Finally, when such individuals do feel the necessity of turning from the old life,—which necessity comes to them after a long siege of battling against opposing forces, vainly striving to be recognized and obeyed, making futile attempts to gain power and dominion over others, and at last obliged to recognize their own impotency and utter littleness,—they begin to perceive the grandeur of spiritual labor, and to acknowledge and respond to the efforts made by ministering, industrious spirits to teach and bless them. Thoughts of the old life on earth fade before the presentation of ideas concerning the future life to be attained by the spirit. Selfish propensities and desires gradually pale before the new light of soul endeavor that dawns upon the suffering spirits; and sometimes aided by sympathetic mortals, to whom they are attracted, and always benefited by the assistance of wise, loving, and truthful spirits, these erring ones gradually emerge from their unhappy state into a condition of peace and joy. Ask them then of the life in the spirit world, and they will pronounce it beautiful, illuminated with a glorious light that never becomes wholly quenched; the land they inhabit they will tell you is real and natural, its roads paved with shining blocks, smooth and even to the feet, and fringed with blooming flowers; its homes comfortable, elegant, and commodious, and its inhabitants harmonious, gentle, hospitable, and friendly. They now see with the clear vision of the soul; no mists obscure their sight, no preconceived opinions and prejudices bias their statements. They dwell in the spirit world, and not amid the murky confines of sensual life.
AN ILLUSTRATION.
I will briefly relate a little episode recently coming under my observation, which will illustrate my subject more clearly to you. My beloved father was recently in the presence of a spiritual medium,—a lovely, saint-like, elderly woman, whose life and aspirations cannot fail to attract beneficent workers of both lives to her sphere. This medium was entranced by a spirit who appeared very much distressed, and who said that there was a gulf between him and a condition of happy peace that he could not bridge. After bemoaning his unpleasant position, he expressed an earnest desire to free himself from it. My father felt his entire soul going out in sympathy to this suffering fellow-being, and with words of encouragement, hope, and cheer, which were also replete with instruction, he addressed the spirit, who, in a little while, raised his head, and with an expression of gladness and triumph, exclaimed: “I see the bridge; I may now pass over safely.”
After this spirit had departed, my father was addressed by one of our beneficent, working spirits, who explained that the unhappy being was none other than he who had been known to the world as Baron Rothschild,—that in early life he had concentrated his energy and power to the work of accumulating great wealth for a laudable purpose, that of expending it in restoring Jerusalem—the home of his race—to its pristine glory and splendor for the benefit of his unhappy people; but as wealth and power and glory rolled in upon him, ambition grew within his soul. Finding himself exalted because of his influence, bowed down to and fawned upon by the Gentiles who had despised his race, the desire grew upon him to wield an influence among mankind that no power could break; and the primal intention to bless his people by restoring them to their rightful home, if he should be successful in life, faded away before the growing determination to bring the haughty Gentile to his feet in supplication for his assistance in the control of the monetary interests of the world.
Thus this man lived, flourished, and died; but in passing to the spirit world he could take none of his grandeur, power, wealth, or influence with him. These were not of the spiritual, but belonged to the material life. Unhappy and restless, expending his energy in striving to regain his former prestige, he lived, until, growing weary of vain contention and striving, he turned from the earthly side to ascertain the prospect toward the spiritual. He could perceive the light and the homes of happy spirits, but knew not how to reach them. In this condition he was brought by wise spirits to my father, whose tender sympathy, perceived and felt by the unfortunate one, awakened a new condition of mind, aroused a new train of thought and aspiration in his soul, which bridged over the chasm and gave him power to reach the happier state where contented, useful beings dwell.
Oh, the power of sympathy! Mortals, you understand it not! When truly felt and expressed, it flows toward the soul of its recipient in waves of light, which become tangible to the suffering one, and form a bridge over which he may pass to a condition of happiness and peace.
EXTERNAL SURROUNDINGS PRODUCED BY MENTAL CONDITIONS.
To those minds who are materialistic in their tendency, whose thought is concerned with the affairs of the mundane sphere, and who do not recognize any other force in existence so potent, powerful, and vigorous in its operations as mere organic law which depends upon matter alone for its power, the idea that the mental condition of an individual can become so active as to influence his external surroundings and determine the shape, form, appearance, and character of the objective life in which he dwells, will be presented as only the wild dream of some visionist, or the vapid speculation of an enthusiast. But I do not bring my statements of spirit life and its conditions to the notice of such material minds; for I know that they who can find nothing above and beyond matter to study and investigate, who understand nothing of that subtle power permeating all material life which is pure spirit, who cannot comprehend the higher laws of the universe whenever they transcend in any degree the operations of those laws that are concerned alone with the external, visible, mundane world, will not be able to grasp the vital truth that is recognized and accepted by all deeply studious and spiritualized beings,—that spirit alone is the real power, the substantial part of man, the abiding life that projects its image outward upon the exterior form, affects the condition of the individual, beautifies or mars his surroundings, and controls his state of mind; while matter is but the external expression, the outer covering, form, or projection of this potent, governing force.
MATERIALISTIC SCIENTISTS IN SPIRIT LIFE.
I have seen spirits whose earthly condition was one of grandeur, whose mortal life was one of study, experimentalism, achievement, and triumph,—scientists who gave their entire thought, time, and attention to the investigation of certain laws, elements, and forces of the physical world, and who made grand and important discoveries in the domain of Nature. Their demonstrations of scientific law have been of value to mankind; their achievements and the practical results of their discoveries and studies have benefited humanity. But certain ones of this learned body did not believe in the existence of any force or power outside of organic law,—would not accept the thought that any manifestation of human or divine intelligence, skill and wisdom, could possibly be made aside from matter, and declined to investigate any department of life outside of that particular field of scientific inquiry that chained their attention. Anything savoring of occult law, or denoting the existence of subtle forces in the universe, that physical science could not explain, they scoffed at as unworthy their thought and investigation.