Is but the suburb of the life elysian,
Whose portal we call death.”
Spirit form. Part of a Stereoscopic pair. The sitter (who does not wish his portrait to appear) has obtained spirit photographs with his own camera and plates, when no other medium but himself was present, and all manipulations were done by himself.
Some persons admit the reality of supermundane photography, but say it is the work of the Devil. How long is this old myth—this theological superstition—to be flaunted in the face of investigators? how long to be set as a bugbear—a “bogey-man”—not merely to frighten naughty children, but to scare grown men and women, to bar mental progress, and to stereotype from age to age distorted views of God, and of spiritual law and truth?
Some thoughts expressed by “Imperator” to Mr. Stainton Moses, relating to this imaginary prince of evil, are so excellent that no apology is required for appending a few of them: “Cease to be perplexed by thoughts of an imagined Devil. For the honest, pure, and truthful soul there is no Devil nor Prince of Evil such as theology has feigned. Evil comes not nigh him, the adversaries flee from his presence, and the powers of evil are powerless before him. He is guarded around by angel guards, ministered to by bright spirits, who watch over him and direct his footsteps. For him there waits a career of progressive increase in knowledge, and in all that elevates and ennobles the intelligence. He need fear no Devil, unless he creates one for himself. His affinity for good draws around him influences for good. He is fenced around by guardians; nor can he, save by voluntary surrender, fall a victim to the foe.”[16]