The religion of the spirit world written by the spirits themselves

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Introduction

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS OF OUR LIFE IN THE FUTURE

The world is awakening to the fact that we can communicate with those who have gone before, and that they can respond to us.

The first thing to be done, was to prove by the strictly scientific methods of Induction and Experimental Verification, that these facts were genuine truths and not a priori assumptions or trickery ; let us " prove all things and hold fast to that which is good."

In my Proofs of the Truths of Spiritualism 1 I proceeded to follow these lines, assisted by practical demonstrations of spirit-photographs of persons recognized or not, as the case may be ; as well as by autographs, identified or otherwise, usually called " Psychographs " ; together with numerous " automatic handwritings."

Since spirits all tell us that when we awake on the other side with our spirit-bodies, we are otherwise, or mentally, exactly the same as when we left this earth, it is only to be expected that the

i Published by Dodd, Mead & Co.

viii INTRODUCTION

well-known characteristics of our friends and relations assure us at once of their presence. With regard to difficulties of communication, Imperator x said : " We would point out to you that all our intercourse with the material plane is governed by laws which your science has not yet defined. Neither we, nor you, know as yet many of the causes which interfere with our power. We are not able to lay down laws for your guidance, scarce even for our own. . . . No proper care is taken of our mediums. The instrument is out of tune, unstrung, or overworked. The atmospheric conditions vary. We do not always know how to meet the various effects so caused. Circles are not properly composed; and many things combine to make it impossible that phenomena should always be similar in their nature, or be evoked with precise regularity."

i Spirit Teachings, p. 117. (Office of Light.) Imperator was the assumed name of a highly intellectual and religious spirit, who wrote by means of the Rev. Stainton Moses' hand nearly all that is recorded in his 8vo. volume, containing some 100,000 words. If any reader should have doubts about the genuineness of the Rev. Stainton Moses' reports, or of his mental characteristics, &c, I would refer him to Ch. vi., pp. 60-69, of Mr. J. Arthur's work, entitled, Spiritualism, its History, Phenomena, and Doctrine,

INTRODUCTION ix

It has been said by a writer who disbelieved in spiritualism, that, as regards any religious value in it, it must ever be useless. Such an assumption will be disposed of by the present collection of teachings from the other side.

The first and most important truth stated by all the spirits who communicate with us on religious matters, is, that we should take to heart the indisputable fact that we must regard this world as the opportunity for preparing ourselves for the next, by means of the forming of Character, by exhibiting on all occasions the Christ-like Conduct. For when we have passed over the border-line, our eyes will be opened to the fact that our condition and place there will have been, so to say, automatically and already determined by our character acquired on earth. Such is God's method of " Judgment by Natural Law." They may be bright or gloomy, enjoyable or painful; we may be welcomed by loving relations and friends, or shunned; not only because of having done wrong to others ; but because we have left undone what we ought to have done.

But this is no more than all may learn from the New Testament, Let the reader prepare x INTRODUCTION

himself by reading St. James' definition of the Christian Religion. As he was Onr Lord's own brother, he doubtless knew Jesus more intimately than any one else. Then let the reader turn to the results of the life spent on earth. Then read the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus ; though written in symbolical language, we can read the truth that " Gehenna " means mental agony, while " Abraham's bosom " indicates restful bliss.

Secondly; as all terrestrial environments are gone for ever, all their interests generally go with them. The enjoyment of the use of money is gone, the pleasures of the body cease for ever with its death, though cravings may remain, but the soul can rise to far greater joys. The intense enjoyment of the intellect is endless; the pleasure of benevolence knows no limit; the ennoblement of the character by the Christ-like conduct is open to all for ever. Religion is conduct as revealed by our lives, as St. James implies.

The so-called " Evangelical " School of Thought will miss what is considered by its members the " Gospel," namely the Doctrine of the Atonement. For, as will be shown in Chapter

INTRODUCTION xi

13, it was a wrong interpretation of Scripture, and due to the Latin translation (expiatio). The word " Redemption " also is from the Latin Vulgate and not the original Greek, which means " rescue " and " forgiveness " of sins, literally a " loosening away by a price " ; but the " purchasing " and " price " were metaphors only. All that God asks for, as Jesus did, is true repentance and a new life. Repentance carries forgiveness with it. The word " Atonement " has lost its meaning of " At-one-ment " but has been rightly replaced by " Reconciliation " in the only passage where it occurred in the New Testament.

The Roman Catholic branch of the Church will miss the dogma of a " Real, mystical, substantial Presence " ; for there is no scriptural ground for it, and the Preaching Spirits have nothing to say about it. It and the Lord's Supper are simply ignored. It originated in the declarations of an obscure monk in the seventh century, who wished to oppose the edict of the Greek Emperor to put down image- worship, by substituting the worship of the bread and wine.

One objection, which opponents of spiritualism make, is the so-called " trivialities " of the comxii INTRODUCTION

munications from the other side ; but they do not tell ns what we ought to expect. This subject must be regarded from two points of view, a common sense aspect and a serious one. When people pass over and come and talk with us, or write by our hands, in a few days afterwards, why should it be supposed that they must have changed all at once? What they were, so they are. They talk and laugh just as they did before their decease. This very naturalness is a witness to the truth that they are the same and we recognize them by it. Similarly a preacher on earth may become a preacher there, and when such revisits us, he talks seriously, learnedly and reverently, and often perhaps more wisely than some of our clergy do when still on earth.

It may be desirable to say a few words on a few spirit -photographs and psychographs alluded to. 1

Since spirit-photographs show our friends at the age and in the dress, etc., which we can recognize, sceptics at once assume they must be frauds. Such assumptions are worse than useless, for

1 1 must refer the reader to my Proofs of the Truths of Spiritualism for them and many other illustrations mentioned in this book. (Dodd, Mead & Co.)

INTRODUCTION xiii

they intensify prejudice. The only way to find out the truth is to learn what the Spirits have to tell us ; and when you find they all say the same thing, wherever in this world they can communicate, you have no alternative but to accept their universal statement that all such " materializations " are made by thought, temporarily, for a definite purpose. How it is done is another matter, which they tell us, they cannot further explain. In writing they use our pens and ink, but " not the same," as a spirit told me, but could not explain it. See the spirit-photograph (No. 18) and compare the Archdeacon Colley's signature with (No. 19) in a fragment of a letter to me before he passed over.

In the present book I have confined myself to what the spirits have to say on the most important subject on earth and in heaven, namely that of Religion. The result of their teaching is that the Church and the world have a great deal to unlearn before the human mind will be " at one " witTi what they will have to learn on quitting this earth.

I will explain it by something I overheard. A clergyman was talking to a young lady about the xiv INTRODUCTION

great self-sacrifice some one was making in doing good in the " slums." She replied by a question : "But what has all that got to do with Christianity? »

She was not the only one who does not know that the Christian Religion is this very thing, as St. James puts it tersely : " Pure Religion is to visit the fatherless and widows."

If any reader is inclined to ask the same question, let him read Mr. Heslop's letters to his wife, from the other world, entitled Speaking Across the Border-line. 1

Religion on the other side, as we learn from spirits, is simply what it ought to be on this earth — the Christ-like Character and Conduct based on a Self-Sacrificing Enthusiasm of Humanity — called " Love." Ecclesiastical dogmas are not recognized in Heaven.

The reader will find various repetitions in this book; for it proceeds on Induction; that is, the accumulation of quite independent statements, which corroborate one another, and so establish the Truth of all. Moreover, I quote the same passage twice if it require fresh emphasis.

i See also Private Dowding (Dodd, Mead & Co.) .

INTRODUCTION xv

That Imperator and others were really spirits communicating with Rev. Stainton Moses is proved by the mass of matter in Spirit Teachings, which could not possibly have been Mr. Moses writing unconsciously, because it was diametrically opposed to what Mr. Moses had been brought up to believe ; yet after some years of Imperator' s teaching, he found he became " regenerated " by it, as he tells us.

In addition, a little event occurred at a seance which was very convincing to him. He describes it as follows :

" One very striking case occurred, thus : A spirit who had long communicated with us was cross-examined by one of our circle from a book which recorded some facts of his life. The book had lately been published, and no one of us, except the questioner, had seen it. The names and dates had got jumbled in his head, and it was most striking to find the unseen intelligence correcting every mistake, refusing flatly and persistently to acquiesce in an error and even spelling out words that had been mispronounced.

" The sounds were made most expressive of xvi INTRODUCTION

annoyance, irritation and vexation. The corrections were rapped out with the greatest promptness before a question was complete, and in all cases with literal exactness. It was impossible to doubt that one was dealing with an entity whose individuality was as strong as ever, whose memory was by no means impaired, and who had lost nothing of the energy that characterized him in his embodied state. I refer to that evening the growth in my mind of a strong conviction that the Intelligences who communicated were really the persons they pretended to be. The accent of denial was so perfect, the irritable rejoinder and corrections were so natural, that I do not believe a personator could have done it, or would have thought of such a subtle trait. On the following morning I questioned on the subject. (Mr. Moses writes his own comments and answers in italics. )

/ was much struck by your corrections last night.

" The book was wrong and imperfect in many

ways. I did make acquaintance with before

he became my pupil, and I told you truly that I studied at Paris."

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/ don't doubt it. You were evidently in earnest and quite angry.

"It is provoking to me to be questioned wrongly, and from imperfect information imperfectly remembered, I knew what I said."

/ can't affect to be sorry; for it brought out the best proof of identity I have had yet. Of course we only value it as such.

" Yes. But you watch for an opportunity of entangling."

Oh, no! I only wanted proof.

" You have proof which it would be hard to increase."

This spirit doubtless refers to Imperator's communications; which supply ample proofs to all unprejudiced minds.

I will add a remarkable proof of identity of my own experience. When I had partially written the manuscript of this book, I entrusted it to a friend. A few months followed and I saw an obituary notice of him. Being anxious to recover my manuscript, I wrote to his " Executor," not knowing anything of his family. The manuscript was returned by his family. On the same evening Mr. wrote by automatic handwritxviii INTRODUCTION

ing as follows : " Mrs. will have no difficulty in finding your manuscript, as it is on the writing table, over the right hand drawer on the top." On subsequently enquiring if this had been correct, the reply came that it was " absolutely correct in every word."

One more example. I had lent a book on Botany to a friend, who most unexpectedly died three days afterwards. He wrote : " Please tell Mr. Henslow I was much obliged to him for lending me the book." The mediumistic lady who wrote automatically knew nothing about it.

There are two ways by which spirits can communicate with us by means of photographic plates. One is in the ordinary way of taking a photo by daylight — provided sl medium is present; but he need take no part in the procedure. The second is by holding a packet of plates unopened, in the left hand, with the right on the top ; then each member of the " Circle " puts his or her hands in the same way. Lastly, the control of the medium (in trance) similarly holds them. In about 30 seconds the control removes the medium's hands. All the others follow suit, when the former states on which plate or plates,

INTRODUCTION xix

faces, or writing, will be found. The owner takes the packet, still unopened, home and develops those only which w^ere mentioned. They always prove to be correct, as the Spirit control foretold. All trickery and deception are out of the question in both cases.

In my book on The Proofs of the Truths of Spiritualism my object was simply to prove that our departed friends can and do communicate with us, and we with them. There was nothing particularly edifying, as a rule, in what the spirits wrote or said, excepting in the religious discourse of Ajax, who always commences the stances at Dr. Hooper's house, the latter being the medium. My object in all other cases was to secure as much variety of evidence as possible.

In this present work my aim is different. A certain number of Spirits do communicate with us on highly spiritual matters and their writings have been published. Such are Imperator's Spirit Teachings, a book containing 100,000 words, and that being only a portion of all that he wrote, by means of Rev. Stainton Moses' hand, Julia's After Death; she wrote by the late Mr. W. T. Stead's hand, the anonymous writer of Christ xx INTRODUCTION

in You, Mr. Heslop's Speaking Across the Border-Line, and many others.

The late Rev. Arthur Chambers' widely read book, Our Life After Death, 1 has reached 110 editions, and has for its object to treat of the " Intermediate State/' i. e., the " period every one passes through, called < Hades.' " The word " Heaven " — the origin of which is unknown — stands for one or more higher spheres than Hades. St. Paul tells us of three, 2 the lowest of the series is perhaps Hades itself or our place of probation. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus points to some separation of the good from the bad; as the disciple said of Judas, he " went to his own place." 3

That such is the case the Spirits assure us ; so that this belief seems to have been accepted by the disciples.

Sympathy or Love is the uniting link in the Beyond, being the basis of the " Communion of Saints."

In regard to the future life, Mr. Chambers pro-

i Gay and Hancock.

3 " Place " seems to mean " conditions " created automatically by the man himself. See Private Dowding's account.

INTRODUCTION xxi

ceeds to establish from the Bible three " Propositions " here epitomized.

No, I : The Continuity of a conscious personality. This is abundantly confirmed by Spiritcommunications however made.

No. II : Man does not pass at once into either Heaven or Hell. As a Spirit Control ( Ajax) observed : " We do not become either angels or devils on passing over."

No. Ill : We enter at once into the Intermediate state, or Hades-life.

As the " cloud of witnesses " are all about us and communicate with us the moment we address them, it is obvious that tthey are still on or near the earth, but invisible to us, unless one be clairvoyant.

Mr. Chambers draws five deductions as follows:

" 1 : There is no break of continuity in passing from Earth-life to the Hades-life.

[Spirits have spoken to me within a few days of the departure, as e. g., the Ven. Archdeacon Colley.]

2: In Hades-life we shall be in relationship with those we knew on earth.

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[I have experienced this fact, but reversed.] 3 : That there are different spheres of experience in the Hades-life.

[We are told of certain friends to whom this applies.] 4 : A work of perfecting and developing will go on in the Hades-life.

[But it depends upon our own will and

energy.]

5 : There is preaching of Christ's Gospel in this

Intermediate life, which warrants us in believ-

ing that the work of saving mankind is extended

beyond the grave."

Mr. Chambers, then, establishes these truths by appealing to Scripture. I cannot improve upon his Propositions and Deductions, so quote them, for my object is to prove that he is right from the evidence of the Spirits themselves ; that is to say, the actual words from the inhabitants of Hades, for such is much more convincing than any argumentative expositions.

In an Appendix Mr. Chambers discusses " Future Punishments " and God's " Purpose of the Ages"; but he does not make it quite clear

INTRODUCTION xxiii

enough that there are no " punishments " or " rewards " from without as with the Israelites, nor, that there is no " judgment " in the ordinary manner at all ; for we shall be all " Self -justified " or " Self-condemned," according to the great spiritual, but Natural Law of Conscience established by God. Mr. Chambers says : " We would by no means deny that there is in the World Beyond a very real and awful judgment upon all sin and impenitence." It is only the word " Judgment " which may be misleading. He says, " To us the words of Christ are too emphatic to be mistaken. Christ spoke of a " Darkness without," "a weeping and gnashing of teeth," " a Gehenna of fire." But these are all our self -wrought or natural consequences : hence their absolute justice.

This and much more is of course true since Christ said it. Moreover Spirits themselves confirm it, as the reader will see in Mr. Heslop's Speaking Across the Border-Line, for he was appointed as a missionary to visit the awful places, and Private Dowding describes his own experiences.

The point to be remembered is that whatever is xxiv INTRODUCTION

suffered as a mental infliction is in exact proportion to the sins of the sufferer. We may call it * Judgment " but, I repeat, it is self-wrougM and must be self-borne, and we must be self -raised out of it ; though helpers are always at hand.

This law is expressed in the words : " Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he reap." Hence, as Mr. Heslop and others tell us from the other side, it is no use for the sufferer to pray for relief — like the rich man in the parable — as long as he shows no sign of true repentance, but only self-regrets for what he is enduring.

That there is no Judgment in the ordinary sense of the word, Our Lord makes it quite clear ; for we read: "All judgment is given unto the Son " ; but Christ says : " I judge no man ... I came not to judge but to save " and adds : " The Word shall judge you at the Last Day." In one word, it is the Conscience.

So that when He gives us a parable of the Judgment Day all the King does is to separate those compared with sheep, from the goats — like the tares from the wheat ; that is all who have followed His Word, and all who have neglected to do so.

INTRODUCTION xxv

Mr. Chambers argues in favour of " Universalism/' i. e., that all will be ultimately saved ; but he omits to quote passages which clearly show the possibility of a man's annihilation.

The Greek word olethros means " absolute destruction "; as of the temple, of which Our Lord said not one stone should stand upon another. So too Christ said : " Fear Him, who can destroy both body and soul in Gehenna, "

This seems to correspond with the " Second Death," i. e., of those who utterly refuse to make any effort to recover themselves, and persistently reject all offers of help to amend. As a Spirit said in my hearing : " While the good continue to rise, the utterly impenitent sink and disappear; and we do not know what becomes of them."

I asked another if this were true. The reply was : " Yes ; but we do not think there are many who do, but it is true."

Mr. Chambers adds : " All future punishments are Fatherly, remedial and terminable." This is true, provided the sufferer himself will make the requisite effort to escape and rise out of his mental thraldom into a higher life. This self-effort is absolutely necessary.

xxvi INTRODUCTION

Unless this be remembered, the word " all " is apt to mislead. Thus Mr. Chambers observes that Christ said : " I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." He meant that He would have wished all men to come and be saved ; but we know that the Jews who crucified Him never did allow themselves to be drawn to Him ; for they persecuted the Christians soon afterwards. Again, it is said : God " willeth that all men should be saved," but St. Paul said : " Quench not the Spirit," implying it was possible to do so, for man has a Free-will and can choose to follow Christ or " do despite to him."

Neither God nor Christ, therefore, can save a man, if he determinately refuse to be saved.

Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit was attributing what was good to an evil source. A man whose mind is so warped cannot be forgiven as long as he wills to retain this belief, for he does not want or care for forgiveness. But, if he should in time come to " change his understanding " as the Greek word for " repent " really means; then, he can put himself into a state which God's love can recognize as humble re-

INTRODUCTION xxvii

pentance ; when, forgiveness and reconciliation to God the Father are a natural result.

I would refer the reader to an excellent epitomized History of Spiritualism and its Phenomena and Doctrine which has lately appeared, with two parts, No. I: Historical and Evidential; and Part II: Religious Aspect and Criticisms. (Oassell, 1918.)

Contents

CHAPTER PAGE

Introduction — General Considerations of Our Life in the Future vii

I The Passing Over — The Reception of Ourselves and Our Little Ones 1

Chapter I

THE PASSING OVER. THE RECEPTION OF OURSELVES AND OF OUR LITTLE ONES

Experiences of crossing the Border-line: Mr. Heslop's and that of Private Dowding. His description of the flowers. — No words can explain 01* describe the other world. — Excessive grief for the departed harmful to them. — Examples of psychographs of tender sympathies from the Beyond and a friendly New Year's Greeting to the " Crewe Circle," and to the present writer from the Ven. Archdeacon Colley. — The Great Law of Evolution, or " Self -adaptation to changed conditions of life," applies to man spiritually; as to all other beings of the Creation, bodily. — " Heaven " is what you choose to make it on this earth. — Flowers on the other side. — Law of Evolution. The reception of Little Children by Guardian Spirit-fostermothers. — Spirit-photographs : face and clothes for identification assumed temporarily by thought.

My first extract shall be from a small but interesting book, consisting of letters from her husband, written by Mrs. Heslop's hand automatically.

2 BELIGION OF THE SPIKIT WOELD

The circumstances connected with the Passing Over may be very different in the cases of many souls ; but as a hopeful example, I quote that of Mr. Heslop, 1 who thus writes : " You would like me to tell you how I passed to spirit life. When I died, I simply fell into a state of unconsciousness, and was taken at once into my mother's loving care. In this condition I remained for a fortnight, by your time. Then, by the help of my mother and other dear ones, I revived. Gradually the wonders and beauty of this new world unfolded themselves. The loveliness of the trees and flowers, the grandeur of the mountains, the glint of distant lakes, seemed familiar, yet all spiritualized. It was some time before I could realize what had happened, and that death had really passed; so I rejoiced, for my sufferings on earth had been very great, and I had longed to die. Then spiritual illumination came to me. I developed wonderful new powers and was literally born again. They carried me to my beautiful home, and every flower I loved was there to greet

1 1 would strongly recommend all who are interested in Spiritualism to read Speaking Across the Border-line, by F. Heslop (C. Taylor).

me. Oh, such roses ! Would that you could see them too. Iu this exquisite world all things are pervaded by the law of affinity — two halves of a complete whole. Thus, if you gather one of these flowers, the affinity of the flower is still there. It does not fade and die, as with you. When you have finished with it, it flies back to its other soul, and is absorbed into it again."

" I have promised to tell you more of my own experiences in this land of light and beauty. They have been very wonderful, many of them, but the most wonderful cannot be explained in words, for the simple reason that there are no words that can give you any idea of them, no parallel on earth by which to compare them. To you these experiences are a sealed book until you have joined me here and can take part in them."

" Private Dowding " describes his experiences on passing over. He says : " Physical death is nothing. There really is no cause for fear. This is what happened. I have a perfectly clear memory of the whole incident. I had no special intimation of danger until I heard the whizz of a shell. Then followed an explosion, something struck hard, hard against my neck. I fell, and as I did so, without passing through any apparent interval of unconsciousness, I found myself outside myself, helping two of my pals to carry my body down the trench labyrinth towards a nursing station. Death for me was a simple experience — no horror, no long-drawn suffering, no conflict. When I found that my two pals could carry my body without my help, I dropped behind. I just followed in a curiously humble way. Then I lost consciousness and slept soundly."

" Julia " in her first letter says on her death : " I found myself free from my body. It was such a strange new feeling. I was standing close to the bedside on which my body was lying. I saw everything in the room just as before I closed my eyes. I did not feel any pain in i dying ' ; I felt only a great calm and peace."

This first experience of being able to see everything seems to indicate that the " cord of life " is not actually severed at first, when the " spirit-body " has escaped from the body of flesh. For, subsequently, as our spirit friends tell us, they can see no physical objects without a medium being present, but can " read our thoughts."

With regard to the spirit-body, Dowding writes : " I am still evidently in a body of some sort ; but I can tell yon very little about it. It is convenient and does not ache or tire, it seems to be similar in formation to my old body. There is a subtle difference, but I cannot attempt analysis.'' 1 Others speak in a very similar way.