“Then star nor sun shall waken,
Nor any change of light;
Nor sound of waters shaken
Nor any sound or sight.
Nor wintry leaves or vernal
Nor days nor things diurnal;
Only the sleep eternal
In an eternal night.”
Ruth had fasted for three days. All she drank was a cup of warm milk
twice a day—and drank this very slowly. The third night after saying her
prayers she fell into a sound sleep. It was darkest midnight when
Cresto, with many of his friends, came to protect Ruth. All were dressed
in disguise—in long black robes. Ruth gradually felt her soul gently and
silently carried away in space to the underworld.
“Cresto, dear, were you ever in this awful, dismal, dark, place before?”
“Yes, dear, all souls from earth are taken here at death and judged. I
was here a few days until I was judged for every act I ever did. No soul
can escape this court. Darling girl, when you are taken here, I will
come with you. I beg you to live such a perfect Christian life that our
dear judges will not keep you long. Some stay thousands of years in this
one place, others, only a few days. Christ descended and remained here
two days Himself. He was perfect. The third day Our Lord ascended up to
Heaven. He rose in great power and glory. Dear Ruth, if you follow in
His footsteps, you need not fear to go where He has been. Jesus has
surveyed the narrow road that leads to the gates of Heaven. He is the
one who will light the way for us. Here our Lord and His hosts of
angels, judge the living and the dead. Christ and His own followers have
been judged here, so that they may be just to the wicked. He obeys and
keeps all laws that He commands us to keep. This is Divine justice to
all. Praise His Holy name. He is most Divine! We are one universal
family and every soul is treated alike. We all get our reward here,
whether it is good or evil. Hades is surrounded on all sides by awful,
grim, ghastly, rivers of woe. Millions upon millions of firm, silent
boatmen carry the dead here to be judged. They row you safely and
silently to the great wide gates of Sheol, these cold stone gates are
broad and high. Justice alone holds the keys. Souls at death cannot
fly—they gradually learn to later. Those living here are all
earth-bound. Sin has weakened their souls to such an extent that they
cannot fly, and have not life enough to try. Constant sin is slow death
to the soul. Here life has death for a neighbor. The great gates of
Purgatory are daily and nightly thronged with millions and millions of
angel guests. Just as the earthly prison should be thronged to see that
justice rules! It is our business to see that no innocent soul stays in
prison on earth. No one should be cast into prison on circumstantial
evidence; this is an awful crime. The prisons on earth should be as good
and just as the ones are in Purgatory, but they are not. You can change
the laws and make them so in time if the people of earth all work hard.
To understand Heaven and Hades we must study the last two chapters in
the Bible. Read Revelations 22:15. Study all of Revelations.”
They walked on deeper into the woods of lonely darkness. It was misty.
The angry dark gray clouds above them would not admit a ray of sunlight.
We saw great monsters among the cold gray rocks; in the wide crevices
were huge, long, green serpents, with mad, fiery red eyes. These snakes
were the companions of low men and women, of drunkards, gluttons, and
former prostitutes. Snakes and all ugly animals have ugly thoughts. They
are on a low mental plane.
“Ruth, dear, your sweet disposition, your constant prayers, have made
your face beautiful. Some of these poor, ill, low, ugly, fallen women
tried to console themselves with ugly dogs and cats on earth. There were
no babies, or children in Hades to pet, and as these poor, half clad,
half starved women would try to pet these dogs, they would growl and
snarl and bite them. All animals were cross; there was no love or
harmony there.”
“Cresto, why are these hungry dogs and snakes with these poor, sad, ugly
men and women?”
“Dear, like seeks like; love attracts love; enemies that hate each other
most, must live together. The wonderful power of gravitation draws them
together. Look well, dear, and remember the result of hate. It is as
strong to attract as love is. All animals have souls and thoughts the
same as we have, only they are undeveloped. Men and women having the
same thoughts as animals and snakes are attracted to each other; here is
another lesson on the law of gravitation. It develops the soul more to
adopt children instead of dogs or cats. The soul of a child is Divine.
Every one must live in the soul world or live in this underworld to
suffer with dangerous animals in Purgatory, until developed out of this
state. It takes intelligence, strength and energy to get out of
Purgatory. Science proves this. You see, dear, how easy it is to get
here? How hard to get out?”
As they went deeper and deeper into the lonely forest they saw a large,
filthy, dead sea covered over with green slime. The odor from this
stagnant water made them all ill.
“The only fish here is the ugly octopus. These poor, weary, tired men
and women catch them and cook them on the rocks and eat them.”
They did not see any fruit in the forest. These folks were too angry and
lazy to cultivate the ground or make the most of their punishment. All
they wanted was revenge and an excuse to get out of work. They all
seemed to be cowards and indolent. The awful rivers and lakes were green
and slimy. The air was cold, misty and damp all the time. No stars or
moon mingled in the dark gray clouds above. There were no flowers or
birds or lovers here. The land was full of muddy green swamps. They saw
them bare-footed, walking in the mud up to their knees. Some took on
each other’s conditions; all looked mean, blue, cross and ugly; they
would fight, groan, swear and curse one another. We could not find any
real love there. It was all cruel hate. Angels often came down when they
were fighting to part them. Then some would cling to their robes and
hold on like mad men. An electric shock from these high angels’ minds
would throw them onto the ground again. O! the power of mind or soul!
Every time they would hurt or abuse another, they were forced to stay
another day in Purgatory. Men or women who had tortured or helped in any
way to torture any prisoner or helpless child or insane person, or any
one in their power on earth, were tortured seven-fold there; their
innocent victims were permitted to come here and torture them. This is a
just law and is followed out to the letter in the underworld. One cannot
escape justice any more than they can escape life. We all live on and on
whether we go to Heaven or Hades.
“Ruth, here is another proof that the wicked are punished just as the
Bible teaches. Here in this underworld the souls of the wicked groan and
moan and are tormented day and night. Here the awful blackness seemed
touched and blended with green and blue fire, the air was poisoned with
awful furies. Ugly long, yellow and black, fiery-eyed, serpents are
everywhere driving the inhabitants here and there, ‘there was no rest
for the wicked.’”
The serpents were even climbing the trees. The trees all looked dead,
old and withered. All the men and women seemed lost; not one could find
their loved ones. All were parted! All lonely! Their only companions
were those they hated most. Many had been in this awful place for years
and years. Many would stay years longer, because they had made slaves of
lovely young girls. These poor, helpless girls had gone on to Heaven,
and the men that ruined them were still suffering here. They suffered
more than their former victims ever did. Ruth was so glad to see these
men suffering. Young girls have a right to honor and sacred love and
homes. These men and women that once sold sweet, lovely young girls for
money, prayed for death; but there is no death in Hades! It was awful to
see these souls live on and on to suffer and groan from remorse of
conscience. There would be no justice without this great mighty
underworld court, or Purgatory. The sins and crimes of darkness, of all
the universe, are concentrated here. This is a terrible and dismal
region of darkness, misery, despair and sorrow! Hades is a place in
space down in the opposite direction from Heaven. It is God’s mighty
Court of Justice. There is no money or bail given there. You cannot
bribe the Judge or jury. Their souls are laid bare! Their hearts and
very thoughts are judged. All their past acts are recorded. Justice
reigns supreme. Every act and thought is pictured in space. Every sound
ascends and is recorded by our angels. Science is a perfect
photographer. All acts and thoughts are retained on the lens of the
mind.
“Cresto, is that why these men and women seem so insane?”
“Yes, dear, their minds are all darkness from sin and ignorance.”
“Cresto, please take me home out into the fresh air, I cannot stand
their awful looks and misery.”
“Come, we will go at once. I should have taken you back sooner.”
“O! what happiness to fly from darkest Purgatory, out into God’s lovely
star light. To soar like a free bird in the sweet, pure fresh air. What
a contrast from that awful place!”
“Ruth, are you not glad you have chosen missionary work instead of
idleness?”
“Yes, dear, from now on I shall be perfectly happy in doing good. I must
commence my work at once. Now is the time. How lovely it is to float
like this among the stars. Away in space! To float like a bird among the
stars and clouds is perfect ecstacy! Each star looks like big, bright
double balls of light; one was blue, one was white. Cresto, this is a
heavenly sight!”
“My darling, I will hold you closer to my heart and fly on and on with
you just to please you. My greatest happiness is in seeing you happy.
All you need to do is to put your lovely head on my breast, and take
long, deep breaths.”
“Darling, how grateful I am to you, Cresto, dear, to be able to float as
the angels do with you, just for tonight. O! this lovely, perfect night.
Cresto, I love you!”
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[Illustration: chapter headpiece]