ZENCOLLIA CITY AND ITS SURROUNDINGS.
Shall I speak of my surroundings in the Summer-Land? Shall I tell you of
the beautiful city that we in the eternal world call Zencollia,—meaning,
literally, “city of light,”—so called from the brilliant rays which are
reflected back from its towers, minarets, and gleaming walls when the
sunlight falls upon them? The spires and towers of this beautiful city
gleam in the distance as I am seated by my eastern window. Its white
walls, glistening with alabaster-like spotlessness, seem to tell of
purity and peace.
A TEMPLE OF LEARNING.
Amid that wonderful array of exquisite workmanship a brazen temple
arises, its massive dome seeming to crown the structure with a coronal
of living light. This grand temple I have visited in company with dear
brothers who have gained a comprehension of truth and knowledge in the
wisdom-schools of spirit life, and who have become familiar with the
interior of this shining temple from frequent attendance upon the
instructive lectures delivered therein. The temple of learning in
Zencollia is the most massive building I have ever beheld. It is
surrounded by an open space paved with delicate pink and white tiles of
shining, translucent stone. A flight of variegated marble steps leads to
the vestibule, which is also paved with pink and white tiles.
The building contains four spacious halls, the finest of which is
dedicated to Science, the second to Literature, the third to
Metaphysics, and the fourth to Music. Each hall is furnished with roomy
seats for the accommodation of the audience; a raised platform at the
farther end, upon which stands a marble table, and a cushioned seat,
something like a capacious sofa, serves for the accommodation of the
speakers or instructors.
The floors are all paved with variegated marble,—white, streaked with
delicate pink and sea green; the pillars are of carved ivory; the walls
are adorned with beautiful paintings, representing some illustration of
the nature of the work to which the hall is dedicated; while the lofty
ceilings are frescoed in the faintest azure, white and gold.
One of my companions, a student in the hall of science, was eager for my
admittance there as a spectator, which was soon obtained. At the time of
my visit the seats were filled with a throng of people, young and old,
and of both sexes. The lesson was on the laws of chemistry; and the
speaker, a gentleman apparently forty years old, but whom my brother
assured me had been in the spirit world many decades of years, had a
number of strange-looking instruments before him, with which to
illustrate his theme, and to prove the truth of his theories by
experiments.
“Do you notice that gray-haired gentleman in front, the one with the
high forehead, whose penetrating, searching gaze seems to be taking in
every movement of the speaker?” whispered my companion. I nodded assent.
“That is Michael Faraday, the scientist; and I tell you he is as earnest
a student as any of us; he attends all our conventions. He has been
invited to take part in the exercises, but declines, preferring to study
rather than teach. Oh, I tell you, Sis, a good many of earth’s smartest
men come here or go to other places to learn, when they reach spirit
life.”
The lesson of the day was very instructive, and the experiments
interesting; but as they were new to me, and far advanced, I did not
understand them very well.
“I’ll tell you what, Miss Ammidown,” said brother J., playfully, as I
expressed my amazement at some of the results of the professor’s
experiments, “I’ll bring you here when we have a lesson on Electrical
Life, and you shall see the teacher produce some most wonderful results
without the aid of instruments. You look incredulous; but, Kitty, that
is only because you have been used to earthly, material instruments.
Here we can make use of the currents of electricity without any such
adjuncts. You shall witness some of my own private experiments some
time. You have a great deal to learn yet.”
And, indeed, I felt like a child who had just entered into the wonderful
arena of knowledge, and saw spread out before her strange sights, and
heard strange sounds, which she could not comprehend, but which seemed
deliciously clear and interesting to those around her. This was long
ago, but the feeling clings to me yet; and I feel there is so much to
learn and understand, one can never be idle.
HALL OF METAPHYSICS.
To the Hall of Metaphysics we wandered. Here the speaker was a female;
but although the ideas she expressed were grand and beautiful, the
language with which they were clothed was almost too abstruse for me.
“I brought you here, dear sister,” said my companion, “not because I
expected you to understand the proceedings; you are too familiar with
earthly expressions for that as yet; but that you might visit a place
where those filled with lofty ideals concerning the soul, and its
relations to life, meet to exchange thoughts and to learn of each other.
Emerson[4] will delight to frequent this place when he comes over to our
side of life. We have scores of other places,” he continued, “where such
teachers as Theodore Parker, Channing, and hundreds of like noble souls,
hold forth with earnest utterance for the lifting up and sanctification
of the people. These you can understand; and their teachings are
generally delivered in some airy chamber or leafy grove, where all the
surroundings and conditions are conducive to the worship of God. You
will visit many of these with those who love you.”
Footnote 4:
This was written some time before Ralph Waldo Emerson ascended to the
higher life.
THE HALL OF LITERATURE.
We did not tarry long in the Hall of Metaphysics. The teacher was
grandly beautiful, clothed in flowing robes of classic style; her speech
gently modulated; her gestures graceful; her mien earnest and
convincing; and to those who understood she appeared to furnish a feast
of good things. I felt humbly penitent, because I could not comprehend
the whole; observing which, my guide hurried me away to the Hall of
Literature.
Here I could appreciate, for I understood. The services were conducted
by a number of men and women, who favored us with sketches of real life,
not published, but what they had themselves witnessed; also readings
from eminent authors, bits of rare, descriptive power, rich delineations
of gifted writers, with extracts from their productions; followed by
expressions of gorgeous imagery and brilliant passages of poetry. Here I
was deeply interested, and the more so, because my companion pointed out
to me the presence of gifted men and women, whose works I had admired
and read on earth with never the hope of meeting them in person.
THE HALL OF MUSIC.
But I must hasten. With all the wonderful things I had seen and heard,
what shall be said of the Hall of Music? The whole front of this
spacious hall is a raised balcony, upon which the performers and
choristers are generally seated.
Here we were joined by a dear sister, who I shall designate as May; like
the May-flowers, she is beautiful and sweet; and hand clasped in hand,
in silence,—and so far as I was concerned, in awe,—we listened to the
enchanting strains of music evoked from stringed and keyed instruments,
by the skillful fingers of their manipulators; and to the deep, rich
tones, or bird-like, thrilling notes of the singers’ voices. I can never
describe it. What I have said is but a faint type of all I witnessed in
that marvelous temple; but the music!—the music was so grand, so
powerful, so uplifting, and yet so sweet, so subtle, so enchanting, that
I seemed floating away, with no thought but to soar upward to the very
throne of Life and Love.
All petty affairs of life, all outward sense of existence melted away;
and in the pure atmosphere of that celestial melody, my soul asserted
itself in all its purest aspirations for the perfect completeness of
life.
I love Zencollia for its divine harmony of sweet, inspiring music; and,
oh, dear ones I love on earth, could you have been with me in spirit, my
bliss would have been complete.
SOCIAL LIFE IN ZENCOLLIA.
In walking through the streets of beautiful Zencollia City, I have
observed the perfect freedom of its inhabitants, the undisguised manner
of living, the open frankness, and the confidence each one seems to
repose in his neighbor, and also the unceremonious hospitality of each
household; for every passer-by is welcome to enter, rest, refresh
himself, and examine whatever excites an interest in his mind.
I have noticed this, because at first it appeared very strange to me—so
at variance with the customs of mortals, who shut themselves up in their
homes, becoming sometimes exclusive and ceremonious in their bearing
toward others.
But I have learned that while it would be unwise and unsafe for mortals
to leave their homes open to the inspection of every curious passer-by,
and imprudent in the extreme for them to invite every stranger into
their households, it is perfectly safe to do so in the spiritual city
Zencollia, whose inhabitants are pure and spotless, who have become
purged from all gross and carnal appetites and habits, who do not gossip
and slander, who love each other, whose families are bound by the
closest ties of tender sympathy and affection, and whose lives are so
pure, so devoted to the welfare of others, they have nothing to conceal.
Every home is a shrine of prayerful praise; every family bows at the
altar of Infinite Wisdom; each inhabitant has some lesson to repeat, or
some experience to rehearse to the new-comer into these high spheres,
that will be a guide to his feet; every habitation contains something of
interest to the stranger who may have but recently ascended to the upper
courts of Zencollia. And there is no risk in entertaining the stranger;
for no impure, selfish, worldly-minded spirit can enter Zencollia; he
could not breathe its refined atmosphere, the brilliancy of its light
would blind him. For while it is true that exalted spirits can descend
to lower spheres or conditions, where grossly-minded intelligences
dwell, surrounded by the darkness which their mental state throws off,
and there minister to the necessities of those earth-bound souls, yet it
is as impossible for those spirits to _ascend_ to the upper heights as
it is for mortals to pierce the heavenly worlds with their material
bodies; for as the physical keeps you down to earth, so the weight of
passion keeps those spirits down.
Therefore, no impure spirit enters Zencollia, and none who dwell there
fear to entertain the stranger, for all the inhabitants of that
celestial city are possessed of clear vision, and they can readily read
the interior thought and desire of whoever comes within their sphere.
The dwellers in that happy city associate together in groups, all
working for the common good; each obeys the law which all assist in
framing; everyone contributes to the welfare of the people, the
beautifying of the city, the maintaining of free, open schools of
instruction, and in upholding a good government.
I have often thought of the beauty and glory of this sweet life, wishing
that I could cause mortals to view it as I do,—to view and to emulate,
to bring down something of its happy conditions to earth; for then there
would be no need of prison-walls, no cause for corporeal punishment, but
love and justice would reign supreme, and the millennium, long foretold
by prophet and seer, dawn upon the new earth.
INTERIOR VIEW OF ZENCOLLIA.
Zencollia, “City of Light,” the sight of thy white walls, gleaming in
the distance, recalls a vision of thy beautiful streets, so unlike the
city streets that mortals know. No jarring noise disturbs the serenity
of thy places; and yet the ceaseless murmur, the ever-present appearance
of active, energetic life within thy limits, proclaim that therein is
found sentient, individualized, conscious existence.
The edifices so beautifully constructed of shining stone, artistically
adorned with carvings of exquisite grace and symmetry, do not crowd and
elbow each other for want of space; but each building stands within its
own enclosure, surrounded by garden plats and banks of emerald green.
Lofty trees, whose umbrageous foliage furnishes a cooling shade, are
scattered here and there, giving an aspect of natural beauty to the
scene. The very streets, though paved through their centres with
polished stones, are fringed on either side with grassy leaves and
nodding flowers, which no careless foot seeks to trample down.
And yet, it is a city, vast and magnificent. Its massive buildings, its
countless inhabitants, all mark the difference between it and the town
or country. At regular spaces, great plats, enclosing flowery beds of
every variety of color and perfume; tiny lakes and gushing fountains;
gleaming pavilions, furnished with rustic seats and tables; small groves
of shade trees, tiny grottoes and fairy glens, where birds make music
through all the sunny day—are kept under constant care and cultivation
for the enjoyment of all who wander therein; and it is no uncommon thing
for groups of harmonious spirits to gather together in one of these
gardens, and spend an hour in that communion of soul expressed in the
singing of hymns, the exhortations from inspired lips, or the
encouraging words given from one to another, that lift the spirit still
nearer the Infinite Light that pervades in some measure all space and
permeates all life.
A CONVOCATION OF WOMEN.—EQUALITY OF SEX.
I have recently attended a convocation of women, in one of these city
gardens, earnest, noble, true-souled women, who met together to discuss
plans and devise measures for the welfare of their sister-women upon the
earth. They had gathered together to send forth their silent,
penetrating, uplifting sympathy toward those who are crowded almost out
of existence, either by the pitiless hand of poverty, or shunned and
scorned because of the unfortunate lives circumstances have compelled
them to lead.
In the realm of spirit, our societies are not confined to one sex; there
is no exclusiveness; woman is not considered incompetent to discuss the
questions of life with her brother. Men do not meet in club or barroom,
to revel in scenes they would blush to have their sisters witness,
neither do women have their sorosis, that the gentlemen cannot enter, or
sewing-circle, where gossip and slander—those tender tid-bits so
delicious to some tastes—are woven into the garments they fashion, with
their pernicious and malicious influence.
Each convention, every organization is founded upon the polished square
of Equality, and membership is freely extended to male and female alike;
thus rounding out the perfect circle of harmonious life. But this
convocation of which I speak, composed entirely of women—tender,
helpful, loving women—who have witnessed the struggles and the sorrows
of those dear children of humanity, whom mortals consider lost, but whom
angels know shall yet be redeemed to honor and virtue, was called
together because it had become evident to thinking minds that the
so-called Progress of Humanity will remain but a sham, until society
awakens to the fact that while one outcast remains outside the closed
door of fraternal sympathy, while one poor sufferer is refused the
helping hand or kindly word, to encourage her onward toward the highway
of goodness, it is an agency of intolerance, and unworthy the name it
bears.
And so, out in the bright, clear air, with the radiant sky above their
heads, the flowery sod beneath their feet, where the grand old trees
chanted their anthems of glory, as the breeze swept through their
branches, these spirit women met, and with earnest faces and solemn
words, dedicated themselves to the high mission of going one by one out
into the material world to sow seeds of love and good-will in the hearts
of mortals,—going forth from their beautiful spirit homes as teachers to
humanity; and the one little lesson, so easy to read, so hard to
remember and weave into practical life, which they seek to implant in
human hearts, is this: “Judge not, but extend the friendly hand, the
kindly word and smile, even more if you can, the cup of water and the
meal of bread, to the poor unfortunate, whose life is bowed beneath the
weight of its own mistakes, and who bears more punishment within the
soul than you can dream it possible for one to endure.”
And so, from out the company of that heavenly band, whose influence
stills all commotion, whose presence breathes a blessing of comfort and
peace upon the passing spirit, I come to you today, dear reader, and in
the tones of love say unto you of earth: “Oh, cultivate the truly
Christ-like principles within you; develop the germs of benevolence,
charity, patience, sympathy, and kindness, and let them flow out from
your souls toward all those—whether male or female—who tread the paths
of sorrow or vice, until like a cleansing flood they roll in waves of
light over their sin-stained souls. Be just; give unto every soul the
full measure of love that you would crave for yourself! Then shall the
age of humanity become indeed a golden age, the fruitage of which will
shine forth in noble lives, in redeemed lives, and in progressive lives;
and society so blossom under the developed influence of Love and
Sympathy as to shed its wealth of fragrant beauty over the hearts of all
humanity, and every soul be known by the endearing name of brother or
sister.”
DWELLERS IN ZENCOLLIA.
The dwellers in Zencollia are calm, peaceful, happy souls, who, having
known the cares, the sorrows and the temptations of mortal life have,
through their earnestness, through their aspirations, risen above all
the annoyances of external things, and grown into harmony with the law
of Love, which is the law of God. Associating together in bands of
fraternal sympathy, they spend their time in devising ways and means to
alleviate the condition of those bowed down by woe and suffering, to
enlighten the ignorant, comfort the distressed, and free the imprisoned
soul from error’s bondage, whether it be encased in mortal flesh, or
dwelling in darkness of spirit.
They have founded schools of learning, colleges, where eminent teachers
in the various branches of knowledge preside, and give forth their
wisdom to the seeking mind, drawing forth and developing all the
deepest, fullest powers of comprehension, and awakening all the noblest
faculties of the student.
Investigation into the realms of Natural Law proceeds with minute
exactness; experiments which test conclusions as to the cause, utility,
and result of chemical and electrical forces are carried on; and schools
are constantly sending out graduates, whose duty it is to search
earnestly among the children of earth until they find minds capable of
receiving, brains enlarged by earnest thought and study, competent to
grasp and elaborate the ideas the spirits give, in order to convey to
earth a practical demonstration of their experiments and investigations.
Such is Zencollia—happy, peaceful, industrious city of light; and as I
gaze upon its glittering walls from my casement, I seem to feel a
pulsating thrill, emanating, as it were, from its center, of good will
to man, coursing through my being, until I become one in sympathy with
the divine mission of its dwellers, which is, love toward God,
manifested through love and helpfulness toward all creatures, all
things.
This is but one of the many cities of that spirit country, that no
thought can measure, no being scan. It is dearest, because nearest to
me; yielding light, instruction, soul-sustenance to myself and to those
I love. But there are countless other cities as glorious, peaceful, and
ennobling, of which I shall speak in future pages. Among them may I
mention Spring Garden City, home of intellect, philosophy and truth;
Harmonial City, abode of wisdom, purity, and peace; Washingtonia, within
whose walls dwell knowledge, justice, and freedom; and many another that
presents a beautiful record of noble lives and enduring deeds, that
shall outlast all perishable evidence of grandeur!—for they are engraved
in spirit, and can never tarnish or decay.
Oh, darling friends in mortal, from the boundaries of that sweet city of
light, we waft you spirit-greeting, love that shall know no change,
sympathy that outlives all outward separation, and only grows the
sweeter; peace that the world can neither give nor take away, and which
passeth all understanding.
A SUBURBAN VIEW.
I have told you of the beautiful city of light, so near my spirit home;
let me now speak of the natural surroundings upon which I may
continually gaze in an ecstasy of delight from my western portico, or
where I may roam at will, filled with the bliss of knowing the truth of
existence, and its enjoyment among the beautiful works of Nature, that
kind mother of us all, who brings her sweet offerings of waters, woods
and flowers, birds and insects, mountains and hills, for the
gratification and pleasure of humanity.
Close beside the home I inhabit a sweet vale lies, decked with fertile
meadows and sunny glades, watered by glistening streams and rippling
brooks, shaded by magnificent oaks and elms, and gemmed with starry
flowers of every hue and of delicious fragrance.
Thickets of roses, blooming in rich profusion, dot the landscape here
and there—roses independent of limited days and weeks, but which blossom
on from day to day, one bud bursting into beauty after another, and no
one left to bloom alone.
A grove of giant pines make music through this leafy vale, as the
breezes sweep through their rustling branches; the carol of birds, the
hum of insects, the rippling of waters, and the music of murmuring
breezes, all combine to form a sweet harmony of sound, that, blending
with the pure harmony of beautiful scenery, brings rest and peace to the
souls of all who linger here.
Sweet spirit vale! dear Auburndale! for such I love to call you; within
your borders, in sweet communion with God and Nature, the soul becomes
purged of all material impurities, and grows into closer harmony with
the sacred laws of being—Love, Sympathy, and Purity.
Away in the distance rises that majestic pile which to me is Mount
Lookout; and as the sunlight rests upon it in gorgeous splendor, I know
that upon my earthly home the sun is slowly sinking, in lines of rose
and purple glory, behind the western hills.
Who could dream of pain and sadness amid the sunny sweetness of this
enchanting vale? And yet, even here sometimes comes from a-far a sound
of distress and anguish, brought plainly to our spirit ears by the waves
of sympathy that surge within our souls; and we hear the wails of pain
welling up from earth life, and mark the signs of devastation and
distress bearing down upon the friends in mortal.
But why is this? Because from the depths of human suffering, pain, and
death, that we see around us, a heavenly sympathy is born within our
souls, and we become desirous of helping those in need, a sympathizing
pity, prompting us to extend the cord of love we hold, until it
encircles and draws upward, into realms of ineffable peace, the
storm-tossed spirits in pain.
Disasters come to earth—conflagrations, misfortune—and from them often
result suffering and death; but, glory to Him who rules! from the midst
of these scenes of sorrow arise pure streams of helpfulness, strength,
and succor for the distressed, that not only enriches the receiver, but
also overflows with sympathy and blesses the soul of the bestower.
Up from the surging billows of distress, out of the fiery furnace of
affliction, arises the pure Spirit of Love, cleansed by its contact with
water, or refined by its passage through fire—noble, enduring,
true—growing stronger and better from its upward flight, seeking as it
goes the sympathy of angels, who, looking downward from the upper
heights, send forth the sustaining cord of affection to draw the spirit
upward, singing as it arises this grand refrain refrain—
“Nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee;
E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me.”
MY HOME; ITS LIFE AND ASSOCIATIONS.
The home I inhabit in the Celestial Sphere would appear to mortals as a
large, spacious, white mansion, surrounded by porticoes, verandas, and
the like, the doorways opening upon a scene of surpassing loveliness;
for there Nature wears her richest robes to beautify external life.
The interior of this habitation you would observe to be divided into
various apartments, each furnished with appropriate furniture and
hangings, the whole designed to harmonize in a perfect blending of form,
color, and texture, pleasing to the eye and restful to every sense of
the beholder.
We have private apartments of our own, where, when in need of mental
repose, silent study, or deep meditation, the spirit may retire, apart
from all companionship save that which breathes through every breadth of
space—the presence of its God.
There are times in every life when it is best to be alone, when the
spirit requires silent, undisturbed self-communion, when outward
presence is an intrusion upon the soul; and at such times we are
privileged to retire to our own private sanctum, unquestioned and not
misunderstood by others.
In my pleasant spirit home there is a quiet nook, where I love to retire
and ponder over the great problems of life constantly unfolding
themselves before me; and there, surrounded by the beautiful in nature
and art, natural flowers climbing over marble statuary, singing birds
making music beneath some exquisite painting, I strive to unravel the
seeming mysteries of existence; and not in vain, for to the earnest
seeker after truth there comes a flood of light, illuminating the dark
places and answering all silent questioning.
But my home contains apartments where sociability reigns, and there a
happy band of spirits daily congregate to amuse, instruct, and bless
each other; there, social converse, mingling with the recital of some
experience, lesson, or advice, pleasant faces and loving hearts, fill
the place with that harmony and peace only to be found where spirit
meets spirit in sympathy and appreciative kindness. Eight of us, all
young souls, meet together hour after hour, bringing each one his or her
store of acquired knowledge, or displaying his or her ignorance upon any
theme, only to have it dissipated by some new truth revealed to our
understandings by others. We are never unhappy, never restless, never
idle. In earthly experience others are far younger than myself; but in
spiritual love and life I am the youngest of them all, and it refreshes
my soul to partake of what those I love have to offer in the way of
acquired knowledge.
This is a sample of group-home-life in the spirit world; a band of
loving, earnest spirits, whose highest ambition is to become great in
knowledge, that they may understand the laws of life, and thereby be
able to avoid mistakes, and competent to transmit a light and knowledge
of life to poor, darkened, misguided souls, who moil in sorrow and pain.
The members of these groups or bands are guarded and protected,
instructed and upheld, by wisdom spirits, who, having dwelt in mortal
until the physical ripened naturally for the change, passed on to enjoy
the fruits of their experience, and, having dwelt long in the spiritual,
are competent to guide and instruct these young souls bound to their own
by the ties of soul-affinity, as well as those of consanguinity, yet
confined by no arbitrary laws that chain and restrain the higher
emotions; thus our lives flow smoothly on, and each moment of existence
brings us some new lesson, or some new opportunity of being of use to
some one of the many spirits who walk the paths of sin or suffering.