George—Come, sister, rest your hands on our shoulders. You require less assistance than formerly. As you are but slightly exhausted we need not hasten. How do we move through space? That I cannot demonstrate to your present understanding. No words can convey to you that which is outside your sense of realization. Not until you shall again become a wholly freed spirit will your consciousness compass this and other marvels. So rest satisfied and await such knowledge as in the nature of events must ere long come to you. No, I do not mean in a month or a year, but after your work shall be ended. Inez, dear, we will pause for a little.
Yonder, Gentola̤, is our planet. See how its luminous envelope pulses and palpitates as though imprisoning the throbbing heart of some living thing. Imagine some of your learned astronomers, with one or more of your great telescopes, out here in space; do you not think that through their observations they might arrive at some surprising conclusions? Were you less sensitive to possible scientific criticism, Bruno and others might use your organism for a grand purpose, and we are hoping that you may gain sufficient confidence in yourself and spirit friends to allow them to give through you some facts now only guessed at.
Can you realize that beyond that luminous veil is your home? It is not surprising that you cannot, for I, whose quickened senses are more acute than your own, can scarcely realize that once on the swiftly flying globe I, too, dwelt. Where? In England, on an estate near the banks of the Thames. Heretofore no opportunity has favored my acquainting you with the story of my Earth life. Now I will briefly relate it.
For services rendered their sovereign some of my ancestors were rewarded with wealth and distinction. Thus the members of our family were regarded as eminently respectable Commoners. My father, who was in the army, was engaged in the War of the Revolution. At its close he returned from America to England and soon afterwards suddenly passed to the spirit side, leaving my dear mother a young and handsome widow. Some years later, when I was nearly sixteen years old, she became the wife of a titled gentleman, and in less than one year she, too, passed to the spirit world, leaving me to the care of my stepfather, a kind and honorable man. A year later, with a party of youths I went boating on the river Thames. Some of the lads, in a mischievous mood, began rocking the boat from side to side, the remonstrances of the more prudent ones only serving to render them more reckless. One more heedless than the others, stood up and shouting, "Here we go," gave such an impetus to the rocking boat that it was capsized and all were thrown into the water. Some of the party could swim, and thus saved themselves and assisted others to the shore. I had nearly reached it when I discovered that the lad who had caused the catastrophe was drowning, and I turned about to rescue him. Twice he had gone under, and as he again came to the surface I seized him by his hair, hoping to sustain him and myself until assistance should arrive. In his frantic struggling he caught me about the neck, and I being too exhausted to release myself, we both were drowned. My quickly freed spirit was by its own gravity borne to a realm suited to my condition, and there my dear parents immediately found me and with loving ministrations assisted my recovery from the terror of my sudden change from Earth life to the spirit world. Subsequently, they also assisted me in my efforts to complete my mortal education, which as you are aware, is a requisite of spiritual growth.
I shall pass over the time intervening between my entrance into the world of spirits and the coming of your infant sister, Inez. Being my soul mate, my dear mother brought her into our home, where she has ever remained. When your and Inez's mother came to our side of life she of course, claimed her daughter. Inez, with a joyful recognition of their relationship, and with the natural love of a child for its mother, was drawn hither and thither, but in the end the law of affinity was recognized by both mother and child, as eventually it became recognized by all spirits, and Inez remained with me. Now you know who I am, and how it is that I am your brother, George Brooke.
Yes, that is Earth's satellite, the little planet Luna, and it occurs to me that from our vantage ground we behold what no astronomer or other mortal has ever seen or ever will see through the medium of mortal vision. Desolate and well nigh inanimate it indeed is, and in coming time, atom by atom, its disintegrated particles will be attracted to other combinations of matter, and ages hence a period must arrive when its shadowy valleys, its frozen waters, its toppling crags and cavernous depths will no longer afford a spectacle for the learned or the curious. It is the purpose of our Band to some time afford you another series of visits to Luna, so you will pardon me for declining to now approach it more nearly.
Gentola—It is I who should apologize for having made the request, but I so dimly recall what was shown me, that I am curious to again observe the peculiar features of Earth's satellite. May I ask if your Band always journeys together?
George—Always, unless one or more may be detailed for some special duty or mission. Yes, together, we repeatedly have visited Venus, scintillating yonder like a great diamond on the bosom of space. Willingly I would tell you of the grandly beautiful planet, but as I am aware that our Band has under advisement certain plans relating to it, in which it is desired that you shall participate, I do not consider it advisable to further speak of it. My dear sister, your mortal existence will yet be so prolonged that you will take many starward journeys with us.
Has it occurred to you that this is January 4th, 1893? No? It would be well that all mortals should cease setting up milestones along the roadway of life. On our side of life there is only the ever present now. Why? Because, to a degree, spirits realize what mortal mind cannot grasp, the meaning of Eternity.
Gentola—Have spirits a knowledge of how long ago Venus or any of yonder shining worlds came into existence as worlds?