De L'Ester—We cannot afford time to learn what Fra̤tos declares, probably that mind is matter in an active state.
Gentola̤, we are delighted that you can so successfully approach Ento Sensitives. One other of those students could have been made to sense your presence, but we must not permit our enthusiasm to get the better of our judgment, else a panic might occur.
Genessano, you have reason to be hopeful for the success of our Mission for, evidently, the Spiritualized faculties of many of your people are highly evolved.
Genessano—Oh, that the hour may swiftly arrive which shall usher in the dawn of the brightest day that ever has come to Ento. A day that will mark an epoch of gladness in the history of a sorrowful people.
Before proceeding with our investigations, you desire to know the result of my very recent visit to Da̤o. As Zenesta̤ has said, Dano's arrival momentarily has stimulated Valloa̤'s life forces, but she fades away as fades a rodel broken from its stem. As gradually she releases herself from her physical body her inner vision grows clearer and she reaches out and greets the dear ones who have preceded her into our spirit realms. Sēlona̤ Valloa̤, the golden haired, died in giving birth to Valloa̤. She was the wife of Omanos Fûnha̤'s youth, and no one has taken her place in his affection or by his side. While mourning his irreparable loss, ever his chiefest solace has been the golden haired, blue eyed child who now is the image of her mother. In the hour of his approaching bereavement Omanos Fûnha̤ will, when convinced of its truth, gladly embrace a faith that shall give assurance of a reunion with those whom he holds dearer than all else. Basto Andûlēsa̤, his nearest kinsman and closest friend, in all possible ways sustains him. In character they are much alike and both are wise, loving and spiritualized men. To them Valloa̤ smilingly but earnestly, insists upon the reality of her visions, and the Messages her mother, Sēlona̤, sends to her husband and the Andûlēsa̤s. And thus the days and nights pass, and the way is being prepared against the time when the lovely girl shall be borne from them into higher Realms.
De L'Ester—Dear friend, your report favors our Mission, but how pitiful it is, and geology is an interesting science, but as we are humans, the affairs of humans lie nearer our hearts and I confess that my sympathy for Dano, Valloa̤, and the grief stricken father, is greater than my interest in all the Sciences of all the Planets in the Universe. Gentola̤, you are surprised and our friends smile at my impulsive utterances, but they understand, as you do not, that with longing unspeakable, I look forward to the hour when my own shall return to me. Ever I am waiting and watching for an angel of love and mercy, who strives to lift out of degradation and wretchedness mortals whose ignorance and debaucheries drag them down into darkness. Her present embodiment has placed us far apart, but duties fulfilled are converging our ways and ere long, face to face, we again will gaze into each other's eyes and read there the assurance of our Eternal Union. It should not so surprise you to learn that in the spiritual marriage two entities, male and female, form an inseparable whole, and that there is no other real union possible, all others being temporary, yet not necessarily on the merely animal plane. When, to a certain point, we shall have completed our present undertaking, we hope that you may be induced to listen to talks on this and other subjects, for the more clearly you understand Spiritual Laws, the better you will be prepared to enter the Spirit World.
As our Scotch friend is accustomed to our erratic ways I need not apologize for so abruptly interrupting him.
Hugh Miller—Certainly not. Indeed I have been so interested in what has transpired that, for the time, I quite lost sight of the occasion of our coming here. Madame, you will observe that here, arranged in orderly sequence, are fragments of the various stratifications of the several ages of this Planet which exactly correspond with those, not only of Earth, but of all planets sufficiently evolved to have become fully stratified. Perhaps you have been informed that in matter there is a universality of homogeneity, and that vibration, attraction, cohesion and gravity are the observable expressions of Infinite Intelligent Energy, the one law controlling all things that live, move and have Being. In a general way, the Entoans recognize this Law, also in a general way, they recognize the structure of their Planet, but in certain of their conclusions they are quite mistaken. When one takes into account their religious beliefs and their consequent lack of knowledge of astronomical and geological facts, it is not surprising that some of their conclusions are altogether erroneous. Happily the new Revelation will dissipate their fears of Andûmana̤ and His Messengers, and with their wonderful mathematical and mechanical ability, soon they will construct such aids to physical vision as will fill the minds of their Star-gazers with amazement.
Owing to its exceedingly level surface, during the spring this planet becomes inundated and engineering skill of a high order long has been required to not only obviate disasters, but to provide storage for water which later on furnishes a necessary but inadequate supply for the requirements of the peoples. To in a measure meet this demand, wells of enormous depth are bored and from them volumes of sweet, cool, refreshing water gush forth. Through the agency of these borings many geological facts have been forced upon the attention of the learned and through other agencies these facts have been confirmed. But always religious beliefs have stood as barriers between fact and fancy, and thus the science of geology is but partially comprehended, much less are its conclusions admitted.
Here are specimens of various coals whose properties are the same as those of Earth. And here are specimens of peat or bog fuel. Embedded in this block of peat is a piece of wood closely resembling oak, and here is another in which is embedded wood much like the beech.