CHAPTER XIX.
GOLDEN NEST AND OTHER PLACES.
Golden Nest is another beautiful place in the Summer-land where the dear little children have happy homes. In this sweet, delightful spot the birds flit about in the green branches of the stately trees, and warble their songs of melody. You would be surprised in watching the antics of these bright-plumaged little songsters to observe how they will dance and swing upon the shoulder or finger of a child,—always bold and fearless, never timid or afraid. Their songs, too, rival the human tones of the children’s voices and seem to be keeping up an harmonious accompaniment to the words the little people sing.
Golden Nest is like a great green nest flooded with sunshine; it is circular in form, and carpeted with the softest and brightest of grass and moss; flowers grow in great profusion, and their beauty and perfume yield an eternal pleasure to the senses of those who approach them. Little streams of clear water bubble and gurgle over smooth, round, white stones and glisten in the soft sunshine like ribbons of molten silver. The atmosphere is balmy, and it is a luxury to live out of doors in this enchanting place, that is a golden nest for the troops of merry little human songsters that dwell together there in love and harmony.
But these little people have a great deal of work to do; they find enjoyment, pleasure, and play in this labor, because it gives them unbounded zest and vigor in life. The children of Golden Nest are messenger spirits, and they act as messengers between the people who live in the body and their friends in the great spirit world. All the spirit messengers do not live in this pretty place, for such beneficent, that is good, spirits are to be found in all parts of the Summer-land; but all the children who live in Golden Nest are such workers,—that is, they bear messages from spirits to mortals, bring down to earth bright thoughts and impress them on the minds of people here; stamp the desire to be pure and good in the hearts of persons on earth, and come from their beautiful homes to watch over, care for, and love little children in the body, and, by singing sweet songs in their ears at night, give them happy dreams, so that they will wish to be kind and loving to each other, and obedient, affectionate, and respectful toward their parents. So you see the children who live in Golden Nest have a great deal to do; they are never idle, never naughty, never sad, for though it pains them to see earthly children naughty or unhappy, and to find mortal men and women ill and sorrowful, yet they are too busy in trying to help the unfortunate ones of earth to attend to any sadness in their own hearts; and so it will not remain, but flies away before the great light of cheerfulness in which these little people dwell.
If I call the children of Golden Nest angels, my dears, you will know it is because they are messengers, for the word angel means message-bearer,—“only this and nothing more.” But in these days we are taught to consider angels as pure, beautiful, and holy beings. Well, the little boys and girls in Golden Nest are pure and holy, because they do not think bad thoughts. They love each other, are anxious to be good, try to help others to do right, and are busy in working to benefit some one in some manner; and they are beautiful, for their faces are smiling and sweet, their eyes shine with happiness, and they seem to leave a trail of brightness wherever they go. Moreover, they are really message-bearers; so I think you will agree with me that they are really and truly angels.
A group of these little people were very earnestly engaged in conversation not long since, and as I watched their faces glow with animation, I became convinced that they were discussing some new plan for the benefit of mortals. And so the events proved. I will briefly tell you of this work which these angels are now doing: a circle—that is, a place where spirits come back to earth to manifest to mortals—has been opened by a family who are anxious not only to receive knowledge of immortal life for themselves, but also are desirous to bring this truth unto the comprehension of others. This family had parted with three beautiful little children who had some time since been taken to the Summer-land. So the father and mother opened their home and invited their friends—who had also laid the earthly forms of dear children away—to join with them in invoking the presence of their spirit friends.
Well, this group of little ones in Golden Nest I had seen talking so earnestly together were the children of these good people; for having learned what their parents were about, they were all excitement to have a share in the work from their side of life. So it was determined that they—the little ones—should return to earth, and for a time, with the permission of their teachers or guardians, take up their abode in the home where the circle was to meet; for by doing this these angels were able to bring a strong spiritual power to the earthly home which would assist them in making themselves manifest to their parents and friends. So they have left their beautiful Golden Nest, and are now staying on the earth. They have controlled a medium in the circle, spoken their names, and announced their presence to their delighted parents.
Just as soon as they have given their earthly friends all the spiritual power that they can, they will leave the mortal home, to convey messages back and forth from mortals to spirits, and from spirits to mortals.
The circle controlled and guarded by this band of children from Golden Nest is destined to be of great service. Already, outsiders have been admitted, unbelievers have received messages from their dear “lost” ones, many hearts have been made happy, and our sweet little message-bearers are working earnestly to develop their medium so that she can see the spirits who come to her, and describe them to their anxious friends. They bring her strength so that she can bear the trials of life, and be happy in working for the angels. It is necessary for them to live with the medium now, so that she may constantly feel the pure, uplifting influence of their child-like, unselfish spirits, and thus not grow weary of the work planned out for her by spirit teachers; so they have gladly given up the beautiful sights and sounds of their beloved Golden Nest, to take up their abode in a humble home on earth. But in a little time, when their work is done, and spirits of all grades and powers will be able to manifest at the circle and bring messages of joy to weary hearts, as well as to find strength and happiness for themselves, these little angels will return to their Summer-land home, well pleased with the success of their noble work.
A little girl who lives in Golden Nest has been a message-bearer for seven years; she passed from the body when less than a year old, and was brought to her friends on earth by another little angel who wished to do them good.