It is true that hundreds of evil-minded, ignorant, crude, and unfolded spirits pass out of the body annually, and it is also true that most of these unfortunate ones remain for a long time in the darkened condition which the effects of their earthly career have surrounded them with; but while this is so, it is sweet to know and realize that good and noble souls, enlightened and developed spirits, are making grand and unwearying efforts to elevate, strengthen, and educate those who come to the eternal world bowed down by moral weakness and spiritual infirmity. These endeavors for the sake of others, are not without avail,—on the contrary they are grandly successful; and while we are constantly receiving new arrivals of such poor unfortunates in the spirit world who are in need of the ministrations of pure and good teachers and helpers, we are as continuously finding other heretofore ill-disposed spirits arousing to the requirements of their being, to the necessity of making an effort to rise above the darkness and slough of evil conditions, and to a desire for a holier and a better life; and I am glad to be able to report to you this grand truth. Daily are the angels of goodness called upon to rejoice over many sinners who, repenting of their wrong-doing, are determined to become worthy members of humanity. Therefore, though largely peopled with undeveloped, unholy human beings, even the lowest spheres of the spiritual world are spheres of advancement, wherein are provided facilities and opportunities, i.e., conditions for the growth of their inhabitants, which conditions are seized upon as soon as the torpid minds centered there became sufficiently aroused under the stimulating, supporting light brought to bear upon them by unselfish ministers of helpful goodness, to become aware of their true position and the degradation of a human soul which it implies.
ILLUSTRATIVE INSTANCE OF THE REFORMATION OF A SPIRIT.
Some time since—years ago, as mortals measure time—an individual came to the spirit world who presented a most deplorable and pitiable condition. He had been one of those unfortunates who are reared in iniquity; it would seem almost as though the doctrine of total depravity was demonstrated in his case. His soul was stained with crime in its various degrees, and at length his earthly career terminated upon the gallows, in expiation of the life of a little innocent child he had ruthlessly destroyed. It would be impossible for me to describe to you the tortures of misery through which this spirit has passed, such suffering I can only faintly conceive of; it must undoubtedly be experienced to be understood. But this I am assured of: the torments of a lake of literal fire and brimstone would be pleasant compared to this. At first he seemed plunged in an abyss of apathy, of squalid and stupid helplessness, from which he would occasionally arouse only to curse humanity, and send out a revengeful, diabolical influence which, from the intensity of its power, as directed by the positive will of this evil-minded man against those who had accused him of wrong-doing and condemned him to his present condition, sped like a ball of flame bearing destruction in its heart to the peace of mind, happiness, and prosperity of more than one who had testified against him.
It became the mission of Beulah to operate upon the mind of this terrible creature, and she set about the task without flinching. For a long time he seemed impervious to her ministrations, insensible of her presence and influence: but she did not falter nor grow weary with her work. Finally the magnetism of her presence began to be felt, and to arouse him from his terrible condition; he began to perceive dimly that a bright and beautiful being was beside him. This tended to frighten him, and he struggled to get away; but all in vain. He tried to utter an oath, but found himself powerless to do so. There was an influence upon him which he could not understand; a light seemed to stream in upon him from which he vainly tried to hide. An illuminating light which radiated from Beulah, and which all pure, exalted spirits bear, had at last begun to penetrate the darkness of this man’s soul; all-searching in power, it seemed to lay bare every recess of his being, and he recoiled from the exposure. He could not hide himself in darkness, for all gloom had perished; nothing remained but that, to him, terrible light which revealed to him his past life in all its deformity. This was punishment of the direst kind, and he writhed in torment. In the clear light of Beulah’s magnetism he beheld the sweet face of the little one he had bodily destroyed gazing upon him with pitying, gentle eyes. The sight overpowered him, he sought to shut it out, but he could not do so; still it haunted him, and he could not escape it until it was withdrawn to give place to another,—one loving, earnest, kindly brooding over him like the face of an angel mother,—only, alas! this poor soul had no angel mother to guide it. The being who had given him mortal birth still dwelt on earth a degraded, besotted, helpless creature. The face he now beheld was the face of Beulah. The sweet, benign expression of this face calmed and comforted the man; he stretched out his hands to it in supplication, and from that moment the evil in his nature was broken and subdued; for, dawning upon his soul came a faint realization of that life where holy ones, such as this beautiful being, reside, and with it a desire, not a hope, not a belief, but only a wish to be good, entered his soul and pierced it through and through.
The experience through which this man passed, which I have briefly and hastily sketched to you, was one bitter and keen in intensity, one not of moments but of years; and all this time Beulah had labored, hoped and watched for the dawn of reason in his mind, which came with the abandonment of evil thoughts and purposes, and the adoption of that condition of mind which recognized the supremacy of goodness, and desired to learn and know something of it.
THE WORK CARRIED TO COMPLETION.
But the work had now only commenced; for if it was difficult before to cope with and over-power a mind reeking with evil thoughts and impure desires, how distressing was it now to witness the struggles—almost hopeless as they were—of this spirit to get away from the remembrance of his past career. How sad to behold him putting forth feeble efforts toward feeling kindly concerning others, and to see him fall back despairingly, with the thought that he could never associate with such as he! How touching to witness his endeavors to cherish only pure desires and to banish evil from his mind, even while the memory of past days haunted him with horror. And yet, every thought, desire, aspiration, and effort for good which he made brought with it such a power to encourage and uphold his spirit that it became impossible for him to sink back into his former condition of degradation and iniquity; and as time rolled on, his struggles with self gradually grew fewer and easier, until at length right triumphed and wrong was overcome. Through all this time, Beulah encouraged and supported him by her presence, her magnetic power and her words of cheer; and, as experience after experience came to him, his conditions brightened. He was led out of the gloom, out of the forests of unpleasant and inharmonious surroundings, until at length no longer sandy wastes and rocky places were his home, but fertile fields and blooming forests offered shelter and refreshment to his spirit. And at last, when her work with him was finished, and she beheld him a soul redeemed from sin through suffering, developed from ignorance by experience, made even peaceful through his power and desire to assist others, Beulah brought to him the sweet spirit, now grown a beautiful woman, whom he had sent untimely into the spirit world, to be his teacher, helper, and guide.
He could bear to look upon the sweet face now, could humbly listen to the teachings of one so pure and good; all wretchedness and misery which it was possible for him to experience had been passed, and therefore he was prepared to accept the ministrations of this beautiful being in lieu of those of Beulah, whose duty called her elsewhere. And thus, harmony of life was restored to the broken soul; the presence of the one he had injured only served to make him more humble in spirit, self-sacrificing and benign, charitable, pitiful, and tender to the erring and degraded wherever they were to be found. Beulah departed to her celestial home, where a glad, fond welcome awaited her; but the soul she had blessed remained in his own spirit home, not to grow idle or neglectful of others, but to do unto those in need as he had been done by; to impart strength, courage, and knowledge to his fellows while still continuing to advance in spiritual attainments himself.
You may wonder what connection the spirit brought to this man by Beulah had with his work. The child maiden was not with him all the time, other good spirits were associated with him in his home and his work; but whenever she felt that she could be of use to him, this sweet spirit would come and lead him to whatever place she felt there was a lesson awaiting his spirit. Sometimes it would be to spots on earth where spirit help was required by suffering mortals; sometimes to haunts in spirit life where a higher influence was required by struggling souls, and sometimes to the homes of little children in the Summer-land, whose happy, peaceful lives afforded a valuable lesson to the observing spirit. From all these experiences he of whom I write gathered power, strength, and light to go on with his work.