Beyond: a record of real life in the beautiful country over the river and beyond

I. Adelaide's Story

My Loved Ones at Home : I know how anxiously you are looking for letters from the dear ones here, and I avail myself of the first opportunity that has offered to write you and give some real information respecting this country over the river and Beyond. You wonder how we live and whether life here is like that with you. Yes ; life here is in many things very much as with you ; so much so that it is frequently very amusing to see the amazement of those coming here and finding us living in real houses, with surroundings so much like those where they came from. People often have very imperfect ideas of any new country, especially so of this.

We find very much here that brings an agreeable surprise, perhaps nothing more so than when we see persons in possession of a home and surroundings of beauty, who were considered quite poor when with you, and were supposed to be passing through life uncomfortably. True, they appeared happy and contented, yet others wondered why they were. Their condition was such that there was no evidence of accumulated wealth, yet they were ever ready to lead the sorrowing from darkness into the bright light of hope and trust. They were always more happy among the suffering than the gay, and were always welcomed by such as a gleam of sunshine.

When these come into this country and learn the laws governing all things here and the possibilities that surround us, they commence to accomplish the many good things they were deprived of in the old home with you. Many things longed for there are within their reach and secured here; hence newcomers here are greatly surprised in finding a poor, plain companion of the old home, surrounded with all the beauty and grandeur that the soul could, or did long for before. Honesty of purpose, purity of life, and love for the right, instead of the wrong, prove to be stepping stones to success here.

Then, again, all coming here are surprised to find every kind of business carried on in this clime, the same as in the old place they came from. It seems almost natural to think that a new country to those who are not informed, must have been new and unexplored before they came there, and this idea is the cause of many surprises here. Here we have all kinds of business in full operation and has been for so long a time that there is no experimenting and failing. Here all work because they love to, all constantly working for the happiness of others and in so doing not only make others happy but are equally happy themselves. I have been in many places of business and make my wants known and am presented with the article desired. The joy in giving appears to be the motive, as they always accompany the gift with, " I hope that it may make you happy," and request me to come again.

When I first came here it was a source of wonder and I was very curious to know where all the different things came from, but I have since learned that there are places where each article is made ; they are not all made in one place. Different articles are made by persons who have just the conditions to produce certain results. Each place has a different condition or atmosphere and the workers are in harmony with the place they are in.

I was one of a company to witness the manufacture of a beautiful lace curtain, and this was very interesting to me. They work, or seem to work, very much as with you, except that they make no mistakes here. In making this lace they appeared to be rubbing their hands togethei*, making motions as though they had the material, and though I could not see the material, they must have had it, because the lace began to fall from their hands beautifully made, and when finished was given to one of our party. One thing surprised me very much and that was that the giver appeared more happy if possible than the recipient. They appear to be very happy because they are in conditions enabling them to produce something that others are glad to procure and were engaged in making these things before coming here, and receive more satisfaction in the work now than before.

There is one curious fact, however, and that is, we must be in the right condition, or they do not offer the article to us. If I were to wish for a white satin robe, I would have to be pure, for white is ever an emblem of purity. They make no mistakes in giving. There is no deception here, thei-efore we are careful about asking for things we are not in condition to enjoy, or worthy to have. We seldom meet any one in these places who is not in harmony with all the surroundings of purity. It sometimes happens that persons will ask for something not in harmony with their condition; in these cases the refusal is coupled with an explanation and advice, as to what is required in order to secure the thing desired, and a request to go and overcome the bad condition and then return, when it will be gladly given. All are ready to lend a helping hand and give such advice as would tend to help those below us in the scale of progression.

There are many things to see and explain when you come to us here in the Beyond. "We come with love and helpfulness, fully realizing that this way of greeting is only a comfort and help to pass the few remaining years before you also come to us in the Beyond. Yes, my dear ones, we know the many heartaches, the many hours of loneliness you experience in not seeing us as before we came away, but be assured that time passes on the wings of swiftness, and soon you will all be here where the pain of separation will never come to you more.

It is a joyous thought that in the Beyond there will be no night; that while the orb of day may sink down in gloom, and dismal shadows steal over the earth, there is no darkness here in our home in the beautiful Beyond. From that state of mortality you will emerge into a world of glorious light, and the gloom that has overshadowed the soul in earth life will be unknown here. No cloud shall rise to mar the universal joy; no darkness will steal over the radiant skies. Arising as from the slumber of a new

BEYOND. - n

born soul, disrobed of the garments of night, you will be clothed with the spotless vesture of immortal life. Then shall the sadness and shadows of sorrow be no longer known, but the radiance of celestial joy and purity shall pervade the mighty City of the Soul, and the morning song of angels bursting in the glad thrilling music from angels' lips and golden harps, shall proclaim that the doleful night is passed and the dawn of eternal day has come.

Murmur not at the loss of loved ones, for though they have passed out of sight, they have only passed on before. They are not lost, but simply gone to prepare a home for you where there are loved ones patiently waiting for your earth work to be finished; where you will ever remain one of a " family in Heaven."

Home : surely there is no such place as a loving home. In your life there is no charm like that of love and home, and when we come to this beautiful Heaven of happiness, we retain our love of home and the dear ones left in sorrow. We could not be happy, even in all this beauty, if we could not in some way return and assist in driving away the clouds of sorrow that so often hover over the loved ones there. Therefore we are made quite as happy as you can be, in being allowed to come to you in this way.

We rejoice to know that the door stands open and we are so welcome to enter, and it shall be our loving duty to be ever ready to come to you at all times, and so far as is possible, hold aside the curtain that separates us from your gaze, and we hope to so come that you cannot doubt the fact. We pray for a continuance of our Sunday meetings.

The heavenly light of dear ones gathers closely around you all. We comprehend the fact that many anxious cares are ever closely with you gathered. In your life there is much to give you happiness as well as sadness. As on you go from door to door you meet with life and death; still, on you go and when the angel of new life enters your home, it must he met, and with the help of angel friends you pass bravely on, stemming the tide, knowing that your loved ones have not died but passed on before. Yes ; we know the heartaches and sorrow left behind when we leave your loving care and could we not in some way assure you of our everlasting love we could not be happy, though we are in this beautiful land of eternal love. We are ever looking forward to the happy opening of the golden summer time when your anxious toiling will cease ; when the golden gates of new life will open and we can bid you enter into the joy and rest that awaits you all on this side.

Life in your country is of such a nature that all coming here at first feel that all they care for is rest, perfect rest. Soon that condition is secured, then they are ready and glad to pass out of a condition of idleness. Some at this time begin to build a home. Many do not care for a home so much as to be enabled to assist others to enter into a condition of restfulness and content. There is very much loving work here to do. There are so many constantly coming into this life of the Beyond without any knowledge of the conditions they are coming into, that there is constant demand for a helping hand, and loving ones are ever ready and glad to assist our fellows to fully understand the laws governing this world of the Beyond and happiness.

When you come, Edna and myself will be the first to meet and lead you to our home, where loving friends will be waiting to greet you. Then you will be led into scenes of greater beauty than has been described to mortal minds. You will have no fear of crossing the river into the Beyond, for close beside you there will linger one who will envelop you with the light of trustfulness and love ; take you by the hand and lead you along the pathway to everlasting life.

Could I only picture how we live so that you could see and fully realize it, I would feel that I was giving you some of our sunshine which we are so abundantly supplied with. We wait lovingly for the time when we can hold the thin curtain one side and welcome you to our home of happiness.

There is one comforting thought that fills our souls while waiting so patiently, and that is that the trials and lessons of your life are necessary to complete joy and happiness here in the Beyond. Without those lessons you would not be fully prepared to enjoy and appreciate all that is awaiting your coming. Your troubles should give strength and teach you patience. All the lessons of your life have an influence that will be clearly understood after you enter into the new life that is awaiting all. I will bid you to ever look forward to the " happy time coming," ever feeling that all will be well with you in the happier home-land of the Beyond.

When I look back to the time I was with you in the earthly form, and compare, I can see a continual line of improvement in my earthly and spiritual home. At times darkness would come before my eyes and shut out the bright light, but that would soon pass away and leave me and mine all the brighter. All trials are but stepping stones to a higher, grander life. It is through our experience that we become perfect. Time and again did I return to my old home in the early days of my life in the Beyond ; ever lingering close by those on the other side. Each visit wound the chain of affection more closely around us. Though you could not see me, the fact that I was not lost to you, only passed on before, gave you strength and courage and at the same time drew me more closely to you.

You were battling with life's dark clouds. I was striving to cast them aside, and often found this hard to do at times ; sometimes I failed and at others succeeded. In this country of the Beyond, I am surrounded by all that is beautiful, but love would not permit me to forget my own in all my new surroundings of grandeur. No ; we never forget or leave the heart's dearest treasure. If our loved ones have not come into the new life, we watch over them and patiently wait until they also pass through the " Pearly Gate" of the Beyond.

What is home without loved ones ?

What would Heaven be without our own ?

What would life be without a hereafter ?

What would life be, could we not return to bridge over the chasm caused by our passing away from them ?

I am glad to return and find my loved ones ever progressing; happy in finding the home and surroundings more beautiful than before ; happy in finding the darkness that enveloped it passing away and the new light casting its glow of golden hue in every place ; glad that my loved ones stand up to-day higher and better than ever before.

You work for to-day, and to-morrow conies perfecting the work. Sometimes it appears to be a failure, as you look upon it, for the result was not as you hoped, but ever remember that your angel friends are watching over you and they often finish your work here for you. They carry out the plans you failed in and in the Beyond you will find many of your failures completed and loving ones waiting to enjoy your surprise when you enter into that condition of satisfaction that success only gives the soul. All will be made plain in the Beyond.

No good thing done in earth life is lost, and many failures there are completed by loved ones here, and held in readiness for the discouraged soul to enter into after coming into the new life in the Beyond. Ever rest assured that in your home on this side there will be no heart sickening disappointment and there is waiting much that you looked upon as lost.

It is our happy work, our everyday life, to care for our dear ones who are struggling with the many difficulties met in earth life. You frequently see some one longing for and hoping to secure something to assist in perfecting herself in some soul absorbing lesson, perhaps perfection in music ; her whole life has been one of longing for musical education and instruments. The longing may have been for the possession of a piano, and she came into the Beyond with this longing unsatisfied. Yes ; she came here disappointed in the one great longing of her soul. She came feeling that the life before the Beyond was a failure.

Great was her disappointment there, hut far greater will her happiness he in this life, for she will find that loving angels had prepared for her coming. Loving angels had prepared a surprise for her in the shape of the long hopedfor piano ; not a shadow, hut a real piano ; and who can estimate the happiness this soul experiences upon coming into this beautiful Beyond ?

You will find that many of the great disappointments in your life there, will not always remain with you, for here we are enabled to secure all the conditions of purity and happiness. Be not discouraged because of the many disappointments you meet there, for all of earth's trials have a lesson, as well as the successes.

I have solved the mystery of " Death " and rejoice in being enabled to come to you in this way with glad tidings of great joy.

One of my greatest sources of happiness comes from these communions with you, and in being allowed to hold aside the mortal curtain so that you can gain some true knowledge of the world and conditions that you will ere long enter into. We are waiting patiently for your earth work to be done, so that we may lead you, one by one, through the valley into a home prepared for you by loving hands. There will be great rejoicing among the Angels when my loved ones come into the Beyond. We are waiting and watching so as to make the Heavens resound with gladness as you pass through the open gate into a life of perfect rest in the Beyond.

We ever stand ready and waiting to answer the call of any in your home-nest of love. It gives us pleasure to know that we can come to you as we do. You are blessed by our coming, for it fills up the chasm that stands open to all who do not realize the truth of spirit return. It builds a bridge upon which we can come to you, and wait until we can take you across it to our home and your home in the Beyond. It prepares a way that gives us the blessed privilege of coming and unfolding the curtains of doubt and despair which gather in times of trouble.

When the angel of new life enters the home and takes from its nest your darlings, to transplant them into worlds of beauty and life everlasting, it gives us the opportunity to come and assure you that they are not lost to you ; that though out of sight, they are ever near you as before and clasping their arms lovingly around you. It gives us the strength and encouragement we do need in our life here in the Beyond. It opens the door and bids us enter as in other times, to meet with you the darkness which so often comes in each earth life. It proves to us and to you that there still exists the bond of affection as when we were by your side in the mortal form. It gives us the opportunity of opening our hearts to you, and you to us, both receiving strength by helping the other.

"We hope our coming will be the means of ever casting a light upon your pathway, that you may avoid much that would be darkness without the bright ray from the higher conditions of life in the Beyond ; that while we scatter around you flowers in perfect bloom, you give to us, as of old, your love, trust and the assurance that we are waiting until you can cover us with blossoms sweet.

To come and be joyously received by those in earth life who are dear to us as when with them in the mortal form, is much to be thankful for on our side. To have your dear ones return and confide in you, and tell you of the new life in the Beyond as they progress day by day, is much for you to be thankful for. It gives to your life and ours a new feeling. It gives us all courage : you to wait until we once more meet in the Beyond where we can plainly see each other ; and us to build a home amid strange scenes and faces for you. It alloA^s us to return and gather new strength and love from our own.

You have much to endure, but we would experience more pain were we to return and find you trying to forget us ; that we were disowned by our own. It would be like leaving home for southern scenes and on returning find our wife, children and all we loved on earth, or in life, withdrawn from us ; that we were no more to them, simply because we were obliged to lay aside our old dress for one more fitting our new condition.

We all come with feelings difficult to express, our love filling us too full for words to convey the full meaning. We all rejoice that for us there is within your home a light of love and an acceptance of truths handed down to you from those who are but thinly veiled from your eyes ; and we stand with our hand on the curtain's edge, waiting to draw it one side so that you may once more see us as we are.

Earth life is like a golden stair. Day by day you pass up one step higher and as on you go, you are nearing the door at the top ; and there at the open door all your loved ones, beautifully fair, together with your little one with golden hair, will stand, ready to greet you with joy. Her looks and movements will be as before and you will gladly fold her in your arms, fully realizing that at last you are at home among your own. She will take the hand and lead you on the way, chatting and laughingly ask you to play, for now you are not tired and must be full of new life and happiness all the day. A door may sometime open to those on the stair, so that the longing gaze may get a peep of the beautiful home and loved ones on our side the gate. Yes, we know how longingly you gaze and trustingly watch for loved ones to appear and drive all doubt away. Fear not ; the time is coming when you all will come to the top of the stair, one by one, and we assure you that we will be waiting there to lead you lovingly to our home of loving care. Fear not, for we shall ever linger close by your side as you climb the golden stair and it is our mission to cast all doubt one side so that you may ever see the light that is shining on the way.

My dear Libbie, I wish I could express my love to you for the many years of loving care you have devoted to our loved one. You are permitted to remain by his side in earth life all these years, doing your duty lovingly, while I cling closely by your side, realizing that you are caring for my loved one. I try with all my love for him to give impressions so that I may feel that I too am doing something toward making his life one of love and happiness ; realizing to the fullest extent that from the Beyond I cannot accomplish all that a mortal can, still it is a great pleasure to help you. You are like an own sister to me. I love you dearly and my happiest moments are passed with you two. I cling closely to you, and where you both are I stand with a heart full of love, ODly waiting for the years to pass away, feeling that every new year makes one less to pass through. I am not impatient, for I have a loving duty to perform and I enter into it with my whole soul. I am waiting patiently, knowing that when you both come I shall be so full of joyous feelings that tears will flow down my cheeks as well as your own at our happy, glorious reunion. Many years have I been waiting for my loved ones to join me in my home in Heaven, feeling that when the time comes, when the curtain which separates the immortal from the mortal has passed away, we will bow our heads in prayer of thanksgiving that though we were parted in grief, we have met in brighter scenes of love and labor, where there is no more parting in grief to endure.

Softly comes a gentle whisper to the weary brain, that beyond the vale of waiting, stand the dear ones, not lost but yours for evermore ; only waiting till the murmur of earth's waters are no more. Only waiting till the glad tidings come with swift flying wings of the dove, for us to prepare for you, our dwelling with garlands most beautiful and rare. All the pain of long, long waiting, will be crowned with victory's blessings. All the darkness left behind you will be forgotten in the brightness that surrounds you as we usher you into the home among loved ones on this shore.

Upon the sunny banks of Eden, upon the pure pebbled shore, we often gather gems of beauty, which, but for you, would be worthless, as for you we labor. For you we pray. Over you we watch both night and day. We do not leave you. We could not leave you. Your home is our home and there we mostly stay.

When tempests bleak and cold surround you whom we love so dear, we come and softly whisper, " Love, the s" < is shining on this side." The frost may glisten at you. feet, but the angels bring you flowers sweet. When oft you feel that your path is dark, we come to bring hope and strength to toil faithfully up the path where you will meet us lovingly, trustingly waiting to greet you. -Then we will lead you to our home, where trouble and care shall never be known.

It is with pleasure that I grant your request to give the story of my entrance into the Beyond, of which you and I had so often thought and become interested in before I passed away from you. I ever stand ready to lend my light to any who are in darkness and doubt. If one soul is made more content, if the sorrow and pain of parting with loved ones is lifted and any one made brighter through reading the experiences of your Adelaide in the Beyond, she will be glad, for we are ready to give unto all a gleam of the glorious possibilities that await you in this beautiful country beyond the sunset. Adelaide.

II. Over the River

My last remembrance of earth life is the conversation with you in reference to the life in the Beyond and the possibility of returning in some unmistakable way so that you would know and feel my presence beyond doubt. The next distinct thought was that I had awakened from a deep, restful sleep and was being carried in some person's arms. This surprised me, and on looking around I found a beautiful white cloud enveloped me and prevented my seeing any one. Another surprise was that I was free from pain. Then I wondered what had happened to me. Soon the cloud passed away and I found myself supported by Father Kenyon, and resting in a place I had never seen before ; there was nothing very unnatural here, but it appeared strange. Here was Father Kenyon ; surely he had died ; but here I saw him looking like life and natural. More than that, he appeared to be caring for my comfort just as he would on earth.

I now began to think the great change had come to me, that I had in some way passed through the valley and shadow of death and away from you. I had supposed that to die was to suffer, struggle and dread to go. I had experienced none of these things and did not know when the great change had taken place. I did not know that the Resurrection Day had come to me. I soon became restless and inquired where I was and what had become of you. Then Father Kenyon said that I was in the Beyond, where all are free from sickness and pain, where all is love and bliss complete. This did not satisfy me ; I wanted to return to my home, where my husband and baby boy were. That was my Heaven, and I could think of no place where I could be so happy as in the old home with my loved ones.

Father assured me that he would return to you in company with me, but desired that I wait a little time, that I might become stronger. I was not willing to wait and was not contented. Then he said : " Listen for a moment." Then the sweetest singing I ever heard came floating from the distance like a benediction, filling my soul with its sweetness. I listened silently and in wonder. Soon I saw six young ladies coming. They were more beautiful than pen can picture. When they came to me, one laid a wreath of flowers at my feet, another placed a crown of lilies upon my head, another held a book before me which was worn, faded and yellow, with the cover nearly all worn away. She placed the book before me, kneeling as she did so, and said : " This book of life is well filled, deeds of kindness over-balancing all darkness. The silver threads of life are not broken. The lessons and struggles of earth life we will close up between its two covers and give to the one who will cherish and show it to others, that they may read on its pages the good to come from ' doing unto others as you would that they do unto you.' " She then raised her hands and the book disappeared and another was handed to me. This was perfectly new and beautiful. The covers were like silver, with leaves pure white and soft as silk. This she gave me and said : " A new book is given unto you, to use as your spiritual intelligence best directs you. When complete, you will pass onward and upward to receive another of a higher condition. Thus we progress : onward and upward. We love, bless and protect you forever." She left the book in my lap. Then they sang sweetly and passed away from my sight, leaving father and myself alone.