H 3d ' 
 
 Thf" '^^xper j«=?nces and Opinions of 
 George v/ashington fron Spirit Life , 
 
 By 
 Mrs. M. J. Upham Hendee
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNfA 
 AT LOS ANGELES
 
 THE 
 
 HXPHRIliXCBS AND OPINIONS 
 
 OF 
 
 GEOKdE 
 
 n 
 
 J 
 
 i. 
 
 FROM 
 
 SPIRIT LIFE 
 
 1878.
 
 L 
 
 M 
 
 -c/ c 
 
 THE 
 
 EXFHRIENCK AND OPIMUNS 
 
 OF 
 
 GEOIIGE 
 
 FROM 
 
 SPIRIT LIFE. 
 
 S-A.3Sr irR<A.ISrCISCO: 
 1878.
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The main contents of this pamphlet were written 
 by Washington, in iS68, using the mediumship of 
 Mrs. M. J. Upham Hendee. 
 
 The preface w^as written by my request, in May, 
 1878. 
 
 It is my mission to give it to the world. Like its 
 author it needs no introduction. Every page bears 
 the impress of him, who in earth-life, was noted for 
 truthfulness. 
 
 It comes in good time as a message of love-teach- 
 ing of the spirit, and a spirit-world as tangible reali- 
 ties, and a God of love everywhere. 
 
 .,-,- T. B. CLARKE. 
 
 
 . • • ' 
 
 • . * 
 
 
 5 '■ 
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1878, 
 By Thomas Bkownell Claeke, 
 In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C.
 
 B/- 
 
 H ^''" -c 
 
 Communication received May 25th, 1878. 
 
 My dear friend of earth, how gladly do I come to-day, and hope I may 
 impart glorious truths which I have been permitted to learn in my spirit- 
 homo. 
 
 Oil I how earnestly do wo from our home of light, yearn to impress you 
 with these divine blessings, for we know it will be a great conifort in your 
 e:irtiily homes to learn tiiat earth is not all, but another is prepared for you 
 wherein you will live and enjoy the felicity and companionship of loved 
 ones who have passed from you to an unknown and silent world, and to be 
 assured that they are living and enjoying the privileges and happiness of 
 homes with all surrounding blessing. Yes, dear friends, it speaks to the 
 souls of every living being, and lifts them above darkness and doubt — taking 
 away the sting of death — weaving it with a far more glorious life beyond. 
 
 My great desire is to arouse men's minds to grow into a l)eautiful, trust- 
 ing love, that the Creator doeth all things well. Every spirit who comes to 
 this blessed world, is astonished as they awake to the wondrous beauty of 
 this now-found home; and you may conceive what is their astonishment 
 after the teachings of the past. 
 
 But, thank God for this blessing in the awakening of your world to-day, 
 through the ministrations of his angels who have opened the door for mort- 
 als, and united them through magnetic currents to blend souls between 
 the two W)rld3. To us it is a joyous achievement, for we know of what 
 we speak, when we shall succeed in the full meaning of our mission in 
 giving a new life to millions now in darkness and fear; and you need not 
 wonder that angels, who have risen out of this condition, should move 
 heaven and earth to give unto man a true knowledge of existence. 
 
 It seems to me that this truth once established would arouse the hearts 
 of men to renewed life on earth — cause them to feel that there was some- 
 -x thing grand to live for besides the mortal which is so evanescent and fleet- 
 ra ing in comparison with an eternal home, ever growing brighter by unfold- 
 Hj ing intelligences reaching out toward the divine, and would cause the old, 
 7?z worn-out garments of theology to be cast of as cumberous and unclean, 
 r^ Life is eternal, and its joys and blessings await you all, and though you 
 r? see them not, it will be proven a reality. 
 
 "^'^ The two worlds are shaking hands, and soon man will walk in the image 
 of his Maker, blending the soul-world with the mortal. We know that 
 you cannot see us ; yet we are with you in love and truth, and happy to 
 see so much interest awakened toward us. 
 
 As this will be the last opportunity to write before my experiences are 
 given to the world, T wish to say that it is a truthful account, though 
 only one of thousands yet to be given to the loved ones of earth. May 
 God bless you for this privilege which has been a blessing that we might 
 give another from our beautiful home in the spirit-land. 
 
 Yours fraternally, 
 
 GEORGE WASHINGTON. 
 
 '507625 
 
 CO 
 
 cez
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 My dear earth-friends, feeling a deep intf rest in hamanity, I endeavored 
 ten years ago to open the portals of life to those yet veiled in uncertainty 
 concerning their future, by giving my experience in the transition to and 
 in the realms of spirit-life. I then little thought my message would lie 
 unrecognized so long. I trust higher intelligences have overruled for greater 
 good. 
 
 On awakening to these heavenly spheres, I found them in all their asso- 
 ciations so unlike what I had been taught, that I could only feel amazed, 
 and wonder at thf ir marvelous beauty. I seemed spell-bound with joy at 
 realizing that I still retained my individuality, and a life so real that were 
 it not I saw so many loved ones who had passed on before, giving me such 
 blessed congratulations and welcome, I should have felt myself still a resi- 
 dent of earth. 
 
 1 resolved that if it were possible to open communication with earth. I 
 would devote ray powers to that end. and have made every eifort to the 
 consummation of the truth of angel ministrations. 
 
 Many have been working to open a channel of communication, often 
 coming to earth to strengthen the power, forming magnetic and electric 
 currents whereby we could connect earth and heaven, and thus give proof 
 to mortals of our identity as living beings who once were mortals, and yet 
 retained their selfhood. Many efforts were made, before we gained recog- 
 nition, but when the glad news that an interchange of intelligent commu- 
 nication between the two worlds had been recognized, the joyful song rang 
 through the vaults of heaven, chanted by thousands eager to grasp the 
 loving hands or catch the whispering sound or tiny raps which should bring 
 the dead to life, and open the gates of heaven to all. 
 
 After many efforts, I succeeded in gaining strength to control this me- 
 dium to convey my experiences and wishe.-* to those in earth-life, uncertain 
 of their future destiny. 
 
 Too long have the false teachings of an angry God and an eternal hell 
 con.sumed the best thoughts of humanity, cramped the divine soul, unfitting 
 it either for the earth or spirit-life. 
 
 Thousands, to-day, choose darkness and uncertainty, blinding their eves 
 from the glories of heaven, through fear of an impending doom pronounced 
 by wicked teachers of dark traditional theology, which has misconstrued 
 God into a demon instead of a lovin? Father. 
 
 But those terrible dark and wicked teachings are passing, and the 
 teachers are now wondering in bewilderment of their delusions, ignorance 
 and superstitions in view of the higher knowledge of right, justice and 
 truth coming from millions of ministering angels in all lands and tongues. 
 
 The time is not far distant, when new openings will be made which will 
 reveal more fully the truth of this home of light and joy to mortal sight; 
 for heaven and earth are now working in unison for its completion. 
 
 I must now bless you for giving to the world this faint description of 
 our blessed home, hoping it may find favor with all honest, earnest seekers 
 after truth; and close with my fraternal blessing, 
 
 GEORGE WASHINGTON.
 
 SECTION FIRST. 
 
 Friends of earth-life, in coming here to bear my testi- 
 mony with the hosts of spirit friends, regarding our spirit- 
 ual home and its natural earth-life condition, gives me 
 great pleasure to be enabled to impart a knowledge of the 
 experiences of one whom you have known as a resident 
 upon your earthly sphere. 
 
 Having passed the cliaiige called death, I still find myself 
 a living, intelligent beinir, actuilly alive to all scenes inci- 
 dent to earth-life, yet coni])reh(niding a fuller and Jiappier 
 condition; finding there is no death but the beautiful change 
 called death, to be but the birth of the soul into realms of 
 spiritual unfoldraents; where like children born into earth- 
 life, we feel the weakness and strangeness of our situation, 
 not coinpreheuding the wonderful change that has come 
 over us; but being guided and strengthened by our loved 
 ones, who iiieet us at the gateway to welcome us, yielding, 
 trustingly, Im iugly to their protection; becoming strength- 
 ened, we learn to adapt ourselves to the conditions sur- 
 rounding us; thus we gradually become ii wakened and 
 strengthened, until every fibre of the soul is pulsating with 
 new and wonderful emotions, thrilling with joy to learn 
 that we can still communicate with mortals, and impress 
 them with our presence, and that we still can assist and 
 guide them by our influence and teachings, urging them 
 to honesty and truthfulness here, as; passports to a higher 
 and more useful life. I therefore give you ray experience 
 of having been ushered into a new and to me incompre- 
 hensible state of existence, so unlike my idea of heaven 
 as described to my earthly vision, that you will not be sur- 
 prised at my astonishment. 
 
 My first awakening into spirit-life was like awakening 
 out of sleep on a bright and lovely morning in June, when 
 the freshness of flowers and the music of birds atune all 
 nature to harmony. I could not understand where I was. 
 I was filled with awe at the appearance and grandeur of 
 the wonderful sublime surroundings. While beholding 
 these things, I seemed to recall the past — to realize that I 
 had passed from earth and must now be in heaven. Can 
 this be, I said to myself; and yet everything is as natural 
 as in earth-life. How strange, how wonderful everything 
 seemed, so like earth that I seem to doubt my senses, and 
 yet I know that I must have changed — must have left the 
 t'oi-m — for I perceived that I had not the same material
 
 6 
 
 body; and remembered also the dear friends weeping 
 over me, bidding me farewell; and said surely this is 
 heaven for which I had so often prayed. But it is not 
 so great a change, for everything is so real and life-like, 
 that I shall be able to comprehend its locality and sphere, 
 and its distance from earth — for it is no longer a visionary 
 heaven, but a real local place. While these strange 
 thoughts were passing through my mind, I seemed to be 
 in a kind of pleasing dream ; partly asleep and partly 
 awake. While thus wondering as to my condition, a sweet, 
 bright vision of glorified spirits seemed to approach and 
 arouse me to a greater fullness of my condition and sur- 
 roundinors. One beautiful, bright spirit came out from 
 the number, and extending her arms, cried: " George, my 
 son, you have come to me, and a mother's arms can again 
 embrace you — can watch over you. You have passed 
 beyond the earthly^ pkine, and are now in spirit spheres. 
 My dear devoted mother, how beautiful she seemed; as 
 natural and real as when in the earth-form. The vision 
 opened, and I beheld many dear earth friend^^coming near 
 to me; many a one who had passed on before — many a 
 loved one whom I had seen depart to that unknown bourn 
 from whence no traveler returns again to take up the 
 form — but who I find do take form of spirit matter and 
 return to visit their earthly scenes, and hover around the 
 dear ones left on the earth plane. 
 
 Mv first awakening to consciousness of this new life, 
 seemed so truly natural I felt a delightful happiness per- 
 vading my being. Those dear angels, whose ministering 
 kindness aroused to cousciousness my feeble spirit, gave 
 me full a'ssurance of a continued life in this new phase of 
 being. Truly, a light broke in upon my being, a wonder- 
 ful change, and yet I lived and held converse with those 
 who had long preceded me. My mother, who was truly 
 ray guardian spirit, gave me into the protection of those 
 who should assist in strengthening and arousing my self- 
 sustaining power to become an independent being, to act 
 in the great drama of spirit existence. Thev took me to the 
 most lovely scenes ; scenes that bewildered my feeble con- 
 ception, and yet so natural that I could only wonder at its 
 life-like associations. 
 
 At this time I felt that I was surrounded by a host of 
 divine beings, but upon looking:, I saw many of my dear 
 friends of earth rejoicing at my coming — those who had 
 passed on years gone by, who had almost passed out of 
 my mind, had now come to welcome me to this new home. 
 Aged friends were before me now living pictures of youth
 
 and beauty, robed in pure, celestial garments of azure 
 briglitness. They had conio to wolcomo me to this bright 
 sphere and bear me on to brigljt and heavenly knowledge 
 of my present condition. 
 
 How my soul swelled with emotion at the thought that 
 all were here in this beautiful world, and no one cast out, 
 but all growing brighter as they become acquainted with 
 the true laws of development. 
 
 Truly, my first knowledge was astonishment, delight and 
 wonder at the gorgeous scenery of scintillated light from 
 gorgeous domes above — with flowers whose perfume 
 wrapped me within their folds of sweetness — while beau- 
 tiful birds of every hue warbled forth their strains of 
 music in such sweet tones of melody that 1 seemed to lose 
 myself amid so much loveliness and grandeur that 1 slept. 
 
 How long, 1 have no knowledge. 1 was awaked by a 
 voice saying, "My son, 1 wish you to come up higher.' 
 Looking' up, I saw my mother, and with her a band of 
 angels mIio I had not seen before. 
 
 These were a band of murtyrs who had come up through 
 great tribulation, who had fought bravely and had won 
 the crown of knowledge, and often returned to earth to 
 minister to those who were still striving for liberty. They 
 had been with us in our dark and trying moments of sor- 
 row ami fear, guiding and directing us through the peril- 
 ous struggle for freedom, and had inspired many a feeble 
 heart and nerved many a palsied arm to oppose the up- 
 lifted blow which was raised to crush out that divine spark 
 of freedom that burned upon the altar of our souls. It 
 was to them who had lived and died for that great boon 
 for which we were then contending, that they had come 
 from their bright home to assist us to gain that freedom 
 here which they saw and felt, but could not gain only 
 through the dissolving elements of the llesh. I stood con- 
 founded, and said to them do you tell me then that we can 
 return back to earth and become ministeriug spirits to 
 those we liave left there? Truly, my son said an aged 
 sire, such is the truth, and we have come to you, knowing 
 your sympathy and love for those around you, and your 
 impressibility to become en rapport with such as have 
 kind and uenerous natures to prepare you for w continua- 
 tion of the mission you are so well adapted to fill. The 
 love of your countrymen and confidence reposed in you, 
 will enable you to do much good for the advancement of 
 that liberty, that generous, confiding love of brotherly 
 kindness which you so generously manifested while sus- 
 taining and upholding them in their great struggle for
 
 8 
 
 freedom. Truly this is joy unspeakable to know that I 
 may still be permitted to return to earth and mingle again 
 in the scenes I have loved so well — this is joy indeed. I 
 now understand why heaven is such a beautiful place, and 
 why angels are so happy in it — because they can partici- 
 pate in all that has made life happy; a continuation of 
 blest associations; a continuation of a renewed life to do 
 good and receive good; to be givers and receivers. What 
 a wonderful lesson to the soul, that to be happy we must 
 impart our good gifts to others, that they may be bene- 
 fitted so as to benefit others again — a divine law of the 
 Almighty; tlie more we Q-ive the more we receive. I per- 
 ceive the overshadowing wisdom of this great lesson. How 
 did my soul bound with delight to know that I could 
 again be permitted to help the down-trodden and suffering 
 of earth. I was truly blest with such heavenly rays of 
 light breaking in upon my yet infant senses as it were, 
 that I seemed to forget those divine beings who surrounded 
 me, and who quietly took me to a gorgeous home, when 
 again I lost myself in repose. 
 
 On awakening from this strengthening sleep, 1 felt invig- 
 orated and refreshed, ready to go forth to new duties, my 
 mind being filled with joy unspeakable at the wonderful 
 developments that were transpiring in this new transition. 
 
 Again an angel stood before me, and told me to follow 
 him, as I did so, he wafted me through wondrous scenes 
 of changing life, over mountains, whose majestic slopes 
 and towering heights were grand beyond description, 
 passing through flowery valleys whose running streams 
 and cooling shades invited to repose. 
 
 Before us lay a lovely valley, whose bosom was real 
 with sweet-tinted mosses and flowers of every hue. Just 
 as we neared an elevation of gently sloping hills, we be- 
 held grottoes and mansions of pearly brightness, dazzling 
 in the sunlight. 
 
 A bright angel, too lovely for description, stepped before 
 us, pointing upwards. We raise<l our eyes, and beheld 
 a charmed circle above sheddiui^ rays of light and beauty 
 around us. She spoke, and then 1 saw the sweet linea- 
 ments of a departed friead, who had passed away long 
 years before — one who had enchained my heart in my 
 eai'ly youth, when the brow was clear, and sorrow had 
 not set its seal on my brow of care. She stepped or glided 
 forward, extending her hand, saying, "Welcome, friend, 
 welcome here. I have waited long for you as a dear, friend 
 from my earth-home. That band you see coming are 
 dear friends of our early associations. Your presence has
 
 drawn them here to welcome you to this new life ; they 
 will take you hither to show you their beautiful sphere, 
 when you have become more awakened to your new sur- 
 roundiuj^s." 1 lived again through the past — the long past 
 that had not returned to me in many years — all seemed 
 fresh now as when I wandered over the bright scenes in 
 ray youthful happiness. Can this be po-sible, I said, that 
 I meet you again more beautiful than before — truly, this is 
 real, this is heaven, more of heaven, more of joy than the 
 one we pictured in our earthly life — for does it not give us 
 all of our briglitcst our happiest realities here again, full 
 fresh in the ombodimeniof life, to be forever blessed — for- 
 ever progressing and elevating one another. 
 
 This bright spirit said "Follow me." She turned into 
 a gorgeous palace, where I beheld in an arched room con- 
 stellated with gems of rarest beauty, an art-gallery of 
 paintings of our noblest, our most illustrious men and 
 women of earth life, many who we would not find in the 
 galleries of earth paintings, but who were known by soul 
 teaching to be worthy of a place in the soul world. 
 
 Wealth or position had not brought them here, biit the 
 true, living soul that worked itself out in humility, ignoring 
 suffering for the truth they would not deny. 
 
 Could you see the soul speaking through the expression 
 of the eye, you would wonder that they had been neglected 
 while in earth life. Truly here was fit study for inspira- 
 tion, living, breathing life startling out from those angelic 
 works. 
 
 After viewing these, we were ushered into another room 
 or arched dome, whose sides were tilled with works of art 
 and scientific lore — the sages, the poets, the painters, 
 sculptors, philosophers, heroes and martyrs of every age 
 and clime, who had exjn-essed through these volumes their 
 thought, their investigations, their trials and experiences 
 gained while inhabitants of this earthly sphere. 
 
 Wonderful was this great library, and truly did I stand 
 in wonder and amazement at this to me incomprehensible 
 grandeur of what £ saw before me. Still we moved on to 
 another circular dome, when to m}' astonished gaze opened 
 a museum of every thing created on oiir globe from its 
 first formation to tiie present time or at that time, for that 
 was during my first introduction to spirit spheres. These 
 are spirit designs before the earth is moulded into form, 
 for spirit conceives and impregnates earth with its concep- 
 tion of everything that was made, whether life, vegetable 
 or mineral. Thus we beheld the models of spirit life. 
 Wonderful indeed, are thy works, O God, Thou great
 
 10 
 
 Divine; should we not give thanks to Thee whom to knotv 
 is to love unspeakable and full of glory. The guide, for 
 such this bright angel was, told me that all inventions or 
 designs were preconceived in spirit-life and impressed 
 upon those minds most susceptible and best adapted to 
 such controls given at the time the world most needs them 
 or can appreciate them — thus supplying her wants as fast 
 as she demands — showing an all-wise power creating 
 wants and supplying them. What a thought! that souls 
 that hunger after food find their supply in spirit com- 
 munion, whether through mechanical labor, mental lore 
 or inspirational wisdom. 
 
 We now moved on. She said that she would take me 
 to the homes of some who had been earth's poets. We 
 came to a lovely spot where clustered beautiful trees and 
 flowers, with miniature lakes and mounds which gave such 
 a life scene that I felt chained to the spot. 
 
 Here were the homes of Shelly, Pope and Dryden, 
 sages and philosophers in their earth time and age, resting 
 in this sphere to revel again in' those luxurious scenes of 
 song, in which they loved to linger. Volumes of poems 
 lay around, whose language had startled the world, and 
 volumes that should arouse it again through other pens. 
 
 Such I found this beautiful locality — a living breathing 
 witness of continued life. While we were contemplating 
 of these beautiful homes, I was impressed to look at a 
 lovely lake where were many spirits congregated. Fol- 
 lowing my guide, we approached to where they were 
 gathered — when, suddenly, a shout of heavenly music 
 broke upon my senses and swelled wdthin those vibrating 
 emotions of grandeur and sublimity that seemed to carry 
 me to all that had overpassed on to higher and holier realms 
 of bliss. These were those whom 1 had long loved in 
 sympathy, mingling together with those who.-e homes I 
 liad just passed. They came to us and seemed to recog- 
 nize me by a peculiar tie that binds spirit to spirit. 
 
 We were welcomed to this beautiful retreat, and many 
 were the inquiries for their home associations. 
 
 After passing a pleasant time, we returned to the home 
 of my guide, when bidding me adieu, we 23arted. 
 
 My mother again approached, saying, "My son, we will 
 now take you back to earth, where you may recognize the 
 great sphere in which you will be guided and directed by 
 those who will show you your mission." 
 
 I was happy to be permitted to revisit my home where 
 all was dear to me; where many a friend still dwelt in the 
 form to whom I longed to make known my happiness in
 
 li 
 
 being able to return to earth in tlie happy consciousness 
 of bein^ able to impart good if not to make myself known. 
 
 How eager did I again revisit old scenes, and how fresh 
 came back to me all my past, acid how truly gratified to 
 be permitted this great blessing. 
 
 How I longed to make myself known to the dear ones 
 left on earth. I was told that the time would come when 
 I would be able to make myself known, be recognized as 
 one who would be a friend to those still living upon the 
 earth, that my duties on earth were only a commencement 
 of continual life. That now I was being prepared to help 
 tho.se who still liuger in bond;ige, to awaken those who 
 slept in nncon.sciousness of their true life; that, that lib- 
 erty for wliich I was an instrument to gain, had oixly com- 
 menced, and the continuation was a full, a free light for 
 all to see, that should be as free to all as the sun's rays, 
 that no one could hide or destroy; that it might illuminate 
 all; that there should be no more oppression, no more 
 bondage for man, but a free, universal freedom for all, an 
 elevated spiritual condition of mankind; that the}' must be 
 lifted out of this fear and darkness, and the angel world 
 must mingle their sympathies and draw by their influence 
 the souls of men out of bondage into confidence and love 
 with God and the angel world. 
 
 How truly has to me that prophecy been fulfilled, that 
 one of angels ministering unto the wants of^men. Could 
 man to-day, Avith all the great inspiration of this era, 
 realize the wonderful changes being wrought out through 
 angel ministry, he would not so often despair for the 
 future. 
 
 What to man often looks dark and obscure may be the 
 greatest of blessings in disguise. We trust too much to 
 our powers and knowledge of eternal things and yield 
 not enough to our interior promptings. 
 
 When man learns to listen to the teachings from within, 
 he will enable those loved friends to come nearer and im- 
 press them with the truthfuhiess of life. 
 
 1 know, by my own experience, that I was helped much 
 in m}' earthly life. I felt it then, but now I know. I was 
 not the only one; thousands before me knew that great 
 fact, and .silently heeded it, and were blest accordingl}". 
 
 For many years the world has been taught to deny those 
 teachings as superstitious, and believers were called 
 dreamers or fanatics, and utterly discarded in the world 
 by popular teachings. Mothers and grandmotheis have 
 been looked u|)on as imbecil and deranged, who spoke of 
 seeing or believing in "ghosts" or dreams; and many an
 
 12 
 
 honest, true-hearted, loving being, has been called a witch 
 in communication with the devil, because she could tell of 
 the future. Oh what dreadful darkness and superstition 
 reigned in the days of witchcraft; ho-^ man}- bright souls 
 were condemned and cruelly murdered by infatuated and 
 misled beings, whose bigoted education and fear of a devil 
 caused them to commit. Oh ignorance! how terrible are 
 the revolutions which must roll over you to work out the 
 great problem of a true life, whose inner essence is the 
 aroma of all progress. 
 
 The angel world has ever ministered to the wants of 
 man through all time, and had not bigotry and persecu- 
 tion ruled the earth with such a fearful hand, we might 
 now be in sweet communion v/ith the world, without doubt 
 or fear. But those who have held power have used it to 
 their own aggran^iizement, and to sustain it have com- 
 pelled the masses to ignorance and servitude, transferring 
 God into a tyrant rather than a father. 
 
 Even when Christ was sent to enlighten and harmonize 
 the world, he could not be recognized by them because he 
 came not as they liked but as meek and lowly. How are 
 the meek and lowly appreciated to-day, are they exalted 
 or acknowledged ':* No. Such a spirit can never grow 
 into a true spiritual condition, and the world cease to 
 recognize the eternal as the one great aim of life. How 
 many sacrifice dear and loving friends for the sake of 
 being popular amongst those whose soul's aim is to shine 
 like a flash of lightning while the bolt strikes its votary 
 to the heart. 
 
 The cold formal teachings of theology has done its work 
 upon the hearts of men; it has hardened them to other's 
 goodness, and uplifted tliose who had its instructions as 
 something better than a brother who does not see as they do. 
 
 If they would take Christ's example and teachings for 
 their guide, striving to do as He did, with the same simple 
 faith doing good and persecuting none, they would not 
 remain idle, waiting for him to cleanse them from their 
 sins by the blood He shed upon ihe cross. All that fail 
 to learn that lesson in earth life, will have to learn it in 
 the spirit; will have to learn that they have a work to do, 
 and that if not done in earth life must be done in spirit, 
 as no one can escape his mission. All "must work out 
 their own salvation" in earth life or in the life to come. 
 
 Such were Christ's Avords as were impressed upon him 
 and such all find it on coming here. Those who do not 
 live with and by the spirit in earth life must work throvi*gh 
 that darkness after coming to spirit life. There are many
 
 13 
 
 phases or spheres through which spirit has to grow to 
 become an independent spirit of the spheres. Many lin- 
 ger ai'ound earth years, having so rnucli of the eartliy 
 about them that it attracts to itself all that belongs to it. 
 If the spirit has not grown to a condition to free itself 
 from its material, it will cling around until grown into a 
 more s[)iritual condition. Thouscinds have to come back 
 and take possession of other persons to carry out their 
 unprogressed condition, and the more material their 
 medium is, the better can spirits of that class act through 
 theni. All should endeavor to class their mediums ac- 
 cording to their development, and not allow those pro- 
 gressed to a more spiritual plane to mingle with those of 
 the earlier development in a social relation of circles un- 
 less as teachers. It is the same law as in governing 
 schools. No teacher, for a moment, would brinu; himself 
 down to the capacity of a scholar in the intellectual scale, 
 expecting that scholar to be as well educated as himself, 
 after having passed through many grades of education. 
 But he may love, respect and mingle with them to instruct, 
 to elevate them to a condition of knowledge. But to try 
 to render himself as uneducated, would place him out of 
 his condition, making it very inharmonious for both. 
 Thus you see the same law governs both. We commence 
 at the primary and rise in the progressive scale of intelli- 
 gence. Infants are beautiful as miniature men and women, 
 but they are not men and women for want of experience 
 and knowledge, gained by the progressive life. This 
 beautiful law of development gives a new light of useful- 
 ness through time and throughout eternity. 
 
 All are one great family, working out principles of life 
 and assisting one another in the great workshop of eternity, 
 all being perfectly arranged in harmony and beauty. 
 
 SECTION SECOND. 
 
 I have wandered from my theme, perhaps, in illustrating 
 the great problem of life, but when such volumes come up 
 before me of retrospection, I cannot fail to illustrate as I 
 feel the wonderful in God's great arcana, that life once 
 given, ever liveth in and through all eternity. 
 
 I saw the bright star rising, which should be seen by 
 all, and being seen would awaken the world to a conscious-
 
 14 
 
 ness of the great revelation. Inspired men of all ages 
 have felt this grand law, but could not fully comprehend 
 it. The general awakening of the present day, is only the 
 result of a long struggle between darkness and light, igno- 
 rance and education, not the refined education that limits 
 its pupil to certain rules and forms, but a general educa- 
 tion of mind and soul, an imj^ulse to learn all things, an 
 investigation of all laws of God, both material and spiritual, 
 not cramping the mind to certain limits, but cultivating, 
 enlarging and beautifying all things within this great 
 temple of life. I find myself coming back many times to 
 earth to gain instruction from those who have to give from 
 their knowledge of earth in her more recent developments, 
 while I too can impart knowledge gained in sphere life, 
 and often get sweet instruction while ministering to the 
 wants of man. The world looks to us for all knowledge 
 being governed by a law like unto themselves. We find 
 ourselves limited to conditions we cannot overcome, and 
 can give light or knowledge no farther than we have indi- 
 vidually advanced, unless at times, through inspirational 
 moments, we reach beyond our sphere. Still, we have 
 much to give, were conditions only understood to bring 
 out the hidden treasures of the soul, and w^hen it can be 
 brought around we can do much. 
 
 As yet, the world is far from being passive to the proper 
 conditions. It is only by great eftbrts that so much has 
 been gained, but enough to know that we feel that we have 
 been recognized as a living principle, a desire to be free as 
 God, free as the inspiration with which we are surrounded. 
 Every element in life must be free to receive the fullness of 
 our father and our mother's love — unbounded, unbroken. 
 The great struggle for liberty to worship God according to 
 the dictates of our own interior longings, w^rote itself on 
 the tablets of eternity. To be compelled to worship accoid- 
 ingto another's form or creed, is as abhorent to the soul as to 
 compel one living to be tied to a dead body, and drag it 
 with him through life in anticipation of an eternal repose. 
 No, every awakened soul has aspirations adapted to his 
 wants, and can be led by truth and beauty up to higher 
 and holier principles, but can never be driven by threats 
 or scorn to embrace what to them has no beauty or holi- 
 ness. Terrors never create love and trusting confidence; 
 there is always a fear of some terrible change which will 
 bring them to some dread account. It was this great in- 
 spiration which aroused our forefathers to forsake their 
 homes and friends, to find freedom to worship their great 
 teacher, who they felt impressed them on to a home fresh
 
 15 
 
 with lifo and free from the hands of its creator, where 
 they mif^ht worship in the fullness and purit} of their 
 souls. How beautiful, how glorious was the free unbound- 
 ed Icjve that went up to the father of all for his love and 
 mercy, in opening a way that gave liberty to express those 
 beautiful thoughts that came swelling up in their souls, 
 gushing out in praise and joy for their groat deliverance, 
 to ])raise God after their own mind. What will not the 
 soul do to emerge into light? It will seek its own — it can- 
 not be driven back; you may check it or strive to check it 
 from its course — but like a rivor it will burst its bounds, 
 and struggle through in other ways in its course to the 
 ocean- for there it is bound and there it will go. But try 
 and beautify it by removing the obstructions, and it will 
 flow on beautiful to look upon, and useful as a current of 
 life to bear us on to our destination. Such then is the 
 soul of man; it feels its own intention, its own awak- 
 ing; and shall another dare to deny or debar that soul 
 the freedom of sweet communion with God. Can we 
 fathom God? if not, can we fathom the soul? If God is 
 infinite, it must take everything to make God; and is it 
 not necessary that every soul must have its own inspira- 
 tion of God; we c mnot all understand him alike; we can 
 only see him from our own standpoint. Some see him in 
 fear as a terrible being; that is partly owing to education 
 or surroundings, or unhealthy conditions of the mind, 
 from physical disorganizations; and the}- look through 
 those phases as we look through smoked glass, and give 
 the coloring of that divine being through distorted lenses, 
 each seeini:: Him according to their capacity. Therefore 
 all see Him differently; still He is the same God, yester- 
 dav, to-day and forever. Those whose souls have been 
 cramped by fear of Him, look at Him only to dread Him 
 as a hard and cruel master, while those who recognize 
 Him Avith confidence and love as a true father, unbounded 
 in love and wisdom, see Him beautified and good, bestow- 
 ing good gifts unto his children. They behold Him, in 
 everything as a recognized being, whose fullness is seen 
 everywhere. It is this emotional, this restless law of 
 development that inspires and moves beings out of the 
 common and dull routine of every-day life; to arouse them 
 from a dormant capacity as it were to a new, a living 
 awakening to a something newer, and a higher and holier 
 princiide of life, it is not us that are doing this, Imt the 
 divine spark that is witliin us that arouses us to a con- 
 sciousness of a want not supplied — a yearning after some-
 
 16 
 
 • 
 
 tiling beyond, for which we need and must have to satisfy 
 the demands of our being. 
 
 We have not understood God's laws that the soul has 
 its requirements as well as the physical body, and that 
 to nourish it we must understand what those wants are, 
 and supply them as readily as we would the starving body 
 with its desire for nourishment. We have fed the body 
 with food as we imperfectly understood it, but have utterly 
 denied food for the soul of thousands of starving children. 
 It has been a custom— a law in fact — to compel men and 
 women (made and recognized by God as his children) to 
 worship him according to a religious rite, entirely against 
 their inclination, better judgment or intuitive impressions, 
 because it was a recognized religion of the world. 
 
 Must every flower grow upon a rock, because one 
 chanced to bo born there or in the dark cavern, or does 
 God bless them everywhere. Do they not flourish best 
 where nature is best adapted to their wants — the morning 
 sunshine, the fertile soil and sparkling dew-drops. Yet 
 those beautiful flowers which are so lovely, are in as sweet 
 communion with their creator as those more blest with 
 congenial life. We feel that it is delight to have beauti- 
 ful birds caged to administer to our happiness; but are 
 they living a fullness of life; have they liberty? I always 
 felt while listening to their plaintive strains, that there was 
 a sadness lingering around them which gave me a feeling 
 of pity for their prisoned condition. Every soul longs for 
 freedom, and feels a mysterious tie binding him to a future, 
 a different life. We try to overcome it by rendering our- 
 selves happy to present surroundings, but we inevitably feel 
 that we are to act some p;irt to us yet unknown. We cannot 
 chain the soul; it is linked with the unfathomable beyond 
 this sphere; M'e are beings of change, and the infinite has 
 written out our lives on the great future. 
 
 Worlds cannot hold us; we a)e ever moving onward, and 
 upward to an unknown intelligence which will give to us 
 as fast as we can comprehend it — infinite instinct draws us 
 unto that protection and nourishment which is designed 
 for our u:e— but we have sadly denied that silent language, 
 which never deceives when rightly understood. 
 
 The inevitable law of progress show,; that we are destined 
 to be an intelligent and spiritual world; everything demon- 
 strates that fact, from the earliest formation to the present 
 time. I thought much of these things before leaving earth; 
 I saw many things which proved beyond a doubt to my 
 mind, that this earth was developing itself; and that it 
 passed of forms to another life which were to live and com-
 
 17 
 
 municate with us intelligenily. Many things occurred to 
 me which gave proof of this. Those trying scenes through 
 which I passed in that huig revolutionary struggle for 
 libertj', gave me many an iuipressiou of an interior, a 
 spirit-life, and left a conviction with me that I should live 
 agaiu, and return to earth with a full consciousness of 
 being, and as a dweller in spiiit-life should recognize the 
 material world; but m}' ideas of heaven were never clearly 
 define<l. Jt was always clothed in mystery regarding its 
 true locality and surroundings. I always felt that I was 
 led or guided rather than an independent being; I felt the 
 preserving hiind of God, as I recognized it then in shield- 
 ing me from danger, while those around me were stricken 
 down while in comparative safety. There seemed to be a 
 presence always about me, whispering words of consola- 
 tion and encouragement. History records some of those 
 wonderful events which tianspired to preserve me from 
 danger and privations, while so many of my dear comrades 
 fell to rise no more on earth, but rose in immortality, there 
 to await my coming with welcome songs of praise, as to a 
 brother who had tarried longer upon that troubled bosom 
 of mother earth, until her restless children had found 
 poace and liberty to shield them from oppression and 
 bigotry, where they could praise God under their own vine 
 and tig- tree. 
 
 Those beautiful inspirations in my earthly life are now 
 being realized in my spiritual progression — those beauti- 
 ful interior thoughts are becoming living truths to my 
 spiritual senses, for every flower and drop of water, every 
 grain of sand speaks unto the soul its own future, and is 
 again recognized in spirit-life with all its fullness and soul 
 meaning to our spiritual understanding. 
 
 The poet, the painter, in their inspirational moments, 
 illustrate the soul of things to the world, in a language 
 which inspires those who read or look upon the canvas 
 with the wonderful and beautiful in nature and art — that 
 soul language we took with us to ouj' beautiful home as 
 mementoes of past ages when we were mortal and inhabi- 
 tants of the sphere of physical, when the soul had a mortal 
 covering to protect and perfect a divinity, an iudeptsndent 
 form to be letainedand perfected in its organization, while 
 a dweller here — a recognized, identitied, sj)iritual being in 
 its progression through the different spheres of spirit-life. 
 Such, then, I found Heaven, a perpetual living epitome, 
 where we, as children born into spirit-life, were to grow, 
 taking on with us such conditions as this life gave us, of 
 variety and attraction that were harmonious to our condi-
 
 18 
 
 tion, and as we awoke to a higher and nobler condition we 
 lose those things we no longer need, rising out as it were 
 Phoenix like from our a-hes of the past, to a newer and 
 brighter sphere of usefulness, for I find that in laying down 
 our earthly garments that the spirit does not find eternal 
 rest, but has just taken up its work in this wonderful pro- 
 gress of eternal law. 
 
 I thought while on earth that my labors would be ended 
 when the great rest came — that my mission was filled when 
 1 entered paradise and could have constant association with 
 the blest, and be permitted an occasional visit to earth, 
 for I could not give up the thought that spirits might come 
 near earth at times and minister somewhat to their condi- 
 tions — but as I have said, I had but an indistinct idea of 
 heaven and the angel world. 
 
 What I have seen since my advent to spirit life has been 
 a lesson to me and may be some benefit to those yet in the 
 form. I find that all my usefulness did not cease at my 
 change — that I had only laid out a small portion of useful- 
 ness and labor while in earth-life, and that what good seed 
 
 I had sown while in the form would do its good work 
 
 that my deviations from natural laws only debarred for a 
 time the spirit progress to higher conditions. 
 
 SECTION THIED. 
 
 The first sounds of those tiny raps awakened a slum- 
 bering world to a consciousness of living witnesses minis- 
 tering to them the unfoldment of a new era of existence 
 which would usher into being a new principle of thought 
 and action ; a divine revelation from the world of those 
 departed who again had returned, making themselves 
 known by a thousand new and strange forms of speech, 
 and action, giving an alphabet of spirit-life, through and 
 by which they could communicate to their dear friends 
 from the other shore, proving by those wonderful demon- 
 strations their true identity. 
 
 With w^hat joy did those living witnesses greet us as we 
 silently, though truthfully, gave demonstrations of con- 
 tinued life. 
 
 But the world, always slow to recognize anything be- 
 yond their limited comprehension, denied and scorned the
 
 19 
 
 thought that immortal friends could or would return again 
 to earth. Many, through fear of some dread exposure, 
 imagining the revelations of some of their hidden mysteries 
 or wrongs done to others, scotfed at the possibility of 
 spirit return, while in their hearts they trembled lest it 
 should be true. 
 
 The Pharisee felt it would revolutionize his theory of 
 religion. Such has been the principal cause of denying 
 the mission of spirits to this world, wishing by combating 
 and denying to deny to us the privilege of returning to 
 earth, fearing the dead may tell tales of the many wrongs 
 done them here. The old adage, that "dead men tell no 
 tales," is pleasantly sustained by them, and to awaken to 
 a knowledge of an intelligence beyond returning, startled 
 the bigoted, wicked world to its foundation. But the 
 dear ones who have longed for truth and freedom found 
 an answering call to their progress, a hope beyond the 
 dark and silent tomb, and a happy recognition of fathers, 
 mothers, children, brothers, sisters and friends who would 
 come and administer consolation to their souls as well as 
 those saints of old whom they pray so unceasingly to. 
 
 We have now an intelligent communication opened and 
 understood between the spheres, and each and all are per- 
 mitted to receive tokens of their friends. 
 
 How should the' world rejoice at this great event; but, 
 like all others of im[)ortance, it is denied, trampled on, 
 and those through whom it came are not recognized as 
 honest or reliable because it was not given to some popu- 
 lar religion, or because it was considered an impossibility, 
 as all great advanced thoughts are received, and as Jesus 
 himself was received when he came teaching this same 
 doctrine. They soon crucified Him, a)id would have those 
 through whom those raps came, had not sufi&cient light 
 shone upon the world through mesmerism, magnetism and 
 electric currents to push back the crowd of ignorance that 
 would have destroyed them. 
 
 How truly many love darkness rather than light fearing 
 the light will expose their hideous deformity. The great 
 awakening to life, the advent of telegraphing the thoughts 
 from north to south, east to west, from the absent wan- 
 deter to the home circle gave an impetus to life, a heart 
 throb to millions of living, intelligent beings, who felt at 
 once the names of those whom oceans and mountains had 
 separated for years — felt in the unit of that great link a 
 response of brotherly love and friendship cemented. But 
 was it done without an eftbrt, a struggle? Did man receive 
 it at once, or did he rebel and deny the possibility of such
 
 20 
 
 a scene. The spirit world had found a channel by and 
 through which they could work out the problem of con- 
 necting thought controlling space and distance into seconds 
 of time. 
 
 Now the world looks on, and feels the great importance of 
 that wonderful invention and gain when continents are 
 united. Another great mind was sought which had to pass 
 the great ordeal of doubting Thomases when at last it was 
 supposed he had gained the victory, what wonderful demon- 
 strations in his favor, but when, alas, it was pronounced 
 a failure, he was hooted and sneered at as a poor, fanatical 
 idiot for ever dreaming of such a scheme.* Such is life 
 and such are the phases of mankind while laboring under 
 ignorance; the first to assail without investigation and the 
 first to adopt when it has proved itself an independent 
 truth. 
 
 Those who do most for the world leceive the least reward 
 in its worldly benefits ; but the soul that lifts itself above 
 feels a reward beyond all earthly agrandizemeut. 
 
 They are lifted in aspirations and sympathy to those 
 ennobling, spiritual influences which have upheld and sus- 
 tained them through their trying ordeal, and now reward 
 them in soul language that mortal cannot give or take away. 
 I have been with you often and mingled my sympathies 
 with you in all your trying scenes of this late unhappy war. 
 The true spirit of liberty has a diamond setting and will 
 remain when all dross or ignorance will be removed. Many 
 of its particles may have been destroyed, but only to make 
 the remaining centre a more brilliant, a more permanent 
 structure. The grand framework has been immortalized 
 by the grand architect of nature's harmonies, and remodeled 
 by our early charter of governmental form in uniting and 
 still dispensin<)[ freedom to all as we then understood it, and 
 through the developing powers of time wrought out through 
 opposing elements, a chosen, a brighter light for freedom. 
 
 Through all this we have not been idle, and through 
 the ministration of the angel -world, a spiritual light has 
 broken in upon the darkness of the mind, awakening it to 
 a higher and a nobler impulse that every man has a right 
 to speak and think the thoughts or inspirations God has 
 given him, feeling or upholding a self-reliant assurance, 
 that a power sustains all good and ennobling action. 
 
 Your dear departed Lincoln, do you think him dead be- 
 cause removed from sight? No, he stands to-day an im- 
 mortalized spirit, investigating and sustaining this, our 
 beloved country; and though a martyr through the con- 
 
 ' Would say to youthful readers, that Morse's Atlantic Cable at first proved a failure.
 
 21 
 
 spiracj of au infatuated, bigoted people, still he pities 
 them for their darkness and inharmonious conditions. 
 
 Could you see him to-day, you would find him at his 
 work, with the same calm, benignant look tracing the line 
 of the nation. He lives not only to-day in the hearts of 
 his people, but a living, acting principle, as true to the 
 interest of his country as when on earth. No, so long as 
 such men are moulded in earth and transplanted in heaven, 
 your noble country Avill never be destroyed, but will be 
 sustained to outgrow all bigotry and error, uniting with a 
 free and ennobling purpose of life. 
 
 My great desire is to see this glorious structure reared 
 so harmonious, that angels can come in true sympathy, 
 uniting the two worlds in one, giving and receiving the 
 true elements of life. 
 
 Truly is it not one life, with its variety, its changes 
 growing more and more refined, purified on its upward 
 progress, yet not scorning to return to embrace those yet 
 clothed with material, to impregnate them with the 
 spiritual, the divine influence of their spiritual life. Oh, 
 how can any one wish to debar the thought that angels can 
 minister unto the wants of man. Angels are only dis- 
 solved mortals, and by ]>urifyiug by sympathy and love, 
 by communion with those from the other side, ^w.' feel the 
 same interest for life as when on earth ; being free from 
 the mortal, we see and understand the wants and neces- 
 sities of man clearer, and to a more enlarged sphere than 
 while in the form. My invei^tigation has proved that there 
 is no hell, whore the wicked are forever tortured, and no 
 heaven where there is eternal rest from action. I find con- 
 tinued progress from lower to higher conditions, and what 
 man does not learn or live up to while on earth, he must 
 learn or grow to after changing forms and worlds, for he 
 is only passed to another sphere of action, where he con- 
 tinues to unfold in that the spiritual world has to give. 
 
 We are placed here as the beginning of life to use the 
 blessings of this world in preparing and fitting us for 
 another. By understanding the true nature of this world 
 and its uses, improving and becoming acquainted with 
 natural laws, thereby learning to harmonize our conditions 
 with the wants and desires of our natures, that Ave may 
 grow to a perfectness of the principles of life, that the 
 unfoldment may be a perfect soul at its departure, not 
 cramped or deformed, but beautifully adapted and de- 
 veloped when it leaves its mother's luiuils to enter into the 
 folds of its Father, God, a well developed, spiiitual child, 
 born of both material and spiritual life.
 
 22 
 
 We sometimes come to earth singh^ and sometimes as 
 a convocation of spirits, and mingle around the loved spots 
 of earth. Sometimes hosts attend when there is sufficient 
 to attract, and you often see mediums so perfectly under 
 the power of surrounding spirits as to change like the 
 twinkling of an eye from one influence to another ; such 
 anxiety have the spirits to manifest themselves, that to 
 come they will be satisfied with a shake of the hand if no 
 more, just to be permitted once more to fe?l the pressure 
 of some friend of earth. It gives them strength to go on- 
 ward and rejoice in this new found truth, as they have 
 found that it affords as much happiness to the spirits as 
 to those still in the form to be known and to realize that 
 they have not passed beyond this sphere forever. This it is 
 that makes heaven the free, full association of dear friends, 
 a mingling of soul, not a heaven to be placed beyond the 
 reach of dear ones cherished with only a stray friend being 
 permitted to enter the holies of holies, while the many not 
 recognized are refused admittance, and are cast off forever. 
 
 What must be the state or condition of that soul with 
 full understanding to find himself alone in a beautiful spot, 
 where no dear friend could approach. Would it be heaven 
 to him? Would he not rather choose helj with all its 
 pains, and be permitted to see the dear ones of his earth- 
 life? Give a being a palace, with all its grandeur and 
 wealth, and compel him to live without the idols of his 
 heart, would he not rather choose a cave within some lone 
 spot with hi^ cherished ones around him. How cold 
 must have been those hearts who first conceived such a 
 distorted and horrible religion with no warmth of sun- 
 shine, no ray of love to enliven and warm into beino- a 
 loving, trusting confidence in the wisdom and goodness of 
 God for his unbounded mercies bestowed. With what 
 zeal they have worked to mar and deface the beautiful pic- 
 ture of harmonious laws destroying nature and checkino- 
 the free, fresh impulses of God's holy sympathies. 
 
 A long experience in spirit- spheres has unfolded to me 
 the great problem of man s existence, as it does to every 
 spirit that has risen to a condition of harmonious truth. 
 
 It tears down and destroys all theories though made 
 with honest conviction of mind, which are not made in the 
 principle of love and goodness, for that mind that con- 
 ceived in error has found a resting place until it can gather 
 more light. If a theory is known to be false and given to 
 the world ignorantly, or to deceive, the sooner that mask 
 is torn away the better. Better that the eye should be 
 torn from the socket, than to let it remain to destroy the
 
 23 
 
 whole body by its disease. The object of angels coming 
 to the Avoikl to-day to rei^resent themselves, i.s to remove 
 the bigotry, superstition and ignorance of the world re- 
 garding the continued life of departed friends, and to wel- 
 come again the liglit of knowli'dgo Avhich Jesus of Nazareth 
 preached and practised while in an inspired condition. 
 Loving, breathing words came from his soul, while he 
 practiced true brotherly feeling to his disciples and all 
 that would listen to him. His bright and holy example 
 illustrates the sweet humility of a lovinii', forgiving spirit, 
 blending the two worlds in sweet communion. 
 
 1 have met him in the brightest glory; a glorified saintly 
 expression pervades his divine countenance; with a sweet 
 smile he beckons all to him who can approach his bright 
 surrountlings; a train of brightness follows him in his 
 mission through the spheres, for he is still fulfilling his 
 mission of love and kindness, still carrying out the great 
 principle he advocated while on earth. Conversing with 
 higher attributes of knowledge that are dispensing har- 
 mony everywhere, I find that there is much to learn, and 
 that we never cease to learn throughout eternity. The 
 wondrous beauty and attractive law of progress draws us 
 on from one sphere to another of usefulness. My mission 
 now, is to liarmonize the condition of men to a higher 
 law — to a usefulnes? and knowledge of that power that 
 exists within the great fountain of all life, The world is 
 a stranger unto itself. Man with all his knowledge has 
 not known his brother man. The truest hearts have been 
 overlooked, because the sensitive soul has drawn itself 
 beneath the external covering, which has been cultivated 
 to wear a cold exterior, and to check back the least sym- 
 pathetic expression, for fear of showing a weakness or 
 ignorance of the educational etiquet of society. I was 
 never conventional, and could not adopt that supercilious- 
 ness and vanity which leads many of earth's brightest 
 ornaments astray from the beautiful in nature. I felt that 
 in honesty of purpose and candor of expression, we gained 
 more of the real and substantial of life, the true enjoyment 
 of all that this earth atibrds. I could see uothiiii;- gained 
 by deception — that would only result in exposure and 
 mortification — and that all who practiced it sooner or later 
 became victims of their own folly. I see many to-daj- 
 despised for their honesty in expressing the true meaning 
 of their souls, and they are called "foolish" by those 
 who have learned to wear a false covering or mask to hide 
 their deformitv. It is better to tear away the false cover-
 
 24 
 
 ing, and let the true impulse come forth to the light, that 
 what is not good can be removed. 
 
 The free speech of the people to-day is that which will 
 convert the world. By expression, we can gather the true 
 elements of nature, and seeing them know how to cleanse 
 them. 
 
 Suppression of thought by the masses while being dic- 
 tated to by the few, and by those limited to certain creeds, 
 causes deception to be practiced between the higher and 
 lower classes of men. The lower orders fearing to disobey 
 openly, and yet feeling an antagonistic principle prevail- 
 ing tliem, knowing oftentimes the justice of their cause, 
 are led into revolution and bloodshed ; we have felt it 
 through all past ages; I have seen it in our own last revo- 
 lution. 
 
 Suppression at the South of voice and education, was 
 the great lump through which permeated the education of 
 free speech of liberal minds; its impregnating process 
 aroused a disturbing element, which only could subside 
 by throwing off the froth and scum of ignorance; bringing 
 to light a condition of oppression both loathsome and 
 terrible, to an enlightened nation whose motto was Liberty. 
 There must always be a refining process through the dif- 
 ferent staL!;es of civilization — the removing of the old and 
 worn out forms of materialism, by which the new life or 
 growth must be recognized in life as a living principle. 
 
 Many cling to old forms as old and tried friends, and 
 cannot part from them, fearing to trust to the new. We can 
 love and respect them for the good they have done in their 
 day, chei-ishing all the good they gave; but shall we stand 
 idly looking back on those who have finished their work 
 here, and have left their deeds to speak of them in their 
 day, and not look beyond for a more developed and pro- 
 gressed being in a higher life? No; we find that change 
 is written on everything that we behold; that change is 
 the great principle of life. Therefore we must keep pace 
 with all created matter. Will a rose bloom continually, 
 or does it bud and bloom, and fade and become scentless; 
 the leaves fade and soon another tiny bud and a gradual 
 unfolding of another beautiful rose, thus continuing life 
 and freshness. 
 
 You would not cling to the old rose for its freshness, 
 for it has gone, but for its reminiscense of some faithful 
 remembrance or memento of its past beauty or fragrance. 
 
 Such is life; all forms must change. Minds susceptible 
 of thought will grow out into new and untried channels 
 awakening to new ideas, new revelations inspired to act
 
 from a new and iindefined impulse wLicli do uot liaimouize 
 with tho old; feelinj^ that the old is too narrow, too con- 
 fining^ lor their capacity, and like an olden garment does 
 not fit easily or gracefully, but cramps and feels uncom- 
 fortable. Would you comi)el any one to wear a garment 
 they had outgrown; then why confine minds enlarged to 
 submit to conditions they feel altogether too narrow for 
 their capacity. 
 
 If wo reason, let us reason honestly. If one is necessary 
 for physical life, surely the other is necessary for spiritual 
 life; for the natural and spiritual are so nearly blended 
 that we cannot mar the one without injury to the other. 
 Therefore, to grow beautiful, we must allow the spiritual 
 to unfold in goodness and freedom, believing that an en- 
 larged s):>iritual condition wall produce a harmonious, 
 physical organization as a healthy, well-developed body 
 produces a free and independent spirit. These conditions 
 have not been rightly understood, and a new era of ex- 
 istence is beginning to unfold to the wants of man. There 
 are a great many obstacles to be overcome to remove the 
 useless forms and ceremonies of past ages, when the world 
 in its undeveloped condition worked through the material 
 more than the spiritual, and might rather than right gov- 
 erned the world. When F nine' s Ar/e of Reason broke upon 
 the world its flood of light, and opened a channel for 
 thinking minds, how the blood-hounds of oppression 
 howled down one of the greatest men oi" the age. They 
 could not find language strong enough to anathematize 
 his name, but not a word for his self-sacrifice and noble- 
 ness of heart for our country's welfare in her darkest 
 hour. No, the trial was over and the country saved ; he 
 was no longer needed to protect them b}" his voice, and 
 pen, and arm. 
 
 They were now ready to destroy, ah! even annihilate the 
 very name of Paine, whose soul soared above the ignorance 
 and bigotry of the day and went out to the great future, 
 when tlie minds of men should be loosed still further from 
 the bondage of creeds. Trul}', that man's day is 3'et to 
 come — when men shall reverence and love him as an in- 
 spired and cru(.'ified man. His name is immortalized on 
 the records of time and eternity. 
 
 How different has the world recognized us. Still w^e 
 were both led by the power of God through the angel- 
 world in our different spheres. He was guided to his 
 work b}' the great spiritual light given him, and expressed 
 what to him was a truth; standing alone with the unseen 
 world on one side, and the darkness, superstition and big-
 
 26 
 
 otrj of a cold, heartless world on the other. Oh ! could 
 you see him to-day as he lifts the veil of obscurity from 
 the minds of the people as they are awakening to a condi- 
 tion to see the truth of that great and inspire.d work, the 
 Age of EeasoG, — you would see a soul alive for the great 
 truth of freedom of thought, an elevation of soul to higher 
 and holier principles. To-day, 'Tom Paine,'" the infidel, as 
 he has been ingioriously called by the clergy and all 
 christian sects, stands far above those who have tried to 
 climb into heaven on his ruins. His independence and 
 candor should have been enough to have commanded at 
 least the respect of those who were dependent upon him 
 for the liberty they now possessed, to worship God after 
 the dictates of their own hearts, truly, they were blind 
 to their own welfare, for as they were"^ emerging from op- 
 pression into liberty, their first assault vras upon the one 
 who had been my best friend and adviser, and their great 
 friend in their sorest time of need. And for the same 
 reason did they persecute him, while making a father of 
 me, made a demon of him. What terrible revolutions 
 must take place before the true light appears. Thus it 
 has been with all great and advanced minds ; the world 
 cannot understand them until they have passed on, and 
 then they begin to grow up to a condition to understand 
 and appreciate them. 
 
 Yes, your beloved Washington, as you call me, feels 
 proud of the association of Thomas Paine in this life, and 
 in the yreat spiritual harmony of the spheres. We are 
 co-workers in this great spiritual field of reform, and many 
 are the blest associations as we still work on in the true 
 mission of liberty, of thought and speech — he in his sphere 
 of usefulness and advancement, and I in mine of har- 
 monizing and elevating. I, for the times in which I lived, 
 and he in advance, leading the way to future events. 
 
 SECTION FOURTH. 
 
 We are now prei^aring for a newer and higher develop- 
 ment in the spheres. Our elevation depends wholly upon 
 our progress in this life. I feel now while giving this in- 
 troductory of my reception and progress, and duties in 
 spirit life, that I do neither justice to myself or the won-
 
 27 
 
 derfal surrouiulin^^s through which I havo passed cliuing 
 my sj)iiitual life, but as I was u phiiu spoken and candid 
 man in earth-life, I find that I cannot elaborate of the won- 
 derful and beautiful in the spheres as some might do with 
 the same knowledge. I still feel that,])lain facts are better 
 understood, and that we can draw nearer to the true soul 
 of man, by leading him up gently and naturally to a truth 
 which has been too long buried by strange depressions 
 and elevations, and by prophetic visions which could not 
 be reached by reason and harmonious law. 
 
 The great principle of all life, the universal spirit of all 
 mattfsr, whether spiritual or material, the Divine Architect 
 of all, has always led and will always lead us and all things 
 up through the developing process of growth, of knowledge 
 and spiritual advancement. It is the inevitable law of life 
 and regeneration. Production and reproduction can never 
 cease in the mateidal, and will be wrought out in beauty 
 and porfectness in the spiritual sjsheres. 
 
 Here we again become co-Avorkers in the beautiful 
 spheres of spirit-life, each and all in his own capacity for 
 blending and arranging what to him or her has the most 
 attractions. Thus, you will find spirits, coming to earth 
 with a different phase of power controlling those mediums 
 whose organization is best adapted and congeniid to their 
 influence. All mediums are not controlled alike. They 
 do not look or think alike, naturally, and are not controlled 
 by spirits with the same desires Thus, you see some are 
 controlled to speak, some to write, some to move physical 
 or material bodies, others to rap, some for language, 
 painting, surveying, geological, astronomical, seeing of 
 spirits, describing friends or strangers, showing the posi- 
 tive and negative forces of life; in fact, all and every phase 
 has to come to the knowledge of earth. 
 
 I have Avandcred long from my beautiful sphere home, 
 finding so much to attract me to my early associations. I 
 will now lead back in thought to those; who wish to follow 
 me through the hibyrinthian to beautiful worlds of litrht 
 and knowledge which 1 have been permitted to enjoy since 
 I left your sphere of materiality. 
 
 I am now passing beyond those scenes I gave you of 
 sphere life, and find myself resting to behold the wonders 
 of God's great universe. 
 
 From this locality I seem to scan all things, I feel able 
 to comprehend all things, my being takes in as it were all 
 life," and still I feel drawn with an irresistible force to 
 some locality Avhere I am to witness tlie great law Avhich 
 governs all things. I feel an incomprehensible law per-
 
 28 
 
 vading my beiag ; I am not alone ; I see millions of 
 bright spirits and my own dear friends all about me guiding 
 me on in this wonderful sphere of life. Oh! God, thou 
 iufinite, shall I ever behold thee more fully in thy works 
 than in this wonderful grandeur and sublimity, this hap- 
 piness and harmony that pervades all things, and of gorgeous 
 scenery, and artistic beauty. I seem to come en rapport 
 with all, yet so distinctly define everything, that I lose my- 
 self in the hum of angel voices, the angelic choristers of 
 the heavenly spheres. Shall we ever cease to grow or 
 desire more. We feel sometimes that wo have enough 
 and should sufibcate with more, and for a while are at 
 rest. But again we find ourselves hungering and thirsting 
 with other desires ; we cannot enjoy all at once, and 
 therefore receive only such as our capacity is fitted to en- 
 joy, continually growing to meet the conditions through 
 which we aie to pass. We commence life with but few 
 wants, and receive all that is necessary as we grow. So 
 also in the spiritual life, the infant draws to itself all that 
 it needs as it develops into full spiritual existence. Thus, 
 vou see, that 'though I am blest beyond expression, still 
 i know that I shall become acquainted with ray sur- 
 roundings and be led to other scenes throughout illimit- 
 able space, — returning, shall carry the fruits of knowledge 
 to those who are following up through the wonderful, the 
 beautiful of God's great kingdom. 
 
 We shall never cease to learn or lose the desire to know 
 more. That law of impulse that soars to unknown realms 
 in earth-life, never ceases in sphere-life ; it is the infinite 
 placed within us that never dies; that that moves us in- 
 spirationally onward forever and ever. 
 
 When the form through which inspiration is given is 
 weakened or destroyed, it may act no longer, but takes to 
 itself a form through which it can work in its progress 
 throughout eternal ages. 
 
 When the aged can no longer gather up the beauty and 
 knowledge of earth, because of their physical and mental 
 decay, then does the spirit revel again in the knowledge of 
 past experiences of love and happiness, living over again 
 those bright and happy associations, reviewing the past 
 to prepare it to be linked to the spiritual, when the worn- 
 out casket is broken, and it is released from the confine- 
 ment of material that is no longer needed to protect or 
 develojj the soul. 'Iruly, there is nothing lost, for the 
 spirit takes to itself all that it has gathered of experience or 
 happiness while inhabitiuu- the form; carrying its treasures 
 to its spirit-home, there to blend and beautify in its future
 
 29 
 
 growth and iif-sociations in the spheres. Also, the mate- 
 rial, though falling to decay, is not lost; for each and 
 every particle has its place, its mission, a new field of 
 action through which new forms will take possession to 
 work out new developments. Thus, there is continuation 
 of life, giving variety and beauty through this ever working 
 law of the infinite which I was not permitted to know by 
 education, and only felt in the inspiration of the soul. 
 
 Had 1 known how to have cultivated this spiritual know- 
 ledge, it would have advanced me on the spiritual plane 
 of intelligence. Oh! man of this day, how blest is your lot 
 in the free investigation of the spiritual influx into the 
 darkened atmos[)here of your life. Sure and steadfast are 
 principles attracted to like principles; and as the unfolding 
 iDud reaches out its tiny leaves to the atmosphere until it 
 is unfolded in all its beauty and fragrance, so the same law 
 draws us on to our higher unfoldnient. It is a growth of 
 soul, a contin\tation throughout eternity. Shall wisdom 
 cease at the threshold of eternity, and if so, why this 
 longing after something we do not find in earth life? 
 
 Sarely earth has sufficient for the material wants of 
 man, and if he ceases to gather enough to place him at 
 once in paradise, then his wants can be supplied at his 
 mother's bosom — his earthly home. Nature is bountiful 
 in her supplies of all material things, and our spiritual 
 teachings have been of a Savior to redeem the world, 
 leaving nothing for us to do throughout the ages of eter- 
 nity. Will that be bliss? Can we feel that this is all we 
 were designed for? No, God forbid. I know that every 
 soul, properly understanding his needs, will never wish to 
 be a drone in the kingdom of heaven, but will gather hap- 
 piness by being a worker in the great universe. Inspira- 
 tion is food that feeds the huugrj' soul and gives nourish- 
 ment to the spiritual life, it is the unbroken link which 
 binds us to the immortal, and throui>;h it the departed 
 friends can minister to the wants of men. I find other 
 spheres or planets are blending with our own ; beings of 
 angelic brightness visit and revisit our sphere, and speak 
 of wondrous beauty surrounding them. They speak of the 
 wonderful revelations in their world of changes, of pro- 
 gressive developments, records of past life in the lower 
 spheres, showing plainly that all planets are formed by 
 gradual process until they have passed on and resolved 
 into a higher altitude of spiritual existence. Forms of life 
 are similar to those of our earth ; they are living evidence 
 of Avhat this ("artli is yet to be. Man will yet stand re- 
 vealed in so harmonious a condition while in the form,
 
 30 
 
 that he will perfectly recognize the spiritual condition of 
 all the elements of his surrounding, and will be cognizant 
 of the mission of an(>els, and will be in harmony with the 
 spiritual. 
 
 Education is fast becoming general, and humane man 
 begins to realize that he has been a stranger to himself, 
 and studying outside of the true element of life, he finds 
 that he is not acquainted with himself, for he is never at 
 home, and when at home does not make himself acquainted 
 with the edifice which he inhabits. If it gets out of repair 
 he has to call a mechanic to put it in order. 
 
 Little by little truth comes in upon us, until like the sun's 
 rays, we hope soon to see it fully illuminating and giving to 
 all functions a free and full use, learn us the wonderful 
 beauty and use of all our faculties, and bring them up to 
 the requirements originally designed. 
 
 "Give, and ye shall receive more abundantly," was the 
 teaching of an inspired man; and we have found the truth 
 of that remark in spiritual faith as well as in physical life. 
 
 Truly, it is blessed to give as well as receive, for if you 
 do good unto others, you will receive two-fold; first, in the 
 happiness derived, and also by making room for some- 
 thing new to fill the place of the old, which you no longer 
 needed, thereby giving to others what was only <i-iven to 
 you, until you no longer needed it. Be not selfish, as il 
 contracts the noble impulses of your nature. The miser 
 is most miserable, living in constant fear of every one, 
 suspicious of all, until he weaves himself a net of wretched- 
 ness from which he cannot extricate himself, and dies 
 alone, perishing beside the demon avarice, without frieud- 
 shi]3 or care. 
 
 What a weight drags that spirit down to earth ; a weight 
 mightier than mountains, gathering his own darkness from 
 his undeveloped, selfish condition. 
 
 Seeing but one thing, having but one desire, binds the 
 soul in chains and bondage while on earth, and dra^s it 
 to a darkened condition in sphere-life, there co await re- 
 lease by a gradual, spiritual development. 
 
 Thus the Bible illustration that it was "easier for a camel 
 (or caVjle, as it was intended to be read, j to go through the 
 eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the king- 
 dom of heaven" — for he has rendered himself so inhar- 
 monious to true simplicity and God-like trust in the infi- 
 nite spirit, that it is impossible to rid himself of the im- 
 portance of self agrandizement. His God is his money, 
 and the influence it brings is his happiness. He knows 
 no other God, and recognizes no power but the power of
 
 31 
 
 wealtli and its intiueuce. They stond an impenetrable wall 
 between him and the spirit-world, for he scorns to listen 
 to the silent teachings of ministering angels. But when 
 sickness conies, or riches take to themselves wings and i\y 
 away, then comes the silent monitor to awaken the sleepy 
 senses of thought and reason; reflection with its long train 
 of regrets comes to arouse the dormant faculties of the 
 mind. Friends that basked in the sunshine of his pros- 
 pei-ity, arc cold and distant, adding insult hy their \nty 
 and neglect. Little by little is the soul aroused to a full 
 consciousness of past neglect of the need of life's blessings, 
 until it shrinks from its former surroundings, looking ior 
 the first time to a higher source of light and truth, and 
 reaches out its aspirations to a higher and holier jjrinciple. 
 How little has life been understood; its principles, its 
 bearings and surroundings upon other elements iuirl asso- 
 ciations of life. We are constantly repelling or attracting 
 other elements; we are not independent beings, but are 
 constantly dependent one upon another, as children of one 
 great family, and cannot do a wr(nig to ourselves without 
 injury to others surrounding us. In marring God's beauti- 
 ful structure j'ou render inharmony to others, and break 
 the beautiful links which serve as ladders to reach the 
 upper realms. 
 
 How mucli good a happy, bright countenance gives to 
 those who look upon it. It is like sunshine beaming 
 through a cloud. It drives darkness and gloom from its 
 presence, and gives gladness and joy to hearts filled with 
 sadness. It is like a light set upon a hill to guide the 
 wanderer. We are feeding the world with crumbs, while 
 the food for the soul lies buried beneath the rubbish of 
 forms and pride, withholding the true wealth that was given 
 by God to bestow upon liumanit}- without money or price. 
 How often does the soul languish for sympathy and 
 friendship while surrounded with all that wealth can buy, 
 ands(arve v,'ith abundance because not understood, because 
 education has mmlo conventional rules that must be obeyed. 
 It has visited bodies not souls, and they must remain im- 
 prisoned like caged birds, or break through and be doomed 
 to eternal scorn and neglect by the bigoted world, for daring 
 to be free. Win' not imprison the sunlight, or the winds, 
 or the bounding ocean, as to cramp the soul in its inspira- 
 tional yearnings after freedom. Parents who compel their 
 daughters to unite with one who is mentally, pln'sically or 
 inspirationally deficient, because he has monej'or influence, 
 commit a sin which can never be atoned. They have ])laced 
 her in bondage, from which there is no escape, except
 
 32 
 
 through infamy or death. The world has striven to become 
 unnatural, to work against her laws, and thus destroy the 
 harmony of her beautiful surroundings. 
 
 Light gives to our senses a beautiful world, filled with 
 all that is necessary for the wants of man, and we grasp at 
 sucii things as will satisfy the demands of nature; but, 
 spiritually, we do not see the working or propelling power 
 of these creations. Yet silently are these little, spiritual 
 messengers doing their work, producing what we see and 
 know. In the material life we only look at the result, not 
 the cause and effect which produces them. 
 
 The world has accepted without giving thought how 
 these were placed here. They have blindly listened to 
 ancient records of its formations, and rested satisfied to be 
 and die, running the risk of a hell or heaven — have remained 
 in stupid ignorance of laws governing themselves, and 
 trusted their soul's salvation to a few pampered priests, 
 who had learned just enough to make thorn selfish and 
 cunning, teaching them to withhold light and truth from 
 the people; tiius holding them in superstition and ifrno- 
 rance, knowing that this would hold them in their power. 
 
 I say to the world to-day, let the light shine that ail may 
 see. Sow broadcast the truth of God's universal love and 
 brotherhood, not select an oldest brother to inherit all by 
 entailment, but let all be given an equal opportunity to 
 receive, and learn, and act freely and socially, yet inde- 
 pendently, like reasonable beings. A few advanced minds 
 have worked nobly through these generations, and to such 
 the world owes much. They have remained steadfast, as 
 the needle to the pole, to such things as they conceived to 
 be truths, and thus opened the way for others to walk. 
 
 They have driven back the bigotry and o[ti:»ression of 
 the past and present, and are now beginning to arouse 
 thousands, ah! millions of minds, where only a handfull 
 dared express or think freely. 
 
 We see great efi'orts being made to overthrow this en- 
 lightened movement for liberty of speech or action, and 
 the consequent result v/ill be a revolution— a war of sects 
 and creeds against light and reason, of tyranny and op- 
 pression against liberty and freedom. 
 
 The time is not far distant, when there will be a general 
 uprising of the powers of church against free speech and 
 spiritual light and freedom. They are secretly uniting to 
 overthrow God's holy temple and sacrifice His children to 
 their god of ambition, ignorance and lust. But they count 
 without their host, tor the true and universal God has 
 opened a channel which bigotry had hedged up by as-.
 
 83 
 
 Burning to take God's place, aucl selliug liberties to those 
 whose freedom was equal to their own; acting as agents of 
 God to buy and sell souls, thereby, enslaving bodies and 
 souls to their lust, deceit and cruelty. 
 
 SECTION FIVE. 
 
 It is time the world was aroused to a sense of its wrongs 
 and darkness; that spirits from a higher sphere opened a 
 channel, whereby men might be awakened to the truth of 
 reason and knowledge from a higher standpoint, when 
 bigotry and oppression will loose its powei*, and love and 
 charity look upon ua all as children of one fatlier. 
 
 The door has been opened wide, and children of spirit- 
 life can visit and revisit the loved ones of earth, and reach 
 out to them the helping hand of love and afiectiou. Bars 
 can no longer debar the sweet communion of souls; no 
 dungeons or rocks can stay tlicm; prison bars cannot bind 
 them, for God liveth to-day in all his glory, and will lead 
 them out to the astonishment of those who assume to 
 oppress or oppose his inspirational teachings. They 
 preach from a woik of their own invention, and call it 
 God's holy book; and yet neither follow its teachings or 
 the one they call Savior God, but blindly destroy its 
 most angelic beauty, and howl its terrors into the ears of 
 those who are not alluwcl to read it understandingly, know- 
 ing it would expose their baseness — " God forgive them, 
 for they know not what they do" as the Nazarene said 
 upon the cross. Trials and temptations bring out the 
 true elements of life. Had all enabling thoughts been 
 burned without utterance, where would be the progress of 
 art and science. Scientific minds being free and indepen- 
 dent, have brought the world to its present standpoint; 
 have revolutionized the world in scientific research and 
 mechanisui; the elevation of mind equalizing the social, 
 moral and spiritual of men and women — equal on the same 
 plane of development — giving to each all that they are 
 capable of reci'iving in intellectual or moral capacity. 
 
 These conditions have not been understood and recog- 
 nized, that woman should stand equal with man; he may 
 have more of the grossness of physical nature, but she 
 certainly has more of the spiritual or refined, to overcome 
 his physical with; they are necessary to each other — she 
 needing his stronger positive forces to strengthen her, and 
 he more of her spiritual nature to elevate him to a higher 
 and more refined condition. I would that all coidd come 
 to a knowledge of the great truth of life as a principle, and 
 God as the all-pervading spirit or intelligence, permeating
 
 34 
 
 all matter developing the material into beautiful forms of 
 growth, showing the wonderful in his works l)y variety of 
 form and color, of taste and expression. 
 
 All recognize a divine hand or intelligence guiding them. 
 " Wonderful are Thy works, oh! God," who giveth such* 
 abundance for all, freely and without cost; and yet his child- 
 .reu are suffering for nourishment, both physically and 
 spiritually, because man's power (not God's) has monopo- 
 lized the earth, and grasped to themselves that which 
 belongs to all. Who gave the right to buy and sell that 
 which belongs to God? The same that pretend to hold 
 the keys to heaven. They assume the power to enslave 
 body and soul, whereby the elements of lower physical 
 condition may manifest themselves by antagonistic force — 
 the stronger oppressing the weak. 
 
 When liberal education and honest investigation can 
 take the place of sectarian creeds and bigoted oppression, 
 then will men begin to awaken to a new life, and new reali- 
 zation of God and his kingdom; his universal gifts to men 
 us an intelligent and spiritual being, who is to act a part 
 in the great drama of life; not a being to be suppressed 
 by man, but an equal as far as he is capable of being 
 -educated or advanced. 
 
 Therefore man should be educated in the elevation of 
 all his natural, moral and spiritual gifts. Thert' is no 
 darkness in God's great universe; no hidden laboratory 
 where he manufactures or creates M'orlds or beings, but 
 a beautiful and general revelation of all his works ever 
 before the eyes of all, where they may study through his 
 works, up to the divine principle — God, God works not 
 in secret; has no secret machinations to show to a few, 
 while the multitude are in ignorance of his beautiful law 
 showing to man that all are recipients of his love and 
 mercy. 
 
 When man becomes more spiritual, more refined by a 
 true revelation, then will he understand the meaning of 
 God and his universal laws, finding that happiness does 
 not wholly depend upon his prosperity here in material 
 matters, but that conditions of mind are the most beauti- 
 ful when we have been enabled to do the most good to our 
 brother man. To be spiritual and god-like, man is not 
 required to become unnatural, but to be natural in all his 
 gifts wrought into refinement. Many suppose, to be 
 natural, man miist be uncouth and rough with no refine- 
 ment. It is not so; to be natural is to develop those pow- 
 ers that have been given up to a condition of usefulness 
 and beauty— for every-one has something l)eautiful and
 
 36 
 
 (liviue in his being. To draw it forth, it must be wrought 
 upon with a gentle hand of encouratiement, giving them 
 confidence in themselves of some worth. The manner of 
 education hiis been a distorting of the beautiful gifts of 
 nature, and cruelly substituting unnatural and artificial 
 for the real. Has not nature in her great laboratory pro- 
 duced the most beautiful and wonderful productions in 
 every phase. Man may assist, but never out-do nature; 
 he can nevei- deviate without marring her hai-monious con- 
 ditions. The true education of the world has been retard- 
 ed for the want of a more spiritual condition; man has 
 attempted to i^tand alone, making himself independent of 
 God, only recognizing him as a being to save him from 
 some unknown suffering beyond the tomb. He has not 
 recognized him in all his works or in his life as a part of 
 his creation, and consequently has lived without God while 
 in health and prosperity; therefore has only lived a half 
 of life, (that being the physical) the spiritual having slum- 
 bered for want of recognition. 
 
 When the mind of man becomes darkened from doubt, it 
 weaves a web of wretchedness, that obscures the beautiful 
 light of God's face, giving a feeling of loneliness and deso- 
 lation. When we can see an All-wise providence leading 
 us on, can feel the touch of angel fingers, we shall look up 
 again in confidence like children feeling safe from harm, 
 as when held by a loving mother, and feel that wo are 
 being led by invisibles to the home of immortals. Of our- 
 selves, we are nothing; but blending the divine power of 
 love and harmony, we come en rapporf with the God prin- 
 ciple of all life. It is then that we are led to do those 
 things which seem so mysterious to ourselves. We trust 
 too much to our finite condition, and grow outwardly, 
 groping after physical life; the intention or inspirational 
 has not been understood, and consequently not cultivated. 
 Since the advent of spiritualism, men begin to realize an 
 inner being; one who has not been understood, but one 
 that deserves our greatest attention, for upon that our 
 happiness and progiessiou dc])ends; upon it the cultiva- 
 tion of spiritual gilts, which when received, are given to 
 the world as recognized facts of a universal, spiritual 
 intelligence. Spiritual science then opens the doors of 
 thought to investigation, unlimited and free. No binding 
 creeds to wall up the soul's best and truest emotions, but 
 a free, full and trusting confidence in the future of God's 
 love and goodness. 
 
 The world to day stands out to the enlightment of free 
 thought, every individual — though cramped by creeds — by
 
 36 
 
 the outward form, is living in a world of ttiought within 
 himself, which will eventually give birth to a greater fullness 
 of truth and beauty. 
 
 Soon will the mind of man expand to an independent in- 
 dividuality — life is beginning to wear beauteous rays of 
 light, and" hues of color, which will blend, and mingle in 
 their divine mission of harmony wath God's eternal law. 
 I am not a teacher, but a practical worker ; and am merely 
 giving my experience of things as I see them. Much has 
 to be overcome, to bring all minds to bear on these truths 
 alike. I have had much thought upon this great subject 
 since I left the form, and feel in duty bound to express my- 
 self to the world in as plain a garb as possible. We are 
 all workers together, all are serving out a mission on earth, 
 to be renewed in a sphere or locality suited to their condi- 
 tion, and willriseultimately,to unite at the opening of anew 
 and beautiful region, from which translations are no more 
 made; by which they revisit their earthly abodes in form, 
 but an electric chain of light irradiates those whom they 
 wish to control. Influences from Deity are on the same 
 principle, and al! life is given through this radius. 
 
 Language of these spheres are eminations of electrical 
 light, which sparkle and illuminate the spirits, making 
 them look like seraphs or Gods of light. 
 
 I am seeking to discover the manner of controlling mor- 
 tals, for to me it is as much of a problem as to those of 
 earth — soon it will be made known, and then we will im- 
 part that knowledge to you, in its true and beautiful .sense. 
 
 Thispowej- of control grows as uatarally to conditions, as 
 a plant or beings grow from birth to maturity; or intellect 
 grows to understand the natural life. 
 
 The knowledge and fact of controlling a mortal by a 
 spirit, is under scientific law, and when fully understood, 
 will become as natural as to inhabit your earth . 
 
 The time will come when the inhabitants of earth will feel 
 drawn towards the spirit-world, -\^■hile yet in the form, as 
 they are novv- attracted to difi'erent portions of the globe, 
 and will as readily understand, what friend is near, and 
 the friendly recognition will be as reciprocal. 
 
 Oh! how beautitul. how divine. Could I have known 
 these things while guiding my army through those perilous 
 storms during that dark struggle, how it would have glad- 
 dened the hearts of many a poor comrade who bravely 
 fought for freedom of body while he felt the soul yet fainting 
 in bondage; but inspiration for the cause led them on to 
 victory, and those who fell before its close found a ransom 
 on this other shore. But when they attempted to get back
 
 37 
 
 to hail their comrades with joy, tlicy found a barrier of 
 superstition hokling tliem in darkness which no power of 
 their's coukl overcome, as the day had not dawned upon 
 their spiritual understandinc;, and all minds were held by 
 the fear of being drasvn to an investigation as to the results 
 of eternal destruction. 
 
 Enough has been said to cause this great truth of life 
 to be admitted by those who have received demonstrations 
 of such a character as to prove beyond a doubt that spiiitual 
 matter does control mortals, and that intelligence does exist 
 representing different conditions, and blending with man's 
 thoughts, and controlling him while yet in the form, is also 
 manifest by thousands of instances, daily growing more and 
 more clear and numerous every hour. Why should a spirit 
 wish to deceive ? What benefit could they derive from such 
 a course? 
 
 If we cannot trust God to guide us in this when we 
 earnestly ask for truth, what can we rely upon in any creed; 
 for are they not all as liable to be deceived by the records 
 of the past? If God shows not himself to-day through his 
 angels or spirits as of old, can we believe that he ever did; 
 must we not reason that designing man gave the history 
 called the Bible to man for the purpose of holding power 
 over those they wished to rule? 
 
 If God did come then in the angel or spirit form, and 
 talk and walk with men, can he not now, and would not 
 His revelation be greater to man at this day, than those 
 rusty records, even if they contained nothing but the truth? 
 If the truth is there, it certainly lives to-day as well as in 
 ancient times. There has been no separation of Heaven 
 from earth since Bible record, and we have not heard but 
 that the good go straight to heaven to-day as they did of 
 old, and in the same manner through the dissolution of 
 the flesh. Men are born into the material life and pass 
 into the spiritual the same as in the Bible times. Then, 
 why should God withhold His spiritual communications 
 through spirits or angels unto men in these daj's, and de- 
 cline to give the same gifts that were promised to us in 
 Bible times. Why give to one generation the key to the 
 kingdom of heaven, that men in all succeeding generations 
 must be subject unto them for their knowledge of God and 
 the future life. I know that heaven as it is called, or 
 spiritual life, has greater divine knowledge to impart than 
 has ever been received, and if men would read the Bible 
 understandingly, like any other book, receiving the con- 
 sistencies, and laying aside the absurdities, they would 
 reach the beautiful truths illustrated therein, and" repel the
 
 38 
 
 exaggerated accounts given as they do anything else written 
 that does not blend with truth and reason. 
 
 If mon would have more charity for their brother-man, 
 they would not have so many select passages laid by for 
 their brothers. Seeing the mote in his brother's eye, he 
 has a place fixed for him and a scripture text adapted to 
 his case. Looking for motes we are apt to forget the beams 
 that hold us down. 
 
 Elevation of one's self from self is the surest reliinon to 
 
 O 
 
 do right. Let every man make it a business to learn him- 
 self, and he will learn to know God, for God lives within 
 every one. By seeking the true, the good, the beautiful 
 in our brother man, we draw out the same in our own soul 
 or interior conscience. 
 
 When men seek to destroy all the nobleness in man's 
 nature, and compel him to believe that he was born in sin, 
 conceived in iniquity, you have dethroned his God-prin- 
 ciple, and placed him a convict upon the plane of condem- 
 nation, to walk the earth a criminal before his God and 
 men: causing him to feel that he is doomed and can do no 
 worse than find a hell at last if he does his utmost here to 
 enjoy himself at the expense of the worid. Feeling the 
 conflict of injustice, doubt and despair, he knows he must 
 go through a trying ordeal to his pride, and perhaps not 
 succeed in his object of heaven . Thousands, yea, millions 
 of noble souls have become desperate and committed sins 
 from which their own pure souls revolted, and would never 
 have been led to do had they been encouraged and uplifted 
 b}^ education, teaching that they were children of the author 
 of all existence, with the same divine attributes to cultivate 
 and enlarge; and in so doing, v/ould be unfolding in this 
 world a beautiful book of life, that would lead them through 
 a labarynth of all progression; that the great luminary of 
 life was eradiating through them as through all men; that 
 no one held the key of life, but that each and all were ca- 
 pable of unlocking its treasures as fast as the}' were capable 
 of comprehending. Enlarge the fields of knowledge by 
 giving all an opportunity of general information. W^ith- 
 hold from none the book of life, the opening sceance of 
 interior light or life which emanates from ourselves and 
 surrounds us, blending with all the attributes of nature 
 and of God, the principle of all life permeating all things. 
 The beatiful workmanship of His divine hand is upon all 
 things both material and spiritual; the more we recognize 
 it, the more we shall become reconciled to God and his 
 beautiful creations. Everything becomes a living witness 
 in the great arcana of nature; everything is a link binding
 
 39 
 
 tho visible to the iiivisiblcj. No one thinc^ is isolated in th(j 
 great architectural structures of worlds and spheres- -all 
 things form a part of the wonderful to man in God's great 
 universe. Grains of sand unite to form mountains, drops 
 of water to form rivers, lakes and oceans; so worlds are 
 formed little by little. Worlds grow as i)lanls, live and 
 breathe as man; it is one life in difteront forms whether 
 it be worlds, man, animals or vegetables. This great law 
 must be understood in order to revolutionize tho world and 
 bring men to a conception of the great principle, God. 
 
 Wb teach the salvation of all men — no losing process, 
 no place where the bottom falls out and carries with it the 
 many, while a few are saved by a mysterious tie. 
 
 If one be saved, all arc saved; they may be scattered, 
 but they will find their place, their sphere of action, as 
 readily as a child is drawn to its nourishment of life. If 
 plants know how to grow, why not men. 
 
 If it is not knowledge, then, it is attraction of force which 
 draws them u[)ward; so with man, if he have not knowledge, 
 then the law of attraction will draw him to his own. If the 
 warmth and genial sunshine could enter those cold walls 
 of brick and stone, and thaw out the frozen mummies and 
 memories within, and cause them to shed abroad a more 
 enliving loving impulse of brotherhood, how beautiful, 
 hoAv fresh would life bo divested of all oppression and 
 fear — animated Avith joy and thanksgiving to the great and 
 universal giver to mankind of all things. 
 
 There is a day coming, and it will come sooner than men 
 think of to-day, when liberation of souls will give an impetus 
 to life, which will thaw the frozen biood, causing it to warm 
 up the sym[)athies of humanity; giving love and trusting 
 confidence, where now is only hatred and distrust. 
 
 JMy Avork is nearly done for this volume, as my dear 
 
 * 
 
 mother Avishes to say something in behalf of woman 
 
 She has waited patiently, and now i shall control but a 
 short time longer for this A'olume. My dear mother has 
 led me in my beautiful ho\ne as of old ; not cramping my 
 ideas, but blessing Avith soul communion, to lead me up to 
 a higher knowledge of truth. Mother, show great your mis- 
 sion ! It never ceases to sustain us through the labarynth- 
 ian ages. We shall come again to give of the home where 
 angels dAvell, and blend, as far as in our power, to that of 
 earth. We must awaken man out of his sleep of death, 
 and arouse him to a sense of life — that true life, Avhich it is 
 necessary to live to become at once a free inhabitant of 
 our spiritual sphere. 
 
 ' Mary WasliinKton's Experiences in Spirit Spheres, was not written until 1876. They will 
 be published in due time.
 
 40 
 
 Thoughtfully I have written what to me are facts; hold- 
 ing the medium in. a semi-trance state; giving, what, to her 
 had no meaning at the time, but became interesting as she 
 read after writing. I claim the privilege of giving my 
 testimony in favor of tliis much abused religion, for, to me, 
 it is the only true religion when spirit can predominate 
 over matter, and high spiritual intelligence can control 
 mortals to give their own thoughts as they find them, to 
 the world. If you believe a part, you must believe the 
 whole. If the Bible has truths, and angels and spirits 
 spoke to man, then they certainly do now. We are 
 called spirit — but we are matter refined — but material still; 
 but not to your physical eye. The long dark period of 
 man's existence is passing' away, and the morning of a new 
 resurrection is taking its place, wdien all eyes shall be 
 made to see God in his works, and every tree and flower 
 shall unite to praise him, the universal Father. May this 
 work be properly treated; for it is a gift I have long de- 
 sired to give the world, not for its scientific merits, but to 
 express my ow^n thoughts and investigations in my own 
 way — plain and unvarnished. When 1 come again 1 shall 
 give more from my spirit-home. Until then, I will bid 
 you a short good bye. 
 
 May all good angels attend you through this life's jour- 
 ney. 
 
 Yours Fraternally. 
 
 GEORGE WASHINGTON. 
 
 What is life? What is death? One is the bud, the other the blossom — 
 eternity the ripe fruit. Why then try to retain the bud: do we not all 
 look forward to the harvest as the acme of all our hopes — but as the tree 
 is, so shall the bud, blossom and fruit be. Look then to the tree; live 
 your best lives; give nothing to the swine; make every moment a gem to 
 shine in the crown awaiting for you. Bring your best thoughts to bear 
 on that which is set before you — doing each day's duty grandly — not with 
 weak hands and hanging heads, as though bound for the felon's death. So 
 act and live, that when called from this stage of action, each may come 
 bearing a full sheaf of yellow grain, emblematic of a bountiful life and a 
 glorious resurrection. 
 
 Yours, in the faith, 
 
 July 24th, 1878. THOMAS PAINE. 
 
 Ef:TNOLr»s.
 
 COMMUNICATIONS. 
 
 Dear Brother Thomas : 
 
 We are all here to g:ive you greeting. It has been said "When 
 two or three are gathered together in my name, there will I be 
 also." Where you or any of our dear friends meet together in 
 the name and for the sake of truth and light, knowledge and 
 love, then will we — some of your loved ones from the realms of 
 peace and joy — be with you, giving wards of cheer to lighten 
 and brighten your pathway, not through the valley and shadow 
 of death, but through life. 
 
 May God, the great permeating Spirit of Love, throw his man- 
 tle of peace, joy, charity and good-will to all men around you, 
 and may youuse the blessing for the highest good of mankind. 
 
 ELIZA.* 
 
 April 2, 1875. Kkrns. 
 
 *A sister who passed on at four years of age, in 1828. 
 
 My dear friend Clarke : How much I wish to take you by 
 the hand and bless you, and to talk over the many blessed 
 things that have risen in your earthly home. I feel a great 
 desire to communicate with those who still feel that we 
 live and have a being. It is such a pleasure to be remem- 
 bered, and feel that thoughts still come to us laden with 
 happy recollections. It comes like a balm to our souls, 
 and fills us with renewed life. But when we go to our 
 loved ones who answer back with a knell of darkness and 
 doubt, it tills us with sorrow to be thus repelled. Oh! 
 what a weight will be lifted, when the world has become 
 awakened to the true knowlege of life beyond the grave, 
 with a recognition of our presence and love. Then will 
 the millenium come, and not until then. How many times 
 I come and walk over the old places, and see old "friends 
 who used to be so happy to see and meet me, but who 
 know me not though I am with them. 
 
 But with you it is a glorious treat; for though you see 
 me not, yet you know and recognize me in spirit. I am 
 very happy to see you at your present work. Our loved 
 Washington has just left in his heavenly beauty so genial 
 and so pleasant. Your work is telling and will make it- 
 self known upon the minds of the people. There will be 
 a wondrous chan'2:e in Oakland in the next few years, by 
 which many will be convinced of the truth of this grand 
 knowledge; the greatest light that has ever been given to 
 the world. Now, dear brother, I must go, blessing you 
 and yours with love to all. , "^ 
 
 From your old friend, «» o o 
 
 HENKY DURANT. 
 
 May W, 1W8. Hendee.
 
 F CALIFORNIA. LOS ANGELFS 
 
 
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