EXPERIENCES IN SPIRIT LIFE.
In my investigations into the mode and manner of living beyond earth’s
portals, and in my desire to gain knowledge of spiritual things, I have
visited many places, witnessed various scenes,—some strange, others
familiar,—and have interviewed a number of spirits in regard to their
own experiences. A portion of the information thus acquired I propose to
transcribe for my readers.
I do not think that mortal—even well-educated, well-informed
Spiritualists—realize fully that all around them spirits live, that the
very atmosphere pressing around them is peopled by human, conscious,
individualized beings, each intent upon his or her own work, purpose or
mission, be it good or be it evil. While this is true, it is also true
that the spirit world has its localities, its homes distinct from your
homes, its natural scenery, and its places of interest; its life is as
real, and its inhabitants pass through many and varied experiences, even
as do the denizens of the mundane sphere.
THE VARIOUS CLASSES OF SPIRITS NEAR THE EARTH.
In passing, let me simply state that those beings who people the world
around you, who dwell in earthly homes and pursue a labor in connection
with material life, are not all attracted to this locality of yours by
the same conditions. Some of these spirits are bound to physical life
because of the grossness of their under-natures; their joy is found in
pursuing carnal pleasures; they have no desire to rise above the
conditions of matter. A portion of the spirits abiding here are held by
the selfish affection of their mortal friends who cling to them,—if only
in memory,—with a passionate sorrow and despair that will not let them
rise above the earthly sphere; and for a time such spirits remain in
contact with material life, because they yet lack the power to rise
above its conditions. Others find their work and pass a large part of
their existence here, in connection with the physical, in doing good,
ministering to the spiritual necessities as well as laboring for the
alleviation of the physical wants and sorrows of suffering humanity. And
so you have a world within a world right here, and a double life
pulsating, where you only perceive the manifestations of the external;
and those of you whose aspirations are holy, whose desire is to be of
use in the world, who strive to do right, attract the good spirits to
your side; they come to gain magnetic strength from your lives, which
enables them to resist the friction of material conditions while
pursuing their labors for others, and at the same time they impart a
blessing of peace to your souls. Often do you entertain unawares pure
and silent guests, who watch you with their holy eyes and read your
hearts with unerring precision.
And those of you whose aims are all personal and selfish, whose motives
are impure and unworthy, who do not cultivate charity and kindly feeling
toward others, attract undeveloped, unreliable spirits to your homes;
they come depleting you of vital and spiritual strength, thus leaving
you unarmed for the battles of life. Sowing discord in your hearts,
their presence is a curse to all. Where ill-harmony, want of sympathy
and distrust abound in families, these selfish, malicious spirits
delight to throng, and thither they flock, by their presence to increase
the unhappiness of the home of strife, while at the same time fostering
their own disposition to live a sensuous life. And so it behooves each
one of earth to look well to the personal life they live, for upon its
character depends not only their own happiness but also the well-being
of many others.
THE POWER AND EXTENT OF PERSONAL INFLUENCE.
These things of which I speak I have learned through my experiences with
spirits, and they have opened up a vast field of inquiry concerning the
influence which we as individuals, embodied, or disembodied, exert upon
one another,—a field that is yet to be explored thoroughly by the
investigating spirit of man; and when its problems are solved, and its
questions correctly answered, I believe we shall understand many
mysteries which now puzzle humanity, and comprehend more fully the
conditions pressing around and upon mankind. And in this way, and from
these experiences, we will learn to so regulate our individual lives
that only the best influences will emanate from them, and only the
highest results flow from their midst.
It has interested me to perceive the lives led by spirits in the body;
for when I come in close contact with a mortal, I can behold the
interior workings of the spirit within, and know whether its tendency is
upward or downward; for life is continuous everywhere, and what its
environments and conditions are to the mortal, so are they of the same
kind as those to the spirit,—apart from the body,—only differing in
degree, those of the untrammeled spirit perhaps being less limited,
intolerant, and arbitrary. And so spirits begin their vital experiences
in the body and work out through them into the larger freedom, the
broader realities and wider expanse, of the immortal world. These truths
are suggestive of thought to the studious mind, and teach the lesson
that you, mortals, are God’s children now,—his spirits at the present as
much as you ever will be; and it is your bounden duty to brighten,
unfold, and bless your spiritual life in the body as much as it will be
to do so by-and-bye, when you leave the tenement of clay for another
home “not made with hands.”
BEULAH, A SPIRIT MISSIONARY
I wish to tell you, my friends, of a dear, beautiful spirit who is a
missionary of joy and peace, a true ministering angel to many a sad and
weary soul,—one whom I shall call Beulah in speaking of her to you, for
she is really a beautiful, blessed being. This spirit lived in the
mortal form to an advanced age, but long since passed to the spirit
world, after an earthly life of varied experience,—one flecked here and
there with sunbeams, but also one that was thickly sown with tears; for
trouble, privation, and sorrow were often her portion.
To look upon this sainted being now,—her whole form illuminated with the
interior light of a pure soul, her features, no longer care—worn and
bearing the impress of weakness and age, but beaming with the bloom of
vigor and strength, and showing only the traces of matured experience
and thought, radiant with benevolence and kindliness,—with the glance of
a casual observer you would have no idea that this woman had suffered as
few are called upon to suffer, even in this mundane sphere; and only the
watchful, experienced eye would detect the signet of firm endurance and
quiet patience resting upon that noble countenance, and realize that
that signet had been won through sufferance of sorrow, deep and stern.
Yet so it was; and it is this calm, sweet, even holy expression, such as
you might imagine martyrs wearing, which imparts a loftiness of
character to the features of this truly spiritual being.
With the early life of Beulah we have nothing to do; it is only of her
spiritual experience and work that we wish to speak. When this woman
entered the spirit land, laying down the casket of flesh with its
weakness and weariness, she did not find herself an exhausted being, one
lacking the vital force of activity, the fire of energy or the potency
of will; for through all the struggles of her mortal career she never
lost faith in the power and the goodness of God to evolve light from
darkness, strength from weakness, and knowledge and wisdom from the
bitter trials of existence She never faltered or fell fainting by the
way, but rather bravely struggled on in spite of disaster and care.
Therefore, hers was a brave, strong spirit, one that gathered power from
the storms of adversity, sweetness from affliction, and knowledge from
the lessons of life; and when she had thrown off the useless body of
clay, she found her inner powers springing up renewed and quickened, and
ready to out-work themselves in useful labor for humanity.
It was my good fortune to become associated with this dear
woman,—indeed, she was one of the first to bring me strength and cheer
in my new-found spirit home; for she is one of my kin, and when my heart
grew faint within me for the old earthly life with parents and mortal
friends, as it sometimes would, it was her words, her tender, brave,
hopeful ministrations that revived my drooping spirits, and led me to
learn something of the helpful, active, benevolent labor of her life in
the spheres. No tale of sorrow is ever poured into her ear without
meeting with a responsive flood of sympathy and cheer that lightens the
weary soul of its burden forthwith. Let Beulah become aware of any soul
in distress, and she is constantly learning of such, and she is ready to
seek that suffering one; and by the influence her presence imparts, she
succeeds in uplifting, strengthening, and benefiting him or her.
BEULAH’S SELF-SACRIFICING BENEFICENCE.
I have watched carefully the work of this remarkable woman, and have
never known her to fail in imparting relief to any suffering one whom
she sought to assist; her indomitable, yet tender, loving spirit seems
to know no such word as failure or defeat. She wills to succeed in her
work, her whole soul is engaged in it; with her it is truly a labor of
love; her own past experience has surcharged her heart with sympathy and
affection for mankind; she despises no one, not even the vilest sinner;
she would not hesitate to go down into the depths of the darkest, most
offensive conditions to rescue a human being, even though her pure hands
and her beautiful garments were grievously besmirched thereby; and she
would succeed in her efforts for that human being’s redemption, for her
unflinching bravery, her untiring patience and unwavering gentleness,
would cause her to won the victory over all foes.
You can perhaps gain an idea from what I tell you of Beulah of the
usefulness, nobility, and grandeur of such lives as hers; and just such
lives are attained by all spirits who are firm, enduring, patient, and
unselfish. Those who grow strong through suffering, even as the oak tree
gains strength and vigor because of the blasts that shake its sturdy
frame; those whose spirits are mellowed, sweetened, and ripened, despite
the calamities that befall them in their journey through matter,
eventually become just such beautiful ministers of love and light, of
joy and gladness, as this woman of whom I write today.
I have known Beulah to leave her bright, happy home in the supernal
realm and immure herself in some dark, unsightly, and miserable place
where a human being groveled in the haunts of wickedness, sorrow, or
despair, in order to bring the magnetic rays of light from her own pure
presence and the soothing, cheering influence of her beautiful sphere,
to bear upon that unhappy spirit for its own advancement; and I have
known her to absent herself from her nearest friends for months, during
which time she was engaged in ministering to the wretched and sad,
walking by their side, dwelling in their midst, never withdrawing her
helpful influence from them until she had succeeded in elevating their
spirits above the gross desires of carnal life, or awakening within them
emotions of peace and hope where before only despair and woe had
reigned. Oh, this one blessed spirit has accomplished great good in her
own humble manner. Because of her ministrations alone, hundreds of souls
now blossom out in gladness and beauty, which before were shadowed by
desolation and the keenest pain.
REFORMATION OF SPIRITS IN THE LOWER SPHERES.
It is true that hundreds of evil-minded, ignorant, crude, and unfolded
spirits pass out of the body annually, and it is also true that most of
these unfortunate ones remain for a long time in the darkened condition
which the effects of their earthly career have surrounded them with; but
while this is so, it is sweet to know and realize that good and noble
souls, enlightened and developed spirits, are making grand and
unwearying efforts to elevate, strengthen, and educate those who come to
the eternal world bowed down by moral weakness and spiritual infirmity.
These endeavors for the sake of others, are not without avail,—on the
contrary they are grandly successful; and while we are constantly
receiving new arrivals of such poor unfortunates in the spirit world who
are in need of the ministrations of pure and good teachers and helpers,
we are as continuously finding other heretofore ill-disposed spirits
arousing to the requirements of their being, to the necessity of making
an effort to rise above the darkness and slough of evil conditions, and
to a desire for a holier and a better life; and I am glad to be able to
report to you this grand truth. Daily are the angels of goodness called
upon to rejoice over many sinners who, repenting of their wrong-doing,
are determined to become worthy members of humanity. Therefore, though
largely peopled with undeveloped, unholy human beings, even the lowest
spheres of the spiritual world are spheres of advancement, wherein are
provided facilities and opportunities, i.e., conditions for the growth
of their inhabitants, which conditions are seized upon as soon as the
torpid minds centered there became sufficiently aroused under the
stimulating, supporting light brought to bear upon them by unselfish
ministers of helpful goodness, to become aware of their true position
and the degradation of a human soul which it implies.
ILLUSTRATIVE INSTANCE OF THE REFORMATION OF A SPIRIT.
Some time since—years ago, as mortals measure time—an individual came to
the spirit world who presented a most deplorable and pitiable condition.
He had been one of those unfortunates who are reared in iniquity; it
would seem almost as though the doctrine of total depravity was
demonstrated in his case. His soul was stained with crime in its various
degrees, and at length his earthly career terminated upon the gallows,
in expiation of the life of a little innocent child he had ruthlessly
destroyed. It would be impossible for me to describe to you the tortures
of misery through which this spirit has passed, such suffering I can
only faintly conceive of; it must undoubtedly be experienced to be
understood. But this I am assured of: the torments of a lake of literal
fire and brimstone would be pleasant compared to this. At first he
seemed plunged in an abyss of apathy, of squalid and stupid
helplessness, from which he would occasionally arouse only to curse
humanity, and send out a revengeful, diabolical influence which, from
the intensity of its power, as directed by the positive will of this
evil-minded man against those who had accused him of wrong-doing and
condemned him to his present condition, sped like a ball of flame
bearing destruction in its heart to the peace of mind, happiness, and
prosperity of more than one who had testified against him.
It became the mission of Beulah to operate upon the mind of this
terrible creature, and she set about the task without flinching. For a
long time he seemed impervious to her ministrations, insensible of her
presence and influence: but she did not falter nor grow weary with her
work. Finally the magnetism of her presence began to be felt, and to
arouse him from his terrible condition; he began to perceive dimly that
a bright and beautiful being was beside him. This tended to frighten
him, and he struggled to get away; but all in vain. He tried to utter an
oath, but found himself powerless to do so. There was an influence upon
him which he could not understand; a light seemed to stream in upon him
from which he vainly tried to hide. An illuminating light which radiated
from Beulah, and which all pure, exalted spirits bear, had at last begun
to penetrate the darkness of this man’s soul; all-searching in power, it
seemed to lay bare every recess of his being, and he recoiled from the
exposure. He could not hide himself in darkness, for all gloom had
perished; nothing remained but that, to him, terrible light which
revealed to him his past life in all its deformity. This was punishment
of the direst kind, and he writhed in torment. In the clear light of
Beulah’s magnetism he beheld the sweet face of the little one he had
bodily destroyed gazing upon him with pitying, gentle eyes. The sight
overpowered him, he sought to shut it out, but he could not do so; still
it haunted him, and he could not escape it until it was withdrawn to
give place to another,—one loving, earnest, kindly brooding over him
like the face of an angel mother,—only, alas! this poor soul had no
angel mother to guide it. The being who had given him mortal birth still
dwelt on earth a degraded, besotted, helpless creature. The face he now
beheld was the face of Beulah. The sweet, benign expression of this face
calmed and comforted the man; he stretched out his hands to it in
supplication, and from that moment the evil in his nature was broken and
subdued; for, dawning upon his soul came a faint realization of that
life where holy ones, such as this beautiful being, reside, and with it
a desire, not a hope, not a belief, but only a wish to be good, entered
his soul and pierced it through and through.
The experience through which this man passed, which I have briefly and
hastily sketched to you, was one bitter and keen in intensity, one not
of moments but of years; and all this time Beulah had labored, hoped and
watched for the dawn of reason in his mind, which came with the
abandonment of evil thoughts and purposes, and the adoption of that
condition of mind which recognized the supremacy of goodness, and
desired to learn and know something of it.
THE WORK CARRIED TO COMPLETION.
But the work had now only commenced; for if it was difficult before to
cope with and over-power a mind reeking with evil thoughts and impure
desires, how distressing was it now to witness the struggles—almost
hopeless as they were—of this spirit to get away from the remembrance of
his past career. How sad to behold him putting forth feeble efforts
toward feeling kindly concerning others, and to see him fall back
despairingly, with the thought that he could never associate with such
as he! How touching to witness his endeavors to cherish only pure
desires and to banish evil from his mind, even while the memory of past
days haunted him with horror. And yet, every thought, desire,
aspiration, and effort for good which he made brought with it such a
power to encourage and uphold his spirit that it became impossible for
him to sink back into his former condition of degradation and iniquity;
and as time rolled on, his struggles with self gradually grew fewer and
easier, until at length right triumphed and wrong was overcome. Through
all this time, Beulah encouraged and supported him by her presence, her
magnetic power and her words of cheer; and, as experience after
experience came to him, his conditions brightened. He was led out of the
gloom, out of the forests of unpleasant and inharmonious surroundings,
until at length no longer sandy wastes and rocky places were his home,
but fertile fields and blooming forests offered shelter and refreshment
to his spirit. And at last, when her work with him was finished, and she
beheld him a soul redeemed from sin through suffering, developed from
ignorance by experience, made even peaceful through his power and desire
to assist others, Beulah brought to him the sweet spirit, now grown a
beautiful woman, whom he had sent untimely into the spirit world, to be
his teacher, helper, and guide.
He could bear to look upon the sweet face now, could humbly listen to
the teachings of one so pure and good; all wretchedness and misery which
it was possible for him to experience had been passed, and therefore he
was prepared to accept the ministrations of this beautiful being in lieu
of those of Beulah, whose duty called her elsewhere. And thus, harmony
of life was restored to the broken soul; the presence of the one he had
injured only served to make him more humble in spirit, self-sacrificing
and benign, charitable, pitiful, and tender to the erring and degraded
wherever they were to be found. Beulah departed to her celestial home,
where a glad, fond welcome awaited her; but the soul she had blessed
remained in his own spirit home, not to grow idle or neglectful of
others, but to do unto those in need as he had been done by; to impart
strength, courage, and knowledge to his fellows while still continuing
to advance in spiritual attainments himself.
You may wonder what connection the spirit brought to this man by Beulah
had with his work. The child maiden was not with him all the time, other
good spirits were associated with him in his home and his work; but
whenever she felt that she could be of use to him, this sweet spirit
would come and lead him to whatever place she felt there was a lesson
awaiting his spirit. Sometimes it would be to spots on earth where
spirit help was required by suffering mortals; sometimes to haunts in
spirit life where a higher influence was required by struggling souls,
and sometimes to the homes of little children in the Summer-land, whose
happy, peaceful lives afforded a valuable lesson to the observing
spirit. From all these experiences he of whom I write gathered power,
strength, and light to go on with his work.
THE REFORMED SPIRIT RETURNS TO EARTH TO REFORM OTHERS.
One instance of the good work accomplished by this same arisen, reformed
spirit I must relate to you. It was after he had become strong in his
manhood and powerful to resist and conquer evil. He had for some time
felt a desire to revisit the lower haunts of spirit life, where he had
once lived, feeling that perhaps he might be able to help some
unfortunate one as he had been aided during the past. Yielding to the
impulse, he found himself plunged in darkness, but only for a moment;
for the light proceeding from his own person penetrated the gloom, and
enabled him to behold his surroundings clearly. I cannot dwell upon his
experiences here, but must hasten on to tell you that the first spirit
he encountered who was immersed in the darkness which a besotted,
sensual life on earth surrounds one with was his own mother,—the being
who had given him a mortal birth. Here was work for our spirit, indeed;
and he set about it right royally, never faltering, never growing
disgusted or disheartened. I cannot tell you of the almost infinite
amount of care, patience, endeavor, and affection our redeemed one
exhausted on that selfish, stupid, and ignorant mother before he was
rewarded by one answering gleam of love and the sight of one faint
desire in her soul to be like him. But at length he succeeded in his
work, from which he paused not until the redeeming power was fully and
freely making its way through the soul of that woman, and slowly but
surely lifting her up to the level of the pure and good,—a sight over
which angels and seraphs might weep with joy,—that of a once-hardened
criminal, though now a redeemed and honest man, laboring unselfishly,
earnestly, and constantly to elevate a wretched, degraded, and dishonest
woman—his own mother—out of the bonds of darkness, the haunts of sin, a
work that was finally accomplished, and which brought gratitude, joy,
and honor to many hearts.
This is no fancy sketch I have penned for you, but a recital of what has
actually occurred, as related to me by an interested witness of the
entire work from its beginning to its completion.
FIRST SENSATIONS UPON ENTERING SPIRIT LIFE.
“Life! Hope! Immortality!” How these words thrill the spirit when it
awakens from its dream of mortal existence, and finds itself a
conscious, active, arisen being in the natural, tangible world of souls!
I have seen many new-comers to the spirit land, and have watched with
interest the various expressions of emotion sweep across their speaking
faces when they discovered themselves to be not dead but alive, and
surrounded by scenes as natural as were any they ever beheld on earth.
Some countenances sparkle with joy at the grand revealments of immortal
life; others exhibit signs of amazement or disappointment; but all
ultimately learn to wear a contented, satisfied expression, as though
(which is true) they had arrived at home.
What is more beautiful to the tired, sorrowing, pain-worn spirit than
the sight of a peaceful, happy, comfortable home waiting to give him
welcome? And over here in the Summer-land are real, true homes where
love is to be found, where peace abides, and where a bright measure of
contentment is held out to the weary and sad. I have seen something of
the stopping-places of crude-minded, undeveloped spirits; I have
witnessed their surroundings and unpleasant conditions. I have also
visited the homes of the pure and good denizens of the spheres, have
beheld the beautiful emanations from their lives, have noted their work
and perceived the noble, uplifting influence they have sent forth; and I
unhesitatingly declare that the good far outnumber the evil and
impure,—that thousands of spirits are seeking to comfort, soothe and
bless others where tens endeavor to injure and debase their fellows.
Thousands of spirits make the homes of the eternal world beautiful and
sweet. Love seems to be unconfined and free in its expression “Over
There.” Flowing forth spontaneously from the heart, it reaches all
kindred souls, and enriches the lives of the giver and recipient alike.
How often I have seen a spirit doing something that will please and
gratify another. How frequently I have heard the remark: “I will do this
because my friend will like it.” Thoughtful for the comfort and pleasure
of others, good spirits have no opportunity, time, or desire for selfish
purposes. Very often the work performed or planned is for the comfort
and gratification of some dear one in the flesh, who at the time has no
idea that loved and loving angels are laboring in practical ways for
their advancement.
THE ULTIMATE REIGN OF PEACE AND HAPPINESS ON EARTH.
There is, in my opinion, every hope for the race. Humanity will and must
advance, for thousands, aye, millions, of ascended loved ones are
laboring for the benefit of mankind. When I travel from point to point
with the rapidity of spiritual flight, and behold everywhere I go—in
each town, city, and encampment that I traverse—multitudes of angelic
beings dwelling in homes of love, all united and happy, each one
devoting his or her thought, energy, and time to the labor of devising
and executing ways, plans, and means for the blessing and elevation of
their fellow-beings, I am led to rejoice in the certainty that some
time, and perhaps before many years,—for humanity is rapidly advancing
in knowledge, scientific lore, and wisdom,—the condition of mankind will
be one of happiness, peace, and true prosperity.
As the brilliant sun and the shining stars are above and far outnumber
the clouds of earth’s atmosphere, so the radiant, glowing forms and
homes of bright, exalted spirits are above and far outnumber the lower,
undeveloped beings whose habitations are crude, dark, and dreary; and
though the influence of those crude-minded spirits is exerted upon and
felt by many of the inhabitants of earth, even as the clouds and shadows
of the skies produce their effect upon material life, yet as the
glorious light of heaven dispels all darkness and gloom, so will the
abiding influence of higher, purer lives ultimately banish and
counteract the effects of that baneful miasma that emanates from the
lower spheres. As coldness is turned to warmth and darkness becomes
light, under the rays of the sun, so evil is turned to goodness and all
error becomes swallowed up in divine truth, under the inspiring
influence of heavenly love, that endureth forever.
Therefore, I feel that the future weal of humanity is assured, and all
that each one of us has to do is to follow the highest dictates of right
our soul can conceive of, and to feel that the angel world, with its
power and might, is working for the cause of Truth and Justice, and is
laboring steadfastly and earnestly for the elevation of Mankind.