how we shall look back and 
 smile' at the pettiness of those troubles which one time 
 seemed to loom large before us, obstructing oiir path, and 
 so niodif3dug the light that we oft times stumble over im- 
 pediments really insignificant. 
 
 Science looks forward to the perfection of man in the 
 phj'sical sense — a man in whom the several departments of 
 nature shall culminate with precise balance: but we look for 
 a Being who on planes transcendental shall reach the point 
 of balance, and from that loftier platform shall add his
 
 (j//////'sis thro the Rift. ;,j;9 
 
 influence to that of the glorious hosts who are moulding the 
 thoughts, feelings, and pliysical energies of man into the 
 perfect model. 
 
 As the laws of the physical world seem concentrated 
 toward the perfection of the physical unit, so also the Spiritual 
 law is concentrated upon the development of the perfect 
 vSpirit. 
 
 The evolution of matter is parallel with the evolution 
 of Spirit. 
 
 It follows that on the denser plane the ultimates cannot 
 be attained so speedily as on the other, and hence we have 
 the apparent anomaly of interior perfection before that of the 
 exterior. 
 
 "The Spirit," says the Sacred Writer, "is willing, but 
 the flesh is weak!" 
 
 But we must remember that it is around a Spiritual 
 centre the whole is circulating, the interior would naturall\- 
 complete its revolution before the external. \Vc conceive of 
 the evolutional realm of nature as an immense disc rotating 
 around a central pivot — the denser particles, by the law of 
 gra\itation, being the outermost: the finer particles are 
 incessantl}- being attracted by centripetal forces and their 
 emanations arise as a grateful aroma to the nostrils of the 
 Divine. They constitute that result of psychic development 
 by which the soul approaches the Divine Centre. 
 
 Let the reader intelligently comprehend this idea, and 
 he will understand the way in which God draws all souls 
 into Himself, while tliere still remains an outer husk of the 
 carnal propensities, which Infinitude itself can onlv entirely 
 absorb. 
 
 There are two motions herein observed in the evolution 
 of the soul: the orbital- — b}' which we mean the course of 
 matter around the central Spiritual Sun; and the heliocentric 
 — b}- which we mean the universal impetus back again towards
 
 340 Gkaiiis of Light and 
 
 the Divine centre. In this order, is motion made manifest: 
 first — prdfulsion, the initial impnlse from the centre: second — 
 compulsion, the force which limited the area of radiation, and 
 defines the distance of man from God: finally — impulsion 
 which calls him back again to the Eternal point. 
 
 This is the triangle* of activities — it is "The Fall of 
 Man," /.(•., descent of Spirit into matter: "The Atonement" 
 of man, i.e., his struggles to emerge again from fleshlj- 
 limitations — his consciousness of incapacity: "The Salvation" 
 of man, i.e., his conquest of all the sins and difficulties that 
 beset him. 
 
 It explains the immaculate conception of the Son — it 
 was the Divine Father manifesting through matter: — the 
 crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection of the Son, for 
 the Divine principles, through much suffering and sacrifice of 
 self, finally emerges triumphant and glorified. 
 
 We could go on perpetuating the ocult meaning of the 
 symbols ad infinitem, but we prefer that the student should 
 for himself discover the complete sets of triangles which 
 complete the Divine Circle. Deit}- always manifests to man 
 in trines, and man must respond to God in squares, so that 
 the base and elevation of the pyramid completes tlie m\-stic 
 number seven. (See Diagram. )t 
 
 Thus in the triangle of Spirit manifesting in and through 
 matter, we obtain 120 degrees of propulsion — from Spirit 
 passive and undifferentiated to Spirit embodied and active — 
 the lower organic forms, 120 degrees of compulsion — the 
 development of conscious monad to cultured, rational man. 
 And 120 degrees of impulsion — from man through the pro- 
 gressive spheres to perfected Spiritual being. 
 
 '•' See Diagram II., Figure G. t Diagram II.. Fiariire H.
 
 
 -. / 
 
 CHOVCIVXAM 
 
 ^w^ 
 
 // 
 
 eeeoRA. H 
 
 
 oV 
 
 c he:£>e.o 
 
 
 // 
 
 XeF'HE.RETH 
 
 \> 
 
 '/ 
 
 HOD 
 
 \C 
 
 METZ.<XC,H 
 
 l<t«lct«ii.gc<ec 
 
 •^hC P>-<MsI e. OF l~r>/»^c-JKl»>«C3 
 
 PR.O<bac Strive Spnci^gL 
 
 N1 A-n-e:«. 
 
 13OM Ob-
 
 PLATE EOA. 
 
 / -TRirsn:. \ 
 
 T 
 
 t-« 
 
 c 
 
 Ho 
 
 CM 
 
 A r-4 
 
 S«? 
 
 c» 
 
 />. R &
 
 G//m/>st-s thro the Ri/t. 341 
 
 SECTION TWO. 
 
 <ri)f 11]avmonirs. 
 
 "There is a connection, communion ami iiuitual relation of all things in the 
 world and in Nature, beginning from the first substance and force; one science 
 meets and enlarges another, and each successive iliscoverj' throws new light upon 
 the preceding one!" 
 
 Sivedenborg, Note 14, Economy of the Animal Kingdom. 
 
 T)Y the law of Correspondencies we obtain from the fore- 
 ^ going, three Orders of Primal Spirits — propelling, 
 compelling, and impelling all created things on the Terres- 
 trial, Celestial, and Snper-Celestial planes of Being. 
 
 And we have fonr Orders of Spirits on the Ps^xhic 
 plane — propelling, compelling, impelling, and glorif^-ing the 
 Sonl of man and the Sonl of Things, to their harmonial 
 office of adjusting eqnilibrinm between Spirit and external 
 fori//. 
 
 We have also two Orders on the mental plane, constraining 
 and restraining, the mental attittide of man in his relation 
 to the Divine. 
 
 The hnman square of corresponding mental states would 
 be propulsion to the ascending arc: compulsion in the benficent 
 virtues: impulsion toward righteous endeavour; and finally, 
 solution in the Di\'ine Fliiid.
 
 342 Ghauts of I^ii^/ff o'la 
 
 * Andrew Jackson Davies has the trine of wisdom, 
 affection,^ and volition which corresponds to the three we 
 have described. They are seeking, collecting, and trans- 
 mitting the peculiar forces and benefits that ever}' individual 
 requires, and they further correspond with the three Orders 
 of Spirits which we shall treat of in a future chapter: the^- 
 are those of Choice, Necessity, and Effort. 
 
 Swedenborg has what he terms the three Superior states 
 which he defines as being: — 
 
 Fust. — The circumambient; simply deri\ed from the first 
 substance (primal) by the order of succession. 
 
 Second. — Those endowed with the power of gyrating. 
 
 Third. — The auras of the mundane spheres, arising from 
 a combination of the former— the passive and 
 active principles. 
 
 He then goes on to define /our Auras which " decrease 
 in simplicity, purity, universality, and perfection," as they 
 proceed in succession. "These," he says, "are tlie most 
 perfect forms of active and passive nature, representing her 
 forces brought into forms.'" — P. 584, Ecoiioiiiv of Anii/ial Life. 
 
 The three's and the four's are apparent as correspondencies 
 in the teachings of each of those writers. 
 
 Drunimond says that a "six-sided tendency is the law of 
 Crystallization. The power w^hich moiilded the Pohxystinse 
 was vital — the force which built the crystal was only 
 molecular. In beaut}- the inorganic and organic are one." 
 He gives four manifestations of the forces of Life: \\v.. — 
 Assimulatioii, Waste, Reproduction and Spontaneous action. 
 
 We here give a comprehensive list of the trims in 
 kingdom, function, and principle as they appear to us. 
 
 * See Diagram II., Figure H.
 
 G//w/>s,s thro the Rift. 
 
 343 
 
 1 Primates. 
 \ Proxiniates. 
 ( Ultimates. 
 
 1 Igneoiis. 
 , Aqueous. 
 ( Aggregative. 
 
 1 Animals. 
 
 Men. 
 ( Angels. 
 
 / Choice. 1 
 
 I Necessity. ' 
 Effort. 
 
 / Finite. 
 I Indefinite. 
 ( Infinite. 
 
 1 Vegetable. 
 I Animal. 
 ( Man. 
 
 I Self. 
 
 I Conjugal. 
 
 ( Paternal. 
 
 1 Seeking. 
 
 Collecting. 
 ( Transmitting. 
 
 i Humanity. [ Fraternal. 
 
 I Science. Filial. 
 
 ( Spiritualit}'. ( Universal. 
 
 [ Conscioiisness. i Succession. 
 
 ^ Instinct. 
 ( Reason. 
 
 (' Preception. 
 \ Penetration. 
 ( Analvsation. 
 
 I Volition. 
 I Affection. 
 ( Wisdom. 
 
 Differentiation. 
 
 Integration. 
 
 Vitalization. 
 
 / Destroyer. 
 I Sustainer. 
 ( Creator. 
 
 Gyration. 
 ( Combination. 
 
 I Determination, 
 Justification. 
 ( Centralization. 
 
 i Combination. 
 I Reflection. 
 ( Distribution. 
 
 ( Devil. 
 
 { Angel. 
 
 God. 
 
 In the above tabulation of triads we find that the primal 
 to the ultimate forms of Spirit and matter are all arranged in 
 definite harmonial relation, like the triads of the Druids. 
 
 "The circle of Abrcd, in wliich all are corporeal and 
 dead substances. 
 
 Tlie circle of (i-n^yii/yd, in which are all animated and 
 immortal beings. 
 
 The circle of Cciio^aiit, where there is only God ! " 
 
 Baiddas p. 223. 
 
 '''Love, as far as its necessity requires. 
 Order, until it cannot be improved. 
 Kinnv/cdoe, as far as it can be comprehended." 
 
 Barddas />. 201. 
 
 Three stablities of knowledge; i. e: — 
 To have traversed ever}- state of life. 
 To remember every state and its incidents. 
 To be able to traverse ever}- state by volution." 
 
 Barddas p. 177.
 
 344 Gleams of Liglit and 
 
 In Aelfric's "Lives of the Saints" the anthor speaks of 
 the sonl'S natnre as being three-fold: 
 
 The first part, capable of Desire: the second, of Anger: 
 and the third, of Reason. The first two possible to birds 
 and animals, bnt the last, to man only. 
 
 These triads indicate the loft}- Order of Beings that 
 obtain at the apex of the triangle. On the one hand the 
 Spirits of the descending arc who volitionallv enter the snc- 
 cessive strata of matter-forms, and span the gulf between 
 Spirit per se and the substance it is to animate: on the other 
 hand, the Spirits of the ascending arc — emancipated human 
 beings — who in progress through the intermediate spheres 
 finally attain to angelhood. 
 
 We trace the correspondencies through all the depart- 
 ments downwards and upwards, until we complete the degrees 
 of the circle. The secondar^• departments are all quartile, 
 and each of those reciprocal to its primary triad. We shall 
 attempt to trace the harmonies throiagh each of the spheres 
 — Siiper-celestial, Celestial, and Progressive Terrestrial. Each 
 sphere has its quaternarv of sub-spheres, which are really 
 aural, or atmospherical duplicates of the superior ones. 
 
 . We must also point out that the secondary, or aural 
 sub-spheres are superior to the tertiary-astral-spheres, which 
 affect man more particularly and inimediatel3\ When he shall 
 have risen superior' to these planes of environment, and lives 
 in the sunshine of the Primary infliiences, then indeed shall 
 the coming man rejoice in the morning of the millenium. 
 
 Spirits are constantly arriving at this desirable point — 
 attained the more easil}-, because of their freedom from 
 the denser shackles of earth, and they stand just within the 
 veil and give us an occasional glimpse of the coming dawn. 
 
 "The fair new forms 
 
 That float about the threshold of an age 
 Like truths of Science waiting to be caught! " 
 
 J'eimysoii.
 
 (fplimpst in. 
 
 "The natural man receivelh not tlu' thinsjs of the Spirit, neither can he know 
 theni, for they are Spiritually discerned." 
 
 5/. /'<;«/.
 
 G/impses thro the Ri/t. 347 
 
 ©riginal jilatter. 
 
 "Of matter the most subtle portion is the air — of air the most subtle part is 
 the soul — of the soul the most subtle portion is the mind — of the mind the most 
 subtle part is God." 
 
 Egyptian Scriptuivs. 
 
 w.-^^AT'' XOW'LEDGE is always empirical before it 
 
 1 ^- i^ crvptolizes into exactness ; but it often is the 
 
 -►^. L^\ . , privilege of empirical thinkers to be more 
 
 \- \ ' precise as to getiera/s than exact scientists 
 
 ^^i>; l4_-'; '^ViO^ become as to particiihirs. 
 
 "■^Ti^l^^a^ Tne thoughts of philosophers, without 
 
 gvjAy the trained acumen of the schools as to 
 
 ■^jplp" details, have often by virtue of their freer 
 
 Y scope, or fearless following after conclusions, 
 
 arrived at a knowledge of laws, bodies subject 
 
 to law, and properties of those bodies, long before science 
 
 even recognises such. 
 
 The Seer's telescope and microscope God hath devised, 
 each instrument is fitted to the soul who sees and there are 
 no depths or heights too profound for Spiritual vision to 
 pierce: the implements of human skill, while admittedly 
 revealing wonders to all who choose to use them, are ever 
 insignificant in comparison with the celestial, which, while 
 revealing things far beyond mortal ken, imparts with the
 
 348 G'lcatus of Light and 
 
 vision comprehensive information respecting the things seen, 
 which plftce the Seer at a great advantage over the scientist. 
 
 Slow, cautious science, centuries after the first affirmation 
 by Seers, proclaims with much ado a new (?) discovery, the 
 finder is placed upon a niche in the halls of history, and 
 the world wags on elate with her progress. 
 
 Inspirational Philosophy is the apostle of love and trust 
 in the mental realm, while science is the doubting disciple 
 who must thrust his hand into the marks of proof— a very 
 Didymus — it must probe every cavit}^ — weigh, measure, and 
 analyse before it commits itself to acceptance. 
 
 "Science," says A. J. Davies, "very honestly, stoutly, 
 sternly, godlessly says that man does not survive the decay 
 of his organs. The religious world takes up the evidence 
 not seen by science." 
 
 "Some philosophers, in attempting to tabulate the liar- 
 monial relation of things, have discovered a gap here and 
 tliere which science cannot fill, and they have had to insist 
 that there must be a loliereivitJial to fill the void, sonieiuliere. 
 Haphazard the^- seem to fill the gap out of their own con- 
 sciousness — indulging in speculation as to the qualities and 
 nature of those things which nnisf by analogy belong to the 
 void. 
 
 They get ridiculed for their pains — they die obscure; 
 but lo! the next generations of scientists groping about 
 among the mysteries of nature, come upon the very thing, 
 possessing the very qualities, and occupying the ver_v place, 
 and playing the very part that had been claimed for it; but 
 the}- never admit the pre-discovery by the Seer. T/iey 
 achieve renown, while the original explorer attains obloquy. 
 
 Others, again, come accidentally upon a new law or type 
 of organic life — the}' feverishly rush off and proclaim their 
 discovery to the world. Most people who hear it scoff, some 
 reserve judgment, and in most cases it is only when a man
 
 G/iin/'Sts thro the Rift. 349 
 
 is dead that his theories or discoveries receive justificatioii. 
 
 Some, casting their mental vision in vague questioning, 
 through the universe perceive the presence and action of 
 forces: the}- see the primates and ultimates of matter and 
 the operation of laws. In their philosophic writings they 
 detail what they have perceived, or generall}- advance them 
 as an hypothesis, and in after years when science has wrested 
 a knowledge of the said laws, forces, or substances from the 
 chasm of the unknown, men have sought, found, and placed 
 on record the opinions of the ancient thinker who long 
 ago had known that such existed. 
 
 Through this universal disregard of the value of Seer- 
 ship, knowledge is handicapped, and not until man is willing 
 to jdeld to Faith precedence over Reason shall he keep pace 
 with the m}'stic evolutions from the womb of Nature. 
 
 Speculation has always been rife as to the composition 
 and qualities of original matter, and we here cite a few 
 opinions of the ancient philosophers, with tlie remark that 
 every fresh discovery of science accentuates rather than 
 disproves the time-honoured opinion. 
 
 Thale's conception was that 7iw/(/- or the primate of that 
 element, i.e., the principle of humidity was the principle of 
 all things. 
 
 AxAXiM.\XDER sought to solve the problem by referring 
 to infinitude (infinite matter) as a refined and undeterminate 
 substance: out of whicli a separation of parts arose by a 
 process of eternal motion, and the character of such separa- 
 tions assumed the form of contraries — as heat and cold. 
 
 He originated the idea that the Infniite first existed per 
 se (as o///y the Infinite) and then as pe/- aluid (the Infinite 
 manifesting in finite form). 
 
 Anaximanes regarded the Infinite as a definite form of 
 matter to which he ga^^e the name of air — the primate form. 
 
 DiOGRXES regarded the complex totalitv of the Universe
 
 350 Gh'iviis of Lio/tf and 
 
 as being the gradual outcome of a more primitive and simple 
 conditioit; but this totality was on the self-changing mode of 
 the original principle. 
 
 Original a if was an organising intclligciux and not dead 
 matter or blind force. 
 
 This is precisely what n->f call Spirit — the magazine of 
 all forces and forms. 
 
 The rarefaction and condensation of matter — or as we 
 should now call it, the dissipation and condensation, — are 
 signs of Intelligence, not as a superior principle separate 
 from the stuff of the Universe, but as essential to its being. 
 
 EmpEDOCLES held to the eternal co-existence of four 
 co-ordinate elements — iire, air, earth and water: and the action 
 on those elements in the chaotic state of two antagonistic 
 forces — figurately termed Love and Hate -by which action, 
 a// things evolved into the present form. 
 
 Anaxogori'S got rid of the one primordial principle of 
 the Ionics, and the four elements of Empedocles by assuming 
 as the base of his system, the eternal existence of an Infinite 
 mass of diffused elementary substances which prior to the 
 formation of the world were commingled and devoid of all 
 order. 
 
 PvTHAGORA.S taught that the Unseen metaphysical unit 
 was the original of all things, hence nuinl)er is the mind's 
 affirmation of individuality, and strictly speaking onlv the 
 unit / is nitudur and all else is a combination of it. 
 
 Deiiocritu-S, in speaking of the beginiaing of things, 
 refers to the existence of an infinite mass of atoms — indivisible 
 — and (apart from dimension and density) possessing /,'(; 
 QUALITY. The motion of the atoms — ultimate particles — is 
 entirely due to necessity which brings about reciprocal action 
 and subsequent combination. 
 
 It is this force — necessity, by which he means mechanical 
 inevitable force — that we refer to as the influence of the 
 
 i
 
 G/iiii/^scs thro the Rift. 351 
 
 secondary rank of Spiritual Beings that we describe in 
 another chapter. 
 
 The philosopher of the tub is right in supposing that 
 organising Intelligences were at the back of all phenomena 
 — it shows how intimately force and matter were related, in 
 the opinion of these philosophers: it is well-nigh impossible 
 to nominate or define them except under the name of a 
 particular element or a principle attached thereto. Diogenes 
 in the word ai)- means volumes that are inexpressible, even 
 as the word 'Ruach' translated 'Spirit' in Genesis; "the 
 Spirit of God moved on the face of the waters" — is something 
 more than ' breath^ the literal meaning of the word — and 
 even 'Spirit' is but a sorry and ineffectual synoym for what 
 is implied. All that breath in relation to the Infinite Father 
 can convey is implied — the invisible, vitalizing, constant, 
 creative, respirational and inspirational life principle of the 
 Divine Existence itself is crystalised therein, and therefore 
 its supreme simplicity is very liable to abuse, and is 
 frequently misunderstood and misapplied. 
 
 Consider the air of Diogenes in like manner, and think 
 what ///.s air implies -you will see that there is infinite 
 ductility and comprehensiveness in that one little world. 
 
 Original matter was undoubtedh- .w identical with Spirit 
 itself that it requires keener analysis than ours to define the 
 difference. We prefer to speak of it as an extremelv rarified 
 and absolutely simple substance -containing a world of inert 
 potentialities — of a dual character: in fact a dual-faced unity 
 — bisexual — posito-negative — an active and passive primal 
 particle. 
 
 If we were to enlist in our service the allegories of 
 Sacred Writings, we should find the Garden of Eden a 
 suitable one for our purpose — teaching that there is a scientific 
 basis for the ideas advanced S3-mbolicall3' by the author of 
 Genesis.
 
 3^2 Gleams of Lif^lif and 
 
 Adam means ird earth ; so sa3'S the marginal reference. 
 Red earth signifies vital matter, therefore atom and Adam 
 are sjaionymous. 
 
 Eve, the mother or fruitful principle of Nature, is sym- 
 bolised b\' the egg, and eggs in Latin are "ova' (plural), 
 'ovum' (singular.) Ova is sjaiom-mous with Eve — indeed the 
 vocalization is very similar. 
 
 i\s the ^%% cannot of itself develop the embryo without 
 the fructifying influence of the male germ — as the male germ 
 cannot perpetuate its kind except through the ovum — it was 
 necessary for Atom to wed Ova befoi'e the generative process 
 could originate. 
 
 Eve was taken from the side of Adam — had her origin 
 in his being, so to speak; so in the dual- faced unit the Spirit 
 side fructifies a material side, and the work of evolution 
 begins. 
 
 A quaint conceit here occurs to the author: a well-known 
 authorit}-, in speaking of the Fallopian tube, said it was "a 
 sort of Garden of Eden where the spermoid Adam meets 
 the ovoid Eve, and the result of their intercourse is their 
 expulsion from Paradise," i.e., from the tube into the 
 womb. 
 
 In the language of numbers the o)ie Adam became 
 manifest as tiM, and they brought forth ////-((■. 
 
 Adam, son of" elioiee ; Eve, daughter of necessity, for "it 
 is not good for man to be alone;" Cain, Abel, and Seth, 
 children of effort, for is it not true that Eve, like all mothei'S, 
 realized that: — 
 
 "From out the font of being, undefiled, 
 
 A life hath been unheaved with struggle ami pain; 
 
 Safe in her arms a mother holds again 
 That dearest miracle — a new-born child. 
 To moans of anguish terrible and wild — 
 
 As shrieks the night-wind through an ill-shut pane 
 
 — Pure heaven succeeds, and after fierj' strain, 
 Victorious woman smiles, serenely mild.
 
 Glimpses tliio the Rift. 
 
 Yea! shall she not rejoice, shall not her frame 
 
 Thrill with a mystic rapture at this birth? 
 
 The soul now kimlletl by her flame 
 
 May it not prove a gift of priceless worth — ? 
 Some saviour of his kind, whose starry fame 
 
 May bring a brightness to the tlarken'il earth?" 
 
 .^ralliiMe Blind. 
 
 In thus describing a ke}- to tlie allegory of Genesis, we 
 are actnated b}^ no desire to nnllify the revelations of Hoh^ 
 Writ, bnt rather to use them in the cultivation of a rational 
 and scientific train of thought, and build up the processes 
 of mental evolution a// the icwv from reason to faith which is 
 knowledge: for faith in its truest sense is the sjnithesis of 
 knowledge. 
 
 We have indicated the manner in which the initial 
 creative impulse was imparted, and found the point at whicli 
 Spirit and Matter set out on their wonderful course through 
 the intricate windings of Nature. The two modes of the 
 primal force were originalh- in a state of passivit}^— the 
 realm of peace and tranquility, but as soon as the congenital 
 relation was established, the}-, b}* an act of their own, as it 
 were, banished themselves from the state of peace into that 
 of activity and eflfort: they left behind them their Eden of 
 purity, and entered the, as yet, unfruitful world of causation, 
 and complexity. 
 
 The thorns and thistles of pain — fruitless labour and mental 
 anguish — sprang up to vex their souls : the undeveloped 
 resources of their own nature bade fair to cause them pain; 
 they beheld the first fruit of their efforts disagree and destro}^ 
 each other, but after a period of anxious probation, there 
 came success and jov : thus new elements were born that 
 gave ample promise of blooming vigour and great potentiality. 
 Here we see the narrative of the Adamic family verified in 
 fact^the name of Adam, Eve, Cain, Abel, and Seth, being 
 synonj^ms for various complexities evolving from simple forms. 
 
 2 z
 
 3154 Gleams of Lig//t and 
 
 We will suppose pain to be an accompaniment of different- 
 iation, aiid constant labour the mother of evolved forms. 
 One form is constantly being destroyed by another — super- 
 imposed forces nullify the effect of weaker forces — the des- 
 truction of one form, the disappearance of another, results 
 in the creation of a third more perfect than either of the 
 former, and so the tragedy of Cain and Abel goes on in 
 the realms of matter, resulting in Seth-forms of a higher 
 order. 
 
 Once reciprocal action of the primal forms had been set 
 up they coi;ld not return to their first state of innocence, 
 for the Lord God had planted a cherub with flaming sword 
 to guard the henceforth impassable line between the passive 
 and active principles : between the sexless, or rather, 
 unconscious dual, state of the undifferentiated primates, and 
 their moving proximates. 
 
 Through the long aveniies of earth's history these 
 unseen forces have been in operation through visible matter, 
 making the Spirit (God) manifest in matter (flesh). 
 
 The phenomena of Nature at first inefficiently observed 
 and imperfectly understood were subjects of wonder and 
 amazement: they were looked upon with superstitious awe, 
 and the prodigies wrought, were supposed to be the work of 
 Spirits or demons. 
 
 The scientific minds of the eighteenth and nineteenth 
 centuries have laughed this superstition to scorn, but the 
 twentieth is about to dawn, and lo! reason reverts again 
 to the primitive conceptions and conclusions, and people 
 are again becoming superstitious. 
 
 What is this superstition? Is it not for the most part, 
 a lesser or greater appreciation of a truth, i.e. that the 
 phenomena of Nature are the result of the action of intelligent 
 forces, or Spirits, moving in perfectly natural lines, analogous 
 to those on which the Spirit in man invents and perfects
 
 G/in/pscs thro the Rift. 3:; 5 
 
 a piece of intricate mechanism? If the Spirit in man can 
 in\ent a machine tlirongh mental and material processes — if 
 Spirits can first impress upon the grey matter of the brain, 
 and through the brain-//^//, — and through hands of flesh-yO^w, 
 — and of dense elements such as iron and brass — coi/ipose — 
 a delicately poised and ingeniously contrived chronometer; 
 why may not other Intelligences through other material 
 forms, work similar wonders? 
 
 They onl3- observe and set in motion laws which exist — 
 they only develop latent qualities — they only act the part of 
 chemists or mechanics, who proportion the ingredients of the 
 solutions, which natural law intermixes, and apply forces that 
 are ever ready to hand. 
 
 Given greater facilities, afforded greater scope, and acting 
 upon larger masses of material, why may not all the wonder- 
 ful things that have been said to occur, be produced more 
 frequently by such Intelligences? 
 
 The mind, ever more subtle than the matter through 
 which it operates is therefore superior to its medium, and 
 there is no reason why a man or a Spirit by the powerful 
 volition of his mental forces ma}- not mould and subdue 
 matter into a state of positive subjection. 
 
 Spirit is masculine — matter is feminine — hence the idea 
 that the wife should be subject to her husband is esoterically 
 justifiable, but so united is the duality — so dependent is one 
 phase upon the other, that it has been well said in respect to 
 wedlock, "Whom God hath joined let no man put asunder:" 
 the positive and negative are indivisibly one, in the sense that 
 neither can exist without the other. 
 
 With these considerations lying before us, an age of 
 miracles and wonders need not appear irrational : the appear- 
 ance of Spirits and of Saints; the powers of charms and 
 talismans; the practice of necromanc}' and alchem}*, are not 
 to be regarded with suspicion and contempt, for they are but
 
 356 Gleams of Light a>id 
 
 indices of tlie attempts of man embodied and disembodied 
 to seek but, demonstrate, and work in harmony with, the 
 mysteries of Nature.
 
 Glimpses thro the Ri/t. 357 
 
 SECTION TWO. 
 
 iKirarlrs. 
 
 "In relation to the insiilc and outside a key is an unmeanin.u; thing, but it is 
 in perfect order, as being the means of communication, and a miracle is in perfect 
 order and place as the medium between two worlds I" 
 
 J. B. Mozlcy, D.D. 
 
 TF we look into some of the alleged miracles of the 
 primitive and medieval ages, we shall find in them the 
 simple and straightforward statement of the occurrence of 
 certain phenomena: allowing for some exaggeration on the 
 part of the chroniclers — and the imperfections of translation 
 and transmission, we find them to be simple affairs — out of 
 the line of ordinary events perhaps, but still quite compatible 
 with what is known and experienced every da\- among the 
 students of Spiritual dynamics. 
 
 The author of "Spiritual Dynamics" stated at the Slade 
 trial that "On a 'dr}- dusty slate' which had no 'trace of 
 writing on its surface,' while he was holding the medium's legs 
 and hands, he ' heard a sound as of rapid energetic writing 
 with a slate pencil, and then three raps to indicate that the 
 message was finished." He found the slate bore 'a message 
 clearly written,' 'composed of about twent}' words,' 'containing 
 fi\e family names,' and 'a message urging two of (his)
 
 358 Glcaiiii 0/ Light and 
 
 sceptical brothers to investigate the subject.' This enabled 
 him in ctourt to solemnly assert 'that he could not be more 
 certain of his own existence than lie was that the writing 
 could not possibly have come through human hands or in- 
 struments.'" — P. 22, 23. 
 
 He further remarks in his book, " That the passage of 
 matter through matter is of all Spiritual phenomena the most 
 difl&cult to realise. Moreover, being instantaneous, it has 
 never been actually seen in action. Christians believe in 
 Christ having so acted when 'He appeared in the midst of 
 His disciples, the doors being shut,' and so also with Peter 
 when he passed out of prison. And Spiritualists can enu- 
 merate not less than a thousand instances where books and 
 other solid substances have entered closed chambers." — P. 31. 
 
 "The dynamic explanation is that there is no such 
 thing as solid matter, but only a certain proximity of atoms, 
 or centres of force, held in position \>\ attraction and that 
 by an expansive Spiritual, or centrifugal . force these atoms 
 can be so separated as to admit of the passage of other so- 
 called solid substances." 
 
 "Atoms if placed in a like electrical condition would 
 repel each other; and as Spirits assert that electricity is 
 their motive power, we can realise how the atoms of so-called 
 solid matter may open and shut instantaneously." — P. 31. 
 
 If Jehovah wrote upon the tables of stone with his 
 finger — if "Spirits could write the message "Alene, Mene, 
 Tekel, Upharsin" upon the walls of Belshazzar's palace, 
 why ma}- not they do the same to-da}-? We only get the 
 bald statement in the Bible — yet they are accepted as truth; 
 whereas, with hundreds of modem testimonies as to their 
 absolute occurrence and under test conditions, vouched for 
 by such men as our present Prime ]\Iinister and many 
 eminent men of letters and of science — our present daA- 
 miracles are denied.
 
 G/i»/p.<cs thro the Rift. 359 
 
 The ancients who had tangible evidences of the visitation 
 of Spirits, mostly spoke of them as God, but it is plain 
 that it could not be the Almight}-, for it is said "No man 
 can see God and live." Yet Moses is said to have seen the 
 back parts of Jehovah — Jacob wrestled with a very tangible 
 Spirit — and Manoah feared that they should die because they 
 had seen God. 
 
 Resolve the Angel visitors of the Bible into human 
 Spirits; compare the phenomena of those da^'s with the 
 phenomena of to-day and you will ' find that the present 
 justifies and makes credible the past, if allowance is made 
 for some misconception in its translation. 
 
 W'hen we cite miracles which were wrought in ancient 
 or medieval days we do not claim that they evidence Divine 
 favour to the participators, or that they were confined to one 
 nation or religion, but that they demonstrate the intimate 
 connection there exists between the world's Seen and 
 Unseen. 
 
 W'ith regard to tlie science of healing, as practised by 
 mesmeric and psychic people, we claim that it is the self- 
 same power in operation to-dav as obtained in the prophetic 
 a:ui apostolic days. 
 
 Julianus is credited with healing a servant's eye by a 
 mere act of contact with the hand, and also, that he passed 
 unharmed through a great fire that was built about him to 
 burn him to death. 
 
 Here we liave two recorded events that are similar to 
 incidents in Bible histor\-. Christ healing the blind man, 
 and the Hebrew children in the fier}- furnace. 
 
 We have a modern instance of wonderful healing power 
 in the fact that an Australian pliA'sician recently' in London 
 cured a woman of cancer in the womb, b^- psychic power. 
 The writer ^mv a case of chronic rheumatism, and a case 
 of quinsy, cured b\- a magnetic working man; the first
 
 360 G/caiiis of Light and 
 
 after repeated rubbings extended over some days — tbe latter 
 in five lAinutes. 
 
 What if this man's gifts had been judiciously developed, 
 and his energies not expended in manual labour? 
 
 A Christ, an Apollonius, a Pythagoras, who could work a 
 miraculous cure by "the virtue that had gone out of him," i.e., 
 the sympathetic, magnetic aura, as well as the modern healer, be 
 he workman or professional, are credited by his contemporaries 
 with being inspired by "devils," or else denounced as frauds. 
 
 Yet there is plenty of proof that the doers of these 
 wonders were generally holy, not fashionable, people — those 
 who led comparatively blameless lives. In fact, as a general 
 rule, healers are pepple who arc pure, physically, morally, and 
 Spiritualh' — else their electric power is detrimental instead of 
 beneficial. (See appendix Notes on Miracles, Note F.) 
 
 Besides the foregoing, there are on record many forms of 
 phenomenal powers and events, such as: enlargement, or 
 expansion of the bod}-, which occurred to St. Philip Neri and 
 Ida of Louvain. 
 
 For modern instances of this, see Investigations in the 
 first part of this work, and in respect to inanimate objects 
 increasing in densit}-, see Dr. Chamber's experiment with 
 the steel-yard and table, in the chapter on Spiritualism. 
 
 Transfiguration is common among us to-da}-, as any one 
 who has intelligently pursued a method of investigation can 
 testify, for we freqiiently see persons under Spirit afflatus 
 assume the features of persons long since deceased, and their 
 countenatices radiate a luminosity- that gives it an angelic 
 appearance. 
 
 Catharina Ricci is said to have had the gift. Moses 
 face shone when he came down from the mountain. Christ 
 was transfigured on the mountain, and there are many 
 instances on record where the mutability of the faces of 
 mediums disclosed the real presence of a Spirit.
 
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 SI 
 
 
 
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 S 
 
 
 
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 G/ii)i/>scs thro the Rift. 361 
 
 The gift of unknown tongues spoken of in the Scriptures 
 descended upon St. Hildergard among others, and now our 
 mediums are as liable to the charge of intemperance as were 
 the disciples, for " they spake with other tongues as the 
 Spirit gave them utterance." 
 
 In Vaughan's "Hours with the Mystics," from wlience 
 we cull the names of saints cited above we read many inter- 
 esting accounts of such phenomena, and in our appendix we 
 give a few instances of interest derived from various sources 
 which are mentioned. 
 
 Addison once remarked tliat were he not ai)le to credit 
 the general testimony of mankind, he would be disposed to 
 do so in the case of persons now living, when he could trust 
 them to give testimon}- on other matters. 
 
 Not long ago there was an account in the "Berliner 
 Tagablatt," December 21st, 1891, of a seance whereat a banker 
 named Hirsch asked that a dead friend of his, wlio was 
 l\-ing in the graveyard at Naples, should be brought to him. 
 Tliis actually took place, the phantom audiblj- kissing the 
 banker and ligliting his figure by some phosphorescent light. 
 
 "Sunshine witliout the medium of the ^-Etlier, and sound 
 apart from the undulations of the air would be a miracle, 
 yet Spirit sees, feels, and hears, without the intervention of 
 objective reality; and these facts are akin to miracles." — P. 
 22, " Mvstery of Miracles." 
 
 ^\'hen a person sees that which is apparenth' invisible; 
 hears sounds that make no impression upon the tympanum 
 of other cars, he is said to be a dreamer or insane ; but there 
 are ethereal currents that transcend mortal observation, which 
 convey (as surely as the telegraph wire to the receiver) 
 to the consciousness of the Seer, the presence and character of 
 beings as impalpable as the ether itself. 
 
 * See Notes F to K, Appendix II, 
 ?, A
 
 362 Gleams of Li'^lit and 
 
 Is this a miracle, or a natural jDlienomena in tran- 
 scendental physics? 
 
 Ignorance might deem it a miracle but minds that are 
 open to the interior realm of Causation onh' recognise in 
 it a further Revelation of the Universal Correspondencies. 
 
 A miracle is not so much an interference with natural 
 law, as a superinducement of an itnt^ecogniscd laiv under the 
 necessary conditions then present. 
 
 Jamblichiis, in his work on "Divination," relates phenomena 
 strictly analogous to those of modern times; bodies dilated 
 iintil thev towered to super hriman height and lifted up 
 into the air, as in the case St. Francis D' Assise, and of 
 many who under the Divine afflatus were insensible to fire* 
 or pain. 
 
 One of the most authentic miracles that we have au}- 
 record of, is cited by Clement of Alexandria in a work called 
 "Dinosauros, or the Art of Healing Cripples." 
 
 It is related there that one Rasila, a youth of Gaul, was 
 paralyzed in his left side through hurts received in battle. 
 One day while in great pain his sister Idrea came upon him 
 and besought that he should appeal to the gods for healing, 
 as the ph^-sicians of that place were powerless to administer 
 to him. Being in great anguish, he besought together with 
 his sister, the help of Jupiter — the Odin of the Gauls — and 
 lo ! a flash as of vivid lightning parted the roof of the room 
 in which they were, and they beheld the image of the god 
 seated upon the clouds of Heaven. Jupiter enquired of them, 
 what were their desires? the}- replied healing and help for 
 the sufferer — when lo! from the hand of the god went forth 
 a bright light which struck the youth upon the backbone 
 and laid him as though dead upon the floor of their dwelling : 
 and she, the sister, screamed aloud in anguish because of 
 
 * See Mr. Croft's Investigations.
 
 G/inipscs thro the Rift. 363 
 
 his death ; but he arose and put his hand upon her head 
 and said "Sister — -fear not! I am well — I was dead and am 
 alive: I was diseased and I am whole!" and behold the pain 
 had passed from him, and he had recovered his wonted vigour! 
 
 The above is quoted from memor}-, so that if the words 
 are not the same as were used we claim pardon, but we are 
 certain the substance of the matter is truly given. 
 
 Now, let us consider this in the light of our modern 
 experience — what does it amount to? 
 
 Onh- that Spirits of exalted character, brought cii 
 rappoi't b}- prayer and sj-mpath}', can so manipulate the forces 
 of Nature as to infuse a current of healing magnetic aura 
 into the system of the diseased person, and thus restore 
 Nature's equilibrium. It is frequentl}- done by persons in 
 the flesh, b}- magnetic contact or mesmeric impression (hyp- 
 notic suggestion as it is now-a-days termed) and other means 
 of transmitting magnetic forces, while if, by the perfection of 
 conditions, we keep open the avenues through which trans- 
 cendant beings can operate, we shall be still more perfectlv 
 healed than by the general methods. 
 
 The tendency, however, of human thought is upon the 
 material plane, and the proetiee of material methods more in 
 consonance with their ideas than an\- transcendental methods 
 could possibly be. 
 
 Then again. Spirits see that it is wiser on material planes 
 to use material methods and media, for do we not read that 
 even Christ with his spittle and the dust of the earth made 
 a e/av wherewith to anoint the eves of the blind, and the 
 leper was bidden to bathe in loater/ This accounts for the 
 fact that cases are more frequent where a material vehicle 
 has been used as the ao-ent of the healing power. * 
 
 Properlv iinderstood, this is the reason why nostrums 
 and herbs are prescribed bv phj-sicians in cases of disease, 
 but the\' should be as the vehicle i>!//v of the healing power
 
 364 Gkiuiis 0/ Liglit and 
 
 of the doctor himself, rather than as possessing any virtue 
 of theiv own. 
 
 Certain elements, plants, minerals, and liquids, it is true, 
 are so constituted that they convey to certain organisms 
 the qualities of healing better than others, and possibly, 
 under certain planetary aspects harmonising with the nativity 
 of an individual would really benefit him, as the conductors 
 of Nature's finer forces, irrespective of a physician, for 
 natural law always effects equilibrium. 
 
 It will now be understood why physicians should be 
 astrologers and students of the qualities of herbs under 
 various astral influences aided by the interior Illumination 
 of Spirits. 
 
 They would then know from the figure of a nativity 
 what simples they had better iise as conductors of the vital 
 force. They coiild discover hereditary causes — pre-conceptional 
 or pre-natal — of the diseased condition of their patient, and 
 \)y this means could better diagnose the condition of, and 
 prescribe for, the object of their ministration. 
 
 When we come to reflect that modern science has 
 discovered a method whereby an influx of electricity might 
 \>z introduced into the organism of a plant, which by this 
 means is induced to more speedy growth — more perfect 
 function — and earlier and more perfect bloom and fruition ; 
 we are minded to ask why may not the organism of a man 
 be similarly treated. We know that the infusion of animal 
 magnetism assists Nature in her efforts to regain proper 
 balance; why may not similar superinduced currents, when 
 more extended knowledge of their action has been obtained, 
 result in the restoration of apparenth' defunct organisms into 
 life and activity again? 
 
 Spirits can cause senseless and material objects to 
 respond to their volitionary impulses, (for even inert objects 
 have consciousness and motion of a very low degree) : the
 
 G/i)iipscs f/nv the Rift. 365 
 
 molecules of which they are fonned moving and responding 
 in an atmosphere of their own, and what, to the luinian 
 eve, seems a solid mass, is a living breathing world /;/ ilic 
 iiiorodiiif realm. 
 
 Lytton, in his "Coming Race," says, "When yon talk 
 of matter as something in itself inert and motionless, von 
 cannot know that no form of matter is so; even' particle 
 is constantly in motion, and acted npon b\- agencies the most 
 snbtle however inert they be." 
 
 "If a heap of metal be not capable of originating a 
 thonght. it obtains the power to recei\e the thought of the 
 intellectnal agent, and is for the time being animated by 
 the soul infused into it." — Pp. 116, 117. 
 
 It needs but the intelligent force of an occupant of a 
 loftier realm to increase this low velocital value of inorganic 
 molecular motion, and lift it up into visible reciprocity to 
 the will of the operator. 
 
 Life is already there — intelligence has onlv to increase 
 it. tu the velocital ratio of the said intelligence's remove 
 from the inorganic realm in question. 
 
 If men and Spirits can — the one infuse activity to, and 
 the other, iiiti/tigiiicc through, a table, planchette or other 
 material medium, could not the ultiniates of such Powers 
 be directed even to raise the dead? 
 
 For what we call dead is often onh- a state of suspended 
 animation — an ultimate form of coma. 
 
 In no other waj- can w^e arrive at an intelligent con- 
 ception of the extreme naturalness of so-called miracles. 
 Develop the powers that humanit}- possesses, and who shall 
 say where the}' will culminate: if man holds healing in his 
 hand may he not also hold life and know it not? 
 
 In this light let the student consider the Biblical and 
 other narratives of persons being raised from the dead, and 
 let each one learn that, while for want of knowledge and
 
 _366 Gleams of Light and 
 
 experience they may not be able intelligently to grasp the 
 facts or ^ven the theory, they certainly have no right to 
 deny the possibility of such occurrences. 
 
 Fift\- years ago there were probably scarcel}' a dozen 
 persons in the world who could have credited the possibilit}- 
 of a Spirit clothing himself in material, gathered from the 
 physical and psj^chic emanations of a few persons collected 
 in a room; yet to-day millions believe it — hundreds doubtless 
 have seen it — but physical science and theological wiseacres 
 have the temei'ity to doubt it still. 
 
 It is quite possible — before people became aware of the 
 materializing qualities of psychoplasm — before they began to 
 form themselves into circles for the purpose of giving Spirits 
 the opportunity of manifesting themselves — that Spirits could, 
 and did draw upon those emanations and appear visible to 
 mortal eye as ghosts: and not only that, but acted in all 
 respects like men in the flesh, so that their entertainers 
 believed they were men, they spoke in audible voices, and 
 partook of refreshments, precisely as an incarnate man would 
 have done. 
 
 For instances of this, see the Bible records: Abraham, 
 Jacob, Manoah, and others will be found to have entertained 
 such visitors, and later on, when in that upper room the 
 disciples of Jesus were waiting for the fulfilment oj his promise 
 He appeared among them tangible to the touch. 
 
 Wonder might well cease when we can obtain such phe- 
 nomena as these, for the}- only indicate what wonderful potenti- 
 alities man has got locked up in the recesses of his own being. 
 
 If this sort of thing has occurred in the past, and is 
 constantly recurring now — as every day new forms of mani- 
 festation are demonstrated — there is ever}- reason to suppose 
 that they will continue until the culmination is reached, if 
 such points of climax can be attained, until all the potencies 
 of Spirit ai-e exhausted.
 
 G/i;ii/>SiS thro the Rift. 367 
 
 Can we speak of exhaustion in this connection — are 
 there limits to the possibilities and scope of Spirit? Nay! 
 unless we can also suppose a limit to the central Spirit — 
 God! 
 
 Under Spirit power extension and increased density 
 have been apparent in a man, as the careful experiments 
 and observations of Professor Crookes and others can prove. 
 Mediums have been transported bodily through solid walls, 
 to places miles away from the place where the meeting 
 was being held, and Avhere the conditions for the production 
 of the phenomena were set up. 
 
 Altogether, the evidence is ever\'where apparent that 
 the age of miracles has never entirely ceased, but is perhaps 
 as subject to ebb and flow as the tides of ocean.
 
 (I^Umpst ilj 
 
 U is He who sitteth upon the Ciirlf of the earth Who hath measured 
 
 the waters in the hollow of his Hand Comprehended the dust of the earth 
 
 in a measure Weifjhed the mountains in scales; and the hills in a balance. 
 
 Isaiah xl. 22—12. 
 
 3 B
 
 D I A G R A M O F SPIRAL WAVE: 
 
 Showing how it coils around the Eurth m its progifssivc motion.
 
 G/i »//>$£$ thro the Rift. 
 
 371 
 
 3lalM of (Tnrlrs. 
 
 "There is neither standing still nor retrogression 
 In the laws of eternal governance, 
 And Death itself which prompts thee to repine, 
 Is no evil unto thee nor thine. 
 But a step from good to better, an advance." 
 
 Charles Afackay. 
 
 TIE observations of scholars have demonstrated 
 the fact that waves of phenonema are distinctl}- 
 '^. traceable throughout the world — religious epi- 
 demics, national and communal prosperity, — and 
 advancement in the realms of science, art and 
 literature. 
 
 Eras like those of the pre-historic and the 
 historic — the dark and medieval ages — the 
 Mosaic and Christian eras — the Brahminic and 
 IMahommedan periods and the like, follow in 
 definite succession. 
 
 When the period of darkness, inanition and apath}- — 
 probably following opulence and luxury — is past when the 
 time of pralaya is about to terminate, there has been a 
 dawning of a new era in which some particular portion of the 
 world and its inhabitants are again approaching the meridian
 
 372 Glciniis of Light a)ni 
 
 of their national glory — emerging as it were from the gloom 
 of nighti throngh the mists of the morning, to the cnlmination 
 of their splendour at noon-tide. 
 
 Then as inevitably comes opulence and apathy — effemi- 
 nacy, extravagance, and retrogression follow — their glory gives 
 them vanity — their strength, pride, which always 'goeth 
 before a fall,' and then the Nation's prestige would wax old 
 as a garment, and drop from the decrepit frame. 
 
 It is truly a curious study — this law of cycles. But 
 surely we cannot doubt its actual ruling of the destinies of 
 nations, any more than we can deny that in America, about 
 forty-five years ago, the era of modern Spiritualism began 
 to dawn upon a startled world, just then in a state of 
 Spiritual torpor. 
 
 It was emerging from the utter disbelief that had 
 succeeded the exaggeration, and corruptions of the medieval 
 ages— so thoroughly had the world recoiled from the debased 
 conceptions of Spiritual things that prevailed in those dark 
 days, when to be a compounder of simples was to be a 
 witch : to be a scientist was to be a wizard or alchemist, that 
 the}- stood aghast at the proved and unanimous conviction 
 of numbers of people that Spirits of the dead could talk by 
 means of a table. 
 
 The movements of public or conventional conceptions 
 are exceedingly slow— the beat of the pendulum of popular 
 opinion exasperatingly tardy — the sway from medieval super- 
 stition to the negativism of positive science took such a 
 long time for its effectual doing, that we need not wonder 
 if the sway from positive negation to equally positive 
 intellectual and scientific affirmation should, as regards the 
 masses and the schools take a correspondingly great length 
 of time. 
 
 If we take up Bible history, and consider the periods 
 from Adam to Noah— to Abraham— to Moses -to David —
 
 (7//w/>SiS tliro tlh- Rift. 373 
 
 to the prophets and to Christ we should find, if we were 
 in possession of correct chronological date, that the\- would 
 be marked by given ratios in respect to the entire history. 
 
 If we take a mathematical view of the subject and bring 
 all those eras into sections, or arcs of a circle, we may assume 
 that the chords of cyclic changes will take the form of 
 polygons, ^^'hat figure, if this be true, should our c^xles 
 take ? 
 
 If the hexagon, we divide 360' by 6, we get 60' or two 
 signs of the Zodiac; the half of this multiplied by 20 gives 
 the Naronic cycle. 
 
 The declination of the Earth's axis is found to be 
 decreasing at a rate of half a second per annum. It takes 
 one hundred and twenty years to decrease through a minute, 
 and a degree requires sixty times one hundred and twenty 
 years. Xow multiplx this by the number of degrees in a 
 circle and you get two million, five hundred and ninety-two 
 thousand years required for one complete revolution through 
 the cycle. 
 
 In figures 60" ^= i" 120 years: 120 x 60= 7200: 7200 
 X 360 ^ 2,592,000. 
 
 The above is the usual method of counting it. 
 
 Now follows one given by the Spirit of the Moorish 
 Astrologer of whom mention is made in other parts of the 
 book. He said that twenty years was a degree of the Zodiac. 
 Three hundred and sixt}' times twenty gives seven t3r-two 
 hundred years, the period required for passing through the 
 degrees of the Zodiac. This was one degree of the prccasional 
 cyc/c, and multiplied by three hundred and sixty will j'ield 
 us two million, five hundred and ninet}- two thousand (as 
 above), the period required for one revolution of the Earth's 
 poles. 
 
 In figures 20 x 360 ^ 7,200: 7,200 x 360 = 2,592,000. 
 
 Astrology divides each of the twelve signs of the Zodiac
 
 374 
 
 G/ea/in of Lii>h/ and 
 
 into three faces, that is 30° (degrees) to a sign 10° (degrees) 
 to each kce; reducing these to years we get 20 years x 30' 
 = 600 years, the famous Naronic cycle; the semisextile of 
 the hexagon a period of marked historical change. 
 
 As geologists affirm that this isle has seen a glacial 
 and tropical period it follows that as this part of the 
 world's surface is slowly moving towards the arctic zone, or 
 rather to a glancial period, one at least of those precessional 
 cycles mvist have taken place. Such a period is surely 
 more rational than that, theology teaches, when we view the 
 vast changes that have taken place in regard to peoples and 
 continents — it is in better accord with the revelations of 
 Geology than any other. 
 
 In the period preceding the Christian era there were 
 not wanting evidences of a chaotic prala^^a in the mental 
 and Spiritual world. A computation of cyclic periods would 
 explain why it was that certain wise men looked for the dawn 
 of a new era to follow the gloom of that terrible solstice 
 which at this period shrouded the Spiritual perceptions of 
 man; and it is plain that either esoterically or exoterically 
 there was ushered in a new era at this juncture, whether 
 accompanied by an incarnate Avator or not — whether there 
 was bom a Spirifual principle or a personified abstraction — 
 the fad remains unchanged. 
 
 Those who believed that the completion of a cycle was 
 attended b}- some terrible cataclysm or catastrophe in nature 
 — such as a deluge, or world 'o'erwhelming fire', and knowing 
 the expectations of the philosophers, naturally apprehended 
 what is termed the 'end of the world': therefore, when 
 they witnessed the phenomena recorded by the authors of 
 the gospels as having taken place at the crucifixion they really 
 believed the end had come. 
 
 It is doubtless this fact that still influences people to 
 apprehend the coming of such a time, and enables them to
 
 G//////>srs thro tlic Rift. 375 
 
 grant an hearing to those fanatics who rave about the terrors 
 of the latter days: they await with bated breath the time 
 fixed bv astronomers for the advent of a comet, and dread 
 the probable (?) collision of the same with earth. Some 
 argue that as water destroyed the breathing existencies of 
 the world in Noah's time, fire must destroy it next, for do 
 not the scriptures sa}- the elements shall melt with fervent 
 heat." 
 
 We do not think that any such an anomaly as a Stella 
 collision is likely to eventuate, for the Divine Mathematician 
 is too skilled — too unerring in His arrangements to make 
 such a thing possible. 
 
 As we state in treating of the creation of worlds, in the 
 event of a cometary body darting off through space, there 
 are always other nucleatic centres ready to receive it, or else 
 inevitable dispersion awaits its particles, which are then 
 absorbed by the magnetic currents and despatched to world 
 forming regions. 
 
 In certain areas, nations have emerged from barbarism 
 into civilization, and again degenerated into vicious or 
 luxurious torpor, that speedily results in subservience to a 
 more hard\- people. They frequently become dependants of 
 nations they formerly despised. 
 
 The countries nearest the equator ha\-e had the most 
 rapid and phenomenal rise and fall — those nearest the poles 
 the slowest. 
 
 Why this is so we cannot here tell, without entering 
 upon an exhaustive consideration of climatic causation, but 
 the intelligent student will discover for himself the reason, if 
 he peruses Buckle's, Macaulay's, and other historian's works 
 upon the siibject. 
 
 Ninevah, Bab\-lon, Rome, where are now thy glories? 
 Of the two former— vanished, as phantoms in the mist? Of 
 the latter — merged into that of a new civilization. Happily
 
 376 
 
 G/i-(V/is of Lio/if (Vid 
 
 for itself is stood upon the border-line of the old time and the 
 new; bu^ even now its resiirrected magnificence is pale beside 
 that of its former glories. 
 
 Doctor E. Zasse divides the entire world into six parts; 
 (the hexagon) i.e. Eastern, Central and Western Asia: and 
 Eastern, Central and Western Europe, and he finds that 
 waves of two hundred and fifty years' duration were passing 
 east to west. 
 
 FIRST WAVE. CHINA. 
 
 Age of Philosophy 2000 B.C. 
 Mongolian Empire 1750 " 
 Egyptian Sway 1500 " 
 
 Argonaut Expedition 1250 " 
 Siege of Troy 1000 " 
 
 THIRD WAVE. 
 
 Restoration of Chinese 
 
 000 A. D. 
 
 250 " 
 
 SECOND WAVE. 
 CENTRAL ASIA. 
 Scvthian Inundation 750 
 Splendour of Ancient 
 
 Persia 500 
 
 Grecian Empire 250 
 Year of Christ 000 
 
 FOURTH WAVE. 
 China Flourishing 1000 .\.ij. 
 Mongolian Wave 1250 " 
 Ottoman Empire 1500 " 
 Russian Empire throws off 
 Tartar Yoke 1750 " 
 
 Completion of Cycle 
 2000 
 
 x^rt 
 Huns Invasion 
 Persian Kingdom 
 
 Reformed 500 
 
 B^-zantine Republic 750 
 2nd. Roman Empire 
 
 (Papal) ' 1000 " 
 
 Applying the figures given by the ministering Spirit 
 Abouelhakim we take the sextile of one cycle of the 360 of 
 cycles — Hezekiah's "Wheels within Wheels" or cycles within 
 cycles — and find that each sextile corresponds to 1200. If 
 we trace backward from the Victorian's Age to King Alfred's 
 reign we have one sextile — the rise and progress of learning. 
 The sextile previous saw the Celtae and Belgee — two branches 
 of the Gauls descended from Gomer the grandson of Noah 
 ■ — established on tiie island of Great Britain.
 
 G/i»ipsis thro the Rift. 377 
 
 Dividing these 1200 vears into faces, or decades, by 6 
 and we get periods of 200 years. Each face the Snn 
 traverses in its precession leaves some mark beliind it, trace 
 these marks in English History. 
 
 1894 to 1694. — Starting backwards from the \'ictorian Age 
 abont 1894 dnring the previons 200 years, 
 marked reforms in learning. Science, and 
 social organizations. 
 1694 to 1494. — Cnlminated in tlic Revolution and the dis- 
 coveries of Christopher Columbus. 
 1494 to 1294. — Wales annexed to England, Geography 
 
 studied. 
 1294 to 1094. — Westminster built, Crusades were carried on 
 
 to recover the Holy Land. 
 1094 to 894.— England freed from invaders, gave attention 
 to learning, and the University of Oxford 
 founded. 
 894 to 694. — The Saxon Heptarchy and internal struggles, 
 which culminated in a race of Kings from 
 whom Alfred the Great was descended. 
 694 to 494. — The Romans abandoned Britain. The 
 inhabitants solicit the Saxons to drive back 
 the Picts and Scots; this done they subjugate 
 Britain. 
 494 to 294. — Britons become comparatively civilized iinder 
 
 the Roman sway. 
 294 to 94. ^Struggles between the Romans and the brave 
 Britons under their barbarous kings and 
 rulers. 
 94. — During the first century and as far back as 
 history is reliable the Britons led a 
 Patriarchal, Nomadic life, as did the 
 Israelites and Noah of old. 
 3 ^
 
 37^ GIi'(V!/s of Lis^ht a}i'i 
 
 England, according to this calcnlation, will flourish and 
 maintain her supremacy for two thousand four hundred years ; 
 and she will be on the wane for two thousand four hundred 
 years, when she will be at her lowest point perhaps to rise 
 again as Rome did, revivified into new life — peopled hy a 
 new race. 
 
 Changes have also taken place in our Religions History. 
 Augustine landed here and continued the work of Christian- 
 ising the people in five hundred and niuet3'-seven, which the 
 Romans had imperfectly commenced early in the fourth 
 century. Nearlv one thousand two hundred years later the 
 Reformation was firmly established; and in one thousand two 
 hundred years another great change or Sextile Evolutiou 
 will have taken place in the National Religion of England. 
 
 We must glance for a moment at the wave of national 
 glory that has been, and is passing over our beloved country 
 — a wave that seems two-fold in its character and influ- 
 ence. 
 
 Consider the rudeness of art and literature in Saxon 
 and Norman times — look at tli; grotesque imperfections of 
 the medieval times and compare them with the results 
 achieved by our Millais, Leighton and Dore in Art : and 
 the pure diction and perfect finish of the works of Ruskin, 
 Tennyson and Longfellow. You will then realize the glory 
 that the tide has "brought to us as a nation. 
 
 True it is that Shakespeare's works stand still unique 
 among the wonders of the ages, but was he not a prodigy 
 in his time — a prophet of the future of literature rather than 
 a true type of the literati of the Elizabethan era? 
 
 Was he not the proverbial straw which indicated the 
 waj' in which the wind was blowing — that wind that swept 
 the cyclic wave higher and higher over the land. 
 
 He stands out as one of those connecting links which 
 radicate the fact, that Spirit influence has ever been apparent
 
 G/i?ii/>scs tino the Rift. 379 
 
 ill all ages. Mighty men are but the foci of the influences 
 of a band of Spirits that through a race or family are 
 perfecting the ideal man. 
 
 These Spirits are as truly our parents in the full sense 
 of heredity and environment, as are our physical fathers and 
 mothers, who are but the material instruments in the hands 
 I if those ancestral Spirits. 
 
 As a famil}' of notable breeders of the race-horse, bent 
 upon producing the most perfect specimen of the equine 
 race, hands down this purpose as an almost sacred trust to 
 their descendants, so those mighty Spirits are trvino- to 
 perfect the hiiman race: and if now and again they bring 
 upon the stage of existence a Titian, a Joan of Arc, or a 
 Shakespeare, let us regard them ratlier as specimens of the 
 wliat-iiiay-l)c, than as types of their contemporaries. 
 
 The human race are on the ascending arc — the * coming 
 race, with their "vrill," the agent of force and motion are 
 not yet: we are still in the state of Room-Poosh, but let us 
 thank Heaven we are leaving behind us the relics of barbarism 
 and savagery. Let us call upon all to come push — help in 
 the good work as much as you oan, for we aim at the 
 enfranchisement of mankind, and we wish to give him a 
 vote in the governance of the forces which obtain in Spiritual 
 and Material Nature. 
 
 In commerce, too, the tidal wave of Progress has been 
 apparent — England's wares are known all over the world. 
 When Spiritual development shall have conferred on man 
 that true balance of character which we expect in the 
 coming race, our commerce shall be perfected on the lines of 
 equality and justice. 
 
 Then shall we witness the crest of the wave of Prosperity, 
 and when the ebb does come, it will probablv be at the 
 
 * L\-ttou's "Coming Race."
 
 ;ySo G/ca»is of Lig/it and 
 
 dawn of a new era, when communal interchange shall take 
 the place of barter. 
 
 Hasten the time, O ye men of the earth! Observe the 
 laws of balance and equilibrium — develop reciprocitj' and 
 justice — eschew selfishness — eliminate all sordid covetousness, 
 and the bands of angel-workers will have their labours 
 considerably minimised, and we shall soon be able to herald 
 the dawn ! 
 
 It is found that the waves seldom recur on precisely 
 the same lines; they never revert to the same groove, but 
 mark out for themselves, so to speak, a new path a little 
 in advance of the former ones. 
 
 * To make this plain we here append a diagram. Let 
 A.B. represent the globe, and the liues or folds of the 
 serpent, marked i and 2 indicate the path and direction of 
 a given wave. 
 
 It appears, in respect to our Eastern Hemisphere in 
 Africa — it passes eastward to Malaysia — it reappears in 
 England, crosses to France and over Europe, and finally 
 reappears in Greenland, after which it is lost amid the Arctic 
 snows. 
 
 When next the wave appears it will be found that the 
 lines I and 2 have moved onward a little, towards the north, 
 perhaps a degree or so further ahead. 
 
 We are of opinion that all forces are moving in spirals 
 along defined lines as palpable as the orbits of planets, but 
 human science has not yet learned how to map out their 
 directions and periods as the}- have done in regard to the 
 stellar bodies. 
 
 The precession of the orbital lines of cyclic waves 
 may be in given ratio to that of the equinoxes. Any planet 
 in the paths of a spiral force may be enveloped in its folds, 
 
 • See niagraiii III.
 
 G/i»ipsiS thro the Rift. 381 
 
 as a python coils around its victim, and the paths are as 
 distinct!}- indicated as the discoloiired flesh and crushed bones 
 of the victim mark the grip of the reptile. 
 
 Here then we close this chapter, hoping that human 
 intellect will not abate its efforts to grasp the subject of 
 harmonic ratios and cyclic waves, until they have mastered 
 all the difficulties, and found harmou}' and rh3'thui in ever}^ 
 department of Nature — and every part in strict accord with 
 the Grand Whole!
 
 <0>luupsc &. 
 
 •' The Divine Law is as a cloud, which wilh ;i garlaiul of li<;htiiiiig, spreads 
 joy on the earth." 
 
 Buddhist Scriptures.
 
 THE RULER OF THE SPIRITS OF FIRE.
 
 Glimpses tliro tlit Rift. 
 
 305 
 
 SECTION ONE 
 
 (ri)r :^piiit of tl)r Drsrnitiing .3vr. 
 
 "An arch, where tlirou.t(h .sjleanis, that uulravel'il world, whose margin fades for 
 ever and for ever." 
 
 ^ HAT dost tliou seek, () Recorder? Shall 
 we tell thee aught concerning the mysteries 
 of godliness? 
 
 Shall we tell thee how the I'napproach- 
 able One —the Unthinkable One — first called 
 into being those Supreme Exalted Powers 
 which were His ministers at the beginning 
 of all time? 
 
 Let it be known that when the flashes 
 of His Spirit shot out from the Deific centre, 
 they became enswathed with the ultiraates of matter — more 
 refined and more attenuated in comparison with the air 
 surrounding vour eartli than the atmosphere is with the 
 earth itself. 
 
 It was the absolute element of activity — life-giving and 
 energizing, and was symbolized by the perfect circle— Spirit 
 clothed in matter may be symbolized.
 
 ^85 Gleams of Light and 
 
 To those lofty Spirits the name of Azeroth were given. 
 To thehi He gave the dominion of the Ether, and He 
 reqnired of them such fruits of their ministrations as the}' 
 could produce in combination with existing elements. 
 
 * God is s3-nibolized under the hieroglyph of a pyramid 
 A which means sovereignity, chiefdom, principality. This 
 sign inverted v means excellence and power. 
 
 Out of the existing elements they called into being the 
 second order, which are represented b}- the symbol of an 
 inverted angle — they were named Binaroth. 
 
 These twain of Spiritual forces originated the third 
 order — they are typified by the symbol u, and were named 
 Netzeroth. 
 
 This was the manifestation of the sacred trinet — the 
 onlv enunciation of the Divine Name. — Aiziel Messenger 
 Luminant. 
 
 O A u the signs of the three first manifestations of 
 Deity, have their similarit}' in our alphabet, O A U, liquid 
 \'Owel sounds. 
 
 They are spoken of in tlie Hebrew cosmogony as the 
 ^•Elohim : they are the firstborn sons of Light — the Spirits of 
 the morning. 
 
 It must be remembered that no habitable globe as we 
 understand the term, existed in the eternal space: that these 
 celestial forms were as 3-et the only creations, and were 
 endowed with the direct Spirit of God — clothed with the 
 most potent of the elements in that simple yet all compre- 
 hensive form which contained within themselves all those 
 manifestations that have since been developed. 
 
 After these were created the six orders of celestial- 
 elementary- Spirits. 
 
 Philo says the reason Moses had for saying the world 
 
 * See Lytton's "Coming Race." t See Diagram II., Fig. H.
 
 G//////>scs thro the Rift. 387 
 
 was made in 6 days is that he recognised the value of niimber, 
 and of all numbers 6 is the most productive. The odd 
 number is the male, the even number is the female: of 
 odd numbers the first after the unit is 3 : of e\-en numbers 
 the first after the unit is 2, and the two multiplied is 6. 
 It was fitting therefore that the world, being the most perfect 
 of created things, should be made according to the perfect 
 number. The first combination of odd and even numbers 
 embraced the character of both the male who sows the seed 
 and the female who nourishes it.* 
 
 The six orders of elementar\- Spirits— of the air (i) 
 Magnetic; and Electric (2): of the zmtcr (3): of 'Ca.&ftrc (4): of 
 earth (5) : of aurat (6) ; it was the dutj- of those six classes 
 of Spirits to bring about the nixcleation of the Sun systems. 
 
 Besides these there were three orders of astral Spirits 
 who acted as intermediaries between the two first men- 
 tioned. 
 
 To each of these % twelve orders of Spirits was given 
 dominion over ten subjects, each of those subjects having its 
 own peculiar class of Spirit. 
 
 Thus in dealing with the Spirits of air we cite oxygen, 
 carbon, and nitrogen, as being of the primate elements, 
 because science has no equivalent nomenclature for them. 
 There are more than the number of elements that chemistry 
 recognises in the air we breathe, biit unfortunately we have 
 no names for them other than the mathematical one which 
 we use further on in this book. The three terms above used 
 no more express what we desire to imply than charcoal ex- 
 presses what we mean b}- diamond, though both are a form 
 of carbon. 
 
 The same difficult}- meets us at ever}'- step, for we are 
 
 * "Creation," Philo Judeas, p. 6. t See Appendix II. Notes M. N. 
 
 X See Fig. A., Diagram II.
 
 ^,SS (i/caii/s of Lii!;lit and 
 
 dealing witli Primates, the Spiritualized original of every 
 recognized elementary substance that is known. 
 
 You will thus see that we get the twelve orders of 
 Primate Spirits, each with their ten sub-orders, which 
 together make one hundred and twenty degrees of the 
 descending arc. 
 
 For the next one hundred and twenty — *the base of the 
 manifesting triangle — we have to look in the well-marked 
 grades that obtain in physical evolution, from protoplasm up 
 to man. 
 
 The final one hundred and twenty, to complete the trine 
 of circle, we shall find in the progression of man to the 
 rank of archangel. 
 
 The Alzeroth were Spirits of Choice: the second order 
 — Binaroth, were Spirits of Necessity: the third — Netzeroth, 
 Spirits of Effort. 
 
 It was by voluntary obedience that the first order took 
 the step that is spoken of in Sacred Writ, where the Son 
 says, "Lo! I come — in the promise of the Book it is written 
 of me — to do th}^ will O God!" 
 
 In the mysterious volume of Nature which is the great 
 prototype of all Holy Books the periodical plunges of the 
 sons of Light into matter, is taught and symbolized in many 
 ways, and the Seer can see if he be wise enough, a promise 
 of all that is to he in the commonest fragment of earthly 
 substance; for is not each atom an epitome of the entire 
 universe — Spiritual as well as material? 
 
 Next in rank come Spirits of diffusion — necessity — 
 giving life, function, cleansing, warmth, substance, and 
 sensation, which Qorrespond to the constituent elements that 
 obtain in the physical atmosphere; but they rank in the 
 more interior degree of aerial circumambienc}- then the 
 
 * V\%. F., Diagram 11.
 
 G/impSiS thro the Rift. 389 
 
 connnoiily called eleinentar\- bodies, yet are their respecti\e 
 Spirits. The Binaroth are the Primate — the elementary 
 Spirits (which we more fully describe in subsequent chapters) 
 — the ultimatcs. This we hope to make clear as we go on ; 
 suffice it to say here, that we recognise interior degrees or 
 grades of every thing we know ; that it is the interior grades 
 that are the least mutable and therefore most real. 
 
 The six Spirits described as elementary Spirits we shall 
 
 name: — First, Spirits of the point — passive principle: second, 
 
 of the line — active principle: third, of the supcrjica,: fourth, 
 
 of the aiig/e: fifth, of the square: and sixth, of the eiibe. 
 
 Spirits of the cube Aura. 1 Of the superfices Fire. 
 
 .square Earth. 1 " line Magnetic Air. 
 
 " triangle Water. I " point Electric Air. 
 
 It must not be understood that we mean the actual 
 
 elements signified, but their Spiritual counterparts that by 
 
 the law of correspondencies obtain in everv region of the 
 
 universe. 
 
 The theory tliat like produces like has its basis in tliis 
 fact. Every microcosm is but the symbol of the macrocosm, 
 and that as one drop of sea-water is possessed of the same 
 constituents as the mighty ocean itself, so fire, or either of 
 the other elements, is but an indicator of an eternal prin- 
 ciple. 
 
 There are many wlio suppose that to predicate evolution 
 involves an assumption of involution: that if man as a Spirit 
 attains to ultimate perfection, he must have started from 
 perfection: and if the ultimate of man is absorption into 
 Deity, with the predicates of non-individualitv and non- 
 sexuality, he must from such a state have descended into 
 individuality and sexhood. 
 
 We are here prepared to grant the assumptions and the 
 predicates . 
 
 The doctrine of re-incarnation has its basis in this con-
 
 ^go Gleams of Li gilt and 
 
 ception; loftv Spirits voluntarily enter and re-enter upon 
 experiences of physical, astral, and Spiritual evolution. 
 
 Spirits of choice with each C3"cle are doing so. 
 
 Spirits of necessity follow in their train, and Spirits of 
 Effort so perfectly perform their mission that cyclic changes 
 leave little cause for doubt as to the efficacy of their 
 ministrations. 
 
 Of all the degrees of the descending arc this is true: 
 through individual organisms a constantly changing fliix of 
 Spiritual forces is experienced, and each man in the course 
 of an average lifetime may be the visible incarnation of 
 thousands of evolving Spirits. 
 
 The life of an individual, though it seems one and indi- 
 visible in the personal sense, is really onh' the mask under 
 which changing currents glide, and this is why some of the 
 more transparent characters seem to be constantly changing. 
 
 The man of to-da}' displays different attributes to the 
 man of yesterday. The ego, the /, of any individual, is but 
 the focalization of many Spirits — Intelligences— who through 
 the brain and organism evolve an advanced development which 
 persons on his own plane regard as an improved him, yet 
 which is, nevertheless, only an index registering the fact 
 that a superior order of Spirits are incarnate for the time 
 being. 
 
 As all forms of life are but the manifestations of One 
 Existence, so the outward form of man is but the mani- 
 festation of an infinite arra}^ of Intelligences: the latter 
 inversely to the order of the first. 
 
 As two successive triangles united form a square, so 
 the order of man is reverse to the order of God. 
 
 With God the apex or Infinite point is interior — we 
 cannot behold its culmination: only the base — -His mani- 
 festations US-ward — is exterior, and perceivable by us. With 
 man the base is interior — our aspirations God-ward have
 
 P<_A,rJ«iT- 
 
 P»i_Ar-i e-T-
 
 G/inipus thro tin Rift. 391 
 
 their origin iiiteriorl}-, and the apex exterior; thus showing 
 that human intellectual development tends to the individuali- 
 zation of an ideal. 
 
 'Tlie sky, the space, the air that circles us 
 Is filled %s\W\ Spirits, some as fair as light, 
 And some as dark as darkness; 
 The mob ignore them — for the mob are slaves 
 To sensuals. but the .Spiritual see and feel them." 
 
 Dr. Kenealy.
 
 G/i)iif>st's thro (III Rift. 7,^2, 
 
 SECTION TWO. 
 
 •\Vhal Ihe iniiul is in the Soul, tliat the eve is in the bodv." 
 
 WE here present our readers with a portra\-al of one of 
 the leading Spirits of the fire (primal) and a few of 
 his subject elementals. 
 
 Of the Spirits of fire we find, first, of the blue fire, 
 second, of red fire, third, of j'ellow fire, fourth, latent fire 
 (heat), fifth, active fire (caloric), sixth, electric fire, eighth, 
 polaric fire, ninth, phosphoresecent fire, and tenth, animo- 
 magnetic fire. 
 
 The first three are the most materially or pltysically 
 potent of them all, and thej- bring force to bear with varying 
 degrees of velocital intensity upon matter, and such degrees 
 are indicated by the colours. 
 
 They are parallel to the lower grades of matter, and 
 are succeeded b\- what is called latent heat and coloric, 
 which is invisible heat and heat in contact with ox3^gen, 
 therefore they are two forms of occult force. Then comes 
 the fire electric and polaric, two still higher forms. 
 
 Higher still phosphoric and animo-magnetic fire which 
 belong to the organic kingdom, together with the crowning 
 aural fire which indicates approach to the Spiritual kingdom. 
 
 Applying the same to air, and the other element Spirits 
 
 3 E
 
 394 Gltcvus of Light and 
 
 we may be able to indicate the ten grades if we search deep 
 enough/ 
 
 Phj-sical Science is singnlary silent in respect to the 
 constituents of air — only giving two, the vitalizing and 
 functional elements — oxygen and nitrogen. 
 
 There are sure to be others; at least a third, probably 
 a compound of the two first, the said compound having 
 different names according to the grade it manifests in. 
 
 We may be sure that a triad exists corresponding to 
 the^ seeking, collecting, and transmitting qualities of matter 
 which elsewhere prevail. 
 
 The Spirit potentialities underhdng them postulates 
 this, and we define them as oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon. 
 The proportions according to Science is one of oxygen to 
 four of nitrogen, and we 'further claim that two parts of 
 carbon, or substances analogous thereto, are required to make 
 the harmonic ratio. 
 
 The oxygens, active — seeking : the carbons, passive- 
 collecting: the nitrogens — transmitting, thus giving us the 
 trine of principles. 
 
 The Oxj'gens of choice. 
 
 The Carbons of necessit3^ 
 
 The Nitrogens of effort (diffusing). 
 
 There must be in atmospheric air chemical substances 
 having per se the qualities of life, function, cleansing, warmth, 
 substance, and sensation, therefore from dearth of present 
 knowledge as to a greater number of constituents in atmos- 
 pheric air we must apportion to ox3^gen — life and function : 
 to carbon — cleansing and warmth: to nitrogen — substance 
 and sensation, and if we add to these the qualities of seeking, 
 collecting, and transmitting, we obtain the trine of trines. 
 
 In each department we observe the power of parallels.
 
 (J/i/i/psts tlnv the Rift. 
 
 395 
 
 The \vater\- trine is oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen — these 
 tall into the same gradation of qualities as before, thns 
 showing the perfect unity of Nature. In the earth the grades 
 of sand, clay, and rock j-icld similar results. 
 
 THE NUMBER TWELVE.* 
 
 Twelve Spirits of the Primary Elements. 
 
 ist, Air. 
 and, Fire. 
 3rd, Water _ 
 4th, Earth. 
 
 I, Ox3-gen. 
 4, Latent. 
 7, Oxygen. 
 10, Sand. 
 
 2, Carbon. 
 5, Caloric. 
 S, Hydrogne. 
 II, Clav. 
 
 3, Nitrogen. 
 6, Electric. 
 9, Nitrogen. 
 12, Rock. 
 
 The tliirt}- Spirits of the s^condar\- elements are those 
 of the ten sub-degrees of the foregoing triads, and their 
 co-ordinates in the four elementar\- realms. 
 
 We claim that there are infinite grades and sub-grades, 
 impossible to catalogue nominally: they constitute wheels 
 within wheels — trines within trines — and thus throw a possible 
 light upon the intricacies of the, as yet, unrevealed Revela- 
 tion. 
 
 Twelve Spirits of the descending arc and twelve of the 
 ascending arc. 
 
 Twelve, on the interior plane, descending. 
 
 Twelve, on the terrestrial plane, responding. 
 
 Twelve, on the interior plane, ascending. 
 
 These again are only representatives, or heads of 
 divisions, for each has control of ten subordinate forces, 
 which multiplied bv- the numbers foregoing produce: — 10 x 
 
 See Fig. C, Diagram II.
 
 396 Glcaii/s 0/ Lii^lit (Vid 
 
 12 = 120 the value of one side of the triangle — one chord 
 of the ciiicle: and 120 x 3 ^ 360 the number of degrees in 
 the circle which is the symbol of all created things. 
 
 THE NUMBER THREE. 
 
 We have three orders of Spirits Super-celestial : six 
 orders of Celestial, and three Atmospheric as the prime 
 factors of both arcs — descending and ascending. 
 
 The three Atmospheric — Aural, Astral, and Psychic. 
 
 The six Celestial — The parallels of the Progressive 
 Spheres. 
 
 The three Super-celestial — Angels, Archangels, and Gods. 
 
 In order to bring our symbols into harmony with some 
 ideas that prevail with regard to septenaries we have only to 
 merge the Psychic* — the highest of the Atmospheric triad 
 with the lowest of the Celestial double-triad : and the highest 
 of the latter with the lowest-triad of the Super-celestial angels. 
 
 The result is as follows: — t 
 
 fist. Gods. 
 Triad \ 2nd. Archangels. 
 
 ( 3rd. Angels and the ultimate progressive Spirit. 
 
 Ouarternary — 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th. Four degrees of the Pro- 
 gressive Spheres. 
 
 fSth. Primate progressive Spirit and Psychic man. 
 Triad ■{ 9th. Astral Spirits, 
 l^ioth. Aural Spirits. 
 
 Add either of the above triads to the intermediate 
 quarternary and 3'ou obtain a septenary. 
 
 * See Diagram IV.- • t See Diagram.
 
 GliiJipsiS thro tlh Ri/f. 
 
 397 
 
 THE NUMBER FOUR. 
 
 We have read in an old book that the qualities of soul 
 are four, viz : — Prudence, Justice, Temperance, and Fortitude. 
 
 * That tlie being of man may be resolved into fours — 
 one in respect to Soul, and the other to Spirit. 
 
 Anima — soul. 
 Senus — sensation . 
 Mens — mind. 
 Ratio — reason. 
 
 Spiritus — Spirit. 
 Animus — intellect. 
 Memoria — memor}'. 
 Voluntas — will. 
 
 There are four degrees of men to be observed on earth : 
 savage, brute, gentleman, and noble. 
 
 Four Hebrew letters corresponding to the elements, 
 Archangels, and passional states. 
 
 Letters. 
 
 Jod 
 
 He 
 
 \'an 
 
 Cheth 
 
 Elements. 
 
 Fire 
 
 Air 
 
 Earth 
 
 Water 
 
 Angels. 
 
 Michael 
 
 Raphael 
 
 Gabriel 
 
 Uriel 
 
 Epitome. 
 
 Choler 
 
 Blood 
 
 Melancholia 
 
 Phlegm 
 
 Any of the fours and threes forin the sacred se\'en upon 
 which manv harmonies tuni. 
 
 Philo says that " lo is the limit of immensity around 
 which the numbers wheel and turn as around a goal." 
 
 Yet Astrologv and Scripture unite in considering 12 as 
 the completed limit. 
 
 In Astrologv there are twelve signs of the Zodiac. They 
 have twelve sections to the map of a nativity. 
 
 While in the Bible, twelve is very frequentlv used, as 
 twelve disciples, twelve churches, etc. 
 
 * See notes. Q, P, Appeadix IIi
 
 598 
 
 G/iiu 
 
 JLinld and 
 
 * THE NUMBER SEVEN. 
 
 Philo gives ten periods of 7 years = 70, as the three 
 score years and ten, alloted unto man. 
 
 He instances the seven girdles of earth: — "Arctic, Ant- 
 arctic, Summer-Tropic, Winter-Tropic, Ecjuinoctial, Zodiac, 
 and Galaxy." 
 
 Seven things which are seen: — "Body, distance, shape, 
 magnitude, colour, motion, tranquilit}-, and beside these there 
 is nothing." 
 
 Seven motions: — Up, down, right, left, forward, backward, 
 and rotary." 
 
 Seven secretions: — "Tears, purif3-ing the e^-es: Mucus, the 
 nose : Saliva, the mouth : Urine, the front : Excreta, the back : 
 Perspiration, the entire body: Semen, the generative organs." 
 
 Finallv, the seven vowels, a, e, i, o, u, w, y. 
 
 There are a great manv methods employed in attempting 
 to name Spirits in their respecti\"e sj^heres; some according 
 to the number of the planets, of which we here give a 
 specimen : — 
 
 ANGEL. 
 
 ORDER. 
 
 PLANET. 
 
 Razael 
 
 Cherubims 
 
 Uranus h 
 
 Zaphziel 
 
 Thrones 
 
 Saturn b 
 
 Zadkiel 
 
 Dominations 
 
 Jupiter 11 
 
 Samael 
 
 Potentates 
 
 Mars 1 
 
 Michael 
 
 Uriel 
 
 Virtues j 
 
 Sun 
 
 Anael 
 
 Principalities 
 
 Venus ? 
 
 Raphael 
 
 Archangels 
 
 Mercury ? 
 
 Gabriel 
 
 Angels 
 
 Moon > 
 
 See Figure D., Diagram II,
 
 G/impsts thro the Rift. 
 
 399 
 
 We add Uranus at the top of the list as found in an 
 astrological work from the pen of a writer who assumes the 
 7ioiii-dt-plu)iie of Raphael. 
 
 All this brings us back again to one central idea, — that 
 on each side of the triangle- — the arcs of descension and 
 ascension we have to find distinct harmonial ratios of three, 
 then six, and three again. 
 
 These with their decade of sub-degrees complete the 
 angle of 120. 
 
 The 3's and the 4's blend in twelve and seven throughout 
 Nature, so we must be pardoned if we recur to those 
 numbers aeain. 
 
 Super-celestial 
 
 I St Order. 
 
 2nd " 
 3rd - 
 
 Gods. 
 
 Archangels. 
 An eels. 
 
 Celestial 
 
 3 Luminants. 
 
 4 Guides. 
 
 5 Controls. 
 
 6 Inspirational. 
 
 Atmospheric. 
 
 1 Aural. 
 
 2 Astral. 
 
 S Elemental. 
 
 Of the atmosphere: —Three superior; circular, angular 
 and semicircular: Six medial; of the point, line, superfices, 
 triangle, square, and cube: Three inferior; psychic, astral, 
 and aural. 
 
 Of the fire: — Three superior; aural, astral and psychic: 
 Six medial; latent, active, electric, polaric, phosphoric, and 
 animo-magnetic: Three inferior; blue, red, and j-ellow. 
 
 Of the Water: — Tliree superior; oxygen, hA'drogen, and 
 nitrogen : Six medial ; life, function, cleansing, warmth, 
 .substance, and sensation; Three inferior; vapour, liquids, and 
 solids. 
 
 Of the Earth: — Three superior; gold, silver, and base 
 metals: six medial; ammonia, soda, potash, aluminia, silicia, 
 and carbon: Three inferior; sand clay, and rock. 
 Of man in the flesh — three states.
 
 400 
 
 Gh'a/iis of Liol/f and 
 
 Three superior; noble — the Circassian races. 
 Six medial; brnte — the Mongolian races. 
 Three inferior; savage — the aboriginal races. 
 Cultured Spiritual 
 
 Illiterate Mental 
 
 Untutored Carnal 
 
 Of man in the Spirit — three states. 
 Three siiperior; gods — the perfected Spirits. 
 Six medial; Spirits — the progressive. 
 Three inferior; elementals — the undeveloped. 
 
 Of man in the Celestial spheres. 
 Three superior; powers — the cherubim. 
 Six medial; principalities — the seraphim. 
 Three inferior; dominions — the angels. 
 
 Of man in the Super- Celestial spheres. 
 Three superiors; masters — gods. 
 Six medial; luminants — demi-gods. 
 Three inferior ; messengers — archangels. 
 These are the scales of the universal gradation applied 
 to the arcs of evolution and involution: it will be found 
 that these are capable of infinite sub-divisions, a few only of 
 which we get to know about, and that by reputation from 
 our Celestial Teachers rather than personal cognition. 
 
 The three superiors of each Grand Order are the 
 masters or rulers^-first, of their respective kingdoms, 
 secondlv, of all inferior kingdoms, and nil on their parallel 
 planes. 
 
 The intermediate medial Spirits are alwa^•s the luminants 
 of the Order — mediums or high priests between the Holy 
 Ones and their subjects; the third grade are the messengers 
 of the former two, descending into lower spheres in order to 
 make known the benefic relations. 
 
 See Diagram IV.
 
 Glimpses tliro the Rift. 
 
 401 
 
 When the three superiors impart their influence to the 
 next inferior grade, the trine becomes the square and the 
 harnionial relation is complete. For, when the Super-celestial, 
 the Celestial, and the Atmospheric Spirits of the Grand 
 Degree come in contact with the degree that represents the 
 Primate of matter the Father, the Sou through the Holy 
 Ghost declares that salvation is effected — the lost is found — 
 the wanderer restored. 
 
 The Trinities of religion are apparent in ever_v realm of 
 Nature — the Father — superior: the Son —medial (the mediator) : 
 the Spirit — as the messenger of the triad, acting upon mole- 
 cule, mass, mouse, or man. 
 
 The man who realises his harmony with the Eternal 
 mind is "bDrn of God," and "the Spirit of God bears witness 
 with his Spirit" that it is so. 
 
 The trine has in him reached the square, and the Sep- 
 tenary is complete. 
 
 The Trinities of the Universe. 
 
 Of Music— Dob, Me, Sob 
 
 Of Colour— Red, Blue, Yellow 
 
 Of Number — One, Two, Three 
 
 Of Revelation — - 
 Father, Son, Spirit 
 Cain, Abel, Seth 
 Abraham, Isaac, Jacob 
 
 Of D3'namics — Force, 
 
 Energv, Motion 
 Of Mind — Consciousness, 
 
 Instinct, Reason 
 Of Being — Spirit, Soul, 
 
 Body 
 
 Of Philosophy — 
 Alawn, Gwron, Plen3Tld 
 Atma, Buddha, Manas 
 Brahma, Vishnu, Siva. 
 
 3 F
 
 ©limpst &i. 
 
 'Systems of faith are different, but Ooil is one. 
 The object of all religions is alike." 
 
 /lindii Scnpttires.
 
 G//w/^s<s thro the Ri/t. 
 
 405 
 
 SECTION ONE. 
 <ri)r i\isr of j-Botirin :^piritualtsni. 
 
 "An rises spirally towards Heaven, but science continues horizontally with 
 the earth, with its eyes upon the stars, it riseth not." 
 
 '■.\rt reports the most interior, and unfolds the ultiniales of the life of things." 
 
 A. J. Davies. 
 
 mi 
 
 T is now nearh' half a ceiitiirv .since in the 
 insignificant village of Hydesville, New York, 
 there were given the first physical indications of 
 \\-^C'. ■< ^^""-^ influx of Spirit-Intelligences into this material 
 world of oiirs. Who would have thought that 
 this obscure event was destined to exert sitch a 
 world-wide influence upon the minds of this age? 
 Theology had taught in an inconsequental 
 manner that angelic beings had at 'sundry times 
 and in divers places' paid visits to mortals; but 
 it was understood that those human beings wei'e under 
 Divine favour; that they were men after God's own heart, 
 and who had in some signal manner won the favour and 
 protection of Jehovah : either b}- their voluntar}- ^\'ithdrawal 
 from their own kin; by consecrating themselves to the service 
 of the Lord; by feats of valour, stratagem, or policy, working 
 out the Divine Will.
 
 4o6 G/fa}/is of Lioht and 
 
 None of those qualities however distinguished the folks of 
 the nineteenth century to whom those manifestations came as 
 a Revelation, and it is also true that none of those qualities 
 distinguished the Spirits controlling. Thc\ were but ordinary 
 human beings, having lived, erred, and suffered as most of us 
 do, who had passed, by transition, into an adjacent world 
 but one remove from the terrestrial sphere. They were not 
 angels in that superlative sense that signifies non-human, 
 non-mundane beings, but angels in that truer, dearer sense 
 — messengers from the Most High to His children who were 
 wallowing in the mire of material and Spiritual pessimism. 
 They came as messengers of the morn, like the first pale 
 glow that tints the mountain tops while j^et the shadows of 
 night are hanging o'er us. 
 
 They told of a day about to dawn when the glorious 
 chariot of Truth should mount the arch of heaven, bearing 
 the Spiritual Sun to its meridian : of a new era that was 
 about to dawn in which man should throw aside the evils 
 that assailed him ; when he should cast behind him for ever 
 the devils of crime, greed, lust, and ignorance; .when he 
 should assume that lofty position which is his by birth-right, 
 and regain the heritage he had bartered for a mess of 
 porridge. 
 
 Man has bartered the Immortal Dignity of his name, 
 the soul wealth of his Eternal Ancestry, for the baubles of 
 this world, Avealth, position, and power. 
 
 As but a fav can grasp those baubles, the rest of 
 grasping mankind have in exchange the heritage of unrequited 
 toil — unpitied sorrows -and unalleviated pains. In the great 
 central hives of humanity the workers maintain the drones: 
 the teeming masses toil in a chaldron of vice, amid 
 pestilential odours, toil and suffer until their haggard forms 
 sink unnoticed to the grave. 
 
 It is the grand mission of the Spirit world to rectify
 
 G/iii/psis thi-o tilt Rift. 407 
 
 the gross injustice of such conditions, to bring solace and 
 healing, to cheer, comfort, advise, and uplift their human 
 fellows into a more congenial sphere of contentment. 
 
 If it appear strange or ridiculous that Spirits should 
 chose to manifest in such a very elementar\' way, let us 
 ask ourselves — are we not so sunk in materialism, so keenly 
 ali\-e to the material — dead to the Spiritual — that they 
 must approach us o)i our living side if at all? It was the 
 only wa}' in which the}- could appeal to us, for the things 
 of this life were the objects of our sole consideration — the 
 only things we believed in, were those we could handle: 
 therefore the}' used rather than diosc the only means that 
 were afforded them. 
 
 Ahio they can appeal to the intelligent and Spiritual 
 part of man: now table-tilting is the exception and not the 
 rule, for the Science of control, of impression, and inspiration, 
 enables them at once to approach man's intellectual powers. 
 
 Some of our leading positive Scientists have been forced 
 to yield their credence to the claims of Spiritualism, after 
 trying to evade iu every possible way the legitimate 
 conclusions to which their observations tended, and after 
 striving to account for its phenomena b}- every conceivable 
 hypothesis, other than the one accepted by Spiritualists. 
 
 So that to-day, if an overwhelming amount of evidence 
 can establish a Truth, the fact of Spirit return is proved 
 for the testimony of the credulous and sceptical; the cultured 
 and the untutored ; the Scientist and the ignoramus ; the prince 
 as well as the peasant, prove that investigation has been as 
 Universal as it has been precise and therefore incontrovertible. 
 
 When the first uncanny raps upon the walls and ceiling 
 of that little house at Hydesville, caused the Fox family and 
 the community so much surprise, no one considered that 
 twenty millions of people would become disciples of this new 
 Spiritual Lord. When the hard headed elders of the place
 
 4o8 G/c(tiux of Liglit and 
 
 came for the purpose of investigation, and heard the raps 
 giving Intelligent replies to all sorts of questions they 
 wondered. " Is this of the Lord, or hath the devil chosen 
 this means to further degrade man and pull him down to 
 hell?" 
 
 The}- prayed that the Lord should gi\'e them power to 
 distinguish wliich was right — to discriminate between the 
 evil and the good; they sought by devout exorcisms to void 
 the devil — but that uncharitable imp would not forego his 
 hold, and lo! that which was considered a thing of hell 
 developed into an Angel of Light, holding open with out- 
 spread arms, the portals of Heaven, and from that interior 
 realm there came a new message of glad tidings unto man. 
 
 Had they taken advantage of that open portal — used 
 the avenues of Spiritual approach, and obeyed the Celestial 
 — injunctions showered upon them — thev, woiild during these 
 fifty years have far advanced upon the road of social, national, 
 if not Spiritual progression ; but the attitude of the established 
 theologians was against the contemplation of such a possibility 
 — they refused to countenance this new, and fo tlicm doubtful 
 thing called Spirit Communion. They speak of the com- 
 munion of saints in their liturgies — it is one of the thirty- 
 nine articles of the church, but because it seemed as though 
 the power was to be snatched from the hands of the dominant 
 theocrasy, they sought, and found, within the Sacred volume 
 certain deni;nciations against those who harboured familiar 
 Spirits, and this the}- hurled from the pulpit and altar upon 
 the timorous and doubtful members of their congregation 
 and frightened them into a disuse and even horror of the 
 unclean thing (?). 
 
 When through the agenc\- of clairvoyance and trance- 
 control, new scientific teachings were launched upon the sea 
 of public opinion, backed by such perfect knowledge of the 
 received scientific axioms: when they displa^-ed such
 
 Glimpses tliro the Rift. 409 
 
 familiarity, with the facts known to Astrology, Astrononij-, 
 Geology, Chemistr}- and Ph}-siolog\-, that were ntterly beyond 
 the knowledge of the sensitives through w^hom they were 
 given, it caused the thinking world to stand aghast and echo 
 the crv of the clerics, "It is of the devil!" 
 
 Later there came a period when the cry w^as changed, 
 and the world echoed the cr\- of the schoolmen. 
 
 "It is fraud!" or, "It is delusion!" But despite all the 
 methods devised by sophistry or ingenuity to explode those 
 so-called pretensions, the}- triumphantly withstood all efforts 
 to impede their progress, and to-day are the pride and glory 
 of u:inunibered adherents. 
 
 The multitudes of people who sought information con- 
 cerning the new teachings and its accompanj-ing pheuonema, 
 necessitated public meetings, at which the laws of Spiritual 
 culture were described and advocated, with the result that 
 hundreds of circles were speedily formed throughout that and 
 the adjacent states, and the two's and three's gathered 
 together in the name of the Lord soon discovered that He 
 was there in the midst of them, and that to bless them. 
 
 Some people of course — but the}- were in the minority — 
 had no such exalted motive: the}' however afforded opportu- 
 nity for the less developed Spirits to do for mankind that 
 which redounded to their own glor}^ and — reilected upon them 
 the light, that sincere motives imparts — which would materially 
 assist them in their personal advancement. 
 
 Then the pioneer mediums and their supporters backed 
 by the Hosts of Heaven, whose shining battalions glittered 
 on the mountains in the dawning perceptions of humanity, 
 wrought wondrous achievements. This mighty force has 
 succeeded in bearing down tlie demons of ignorance, of 
 avarice and duplicit}': it is to-day a powerful factor in the 
 hands of those who seek the iipliftment of the human race. 
 
 The reader might here with advantage refer to the 
 
 ?> G
 
 ^lo G/cai/is of Liglif nnd 
 
 many books which give a detailed account of the origin and 
 progress pf Spiritualism. We will confine ourselves to the 
 recitation of some of the most important events in the history 
 of the movement.
 
 G/i//ipsis tino the Rijt. 411 
 
 SECTION TWO. 
 
 Ye are the cliildreii of them who killed the prophets. 
 
 Matthew xxxiii. 34, 35. 
 
 MODERN Spiritualism dates from March, 1848, Miss 
 Kate Fox then nine years of age, became the medium 
 for the earliest modern manifestations. 
 
 The Spirit of a murdered man signalled the Intelligence 
 of his own continued existence and gave the details of the 
 crime. .A.t a depth of six or seven feet in the ground of 
 the cellar they found a human skeleton, as directed by the 
 Spirit who declared it to be his own remains. 
 
 At Rochester three committees of investigation tested 
 the matter in every conceivable way — they put them to stand 
 on pillows, liarefoot, with their clothes tied around their 
 ankles — they tested the phenomena resolved to detect impos- 
 ture if there were an}-, yet were forced to declare that the 
 cause was undiscoverable, and that neither machinery nor 
 imposture had been used. 
 
 In 1 85 1 a society for investigation was formed of legal, 
 commercial, literary, and clerical men of position, who, with 
 very few exceptions, siibsequentl}- became ardent supporters 
 of the new Faith. 
 
 Mediums were lifted up in the air, carried around the
 
 ^12 GUams of Light and 
 
 room in which seances were held, often transported miles 
 away from home ; discoursed in foreign tongues ; drew portraits 
 of deceased persons whom thej^ had never known, and of 
 whom no portraits existed, and hundreds of events of a 
 similar wonderful character were daily experienced. 
 
 Judge Edmonds, in his "Letters on Spiritualism," details 
 man}" marvellous sights of which he was an observer, and 
 he tells us that from a position of utmost scepticism he 
 became a profoundly convinced believer. 
 
 Dr. J. Lockhart Robertson, Editor of Journal of Mental 
 Science, witnessed a very strong table at his own request, in 
 his own house, broken to pieces by Unseen Power, while he 
 held the medium's hands. 
 
 * In i860. Dr. Robert Chambers and Robert Dale 
 Owen experimented with the Misses Fox as mediums. 
 
 They took a powerful steelyard and suspended a heavy 
 table from it: they mentally requested the Unseen ones to 
 make it heavier or lighter at their desire : it weighed normall}' 
 one hundred and twenty-one pounds, but the Spirits increased 
 the weight to one hnndred and thirty-four pounds, and 
 reduced it to sixty pounds. 
 
 x-Ymong the phenomena of Spiritualism which demand 
 mention is that which is known as the 'fire test': it fre- 
 quently occurs in the medinmship of D. D. Home and other 
 mediums. A detailed account of the phenomena is related in 
 our Investigations. t 
 
 With regard to D. D. Home, many men of eminence 
 and undoubted probity can testify to the reality of the 
 phenomena through his medinmship, for in the presence of 
 Lords Adare and Lindsay, Mr. S. C. Hall, and H. D. Jencken, 
 Miss Douglas, and man}' others, the medium has, while in a 
 state of trance, taken a glowing coal from the hottest part 
 
 * See Debatable Land, P. 293. t See Part One. Seance vii. P. 51.
 
 G/iinpSiS thro the Ri/t. 413 
 
 of the fire, and carried it around so that all present could 
 judge for themselves the realit}' of the occurrence. 
 
 In the Spiritual Magazine, during the year 1870, Mrs. 
 Hall wrote: — "I saw Mr. Home deliberately place a lump of 
 burning coal on his head." — -Mr. Hall's. 
 
 After a while " he proceeded to draw up his — IMr. 
 Hall's — white hair over the red coal," and when it was over 
 there was not the slightest degree of injurs- or singe. Lord 
 Lindsay and Miss Douglas had them placed in their hands 
 and described the feeling as being rather cold than hot, 
 though the}- burnt anyone else who attempted, without 
 instruction, or consent of the Invisibles, to touch them. 
 
 Through the mediumship of Miss Nichol flowers and 
 fruit were brought into closed rooms, fresh with dew, 
 fragrant with perfume, and this when severest tests were 
 applied.* 
 
 Dr. George Sexton relates that at a sitting with the 
 Davenport Brothers, with Charles Watts, and Charles 
 Bradlaugh present, when the mediums were bound fast, Mr. 
 B's coat, at his request, was taken oif and immediately put 
 upon Mr. Fa}-, who just before had been divested of his own. 
 
 We cite these few instances to show cause for the 
 universal interest the new faith created, and to give a reason 
 for the rapid strides that Spiritualism made in the public 
 estimation, and also for the phenomenal success it has 
 achieved as to the number of its adherents. 
 
 It must be remembered that while the hearts of the 
 masses and the classes were on the whole irresponsive to its 
 claims, there were some, peculiar and chosen, who heard the 
 voice and learned the laws of the Spirit-world, and thc}- 
 became so attuned to the music of the spheres that their 
 souls were fashioned to partake of the new life — even while 
 
 * See Dialectical Society's Reports, P. 277-372.
 
 _|.i^ Gleams of Li gilt ami 
 
 in the flesh, and iu the study of the new potencies revealed 
 to their wondering minds, they joined in consonance with 
 the universal Plan. 
 
 Let it not be supposed that the adherents and advocates 
 of Spiritualism encountered no opposition, for the influences 
 of bigotry, dogma and ridicule were successively hurled at 
 them; social ostracism befel the ad\'ocates who moved in 
 society ; loss of caste and loss of clients were the consequences 
 to professional men; ecclesiastical anathema, covert or pro- 
 nounced, were showered on the members of churches who 
 favoured the new revelation; and thus, in various ways 
 prejudice and rampant materialism, assailed, with ever}- con- 
 ceivable weapon available, the luckless believers in the religion 
 (as it has been called) of Antichrist. 
 
 It is amazing how that stigma becomes attached to people 
 who are impelled to seek the truth, who dare, as Professor 
 Drummond savs to witness the "crystals of former doctrines" 
 dissolve and "once more precipiate themselves into definite 
 forms;" for man's appreciation of Truth is constantly 
 changing, though Truth is itself immutable, and he should 
 be prepared each day to perceive its changing forms, until 
 at last, out of his multiplex conceptions he is able to shape 
 an approximate idea of the mirror bearing goddess. 
 
 As all the multiplex t^-pes of life — as truly as the frag- 
 ments of glass in the kaleidoscope — are but parts of one 
 harmonious whole: as one phenomenon in nature is in strict 
 correspondence with all the others ; as one colour of the 
 spectrum is but part of the solar ray — even so is man 
 (embodied and disembodied) but a t3'pe of the Divine Life, 
 and therefore his manifestation in either form as Spirit or 
 as man, should not evoke surprise. 
 
 The wave of Spirit-phenomena spread around the 
 nucleatic centres of H^'desville and Rochester, until nearlv 
 the whole of the eastern and western states were inundated
 
 Gliiiipsis tlird the Rift. 415 
 
 b-\- its power: in fact it spread syuclirouously to every part. 
 Thence across the Atlantic it reached the western shores of 
 England where alread}' the phenomena had appeared, gave 
 method to the means of setting np communication until in 
 a short time every town, village and hamlet were witnessing 
 its wonders. 
 
 Gaping rustic, and increduloiis scientist; fearful layman 
 and warning cleric; puzzled physicians and wrangling jurists, 
 were soon testing, afl&rming, or scorning and den3dug the 
 ver}- palpable miracles of the nineteenth centur}-. 
 
 Farada}' and Huxle}^ sternly denied its realit}' — the 
 former as a Christian scientist, who believed it a diabolical 
 delusion : the latter as a materialist scientist who ingeniously 
 argued that according to the laws of ph3'sical science it coii/d 
 not be true, but quite impossible. Wallace, Crookes, and 
 Flammarion, on the other hand, after scientific and impartial 
 examination of its claims, after repeated observation of the 
 phenomena, iinhesitatingh' affirmed its reality. 
 
 Notwithstanding all the opposition, it can boast to-day 
 a proportionately larger following than most other forms of 
 religion : — three English weekly journals, one edited until a 
 few weeks ago b}- the late highl}' honoured and much loved 
 Stainton Moses (M.A. Oxon.), and several magazines; circles 
 in every town and \'illage; public meetings in London, and 
 the great provincial towns, and active working centres in 
 various places. 
 
 In 1852 Mrs. Hayden was induced to visit England by 
 a Mr. Stone, and uiadertake a professional tour in the capacity 
 of public medium. 
 
 But years prior to this, as attested by Mrs. Crowe, in 
 her "Night Side of Nature," there were tokens of the presence 
 of Spirits who interested themselves in human affairs, and 
 demonstrated their own immediate ascension. One of these 
 testimonies, which is now placed on record for the first time.
 
 4i6 Gleams of Light and 
 
 will serve as a tj'pe of that class of Spiritual Phenomena 
 which we term spontaneous, and which occurred in plenty 
 of instances long before modern Spiritualism was heard 
 of. 
 
 In a little village in Somersetshire, nearly sixty years 
 ago, there dwelt with her uncle Silas Robbins, a young girl 
 named Mary Moon. She had retired to her chamber one 
 night as usual, and after getting into bed was about to 
 extinguish the rushlight which stood on the bureau, when 
 she heard a footstep on the stair. 
 
 She looked up expecting to see her uncle, but instead 
 of him she could see an old neighbour of theirs, old 
 
 Dicky in his night shirt and cap, looking so strange 
 
 that, wondering what he wanted there, she screamed out in 
 
 affright. "Uncle, uncle!" she called, "here's old Dicky 
 
 in my bedroom ! ' ' 
 
 "Hush thee row, maid! Thee'rt dreaming — go to sleep," 
 responded the old man from the depths of his own bed in 
 an adjoining room. But the frightened girl knew better; 
 as children will, when alarmed, she buried her head in the 
 bedclothes, quivering with apprehension. 
 
 Presenth' she ventured to look again to see if the 
 unwelcome visitor was still there — she hardly knew whether 
 it was ghostly or mortal, so she screamed again, as the 
 phantom was revealed standing at the head of the stairs. 
 In vain her uncle stormed at her foolishness — she persisted 
 that she had not slept nor dreamed, and as her relative 
 would not get up to remove her fears by a personal 
 examination of the phenomena, and a possible though not 
 probable denial of anything being there to cause fright, she 
 shudderingly covered herself again to shut out the fearsome 
 sight. Her uncle called again "Do'e see un now, Mary?" 
 and she fearfully ventured to peep, but to her great relief 
 the ghost had disappeared. Next morning her uncle was
 
 Glimpses thro the Rift. 417 
 
 indulging in a little good-natured chaiF about old Dicky's 
 ghost, while at breakfast; when a neighbour came in and 
 said "Silas, thee knaws awl Dicky? Summat's come to un, 
 var'e is nat oop yit!" "What time is it?" asked he. 
 "About a eight-o-clock! " "Oh leave un alone — 'e 'shaving 
 a bit more bed 'smarning ma3'be! We'd better wait till 
 about a ten, and then we'll go and see about un!" 
 
 The old man in question had been a tenant of Silas 
 Robbin's — he lived alone, but every morning he was stirring 
 earl}-, preparing his own breakfast before most other folks 
 were astir. Knowing this, the women were a bit apprehensive 
 at old Dicky's unusual tardiness, so when at ten o'clock 
 there were still no signs of the old fellow stirring, the}' 
 fetched Silas to force open the door: when this was done, 
 some bold one rushed into the old fellow's chamber to see 
 what ailed him — and there on his knees at the bedside 
 found Dicky — dead. Her cry called the rest into the chamber 
 of death — tenderly they lifted the poor old corpse to the bed, 
 while one fetched the doctor. Life was quite extinct however, 
 and at the inquest the doctor testified that in his opinion 
 the deceased had expired about twelve hours before the 
 discovery of his body. Then the story of little Mary Moon's 
 experience of the preceding night came out, and on a 
 comparison of the time of the ghostl}- appearance with the 
 time of his death they found them to be synchronous. 
 
 The heroine of this little story is living to-day — she 
 personally, with corroboration by some of her friends, related 
 the circumstances to the writer, and has been heard repeatedly 
 and unvaryingly to recount them. 
 
 France, Germany, Russia, Italy and Australia have in 
 succession been inundated by the psychic wave; each has 
 their own newspapers devoted to the subject and the number 
 of adherents are daily becoming greater. 
 
 These then are the conditions under which public 
 
 3 H
 
 4i8 ' Gleams of Light and 
 
 attention is ahva3-s being excited; they cause a constant 
 tendency ion the part of psychological students to rush into 
 print with their experiences and theories, and hence the 
 multitude of books which go over the same ground repeatedly 
 but with absolute agreement in the special points. 
 
 To the Recorder's mind there seems to be an unfortunate 
 tendency to centre opinions too much upon the pivots 
 of received scientific axiom. Whether this tendency is the 
 result of the mental capacities, in the more or less complete 
 training of the mediums; the mental states and positive 
 opinions of the sitters who influence the sensitives to a large 
 degree; or to the unformed mental certitude of the Spirits 
 themselves, it is hard to determine: but it is abundantly 
 evident that the tendency exists, especialh' with regard 
 to the nebular theor}' of worlds and the solar origin of 
 light. 
 
 The received theories are so anomalous when compared 
 with the theory of harmonious progression, and the well- 
 defined relation that exists between the various states, laws, 
 and bodies of the Universe, that we feel constrained to throw 
 new light upon them, in the same manner that the laws of 
 Spirit Control illuminates the subject of mesmerism and 
 proves the Spirit superior to the mortal. This explains why 
 many mesmeric subjects have been observed to pass beyond 
 the control of the operator, who, alarmed that he has induced 
 a condition that he cannot remove, verv frequenth' resorts to 
 violent measures to effect restoration to the detriment of his 
 subject. 
 
 The observation of the law of control, in fact the entire 
 phenomena of mediumship, has made vis cognisant of that 
 terrible and perilous state known as 'obsession,' as this is 
 evidently what has been called 'possession of the devil,' — and 
 the root of diseases — such as fits, deliriums, and convulsions 
 — it should be the subject of patient investigation b}^
 
 G/ii/ipsis thro the Rift. 419 
 
 scientific minds, and not treated, as is often the case, as a 
 subject for severe taboo. 
 
 In physiology', the lucidity of clairvo3'ants ma^- be made 
 ver\^ useful, for we personally know of cases, some of which 
 are recorded in this present work, where totally untutored 
 mediums have been able to solve phj-siological problems, 
 diagnose diseases, prescribe remedies, and even heal b}' mag- 
 netic contact, when schooled experts have been wholly baffled 
 by the sj^mptoms, and were therefore unable to properly treat 
 the patient. 
 
 To the lucid mind, the brain, the viscera, each separate 
 organ and its functions, are laid bare, and b}^ this means, 
 backed bv the Intelligent Influences that from the Spiritual 
 plane of being advise and instruct the sensitive mind, the 
 humblest clairvoj^ant often becomes a phj'sician of no mean 
 ability — not recognised by our institutions, perhaps — but 
 nevertheless the instrument that is used for the alleviation 
 of pain, and thev add their quota to the beneficial operations 
 of the Unseen world. 
 
 Ye men of the schools, take advantage of these excep- 
 tional means for the development of scientific attainment — 
 take the Spirits as 3'our friends and teachers — use the 
 abilities of clairv'oyants and psA'chometrists in your investi- 
 gations, and ye shall have cause to bless the powers ye 
 hitherto have scorned!
 
 (IpUmjJSt 6u. 
 
 "The Wbration of one single note of music will linger on in motion through 
 the corridors of all eternity." 
 
 Anon.
 
 Glimpses thro' the Rift. 
 
 423 
 
 SECTION I. 
 
 <rf)r i3I)(Iosopi)i) of Spiritualism. 
 
 "In tilt eternal printing house of Creation the types of all that is, are found.' 
 
 E. H. Britten. 
 
 ■'^^ PIRITUALISAI is a Religion to most of its 
 
 ^V) adherents, for though differing in many respects 
 
 from the accepted creeds already in existence, it 
 
 ^^ bases its Jaith upon knowledge^its aftirmatious 
 
 '':^ J' upon /acts 0/ Science, and natural law. 
 
 pl^- Upon such a firm foundation its philosophy 
 
 extends into unfathomed depths and unsealed 
 
 heights, in the eternal amplitudes of space. 
 
 Its Revelations are for ever being unfolded, 
 
 new worlds of thought? are discovered to the 
 
 Spiritual mind, and the limitations of creedal judgment are 
 
 being displaced by limitless possibilities, open to man as a 
 
 field and scope for his untiring energies. 
 
 But not for the purpose of deepening faith in creeds — 
 nor for the purpose of perpetuating dogma, but to instruct 
 man in that knowledge of himself, his purpose, his destiny and 
 needs, to disclose the immensities of the Infinite world that
 
 424 Gleams of Liglii and 
 
 lie before him unexplored, and the infinite capacities and 
 gradations of Spirit that exists between the centre and cir- 
 cumference of Being. 
 
 Over millions of square miles of the earth's stirface the 
 Spirits have been manifesting, proving their continued 
 existence, and the immortality of their love : proving their 
 extended facilities for the attainment of knowledge and 
 through the lips of their mediums, showering upon the world 
 transcendant and prtcocious scientific truths that will cause 
 the schoolmen to shrug their shoulders; and to significantly 
 ridicule if not blankly deny; but whose successors will in 
 the future prove the facts afiBrmed b}- Spirits, for the present, 
 negatived by bigoted scientists. 
 
 The religious world admits inspiration as a means 
 whereby the ' hoi}- men of old ' inscribed upon the ' sacred 
 page the oracles Divine;' they even admit that the clerg\' 
 under Divine afflatus obtain inspiration, but they wish to 
 confine the power ivitliiu the pale of the church, totally 
 denying its Divine quality anywhere else. 
 
 Yet torrents of burning eloquence have ere now swayed 
 large concourses of people in the Spiritual tabernacles: fiery 
 oratory and cultured declamation, enforced with all the powers 
 of logic and analog}-, has thrilled the hearts of thousands. 
 
 However unpopular Spiritualism may be deemed b}- those 
 in authority — sacredotal, educational, political and scientific 
 — the fact remains that thousands of people who are possessed 
 of sufficient common sense to be able to judge for themselves, 
 and whose minds, happih' free from the restrictions that the 
 schools impose, are able to stud}' and appreciate the wonderful 
 advantages that a knowledge of Psychic Science confers upon 
 the student. 
 
 The one half has not been said, that could be said, of 
 the myriad avenues that are opened to our choice: avenues 
 that have as yet been but imperfectly explored, for while
 
 Gli7nf>s€S thro the Rift. 425 
 
 man}' may peep into the interior regions, few have the 
 courage, the self-sacrifice, and devotion to persevere in the 
 attempt. 
 
 Those honoured few are weaving their names and records 
 into the fabric of modern thought — a fabric destined to grace 
 the portals — as curtains drape a door — of an ever open vista. 
 
 As curtains, they veil, or at best allow but a glimpse of 
 the glorious things of the interior, but there comes a time 
 when \\ith steady hand man shall throw back the veil and 
 enter with unfaltering step the realms where immortals have 
 long invited him. 
 
 Crookes, Wallace, Flammarion, Zollner, and Edison are 
 the representatives of the heroic few who have dared the 
 dictum of the dogmatists for the sake of Truth, and we herein 
 enshrine their honoured names in purest gratitude. 
 
 In the palace of royalty as well as the cot of the 
 artisan, the Spirit's message has been spoken, exerting an 
 influence as far reaching as the solar ray. Who knows how 
 much of the right doing and right thinking of this age is 
 due to the Invisible Friends who daily, and hourly, prompt in 
 the commission of Sacred Dut3\ 
 
 President Lincoln ofttimes sat at the feet of Spirit 
 Gamaliels who advised him in his State and individual 
 concerns, and perliaps the records may 3-et see light, of 
 others in high places who have enjo^-ed personal communion 
 with the Angel Host. 
 
 When the serfs of Poland were restored to liberty, few 
 people thought that it was under the influence of the Spirit 
 world, the happy result had been achieved. 
 
 The miner toiling in the caves of earth now welcomes 
 the Spirits of his slain co-workers, whereas once he would 
 have been paralyzed with fear. In the homes of those men, 
 and indeed in those of many of the toiling masses, the weekly 
 Spirit-circle is the event of their lives to which they look for
 
 _^26 Gleams of Light and 
 
 solace : devout exercises that once were performed in cliurclies 
 and cliapels are now performed at the family altar in the 
 best room of the house. 
 
 The barber and the bard, the sweep and the senator, 
 alike attend those qiiiet meetings, and in the homes of 
 hundreds of people in every rank of society, the medium is 
 as welcome as the minister ; nay, more so ! 
 
 Who are better equipped for the office? Set aside, or 
 chosen, by the Spirits themselves, they are the vehicles of 
 blessings from the Angel World; they bear the Gospel of 
 Glad Tidings in a sense far more real — far more valuable than 
 any mere exoteric savant possibly could convey, and more 
 than the interiorly uncultivated — even among the more virtuous 
 and sympathetic of the ministiy^ — can afford with a/l the 
 goodness and wisdom they display. And why? Because the 
 method of education is Avrong; the training is only a moral 
 and mental one, but even where there is added to these 
 a Spiritual desire to live right and to guide others, there 
 has been a lack of interior light, no development of their 
 Spiritual gifts, nay, a tendency to discountenance them and 
 everything bevond the received curriculum of the schools, as 
 supernatural, and therefore in a sense profane, on the 
 assumption that the age of miracles and revelation had 
 ceased, and Angels no longer walked and talked with men. 
 
 The Spiritual "exercises were confined to prayer and a 
 sort of mental rapport with, and aspiration for, tlie Divine 
 overshadowing; but the soul's perceptions were undeveloped 
 because unknown; to the narrow methods and teachings of 
 the schools, therefore the Spiritual pastors as they are termed, 
 were only so in the exoteric rinreal sense. 
 
 What if the mediums were given the advantage of a 
 wise collegiate training, and a course of development in the 
 most perfect conditions that could be afforded, if wealth and 
 wisdom were alike concerned in their perfecting?
 
 Giu/ipses thro the Rt/t. 427 
 
 What if the}- were secluded from the traffic and turmoil 
 of the world — their simple wants amply provided for as was 
 the case in the occult Brotherhoods of ancient days? and 
 instead of being allowed to mingle with the rude throng, 
 they were onl}* to be approached in the shady groves and 
 gardens of earth's fairest spots, and onh- to be heard at the 
 Sacred Gatherings? 
 
 What if only Nature's Doctors were to go among the people 
 carr\-ing health and healing in their hands? 
 
 The Pastors to advise, admonish, and to teach ; while 
 the Spirts Masters in the Sacred Schools could guide the 
 intellectual progress and direct the Spiritual aspirations into 
 the paths of Divine knowledge? 
 
 Would not these three Orders of Mediums revolutionize 
 the world speediW; could they not, if they bore the prestige 
 that State recognition affords, ver^- much more effectively do 
 that which is to-dav attempted by the medical and clerical 
 profession, but denied to the mediums, who, in spite of oppo- 
 sition, with all their lack of erudition and culture fill up a 
 void in the ethical and healing realms, that science and 
 theology know of, but will not acknowledge? 
 
 Let us insist that these three Orders of Brothers Spiritual, 
 must be founded and endowed, recognised b}' the State, and 
 encouraged by the people, and we are confident that the Science 
 of Healing and of Teaching will achieve results which it has 
 never entered the minds of the most sanguine to hope for. 
 
 What Science of Healing can be complete and effectual, 
 without taking into consideration the Cause as well as the 
 effect? Have not the mental influences been observed as 
 provocative of functional derangement, and are they not 
 be3-ond the reach of present medical means? Does not 
 mental aberration defy even the most learned of our savants 
 even if tlie}^ are, and the majority of them are not students 
 of Hypnotism and animal magnetism?
 
 4 28 Gleams of Light a>i(^ 
 
 Let those haughty savants learn from the humble 
 medium^ the lessons they daily teach ; let them see that the 
 healing powers displayed by Hiin of Nazareth, in layhig on 
 of hands is yet available : let them remember that God hath 
 hidden these things from the wise and prudent (because of 
 their arrogance and unbelief) and revealed them unto babes. 
 
 Take then, O ye learned ones of the schools, humility 
 in your hands and sincerity in yoiir hearts, and seek of the 
 the Lord His wise unfoldments! 
 
 And ye, rulers of the earth, take those humble ones 
 into your care; lavish upou them all the blessings that 
 wisdom and knowledge can bestow — then ye will see how, 
 with more extended erudition their powers will expand until 
 they will overwhelm all the materialist methods, and establish 
 Healing as an exact Science! 
 
 Put the telescope of culture and refined conditions to 
 the eye of their interior perceptions, and wide as is the scope 
 of the latter, their field of vision will be expanded. Lofty 
 as was Swedenborg's flight, wide as were A. J. Davies's 
 explorations, the medium of the future, if conditions and 
 culture be afforded them shall outdo them both, and the 
 vague mutterings of the mystics shall swell into a joyful 
 chorus in the anthem of advancing da^-! 
 
 The tremolos and pianissimos of the timid clairvoj-ant 
 shall swell into \\\&. forte and creseendo of the conscious Seer: 
 doubts and fears shall cease: certainty shall shine benignant 
 in the consciousness of the believer — nay, he shall believe no 
 more, but Know in credence unassailable! 
 
 "Through East and West, through North and South, 
 Its viewless lines have run — 
 Where morning, tips with gold the hills; 
 Where sets the glorious sun. 
 Mental science in burning words 
 Of orat'ry sublime; 
 With triumph over pain and death 
 Achieved in every clime: 
 And trust in Cod, and hope for man 
 Followed its march through time."
 
 Glimpses thrJ tite Rift. 429 
 
 Those of lis who love the historic associations of ancient 
 buildings; for whom the venerable if ruined pile has an 
 irresistablc charm, may agree with us, that among the 
 influences likel}- to prevail there, would be those of Intelli- 
 gences that during their earth lives were indentified with 
 its records and traditions. This is an admission that bears 
 a distinct value for the ps3^chic student. 
 
 The recent pilgrimages to Anne Hathawa3-'s cottage, 
 and the crowds who attended the Shakesperian Centenary 
 celebration at Stratford-on-Avon, attested to the popular 
 valuation of tradition. But who of the crowd would think 
 of suggesting a circle, or seance there? 
 
 Few, except among the Spiritualists! Yet there are 
 man}- who have received the fullest satisfaction and the most 
 complete proof of Spirit return — in the musty fabric of ancient 
 buildings : — in the ruined abbey — mossy cloister — ivy-clad 
 porch — in ghostly hall — deserted hut — in mouldering castle 
 or bat-haunted tower, where the Spirits of the ascended dead, 
 the perpetuated individualities of long-forgotten persons, who 
 ha\e or have not a mention in Histor^f's page, as well as 
 those of our own immediate lost ones, come to testify the 
 fact of Immortality. 
 
 St. Paul and Shakespeare, Plato and Peel, what is to 
 hinder them from communion with us if we fulfil the 
 Tenn3-sonian idea of the man whose "thoughts would hold 
 an hour's communion with the dead." If we possess "pure 
 hearts" and "sound heads," and are aflame with "Divine 
 affection," ma}- not the Spirits of the lofty, the pure, and 
 the holy visit us with equal facility, as easih- as do our 
 own humble friends? Why not? Let us here afiirni — they 
 do!! 
 
 Given literar}- associates at a seance, the most might}- 
 giants in the world of letters may again bestow upon the 
 present age, as Spirits, writings far superior (if the mediums
 
 430 G/eaiiis of Lii^lit and 
 
 are of sucli mental temperament and brain-conformation as to 
 render it possible), to what they wrote while in the flesh; and 
 this even to far transcend anything that the sensitive is 
 capable of. 
 
 Titian, Rubens, or Landseer could perpetuate or dupli- 
 cate their masterpieces, if they were given a suitable medium 
 and artistic conditions. 
 
 The wisdom of a Plato, the mathematics of an Euclid, 
 the philosophy of a Bacon, the logic of a Watts, the rhetoric 
 of a Demosthenes, or even the ethics of a Christ can be 
 daily rehearsed in the assemblies of men where they are 
 gathered with one accord in Spirit and in Truth. 
 
 Shall we profanely prescribe the limits within which the 
 world of Spirits shall manifest? 
 
 In vain, O man! There is no limit! 
 
 If it should be argued that in the Bible \\e have no 
 record of the visitation of the departed, let it be borne in 
 mind that there are plenty of instances where Spirits came, 
 but they are spoken of by the generic name of angels or uicn. 
 They were in the form of man, so like, and so conducting 
 themselves, eating and drinking, that it was supposed the\- 
 were men, therefore far more likely to be ascended human 
 beings than aught else. 
 
 It must also be remembered that, generally, one Spirit 
 spake who called hiniself the "Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, 
 and Jacob!" 
 
 Now far be it from us to decide zvho this could be, but 
 we firmly yet reverently sx;ggest that it could not be the 
 Perfect Being that ivc worship as God. There are such 
 changes in "his" tone and manner that we are inclined to 
 believe that more than one Spirit arrogated to themselves 
 that distinctive title, but each and all of them displayed, if 
 we are literall}- to accept the records, such qualities that we 
 firmly decline to consider as attributes of God. The men
 
 G/iwpsis thro tlii Rift. 431 
 
 that visited the patriarchs, the judges, and the prophets could 
 not have been the same one for tliey came in twos and threes. 
 The}- ate, the}- drank, they walked, they spake, and behaved 
 so like real men that their entertainers knew no better. 
 
 The Spirit who spake to Moses on one occasion showed 
 his back parts in a cloud, and on another revealed his 
 presence as Jirc in a bush. 
 
 Now these phenomena are analogous to those which 
 Spiritualists witness to-day, for sometimes Spirit lights and 
 luminous halos are seen; sometimes partlv materialized 
 forms, while at others, entire materializations take place ; 
 Spirits walk and talk; carry objects, play instruments; even 
 kiss and caress their entertainers, and, too often, we entertain 
 them unawares, as Abraham did. 
 
 The Absolute Being must be Immutable, but Spirits 
 may and do change, especially during their progression 
 through the spheres; and this simple fact ought to make it 
 apparent that the Jehovah of the Bible could not be the 
 Infinite One, though he ma}- be, and probablv was, a Spirit 
 to whom was delegated the guidance of Moses in the work 
 he had to undertake. To-day, we should call stick a Spirit a 
 'guide' or 'control,' and we should no more think of supposing 
 such an one to be the God of All than we would claim 
 for a medium the Messiahnic title. 
 
 That virtue which it is said issued from the person of 
 Jesus, when the woman who snifered of the bloody flux 
 touched His garment, was- — not confined to one period or 
 person, but is that which we call aura — healing power — Od 
 force — animal magnetism — the agent by which the Spirit 
 world is connected with ours, and by means of which the 
 phenomena is produced and healing conveyed. 
 
 The tinv rap at Hydesville was but the herald of myriad 
 forms of manifestation, culminating in the loftiest phases of 
 direct writing — painting, materialization, and last but not
 
 4 32 Gleams of Light and 
 
 least, Spirit-photograph}-, some results of which are herein 
 given. 
 
 The same power that enabled Jesus to walk upon the 
 water, and to be carried through the air, can do the same 
 to-dav despite the unbelief and cold disapproval of an erring 
 world. 
 
 When Moses produced his tables of stone writ by the 
 finger of God, he was probabl}- received with as much 
 derision and incredulity, as the producer of Spirit-photo- 
 graphs is received to-da}-, but the one has a place in Holy 
 Writ, its author a place in the scrolls of Holy characters, 
 and if history repeats herself, our descendants shall yet 
 discern transcendant value in these specimens and records 
 of ours, and perchance — when the organs through which the}^ 
 have been transmitted to the world shall have perished in 
 the earth — they may gather them into a compendium of facts 
 relating to this period and call it Holy Writ. 
 
 The Revelations of Spiritualism inaugurated bv the simple 
 telegraphic rap, have brought forcibly home to the mind of 
 man the Unseen Potentialities b}- which he is surrounded: 
 friends that he had mourned were suddenly restored to him, 
 and the familiar voices once more sounded in his ears; the 
 grasp of vanished hands, and the sounds of voices still, were 
 felt and heard as of yore. The bereaved famih- could once 
 more receive the homel}' injunctions of a departed parent, or 
 hear the jo3-ous accents of a resurrected child, or brother. 
 The voice of a beloved pastor or teacher could again be 
 heard dilating upon supernal themes. The inconsiderable 
 peasant, and the famed in history vied with each other as 
 bearei's of the New Revelation. 
 
 While on the other hand, the injured ones whose memory 
 men had tried to banish, returned to chide, or record their 
 forgiveness: the victim once more confronted the seducer: 
 the debtor was faced b}- his creditor: the relentless father
 
 Glimpses thro tlic Riff. 433 
 
 by his self-destroying daughter : the profligate by his heart- 
 broken mother: and all the children of error and of weakness 
 were, by the return of the Spirits, marshalled into the 
 presence of Almighty God. 
 
 How far-reaching hath been this Spiritual outpouring 
 none but the Infinite knoweth, but this we know, that ines- 
 timable blessings have been showered on man of whom God 
 Avill require an account of their stewardship. Take heed, 
 therefore, men of the Nineteenth Centiiry! 
 
 That first tap, like the clicking that indicates to the 
 receiving operator of a telegraph office, the message from 
 the Unseen ones at the other end, was destined to be the 
 initial of a potent and powerful Revelation, that )wt yet is 
 completed, for in every town \-ou trace the wires that convej^ 
 tlie news, and hear the hum of the constant current, if you 
 get near the poles. Wherever the conditions permit of the 
 "closing of the circuit," the medium becomes one pole, and 
 the Spirit is the other, and the messages are being recorded 
 nightly or even daily in the homes of the loft}^ and the low. 
 To the Misses Fox belong the honour of being the first electric 
 indicators, and as kind Mr. Jei-vis puts it, thro' them, 
 "God's telegraph has outdone Morse's altogether!" As we 
 state in another part of this book, Swedenborg has been 
 deeply interested in this modern outpouring of the Spirit 
 and we have proof that not only he, but hundreds of other 
 minds and potencies have been exercised in its behalf. 
 
 And with good reason: for is not this Spiritual 
 awakening an evidence of the supreme power of the Spirit, 
 and the universal susceptibility of man to its influence. When 
 the two seers whose revered names head the list of the first 
 human indicators (in modem times) of the nearness and 
 activity of the Spiritual realms (we allude to Swedenborg 
 and Davies) had given to the world their systems of 
 correspondences and analogies; when the Fox family, and
 
 ^^^ Gleams of Light and 
 
 S. B. Britain had for themselves and for others proved the 
 possibilities of demonstration, and of the trance condition; 
 when Horace Greek}' and Judge Edmonds had given the 
 matter their personal consideration and affirmation, and the 
 scores of other men and \\omen of well-known probity and 
 capacit_y of judgment, had given their countenance and 
 support, to the matter, Spiritualism ma}- be said to have 
 gathered its might together, and borne, before its heaving 
 breast the paltry opposition of its foes. Throughout all 
 civilized lands the tide has swept, and compelled the notice of 
 the scientific world, who as a mass agree to deny it, or to 
 explain it away, by h3?potheses more incredible than that 
 itself, although as individuals, they deem it worth}^ of further 
 consideration, while not a few have openly expressed their 
 conviction as to its genuineness. 
 
 Thucydides has informed us that during the great 
 plague at Athens, myriads of spectres invaded the city. 
 While Pliny reports that the sounds of clashing arms and 
 braying trumpets were heard in the sk\-, BEFORE the war 
 of the Romans against the Cimbrians; and j-ears after the 
 battle of Marathon, the turmoil and strife of war, the shock 
 of battle and the cries of steeds wei'e often heard echoing 
 over the peaceful field. 
 
 That this is so is plentifully evident, when colliers see 
 phantom presentiments of long-passed catastrophes, or else, 
 on-qoming ones, in the sullen, gas-laden air of the mines; 
 when ghosts of headless men will stand in the air-ways, or 
 deserted headings, and mutely warn of dangers threatening; 
 when the boom of past explosions, and the crash of former 
 "falls" reverberate in the echoing galleries, while moans, 
 screams, and cries make the air hideous with their noise. 
 Relics of the past, solid or febrile, retain the impressions 
 wrought upon them by the individuals and conditions by which 
 they were used, or surrounded. Sensitives have been able to
 
 G/impscs thro the Rift. 435 
 
 declare the origin of articles that have been transported 
 thousands of miles, and moreover give a detailed account of 
 the place, locality, or building from whence they came, even 
 if the lapse of many j-ears should make the performance 
 more incredible. Fragments from the Pyramids, of Egyptian 
 coflSns, the sere cloths of mummies, baked bricks, etc., from 
 the land of the Pharoahs, and elsewhere, over all the world — 
 pieces of pine, bamboo, Nile mud, or Nevada quartz, have 
 brought up before the medium's mind vivid impressions of 
 the scenes and the peoples of past ages. Diseases have been 
 diagnosed from fragments of wearing apparel — histories have 
 been revealed by the touch of manuscripts — long-forgotten 
 friends have been recalled by morsels of faded letters, and a 
 multitude of instances furnished of the undving registration 
 of the past upon unconscious matter. 
 
 This being so, cannot the air retain the impressions 
 made upon it by the vibrations of sight and sound waves of 
 the long ago? May it not, like the diaphragm of a phono- 
 graph, retain the graved records of elapsing time, and when 
 the sensations of a man are sufficiently acute, repeat to his 
 consciousness the cause of its impressions? Thus nought is 
 lost; Nature is a storehouse for the records of life, and he 
 who "seeks may find" therein, the treasured histories of nations 
 long forgotten. We think not a thought, but it is recorded 
 there; we speak no word — we do no deed, but cau rise up, 
 against us or for us, in that day when man gravitates to his 
 proper sphere under the unerring judgment of Divine Law. 
 
 At the Spiritualist's conference of 1857, New York, a 
 gentleman of Norwich, bj- the name of Smith, related 
 instances of the methods b\- which Spirits manifested them- 
 selves among them ! Identification b}- mannerisms, gestures, 
 and the mimicry of death-bed scenes : and also by reproducing 
 /ac-similcs of the signatures of deceased persons. 
 
 We remember an instance where these remarkable means
 
 4^6 Gleams of Lii^/it and 
 
 were resorted to, for the purpose of establishing an identity. 
 It was iji the early spring '87— J. Croft the medium. He clair- 
 voyantly saw the Spirit of a child with a gentleman present, 
 and after trying for some time in vain to obtain an acknow- 
 ledgment from the party in question, he delineated the death- 
 bed scene, and acted the dying actions of the sufferer, even 
 to its final act of laying its head against the father's shoulder: 
 so vi\'idly was all this portrayed that the reluctant man was 
 seen to weep, and his voice faltered as he testified to the 
 realistic character of the scene, and his complete satisfaction 
 as to the proved identity, and he furthermore declared that 
 he was convinced that his child had demonstrated its continued 
 existence. Are not such instances as these, sufficient to 
 refute the accusations of fraud that are daily brought against 
 the fair names of these agents of the Unseen World ? 
 
 You may attribute this wondrous power to psychology, 
 or hypnotic sviggestion, or even thought-reading, but your 
 objections will not cover the facts of the cases: as well argue 
 that the mesmerised subject could turn upon his "master," 
 and suggest, that he only imagines that he has the subject 
 under control. Who does the imagining? Is it the medium? 
 then his imagination is singularly apt in illustrating facts! 
 Is it the person to whom the description is given? then the 
 medium has marvellous gifts in describing that imagined 
 form and scene! But what of a case where neither medium 
 nor the individual in question knows, and consequently can- 
 not imagine ? For imagination it based iipon knowledge. Can 
 imagination picture persons and places quite beyond the 
 knowledge of the parties concerned? If so. Imagination is 
 Clairvoyance: especially when subsequent inquiry verifies the 
 facts adduced. 
 
 Do both the medium and his hearer imagine the same 
 
 * See notes O. and R., Appendix II.
 
 Gliiii/^scs thro the Rift. 437 
 
 thing? then both are clairvoj-ant, and the one corroborates 
 the other. Does one imagine and the other read that imagin- 
 ation? then the soul demonstrates powers that prove that 
 the external senses and powers of expression, are not needed 
 in the Spirit realm. Which ever way yon va&y look at the 
 facts, they demonstrate transcendant, but at the same time, 
 strictly natural powers that only require proper development 
 to be available for all the necessities of human beings. 
 Imagination is the eye of the soul, it is said; and truly it 
 is the eye and the light that ej-e perceives. 
 
 If the memory can project on the aural surroundings, 
 or delineate in thought pictures, scenes of past events, the 
 picture must radiate light, or vibrator}- force of some kind. 
 That is the Z/^'///' of imagination. If the clairvoyant has a 
 sense, or visual organ that can register the sensation or 
 receive the vibrations upon a retina of some sort, tliat 
 organ is the c\c of the soul, for it is not the ixc known 
 to physiologA", of that we may be certain. 
 
 If on the other hand the Spirit of the child or other 
 personality described, is really there, and b}' means afforded 
 only to Spirits creates an objective picture of the scenes 
 described: or if the Spirit, itself unseen, projects a mental 
 picture of the same, which the medium perceives, and 
 describes — it proves the acti\ity and personal presence of 
 the Spirit somewhere in the realms of light. If the medium 
 merely gets impressed upon his mind the picture, it predicates 
 the Spirit's existence. Or if the Spirit controlling the 
 sensitive itself depicts the scenes of its earth-life, if we 
 are certain the medium does not know, it plainh' proves that 
 the Spirit was there. 
 
 Whether a Spirit is really seen in propria persona or 
 whether it projects a picture of itself upon the aura, or 
 thought-atmosphere of the sensitive the fact remains the 
 same — the Spirit proves its presence there. Just as a picture
 
 438 Gleams of Light and 
 
 thrown upon a screen demonstrates the insertion of the 
 lantern-slide, so the image of a Spirit on the consciousness 
 of a medium, proves the presence or contiguity of the 
 original. 
 
 "A little child shall lead thcin." — Siiipliiir. 
 
 Children of tender years, as well as developed adults, 
 became the mediums for the Angel world, and many marvelled 
 like the doctors in the temple at Jerusalem, that a mere 
 baby should be the means of demonstrating wisdom and power. 
 Leadino" men whose hair was frosted with the winters of 
 ao-e and their heads, rich storehouses of knowledge; well 
 practised in observation, and the power of logical deduction; 
 toned down from all danger of fanatism or delusion, came 
 to scoff or expose, and went away to pray. Through babes 
 were revealed the things that the wise and prudent had 
 lono-ed for in vain. — See P. 79, Attwood's "Child of Gen. 
 Billiard." 
 
 While these manifestations w'ere taking place in America, 
 France and Germany were also visited by the Spirit bands, 
 and in the Church as well as out of it, miraculous events 
 are recorded that well nigh overwhelm the unprepared mind, 
 and cause the prudent to hesitate ere they credit. We have 
 no desire to tread again the ground that has been so often 
 paced, for this work is not a histor\' of Spiritualism, but an 
 attempted Interpretation of its wonders, and above all, an 
 Indicator of those general lines upon which the harmonious 
 study of the entire phenomena of life can be secured by the 
 student. 
 
 It appears that it is to mesmerism as a practice of Science, 
 that we owe the rise of Modern Spiritualism; for the 
 Science proved that many possessed lucidity, and other 
 phenomenal powers, that, brought into general practice, 
 instead of being hidden from observation, created the wide
 
 G/iw/>SiS tlnv I lie Ri/t. 439 
 
 difference between the esoteric practice of niediunisliip in 
 ancient daj-s, and the exoteric practice of to-dav. Mesmer, 
 A. J. Davies, Reichenbach, Baron Dupotet, did their part in 
 the initiatory work, and presently the Polter-ghiest and 
 Spirit, took np the matter with interest, and through 
 increased facilities, worked those wonders that make up the 
 phenomenal history of Spiritualism. 
 
 Spirits assumed the places of the earthly mesmerists 
 and outdid the latter in all the wonders they procured from 
 the induced state of lucidity or somnambulism. The* levi- 
 tations that once were claimed as being peculiar to estatics 
 within the sacerdotal pale became verj- frequent, and protracted, 
 \rithout the pale. Instead of " Mrgin Mothers," and 
 "Saints" the lucidants beheld and described their own, and 
 their hearers long-lost loved ones: the human healers were 
 not onl}' Cures and Abbes, but rough working men whose 
 powers amazed themselves as much as it surprised and benefited 
 others. 
 
 Truly it was a marvellous outpouring! 
 
 The Kings of earth, like Alexander of Russia, looked 
 to the Xew Revelation for comfort when harassed, b\- the 
 cares and responsibilities of State. 
 
 The law-makers and rulers, like Judge Edmonds, faced 
 the storm of reproach and abuse, firm in the power of con- 
 viction. 
 
 Scientists like Ricchcnbach, Crookes Wallace, and 
 Zollner proudly published the results of their experiments. 
 
 Literary men led by the spirited example of William 
 Howitt, tlie Baronesses Kreidener and Vay, used trenchant 
 pens in the vindication of the truth. While Slade and Home 
 afforded the most competent minds ample opportunity for 
 investigation, in the Uni\ersit3- of Leipzic and elsewhere. 
 
 Appendix II. Note (S).
 
 ^4o Gleams of Light and 
 
 The powers of the Spirit world were demonstrated in 
 every direction — miners in German mines, and scientists in 
 their schools; soldiers on the gor}^ fields of America, and 
 Europe, as well as the scholars of both lands received the 
 evidence of Spirits returned. Spirits were everywhere in earth, 
 and the caves thereof, in water, in fire, and in air — in temples 
 and trade shops — in colleges and in cellars — in public and in 
 private, in fact to quote the poet, "Millions of Spiritual 
 creatures walk the earth." 
 
 Howsoever crude ma}- appear the earlier revelations of 
 the seance room, howsoever inapt the Spirits may seem in 
 the role of teachers, howsoever ridiculous their table tilting 
 may appear to our preconceived notions as to what a "Spirit" 
 is, yet these humble methods and these inconsiderate means 
 were the rudimentary stages of the most sublime Science of 
 the ages. 
 
 Spirits have to use the appliances readiest to hand, for 
 they cannot always command material substances: they 
 frequently have to call in the aid of earth-bound Spirits and 
 elementals in order to establish the means of communication, 
 and thus they rap upon, or tilt the mesmerised table or 
 other insensate objects, and animate them for a while with 
 a life that seems their own. 
 
 No better sermon iipon Immortality could possibly have 
 been preached, than those tiny raps at Tiverton, Devonshire, 
 or Hydesville, New York: eighteen centuries of sermons 
 and books could not demonstrate the life beyond the grave ; 
 the position of Christian Divines was that of apology for, 
 rather than certainty of, the doctrine of eternal life. 
 
 Haunted houses have always afforded to the writers of 
 fiction a fruitful source of revenue, and few perhaps who have 
 read their lucubrations have ever paused to consider, what 
 the facts revealed (for many of these narratives are records 
 of facts woven into the fabric of romance) may impl}^ in
 
 Glifnpscs thro the Rift. 441 
 
 regard to the future state of man. The terrible experiences 
 of Spirits themselves in that condition we have termed 
 earth-bound, are such that enable us to realise how stories 
 of devils' revels,- and the horrors of pandemonium, are but 
 relations of sights seen, and sounds heard by many people, 
 in the days before Spiritualism afforded the proper means 
 of exercising, or uplifting the so-called evil Spirits that 
 possessed both men and places. 
 
 The ghostly revels that are depicted in the famous 
 legend of Tam O' Shanter, and in the folk-lore of ever}' 
 people, are, perhaps more, than the author of those legends 
 imagine, true pictures of the orgies and revels of earth-bound 
 and second-sphere Spirits. We learn that these Spirits in 
 bands of great numbers frequent the scenes of former excesses, 
 and gamble, and prank, and play games of every description. 
 In one case within our own memory, a party of Spirits \\cre 
 seen pla}-ing quoits on the site of some old ironworks, where 
 they had evidently worked and plaj-ed quoits in their life- 
 time. The puritans of the Cromwelliau times, and the grim 
 covenanters and conventiclers, of the age of rebellion against 
 a degraded Church — the gay and thoughtless courtier, the 
 debauched libertine, and tlie painted courtesan, may alike, 
 through the earthiness of their passions and prejudices, 
 throng the haunts of their former lives. We have heard of 
 preachers and members, still gathering in chapels long since 
 ruined— of actors still enacting the roles of their former 
 triumphs, and clowns still revelling in nois}- mirth, clad in 
 their garb of motley: of drunkards sitting on through long 
 years in the corners of bus}^ taprooms, luring on the fre- 
 quenters of the place to their ruin : * of clergymen in sur- 
 plices yet occupying their rostrums, and reciting collects to 
 
 * See "Invisibility made Visible, and the \'isil)le made Invisible," published 
 15 Southampton Row, London.
 
 ^_|.2 Gleams of Liglii and 
 
 a visional-}' congregation, and at times the congregation too 
 was th^e. 
 
 And here we might have a word about the revival 
 meetings which have been and are so prevalent among 
 Methodist peoples. We read of the manifestations of extacy 
 or influence among the Quakers, Shakers, Irvingites, etc., 
 but it must not be supposed that the phenomena is peculiar 
 to those bodies. 
 
 The History of IMethodism is itself full of such revivals, 
 and the annals of Whitfield and Wesley will well repay the 
 pains of the reader should he feel constrained to search 
 them. In the time just preceding the cholera of 1849 the 
 scenes that were witnessed in Wales, among the Methodist 
 bodies were akin to those cited by Mrs. Britten under 
 the head of the Irish revivals. — See Nineteenth Century 
 Miracles. Hundred of people cried and praj-ed themselves, and 
 others, into states approximating to delirium, and the old 
 songs were sung with all that extraordinary fer\our which 
 distinguish the revival periods from the others. 
 
 Come poor sinner and believe on the Sa\aour 
 And be saved from the fire! on that great Day 
 You'll see the dead arising, arising, arising 
 You'll see the dead arising, on that great Day. 
 
 Such were the st_3-le of h}-mns most stirring and popular, 
 and such was the emphasis and gusto with which the}' were 
 sung, that lookers on, at first passive if not indifferent, were 
 constrained to fall upon their knees and cry for pardon and 
 blessing. Chapels were far too small for the crowds that 
 thronged to meetings, so they had recourse to the open air, 
 where spaces were available; and there the meetings were 
 prolonged for hours. In more recent times there have been 
 recurrences of these revival epidemics, spreading over many 
 counties: and plenty of more purely local ones, where the
 
 G/iwpsiS tino llh- Rift. 443 
 
 advent of a revival preaclier, caused the total of membership 
 in the chapels to rapidly increase. 
 
 The coming of Sankey and Moody to England, and 
 their tours throughout the country had a far reaching influ- 
 ence among religious communities; invitations were issued 
 by one body of chapel officials to all the others in the towns, 
 to call a general combined effort for the purpose of a Spiritual 
 awakening; each chapel would have an entire week's services 
 in turn, and the whole of the members of the chapels in 
 the league were pledged to attend prayer meetings, both at 
 cottage and chapel; class meetings; love-feasts; open-air 
 gatherings became the order of the day. Special Plvangelists 
 were trained and set to work by Sectary Conferences; they 
 would engage halls or the largest chapels; send out invitations 
 or placard the hoardings with invitations to "all who loved 
 tlie Lord," and they had the gratification of seeing large 
 numbers of penitents and converts almost nightly, and a large 
 increase to the church-roll as the nett results. In the formula 
 of the times, "Many were added unto the Lord." 
 
 Besides all this the more active preachers and ministers 
 were, and are, in the habit of calling for after-service pra_ver- 
 meetings, where very frequently the "power" was felt, and 
 as a result the ruling body in committee would propose and 
 announce a week's special services, which nearly alwa3'S 
 succeeded in bringing the "backsliders" and the "luke-warm" 
 ones into the fold and warmth again. 
 
 This is really the history of Methodism — periods of 
 coolness and periods of warmth: revivals periodically stirring 
 up the zeal of the church, and then as regularly, periods of 
 apathy would follow. But all this they claim is the work of 
 the Hoh- Ghost — the power of God to stir the souls of men, 
 and therefore can have nothing to do with Spiritualism — 
 that work of the devil — as the\- termed it. 
 
 Friend! if it be the work of a Ghost at all, ma}- it not
 
 ._i^ G/cams of Liohi and 
 
 be the work of hundreds of Ghosts, who are aiming methodically 
 and coUectively to make mankind better, and stir them up 
 to a desire after Holy Things? 
 
 If a ghost can make you pray to be a better man— if 
 he prompt you to sing hymns and shout "Hallelujah!" — 
 if he prompt you to consider your wrong doings and your utter 
 disregard for Spiritual obligations, and desire to fit yourself 
 for the life to come -if he deepen your convictions as to 
 the reality of man's immortality, and strengthen the basis 
 of your heavenly hopes, could he not go further, and allow 
 you just a glimpse into the glory land — just a peep at your 
 loved ones who have gone before, and bj- such means 
 demonstrate to vour consciousness that which before was 
 only a hope? If so — and it had been done in the past,— 
 then the Ghosts of the so-called dead, are onl}' doing on a 
 larger scale what the alleged Holy Ghost has alwa^-s been 
 said to be doing. 
 
 The excitement and influence of the revivalists — the 
 Spirit-movings of the Quakers — the tremblings of the 
 Shakers* — the lights — cloven tongues of fire — the gift of 
 tongues — the mighty rushing wind-sounds of the day of 
 Pentecost: the upliftment and being-carried-up-in-the-Spirit 
 of the apostles: the materialized resurrection of the supposed 
 dead : the visions and extacies of the saints : the wamings- 
 in-a-dream: the handwriting on the wall: the visions of the 
 host, of heaven on the mountains; al/ these, have become the 
 lavishly spread blessings, to which the Spiritualists lay 
 claim, and which they can pro\e if the testimon\- of 
 thousands of ej-e-witjiesses can pnn'c anything. 
 
 To man has been vouchsaved much Spiritual experience, 
 but he has not always been able to discriminate between 
 the general and the particular. He has seen Spirits in all 
 
 * See Jencken's letter, Nineteenth Century Miracles, P. 145.
 
 G/i?ii/>sis thro till Rift. 445 
 
 ages but to liim they were Spirit — a Spirit in fact, and not, 
 as they really were in our opinion, many different Spirits. 
 
 The Pneuniatology of the Bible is general, not specific, 
 in its character. It enters not upon the mode, nor the condi- 
 tions, under which the denizens of another sphere may become 
 agents to modify the character or influence the destiny- of 
 mankind. It leaves man to find his way along that interest- 
 ing "Narrow Path," by tlie light of analog}'. — See "Footfalls 
 on the boundary of another World." Page 376. 
 
 In the Bible, they are spoken of as man or men, who 
 visited the patriarchs, and it has always been assiimed that 
 they were angels : that OXK who broke Jacob's thigh is supposed 
 to have been a pre-luiman Christ: the OXF. who spoke to 
 Moses or to the prophets, and whom the former partly saw, 
 is supposed to be Jehovah. But the inference is at least 
 reasonable, that they were the Spirits of once-human beings, 
 who manifested all the varieties of individualit\-, such as we 
 are familiar with to-day. The terms man, nun, (ingcls, God, 
 and 'J:Jioviili, are generic and not particular, and hence, even 
 as we say Spirits to-day, the terms very probabh- meant, or at 
 least implied, various personalities. The contrary- statements 
 attributed to Jehovah, the varied characteristics displayed by 
 the personage bearing that appellation, have not only been 
 a fruitful source of the atheist's cavil, but is a proof that 
 they could not have been expressed by one person, even 
 supposing it to have been a resurrected human, and leaving 
 the Infinite ]\Iind out of it altogether. These contradictory 
 quotations have been gone into so often, that we feel sure 
 our readers would not thank us to repeat them, even if we 
 were so inclined — which we are not — and therefore we leave 
 it to those, whose hobby it is to discuss and argue over such 
 matters. 
 
 All we want to prove is, that the influences people 
 have felt, and do feel at religious services — all the angels
 
 _l^^6 Glcatiis of Light a)id 
 
 and Spirits that the}- have seen or heard, arc human Spirits, 
 )iot necessarily evil, if ignorant ; and that if thej- arc, they 
 are only of the same type as their entoiainers. In other words, 
 if yon are good — good Spirits will respond to, and sympathise 
 with yon ; but if you are bad, do not be surprised if the^- 
 are bad. They only reflect your own Spiritual condition. 
 
 True, so-called evil — but really undeveloped — Spirits 
 are permitted to visit even the best among us, but it is 
 a/^vays for the purpose of our doing then/ some good, and 
 no good man need fear them. 
 
 If the "conscience is, like a sea at rest," as Tennyson 
 puts it, the shadow of the "evil" Spirit reflected therein, 
 stirs up no feelings of alarm, but we are enabled to pra}- for 
 them, and give them that impetus heavenward that the 
 pra^-ers of a good man always afford. Hundred of people 
 are conscious that some unperceived powers prompt, or restrain 
 them in their daily actions, giving an impression here, a 
 suggestion there — a whisper — a feeling — a vision — but the}- 
 seldom think that these are the doings of the ministering 
 angel Spirits that hover around us. 
 
 This then was the national preparation for the ad\-ent 
 of Modern Spiritualism ; what people had experienced in some 
 general wa^-, and had been in the habit of attributing to 
 Spirit in the generic sense, without being able to discriminate, 
 now transpired to be analagous to, and in every wa}^ identical 
 withj the Spirit influence of Spiritualism, but with powers 
 of discrimination. Now taking the period of the world's 
 history at the Biblical chronological valuation, viz. five thousand 
 nine hundred and thirtj'-seven years, and deducting from that 
 five tliousand — five of the faces of a cvlic sextile — according 
 to our calculations — we obtain nine hundred and thirtA'-seven 
 3'ears. Now we believe that the faces of fi\-e thousand years 
 were marked by a knowledge of Spirit influence, but minus 
 the power of discrimination. That is, people were in
 
 Glimpses thro tlic Rift. 447 
 
 possession of the sixth sense, that is, called clairvoyance, 
 or what perhaps ought to be called an amplification of the 
 material senses: for there is clairaudience and clairvo3'ance, 
 besides a power to feel, smell, and TASTE Spiritual 
 emanations. 
 
 But they were unaccompanied by the facult}- of dis- 
 tingtiishing the difference between Spirits. Hence all the 
 ghostly visitants were vaguel}- angels, saints, etc., but never 
 known to be (as we can now learn,) our own loved ones. 
 True, the Witch of Endor brought up Saul, and true that 
 the disciples saw Christ with Moses and Elias, but the 
 deponent sayeth not how the latter were identified. Still 
 they were the exceptions and not the rule. With the end 
 of the Saxon rule, there was the founding of the Ancient 
 British Church, distinct from the Papal Church, which 
 levied taxes iipon the British Christians in the reign of Ina, 
 King of Wessex, 727. The Danes, being more in touch with 
 the ancient Druidic Religion, founded a Christianit}' which 
 was compounded of the Scandinavian, the Druidic m3-tholog3', 
 and the Christian theories. This ancient* Church is per- 
 petuated even to-day in all its ascetic simplicity and force 
 in the Abbey of Llanthony, near Abergavenu}', where Father 
 Ignatius charms and instructs his people with that sweet 
 singing and effective preaching of his. 
 
 About nine hundred and fifty years ago, we saj' this 
 revivification of the ancient religion was established — Odin 
 became our Heavenly Father, and the singular mystic Church 
 began to work for the outpouring of modem times. Since 
 then, up to the present time, the power to distinguish Spirits, 
 and to devise means for an intelligent communion with them, 
 has been accumulating until fifty-four years ago, the Rochester 
 knocking inaugurated the New Dispensation. 
 
 • See Note T. on Culdees. Appendix II.
 
 448 Gleams of Liglit and 
 
 Before 900 a.d. the Spirits were always Angels — Fallen, 
 or Celestial —but since then thc}^ have been found to be 
 mortals, who having passed into the next sphere, either 
 would not or could not refrain from haunting earth, because, 
 doing their continued life-work as they had soro/i. 
 
 Volumes of folklore, of German, Scotch, Irish, Welsh, 
 and English origin, not to speak of other countries, teem 
 with tales of wehr-wolk — doppel-ganger- — polter-geist : hob- 
 goblin, fair\-, elf, pucks, sprites; m3'ods, nj^mphs, sirens, 
 salamanders, etc., and the student would do well to look 
 these up, in order to be satisfied that what we sa^^ is true. 
 
 The advent of the American mediums in England, gave 
 opportunitv to the curioiis to ascertain the cause of all the 
 ghostlv visitations and stories of elves and demons, and the_y 
 speedily found that a perfectly natural basis could be dis- 
 covered for all the phenomena. 
 
 Spirit-meetings became the rage, persons of highest 
 rank and lowliest position, went in for investigation. Tlie 
 pages of Peebles, Howitt, Britten, and others are fairly crammed 
 with reports of the proceedings of those da^-s. 
 
 From Tiverton in Devonshire — the mansion in Hatton 
 Gardens, London — Monk \\^earmouth and other places, where 
 involuntaiy mediumship had produced such marked results, 
 the Cause under the ministry of professional mediums, spread 
 rapidly all over the kingdom. 
 
 Mrs. Haydn, Miss E. F. Jay, D. D. Home, Mrs. Hall, 
 RoUiu, Squire, Mrs. Newton, The Davenports, Mrs. Guppy, 
 David Duguid, Mrs. Everitt, Mrs. Britten, J. M. Peebles, 
 Mrs. Taphan, C. Foster, Morse, Slade, Eglinton, all followed 
 each other in rapid succession, until all England was rife 
 with Spiritualism. 
 
 The provinces became affected — Cardiff sent Spriggs to 
 Australia. Home. Glade and Eglinton visited every European 
 capital: Holland, India, Chiiia, and other countries took it
 
 Glifupscs t/iiv the Rift. 449 
 
 up, so that to-day, the Spiritualists acknowledged are twentj- 
 niillions, and the unacknowledged a great manj^ more. 
 
 Pei'sons nurtured in the Church or Chapel, devout and 
 sincere believers, and participators in Theological tenets and 
 the Sacraments, were impelled to ascertain for themselves if 
 this New Revelation were true. Conscious of the Divine 
 Power within, that calm peace of God which passeth all 
 understanding, they had often felt the guidance of Unseen 
 Ones, and the}- naturally felt that if this thing were of God, 
 they ought to know it, and share it, and work for it. While 
 thousands held back constrained b}- fear and narrow bigotry, 
 the few eager souls, fearless of the opinions of the mau}^, 
 sought for themselves the Revelations of the Unseen, and 
 although at first, finding man}- obstacles in the way of their 
 full acceptance of the New Truths, yet persevered in prayer 
 and confidence in the Divine Hand that was leading them. 
 
 When they found that the Spirit's teaching upset their 
 cherished faiths, they prayed for light upon the matter, and 
 "there was light! " 
 
 The idea that Christ is the sole essential, and the sole 
 hope of Salvation, has made more people afraid of investi- 
 gation than au}-thing else. For Scripture had declared that 
 "Any who deny that Christ is the ouly Son of God, is of the 
 devil." This the Spirits did, and therefore could be of 
 nothing but Satanic origin. 
 
 This battle has been fought and won, we are glad to 
 say, by thousands of noble minds who had the coui'age to 
 follow where reason and convictions led them. 
 
 They found that Christ was a Divine emanation — a 
 Divine principle and not a man — principle that had to be 
 personified, like we personify wisdom, justice, and love, be- 
 cause the minds of the masses cannot comprehend abstract 
 things. They found that to a man named Jesus, this dynastic 
 title had been applied, and the ignorance and exaggeration
 
 450 G lea /lis of Light and 
 
 of men had confounded the two and substituted the principle 
 for the symbol. The Spiritual principle, Christ, they Reve- 
 renced still, better than ever before, for it was unattended 
 with the incongruities that attached to the God-and-nian 
 Jesus Christ. The myths and dogmas of the ages resolved 
 themselves into intelligible facts, the crystals of unsolved 
 mysteries and doubts were dissolved in the fluids of intellec- 
 tual light. The incompatabilities between Revelation and 
 science which human reason declined to ignore, and therefore 
 could not accept the dogmas of the Church until these were 
 properly explained, were made intelligible in the light that 
 Spiritualism shed. The Immaculate Conception^ — the birth of 
 a god-man b\- a A\onian, without a human father — a resur- 
 rection after burial, and other dogmas of the sort, became 
 eas}' to understand when we learned that — the birth was that 
 of a human child, begotten of a human mother, but over- 
 shadowed by, and infused with, the Divine Emanation of a 
 Hol\- Ghost. That Jesus was thus named tlie Christ, just as 
 Julius was named the Casar. The conception under such 
 circumstances was free from lust and therefore immaculate, 
 for the priests of Melchizedec must be of pure and faultless 
 origin. If fathers and mothers intelligenth' follow our 
 meaning, they will know that there is a proper time and a 
 pure motive for ever}- act of our beings, functional as well 
 as volitional, and our progeny would be f^ir less faulty and 
 frail if we observed the times and seasons, and restrained 
 our lust and appetites at all other times. 
 
 Volumes could be written upon this theme, l)ut here we 
 must content ourselves with merely touching upon it. 
 
 As for the resurrection in tangible body, that apparent 
 anomaly is explained by the theory of materialization. 
 
 Thus doubts are cleared, stumbling-blocks are removed 
 — faith finds a substratum of fact upon which to rest, and 
 knowledge conferred upon the illumined soul, marks out no
 
 G/iiii/>sis thro the Rift. 451 
 
 uncertain path of progress, and hundreds of Spirit Voices 
 call upon us to persevere, and promise to meet us at the 
 PORTALS OF THE DAWN!
 
 (Plimpst biii. 
 
 ••() Thou who existest from eternity: Thy li^lit melts the iinderstaniHiigl 
 Science is like blindinjj desert-santl on the road to thy perfection! The town of 
 literature is a mere hamlet compared with Thy world of knowledge." 
 
 Persian Scripltires.
 
 Glimpses lliro tlic Rift. 
 
 455 
 
 SECTION I. 
 
 "I celebrate the thought of a Beneficent Father, and the Sovereign Mother, 
 from whom have proceeded all creatures, their Offspring, sharing their 
 Immortality." 
 
 Hindu Scriptures. 
 
 iri)r Viicjiii i^riaci) a tjjpr of iBattrr. 
 
 u all systems of IMytholog}^ or Theogony the 
 earth has been typified as a beautiful woman — a 
 vernal virgin — througn ■whom the Supreme Deit)- 
 has unfolded His creations. 
 
 .' The earth's names are manifold, she has 
 .en called Terra, Vishnu, Isis, Rhea, Morwyn 
 (in Welsh) Mara, and Mary. 
 
 The offspring resulting from the union of 
 Hea\en with earth (Coelus with Terra) was 
 Saturn: of Osiris and Isis — Horus, who is f/ie 
 Sini. Saturn's sc3'the may represent one half of the Sun's 
 orbit (apparent) around the Earth, for the solstitial periods 
 are ver}- marked flights of time. Our old friend Father Time 
 is a modernised Saturn, for both are represented with scythes,
 
 ^:;6 Gleams of I^ii^lit (iiid 
 
 and both hold a similar relation between Heaven and Earth, 
 Time does not "breathe on the fadeless bloom" of Heaven, 
 bnt does ver}- mnch so on earth, for onr ancient edifices like 
 fossilized institutions are every year evincing symptoms of 
 decay. 
 
 Under the Divine inflnx y-Forwn (the maiden) bronght 
 forth Hn Gadarn (the Snn), the Bardic record tells ns, and 
 from the Egyptians we learn that Isis bronght forth Horns. 
 This birth of the Solar god takes place daih-; "from the 
 womb of earth the Sun god springs" ever}' moniing, for 
 he apparently rises out of the earth at the distant horizon; 
 and it also takes place every year when from the dark cave 
 of the solstice at the 25th. of December he begins anew to 
 rise, gradually increasing the arc of his altitude of ascension 
 until he reaches his highest point in midsummer, half 
 way to this point he crosses the equator —//<:■ i$ on tlic rross 
 — about the 21st. March. These dates are very singular, 
 seeing that they correspond to the dates of the birth 
 (25th. December), crucifixion (21st. March), Good Friday, 
 and xA-scension, (Mid-summer) of Jesus Christ. Is Christ a 
 personified Sun, or is 77/r Situ, a perpetual t\-pe of Christ?- 
 Now with regard to tlie Sun, it could with truth, appreciable 
 even to the most material mind, be asserted that an Immacu- 
 late Conception here takes place, for the earth, after all her 
 fruition, is a perennial virgin. 
 
 The earth, good mother nature, is the representative of 
 matter, into which the Spirit descends, as force or d\'namic 
 energy, and the offspring of Earth flourish all around us, 
 affording plenty of evidence that she is fruitful and like a 
 a good mother, replenisheth all her offspring, for in her "all 
 the families of the earth are blest." 
 
 This is exactly what was said concerning Mary at the 
 Annunciation, and we therefore claim that the Virgin and 
 the Earth, are co-types of energised matter.
 
 GIi?npscs tliro tltc Rift. 457 
 
 Horns, the Son of Isis, comes, as the poet declares, 
 
 "On the %\nngs of morn. 
 To light the vales of darkness with his beam!" 
 
 The glorious Sun comes at dawn to chase away the darkness 
 with his beam — he tinges first the mountain tops and then 
 the \-alley slopes — he kisses awaj' the dews of morning — he 
 spreads the fragrant flower cups, who lift themselves to meet 
 his loving kisses — he distils the vapours of the lakes, and 
 Uie air with kindl\- alchem}- cr3-stalizes them into dew — and 
 then, when his dail}- task is done, he sinks into the sanguine 
 west as a warrior bathed in purple blood. 
 
 He rises from the obscure caverns of the solstice, and 
 from the cold embraces of the winter gods, he wooes the 
 snow-drops, the primrose, the crocus, and the daffodil — he 
 bids the trees and bushes assume their vernal garb, and 
 dots the dingles with the catkin — he calls the tin}- spears of 
 grass to clothe the fields in brighter hue — he charms tlie 
 timid flower, and bids her unfold her loveliness — he brings 
 the blushes to the cheeks of fragrant fruits, and fills the 
 golden ears of corn: he calls the dead to life — -the 
 feeble to strength — the barren to fruitfulness : he is the 
 light of the world: he bestows the riches of the harvest: he 
 walks upon the sea, sending o'er the trackless waters the foot- 
 marks of his glory, and in a thousand ways is he the Visible 
 Redeemer and Saviour whose advent is anxiously looked 
 for and rapturously greeted by all who love light and truth. 
 Ye fanatics who ra\-e aboitt your second advents, look at 
 the daily and j-early advent of the sun — thank God for the 
 blessings y& see, for the light of the world which is daily 
 visible— that is a visible type of the invisible Creator — that 
 even the materialist can observe and appeciate, and cease 
 your wrangling upon obscure texts, about a Messiah who 
 does not appear — devote your talents and your time to the 
 
 ?, N
 
 ^^8 Gkaii/s of Lio/if and 
 
 social, moral, and Spiritual uplifting and enlightenment of 
 the race — exalt the future races into the ideal types of man 
 as he ought to be, and thai your millenium will dawn; llicn 
 shall the Sun of Man come in His glory, and every eye 
 shall see Him; then will the lion become as the lamb, and 
 the era of GOD-HUMANITY be reached. Do this, and 
 then, when the Divine emanation again ushers a priest of 
 the order of Melchizedec upon the scene of the world's 
 history, you will better be able to understand him, you will 
 receive him with universal acclamation, he will be able to 
 come unto his own, and they will not deny him; all the 
 world like wise virgins shall have oil in their lamps, and 
 there will be no recurrence of an universal rejection, and 
 a tragedy culminating on Calvary, but a race of coming men 
 prepared to receive their elder brother, shall go out to meet 
 him with music. 
 
 This is the era of Human Emancipation. Like slaves 
 loaded with chains are human beings loaded with the fettei'S of 
 usages and customs. In social life, the evils of the extremes 
 are everywhere apparent. On the one hand millions of 
 people who have bare enough to eat, and scant enough 
 to wear: toiling on, ^^ear in, year out, for their entire life- 
 times, to be re-paid by a scanty pittance doled out with 
 niggard hand: hard grasping, meanness, coA'eting, wealth and 
 luxury grinds the. poor worker in sweating shops, or ill- 
 ventilated rooms, taking advantage of ever\- petty subterfuge 
 to obtain the labour cheaply: law-instituted relief boards, 
 eaten up bj^ their excessive officialism, and swamping their 
 revenues b}- ill-conducted methods: paupers buried with no 
 more tenderness than would be vouchsafed to dogs: helpless 
 aged persons couipelled to exist on twopence halfpenny a 
 dav, and this after a life spent in honest endeavour to pay 
 their way and rear a family of workers: painters wooing art 
 for less than a dustman earns : poets and authors writhing in
 
 G/inipsis tlird tlii Rift. 459 
 
 mental agony and physical attennation nuable to keep bod}' 
 and soul together by the proceeds of their inspiration : 
 seamstresses toiling thro' twent}' hours of their weary days 
 for the price of a four pound loaf; and the thousand and 
 one abhorrent evils that are considered necessar}- in this 
 enlightened age! On the other hand, unscruplous men who 
 liold their millions with miserl\- clutch, never gi\ing to 
 charities because the trust is abused, and never to private 
 needy ones because some have been undeserving! Do they 
 deserve — those millionaires — the wealth that want of scruple 
 and dearth of conscience has brought them? 
 
 Do the}^ never abuse their gifts, by glutting their own 
 appetites and toying with costl)^ baubles. And yet the}^ 
 expect the worker to live ou a pound or less per week, 
 to den}- themseh-es of every thing the worker may have 
 deemed a luxury, or the ability to save a eoDipeteiiev against 
 old aoef 
 
 And the wealthy landowners who have never toiled, 
 what of them? Can they make some excuse for the glaring 
 anomalies of the day? No! as a class they are hedged in 
 b}- conventionalities and creeds that do not permit them to 
 consider the evils that lie around them; they close their 
 senses to the sights and sounds that are near them, and act in 
 every respect as if common or vulgar things were far beneath 
 their notice. Their breeding and culture prohibits their notice 
 o{ mere mundane matters; they leave to their stewards and 
 agents the detail of their affairs, only caring that their 
 revenues are replenishing their coflfers. The common people 
 ma}- die for aught they care, so that enough survive to attend 
 to their comforts. 
 
 Vice raises a flaunting flag right in the halls of 
 Society, her victims throng the streets a prey to bitter 
 persecution and lawless violence, while the undoer sits at 
 the haughty granddame's side asking for the brilliant
 
 ^6o Gleams of Light and 
 
 daughter's hand, and it is not withheld. The law permits a 
 heinous i sin, and brands the victim, and not the sinner: 
 women themselves smile at the faults of defilers, and shudder- 
 in o-lv draws aside their skirts, lest they touch the defiled: 
 thev keep their seamstresses and tradespeople waiting in sore 
 need, for the prices of their labour, or their goods, and 
 squander it in trifles for the gratification of vanit}': they 
 rear their daughters as automatons, and sacrifice them at the 
 altars of avarice: they dower them with gold, and relinquish 
 them to vampires, and so the world moves on, evil on every 
 hand, that, were it not for the ministry of angels, would 
 plunge poor frail liumanity into a hopeless abyss. 
 
 In these terrible social conditions, in such anomalies of 
 law, with such examples before them, pure humanity in the 
 Nineteenth Centur\' was struggling along. Here and there 
 throughout the mass there were minds who longed for better 
 things : the simple chapel goer who in his dim but steadfast 
 light, denied himself the indulgences of the many, that he 
 might please his Lord, who tried in his wa_y to tread the 
 narrow wa}- that terminated in glory, and who at his prayer- 
 meeting, or society-class spoke, of his faith, and hopes, and 
 fears — his trials and temptations, and cried as he prayed for 
 Divine blessings. 
 
 God bless those humble folks who try to do, by praver 
 and example, their "best in a bad world! 
 
 And there were the more formal devotees at Church, 
 who early and late attended matin or vesper, recited their 
 collects and praA'ers, and in the dim light of choir or cloister 
 bent their knees and bowed their heads, in devout and sincere 
 desire to win the blessing of the Most High. 
 
 To these and those a good many of us owe the foundation 
 of our religious characters, and though we have gone awa}' 
 somewhat from the formal groove of our Spiritual fathers 
 and teachers, we have ?wf gone away from the love of all
 
 Glimpses t/iro' the Rift. 461 
 
 things good, but preserve our personal peace with God, and 
 only desire with our enlarged perceptions to more full}' 
 labour for the ultimate common good. 
 
 Many of us have fought the good fight in the cluirch 
 and out of it, and we strive in pra3-erful confidence, and in 
 conscious enjo^-ment of the company of the Angel Host, to 
 do our titmost to enlighten others, and to help them to the 
 same paths by which we ourselves hope to ascend. We 
 disclaim all desire of personal aggrandizement, but launch 
 our barque upon the literary sea, in hope that it shall bear 
 upon its bosom some storm-tossed souls into the harbour of 
 ccrtai)tiy. 
 
 What purer motive can impel a human being to develop 
 his higher powers, than a desire thereb}- to be enabled to 
 assist others? 
 
 Do we suffer through our selfishness? Let us denv 
 ourselves for the benefit of others ! 
 
 Do we suffer through our passions? Let us turn tlicm 
 into the channels of sympathy and disinterested exertion for 
 the good of all! 
 
 Do we suffer because of frailty? Let us ask God and 
 His Angels for strength to endure, and stand firm upon 
 the good. 
 
 Are we apt to judge harshly? Let us go among the 
 outcasts of earth, and learn the causes of their perversion, 
 and we will probably find that were we in the same straits 
 we should sin worse than the}'. Be ready therefore to 
 lend a kindly hand and speak a sympathetic word, and do 
 all you can to counteract the evil! 
 
 Are we apt to disregard the calls of Conscience? Let 
 us take heed, and that sweet small voice shall lead us into 
 paths of Dut}' and Peace! 
 
 The Intellect of Alan has overcome the initial difficulties 
 of his career, and to-day he is able to manipulate forces that
 
 ^62 Gleams of Light and 
 
 centuries back caused him extreme trepidation. We have 
 no need ^ to tell the oft told tale, of the triumph of the 
 Intellect in the realm of Invention. The discovery of 
 methods by whi-ch water, and steam, and gas, and air, and 
 finally electricity, could be brought into the service of man 
 — the Sciences of hydraulics, thermics, dynamics, pneumatics, 
 and electro-dynamics, all potent factors in the work of 
 emancipation — have revolutionised the conditions of society, 
 but unhappily, the few only have 3'et shared the benefits 
 bestowed by those means, while the masses still struggle in 
 the fight for bread. 
 
 By the practical application of the Mental Sciences, 
 Phrenology, and Mesmerism, man has obtained valuable 
 information as to his powers, which must produce appreciable 
 results in the near future, and finally the day will come when 
 Psychology shall be added to its sister sciences, and enter the 
 curriculum of the schools. Already are large sums being 
 devoted to this fascinating study, which probably will soon 
 exceed in importance all others, for IT is the root and basis 
 of all other sciences, and will complete and crown all the 
 mental efforts, of man in that noble study — "Know thyself!" 
 Thus will Spirit triumph over matter in the mental realm, 
 and this will be but a foretaste of that higher conquest 
 the complete triumph over self.
 
 G/iffi/>si's thro' tlic Rift. 463 
 
 SECTION II. 
 
 iilattrr {inpirgnatrlJ 1))) ;:?pint. 
 
 If cattle be allowed to feed on the mountain it looks bare; shall wc therefore 
 say that barrenness is natural to the mountain ? 
 
 When the lower passions are let loose they eat down the nobler growths in 
 the heart of man ; shall we therefore say there are no such feelings ? under the 
 quiet peaceful atmosphere of mornings and evenings, the shoots that have been 
 browsed, tend to grow again." 
 
 Chinese Scripliires. 
 
 ATTER i.s frequentl}' typified by an egg, the nmndane 
 Qgg, is the earth, before the Spirit of God moved upon 
 the face of the waters, and in our celebration of Easter-tide 
 the Qgg real, and the eigg artificial, figure largely. Why should 
 this be so you ask? Because at Easter the sun is said to 
 brood over the world, sitting or overh'ing upon the equator, 
 so that his genial warmth may cause the embryo to swell 
 and grow, and the earth-egg have issue of the fruits of 
 summer. If you present a person with an Q-gg, it is a token 
 that you wish him prosperitv and plent}- — success in business 
 or in any enterprise — fruitful marriage, a harvest abundant, 
 and it is very highh" valued bv the receiver. 
 
 As the Qgg contains within itself all the potentialities 
 of future life, so matter contains within itself every element
 
 464 Gleams of LiQ'ht and 
 
 and fonn of existence, and it onl}- wants impregnating heat 
 to cause it to expand, and unfold from its wondrous stores 
 the manifold forms that Science describes for us. Thus 
 Virgin Nature, in its very essence, by the fructifying influence 
 of the solar heat, or the forces by which the Master Mind 
 works those amazing changes and developments with which 
 we are familiar, is aptly symbolised by the &gg. The Jewish 
 sacred year begins at Pasach, or as the Welsh call it Paog, 
 and the egg with them still more fully symbolises Nature, 
 for at the 21st. of March (Easter) the year is newty born — 
 the &gg is newly laid — the egg is a peace offering to the 
 Virgin Mother Mary now, as it formerly was to the goddess, 
 Ceres. Thus matter from being a merely inert mass, becomes 
 instinct with life — new processes, and new iinfoldments take 
 place, the simple developes into the complex — the one-celled 
 organism, differentiates into the many-celled — the monad 
 finall}' becomes man. 
 
 Thus far the change is a distinct triumph for tlie Spirit, 
 but does the triumph end there? Shall not victorious Spirit 
 follow up his conquests, and in the ultimate, work as great 
 a change in post-mundane man, as that which has been 
 wrought tipon this stage of existence? 
 
 Shall not the successive steps from the undeveloped 
 Spirit-man to the loftiest Seraph, be as marked by victory 
 as the earth's achievements? 
 
 flow sad is the state of man when ushered off this 
 mortal sphere. He enters there with, perhaps, the craving for 
 drink branded iipon his very consciousness: he sighs in vain 
 for the cup, and only those who have suffered from the after 
 effects of debaucher}- can imagine his sufferings. Perhaps his 
 vice was Usury, or miserliness; here he brings not his gold, 
 and he sits mumbling in the dark places, drawn near the 
 place where his wealth is hoarded, but he may not grasp it. 
 These, and such as these, it is that after discovering their
 
 Glimpses thro flic Rift. 465 
 
 power over sensitive mortals, haunt places of sin, or the 
 scenes of crime, and obsess the luckless wights that happen 
 to fall under their baneful influence. These are the devils 
 tliat possess people, and make them rend themselves in 
 demonaic frenzy — the}- are but poor misguided human beings 
 for whom we ought to pray, and try by ever}- available means 
 to assist, out of their abject or malicious miser}-. 
 
 The mass of people, even in this day, live in utter 
 disregard of their mental — much less Spiritual development — 
 they work, and eat, and drink — they indulge in passions and 
 the}- die, iitterly unprepared for the Spiritual world into 
 which they enter — the}- are entirely ignorant of its laws, its 
 methods, and its conditions, and like an unsophisticated 
 ct)untry-man in the heart of a great city, is a prey to all 
 sorts of impositions on the part of the city sharps. Alas! 
 that such as these should enter there! But what can be 
 expected, when murderers by liuuiaii /tra's are sent there 
 unrepentant? \'ice dies in the streets or in the prison cells 
 — falsely accused innocence cherishes engendered hate — the 
 sciim of the populace, and the haggard poor, alike fall under 
 the sickle of the Grim Angel — and they dail}- enter the 
 lower sphei'e taking their . vices and their sins with them. 
 They consciouslv revel in wrong-doing some of these Spirits, 
 and make the unsophisticated ones their catspaws in mischief, 
 and their buts in lawless malice. They resist with all the 
 dogged obstinacv of persistent vice, the efforts of the angels 
 to restore them to their lost estate. They live for years, 
 even for centuries of earth's time, infesting the scenes of 
 their lawless career, impressing their boon companions to revel 
 in those sports that in the lower spheres of the Spirit world 
 are analogous to the riotous sports of earth. 
 
 You oppose thro' your public joiirnals, the landing of 
 the lawless, the cripple, or the pauper upon your shore, but 
 you send your malefactors to the Spirit world unprepared. 
 
 3 o
 
 ^56 G/caiin of Lis,lit ou'^ 
 
 Can you do so without entailing upon 3'ourselves and upon 
 your fel]ows the fateful consequences? Read the disclosures 
 of the Spirits themselves, listen to what the clair\-oyants 
 have to say? Look at your own lunatic asylums and your 
 prisons, and ascertain how many are incarcerated therein 
 because of the vices that demons prompt them to practise. 
 Study the instances of mental aberration, of kleptomania, of 
 suicide, and ascertain what proportion of these are the results 
 of suggestions, and impression from the Unseen evil Spirits, 
 and vou will learn, with us, the absolute necessity on behalf 
 of our common interests, to study Spirits more, and body 
 less, and aid the Spirits, by law and example, to prepare 
 humanity luno for the future life. Study the law of control, 
 compare it with your experiments in Hypnotism, and you 
 will perceive the danger of evil "suggestion" and mesmeric 
 influence, and when you apply your knowledge to the education 
 of the rising generations, you will iisher fewer droih into 
 the Unseen World. 
 
 All these forces or powers are for the benefit of man if 
 iio'/if/y used. You can improve a defective mental attribute 
 in the human subject — you can modify an excessive de- 
 velopment, \'ou can restore that ec|uilibrium to mind and 
 body that the average man so much needs, by a judicious 
 study and use of the sciences of Physiology and Phrenolog}' 
 combined \vith Hypnotism. You could make an idiot wise, 
 a thief honest, a driinkard abstemious, and a bawd virtuous, 
 if vou knew how to use the advantages that God has given 
 you, and thev woiild afterwards maintain that honourable and 
 chivalrous deportment unto all men and 'a-oiiioi that behoves 
 them. From all THIS, then, the Spirit has got to rescue man, 
 and it will be seen that the achievement is quite as vast as 
 that which already has taken place in physical evolution. 
 Yet we kiioiv that Spirit shall triumph until every human 
 being, in flesh, or in the Spirit-body, shall exist in that
 
 G/impsis thro' the Rift. 467 
 
 liapp\- balance of character, fuuction, and environment that 
 is to distinguish the coming race. 
 
 Far above the realms of earth, and above all suns and 
 planets, there is a sphere, the happy rendezvous of all intel- 
 ligent existences, where there are gatherings of all nations 
 and kindreds and tongues. The place that the author of 
 the Book of Job had in view when he described the interview 
 between God and Satan. In that drama the devil is an 
 intelligent servant of God, commissioned to tr}- the patriarch's 
 faith. 
 
 Clairvoyants have described Spirits of fearful shape, 
 appearing among the throng in the Spiritual Rendezvous. 
 It appears that Spirits have been seen there of extremel}^ 
 \aried proportions, some ver^- minute but perfect in shape; 
 others very large, in fact, monstrosities. The clairvoyants 
 described them as "malignant looking Spirits with tails, who 
 are no more responsible for their malformation than a flower 
 is for its beaut}'." 
 
 Now Satan is invariably depicted with a tail, and clair- 
 voj-ant Job may have seen him thus ornamented on the da}' 
 when he attended the meeting of Spirits. 
 
 The tail seems to indicate that the Spirit belonged to a 
 lower order of development than man, for although human 
 science proves that there are traces in the human species* 
 of a tail-like continuation of the vertebra, they place the 
 period when the tail was possible, very far back in the remote 
 periods of human development. 
 
 There ma}' on some of the other planets^ be such types 
 of human-like tailed beings, and if so, the Spirits would 
 very likely be in evidence at an universal gathering. They 
 would probably be of a conscious order, if not low mental; 
 or their mental capacities strictly limited to their own 
 
 • Note I', .\ppenilix II.
 
 ^68 Glcaiin of Light and 
 
 sphere; but we have every reason to believe the}- zivvr seen, 
 and haye been at varions times by several clairvoyants 
 described as Spirits, from the planet Saturn ( f? ) of cunning, 
 keen, resentful Natures, slow, cold, and serpentine. 
 
 The i^'c/ira'ol/ of the German folk-lore was probabh' some 
 half-human, half-animal looking Spirit, whose appearance 
 justified the appellation. 
 
 The medium who described the above is a sensible man, 
 manager in one of the leading manufacturing firms in a 
 principal town, a man in morals irreproachable, an abstainer, 
 and a good citizen. He is no weak-minded dolt, who in a sort 
 of delirium raves about the fantastic creations of his own 
 brain, but a calm practical rational thinker who has no object 
 but to search for truth, and a desire to unflinchingly disclose 
 what he has seen and knows to be true. 
 
 Besides these he also perceived ver}' minute Spirits, he 
 termed them concentrated essences, and their beauty concrete 
 loveliness. Their penetrative power was simply marvellous, 
 as also was their symmetr}^ of form. There were no sexual 
 organs visible, and he therefore concluded they were devoid 
 of the sexual instinct. He could not tell from whence they 
 came, but they claimed that their world was purer than ours, 
 and made of the rarer and resusitated particles of older 
 worlds. This is in accord with what we have stated in respect 
 to creations of new worlds, at points of magnetic nucleation. 
 See page 321. 
 
 As we have observed, in this happv Rendezvous those 
 Spirits meet together, from every world in space, drawn by 
 Divine influx to hear what the wisest and loftiest of all the 
 Spirits have to say, and it is observed that the differences 
 that mark the lower types have wholly disappeared in the 
 exalted ones. 
 
 Daemons, elementals, progressive, and celestials meet 
 here, and to them approach the archangels of the Super
 
 Glimpsts thro the Ri/t. 469 
 
 Celestial Spheres to discourse to them concerning the laws 
 of God and His eternal purposes. 
 
 And thence, even demoniac-looking tailed ones go, 
 bearing commissions from their Divine Head, which all and 
 each endeavour to fulfil according to their light. Like the 
 High Priest in the Holy of Holies these visits are somewhat 
 infrequent, judging b}- earth's chronology, but when they 
 do occur the visible presence of tlie Shecinah appears to 
 confirm the holiness of the convocation. 
 
 What John saw while at Patmos, can be seen to-day, 
 for the eternal realm hath no variation, and not only in the 
 respect of the rendezvous, but in the spheres of angelic 
 ascension, can the gathering of all types of earth's children 
 be constantl}' seen. 
 
 God the Father thro' the agenc}' of pure Spirit — i.e. 
 dynastic emanation or Divine force — is ever revealing Himself 
 in man. He is Incarnate in every ^ood ma)i or ivonian — in 
 every considerate deed, or kindly act. His Spirit is 
 manifested in a variety of forms (Spirits) and their mission ■ 
 is to unfold and develop the powers of themselves 
 individuallj' and all the race collectivel}'. His voice declares 
 thro' Spirit to each individual interiorl}-, if we only listen 
 to that eternal voice of Conscience, and all collectivel}- by 
 the ministration of Angels, "This is my beloved Son?" 
 Holy "Ghosts" are people who having suffered and died in 
 the long ago have come off more than conqueror, are 
 ascending and descending the ladder of heaven, the glory- 
 paths of Angels, and minister to the Spiritual needs of man. 
 The Father, invisible origin of good — the Spirits, the agents 
 of good, the Sou, the visible recipient and dispenser of 
 good, are all three One in that blessed true sense that One 
 mind is therein expressed. One will performed. 
 
 Oh Father! to Thee we look for fruition in this our 
 work. We have aimed to minister to minds diseased, and
 
 470 
 
 Ghauts of Lio-lit and 
 
 souls in the thraldom of incompatibility, and bodies subject 
 to cryinig evils. Thou on Thy Throne of the Now Is, can'st 
 see what good will follow in time to man, and we pray that 
 many will heed our imperfect teachings, and be led to seek 
 for themselves the Sacred Verities. Upon the vast bosom of 
 the Ocean of Thought we \enture to launch one more addition 
 to the fleet, and despite rude winds and seething billows, 
 Thou wilt not let it be stranded on a barren shore, but will 
 make it a vessel of blessings to needy souls. May Thy people 
 read, and turn aside from prejudice and dogma to help in 
 the glorious work of upliftmeut, may the partitions of divi- 
 sion be removed, and once more an Universal Church, having 
 no creed but the Discovery, Diffusion, and Application of 
 Truth, reign supreme in the minds and hearts of men. Let 
 now Thy blessing rest upon this work.^ — AMEN.
 
 C^Iimpst ij:. 
 
 The only secret of his Power is Purity, as his only motive is Love." 
 
 I'irgiii of the World. J'. 15.
 
 Glimpses thro the Rift. 
 
 47J 
 
 SECTION ONE. 
 
 "And the Sons of God saw the daujjhters of men that they were fair." 
 
 '^^rm. 
 
 HEN the first conscious emanations of the 
 
 Divine Mind — those Beings whom we have 
 
 S~^.;' termed Atzeroth — standinof as it were on 
 
 '■• the threshold of an unexplored immensity 
 
 !P^^ — saw the infinite qualities of matter lying 
 
 ' ''^/Wxa^^^ ^ before them, inert and undeveloped, they 
 
 @!^ig) realised all the nnwronght graces — the 
 
 f^* incredible gradations — the possibilities of 
 
 combination that lay in the nnworked re- 
 sonrces of passive Nature, and gazed as a 
 lover might in rapture, upon the unconscious graces of the 
 mistress of his affections: he resolves to woo and win the 
 priceless charms that grace his peerless lady — so the Sons 
 of Light saw that the daughters of earth (Matter) were 
 fair, and they went forth to husband their development. 
 
 This is the aesoteric solution of the text heading this 
 chapter, and the results of the iinion were of so gigantic and 
 stupendous a nature, that it has well been said, "There were 
 giants in the earth in those days." 
 
 The union of force with the vehicle of force — Spirit and 
 
 3 P
 
 Aj^ Gleams of Liglit and 
 
 matter— has had results that, all apparent as they are to 
 Human Intelligence, cannot fail to strike with awe and 
 amazement, the beholder of their infinite variety and harmonial 
 relation. 
 
 When we come to think of the elements and compounds 
 known to Science— eighty or even more: of the millions of 
 worlds revolving in the heavens, comparatively few of which 
 are known, or distinguished by signs and appellations: of 
 the immense variety of strata singled out by geology, we 
 are constrained to o-xy, "How wonderful are thy works, O 
 God!" 
 
 We pause as we reflect upon the might}- avenues of 
 thought opened to our minds. 
 
 We think of the ideal gods of the Greeks and Romans. 
 Of Jupiter or Jove, the wielders of the thunderbolts: of 
 Hercules, and his mightv labours, and we realise how 
 extremely puny are our best mental efforts to grasp, much 
 less to utter or pen, an idea of themes so sublime as these. 
 
 We think of the Beings to whom God spake, "Let \\s 
 make man in our own image!" and we realise the fact, that 
 if there were intelligent assistants in His creative work, they '■ 
 must have been Beings, made, not as man a "little lower 
 than the angels," but considerably above. 
 
 Not that we presume to guage the potentiality of angel- 
 hood, but because the idea of limitation is hardly compatible 
 in such a connection, with regard to tlie attributes of the 
 Elohini. 
 
 Some distinction even finer than ////> is necessarv, and 
 thus we feel emboldened in our theme to speak of the three 
 Supreme Orders, as the Adonai, Elohim, and Sephiroth.* 
 
 Deductiveh', we feel it impossible to speak of those 
 Higher Beings; we shall only attempt it as regards the 
 
 * For names of .Sephiroth see Figure A. Diagram II.
 
 Gliii/psts thro the Rift. 475 
 
 Sephiroth: we will look into and study the attributes which 
 we realise iiinst have belonged to them. 
 
 Authority the}- had, we have no doubt, the co-relation 
 (if the faculty of Choice which is identity- with the Divine 
 Mind. 
 
 Uiidersta?idiiig and If'ise/ow enabled them to abh- and 
 wisel}- wield the rod and hold the rein over the unschooled 
 forces of Nature. 
 
 Unsi.cerz'iiig purpose Set'cie in its strict allegiance to the 
 Divine plan: masterful Poicer in directing lines of force: 
 Jlerey in permitting force to regain balance or equilibrium, 
 and Beauty as the immediate result of forces moving in 
 rhythmic alternation. 
 
 Splendour and I'ictory in the initial achievements, paved 
 the way for the Foundation of those world centres that 
 constitute the Kingdom of God, and thus were covered with 
 glory those Angelic pioneers of the wondrous scheme of 
 Evolution.
 
 1 4 
 
 A c; I, O R I F I E D SPIRIT.
 
 G/impscs thro the Rift. ^jj 
 
 (ITljr Jluminants. 
 
 ■They liriiij; tlie whole Universe down to their feet and comprehend in tnilh 
 everj' world and all Ijie planets with infinitely more potent thoujjht and Siiiriliuil 
 accuracy than I can even understand." 
 
 A. J. Dai'ics. 
 Voices from Summer Land. p. 191. 
 
 "Through his consciousness 
 Streamed the eternal sunrise: 
 Cities and temples of celestial space 
 Were mirrored in his mind." 
 
 T. L. Harris. 
 
 ALl^MINANT is one whose vision is open to the Spheres 
 of Wisdom — through whose soul the Saints re\'eal 
 themselves — and portions of their advanceed knowledge. 
 
 Tliere are seldom three Luminants in a century and 
 sometimes entire centuries pass without one being apparent. 
 
 The}' generally meet with their death at the hands of 
 their fellow-man, or else they voluntarily sacrifice it for 
 others. 
 
 They are supposed b}- their contemporaries to be insane, 
 and the visions of the Iliglicr Trutln which they perceive, 
 when disclosed to the unprepared, seem to be so many 
 instances of mental aberration or delirium. 
 
 The Celestial world is to them real and tangible — they 
 live far more in // — on the Spiritual plane — than they do in 
 this material world. 
 
 Their souls perceive, radiating from the highest heavens,
 
 _j.y8 Ghaii/s of Lii^lit and 
 
 long paths of light, which are the glory-paths, and they 
 behold ^he ascent and descent of Spiritnal beings, who come 
 and commune with them — opening up their Spiritnal 
 perceptions to a still wider range of eternal ixali/y. 
 
 Thej' have so little to do with the world and its \-anities 
 — they live so much in the interior — that they become 
 impractical as regards this world and its usages. 
 
 Their works, be they painters, poets, musicians — or 
 even simple rustics whose pastoral duties permit interiority, 
 — can never please the more material minds that surround 
 them. 
 
 They aim in Art or Poes}' to weave into the technicalities, 
 somewhat of the transcendant glow that to their souls is so 
 familiar: they find too often, that their best efforts fall far 
 short of their ideal, and in very agon}- of impotence they 
 destroy many valuable records of their skill. 
 
 When an artist, a sculptor, or a poet succeeds, in limning, 
 shaping, or verbalizing his ideal, the work stands a model 
 for the ages — a masterpiece inimitable and be3'ond value. 
 
 No man, without this Interior Illumination, can create 
 a lasting monument to what has been called genius, but 
 which is really a capacity to express the perceptions of 
 Eternal Yerit\-. 
 
 Let the world gaze upon the masterpieces of Murillo, 
 Titian, Angelo, Milo, and others ; let them know that therein 
 are embodied some ideas of Truth and Beauty as they exist 
 in the Divine Mind, but only portrayed with fidelity to 
 the real, in proportion to the degree of rapport with the 
 Divine Mind, which each individual possessed. 
 
 In fact, the whole vast field of the Universe is a scene 
 wherein is played the drama of Mediumship. 
 
 All things are the mediums of God's eternal purpose: 
 and each in turn, controls some other medium, until the 
 outmost confines of Infinitude is reached.
 
 G/i infuses tliro the Rift. 479 
 
 The shades of the mighty dead niav walk along the 
 Glory-Paths and inspire the minds of those who are responsive, 
 with sublime enlightenment, bnt they themselves are but the 
 mediators between the higher and lower orders of Celestial 
 Beings. 
 
 The very faculty that enables a man to idealize Beauty, 
 Purity, and Truth, can fixintly comprehend the Divine 
 Presence, but that comprehension is in everv man only the 
 embodiment of his own highest Spiritual aspiration. 
 
 Tliis ideal has been shaped in marble, depicted on canvas, 
 enshrined in verse and echoed in musical sj^mphony. The 
 bands of Inspiring Angels can onh' accelerate and exalt — 
 amplify as it were — the ideals they find upon the thrones of 
 human conception 
 
 They cannot purify gold that is not present —they 
 cannot cut into exquisite shape a diamond of all dross — thc}^ 
 cannot mould the heart in goodness if the desire for good 
 be absent. 
 
 The Luminants on earth have been called Illuminatti, 
 Saints, Visionaries, and Seers by those who have sympathised 
 with them, but appellations the reverse of polite — Wizards; 
 witches ; fools ; cranks and madmen — by those whose antipathies 
 are roused. 
 
 Tlius Joan of Arc has been dubbed at once a Saint and 
 a Witch. 
 
 When Murillo painted tliat first attempt of his— the 
 portrayal of the Virgin and Child — he was doubtless inspired 
 by a Luminaut Spirit who saw rich promise and recepti\-itv 
 in the boj-. 
 
 The voices and visions the Maid of Orleans heard and 
 saw, were the efforts of some Spirit who had the safet}^ of 
 France at heart. 
 
 The 'demon' of Dante and the 'familiar' of Plato were 
 no doubt guardian Spirits who overshadowed them for good.
 
 480 Gleams of Light and 
 
 You sing iu your Churches, 
 
 "Come Holy Ghost for moved by Thee, 
 The Prophets wrote and spoke," 
 
 while at the same time 3'ou deny the possibility of Spiritual 
 inspiration and prophesy in modern times. 
 
 What does it matter ivJw we suppose the inspiring 
 influence to be, so that it is pure Spirit, whether it be 
 collectively — Holy Ghosts, or individualized — the Holy Ghost? 
 
 The chief consideration should be, "Am I inspired to 
 do right?" not "Who is it that is inspiring?" 
 
 If it is to do right — what matter it whether it be a 
 disembodied human Spirit or the Holy Ghost of Theology-? 
 
 "Friend, be thou pure, and Hol}'^ Spirits shall guide 
 thee: but if thou be not, evil ones may lure thee astray, to 
 thine undoing!" 
 
 When the Divinel}- Inspired, and iuteriorh' illumined 
 ones on earth shall pass into the Unseen world — a world to 
 them quite familiar — the}- become initiates of the Divine 
 Order of Luminants, of whom there are three degrees. 
 
 The Supreme Luminants — Grand Masters of their Order 
 — who are classed along with the super-celestial Spirits we 
 treat of elsewhere. The}' have reached that state of complete 
 accord with the Divine ]\Iind which the Druids had iu 
 contemplation when they spoke of the borders of Gw3'nf3'd 
 and Ceugant. 
 
 They are masters and controllers of the forces of Nature, 
 for they know how to use them wisely and well. With them 
 is Authority, Wisdom, and Power. 
 
 The Inspiring Luminants are the next in order. To 
 them is committed the task of ruling the minds — intellectual 
 and aspirational — of men. They collectiveh' are tlie Holy 
 Ghost, for the}^ are the power of God unto Salvation. 
 Through them He rules the hearts and consciences of men.
 
 G/iinpses thro the Rtft. 481 
 
 The}- are recruited from the ranks of the teachers of this 
 and other worlds, not teachers of ^-our Universities — your 
 da)- and Sunday-schools— but all those who by precept and 
 example sought to infuse a desire for, and practice of, a 
 better life, into the minds of their fellows. 
 
 The third order is that of the Messenger Luminants. 
 These convey to worlds of matter the instructions and guidance 
 of the Supreme. They bear the tidings of love and solace 
 to souls afflicted with grief. 
 
 The}' tell of the joys supernal that await the triumphant 
 Spirit, and they incite to better lives, to nobler motives, and 
 to more exalted aspirations. 
 
 It is the custom of the Luminants, at periods which 
 are marked by angular aspects in the revolution of Herschel 
 around the Sun, to seek for a disciple among the receptive 
 of the earth-sphere, upon whom the mantle of the Order may 
 descend. The selected aspirant shines on earth for a more 
 or less brief period, imparting the teachings of the Supreme 
 to the generation in which they live, and after their time of 
 probation and effort is over, there follows death or translation. 
 
 By translation, we mean a period of voluntary isolation, 
 cut off altogether from the world and its vanities, and finally 
 a volitional entry into the great Beyond. So attenuated 
 becomes their hold on life, and physical vitality, that they 
 vield up the ghost, simply by an effort of their own will. 
 
 Then on the transcendental planes they become 
 messengers of the gods — winged Mercuries of whom it has 
 been said, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet 
 of Him who bringeth good tidings of Peace and Salvation!" 
 
 They come down the glory-paths, bringing rays of 
 Divine unfoldment, and their feet gleam white in the 
 pathways of peace; while shouts of joy follow the fannings 
 of their wings. 
 
 It is with feelings of reverential gratitude that the 
 
 3 Q
 
 482 Gleams of Light and 
 
 Recorder inscribes the name of the inspirer of these pages — 
 the Messenger Luminant. — T. S. W.
 
 ((?Itmpst y. 
 
 "And yet as Angels, in some brighter dreams, 
 Call to the Soul when man doth sleep : 
 So some strange thoughts transcend our wonted Ihenies. 
 And into glory i)eep." 
 
 / 'aiighii. 
 
 " During earth life always overshadowed by a presence, he thought it was the 
 v\ Gabriel, and was christened Gabriel." — 1546.
 
 Glimpses (liro the Ri/t. 
 
 485 
 
 <rf)r IDiriavrf))) of ti)r faints. 
 
 '• It has often puzzled students of Spiritual Science to account for the fact that 
 ill many of the Spirit circles Spirits control who claim to be an Apostle, a Saiut, 
 .1 Saviour, or a Prophet."* 
 
 Passage from Mrs. Britten. 
 
 T often occurs that in circles composed of people 
 
 whose minds are of a very illiterate character, 
 
 Spirits who claim to be of lofty eminence very 
 
 frequently manifest, it appears, incongruous that 
 
 ^' this should be so, when at circles whose members 
 
 are of a higher intellectual order — persons of 
 
 profound mental calibra, inspired by the loftiest 
 
 aspiration — such controls rareh' ever appear. It 
 
 is frequentl}' asserted at some of the meetings of 
 
 the humblest classes, that Elijah, Ezekiel, St. 
 
 John, St. Paul, and even Jesus, have controlled, and we here 
 
 desire to give an explanation of the apparent anomaly. All 
 
 • Apostolic letters in miserable grammar and worse spellinjf, were palmed off 
 as jcenuine productions from the seventh sphere; and all the crudities of impressible 
 minds, stimulated half to frenzy by the contagious e.xcitement of the times, were 
 set down as direct communications from exalted ancients, whose authoritive teachings 
 no doubt emanated from the fantastic imaginations of self-psychologised persons. 
 It would indeed have recjuired a more rc-crcativc power than any that Divine 
 Wisdom as vet intrusted to Spirits or mortals, to fashion those elements into order, 
 or to bring forth the wise dicta of Science from such disturbed magnetic conditions. 
 — Hist. Mod. Spiritualists, p. 52.
 
 486 Ghdi/is of Lio^ht and 
 
 those names appear to iis to be generic, mncli the same as 
 the tit|e Caesar was applied to the Roman Emperor, while 
 the fact remains that originally the roots of the \\'ords in 
 question were but symbols of the attributes of God. From 
 the Divine Centre, emanations are being constantly extromitted 
 into the realm of matter to the utmost circumference of the 
 Universe, and each of those emanations bears the attributes 
 of Deity ; in their passage the}- impress upon the world 
 of sense their individual influence, and human beings who 
 are bom in the lines of their radiation are virtualh- repre- 
 sentatives of one of those attributes. Moses and Christ are 
 descended from a common root in the early Sanscrit language, 
 for Moses means in the comparatively modern acceptance of 
 the word a law-maker, and Christ a law-fulfiller ; thus it will be 
 seen that there is a strict analogy between the two, they are 
 only a lesser and greater development of the emanation which 
 we shall call lan^'. Not that there was a primordial Moses, or 
 an original personalitv named Christ, for both apply to pure 
 abstract principles, in fact ONE principle, which was a Divine 
 emanation. Thus there have been many named Moses and 
 manv named Christ, and all Spiritiial entities born under 
 the influence of that Divine ra}- may with truth call them- 
 selves by the generic name. The Christ principle has its 
 representatives in e\ery sphere, in which it might be regarded 
 as an iiltitiiatc, A\'hile in the same sphere the Mosaic character 
 is relatively ilinpriiiiafi : or in Biblical language, "Moses began 
 the law, and Christ fulfilled it." The same might be applied 
 with respect to all the other sacred names in the Christian, 
 Hebrewic, and Oriental cosmogonies. 
 
 The names of Buddah, Mahomet, Moses and Christ, 
 David and Jesus, are thus resolved into symbols of the 
 Divine ciitrihutes. In the sixteenth centur^• a martA'r was 
 burnt at the stake for blasphemy because he dared to affirm, 
 that the archangel Gabriel was in constant and visible
 
 G/im/>ses thro the Rift. 487 
 
 association with him ; and now as a glorified Spirit, John 
 Seldon believes that the mantle of the archangel has descended 
 upon him, and that he is of a truth a Gixbricl. The claim 
 is not so preposterous as it first appears, for in his person 
 he is as true a t3-pe of that attribute as the late Emperor 
 of the French was a member of the Napolean famih\ Each 
 Divine Emanation creates a dj-nast}' peculiar to itself, of 
 kings, princes, nobles, priests, and peasants, each of whom from 
 the humblest to the highest is a relatival}' true representative 
 of that particular attribute, and it might be possible in a 
 circle of the peasant rank for a Gabriel to appear whose 
 mental development is but very little superior if not on a par 
 with his audience; if it should be the lot of an investi- 
 gator (whose intelligent mind has conceived an exalted ideal 
 of what an archangel should be), to sit at a seance with those 
 humble folks, and the controlling Gabriel appear on an infinitely 
 lower plane than his conception seemed to warrant, let him 
 not doubt and scoff, for the claim could doubtlessly be sub- 
 stantiated if an intelligent appreciation of the law of dynastic 
 emanation obtained in his own mind. What a marvellous 
 law! what infinite grades of Elijahs, Gabriels, and Christs 
 throng the rounds of the ladder of Spiritual progression. 
 How man}' Jacobs in the Spirit realms are watching the 
 angels of light ascending and descending? How many Davids 
 with their slings are slaying the Goliaths of colossal faults 
 that threaten their progressive peace? How many Moses' 
 are bringing the law from the mountain heights to the 
 valleys of undevelopment? And how many Christs go bearing 
 the gospel of peace to the souls of the Unquiet? Those 
 Spiritual grades are as well defined to their particular 
 inhabitants as the various colours of the spectrum are to 
 the students of optics, — as the many-coloured arch of the 
 rainbow to the shepherd on the hillside : — and after all they 
 are but ONE merging into the white light of the absolute
 
 ^88 Glcai/is of Light and 
 
 existence, and are therefore entitled to due consideration as 
 units of the infinite whole; perchance in its own sphere, 
 each Spirit of the genera Christ might do that good which is 
 requisite. The earth-world is full of those representatives 
 of the Divine principles, each of Avhom is respectively work- 
 ing for the common weal, and the ethics of social science 
 will not be complete, until some order has arisen out of the 
 chaotic jumble, and the Abrahams, the Davids, and the Christs 
 are allotted their respective spheres. 
 
 Christ could not have perforined the part of Moses, nor 
 Moses the part of David, nor he the part of Abraham, j-et 
 each has a distinct value in the Divine econom}-, and this 
 brings into our consideration the fact that whatever incon- 
 gruety maj^ appear in a man's aptitude for his position in 
 life, it may be traced to the fact that perhaps a Moses has 
 been forced to attempt a David's task. Each of the ancient 
 dispensations were deemed necessary for the purpose of man's 
 emancipation, each was adapted to the period to which it 
 belonged, and so the social grades of life are probably strictly 
 necessary in the development of a given race, on their march 
 from barbarism to the summits of civilization and that which 
 is true with regard to the history of the world, must be 
 equally true in respect to a nation and a communit}-; they 
 have their patriarchal, their prophetic, and their Messianic 
 eras, and the Abraham of the one is as necessary as the 
 Messiah of the other. They are only indications of successive 
 stages, and it should be the province of social science, b}- the 
 aid of Phrenology and Psychology to determine the rank of 
 human beings, on the lines of influence under which they 
 were bom, and not, upon the existing lines of capital and 
 labour, wealth and poverty, or of aristocracy, mediocrac}^ or 
 democracy. We recommend the members of the Fabian 
 society to study the suggestions here laid before them. 
 
 Society composed iipon those lines would be a delightful
 
 Giif/it^ses thro I lie Rift. 489 
 
 novelt_y. If social gradations were defined with trne regard 
 to the considerations propounded, we should locate every 
 person in his proper sphere, and the greatest anomah' of 
 civilization, nameh', incojiipatibility, would be banished for 
 ever from our midst. 
 
 What we claim is that most of the early personalities in 
 ever}- S3'stem of cosmogou}-, are personified attributes of 
 Deit}', or else a generic name for a race ; and if the race 
 preserve that generic character — or if the characteristics of 
 the founder of the race or dynast}- are perpetuated in the 
 descendants, especially in the male issue — first sons of elder 
 sons — then the name would appl}- equally to the first or the 
 last representative of the family. It is a common boast among 
 persons who pride themselves upon their pure descent from 
 the original stock, that they have the Charteris's nose, or the 
 Mowbray's eves, or the fire of the Cholmondleys to betoken 
 and authenticate their claints. 
 
 We know that among the Hebrews the entire tribe of 
 Levi were set aside for the priesthood, and even to this day 
 the people of that name and the Cohens take precedence over 
 all the rest in Sacerdotal matters. We don't for a moment 
 propose, much less insist, that every person of the name of 
 Levi are true descendants of the dynastic emanation, indicated 
 bv that name: it were better if they were, for then, if all 
 other lines were equally unmixed, we should have a true 
 priesthood of devout and holy men, and not the covetous, 
 unspiritual blind leaders of the blind that too many wearers 
 of the cloth are to-day. 
 
 If you examine the ideas concerning the Sephiroth in 
 another chapter, you will find that each of them is repre- 
 sented in Sacred History by a personality, winding up with 
 Malkuth, also called Tzedic, or Melchizedec, the first type of 
 which is mentioned in the time of Abraham. The next re- 
 presentative is Christ, who is called a High Priest of the 
 
 3 R
 
 4go Glai/iis of Light and 
 
 order of Melcliizedec. This gives us the keystone to the 
 whole fahfic, and enables us at once to estimate the true 
 character and ofhce of the Messiah, and his relation to the 
 Universal Plan. 
 
 In each cycle of the world's history there would be a 
 recurrence of the line of Melchizedec, the last of whom in 
 that particular era would probably manifest to a superlative 
 degree the peculiar qualities of the dynastic emanation : while 
 all the minor representatives remain practically unknown. 
 In each grade of social life, and in each sphere, both on the 
 terrestrial plane and Spiritual plane, there would be dis- 
 coverable, were we acquainted with its laws, lineal 
 representatives of the same faniil}', quite as distinct, probably 
 more distinct, than we could find in the physical family 
 likenesses of our own kindred, as we of earth understand 
 that term. 
 
 It has probably been remarked that Spirits declare that 
 earthly ties of kindred are not held in the same regard in 
 the Spirit lands — that affiuity is the real bond that prevails 
 — but it has been the experience of a comparative few to 
 learn that affinity means the law of the d^'uastic emanation. If 
 you discover in a modern mind, a well defined similarity 
 (judging b}- their literary or artistic work) to an ancient 
 mind, the probabilities are that both are representati\'es of 
 the same Divine Dynasty; and if you could get the correct 
 time of birth of both individuals, you would find that they 
 were born under similar planetary aspects, and thus b}' 
 degrees, human science could locate each person in his or her 
 proper sphere, and we should no longer allow butchers or 
 blacksmiths to don the habiliments of the priesthood; a 
 Spiritual teacher to delve for coal in the bowels of the earth: 
 a Handel or a Mozart to reek at a puddling forge; but 
 ever}' man and woman by virtue of their royal descent would 
 meet their affinities and perform their duties in their proper
 
 Glii/ipsis thro the Rift. 491 
 
 sphere. In Spirit life this happy arrangement is speedily 
 effected by the guidance of those lofty ones to whom the 
 law is known, and by whom we are authorised to show 
 human science how to acqnire, at least, the rndiments thereof, 
 in preparation for the glorions day when all wrongs shall be 
 righted, and conflict for ever cease. 
 
 Having due regard for the considerations just propounded, 
 what is to prevent a humble mortal from becoming an arch- 
 angel ? As the Sephiroth are types of the Spirit's descent 
 into matter, so the archangels are types of the Spirit's triumph 
 over matter. The archaic crowns that encircle those conquer- 
 ing brows have been won in hard conflict with the world, 
 the flesh and the devil, (or the difficulties of environment, 
 hereditary weakness, and exterior evil influences,) but the 
 attributes of good are ever triumphant, and they bear upon 
 their ascending pinions the souls of the ransomed, as the 
 followers of Christ believe that their Master will come again 
 rejoicing, bringing His sheaves with Him. 
 
 It must not be suppo.sed that after earth's battles 
 have been fought, that there are no other fields to conquer, 
 there are no Spirit Alexanders sighing of insatiable covet- 
 ousness! for the lofty heights of Spirit attainment have ever 
 appearing crests, that invite to fresh exertion and greater 
 glory. 
 
 \\'hen we have "shuffled off this mortal coil" and crossed 
 the threshold of the great unknown, we discern that not 
 yet can we throw aside our arnu:)ur, and sheath our weapons, 
 but must constant effort make to overcome our foes. Our 
 breastplates ma}- show the dints of many a hai'd fought 
 fight, but our earthly tendencies, our loves, oiir hates, our 
 desires, or our greed, restrain our devotion to our grand ideal, 
 and not until we have conquered them shall our feet begin 
 to scale the heights.
 
 (!5limps^ Til 
 
 Spirits taught that God was a grand Spiritual Sun, life on earth a probation, 
 the spheres different degrees of compensation or retribution. Nothing of Christ; 
 absolute denial of vicarious atonement — man his own saviour. 
 
 433. ./;•/ .Vas-ic.
 
 G/iw/'Sfs thro the Rift. 
 
 495 
 
 SECTION I. 
 
 Spirits as tor fenoto tf)rm. 
 
 "Our hell is not to pass into other states, but to live in our own." 
 "The base passions of our lives became engraved upon our Spirits, that all 
 who looked upon us from a higher plane, beheld us transfigured into the sem- 
 blance of animals whose natures we partook ot. The forced enactments of our 
 earthly follies are parts of our penance. On earth such revels are our heaven — in 
 the spheres they are our hell!" 
 
 "Ladv Castlcmain." Sinetcciith Ciiilurv Miracles. 1'. q8. 
 
 F Spirits as we know them, we can more freely 
 
 speak, we are treading on more familiar ground, 
 
 ^^, and years of experience with Seers and clair- 
 
 ^^ voyants — in constant intercourse with the 
 
 I'i^gS^. Spirit world — enables us to treat of them in 
 
 no uncertain way, but as records of dear and 
 
 valued friends. 
 
 Of personalities, here we will not speak, our 
 experience and the testimonies of Spirits them- 
 selves lead us to conclude that there are Yna.ny 
 grades of consciousness and progression in that interior 
 realm we denominate the Spirit world. But we onl}- name 
 seven, and call them the progressive spheres.* 
 
 • See Figure E., Diagram II.
 
 4^6 Glcaii/s of Liglit and 
 
 The first, or as some will have it the second, counting 
 the earth-plane as one, is the place of elementary and earth- 
 bound Spirits. Here, by the term, elementar}-, we mean, 
 those people of earth, who led purel)' animal lives, only to 
 gratify animal appetites and possibly to labour, but onl}' as 
 a means to get wherewithal to gratif}' their appetites. 
 
 Of mental life they have little or none, and what the\' 
 have is chiefly confined to the domestic and laboric planes. 
 There are man}- however whose reason seems to be below 
 rather than on a par with the sagacitj' of a dog or horse; 
 whose brains manifest extremel}^ meagre development, often 
 less than that of an ape, and when they die, or pass away as 
 we prefer to phrase it, they are virtually elementary plus some 
 little mental power. They are quite ignorant of an intelli- 
 gent appreciation of their more favourable condition — know 
 nothing of the forces that lie at their hand, or even of 
 the means of development at their disposal, and indeed, too 
 often exist with absolutely no desire to better themselves, 
 miich less benefit others. 
 
 They are therefore cats-paws or tools in the hands of 
 tricky or malicious Spirits, chiefly of the second sphere, who 
 having passed beyond the immediate attraction of earth, 
 and unable directly to use facilely the lower earth magnetisms 
 for their purposes, use the elemental Spirits as their 
 mediums and woi'k all manner of mischief. Spirits who 
 are not actuated b}- good, have not, nor do the}- acquire 
 the power to influence every lower grade, so that tricky 
 Spirits are sometimes deprived of the power to work evil 
 direct . 
 
 The elementar}- Spirits are frequently in a state of torpor, 
 stupid, and inappreciative, they often give incorrect inform- 
 ation, and are therefore )iot reliable informants. 
 
 Biit sometimes they have wondrous powers in the mani- 
 pulation of matter. To those we owe most of the phenomena
 
 G/i>iipscs thro' tlic Rift. 497 
 
 of the seance room, especially when they have the aid of 
 other elementary Spirits, non-human, or rather pre-human, 
 which they very often have. 
 
 The inhabitants of the second sphere are chiefly those 
 for whom the earth has still a charm, and the}-, as to a great 
 part, live in discontent, and are unprogressive : that is the}' do 
 not possess that desire to attain to lofty Spirituality which 
 distinguish the truly progressive. They retain their idiocyn- 
 ci'asies, and some of their faults and vices: they seek rather 
 to enjoy the society of those like themselves, and often unite 
 for what the}- regard as fun, much as a schoolboy does, who 
 delights to ring door bells and then run away and watch the 
 irate domestics shake their fists in wrath. 
 
 It is not that they enjoy evil, so much as that they 
 cannot distinguish evil from good, lacking in that 
 appreciation of the good, the real, and the true, which marks 
 a wise man superior to a fool. 
 
 In the third sphere the desire to learn, observe, and 
 use is paramount: the Spirits of this sphere are very 
 useful to the student of immortality, for here they begin to 
 understand the raiso)i if ctrc of the laws and conditions of 
 Spirit, and indeed uni\ersal life, and are therefore mentors 
 not to be despised. They can advise, such as in business 
 matters, on educational points, etc; restrain, when they see 
 peril or pain in front of us; reprove, when they see we 
 deserve and need it; and assist, when they see conditions 
 afford the chance, and that we are in want of their 
 ministrations. 
 
 They often retain their prejudices and dogmas in this 
 sphere, and are apt to colour, more or less, the descriptions 
 and ideas they give with the hues of their preconceptions. 
 Spirits of the fourth and fifth are more reliable; of wider 
 mental grasp; of more correct ideas; of more definite 
 information ; and persons on earth think themselves extremel}-
 
 498 Gleams of Light and 
 
 lucky if they get visitants from the fourth, and more so, 
 from the fifth spheres. 
 
 Those of the sixth and seventh rarely return into direct 
 contact with earth, for although they can do so Avhen 
 conditions are suitable, and circles select as in Holy Houses 
 and Religious Brotherhoods with far greater potentiality and 
 wisdom than those of the less developed grades, yet they find 
 the incompatibility on the whole painful and distasteful and 
 prefer to do so by proxy, at ordinary seances. 
 
 SUMMER LAND. 
 
 The Siimmer-land is variously placed b^^ students of the 
 Spirit world, perhaps because of the haphazard statements 
 of ill-informed, undeveloped Spirits, but a concensus of 
 opinion, and the testimony of clairvoj'ants, place it at the 
 apex of the progressive states, and justly so, for as its name 
 implies it is the state of fruition the ultimate of the 
 probationary or progressive states. 
 
 The Spirit attains there to a passivity that is reallj^ a 
 necessary interlude, as we should suppose, prior to the com- 
 mencement of the Celestial progressional career. 
 
 Here all the analogues of flowers and fruit bloom in 
 perpetual beauty, the soul in tranquil felicity, the Spirit in its 
 garb of white, drinlcs of the streams of eternal joys, and then, 
 like a giant refreshed with new wine, mounts the paths of 
 progression with renewed vigour, resolved to win the crown 
 Immortality. 
 
 OF THE MUNDANE ELEMENTALS. 
 
 These are Spirits peciiliar to certain grades of matter, 
 we are told that there are Spirits of wood, of iron, etc.,
 
 G/inipscs titro ilic Rift. 499 
 
 which have power in their respective domains, in snch a 
 manner that if a man is bom nnder certain astrological 
 signs he acqnires a power over certain elemental Spirits, 
 that they nsnally give help in such departments of his 
 business, or life as is within their jurisdiction, and in such 
 businesses onl}- is the man happ}-. 
 
 Thus one bom under fire}- signs,* if engaged in 
 smelting, forging, or in any way dealing in iron, would be 
 successful, because of the potences of these elemental Spirits, 
 and could furthermore locate the positions of iron lodes, 
 veins, or strata, b}- aid of an hazel wand in the manner of 
 water-finders — who are born under watery signs — and are 
 Nature's masters of water}- Spirits." 
 
 We are acquainted with a horse-shoeing smith — who is 
 clairvoyant, — his power over restive horses is proverbial in 
 the town in which he works, and fierce horses whom no other 
 smith can shoe, are quite passi\e under his treatment, — he 
 usuall}- sees these horses covered for the time being with 
 elementals, whom liis Guardian Spirit calls together when a 
 troublesome horse is brought in. At all times he sees one 
 or more of these elementals about, but never in such quan- 
 tities as when the groom would sa}-, "You'll have a job 
 with him, he don't like being shod." 
 
 In form these Spirits vary, very much, but those 
 that w-e have had described, and some of us have seen, 
 are of a minute or rather diminutive human form, in stature 
 about three feet, although those of the fire, are perceived 
 in mvriads of queer forked figures averaging as many inches. f 
 
 The^• are generally ruled b}- a being in human form, 
 and of average human stature, but they appear and indeed 
 claim to be bisexual, having the dual functions of father 
 and mother. 
 
 * See Plate 43. t See figure of Flame Spirit.
 
 coo Gleams, of Light and 
 
 And furtliermore, these chiefs have the power of calling 
 into being, subiectively and objectively, as many of these 
 inferior Spirits as the}- will, by a volitional rather than a 
 functional process. 
 
 OF ELEMENTALS. 
 
 Simon of Bavaria relates that a woodman named Uldrich 
 bent beneath his load of wood, was prostrated by the way, and 
 sunk down to the earth unable to move ; the Spirits of 
 the wood, having compassion on him, speedily transported his 
 load to the old man's home, and fain would also have 
 carried him thither, but were powerless. "We cannot aid 
 thee, Uldrich!" they cried. "God help me then!" the poor 
 man sighed. iVnd as he spake, lo! the Spirits of earth, 
 air, fire, and water and their hundred gnomes, came rushing 
 to his aid, and they bore him swiftly through the air, and 
 set him on his feet at his own tlireshold. Marvellous to 
 relate, the goodman felt hearty and restored, and he, mar- 
 velling at so great a miracle, was told that the elemental 
 Spirits had each bestowed upon him of their own substance, 
 and thus wrought healing; and moreover, that they could, 
 by the authority and will of God, have made him young 
 again. Thus we see how potent are Spirits in their respective 
 domains, and how much more so collectively, and that we 
 have only to utter the magic talisman, i.e. praj-er of faith in 
 extremity, and they rush to our assistance.* 
 
 OF DAEMOUS. 
 
 These are a class of Spirits that, while being the lowest 
 
 * See Appendix II., Note W.X.Y.
 
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 s 

 
 G//w/>si-s tliro the Rift. 501 
 
 possible grade of Intelligences, are verj- powerful as vehicles 
 of that force which has its fruition in developed man. Thej-, 
 however, are so identified with the verv conditions and 
 environment, or material basis of their being, that the}- are 
 not to be considered apart from it. Thej' have only motion 
 in the substance, sometimes diagonal and sometimes volute, 
 and are possibly described in the words "a sort of nomadic 
 limpet," (an univalve adhesive crawler) attached to and in- 
 separable from the material in which the}- have their existence. 
 They lend their aid to the other elementals, and act as a 
 connecting link between Spirit and matter. Of their form 
 we know but little, those that have been seen are corkscrew- 
 like, with pointed heads resembling those of embrj'onic 
 infants, but they are capable of at will assuming star-shapes, 
 volutes, and other forms, radiating their extremities from the 
 central head. 
 
 So far we go in this very interesting subject, showing 
 that even the salamanders, gnomes, elves, and other uncanny 
 folks of fair\- lore, have their originals in the actuallv seen 
 denizens of the material world.* 
 
 In the first of those progressive spheres, tliat denomin- 
 ated the earth-bound, we find those whom the passions and 
 lusts of earth still hold in bondage, and if we ourselves feel 
 no such restraint it behoves us to help our suffering brothers, 
 and like Christ preach to the souls that are in prison. 
 "Pray with all the fervour of your nature, pray until every 
 fibre of your being vibrates with ardent tension — pray until 
 
 * Spirit is universal, "for though we may find it so hidden away in the 
 mineral kingdom that we can only detect growth and decay as the result of 
 changes in force or the life of things— j'et rocks disintegrate into vegetable forms 
 which again give birth to insect life, or animal forms, while the very lowest of 
 these steadily march upward through various grades of expanding intelligence 
 without one viissiiig link, until we arrive at the culmination of earthly lieing — 
 man." 
 
 Unseen. Universe, p. 5i-
 
 502 Gleams of Light and 
 
 the radiant liosts of heaven respond to your appeal, and 
 with theiri powerful hands rend the chains asunder, and you 
 and your first-born Spirit-child rise a step into the great 
 beyond." 
 
 In the second sphere a certain amount of selfish 
 discontent is observable; here dwell those easily satisfied 
 non-aspirational people, who, let them follow the bent of 
 their own inclinations and give them their boon companions, 
 ask for no other heaven. Here are seen the narrow-minded 
 sectarians, who discard the claims of all other forms of 
 belief than their own, who discountenance all heretics or 
 schismatics, and who in churches and chapels of their 
 own construction, go up to worship with unfaltering regularity, 
 and solemn sameness. They gather in sects and societies, 
 preach and discuss their own articles of faith, sing their own 
 h\-uins, and believe tlie\- are veritabh' holy; this is the 
 sphere of "self." 
 
 For they hope for Christ there! Deluded people! He 
 has received them to Himself, and they regard all hints as 
 to possible higher progression and more exalted Christs, as 
 being the ravings of Fallen Angels who lead demented lost 
 ones into unimaginable hells. Here there are societies of 
 Socialist and Atheists, wlio are anticipative of democratic 
 triumphs, who deny all things they cannot handle, and 
 discredit belief in God or Heaven, quite as ardentlj- and 
 unflinchingly as they did in earth life, anomalous as it may 
 seem to us; here sportsmen and gamblers indulge in their 
 favourites pastimes with unabated zest, and in short, all 
 that is unprogressive, and selfish in earth-life have • their 
 replica here, a place which liatli well been called "Heavens 
 within Hells." 
 
 In the third stage of progression. Spirits find that the 
 influence of earth has to a large extent lost its power — here 
 they begin to tread upon the boundary of the sub-celestial
 
 Glimpses f/nv the Rift. 503 
 
 spheres. No Dweller on the Threshold startles the traveller, 
 but "augel faces shine from the Evermore," and the}^ take 
 the wanderer in hand and tisher him among his own kin. 
 Not in the earthly sense of kin, but in that affinital relation 
 which we have described. 
 
 Here the unconscious representative of the Immortal 
 Hierarchy to which he belongs, is set to leam those first 
 lessons which are destined to reveal to him his high descent, 
 and to place it within his power to practice the prerogatives of 
 his office. Some Spirits attend the schools of Philosophy; 
 or Physiology, or Astronomy, or Law, or Medicine, or 
 Mathematics, and soon acquire such a master}^ of their 
 rudiments, that after discovering the law and practice of 
 Control, they give discourses to those people still on Earth 
 who are willing to grant them audience. It has been the 
 experience of hundreds of people to receive through the means 
 of a medium, much advice on matters pertaining to themselves 
 in the vaiious departments of Medicine, Law, and even the 
 science of Imponderables, and if at such times the Spirits 
 disclose a painful ignorance of many facts or theories, such 
 as an earth-doctor for instance, who might be present, was 
 well informed upon, let not such go awa\' with the idea that 
 this was an evidence of fraud, but let him intelligently 
 consider the reasons we have to advance for his behoof. 
 Siippose, as is often the case, a Spirit claimed to be Doctor 
 A or B, but indicates ignorance upon some special matter 
 which the defunct Dr. A. was known to be well posted in. Let 
 not the investigator despair or scoff, but ask the Spirit to 
 find out Dr. A.'s well known opinions on that point. 
 
 He will probably get a correct answer at the next 
 seance, if the conditions are favourable, and he will be more 
 disposed to listen in future to what the Unseen one has 
 to say. But wh}- should a Spirit who pretends to be Dr. 
 A. not know what Dr. A. thought or believed? simpl}-
 
 £;o4 Gleams of Lig/if and 
 
 becaiise the Spirit is not manifesting throngh Dr. A.'s organs 
 — is not Dr. A. in the sense implied — bnt one who under 
 the tuition of Dr. A. of the same Celestial kin, has been 
 chosen to represent that worthy in communication with the 
 investigator. As Christ said "I and -aiy Father are one!" 
 so also can the Spirit with truth declare his identit}' 
 with his teacher, especially if such an one be the head of his 
 dynasty in that sphere as t/ic A^azarinc was. 
 
 The supposed blasphemy of Christ is quite justifiable 
 when we consider that He realized His descent from the 
 Divine paternity, the House of David, for the Dynastic 
 Emanation to which He belonged had an Eternal Origin, 
 and He coiild of a truth declare that "before Abraham (a 
 primate representative) was, I, (the emanation per sc) Am!" 
 The I, was meant in the primal sense, that the I, was ever 
 reappearing in individual tA-pes or personified embodiments, 
 and was tl/crc a constant unchanging quality in the present 
 tense I AM, for it must be remembered that in the Celestial 
 world, "there is no past nor future but an ever present 
 nozvy 
 
 Christ spoke in the proud sense that the original 
 principle of which He was the present representative was of 
 eternity, and therefore I, the type speaking, for I, the antitype, 
 AM before Abraham, a tj^pe, was, in the limited sense applied 
 to earth life. AVe are not sure that our ideas will be palatable 
 to the minds we hope to reach in these pages, but we are 
 SURE that we speak a Truth that will stand or fall upon its 
 own merits, and we aim rather at helping the Spiritual stu- 
 dent to arrive at a fuller conception of Truth, by exciting his 
 aspirations, and affording him the rudiments of psj-chic 
 knowledge, than to overturn the beliefs or faiths of those 
 who unquestioningly accept the doctrines of the Churches. 
 
 By this means then. Spirits lay that foundation of 
 Spiritual knowledge that obtains in the parallel spheres of
 
 G/impscs thro tJic Rift. 505 
 
 Jesod (see Sephiroth) and thus accoutered the}- are ready for 
 their ascent into higher spheres, where their achievements 
 entitle them to the laurels of victory in the 
 
 CELESTIAL SPHERES, 
 
 wherein beauty and in splendour they walk, those heavenl}- 
 ones: the garb of the spheres terrestial are doffed and the 
 habiliments Celestial donned: their faces shine with the 
 reflected light of peace: a peace which passeth all under- 
 standing!" 
 
 "Whence comest thou, O shining One?" 
 "I come from realms of peace with a message to the 
 world of strife! 
 
 M}' vision hath perceived that thou hast need of strength 
 and light, to do th}' part in the battle of Life. Thou art 
 the prey of unnumbered ills — diseases fell, inflame th}- vital 
 parts, and function is suspended: darkness broods over thy 
 mental da}- and weird phantoms of unclean things throng 
 the avenues of th}- mind : thou art awearied : thou knowest 
 not whither to turn, or what to think: thy social customs 
 strive in vain to cover vice with the veil of charity: thy 
 men of Science strive to check one evil by the imposition 
 of another: thy pastors strive with the eiitanglements of 
 obscure texts while the lambs are dying for pasture; thy 
 men in high place plot for power, and thy kings toy with 
 the engines of destruction. Hast thou not need of me? O 
 son of man, let me lead thee aright! Let me set thy 
 feet upon the rock! Verily, hath God given us, His Angels, 
 charge concerning thee, that in our hands we may bear 
 thee up, lest thou dashest thy foot against a stone ! Listen 
 unto me, and I will discourse to thee of the wonderful 
 works of God! When thou wert not, except as a portion
 
 2o6 G/t-(Uiis of J- ! gilt ci'id 
 
 of tlie vSpirit of God, the Lord thy God was preparing for 
 thee a hajbitation of clay: thy parents were the vessels of 
 thy Lord, and too unworthily did they perform their task! 
 Thou wert begotten but 'twas in sin, thou wert shapen, 
 but 'twas in iniquity, and therefore instead of thou being a 
 meat oifering before the Lord, thy parents were sacrificing 
 thee to Moloch! Thou hast passed through the fire, my 
 brother; and now thy wa}- is devious because of sin! Thou 
 hast suffered from thy birth, and thy way hath not been 
 illumined bj' conscious light! But now thou art here, and 
 I will lead thee! I will open thine eyes, and inform thine 
 understanding so that thou shalt know that the Lord liveth, 
 and hath led thee bv a way thou knowest not! I am one 
 who has suffered in all respects like thee, and by the 
 grace of God, hath now risen into power, that I may lead 
 others into the pathways of Peace. Pray thou unceasingly 
 that selfishness may be uprooted in thy Nature; be master 
 of tll^■self — so curb \\\\ passions and thine appetites that 
 thou — not they — shall decide what is good for thee — keep 
 th}'self unspotted from the world — withhold thj^self from the 
 society of cj^uestionable associates — do good and strive to 
 inform and uplift thy fallen brother or sister— have charity 
 which is Love to all men — cultivate interior receptiveness 
 that thy plethora may come from the Lord, in all tin- \va3-s 
 obey His laws; in. the watches of the night, and in the 
 reveries of thy days, we will be thy counsellors and guides, 
 at all times we will be near thee to uphold thee ! God's peace 
 be with thee! Amen." 
 
 This is an Angel's salutation from the Celestial Spheres, 
 the happy inhabitants of which are beautified by the reflected 
 light of Holiness to which they are attaining but have not yet 
 secured, it comes to the receptive consciousness of all who 
 seek for the communion of Saints, yet all who seek for such 
 must be as Tennyson sings,
 
 Glimpses: thro the Ri/f. 507 
 
 "How pure in heart, how sound in head. 
 With what Divine affection bold, 
 Should be the man whose thoujjhts would hold, 
 An hour's communion with the dead!" 
 
 These Celestial Spirits are not necessarily sucli as bore 
 an apostolic or saintly name when they trod our mother-earth, 
 but they may be our own long-lost brother or sister, father 
 or mother, husband or wife, who by virtue of a high resolve 
 and earnest aspiration, helped by the sympathetic Spirits of 
 the morn, liave ascended the paths of progression, overcoming 
 all the pollutions of their mortal character, and are now in 
 the garb of angelhood sweet messengers of God — Divinely 
 appointed Angels to cheer \o\\ and help you on the way. 
 They ina\- come as physicians to prescribe some simple remedy 
 lor your disease — thev may come as inspired teachers of the 
 laws Divine — or as Comforters to shower upon your parched 
 souls the dews of Heavenly Mercy, and to point out the 
 heiglits of Immortalitv that in the light tran.scendaut pierce 
 the clouds of doubt and despair. 
 
 "Hand in hand with angels some are out of sight, 
 Leading us unknowing into paths of Light; 
 (inc electric love chord thrilling all, with fire. 
 Soar we through \ast ages, liigher ever higher." 
 
 We might tell of the Proofs of Immortality that have 
 been ^•ouchsafed to mortals b}- the Spirits of the Celestial 
 spheres, but we refer the reader to our earlier pages for some 
 information, and we would suggest better than all that you 
 should get them for yourself by intelligent communion with 
 Spirits at your own seances, or by interior illumination, place 
 yourself upon planes supernal, and therein hold converse with 
 the anoel throuy direct.
 
 G//w/>sfs ihro tJic Riff. 509 
 
 SECTION II. 
 
 CLAIR\'OYANTS from time to time have described the 
 scenes of the Spirit worid, and Spirits iu their turn 
 have also done so, and we now ask the reader to consider 
 with ns the aspects of Spirits and their surroundings in the 
 various degrees that are likely to come within the ken or 
 consciousness of human beings. 
 
 In the caves of earth, and in the substance thereof, there 
 exists a sphere of Spirit-life, which is a sub-spliere of the 
 spheres of earth. It is entirely subjective, and exists for the 
 most part as an astral solution, which contains in its com- 
 position all those energies and forces which are directed by 
 the Supreme Intelligence. It is inhabited by beings, who 
 are personified representatives of those Intelligized forces; 
 who are as much a part of the Divine econoniy in their 
 particular department as men are in their sphere of activity 
 on earth. The elementary Spirits are on the descending arc 
 of the Divine CN'cle, and may be taken as representing the 
 solsticial period of the C3-cle. The^^ are identified with certain 
 of the elements of earth, belonging to dynasties, as marked 
 as those we have been considering; they are able to help 
 a man who places himself cii rappoii with them, and the 
 Divine emanation the\- represent, and thus enable him to 
 disco\er the treasures of the earth. Men who are born under 
 aspects that give them dominion over the mineral kingdom for
 
 -lO Glcavis of J .if:;lit and 
 
 instance, are virtually rulers of the sprites of that mineral, 
 and it is ■'within the experience of several persons known to 
 us, that a youth was \-isited by an iron-sprite who paid him 
 homage, and declared that if he chose, the wealth of earth 
 was at his beck, that in the search for iron he would 
 acquire riches. The sprite was objectively beheld b}' a clair- 
 voyant, and a subsequent examination of the aspects prevailing 
 at birth confirmed this fully. The sprite appeared to be 
 aboiit three feet in height, of human form, of good pro- 
 portions, and pleasing aspect: its colour was reddish-brown, 
 it had large ears, and in point of Intelligence was keenly 
 appreciative in all respects, allied to //.t (ni_<ji condition, but 
 beyond that it could not go. It was both body and Spirit, 
 in one indissolubl}-, and did not possess a Spirit and a bodk- 
 in the sense that implies a possibility of the one being able 
 to absent itself temporarily from the other, as in the case of 
 a man projecting his double at will, or while entranced. 
 
 Speaking literalh-, the essences of the elements of earth, 
 such as iron, are their bodies, in the same sense as Nature 
 may be said to be the embodiment of God. In the Spiritual 
 part of their realm, corresponding to the Spirit World of 
 earth, they have a plane of activities, which is a storehouse 
 of all their energies. It is a fac-simile of the interior aspects 
 of earth, and is in fact composed of the rarer elements that 
 form part of it, but to human eye is not apparent in, the 
 constituency of earthy matter. The rarified particles form a 
 counterpart or duplicate of the earthy matter itself, and such 
 is its nature that its inhabitants are made keenly aware of 
 all schemes in the minds of the human order to rob it of its 
 qualities. But instead of resenting this the}^ gladly acquiesce, 
 for their own advancement in the scale of progressive being, 
 depends upon their ability to meet the needs of man, and 
 pass on in the act of so supplying the means afforded them, 
 into the human realm. They pass from inorganic energj^
 
 G/iwpscs tliro the Rift. 511 
 
 into luicleatic organisms during human assimilation, and 
 once there the Spirit ascends to the human plane through 
 the human embr\'o. It were \\rong to suppose that one 
 plane of matter should be instinct with life, that water 
 should bear only slenies, sponges, plants, and fish — that earth 
 should bear only visible creation, and that all other planes, 
 invisible perchance to human eye, should remain tenantless. 
 As well declai'e that water is void of life-forms, when your 
 window aquarium has been despoiled of its fish, its weeds, 
 and its newts— while at the same time the microscope 
 reveals worlds of life-forms in everj? globule of water — as to 
 say that no other forms of life exists than those natural 
 histor}' has tabulated for us. 
 
 Each of the elemental spheres seem to be under the 
 control of a chief Spirit, who in some respects possesses 
 the stature and the form of man, except that in most cases 
 they disclose a dual sexuality, having in themselves the 
 power of procreation individually. Whence came the}'? is a 
 question that is often asked, and we learn that they are Spirits 
 of persons once in the flesh on some planet or other, who 
 have voluntaril}' taken upon themselves the headship of these 
 lower spheres. They had attained to a state wherein the 
 distinctions of sex had become iiicel}- balanced in every 
 individual, before the state of no-sex was attained, and that 
 by the exercise of their bisexual functions the}- could afford 
 the Spirits of the descending arc the opportunit}- to become 
 embodied. By virtue of their profound knowledge of natural 
 law they could call into being volitionally any number of the 
 elemental Spirits or sprites, hy whom they are regarded as 
 father, mother, or progenitor irrespective of sex. Each of the 
 bisexual Spirits we have been describing are rewarded for 
 their voluntary assumption of these ofl&ces by prestige that 
 accompanies them on their retirement, and gives them a right 
 to hold higher rank in the Hierarchy of the Saints.
 
 ri2 Gitalin of Light and 
 
 The eartli Spirits have generally speaking to pass 
 through ithe various types of the Organic Kingdom before 
 they ultimate in man, for the human form t}-pe is the Ordinate 
 and the lower form types are the Snbordinates, hence the 
 forms of fishes or fowls have no objective existence in the 
 realm of Cause, though Spirits may produce those forms if 
 they so desire even in the loftiest Spiritual realms. Some 
 will insist that types predicate antitypes and proclaim the 
 presence of the life-t3-pes of fish, etc., as being apparent in 
 the Spiritual world, but we claim that all /onus are but 
 more or less modified types of the human form Divine- 
 that the vertebrate and invertebrate types are successive de- 
 velopments or physical types, more or less perfect of the 
 antitypal form of man. For if Science declares they can trace 
 the ascent of man from the simplest organic forms, through 
 invertebrata to the culmination of the vertebrates — man, 
 how then can they deny to the Spiritual ANTITYPE that 
 o-eneric structure we proclaim, and which future knowledge 
 shall demonstrate as 
 
 "The original plan, 
 Of Nature's wondrous marvel — man." 
 
 To the Spirits of the spheres adjacent to the earth, 
 viz: the Terrestial spheres, the aspects of their abodes are 
 in all respects very similar to those of earth itself — they 
 have houses built in gardens or in streets — they have halls 
 and churches — there are hills and dales, and except in the one 
 respect of being of a gloomy cast in apparent perpetuity, 
 bears a favourable comparison with the earth they have 
 left behind them. 
 
 Some Spirits, whose experiences have been exceptional, 
 declare the place to be a veritable hell, while others describe 
 it as a pleasant place enough for those who in earth-life did 
 no very profound wrong.* 
 
 * See Note, heading this Glimpse.
 
 G/iinpses tino the Rift. 513 
 
 It thus is evident, that the aspects of a sphere depend 
 very much upon the status or condition of the Spirit 
 describing, but the general tenor of the relations warrant us 
 in assuming that on the whole the Terrestial spheres wear 
 no inviting prospect for the progressive Spirit. In the 
 Celestial realms however this state of things is reversed, 
 and their inhabitants universally describe their abodes as 
 being beautiful. Beautiful in the physical features of its 
 landscapes — harmonious in geographical distribution — delight- 
 ful because of balm}- air, but still more so in the presence 
 of throngs of emancipated ones who under the tuition of 
 loft}- Spirits, learn to govern Nature's forces, and to assume 
 the mien of Gods. 
 
 One such teacher we can describe ; he stands before 
 us now the mighty Abdullah; with the light of grand 
 achievement in his majestic brow, and his kingly form 
 radiating intense light. He stands at the head of a band of 
 prophets and philosophers who inculcate the doctrines of 
 the mystics and in the formulas of every age teach students 
 how to become adepts; from the ivi/ling of every race he 
 produces those Jfustcrs whom we nominate the Luminants 
 Supreme ! He sends his messengers to the spheres of earth, 
 to cheer the way-farer in his path, to lighten the biirden 
 of the wear\-, to rebuke the frailties of the weak, to illume 
 the path of the benighted, to help the toiler in his task, 
 and to him who seeks, he openeth the gates of heavenly 
 things, and imparteth of his fulness to the hungry soul. 
 Hail! Abdullah! Thou servant of the Most High! Blessed 
 art thou among the princes of the heavens! 
 
 His home is a sculptured palace on the shores of a 
 placid river, where the whispering reeds tell of the wooing 
 zephyrs; and on the fringed shores the graceful palms toss 
 
 * Plate 44. 
 
 3 ^'
 
 CI4 G/ai/iii of Light and 
 
 their plumed heads in unison to peals of heavenly chimes 
 that issue from the minarets of the palace. Splashing fountains 
 sparkle in the shady courts — dark-eyed maidens flit about in 
 graceful garb with rythmic step, and upon the terrace every 
 dav there throng the diligent seekers after knowledge, 
 whose hearts in tuneful accord, doth yield an incense grateful 
 to their teacher's nostrils. 
 
 Such is a typical home, and such the scenes when the 
 Master minds of earth's departed sons are about to impart 
 the Wondrous Wisdom of the sages, and we behold the rapt 
 attention of the throng when the potent tongue is loosed in 
 speech, and Abdullah proclaims: — 
 
 Oh! sons and daughters, hearken unto me! 
 
 E'er earth, condensed into its concrete form 
 Began to yield the principle of Life, 
 My father stood upon yon fiery orb (Mars) 
 And watched the world unfolding. 
 
 T'is his due. 
 That I should speak of all that he taught me, 
 With this import, that 3-e should all incline 
 To see within, the Mortal, God Divine. 
 He taught me how the mass, all nucleate 
 From the magnetic centres, reached through space. 
 Until, with substance it was clothed withal. 
 And took the round proportions of the globe. 
 'Twas thus magnetic fusion shaped those rocks. 
 That earthly scholars call the "igneous" 
 And then the grades of life, along the lines 
 Of Inorganic, then Organic took. 
 The whole, step twixt the bioplast and man ! 
 
 It was thus in measured accents he would teach the 
 open-minded student in the spheres, and there are times, 
 red-letter days — holy days — in the memories of some on 
 earth, when amid conditions of holy solicitude and prayer, 
 he would visit in the tabernacles of clay: such times are 
 foretastes of future bliss — they are verily the gates of 
 Heaven, to the souls of those who heard. 
 
 There are others who in sorrow and in suffering,
 
 G/iii/pses tlno the Rift. 515 
 
 misunderstood, and scorned, walk through this life, in the 
 world but not of it: who live even during their earth-life in 
 conscious fusion with the Spirit spheres: to whom the Spirits 
 of the Masters, and the saints, come in frequent visitation. 
 
 Down from the realms sviprerae 
 
 Along the glorv-paths 
 
 There came the saints in dream!
 
 ♦
 
 €>Iimpst xii 
 
 •0{ all pure Ihiiisjs. purity in the acquisition of wealth is the purest." 
 
 Hiudit Scripture.
 
 Glimpses thro f/ic Riff. 
 
 519 
 
 ^uprr=rrlrst(al Spirits. 
 
 
 HERE are many here who, like Joau of Arc, 
 ived on earth surrounded by angelic beings, 
 ij- who directed them by voice and inspiration, to 
 undertake and accomplish missions that had for 
 their object the freedom of human souls from 
 thraldom of various kinds. We can scan histor3^'s 
 page, and there behold the Maids of Orleans, 
 who free their country from a foreign ^-oke — 
 the Lincolns who grant emancipation to millions' 
 of shackled slaves — the Alexanders who give 
 freedom to their serfs — the Wilberforces and Peabodies 
 that devote their lives to philanthrophic effort- -the Luthers, 
 the Knoxes, the Wicklj'fFs that stem the tide of sacerdotal 
 imposition, and hosts of others who under the inspiration of 
 Divine Intelligence work for the ultimate good of man. 
 
 And each of these pioneers of progress are only the 
 types or representatives of a long lineage of Divine ancestors ; 
 the focii of dynastic emanations; they are not in them- 
 selves to be accredited with the achieved results, but rather 
 deem themselves onl}-, as vessels, chosen to fulfil the Divine 
 purpose. Every age and every nation have their peculiar 
 representatives of these forces, but only one here and there 
 are deemed worthy of a prominent place in the pages of
 
 ^20 Glca/iis of Lio^lit (Did 
 
 history, for human thought is singularly narrow, and their 
 perceptions wofully shortsighted. 
 
 In the person of one man there might be manifested 
 extremes of character, that enables a Luther to defy Popes 
 yet burn Melancthons, but we must remember that Spirit 
 influence of an exalted character may not always be dominant; 
 and human beings howsoever exalted in the one act or object 
 of their existence, may yet disclose the weakness and frailties 
 of the flesh. Thus the same Peter who denied his Lord 
 with oaths, gave up his life in cheerful sacrifice for faith: 
 the same Solomon who chose wisdom above riches, nevertheless 
 indulged in lasciviousness: the same Elisha, who parted the 
 waters of the Jordan, allowed savage beasts to rend in twain 
 the childish mimics, and so through every history, aye, and 
 every life, you will discover flaws in the otherwise blameless 
 lives of earth's frail sons. 
 
 Celestial Spirits are, by virtue of their own experiences 
 and because thev have conquered — qualified to become guides 
 and teachers of those in the flesh and out of it, who are treading 
 'the rungs of progression : they realise to a large extent their 
 union and oneness with the Divine mind, and thoughtfully 
 anticipate the needs of mortals with a view to ultimate cinh, 
 instead of pandering to the weaknesses of mere present 
 considerations, which on the other hand are under the 
 ministration of terrestrial Spirits. Thus present physical wants 
 are provided for in a measure by the lower Spiritual orders 
 — and the future by the Celestial orders. With the one class 
 you discuss mundane matters, and get those tests upon which 
 you rear the fabric of your faith: your business affairs may 
 be the subject of friendly advice, and they advise you how 
 to avert impending disaster, for the}- are permitted, even 
 Spirits of the lower spheres, to have glimpses into the 
 immediate future. Sometimes they only appear \ague and 
 shadowy, and lack the detail and preciseness you would like,
 
 G//w/>sis tliro the Rift. ^2i 
 
 but if they indicate sufficiently defined shadows to be guide- 
 posts in your way, be thankful, and obey! for hundreds of 
 people have not even that vouchsafed them. 
 
 If the matter is of great importance, if you think that 
 your ultimate changes depend upon Spiritual advice, ask that 
 Celestial Spirits may be sent to you, and discuss your 
 affairs with them. They will listen very patiently, and with- 
 ut concerning themselves in the lesser trivialites will give 
 'in comprehensive advice that will materiall}' benefit von, 
 nr they may tell you to trust them and go along doing what 
 \<)U think is right — let your motives be pure and vour aim 
 high — and they will see that all things work together for 
 good. \\'orldly-minded people are usually riot content with 
 advice of that sort, the pure motive and the high aim are 
 wanting, and so they cavil and complain aboi;t the impracti- 
 cability of the advice; but pure-minded people are better 
 content, they yield to tlie advice of the Spirit, and feel that 
 calm contentment and unfailing trust that sings: — 
 
 I do not ask to see the distant scene. 
 One step's enou5;h for inel 
 
 These Spirits stand at the threshold of Eternity — time 
 and space are for them rapidh' losing their significance, 
 hence tliey gaze with prophetic eyes into the vortex of being 
 and causation, and from what their eyes perceive thev tell 
 of what is-to-be. They begin to realize that to God tliere 
 can only be Thk Prksent, that all that is to be, Is, and 
 the\' drink of the fountains of knowledge in the hope that 
 thev too shall be enabled to discard all tlic limitations of 
 time and sense, and know Now. 
 
 One of these Spirits, \x\\\ Casedyn, a Druid Spirit of 
 the years 120 to 40 B.C., was asked if it were possible to 
 prophesv. He replied: To the Eternal Mind, there is no 
 Past nor no Future, but an ever Present Now: All the 
 
 .^ X
 
 1^22 Gleams, of Li gilt and 
 
 What Has Been and the What Is To Be, IS! and in 
 proportion to onr development, and onr rapport with the 
 Divine Mind, we are permitted to see the what-is- to-be in 
 the IS, and all futnrity in the NOW! 
 
 This Spirit evidently was acquiring skill in this depart- 
 ment of knowledge, as on earth he had acquired skill in all 
 the learned arts, with the object of teachiug and guiding 
 others in their ambitions and pursuits. The lordly sons of 
 Rome and other empiric cities used in his da3'S to complete 
 their education at the Druid schools of art, science, and 
 philosophy. 
 
 There is also INIustapha, a prophet of the Orient, who 
 with keen \'i3ion, and the potent power of his active intellect 
 has often scanned the misty hill-tops of futurity, as some 
 mariner eagerlv views the summits of a distant shore. In 
 the hieroglvphs of occult visions he tells of the coming 
 events, and of these we instance a few in the early pages 
 of this woi'k. 
 
 The gathering of the disciples with one accord in that 
 upper room at Jerusalem is a type of this higher gathering 
 of earth's noble sons and daughters, for here they beat time 
 — as far as their powers enable them, — with the Great 
 Master Musician, as so many sub-leaders of a mightv choir 
 lead the sopranos, the altos, the tenors and the basso's, and 
 thus they do their part in the perfect rendering of God's 
 Eternal Symphou}' ! 
 
 And here we may remark en passant that in this Heavenly 
 Composition — Nature — the high is supplemented by the low, 
 as soprano by the alto, and tenor by the bass, and as sharps, 
 and flats, and naturals, all express deep meaning in the 
 scheme, and add to its beauty and expression, so the humble 
 ones of earth are not to be despised, human flats are not to 
 be scorned — human sharps not to be condemned — for we must 
 remember that all have their use in the Divine economy,
 
 Glimpses tlird the Rift. 523 
 
 and as they are probably more sinned against than sinning, 
 let ns mete out to them kindly consideration and forbearance, 
 for in whatsoever measnre ye mete, justice demands you 
 should be paid, and as such is not the method of treatment 
 you would choose, see to it that \-ou do not condemn. 
 
 If the Divine Mind was so unmerciful as human theolo- 
 gies picture Him, there would be a precedent for man to 
 act upon, but as no thinking man measures God's dealings 
 with himself, by the rules, ^Mosnic, he should not make the 
 precedent for harsh judgment with regard to his fellow, but 
 do in all things by his brother as he himself would desire in 
 his own case. 
 
 I\Ian's knowledge of Spirit for the most part begins and 
 ends with the teachings of the text-book, that he has an 
 immortal Spirit, doomed to damnation or delight, according 
 to his mode of life or acceptance of doctrinal points — that 
 the only manifestation of Spirit is life and intelligence, — 
 hundreds of men live and die with no further knowledge 
 than this. It may thus be seen, that the avidity with which 
 man would grasp at the first indications of Spirit demon- 
 strable, would be psrfectl}' justifiable under all circumstances, 
 but the sj-stems of sacerdotalism, fearing the overturning of 
 their institutions, and the tearing from their grasp of all 
 their powerful prerogatives, discountenanced its practice, and 
 to this day, condemn the daring people who have had the 
 courage of their convictions. 
 
 True, ghost stories ha^■e always been a part and parcel 
 of folk-lore, and every home is familiar with the relating of 
 the eerie tale that "upright stands the hair, and chills 
 the marrow," but thes; were of such a class that no one 
 voluntarih- would see, much less speak to a ghost. This 
 superstitious consideration of the subject was allowed to go 
 on unchecked, for it only increased the power of the priesthood, 
 and gave them a firmer hold upon the wills and minds of
 
 ^24 Gleams of LigJit ii'id 
 
 the masses. They invested the supernatural world ^vith such 
 horrors aijd consequences that no one dared to seek for the 
 powerful aid of Spirits, who, according to the clerics, were 
 of the devil if they presumed, outside the pale of the Church, 
 or in other than the orthodox manner of sainth' visitations, 
 to disclose the realities and mysteries of the Unseen realm. 
 Witches, of course, were reputed to possess this power of 
 consultation with the dead, but then it was always declared 
 to be with devilish beings that had no other motive but to 
 drag them down to the bottomless pit, and those luckless 
 wights who dared to seek the witch's aid to cure their 
 cow, or find their fortunes, were speedily made to feel the 
 consequence of their iinhol}- act, by the imposition of the 
 most rigid penalties or actual excommunication pronounced 
 by an outraged Chiirch. 
 
 But when at last with the advent of Modern Spiritualism 
 it was demonstrated that a means had been devised for 
 communication with the Unseen, how eager hearts did fly 
 with sighs of relief to the methods taught; and despite the 
 warnings of the churches — the oft-quoted denunciations of 
 the Bible — and the satire of materialistic Science, the hearts 
 of humanity accepted the New departure, an;l now have 
 acquired some little knowledge of the Spirit's origin and 
 destiu}', with information as to the lives and experiences of 
 Spirits be3'ond the -grave. 
 
 Then man, who chose to "seek'' found at the Spirit-circle 
 the evidence of immortality: — he found that long-lost friends 
 had onl}' stepped within the veil — were actually in the next 
 room, so to speak, and waiting, O so longingly! for oppor- 
 tunit5^ to speak to them. 
 
 He found that he possessed a something within himself 
 — a new sense — that could inform him of the presence of 
 Spirits: that this sense in some persons enabled them to see 
 and hear the apparently Unseen and Unseeable ones: that
 
 G///j//'srs iJiro the Rift. 525 
 
 Spirits could control the organisms of sensitive hysterical 
 persons and prove by this impersonation their identity: that 
 evei-y person could by the cultivation of this special sense — by 
 the development of what is termed interioritv, or Spiritual 
 receptive discernment — personallv receive proof of the 
 actuality of Spirit life and activity, and give the lie actualh' 
 to those who proclaimed that there is no future state. 
 
 This knowledge was man's Spirit-birth, the conscious 
 actuality of which he before had only dreamed, and although 
 he may have been awakened in the mental sense by an 
 appeal to his faith, and the consciousness of his own short- 
 comings to a sense of his Spiritual needs, and the hoped-for, 
 faith-felt world of Spirits, and though he ma}' as a consequence 
 of his eschewing the world, the flesh, and the devil, have 
 felt that delicious glow of acceptance with the Father, and 
 the presence of the Spirit of God bearing witness with his 
 Spirit that he was a child of God, that falls to the lot of 
 scores of godly people in the Established, Catholic, Wesleyan, 
 or other churches, 3-et had he not, that intellectual and 
 demonstratable proof of the actuality and nearness of the 
 Spirit-world as he has since secured in the circle of the 
 condemned Spiritualists. 
 
 The development of a man under Spirit Influence and 
 guidance occurs in both realms of his being. The finer 
 elements of his organism are assimilated and manipulated by 
 the Intelligences around, and devoted to the organic building 
 up of a purer more refined structure. The grosser elements 
 are turned into other channels and the whole frame moulded 
 anew until the whole character, features, and cranial distinct- 
 ions are actualh' modified if not changed. 
 
 His mind becomes enlarged, and rapidly loses any 
 dogmatic or aggressive tendencies that formerly appertained 
 to it — it continuously extends its sphere to the comprehension 
 and acceptance of all sorts of information; it gratefully scans
 
 526 Gleams of Light ami 
 
 each new domain of Science and philosopli}- in the light of 
 Psychology — it explores new fields of knowledge, soars to 
 heights hitherto deemed inaccessible, and gazes, poised on 
 imperturbable wings, into the voids and worlds of space. 
 
 He acquires mastery over his animal desires, and 
 passions; he sedulously tries to avoid the hells that lust 
 have thrust upon his wife and descendants ; he sees the giant 
 evils that centuries of ignorance have created, and he tries 
 by precept and example to overcome them. His intellectual 
 aspirations transcend mere mundane considerations, and in 
 every respect the whole man is superior to his former self. 
 
 By the exercise of his clairvoyant and healing powers he 
 may minister to minds and bodies diseased — he may personally 
 and intelligently explore the worlds and describe the peoples 
 of the universe — ^he may anticipate and out-pace science with 
 her unfoldments — and revolutionize the world's systems of 
 thought by the appreciative transmission of Spiritual know- 
 ledge into those systems. 
 
 Thus much for man's development while upon the earth, 
 and it ma}- be asked, "Does development end here?" We 
 repl}^ "No!" with every emphasis that human expression 
 can command. End here? When the untold wealth of the 
 Spirit spheres are within his grasp? Wlien uncounted worlds 
 and systems of worlds lie within his field of vision? When 
 free from the fetters of the flesli he can out-span space, and 
 out-wheel time? 
 
 How can the horizon of earth-life be the limit of his 
 immortal vision? Shall he not like the dying sun still shine 
 in other spheres? 
 
 "The monarch of day! His dying beams 
 Out from his purpled deaUi-couch flings, 
 Telling the dwellers on the earth, 
 That death is but another birth; 
 And the death-god is not what he seems, 
 But an angel guised in clouded wings.
 
 Glimfisis thro the Rift. 527 
 
 He passes from siglit— we deem him dead; 
 But the dwellers in some western sphere 
 Hail him all radiant in his might, 
 Thrilling the landscape with delight. 
 His light wanes not, and the sunbeams shed 
 Shine there as strong as they once did here. 
 
 While flooding the west in golden glow, 
 He sinks the western hills behind, 
 
 Which in the gathering darkness stand. 
 He shines at morn in another land; 
 But he comes again to banish woe. 
 And dr\' the dew with his kisses kind. 
 
 Thus the man, when he dies in waning pride. 
 And earth-friends grieve o'er a lov'd one lost. 
 Wakes to the sense of a higher life 
 .\nd greeting finds a loving wife, 
 And a thousand friends who lived and died. 
 Swelling the radiant Spirit host. 
 
 Who knows but he conies, as does the sun 
 To gladden the hearts all chillM and sad. 
 Soothing as did he on the earth 
 When joy was fled, and .still'd was mirth : 
 Troving he still is that loving one 
 Who loves us still, for he makes us glad." 
 
 G-i'ciiHian Si Ivan us. 
 
 The Spirits of those who have passed into "that bourne" 
 from whence the Bard of Avon wrontjly declares, "no traveller 
 returns," do on the contrar\' frequently return; it seems 
 to be their first duty to obtain consciousness of their own 
 surroundings and to acquire a knowledge of the law of control. 
 Tlieir first mission is to go and bear the jo3'ful tidings to 
 those still in darkness whether on earth or in the first or 
 lower spheres. On the other hand, at enlightened circles, 
 those who KXOW the truth are made the teachers of undeveloped 
 Spirits, who did not on earth know or perchance would not 
 learn the secrets of their immortal birth-right, and by this 
 means such Spirits are assisted to a knowledge of the truth, 
 and greatly helped in their development. Thus Spirits in 
 the flesh and out of it, work in concert, intelligently doing 
 their share in the work of emancipation.
 
 528 Gleams of Light and 
 
 Through the spheres of progression they ascend, in the 
 one case^ as far as flesh permits — in the other, until tlie 
 Celestial Ones have done all they can in the direction of 
 earth, and there remains for them no other field of effort, 
 but those that loftier ascent can give, and still more exalted 
 powers qualify them to perform.
 
 Giiiiipsts thro' the Rift. 529 
 
 SECTION II. 
 
 ^upri=^rlrst(al ^pljrrrs. 
 
 "He that ovcrcoiiieth shall inherit all things: I will be his God, and he shall 
 liu my son." 
 
 Rni. xxi. 7. 
 
 (^O far as we have explored the mysteries of the Unseen 
 ^-^ Universe in regard to the ascending types of men, we 
 find that the sexual instincts, or rather the sexual differences 
 of Spirits remain practically unaltered. 
 
 In the spheres, however, that we are now about to 
 consider, there begins a gradual and perceptible merging of 
 the sexual differences into each other. In plain language 
 man begins to put on a femininity and woman a masculinity, 
 that intermediately arrives at a state of balance or oneness, 
 and finally terminates in the non-sexuality of pure angel- 
 hood. The true thinker cannot associate sex with God, any 
 more than He can limitation. Angels are invariabh' painted 
 in neutral character — men with the clear skin, and long hair 
 of woman, and as indicated by the mj-stic saying of Christ 
 "In heaven there are no marriages, nor giving in marriage!" 
 we shall find no distinction of the sexes there. 
 
 Marriage is only an earth-t3^pe of the highest Celestial 
 
 .^ Y
 
 i^30 Gkanis of Light and 
 
 union, for as in marriage "tliis twain becomes one flesh," so 
 in the Celestial world the dual-sex belongs to each individual, 
 and finally becomes non est in that still loftier realm where 
 dual creative function is of the Mind, the work of Will and 
 psychic Force. When two forces are so adjusted as to nullify 
 each other's power, they may be said to non-exist: as the 
 equilibrium of Justice and Mercy is Love, so is the GoD-like 
 human unit the equilibrium of male and female energy. 
 When Spirits have arrived at the intermediate stage of 
 dual-sex, and even when tliev become Gods, they can of choice 
 re-enter the states of matter below — act as guardian Spirits 
 of a sphere, or re-enter Spirit-force-centres of the descending 
 arc as Sephiroth. The}- are now Spirits of Choice, the 
 highest Spirits who manifest in matter, and can occupy any 
 position they choose in either arc of the creative cycle. 
 
 They need not enter actuallv into flesh, there is no 
 record in the Celestial archives of such an event, but instead 
 of doing so in propria persona they may so o\ershadow hiiman 
 beings, or so influence them from the Unseen that the human 
 being so influenced may be really considered a re-incarnation 
 of the overshadowing Spirit. That is if the}- belong to the 
 same d^-nastic emanation. In such cases the Spirit is 
 manifesting through a part of itself, and makes use of the 
 personal pronoun with as much truth as if he were really 
 embodied. 
 
 This does not apply to the generalit}- of controls, for 
 Spirits use whoever the_v can, in the great work of moulding 
 the world anew — in effecting their personal development, — 
 by assisting the earth's peoples to reformulate their systems 
 and societies, their institutions and their laws, more into 
 harmony with the Divine. 
 
 The Spirits of the super-celestial spheres often transmit 
 their teachings and their objects through less developed 
 Spirits, who act as mediators, and these in turn control the
 
 G/iiiipSis thro the Ri/t. 531 
 
 mediums of the earth, and b}- this means disclose the wishes 
 and the aims of the exalted one to his flesh-clad brothers. 
 
 The visions and \-oyages of the Seer enables him to hold 
 personal intercourse with those exalted ones, and as his 
 understanding dilates to the required dimensions, and he 
 grasps the profound truths enunciated, there is conferred 
 upon tlie children of matter a means of obtaining knowledge, 
 freer from adulteration than the usual means affords. 
 
 Jupiter the god of Heaven, supreme god of the Greek 
 and Roman m3-thologies through minor gods ruled the kings 
 of earth. He used Mercury as his messenger, and through 
 Mars and Venus ruled the wars and loves of the ancient 
 peoples. By means of Apollo he presided over the arts and 
 sciences: through Neptune he ruled the sea and through 
 Ceres the earth: He was the Son of Heaven and earth 
 through Saturn their son. His descent is traced thus: — 
 
 CceIus (heaven) and Terra (eartli). 
 
 Saturn 
 
 Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto. 
 
 Saturn according to this represents the stage of 
 equilibrium between the highest and the lowest, between male 
 and female, and is therefore a type of the Super-Celestial 
 state, where the equilibrium obtains until it is merged in the 
 sexless being. Saturn represents the sphere, and Jupiter a 
 son of that sphere, and therefore the latter is a type of the 
 Celestial beings we have under consideration. 
 
 As Jupiter ruled the kings of earth through the 
 subordinate gods, so the Celestial Spirits rule and instruct 
 the Spirits in matter and in flesh — in strife or peace — on 
 sea or land : in arts or science and in every one of the paths
 
 :;-2 Gleams of Lii^ht and 
 
 of life that man has to tread, there THEY are in person or 
 in proxy to bless him and help him. 
 
 Saturn is also a type of the Church, in that he destroyed 
 by earth-derived means his father's power to commune with 
 earth, (see Virgil.) thus the Church hath taken upon herself 
 to decide that miracles have ceased, and that no more should 
 God converse with man, nor angels visit earth to comfort 
 and to bless, except ivif/n'/i the pale of tlic Romish Church. 
 
 It is only excusable when we consider that, alas! the 
 average man is too liable to misuse, and even abuse the 
 powers conferred upon him— that unstable minds work 
 mischief even with their blessings — shallow and weak minds 
 become unhinged by a very plethora of joys, and fools 
 become fanatics in Revelation's hour. In such instances 
 as these the Church, the Roman Catholic one at least, 
 claim to have the power to direct the unprepared recipients, 
 and disarm the untutored, or malicious users, of these occult 
 powers, and as such we welcome them, and would like to 
 witness the establishment of schools and colleges for the 
 training of Psychics all over the world, something like 
 the schools of the Prophets tliat flourished in ancient davs : 
 also of Philosophy such as obtained in Corinth and Athens 
 at later periods. We would suggest that these colleges 
 should be founded and endowed, and all sensitives that give 
 themselves up to the service of God, willing to become His 
 instruments for the public weal, should be developed and 
 trained here under the most perfect conditions, and then such 
 as are suited for public work could be sent forth girt for the 
 conquest, and not as is too often the case in our day, allowed 
 to become the butt of every unclean influence, the foci of all 
 sorts of emanations, and the victims of dishonest knavery- — 
 dragged down, deteriorated, and depleted of even the moral 
 powers and physical strength of a child, and at last cast a 
 convicted impostor into a prison cell, or out into the streets,
 
 G/impsis tliro tlw Rift. ::^-^2, 
 
 a victim of the licentious psychology of the people he essayed 
 to benefit by the exercise of his medial powers. Men of the 
 Nineteenth Century! you have a wonderful gift in your 
 midst! the gift of mediation between the two worlds; — see 
 to it that you cultivate it, and sedulously cherish it, lest it 
 pines and dies, and the Spiritual wave recede before yovi get 
 your blessing and the "Woe" again be heard, "Ye have 
 rejected my message, ye have persecuted ni}- prophets," &c. 
 
 Suns are said to be the primary children of the great 
 cosmos, and that therefore their inhabitants when the}- pass 
 through the progressive spheres appertaining thereto, are 
 qualified for entry into the Super-Celestial spheres. 
 
 These spheres are beyond the spheres of suns, planets, 
 or earth ; the}' occupy an immense space immediately between 
 the belts of progressive spheres (the Celestial) and the God 
 Sphere.* 
 
 Spirits from Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, and Neptune are 
 known to have visited earth, but we have no records as far 
 us we have learned, of the visitation of a sun Spirit. (See 
 Planetary Angels. Gleam 12.) 
 
 Human Science of course doubts the supposition that suns 
 or planets are inhabited, but the inference they encourage 
 is erroneous because it is based on elusive theories as to 
 the solar substance. The postulates of science being erroneous 
 the deductions therefrom are inconclusive. Astronomers have 
 \-et to leani the herein advanced theory of stellar origin 
 and composition, and if they ha\e not done leannng, angels 
 are willing to teach, that primal suns are the outcome 
 of the initial Divine impulse that eventuated in the nucleation 
 of primordial matter around magnetic centres — that secondar}^ 
 suns were the result of the creation of nucleatic magnetic 
 current centres of the first degree — that planets are created 
 
 See Diagrams II.
 
 C24 G/catns 0/ -Light and 
 
 at the centres of the second degree, and b}^ the creation 
 of ever ■'occurring centres, fresh nucleii are constantly being 
 formed, yet Nature is so nicely adjusted in all her parts 
 that no cessation of her activity is ever likely to occur, for 
 her functions shall remain unimpaired till time shall be no 
 more. The reciprocal demand and suppl}- of all its parts is 
 so omnipotently provided for, that, though there are new- 
 creations constantly going on, there is no overcrowding nor 
 catastrophe; worlds wane and fill with unswerving regularit}-, 
 and the elastic ether, to and from its fathomless womb, is 
 receiving and bestowing the bounties of eternal-energies. 
 
 The order of the Universe is that we have got what we 
 want, and we give what we have got and do not want, thus 
 no one is poorer or richer, and with regard to the worlds of 
 matter and the spheres of Spirits, this holds equally true, 
 there is no decay — there is no feeding of some to the starving 
 of others, — but like the might}- tides of ocean, forces and 
 matter ebb and flow to maintain the true equilibrium. 
 
 Spirits of the earth and other planets enter the Celestial 
 before the Super-Celestial; for orders of beings are ruled by 
 the same laws as the orders of worlds — both have to fulfil 
 tlie full measure of their cycles. 
 
 "No man hath seen God at any time!" so saveth the 
 Scriptures, and we agree that in the lilcyal sense none have, 
 but we believe that, when we have caught a glimpse of a 
 huiiian face all aglow with the light of a kindh' deed, or 
 lighted with the thoughts of world's afar, we have seen God's 
 face, though perhaps darkl}- or indistincth- as tlirough a 
 glass, but nevertheless a glimpse. 
 
 When we see a face illumined with the glow of sacred 
 fire— in prayer or praise; when inspiration gleams in the 
 face of the orator or preacher; when the poet's limpid eyes 
 beams with unutterable themes, loe sec the face of God. In 
 the calm night sky when from the abyss of unfathomed
 
 G/im/'Sis thro the Rijt. 535 
 
 blue the pale fires of the stars shine down, we see God's 
 face. In the hush of noon when the orb of day poised on 
 his myriad beams, thrills through all being his electric 
 shafts: and the fair face of Nature is wreathed in fragrant 
 smiles, we see God's face: and in the countenances of the 
 radiant throng we trace its similitude: in the angel and 
 archangel we discern His lineaments, and at length, when 
 we have mounted the crests of the eternal hills, we perhaps 
 shall see Him more distinctly still. 
 
 Artists invariabl}- represent angels as having wings. 
 Gustave Dor& perhaps is the only artist M'ho seems to have 
 caught the proper idea, and in his recent pictures illustrating 
 Milton's and Shakespeare's works, he has departed somewhat 
 from the ordinar}- groove, and shown his Spiritual Beings 
 very much as they are seen by clairvoj-ants. 
 
 Spirits of the earth spheres, and Spirits of the Celestial 
 spheres, are never seen with wings; but some of those 
 l)elonging to the planetary spheres are seen with somewhat 
 that resemble wings. In this work we give some plates and 
 etchings that faintly convey the ideas of the clairvoyants 
 concerning those Spirits ; the sketches are from the pencils 
 of the Seers, drawn at the time of the vision. 
 
 Wings are evidently S3-mbolic; in general, simply conve}^ 
 the idea of powers for rapidh' passing from place to place. 
 If, as some suppose, the hairs of the head and indeed of the 
 whole bodv, are so manv conductors of magnetism or electricit}^ 
 what is to hinder our acceptance of the idea that the fluids 
 of the ciliar}' appurtenances maj- be fully inflated and the 
 fluids sent in radiant electric bands, even to the extent of 
 holding up the Spirit-body? When a woman is drowning 
 lier hair spreads out over the surface of the water, and were 
 it plentiful and long enough, spreading from her shoulders 
 instead of her head, would A'ery likely save her from a 
 watery grave.
 
 ^^6 G lea Ills of Light and 
 
 The specific gravity of a Spirit bod}- as compared with 
 the ether may be even less than that of a bird in our earth's 
 atmosphere. And as a bird's wings alwa3rs extend or have 
 power in due ratio to the density of the body, to displace 
 enough air to compensate for the density and so buoy it up, 
 even so may a Spirit, by a radiation of ciliary magnetism, 
 uphold himself in ethereal space. Spirits of this class have 
 mastered the forces of nature to such an extent that they 
 need no wings, for while it ma}' be argued that they probably 
 could manufacture them were thej^ so nainded, the mere fact 
 that they are so potent, seems to us to put the NEED of 
 those appendages entirely out of the question. Space does 
 not present to them the geographical distances, or dimensions, 
 that it does to embodied humans, for all ideas of space as 
 well as time are there annihilated. 
 
 As with regard to Time there is no Past nor Future, 
 but a pleasant Now; so with regard to space there is no 
 There, or Yonder, but a Here, which truth properl}' studied 
 and comprehended will enable the thinker to understand 
 that material wings as the agents of travel are not logically 
 necessar}'.* 
 
 Clairvoyants may sec those magnetic-radiations that we 
 have described, emerging probably from the shoulders (scapula) 
 or ganglionic centres thereabouts, and ////;//• they are wings. 
 Of course all clairvoyants interpret for themselves what they 
 see, and they at various times may describe a magnetic 
 emanation as a cloud, luminosit}-, spray or even take it for 
 
 * The conditions which cause disturbance in the delicate imponderable aura 
 that surrounds the circle, as conclusively break the affinities through which the 
 manifestations are made, as unscientific arrangements will destroy the effect of a 
 voltaic pile, or galvanic pile. 
 
 Britten. 
 
 Reichenbach reports that his sensitives saw at the poles of the magnet, odie 
 light, and felt in contact of large free cn,-stals, odie .sensations, which by himself 
 were utterly tinperceived. 
 
 Sensitive Mensh., Vol. i., />. i.
 
 Glimpses thro tlic Rift. 537 
 
 a garment, wings or cloak according to its densit}-, general 
 outline, and location. 
 
 To make our meaning clear we will here cite the 
 experience of a clairvoyant. 
 
 He described the figure of a man over six feet high, 
 standing near one of our number. 
 
 The figure was clad in a semi-Roman garb, with a brass 
 lielmet, and a breast-plate, a short sword girt at his side, 
 and what appeared to be a large cloak descending from his 
 head, and enveloping or at least obscuring the lower limbs. 
 He described this much to us as soon as he saw it, but as 
 he gazed, the supposed cloak assumed an appearance like 
 falling water or spray shrouding the lower figure, and finally 
 was seen to be a flood of magnetism radiating from the head 
 and back of the Spirit, in a downward direction. We sub- 
 sequently learned that this Spirit was a Spirit from Mars 
 bringing vital energy in his train. 
 
 Now, granted that this magnetic radiation was objectively 
 seen by the clairvoyant, (and we kiiou' that it was so, for other 
 clairvoj-ants independant of each other, and in each case 
 uninformed' as to what others had seen, afterwards described 
 the same thing, corroborating each other in every detail,) what 
 would have been the clairvo3-ant's tcrtn for the same if seen 
 radiating backwards and upwards horizontally or obliquely? 
 He would describe it as being some sort of wing, like augels 
 wore ! The halo that artists picture radiating from the heads 
 of sacred characters exits objectively to the sight of the 
 clairvo3'ant, for we learn that we give off emanations ps3'chic 
 as well as phj-sical, and the mental emanations are as objective 
 as those termed animal-magnetic. See "Dominique" Spirits 
 appear clad in all sorts of garb to the sight of the Seer, 
 and also to the eye of the Photographic Camera, and that 
 which is objective to the latter is sure to be to the former. 
 It will be seen by the Spirit Photos in this volume that 
 
 3 z
 
 2^8 Gleams of Light and 
 
 several of the Spirits have this veil-like covering over their 
 forms, ajid it is very probable that were they photographed 
 in the act of flight or on the move through the air, or ether, 
 they would appear to have a gauze-like radiation in the 
 rear, Avhich might be easily taken for wings. 
 
 These radiations may take place from any part of the 
 body; but as the force of the whole nature seems to have 
 its seat in the ganglion at the back of the head, the radiations 
 of volitional motion would very probably emerge thence, and 
 if mechanical aids of a sort were needed, or mechanical force 
 necessary, the magnetic force would beat upon the air and 
 by the resistance of that body would impel the vessel onwards. 
 
 These then are our opinions on the wing-question, and 
 we hope that we have shown the perfectly' natural manner in 
 which the apparent anomaly may be explained. 
 
 * "In 1460 Marsile Fisin admitted that the vapour a 
 certain Spirit, emitted b}- ra3'S darting from the eyes or in 
 other wa3's, may affect persons in the body." 
 
 The human fluid exists in greater or smaller proportions 
 in every human being. 
 
 It is a thousand times lighter and more sensitive than 
 the smoke from a censor, and it ignores distance. 
 
 It is invisible to all but somnambulists, clairvoyants, 
 etc., who uniforml}' see it in the shape of a luminosity or 
 flame. 
 
 Countess Dominique 1S74.
 
 JTragmcnts. 
 
 ■And there was taken up of the fragments that remained to them twelve 
 skets full." 
 
 Luke ix. 17.
 
 G/im/'ses thro the Rift. 
 
 541 
 
 SECTION ONE. 
 
 spirit. 
 
 "The Simple have said in their hearts, 'None see us.' 
 sees them, even the Spirit within their own breasts." 
 
 Yet Ood distinctly 
 
 Hindu Scriptures. 
 
 N man resides the Deific Spark of creati\e 
 energy; in woman tlie capacity to receive the 
 germ of life, which by the force of Spiritual 
 evolution develops the human counterparts of man 
 and woman in offspring male and female. 
 
 The soul-body of the new-born child is the 
 product of the united individualized magnetism 
 of the father and mother conjoined, and blended 
 in the creative act. 
 
 The essential Spirit of man and of woman is 
 essential Deity. 
 
 Soul power consists in the complete subjection {b\' the 
 supreme inmost soul of the truly Spiritual man) of the four 
 elemental conditions of nature, through the affinitative medium- 
 istic elements in human nature. 
 
 Ps3-chic power is deemed miraculous only by those who ' 
 lack ps3cliic perception, for all human beings possess psychic
 
 :^42 Gleams of Light and 
 
 powers in measure. B}- a complete control of the grosser 
 elements^ in the human nature, and the consequent absence 
 of those molecular modifications of psychological sensations 
 which are promotive of sin, the Spirit of man rises superior 
 to its mundane environments, and all elemental physical 
 conditions and corresponding Spiritual states become subject 
 to the psychological control of . such Spiritually emancipated 
 ones, and mundane Spirits, elemental, human Spirits embodied 
 and disembodied, are subject to such as unto a superior order 
 of Intelligence: supermundane Spirits willingly minister to, 
 and inspire such holy ones with thoughts, conceptions, and 
 powers of soul, grander, deeper, fuller, than it is possible 
 for sensuous human thought to conceive of, or acquire.
 
 Gltmpsts thiv the Rift. 543 
 
 SECTION TWO. 
 
 "The soul itself is its own witness and its own refuge." 
 
 Hindu Sciiptures. 
 
 PEOPLE who read the works of the ancient Alchemists 
 and philosophers with unprejudiced minds, must see 
 that their weak experiments were Divinely Inspired hence 
 Powerful, in order to give man a conscious knowledge of the 
 potent properties latent in Nature, and the wonderful effects 
 produced b\- amalgamation. 
 
 Out of the much ridiculed researches of Alchemists has 
 been formulated our present S3'stem of Chemistry; yet no 
 honour is given to those who spent life, health, money, and 
 even reputation, in trying to unburj^ Natural Secrets. 
 
 Surface thinkers to this day regard the Philosophers' 
 Stone, which was to turn base metals into gold, as the vain 
 dreams of visionaries; tlicy cannot see bej'ond the letter which 
 words convey, hence the amount of useless contention and 
 argument in the world over words only, by those who are 
 unable to perceive that words are only vehicles to convey 
 ideas, not the idea itself; moreover, these are the very people 
 who are using the philosophers' stone — IDEA — and trans-
 
 r^^ Gleams of Light and 
 
 muting base metals into gold. In our present smelting 
 foundries, brass, copper, zinc, aluminium, nickel and other 
 alloys, where the amalgamation of a large portion of common 
 metal with a small quantity of pure metal produces a substance 
 equal in effect and use to the latter, in the proportion of the 
 former, the philosopher's idea, (contemptuously called a stone,) 
 is daily and hourly turning base metals into gold. 
 
 Certainly the Philosophers who received inspirationall}- 
 how to construct a miniature smelting foundr}', and who 
 struggled with this and that probable and improbable article ; 
 with this condition and that condition, and who laboured 
 night and day before they discovered the latent forces, which 
 produced the alloys, did not benefit much financially by their 
 discoveries, it took all the gold the}' could procure to carry 
 on their experiments, and by the time success crowned their 
 efforts, death claimed them. 
 
 The ancient Alchemists lived and died poor, leaving no 
 amount of gold behind them, and because of this, the work 
 and researches of their lives are overlooked, even despised 
 and sneered at by their descendants, who are appropriating 
 the results of their experiments and apph-ing them on a 
 large scale to transmute base metals into articles whicli sell 
 for gold, and even as gold itself. 
 
 Sti^ange! man is so short-sighted where his own interests 
 or honour is in any way jeopardised by a wider and more 
 unselfish vision. Will ridicule alwa^-s be given to the 
 world's benefactors and honour to the appropriators thereof?
 
 Glimpses thro the Rift. 54.5 
 
 SECTION THREE. 
 
 B VoiiT from tl)r Spirit ililloiiti. 
 
 "Greater love them this h.ith no man. that a man lay down his life for his 
 friend." Christian Scriptures. 
 
 \ 
 
 BENEDICTION of peace and love to all niaukind from 
 
 parish of H in B , September 2nd, 1^58, at H a.m. 
 
 I lived in the body twenty-three years eight months and 
 two days, and died by my own hand on Thursday afternoon, 
 May the foiirth, 18S2, in the grounds of Lea Hall, my own 
 father's residence. 
 
 Truly sorrow flowed into my veins from my birth; the 
 forces of nature conspired to create a sensitive soul with lofty 
 ideals, and a mind yearning for .sympathy, and yet foredoomed 
 by the aspects of the Heavenh' Bodies to live a life of per- 
 petual disappointment, and to die in the early years of bud- 
 ding manhood, under the ban of a sin against society, linking 
 with me, in a stigma of reproach in the minds of my kindred, 
 her, who was, and is now, the object of my undying love. 
 
 Our union was opposed, our love pronounced impure, 
 by those, who, looking at our affectionate association through 
 the sensuous imagery created by their own mental bias, failed 
 to perceive the possibility of a pure and holy alliance approved 
 of God between two children of humanity, linked together 
 
 4 A
 
 ^^6 Gleams of Light and 
 
 in the bonds of inseparable sympathy of soul. But in spite 
 of the imputations of impurity which culminated in a charge 
 directly affecting the personal honour — in the eyes of the 
 world — of my beloved and myself, leading ultimately to my 
 death; I hereby solemnly declare that our love was pure 
 in the eyes of God and the angel world. 
 
 I greatly rejoice and praise God, that I am able to make 
 known unmistakably through the lips of a medium, the 
 fact of my continued existence in the realm of Spirit, and 
 also to express the wondrous and soul-comforting fact of 
 an unbroken continuance of that pure and undying love, 
 which when once trul}^ created in the minds of two human 
 souls, can never be severed by the contingencies of time. 
 
 I particular!}- desire that this rev'ELATION of a Sublime 
 reality be made known to those of my kindred still living 
 in the body; particularh' to her, who in the absence of m}- 
 mother from the earth, so well iilled her place; and also to 
 my sisters, Minnie, and Florence, also Hubert, and Bernard. 
 A praver wells up from the depths of my inmost Spirit 
 on behalf of Herbert my brother, according to the law of 
 this world. 
 
 My dear father holds communion with me and m}^ beloved 
 in this declaration, and mj^ angel mother smiles in sweet and 
 holy sympathy upon this act of love and justice, and in 
 happy unison we -bless her, on whose behalf these words are 
 written. I am nevertheless fully aware that the truthfulness 
 of this document will be impugned by some, and that my 
 medium will be pronounced an impostor, for how true are the 
 words of the Hebrew Scriptures, "Though one rose from 
 the dead jv/ will they not believe!" 
 
 I wish to express how deeply I deplore the nature of ni}' 
 death, yet I fallj^ recognise the force of a chain of psycholo- 
 gical and physiological Causation which led inevitably to such 
 a lamentable result; I have long ceased weeping unnecessar}'
 
 Glimpses thro the Rift. 547 
 
 tears of bitterness, and am prayerfnlly progressing in the per- 
 petual evolution towards a higher standard of Spiritual growth. 
 My Spirit tranquilly rests upon the bosom of Infinite Mercy. 
 
 One fact with regard to the immediate circumstances 
 surrounding n\y painful transition. 
 
 Before taking from my box the fatal weapon with which 
 I severed the life chord which linked m}- immortal Spirit 
 to its earthly tenement, I sat down — bewildered as I was — 
 and wrote a deliberate statemeut as to the motives which 
 prompted this terrible act, in which I full}' exonerated my 
 beloved from any responsibility for the deed, positivel}' stating 
 that it w-as in vindication of her personal honour. 
 
 This statement I placed in my own box, in plain view 
 of the first person who might chance to open it. 
 
 Now in the name of God our Father, I ask, why was 
 this statement suppressed? Was it simply to protect the 
 family pride, thereb}- offering up my beloved as a living 
 sacrifice in the e3'es of the world? 
 
 Better far to maintain an eternal silence than give an 
 untruthful answer to this question. 
 
 (The writing of the declaration here referred to was the 
 spontaneous outcome of a lucid moment, and was utterly 
 unknown to my beloved.) 
 
 I was present in Spirit when Jane as the mouthpiece of 
 mv famil}-, endeavoured to strip ni}- beloved of every token 
 I had left behind, which could remind her of our pure and 
 God-approved associations. 
 
 In conclusion I, T. S. W. , truthfull}- afiirm 
 
 that this communication has been projected b}' me, throiigh 
 the brain organization of a wonderfully gifted medium, while 
 in the unconscious trance, without suggestion from any other 
 intelligence than mj- own. 
 
 This medium but for the stigma attached to the unpopular 
 gift of Spirit mediumship, has a reputation to lose or keep.
 
 i^^8 Gleams of Light and 
 
 Mental telepathy or thought transference, utterly fails to 
 explain the marvellous reality of Spirit control. The former 
 psychological powers of the mind are purely impressional and 
 superficial, and are totally different in their results to the 
 effects produced by the actual re-embodiment of a Spirit 
 who has left the earth plane. Psychometric impression never 
 argued with the minds of those persons from whom such 
 impressions are received. On the other hand, a Spirit con- 
 trolling often has the power to differ upon minute points of 
 FACT with those to whom he is communicating, thus proving 
 that this wondrous reality is not dependent upon the mind 
 of the recipient. 
 
 x\gain a transferred mental impression could never endow 
 a medium with the actual and continuous soul character of 
 a departed Spirit. 
 
 A closing word of counsel to any who may suppose 
 that so-called Spirit control is synonymous with superficial 
 impressions. Investigate this mysterious subject with all the 
 patience of which vour soul is capable, and yoii will ulti- 
 mately discover bej-ond a doubt, that converse with the so- 
 called dead is a sublime reality, within the reach of any 
 sincerely earnest and truthful mind. 
 
 I submit this humble missive to the calm judgment of 
 those to whom it appeals, and confidenth' leave the issue in 
 ,the hands of God", the Father of all His created children, 
 
 for it is by His Divine permission that I, T. S. W. 
 
 have been enabled to return to the scene of my earthly 
 experience, and thus vindicate the honour of my beloved.* 
 
 *rhis angelic couimunication was forwarded, as the Spirit T. S. W, 
 
 requested, to his mother and familj-, but as he anticipated either through conscience, 
 education, or both, they refused to believe that such Divine commissions were 
 possible, in the wicked state of the Nineteenth Centur)-; yet would never presume 
 to question similar commissions recorded thousands of years ago. The .same 
 inactivity and indifference to Truth, which prevented them comparing their con- 
 duct in the latter case with the former, restrained them from enquiring into the 
 truth or falsitj' of this fact. Or did the document bear its own impress of a 
 Truth, too true to be either questioned or palataljle?
 
 G/hiipses t/iro' the Rift. 549 
 
 SECTION FOUR. 
 
 B jFamiliav Spirit. 
 
 King Saul said "Seek me out a woman that hath a familiar Spirit." 
 
 I. Samuel, xxviii. 
 
 ~VT"rHY should man any longer leave thi.s world in a 
 
 ' ' condition of doubt, delusion, or darkness? If he would 
 
 earnestly look into the Science of Spirit he would be rewarded. 
 
 Why do investigators turn back on their first enquiry 
 into this simple truth? They exhibit a positiveness and 
 mode of conduct altogether unlike what we expect from the 
 t^'KC man of Science seeking for further knowledge. 
 
 Is it because they get afraid when thev begin to find 
 that what they thought was secret in their lives, is well- 
 known to the ken of communicating Spirits, and like Samuel 
 of old, they resent their anno3-ance, on the heads of the 
 innocent mediums whose voice and organs the Unseen 
 Intelligences so often use? If so, is it any surprise that 
 this simple truth is loo true for the majority of mankind to 
 look honestlv in the face without fear? The}' would have 
 to overthrow their cherished schemes, their pett}' policies, 
 and their weakh- panderings to faults before they could 
 derive anv pleasi:re or profit from communing with these
 
 5^o Gleams of Light and 
 
 all-knowing ones. Therefore a doctrine founded on substi- 
 tution is 'more acceptable to such; still they show a timidity 
 and wholesale avoidance of the proofs of man's future life, 
 which is 7iot born of unshaken confidence in the infallibility 
 of the doctrines they teach men as Immortal Truth. 
 
 The very timidity and uncertainty with which our 
 Spiritual Teachers attempt to explain to reasonable all-round 
 thinkers such passages in our Bible as Samuel appearing to 
 Saul through the "Woman of Endor;" Jesus appearing "in 
 another form" on the way to Bmmaus, the unaccountable 
 and intense light which preceded the Divine visits, and other 
 passages too numerous to mention, led us to look into 
 Spiritualism and see what light it threw on such mysterious 
 passages. Spiritualism being the Science of Religion — or 
 the Sacred Mysteries which are the fundamental parts of all 
 Religions — made these mysteries clear, and not only taught 
 all that the Bible teaches, but also taiight how to renew these 
 Divine Revelations, and thereb}- demonstrate for ourselves 
 the grand Truth of Immortality taught therein. 
 
 In the record of Samuel, Saul, and the Woman of 
 Endor — which unscrupulous teachers twist in their endeavour 
 to prove that those who consult persons who have familiar 
 Spirits, sin — a familiar Spirit is a dead father, mother, 
 brother, teacher, friend, or some one quite as familiar, who 
 is capable of mesrherising some dear one she or he desires 
 to guide, instruct, or give prophecies through, and far from 
 being a sin, it is a gift God-given, and approved of by 
 all whose lives, motives, and thoughts in this world, will 
 bear the constant scrutiny of angelic recorders; for "are 
 they not all ministering Spirits sent forth to minister to 
 those who shall be heirs of the kingdom?"
 
 G/imps,s fhro' the Rift. 551 
 
 SECTION FIVE. 
 
 iTijougijt. 
 
 "Any place where the mind of man can be undisturbed is suitable for the 
 worship of the Supreme Being." 
 
 Hindu Scriptures. 
 
 /~^OGITO, trgo, sum. I think therefore I am. The axiom 
 ^-^ formulated upon the hypothesis that being can only be 
 cognised by a conscious ego, is inadequate to satisfy- the 
 interior man, as illuminated by the pure soul light of Spiritual 
 consciousness; this conclitsion — cogito, ergo, sum — arrived at 
 by a philosopher in the endeavour satisfactorily and logically 
 to prove the fact of his own individual existence as a basis 
 upon which to build a svstem of metaphysics comprehending 
 all that it is possible for a human being to know of himself, 
 and the universe, falls short of true comprehensiveness b}' 
 a long wa^'. Though regarded b}- a certain school of 
 metaph3-sicians as a golden text embod3dng the sublimity of 
 wisdom it is the same as saying, — The apple is red, therefore 
 the apple exists, thus basing an assumption of wisdom on a 
 foregone conclusion he who has learned to look within 
 himself- — the Spiritual ego — for that illumination which 
 springs from an actual consciousness of the Divine principle
 
 552 Ghains of Light and 
 
 resident within the interior chamber of the Divine hnman 
 Spirit receives the axiom to which we have referred, and 
 basing all conscions intelligence npon Spirit says "I am 
 therefore I think." 
 
 The old Hindu text says "The mind thinks but the 
 Soul knows," and here we have a recognition of the 
 Sovereignty of the Spiritual over the sensuous nature. 
 
 Thought is the product of Spiritual energy operating- 
 through a material brain and is never in harmony with true 
 Spiritual light excepting when the outward ego is in 
 subjection to the illumination of the interior soul conscious- 
 ness. All heresies, all figments of the imagination, all undue 
 mental bias, all social and mental antagonisms are the result 
 of the Limitation of tlic soul wisdofu. The slit through which 
 the illumination enters, affords too little scope, the orifice of 
 the window permits of no wide diffusion, and is not in ratio to 
 the volume of ligrht seekiu"' admission.
 
 Cj/i)iif>sts thro lite Rift. 553 
 
 SECTION SIX. 
 
 (Senilis 
 
 •Blesseil are tlie meek, for they shall inherit the earth." 
 
 Matt 
 
 A STROLOGY is purelj' a ph\-sical Science illustrating on 
 -'-^ a large scale, the part far distant Ph3-sical Nature plays 
 111 the external formation of man — as associations and food 
 do on a smaller and nearer scale: — 
 
 The body and mind obey the Stellar influences, as the 
 tides do the Moon's, and the Moon the Sun's; just as vege- 
 tation absorbs and matures by the carbonic acid man's lungs 
 expel, and man thrives by the oxj-gen given off by vegetation ; 
 this mutual exchange is continually going on throughout the 
 vegetable, insect, animal and stellar worlds, from the infinite 
 to finite; from the animate to the inanimate, and vice versa. 
 
 The approximate effects to the bod}- of man from its 
 external contact with surrounding Stellar matter at the 
 nativity, and the time these effects will operate, to cause the 
 chief events of life, can, by geometrical and mathematical 
 calculations — the Sciences upon which the Divine laws of 
 AstrologA' are based — be accurately foretold. But to look for 
 the CAUSE of genius (an sesoteric force) in the rules of 
 
 4 ^
 
 1^54 Gleams of Light and 
 
 Astrolog}', is as vain as to search for tlie CAUSE of thought 
 in the ci^ieritious matter of the brain. 
 
 There is nothing in Astral hire which reveals the .:5^soteric 
 life of man to the view of his fellows. The trials, difficulties, 
 oppositions, success and temptations ai'e clearl}' seen; also 
 the directions from which they arise, and the times they 
 operate; but whether these trials have the effect of developing 
 or extinguishing the Angel life within; whether the difiiculties 
 and oppositions sour or sweeten the natural disposition; 
 whether the temptations are listened to, or the sesoteric call 
 of cDuscience leads the individual on to victory, heedless of 
 present pain, suspicion or oppression, Astrolog}- in its impo- 
 tence is dumb. So, for a knowledge of, and CAUSE of 
 genius, we must refer to a higher Science than Astrology^ 
 sacred though it be. 
 
 The best, wisest, and most profound thinkers, scientists, 
 astrologers, ancient and modern philosophers have all been 
 students of the Science of Sciences— the SCIENCE of 
 Religions — without which no Science is complete, and ever}' 
 faith is as a tinkling cymbal. 
 
 This Science teaches that man has a Spiritual as well 
 as a phj'sical parentage — -that tlie Spirit which animates a 
 ph3'sical body varies according to the mental, moral, physical, 
 Spiritual, psychic and aspirational planes of thought which 
 the earthly parents" set up in their conditions, circumstances, 
 health, and a variety of more subtle states both of body and 
 mind. The guardian angels who accompany a newly bom 
 child to earth have gained their experience of earth life as 
 family ancestors, often generations remote, and this explains 
 the many degrees of intelligence and capacity which we see 
 around us — even in the young who have had no opportunities 
 of acquiring it from an external source. 
 
 Men who live and die, ordinary physical mortals, can 
 but inspire their descendants with an ordinary material and
 
 G/iiii/>sts thru tin- Rift. 555 
 
 limited knowledge, while those of aspiratioual and enquiring 
 tendencies, sow seeds whicli mature and de\elop for the 
 benefit of unborn generations, whom it is their work in the 
 hereafter to tend and supply with intelligence. It is no 
 uncommon thing to hear parents of inquisitive children sa}-: 
 "Where he gets his ideas from I can't imagine! Certainl}^ 
 not from me, nor his mother, for he asks questions on subjects 
 \\e have never thought of, and he sees no one else," — to 
 tlie parents of such precocious cliildren, these words may 
 ^ive some liglit. 
 
 Jesus said: "It is not yc that speak, but the Spirit of 
 \ our Father who speaketh in you." 
 
 St. Paul echoes the same law of dependence in the 
 words: "For in Him we live and move and have our being." 
 "Cast all your care upon Him for He careth for 3-011." 
 
 To materialize this fact. Unenlightened man stands in 
 I he same relation to the hereafter as a person brought up ni 
 uitlying rural districts, a stranger to manufacturing labour, 
 loes to organized industries; he can form no idea of the 
 inunense number of hands employed in making such trifles 
 is pins; the many different hands each pin passes through 
 Itefore completion, the managers, foremen, clerks, cashiers, 
 time-keepers, store-keepers, watchmen, porters, &c., who all 
 find active emplovment in each firm: while the Spiritually 
 stagnant mind never thinks that these teeming masses 
 receive their energies, activities, and thoughts from a 
 higher order of organized beings, also under classified 
 leaders, \\ho ha^•e risen to the capacity of ministering Spirits, 
 by a natural evolution of their Intelligence, who unseen by 
 the material eye of man, are workers in the great 
 manufactory we call Nature. Moreover, this "unseen cloud 
 of witnesses," as St. Paul calls them, are our ancestoi's, and 
 those workers in the pin and other manufactories will have 
 to take their places in the next order of their evolution, as
 
 :^^6 Gleams of Liglit and 
 
 Spirit workers, to form and control inanimate and animate 
 Nature, taught and regulated by a series of Higher Intelli- 
 gences, principalities, powers and Spiritual rulers, indeed 
 become the mysterious intelligent "latent force" which the 
 puzzled material Scientist can neither analyze nor explain the 
 source of, while a higher and more Evolutionary class of 
 etherealised man regulates the Elements and atmospheres, 
 stars, planets, and suns. 
 
 God works by means, [ntclligcncc is the instrument 
 God uses to accomplish the ends we call Nature, and man's 
 experiences the means of evolving Intelligence for advanced 
 activities. Man is man through several successive stages of 
 stellar incarnation after the earthly one, and retains his 
 memory, nature and ambitions; the Angels evolve as dual 
 after several deaths, similar to the death of the bod3^ The 
 body we now occup}- is an epitome of the earth, or a receptacle 
 for the capabilities of all organised material life below us, 
 with the power of reflection added, which tends to the 
 formation of additional organs called Spiritual and refining, 
 the last growth of the brain and skull; some of which are 
 so rudimentary as to have no scope for development in this 
 bod}-, but are transmitted to posterit}' phj^sically by means 
 of the law of generation, and fanned into activity by 
 Spiritual law ps3-cliicall3-. 
 
 Some ministering Spirits can easily impress their know- 
 ledge, experiences and mistakes on those they have invisible 
 charge of, others again appear to have little or no developed 
 knowledge beyond sensuous enjoj-ments, wherewith to inspire 
 their posterity. 
 
 If men study to lie and deceive here, acting as though 
 they consider the acme of happiness to lie in an uncontrolled 
 abandonment to the pleasures of sense as Spirit parents 
 ■ — which all have to become — they can but inspire the intelli- 
 gence of their descendants with the same grovelling tendencies.
 
 G/impscs thro the Rift. 557 
 
 Ignorance of these psychic laws tends to the perpetuation of 
 evil. 
 
 The yearnings and aspirations of the God Principle 
 focussed within, under such pre-natal influences as the above 
 are too often entirely eclipsed — unless natal environments 
 tend to counteract the pre-natal— until at maturity we find 
 them intelligent animals. Sometimes on an advanced mental 
 plane, but with no ray of psychic light to guide them in 
 unfolding their latent Spiritual powers. 
 
 In a man of this type the cultivation of Will-power 
 degenerates into a selfish ps\-cholog\- for the sole purpose 
 of taking at a disadvantage his fellow-man, and by a plausible 
 mental diplomacy, to subject him, in order to increase his 
 own power. Self-control to this man is not self-sacrifice, 
 but self-advancement, though he religioush- teaches and 
 enforces self-sacrifice in others. 
 
 The Spirit which animates certain rkm.vrk.vble indi- 
 \-iduals, has been evolved from a hand of advanced ministering 
 Angels; this band continues as ministering and guardian 
 Spirits to assist in the development of this newl}' organized 
 intelligence, of which the guardian Angel alwaj's proves to 
 have been an ancestor of one of the physical parents, and 
 often has had to wait centuries and centuries to convey his 
 advanced knowledge through matter. The highest Spiritual 
 Intelligences can onh' be incarnated at rare intervals, the 
 parental and cosmical conditions which determine so exalted 
 a Spiritual influx, do not occur frequently- at the right 
 moment to both parents. In the rare intervals which do 
 occur, great difficulties have to be overcome, by the inner 
 light, to manifest itself through the opposing conditions 
 surrounding the child's life. Often the education and mode 
 of rearing, considered necessar}- by the earthly parents, are 
 but crushing, mutilating, and sometimes stamping out the 
 manifestations of genius from within. The physical body,
 
 re; 8 Gleams o/ Liohi and 
 
 which develops genius, is sensitive in the extreme, shrinking 
 from the* public gaze, writhing in torturous silent agon}- 
 over injustices which his less sensitive brother would resent 
 with interest. They are often unjustly accused of trifling 
 wrongs and faults, which their refined organizations abhor as 
 crimes, and while positive torture holds them mute, this 
 painful and bewildered silence is usually taken as an acknow- 
 ledgment of guilt. By a series of these misunderstandings, 
 the channels of sympathy between him, his family, and 
 acquaintances are dried up, and an effectual barrier raised. 
 Unless the child of genius can command isolation from his 
 fellows, he rareh- grows old, this painful tension between 
 the sesotic and exoteric life is far too great for long endurance 
 in his physical frame. None are capable of seeing the bright 
 spark, and are therefore unconscious of its existence, and the 
 child like Linnaeus, the naturalist, is continually being un- 
 justlv blamed; the child, youth, or man follows the dictates 
 of the inner voice, to the neglect of his books, or the pursuit 
 of wealth and position, and is thus constantly misunderstood 
 and misrepresented. 
 
 We are told the parents of Linnaeiis intended him for a 
 clergyman; of whom both studied horticulture, at the time of 
 his birth, and had a wonderful collection of over four hundred 
 exotic plants. A blossom would always soothe tlieir little son 
 when he cried. At" four years of age he readily remembered 
 many' of their Swedish names. As he grew older they were 
 concerned to find he neglected his books and studies for the 
 fields and flowers, and tvas oftoi scolded for his industry in 
 collecting specimens and drying them. At twenty-one, in 
 the University, he was considered a dunce, all his valuable 
 knowledge of flowers was tliought nothing of, until one of 
 the professors took notice of him; this onlv procured for him 
 enemies both envious and bitter. On one occasion, while 
 revelling among his flowers, he had a Spiritual vision. The
 
 G/i»ipscs thro tlic Rift. 559 
 
 flowers all became male and female, and sang a holy song 
 inviting him to their wedding, at which thev made him their 
 king. In this vision, lie get his iirst intimation, that like 
 animals, plants are male and female, and with this light he 
 set to work, proved the fact by experiment, and built up 
 the present system of sexual botanv. He wrote hard on his 
 especial subject and proved himself to be as bright a geuiiis 
 as modem time has pronounced. 
 
 Edison, another of our modem genii, acknowledges the 
 assistance given him by the ^Esoteric development of his 
 own light, under the guidance of his assisting Spiritual 
 forces, which to him have a visible and audible presence. 
 
 President Lincoln too was in audible and visible com- 
 mimication daily with his Spiritual councillors during his 
 critical ^-ears, and it was by the audible direction of one of 
 these angelic ministers that the emancipation proclamation 
 was issued.* 
 
 Socrates was conscious of his Spiritual companion, to 
 wliom he was fain to listen in spite of his natural and 
 worldlv desire to the contrary. 
 
 Cases might be multiplied but space forbids. 
 Hverv person has a Spiritual counterpart, but all have 
 not the psychic organization which admits of their being 
 accompanied to earth by an audible and visible guardian, 
 who is visible and invisible at almost the same moment, 
 audible to themsehes and inaudible to ever3'one else, who 
 takes the responsibility of directing their movements, guiding, 
 sympathising, and reproving. Children of the genii are 
 considered singular, wavward, unsociable, and sometimes 
 demented, b\- their fellows because they prefer to follow this 
 occult voice, to the conventionalities and wa3-s of the world. 
 As time ripens and experiences multiply, they learn to trust 
 
 * See ■•I.ife of President Lincoln," by Jlrs. Maj-nard.
 
 ^6o GicaiJis of Li gilt and 
 
 the ^Esoteric side of their life and regard this Spiritual 
 giiidance as Moses did his "Thus saith the Lord," as their 
 infallible guide; by this means the}' are directed to accomplish 
 some one useful work as a beacon to less enlightened mankind. 
 
 The brightest and most valuable genius is seldom dis- 
 covered to be such until after death. Sometimes they are 
 fully one hundred years ahead of their fellow men — to wit, 
 Isaac Watts and Newton, during which time their light was 
 feebl}^ reflecting itself on newly born generations, and thus 
 it always is. Unenlightened man cannot do justice to his 
 more enlightened meek brethren, their ver}?- meekness makes 
 them a target for those who wish to be thought leaders in 
 learning and Science, to shoot at.* To those who have ad- 
 vanced be3'ond the consen-atism of creeds, the words "Spirit," 
 "Life aud Force," are S3'non3nnous, used to express God in 
 focus by organization. Man is the highest development of 
 organized life known to material Science, biit Spiritual Science 
 knows of higher developments. Man's intelligence evolves 
 from the death of the bod_v, to the birth of the soul; bv 
 similar gradual changes from the death of the soul, the 
 Spirit passes through several evolutions before it attains to 
 the angel, then the archangel, cherubim, seraphim, and so on 
 ad infinituiii. "Man though dead still speaketh," and his chief 
 work in the Hereafter lies with his fellow man ; this explains 
 how the sins of the fathers descend upon their children unto 
 the third aud fourth generation. He can but transmit 
 physically and inspire ps3-chically in proportion to his own 
 attainments. 
 
 As the progress of the tree of this year is so slight 
 from the tree of last A-ear, that we could, and possibh' do, 
 call it the same, so is the outward appearance of the soul, 
 
 * For further illustrations see "Seers of the Ages," by Peebles, containing 
 extracts from the lives of ancient and modern characters possessed of genius and 
 their Esoteric or Spiritual companions.
 
 G/i)iipscs tliro tlic Rifi. 561 
 
 which evolves from the deceased bod}-, the fac-simile of that 
 material body whicli is laid iu the grave, 3''et it is no more 
 the same than this year's leaves are the same as last vear's 
 leaves. 
 
 The spark wliicli shines so feebly through a gross phj-sical 
 body, would have shone with more intelligent light, had 
 there been as much study and care given to the circum- 
 stances of the conception, of its material organism as to that 
 of an intended race-horse, while sickness and disease would 
 be unknown, if mothers were protected from intercourse 
 during pregnane}' and lactation. 
 
 Ignorance of Spiritual Science and organic undevelopmeut 
 can alone account for the unnatural terror which material 
 man shews on recognising the Spiritual body of some dear 
 one, whose ph}-sical body he has buried long since. The 
 grief of the Spirit to find that those who should welcome 
 with love, only shun him with fear, can be more easily 
 imagined than described, it also minimises and cripples the 
 psychic assistance they ha\e power to give their loved ones 
 left behind. 
 
 To get an intelligent knowledge of Spiritual Science, 
 years of daily study and preparation are needed, just as in 
 other branches of Science and education, knowledge and art. 
 
 All exoteric systems of religion teach that man is 
 immortal, but this theological truth can only be pro\'ED by 
 the psychic who becomes, in the hands of his Spiritual 
 progenitors, an Inspired Genius. 
 
 Mankind generally can learn the Science of sound, but 
 only few excel as musicians, while none but the man of 
 genius can move the emotions of the masses by the eloquence 
 of his soul vibrations, which reach out, throb and pulsate 
 in unison with that of the highest angelic harmonies. 
 
 Ancient artists, versed in occult Spiritual Science, alwa}-s 
 depicted subjects possessing a high and wide frontal formation 
 
 4 c
 
 ^62 G/ciiDis uf Light and 
 
 of brain, with a luminous halo round the head, in some 
 large, radiating rays, in others small. Saints — we in these 
 latter days are accustomed to call these portraits of ancient 
 genius. It is this vital aura that surrounds mankind, its 
 degree of illuminating, radiating and phosphorescent qualities 
 which mark the Spiritual individuality of man and thing, 
 is in fact its soul or medium of comviunication bdivccn the body 
 and Spirit. A person with a large and clear soul is in closer 
 touch with the Unseen, than a small or dark-souled individual. 
 Among the former class, onl}', is marked genius to be found. 
 Those who possess an extensive, clear, radiating and 
 phosphorescent halo are able to photograph objects without 
 sun, or any artificial light whatever, except this psychic light 
 of the mind. Those, in whom this light is always burning, 
 are natural psychic photographers, but not in this century 
 will they be ranked b}- their fellows among the genii. N'ow 
 they are despised of men, taught of Angels, chosen with 
 others to usher in the Sixth Dispensation, to introduce new 
 methods of scientific research, wherein the Unseen Realm 
 of CAUSATION shall be included, so that old things may 
 pass away and all things become new. Then the memory of 
 Nineteenth Centur}' Psychic Photographers will be venerated. 
 They will be spoken of as Martyrs who suffered to advance 
 Scientific Religion, in a materialistic age.
 
 Glimpses thro the Rift. 563 
 
 SECTION SEVEN. 
 
 iHan's ^:mmrtllatr Ursuivrrtioiu 
 
 "And many bodies of the saints which slept, arose and appeared unto many." 
 
 Matthew xxvii. 52, 53. 
 
 HOW few have ever thont^ht in wJiat an "Irish Wake" 
 originated ! 
 The Roman Catholies are taught that their dead friends 
 will rise again in Spirit form, minus the worn-out ph3'sical 
 body, which they ha^■e respectfully restored to Mother 
 Earth: it is to hasten this resurrection that the pious Catholic 
 devotes himself to vigils, pra3-ers, lamentations and praises, 
 in accordance with his knowledge of the past life of the 
 friend he is "Waking." Now we cannot prove that the 
 Catholic is in error! We may ridicule, pity, lend a curious 
 eye and ear, or turn awa}' with indifference from such 
 superstitious notions; but is this sufficient to prove that their 
 efforts are vain? We know that it is contrary to what we 
 have been taught, and is not in accordance with the line of 
 thought that we have taken up in reference to life, death, 
 resurrection, and eternit}', but this proves not that they are 
 ■wrong. It is laudable and right for one person to show 
 another why he believes in such and such a theory, but it
 
 :;64 Glcai/is of Lioht and 
 
 is a ver}' questionable proceeding to ridicule or tr}- to shake 
 the faith' another may seriously and honestly have in rites 
 which to us are a dead letter, and which, for ought we know 
 may be nearer to natural religion than rites which we strictly 
 observe, besides, it is necessary for us to have their hereditary 
 temperaments, physical and psychical formation, for us to have 
 lived their lives, had their individual temptations, experiences, 
 and religious education before we should be in a fit position 
 to judge as to which belief would place him in closest con- 
 nection with the Almighty Uplifter of Man's Motives, the one 
 he now holds, or the one we hold, for after all this is the 
 aim of all creeds and religions, and in countries where every 
 creed is tolerated, men naturalh' gravitate to the one which 
 suits their individual temperaments best. All religious beliefs 
 tend to elevate man and raise the standard of his morals, by 
 teaching him that his motives are open to the scrutin}- of 
 an ever present God. The devout educated Catholic must 
 have some intelligent ground for "Waking" their dead, which 
 to us Protestants appears superstitious nonsense — let us allow 
 that this may be so, it will lead us on to enquire wliat this 
 ground can be. 
 
 St. Paul says " I have a natural badv, and I have a 
 Spiritual bod}-." Catholics ACT as though they believe this, 
 Protestants do not, the former believe the Spirit man lives, 
 and continues the life which he only commenced in the 
 bod}^ be that life good or bad; he believes in continual 
 everlasting life, and progress both for good and bad, hence 
 his affection for the departed, stimulates him to prayers, and 
 vigils. Indeed all religions and creeds seem to have had 
 their origin in the fad of the "dead rising,'" being clearly 
 made known to the leader or originator of every sect, by 
 some former occupant, or occupants of this earth, from whom 
 he got both his knowledge, mission, and enthusiasm in the 
 form of what we call a ghost or Spirit.
 
 Gliwpscs tlnv till Rift. 565 
 
 We read of such wise philosophers and religions leaders 
 as Pythagoras, Plato, Esculapious, Mahomet, Swedenborg, 
 Apolonius, Cereuthus, Polycarp, Ignatius, Clement, Apollinaris, 
 Irenens, Tertullian, Augustine, Roger Bacon, St. Bernard, 
 Martin Luther, Philip, Melancthorn, John Calvin, Christopher 
 Columbus, Agrippa, Bodia, Tasso, Archbishop Cranmer, 
 Judicious Hooker, Paracelsus, Joan of Arc, Lord Bacon, 
 George Fox, and many other prominent characters in history, 
 all of whom saw and talked with Spirits, who directed and 
 guided them for good ; some of these characters were able to 
 interrogate and converse with departed Spirits at will, others 
 only saw them occasionall)', to warn and advise previous to 
 some great event, (see "Seers of the Ages," J. AL Peebles) 
 now none in the present da}- would presume to pass sentence 
 on the above men, whose ability, knowledge, wisdom and 
 writings have been admired, imitated, and wondered at b}- 
 the learned in all ages. Even a cursor}- view of ancient 
 literature shows the present generation how little is known 
 of the occult workings of Nature compared with past 
 generations, and consequently the folly of passing judgment 
 on a siibject which we have not given the same amount of 
 time and thouglit to the study of, as those we rashl}- sit in 
 judgment upon. 
 
 Though we have many allusions in the Bible to the 
 natural appearance of Spirits to men and women, whose lives 
 are therein recorded for our imitation, we have none so 
 clearly stated as being an effort of the will accompanied 
 with a certain knowledge — and of course a special natural 
 TALEXT for acquiring that knowledge — as in the case of King 
 Saul and the wise woman of Endor, (see I. Samuel xxviii.) 
 according to this narrative so long as the king followed the 
 Lord God: the prophets (mediums), seers (clairvoyants), 
 enchanters (materializers), &c.— different phases of the same 
 occult s:ift — were in high esteem, but when his wives turned
 
 :^65 Gleams of Light and 
 
 away his heart after other gods, he ordered all these gifted 
 men and women to be pnt to death, becanse through their 
 agency the Lord God was continually sending to him messages 
 of reproof— they, in fact knew too much of his goings on 
 for his comfort ; and thus it is to this day ! People bent on 
 evil ever shun the society of those whose steady and pure 
 lives stand out as a reproof, neither will their troubled 
 consciences permit them to speak well of such, insomuch 
 that if they had the power they would hesitate not to follow 
 Saul's example, and make a law forbidding all people who 
 led better lives or who had more knowledge than themselves, 
 to be allowed to live. Now Samuel was dead, and the 
 wholesale butchery of those, who, in the performance of 
 their duty to God, had become troublesome to the king, did 
 not give him the satisfaction he expected, and he began to 
 repent; in this frame of mind he asked his servants to seek 
 oiit an enchanter. In answer they reminded him of his order 
 for all who were found with a familiar Spirit (or guardian 
 Angel guide, demon. Lord or God, all of which terms are 
 used interchangeably by Egyptian, Plioenecian, Persian, and 
 Grecian writers, even our learned church aitthoritv, Calmet 
 says: "the name God is often given to the Angels") were to 
 be put to death ; the king therefore promised safety to 
 anyone the}- would take him to; he was thereu-pon taken in 
 DISGUISE to a woman at Endor whom he treated with the 
 respect her talent deserved, and in former years liad com- 
 manded. 
 
 At iirst she declined, pleading as her excuse the king's 
 command, but on his promising secrecy, she yielded, and 
 asked what he wanted; when he said to speak to the prophet 
 Samuel, she at once consented "to raise him up," or pray 
 the Lord to put the king in audible communion with Samuel 
 by means of her aura, and here notice that no sooner had 
 she consented and placed herself in negative or pra3-erful
 
 G/impsi's thro'' the Rift. 567 
 
 rapport with the Unseen cloud of witnesses surrounding 
 mankind, than she was told by them who her visitor was, to 
 whom slie indignantl}' turned saying "Thou art King Saul, 
 Why hast thou deceived me?" However his request was 
 granted, her familiar Angel saw that no harm would come to 
 her whereas, it would do the king good to speak once again 
 to his faithful councillor, who proved himself in very deed 
 to be the prophet Samuel, for the king not onlj' saw him, 
 and heard him, but the same reproof was administered, as so 
 enraged the king when Samuel was in possession of his 
 own material body. 
 
 I. — Now we must consider that such a good man as 
 Samuel would not have appeared by means of this 
 woman's gift, had her wisdom been displeasing to 
 the Dispenser of all talents — The Almighty. 
 2. — Nowhere in the whole Bible do we lind it stated 
 that an enchanter, witch diviner, etc., should be put 
 to death except this command of King Saul's and that 
 of Moses, when making judicial laivs for a semi- 
 barbaric revengeful nation who regarded human life 
 as lightly as we do animal life, and who might have 
 used, and did mc, these gifts for avenging the mur- 
 derers of their loved ones. 
 3. — If this judicial law was Divine and intended for us 
 to obey, so are all the rest of Moses' laws, and side 
 by side with this one, we read: — "If any of j^ou have 
 a disobedient son who will not obey the voice of his 
 father, he shall take him into the centre of the city 
 and the elders of that city shall stone him with stones 
 till he die." 
 Where is the father who will admit this law Divine and 
 binding upon him? N'o judicial law is binding except upon 
 the people for whom it was specially made and in the century 
 which developed the need for such a law. All knowledge is
 
 r58 Gleams of Light and 
 
 abused by the vicious, and used to further their schemes of 
 evil, but ^the bad aud the good are so inseparably mixed 
 together in the world, that if knowledge is to be kept from 
 the bad, all schools, colleges, and places of instruction would 
 have to be closed, for we are all good till temptations come. 
 Temptation is the harvest lohieh separates the tares from the 
 IV heat. 
 
 Bnglish law-givers in the past saw a necessity- for con- 
 demning a previously good husband and father to the gallows, 
 because in a drunken frenzy he deals his wife her death 
 blow, depriving the children of Iwth their earthly protectors 
 instead of one, and perpetrating another murder tliemselves, 
 which does not atone for, or improve the murdered wife's 
 condition, while it adds to the number of Spirits who are 
 ever on the watch to inspire mankind with murderous feel- 
 ings — A^atinxs Vengeanee — neither is it a public check, for 
 in this enlightened age men know that murder is an insane 
 impulse, and that the time is ripe for this law to be repealed. 
 
 When Psvchic Science or the occult law of CAUSES is 
 taught in the Educational Colleges, in addition to, and in 
 parallel lines with, material Science, our legislators will know 
 that men, culprits though tlie}- may be, who are ushered 
 prematurely from their physical body, either by the law, 
 disease, or neglect, are the souls in prison, whom Jesus 
 preached to before His ascension; by a Natural Law they are 
 bound to earth, and cannot at once ascend. Tliose who die, 
 before the body is worn out by old age full of uncontrolled 
 passion, indignation and revenge, inspire the minds of men 
 to the perpetuation of all kinds of agitating and disorderly 
 deeds, indeed such souls prematurely born into the realm of 
 CAUSATION or the material heavens produce b}' the law of 
 inspiration, the evil thoughts and sviggestions which against 
 man's will, do at times crowd out better and more agreeable 
 inspiration, why? Being nearer earth p.sychicall\', they can
 
 aiiin/^scs thro tlic Rift. 569 
 
 more easily affect the material atoms of the brain than 
 purer and less selfish disembodied souls. Evil CDmmunications 
 corrupt good manners, quite as much on the psychic as the 
 material plane; this being so, is it not wiser to teach men 
 7i'//(r(- thev get their wrong thoughts from, in order that 
 the\- may be better prepared to withstand them. 
 
 Tlie difference between a witch and a prophet, lies in 
 the fact that the latter uses his or her gifts under the 
 protection, and in the interests of, the recognised religions 
 authorities, while the former are unorganized, and fres for 
 all comers, good and bad alike, and as a result bad as well 
 as good Spirits are equally fres to control. 
 
 Is it possible for r.s in the nineteenth c;ntury "to raise 
 the dead" without being instructed in the Romish doctrine, 
 or in any way compromising our religious ideas of right and 
 wrong? — If we understand this to mean extricating the body 
 we haye placed in the ground — we decidedly answer no; this 
 can neyer be! But if by "raising the dead" we mean 
 r)R.\wiNG round us — as ministering angels the Spiritual bodies 
 of those loyed ones who are only gone before, and who are 
 already risen, we can speak from experience in the affirmative, 
 for like reading, writing, the translation of languages, 
 chemistry, and engineering; this knowledge can be acquired, 
 irrespective of religion or nationality, and is quite as legiti- 
 mate in the sight of the Creator, as the understanding of 
 any other Natural Fact in His I'^niverse. 
 
 Those people who gather the experience and theories, 
 ancient and modern, on gliosts, visions, prophecies, &c., and 
 put into practical demonstration the knowledge therein 
 gleaned, will soon ascertain for themselves that the much 
 dreaded "ghost" is none other than some dear departed one. 
 Divinely commissioned through their Guardian Angels as the 
 bearer of some important piece of advice, comfort or reproof, 
 the Angel who addressed Monoah in the field was what wc 
 
 4 D
 
 cjo Glcaiin oj Light and 
 
 in this age would call a Ghost or Spirit: these Bible Aiig-els 
 are sometimes called men as the three men whom Abraham 
 entertained. 
 
 Man's aspiration for an intercommunion between the 
 Seen and Unseen world of Spirits will be the chief means 
 of ushering in the millenium, &c. 
 
 There are four chic/ ways of knowing that oxw own dead 
 are risen, open to those who have not the necessary means, 
 time or inclination to unfold their own Spiritual gifts. 
 
 1. Bv Clairvoyance. 
 
 2. " Materialization. 
 
 3. " Psvchic Photography. 
 
 4. " Living in the world but not of it. 
 
 I. — Now clairvoyance is neither to be bought nor sold, 
 it is a rare natural gift, like poetry, music, eloquence, etc., 
 and is one of the gifts of the Spirit which St. Paul exhorts 
 us not to be ignorant of, but to covet earnestly (i Cor. xii. 
 i-io;) those who have not the "gift of discerning Spirits" 
 can associate with those who have, and get a verbal descrip- 
 tion "raised" to their mental vision of relations and friends 
 long since passed from view by death, and quite unknown 
 to the clairvo3'ant, yet seen at all times and in all places b\- 
 these gifted individuals, while these Spirits are not discern- 
 able to less talented people. 
 
 There are various degrees of natural vision between 
 long-sight and short-sight; long-sighted people can discern 
 minute objects at a considerable distance awa}-, and describe 
 every peculiarity in detail, when their short-sighted companion 
 is unable to discern large objects many yards awa}': it would 
 be folly and useless contention for the short-sighted to dispute 
 the veracity of the long-sighted, or to put them down as 
 exaggerators or intentional deceivers, it would be equally 
 foolish to contend that the clairvoyants do not behold tlie 
 hosts of serial people whom they describe, the descriptions
 
 G/i////>sts thro the Rift. 571 
 
 so frequently answering to our departed friends, strangers 
 to the talented Seers. 
 
 The late Prince Consort was deeph- interested in clair- 
 vo3-ance. Air. Home, the well-known medium, has visited 
 the palace; and several members of the Ro3-al Family are 
 students of occult Science. Mr. Home, the clairvoyant, has 
 also visited at the Courts of St. Petersburg, Berlin, and Paris. 
 2. — Alaterialization is a form of "raising the dead" which 
 every one present can see as distinctly as the furni- 
 ture or anything else in the room ; all that is needed 
 is the presence of certain people with a special chemical 
 aura or with material vital organizations, hence the term 
 "Materialization." These people manufacture in their 
 own frame more vitality than the natural requirements 
 of their physique demand, the surplus is tlirown off 
 into the atmosphere and imbibed \t\ the more weakly 
 of earth's inhabitants — these vital people are natural 
 doctors and nurses, and there are always some in everv 
 town and country all over the globe. If a number of 
 these specially organized ones be collected into one 
 room, in a ver\- short time there will be a sufficient 
 quantit\' of atoms to form a temporary material 
 covering, or body, for the Spirits present in the room, 
 who will not onlv be visible, but recognisable, and if 
 the atmosphere be kept quite still and the minds of the 
 sitters calm and passive, they will soon prove that 
 there is nothing to excite fear or dread, in their 
 presence, but quite the reverse, as one by one the 
 devoted wife, the faithful husband, the loving daughter, 
 and the aged parents are recognised, b^- first one then 
 another of those that are present. The materialization 
 then of Spirits is quite easy and natural in the presence 
 of those who have a pure mind in a healthy body. 
 Longfellow knew this when he wrote
 
 x^~j2 Glcavix of Lig//i and 
 
 "How pure in heart, )iow sound in head. 
 With what divine affections bold, 
 ^ Must be the man, whoss thoughts would hold 
 
 An hour's communian wit'i the dead." 
 
 Again he sa_vs speaking of twilight: 
 
 Then the forms of the departed 
 Enter at the open door, 
 The beloved ones, the true hearted. 
 Come to v-isit me once more. 
 With a slow and xioiseless foot-step 
 Come these me.ssengers Divine, 
 Take the vacant chair beside me; 
 Lay their gentle hands in mine. 
 
 To see a materialized Spirit no special gift is needed 
 be\ond a quiet, calm, and patient frame of mind. 
 
 3. - Spirit Photography. Twent}- j^ears ago the Scientific 
 and Photographic world were occasionally startled b}- 
 well-known men of integrity, skill, and practical 
 common-sense stating that while photographing some 
 friend, or customer, a deceased relative has appeared 
 on the plate, when none but the sitter and photographer 
 have been in the room. 
 
 Chemists and scientists from time to time have taken 
 up this subject to prove the impossibilit}-, and in their 
 turn have obtained knowledge of deceased relatives, 
 and under conditions when there could be no possibilit\' 
 of deception, such were Professors Crookes, F.R.S.; 
 Wallace, F.Z.S. ; Zollner; H. Wedgwood; President 
 Lincoln; W. Lloyd Garrison; the poet Longfellow; 
 Mrs. H. B. Stowe; Bayard Taylor; the late Dr. Kane, 
 Arctic explorer; the late Rev. J. Pierpoint; Lord 
 Lindsa\-; the late Lord Dunraven; Lord Adare; C. 
 F. Varley, F.R.S. ; the late Dr. Robert Chambers; 
 Dr. Gully; Dr. J. G. Wilkinson; Dr. Ashburner; 
 the late Dr. Elliotson ; the late Professor De Morgan ; 
 H. G. Atkinson, F.G.S.; William and Mary Howitt;
 
 G/ini/>^,s thro tin Rift. 573 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. S. C. Hall; General Massey; Dr. 
 
 Sexton; the late W. M. Thackeray; the late Elizabeth 
 
 Barrett Browning; Sergeant Cox, etc. 
 \'ery mnch that happens dnring our lives is of such a 
 psychological nature, that few understand it, and it is hushed 
 up with the wise remark! "Oh! it's only your imagination." 
 Be it so, what is imagination ? The definition lexicographers 
 :uul philosophers give, will not embrace all that is this day 
 put down to imagination ; for instance, a Photographic Camera 
 has no imagination in the accepted sense of the word, and 
 it has no thinking mind, therefore, it cannot lie and deceive, 
 the usual explanation given by the sceptical of the first two 
 methods of "raising the dead" — consequently the open and free 
 investigation of Spirit Photograph}- demands the attention of 
 everv impartial and honest thinker. 
 
 In a penny paper called " Photography, " Julv i8th, 
 1889, is a description of the Spirit of Nellie Power, which 
 was photographed by two gentlemen (amateurs) who had also 
 obtained Spirits of their relations who had passed over or 
 died forty years ago. In the "British Journal of Photography," 
 September 7th, 14th, and 21st, 1888; also Januar\' 9th, 1889, 
 are additional testimonies from another source. During 
 October, 1888, appeared some letters in the same journal, 
 confirming the former b}- the experience of others; indeed 
 from September, 1888, there has been something on the 
 subject from time to time. During 1872, and for several 
 years after, the subject was brought to light by thoughtful, 
 earnest, and honest philantropists — but as England's leaders 
 and the press in all ages have heaped ridicule, suspicion, 
 and ignomiii}- upon the lives of its greatest inventors, and 
 so crushed all their inventive inspiration (for that centur}- 
 at least) from being of practical use to mankind, so it has, 
 this most remarkable discover}-, if not the latest; but as it 
 was close on one hundred 3-ears before the English discovered
 
 cjA G/civiis of Liiihf and 
 
 that tlieir judgment in treating as a madman, the inventor 
 of steam-* for an agent in locomotion, was a mistake, so it 
 will probably be as long before tlieir eyes are open, to 
 receive the photographic fact, that their beloved dead are all 
 round them, though invisible to the coarse material of which 
 the natural bodies of men are composed, this material, being 
 the heavy deposit of earth; the next life, or death, leaves 
 this heav}- part behind it, but retains its original form, and 
 so is capable of being recognised, when photographed, 
 materialized, or described by the clairvoyant, as has been 
 proved in innumerably well-attested cases, which space will 
 not permit me to quote here (see " Light," weekly). 
 
 Everv reader of American papers, knows now of the 
 private agreement between the wife of, and President Lincoln, 
 that the one who out-lived the other should go incognito 
 to a Spirit photographer, and if possible the departed one 
 should stand before the camera also, and so pro\;e to tlie 
 survivor a continued conscious existence if any. Mrs. Lincoln 
 states that she travelled from Springfield, 111. to Boston, 
 for the sole purpose of having a picture taken, as a proof; 
 that when she arrived in Boston she went direct!}- to the 
 studio, before visiting an hotel for fear someone who knew 
 her, might see and recognise her, and thus defeat the object 
 for which she had taken such a long journey. The picture 
 of President Lincoln which she obtained is an excellent one. 
 He is seen standing liehind her with his hands resting on 
 her shoulders and looking down with a pleasant smile. (See 
 "Human Nature," a monthly- periodical, for December, iH;,], 
 containing the photo and an account in which periodical the 
 
 editor M. A., Oxon, present editor of "Light," gives his 
 
 personal investigation of many instances of Spirit photograpln- 
 — all the sitters were strangers to the photographer, and 
 the Spirits developed on the plates are all recognised as dead 
 friends, in attitudes diifercnt to any picture taken while the\'
 
 (i/iiiipsis thro the Rift. 1^75 
 
 were in their earth bod}-, proving the power men have to 
 "raise or behold their dead," if the subject were treated with 
 less ridicule and prejudice, and more intelligence and aspir- 
 ation. Faith is another important factor, for unless we 
 believe a thing possible, we have no desire to attain to it. 
 "Faith without works is dead." Faith that a thing is 
 possible leads men to attempt its execution. The Nazarine 
 said when men marvelled at his works — "Greater things than 
 these shall ye do, if ye have only faith." "Faith precedes 
 knowledge." 
 
 The "Waking" of the dead as practised by the Romish 
 Church is what Protestants call "The Resurrection:" those 
 who hold direct communion with the departed know that 
 there is not a stated time for one great Universal Resurrection, 
 but each person rises from the dead separateh'. 
 
 Death is a longer sleep than usual, sometimes only a 
 few minutes, in other cases, hours, days, months or years, 
 in some few cases of sudden death, it has been centuries 
 before the Spirit could 'rise' and free itself magnetically from 
 attraction to the healthy body from which the shock severed 
 it. As far as the author can gather from the Unseen, in all 
 cases, unconsciousness has reigned during the whole time of 
 the separation of the Spirit from the bod}- (called death), 
 and when consciousness returns it is some little time before 
 the Spirit realizes the loss of its material body, and has 
 'risen' in the full meaning of the term. It was to solicit 
 the sj-mpathv and assistance of ministering Angels who were 
 able to soothe and soften the shock, the first knowledge of 
 their .separation from the bod}^ gives a Spirit on first "waking" 
 that the religious 'wake' originated. In some cases the 
 waking of the dead is a matter for rejoicing, in others there 
 mav be doubt, but as all Spirits whom the author has inter- 
 rogated on this point, speak of the change as one to be 
 desired, there is no authority for saying that it is a grief to
 
 cy5 Gleams of Light and 
 
 any Spirit. Tlie only hell they say they know of is —that 
 Spirits have to minister to those they have injured, and live 
 in agonizing helplessness in full view of the consequences to 
 their dear ones, of all they have done wrong while in the 
 body, whether intentionally or in ignorance, until the effects 
 are entirely lived out and atoned for by their descendants, 
 they find that their faith in the Saviour is of no use, except 
 this faith led to the same unselfish life for others, the same 
 humble desire to do good to all men with no thought of self 
 or reward, as characterised the life of the Nazarine. Some 
 Spirits dwell in or near the earth spheres for centuries, and 
 ages after that, others onlv for years, but all have to work 
 near earth so long as they have descendants or dear ones 
 left behind, and their work is made doubly hard and bitter 
 bv the indifference or fear which mortals show at the idea 
 of their nearness, bv those whom they consider should rejoice 
 and welcome them. 
 
 4. — The fourth and best possible means for "raisiug the 
 dead" is to live, think, aud act in tlie sure knowledge 
 that invisible and loving eyes are ever on us helping 
 us by their approval to conquer temptatious, and 
 grieving with us at our failures, but with a s\-mpat]u' 
 and love which gives strength for future conquests: 
 this is the surest way of "raising the dead," because 
 they feel welcome at any and every time, they find 
 us alone, to reveal themselves to us: they know our 
 needs and necessities, and with their enlarged vision 
 and increased knowledge thev are greater comforters 
 and better councillors than men, coming fresh from 
 their heavenly homes, the}- bring and leave behind 
 them a peace born of God and a heavenly wisdom. 
 We close this brief outline by reminding the reader that 
 the leader of every new sect has been led on b^• Spirits 
 Invisible to all but himself, Moses, Jesus, Paul, Tliomas a
 
 G/iiii/^sis thro the Rift. z^~- 
 
 Becket, Luther, Calvin, Swedeiiborg, Alahoraet, Ann Lee, all 
 saw, heard, were advised, guided and comforted in times of 
 difficulty, by their Spirit friends. 
 
 Edison, the greatest inventor of the Nineteenth Century, 
 fears not to acknowledge this assistance of Spirits. S. C. 
 Hall, editor of the London Art Journal, acknowledges his 
 indebtedness to communicating Spirit friends, and since his 
 death liis wife consciously enjoys his audible and visible 
 ."Spiritual presence to this da\-; when this Communion is more 
 known and desired, it will do more to redeem mankind from 
 sin and sorrow than all the creeds and sermons ever invented. 
 
 Mankind get used to thinking God too far away to 
 notice their mean and questionable actions, their angry 
 spiteful words, their unkind selfish and malicious thoughts, 
 whereas if the}- were sure that their mother, wife, or children 
 were obliged, as Divinely commissioned guardian angels or 
 ministering Spirits to become acquainted with all their double 
 dealings and deceptive policies, much of the selfishness, evil, 
 and hollowness existing in society to-day would disappear 
 and thus make room for a real religion where at present 
 unlv tlie shadow of one exists. 
 
 4 E
 
 Glimpses //no tlu Rift. ^-g 
 
 ^robrrbs 
 
 GIVEX BY ANGELS. 
 
 HE who knoweth not self is more powerful than a 
 nation. 
 
 He is a triangle a of force. 
 
 He is a Circle C of harmony. 
 
 The Angels are the sublimated forces of the world — 
 Gods in embrj-o. 
 
 Such shalt thou become, O ! man ! if th\- feet persevere 
 in the ways of unfoldment. 
 
 Beloved! remember that thy birthright is with the gods! 
 
 All selfishness must be banished from th^• heart! 
 
 When a man dies he rises again into a more glorious 
 condition. 
 
 Like a flower he fades, and rises up again, a hundred- 
 fold more beautiful still. 
 
 INIercifull}' blest, be thou merciful. 
 
 What'er thou hast the most, the most of that give out. 
 
 Give that which thou hast, and trust in God for that 
 which thou hast not. 
 
 Thou shalt be joyful if thou givest jo3-full3\ 
 
 Manifold are the blessings of him who giveth freel}-, 
 and manifold are the sorrows of him who giveth grudgingly.
 
 t^So Gleams of Light and 
 
 As the flower liideth not its beaut}- from any beholder, 
 neither Jiide thou th}- truth from thy fellow-man. 
 
 Let thy goodness be known by its emanations, not by 
 the exaltations of thine own glory. 
 
 Gold! As a servant thou art good. 
 
 But as a master thy fangs are felt after the flight of 
 time. 
 
 Glean honour, ne'er mind the fleety stuff called gold. 
 
 Thou hopest to glean ETERNAL, honour. 
 
 Glean it, for thou art helped from above. 
 
 Tln^ time shall be much occupied. 
 
 Thou shalt be much sought after. 
 
 Thou shalt be regarded as a light in a world of darkness. 
 
 Thou art a little leaven to leaven a great lump. 
 
 Th}' brain and nerves and pen shall write great thoughts, 
 not of thine own, but of thine Inspirers, thev are from the 
 Eternal Heavens. 
 
 E'en as thou becomest more humble, thou slialt become 
 more powerful, more lucid. 
 
 For thou darest to speak that which thou knowest to 
 be true, and to voluntarih^ become a martyr to establish the 
 cause of Truth. 
 
 To be a mart3-r for the cause of Truth is to become 
 a light in the Eternal Heavens. 
 
 Although to the wise the knowledge of the life beyond 
 the grave is real, 3-et there is alwaA's a reluctance to cross 
 the bounds and cut the cords which bind to earth. 
 
 Sweet is the passing over of those who have this 
 knowledge. 
 
 Every one, no matter how good, is liable to stumble, but 
 if they are ouh' slips, the book of life does not record 
 them. 
 
 When thou sturablest, look above, and Angels will be 
 despatched to support and help thee up again.
 
 Glimpsts tliro the Rift. 581 
 
 Garnish thyself with truth, and thine emanations shall 
 be light. 
 
 When Unseen things do fade away, then is the time 
 for man to pra}-. 
 
 Great is the joy of the morning, when the Sun rises 
 o'er the hills, and the day and night preceded with storms 
 has been fulfilled. 
 
 As life is a succession of sensations, the more pleasurable 
 ones man can crowd into his individual span the better. 
 
 In order to expel painful sensations, a knowledge of 
 Nature's laws must be acquired and practised. 
 
 Unselfish command must be exercised over all lustful 
 desires. 
 
 Disinclination for intercourse b\' one or other, is Nature's 
 danger signal, that disease will follow should the signal be 
 unheeded. 
 
 Let thy wife's desire be the key to unlock tliine own, 
 all else is lust. 
 
 One sided gratification is many times outweighed bv the 
 future suffering of the other. 
 
 The most loathsome and excruciating diseases are those 
 arising from marital ravishments. 
 
 The offspring of such uneducated parents fill the work- 
 houses and prisons. 
 
 They are the unfortunates of the earth, the inheritors 
 of unrecognised disease, as a consequence they fail in their 
 undertakings, and prefer deceit and selfish intrigues to 
 uprightness. 
 
 Instead of holy angels being present to bless the Incar- 
 nation and guide the child through life. Spirits who died 
 in lust, selfishness, cruelties, or depravit}'', are there, and 
 according to a Law of Nature assume this ofiEce to the life- 
 long detriment and ill-health of the life generated. 
 
 To insure to thj'self a succession of pleasurable sensations
 
 582 
 
 Gleams of Light and 
 
 and to prolong thy life in peace and happiness, to the 
 exclusioii of disease and suffering, a momentary sacrifice of 
 self for others, is at times necessary. 
 
 i\ngels are always ready at a sigh or a thought to assist 
 in victory over self. 
 
 Domestic peace is the harmonious blending of the house- 
 hold notes. 
 
 ' When discord is perceived, before reprimanding another, 
 examine well thine own note, maybe it is in a lower key 
 than those who make up the rest of the chord. 
 
 When thine own desires and aspirations are pitched in 
 a lower key than those with whom thou hast to live, pull 
 up the strings of thine own instrument and harmony shall 
 be restored to thee and thine. 
 
 In thy children, see the externalization of thine own 
 thoughts, emotions and habits, at the time they were gener- 
 ated, this will make thee patient with their short-comings. 
 
 It will also reveal to thee that blame rests at thine own 
 door, and should be administered to self first. 
 
 Thine own cxatiiplc will tune thy children to thine own 
 ke}- be it high or low. 
 
 Precept not suj^ported by example, impairs the quality 
 of the instrument, it cannot vibrate harmonies. 
 
 Peace and happiness is the right of ever}' child of earth 
 and is the object of Nature. 
 
 To put one's self in harmou}- with Nature, and secure 
 a succession of pleasurable sensations, the lower instincts 
 must be pulled up, and yield to the higher. 
 
 When the lower drags down the higher, the instrument 
 is impaired and the result is: — 
 
 1. Discord, \ Disgrace, ] 
 
 2. Suffering, > here. Rupture, > hereafter. 
 
 3. Disease, ) Self-condemnation, )
 
 G/im/>stS thro the Rift. 583 
 
 SECTION NINE. 
 
 (Tlir ♦romniunion of :^aints. 
 
 EACH time we go to church and repeat the Apostles' 
 Creed, we confess that we believe in "the Communion 
 of Saints," and yet how few are found wlio practicalh- believe 
 in such a Communion ? 
 
 We propose to deal with the following questions. 
 r. What is the Communion of Saints? 
 
 2. Can ii't' attain to the Communion of Saints? 
 
 3. How can we attain to the Communion of Saints? 
 In the first place we must be quite clear as to what is 
 
 meant \>y Communion. Lexicographers state it to be 
 "converse between two or more persons," "JNIutual inter- 
 change of thoughts and opinions b}- conference." A state 
 of giving and receiving knowledge." 
 
 The two or more people are the Communicant or Com- 
 municants on the one hand, and the Saints communed with 
 on the other. A Saint is a glorified human being, glorifi- 
 cation does not take place until after the separation from the 
 body. The Protestant Church to-day does not teach that 
 this kind communion is possible. 
 
 We aim at showing that there is an cA-olutiou of religion 
 in proportion to the mental and moral development of a 
 nation, and that the Religious experience of one generation
 
 c^84 Gleams of Li'^lit and 
 
 is not sufficient for the requirements of the next. The same 
 means aye open to direct Communion with angels now as in 
 past ages, and it is the duty of all religious bodies to recog- 
 nise this fact; not in order to supercede the Spirit teaching 
 of the Bible, biit in order that all human beings who desire 
 it may have opportunities for Communion with the Saints 
 as of old, with the approval of the Christian Church. Per- 
 sonal opportunities for knowing man's near touch with their 
 Unseen relatives would have more power to check sin than 
 all the sermons ever preached. If men Vw^w for a certainty 
 that their dear departed were grieved witnesses of every 
 secret thought, unkind action, ever}- malicious wish, and 
 every selfish scheme to entrap the unsuspecting, to say nothing 
 of more pronounced sins, think you that this knowledge 
 would not have more effect in rendering the motives and 
 thoughts of men and women truer, purer, and less selfish? 
 
 If thoughtful seekers after Heavenly Wisdom ask their 
 Spiritual advisers when, where, or liow such Communion 
 spoken of in the Apostle's creed, can be held, they are either 
 met with looks and remarks of unutterable astonisliment and 
 equivocation or the}^ are told that sucli a questioualjle attitude 
 towards all accepted and orthodox theories shows a lack of 
 faith, and as it is b}- faith man is saved, this state of mind 
 amounts to sin, therefore they ought to seek for faith — not 
 knowledge — that this Communion was given onh' to the 
 Apostles, and when miracles ceased this Communion ceased 
 also. 
 
 The thoughtful mind tluis thrown back on itself 
 naturally argues, if it is not in my power to hold this 
 Communion nor to prove for mj'self that others hold a 
 Communion with Saints, wh}' should I repeat like a parrot 
 "I believe in the Communion of Saints," when "Faith 
 without works is dead being alone." 
 
 Why are we taught that the days of miracles have
 
 G/ttiipscs t/iro the Rift. 585 
 
 ceased "r* The Bible does not teach this, it sa3's "Greater 
 works than these shall ye do." In the same Sacred Volume 
 we read that our Great Example said, "Go ye into all the 
 world and preach glad tidings to every creature, and these 
 Signs shall follow them that believe," etc. 
 
 The plain reading of this passage is, that these signs 
 follow, or go liand in hand with faith in every age, present, 
 f^ast, and future. "The Spirit giveth life — the letter killeth." 
 .\n abject reverence for the letter of a religion, shows a lack 
 of Spirit knowledge, and Spirit experience; and this is our 
 position to-day. 
 
 If our Spiritiial Teachers do not encourage the presence 
 of Spirits, tliey cannot hold direct Communion with Saints, 
 for Saints are glorified human beings, and glorified human 
 beings are what the Nineteentli Centurv calls Spirits, after 
 the earliest followers of Christ. "Prove the Spirits," sa3-s 
 St. John. 
 
 Religious teachers dare not admit to their congregations 
 tliat though they themselves cannot draw thus near to the 
 Spirit World, it is possible for their congregations to do so; 
 therefore thej^ explain away these passages as their personal 
 ingenuity suggests, and in this the}- are honest, for the}' are 
 but teaching what was taught to them as the true doctrine 
 to be preached in orthodox churches. 
 
 We maintain that if the Bible contains Revelations from 
 God to man — as we believe it does — there is nothing in its 
 pages to prevent every Spiritually intelligent man and 
 woman in God's universe — be the theories of his religion 
 what they maj- — -from holding direct Communion with 
 His ministering Spirits. 
 
 These ministering angels are often our own dear departed 
 (mes; and the efforts thev make to establish an intelligent 
 Communication between themselves and those who regard 
 their dead as not lost, only "gone before," may in some 
 
 4 F
 
 586 Gh(V//s 0/ Light and 
 
 measure account for the increased wisdom of those among 
 ns who seem to treasure the sweet memory that their Unseen 
 Dead are near, awaiting a happy reunion. 
 
 Abraham we read entertained angels — iiinnoans. 
 
 Manoah, Samson's father, conversed with a /min in a iiekl, 
 and aftcrivards discovered he was an angeh 
 
 Indeed the pages of Holy Writ are luminous with the 
 records of frequent Communings of holy men and women, 
 with the denizens of the realm of Spirit — the experiences of 
 St. Paul, St. Peter, St. John, might be quoted, take 
 Spiritualism out of the Bible and it would be valueless, for 
 7t'//ff/ is SpiritiialisiJi but aiitliciiticakd cases of the Spirits of 
 1IIC71 fitiiniing as Angels or ministering Spirits, with messages 
 from heaven? Instances of Communion with Saints can be 
 traced in isolated cases all over the world, up to the 
 Nineteenth Century. — (See Nineteenth Century Miracles, by 
 Mrs. Bmma Hardinge Britten.) 
 
 Experience has tauglit us that miracles as such are only 
 miraculoixs so long as they are outside our own individual 
 experience and knowledge, this is why thej- excite wonder 
 and provoke incredulity, when claimed to transpire outside 
 Biblical History. In reality there are hundreds of miracles 
 wrought dailj' in our midst, but they have ceased to be 
 miraculous in our e^-es, because we have accepted the reality 
 of them, and so brought about one of the chief "conditions" 
 necessary for their continued existence; that is certainly in 
 their possibility. 
 
 Life itself is one of these possibilities. 
 
 Thought is another. Communion of Saints is another,- 
 when the same conditions are given. If the latter realit\- 
 be accepted with the same amount of faith and expectancy 
 as the former, the miraculous will cease to exist, and tlie 
 higher powers of our nature resulting in "Greater Miracles," 
 will become as much a part of our evolutionarj- and national
 
 G/ii>i/>SiS thro the Rift. 587 
 
 religion as life, thought, and social reform, until at last the 
 mysterious and dreaded process of death will be regarded 
 with as much pleasure as changing an old and worn-out 
 garment — the body — for a new and a better one — the Soul. 
 
 This Communion with Saints teaches, that it is not by a 
 blind hclicj in any ecclesiastical Creed, Dogma, or Religion — 
 man made — which develops Angel-hood and consequent future 
 happiness, but rather the amount of power these Creeds, 
 Dogmas, and Religions liave had during life in exalting the 
 Holy Spirits of God in Man above self, and selfish gratifi- 
 cation. "'This is the Spirit of all Religions," and that 
 religion or creed which best succeeds in stimulating to this 
 silent self-conquest, is certainly the best in the ej^es of the 
 All-Seeing. 
 
 Is it not strange that every nation of the globe 
 considers that its own religion has the highest claims with 
 the God of Heaven? Those we regard as Infidels and 
 Idolators are accustomed to speak of and pray for us as Infidels 
 or Idolators, whose idol is a man nailed to a cross, and 
 sometimes the cross itself. We are therefore greeted at the 
 threshold with the startling fact that every religion professed 
 bv animated creatures of God is the outcome of their own 
 particular organization, nationality, and environments, be it 
 Christian, Mahometan, or Idolatrous, and in its SPIRIT is 
 true and iqiiully calculated to elevate its followers to God's 
 Right Hand, so long as they live up to the religion they 
 profess. It is not what religion are you? but do you live 
 up to the hiohest possibilities of the irligion you do pro/ess? 
 which will decide whether the Christian man or the Idolator 
 ranks highest in the Heavenly Mansions. 
 
 The question now arises in the minds of intelligent 
 thinkers. Are we as modern Christians living iip to the 
 highest possibilities of our profession of religion? We confess 
 to believe in the Communion of Saints and yet deny the
 
 [^88 Gleams of Lii^lit and 
 
 possibility of such Communion luw-a-days. As if what had 
 been cannot be again ! When the few {wlw from experience 
 know) state that such converse is possible, even in these 
 days, our religious authorities surround these Communicants, 
 and the In\'isible Saints likewise, with such an atmosphere 
 of suspicion as to compel the former to keep the treasured 
 fact a secret from the ears of men, or else they find them- 
 selves cut off from the societ}' of those \ery religious bodies 
 who confess — and have taught them to confess, that it is 
 right to believe in the LETTER of such Communion, but 
 that the spirit is worn out — in fact exhausted itself on the 
 x\postles. In consequence of which all who are known to 
 have "Spiritual gifts" in this day are set down as impostors 
 without question, enquiry, or investigation, but iv/iy marvelf 
 The religious authorities persecuted and branded the Saviour 
 Himself as an impostor, and where\-er His followers in the 
 Apostles' da^'S wrought marvels, or saw Angels, suspicion 
 and persecution followed them also : and this is the real 
 reason why the wonders continually happening in our midst 
 are hushed up (for fear of ridicule). 
 
 The cessation of Angel's visits is an error. There is 
 no nioi-e secret mystery in this Communion than in any 
 other of Nature's wondrous problems.
 
 G/impscs thro the Rift. 589 
 
 ^"an U)r attain to ti)is vTonuminion of ;^aintsV 
 
 So far we have not gone outside the revealed knowledge 
 IX the Bible to prove that it is throiigh the philosophy 
 of Spirit Communion that we have the religions called 
 Jewish and Christian. Both these originated in, and taught, 
 a knowledge of a hereafter, or a continued intelligent exist- 
 ence of the Spirit and soul of man. with its ability-, under 
 favourable circumstances, and for special purposes, to return 
 and commune with men. 
 
 We in this Nineteenth Century are as capable of holding 
 direct Communion with Saints as any of those hoh' men 
 whose characters, miracles, visions, prophecies, teachings 
 and lives are historically recorded in the Bible. 
 
 As a successful commercial nation, it flatters our xanit}- to 
 fondly imagine that we have attained to higher internal know- 
 ledge than our forefathers, and so are in a position to put to 
 silence without stiidv the philosophy of such advanced men as 
 Homer, Plato, Socrates, Irenaeus, Thomas h. Becket, Luther, 
 Bacon. Swedenborg, Lord Brougham, Owen, (ex-minister in 
 the American Diplomatic Service) Judge Edmunds (New York), 
 Greeley (late editor of "The Tribime"), Professor Wallace 
 (of the Royal Societ};), Prince E. Wittgenstein, Baron Gul- 
 denstuble, and a host of others hardly less distinguished, 
 who not only believed Communion with Saints possible, but 
 held this Coiniiiiiiiioii in their own persons, and thus greatly
 
 590 Glav/is of Light aint 
 
 increased their facilities for obtaining true knowledge, such 
 knowledgCi as men in all ages admire, but are so reluctant 
 to ascribe to its true source direct modern revelation. 
 
 It maj' be asked. What is revelation? Revelation is 
 generall}' accepted to be God's Word as given to us through 
 the agenc}^ of His servants. The question arises, Who are 
 His servants? God's servants in Biblical history were ?iof 
 those who by a circumscribed and collegiate training were 
 capable of dogmatising a conventional creed according to the 
 agreed translation and interpretation of men, and the non- 
 acceptance of which would result in their damnation during 
 eternity. 
 
 Far be it from us to strike at a class of men among 
 whom — from personal experience — there are those we have 
 great and good reasons to revere, look up to, admire their 
 teachings, and imitate their lives. It is not i)idividnal iiieii, 
 but the svstci;/ of dogmatising narrow views which do not 
 take in all mankind— but onh' the few who maj^ be lucky 
 enough to believe as they preach — or evil enoiigh to pretend 
 that the}' do — or careless enough not even to trouble to encjuire 
 of themselves whether thev do; so long as thev can become 
 good imitators, it suffices in their own eves and that of 
 their neighbours. 
 
 God's servants were those who bv special natural gifts 
 were so constituted,, that they were able to see and hold 
 commmiion with the angels, along with other Spiritual 
 gifts spoken of by St. Paul in the following words^ I. Cor- 
 inthians, xii, 8, 9, 10, "For to one is given by the Spirit 
 the word of loisdoni ; to another the word of kinwlcdgc by 
 the same Spirit; to another /«//// by the same Spirit; to 
 another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another 
 the ivorking of miracles; to another prophecy; to another dis- 
 cerning of Spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to 
 another the interpretation of tongues.''^
 
 Glimpses f/nv the Riff. 591 
 
 Such men were Samuel, Isaiah, Noah, Jacob, Elijah, 
 Elisha, St. Paul, St. John, etc., etc. 
 
 We can prove Angels from Holy Writ to be men, 
 minus the phj^sical body, onh- seen by those sacredly gifted 
 ones who have Spirit sight developed in addition to organic 
 sight. This gift belongs to Genius as does the abilit}- to 
 excel in painting, drawing, music, sculpture, oratory, poetry, 
 etc., etc. 
 
 Now whether these gifts can be cultivated is a very 
 natural enquiry; to which we reply, if you keep paper, paints, 
 pencils, and musical instruments from the rising generations 
 3fou will never detect the embryo of the futi:re Artist, 
 Musician, or Poet. So it is with clairvoyance, etc., or as the 
 Bible calls those genii, Seers — if you repulse the recital in 
 others of that which appears to wii to be simplv superstition 
 imagination, or a harmless form of delirium, you cramp 
 instead of cultivate the Divine talent, and the unrecognised 
 Seer becomes silent, reserved, peculiar, and in some instances 
 irritable or hysterical. He knows of an internal something 
 which he must suppress to please those he lives with, and 
 in his effort to avoid ridicule, he unconsciously warps the 
 holiest part of his Nature that which when directed into 
 more material channels than Seership, etc., we recognise as 
 Genius; and various ner\-ous diseases are the result. 
 
 What family is there but contains at least one of these 
 misunderstood but gifted ones? Which gifts are crushed 
 and useless, because unrecognised hy the hard, every-day 
 commercial and money-making business man, who because 
 his son does not show the same sharp bustling business 
 talent for making money, and interesting himself in the 
 every-day affairs of this life, as the father did, is rebuked, 
 and spurred on to do that which is distasteful, often persecuted 
 relentlessly because there is "no go" in him. When you 
 find such an one in your family, with no organic disease as
 
 c;g2 Gleams of Liglit and 
 
 a cause, be sure there are hidden gems somewhere, lying 
 deeply bellow the siirface, which only want the polishing 
 touch of the Lapidary to reveal them in all their splendour: 
 sympathy is the Lapidar}- : education and leisure produce the 
 opportunity to gravitate to the natural sphere of usefulness; 
 it also gives the means of evolution. It may take time! 
 Genius is generally slow to appear and slower to be recog- 
 nised ! 
 
 This rule equalh' holds good with Spiritual gifts such 
 as those we are considering. 
 
 The Bible is such a wonderful book that all the many 
 people professing different creeds and denominations can 
 each prove the doctrines they hold, from the Bible. Why? 
 The cause, strange as it maj^ seem, arises from the fact that 
 men and women — who become God's inspiring angels — are 
 differentl}' organized, i.e., have different temperaments and 
 different shaped heads — some expand upwards from the ear, 
 giving aspirational and lofty motives, the opposite to earthly 
 grovellers; others expand forwards — giving them an intel- 
 lectual turn, the breadth and height of the head in the centre 
 and back showing the direction the intellect would take, 
 whether Spiritual or to exalt self. Others again have more 
 brain backwards and upwards, giving the self-assertive man 
 who never allows anyone to have an opinion contrar}' to 
 his own; this form .of head makes a bigot; one, who if his 
 head gradually lowers to the front, would consider it his duty 
 to persecute and mercilessly torture those who held religious 
 opinions contrary to his own. This last type should never 
 be chosen either to make or administer laws. A man whose 
 brain is as high, broad, and capacious in the front, and 
 middle as the back makes the best lawgiver judge and 
 magistrate. 
 
 The owners of these different shaped heads, view all 
 things differently, and yet all are right from their own stand-
 
 Glimpses thro I he Rift. 593 
 
 point, for with their particular brain development, they could 
 not think otherwise, and be true to their iuner consciousness 
 which is God's voice within them; but as the}' place them- 
 selves in a position to listen to (without contention or bias) 
 the opinions of others, and silently and thoughtfullj- compare 
 these opinions with their own, evolution or development is 
 taking place, and if the former opinions are not changed 
 for the latter, a broader cast has been given to the mind, 
 and a still further desire to grasp with an unprejudiced mind 
 tlie yet unexplored opinions which are honestly held by some, 
 and yet diametrically opposed to their own : in this way each 
 evolves the faith, creeds, and ideas for the next generation, 
 which are more likel^^ to expand in his children's minds, 
 than in his own. 
 
 An orthodox or famih- creed is totally unfit for the 
 comprehension of evolutionary organizations, and therefore 
 produces the lukewarmuess so noticeable among modern 
 religionists. There is an evolution in religion as in all things 
 else, and each must gravitate to the one he is best fitted for, 
 according to his organization! 
 
 B}' these remarks it will be seen that we are not contending 
 that all should hold communion with departed souls; but 
 that all should place themselves in a position to ascertain 
 the truth by their own individual experience, well thought 
 over and pondered upon, before they presume to pass an 
 opinion of doubt and unbelief on a subject — but for the truth 
 of which there would be no Bible in existence at the present 
 day. 
 
 St. John on the Isle of Patmos fell at the feet of the 
 Angel, (who gave to him the prophecies contained in the 
 Revelations,) when our Bible gives these remarkable words 
 — -the Angel's rebuke to John for such an act. — "See Thou 
 do it not, / am thy fellovj-servant and 0/ thy liretlireiiy 
 Therefore from the Bible we learn that the gift of prophec}- 
 
 4 G
 
 1^94 Gleams of Light and 
 
 can be revealed to man by our departed bretliern and fellow- 
 servants, ^wlio are, though Angels in Spirit-land, still in 
 sympathy with our particular train of thoughts, and as there 
 were as many diversities of organization in the days in 
 which the Bible was compiled, so the departed ones, still in 
 sympathy with those remaining on the earth, return as 
 Angels, some through mediums, as the three men whom 
 Abraham entertained, and afterwards found that he had been 
 entertaining Angels unawares. Such a return was that of the 
 Holy Jesus. His first appearance was to Mary through the 
 medium of a gardener, who was so totally unrecognised by 
 her, in appearance, that she cried to him, "Sir! If thou hast 
 borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him!" His 
 reply was — "Mary!" The voice was that of Jesus! His 
 own voice. (The voice is the key to the indentification of 
 Spirits in the present day also.) This was sufficient for 
 Mary to recognise her Saviour. Filled with jo3'ful surprise 
 she exclaimed — " Rabboni ! ' ' 
 
 Mark in his last chapter tells us, "Again he appeared 
 to two of His disciples as they were walking to Enimaus 
 in allot licr Jon/i (or medium), and talked with them by the 
 wa\^" Later on Mark tells us— "Then He appeared to the 
 eleven as they sat at meat and upbraided them with their 
 unbelief and hardness of heart because the}' believed not them 
 which had seen Him." 
 
 These visits he paid on the third day in fulfiment of 
 the prophecy — "In three days will I rise again." And lastly 
 he appeared to Thomas and showed him his hands and his 
 side: this may mystify some who are at present unacquainted 
 with the occult mystery of Spirit control. For the benefit 
 of such we may state that wheu a Spirit magnetises a 
 Sensitive for the purpose of controlling him, the Medium or 
 Sensitive temporally experiences the same sufferings, pains, 
 distortions and marks as the Spirit's own body did before
 
 Glimpses tliro the Rift. 595 
 
 it was severed from it. Persons who have intelligent!}' and 
 continnonsh' stixdied Spirit return, and experienced the first 
 few controls of some dear departed one, have had to witness 
 o\-er again the sharp agonies of bodj- which tore the beloved 
 Spirit from earth heavenward; and though the}' appeared to 
 be the Sensitive's snfTerings and not the Spirit's, the distress 
 to the beholder was none the less real and palpable, for in 
 many cases the exact words are repeated as nttered by the 
 dying one dnring the day of his death. 
 
 We ma}' add for the relief of the uninitiated that the 
 last illness and death-scene is seldom reinacted after the first 
 control. The Spirit is then as free on earth to speak with 
 the mouth, and think through the brain of the medium as 
 a mesmerist is to work through the organism of his subject. 
 St. John writes thus of our Saviour's last visit — "Then came 
 Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst of them." 
 
 From this it would appear that His last visit was a 
 materialization, such as have so frequently occurred during 
 tliis Nineteenth Centurw Yet tliis is not necessarily so, for 
 in the Histor}- of the Romish Church we have many instances 
 given of devotees who have exhibited all the external signs, 
 e\en to the stigmata or woiinds, of their crucified Lord. 
 Such cases exemplif}- what we are now stating, and but for 
 the impatient disbelief exhibited among men of modern times, 
 these phenomena would be multiplied among us; they are 
 here in our midst, and we hear of them, and can see and 
 know for ourselves but for one obstacle, viz., the utter in- 
 ability of men to believe that anything can possibly be that 
 they see, feel, or know not of — the real secret of all unbelief. 
 We have endeavoured to show that in ancient times the possi- 
 bility for the Spirits of the departed to return to earth existed, 
 also that they return in the present day to comfort, advise, 
 support, counsel, and instruct all who zvdcomc thciii with a 
 calm, unprejudiced, patient faith.
 
 596 Gleams 0/ Lii^lit and 
 
 To the masses this ma}- appear impossible. Jesus said 
 " V y-' ^"^"^'^ faith as a graiu of mustard seed, ye shall say unto 
 this moi^ntain remove hence to yonder place and it shall 
 remo\'e, and nothing shall he i^npossiblc inito yon. Howbeit this 
 kind goeth not oiit but by prayer and fasting." — Matthew xvii. 
 20, 21.
 
 G/imf^SiS tliro flu- Ri/t. 597 
 
 it)oUj ran lur intiibitiuall)) attain to ti}c ^Tomnuinion 
 of Saints? 
 
 ' ' "PY obtaining Spirit power which will not be manifested 
 -L' till the Spirit within has acquired such perfect 
 mastery of itself, that it can never be moved to anger or 
 emotion, realizes no pleasure, cares for no pain, experiences 
 no mortification at insiilt, loss or disappointment; in a word 
 subdues ever}- emotion that stirs common men's minds — to 
 arrive at this stage, severe and painful, as well as long- 
 continued discipline is necessar\-. We read in olden da3-s of 
 good men in the church disciplining the body b}- praj^er, 
 fastings and penance. 
 
 Having attained perfect equilibrium, the next step is to 
 obtain power, the individual must be able to wake when he 
 pleases, and to sleep when he pleases, go in Spirit during 
 bodily sleep where he wills, and visit — as well as remember 
 when awake ~- distant scenes. He must be enabled b}- practice 
 to telegraph mentalh- with his fellow associates, and present 
 himself Spiritually in their midst." 
 
 This preparation is calculated to attract the highest 
 Spiritual sympathy; moreover the person has such perfect 
 command over his body, that he is able to resist elementary 
 or undeveloped Spirits: — such as encourage evil and 
 uncharitable thoughts, and assist schemes or impress, in
 
 [^gS Gleams of Light and 
 
 formulating evil plans. The study of the latter is termed 
 Black Magic, whereas the study of the conditions which 
 conduce to a Communion of Saints is called White Magic, 
 from the fact that the Spirits appear in Black or White 
 according as their purpose is good or bad, — that there are 
 both good and bad Spirits St. John recognised, or he would 
 not have exhorted his followers to "prove the Spirits whether 
 the\- be of God."* 
 
 Those people who formulate to themselves a theorj^ and 
 endeavour to make facts square to it, instead of taking the 
 bare facts, and from them formulating a theory, call the 
 Commiinion of Saints "imagination," and those individuals 
 who commune with Spirits the}- say are deluded, or explain 
 as the ideal imaginings of man's own mind, etc. 
 
 But we ask all who give this explanation — to what we 
 kiiow to be Communion with Saints, — "What facts the}- can 
 give to prove that these internal colloqiiies are the result of 
 imagination not communings, with our departed friends ? We 
 can give ever}- information whereby an}-one can prove be3-ond 
 dispute that the so-called dead are not dead to consciousness, 
 onl}- to the Avorn-out, or injured body — resigned to Mother 
 Earth — which the consciousness, or soul, inhabited to gain 
 experience in. There is a soul growth, as well as a bodily 
 growth, and those people in whom religion is not merely 
 the profession of a certain creed, but a vital, Spiritual dail}- 
 life-force, have already commenced the Spiritual evolution, 
 new birth, or soul-growth. The}- do not ivnit for heaven; it 
 has commenced here while in the body, and they know it. 
 
 There is no fear of death with them; they look upon 
 it as a continuation of life, without the ph3-sical ills which 
 now hinder the Spiritual unfoldment of the soul, as cold 
 weather prevents a rose bud unfolding. They know that 
 
 'Two Worlds," Nov. i8th,
 
 Glimpses tkni' the Rift. 599 
 
 they will commence tlie next life where thej'- left off, and 
 will reap the consequences of all sin and folly which they 
 have not reaped here; and enjo}^ the fruits of their goodness. 
 How do the}- know? By the Communion with Saints, who, 
 by a process of silent arguing upon doubtful topics, succeed 
 in leaving the mind at rest, by giving a knowledge and 
 producing a peace which passes all understanding. 
 
 This is the source of all originalit}', and one of the 
 "Gifts of the Spirit" — knowledge. 
 
 There are minds, who do not have these silent 
 Communings with Saints, whose phrenological organ of 
 Spiritualit}'^ is not developed naturally, to such an extent as 
 to make this possible. Are they to be left without 
 Communion with Saints? Certainly not, in them the physical 
 nature is in advance of the mental; and Spirits of a similar 
 nature are willing and waiting to commune with them 
 through natural laws. There are highly strung, sensitively 
 organized men, women, and children, who are capable of 
 being mesmerised by powerfully individualized Spirits, who 
 strongly desire to advise, instruct, or warn directly some 
 dear one, whom they have been Divineh- permitted impress- 
 ionally to guide in the capacit}- of ministering Spirits, or 
 guardian Angels. For a man of this class to hold communion 
 mth the sainted dead, he must seek out these sensitives, or 
 mediums, and by establishing friendly relations between them 
 and himself, he \vill find that without a powerful imagination, 
 large ideality, and Spirituality, it is possible to hold 
 Communion with Saints, who will prove themselves to be 
 either mother, father, sister, brother, husband, wife, lover, 
 family, ancestor, or friend, and b}- using the sensitives' brain 
 and organization while in the magnetic trance, the Spirits 
 can speak in their own familiar voices of private conversations, 
 walks, family matters, etc., which prove beyond a doubt to 
 all that the dead die not, but are simply " changed in the
 
 5oo Gleams of Liglit and 
 
 twinkling of an eye" into an opener, freer, more expansive, 
 and higher life: that the Spirit is freed from its earthly 
 tabernacle, bnt retains its own personality in its soul or 
 aerial body, and also its own individuality, with all the 
 peculiarities so well-known to the dear ones left behind. 
 
 But there is another class of men and women whose 
 consciences are not clear enough to bear the knowledge of 
 the perpetual scrutiny of the dear ones gone before; they 
 dare not believe this fact; especially that unspoken thoughts 
 are as clearly known to departed relations — now guardian 
 Angels — as those which are uttered. This class formulate to 
 themselves theories in the hope of explaining away facts, and 
 endeavour by a process of reasoning to make the facts fit 
 into their theories and opinions; but opinions prove nothing, 
 and words can explain and convince the unthinking of the 
 apparent truth of any opinion; but vinless faets are brought 
 b}- these self-deceivers to disprove the many facts we now 
 have: that not only do the departed live, but that they 
 are intelligently and consciousl}^ themselves; are always near 
 us; can hold communion with us; are our guardian Angels; 
 and iinder proper conditions — i.e., when we feel a warm- 
 hearted and sympathetic welcome (for Spirits are more 
 sensitive than living men, and will not intrude where they 
 see they are suspected) — they can speak to us in their own 
 voice, through the organism of a sensitive man or woman in 
 the magnetic trance. We say unless these ingenious theo- 
 risers can bring FACTS as striking, to disprove such facts as 
 are contained weekly in "Light," "The Two Worlds," or 
 "Nineteenth Century Miracles," by E. H. Britten, words, 
 opinions, and theories fall powerless before such an arra}^ of 
 truthful witnesses to prove our power in the present day to 
 hold Communion with Saints, and that, too, in the departed 
 Spirit's own voice — with his or her individual peculiarities, 
 as man speaks to man.
 
 G/impsis tliio the Rift. 6oi 
 
 It \vas to disprove the Sadducean doctrine — rife in His 
 day — that the Holy Jesus foretold that on the third day he 
 would rise again. There are more Sadducees in the world 
 now than at first sight would appear, for what a person 
 fjv/csscs to believe is not that which the life of that person 
 demonstrates as his belief, \iz., every one who goes to church, 
 professes to belieN^e in the Communion of Saints, vet how 
 many do? or make the least effort to halt in their search 
 after wealth, in order to attain to sitch a holy communion. 
 
 We once heard a young man sa\- that if it were 
 possible for him to return to earth and speak after his death 
 he would do so. We have lived to see this promise ratified, 
 and the first time he spoke through a sensitive we were 
 present, and his mission was to breathe blessings on those 
 who ministered to his helplessness before he left his bod}-. 
 
 We are also acquainted with a well-known mesmerist 
 who was at a seance with a friend, neither of them belie^•ed 
 in Spirit Communion, simply because they had not been 
 taught the philosophy, and were busy men who had little 
 time to spare and no inclination to .study a subject so opposed 
 to the belief they had inherited and the popular and fashion- 
 able religious opinions of the day; for faiths are hereditary, 
 as well as faults, thoughts, and inclinations. 
 
 Both gentlemen were impressed with what they heard 
 and promised whichever left the earth first by death and 
 found he was still in possession of his Intellegeuce and was 
 able to return that he would return to the other. 
 
 Years passed, both forgot the seance in the whirl of 
 life, both married and became busy family, as well as business 
 men. The friend died, the mesmerist had quite forgotten 
 the promise, but not so the friend, who had not died in the 
 sense death is understood ; he therefore wished to make this 
 known in fulfilment of his promise, so he followed the 
 mesmerist about in order to seize the first opportunity; for 
 
 4 H
 
 6o2 Glcaius of I'ii^^'f mill 
 
 Spirits are not gods K\\\ this the ancients erred), they have 
 to make ^nse of Nature's laws, as well as men, to accomplish 
 their object. 
 
 One daj- the Alesmerist again heard of a seance, and 
 felt impelled to attend it, he could ill afford the time, ^-et 
 could not resist the inclination to go. To his astonishment 
 his lost friend whom he had forgotten, controlled the medium, 
 gave the signals agreed upon, reminded the Mesmerist of 
 their conversation, and his promise to return and make it 
 known, should he find the after life as they had that night 
 been told it was. 
 
 This Mesmerist is ali^•e now, and we shall be pleased 
 to furnish his address to an}-one. 
 
 Science as we understand it, is a study of Nature from 
 facts, therefore those scientists who formulate theories 
 ivif/ioitf a studv of facts, are scientists in name onl}', and 
 ought not to be taken as authorities; except in the 
 particular department of science to -which their search has 
 been directed. To be sure of the facts and theories of anv 
 branch of science much time, thought, and investigation is 
 needed. 
 
 We have not yet come across an3-one who has inves- 
 tigated this subject, as he would investigate any other science 
 in an unprejudiced thoughtful patient attitude, who has not 
 been convinced, that when we so rule our thoughts and actions 
 as to. establish a sympathetic rapport with the departed, an 
 audible, and to some visible Communion of Saints is as 
 possible in his family circle in the Nineteenth Century as 
 in the First Century. 
 
 To advance the Truth as we have found it, is our only 
 aim, and must be our apology for any repetition.
 
 Glimpsis lliro tlic Rift. 603 
 
 SECTION TEN. 
 
 iJropl)rr)) of .31iour(i)akim. 
 
 '•And it shall cimie to pass afterward that I will pour out my Spirit upon all 
 flesh, and your sous and daughters shall prophesy." 
 
 Joel ii. 2S. 
 
 rr^HE screech of the owl and the jackal .shall be heard in 
 -*- the rnins of cities. 
 
 Waving banners and flashing steel shall roll over the 
 desert. 
 
 The white clothed shall be overcome by the naked black. 
 
 Centnries of conc^uest overcome by disaster. 
 
 Sunshine on polar snows. 
 
 Continents divided. 
 
 Seas run dr}'. 
 
 The pyramids beneath the pole. 
 
 Vestiges of a lost race amid the arctic snows. 
 
 Future Franklins find Cheop's pyramid beneath the 
 Polar star. 
 
 Electric ships send forth ciirrents that shall rend the 
 mighty rock of ice in twain. 
 
 Electricity the motor power that shall supercede steam. 
 
 These events will come with the precession of the 
 equinox.
 
 6o4 G/ainis of Light and 
 
 I the Moor hath spoken. 
 
 Twemty years a degree rolls onward. 
 
 Three hundred and sixty degrees 20 x 360 = 7,200, 
 years, shall the sun pass on his cycle. 
 
 Three hundred and sixty cycles shall witness the wreck 
 of worlds. 7,200 X 360 = 2,592,000. 
 
 The heavens are an open book, dotted with indelible 
 words by the Alniight}- Creator: 
 
 Name them how you will their purposes deviate not. 
 
 He who would read may joyfully gather unto himself 
 the fruits of knowledge and the^■ shall bring WISDOIM. 
 
 PROPHECY OF MUSTAPHA. 
 
 August loth, 1888. — At midnight, I, Mustapha, the 
 servant of Allah, sat in silent meditation. A bright light 
 suddenly flashed froui the windows of the Orient, and a 
 Voice as of a Trumpet said: "Proclaim!" 
 
 I, Mustapha, answered: "What must I proclaim?" 
 The Voice, as of a Trumpet, again spoke: — 
 "Proclaim, 'The Future of the World and the Destiny 
 of Nations." 
 
 " The descendants of Ishmael are prepared for the 
 coming struggle; their faces are shining with the reflected 
 glory of the Crescent Moon.* 
 
 "The ensign of Conquest awaiteth the advent of the 
 re-incarnate Mahomet. Surely the words I speak are true! 
 Ere nine successive Cyclest of the earth have rolled. He, 
 the Saviour of Islam, shall lead his faithful warriors eastward 
 towards the land of the Pharaohs, and for the space of ten 
 
 * "Crescent Moon,"' followers of Mahomet. t "Cycles of the earth," one year.
 
 , m^ 
 
 \^ 
 
 '•f r ST \ P H .
 
 G/impscs thro tlic Rift. 605 
 
 full moons* shall meance the power of the Western Lionf 
 upon the borders of Western Egypt. 
 
 The EagleJ shall join in compact with the Lion, in 
 conflict against the follows of the re-incarnate jMahmoet. 
 
 "A terrible war shall be waged, and for a short season 
 the hordes of Islam shall be wounded b^- the talons of the 
 Eagle and the paw of the Lion." 
 
 "The Eagle shall flap her wings, and obscure the light 
 of the Crescent Aloon." 
 
 " The Lion shall roar in his strength, and cause the 
 steeds of the Desert to halt in their courses." 
 
 This bringeth thee onwards to the tenth year from the 
 Voice of this Prophec}-. 
 
 "The Northern Bear!;) shall stretch herself southwards, 
 and fearing not the strength of the Lion, whose face is 
 turned from her, shall seize and slay the Sick Manjl upon 
 her borders. 
 
 "The remnants of the defeated depart eastwards, and 
 taking ship shall escape eastward and southward in terror, 
 settling in Little Asia, and spreading southward into the 
 borders of Judea. 
 
 "The Lion and the Eagle shall augment their forces, 
 and resist for a season of three full moons the advance of 
 the Prophet of Allah. 
 
 "The Crescent Moon shall now sail southwards, and 
 shining in splendour over the land of Nubia (whose southern 
 borders shall welcome her light) shall attract by her beams 
 the forces of Turkey- southward. 
 
 "Then shall a compact be made between the Children 
 of the Desert and the IMoslems from the North. 
 
 "Trul}' then shall the horse-tails of Islam whisk in 
 
 • "Ten full moons," ten months. t "Western Lion," England. 
 
 X "Eagle," France. j "The Northern Bear," Russia. 
 
 11 The Turks.
 
 6o6 Glean/ s oj Light and 
 
 furv around the borders of the land of the Pharoahs; and 
 as a horsq-shoe upon the hoof of the steed of Mahomet, 
 shall the hordes of Islam encircle it. Then truly shall be 
 ^vaged a mighty struggle! Then the full moon shall shine 
 in full-orbed splendour upon the banner of the true Prophet 
 or Allah, the Saviour of Islam. 
 
 "Allah Achbar! God is Great! There is no God but 
 God; and Mahomet is His Prophet! 
 
 "Thus the steeds of the desert shall neigh; thus shall 
 the faithful followers of the Prophet cxy aloud in the ears 
 of the Lion: with this cry also shall the Eagle be startled! 
 
 " A truce shall be proclaimed for the space of two full 
 moons, and then the Ravens, being a hungered, shall sweep 
 across the borders, and put to flight the Eagle, who being 
 wounded shall take his flight northwards. 
 
 "The Ravens shall feed in the granaries of Egypt, and 
 the spear of the prophet shall woirnd the head of the Lion. 
 
 The banner shall then wave gloriously, having dri\-en 
 the Infidels northwards into the sea. 
 
 "In the space of twelve Cycles of the earth from the 
 Voice of this Prophecy, the banner of the Prophet shall wave 
 in triumph from the western border of the Desert, even unto 
 the lands which lie eastward of Arabia. 
 
 "Then shall a mighty strife commence between the ser- 
 vants of Allah and the Great Northern Bear." 
 
 The Voice, as of a Trumpet, now ceased, and I, Mus- 
 tapha, the servant of Allah, sat in silent meditation, even 
 until the sun rose.
 
 G/impsis thro the Rift. 60: 
 
 PROPHECY OF SONAxX. 
 
 ■Wherefore brethren covet to prophesy." 
 
 I. Cor. xiv. 39. 
 
 nove:^iber, 1888. 
 
 When one hundred years of time. 
 In retrospect pass eij;ht3'-nine. 
 Tair Hiigland's ijreatest ones will fall. 
 While e'en as yet the dismal pall. 
 That hijjh o'erhangs. shall fateful fall. 
 .Vnd yonth shall reifjn o'er all the land. 
 Wealth and plenty on every hand. 
 Fire and sword on waters blue 
 Shall bring dark hours to not a few; 
 While o'er your bright and wealthy land 
 Famine and sickness stalk hand in hand. 
 .\nd what I now have said to you 
 I know in time will all come true.
 
 G/imf^sis tlird tlu Rift. 609 
 
 .a ^pint's jlarratibr of f)is i3artl) ?iiff. 
 
 §"Ofreml not thy conscious soul, the supreme internal witness of men!" 
 
 Hindu Scyifttuti 
 
 I)ORN beneath the sunny southern skies, my bo\-hood 
 * was spent in a happy revelr}'' of perfect healthfulness- 
 A musical note of innocent laughter rippled heavenward every 
 liour of the da\', expressive of the thrillino: happiness of my 
 childish heart. 
 
 In this sweet angelhood of perfect childish bliss my 
 uncorrupted fancy wove for itself a perpetual melod\- of ideal 
 music, the spontaneous ecstacy of harmonious spiritual feeling; 
 each note in my happy inmost song of joy being the ideal 
 echo of the music of the spheres of light and love, caught 
 in S3-mbol from the myriad sounds which floated into the 
 chambers of my innocent heart, from the mighty humming 
 of this world of physical sense. 
 
 I developed a robust physical frame and revelled in my 
 youth-time in all the poetic wonderment of a soul on fire 
 with the ecstacv of youthful vigour, allied with a musical 
 idealism, which continually endeavoured to express in music 
 and song something of the harmony within me, which like 
 a perpetual fountain of melodious soul music leapt upwards, 
 heavenwards, with responsive rhythmic accord, to the music 
 of the ideal angel-world, which my 3-outhful fancy pictured 
 
 4 i
 
 rjio GUtuiis of Lit;/// and 
 
 as livino- in a sphere where music, faiiltless music, was the 
 perpetual language of happ}^ souls created b}- God himself, 
 the source of all harmony for the express purpose of singing 
 continually in the ears of Infinite Majesty. 
 
 And yet the rapturous music of my Spirit faded on the 
 lips which vainly strove to give expression to the pent-up 
 music of the inmost soi;l. 
 
 Like a dream of beauty passed away the happy halcyon 
 days of childhood, and as a sweet melodious prelude, some 
 sweet symphony of joyous harmou}- passes by imperceptible 
 degrees into a fuller burst of musical harmony, so I passed 
 across the threshold of a fuller life and reached that region 
 of fanciful da\- dreaming, where love, romantic love, first 
 dawns upon the heart of man. 
 
 I loved! And loving, learned to give expression to the 
 pent-lip soul music of my Spirit. 
 
 Ah! Trulv the luminous love language which shone 
 through the beauteous orbs of vision, which the object of 
 my soul's adoration beamed upon me with all the melting 
 glances of responsive soul affinity, called forth a richer, fuller, 
 sweeter, more manlv and melodious responsiveness, than the 
 hitherto unsyllabled rapture, of the untold idealism of my 
 musical Spirit. She was my Deity, my spotless IVladonna, 
 at whose shrine I knelt in all the beauty and unfeigned 
 adoration of an unpolluted love. 
 
 'Ah! As we together knelt in heavenly unity of soul, 
 and mingled our voices in the praises of Holy Mother Church, 
 in all the nndefiled holiness of a kn-e unmarred by the 
 shadow clouds of .sin or shame, I felt, I knew, that the ideal 
 worship of mv heart, which hitherto had floated heavenwards, 
 in praise of some Invisible Saint, was now transferred to the 
 visible object of my vouthful love. It was for her I sang, 
 to her the spoken music of my spirit flowed out, in an 
 unimpeded volume of raptiirous musical feeling.
 
 G/iiiipscs thro ilic Rift. 6ii 
 
 In her I saw, or thouglit I saw, the realization in mortal 
 form, the visible incarnation of my immortal Spiritual ideal. 
 
 Her outward fonn was fanltlessh- harmonious, a visible 
 embodiment of sublime niusic. Her most unimpassioned gaze 
 appealed to me as tliough a seraph smiled, and when in 
 sweet responsiveness to my tale of love, oft told 'ueath the 
 clear pure shining of the midnight moon in improvised music 
 and song, her lovely face became luminous with all the 
 melting splendour of a seeming sympathetic soul language, 
 I believed in her as the perfect embodiment of truth. She 
 was m}^ adored saint, whose praises I sang untiredly, and at 
 whose shrine I knelt in daily adoration, receiving in return (as 
 I fondh" believed) the continual benison of pure and holy love. 
 
 And so the happ^' ^-ears rolled bj-, and in my felicitious 
 da\- dreaming, it truly seemed that our hearts were beating 
 in rapturous rhythmical unison to the music of two souls 
 wedded together in an indissoluble love bond. But alas! 
 Just as in the rapture of listening to a chorus of exquisite 
 sweetness 3-our ears are assaulted b\- the rude crash of 
 cj-mbals, or the sound of muttering thunder; or as when rapt 
 in sweet slumber ^"ou dream of scenes of beaut}' of forms 
 angelic, vou are suddenlv awakened from your dream of jo}- 
 by some discordant sound, some dark fiend-like shadow 
 crosses the threshold of your Spiritual vision, and a horrible 
 nightmare usurps the place of your dream of beauty; so the 
 happy anthem of my Spirit was rudely marred by a dis- 
 cordant element hell-born, in the heart of her in whom I 
 had learned to believe perfection shone. The golden glitter 
 of a wealthv home and titled name, wooed and weaned her 
 from my sphere of halc}-on happy love! My song of jo}- 
 was transformed into a mournful dirge of woe, my notes of 
 rapturous praise was succeeded by a torrent wave of wails 
 and sobs, mv heart volcanic, overflowing with the lava tide 
 of angfer.
 
 6i2 G/kiws ()/ L/'i^/if luid 
 
 Ah! Sureh' the cords of our Spirits immortal had 
 seemed to be interwoven b}^ the magical influence of pure 
 unselfish love. 
 
 Imagine a glorious harp with strings of gold, its con- 
 figuration perfect, wrought and moulded with all the exquisite 
 beaut}' of ideal creative genius, attuned for the inspirational 
 sweeping of an Angel's hand! 
 
 Imagine the breezes of heaven odorous with the perpetual 
 perfume of flowery meads sweeping continualh' through its 
 golden strings bringing forth a heavenly harmony, a perfect 
 raphsody of melodious sweetness and power. 
 
 Imagine a sudden transformation scene! The sun-lit 
 sky obscured by clouds of lowering blackness; thunders 
 rolling from horizon to horizon's brink; lightnings flashing 
 wrathfullv; the beautiful flowers of earth bowing down their 
 lovely blossoms as if in fear. Imagine my harp of beauty 
 seized b}- a demon's hand, whose soot}' imprint marred where'er 
 it touched the band of the golden framework of my instru- 
 ment of glory. 
 
 Imagine my liarp of beauty seized l)y ;i iiemon"s han<l. 
 
 Whose sooty imprint marred the spot upon the golden t)aml 
 
 Whereon it lit: and lurid flames of hid'ous colour gory 
 
 Gleam'd with a murderous hue my instrument of glory. 
 
 Aud as the sinful fingers touched the strain"d and quiv'ring strings, 
 
 The air upon the awestruck ear a mad'ning minor bring.s, 
 
 A flashing chord t)f madness and bewildering despair, 
 
 A gust of gruesome mu.sic as from raging demon's lair. 
 
 .\ howling, jangling, clashing, yelling monody of woe, 
 
 Which from the earth to heaven above in awful discords flow. 
 
 And as the horrid hate that burned within his fiery veins 
 
 Inspires him thus in fiendi.sh glee to play such hellish strains. 
 
 This demon foul from deepest Had's with hell-inflamed desire 
 
 With fuming hatred sets my harp so beautiful on fire. 
 
 A harp in flames! The quiv'ring, snapping, writhing, fiery strings. 
 
 Resounding with sad notes of woe — a requiem it .sings! 
 
 A parable in Musical Metaphor of the brief love-dream 
 and rude separation of two human Spirits, interpreted alone
 
 Gliinpsfs fliro the Rift. 613 
 
 by those in possession of the human soul faculty of ideal 
 thought imagery. 
 
 She married — I recall the word — She khi^ hoioui ! in legal 
 bonds! — to one who having this world's wealth, attracted her 
 from me, by glittering jewels, a titled name, and luxury of 
 life. 
 
 I remember well the wedding morning when I, Antonio, 
 with my sweet guitar, stood within the portals of a ruined 
 fane, and as the joyous marriage bells rang out their jocund 
 peals upon the air I shrank in misery from the light of day, 
 3'et waited for the passing of the bridal train. 
 
 Shouts of acclamation rent the air, the summer road 
 with radiant flowers was strewn; with heightened speed the 
 rolling chariots pass the spot where sad Antonio shrank from 
 view, and as the carriage bore Sabina b\-, mv instrument 
 beneath my frantic clutch sent forth a note resentful in its 
 tone, as if expressive of my heart's reproach. 
 
 The horses plunge, affrighted by the sound! Sabina 
 turned her pallid face, and met by burning gaze! And as 
 the her}' passion of m}- soul with keen resentment pierced her 
 to the heart, she wrung her hands and sobbing, swooned away I 
 
 Ha! ha! ha! I laughed! A rattling maniac laugh! A 
 laugh in hell which might have sounded mirthful! A laugh 
 in which the kindred sentiments of hate, grief, jealousy, 
 despair mingled, as my fevered brain spontaneously endea- 
 voured to express deliriousl}- my agony of soul! 
 
 And as my mad laugh railed upon the air, the foot of 
 faltering age stood still to listen! The little children ceased 
 their pla}- in gaping wonderment! The ver\' birds upon the 
 trees affrighted stayed their singing! I feared myself and 
 curbed the expression of my sorrow! And with the effort 
 of an iron-will I sealed my pent-up fury in m.\ heart, and 
 pulling down my hat above my eyes, va.y nether lip nigh 
 bitten through and through, I strode again into the light
 
 6 14 GlcaiJis of Light and 
 
 of day, and soon was lost within the surging crowd. 
 
 That^ night I stood beneath the windows of the palacial 
 home, where all the exuberent revelr^v of music, song, and 
 dance held sway, in honour of the wedding of Sabina — my 
 lost love — to untold earthl}' wealth and titled name. The 
 cold and splendid moon shone down upon me, as if in 
 mute mockery of my soul's deep misery. 
 
 Peals of rippling laughter — wine inspired — floated out- 
 wards in the midnight air, from revellers —all unconscious — 
 heedless — that a soul in torture, stood without, beneath the 
 cold moon's pale, pitiless ray ; but though all nature thus 
 was ruthless, my Spirit burning for expression, found vent 
 in the frantic delirium of song. 
 
 I sang and played as ne'er man played or sang before, 
 my hand electric swept the strings; my voice soul-filled, 
 expressed itself in all the \'igour of a wild abandonment to 
 the avenging gods. 
 
 I sang of childhood's happ}- time, when all the jocund 
 glee of health suffused m}- veins, and filled my heart with 
 joy; when Nature sang to me its song of peace, and found 
 within the heart of innocence an answering chord. 
 
 The guests came out upon the balcou}-! 
 
 Still wild, I sang! — I sang of love! The dawn and 
 love! When the roseate blush of youth attracted to itself a 
 kindred soul! 
 
 I sang of happy hours when love supreme o'er two 
 hearts held its undisputed sway, and so electric and imjjas- 
 sioned were ni}- burning words, that showers of gold aud 
 silver coin fell glittering at my feet. 
 
 I spurned the proffered pa}- for that which knew no price 
 — but misery — and wath all the forces of my Spirit strung up 
 to highest pitch of agonising sorrow, my voice — my song — 
 assumed a deep reproachfulness ; my good guitar responded to 
 mv toucli in wondrous minglement of sorrow, liate, and scorn.
 
 G/i/ii/^sts tino the Rift. 6is 
 
 1 sang of blighted lo\e, of hope destroved, of treachery, 
 and inv heart's despair. 
 
 The guests were liushed in nmte astonishment! 
 
 But as the last word of my song, winged its iier\' wa}' 
 into the heart of her to whom alouc I sang, a piercing 
 scream upon the air was heard! Had she swooned? I 
 listened! — A confused babel of voices! Footsteps hnrr^nng 
 to and fro! I looked a moment heavenwards, the Moon 
 was hidden by a passing cloud — I felt a shiver as of death 
 — and turning saw Sabina by my side — I gazed intently on 
 her upturned face; with admiration on her lovely form, 
 arraved in beautv with her wedding robes; and as the Moon 
 again shone fuUv forth, I caught the expression on her 
 pallid face, of mingled sorrow, pain, and love. 
 
 Had she relented? Wooed to my .side again by m\- im- 
 passioned song, to plead forgiveness, and never lea\e me more ? 
 
 She touched my hand, I felt an ice cold thrill! and 
 moved bv impulse strove to fl^' with her. but as I more 
 intentlv gazed, she slowlv vanished from my wondering 
 sight. 
 
 I knew by this, that she was dead! 
 
 It was her Spirit thus had come to me, in mute appeal, 
 for absolution from my soul, against whom and God alone, 
 her sins had been. 
 
 Mv heart was satisfied! — if heart that's broken ever 
 satisfaction knows. — My fevered brain was solaced, and va.\ 
 heart consoled, I knew no other arms could ever clasp her 
 handsome form, no other ever bask in the radiance of her 
 loving gaze. 
 
 I drew within the shadow of the neighbouring trees, 
 and watched, and heard the guests roll slowly home. They 
 spoke in whispers, and with bated breath, appalled doubtless, 
 by the solemn stroke of death. 
 
 I watched inteutl}- till the early mom, the where, by
 
 6i6 G/i'i/ws of Lii^ht and 
 
 sliadows to ;md fro, I knew tlie form of fair Sabina lay. 
 
 A few da\-s hence, in all the solemn pageantry of Holy 
 Mother Church, the funeral cortege left the palace gates, aud 
 having seen her corpse laid in the earth, I wandered far away 
 from sunny Tuscany, a roving minstrel, my only friend vcvy 
 treasured sweet gititar. 
 
 Thus ends one chapter in the earth-life experience of 
 Antonio Garaboni, an Italian Improvisatore.
 
 Giimpses thro'' the Rift. 617 
 
 SECTION TWELVE. 
 
 (&ooti ant) ISati :^piiits. 
 
 'Prove the Spirts whether tliey be of God." 
 
 \. John iv. I. 
 
 ny /TANKIND in all ages have believed in Spirits. 
 -^-^ Swedenborg, the most eminent and exalted of 
 modern Seers, affirms that the world of Spirits is neither 
 heaven nor hell, but a place, or state, betwixt both, which has 
 nothing in it of the probationar}' kind, bnt a state of sepa- 
 ration, or reducing everyone to his own proper prevailing 
 principle, some being consigned to heaven or hell immediately 
 on his or her arrival : some continne for weeks, others years, 
 bnt none more than thirty. Still even this depends on the 
 correspondence between the interior and exterior of man. 
 
 As soon as they arrive in the world of Spirits the}^ 
 are classed according to their several qualities, inclinations, 
 and dispositions, and this by the natnral law of attraction, 
 which is nnfettered, the evil with the society of those they 
 desired, bnt conld not always get, while in the bod\-, and 
 the good with snch society as they were aspiring to ha\c 
 intercourse with. 
 
 In the Spirit-world Swedenborg states that all wlio 
 
 4 ^
 
 CiS Gha/iis of Lioht and 
 
 desire can meet and freely converse with each other, bnt if 
 the\- have been of different inclinations and habits of mind 
 thev soon become nncouscious of each other, and finally 
 vanish both from perception and memory, for in this state 
 similitude joins, but dissimilitude separates. 
 
 He asserts that the Spirit of man has a form, and that 
 a human one; hence it is that Spirits see, hear, and feel as 
 well as men in the Spirit- world, indeed that the Spirit is 
 the true formed man, but the reason we do not see the Spirit 
 of another man whilst in the body in human foi'm, is because 
 these organs of vision are material, and therefore onl}- capable 
 of discerning objects of a material Nature, whereas Spiritual 
 things must be seen by Spiritual eyes. 
 
 It may be here noted that when Spirits are seen b}- any 
 one in the body, they are not seen with the corporeal eyes, but 
 by the Spirit of the beholder, the material functions of the 
 body being generally out of their usual working order, either 
 through abstinence from food, or repose — frequentl}- both 
 — and thus rendering them oblivious to surroundings, for 
 hoiirs, days, weeks, sometimes months together. The}- move 
 among men and take their part in the world as usual, but 
 as in a dream their thoughts or soul elsewhere. 
 
 These persons eat from the force of example, if not 
 where they are expected to eat, they can go without meal 
 after meal, in this state they commune much with the 
 Unseen; sometimes for da^-s the involiintary nerves take 
 the place of the voluntar}- and instigate most of their actions: 
 in this condition men do occasionall}- while in their corporeal 
 body see, walk, and talk with Spirits. We explain the 
 phenomenon as escaped bodih- magnetism directed from the 
 outward and visible side of Nature, towards the inward and 
 Spiritual side, and in this way they are consciously made 
 acc[uainted with facts in Nature hidden from the more positive 
 of mankind.
 
 Gli/iip.vs llirS ilh- Rifi. 619 
 
 This explanation does not clash witli that of Swedenborg, 
 and while it exalts Spirititalism to a Scientific platform, it 
 entirely divests it of its supernatnral aspect and proves it to 
 be as natural as any other of the hidden processes of Mother 
 Nature, witnessed only under certain sympathetic magnetic 
 conditions, in organisms suitably constituted to undergo this 
 interchange of the voluntary and involuntary nerves to the seat 
 of consciousness. This magnetism while man is in the body 
 acts throixgh organs more or less imperfect and is in part 
 received from the world of Spirits. At death this is freed 
 from all material impediments, and follows out its own 
 aspirations ; thus without knowing it, the intelligent conscious- 
 ness of man magnetically chooses heaven or hell, and becomes 
 by the law of correspondences his own Eternal Judge, 
 according to the quality of the training his Spirit had while 
 in the body. 
 
 The Grecian philosophers who made the natnre of ghosts 
 their special study, seem agreed that it is only those wlu) 
 do not live to old age who return to it again as ghosts 
 and Spirits. Plato not only confirms this, but adds as his 
 experience that when the Spirits of good and exemplary 
 men returned, it was to ptrsoi/s of a liki liahit and disposifioii, 
 to warn them of certain dangers, etc., or else to convey 
 heavenly doctrines or ingenious inventions to their minds 
 and in like manner if the ghost of a wicked and execrable 
 character returned, it was to those of a profligate and 
 abandoned course of life. Pythagoras taught that there was 
 a continual transmigration of souls, from one state to another, 
 and that they frequently appeared to persons of the same 
 bent of mind and inclination to instruct and forewarn tlicm 
 during their earthly journey. 
 
 We make these abstracts to show that there is notliing 
 contradictory in them to the idea here ad\-anced, and that 
 the magnetic aura, or soul of the dei)arted remains in a state
 
 C,20 G /id ins of Light and 
 
 of suspension until appropriated. During this state of sus- 
 pension attaining to glorification it has the power to commu- 
 nicate with human beings through the involuntary nerves, 
 which are in a certain passive condition with the Unseen 
 side of nature, at such exalted times the involuntary nerves 
 are more active than the voluntary. 
 
 This theory is substantiated b}^ the fact that Appollonius 
 Tayaneus, (whose classical learning, scientific speculation, and 
 sanctity, made him one of the most elevated characters of his 
 day,) was a man of great abstemiousness, who rigorously 
 fasted, and kept his body under the control of his Spirit; 
 we are informed that he was able to convey himself from 
 one place to another, hold converse with friends, and not 
 onl}' be heard, but also be seen, when he was actuall}- 
 hundreds of miles away, this same phenomenon has frecj^uentl}- 
 come within our own experience. On one of these occasions 
 the Spirit body of a living man burst into the room, 
 addressed \\s with his own tone of voice and manner, and so 
 real was his presence, that a gentleman present who saw him, 
 and to whom he was a stranger, promptly and without hesi- 
 tation turned over one likeness after another in an album, 
 till he came to the portrait of the right person. We asked 
 if he were dead; and received in answer that he had onl}' 
 wandered here in a state of reverie. This is only one of several 
 such experiences with different friends who have thus visited us. 
 
 Our own Spiritual body has also been seen by some 
 half-dozen Seers while about their diities on various occa- 
 sions, not in dreams but in full daylight. 
 
 There is nothing supernatural in this power, it is the 
 embryonic state of psychic faculties possessed and cultivated 
 by the inhabitants of Neptune and other planets, but which 
 the Earthite has not 3-et risen to a conscious knowledge of, 
 or that lie is in the possession of the latent power to develop 
 such transcendental accjuirements.
 
 G/iiiipses thro the Rift. 621 
 
 Appollanius Tayaneus studied the negative side of nature 
 as well as the positive, and by this means understood the 
 magnetic law which bound all matter together irrespective of 
 distance. It expands and contracts at will, and annihilates 
 space and time. 
 
 Dr. Dee, who wrote the mathematical preface to Euclid's 
 elements, was another of these extraordinary Seers : he wrote 
 forty-eight \-olumes on occultism with his own hand, which 
 an unreasonable mob burnt before his eyes, believing him 
 to be the CAUSE of storms, hurricanes, tempests, ruin to 
 harvests, etc., because he was able to predict them. 
 
 So long as men are not educated to a perception of 
 soiil-faculties, and some State protection afforded by the 
 Governments of the different nations to their psychic Seers, 
 from tlie contempt and ridicule of the vulgar, these latent 
 powers in man are not likely to have fair scope for develop- 
 ment. 
 
 Paracelsus, a ph^•sician was tlie first we read of, wlio 
 attributed his magical powers to animal magnetism. He saj's 
 that the secret propertie.'^ of Nature are not 3-et h.m.k 
 KXOWX or UXDERSTOOD, uor their advantages received witli 
 that thankfulness and regard, which ought incessantly to be 
 poured forth to the Great Author of our Being, for the 
 blessings which may so easily be derived from them, what 
 others in his age attributed to the agency of Spirits on a 
 supernatural plane, lie honestly affirmed to be the genuine 
 effect of Nature.
 
 G/impscs thro the Ki/t. 623 
 
 SECTION THIRTEEN. 
 
 {'S Spiritualism a ^rirnrr or a Ixrligion? 
 
 "A certain man quitted a Monaster}' and became a member of a college. One 
 asked him what was the difference between religious men and learned men that 
 had induced him to change his associates. He replied : The Devotee tries to save 
 his own blanket from the waves, whereas the Learned man endeavours to rescue 
 others from drowning." 
 
 I'eisian Siiiptiins. 
 
 rriO arrive at a just answer to this question, we must first 
 -L understand clearly that Science is the knowledge of 
 things groiDidcd on dcuwiistratioii, and that Religion is a 
 system oi faith or worship. 
 
 Each system of religion has had for its founder some 
 man of pronounced individuality, such as Moses, the founder 
 of the Jewish religion; Jesus, the founder of the Christians; 
 Paul, of the Gnostics; Wesley, of the Wesleyans; Calvin, of 
 the Calvinists; Fox, of the Quakers; Buddah, of the Buddists; 
 Mahomet, of the Mahometans; Swedenborg, of the Swcden- 
 borgeans; etc., etc., each of tliese men was inspired with a 
 zeal which compelled men to behold their good works, 
 admire the faith which exalted their aspirations, and made 
 their lives purer and holier tlian those by whom tliey were 
 surrounded. The powerful example of such men, combined
 
 624 G/cavis of Light and 
 
 witli tlieir psychological emauations, secured to them many 
 followers during their respective lives, in accordance with the 
 law, that "Like attracts like." On the death of the first 
 leader, another has generall}' been chosen from among the 
 disciples, perhaps only a degree less distinguished, who has 
 closely endeavoured to lead on in the particiilar tenets, ideas, 
 and \iews of the founder. So earnest and single-minded 
 is the admiration and affection of a bereaved congregation 
 for their beloved founder, that from henceforth no one is 
 acceptable to them who attempts to teach any other doctrines 
 than those he advanced: to attempt to reason against any 
 point which he laid down, is to their minds equal to 
 blasphemy. 
 
 In this way sentiment takes the place of reasonable 
 judgment, and plays its part in evolving a new sect among 
 those already in existence. 
 
 Are we to consider these many sects useless? A leader 
 with a certain phrenological development will attract followers 
 of a similar development, whose Spiritual faculties probabh' 
 received no impulse from the teachings of their former pastor 
 of a different denomination, 3'et the way this new teacher 
 explained matters appealed to tlieir particular powers of 
 comprehension, stimulated them to prayer and a conscientious 
 watchfiilness over words and actions, indeed so much better 
 do they feel, that they conchxde they have found the RIGHT 
 RELIGION. From this stand-point of ignorance, a diversity 
 of religious opinion arises through the many degrees of 
 mind capacity, hence they conclude that all other religions — 
 and especially the church they have just left^must be wrong: 
 whereas in the eyes of another sect, these very people are 
 going headlong to ruin by listening to and following this 
 new sect; so little is the average man capable of judging 
 of, or deciding for, his fellow-man. Few consider that if 
 by any means proceeding from a good and pure moti\-e in
 
 Glin/f'scs thro the Rifl. 62 S 
 
 the sight of the Almighty, a leader has stimulated the 
 growth of the vSpiritual gifts of those who from lack of 
 time, inability to reason, etc., are unable to think for 
 themselves, then this new system of religion was needed 
 to lead to the foot of the Spiritual hill, those who cotild 
 never have climbed it without; there is one God; but man\- 
 roads for men to travel along, all of which reach Him as a 
 centre, and unless men turn back when they find the road 
 getting narrower and narrower, they will assuredly reacli 
 Him. 
 
 Every .system of religion takes its rise from the Intel- 
 lectual and Spiritual capabilities of its leader, and is limited 
 in proportion to his phrenological developments and those of 
 the disciples he has power to gather round him. If the}' 
 see the workings of Divinity through Nature, and have 
 Spiritual gifts unfolded, they will "add to faith knowledge, 
 and to knowledge wisdom, those who are humble enough to 
 go on ciiltivating the" gifts of the Spirit add healing, the 
 workings of miracles, prophesy, discerning of Spirits, and 
 so attain to the highest powers yet unfolded in the Earth- 
 man: the examples of Christ and His apostles should lead 
 men on to the attainment of these higher Spiritual gifts 
 while on the earth. 
 
 Science is a knowledge of things grounded on demon- 
 stration. 
 
 Geolog}' as a Science dcniomtratcs. that the age of the 
 world is far older than histor}^ the recurrence of each glacier 
 period taking more than two and a half millions of j-ears, 
 which is only one precession of the equinox. The Pentateuch 
 gives the effect of these cylic precessions on the earth, the 
 sixth of which commenced with the Adamic man. 
 
 The Science of Physiology demonstrates that the blood 
 courses through the veins towards the heart for purification, 
 and from thence by means of the arteries for tlic furtlier 
 
 4 1-
 
 626 G/ci7ii/x of Lli^hf and 
 
 uourislimeiit of every minute part of the bod}-, by binding a 
 deejj cut above the gash if it be made on a part of the 
 bod}' below tlie heart, and below it if the wound be above 
 the heart. 
 
 The Science of Astrology teaches that ever}' planetarj' 
 orb in the heavens projects a diiferent quality of magnetism 
 npt)n this earth, and by observing what planets are in 
 aspect one with the other, and the point of earth ascending 
 at a birth can dcnionstraic the child's capabilities, successes, 
 misfortunes, and talents. 
 
 Astronom^• is a mathematical Science which claims to 
 calculate the exact distance one globe is from another and 
 tlie time each will take to travel to the same place again 
 — this can be demonstrated by noting the exact precision 
 with which the eclipses and conjunctions of the sun, moon, 
 and planets are foretold. 
 
 Spiritualism states that when death takes place it is 
 simply a separation of the soul from the body, the latter 
 perishes, the former is bom again in Spirit-life, the Spiritual 
 counterpart of the body it has left, retaining its intelligence, 
 aspiration, and memory, this can be demonstrated according 
 to the Natural law of mediumship, oracles, clairvoyance, 
 etc., thus setting up a telephonic commi^nicatiou between 
 man and his departed, on personal and private subjects 
 known only between themselves; also by means of the 
 psychological trance, when the Risen dead can mesmerise 
 a person in the body, and bv means of his vocal organs 
 converse not onl}- with their own peculiarities but with their 
 own voice individual ideas and knowledge when on earth. 
 
 It is thus demonstrated that Spiritualism is the Science 
 of Religion, for every Leader or Founder of a net*.' sect has 
 seen clairvoyantly or by Spiritual illumination — often both — ■ 
 some person whom he has known to be dead, from whom 
 he has received a Divine Commission. From this Holy Source
 
 Glimpses f/iro the Rift. 627 
 
 came Buddah's power, Zoroaster's, Christ's, etc. Did lie not 
 commune with Moses and Elijah, and did not Angels come 
 to minister to, baptise and support him. All who have 
 sufficient aspirational faith and hope, to call about them 
 magneticall}- Angel messengers can receive their religious 
 instruction direct from heaven: those whose aspirations 
 do not soar so high must necessarity follow a Leader. 
 Spiritualists have all evolved from some existing Church 
 and Chapel, their progressive Natures have risen above creeds 
 and carried them onward from effects to CAUSES. 
 
 If we liken the religious bodies of the world to one large 
 round house; the windows small, man}', and close together; 
 the Father's Heavenly abode, the grounds and prospects all 
 about and beyond this round house, and the different sects 
 to people stationed — held fast by vows, ordination, and con- 
 secration, to one ivindoiv only, and from this one window 
 they describe the scenery, prospect, and objects be\'ond, should 
 we be surprised to hear them all disputing, contradicting, 
 and wrangling with each other, because their view of things 
 be3'ond did not agree with the view given b}- the earnest, 
 truthful souls to the right, the left, and behind them? 
 Though all view the same ground, the observation is cir- 
 cumscribed to a different and limited angle. 
 
 No one man, or body of men, can see all Nature. 
 Hence Science is divided up into branches, differently 
 tabulated, and no branch of Science is complete until the otlier 
 branches have been brought to bear upon, and liarmonizc 
 with it. 
 
 No one sect, or body of sects, can realize all of God, 
 therefore no one sect or religion can be complete until all 
 others have been brought to bear upon and harmonize with 
 it, for each one sees only as much as his limited organization 
 permits of, each man is one bit of a whole— the microcosm 
 - — of a macrocosm.
 
 628 Gleams of Light and 
 
 Each religion is one vieiv of the soul through one windoi\.' 
 oiih-, of the glorious prospects beyond. 
 
 Each Science is one demonstration of a truth buried in 
 the storehouse of Mother Nature, and one only: the circle 
 of which can never be complete, till it is united by the 
 Science of Religion, which demonstrates the Immortality of 
 man. It is the office of the Nineteenth Century aided by 
 clairvoyance, Trance now called hypnotism, and Psychic 
 Photography to recognise and establish this Science as the 
 SCIENCE OF SCIENCES. 
 
 Seers there have been in all ages. In every religious 
 age there have been Angels who have visited men. If we 
 follow these religious epochs without prejudice, we shall be 
 able to trace the gradual progress in the religious evolution 
 of these ages. 
 
 The Unseen has ever been inseparably mixed up with 
 man's life here. 
 
 In the earliest religious times on record, man called 
 these occasional visitors gods. Enoch is an example; Moses 
 is another; but though the records of gods, their leadings 
 and selfish advice are interesting, to show the advance of 
 religious aspiration; few in the present da}- would care to 
 give themselves up to the leadings of such a God as Jehovah. 
 Even in those and later days there were distinctions drawn 
 between the Lord God of iVbraham, the Jehovah, the men of 
 God, and Angels; but there appears to be no knowledge that 
 these gods had walked the earth as men, on the part of those 
 who talked with them. 
 
 Later on, eighteen centuries ago, it was recognised that 
 a Religious teacher who had been put to death had "risen,'' 
 and appeared still to teach them as a god; there was no 
 marvel expressed at the Angel being seen at the sepulchre, 
 who told them He was risen. He was not recognised as 
 having been a man who had w^alked the earth. The surprise
 
 Glimpses thro tlic Rill. 629 
 
 was that a man who had lived among them as an ordinary 
 man, more tliaii ordi>iari/v despised by the aut/ioritics, should 
 turn out to be one of those men who appeared and disappeared 
 through closed and locked doors, whom they termed gods, 
 and as it is the iirst record of the kind which religious his- 
 tory has handed down we are led to conckide that it is the 
 first intelligent recognition mankind had of the possibility of 
 the beloved dead being seen after death. Jesus moreover 
 was a marvellous Seer, and had been able to predict this 
 resurrection which to them made it the more marvellous. 
 
 Gradually light dawns! to day religious evolution is 
 developing Spiritual gifts in man whereby he is able to 
 recognise in the Angels and ministering Spirits of past 
 ages, resurrected man, and is moreover able to distinguish 
 between these and the witchcraft of the mediaeval ages, the 
 "thus saith the Lord" of Moses, the marvels of hypnotism, 
 materialization, and clairvoyance. 
 
 Thus in the gradual evolution of religion, it lias as 
 gradually dawned upon the mind of man, that the Angels 
 and Gods of the ancients are those who have trodden the 
 earth as men, and are in a state of progression through 
 the many mansions of the skies. As there is no evidence 
 to show that they in the past were aware of this, f/ie 
 progress 0/ religion eaii he traeed in this Nineteentli Century 
 loioivlcdge. 
 
 A Spirit appearing in this age and giving such ad\-ice 
 and such commands as Jehovah and the Lord God gave to 
 Moses, would not be received as a God, by the Nineteenth 
 Century Spiritualist; they are able to differentiate between 
 a Spirit from the material heavens, and one from tlie 
 Celestial heavens. 
 
 "The Lord," who guided Moses, Spiritualists to-day 
 know was his Guide, or Guardian Spirit; they also know, 
 (and that by their own experience not translations of old
 
 630 Gkaiiis 0/ -Light and 
 
 records) that he had not evolved beyond the material heavens, 
 or his advice wonld have been of a less selfish worldly 
 nature. — "The tree is known by its fruit." 
 
 We trace a much loftier standard of evolution in the 
 advice and teachings of Jesus, also of Celestial Spirits to- 
 day, and if records are made, in ages to come the evoluntary 
 progress will be as marked in the religious aspirations of the 
 future, as it is in material Science and inventions.
 
 COURSE OF 
 
 PSYCHIC 
 
 SCIENCE LECTURES 
 
 ILLUSTRATED 
 
 BY 
 
 LIME LIGHT PHOTOGRAPHS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNSEEN.
 
 G/////ps,s tliro the Rift. 633 
 
 LECTURK I. 
 
 (Ti^rnmnr anb Jfiautjulrnt Spirit 13f)otograpl)s, 
 
 'Condemn not lest ye be condemned." 
 
 Jesus Christ. 
 
 T is not for the pliotot^^rapliic uniqueness, nor 
 
 tlieir artistic value, tliat the accouipanving plates 
 
 are made public, but to demonstrate to the world 
 
 that if this subject could be studied under the 
 
 '^ genial smile instead of the frown of society; the 
 
 -■^-^^^-j- encouragement, instead of the condemnation of 
 
 ? '^ V friends; the thoughtful consideration and appro\al, 
 
 I '^ r instead of the sarcastic ridicule of pedantic 
 
 ■-i^- scientists, and photographers, (who have 
 
 phychologically a deteriorating effect upon the 
 
 efforts of the few who do experiment) it would be a proof 
 
 of life after death in the hands of the clergy far more 
 
 convincing and practical than any he has in the present day 
 
 to offer to the thinking portion of his congregation. 
 
 Man}' people are under the impression that a Spirit 
 Photograph is a shadowy image of some livino; person stand- 
 ing behind another, without any regard as to who that 
 shadowy person is : whether he is alive and stood to be 
 
 4 l\l
 
 0^^ G/c(jius of Li;^Iit and 
 
 photographed in the studio, with the more plainly outlined 
 individual; or whether it is the negative of a person interposed 
 during the printing process; these are the ideas many 
 Photographers entertain and propagate concerning these 
 plates. The fact that there are imitation bank notes goes to 
 prove that there are real ones; but only those who would — 
 if circumstances permitted pass these fraudulent notes, care 
 to waste their precious time and mental powers in learning 
 how to produce them. 
 
 Those who listen to an honest person's narration of 
 photographic facts, and then suggest this and that way in 
 which they iiiiohf have been fraudulentl}- produced; could 
 they only see below the surface of things, would know, 
 that they were simply exposing to honest people, the latent 
 fraiidiilcut capabilities of their oivn Nature, when favonrabl}^ 
 situated for the exercise of such ingenuit}^ : but at the same 
 time were in no way proving that the honest person the}' 
 wished to silence was not to be believed. 
 
 A Spirit has no material body of its own, that which 
 was once his, is btrried in the earth, and the real man, the 
 Spirit, is to certain limits free — i.e., free of matter. He has 
 undergone a change of polarity, and his activities are utilized 
 on a more interior plane; but thoxigh he has discarded the 
 opaque material which formed his body, he is not bodjdess, 
 but becomes possessed by the silent mj-sterious processes 
 of .Nature of a more etherealized bod}-, which is the exact 
 counterpart of the buried form we have been accustomed to 
 regard as the human being. 
 
 The form Divine lives on and on, and it is this which 
 appears in the psychic photograph, and is the result of their 
 intelligent manipulation of certain natural forces, and not 
 in any way the result of our skill, for the utmost the 
 photographer and sitter can do is to place themselves in 
 harmony with the Unseen Rulers of human destiny and
 
 Glimpses thro tlic Ri/i. 5-,- 
 
 await results patiently. Tlie human form is Nature's mechani- 
 cal contrivance, whereby man manipulates matter, as a means 
 of evolving intelligence, the discarding of which, when it 
 has accomplished all it is capable of, is termed death. 
 
 This intelligence in higher and higher states of evolution 
 rules the world, and worlds within worlds, lives on and on 
 for ever, and is for ever active, on higher and higher planes 
 of intelligence. 
 
 If then a person shows 3-ou wlaat purports to be the 
 photograph of a Spirit, and is not prepared to trullifully 
 state that the individual represented by the psychic photo is 
 dead, also that it is not a copy from a photo, put it aside 
 as a probable fraudulent imitation ; but if on the other hand 
 those statements are affirmed, and 3-our experience leads vou 
 to conclude that your informant is a person of honour and 
 veracity, above telling a lie, even for the fun of testing, and 
 then ridiculing your credulity — a questionable kind of joking 
 by-the-bye, which no truthful person could indulge in, or 
 tolerate — then you have as good an evidence of the continued 
 existence of that (so called) dead person on a plane of ac- 
 tivit}', invisible to man's eye, yet real enough to themselves 
 — as any mortal man has had to offer to his less enlightened 
 fellow man in this or an}- of the past Scriptural ages of this 
 earth's histor}'. 
 
 Ph3-sical Science, facilitated by the wonderful modern 
 improvements in optical instruments, has recognised an 
 ethereal invisible atmosphere round every object in Nature; 
 it has moreover recognised that round a few onh' is this 
 ether luminous, ^sculin and quinine in solution are seen to 
 be fluorescent; paraffin and a spar found on Alston Moor, 
 emit a phosphorescent light. In tliat age of the Christian 
 era, when it was deemed the duty of all its exponents, to 
 make such personal sacrifices as wei'e found to be individu- 
 alh- necessarv to cultivate in them '"the discerning of vSpirits."
 
 636 G/iains of Lii^ht and 
 
 — I. Cor. xii. II, — the clairvoyant Master of Arts was 
 artistically able to depict this ether round the portraits of 
 those he painted; while the Saints whose blameless lives 
 and potent works added lustre to the church, are all repre- 
 sented with a luminous and radiating halo. 
 
 Tliough the cultivation of these occult powers has 
 gradually fallen into disuse b}- Protestants since the Reform- 
 ation, it does not remove the fact that individuals exist who 
 have a fluorescent halo in organic as well as in inorganic 
 Nature, and that other individuals exist, who like St. Paul 
 liave the gift of discerning this halo and the Spirits seen 
 in it. 
 
 Spiritual Science recognises this ether as the enlarged 
 Soul, or medium of communication between the body and 
 Spirit. Rouud some it is dark, and difficult to be perceived 
 by the clairvoA'ant, round others it extends further, is clear, 
 light, white, or transparent, while onl}- in few is it luminous. 
 When the soul of an individual is large and clear enough, 
 it is as an open door to the heavens, through which the 
 Spiritual Seer can behold the forms of the departed and hear 
 the messages they bring. 
 
 "With a slow and noiseless footstep, 
 Come those Messenger's Divine, 
 
 And the)- sit and gaze upon me, 
 With their deep and tender eyes. 
 Like the stars so still and saint-like 
 Looking downward from the skies. 
 
 Uttered not, yet comprehended. 
 Is the Spirit's voiceless prayer: 
 Soft rebukes in blessings ending, 
 Falling from those lips of air." 
 
 There are more active truths underlying the words of 
 Longfellow, Tennyson, and other lucid poets, than their 
 sentimental readers have the least idea of. 
 
 Physical Science has proved the eye to be an animated
 
 G/ii/ipscs thro the Rift. 637 
 
 camera with lenses constructed to receive as much light as 
 its individual humours are capable of using to advantage. 
 There are many degrees of vision to be found among the 
 human family. Some sight conve^-s a much more accurate 
 impression of the object viewed tlian other sight does. 
 
 Astral Science may be said to regard the sun as a liuge 
 lense, through which the Univeral light imprints upon 
 sensitive Nature certain chemical changes called growth, 
 activity, and intelligence which produce under other chemical 
 action all that we call the evolution of the race; — the 
 evolution from the lowest forms that Science proves to 
 exist, to the complete man, — from the simple to the complex 
 in organism and function. It receives and imparts as much 
 of the light as its atmospheric environments can contain, 
 and this is reflected and radiated to whatsoever is sufificientlv 
 negati\e or receptive to become a centre for it, and tlius 
 produces further chemical changes. 
 
 Thus the sun is a lense through which the light of 
 the Divine Mind reaches the dark, inactive, sluggish, 
 undeveloped existence, and by chemical action produces a 
 picture in which activities reign, development occurs, and 
 evolution is accomplished. 
 
 B}- analog}' the sun is to the sensitive earth precisely 
 what a photographic lense is to a sensitized plate what the 
 human eye is to the retina; by means of the mental emanation 
 the eye becomes an interpreter of the \isual glance, which 
 kindles hope and love, and gives voluminous information to 
 the sensitive mind. 
 
 In Spiritual Science the soul is the lense, by wliich 
 mankind, and Seers especially derive their knowledge of 
 Spiritual things, and beneath the fructifying influence of 
 refulgent beams, develops graces and gifts that of the flesh 
 were well nigh deemed impossible. 
 
 The Angels of Light and Wisdom do not teach tliat
 
 (5^5^ Gleams of Light and 
 
 the sun is a globe of fire, for were this so the highest peaks 
 of mountains would be the hottest, those who ascend in 
 balloons would suffer from heat, and in the valleys intense 
 cold would be experienced, whereas the reverse is the fact. 
 Its luminosity is due to the negative reciprocity of the atoms 
 of its body to the astral light which generates an electric 
 combustion called life force, radiated to all stellar bodies of 
 which earth is one. The solid negative atoms in our valleys, 
 become so manv batteries for the positive electric ra3^s of 
 the sun, the unity generates a force which is reflected to the 
 physical senses as light and heat, this is again received by 
 smaller bodies, to germinate their negative atoms, and 
 additional forces are the result, this mutual vitalizing exchange 
 is continuall}- going on throughout the Universe of God, 
 which throbs and piilsates as one stupendous whole. 
 
 Spiritual Science teaches that the soul is a lense which 
 receives the Divine light, and in proportion to the ability- 
 acquired by an individual to sink the consideration of self, 
 rise superior to worldly allurements and fleshly enticements, 
 does the soul or atmosphere of the body enlarge; but its 
 Light or Wisdom — which is the result of knowledge and 
 intelligence, combined with reason — becomes luminous only, 
 according to the negative reciprocity of the brain-atoms to 
 the electric inspirational rays of Divinity itself — known to 
 man as the virtue of humility. 
 
 These humble-minded individuals are oftenest found 
 among the despised poor of the earth; they can reflect the 
 light of mind, which is lucid enough to convey advanced ideas 
 to guide mankind unerringly through the labyrinths of 
 research and experiment, which precede every improvement in 
 the currently received phases of knowledge, whether it be 
 in Art, Science, or Religion. 
 
 Through the soul-lense of certain naturally gifted people 
 the Spirits of the so-called dead have been enabled to
 
 G/l)i/pSiS tIii-0 tlic Ri/t. 639 
 
 register tlie image of themselves, even on a pliotographic 
 plate, for the soul light of the mortal operators serves as 
 an additional Iciixc to the photographic one in use, and tlius 
 supplies whatever is defective in the man-made optical 
 instruments that are available, the true scientists are they 
 who seek out and unite in sympathetic harmou}- with these 
 gifted individuals, not they who surround them with an 
 atmosphere of suspicion, while outwardly pretending to be 
 interested; these pseudo scientists are so deficient in the 
 quality of transparent truth, in dealing with their fellow- 
 men, that it is hardly surprising that Spirits and Angels 
 who see into the motives of men and guage them by their 
 thoughts a\-oid such pretenders who trade under tlie name 
 of scientists, and usually guard the pure-minded medium 
 from becoming actively associated with such. 
 
 The human eye in incapable of receiving Divine rays, 
 because of their incredible velocity, while the photographic 
 plate under certain conditions is sensitive to them, and 
 tlirough the S3ul lense its sensiti\-eness is still more increased, 
 and the picture of an image invisible to human eyes is by 
 these means registered. 
 
 Knowledge is exoteric, received from without, and limited 
 in proportion to the mental, moral, and Spiritual capacity- 
 of the age. Wisdom, on the contrary, is ^esoteric, received 
 from Divinity, regardless of personality, or the received 
 education of the Schools, and is given to all who can lay 
 aside ever}- consideration which mitigates against truth as 
 they behold it in Nature, however much it may clash witli 
 prevailing ideas; it regulates knowledge, and comes to man 
 in waves, regulaidy recurring wa\-es, with greater or less 
 devastating force, according to the smoothness or unexen- 
 ness of the minds existing in that age. Its periods are of 
 about seven thousand years' interval; intermediate ripples are 
 faintlv heard, felt, and seen; but the waves are needed ere
 
 (^o G/c/ii/is of Lii^Iit and 
 
 old teachings can pass away and all things become new; 
 which is a part of the inevitable. 
 
 Man is now envolving from the Dark or Materialistic 
 Iron Age to the Light or Intuitional Age, when all will 
 know each other from the least to the greatest, the mask of 
 diplomacy will in the next dispensation become valueless, b}- 
 reason of the evolutionary unfoldment of perceptions and 
 powers undreamed of by man. Isolated instances of which 
 have appeared in past and present times, as spray which pre- 
 cedes the coming rush of the wave. 
 
 When men marvelled at what to physical sight were the 
 miracles of the Nazarine, his humble reply was — "Greater 
 works than these shall ye do." Are you, reader, and I, 
 aspiring to perform these greater works in the same humble 
 Spirit of dependence on the Unseen.
 
 Glimpses thro the Rift 641 
 
 LECTURE II. 
 
 (!rf)r :^rbrn ii:)rabfns. 
 
 'Virtue and vice, are heaven anil liell." 
 
 Hindu Scriptures, 
 
 IN the last lecture we demonstrated that round every 
 person . and thing there is a rarefied ether of an invisible 
 nature; that this rarefied atmosphere is the human soul, or 
 medium of communication between body and Spirit — effect 
 and cause. When this soul is large and clear enough the 
 clairvoyant can see into the sphere of those he is with, and 
 become acquainted with man}- of the deceased friends wlio 
 occup3' the same heaven as themselves, because the heavens 
 and the inhabitants thereof are near or far away as man's 
 thoughts desire. Tennyson sa3's: — 
 
 In vain shalt thou, or any, call 
 The Spirits from their golden day 
 Unles.s like them, thou too can'st .say, 
 My Spirit is at peace with all. 
 
 They haunt the silence of the breast, 
 "Imagination, calm and fair. 
 The memor)-,"' like a cloudless air. 
 The conscience, as a .sea at rest. 
 
 But w-hen the heart if full of din, 
 And doubt beside the portal waits 
 They can but listen at the gates. 
 .\nd hear the household jar within. 
 
 4 N
 
 ()_^2 G/caiiis of Lii^lit and 
 
 Professor Zolluer, iu his investigation of the transcen- 
 dcntical physics, throngh the medinm of sensitive organisms, 
 discovered, what he termed, "a fourth dimension in space," 
 or, in understandable language an interior to that, of which 
 we and all material bodies present the three dimensioned 
 spaces, or exterior. 
 
 First dimension Length. 
 
 Second " Breadth. 
 
 Third " Thickness. 
 
 Fourth " Inside. 
 
 The fourth dimension in space corresponds to the seven 
 heavens of Theological Seers, which are created b}' Man, 
 while in the body — not bv God as is often misunderstood 
 — the condition of his mental state, thoughts and actions 
 liere, determine his heaven hereafter. 
 
 If a person live in a continual state of mental worry 
 and unrest over appearances on earth, wasting energy and 
 temper over trifling frivolous details; that is the state to 
 which they pass when their body is discarded. The desired 
 rest will not be theirs until tlie\- have worked out their own 
 salvation, and eliminated the mental agitation which dis- 
 qualified them for rest while in the body. 
 
 Whereas those who cast all their care on the Almight}' 
 who will not worr}- whatever happens ; who realize that 
 what is, is best, and resign themsel\-es contentedh' and 
 thaukfullj- to a Higher Power than their own ; who will not 
 permit unkind or uncharitable thoughts of others to disturb 
 or sully their mental peace; who prefer to contemplate, and 
 speak of the good in others, and pass over their short 
 comings; who try to enlighten and benefit all, good and 
 bad alike; these build up a heavenly calm here, and to this 
 sphere they immediately pass at their dissolution. 
 
 The backbiter,, the scandal-monger, and polite deceiver,
 
 Gii/ii/'scs thro tlic Kift. 643 
 
 evolve mentall}- the state of their fiiture, for be it known 
 the seven heavens are not material places, but the fourth 
 dimensioned space or the "invisible sign" of that of which 
 our bodies are the "visible sign;" these bodies hide the side 
 policy, mean intrigues, false glamour, and pett}- deceptions, 
 which screen the real thoughts and motives; but as thoughts 
 and motives — not appearances - are the materials of which 
 we are now building our own heaven, this veil of deception 
 cannot last beyond time. 
 
 The seven hea\-ens interblend and intermingle as different 
 chemicals do in water solution; so that a Spirit in the 
 second hea\-en can pass through one in the sixth heaven, 
 and vice versa: just as a man in the body can pass through 
 Spirits, ghosts, apparitions, and Angels, and they can pass 
 as easity through man's body, stone walls, locked chests, 
 closed doors, and perceive the most guarded treasures of tlie 
 secret heart. There is nothing on eartli hid from the eyes 
 of Spirits. The^■ are God's messengers; IMan's Comforters; 
 our Guardian A:igels. Should the ministering ghost be a 
 Holy Ghost, heaven is literally brought to earth. 
 
 The lower heavens are open and visible to the higher, 
 while the inhabitants of the lower in most instances are un- 
 conscious of the higher, and only in exceptional cases are 
 they even aware that a higher order of intelligent acti\-ity 
 than their own can exist. In the same way those who wrap 
 themselves in garments of selfishness, and consider that every 
 other person is here on earth to minister to their wants and 
 desires, with no claims on their consideration and mini.stra- 
 tions in return, are the onl}- class who cannot realize that a 
 life beyond the grave exists for them. Their heaven is ".self," 
 and they will occup}- it aloiic, till they have had enough of 
 self, and are ready to give as freely as on eartli the}- received. 
 These are the souls in prison to whom Jesus, as a Spirit, 
 after His resurrection, preached.
 
 644 G/avns of Lii^h/ aiui 
 
 Tlie Atmosphere — Nature's chemical laboratory — \eils 
 tlie Divine Light from orbs not prepared to see with it: 
 these eyes are too much occupied with — to them — the all 
 important mundane appearance to find time to contemplate 
 tlie supermundane, reality. They deem it necessary to 
 study, and see that all belonging to them are taught, the 
 geography and physiography of countries they may never 
 have to traverse; but the hea\-ens to which all will have to 
 go sooner or later, only few, have the courage to explore, 
 and fewer still have the moral braver}- to chart out their travels 
 as a guide to anxious pilgrims, well knowing the arrows of sar- 
 casm, ridicule and condemnation which would be flung at them 
 from the ignorant. As a consequence most people leave their 
 bodies with fear and trembling, totally ignorant as to whither 
 they are going, or with misconceived notions of it altogether. 
 
 Communicating Spirits sa}-, the}- had no idea, that after 
 death they should be able to see the dear ones they had left, 
 from the heavens; and are rejoiced to find themselves among 
 them, interested in, and active on their behalf; but grieved 
 to find no response, or consciousness of this, in their embodied 
 dear ones; who, when they do occasionall}- catch a glimpse 
 of some well-remembered long-lost face and form, pale with 
 fright, and in terrified accents exclaim they have seen a 
 ghost or dreamt they have, or more cowardh- still dare not 
 breathe the fact at all, and tremble in agonized dread at the 
 mere thought of having to pass the same spot again: 'tis 
 for tliese lunatic asylums are built. 
 
 Were this subject studied and better understood, this 
 unnatural terror would be transformed into happ}- mutual 
 rejoicings, which would hasten the millenium when men will 
 as easily talk and walk with Angels and Spirits of his own 
 and the lower heavens as lie now does with members of his 
 own family and friendly circle. 
 
 IMaii is taught to admire the Biblical characters who
 
 Gli?//psis Ihro the Rifl. 645 
 
 welcomed the visits and accepted the advice of angelic minis- 
 ters, and yet to-daj- he is tanglit to drive these ministering 
 Spirits away by exhibiting an unwholesome fear, which fear 
 love will not permit Spirits to excite in mortals. 
 
 If man is immortal, where are the mj-riads of those 
 who have died in the past, and who still die in the present? 
 This is a question which often occurs to the thoughtful. 
 
 One of the most indisputable MODERN testimonies to 
 the truth of Man's Immortality, is the proof that recognised 
 Spirits have been photographed, and that, when no visible 
 ghosts or anv presence discernable b}- the human eye has 
 been in the room, besides the photographer and his sitter. 
 
 Repeated experiments prove that the ether roinid indi- 
 viduals when luminous aud when the blended colours are 
 radiated to the surface in the halo of both sitters and photo- 
 grapher to the production of one clear i^'liite mass, it is as an 
 open door or rift in the clouds of material atmosphere, 
 through which the Spirits of the dead come and go, make 
 their observations, take notes, and fulfil their mission, 
 regardless of whetlier man is conscious or not et their 
 nearness; and that the sensitive plate in the camera can 
 register this, when there is actuall}- nothing that the physical 
 eye can note. Should a clair\-oyant be present, that which 
 he affirms he sees is confirmed by the plate when developed, 
 and when this happens to be some recognised Spirit of a 
 departed friend, or some unknown Spirit who gives name 
 and address of li\ing relations, proved afterwards to be 
 correct, it is an incontrovertible proof that the thinking 
 vital individualities of the dead are not in the grave but 
 alive, re-incarnated, and active in their next sphere of 
 existence; and what is of greater comfort still to the bereaved 
 ones — not far away but in close attendance upon us as min- 
 isters, bringing heaven to eartli, tlieir chief work in tlic 
 first evolution from matter.
 
 Glimpses thro the Rift. 647 
 
 LECTURE III. 
 
 <!Ef)r use of ^pidt ^^Ijotograpf)!). 
 
 IN all the Spirit photographs of this collection the luminous 
 halo is seen, and envelopes as it were the Spirit bodv, 
 and wherever this white cloudy mist is shown it is an 
 indication of the genuine Spirit photograph, which tlie 
 fraudulent have not as yet succeeded in imitating: though 
 fraudulent minds sooner or later find means of imitating 
 all realities. The value of Spirit photographs to the world 
 in general is that they prove — 
 
 I. — That the materialist though doing his own thinking, 
 
 is but in a state of mental evolution, and that he 
 
 does not vet comprehend life's greatest problem. He 
 
 has not yet attained to the highest point of liunian 
 
 knowledge. 
 
 2. — That death does not end all as some suppo.se. 
 
 3. — That the dead are all around us though invisible to 
 
 the ordinary eye and ear — in fact there is no death.* 
 
 4. — The\' prove the immortalit}' of man's soul; to teach 
 
 which fact is the design of all religions in every 
 
 * See "There is no death," bv IHoreiice Marryat.
 
 5^8 G/i(iii/s of l.iiilit and 
 
 country and nation under the sun, called by whatever 
 name and systematized under whatever creed man's 
 ino-enuity mav have devised to reach the com- 
 prehension of his less enlightened brethren. There 
 is but one God! There is but one Religion! Every 
 denomination worships this one God! Everj- creed 
 teaches this one religion! Narrow and self satisfied 
 minds mav fancy that their religious denomination 
 is the right and only true one, and this without 
 having personally investigated the respective claims 
 which the rest have : Those who condemn the Idolater 
 and Infidel, have no idea of even the rudimentar\- 
 principles of the worship they condemn, and those 
 who think the}- do, judge of the appearance, not 
 the Spirit, "Judge not lest \'e be judged." 
 
 ^, — That man does not become an Angel as soon as he 
 rises from the dead, but passes through several Spirit 
 spheres before he enters the astral plane, or world of 
 causes; evolutionar}' stages are here passed, each one 
 similar to the death of the bod3% before the Celestial 
 Heavens are entered, the seventh of which St. John's 
 soul traversed while his body was entranced on the 
 Isle of Patmos, recorded in Revelations. St. Paul's 
 soul was transported to the third heaven, and there 
 taught the valuable lesson, that God was no respecter 
 of persons, and that nothing in creation was to be 
 called b}' man common, or unclean. At each of 
 these evolutions the soul is more and more ethe- 
 realized, and the Intelligence evolves higher and 
 higher capabilities. 
 
 6. — The words of the Angel who conducted St. John's 
 soul throvigh the seventh heaven are confirmed by 
 psychic photography: for when St. John knelt to wor- 
 ship him, the Angel raised him to his feet, saying
 
 G//w/:srs thro the Rift. 649 
 
 "See thou do it not, for I am one of thy brethren tlie 
 prophets." The outward form of a photographed Spirit 
 is to all appearance just the same as the body which 
 is lying in the grave, though it is no more the same 
 than this year's tree is the same as last year's tree. 
 Its appearance to that of last year is so similar that 
 we often call it the same, but in point of foct that lias 
 died, risen again, evolved fresh and increased capa- 
 bilities, its leaves have withered, rotted, and gone, and 
 we no more see where its next leaves are than we see 
 where man's Spiritual body is, when his physical one 
 is decaying in the ground, but the vitality— the Spirit 
 — invisible to the human eye, is quietly and silentl}- 
 at work evolving a new covering of leaves, to all 
 appearance the same, so that only a close observer is 
 able to trace the difference, so slight is its improve- 
 ment from the tree of last year. So at man's physical 
 death the vitality — the Spirit — remains, is in\-isible to 
 the ordinary five senses, but unfolds another body, 
 so similar to the one we have buried that wc are apt 
 to think when seen clair\o\-anth- or photograplied that 
 it must be the same. 
 Andrew Jackson Davis, the greatest modern Seer, who 
 has published between two and three dozens of closel}- 
 written volumes, says of his experiences at death-beds,* 
 that in all instances he saw a mist rising from the 
 head and chest, similar to that rising from the spout 
 of a boiling kettle. This has been corroborated by 
 the testimony of many independent clairvoyants; wlio 
 all see this mist gather in a mass, undefined at first, 
 till gradually the cloudy mist becomes clearer and 
 clearer; and extends itself over the greater part of the 
 
 * See "Death and tin- After Life," by .Viulrew Jackson llavis. 
 
 4 o
 
 6:^0 (j/cniiis of Lis,Iil and 
 
 bed, as it becomes more diffused the Spiritual body is 
 seen enveloped in it, hovering over the fleshly temple 
 it has but just vacated, from which the stream of mist 
 ceased to pour as the d^-ing person drew his last 
 breath. The water in the boiling kettle will soon dis- 
 appear from the physical vision, but becaxise it has 
 ceased to exist as water is no proof that it is anni- 
 hilated, the water is changed to steam, and as steam 
 it exists on an invisible plane, the plane man occupies 
 when he is born again at death into his "Spiritual 
 bodv." Science can demonstrate that evaporated water 
 is not lost, and if men's minds were as open to 
 Spiritual Truths, as our boasted religious superiorit}- 
 would indicate, science would be equall}- able to de- 
 monstrate that man is not lost, but that the same 
 Intelligence which can set up the conditions for con- 
 verting steam into water, in order to demonstrate its 
 convertabilit}', can also set up the conditions to 
 demonstrate man's convertabilitj^ if he were as 
 interested in proving the Immortality of man as the 
 Immortality of water, and is not the latter by far the 
 more necessary and satisfactory subject for science to 
 dimonstrate?
 
 Glimpses thro the Rift. gcj 
 
 (ri)r liiiti) of tl)f Spirit or srronti birtf). 
 
 "Ye must be born again." 
 
 St. John iii. 7. 
 
 ' ' A CCORDING to Andrew Jackson Davis' evidence, con- 
 -^-^ firmed by that of other witnesses, the extremities of 
 man's bod}^ die first; the Spiritnal particles are witlidrawn 
 thei-efrom first, while the head is the last to die. All the 
 substance composing the Spiritual body passes out of the 
 material body through the head. Above the head the Spiritual 
 body is re-formed, the Spirit body is connected with the 
 material body by a fine cord of Spiritual substance, the 
 analogue of the umbilical cord in physical parturition. When 
 this cord is severed then, and not till then, is death com- 
 plete, and the Spirit born. 
 
 In the July number of the Procccdijigs of the Society for 
 Psyehical Research, 1892, is a paper by F. W. W. Myers, 
 "on indications of continued terrene knowledge on the part 
 of the phantoms of the dead ; " included in this paper are two 
 narratives of the experiences of men who came very near 
 d^'ing, but were restored to life in the material form. These 
 narratives are of special interest when read in connection 
 with the revelations of clairvoyance and mediumship ui)on 
 the process of Spirit birth. 
 
 The first narrative is tliat of Dr. Wiltse, of the St.
 
 (t^2 G lea /lis oj Liglit and 
 
 Louis "Medical and Surgical Journal." He lay for dead 
 for hours; the church bells rang for his death. The doctor 
 sa\-s that he woke up out of unconsciousness into a state 
 of consciousness, and discovered that the soi;l was in the 
 bod}-, but not of it. He sa3'S, "With all the interest of a 
 pliysician I beheld the wonder of my bodily anatomy, inti- 
 nuitel}- interwoven with which, even tissue for tissue was /, 
 the living soul of that dead bod}'. I learned that the 
 epidermis was the outside boundary of the ultimate tissue, 
 so to speak, of the soul." This is in precise accordance with 
 the teachings of Davis and the Spiritualists. 
 
 The Spirit bod\- is the analogue of the material body- 
 one is the counterpart of the other, the Spirit body is the 
 inner lining so to speak, of the material one. For each 
 material atom in the outer body, there is a corresponding 
 Spiritual atom, its vitalizing essence as it were, Dr. Wiltse 
 says he watched the separation of his soul from the body; 
 the Spirit was rocked to and fro laterally, thus severing its 
 connection with the bodily tissues. Mr. Davis has many 
 times spoken of the pulsing, vibrator}- movement of the 
 Spiritual substance which accompanies soul-birth. The 
 Doctor then felt a retreat of the Spiritual substance from 
 the feet upwards, "I began slowly to retreat from the feet 
 towards the head," he says. "I remember reaching the hips 
 and sa}ing to myself, 'Now, there is no life below the hips' 
 . . . . I . . . recollect distinctly when ni}- whole self was 
 was collected into the head, when I reflected tlius: I am all 
 in the head now and I shall soon be free." He remembers 
 emerging from the brain, appearing to himself something 
 like a jelly-fish in form and colour. As he emerged from 
 the head he floated up and down, and latterly like a soap- 
 bubble attached to the bowl of a pipe, until at length he 
 broke loose from the bod}-, fell, and then slowl}- rose and 
 expanded into the full stature of a man. This also is
 
 G/hnpscs thro the Riff. 6:; 3 
 
 remindful of Davis's descriplions of tlie tiual separation of 
 the Spirit-substance and its indwelling ego from tlie body 
 through the head, with the accompanying vibrations and 
 dancing movements. The Spirit body of the Doctor, he 
 discovered, was naked, but soon found himself clothed, he 
 knew not how. According to the Spiritualist teachings, the 
 Spirit-body is born naked, but suitable clothing is provided 
 b}- the friends in attendance, waiting for the new birth. In 
 this case it is probable tliat no actual clothing was provided, 
 as complete death did not ensue, but that, in deference to 
 the embarrassment felt by the Doctor, as he tells us, on 
 account of his nude state, he was psychologicalh' impressed 
 by the Spirits in attendance with the idea that he was 
 clothed — the idea was due to Spirito-hypnotic suggestion. 
 
 Dr. Wiltse plainly saw his bod\- on the couch, and the 
 persons present in the room. He passed out of tlie open 
 door and went into the street. Tl:e same thing is often 
 narrated in Spiritualistic literature. We often read of Spirits 
 seeing their bodies just after death and the circumstances 
 attending their funerals, etc. 
 
 Mr. Davis savs that the full3--orgauised Spirit-bod\- 
 passes from the house in which its birth takes place either 
 through the door or open window; it does not pass through 
 the solid wall. The doctor soon discovered that a small 
 cord like the thread of a spider's web ran from his 
 shoulders back to his body, and was attaclied to it at tlie 
 base of the neck in front. Then he went throngli tlie air 
 upheld \)\ a pair of hands which he could feel liglitly 
 pressing on his sides. (Davis and others tell us that the 
 new-born Spirit is conveyed to the Spirit-world by Spirit 
 friends.) He soon reached a roadwa}-, having seemingly no 
 support. A voice told him it was the road to the eternal 
 city, and once passed he could no more return to tlie body. 
 Just as he was about to enter, he was suddenly stopped.
 
 (5:^M G/caiiis of Lii^Iit and 
 
 He became unconscious again, and when he awoke he was 
 lying in his bed. Readers of the works of Davis and Mrs. 
 Maria M. King will remember the accounts of the Spiritual 
 roads or pathwaj'S leading from earth to the Spirit-world 
 and from thence to earth, upon which the Spirits travel to 
 and fro. They have no support in space. As soon as he 
 revived, Dr. W. told the stor}- of his experience to those at 
 his bedside, and afterwards wrote it out. The doctor, who 
 was at the bedside, said that the breath was apparently 
 absolutely extinct and every symptom marking the Spirit as 
 dead, was present. " I supposed that he was actuall}- dead, 
 as fully as I ever supposed any one to be dead." 
 
 The second narrative is that of the Rev. L. J. Bertrand, 
 a Huguenot. While travelling in the Alps, he became nearly 
 frozen to death. His body was powerless, but his head was 
 perfectly clear. He resolved to study quietly the process 
 of death. The feet and hands went first, and "little hy 
 little," he says, "death reached the knees and elbows." 
 After death had reached all the rest of his body, his head 
 was the last to succumb. He found himself "a ball of air 
 in the air, a capti^"e balloon attached to earth by a kind of 
 elastic string and going up and always up." Looking down 
 he saw his bod}-, and he wished that he was able to cut 
 the thread that tied him to it. His oulj^ regret, he says, 
 was that he could not cut the string. Suddenly a shock 
 stopped his ascension, and he felt that somebody was pulling 
 him down; his friends were trying to revive his body. He 
 reached the body and he became again its tenant, much 
 against his wish. While detached from the body, he saw 
 a number of things taking place mostly in the vicinit}- of 
 his body, all of which he narrated upon his revival, and the 
 whole was found to be strictly correct. 
 
 The coincidences in these two narratives from siich 
 widely independent sources, and the many remarkable coin-
 
 G/i/i/pscs titro the Rift. 6^5 
 
 cidences between them and the clairvo}-ant and niediumistic 
 reveahnents upon the same siibject are of mnch import. 
 These narratives furnish strong confirmator}' evidence of the 
 substantial truth of the teachings of Mr. Davies and Spirit- 
 ualists in general upon the process of Spirit-birth, and are 
 a powerful aid in the demolition of the materialistic 
 h^•pothesis, so ardenth' cherished by man}' gropers in the 
 dark, that death ends all. The fact that, in the record of 
 the two instances above, the Spirit-percipient was enabled 
 to see such a number of distinct occurrences on earth, 
 including several at some little distance from his body, as 
 narrated in detail in the story, in every case in exact accord- 
 ance with the facts as testified by the persons themselves 
 who were the actors in the events seen, is proof that Mr. 
 Bernard's psychical experiences were not hallucinations, bitt 
 verities." — Rdigio-Philosophical Joitnial.
 
 I

 
 G/iinpses thro the Ri/t. 659 
 
 Bpprntii.v I. 
 
 %-^^:'\i^u'^ ^^°^^' proceed to notice what Mr. Wallace, 
 %^Wm^ F-R-S., in his article in the Fortuightly 
 P/vSfi^' ^'"'''■^^'' ^^^y^ 1874— to xvhich we beg to 
 \LW/ /j ■ refer our readers for much valuable evidence 
 ' T 3^-^t on this subject — calls "the valuable and 
 -^Mx^' conclusive experiments of Mr. John Beattie, 
 of Clifton, a retired photographer of twenty- 
 years experience, of whom the Editor of 
 the Bi-itisli Jounial of Photography says, 
 ' Every one who knows Mr. Beattie will give 
 him credit for being a thoughtful, skilful, and intelligent 
 photographer — one of the last men in the world to be easily 
 deceived, at least in matters relating to photographv, and 
 one quite incapable of deceiving others.' 
 
 Mr. Beattie has been assisted in his researches by Dr. 
 Thompson, an Edinburgh M.D., who has practised photo- 
 graphy, as an amateur, for twenty-five years The 
 
 pictures were taken in series of three, within a few seconds 
 of each other, and several of these series were taken at each 
 sitting. The figures produced are, for the most part, not 
 human, but variously formed and shaded white patches, 
 which, in succes.sive pictures, change their form, and 
 develop, as it were, into a more perfect or complete t}-pc."
 
 66o Gleams of Light and 
 
 I am happy to append a complete account of these v&r\ 
 striking experiments furnished b}' mj- friend Dr. Thomson, 
 and attested by Dr. Beattie. To me the evidence is most 
 interesting and conchisive, for it corroborates my own expe- 
 rience. I have before described the floating masses of 
 himinous vapour which I see when sitting in a circle, and 
 the way in which I see them, as it were, condense into a 
 form. Just such appearances as I constantly see are those 
 whicli appear on the plates which I refer to. They reproduce 
 what my eyes are perfectl}' familiar with, and what all our 
 circle sees more or less clearly. "The}- demonstrate the fact," 
 says Mr. Wallace again, "that what a medium, or sensitive, 
 sees (even when no one else sees anything) maj^ often have 
 an objective existence. Thev give us hints of a process by 
 which the figures seen at seances may have to be gradually 
 formed or developed, and enable us better to understand the 
 the statements repeatedh- made bv the communicating Intel- 
 ligences, that it is ver}- difhcult to produce definite, visible, 
 or tangible forms, and that it can only be done iinder a rare 
 combination of favourable circumstances." 
 
 DETAILED .\CCOUNT OF EXPERIMENTS, BV :\IR. BEATTIE 
 OF CLIFTON AND DR. THOMPSON. 
 
 "About two years ago, when the subject of Spirit 
 photographs was before the public, I was asked by my friend 
 Mr. Beattie to join him in making some experiments, in 
 order, if possible, to determine if such things could really 
 be produced; as in all specimens which Mr. B. had seen, 
 the signs of deception were more or less apparent. These 
 experiments were undertaken solely for our own private 
 satisfaction, as both of us were interested in the subject of 
 Spiritualism generally, and in this branch specially, each of
 
 Gli/iipsis ///ro the Rift. 66 1 
 
 us having practised photograph}- for nearly thirt}- years — 
 Mr. B., before retiring from business, as the leading 
 professional artist in Bristol, and myself as an amateur. 
 "A mutual friend, through whose mediumship we had 
 frequently witnessed trance manifestations, and on whose 
 integrity we could rel}-, kindly agreed to give us his services. 
 "We began our experiments in the middle of June, 1872, 
 meeting at first once a week, at 6 p.m., that late hour being 
 necessary owing to the medium's business engagements. The 
 lens we used was a Ross 6-iu. focus, and the camera one 
 similar to those emploj-ed for cartes de visite, with a slide 
 capable of marking three exposures on a single plate; while 
 the silver bath was contained in a porcelain tray. The back- 
 ground was an ordinarj- one, made of canvas stretched on a 
 frame, and painted of a colour intermediate between cinnamon 
 and slate. On every occasion we began b}- sitting together 
 at a small table, by the movements of which we were in- 
 formed how to proceed. According to these directions, ]\Ir. 
 Beattie prepared and developed most of the plates, wliile I 
 managed the exposiire, the duration of which was invariabl}- 
 regiilated by the movements of the table, at which all except 
 myself were seated. 
 
 "The plates were taken at random from the batch 
 provided for the evening's experiments, and not in any 
 regular succession. I think it important to mention this, as 
 it answers most, if not all, the objections which have been 
 ■ urged against the genuine character of these photographs. 
 In addition to the foregoing precaution in the selection of 
 the plates, the medium never left the table, except wlien 
 directed to be present during the development of a plate ; so 
 that it was impossible, on the supposition that the plates 
 had been previously manipulated, that he could know what 
 appearance would be developed on au}- particular plate : which 
 appearences he latterly described with minuteness and accuracy.
 
 562 G lea JUS of Lii^lit (iiid 
 
 Our seauces general!}- occupied upwards of two hours. On 
 the first occasion we made nine exposures without obtaining 
 anything unusual. 
 
 "x\fter a week's interval, we again met, when eight 
 exposures took place, with the same result ; and we determined 
 to discontinue our experiments if nothing appeared on the 
 ninth. However, on applj-ing the developer to it, a strange 
 appearance started out, almost instantaneously, resembling 
 somewhat the outline of a human figure in a stooping attitude. 
 At our third meeting, we had no manifestation on the first 
 plate; and, indeed, at almost all our subsequent seances the 
 first few exposures were generally devoid of an3-thing un- 
 usual. On the second plate however, of the third evening, 
 the appearances were remarkable, resembling the outline of 
 the upper part of a female figure ; the same, but more elon- 
 gated, coming out on the third plate also. After this, instead 
 of the head of the figure, we got more or less of a star-shaped 
 form. At our next meeting we had at the commencement 
 twelve failures, and when the manifestations began, we found 
 they had changed in figure to that of a cone, or flask, the 
 luminosity apparently increasing in intensit}- from the edge 
 towards the centre. These cones of light almost invariably 
 appeared directl}- in front of the medium, and were generally 
 accompanied by a star or round spot of light immediately 
 over his head. In one instance there were two such stars, 
 one of which was verj^ much fainter than the other, and 
 partly concealed bj- it. These appearances in their turn gave 
 place to others, the cones and stars spreading out into the 
 forms of birds with outstretched wings, the luminosity of the 
 edges being no longer sharply defined as at first, but shading 
 gradually into the dark background. 
 
 "The next evening, when we met, twenty-one exposures 
 took place without any result. Then, for the first time, the 
 medium began, while in the trance state, to describe the
 
 Glimpses thro the Rift. 663 
 
 appearances lie saw during the exposure of the plate in the 
 camera, and which were fully verified on developing the 
 picture. On one occasion he suddenly exclaimed, 'I am in 
 a dense fog, and can see nothing.' On developing the portion 
 of the plate which was undergoing exposure at this time, 
 nothing could be seen on it, the whole surface being com- 
 pletely fogged. Shortly after this he described a human 
 figure completely surrounded b}- fog, and on developing the 
 plate, we found a faint though perfectly discernible outline 
 of what appeared to be a female figure. On another occasion 
 last 3'ear, when I chanced to be seated at the table, he 
 described a female figure as standing beside me, the rude 
 oiitline of which came out strongly on development. From 
 this time the appearances were almost invariably described 
 during the exposure of the plate, and in every case with 
 miniiteuess and accurac}-. 
 
 "Last 3'ear the manifestations A\ere more \aried in form 
 than those previous, one of the most curious being a lumin- 
 ous star about the size of a threepenny piece, in the centre 
 of which, and separated from the points by a dark border, 
 was the figure of a medallion bust, described as sucli by the 
 medium. 
 
 "At the same seance he suddenly called our attention to 
 a ^•ery bright light, and pointed to it. He seemed astonished 
 that none of us saw it. The plate, when developed, sliowed 
 the light, and his finger directed towards it. 
 
 "An}' one who has examined the complete series of these 
 photographs must have remarked that in most of them the 
 forms represented appear to pass through a sort of gradual 
 development, commencing with a small luminous surface, 
 which by degrees increases in extent, undergoing at the same 
 time modification in shape, this latter change being often 
 caused by the coalescing of two portions originally separate. 
 
 "During our experiments Mr. Beattie often remarked
 
 664 Ghaii/s of Lii^/if and 
 
 tlie suddeimess witli which these forms appeared on the 
 plates when the developer was applied, coming out ver}- 
 much in advance of the ordinary impression on the plates. 
 And I have been informed by others who have experimented 
 in the matter that they have met with the same peculiarit}'. 
 
 "Frequently, towards the close of the day's experiments, 
 when the light had become ver}- weak, we found, on 
 developing, that nothing was impressed on the plates except 
 the forms of these invisible emanations, showing that, though 
 unable to affect our eyes, the power of acting on the prepared 
 plate was still strong. In fact, to all intents, we were 
 photographing in the dark, as the visible light reflected from 
 the objects in the room failed to affect in the smallest degree 
 the sensitive film. This circumstance suggested to me the 
 idea of eudeavoiiring to discover whether or not the ultra- 
 violet raj's of the spectrum might have any influence in the 
 production of these effects; and, with this end in ^■iew, I 
 proposed that we should expose, in the direction in which 
 the medium described the luminous appearances, paper 
 prepared with some fluorescent substance. I accordingh- 
 immersed one-half of a sheet of blotting paper in a solution 
 of quinine, the other half remaining attached to the prepared 
 half, in order that we might the more easilv perceive anj' 
 effect which might arise from the presence of the quinine. 
 I was unable to be present at the seance at which the 
 experiment was made, and which was our last, but ^Ir. 
 Beattie exposed the paper in the position I proposed, without, 
 however, obtaining anv result. 
 
 "When we resume our experiments, which we hope to 
 do soon, we will endeavour to follow out this interesting part 
 of the subject."
 
 Glimpses thro the Rift 665 
 
 PHOTOGRAPHS OF MR. HliDSON, 2, KENSINGTON PARK 
 ROAD, LONDON.* 
 
 "Mr. Hudson comes first in tlie list of professional jjlio- 
 tographers, both as being the oldest in standing, and as the 
 one with whom I have chiefly experimented. Deferring for 
 the time-being any comments or remarks on other pictures, 
 I proceed to describe in detail those which I have selected 
 as ilhistrations to this article. For the accompanying descrip- 
 tion of No. I, written by the sitter, I am indebted to the 
 courtesy of my friend Mrs. Fitzgerald. The letter from 
 which the quotation is extracted is addressed to her, and 
 the facts, so strikingly demonstrative of continued life and 
 intelligence beyond the grave, are within her own personal 
 knowledge. I should explain that the apparition is that of 
 the deceased father of the sitter, and that the singular black 
 head-dress is a copy of that which he wore during his last 
 illness, and was presented as a test in repl}- to a mental 
 request. The letter requires no further preface, and I offer 
 it exactly as I received it: — 
 
 [June 28th, 1874.] — "I write, according to your desire, 
 an account of the photographs I obtained at Mr. Hudson's, 
 Photographer, Holloway Road, London, on the i8th of 
 November, 1873. I must premise that I had never seen or 
 been in the company of Mr. Hudson; and that he had not 
 the slightest knowledge of myself or of my name at the 
 time. I was living in the countr}-, fifteen miles from London, 
 and knew no Spiritualists, as such, in the neighbourhood 
 excepting my two daughters, one of whom is a medium. 
 For many months, through my daughter's mediumship, com- 
 
 'See Human iXaliiiY, 1S73— 1874. 
 
 4 Q
 
 (366 Glcaii/s of Lio^ht and 
 
 inunications liad been given me by au Intelligence professing 
 to be the Spirit of m}- departed father. He had expressed 
 the greatest anxiety to appear to me personally, but we had 
 not sufficient power for this. You suggested that I should 
 try a sitting with Hudson, which was delayed through ill- 
 health and difficulties of various kinds, and was suddenly 
 arranged at last." 
 
 "One evening, sitting at the table with my daughter, 
 her sister only being present, in a small room quite isolated 
 from all other apartments, the communication became very 
 iirgent, 'Go to Hudson's and I will show mj^self.' We then 
 agreed that we must ask a test for identification in case the 
 likeness was imperfect. I told my daughters that I should 
 ask the test in silence. They agreed ; and bending my head 
 close over the table, I mentally requested that if ni}- father's 
 Spirit came to be photographed he would appear in a peculiar 
 head-dress which he wore in the latter years of his earth- 
 life. Afy daughters laughed outright to see the energetic 
 tilts of acquiescence from the table to ni}' silent requests." 
 
 "In a few daj'S I went to London, no one but \\\y 
 daughters, 3-ourself, and your daughter-in-law, who was to 
 accompany us to Mr. Hudson's, being aware of the object 
 of \\\\ journey. The test I had asked was still a secret 
 confined to myself. As I travelled with my daughter (not 
 the medium) in the train she begged me to tell her the test, 
 as, if it really should be granted, sceptics might /amy it an 
 aftcr-tlioiight. I therefore whispered it to her. On our 
 arri\al in town she parted from me at the station to go on 
 a shopping expedition, and I did not again see her till we 
 met at the station in the evening. I went to your house, 
 and you and I started for HoUoway Road. You were ignorant 
 of the test I had asked, and your daughter-in-law who was 
 to have assisted by her mediumship, did not arrive till the 
 first sitting was in progress, and consequently was obliged
 
 Giiiiipscs thro tlic Rift. 667 
 
 to remain outside till it was over. You and I never left 
 Mr. Hudson's elbow till the plate which we marked was 
 perfectly ready in the camera, we having watched minutely 
 the whole process. "When Mr. Hudson placed the negative 
 freshly developed, before us, a distinct portrait appeared 
 behind my own sitting figure. I was turning n:y back to 
 the apparition. Your daughter-in-law, on seeing it, exclaimed, 
 ' Why, what is that on his head ? It must be a black velvet 
 cap.' And so it was, tassel and all, imth viy father'' $ marked 
 features A'/oto .• a muslin veil hanging over the top and back, 
 and held under the chin. This black velvet cap was viy mental 
 test, revealed to no earthly being except my daughter, who 
 was then far away from the spot." 
 
 "We then had two more portraits; one of my 3roungest 
 departed sister, recognised by the manner in which she wore 
 her hair as a child; and one of your own beloved daughter, 
 whose Jeatures I deeidedh recognised. Moreover, she wore on 
 her head flowers with which she had promised to appear 
 whene\-er she could do so, and which she had taken from 
 vour hand at a dark seance some time before — a seance in 
 a distant house, totallv unconnected with Mr. Hudson, and 
 unknown to him." 
 
 "It appears to me that it would have been a very strange 
 coincidence if that velvet cap, those marked distinct features, 
 and those flowers, were produced on that particular occasion 
 hiy any earthly being." 
 
 No. 2 was also taken b}- Hudson during the time that 
 he lived in Palmer Terrace, Holloway. The little child in 
 centre of the picture is a baby sister of Dr. Speer, the sitter 
 on the left, in the foreground; and the shadow}' form on 
 the right front is the mother of the infant. I have related 
 before how this child-Spirit has persistently manifested at 
 our circle almost from its first formation, coming with a 
 French message first of all to suggest her identity. She
 
 668 G/canis of Light and 
 
 passed from this sphere of life more than fifty years ago at 
 Tours, being then only seven months old. Her little joyous 
 message, " Je suis heiirciisc, trh heitratsi," was the first indi- 
 cation we had of her presence, and that the little child, so 
 constantly described by clairvoyants as standing near me, 
 was this little Spirit, who, by a round-about means, was 
 trying to get at her brother. Since then she has never left 
 us, and her joyous tap is rarely unheard at our seances. 
 She lives in the house as much as one of the children of 
 the famil}-; and is as well known to me, is just as real as 
 they are. I see her, and hear her voice b}- the inner senses ; 
 I have felt her touch, and twice have had her portrait on 
 the photographic plate. 
 
 This particular group w-as taken under strict test con- 
 ditions. Dr. Speer and I followed the plate throughout, and 
 no precaution which I have detailed at the opening of this 
 chapter was neglected. We never lost sight of the plate 
 from the very first, and can give unhesitating testimony 
 that no suspicious element presented itself. 
 
 The day following that on which the photograph was 
 taken was Sunday, and I had joined the family dinner-part}-. 
 When dinner was nearly finished I became partially entranced, 
 and loud knocks were heard on the dining table. The 
 alphabet was called, and Dr. Speer was requested to go to 
 the room in which we usually meet, and he would find a 
 message for him. He went, but could not at once find 
 anything. He was directed by the same means to look again, 
 and he eventually discovered under a what-not, l3'ing so that 
 the direct rays of light did not fall upon it, a piece of paper, 
 on which was some curious-looking hieroglyphic. We could 
 make nothing of it for some time, until it occurred to us to 
 hold it up to the mirror. We then found that it was a 
 message, written from right to left, and from the bottom of 
 the paper to the top. The same rude cross which then
 
 G//w/>sls thro the Ri/t. O69 
 
 acconipauied exer}- message, and which eveu now is fre- 
 quently used, is on the paper, and the message, at first 
 sight, looks unintelligible. Deciphered in the way I describe 
 it runs thus: "I am Spirit of Love. I cannot communicate, 
 but am near. The photograph was of little Pauline." 
 Pauline was one of the names of the child; her full name 
 (by the way, iiiikiiou^ii to any of //s,) was correctly spelled out 
 in answer to our request : Catharine Pauline Stanhope Speer, 
 together with date of birth and death. Another clear case 
 of unconscious celebration for Dr. Carpenter! 
 
 This writing, so obtained, in a room where nobody was, 
 into which nobodj- would go, and under circumstances where 
 to play a trick (if it were in an3'one's mind to do such a 
 thing) was impossible, gave us the clue of the identity of 
 the Spirit. I sa}- trick was impossible ; for there was no one 
 in the house who could have executed such an abstruse 
 hieroglyphic, no one who would have dreamed of doing so; 
 no one, except our immediate selves, who knew the child's 
 name: Pauline. The same agenc}- that was at work to 
 produce the picture also authenticated it to us. 
 
 On a minute inspection of the picture we were struck 
 b}- two special points. The little figure is so perfect that 
 a powerful glass reveals the details of feature most distinctl}^ : 
 and, amongst others, the large eye-brows which are a 
 characteristic of the whole famih'. A stranger might not 
 at once notice what is apparent to all who know them. 
 Again, the constant habit of those who return from the 
 land be5^ond is to identify themselves by the reproduction 
 of some peculiaritv either of dress or demeanour. In the 
 other picture it is a black cap. Here it is a large loose 
 glove which appears on the hand of the kneeling figure 
 nearest to the child. It was her habit to go about the 
 house arranging and tidying in housewifely manner, -wit// a 
 loose glove on the hand. She was notably careful about the
 
 670 Gleams of Light and 
 
 whiteness of her hands, and took that means of preserving 
 it. 
 
 Before I have finished this chapter I shall have other 
 instances to adduce of this habit of indentification by the 
 reprodiiction of some known pecnliaritj'. For the present 
 I have more to say about the little child. 
 
 We went about a month ago to try for a photograph 
 with Mr. Parkes (of whom more hereafter), and she appears 
 again. I sat at a little table and was almost immediately 
 entranced. In my clairvoyant state I saw the child standing 
 or hovering by me close to my left shoulder. She seemed 
 to be standing near the table: and I tried in vain to call 
 Dr. Speer's attention to her. As soon as the exposure was 
 over, and I awoke, I stated what I had seen, and on the 
 plate being developed, there stands apparently on the table 
 a little child's figure. The position is exactly where I saw 
 and felt it. And the figure, which also bears traces o f 
 family likeness, was immediately claimed by the little Spirit 
 as her picture; unbounded joy being expressed at the success 
 of the experiment. So clear was my vision, so sure was I 
 of what would be found on the plate, that I would have 
 staked all my possessions on the result before I saw it."
 
 Glimpses thro the Rift. 671 
 
 a*op]) of tfK (iTonTspontirnrr in tf)r i::s^\\\) ^Japrrs 
 bf)id) Irti to tijr roniptlation of tfjrsr pages. 
 
 SPIRITUALISTS. 
 
 S. A. P. EXPLAINS. 
 
 To the Editor of the Dail\ Times. 
 Sir, 
 
 In the article headed " Spirituahstic Photograpliy," some 
 of the facts stated are not accurate. 
 
 I. — That which I gave as ni}- opinion as tlie source of 
 Dr. Norris's skill you state as fact. 
 
 II. — Mr. Gilchrist was not the editor of tlic (iazelte. but 
 the sub-editor of the Morning A^etvs. 
 
 III.- — The editor I referred to was the editor of the Jhitisit 
 foiiriiul of Photography, not the editor of the Times. 
 
 IV. — All seances or prayer meetings, (for this is wliat 
 seances are) which are held here, are free; further, there is 
 no materialistic seance on Saturday and never has been ; there 
 is one on Monday, but no one shilling entrance fee, and 
 there is no charge of one shilling, except one shilling for 
 tea on special occasions. 
 
 V. — I am in no way a gainer by these religious meetings 
 but am put to a continual expenditure, l)ut when I see the
 
 672 G /earns of Light and 
 
 mourner comforted and the sick healed, and more especiall}- 
 the materialist convinced that his departed are living in the 
 conscious intelligent knowledge of our lives here, I feel that 
 I could not use my mone}^ for a better purpose, that I am 
 laying up treasures in heaven where neither moth nor riist 
 can corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and 
 steal. I have given away over fifteen dozen of the portraits, 
 but now that I have not time to print them myself, to 
 strangers they are sold. 
 
 ^'I.— No person has ra.y authority for saying that Mr. 
 Whitlock has developed plates for me. I have accepted a 
 dozen of marked plates for exposure from Mr. Whitlock, but 
 as I have been very biisy and the conditions necessary are 
 long and tedious, I have at present only exposed two, and 
 did not want to trouble Mr. Whitlock until they were all 
 exposed. I am making arrangements which will give me 
 more time for these experiments. If these were the result 
 of trickery' it would have been ver}^ easy for me to trick up 
 Mr. Whitlock's plates and send them, but my success is 
 ver}' uncertain and irregular. Much depends upon the 
 atmosphere, health, and the freedom from care of the sitters. 
 The more psychic the minds of these the more successful 
 the results. St. Paul says: "Now, concerning Spiritual gifts, 
 brethren, I would not have you ignorant." "There are 
 diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit." "To one is given 
 the word of wisdom, to another faith, to another knowledge, 
 to another the gift of healing by the same Spirit, to another 
 prophecy, to another miracles, to another the discerning of 
 Spirits, to another divers kinds of tongues, but all the working 
 of the self-same Spirit." 
 
 Has it ever struck the thinking part of the community 
 that it was the leaders of the religious sects, in the days of 
 Jesus, who persecuted Him because He possessed powers 
 the}- did not. Again, the Apostles, wherever they exercised
 
 Glimpses thro the Rift. 673 
 
 their Spiritual gifts, met with opposition and persecution 
 from tlie churches of their day, and the Bible is continually 
 showing how God's anger is directed towards those who 
 persecuted and stoned His prophets. 
 
 If ghosts are seen, and we have hundreds of well attested 
 cases where they have been seen, it is high time that we 
 all faced these ghosts with moral braver}-, ascertain who the}- 
 are, and what they want? If we were taught to do this 
 instead of running away frightened, we should find that the 
 dreaded ghost was some dear departed friend come with a 
 message of warning or a word of advice, far more valuable 
 than any we could get from our fellow-men, because while 
 in a material body man's vision is limited; but our friends 
 have never been in the habit of forcing themselves where 
 they see they are not wanted, and thev will not as Spirits. 
 Alen and women must desire to be "Enochs" before they 
 can invite such exalted company. 
 
 We are told in the Bible that Spirits or Angels came 
 to men and alwa\-s for some wise purpose, chiefly for the 
 guidance of their iiiitiidaue affairs, and it is spoken of as a 
 mark of Divine protection, and every character who had 
 this angelic communion is held up to us as an example. 
 Consequenth", we may gather from Bible record that if we 
 desired and sought after this Spiritual aid there would be 
 more men "after God's own heart." 
 
 How can those people truthfully confess, in cliurcli "I 
 believe in the Communion of Saints," when they mock and 
 ridicule those whom they hear hold such communion? — 
 Yours, etc., S. A. P. 
 
 To the Editor of the Express and Star. 
 Sir, 
 
 I am much interested by the perusal of Mr. M.'s lecture. 
 The lecturer is evidently a poet. He dignifies death, whicli 
 
 4 '<
 
 6-4 Gleams of Light and 
 
 is, in sober fact, tliat condition of organised nature coincident 
 with the cessation of action and immediately preceding 
 decomposition, by designating it an Angel. Does z. bona-Jidc 
 Angel ever come in such a "questionable shape?" But, 
 leaving this poetical inspiration without further comment, I 
 am much impressed by his lifting the curtain which concealed 
 the "unseen world." 
 
 It is evident that many of the listeners to the lecturer 
 failed to see anything when the curtain was so lifted; 
 therefore we must accept the lecturer's own description of 
 what he has seen of the unseen. He evidently claims to 
 have seen this unseen world. Why did he not tell his 
 audience where it \\as? What its nature? What its tem- 
 perature? The shapes of its Spiritual inhabitants? In what 
 direction they progress towards perfection? What means are 
 emploj-ed to assist this progress? Where this Republican 
 Spiritual communit}' holds its congress? Why, if food be to 
 them unnecessary, they should swallow "nectars and fruits?" 
 
 Of course swallow is a wrong term, as the Spirits have 
 no throats, and possibly the Spirits may take their food like 
 some of the lower forms of animal life by enveloping it, 
 and then disgorging the pips. But what about the pips 
 with no soil to germinate in ? It is true, as the lecturer said, 
 that Spiritualism had been investigated in Wolverhampton. 
 The writer of this was present on one occasion of this so- 
 called investigation. He saw a three-legged table tilted by 
 pressure of fingers, and he heard an address by the Spirit of 
 some long departed, delivered by a female medium. The 
 peroration of this possessed orator was: "And may God — if 
 there be a God — bless you all." Comment is superfluous. 
 Will that scientific lady, send you a print of the photograph 
 of the Spirit which she made? Can she induce the Spirit 
 to sit at Whitlock's for its carte-de-visite?— Yours truly, 
 
 COMMON SENSE.
 
 Gii/iipscs thro the Rift. 675 
 
 To the Editor of the Express and Star. 
 Sir, 
 
 In returning from W. this evening, I purchased 3-our 
 paper, and notice the letter signed "Common Sense." Now, 
 in order to know what common sense is we must first 
 formulate or set iip some standard of (comparative) perfection; 
 the standard may be a wooden-headed, a leather-headed, or 
 a paper-headed Deit}'; but whatever it maybe, so long as it 
 is acknowledged by society. Spiritualists have only to prove 
 that their ism is as good as the standard set up, and they 
 then prove that they (the Spiritiialists) "have common sense." 
 Roman Catholics, Swedenborgians, Quakers, Irvingites, Pusey- 
 ites, and other ites form and constitute one-third of the 
 religious population of tlie United Kingdom. This onc-tliird 
 are treated with respect, and arc credited with having "common 
 sense." 
 
 Now having been ediicated as a Roman Catholic, and 
 having attended mass for twenty-five years, I claim to know 
 what is taught b}^ Catholics, and I most emphaticalh- assert 
 that the Church teaches Spiritualism, Communion with the 
 Saints, namely, "the Spirits or souls of dead men and women 
 who lived on this earth." Moreover, the sacrifice of the mass 
 is in substance and fact a Spiritualistic seance. The priest 
 claims to bring back the Spirit of a man who was crucified 
 1,889 years ago; they Deify the man, and profess to bring 
 back the Spirit supreme ; or rather the very body and blood 
 of their God, "Jesus of Nazareth." Moreover, the religious 
 fervour of the Catholic is kept up by an overwhelming 
 amount of evidence that does most emphatically prove that 
 there is an abnormal state: that after tlie body perishes 
 "the Spirit still exists." 
 
 What separated me from the Catholic Church was the
 
 5y6 G/eaiiis of Light and 
 
 fact of witnessing in my own residence phenomena exactly 
 parallel with those narrated in Butler's "Lives of the Saints." 
 There are twelve volumes narrating abnormal facts, but when 
 I discovered that exactly similar phenomena would occur 
 without any belief in Roman Catholicism, a veil was lifted 
 from my eyes. During the last fifteen years I have had 
 daily demonstrations of exceptional phenomena to such an 
 extent that it would take twelve volumes to describe what I 
 have witnessed and (as a Seer) seen.^ — I am, &c., 
 
 A. W. T., 
 Consulting Engineer. 
 
 To the Edito)- of the Bx/ress and Star. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 You will note that Mr. A. W. T.'s letter which appears 
 in your issue of this evening is merely a criticism of the 
 nom-de-plume which I chose to adopt, and does not answer a 
 single Cjuestion contained in my letter to which he purports 
 to reply. 
 
 I have nothing here to say of the various forms of so- 
 called religious belief, one or other of which is accepted by 
 Mr. T. and others; but I would direct ^-our attention to the 
 fact, which is an important one in this correspondence, that 
 in the last paragraph of his letter it is intimated that Mr. 
 Turner is a Seer, and, as such, he witnesses sights which are 
 denied to ordinary mortals, and, in fact, has an uncommon 
 sense. 
 
 The unseen world is a subject of transcendent interest 
 and profound mystery. "The Gates Ajar" were not sufficiently 
 ajar to allow of uninterrupted inspection. "Glimpses of the 
 Unseen World:'' this book was also disappointing, the 
 glimpses were too transitory; but with the aid of Mr. M. 
 and Mr. T. who can so often see the unseen world, and
 
 G/im/^scs thro the Rift. 677 
 
 of the gifted lach- who has actually photographed one of 
 its innumerable inhabitants, we may hope for some definite 
 results in this branch of research. 
 
 If Mr. T. will, overlooking my adopted iioii dc plume, 
 kindly reply to the queries contained in the letter written 
 by me on the 8th. inst., I am sure his replies will be 
 perused with interest by many of your readers.— Yours 
 truly, 
 
 COMMON SENSE. 
 
 To the Editor of the Express and Star. 
 Sir, 
 
 A modern writer has said that the "world consists of 
 wise men and fools, mostly fools;" the truth of this state- 
 ment I have experienced; first. 
 
 In m}' own folly for disputing and questioning the 
 truth and use of phrenology and mesmerism. Through the 
 kindness of friends, and a long course of stud}-, e.Ktending 
 over more than twenty years, I found that my doubts were 
 the result of my ignorance, prejudice, and bigotrv, arising 
 from the limited knowledge of the circle of friends I tlien 
 moved among, clever on most subjects, but ignorant of the 
 value of these. Several 3'ears ago I was in compan\' with 
 an astrologer. I regarded what he said with astonishment 
 and incredulit\- ; but I remembered what a fool I had made 
 of myself b}- arguing against phrenolog\- when I actualh- 
 knew nothing about its merits, so I kept my doubts to myself, 
 purchased books, engaged a tutor, and set about deciding 
 as to its merits in the only possible wa}-, and tliat is by 
 making myself master of the science as taught b}- its 
 professors, with the i-esult that I am as enthusiastic a defender 
 of astrologv as I am of phrenolog}', mesmerism, chiromancy, 
 physiognomy, and all other sciences based on a close observ- 
 ance of the effects of one part of Nature acting on auotlier.
 
 6^8 G/cams of Light and 
 
 My attention was next directed to visions. I had as 
 remarkable an one as Samuel had. I applied to the clergymen, 
 ministers, doctors, and scientists of my acquaintance; they 
 all seemed more frightened than interested, but no one 
 could explain or give me an}' advice. At last I went to a 
 Roman Catholic Priest. He received me very willingly, 
 heard me out, and then told me "the Church was very 
 decided about such visions, and in encouraging communion 
 with our dear departed." I queried, as he said no more, 
 "that it is legitimate and right in God's sight?" "Yes," 
 he answered, "but onh' within the pale of the Church." 
 "If," I reasoned, "it is right within the pale of the Roman 
 Church, it must also be right outside the Church." He 
 looked at me, smiled most benevolently, and did not answer, 
 but in that look and smile I read his answer, viz., that 
 conmiuniou could be held with both good and bad Spirits 
 who were known to us on earth, that it is difficult for us 
 to decide which are good and which bad. Therefore the 
 Roman Catholic Church, while encouraging this communion 
 and these visions, takes upon herself to decide which are 
 to be encouraged and which rejected. 
 
 I resolved to adopt Eli's advice to Samuel when next 
 I heard Unseen voices. I have in this way encouraged Spirit 
 Communion for years, until now, b}- their advice and instruc- 
 tion, I am able to take with a photographic camera the photos 
 of those friends and relations who have been long dead — 
 clearly proving, to the doubting, an after life. 
 
 My second experience of the truth contained in the first 
 sentence of these remarks is that when I and others who 
 know of Spirit-return give our knowledge forth, it is met 
 with the loud opposition of those who are as ignorant of its 
 truth or merits as I myself once was. "Common Sense" 
 will get all his questions answered in a work "Life and 
 Labour in the Spirit World," by Miss M. T. Shelhamer;
 
 Glimpses thro the Ri/t. 679 
 
 aud "The Spiritual Worid, aud our Children there," by the 
 Rev. Chauncey Giles — much better than in a short letter or 
 lecture; and if there are any Spiritual, praj-erful men and 
 women who would desire to meet to get light and knowledge 
 on this subject in Wolverhampton, by enclosing name and 
 address as in advertisement, opportunit}- will be given b}- a 
 fellow- townsman. — I am, etc., 
 
 S. A. P. 
 
 To the Editor 0/ the Express and Star. 
 Sir, 
 
 Your correspondent "Common Sense" seems to be rather 
 hj'percritical on the lecture on Spiritualism. No doubt, 
 much nonsense is talked and believed in, and much imposture 
 practised; but there is probabl}^ a grain or two of truth in 
 it. To be just, we must recognise the truth as well as point 
 out the error. I, like your correspondent, have attended 
 some seances, and have witnessed some remarkable phenom- 
 ena: but I have never seen enough to convince me that tlie}' 
 were produced by Spirits. The}- rather proved the existence 
 of some force — or mode of manifestation of the eternal force 
 — which at present is not understood It may be a force 
 analogous to that produced b}- a thermo-electric battery, and 
 is probably directed by the thoughts latent in the minds of 
 those present. Electro-magnetism and magneto-electricity 
 were as little understood a few hundred years ago. 
 
 It may be more poetic than scientific to speak of death 
 as an Angel, but it is better than regarding it as a curse 
 upon helpless humanity. It is more pleasant and more 
 scientific to think that "men may rise on stepping stones 
 of their dead selves to higher things." But, periiaps, 
 "Common Sense" regards all ideas of future life as non- 
 sensical, or why ridicule them so.-' 
 
 The common sense of humanity lias at all times had
 
 68o Gleams of Light and 
 
 some faith in a future life, although the conceptions as to 
 the mode might have been very childlike. Without it, in 
 the present day, the problem of evil is vmsolved; for justice 
 fails, and all our efforts at mental and moral progress are 
 wasted if "death ends all." No other faith seems so adapted 
 to the wants of our nature, and so fitted to call into activity 
 the best parts of our nature. Moreover, if the modern 
 scientific doctrine of the conservation of energy — the 
 persistence of force^ — is true, there are equal grounds for 
 belief in the conservation of consciousness — the persistence 
 of personality. The green grub gorging on a cabbage leaf 
 perhaps prides himself on his common sense, unaware that 
 
 The wings that form the butterfly 
 Lie folded in the worm, 
 
 or that the death of the outer is necessar}' for the birth of 
 the inner. 
 
 That Spiritualists infer too much from their facts I am 
 free to admit. Still even Spiritualism is better than 
 animalising materialism or ener\-ating agnosticism; it is 
 better to believe a bit too much than a bit too little. Dr. 
 Johnson once said we may live in foul air; but we should 
 die in an exhausted receiver of an air pump. Better to feel 
 that our friends "are not dead, but gone before," and are 
 still interested in our welfare, than to feel that we are the 
 victims of the ruthless forces of physical nature. 
 
 S. C. 
 
 To the Editor of the Express and Star. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 I am not inclined to dispute the truth of Carlyle's 
 cynical witticism that the world consists of wise men and 
 fools— mostly fools; nor that the lady justly claims to be 
 of the former class; but I should be consulting her interest
 
 G/impscs thro the Rift. 68 1 
 
 were I to put the letter of the above-named in evidence. 
 
 The writer may be congratulated on having emerged 
 from ignorance, prejudice, and bigotry, if not on belief in 
 astrolog}', because generally, on the adoption of the Copernican 
 theory of the solar system, it became as obsolete as the 
 Delphic oracle or the dicta of augurs and soothsayers. 
 
 As to the alarm created in the minds of "clergvmen, 
 ministers, doctors, and scientists" bv your correspondent's 
 relation of a vision the writer had seen. May it not be that 
 these all and several individuals thought that when an\-orie 
 sees what no one else can see, that there is the possibility' 
 of the existence of a diseased optic nerve or an unsound 
 brain ? 
 
 But does not the fourth paragraph of vour correspon- 
 dent's letter remove apparitions from the realm of conjecture? 
 Here we have something tangible. Will "the ladv" kindlv 
 leave at your office two of these portrait photos? Aliss 
 Shelhamer's "Life and Labour in the Spirit World" must 
 of necessity be a record of fancies and not of observed facts. 
 
 I find it necessary to add that I have not disputed the 
 
 Scriptural teaching on an after life. But the idea of invisible 
 
 things being seen and photographed, of immaterial knuckles 
 
 rapping walls and turning tables, and of departed friends and 
 
 Spirits generall}' being summoned effectively by a number of 
 
 persons placing thumbs and little fingers together, and rapping 
 
 out answers of the most ^■ague description appears simply 
 
 grotesque to yours truly, 
 
 COMMON SENSE. 
 
 To the Editor of the Express and Star. 
 Sir, 
 
 With your kind permission, I .should again like to trespass 
 on your space, in order to remind "Common Sense" that 
 while astronomers ha\e effected a change in their theories 
 from the Copeniican to the Ptolomaic. the sun, moon, and 
 
 4 S
 
 582 G lea Ills of Llo/if and 
 
 stars liave taken no part in this change, but have as quietly 
 and regularly performed their duty and produced the same 
 results on animal, vegetable, and mineral creation, as befoi-e 
 Ptolomy was born. The colleges then taught that the earth 
 stood still, and the sun, moon, and stars moved round it, 
 now thev teach that the sun is the centre of our system, 
 and the celestial orbs, including our earth, move round it, 
 and yet their effects on life are found to be precisely the same, 
 whether astrologers accept the old or new theory. The tides 
 were prodiiced bv the influence of the moon, and the buds 
 unfolded under the power of the sun, then as now, and 
 whoever believes these facts must be believers in astrology; 
 for the observation of astrologers throughout innumerable 
 ages have proved that certain orbs when directed to animated 
 and inanimated objects, from certain positions in the heavens, 
 produce the same results, and that everv Celestial orb has 
 its particiilar influence on all nature : to observe and define 
 this influence on man's natural body is the office of the 
 astrologer. 
 
 Because one person of our acquaintance possesses the 
 gift of poetry, and we do not, is that any reason why we 
 should suspect his genuineness or conclude that his nerves 
 are diseased? The same with music, designing, and painting; 
 the world at the present day recognises mental gifts as rare, 
 why deny the existence of Spiritual gifts, because possessed 
 only by the few? St. Paul says, "Now concerning Spiritual 
 gifts I would not have you ignorant. To some is given the 
 word of wisdom, to others prophesy, to others the discerning 
 of Spirits, to others the gift of healing, etc. There are a 
 diversity of gifts but it is the self-same Spirit which worketh 
 in you, giving to every man severally as He will," I. Cor., 
 xii. If the good prophet Samuel, after his body was buried, 
 was still able to reprove King Saul by means of a Spiritual 
 gift, possessed by the woman of Endor— for it was this
 
 G/impscs thro the Rift. 683 
 
 wicked King's comniaud that all who had familiar Spirits 
 should be put to death (not God's), what is to prevent good 
 people who have left the body still exercising the same 
 watchful and guardian care over those they loved here? 
 God's law^s do not change, and if it were possible and right 
 then, it is possible and right now to all who desire it, and 
 are faithful when they say "I believe in the Communion of 
 Saints." 
 
 We all have a Spiritual body as well as a material body, 
 so St. Paul saj's; our Spiritual body is an aei'ial bod)', 
 the fac-siiiiik of this body, and this is the one clairvoyants, 
 dreamers, and visionists see, and which are called ghosts 
 and feared as foes, instead of being welcomed as friends 
 and advisers, as in the case of Jacob, Hagar, Joseph, 
 Elizabeth, Paul, etc. When St. John saw a luminous Angel 
 and knelt to worship him, the Angel said "See thou do it 
 not, / am one of thy brethren the prophets." All these Bible 
 instances are being corroborated in every day life by all 
 who welcome them, and do not wound them b}- suspicion and 
 fear. 
 
 Neither Miss Shelhamer's "Life and Labour in the 
 Spirit World" nor the Rev. Chauncey Giles's "The Spirit- 
 ual World and Our Children therein" are records of fancies 
 biit of well-proven facts, which "Common Sense" will see 
 if he will peruse them. 
 
 I am only visiting in this town, and had no prints of 
 vSpirit Photography here, or would have forwarded some. 
 What I liave been able to procure at this short notice are 
 two of the first I succeeded in getting.* I sat in my own 
 room after purchasing, marking and placing the plate in the 
 dark slide, no other hands touching it; a second person took 
 off the cap, no one else was present. I tlien developed and 
 
 ♦ See Plate HI.
 
 584 G/iiiii/s of Lh^lit and 
 
 found on it what there was nothing, either in the room or 
 the house to account for. A visitor called, and was waiting 
 in the room below to see me, on printing from this plate. 
 We discovered the invisible form to be her sister, who departed 
 this life many years ago, leaving only one medallion photo, 
 the position quite unlike the one presented here. 
 
 The second is an old lady, unknown to me, but the 
 Spirit's voice told me her name, and gave me the names 
 and addresses of several of lier friends, to whom she requested 
 me to send a copy. I did so, and in every case it was 
 recognised as Mrs. Neal — her sister even said she was in 
 the same clothes she was buried in, and that the person who 
 laid her out had recognised it, also many other of her friends. 
 I enclose you the names and addresses if j-ou feel 
 inclined to write to any, but not for publication. 
 
 One word more and I have done. I have no object in 
 deceiving either ^•our readers or myself. Alone in my study 
 I have had con\-erse with man\- depailed friends who can 
 now address me and converse on subjects which engaged 
 their attention while here in the bod}-, they can relate their 
 experiences, describe their homes and their work, etc., etc., 
 and having found that snch sweet communion is vouchsafed 
 to mortals, and that those who seek it will find it, I simph- 
 desired to give my experience as an encouragement to others 
 to endure unto the end. 
 
 It is no iise going to a few seances and thinking to 
 develop such sacred gifts in so short a time. There is no 
 royal road to knowledge. All have to toil and stndy and 
 develop themselves. IMy experience will convince no one. 
 All must knock aiid knock again until their own clairvo3^ant 
 (or soul vision) doors are open. It is a life work, and comes 
 to light as all other gifts do when cultivated little by little. 
 All men have Spiritual gifts of some description, but all 
 do not recognise and develop them. We can emulate each
 
 G/impscs thro tin Rift. 685 
 
 other by example, but we cannot do the work for tlieni.— 
 Yours, etc., S. A P 
 
 P.S. — I enclose a third photo (recognised). Though 
 photographers can imitate the first and second, I have not 
 jet found one who can imitate my last experiments, where 
 the Spirits are surrounded by a luminous halo, which appears 
 to be drawn from mv head. 
 
 To the Editor of the Express and Star. 
 Sir, 
 
 Will you kindly oblige by giving insertion to the fol- 
 lowing: — With all due respect for the candour and sincerity 
 of "S. A. P." I for one have reason to doubt the photo- 
 graphing of Spirits or ghosts, i.e., the departed Spirits or 
 ghosts of the dead. I deny, upon Scriptural authority, the 
 existence of disembodied, immaterial Spirits or ghosts, which 
 he contends for. Ghost is the antique form of guest, and 
 is now an obsolete term, and wherever it occurs in the 
 Scriptures it should be read "Spirit." Spirit is a plastic 
 term, and is derived, according to Parkhurst, from the Greek 
 verb spii'o, which means to breathe or blow, and is applied 
 to various things, for example, to God, Angels, men, breath, 
 disposition, mind, etc. In Luke 24-36, etc., we read as 
 follows: — "Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them." This 
 was after his resurrection. But they were terrified and 
 affrighted, and supposed that the}- had seen a Spirit (Greek 
 phantasma), phantom, or apparition. Now, an apparition has 
 no substance whatever, it is a reflection or shadow. But 
 Christ soon dispelled their fear by saying "Why are \c 
 troubled. Behold my hands, and ni}- feet, that it is I my.self: 
 handle me and see, for a Spirit (phantasma) hath not flesh 
 and bones as ye see me have." Now Christ at this period 
 of His existence had passed from death unto life. His physical
 
 686 Gild Ills of Li>i/if II lid 
 
 nature had undergone a change from mortality and corrup- 
 tibility to immortality and incorruptibility, death having no 
 more dominion over Him. He is henceforth styled the 
 quickening Spirit, and the Lord the Spirit. The substance 
 of which Christ's body is composed is a Spiritual substance 
 answering to what Paul calls a Spiritual body. There is a 
 natural body, says he, which is the one we now possess — and 
 there is a Spiritual body, which is the one that will be pos- 
 sessed by those who are found worthy at the judgment after 
 the resurrection. Such is the body of the Lord Jesus since 
 His resurrection. It is a real, tangible, corporeal bod}-. 
 
 The Angels are similar, i.e., they are but corporeal 
 beings in form like unto men. The Angels are not, as some 
 suppose, the disembodied Spirits or ghosts of deceased men 
 and women and children. The}- are what Paul terms Spiritual 
 bodies or beings. The Angels or Spiritual beings (Heb. 
 Elhoini) of the Bible do not belong to the Adamic race at 
 all. The place of their abode, wherever that is, may be 
 termed the Spiritual world, and there may possibl}- be, and 
 probably are, many such worlds, inhabited b}^ real, tangible, 
 corporeal, and immortal beings. The beings called Angels, 
 which on several occasions appeared to Bible worthies, some 
 of which are referred to bv "S. A. P.," were beings of the 
 same nature as the above. It would be possible to photo- 
 graph one of these beings, provided they manifested them- 
 selves for that purpose, because the}' have substance and 
 form. But are these the same kind of beings that "S. A. P." 
 talks of photographing? Has he ever photographed one of 
 these Angelic Intelligences? If so, all very well; we should 
 like to see it. Now, I am certain that "S. A. P." has never 
 photographed, nor held communion with, the departed Spirit 
 or ghost of any individual belonging to Adam's race. There 
 is, in fact, no such thing in existence as a disembodied, 
 conscious. Spirit or ghost in human form. Yet men of the
 
 G/iiiipSiS lliro tin- Rift. 687 
 
 school to which "S. A. P." belongs fancv there is. 
 
 The teaching of everyday experience, true science, and 
 the sacred oracles plainly indicate that there is no conscious, 
 thinking principle or entity existing after death. Death is, 
 according to Holy Writ, the absolute cessation of existence. 
 In death the dust reti:rns to the earth, and the Spirit or 
 breath of lives, which is God's Spirit and not man's, returns 
 to Him who gave it. Now, if there is no disembodied Spirits 
 or ghosts, how in the name of common sense can they be 
 photographed? Let "S. A. P." answer this. After death 
 there is no more existence apart from the resurrection, which 
 grand and important doctrine "S. A. P." and the sect to 
 which he belongs explain away — (see Chauncey Giles on the 
 "Spiritual World," section iv.) 'Tis very easy to quote tlie 
 pleasant fancies of poets, biit where truth is concerned wliat 
 are these when compared with the solemn, stubborn facts of 
 Holy Writ. — (See Job, 14 — 10. 3 — 14; Psalm 6 — 5, 4, 9 — 14; 
 Isaiah, 26 — 14: Heel. 9 — 5 to 10 verse.) — I am, vours tnilv, 
 
 W. J. 
 
 To the Editor of the Daily Gazette 
 
 Sir, 
 
 In reading the somewhat lengthy article on this subject 
 in this day's Dailv Gazette, I was much surprised to learn 
 that "S. A. P." courts inquiry. In a letter dated April 4th 
 last, " S. A. P." writes to me: — " I shall feel it a personal 
 favour if you will absent yourself from meetings held at my 
 house in future." 
 
 It has been my desire for the past twenty-five years to 
 investigate the pretensions of this wicked and hurtful system, 
 but when real inquiry is asked it is not allowed. — I am 
 yours truly, 1"- H. ASTON.
 
 688 G/caiJis of Li o fit and 
 
 To tlic Editor of the Daily Gazette. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 Considering that there is usnally neither religion nor 
 vSpiritnality in contention and cavil, I generally ignore all 
 misrepresentations of myself (and my efforts to show men that 
 they can easily talk to their ministering Angels now as 
 from two thousand to six thousand years ago,) by living 
 these misrepresentations down in a blameless life. But as 
 Mr. Aston in your yesterday's issue suppresses the most 
 important part of my letter, I give it. He noisily entered 
 a Sunday religious service about eight p.m. (towards its 
 close), shouting above the speaker's voice, "Yes, I've come; 
 I dare say some of you know me." The speaker went on, 
 and at the close Mr. Aston tried to create a disturbance. 
 The speaker declined to discuss then on account of the 
 hour, but offered to meet him either publicly or privately 
 during the week. This offer he did not accept, therefore I 
 wrote him to this effect, that I should esteem it a personal 
 favour if he would absent himself from the meetings here, 
 "unless he came at the commencement to gain knowledge, but 
 if he would fix his own time, I would see that he had proof, 
 not onh' that his first wife lived, but retained her Intelligence, 
 and was in conscious knowledge of his evei"}- thought, 
 motive, and action." I wrote and said this in the early 
 spring of last year, but he has not yet accepted the 
 invitation. I need hardly say that by his suppression of 
 the truth Mr. Aston has forfeited his right to a renewal of 
 the invitation. Longfellow, who is a Spiritualist and a 
 member of our Psychical Research Association, which 
 includes many bishops, all the most distinguished authors, 
 physicians, and scientists all over the known world, says :
 
 G/impscs thro (he Ri/t. 689 
 
 " They must be pure in heart aud sound in head who 
 would hold an hour's communion with the dead." If they are 
 not pure the}^ are afraid to learn that those dear to them know- 
 all their thoughts and schemes, from their advanced plane of 
 knowledge; if they are not sound in head they cannot stand 
 the contempt and vulgar pity of those wise ones, who, without 
 devoting one year to the study of the philosophy of Spirit 
 return, presume to condemn and publiclv ridicule those wlio 
 for 3'ears have been intelligentl}- studying this subject, and 
 have been rewarded in their efforts by setting up a telephonic 
 communication with many recognised voices, who displa}- the 
 same individualities and modes of expression as characterised 
 them in earth-life. What surprises me is that the secretary 
 of the Christian Evidence Society should be allowed by the 
 body which he represents to endeavour to shake man's faith 
 in the Bible history, which represents that ever}- good and 
 holy character therein upheld as examples for us, received 
 both advice and reproof through their ministering Angels 
 from God, and why not now ! The members of this body 
 should devote themselves to the stud}- of Spiritual philosophy, 
 and become certain in their own minds that Bible histor}' 
 is capable of being repeated in the Nineteenth Century, if 
 men desire to lead the life necessary for such a comnuiniou. 
 
 I could not understand why the thousands of intellectual 
 and well-to-do Spiritualists, who hold converse w^ith their 
 departed and attend their church or chapel, kept the matter 
 a secret from their fellow-worshippers and even their own 
 visitors and relations. The words of Jesus alone explain this, 
 "A prophet is not without honour except in his own country 
 and among his own kin." 
 
 I repeat what I stated to your representative, every 
 honest, sober-minded, and Spiritually-inclined man or woman 
 who desires light on this subject will be welcomed b_\- me: 
 but those who come for curiosit}-, contention, or to displa\- 
 
 4 1'
 
 690 G/caiiis of Liglit and 
 
 their wisdom on a subject of which the}- liave not yet grasped 
 the first scientific principles, to these I say first read tlie 
 works of Andrew Jackson Davis "Nineteenth Century 
 Miracles," Swedeuborg, "Pythogaras," the "Hidden Wa}-," 
 by Street, and other historical works on the science of Religion, 
 and then come in order to reason calmly together on the 
 greatest joy permitted to man on earth, but not during or after 
 a religious service. 
 
 The educated Spiritualists in whose private houses I 
 received the Spirit enlightenment urged me to keep the 
 knowledge secret and enjoy the communion in private, but 
 as I have alwa3'S been an active religious worker I could 
 not keep this revelation from my friends and neighbours, and 
 quite thought they would be as willing to receive knowledge 
 on the Spiritual gifts the Bible urges us to cultivate, in the 
 I. Cor., xii., as I was. If I am "casting pearls before swine" 
 I have the consolation of knowing that in man}' instances 
 we have brought comfort to the bereaved parents, hope and 
 joy to the sorrowing widow, and health to the afflicted, who 
 have steadfastly followed up this study till all doubt and 
 suspicion has gone. We have our reward in the words, 
 "Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute 
 you and say all manner of evil against you FAL.SELY." 
 
 S. A. P. 
 
 To flic Editor of the Express and Star. 
 Sir, 
 
 I thiuk there be three Richmonds in the field. 
 
 Allow me, therefore, at once to say that out of con- 
 sideration for your space and my own time I must confine 
 my share of this correspondence to the visibility of, and the
 
 G//w/>scs thru the Ri/t. 691 
 
 power of communicating with, tlie theoretical iiiliabitants of 
 the Unseen world. 
 
 "S. C.'s" letter gives signs of a love of literature and 
 of some facility in writing; but one looks in vain for logical 
 deductions or analytical po\\'er. 
 
 Were I to stop here I fear "S. C." might feel some 
 degree of disappointment that I did not give him an excuse 
 for again wielding his "grey goosequill," so I shall be glad 
 if he will inform your readers on a point arising from one 
 of his illustrations of the conservation of energy. He assumes 
 to know something, not only of the habits, but the thinkings 
 of the green grub. Well, this green grub has wonderful 
 potentialities. 
 
 The wings that form the butterfly. 
 Lie folded in this worm. 
 
 It is capable of development into an organism of won- 
 drous delicacy and beaut}-, having sight and instinct to direct 
 its fluttering flight, and, further, the power of association 
 and of perpetuating its kind to all generations. But supposing 
 
 A lily white duck 
 Comes and gobbles it up, 
 
 where goes the energy that was conserved in it? And would 
 the duck have acquired anj^ different energy, from other force 
 derived from grey peas (raw or boiled) ? 
 
 Again, as "S. C." evidently revels in metaphysics, if a 
 blue shark swallow a living man, does it acquire the peculiar 
 energy which "S. C." apparently supposes to be capable of 
 being transmitted? I must now write adieu to "vS. C," 
 leaving him to his better feelings and trite philosophy. — I am, 
 yours truly, 
 
 COMMON SENSE.
 
 592 Cj ho Ills 0/ Light and 
 
 To the Editor of the Express and Star. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 I slioukl like to know where the clergy are on this 
 question. Some of them can write to you on prize-lighting 
 and lamp-lighting, and others can go on the stump; yet on 
 a subject the}- would be listened to, which they pretend to 
 understand, and for which they are handsomely paid, they 
 are all silent! Can we not prevail upon them to overcome 
 their modest reserve and tell us upon authority whether 
 there realh- are Spirits, where they come from, and whether 
 they come here b}' leave or as truants? Better still, if 
 accompanied bv some wicked doubter, they interviewed one, 
 and found out how he or she (is sex allowed there, and if 
 so, whv?) gets along in cloudland, with many interesting 
 points. — Awaiting their anxiouslv-sought information, I am, 
 3'ours trul}', 
 
 IGNORAMUS. 
 
 To the Editor 0/ the Express and Star. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 With your kind permission, I should like, for the 
 benefit of the photographer and all who may be in a like 
 position, to refer to and rectify what I consider to be a 
 palpable mistake which he has made in his letter of the 13th 
 inst. In the second division of that letter he says it was 
 the wicked King's command that all who had familiar Spirits 
 should be pi:t to death, and not God's. " S. K. P." has 
 evidently and unadvisedly relied upon the 28th chapter of 
 Sanniel and 3rd verse for his information. Now, 'tis very 
 indiscreet and unsafe to depend solely upon one passage or 
 verse to support any statement or doctrine. I think a closer 
 exannnatiou of this passage in connection with other portions 
 of Scripture will demonstrate that the opposite to what
 
 G/u;/f<SiS tliio the Rift. 693 
 
 " S. A. P." has stated is actually the truth, and instead of it 
 being Saul's command it was God's, Saul being merely the 
 instrument executing it. Saul, in common with all other 
 Kings of Israel, reigned for God (see Samuel, x., i); 
 consequently, whatever God commanded to be observed — 
 either in written laws, or through his messengers— the\- (the 
 Kings) were expected to fulfil. Yours truly, 
 
 W. J. 
 
 To the Editor 0/ the Express and Star. 
 Sir, 
 
 I did not intend to solicit any more of your valuable 
 space for this subject, but your correspondent "Common 
 Sense" seems so desirous to learn, and really seems to be 
 learning, that I think it would be unkind to refuse him the 
 pabulum necessary for his Spiritual growth. I am glad to 
 be able to find that he accepts the Scriptural account of an 
 after life, which, of course, includes St. Paul's teaching as to 
 a Spiritual as well as a physical body. So he is not such a 
 Materialist as I thought. And of course he believes tliat the 
 Spiritual still survives after the live man has been swallowed 
 by the "blue shark." I would advise him to be cautious how 
 he ridicules the Spirit bodies of the Spiritualists, or his shafts 
 may strike against some of his Scriptural notions. If he 
 wishes to know whether the planets are inhabited, he will 
 find an elaborate description of the natives in A. J. Davis's 
 "Revelations." He will find them very interesting, but very 
 indigestible sine oraiiosalis. 
 
 I am sorry he has forgotten to give us his definition of 
 the term metaphysics, a subject which has afforded him so 
 much amusement. If metaphysical reasoning is wrong he will 
 be doing us good by pointing out wherein the evil consists. 
 He asks what I contend for by my illustration of tlic caudle,
 
 6q4 G lea his of Lis;lii and 
 
 and what becomes of the flame when the candle is gone ont ? 
 Mv contention is that inasmuch as matter, which is an em- 
 bodiment or a localisation of force, is indistructible, there is 
 equal reason for believing in the indistructibilit}- of con- 
 sciousness. The force that is in a woiind-up watch is not 
 lost when the watch is run down. If consciousness also were 
 in the watch, there would be no more reason to suppose that 
 that was lost than was the force. I contend that conscious- 
 ness is not produced by matter. As to what has become of 
 the flame when the candle burns out, I would sa}- that if by 
 flame he' means matter in a very heated state, he himself 
 admits that the matter still remains, although in another 
 form. But if by flame he means light, I would remind him 
 that light is not a substance — stuff; but such a mode of 
 motion as produces a particular sensation. When either the 
 rapid oxidation or the intense molecular activity ceases, the 
 sensation ceases; but the same amount of matter and mental 
 power to perceive its changes still remains in the universe. 
 I did not say that the gobbled-up grub would accrete another 
 Spirit, but that the Spirit accretes another bod}-. Spirit is 
 active; matter is passive. 
 
 There is as much ground for faith in the perpetuity of 
 Spirit as there is in the continuance of matter. For what 
 is matter but a bundle of sensations? And what are sensa- 
 tions but affections of our consciousness? "To be or not to 
 be" is not the qiiestion; but rather. What will be our mode 
 of being? 
 
 c. s. 
 
 To the Editor of the Express and Star. 
 Sir, 
 
 That " S. A. P." have been grievously hoaxed, or that 
 he has been audaciously hoaxing your readers, is completel}'
 
 G///J//<st's thru flu Rift. 69 s 
 
 proved b}' the " Spirit photographs " sent to 3'our office.* 
 
 Any photographer would pronounce these to be 
 amateurish productions, taken with defective apparatus and 
 under very unfavourable conditions. 
 
 Assuming for the nonce that these pictures represent 
 the Spirits of somebod3^'s departed sister and Mrs. Neal 
 respectivel}-, the}- are decidedly discouraging. There is a total 
 absence of light and gladness about them, and with ever\- 
 respect to the Spirits of the departed ladies, I am compelled 
 to say that the pictures represent ver}' ordinary mortals. 
 
 The departed sister has thrice favoured the camera by 
 sitting — twice in a crown-back chair and once ou a coucli.t 
 The lady on two occasions wore a dark dress, and on the 
 other was attired in light costume. On all occasions she 
 wore rings on her fingers and beads round her neck. In all 
 the features are essentiall}' fleslil}- and vision is averted. 
 Mrs. Neal still wears her ciirls, and it would seem had been 
 requested to fix her gaze on a certain spot till tlie 
 photographer said "x^ll right" or "That'll do." In one 
 picture a clums}' attempt seems to ha\-e been made to 
 represent the Annunciation, but the Angel in the fog, and 
 the Sister Elizabeth below were bad subjects, and the result 
 is a miserable fiasco. J 
 
 To pretend that these wretched productions are genuine 
 is an insult to human intelligence. "S. A. P." gives Scrip- 
 tural instances of appearance of Angels; but the subject of 
 correspondence is that of the visibility, of and communication 
 with departed Spirits in the present da}-. I did not ask 
 about any Spirits which "S- A. P." says exist round Venus 
 
 » See Plates III, XII, and XXI. 
 t The Correspondent has mistaken the siller for the Spirit, the latter is over 
 head. 
 
 + See Plate III.
 
 5q6 Gleams of Ligltt ami 
 
 and Mars, and which I hope are a better sample than show 
 themselves here; bnt my inqniry has reference to the cor- 
 poreal inhabitants, if snch there are, in those planets. 
 
 Longfellow, sitting by the fireside and watching the 
 
 Shadows from the fitful firelight 
 Dance upon the parlour wall, 
 
 had his poetical genins aronsed, and recalled to his memory' 
 by departed friends who had visited him there, and fancied 
 one or other of these friends again present. Of course, they 
 were present onl}' in memory. Fancy ! Poetry being evidence 
 of facts! Probabl}' "S. A. P." has rather a vague notion 
 of Materialism. Does he include gravitation, chemical 
 affinity, light, etc., in his idea of the theory? 
 
 "S. C." has been again airing his metaphysical fancies 
 — a process which, in the absence of higher attainments 
 may be resorted to, with some success, to astonish vokels. 
 It is true the latter know quite as much of the facts as the 
 teacher; but they know that the}- know nothing, and think 
 that the teacher must know something, or he would not 
 talk about it. The fact that metaphysical subjects do not 
 admit of demonstration — they are all assertive, but on the 
 other hand do not admit of disproof — render them the resort 
 of prattlers and scribblers. 
 
 "S. C." gives us another sample of his logic by calling 
 in Pavil to support his contention that there is a Spiritual 
 body, and, so far as he can, bolstering up the absurdity that 
 Spirits of the departed appear to and communicate with, the 
 friends they leave behind them. What sayeth Paul? Allud- 
 ing to the resurrection he says "It is sown a natural body, 
 it is raised a Spiritual body." Evidently the Spiritual body 
 has to be raised, or the natural bod}^ being raised will in 
 the process become a Spiritual body. I quote Paul's words 
 with no other purpose than to point out the defective — even
 
 G/ii/ipsts lliro the Ri/t. 697 
 
 fallacious method of reasoning resorted to by " vS. C." It is 
 evident that if we accept Paul's teaching, the vSpiritnal bodies 
 of "S. C." cannot be gliding about, rapping walls, turning 
 tables, or sitting to have their portraits taken. 
 
 I have not patience to comment on the medley of ele- 
 mentary pseudo-scientific jargon of the second paragraph of 
 "S. C.'s" last letter; but I will brief!)' notice a query in the 
 concluding paragraph. He asks "What is matter but a 
 bundle of sensations?" A most absurd question. Everyone 
 except those afflicted with a metaphysical craze knows it is 
 a ver}' great deal more. A cricket ball, without sensation, 
 propelled by a cricket bat, also without sensation, infringes 
 on someone's head, and totall}- destroys for a short or long 
 period, or it may be for ever, all sensations and the sum of 
 them, consciousness. Bundle of sensations! Rubbish! Where 
 has the "consciousness" of "S. C." gone? Is it lingering 
 near to see if it be again required b}' the concussed cranium, 
 or having joined the "ocean of cosmic consciousness," has 
 some portion gone (transmigration fashion) to seek a litter 
 of young rabbits to inspire? "S. C." will find a definition 
 of metaphysics in ■a.-\\ lexicon. Anyone else wishing an 
 illustration of metaph\'sical hallucination will find it in 
 "S. C.s" metempsychosic or disembodied consciousness 
 theories. — Yours, »S:c., 
 
 COMMON SENSE. 
 
 To flu- EdI/or of the Ex/^ress and Star. 
 
 Dear Sir, 
 
 I shall be only too pleased if W. J. will show me and 
 your readers the other passages of Scripture which he 
 authoritatively asserts (without proof) will demonstrate tlie 
 opposite of what I state. I have tliirty-five years been 
 
 4 <-'
 
 fjnS G/caiiis of Light and 
 
 willing and trying to believe as lie believes because my 
 Spiritual teachers taught me thus, but it has been for years 
 against my reason, Bible proof, and their logic. While Saul 
 was a ^ood man walking in God's ways, he consulted 
 Samuel's familiar Spirit (or family ancestor) in order to 
 ascertain where his father's asses had strayed to, and by 
 this help he found them. All prophets, seers, and mediums 
 have communion with family, as well as Angelic Spirits. 
 Nothing but a knowledge of Spiritual philosoph}- and an 
 experience of Spirit return will explain why Moses was 
 commanded to say to those he ruled (Leviticus xix, 31) 
 " Regard not them which have familiar Spirits, neither seek 
 after wizards to be defiled by them." Moses ruled a semi- 
 barbaric nation, where human life was as little valued as 
 animal life in our day. Hundreds and thousands were bar- 
 barousl}- rushed into eternit}- foaming with revenge; these 
 Spirits as well as good Spirits were able to return and urge 
 indignant relations to revolt. Moses did not /ol/on' his oi^<n 
 advice, neither did King Saul, and they are the only writers 
 in Bible history who give such a law to their subjects, 
 whereas all throughout its pages we find the best and wisest 
 characters therein recorded, holding this unseen Communion 
 for advice, consolation, and comfort from the first chapters 
 in Genesis to the last in Revelations. 
 
 If the laws Moses made for these semi-barbaric Jews are 
 as binding upon us as upon them, there are many which no 
 man with Spiritual faculties will accept as coming from the 
 God of Peace and Love, my God, your God, the Unseen 
 Father of all, i.e., "If an}' of 3^011 have a disobedient son, 
 who will not hearken unto the voice of his father, he shall 
 take him into the midst of the city, and the elders of that 
 city shall stone him with stones until he die." Where would 
 you find the father who would feel this law binding upon 
 him because Moses' God gave it to the Israelites? Again,
 
 Gli/iifysts tliro the Rift. O99 
 
 the 3'ear of release for the poor who among us no\v-a-da5'S 
 observes this Mosaic law? And if one is to be enforced all 
 must be; but as the Bible examples ignored this command of 
 Moses, and ai-e emulated for holding communion with Angels 
 and unseen voices, so I argue should we. 
 
 We live in an age when men do not pa\- to liave their 
 theological thinking done for them. They think for them- 
 selves, and mere assertions such as W. J. lias advanced go 
 for nothing. Proofs must be advanced, and men's reasonings 
 logically satisfied, or the matter is left as W. James has left 
 it — where it was. All kings as well as Saul "reign for God," 
 or ought to do so, and happy is that nation whose King or 
 Queen rules under the direct guidance of a good and 
 progressive Angel with whom he or she is in continual 
 communion. 
 
 Mr. W. H. Myers, writing to the For/iiicr/it/y Rcvira', 
 stated that Prince Leopold declared that he had been visited 
 by Princess Alice for two nights running, and she told liini 
 she was quite happy and wished him to join her, and that 
 was what made him so thoughtful a few days before he died. 
 He adds, "I take this as a sign of his approaching removal 
 to the world of Spirits, in which, as a member of a Spirit- 
 ualistic family, he has been from his earliest j-outh an implicit 
 believer, thus illustrating that signs are vouchsafed to the 
 believing now as of old." 
 
 The theology of our churches and cliapels (rssais the 
 Immortalit}- of the soiil to be true, Spiritualism proves it, 
 both have tlieir work to do in the world, the latter is the 
 outcome of the former. — Yours, &c., 
 
 S. A. P. 
 
 7o the Editor 0/ the E.xprcss and Star. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 Here are the other passages of ScripUue which were
 
 ^oo GhitiJis of Lii:;ht (111 J 
 
 necessary to deinoustrade that God commanded all possessors 
 of fomiliar Spirits to be put to death:— "Thou shalt not 
 suffer a witch to live"— Exod. xxii, i8; "A man also or 
 woman that hath a familiar Spirit, or that is a wizard, shall 
 surely be put to death," — Lev. xx, 27; " There shall not be 
 found among you an\- one that maketh his son to pass 
 through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer 
 of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a 
 consulter with familiar Spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer, 
 for all these things are an abomination unto the Lord" — 
 Deut. xviii, lo-ii. That assertion, without evidence, is 
 worth notliing I readily admit, but in this instance I think 
 "S. A. P." and your readers. Sir, will acknowledge that the 
 proof is sufiEciently strong to prove my contention, in which 
 case "S. A. P's." argument, derived from the incident of the 
 witch of Endor, falls to the ground. "S. A. P." guesses 
 at my belief, but he is far from the mark. I believe 
 Spiritualism to be a twin sister to oithodoxy, and far, very 
 far— as distant as light from darkness— from tlie truth. 
 This is an assertion, but, if desired, the necessary evidence 
 to prove its truthfulness can be adduced. / believe t/ie 
 Immortality of tlie son/ to t)e t/te tiasis of iiearlx all llieolooieal 
 error, ami luitil this is PROVED the aroiuneiifs in tola fur 
 Spiritualism are null ami z'oul. — Yours respectfully, 
 
 W. J. 
 
 To the Editor of the Express ami Star. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 Please allow me a little space for a final reply to 
 "Common Sense," because I find that he misapprehends 
 the pjsitinn I luive taken. I have not maintained the 
 opinion tliat individual consciousness continued after death 
 m order that I may support the Spiritualistic faith that
 
 (S//////>srs thro the Ri/t. 701 
 
 tables, etc., are moved and rapped by disembodied Spirits. 
 I distinctly stated that I was not convinced b}- the phenomena 
 I had witnessed that they were produced by Spirit agency. 
 j\Iy contention was, and is, that there are sufficient reasons 
 to be drawn from nature around, and nature witliin us, to 
 believe in a future life, even without appealing either to 
 revelation or to Spiritualistic phenomena. 
 
 But what is it that "Common Sense" wishes to prove? 
 At first he sneers at the Spiritualists' idea of a Spiritual 
 world. He asks where is it? What is its temperature? etc. 
 He afterwards says that he has not disputed the Scriptural 
 teaching on an after life. Well, even St. Paul, whom he 
 quotes as an authority, says not only that the natural body 
 will be raised a Spiritual bod}-, but also that tliere is a natural 
 body iDui a Spiritual one. Not that there will be. He 
 believed in the separate existence of the Spirit, when he 
 wrote about departing and being with Christ; not waiting for 
 the resurrection. What said an authorit}- still greater? 
 "This day shalt thou be with me in paradise." Evidentl_\- 
 Scripture teaches the continuance of consciousness after bodily 
 death. 
 
 In the letter in to-night's issue "Connuon Sense" 
 assumes the possibilitj' of consciousness being knocked out 
 of a man for ever by a cricket ball. It would be interesting 
 to know how he reconciles these contradictory notions. On 
 Spiritual matters his mind is evidently in a chaotic condition, 
 and needs some higher Spirit to brood over him to produce 
 consistency and order within him. He exidently has no taste 
 for metaphysical reasoning, and I have no wish to disgust 
 him. He may yet mentall}- develop to see that the widest 
 induction of physical facts can give only probability, whilst 
 the intuitive axioms— the cognitions a //w/V inherent in every 
 mind— are characterised by universality and necessity. He 
 himself is unconsciously a metaphysician; he appeals e\cry
 
 ^02 G ha HIS of Light and 
 
 day of his life to the intuitive mental perceptions— the 
 common standard— the common sense of mankind. There 
 is common sense not only with regard to physics, but also 
 to metaphysics and to morals. Let him understand that 
 common sense may be cultivated, just as the higher branches 
 of geometry may grow out of the axioms of Euclid. 
 
 When I wrote that matter was "a bimdle of sensations" 
 1 was indiscreet. It was like beginning at the 47th propo- 
 sition of Euclid; I should have led him over the pons 
 ashionnn. I ought to have shewn him that what we perceive 
 physically is the change produced in the sensorium, not the 
 thing which produces the change. This implies that there 
 is something besides myself to produce the changes— every- 
 thing is not merely a projection of the Ego. It is easy to 
 ridicule idealism and to try "to vanquish Berkeley with a 
 grin." Still idealism is preferable to materialism. If reason 
 leads us back to one primal substance of which everything 
 forms a part, that substance is surely miud, not matter. 
 
 S. C. 
 
 To the Editor 0/ the Express and Star. 
 Sir. 
 
 Allow me through your columns to thank W. J. for his 
 letter in November 27th, which has proved all I stated and 
 not the contrar^^ as he wishes to impress upon your readers. 
 
 I again state (ist) that if it had been wrong for a Spirit 
 to appear to Saul; after his (the Spirit's) body had been 
 buried, such a good prophet as Samuel would not have 
 appeared as a Spirit, to reprove Saul, just as he had done 
 in the body, ever since King Saul had forsaken good and 
 followed after evil. 
 
 and. That Moses is the only Biblical writer who made
 
 Glimpses thro (he Rift. J03 
 
 laws forbidding the semi-barbaric Israelites to coniimuie with 
 familiar Spirits, and ordering those who did so to be put to 
 death. "W. J.'s" passages arc all Mosaic. Tlie Bible contains 
 no other. 
 
 3rd. No Scripture character after Moses observed this 
 command till we hear of Saul. Tlie King who "reigned 
 for God," God's chosen king, was the first to break his own 
 command and consult a familiar Spirit, disguised, in secret, 
 after he had commanded all such to be put to death, not 
 to please God, but to rid himself of the prophets, who brought 
 counsel and words of reproof from the Most High in reference 
 to the King's downward course. 
 
 If W. J. chooses to accept the Mosaic laws as God's 
 commands to hitii, and releases his debtors from all obligation 
 to pay their debts every seven years, and gives up all tliat 
 his gardens and lands produce to the use of the poor in his 
 neighbourhood ever\- seventh year, I don't suppose he will 
 find any one to oppose him ; but if he accepts all the Mosaic 
 laws as binding, and stones his disobedient son till he dies ; 
 or should he put to death one who had a familiar Spirit in 
 obedience to Moses, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live'' 
 — in the first instance he will find his libert}- circumscribed, 
 and in the latter the law would claim liis neck. 
 
 Laws are made in accordance with the enlightenment 
 and requirements of a nation. God gave to ]\Ioses certain 
 laws for the Israelites suitable to them /// ///(// day. In tlie 
 Nineteenth Century He gives to the rulers of England certain 
 other laws which are revised and improved from time to time 
 as the people evolve from ignorance to light, and a Coniniunion 
 with Angels will increase this light; if such a Communion 
 is not to be desired, why are such facts stated in the Di\ine 
 Revelation, and if Angels have not been men, why do tliey 
 say they have, as stated in my former quotations from the 
 Bible?
 
 704 
 
 G/iiiiiis of Lii^hf and 
 
 111 W. J.'s second letter he coutradicts himself b}- first 
 saying tliere are no ghosts, and then saying ghost shonld be 
 read as "Spirit" in Scripture, and as "guest" elsewhere. 
 What is in a name so long as the meaning is understood? 
 He proves that the word ghost and Spirit are synonymous, 
 therefore that ghosts do exist. 
 
 Again as W. J. and "Common Sense" are arguing from 
 their lack of knowledge on the subject in hand, I am will- 
 ing to make ever}- allowance, especially as b}- the comparing 
 of ideas light is thrown around; but that he doubts the 
 photographing of the Spirits of the so-called dead is certainly 
 a weak argument to advance, and proves nothing except that 
 W. James is in the habit of moving in the society of those 
 whose word is not to be relied upon; therefore he doubts 
 mine and others who relate similar experiences. But as he 
 does not know me I can pardon him, especiall}- as the day 
 will come when he will prove in his own person that Spirits 
 can be photographed b}' mortals. He has much to learn 
 and unlearn before this comes about, 3'et he will learn it. 
 No person who knows me doubts my veracity. At first — 
 years ago — friends feared m}' sanity, but time has robbed 
 them of this convenient rock, and they are bound to admit 
 that my reason is intact, my religion they know I have 
 lived in my everj- daj' actions, not merel}' professed, and 
 would scorn to utter that which is not true, even as a joke. 
 
 But this is no joking matter, and whoever doubts it the 
 facts remain. Instead of quarrelling with it, suppose we look 
 it honestly in the face, like brave men and women, and see if 
 it is not possible that we Church bodies have been deceiving 
 ourselves as to the kind of future life the Spirit has, in our 
 anxiety to get rid of certain responsibilities consequent on 
 our attitude towards one another while in the body. Had 
 your correspondents more knowledge and experience they 
 would know — as I know, as some of vour fellow-townsmen
 
 G/h///>sts tliro the Rift 705 
 
 know, Rev. J. Page-Hopps, and those of onr leading scientists, 
 etc., who have devoted time and study to this subject, and 
 divested their minds of all fear — (where a shadow of fear 
 remains Spirits will not intrude) — that at the fireside, when 
 the rack and buzz of da}- is over, when welcomed with love, 
 quietude, and peace, our departed will suddenly appear, and 
 place their "warm tender hands in vours" (as in Longfellow's 
 case), and as suddenl}- disappear, before eight or more pairs 
 of e3'es — door closed. Certainl}-, an apparition is a shadow, 
 and has no substance, but a Spirit has a soul, or Spirit-body, 
 the exact counterpart of the material bodj', and can be felt 
 as well as seen. 
 
 No! it was verj- disappointing to me, as well as to 
 "Common Sense," to find that if our friends lived and died 
 as "very ordinary'- mortals," that the}- remained as ordinary 
 Spirits in the next life, but evolving gradually higher powers 
 nevertheless. 
 
 Cromwell F. Varley, F. R. S., writes: "Twenty-five 
 years ago I was a hard headed unbeliever. Spiritual 
 phenomena, however, suddenly- and quite unexpectedly 
 developed in my own family. This led to inquiry, and to 
 try numerous experiments in such a way as to preclude the 
 possibility of trickery and self-deception. That the phenomena 
 occur there is overwhelming evidence, and it is too late now 
 to dem- their existence." 
 
 Alfred Russell Wallace, F. G. S., says: "The facts of 
 Spiritualism are proved quite as well as any facts are proved 
 in other sciences, and it is not denial nor quibbling tliat 
 can disprove them." 
 
 Professor Tornebom, Swedish physicist, asserts: "Only 
 those deny the reality of Spirit phenomena who have never 
 examined them; profound study alone can explain them." 
 
 I will now close with an anecdote of Mrs. Lincoln, the 
 late President's wife, as it appeared in Hiimau Xatiiiw 
 
 4 >^
 
 -o6 Ghaiiis of L/<;lif and 
 
 December, 1.S74, which will remove Spirit photography from 
 resting solely on my authority in the eyes of those of your 
 readers who hear of it now for the firSt time. Mr. A. Oxon, 
 editor of Light, writes in the above monthly. 
 
 "Mrs. Lincoln visited Boston incog, for the purpose of 
 obtaining, if possible, a photograph of her departed husband. 
 She went to the studio of Mr. Mumler, giving the name of 
 Mrs. Tyndall. She was closely veiled, and gave Mr. Mumler 
 (the photographer) no opportunity of ascertaining her identity 
 had he been so disposed. The picture in fact was taken, as 
 he asserts, without the slightest knowledge on his part as 
 to who the sitter was. On printing the picture he says, 'I 
 readily recognised the Spirit as that of our late President.' 
 It is indeed, as ma}' be seen at once, an unmistakable 
 portrait. On its being shown by Mr. Mumler to the sitter 
 she was asked if she recognised the Spirit. She replied that 
 she did. A lady present looked at it, and said 'Why this 
 
 looks like President Lincoln.' 'Yes,' replied Mrs. L- ,' 
 
 'and I am his widow.' Beside the President, whose hands 
 are on his wife's shoulders, appears also his son. I have 
 satisfied myself, as completely as man can who did not 
 personally test the operation, that the photograph is one, 
 the evidence for which is perfect. It is manifestl}- eas}- to 
 re-produce upon the photographic-plate the features of some 
 well-known man whose picture has figured in shop windows. 
 The clumsiest cheat can do that. But in this case the 
 character of the sitter, and the circumstances under which 
 the picture was taken, preclude all idea of collusion. But, 
 indeed, such idea is out of Court in face of the evidence which 
 centres round Mr. Mumler' s photographs. Before me now 
 lies a packet of attested photographs, each one clear and 
 distinctive, and testified to by sitter and friends in a manner 
 which leaves a critic but one alternative to believe — that, 
 namely, of refusing to believe the evidence altogether.
 
 G/hiipscs fln-i) ///,' Rift. 707 
 
 That is, as all the world knows, a reach' way of disposing of 
 inconceivable testimony. Any one who elects to follow that 
 short and easy method will have his hands full, for the 
 evidence in favour of the genuineness of Mr. Mumlers' 
 photographs and the integrity of Mr. Mumler himself is as 
 strong as can well be conceived. Among the packet is one 
 of Captain R. Montgomery. His daughter's Spirit stands 
 behind him, and places a rose before his face. The picture 
 is fully recognised, and was the means of converting him 
 and his household to a faith in Spirit return, &c., &c. 
 
 He goes on to give other circumstances which he 
 examined. I have the book and photo, which I shall be 
 pleased to lend on certain conditions, also other authors on 
 this subject, if a stamped envelope be sent to me, under 
 care of Editor, in the hope that they may enlighten some 
 sorrowing widow or parents, and sliow them their dear ones 
 are near them. — Yo\irs, &c., 
 
 S. A. P. 
 
 To the Editor of the R\pre>.^ and Star. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 The verj^ thing "Common Sense" suggests I have been 
 doing ever since I had satisfied myself and a few of m\- 
 friends, not only that I was not deluded nor deluding myself, 
 but that the communion was of God, and conductive to tlic 
 uplifting of man's moral, social, and Spiritual welfare. I 
 have had open meetings in my own house free, not onl}' for 
 healing but for giving knowledge and opening the minds, in 
 order that the visitors might develop their own Spiritual 
 gifts. Like all knowledge, there is no royal road to it. In- 
 vestigators thought it worth their while to come here from 
 the extreme north of Ireland and tlie Channel Isles, these again
 
 -o8 G/iiiii/s of LiiJiht and 
 
 sending friends. In addition to this I have a voluminous 
 private correspondence with entire strangers. My own duties 
 were so entirely crowded out that I have had to limit admit- 
 tance to those who intend to continue the study, thus shutting 
 out those who came out of curiosity — not to inquire, but to 
 oppose. Among the former is a fellow-townsman of yours, 
 who wished the subject introduced to W'h'pton, minds, in 
 order that they might obtain the same evidence that he has. 
 He inaugurated the first meeting at his own expense, the 
 lecturer and chairman giving their time and paying their own 
 travelling expenses; but ^-our townsman was not prepared to 
 receive the philanthropist's reward, viz., abuse, suspicion, 
 ingratitude, and open denial, at the very first meeting; 
 therefore, as a practical, business man, he put an advertise- 
 ment in the Express and Star on a Tuesda}' or Wednesday in 
 November, stating that those people who wished to inquire 
 further into the subject of Monday's lecture could do so b\' 
 sharing the expenses of a private room, advertisements, and 
 other incidental debts consequent on all organizations, i.e., 
 labour, etc. When fairh^ set on foot, and in working order, 
 this latter may be shai'ed b}- the inquirers. A few have 
 answered this advertisement, but the number is so few that 
 the question arises whether it would not be less expensive 
 for these to travel backward and forward to High-street, 
 Walsall, or to Smethwick, where public meetings are held 
 two or three times weekly — as advertised in local papers — 
 until more are willing to share the expense consequent on the 
 giving and acquiring of knowledge. 
 
 There are also some fort}' or more private sca)ices or 
 prayer meetings, for this is what seances really are, in B. and 
 suburbs that I am acquainted with. If "Common Sense" 
 or any other gentleman and lady will devote a room in 
 their house for this purpose it will greatly facilitate matters, 
 for we do not intend to overlook the few if it can be managed. 
 
 i 
 
 I
 
 G/i?iipscs f/no the Rift. -jog 
 
 Letters to me, care of Editor, which your fellow-townsman 
 will forward, will not be overlooked, though nothin<>; will 
 be done before Christmas. 
 
 In thanking j-ou, Mr. Editor, very much for your 
 liberality, I may just add that if other newspaper and 
 periodical editors would follow your example aud lay prejudice 
 aside, the public would soon have a very different idea about 
 Spiritualism. Hitherto only those letters which ridiculed 
 the subject have been inserted in Press literature; hence 
 none but the initiated have the least idea of the real nature 
 and tone of Spiritualism. Such letters as I have sent are 
 usually consigned to the waste paper basket, but those 
 miscalling it table turning and tambourine playing have 
 been inserted. —Yours very truly, 
 
 S. A. P. 
 
 P. S. — The Britiili Journal of Photograpliv from September 
 7th, 1887, up to now, will show "Common Sense" and 
 those he represents, that there is no necessity to go to 
 America for instances of the photographing of Spirits, cxaft 
 for public characters. How true is it that "one half the 
 country knows not what the other half does." — S. A. P. 
 [This correspondence is now closed. — Ed. E. and S?\
 
 ■J1Q Gleams of Light and 
 
 NOTE 4. 
 OF SPIRITS. 
 
 Every Spirit belongs to some province in Swedenborg's 
 Grand Man, and appeals to a corresponding part of the 
 human bod}-. A Spirit dwelling in those parts in the 
 Universe which answers to the heart or the liver, makes his 
 influx felt in the cardiac or hepatic region of the frame 
 before he becomes visible to the eye. 
 
 Mercury Spirits correspond to, and reside in a sphere 
 corresponding to, the memory. 
 
 Eunar Spirits, to the ensiform caililage at the bottom 
 of the breast bone, etc. 

 
 apiJtntrix ii. 
 
 ©limpscs tljro' tljc lUft.
 
 GIi//ipscs thro the Ri/t. 
 
 713 
 
 Hpprntii.v II. 
 
 NOTE A. 
 
 X^ 
 
 ■sH^^I' R. FREKE in 185 1, propounded tlic doctrine 
 
 that all organic beings have ascended from 
 
 ,^ .- one primordial form." — Diiti/in Midical Pms, 
 
 '^W JJI ^^^^- Geoffrey St. Hiliare in his "Life" as 
 
 ss/j0 early as 1795, suspected that what \\c call 
 
 ( :^Jg>„ species are various degenerations of the same 
 
 type; and in 1828, that the same forms 
 
 have not been pei-petnated since the origin 
 
 of all things. 
 
 NOTE B. 
 
 Comets generally present the appearance of a brilliant 
 nucleus surrounded by a nebulosity which extends to one 
 side, more or less of the centre. The nebulous matter is 
 so transparent that stars even of small magnitude can be 
 observed through the tail. The nebulosity of a comet there- 
 fore may be regarded simpl}- as a vapour extremely light. 
 — Circle 0/ Se/e//ees. 
 
 4 V
 
 ■jlA (jIc((iiis oJ Light and 
 
 NOTE C. 
 
 GEOLOGICAL APPENDLX. — IGNEOUS ROCKS. 
 
 "Extreme difference of opinion has been entertained as 
 to whether certain rocks which are evidently not the direct 
 resnlt of aqneous action, are to be regarded as truly igneous 
 or only metamorphic, i.e., changed by heat or chemical action 
 from the original aqueous deposit." "Granites [i.e. porphyries) 
 crystalline limestone and quartz rock have been described as 
 cooled down from igneous fushion," {J^itt iiiaceitrately so. Author.) 
 — i\nsted's Geologieal Gossip, p. 253. P. 254. — Although "those 
 theorists in geology who believed the earth was still in a 
 state of igneous fushion at a comparatively small depth of 
 surface .... have been by far the most popular and nu- 
 merous ... no one on the other hand would carry the igneous 
 theor}? so far as to deny the vast importance of chemical 
 agenc}? independently of heat, or assisted only by such 
 moderate and equable temperature as is known to belong to 
 all considerable depths beneath the earth's surface." — 255. 
 
 Mr. Sorby's opinion. — "The proof of the operation of 
 water is quite as strong as that of heat ; and in fact I admit 
 that in the case of the coarse-grained quartzose granites, 
 there is so very little evidence of igneous fushion, and such 
 overwhelming proof of the action of water, that it is impossible 
 to draw the line between them and those veins where in all 
 probability mica, felspar and quartz have been deposited from 
 solution in water." — p. 263.* 
 
 ' Quoted in Geo. Gossip froin "Court Journal" of the Geo. Soc, vol. xiv., p. 
 
 4as.
 
 Glimpses thro the Rift. 
 
 NOTE D. 
 
 ZOr.LNER. — TRANSCENDENT PHYSICS. 
 
 "But if there are beings among us who were able to 
 produce b}- their will four dimensional movements of material 
 substances, they could tie and untie knots in a much simpler 
 manner b}- an operation analogous to that described in rela- 
 tion to a two-dimensioned knot. 
 
 "If everything perceivable is a conception produced in 
 us by unknown causes, the distinguished characteristic of the 
 objective reality from the subjective reality (phantasma) cannot 
 be sought in Nature, but onh- in accidental attributes of that 
 process producing conceptions." 
 
 NOTE E. 
 
 The circle of the chosen contracts as we ri.se in tlie 
 scale of beings. Some minerals, but not all, liecomc vegetables : 
 some vegetables, not all, become animals: some animals, not 
 all, become human: and some human, not all, become Divine. 
 Thus the area narrows. At the base is the mineral, most 
 broad and simple— the Spiritual at the apex smallest but 
 most highly differentiated.— 412, Drummond.
 
 ■l6 Giidii/s of Light and 
 
 NOTE F. 
 
 MIRACLES. — ST. p:UGENIA, VIRGIN. 
 
 A woman named INIelantia, .suffering from chronic fever, 
 was besmeared with holy oil, and moreover marked with the 
 sign of the cross, and she vomited out all the venom that 
 was harming her, and was healed b}' means of the Hoi}- 
 Maiden. — p. ^t^, Liva of Saints. 
 
 NOTE G. 
 
 Melantia, after by false accusations against her because 
 of her chastity, sought to harm her, but her house was 
 destroyed by a rushing fire .sent by Christ himself. — p. 41. 
 
 NOTE H. 
 
 By her prayers the temple of the devil (Diana's temple) 
 fell utterly to the ground, and sank into the earth, with all 
 its idols. — p. 49.
 
 G/im/>SiS Ihro flu Rift. 
 
 NOTE I. 
 
 A hewn stone was hung on her neck, and slie tlirown 
 into a river, but the stone brake in twain, and slie sat on 
 the water unharmed. Thrown into hot o\ens, tlie\- cool'd 
 and harmed her not, but at hist on Xmas da\- she was 
 execiited. — p. 49. 
 
 NOTE J. 
 
 An artist was about to car\-e a Madonna from a costly 
 piece of sandal-wood but he could not approach his ideal 
 (wood untractable), and when about to relinguish in despair, a 
 voice iu a dream bade him shape the figure from an oak 
 block with which he was about to feed his hearth. He 
 obeyed and produced a masterpiece. — Hours with the jllystics. 
 
 NOTE K. 
 
 MIRACI.KS. 
 
 In Spirit rappings it brings forward new methods of 
 acoustics - in Spirit dancing tables it displays a new motive 
 power — in trance, inspiration, speaking with new tongues,
 
 yi8 G ho Ills of Ll'^llt aud 
 
 and all forms of art executed throi:gh Spirit control— it is 
 the Nnv Educator of the earth. 
 
 In healing it is a new and complete Pharmacopoeia. In 
 passing matter through matter it clearly demonstrates the 
 action and control of a Spiritual atmosphere within the 
 material realm of ditto. In clairvo3-ance — clair-audience, 
 dreams and visions it stretches awa}- into endless possibilities 
 for the soul, and shows some the grand aud newly discovered 
 pathways which traverse the realms of the Unseen Universe. 
 —54 Mrs. Briitcii. 
 
 NOTE L. 
 
 Appolinaris made the sign of the cross on the eyes of a 
 poor blind boy and he recovered his sight : he is credited with 
 healing hundreds of people. 
 
 A youth fired by lust for a young maiden who had 
 been devoted to the church, made compact with the devil in 
 writing, that he would denounce Christ and His baptism if 
 the devil would procure for him his desires. The devil 
 stirred up burning desires in the maid, and she besought 
 her Father to let her wed the youth. Afterwards finding out 
 the compact, she besought Basil to assist her. iYfter four- 
 teen davs confinement, during which the de^•il strove in \aiu 
 to win back the young man to their power, they had to 
 leave him in peace, and was furthermore compelled to 
 return the written compact. It came back to them, fluttering 
 through the air, alighting at the Bishop's feet. — Hours loith 
 the Mystics.
 
 G/iinpscs thro the Rift. ^jg 
 
 NOTE M. 
 AURA. — OPINIONS OF ANCIENTS. 
 
 Archelaus, the Athenian, hekl tliat tliere is an infinite 
 aura from which all things were brought forth. Anaxagoras 
 of Clazomene, held that there were certain similar substances 
 by the composition of which all things are produced. — p. 19, 
 vol. 2, note 60 ^. 
 
 NOTE N. 
 
 AURA. — SWEDENBORG. 
 
 There is an aura purer than the common air whicli 
 contains the most volatile substances of Nature as tlie air 
 contains the grosser. — Note 44. 
 
 Without aura no animal could exist. — Note 49. 
 
 The parts of aura are the most perfect forms, determined 
 according to the gravity and acting force of their magnitude ; 
 they are expansile, compressible, contiguous, modifiable: allow- 
 ing the smallest possible loss of impressed forces: exactly 
 representing the images of impressions, received at one ex- 
 treme, at the other (extreme) pressing equally in all directions, 
 according to their force or gravity from the centre to cir- 
 cumference. 
 
 Vol. I.— 50, 68, 284. 
 " 2.— 17, 215, 302. 
 
 There are four auras: air, ether, and two others still 
 more simple.
 
 -20 (lUaiiii oj Lii^/it and 
 
 NOTE O. 
 
 THE NUMBER FOUR. 
 
 Heaven was embellished in the perfect nnniber (4,) and 
 if an\- one were to pronounce this nnmber as the origin and 
 source of the all-perfect decade he would not err. For 
 what the decade (10) is in actuality, the number (4) is in 
 potentiality. 
 
 NOTE P. 
 
 NUMBER FOUR. 
 
 Moreover the number (4) also comprehends the principles 
 of the harmonious concords in music, that in fours and 
 in iifths and the diapsqn and besides the double diapson from 
 which sounds the most perfect system of harmony is produced. 
 
 For the ratio of the sounds in fourths are as 4 to 3 
 — in fifths as 3 to 2 — in diapson the ratio is doubled — in 
 double diapson four fold. — p. 12 & 13. 
 
 Another power of the number 4 is that which displays 
 the nature of the solid cubes the numbers before four 
 (/. c. I. 2. 3.) being assigned to incorporeal things. — p. 13. — 
 Philo.
 
 G/iiiipsis thro the Rift. 721 
 
 NOTE O. 
 
 "Thou hast an eye within, one that at once can see the 
 past, present and future : — diffuses througli all things, the 
 brightness of its vision penetrates what is hidden: investigates 
 what is impalpable: which needs no foreign light to see, 
 but gazes with a light of its own peculiar to itself" Hugo 
 Dionysius, in his mystic theologia, describes one who 
 "delivered from all seeing passes into the mystical darkness 
 of ignorance, where he excludes all the apprehensions of 
 intellect and remains en rapport with the impalpable and 
 invisible. Who is made one with the Unkncnvn by the 
 cessation of knowing, and, knowing nothing — he knows that 
 which transcends the mind of man." P. 710. " Plotinus and 
 Procus speak of the highest revelations concerning Divine 
 things as vouchsafed to the soul which withdraws into itself, 
 and dead to all that is external, gazes with closed eyes." — 
 Tholuck. 
 
 NOTE R. 
 
 "Those who dwell in the habitual contemplation of 
 Nature frequently divine her harmonies, and in their simple 
 good sense are often more learned than doctors whose natural 
 perceptions are distorted by the sophistry of the schools." 
 " They are frequently uncultured persons "—but possess 
 " certain physical organization, better adapted to the 
 revelations of the occult world. "^J/j^/fT/f-v 0/ Magic. 
 
 4 2
 
 J22 G/idiJis oj Li^^lit and 
 
 NOTE S. 
 
 QUOTATIONS {re D. D. HOME, PAGE 145.) NINETEENTH 
 CENTURY MIRACLE.S. 
 
 After describing Mr. Home's levitation in and out of the 
 window the writer says: — "The cold blast of air, or electric 
 fluid, or call it what you may, was accompanied by a loud 
 whistle like a gust of wind upon the mountain-top, or 
 through the leaves of a forest in late autumn, the sound 
 was deep, sonorous, and powerful in the extreme, and a 
 shudder kept passing over those present, w^ho all heard and 
 felt it. This rushing sound lasted quite ten minutes, in 
 broken intervals of one or two minutes. All present were 
 much surprised, and the interest became intensified b}- the 
 unknown tongues in which Mr. Home now conversed. 
 Passing from one language to another in rapid succession, 
 he spoke for ten minutes in unknown languages. 
 
 A Spirit form became visible — voices were heard, and 
 large globes of phosphorescent light passed slowly through 
 the room. 
 
 NOTE T. 
 
 The Culdees— Early British Church — failed to convert 
 the Saxons, but what they dared not attempt had been effected 
 b\- votaries of the Church of Rome through the instrumentality
 
 G/im/'scs thro the Rift. --,. 
 
 of monks, aided by a Queen. They placed no confidence 
 in the power of man himself, they looked to a Higher 
 Power. Their austerit}- of manners led to the cultivation 
 of good morals, and their mortification in labouring" for the 
 bread they ate. 
 
 NOTE U. 
 
 CHAPTER ON VIRGIN TYPE OF MATTER.— COMMON ORIGIN OF 
 FORM, MAN, AND ANIMALS. 
 
 "Identical in the physical processes which he originates 
 — in the early stages of his formation — in the mode of his 
 nutrition before and after biilh, with the animals which lie 
 immediately below him in the scale (and which have come 
 to be what they are b}- processes of gradual modification), 
 man, if his adult structure be compared with theirs, exhibits, 
 as might be expected, a marvellous likeness of organization. 
 He resembles them as they resemble one another; he diflfers 
 from them as they differ from one another." — Huxley. 
 
 NOTE V. 
 
 ELEMENTALS. — KOBOLD'S liKRG-GEISTER. 
 
 "A small human figure, black and grotesque, more like 
 a little image carved out of black shining wood than anything 
 else." — Mdme. Kalodzy. — Rambles in the Hartz Jfoioitaiiis. 
 
 Two or three feet high— Berg-guster. In that part
 
 J24 (j/ctiiiis of Lii^ht and 
 
 which in the human being is occupied by the heart, they 
 carry a round lumiuious circle which is more frequently seen 
 than the little black men themselves. — Britten, 32, Nineteenth 
 Century Miraeles. 
 
 We know that the miners of Germany and the north 
 have always asserted, and do still assert, the existence of 
 Kobolds and other berg-geister or Spirits of the mountains 
 and mines, and that the}- assist or thwart their exertions in 
 quest of ore, as they are irritated or placated." — Wm. Howitt, 
 London Spirit. JIagazine. 
 
 NOTE W. 
 
 ELEMENTALS. — SPIRITS OF THE AIR. 
 
 "They told him they were divided into three orders; 
 that they had a chief whose residence was in the air; that 
 he had several councillors which were placed by him in the 
 form of a globe, and he in the centre, which was the chiefest 
 order; another order was employed in going to and from 
 thence to the earth to carry intelligence from these lower 
 Spirits ; and their own order was on earth according to the 
 directions they should receive from those in air." — p. 697. 
 Rap/iaet. 
 
 NOTE X. 
 
 ELEMENTALS. — SPIRITS RULING. 
 
 He (a Spirit developed) will finally divert to his own 
 use all elements and forces and become able to people his 
 realm with animal forms of his own creation; or according 
 to his pleasure divert to other uses the essences suited to 
 this purpose. — Inwiortaiity, p. 183.
 
 U. FAWCETl" S: Cu.. I'RIXTEKS. DKIFFIELD.
 
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