BEULAH, A SPIRIT MISSIONARY
I wish to tell you, my friends, of a dear, beautiful spirit who is a missionary of joy and peace, a true ministering angel to many a sad and weary soul,—one whom I shall call Beulah in speaking of her to you, for she is really a beautiful, blessed being. This spirit lived in the mortal form to an advanced age, but long since passed to the spirit world, after an earthly life of varied experience,—one flecked here and there with sunbeams, but also one that was thickly sown with tears; for trouble, privation, and sorrow were often her portion.
To look upon this sainted being now,—her whole form illuminated with the interior light of a pure soul, her features, no longer care—worn and bearing the impress of weakness and age, but beaming with the bloom of vigor and strength, and showing only the traces of matured experience and thought, radiant with benevolence and kindliness,—with the glance of a casual observer you would have no idea that this woman had suffered as few are called upon to suffer, even in this mundane sphere; and only the watchful, experienced eye would detect the signet of firm endurance and quiet patience resting upon that noble countenance, and realize that that signet had been won through sufferance of sorrow, deep and stern. Yet so it was; and it is this calm, sweet, even holy expression, such as you might imagine martyrs wearing, which imparts a loftiness of character to the features of this truly spiritual being.
With the early life of Beulah we have nothing to do; it is only of her spiritual experience and work that we wish to speak. When this woman entered the spirit land, laying down the casket of flesh with its weakness and weariness, she did not find herself an exhausted being, one lacking the vital force of activity, the fire of energy or the potency of will; for through all the struggles of her mortal career she never lost faith in the power and the goodness of God to evolve light from darkness, strength from weakness, and knowledge and wisdom from the bitter trials of existence She never faltered or fell fainting by the way, but rather bravely struggled on in spite of disaster and care. Therefore, hers was a brave, strong spirit, one that gathered power from the storms of adversity, sweetness from affliction, and knowledge from the lessons of life; and when she had thrown off the useless body of clay, she found her inner powers springing up renewed and quickened, and ready to out-work themselves in useful labor for humanity.
It was my good fortune to become associated with this dear woman,—indeed, she was one of the first to bring me strength and cheer in my new-found spirit home; for she is one of my kin, and when my heart grew faint within me for the old earthly life with parents and mortal friends, as it sometimes would, it was her words, her tender, brave, hopeful ministrations that revived my drooping spirits, and led me to learn something of the helpful, active, benevolent labor of her life in the spheres. No tale of sorrow is ever poured into her ear without meeting with a responsive flood of sympathy and cheer that lightens the weary soul of its burden forthwith. Let Beulah become aware of any soul in distress, and she is constantly learning of such, and she is ready to seek that suffering one; and by the influence her presence imparts, she succeeds in uplifting, strengthening, and benefiting him or her.
BEULAH’S SELF-SACRIFICING BENEFICENCE.
I have watched carefully the work of this remarkable woman, and have never known her to fail in imparting relief to any suffering one whom she sought to assist; her indomitable, yet tender, loving spirit seems to know no such word as failure or defeat. She wills to succeed in her work, her whole soul is engaged in it; with her it is truly a labor of love; her own past experience has surcharged her heart with sympathy and affection for mankind; she despises no one, not even the vilest sinner; she would not hesitate to go down into the depths of the darkest, most offensive conditions to rescue a human being, even though her pure hands and her beautiful garments were grievously besmirched thereby; and she would succeed in her efforts for that human being’s redemption, for her unflinching bravery, her untiring patience and unwavering gentleness, would cause her to won the victory over all foes.
You can perhaps gain an idea from what I tell you of Beulah of the usefulness, nobility, and grandeur of such lives as hers; and just such lives are attained by all spirits who are firm, enduring, patient, and unselfish. Those who grow strong through suffering, even as the oak tree gains strength and vigor because of the blasts that shake its sturdy frame; those whose spirits are mellowed, sweetened, and ripened, despite the calamities that befall them in their journey through matter, eventually become just such beautiful ministers of love and light, of joy and gladness, as this woman of whom I write today.
I have known Beulah to leave her bright, happy home in the supernal realm and immure herself in some dark, unsightly, and miserable place where a human being groveled in the haunts of wickedness, sorrow, or despair, in order to bring the magnetic rays of light from her own pure presence and the soothing, cheering influence of her beautiful sphere, to bear upon that unhappy spirit for its own advancement; and I have known her to absent herself from her nearest friends for months, during which time she was engaged in ministering to the wretched and sad, walking by their side, dwelling in their midst, never withdrawing her helpful influence from them until she had succeeded in elevating their spirits above the gross desires of carnal life, or awakening within them emotions of peace and hope where before only despair and woe had reigned. Oh, this one blessed spirit has accomplished great good in her own humble manner. Because of her ministrations alone, hundreds of souls now blossom out in gladness and beauty, which before were shadowed by desolation and the keenest pain.