_Prof. Robert Hare_—Venerable and much-esteemed friend, it is an
unwonted pleasure with us to number you as a leading mind in the ranks
of this new and better gospel which is being given to the dwellers
of earth. We see the many and perplexing difficulties which, to you,
apparently hinder your progress in this path to light and love, and
we sympathize with you in all your efforts to unfold your mind and to
render it useful and happy.
Could you see the great glory which is to be the issue of your
labours in the new unfoldings of spiritual science, you would not
despair of your mission, nor weary in your devotion to it. Let us
ask you, If there is any earthly fame or consideration that could
induce you to turn back again to the familiar paths in which a
life of patient labour has been spent? If there is any earthly joy
or brilliant attainment which you have ever enjoyed, worthy to be
compared with the little you have realized since you commenced your
investigations in this the most important pursuit of your life? Ask
yourself how much happiness you have found in the contemplation of
that fact which has been demonstrated, not only to your wishes, but
to your senses, that the thinking mind _never dies_; that the grave,
which is but the wardrobe of the cast-off garment of the spirit, has
no power over the soul; that it lives _on_, lives _ever_, and must
throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity continue to unfold its
powers. Ask yourself, what is _earth_, what is _fame_, what is the
endearment to your present life, when contrasted or compared with the
assurance which you now have, that _there is no death_, no loss of
your individuality, no _severing_ of the ties of friendship and love
which shall not be renewed again in that fairer land, the home of the
angels, whither you and all you love on earth are tending? Ponder
then, our venerable friend, and ask your thirsting soul, if this
knowledge is not worth more than the cost of diamonds to you? We, who
have laid aside the crumbling casket which contained the priceless
jewel that is never tarnished, know full well the value of this gem of
knowledge which now sparkles on your vision just opened.
There are many things which we would like to say to you, but the
conditions and circumstances which control our operations render it
impossible for us to present to your mind the light which it so much
seeks. To answer the demands of your spirit is now impossible to us.
Time and the unfoldings of your mind can only solve the questions you
would propound. You are well aware that the growth of your present
knowledge is but the effect of earnest inquiry, of patient toil, and
deep study, and experiment after experiment in your searchings for
truth. Such was the only way you reached the position which you now
occupy in the science so dear to you. It came in no other way, it
could come in no other. The child is subjected to the necessity of
first learning the alphabet before it is prepared to spell, and must
understand the meaning of words before it can comprehend the sentence
it reads. So in this investigation. That which is apparently of
little meaning must first be learned, the alphabet must be mastered,
hard words pronounced, and all must be understood before there is a
fittedness for progression. The wisest on earth, aye, the wisest in
spirit life, are learners, students: none but God is perfectly wise;
and it is no humiliation to any mind that it contains not all of
wisdom. Let us say to you that if patient in your investigations, you
shall in due time obtain that which you so earnestly seek. Could we
work miracles, (a thing impossible,) they would astound rather than
enlighten your mind. Could we withdraw the veil which separates the
vision from the things you desire to see in our spheres of life, you
have no data by which you could make plain to yourself or to the eyes
of your fellow-man the sights you would behold.
Go on in your searchings, our good friend: the end is not yet with
you. Brilliant minds with brilliant thoughts are burning to give
utterance to earth through you. You are a selected instrument of our
own choosing, and we are watching and guiding in the path and to
the goal you seek. You may not only “speak trumpet-tongued to the
scientific world,” but in _thunder-tones_ to those savans who think
they are the masters of the keys of knowledge.
_Author’s Reply to the preceding Address._
PHILADELPHIA, June 15, 1855.
_To my spirit friends, to whom I owe the preceding address_:
It is quite unnecessary for my angel friends to urge upon my heart, or
upon my reason the nothingness of this world, in comparison with that
of which a description has lately been given to me.
So highly do I estimate the prospect thus awakened, that it seems
almost _too_ good, _too_ desirable to be realized. There are so many
painful ideas awakened in my mind respecting the lot of humanity, by
the events of past and present times, that it is difficult to conceive
that, at the short distance of little more than the eightieth part
of the diameter of our globe, there should be such a contrast. But
to _heighten_ my appreciation of the inestimable value of such an
heirship is utterly uncalled for. If there be any drawback, it is
the misery which pervades this mundane sphere. The sympathy which,
on the one hand, ties you to this world, must, on the other, cause a
participation in the sufferings which pervade all animated nature.
While I am aware that sympathy, as above suggested, would prevent me
from flying from a perception or contemplation of the wretchedness
in question, it seems as if the heaven of Spiritualism were, in
this phase, in some degree open to the objection to the heaven of
Scripture, founded on its too great proximity to hell. Is not the
spiritual heaven too near this sphere, and too much associated with it
by its sympathy, not to suffer indirectly a portion of its miseries?
If there were any thing I should deem to be requisite to render
existence in the spirit world happier, it would be the power of
removing the miseries of this lower world, _and especially those
arising from Error_—the most prolific source of evil. According to
Addison’s allegory, Death admitted the pretensions of Intemperance
to be superior in destructiveness, to those of any of the numerous
diseases which competed for the honour of the premiership in his
cabinet; but might not Error have successfully competed with
Intemperance?—Error, the main cause of intemperance, of intolerant
bigotry, and of war, which destroys both by the sword and by sickness
which it induces?
It is difficult for us to conceive that good, affectionate spirits
are not unhappy at witnessing the distress which they cannot relieve.
The prisoners at Sing Sing are said to undergo mental torture by the
silence imposed upon them. Yet this is imposed upon spirits, when
often a word would prevent fatal events.
Nevertheless, Spiritualism, so far as it prevails, will make all
better: in the first place, by removing error and sectarian discord,
and, in the next place, by making nature the object of our study, and,
indirectly, of our worship, as the work of the Being who created all.
You need not any more strive to stimulate my estimation of the high
office which you bestow on me as promulgator of the knowledge given me
of the spheres, than to excite my appreciation of that knowledge. I
would not relinquish my position for any temporal sovereignty. My love
of truth, my desire for human happiness, would be sufficient for my
pay in causing truth to triumph, as that, of course, would be a heaven
to me in contemplating the misery obviated and the happiness induced.
Doubtless, not to be fairly appreciated would be painful; while
merited applause would be a high gratification; but, were that my
primary motive, I should not deserve applause. All that I would desire
would be, to have that share of honour to which I might be entitled
in common with other colabourers in the cause of truth: to exist in
the spheres on the same plane with the illustrious Washington and his
coadjutors, and associated with my beloved relatives and friends,
having access to the wise and good men of all ages and nations! That
were a heaven indeed! To be worthy of and enjoy such a heaven, is
the only selfish ambition with which I am actuated, so far as I know
myself.
Your truly devoted servant and friend, ROBERT HARE.
Having suggested to my spirit father that it would be expedient that
some names should be attached to the credentials with which the
preceding address from the spirits seemed to endow me by appointment,
he induced several spirits of eminence to accompany him to Mrs.
Gourlay’s this morning, (August 4, 1855.) This gave me an opportunity
to read Lanning’s letter, the address which I received through him as
above represented, and my reply. In return I received the subjoined
communication.
_Communication from an assembly of eminent spirits, sanctioning the
credentials transmitted through the mediumship of Mr. Lanning._