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Word Gems 

exploring self-realization, sacred personhood, and full humanity

Sensibility

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75% of those crossing over will spend some time in a dark place 

“We think we can truthfully say that one-fourth of those who come to this side are made to understand the needs of spirit life in a reasonable time. But the remaining three-fourths are our problem and care. We do not mean that all of this large number is unable to advance, but that they are slow, and sometimes very slow. We have many, many, whom we seem unable to help at all. We do not know that it is impossible for them to advance, but we do know that many of them have made no advancement since we came; and we are told that some of them have been in this condition for centuries." testimony from the other side

the Earthly materialistic mindset creates a barrier for the soul's hearing and seeing

“It is a sorrowful condition we behold on earth, and we wish to try to give a new thought that will turn the world to better things… We know that materialism is leading many into habits of life and thought that will defer their awakening and advance here very seriously. This is not necessary for most of them, for they are not evil, and in many cases not especially selfish. But the strong thought that they hold, that there is no future life, reacts upon them to such an extent that they fail to respond to the influences here after they arrive. We have no influence upon such people while they are on earth, of course. If we did, they would not be adopting these wrong beliefs.”

“I am not a novice in this life any more. I have been on this side for fifteen years, and have been in active service most of the time. But I was a beginner at one time, as all are who come here. No one arrives with full-fledged spirit powers. It is easy for some to begin to use their spirit sight and hearing, but it was difficult for me. I had not given a thought in earth life to what would be necessary in this. I did believe in a future life, and I was not long in a really unconscious state after arriving. But I was grievously disappointed at first that I did not find the beautiful heavenly life which I had been taught to expect.

“It was not entire darkness; I could see dimly. But all that was visible was drab and unattractive. I could hear nothing, and could see no living being. You can imagine a little how surprised I was and how puzzled. I knew that my earth life was over; I had been very ill, and had been conscious until nearly the last. So there was no misunderstanding about the fact that I had died. But I could not understand what existence could mean, where there was so little I could see, and nothing I could hear.

“After a time,—I don’t know how long it was,—I realized that there were other beings near me. I was conscious at times of shadow-like forms that moved. I watched them, trying to understand what they meant. I was not particularly interested, for I did not in the least suspect that they were beings like me. If I thought anything, it was that they were animals of some kind.

“I was, of course, not in full possession of my reasoning faculties. When spirit first throws off the material envelope, there is a shock,—not always a severe one, but often sufficient to leave the mentality in a dazed condition, hardly more than a dream-like state. If I had then possessed full powers of reasoning, I could no doubt have soon concluded that the shadows meant something to me. But at first I simply watched them curiously. They came and went, sometimes a few, sometimes many. I think it must have been months before it dawned upon me that they might be spirits, and then I began to really think things out. I first concluded that possibly spirit was always rather ghostly; possibly these shadows were only conscious of me as a shadow. I pondered over this for some time. I finally concluded that there must be more to heaven than such shadowy creations. Something must be wrong somewhere. I made no attempt to study myself, I only wondered about the others. Why were they unable to make a more solid appearance?

well, it couldn't be my fault that this is happening

“It was a long study; and only after extended cogitation did I suddenly begin to wonder if the fault might lie with me. This thought interested me tremendously. I began to speculate on what spirit sight might be like, and I soon saw that it would necessarily be different from earthly sight. I was not successful in my conclusions at first as to the method by which I would have to see, but I was able to perceive things more plainly just because I realized that I myself was the one at fault. When we realize our own short-comings, a great advance is made toward eliminating them, no matter what they are.

“I was soon conscious that I had greatly increased my powers of vision, for I could now see these other beings quite plainly. And I saw that they were conscious of my presence, even seemed to be trying to communicate with me in some manner. But no sound whatever reached my consciousness.

“It was a great relief, however, to discover that there was a change taking place, that I was really able to see things. I was amazed at the beings I saw. I could not believe now that I was in the right place, for I could not conceive that I could belong with such wonderful beings. You must understand that a spirit who has arrived at a full understanding of the life here, and who feels the urge to live the life of spirit love and service, such spirit expresses the purity of its character by its outward appearance. Not only the features become wonderfully beautiful, but the garments likewise are glorified. And to my unaccustomed eyes, these spirits about me could not be less than angels from on high. I could not feel I belonged with any such advancement.

“So I wondered and waited. As I watched, I became aware that these glorious shapes were communicating with each other. I studied this over, and as my mind became more active, I realized that hearing must be a spirit power as well as sight. No sooner had I reached this conclusion than I was conscious of sound. And, oh, the sweetness of that first musical tone! Heavenly music indeed! I was entranced! I was in heaven after all! Not only were there beautiful angels, but I surely was going to hear the heavenly choirs!

“It was not long before I could hear spoken words, and then everything was soon explained to me. It was a day of joy; an exhilaration that I probably will never experience again. But there has been no disappointment since. My education was not rapid, but I advanced surely, and I am now experiencing the pleasures that I only faintly glimpsed in the teachings of my earth life.

“When I first became able to understand the spirits about me, I was not sure that I would ever be like one of these wonderful beings; but I did begin to realize that there was opportunity for me to learn more of my new surroundings.

“I was never much of a student on earth and so for a time I was content to enjoy the beautiful scenes about me. I was curious, however, to learn what made the difference in appearance between myself and the others, and my questions were freely answered. I was told that it was necessary for me to work out my own advancement. I was to learn from all sources that appealed to me, and when I decided what I most wished to take up as a study, the rest would be easy.

“I was not interested at first in the work they were doing for the new arrivals. I was too much occupied in using my newly-found powers of sight and hearing. I was selfish, of course, in not thinking of all that had been done for me. But I had not been a model of unselfishness on earth, and my character did not change at once. I was gradually drawn to the work of helping others by the fact that several whom I had known on earth came to this side, and my curiosity led me to watch them. It was not long until one of them began to regain consciousness, and I was eager to welcome him and explain to him what I had learned. In this way my work for these new spirits was taken up; and for a long time I did little else.

“I was being slowly educated in spirit life by all that I saw and heard around me. And my inquiring mind finally caused me to realize that there were higher things to learn. I was not much inclined to join any class for study, but I did take time to go to other circles and see what was being done. I had always been interested in music, but was never a musician. It was something I never felt I could master. When I listened to the wonderful music here I was enthusiastic over its beauty. I wondered if it might be possible for me to do anything with it myself. I was led to undertake the study, and I am now progressing slowly.”

Reprinted from the homepage; this kind of "tight-shut" disposition creates mental darkness: 

Saul rarely becomes Paul, instead minds remain tight-shut, and science advances one funeral at a time

A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents, making them see the light, but rather opponents eventually die and a new generation grows... rarely, does Saul become Paul.” Max Planck, father of quantum mechanics - Editor’s note: Planck’s dictum is often paraphrased as “science progresses one funeral at a time.”

two business partners killed at a railroad crossing

“We would like to tell of our experiences, as they are a little out of the ordinary. We are two who were associated in business in earth life. We were in a western city not far from Chicago. We were not very well educated, but had many years of business experience, and had always been together. We were not interested in books or reading of any kind, except the items of local interest, and occasional articles that were concerned with business. We talked a good deal with people whom we met, and were, I think, considered intelligent.

“We were church members, but not active; attended occasionally when our families were persuasive enough. We gave no thought to a future life, just lived a day to day existence. We were not wealthy, but always had plenty to make us feel comfortable. We both had automobiles, and liked to ride when opportunity offered, which was usually on Sunday. “It so happened one Sunday that a few from our families wished to ride, so four of us were in my automobile including my friend and partner. We miscalculated at a railroad crossing and we two soon found ourselves on this side. That is, we left our earthly bodies. Here is where our unusual experience comes in.

“We had just been laughing and talking about an article in the paper concerning ghosts. After our spirits left our bodies, we each seemed to realize that an accident had occurred, but each thought himself uninjured. But each could see the spirit form of the other, and its peculiar appearance to his new powers of spirit sight, convinced him that his partner had been killed and that his ghost was still present. It was a comedy of errors if ever there was one,—right in the midst of tragedy. Each thinking himself in the flesh and the other a ghost, there was no attempt to speak, so the mistake was not discovered.

“After the first excitement was over we seemed to drift into oblivion for a time, and we think it must have been some months before we were aware that we were alive only in spirit. During that time we were separated. We were quite slow in gaining our knowledge of what had happened. Our experiences were not just the same, but nearly so. I think the realization that I had died probably came to me the earlier. When I did realize this I was so filled with despair at leaving my earthly existence, and so little used to spirit ways, that all thought of my partner was absent for a long time. It seems his experience was slightly different. At any rate, he thought of me, and at once began to search for me. Because of our close companionship he soon found me, and we have started on the road together.

“We had a hearty laugh over our ghostly experience, but also mingled with sorrow for our families left behind, two of whom were badly injured at the time we were killed. But as time passes, and we learn of the beauties and joys of this life, we realize that we have lost our desire to really return to earth life, and we anticipate now the things that we may attain in the future.”

a spirit-person from the time of Cromwell

“We think the earth people should be made thoroughly acquainted with what is in store for them here. It is not always happiness at first, and for some it seems that unhappiness is their lot for a very long time; and all because of too firmly fixed ideas of what the future is like.

“We have in mind one who has been under our direct care for a time. He is now a happy and joyous soul, but it seems that he has been here for generations, and all that time he has been in a purgatory of his own making.

“He was an Englishman, and left the earth in the time of Cromwell. He was a religious enthusiast, and had pictured the future life in terms of hell-fire on the one hand, and ages of bliss on the other. Not finding either, he conceived the idea that he had somehow missed the way, and was condemned to everlasting solitude. Can you understand what torment this would bring?” …

“We feel that he should have been able to learn more clearly what earth justice was, and that would have made him a different sort of a man. But he was opposed to anything contrary to his beliefs, and was unjust and oppressive to all who held them. This was something he should have been able to overcome despite his heredity and environment. We know that many who lived at that time had right ideas of justice, and administered the law with love and mercy. Such cases should have been an example for this man to follow. But he held the idea that only his way would take one into the realms of bliss in the future life, and he vigorously opposed any other belief… too many set themselves up as judges, and fail to observe the arguments on the other side…

“When we were trying to influence this man we found that he was only able to move from place to place, and to see dimly some of his surroundings. He was not able to see those who were trying to help him, and he could hear nothing. His own thoughts were all the company he had through the long centuries. We do not know just how long the time seemed to him, for of course he had no way of measuring it. But he says he can only express it by saying that it seemed endless.”

the small-town merchant

“I was a man on earth who thought he was living a pretty good sort of life. I did not gamble, or do dishonest things, in the little business which I conducted. But I was not much interested in other people, and I see now that many times I was hard and selfish, when it would have been so easy to be kind and generous instead.

“Life there is looked upon as a sort of grab game. He who is most skillful in grabbing is supposed to be the most successful. Not necessarily a dishonest practice, but surely a selfish one. I was not situated where I could seize anything of any great value, but where the odds allowed it, I saw that they fell on my side.

“I was a small merchant in a small town. I was successful in a small way, but I made of myself a small man personally. And when I came here and learned what this life meant, it was a very small niche that I occupied for a very long time.

“I am growing slowly, and am trying to overcome the habits formed during my long life there. I have reached a point where I feel that these handicaps are more imagined than real now. So I make light of them and try to be happy.

“It is a wonderful world here. It is a wonderful life that is open to everyone… When you come you will be able to see the results of selfishness in nearly every soul that comes, and will see that many have the feeling of being in the wrong place because they were unprepared. I was so unprepared that I did not even know that I was still alive for a long time. It was a surprise to learn the truth, and it was a hard road I had to travel.”

a woman’s experience

“I am a woman. I have been here many years. I was born and brought up on the Atlantic coast, and moved to one of your western states when I was married. But that was many years ago. The year was 1840. I lived a lonely life on a farm, and I had many hardships; raised a family; and finally left my weary existence at the age of 68. I was never a church member, although brought up by Puritan parents. In coming into the western country I brought none of that teaching with me, however. In some ways I think I would have been happier if I had, for I would at least have been looking forward to something after death. As it was, I was so weary of life; I looked forward to peace and nothingness. I was ready to give up everything, there was so little I cared for.

“When I finally realized that death had not ended my existence, I did not know what to make of it. I could see or hear nothing. But I knew I was alive and that I had left my earthly body. I was distracted. For I felt that now I could not rid myself of life, no matter how much I suffered, or how weary I was. But I soon found that I was not suffering, except from loneliness, and after a time I began to wonder what it all meant. Surely there was something I had failed to understand. I certainly was not meant to pass through eternity in this lonely condition. Somewhere, somehow, I would meet someone in like condition, and then we could talk it over and try to arrive at some understanding.

“By good fortune my mind was so undeveloped at that time that I did not have very bright reasoning powers, so time itself did not seem so long as it might. But I did finally reason that if I met someone and wanted to talk, I would have to make this person understand by new means. It seems that this thought of itself brought some light and understanding. For it was not long before I was aware that I was beginning to see and hear faintly. It was a delight, you may be sure, and you on earth can never conceive the joy I experienced when I first realized that someone was trying to talk with me. Of course it was not long then until I was taught how to use my spirit powers, and soon I was able to take up my new life. In contrast with my old one anything would have brought joy. But if I could make you comprehend even one small portion of the reality, you would still be far from realizing my full happiness.

“This is all. It isn’t much. But it may help some one poor soul there to understand, and I do so want all there to know the happiness that awaits them here.”

Editor’s note: This is an interesting account; rather unique. The majority of those who land in a dark place, it seems, do so because of unthinking adherence to rigid belief system, but this lady had not embraced doctrinairism. Why then was she in darkness? The answer seems to be, she had not thought about much of anything at all. By her own admission, she had not developed her rational faculties. And so, with her case, we’re able to formulate a more general rule concerning detainees in the Dark Realms. A strict cultish mindset, we might say, is the poison of choice for so many, and this will assuredly cause one’s sensibilities to atrophy. But, equally hazardous is the approach to life of mentally drifting, not thinking of much of anything worthwhile. Strangely, this mental indolence, too, will send one to a dark closet. This might strike us an unfair – but she herself, the higher self, dispatched her to dark solitude. But why? She wasn’t hurting anybody, just minding her own business. No, she wasn’t hurting anybody, but she was hurting herself, and the higher self seems to have no sense of humor about mentally “cutting class” and ever lollygagging.

the ordinary business man

“I was never given to mysteries, I was just a plain ordinary business man, trying to take care of my wife and family, and keep them from want, in either intellectual or physical ways. My sons went through college, my daughters to a boarding school, and I thought I had done pretty well by them all. But I did not bring them up in any spiritual thought: I left them to find what they could from church or books or papers. They are there yet, a worldly set, living only a material life. What can I do for them now? Is there any help? …

“None of us thought of spirit life, none of us tried for silent influence or silent cultivation. In fact, we did not know the term. We thought all education was for the brain, and then to react in business or pleasure. The consequence is that I have been a long, long time in arriving at anything here that I could call happiness. And I want to preach a sermon to my family; and I cannot!

Sis: “All will be well with his family at last, but they will come slowly into the higher life because (we judge from what he has told us), they are absorbed in purely worldly social plans, and have little or no thought of this life.”

a conscious awareness of one’s unfitness to be in Summerland

“I am here, greatly to my surprise. I did not think of death, nor of heaven, nor of the future life, except perhaps in some flash of emotion that passed almost as quickly as it came… I have not been here very long, and perhaps that is the reason I look a little longingly back to the old home place on earth. Everything here is so far above me, so far advanced, that I feel sometimes that I do not belong here, that I am in a great and wonderful world without proper equipment; in a society of wonderful people, yet feeling myself hopelessly ignorant. Can you guess how that is?

“I have been slow to adapt myself because I had no fitness to begin with. I was not blessed with either a psychic or a poetic or a spiritual nature, just an ordinary man, working along material lines, and never dreaming that I needed any other outfit for this plane except an honest endeavor to live a decent and upright life. And here I am; glad to be accepted, but feeling my ignorance and unworthiness painfully.”

Editor's note: Part of this fellow's problem is how he looks at himself - just a "plain ordinary" person. There is no such thing. Every human being is endowed with awesome, virtually unlimited, godly potential. And his false humility is little more than self-loathing, which stunts one's growth and the capacity for it. He damaged himself with his "poor folks" attitude.

looking back longingly 

“My name is Julius. We would not be known to you. Many souls are wandering through the heavenly places, and many look back longingly to their old home on earth; for some of us have left there those we loved, and we wish to tell them that all is well. We are of those who wish to send good news to earth and tell those we love that Heaven is Heaven after all, for we were of a company who scarcely believed in any life beyond the grave, nor did we realize any God in the universe.

“We were [filled up] on realism and atheistic literature, and our lives were spent without hope of any existence beyond the earthly one. And so we have remained in the unconscious state for a long time,—years...

• Editor’s note: Twenty-five years ago, when I first began to read the afterlife testimonies, I would at times come across a reference to self-induced protracted sleep of those crossing over. Usually, this state of inactivity occurred with believers “in their graves” anticipating the Second Coming, waiting for “the Seventh Trumpet.” Since that early research, I had assumed that a long period of unconsciousness might happen only due to a false belief’s power of suggestion. This view apparently is not altogether correct. Many people, we learn, fall into lengthy times of unconsciousness upon transition. The Second Coming “sleep” appears to be a subset within a larger malady. The auto-suggestion may play a part, but, as a general rule, the critical element seems to be the rigid, unyielding belief-system which closes down one’s mental faculties of judgment and discernment.

... I think, though one does not measure time here in that way. Now that we have come into the consciousness of life, real and unending life, we wish to send the wonderful news to those who like ourselves were groping in darkness.”

'one world at a time'

“What a mystery! What a wonder! What a joy it all is! We are here trying to express the inexpressible! Can you understand?

 “I am another of this group. I am not Julius. I am one who never thought or cared for the future, the future beyond the mortal life; just interested in the occupations and pleasures of the present. What shall I say to help souls there to begin to think, really think, along the borders of the Unseen? Mortal mind cannot comprehend fully this life, the human brain is not capable; and probably a wise ruler intended that we should live one world at a time. But there is no reason why the human brain should not accept one thought and make it the center of influence in the mortal life. If I could give the thought, it would be something like this:— ‘I am living in a mortal world which is the first stage of the human existence. During this stage I am preparing for another one and that other and farther existence is dependent upon the unseen qualities of my soul, and the education I give to these qualities.”

a desire to warn friends

“I was a business man, and one of those despised creatures sometimes called politicians. We were a queer lot, and I often cringed inwardly at the selfishness and deceit we all practiced. But one selfish idea led to another, and I guess we were too deep in the mire to pull ourselves out onto firm land, to a firm basis of honesty and unselfishness. I had to come here to realize the depths of trouble and wrong-doing with which we were connected. And yet we passed for pretty respectable men there, and were looked up to as promoters of industry and big business.

“Well, I see clearly now. It is not easy to see clearly there, when manifold interests and many people are concerned in the success of a certain something…

“I wish I could say it! I wish I had the power to make my words sink deep, deep into the consciousness of every leader of men, of everyone connected with the moneymaking business of life! It does not need to be big business either, for the dishonest methods are insidious, and start far down the scale, with pennies and dollars as well as with millions of money. Ah, well! The old world will go on, I suppose, sending all sorts to this side. But there is an awakening here, and a poignant sorrow for wasted opportunities. That is all. I’ll go now.”

Then Mary added: “He did not get his whole message through because words failed him, failed to express his deep feeling and his desire to send a bombshell of truth into the midst of his old political associates. But perhaps you can get his feeling, his unrest, and his desire to do something to make things different."

a smothered consciousness 

“I had a life without the vision of any hereafter. I was antagonistic to religion and to what I had heard of God. We think strange thoughts over there, with only the human mind and human experience to help. I was moderately happy with my books and my solitude; but by and by sickness came. I went to a hospital and never came out of it into the earth life again. Will you imagine me in a hospital cot, hating the world, the future and the past, and wholly disbelieving in any kind Power above who would or could mitigate my disappointments and trials.

“Everything was dark;—and then came total darkness! That was years ago, I think. How I passed over, how I came into smothered consciousness, only to lose myself in sleep and unconsciousness again, you may guess. After a long time, years I guess, a partial sense of freedom came. I could move, could see dimly. I became conscious that I lived! But where? That I could not tell. Through it all, unknown to me, loving guides were telegraphing to my consciousness the lessons which would lead me into the quiet and take away the antagonism.

“It was a long time. But at last I realized that I had left the earth, left my body, lost the old antagonism, and was ready to learn. I will skip the rest, and tell you that my spirit powers are developing, and I look forward with increased interest and wonder at the life here. Wonderful! Wonderful!”

a 'very large majority' failed to prepare for the next world 

“I am desiring to place before the world some information that seems to me of much importance. I am a lover of humanity, and a sort of caretaker of souls who come to this side. I have studied for many years the various attitudes with which these newcomers view the change. I find almost as many differences as there are different personalities. But I feel that I have learned to divide them roughly into three classes.

“First and fewest are those who have looked forward with pleasure and understanding to a future life, believing it but a glorious continuation of the earthly existence.

“Second are those whose number is very large, who have led lives of helpfulness on earth, who may or may not have believed in a future life, but who were ready to adopt new ideas whenever they felt that they were good.

“Then there is the third class, to which it seems to me a very large majority must be assigned. These are never able to understand the new life until after long and sometimes painful periods have passed.

“Now why is that so? Why should such a vast number be condemned to a slow and difficult progress? They are not all evil, not even a very large number are conspicuously evil. But they have somehow failed to obtain the proper education that fits one for entrance into this life. We have to care for them, nurse them and educate them. It is a blessed work for many of us, but such an unnecessary one. I wish I could present my ideas more forcibly, for I feel that the earth people should be made to realize these conditions.”

keen disappointment 

“Spirit has powers you can scarcely discern… Many worldly ones feel a keen disappointment when they first arrive, because all is so different, because all depends upon spirit knowledge, spirit powers, which they so entirely neglected to develop when on earth.”

wrapped themselves in darkness 

“I can see that those who believe that death ends all must have times of bitter grief.

“Yes, the belief that human life is limited to a few short years, and beyond, only darkness,—the darkness which they have wrapped about their own souls.”

shut up in shells of private belief-systems 

In talking with a friend of childhood days, Sis asked: “Before your death had you thought much of the life beyond?”

“Only in the old-fashioned way, as the ministers describe it. My father had been a minister, you know.”

“Did you find much to learn there?”

“Yes, I came with all the old orthodox teachings enveloping me, and it was hard at first to be rid of them, and know that the only hell is the one we make for ourselves, and that we need not endure it unless we obstinately hold onto our sins or our old beliefs. I was glad to be rid of both and start anew with hope and happiness and usefulness as my goal. Oh, I could tell you much of this life if I could find words for it all. But you may look forward to a happiness that will never fade, a kindly service for others that will give you untold joy.” …

“Mortals are fashioning their future lives right now. The diversity here is great. But kindness of thought and purpose, and a persistent belief in this life, will carry one far toward the happiness that awaits them here. I never had any idea of following my father’s career there, but if I could go back now I surely would be an exhorter, a… I don’t know how to put it. But it would be such a passion for saving souls from all that is sinful, that life itself it would seem to me must be spent there in such service.”

Sis: “It is difficult. People are so shut up in shells of their own belief.”

“I suppose so. I hardly know that, for I drifted easily along in orthodox fashion, believing I was safe, and ticketed for heaven without fail! Believe me, I found much to undo and unthink before my ticket was accepted! Good bye.”

buried in one's own beliefs

“We have not been here long, but we wished to try to write, so here we are… We think we have been on this side a long time, for we were unconscious longer than we could know. When on earth we were not in accord with spiritualism. We had heard of it, but only the common medium, the fortune-telling variety, and we felt superior to that. If we had only tried it out, had only investigated in an unprejudiced way, we would have come into the heavenly life without the dreary waiting in darkness and doubt.”

Sis: “Had you no religion?”

“No, we were not even church members. We thought if we lived decent materialistic lives we would come into the heavenly one— if there was one, which we really did not believe. Our guides tried to help us, but we were buried too deep in our own beliefs, and had to suffer the consequences… it was a long time before we could see clearly.”

mental purgatories 

Mary: “When those who have led evil lives first realize that they have left the earth life they are often very hard to manage because of their disappointment. They think of their earth life as gone forever, and they have no desire whatever for anything of a spiritual nature; there is nothing to live for, and yet they are alive. It is much the same as life imprisonment on earth, and knowing that it was impossible to get free. Their disappointment often turns to rage and they become for a time nothing but mad creatures. It is a very pitiful sight.

Even when they begin to realize that their rage is useless, and they begin to listen to other spirits, it is still one of our most difficult tasks to arouse any ambition and get them started on the upward path. Then, if they have been the cause of much suffering on earth they have to pass through the stage of making compensation in some form.”

Sis: “How can you be happy when you know some have such difficult paths to tread? And that there are so many of them?”

“We are happy because we can help, and also because we know that they will finally come into pure thought and kindly lives, and will shed their criminal desires as an individual might shed an old garment.”

“How do they make compensation?”

“We think they go back to earth at times and try to undo their wrongs. They try to put good or fortunate impulses in place of evil and cruel ones, and sometimes succeed in bringing joy to those they have injured.”

“It doesn’t sound much like heaven when you speak of criminals there?”

“We are not talking of heaven when we speak of criminals. They are in the mental purgatories or spirit-hells the old writers imagined. There is no burning fire and no eternal punishment, but their mental suffering and final atonement are very real.”

two lovers, separated, filled with false theories and spurious wisdom 

“We are two [romantic lovers] who loved, sorrowed, and were separated in our earth life, one of us preceding by a long time the other into the spirit world. We were not believers in spirit communication there, and I, who came first, sadly wondering, and filled with false theories and spurious wisdom, could not find immediate joy. At last she came, and all sorrow disappeared in the complete happiness and companionship of this life.”

Sis: “Today is Sunday. Can you not give me a little sermon from over there?”

“Sunday! And a sermon! What should it be, what can it be, in this clear light, except truth, no other than truth, knowledge, great and glorious knowledge of this life and its never-ending joy.”

“Does ‘never-ending’ joy grow a bit tiresome, if there is no change, no contrast?”

“Never! An eternity of love! Happiness, increasing wisdom, knowledge, with an unknown and limitless universe for study! Satiety? Weariness? No, never! We cannot express it in any earth language. One must be here to realize its perfect satisfaction.”

Sis: “Is there anything more?”

“Yes, more, and much more, if only we could give it to you in mortal language. But to your thought we can only convey the sense of never-ending contentment and progress.”

Sis: “A spirit of the time of Mohammed came to me once to say that all this modern conception of heaven is wrong; that there is no ecstatic joy, etc.”

“Yes, there may have been for him truth in those very words. For such souls may still be submerged in their own ignorance and false belief that human life in its short existence on earth may make its entrance here one of doubting ignorance, or even one of evil thought and feeling, for a time. This is true, because the divine law is one of personal freedom. Each soul can choose its own future. Each soul, still embedded in its human life, is choosing that future now. The old theologians, in their half-knowledge, described this life of the human soul as either a harp-playing multitude about a golden throne, or a descent into a fiery burning hell to be suffered forevermore. But this was only a human, emotional effort to describe the indescribable. The life here is the reasonable result of one’s choice of one’s character.”

cherishing the false teachings of the Earth 

“Heaven is wide and infinite in its possibilities. There are souls who do not come into realization of this life for a long time. Many seem to cherish the teachings, thoughts and tendencies of their earth lives, even when they are guided into better ones. But finally all go to their ‘own place.’ That place may be with pure and beautiful spirits, or with the evil ones who will not or cannot forsake their sins for a time.”

'have to go through the fires of criminality'

“The mystery of life there as well as here is almost beyond understanding. But the more we study it the clearer and more beautiful it grows. Do not be disheartened if you do not comprehend it in entirety. No one of us has arrived at that point yet. But take the blessings, yes, even the trials that come, knowing that all are in the way of education and progress. Can you not see already some of the beneficent effects of trial, disappointment and loss?”

Sis: “The wicked ones have trials and sorrows also, but it seems to do them no good?”

“Perhaps not as you see it. But sinners have to go through the fires of criminality, sin and sorrow sometimes before purification or advancement comes. Cause and effect. Cause and effect. That is progress,—or that is the way to progress. No effort is lost.”

attached spirits

“When death interrupts the action of the [material] brain, all thought is then necessarily carried on by the spirit brain. It can sometimes do this at once, although usually only for a short time. In most cases it is unable to act at all for awhile. (Presumably this is because it has always relied on the assistance of the machinery of the material brain, and lacks experience in acting alone.)

"This we think explains the first unconsciousness after death. After a time it receives additional power, as we all receive it, and then can function alone. It is often in a very dazed condition, however, for a longer or shorter period, and much lacking in reasoning powers. In addition, it may not have learned how to see and hear, thus still further limiting its action. So a spirit is frequently a very helpless being for a long time.

“It is when in this state that it [that is, a confused spirit] can sometimes take possession again of a material brain [via spirit attachment] and cause insanity. It is attracted by some force or impression, and clings to the new support like the proverbial drowning man catching at a straw. We do not think there are many cases where spirits willfully obsess a human. If they do, they are correspondingly difficult to dislodge.

“Some persons on earth have difficulty in thinking of abstract subjects. Such spirits are longest in comprehending the use of spirit powers. They are not always to blame. Many times they have inherited dullness that can never be overcome there, and are always much slower here. It is not the same as being materially-minded. Many bright, alert minds think only of a sensual material life. They are delayed seriously here.”

Might the future be seen? 

“I will not foretell [the future]; you must wait and see for yourself.”

Sis: “Just how much can you foretell?”

“Not much. We can see circumstances and the probable results, and many are able to tell the future from them. But we are not gifted in that way.”

Sis: “We have read of a number of prophecies, and have wondered how far such things [concerning foretelling] were possible?”

“Some seem able to prophesy, but it is a psychic gift, or possibly a keen intuition, that can foresee results from certain conditions. We are not creatures of fate. Set that down as a truth not to be denied. We are free to live our own lives.”

there is no instant make-over on the other side, and, no matter how long it takes, certain tendencies toward evil or selfishness must be overcome before we're allowed into Summerland 

“Do you imagine that an earthly life of selfishness and sin can suddenly change into a life of purity and love? Let us assure you that no such change can occur, but must be worked out patiently and slowly by the sinner himself. And it may be years, or lifetimes, or even centuries, before the awakened one can replace sin and selfishness with loving service for others.

“Make this clear [to others] if you can, and help mortals to awaken to the truth that selfishness is the foundation of all sin, and must be overcome before one can enter into the joy of heavenly life.”

Editor's note: In these discussions we find persons on the other side sharing the hard facts of life with us. Often, we find them using phrases like, it may require “long years” to right oneself over there; and, for the hard-core, even “decades” or “centuries”. In this disturbing realization of “no instant make-over”, we find the end of the road of the facile and breezy pronouncement, “I’ll worry about that when I get over there. One life at a time.” Yes, indeed, there will be plenty of time to worry about the afterlife; even, for the most cavalier, centuries to ponder one’s materialist and repressing mindset. Further, there is no present life and future life but, at all times, only one seamless life. This is why so many don’t even know that they’ve died; and, when they realize they've really botched their mortal existence, then so many of them want another reincarnational life to clear the slate and recast themselves. But there's always only one life, and we're required to deal with that one life, and the notion that we have a "choice" to come back for another is one more fairly-tale of the New Age movement.

Editor's note: Wistfully looking back on what we did and didn’t do, with a desire to re-do and modify, is part of the unenlightened human condition - this is why the time-travel movies are so popular. In my own case, I sometimes find myself, late at night, wishing I could go back to high school years. I was so detached and unaware back then, too disengaged for success, academically and socially. In my unguarded moments, it’s sometimes a burning desire for a “second act,” as I realize, today, how my lackluster performance resulted in “long years” and “decades” of less than optimal result concerning what lay ahead. But wishing cannot make pigs fly, and I won’t be going back to high school. In the larger scope of things, it doesn’t matter. There would be other ways to remediate myself; if we miss one train, another will be coming. It also does no good to remonstrate, “I wasn’t ready back then, I was too immature to see what ought to have been done, I want to do it over, it’s not fair, it’s not right, it later caused me to miss out on this-or-that opportunity due to my sins of puerility.” But, the system is aware of these seeming inequities, and there is a way for all yet to be made right and fair. In the meantime, we are required to deal with this one, singular life, as it is, as we’ve made it to be, whether we’re to blame or not. Life is a forward-moving dynamic, never retrogresses, and we need to work with “what is.”

 wasted, and worse than wasted 

“We are among those who on earth did not believe in this farther life. We lived a material existence in a material world, and looked forward to the long, long, unbroken sleep [to escape the consequences of our selfish ways]. When we came here we did pass into a long sleep, but awakened to conditions and possibilities for which we were not prepared, and another long time of unhappiness awaited us before we began to see the orderliness of spirit progression. Then we began—perhaps you might call it the first letter of the spiritual alphabet. And from the first small letter has come the whole perfect and beautiful story. But years have been wasted, worse than wasted, because we absorbed the time and power of beautiful spirits who might have long been in happier pursuits. So, for the human being himself, and for the beautiful spirit that might be called to watch and teach the stupid soul, I ask more light over there, more preaching of good tidings, more gathering together of the needy unspiritual ones for teaching and leading, that they themselves may become a power for good.”

the inundating tidal wave of materialism and its devastating effects 

Mary: “Well, we have just had a lesson from one of the great souls here, that we must bend our energies to help the cause of truth, purity and righteousness on earth; and we turn to you to help.”

Sis: “It is so difficult. What can we do?”

“Wait, and the knowledge will come to you. Make the world believe in this life as a continuation of that. Do not preach the old gospel of golden harps and pearly gates for the few, while uncounted multitudes are bathed in the fires of hell. We must influence! We must bring wiser thought to earth. We have preached a sermon, but we were full of the subject, and felt that it was a good time to pass it on. You little realize the need for work to make the people understand. We see the effects of this wave of materialism in the souls who come to us.

“We have no trouble with those who have some spiritual thought. But how few these are! It is sad to see the multitudes who linger near the earth, drawn by no forces except the material ones that ruled their lives while there. We cannot reach these multitudes easily, and many we cannot reach at all. And we grow sad at the thought of the long years of darkness and misery that so many must endure. You must try to put the truth before the world, if not personally, by means of books and papers.”

We spend many years of education preparing for brief mortal existence, but then cavalierly believe that the next world, an eternal one, can be negotiated in a moment at the doorstep. 

Sis: "It is customary in this life to spend many of our earlier years acquiring an education in preparation for the years to follow. Most people, however, seem to proceed as though the eternal life beyond, if there is such a thing, will take care of itself. If any preparation is necessary, there is time enough to do it in the afterlife, they seem to argue, or else they believe that conformity to some creedal dogma is the essential requirement.

"There is time enough, of course; but we learn that dogma and doctrinal observances may hinder rather than help, and that very many have to go through the preparatory course after arriving on the other side. If this were all, the matter might not be quite so important. But we also learn that it is not necessary to waste these first years there in that matter, if certain things are done in the earth life and certain other things avoided. The education, if acquired in this life, is short and easy, and, moreover, is a great aid to a successful life here…

"But evidence from the life beyond indicates that many, very many, either through ignorance or through willfulness, have not been as successful in carrying out Christ’s teachings as they might have been, and as they would try to be, I am sure, if all the consequences were more generally known. We have learned that this education, when left for the afterlife, is too often complicated by the results of unkind deeds and thoughts in this life, and also by having to unlearn many things that have been wrongly learned or understood while here. This last is a handicap little thought of by those who have not investigated. It is frequently a serious one. It has been brought to our notice very strongly in various ways.”

a confused awakening 

“Many come into this life in such ignorance that they sink immediately into a long, long sleep; and they may lose years, sometimes many precious years, before coming into spirit consciousness. Tell all who come in the circle of your influence that they are making their future now, and can almost control this future condition, if they will only seek the truth and abide by it while still on earth.

“I do not often preach, but I feel like a sermon tonight. For the souls that come to this side come in such multitudes that they can scarcely be counted, yet only here and there are the spiritually developed ones, the ones who can enter into this life with joy, and commence the development of spiritual power at once. The pity of it gets hold of us here now and then, and we feel like trying to bombard the earth with spirit bombs: something to make people think, something to force them away from their material thoughts, pleasures and plans.

“We are obliged to begin our work with them as we would begin with children; and not even in that way when they first come. They sink into a state that is hard to be described. They are not even ready to think. Brain and sense and heart and soul have so long been educated wrongly that silence and unconsciousness are the only remedies at first. Then there comes a confused awakening, with all their human habits of thought and all their evil selfishness predominant. What can be done then except to put strong forces in control, that they at least may be kept from influencing others. You cannot conceive of this work, I am sure, but it is very real here.” …

“Of course all who come are not vicious; only unspiritual, living in the material thought. These are slow to come into the life of the spirit, but come far more rapidly than those whose evil natures have to be transformed.

“We were full of the subject, for we have been watching the work of some of our fine spirits with the low and debased ones of earth, and were filled with the pity of it; the unnecessary waste of lives there and the unnecessary waste of time here in bringing them into spirit lives. Then too, all these brave teachers who give themselves to this work might be released for other and pleasanter work, if only,—if only, the earth people knew the truth.”

Sis: "It is difficult for the earth people to learn the truth. This phase of it has not been very prominent in most messages from the other side. Moreover, it is difficult to comprehend the full force of the truth when it does come to us. Notwithstanding our surprise on learning of the slow progress that many make after leaving this life, even then we did not grasp its full meaning. And we are still startled at times as some new phase of undevelopment is brought to our attention."

75% of those who cross over will spend time in a dark place, a consequence of adopting rigid belief systems 

“We wish to tell you of our work among the circles of the undeveloped spirits. There are so many who have to be cared for, that it becomes a very great work; and as time passes, this has become very much systematized. Vast numbers are cared for, and when they begin to understand where they are, they are classified according to their temperament and ability, and put in the care of teachers who are best fitted for them.

“It is a wonderful sight to see the patience and judgment of these teachers. There is no lack of them, for they are recruited from the ranks of those whom they start on the upward path. So many are grateful for the help given them, that they in turn devote long periods of their life on this plane in aiding the unfortunates whose needs they know so well.

“When a spirit first arrives it is cared for much as patients are entered in a hospital. They are helpless, and often remain so for long periods. In this condition they are little trouble. When sensation and consciousness begin to show, they need attention. Many cannot be reached at all by their guides, as you know by those who have been brought to you. Sometimes they can be led from place to place, but that is all. Sometimes they need to be surrounded by guards to prevent them from running hither and thither without reason. When they can be made to realize that they still live and are in the spirit world, they can be easily managed. But the progress of each is according to the ability to receive and understand the teachings given them.

“We think we can truthfully say that one-fourth of those who come to this side are made to understand the needs of spirit life in a reasonable time. But the remaining three-fourths are our problem and care. We do not mean that all of this large number is unable to advance, but that they are slow, and sometimes very slow. We have many, many, whom we seem unable to help at all. We do not know that it is impossible for them to advance, but we do know that many of them have made no advancement since we came; and we are told that some of them have been in this condition for centuries.

“It is pitiful. It seems to us unnecessary. It does not seem to be so much because of difference in ability, as from a state of mind brought about by forming wrong opinions and ideas when in earth life. And the position they occupied in that life seems not to have much to do with it. This makes us think that it is unnecessary, and we wish some way could be found that would make the world understand what is needed.”

argued himself into a perverse doubt, the result of adopting superstitious creeds 

Fred: A specific instance of the slow progress that can occur is given below, and it is a pleasure to think that we probably assisted a little in his enlightenment. In the succeeding pages are further instances showing conditions so astounding that they will seem almost unbelievable to one newly introduced to the subject. This first instance concerns a friend of Sis’s, one whom she knew very well in earlier days. I will call him Frank Chase. He was a man of high ideals concerning this life, but very positive in his beliefs. He held in ridicule all ideas of communication with the unseen world, if indeed he held a belief that there was such a world. His interest was most keen in the mechanics and scientific discoveries of the day. He passed over in early manhood. Sis had inquired about him several times, but received little information beyond the statement that he had not advanced very far, which she thought very surprising. Finally, when writing, we were asked quite unexpectedly:

“Will you send a message to Frank Chase? If you did he might like to come to this circle. If we can interest him in this work it will be well for him. He seems to question everything, and doubts even the spiritual life.

"He knows, of course, that he has passed away from earth, but is busy explaining that and many other things with a philosophy of his own. He has a bright brain, and we wish to turn it to the truth and lead him into the right thought here. That is why I asked you to send him a message. He does not know you are communicating. We believe that if he can find himself,—that is, realize that he is a spirit and living a spirit life already, that he will begin to study and grow.”

The next day … Sis said:— ‘Well, Frank Chase, are you really here to talk to me again after all these years?”

Mary said: “He does not believe it is you. Call to his mind something he used to know.”

Sis complied by asking: “Do you remember going to New York to see a young lady?”

“Will you tell him how she looked?” Sis gave a short description of the young lady, and Mary said: “Will you keep on. He is impressed.”

Sis asked if he remembered this young lady coming to where he lived. “Keep right on. He is interested. He knows now it is you, and is overjoyed to know it is possible to talk with and hear from earth, which he has never done before.”

After some further conversation, Mary said: “He is so surprised that he can hardly credit it at all. Yet he knows that only you could tell him some of these things. We will bring him again soon: it is a good beginning. He is startled, and can hardly believe; but will probably wish to investigate, as that is his turn of mind, and that is what we wish.”

We asked if they could explain how he had been getting along all these years without learning more. “Try to think of yourself in a dream, a long dream, and everything happening in ways that are strange, yet you do not wonder about it. Your dream accepts the things as true. That is as near as I can describe his situation. When he first came he was met by his father and sister, but they failed to reach his reasoning mind and he has wandered on in this condition through all these years.”

At another time he came of his own accord to Mary, wishing to talk. After a short conversation Sis asked if in all that time he had been there he had heard of the many wonderful inventions that had appeared here in the meantime. He had not, and wished to know about them. First was the telegraph. Yes, he remembered that. But the telephone was new, and the wireless and the automobile. Then we went on to tell of the Great War, the immense ships that carried our soldiers, and the terrible guns. He had heard a little of the war, but did not believe it possible to do such things.

“What are the good things of earth?” he asked… Sis spoke of the Red Cross work, the hospitals, the aid to the starving, etc.

Mary said: “He thinks the world must be in a terrible condition with so much science producing evil things. Tell him of the great vessel that was sunk by the Germans. Tell him about the ship that was sunk by an iceberg.”

We talked some time, and after some remark of Sis’s, he said: “What am I going to hear from you next? No one else could have told me the things you have. I did not know it could be done.”

Mary added: “He is dazed with the thought, but he will take it to think over as he did last time. You are certainly getting hold of him and we must keep it up.”

Sis: “This is startling, Mary! How can such things be?”

“Will you believe that each one makes his own life; each one has the chance and must develop accordingly. Frank Chase’s condition was caused by too much doubt, too much unbelief in a spirit life. He would not believe he was in a heavenly sphere and would not believe that he needed help; but argued himself into a strange and persistent unbelief until the desire for anything different almost disappeared.”

The next time he came Mary wrote for him as follows: “I am here. Your teacher will write for me. I have been so unbelieving that I could get nothing, of course; and so I had no proof of the connection between the two worlds. But what you have said convinced me, and I am studying now so that I too can get in touch with mortal lives.”

Mary added: “There have been years, he says, when he believed he was on some plane above the earth, but he did not understand that this plane might be the beginning of heavenly life for him. It is hard to make you understand, and he says now it is hard for him to understand; and it seems to him more like a long, long dream than anything else he can compare it to. He is learning fast and is far happier than before and pursues his studies eagerly.”

This was an amazing experience for us. We had read something of such things, but it was all so strange we had passed it by. But this brought the truth to our realization with much force. Many have been brought to us in later months, and we understand there are other circles also engaged in this work. It seems that these unfortunate spirits can frequently be helped from this side, even when the guardians there can make no impression whatever. Most of them eventually find their way out of the fog in some manner, although there has been a hint that it is possible to be almost indefinitely delayed.

It is certain that many remain for years and years before they grasp the meaning of the spirit life. Such spirits have not necessarily led evil lives while here. More often this spiritual handicap is the result of too strong a belief in some superstition, some creed, or some philosophy on earth; a case of being certain that one way is right and all others wrong. Such beliefs and philosophies continue with them more or less strongly on the other side, just as superstitions sometimes cling to one here in spite of all the evidence there may be to show they are without foundation.

a self-announced teacher claiming to know mysteries and hard-to-understand doctrines

A spirit-person claiming to be an ancient teacher attempted to speak to Sis. His teachings related to mysteries, secrets, hard-to-understand doctrines:

Mary: “Yes, he is an ancient force or teacher, but is not the kind we trust. He has not learned the real truth in all the ages he has lived. He would teach you of … mysteries as they existed in the olden time. We do not wish the unseen to be represented by mysteries, rites and observances. Remember that we belong to an age in which the teachings of Christ have purified religious belief; and we in the unseen strive to make his teachings still powerful on earth. We do not know just what that other message would have been, but we do know that you, as well as we, wish for the truth as Christ gave it to the world. Are you satisfied?”

Sis: “Yes, that is what we wish.” …

Mary: “You trust us and that is well. Keep with us as long as we teach the truth that Christ taught on earth; humility, unselfishness, the love of humanity, and the striving to make the world better.”

[Fred] said it was astonishing how many were slow in developing, and how long they were in seeing the truth.

Mary: “Can you see how very long people or spirits may be fascinated with their own beliefs? They are so unwilling to be convinced! No wonder that Christ taught the people that they must become as little children.

fixed but erroneous ideas

Fred: Somewhere in our records is the statement, “the way is long and the road a weary one for those who have not learned their lessons on earth.” In later months this truth has been especially emphasized through both Sis’s pencil and my own.

Many stories of the difficulties encountered, and of the time wasted in overcoming them, have been related by various souls who have been brought to us. Little do most people here realize the conditions that will confront them as they enter the spirit world: the time that will be wasted by most because they are so material minded as to be unimpressed by spirit influence; the bewilderment that will cloud the path of many because they have no understanding of the use of spirit faculties, and so are hindered in their advancement by the dazed and incorrect impressions of sight and hearing, the miseries that will be the lot of some because of fixed but erroneous ideas of what heaven is like, which may cause them to wander long in darkness; while the number who cannot realize that they have even left the earth life at all is so great as to be appalling to one who is ignorant of conditions on the other side.

Only a few, it seems, are at all prepared to understand what the life there means, and only the occasional one enters quickly into the joys of the spirit world. As the reader may learn in our previous volume, “Spirit World and Spirit Life,” no one passes into spirit life “With consciousness at every moment of the change.” Most are unconscious for some time, partly because of weakened vitality from sickness, but frequently from inability to use spirit perceptions.

This period of unconsciousness varies from a few hours or a few days for the most fortunate, up to weeks and months and even years for one who may be selfish and materialistic …  it is insisted that all should familiarize themselves with two facts: that there is a future life, and that they will have to perceive and understand this future life by other than their present material senses. For, strangely, this knowledge seems to be possessed by an almost unbelievably small number. Added to these two facts is a third one that ordinarily should need no emphasis; it should be self-evident. This is that right living, a life of unselfishness, is necessary for spiritual advancement both in the mortal and in the spirit life.

the highly educated, trapped in hubristic private opinion 

Sis took the pencil here [concerning a Dr. Walker who did not know where he was], and Mary wrote: “He has not developed far, for he was not advanced when he came to this side… He hardly realizes that he has passed over… He was not a bad man, just indifferent toward all spiritual things, and thought that death ended all. He would have liked to have you place him; tell him where he is and how he came here… He is really in a pitiful state, and we wish to bring him out of it. We think you can help.”

Sis: “Tell me what to do.”

Mary: “When he comes again try to tell something about his earlier life, something that will strengthen his memory of the past. Through that memory we may bring him to realize his sickness and his death and his coming into this life.” …

Sis: “You have been away from home some time. Do you remember being sick?”

“Yes.”

“Do you know what happened?”

“I do not remember.”

"What happens when people do not get well? You have had such cases in your practice.”

“They died.”

“Had you thought that your sickness might have ended that way?”

“That is not true.”

“What makes you think it is not true?”

“I am alive.”

“Yes, but you are living under different conditions, are you not?”

“Rather.”

“If you believe that you are alive, try to comprehend that there is a great future before you. That will help you to move forward into better conditions.”

“That is a new idea.”

Then after a short wait he asked: “Am I dead?”

“Yes, what you think of as dead,—that is, your body is dead.”

He seemed to ponder over this a little, then asked again: “I am asking if I am dead.”

“Do you not think it might be true? Are you not different from what you were?” …

“Have you not wondered where you were?”

“I did not know. Can you tell me where I am?”

“In the spirit world;—a certain portion of it, at least. You will see more of it after awhile.”

Again there was a little wait; then:— “Are you dead?”

“No, I am still on earth. Can you tell us what your surroundings are like where you are now?”

“Something like the earth.”

“Do you not move faster?”

“No.”

“Perhaps you have not yet learned?”

“I have learned nothing.”

“Do you see others about you?”

“Yes.”

“If you will tell them what you want I am sure they will help you.” …

“Are they dead?”

“Yes, and they wish to help you.”

“I am not sure I am dead.”

I explained that I could not see him.

“No. That cannot be true.”

“Can you see me?”

“Yes. I see you as a shadow.”

“Do I look as people did on earth?”

“No.”

“That is because you have left the earth.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, quite sure. Do you see a beautiful lady near you?”

“Yes.”

‘Well, she will help you to understand about the things that puzzle you.”

 “No. I am not dead!”

“Mary, what shall I say to him? I am at my wits end.”

“I hardly know myself, but he will understand soon… his mortal beliefs were stronger than any influence from here.”

all these suffering ones are so dead sure of themselves 

“We are here. What can you tell us? We are two poor humans who are confined in darkness and distress. Can you help us?”

Sis: “How long have you been there?”

“I forget. It is all a blank.”

“How did you come to the place where you are?”

“We do not know. We found ourselves here and do not know who brought us.”

“Is it at all like the earth?”

“No, we never saw anything so unlovely.”

“Has it occurred to you that you have left the earth?”

“No, we have never left the earth, but we do not know where we are.”

“Has anyone ever told you that you have left the earth, and are what the world calls dead?”

“No, not any one that we believed.”

“It is true, nevertheless, and you are now in the spirit world.”

“No, we are not there. The spirit world is bright and this is dark.”

“It seems dark to you because you have not developed your spirit sight. You must study for that.”

“Who could teach us?”

“Some of those about you.”

“No, we can see as well as they.”

“What do you remember of your earth life?”

“We had a home, children, and friends. Here we have no one.”

“Why did you leave your home and children?”

“We did not leave. We awoke and found ourselves here.”

“What put you to sleep?”

“We do not know.”

“I am trying to tell you that you have passed through the sleep called death, and are in the spirit life.”

“What are you telling us? That cannot be!”

‘Would you like to have your sight cleared so that you can understand?”

“Yes, if true.”

“We know that you can come into spirit sight.”

“We will try. What shall we do?”

“We think Mary can help you.”

“Mary? Where is she?”

We asked Mary if she was there. “Yes, and near them, but they cannot see us.” …

“Did you hear a sound?” “Yes, a little. Who was it?”

“That was Mary. I am sure you can learn to hear if you will try.”

“We will try. Tell us how.”

“Listen now. Mary will try again. Did you hear this time?”

“A little. I believe you tell the truth.”

“Can you see them?”

“Not at all.”

“You can learn.”

“We don’t know. How do you know?”

“Is there any one near you?”

“There is a shadowy form. What is it?”

“I think it is Mary. Will you try again?”

“We will try anything to get out of this.”

“Listen again.”

“We hear a faint musical sound. Is that our hearing coming to us?”

“I am sure it is.”

“We heard a word then. It was ‘love.’ Was that right?”

“Mary, did they hear aright?”

 “Yes, love was the word.”

We then asked the others: “Now do you believe you can get the rest?”

“We believe we can. And it is the first ray of light and hope that has penetrated this darkness. We will come again if we can find you.”

“We will ask Mary to bring you.”

“Will she? We will come if she will help.”

We asked if Dee had been present. “Yes, and listening and watching. It is wonderful how these earthbound souls need friends. With all our love and all our endeavor we have been unable to pierce the darkness of their still earthly perceptions.”

“Do you know anything about these two?”

“We think they have been here some months, perhaps years. We have no means of knowing as they have no perception of time. They were brought to us by another circle.”

'he believed in the creed of the church,' and that hurt him

“There is one you have known who has come to us for help. He is not sure of himself, hardly knows himself as spirit, yet feels the difference from mortal life. What can you say to him?”

“You say it is someone I have known?”

 “Yes, and someone whom you can influence.”

“Has he lately passed over?”

“Not long since, but he feels himself unable to progress without help. He never thought of life here in the way he finds it, and does not know how to adapt himself to conditions.”

“Can you tell me his earth name?”

“No, but be came from a place that you lived in for awhile, not your home town.”

“Can he talk to me?”

“We will try. He says you were more advanced than he, and he thought you in the wrong, and now he wonders if you were right. He believed in the creed of the church— heaven, hell, day of judgment, golden streets or their similarity,—and has not found these things here, and he wonders if this can be heaven after all.” …

Sis: “Can you hear Mary?”

“A little, but not as well as you.”

“You are still held by your old earthly ideas and sensations, it seems. You have not gained your spirit powers.”

“Well, that is it, then? And it makes it seem as if I were in a strange country and without a guide.”

“How much can you see?”

“Not a great deal. But it looks more like the earth than like the heaven I always imagined.”

“You will find as you advance in your spirit powers that you will see much beauty… you must first learn to use your spirit sight and hearing.”

“But how can I learn?”

“Can you hear Mary?”

“Yes, a little… Yes, I heard her… says I can learn both to hear and to see. Do you think so?”

This was written with much excitement. We assured him it was true. “Well, I will surely try. Is this my first lesson?” Mary thinks he will develop fast now.

“Well, I heard more clearly then, and begin to think you are right.”

After he had gone we asked Mary how it was that he could hear us and not hear her. “That is because he is still in the mortal vibrations, and memories of earth life are more powerful than the unused spirit faculties.”

'like waking from a nightmare'

“There is one here who says he knew you long ago. He is troubled and doubting his own identity, and we have brought him here to you.”

“Can he hear?”

“Yes; your voice better than ours. Ask him a question.”

“Do you know where you lived?”

“No, I forgot. I was very sick and they moved me to this place when I was asleep.”

“Can you see anyone around you?”

“Not well. I must have lost my eyesight when sick.”

“Do you remember what happened when you were sick?”

“No, except medicine, doctors, nurses, and now and then friends to see me.”

“Do you know where I lived?”

“Yes, you lived in a place not far from where I was. I was not at home, I remember that now.”

“Are you John Romley?”

“No. I knew him though.”

‘Did you know he is near you?”

“No. Is he here?” ‘He was ill and died in a hospital.”

“No, he is alive, for I have seen him.”

"Perhaps, but John has passed through that which we call death. I suspect you have done the same, and do not realize that instead of dying, you are still alive.”

“No, I don’t see how that can be. This is not heaven, and it isn’t hell; and there are no other places for the soul to go.”

“If with your eyes bandaged someone had led you to another place, would you have believed all was light when you thought it night?”

“No. But I would have torn the bandage off.”

‘You are now blinded by the bandages of your earthly memories and do not know of the light about you yet.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that you should tear off those earthly bandages and learn to use your new senses.”

“My senses? What are they?”

"Spirit sight and spirit hearing. Have you these?”

“Not much of either. I am nearly blind and deaf. What can I do?”

“Are you willing to try to learn?”

“Yes. Tell me what to do.”

“We have a good friend there whose name is Mary. She is near you. Can you see her?”

“No.”

“Can you hear her?”

“No, I think not.”

“She brought you to me.”

“Mary? Who is she?”

“Mary, can you speak to him?”

“Yes, I will try.”

“Did you hear anything?”

“Nothing but a whisper without any words.”

“Well, that is a beginning. Try again.”

“Yes, I heard a little sound then.”

“Keep listening and you will soon hear.”

“Is that true, that I am to listen and hear?”

“Yes, you will soon learn and will acquire wonderful powers.”

“Yes! Yes! I hope that is true! Help me! Help me! if you can!”

“Listen again.”

“I heard her. She said I was in heaven. Is that true?”

“You are in a part of heaven that is near earth.”

“That is true, you think?”

“I am sure of it.”

“Ask Mary, as you call her, to try again. I believe I can learn to hear.”

“Mary, did you hear what he said?”

“Yes, I will ask his name.”

“She asks my name! I can’t find it! What shall I do?”

“Don’t worry. You will soon find it.”

“Will she stay with me and help me?”

“Mary, what shall I tell him?”

“Tell him I or some other friend will be with him every minute until he becomes conscious of his own life and his own spirit powers.”

This was repeated to him. “Well I am so glad. I cannot tell you how glad! It is like waking from a nightmare.”

“Mary, what happened to him?”

“We have not heard his life history, but we think it is only a case of indifference toward all things spiritual, and possibly a little contempt for the weakness of so-called Christians in spending so much time in ‘preaching and praying and psalm-singing’.”

'he is surprised' that anyone wouldn't want to go back to the sewer-pit that is the egoic Earth

Still another one who had known Sis was brought to us. “We wish to have you take a few words from someone here. We will write for him. He says he knew you long ago when you were in another town.”

Sis finally guessed the place. “Yes, that is the one. We think your teacher is here and remembers you. He says you studied with him.”

“Well, well! It seems strange that he should remember me?”

“His memory is very clear. He died apparently in good health in the midst of plans for the future. He had never given much thought to this life and the change was difficult for him to make. He was rebellious at first and unhappy. But his guides were patient and have brought him into an understanding of this life. He was not unconscious long, and awakened to find his past had slipped away from him and his future a shadowy unknown. We have many such; but his mind, his mortal mind, was so vigorous that he could the less easily comprehend a condition in which the mortal mind was of no avail. He commenced as a little child might do, and has had a long time in initiation. But he has come into the light at last.”

Sis: “If the mortal mind failed, I should think the memory would go too?”

“No, not necessarily. The memory is a spirit power and is usually more keen in this life than in the other.”

“What is his occupation?”

“He has not been here in his spirit perception long enough to be brought into that for which he will be most fitted, but he gravitates toward music, and we think that will enter largely into his work.”

“How did he come to know you and to remember me?”

“We are communicating with mortals, and that was his great desire. He has been in the circle repeatedly, and at last recognized you as a former pupil.”

“Is there anything he wishes to say?”

“Not much, we think, because he does not yet fully grasp conditions here. But he was much pleased to know of someone who was sending words across what to him is the shadow land of death. He will become more and more satisfied with this life and will be happy beyond his present power of belief. Have you a word to say to him?”

“Tell him I am longing for the happiness there.”

“We have told him and he is surprised. He cannot understand that attitude, for the earth life still weaves a strong attraction about him.”

“I remember him as one who might have had much human pleasure.”

“We think that is true. And his lack of comprehension, his lack of looking forward to this life while on earth, is a hindrance now. But he has made a great advance from his first dismal impressions, and will surely come into the light before long.”

burning hatred and plans of revenge - because others are certainly responsible for what has happened to me 

Sis: “When you were on earth what did you think when a friend passed away?”

“I don’t believe I thought at all.”

“Did you have a family?”

“Yes, and most of them are here. Some of them have been awaiting my recovery for many years. Some of them are passing through experiences more or less similar to mine.”

“What did you do all these years?”

“I hardly know now how I did occupy my time. I realize now that only a part of me was alive, only a very small part. But that part seemed to feel the awful terrors and agonies as much or even more than any complete earthly personality could do.”

“Can you tell us more about it so we can tell others?”

“I ought to be able to do so, for even now the memories are terrible. I seemed to be in an unknown country, alone, and at all time filled with a terror that dangers lurked all about me. What these dangers were I could not have told. But I seemed striving all the time to escape them, and yet knew no place to go. I felt that everyone had deserted me. I was filled with hate that they could so treat me. Any thought aside from those of fear was mostly one of some plan of revenge on those whom I believed must be responsible for my situation. It was a long nightmare of dread and hate. I don’t think a material body could have long survived such tortures.

“After what seemed ages, I began to hear something like musical sounds, and these began to have a quieting effect. Later I began to sense that there were other beings about me. And eventually I acquired my spirit powers, and am now beginning to understand some of the great glories of the life here that I have been so long in comprehending.

“Do spread the word. Make people understand what even mere apathy concerning the future may cause.”

The above writer says he realizes now that only a part of him was alive. Undoubtedly this is true. Nearly all such cases evidence a dazed and bewildered condition in which the powers of reasoning are so deadened as to be almost lost. When they are brought to us the influence from an earthly personality seems to release their spirit powers in some way. It could almost be said that the doors of the prison in which they have been confined were thrown open by touching a spring that only an influence from earth could reach.

'where is the happiness and glory I was promised' 

Mary: “We have here in the circle a man who has had much trouble in realizing that he has left the earth life. He was a thinker on religious subjects, but had reasoned things out according to his own satisfaction, and now cannot find conditions that correspond to his conclusions, and he cannot understand what has happened. He can both see and hear a little, but he thinks he is still among earth people, and among those who scoff at his ideas. So he will not listen to them. He has a few friends who have formed somewhat similar opinions, and they feel that they are a little party of apostles who are persecuted by infidels, or something like that. They do not realize that they do not have their physical bodies and material brains.”

Sis: “Can we talk with them?”

“We wish you would try. We think he will listen to you because no one has spoken to them from earth, and it may be that an ‘earth spirit’ can have more influence than we. We will bring him to you.”

Then after a moment: “We have told him that a friend wishes to talk with him.” I said to him that I understood that he felt that he was lost.

“Yes. I do not understand what has happened. I have missed my old friends for some time, and I do not know where I am. I was ill and fell asleep and must have wandered away from home.”

“Do you know how long you were ill?”

“No. It seems to me a long time, but I do not remember. I thought I was very ill.”

“Had you thought that your illness might have led to death, and that your falling asleep was the passing?”

“No, I had not thought of that. I wonder if that can be true?”

“I think it is.”

“Well, I cannot understand it. I thought the life of the spirit was one of happiness and glory, but I have found nothing like that.”

“I think if you will cultivate your powers of sight and hearing you will find some of the happiness and glory.”

“I wonder! You have given me an idea! I am alone here now, but have several companions part of the time.”

“Can you see anyone about you now?”

“Yes, there seem to be other beings of some kind.”

“Listen carefully and see if you cannot hear one of them talk to you.”

There was a slight pause. “Yes, one of them has just spoken, and he says you are telling me the truth.”

“Yes, I am sure I am telling you the truth.”

“Well, well! I wonder if that can be! You have given me the first understanding I have had of what might be the explanation of my plight. I had felt all the time that I had somehow wandered into a strange country and among unfriendly people. I could make no one understand what had happened to me, or where my home was. I did find a few who seemed to be lost in the same way, and we have tried to comfort each other, and have been waiting and searching for something that would give us some clue to what had happened.”

Then Mary wrote: “We think he will listen to us now, and if he does we can of course soon explain it all. We think just that hint was all that was necessary. We have tried to tell them these same things, but our influence seemed unavailing. It seems to be that the vibrations from one on earth are more penetrating, have a more convincing quality somehow.”

'I have to get back to my business - don't you understand?'

“We will bring one to you who is not yet conscious that he has died. He thinks he is lost and wishes to find the way. We will write for him.”

“I have been sick and wandered away. Why don’t my friends find me?”

“Were you sick at your own home?”

“No, I was ill in a hospital, but I am not there now. I must have lost my mind and wandered away.”

“Were you not too ill to walk?”

“I knew I was, but here I am, wandering about without either doctor or nurse. I must get back to the hospital again!”

“Were you not growing weaker and weaker every day?”

“Yes. I remember the weakness, but now I have strength to walk! I must be better!”

“You have strength because you have left that old weak body, and are now spirit with spirit strength.”

“That cannot be! Oh, that cannot be! I left my friends, my business, my home. I must go back. Which way shall I go?”

“You cannot go back to your mortal body, but you can develop a wonderful life there.”

Mary interposed with: “We are trying to have him listen, but he persists that he must get back to his business and to his home.”

“Did you have a wife?”

“No.”

“A mother?”

“Yes. She is worrying about me. I must go to her.”

“She does not worry now, for she knows that you have died and are beyond all earthly worries.”

“That cannot be true! Where am I?”

“You are in spirit land and need no longer worry over earthly cares and troubles.”

“Must I forget my mother and my business?”

"Forget your business but remember your mother. Can you see?”

“Not much.”

“Can you hear?”

“I hear you.”

“Can you see someone near you?”

“No, I only see a shadow.”

“Can you talk to him, Mary?”

Mary wrote in reply: “He cannot hear me yet.”

“Try to listen.”

“I do not understand.”

“Mary is near you trying to help.”

“Who is she?”

“A spirit like yourself. Listen and try to hear what she says.”

 “I hear a faint sound. Is that Mary?”

“Yes. There are others near you, all trying to help.”

 “I am beginning to hear a little. They say I can soon hear and soon see and soon know there is joy in this life.”

Mary added: “We can take care of him now. When the earthbound spirit can hear and see, no matter how dimly, the worst is over. We can quickly teach him the rest.”

the once-shrewd businessman, man of the world, now just keeps on wailing, 'oh, where am I, why am I here' - poor me, so unjustly treated, couldn't be my fault

“We are bringing to you for help a man whose very soul was in his business and in money-making when on earth. We will write for him. He is not advanced at all, just keeps crying, ‘Why am I here? Oh, why am I here?’”

We spoke to him but received no reply. Mary wrote: “He is so little advanced that he scarcely hears you, but he wishes to have you tell him, if—as he says—you know anything about it, where he is and how he came here.”

“Do you remember any sickness or accident?”

Mary then wrote for him in reply: “I don’t know. I was at work. Something happened, and the next thing I knew, I was wandering around in the dark and trying to find some way out.”

“Well, when that something happened, you lost your material body, you died. And now you are in the spirit world.”

“I don’t believe it! Damn it all, why don’t you help me?”

“That is what we wish to do. But you must be patient. Can you hear any one near you?”

“There is a mumbling sound; but they don’t know anything. I tell you I want to get out of this!”

“You must be patient if you wish help. You have left the body and are what the world calls dead.”

“No! I know I’m alive! If I can once get out of this I’ll show you.”

“We wish to try to help you out.”

“I’d rather be dead than here!”

Editor's note: "rather be dead" - as Bugs would say, "dat's rich"

“Do you not see some differences compared with what you left?”

“I don’t know: I don’t seem as large as I was. That’s because I can’t find anything to eat.”

“You say it is all dark. Can you see anything at all?”

“There are queer looking shadows and a mumbling of voices.”

“Did you ever in times past give a thought to what you would do, what you would be like, when death of the body occurred: how you would see, how you would hear?”

“I never gave it a thought. I tell you, I was in the thick of the fight. Lots of opportunities, lots of opportunities for money-making, for the man who knew. And I knew how! I beat them all! And I’ve got a million somewhere back there that I must take care of.”

“What were you going to do with your million?”

“Why, what would I do, except to have a good time? Travel, fun, races, pool,—oh, loads of things to do, and a host of ways to spend a million. I made it, I tell you! It was mine to do with as I pleased. And here I am and can’t even touch it! Do you call that justice?”

“I wonder if you practiced justice in your business?”

“Why, just the same as all business men, making money when I could; proud to beat the other fellows to it; proud that I had the judgment to step in at the right time and carry off the shekels!”

“How long have you been in this condition?”

“Not long. Don’t know when or how I came: just found myself here.”

“Did you have a family?”

“No, I lived alone. But I tell you I had a mighty good suite of rooms! Sporty, maybe you would call them; and sporty they surely were after business hours. You see I was an A-1 business man, and never let pleasure interfere with business.”

“Is your mother living?”

“No, she died long ago.”

“Were you ever married?”

“No, never wanted to.”

“Do you remember your mother?”

“Not much. She died before I got grown up.”

“Do you remember any good things you did during your life, any help to any one?”

“Gee! I don’t know. Yes, I do! I had to help a poor woman once who was burned out, and had nothing to feed herself or her children until some of us fellows got in and made up a purse for her.”

“Did that give you any pleasure?”

“I don’t know. I don’t remember much of that.”

“Did you do anything else?”

“I used to give to churches and charity when asked, because it reacted favorably on my business. Oh, well now, I remember one thing I did: helped a blind girl to have an operation on her eyes. My, but she was grateful! Didn’t cost me much either. Wish I had done more of that sort of thing.”

“If you had, you might have had more happiness.”

“Bet you can’t tell me any way toward happiness in this hell of a place!”

“Well, if you want to get out of that place, and wish us to help you, you must do as we say. Now tell us more about what happened when you left your business and came here.”

“I was in my office. Someone came in. Said I had (the impression was to write the word ‘cheated’),—No, I won’t write that word. It wasn’t so! I only did what any smart business man would have done, made a little money on the side. But it happened to clean him out, and he blamed me. He pitched right into me. I don’t remember whether it was pistol or fist. But the next thing I knew I was here! That’s all the story.”

“Well, it is very clear from what you say, that he killed you. That is, your body was killed, but you are still alive. Only now you are in another world under other conditions. Do you not see the difference?”

“I see my hands do not look the same. I can see through them. Well, suppose I am dead! What are you going to do about it?”

“Help you, if you will let us. You say you want to get out of that dark place?”

“You bet I do! Tell me how.”

“Now listen carefully. Do you hear any one?”

“Y-e-s,—I do. Who is it?” Then after a moment: “Someone here is telling me that I can come into a beautiful life if I will try. But that I must give up selfish thought, and try first of all to help others. But, how can I do that? I can’t even help myself!”

“If you will listen carefully to what they tell you, you will learn how.”

“I begin to hear words plainly. Yes, and I begin to see plainer! Why is that?”

“You are beginning to learn how to use your spirit powers.”

“Is that true? Well, I guess I’ll have to believe it. But there is my old life! It looks kind of bad to me now. I never saw it look so before. Yes, I’ll try to be a better man if you will help me.”

“Mary is trying to help you already.”

“Where is she?”

“Right by you. Do you not see her?”

“Yes, I begin to see her. Why! She is dressed in silvery white! Someone else is with her. Will they help me?”

“Of course they will, if you will let them.”

“Well, I’ll try.”

the shop girl, filled with hate and revenge 

Mary: “We have brought a young woman to you who seems to feel that she has been injured in some way. We are not certain whether it is a physical or a mental hurt. But she still thinks she is living, and she is full of hate and revenge against someone.” (This proved to be more fear than hate.)

Sis: “Can she hear you?”

“We think not.”

We then spoke to her: “We are told that you wish assistance. Can we help you?”

“Who are you?”

“Friends who wish to help you.”

“Where am I?”

“Are you lost?”

“Yes.”

“How did that happen?”

“I have been as if in a dream. I was trying to get away from someone, and I must have lost my way.”

“Was someone trying to injure you?”

“Yes. A man was hurting me, and I ran.”

“Are you injured?”

“Yes. I scarcely know how… I was working in a shop… I think someone seized me, and—I remember struggling, and I remember my head hurting me. I was running away, and I must have lost my way.”

“Probably when the man seized you, he hit you on the head and caused your death.”

“Oh, that cannot be!”

“Yes, you are still living, but are in the spirit world.”

 “You do not know!”

“Yes, it is true. Are there people near you?”

“Yes, there are many.”

“Can you hear them?”

“No, I hear nothing. They are staring at me, and some seem trying to talk, but I hear nothing.”

“Do not be frightened. Listen to them carefully. Can you hear them?”

“I hardly know.”

“Try again. Be patient.”

“Yes! I hear a sound!”

“Isn’t a lady trying to tell you something?”

“Yes! I hear her. She says I am dead! I don’t understand!”

“She will help you. She will be your friend.”

“She says she will help me.”

Then the leader of the circle wrote: “We are comforting her, and are sure she will understand now. She is so frightened we can hardly make her understand. But she will soon comprehend.”

'I'm gonna get out of this and then I'll show you!' 

“We have someone here who needs help. He has not been here long, cannot adapt himself at all to conditions, and does not understand anything of this life.”

“Can he hear?”

“Not well, but a little.”

“Can he see?”

“Just a little. We have been trying to help him, but he perceives so little of spirit impressions that we have brought him to you. We will write for him.”

“Well, friend, what can I do for you?”

“Who are you?”

“We are friends who wish to help you.”

“Where am I?”

“You are in the spirit world. You have left the earth life.”

“No, not that. I know it is not so, for I can walk, move, and now I can talk to you.”

“How did you get where you are?”

“I don’t know. I suppose I may have lost my way. But I don’t understand it. I have a pretty good sense of direction. How did I get here?”

“You died and left your earthly life behind.”

“No, I didn’t, for I am alive now!”

“Did you not know you had a spirit within you?”

“What do you mean?”

“We mean that you yourself never die, though you may lose your body through death.”

“I am not dead, I tell you! Don’t be foolish!”

“Were you sick?”

“No, not that I know of. I was with a party of young men. We went fishing somewhere. Where under the sun was it! I don’t know! We were having a royal good time, smuggled a little of the forbidden aboard: some I had bought on the…”

“From ‘bootleggers?”

“Yes, I suppose so. We all drank and had a pretty good time. I think maybe the stuff was not good for me, for I remember now that I felt very sleepy, very sleepy. And I suppose I became unconscious in my sleep. Did they put me on shore while I was asleep? We were—we were—I don’t know how I came here. But here I am!”

“Well, either you were drowned, or the liquor was too much for you, for you have died and are now in the spirit world.”

“No! That can’t be! I can talk with you and hear you, and I can see, though not very plainly.”

“Can you see other people near you?”

“There is someone near me, several of them, in fact. I see them, but not very well.”

“Can you talk to them?”

“Haven’t tried. What is the use? I don’t know them.”

“Listen and see if you can hear any of these people.”

“I can hear, I tell you, though not very plainly. There is a woman near me—has on fine robes. She is trying to tell me things, but I don’t seem to catch on.”

“Listen carefully. I think you can understand her.”

“Well, I guess I do hear a little better. My! She has on a beautiful dress! Soft and shiny and flowing; I wonder where she got it?”

“What are you wearing?”

“I don’t know. I never thought of that. But, they aren’t mine! How did I come by them?”

“There seem to be a number of things you do not understand. Do you not think that perhaps we are right?”

“What do you mean?”

"That you are a spirit.”

“No! No!! No!!! I know that isn’t so! Someone must have taken me when I was asleep and carried me off!”

“Pretty much like a fairy tale. Eh?”

“I don’t want a fairy story! I want my own life and my own home.”

“You will find we are telling you the truth.”

“No! I can move, talk,—and believe me, I’m going to get out of this queer feeling if I can!”

“Have you looked at yourself, at your hands?”

“Why! I am thin! My hands! They are almost transparent! Say!! What has happened to them?”

“We have told you what has happened. Did you never hear of spirit?”

“No, never heard of such a thing.”

“Did you not know that a part of you went on living after death?”

“Never heard of such a thing.”

“Did you never think what would happen after death?”

“No. I tried to put that out of mind. It isn’t good for a man to think of that sort of thing. When you are alive, why, live! Have a good time! Let the future take care of itself. The preachers talk a lot of stuff a man can’t believe. I made the most of my life; had a good business, plenty of money, and jolly good friends. Where are the rest of the boys, anyhow?”

“We have told you to listen to those about you. Are you not willing to try?”

“I don’t want to stay here. Tell me how to get out.”

“We have told you. Listen to those near you.”

“This woman dressed in white says I am a spirit now, and must learn the spirit ways of learning and thinking. Does she mean that I am alone; that my old comrades are gone; and I have nothing to do? No business? No pleasure? No…Oh, my soul! This can’t be true! What shall I do?”

“We have told you. Listen to the lady who is trying to make you understand.”

“I am a man! I don’t want to listen to a woman preacher!”

“Well, I am afraid we cannot help you unless you do.”

“What will she tell me?”

“She will probably tell you that you must be kind to others and learn how to live a different life.”

“I can’t be kind until I know where I am, can I?”

“We have told you where you are.”

“Well, I’ll take the advice of this one in the white robe. She says she can help me to understand.”

Then, as if in reply to something Mary had said to him: “All right. I’ll try.”

the excited boy from the football game 

“We have one here who does not know he has died.”

“A man?”

“No, a boy. A young boy, hurt in a ball game, and coming over here while unconscious. Speak to him.”

Sis asked if she could help him.

“Who are you?” ‘

“I am a friend who would like to talk to you. They told me you were playing ball?”

“Yes, and we were winning too. Why don’t they tell me the score?”

“Were you hurt in the game?”

“I was knocked out, I know; but what of that! I had been in training, and my muscles were like steel. I don’t know why they picked me up and brought me here.”

“How were you hurt?”

“In the scrimmage. When I had the ball under me the boys all piled on top of me.”

"Oh! It was football?’

“Yes, football. Gee, it was great!”

“Do you feel your injury now?”

“Not a bit. Never felt so well in my life. Bet I could hold my own with any of them.”

“Do you see anyone near you?”

“None of the boys. Where are they?”

Mary says, he has not the slightest comprehension yet that he has died.

“Suppose I should tell you that in that scrimmage you were injured so severely that you died?”

“I’d say you lied. Oh! Excuse me! But I couldn’t help it.”

“No, it isn’t a lie. It is the truth.”

“No, I know better.”

“Have you looked at yourself?”

“Where are my togs? I never dressed like this!”

“That is because you have left the earth life.”

“Now you are trying to frighten me. You can’t do that!”

“What are your clothes like?”

“They are not mine. That’s all there is to that.”

“You must learn that you are in spirit land.”

“I don’t believe it. Tell me the truth.”

Then Mary wrote:— “We think we will wait and bring the boy another time. He needs careful guidance. We think he was a bright boy, with great ambition in athletics, as well as in his studies, and we do not wish a shock to come to him too suddenly. He will think of what you have said, and by and by we will go further and convince him that he has left his earth life. You need not expect him to fall gently into the idea that his earth life is over, and he is to begin again in an unknown world, with unknown laws of which he has never dreamed.”

At another time we talked to him again. “We have brought him. He is a bright boy, but still in a mystified condition.”

“Can he see or hear?”

“Not well. He knows there is a personal and friendly influence near him that in some way comforts and directs him. But beyond that he has not comprehended this life.”

Sis asked if he could hear her.

“Of course. Where am I? How came I here?”

“You heard us telling you about it when you were here before.”

“Did I? Well, I don’t understand?”

“You know that people die, do you not?”

“Yes. I’ve seen the funerals go by.”

“Do you know what became of the people after death?”

“Why, they were put in the ground.”

“Do you think that was the end of them?”

“Yes. Couldn’t be anything else, I suppose.”

“Did you never hear that they lived in another world?”

“No. The doctors said they were dead. Dead! That’s the end of it, I suppose.”

"That was not the end of you.”

“Of course not. I didn’t die.”

“Yes, the body you had on earth died, and was buried.”

“No! It never was buried!”

“Yes, it was. But you yourself, your soul went on living.”

“No! I didn’t die! I know I didn’t!”

All through the rest of the talk with him the pencil wrote very emphatically, and Sis’s hand was strongly controlled, showing the great excitement under which he was laboring.

“Is your body the same? Look at your hand.”

“Why, no! It’s thin! And—Why! I can see through it!”

“Could you use it for playing ball?”

“No! What happened?”

“When you were hurt in the football game, you left your earthly body, and it is your spirit, your inner self; that is now talking.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because we have talked with many who are like you. The spirit lives on.”

“What is spirit?”

This was explained to him as well as we could. “You are a spirit, and you will learn that you can enjoy life there, and can improve in every way.”

“Will someone help me?”

“Yes, of course. Did someone bring you here?”

“Yes. Someone, or something guided me here.”

“Can you see anyone near you?”

“I see a shadow.”

“Keep real quiet and say, I am going to see. Does it help?”

“Well! I do see! How is that?”

“It is your spirit sight, and you can improve it. Will you try?”

“Well, I just guess I will!”

“Now can you see anyone?”

“There are two ladies. Oh, they are beautiful! Will they help me?”

“Yes, indeed. Can you hear them?”

“No. Can they talk?”

“Yes, and if you will listen quietly, you will hear them.”

“I hear a sound… I hear a sound! Can I hear, do you think?”

“Yes, if you will try. Listen for words.”

“They tell me they will take care of me. Do you know them?”

“Yes, we know them well. Will you go with them?’

“Can’t you come?”

“No, we cannot come now, but we will probably see you some time. Now go with these ladies, and they will take care of you. Don’t you want to?”

“I’d love to.”

We talked of him for a time, and then turned to Mary again: “He will be all right now, and will be very happy. Dee is entertaining him now.”

the salt-of-the-earth Illinois farmer

“There are so many here who need help. If you can speak to a man who is here, we will try to write what he may reply.”

“Have you learned anything about him?”

“We can read some of his thoughts, and believe he was sick and died from tuberculosis. He does not know what has happened, but realizes that he is not in his own home.”

“Well, friend, we would like to help you if we can. Can you hear us?”

“Who are you?”

“Just friends. Can you tell us how we can help you?”

“I am not in my own home, and cannot understand why.”

“Can you see?”

“I can see that I am in a country that is not familiar to me. It is rather dreary and desolate, but I do not recognize it.”

“Where did you live?”

“I live in Illinois. I am a farmer, but have been sick a long time, and have not been able to work. I was very sick the last I remember, but I seem much better now, only I don’t understand why I am in another place.”

“Have you a family?”

“Yes, I have a wife and two children. I am wondering why they do not find me?”

“Well, I must tell you that when you were very sick, you died. And you have left your earthly body behind and are now in the spirit world.”

“I don’t understand. What do you mean?”

“We mean that you have left your body and are what the world calls dead.”

“I am not dead! I can talk, and can move about.”

“Did you ever think what would happen at your death?”

“Why, I would be put in the ground, of course.”

“Have you not heard that some part of you continued to live?”

“Yes, I think the preachers say something of the kind; but I never took any stock in them.”

“It is true, nevertheless. That accounts for your condition now.”

There was a wait of some moments. “Mary says, you have startled him so he does not know what to say.”

“Can you hear me?”

“Yes, I hear you; but what are you telling me such stuff for?”

“Can you see anyone near you?”

“I see some ladies, but I don’t know them.”

“Can you hear them?”

“Why, yes, I do hear some kind of sounds. What sort of a place am I in?”

“You are in spirit land, just as I said.”

“I am sure you are joking.”

“Can you hear what the ladies say?”

“Yes, they tell me the same thing.”

“Yes, because that is what has happened to you.”

“No! It is not true! I am alive! I can talk and see and move. Dead people don’t do that.”

Again there was a short pause. “Mary says he is so puzzled we cannot make him listen.”

Finally he asked: “You say spirits can talk?”

“Yes. Do you not hear the ladies near you?”

“Yes. Am I a spirit?”

“Yes. That is what I am trying to tell you. You were very sick and finally died. Do you not feel well now?’

“Yes, I feel fine. But I don’t understand it at all?”

“It may have happened some time ago. What year was it that you were so sick?”

“I think it was 1900.”

“1900! Is that right?”

“Yes.” “Do you have any idea what this year is?”

“No.”

“It is 1926.”

“Now you are joking!”

“No. It is the truth. Has not the time seemed long?”

“Yes, long enough. But I have not been awake part of the time. I seem to be sort of dazed most of the time. I thought it was because I was sick.”

“Had any of your family died before you were sick?”“

“I lost my mother.”

“Can you hear anyone else near you besides the ladies?”

“I see many.”

“Do you see your mother among them?”

“No. I don’t see her.”

“I am sure you will before long.”

“I think she would not want to see me, for I was not a good son to her.”

“Would you not like to see her?”

“Yes, of course, I do not know any of the people about me, but the lady who first spoke says she thinks she can find my mother.”

Then Mary added: “We can care for him now. He is still only partly convinced, but as we can now make him hear, we can help him.”

'I had a store, business was good, getting ahead; then, next thing I knew, I was in a dark place' 

“We wish to have your help just now, for we have a friend who has not recovered his sight or hearing since he came. Will you help him? We will write for him. We think he will respond to your words, as he is still so much in the earth vibrations.”

“Friend, we hear you need help. Can we assist you? Can you hear me?”

“Yes, I hear a voice, and it is a joy. Who are you?”

“One who may help you.”

“Who are you?”

“One who can tell you that you have left the earth life.”

“No, I have not. How should I leave it?”

“Well, you have not left it by aeroplane or balloon, but by death.”

“What do you mean? I have a body. Don’t you see it?”

“No, I do not see it. I only hear your voice.”

“Why is that?”

“Because you are a spirit and I am not.”

“What do you mean?”

“Your body has died, but your soul is alive.”

“No! You are wrong, horribly wrong! For I am here, body, voice, feeling and all. Can’t you see me?”

“No, I do not see you. Tell me how you look, and who you are.”

“I am about thirty years old, had a good business, but was taken ill, and I suppose when ill I just wandered away.”

“Were you in bed?”

“Yes.”

“Dressed?”

“No.”

“What have you on now?”

“I am dressed! How did that happen?”

“What are your clothes like?”

“I never saw anything like them. They don’t look like a man’s clothes at all. Who rigged me up like this?”

“Tell me what you are wearing.”

“It is a sort of loose, flowing robe, maybe like a Roman toga. Who dressed me, and what for?”

“You have left the body and are now in spirit land.”

“Where is spirit land?”

“Where you are.”

“Where are you?”

"I am on earth.”

“So am I.”

“What are you standing on?”

“Standing on! Why I suppose soil, or grass, or something. I can’t see it very well, but I know I am on a firm foundation.”

“Do you see anyone near you?”

“No, I wish I could. I am lost, and no one near to tell me where to go.”

“Do you not see a lady near you?”

“No, I don’t see any one.”

“What were you doing before you were ill?”

“I had a store. Business was good, getting ahead. Then I took sick, fever, and got very weak. I went to sleep, and must have slept a long time and slept very soundly, for the nurse must have dressed me up in this way and let me walk around. And so I lost my way. Why doesn’t the nurse come for me?”

“You will never need a nurse again.”

“Why not?”

“Because you will never be sick anymore.”

“Gracious goodness! How do you know?”

“Because spirits do not get sick.”

“What do you mean?”

“Did you ever think of a hereafter?”

“I used to go to church sometimes, but I didn’t care for the sermons.”

“You have left your body, and are now living in spirit.”

“Why should I see my body then? For I have hands, arms and limbs; can talk and hear you, though I do not see you.”

“Keep still and listen.”

“Why should I? I’d rather get on my way to my home and family.”

“You cannot go back.”

“Oh, can’t I? We’ll see about that!”

“I am telling you the truth. You will never go back to your home.”

There was a long pause, and finally Mary wrote: “He is almost stupefied at this revelation.”

After a little he wrote excitedly: “Help me! Help me to understand! What am I to do? What can I do? I’m not in heaven or on earth. Where am I?”

“You are where souls go at the death of the body. Can you listen?”

“I’ll try. I hear a little. Someone is telling me I am in soul life now. What and where is soul?”

“The one who is near you we call Mary. She will tell you.”

“She says she will help me to understand. But how?”

“Listen and you will find out.”

“Will she tell me? Will she stay near me?”

“Mary says we can take care of him now. He will soon see and all will be well. He is not bad, only material-minded, and no perception at all of spirit life and spirit thought and action.”

'he is so ignorant of the deeper life of mind and spirit' 

“Here is one who has entered into this life without any comprehension of its value. Will you try to help him? He can hear earth sounds, but not spirit voices.”

“Friend, do you know where you are?”

“No, I wish I did. I seem to have wandered a long time, and I am very tired.”

“What caused you to wander?”

“That is what I would like to know. I have heard of people losing their memory, but I had no thought that I should have that trouble.”

“Were you ill?”

“I think so. I remember a hospital and a doctor.”

“Did you have friends?”

“No, I haven’t what you might call friends. I had no family, no near relatives, and I never comraded with men. I don’t know why; guess I liked my own ways or thoughts or ambitions best.”

“Did you grow worse when sick?”

“I suppose I did, and that is probably what is the matter: I lost my mind and wandered away.”

“Do you know that you have died?”

“What? No, I don’t! Nor you, either! I am as much alive as you are.”

“Yes, but you are a spirit.”

“Spirit! Well! What do you mean by that?”

“Did you not know that you had more than a physical body?”

“What else could I have?”

“A spirit, a soul.”

There was quite a pause and then Mary wrote: “He is so ignorant, or so utterly thoughtless in regard to the deeper life of mind and spirit, that your words have not taken effect. Go on.”

“What do you think is wrong?”

“I’m blessed if I know! That is what I want you to tell me.”

“Can you hear?”

“I can hear you, but I cannot see you very plainly. But you are in some city, in some room. Tell me where, and how I can get there.”

“Did you never think there would be something left after death?” …

“No! I’m not dead and buried! Why! How can you talk that way? You are a fool!”

“Look at your hands.”

“What’s the matter? I grew thin while I was sick, I suppose.”

“How about your clothes?”

“Well! You’ve got me now! Someone has dressed me up in new clothes. Who did it, and when?”

“Can you see anyone about you?”

“No. I have pretty nearly lost my sight… Yes, by looking hard I can see two people standing near me.”

“What do they say?”

“They don’t tell me anything.”

“Listen again. Do you not hear a voice?”

“Well… Yes, I guess so. No words though.”

Then after a moment the pencil wrote very emphatically: “I don’t want to hear! I won’t believe it! She says I am dead! Great goodness! What a lie! Take her away! I don’t want to listen to such talk!”

We carefully explained the conditions to him, asking if the peculiarities and discrepancies did not indicate that we were telling the truth. Finally Mary wrote: “He is thinking about it now and we can help him.”

“Can you hear now?”

“Yes, I can hear, and they tell me I am a spirit, and that I can be a happy one. Oh, Lord! How can I understand this!”

We explained further, and after a little, he wrote: “Well, here I am, if this is so. I am as helpless as a newborn babe. But here goes! I’ll try.”

the factory girl, killed in a union strike riot 

“We have found a woman who is wandering alone and crying for help, that someone is killing her. We have succeeded in quieting her, but not in helping her to realize that she is in spirit life. Can you speak to her?”

“I am a friend. Do you wish help?”

“You may be an enemy. I have no friends.”

“What did you do? Why should you not have friends?”

“I didn’t do anything. Everyone was cruel to me.”

“Did you not love people?”

“No. I never loved any one.”

“Did you ever try to help others?”

“No. Why should I?”

“It might have made you happier.”

“No it wouldn’t. I had all I could do to take care of myself.”

“What were you doing?”

There was no reply from her, but Mary wrote: “We think from reading her thoughts that she was a worker in a mill, and thought she was being persecuted by other workers.”

“Do you know where you are?”

“No.”

“Can you see any one near you?”

“No. I am in the dark.”

“Who brought you here?”

“I came alone. I was just wandering around and you talked to me. But I can’t see you, and I don’t know who you are. But you needn’t try to hurt me. I won’t stand for it! I can fight anybody.”

“Nobody wants to hurt you now. We want to help you if we can.”

“Nobody wants to help. They are all mean and cruel.”

“If we could help you to see, would you think we were friends?”

“Maybe. Maybe you would try some trick on me?”

“No, never. We feel sorry for you.”

“No one feels sorry for me! They are all just the same: bad and cruel.”

“Isn’t that because you think bad thoughts?”

“No!”

“Suppose you try to think a kind thought and see if it will not help.”

“What would I think? I don’t know of one.”

“Try to think someone is near you who wants to help you.”

“I don’t believe it!”

“Try it. Keep thinking it.”

“Why should I?”

“Because good thoughts help you.”

“That’s funny! Never heard that before.”

“Are you saying it?”

“Yes, I’m saying it. Don’t do any good though.”

“Keep trying it. Keep saying, someone is kind to me.”

“There’s a streak of light out there! What is it?”

“Your thought is helping you to see. Keep on saying what I told you.”

“Well, I’ll try. I’ll keep it up, all right -- I can see a broader light! Someone is standing there!” “

“That is your friend.”

“No. I can’t believe it.”

“Keep saying it.”

“Will it come true?”

“Of course it will.”

“Well, I’ll say it a thousand times if it will work that way. I see someone there! She says she will help me and there will be no more cruel ones. Is that right?”

“Yes, it will be all right.”

“Well! Where am I that such a thing could happen?”

“Were you sick?”

“No. I was turned out of the mill though.”

“Do you remember what you did that you were turned out?”

“I guess I forget. I don’t know. Only there was a sort of a strike, and everyone got to fighting, and I hit back—and—and—Why! I don’t know the rest!”

“When you hit back you were probably hit and killed.”

“Why, I wouldn’t be talking if I had been killed!”

“Did you not know that you had something within you that lived after the body was killed?”

“What?”

“A spirit. Did you never hear of that?”

“No.”

“You are a spirit now.”

“How do you know?”

“Because of what you say. Can you see any better now?”

“Yes, a little.”

“Look at your body. What is it like?”

“I haven’t got much. I’ve grown thin! What’s the matter? I haven’t on my dress! Everything is different!”

“You have your spirit body, and have spirit clothes.”

“I think I see the one you say will help me. Will she take care of me if I promise never to fight again?”

“Yes, indeed. You will be cared for.”

Then Mary said they would look after her and would soon make her understand.

The following is channeled testimony from the other side, from a man who found himself in a dark place. Reported in “The Future Life” 1854 via the mediumship of Mrs. Elizabeth Sweet.

I come to tell my story, that you may publish it abroad as a lesson
for many. I feel how unworthy I am to stand in your
midst, to utter a word concerning myself, but it were a
pleasure to do even this small act, if by so doing I shall
benefit one soul.

I was an idle, thoughtless youth. Idleness was my
besetting sin. The years of my life which I should have
spent in pursuing some useful duty toward the world,
were squandered away by me in idleness and frivolity.

Seeking only my own gratification, and striving but to
obtain all my selfish desires, I wasted the best years of
my life in idleness and self-gratification. I thought
not of the obligations which I owed my Maker. I
cared not for the duties which I owed my fellow-man;
but lived only to care for self, and grasped at every
fleeting pleasure...

thick darkness, confusion, dread, loneliness, desolation, a cold and gloomy fear

When I awoke in the spirit-world, I shuddered. The
atmosphere which surrounded me was oppressive; I
could not gaze through it, so as to see any great distance,
and my faculties all seemed confused and disturbed,

READ MORE

killing babies, under the perverted reasoning of 'choice', is just about the worst thing you could do to yourself, thereby, virtually ensuring an expedited flight to the rat-sewer

those who 'can't hear you' today will find, upon crossing over, that they're unable to hear anything

Editor's note: Please see my further commentary on the above reports, featured on the previous page.