Class Oj I 7S O ' Book Copyright^ . /' COPYRIGHT DEPOSHi MESSAGES FROM HIGHER SPHERES MESSAGES FROM HIGHER SPHERES THROUGH THE MEDIUMSHIP OF AND INSPIRATTONALLY GIVEN BY M. HOWARD TRUE RECEIVED AND RECORDED VERBATIM IN THE DICTAPHONE Motto — Mental, Moral, and Temperance Growth are the Beacon Lights in all the Spheres Request — Give ns the light and wisdom, Master according to our investigations made aright PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR 1912 <$% Copyright, 1912 By M. Howard True Author and Proprietor £'CU319628 in THIS VOLUME IS DEDICATED First, To my Spirit Guides in the Higher Spheres, without whose inspiration, aid, and information I could not have prepared this work Second, To my staunch and loyal husband, who has believed in me so implicitly and with such unfailing trust, which has made my mediumistic development possible, to receive these messages from my dear angel friends CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I PLAN AND PURPOSE OF THIS VOLUME . . 1 II TRANSITIONS OF DARKENED SOULS ... 21 III TRANSITIONS OF HONEST SOULS 30 IV INDUSTRIES AND SUSTENANCE OF HIGH- ER SPHERES 41 V IDENTITY OF INDIVIDUALITY, AND DE- FINING OF SOUL AND SPIRIT, AND AUTO-SUGGESTION 48 VI METHODS OF SPIRIT COMMUNICATION OF HIGHER SPHERES 54 VII SPIRITUAL HEALERS 61 VIII OF VISIONS AND MIND READING .... 68 IX OF VISIBLE SPIRIT MATERIALIZATION AND PERCEPTIONS OF SPIRITS ... 74 X OF UNRELIABLE COMMUNICATIONS AND RELIABLE SPIRITUAL COMMUNICA- TIONS FROM HIGHER SHERES ... 79 XI THE ANCIENT PROPHETS OR SPIRITS . . 89 XII THE AMELIORATION OF GRIEF THROUGH TRANSITION 96 XIII ACCUMULATION OF WEALTH 104 BY SPIRIT MRS. R. S. LILIIE iv CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE XIV INHERITED EVIL AND RETROGRESSION TO THE FIRST SPHERE Ill XV SCIENCE ENLIGHTENMENT VERSUS RE- LIGIOUS CREEDS 117 XVI BUILDING OF YOUR HOME IN THE HIGHER SPHERES 125 XVII AID TO INSPIRATIONAL SPIRITUAL SPEAKERS AND WORKERS 134 BY SPIRIT MRS. R. S. LILLIE XVIII SOUL GROWTH AND CAPITAL PUNISH- MENT VIEWED SPIRITUALLY .... 144 XIX CHURCHES VERSUS SPIRITUALISM ... 153 XX ENLIGHTENMENT OF THE AGE .... 169 XXI NARRATIVE OF INDIVIDUAL EXPERI- ENCE IN AND AFTER TRANSITION . 175 XXII NARRATIVE OF INDIVIDUAL EXPERI- ENCE IN AND AFTER TRANSITION . 183 BY SPIRIT MRS. R. S. LILLIE MESSAGES FROM HIGHER SPHERES MESSAGES FROM HIGHER SPHERES CHAPTER I PLAN AND PUEPOSE OF THIS VOLUME Psychic Phenomena, or the reception of Messages from the Spirits of the so-called dead, are no longer disputed, or denied in the conclusions of Scientists who have conscien- tiously and laboriously investigated the sub- ject, but it may be most truthfully said that the large majority, of honest minds of this Earth Life, are in conditions of doubt, as to the future life, and long for Light upon this serious and important subject, and to the considerate reading of this volume by the latter class, is my principal purpose in the preparation and publication of this work, be- lieving that it will prove to them a messenger [ i ] MESSAGES FBOM of Information, Education, and Comfort, from the Higher Intellectual forces of Spirit- ual Spheres toward which millions pass annu- ally, in their Transition from Earth Life through so-called Death, largely uninformed as to their future conditions and leaving their mourning friends in bereavement in like doubt and despondency. " For the surging sea of human life forever onward rolls, And bears to the Eternal shore its daily freight of souls." The scientific proof of the presence, uses and powers of the Electric currents of the Atmosphere, as illustrated in the Wireless Telegraph, the Aero-Phone discoveries of the past few years has had much to do with over- coming the theretofore bias and prejudice against scientific Spiritual communications from other Spheres of Spirit Life. The time has come when the sincere en- quiring mind is not satisfied, with the teach- ings that it is wicked and a sin against God, [ 2 ] HIGHER SPHEEES to seek the truth of future life conditions, and even to the skeptic the phenomena of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and his sub- sequent appearance to Mary Magdalene, and his Disciples, are no longer seriously disputed by intelligent minds or doubted. Through such scientific discoveries, com- munications to and messages from the Spirit worlds, long known to Spiritualists to be pos- sible, under proper mediumistic conditions by Aero-Phone Electro-Currents, are greatly strengthened, and to many minds established. Spiritualism is Non-Sectarian and inclu- sive of all Creeds, and lies at the foundation of all advancements in the study of future life, and by the aid of science and reason, seeks to establish a general knowledge of the Universe of Worlds, and of the great Eternal law of Progression. It teaches that under the great law of Progression, which marks action in all the Spheres, there is no Death, and when the Soul is once Incarnated on Earth, it is beyond all annihilation and be- [ 3 ] MESSAGES FROM comes part and parcel of the whole immortal creation. What this human unit of existence was, before this Earth existence, or of what Electric unit it was part is not known to the individual soul, for it had no consciousness of individuality, but enough is known for assurance that the individual soul did not originate from nothing, as is often errone- ously taught. To human kind then this Earth is the Ini- tial Sphere, so far as the initiation of indi- viduality of person goes, and that Individu- ality maintains itself thenceforward, after Transition, through all Spheres of future existence. " Death is of and from the field Transition, From toilsome watching waiting Care, To broader view in higher Spheres of Vision, In glorious light undimmed and fadeless fair. Death is not shutting out and hiding The field of labor and fruit of Toil; Tis not a senseless and unconscious biding, Bather the reaping stored from cultured soil." [ 4 ] HIGHEE SPHERES Soon after my first experience in Clairau- dient and Clairvoyant states, I have had no doubt of the future existence of the Soul in a new Spiritual body, in other Spheres independent of the earthly prior existence, and of the fact of communications to, and messages from those Spheres, and no sophistry of argument could shake my views on this subject, slowly formed and conclu- sively proved, any more than would my views be shaken as to the correctness of the proved solution of any clear mathematical or geo- metrical problem. Psychic Phenomena like other truths have suffered and been discountenanced by multi- tudes, for people do not like to be told of their faults and weaknesses, and besides the human mind is susceptible in the first in- stance to change only through Materialistic Proofs or Superstition. Earlier history shows nations called civi- lized pleasing their Gods by human and other sacrifices and killing their slaves, burying [ 5 ] MESSAGES FEOM them under corners of their houses, " to bring them good luck and propitiate the Evil Spirits n and the like. Men have been burned because they promulgated new truths against existing errors. Galileo, the follower of the immortal Coper- nicus was deprived of his liberty and suf- fered other humiliations for teaching the Planetary System of revolutions and was compelled to swear with his hand on the Testament that he would never again teach it. Another great drawback to attention to Psychic Phenomena has been the facility with which frauds could through the pre- tense of genuine mediumship be imposed upon the public, by trick and device, and passed to the public as genuine and thus honest earnest people denounced the whole system of Spiritual Communication, without stopping to consider, that frauds in all things outside of actual mathematics are possible, and likely to in some degree obstruct the [ 6 ] HIGHER SPHERES truth, so long as Greed and Avarice exist. Such fraudulent pretended mediumistic communications have no more to do with and are no more part of genuine Psychic Phenomena, than are the clinging barnacles on the bottom of the safe and sound vessel a part of the vessel, or than are weeds com- pared with the perfect flower of Paradise. The time is approaching when such frauds and impostors will be discriminated against by all honest people who give philosophical attention to psychic phenomena, as well as by and through other forces in overcoming evil. " For faithful souls are with us Who have crossed Death's mystic line." I know that there are multitudes of good and honest persons, who upon this subject are so Scripturally bound, that proof by Scriptural records is alone convincing; to them, and to such I suggest that if you will [ 7 ] MESSAGES FROM for a moment drop your bias, whether you are Protestant or Catholic, you will find numerous instances in both the Old and New Testament, giving evidence that a knowl- edge of communication with the departed, from Earth Life, is nothing new or modern. The Apostle Paul in his first epistle to the Corinthians, ch. xv. 44, says, " There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body, ,, and ch. ii. 10, " The Spirit searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God," thus recognizing a spiritual unit independent of the fleshly physical body, and capable of communication. Again in Daniel, ch. viii. 15-18 in evidence of spiritual vision or ma- terialized spirit records; " There stood be- fore me as the appearance of a man, and I heard a man's voice, which called and said Gabriel make this man to understand the vision, and now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep with my face toward the ground." Again in Job xxxii. 8-10 it is stated * ' There is a spirit in man [ 8 ] HIGHER SPHERES and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding. ' ' These are but a few of the instances of like evidence. Spiritual Guides and Teachers of the Higher Spheres look upon Earth's inhabit- ants as a solicitous absent parent regards a child, to whom he longs to impart needed in- formation, awaiting only the mediumistic conditions whereby they can transmit their messages from the Higher Spheres, and this Spirit World Phenomena is well expressed by Harriet Beecher Stowe in her lines : " It lies around us like a cloud, The world we do not see. Yet the sweet closing of an eye, May bring us there to be. Its gentle breezes fan our cheek, Amid our worldly cares. Its gentle voices whisper love, And mingle with our prayers." The truth is the facilities of those in the higher spheres and their knowledge, and abil- ity for communication with earth life, are far superior to, and more numerous than [ 9 ] MESSAGES FROM those in earth life, and what I mean is that the reason why genuine communications with earth life are not more numerous, seems to lie in the lack of proper mediumistic condi- tions on the Earth, under which communica- tions from the Higher Spheres may be had. I am unable to say why this seems to be, or is the case, nor am I able to state or explain mediumistic powers, but that the qualifica- tion is largely innate, there is not much doubt, and must exist in some measure as a basis of competency to communicate, although aided by communications and education from those spheres. Further such qualifications sometimes exist innately, without the knowl- edge of the person, possessing such powers, until some series of existing inciting causes arise in the daily life of such a person, to in- form them of their natural endowments, and ofttimes at first against his own belief and will, and ofttimes found in the most humble walks of life, uninfluenced by earthly educa- tional environments. [ 10 ] HIGHER SPHERES It has been estimated that such powers are so rare that one person in forty thousand is the maximum average, of their innate exist- ence, while in the higher spheres those there capable of communicating with earth are proportionately much greater. My youthful religious teachings were all in the nature of Church discipline, and on the theory that all are born sinful and that salvation, and future welfare, lay solely through conversion to and the mediumship of the church, but the doctrine of the sinful, unconverted soul, without actual wicked course of action, followed by irredeemable relief appeared to my mind irreconcilable, with mercy, forgiveness or justice. My early education was such as is usual to chil- dren and youth of American life. I was born at Conneaut Ohio within a few thou- sand feet of Lake Erie's beach, to which region my great grand sires removed, from New England soon after that region became part of Connecticut's Western Reserve in [ 11 ] MESSAGES FROM 1786. Before I was seventeen years of age I began to teach in the public schools of Ohio and Pennsylvania, and taught continuously for many years, and many business men and women can give their experience with myself as their tutor. Slowly convinced that I in- nately possessed a faculty of being able to receive and impart information from the Higher Spheres, but being a believer in the wholesome principle of the Non-Union of Church and State, I did not express my views in the busy School Room or in that vocation, but postponed my further investi- gation and attention to the subject. Death as commonly understood, is simply the means whereby the Spirit becomes re- leased from the physical incarnation of Earthly body, to become transferred into a celestial Ethereal body, its counterpart — it is the individual Spirit moving into a new house, so to speak — it is Transformation as well as Transmutation process. The Spirit itself considered in its essence is indestruc- [ 12 ] HIGHER SPHERES tible and can neither be in worse nor better condition by the Death — It is simply Nat- ural process being performed. I have tried to express myself with brevity so that all readers may understand the situation and remember it. As taught by the immortal Shakspeare, " All that lives must die Passing through natuee to Eternity." I quote from Bulwer Lytton another view; " We are born for a higher Destiny than that of Earth, for there is a Realm where the rainbow never fades, where the stars will be spread before us like islands that slumber on the Ocean, and where the beings that pass before us like shadows, will be in our pres- ence forever.' ' All the teachings through the Guides and Teachers in the Higher Spheres which it has been my fortune to receive, are ennobling and in the line of patiently striving, to aid and assist in the dissemination of knowledge [ 13 ] MESSAGES FROM of future life and the great truths of spiritual existence; to inculcate knowledge of the great law of progression which governs life in all the spheres; to teach that under the great law of progression Aspiration, Ambi- tion, Industry, Morality and Temperance are essential to reach the higher goals, the knowl- edge of which amply rewards all earnest and successful students and workers in the Vine- yard of the Great Master of the Universe of Worlds. Further what is received from the Higher Spheres is usually the consensus of the views of many spirit minds, expressed through the speaking Guide to the Earth Medium, particularly so when the informa- tion is for the public good in earth life, for consultations by Spirit bands, and mutual educational conclusions, are characteristic of mental actions in all the Spheres. I have never received one single farthing or its equivalent for any communication, or act under any mediumistic powers I possess, and I do not prepare, or publish this work [ 14 ] HIGHER SPHERES for any motive of profit, but at the instance of my Spirit Guides, to further and promote their desire to benefit Mankind, in so far as such a small contribution to knowledge on the subject may do so, and to satisfy in some measure my own desire to publish my views on the subject, in public betterment in a small degree, to those who may read this volume, and express in more synopsis the views herein contained. In my preparation of this volume for the reader, after this the first Chapter I have generally adopted the System of Questions and Answers, as means to bring to the read- er's attention the essential features of what information is herein contained, and I have done so for the reasons; First: That the answers are taken vee- batim through the Dictaphone, direct from my Spirit guides in their exact words, it is better and more convincing to the reader, than if a mere summary were given. Second: By this system the reader will be [ 15 ] MESSAGES FROM better able to comprehend and retain in mind, the independent fact separately contained in any given answer. Third: By the use of the Dictaphone, in recording in its original reception, the pre- cise Language as given by the Spirit Guides, even recording the voice, is preserved, in its original evidentiary fullness, which greatly adds to the value of the information given by the answers, as original evidence. Fourth: The System of imparting infor- mation by Questions and Answers has been approved and adopted, in the teaching of dif- ferent branches of science in Universities and Colleges, as well as by all intelligent Courts of Justice, in sifting and extracting truth in evidence, and in rendering the evidence given more plain and comprehensible, and no good reason exists why it will not prove successful in imparting information from the guides and teachers in Higher Spheres through the Me- dium to the Earth reader or listener, more impressive, and fuller information than [ 16 ] HIGHER SPHEEES through any other source yet known or imparted. The answers and messages from my Guides, as printed in this volume, I have not revised but I print them as given me, be- lieving that any attempt by myself at such revision would only mar their beauty and sim- plicity as given to me. The questions contained in this book, ex- cepting where formulated by my Guides, were propounded by my husband, Mr. True, at the moment, before the answers were given, and all answers were given without hesita- tion. The purpose has been to arrange and complete this book throughout, in the most simple, plain, and understandable language, so that the uneducated of the middle and lower classes, who greatly need its teachings, and into whose hands it will largely come, can readily read and understand every subject treated and contained within it, insofar, as it is treated, in the limited way briefly ex- pressed herein. [ 17 ] MESSAGES FROM This volume contains no teachings of any departure from the laws of Nature, and the great fundamental principle that the Uni- verse of Worlds is governed by unvarying Laws and that under the Law of Progres- sion, Capacity by education, as well as inher- ent character for the right, measures growth in Spirit Life after Transition, or so-called Death throughout all the Spheres. It there- fore follows that future progress does not favor or fail to punish the Hypocrite, the Neglectful or the Dishonest. You should im- prove all opportunities given you, while in earth life to develop your mind, extend and improve your knowledge of Nature and Na- ture's laws, and of the principles of Justice, truth and unselfishness to your neighbors, for in your future life, your life and character on earth, will be read like an open book, and you cannot deceive, and your hypocrisy in earth life will stand to your discredit and for just what it is worth, and you will be rated accordingly, Morally, Intellectually and Spir- [ is ] HIGHER SPHERES itually, and this is what is meant in Scripture by being " Weighed in the Balance and found wanting. ' ' According as you have had opportunities in earth life, for betterment Spiritually, and you have not improved them, but have made them the subject of jeers, so will you be con- sidered when you sorely need credit for dili- gent, just and unselfish conduct in earth life, and you will find no one there but yourself to answer for your own moral delinquencies and Hypocrisies. In what I have said in this Chapter I have expressed the purposes and plan of this vol- ume, as stated in the head note, and I publish this book with the hope, yes with the expec- tancy, that it will receive the credit of truth to which it is justly entitled, although real- izing that a considerable proportion of its readers may in the first instance be biased doubters, scoffers and skeptics, yet such readers will listen to reason, and proofs and be aided in solving in their own minds, ques- [ 19 ] MESSAGES FEOM tions affecting their own future welfare, for what they read herein are "Teachings from the Higher Spheres Which around my pathway shine." I am indebted to several brilliantly intelli- gent, and educated Spirit Guides from the third and fourth, of the Higher Spheres, whose views and teachings are contained in the answers and messages, embraced in this volume, and all of whom were prominent Edu- cators, Instructors, Inspirational Speakers and Orators in Earth Life. I shall circulate this little book, to readers generally, who will favor it with their atten- tion, and consideration, and with this Exhor- tation of one of my dearest Spirit personal friends, Mrs. E. S. Lillie ; " Go forth as a Messenger of light, Timidly making your first flight; Go forth and touching some faint heart Encourage it to act life's part And if thou doest that, then peace Shall with some troubled soul increase." Dated Red Bluff, Cal. M. HoWAED TeUE. September first, 1912. [20] HIGHER SPHERES CHAPTEB n TRANSITIONS OF DARKENED SOULS Question. — What are the stages of experi- ence of the darkened soul immediately after Transition from the earth body? Answer. — In the condition of transition of the darkened soul, he is surrounded by the bright angels or guardian spirits, who are ready to carry him onward in the Life that is to be his. His soul is not of the light, but of the dark and must necessarily be in a be- wildered state. Oftentimes a darkened soul in his condition, will resist these bright Spirits who are messengers of great aid and help: he will also struggle to return to the earth and he will in his wrath take mighty vengeance, as it were, on those who are his spiritual aiders, to carry him to the new life, [ 21 ] MESSAGES FROM in which he is about to enter. And then again he will with mighty force, unusual for a spirit of purity, resist to such an extent that he will repel the Guardian Angels, until they are compelled to call upon some old friend of his that has passed over and lingered in the same darkened earthly condition that he has. This soul who has determinedly re- sisted the angel guides, must be taught a lesson of submission, so then these helpers or friends of his own condition, when brought to him, will in a manner in their own crude way, explain to him the knowledge that he must gain and know, that his soul no longer is bound to the physical or the earth; that the period of transition has taken place, and that he has passed to a new life; then by degrees he is led to what is called the first sphere or the habitation or the home that is for those darkened souls and is called the rest period, and there he is gently and kindly nursed by the Guardian Angels until his Eest Period has vanished, which depends almost [ 22 ] HIGHER SPHERES entirely upon his physical condition as well as his habits in life; his development must be governed by the spiritual condition of his soul when transition takes place; this de- pends oftentimes on whether he has been a man of temperate habits, or a man of evil desires and of a man of whose vengeance for his fellow man has been of such force that he has at any time been ready and willing to take advantage of a brother man for his own personal gain; if he is this kind of a Spirit then his darkened condition must remain of a longer duration and will in time be eradicated only through severe and seri- ous punishment of the mind or conscience and of the stage of development from the dark to the light. After this period of rest has passed he then is shown his life on earth, or in other words his conscience is awakened to the real force of the evil which he has harbored within himself and the slave that he has been to vicious habits, will all be so clear to him in his conscience awakening, that [ 23 ] MESSAGES FROM it will be as like unto Hell as is described in the Bible, for the beauteous beings that will surround him shall show to him such a con- trast between his life and what he might have been if he had lived a true and pure life. Each wrong and each intemperate habit shall be a monument to weigh him down with grief and sorrow and keep him from passing to Spheres where happiness beauty and con- tentment forever reign. And if he has in any way, been unable to follow all his as- pirations and his natural desires of good but has been placed in conditions that has made him a sinner and an evil doer, all this will be taken into consideration in his time of punishment and he will be given a chance in this sphere to carry out his good desires that he has been unable to carry out through earthly conditions. Our Master is a just Master and he punishes not, unless it is deemed that the one to be punished has over- ridden the laws of Nature or the laws of God, [ 24 ] HIGHER SPHERES but when the man willingly and knowingly and with a desire for Evil perpetrates evil actions and evil deeds then there is no es- cape, for this punishment while passing through the first sphere from the earth, and if this one has shown that he is able to per- form good deeds but would not and resisted good, then he must expect his punishment to be greater, and when he has been approached by good Spirits and friends and plead with to do that which is right and has still re- sisted then he will find that the Master finds no excuse for such evil or evil intentions, and then again he must know that if in his wrong doing he has not at any time in earth life been repentant or had any desire to re- frain from evil then this period of punish- ment or Conscience awakening in the first Sphere must still be one of greater length each wrong act under what condition may have been done, must be washed out and the earthly condition he has inherited through long years of evil doing must in a measure [25 ] MESSAGES FROM be white as snow before his time comes when he can take up the life work in the Beyond. These then are the lessons that all should learn from the perusal of this book, that ye may know that the Master will in the hour of thy Transition show thy life as it has been during thy earthly existence and that all deeds are recorded in the Book of Life, but even though thou hast sinned in the life here it is not too late to amend thy ways. May these words which are handed to thee by a Spirit who has passed through the first, second and third Spheres, and has made his life in this world of Spheres, be a message coming to those in a darkened condition and leading them onward and upward, until in their awakening and enlightenment and spiritual development they may acquire in time that within themselves that shall cast from them the earthly conditions and become one of the shining lights of Eternal progress, or what we call here the bright messengers of Light. These messengers of light are but the spirits of those who have become purified [ 26 ] HIGHER SPHERES through long years of labor toward spiritual development and their souls have become white through this eternal law of nature, and the plan of the great Master, which says that all evil must be cast hence, before light shall be like bright beacons for which thou shalt labor to reach. And in this thou mayest know that thou hast yet a home if thou will in thy strength of manhood and womanhood cast from thee the evil conditions and envi- ronments in which thou art now surrounded then the best part in thee shall blossom forth until thou too shall in thy transition be one of the angels of light who shall pass onward to one of the highest Spheres of happiness, peace and contentment. Question. — To what extent does the in- temperate habit through intoxicants retard progress after Transition? Answer. — It is a question of such immense weight that it would take volumes to fully describe the evil results and the darkening [ 27 ] MESSAGES FBOM process that is cast over the soul of either man, or woman, with intoxicant drinks. I know of no greater process for the darkening and lowering of the soul than the intoxicant liquor use, for in this it destroys not only the natural endowment that man should for- ever cling to, but it breeds within him the greatest amount of evil of any one vicious habit on earth; it destroys the Spiritual, and contaminates him in such a manner that only the brutal and vicious within him doth thrive and grow. Even after passing through the second sphere he is still in the darkened con- dition because of the numbing created to the brain forces which has been of the evil, to cast from him even through the first and second spheres, and one might honestly say to the third or fourth spheres, the effects of his intemperance, for only after the most strenuous efforts on the part of the man who has been a drunkard on earth, will he at last become free from the evil that he has brought upon himself through the evil use of intoxi- [ 28 ] HIGHER SPHERES eating liquor, which destroys the inner, the spiritual, and the best element of manhood and the character of that which is most ap- pealing and most Christlike. [ 29 ] MESSAGES FEOM CHAPTEE III TBANSITIONS OF HONEST SOULS Question. — What is the stage of experi- ence of the honest soul of good intentions during earth life? Answer. — The condition of the soul that has lived a life here of good intentions, and who has ever lived to that, that he believes to be the right, who has been filled with charitable thoughts and good intentions al- though he may have erred at times, only through earthly conditions and environments here, then at the moment of transition come those messengers of light or the guardian Angels who are ready to bear him onward. He is then taken to what is the first Sphere or the Sphere for all Spirits that have once inhabited the earth, and he is shown what the life of the darkened souls is there, and [ 30 ] HIGHER SPHERES lie is also shown the results of his own good actions, and after he has seen this and has learned that his own efforts and good deeds on earth have entitled him to a better home, than what he has found in the first Sphere, then in cases where it is deemed necessary for instance, after long years of suffering on earth, through physical, or otherwise, or if he has become weakened in any way or over- worked then comes the period of a sweet healing rest. This period is given to him so that when he awakens, then he shall in his new spiritual body be of renewed spirit- ual health, and this period of rest must de- pend almost entirely on what his earthly con- ditions have been, and his physical condition at the time of transition, but after this period has sufficiently passed, then he is shown all that is best for him to inspire and awaken a desire to take up his new life. Question. — What advantages has the in- dividual whose educational fitness on Earth [ 31 ] MESSAGES FROM has been in harmony with life in the Higher Spheres? Answer. — In cases where great progres- sion has been made along an educational line here on earth, then that Spirit must be better fitted to pass from the first sphere to the second, or third sphere, in whichever that one spirit may be best fitted for. In case that person here has been of that nature to have lent assistance to mankind, then he will without effort be carried on to the third sphere, after a very short stay in what is called the second sphere or rather the edu- cational sphere, where after having passed through the first sphere then he is taken to the second sphere and educated on lines which he has neglected in earth life, but the spirit who has become of a broad mind and who has made advances in educational lines, he is oftentimes allowed to take up his life work in the third sphere, which is a sphere of great beauty, grandeur and peace at all times. The earthly environments have [ 32 ] HIGHER SPHERES so far left those who pass to this third sphere, that their desires, or whatever they have been on earth, if they were of a good order are completed there and they are there allowed to take up whatever work they are fitted for, or what it is their enjoyment to follow; they are allowed to take up that occupation as it may be and in this ease those who are passing from the earth life should know that it is of great advantage to become a broad minded and a liberal minded and earnest stu- dent of all Nature. Question. — What are the features of this Education? Answer. — What is meant by the educa- tional line, is that one must be educated in such a manner that it shall lead to the better- ment of all mankind; he must also be edu- cated along the line that shall develop within his soul the beauties of nature and the beau- ties of life and the beauties of looking for- ward and researching into the future life for [ 33 ] MESSAGES FROM the benefit of himself and his fellow man; This is one of the great essentials of the proper education for acquiring habitation in the third sphere without further education there, or without further punishment; this must be called the line that really leads be- yond to the higher spheres, and now as we pass through this third sphere we then pass to what is called the fourth sphere, which is a sphere of extreme grandeur and beauty; it is a sphere for only those who have cast from them entirely all earthly environments. Growth for the future life, is a thorough re- search and investigation of the manner of communicating with those in higher spheres, and let this be the criterion that shall be thy following. For the Good of the higher spirits from those educational spheres above the third sphere, who have passed through the first, second, and third spheres, come back to the earth plane in order that they may inspire and give unto mankind a desire to win in their transition, a home, in at least I 34 ] HIGHEE SPHERES the second sphere, and before passing through or remaining long in the first sphere, which is a sphere of punishment, and in order to gain the second sphere, which is distinctly an educational sphere, for the preparation for the higher spheres, one must on earth have the soul awakening as to the earnest desire of spiritual unfoldment and the soul's growth, and in order to do this, one must investigate with a frank earnest spirit and longing for intelligence and knowledge of what is to be theirs in the life beyond the grave. It is extremely essential that he in- vestigate the art of communicating between the spheres so that his interest may be awak- ened, and a longing created to continue re- search, and in this there is no surer road to the growth of the spirit, than a silent call to the higher forces, or a prayer at all times in thy heart, that thou mayest know, what is to be thy life in the sphere in which thou shalt be taken by the loving kindred or guardian angels, at the moment of thy transi- [ 35 ] MESSAGES FROM tion. If thou dost pursue this line of research thou art almost sure to gain growth of thy soul and be rewarded thereby by a greater step, toward avoiding remaining in the first sphere, and thy period of remaining in the second sphere, which is the educational, will be of less length, and thou canst if thou will but only delve into the mysteries of the un- known, until thou dost find peace and con- tentment and an overjoying gladness and lack of fear that has ever been near thee, of the life beyond, and further thou wilt be preparing thy way for the sphere of grandeur spirituality and beauty which is the third sphere, and especially so, if thou dost in thy earth life put forth the effort to spread the knowledge which thou hast gained in thy researches and awaken the soul of some dark- ened or despondent one in the earth plane. By this course thou shalt be rewarded for in sowing the seed of soul growth, or the mind awakening to the possibilities of doing right and living a better life here, shall gain for [ 36 ] HIGHER SPHERES thee jewels of extreme worth on the other shore, fearing not to be condenmed in earth life, by the ignorant or narrow minded for though ye feel that ye are not giving knowl- edge, ye know not, when the spark of intel- ligence and soul awakening in the darkened man may be aroused, and soon shall put forth and grow until he too shall research and in this researching then he too can scatter the seeds of knowledge he has gained, and on and on, until both have climbed the heights. This is not all that is necessary just to research in the future life, but thy life must show the results of that investigating, and show that ye must adapt yourself to the manner of life that shall cleanse thee and purify thee from the earthly sins and bitterness and sorrow and despondency o'er what fate brings to thee. Thou must within thyself be master of all these evil influences and cast from thee all of the darkening environments that may cling to thee on earth, and thou must make thy- self so brilliantly bright in spirituality that [ 37 ] MESSAGES FROM thou shalt call around thee, higher spirits of intelligence and light, that shall come and be with thee in such a manner that they shall be a part of thee, and in their close com- munion with thee they shall inspire thee with noble actions and deeds. Then thou shalt find no reason for failure or disappointment on earth, nor in the great to-morrow, for if thou art once filled with the Holy Spirit of right thinking and right living there is no such thing as failure either in earth life, or in any of the spheres, in which thou mayest be called to dwell, after thy transition. The right way to the life eternal is not only to call these brilliant lights and inspirational helpers to thee, but it is to inspire and instil in all those whom you may come near, in thy neigh- bor, or thy friend, the same true desire for a betterment in this life, in order that they may be building their own home in the eter- nal life, and in this building remember that the keynote to success is forever and at all times eternal industky and progressiveness. [ 38 ] HIGHER SPHERES Also remember that the Great Master of thy destiny sees and knows all things, and he gives unto thee credit for the right effort, even though the accomplishments are not on earth what thou might desire, for if thy heart is filled with good desires, and thy efforts are for the betterment of all, as well as thy- self, thou shalt in time, when thou hast taken up a habitation in the sphere that thou hast won, for thy own, thou shalt be credited with this and the results of that desire. A betterment will be shown to the Master, who will see that thou hast done well, if an effort and desire for the right are put forth steadily. This question of a proper education, for the fitting of a beautiful life in the beyond, is only secondary, to that of morality, and temperance and kindness and purity of heart, and when ye sum up this chapter on this line of thought, we have as a beacon light, this which is the moral, and which thou should follow, and again I say that it is a perpetual effort of indus- [ 39 ] MESSAGES FROM try and progressiveness for the betterment of those who are dear to thee, and thou needst not fear what thou shalt be in thy eternal home across the border of the great River of Life. [ 40 ] HIGHER SPHERES CHAPTER IV INDUSTRIES AND SUSTENANCE OF HIGHER SPHERES Question. — What are the Industries of the different Spheres, and how do they com- pare with those of Earth Life? Answer. — The Industries of the different Spheres are but a Counterpart of what is on Earth, excepting that they are in a much higher state of development; The first Sphere's Industries are very much nearer what exist in the Earth Sphere, excepting a variation as to new industries, which are still unknown on Earth; Those who dwell in the first Sphere are unable because of their darkened condition, to proceed in any advanced lines in any industry, so for that reason they are very similar to those on Earth, but after passing to the Second E 41 ] MESSAGES FROM Sphere, where the Spirits are of greater en- lightenment and education we then find the counterpart of the Earth's Industries, and we also find many that are not yet known on Earth, especially industries that can be handled with the methods that are sometimes used on Earth in the way of Electricity, which is commonly adopted and pursued in the In- dustries; And so on as you go on, until in the Third and Fourth Spheres the Industries are much more of the Ethereal; that is they are mostly carried on with the waves of Electricity in the Currents of the Air, but here also are many unknown industries, other than what are on this Earth. Each advanced industry on Earth has been simply handed down from the Third Sphere, through in- spiration from Spirits who can see that the Earthly people may be benefited by greater knowledge and greater advancement along some special line, this is very true in regard to Electrical Inventions on Earth, such as the Motors and Airship and all that is per- [ 42 ] HIGHER SPHERES taining to the Wireless and other Electrical Currents of any and all kinds. In the Second and Third Spheres and so on, especially where the bodies are of the Ethereal the Industries of Production of fine raiment, are not so essential, although the Spirit is always clothed in raiment, but this raiment is not so varied and so expensive in the way of weight and material. For the ethereal bodies there is not created the necessity for foot wear and head wear as in Earth Life; And also there is not the need for Carriages and other vehicles of Conveyance, because of the method of traversing from one Sphere to another and through their own Sphere, simply through and by the Electrical Currents of the Atmosphere, which is as easy for the Spirit to glide through, as it is for the mortal man of earth to breathe. Question. — What is the Sustenance in the higher Spheres, and how does it compare with sustenance in Earth Life? [ 43 ] MESSAGES FROM Answer. — Because of the equable climate, and Ethereal bodies in those Spheres the necessity of warm food and warm clothing is not found to be needful and neither is the Sustenance which is required of such weight and strength as in Earth life and neither do they in their Spirituality require such food as the Earthly man, because after the brutal part has left, then there is very little need for sustenance, other than what is ab- sorbed from the fruits and flowers. And also the many numerous articles that the human beings on Earth seem to require for their en- joyment and pleasure, are not deemed neces- sary in the higher Spheres for the reason that the Spirits who have cast off to any degree the earthly environments. Then their pleasures are of a much higher order, as for instance they pursue their industries of Art, Music and Beauty, or whatever pertains to the same, on an educational line, tending to make them more intelligent, and more edu- cational, that they may be better fitted for [ 44 ] HIGHER SPHERES a still higher life, and this takes the place of the idle pleasure of the Earth Life. As to Animal Sustenance, all animals which in- habit the different Spheres seek and find their own sustenance and it is not needful for Mankind to labor to supply their demands, because of the lack of brutality within them, and this is found a lessening of the labor there. For these reasons and numerous others the Spirits in the higher Spheres have no need for many of the industries and much of the Sustenance found on Earth, but of those necessary they are but a counterpart, that has been handed down from the higher Spheres after there tried and found of bene- fit to earth life. Question. — What Animals of Earth are found in the Spheres, and what is their clas- sification, and what changes in Nature in them exist? Answer. — As to the animals which live in the hereafter or pass from Earth and live in [ 45 ] MESSAGES FROM the other Spheres, all animals of any intelli- gence or knowledge or perception of their surroundings, still survive, but there are nu- merous Insects and numerous Animals which are of little worth, and are a pest to Man- kind, and these have no life in the Beyond. Any Animal which will create love in man- kind, or in any way add to the betterment of man, especially if he has been a lover of animals on Earth, still lives in the Beyond and when such animals pass over there is always a Counterpart of their old bodies, for them to enter again, and they are found there as faithful, to their Masters as on Earth, and also these animals after their Transi- tion have become as meek as a gentle lamb. All brutality and ferocity of animals dis- appear at the moment of their Transition from the Earth, and the Lion or the most ferocious brute on Earth plane at once be- comes so meek and gentle, and a creature of beauty and pride for his owner. In this will be found much comfort to those who [ 46 ] HIGHER SPHERES have a distinct love for animals, and they may rest assured that their pets that have been so faithful to them, are still awaiting for them, in the new life and will be at last with them as on Earth. [ 47 ] MESSAGES FEOM CHAPTEE V IDENTITY OF INDIVIDUALITY, AND DEFINING OF SOUL AND SPIRIT, AND AUTO-SUGGESTION Question. — How is Individuality of Spirit Identified? Answer. — The Spirit is identified in a similar manner as that on Earth. Yon must understand that the moment transition takes place and the Soul leaves the old physical body, there is a counterpart of that earthly body, for the habitancy of the Soul of the body of Earth and as soon as the Soul is borne to the first Sphere by these Guardian Angels, where the new Ethereal or Spiritual body is, then the Soul enters, and as this body is a counterpart of the old one, there must be and is that about the new body, that is recognized by those who have known the old body, excepting in this way; as the Spirit I 48 ] HIGHER SPHEBES progresses and grows in Spirituality, then it must necessarily become more beautiful, for with Progression, there must be beauty of countenance, for it is well said, that the face is the mirror of the Soul, and this is demon- strated and shown to be a fact. After the Spirit has left the first, second and into the third Sphere, it would hardly be recognized from the facial appearance, although there is always that characteristic about one, that those who are best known can be readily recognized. The inner self, which is the Soul of man, has its own individual peculiarities, which are at once known and remembered, when people intermingle, and this is found in the Spirit life, only to a greater extent and es- pecially so, if they are of the pure and good, for the Soul shines forth with a greater dis- tinction and clearness than of the darkened Soul. Again, if he has been in the presence of an Evil one on Earth, even although you pass [ 49 ] MESSAGES FROM over and come near that darkened one, ye will sense something that is peculiar, and gazing upon the countenance of the evil one, you recognize him as on Earth. These are the chief characteristics of the identification of individuals in the higher Spheres. In considering what I have said, ye must know that the new body, that the soul enters after transition, is of the Ethereal, and is of so much lighter weight, and in fact of scarcely any weight, it must necessarily be of great variance from the earthly body, and then again as it is of the natural, with- out any obstruction, or the deformities, caused by wrong living, or overeating, or numerous ways of Earth, then the body in the Spirit life must be nearer what would be of the per- fection in contour. Question. — Are Soul and Spirit identical? Answer. — My answer to this would be, that what is the innermost part of man, or that which is the knowing, or knowledge part of [ 50 ] HIGHER SPHERES man, and that which is the Eternal, is called the Soul, but after the stage of Transition comes, then the Soul enters the Ethereal, and it then becomes what is called the Spirit. It is not the Spirit that inhabits the old phys- ical body of mankind on earth, but it is the Soul that enters the new Ethereal, that is classed as Spiritual, so there is all the differ- ence in the two bodies, the old and the new, or in other words the human physical and the Ethereal. Question. — Can Spirits influence individ- ual actions in Earth life and in what manner? Answer. — There is no doubt of this, and it has been many times demonstrated that the Spirit has great influence over the Earth life of Man. It matters not whether the Spirit is of the Higher and the purer, or whether of the Earth bound, and of the evil, for there are always Spirits of some degree, that come back to the Earth plane and influence some [ 51 ] MESSAGES FROM human being, although it may not be those of their home circle, for ofttimes there are these departed ones of the home circle, that are very desirous of coming back, and in- forming them of their still existence in an- other world, or assisting them, financially, or of helping them in some manner, but are still unable to come to them, because of what has already been explained, in previous chapters, of the inability of entering the Aura of cer- tain individuals. Then again some evil Spirit, or again some bright pure soul of the Higher Spheres, could come to the same person in the home circle, and do that which the loved one has failed to do, in whispering words of knowledge and assistance, or prompting them to evil deeds. It is well known, although ye may think that it is strange, that Spirits should take up such labors, but it is a fact that many of the crimes committed on Earth, are through the promptings of these evil ones in the first Sphere, who themselves have harbored, still, [ 52 ] HIGHER SPHERES revenge, or have still within them, that desire for the bloodshed of mankind. It often takes years to overcome the evil, when man has long lived in sin on the Earth, and this is one of the great reasons why the Spirits of goodness are appealing to mankind of the Earth plane, to arise in their strength and gain the knowledge that shall assist these Spirits in the Higher Spheres to overcome this great Evil. In overcoming this evil ye are not only pre- venting crime on your Earth plane, but ye are assisting these angels, to lift the darkened souls from the first Sphere, out of the state of despondency and evil that brings back again to Earth, Crime and Sorrow. [ 53 ] MESSAGES FEOM CHAPTEB VI METHODS OF SPIRIT COMMUNICATION OF HIGHER SPHERES Questions. — How is Spirit return, by com- munication from the Spheres to Earth Life secured? Answer. — The impossibility, as it seems to the many minds of the human beings on Earth, of the ability of Spirits,, in the art of communicating to Earth, is but a simple matter, if conditions are arranged properly, by those who understand the manipulation of the Electrical Currents of the Atmosphere. As you remember, dear reader, it was but a short time ago, when on your Earth plane your Airships and your Wireless communi- cations could not be accomplished, but now they are acknowledged facts. [ 54 i HIGHER SPHERES In communicating from the Spheres to Earth the same principles are applicable, and the same methods of Electricity in com- municating are used; The Medium is the human being, who has that innate ability and is born with this innate ability, to become an instrument between the Spheres, has the correct amount of Electrical force within the body, and which is led by Electrical forces to the brain, which is a storage battery, for the Spirits from other Spheres to connect the Electrical current, found in the Atmosphere. Spirits who understand this principle that the way is open for them to come to an earthly being can by simply gliding through the atmosphere, on these electrical waves come close to the Aura which surround all human beings, and watching their chance to inspire, or lisp in their ears, which ofttimes one calls this their inner self, the words of wisdom, or words of evil which the earth bound spirits often take advantage of. [ 55 ] MESSAGES FEOM Question. — When the communication is had how is it maintained? Answer. — The manner of communicating direct through an instrument of Mediumistic powers, must be arranged by an Electrical engineer, who understands the manipulation of the Electrical forces and batteries, the same as an Electrical Engineer does on Earth, and he must understand this and call the band of Guides, which each Medium has in many phases. A medium must have a guide for protection from Earth bound Spirits, and must also have a guide, who protect them from the atmospheric currents, and a Spirit who can come close to the Medium and keep the Medium's heart and soul in a pure state, and freed as much as possible, from the earthly environments, and then there must also be a guide, who must have for his work, watchful care of the physical, and then again there must be a Guide who must watch closely the Electrical forces and supply when they become depleted, and then all these guides [ 56 ] HIGHER SPHERES must unite in the communicating and after the Electrical engineer has so adjusted the forces of the electrical currents in the atmos- phere to the storage battery in the brain of the medium, then it is a simple matter for the Spirits to communicate through the me- dium providing there is congeniality and apt- ness to receive on the part of the Medium. There are different phases, as for instance the Medium who has the ability to see, what is presented through these electrical forces, this is called the Clairvoyant and then again when the Medium can hear, as through your telephones, and the Spirit may be in the Higher Spheres or any one of the higher spheres and talks through this Telephone, as it were, and the medium catches the vibra- tions along the electrical line, this is called Clairaudient. Again the Medium with this electrical force which will cause her to be in a condition similar to what you call in earth life, unconscious, but what we call in a trance, when in this state the Spirit takes full pos- [ 57 ] MESSAGES FROM session of the medium, and the Spirit comes in to the physical of the medium and the Medium's Soul is drawn aside and is held near the body by the electrical forces which are the same, as at the moment of Transition, when the Soul first leaves the body, before the chord of life is broken. This is what is called the trance-mediumship and is the most satisfactory to the scoffer or the unbeliever, for in this state, you then receive direct from the Spirit ; and then again it may be called the Semi-Trance condition which this Medium, whom I am now talking through, for the com- pilation of this book is in, or in other words at the present time her soul is withdrawn from the body by electrical currents, and is held by the chord of life until my soul, has entered her physical and is in possession of her vocal organs, and I am able to talk through this instrument, to give unto thee these words of knowledge and intelligence, from the third Sphere in which I have dwelt for many years, as I was in Earth Life a [ 58 ] HIGHER SPHERES Professor of Archaeology in a University of Edinburg and my name was Professor Donald Mason. In my researches for knowledge in the line of Archaeology I became interested in com- municating possibilities between the Spheres, and I was so elated over my success when I found this medium, that it was at my request that she compile this book and give unto the world knowledge and the worth of a true and right life on the earth plane, and, dear reader, my heart calls to thee to live to these words, and keep within thee, thyself inspira- tion of the Spirit, who has at heart the high- est good for Mankind and who stands ready to come at thy call if thou shouldest need me, and if it is in my power to come, and inspire thee with the knowledge, of the long- ing of those Spheres in which thou shalt at last dwell, and in thy investigation of the communicating between the Spheres, dear reader, be sure that you take upon yourself the right spirit for thy research. For thy [ 59 ] MESSAGES FBOM good, leave all the commercial desires and the financial benefit of earth plane alone, be- cause when ye attempt to receive Imowledge from Spheres above, for thy own worldly gain on earth ye are sure to call to thee the earth bound spirits, who have been in a darkened condition both on the earth plane and in the first sphere, who have yet been unable to be- come advanced, or become purified, and they will only talk to thee as a street corner man would talk to thee on earth, as they get it, or as they think it may be, when in reality they are entirely unable to assist thee, and only give to thee that which would be of no value to thee, but would lessen thy faith in all communications if ye did not understand this aright, and know what was the right, in order to receive that which is true. [ 60 ] HIGHER SPHERES CHAPTEE VII SPIKITUAL HEALEES Question. — Who are the Spiritual Healers from the Higher Spheres and what are their functions? Answer. — Many of those Spirits in the higher Spheres, who when in Earth Life were Physicians, and who have the same love for the healing of Mankind as they had on earth, and with whom it is a hard matter to lay aside this longing to heal the sick, after they are well fitted and prepared for the individ- ual patient on earth, after their rest period and their educational period have passed, they are then allowed to come back to Earth and heal in a Spiritual way. This is accomplished through a hand of Guides similar to all other phases of Medium- [ 61 ] MESSAGES FROM ship, excepting of course they must have a certain Medium who has sufficient amount of Magnetism that will blend with the Electric forces in a way of healing in such a manner that power can be given, direct from the Spirit who has in charge the system of heal- ing through the manipulation of the medium's hands, or otherwise. The healing is accom- plished through the Electrical currents and the Magnetism in the Medium and Patient. Then again there is oftentimes a wonderful amount of healing through what we have for- merly described as the Clairaudient ; that is the Medium who can hear the vibrations over the Electrical line and is instructed by some Physician in a higher Sphere just what to do, and as the Physicians of the higher Spheres nearly always take up the healing by Elec- tricity, or by vegetable concoctions, which they compound in the Spirit Life, then the Medium is instructed to gather these and adapt them to the disease, or malady, which they are trying to heal. There are also let it [ 62 ] HIGHER SPHERES be known many diseases on earth, which it is impossible for the Spirit Physician, no difference how highly educated, or compe- tent he may be to heal, or that he cannot reach through one certain medium although he might through another medium, that he could come close to this human being in such a manner that the Magnetism could intermingle with the Magnetism of the one to be healed. Because of this it is often pronounced a failure in the methods of heal- ing by higher Spiritual Physicians. Then again where one is of that doubting mind and constantly resisting, then this Spirit Physi- cian cannot approach close enough, in order to be of benefit to the one to be healed, so dear reader, if you at any time wish assistance in the manner of healing from any higher Sphere ye must for the time at least, give up and call forth and have within thy heart a prayer to receive and accept as it is given unto thee, for there is a power in the higher forces that is of sufficient strength to heal all [ 63 ] MESSAGES FROM the diseases, if the conditions are proper for this to be done. Question. — What advantages are pos- sessed by the Spirit Healer? Answer. — The superiority of a Spirit healer is in his ability to read the disease aright. Ye remember that the Spirits who are educated in coming back to the earth plane, through matter, or whatever it may be, it is as though it were in the Spirit land, their eyes can penetrate through the physical and see each organ, as clearly as ye could if it were on the operating table with a glass of magnifying power over each organ, and there is no difficulty for the Spirit Physi- cian to reach any part of the body, that may be diseased, and they also can see, what is the right course to be adopted for the healing. Then again the great advantage of a Spirit healer is that of ttimes the greatest amount of healing and good is done and the miracles per- formed when the human being is in the arms [ 64 ] HIGHEE SPHERES of slumber, when the soul is at rest and the mind has no consciousness, of what is being done. Then ofttimes the band of that individual comes, and with him comes a great physical healer from one of the higher spheres, and in a manner of his own, through the currents of Electricity, which is used to create a bat- tery heals. Then again often when the in- dividual is quiet in sleep, the Spirit is al- lowed and able to pass its hands over that part of the physical body, for the purpose of healing, though the being knows it not, nor senses it clearly, still mighty healing is often performed, and at times the human being seems to sense it, as though it were in a dream, and many times he awakens with that impression over him that he has been healed by unseen hands, and it is by the mighty forces of the Spirit healers that the greatest healing through Spirit power is done while the afflicted is in slumber. You might say: Why then is so much suffering [ 65 ] MESSAGES FROM allowed to exist on earth if there are higher forces sufficiently strong, to allay suffering, and why do not these higher spirits come to the succor of those who are in such physical pain on earth? To this we shall reply that it is of the Great Plan that a large number, or a sufficient num- ber of those on the Earth Plane should suffer in order that they may grow strong and more beautiful in soul, for the work which is of a higher order when their time for Transition comes. In the Spirit World the selection is made of those who on Earth are to take up a noble work and be a savior to Mankind, and in order to do this those who suffer most on Earth will be the greatest souls in the higher life, so if it befalls thee, that thou shalt suffer physical pain, or mental agony thou mayest know that thou art sowing for a ripe harvest in the future life, for all the suffering here. If ye will only take this suffering in the right spirit and make thyself to become [ 66 ] HIGHER SPHERES cleansed of the earthly environments, then ye shall meet with that much less suffering in the world beyond; let this be a keynote of bravery that thou shalt stand by and follow with the right. [ 67 ] MESSAGES FROM CHAPTEE VIII OF VISIONS AND MIND BEADING Question. — What are the usual causes of Visions to the human mind, produced with- out visible psycho-physical cause? Answer. — The Visions which are often times seen by the people on the Earth, both in their waking hours, and in their slumbers, or what you call dreams, are nothing more or less than the manifestations of Spirits from different Spheres. This depends entirely upon what the Vision may be ; if it is for a good purpose and for a pure purpose, then it must necessarily come from those Spirits of greater Spirituality than in the first Sphere, but again these manifestations, or visions may be from the Earth bound Spirits, who want to make themselves known, or per- [ 68 ] HIGHEE SPHEEES haps are very desirous of giving to those whom the vision is presented to, such mani- festations as shall awaken their interest, that they may investigate farther and then in this manner, the Earth bound Spirits will take their chances in making themselves known, and giving unto such persons their wishes. This is manipulated by the same Electrical forces and Currents as are used by the Guides, for the Mediums in Clairvoyance, Clairaudience, or all other phases of Me- diumship, and if the Vision is in the manner of a face, or form that is seen, then this tends to what is called Materialization. This is brought about by these Electrical forces and the drawing of the material magnetism of the person who sees the Vision, and it is as it were, a counterpart of their own physical, but with the soul of the one that is seen shin- ing forth through the face of the semi-physi- cal body, or in other words the elements and material necessary to materialize are drawn from the individual who has the vision. [ 69 ] MESSAGES FEOM Question. — What is the cause, or ex- planation of figurative, or incomplete visions? Answer. — This is brought about by im- perfect materialization, which may be due to the fault of the Guides who are bringing this vision to the view of the human being, or it may be the lack of sufficient magnetism in the one who sees the vision, or the amount, or lack of Electricity for the batteries, or not properly connected batteries. It generally results from Earth bound Spirits, and earth bound guides, who are experimenting for their own personal knowledge and benefit, that they in return may receive knowledge that shall be of benefit to them when they pass to higher Spheres, and become more of the Spiritual, and then are chosen as Guides for some Medium. In this manner they are of course without experience and because of this lack of experi- ence oftentimes the vision is so imperfect that it is doubtful what it is intended for, [ 70 ] HIGHER SPHERES either in form or inspiration, or in manner of presentation. Question. — What Spirits are capable of reading the human mind and under what conditions is such Mind Reading possible, or effective? Answer. — Spirits from any one of the nu- merous Spheres are perfectly capable of coming back to Earth and reading the minds of the human beings providing they are able to form a battery sufficiently for them to give that necessary light to shine upon the soul, or mind of the human being so that they can read the mind aright, and furthermore it is necessary for the Spirit to be able to en- tirely enter the Aura, or come in close con- tact with the Aura of the human being whose mind he is trying to read. This is a very simple matter if the condi- tions are properly adjusted for it, and then again there are Spirits of great purity, that oftentimes come to individuals on Earth to [ 71 ] MESSAGES FBOM warn them, or to prevent disaster happen- ing to them, but because of the darkened aura around the earth beings, which has been created by their own life and evil thoughts, this Guardian Angel is unable to penetrate sufficiently to read the human being's mind and know what its intentions are, in regard to what seems to the Spirit a coming disaster. Then again ofttimes when the pure spirit is unable to penetrate the Aura he may call upon some evil spirit from the earth bound, or first sphere, who can enter and come in contact with evil, because of the evil within himself; then the evil spirit reports and often great danger and disaster are averted from the human being, provided it is deemed best that the human being should be pro- tected at that time. In this manner the mind may, or may not be clearly read by the Spirit of the higher Spheres, although it may be by the spirit of the lower sphere and vice versa. If the human being on Earth is of that pureness and goodness then it must nec- [ 72 ] HIGHEE SPHERES essarily require a pure Spirit from a Higher Sphere to come close enough to warn him of his danger. In this lies the secret of Mind-Reading, in the ability to penetrate the Aura that surrounds each individual on Earth. [ 73 ] MESSAGES FROM CHAPTEE IX OF VISIBLE SPIEIT MATERIALIZATION AND PERCEPTIONS OF SPIRITS Question. — Under what conditions is vis- ible Materialization of Spirit possible? Answer. — Materialization of the Spirit to the vision of the human being is done entirely with the same Electrical forces and batteries and Guides that are nsed in the numerous phases of Mediumship, which has already been described in this volume, excepting in this manner that the Guides must come close to the Medium, and the Medium must have that sufficient amount of Magnetism which is not always necessary, for other phases of mediumship, excepting in the healing, and by these Electrical forces and the proper con- nection of the batteries the element of the [ 74 ] HIGHEE SPHEEES human being, in fact all of the elements of the human being, are drawn sufficiently from the Medium, to form an Ethereal body for the habitation of the Spirit's soul, for the very few moments in which the vision is clear to the eye of the human being. This is done entirely, by the drawing from the Earth body at the time of the sitting, and if those who have seen Materialization will watch closely, they will be convinced of the counterpart or the similarity of form and features of the Spirit to the Medium. Because of this, it has often been consid- ered a fraud, as it looked so near to the hu- man being, the Medium, that it was often thought to be some other person and a mis- representation of the Spirit, but this is not always the case, for the Spirit that material- izes does not come to Earth with its Ethereal body, and show this to the human being, as this is impossible to do, because of the com- position of the Ethereal body in connection with the Electrical forces, as it could not be [ 75 ] MESSAGES FROM brought about to the human vision, it simply must be the drawing of the elements of the body of the Medium, to place before the vision of the people. In this alone is the sequel, to the great doubt of the investigators of materialization, for there are many ardent and earnest Spirit- ualists who believe in all other phases of mediumship, that condemn materialization, but materialization of the Spirit, is as certain as any other phase of Mediumship, and it is because of having to use the elements in the human body that the observant, or investiga- tor sees such a similarity to the human body, that he doubts that it is a Spirit. Question. — Are the five senses of Percep- tion in Earth life augmented, or different after Transition, and if so in what respects? Answer. — There is no perceptible differ- ence, excepting in the acuteness and the clear- ness, of the Spirit, over those on Earth. Ye must know that as the body is of the Ethe- [ 76 ] HIGHER SPHEEES real, after Transition, and pain is unknown, and sorrow in the Higher Spheres is also unknown to any great extent, then all the senses are in their clearest state, or in other words there is no impediment in any manner. "We also have a greater Sense, in that we have what is called the pekception, and this is a combination of seeing and hear- ing at the same time, through this battery and as we are approaching the Earth plane, comes a sensation to us which is entirely dif- ferent from what is felt in the higher Spheres. Beyond this, I know of no great difference in the Senses in any of the Spheres from what they are in Earthly beings. And as to the Mentality, because as I have just said there is no impediment in the nature of physical pain, so in reality in every shape and form the Spirit is of greater vigor than the Earth Man. Now as to the Contrast, or the differences in the Spheres, ye must bear this in mind, that the Spirit Spheres are but other Worlds, in- habited by the Man of the Earth. As a man [ 77 ] MESSAGES FEOM of the Earth passes through that state called Transition, then he is at the moment of reach- ing the other Sphere the same individual, as to the Soul — there is no change in Spirit or Mentality. [ 78 ] HIGHER SPHERES CHAPTEE X OF UNEELIABLE COMMUNICATIONS AND SELLABLE SPIBITUAL COMMUNICATIONS FEOM HIGHEE SPHEEES Question. — Wherein do Communications from Earth bound Spirits differ from Com- munications from the Higher Spheres? Answer. — An inclination of Earthly be- ings to discountenance the philosophy of com- municating between the Spheres is brought about by the ignorance of the Earth people, in seeking that which is of a low order, or of the material order, for their own special bene- fit. Ye must remember this, that those spirits who are earth bound, or rather live closest to the Earth are nearer of those of the gen- eral class of people, in that they are en- abled through an affinity and nearness of the [ 79 ] MESSAGES FEOM earthly environment, to come to those here on earth and talk with great ease ofttimes, and it seems to be their delight to give satis- faction to the one enquiring, by assent- ing, or agreeing in whatever they may ask for. Therefore it is of great importance that the people know that they are not, oftentimes, receiving reliable information through those sources, for it is only through guardian Spirits of the Medium, who has good guides of a high order, that one can receive reliable information. Any Medium who allows these earth-bound Spirits to return to the earth people, should be shunned, for there is no certainty of the messages which they receive. A Medium in order to be of worth and reli- ability, must have as Guides, Spirits from the third, or fourth Spheres, for there they have become educated, and are of that grade that there is no longer deception in their hearts, and they have no wish nor desire to prevari- cate, or bring to the people sorrow, or disap- [ 80 ] HIGHER SPHERES pointment, and these guides of such grade of the third sphere and on, are of that spiritu- ality that their work must show the results. What those guides from the third sphere and beyond come back to the earth for, is to in- spire, and give unto the people knowledge of the life Beyond, and knowledge of their loved ones existing in certain Spheres ; they in other words are the instructors of the Spheres. Those Earth-bound Spirits who come to tell your Fortune, or tell you how to make more of the Almighty dollars, are not of authority, and are simply in the same plane of mind, to a large extent that they were on Earth, or in other words they have not outgrown their earthly conditions, but are still a part of the earth. Then, reader, would ye, if ye thought ye had a scheme that was of worth, would ye walk along the street and ask any man, or woman that ye met, what would be the result of this, or that, in any deal that ye might have? No indeed, ye would not. Then why should ye call for any [ 81 ] MESSAGES FEOM Spirit that happened along near you at that time? Do ye see the absurdity of the situation? It is, only, I say, from these guardian an- gels, of the higher Spheres who have your spiritual welfare at heart 2 that ye can depend upon and know that ye are receiving that which is of reliability and worth. The Spirits below these higher Spheres are so much of the earthly, that they are of the same manner as the earth people, as to the conditions of the earth life. Unless you are satisfied, in the particular instance, beyond a doubt, that it is some loved one, or some kin or friend of old times that you know to be of a charac- ter of honesty and worth, you may be de- ceived. Even then ye are liable to be de- ceived, because the earth bound spirits are so anxious to give what they wish, that they will represent themselves to be the one ye call for, so always in your efforts to gain knowledge of the other Spheres, seek a Medium, who is of that high worth [ 82 ] HIGHER SPHERES that is known and shown, that the guides of such medium are of the spiritual, and of all that pertains to the spiritual, and to the betterment and the true worth of living. Question. — What courses are helpful in promoting communications? Answer. — If ye have within your own home circle, one who seems to be of Medium- istic qualities, then the place to get the evi- dence of communications is right in your own home. Ye must have your certain days and certain hours and sit at that hour alone by yourselves, with a silent prayer ever within your hearts calling to the higher forces, and if at any time, ye feel the influence of Spirits around you, call for the higher one, and cast from you the evil, and do not allow any mani- festations of a low order, or of any order other than that which will be of the better- ment to your own spiritual being, for the real worth of spiritual communications, is that which comes from the higher forces, or the [ 83 ] MESSAGES FROM inspiration of God, through his guardian angel workers. After your developing me- dium has sufficiently developed, to receive messages of a high order, then comes the time, if you wish to receive a real commu- nication from some loved one who has passed over, and then you can call to these guides to bring to you the loved one from whom you are desirous to hear, and in this way ye will receive the genuine and the real messages from the loved one who has passed from your sight. But if ye promiscuously, call for these loved ones, ye know not what ye shall receive, because it shall be given unto thee the words of the evil or the earth- bound spirits, in which there may not be any truth. When these messages are given in such a manner ye soon become of the doubt- ing mind and will not listen to that which is of the true worth, and class it all as fraudulent. The best Spiritual Communications be- tween the Spheres and Earth, must be [ 84 ] HIGHER SPHERES brought about by the real laborers chosen out of the Vineyard, by the Great Master through His Prophets and Angel Guides and helpers. Question. — What is certain evidence that certain communications, are from Earth- bound Spirits? Answer. — Those communications and man- ifestations which are often received in the shape of rappings, and table tippings, and the movement of ponderous bodies, by invis- ible forces, ye can always rest assured, are given by Earth-bound Spirits of the first Sphere, for the Spiritual ones of the Higher Spheres are of that Ethereal nature, that it would be an impossibility for them to come and demonstrate such manifestations as are often given to the earth people, by such phys- ical manifestations. I admit, that often- times these rappings and ponderous move- ments of the material things have brought about good results, in that they have awak- [ 85 ] MESSAGES FEOM ened an interest in the human being nntil he has sought for higher labors and work from the Spirit life. And then again, there are earthly people, who would not be satisfied with the spiritual, but they want that on their own plane and condition of life, and in this there have been results of good work from the table tippings and rappings, but if ye wish to have instruction for the right living, and the right doing, and the peace and con- tentment of thy soul, and an unfoldment for a preparation of the Life Beyond, then only seek the spirits of the high order, by having within thy heart and soul, the prayer for the best or not at all. Seek and it shall be given unto thee, as thou hast sought, and if ye reach out for the pure and true and the reliable information of the different Spheres, ye shall receive, but if ye admit and call for, and give back to those who are lingering near to Earth this opportunity, then ye have but your own self to blame for receiving that which is not of [ 86 ] HIGHER SPHERES worth and reliability. Again there is great benefit derived by these earth-bound Spirits in their privilege of coming back again to the earthly beings and talking and understand- ing the philosophy of inter-communicating, but this must be carried on through Guides of the Medium for that purpose alone. Oft times these sweet angels of Mercy and Char- ity for the darkened soul, will come to some Medium, and in the manner known to them, take possession of this Medium, for the sole purpose of bringing some criminal, or some evil one back again to the earth, that he may come in contact with the Spirituality of the Angel and soul of the Medium, who has been seeking for the good. They then are watched and carefully warned from return- ing again, and when they see what it is to come back to the earth again, they have lost their desire for lingering near the earth, and then they are kindly and gently taught, that there is something more than the earth life for them, and that they are going to be given [ 87 ] MESSAGES FEOM a chance of redeeming themselves from the life on the earth, and by this way it is often times, that they too learn submission and the controlling them from their great desire of lingering near earth, and this is done through these angels who have the welfare of the darkened souls at heart, but they must be the ones to bring about this, and they must be the ones that will see that this is done in a right manner, that shall not bring evil to the earth Medium, or those who are seeking for com- munication from the Spheres. Again I chide thee, Seek not unless thou dost seek with a prayer in thy heart for the highest only, and accept none but what per- tains to the Spirituality, and I assure thee reader, thou shalt receive benefit for thy effort in the seeking. E 88 ] HIGHER SPHERES CHAPTEE XI THE ANCIENT PKOPHETS OR SPIRITS Question. — Who were the Prophets of Scripture and what were their duties and course of procedure? Answer. — The Ancient Spirits, or what was called in Ancient times the Prophets who came to earth and gave unto the Earth Plane, what yon call yonr Bible, are supposed by all those who have any information of reliability that they are the most ancient Spirits and were chosen by God, or the Great Ruler of all the Universes, to come to Earth to prepare the earth people for a betterment of their own lives and to make that which is given in the Bible, as examples for them to follow, but this all is history and I sup- pose it will be until again these Prophets [ 89 ] MESSAGES FROM come to some one of the Spheres and give evidence that will be convincing, and these ancient Spirits, or Prophets are supposed to be the rulers under the Great Master of all the Spheres. Ye may have in the perusal of this book, as well as others, wondered who was the Commander-in-Chief that should say- to each soul, as it passed from Earth, Why have ye done so and so, or why have ye lived such a life, or had the power to place them in the sphere in which they must dwell 1 This ruling of the Earth's Beings after Transition is done directly through these prophets who are supposed to be the band, who are in charge of the Universe through the ruling hand of God. These prophets, or ancient Spirits choose from each Sphere those Spirits who have become purified and are the noblest to adjust the future life of each soul, as it enters in any one sphere from the Earth life, and they are the secondary workers of the prophets, and then again when the period of punishment comes then the warning notes [ 90 ] HIGHER SPHERES of these prophets are given to this band of Angel workers, that they may know when to punish and when to reward. These Spirits of the higher spheres have authentic evidence of this and know whereof they speak, but beyond this it is but history handed down to us and we have accepted it as ye on Earth have accepted the teachings of the Bible, and we are compelled to have the faith that these prophets reside in a Sphere near to where the Great Being of all the Universes dwells. I am a Spirit who has lived in the fourth Sphere for many years, still I have not from my own personal ob- servation any convincing evidence of higher Spheres than the Fourth, but I am not authority on this and I have failed to find any one who has passed to higher than the fourth sphere, that has ever returned to other Spheres, excepting these Prophets who in certain times come to adjust mat- ters of State, and to arrange and adjust all matters in the lower Spheres, to conform [ 91 ] MESSAGES FEOM to that which they claim are the commands of the Master. The inhabitants of the Fourth Sphere should not, or could not require, or request a more beautiful existence than what is found in this fourth Sphere, and those who have made a thorough study and have traveled over the entire Sphere, if they have in the past at any time passed much of their exist- ence in the lower Spheres, then their opinion must frankly be that all is perfection, but that is not the keynote, nor that is not the motto that we hold close to, even in the fourth sphere because we have been handed that which shall be inherited by us for all gener- ations — that Progress is the one great effort to put forth at any and all times. Ancient writings of these Prophets, remem- ber, were given ages ago and in that time these prophets have too, progressed, for there is no such thing as dormancy in any of the Higher Spheres, then if the Spirits who in- habit these Spheres from the second to the [ 92 ] HIGHER SPHERES fourth, have constantly progressed then most surely these prophets of old too, have been gaining knowledge that would contradict and conflict most seriously with their teachings of the past ages. It has been told that when the Art of Communication has become well known, on the Earth Plane and the people are awakened to the necessity of a higher knowl- edge of the Spheres then when the proper time comes, for the people to receive as handed down to them, these Prophets shall again come to earth and give unto Man- kind new teachings. This has been taught to us in the fourth Sphere by several of those ancient prophets who have come back to the fourth sphere with their instructions of the matters of State in that Sphere, and it is pre- dicted and given by them, that the time is fast approaching when the Earth people shall again receive, a visit from these Prophets of old, who shall give unto them light and knowl- edge and instruction of a much more simple and practical form and of so much more ap- [ 93 ] MESSAGES FEOM pealing and awakening of the soul, that even the simple people cannot doubt, or the creeds of any Church dodge, but they must accept that as the highest teachings of all prophets from all Spheres, and this too may be given through a Medium as well as the actual visi- tation on Earth by Ancient Prophets. The necessity of a better race of Earth people has brought about this condition, the evil of Earth having become so great that the darkened souls, who enter the other Spheres are of such immense numbers, compared to the pure and the good that it has become of that seriousness that there must be a reaction against this evil, and of greater progression in the way of right living. This seems to be the criterion of the Spheres, even from the first on, and for this reason I deem it may be the reason of the visitation of the Prophets but the people must know who speaks to them, and know that they are receiving the right and the instruction that shall carry them Heavenward and make them more, as [ 94 ] HIGHEK SPHERES the Christ of the olden times first requested them, when they on the Earth Plane have so sorely failed to heed his prophecies and his bidding, they must be warned anew that all things shall at last become purified. [ 95 ] MESSAGES FROM CHAPTEB XII THE AMELIORATION OF GEIEF THROUGH TRANSITION Question. — Tell the readers how by the application of reason the Mourners are comforted? Answer. — The effect of sorrow and grief of a human being, after the Transition of a loved one, is most deplorable, especially upon the one just passing over. The grief that one harbors on earth over the Transition of the loved one, must necessarily envelop him with a darkening Aura, which shall make that darkening, or density so great that it will repel that loved one, who might if the one who is suffering would but cheer and be brave, for this spirit then might come near and whisper words of comfort, and let it be known [ 96 ] HIGHER SPHEBES that he still lives and is happy in his new home. The mourners also in their grief repel those guardian angels of brightness, who find it impossible to come close and comfort and give nnto the mourners knowledge of the life of those who have passed on; so the ones on the earth life who call around themselves this darkening influence must know that it is only the evil spirits of the first sphere who can in reality penetrate the darkness and come near. And as hard as it is to say to thee, it is the truth, that there are those evil ones who take delight in harassing and bringing grief and greater sorrow to the one that is in earthly grief, over the transition of the loved one, and also this grief retards the progress of the one that has passed over, for they sense to an extreme, that is pain to them, of the sorrowing of the one that they have left on earth, and their sympathy is awakened to that extent that they linger near, hoping and trusting that they may enlighten them and [ 97 ] MESSAGES FROM that their earthly sorrow may be lessened, when otherwise if one would only understand the true life of the Beyond, and feel that when one has gone, that it is God's way and God's law and that it cannot be overcome, and would be cheerful and bright although their hearts did ache. They would then gain strength and be braver and stronger and give unto the one who has passed over a new life lease, and a new courage to go on and take up his work in the sphere he has gained by his own efforts and actions in life. Although the departed are taken to a higher sphere by these guardian angels, still there is ever that longing and desire within them, if they are good spirits, to return to the sorrowing ones on earth and give them comfort with the knowledge that they still live, but in this as I have said they are hampered to that extent that it is impossible for them to penetrate the Aura of the sorowing one, so then again [ 98 ] HIGHER SPHERES they return to earth and then again they go to the sphere allotted them and back and forth, nntil their whole sonl is absorbed in the one desire to give comfort to the sor- rowing one. Because of this situation their own life in the Beyond is retarded when they might, if they were relieved from the sympathy for the sorrowing, or mourning ones on earth, be progressing and going to the limit of that which is their share in the Sphere where they shall dwell. Again the lesson to thee should be that it not only is retarding the growth, and de- stroying the peace of mind and the hap- piness of the departed one, but thou art again, I say calling around thee by such grief those evil spirits of designs, who are of no benefit to thee, but will bring to thee more sorrow. And also while ye are mourning and griev- ing over that which ye have no power to change, ye in your own life might be a shin- [ 99 ] MESSAGES FROM ing light for those who art near thee on earth. And this which is called the grief of the departure of loved ones, is sensed and felt by all earthly beings who come near thee, or who inhabit the same homes with thee. Now stop, dear reader, and realize the grief and the sorrow that ye are casting about thee in- stead of sowing seeds of sunshine and light, for it is within thee, if thou wilt but assert thy manhood and thy womanhood to cast off sorrow, as ye should cast off evil, and bring to the loved ones brightness and an incentive to go on in their future life as well as to be a blessing to those who are still left near thee on the earth plane. The old saying is " That to suffer is to grow strong " but this is not meant that ye shall invite and harbor suffering near thee and forever cling to it, shutting out all God- like emblems of inspiration from the angel world. It means that ye shall assert thy strength of character and cast from thee the [ 100 ] HIGHER SPHERES evil that succeeds and follows sorrow and grief, and that ye shall rise above it and say Master, I know that Thou too hast suffered, and I shall be as Thou hast been of that strength that I shall cast from me and go about my labors on earth, trusting my loved ones in thy care, feeling that thou shalt re- ward or give unto them, all that is best and needful for this one who has passed from my life and gone to an unknown world, and in this Thou shalt say I put all trust in the Master of the destiny of our lives, and in my strength I shall take up new labors that shall take my mind and attention from this grief, and I shall not forget the good of that loved one who has passed away, but shall make it an incentive for my own betterment, and I shall not grieve but I shall cast seeds of blessing and seeds of brightness for those who need me on earth, until my own summons shall come and my Master shall then have that to say of me, ' ' Thou hast done thy work well. ,, [ 101 ] MESSAGES FEOM There is no religion, nor no creed on the earth plane, but that has the inspiration in it to reach ont for something better than a selfish grief that ye have been robbed of your loved ones, and Spiritualism also teaches that ye are not robbed, but simply separated for the time being, and that the loved one who has passed on, has been given his or her reward, or punishment as it may be, and that the sorrows and physical pains on earth are over. Then why should I mourn, ye should say, for in this thou hast the comfort of the knowl- edge of their return and if thou willst but make thy life a bright Sunshiny life, then these beautiful spirits can come to thee, and in some way, and at some time, answer thy prayer and unite thee again to the loved one who has in love and purity been building a home for thee, and stands ready to greet thee and aid thee and help thee, as a sister or a brother in the life that is a glorious land of Sunshine forevermore. [ 102 ] HIGHEE SPHERES Let this little lesson in this chapter be to many sorrowing hearts on the earth plane an incentive of courage, strength, and char- acter, that shall enable thee to bear thy bur- dens, as Christ did on the Cross. [ 103 ] MESSAGES FROM CHAPTEB XIII ACCUMULATION OF WEALTH Question. — What is the effect in Spirit life of the unjust accumulation of wealth and what are some of the duties of its holders? Answer. — It is a pleasure to me, to have this blessed privilege, of coming back to Earth again, and coming to the people, and appealing to them that there is something higher and something of greater worth in life, and in the Spheres Beyond, than the accumu- lation of the Earth wealth. Now in this chapter, I am talking especially to those people, who have been so fortunate that they are enabled to accumulate more of the Earth's wealth than is necessary for their own individual necessities. Now man and woman of the Earth, and of [ 104 ] HIGHER SPHERES its wealth, what is your duty to your brother man and sister woman? It is not that you keep on in your life of hoarding your treas- ures for your own selfish pleasure and gain, and depriving those who, if they but had the actual necessities that they needed in life, they might better awaken to the possibilities of a better life. Are you not in your selfish- ness in hoarding your wealth responsible in a measure, for a good share of the evil on Earth? Take for instance the idle men of the day, would they be idle if this wealth were more evenly distributed among mankind! And if in their idleness they are tempted and fall, is it the wealth of the earth plane that reaches down and lifts these fallen men or women and assists them, when the wealth holders are perfectly able to assist, and with- out injuring their own earthly prospects in any manner? I say to you, that thou hast it upon thy head, if thou dost not reach out to help those beneath you, when you see that just a little of that which you have accumu- [ 105 ] MESSAGES FROM lated would keep them from this temptation and give to them at least a decent life on earth, and in giving encouragement and a betterment and an incentive for the right life, is it not more to you, wealthy man, than the hoarding of your treasures on earth, which shall be taken from you as you pass the portals, and will ne'er be counted in your favor as a farthing or a jewel of any price ? It is but a worthless drug upon your shoul- ders, when you pass to the higher Spheres and then you will be confronted with this; "What hast thou done for Mankind? What hast thou done to assist thou brother man? I plead with thee awaken now, to the neces- sity of giving a part at least of your hoarded treasures to those in need, remember those who are tempted to crime, are oftentimes but the results of your own hoarding and your own neglect of your duty to your fel- low men. When on Earth, I was a public speaker, and I was constantly confronted with this [ 106 ] HIGHER SPHERES question of what could be done to arouse those who had plenty of the Earth's wealth to reach out and help those who were leading the life that would meet with punishment and darkness in the future. Since my Transi- tion to the Higher Spheres, I have traversed through the first and second and now am in the Third Sphere and I find wherever I have traveled the results man of wealth, of your wrong living, for I have seen what you might have done, and I have seen where you might have assisted others, and I have seen where you yourself, have darkened your own future life in the Spheres in which you will be called to dwell. Now man of the greedy heart, man of the selfish nature, is it not the time for you to arouse yourself and cast from you that chain that shall bind you down and chain you to the darkened Sphere with the lowest, the murderer and those of the criminal class, for you have sinned as they have sinned, and to me your crime is greater because you are supposed to be of a mind that is capable to [ 107 ] MESSAGES FROM rise above the evils of the Earth. As I look upon the results of this uneven and unjust accumulation of wealth, it seems to me from the Spirit side, that I never sensed the evil of the man who lived for the greed of gain as I now do. I have had my experience with many of those, who allowed the earth messengers or mediums, on earth for the other worlds, suffer in vain for even the necessary dollars to carry them from one place to the other that they might bring the glad tidings of the future life, but I never on Earth comprehended what this all meant until I passed to the Beyond, and again I plead with you man and woman of wealth, that there is something for you in the life beyond, other than this accumulation of the mighty dollar, which is but a selfish greed within your heart. That greed not only destroys the best within you, and numbs it, and creates within yourself no intellectual power, and you are hampering those, who should have at least [ 108 ] HIGHER SPHERES a fair chance to live in some manner of com- fort, if not of privileges^ that wealthy ones are so ready to accept for themselves. In my investigations in the first Sphere I found that there are many and numerous Millionaires there, who had supposed that they were the great Lords of Creation, who are to-day down in the very depths of despair and as it were, are at the very foot of th£ ladder and they have yet to reach out and grasp and climb, as the criminal has, because they too have failed, when it was near them and within their power to assist mankind, and make themselves more spiritual. On Earth they have grasped and robbed whom they did business with, for their own personal gain, and I find these Millionaires classed with the criminals who have in their ignorance committed crime. Is this not enough to awaken you, and is this not enough to bring you to the sense of reform, and to stop your reaching out and ever grasping for that which does not prop- [ 109 ] MESSAGES FKOM erly belong to you, for no man is entitled to more than he can necessarily use for the necessary comforts, and all that he gains then, is of little worth to him, when he passes to the life of the angel world? Then there is another side to the story, for yon have a chance if yon but will before the hour of thy transition comes, to redeem your- self by letting out this wealth in a manner that shall aid and assist in the enlightenment of mankind. This is a period when it re- quires a war, a Eevolutionary War I might say, to awaken the masses to the realization of the evil that is on this earth plane. The time is here man of worth, when you can redeem yourself and commence the life that shall lead you to a home not of bitter- ness, sorrow and punishment but one of glori- ous and grand spirituality, that shall make your soul forever in peace, comfort and con- tentment for all time, if ye will seek for the higher in life, and ye shall find and it will be given unto thee Man. [ no ] HIGHER SPHERES CHAPTEE XIV INHEEITED EVIL AND EETEOGEESSION TO THE FIEST SPHEEE Question. — In what way is Evil considered and punishment therefor directed? Answer. — There is one class of human beings in whom I feel a special interest and sympathy, both in the earthly life and the life that is yet to come for them, and that is the human beings who have inherited evil conditions and evil natures from those who have brought them to earth life or given them birth. To these beings who have in- herited evil much consideration and sympathy is given them, in the life which they take up in the Beyond. The Great Master's helpers or the Prophets and their secondary workers, or the angels, bear all this in mind and deal [ in 1 MESSAGES FROM gently and kindly with those who have sinned through their inheritance, for they deem it is a sin brought upon them without their effort, or without their desires and the child that is brought into life through sin, or sin- ful parents is certainly one to receive the deepest and the most heartfelt sympathy that can be given to mankind. For such child, if born of good parents, and has that in him of the good, and then sins it is of a different standing. If ye who read these lines, are one of the earth's poor unfortunates, who has been brought upon the earth plane by sinful parents, or their ancestors of the past, re- member that if ye in the effort put forth, is for good it shall be given to thee as a reward greater than for the one who has been born well and without sin, for he has a double struggle, a twice double struggle to overcome the evil with the good, with which the being who is born of good parents has. Therefore despair not, kind reader, if ye are one of these unfortunates but take up thy [ 112 ] HIGHER SPHERES life work without ever shirking, or fearing for the future if ye will in thy strength of manhood, or womanhood, assert the good that is in thee, even if it is but a tiny speck, let it blossom and grow until it shall pass from thee, or overcome the evil that thou hast in- herited and thy life shall not be spent in vain. By this, I do not mean that thou canst go along in thy earth life and sin, and reap re- ward, for this is not so, for no man sows seeds of sin but must reap a harvest of pun- ishment, but I say that those who are not re- sponsible for this which they have inherited, will receive much less punishment and greater consideration in the final adjustment of their life. Parents who have been responsible for bringing a child into the earth life in the path of sin, shall receive twice more of punishment than the parent who has brought the child in purity and love. He must reap what he has sown and it will not be a bed of roses but it will be a punishment that shall be that which shall cleanse and purify, only after [ 113 l MESSAGES FROM severe punishment and great effort of his own, so beware parents! before ye take upon thyself the responsibility of adding crime to the life that is yet to come to thee in the future, for if thou dost give unto thy child that is born to thee the inclination for sin, and he carries out that inclination then remember ye are the sinner and ye are the one who shall be punished until it is wiped from the slate of record of thy soul. This ye cannot escape, man for it is as sure thy fate as the Sun that shines, but ye too have a chance while yet on earth to re- deem thyself in a great measure, by living such a life that will make thy soul arise above and beyond the sins of thy past. Let thy life and thy work in the future be forever a silent prayer to all that is good, so that at the last good shall overcome evil. Question. — Is there Retrogression to the First Sphere as well as Progression in the Spheres? [ 114 ] HIGHER SPHERES Answer. — In the Higher Spheres there is only Retrogression when Progression ceases, with any Spirit, and this may be to the first Sphere of those darkened Spirits, who have desired to become of the better, and have gained sufficient knowledge and instruction to enter the second Sphere, and then have be- come despondent, or have taken on a desire for earthly conditions, or where earthly con- ditions have come upon him once more, and he has not gained sufficient strength, to cast from him this desire to return again to the earth life, or to some of his old associates, for evil purposes, or evil inspirations to those who have been in the past his companions. Then again, where one's strength has been overestimated by these Guides, who have passed them to a higher Sphere, they in time may retrograde again, or desire rather to go back, for instruction in a lower sphere, as for instance, at times there are those who have been passed to the third Sphere, that it is found that they are lacking in some line [ us ] MESSAGES FEOM of knowledge, or they may have shifted to another line of work and they then see the necessity of going back to the second Sphere to take up instructions in the new labors. In such instances Spirits go backward, but as to the real spirituality of the Soul, there is but little Eetrogression, the majority of Spirits when their souls are once awakened to climb the ladder of Fame, and do that which will bring them greater peace, and a more spiritual life, are ready to follow in this line, rather than to suffer that which has been their part in their Earth life, or in their existence in the first Sphere. So it is in but rare cases, where there is Eetrogression, for it is talked to them and constantly imbibed in them, that the law of Nature must ever be progression". [ 116 ] HIGHER SPHERES CHAPTER XV SCIENCE ENLIGHTENMENT VeTSUS RELIGIOUS CREEDS Question. — In what way have religious creeds retarded Scientific Communications be- tween the Spheres and Earth Life? Answer. — In the study of any theory, or creed of religious doctrine, the individual should ever bear in mind, that all should have a searching investigation of the right of each creed and then from this, each individual must select that which appeals to him and seems right, and at the same time remember this; that thou must not cling to the old ancient theories that were given ages ago, for man was not then in a manner born for intellectual force, or energy of thought, or the solving of scientific problems. In the day [ 117 ] MESSAGES FEOM and age when all the creeds of the earth were handed down to man, remember they were in all instances founded upon simple the- ories, and faith of what the future might be. Listen, now while I tell you what is a fact, and ye should listen, whether Ministers, or laymen, or of whatever profession ye may be, ye must admit that not one of the old time creeds was handed down from a scientific point. How many Scientists in the age of the Prophets were there who had given the smallest attention and had earnestly investi- gated what was the future life? Did they not come to thee and give to thee in their crude manner that which they had been taught, or believed to be a fact? Was there one among them who ever analyzed, or showed a scientific unfoldment of the prob- lems of the life that was then unknown? You must admit that scientists of that day were unknown, as well as even a venture in the way of a scientific analysis of the problem of what the future was to be. And later on, as gener- [ 118 ] HIGHER SPHERES ation after generation passed, then the scien- tists commenced in their simple and unedu- cated manner with a fear that there was no such thing as a scientific investigation of the future life, but after delving into the mys- teries of the unknown it was apparent in a short time that there was much of knowledge to be gained, and in this course as it was pur- sued along a scientific line there was constant development and even many scientists in the past two centuries have given unto the world knowledge, of that force and of knowledge, of that weight and depth that it could not be denied by those who had made the investiga- tion. The people, the poor darkened earth people were not in a spirit of mind to accept this and they even strove and fought against greater knowledge than what had been handed down to them in the ages gone past. O blind ignorance, sublime man of earth who thinks he cannot, who thinks he must not progress in the knowledge of what is to be his life after he leaves this little earth [ 119 ] MESSAGES FEOM plane. will the day ever come when the en- lightenment of man will be brought about so that he is ever ready to grasp truth as it is given not only by the great Scientists of the world but by the great Euler of all things — Nature — There is so much bigotry and igno- rance and stubbornness in the Art of not be- lieving that which the Scientists have dis- covered and had made a thorough lesson to the people, and there still is that sublime knowledge of the man that it cannot be so. Student of Nature, tell me why thou didst resist knowledge, that would bring to thee an unf oldment of the manner of right living, not only in this earth plane but in the Spheres which you and all are sure to dwell in later on. why has man fought so long against what is the most glorious and grand en- lightenment of all the Spheres that were ever discovered? Answer this if ye can? It is from what ye have gained through ages of blind and false teachings of the Creeds of the Churches. [ 120 ] HIGHER SPHERES Question. — What effect have scientific investigations had in promoting communi- cations between the Spheres and Earth Life? Answer. — After the time came when these Scientists began to explore the unknown worlds and became satisfied of other worlds in existence then came the courage of those Angel Spirits, who had for ages fought and tried under great difficulties, because of the ignorance of the people, to make mankind know that they still lived in other Spheres and that there was a glorious life Beyond. Then following these investigations came the manifestations from the higher Spheres of Spirits who had learned that at last the earthly people were awakening, but what the earth people should have learned, say in one year, they have taken one hundred years to develop their sense of the knowledge of the future life in worlds beside this earthly plane. From that time down came new develop- ments of the greater knowledge of the life [ 121 ] MESSAGES FROM that is yet to be, for those on Earth, and as these scientific investigations were carried on and more of the Angels from the higher Spheres came and heralded the glad tidings that there was life beyond the grave, they have progressed until now, within the past twenty-five years there has been great devel- opment, compared to what theretofore was, but still there must be greater yet, and now at this time and day we must awaken to the fact, and ye cannot deny that the Spirit re- turns, when it lisps to you these words of enlightenment which shall carry thee to a home that shall be thy eternal home, but only under the conditions in which thou hast dwelt on earth, shall that be of the beauteous and of the perfection, or of the darkness. It is for thee man of earth to rise above the old teachings and the creeds of the Churches and whatever it may be, and bring that innermost part of Spirituality within thy being and let it crop out to the Fore, until ye defy man on Earth, and at all times place thyself ready [ 122 ] HIGHER SPHERES to accept the whisperings and the inspiration of those in the Spheres above. There is no condition of ignorance that is so sublime and so muzzled as is that ignorance that will not accept enlightenment, as to whatever may be for the betterment of all mankind. O, Tell me, scoffer and sneerer if ye can, what ye fear, if ye have made your life on earth as it should be and your conscience is clear, then why do you fear what may be on the other side of the River that ye are all bound to cross? Is it that ye stand back and see thy own sins, and have become resigned to hell, or the old Bible teachings? If this is why, ye do not advance and progress and become a learned individual of all that may be on the earth plane, as well as the Spheres of the Beyond, then cast from thee this feeling of despair which thou art harboring, and which ye feel is your doom, for there is a better to- morrow, a day of Sunshine and glorious [ 123 ] MESSAGES FROM brightness and gladness that ye will then understand the teachings of the higher Spheres, which will show thee that this earth is hut the beginning of mankind. It is only the crudest part of the life that ye must sur- vive, and ye must know too that if thou dost begin aright and follow out the right in all things, in the first cycle of thy life, then more beautifully, gloriously and grandly, will be the results in the Cycles which are yet to follow. [ 124 ] HIGHER SPHEEES CHAPTEE XVI BUILDING OF YOUR HOME IN THE HIGHER SPHEEES Question. — How does Earthly conduct and morality of the individual effect his future home in the Higher Spheres? Answer. — There is much wonderment of mankind, as to their habitation in the higher Spheres, or as to that which pertains to the home there. While in the first, second, and third Spheres the Spirits have their homes similar to what ye have on Earth, although here again, we find a great improvement in all designs of architecture and manner of building these homes, and also of the fur- nishings, for as has been said to thee in pre- vious chapters the greatest of all inventions have been handed down to the earth plane [ 125 ] MESSAGES FEOM and also as to the architectural designs of the palaces of the highest spheres, where man shall dwell if he has bnilded well, and such designs are of immense grandeur compared with what is in Earth life. Ye have but to compare thy own darkened life, here on earth and thy own hampered life that has kept thee perhaps from fulfilling thy desires from and giving to thee the home which thou hast ever desired, but if the life here is led aright and if in passing through the first sphere ye redeem yourself, and perfect thy- self in purity and all the enlightenment that is required as necessary there, then ye may rest assured that in the higher spheres ye shall be given a home that shall complete all desires that ye may have had in earth life, and be far superior to any idea that thou may ever had of a home. To be sure there are many mansions on the earth plane, of great beauty and grandeur, but we find them to greatly exceed this in the spheres in the Beyond, so what have ye to [ 126 ] HIGHER SPHERES fear, earth man, if ye will but adjust thy life to the laws of Nature and to God's laws, and live such a beautiful life on earth that ye shall respond to all that is pure and good, and when thy time comes for the judgment to be passed upon thee thy Master can well say; " Thou hast built well and thy home shall be one of grandeur." It stands for thee to assert thyself and build as ye should, and it is for thee to make thy home in the higher spheres of whatever grade of grandeur that thy heart must most desire. Also in the higher spheres we have the most beautiful and grand scenery unknown to the eye of man, and it is so superior in its many trees and shrubberies and beautiful flowers of all kinds that it would be as a dream to the earthly people, and so on, ye can look in any direction that ye may, after passing to these spheres, and ye can see nothing in sight but what is far superior and of higher enlightenment and beautifica- tion than what ye find on earth. C 127 ] MESSAGES FROM Our Eivers, our Mountains and our Seas are still more beautiful than on earth, and so on I could picture the beauties to thee, as we pass along in this little book of enlighten- ment, from the Spirits of the other life. Ye cannot find a darkening cloud in thy life be- yond, that will be shown to thee, if thou dost but lead the right life, but remember, man of the earthly world, this beauty and this gran- deur of the higher spheres are not for thee unless thy life on earth has been such as shall conform and entitle thee to the beauties of the Spiritual life. Ye will be required to remain in this sphere of darkness where the sorrowing heart is of grief and conscience smitten, and disappointment and regret, for what it has done and failed to do in earth life. And then again, as to the Art works of the higher spheres, it is on the same plane that I have described to you in pre- vious chapters, that all is of so much higher grade of work and perfection, that it can hardly be compared to the earthly art, ex- [ 128 ] HIGHER SPHERES cepting in that the Earthly Arts of all kinds are in their first and most crude state, and are but a Child's work compared with that of the Spirit workers in those higher spheres of beauty, where ye have a chance to dwell and make thy home for all eternity, if thou dost but make thy life on earth one glad sunshiny day, that shall cast its beams broadcast and shall sow around those who are in darkness inspiration and ambition to come too, to those rays of light that thou hast shed for them, and in their coming they too shall be awak- ened, to seek that they may build their man- sion in the skies. And in the building to this, remember the material that is necessary to build this home is pueity, tempeeance, chae- ITY, KINDNESS OF HEAET, UNSELFISHNESS, and the great ambition of thy soul must be at all times to make each day better and each day nearer that which thy Master wishes thee to live, and in thy building of this Mansion with these pearly gems, I have spoken of, as the foundation of that home let it be peogeession. [ 129 ] MESSAGES FROM In thy earthly work if it is possible, or ye can adjust thyself to that, take up the work, that thou canst do with an earnestness of pur- pose and love at heart, and if ye are perform- ing those labors that are not of pleasure to thee, then seek until thou shalt find that which thou canst throw thy whole strength of man- hood in, until thou canst make thy life 's labors on earth a pleasure, and then if thou dost find that which ye especially love to do, then per- fect thyself in every line of that work until ye can know that ye are doing the best that is within thee. Then when thy love and thy strength and thy education in this line have become more complete, ye may know that if it is thy desire, and thy wish in the other life, this same labor shall be given to thee in a much higher state, that shall complete thy desires and thy wishes for whatever thou mayest be called upon to do. It is much better that the earthly man al- ways strive to do that work which is a part [ 130 ] HIGHER SPHERES of him, or in which he feels that he has the inspiration of right in him, as then he will do the work with a much better will and in the other life he can be accredited with having put forth the best effort that was in his power, amidst the earthly conditions which have re- tarded and hampered the growth in all labors. All this will be taken in account when thy final life's work is adjusted, to the element that is in thee, that shall call for the work that shall be of the highest order for thee. Now, brave man or coward, whichever ye may be, take heart for the to-morrow, for it is as ye will, and it is as thou shalt build for thyself for if thou dost but exert thyself, and cast from thee every evil, or every harassing thought, that shall deplete thy vitality, strength and manhood and drive from thee the good, then thou hast not labored in vain, but thou art building again for thy home above. There is much in this life that thou canst do to avoid lessons in the future, by thy work- [ 131 ] MESSAGES FROM ing here in thy labors in the right spirit, and manner, and thou shalt not only bring peace and contentment and a high hope for the future, but thou art saving and gaining that much time, that might be spent in the fields of punishment, and to lessen the greater labor to whiten thy soul. All this thou canst avoid, if thou but will and in the avoidance thou art bringing to thy neighbor man or woman an incentive too, that they shall reap that in the earth plane, and make the commencement for the foundation for their home, that which the Master shall admire and commend. Now is this not an incentive, for thee to cast from thee, despairing thoughts of dis- couragement and fear for the future, but let thy life of Intelligence, call for inspiration and aid to these angels, who stand ever ready to aid and assist thee and thou shalt have hope in thy efforts, if thou wilt but put forth the right earnestness of Spirit and show the will of honesty and truth for this life. There is no man but has the effort, if he will [ 132 ] HIGHER SPHERES but put it forth, and no man is punished if he has done the best within him, under the earthly conditions, so let this forever be thy motto ' ' Up and doing the best within me, and in doing the best, I am growing and cultivat- ing the highest spirit of manhood within me, for the building of my home in the skies. ' ' This advice and knowledge are given unto thee by a Spirit from the third Sphere who is making it his Eternal work and pleasure to come to Earth, and give unto man an inspira- tion for preparation and advancement after his Transition. [ 133 ] MESSAGES FROM CHAPTEE XVII AID TO INSPIRATIONAL SPIRITUAL SPEAKERS AND WORKERS Question. — What credit accrues in Spirit Life to those, who in Earth Life give aid and support to the cause of Spiritual Education? Answer. — During fifty years of loyal and sacrificing labors for the Earth people in giving unto them messages and lectures of enlightenment and instruction from the Higher Spheres, I have found that in those labors there has often been a distinct un- gratefulness of the people on Earth toward these chosen Earth Messengers, who have oft times against their own will and pleasure, been forced into the ranks of itinerant labors by the Higher Forces which they could not resist. [ 134 ] HIGHER SPHERES They have given their lives and sacrificed their homes and their children and their pleasures for the good of Mankind of Earth, but still these people, and I found them many- times in the majority, who were perfectly able to assist and render financial aid as well as encouragement failed in their duty to their sister and brother man. Now in coming back to Earth, I speak to thee, not with regret of my own self, but of the future of those who are left on the Earth plane, to labor for the Spirit world, and for the good of mankind. People of the en- lightened minds, who are seeking for knowl- edge from the Higher Spheres, although you think it not the duty of your own, to bring about the comfort for these angel messengers of Earth, remember that it is not the man, or woman of Earth that is now talking to you, and pleading with you, for the right life, but it is a messenger sent by God through Angels who have been chosen for the band, or the right-hand man, that speaks through [ 135 ] MESSAGES FEOM the Medium. You have a duty to perform in aiding these if you wish to benefit man- kind, and I know of no place on earth where there can be more good accomplished than in assistance rendered to these messengers of higher knowledge. There are many to-day, in the fields of labor, who are without the necessary funds for their own comfort, much less luxuries or even the necessities. As I have previously spoken in another chapter, of the accumulation of wealth, right here, man of wealth, is your chance to re- deem yourself for any past error in life, right here is a mighty fine opportunity to open the purse strings, and aid not only the poor medium, who is traveling from place to place, in his efforts to conform to the wishes of those Angels, but you are cleansing your own soul and preparing for your own home above, and not only this, kind man and woman of wealth, you are bringing peace and encour- agement to these faithful, loving, charitable, unselfish and sacrificing Angels of higher [ 136 ] HIGHER SPHERES spheres, who devote all their time to these mediums, and work under the most difficult conditions of which man knows not of, and if you only knew, dear reader, how much you are needed right here, what a chance there is for you to do good, here on Earth, and redeem yourself and place in your Crown in the other life a Jewel that shall show the brightness and lightness of your own soul. Now you need not say, that you do not know what to do, for there is an opportunity that shall be rich as gold, but remember that you are not to help those who can help themselves, but those who are struggling so faithfully in the fields of labor for the Spirit world. I could cite numerous mediums, as there are mediums whom I well knew on the Earth, who need right now, to-day, your assistance, and I can also cite others who have passed over the border of life, who have been on the Earth plane and in their beautiful sacrificing life in the labors for, and the assistance to these Angels, who might have remained and been [ 137 ] MESSAGES FROM aiding and working in life many years yet, if yon had only but given them the aid and sup- port in their good deeds. You know, man of wealth, that you have not done your duty, if you have not opened out your heart to those who are struggling for the betterment of man. Of course, I realize that there are many Un- fortunates suffering for the necessaries of life, in the way of a living, but this too, can be remedied, by those who have more of the Earth's lucre than which is their right, for as I have said no man is deserving of more than what he actually needs. As I look back on the Earth plane, after the knowledge I had gained through years of labor I never knew the time so ripe, for so rich a harvest of Spirituality, in the hearts of mankind as to-day. The time is fast approaching when there is to be a great Revelation of the Higher Spheres, that shall give again unto mankind, a new impetus for and a renewal of Spiritual growth and knowledge, as has been said and I 138 ] HIGHER SPHERES given in this third Sphere, where I now re- side, for the coming of the Prophets shall herald to you mighty labors, in the Spiritual fold, so be ready, and have the army of workers ready to assist those Prophets and this will be the building that shall make thee forever of Spiritual peace and contentment. 0, if I could only but describe to you, all that I have encountered and seen in these Spheres, I am sure, dear brother and sister, your hearts would be awakened to your duty of aiding those who are messengers of these Spheres of Spirituality beauty and grandeur. If you could only see and know, these beautiful souls who are coming back to Earth to lisp inspiration, affection, love and encour- agement to their darkened brothers and sis- ters on Earth, it would shame you, for your lack of enterprise in the manner of giving earthly comfort to these mediums who are chosen as their workers. 0, these beautiful souls, who have passed through the punishment, eternal punishment [ 139 ] MESSAGES FROM of ages gone past, which has cleansed them from all Earthly environments and made them so Spiritual, that even I who had labored for so many years for these spirits, and sac- rificed to the best of my knowledge, and had given my life, and had sacrificed my home, my child, and all of my home pleasures for them, still I draw back in fear and sorrow that I on Earth had not done more, and had not thereby made my soul whiter in the labors for the Lord. the beauties of these beings, as they come to me, they are of that inspiration that is beyond all conception of man or woman kind on Earth. there is so much, in this life, there is so much in what is the Eternal life of the soul of man, and if you could but sense and know the joy of living free from the old physical body and its pain, it would certainly be an incentive to you to do all that you can on the Earth plane that you might pass to the Higher Spheres, in the right path. If you could only know, as I know now that [ ho ] HIGHER SPHERES Earth is the beginning of mankind, and that you have been placed on Earth to commence aright and it means so much to yon, if you could only understand, how important it is to live right on Earth, that you may escape the first Sphere, which is in reality the old- time hell preached by the Churches, that is, I say it is so, but not of the burning kind, but I am sure there are many Sinners in that first Sphere, who wish they could be burned and have it ended, for their souls have been awakened to their sins on the Earth plane until in their agony they cry out, Lord, how long, how long? But it is not necessary for any human beings to reside in the first Sphere, if they will only understand what their Earth life should be. I understand well, and I did not live all those years on the Earth plane without knowl- edge, and I understand the condition under which you are laboring, and I know how diffi- cult it is to overcome many things, and do [ 141 ] MESSAGES FROM right, and I know that there are millions of good people on the Earth plane, that have within their hearts the best, who oftentimes are tempted and step aside, just because of their Earth conditions, but, man and woman, if you only really understood the true situation and understood what this life is in the Beyond, you would not step aside for any condition no matter what it is, but Ye would stand forth, ye would stand with the strength of womanhood and manhood within you, that no Earthly condition could jar you aside. Now I must close this article, but I must plead once more to you, to let no opportun- ity pass by, that you might add to your crown of jewels. There are many ways, and this is just one chance, I have told you of, but there are many ways that I might cite to you in which you could better yourself for the life in the to-morrow. Dear brothers and sisters, this is one chance, and if you will but seek other chances [ 142 ] HIGHER SPHERES there never was a time, but where yon can find and see good, if you will seek for it, for there is always some kind Angel from above reaching down and whispering inspiration that will lead you aright if your heart only reaches out and comes in contact with the Spirituality of the beautiful souls of the Angel Worlds, and then you will know and you will understand your duties, and you will not fail. [ 143 ] MESSAGES FROM CHAPTER XVIII SOUL GROWTH AND CAPITAL PUNISHMENT VIEWED SPIRITUALLY Question. — What are some of the re- forms needful to Soul Growth? Answer. — The efforts needful to put forth for the surest growth of the Soul for the life to he taken up after crossing the Eiver of Life, are numerous. It can he in the way of Charitable acts; it can be in the constant hope and effort put forth for Eternal prog- ress, by ever reaching out for inspiration from these Higher Spheres, that the Spirits of the Spheres may assist and guide thee in thy earthly labors, no matter what those labors may be, even although they be of the lowest, or of the simplest form. Ever hold within your Soul that deter- [ 144 ] HIGHER SPHERES mination to do whatever is placed before thee, with a Godlike cheerfulness and a God- like desire for the highest within thee, to come to the fore and aid thee, in thy life although thy effort may be of strictly ma- terial force. And again, the Soul may grow to reach the greatest heights, for the one who has plenty of the earth's riches, by building homes for those who are decrepit, and those who are crippled and those who are unfitted and weary with the struggles of life. He may build those homes which shall not be as it were, to them the county farms, but shall be homes of instruction and right for the men, or women who have been hampered by earthly conditions, and who have not been able, after great efforts to bring to them- selves, all the needed requirements of earth's finances, which should have placed them in homes of their desires, and which might instil in them greater and better Earth work. Then again, man and woman, who truly [ 145 ] MESSAGES FROM and earnestly wish for the Soul's growth for a preparation of the life Beyond, ye have mighty labors on Earth to perform in the way of reforms in your prisons. Question. — How is Capital punishment viewed by the Intelligences of the Higher Spheres? Answer. — In one vital instance ye have a chance to perform great good for those dark- ened Souls who have been condemned to prison walls, in working for reforms which shall abolish and do away with a second crime, called on Earth murder; that is in what ye call the execution of man. could ye but know the blackening of the Soul of the Judge who condemns the man to death by execution, through the hand of mortal man. blind ignorance, know ye not that this is double crime? This is as much a murder as the crime he undertakes to punish through man-made laws. Ye should know that this is wrong. [ 146 ] HIGHER SPHERES Where is the teaching that ye have re- ceived, or the religion or creeds of any Church that teaches from authority, that be- cause one man murders another must mur- der to wipe out the sin? Cite to me, if ye can, one instance of teachings from the Prophets, which tells that man must commit murder to wipe out the murder of the poor weakened sinner. Perhaps this sin has been committed through ignorance, of the use of intoxicant liquors made by responsible men for their own selfish gain, by ruining and sending to long suffering their weaker brother. This liquor that has robbed the man of his own true manhood and individuality then becomes the original cause, by which he in his weakness and numbness creates a crime. Then twelve men who sit in judgment and supposed to be filled with wisdom, and charged by a learned man who calls himself the judge of mankind, through man-made laws, must all commit murder to wipe off [ 147 ] MESSAGES FROM the Earth this poor weak sinner 's crime, and send him to another Sphere where he must still suffer and be robbed of his chance of Redemption? No indeed, no. In the Spheres in the Beyond this is classed as high mur- der, as much as the fallen criminal's, for the Great Master recognizes no law made by man, except when that law is for the better- ment of the Souls of his Children. Then again, the Earthly Court or Judge, who orders and secures, through his Exe- cutioner, the life of the criminal, thereby it is true frees the Earth Plane of the physical, fleshly presence of the criminal, but that Judge also frees the Soul of the Criminal, and places him prematurely, in another Sphere, there to become an unwelcome re- ceipt, and a further burden of care to those Spiritual beings of the higher Spheres, whose lives are devoted to the betterment in due course, of Earth's Peoples. Also again the spirit of that executed criminal, may be afforded through the Evil [ 148 ] HIGHER SPHERES forces of the first Sphere, the opportunity to return to Earth and wreak his vengeance, through others criminally inclined, or his own former evil associates, against the wel- fare of Earth's betterment. Here is work for reform. Here is work for the man, or woman who wish SouPs growth. When ye can enlighten the people of the Earth Sphere of the great wrong they are doing through Capital Punishment then ye have done well, and ye shall be rewarded for the effort put forth. And then another chance for the reformer, take these poor weakened men and women, who have been robbed of the best within them by the evil of intoxicating liquor, give them homes and opportunities for further soul's growth of man and woman kind on Earth. Bring reform in these prisons which are but breeders of sin and crime, where they should be schools of instruction and soul awakening on Earth, for in your prisons [ H9 ] MESSAGES FKOM today, these poor people are but harbored there with their souls drenched in crime, and darkness, and no seed of kindness and knowl- edge is sown in their hearts that shall blos- som, or grow while they are within those prison walls. Why then must ye keep them still in crime? Is it for you, man, to make your brother suffer? No. The idea of punish- ment on earth to make man suffer without knowledge of the life he is to meet is all wrong. To protect society these weak criminals should be housed where the best within them can be brought to the fore, and grow through wisdom, until their hearts are so softened that they will have in view the life that shall fit them to meet their Master, as would be most pleasing to Him. Your duty here is to instruct and lead aright. Instruct them in the knowledge of the Earth's best fruition and instruct them in what they are to receive, when they pass [ 150 ] HIGHER SPHERES to the life Eternal. Make their lives in these prison walls one of kindness and one of submission, if ye will, but let the rule, the golden kule, be ever paramount in thy in- structions to them, and teach them that in the world Beyond, there is a greater Soul's growth for them than to harbor the sins of Earth's old plane. Teach them of the Eter- nal life, and what they must meet, and in the teaching, also teach them of the desire and the willingness to go to their God and his angels in their sorrow. In the awakening of the soul of the Earth's criminal no greater soul's growth for the man or woman re- former, need be asked for, for reward in the future. And the vast field of the labor for the earnest soul, who desires to perfect his own life and fit himself for the life Eter- nal. Ye need not hesitate for ye may find whichever way ye may go, and where ye may, any amount of earthly conditions that need benefiting and need spiritual up-lifting, until there shall be less crime on Earth and [ 151 ] MESSAGES FEOM fewer suffering ones in the first sphere from the Earth. Take this as an earnest appeal from a Spirit from the Fourth Sphere, who has at heart the good and betterment of mankind, and who has dedicated his life to help the darkened Soul on the Earth, and who is ready to point out to him ways and means, whereby he may not only redeem himself, but save his brother man. [ 152 ] HIGHER SPHERES CHAPTER XIX CHURCHES VerSUS SPIRITUALISM Question. — Wherein do the Churches and Spiritualism differ, and give the reasons? Answer. — The benefit gained by the inves- tigation of Spiritualism, lies in the effort that is constantly being put forth for a higher knowledge of what can be to you a reality rather than a faith. In the Churches ye are all the time depending upon the Lord or Jesus Christ in whom you have such faith and little knowledge; ye lay your burdens upon him and expect him to carry them; you expect him to answer all of your prayers, no differ- ence how many millions of people are praying at the same moment, you expect the Lord to answer each individual and to bring to each individual that which is the subject of his [ 153 ] MESSAGES FROM prayers. Then again, you go to your churches with the thought in mind that you ought to go, that you should do your duty, by once a week sitting in the pew that is allotted you, and listening to the words of the Divine, who in heart perhaps is pure and good and faith- ful and earnestly doing his duty, as he sees it, but he is preaching also to you on faith, and he is giving to you the understanding that all you have to do is to seek your Master, and he will aid and help you. Spiritualism teaches that man and woman alone must stand on theib own feet and assist and aid and sup- port themselves, if they wish to be redeemed in the life Beyond. Now, in this one point, you must see the strength of character to be gained by the knowledge that you must exert your own fullness of manhood, or womanhood and rise to that, that is in thee and to make the best of yourself. The very idea of depending upon the Lord to aid thee, is a weakening element that must in time deplete your own strength of charac- [ 154 ] HIGHER SPHERES ter, and leave you still weaker for the effort put forth in prayer. Spiritualism further teaches you that not idle prayers for the Lord's assistance, but the sincere and earnest prayer that ye may cast from yourself with your own strength the evil, and rise to what is pure and good, and do that which is best for ye, and in this the Spiritualist prays that these loving Guardian Angels may not aid you without your own strength, but they may instruct you, and whisper to you words of Enlighten- ment that shall show ye aright, and when the path is once shown to you, you in your own strength can travel alone and be one of might, rather than depending on the Great Master to aid thee, for in this ye are creating a selfishness within your own heart, in con- stantly asking aid of the Master instead of AIDING YOUKSELF. This alone, is enough for mankind to de- velop strength and purpose and to cleanse his own heart and to prepare his own life and [ 155 ] MESSAGES FEOM to meet in the future that which he deserves, for his life on Earth. We are not decrying the Churches, but we are decrying the methods, in which so many millions of people expect to be saved, by going into these fine castles and kneeling and calling and depending upon the Lord to save them. O Man, save yourself, if ye wish re- demption from sin, then arise and save your- self, for in bowing down and getting on your knees is an indication of weakness, and sub- mission to the results of your own evil life by trusting to the Master to lift ye up. This is not what ye most need, in the day of judgment, for ye must meet that which ye have done yourself and ye must show to the Master kesults, not the petitions and appealing for aid; What cares he, for what ye call for? It is the acts of your own life that are read as the record of your Earth life, and ever bear this in mind, and when ye sink to your knees in supplication to the Master let shame come upon ye, then rise I 156 ] HIGHER SPHERES and stand with a strength of a beautiful character that man and woman should ever attain, and say, Master, ye have placed me here to live my life and in living I will show my strength to be that which shall please thee, and thou hast given me the life to lead, and I will exert and show my strength by perfecting the life that will be pleasing to thee. Is it not better and of good judgment, in saying that the man or woman who stands erect, and says I can and I will, make my life pure and right? Is this not better, than the weakness of those who fall in submission to their sins, and ask the aid of another to assist them? Herein, lies the foundation of the strength of character, gained by the knowl- edge of Spiritualism, for ye are taught to stand as Jesus stood, ye are taught to assert thy vigor of manhood in the right at all times, and as ye assert this strength of manhood ye are but the stronger grown, and by this prayer in thy heart that ye may ever do [ 157 ] MESSAGES FROM right, ye are gaining jewels of priceless worth, that shall fit thee for the life in the to-morrow, in the great benefit derived by the knowledge of Spiritualism, for by it ye know that if ye have erred here on Earth or if ye have failed in any manner ye have that chance, not only to redeem yourself on Earth but ye have gained knowledge of the life Beyond, that ye have a new chance in the other life, not only one chance, but nu- merous chances, and as you will exist in the first Sphere until thy period of rest and heal- ing has passed, it lies with ye if ye will at once take up the burden, that ye have placed upon yourself by wrong doing in Earth life, and prepare to cast thy burdens from thee, by repentance and good living and effort in this Sphere of Darkness. , In numerous ways can ye redeem yourself, for there are multitudes of darkened souls in the first Sphere that ye can turn to and enlighten and show them, the way to become purified and cleansed, and in this work ye [ 158 ] HIGHER SPHEEES have gained for yourself, a life in the next Sphere, and then when your time has passed, and your work has been deemed as sufficient to pass you to the second Sphere of Educa- tion, there will be nothing lacking to com- plete that which will make your life per- fect, after having passed to those Spiritual Spheres Beyond. Does the Church not teach ye that if ye do not the right act, then for your sin ye are forever without relief or redemption? Now, reader, choose as ye will, the Church or the knowledge of the real life beyond the grave*. Ye have but to investigate with a sin- cere and earnest purpose and ye in your in- vestigations will not only bring peace of mind and comfort in the Earth life but advance- ment in the future. If ye wish and still feel, that ye can be of assistance to mankind here on Earth, by still retaining your interest in Church affairs well and good, for never depart from what seems to you good and your duty. [ 159 ] MESSAGES FROM The inner consciousness, which is often times the whisperings of the Guardian Angels, will tell thee what thy path to travel is, and if ye feel that ye have a work in the Church to do, then remain faithful to that Church but always retaining the knowledge gained of Spirit life and in retaining this, ye can bring in your Church greater knowl- edge and comfort to those who are laboring under the impression, that they must not ad- vance, or leave the old time teachings. Teach them your brighter knowledge, and in your teaching make it an incentive for constant right doing and living here, and teach them that they must not live and exist and prepare for the future on faith alone, but they must have knowledge of what they are to be, when the Master calls them to come. Now this is but one, of the numerous rea- sons, why thou shouldst endeavor to gain knowledge of the Spirit life. There is one especial reason, which is the greater courage given to mankind when he [ 160 ] HIGHER SPHERES lias the knowledge within him, that he has something to live for in the future and knows that Death does not end all at the grave. Many beings on Earth have the one idea that they must have a good time while on Earth, as there will be nothing in the future for them, and in this idea, there have been many crimes committed, and in this belief have many men been ruined, and for this reason I say Spirit- ualism to-day is doing more good and reach- ing more of the criminal class, with greater force, than has any other known religion or creed, for it teaches from the beginning to the end Eternal life, and a chance again, after ye have passed over the River of Life, and in this belief are given new strength and new hope and courage to live, as thy Master has bidden thee to live. The growth of the soul of man- kind, that is to be gained in the investigation and knowledge of Spiritualism, or of what is to be the Soul 's destiny after the period of the so-called death, or Transition, is most inti- mately connected with the conduct and life [ 161 ] MESSAGES FBOM on the Earth plane, and it is but the stepping stone to Eternal life, and as ye proceed on- ward, if the time has come when the soul must leave the old physical body, as is one of Na- ture J s laws, and no one of mankind can es- cape, for from the first known existence of man on Earth this stage of life has been a fact, that no man can deny. The time comes whether it is by accident, or by premature separation, or by the natural laws of Death, as called on Earth, when the soul of man must leave the old physical and take up a new life in the unseen. If the man on Earth has been properly educated and he has gained knowl- edge that shall show him what the life beyond is, and shall also teach him every step in the right direction to gain a home in the Higher Spheres which are of the Spiritual, and which are a home of peace, joy and content- ment, and then he must make his investiga- tions of Spiritualism along the line of an earnest, sincere investigation and desire for the true worth of the knowledge which he is to gain. [ 162 ] HIGHER SPHERES He must not seek in his investigation of Spiritualism that which shall be of the myste- rious, or of the wonders, or of the prophe- cies, for his immediate future, or for his finan- cial gain, but he must ever walk the path that leads to Soul Unf oldment. In this he is find- ing that which shall appeal to the Master of his destiny, and he is reaching out for and striving to receive, that which is the greatest desire of his Master for a right life that shall fit him for the Eternal life of joy and happi- ness, but if he in his ignorance shuns or de- nies or refuses to receive good, when it is placed in his path by these instruments, or Mediums on Earth, who have been chosen by the higher guides of the Higher Spheres to do the work for the Prophets and the Master, then he is shunning Good, and he must reap a reward of sorrow for the wrong act in which he has taken part, and which he has harbored within him. There are so many phases of religious teachings that in part of duty and encourage- [ 163 ] MESSAGES FROM ment and of assistance to mankind, that he must distinguish the real worth of each, and then he cannot help but feel and know the knowledge that he has gained by the investi- gation of Spiritualism as a research into the true reality of the life Beyond. In his researching he is bound to find that peace of Soul, that contentment and that in- centive for greater effort, and he can also then be better fitted for his after work, and he does not at each turn of the day after his labors are completed, find discouragement and fear for what the to-morrow may bring to him. Spirits of the Higher Spheres are Spirits of Justice and Right and we wish in coming back to the Earth plane to talk through this in- strument of Earth, to those who will peruse this book, and we wish them to understand and to know, that we appreciate all of the good labors of the Churches, but still is not the condition of the Earth plane to-day as to its Evil, sufficient evidence that there is something distinctly lacking in the uplifting [ 164 ] HIGHEE SPHERES and Spirituality of the beings who inhabit Earth Sphere I Is it not time that there was a new awakening and a religion or a creed of Soul unfoldment that shall uplift mankind and bring him to a sense and knowledge that he is reaping sorrow and severe punishment in the future life? Look about your Cities, and look about your towns, and look about your country places and in fact look the world over, and do you ever remember, O man of years who may read this book, when there was ever a time when evil was so mighty in power and force, as at the present day? Is it not the time that man and woman kind awaken to their duty and understand that they are a part of this World and that they have a duty to cleanse and purify not only themselves, but all who come within their radius or near their homes I Ye need not sit back in idleness and assist thyself in thy own financial condition, and feel that ye are doing your duty, for, man and woman, who live only for your own financial gain, you are f ail- [ 165 ] MESSAGES FEOM ing mightily in your duty, and it must be brought back to you, with a force that shall show you, you are on the wrong track of progression, and that there are higher labors for ye to do in the vineyard of your Master. So arise, and cast from thee, this feeling that ye are living only for self, but live for the unf oldment of Spirituality, if ye wish to seek and receive in the life Eternal, that which is of beauty and grandeur and content- ment and peace to thy soul. Ye have a duty not only to uplift, and grow spiritually yourself, but to assist those who are weaker than thou art, and ye can look about you and find chances wherever ye may be, and ye can find scores of weakened man- hood and womanhood, who appeal to thee to assist and give them strength by imbuing in them a knowledge of Eternal life, and arous- ing within these weak and fallen creatures the one spark of Goodness that lies in the heart of all mankind, and when ye have found [ 166 ] HIGHER SPHERES this spark of goodness within the fallen one, then is the time ripe for ye to reap a ripe harvest of spiritual growth in the fallen man. Never shirk the duty, though it may seem beyond thy strength, and keep at it, brother man and sister woman, although ye may think that your works are not producing fruit, still ye know not when the seed of righteousness and right living has been sown, and when it shall blossom forth and scatter its beams of brightness and Eternal life for that which is of Spirituality once again. what a mighty labor is found on the Earth plane for mankind, and never was the time, or opportunity as now, just now, man and woman, who have the power to do for others. Remember that ye are not only as- sisting the Earth plane to send to the Higher Spheres better men and women, but ye are aiding these grand and glorious and sacrific- ing and God-like Angels who have been sent by the great Master to cleanse those in the [ 167 ] MESSAGES FROM Vineyard and make those who are fallen more white in Spirituality. Is it not your duty? listen, if ye will, but to the whisperings of the Angel world, as it comes to thee in these words given in this volume, and we only trust that as we plead to thee with the highest Spirituality of a sac- rificing denying Angel of the life Beyond, it may reach and touch those hearts that are ahle, in financial aid, to do their duty toward their brother man, and once again we plead as Angels from the Sphere of Spirituality, that ye will aid your Master in cleansing the black souls on Earth, so that when their time of passing the great River of Life, shall come, they may escape the punishment that shall bring sorrow to their souls. [ 168 ] HIGHER SPHERES CHAPTEB XX ENLIGHTENMENT OF THE AGE Those who have given thought, study, or consideration as to the condition of the world at the present time, must be convinced that this is an age of advancement and enlight- enment, in all phases of business conditions, scientific investigations, educational enlight- enment and of the many inventions and in fact all manner of advancement of human beings. If ye will but give attention to this sub- ject, ye must admit that there never was a time in the knowledge of the past genera- tions, when the opportunity for further ad- vancement in all lines of thought is as now. Then, reader, why should you hesitate in your own enlightenment and the enlighten- ment of all mankind, as to the one most important point in the whole Universe, that [ 169 ] MESSAGES FROM is, of what ye shall reap after ye leave this Earth plane? Would you if it had been ad- vanced to you, the idea that the Airship or the Wireless, were to be given to mankind as to enlightenment and use, some twenty years ago, would you have believed that it could have been possible? No, ye would have resisted this knowledge that might have been given to you then, just in the same manner that ye are to-day resisting the knowledge of future life, in the world that is yet to be yours. Can ye not, within thy own heart, apply these same reasons to your- self, or are you so sublimely ignorant in the question, or wisdom of your future, that ye shall refuse to gain in your knowledge of what is to be? I could go on, and tell you many new things which are coming to the earth plane, in the next century but which you would doubt, just the same as you doubt the knowledge of the future life, but as I have said, this is a period when knowledge is gaining in great advancements in all lines, [ no ] HIGHER SPHERES and then why should there not be advance- ments in the line of a new religion and a new creed and a new following, for an ex- ample for the right living for the prepara- tion for the other worlds? Now then, as ye must know, there is already that general unrest in the atmosphere, as ye might say, of a disposition of progressiveness, as is seen in the politics of your country. This is but a part, of the awakening of mankind, in new lines for further advancement in what is to be, in the acquisition of knowledge and at- tention by the people in the future life in the Beyond. There is no surer guide as a following, than that of Nature, and you must admit, that there has also been great advancement, in the line of old mother Nature, which has to-day become in every manner, seen to thee on this Earth plane, of greater beauty and greater advancement, and as the great law of Nature, cites to you the law of Progres- sion, then why should not man heed its les- [ 171 ] MESSAGES FEOM sons and know that he too must advance, and not cling to that which is the old time teachings 1 There is nothing in this whole Earth plane, that has been so held in abeyance of igno- rance and retardment of growth, as the knowledge of what ye should know for the betterment of your life here on Earth, or in other words the religion, or creed which thou hast made for thy following, or instruction for thy enlightenment, as to thy progress in the Spirituality as to thy soul, as ye leave the earth plane. Can ye cite one thing, or manner of wis- dom on the earth, one manner of man's in- vention, or one phase of Nature's Progres- sion, that has remained so dormant and in its infancy, as the Creeds and Eeligions of the old time Churches? I admit, that there has been some advancement, in the churches and in the ministerial forces, as to a greater liberality and knowledge, but it is of so little advancement and of so little worth, that it I 172 ] HIGHER SPHERES is but of little account. And now, fellow men and women, as other lines of your earth work advance be not dilatorious in your ad- vancement and progression of the one most essential thing, on the earth plane and that is the proper instruction and wisdom, as to what shall be thy future after the grave. I cannot longer appeal to thee, and as I have given thee repeatedly, knowledge in this vol- ume, that shall be to thee all that is neces- sary for the right life, and also for your own wisdom that thou shalt assist those who are weaker than thee, and which shall be but the blessings of the Higher Spheres, that shall be cast around thee, if thou dost hearken and listen, and akise to the laws of pko- gkession, in thy religion as well as in all other walks of life on the Earth. Ye must know, that as ye seek, as has been repeat- edly told to thee, ye shall find, and if ye seek for greater than was handed down to thee, in the times of ignorance, then ye will stand on the proper line of Progression, which is [ 173 ] MESSAGES FROM handed and shown to thee in all other edu- cational lines of the Earth plane. Now, in bidding thee adieu, in the mes- sages which have been given thee, from these Spirits who have at heart thy welfare, if ye but will respond to the pleadings of the Spirits who have come to you, ye shall find that, which shall give to thee, a joyous glad- ness and a lightheartedness, that shall make thee wonder. why did I remain in the darkness for so many years, when all is peace and light, for he who progresses and stands on the strength of the purity and goodness, that was naturally given to mankind, and who in this produces growth from the seeds of goodness, that is in every soul of all God's children? [ 174 ] HIGHER SPHERES CHAPTEB XXI NAKEATIVE OF INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCE IN AND AFTEB TRANSITION As I lay upon my bed and as the last breath was about to depart from my old physical body, I saw a little above my head, perhaps two feet, or more, a Circle of such beautiful faces of what it then appeared to me, the Angels or like pictures of Angels, as I had seen as a Clairvoyant in past life. As those angels hovered over me, I began to see a circle of what seemed to be bright flashes of lightning, which were directly in front of these angels, and they were holding their hands around this circle, as if they were passing it over my body, and as the time approached for the last breath to leave, then this Circle seemed to reach down with one side of it touching the very top of my head, and as it touched, I then felt a draw- [ 175 ] MESSAGES FROM ing that seemed to take all the life there was in me away from the old body, and I was then drawn along as though in a car- riage or other vehicle on Earth. The sensa- tions that I had were that these bright Angels were floating with me, in this circle of bright flashing wiry light, and as this proceeded onward and upward, in time, I looked back to see what caused this floating sensation and then I saw through the house that I had been lying in, and down into the room and on the bed where my body was. I then struggled to get back, thinking that I was dying, but some kind angels put their arms about me and said; " Come, Life in the Earth Plane is no longer yours, and we are carrying you to your home Above " and at this then, this floating sensation increased, until I was carried above Clouds, after Clouds, of a foamy light substance, that took us from the old Earth and no longer could I see the trees, or any part of the Earth that I had any recollection of, and as they passed along [ 176 ] HIGHER SPHERES through this, we came to a beautiful country where I was greeted with so many old friends and my own home circle, and my mother who had come to meet me reached with lov- ing arms and clasped me, and as I looked down to see what she was clasping, for I remembered still the old form lying on the bed, I was surprised to see that I had a new body, and which appeared to me like the old, excepting it was so fleecy and cloudy-like that I thought for a moment, is it possible that those clouds that we passed through, had clung to my body and made me appear like this! and I put out my hand to feel, and then I discovered that I really had a new body and my mother then explained to me. My father also clasped hands with me and the sensation of the pressure of my father's hand, felt the same as in Earth life, and as my mother reached over and kissed my brow, it was the same sensation felt in Earth life and then an Aunt, who had been of great companionship to me in early youth, came [ 177 ] MESSAGES FEOM and clasped hands with me and all seemed so real that I said, " Mother, tell me, mother, what is this? Am I delirious? Am I going to die ? " I could not yet fully sense that I had gone from the old body, but she said, " No, Child, you are not going to die, for there is no death, and this is heaven and you have come to Mother and the life that shall be yours for all Eternity." Then in a short time after these family greetings, these kind angels who had taken .me on this circle, which was one of Elec- tricity, said, " Come, this way is for you to travel," and they took me to a place where there were many Spirits unknown to me, and Spirits who appeared in great sorrow and despair, but there were these loving angels all around me, and as they came to a finely arranged Sanitarium, they led me to a bed and they said, " Now you must rest from your journey, and after you have had a sweet slumber, then we shall describe to you that which is for you to know in this new life." [ 178 ] HIGHER SPHERES As soon as I had lain me down, then I seemed to be entirely surrounded by these beautiful angels and with them bouquets of the most beautiful flowers all around my bed, and then came the joyous thrills of song from the beautiful floating birds, which I had in Earth life been so passionately fond of, and it seemed to me as I lay there and listened to the beautiful songs and looked at the beautiful flowers, a mist came over my eyes, and I thought am I now really dying, for there was again that extreme sinking sensation, and then I seemed to know no more. It was told to me later, by these Guardian Angels that many weeks had passed before I was aroused from this slumber, which I was given in order that my soul could gain strength from having been so much depleted from my earthly sufferings for I had been sick for many months before leaving the earth plane. After I came to myself, and I was met by these loving guides, they bid [ 179 ] MESSAGES FEOM me to arise and then they took me over the first Sphere which was inhabited by many darkened sonls, and many recited to me their experiences and the cause of their lingering in this Sphere, and showing me what they had done on Earth and how they were wip- ing out their evil life on the earth plane that they might become more Spiritual. I do not recall just now, how long I remained in this Sphere, but it was for some length of time, although my life on Earth was not of the darkest, and then after a period had passed, these kind guardian angels took me to a sphere that they told me was a place, I must now take up life for many years to come, as I was much in need of instruction in my future life, and I was placed here in a home, with my dear mother and father who had preceded me by many years. Our home was beautifully furnished for my mother had been of a very charitable and kindly heart, and my father was a sample of the best of American manhood, so he had wiped out all of his [ 180 ] HIGHEE SPHERES earthly sins, many years ago, and the dear loving couple, whose souls were sincerely united had taken up their home in the second Sphere, and they had builded well, for their home was one of beauty and it was to me one glad song. After I had remained here for a sufficient length of time to gain knowledge of what was necessary for me to take up as my life work, I was then required to enter one of the Universities where I took up a course which was to fit me for the return to Earth to whisper words of inspiration to those who might need instruction and knowledge of the life in the Spheres above. Having completed my course in this University I am now an Instructor of those in the lower Sphere that they too may gain knowledge, sufficient to enter the Second Sphere and redeem them- selves from their Earth life. I am now labor- ing not only for them, but for the darkened souls on the Earth plane, and whenever it is my privilege to come back to earth I come [ 181 ] MESSAGES FROM back with the same desire, that I had in Earth life to benefit mankind, and in this I give yon my experience and my name on Earth was Jennie Hagan Brown. [ 182 ] HIGHER SPHERES CHAPTER XXII NEARING-THE-END NARRATIVE OF INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCE IN AND AFTER TRANSITION Many of those who knew me on Earth, and knew of my Transition, knew that it was sudden, and as I recall it now, the first thing that I realized was my guides whom I had often seen, especially my father, and others of my guides, who had followed me so closely in my addresses on the public platform. They were around me, and I heard my father's voice say, " Come, your time is here, for the beginning of a new life," and he reached out to me and embraced me, and as I was then so bewildered, as to what this meant I said, " Is there anything I can do for you, father? " believing that I was still connected with my old body and that there was a message for me, from the Higher [ 183 ] MESSAGES FROM Spheres, to take up some labor for them, as I had been in the habit of doing so much of my lifetime on Earth. He said, " No. Do you not see your old body lying there, which you have cast from you? Your soul is now free, to pass to the home which has all been prepared for you, and which you have gained by your faithful- ness and well doing in your many duties on Earth," and as he said this there seemed to be that strong drawing influence of going from my old body, and he said, " We are now drawing the elements necessary to form your new body, and this as you know, is all done through the Electrical forces/ ' And as this was given to me then, he and those other Guides who had for so long been a part of my being, seemed to circle around me, and as they circled, then came the as- cending sensation, of passing away and be- yond from the old body, and passing out through the house in which I then was liv- ing, and as we passed through the building, £ 184 ] HIGHER SPHERES I sensed no sensation other than one would feel in passing through an open door way, so I looked back to see if there was not an opening through which we had passed, but I saw the solid wall, and then my father said to me, " This is but a part of the many mysteries, that you will encounter, as you pass to your new home." After this, we seemed to ascend with great rapidity, and as near as I can recall my next sensation, was of being landed among many friends, in a land of great beauty, where I was greeted by many old time friends, as well as my own mother and others dear to me, and I think this is about all I can recall in my ascending to the Spheres Above, because I seemed to be in a bewildered state. As soon as we reached this third Sphere I found then I was encased, or the soul which had left the old body was encased in a new form, a counterpart of the old body, in its earlier youthful days. Then these Spirits who were awaiting, each E 185 ] MESSAGES FROM in turn, greeted me with the old warm friend- liness and love, as in the days on Earth, and the greetings and love bestowed upon me, were of such an enthusiastic character that I seemed for a time to forget, that I was in a new world. Well, after making numerous new acquaint- ances, especially of my guides and helpers in my Earth work, I was then shown to my home, that my mother had so kindly and so lovingly prepared for me, and there I was made to understand that my period of Eest would be very short because of the prepara- tion that I seemed to have made for myself, in my labors on the Earth plane. In taking up the new life it was simply casting off the old worn out physical body, and taking a new body of the Ethereal, which was but a counterpart of the old, but still with a new vigor of youth, and I found after a sweet resting period, and after having been crowned for my endeavors on the Earth plane, by these Guides who had so long been my [ 186 ] HIGHER SPHERES constant companions, and by others who had been interested in my past labors, that I was then given my choice of any labor, in which I most desired to take up for my future work. But how could I change, from the old time efforts that I had put forth for so many, many years past to benefit mankind? It did not seem as though I was fitted, or was a part of any other labor than that of benefiting my fellow men and women, so I had chosen to take up a greater work in a greater advancement, or rather a continua- tion of my Earth labors. I am now trying to perfect myself, for carrying on my imme- diate work with the Earth people, in coming back to Earth again and heralding to them greater knowledge, and of a more Spiritual knowledge of the Life that is for them to take up when their summons comes. I can say no more, as to my immediate experience in passing to the Higher Spheres other, than it is a completion of all the de- [ 187 ] MESSAGES FBOM sires of my whole Earth life, and that I have succeeded well, and if the Earth people could but know the results of laboring for man- kind, and sense the benefit that they are to gain in the to-morrow, they would put forth greater effort. Afterwards, I was taken to and shown around the first Sphere, that I might realize what the poor sinner suffers, what it meant to sin in life and what it meant to lead the wrong life, and also that I might understand the condition, and needs of these darkened souls, that I might in my future efforts for the betterment of all, aid and assist those souls in the first Sphere, as well as those on Earth. After this, I was then taken to the second Sphere and spent some time there to great advantage, in the investigation of the methods of instruction for Spirit return, and of a greater spiritual unf oldment, in order to hand down to the Earth plane messages of still higher order and of benefit, than which has [ 188 ] HIGHER SPHERES ever yet been handed to mankind. In this, I was greatly interested, and I feel that the period that I spent there, was of great benefit to me, and I would have been glad and will- ing, to have remained longer in this second sphere, feeling that it was most certainly a Sphere of great grandeur, and a Sphere of contentment for all, if they would but call for nothing better, but it seemed that I had had instruction for so many years from a higher sphere, than the second sphere, that I was one of the kind that could not be con- tented to remain there. I wanted to reach out, and know what was Beyond, and so I just said, " No, I shall not remain here, I am going farther on " and as my duties in Earth life had fitted me to advance to the third Sphere, why I simply went and took up my own, that which I had gained by many years of hard labor, and here I have not only found peace and con- tentment, and perfection of all that was most dear to me, and a completion of all my de- [ 189 ] MESSAGES FEOM sires, but I found much which was beyond all expectations and imaginations of any human being on Earth. But still, let me tell you fellow beings, I do not believe that I shall always be contented here, for I want to see what is in the next Sphere, and do you blame me? After fifty years of labor for the Spirits in the third and fourth sphere do you blame me for wanting to go to the very highest round on the ladder! And I am going, I am going to earn my life in the Beyond, before I make any attempt to demand anything, that I have not rightfully earned and deserve, and I guess I wouldn't get it, if I did ask for it, because I find that that is one of the laws of Progression, that man must win that which he receives, in other words he must build before he can claim as his own, and in this building, he has his own self as the in- stigator and the perfecter of his works. Not long after I entered the second Sphere, I commenced to look around and wondered [ 190 ] HIGHER SPHERES who or where I could find some Earth Me- dium, that I could work through and work to an advantage and make it be known that it was really Mrs. R. S. Lillie, that was talk- ing. Well, I had studied for a long time to find the proper one, and after I passed to the third Sphere, it was my good fortune to come across one of great knowledge and one of great energy and perseverance who was on the same errand as I was, trying to find a Medium in whom we could come back through, and talk to the people on Earth, and about that time through a friend, I was impressed that I should find one just about where I did find one, and I am very much gratified in the work that I am now taking up, as a beginner of my work in coming back to Earth, and that is in sending out to you my Messages in this little book, which I trust will be a messenger of instruction and enlightenment that shall be of such value, that the people of the Earth plane, will demand more on the same line of thought, [ 191 ] MESSAGES FEOM and from the same guides, who are bringing this book to the people. Now, in closing my remarks to you, dear reader, it is my earnest desire that those who read this will make a chain, that is, in other words, each one do your part and spread the glad tidings that you find in this book, which are genuine messages from other Spheres. Let every reader, see that he does his duty, in studying the knowledge in this book that shall inspire in others a desire to know more, and also inspire in others a greater desire to assist those who are in the fields of labor for the Spirit world, and in doing this, you may know that ye are building well, for your home in the skies. And I tell you that it is mighty fine for the person to prepare their life well, because in coming here, you have so many regrets, and you see so much you didn't do and wish you had done. Now, this is the advice of one who has gone through it all, and [ 192 ] HIGHER SPHERES knows and understands the philosophy of the inhabitants of other Spheres, than that of the Earth. The knowledge of the Spheres of the Worlds of the Universe that are inhabited by the people who have passed through the stage of Death, so called, on Earth, is bnt the passing to another life that shall forever be Eternal, and which is bnt the completion of the life commenced on earth. The Angels make every endeavor To lead us in pathways of light, Till truth shall triumph o'er error, And wrong shall give way to the right. END OP VOLUME [ 193 ] SEP 9 W 2 Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide Treatment Date: Nov. 2004 PreservationTechnologies A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATION 1 1 1 Thomson Park Drive Cranberry Township, PA 16066 (724) 779-21 1 1