667. The qualities of invisibility and penetrative power being necessarily conceded to the soul, is it unreasonable to extend this attribute to its habitation in the skies: to the country of spirits?
668. In communicating with a friendly spirit, I adverted to the difficulty of inducing people to conceive that in the clear azure space existing between the earth and moon, there should be scenery like ours, with plains, hills, mountains, valleys, rivers, lakes, seas, and every variety of edifice in greater perfection than upon earth. “You do not see us,” said my friend; “then why should you wonder at not seeing our world?”
669. It is quite evident that no such obstacle stood in the way of belief in the existence of heaven among the Jews, as it is constantly referred to as being above; Noah’s deluge came through the windows of heaven; and this idea has been sustained in the language of Christ, as well as of the Hebrew prophets.
670. Elijah is represented as having visibly ascended to heaven. That the vicinity and invisibility of heaven are not at war with Scripture, is alleged in a recent work by the Rev. Mr. Harbaugh of the German Reformed Church, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He quotes approvingly a passage in a work, entitled “Physicial Theory of Another Life,” by Taylor, which I subjoin:
671. Taylor suggests—“That within the space occupied by the visible and ponderable universe, and on all sides of us, there is existing and moving another element, fraught with another species of life, corporeal indeed, and various in its orders, but not open to the cognízance of those who are confined to the conditions of animal organization, not to be seen nor heard, nor to be felt by man.” “Our present conjecture,” remarks the author in another place, “reaches to the extent of supposing that within the space encircled by the sidereal revolutions, there exists and moves a second universe, not less real than the one we are at present conversant with: a universe elaborate in structure, and replete with life; life agitated with momentous interests, and perhaps by frivolous interests; a universe conscious perhaps of the material spheres, or unconscious of them, and firmly believing (as we do) itself to be the only reality. Our planets in their sweep do not perforate the structure of this invisible creation; our suns do not scorch its plains: for the two collateral systems are not connected by any active affinities.”
672. This would bring “the things which are not seen,” indeed, near to and around us. To enter the other world would not be so much a removal in space, as just to be made loose from, or to become insensible to, the conditions of this life. Death will be only the destruction or disappearance of human and earthly affinities, and directly we shall be surrounded by affinities adapted to our new state of existence, and shall find for ourselves a congenial home in and around our present habitation.
673. Much is argued in favour of this theory. It is said in no place to interfere with Scripture, but rather to be countenanced by incidental hints and allusions. It is said to be made highly probable by the known truths of physical science. An unseen world, in all respects material, inhabited by corporeal beings, it is said, is possible. There are material elements which are not cognizable to any of our senses except by a round of research and experiment, and then only in their remote effects, as, for instance, electricity. The atmosphere also, and light, are material, and yet so subtle as almost entirely to evade our unassisted observation; and may there not be still others as yet to us unknown? We are related to, and become acquainted with, the external world by the medium of the five senses; but who will say that there are not other senses hidden in possibility in our nature which may by means of other affinities communicate with a world far more refined in its constitution, with which we cannot now come in contact? Science has discovered living animalculæ in the solidest substances; the air we breathe and the water we drink are the homes of myriads of beings, and though unseen by the naked eye, these elements are swarming with miniature life! It seems to be God’s motto, “Multum in parvo”—life in life, world in world, universe in universe! With these known facts in science before us, may we not, it is asked, consider the above theory probable?
674. It is further supposed that this invisible world around us is the after stage of the present life; and as it is a stage of being in all respects superior to this, it may be that its inhabitants have a knowledge of us, though we have not of them, just as we are acquainted with grades of animalcule life beneath us, when it can hardly be supposed that they know any thing of our existence. Hence, too, in some exceptive cases it may be possible for them to break through the veil of separation, and appear in various ways unto men on the platform of human life. Then we are indeed “surrounded by a cloud of witnesses,” who stand around, or bend over us, and look with deep interest upon the struggle of life, and when they see it unequal in the case of the saints, they break through in their ardour, and become ministering spirits to those who are heirs of eternal life.
675. It is also supposed that these beings in the world unseen may have capacities to communicate with the remotest inhabitants of God’s universe. The facilities of communication may be so great in these ethereal climes, that space is annihilated, and the different hosts of intelligences in the wide universe may commune with each other and God as one family in their “Father’s house.”