The mirror of life, sunshine and darkness, a book for the people who think

Front matter

Class Book.

Copyright If.

COHRIGHT DEPOSm

Chapter XIX — Invisible World 105 KMINKNT AUTHORITIES

In Science, Art and Literature, Whose Names Are of Record as Spiritualists

Sir Oliver Lodge, F. R. S.

W. M. Thackerav, author.

S. C. Hall, English writer.

Prefessor William C. Gregory.

Senator Simmons, of Rhode Island.

Epes Sargent, author and scientist.

H. S. H. the Prince George of Solms. Professor Butlerof, Chemist, Russia. Capt. R. F. Burton, African traveler. Joseph Jefferson, the celebrated actor. William Howitt, noted English writer. H. I. H Nicholas. Duke of Leuchtenberg. M. Leon Favre, Consul General of France. Professor Marghieri, University of Naples. N. P. Talmadge, ex-Governor of Wisconsin. M. Thiers, ex-President of French Republic Professor Ocharowicz, University of Warsaw. Prof. M. T. Falconer, Alessandria, in Piedmont. Ex-United States Senator Miller, of Alabama. Hon. J. L. Sullivan, ex-Minister to Portugal. Dr. B. O. Flower, essayist and moral scientist. Ex-United States Senator Sprague, of Rhode Island. Professor Wagner, Geologist, University of Russia. M. Thiers, ex-President of the French Republic. William Lloyd Garrison, author and speaker. Hon. George Thompson, bosom friend of Garrison. James G. Clark, writer, poet and music composer. W. Emmette Coleman, writer, author and Orientalist. Hon. Luther Marsh, jurist, law compiler and author. William T. Stead, editor English "Review of Reviews " Professor Challis, Professor of Astronomy at Cambridge. Abraham Lincoln, martyred President of the United States- Alfred R. Wallace, F. G. S., author, scientist, naturalist. Judge J. W. Edmonds, formerly of the New York Bench. Oliver Johnson, a former editor of the "Christian Union." Prof. Alexander Wilder, M. D., writer, author, metaphysician. Prof. Cesar Lombroso, Professor Psychiatry, University of Turin. Gastav T. Fochner, Professor of Physics, University of Leipsic. Prof. Henry Kiddle, formerly Superintendent New York City Schools. Robert Bell, distinguished dramatist and novelist, of England. W. E. Webber, Professor of Physics, University of Gottenburg. Professor F. Zoellner, author "Transcendental Physics," Leipsic. C. F. Varley, Chief Engineer Electric & International Telegraph Co. Professor Scheibner, Teacher of Mathamatics, University of Leipsic. W. F. Barrett, Professor of Physics, Royal College of Science, Dublin. Dr. Lockhart Robertson, former editor "Journal Mental Science." Herr Max Seiling, Professor of Polytechnics, University of Helsingfers. Dr. Franz Hoffman. Professor of Philosphy, Wertzburg University. Prof. William Crookes, F. R. S., editor London "Journal of Science." Lord Rayleigh, F. R. S., Professor of Physics, University of Cambridge. Professor De Morgan, at one time London's greatest mathematician. Hon. Benjamin F. Wade, ex-United States Senator, ex-President of Senate. Dr. Miguel Sans Benito, 'Professor, of Metaphysics, University of Barcelona. Hon. John P. Brown, former attache of the Turkish Legation, Constantinople.

NOTE. — The information contained in this page is copied from the works of J. M. Peebles, A.M., M.D., Ph.D., "Spiritualist Manual."

INTRODUCTION

This book has been written for the Spiritual welfare of the human race; "to be used as a guide to lift, humanity out of the rut of Ignorance, and to impart to the world the great Truths of life as given through messages received from High Intelligences living in the World of Spirits.

"The Spirit World has no intention of criticizing the Bible, Creeds, Dogmas, or Isms," it is to give the True Version of how to live through this life in order to be spared suffering and woe in the next world.

The contents of this book will show discrepancies in the present day beliefs, and the inconsistency in many of the chapters of the Bible which are contrary to the laws which exist in the next world.

"There are no better teachers than those who have had experience;" — So we all must consider seriously what we are told from the world beyond.

"Wickedness is the power that is ruining humanity, and the power that must be battled from all quarters of the land," for that reason, in order to do our share of the good work, "Spirit Intelligences has dictated this book, trying to show the actual results of sin, and to specify the many serious little wicked acts which is committed through ignorance of Divine Laws.

The object is "to encourage mankind to THINK, — and REASON, — To follow the dictates of conscience in Spiritual affairs; To Investigate, — Analyze and classify facts; — To study the Law of Nature both on the seen and unseen side of life. —

Thinking is living, and the person who does not think for themselves is but little above the dumb animal. —

SOME STARTLING FACTS YOU SHOULD CONSIDER

In men drafted for war, hundreds of thousands could not read or write.

Over seventeen per cent, of the persons in the East South, Central vStates have never been to school.

Every year, more than 100,000 Men and women are released from the Penitentiaries and Jails of the United States.

DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES

ADOPTED BY

THE NATIONAL SPIRITUALISTS'

ASSOCIATION

U. S. A.

1. We believe in Infinite Intelligence.

2. We believe that the phenomena of nature, both physical and spiritual, are the expression of Infinite Intelligence.

3. We affirm that a correct understanding of such expression and living in accordance therewith, constitute "true religion."

4. We affirm that the existence and personal identity of the individual continue after the change called death.

5. We affirm that communication with the so-called dead is a fact, scientifically proven by the phenomena of Spiritualism.

6. W T e believe that the highest morality is contained in the Golden Rule. "Whatsoever ye would that others should do unto you, do ye also unto them."

7. We affirm the moral responsibility of the individual, and that he makes his own happiness or unhappiness as he obeys or disobeys Nature's psychic laws.

8. We affirm that the doorway to reformation is

against any human soul here or hereafter.

DEFINITIONS

ADOPTED BY

THE NATIONAL SPIRITUALISTS' ASSOCIATION

1. A Spiritualist is one who believes, as a part of his or her religion, in the communication between this and the spirit world by means of mediumship, and who endeavors to mould his or her character and conduct in accordance with the highest teachings derived from such communion.

2. A medium is one whose organism is sensitive to vibrations from the spirit world, and through whose instrumentality intelligences in that world are able to convey messages and produce the phenomena of Spiritualism.

Spiritualism is the Science, Philosophy, and Religion of continuous Life, bused upon Demonstration.

IV

REMARKS BY THE WRITER

You can learn more TRUTH and KNOWLEDGE in five minutes conversing with Intelligent Spirits, than a life-time of sermons. That is the reason the Religion of Spiritualism has rendered unique service to the cause of religion by adding to faith, knowledge.

The Christianity of Christ, consists entirely in perfecting the individual character. HIS salvation is nothing more or less than self development. HE taught that man was to be saved by love, and Love, alone.

If you will look into the Spiritualist's Religion you will find that its teachings harmonizes with HIS plan of salvation which is profoundly philosophical.

There is nothing in the broad truths Spiritualism teaches that is incompatible with what the church requires people to believe.

There is nothing that conflicts with the simple teach ings of the Christ. Spiritualism .has no contradiction to any creed, Dogma, or isms, that teaches the true Christ principles.

The Church should thankfully acknowledge the truths of Spiritualism, because its teachings acts as a weapon against all the anti-Christianism of the age.

Clergymen are so terribly afraid of saying a word about the intermediate state in the spirit realm of existence, — that they draw a hard, and fast line between the seen and unseen world.

The creeds express the belief in the communication of Saints, yet — deny our fathers and mothers the same privilege.

It is no more wonderful that we should live again, than that we have begun to live.

Life in the physical body is supposed to be an unmaterial force, organism supplying the existing force outside of it; — which justify us in identifying this force with the soul. This force existed before the growth of the physical body, and must exist outside of it after death of the body. There must be a life after death if there is a purpose to live before death!

There must be an immortal soul if there is an immortal GOD; and as the seed is planted here, there must be a ripening process to finish the work for some higher sphere of perfection for which the soul yearned while in the mortal frame.

There must be a life after death of the body where justice will be meted out to those who suffer injustice, and where those who were cruelly separated shall be united in yet deeper and richer love, — and by no law are we prevented from communicating with them, and them communicating with us.

The spirit world is so close to us that it's inhabitants walk the earth both when we wake and when we sleep.

This great truth should be the center of all true religion;— which is only reviving the forgotten truth which the prophets and Christ himself have taught us.

People cannot comprehend such well attested facts, and consider the many apparitions that is reported from time to time as mere whims and fables.

They claim to believe the Bible, but do not accept its teachings by denying that good and pure spirits communicate with mortals.

If the intercourse is admitted, then the whole castle in the air falls to the ground.

Spiritualism will eer long be shown to be the true religion, — and the fact of a conscious intercommunion between the two worlds.

Realizing that this book will be criticized by narrow and bigoted minds, — I will, state emphatically that in no wise will I enter in, or take part in any debate, argument, disagreement, dispute or controversy.

Those who would cast the first stone, let them first investigate self— -and find out just how much good has been accomplished in following the teachings of their own belief! If the soul is found to be perfect, any change would be very unwise; if not perfect, — something is wrong, and it will be well to seek for a new field of thought — and knowledge for self -protect ion.

This is a free country, and every indivudual has religious rights to believe and practice any form of religion that appeals to the best interests of those concerned, and no one has a right to dispute that privilege.

The religion of Spiritualism to me is the true gospel of Jesus Christ, and is proclaimed by spirits from the higher realms to be the true version of life. I believe, and know it is the truth, and consider it my mission to acquaint the world with the knowledge this book contains.

The only proof that the world of religion can produce to verify the various creeds, dogmas, etc.,— has been given to the world from the brains of man; — the evidence I possess has been through personal communication with souls living in the otherworld where they can obtain the truth.

In conculsion, if the reader fails to comprehend the spiritual side that is contained in this book, and refuses to think and reason, there is one remedy left that we all <ian use! Think as our conscience directs us.

William M. Goff.

MATERIAL MELANCHOLIA

The real secret of happiness, consists in learning how to read your own character. If you are bankrupt spiritually, and look for nothing but material things, you will never find the secret of happiness for it is not contained in earth's vulgar side of life.

When a person lives entirely surrounded by the hard luck that materiality always brings to the door, and never sweeps the musty cobwebs that are woven through the habit of Panhandling friends for sympathy with tears of sorrow, they will never find comfort and happiness in this system of earth's one sided existence.

Too much lamenting because other people seem to have more of earthly pleasures than we do! soon forces the victim to join the Melancholy Club, which brings real fate to the person.

When a person contracts that terrible disease, jealousy, — and envies every person what little success in life they may obtain; it is the worst burden a person can load on their shoulders, because it rapidly grows in weight, and what little money has been saved is soon peddled out for the services of Doctors.

The way humanity interprets human life is surprising. People will live entirely on the material, or musty and unhappy side, and whine because they are not rich, and expect a prize for every little thing they happen to do for others; — which always benefits themselves?

Cultivating good common sense is the greatest asset in human life.

Money; — that other people begrudge is many times gall for the person who is begrudged. What appears to be success and happiness is nothing but sham, and many times that person who is considered on the sunny side of life, is a most miserable person.

Money, — and spirituality will never mix together, — Billions have tried this remedy ever since the first dollar was coined, but to this day! — not one penny has ever purchased a seat in the hall of spiritual happiness. Some people become so obsessed with Melancholia, that they think they should be the darling of the Gods, and have all the good things of life handed to them in a bunch.

They pity themselves because they may be forced to earn their own living, and treat everybody with contempt who has nothing to think of but just the dreary pastime of killing time.

People will drag through life cold, harsh, cruel and vindicative, then expect Heaven for their home, but it requires a smile, a word of cheer, and a life of goodness to claim entrance to eternal joy.

HARVEST OF SPIRITUAL TRUTHS

People who borrow trouble are never happy. "Put out of your mind dreary imaginings, shut out the dismal forebodings from your soul," come up into the light of sunshine of Hope, and escape half the sorrows of life.

It is not God who does cruel things! It is the people themselves.

When the Death Angel knocks at your door, can you say, I AM READY?

Deeds counts more than words, Words are cheap. Those who cry out about Hypocracy is no proof they are not Hypocrites.

There are always two forces at work, one trying to build up, another trying to tear down.

Only the ignorant refuse to investigate the problem of life after Death! Don't be one sided, change your opinion and listen to reason.

Greed, Hate, Ambition and the like, must be overcome by Love, Brotherhood and human Kindness.

Some people consider themselves religious because they carry a prayer book.

If people realized there are no pockets in shrouds, they would soon begin hunting for Honest Dollars.

One of the many blessings that Spiritualism brings to humanity is the understanding of the Bible, and its application to everyday affairs.

We receive just what we give, and no more! Would you be ashamed to publically confess all your little secrets before the world?

Foolish people run after bad women, and bad women run after foolish people.

Spiritualism is the only religion on earth that has a Science and Philosophy.

The love of a good woman is the most powerful lever to raise man to greatness.

How is thy Command, of Love one another obeyed?

If you are not contented, blame your own thinking.

Life has three tragedies, birth, death, and old age. Old age is a haunting spCctre, it terrorizes more people than fear of death.

The most dangerous weapon of ignorance is ridicule. A great many narrow minded people were born sneering.

THE FIGHT IS ON,— Spirit return is a Scientifically demonstrated FACT.

SINS AND WICKEDNESS OF THE PEOPLE

Chapter One

In life's mad rush for gain and social position, millions of men and women are burning the candle at both ends of life. They are gradually using up surplus vitality and strength until the brain becomes both mentally and physically weakened, and under those conditions humanity does not make progress because they are living under the handicap of false conceptions of the law of life.

The world is not progressing as GOD intended the human race should progress. Humanity remains at the bottom of the ladder while they struggle for earthly honor instead of spiritual.

When a person forgets the spiritual side of life and looks only to material pleasures and vulgar gain, the brain is not supplied with proper spiritual nourishment to achieve success in life GOD intended.

Without spirituality the brain becomes dormant thereby lowering the mental vitality until gradually the brain refuses to think and reason.

The mentally strong are the people who seek for knowledge ,and the person who knows best is the person who thinks.

A free thinker is one who breaks away from the chains of skepticism, and listens to reason. Mental growth depends on many factors. One of the most essential is contact

l with other progressive minds, — you who wish to develop brain power must mingle often and freely with people who think and then think and reason for yourself.

It all depends on you; nobody can do it for you. Success in life does not come through hopeing and waiting but by effort.

The great question for each one of us to answer is? What can we do to improve, develop, stimulate and make more progressive our thinking machine.

There is nothing real about a human being except what goes on in the brain, you are what you THINK, what your thoughts create, and nothing more.

From the brain of mortals has come everything that we have on this earth, except the earth itself, — strange beliefs, superstitions, myths, hatreds, crudities, and all the wickedness of the people.

Most of the world's trouble is due to spiritual ignorance which has been caused by centuries of wrong teachings, wrong thinking, and action — the result, CHAOS.

The deplorable state of the world today is through false teachings of men who wrote history back in the dark ages, and who wrote myths that are absolutely reverse to the LAW of GOD, and NATURE.

Let us use good common sense, cast out all skepticism and analyze and dissect for example — the first book of Genesis, — Chapter first.

In the beginning GOD created the heaven and the earth, and the earth was without form, and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep, and the spirit of GOD moved upon the face of the waters, and GOD said, let there be light, and there was light, etc.

Suppose we compare the words of Moses, with our present day wisdom.

Men of science know that this earth has existed for more than one hundred million years, and that human beings have lived here for at least one half million years, — probably much longer. They also know what the different suns, and neighboring planets weigh, and tell us they are made up of elements, iron, copper, gold, etc., that make up this earth.

Astronomy teaches that our earth is the third planet out from the sun, and our average distance from the sun is 93,000,000 of miles. Beyond us come Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, TJranus, and Neptune. This earth is approximately 8,000 miles in diameter, while Neptune from one side to the other is between five and six billions of miles. Astronomy is called the king of sciences, and conclusively proves the ignorance of man's religion ,as nothing but fables as written by Moses. The spirit of GOD must have departed from some planet, or world, billions of miles out in space to find the location for this earth, and in six days created heaven and earth, and all therein contained. LET US REASON.

Science can prove that every star or planet revolving in space requires thousands of years, to develop by the law of nature, which is God's law. We know that this planet was created by nature, and that it required many thousands of years to become cold enough for human life to exist.

Is it reasonable to believe God would break one of his own laws just to create this small planet? — when the same law has been in existence for time inknown without one iota of change in it's great solar system.

Why should this planet be an exception to the great natural law? Can anything be more unreasonable, and improbable? Note the following:

NEW WORLDS IN THE UNIVERSE

PARIS, Oct. 5.

"The visible universe is a thousand fold greater than has been generally believed. Recent discoveries have demonstrated the existence of worlds so far distant from our earth that light , which travels at the rate of 189,000 miles a second, would take seventy million years to reach us from these astral bodies lost in the depths of space.

"We owe this discovery to the work of American observers. During the last Rve years w T e in Europe w T ere unable to devote much attention to the heavens, but our American colleagues employed their time occupying new territories in the firmament in spite of the policy of non-annexation proclaimed by President Wilson.

"It has been believed that all the stars observed through the telescope formed part of that archipelago of the infinite known as the Milky Way, the central sun of which is merely one of the mediocre islands of space which shed their brilliant radiance around us. New mesthods have demonstrated that this is not so. Contrary to astronomical belief, there is an enormous class of stars which do not belong to the Milky Way. They are known as the spiral nebulae. These bodies are in appearance little vapory spots formed of two spirals and which are seen through the telescope like hundreds of silver snails in the garden of stars.

"Not only do these nebulae not belong to the constellation known as the Milky Way, but each of them is in itself precisely a Milky Way, an isolated universe with millions of suns and — much lower in the atasral hierarchy — billions of planets, and, doubtless, here and there, its high cost of living problem.

"Taking into consideration the fact that our Milky Way comprises about fifteen hundred million stars — that is to say, suns — we may be able to get an idea of the prodigious amount of light, energy and matter comprised in these new systems which, however, appear through the most powerful telescopes as scarcely more than the faint light of a glow worm." Note the following copied from writing by Dr. Richard Swann Lull, Professor of Vertibrate Preteonitology at Yale University, — and here is a very curious little lesson on what happens when things do not develop brains and use what they have. The running monster is known as Ignanodon. It lived in the Crettaceous Age, — millions of years ago, in Belgium, and on the Isle of Wight, — it developed, as the fossils show, arms and hands almost exactly similar to the human arm and hand of today, but it never developed a brain big enough to know how to use them, — all it did with them was tear and cut and slay. The consequences was that after a few thousand years Ignanodon died out. If there had been a brain which would have enabled it to use its hands for making fires, etc.* as our primitive ancestors did, the story of the dominant race on earth might have been very different, — for this dorsorant lived a million years before the first ape like creature which was to turn into a man began to appear on the facie of the earth.

ANCIENT CAMEL ABOUT SIZE OF JACK RABBIT

"THE DALLES- Ore., Oct. 18.— That an ancient camel, the size of a jack rabbit, roamed this section 2,000,000 years ago is a fact recently discovered by a group of University of Chicago geologists. Bones of the prehistoric camel and those of a horse of the three-toed variety were found in caves near The Dalles during a tour to inspect the formation of the Cascade mountain range.

"The old-time ship of the desert according to the bones found, had no hump. Its feet bones are like those of the present-day camel. "

I will leave this decision to your good common sense. Which is the most reasonable. The story written by Moses, or proof offered by science? It does not seem reasonable to believe that a man who lived in ancient times had any more sense than our learned scientists of the present age. Are we to believe the story of creation which is reverse to the law of God? If we are to credit such imaginable myths as a truth, we also admit that the wisdom of our scientists are mere idiots in comparison to the great wisdom Moses must have been endowed with. Any human being that can delve into the past and tell us how this earth was created — must have been a man of marvelous conception.

Common sense teaches that it is nothing but a myth, and humbug, originated in the brain of a man who was a false prophet, a man like some of our present day religious writers who try to make us believe imaginable fables.

c

The world is full of hob-nob myths ,and false beliefs that the human race swallow without thought, reason, or common sense, — and some are the most unreasonable^ and impossible teachings that forces it's victims in the deep rut of ignorance.

Must we, — as a civilized nation believe foolish trash conceived by man — simply because it is ancient history? Must we as a people with brains believe history that was written by priests in ancient times who originated the myths for selfish purposes, and material power? Most of the writers was no more more fit to write history about creation and other myths, than man of today. Where would you find a man today that would dare attempt such an impossible impossibility! No man ever lived who can fathom the great mystery of creation.

Are we also to believe that God created evil? — (Genesis

1—27-28)

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him, male and female created he them, and God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, etc. —

According to the words of Moses, In seven days the first man and woman was on earth, created for good, — then we read, (Chapter %. 9 ) — and out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every thing that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food, — the tree of life also in the midst of the garden of Eden, — and the tree of knowledge of good and evil, etc.

NOW LET US REASON,

God, created man and women for good which is proof they were innocent, — then, God immediately created a tree to grow that was both good and evil, commanding the man, saying, of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat, but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it, for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

How can we as civilized people, believe such a story? — That our loving Merciful God would grow a tree that would produce poison fruit, (or evil) — and warn them not to eat or they would be murdered.

Are we to believe such impracticable myths? Continuing, we find that for fear that Adam and Eve would not eat of the fruit, God created a human serpent with a human voice to tempt them to commit evil, — because we find in chapter 3-4-5, — and the serpent said unto the woman, ye shalt not surely die; for your eyes shall be opened, etc.

In all history, ancient, and modern, there has never been known any specie of serpent that had a human voice, except, in the book of Genesis. Under those conditions this particular specie of serpent must have been the only one ever in existence, created especially for this one particular fable story:

After Adam and Eve had eaten of the forbidden fruit, instead of dieing as God had commanded, he curses them because he became very angry, (angry, mind you) — A great merciful God, turning into a material, earth bound spirit, etc.

The day of such nonsense has passed, So let us open our eyes to the LIGHT of TRUTH, and see our God as He is; — A great Merciful Heavenly Father who is all LOVE and Devotion, and not a God of anger and revenge.

. THE CHURCH

Chapter Two

The church has been preaching and advocating a personal devil for centuries without one iota of evidence that such a thing ever existed. Ministers have been content to preach such misty, intangible things until it is no longer believed by the educated masses.

The day of formalism is past, Clover footed Satan and his ever ready pitch fork is another myth and humbug.

Why? would God permit such a sin making monster with dark and sinister form and features to roam the world free to smear us ,all over with sins, and then send us to a bottomless pit to be damned for all eternity?

But to the orthodox theory such a plan was devised by God, He prefers to permit the ruin and destruction of mankind.

Does that show the goodness and wisdom of God? — NO, — it shows the foolishness of poor deluded men and women who can be duped by false teachers in believing so ridiculous a story.

There is not one scrap of authentic evidence that such a thing ever existed, it is all the result of false education.