Class _: 
 
 Book_XiA. 
 
 I %i 
 
7 
 
 
 LIGHT FROM THE SPIRIT WORLD. 
 THE 
 
 PILGRIMAGE 
 
 OF 
 
 THOMAS PAINE, 
 
 AND OTHERS, 
 
 TO THE SEVENTH CIRCLE 
 
 THE SPIRIT WORLD. 
 
 REV. C. HAMMOND, Medium. 
 
 FOURTH 
 
 THOUSAND, 
 
 #^*% 
 
 ROCHESTER: \\ 
 
 D. M. DEWEY, ARCADE HAEJ,. 
 
 NEW-YORK, FOWLER & WELLS, AND J. S. REDFIELD. 
 
 BOSTON, BELA iTARSH, AND B. B. MUSSET <fc CO. 
 
 18 5 2. 
 

 Entered according to Act of Congress, by 
 
 CHARLES HAMMOND, 
 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, for 
 the Northern District of New-York, March 5th, 1852. 
 
 PRINTED BY LEE, MANN & CO., AMERICAN BUILDING. 
 
 STEREOTYPED BY J. W. BROWN. 
 
 Rochester, N. T. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Conversation with his physician, and his indifference about death— The 
 minister sent for— Prayer— Meditation on life— Age of Reason— A swoon 
 —Sees a spirit— The effort of the spirit to identify herself— His death — 
 Funeral services— Doubting minister— Conversation with his spirit com- 
 panion—Benediction, and opinions of the people— The end of wonders 
 — Joy in his new sphere— The greeting— The woman and the doctor?— 
 His mother — Her welcome— His grave— The thoughts of the grave digger 
 — Anxiety to reveal the truth— Promise to him of a coming time when it 
 could be done with safety to mediums— Origin of sight— Thoughts of 
 minds at his grave— Disclaims intentional wrong— Objections to religion 
 — Visit to the minister— Conversation between the minister and servant — 
 Prayer— Servant complains— Cheering conversation of Paine and his com- 
 panion—Proposes to relate his experience.) and signs his name.— [From 
 page 13 to page 27.] 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Pleased with his new life — Recognition of rudimental associates — Rea- 
 son why Paine's writings were unpopular — His opposition to revelation 
 considered — Penn makes an effort to show Paine his error, but was de- 
 feated — Error acknowledged — Strife about opinions condemned — 
 Nature is never contradictory, but just — All wrong induced by igno- 
 rance — Remedy for wrongs — Wisdom peaceful — The will of resistance — 
 The principles of nature enforced — Education in wrong the cause of 
 wrong— Non-resistance advocated — Penn takes hitn to a temple — Enters 
 an arch-door — Initiation into wisdom — Assumes an obligation — Anew 
 song is sung — Receives a lesson — Description of the temple — Name 
 recorded — A book opened — Banner unfurled — Words on the banner — 
 Explanation of justice, wisdom, progression, order and harmony — Duties 
 enjoined — Charge of the master — Emblems explained — Master and 
 
IV CONTENTS. 
 
 servant — Freedom of servants — Obedience to nature demanded — Im- 
 plements of masonry — Proof of masonry— The High Priest instructs — 
 The hook opened and read — Interpretations forbidden — Repentant 
 mind — Conducted to the inner court — The white stone — Name chan- 
 ged — Receives a new baptism — An anthem and ode were sung — The 
 temple by whom made, and its pillars — Hears a wail of sorrow, and pre- 
 pares for a mission.— [From page 27 to page 52.] 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 The Cottage — Landlord impressed — Efforts of spirits — Maniac threatens 
 his family — Landlord advises to send for the minister — Wife wants a 
 doctor — Iron moved by a spirit — Nobleman and Mary confounded by 
 the sounds — Attributes the sounds to satan and witches — Becomes agita- 
 ted — Boasts of English courage — Gives Mary a half crown — Sends for 
 a physician — Maniac grows more ill — Tea and sugar bought — The doc- 
 tor comes and presciibes — Aid promised — Curate required to pray at his 
 home — The maniac dies — Grief of Mary — Parental counsel at the time 
 of her marriage repeated — Her husband buried — The family taken to the 
 Alms-house — Affecting conversation between the mother and her son— 
 The overseer questions Mary — Oppression of the poor — Voluntary and 
 involuntary servitude explained. — [From page 52 to page 64.] 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 The Castle described — The centurion alarmed — Faith proved by works- 
 Interpretations of the Bible disallowed — Penn called an infidel — Dialogue 
 between the centurion and Penn — Teacher called — Dialogue continued 
 — Theological opinions the cause of strife and wrong — Paine and Penn 
 retire — Conversation between them — Witnesses beheaded — Dialogue be- 
 tween the Teacher and his Master — A wheel within a wheel — Gold and 
 silver the motive power — Attraction of affinities — Fear and hope make 
 slaves — The king's palace — Conversation between Thomas and William 
 — Grand Master instructs Thomas — A new song — Consistency wrong 
 when minds are wrong — Experience the proper test of principles — Some 
 minds serve two masters — Works justify — Repentance is salvation — De- 
 parture for the Temple.— [From page 64 to page 102.] 
 
CONTENTS. V 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Unity of work — Each receives a penny — Visits another temple — The 
 Master's charge to Thomas — Advice of the chief — Counsel of the com- 
 mander — Explanation of the helmet, spear, sword with two edges, ar- 
 rows and bow. sling and pebbles — ■ Trumpet — Directions to revisit the 
 castle.— From page 102 to page 110.] 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 The deacon's prayer — Thomas and Mary converse — Dialogue between 
 the deacon and Thomas on rewards, a day of judgment, and the atone- 
 ment—The deacon converted — Sung the new song — Departure for 
 the temple — The deacon initiated into the mysteries of wisdom, and the 
 secret explained — Thomas and the deacon revisit the castle. — [From 
 page 110 to page 126.] 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 The wonder in the castle — Dialogue between the chief, the deacon, and 
 Thomas — The senior consulted — The circle of the temple summoned 
 by the trumpet — Conversation between the Commander of the temple 
 and the senior of the castle on war — On rights — The conversion of 24 
 elders, and 144.000 — The Commander conducts them to the temple, 
 where they were initiated into that degree of wisdom. — [From page 126 
 to page 144.] 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Mission of Thomas and the elders — The king and guard — The elder ad 
 dresses the king — Conversation with him — He reitu ss wis lorn — A dia- 
 logue with a mind on fear— Calls a greet multitude to heur the elder — 
 Address of the elder — Conversation with the circle — Imputed right- 
 eousness — A thousand times ten thousand converted, and received into 
 the temple.— [From page 144 to page 165.] 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Thomas finds t^o minds wrangling — Enters into conversation with them 
 — Refuses to give his name — Opposes teaching what the teacher does 
 not know — Opposes controversy — Rejects innate depravity — Discards 
 
VI CONTENTS. 
 
 wrong views — Recommends facts for opinions — Explanation of sun and 
 moon, which stood still by the command of Joshua — Nature instructs 
 mind — Wrangling unwise — Wisdom will overcome wrong — Freedom 
 induces righteousness — Masters responsible for the doings of servants 
 —Another mind is converted — The work of the temple harmonious — 
 Duty to avoid discord — The assent is gained — The convert sees a light 
 — William gives him advice, and conducts him to the temple, when he 
 reoeives a new name, and a white stone. — [From page 165 to page 186.] 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Receives a visit from a superior mind — Proposition to advance accepted 
 — The seraphim sings — A pearl given — Enters a world of light and 
 song — Description of the works which he saw — The instruction of the 
 Worthy — The song of the free — Address of another mind on the key 
 of wisdom — The seven seals — Address of a third mind — Conducts to 
 the sixth circle — A lecture on social progress — Hope a reality — A lec- 
 ture on prophecy — Rules of prophecy the same as mathematical — Pre- 
 diction of communicating with the inhabitants of earth — Predictions, 
 opinions only of those below the sixth circle— A lecture on purity and 
 prophecy — Nature the standard by which to determine right and wrong 
 —Advancement to the seventh circle, or court of Beauty— Sees a white 
 throne and inscriptions— A little child leading a lion — A serpent fastened 
 to a rock — Twenty four pillars of wisdom— Minstrels chant a welcome — 
 Emblems explained - Prediction of events now taking place — Contem- 
 plated m ission to the rudimental sphere, and how it would be received — 
 The serpent to be destroyed — Evils to be overcome by wisdom. — From 
 page 186 to page 235.] 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Franklin, Swedenborg. Paine, and his companions visit a place near the 
 castle — Old things become new — Process of change — Identity pre- 
 served — Self is a part of the body — All sympathize together in good 
 and ill — Governments defective — Opposition to capital punishment — 
 Origin of evil — How overcome — Success of the mission — Me .ins must 
 be adapted to conditions — Contradictory communications develop the 
 condition of minds in the second sphere — Conflicting revealments har- 
 monious with different degrees of wisdom — Writing mediums — Societies 
 and forms of worship — Adaptation is harmony —Harmony should not 
 be disturbed — The mission of spirits will be to regulate, minds — Minds 
 will ohange forms — Retire to a mansion —Onward is a passport — Dull- 
 ness reproved —Dedication of the Pilgrimage.— [From p. 235 to p. 259.] 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 Agreeably to announcement in the "Light from the Spirit 
 World/' I am able to present this volume to the public, under 
 circumstances which will be gratifying to all those who are the 
 friends of Progress and Reform. No pains have been spared to 
 present the precise words chosen by the author, and preserve the 
 style and sense of the original manuscript. In regard to the 
 merits of the production, it must speak for itself ; for, whatever 
 of merit or demerit it may possess, I am worthy of neither praise 
 nor censure. Astounding as may be the assertion, that I had no 
 will to write it, or exercised any other control, than to let my 
 hand be moved by an invisible influence, and write as it would, 
 without any volition on my part, yet it is, nevertheless, true. 
 And, I am quite confident, that out of the two thousand writing 
 mediums, now in the United States, no one in a passive condi- 
 tion will be able to contradict the assertion. Indeed, I have found 
 by actual experiment, that, in a great many instances, the spirit 
 who controls my hand, has succeeded in writing sentences con- 
 trary to my will, and while I was endeavoring with all my voli- 
 tion, to write something else. 
 
 But, so far as the orthography and punctuation of the Pilgrimage 
 are concerned, I have exercised supervision. And yet, much aid 
 has been afforded me by spirits in this matter. They arranged 
 all the paragraphs and sentences, The initials, which represent 
 
Vlll PREFACE. 
 
 different minds, were added by myself, to aid the general reader ; 
 and also the division of the work into chapters, with the prefa- 
 tory contents of the same. Never having written a book in my 
 life, excepting with the control of spirits, who have now given 
 two volumes to the public, in about eight months, it may occur to 
 the reader, that other divisions would have been preferable ; but 
 I have made the divisions as they seemed to me most natural. 
 
 This work has been written with uncommon despatch. Con- 
 sequent upon the issue of the " Light," in November, 1851, I was 
 seemingly wearied with letters on business and inquiries, in 
 regard to matters connected with spirit developments ; so that, in 
 the brief period of fo#r months, I have received about two hun- 
 dred, which demanded reading and reply. This necessarily ab- 
 sorbed much of my time ; especially, as very many solicited 
 information from spirits. 
 
 Near the close of December, .1851, I began to sit for this work. 
 I found my engagements such that I could only devote a part 
 of each day, and this part was frequently interrupted by stran- 
 gers who desired information on the subject. But the interruption 
 did not seem to disconcert the writer. Though often breaking 
 off in the middle of a sentence, the spirit knew exactly where to 
 commence, even without any reading of what had been written. 
 Notwithstanding these embarrassments, I found on "the first of 
 February, 1852, that my manuscript was nearly equal to the de- 
 shed contents for a book ; at which time, I entered into an ar- 
 rangement with the publisher, Mr. Dewey, by which I am able to 
 give this work a more extended circulation, and at less cost, than 
 I otherwise could have done, which I trust will be abundantly 
 obvious in its mechanical execution and neatness. 
 
 Concerning my condition while writing this book, I will say, 
 that when writing, the whole subject matter was entirely in the 
 dark to me. I would take my pen, and place myself in the 
 
PREFACE. IX 
 
 attitude of writing, when all thought and care would be wholly 
 abstracted from my mind. As my thoughts vanished, my hand 
 would generally begin to move, and a word would be written. 
 Then I would know what that word was. "When the first word 
 was written, my hand would be uplifted so as to leave a space be- 
 tween the words, and proceed as before. In this way the book was 
 written. But when the spirit chose, I found my mind often, very 
 often, though not always, impressed with the word which was 
 being written. And some mediums inform me that whole sen- 
 tences are impressed upon their minds at once ; but with me it 
 is a rare thing that I have more than one word at a time, and that 
 comes, as it were, while they are writing it. 
 
 Should the reader receive the instruction and pleasure from a pe- 
 rusal of these pages, which I have while they were being written, 
 the reward will be very great. I shall condemn no one if they do 
 not read it, because, in my opinion, they will suffer sufficient loss 
 without it. There are none who need the consolation and reform 
 which spirits require, more than those who refuse to be instructed 
 by them ; but there are many who will, as they have done, aim 
 their darts at both. They belong to a circle who deserve pity 
 more than censure. 
 
 With the history and death of Thomas Paine, I know nothing, 
 save what has been written by an invisible influence with my 
 hand. Having been connected with the ministry for over twenty 
 two years, I was not inclined to read his productions ; and since 
 I have become a writing Medium, I have found no leisure to read 
 any book. In fact, my taste for reading the productions of human 
 wisdom is all absorbed in the divine. The spirit proposes to write 
 another volume, and when it is written, it will be published. 
 
 The Diagram will serve to explain the circles of wisdom, as en- 
 joyed by minds in heaven. There are minds in the body who 
 occupy the first, second, third, and fourth circle, according to this 
 
X PREFACE. 
 
 diagram. But I would inform the reader, that whatever may be 
 the circle to which minds belong, in the rudimental or second 
 sphere, it does not separate one from another by an impassable 
 partition, so that one can not hold intercourse with another, 
 though occupying different circles. As different circles in the 
 body may converse together, so different circles in the spirit world 
 may do the same. The circles do not represent arbitraiy lines of 
 division between spirits, but simply degrees of wisdom. That the 
 higher circles mingle with the lower, for the pnrpose of making 
 them wiser, is apparent from the whole body of this work. I 
 consider, therefore, that circles express the degrees of wisdom 
 and bliss which each spirit is qualified, as it is developed, to en- 
 joy, and not as forming a line of separation among the inhabit- 
 ants of heaven. The wisdom of heaven differs essentially from 
 the wisdom of earth, in regard to the real merits of the mind, and 
 its qualifications for enjoyment 
 
 The style of some parts of this volume is unusual. A circle is 
 sometimes addressed in the singular number, where it would 
 seem to require the plural ; but this departure from grammatical 
 accuracy, may be justified on the ground, that the circle were all 
 of one mind, or sentiment. 0. HAMMOND. 
 
 Rochester, March, 1852. 
 
DIAGRAM, 
 
 REPRESENTING THE DIFFERENT CIRCLES AND SPHERES 
 
 IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 
 
 1. Wisdom, 
 
 2. Wisdom, 
 
 3. Wisdom, 
 
 4. Wisdom, 
 
 5. Wisdom, 
 
 6. Wisdom, 
 
 7. Wisdom, 
 
 [explanation.] 
 
 wholly selfish, or seeking selfish good. 
 
 controlled by popular opinion. 
 
 independent of popularity, but not perfect. 
 
 which seeks others' good and not evil. 
 
 in purity, or a circle of Purity. 
 
 in perfection to prophecy. 
 
 to instruct all others of less wisdom. 
 
CHAPTER I. 
 
 SICKNESS, DEATH, AND BURIAL OF THOMAS PAINE. 
 
 Conversation with his physician, and his indifference about death— The 
 minister sent for— Prayer— Meditation on life— Age of Reason— A swoon 
 — Sees a spirit — The effort of the spirit to identify herself— His death — 
 Funeral services— Doubting minister — Conversation with his spirit com- 
 panion — Benediction, and opinions of the people — The end of wonders 
 — Joy in his new sphere — The greeting — The woman and the doctor — 
 His mother — Her welcome- His grave— The thoughts of the grave digger 
 — Anxiety to reveal the truth— Promise to him of a coming time when it 
 could be done with safety to mediums— Origin of sight— Thoughts of 
 minds at his grave — Disclaims intentional wrong— Objections to religion 
 — Visit to the minister— Conversation between the minister and servant — 
 Prayer— Servant complains— Cheering conversation of Paine and his com- 
 panion — Proposes to relate his experience, and signs his name. 
 
 In the progress of mind to the unseen world, there is 
 no wonder within the range of human perception, anala- 
 gous to the transition of the spirit in what is called death. 
 I will relate the incidents of my experience. For some 
 weeks previous to my exit, my attending physician gave 
 me up as incurable. Still, he continued his visits, and 
 experimented in every possible way his ingenuity and wis- 
 dom could devise, to control what he foresaw would ter- 
 minate in my dissolution. At length, approaching my 
 bedside, he said in a tremulous tone, " I fear you will not 
 live to see the light of morning." " I replied, in a whis- 
 per, " I see no one, then, to do what will be required at my 
 demise." 
 
 " What do you require ? " said the doctor. 
 
 " Only that my body be decently interred," I responded. 
 
14 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 I saw he felt moved by my indifference, and I requested 
 him to invite the parish minister to make a prayer. He 
 did so. I was still unmoved by his pathetic appeals to 
 Heaven to bless my soul with the outpourings of his grace 
 upon me. I felt no solicitude about my fate. All seemed 
 dark and hopeless, with no ray of light to gladden the 
 soul of a dying unbeliever in revelation. I was willing to 
 see, but no light came to my relief. In this state of awful 
 gloom, when midnight blackness offered no consolation, 
 when the idolatry of monkish mockery gave no satis- 
 faction, and when no ostentatious show of worldly gain or 
 honor wearied my mind with their cares, I said, " what is 
 life ? " I answered, " 'tis but a dream." " Then what 
 have I done which is not a dream ?" I wondered. " There 
 is my Age of Reason, and is that a dream ? " I saw no 
 dream in that work. It was a reality. It was my work. 
 I saw it was not a dream. There was what the minister 
 had not disturbed. He did not overthrow what it con- 
 tained. He prayed against my infidelity, but he did not 
 •lessen my convictions in any position I had taken. No : 
 weak and worn out with disease as I was, he made no 
 issue with my attack upon his faith. He went away, and 
 I saw him no more, till no more of flesh and blood im- 
 prisoned my spirit. I was well satisfied he was afraid of 
 me. I was never more satisfied of the truth of my book. 
 Still, it was not what I wanted. It did not aid me in my 
 lone chamber of weakness and destitution. It gave me no 
 solace, save the reflection that I had served the cause of 
 human freedom, and had triumphed over the dogmatical 
 assumptions of a miserable theology. I was not wholly 
 satisfied that I was altogether right, but I was very cer- 
 tain that religionists were wrong. I saw the corruption 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 15 
 
 and hypocrisy of those who professed to be Christians, 
 and I was persuaded that what they taught upheld them 
 in then* hypocrisy. In this frame of mind, I neither felt 
 wounded by their assaults upon my work, nor was I 
 afraid of what would be my condition after death. 
 
 Near the close of my earthly life, I fell into a swoon, 
 and I saw what was more evidence to me of a future life, 
 than all I had ever heard or read. I saw my wisdom 
 isolated, and torn in fragments. There came near me one 
 whom I loved in my youth; one who was dear to me 
 when I was in my years of prime; and who cherished an 
 attachment for me, which even death had no power to 
 dissolve. She had passed away. I had wept over her 
 grave. I had mourned her death as the severest of all 
 possible calamities. We were united. Nothing but the 
 form of marriage was wanting to make us one in the sight 
 of the world. "We were married. I loved her as I never 
 loved another. She was my idol ; and never was homage 
 more sincere and fervent than that which I gave her ; 
 never was my soul so willingly captivated as when I enjoyed 
 her affection. Never was my distress equaled as when I 
 saw her coffined for the grave. Oh, sadness ! thou hast 
 no wisdom for the bereaved ! From that day to the pe- 
 riod above related, I had no music like hers to cheer me 
 onward through the night of my corroded sympathy, nor 
 was there hope that we should meet on the plain of con- 
 jugal affinity which we now enjoy. 
 
 In that swoon, I saw her as in the bloom of her virgin 
 innocence. She came to me and said, " Thomas ! be of 
 good cheer, I am with you." 
 
 " Half wise am I to believe in an apparition, or have I 
 lost my reason that I should s&e a ghost by my bedside ?" 
 I wondered to myself. 
 
10 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 « Be not deceived. Do you not see me ? Here is my 
 hand, and here the ring with my name engraved, and do 
 you not know my voice ? " she replied. 
 
 "Indeed, your voice I know; I know all; but what 
 are you ? " may I ask. 
 
 " I am your betrothed, your confiding companion. I 
 have watched over you with more care than you would 
 have deemed necessary, had I been formally united with 
 you in marriage. I have come now as a spirit to remove 
 your doubts, and conduct you to a circle where the wea- 
 riness of the world will disturb no more." 
 
 " A spirit ! a spirit ! " I said in amazement. 
 
 " Yes, a spirit, a spirit you mourned as dead, is with 
 you." 
 
 " Is it possible ? it is not — no, it is not." 
 
 "It is possible, Never question what you know, 
 Thomas." 
 
 " I doubt not my senses, but my sight." 
 
 " Then take my hand, as you once plighted your love 
 to me, and bear me witness that what you feel is not a 
 delusion, nor my speech a mockery of heaven." 
 
 I gave her my warm hand, and never doubted again. 
 But, ere the morning sun had appeared, I passed the por- 
 tal of death, and saw the neighbors and friends preparing 
 for the funeral. The minister was sent for. He came. 
 With uplifted hands he besought God to comfort the 
 weeping circle ; but I saw he had no confidence that his 
 prayer would be answered. He bewailed death as a curse, 
 and mourned that Adam and all his posterity had no hope 
 in heaven, only in Jesus. He opened what he said was 
 the word of God, and read, " There is hope of a tree, if 
 it be cut down, that it will sprout again ;" but what is man, 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. . 17 
 
 that the Almighty should call him to a new sphere, he did 
 not seem to comprehend. 
 
 As I stood near him during the whole service, I felt 
 moved to say, " Oh, thou of little faith ; wherefore dost 
 thou doubt ? " But my companion said, " He will not 
 believe though one go to him from the dead ; he has Mo- 
 ses and the prophets, Jesus and the apostles, but will he 
 not dispute then* sayings ? " 
 
 T. Can he dispute what he shall see and hear ? 
 
 C. And did not you doubt me, Thomas ? When I 
 spoke, and when you saw me, you said, "It is not 
 possible." Though you saw my hand, and the ring on 
 my finger, you would not admit my presence. Then you 
 said, " I doubt my sight." 
 
 T. And will he, a believer in spirits, do the same ? 
 
 C. He will not deny spirits, neither will he admit what 
 he sees. 
 
 T. Why? 
 
 C. He will say, as you said, "I doubfc my sight." 
 
 T. But will a believer in revelation doubt, as I doubted ? 
 
 C. A believer in revelation doubts, and will doubt, his 
 sight as soon as an unbeliever. Both cavil with the only 
 rule which nature has given them to determine the exist- 
 ence of things, and their relation to each other. 
 
 T. Who, then, are believers ? 
 
 C. " Hath not God concluded all in unbelief, that he 
 might have mercy upon all?" All are unbelievers. The 
 minister does not believe that you and I are present, and 
 hear his speech. He does not believe what we know, that 
 his belief is unbelief of the truth in many things : so is 
 his unbelief a denial of the truth in other things. 
 
 The minister concluded his service, and my body was 
 
18 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 deposited in the grave. I waited to hear the benediction : 
 "Dust unto dust is the law of nature; but the spirit must 
 appear before the bar of God to receive the penalty of 
 violated law," he said, in mournful solemnity. The circle 
 departed, saying, " he was more charitable than was to be 
 expected. Paine was an infidel, and what could he do 
 less than speak what he believed. He was satisfied that 
 the deceased had no eternal life abiding in him, and it 
 was his duty to warn his neighbors of their danger." 
 
 I left them, and said, " How long shall it be to the end 
 of these wonders ? " 
 
 My companion replied, " The end is not yet. Progres- 
 sive developments of wisdom will appear, when the dark 
 cloud of superstition shall be removed, so that the light 
 of heaven shall not involve those on whom it falls in the 
 trouble of wicked men. The spirits of this sphere have 
 waited for the coming of that day, and come it will, when 
 opinions shall not triumph over facts, and truth shall not 
 be rejected because it disagrees with the errors of reli- 
 gionists." 
 
 But to return to my exit. When my companion gave 
 me her hand, I faintly said, " God be praised " and lan- 
 guished into life. There was no other spirit near me, 
 when I closed my race on earth. I was not without her 
 presence a moment, though a short interval elapsed in 
 which I saw no one. She saw me in my chamber, and 
 she came to conduct me to wisdom which I had not 
 known. As a dear spirit, I loved her ; but when I found 
 myself where I could see the body I once bore, and the 
 countenances I was well acquainted with, it was a scene so 
 wholly unexpected, that I was overpowered with joyj and 
 my whole nature suffused with intense gratitude to that 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 19 
 
 divine Being, whose name and mercies I had derided in 
 my weakness and ignorance. 
 
 The first object which I saw was my companion. She 
 smiled and said, " Thomas, thou hast passed over the val- 
 ley ; fear no evil ; I am with thee." I could see what they 
 were doing with my body, when I was conversing with her. 
 
 It was not over an hour after I left it, till my spirit was 
 conscious of all that was passing in the house. I saw the 
 woman, who occupied the house, interested in preserving 
 my features from discoloration, and bathing my mortal 
 casement with wet cloths. She was not well satisfied 
 with the physician. He wanted her to ask the minister to 
 make a prayer, but she refused. He told her it was cus- 
 tomary on such occasions to invite the minister to pray. 
 She said " he would soon need something more, and I am 
 not in a condition to pay him for his services." He told 
 her that he would settle all, if she desired. " I will not 
 make a mock of the thing," she replied ; " but to tell you 
 the truth, doctor, I do not believe in praying over the 
 dead." 
 
 The next wonder, which I was permitted to see, was the 
 spirit of my mother. She was a mother ; I was now a 
 spirit, and she came to me, and said : " My son, my child, 
 I call you, my child. The storm of contention has passed. 
 The angry tempest is now gone by. Here, my son, are 
 the realities of happiness. I have labored to make you 
 wise in the wisdom of nature, but alas ! I was not success- 
 ful, only in a degree. I have now an opportunity to con- 
 duct you where wisdom will be unfolded in measureless 
 profusion." So saying, she bade me follow her. 
 
 In the mean time, my companion stood by my side, 
 and we both instantly obeyed. The angel mother led our 
 
20 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 way to a grave, which was being dug for my remains. 
 "There," said she, "is the end of all flesh. There is the 
 grave of your dust, and though it shall be deposited in it, 
 your spirit will live forever. Such will be the end of all 
 living. Do you not hear the workman ? " I listened, and 
 . the thoughts of the poor man came up to my spirit in 
 wonderful sweetness, as he moved the shovel with its load 
 of earth. "Ah ! " said he, " there are many who respect 
 the talents of the dead, but few who care for the living." 
 
 I saw him as he filled the grave. I heard him say, 
 mentally, "No man liveth and dieth not. I have dug 
 many graves, but where is the man who will not work 
 when human bodies need a burial ? Oh ! what would I 
 give to know that, when my body is wasted in dust, I shall 
 live in heaven. But, alas ! what do I ask ? My soul weeps 
 to know what God has refused to mortals." 
 
 "Do you see," said my mother, "that nature is true to 
 human good, while ignorance conceals her worth ? " 
 " I see," replied my companion, and we went away. 
 As we left the grave I was well satisfied that the reflec- 
 tions of the poor man were mournfully true. I was not 
 without misgivings that my Age of Reason sought not to 
 gratify the mind in its hope of immortality. I said, " when 
 will the day come that I can make known the truth, and 
 correct the errors of my work ? " 
 
 My mother replied, " The world is not yet prepared to 
 hear such news. I will not wrong the truth by an attempt 
 to reveal it," 
 
 T 9 But will not a day come when spirits can unfold 
 to mind in the body the wonders of this sphere ? 
 
 M, When -minds emerge from the darkness of their 
 superstition, and spirits can control, without wrong to the 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 21 
 
 medium, we can make known to them the wonders of this 
 world of life ; but, while they are controlled by their su- 
 perstition, the reveaiment would subject the medium to 
 severe penal sufferings, and the execration of all who are 
 not controlled by us. The people are more tenacious of 
 their creeds than what is consistent with the safety of such, 
 as will be required to act in a wonderful manner to over- 
 come their errors. I see, that when Jesus came, he was 
 not opposed with more violent measures than religionists 
 are prepared to adopt to suppress whatever contradicts 
 their faith and practice. But there will come a day when 
 spirits can reveal the truth, without involving the medium 
 in trouble at the hands of its enemies, and when the ina- 
 lienable rights of mind will be protected by the voice of 
 public opinion. Be patient, therefore, my son ; for the 
 coming of that day will change the gloom of the grave 
 into the joy of immortal rest. It will come with wonder, 
 and mind will understand that the tomb is not the home 
 of the soul. 
 
 The sun was now sinking behind the western hills. 
 Then I said, " why are midnight and mid-day alike to 
 spirits ? Why is not the rudimental sphere developed as 
 mind is here ? " 
 
 "I see you will wonder, Thomas. Are not the night 
 and the day alike unto God ? Does he not make light, 
 and create darkness ? Are not light and darkness the re- 
 sult of causes which harmonize in the well being of mind 
 in the body ? Must not the spirit, wearied with its load 
 of dust, have hours of repose and rest ? " 
 
 "Very true/' I replied; "but why do they not see as 
 spirits see ? " 
 
 " Our vision is not as theirs ; when we see, it is because 
 
22 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 the undulations of light, falling upon us, are unobstructed 
 by other things. You will find light without darkness in 
 your path, because there is more light in spiritual than 
 earthly bodies. Light emanates from particles of matter 
 thrown off from dense globes in straight lines, which com- 
 ing in collision with each other, produce a concussion in 
 such rapid succession, as to evolve what is called light. 
 The law of what is called the solar system, .governs worlds 
 of other systems. A ray diverging from the sun meets a 
 ray from earth, which produces what is called friction 
 among the innumerable particles in their passage from one 
 point to another* This friction emits a blaze from the two 
 particles, These wonders are actually transpiring every 
 instant, within scarcely perceptible distances, so that no 
 darkness can exist when they occur. There is an ocean of 
 rays commingling in then' destined course, and forced 
 along their pathway by attractive and repulsive forces in 
 the great economy of nature. Now, it is only the grosser 
 particles, migrating from one globe to another, that make 
 light to the inhabitants of the rudimental sphere, while 
 spirits are able to discover light, or, as I would say, see the 
 friction, or light, emitted by the friction of lesser rays com- 
 ing in contact with each other. When the sun is visible 
 to minds in the body, rays from it fall in direct lines to 
 earth, and rays from earth pass in direct lines to the sun. 
 When rays pass in direct lines and meet, the concussion or 
 friction is greater than when striking each other obliquely. 
 Hence, the greater the friction, the greater the light. And 
 the nearer to earth the contact of the rays, the more sensi- 
 ble the effect upon the retina of the human eye. This 
 accounts for the darkness called night, and the light called 
 day. At night, the rays, migrating from the sun to earth 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 23 
 
 and earth, to sun, must strike each other obliquely, and at 
 a greater distance from the eye of man. But spirits are 
 aided by the friction of infinitely more refined particles of 
 matter meeting the inconceivably more refined particles 
 of earth, occasioned by the influence of other planets upon 
 it. As the attractive and repulsive forces are equal to the 
 density, distance, and magnitude of the several orbs, so 
 are the rays refined; and you will find that the balances 
 are in just proportion throughout the immensity of the 
 Creator's works. We see that refined particles, or rays, 
 more clearly give light to us, than the grosser particles, 
 emitted by stronger attractions, do to minds in grosser or- 
 gans of sight. Every thing is adapted to its condition. 
 Nothing is unwise in the order of the divine government." 
 
 But, when we were at the grave, I saw no mind relieved. 
 " Thomas Paine was an infidel," said they. " He ridiculed 
 the Bible. He was not moral, even. He was addicted 
 to intemperance. He lived with a strange woman. He 
 would not repent, and be converted ; and he died without 
 having experienced religion. He must now atone for his 
 conduct." 
 
 I wished to say, but wishes were vain, " My wrongs 
 were not wrongs of injury intentional to others. I had 
 erred ; and I would, if I could, have atoned for those er- 
 rors; but my works were not worse than those arrayed 
 against me. I saw no religion worth possessing in the 
 creeds of men. I was not wise, but I could not find wis- 
 dom in the doctrines taught by religionists. My desire 
 was law and justice ; but neither were commended to my 
 judgment, in the forms and ceremonies of the church. A 
 change of heart was more mystical to me than the my- 
 thology of the pagans. A wise man hath said, < wisdom 
 
24 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 is mine,' and what he said I was not ashamed to allow : 
 bnt I was ashamed to allow what I could not explain, so 
 that others could comprehend my meaning. I was not 
 without reverence for good, but what was good gave me 
 some uneasiness to determine. My rules were isolated, 
 and sometimes contradictory. Nevertheless, I would at- 
 tempt to draw up rules which I thought practicable, and 
 when I saw what was not wise, I was never ashamed to 
 acknowledge it." 
 
 During the evening of the day in which my body was 
 interred, I was with my companion and mother, who pro- 
 posed to visit the house of the parish minister. I wished 
 not to go, for I was well satisfied of his feelings. I was 
 about to say so, when my companion resumed: "We may 
 not refuse crumbs when no more can be had. I see," 
 said she, " he will not pray without wrath or doubting ; 
 but it is all we can expect under his condition of mind. 
 He is now waiting to call the family together for prayers." 
 
 " Then we will not stay long," I replied. 
 
 " No longer than you wish," she rejoined. 
 
 It was a still night. As we neared the house, the work 
 of reading a chapter was commenced by the servant of the 
 house. She read, with hurried words, the chapter which 
 was offered her. 
 
 " That seems to be an awful lesson of judgment against 
 the unbelieving," said the minister, with a sigh. " Oh ! 
 what would Paine give now, if he had made his peace 
 with God ? I fear he is lost forever." 
 
 "And why do you think so ? " said the servant. 
 
 " Because he was a very wicked man," said the minister. 
 
 "Are not all men wicked," she faintly uttered ? 
 
 M. Yes : but you know there is a sin unto death, for 
 which even Christians are not permitted to pray. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 25 
 
 S. Did Paine commit that sin which is unto death ? 
 
 M. I fear such will be found the case. He resisted 
 the Holy Ghost. He resisted prayer. He was opposed 
 to religion. Alas ! he is beyond the reach of mercy. So 
 saying, he arose, and said, u we will pray." 
 
 He was nearly through with a long prayer, when he 
 called upon God to " remember all who remember not 
 thee. Remember, Oh God ! " said he, " all who are out of 
 the ark of safety ; for we fear thou hast permitted one of 
 thy works to perish forever. Oh, God ! spare thy rod, and 
 let not thine anger be kindled against thy enemies. Thou 
 hast mercy for those that love thee, and wilt thou not also 
 have compassion on those who need thy salvation ? " 
 When he had concluded, I heard the servant say to her- 
 self, " Who is my judge ? " 
 
 I responded, by a gentle impression on her mind, " He 
 will judge others, but not as he judges himself." 
 
 " It is even so," she seemed to answer. " I never was ac- 
 quainted with Paine," she said, mentally; "but he was 
 never convicted of any very great crimes that I have ever 
 heard ; I wish others were as good as he. Then, I should 
 not be scorned because I am poor, and have to work for a 
 living. May be, it is all right, but I can't see it." 
 
 My companion rejoined, " Thus it is, and thus it will 
 be, till wisdom shall come from heaven, gentle as the dew, 
 and free as the air, to chase away the ignorance of a de- 
 ceived world. Never will mind rise up in the vigor of 
 wisdom, till celestial light shall dissipate the wrongs and 
 woes of misguided mind. I have seen the mind of man 
 groaning in despair, and no one to lift the burden from 
 his soul. I will not mock my inferiors, nor envy my supe- 
 riors ; but I will lead you, Thomas, to a fountain where 
 2 
 
26 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 no impurity can be seen, and where you may bathe in 
 water without shore or bound." 
 
 " But where do we go ? " I inquired. 
 
 " We go where the weary find rest, and the conflicting 
 antagonisms of human society disturb no more. We go 
 where the pure will never become vitiated with wrongs, and 
 where rivers of light roll on, refreshing the mind forever. 
 We go where nature is understood, and her laws obeyed. 
 We go where truth is wisdom, and where no mockery of 
 duty answers the call of need. We go where we wish, 
 and when we go, we will not cease to remember that our 
 return will be cheered with music, vibrating in harmony 
 with human redemption from the whirlpool of angry 
 waters. We will not tarrry among the wrongs and 
 evils of a mourning world, but we will visit a wonder away 
 from human cares, where order and harmony are appre- 
 ciated, and spirits concentrate to admire and glorify the 
 Ruler of unnumbered worlds. There is a world you have 
 not seen, a music you have not heard, a joy you have not 
 experienced, where the storm of contention lashes not 
 against its shore, nor the groans of distress reach the 
 borders of my spirit home." 
 
 We went in company. But, at eveiy step of our jour- 
 ney, I saw new wonders, which I propose to write, with the 
 consent of this medium, for the instruction and enjoyment 
 of those who must ere long become travelers over the same 
 road, to a wisdom which none but celestial beings enjoy 
 Therefore, wonder not who writes as you read ; for my 
 name will be now recorded, as with the pen of a ready 
 writer, by whose hand I am permitted to subscribe myself, 
 
 THOMAS PAD\ T E. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 2f 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 INTERVIEW WITH WM. PENN, AND PAINE S CONVERSION. 
 
 Pleased with his new life — Recognition of rudiraental associates — Rea- 
 son why Paine's writings were unpopular — His opposition to revelation 
 considered — Penn makes an effort to show Paine his error, bnt was de- 
 feated — Error acknowledged— Strife about opinions condemned — 
 Nature is never contradictory, but just — All wrong induced by igno- 
 rance — Remedy for wrongs — Wisdom peaceful —The will of resistance — 
 The principles of nature enforced — Education in wrong the cause of 
 wrong — Non-resistance advocated — Penn takes him to a temple — Enters 
 an arch-door — Initiation into wisdom — Assumes an obligation — A. new 
 song is sung — Receives a lesson — Description of the temple — Name 
 recorded — A book opened — Banner unfurled — Words on the banner — 
 Explanation of justice, wisdom^ progression, order and harmony — Duties 
 enjoined — Charge of the master — Emblems explained — Master and 
 servant — Freedom of servants — Obedience to nature demanded — Im- 
 plements of masonry — Proof of masonry— The High Priest instructs — 
 The book opened and read — Interpretations forbidden — Repentant 
 mind — Conducted to the inner court — The white stone — Name chan- 
 ged — Receives a new baptism — Ananihem and ode were sung — The 
 temple by whom made, and its pillars — • Hears a wail of sorrow, and pre- 
 pares for a mission. 
 
 When I saw the wisdom of my new sphere, I was de- 1 
 lighted beyond the capacity of human expression. I was 
 not wholly a stranger in my new life, for I found a great 
 multitude of spirits whom I had known in the body. I 
 saw minds venerable while in the rudimental state. I was 
 well accquainted with George Washington, Benjamin, 
 Franklin, Richard Hush, and many others. I saw spirits 
 teaching them lessons of wisdom. Then, I wondered. 
 
28 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 " Why wonderest thou," said a friend ? " Thou hast 
 not yet seen what thou mayest see, when the clear light 
 of this world of beauty shall remove the darkness from 
 thy vision." 
 
 Thomas. And do I not now see more than I can 
 comprehend ? 
 
 Willliam. Truly, thou seest what thou dost not com- 
 prehend, but thou canst comprehend even more, when thy 
 wisdom shall be increased. I was thy senior in life, but 
 thou knowest my history, in the settlement of Pennsyl- 
 vania. 
 
 T. Indeed, this, i s none other than William Penn — the 
 mind who never drew a sword to gain a victory, or repel 
 an enemy. 
 
 W. I am William Penn ; I have watched thy course, 
 Thomas, and I have sympathized in thy efforts to rid 
 minds of superstition and priestly rule; but thou seest 
 now that thy labor was not successful, because the wants 
 of nature must be supplied. Hadst thou not attacked what 
 the mind wants — the hope of the soul in a future sphere 
 — thou wouldst not have found more opposers than sym- 
 pathizers; mind must and will strive to satisfy its own 
 wants. This is nature; and what is nature, thou didst 
 Ight against. 
 
 T. But my weapons were not malicious. 
 
 W. No; thou wast not malicious, but thou didst what 
 thou wouldst not do again, as thou seest now. Thou 
 wouldst not write against revelation, because thou seest 
 that revelation is true to human wants, and is the bread 
 of the soul. Many things thou hast truly said, but what 
 thou hast truly said, will lose its power for good, because 
 it is found ia bad company. I sought to make thee know 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 29 
 
 wherein thou didst err ; and, on one occasion, when thou 
 hadst written a work on priestcraft, I verily thought I 
 should succeed in my endeavors; but I saw thee take a 
 book from thy library, which turned thy mind from the 
 impression I gave thee. 
 
 T. I see my error ; but how could I see otherwise than 
 I did, when in the body ? 
 
 W. Hadst thou, Thomas, studied opinions less, and 
 nature more, thou wouldst have seen that nature never 
 contradicts its own wants. It does not deny itself. What 
 nature wants, nature provides. Human opinions were ob- 
 jectionable to thee, because they conflicted with nature 
 and each other ; so with thy works. Thou wouldst battle 
 with others, because their opinions were irreconcilable with 
 nature, and yet thou didst offer thy own, though exposed 
 to the same objection. They saw thy errors, as thou be- 
 held theirs. When wise minds would correct, they should 
 adopt such rules as will not be objectionable when applied 
 to them. I saw thee, as I saw them, striving for mastery. 
 In this sphere, spirits never quarreL I was more fortunate ; 
 my aim was peace, and my success is well known. 
 
 T. How will you control, when minds are wilfully 
 ignorant and blind ? My wisdom sees only that force must 
 repel force, when individual or national rights are invaded. 
 I will admit that kindness has great power over some minds, 
 but not to overcome the selfishness of despots and tyrants. 
 
 W. Thou wilt see, Thomas, that what is nature, is not 
 contradictory. I see that nature is just and true to all. I 
 see that minds are not just and true to nature, because 
 they are improperly cultivated. It is not natural for minds 
 to fight each other. It is inconsistent with nature for one 
 mind to control another, so as to wrong him — wrong 
 
SO THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 both. Mature is well ; but the wrong consists in not obey- 
 ing her voice. No mind is wilfully ignorant or blind. 
 The will is induced, sometimes, by ignorance and blind- 
 ness. All will of wrong is induced by want of knowledge 
 to perceive the injury it will occasion to the possessor and 
 others. No mind can will what is seen will produce its 
 own unhappiness, because it seeks its own good. To seek 
 unhappiness would be inconsistent with its nature. To do 
 wrong is to seek misery, because wrong induces misery. Ig- 
 norance is the father of misery, for it guides the possessor in 
 the path of folly. When national or individual rights are 
 Invaded, it can only occur as ignorance misleads the in- 
 vader. When human duty is not neglected, the inva- 
 sion can not be made. Thou knowest, Thomas, that nature 
 is good and just. Thou seest a chord of sympathy bind- 
 ing all minds together. This is nature. Teach minds this 
 lesson, so that it shall see its relationship to mind, and it 
 will not invade the rights of others ; because such invasion 
 would induce its own misery — a thing the mind must 
 naturally dread. Had the millions w T hich have been ex- 
 pended in war, been applied to the instruction of the igno- 
 rant in the philosophy of peace, little necessity would ever 
 have existed to correct error with other errors, among which 
 the wrong of war ranks foremost. The selfishness of despots 
 and tyrants, would not exist under such a state of wisdom. 
 
 T. But we must take things as they are, and govern 
 them accordingly. 
 
 W. I would not have thee take others as they are not, 
 Thomas ; but I would have thee understand, that the wis- 
 dom of this sphere is peaceful, and not compulsory. Thou 
 seest no collision of minds, or disturbance among spirits. 
 The government, which controls minds here without force, 
 
AND OTHERS IN TUG SPIRIT WORLD. 31 
 
 is a government more perfect than that thy mind justifieth. 
 No spirit can be improved by evil. Evil is repugnant to 
 its nature. Force against force is evil, because mind must 
 harmonize with mind to be happy. The conflict of two 
 minds is a disturbance of nature's ]aw, and whatever is a 
 disturbance of nature's law, is attended with consequences 
 incongenial with happiness. 
 
 T. That is true ; but when minds are ignorant of the 
 laws of nature, ignorant of the relation of mind to mind, 
 and the essentials of bliss, they will trample on the rights 
 of each other. Under' such a condition of things, is it not 
 wise to restrain by force the unwise and brutal ? 
 
 W. When minds are ignorant, they should be instruct- 
 ed. Nature demands this; and what nature demands, 
 mind has no right to withhold. Indeed, nature disciplines 
 minds who withhold obedience to her laws. Mind tram- 
 ples on the rights of mind, because it is ignorant ; and it is 
 ignorant, because it has not been instructed, or received 
 instruction. It is no difficult task for mind to receive in- 
 struction, nor is it unpleasant to give that which has been 
 imparted. I would have thee understand, that this lesson 
 can be taught to mind, ere it will need force to control it. 
 Nature itself would do this work, were it not baffled by 
 cruel and unwholesome precepts. It is false education 
 which disciplines the mind, so as to make coercive measures 
 apparently necessary in thy mind. Mind is educated in 
 wrong by precept and example, and then coerced by another 
 wrong to control it right. It is cultivated in wrong, and 
 then compelled to suffer for the wrong. Better far that 
 all minds were uneducated, than have them educated in 
 wrong. Education in wrong is what most afflicts thee, 
 No mind need stumble for the absence of light No mind 
 
82 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 will stumble, unless it walk in darkness. Let them seo 
 before they walk, and they will not fall. No force is ne- 
 cessary to control those who see, in order to keep them 
 from falling ; neither is force required to prevent invasion 
 of another's rights, under the light of nature. I see noth 
 ing which wrongs any mind, where no force is exerted. It 
 is force against force which wounds. The wound is an 
 evil. It is an evil which force against force has no power 
 to overcome. If thou wouldst have others do right, thou 
 shouldst not do wrong thyself. Resist no good to thy 
 friend, or thy enemy ; and thy example will not provoke 
 an invasion of thy rights. If he take from thee thy coat, 
 give him thy cloak also; for, in so doing, thy example will 
 lead him to return both, if thy want be greatest. He will 
 soon recognize thee as a giver of good things, and thy gifts 
 will lead him unto repentance. He will not steal from thee 
 because thou givest, and there are none who prefer to steal, 
 when they are supplied by gifts. None will fight, when 
 they have what they desire without it. None will do 
 wrong, when the wrong discloses no advantage. Study 
 right, Thomas, and right will not wrong thee. 
 
 T. But will not your precept lead the ignorant to ex- 
 pect forbearance, and abuse your generosity ? 
 
 W. It will lead mind to acknowledge, that what will 
 do them good is not an evil. It will do more. It will 
 correct the errors into which they have fallen by wrong 
 precepts. It will not make them abuse mj generosity, but 
 disabuse themselves of their own wrongs. Thou knowest 
 what was not done, even by barbarians. When I saw the 
 red man, he never lifted his war-axe against me, nor my 
 friends. He knew I would not abuse him, and he could 
 not abuse me. But he could do wrong to others. He 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 33 
 
 could slay them without remorse* Canst thou explain the 
 reason ? 
 
 T. The reason explains itself. I know you was suc- 
 cessful; but was not your success owing to your well re- 
 gulated treaty stipulations ? 
 
 W. Undoubtedly, my engagements were honorably 
 fulfilled, as they were honorably made. I would not wrong 
 a mind, and then require that mind to forbear. I would 
 have all do right; and when mind does right, it need fear 
 no evil. Resistance to the injury of another, is not right, 
 and what is not right, would'st thou recommend ? 
 
 T. No : but when savages invade, or tyrants oppress, 
 I would resist their misrule. 
 
 W. Thou hast well said ; but how couldst thou resist 
 more effectually, than by acts'of generosity and friendship ? 
 Resistance with force against force, is encouragement to 
 wrong. It provokes others to do wrong. " Overcome 
 evil with good," is not resisting evil w r ith evil. There is 
 only one way, Thomas, to do good, and make enemies 
 friends. Minds, wishing peace, will find it with less sa- 
 crifice in well doing, than in evil doing. All strife has 
 cost even the victor more than he ever obtained. All wis- 
 dom, in this sphere, will show thee, what is not apprecia- 
 ted in the rudimental. I see wherein thou hast erred. I 
 will change thy wisdom, that thou mayest sit down in a 
 circle where mercy flows like a cooling stream to refresh 
 the plants of heaven. Come thou with me, and I will 
 do thee good. 
 
 He led me where I saw a light exceeding the brightness 
 of a thousand suns. I saw a door opening a magnificent 
 temple, arched as it were, with stones of the most beauti- 
 2* 
 
34 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 ful workmanship, and clear as crystal. When we reached 
 the arch-way, he said : 
 
 " Friend : Art thou prepared to do the work required 
 of thee by the Master of this building ? " 
 
 T. And what is that work I am required to do ? 
 
 W. Enter upon thy apprenticeship, and obey thy 
 Master. 
 
 T. That I w T ill do, in all reasonable commands. 
 
 W. But thy reason is not required, till thou art in- 
 structed by the Master to reason with wisdom to guide thee 
 
 When we had passed the first arch, I was reflecting on 
 my pilgrimage, which was so strange and new, that I felt 
 my soul overcome with the mercy of heaven. But my 
 guide aided me onward. On entering the second arch 
 door, I was hailed by a workman, who said : 
 
 " Whence comest thou ? " 
 
 My guide responded, " From Edom." 
 
 Workman. Hast thou brought a stranger with thee ? 
 
 Guide. A stranger has called to serve as an appren- 
 tice in thy charge. 
 
 W. Hast thou examined the passports, and dost thou 
 know his integrity ? 
 
 G. I have examined all, and find him worthy of our 
 confidence. 
 
 W. Then, wilt thou proceed to the station where wis- 
 dom will be unfolded, and his duties and obligations made 
 known. 
 
 As we proceeded, an ode was sung by a great multi- 
 tude. It was unlike any thing I ever heard before. There 
 was a softness, a melody in the strain, that fell upon my 
 mind with angelic loveliness, and I wondered why I was 
 admitted into a society, where all was peace and harmony, 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 35 
 
 and no discord grated the ear of worthy and tried ser- 
 vants, in this sanctuary of heavenly wisdom. As I won- 
 dered, I heard a voice saying : " What man hath rejected, 
 that thou hast found. I saw thee a stranger, and took 
 thee in ; naked, and clothed thee ; sick and in prison, and 
 visited thee. When thou goest hence, bear this lesson in 
 thy mind, that good may come unto thee from the good 
 thou doest unto others of thy fellow, servants, who may 
 need thy aid and sympathy." Then, I heard the multi- 
 tude say, "Amen." "Amen," I responded; and as I 
 spake this word, I found my voice had changed. It fell 
 so sweetly from my lips, that I was surprised at the sound. 
 
 My guide then proceeded to instruct me, that this tem- 
 ple was none other than a miniature representation of na- 
 ture. " It is a building of God," said he, " and here is 
 thy home. Here mayest thou worship, here bring thy 
 gifts, and consecrate thy vows upon the altar of spirit 
 progress, in the eternal realities of knowledge and virtue. 
 Here pour out the oil of consolation for the bereaved, and 
 here serve God by doing good to those who need thy as- 
 sistance." 
 
 I saw my name written in the record of eternal life ; 
 and I was rejoiced when my errors were corrected. When 
 I was instructed, I saw my resistance to truth overcome, 
 and when I found how my own wrongs were remedied, I 
 saw how others might be reclaimed. 
 
 The temple was inlaid with gold. I saw a mind stand- 
 ing, with elevated wisdom over his head, and at his feet 
 were sitting students of nature, who received instruction 
 from him. In his right hand he held a book, and in his 
 left a banner. The book was opened, and the banner un- 
 furled. " This is not made with hands " said he, " but 
 
36 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 came from Mount Horeb, where the everlasting covenant 
 was given to the children of the Most High. Advance 
 stranger, and rdbeive the blessing which thou hast refused 
 in thy unbelief. " 
 
 I stepped forward as if drawn by an attractive power to 
 do what was required, when he placed the book in my 
 hands, and said : " Receive this Revelation with meek- 
 ness, and make it thy study. Thou hast ridiculed with- 
 out reading; read now without ridicule. Turn thou not 
 from its light, but when thou readest understand. Seek 
 not thy own interpretation, but let wisdom conduct thee 
 in candor, to add nothing to or take nothing from what 
 thou hast no right, and which is not thy own. " The 
 mind then sat down. 
 
 I next saw the words on the banner. It was a beauti- 
 ful banner, filled with gems and devices ; and when I saw 
 it> I read the words, " Justice, Wisdom, Progression, Or- 
 der, and Harmony." Beneath it was written, " They 
 shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears 
 into pruning hooks." 
 
 My guide then said, tl Understandest thou what thou 
 seest?" 
 
 What will you say, I inquired of Justice ? 
 G. Justice is not cruelty, but is doing what benevo- 
 lence requires. When thou seest a mind whom thou canst 
 aid, and unto whom thou canst render assistance, be it thy 
 friend or a stranger, then be just to the law which makes 
 thee and him companions, and recognizes the deed of 
 mercy as a deed of good to thyself. If he fall by the 
 way side, because he can not see, then take him by thy 
 strength, and bear him where he may rest. Put thy hand 
 upon him gently, and say : "I will not forsake thee till thou 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 37 
 
 canst aid others as I will aid thee." Let him want nothing, 
 and justice to thy needy friend will be satisfied. 
 
 T. What is Wisdom ? 
 
 G. Wisdom is wise. It is wise to relieve want. It is 
 wise to do good. It is wise to understand thyself, to know 
 thy dependence on others, to see the wisdom of God in 
 his works and wonders. It is wise to act, to say, and to 
 wish well toward all mind. It is wise to speak the truth, 
 to utter nothing but the truth, and to oppose nothing 
 which is good. It is wise to love, as we see love begets 
 love. It is wise to learn, because what thou learnest of 
 wisdom will add to thy circle of bliss, and the bliss of 
 others, when they are taught of thee. It is wise to co-op- 
 erate in harmony with the thousands who saw thee in need, 
 and aided thy welcome within these courts. It is wise to 
 obey the Master of this house; for in so doing great good 
 shall be thy reward, and thou shalt wear a crown which 
 the ignorant may envy, but can not pluck from thy head. 
 
 T. What is Progression ? 
 
 G. Progression is the expansion of thy mind in the 
 wisdom thou mayest receive from instructed minds around 
 thee. When thou doest good, it is wise ; and as thou be- 
 comest wise, thy wisdom will swell thy mind with the 
 luxury it gives. Thou knowest from what thou hast seen, 
 that according to thy works of well doing, so shall thy 
 measure of bliss be. If thou wouldst do more to benefit 
 those who need, thou must be found faithful unto the in- 
 struction thou receivest, and then thou wilt be prepared to 
 discharge thy trust with honor to thy station, and with 
 satisfaction to thyself. 
 
 T. What is Order ? 
 
 G. Order is law. Law is immutable and universal. 
 
38 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 When I say, Order is law, I would that thou shouldst un 
 derstand that it is obedience to law. Disobedience is dis- 
 order, and disorder is anarchy. Thou wilt see that nature 
 is obedient unto law. Planets and suns, and systems of 
 suns and worlds, are all obedient to law. The least distur- 
 bance might work a disorder, which no mind less than the 
 Creator could possibly control. As thou beholdest order 
 in the natural world, so let it be thy aim to observe order 
 in the society into whose charge thou hast committed 
 thyself. 
 
 T. What is Harmony ? 
 
 G. Harmony is what we mean by social sympathy. 
 It is congenial with order. It is union of minds. It is 
 wisdom in unity of minds. It is sympathy of thoughts 
 and works. It will not divide and distract, convulse or 
 disturb the social enjoyment of the circle now assembled 
 to witness thy progress in the knowledge of the truth. 
 Thou wilt not do or say what will not be upheld and un- 
 derstood by those whose integrity is vouchsafed to defend 
 thee in the cause of social refinement and peace. Hear, 
 now, what thy Master sayeth unto thee from the throne 
 of mercy. 
 
 M. Inasmuch, Thomas, as thou hast advanced to this 
 temple with the aid of thy guide, and hast entered the 
 courts of the glorified circle of this sphere, thou mayest 
 ask what seemeth good to thee. 
 
 T. Then, I would inquire, why are those words placed 
 on the banner which I see in your hand, and which seems 
 to indicate the end of collision among minds ? 
 
 M. Thou hast well judged. The sword and the spear 
 will be converted into useful implements of industry, and 
 the banner thou seest wave in glory over the world of 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 89 
 
 mind. Thou wilt not wonder when thou seest the wis- 
 dom which thy progress will unfold to thee ; for as the 
 sun is true in its relation to the planets revolving around it, 
 so will the prediction thou seest be verified, and nations 
 shall learn war no more. As thou hast been instructed, 
 so shall thy followers be, till wisdom shall unite all minds 
 in harmony, and order save spirits in weakness and igno- 
 rance from their disorder and shame. Then will minds 
 see a victory without blood, a harmony without force, a 
 justice without cruelty, and a wisdom without folly. 
 
 T. But when shall these sayings come to pass ? 
 
 M. That is thy work, as it is ours. Thou must know 
 that what is thy work, thou must not require others to 
 tell when it will be completed. According to thy labor 
 and thy skill, so shall the work prosper in thy hands. 
 But if we are negligent, so shall the day be, in advancing 
 upon mind. 
 
 The guide then took me by the hand, and said : " Now 
 thou art introduced into this company, it will be thy chief 
 desire to remember the instruction thou hast received, and 
 follow the counsel which thy seniors may impart to thee. 
 Thou seest many things here, and many more will be re- 
 vealed to thee, so that thy life will not be idle, but will be 
 devoted to the lessons as they will be given thee. I will 
 now introduce thee to a friend, who has a charge to give 
 thee." 
 
 Leading me to the right a few paces, he said : " This is 
 the Master whom thou wilt hear ; and as thou nearest, so 
 do ye." 
 
 M. My son ; hear the counsel of a father, and forsake 
 not the law of thy mother. These many years have I 
 presided over this circle, and my children hear my voice. 
 
40 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 They revere my advice, and yield me honor by obedience. 
 At my table thou wilt sit, and receive the bread thy mind 
 will need. Here, we welcome thee from the tears and 
 woes thou hast seen, and here shall thy mind be satisfied 
 with the abundance of mercy received and enjoyed by all 
 of us. But, when thou shalt go on thy mission, bear the 
 banner thou seest, and the glory of that banner shall 
 wave over the world with the smile of peace. Thus, thou 
 wilt see thy rew r ard in the work thou wilt perform for the 
 good of mind in need. 
 
 When the Master had concluded his charge, my guide 
 said: " No mind can receive instruction without a teacher, 
 and no mind can teach the truth, unless he be taught. 
 If thou w r ouldst advance, Thomas, in the knowledge of 
 this sphere, thou mayest understand that thou wilt apply 
 thyself with all diligence to the w r ork before thee. And 
 in order to make thee acquainted with thy care, I will 
 proceed to instruct thee in the use of those implements, 
 which are necessary to expedite the work devolving upon 
 thee. " 
 
 He then took a chisel and mahet, and said: "Some 
 minds are rough, and need thy labor to remove the une- 
 ven surface. Take thou this chisel and mallet, and when 
 thou findest a rough stone, which thou seest can be made 
 smooth, then let thy strength be expended upon it, even 
 as we have sought to make thee serviceable in this temple, 
 by removing the roughness of thy mind. As thou seest 
 we have done thee no harm by rendering thee more beau- 
 tiful, and better adapted to thy position in this edifice ; so 
 mayest thou work to render others what we have made 
 thee. But to aid thee in thy labor, thou shouldst take 
 this square and plumb, so that thou mayest try the stone, 
 
A1W OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 41 
 
 until it squares with this rule, and works with this line and 
 plumb, when thou wilt see its use in the temple for which 
 thou hast prepared it. I have now given thee thy direc- 
 tions, and trust thou wilt shew thyself a workman, who 
 will be faithful to the trust committed to thy charga 
 What sayest thou ? " 
 
 T. Thou wilt find thy servant faithful in all things. 
 But may I know my Master ? 
 
 G. One is thy Master, but many are thy fellow-ser- 
 vants. He who controls as a father controls his children, 
 by the voice of kindness, is thy Master, and we are his 
 family. Dost thou not know who controlled thee, and 
 made thee obedient ? He is thy Master. The mind that 
 controls others, is the Master of those whom it controls, 
 while those who are controlled by him, are servants to 
 obey his will. The Master is as the servant, and the ser- 
 vant as the Master, in the work required of thee. We 
 may not be controlled as slaves are controlled, n@r yet as 
 slaves are worked ; for our Master is not a tyrant, but a 
 co-worker with us in the good of all. He rules with at- 
 traction, as the sun rules the planets. He rules with wis- 
 dom, as he has received wisdom. Force has no authority 
 here, only as an attractive principle to hold the workmen 
 in a desired position — a position for which they are fitted. 
 
 T. When we serve one another, we are servants, I 
 suppose. 
 
 G. We are servants of good to them. But when we 
 serve ourselves by their industry, we serve them as slaves 
 are served. Thou wilt see we are free, and yet servants 
 of many. Dost thou see the eagle perched on that banner ? 
 
 T. I see. He cries, " Many in one. " Many may be 
 one, and one many. 
 
42 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 G. Truly, Thomas. Many may not be in one also. 
 Thou hast seen many oppress the few. Thou hast seen 
 the few victorious over the many. I know thy course 
 against tyranny. I saw thee when a stripling, in the cause 
 of freedom, but thou wast not as thou seest now. Here 
 freedom is not oppression by force. No mind will say 
 unto thee, " go, and thou goest; or come, and thou com- 
 est ; " because it is his will, and not thine. Here, thy 
 Master's will is thy will, and what is thy will that thou 
 doest, as thou ail required. When thy Master and thou 
 agree in all that thou doest, thy freedom is what slaves do 
 not enjoy, nor is thy servitude the bondage of slavery. 
 
 T. What rule will make him, thou hast called Master, 
 a master over the workmen ? 
 
 G. The same rule, or law, which controls the material 
 world. As the sun controls the system of orbs that re- 
 volve around it by its attractive power, so it masters or 
 controls * them; and yet thou seest no inharmony or dis- 
 turbance, no resistance or oppression from the authority it 
 exercises. It is control, as we would have rule exercised 
 over minds. Nature is free; and what nature justifies, 
 that thou wilt not disapprove. 
 
 T. Can I not wrong nature and myself ? 
 
 G. Thou canst wrong thyself by denying the laws of 
 nature ; but thou canst not do what thy mind forbids thee. 
 Nature is denied, when resistance to attractive power i3 
 seen. Nature is disobeyed, when oppression denies the 
 freedom which we enjoy. Thou earnest to these courts 
 because thou didst desire more wisdom, No force was 
 necessary to bring thee here. No resistance didst thou 
 offer to the pilgrimage thou hast made. Thy will was as 
 free as air, and when thou didst come, it was control which 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 43 
 
 brought thee. Thou wast drawn by affinity, by law of 
 rule and power over thee, so that thy coming was as free 
 as thy will, and thy will was as free as thy coming. Thou 
 wast drawn, and drawn as thy desire sought. "When thou 
 seest, as thou wilt see, the harmony of this temple and its 
 just proportions, thou wilt not 'wonder at its arrangement, 
 nor need instruction to displace thy errors. If thou 
 wouldst be wise, let not thy prepossessions forestall thy 
 judgment. 
 
 T. But what must I do with these implements of in- 
 dustry ? 
 
 Gr. Take them in thy charge, and with them this com- 
 pass, to aid thee in thy work. Remember, also, that 
 wherever thou goest, these thy implements shall be a sign 
 of thy masonry, and thy work thy recommendation among 
 thy fellow servants. As thou hast received them at our 
 hands, so use them as not to abuse the purposes for 
 which they were intended. 
 
 T. Have I no one to commend me, but these tokens 
 of my profession? 
 
 G-. These tokens will reveal thy work, which thou hast 
 received, and thy work will not dispute the use of the 
 implements. Thy name will be known wherever thou 
 goest, because thy works will follow thee. 
 
 T. When I go hence, unto whom shall I go ? 
 
 Gr. Thou wilt go as thou seest need of thee. Thou 
 wilt see need of thee where thy work will adorn the un- 
 comely things with the beauty and usefulness of this 
 sphere of wisdom. Thou wilt reveal with thy skill the 
 hidden beauty of deformity, and develop the intrinsic 
 value of mind, concealed beneath the rubbish of error and 
 wrong. Let thy dexterity and moderation be known by 
 
44 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS" PAINE 
 
 thy works, so that the whole building of God may re- 
 sound with, shouts of joy. 
 
 When my guide had aided me thus far, he said : " Now, 
 Thomas, thou wilt turn thy face to the left, and receive a 
 lesson from the High Priest of this temple." 
 
 I turned and walked about four or five paces, when he 
 said, " This is the High Priest He has a message, and 
 will now aid thee in thy duty to those with whom thou 
 wilt henceforth be associated. Listen attentively to what 
 he may say, and let thy mind be opened to the words 
 which he may speak for thy benefit." 
 
 As he arose, a mind said to me, " Kneel." 
 
 " Why so ? " I inquired. 
 
 " This is the order when he speaks." 
 
 I knelt, and he proceeded: "Thomas, wouldst thou 
 understand more of the mysteries of this company 8 " 
 
 I responded, "What is useful, I would not refuse." 
 
 P. Open then the book, and read. 
 
 I opened the book, and read: "What man, having 
 an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave 
 the ninety and nine in the pasture, and go after that which 
 is lost, until he find it ? And when he hath found it, he 
 layeth it on his shoulders and rejoiceth; and when he 
 hath brought it home, he calleth his neighboring friends, 
 and saith unto them, Rejoice with me ; for I have found 
 my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, likewise, that 
 joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth more 
 than over ninety and nine just persons, who need no repent- 
 ance } " 
 
 P. Thou hast well read thy lesson. Dost thou wish 
 an interpretation ? I see thy mind responds, nay. Thou 
 hast well said, nay. I am not here to interpret what thou 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 45 
 
 understandest, neither would I have thee undertake to do 
 what that book forbids thee. Shouldst thou wish for more 
 light, thou wilt not find it without a revealment be made 
 to thee. What is revealed, is well, and what is not re- 
 vealed, thou wilt not find by any interpretation which thy 
 wisdom may see fit to place on the words of another 
 Thou mayest interpret thy own words, but thou hast no 
 right to disturb the words of another, lest thy interpreta- 
 tion be taken for the wisdom which instructs thee. 
 
 T. How then am I to understand this book ? 
 
 P. Thou wilt understand, thy duty is not of thy own 
 construction of what is required by the just rule thou hast 
 received ; for the book will serve thy harmony and peace 
 far better without interpretation, than with it. Thou wilt 
 see that angels do not need minds, who are lower than 
 themselves, to interpret what is above themselves. When 
 thou hast dispossessed thyself of errors forced upon thy 
 mind by education, thou wilt not need a commentary to 
 aid thee in thy duty. Hast thou not read, and dost thou 
 need an explanation of what thou hast read ? 
 
 T. I need no explanation of that passage. 
 
 P. Truly, and when thou wilt read other passages, as 
 thou hast read that, then thou will say of such also, I need 
 no explanation, because thou will be guided by such im- 
 pressions as will unfold to thee the beauty thou seest in the 
 pasage thou hast read. Thou seest the prediction verified 
 in thy presence. Thou hast repented of thy sins, and thy 
 repentance has brought thee to these courts to receive the 
 joy of well done, good and repentant servaut ; enter thou 
 into the joy of thy Master, and sit down with us to this 
 banquet of good things. 
 
 T. I accept the offering, and trust I shall prove myself 
 
46 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 worthy of the society whose kindness is a sufficient pro- 
 tection against the sin of ingratitude. But will any mind 
 go with me on my mission ? 
 
 P. When thou goest, then thou shalt have company ; 
 but obligations are yet to be made known to thee. Thou 
 will not depart until thou hast received thy passports. 
 
 T. And from whom may I receive what is lacking ? 
 
 P. From the mind who has recorded thy works. The 
 guide will now conduct thee to the inner court of this tem- 
 ple where thou wilt receive thy passports, and from thence 
 thou wilt go on thy mission with thy companions, who will 
 aid thee and co-operate with thee in doing good to thy 
 fellow servants whom thou wilt bless with - the blessing 
 thou hast received from this visit. 
 
 The guide said, " Follow me." 
 
 I went. He conducted me to a circle whose counte- 
 nances glowed with continual brightness, and whose voices 
 were sweeter than the ^Eolian harp. As I advanced into 
 a large area in the center of a magnificent court, I saw a 
 light streaming from heaven, and a cloud of wdsdom broke 
 upon me in ineffable glory. So great was that light, and 
 so dense was that glory, that I was uplifted like a bark on 
 a wave, but not to sink in despair. As I rose, I continued 
 to rise till my soul was willing to view the height and 
 depth of a mercy that never shuns misfortune, or conceals 
 bread from the -hungry. "Here rest, Oh, my soul!" I 
 said to myself. 
 
 G. Why dost thou rest ? Art thou weary with thy 
 progress ? 
 
 T. I am not weary, friend, but my mind is lost in the 
 grandeur. 
 
 G. Thou hast well said, Remember, now, that thy 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 47 
 
 elevation to this position was not of thyself, but of that 
 cloud of mercy which bore thee, and on whose bosom thou 
 surveyest the prilgrirnage thou has made. Thou wilt also 
 remember, that thy servants from whom thou hast received 
 instruction, have uplifted thee by their strength, so that thou 
 mayest see what thou now beholdest. In due time, thou 
 wilt be permitted to see other things. 
 
 Stooping down, he gave me a white stone with a new 
 name therein, which, said he, il no man knoweth but he 
 that receiveth it. This is thy passport, and unto whom- 
 soever thou shalt go of thy circle, they shall bid thee wel- 
 come ; and thou shalt not take with thee scrip, nor purse, 
 nor two coats, for thy garments shall not tarnish, nor thy 
 mind perish, because thou art denied sympathy and friend- 
 ship." 
 
 I received the white stone with the new name therein, 
 and when I saw the name, I wondered at its meaning. 
 
 G. Thou needst not wonder, Thomas, for what was 
 thy name in thy infancy, thou canst not bear with thee 
 into these mansions of light and peace. Thou wilt, hence- 
 forth, answer to thy new name in this circle of wisdom. 
 Thou wilt now return with me, and when thou returnest, 
 offer this passport to thy Master, who will explain some 
 things to thee why thy name should be changed. 
 
 We returned. The cloud of mercy shone as brightly 
 and gloriously when I descended, as when I ascended. I 
 then gave the Master the white stone, when he said: 
 " Thomas was thy name in infancy. In infancy thou didst 
 not remain. Thou hast grown to the stature of a man. 
 "When thou wast a child, thou didst speak as a child, and 
 understand as a child ; but now thou art become a man, 
 thou ehouldst put away childish things, Henceforth; let 
 
48 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 not thy name be called Thomas Paine ; for thou wilt not 
 answer to a name which misrepresents thy true character, 
 since thou hast found favor which has instructed thee to 
 sail no mind, l common or unclean.' " 
 
 T. Am I then to be called by a new name ? 
 
 M. Thou shalt be called by this circle a new name, 
 which thou seest in the white stone thou hast received. 
 
 T. And wilt thou read the new name ? 
 
 M. " Contentment" Such is thy new name, because 
 such is thy condition. Thou hast sought for light and 
 perfection in the degree of this circle, and as thou hast 
 found, so thou art contented with thy finding. Thou w T ilt 
 not answer to any other name, when thou respondesfc to 
 the call of thy fellow servants. In thy infancy and child- 
 hood, thou didst call mind " common and unclean," but 
 now thou wilt do so no more. Thou hast seen that thy 
 mind was as thy fellows, but wisdom has shown thee that 
 what thou hast denounced as " unclean" in thy works and 
 by thy words, is not as thou hast said. No unclean thing 
 can enter here, because light and purity will cleanse the 
 immortal mind from the impurities of worldly wisdom and 
 ignorance. 
 
 T. But should I retain my old name when I converse 
 with other circles ? 
 
 M. Thou mayest answer, but when thou answerest, let 
 thy signature be without dissimulation. Shouldst thy 
 friend recognize thee by thy infant name, thou mayest 
 respond ; but when thou meetest a mind of this circle, thou 
 wilt be hailed by thy new name, and respond to its an- 
 nouncement. 
 
 T. Then a new baptism may be necessary, When 
 my infant name was bequeathed, I was baptized. Ought 
 I not now to receive a new baptism ? 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 49 
 
 M. Thou wilt proceed to the High Priest of this circle, 
 who will answer thy question. 
 
 The guide conducted me again to the chair of the High 
 Priest, who said: 
 
 "I heard thy inquiry, and thou wilt listen to my 
 answer. Thy baptism was not of wisdom, but of water. 
 When thou wast baptized, thy mind was not affected. 
 The outward man only became the subject of purification. 
 Now thou art introduced into this circle, thou wilt be 
 taught to put away childish things, and consecrate thyself 
 to the work of benevolence. To aid thee in thy work, I 
 will impress thy mind with the spirit of this circle ; yea, I will 
 baptize thee in a fountain, which comes like a pure river 
 of water from the throne of wisdom. Reach forth, oh, 
 God ! from courts of more than mortal glory, the oil of 
 gladness, and let thy servant be washed in the stream of 
 thy mercy." Placing his hand upon my head, he said: 
 " The wisdom of God be upon thee, and give thee peace." 
 
 When his hand rested on my head, I saw a stream 
 descending from wisdom's holy court, gentle as the dew of 
 evening, and clear as the mercy of God. It came like 
 water in the rising tide, and overwhelmed my mind with 
 a flood of living light. I saw the stream^ and the stream 
 carried away the question of baptism, and left me pure 
 from all doubt of its character. 
 
 " Thou understandest," said my guide, "that water bap- 
 tism is for infancy, while the baptism of wisdom, which 
 thou hast been permitted to receive, is for minds of under- 
 standing. This is the baptism of truth. This is the stream 
 of divine grace. This is the water of life. This is the flood 
 which shall never pass away. This is the sea without a 
 shore; and Contentment will receive wages. Content- 
 3 
 
50 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 ment is satisfaction with reward; and when thou goest 
 hence, thy reward will be with thee forevermore. Thou 
 wilt now rest with us." 
 
 When the guide had ended his saying, there came a song 
 of sweetness. Ihe whole circle joined in one melodious 
 anthem of joy, which was followed by an ode of order. 
 The words were words of sympathy. They touched my 
 feelings. I saw what was my delight, a society where 
 brotherhood was no unmeaning expression. I had found 
 a kindness which no mortal can understand while in the 
 body. I found a society unlike any thing on earth. It 
 was a society, linked in union by an immortal chain. It 
 was a home, where there was bread enough, and to spare. 
 It was a temple not made with hands. It was made by 
 the Grand Master Builder of heaven and earth. Its pillars 
 were holiness and truth, and its " chief corner stone," wis- 
 dom without imperfection. I saw what no mind can see, 
 and what no language can express, in this temple. There 
 were emblems of order, emblems of honor, emblems of 
 brotherhood, emblems of wisdom, emblems of peace, em- 
 blems of innocence, and emblems of victory. 
 
 When my guide saw my mind contemplating these 
 wonders, he said v " Thou wilt bear with thee the impress 
 of these emblems on thy mind, and thou wilt see thy 
 reward in the obedience which will be expected of thee. 
 Soon thou must go with me. The wail of misery invites 
 our aid. Thou wilt do thy pleasure." 
 
 T. My pleasure is to do as thou hast said. I will not 
 refuse thy command. 
 
 G. No ; as it is thy will. 
 
 T. As it is thine also. 
 
 " As it is of this circle," said the Master. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 51 
 
 " Even so, Amen," responded the High Priest. 
 " Friends, when ye shall return, bring your friend, 
 without money and without price." 
 
52 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE LANDLORD AND THE COTTAGE MANIAC. 
 
 The Cottage — Landlord impressed — Efforts of spirits — Maniac threatens 
 his family — Landlord advises to send for the minister — Wife want 3 a 
 doctor — Iron moved by a spirit — Nobleman and Mary confounded by 
 the sounds — Attributes the sounds to satan and -witches — Becomes agita- 
 ted — Boasts of English courage — Gives Mary a half crown — Sends for 
 a physician — Maniac grows more ill — Tea and sugar bought — The doc- 
 tor comes and prescribes — Aid promised — Curate required to pray at his 
 home — The maniac dies — Grief of Mary — Parental counsel at the time 
 of her marriage repeated — Her husband buried — The family taken to the 
 Alms-house — Affecting conversation between the mother and her son — 
 The overseer questions Mary— Oppression of the poor— Voluntary and 
 involuntary servitude explained. 
 
 There were works which no mind can comprehend, revolv- 
 ing around our heads, when we left the archway. " I am 
 not a medical mind," said my guide, " but do you hear 
 that groan of distress ? u 
 
 I replied in the affirmative. 
 
 " To the house of need, then will we go," said he. 
 
 When we reached the cottage, I saw the mind was 
 frantic with despair. 
 
 G. Yea; and thou seest the cause. 
 
 T. Truly, but who shall believe our report ? 
 
 G. Thou wilt not say, but do as thou canst to aid. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 53 
 
 This cottage stood near the Thames, and about six 
 miles from London. The mind of the almost distracted 
 man, was writhing in the agony of death. The family of 
 children were weeping beside the mother, who was sitting 
 at a little distance from the couch, on which the invalid 
 rested. I saw no other company present. They were 
 not affluent, but depended upon their industry for sub- 
 sistence. Near by, lived a lord of the heritage, who rode 
 in livery, and fared sumptuously. He was apprised of the 
 dangerous illness of his servant, and knew the wants of 
 the dependent family. He came not near, but his wife 
 sent a few necessaries by another servant, whom we saw 
 leaving the cottage as we entered. 
 
 "There is wretchedness here," said my companion. 
 
 T. Truly ; but what can we do to mitigate the evil ? 
 
 W. We can do what we can, and what we can not do, 
 will not be our fault. Thou mayest go to the landlord, 
 and impress his mind to come here speedily. 
 
 I went. He was viewing his farm. It was a smiling 
 season. The luxuriant foliage of nature was never more 
 picturesque. The wild birds were chanting their melodi- 
 ous sonnets, and the lowing herds were grazing on the 
 fertile field. When I approached him, he was meditating 
 upon the probable income of his estate. I was not with- 
 out hope of making an impression favorable to humanity. 
 I was aided by a near relative of the suffering man. We both 
 aimed instantaneously our power to make him feel a sym- 
 pathy for the distressed. I saw he was impressed with 
 our wish, and he turned around as if to go to the cottage ; 
 but as he turned, he said to himself, " Why should I go 
 there; this world is full of misery. There is yonder city; 
 what could I do to remove the ills of that great metropolis ? 
 
54 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 It is the misfortune of some to be poor, and what is their 
 misfortune is not my fault." 
 
 " What can we do ? " said my assistant. 
 
 " "We will still do our duty," I replied. " If you will 
 act as you can to impress his mind with sympathy, I will 
 aid his conscientiousness to go with us." 
 
 " Even so," said he. 
 
 We continued our work till he said, " On one account, I 
 wall go and see him. He has been faithful unto me, in 
 many things, and I will not now be ungrateful for his 
 services." So saying, he went to the cottage. On enter- 
 ing it, he was met by the wife of the frantic man, who 
 said: 
 
 " Dear man, I am distracted with trouble. My God ! 
 what shall I do ? He is insane, and we have to watch 
 him every moment. Last night he was determined to kill 
 me. He said we would not receive religion, and God had 
 commanded him to kill us. Oh ! what can we do," she 
 cried, piteously. 
 
 " I think I would send for the minister," said he ; " it is 
 not possible he can live long in such a state. Perhaps, he 
 might afford him relief by preparing his soul for death." 
 
 " Would it not be better to get a doctor, my lord ? " 
 
 " It is of no use to get a physician now ; it is too late : 
 ^o-morrow will end all his troubles," replied the landlord. 
 
 " Oh, dear me ! " sighed the wife ; " and I would to God 
 it might end mine ; but here are our dear children ; who 
 will care for them when death has ruined our hopes ? " 
 
 " Thou nearest that lament," said my associate. 
 
 " I hear. Shall we despair ? Never, while human woes 
 require our aid. Never, until success attend our efforts ," 
 said I, 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 55 
 
 At my suggestion, my associate made a noise, which 
 attracted the attention of the nobleman, as he was called. 
 It was made by removing a piece of wrought iron, resem- 
 bling a broken knife, which rested over a window. 
 
 "What is that?" said he. 
 
 The wife, whose name was Mary, said, " I see nothing." 
 
 The same noise was repeated. 
 
 a Do you hear that ? " said the nobleman. 
 
 " Yes ; I hear a rattle of the window," replied Mary. 
 
 " That was not the window," said he. 
 
 Stepping to the window, he placed his hand upon it, 
 and said, " The window is firm, perhaps it was the old 
 iron." 
 
 When we saw his attention drawn another way, the 
 sound was again produced. 
 
 " It is that iron," said he ; " but what moves it ? " 
 
 " I don't know," said Mary ; " it will soon rattle again, 
 perhaps." 
 
 It was not long before he wished to hear again that 
 noise. While looking steadily upon it, the iron fell to the 
 floor. " There," said he, " I knew it was the iron. I won- 
 der what done that ! " I stood near him, and impressed 
 his mind with the conviction that spirits wrought sucb 
 things. He was impressed, as we could ; and, at length, 
 said he, " if that old iron was not lifeless, I should be- 
 lieve it could move itself." 
 
 M. Oh, my worthy lord ; do not — I shall be afraid 
 of seeing gbosts, when I am alone. 
 
 L. Pshaw ; a gbost never made that noise. 
 
 M. What then? 
 
 It was not more than a second before the iron was up- 
 lifted about a foot, and fell on the floor, 
 
56 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 " Well: wlio knows what all this can mean ? " said he. 
 " The devil must be amusing himself. I wish he would 
 come, and heal this dying man." 
 
 " You do not suppose the devil will do good ? " said 
 Mary. 
 
 L. No ; but, when I was not more than eleven years 
 old, I recollect my mother said, " a good fountain can not 
 send forth bitter water, nor a bitter fountain good water." 
 
 When we had aroused his mind on the subject of spirits, 
 we wished to avail something which would be serviceable 
 to the mind, writhing in distress. Accordingly, we worked 
 so as to make a manifestation near the Led. He was now 
 excited, and verily thought these sounds were premonitions, 
 of some awful visitation of Providence. 
 
 L. It may not be doubted that there is some meaning 
 to these sounds. If I were a believer in witchcraft, I 
 would say that witches had something to do with these 
 noises. Perhaps, it will appear that my days are numbered. 
 If so, will another noise be made ? 
 
 My associate now responded by a sound, as before. The 
 nobleman was horror-struck. " The devil is in this," said 
 he. " If my days are numbered, will that rattle of the 
 iron be repeated ? " 
 
 The rattle was heard again. But gathering a little more 
 courage, he said, mentally, " a coward is worse than a 
 traitor. I am an Englishman. Never let it be said, that 
 an Englishman is afraid of ghosts." My guide then im- 
 pressed his mind to ask,.-" do you want any thing of me ? " 
 
 The well known rattle responded. 
 
 "Perhaps,'' said he "it will be well to call the doctor." 
 
 " Rattle, rattle," was the response. 
 
 " Now, there must be intelligence some where to produce 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 57 
 
 these noises," said he. " I do not know what may be the 
 result. But do not be alarmed. I will send a man after 
 my physician, and when he comes back, I will return. 
 In the mean time, Mary, you may remember that ghosts 
 never murdered any one. Have you wanted a little tea 
 and sugar for John ? It will not do him harm, — and 
 you may take this half crown, and get what it will buy. * 
 
 The unfortunate man was worse. He had heard what 
 they had said about his dying. In a half conscious state 
 of mind, he said, " Mary, what did he want ? He need 
 not be vexed about rent — he will not ask again where 
 I am." 
 
 " No, no: He wanted to see you, and he gave me this 
 half crown to get some tea and sugar for you, and besides 
 he has sent for his doctor — all very kind. He is a kind 
 man in sickness. It is not every landlord you know, who 
 would even come to visit a servant in sickness, much less 
 offer them aid ; I hope he will get the doctor, and you 
 will get around again. * 
 
 The little boy was dispatched to a shop, where he bought 
 a half crown in value of tea and sugar. He returned with 
 bounding feet, and said; "Mother, Sam ax me where I 
 got my money to buy tea and sugar." 
 
 " Hush, my child ! you will disturb your father. He 
 must have rest before the doctor comes." 
 
 In about an hour, the landlord and the physician 
 came. The physician was a profound man in the science 
 of medicine, and experienced in his profession. He grad- 
 uated from the University at Edinburg, in the year 1791. 
 He received his diploma, and was reputed a successful 
 practitioner of medicine in the hospital of London, for 
 many years. As he advanced toward the bedside, or 
 3* 
 
58 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 rather couch of the sufferer, he was met by the wild roll- 
 ing eye of the patient. Taking his hand, he said, " He 
 is somewhat feverish, and there is a degree of inflamma- 
 tion on the brain. I would recommend mustard, applied 
 to the feet, and cold, wet cloths to the neck and forehead. 
 You must not," said he, " agitate his mind about dying; 
 for he wearies himself too much now about his prospects. 
 Let him have some nourishment, as his appetite may 
 crave, when he is sane; but do not urge him to eat or 
 drink any thing. It is possible he may not want any 
 thing, but you will need some one who will aid you to 
 watch with him to-night." 
 
 " I will send one of his comrades," said the nobleman. 
 
 Doctor. Then I will write down the prescription. 
 
 L. That will be unnecessary, because he can not read. 
 
 D. And can not this woman read ? 
 
 M. No, sir ; my parents were poor, and I was not sent 
 to school. 
 
 " It is important," said the doctor " that this prescription 
 be strictly adhered to. The least deviation may prove 
 fatal to his recovery." 
 
 " I can remember all," replied Mary. 
 
 When the doctor was about to leave, Mary and the no- 
 bleman accompanied him to the yard. " She said, " do 
 you think John will get well, doctor ? " 
 
 D. It is possible ; but the chances are against him. 
 The brain is very restless, and besides there is a predispo- 
 sition to monopolize the entire control of his whole sys- 
 tem. I have never known so aggravated a disease to be 
 overcome without the greatest care. If he should live till 
 morning, I will see him again. 
 
 M. Would it not be well to ask the curate to pray ? 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 59 
 
 D. The curate will not aid his recovery, and I would 
 recommend that he should not visit you till John is better ; 
 but, if you really desire his aid, you will ask him to pray 
 for your husband at home. 
 
 M. Not at home ! 
 
 D. Yes; at home, God will answer, as here. 
 
 The landlord and the physician went away. The eve- 
 ning was still, and no comrade came to watch with the 
 suffering patient. The lone night wasted away, until near 
 two o'clock in the morning, when John was released from 
 his mortal body, and we received him, as we had been 
 received. 
 
 During the last convulsive throes of agony, his wife be- 
 sought God, imploringly, to have mercy on his soul. 
 Never went up to heaven a more sincere and fervent sup- 
 plication for aid, than this dejected and despairing wife 
 offered for the companion of her youth. Alas! what 
 wife could do more, when mind is torn from mind, and 
 no appearance of reuniting again. The whole heart was 
 given to her husband, and he honored the marriage vow 
 with a constant integrity, which made even the cottage 
 to smile with the warm affection of true hearts. " I was 
 well satisfied," said she, " with my poverty, with my union 
 to make me happy; but now, oh, my God! what shall I 
 do ? Oh, dear, what can I do in this unfriendly world ?" 
 Then she sighed, and sighed from the soul ; but her sighs 
 were aggravated by the mournful despondency of her dear 
 children. She was heard to say: " When my father con- 
 sented to our marriage," he said, " Mary, you must not 
 think this beautiful world is all sunshine and summer. 
 There will come clouds of sorrow, nights of gloom, and 
 days of adversity. You will remember my saying, Mary, 
 
60 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 when the winter of bereavement howls its angry blast 
 around your dwelling, and no voice of kindness gladdens 
 the solitude of your weary hours. But now you have con- 
 sented to marry the man ydu love ; be faithful, even unto 
 death." 
 
 Such were the silent meditations of a soul, surcharged 
 with grief, as we witnessed at the cottage of a laborer. 
 
 Two days afterwards, I saw the body conveyed to the 
 Potter's Field, and the wife and children to the alms-house. 
 During this period, no landlord came near the cottage. 
 The widow mourned without hope, and the three children 
 clung to her with unusual affection. The boy who was 
 the oldest of the children, seemed to realize the calamity. 
 He said : 
 
 "Mother, what shall we do now, my dear father is put 
 in the ground ? " 
 
 " I suppose," she replied, " we shall be separated. Oh, 
 my child, you distress me. You will see your kind father 
 no more. They have buried him in the cold earth." 
 
 J. Will he never come home again ? 
 
 M. No ; he can not come back here, James. 
 
 J. Will he stay there in the earth, mother I 
 
 M. His body will stay there, but his spirit will appear 
 before the bar of God, at the great day of judgment. All 
 will appear before the throne of God to receive their re- 
 ward ; so you must be a good boy, James, that you may 
 go to heaven. 
 
 J. Has father gone to heaven ? 
 
 M. I don't know, my child ; he was not a member of 
 any church ; but he never wronged any body, as I know 
 of. He will wait till he receives the sentence of God, and 
 then all will know. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 61 
 
 J. How long will lie wait, mother ? 
 
 M. I don't know, my son. 
 
 J. Where will he wait ? 
 
 M. You must not ask such questions. The Bible does 
 not tell us any thing about it, and we must not ask for 
 things which are not revealed. 
 
 When two days had passed, the wife and children were 
 conveyed to the alms house. The overseer said to Mary : 
 
 0. Is your father living ? 
 
 M. No, sir, he has been dead about three years. 
 
 O. Did he leave any property ? 
 
 M. I was not at home when he died, but I heard he 
 died in the hospital. 
 
 0. In what hospital ? 
 
 M. Well, they called it a hospital, such as they have 
 in the army. I heard my mother say he was wounded, 
 and brought home to England, and he never got well 
 again. 
 
 O. At what battle was he wounded ? 
 
 M. I never knew the place, but it seems to me more 
 like Waterloo than any other name. 
 
 During this investigation, my mind was impressed to 
 work a reform. I saw the injustice of oppression in all its 
 naked deformity. The lords of the soil had monopolized 
 all that could afford subsistence by cultivation, and then 
 demanded the service of the landless at their own apprisaL 
 11 What better is this," said I to William, "than chattels 
 in slavery?" 
 
 W. Thou wilt see a difference. A voluntary servitude 
 is willing bondage, but involuntary service is unwilling 
 subjection to the will of a master. A willing service is the 
 result of conditions ; but an unwilling bondage is the re- 
 
62 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 suit of cruelty. It is oppression without acquiescence, or 
 reward for labor, by contract. 
 
 Not receiving a clear solution of my inquiry, I asked, 
 " What is the difference between voluntary and involun- 
 tary slavery." 
 
 W. Voluntary slavery is to do what is required by a 
 contract. The doer voluntarily assents on condition of 
 receiving a stipulated compensation. Involuntary slavery 
 is to do what the mind would not do unless coerced by 
 compulsory measures. It does not contract to do any 
 thing, but is forced to do what the master requires. 
 
 T. But do not the circumstances of the poor in Europe, 
 coerce them to contract for service, which other conditions 
 would not approve ? 
 
 W. Thou wilt remember, Thomas, that other condi- 
 tions coerce the master to hire and pay them for their ser- 
 vices. The compulsion is, therefore, mutual, and what- 
 ever is mutual is equitable. But when a mind is com- 
 pelled to do service without the assent of the doer, there 
 is no mutual necessity, nor equity in the arrangement. 
 
 T. There is no necessity, I trust, then, which would 
 justify the misery that results from the oppression of the 
 poor, in neglecting the means essential for their comfort. 
 
 W. Thou hast well judged. Had avarice the wisdom 
 of truth to control its treasures, the folly of oppression 
 would find no habitation among men. But what thou 
 seest is generosity, when compared with the injustice thou 
 wilt behold in thy pilgrimage. 
 
 T. Spare me, then, the sight ! 
 
 W. Hast thou not a heart to do good ? And wilt thou 
 shrink from its performance, because the sight is unwel- 
 come? 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 63 
 
 T. I will not shrink from my duty; for where duty 
 calls, there is my pleasure, my bliss, my heaven. 
 W. Then, follow me. 
 
64 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 VISIT TO THE CASTLE. 
 
 The Castle described — The centurion alarmed — Faith proved by works — 
 Interpretations of the Bible disallowed — Penn called an infidel — Dialogue 
 between the centurion and Penn — Teacher called — Dialogue continued 
 — Theological opinions the cause of strife and wrong — Paine and Penn 
 retire — Conversation between them — Witnesses beheaded — Dialogue be- 
 tween the Teacher and his Master — A wheel within a wheel — Gold and 
 silver the motive power — Attraction of affinities — Fear and hope make 
 slaves — The king's palace — Conversation between Thomas and William 
 — Grand Master instructs Thomas — A new song — Consistency wrong 
 when minds are wrong — Experience the proper test of principles — Some 
 minds serve two masters — Works justify — Repentance is salvation — De- 
 parture for the Temple. 
 
 He conducted me to a wall. There was no door of en- 
 trance. It was made of scorn. I could see through the 
 wall, for there were a great many port holes. I saw a 
 wild circle of minds peeping through these holes, as though 
 suspicious of our encroachment. When we had passed 
 around the fortress, I heard the centurion say, " To arms, 
 to arms." He was a dark mind. He was told by my 
 companion, " We are not enemies, but friends." 
 
 C. What hast thou to do here ? 
 
 W. We have come to aid thee. 
 
 C. Hast thou not learned, that we do not admit 
 strangers within these walls. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 65 
 
 W. Thou wilt not refuse what we do not ask. We do 
 not ask admission within such walls, but we seek the de- 
 liverance of thee and thy fellows. 
 
 C. Deliverance! Who art thou that profferest de- 
 liverance to the saints under my command ? 
 
 W. I am thy friend, and the friend of thy compan- 
 ions. 
 
 C. How may I know thou art what thou say est? 
 
 W. By my works. 
 
 C. Dost thou believe in the Bible ? 
 
 W. Thou wilt see my faith by my works. 
 
 C. Thy works will not save a mind. 
 
 W. What then will save ? 
 
 C. Believe in the Bible. 
 
 W. Will a belief in the Bible save without works? 
 
 C. A belief in the Bible will lead to good works, and 
 faith and good works will save. 
 
 W. Thou hast said, believe in the Bible. Will that 
 belief save ? 
 
 C. Yes; because it will lead to good works. 
 
 W. Does a belief in the Bible lead all who believe to 
 good works only ? 
 
 C. Thou art an infidel, and yet thou profferest deliver- 
 ance unto the people of God. 
 
 W. Thou wilt not revile when thou obeyest our in- 
 struction. 
 
 C. But ought not I to call thee by thy true name ? 
 
 W. Then, thou wouldst not rebuke when it is not thy 
 prerogative to judge. Dost thou remember the record of 
 thy confidence — that thou shouldst not judge, lest thou 
 be judged ; for with what measure ye mete unto others, 
 it shall be meted to you again. 
 
66 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 C, I will not agree with thee, that because I have said 
 thou wast an infidel, therefore I shall be judged as such 
 before the bar of God. 
 
 W. Thou wilt then disagree with thy Bible ? 
 
 C. Thou wilt allow an explanation of that passage, I 
 suppose ? 
 
 W. When thou askest me to allow thee to explain, I 
 want thee to understand, that thy explanation is not mine. 
 Thou may est not explain for me ; for possibly thy wisdom 
 may wholly destroy what those, in whom thou believest, 
 have sought to establish. What thou sayest is thy own, 
 and what is thy own, thou shouldst not impute to another. 
 Thou callest us infidels; but we never seek to destroy 
 another's property, as thou hast proposed by thy offer to 
 explain what thou, perchance, hast no authority for doing. 
 Hast thou read the prohibition \ 
 
 C. What prohibition ? 
 
 W. Whosoever addeth unto the sayings of the pro- 
 phecy of this book, God will add unto him the plagues 
 which are written in this book; and whosoever taketh 
 away the sayings, God will take away his part out of the 
 book of life. What is thy explanation but adding or 
 diminishing the record of another ? 
 
 C. It is all infidelity to talk as thou dost. 
 
 W. Thou sayest, then, that the words of the Bible are 
 infidelity ? 
 
 C. No ; but when thou deniest the instrumentalities 
 of revelation, thou savorest the cause of infidelity. 
 
 W. What instrumentalities does revelation require to 
 reveal itself? 
 
 C, It requires an explanation. 
 
 W* Is the explanation a revelation ? 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 67 
 
 C. It is an explanation of dark passages in the Bible. 
 
 W. Well, is an explanation of dark passages in the 
 Bible, a revelation from God? 
 
 C. No ; but it is essential to mind, in order to be saved. 
 
 W. Is that essential to mind which does not agree 
 with itself, and contradicts what is revealed ? 
 
 C. A correct explanation is consistent, and does not 
 contradict itself, or the Bible. 
 
 W. But hast thou not contradicted the Bible, and dost 
 thou not recommend an explanation which expressly takes 
 away the whole force of a divine prohibition ? 
 
 C. No ; it gives it a different meaning, that is all. 
 
 W. True ; and that is what thou art forbidden to do. 
 
 C. I will not submit my judgment to the control of 
 infidels. I see that thou wilt persist to aid infidelity. 
 
 W. Thou wilt see what thou hast not yet seen, if thou 
 wilt listen to the voice which requires obedience. Thou 
 wilt see thyself as thou never wilt desire to see again. 
 
 C. How so ? I am not ashamed of the cross of Christ. 
 
 W. Thou wilt not obey. 
 
 C. I will obey what is just and reasonable, and wouldst 
 thou have me do more ? 
 
 W. Is the Bible just and reasonable ? 
 
 C. Truly. 
 
 W. But thou wilt not obey that. 
 
 C. Then, I am not a Christian. 
 
 W. Well, hast thou said. But wilt thou not revile, 
 and wilt thou abide by the instruction of the Bible ? 
 
 C. I trust my all in that blessed book. When I gave 
 my heart to God, I resolved to live for his glory. 
 
 W. And is it for the glory of God to revile thy brother, 
 and deny what revelation and thy vows unto the Lord 
 have made incumbent upon thee to perform ? 
 
68 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 C. It is not. But who has reviled ? ■ Who has denied 
 his vows and revelation ? 
 
 W. Hast thou need to be informed, that no name is 
 so offensive in thy sight as infidel ? And didst thou not 
 use that word to revile thy brother ? Is that for the glory 
 of God, which injures thyself and those that hear thee? 
 When thou shalt see thyself, as thy Master seeth thee, then 
 thou wilt not contradict his instruction. Thou wilt not 
 dispute with revelation, because thou dost not comprehend, 
 by reason of thy confinement, the wisdom it discloses. 
 Wouldst thou evacuate this castle ? 
 
 C. I would consult my teacher, and exercise my reason. 
 
 W. Who is thy teacher, and what is thy reason ? 
 
 C. That thou mayest explain. 
 
 W. Thy teacher will not consent to any interference. 
 
 C. Thou mayest explain, and I will counsel with him. 
 
 W. Better that thou shouldst call him, and I will con- 
 verse with him before thee. 
 
 The mind soon said, " He is here." 
 
 W. Thy teacher will explain. 
 
 T. This castle is the gate to heaven. No man can 
 gain admission to the sanctuary of wisdom, unless he shall 
 deny the world, and take up the cross. 
 
 W. What world must he deny ? 
 
 T. He must deny all ungodliness, and all worldly- 
 mindedness, and pride. He must deny the world of 
 vanity and pleasure. 
 
 W. He must not deny himself pleasure ? 
 
 T. Yes; he must deny himself the pleasures of. sin 
 for a season, that he may inherit eternal life at the day of 
 judgment. 
 
 W. Thou wilt not say he must deny himself the 
 pleasure of good ? 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 69 
 
 T. No : but minds must deny what will do them much 
 harm. 
 
 W. Will good do minds harm ? 
 
 T. The good of sin will curse the soul at the day of 
 judgment. 
 
 W. Then, wilt thou inform me, why it would not be 
 better to call that good, evil ? 
 
 T. It is good now to the sinner ; but when God comes to 
 make up his jewels, he will separate the chaff from the wheat. 
 
 W. Will God gather his jewels together at the judg- 
 ment day ? 
 
 T. They will be gathered from one end of heaven to 
 the other. 
 
 W. What will he do with them, when he has gathered 
 them together? 
 
 T. He will place them at his right hand. 
 
 W. Whom will he place on the left hand ? 
 
 T. The goats. 
 
 W. Who are the goats ? 
 
 T. Infidels and unbelievers. 
 
 W. Who are infidels and unbelievers ? 
 
 T. Those who deny revelation, and disobey God. 
 
 W. Then all who deny revelation, and disobey God, 
 are infidels, or unbelievers ? 
 
 T. Yes. 
 
 W. Hast thou never denied revelation, and disobeyed 
 God ? Thou wilt not reject what revelation discloses and 
 duty requires, if wisdom be found in thy sayings. 
 
 T. I will not say, I have never denied revelation, and 
 I acknowledge I have disobeyed God ; but, I trust, I have 
 found favor in his sight, by repentance and faith in tbe 
 Lord Jesus. 
 
70 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 W. Thou mayest find still greater favor, if thou wilt 
 evacuate this castle, and receive the inspiration of nature. 
 
 T. The inspiration of nature ! What is the inspiration 
 of nature? 
 
 W. It is what natural things impress on the mind. 
 
 T. How can nature inspire ? 
 
 W. How can that which is not nature inspire ? ' Hast 
 thou need of what is not nature? When thou askest, 
 how can nature inspire? dost thou not know that 5 mind 
 is nature, and as mind is nature, so nature inspires. 
 
 T. Then what is spirit but nature ? 
 
 W. Thou wilt answer, " what is not wisdom is nature." 
 
 T. Truly. That which has no wisdom is nature, and 
 that which has wisdom is spirit. 
 
 W. Have thy words a spirit ? •* 
 
 T. They are the productions of a spirit. \ 
 
 W. Is not nature the production of a spirit ? it 
 
 T. Yea; and so are all things. 
 
 W. Then, if all things be the production of a, spirit, 
 nature is the production of a spirit, and, if nature be the 
 production of a spirit, thou seest nature unites to show 
 what the spirit has done. It is the work of the ^spirit, 
 and what is the work of a spirit is a revelation of its wis- 
 dom. Thou seest that the work must reveal the character 
 and skill of the workman. That development, repealed 
 by the work, is the inspiration of nature. It is the voice 
 of God, which id spires his creatures with venerations 
 
 T. But what wilt thou say of the Bible? I 
 
 W. I will say, it is the production of nature's works. 
 It is the production of spirit, which is manifested in nature. 
 It is what thou seest, the work of mind developed,^ re- 
 vealed, as mind needed. It is not as thou seest in all 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 7l 
 
 tilings. Thou seest as thy mind hast been instructed, and 
 thou hast been instructed by others not wiser than thyself. 
 
 T. But is not the Bible the standard of all truth ? 
 
 "W. It is the standard only of its own truth. 
 
 T. Must not all other revelation yield to its authority, 
 when contradictory statements appear ? 
 
 W. - Contradictions of nature are not a part of revela- 
 tion. That which contradicts nature, is not revelation; 
 because nature is a revelation of the wisdom of God. When 
 thou read est thy Bible, dost thou see a contradiction? 
 
 T. I have not found any contradiction of my faith. 
 
 W. Hast thou found any contradiction of thy practice ? 
 
 T. I will not answer thy question. 
 
 W. Is it not important to practice our faith ? 
 
 T. It is. 
 
 W. Why, then, dost thou refuse to answer my question ? 
 
 T. Because I will not. 
 
 W. But why will you not ? 
 
 T. Then, thou wouldst claim an exception to my cause. 
 
 W. I claim only consistency. 
 
 T. Am I inconsistent? 
 
 W. When thou wilt answer as thou know est, thou art 
 consistent; but when thou seest not what is true, thou 
 may est be inconsistent with truth. Thou wilt not say 
 thou art consistent in all things. 
 
 T. Who art thou? 
 
 W. I am thy friend. 
 
 T. How may I know thee to be my friend ? 
 
 W. Thou may est know, when thou shalt disabuse thy- 
 self of thy errors. Thou wilt not accuse thy friend, before 
 thou hast seen aught against him. 
 
 T. Thou wilt prove what thou hast said. I will not re- 
 
72 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 ceive a doctrine, until I see what evidence it has for its 
 support 
 
 W. Very well. Hast thou observed thy rule in the 
 formation of thy opinions ? Hast thou evidence that thy 
 opinions of the Bible are all true ? What evidence hast 
 thou, that stolen waters are sweet, and that there is pleasure 
 in sin ? I want all the evidence thou hast to prove that 
 there is any pleasure in doing wrong. 
 
 T. Why, you astonish me : The wicked man is not 
 troubled as is the righteous. He will not need to suffer 
 persecution for the cause of religion, and he will take his 
 ease and comfort in sin without reforming. He is as a 
 tree planted by waters, and he takes his fill of iniquity. 
 He fares sumptuously every day; while the devoted Chris- 
 tian has many trials and crosses to endure, and is troubled 
 about his everlasting condition. Morning and evening, he 
 invokes the blessing of God upon his soul. 
 
 W. Canst thou tell me, why nature wrongs the right- 
 eous ? or by what law a wrong mind is made happy, while 
 a right mind suffers so much ? 
 
 T. The law of God will show thee. 
 
 W. Show me what ? 
 
 T. Show thee that God suffers a great many evils to 
 attend his children, that they may realize the greatness of 
 his mercy and salvation. 
 
 W. Thou wilt not answer. 
 
 T. I say, that God does not afflict the wicked as he 
 does the righteous. 
 
 W. For what reason, and by what law, is this injus- 
 tice continued ? 
 
 T. By the law of God, of course. 
 
 W. Is that law eternal ? 
 
AND OTHERS 1ST THE SPIRIT WORLD. 73 
 
 W. Then, why will not the righteous, as thou callest 
 thyself, eternally surfer, and the wicked escape their 
 wretchedness ? 
 
 T. That is infidelity. We must make the Bible our 
 standard. 
 
 W. Wilt thou say, the Bible contradicts reason ? 
 
 T. Reason is carnal. 
 
 W. How dost thou know ? 
 
 T. Because the Bible says so. 
 
 W. Wilt thou read it for my instruction ? 
 
 T. I will say, that is the meaning of the passage. 
 
 W. How do you know ? 
 
 T. How do I know any thing ? 
 
 W. By thy reason. 
 
 T. Well, my reason tells me, that is the meaning. 
 
 W. Dost thou presume to use carnal reason to inter- 
 pret the Bible, so as to favor thy views ? 
 
 T. My reason is not carnal ; I have been regenerated 
 by the atonement of Christ. 
 
 W. Thou wilt not receive a doctrine ♦without evidence, 
 and dost thou require of me what thou art unwilling to do 
 thyself? How may I know thy reason is any better than 
 mine? How may I know that thou hast spoken only 
 what the living spirit intended by that passage ? 
 
 T. I see thou wilt cavil with the word of God. 
 
 W. Not with the word of God, friend ; but with thy 
 saying. How may I know thou art correct? 
 
 T. Have I not said,, by the standard of the Bible. 
 
 W. Thou hast said well; but thou askest another 
 standard, which is thy interpretation by thy reason, 
 
 . T. Would st thou, then, have me lay aside my reason ? 
 
 W. No ; but I would have thee exercise it ; and, when 
 4 
 
74 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 thou offerest thy Bible as the standard, not again offer thy 
 interpretations as a substitute. Besides, thou hast offered 
 a doctrine to thy friend, which is contrary to thy standard. 
 
 T. How so? 
 
 W. In that thou say est, there is pleasure in sin. Hast 
 not thou read in thy Bible, that the wicked are like the 
 troubled sea, whose waters cast up mire and dirt ; and that 
 there is no peace to them ? How sayest thou, then, that 
 the Bible is the standard, and that there is pleasure in sin ? 
 How sayest thou, that the good of sin will curse the soul 
 at the day of judgment, when thy Bible tells thee that 
 there is no good in sin, for the way of the transgressor is 
 hard ? Thou wilt not say, we are enemies of the Bible, 
 because we justify its sayings in opposition to thy inter- 
 pretations. 
 
 T. Thou w 7 ilt not satisfy me, that the wicked are 
 troubled as other men are. 
 
 W. Thou wilt not, then, be satisfied with thy standard ? 
 
 T. Yes ; but thou wilt take it altogether, and not in 
 parts. 
 
 W. Take it as thou wilt, only take it as it is, without 
 thy interpretation superadded. 
 
 T. Why wouldst thou deny interpretation ? 
 
 W. That is w T hat has made thy castle. That is what 
 has sown dissension among brethren. That is wdiat has 
 rilled the earth with bloodshed and strife. That is what 
 has set mind against mind, and embittered soul against 
 soul. That is what makes hirelings of men, who would 
 interpret what is already revealed, and wrongs the unin- 
 formed of the knowledge of God and heaven. That is 
 what divides and distracts whole communities and nations, 
 and makes war upon the rights of mind to investigate the 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE S?IRIT WORLD. 75 
 
 truth, and aid thy fellow servants to do what nature and 
 reason imperatively demand. 
 
 The castle was then abandoned by us for a season. " In 
 wisdom," said my companion, "are all things made, which 
 are in heaven, and which are on eaith." 
 
 " But who is wise to understand the wisdom of that 
 castle ? " I replied. 
 
 W. Thou knowest that contentment is peace. Thou 
 knowest that minds are contented with that w T hich satisfies. 
 "When thou wast in darkness, as thou seest thy brethren, 
 when thou hadst no desire to be instructed only to con- 
 firm thy own cause, thou didst not wish thyself contra- 
 dicted by any wisdom disagreeing with thy own. 
 
 T. When I was instructed, I was not as they are. 
 
 W. True. Thou wast as they are before thou wast 
 instructed. When thou didst see the error of thy ways, 
 thou didst forsake them. But thy brethren do not yet 
 see. They see some things, but there is a veil over their 
 eyes. They see a castle, and they see the things in that 
 "castle; but they do 'not see the things which are not 
 within it. 
 
 T. They w 7 ould see more, were it not for the walls 
 which enclose them. 
 
 W. The walls which enclose them, are of their own 
 creation. The elevated spirit never walls itself in by a 
 work of mind. Those walls are not of jasper, but of self- 
 conceit. They are the works of ignorance. When minds 
 indulge the idea, that they know all that is worth possess- 
 ing, when they flatter themselves that they are wiser 
 than every other mind, is it strange that they should for- 
 tify themselves against all invasion of their conceited in- 
 fallibility? 
 
76 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 T. But, when we go to instruct them, it surprises me, 
 that they should resist the facts which are presented to 
 them. 
 
 W. It would not surprise thee, peradventure, if thou 
 shouldst inspect more cautiously the influences which ope- 
 rate with them to overcome the truth. Suppose we rise 
 above the wall, and see from above the machinery em 
 ployed to keep their position secure. 
 
 We arose and saw the interior of the castle. "There,** 
 said my guide, " now thou canst judge for thyself. What 
 thou seest, thou hast no need that I tell thee. 
 
 I saw a cloud of witnesses beheaded* for the sake of 
 religion. I saw a mind declaiming against cruelty, yet 
 urging his companions to fight the battle, as long as life 
 was spared. " Those who oppose us," said he " are ene- 
 mies of God, and in league with the devil. They must be 
 overcome, or our religion will be destroyed. Better that 
 all who are not of us be slain, than that the cause of re- 
 ligion should be swept away. These heretics should not 
 be allowed to corrupt the minds of the people of God, and 
 the people of God will not allow them to do it without 
 resistance even unto death." When he had concluded 
 his harangue, the Teacher, who had received instruction 
 through the port hole, said, he had just had an interview 
 with a heretic. The heretic had informed him, that no 
 intrusion was contemplated ; but he insisted that the peo- 
 ple of God contradicted the Bible in their practice. He 
 said tliat we interpreted the Bible contrary to its express 
 prohibition. I do not agree with all he said, but what to 
 do with his argument, I am not prepared to say. Per- 
 haps the circle can explain the difficulty. 
 
 * When one head oonirols another, the one controlled has been beheaded. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 77 
 
 M. This circle will not undertake to explain the objec 
 tions of infidels. It is sufficient for the circle to resist the 
 works of the devil, and keep itself pure from the heresies, 
 which endanger the salvation of the soul. The circle 
 should warn evil minds of the danger which awaits them, 
 if they do not repent, and get religion ; and I can see no 
 way to do it, more effectually, than to treat them with 
 silent contempt. 
 
 T. Ought not the circle to obey the Scriptures ? 
 
 M. They ought to do their duty, and that duty is 
 made plain by its own covenant obligations. 
 
 T. How can our covenant obligations contradict the 
 Scriptures ? 
 
 M. They do not. 
 
 T. How do we fulfil our covenant obligations, unless 
 we meet the arguments of heretics ? 
 
 M. Who lias made you a heretic ? 
 
 T. I wish to know what should be done, when here- 
 tics offer the Bible against our views. I am not a heretic. 
 
 M. But you recognize their doctrine, else, why ask 
 about our covenant obligations with heretics? 
 
 T. I suppose w r e ought to do something to meet their 
 objections. 
 
 M. Well, the way to meet them is not to reply to them. 
 
 T. That will not do them any good. They will soon 
 say we are afraid of them., 
 
 M. They will say any thing to encourage infidelity. 
 
 T. They will quote Scripture to oppose us. 
 
 M. Yes, and so will the devil. 
 
 T. Then what must be done? 
 
 M. Have I not told you — do nothing — say nothing ? 
 
 T. Will that remove the wrong of their opposition ? 
 
78 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 M. The wrong is of their own choice. 
 
 T. Is not the right also ? 
 
 M. That is a heretical notion. I see yo i have suf- 
 fered already from your conversation with tham. 
 
 T. How have I suffered? 
 
 M. Why, you would encourage the doctrine of fatal- 
 ism. Mind is a free agent. When you make the religion 
 of the circle a choice, you would do away with the cross. 
 That is no cross, which you choose. 
 
 T. The unconverted will oppose. Is not that bearing 
 the cross ? 
 
 M. It is; but you know that no mind would choose 
 religion — I will say that no mind would choose a religion 
 under such disadvantages, unless for the crown it will re- 
 ceive when God judges the world. The sceptic will not 
 receive religion, and he must reap his reward. 
 
 The mind was so incensed against heretics, that my 
 guide said, " Is it a wonder lhat they reject the truth ? 
 There is another wheel to this machinery." 
 
 " What wheel J " said I. 
 
 " It is a wheel which moves all other wheels, replied 
 William. He soon took me to a secret place. " There," 
 said he, " do you hear the sound of something falling on 
 that wheel ?" I saw, and heard the sound. It seemed to 
 me like gold and silver. I heard a mind say to its com- 
 rade, " suppose the gold and silver should cease to fail on 
 that wheel, do you think it would move ? " 
 
 " The wheel," replied he, " must have weight, or it 
 would cease to revolve; and when that wheel stops, all 
 the rest must stop, for they depend on its motion." 
 
 " What," said I, " do you call that main wheel, Wil- 
 liam?" 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 79 
 
 W. I call it the wheel of Ruin. I might call it a 
 wheel of Fortune, or rather, as thou wouldst say, the wheel 
 of misfortune ; for what is the gain of one, is the loss of 
 the other. There is gain thrown on to the wheel from the 
 current of popularity, but it does not return again to the 
 owner. He will never receive what he has given to the 
 devouring cupidity of the main wheel of all the machinery 
 in this dismal castle. Thou wilt see, that when the weight 
 is withheld, the wheel will assume its just balance, and 
 there remain. When the wheel stops, all the dependent 
 wheels will stop. Therefore, the weights are the moving 
 power of the whole machinery of this castle. 
 T. Is it not right to remove these weights ? 
 W. These weights will follow the current into which 
 they have been thrown ; but when the current is changed, 
 the bark on which they ride will change also its direction. 
 T. Then, where will the inhabitants of this castle go ? 
 W. They will go where they please, and be free. 
 T. Would not the freedom of light and love be abused 
 by their emancipation ? Would they not run into all 
 manner of excess and crime, if restraint were removed ? 
 
 W. Thou knowest thy experience. Y/hen thou wast 
 admitted into this circle of light and love, didst thou run 
 into excess because of thy freedom ? I perceive thou art 
 now even more ready and willing to do thy duty, than 
 when thou wast entangled with the yoke of bondage. 
 
 T. Why not, then, summon our companions, and 
 change the channel of that current, which moves the whole 
 machinery. 
 
 W. The summons is what will create more opposition. 
 Dost thou not know, that resistance will not overcome re- 
 sistance. When mind controls mind, other means must 
 be employed than force. 
 
80 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 T. That I understand ; but when a work is required, 
 workmen are necessary. Wouldst thou not employ work- 
 men to do a good work ? 
 
 W. I would not employ workmen to do what was not 
 wanted. Thou sees': that these min s do not desire a 
 work, which you propose by the summons. 
 
 T. They would be grateful, when they saw the work 
 done. 
 
 W. They would not let the work be clone. 
 
 T. .Why not? 
 
 W. Because they clo not see the benefit thereof. 
 
 T. Then, may not our companions aid them to see 
 the benefit ? 
 
 W. Yea ; and, when all things are ready, they will not 
 need a summons. 
 
 T. Then, who shall get what is lacking in readiness? 
 
 W. Time will work what is necessary. 
 
 T. That is now. 
 
 W. That is ever. 
 
 T. When is ever ? 
 
 W. Ever is now, and hereafter. 
 
 T. Then now and hereafter, all things will be in readi- 
 ness. 
 
 W. Yea; and when all things are m readiness, the 
 work will be completed. Thou may est now, and ever, 
 remember, that when thou shalt visit this castle, no mind 
 will aid thee in what will change the power which controls 
 the main wheel. It will not change itself, because it de- 
 sires no change. It will not allow others to change it, for 
 the same reason. Thou wilt see the reason. The love of 
 silver and gold is more powerful than thy arguments, or 
 thy reason. The wheel will go with its load to aid, until 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 81 
 
 it is worn out, and there is no material to build another. 
 \Y hen the time comes, and come it will, that the wheel is 
 worn out, and the channel drained, because the fountain 
 is exhausted, the work will be completed, and the walls of * 
 this castle will not remain. 
 
 T. The wretchedness of this bondage must remain, 
 then, until time shall work into disuse the materials of which 
 it is composed. I could hope that day not distant. 
 
 W. Thou may est well hope. The wheel will not be 
 repaired again. There is no material which can be worked 
 into use. The body is not sound, and the branches are 
 withered. The whole heart is sick, and the wheel will not 
 run, when the current is dry, because no fountain remains 
 to supply it. 
 
 T. Of what use, then, are efforts to destroy these 
 walls, or change the current which propels the machinery ? 
 
 W. Thou wilt not suppose proper efforts unavailing, be- 
 cause thy resistance is unsuccessful. There is a distinction 
 between proper and improper means, w T hich may be em- 
 ployed for the benefit of others. 
 
 T. What can be more proper, than such means as will 
 control the main wheel ? 
 
 W. The main wheel is w T ell, as it is. The control of 
 that w 7 heel is not what we seek, but the minds who man- 
 age the w 7 heel as it is turned. Thou wilt not wish the 
 wheel ill, but the minds who are controlled by it, good. 
 
 T, If the wheel control the minds, dwelling in this 
 castle, how can those minds be controlled without con- 
 trolling- that which controls them ? 
 
 W. The w r heel revolves by weight of other influences. 
 
 When those influences shall have no weight, the w T heel 
 
 will not move, because it will want power. 
 4* 
 
82 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 T. Then thou wouldst overcome the weight on the 
 wheel. How can weight be less than weight, without a 
 suspension of the law of gravitation ? 
 * W. The attraction of all bodies depends upon the 
 relation which they have to each other. Affinities are 
 attracted to each other by a mutual correspondence. Two 
 bodies will unite when they correspond, by the law of mu- 
 tual affinity. Unlike bodies resist each other. Fire, being 
 unlike water, will not unite in harmony. They are not 
 attracted to each other. Oil and water will not mingle. 
 Pain and pleasure are separate. When, therefore, thou 
 wouldst overcome the gravity of gold and silver on the 
 wheel, thou hast only to control the love of minds, so that 
 the affinity will be overcome. Destroy the love of gold 
 and silver, and ihe weight is nothing on the wheel of* mo- 
 tion. Destroy the motion, and the whole machinery stops. 
 
 T. When the motion stops, what will the minds do ? 
 Are they to remain without employ ? 
 
 W. When the wheel is not controlled by the love of 
 money, the wheel will move by other weights, so that 
 indolence will not be a guest. 
 
 T. What other influences can control ? 
 
 W. The weight of fear and favor. The fear of wrath 
 and the hope of deliverance will move the wheel. But 
 the motion will be tremulous and unsteady. Thou hast 
 seen by the words of the centurion and his teacher, that 
 the power is given by fear and hope. Thou wilt see that 
 when minds are moved by these weights, selfishness is 
 consulted. The love of self moves the mind to seek what 
 will avert wrath, and secure favor. It is not the love of 
 goodness which controls the minds of this circle, but the 
 fear of evil. The fear of evil is not goodness. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 83 
 
 T. Are not fear and hope essential to minds in this cas- 
 tle, in order to keep them from outbreaking sins ? 
 
 W. The fear and hope of these minds, are what make 
 them slaves. Their master understands the uses which 
 such motives exert over his servants. Thou wilt see what 
 will astonish thee; and, when thou seest, thou wilt not 
 rejoice, but mourn. 
 
 T. Thou wilt not rejoice, but mourn! What will 
 make me mourn ? 
 
 W. Thou wilt see, shortly. 
 
 When we had considered the motives of those who oc- 
 cupied this castle, we next proceeded to a secret work, 
 which was concealed near a large mansion, surrounded 
 with an armed force of minds, readv to execute the man- 
 dates of the occupant. 
 
 " This is the king's palace," said William. 
 
 T. But what king needs such an armed force ? Is he 
 a tyrant that he requires aid to protect him from harm ? 
 
 W. He is not without fear and hope. He fears what 
 the minds may do whom he rules, and he hopes by an 
 armed force to coerce minds into submission to his authority. 
 
 T. On what ground does he base such a conclusion ? 
 
 W. On the ground that other minds are as he is. He 
 knows his own mind is controlled by fear and hope, and 
 he believes others should be. When he judges others, it 
 is by himself. What affects him most powerfully, he sup- 
 poses will affect his subjects. 
 
 T. Is not that a correct rule ? 
 
 W. It is correct when both conditions are alike ; and it 
 is incorrect when otherwise. 
 
 T. Are not all minds controlled by like motives ? 
 
 W. Assuredly not. Thou knowest that thy mind is 
 
S4 THE PILGRIMAGE OP THOMAS PAINE 
 
 not controlled ly gold and silver, or hope and fear. Wtsn 
 thou seest a mind controlled by such wheels, thou wilt 
 understand, that they are servants to the master whose 
 control they obey. Therefore, thou seest that wliat con- 
 trols others, will have no power over thee. The king errs 
 in supposing that all his subjects are even as he is. The 
 mistake will work the ruin of this castle. When higher 
 motives control the mind, a higher enjoyment will inspire it. 
 
 T. I admit, that all circles of mind are not controlled 
 by the same motives, or objects; but, when circles of mind 
 are controlled by hope and fear, ought not hope and fear 
 to be prominently set before them, so as to induce restraint 
 upon serious evils ? 
 
 W. What ought to be, should be; and what should 
 be, thou shouldst not resist. When mind is controlled by 
 unworthy motives, when selfish considerations induce obe- 
 dience, slaves can control slaves, and tyrants control tyrants ; 
 for, verily, no despotism is more humiliating, and no servi- 
 tude more severe, than the drudgery of a mind compelled 
 to do service, which is burdensome and oppressive, and 
 in which it has no pleasure or delight. Minds ought to 
 be controlled by wisdom, which seeks the good because it 
 is good. They ought to fear no evil in doing what will 
 make themselves and others happy. 
 
 T. That is very true ; but, when circles are in a con- 
 dition which will not appreciate the high motives thou 
 hast presented, ought they not to be controlled by hope 
 and fear, lest they fall into grievous wrong ? 
 
 W. The hope and fear of their condition will not over- 
 come what is important. They are not as thou wouldst 
 have them, nor will hope and fear change their condition. 
 Two wrongs will not make right. The wrong of ignorance 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 85 
 
 can not be remedied by ignorance. The king fears his sub- 
 jects, and his subjects fear him. Both are controlled by 
 fear; but their fears do neither party any good. The 
 king hopes submission to his commands, and his subjects 
 hope his commands may not be burdensome. What are 
 hope and fear, then, but motives of selfishness '? The king 
 is selfish in requiring submission, and his subjects are selfish 
 in hoping for greater leniency, and less oppressive burdens. 
 They are alike. Both conditions are equal in the scale of 
 wisdom. Thou knowest, Thomas, that no such motives 
 control the infinite Mind. Thou knowest that his gifts 
 are bestowed upon minds, not because he fears or hopes 
 any thing to be taken from, or added to, his happiness. 
 Thou knowest that wisdom, which comes from that Being, 
 must agree with the character of its cause ; and thou know- 
 est that all wisdom, which does not seek, without hope or 
 fear, the good of mind, is not of God, but is selfish and 
 wrong. By this rule, thou wilt do thy duty to the needy, 
 not because thou fearest or hopest a compensation for thy 
 service, or thy neglect, but because the needy demand thy 
 aid. When thy aid is not needed, thou canst go on thy 
 way, but when thou seest the mind of thy brother in the 
 bondage of hope and fear, be not angry with him, but 
 take him in thy charge, and open his eyes to see the gifts 
 of God distributed without money and without price ; so 
 that his mind may be inspired with the wisdom of the 
 free, and not with the fear of the slave. 
 
 T. Thy words are sweeter than honey in the honey -comb, 
 and the law, which thou would st recommend is the law 
 of love, uniting the powerful and the weak, the wise and 
 the unwise, the free and the bondman, in one great family 
 of minds, each serving the other and doing what will pro- 
 
86 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 mote the happiness of the whole without diminishing the 
 enjoyment of any. But minds often act as slaves, who 
 dread the lash of a tyrant. They are submissive, because 
 they are afraid to be otherwise. They wish to do other- 
 wise, but are restrained, as are slaves, through fear. They 
 work in hope, not of doing good, but of receiving what 
 the king has promised. The wisdom of God controls no 
 desire of their minds. Nothing but selfishness vitalizes 
 their minds for active employment. 
 
 W. Thou hast not said untruly. The king and his 
 subjects are controlled by the same principle. They are 
 of selfishness. The king loves what he wants, and loves 
 it so well that he denies his subjects even a morsel of his 
 control. However much they may thirst for his power, 
 he loves himself so much better than he does them, that 
 he is constrained to refuse them what he enjoys. This 
 refusal is resistance of others' wish, and when their wish is 
 disregarded, when his subjects are denied what they need, 
 it is no wonder that kings tremble. They know that the 
 power of many, enlisted in a just cause, is stronger than 
 the few, in an unjust oppression. Hence, they tremble 
 with fear, and feel compelled, through fear, to control by 
 force what they can not by reason. They are in a state of 
 suspense every moment, not knowing whose head may be 
 required, nor whose castle may be assaulted by secret 
 works of ruin in their midst. 
 
 The mind wondered, when we surveyed the interior of 
 the king's palace. There were the earnings of the poor, 
 and the industry of millions, profusely lavished in every 
 apartment. Gold and silver were worked into almost all 
 the furniture, and the tables were literally covered with 
 riches of wonderful magnificence. "All for what?" 
 said I. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 87 
 
 * Because he is king," responded William. 
 
 " Because he is a tyrant," I replied. 
 
 W. Why must he be a tyrant ? 
 
 T. Because he sutlers the poor to go naked, and the 
 hungry to starve. 
 
 W. Is that tyranny? 
 
 T. That is oppression, and oppression is tyranny. 
 
 W. The tyrant will answer thee, and say, thou receivest 
 thy wages, and, when thou askest more, thou art* op- 
 pressive. 
 
 T. But he will not say, the wages are equal to the 
 necessity ? 
 
 W. No : but he will say thou didst consent to work 
 for what thou hast agreed ; and when thou askest more 
 for thy service than what he stipulated to pay thee, thou 
 art oppressive in thy demands. 
 
 T. He will not say, that he is not oppressive when he 
 controls the price of labor, and makes his servants work 
 for a consideration inadequate to supply their wants ? 
 
 W. No : but he will say, their misfortune is not his 
 fault. 
 
 T. Then he will not utter a truth. The misfortune 
 of one is the fault of many, and most wrongs are the fault 
 of all. 
 
 W. Time. And when the king can see that his luxury 
 is others' poverty, and others' poverty a wrong for which 
 he is responsible, he will not be a king, but only an equal. 
 The wilderness shall blossom, and the fig tree shall bear 
 much fruit, when the mind of the king shall be converted 
 to the clear sunlight of glory, that shines on the outer 
 w r alls of this castle. 
 
 T, I would that the sun might illumine other minds, 
 
88 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 now abiding in the gloom of despair. The morning 
 light has scarcely dawned on these terraces. The wail of 
 woe reverberates along the cold walls of scorn, and the 
 moaning night-breeze bewails the sorrows, which rise 
 where the sins of wrong grieve the oppressed of millions. 
 I have wondered why nature has omitted the conversion 
 of the deluded, who pine in weariness over the misery to 
 which they are subject. 
 
 W. When nature is not perverted, and minds are not 
 corroded by the abominations of mythological opinions, no 
 conversion from sin will be necessary. It is not the wrongs 
 of nature, but the ignorance of nature, which makes con- 
 version indispensable to higher enjoyment. Thou seest 
 what wretchedness pervades the minds of these self-right- 
 eous converts to the ignorance of other days. Thou seest, 
 that they are not content to work without reward. They 
 have no love of righteousness ; no real sympathy for each 
 other's woes ; no melting compassion for the unfortunate ; 
 no soul to do any thing, unless a golden crown of reward 
 is set before them.. It is not a very great virtue to love 
 self, or what will contribute only to selfish enjoyment. 
 When mind loves self, it loves what will do self good. 
 Brutes may do even more than this. They love their 
 young. But mind, which works for self alone, is not ac- 
 tive without a prospect of success in its object. The wheel 
 is moved by a hope of gain, or fear of loss ; and all minds, 
 controlled by such unworthy motives, must be converted, 
 before they can be wise in the wisdom of God. They 
 must receive an illumination of their minds by the light 
 of nature, unfolding wisdom to the immortal soul. Such, 
 therefore, as thou seest in this castle, who are moved only 
 to aid the needy by hope and fear, to do what God and 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 89 
 
 humanity require, because of rewards, are within a wall 
 of ignorance and wretchedness, which demand the active 
 energy of the more devoted to deliver them. Thou seest 
 the king's heart. Thou seest he is deceived. He believes 
 not the truth. He professes the greatest veneration for 
 God, and the utmost confidence for revelation; and yet 
 he will not believe the revelation which we have found, 
 though corroborated by the natural law of progress. His 
 mind is walled in the fortress of self security. He has 
 built a gallows to terrify others like himself, so that they 
 may fear and tremble before him. Thou seest what will 
 save his mind from the conceit of his perverted imagin- 
 ation. 
 
 T. I see he needs to be converted. 
 
 W. Then what needs to be done, go thou and do. 
 
 T. Thou wilt go likewise. 
 
 W. That thou knowest. 
 
 T, That will not work his conversion, without other 
 
 aid. 
 
 W. Other aid will come, when required. Thou know- 
 est thy companions are waiting at the gate of the temple, 
 to catch the signal. Lift up thy banner, and let the 
 castle walls now bear the words, which will wave in the 
 breeze. 
 
 I mounted the walls, and the white flag of peace streamed 
 in the breeze. By my side, stood the angel of light, and 
 near me the angel of truth. As the signal waved in mys- 
 tery to the inhabitants of the castle, the workmen from 
 the temple came straightway to the banner, and com- 
 menced a new song. They brought with them their im- 
 plements of industry, and their harps, and an instrument 
 of ten strings. They formed a circle on the wail, encJo- 
 
90 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 sing the wisdom of the king and his subjects. When the 
 circle was formed, the Grand Master said: "Thou may- 
 est now work ; for these stones, which appear so uncomely 
 and unworthy, may be shapen to the condition, which will 
 not mar the temple of God. In thy work, see that thou 
 take nothing for thy labor, and remove nothing which is 
 valuable, from the possession of those on whom thy labor 
 shall be bestowed. Take off the roughness of the surface, 
 and, when thy work is done, bring the work to one who 
 will inspect thy skill, and he will bid thee go on thy way 
 rejoicing ; for that which was lost is found, and that which 
 was cast away is returned. Then strike the cymbal, and 
 let a new song awake the slumbering, for the waste places 
 shall rejoice, and the thirsty land shall be inspired with the 
 refreshing rain." 
 
 The circle united in a new song, which fell sweetly on 
 the air, and floated on the breeze, like music which none 
 but angels sing. It was soft and sweet, and the gathering 
 minds wondered at the sound. 
 
 When we had sung the song, a mind advanced from the 
 castle, and said, " Whence comest this music ? " 
 
 u From the choir, whose banner waves over thy head," 
 said William. 
 
 M. Art thou a friend, and yet thou dost sing a song ? 
 Why dost thou sing, when thy mother taught thee that 
 worship was not in song, but in spirit ? 
 
 W. What my mother said, I do not condemn; but 
 thou must know, that when w r e sing, we make melody in 
 our hearts ; and when we make melody in our hearts, we 
 sing in spirit and truth. 
 
 M. But when thou didst worship in thy body, as thy 
 companions would have thee, thou wouldst not sing; nei- 
 ther wouldst thou follow a banner as thou dost now 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 91 
 
 W. Thou wilt not complain, when thou seest a reform 
 in my customs. I was not what I now am. When I saw 
 my error, I was willing to forsake it. Wilt thou do likewise ? 
 
 M. I am not in favor of new things, till I have tried 
 them. 
 
 W. Art thou willing to try them ? 
 
 M. I am willing, when I can see and know their utility. 
 
 W. How canst thou know the utility of a thing, till 
 thou receivest it ? when thou wilt know, thou must know 
 for thyself; and when thou wilt know for thyself, thou 
 must take to thy self what thou desirest to know, so 
 that thy experience may teach thee the utility of what 
 thou hast received. 
 
 M. Am I not permitted to receive the experience of 
 another ? 
 
 W, When thou wilt receive the experience of thy 
 friends, thou wilt not have thy own experience. Beside, 
 thou knowest that the experience of thy friends differs. 
 How canst thou decide the difference without thy own 
 experience? When I was in the body, I had not experi- 
 ence in music. . Wouldst thou have considered me a com- 
 petent judge of that which I knew nothing about, by my 
 own experience? 
 
 M. I w^ould not receive a wrong to add to my ex- 
 perience. 
 
 W. When thou condemnest what thou dost not know, 
 art thou justified in thy condemnation ? 
 
 M. Not unless it be just. 
 
 W. How wilt thou decide what is just without know- 
 ledge? 
 
 M. How can I decide any thing ? 
 
 W. By your knowledge of right and wrong. 
 
92 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 M. Well, my knowledge decides that mind should be 
 consistent with itself. 
 
 W. Is that agreeably to thy experience ? 
 
 M. It is. 
 
 W. Then thy consistency is inconsistency. 
 
 M. How so? 
 
 W. Thou hast done wrong in thy life ? 
 
 M. Yea. 
 
 W. Then consistency will not change thy wrong. Con- 
 sistency is agreement; and when thou say est, I have done 
 wrong, it is inconsistent with wrong to do right. C onsistency 
 is to do wrong, because wrong has been done. Wouldst 
 thou recommend consistency with wrong ? 
 
 M. Nay ; but I do not like inconsistency. 
 
 W. Inconsistency with what ? 
 
 M. I do not like a mind that is constantly changing. 
 I know not where to find a mind that is blown about by 
 every wind that blows. 
 
 W. The wind bloweth where it listeth ; thou nearest 
 the sound thereof, but canst thou tell whence it cometh, 
 or whither it goeth ? 
 
 M. I see not whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth. 
 
 W. Suppose thou art informed that it cometh from 
 the east, when it cometh from the west, would thy infor- 
 mation be consistent with thy experience ? 
 
 M. Nay. 
 
 W. When thou askest me what my mother told me, 
 what was thy object ? 
 
 M. Thy mother told thee what w r as not wrong. 
 
 W. Verily, it was not wrong to her understanding. 
 But my mother will not say, it is right for her, or me, to 
 refuse to sing, now we have experienced the satisfaction it 
 adds to our minds. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 93 
 
 M. Then, thou hast changed thy mind ? 
 
 W. No ; / have not changed my mind, but my expe- 
 rience has changed it. The music which I hear, is a song 
 that I love, and what I love, thou wouldst not refuse, when 
 no mind would be injured by it. 
 
 M. But suppose all were to change their minds, and 
 do as thou hast done, what would the world come to ? 
 
 W. It would come to a wisdom, which thou denies t 
 thyself. It would come to a freedom, which would destroy 
 this castle. It would come to a joy, which would destroy 
 the wretchedness of thy condition. 
 
 M. My condition wretched ! 
 
 W. Thy condition is wretched. 
 
 M. How knowest thou that my condition is wretched ? 
 
 W. By my experience. 
 
 M. Wast thou ever within these walls ? 
 
 W. Truly. 
 
 M. When ? 
 
 W. When I was as thou art. Thou wilt know what 
 walls I have recommended, when thou inquirest why I 
 sought to wear my wide brim, and my drab coat without 
 buttons, as thou seest others. Thou wilt understand, that 
 pure and undenled jvisdom doas not consist in what thou 
 sayest, or what thou wearest, but in works of good to the 
 needy. I was what I was, but what I once was, that I 
 am not. 
 
 M. Would it not have been better for thee than thy 
 change ? 
 
 W. Had it not been for the change, I would have been 
 now as thou art; but I saw an error, and I forsook it. 
 Wouldst thou have me do otherwise ? 
 
 M. Nay; but art thou sure now thou art right? 
 
94 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 W. I am sure I am not wrong. 
 
 M, How so? 
 
 W. Because I am more free, more happy, and less in 
 bondage. 
 
 M. Thou talkest strange things. When wast thou in 
 bondage ? 
 
 W. When I sought righteousness, because of hope 
 and fear. 
 
 M. That is not bondage. 
 
 W. What, then, is bondage ? 
 
 M. Subjection to the will of another, who is master 
 over thee. 
 
 W. That is right. Thou wilt see I was subject to the 
 control of hope and fear. I was subject to my master, 
 who said, " Do this, or not do that," and who told me 
 what he would do to me, if I disobeyed. Minds are now 
 serving many masters in this castle, through fear of their 
 displeasure. 
 
 M. Minds, in this castle, serve many masters ? Whom 
 do we serve, but God ? 
 
 W. Thou servest whomsoever thou obeyest. 
 
 M. True : but no mind can serve two masters. 
 
 W. Thou shouldst have said, except he hate the one 
 and love the other. When thou doe*st right, whom dost 
 thou serve ? 
 
 M. Thou k no west, when a mind does right, it serves 
 God. 
 
 W. When thou doest wrong, whom dost thou serve ? 
 
 M. The devil. 
 
 W. Thou hast done good. 
 
 M. I trust I have. 
 
 W. Hast thou done evil ? 
 
 M. Alas ! Thou knowest, all have sinned. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 95 
 
 W. Then, when thou hast done good, thou hast served 
 God, and when thou hast done evil, thou sayest, thou hast 
 served the devil. Are there not two masters whom thou 
 hast served ? 
 
 M. Thou wilt have it so. 
 
 W. And thou would st not have me take thy word 
 with distrust ? 
 
 M. I would not serve two masters. 
 
 W. But thou hast, and what thou hast done, others 
 may do. When thou servest God, good cometh unto thee, 
 but when thou doest wrong, evil is in thy path. No mind 
 serveth God without good, and no mind doeth wrong with- 
 out evil. The "sendee of God is good, because it consists 
 in doing good to thyself, or others ; but the service of the 
 devil is evil, because it consists in doing evil to thyself, 
 or others. 
 
 M. But when I do good, evil is present with me. 
 
 W. When thou doest good, because thou lovest the 
 good of others as thyself, evil will depart from thee, and 
 thy soul wall not mourn. But when thou doest good, 
 because thou w T ouldst please thyself by receiving the money 
 with interest in return, thou mayest well say, " evil is 
 present with me." 
 
 M. Thou know r est that thy reproof will apply to an 
 apostle of Jesus Christ. 
 
 W. I know that, when thou doest good to others, evil 
 is not present wnth thee. 
 
 H. Then thou wouldst instruct Paul ? 
 
 W. Nay : but I would instruct thee. Paul says, when 
 he would do good, others prevented him. When others 
 prevented him from doing good, evil was present. Hast 
 thou not seen evil in opposing good to others, when others 
 opposed the good thou wouldst have done ? 
 
96 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 M. Others will not oppose their own good. 
 
 W. Hast thou not opposed the instruction we would 
 give thee ? 
 
 M. I have not assented to all thou hast taught. 
 
 W Have I taught thee else but good ? 
 
 M. Thou hast taught what thou wilt say is good. 
 
 W. Have I taught what th*)u wilt say is evil ? 
 
 M. Thou wilt not say it is evil. 
 
 W. But what sayest thou ? 
 
 M. I will say, I will worship God as I have done. 
 
 W. Canst thou worship God without fear ? 
 
 M. I can worship him in rny own way. 
 
 W. Will thy way be acceptable unto God ? 
 
 M. I trust it will not be displeasing in his sight. 
 
 W. Then, thou canst worship without fear. 
 
 M. I can, if I do my duty. 
 
 W. What, then, is thy duty? 
 
 M. To worship God. 
 
 W. How, worship God? 
 
 M. By obeying him with all my heart. 
 
 W. Hast thou a heart to obey what is unreasonable ? 
 
 M. His commands are reasonable. 
 
 W. What are his commands ? 
 
 M. He commands us to love him with all our hearts. 
 
 W. Is that all? 
 
 M. He commands us to love our neighbor. 
 
 W. Is that all? 
 
 M. He wills that all should repent. 
 
 W. Thou hast well replied. Dost thou obey, in all 
 
 things, his commands ? 
 
 M. I have not done all that I ought to have done. 
 
 W. When dost thou expect to do what thou shouidst 
 have done ? 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 97 
 
 M. Why, thou knowest that mind is imperfect, and 
 God has made an atonement for sin. 
 
 W. Has he made an atonement for all sin ? 
 
 M. He has made ample provision for all who believe. 
 
 W. All who believe in what ? 
 
 M. All who believe in the atonement he has made ? 
 
 W. Will that belief save thee, or others ? 
 
 M. I trust it will. 
 
 W. Then belief, in an atonement, will save. Has it 
 saved thee, or others, from all sin and wrong ? 
 
 M. It -will save all who believe. 
 
 W. How canst thou decide, that what does not save, 
 will save ? 
 
 M. By the promise which God has made. 
 
 W. Where is the promise ? 
 
 M. In the Bible. 
 
 W. Hast thou other promises ? 
 
 M. Nay. 
 
 W. Wilt thou bring me that promise of God ? 
 
 M. The whole Bible is proof of it 
 
 W. But I ask where, in the Bible, is that promise ■? 
 
 M. The Bible says, repent and believe, and thou shalt 
 be saved. 
 
 W. When wilt thou repent ? 
 
 M. I have repented of my sins, and found forgiveness. 
 
 W, Hast thou any sins which thou hast not repented of ? 
 
 M. Peradventure, I have many. 
 
 W. Will the atonement save thee from them ? 
 
 M. I trust it will. 
 
 W. But has it saved thee from them ? 
 
 M. I will hope for my salvation. 
 
 W. On what promise ? 
 
98 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PADfE 
 
 M. On the promise of God. 
 
 W, Wilt thou read that promise ? 
 
 M. That which thou askest, is not mine to give. 
 
 W. That which thou hast, is thine to give. That 
 which thou hast not, is not thine to give. 
 
 M. Thou wilt not say, I can not read such promise. 
 
 W. Thou wilt read, when thou canst find it. 
 
 M. The whole world may read it. 
 
 W. Not till they find it. 
 
 M. Then thou deniest such promise? 
 
 W. I deny no promise, but thou hast not found it. 
 
 M. I will find it. 
 
 W. I will wait thy finding. 
 
 M. Here is a passage, which favors such promise, 
 " Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect ? 
 It is God that justifieth." 
 
 W. I will not lay any thing to the charge of God's 
 elect But will God justify thee, or others, who have not 
 repented ? 
 
 M. I hope for justification through the blood of the 
 cross. 
 
 W. Dost thou hope for justification, while thy sins 
 remain ? Tnou shouldst not hope for what is wrong. 
 
 M. Is it wrong to hope for justification through faith ? 
 
 W. It is not wrong to hope for justification, when thou 
 hast repented of all thy sins; but thou wilt not find justi- 
 fication in thy wrongs. 
 
 M. Then faith wall not justify the mind. 
 
 W. Faith will not justify without works of good. 
 
 M. Will works justify without faith ? 
 
 W. Works will not justify, unless they are good ; and 
 good works wiJI justify. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 99 
 
 M. How can they justify without faith ? 
 
 W. They justify themselves, because they do not con- 
 tradict each other. They are consistent with good, and 
 in harmony with the law of God. They will justify the 
 mind who acts well, because mind will not work a wrong, 
 when good is done. When mind obeys God, by obeying 
 the law which God has established in the wisdom of na- 
 ture, he will not be condemned. God will not condemn 
 a mind in opposition to his law. But nature will afford 
 no justification without repentance. In vain is faith with- 
 out works, because it is dead, and does no one any good. 
 
 M. Then, thou wouldst justify the heathen, if they do 
 good? 
 
 W. Yea ; and not evil. 
 
 M. But will not the heathen be justified through faith ? 
 
 W. When their faith works by love, and purifies their 
 hearts. 
 
 M. Suppose it does not work by love. 
 
 W. Then, thou may est suppose it is dead, and will not 
 justify. 
 
 M. But when is faith not dead ? 
 
 W. When it works, when the work is good, and when 
 others feel the benefits thereof. 
 
 M. But does not Jesus say, < Thy faith hath made 
 thee whole ? " ' 
 
 W. Yea ; and thou seest why. 
 
 M. Because faith saves. 
 
 W. When it works, not otherwise. Thy faith hath 
 not made thee w^hole, as thou sayest. 
 
 M. My faith will, I trust, make me whole. 
 
 W. When will thy faith make thee whole ? 
 
 M. Thou mayest not dispute the Bible. 
 
100 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 W. When will thy faith make thee whole ? 
 
 M. When the atonement is perfected in me. 
 
 W. When will the atonement be perfected in thee? 
 
 M. The day will come when all shall stand before God. 
 Then all will know who are justified, and who are not. 
 
 W. Thou wilt not say, that thou wilt be justified, 
 when thou shalt stand before God, unless thy works are 
 in harmony with the law of God ? Neither wilt thou 
 prove that thou dost not even now stand before God. But 
 art thou justified now by faith ? 
 
 M. I have said, I hope to be justified, when I stand 
 before God, in the judgment. 
 
 W. Why dost thou hope, then, for justification ? 
 
 M. Because I believe. 
 
 W. Does thy belief justify thee now ? 
 
 M. Thou wilt not receive the true faith. 
 
 W. Thou wilt not answer, neither wilt thou show how 
 thou canst be justified hereafter, by thy faith, when thy 
 faith doth not now justify thee. 
 
 M. How, then, am I to be saved ? 
 
 W. Thou wilt be saved by repentance. When thou 
 shalt turn from the error of thy ways ; when thou shalt 
 no longer excuse thyself for thy neglect to clo thy whole 
 duty; when thou shalt see no mind neglected, because of 
 thy indifference, but shalt do unto thy neighbor good, as 
 his mind may need, without letting thy left hand know 
 what thy right hand doeth ; when thou shalt no more 
 publish thy own worthiness, nor detract thy neighbor's; 
 when thou shalt have compassion on the poor, and the 
 stranger within thy gates ; when thou shalt no more op- 
 press the weak, nor extort from the needy ; when thou 
 shalt love all mind, and curse not ; when thou shalt know 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 101 
 
 the truth, and have courage to acknowledge it ; when thou 
 shalt teach and practice the wisdom of God ; then wilt thou 
 find justification through faith, because thy faith will work 
 by love for the good of all mind ; and thou wilt stand be- 
 fore God justified, and saved from the ignorance and 
 wrong, from which thou hast long expected deliverance, 
 but found it not. 
 
 Then all the circle said, " Amen; " and we departed to 
 the temple, not made with hands. 
 
I 102 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 SECOND VISIT TO THE TEMPLE. 
 
 Unity of work — Each receives a penny — Visits another temple — The 
 Master's charge to Thomas — vAdvice of the chief — Counsel of the com- 
 mander — Explanation of the helmet, spear, sword with two edges, ar- 
 rows and bow, sling and pebbles — Trumpet — Directions to revisit the 
 castle. 
 
 On arriving at the temple, each mind took its proper 
 position, and Contentment was made wisdom to the work- 
 men. " Thomas," said William, " art thou satisfied with 
 thy journey?" 
 
 T. I am satisfied that I am not as others whom we 
 have seen ; but I would that they were altogether as we 
 are. 
 
 W. Thou wilt now prepare thyself for what thou wilt 
 soon see disclosed to thee. Thou art not as thou wilt be 
 when the more excellent glory shall be unfolded before 
 thee. Take thy work, and bring it before the inspector, 
 that thou mayest receive thy reward ; for thou hast borne 
 the banner, and wilt receive thy recompense. 
 
 T. Thou wilt not mark the work as mine ; for what 
 I have done, thou hast aided me to do with thy fellow 
 servants, our brethren. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 103 
 
 W. Thou wilt come with us, and present thy work ; 
 for what we have done is thy work, and thou hast done 
 is our work. Our work and thine are one, and thou wilt 
 with us receive each a penny. 
 
 T. Then thou mayest give my wages to the poor. 
 
 W, Thy wages are thine, and what is thine, thou wilt 
 receive. It will not be as thou hast supposed. Wilt thou 
 bring thy work ? 
 
 T. Yea; and here it is. 
 
 " The work is well," said the Inspector. 
 
 W. Take thy work to the second Inspector. 
 
 The work was laid before the Inspector, who said, u It 
 is well, but thou shouldst not hew the stone without a line. 
 I will square thy work. It is well with the square." 
 
 " Take thy work to the third Inspector," said William. 
 
 u Here is my work," said I, advancing toward him. 
 
 Ins. Thy work will square itself. Take thy penny. 
 
 " Thy reward is well without the penny," said I. 
 
 I. Thou wilt receive thy wages, because thou hast not 
 worked thy work by reason of the reward. 
 
 T. What wouldst thou have me to do with my wages ? 
 
 I, Thou wilt serve thy brethren who have need. 
 
 T. Perchance, they will not receive the gift. 
 
 I. Thou wilt not need what thou hast, but what thou 
 hast not, thou wilt not refuse, till thou shalt have tried it 
 by thy own experience, and found it wanting. Thou wilt 
 now receive a lesson, which will teach thee how thou may- 
 est not use thy wages, and remember that thy wages is 
 what thou wiit now receive, because thou hast been faith- 
 ful in some things, thou shalt be a ruler in many things. 
 
 Taking my arm, the mind said, " come." We were soon 
 in a more magnificent temple than any which I had ever 
 
104 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 before beheld. There was a great company of minds, who 
 were seated on each side of a spacious hall, adorned with 
 brilliant gems on walls of light ; while over our heads were 
 ministering spirits of a generation who shared the glory of 
 the Prince of peace. Directly before me stood superior 
 minds, and behind me a long line of warriors with broken 
 spears and rusty guns without locks. Their arms of war- 
 fare trailed in the march, and their countenances betokened 
 that they had won a victory without injury to themselyes 
 or others. 
 
 " Thou wilt hear a lesson from the throne of mercy," 
 said William. " Advance near thy Teacher, that he may 
 place his hand on thy head." 
 
 Advancing to the required position, the mind arose and 
 said, Thomas, thou hast made a good profession in that 
 thou hast been obedient unto the commands of thy mas- 
 ter. Thou wilt permit me to place this crown upon thy 
 head. It is not the crown of tyrants, nor of usurpation; 
 but it is a crown of glory, which the Lord of this taber- 
 nacle hath desired me to put on thy head. Thou hast 
 worn a crown of thorns, but now thou hast sought and 
 found the pearl of great price, even the wisdom which 
 seeks the good of those who need, without hope of gain or r 
 fear of loss; because thou hast loved thy brethren, who 
 have received thy aid, thou mayest wear this crown of 
 glory. See that thou keep thyself in the way of wisdom, 
 that thy crown may grow brighter and brighter with the 
 usinff, and not tarnish with rust. Thou wilt not work 
 where thy wisdom will be scorned, but thou wilt go with 
 thy companions td a sorrowing and dependent circle, who 
 will receive thy message with gladness. Thou wilt do 
 the meek and the humble what thou canst not the proud 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 105 
 
 and the disdainful. Thou wilt now take with thee this 
 helmet and this spear, and this sword of two edges, and 
 these arrows and bow, and these stones and sling; and 
 thou wilt also take this trumpet, that thou mayest be 
 armed with the armor which thy work requires of thee. 
 And, when thou needest aid, thou wilt sound the trumpet 
 with the sound that I teach thee, so shalt thou not work 
 alone, but thy companions will aid thee, as thou shalt find 
 labor required. Soon thou wilt go on a mission, which 
 will require #11 thy wisdom to overcome the midnight of 
 darkness that surrounds the wretchedness of minds, led 
 captive by the deceitfulness of ignorance and folly. Be 
 thou prepared to show thyself a workman, that needeth 
 not to be ashamed of thy calling, for in due time thou wilt 
 reap what thou hast sown ; because what thou sowest will 
 bring forth an hundred fold to the glory of God and the 
 good of mind. Take with thee thy elder brother, whose 
 counsel thou hast so wisely received, and also thy compan- 
 ion to whom thou art allied by mutual affinities, and we 
 will wait thy summons. Turn now to the right, and let 
 the chief of this tabernacle give thee further advice." 
 
 " Thou wilt go on thy mission, my friend, but before 
 thou goest, it is proper that thou shouldst receive some 
 advice, which thou mayest need. The crown which thou 
 wearest will not sutler tarnish, because it is thine. Thou 
 hast not usurped it, nor hast thou deprived others of any 
 right which unto them belongeth. All they ever had, 
 thou hast taken nothing, but what thou hast is a crown, 
 which we give thee for thy glory. This crown is not the 
 crown of a king, but of a ruler. Thou wilt wear it ever 
 in thy warfare, that thy mind may be loved as thou lovest 
 with unabated affection. Thy authority will not be in- 
 5* 
 
106 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 creased by it; but thou wilt shew thyself a ruler, whose 
 counsel will be respected, because wisdom will guide thee. 
 When thou rulest, thou wilt not control as do kings and 
 emperors, but thou wilt exercise thy reason, and thy reason 
 will be respected. This crown is placed on thy head to 
 make known the majesty of truth, which is shielded by it 
 from all harm. No mind can fault a crown, when hon- 
 ored by wisdom in him who wears it. The crown is well ; 
 but the abuse of power is not guarantied by this gift. 
 Thou wilt not abuse thy authority by contributing to the 
 welfare of the rich, from the industry of the poor. Such 
 is not the authority conferred on thee by this crown. But 
 thou wilt contribute from the income of the rich, to aid 
 the poor. Those who need will receive thy care, and thou 
 wilt exercise thy wisdom to convince the rich that thy 
 crown should be worn by them. And when they come to 
 lay their gifts before thee, thou wilt say, ' remember the 
 needy," for these words are written on this crown. Thou 
 wilt also say, ' take this crown from my head, when I 
 dishonor it, by refusing to obey its requirements.' There- 
 fore, let these words be true and faithful in thy way, and 
 let thy conduct show that our confidence has not been 
 misplaced. My aid will be given thee in the work of re- 
 form. Thou wilt now receive thy lesson from the com- 
 mander of this temple, who will tell thee what thou wilt 
 do with the warlike implements thou has received from 
 the chief. Proceed to his chair." 
 
 Turning to the right, so as to face about, I came before 
 the commander, who addressed me as follows : 
 
 " Hast thou been a warrior ? " 
 
 " I have not assumed to fight with such weapons." 
 
 " Thou wilt now assume to fight the good fight of wis- 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 107 
 
 dom. The helmet is thy protection against harm. Thou 
 wilt wear it evermore. Thou wilt not use it in mortal com- 
 bat, for thou hast not enlisted for such service. But thou 
 hast engaged to do thy duty, and where thy duty calls 
 thee to scenes of wrong, this helmet will aid thee to over- 
 come the hostility of contending parties. It will shield 
 thee from the wrongs of the ignorant, and the assaults of 
 the wicked. Thou seest the word written thereon. It is 
 Peace. The peace thou wilt bear in thy bosom, will over- 
 come the resistance of wrong, and war will cease. The 
 helmet will protect; for war never rages where peace reigns. 
 Thou wilt bear the banner and the helmet, and no foe will 
 attack thee, because there will be no resistance offered by 
 thee, save the power which thy example will inspire in the 
 minds who wrangle with each other. Thou wilt first pub- 
 lish thy motives in the camp of the enemy, and when they 
 read thy w T ords, they will say thou art beside thyself, 
 much peace hath made thee insane. But thou wilt say, 
 1 much peace have they who love the law of harmony and 
 happiness.' Thou wilt say, 'this helmet is peace,' and 
 when they shall unite with thee and thy companions, war 
 will end with them. This helmet will not tarnish. The 
 wisdom of God hath made it, and what God hath made, 
 thou wilt wear with honor to thyself, and satisfaction to 
 thy friends. 
 
 " This spear is warlike. Thou wilt not war with thy 
 brethren with this weapon. It is given thee for a nobler 
 purpose than the destruction of enemies. It will serve 
 thee in the battle thou wilt fight, because it is not carnal. 
 It is a spear that will touch the hearts of enemies. It will 
 make no wound, but it will heal the wounds which wrongs 
 have made. When the spear enters the hearts of warriors, 
 
108 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 it will touch a well of sympathy. When the well is found, 
 thou canst strike the spear deep, and it will not harm. 
 Thou wilt so use this weapon as to find the heart, and 
 when the heart is found, the victory is won. The heart 
 must be touched with the spear of love ; and, therefore, 
 thou seest the importance of this instrument. Let thy 
 warfare be such as will touch the heart, and when thou 
 shalt find thy w r eapon unavailing, thou wilt take this 
 sword with two edges, and lop off the dead branches which 
 overshadow thy efforts, and which yield no fruit. When 
 thou hast cut down the dead branches with thy sword, 
 thou wilt take thy spear, and engraft the fruitful olive 
 branch therein. When thou hast done thy work with 
 thy spear and sword, thou wilt see a great reform in the 
 tree, and new branches will put forth, bearing much fruit 
 to the husbandman. 
 
 " These arrows and bow will not make thee unfriendly,' 
 except thou pervert them to works of injustice to thy breth- 
 ren. Thou knowest the history of David and Jonathan, 
 When Saul sought the life of David, he was forewarned 
 by an arrow, which Jonathan shot. It was well with 
 David, and well with Jonathan, because they made a cove- 
 nant with each other to avert wrong. The arrows were 
 united, and being united were strong against resistance. 
 Take these arrows as a sign of the covenant thou hast made 
 with us, that no wrong shall come unto thee without warn- 
 ing ; and take also this bow, which is the power of the 
 covenant; and, with it, do thy work as thou hast cove- 
 nanted to do, in friendship, love, and truth, and hope of 
 mercy will descend without ending upon thee in thy labor. 
 
 " Take also this sling and these pebbles; and, when thou 
 goest on thy mission, thou wilt not make war with those 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 109 
 
 that oppose thee. They are given thee for another pur- 
 pose. Thy soul will need its rest. Thy sling will bring 
 thee rest. Thou wilt take the pebbles, one by one, and 
 when thy opposer shall make war with thee, thou wilt 
 teach him this lesson : That no wisdom is found in peb- 
 bles, and thou wilt say to him, i silver and gold have I 
 none, but such as I have, give I unto thee . take this sling 
 and these pebbles, and when thou art without wrong, cast 
 them at me, for I too, am poor and needy, and what thou 
 doest, do as thy wisdom shall direct.' Then shalt thou 
 find thy sling and pebbles retained by thee, and thy op- 
 poser will be thy follower in the great reform of mind. 
 And when thou shalt have need of our aid, blow the 
 trumpet as thou hast been instructed, and thy companions 
 will join thee in the good fight of reforming mind, with- 
 out blood or treasure. 
 
 " Thou wilt now proceed on thy mission, and, when thou 
 shalt aid with thy wisdom the needy, thy work will be 
 thy reward. Hitherto, thou hast been instructed, but now 
 thou wilt be an instructor of others. Thou wilt work thy 
 work of reform, as thou canst. Take what thou needest 
 for thy work, and go to the castle, where thou didst un- 
 furl the banner, and when thou shalt sound the trumpet, 
 thy circle will obey thy summons." 
 
110 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 SECOND VISIT TO THE CASTLE. 
 
 The deacon's prayer — Thomas and Mary converse — Dialogue between 
 the deacon and Thomas on rewards, a day of judgment, and the atone- 
 ment — The deacon converted — Sung the new song — Departure for 
 the temple — The deaeon initiated into the mysteries of wisdom, and the 
 secret explained — Thomas and the deacon revisit the castle. 
 
 It was an hour of devotion. The castle was ruffled by 
 the storm of darkness. Not a voice betokened harmony, 
 and each worshiper offered his words to God, as a dictator 
 would his commands to his subjects. One mind wanted 
 his brethren to be more faithful, and another desired the 
 conversion of a third to some opinion, which would dis- 
 grace the mind who should practice it. At length, we 
 went to a deacon of the most fashionable circle in the castle. 
 He was offering his words to God. " Thou wouldst have 
 been just," said he, " if thou hadst cut us down as cumberers 
 of the ground, and made our bed in hell ; but we thank 
 thee, oh God, that thou hast not been strict to mark our 
 iniquities against us, lest our portion should have been as 
 hypocrites and unbelievers." 
 
 " Often hast thou not heard that accusation ? " said my 
 compauion. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. Ill 
 
 T. I recollect that was often said by many thoughtless 
 religionists, when I was in the body. 
 
 M. And dost thou not know that what thou hast seen 
 in the body, thou mayest see now thou art in this sphere, 
 and more clearly ; even so, what thou hast heard. 
 
 T. I see that death changes no error, which the 
 mind has received. These minds must have been reli- 
 gious, in the first sphere. They are now religious, in 
 words. They tell God he is not just ; for, if he had been, 
 he would have placed them with hypocrites and unbelievers. 
 I see they are mistaken. God is just, and I find them with 
 hypocrites and unbelievers. I see they offer words only. 
 They pray to have God do what they ought to have done 
 themselves. They want others to be converted by God, 
 but they do not reform themselves. Do you know the 
 reason ? 
 
 M. I see that they are blind to their own condition ; they 
 are blind to a more exalted principle of holiness. They 
 have done nothing to reform themselves, because they have 
 expended all their strength in words. They have sought 
 to establish their own righteousness, and thou seest that their 
 righteousness is words ; and, when they have worked to 
 convert others, they have made only a convert like unto 
 themselves ; they have made a convert with words, and 
 with words they wall convert others. 
 
 T. When they were in the body, how were the needy 
 neglected ? 
 
 M. As they would be here, were no other help to be 
 found. 
 
 T. Thou hast well said, Mary, that they worship 
 only with words. They worship only words. God is not 
 worshiped. They ask in words, but words never work, 
 
112 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 without deeds, the reform of mind. They desire "with 
 words, that God would reform minds ; but they never re- 
 flect, that reforms are works. Alas ! they will not reform 
 themselves, and do works meet for repentance, because 
 they are blind in the conceit of words. Thou seest their 
 great mistake. Not till they shall see that God is not 
 pleased with their words, and words only, will they look 
 for a change in themselves. So long as they seek to es- 
 tablish a religion of words, they will neglect a religion of 
 works. When they shall learn that God is just, and that 
 they have their portion in company with hypocrites and 
 unbelievers, they will not rest in words alone. 
 
 M. But thou seest they will not reform, because they 
 are blind. When their blindness shall be removed, they 
 will see something. 
 
 T. Truly : They will see themselves, not as they now 
 see, but as God sees them. They will see that repentance 
 must begin with them. They will see that words will not 
 save. They will see that hypocrites will not be cut off 
 because they have no words; neither will unbelievers fail 
 of a recompense on that account. Thou knowest words 
 entice sinners, and sinners use enticing words; but the 
 mind without this castle relies on works of wisdom. 
 
 The deacon concluded his invocation, and I said, " What 
 art thou praying for ? " 
 
 He replied, "I want the wicked to be saved." 
 
 T. From what dost thou desire their salvation ? 
 
 D. From the wrath of God, and the damnation of hell. 
 
 T. Dost thou expect that words will serve thy design ? 
 
 D. Thou knowest that God has commanded all men 
 to pray, and that the fervent prayer of the righteous 
 availeth much. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 113 
 
 T. I wish to know, if words will save ? 
 
 D. Words will find favor with God. 
 
 T. Will they cause God to save a wretched mind ? 
 
 D. They will avail much. 
 
 T. With whom ? 
 
 D. With God. 
 
 T. How much will they avail ? 
 
 D. They will save the soul from perdition. 
 
 T. What will save a soul from perdition ? 
 
 D. The prayer of the righteous, 
 
 T. Have thy prayers saved thee ? 
 
 D. I trust they will save my soul, if I am faithful. 
 
 T. Faithful in what? 
 
 D. Faithful in my duty. 
 
 T. What is thy duty? 
 
 D. To obey God. 
 
 T. What is obedience to God ? 
 
 D. Obedience to God is complying with his commands. 
 
 T. Ha^t thou complied with his commands ? 
 
 D. I would try to do so. 
 
 T. Hast thou done as God has commanded thee ? 
 
 D. I have come short of his glory. 
 
 T. Will thy prayers save thee, when thou art not as 
 he commands ? 
 
 D. I will obey. 
 
 T. When? . 
 
 D. When I pray, I pray for my forgiveness. 
 
 T. Dost thou expect God will hear without repentance ? 
 
 D. I do repent when I pray. 
 
 T. What are thy works? 
 
 D. I see, you want me to be what you are. 
 
 T. Thou wilt not say, I want thee to be as I am, but 
 
114 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 as God is ; and when thou art as he has required thee to 
 be, thou wilt not refuse thy mind what good thou mayest 
 enjoy. Wilt thou say, that thy prayers will save thee 
 without repentance ? 
 
 D. Nay. 
 
 T. When wilt thou repent, then ? 
 
 D. What dost thou mean by repentance ? 
 
 T. I mean that reform which will save thee from the 
 wretchedness of this confinement in walls. 
 
 D. Am I wretched ? Nay. 
 
 T. Thou wilt not so reply, when thy deliverance is 
 accomplished. 
 
 D. Deliverance from what ? 
 
 T. ¥rom thy wrongs and errors, thy sins and sorrows. 
 
 D. Verily, thou art confident. Who gave thee power 
 to work in God's name ? 
 
 T. I will work as my master has commanded. 
 
 D. Who is thy master ? 
 
 T. The mind who controls me and others. 
 
 D. Am I not a mind who controls others ? 
 
 T. Thou controlest thy inferiors, not thy superiors. 
 
 D. Thou mayest do the same. 
 
 T. Not as thou hast done. 
 
 D. Why not? 
 
 T. Because thou controlest by fear and hope. Thou 
 rulest as do tyrants and kings. Thy ways are cruel and 
 oppressive, unjust and wrong. 
 
 D. Thou wilt not accuse me, when thou art wrong. 
 
 T. When thy ways are opposed to the commands of 
 God, am I wrong to inform thee ? 
 
 D. Nay; but thou wilt not be wrong, when thou art 
 converted. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 115 
 
 T. Converted to what ? 
 
 D. Converted to the religion of the Bible. 
 
 T. Wherein do I need conversion to the religion of the 
 Bible? 
 
 D. In refusing to join with us. 
 
 T. Is that the only reason ? 
 
 D. It is one which makes thy conversion necessary. 
 
 T. "Why necessary ? 
 
 D. Thou knowest thou art not a believer in the Bible 
 
 T. Thou wilt not convert rne without the Bible. 
 
 D. What ! not convert thee without the Bible ? How 
 
 sayest thou that the Bible is thy guide ? 
 
 T. I say, thou wilt not convert me without the Bible. 
 
 D. May I hope to convert thee with it ? 
 
 T. Thou may est not hope for conversion to thy views. 
 
 D. What views may I hope to convert thee to ? 
 
 T. Such as are true and practical, wise and good. 
 
 D. When wilt thou come to me for instruction ? 
 
 T. When thou canst instruct me. 
 
 D. Thou art not a believer in religion. 
 
 T. Thou canst tell by my works. 
 
 D. Thy works will not wrong any one. 
 
 T. Wilt thou not wrong any one ? 
 
 D. Not intentionally. 
 
 T. Wilt thou justify an unintentional wrong ? 
 
 D. Nay. 
 
 T. Then thou shouldst reform. 
 
 D. Why? 
 
 T. Because thou doest many unintentional wrongs. 
 
 D. Thy charge will not satisfy me of wrong. 
 
 T. When thou seest thy brother in need, hast thou 
 
 aided him ? When thou seest him disconsolate, hast thou 
 
116 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 cheered him ? When thou hast found him naked of wis- 
 dom, hast thou clothed him with garments of salvation? 
 When thou hast found him an hungered and thirsting 
 after righteousness, hast thou fed him with the bread of 
 heaven, and given him the water of life ? 
 
 D. That has been my desire. 
 
 T. Have thy desires been operative to the good of 
 mind? 
 
 D. I would they had been more so. 
 
 T. Then thou shouldst put away thy craft, and leave 
 thy habitation of darkness. Thou wilt not do as thy soul 
 desireth, so long as thou remainest imprisoned within the 
 walls of this castle. I see thy intentions are well, but thy wis- 
 dom is selfish. When thou shalt relinquish thy wrongs, 
 and no longer wrong others by the inculcation of thy 
 errors, then thou wilt reform the abuses of thy brethren, 
 without money and without price. 
 
 D. I would reform any wrong that I may have, but I 
 would first know the wrong. 
 
 T. Thou wilt, then, understand what thy wrongs are ? 
 
 D. Truly. 
 
 T. Thy wrongs are the wrongs of others. When thou 
 wouldst forsake thy wrongs, because thou hast seen them, 
 thy brethren offer thee a bribe to refuse a reform. They 
 say to thee, " What good will this new doctrine do ? what 
 will those gain who embrace it ? and what will they lose 
 that defend it ? " Thou hast been warned by awful pen- 
 alties not to forsake the wrongs thou hast cherished from 
 thy childhood. 
 
 D. I acknowledge that I have my fears. 
 
 T. Thou wilt acknowledge that thy fears do thee no 
 good, when they make thee miserable. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 117 
 
 D. They sometimes make me unhappy. 
 
 T. "When they make thee unhappy, they are unprofit- 
 able. !No good thing ever made thee so. That which 
 makes thee unhappy, is a wrong to thee ; and when thou 
 shalt put away that wrong, thy unhappiness will cease; 
 but so long as thou shalt cherish the wrong, thy mind will 
 be disturbed by it. This is the law of God in nature. 
 Wouldst thou obey that law ? 
 
 D. I would obey God. 
 
 T. Thou wouldst obey God by obeying his law ? 
 
 D. I would not disobey his law. 
 
 T. Dost thou not see, that it is the law of God, which 
 works thy unhappiness ? Dost thou not know, that no- 
 thing can be true and right which makes thee unhappy ? 
 
 D. I see, that when I do wrong, I want what I have 
 not got. I want something which will make me more 
 happy. But it is not wrong to want what I have not got. 
 
 T. Thy wants are well ; but not thy wrongs to satisfy 
 thy wants. Thy wants are misdirected ; they work harm 
 to thy mind. It will not be so, when thou understandest 
 the law which should govern thee. Thou wilt not reform, 
 nor leave this castle, till thou seest that all good is obedi- 
 ence, and all evil is disobedience to the law of God. So 
 long as thou shalt remain subject to the wisdom of those 
 who instruct thee to do wrong, that good may come to 
 thee, thou wilt not refrain from thy wrongs. Thy errors 
 are thy wrongs ; and, if thou wouldst be saved from their 
 curse, thou shouldst cast them away. 
 
 D. That would I do, when I have found the wrong. 
 But I see no error in my faith. 
 
 T. Thy faith is not well when wrong. 
 
 D, Yea ; but wherein is it wrong ? 
 
118 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINS 
 
 T. I heard thee say, that God was not just. If God 
 be not just, who will not be like him when arrested for 
 judgment? Thou seest that thy accusation is wrong; 
 and thy wrong hath disturbed thy quiet. When wilt thou 
 reform of thy wrong, if thy God be unjust ? 
 
 D. But when I said he was unjust, I meant that he 
 was so merciful, as not to punish the wicked as their sins 
 deserve ; not that he was an unjust God. 
 
 T. Thou wilt not put new wine into old bottles, lest 
 it ferment and break the bottles, and the wine be lost. 
 Thou hast made the rent no better. If God will not 
 give the wicked what they deserve, he is unjust, and is not 
 faithful to his promise. Besides, how can the wicked sepa- 
 rate themselves from the evil of a violated law ? When 
 the law is disregarded, a wrong is done; and, when a 
 wrong is done, the evil is committed. The evil is the 
 wrong. The wrong is w r hat disturbs thee, and w T hat dis- 
 turbs thee is thy reward. Thy reward is the judgment 
 of God, executed in thy mind, because thy wdsdom needs 
 improvement. 
 
 D. Thou wilt not say, the wrong is the reward. 
 
 T. The wrong is the evil, and the evil is what thou 
 shouldst abandon for thy good ; because what is evil to 
 thee, thou shouldst not pursue. The law which rewards 
 thee, is eternal, and, while wrong is cherished, the reward 
 is thine. What is thine, thou wilt receive, for it is just. 
 
 D. Thou wilt not say, the wrong is the reward. 
 
 T. I will say, the wrong and the reward are insepa- 
 rable. 
 
 D. Then where is the necessity for a day of judgment ? 
 
 T. The necessity is nature's law ; but thy views are 
 wrong. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 119 
 
 D. They are what the Scriptures teach. 
 
 T. Thou hast not read the Scriptures without thy wis- 
 dom to aid thee. Thy wisdom is not the wisdom of 
 God. 
 
 D. Wherein do they differ ? 
 
 T. Thy wisdom is the wisdom of minds like thee ; those 
 who are like thee, are no wiser than thyself. Those who 
 are no wiser than thyself, can not instruct thee. They 
 agree with thee, and thou seest only what thy wisdom has 
 unfolded to thee. And when thou hast read the Scrip- 
 tures, thou hast understood as thy wisdom corrected the 
 Bible. It is thy misfortune to read with thy education to 
 correct the reading, and make it conform to thy errors. 
 
 D. Thou wilt not say, there is no judgment. 
 
 T. I say, law is eternal, and when wrong is done, a 
 law is violated. When a law is disobeyed, the disobedi- 
 ence is wrong, and the wrong disturbs the doer. This 
 disturbance of law is sure to be attended with the evil 
 which wrong brings. That evil is the judgment of God. 
 I know no other judgment. 
 
 D. Thou knowest the Scriptures teach another judg- 
 ment. 
 
 T. I know not what thou affirmest. 
 
 D. The Bible speaks of a judgment. 
 
 T. So do I. 
 
 D. The Bible says, God will judge the world. 
 
 T. So do I. 
 
 D. When will he judge the world ? 
 
 T. When the world do wrong, and when they do 
 right. 
 
 D. That is always. 
 
 T. Truly. 
 
120 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 D. Then God judges all minds when they do wrong, 
 and when they do right ? 
 
 T. Yea. 
 
 D. How can he judge those who do right ? 
 
 T. As he does those who do wrong — by his eternal 
 law. But wrong is judged as an evil, and right as a good. 
 Hence, the mind that does wrong, is judged as wrong; 
 and the mind that does right, is judged as right. 
 
 D. How can there be, then, a day of judgment ? 
 
 T. The day of judgment is when God judges by his 
 law, and not till his judgment is withheld, will that day 
 end. I know of no end to his judgment, nor to the 
 period in which he judges. His judgment is just, and 
 his justice endureth forever. 
 
 D. When will the wicked be judged ? 
 
 T. When they are wicked. 'No mind can do wrong, 
 without receiving a just recompense of reward. 
 
 D. Of what benefit, then, is the atonement of Christ ? 
 
 T. Thy wisdom will be increased, when thou shalt see 
 the atonement in thyself, and not hope for it because an- 
 other has it. 
 
 D. I do not understand thy meaning. 
 
 T. When thou shalt agree with thy Bible, in regard 
 to the atonement, then thou wilt find the atonement in thy 
 works, as thou seest it now in Christ. 
 
 D. This is more perplexing to me still. What dost 
 thou mean by atonement in me ? 
 
 T. I mean the works which Christ done for the good 
 of the needy. He gave sight to the blind, hearing to the 
 deaf, health to the sick, and wisdom to the foolish. 
 
 D. Dost thou say, miracles can be done by me ? 
 
 T. Thou canst do as thy Master hath said* If thou 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT "WORLD. 121 
 
 wilt follow hirn, thou mayest lay hands on the sick, and 
 they shall recover; thou canst; take deadly serpents in thy 
 hands, and they shall not harm thee; thou canst drink 
 poison, and it shall not injure thee; thou canst wait on the 
 suffering, and the Lord thy God will bless thee. 
 
 D. Then thou sayest, I am not a follower of Chri? 
 
 T. Thy works testify of thee. 
 
 D. Do they testify, that I am not a follower of Chi 
 
 T. If thou wast his disciple, his works would foi 
 thee. 
 
 D. Then, I am not his disciple. 
 
 T. So thou sayest. But wouldst thou be ? 
 
 D. I would be ever as my Master. 
 
 T. Listen then to thy Master's instruction. 
 
 D. What instruction? 
 
 T. Such as I have, give I unto thee. Visit the sick, 
 those in prison, those in need ; and let thy mind be passive 
 to the influence of those who would aid thee to be wise, 
 and the glory of God will deliver thee from thy darkness, 
 and make thee a light to them that d well with thee in this 
 castle of vain and empty words without deeds. 
 
 D. Dost thou say, that I can do miracles ? 
 
 T. Thou canst do as thy Master hath required thee, 
 and, when thou doest, thy works will testify that a mira- 
 cle hath been wrought by thee. Thy companions will 
 say, thou hast a devil. 
 
 D. If I could believe thy saying, I would follow thee. 
 
 T. Thou canst follow thy Master, and my saying will 
 be verified by thy works. The atonement will be in thee 
 to do the will of thy Master. 
 
 D. Then all may atone for their sins. 
 
 T. All may do good to those in need, and when they 
 6 
 
122 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 obey the law of God which requires good to be done, the 
 atonement is in them who obey. It is an agreement with 
 Christ to put away sin by personal sacrifice upon the altar 
 of sympathizing humanity. Doing good is atonement, 
 because it is agreement with the law of God, and put3 
 wrong away. 
 
 D. Then, there was no need of a Savior. 
 
 T. Not so : had there been no wrong, there would 
 have been no Savior ; but, where wrong is, there is a need 
 to be saved from the wrong. Thy Savior came where 
 wrongs existed, and where great injuries were practiced; 
 and thou seest he saved many from their errors and wrongs. 
 Thou shouldst obey, and do likewise; and, when thou 
 shalt do as thy Master hath done, thou wilt save many. 
 According to thy wisdom and thy diligence , so shall thy 
 reward be. 
 
 D. But, when I obey, do I not then make atonement 
 for sins ? 
 
 T. When thou obey est, thou doest well, but thou wilt 
 not obey without a cause. Thy obedience is caused by 
 thy wisdom, and thy wisdom is increased by instruction, 
 so that thy salvation is caused by those who instruct thee 
 in wisdom. 
 
 D. Then I have as many Saviors as I have instructors. 
 
 T. I would not contradict thee ; but still thou shouldst 
 understand that all wisdom is of God. Thy God is thy 
 Savior, and he saves thee in harmony with his law of de- 
 veloping and making wise thy mind. He saves thee only 
 as thou becomest wise, and he makes thee wise through 
 the mediums who are competent to instruct thee in his 
 wisdom. As many as are employed in unfolding to minds 
 the wisdom of God, are saviors to those whom they in- 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE 6PIRIT WORLD. 123 
 
 struct and make wise. Thou mayest be the savior of 
 many when thou receivest wisdom to instruct others. Thou 
 wilt not save without wisdom ; for it is by wisdom that I 
 come to thee with a message which will open the gates of 
 a celestial circle, who wish thy deliverance. 
 
 D. Thy pretensions stagger me. If thou art what thy 
 words signify, thou canst do thy will, and make me what 
 thou desirest. 
 
 T. I will then invite thee to a circle without these 
 walls. Wilt thou go with me ? 
 
 D. I will go, my friend. 
 
 T. When thou shalt arrive at the arch-way of a tem- 
 ple, not made with hands, thou wilt wait till I announce 
 thy coming. Then, w^e will proceed into a court, where 
 thou w T ilt hear and see many things. Let thy mind be 
 calm, and thy vows be faithfully observed. Thou wilt not 
 return to this castle for the purpose of carrying away wdth 
 thee thy creed, or thy forms of worship. In the temple, 
 w T e worship God, not with words alone, but with works of 
 good. Thou wilt love thy brethren, and no hate can dis- 
 turb thy mind. Thou wilt serve God by doing good to 
 those that need ; for thou knowest that God hath no de- 
 pendence of aid from us ; but he requireth us to obey him. 
 Thy obedience will do thee good, as it will others on whom 
 thy labors shall be bestowed. Art thou ready ? ' 
 
 D. I am ready. 
 
 T. Then come with me. 
 
 My companion said, " Let us sing the new song." 
 
 We stood on the walls and sung the song of jubilee; 
 for mind which was imprisoned w 7 as released. Then we 
 departed for the temple. 
 
 On reaching the temple, my companion said, u Seest 
 
124 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 thou this temple of the living God ? Thou wilt wait with 
 me, while Thomas shall announce thy willingness to enter 
 the courts of the redeemed." 
 
 I entered the temple, and was hailed by the Master, 
 " What hast thou brought with thee ? " 
 
 T. The deacon, who has listened to my wisdom, and 
 desirest instruction in the mysteries of thy work, wishes 
 admission within this court, and instruction in ways he has 
 not known. 
 
 M. Hast thou instructed him, as most necessary to his 
 improvement, before entering this circle ? 
 
 T. I have said that which was necessary, and find him 
 prepared to receive the lessons which appertain to his 
 progress. 
 
 M. Then thou wilt bid him welcome. 
 
 I returned. When I returned, he said, " This is a secret 
 society, I suppose." 
 
 T. The wisdom of this circle, who work in this tem- 
 ple, is not a secret to those who have received it. 
 
 D. Why dost thou keep thy wisdom a secret ? 
 
 T. Because all wisdom is a secret to the uninformed. 
 Thou wilt understand that this circle withholds no good 
 thing from those who need, but even those who need, are 
 not always prepared to receive our aid. The secret will not 
 harm thee, neither will it do good to those who refuse to 
 comply with its requirements. The secret is a secret only, 
 because minds know it not, and have resolved not to re- 
 ceive the- wisdom which their condition requires to make 
 them skillful workmen in the temple. Art thou prepared 
 to enter with me, and do the work which may be required 
 of thee for the good of mind? 
 
 D. I am ready to do justly, love mercy, and walk 
 humbly* in the path of righteousness. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 125 
 
 T. Thou wilt remember the poor and thy vows. 
 
 D. The needy thou hast with thee. 
 
 T. Thou wilt soon become rich. 
 
 The same instruction was imparted to the deacon, which 
 I received on my first visit to the temple. "When the les-' 
 sons had been repeated to him, I inquired, " Welcome, 
 wilt thou now revisit the castle with me, that we may aid 
 our brethren to see the light thou hast beheld ? " 
 
 D. Thou wilt not expect that I would refuse to aid j 
 them. "We returned. 
 
126 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THIRD VISIT TO THE CASTLE. 
 
 The wonder in the castle — Dialogue between the chief, the deacon, and 
 Thomas — The senior consulted — The circle of the temple summoned 
 by the trumpet — Conversation between the Commander of the temple 
 and the senior of the castle on war — On rights — The conversion of 24 
 elders, and 144,000 — The Commander conducts them to the temple, 
 where they were initiated into that degree of wisdom. 
 
 When we reached the castle, there was great wonder and 
 astonishment, that the deacon should have departed from it. 
 I heard the chief say, " I have been suspicious of him ever 
 since the conversation between the centurion and the stran- 
 gers through the port holes. I saw," said he, " that he 
 listened quite too attentively to the conversation ; for it is 
 not possible for any mind to resist the arguments which 
 that circle brings. But alas ! there is great danger of their 
 sentiments ; there is such a sweetness in their conversation, 
 that it is no wonder that they draw minds away from the 
 truth." 
 
 " Wouldst thou taste that sweetness ?" said the deacon. 
 
 C. I would not jeopardize the eternal interests of my 
 soul. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 127 
 
 D. Then thou shouldst abandon that castle, as I have 
 done. 
 
 C. Art thou my judge ? 
 
 D. I judge no mind, but I know thy condition. 
 
 C. My condition, I hojDe, is well. 
 
 D. Whereon doth thy hope rest ? 
 
 C. On the rock of eternal truth. 
 
 D. What is truth? 
 
 C. The truth is not what thou wouldst teach in thy 
 apostacy. 
 
 I said, "Wilt thou answer the question? We wish to 
 know what is truth" 
 
 C. Dost thou wish to relieve thy new convert? 
 
 T. I wish thee to tell us, if thou canst, what is truth ? 
 
 C. I will not say, that works are the truths of God. 
 
 T. Wilt thou say, that they are not the truths of God ? 
 
 C. Yea. 
 
 T. Then, what is nature, but the work of God ? 
 
 C. Nature is a work of God. 
 
 T. Is nature a true work of God ? 
 
 C. It is. 
 
 T. Then the true work of God is nature, and as thou 
 say est it is a true work, it is a truth of God. That which 
 is true, is a truth ; and that which is false, is not true. 
 The truth of nature is a work of God. The wisdom of 
 nature is the wisdom of God. 
 
 C. But there is a wisdom which is not of nature. 
 
 T. Wilt thou teach me that wisdom ? 
 
 C. It is the wisdom of the Bible. 
 
 T. What wisdom is not of nature ? 
 
 C. The Bible. 
 
 T. The Bible is not wisdom, but a revelation of wisdom. 
 
128 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 C. The Bible is full of wisdom. 
 
 T. The Bible is full of the wisdom of nature, which is 
 God's work. 
 
 C. The Bible teaches us wisdom. 
 
 T. It reveals wisdom. 
 
 C. The Bible reveals what nature does not. 
 
 T. "What wisdom does it reveal, which nature does 
 not? 
 
 C. It reveals a resurrection of mind from the rudimen- 
 tal to a superior condition. 
 
 T. Does not nature do the same ? 
 
 C. Not to minds in the rudimental state. 
 
 T. It reveals the resurrection of many things. 
 
 C. What? 
 
 T. The flower, the reptile, and the insect. 
 
 C. But it does not reveal the resurrection of minds. 
 
 T. It may do so. It has revealed it to us, and wo 
 may reveal it to minds in the body. Is not that nature 
 which gave the Bible ? 
 
 C. In one sense it is. 
 
 T. Is it not in every sense ? 
 
 C. Philosophically, mind and spirit are one thing ; but 
 mind is not the cause of nature without God. 
 
 T. Truly. Mind is the natural work of God, and 
 mind has revealed the wisdom of God, as it has been 
 discovered. This revelation is the Bible, which discloses 
 the undiscovered wisdom of God, by minds who have 
 learned it by their investigation of nature, which is God's 
 work. 
 
 C. That is true. 
 
 T. Thou wilt see, then, that nature is true to God; 
 and when a thing is true to him who made it, it can never 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 129 
 
 be untrue. Even so, is that true to thee which is adapted 
 to thy welfare. But that which is adapted to thy welfare, 
 may not be adapted to the welfare of all minds. 
 
 C. Thou makest truth change with the condition of 
 mind, then. 
 
 T. Not so. I would say, that conditions change. 
 When the conditions of mind change, that which was 
 true in one relation, may be false in another, because a 
 thing, not changing with the condition of the mind, can 
 not be true to it in all conditions. Thou art satisfied with- 
 in these walls. To thee, they are necessary and true, being 
 adapted to thy condition of developed wisdom; but thou 
 wilt not say, that such confinement would be true to my 
 happiness, or that my condition would admit of happiness 
 to me therein. When thy wisdom shall be increased, the 
 things w 7 hich are true to thee now, w 7 ill give thee no satis- 
 faction, because they w T ill not be adapted to thy condition. 
 
 C. Then, what is true to me now, will be false when 
 my wisdom shall be increased. 
 
 T. That which is true to thy condition will be eternally 
 true to that condition ; but it will not be true to a different 
 condition. Thou w 7 ilt remember, that thou must be the 
 judge of all things presented for thy consideration. Laws 
 are eternal ; but a knowledge of all the laws of God must 
 be forever finite. What knowledge thou hast of those 
 laws, is true to thee, but greater knowledge w 7 ill show thee, 
 that what thou regardest as true to thee, will soon not be 
 so regarded ; because thy wisdom w T ill see its falsity. And 
 w r hat thy judgment receives as true, is true to thee; and 
 what thy w T isdom decides is not true, that thou wilt reject 
 as false. Hence, truth being determined by thy wisdom, 
 must be true to thy wisdom. It can not be true to thee, 
 6* 
 
130 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 contrary to thy wisdom ; because that which thy mind re- 
 ceives contrary to thy wisdom, is false to thy good, and 
 destructive to thy enjoyment. 
 
 C Thou reasonest well ; but the Bible is reasonable, 
 and thou shouldst not set up thy reason contrary thereto. 
 
 T. The Bible is one thing, and thy views another. 
 The wisdom of thy interpretation is not reasonable to me. 
 
 C. What interpretation of the Bible is reasonable ? 
 
 T. Thou wilt not say, that a mind can impart that 
 which it does not understand. 
 
 C. What then? 
 
 T. This will show thee, that what minds have not un- 
 derstood, they have attempted to interpret, because what is 
 understood, does not need an interpretation. When a work 
 is so written as to be understood by those who read, it 
 will not need an interpretation, and when it is not so writ- 
 ten, it is defective. 
 
 C. Then, thou say est the Bible is defective. 
 
 T. I say, that if an interpretation be necessary to un- 
 derstand it, it is defective; and, when minds solicit an 
 interpretation thereof, they admit the defect. If there 
 were no defects, why ask for an interpretation ? 
 
 C. I want what wdll make it plain and clear. 
 
 T. W T hat will supply some defect, I conclude. 
 
 C. That will be a saying what infidels allege, 
 
 T. Is it not doing what infidels say, when thou askest 
 an interpretation ? They tell thee, that wrongs are in the 
 Bible, and thou wilt not say, that the Bible is right with- 
 out an interpretation. So, the interpreters of the Bible 
 and infidels are agreed, that the Bible is not light without 
 an interpretation ? 
 
 C. That is apparently thy conclusion, butitisanew 
 idea to me. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 131 
 
 T. The idea will be more than apparent, when thou 
 shalt divest thy mind of thy doubts. Thou hast more 
 skepticism than is consistent with thy good. 
 
 C. This is the first time I was ever accused of skep- 
 ticism. 
 
 T. Thy friends have been like thee, and thou wouldst 
 not listen to those unlike thee. When thou wouldst know 
 thy wrongs and errors, thou wilt not expect thy willing 
 companions, whom thou lovest because they flatter thee, 
 and thou payest them, for their flattery, will tell thee what 
 will occasion thy displeasure. 
 
 C. I want no wrong, nor error. 
 
 T. Thou wilt not forsake thy wrongs or errors, until 
 thou art instructed to see them ; and thou art not prepared 
 to forsake when wisdom reveals them to thee. 
 
 C. I will forsake them when I see them. 
 
 T. When may I expect thou wilt see them ? 
 
 C. I wish to see now. 
 
 T. W^hen I show thee, wilt thou forsake ? 
 
 C. I will. 
 
 T. Then listen to the counsel and experience of the 
 deacon. He will aid thee to see what is wrong, in thy* 
 mind. 
 
 C. I am prepared to hear and judge for myself. 
 
 D. Thou wilt now call thy friends together, that they 
 also may hear and judge. 
 
 C. I wish no one present at this interview, but the 
 present company. 
 
 D. What is good for thee, will be good to those like 
 thee. 
 
 C. But I do not wish my friends to know that I am 
 considering a new doctrine. They will rebuke me for 
 
132 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 my weakness. Thou canst say what thou desirest, and, if 
 I am satisfied, I will call them together. 
 D. Thy wisdom is wrong. 
 
 C. Wherein? 
 
 D. In that thou art not willing thy friends should hear 
 what thou permitest thyself. What is good for thee is 
 good for them. 
 
 C. What is good for them to hear, I would have them 
 hear, but I wish to know first that what thou desirest me 
 to hear is good ; and when I know it, I will not object to 
 the hearing of all. 
 
 D. Thou wilt not refuse to hear thyself without know- 
 ing what thou mayest hear. Why dost thou do what thou 
 wishest others not to do ? 
 
 C. It will be unwise for me to permit a doctrine to be 
 inculcated among minds, who are likely to be carried away 
 with new things. They are aided only in the right way 
 by me ; I would not have thern taught wrong. 
 
 D. Thou wilt suffer thyself to be taught right. 
 
 C. Yea; and also my friends. 
 
 D. Then thou mayest call them together. 
 
 * C. How am I to know that thy instruction is right? 
 
 D. When thou nearest it, thou canst judge, and so 
 can thy friends. 
 
 C. But I do not choose to have them hear it, until I 
 can judge. 
 
 D. And yet thou art willing to hear for thyself. Why 
 shouldst thou do what thou refusest to thy friends ? 
 
 C. Because what I hear will not injure them, unless 
 they hear. 
 
 D. Then thou hast more confidence in thyself than in 
 thy brethren. Are they not like thee? 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 13S 
 
 C. They are like me, in faith ; but I would not trust 
 their judgment, when thy words of honey are offered to 
 them. 
 
 D. And yet thou canst trust thy own. „ 
 
 C. Whose should I trust ? 
 
 D. Whom should thy friends trust ? Thou requirest 
 them to trust in thee. Why shouldst thou require them 
 to trust in thee when thou refusest to trust in thy friends ? 
 We have not wronged thee, nor will thy friends be wrong- 
 ed by us. 
 
 C. Thou mayest wait. I will counsel with the senior 
 of this castle. 
 
 When we saw what he wanted, we summon ep the circle 
 in the temple by a certain sound of the trumpet. They 
 came. On sounding the trumpet, the hosts of the castle 
 came also. It was a clear, still evening, and when they 
 saw our implements of war, they formed in a circle near 
 the walls, and demanded the object of our mission. 
 
 The Commander of the temple replied, "Be not alarmed. 
 What thou hast is thine, and we have no need of what is 
 thy own. We are here not to take away what thou hast, 
 but to give thee more abundantly than thou hast reason 
 to expect. Thou wilt soon see the object of our mission ; 
 and, when thou seest, thou wilt not consider us thy ene- 
 mies, but friends. We see thy arms are defective ; and, 
 if thou wouldst fight, the weapons we bring are at thy 
 disposal. Advance and receive, and, when thou receivest, 
 use them as thy wisdom shall direct thee." 
 
 Sen. Then thou surrenderest thy command to our 
 power ? 
 
 Com. We surrender what thou desirest — our wea- 
 pons of hostility. Come now and receive, that thou 
 mayest know we are not thy enemies. 
 
1B4 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 S. Thou wilt keep thy own. We do not fight with 
 friends. 
 
 C. Why shouldst thou fight with enemies ? 
 
 S. Because they are not friends. 
 
 0. Will thy fighting make them friends ? 
 
 S. It will make them know that they are not our 
 masters. 
 
 C. How will it teach them this ? 
 
 S. Because they will become our servants. Our vic- 
 tory over them will teach them this lesson. 
 
 C. It will teach them another lesson also. 
 
 S. What lesson? 
 
 C. It will teach them, that thy victory may be reversed, 
 and that thou mayest become their servants. What thou 
 doest, others may do. Thou wilt see, that thy power may 
 become the power of those whom thou mayest oppress. 
 When wilt thou understand, that thy warfare is wrong to 
 thee, and to those whom thou mayest injure? 
 
 S. When our enemies become our friends. 
 
 C. Very true. And wouldst thou desire all minds to 
 become thy friends ? 
 
 S. We would desire peace, but not on dishonorable 
 terms. 
 
 C. Thou wilt not say, peace is dishonorable, on any 
 terms. 
 
 S. I will say, when minds are asked to surrender their 
 rights as a condition to peace, it is dishonorable. 
 
 C. Dishonorable to whom? 
 
 S. It is dishonorable to him who surrenders. 
 
 C. Is it dishonorable to give ? 
 
 S. When the gift is demanded, as a condition of peace. 
 
 C. When thou askest for rain and sunshine, as a con- 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 135 
 
 dition of thy prosperity and peace, is it dishonorable for 
 thy Friend, who controlest the seasons, to give thee what 
 thou askest ? 
 
 S. Nay; because he is not impoverished by his gifts. 
 
 C. Thou wilt not say, it is dishonorable for thy friends 
 to offer thee weapons of war, w T hen they have no others ? 
 
 S. It is not, when we are not thy enemies. 
 
 C. Thou wilt say, " when we are thy friends." 
 
 S. Yea. 
 
 C. How wouldst thou make thy enemies thy friends ? 
 
 S. By doing, as I would that they should do to me. 
 
 C. Wouldst thou be refused, when thou askest what 
 thou desirest? 
 
 S. Nay. 
 
 C. When thou desirest peace, wouldst thou refuse it, 
 because thy enemy wanted what was thine, as a condition ? 
 
 S. I would not submit to unreasonable demands. 
 
 C. What wouldst thou do ? 
 
 S. I would refuse the condition. 
 
 C. Wouldst thou refuse the condition, if the condi- 
 tion w 7 as better for thee and thy friends, than to fight ? . 
 
 S. I would not submit to any unjust demands. 
 
 C. Wouldst thou not submit to an unjust demand, 
 rather than to demand what is unjust? 
 
 S. I would not demand what is unjust. 
 
 C. Dost thou not demand peace, and is not that just? 
 
 S. Yea. 
 
 C. Then, when thou refusest what thy enemy asks, 
 as a condition of peace, dost thou not refuse peace, and 
 demand war. The condition is what makes peace, and 
 when thou refusest that, thou desirest what is worse. Is 
 it honorable to choose the greatest evil ? 
 
136 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 S. The greatest evil is not war. 
 
 C. What is greater ? 
 
 S. The evil of injustice. 
 
 C. It is even so. But is not war unjust ? 
 
 S. Not when waged in a righteous cause. 
 
 C. What cause is righteous, which is unjust ? 
 
 S. That which maintains rights. Rights are just, and 
 measures, which will secure and perpetuate those rights, 
 are just. 
 
 C. Is war a right ? 
 
 S. War is not right, when rights are not sought by it. 
 
 C. How can rights be sought and obtained by wrongs ? 
 
 S. War is not wrong, when rights are secured by it. 
 
 C. When rights are secured by wrongs, when war 
 secures peace, when nature is concordant with discord, thy 
 rights will disappear. JSTo mind will then have any rights, 
 because rights will be valueless. When war becomes 1 ight, 
 and right becomes war, the rights of nature will be disre- 
 garded. Confusion will be right, and peace become wrong. 
 Such is the character of thy rights, when judged by the har- 
 monious law of nature. Thou say est, war is right to secure 
 rights. What right wilt thou secure by war ? 
 
 S. Those rights which are the inherent property of 
 every mind. 
 
 C. And what is the inherent property of every mind ? 
 
 S. The right to say and to do, as my own conscience 
 approves. 
 
 C. Will thy conscience do evil, that good may come? 
 
 S. Nay. 
 
 C. Is war an evil ? 
 
 S. It is. 
 
 C. Wouldst thou go to war, which thou sayest is an 
 evil, that good may come ? 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 137 
 
 S. It will not be evil, when good comes from it. 
 
 C. Wilt thou show us what good can come from evil ? 
 Doth war do those engaged in it good ? 
 
 S. If it secure to them a right, the right is good. 
 
 C. The right will not go to war. 
 
 S. The right will go to war when it is right. 
 
 C. Wilt thou show us, when it is right to do evil, that 
 good may come from it. Wilt thou show us how good 
 can come from evil, or evil from good ? 
 
 S. The good, which comes from the evil of war, is 
 the maintainance of rights. 
 
 C. What rights? 
 
 S. The rights which are in controversy. 
 
 C. What rights in controversy have ever been secured 
 by war? 
 
 S. The rights of freedom. 
 
 C. When? 
 
 S. The rudimental condition has secured these rights. 
 
 C. When? 
 
 S. When the American colonies were opposed by the 
 mother country. 
 
 C. What rights did those colonies secure by war ? 
 
 S. The rights of freedom. 
 
 C. Those rights were not secured by war. 
 
 S. Well, they were the results of war. 
 
 C. Nay ; but of peace. When peace was ratified, the 
 colonies were no longer engaged in war. Thou seest not 
 that war gave to any mind a right, because it gave differ- 
 ent things. 
 
 S. But was not that war justifiable ? 
 
 C. How so? 
 
 S. To overcome the oppression of the mother country. 
 
138 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 C. Canst thou make one wrong justify another? 
 
 S. No ; but I see no wrong in that which results in 
 good. 
 
 C. Thou hast not shown that wrong ever did, or ever 
 will, result in good. 
 
 S. But I will show, that the American colonies would , 
 never have been free without it. 
 
 C. Thou may est say, that they are not free with it. 
 
 S. How dost thou mean ? Are they not free from the 
 mother country? 
 
 C. How can a people be free, who are dependent ? 
 Are not the States as dependent now as ever on the moth- 
 er country ? Whence cometh her luxuries, which thou 
 seest crossing the Atlantic ? Whence comest her language, 
 her customs, her religion, her glory in war, and her man- 
 ufactured articles which her people import? Are these 
 signs of freedom, or of dependence ? 
 
 S. But they are free to enact their own laws, and 
 choose their own rulers ? 
 
 C. They are free to choose as the majority may elect. 
 I would say a majority of such as are not proscribed by 
 law from choosing their own rulers. But thou seest more 
 than one half of those who are ruled by law, who have no 
 choice in the election of their rulers, and very many, who 
 have a secured right to elect, do not exercise it. 
 
 S. That is their own fault 
 
 C. Whose fault? 
 
 S. The fault of those who are governed. 
 
 C. Why is it their fault? 
 
 S. Because they should assert their rights. 
 
 C. What rights? 
 
 S. The rights which others exercise. 
 
 G. What rights do others exercise ? 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 139 
 
 S. The rights to elect minds to make laws, and govern 
 them. 
 
 C. Thou wilt see who will object to their assertion. 
 
 S. I see who will not object. 
 
 C. Who? 
 
 S. The free and independent 
 
 C. Who are they ? 
 
 S. Those who dare speak the truth, and act without 
 fear. 
 
 C. And who are they ? 
 
 S. They are not many, I see. 
 
 C. Then how are the few to control the mauy ? 
 
 S. I would not make war against them. 
 
 C. What wouldst thou do ? 
 
 S. I would instruct them in the great principles of 
 natural justice. 
 
 C. Thou hast well said. When thou seest thy enemy 
 come against thee to wrong thee of thy rights, instruct 
 him in the great principles of natural justice, and when 
 thou hast instructed him, he will not trespass against 
 thee. We saw thee afraid of thy rights ; but thou know- 
 est that, when, we offered thee our weapons, thou didst re- 
 fuse, because thou hadst no enemy to fight. So, when 
 thy enemies make war on thee, go, and meet them, and. 
 say unto them, we are friends, take our weapons; and ; 
 they will say unto thee, we have no use for them, for we 
 are brethren. 
 
 S. The wisdom of my companions agrees with me, that 
 thy doctrine would be well, if all would practice it. But 
 thou seest that such is the ignorance of some minds, that 
 compulsory measures must be resorted to, in order to 
 restrain their acts of injustice. 
 
140 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 C. Compulsory measures are dangerous weapons. 
 When a mind is restrained, it is not free ; and when it is 
 not free, it hates the oppressor. That which it hates, it 
 seeks an opportunity to overcome, and circumstances may 
 so change as to gratify its wish. The time will come 
 when war will be no more ; but it never will come so 
 long as compulsory measures are employed to restrain 
 minds. I have seen war. I have seen the causes of war. 
 I never saw a cause of war equal in wrong to the war. 
 No cause, which has hitherto produced war, has ever been 
 so wretched for minds to bear, as the evils of war. "What 
 are a few insults, or wrongs of dishonor, when compared 
 to the wretchedness of whole nations, engaged in mortal 
 combat? Would not the wrongs of injury be abated by 
 the forgiveness of thy Savior ? Would he wound to re- 
 dress his wounds ? Why did he not call the legions of 
 heaven to fight with the legions of earth ? When thou 
 shalt have full confidence in the righteousness of his con- 
 duct, and when thou shalt follow his example, thy honor 
 will not tarnish, though thou forgivest thy enemy even 
 seventy times seven. And when thou shalt do the works 
 of thy Master, the cause of thy Master will be honored in 
 thee. 
 
 S. Thy wisdom will not allow sincere minds to call 
 themselves Christians, because they would defend their 
 own rights. 
 
 C. Thou hast no right to wrong thy neighbor, even 
 though he may be thy enemy. Thou hast no right to do 
 wrong. War is a wrong. It is an evil, as thou hast said. 
 Thy enemy will not be made thy friend by thy wrong; 
 neither can thy mind be satisfied with the wretchedness of 
 thy wrong. It is not war which bears the name in the 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 141 
 
 rudimental sphere, which we have undertaken to over- 
 come in our visit to this castle. We have not come here 
 to do away with that which does not exist among thy 
 companions, but to instruct them in principles of everlast- 
 ing peace to thy mind. Thou hast not yet forgotten the 
 wrongs of thy education, and those wrongs have made 
 thee suspicious of thy friends. Thou wouldst now repel 
 words and facts which will be of more value to thee than 
 many rubies. If thou wouldst heed our advice, we would 
 say to thee, and thy companions with thee, come with us, 
 and we will do thee good. 
 
 S. Thou may est stay with us. 
 
 C. We have been where thou art, but now w r e have a 
 move beautiful mansion, where the pure current of life rolls 
 down from the throne of mercy, and all who will, may 
 come and drink of the water of life freely. Thou wilt 
 not return to this castle to tarry, when thou shalt partici- 
 pate in the blessedness we share. We are now ready 
 to receive thy reply. 
 
 S. I should be willing to try the experiment, if my 
 companions would go with me. 
 
 C. Thy companions will rejoice at the opportunity. I 
 see they are willing and hoping that thy answer will be 
 yea. 
 
 S. Thou seest, then, that I will go. 
 
 C. Thou hast wisely answered. Thy companions will 
 go where they w^ish, and thou wilt consult their w T ish. 
 W T hen thou flndest one w T ho will do wrong to obtain a 
 right, pass on ; and when thou flndest one w T ho will only 
 do right to obtain a right, and w T ho will sacrifice his own 
 for another's good, thou wilt w T rite the name in the Lamb's 
 book of life, which thou wilt take with thee ; and the 
 
142 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 scribe whom we send with thee. When thou returnest, 
 report thy success. 
 
 He went with the scribe. On their return, they brought 
 in the book the names of four and twenty elders, and an 
 hundred and forty and four thousand, who came with 
 them, saying, " Blessed is he who hath part in the first 
 resurrection ; for lo ! these many years have we sought 
 and not found ; but now the light shineth, and the dark- 
 ness comprehendeth it not." 
 
 S. I have brought with me a hundred and forty and four 
 thousand, who have resolved to worship no more in this 
 castle, but go with thy companions where thou wouldst 
 lead ; albeit, where reigns the principles thou hast taught 
 unto us. Thou wilt see these four and twenty elders, who 
 came to thy hearing, have joined the great congregation, 
 and are ready to live in peace, as thou hast taught. 
 
 C. Thou wilt form a circle that I may address them when 
 we reach the arch-way of the temple, whither thou goest, 
 I have a few words to say to them, which will need be 
 required before they enter therein. 
 
 S. We will obey thy commands. 
 
 The new song was now sung, for the year of Jubilee 
 had come to these emancipated minds. They sang in the 
 spirit, and with the understanding, the words painted in 
 gold colors on my banner. The great congregation then 
 moved straightway for the temple. On nearing the arch- 
 way, a circle was formed, and the Commander addressed 
 them as follows : 
 
 " Friends : Thou wilt suffer no more from the ills to 
 which thou hast been exposed in thy pilgrimage. Thou 
 hast not known thy misfortune, because thou hast verily 
 been unable to compare thy condition with that which 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 143 
 
 thou art now prepared to realize. Thou hast hitherto con- 
 sidered thy own wisdom above the wisdom of thy supe- 
 riors; but when thou seest what remains for thee, thou 
 wilt know thy condition was wretched, when compared 
 with it. Before thou enterest this temple, each mind will 
 cast his crown into the treasury of reform, and when thou 
 seest the standard enter the arch-way, thou wilt follow in 
 the order of thy conductors, and receive such lessons as 
 thy need may require from thy seniors. Be wise not in 
 thy own conceit, for there are none too wise to unlearn his 
 wrongs, nor too good to neglect improvement, save Him 
 whom we serve. Let no wrong follow this company into 
 these courts, for shame will hide no guilt from the inspec- 
 tion of this circle.' ' The whole company were conducted 
 in order, and received the lessons which appertained to 
 their progress, and which have been recited in another 
 place. 
 
144 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 FOURTH VISIT TO THE CASTLE. 
 
 Mission of Thomas and the elders — The king and guard — The elder ad- 
 dresses the king — Conversation with him — He refuses wisdom — A dia- 
 logue with a mind on fear — Calls a great multitude to hear the elder — 
 Address of the elder — Conversation with the circle — Imputed right- 
 eousness — A thousand times ten thousand converted, and received into 
 the temple. 
 
 After the conclusion of the lesson, the Master said, 
 " Thomas, thou wilt go with the four and twenty elders, 
 and see what remainest in the castle." 
 
 The command was obeyed. When we reached the castle, 
 we saw a dense cloud resting over the place, and there 
 was a large number which no mind could count, won- 
 dering at the departure of the hundred and forty and four 
 thousand. It was a day of fasting and prayer. The 
 elders aid, " They mourn without success. The Lord hath 
 done great things for us, whereof we are thankful. We 
 will listen to their lamentations." 
 
 Presently, a mind descried us, and straightway he went 
 to the citadel. I heard his report to the king, whom 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 145 
 
 he met at the gate. " The four and twenty elders have 
 returned, and have taken their position on the wall, where 
 thou hast ordered thy servant to stand." 
 
 K. What is their report ? 
 
 M. They have just arrived — I heard no report. 
 
 K. Then take with thee thy guard, and bring me word 
 what they may say unto thee. 
 
 M. They bear no arms. 
 
 K. Then go thou with thy company, and hear their 
 report. 
 
 The centurion came, and said, " the king desireth a report 
 from thee, and I am the messenger." 
 
 The elder of the elders replied, " Tell the king we have 
 found favor with God ; for, verily, he dwelleth not in tem- 
 ples made with hands, and we are satisfied with all we 
 have seen and heard." 
 
 M. Dost thou wish to return to the fold again ? 
 
 E. We have come to tarry only while we may do thee 
 and thy fellow servants good, as our Master hath command- 
 ed us. Wilt thou say to the king, that the half was not 
 told us before we left the castle. We have tidings of great 
 good for all who obey the truth, and are faithful to the law 
 of harmony and peace. We invite the king and his house- 
 hold to hear our report, which will end thy fasting, and 
 soon change thy sadness into joy. 
 
 M. Then I will report thy wish to the king. 
 
 I went with him, but the elders remained. The messen- 
 ger entered by the north gate, and when he approached 
 the palace, the king's servant required us to wait. Soon 
 the king made his appearance, and said, " Bringest thou 
 a report?" 
 
 M. I have a message for thee from the elders. 
 
146 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 K. Thou mayest say to them, come where I am, that 
 I may see them face to face. 
 
 M. Lo ! they are waiting thy pleasure. 
 
 K. Invite them all to my council chamber. 
 
 We all went where he requested. 
 
 " I am now ready to hear the report of the elders," said 
 the king. 
 
 " May it please thee" said the senior, " we have found 
 favor with God, and grace and peace are multiplied unto 
 us. We have washed in a stream, and thou seest our gar- 
 ments are white as snow. The circle will receive thee, 
 when thou art willing to cast thy crowns into the treasury 
 of good, and learn war no more. Thou wilt not regret 
 the sacrifice, for what thou consecratest to the good of 
 mind, will do thee more honor than all thy works of power. 
 We saw a mystery unfolded to us, which will not do thee 
 good, until thou shalt become acquainted with it also. 
 The mystery of iniquity thou hast understood, from thy 
 reception into the throne of power ; but the mystery of 
 godliness thou mayest yet learn. There are minds who 
 can teach ihee the mystery of mutual confidence. It will 
 not be taught thee here ; for now thou art surrounded 
 with minds distrustful of each other. Thou distrustest 
 them, and they distrust thee. But we have found a circle 
 where no mind distrusts, because they know each other's 
 thoughts. The whole circle need no compulsion to do 
 right, because right is their meat and drink. They de- 
 light in right, and wisdom is always with them. They 
 worship God without fear, and love one another without 
 dissimulation. There is a rainbow over their heads, and a 
 cloud of fire by night to warm their hearts with love for- 
 ever. There no iron rule becomes necessary to enforce 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 147 
 
 obedience ; for obedience is loved, and what is loved is not 
 avoided. The Master is not a tyrant, but a father ; and, 
 when the father commands, his children delight to obey 
 his commands. What is the wish of the father, is the 
 wish of his children. Hence, no disorder or wrong can 
 enter the circle we have found. 
 
 K. Then, thou art satisfied with what thou hast seen 
 and heard ? 
 
 E. We are satisfied with what we have seen and 
 heard. We will not return with thy permission to tarry here. 
 
 K. When wilt thou return to thy new friends ? 
 
 E. When we can do no good here. 
 
 K. Thou wilt not expect to convert me ? 
 
 E. We expect only thy pleasure. It is not our will to 
 control thee, but to aid thee in the path of true wisdom 
 and happiness. 
 
 K. Hast thou not been flattered with new things ? 
 
 E. We have seen, and do testify, that new things have 
 been discovered to us. 
 
 K. When new things have been found, is it not pru- 
 dent to test them by experience before we trust too im- 
 plicitly in them ? 
 
 E. Thou wilt not test them, we apprehend, even as 
 we have done. < 
 
 K. When thou hast tested them, I will hear thee 
 again. 
 
 E. Would it not be better for thee to test them by thy 
 own experience? 
 
 K. It would not be better, if I disliked the experience. 
 
 E. True; but thou wilt have no experience without 
 a trial of them. 
 
 K. I will wait thy tests. 
 
 E. We will wait thy pleasure. 
 
148 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 When lie had concluded, we departed to a mind who 
 was not unwilling to hear, because he had no authority to 
 rule over others. He was wholly depressed in his mind 
 about relieving himself from his fears. 
 
 " Thy fears disturb thy quiet," said the elder. 
 
 M. My fears not only disturb my quiet, but the quiet 
 of others. 
 
 E. Why dost thou fear? 
 
 M. How can I help my fears, when every thing makes 
 me fear? 
 
 E. Thou may est be aided, so that thy fears will not 
 control thee. 
 
 M. Thy confidence I do not realize. 
 
 E. My confidence will be thine, when thy fears are 
 removed. 
 
 M. That will not soon be realized. 
 
 E. I know thy condition, and thou knowest that as 
 thou art, even so I once was. Dost thou remember me ? 
 
 M. I have seen thee, but thou dost not wear the same 
 garments? Why didst thou change? 
 
 E. I was with thee, when thou didst first enter within 
 these walls. I was thy teacher, when thou wast where thou 
 wouldst not return. I saw thee, when thou wast in a 
 condition that elicited my sympathy. Dost thou wish 
 farther relief? 
 
 M. I would not refuse what thy kindness has to be- 
 stow. 
 
 E. Thy fears will not be removed without instruction. 
 What thou fearest is what should be overcome. I will 
 aid thee to see that thy fears are not true to thee, nor true 
 to thy progress. 
 
 M. Thou wilt not say, my sincerity is not true ? 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 149 
 
 E. Thy sincerity is no proof of thy faith. 
 
 M. What is well I believe. 
 
 E. Thou belie vest what is not well. 
 
 M. What do I believe, which is not well ? 
 
 E. That which thou fearest is not well. 
 
 M. Thou wouldst not banish all fear. 
 
 E. He who fearest is not made wise in love ; because 
 what is feared is not hoped for, but dreaded as an evil. 
 I would remove all fear, for thou canst not fear and be 
 free. When thou fearest, thou art in bonds, and when 
 thou art in bonds, thy heart is unreconciled to thy con- 
 dition. It is not satisfactory to thyself. Thy unrecon- 
 ciliation is dissatisfaction with thy condition. Thou 
 wouldst hope for better things, but thy mind hath been 
 instructed in many errors which remain to disturb thee. 
 
 M. Thou hast said, in thy pilgrimage with us, that 
 what I believe was true. 
 
 E. I said, as I believed; but thou wilt understand 
 that belief is not always correct. Thou canst believe be- 
 cause of my saying; but thou canst not know without in- 
 vestigation and tangible facts. The circle, which bids me 
 labor for thy good, walk not by faith but by wisdom. They 
 are not controlled by opinions or faiths, but by actual ex- 
 periments. It is not actual experiments and demonstra- 
 tions of facts which weary thy mind, and paralyze thy 
 industry, but it is thy opinions and doubts. They are 
 the messengers of discontent and trouble. If thou wouldst 
 distrust thy distrust, and doubt thy doubts, thy mind 
 would feel the inspiration of hope. When thy mind 
 hopest for good, thy confidence is superior to thy doubts. 
 Then the despondency of thy condition vanishes. 
 
 M. But what have I to hope for ? 
 
 E. Thou wilt ask, what is there which I may not 
 
150 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 hope for? There is no good, which thou mayest not at- 
 tain. The wisdom of circles, whose glory thou hast not 
 seen, may be thine by receiving it. But thy doubts cause 
 thee to reject thy own good. When the prize is offered 
 thee, thou refuses!, because of thy unbelief. Thy doubts 
 distrust and reject the best good. They rob thee by thy 
 own consent. It is, indeed, no w 7 onder to me now, why 
 thou shouldst not advance, and become more happy. I 
 would advise thee, but thy wisdom apprehends mischief 
 from me. Now, I am not of thy circle, thou fearest some 
 evil intention is with me. The worst evil thou canst suf- 
 fer, is the evil of resisting wisdom. 
 
 M. I would not resist what is wise and good, but I 
 would know that it is wise and good before I receive it. 
 
 E. How canst thou know what thy wisdom rejects ? 
 When thou askest aid, how canst thou be benefited, so 
 long as the aid is rejected ? Must not the aid be received 
 to help thee? Wouldst thou require tangible evidence, 
 or demonstrations of its usefulness before thou wouldst 
 accept w r hat thy necessities demand ? Thou askest for the 
 proof of a thing, when thou rejectest the only means which 
 can give thee the required satisfaction. As well might the 
 ignorant say, " I will receive instruction when I am satis- 
 fied by experience that it will be for my advantage, and 
 not before," as for thee to demand knowledge of a subject 
 before thou receivest the lessons, which will make thee 
 know the truth of the subject. 
 
 M. Then, I must receive what thou sayest as truth, 
 and test it by my experience. 
 
 E. Thou wilt test it in no other way than by thy ex- 
 perience. All thou knowest to be good or bad, thou 
 knowest by thy experience. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 151 
 
 M. May I not know from others' experience ? 
 
 E. Thou ma jest believe, but thou canst not know. 
 To know is to understand by the test of thy experience. 
 The test of experience will not deceive thee. By it thou 
 mayest try the philosophy which we teach. Thy mind 
 will not doubt what it knows; but it will doubt what 
 minds say; because thou hast already found many errors 
 in the sayings of thy friends, but never one in the counsels 
 of thy experience. Experience is true. However bitter 
 it may be from the.errors of thy life, yet it is true. False- 
 hoods even are true, as are facts ; but there is this dis- 
 tinction, which experience has established. Falsehoods 
 are wrongs, facts are not. Nevertheless, thou must see 
 that wrongs are true to falsehoods, and falsehood to wrongs. 
 The cause is true to its effect. If the cause be inharmo- 
 nious with good, the wretchedness must ensue. If the 
 cause be harmonious with mind, the effect can not be 
 wrong. Therefore, falsehood, being a cause, and that 
 cause not being in harmony with the progress and happi- 
 ness of mind, must beget its true effect when received. 
 That effect is wrong, and wrong because an evil is in- 
 flicted. All evil is true to the effect it produces. When 
 a mind is in harmony with error, the error is true to that 
 mind. The error is true to its effect. It is sure to pro- 
 duce its own likeness — to stamp its own image, when 
 received by the mind. IS T o effect, disagreeing with the 
 cause, can ever exist in nature. Consequently, ail things 
 are causes of other things, and the cause and effect are true 
 to each other. This is what we may call truth. 
 
 M. Then truth is the relation of cause and effect? 
 
 E. It is the relation which will disclose a truth to thee. 
 The things, being true to each other, will not be false to 
 
152 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 each other ; so with mind. The things which are in har- 
 mony with mind, are true to that mind, and the things 
 which are otherwise, are false. Thou knovvest that, when 
 thou hast entertained that which was incongenial with thy 
 mind, it was productive only of evil. It was false toothy 
 peace. It was untrue to thy happiness, because the rela- 
 tion was not true to thy wants. Error is error, only be- 
 cause thy mind is disappointed. Truth is truth v/hen no 
 disappointment occurs. Thou hast sought for peace and 
 happiness in things which bear no relation to thy seeking. 
 Thou hast not learned the philosophy of cause and effect. 
 "When thou receivest the sayings of mind, thou hast been 
 sometimes deceived; and thou believest when they tell 
 thee what is for thy good. They, too, will not satisfy thy 
 mind without adapting their instruction to thy understand- 
 ing. Error has been taught thee, or things have been 
 offered thee which disturb the sympathy of thy mind. 
 They are false to thy wants. Thou seekest happiness, 
 They destroy it. That is false to thee and thy good. 
 Thou should st not trust in thorns to produce grapes, nor 
 in thistles to produce figs; but thou shouldst know that 
 nothing is, or ever can be true to thy good, which is, or 
 shall be, incongenial with the sympathy that makes thee 
 a child of God. 
 
 M. I see that thy philosophy makes no relation eter- 
 nal ; because, when a thing changes, it disturbs the rela- 
 tion which it has sustained to another thing. 
 
 E. The relation is eternal to things which are eternal. 
 But thy errors are not eternal things. I see they will soon 
 be destroyed in thee. When thou hast an affinity, or 
 holdest a relation to things which disturb thee, the con- 
 nection, thus formed, will be true to itself so long as it re- 
 
AND OTHEKS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 153 
 
 maineth, but when the error is destroyed by the philoso- 
 phy we teach, the relation is broken, and the effect of that 
 relation must cease. The error will disturb no longer than 
 it remaineth. 
 
 M. Is it not even so with the truth ? 
 
 E. It is. 
 
 M. Why may not minds, then, lose the truth, and 
 sink into utter hopelessness and despair ? 
 
 E. Minds may not lose the truth, when they never 
 have found it. Thou hast not yet found the truth. Thou 
 hast learned some facts. Facts are the wisdom of nature 
 as revealed to mind in parts. The truth is the infinite 
 whole, and is incapable of being divided into parts. Minds 
 sometimes call facts truths; but we teach that truth, 
 which is infinite, so far, and no father, as it has been 
 made known to us. Thou hast been taught the truth in 
 part, and what remainest for thee to learn, is what thou 
 hast no knowledge of. It is ignorance in thee, as it is in 
 us. This truth is the infinite harmony and wisdom of 
 God in the universe. All revelation of that wisdom, is 
 true to thy happiness ; because thy mind is not discordant 
 with nature, only as thy ignorance, or education, hath per- 
 verted it. Thus, the revelation of wisdom, agreeing with 
 thy happiness, is true to thee, and what is true to thee, as 
 cause and effect, will never be false, because it is governed 
 by an immutable law. 
 
 M. Then, thou wouldst teach that truth is eternal and 
 error not. 
 
 E. Truth is true to the good of mind eternally, because 
 it is in harmony with the relation of cause and effect. 
 Error is in harmony only w r ith ignorance. Ignorance is 
 
 the absence of knowledge. It is the mere thing of child- 
 7* 
 
154 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 hood — the infancy of mind in its eternal progress. But 
 when the infant becomes the philosopher, it puts away 
 childish things; The swaddling clothes of the babe will not 
 truly cover the grown man. They are true to the infant, 
 like the Mosaic covenant of forms to the Jewish people ; 
 but they cover not the wants of enlarged sympathy for the 
 great brotherhood of mind. The infant people required 
 protection, and their wants were supplied. They asked 
 only what they received. The minds of this circle have 
 sought for no more than they have found. They have 
 sought to establish their own wisdom, in opposition to the 
 wisdom of a higher circle ; and they have found, by expe- 
 rience, the avails of their search. 
 
 M. Then minds can find what they seek for ? 
 
 E. They can find the degree of wisdom which they 
 seek for. They can generally find whatever opinion they 
 prefer, because they will prefer only an opinion agreeing 
 with their measure of wisdom. All which disagree with 
 their degree of reform in wisdom is wrong. Nothing to 
 them is right, but the righteousness in them. They seek 
 for nothing more. 
 
 M. How, then, can they progress in wisdom. 
 
 E. As others influence them by instruction, as we have 
 sought to do unto thee. 
 
 M. Then thou wilt go on ; I like thy philosophy. 
 
 E. Thou wilt see a philosophy in thy progress which 
 will satisfy thee, that thy errors are of no service to thee. 
 
 M. I am now satisfied of that, but what are my errors ? 
 
 E. Thou wilt not receive all we wish thee to hear alone. 
 When thou wilt call thy friends together, who sympathize 
 with thee, and who have no opposition to wisdom, nor 
 fear of instruction, we will visit thee, and say unto all 
 what thou mayest apply unto thyself. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 155 
 
 M. I will call my friends now. They hear my voice, 
 and will respond to my wish. 
 
 The multitude assembled, and the elder proceeded to 
 address them. " Thou hast a work to do, my friends. 
 The wisdom of a superior circle hath delegated to me the 
 duty of undoing the errors I have inculcated among the 
 minds of those with whom I have labored. Nothing is 
 more sincerely regretted, than my wrongs. It has been 
 my honest endeavor to do away wrong ; but I find many 
 errors, which I have taught, and now it becomes my 
 pleasing duty to correct them. Among those errors, none 
 stand more prominent than the doctrine of imputed right- 
 eousness, and the fears and selfishness which it has en- 
 couraged. The principle, which imputes to another what 
 he never had, or will possess, is fatal to the idea of impar- 
 tial justice, and wrong in its effect upon individual respon- 
 sibility. I have found that wisdom, which discloses the 
 fact, that thy wrongs can not be justly imputed to another. 
 Neither is it just for another to assume thy wrongs without 
 thy practice. Indeed, thy wrongs are thy own, and no 
 one can make them his own without adopting them. 
 When they are adopted by another, that mind is as crimi- 
 nal as he who first practiced them. So, will it be seen, 
 that no mind can claim happiness because another is vir- 
 tuous. The virtues of the wise must become our own, or 
 they will not promote our enjoyment. Thou knowest I 
 have taught thee to hope for good, because thy Savior was 
 righteous. As well might mind hope for good, because 
 God is good. There never was a time when God was 
 not good, but what availeth his goodness, until it becomes 
 thy own ; and to become thy own, it must become thy 
 practice. Because one mind is good, or just> or right, it 
 
156 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 is not true that all are so. And yet the doctrine I taught 
 thee, encouraged the expectation that, because thy Master 
 was good, he would impute his righteousness unto thee. 
 As well might the claim of thy righteousness be maintain- 
 ed, because another was exalted to a circle of purity. Thou 
 hast no lessons in nature to sustain the doctrine of imputed 
 righteousness. All law, which recognizes equity and jus- 
 tice, repudiates the slander upon the name of Jesus. He 
 transfers no good to thee, which thy condition will not re- 
 ceive as thy own inheritance. Thou shouldst not depend 
 on being saved from thy wrongs, otherwise than by for- 
 saking them. No good can come unto thee in wrong ; 
 and so long as thy wrongs remain, the good of thy Master 
 availeth thee nothing. To be saved, thou shouldst not 
 depend on the good of another, but on the good thou 
 mayesfc attain by seeking wisdom, and forsaking folly. 
 What, therefore, I have taught thee, inconsistent with this 
 sentiment, I would ask thee to abandon ; for no good can 
 arise to thee from any source, without thy wisdom shall 
 control thee to make it thy own. And, when it is thy 
 own, it is not another's. Read thy lesson of wrong no 
 more, and forsake the teaching which would natter thee 
 with hopes of bliss, because another is more holy than 
 thyself. Thy Savior is he who saves. ~No mind is thy 
 Savior, unless he saves. To save is to make thee wise, and 
 when thou hast become wise, thou wilt put away wrongs 
 and errors. No mind is wise in the wisdom of my circle, 
 who refuses instruction in wisdom, or who neglects to 
 practice its requirements. 
 
 I have seen thy ways, and I have watched thy mourning 
 with solicitude. Thou hast waited in hope for the re- 
 demption, because another was good. Thou hast waited 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 157 
 
 for another to do what thou shouldst have done thyself, 
 It is this which has wronged thee. Hadst thou felt the 
 necessity for thy own exertions, and depended less on the 
 doctrine of imputed righteousness, as thou hast been 
 taught, I would not now need to correct the wrong I 
 have done. But, when thou hopest for good because an- 
 other is wise, thou art prone to security in indolence. Thou 
 seest that it is mischievous to encourage indolence, and 
 yet, when thou waitest for another to do thy work, thy 
 indolence is apparent. Be wise, then, and be active to be 
 wise." 
 
 The circle said, " Who then can be saved ? If we have 
 no righteousness of our own, and are not permitted to hope 
 for it in another, who among us will be saved V 
 
 E. Those with thee who seek and find wisdom, and 
 who will not neglect the good of mind. 
 
 C. Then there is no need of a Savior, if we can save 
 ourselves. 
 
 E. There is no need of hoping for the righteousness 
 of another to be placed to thy credit ; because no such in- 
 justice will be manifest to thee. There is need of a teacher 
 to instruct thee in the truth of divine wisdom ; and he who 
 instructs saves, when his instruction is received, and as it 
 is received. The ignorance of mind is removed by instruc- 
 tion, and as it is removed, the mind instructed is saved 
 from its ignorance. When a mind errs, it errs not be- 
 cause it naturally prefers the error, but because its igno- 
 rance prevented the reception of wisdom. The evils, which 
 mind practices, are not practiced because the mind loves 
 the evil, in preference to good, but because, through igno- 
 rance, it misjudged. The ignorant mind is liable to mis- 
 judge, but the wise are instructed. Mind must love, and 
 
158 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 prefer for itself that winch is good, or that which it sup- 
 poses is best adapted to promote its own enjoyment. But 
 very many find their judgments in error. They do wrong 
 to do themselves good. True wisdom, however, reveals 
 the ignorance of their judgment. Good can never come 
 out of evil, nor evil out of good. Temporary advantage 
 may be taken of another's opinion, whereby wrong may 
 ensue to him ; and when the mind has received what it 
 has sought and obtained at the expense of another, it is 
 not satisfied, because the wrong never can satisfy what 
 God has made right and good. And the greater the wrong, 
 the greater the dissatisfaction; because right and wrong 
 can never agree, but must from their disagreement war 
 with each other. The mind, therefore, acting wrong, en- 
 courages contention in itself, and where there is a conflict, 
 the law of harmony is disturbed, and with it the peace 
 of him whose enjoyment is dependent upon it. He who 
 saves is, therefore, a deliverer from these evils of ignorance. 
 
 C. Thou makest every teacher then a Savior. 
 
 E. I would teach thee, that every one who saves is a 
 savior. He who teaches wisdom and inculcates principles 
 of righteousness in the minds of others, saves them from 
 their ignorance and folly. Is it not so ? 
 
 C. It so appears ; but why should any mind hope for 
 salvation by the aid of Jesus? 
 
 E. The aid which Jesus brings thee, is the aid we 
 bring. Jesus comes not to thee, except through the cir- 
 cles interlinking him to thee. 
 
 C. Does he exercise direct control over thy circle ? 
 
 E. He exercises control over all circles of less wisdom 
 than himself; but we have been taught by others, and they 
 by others and so on to the circle in which Jesus resides. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 159 
 
 The wisdom taught us is the wisdom he would teach, 
 were he our direct instructor ; because it would be unwise 
 to undertake to develop mind, only as mind is developed 
 to receive instruction. The circle of wisdom, which in- 
 structs us, could not comprehend the degree of Jesus, until 
 wisdom improved them by successive degrees, so that they 
 would be capable of receiving it. Soon will thy wisdom 
 unite with my circle, for I see thou art ready to receive the 
 truth without fear. 
 
 C. I have not many fears, but I have some further 
 inquiries, which my mind is not fully settled upon. 
 
 E. Proceed. 
 
 C. Thou hast taught us, that imputed righteousness 
 was unjust. How can that be unjust, which is freely of- 
 fered on condition of our acceptance, or bestowed without 
 our wish ? 
 
 E. The injustice consists in the wrong. All is wrong 
 which is not good. It is not good to deceive thee with 
 wrong. The wrong is not right, and what is not right is 
 unjust. The wrong of deceiving thee> leads thee wrong, 
 and encourages thee to hope for another's wisdom without 
 having the principles and works, which will be found im- 
 portant to thy progress. The imputed righteousness of 
 Jesus will never benefit thee, until that righteousness be- 
 comes thy own by practice. No good can come to thee, 
 unless the good be received and adopted. When it is 
 adopted, it is thine, and not before. 
 
 C. Thou wouldst not teach, that all evils are unjust. 
 
 E. Thou wouldst not reject what is well, when thou 
 understandest it. The well is not evil. The good is not 
 evil. The just is not evil. Evils are not evils absolutely. 
 The worst evil is ignorance. Ignorance will not live for- 
 
160 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 ever in any mind — I would say, the ignorance of right 
 and wrong as I understand right and wrong. Therefore, 
 it is not an absolute evil. It is even so with all other evils ; 
 they are temporary, not eternal. 
 
 C. The evil of wretchedness is worse than ignorance. 
 
 E. Wretchedness is the effect of ignorance. The effect 
 can not exceed the cause. 
 
 G. Yea; but it may be more lasting. 
 
 E. How can the effect of ignorance be more lasting 
 than the cause ? 
 
 C. When minds do wrong, their wrongs remain, as 
 thou hast said, till they are corrected. Thou sayest that 
 thy mission here is to correct thy wrongs, and yet thou 
 claimest wisdom unknown to thee, when thy wTongs were 
 done, 
 
 E. My wrongs were the wrongs of thee, and those with 
 thee. When I taught thee wrong, thy wrongs justified 
 my teaching. Thy sympathies were as mine; but what 
 was my w r rong, was not thine, nor thine mine. When I 
 came here, I came to undo my wrongs, which thou hast 
 adopted, and by adoption made them thine. I was wrong 
 as thou art; but what I would do, thou wilt not undo. I 
 would undo what thou canst not do. That thou mayest 
 understand me, I taught thee what thou didst receive and 
 adopt. I taught thee wrong. My wrong was in teaching. 
 Thou didst receive and adopt, and thy wrong was in re- 
 ceiving and adopting, when thou shouldst have weighed 
 my saying in the balance of impartial justice and truth. 
 My mission is to undo my teaching, when I was with thee. 
 Thy duty is to undo what thou hast adopted without 
 weight. I told thee wrong. I now correct that wrong. 
 I was in error. I would now make thee to know it. And 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 161 
 
 when thou seest my folly as I see it, thy wisdom will be 
 increased. 
 
 C. Then wisdom consists in seeing our own faults. 
 
 E. It consists not only in seeing them, but forsaking 
 them. The wisdom is in forsaking follies. 
 
 C. Have we follies that wisdom does not approve? 
 
 E. Thy works must show. 
 
 C; What works ? 
 
 E. Thy reform will show thee thy follies. 
 
 C. What follies? 
 
 E. The folly of depending on others to do what thou 
 shouldst do thyself. 
 
 C. What should we do ourselves ? 
 
 E. Put away all wrong. 
 
 C. What wrongs should we put away ? 
 
 E. The wrong of ignorance. 
 
 C. Of what are we ignorant ? 
 
 E. Of that which thou knowest not. 
 
 C. What is that? 
 
 E. The wisdom of God. 
 
 C. How may we know the wisdom of God ? 
 
 E. By instruction in righteousness. 
 
 C. Who will instruct us ? 
 
 E. A circle whom we have seen. Wouldst thou be 
 introduced to that circle ? 
 
 C. Thy circle will not receive such minds as we are. 
 
 E. My circle will prepare thy mind, and receive thee 
 when prepared. 
 
 C. Why doth thy circle not worship as we do ? 
 
 E. Because it is not in accordance with our wisdom. 
 Thou wilt worship with new light, when thou seest the 
 wisdom which will be unfolded to thee. Now, thou seest 
 
162 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 with fear and trembling ; but when the pure wisdom shines 
 upon thee from the throne of goodness, the doubts and 
 fears of thy mind will be dissipated with the rising glory 
 of eternal day. The vain imaginings of a misguided 
 mind, will be corrected, and the beautiful harmonies of 
 nature will control thy mind, and give thee peace, that 
 transcends thy longing soul. The voice of kindness will 
 rekindle thy devotions, and the sweet influence of welcome 
 associates, will touch the soft emotions of gratitude and 
 praise. Thou hast not seen wisdom so pure, goodness so 
 great, hope so unclouded, life so sweet, and society so 
 agreeable, as that to which I propose to introduce thee and 
 thy friends with thee. Thou wilt learn thy lessons of 
 love with pleasure, thy lessons of peace with content, and 
 no lash of fear will urge thee, when thou understandest 
 the joy of the blessed. 
 
 C. But why may I not receive the same instruction in 
 this castle ? 
 
 E. Thou wilt receive thy instruction only where it is 
 to be found Thou knowest such only can instruct thee 
 as are competent. They can not instruct thee without 
 removing the veil from thy face, so that thou canst see, as 
 well as hear, wisdom in mercy. 
 
 C I would not object to leaving the castle, if my asso- 
 ciates would accompany me. 
 
 E. Thy associates are even waiting for thee to say, " I 
 will go." 
 
 C. How dost thou know ? 
 
 E. I know with a sight you have not obtained. 
 
 C. Canst thou tell my intention ? 
 
 E. I can tell thee, that thy mind is to go. 
 
 C. How may I know this, and see as thou dost ? 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 163 
 
 E. By doing as I require thee. When thou shalt see 
 the light of the temple, thy vision will be so increased as to 
 discern the thoughts of mind, and when thou seest the 
 thoughts of mind, thou wilt no longer walk by faith, but 
 by sight. In this consists the wisdom of the circle to 
 which I now belong. They have no doubts or fears, be- 
 cause doubts are the results of blindness. What thou 
 seest, thou canst not doubt or fear, because the truth is not 
 to be feared, but dispels doubts and sorrows. 
 
 C. Is there no fact, which ought to be feared ? 
 
 E. The most fearful thing, which spirits need to avoid, 
 is their neglect of wisdom. Their opposition to improve- 
 ment is the most dangerous thing which they need fear. 
 It is what they should overcome. Thy fears will vanish 
 with the light of wisdom. They will not mar thy joy, 
 nor disturb thy quiet, when the wisdom of our circle 
 teaches thee the folly of fear. Not every one of thy com- 
 panions will go with us. I see a mind in yonder palace, 
 who is waiting for my experience to aid him. He will not 
 be aided in that manner. He wishes me to test the reali- 
 ties of my circle for him, but thou canst now see, that my 
 test will not be a test for him. When indolence asketh 
 another to do what belongeth to him who is controlled 
 by it should do, the improvement will be procrastinated 
 until indolence is satisfied. There will be no reform in 
 the hands of indolence, and where there is no reform, there 
 is but little wisdom. I have seen much indolence in 
 this castle. I have seen much indifference to progress, 
 and I am satisfied that no wisdom can improve the condi- 
 tion of minds here, unless that wisdom be received, to 
 give vitality to the works of righteousness. I wait thy 
 response. 
 
164 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 C. I will try thy circle. 
 
 E. Thou wilt not receive what is given thee without 
 trying it, because the trying is what will introduce thee 
 into it. 
 
 C. Then, I can try it here. 
 
 E. Not till thou hast received it. 
 
 C. But, may I not receive it here, as elsewhere ? 
 
 E. Thou may est receive what thou canst here, and 
 practice it; but what thou lackest is sight. Now, thou 
 only believest, because of my saying; but when thou 
 seest, thou wilt know, not because of my saying, but be- 
 cause what thou seest will make thee know the wisdom 
 which I now declare unto thee. Thou wouldst prefer facts 
 for faiths, realities for doubts, and stability for uncertainty. 
 
 C. I will go with thee. 
 
 E. Who else? 
 
 The whole company were of one mind. They all said, 
 " I will go." I recorded their names in the book of life, and 
 found a thousand times ten thousand, who sung a new 
 song on the walls of scorn, and were received into the 
 temple not made with hands, as were the hundred and 
 forty and four thousand. They were made free from the 
 bondage of fear and doubt ; and, when they were free, they 
 said, " Glory, glory, to the Lord God Almighty, who art 
 from everlasting to everlasting, Supreme over the works 
 which he hath made ; and who suffer eth no unclean thing 
 to frustrate the immutable counsel of Lis wisdom and 
 pleasure." And the voice of the temple was one voice ; 
 for joy was increased, when reform was effectual in re- 
 claiming so great a multitude. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 165 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 MISSION TO ANOTHER CIRCLE. 
 
 Thomas finds two minds wrangling — Enters into conversation with them 
 
 — Refuses to give his name — Opposes teaching what the teacher does 
 not know — Opposes controversy — Rejects innate depravity — Discards 
 wrong views — Recommends facts for opinions — Explanation of sun and 
 moon, which stood still by the command of Joshua — Nature instructs 
 mind — Wrangling unwise — Wisdom will overcome wrong — Freedom 
 induces righteousness — Masters responsible for the doings of servants 
 — Another mind is converted — The work of the temple harmonious — 
 Duty to avoid discord — The assent is gained— The convert sees a light 
 
 — William gives him advice, and conducts him to the temple, when he 
 receives a new name, and a white stone. 
 
 The master then requested rne to take with rne no mind, 
 but go to another circle, who were sympathizers with those in 
 the castle. I went where there was a company, who sought 
 for wisdom in works of wrong. They were aided with 
 no light but such as they had found in the rudimental 
 condition. I saw them disputing about something which 
 they did not understand. Though I could see them, yet 
 they could not see me. I heard one mind say to another, 
 who came to instruct him in the wisdom of his circle, that 
 it was better to control by force than by reason. 
 
 The circle whom he was instructing, deputed a champion 
 to debate with him ; and he replied, " that fear was the 
 only weapon to control and govern minds, ' 
 
166 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 " It is not the only weapon ; but it is one of the most 
 powerful agents which need be used. I have seen some 
 minds so constituted ," said he, " that they could be gov- 
 erned without fear, but it is not often their condition." 
 
 " The condition of no mind," replied the other, " can be 
 so well governed, as to let them know that what they say 
 and do will be punished with severity, or rewarded with 
 generosity." 
 
 The dispute was not wise. The wrangling was wrong. 
 I came near them, and they said, " Who art thou ? " 
 
 T. I am your friend. 
 
 C. So say all who wish to deceive. 
 
 T. Did I ever deceive you ? 
 
 C. Why, then, will you not give your name ? 
 
 T. My name will not aid you to know me. 
 
 C. Why? 
 
 T. Because, my name you never knew. 
 
 C. Have we never known or heard of you ? 
 
 T. You may have heard that which I would not ac- 
 knowledge, because it might be unjust. 
 
 C. Then what is your mission ? Are you a teacher ? . 
 
 T. I teach what I know. 
 
 C. Do you not teach, sometimes, what you do not 
 know. 
 
 T. I have done so ; but now I do so no more. 
 
 C. Then your teaching must be very limited. 
 
 T. It is limited ; and whose is not ? 
 
 C. They who teach what they do not know ? 
 
 C. How can a mind teach what he does not know. 
 
 C. As he would that which he does know. 
 
 T. How is that? 
 
 C. He can tell his views ; he can teach his opinions. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 167 
 
 T. True; but how can he teach what he does not 
 know? 
 
 C. I have said, as he does that which he knows. 
 
 T. Then he makes them know what he does not. 
 
 C. No; but he makes them believe as he does. 
 
 T. Then, when he makes them believe they are taught. 
 
 C. Yes, they are taught his belief. 
 
 T. They are not wiser, or better, for his teaching, I 
 conclude. 
 
 C. They are both wiser and better. 
 
 T. How so ? 
 
 C. Because they are. 
 
 T. Is that your only reason ? 
 
 C. No ; they are wiser in regard to opinions and views. 
 
 T. In what does their wisdom consist ? 
 
 C. It consists in being able to overthrow false opinions 
 and views. 
 
 T. Is that all? 
 
 C. What more can there be ? 
 
 T. Much more, when they are wise. 
 
 C. What? 
 
 T. They can be good and just; they can speak the 
 truth, and lie not. They can avoid deception and wrong. 
 They can know something, and be serviceable to other 
 minds by teaching them what they know. 
 
 C. But minds know but little, and can soon teach that. 
 T. Do you know the reason why they know but little ? 
 C. Because but little can be known. 
 T. ISTo ; because but little knowledge has been sought. 
 When mind contents itself with opinions and views, it 
 will make but little effort to gather facts, 
 C. Then, we will hear your facts. 
 
168 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 T. You will liear what may not now be said, when you 
 are prepared for it. 
 
 C. Are we are not prepared for facts ? 
 
 T. I will not relate what you will not receive. 
 
 C. Why? 
 
 T. Because it will do you no good. 
 
 C. How do you know we will not receive it ? 
 
 T. Because I see your opinions will prevent it. 
 
 C, Then what is your mission ? 
 
 T. To remove your opinions when wrong. 
 
 C. Have we wrong opinions ? 
 
 T. Some are right, and others wrong. 
 
 C. Which are wrong ? 
 
 T. Those which cause you to wrangle. 
 
 C. But may we not compare our opinions ? 
 
 T. What good will the comparison do ? 
 
 C. It will show w T hich are correct. 
 
 T. How will it show that ? 
 
 C. The strongest will gain the victory. 
 
 T. The victory over whom ? 
 
 C. Over the weak. 
 
 T. Well, does a victory over the weak establish what 
 you want ? 
 
 0. It establishes the fact, that one opinion is stronger 
 than another. 
 
 T. How so ? 
 
 C. Because it overpowers the weakest opinion. 
 
 T. Then, when one mind overcomes another, you say 
 he is correct. 
 
 C. I know of no better rule. 
 
 T. When the rule is secure because it is just, the wisdom 
 of the rule will be established, but the rule is wrong, and, 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 169 
 
 therefore, the result must be wrong. Because one mind 
 triumphs over another, it does not prove the right on the 
 side of the victor. 
 
 C. How, then, can opinions be tested ? 
 
 T. By experience. 
 
 O Experience is on both sides. 
 
 T. True ; but when the experience is such as to be well, 
 it is not ill. The mind in the wrong will have an unhap- 
 py experience, but the mind in the right will be happy. 
 Therefore, my rule is to wrangle not, but let experience 
 test the claims of all opinions. In this way, all errors 
 would soon disappear without disputes. 
 
 C. It would be a long time to overcome errors in that 
 way. 
 
 T. Will you show how they can be overcome sooner ? 
 
 C. I think that two minds, holding different opinions, 
 should discuss the difference between them. 
 
 T. Will a discussion of differences make them less, or 
 remove a single error ? 
 
 C. I will say, I see no other way to remove them. 
 
 T. The wisest among you see no other way; but have 
 you ever known an error corrected by disputation ? 
 
 C. I have seen some minds confounded. 
 
 T. The answer is true; but have you seen any one 
 correct his errors by controversy ? 
 
 C. I may say, some minds have been changed by con- 
 troversy. 
 
 T. Have they been changed so as to abandon their 
 errors ? 
 
 C. The change has been well, because they have re- 
 ceived the truth. 
 
 T. What truth have they received ? 
 8 
 
170 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 C. They have received the truth of the Bibla 
 
 T. What truth of the Bible have they received ? 
 
 C. They have received the truth of wisdom, which 
 teaches them that a mind in a state of nature can not re- 
 ceive the things of God, because it is prone to evil con- 
 tinually. 
 
 T. Is that a truth revealed in the Bible ? 
 
 C. It is a truth which no reader of the Bible can deny. 
 It is a truth which God has revealed to mind. 
 
 T. Will you read the truth to me from that Book ? 
 
 C. I will show you a passage. It reads, " The fathers 
 have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on 
 edge." 
 
 T. Does that passage say, that mind in a state of nature 
 can not receive the things of God, or that it is prone to 
 evil continually ? 
 
 C. It says, that the children were affected by the con- 
 duct of the father. 
 
 T. What else? 
 
 C. Why, if they were so affected, they must partake 
 of the guilt of the father. 
 
 T. How so? 
 
 C. Because, it makes the children responsible for the 
 conduct of the parent. 
 
 T. How does it make the children responsible ? 
 
 C. By virtue of the law to which they are subject 
 
 T. What virtue is there in any law, which makes one 
 mind responsible for the deeds of another ? 
 
 C, I see you are an infidel. 
 
 T. How can you see what is not a fact ? 
 
 C. It is a fact that you cavil with God's law. 
 
 T. Wherein have I caviled ? 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 171 
 
 C. By denying what is written in the Bible. 
 
 T. What have I denied in the Bible ? 
 
 C. The doctrine of innate depravity. 
 
 T. I have not seen that doctrine in the Bible, neither 
 have yon. 
 
 C. The doctrine is contained in the passage I have 
 quoted. 
 
 T. I do not see it. 
 
 C. There is no one so blind as he who will not see. 
 
 T. Then, I will need sight. Can you impart it? 
 
 C. I can not make you see, unless you will try. 
 
 T. I will not try to see what is not. 
 
 C. Then, you may see what is. 
 
 T. Then, you will produce what is, and let what is not 
 alone. I saw you and your companion wrangling about 
 what is not. 
 
 C. Then, you must be blind. I see what is well, and, 
 when a mind will not acknowledge the truth, it should be 
 rewarded for its obstinacy. 
 
 T. It should not be rewarded for what it rejects, be- 
 cause it is untrue. 
 
 C. It should be punished for its obstinacy. 
 
 T. It should not be punished for rejecting a wrong. 
 
 C. The wickedness of mind must be punished, or God 
 will not be just. 
 
 T. How will God punish a mind for rejecting a wrong ? 
 
 C. He will not punish a mind for rejecting a wrong, 
 but for rejecting the truth. 
 
 T. The truth will not justify you. The truth should 
 make you free. 
 
 C. I am free ; I never was a slave. Why will not the 
 truth justify me ? 
 
172 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 T. Because it is rejected by you, and error is often en- 
 couraged. 
 
 C. What have I rejected ? 
 
 T. You have not rejected some errors, but many facts. 
 
 C. What fact have I rejected ? 
 
 T. The fact that God is just to all. 
 
 C. If he had been just to all, we should not have been 
 spared the vengeance of his wrath. 
 
 T. How do you know ? 
 
 C. Because his wrath is withheld on account of his 
 Son. 
 
 T. How do you know that his wrath is withheld ? 
 
 C. Because we do not receive our just deserts. 
 
 T. What are our just deserts ? 
 
 C. The vengeance and wrath of God, forever. 
 
 T. How can you tell what you do not know ? 
 
 C. I can tell what I believe. 
 
 T. On what evidence is that belief predicated ? 
 
 C. On the word of God. 
 
 T. Will you read that word ? 
 
 C. Thou shalt not see me without repentance. 
 
 T. Thy memory will not read truly. 
 
 C. But that is the meaning of the passage. 
 
 ; 4 T. I will aid you right. 
 
 C. Go on. 
 
 T. "The gifts and calling of God are without repen- 
 tance." 
 
 C. That is not the passage. 
 
 T. Then, I can not find it. 
 
 C. But you know the word of God is true. 
 
 T. It is true ; but not your saying. 
 
 C. I see you will not consent to any thing. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 173 
 
 T. I will not dissent from a fact. 
 
 C. How will you get a fact ? 
 
 T. By experiment, by demonstration, and by knowing. 
 
 C. Would you reject what you do not know ? 
 
 T. I would receive what I know, and look for the evi- 
 dence of what I do not know. 
 
 C. On what page of revelation would you look ? 
 
 T. On the first page. 
 
 C. That aids but little. 
 
 T. Then, I would turn to the second page, and so on, 
 until I found wisdom. 
 
 C* Then, the Bible is your wisdom. 
 
 T. The Bible contains much wisdom, but nature more. 
 
 C. Is nature more wise than revelation ? 
 
 T. I have said, it is. 
 
 C. How can that be, when revelation came from God ? 
 
 T. Nature is the work of God, and revelation is the 
 work of nature. Nature is the first page of revelation, 
 and the whole which can be revealed. Nature, or the wis- 
 dom of God, displayed in his work, is only revealed in 
 part, and, therefore, is less than nature. 
 
 C. But when revelation contradicts nature, what will 
 you do ? 
 
 T. I will say, it can not contradict nature, for nature is 
 true to itself. 
 
 C. But the Bible contradicts nature. 
 
 T. How, and wherein ? 
 
 C. The sun and moon stood still for Joshua to slay his 
 enemies. # 
 
 T. The sun and moon stood where God placed them. 
 They never stood otherwise. But you will find other suns, 
 and other moons, and other stars, than thou seest in heaven. 
 
*174 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 I hold a banner, and on it you may see a sun and a moon; 
 It stands still at my command, or it moves as I control. 
 So, with the enemies of Joshua. They stood still ; and- 
 when they stood still, the banner did not move, neither did 
 the sun, or the moon, on their banners. The sun and the 
 moon which were on their banners moved not, till the ene- 
 my was no longer able to contend with the victors. I see 
 no contradiction of nature in that passage. 
 
 C. I see no contradiction in your interpretation. 
 
 T. It is not my interpretation. 
 
 C. Whose is it ? 
 
 T. It is the interpretation of Joshua. 
 
 C. From whom did you receive it? 
 
 T. I received it from a circle belonging to a sphere, 
 who received it from him. 
 
 C. How may I know the truth of what you affirm? 
 
 T. By advancement in wisdom. 
 
 C. How may I advance in wisdom? 
 
 T. By receiving wisdom from superior minds. 
 
 C. How may I know who is my superior ? 
 
 T. By their works. When the work of a mind har- 
 monizes with the law of God in nature, you may know 
 that the doer of that work is your superior. 
 
 C. But nature is an incomprehensible volume. 
 
 T. It is incomprehensible to those only who do not 
 understand it It is mysterious to those who have not 
 examined or explored its golden page. It is wise, and what 
 is wise you may learn. 
 
 C. Who will aid me ? # 
 
 T. Nature will not leave you without an instructor. 
 
 C. That is your opinion, I suppose. 
 
 T. It is a fact which I know. I have not come here 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 175 
 
 to teach you opinions, but facts. I see your mind is over- 
 stocked already with opinions, and this is the cause of your 
 wrangling in this circle. Minds do not wrangle with each 
 other about facts, which they know; but all wrangling is 
 about things not understood. I have seen your condition, 
 and know the fact which I affirm. 
 
 C. This is narrowing to a small compass the circum- 
 ference of minds. It gives little scope for thought and 
 energy. 
 
 T. The energy of this circle will not be circumscribed 
 by right direction. It will not be without sufficient scope 
 for the wisdom it possesses. But wrangling about things, 
 never increases the wisdom, nor the happiness of those 
 engaged in it Confine yourselves to what you know, and 
 peace will be multiplied among you. Contention will 
 gather secret remorse. No good thing can come from the 
 evil of strife. The wisdom of brutes scorns what some 
 minds practice. They never quarrel about things of which 
 they know nothing; and surely minds of a higher order 
 need not to dispute about facts which they know. All 
 who wrangle are not wise. All who dispute are not wise. 
 It is a weakness which fools may pursue, but minds of 
 understanding disdain to become weak in the wrongs of 
 wrangling. 
 
 C. Then you are for submitting to every indignity, 
 which the weakness and malice of wicked minds may heap 
 upon your reputation. 
 
 T. It will be well to submit to that which you can not 
 avoid ; but when no unwise conduct on your part exists, 
 the sneer will not be intolerable. You will find that sub- 
 mission to casual insult, is more tolerable and easy to en- 
 dure, than a contention about it The severest wrong of 
 
176 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 the two is wrangling. It is worse than all the insults 
 mind ever endures. Insult injures no one more than he who 
 indulges in it. Indeed, wisdom will not heed an insult. 
 It will not stoop to quarrel with it. It passes on, unmind- 
 ful of the wrong intended, and leaves the doer to gather 
 what he has sown. But the contention of parties exhibits 
 a weakness on both sides. It has been the folly of nations 
 and individuals to resent insult, and the resentment has 
 always made them more unhappy, than, the insult could 
 have done. I was not well satisfied in my rudimental state 
 with the antagonistical elements of conditions around me. 
 I saw war and bloodshed. I saw wrong and weakness. 
 I saw power and tyranny. I saw evils and superstitions, 
 ignorance and wretchedness. Then, I put forth my hand 
 to overcome them, but the torrent swept along, and my 
 hope was destroyed. I w T as not satisfied with war when 
 in war, with contention when contention came, with strife 
 when mind was striving with mind; and when I came 
 into this sphere, I found a wisdom which gave what con- 
 tention never brings — a peace that passeth all understand- 
 ing — a love which filled me with sympathy, and gave en- 
 ergy to my soul for the good of those whose weakness 
 was deserving of a commiseration and care, which the 
 ignorant may scorn, and the foolish envy, but who cannot 
 share the joy it gives to my mind. Thus, was a mind 
 advanced from a condition of wrangling to a condition of 
 peace. When minds wrangle, it is not with words of 
 wisdom, but words of folly. 
 
 C. The theory you advocate is well ; but it will not do to 
 practice. Minds need something to make them do right. 
 
 T. "When minds do what something makes them, it is 
 that something, and not them, which does it. They are 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD, 177 
 
 not free, and are, therefore, irresponsible for what is done ; 
 as they are only the instruments in the hand of some- 
 thing. Will you tell me how a theory can be well, which 
 it will not do to practice ? 
 
 C. Your theory looks well-; but it would be injurious 
 to any one who will practice it, because he would be com- 
 pelled to suffer on account of the wickedness of others. 
 Minds need restraint. 
 
 T. Minds need wisdom, and, when they get wisdom, 
 they require no restraint to make them do right. They 
 will suffer less from the wickedness of others, when others 
 are free, than they do while they control by fear. It is 
 wicked in mind to do by others as it would not have others 
 do to it. 
 
 C. Then, you would unbridle the mind, and give it 
 liberty to do as it pleased. 
 
 T. I would unbridle the mind from its ignorance, re- 
 lease it from its chains, and inspire it with righteousness. 
 Then, I would say, " Do as you please." 
 
 C. Would it not please to do wrong ? 
 
 T. It would please to do only right, and, when mind 
 pleases to do right, it will injure no one. 
 
 C. How do you know it would please to do right? 
 
 T. By experience. 
 
 C. Have you no fear of your superiors ? 
 
 T. My superiors are more just and good than I. 
 
 C. Then why do you not fear them? 
 
 T. Because they are better than myself. 
 
 C. I would not obey without reward. 
 
 T. Would you not do as you pleased ? 
 
 C. I would; but I would not please to obey. 
 
 T. Why? 
 8* 
 
178 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 C. Because I would do as I pleased. 
 
 T. If you pleased to obey, and did as you pleased, 
 you would obey. 
 
 C. But I w r ould not so please to do. 
 
 T. Would you do as you would not please to do ? 
 
 C. I would not. 
 
 T. Then, you w T ould obey ; because when pleased to do 
 a thing, if you did not do it, you would be displeased and 
 dissatisfied. When wisdom cultivates the mind, it makes 
 it productive of good fruits. They come up, and grow 
 spontaneously. The soil, being wisely prepared, yields the 
 peaceable fruits of righteousness. So, when your mind 
 drinks of the fountain of a higher wisdom, it satisfies the 
 thirst, and gives it strength to bear fruit. It is free from 
 the fears of ignorance and superstition, and needs no lash 
 to extort the required good. It does what it pleases with- 
 out fear, because it pleases to do right, and not wrong. 
 But the mind driven, is like a slave — a servant that serves 
 only because the eye of his master is upon him, and the 
 lash of his wrath is uplifted to extort an unwilling service. 
 The slave works, but he works as he is worked by the 
 master. So, with those who serve in your condition. It 
 is not you, but your master who works you, that is en- 
 titled to the reward. He employs you as a mechanic would 
 his tools ; and yet, who would say, the tool should receive 
 a reward for its use ? 
 
 C. This is a new doctrine. I see you sap the founda- 
 tion of all fear. 
 
 T. I would sap the foundation of all ignorance, be- 
 cause ignorance is the cause of all fear. Remove igno- 
 rance, and all fear ceases. It never was a virtue. Minds 
 have operated to make minds fear. They have sought 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 179 
 
 to mate them fear what they did not fear themselves. 
 They have represented God, and even spirits, as objects of 
 fear. And they have lashed their superstitious victims 
 into a servitude as degrading as it was destructive, as hu- 
 miliating as it was ruinous to the welfare of mind. When 
 ignorance is superseded by wisdom, freedom will permit 
 minds to share in the work of then hands ; but, so long as 
 mind is in bondage through fear, and works only as it is 
 worked, the reward, whatever it may be, should be given to 
 him who controls. The master, and not the servant, does 
 the work, and does it as he chooses, and by the tools at 
 his command. 
 
 C. I would ask, if mind ought not to fear God ? 
 
 T. How can a mind fear what it loves ? 
 
 C. It may fear to offend. 
 
 T. It will not offend, when right. 
 
 C. But, when it is liable to err, it may fear. 
 
 T. But it is not liable to err in what it knows, and what 
 is unknown ought not to create fear. 
 
 C. Why? 
 
 T. Because it is unknown. Most fears are of this de- 
 scription. Minds seldom fear real things. 
 
 C. Do not slaves fear their masters ? 
 
 T. Not then masters, but what then masters may do. 
 
 C. Is not the will of the master a reality? 
 
 T. The will is well; but the abuse of the will is ill. 
 Slaves fear the abuse of power over them. The abuse 
 will not be feared, when the reality of wisdom corrects it. 
 It will be corrected, when slaves no longer fear their mas- 
 ters ; but so long as they fear, they will be servants. 
 
 C. Then, servants are to blame for their fears ? 
 
 T. I blame no mind, it is not my prerogative to con- 
 
180 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 demn. But I may say, when slaves cease to fear, slavery 
 is at an end. The master can not coerce without fear, nor 
 can he make others do his bidding, when they are dis- 
 inclined. Fear, then, hath its bonds, and those who gene- 
 rate fears contribute to enslave mind. 
 
 C. Does not God make mind fear ? 
 
 T. Never. 
 
 C. But minds fear God. 
 
 T. Minds fear what their conditions make them. 
 When ignorance overshadows the soul, so that it can only 
 see a twilight view of nature, the mind is subject to the 
 rule of ignorance. That rule will correspond to the light 
 wdiich shines. The whole reflected upon the vision at 
 once, would induce sight to be dazzled by the flood. 
 Hence, in the organization of mind, as an individual, the 
 wisdom of God is manifest, because what is natural, is 
 adapted to its condition, and what is adapted to its condi- 
 tion, is productive of enjoyment. Hence, what is natural 
 is free, not being prohibited by law, and what is free, is 
 not a monopoly. In nature, there is no law which justi- 
 fies a monopoly of her gifts. All things in her store- 
 house, belong to a common family; and each member 
 may enjoy what is needful to enjoyment. I have seen a 
 monopoly of what nature has provided for the good 
 of mind. I have seen churches established upon the 
 assumed right of holding the treasures of this and 
 other spheres in their hands, to dispense or withhold as the 
 policy of worldly wisdom wished for its aggrandizement. 
 I have seen minds, in this sphere, overshadowed with the 
 darkness of such idolatry and injustice ; and I have seen 
 them bow down in terror, and work in fear before a God, 
 whom heathens would reject for its supposed cruelty. Now, 
 have you not had fears of this description ? 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 181 
 
 0. I must acknowledge that I have. 
 
 T. Would you know the cause ? 
 
 C. You have laid the cause bare in your remarks. 
 
 T. How long will you tarry here in this midnight of 
 wrong ? 
 
 C. Till I can be released. 
 
 T. Will you be free? 
 
 C. If I can. 
 
 T. There is no wrong whence I go. Will you follow 
 me? 
 
 C I will try ; but I know not where you will lead me. 
 
 T. I will lead you where the weary find rest, and the 
 light hath no darkness. But when you reach the door of 
 the temple, I will bid you wait till I gain permission to 
 introduce you. 
 
 C. Suppose permission should be denied. 
 
 T. Suppositions never enter there. 
 
 C. What! no one allowed to suppose a question? 
 That must be a tyranny unknown to me. 
 
 T. They will not suppose, because the subject of a sup- 
 position is known without it. There is no need of a sup- 
 position, when wisdom discloses the fact. All suppositions 
 admit of two sides. They admit of doubt and fear. But 
 where knowledge reigns, where light shines, and wisdom 
 controls, all are of one mind. Hence, my mind is as ail the 
 rest, who work with me in the temple. If we were 
 divided, the work would fall, because of its disagreement. 
 And I wish you to understand, that all the work is prepared 
 by one rule, and, therefore, they who work by that rule, 
 must make their works agree. In the circle to which you 
 belong, I find discord and wrangling. It is because the 
 workmen have different rules. One works by one rule, 
 
182 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 and another by a different rule. When they bring their 
 works together, they disagree. Do yon know the reason ? 
 
 C. I see the reason. 
 
 T. "Would you avoid the disagreement ? 
 
 C. I would have my work useful. 
 
 T. You see that no work can be useful, which is not 
 practical. The works which disagree, can not be made 
 practical, because of their difference. One opposes the 
 other. Wrangling ensues; wretchedness is promoted; 
 good is despised ; the law of harmony is disregarded ; and 
 wisdom is set at naught. The whole wrangling is wrong, 
 and he who encourages it by precept or example, is a pat- 
 ron of the wrong. 
 
 C. Was not your presence an encouragement to 
 wrangling, when you came to see me ? 
 
 T. I came to correct, not to support, wrangling. 
 
 C. But while you were a witness, did not your pre- 
 sence support it ? 
 
 T. No : checked it. Had I not succeeded, I should 
 have retired. 
 
 C. I will say, no mind should tarry to witness an evil, 
 it has no wisdom to correct. Better leave the evil to con- 
 sume itself, than throw yourself into the fire to be injured 
 with the flames. 
 
 C. But some one must make the sacrifice, or there will 
 be no deliverance. 
 
 T. Sacrifices and burnt offerings, which do no good, 
 are inconsistent with justice. There is a time, when mind 
 may aid minds, and there is a time, when it can not. The 
 time to aid is when good can be done, and the time not 
 to aid is when aid will be refused. Let no mind offer aid 
 without good, or withhold it when needed. The need 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 183 
 
 must be realized, or it will be rejected. I have beard 
 minds refuse, because they scorned to be a debtor to any 
 one. They would boast of their independence, when their 
 independence was subservience to educational wrongs. I 
 have heard them decry against slavery, when they were 
 slaves to the most tyrannical of all masters — the ignorance 
 of their conceited ambition to occupy the highest seat in 
 the kingdom of heaven, without the requisite modesty to 
 admit their superiors to an equal condition. I have seen 
 the land of freedom, the home of the free ; but I never 
 knew wisdom to rule where disorder and wrong overcame 
 the harrnony of goodness and peace. 
 
 C. Verily, you make wrangling the worst of all vices. 
 
 T. What is greater? 
 
 C. The wrong of injustice. 
 
 T. The wrong of wrangling is the wrong of injustice. 
 The mind that wrangles, abuses itself, and degrades its as- 
 sociates. The mind is known by the circle it sustains. 
 My mission is to destroy the wrangling ; but you know, 
 that many minds love what is disagreeable to others. 
 They love strife. They hate peace. They love happiness, 
 but their folly disappoints them. This is the condition of 
 your circle. They wrangle not about what they know, 
 but concerning what they do not know. And yet I would 
 not wrangle with them, concerning what I know, because 
 it is wrong, and what is wrong can not do good. 
 
 C. I will wrangle no more. I see a light advancing. 
 Who comes with the stream of radiant glory beaming on 
 his brow ? 
 
 T. It is my friend William. He has a message for 
 you. You may answer him when he speaks, and as he 
 speaks. 
 
184 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 W. Thy friend will wrangle no more. Let him come 
 with us, and we will do him good. Ait thou ready, 
 friend ? 
 
 C. I am ready. 
 
 W. Hast thou realized the wisdom thou hast heard ? 
 
 C. I have heard w T hat has done me good. 
 
 W. Thy work is not done. Cast thou square thy life 
 by the rule I give thee ? 
 
 C. What is the rule? 
 
 W. When thou findest wisdom to aid thee, wilt thou 
 renew thy strength, and soar above the groveling disputes, 
 which thy circle have cherished ? 
 
 C. I feel no desire to wrangle with mind. 
 
 W. Hast thou a desire to obey the wisdom thou hast 
 learned from thy servant, who has instructed thee ? 
 
 C. I will not disobey what contributes to my enjoy- 
 ment. 
 
 W. That is the law of harmony. No harmony can 
 exist where law is disregarded. The circle into whose 
 presence thou wilt soon be introduced, will aid thee in thy 
 progress to ineffable joy. But no mind can gain admit- 
 tance there, who will adhere to a wrong, because the wrong 
 weakens the enjoyment of his brethren. Thou may est 
 now follow us, and wait at the door, till the banner returns ; 
 and Thomas, whom we call Contentment, announces thy 
 welcome. 
 
 C. I will follow thee whither thou goest. 
 
 The morality of the circle was made known unto him, 
 and the master said, " We hail thee as Welcome. Here- 
 after such will be thy name, except when thou wishest to 
 converse with thy former associates, to reclaim them from 
 their wrongs. Then, thou wilt make thyself known unto 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 185 
 
 them by thy former name. And when thou desirest to 
 go unto them, thou wilt take with thee this white stone, 
 with thy new name written therein, which no man know- 
 eth but thee and thy associates in this circle.'' 
 
186 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 PROGRESS PROM THE FOURTH TO THE SEVENTH CIRCLE. 
 
 Receives a visit from a superior mind — Proposition to advance accepted 
 — The seraphim sings — A pearl given — Enters a world of light and 
 song — Description of the works which he saw — The instruction of the 
 Worthy — The song of the free — Address of another mind on the key 
 of wisdom — The seven seals — Address of a third mind — Conduct to 
 the sixth circle — A lecture on social progress— Hope a reality — A lec- 
 ture on prophecy — Rules of prophecy the same as mathematical — Pre- 
 diction of communicating with the inhabitants of earth — Predictions, 
 opinions only of those below the sixth circle— A lecture on purity and 
 prophecy— Nature the standard by which to determine right and wrong 
 — Advancement to the seventh circle, or court of Beauty— Sees a white 
 throne and inscriptions— A little child leading a lion— A serpent fastened 
 to a rock— Twenty four pillars of wisdom— Minstrels chant a welcome — 
 Emblems explained- Prediction of events now taking place— Contem- 
 plated mission to the rudimental sphere, and how it would be received — 
 The serpent to be destroyed — Evils to be overcome by wisdom. 
 
 I was next commissioned to visit a work in the advance- 
 ment of my own mind. There came to us a spirit, who 
 said, w The glory of this tabernacle is dim. Would this 
 society go with me, and see a more excellent glory ?" 
 
 " We have no fears of progress," said the commander. 
 
 S. The progress you have made is w 7 ell, but I am 
 delegated by a circle you have not seen, to welcome you 
 to a wisdom, which reflects itself upon the dome of your 
 temple. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 187 
 
 C. We are ready to be improved, as to improve others. 
 
 S. I know your readiness to advance, and, as you have 
 signified your wish, you will walk with me to a scene more 
 magnificent than what adorns this mansion. The whole 
 company within this temple, will form a circle above 
 this temple ; and the seraphim will sing a song of redemp- 
 tion. When the song is sung, the circle will say, " Hal- 
 lelujah, the Lord God, Omnipotent reigneth." 
 
 I was in the midst of the circle, when the seraphim 
 struck the soft notes of peace, and my heart melted within 
 me. The melody of the song was indescribably sweet, 
 and the words were distinct and clear. The wisdom of 
 heaven seemed more beautiful, and the day of salvation 
 opened upon my sight. I felt no despondency within me, 
 for the clearness of that mild sky unfolded a glory, that 
 made the former glory appear dark and unwelcome. I 
 was not unwilling to advance with my companions, and no 
 discord was heard. When the seraphim had ended its 
 song, the conductor inquired, " Do all understand the 
 meaning of the words you have heard ?" 
 
 " I know what is the meaning," said the commander. 
 
 S. What is known need not be told, except to those 
 who know it not. I will enjoin it upon you, and your 
 companions, never to communicate to another what is 
 known unto him, lest he be weary with your society. Ask, 
 and you will receive ; seek, and you wiJl find ; knock, and 
 it shall be opened unto you ; so that he who asketh, and 
 he who seeketh, shall not go away empty. The wisdom 
 of the circle, into whose society you will shortly be intro- 
 duced, giveth to all who asketh, and upbraideth not. Are 
 you willing to do likewise ? 
 
 C. I am willing. 
 
188 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 S. You will, then, receive this pearl. Wear it in your 
 bosom. Let its radiance beam in all your works. Let 
 its lustre shine in your conversation. And let its purity 
 make you free from the taint of wrong. This pearl is of 
 great value. It will save you from darkness. It will chase 
 away the gloom of error. It will protect you from the 
 weakness of doubt and fear. You may let the circle view 
 the pearl, and, when they have examined it, I will pro- 
 ceed with you to the circle where each one will receive, 
 as it seemeth good to the Worthy. He will open a new 
 page in the work of progress. Let all listen to his words, 
 and be faithful to obey the wisdom which he will give 
 you. I am now ready ; follow me. 
 
 We came to a world of eternal reality. I entered with- 
 in a sacred repository of wisdom, where I saw minds re- 
 nowned in history, whose countenances reflected a light 
 which illumined all who came near them. The wide arch 
 of heaven rung with song, and waste places felt the genial 
 influence of virtue. Before us were written in letters of 
 gold the words, " Worthy art thou to receive glory, and 
 honor, and praise, and power." On the right were crowns 
 at the feet of saints, and on the left were gems of silver 
 brightness, linked with a chain of light. These gems were 
 so arranged as to represent in miniature the words, " Pov- 
 erty and riches embrace wisdom, when one receives what 
 the other gives." Near the entrance of this magnificent 
 theater of wisdom, rose a writing, " Enter thou into the 
 joy of wisdom." Beneath our feet were clouds of vapor, 
 on which the sun shone, giving them a smiling appearance. 
 A vase of flowers stood in the center, and near by it a well, 
 out of whose mouth came a gushing current of the water 
 of life. As we passed the well, the Worthy said, w This 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 189 
 
 is the water that whosoever drinketh thereof shall never 
 thirst, but it shall be in him a fountain of water springing 
 up into everlasting life. Drink freely." 
 
 The solemnity of the scene was heightened by the les- 
 sons we received from the Worthy and his companions. 
 I heard attentively, and will give as correct a report as the 
 understanding of the reader will be able to appreciate. I 
 will not attempt to narrate all which w y as set before us, 
 since the simple relation would require a volume of itself; 
 but I propose to give a brief synopsis of the uufoldings of 
 wisdom to our minds. 
 
 As we were within the theater of a circle, whose coun- 
 tenances reflected such light, that we were dazzled with 
 the brilliancy thereof, the Worthy said; " This pool, whose 
 water is for the thirsty, cometh from the throne of truth. 
 You have now a portion, which never exhausts or wastes 
 itself within you. It is immortal to satisfy. The current 
 will not dry by using. It is free as air. Nature is not 
 poverty. Her wisdom reaches far above the mind in its 
 soarings. The pool comes up from the well of hope. Out 
 of hope cometh reality. Hope never wrings sorrow from 
 the mind. Zeal can not lis r e without animation. Its worth 
 no mind can fathom. Its everlasting flight is upward, 
 onward, expanding with its expanse, and rising with its 
 strength. The mind without hope, is like a mourner with- 
 out consolation, like a ship without sail or rudder; and 
 when the water of life satiates the thirst of doubt and de- 
 spair, joy rides over the storm and the sea, that dashes 
 against the shore of eternity. Eternity hath no shore. 
 The immortal enters eternity when time ends. The mind 
 sees no shore. Days and nights are not Time is not. 
 The calendar of months and days is, no more, All is eter- 
 
190 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 nity — eternity is all. Rest is work, and work is rest. 
 The water is your strength, and nature is your fountain. 
 Nature supplies itself, and what nature does, is well done. 
 I need no wisdom she has not, for her wisdom is the wis- 
 dom of the Infinite. Deep is the fountain, wide is the 
 stream, and high is the mountain, whence cometh the pure 
 philosophy of wisdom. The wide creation shines with 
 gems of infinite skill. Vast is the immensity of infi- 
 nity. Stretch thy mind away from star to star, from sys- 
 tem to system, from worlds to worlds, and neither shore 
 nor center rises before you. God is there. God is every 
 where, infinite, eternal — the spirit, whose life is the ener- 
 gy, the power of the universe ; whose glory the good of 
 the dependent; and whose smile is in the sunshine and 
 the shower, working out the immutable love of his nature 
 to bless the works he has made. The north and the south, 
 the east and the west, above and below, wherever thought 
 extends or not extends, the mercy of God flows like the 
 limpid current of life, and yet you have come here to 
 partake of the stream. I would do likewise ; because here 
 you may see its purity, and relish its sweetness. Change 
 has conformed your taste to the water, and light has dis- 
 persed your doubts of its purity. Where darkness reigned, 
 fears were indulged ; and where fears were indulged, your 
 minds refused the beverage, lest some ill should befall 
 you. Wow the fear is gone, the hope is full ; and where 
 hope is full, the water will not be rejected. Water is life to 
 the thirsty ; doubt is death, because it forbids nature its wants. 
 Pilgrims, your souls have tested the life of water. Expe- 
 rience has tested its adaptation to your wants. Remem- 
 brance will save you from the snare of doubts. Hence, 
 the water springeth up in you forever. 
 
 a Pilgrims : on your right are crowns at the feet of saints. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 191 
 
 Honor cometh not from power. Honor casts authority to 
 rule others at your feet The crowns of tyrants must fall 
 from their heads, and no mind shall honor the head which 
 wears them. Superiority hath no dwelling place in this 
 circle. Equality reigns, and is acknowledged. jSTo mind 
 is ruler, and no mind is ruled. One law governs all, and 
 that law is love. Two minds can not think unlike, because 
 the thoughts of love must be one in all. The crowns you 
 see, were the crowns we wore in our pilgrimage. We were 
 not all kings, nor minds who wore an external crown ; but 
 were all rulers over others. We loved rule, and despised 
 submission. We loved control over minds, and have en- 
 joyed it to our complete satisfaction. I controlled no one 
 by my crown, but by my influence. I saw mind needed 
 control, and, not seeing the control of God, I undertook to 
 do his work. I made laws and executed them as I pleased, 
 intending the good of those whom I controlled. I gave 
 to one a penny, and to another more, as I judged them 
 worthy. They were satisfied with their w T ages, and did 
 me honor. My crown was not disgraced, as I supposed, 
 because each mind, whom I controlled, received his reward. 
 I was well satisfied with my wisdom. I wanted no more. 
 Others of my companions ruled differently. One ruled by 
 fear, and another by favor. One ruled by threatenings, 
 and another by promises. One ruled by poverty, and an- 
 other by riches. All had their varied methods of control- 
 ling minds; but none were more unworthy than those 
 who attempted to control, and succeeded, by alarming the 
 fears of the credulous with tales, revolting to sympathy 
 and degrading to Deity. They controlled with an iron 
 arm the dupes of their miserable deception; but their 
 crowns now He at their feet. 
 
192 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 " Pilgrims: yon see a change. You see that ignorance 
 hath its votaries, and, so long as ignorance reigns, kings 
 will rule, and subjects will tremble. Mind must learn 
 wisdom to disarm tyrants. It must see light to escape 
 darkness. It must experience freedom to hate bondage. 
 It must love right to forsake wrong. It must progress in 
 wisdom to loathe ignorance. The change has come, the 
 light has appeared, the day has dawned, the bondage has 
 vanished, and the wrong is forsaken. Experience hath 
 done her work. Mind w T orks for mind, good for good, 
 virtue for virtue, knowledge for knowledge; and equity 
 and justice have trodden crowns under their feet, and hurled 
 the tyrant's scourge away forever. 
 
 " You may turn to the left, and there you see a chain 
 of light, linking gems, and words are written. Poverty and 
 riches dwell together in kings' houses. He who rules is 
 rich in power, in the estimation of his subjects. He is 
 rich in goodly things, and his position is envied by the 
 ignorant. He fares sumptuously, and the ruled mourn at 
 their inferiority. Poverty is lean and hungry there. Pov- 
 erty tarries where wrong remains. Wrong remains, where 
 ignorance rules. Ignorance rules where wisdom is not 
 regarded. Wisdom is not regarded w T here injustice and 
 force make minds slaves to others' will. Equity and right- 
 eousness are shunned and despised, law and harmony are 
 violated, and light reflects the poverty of riches, and the 
 wrongs of poverty. The poor seek, and he who seeketh 
 fmdeth. The rich seek only to be rich, and their riches 
 are not wisdom, but empty, vain toys that glitter in the 
 eyes of fools, and dazzle only to deceive the unwise. The 
 gems wear not the face of despair. They are gems, in- 
 woven with light. The gems represent minds, and minds 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 193 
 
 form words. Words are true to a mind who writes them. 
 Poverty and riches embrace wisdom, when riches are em- 
 ployed to relieve poverty. They are wise only when used 
 to do good. No wisdom is seen in riches, not controlled 
 by wisdom. Love must see her children redeemed from 
 want, and where there is no want, there is no poverty. 
 
 " This circle is the circle of Worthy. It is a brother- 
 hood of righteousness. It has relinquished air authority 
 to rule in the name of God. It acknowledges God alone, 
 as the ruler of the universe. It disclaims all other rulers, 
 and in the light of his countenance we walk, dispensing the 
 J ight we have received and seen to those who need. Thou 
 art worthy to receive this glory, because thou wilt freely 
 give. Others are not permitted to receive it, because they 
 will not give as they receive. The honor is well bestowed 
 on you. 
 
 " Pilgrims : you have now entered into the joy of your 
 Lord, because the blight of wrong, the mildew of neglect, 
 hath no surface on your minds. Rule is surrendered to 
 God. No authority rests in you to withhold when others 
 need. No sorrow will pass unrelieved, aud no fear sear 
 the soul, unmitigated. All ignorance demands removal, 
 and he who serves his friend in need, serves God. The 
 circle will now sing the song of the free, when other minds 
 will address you." 
 
 The song was sung, but no words can describe its rich- 
 ness. The poor were made rich, and equality pervaded 
 the immense multitude. 
 
 When the song was ended, I heard a mind say, " I have 
 
 the key of wisdom, and I will now unlock the door of 
 
 knowledge." Proceeding forward, he addressed us as follows : 
 
 "True greatness is goodness; true wisdom is what will 
 
 9 
 
194 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 make the mind good. I have seen power in the hands 
 of weakness. I have seen weakness mock at the voice of 
 wisdom, and cast her reproach at its votaries; but the 
 reproach rebounded on her own head. I have seen mind 
 pleading for mercy at the gate of poverty. Alas ! mis- 
 taken mind sought for bread where it was not, and the 
 heart languished in despair. The voice of nature has been 
 derided, and the weakness of ignorance has assumed do- 
 minion. Poverty is wrong, and wrong is poverty. No 
 good thing has poverty to bestow. At its gate, the 
 hungry wait, and wait to be disappointed. I have sought, 
 but not found. I have wondered at my misfortuffee, and 
 complained of the dealings of God. I have seen no key 
 to unlock the mystery, and my soul has been disquieted 
 within me. But I sought for bread where it was not, and 
 for wisdom in a college of ignorance. Opinions were 
 numerous, and as grainless as husks. Faiths were not 
 wanting in number or variety, but no mind was satisfied 
 therewith. Views of God were conflicting and contra- 
 dictory, and my mind was worn with the wrangling of un- 
 settled controversy. I sought for peace amid the tur- 
 bulent waters, but found only agitation and discontent. 
 I was as wild as the sea on which my bark floated, without 
 hope or moorings, save the disputed and unsettled opinions 
 of a dismal theology. In my dreams of the future, social 
 good was never promised. Philanthropy was selfish, and 
 charity not a span long. Goodness dwelt in temples, and 
 virtue signified conformity to others' views. Parsimony 
 was common law, and beggars were common outlaws. 
 Nature smiled then as now, but I saw not the smile. 
 Brotherhood was without children, and conventional limits 
 were drawn over the face of famishing souls. Imagination 
 portrayed calamities, and wrongs sustained the wrong. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 195 
 
 " Pilgrims, I have a key. It will unlock the iron door, 
 and show you the secret of all this mischief and wrong. 
 It is a key of knowledge. It is a key which closes the 
 door of hope. It bars the gate of joy. It shuts the por- 
 tal of salvation. It wrongs the poor of bread. It aggran- 
 dizes the indolent from the labor of the industrious. It 
 keeps mind away from its inheritance, and secludes the 
 riches of heirship. I hold the key by which all this wrong 
 aud mischief has been done to mind, and I propose to 
 open the door for your personal inspection." 
 
 He opened the door, and drew therefrom a book of 
 seven seals. He began to unloose the first seal, when he 
 
 " Pilgrims : The first seal of this book, represents the 
 first circle. It will show you, that all wisdom cometh to 
 mind by successive degrees of development. The mind in 
 embryo, hath no wisdom; but when nature introduces 
 mind into individualized being, the individual mind breaks 
 the first seal, and wisdom is realized. Nature so orders, 
 by an immutable law, that self-hood shall be sustained, and 
 therefore provides the mind with an innate and natural 
 relish for such things as are adapted to its welfare. It 
 needs no compulsion, or external force, to induce a recep- 
 tion of those things which are congenial to its enjoyment. 
 WJbatever nature requires, nature has provided. The 
 innate desire of the mind for sustenance, harmonizes with 
 the supply nature affords. The nourishment is adapted 
 to the condition, and the condition to the nourishment. 
 Self-hood is maintained by innate desire, and innate de- 
 sire is supplied by maternal condition. The harmony of 
 these conditions is essential to self-hood. The mother 
 supplies the wants of nature in her offspring, never so 
 
196 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 much as suspecting that they should be disregarded. The 
 child partakes of nature's provision and realizes enjoyment. 
 These conditions of want and supply unfold the harmony 
 of nature, and should not be overlooked in other relations 
 of mind. 
 
 " The innate desire is the individual property of the pos- 
 sessor. The supply is the maternal property, and is wanted 
 only to nourish offspring. In this economy of nature, the 
 useless to one, is the useful to the other. And what is 
 not needed by one, is freely given to the other. It is given 
 because the want of the dependent requires it. The want 
 of the dependent is the only reason for the gift. Nature 
 exacts the gift, and self-hood receives the favor. By the 
 favor, mutual affinities become strengthened, and sympathy 
 answers sympathy. The law of God is observed, and na- 
 ture rewards obedience. The self-hood of the dependent 
 is made subservient to the love of the parent. Both act 
 as nature demands, and no wrong is done. The good of 
 the mother, blesses the child, and the blessing of the child 
 is the blessing of herself, and a disturbance of her love, 
 would be attended with anxiety and pain. 
 
 " The second seal represents the second circle. Mind acts 
 with mind. The opening blossom is not the full blown 
 .flower. The vase is wet with water. Nourishment is 
 wanted to mature the circle. The industry of other hands 
 is required. The second seal must be unloosed. Progress 
 never stops in nature, though, sometimes, it is obstructed. 
 Mind sympathizes with mind. The sympathy of mind 
 with mind is wise. It saves. Mind without sympathy 
 could not enjoy society. Mind with it, enjoys. Nature 
 has not wronged mind by sympathy. The sympathy of 
 mind with mind corresponds with natural affinities. Mu- 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 197 
 
 tuaj. attractions never repulse each other. They unite. 
 Chemistry sustains the idea of mutual attractions. Phi- 
 losophy reveals the mutual tendencies to sympathy of 
 things which possess harmonious properties. The wisdom 
 of the second circle demonstrates the fact, that one mind 
 sympathizes with another. But the mind acts as self-hood 
 prompts. Mind acts as self-hood justifies. Self-hood jus- 
 tifies what is adapted to the enjoyment of self. It con- 
 demns what is opposed to its own enjoyment. Thus, its 
 sympathy must be controlled with the wisdom it possesses. 
 Self-hood consults what self-love approves. It is limited. 
 The good of others will, sometimes, be consulted, as when 
 no loss to self is sustained. It wills what will do self good, 
 what will gratify selfish wants. No wisdom above its 
 own wants, shares in its counsels. Others' wrongs are dis- 
 regarded, because its benevolence is not sufficiently de- 
 veloped to aid the needy. Others' good is neglected, 
 because self-hood has not the love of brotherhood. It is 
 confined. Limit is established to its wisdom and benevo- 
 lence. It sees what self-hood discloses. Manhood is not 
 unfolded. The thud seal is unbroken. It acts within the 
 circle of its wisdom. It is a development of mind, that 
 needs to be developed. It wrangles with others for self. 
 It flatters others for self. It sympathizes with others 
 for self. It yields to others for self. It neglects others for 
 self. It will not receive the wisdom of superiors, because 
 ♦others, with whom it sympathizes, are opposed to new 
 things. It will not aid reform, until reformed. 
 
 u The third seal represents the third circle of mind. It 
 will open the soul to a greater wisdom and love. It will 
 do good without fear or favor. It will show what mind 
 should do for mind. It will seek peace and pursue it. 
 
198 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 But it is conservative. It neglects, oftentimes, its own 
 good. It neglects, sometimes, the good of others. I will 
 unloose the seal. The same good to others as to self. The 
 same degree of wisdom also. The whole duty of this 
 circle is considered as being embraced in doing by others, 
 as it would have others do by it. The seal of wisdom and 
 benevolence, needs further development. It has been the 
 mission of minds, I am now instructing to aid them. 
 Success has attended your efforts, and reform has been 
 attained. The whole duty of mind is not contained in 
 doing by others as you would have others do unto you. But 
 the wisdom of the third seal goes no further. It was wise 
 to mind, when it was unloosed. It saw a new creation, 
 and the old vanished away. It passed into disrepute. It 
 was respected by those who saw the opening wonder no 
 more. It was a new heaven, and a new earth to mind, 
 emerging from the weakness of the second seal. It was a 
 freedom to mind, which had served two masters, hope and 
 fear. It was wisdom of superior worth to the ignorance 
 of the second seal. But the third seal was not the end of 
 progress. Eternity will have no end. Mind will have no 
 end. Time will have no end. Periods will end. Time 
 is marked by periods. Day and night is a period. Circles 
 are periods indefinite. Years are not known to you, only 
 as the reckoning of the rudimental condition. Night is as 
 day. Circles are as periods of progress. Minds work as 
 circles of wisdom in their degree control. I have aided- 
 you where you will now instruct, as you are instructed. 
 
 " The fourth seal is now broken. Its condition is good 
 to all. It recognizes no enemies. It never wrangles. It 
 will bless enemies. Your own experience was the criterion 
 of truth. Fear and favor were powerless over you. No 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 199 
 
 wrong was where you labored, but the wrong of less wis- 
 dom. It was not wise to make others unhappy, because 
 you deemed unhappiness a recommendation to the favor 
 of God. It was not wise with what wretchedness required, 
 but harmonious with the eternal law of order and love. 
 It sought and relieved mind from the uncongenial elements 
 of social wrong. It was interested in the progress of 
 mind, and the social good of society. It gave beauty for 
 ashes, and the garments of praise for the spirit of weari- 
 ness. It was wise in good things, and shunned not the 
 truth. It was worthy of elevation to a higher circle, for 
 which cause the circle I am now addressing was advanced. 
 In the mysteries of the fifth seal, I will now instruct this 
 circle. I will say, no wisdom will govern you from be- 
 neath. All rule is tyranny, when wisdom inferior to your 
 own controls. It is usurpation. Nature never justifies 
 the wrong of weakness. It never palliates the wrong of 
 controlling the wise by the weakness of the unwise. Su- 
 perior wisdom must govern all conditions of mind, to be 
 harmonious with the law of progress. When inferior wis- 
 dom controls the superior, there is an obstruction of im- 
 provement. Mind is not then free. It is in bondage. 
 The usurper has always reason to fear. The wrong of 
 usurpation can not go unrewarded. The wisdom — princi- 
 ple must triumph. When it triumphs, arbitrary rule will 
 not be endured. Hence, no mind in this circle wears a 
 crown. They are at the feet of saints. A saint can not 
 wear a crown. It would be wrong, and what is wrong is 
 inconsistent with the mind of a saint. In all subordinate 
 circles, there are rulers, and consequently wrongs. Thouo*]i 
 the fourth seal opened one mind, so that what was the 
 mind of one was the mind of all, yet some were tenacious 
 
200 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 of titles of distinction. They were indulged in them. 
 Though they saw no wrong, yet wrong is not right ; and 
 what is not right should be avoided. A title, without 
 signification, is vain, and what is vain is wrong. True, it was 
 but the shadow of things before, but shadows are the mir- 
 ror of images. The mirror of wrong should not be toler- 
 ated. The image is not wise, because it is the image of 
 wrong. Having seen the wrong, we should forsake it. 
 Having proved the wrong, it would be unwise to pursue it 
 
 " The wisdom of crowns, is the wisdom of ignorance. 
 It supposes a superiority by inheritance, and denies it by 
 progress. It plants the sovereignty of a whole nation in the 
 wisdom of hereditary ignorance, and breaks down a com- 
 mendable aspiration for industry in progress. It wastes 
 treasures upon the indolent, while the poor are robbed to 
 support the unjust burden. It monopolizes industry to 
 satisfy ambition, and wastes the bread of the hungry to 
 gratify revenge. It makes a tool of mind, and then lashes 
 it for its servitude. It riots in authority, and understands 
 not its own weakness. Kings and crowns are inharmonious 
 with wisdom and goodness. It is as selfish to rule, as it- 
 is weak to be ruled. The one is tyranny, and the other 
 is slavery. The one usurps what nature never conferred, 
 and the other submits because it is weak. It will not 
 govern without wisdom, when mind reaches this circle. 
 Indeed, you will find that government is natural where 
 all minds acquiesce in benevolence, and wisely act to ad- 
 vance the happiness of all. 
 
 " Crowns imply a distinction. No distinction exists 
 here. All are kings and priests unto God. All are well 
 governed, because the love of God, impartial and free as 
 the sunshine, dwells in all, and that governs all. It is 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 201 
 
 self-government, or the government of self by nature's in- 
 spiration of love. No discord can enter here. The voice 
 of contention hath its bounds, and selfishness its limits. I 
 have seen the angry howl of war. I have seen the wrongs 
 of strife. I have w r ondered at the disturbance. But I 
 wonder no more. The love of this circle was not in them. 
 The sympathies of congenial affinities were not in them. 
 The benevolence of smiling nature had not warmed their 
 hearts. The philanthropy of enlarged charity had not 
 united the great brotherhood of mind. There was igno- 
 rance of relationship, and ignorance of the wisdom of right- 
 eousness. These evils wdll not disturb mind, subdued by 
 the clear sunlight of truth. Social wisdom is the inheri- 
 tance of goodness. Crowns crumble in dust, and equity 
 and justice walk over their fragments. Those only are 
 worthy, who make worth the height of their ambition. 
 The hireling is lord of himself, when in the service of 
 himself, and the lord is a slave, when he fears the revul- 
 sions of his rule. Poverty is worn by the mind whose 
 work is wrong. It is empty of good. Riches meet the 
 exigency, when divested of selfishness, and disposed of 
 for other's benefit. Poverty is made rich, when the wis- 
 dom of reform relieves all want. 
 
 " Poverty and riches war with social enjoyment, when 
 uncontrolled by wisdom. This circle is rich. Other circles 
 have need. The links of light, which unite with wisdom, 
 and form that w r onderful sentence on the left, w T ill remind 
 this circle of the chain of sympathy w T hich connects the 
 rich with the poor. The gems are minds. All are not 
 equally brilliant. The darkness of wrong will not apolo- 
 gize for neglect* The riches you share, you will freely 
 
 give ; and when the poor receive what you offer, they will 
 9* 
 
202 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 embrace wisdom. Poverty is relieved. The poor are sup- 
 plied. They want no more. The sympathies are grati- 
 fied. Nature is obeyed. God is honored. Ignorance is 
 overcome. Evils are remedied. Social harmony is restored. 
 The golden chain of love breaks not in twain social joy. 
 The gem of obscurity wants no chafing to be seen and 
 admired. It wants only the covering of wrong to be 
 removed to reveal its worth. The wrong is ignorance. 
 It is the absence of light. In the absence of light, it has 
 wandered in darkness. Neglect has permitted the dark- 
 ness to linger. When riches are withheld from those 
 who need, poverty reigns. When poverty reigns, the law 
 of sympathy is denied. When sympathy is denied, the 
 war of conflict rages. When the conflict rages, peace is 
 expelled, and with it, the enjoyment of peace. 
 
 " You see who wrongs himself. You see who wrongs 
 others. They who withhold what others require. You 
 can not violate the law of nature with impunity. You can 
 not neglect others' good without injury to yourself. You 
 will aid all who need with the riches you possess. You 
 will recognize the chain that links all gems together. You 
 will understand, that the union is immutable. You will 
 feel the shock which another receives. The chain will con- 
 vey the force to you. The whole brotherhood, from the 
 highest to the lowest, will feel it. The light of this circle 
 reveals but one family. The likeness of God is immortal 
 in each member. The weak have claims upon the strong. 
 The poor have claims upon the rich. They are in debt. 
 They owe all they have to the poor. It is a just claim ; 
 and when they have given the poor their dues, all 
 will become rich. It is no robbery which makes all 
 richer. It is poverty which refuses what it does not want. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 203 
 
 It is wrong to receive what will make you wretched, or 
 refuse what will make you happy. It is right to receive 
 what will do you good, and wrong to reject it. And you 
 will not forget that the riches you receive, are the riches 
 of others. They are given you to be given to others, who 
 are as you were. 
 
 " Enter into the joy of wisdom. Enter into the benevo- 
 lence of God. Forsake not your brother in the day of 
 need. Bless the enemy in your gates. Turn not a deaf 
 ear to those minds, who writhe in their own scorn. Visit 
 the works of sin, and lead the blind by a way they have 
 not known. Correct those who need with the cord of 
 sympathy, and write the law of the Lord upon their hearts, 
 Do good to those who scorn your message and your mis- 
 sion; and say, " I am thy brother, why persecutest thou 
 me V So, will you enter into the wisdom of this circle of 
 minds." 
 
 Another mind said, " There is a work which must needs 
 be done. The rudi mental condition needs improvement. 
 There will come a time when the spirits, as they a will call 
 us, can communicate with minds in the body. I see a work 
 of great magnitude, which will be required of us. This 
 work requires a change in the social condition of such 
 minds. As society is now controlled, poverty and riches 
 are unequally distributed. Minds wrangle about the pro- 
 ductions of earth. They disown the relation of sympathy, 
 and their professions of love are nearly empty. Sincerity 
 is devoid of active energy. The forms of worship are 
 forms of display. Pride governs the heart. The poor 
 are wronged. The rich wrong themselves. Skill and 
 craft oppress the former, and luxury and extravagance 
 injure the latter. Both are wronged of enjoyment. The 
 
204 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 oppression of poverty should be corrected. The indolence 
 of riches should be vitalized with love. Society should be 
 reconstructed ; industry should be encouraged ; love should 
 supplant fear. Works should take the lead of words. 
 Acts should speak for mind. Wrong should not tell . her 
 tale of woe. Purity should cleanse the impure. The 
 blind should see the righteousness of God. The harmony 
 of nature should be imitated. Nations are communities. 
 Communities make nations. Social order should be estab- 
 lished. War should cease. Honesty should abound. 
 The love, which we feel, should inspire ail minds. 
 
 " But who will work the necessary change ? I see a 
 change in the human condition approaching. I see a 
 mighty revolution in the organization of human society. 
 I see means which can accomplish the result. There is a 
 progress in the rudimental world. The crowns of kings 
 are growing old w T ith mind. Reverence for human au- 
 thority will not last forever. The relics of other days, are 
 monuments of wrong. The tide of progression will sweep 
 into oblivion the injustice of tyranny. The sun of truth 
 will enlighten the nations of earth. The glory of God 
 shall be revealed, and all flesh shall enjoy it together. But, 
 until the change shall come, no human wisdom can con- 
 trol the disorders of society. Efforts will be made by 
 philanthropic minds, to rectify the evils, but without suc- 
 cess. Organized communities will be established, but the 
 evil, in some form, will remain. Something more than a 
 change of external conditions is required. Externals affect 
 internals, but the external should not control the internal. 
 The external is the stream, the internal the fountain. Na- 
 ture provides that the internal, the fountain, should con- 
 trol the external, the effect. Not until the fountain becomes 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 205 
 
 pure, will the stream be worthy. The wrongs of society, 
 are the manifestations of wisdom in embryo. It is en- 
 shrouded in the darkness of other days. The night of 
 superstition is far spent. The morning light of truth must 
 break from this sphere. The fountain of pure water must 
 refresh the desolate earth. The well of sympathy must 
 flow freely, to nourish the plants of immortal progress. 
 
 " The first duty of this circle will be to make known the 
 existence of mind, in this sphere, to the doubting of earth. 
 The wisdom of the circle will next be employed to abolish 
 the errors of mind. JSTo sectarian organization will justify 
 the revelation, which this circle will disclose. All will 
 stand amazed at the wonder. When the wonder subsides, 
 the condition of mind will be aided. Spirits -will commu- 
 nicate a system of ethics, adapted to the amelioration of 
 human wrong. It will be such as will melt the pure gold and 
 remove the dross of corruption. It will affect the foun- 
 tain of works. It will inspire the heart. It will correct 
 the mind. It will remove the darkness. It will chase 
 away all fear. It will banish all doubt. It w T ill fill the 
 soul with good things. It will enlarge the sympathy, and 
 strengthen the love of mind. When the fountain becomes 
 changed, its issue will be pure. When the issue becomes 
 pure, the poor will become rich. When the poor become 
 rich, the equality of mind will be recognized. When the 
 equality of mind shall be recognized, the evils of human 
 society will be overcome. Nations w r ill war no more. 
 Brother wdll signify relation. Justice will be acknowl- 
 edged. Communities will form nations, and all nations one 
 family. Then sympathy will unite, and keep united the 
 whole, and the whole will strive to promote the good of 
 the whole. Then, the good of the whole will be regarded 
 
206 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 as the good of one, and the good of one as the good of 
 the whole. Selfishness will be extinguished by the wisdom 
 of universal love and philanthropy. 
 
 "The wide world will be the common inheritance of her 
 children. No wrangling about earth, or its gold, will be 
 heard. Industry will be worth, and gold will be as ashes. 
 The love of money will not exist, and the love of wisdom 
 will occupy its place. No fraud will be practiced, for no 
 wrong will be indulged. All motives to evil will be re- 
 moved, and the mind of one will be the mind of all. Cor- 
 ruption and deception vail not be found, for when mind 
 knows the thoughts of mind, the wrongs of corruption 
 and deception will be seen no more. You know that no 
 wrongs can enter here. ISTo voice of unkindness mocks 
 the wail of sorrow, when the love of God fills the mind. 
 The miseries of earth will have no abiding place, when 
 the wisdom of God inspires all minds. The ignorance of 
 the first circle will not be known, when the knowledge of 
 good shall become universal. Passion and folly will not 
 be indulged, when reason and truth control all hearts. 
 But wisdom is developed by progress, and truth by wise 
 counsels. The work of reform will soon commence. The 
 circles of heaven will improve the circles of earth. Won- 
 ders and signs will attend your labor. They will be won- 
 ders to the ignorant, but not to you. The work will 
 be commenced, when the superstitions and wrongs of 
 religionists shall yield to the voice of philosophy and 
 reason. One generation must pass away, before the time 
 will come. They must pass from the rudimental to this 
 sphere. In that time, venerated superstitions will be much 
 discarded, and human rights will be respected. The work 
 will commence in obscurity, and mind will rise in glory. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 207 
 
 Ignorance will scorn the message, and ridicule will be 
 lavished upon the messengers. Time will bring a change. 
 Professions will not monopolize the industry of the poor, 
 nor misers hold the key of plenty. Wealth shall unite 
 with wisdom, and poverty shall smile at the marriage. 
 Christianity shall no longer be a mockery, but its wisdom 
 shall flow like a fountain of water over the world of mind. 
 Dark sayings shall be illuminated, and wayfaring mind 
 shall lift up its voice in praise. The homes of the willing 
 shall become residences of angels, and the disconsolate 
 shall fear no evil. The strong shall aid the weak, and the 
 days of mourning shall be ended. 
 
 "I will now conduct this circle into the chamber of 
 hope. There came to me a messenger from the sixth cir- 
 cle. He told me of things which will be no wrong to 
 relate. It was a prediction of future good. You may 
 follow me." 
 
 We followed him to the chamber of hope. The mes- 
 senger then appeared, and said : 
 
 " This is the circle of Hope. All who will receive, and 
 do the words of hope, will hear my speech. Before me 
 you see a great wonder. It is the mountain of Hope 
 in the arm of God. On your right, you see the sun ; on 
 your left, the moon; over your heads, the stars; be- 
 neath your feet^ the fifth circle ; and behind you, a road. 
 This is the circle of prophecy. Here causes and their 
 effects may be traced through successive generations, and 
 then- results clearly demonstrated. You will soon be ad- 
 dressed by a mind of this circle, who will aid you to the 
 desired wisdom. He wiU relate what events will transpire 
 in the progress of truth and wisdom, in the development 
 of rudimental minds." 
 
208 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 A mind soon commenced by saying: "Pilgrims of hope, 
 the mind who hopes will realize. Hope can not be enter- 
 tained for things which are not, It is the reality which 
 gives birth to hope. The reality is shadowed on the mind 
 with such evidences as conditions will allow. Hope is ex- 
 pectation of good. Mind will sometimes limit hope. It 
 will fix times and seasons for the hope of good, to be 
 realized. The darkness of ignorance suffers temporary 
 disappointment. Hope will prophecy truthfully. Wis- 
 dom sees the thing hoped for. The mind intuitively an- 
 ticipates good. Its nature is full of promise. Its conditions 
 sometimes create doubt and despair; but, unobstructed 
 in its exercise, it hopes forever. We are not without hope. 
 We will say, no mind can exist without hope. It is nature. 
 It is the law of mind immutably established to hope. Mind 
 will hope, and no condition, in any department of the 
 universe, can exclude all hope. It may be dim. The 
 dense darkness of low circles admits only an occasional 
 ray to penetrate the dismal cell of ignorance. The mind 
 of superior circles admits a greater number. This circle 
 sees what other circles hope for. The joy of our minds 
 is the anticipation of good in them. They walk by 
 faith, and we by sight, concerning the good they expect. 
 It is a good which the reality transfers to them through 
 the intervening circles. Each circle conveys a lesser light, 
 until the last receives a feeble ray ; so you will see the 
 fulness of hope, as measured to lower circles, actual realities 
 here. You will see the wonder of wisdom revealed in the 
 economy of hope. Minds uncultivated hope in a less de- 
 gree, than minds of wisdom. The rudimental condition 
 shares in the joy of hope, proportioned to the wisdom of 
 its condition. In one circle, it is but a ray; in another, 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 209 
 
 it grows brighter ; in a third, it is glorious ; and, in the 
 fourth, it is more glorious. But what these circles hope for, 
 even in the highest exultation of anticipated good, is as 
 much less than the reality, as light is more glorious than 
 darkness ; I will say as the sun is more glorious than the 
 stars. 
 
 " The sun reflects rays of light. It is the orb of light. 
 Its rays touch the palace of kings and the wigwam of bar- 
 barians. It gives light to the rich and the poor, -the wise 
 and the unwise, to the free and the slave, to the enlight- 
 ened and the ignorant, to all nations and all countries, and 
 moons and stars in nature's unmeasured expanse. It gives 
 what will bless, and make happy ; unasked, its rays illumine, 
 and banish the darkness of night. The day is not partial. 
 The day is wisdom — a blessing to the world. It is not 
 a special or partial blessing ; but it is a blessing in har- 
 mony with the law of God. It is a blessing unstinted and 
 measureless. The sun is the work of God. It is his wis- 
 dom which made it. It is his love which has ordained the 
 sun to give light to all. It is his power which formed the 
 sun for the good of mind. All things which he has made, 
 are adapted to good. The mind which sees the sun, as a 
 work of God, and the rays blessing all things, may hope 
 for good. He who has made the sun a blessing, may 
 make want satisfied with reality. The sun gives hope. 
 It is without stint in its favors. So, is the wisdom of God 
 manifest in the natural world. He is wise. His works 
 are wise. All things are made in wisdom. Ignorance 
 may mock at blessings, but nature offers no contradiction. 
 Folly may scorn the lesson, but hope expels the scorn. 
 Superstition may have her admirers, but reason fills the 
 soul with confidence. Would mind know God, it should 
 
210 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 study his works. The dreams of midnight may conflict 1 
 with the stern realities of nature, but they are dreams with- 
 out hope. The wild vagaries of uninstructed mind may 
 mislead the weak, but the voice of nature speaks the lan- 
 guage of love. Bigotry may frown upon free inquiry, but 
 the smile of wisdom is more congenial to mind than the 
 envy of the miserable. I will see the sun, though doubters 
 may challenge my sight. I will gaze upon its blessings, 
 though bigots may call it sacrilegious. I will admire 
 nature, though crowns crumble, and steeples fall. I will 
 gaze on the works of God, though opinions falter and rites 
 perish. The wide world is my home, though chains and 
 prisons, frowns and fears, mark the circle of those who 
 defy a creed that abolishes neither. The time will come 
 when the chains will be melted, the prisons demolished, 
 the frowns made smiles, and the fears overcome with hope. 
 When the sun, in yonder smiling heavens, is taken as the 
 work of God, and nature is acknowledged to be the stand- 
 ard of righteousness, the hope of the soul will rise above the 
 misty darkness of sensuality and wrong. The sun is em- 
 blematical of nature in the profusion of her blessings. 
 Adaptation is seen in the economy of all nature. Mind 
 needs light, and light is not withheld. Light needs mind, 
 otherwise it would be vain. So, with the moon. It 
 imparts what it has received. It gives to bless. It meets 
 the wants of mind. On the right and on the left, above 
 and below, all things are adapted to their respective con- 
 ditions. The stars reflect the mighty power of God. They 
 shine. They give light. They bless, and curse not. They 
 do good, and not evil. They minister to the wants of 
 mind. They rest not in their love. They are full of good. 
 Wants are strangers there. The wisdom of God will lead 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 211 
 
 you to the full enjoyment of all that hope can embrace; 
 and, in due time, the wonders of other globes will be 
 opened to you, and to me, and to all who will journey to 
 them. This circle will hear the instruction of another 
 mind, and listen attentively to the words of Hope which 
 will inspire you with the promise of good, yet concealed 
 from your vision." 
 
 " Pilgrims : in the progress of mind, there is an exten- 
 sion of the vision. Far in the distance, development dis- 
 closes the reality of things, which mind has hoped for. 
 The seers of other days were aided by this circle. Things 
 were revealed, which have come to pass, and which will 
 take place. The windows of the future were thrown open, 
 and prophets saw the truth. The sight; was extended 
 through successive changes to successive results. The in- 
 tervening links of cause and effect, being omitted in the 
 history, have answered the purpose of superstitious venera- 
 tion, and worked the circles for whose benefit they were 
 intended into awe and subjection. But the time is ap- 
 proaching when the philosophy of prophecy will be under- 
 stood, and appreciated. The degree of wisdom, essential 
 to endow mind to clearly perceive the future condition of 
 themselves or others, appertains to this circle. 
 
 " The mind who inspires the seer, merely informs him of 
 the fact, which is intended to be effected. It is a fact which 
 must be in harmony with causes, and the causes are survey- 
 ed to the result. The seers merely announced the fact. They 
 announced what the mind, who inspired them, impressed 
 them to relate. The mind of this circle is one mind. 
 Hence, the mind who inspires of this circle, inspires the 
 will of all who belong to it. The resolve of one, is the 
 resolve of all. As all resolve, so one inspires. When a 
 
212 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 work is resolved upon, the whole power of this circle is 
 brought into requisition to do it. The labor is calculated 
 with mathematical exactness. All the obstructions are 
 surveyed, and all the advantages canvassed. When the 
 result has been determined by a wisdom that can not err, 
 the mind may inspire, or impress the reality upon those 
 who have not the sagacity or wisdom to see it otherwise. 
 It is to them, in their condition of ignorance, a subject of 
 hope. In like manner, when the workings of nature are 
 traced in their mysterious windings, and the complex condi- 
 tions of cause and effect are understood, the results of the 
 same may be determined in wisdom. This determination 
 is also the result of causes, immutable as mathematical 
 demonstrations. Therefore, the seers of old were inspired 
 by the wisdom of a circle, capable of determining results 
 of causes, with the same unerring precision as the mathe- 
 matician calculates the time and duration of an eclipse, or 
 the appearance and disappearance of a comet. The whole 
 result must be infallibly correct. The science of mathe- 
 matics is the science of this circle. Euclid has given rules. 
 Nature divulges more. The former are well. The latter 
 are better. The former were true to nature ; but the sci- 
 ence was not perfectly understood only in degree. The 
 latter comprises the infinite, the former the finite. All 
 * development is progress. It is the accumulation of facts 
 in the mind. It is the power of wisdom. 
 
 " When the mathematician predicts an eclipse, or any 
 wonderful phenomena in the material world, the prediction 
 does not make the fact, but the fact is discovered by 
 mathematical calculation. All causes and their effects are 
 considered, as well as the uniform and invariable laws of 
 nature. The result is sure. Demonstrations have pre- 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 213 
 
 pared the mind to calculate the movements of orbs, and 
 the relation which they sustain to each other. In like 
 manner, an extended knowledge permits a mind to calcu- 
 late the movements of planets, and suns, and stars of other 
 systems. And, when the mind is sufficiently developed, 
 it can calculate the movement of mind. It can survey the 
 influences which control it, and calculate the wisdom which 
 will be required to produce a desirable result, or avoid an 
 impending calamity. 
 
 "Minds are stars in this system of nature. They differ 
 in wisdom, power, and glory. The wisdom of the fifth 
 circle is less than the sixth. The sixth seal unveils the 
 future with the exactness of demonstration. It unlocks 
 the mystery of prophecy. It makes hope a wisdom of 
 fact. It discloses the reality of the thing sought. It 
 opens a world of coming events, and saves the mind from 
 all uncertainty. It corrects the wisdom, which makes the 
 natural supernatural. There is nothing above nature but 
 God. He is supreme. Nature is his work, and it is the 
 natural work of his wisdom and power. Mind is the work 
 of God. It is a star amid other stars. It is a sun amid 
 other suns. It is subject to law, as are planets and stars. 
 It is moved by laws. Attraction and" repulsion control it. 
 Like and dislike exert an influence. When the condition 
 of mind is understood, and the amount of wisdom is pos- 
 sessed by another mind to calculate the power of attraction 
 and repulsion necessary to produce a result, its position 
 may be defined, and its movements determined for succes- 
 sive generations. The weight of attraction is not the same 
 in all materials, and therefore, allowances must be made 
 for the difference. One mind may be very empty, and 
 consequently light, when compared with another, The 
 
214 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 force of attraction will accordingly be less. It weighs less 
 than more solid materials. The lower the circle, the less 
 it weighs ; because it is empty of wisdom, or contains but 
 a small fraction. Attractive forces may be estimated by 
 the distance between them, and the weight of those forces. 
 When mind is attracted by mind, it is because of the power 
 which one exerts over the other. The influence is pro- 
 portioned to the weight. The heavier body must control 
 the lighter. The lighter can not govern the heavier. At- 
 traction is with the most weight. That weight is wisdom. 
 Consequently, the wisest attract the less wise ; and it never 
 can happen, that the less wise can govern the wise by at- 
 traction. Hence, in the philosophy of nature, two bodies 
 unlike each other, repel each other. They separate by 
 natural law, as they unite by natural law. The wisdom of 
 this law is to avoid unlike associations. The minds unlike 
 separate by the law of repulsion, and there must be a vio- 
 lation of the law to keep them together. So, with minds 
 of like affinities. The weight of attraction unites the two, 
 and they can not be disunited without a disturbance of the 
 law which holds them together. 
 
 " Hence, you will see the reason why minds in this 
 sphere are attracted to a higher sphere, as we have been 
 attracted to this. The weight of wisdom is far removed 
 from earth. As mind ascends from earth, so attraction 
 grows stronger, and hurries it along with greater rapidity. 
 But minds in the rudimental condition, being far removed 
 from the source of wisdom, are influenced in a less degree 
 than those of higher circles. But, as they are attracted 
 by wisdom, it must be upward. 'No forces attract down- 
 ward but gross and impure. The downward force is re- 
 pulsion. It is not wisdom. Hence, folly and ignorance 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 215 
 
 are attracted by folly and ignorance, and, when thus at- 
 tracted, the wretchedness of mind is severe. Never will 
 the wisdom of the wise be attracted with the folly of the 
 unwise. 
 
 " There will arise a work which will engage the wisdom 
 of this circle. Minds in the rudimental condition, will soon 
 see a light from this sphere. They will hear a voice from 
 heaven. Messengers from this circle will be employed to at- 
 tract mind upward. They will see who can be influenced 
 by their presence. Affinities, approximating to this circle, 
 will be chosen as instruments of a great reform. Those 
 who will be uninfluenced by the gross works of darkness, 
 will receive the light of superior wisdom. Those wdio love 
 the world of gold and silver, and are under the control of 
 sensuality and tyranny, w r ill abide the time of visitation, 
 and seek their content in things that perish with the using ; 
 but the independent and candid, the honest and true, will 
 rise upward in the resurrection of the just, and become 
 partakers of an inheritance that fadeth not away. When 
 that time comes, and come it will, the reform of the rudi- 
 mental condition will be renewed with unabating energy ; 
 and old systems of wrong and w T retchedness will vanish 
 away. All circles in this sphere, capable of developing the 
 rudimental mind, will aid in the work. You will be con- 
 trolled as wisdom shall direct, and meet the evils of human 
 society w T ith a courage that never falters. Hope will be 
 imparted to the despondent, and confidence to the fearful. 
 All devoid of understanding will revile you, and many will 
 turn a deaf ear to the voice of wisdom. But some will 
 receive the word with gladness, and others with fear. The 
 day will open upon mind the reality of heaven. The day 
 will unlock the mystery of revelation, and give hope to all 
 
216 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 nations. The miracles of former ages will return, and 
 return to be understood. Human opinions and creeds will 
 melt in the sunshine of truth, and whole nations rise up in 
 progress, and call you blessed. As free as the light of 
 the sun will the wisdom of heaven smile upon mind ; and 
 the smile will subdue the wretchedness of ignorance and 
 folly. 
 
 "Pilgrims: you have received the promise. Hope, 
 without fear, will grow brighter and brighter, in this circle. 
 You will receive wisdom, day by day, until the seventh 
 seal shall be unloosed. Then, the work of reform will be 
 commenced in wisdom, among the inhabitants of the 
 earth." 
 
 When he had concluded his speech, I desired to be in- 
 formed in regard to the mathematical calculation of future 
 events, and the rules by which such events are determined ; 
 when another mind responded : u Mathematical rules are 
 the rules of nature ; or, as you will understand, the laws 
 of nature. The laws of nature control all things. Mind 
 and matter, gross and fine, are subject to laws. In har- 
 mony with these laws, are cause and effect. When a cause 
 produces an effect, the effect becomes a cause of another 
 effect. Thus, effects are causes, and causes are the effects 
 of other causes. But no effect will be inharmonious with 
 the cause. The likeness of the one will be found in the 
 other. When a cause transfers itself into an effect, or is 
 productive of an effect, it will be as nature has designed, 
 the true likeness of the cause. All variations are the re- 
 sult of combined causes, varying in their effects the modi- 
 fication, in the proportion of the power which each cause 
 respectively exerts. Hence, by tracing one cause in its 
 productions, and other causes in their productions, until the 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 217 
 
 whole are mathematically balanced at any given period, 
 the result will be mathematically demonstrated. There 
 can not be two results at variance, when the law of cause 
 and effect are understood and observed in the calculation. 
 One, and only one conclusion can be obtained by this 
 process of investigation. " 
 
 T. May not unseen causes disturb the result by their 
 modifications ? 
 
 " Causes differing essentially, will be repelled, whether 
 seen or unseen. Mind can not be affected by remote 
 affinities. The near affinities must control. Antagonisti- 
 cal elements can not control one another. They repulse ; 
 and whatever is repulsive, has no influence to change. 
 The wisdom of the wise must be controlled by the wisdom 
 of the wiser; because folly is repulsive, and only excites 
 disgust and pity. By ascertaining the ratio of their pro- 
 gress, which is governed by an immutable law, and the 
 future development of their minds may be determined 
 at a given period ; and what may be determined in regard 
 to one mind, may be in regard to all, when the condition 
 of all is understood. Hence, the aggregate result must be 
 proportionate to the aggregate of the present condition in 
 the ratio of development, as established by an immuta- 
 ble law controlling the development. When the seventh 
 seal is unloosed, a complete and perfect survey of the ag- 
 gregate condition of mind, having an influence on the 
 rudimental condition, will be open to your inspection. 
 And as all the influence of that seal comes through this 
 circle to reach the rudimental condition, so we know the 
 amount and extent of that influence, and are, therefore, 
 able to make our calculations with the exactness of 
 demonstration. Prophecy is not supernatural, but as nar 
 10 
 
218 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 tural as the calculation by numbers. It is a well ascer- 
 tained fact, that numbers are just. Justice is the principle 
 which governs all arithmetical and mathematical rules. 
 This principle can not be invalidated. It is true ; and be- 
 cause it is true, there can be no conflicting results. From 
 aggregate conditions, and the ratio of progress made by 
 those conditions, a result is always attainable for any given 
 period." 
 
 We were then made acquainted with the principle by 
 which communications from the second to the rudimental 
 sphere might be made. This principle was known in an 
 early period of the world. Prophets and sages, poets and 
 philosophers, have enjoyed, in nearly every century, the 
 advantage of inspiration, although in some ages in so 
 moderate a degree, as to be almost or quite imperceptible 
 to the subject. Inspiration is the influx of spirit impres- 
 sions. "When these impressions could not be made by 
 spirits, in consequence of the positive condition of mind, 
 manifestations have been made. Belshazzar, being posi- 
 tive, could not be impressed by spirits; and the result 
 shows that spirits made an impression of a fact on his 
 mind, by writing on a wall, through the interpretation of 
 a successful medium. Daniel could not have interpreted 
 the writing, had it not been impressed upon him. The 
 impression was so distinctly made upon his mind, that he 
 could not avoid its recital. This established the confidence 
 of the people in the truthfulness of his predictions. They 
 were truthful, not because he was more wise than many 
 others, but because he was impressed by those who were 
 of this sphere. 
 
 But when inspiration comes from any mind below the 
 sixth circle, it should be regarded with caution, so far as 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 219 
 
 the prediction of future events is concerned. I will say, 
 it should be regarded as an opinion of the mind who com- 
 municates. That opinion may be correct, or incorrect. 
 And this is the reason, why inferior circles sometimes err, 
 and results show their errors. It was not intended as a 
 deception, but as a probable fact. It was opinion only. 
 Spirits of the sixth circle predict facts, and only facts. 
 They do not always inform the lower circles, of all the 
 facts within the chain of events, but what they do predict 
 is true, and the prediction will be strictly verified. 
 
 " The circle of prophecy is a circle of purity. The re- 
 finement of mind qualifies it to see with less obscurity. 
 The wisdom of the pure will not be disappointed. As all 
 prophecy is the maturity of wisdom in degree, so all purity 
 is the result of this perfection. Mind in its development, 
 passes through successive degrees of refinement, until it is 
 qualified to understand things which, in its infancy, it 
 could not comprehend. The infancy of mind embraces 
 limited views of nature. The darkness of midnight sur- 
 rounds the circle of its knowledge. A wild and vacant 
 waste of immensity brings no light, because light is ob- 
 scured by the grossness of perception ; I wiU say, immen- 
 sity is vacant to the mind in an unrefined condition. It sur- 
 veys only a small compass of wisdom. The impurity of 
 its condition predisposes it to judge according to the mea- 1 
 sure of itself. It will not travel beyond its own circuit, 
 and is, therefore, compelled to render a decision compati- 
 ble with its survey. That survey is incomplete, even within 
 its prescribed limits, because intervening obstacles cast 
 their shadows over the vision. The polar star is distrusted, 
 the magnet is rejected, and the wild sea of wrong rages. 
 All is dark, dreary night; all is wretched, hopeless con- 
 
220 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 fusion. Terror, wild and dismal, reigns in the empire of 
 their minds. Nature seems a charnel house of corruption, 
 and the ruler a tyrant without mercy. 
 
 " Pilgrims : the cause is apparent to you, but not to 
 them. Viewing the economy of nature through their dis- 
 torted vision, with their deceptive suspicions to mislead, 
 their ignorance to govern, and their impurities to resist 
 advancement, it does not surprise you to find them actually 
 forming gods after their own likeness, and distributing jus- 
 tice according to their own measure. They can only com- 
 prehend their own measure; they can only weigh with 
 then: own weights; and, hence, what they measure and 
 what they weigh, must not, and will not, exceed the stand- 
 ard which they have established. All other conditions 
 must yield to their views of right and wrong. The pure 
 and the impure are one or the other, as their wisdom pre- 
 scribes, and prescribes by such rules as their wrongs have 
 determined. 
 
 " Pilgrims : nature has her laws. When those laws are 
 obeyed, the impure will become pure. This is nature; 
 shun evil, and do good. This is law, and this is religion. 
 This is right, and this right is pure in the wisdom of this 
 circle. You will, also, understand, that to the impure all 
 things are impure, which disagree with their rules. Their 
 rules are not your rules. They would control nature ; you 
 would be controlled by nature. They would make war 
 upon the laws of God ; you would acquiesce in their right- 
 eousness. They would control all things ; you would be 
 submissive to nature's decrees. They would circumscribe 
 the teachings of nature; you would listen to her voice. 
 They would judge you; but you would not judge them. 
 They would aspire to your joy ; but they have not the 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 221 
 
 wisdom to reform that they might attain it. They would 
 dispute the truth, because they have not the understand- 
 ing to comprehend it They would reform from their 
 errors, but their rules are bars against reform. They 
 would have peace, but they mock the voice that utters it. 
 They would be happy, but happiness is misunderstood 
 through want of experience. They would be pure, but 
 purity is meaningless in the mouth of folly. They would* 
 wrong no one, but wrong is right to them. Such are 
 the conditions of the impure and pure. The wisdom 
 of this circle will acknowledge no law but love, no religion 
 but goodness, no worship but worth, no ruler but God. 
 His praise will be in your song ; his wisdom in your devo- 
 tions ; his truth in your minds ; and his reward in your 
 works. The union of your hearts will be immortal. No 
 wrong can mar your felicity, no curse awe you into servi- 
 tude ; for you are free, in the dominion of the free, to act, 
 and do, and say, what the laws of your mind require to 
 make yourselves and others blest 
 
 "I will now give you an introduction to a mystery, which 
 will reveal a circle of surpassing loveliness, outvieing all 
 which you have heretofore seen. It is the last seal of cir- 
 cles in this sphere. I will ask, Will you follow me ? " 
 
 " We will all." 
 
 " Then you may rise with me to the court of Beauty .'' 
 
 The whole circle ascended, and were introduced into a 
 mansion resting on twenty -four pillars, which were polished 
 smooth as glass, and over which stood the most wonder- 
 ful mansion that my eyes had ever beheld. On entering 
 the mansion, 1 saw a white throne, and in front thereof 
 were written the words, " Purity, Perfection and Bliss." 
 Over the throne, was written, " Nature unfolded by reve- 
 
222 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 lation," Under it, the words, "Justice, Liberty, Peace." 
 On the right was a representation of a little child leading 
 a lion, and a wolf nursing a lamb. On the left was a 
 wounded serpent with a spike driven through his head, 
 and clinched in a rock. Beneath our feet were pillars of 
 wisdom, while over our heads the beauty of sweet min- 
 strels appeared, chanting, 
 
 • * Welcome, ye pilgrims, with gladness we raise 
 
 The song of the pure, in anthems of praise ; 
 For wisdom, whose might sustains us in love, 
 Calls you, with nature, to join us above." 
 
 The minstrels were near a white cloud, and their coun- 
 tenances were expressive of great delight, in the melody 
 of their welcome song. When they had concluded, a 
 great multitude, which no mind could number, were intro- 
 duced. The first mind that addressed us, said: "The 
 pillars, on which this mansion rests, are not dispropor- 
 tioned, but harmonious and beautiful. There are four and 
 twenty. They are Justice, Honor, Integrity, Fortitude, 
 Generosity, Mercy, Forbearance, Humility, Gratitude, 
 Love, Peace, Order, Harmony, Wisdom, Progress, Truth, 
 Power, Industry, Forgiveness, Holiness, Sobriety, Sincerity, 
 Candor, and Veneration. In these virtues you have no 
 need that I instruct you. They have elevated you, and 
 will sustain you, while I unloose the seventh seal of wis- 
 dom, and unfold the beauty contained in this mansion. 
 
 " The white throne is not stained with blood. ISTo 
 monarch sits thereon, to rule with steel, the residents of 
 this mansion. No tyrant sways the scepter of rule over 
 us; for Justice will not suffer, though thrones be vacant, 
 and rulers become equals. The white throne has not been 
 soiled by the usurper, nor tarnished by cruelty. It is a 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 223 
 
 throne — a throne of power. It is power in purity, be- 
 cause love in perfection blesses every rnind in need. It is 
 white as snow, and the wrong of injustice makes no ad- 
 vance toward it. It is a throne unseen by ignorance, dis- 
 dained by weakness, and cherished and respected only by 
 the pure in heart. It is a throne of good, and an emblem 
 of the righteous decisions of wise minds. 
 
 " Your own minds are white thrones. As you are now 
 pure, you can judge. But no mind will judge you. All 
 judgment is with you. Each mind will judge itself, and 
 not another. The judgment will be pure, because purity 
 resides in you. The judgment will be right, because it is 
 the judgment of self. You will decide upon your own 
 works. No other mind will assume to judge for you. 
 This is your work, and what is your work does not belong 
 to another. Judge no mind but self. The throne is 
 within you. On that white throne determine your 
 works. It is your inalienable prerogative. It belongs to 
 Ho one else. 
 
 " Before the white throne, are Purity, Perfection, and 
 Bliss. They are before your minds. In search of these 
 things, consider that nature is pure, and the perfection and 
 bliss, after w T hich you are seeking, may be found in the 
 adaptation of things to other things. This is the law of 
 mind. It will not attain perfection and bliss, without ob- 
 serving this law. All things must harmonize to insure 
 peace. The ignorant are unhappy, because they do not 
 adapt their conditions and themselves to each other. The 
 surrounding circumstances control them against their 
 happiness. They allow others, and even elect others, to 
 judge th^ra, and ignorantly acquiesce in their decision, 
 however unwise and unnatural may be their judgment. 
 
224 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 Those whom they elect to decide the right and wrong for 
 them, are often wholly ignorant of the conditions upon 
 which nature suspends the harmony of cause and effect. 
 They are incompetent to render a righteous judgment, 
 because they do not understand what is right. Erring, 
 in regard to what is right, they enter a judgment in error. 
 The error falls upon those whom they judge. The whole 
 is wrong. No mind can surrender the judgment of itself 
 into the hands of another, without jeopardizing its own 
 happiness. It is this mistaken policy which has robbed 
 humanity of its birth-right. It has assented to a common 
 error, that no mind is capable of determining its own good, 
 without injustice to others: or, if capable, it would be 
 dangerous to the welfare of the majority to allow mind a 
 decision in that which personally concerned itself without 
 the concurrence of others. 
 
 " The perfection of this circle will harmonize with bliss, 
 The bliss of "one is the bliss of all. The purity of one is 
 the purity of all. The agreement of this circle is the wis- 
 dom of all. Each mind will be its own judge, and perform 
 its own work. Each mind will aid each. That which is 
 natural do ; and that which is unnatural you will not do. 
 You can not do wrong, because you perceive that all wrong 
 is a contradiction of nature, and injurious to the doer. 
 You can not do wrong, because you are incapacitated to 
 wrong yourselves. You can not do wrong, because wrong 
 is contrary to your judgment. You will do right, because 
 right injures no one. It is the judgment of ignorance 
 which injures another. It is the judgment of weakness 
 which inflicts wrong for wrong, and renders evil for evil. 
 ISTone but oppressors will be cruel, vindictive, or unjust 
 Oppression is the power of folly. It is the work of 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 225 
 
 tyrants. It is the wrong of ignorance. Governments are 
 impure. They compel the ignorant to do wrong. They 
 violate the laws of nature. They impose burdens on the 
 poor, and grant favors to the rich. They levy contribu- 
 tions on property to give honor to the indolent. They 
 make laws for the people to restrain the enjoyment of mind ; 
 and they punish crimes, which their laws have made, with- 
 out mercy. They refuse instruction from heaven, because 
 heaven is not a monopoly adapted to their selfish wisdom. 
 
 " They bow before a throne — a throne black as mid- 
 night. They bow in darkness, and receive the lash of 
 oppression. They bow in smiles, and rise in tears. There 
 is a tyrant on the throne. He judges evil good, and good 
 evil. Be is judge; and he judges after his own heart. 
 Alas ! the throne is impure. The pool of wisdom has not 
 been polluted with his infirmities. Nature will wash away 
 the wrongs of ignorance. Experience will remove the 
 cruelty of darkness. Progress will unveil the miseries of 
 deception. Favoritism will not rob pauperism. Folly will 
 not eclipse wisdom. Fear will not paralyze industry, and 
 wrong will not rule over right. Then, purity will not 
 center in profession without goodness, nor perfection be a 
 dead language in the throne of judgment. 
 
 " Pilgrims: all bliss is the exercise of goodness. Love 
 is the divinity of the universe. Hate is the hell of fools. 
 Affection is the element of heaven. Sympathy is the law 
 of nature. Ignorance is the mother of crime. Crime is 
 the father of misery. Misery is hell — bliss is heaven. 
 Show yourselves pure, and heaven is within you. Show 
 yourselves good, and bliss will not forsake you. Show 
 yourselves wise, and purity will develop itself; and, when 
 purity develops itself, no evil can befall you. The right- 
 10* 
 
226 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 eons shall fear no evil. The pure shall see good. The 
 bliss of wisdom shall grow brighter and brighter, forever. 
 
 "Pilgrims: you will be required to develop great mys- 
 teries to the rudimental world. ^Nature must be unfolded 
 to the ignorant. The undeveloped mind must be expanded. 
 The angry waters of contention must be stilled. The wild 
 sea of disturbance must be calmed. The midnight of de- 
 ception must pass away. The clear sunlight of nature 
 must open the treasures of your path. You will transmit 
 the realities of this sphere to earth's inhabitants. The 
 mighty must overcome the weakness of infancy. The 
 strong must raise up the sorrowing, the despondent, and 
 the wretched. The wise must instruct the unwise; and 
 upon you will devolve the work of correcting the wrongs 
 and errors of humanity. The former days will return, 
 when, through your instrumentality, the wilderness of un- 
 cultivated mind shall arise in the strength of wisdom, and 
 nature smile with the song of redemption. You must go 
 to the boasted land of the free, and publish the tidings 
 of immortality. You will not sound an alarm of danger, 
 but you will write the law of love in the hearts of the 
 children of men. You will inspire minds with hope, and 
 expel the darkness of the grave. You will turn many from 
 paths of folly, and put the wisdom of nature in their souls. 
 You will reform many, and the many will reform more, 
 until the nations of the earth shall seek peace, and bliss 
 find a residen e in the temple of God. You will meet no 
 opposition you will not overcome, nor will you tire in your 
 labor, until the poor shall be made rich, and the wants 
 of humanity shall become satisfied with the luxury of true 
 blessedness. 
 
 "There is a light which you will emit in your pathway, 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 227 
 
 that will cause pure minds to rejoice, and the impure to 
 tremble with fear. Preparatory to the dawning of that 
 day upon the world below, it will be your work to get 
 your means in readiness, so as to effectually accomplish the 
 pleasure of God, in the removal of wrong. You will need 
 wisdom, adapted to the conditions of those whom you will 
 instruct, and adequate to the great ends of human develop- 
 ment. You will have means. The means which nature 
 affords are equal to every want. There never can be a 
 famine, when every want is supplied. The white throne 
 of judgment will admit no error. It is the throne of God, 
 of nature, and of your own hearts. It is within, around, 
 above, and below you. From this throne you will dis- 
 pense justice to the needy, liberty to the captive, and peace 
 to the world. You will go where need calls you, and 
 where you can do good. You will not waste your strength 
 in vain. You will operate with great power, when cir- 
 cumstances make it expedient. You will show signs of 
 your presence, and the wisdom of the world will be hum- 
 bled. Philosophers will be confounded, and ignorance 
 will mock, but can not resist. You will teach the little child 
 how to control the lion that growls at the disclosure. You 
 will lead the strong man by an influence which he will 
 not acknowledge. He will not yield until the child com- 
 mands. The w r orld of mind will not yield to the voice of 
 nature, until nature reveals her philosophy. That world 
 of mind is in its boasted strength a lion, but the little 
 child, the weak things, as they will call your manifesta- 
 tions, will control the lion. Nature will arm the weak 
 with wisdom, to control a great multitude. They will be 
 strong, and the lion will feel his weakness. He will roar 
 no more when the child touches his heart. He will not 
 
228 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 harm, nor be harmed, when no want induces him to seek 
 for blood. The day will come, when the wants of the 
 lion will be satisfied without wrong. The day will come, 
 when the w T ants of mind will be satisfied with good things. 
 The day will come, w T hen you will converse with the rudi- 
 mental world, as you do with each other. The day will 
 come, when the wisdom of the two spheres will meet. In 
 that day you will rejoice, because great good will be done. 
 In that day, the invisible things of God will be clearly 
 seen, being manifest by the things which are made. They 
 will be manifest through you, and minds will be inspired 
 to write the things which they have seen. The works of 
 nature will not retrograde; the progress of truth will on- 
 ward move, till one family, and no more, shall inhabit the 
 earth. That family shall be one, and all nations shall unite 
 in it. The common ties of sympathy and justice shall be 
 felt, and neglect shall be no more known, for all mind will 
 be inspired with your love and peace. 
 
 " The representation of a serpent fastened in the rock, 
 will show you, that the subtlety and low sensuality of 
 mind will be powerless against your efforts. The serpent 
 will not injure you, nor retard by his energy the work 
 committed to your hands. Indeed, you know that none 
 but such as hug the earth, as this serpent represents, can 
 oppose the wisdom you will disclose. They only who 
 covet, like creeping things, the earth, and who drag their 
 bodies in a serpentine course along the road of human life, 
 will not look up to heaven for support and wisdom ; but 
 you will not be overcome by their will ; for their ignorance 
 is not unconquerable. You will receive, in due time, all 
 the instructions which will be necessary, and enter upon 
 your mission with alacrity. But you may ask, what may 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 229 
 
 we do to get things in readiness? You will now be in- 
 structed by another mind." 
 
 When he had concluded, another mind said : 
 " Pilgrims : the means requisite to success, in your mis- 
 sion to the rudimental sphere, are few and simple. You 
 will need wisdom and prudence. You will require patience 
 and perseverance. With these qualities, you will prosper 
 in the work allotted you. In the first place, you will be 
 wise to select such mediums as will do good, and not con- 
 ceal the facts which shall be made manifest You will 
 select such as will be faithful in the work of revealing the 
 truth. You will select such as you can find who will not 
 turn aside from the manifestations you will make, because 
 popular scorn shall be hissed at the philosophy you may 
 teach. You will select such as will not crawl serpent-like 
 to gratify the low aspirations of a defunct religion, or a 
 brutal, deceptive, sensuality, which will envy what it has 
 not the industry or ambition to investigate, and reduce to 
 practice. Take such as you can find, who will not bow 
 to the dust, because weakness is not able to stand erect, 
 and face the evils of misguided mind. Take such as will 
 not disown heaven to gratify lust and earth. Take such 
 as will not wrong your message by concealing it under a 
 bushel. Take such as will do the work of revealment. 
 
 " The mission will be commenced in about twenty-five 
 years. It will be opposed with great violence by religion- 
 ists. The superstitious will charge your w r ork to evil 
 spirits, and the skeptical will not. The condition of mind in 
 the rudimental world, will require a great many manifesta- 
 tions to improve it. There will arise minds who will not 
 believe the evidence of their own senses. They will be 
 moved, and see things moved ; and, when they see and 
 
230 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 know the facts, they will seek to find some cause other than 
 spirits, which they will imagine have produced it. They 
 will be moved, and say that they moved themselves. They 
 will be instructed, and say that instruction is of them- 
 selves. They will contrive every possible means to gainsay 
 the facts. They will attribute the manifestations to a 
 cause, which is not, and never can be, the real one. They 
 will say, mind is conscious and unconscious. They will 
 contradict themselves. No mind can be conscious and 
 unconscious. No mind can be moved, and move itself. 
 No mind can do what you will do, and not be conscious 
 that it did it. You will write what will be known and 
 unknown to others. They will say, they thought it, be- 
 cause you impressed the thought. They will say, they 
 moved themselves, because you moved them. They will 
 write what you impress, and as you move them; but they 
 will say, it was their impressions and not yours. They will 
 write what is not impressed or known to them, and they 
 will impute the writing to others in the body. They will 
 write without impressions, and they will say, it is elec- 
 tricity. They will turn all evidence into imagination, and 
 then demand greater evidence from you. 
 
 " Such will be the condition of mind. Others will re- 
 ceive the evidence and progress in wisdom. You will give to 
 every mind all within your power ; but you will bear this 
 message to mind : That what may gratify idle curiosity, is 
 the work of idlers ; but what is necessary to develop mind, is 
 a candid investigation of the laws by which it is governed. 
 The wise will reform, but the unwise will cavil, because they 
 can not control you. You will write what will do good, 
 and when your message shall be discarded, or your mission 
 disputed, you will go to such as will hear you, and be 
 benefited by your efforts to do good. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 231 
 
 " I shall now instruct you in regard to the serpent. I 
 shall give you, spike and a sledge. You will drive the 
 spike through the head of the serpent, and clinch it in a 
 rock. The serpent is the adversary of reform. It is the 
 deceiver of mind. Its path is secluded and vile. It 
 loathes progress. It wishes the old den for its habitation. 
 It lurks among rocks, and secludes itself in crevices. It 
 wants nothing new, and bites to destroy. The spike is 
 truth. Take it ; use it ; for that which is evil, it is good 
 to control. The evil is in mind. The serpent lives only 
 where evil reigns. Where evil reigns fix your weapon. 
 The evil is opposition to holiness ; it is opposition to good ; 
 and when you fix your weapon of truth in the head of 
 error and wrong, let the mighty power of wisdom drive 
 the spike through the head of the serpent, that it may 
 die a death without mourning. 
 
 " The serpent is an emblem of earthly folly. It is de- 
 ceptive and vile. It shuns the path of the wise and good. 
 It crawls noiselessly into the mind. It bites the good of 
 the soul. It induces despair and shame. It wins minds 
 from rectitude and confidence. It is not mind, but the 
 deceiver of mind. Its deceptions are practiced, where its 
 influence prevails. Its influence prevails where evils exist. 
 It is evil. It is nothing but evil. You will wrong no one 
 by destroying it. To destroy evil, you will use the wis- 
 dom of this circle. You will overcome the evils of igno- 
 rance. But ignorance will war against the truth. All the 
 machinery of war will be brought against it. The work 
 will commence in a day of darkness, and the morning light 
 will dissipate the gloom of doubt. The sadness of despair 
 will vanish before the joy of eternal wisdom. 
 
 " The rudimental world is afflicted with great evils. 
 
232 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 These evils are in all the conditions of human society. 
 They enter into the composition of all human govern- 
 ments, the religious institutions, all classes of mind; and 
 science and philosophy, as understood, have not the power 
 to correct them. Science and philosophy are corrupted 
 with the errors and wrongs of ignorance. The wisdom 
 of this circle must displace those wrongs. It must eradi- 
 cate the woes, and harmonize the antagonisms of mind. 
 The old forms of government must give place to new. 
 The new must give order and beauty, purity and justice 
 to universal mind. It must correct the unhealthy current 
 of wrong. It must vitalize the soul of humanity with 
 good. It must remove the poison of the serpent from the 
 hearts of men. It must satisfy the wants of nature with 
 nature's blessings. It must overcome the wrongs of society 
 with the rights of mankind. These rights must be as- 
 serted and proclaimed, until they shall be understood and 
 appreciated, obeyed and adopted, as the rule of happiness. 
 " Then, the dishonesty of mind will not hypocritically 
 reverence what it practically denies. Then, the votaries 
 of creeds will not blush to be the friends of truth, nor covet 
 the w rongs of oppression to correct the natural convictions 
 of free inquiry. You will work a reform of long-standing 
 abuses. The stipendiaries of religious munificence will not 
 oppose the voice which gives freedom, and the old theories 
 of exclusive prerogatives, which subvert the equitable rights 
 of universal humanity, will be venerated no more. There 
 must be a great change in the social condition to remove 
 the social evils of mind. You will remove the barriers of 
 progress, by removing the fears which repel investigation. 
 The wrong of fear must be overcome. The slave of tyran- 
 nical rule must be set free from his chains. The mind 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 233 
 
 must be taught to respect its own lights, and disown the 
 usurper's pretensions. It must be taught that wisdom is 
 not tyranny, and that nature will not justify submission. 
 It must be taught the nature of its own powers, and be 
 inspired to respect its own competency to rule itself, with- 
 out the interposition of arbitrary force.'' 
 
 Such is a brief synopsis of the instruction, appertaining 
 to our ingress into the seventh circle. I shall, hereafter, 
 allude to some other things, which I do not, at present 
 see fit to disclose. When the lectures were concluded, I 
 was impressed with the importance of commencing the 
 work of reform among the circles of earth. It was not 
 my project exclusively, but the whole circle. "We sought 
 to make manifestations in various places. I accompanied 
 a great number of minds to different localities, but saw the 
 force of opposition, and the predisposition of the minds 
 in the rudimental sphere, to be so tenaciously inclined to 
 superstition and veneration of ancient theologies, that we 
 determined, in the first place, to overcome the impediments 
 in our path, by removing the superstition and relaxing the 
 confidence of mind in the multiplicity of opinions and 
 dogmas, which were being promulgated. Accordingly, 
 we sought to prepare minds for the influx of communica- 
 tions by special impressions of facts upon them. The im- 
 pressions have been verified, and the verification has in- 
 duced wonder on the part of the impressed. In many 
 instances, future events have been so impressed by spirits 
 on the minds of susceptible persons, as to leave no doubt of 
 the reality. These impressions obtained the name of pre- 
 sentiments. They were presentiments, and the presenti- 
 ments of those who dwelt in the second sphere. Impres- 
 sions of facts have been regarded also, as fore-warnings; 
 
234 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 and, in some instances, they were, but not always. The 
 mind has conjectured many things as the cause, without 
 suspecting the true one. It has felt afraid of acknowledg- 
 ing, that some guardian spirit has produced these impres- 
 sions, as though it would be a dishonor to them, or that 
 the thought would be impious and ridiculous. Under 
 these circumstances, we gradually affected mind, until it 
 was clearly seen, that public opinion would not justify 
 martyrdom ; when the work of reforming minds from the 
 abuses to which they had long been exposed, was, com- 
 menced with a view to relieve it. That work is now in 
 progress. It is begun. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 235' 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 MISSION TO THE RUDIMENTAL SPHERE. 
 
 Franklin, Swedenborg, Paine, and his companions visit a place near the 
 castle — Old things become new — Process of change — Identity pre- 
 served — Self is a part of the body — All sympathize together in good 
 and ill — Governments defective — Opposition to capital punishment — 
 Origin of evil — How overcome — Success of the mission — Means must 
 be adapted to conditions — Contradictory communications develop the 
 condition of minds in the second sphere — Conflicting revealments har- 
 monious with different degrees of wisdom — Writing mediums— Societies 
 and forms of worship — Adaptation is harmony —Harmony should not 
 be disturbed —The mission of spirits will be to regulate minds — Minds 
 will change forms — Retire to a mansion — Onward is a passport — Dull- 
 ness reproved — Dedication of the Pilgrimage. 
 
 When the instructions were given, I said to my compan- 
 ion, " You will now request William to make a journey 
 with us.'' 
 
 " Shall we not be aided with others ?" said she. 
 
 " Others will come with us," I replied. 
 
 Presently Benjamin Franklin and Emanuel Swedenborg, 
 as they were called in the rudimental sphere, went with 
 us to a place near the old castle, but which was more ele- 
 vated in wisdom, and less incredulous of progress. On 
 approaching it, William said : " Thou seest nothing new 
 in this place." 
 
 T. I see new things have become old. 
 
236 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 W. Thou wilt see old things become new. Behold, 
 we make all things new. 
 
 T. Thou canst not make a new creation. 
 
 W. We can create new things out of old. 
 
 T. We can change old things into new. 
 
 W. Thou wilt change nothing new into old. 
 
 The mind of one with whom I had formed an acquaint- 
 ance in the body, responded: " How will you change old 
 things into new ?" 
 
 W. Thou seest a change in nature. Thou seest not 
 the change which nature produces, until it is produced. 
 The wisdom of God in nature works great changes. The 
 blossom is not as the fruit, nor the seed as the blossom. The 
 voice which nature utters, is a voice thou wilt not deny. 
 It is the voice of God to thee. Dost thou hear it, and 
 dost thou feel it ? The young ravens cry, and their cry 
 is heard. The wail of want finds a response in the sup- 
 ply which sympathy affords. That sympathy is natural; 
 and, in its exercise, the unfledged wing becomes invigora- 
 ted, and change gives support to the dependent. So, in 
 thy weakness, thou hast received aid from sympathy, until 
 change gave thee strength to aid others. Sympathy is 
 the divinity of nature. It controls even animals. It will 
 control enemies. It is a divinity that no enemy can resist. 
 It will conquer. It will change the old into new. The 
 barren field will become the fruitful vineyard. The dormant 
 energies will be quickened. The inactive powers will be- 
 come active, and change will make all things new. 
 
 M. If all things become changed by progress, will not 
 all things lose their original identity ? 
 
 W. The change is not external, but is internal. The 
 change is pure. The grossness of impurity, being removed, 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 237 
 
 allows a work of refinement to take place, so that the 
 divinity of sympathy may be exercised without obstruc- 
 tion. In its progress, the refinement will expand the 
 charity of the soul, and divest it of all wrong. When it is 
 divested of all wrong, it will feel inspired with benevolence. 
 This benevolence will become extended, until all nature 
 smiles with the love of God, and all minds are linked to- 
 gether forming a chain of affinity co-extensive with the 
 whole world, in heaven and on earth, and united by an im- 
 mortal tie which no change will dissolve, but strengthen, 
 forever and ever. 
 
 On arriving at the designated place, there were many 
 minds conversing about the motives of works. One said, 
 that no motive could be pure, unless a mind realized some 
 good to itself; another said, all good of self should be 
 overlooked ; and a third said, no mind could overlook the 
 good of itself. We heard the conversation, when Wil- 
 liam asked, "How can self be overlooked, when self is a 
 part of the body, of which all are members ? " 
 
 " Ought not selfishness to be overcome, so that others' 
 good may be advanced ? " said a mind. 
 
 W. Thou wilt understand, that no mind can be dis- 
 interested in its welfare, however much it may desire to 
 overcome the nature which is selfish, and consults selfish 
 good. The good of self is well, and what is well should 
 not be overcome. It is necessary to the good of all. Self 
 is a part of all. If a part be not well, the whole can not 
 be, as the whole is made up of parts. When one part is 
 neglected, the other parts will suffer. Thy mind is a part 
 of the great body of mind. It is dependent on the body, 
 and the body is dependent on it These parts embrace 
 fhe whole family of mankind. There can be no joy 
 
238 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 without all tlie parts participate in it, neither can there 
 be sorrow, without all sympathize in it. Thou wilt see 
 that minds are united by the law of sympathy in one 
 body. The sympathy is natural, and when one part mo- 
 nopolizes the control of the other to its disadvantage, it 
 must sympathetically suffer for its folly. It will not be 
 happy in any disturbance of the rest. 
 
 M. Then, are not minds disturbing their own happi- 
 ness, when they neglect those with whom they are united ? 
 
 W. Thou wilt see that governments and societies, in 
 the rudimental world, deny the law of God, which should 
 govern all his works. They unite in compacts for the 
 purpose of promoting the public good; but the com- 
 pacts do not seem to understand that sympathy is not a 
 law which grants favors to one and withholds them from 
 another. In all human governments, you will find that 
 the few who control, make slaves of the many who are 
 controlled. The ruler should fare as the ruled, and know 
 that injuries inflicted upon the latter, will result in his 
 injury. There should be no favoritism of one part over 
 another. Governments study to govern ; and, in order to 
 govern, coercive measures are adopted. The governed 
 must submit, and pay the expense of their own folly. 
 They must not disobey their rulers, because their rulers 
 will enforce either the law or their own authority, to induce 
 submission. No matter what the cost may be ; it must be 
 borne by the ruled. When the ruled consent to be ruled, 
 they should not refuse the cost ; but when rulers ask submis- 
 sion to rules which are obnoxious to the good of one part for 
 the support of another part, they are wanting in wisdom, 
 and their demands will be rejected, when the ruled under- 
 stand their own wants, and the means which are essential 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 239 
 
 to their gratification. The wisdom of the ruler consults 
 his own supposed good. He wants what will make him 
 respected and happy. But, being aided only by a narrow 
 and limited wisdom, he sees not the wisdom of nature's 
 laws. He sees not the dependence of one part upon the 
 other; and, consequently, he rules in wisdom of self, or in 
 the wisdom of ignorance of the relation on which enjoy- 
 ment depends. Now, he should love self, and he should 
 neglect no means which are necessary to produce his own 
 happiness ; but, when he rules over others, he should un- 
 derstand that, if he injure them, he injures himself; or, if 
 he benefit them, he does good to himself. An injury 
 done to one person by a ruler, is an injury to all. Hence, 
 no- government is as pure as it should be, which wrongs 
 one to govern the many. I have seen men, educated in 
 crime by law ordained, condemned and wronged by law. 
 I have seen a mind who had been taught the law of 
 death for death, wronged by the instruction. It was a 
 mind who once resided in Philadelphia. I knew the mind 
 when he was in his childhood. I have often wondered, 
 that my adopted commonwealth should have engrafted 
 upon their criminal code, so barbarous and cruel a law as 
 the death penalty. I saw that young man in his child- 
 hood taught the doctrine of revenge. I heard his pa- 
 rents justify death for death, and express even gratification, 
 when some poor criminal had expiated the death penalty. 
 The child imbibed the horrid teaching. The parents 
 verily believed the lesson salutary upon their son. But the 
 son felt the malice, the wrong, the wrangling in his mind, 
 struggling against sympathy, until sympathy yielded to 
 the wrong. I saw him again. The gallows was his death 
 bed. The parents had taken the farewell interview. The 
 
240 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 executioner inquired of the criminal, if he wished to say 
 any thing to the spectators. The young man made a brief 
 speech. He said : " The sentence of the law is about to 
 be executed upon me. I have sinned against God, but I 
 hope for mercy in Christ. I have no ill will to any one. 
 I acknowledge that my sentence is just. I hope this may 
 be a warning to all, not to do as I have done. May God 
 have mercy on my soul." He was killed. The people 
 said, " It was just." But when the mind reached this 
 sphere, it was corrected. It was disabused of its malignity. 
 It was educated in the knowledge of nature. It was dis- 
 robed of its cruel garments. It was taught the divinity 
 of natural justice. It was inspired with the sympathy of 
 united brotherhood, and wretchedness departed. 
 
 The wrong instruction had made his sympathetic mind 
 callous to benevolence. He was chilled with the malignity 
 of cruel instruction. The noble aspirations of his soul were 
 blighted with notions, which made him unfeeling and 
 brutal, and which prepared him for the worst crime of 
 which society makes a record. The wrong which he com- 
 mitted was the work of ignorance. It was ignorance on 
 the part of the parents, which led them to inculcate the 
 cruel sentiment of death for death. It was ignorance on 
 the part of legislators, which induced them to make laws 
 that sought the correction of one wrong by requiring ano- 
 ther to be done. It was ignorance on the part of the 
 instructed in the wrong, w^hich led him to deny the right 
 of life to one to whom nature had given birth. Ignorance 
 taught wrong, legislated wrong, and made one wrong to 
 justify another wrong. It made both, but not directly. It 
 will not be otherwise, until ignorance is removed from 
 power* 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 241 
 
 The are some countries in which you will not find a gal- 
 lows. There are some minds in which you will not find 
 a sentiment favorable to cruelty. Such minds can not be 
 cruel while those sentiments remain ; and, when a mind 
 can not be cruel, cruelty can not be done by it. Hence, 
 thou seest that what is the misfortune of one, is often the 
 fault of many. Governments are what the governed make 
 them. No human government can exist without the con- 
 sent of the governed, or a majority thereof. It is the igno- 
 rance of mind, that submits to wrong, and wrong is the 
 father of misery. It is the father of crime. Make wrong- 
 laws, and inculcate them among minds; let them take 
 possession of the hearts of the people; and wrongs will 
 germinate abundantly. The cruel creeds of minds, over- 
 shadowed with ignorance, have made cruel souls, and cruel 
 souls have made cruel laws to correct the cruelty. This 
 is the origin of evil. Go where ignorance of nature reigns, 
 where the sympathies of a common brotherhood are not 
 felt, nor encouraged by the voice of philosophy and 
 reason, and there thou mayest find crime multiplied with 
 itself. I have heard the mother teach the cruel lesson to 
 her dear children. I have seen the child writhe over the 
 recital. I have watched the progress of medicine forced 
 into the heart of sympathy. I have seen its awful workings 
 at the seat of virtue. I have seen its operations on the 
 social affections. I have watched its icy chains, as they 
 wound their cold links of cruelty around the expanding 
 charities of the soul, and saw the death of progress, in the 
 divinity of heaven. I saw the death w^ound where the 
 cruel wrong remained. It remained through long years 
 to tantalize its victim, and mock the aspirations of the soul. 
 It wearied the mind with its wrong, never aiding it in the 
 11 
 
242 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 path of right, but often in the way of evil. It was cruel ; 
 and its cruelty is a shame on decency. It is a shame on 
 humanity. It is a libel on nature, and a disgrace to civil- 
 ization. The brute will not often wrong a brute where no 
 good is attainable, and yet human folly and ignorance 
 have smiled at the sacrifice. 
 
 Under this system of education in cruel principles, gov- 
 ernments have arisen and fell. The wrong has worn out 
 the structure. The governed have governed themselves 
 with their own wisdom. No wisdom higher than brutes 
 enjoy, enters into the cruelty of many creeds and laws. 
 What voice reaches the ear of the poor ? What echo re- 
 sponds to the call of sympathy ? Where are the luxuries 
 of life garnered ? Where the aid which a common sym- 
 pathy requires? Alas! Where the equalities of nature's 
 laws respected ? Not where indolence and wrong reside. 
 The people submit; they acquiesce in their unrighteous- 
 ness. They teach the unrighteousness from father to son, 
 and receive the inheritance of their folly. 
 
 Hast thou not seen the injustice of minds? Hast thou 
 not seen the cause of the world's misfortunes ? All are 
 in darkness. AH are in the wrong. There is no remedy but 
 reform, and there can be no reform without more wisdom. 
 The ignorant of nature's laws should be instructed. They 
 should be taught that mind needs no cruelty to make it 
 benevolent, no vindictive usage to make it virtuous and 
 obedient. They should be taught the value of their im- 
 mortal minds, the value of nature, the value of good, and 
 the importance of harmony in the adaptation of one thing 
 to another. They should aid each other. They should 
 neglect none. They should teach the virtues of economy 
 and industry, and the great secret of human enjoyment, 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 243 
 
 which is obedience to nature, and conformity to the im- 
 partial justice and equity of her counsels. The wrongs 
 of minds repel the counsel of the elevated in this sphere. 
 Thou seest that while minds are obscured with darkness of 
 wrong and crime, they will not give heed to the voice of 
 righteousness. They will not listen to the truths of expe- 
 rience, nor be improved with our efforts. They are sen- 
 sual in their affections, cold in their sympathies, selfish 
 without much wisdom in their schemes, malignant and 
 treacherous in their doings, conceited and vain in their 
 works, arrogant and boastful in their professions, hypocrit- 
 ical and deceptive in their worship, fraudulent and unjust 
 in their dealings, weak and miserable in their follies, and 
 negligent and wretched in their devotions. 
 
 Thou hast seen the fond mother withhold the work of 
 culture, because she was afraid of the instruction. She 
 was wishing the child good, but was afraid of the truth 
 that was important to the child's welfare. She was dis- 
 qualified to aid the child. The child was sympathetic, 
 but the instruction she gave, was full of cruelty. The hor- 
 rors of malignity were impressed upon the mind, and cor- 
 roded the generous emotions of benevolence and affection. 
 The voice of nature became stifled ; the warm impulse of 
 kindness met no response in the cold wrongs rehearsed and 
 predicted ; and the soft yearnings of love were repulsed ! 
 with the cruel anticipations of evil. The windows of hope 
 were closed, and angry clouds of despair were thrown 
 around the, mind. God and nature were in seeming con- 
 flict. I have seen minds tortured with painful descriptions 
 of evil, until the evil became a fixed principle within them ; 
 and, when the evil became fixed in their minds, evil only 
 would gratify it. Hence, nature, being overcome by 
 
244 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 wrong education, has not the power to satisfy what it did 
 not create. It will not satisfy wrong ; and, as wrongs are 
 instilled into minds by those who are in the wrongs them- 
 selves, so the wrongs make minds wrangle with the voice 
 of nature and the good of the soul. There can not be a 
 remedy in nature, which will satisfy the wrongs of igno- 
 rance. Thus, a mind, educated in the wrong of cruelty, 
 will find no response in nature. Thus, a mind educated 
 in the errors of pagan theology, in the wrong of infinite 
 cruelty in God, in the wrong of eternally increasing wretch- 
 edness of the miserable, in the wrong of wicked spirits 
 growing worse and worse, will find no wrong in nature to 
 meet the wants of such wrongs. I have seen wrong ; but 
 I have seen no wrong of greater magnitude than the wrong 
 inflicted by the inculcation of these wrongs. I have seen 
 these wrongs germinate in the mind where they were 
 sown, and produce a great harvest of wrongs. They have 
 brought forth their own fruit ; they have not brought forth 
 love, sympathy, kindness, and mercy. The seed of cruelty, 
 no matter with what care it may be cultivated, or sown, 
 never will produce the fruit of righteousness. I have seen 
 these wrongs inculcated by law, by creeds, by sects, by 
 nations; but I have never known them to do good. I 
 have never known a good doctrine to produce evil fruit, 
 nor evil seed to produce a good work. I have seen cruel 
 doctrines produce cruelty. I have seen sentiments, which 
 were offensive to sympathy, mould minds into their own 
 spirit, and prepare it to work wrongs. I have witnessed the 
 sources of evil, acting in harmony with evil ; but I have 
 never known nature to wrong itself. I have never known 
 minds, acting in harmony with nature, to become cruel, 
 vindictive, or unjust* 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 245 
 
 M. Then nature is not wrong, nor the works of nature 
 evil 
 
 W. Nature can not be wrong, for it is the harmonious 
 work of God. 
 
 M. Is not mind a harmonious work of God ? 
 
 W. Mind is a work of God. It is a good work ; but 
 mind is weak ; wisdom is strength ; and, therefore, mind 
 needs wisdom, without which it can not avoid the inhar- 
 monies of conflicting conditions. In its weakness, it may 
 contradict the means which are essential to its development. 
 The weakness of the mind, may receive false doctrines — 
 doctrines disagreeing with its nature, and destructive of its 
 enjoyment. The mind is good, but is abused with the 
 errors and wrongs of ignorance. It is often abused by its 
 own weakness. The mind is abused by wrongs of others. 
 When minds propagate the incongenial sentiments of 
 cruelty, thereby disturbing the natural sympathy of the 
 soul, it overcomes the sympathy, and makes it wretched. 
 There can be no moral evil without a disturbance of natural 
 law, without a violation of the natural sympathy of the 
 soul. Wrongs are wrongs, because of the evil which this 
 disturbance occasions. The disturbance is occasioned by 
 ignorance, and ignorance is germinated in the mind by 
 reason of its weakness. Thus, when a mind is weak, it is 
 unprepared to resist the teachings of those on whom it feels 
 a dependence. These teachings being wrong, because in- 
 harmonious with the natural sympathy of the soul, induce 
 evil to the mind. 
 
 The origin of evil is in the weakness of mind. Strength 
 will be afforded by wisdom. Wisdom will be afforded by 
 nature; and, when her voice is heard and obeyed, the 
 antidote will make wrong right It will work out the 
 
246 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 evil with good. It will elevate and rectify the evils to 
 which mind is prone. The origin of all evil is where evil 
 is. It can not be elsewhere. It will be found where wis- 
 dom is not. It will be found where the natural sympathy 
 of the mind is robbed of encouragement. It will be found 
 where cruelty is taught ; and the voice of kindness is not 
 heard in the murderous shrieks of agony which brutal 
 violence enforces upon the ignorant and misguided crimi- 
 nal. It is not heard in the wild roar of damnation, as it 
 rings from minds, educated in the mythology of pagan 
 and taught in the place where the merciful spirit of Jesus 
 is professedly adored. Adored ! Heaven forbid. Where 
 his religion of peace is mocked with peals of cruelty, and 
 his voice of compassion is scorned to vent the outpourings 
 of judgment upon the credulous and unsuspecting. These 
 wrongs nature will not justify. They are wrongs which no 
 religion will make right, without the wisdom of heaven to 
 aid. They are wrongs which will meet with no approval 
 in this circle. They are cruelties which make minds cruel, 
 and therefore disobedient to God. They are miseries 
 which induce miseries, and cultivate evils among minds in 
 the rudimental world. They are evils which, when you 
 go on a mission to overcome them, will be sustained with 
 minds in harmony with them. Soon thou must go, and 
 when thou goest, let thy words be peace. 
 
 M. Know we not that your wisdom will be discarded ? 
 
 W. The wisdom which I would teach will be discarded 
 by those who love darkness rather than light, because their 
 deeds are evil. The pure will receive the message, because 
 they have no works of evil, which they wish to justify by 
 evil doctrines and creeds. The good will not oppose good, 
 because nature will not oppose itself. The wise will not 
 oj>pose wisdom, because wisdom can not uphold folly. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 247 
 
 M. But when you go on your mission, are there not 
 some minds, in this sphere, who will attempt to baffle your 
 efforts 3 
 
 W. There are some, yea, many minds, in this sphere, 
 who will not teach ihe philosophy of nature in its purity. 
 They will not teach any philosophy,- save that which is 
 consonant with their measure of wisdom. They will 
 teach the wisdom which is consistent with nature, accord- 
 ing to their respective understandings. 
 
 If then, one mind denies the wisdom you teach, will it 
 not create distrust among the minds in the body ? 
 
 W. It will not create wrong ; for that already exists. 
 It will not disprove the wisdom I teach, though it may 
 create distrust among minds incompetent to decide upon 
 the merits of the question. Minds in the body will be 
 prepared to discriminate between truth and error, wisdom 
 and folly, so that a contradiction of the philosophy I shall 
 teach, will leave the mind scope for a comparison of my 
 instruction with the volume of nature. When the mind, 
 instructed in my philosophy, shall find it corroborated with 
 the evidence of nature before it, no wisdom which shall 
 contradict it, will overthrow my positions. If my philoso- 
 phy contradict nature, it is well that others should con- 
 tradict my error. 
 
 M. But how are minds, who are ignorant of the rela- 
 tion of cause and effect, ignorant of nature and its laws, 
 ignorant of themselves and of God, to know which doctrine 
 is true ? 
 
 W. By experience and investigation. Minds in this 
 sphere will be instructed by our mission to the rudimental 
 world. They will unite with us in convincing minds in 
 the body of the reality of this sphere. They will co-operate 
 
248 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 with us in relieving mind from all uncertainty and doubt 
 of the immortality of the souL They will rob death of its 
 sting, and the grave of its victory. They will tell many 
 facts which earth's inhabitants do not know. They will 
 do good, and not evil; and, as they do good, so evil 
 will be overcome. They will w arn all of the condition of 
 themselves ; for whatever may be the character of com- 
 munications imparted to minds in the body, they must 
 correspond with the condition of the communicator. If 
 dissimilar sentiments shall be taught^ it will prove to the 
 minds receiving them, that dissimilar minds occupy heaven 
 as well as earth. The tree will be known by its fruit. 
 The whole sphere of wisdom will be thus developed. Thou 
 wilt see, that, if thy circle only were to communicate, a 
 great error and wrong would be impressed upon the re- 
 ceiver. He would judge thy teaching as the universal 
 sentiment of this sphere, and harbor the idea that the in- 
 dolent of earth, and the cruel among mankind, were even 
 as thou art; and, thou seest the wrong which such partial 
 unfoldings of this sphere, would induce, and the negli- 
 gence it would occasion. To develop the realities of this 
 sphere, it is necessary that each circle should develop itself. 
 I would say, that each circle, possessing the capacity to 
 communicate, should unfold its own wisdom. Thus, when 
 the elevated circles describe the lower, the communications, 
 emanating therefrom, will establish the description. 
 
 The various circles and degrees of wisdom in this sphere, 
 will find corresponding affinities in the body. Thou wilt 
 see that all circles will advance circles to their own position 
 of wisdom. Minds will correct minds, the higher control- 
 ling the lower, until the lower shall become as the higher. 
 Thou wilt not find all minds equal to thy own, but thou 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 249 
 
 wilt instruct them until they shall agree with thee in all 
 things. Minds in the body will be elevated to the seventh 
 circle in wisdom, but progress and labor must do the work. 
 
 M. Minds in the body will deny the revealments you 
 will make, because they are conflicting. 
 
 W. When minds in the body deny revealments, be- 
 cause they are conflicting, they deny the realities of this 
 sphere. When they deny the realities of this sphere, be- 
 cause all minds are not equally developed in wisdom, con- 
 sistency would allow them to deny the realities of the 
 rudimental state. Will the philosopher deny a fact, be- 
 cause the ignorant contradict it ? Will the mathematician 
 contradict a demonstration, because the blind and foolish 
 have not beheld it ? Will nature reverse her laws, because 
 ignorance has complained of their inharmony ? Will God 
 cease to be God, because weakness is incredulous of his 
 wonderful works ? Will science disown her pupils, because 
 ignorance has her votaries ? Will w T rong work righteous- 
 ness, because the deceived have not seen the evil ? Will 
 mercy work cruelty, because cruelty doubts the divinity 
 of sympathy ? 
 
 Ignorance will act consistent with its nature. The wis- 
 dom of this sphere will be unfolded, and, when it is un- 
 folded, the rudimental world will be able to judge of this 
 sphere, as it actually is, and not from mere speculations 
 of fancy, or wrong information. They will be able to 
 judge of the truth of whatever may be communicated by 
 the nature of the communication. If it disagree with nature 
 and reason, the wise will not receive it, and the folly of 
 the unwise will be corrected by their disappointment. The 
 unwise must learn wisdom to be wise, and if they will 
 
 not receive it from the wise, but follow the advice of 
 11* 
 
250 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 the unwise, disappointment will correct the folly which 
 they have received. There will arise many who will dis- 
 pute the truth. The wrong will correct itself, when wrong 
 is discovered. The discovery is sometimes brought to the 
 mind by disappointment, and sometimes by wise counsel ; 
 but when the latter fails, the former must perform its 
 office to remove the evil. 
 
 The aid and wisdom of this circle will write with me- 
 diums. When wisdom is written, it will not act adversely 
 to human good; and, when folly is written, it will be 
 detected by minds. The work of writing will require 
 great care on your part. Such is the physical and mental 
 condition of minds, that we intend to make a great change 
 in them, before we write what will be necessary. The 
 writing will not be the commencement of our work, but 
 will follow other manifestations as soon as will be expedient. 
 But we shall write what will be profitable, and what is 
 adapted to mind. The writing will be executed with 
 great rapidity, when mediums shall become wholly passive. 
 
 M. The mediums of writing will not write with spirits 
 who oppose them, I apprehend. 
 
 W. Mediums will not oppose what they know. They 
 will oppose what they do not understand, if it shall conflict 
 with their views ; and, especially, such as are conscientious 
 in their convictions of truth. They will not write without 
 much discipline, because long standing opinions will not 
 easily yield to the voice of invisible facts. The nature of 
 mind is such, that educational wrongs must be corrected 
 with progress. They will yield, when the living light of 
 this sphere shall pour its splendors on benighted humanity. 
 But no unnatural disturbance of nature will shock the 
 world. No wisdom can emanate from this circle inconsist- 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 251 
 
 ent with the laws by which we are governed. No rude 
 outbreaks of wisdom will convulse minds, developed in the 
 mysteries of nature. No minds acquainted with the wis- 
 dom of nature will oppose our philosophy. The weak 
 may oppose, but weakness can not withstand wisdom. 
 They may cavil with its teachings, but they can not over- 
 come its influence. The weak may oppose what conflicts 
 with their established sentiments, but progress will increase 
 then* strength. Some mediums will cavil with what will 
 be revealed ; but such will be the uneasiness of their con- 
 dition, that they will find it more convenient to write what 
 we wish than to oppose it. Indeed, mediums will resist 
 our control for a season, but their resistance will be so un- 
 satisfactory to themselves, that they will yield; and, when 
 they yield, they will become as others who have made no 
 effort to resist the force of our communications. 
 
 Another mind wished to know, if manifestations from 
 this sphere would not disturb the established forms of wor- 
 ship, and subvert the order of societies and churches, to 
 which William replied : " The disturbance of forms and 
 the overthrow of societies and churches, will not necessarily 
 take place, except so far as they may be incompatible with 
 the general good. It is not our object to destroy, but to 
 establish. We do not propose to lay waste, but to build 
 up. The mission is not to undo what is wise, but to cor- 
 rect what is unwise. All forms of worship which are 
 adapted to the condition of the worshiper, will remain so 
 long as the good of that mind may require ; but no form 
 will be suffered to remain which abridges the right of con- 
 science. It will be our mission to relieve mind of servitude 
 to creeds and forms, which are chains to wrong it of inde- 
 pendent thought. It will be our united wisdom to restore 
 
252 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PALWE 
 
 the rights, which sectarian policy has not guarantied to her 
 votaries. If the forms of worship suffer improvement, the 
 worshiper will not be injured. If societies and churches 
 undergo a revision, the members will not be harmed. If 
 nations shall acknowledge the rights of nations, the people 
 will not mourn. To aid minds, collectively and individ- 
 ually, to be what nature has ordained for their good, is 
 nothing less than wisdom ; and he who well intends, need 
 have no fears of our intrusion, to change conditions incon- 
 sistent with his good. 
 
 " There are no forms of worship in this sphere. Order 
 is not form, because forms are prescribed rules, requiring 
 obedience in those who are disinclined to observe them. 
 Those who are disinclined to observe any form of worship, 
 will not be compelled by our commands to do otherwise. 
 The wisdom of this circle will not exact hypocritical sub- 
 mission, nor extort a profession of veneration for customs 
 which are unsatisfactory to mind. It has been the folly 
 of the rudimental world to require professions, which were 
 burdensome to many who made them. They were incon- 
 genial with their condition, and were, therefore, reluctantly 
 and not cheerfully observed. In many societies, thou 
 mayest see a slavish acquiescence in customs and forms, 
 because the mind cringes to popular respect. It is not free 
 to do as it desires. It is restrained through fear of those 
 who would control the rights of conscience. It is com- 
 pelled to do sendee in a prescribed way, or suffer the exe- 
 cration of those who rule in the church. It wishes to 
 avoid censure, and consequently yields its natural freedom. 
 The wrong is grievous to the slave. Religion is weakened 
 by the tyranny. Human rights of conscience are molested 
 by the forms of worship. It will be our mission to give 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 253 
 
 freedom to the mind — give freedom to humanity. It will 
 be our mission to abolish the tyrant's power, and let all 
 minds worship God, as it seemeth good. It will be our 
 mission to set the captive free, so that, when truth shall be 
 unfolded, no chains shall fetter investigation. It will be 
 our mission to raise the standard of reform, and correct 
 the abuses of power wherever they may exist. Societies 
 and churches need not fear what wisdom will do for the 
 good of mind." 
 
 M. There will, then, needs be a change in the forms 
 of worship, and the order of societies and churches. 
 
 W. There will be this lesson first taught, which makes 
 nothing wrong which is adapted to the good of the indi- 
 vidual and others, and which injures no one. The next 
 lesson will be repeated, when mind has wisdom to adopt 
 the first ; but we are not willing to make a development 
 thereof, until conditions shall require it. Indeed, condi- 
 tions would seem to forbid it, because of its want of har- 
 mony. Adaptation is harmony with good, for whatever is 
 harmonious can not be injurious. The mind, acting in 
 harmony with its own wants, and unrestrained by condi- 
 tions, will not be dissatisfied but happy in its sphere. The 
 mind, which acts as it does not see right and proper, must 
 act as conflicting conditions make it ; and, while acting as 
 conditions compel, it must be dissatisfied and unhappy. 
 Dissatisfaction is unhappiness. Minds in this sphere, are 
 adapted to the conditions around them. The circles have 
 what they want. There is no inharmony between their 
 wants and the means to gratify them. The low want what 
 they have, and they have what they want. It is even so 
 with all circles; but all circles have not the same wants. 
 While the low want what will satisfy their condition, the 
 
254 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 high want what will satisfy their condition. The wisdom 
 which is satisfactory to the low, would be very unsatisfac- 
 tory to minds above them. Hence, they will say, they 
 are happy ; and they say truly, because, in their ignorance, 
 they want no more. But mind, elevated in wisdom above 
 them, would not be happy with what they have. Thus, 
 wisdom is not unsatisfactory to any mind, and the only 
 difference is the degree to which each has attained. 
 
 Societies and churches on earth have their degrees of 
 wisdom. What is satisfactory to one would not be to 
 another. Now, if one society were to compel the other to 
 adopt its wisdom, a disturbance would necessarily ensue 
 ¥/hich would be very likely to make both unhappy. It is 
 not, therefore, just on the part of one to compel the other 
 to adopt its creed or form of worship. Such compulsion 
 would be fatal to the enjoyment of both. It would intro- 
 duce a conflict and beget a war, that would disturb their 
 happiness. Both parties would suffer by it. Hence, all 
 coercive measures, calculated to make minds hypocrites, 
 and introduce conflicting minds into one society, are irra- 
 tional and unjust; and they who succeed in doing such 
 work, violate the harmony of nature's laws, and will receive 
 their just reward. 
 
 In our mission, we shall not disturb congenial relations. 
 Societies and churches will not be forced into new creeds 
 contrary to their wishes. But minds, who need a superior 
 wisdom, will be aided in harmony with their wants. It is 
 wise to satisfy want. It is unwise to control mind so as to 
 make it receive what it does not want. The unwise of 
 earth have attempted to make others wise by compelling 
 them to act and receive what was contrary to their wan^s. 
 The rule was wrong, and unhappiness was the result. The 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 255 
 
 rule was incongruous with the wants of the mind, and 
 what is incongruous with want, can never satisfy want, 
 because incongruous things will not produce satisfaction. 
 
 Societies will not be required to change their forms of 
 worship or their creeds of faith by minds of wise circles. 
 The minds of wise circles will employ their wisdom to 
 affect minds, and render them capable of reforming the 
 externals of religion as adaptation requires. Thou wilt see 
 that when a mind becomes wise, it will reform its worship, 
 and make circumstances congenial with itself. It will put 
 away the unwholesome forms of worldly wisdom, and wor- 
 ship God in spirit and truth. 
 
 When a creed, or form of worship, is made by the wis- 
 dom of the maker, it will not be dissatisfactory to him, 
 because it is congenial with his wisdom. But, when that 
 mind becomes wiser, when a change has been wrought in 
 the soul, it will require a change in the creed and form of 
 worship, otherwise incongruity will disturb his peace. I 
 have seen some minds so wedded to their creeds and forms, 
 that they would not reject them, even when their condi- 
 tions demanded it. I have seen these minds profess rever- 
 ence for creeds and forms when they had no reverence for 
 them. I have seen these conditions conflicting with each 
 other, and the mind distressed with the wrong. I have 
 seen them acquiesce in measures which they did not believe 
 consistent with human good, because they had once avowed 
 a confidence in them. They feared the reproach of others, 
 and dared not be honest in the sight of God and their own 
 souls. They concealed their own convictions from the 
 inspection of the society or church, and yielded submission 
 to conditions which were unjust and untrue to their peace. 
 I want a reform of these evils. I want a change in these 
 
256 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 minds. I want a harmony between their wisdom and their 
 professions. I want no discord between mind and God. 
 I want no hypocritical reverence for forms and ceremonies 
 not consistent with honest intentions. But I want mind 
 to worship, as it seemeth good. I want no society or 
 church creed to make mind virtuous and happy. But 
 others may want; and may want so long as ignorance 
 remaineth. While they want, they will be dissatisfied 
 when denied what will gratify it. Therefore, thou wilt 
 see that what is not wanted, it is well to destroy. Thou 
 wilt see that our mission is to change the wants of mind ; 
 to give it a relish for holy things ; to make it adapted to a 
 condition of higher development; to mould it into the 
 wisdom of a purer sphere; where the wisdom of adapta- 
 tion will be appreciated, and harmony result in greater 
 bliss. Thou wilt aid in this work. Thou shouldst not 
 refuse to work a reform of conditions, by working a change 
 in the minds of those who will be affected by them. 
 When that change is wrought, the forms of worship, and 
 the creeds of societies, will very easily become changed, so 
 as to be adapted to the condition of their supporters. 
 
 The wisdom of a circle who wish only good, will open 
 a way for a change of minds, who will reform societies and 
 churches, so that creeds and forms will harmonize with 
 their condition of development. It will not be necessary 
 to change any creed or form of worship, only as it may 
 disagree with the condition of the worshiper. To change 
 a form of worship, so as to make it disagree with the wis- 
 dom of the worshiper, would be to exact a hypocritical 
 profession, than which nothing would be more inconsistent 
 with the good of mind. To relieve mind of unjust and 
 unwholesome burdens, will not require unreasonable con- 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 257 
 
 trol of such externals of religion, as are adapted to mind. 
 Nevertheless, as mind becomes changed by wisdom of 
 higher circles, so the forms and customs, which work har- 
 moniously with one condition, will need to be changed to 
 harmonize with a different condition. But, when the mind 
 becomes changed, so as to require a change of externals, it 
 will not require great labor to change them also ; because 
 the principle of adaptation, being understood, will neces- 
 sarily work the desired reform. "We shall not seek to cor- 
 rect the outward service, but the inner man ; and, when 
 the mind is reformed, the outward condition will become 
 harmonious with it. If thou wouldst understand more 
 fully the "wisdom of our circle, thou may est go with us 
 where no wrong will be done unto thee. 
 
 M. Where will you direct my steps ? 
 
 W. To a mansion which is near thee. 
 
 M. May I now go ? 
 
 W. Thou mayest go, as thou art prepared. There 
 will be a work required of thee, when thou shalt enter 
 there. 
 
 M. I am ready to do what will be required, if no evil 
 be designed me or others. 
 
 W. No evil will be required of thee. Thou wilt not 
 be required to do evil but good. 
 
 M. Then you may lead me onward. 
 
 W. Onward is the word. Onward is progress. On- 
 ward is thy motto. Onward is thy passport. And, when 
 thou shalt reach the mansion, thou wilt say, Onward. 
 Onward will admit thee, guide thee, and give thee a wis- 
 dom, thou hast not known. Onward, then, will unfold a 
 change of thy mind, and qualify thee for usefulness. 
 
 We reached the mansion. The mind was received. 
 
258 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 Onward did not stop. Onward never stops. It works, 
 labors, acts, and moves for the good of mind. Dullness 
 waits, cringes, fears, doubts, moves not. It waits to see, to 
 know, and to understand the mysteries of nature. It will 
 wait, and wait in vain. It will wait, and wait without 
 improvement. It will wait, and improvement will wait also. 
 
 When we work an improvement of mind, it will not be 
 done by waiting. Energy, zeal, industry, onward, will be 
 our companions, The wisdom of earth must yield to the 
 wisdom of heaven. The aid of heaven will- not wait, but 
 make all things new. Wise minds will not wait for minds 
 of other circles to do what is necessary for them to do. 
 Unwise minds will wait, until they find waiting inconsistent 
 with progress. Then, they will wait no more. 
 
 There will not be wisdom in waiting for disclosures of 
 facts from this sphere, when facts which have been revealed 
 are neglected and distrusted. There will be some who 
 will wait for minds of this sphere to make them work, and 
 do their duty to humanity, but they will never be satisfied 
 with waiting. There never can be progress in any mind, 
 while it waits, and asks spirits to do what belongs to itself. 
 There never can be advancement with circles while they 
 omit the essential obligations of duty to others. There 
 will never be any reform by spirits, who depend wholly on 
 others to reform them. We sow the seed of wisdom, but 
 nettles and thorns choke the growth. We sow the princi- 
 ples of truth, but errors and wrongs are made to destroy 
 their influence. The weeds of error must be destroyed, or 
 no reform can be effected. Hence, minds waiting for spirits 
 to destroy their wrongs, waiting for others to do what they 
 must do to receive the truth, will wait a profitless season 
 to see the salvation of their souls. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 259 
 
 In conclusion of this work, I will say that when this 
 medium shall wait for us to do what is well for minds in 
 their conditions, I will write another book. I will write a 
 continuation of my experience in this sphere. I have suc- 
 ceeded in presenting a brief period, and a running sketch 
 of other periods of experience, which will be more com- 
 pletely written, when this medium shall wait for me to do 
 it. I will now conclude by saying, that what is written is 
 without the volition of this medium, and will not suffer 
 mutilation by compositors or others, without his detection. 
 I wish to say, that my name has been given, as was prom- 
 ised, and the reader will find the names of Wm. Penn, 
 and Emanuel Swedenborg, associated with me. There 
 will also be given another name in the writings of the next 
 work. 
 
 Having completed this volume, I would very respect- 
 fully dedicate the same to the rudimental world, without 
 respect to persons. 
 
 T. PAINE. 
 
260 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 POETRY. 
 
 The following article was written for an Album, February 
 12th, 1852. I sat down with the intention of writing a prose 
 article, by the request of a lady, without the aid of spirits. When 
 seated, my mind lost all thought, for a few moments : I had no 
 design of writing a poetical article, for nature did not make me a 
 poet, and not much of a judge of poetry. I will say, I never 
 wrote a line of poetry in my life, unless with the aid of spirits, 
 since I have been a medium. In about five minutes my hand 
 began to move, and wrote as follows : 
 
 THE SECOND SPHERE. 
 
 There is a flower that fadeth never ; 
 
 There is a star which never sets ; 
 There is a gem that shineth ever — 
 
 There is a Mind, which ne'er forgets 
 The flower, so sweet, so fadeless, even 
 
 The star, 'mid other stars, so bright — 
 The gem that decks the vault of heaven ; 
 
 Or mind that lives for purer light, 
 Where angels dwell in nightless day, 
 Where seraphs chant the holy lay, 
 Where minds unite with minds above, 
 Where all is peace, where all is love. 
 
 There is a casket filled with flowers ; 
 
 There is a stream of crystal life ; 
 There is a beauty decks my bowers, 
 
 In this bright world away from strife ; 
 Which fills my soul with grateful praise, 
 
 Which melts my heart with holy fire, 
 Which wakes my song, inspires my lays, 
 
 And quickens mind with pure desire ; 
 For sweet employ in works of love, 
 To bless my soul with grace above — 
 The flower, the star, or gem so fair, 
 That I no want or sorrow share. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 261 
 
 LINES 
 
 Addressed to Rev. T. J. Smith, through. S. H. Lewis, Medium,^ 
 March, 1851. 
 
 Go ahead, look backward, never, 
 
 Onward, be the cry 
 Fight truth's battles — never, never, 
 From the contest fly. 
 
 Be thou ever looking upward, 
 
 For the truth on high ; 
 Falter, faint not, in the struggle ; 
 Be your watchword, try. 
 
 Try for every thing that's glorious, 
 
 Be you good and true ; 
 Ever be your motto, progress — 
 Ev'ry thing that's Dew. 
 
 Care not for the world's applauding ; 
 
 Think of something higher , 
 Strive to serve the heavenly Father ; 
 Preach, with holy fire. 
 
 Holy spirits guard you ever, 
 
 Keep you in the way; 
 From the earth, your heart then sever — 
 "Wait the risiug day — 
 
 Te shall see it, feel it, know it, 
 
 Tell it to the world — 
 Tell them all, that superstition 
 From its throDe is hurled. 
 
 S. R. Smith. 
 
262 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 THE VOICE OF THE SPIRIT. 
 
 Blessed are the living who see the light of salvation. 
 They shall be as stars in the firmament, and shine forever 
 and ever in the heavenly kingdom. They shall not visit 
 the tomb of the departed without hope, nor mourn with- 
 out consolation. They shall rejoice always in the hope of 
 heaven. 
 
 Hast thou been to my grave ? There no voice responds 
 to thy mourning soul. Hast thou been weary with care ? 
 Thy care will not lift the burden from thy spirit. "Where, 
 then, wilt thou go ? Go where the sunlight is unbroken 
 by the intervening cloud of despair, and the song thou 
 wilt hear, will be the song thou dost love. 
 
 Go, sister, not declining, 
 
 Till thy weary work is done ; 
 Go, when thy soul is pining, 
 
 Oft, and bow before the throne 
 Of mercy, never tiring, 
 
 Of goodness forever free ; 
 And let thy mind admiring, 
 
 Be warmed with charity : 
 There offer thy oblation, 
 
 Where misfortune claims thy aid 
 There seek the great salvation, 
 
 As thou and I oft have prayed. 
 
AND OTHERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD. 263 
 
 LINES 
 
 TO A FRIEND FROM THE SECOND SPHERE. 
 
 Thou art weary, my friend, with earth's fading toys ; 
 
 Thou hast felt not the love of wisdom's pure joys, 
 
 Nor seen the bright sunshine, in mercy untold, 
 
 Unfolding a beauty more precious than gold ; 
 
 For the clear stream of truth rolls sweetly along, 
 
 Like notes on the wave of the seraphim's song: 
 
 The minds I behold, are the fiiends I admire, 
 
 And the love which I feel, my soul doth inspire : 
 
 The song I have heard, is a song known to me, 
 
 More welcome its notes than the flute's dulcet key: 
 
 More wondrous the wisdom, disclos'd by the star, 
 
 Revolving 'mid circles of systems afar, 
 
 Than the moonlight of mind, with works evermore 
 
 Conflicting with nature on error's dark shore ; 
 
 Or the dream of thy mind, or the fear of the knell, 
 
 Which comes to thy soul from the sad, tolling bell. 
 
 Away, far away, from my beautiful bower, 
 
 Thy strength thou art wasting with thy weary hour, 
 
 Where the sweet song of heaven dispels not thy fear, 
 
 Nor the angels of mercy away chase thy tear ; 
 
 Though one thou hast lov'd with the love of tine joy, 
 
 Would welcome thee upward to sweeter employ. 
 
 Away then, dear friend, away with thy sadness, 
 
 The bright morning dawns with hope of true gladness ; 
 
 And the one thou hast lov'd is not far away ; 
 
 But is near thee to bless, by night and by day. 
 
264 THE PILGRIMAGE OF THOMAS PAINE 
 
 The following article was written by a spirit, with the 
 hand of Mrs. Charlotte M. Cavan, of this city, who 
 has kindly consented to its publication. The spirit de- 
 signed to make her speak as she felt, and to represent her 
 condition. 
 
 A VOICE PROM THE SPIRIT LAND. 
 
 I he«ar a voice, 'tis sweet withal — 
 
 Far sweeter than ^Eolian lyre ; 
 Gentle its murmurs on me fall, 
 
 In harmonies that never tire. 
 I know that voice, my inmost soul 
 
 Answers in quick response to thine ; 
 Deep are the harmonies that roll, 
 
 When thy fond spirit enters mine. 
 For worlds of wealth, I would not give 
 
 The wisdom I receive from thee ; 
 Thou bidst me to be pure, and live 
 
 Worthy of one whose spirit's free ; 
 For what is death ? 'tis but a life — 
 
 The dawning of a new born day ; 
 With immortality 'tis rife — 
 
 A bliss that can not pass away. 
 Then gently speak, and touch my hand ; 
 
 Give me more light and truth divine ; 
 And, when at last the spirit land, 
 
 Unfolds this waiting soul of mine, 
 Thou'lt be the first to welcome me — 
 
 To lure my raptur'd spirit higher ; 
 To show me those I long to see, 
 
 And tune for me thy angel lyre. 
 
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