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COMMUNICATIONS 
 
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 AND OTHERS. 
 
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 THROUGH A LADY, 
 
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 PRINTED BY A. J. BRADY, 5 TRYON ROW. 
 
 1861. 
 
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EKRATA. 
 
 The Communication on Love should have been 
 placed last in the book. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Page. 
 
 Introduction. , 3 
 
 On the Mediums 5 
 
 On Influence 9 
 
 On God 13 
 
 On Harmony 16 
 
 On Purity of Life 20 
 
 On the State of the Departed 25 
 
 On History 30 
 
 On the Happy 34 
 
 On the power of Holy Spirit 39 
 
 On the Sabbath Day 43 
 
 On Death 46 
 
 On Fortitude 50 
 
 On Loving the World 54 
 
 On Crime 57 
 
 On Charity 60 
 
 On Truth 64 
 
 On Sobriety 69 
 
 On Love 74 
 
 On Marriage 78 
 
 On Suffering 84 
 
 On Zeal 88 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The object of the following Communications, my 
 friends, is to give you in the simplest and most practi- 
 cal form, the main teachings of Spiritualism. 
 
 We have not entered into discussion or argument ; 
 but we have put plainly before you, your duties as fol- 
 lowers of those high and holy influences that are now 
 coming so directly in rapport with your earth, and who 
 will take up their abode in the hearts of every one of 
 you, if you will only so live as to draw them to you. 
 They are waiting patiently at the doors of your hearts. 
 Will ye not open unto them? Will ye not be par- 
 takers of the blessed baptism of the true spirit, and 
 enjoy, while yet on Earth, a foretaste of Heaven ? 
 
 We leave our little book to take care of itself, trust- 
 ing that the truths it teaches may come home to many, 
 and give them a higher and more correct sense of their 
 
4 
 
 duties, as Spiritualists, than they have heretofore had ; 
 showing, as it does, the necessity for each man to com- 
 mence the work of reformation in himself, before he 
 attempts to correct or reform others ; and the absolute 
 necessity there is for him to follow out the teaching of 
 the olden time, so long laid aside, namely : " To do to 
 every man, as he would have every man do to him." 
 
 Lorenzo Dow. 
 
OJST THE MEDIUMS. 
 
 The mediums, as a class, are lamentably deficient in 
 a true knowledge of their high and holy office. Seem- 
 ing to think physical manifestations the only ones worth 
 seeking, they entirely lose sight of the beautiful mystery 
 hidden (yet not unattainable) in the higher teachings of 
 Spiritualism — the total change it can produce in our 
 moral characters ; the universal love of all mankind, as 
 fellow-travellers and co-workers in this earth life ; the 
 desire to aid and forward each in their individual aims 
 after happiness ; elevating and encouraging the weak 
 and sinful ; raising the lowly and oppressed, and in 
 every conceivable way endeavoring to do good. Such 
 should be the teachings and actions of media. I my- 
 self, an itinerant preacher while on the earth, know 
 from experience what good can be accomplished in this 
 way ; and now, with my more extended vision, I am 
 more and more deeply impressed that this is the highest 
 benefit that media should aim to effect. 
 
 " Is not he that subdueth himself greater than he that 
 taketh a city?" Thorough self-control, and self-abnega- 
 tion, must be the first aim of a medium intending to be 
 useful in the manner I have stated. Selfishness, self- 
 indulgence, false pride, all that militates against this 
 universal love, must be done away with, and a desire 
 to benefit the whole human family be the governing 
 principle. When this wholesome state of feeling shall 
 attain footing, and really work among men, what a 
 change will be seen ! Vice and crime will gradually 
 die out, and a true . millenium of happiness and peace 
 be established. 
 
 Mediums may, perhaps, think, from what I have said, 
 
that I disapprove of the physical manifestations alto- 
 gether. But it is not so. They have all been neces- 
 sary so far, and in some cases are so still. But, for 
 convinced Spiritualists and media to have no higher de- 
 sires than to hear raps, tips, and so forth, and little 
 communications from their departed relatives, testifying 
 that they are near, I disapprove altogether. When 
 once the fact of the truth of spirit intercourse is con- 
 firmed to you, then I want you to press on, and find 
 out the motives of spirits in coming ; and you (if seek- 
 ing truly) will soon see that there is more in this than 
 the mere gratification of your curiosity, or even of your 
 affections. 
 
 Spirits have a work to do here, and they want you to 
 help them, as it is only through men they can work effi- 
 ciently. By impressions on hearts open to receive them, 
 they can do much ; but they would be able to do far more, 
 could they find media, not only to speak these necessary 
 truths through, but who were so imbued with the spirit 
 of them, that their daily life should be a living out of 
 the spirits' teachings through them. Some few there 
 are of this stamp, but sadly too few for the immense 
 field there is to labor in ; and we write these words 
 now, in the hope of awakening some others, who are 
 more indifferent than wicked, to see the importance of 
 the mission given to them, and that they may be led to 
 feel the necessity of making all conformable — lives and 
 teachings — teachings and lives — if they desire to do 
 good in their generation. Woe, to the unfaithful 
 mediums who, having the gift of Holy Spirit, abuse it to 
 their own purposes. Woe, to those who, lusting after 
 wealth and the gauds of earth-life, traffic with the gift 
 God has given them to enlighten and benefit their 
 fellow-mortals. What unhappiness is theirs here! 
 What condemnation shall be hereafter! How would 
 they tremble, and quake, and wish they might never 
 
have had this glorious gift, could they for a moment 
 see the anguish they are laying up for themselves, by 
 their unfaithful stewardship ! Eepent, ye mediums ! or 
 your lamps will be taken from you, and ye be thrust into 
 outer darkness. While ye possess the godlike gift, try 
 to reform yourselves. Cast out the evil from your own 
 hearts, and evil spirits will no longer stay near you ; 
 they have not the power to injure, if you are only true 
 to yourselves. As like attracts like, so they haunt 
 you and help you in your wickedness. But they could 
 not do so if you were true and faithful to yourselves. 
 They would gladly rise through you, if you only took 
 the right measures to assist them. When they come, it 
 is for that purpose ; but, by your sinning, you only 
 plunge them into deeper darkness ; for, instead of en- 
 couraging them to do better, you foster their former 
 vices, and make them have a stronger hold. Unhappy 
 spirits, who come to such mediums ! Unhappy me- 
 diums, to draw such spirits to them ! 
 
 My dear media, and Spiritualist friends, I would say 
 a few words more to you before I leave, to encourage 
 you in your work. You cannot see what a great and 
 glorious work you are engaged in, but you can, many 
 of you in yourselves, realize the happiness and peace 
 spirit intercourse of the right kind can bestow. Many 
 of you who have not yet found this out, will, I trust, 
 soon do so ; and, as your aims after it are more and 
 more elevated, so more and more shall be given to you, 
 and you, in your turn, shall be the means of conveying 
 it to others. You will be so happy yourselves, you will 
 not be contented unless you make others around you 
 feel the same, and the desire will bring its own fulfil- 
 ment. This is the great aim of Spiritualism ; to make 
 mankind happy. Happy in the true sense. Happy, and 
 consequently good. A man at peace with himself, 
 would not feel disposed to quarrel with his neighbor. 
 
8 
 
 That this universal harmony may the sooner be attained, 
 mediums especially are called upon to teach as I have 
 said, and to practice what they teach. 
 
 L. D. 
 September 19th, 1860. 
 
ON INFLUENCE. 
 
 The beautiful influence that good spirits strive to 
 exercise over mortals, bringing them into harmony 
 with themselves and with nature — this shall be the 
 subject of our theme this morning ; and we will en- 
 deavor to make clear to all the importance of it, and 
 the vital interests that are at stake in its right appre- 
 ciation. 
 
 The unseen world is filled with spirits of different 
 kinds, some highly developed, others comparatively low 
 and debased, but all striving to gain a foothold in the 
 hearts of the human family — the former to benefit 
 mankind, the latter themselves. Where there are aspi- 
 rations and desires for a holier and purer life, these 
 holy and pure spirits find a lodging. They can enter 
 in and dwell there, and by their influence produce the 
 desired results, and with them a peace and joy, a trust- 
 ing and comforting reliance on their aid, that can re- 
 move all anxiety, fear, or doubt, under the most trying 
 circumstances. Joyous and glad, the truly spiritualized 
 man wends on his way ; trials may beset him, but his 
 faith, strong in the promises, and buoyed up by the 
 Heavenly magnetism of his spirit guides, never fails ; 
 he knows they are around to help him, and, if they can- 
 not avert misfortunes, they can make them so light to 
 him, and sometimes so useful to his further develop- 
 ment, that they may rather be considered blessings. 
 
 I would not, by this, infer that man must trust all to 
 the spirits, and neglect to help himself. Far otherwise. 
 Man must be his own provider. Spirits can assist, but 
 they cannot supersede a man or woman in their own 
 duties ; and woful would be the state of families left 
 
10 
 
 with no other resources than their trust in spirit help 
 for mundane assistance. The design of the spirits is 
 not to do what we came into the world to do for our- 
 selves, but to make us happy and harmonious while 
 doing it — to influence us to do right, to avoid evil, to 
 conquer all wrong feelings, to subdue all evil tempers, 
 to feel love and kindness for all, irrespective of station, 
 education or morals ; in fact, to follow in the footsteps 
 of that blessed Teacher who has so long waited in 
 patient expectation that the world might follow His 
 teachings, and who is still ready to give His influence 
 to help them to do so. 
 
 As I said at the beginning, there are two kinds of 
 influences always at work. If the one is neglected, the 
 other steps in, and, in place of producing harmony and 
 peace, discords and divisions ensue. The evils to be 
 apprehended from these latter cannot be estimated. 
 Gently and insiduously they approach ; finding some- 
 thing in the mind they wish to influence similar to 
 themselves, they work upon and cultivate that passion, 
 taste or feeling, and, after obtaining a lodgment in one 
 little corner, soon control the whole — magnetize the 
 man or woman to see with their eyes, hear with their 
 ears, and understand as they wish them. Wonderful 
 is the control they can obtain over a mortal if he yields 
 himself up willingly a slave to them. Revenge may 
 appear a virtue ; murder, retributive justice ; unjust 
 anger, just censure; pride, an ennobling virtue; un- 
 charitable remarks, necessary to show our contempt of 
 such and such failings — never looking within on the 
 dark foul mass of passions engendered in their own 
 bosoms. Such influences as these never lead to self- 
 examination-— self-knowledge. To hide the true char- 
 acter from themselves is the aim of these dangerous 
 inmates. Believing themselves perfect, or rather trying 
 to believe themselves right, men stumble on into deeper 
 
11 
 
 spirit darkness. Sometimes good influences may pre- 
 vail and enlighten the poor deluded ones, but hard is 
 the struggle to penetrate, and very difficult to dislodge 
 the former tenants of the soul. Far easier to prevent, 
 by timely care, their first entrance ; then they are weak, 
 and easily expelled, but strength is daily added by their 
 being permitted to remain. 
 
 Some may say, How can any one be safe ? If such in- 
 fluences are here always ready to step in, who can be se- 
 cure ? Only they, my friends, who, in earnest simplicity 
 and confiding trust, pray and strive while they pray, 
 for those holy influences that can and will protect and 
 defend them against all others. By praying, I do not 
 mean repeating long formulas, on their knees, till mind 
 and body are fatigued and inharmonious, but the con- 
 stant desire, the earnest aspiration, for a more holy and 
 perfect life ; the looking constantly to higher powers 
 for help to perform their daily routine of duties in the 
 manner best calculated to produce happiness to all con- 
 nected with them — and then, as they progress in spirit- 
 ual development, the earnest wish to extend, by all the 
 means in their power, this happiness to the whole 
 human family. Such would be the desires of all pro- 
 perly influenced, and what harmony and love would 
 reign on the earth if this feeling prevailed universally. 
 The darkness that has so long enveloped all things in 
 its gloomy mantle, would be removed ; light and joy 
 would stream in from the higher spheres ; and a uni- 
 versal jubilant song of praise and rejoicing would rise 
 from your earth, which now sends forth little more than 
 sighs and groans of wretchedness and woe. Hasten, 
 ye people, this glorious time ! Let each one give his 
 individual help. The work must commence within — 
 self-examination, self-knowledge, is the foundation. 
 Let this be done thoroughly in the first place, and you 
 will be astonished what a flood of light will be the re- 
 
12 
 
 suit. Instead of looking abroad to correct your neigh- 
 bors, you will find you have plenty of work to do at 
 home, before you look elsewhere ; and most likely, if 
 you do it thoroughly, you will not, when it is completed, 
 feel quite so much disposed to look after your neigh- 
 bors. Thorough self-knowledge will lead to charity 
 for the weaknesses of others. Seeing the multiplicity 
 of failings and short-comings in yourselves, will natu- 
 rally make you lenient to them ; and when this state of 
 feeling supervenes, how much more kindly you will be 
 disposed to them. I could say much more, but must 
 withdraw for to-day. 
 
 L.D. 
 September 20, 1860. 
 
ON GOD. 
 
 God in the spirit, and G-od in the human heart — the 
 Almighty ruler of the universe — He who controls the 
 heavens and earth, stills the raging of the tempest, and 
 pours balm into the lowliest heart — He shall be the 
 subject of our meditations this morning. 
 
 From the far West a voice arises : " Know thy God I" 
 Know him, but in a far different manner than thou hast 
 ever learnt Him before. He is not the great unknown, 
 incomprehensible, fearful being, striking terror and 
 despair into the hearts of those who seek after Him. 
 He is not a God of condemnation and censure, of punish- 
 ment and revenge. He is a being to be loved and 
 trusted in, to be looked to in our trials, to be made ac- 
 quainted with our joys, to be thanked continually for 
 blessings ; not to be entreated as a stern judge to share 
 his rod. Punishments never come from His fatherly 
 hand, they are the results of our own misdeeds. Every- 
 thing that is for our advantage, comfort, pleasure, en- 
 joyment, in this world — for our elevation, advancement 
 and progression towards the next, is from Him. He 
 rules our destinies, but only for good. He could not 
 do otherwise. His nature is all goodness. How could 
 evil, therefore, spring from it ? He is the light and joy 
 of all things. If His beams are obscured by sin and 
 sorrow, these are not of Him. He would have all 
 happy, joyous and contented, and if they are not so, 
 God must not be blamed for it. Nothing comes from 
 Him but what is calculated to give help and happiness. 
 He is the center from whom all goodness flows. Angels 
 in the highest spheres, and the smallest insects, all derive 
 from Him, the great source, their elements of enjoyment. 
 
14 
 
 How, then, if such is the case, can God be a God of 
 vengeance ? It is a mistake, my friends, a fatal error 
 in the creeds of Christendom, that has done more to 
 demoralize the human family than any other. This is 
 the great foundation of the doctrine of the atonement. 
 The innocent man to suffer for a guilty world. Mon- 
 strous fallacy ! How could such a doctrine obtain, as 
 it has done, such prominent ascendency ? Only minds 
 warped and mis-directed, through fear of some invisible 
 terror, could ever have been made to believe such a 
 false and futile creed. 
 
 But, as I said in the commencement, a voice has 
 arisen in these western lands, overthrowing with one 
 sweep all such fallacies. Light has at length penetrated 
 the dense darkness, and, through the ministry of spirits, 
 the true character of God is more clearly revealed to His 
 suffering world. By their aid, man can see for himself 
 the true nature of God, can judge of Him from His works f 
 and can love Him without fear or torment. Elevated 
 by his contemplations of Him, he tries earnestly to come 
 nearer His standard ; he throws aside what debases 
 and degrades him to the level of the brute, and essays 
 a more pure and holy life — one more conformable to 
 the teachings of his inmost sense of right. The Spirit 
 of God in his own soul is aroused from its slumbering 
 apathy, and goes forth to mingle with God's Spirit in 
 all creation. He can rejoice with the timid flower, the 
 humblest worm ; all are partakers of the same spirit 
 in degree, more or less, in accordance with the require- 
 ments of the individual entity. 
 
 When man learns to look upon God, in and through 
 his works, he ceases to fear him. He sees for himself 
 the love and wisdom that has designed and perfected 
 all things, and he feels, when he commits a sin, tliat he 
 is wronging the pure God Spirit within him, and that he 
 must, from the nature of his being, suffer for his crime. 
 
15 
 
 There has been much talk and argument lately as to 
 the nature of God, whether he is a being possessed of 
 form, or a subtile essence pervading all space ? The 
 angels, as well as yourselves, only know Him in His 
 works. They feel Him around and in them, and they, 
 in a far higher degree, enjoy the benefits of His pro- 
 viding ; but no one hath seen God at any time — there- 
 fore none can describe Him. We, in our more de- 
 veloped state, can see more clearly, and realize more 
 fully, His wisdom and love ; but we, like you, have to 
 look upward and around for proofs of His presence, and 
 we conceive from these that there must be some great 
 centre from which they emanate. Whether we shall 
 ever be permitted to know more, I can not say. We 
 are all contented here with the light and knowledge 
 that we have. We are such constant recipients of His 
 bounties, such joyous dwellers in the magnetism of love 
 and wisdom He imparts to us, that we do not seek to 
 penetrate into mysteries hidden for some wise purpose. 
 
 My friends, if God is the wise and good being I have 
 endeavored to make clear to you, do you not see that 
 goodness and wisdom should rule your actions, if you 
 wish to be God-like ? The more you can live in har- 
 mony with yourselves and the teachings of nature — the 
 more simple, child-like, and unsophisticated by the 
 trammels of earth-life — the more can this true light of 
 the world enter into you, and make its abode with you. 
 Call it spirit, angel, intuition, what you will, it is from 
 the same source, the great fountain of love and wisdom 
 —God. 
 
 L. D. 
 
 September 21, 1860. 
 
ON HARMONY. 
 
 Harmony, the music of the spheres, so little felt, so 
 little appreciated on earth, how shall we sing thy praises 
 to a world that knows thee not ? How shall we en- 
 lighten mankind, and make them see thy many beau- 
 ties ? We, spirits who dwell in the regions of eternal 
 love, know thee well, and long to make thy many 
 charms manifest to the world. 
 
 Perhaps, if we explain fully in what true Harmony 
 consists, men may be more willing to make its ac- 
 quaintance. When they see the desirable results it 
 can produce, they may make more strenuous efforts to 
 cultivate the Heavenly guest. 
 
 Almost all men delight in music (earth music). It 
 soothes, elevates, or excites, according to its nature. 
 This love of melody shows that Harmony is inherent in 
 man, undeveloped very often, but still there, ready to 
 be called forth as circumstances allow it. So it is with 
 our spiritual nature. The Harmony in that, latent, but 
 still there, is ready to be called forth, not by the en- 
 chanter's wand, but by the influence of spirit-power 
 over us. The true magnetism of good spirits can pro- 
 duce Harmony sometimes in the most discordant na- 
 tures, and soften the most rugged dispositions. Often 
 we see these miraculous effects, and, ignorant of the 
 cause, wonder what has produced the change — why it 
 is that the man formerly so overbearing and proud, who 
 could not be gainsayed or contradicted, can now listen 
 quietly and pleasantly, and without the ruffle of a 
 feather, to the opinions of persons whom formerly he 
 would not have deigned to give consideration or atten- 
 tion to for a moment. The Harmony developed in his 
 
17 
 
 own spirit has wrought the change. He is free to act 
 and think as he likes, and he wishes others to enjoy the 
 same privilege. 
 
 So it is in other things. When all mankind have 
 learnt to desire the happiness of their neighbors as 
 much as their own, and seek to produce it by kindly 
 offices of good will, self-denial, patience and charity, 
 feeling that all have an equal right to the blessings of 
 this life, as all are of the same account and value be- 
 fore God — then, Harmony, something like the Harmony 
 of Heaven, may come down upon the earth ; music and 
 gladness will be in every heart, and joy and rejoicing 
 usurp the place so long occupied by sorrows and groans. 
 Every one can do something to produce this desirable 
 result, far more, indeed, than most people are aware of. 
 
 To develope Harmony, individual efforts may often 
 be the most telling. How frequently do we see one 
 Harmonious spirit (in the body I mean) work wonders 
 among a set of disorderly children. They cannot un- 
 derstand what makes them feel so happy, so kind, and 
 so tranquil. But it is all the effect of that Harmo- 
 nious spirit working unseen among them. So it is 
 in more advanced life. While some men are as bad as 
 fire-brands thrown in our midst, others, calm and self- 
 possessed, sway with mildness and gentleness the wills 
 they come in contact with ; not seeking to bring all 
 into their way of thinking, but, after stating their indi- 
 vidual opinions, leaving to their opponents the privi- 
 lege of doing as they, in their individuality, think right. 
 And how often do you find that they have convinced 
 without effort, and harmonized while they have con- 
 vinced. 
 
 I am not aware that any better method to insure 
 Harmony in domestic life can be pursued than this 
 mutual yielding up of tastes or opinions ; not that the 
 surrender should all be on the one side, but let each 
 
18 
 
 have fair and equitable treatment. Where persons are 
 not unequally yoked together, the intellect of the one is 
 generally on a par with the other, and quite equal to 
 forming its own conclusions, and inharmony must re- 
 sult if justice in this is not observed. A woman is 
 generally more yielding, and consequently more Har- 
 monious, than a man, and often smothers her own 
 opinions and conclusions, to prevent stirring up strife. 
 But I almost incline to think it would be better to 
 assert them sometimes, as no man has a chance to 
 develop fully into true Harmony who has not learnt 
 to listen and bear with the opinions of his wife. 
 
 These are some of the first steps to true Harmony ; 
 soon others will follow. When each is permitted to 
 assert their own opinions, they will exchange ideas on 
 an entirely different footing, and soon find that what 
 appeared to be wide differences in their views are 
 only imaginary distinctions — that iu reality they are 
 very much of the same way of thinking, and they will 
 then enjoy truly harmonious interchange of thoughts 
 and feelings, and love and peace will reign in their 
 bosoms. 
 
 Extend this feeling of mutual consideration further ; 
 let it obtain in the world ; let each man feel that he is 
 individualized, and is willing that his neighbor should 
 be so too. Then if he sees in him any little differences 
 in language, manners or dress, to what he has been 
 brought up to consider right, he will be willing to look 
 into the interior of the husk for the nut it contains, and 
 take and give all the good he can, never regarding the 
 unsightly covering which may oftcner than he thinks 
 contain a royal jewel. He will then find that the har- 
 monies of the spirit world will gradually develop them- 
 selves in his own soul, while he is not by unkind or 
 critical conduct destroying the harmonious feelings in 
 another's breast, 
 
19 
 
 Harmony is the soul of bliss, the overflowing of the 
 happiness engendered within by constant communion 
 with higher sources of intelligence, and constant self- 
 examination, lest we should intrude on, or wound the 
 feelings of another, however humble or lowly. Har- 
 mony, to be true, must all spring from love in the soul, 
 love to God, and love to man — a feeling of universal 
 kindness ; nothing can then ruffle or disturb its flow, 
 no trial, no contradictions. Argument and opposition 
 fall idly on the ear, penetrate no further than the sur- 
 face, and cannot intrude on it. 
 
 As years pass on, this Heavenly calm and peace be- 
 comes more and more deeply imbedded in the soul. 
 The approach of death, formerly so dreaded, is looked 
 upon with equanimity, and the soul passes from its 
 tenement of clay into its beautiful spirit-home without 
 anxiety or fear — rather with joy and rejoicing. 
 
 L. D. 
 
 September 23, 1860. 
 
ON PURITY OF LIFE. 
 
 Purity of life, and purity of purpose, should be the 
 aim of every person, but more especially of those pro- 
 fessing Spiritualism. A new science, or a new creed, 
 always leads men into critical examination of its views ; 
 and woe to that new creed whose members are found 
 tripping. 
 
 It is hard for anything opposed to old prejudices and 
 long 'established opinions to struggle into existence 
 under the best auspices, but how much more difficult 
 when its professed followers often disgrace its teach- 
 ings by making them an excuse for sins and vices they 
 dared not indulge in under the old dispensation. How 
 much has this fatal mistake prevailed among the Spiritu- 
 alists ! They have many of them cast off the fear of 
 hell, only, as it might seem, to set loose their vile, de- 
 praved natures. Thinking there is no eternity of pun- 
 ishment, they indulge every baser passion at will, and 
 bring the beautiful and purifying teachings of true 
 Spiritualism into contempt. Instead of being remarked 
 for a morality and pureness of living without reproach, 
 it is just the reverse. Every temptation is accepted ; 
 moral restraint is done away with, and they have only 
 as it seems, to fancy some forbidden thing than they try 
 to obtain it ; for, as tJwy say, nothing, not even another 
 woman's husband, or another man's wife, is to be de- 
 barred them, if they choose to set their lustful eyes upon 
 them, and can succeed in bringing them to the same 
 way of thinking. It is true that many unhappy, uncon- 
 genial marriages are solemnized, aud the parties would 
 gladly separate ; and better that they should do so at 
 once than raise up families in discord and disunion. 
 
21 
 
 But that is one thing, and the evil I complain of is 
 another. Instead of freedom, it is licentiousness that 
 animates mostly the persons who seek to disannul what 
 has been too solemnly united to be so lightly consid- 
 ered ; and there is far more than meets the eye of the 
 world in such arrangements. It is a pity that such 
 things cannot be more thoroughly exposed ; that the 
 anguish and misery, nay, even madness, sometimes re- 
 sulting from these fearful doings, could not be known, 
 that others, if similarly tempted, might take warning. 
 But, what with the strivings of the miserable victims of 
 desertion to hide their sufferings from the world, and 
 the leniency with which the bulk of Spiritualists regard 
 these crimes, little impression is made on the community 
 at large by the most harrowing stories. 
 
 This cannot always go on ; a time will soon come 
 when these wicked perverters of the holiest and purest 
 doctrines ever given to man shall have a fearful reckon- 
 ing. What if there is no literal hell of fire ? A hell 
 will have a place in their bosoms, to the torments of 
 which fire may be considered a trifle. The reproaches 
 of their own consciences, kept back for a time, to re- 
 turn with tenfold force ; the silent anguish of the de- 
 serted wives or husbands, vividly depicted on their 
 minds, the low degraded state of their own spirits ; 
 the unutterable anguish of the darkness of desolation 
 into which they must pass when they leave this body, 
 might make the stoutest heart quail, could they for a 
 moment realize it. 
 
 Many spirits have given many different teachings, 
 some true, some far from it. As said in a former essay, 
 " like attracts like/ 7 and liars draw liars to them. So 
 with the sensual and depraved in other ways, all can 
 find media to give what they wish — to make wrong ap- 
 pear right. But no more fatal teachings have come 
 from these undeveloped sources than this, " That how- 
 
22 
 
 ever sinful and vile a man may be, there is no punish- 
 ment hereafter" — that all are better for the change 
 called death ! 
 
 My friends, it is not so — it is a fearful mistake. Pun- 
 ishment must be the award of the guilty ; punishment, 
 not from God, but still, punishment in the truest, most 
 literal sense of the word. And there are none who will 
 suffer more deeply, more lastingly, and find it more hard 
 to rise from the bed of filth and anguish they are pre- 
 paring for themselves, than the sensual and impure. 
 
 It is hard for me, my friends, to lay these unpalatable 
 truths before you. I have struggled long with media to 
 get them to you. They do not like to utter what is not 
 pleasing and tickling to your palates. But it is neces- 
 sary you should know and realize that you have been 
 deceived by such teachings as I have been alluding to 
 — that high and holy spirits could not give them — and 
 that they are endeavoring in every way to undeceive 
 you. 
 
 This medium has no fear of man before her eyes, and 
 she mourns with a sinking of spirit, when she hears of 
 the sorrows and miseries that are daily occurring from 
 these sources, and from this cause I am able to speak 
 boldly through her and tell you that immediate reform 
 is absolutely necessary. You are injuring the cause you 
 profess to serve more than you have the slightest idea 
 of. If outsiders inquire from pure Spiritualists into 
 its teachings, they are afraid to speak freely and en- 
 lighten them, as they otherwise would, for fear they 
 should afterwards receive some of these debasing teach- 
 ings from media, or get into communication with some 
 other Spiritualists who may be a disgrace to the cause, 
 and so disgust them with it ; and still worse, furnish 
 them with a handle against it to use among other en- 
 quirers. A follower of such a creed as Spiritualism 
 should be pure as purity itself. No excuse should pos- 
 
23 
 
 sibly be given for reproach or scandal. Every action 
 should be guided by the rule of right. Love and kind- 
 ness should reign in his heart for all. Purity and truth 
 should be his companions. Then he could not blight 
 and crucify the heart that trusted in hiin. He would 
 want no medium to tell him he was wrong in such 
 courses. His own intuitions would be his guides, and 
 if his aspirations were pure and loving they would be 
 never-failing ones. What if his companion were not 
 quite the congenial mate he might devise ? Influences 
 could so work for him that he would never feel it. They 
 could magnetize him to be happy and contented. If 
 evil spirits can work so powerfully the other way, why 
 should you doubt this? Have faith in your spirit 
 friends. They can do far more for you than you have 
 the smallest idea of, if you will only let them approach 
 you as they wish. If, when you are tried and tempted, 
 you lift up your hearts to them, (words are not neces- 
 sary,) they can help you to resist ; and after you have 
 obtained one or two victories over yourselves and your 
 tempters, it will be easy and simple for you to do so 
 again. Soon they will leave you. When they find they 
 have no hold on you, they will relieve you of their pres- 
 ence, and better and purer influences will take their 
 place. 
 
 Hasten, each of you, my friends, this desirable result. 
 Let individual efforts go forward, and soon we shall 
 see a change in the whole bearing of Spiritualists. In- 
 stead of one part being afraid to come in contact with 
 the other, because they dread the influences such per- 
 sons may bring with them, there will be no shrinking 
 of the kind. The dread of impurity keeps many good 
 Spiritualists from coming forward at all, they hear so 
 much to discourage them. But when this sin is removed 
 from your midst, when the false mediums who have 
 dared to advocate it, have their gifts taken from them. 
 
24 
 
 (as they will have,) then you will see a change. Broth- 
 erly love and unity of the true kind, will reign among 
 you, and peace, harmony, and joy take up their abode 
 in your dwellings. 
 
 T.P. 
 September 24, 1860. 
 
ON THE STATE OF THE DEPARTED. 
 
 My friend has asked us to give Mm our opinions on 
 this momentous subject. It seems he has had some 
 teachings that rather conflict with some remarks we 
 made in our essay yesterday. Sorry are we to differ 
 from other spirits in their teachings ; but we must give 
 the truth as we know it ; if we do not, woe be upon us, 
 as miserable perverters of the light and wisdom we are 
 constantly receiving from the higher spheres. It is not 
 often that we can give it as correctly as we would de- 
 sire ; but we are fortunate in possessing an instrument, 
 at this time, who is willing to receive us as we come ; 
 to let her own mind rest in abeyance, that the truth 
 may be more clearly made known to you. She is young 
 in the business, and doubts herself ; but we know what 
 we are doing, and how well we can use her, and soon 
 we will convince her that her own mind has no part in 
 what we give through her. It is true our teachings 
 have hitherto had her cordial assent, but she has no 
 further part in them. This is a long digression, but it 
 seemed necessary, for several reasons : One, to set the 
 medium's mind at rest before we enter into our subject ; 
 another, to show our reason why we may differ from 
 some others in our teachings on this subject. We will 
 now return to our theme. 
 
 The state of the departed, immediately after death, 
 has been a subject of deep consideration to many minds, 
 in all ages of the world ; but it remained for the Spir- 
 itualists of this century to throw the first certain light 
 on the subject. They have learnt more than all the 
 philosophers and wise men of their generation could 
 conceive of. The spirit world, to them, is brought, as 
 
26 
 
 it were, face to face ; they can talk with their departed, 
 and can ascertain from them, with tolerable correctness, 
 their present condition. They can even assist them to 
 progress in their new state, or, reversing the case, they 
 can receive assistance from those spirits to help them to 
 develop here. 
 
 Such wonders as these could not have been believed 
 by any one a few years since, and many more are 
 yet in store, to be revealed to you as you develop, 
 and are capable of comprehending them. But the 
 future is not all one pleasant state of beatitude, where 
 each one finds exactly what he likes best, just ready for 
 him when he arrives there. Many, it is true, do pass 
 on into happiness unalloyed, and far greater than their 
 finite minds could imagine or comprehend ; but these 
 may be considered the exceptions. Generally, man has 
 left so much work undone in your sphere, that he is not 
 prepared to pass on at once to these higher courts. 
 The place would be distasteful to him ; the light and 
 glory of them distressing ; and he would rather shrink 
 away than remain. 
 
 There is a law in the Heavens that compels this. 
 Where he has progressed to, there he must remain till 
 his aspirations draw him up, little by little. If then, 
 the comparatively good and moral man finds it so diffi- 
 cult to ascend into higher spheres, how must it be with 
 the low and debased, the drunkard, the sensualist, the 
 miser ? Would they be happy at all, think you ? Their 
 occupations taken from them ; their bodies lost, and 
 replaced by others, whose particles they cannot collect 
 together ; rolling in darkness, incapable of any thing, 
 some times not even of thought, while with others the 
 thoughts are their most acute scourge ; everyone hav- 
 ing liis own punishment, as he has wrought it out for 
 himself on your earth plane ! 
 
 This is the law that governs these things, You make 
 
27 
 
 your own Heaven or your own Hell. The sins you 
 indulge in, produce such and such effects on your spirit 
 body ; in some, preventing its development at all, so 
 that the poor soul, when separated from its earthly 
 tenement, wanders, not knowing whither, and ages and 
 ages may be necessary to perfect that which might have 
 been so easily formed in beautiful proportions here. 
 No man sinks lower than the sensualist. He has so 
 debased the beautiful covering nature has endowed him 
 with, so contaminated it by the vilest usages, that it is 
 quite impossible any spiritual formation can be going 
 on while he is living such a life ; and it is most fre- 
 quently such characters who find it the hardest to col- 
 lect themselves and rise in the next sphere. But it is 
 difficult for all who have done wickedly in any way, 
 and even lor those who have done no positive wrong, 
 but, having the means of doing good and relieving suf- 
 fering humanity, neglected to do it, to make much pro- 
 gress at first ; so difficult, that higher spirits have taken 
 the work in hand, and, through the media, who are 
 willing to help them in the work, are striving to reach 
 and help the undeveloped. 
 
 The friend for whom, or rather at whose request, I 
 write this, knows well how this work is accomplished, 
 for he has often assisted at such works of mercy, where 
 we were united together to raise poor unprogressed 
 spirits from their wretched condition. And this work 
 I would urge on the attention of all good Spiritualists, 
 and media especially, as by benefiting these poor un- 
 fortunates they prepare a band of grateful spirits to 
 assist them in their work, and also to return to those 
 dark regions from which they have been rescued, and 
 preach deliverance to other wretched captives. 
 * In this way much good has already been done, and 
 many can testify to the gratitude the poor redeemed 
 ones have shown to their earth friends — following 
 
28 
 
 them in their daily walk, and protecting them from 
 dangers in a manner they are little aware of. 
 
 Another great good that media might effect, would 
 be the relieving the world by degrees of the false teach- 
 ings received from these unprogressed sources. Keform 
 would spread rapidly if the spirits you redeemed could 
 come and give their teachings ; and while they en- 
 lighten you as to the true nature of punishment here- 
 after, they would benefit the poor spirit listeners who 
 always crowd around media to get benefited, but alas ! 
 too often are the worse for what they hear. 
 
 You may ask why they wish to speak through media 
 when they know they are not giving truths. My 
 friend, if you saw the condition of these poor creatures, 
 you would pity rather than blame them. To stay with 
 a medium is a relief and diversion from their gnawing 
 agony when away, and they will give anything the 
 medium or the parties may desire, only to be allowed 
 to remain. They are quick and intelligent, very apt to 
 catch up what they hear, and can retail it again in other 
 words. They can, too, if you frequently attend their 
 medium, read your mind far better than you have any 
 idea of, and from that they can often give you a pretty 
 good discourse, something that suits your taste, and 
 harmonizes with your thoughts. Why should it not ? 
 They are your own thoughts retailed to you again. 
 This i3 the way these poor unfortunates try to retain 
 possession, and can we blame them ? Rather let us try 
 to redeem them, as I said, by our developing circles. 
 If we succeed in rescuing twenty poor spirits from dark- 
 ness, we provide a band of twenty earnest missionaries 
 to go and preach to those spirits in prison ; and they 
 can do far more, in proportion, than ice can do through 
 the medium. Spirits are not like mortals in this — they 
 know that they are miserable, and they will gladly re- 
 ceive help from higher sources, and it is the highest 
 
29 
 
 source of a high spirit's happiness to be able to assist 
 them. 
 
 Have we not said: "We will not cease from our 
 work while one spirit remains in darkness ?" and will 
 we not keep our word ? 
 
 P. 
 
 New York, September 25, I860. 
 
ON HISTORY. 
 
 You may wonder, my friends, why I select this sub- 
 ject for our consideration this morning, and probably 
 the views I express on it may not be very palatable to 
 some of you, and quite new to others ; but there is no 
 subject that may not have some light thrown upon it 
 by advanced minds, and certainly we in our sphere, who 
 can look down on the history of all on your earth, may 
 be supposed to have a good chance for forming our 
 opinions. 
 
 We are not going to treat of History as a mere ac- 
 count of facts, but as more particularly showing the de- 
 velopment of the human family. We wish to point 
 out to you the impolicy of always referring to ancient 
 records as guides for present conduct. Highly de- 
 veloped as the persons who wrote them must have been 
 for that age, they were far below the developed minds 
 of this century, both in their teachings and morality. 
 Their standard was lower, their surroundings entirely 
 different. Grossness, brutality and sensuality, in their 
 coarsest forms, then met the eye. That these vices still 
 prevail, I am aware, but they are not allowed to shock 
 the public sense of propriety, as they did formerly. 
 Students well know that some of the finest writers of 
 antiquity were licentious in the extreme, and it is only 
 recently that a cry has been raised against putting their 
 tainted, polluted productions into the hands of your 
 innocent children, as studies of elegant classic literature. 
 
 Such things could not be if men would think for 
 themselves, instead of looking to the ancients to givo 
 them ideas. Is not every one endowed with a portion 
 of God's spirit ? Why cannot he call that forth, and 
 
31 
 
 lean on his own intuitions? He would then have a 
 fountain of wisdom within himself, to guide and assist 
 him, and carry him up the hill of progression, far more 
 satisfactorily than the records of ancient days. They 
 suited the times they were written for, and did their 
 work. Now, let us pass forward for higher light and 
 farther knowledge. 
 
 When you have studied to weariness, and have learnt 
 all the teachings of the ancients by heart — Zoroaster, 
 Confucius, Christ, and a host of others — they all resolve 
 themselves into the simple teachings of the latter, that 
 " if you would be happy, you must be good ;" and to be 
 so, you must study, not books, but the happiness of your 
 fellow-creatures — " to do to others as you would they 
 should do to you." This is the golden rule ; all true 
 reformers taught this, as well as Jesus, and it is one of 
 the few teachings we have received from the ancients 
 that will never die out. If this were faithfully followed 
 there would be no further need of a Bible. Do you 
 not see how wide-spread would be its effects? All 
 know how they would like to be treated themselves ; 
 very kind and lenient, I am sure, they would be in their 
 judgments, very liberal in their donations, very atten- 
 tive in sickness, very patient, very forbearing. Reverse 
 the medal. Let them put their fellow men in their own 
 place, and act to them in the manner I have portrayed, 
 and what a world of harmony and peace you would 
 have ! It would really be Heaven upon Earth. 
 
 Seeing this, my friends, what need is there of studying 
 these ancient records, of trying to understand the whys 
 and wherefores of every part ? Why not let them sink 
 into the oblivion prepared for them, and press forward 
 yourselves, in your more progressed state, to higher and 
 more ennobling teachings ? If the spirit of wisdom 
 could so enlighten the old fathers in those compara- 
 tively dark ages of the world, is it not as possible, and 
 
32 
 
 quite as probable, that there are still greater stores of 
 wisdom that may be poured out for you ? Why bur- 
 row in the darkness of the past, when the present is 
 teeming with light ? Man, in his ignorance, thinks he 
 knows all things. Alas ! he knows nothing yet as he 
 ought to know, and as he might know if he sought 
 knowledge aright. But he studies the books of man's 
 inditing, while true inspiration is waiting to be poured 
 down upon him in all its fullness from the bright 
 spheres above. What will all this earth-knowledge 
 avail when you come into these higher spheres ? So 
 much more pure and lofty are our teachings, that all 
 you bring with you will sink into insignificance, and 
 you will wonder at your own blindness in wasting so 
 much time upon it. 
 
 It must not be thought that we would advocate igno- 
 rant supineness, and indifference to the things of earth- 
 life. Far otherwise. What we would say is this : 
 The book of nature is a better study than old tradi- 
 tions, imperfect at the best, and filled with contradic- 
 tions and demoralizing histories, which, you are taught, 
 all came from the same inspired source. The Divine 
 Being never contradicts himself. In the book of na- 
 ture you can read of the wisdom and love that planned 
 and directed, with so much intelligence, the organiza- 
 tion of your earth and all others. It is a study that 
 can never be exhausted, and from which you can gather 
 new ideas daily. Then, can there be a better subject 
 for your consideration than man himself? Can you 
 read all the depths of the human heart ? Has it not 
 been said for centuries that " man is desperately 
 wicked, born in sin, cannot think a good thought V* 
 Now a light has broken in, and few, comparatively, 
 hold to this dreadful doctrine. So it is ; other errors 
 and prejudices will gradually die out under the new 
 light men will bring to bear upon them ; and such 
 
33 
 
 should rather be the turn your inquiring minds should 
 take, instead of wasting your energies in searching the 
 records of the far past. 
 
 It is said that "distance lends enchantment to the 
 view ;" I am sure it does to the characters of our old 
 progenitors. Many of you would be very much disap- 
 pointed could you see them as they were. They had 
 like passions and failings with yourselves, just as liable 
 to err — from pride, anger, and such like, and would 
 not desire to be taken for models. 
 
 No, my friends, the best teacher man can have is the 
 Spirit of God in his own soul. That will enlighten 
 and guide him aright, if he will trust in it, fill him with 
 true wisdom and true knowledge, and at the same time 
 harmonize his whole nature. Possessed of this true 
 light of the spirit, the cares and trials of life will not 
 harrass and perplex as formerly ; true wisdom will 
 show him that they are only for a season — that man's 
 frown cannot affect him while the light of God's Spirit 
 is in his soul. What are earth's gauds and toys 
 compared to this ? Would you exchange this blessed 
 glorious gift for them ? Would you put them in com- 
 parison for a moment? No, my friend, you know 
 better, you have not so learned of the spirit ; its teach- 
 ings have gone too deep into your inmost soul, and you 
 will be happy and blessed in possessing it, even were 
 you stripped of everything you have been taught to 
 hold most dear. 
 
 S. 
 September 27, 1860. 
 
THE HAPPY. 
 
 The happy are those who expect least, give most, and 
 hold all things so loosely, as we may say, that they can 
 resign them at any time without a murmur. 
 
 Such is a short definition of the meaning of happiness, 
 but we will enlarge somewhat on the subject, and try 
 to prove to you why it is so easily attainable, if men 
 only took the right way to procure it. 
 
 If a man expect little he cannot feel unhappy if he 
 receive little, and if he receive much his pleasure is en- 
 hanced by his expectations being surpassed. Whereas, 
 the pleasure of giving from a full heart ungrudgingly, 
 is well known by those who have tried it, to be far 
 greater than the pleasure given to the recipients . But 
 the truest source of contentment or happiness, lies in 
 our holding all our possessions in trust, ready to give' 
 them up at any moment without repining. The same 
 kind hand that gave has the right to take away. What 
 have we that we did not receive ? How then can we 
 claim them for our own ? If mortals would only bear 
 these things in mind, how much misery might they be 
 spared ? If they would only feel that they are responsi- 
 ble to God and their own souls alone, and that they only 
 can really judge them, how little would they care for 
 man's opinions or man's frown ? If the world look coldly 
 upon them because they may not perhaps make quite so 
 good an outside show as formerly, and even go so far as 
 to censure and upbraid them because they may have 
 been less successful in worldly matters than themselves, 
 what effect would it have on properly developed minds ? 
 The peace and happiness they possess within would en- 
 tirely blunt the points of such poisoned arrows. Mag- 
 
35 
 
 netized by Holy Spirit, such remarks would fall on the 
 ear without inflicting the slightest wound ; and how- 
 ever severe their worldly trials might be, they would 
 still enjoy that happiness of which so many know 
 nothing. 
 
 Happiness takes many different forms in the human 
 mind. Some look for it in riches, some in love, some 
 in this thing, some in that ; but true, lasting, real hap- 
 piness, must come from the heart's being rightly regu- 
 lated and harmonized to all things. Truly, the happi- 
 ness of this world is not so unequally distributed as 
 people think. The lowliest are often the most fully 
 possessed of this treasure. Many a poor wanderer, the 
 proud ones of the earth despise, possesses a bright and 
 glorious spirit that will rise high in Heaven, when they 
 may be grovelling in darkness. 
 
 There is far more real happiness among the poorer 
 classes than people generally imagine. We spirits can 
 come nearer to them to magnetize and help them in their 
 daily toil. We can make them more thoroughly sensi- 
 ble of the enjoyment of a day of rest ; and when the 
 poor tired father, after his return from labor, caresses 
 and pets his little ones, he feels a deeper sense of hap- 
 piness than the rich can conceive of who have their 
 children always around them. 
 
 Happiness, my friends, would soon be the portion of 
 many on earth, if they would seek it in the right way. 
 First, in making others happy, this is a sovereign re- 
 ceipt ; next, in so individualizing yourselves as to be 
 able to stand unmoved amidst ruin of worldly prospects, 
 or the censures of friends, (so called.) If you have 
 done what you thought right to the best of your ability, 
 and have not succeeded, why should you blame yourself, 
 or allow the censures of others to have any weight with 
 you ? If no one can reproach you for unjust, hard, or 
 not strictly upright dealings, then is your soul right 
 
36 
 
 before God and his angels ; and what are the judgments 
 of man in comparison ? They may depress and throw 
 a dark cloud over you for a time, but they cannot de- 
 stroy your inward peace. My friends, who have not 
 yet found this true happiness, let me urge on you the 
 importance of trying to obtain it as soon as you can. 
 Cast aside all selfishness, all pride in the gauds of your 
 earth-life, and strive to harmonize and sanctify your 
 spirits, that the true light from above may penetrate 
 them. You do not know what a dark wall you raise 
 around you by your contentions and strivings for earthly 
 distinctions. The bad influences that you stir up pre- 
 vent good spirits approaching as they would gladly 
 do to help you. 
 
 Nothing is more adverse to the introduction of true 
 happiness among you thamcontentions in the family cir- 
 cle, where love and peace should hold the reins. One 
 inharmonious, discontented spirit is enough to disturb 
 the whole. Be careful, then, my friends, each one to 
 watch himself. Let no impatient word, no irritating 
 remark or unkind comment pass your lips. Be thank- 
 ful each to the other for services rendered. Be lenient 
 in your judgments, never retailing unkindnesses or ma- 
 licious stories, but if compelled to give opinions of per- 
 sons, do so in the spirit of love, and always speak of 
 the good you know of them, and let the evil rest. This 
 is the true spirit of harmony — this is the true way to 
 be happy. But there are still other things that will 
 conduce very mucli to produce it. Charity to the poor, 
 and kindness to the sick are both great promoters of 
 happiness — not to yourselves alone — of course the bene- 
 fited are happier too, and their prayers and good 
 wishes help to make a crown for their benefactors in a 
 higher sphere. 
 
 It may not, perhaps, be known to many of you, but 
 it is a fact, that when a person feels this true sympathy 
 
37 
 
 for the suffering, their very presence is a benefit to the 
 invalid ; a magnetism of healing power flows from 
 them ; and if they are media, they are generally led to 
 lay their hands upon them and can often heal them. 
 These things are taking place daily in your midst, and 
 more and more striking manifestations of this gift of 
 healing shall be given, as the spirits can manifest 
 through you. As sin dies out so will suffering ; as 
 people reform their lives, their constitutions will be re- 
 formed, their children will be born healthy and well 
 developed, and doctors and medicines will not be 
 needed. Lawyers must also forgo their calling. When 
 there is no inharmony and contention, there will be no 
 need of them to regulate your affairs. Where every 
 one is willing to do to his neighbor as he would be 
 done by, what would be the use of a go-between? 
 So when each man has the law of God written in his 
 heart, what need of ministers with their large salaries 
 and high looks, to teach it to you ? All these things, 
 my friends, must be done away with by slow degrees, 
 but still, far more rapidly than you think for. Silently, 
 but effectually, the transition is going on in men's minds, 
 but few have the courage to declare it at present. The 
 time, however, is not far distant when a great change 
 will come over the world. Much of the inequality of 
 social position will be done away with. Men will think 
 for themselves and act for themselves ; rank, fashion, 
 and all such artificial and hurtful distinctions will cease 
 to bear sway over their minds ; they will look to them- 
 selves and not to others for guidance, and become in- 
 dividualized. 
 
 When this state of things shall prevail, then we shall 
 find true happiness daily gaining ground among you. 
 The harmonies of your natures instead of the discords, 
 will become cultivated, and so entirely changed will 
 man's condition become, that when the time arrives for 
 
38 
 
 his passage "from this earth-sphere, it will be merely a 
 gentle sleep, and he will scarcely realize it till he 
 awakes in glory — for glorious will be the awakening 
 of such h armonious and happy mortals. 
 
 N. 
 September 28, 1860. 
 
OIST THE POWER OF HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 The influence exerted over the human family by- 
 Holy Spirit coming direct from God into their hearts, 
 enlightening their minds, guiding their paths, and keep- 
 ing them in all their ways, shall be our theme this 
 morning. 
 
 Men are too apt to look to themselves and interme- 
 diate agencies, for what comes in reality direct from 
 God. There is no positive harm in this ; at the same 
 time, they would receive more of the fullness of the 
 Spirit, if they looked higher for it. Angels and spirits 
 all receive it from this same Divine source, and it is as 
 freely offered to you as to them; but they, in their 
 more enlightened state, can more fully appreciate this 
 Divine Afflatus— they can realize more clearly the in- 
 estimable benefit conferred on them, and see and mourn 
 the blindness of men in rejecting, or treating with in- 
 difference, their highest privilege. 
 
 How entirely, for centuries back, has this gift of 
 Holy Spirit, promised so plainly and fully to the disci- 
 ples by Christ, been omitted in the teachings of the 
 churches ; it is, indeed, completely lost sight of, both 
 by preachers and hearers ; and yet it was the highest 
 blessing promised by Him to his followers before he 
 left the Earth. He did not urge them to look for 
 blessings from his death, but to wait for Holy Spirit, 
 which he would send to them from his Father, God. 
 And do you not remember how bountifully it was 
 poured out upon them ? How well that promise was 
 fulfilled? Could they not do all things, under its 
 powerful influence, that could tend to the furtherance 
 of their mighty work ? Did they not heal the sick — 
 speak their Divine mission in diverse tongues to suit 
 
40 
 
 their various hearers ? Many more were convinced by 
 their teachings than even by their masters — this power 
 of Holy Spirit was so strong upon them. So it was in 
 those early ages of the Church. Why did it not con- 
 tinue ? "Why were such gifts allowed to die out ? Did 
 the sick cease in the land ? Were all nations brought 
 into harmony by the true light of their Gospel ? 
 Alas ! no, my friends. Sickness and misery continued 
 to exist almost as rife as ever, but men had commenced 
 to quarrel about creeds and dogmas. Human author- 
 ities were set up, and Holy Spirit, which could and 
 would have continued to guide them with as much and 
 even more power than it had showered down in the 
 days of the Apostles, was driven from the Earth. 
 
 Man in his blindness said there was no need of mir- 
 acles after the apostolic age, and in that way reconciled 
 the fact to himself, that Inspiration had ceased ; but if 
 he had looked more closely into the matter, he would 
 have seen a very different reason why the gift of Holy 
 Spirit had been withdrawn — he would have found that 
 his own blindness and arrogant assumption prevented 
 all chance of the Spirit manifesting. Quarrels on 
 points of doctrine, immaterial at best, persecutions for 
 conscience' sake, are fatal to Holy Influences. Where 
 the true spirit enters, there must be harmony and love. 
 Quarrels and contentions may bring in other influ- 
 ences, but they can never bring to their followers 
 " That peace of God which passeth understanding" the 
 Bible says, but which we say, may be the portion of 
 all who seek it aright. 
 
 This Holy Spirit, which has been driven from the 
 earth so many years, Christ and his followers are again 
 endeavoring to bring to you. The work is going on un- 
 tiringly, unseen and silently, but without any intermis- 
 sion they labor for you. ]>y tiny raps they first called 
 attention to the unknown beings around you. Man 
 
41 
 
 had grown so worldly, so material, he had almost 
 ceased to believe in the reality of spirits ; any one who 
 professed to have faith in their existence, was looked 
 upon as lunatic, or at least half-witted. How could they 
 then reach you, since all were too worldly-wise to take 
 them in their souls ? The bodily senses must first be 
 appealed to, and unequivocal proofs of an outside intel- 
 ligence be made plain to all inquirers. 
 
 Men began soon to make an examination* into the 
 phenomenon ; it excited attention ; comments of vari- 
 ous kinds were made, and gradually, as more minds 
 were turned to the subject, different and higher classes 
 of manifestations became apparent. 
 
 But it is not necessary for me, my friends, to enter 
 into further details of the phenomena of Spiritualism, 
 with which you are no doubt fully acquainted. What 
 I want to point out to you is this, that it is all for a 
 wise and good purpose — that it has an end in view, as 
 grand in its proportions as the commencement of 
 Spiritualism was minute , trivial we cannot call it, for 
 those tiny raps were the first beginning of a movement 
 that will revolutionize the world. The Banner of 
 Christ is raised on high, the Trumpets have sounded, 
 and He with His angels have gone forth to the fight — 
 a fight against sin and sorrow in all their various 
 forms. The struggle may be long protracted, but He 
 will be finally victorious over all opposition, both of 
 men and spirits. Nothing can withstand Him. Strong 
 in the power of God's holy Spirit, the hosts come on, 
 armed for the contest. That which men drove from 
 the earth so many centuries ago, when Christ first made 
 it known to them, He will now establish in all its full- 
 ness, and a reign of true Celestial Harmony and Peace 
 shall be the result. 
 
 Hasten this time, my friends. By your earnest 
 efforts to further these desirable ends you can do much, 
 
42 
 
 more than you perhaps think ; but if you once receive 
 this true light of Holy Spirit in your souls, you will do 
 far more ; your words will be words of power to con- 
 vince others ; your hands may carry a balm of healing 
 for every wound; your hearts open and melting in 
 charity for all, charity that not only relieves the indi- 
 gent from bodily want, but follows out to the letter the 
 teachings of the divinely-inspired Paul on this subject. 
 Think, if ^11 felt in this way, how differently the world 
 would be constituted. Christ's mission would soon be 
 accomplished, and Heaven and Earth rejoice together ! 
 
 J. W. 
 
 September 29, 1860. 
 
THE DAY OF REST— THE SABBATH DAY. 
 
 The theme, my friends, selected for our meditations 
 this morning, is one that has engrossed much attention, 
 and on which many conflicting opinions have been 
 given, and many stringent regulations to enforce their 
 observance by the mass of mankind have been enacted. 
 But it does not accord with the idea of freedom in 
 thought, and individuality of character, that one man's 
 mind should be the guiding rule of other men, or that 
 one should be censured, and even punished, because he 
 entertains different opinions on this to me open subject. 
 
 God has done all things well, and if he has consti- 
 tuted one man different to another, how can that other 
 be judged by him ? Let each man be a law unto him- 
 self. You may, perhaps, think that the utmost disorder 
 and anarchy would prevail if such a rule obtained, but 
 you are mistaken, my friend. In countries where the 
 human being has had his mind, and sometimes his body, 
 held in slavish thrall, some confusion might occur at 
 first, but it would soon subside, and an increase of dig- 
 nity and self-respect would manifest themselves in these 
 degraded ones— while in countries where freedom of 
 thought has made some progress in developing the 
 higher qualities of human nature, still further and more 
 and more rapidly will they tread the ascending scale. 
 You may think I have wandered from my theme, but not 
 so ; these preliminary remarks were necessary to lead 
 you to the full understanding of our subject — the Sab- 
 bath day — a day that ought to be one of enjoyment and 
 recreation to all — so seldom properly employed — so 
 often miserably perverted to the most distasteful or un- 
 holy uses. 
 
44 
 
 When God formed man and placed him upon this 
 earth of yours, it was that he might be happy, and that 
 after certain developments, necessary for his future pro- 
 gress, he should pass to still higher ones in another 
 sphere. He did not give him any laws for his obser- 
 vance, but left him to follow his own intuitions, and 
 develop as best he might. Soon man found for himself 
 a way, as he thought, of being happier than ever — he 
 would worship the Great Being who had created him, 
 not with thanksgivings and songs of praise for His 
 bountiful gifts to him, but with sacrifices and mortify- 
 ing observances, to avert the wrath of a God who is all 
 goodness and love. His own undeveloped nature had 
 prompted him to the commission of acts which he felt 
 were not right, and the intuitions implanted in him by 
 God made him sensible of a something to come here- 
 after, for which he must prepare, and from which he 
 dreaded that punishment of his misdeeds he knew 
 enough to feel was his due. So it went on. As he 
 developed in intellect, vices and crimes were commit- 
 ted, or rather those acts became vices and crimes which 
 could not be considered in that light when man was so 
 little elevated above the animal creation as he was at 
 first. 
 
 When these actions had taken a definite character, 
 and were recognized by the body of the people as evil, 
 then they enacted laws to repress them, and religious 
 observances to assist in preventing the evils so univer- 
 sally prevalent. Their wise men told them of an 
 offended God, when they should have told them of 
 moral laws offended. A day was appointed for the 
 appeasing of this awful Deity. Sacrifices, sometimes 
 of animals, but frequently of men, women and children, 
 were offered up to appease the wrath of a God who is 
 really all love, and wants to see His people happy. By 
 slow degrees these casual observances took a more sys- 
 
45 
 
 tematic form, and one day in seven was set apart for 
 the worship of this unknown but dreaded power. 
 
 Such, my friends, was the origin of the Sabbath — sin, 
 and fear of the punishment of sin ! Little by little it 
 grew into more notice, till its observance became uni- 
 versal, and now see what a stupendous fabric man has 
 formed ; instead of the day being at his disposal, to do 
 with as he sees best, man is the slave of the day ! Let 
 him feel it as distasteful and irksome as possible, outside 
 ceremonies and quietude must mark its observance. 
 Some there are who, going to the other extreme, make 
 it a day of riot and drunkenness, but this only brings 
 a further testimony in proof of its misunderstood char- 
 acter. The fact is, man should live every day as if it 
 were a Sabbath. Every day he should be in that 
 peaceful state of mind that it would not be out of place 
 for him to commune in Spirit with God. 
 
 The human family has now reached a so much higher 
 state of development than they had attained when the 
 Sabbath was first instituted, that they may certainly 
 be allowed to judge for themselves how they prefer to 
 spend it. If a man sees no sin in a quiet walk, inhaling 
 the odors of nature, and worshipping God in and 
 through his works, can you, fellow man, say he is 
 wrong ? I say No ! however high your station in your 
 church, your piety or your pretensions, that other men 
 may find God much nearer to them in the field than you 
 in your cushioned pew. Let each one be a law unto 
 himself. As I before said, the institution of the Sab- 
 bath originated in servile fear, the offspring of igno- 
 rance and brutal sins. Why then should man continue 
 to observe it, as he has so long done, with languid and 
 cold services, from unwilling lips ? Rather let him so 
 live that his daily life may be a perpetual Sabbath of 
 rest and peace. M. 
 
 September 30, 1860. 
 
ON DEATH 
 
 The subject that suggests itself for our consideration 
 this morning has been prompted by one of those simple 
 incidents daily occurring in your earth-life, united with 
 so much that is painful and trying to human nature — 
 the departure of a young girl's spirit to its new home 
 — a home she has herself prepared for it, but which may 
 be as widely different to any thing she has pictured as 
 Earth is from Heaven. 
 
 Man little realizes the importance of understanding 
 this momentous subject — he follows his daily avoca- 
 tions with zeal and earnestness, neglecting no opportu- 
 nity of developing all the resources and talents in his 
 possession to further his worldly schemes; while his 
 unfortunate spirit too often languishes in darkness, 
 utterly destitute of the nourishment it requires, and 
 without which it cannot develop. 
 
 Does man forget that it is the spirit, and not the 
 body, that is to live forever ? Does he forget that he 
 brought nothing into this world with him, and that he 
 can take nothing earthly away ? How can men be so 
 blind to these tilings ? How can they wrap themselves 
 up in careless ease and indifference about a future 
 state, when they know that it will be forever and for- 
 ever, that this life is only a short probation for that, 
 and here they must make those preparations that may 
 decide the destiny of their souls for ages ? We do not 
 hold to the doctrine that punishment is eternal ; we 
 know it is not. But there are punishments in a future 
 state quite sufficiently severe to make man earnest to 
 avoid them, if he rightly understood these things. 
 
 So many wrong teachings have been given to the 
 
47 
 
 •world on these subjects, that men have finally come to 
 the conclusion, as it seems, that it is the easiest and 
 pleasantest way to leave the matter at rest, so far as 
 their own individual efforts are concerned, and let the 
 priests do all that is necessary to ensure them a safe 
 entry into Paradise — money can purchase this, the 
 priests tell them, and money they give when their hour 
 of reckoning draws nigh. Money, their own idol, and 
 for which they spent a life of toil and privation, they 
 freely give, thinking through it can be done that work 
 it should have been the aim of their whole lives to 
 bring to perfection. Miserable, deluded victims of a 
 crafty priesthood, how are you deceived ! What an 
 awakening is yours when the portals of the grave are 
 passed, and you enter that unknown Spirit-world ! 
 There you will find a purgatory indeed, from which no 
 priest or prayer can save you — a purgatory from which 
 you might have escaped, had you only known how to 
 act on this earthly plane. Had your spiritual teachers 
 taught you to work instead of pray, to cultivate the 
 higher nature within you, the God-principle implanted in 
 every man's breast — had they taught you to control your- 
 selves, to love and help your fellow-man. irrespective of 
 degree or station, rather seeking out the debased and 
 vile as objects of your care, and doing to every one as 
 you would be done by — how different would be your 
 awakening in your Spirit-home ! There you may now 
 find darkness and misery, solitude and bitter thoughts, 
 with no ray of comfort to beam upon you, nothing but 
 the reproaches of your own hearts to bear you com- 
 pany, all your own indulged passions tormenting you 
 without the means of gratifying them, cursing the 
 priests and the teachings that have brought you to this 
 fearful state — your poor soul is indeed in a place of 
 torment, and long may it have to continue there, unless 
 some kind spirit from the higher spheres can attract it 
 
48 
 
 upwards. But the man who has done his work while 
 on the earth, cultivating the interior principle, while 
 not neglecting the body, who has fed his spirit with 
 deeds of kindness and mercy, following in the footsteps 
 and example of Jesus, self-denying, patient, charitable 
 and full of love for his fellow-man, not merely relieving 
 his bodily wants, but also nourishing his soul with 
 ^Heavenly manna — he will find, when he enters on his 
 new state of existence, what a beautiful Spirit-body he 
 has prepared for himself — what crowds are waiting to 
 welcome him and to see him clothed in it ! All the 
 poor afflicted ones that he may have relieved or soothed 
 on their dying beds will be there — all the bright 
 spirits who have aided and strengthened him in his 
 daily walk will be there — these, and many others that 
 he never knew, but who have watched his course ap- 
 provingly, will welcome and conduct him to the bright 
 and glorious home — the mansion he has prepared for 
 himself in the Heavens ! 
 
 Will not you, my dear friends, who read or hear these 
 few words, look into this subject more closely than you 
 have ever yet done ? Will you not see the necessity of 
 taking this work into your own hands ? No priest, no 
 prayer, can save you from your own evil deeds — in 
 your own hands is the remedy. Cultivate your higher 
 nature. Do not place your bodies, your most unwor- 
 thy parts, in the seat of honor, and make them idols, 
 but elevate your souls, that portion of God's nature 
 implanted in all of you, and do deeds worthy of them. 
 Let truth and love reign in your hearts, and universal 
 benevolence guide your actions to your fellow-crea- 
 tures. If such principles obtain among you, if this 
 brotherhood of feeling and acting be established, your 
 souls and spirits will grow together in beautiful propor- 
 tions, and the change called death will be looked upon 
 as merely an opening to a better life ; instead of being 
 
49 
 
 regarded, as it now is, as a thing of dread and horror, 
 of which men dare not think, and on which they are 
 afraid to look. 
 
 L. D. 
 October 1, 1860. 
 
ON FORTITUDE. 
 
 The ills of life are so numerous, and require so much 
 strength of mind and true courage to support them, that 
 I think we cannot do better this morning than devote 
 a little time to the consideration of them ; and perhaps 
 we may suggest some measures by which many may be 
 alleviated, and some even cease to be evils. 
 
 First, then, let us consider what are generally looked 
 upon as the great troubles human nature is liable to. 
 Sickness, loss of fortune, and death, are three of the 
 most prominent ; many more might be enumerated, 
 but these three contain the elements of most others, and 
 we will confine our attention to them. 
 
 The old Prophet says : " Man is born to trouble as 
 the sparks fly upwards," — but we say nay, we differ 
 with the old philosopher in toto, and will not allow 
 that man, or woman either, is necessarily born to 
 trouble — that they meet with trouble only too fre- 
 quently, I allow, but is not this generally caused by 
 some outside circumstances that might have been 
 avoided if the human family were following out a right 
 principle of action ? Certainly it is. Man is living in 
 a false position, and the sooner he rectifies it the better 
 it will be for him, and the sooner will all these ills and 
 trials of life, that so try his fortitude, cease to exist. 
 
 We have alluded in a former essay to a time to come 
 when sickness will cease out of your land, when men 
 will have so learned to live that their bodies shall be 
 purified and sanctified — fit temples for the living God. 
 Of course, when this moral perfection is attained, the 
 purity of life it will induce will soon eradicate all the 
 seeds of disease from their systems, and bodily sickness 
 
51 
 
 will be unheard of. This may seem a chimerical idea 
 to some of you, and you will not, probably, live to see 
 its fulfillment, but I think you will agree with me that 
 all the diseases of your natures, both physical and 
 mental, have been induced by neglect and abuse of the 
 body and soul — originally created without any ailment 
 whatever ; and when men only learn, as I said, to see 
 this thing in its true light, and set manfully to work to 
 cultivate health of mind and body on the true princi- 
 ples of purity and abstinence from all excesses, when 
 they learn to be temperate in all things, pleasure, busi- 
 ness, study, or whatever they have their minds turned 
 to, they will soon see a wonderful change in their own 
 health, and far more improvement in their subsequent 
 offspring. 
 
 Loss of fortune we have cited as one of the trials of 
 a man's fortitude, and it certainly is sometimes followed 
 by most painful results, privations that the world never 
 dreams of, but of which we spirits are too often cogni- 
 zant, and which, when we can approach near enough, 
 we do all in our power to soothe and relieve. But do 
 you not see, my friends, that loss of worldly possessions 
 ought not to produce these sad results if the world were 
 properly constituted. If each man learned to hold his 
 wealth as a trust given to him to do all the good with 
 in his power, if, living himself moderately and soberly, 
 he used it to benefit and relieve others less fortunately 
 situated, he never could experience these sad reverses. 
 Where each one is willing to distribute of his surplus 
 means to his poorer neighbor, when one who has 
 possessed wealth is suddenly deprived of it, some 
 other would be ready to supply his needs, and do for 
 him as he had so long done for others. This is the law 
 of retributive justice that should obtain on the earth, 
 and of which angels are trying to show the advantage. 
 Inequalities in the social plane always lead to more or 
 
52 
 
 less suffering. Where there are some inordinately rich, 
 others are always to be found in the most abject pover- 
 ty. More equal distribution of the good things of life 
 would produce more happiness to both parties. Be- 
 cause people are immensely rich, it does not follow that 
 they are happy ; far otherwise, they have cares and 
 anxieties, induced by their. very superfluity of wealth, 
 that the poor little dream of, and only too often is it 
 the means of hardening their hearts, and making them 
 callous to all the finer and more elevating feelings 
 of humanity. Money and self are their only idols, and 
 they have nothing to arouse them to a sense of their 
 dangerous position till they find themselves naked in 
 another state of existence, deprived of what they have 
 so long worshipped, and with remorse alone to sup- 
 ply its place ! The sufferings of the poor from tVis 
 unequal state of things, I need not dilate upon ; you all 
 know more or less of what they must be. The expo- 
 sure to hunger, cold and nakedness, so often presented 
 to your sight by your poorer population, must make 
 you well acquainted with some portion of their misery, 
 and if you visited their dwellings you would see much 
 more. But I will not enumerate their trials ; all of you 
 can see for yourselves what a benefit to them would be 
 some of the surplus wealth locked up in the coffers of 
 the rich — how advantageous the more equal distribu- 
 tion of the blessings intended by a wise Providence for 
 all alike. 
 
 Death, the last trial of all, we have shown in former 
 essays would be looked upon as anything rather than 
 a trial, if men lived as they should do, and understood 
 as they might the true nature of that change. Soon, I 
 trust, this light will burst upon their souls — that true 
 wisdom from above that will show them the vanity and 
 folly of laying up treasures for themselves upon earth, 
 either of money or pleasures of a perishable nature. 
 
53 
 
 Pleasures, improperly indulged in, lead, as we have 
 shown, to sickness, and, we may add, deformity in 
 all its forms, and it is only by thorough reformation 
 in the lives and actions of mankind that these curses 
 can be removed. 
 
 In regard to the distribution of their wealth, I am 
 afraid I have a still harder task to prove to them the 
 necessity for it. But, my friends, it is only when this 
 state of feeling exists, when men are ready to do good, 
 willing to distribute — when these teachings are really 
 lived out upon the earth, that the last great trial of 
 your life can be deprived of its sting, all fear and doubt 
 be removed, all gloom and terror done away, and death 
 be welcomed as a friendly messenger to carry you to 
 realms of bliss and still higher progression. 
 
 N. 
 
 October 2 1860. 
 
ON LOVIXG THE WORLD. 
 
 Loving the world, and the things of the world, has 
 been the great drawback to all Spiritual progression. 
 When men's hearts are set on these things, their great 
 aim will be to attain them, and if they cannot succeed 
 by honest industry as fast as they would desire, too 
 often they resort to other and less fair methods. I 
 have watched the progress of many Spiritualists, and 
 frequently found that after a commencement of pure 
 and unalloyed faith and joy in the manifestations vouch- 
 safed to them, that though satisfied with the knowledge 
 that their departed friends still exist and can interest 
 themselves in the future progress of their earthly rela- 
 tives, they seem, after a time, to find this knowledge 
 insufficient, and iu stead of trying to develop still higher 
 and more ennobling teachings from their Heavenly 
 visitants, their worldly feelings step in, and they seek 
 in all manner of ways to turn the spirits to account for 
 mundane purposes. Spirits of a low grade may en- 
 deavor to assist them, or may profess to do so, but it is 
 a dangerous business for any man or woman to rely on 
 their help — they may prove more delusive and fatal 
 than the ignis fatuus that beguiles the lonely wanderer 
 into the swamps of your Earth. High and holy spirits 
 do not come to you for any such purposes ; they are 
 too far-seeing, too much progressed, to give aid in such 
 matters. In his Earth-life man has his own appointed 
 duties to perform, and lie has mind given him to direct 
 him and guide him in the performance of them. How 
 can he become individualized if he relies on other 
 powers to think and work for him? And what is still 
 more detrimental to his progression, he sometimes looks 
 
55 
 
 to them to supply his needs, and bring him money. Be 
 assured, my friends, when spirits do these things (for I 
 do not say they cannot, though not after your earth- 
 fashion,) they are low and very undeveloped beings you 
 call to yorar aid, and bitterly will you repent having 
 used such instruments. If men were not so worldly, 
 how much higher might they rise — how happy and 
 pleasant would this life be to them — simple in their 
 tastes, simple in their pleasures, they would require so 
 much less to supply their necessities that they would 
 not have nearly so much temptation to do wrong as 
 they now have. The spread of luxury and extrava- 
 gance is become one of the crying sins of the land, and 
 must, unless checked, lead to untold misery. When 
 vices come to a certain point a sudden check is put to 
 them from unseen sources, and woe to that land that 
 draws such punishment upon it. 
 
 No nation has seen more prosperous times than this 
 one, no people have made such rapid strides in progress 
 — but let them not abuse the gifts so bountifully show- 
 ered upon them, lest darkness and desolation overspread 
 their fair country. The same hand that gave can take 
 away, and if vice and immorality, luxury and extrava- 
 gance, fraud, chicanery and deceit, are allowed to con- 
 tinue on unchecked in your midst, while the poor and 
 wretched starve unpitied in your streets, a severe day 
 of reckoning will come, and soon will the voice of 
 lamentation and wailing take the place of music and 
 revelry that now tickles your ears and delights your 
 senses. 
 
 I commenced by speaking of the manner in which 
 the Spiritualists so, often injure themselves, and the 
 creed they profess to believe in, and I would say a few 
 more words to them before I close these remarks. 
 
 Spirits, my good friends, like mortals, are liable to 
 err — the lower ones are far from perfect, as you may 
 
56 
 
 suppose, and if they deceive you by false promises and 
 expectations of wealth, or knowledge, or station, which 
 they know will never be attained, you must not blame 
 them too much ; rather censure yourselves who have 
 craved such things from them, and which they, knowing 
 your desires, have done their best to gratify. We have 
 told you before how anxious all undeveloped spirits are 
 to remain around a medium, and (if they find a chance) 
 communicate with mortals — of course, when they do 
 so, they say those things that they think will be most 
 pleasing, and draw the man or woman to their medium 
 again for further information. 
 
 To the Spiritualists who have no higher aim than 
 prosperity in their worldly affairs, by fair means if they 
 can, but prosperity at any rate, I can say no more — 
 deceived they are, deceived they will be to the end. 
 But to the truly inquiring and earnest truth-seeking 
 man who wishes to know the right, and to do it, I 
 would add this advice : Shun all mediums who touch 
 upon these things. Spirits cannot know as well as 
 yourselves how your worldly affairs should be con- 
 ducted. How should they ? They are not gods ! 
 And if you can so live as to find true spiritual know- 
 ledge coming to you through your own mediumship or 
 intuitions, you will be far happier, and far more likely 
 to possess the truth in your soul than in any other way. 
 
 L. 
 
 October 3, 1860. 
 
ON" CRIME. 
 
 We have chosen a subject but little understood, 
 though much spoken of, for the theme of our medita- 
 tions this morning, and we hope to be able to dictate 
 to our medium some remarks that may be beneficial to 
 the world at large. Men in all ages have felt the 
 evils that resulted from the commission of what they 
 called crimes ; they have known that there must be 
 something wrong in the workings of human laws and 
 ordinance, that in defiance of all man's regulations 
 crime still continued in all its dark deformity — life 
 sacrificed, vice indulged in, oppression and tyranny 
 ruling, where the teachings of Christ and His followers, 
 had been promulgated. I do not, my friends, say any- 
 thing of the followers of other creeds (the difference in 
 the amount of crime is not remarkably in favor of the 
 so-called Christians, however). I speak more particu- 
 larly now of the Christian sect — they who, having the 
 purifying teachings of Jesus for their guide, still follow 
 after their own desires, and indulge every base and low 
 inclination. How is this, my friend ? Can you ex- 
 plain to me why men with enlightened minds, having 
 the true way of holiness and purity of life so clearly 
 pointed out to them, fall into these gross sins, without an 
 effort, it would seem, to save themselves ? Would you 
 not suppose that they would rather choose that higher 
 life that they are told will bring them into harmony 
 and peace? Yet it is not so, except in rare instances. 
 As a general thing, men choose darkness rather than 
 light. This shows very clearly to us spirits that the 
 one is preferred to the other. Their natures have be- 
 come so depraved from contaminating influences, car- 
 
58 
 
 ried through, many generations, that they are not able, 
 without some outside assistance, to struggle against 
 these feelings. The sins of the fathers are literally 
 visited on the children, and they in their turn convey 
 to their posterity still further evil. Man cannot wrong 
 his own nature without defiling it ; if he indulge in 
 licentious pleasures, scrofula and its attendant ills must 
 descend to his posterity — if his brutal appetite for 
 blood and rapine bears sway, like passions and tempers 
 will obtain in his offspring ; true, they may not show 
 so perceptibly in the next generation, but the seed is 
 there, and will develop itself in time. I might go on 
 specifying, but it is enough for you to know how this 
 thing works ; you can now trace it out in all its bear- 
 ings for yourselves. You will then see clearly what it 
 is my aim to show you, namely : that crime is a neces- 
 sary consequence of indulged passions, it needs no out- 
 side influence to prompt to the commission of it (though 
 there are undeveloped spirits only too ready to lend 
 their aid). The mind to do is in the man himself, ready 
 to act when occasion serves. 
 
 Having now shown you how it is that crime still rules 
 supreme, in -spite of the teachings of reformers in all 
 ages, and in defiance of your most stringent laws, do 
 you not think you can see for yourselves a more excel- 
 lent way to eradicate its poisonous and death-dealing 
 influence from the Earth ? Do you not see, my friends, 
 it is a work every man must do by himself? And first 
 of all, the labor must be in himself. If the sins of the 
 fathers have descended to the children, either in the 
 form of sensual desires, avaricious craving, blood-thirsty 
 and revengeful passions, pride, disease, untruthfulness, 
 dishonesty, or any other vice that degrades or causes 
 him to err, let him faithfully strive for the eradication 
 of that evil — let him purify himself from that passion 
 or sin that docs so easily beset him, and he will not 
 
59 
 
 only feel the blessed effect of his work in his own life, 
 but his unborn offspring will have still greater cause to 
 thank him. They may not be quite freed from the taint, 
 but it will have slighter hold, and in the succeeding 
 generation it may die out altogether. 
 
 We have spoken above of those characters not ut- 
 terly depraved, as you term it — those who have still a 
 moral sense within them that would urge them to re- 
 form themselves if they would listen to its teachings. 
 But there are multitudes of others that must be helped, 
 in this reformatory movement, by kind and sympathiz- 
 ing mortals and spirit-friends ; they have fallen too 
 low to rise by their own efforts. In many instances it 
 would take long to convince men of the necessity of 
 a change, they are so wedded to their sins and blinded 
 to the truth ; but spirits have patience, and bide their 
 time to work upon them with most effect, but they need 
 also the co-operation of mortals to help them effectually. 
 If they can once instill into the minds of the human 
 family the importance of this movement, the necessity 
 there is for them to work heart and soul, and, striking 
 at the root of all evil, eradicate it from the earth (as 
 with the assistance of their spirit guides they surely 
 will do in time), there would no longer be this neces- 
 sity for laws and law-givers, and the redeemed from 
 sin and suffering would be a law unto himself. Crime 
 would cease to be known among you ; love, wisdom 
 and harmony would reign in your breasts and angels 
 come and take up their abode with you. 
 
 N. 
 
 October 5, 1860. 
 
. ON CHARITY. 
 
 Charity — the mission of angels to men is more espe- 
 cially to enforce the practice of this truly God-like 
 attribute — this emanation from Deity — this motive 
 power to redeem the world from all misery, sin, and 
 consequent wretchedness. How shall we sing its 
 praises? How shall we inspire you, my friends of 
 Earth, with the full realization of its manifold beau- 
 ties? — with that living abiding sense of its presence in 
 your hearts, that it may rule all your actions, guide 
 and govern your thoughts, and make you, while living 
 on your Earth-sphere, fitting companions of angels, 
 and recipients of their highest teachings ? 
 
 Very fully has Paul, our friend and co-laborer, en- 
 tered on this subject ; plainly and concisely, and at the 
 same time fully, has he described its bearings on the 
 human family, if properly carried out. But, my friends, 
 the Christian world, who hear that sublime chapter of 
 Corinthians read, are become so accustomed to the 
 poetical and harmonious jingle of the words, that the 
 sense rarely makes any impression on their minds, and 
 as to practicing its teachings, they look upon that as 
 too entirely out of the question to enter into their cal- 
 culations for a moment. The idea of such utter self- 
 abnegation, such extended and universal love and 
 charity as is there enforced — the forbearance under 
 injuries, the returning kindness and good service for 
 contumely and scorn — all these things are so far be- 
 yond the scope of their Christianity (as they call it)^ 
 that they do not in their hearts believe it was ever in- 
 tended they should put it in actual practice. 
 
 And yet, my friends, what else could have been the 
 
61 
 
 object of those teachings, and what motive could Paul, 
 or any other of the apostles have, in enforcing these 
 great truths upon the world ? Did they not receive 
 them direct from higher sources ? Were they not as 
 far above and beyond Paul in his natural mind as 
 they have always been beyond the people for whom 
 they were written ? Certainly they were. But is it 
 always to be so, my friends? Are you never to de- 
 velop up to them ? Is this world to go on, age after 
 age, progressing in everything that man deems worthy 
 his attention, and is this sublime and holy doctrine 
 of love and charity never to bear sway among you ? 
 Are you to go on forever fighting, murdering, perse- 
 cuting, slandering, reviling, and despising, as the case 
 may be ? Are fraud and oppression to prevail always, 
 and the poor and down-trodden never to cease in your 
 land ? My brethren, these things should not, could 
 not be, if charity, divine and heaven-born charity, pre- 
 vailed among you. If each one looked upon his neigh- 
 bor as a brother, and treated him as such (and you 
 know, my friends, all are your neighbors in the Bible- 
 meaning of the term), how differently would this world 
 be constituted and governed ! The law of love ruling 
 would obliterate the law of fear altogether. 
 
 Let us suppose, for a moment, a nation ruled by 
 kindness alone — the teachings of Paul carried out to 
 the letter — beginning with the highest in the land, how 
 would he act ? Would he require the servile homage 
 of his fellow-man? He could not receive it. If all 
 men are brothers, why should he use his brother worse 
 than himself ? The same holds good in regard to war 
 and conquest. Could a king or ruler make war upon 
 his fellow-man if he had the true light of love in his 
 soul ? No, my friends, he could not do these things, or 
 any others that would militate against the happiness of 
 his fellow-creatures ; and this rule working through all 
 
62 
 
 ranks and conditions, would produce like beneficial 
 effects in all ; gradually the condition of things would 
 change for the better, by distributing more equally the 
 comforts and necessaries of life. A brother having 
 abundance could not then see a brother in want ; he 
 must relieve suffering wherever he finds it — and were 
 all to follow this Heavenly rule, how soon would the 
 ills that now afflict your beautiful world die out ! 
 
 I have shown you in a previous essay how sickness 
 may be removed altogether ; I now show you how 
 poverty, war, contentions, and all unhappiness, may 
 follow in its train. You have suffered too long al- 
 ready, my friends, from these causes ; it is time for you 
 to take the field in earnest, and relieve yourselves from 
 their burden. The remedv is in vour own hands ; the 
 work lies within ; no one can do it for another, to your 
 own conscience you must stand or fall ; examine your- 
 selves carefully, and see in what you fall short of this 
 true charity and brotherly love. Do not look into 
 your neighbors' souls, but into your own ; commence 
 the reformation there, and show by your actions how 
 truly and fully this God-spirit is working in you. 
 Some few there are in the world who have in true ear- 
 nestness followed out these teachings to the best of 
 their ability, and they find that the more they strive to 
 do so the more power is given them to persist, and the 
 more true peace and good-will for man, their neighbors 
 and brothers, in the real meaning of the word, is added 
 to them. Daily they find new paths opened to them to 
 harmonize and assist, and they go on in their work re- 
 joicing. My friends, why cannot I sec more of you 
 following in their steps? Why is it that, instead 01 
 this brotherly love, contentions and strife arc in your 
 midst? Why is it that jealousy and ill-feelings obtain 
 in your meetings, so that even spirits are brought into 
 the ai cna to fight for you ? Is this as it should be ? 
 
63 
 
 Is this the true light, think you, that shall enlighten a 
 world ? My friends, my friends, think on these things 
 — think, before you are too far gone astray, if such could 
 be the true teachings Spirits have left their bright 
 homes to bring to you. Better we had never come, 
 could we do nothing more than give such teachings as 
 you too often receive from sources too low and debased 
 to be listened to for a moment. But we cannot enlarge 
 on this subject now, another time we may take it up. 
 We have already alluded to it on a former occasion, 
 and we will enter into it more in detail by-and-by. At 
 present our medium is tired, and we must conclude. We 
 will only add, that if you follow out the teachings we 
 have been enforcing, heartily and fully, there will be 
 no more wranglings and strife among you, and no evil 
 or malicious spirits will come and lead you astray by 
 their false teachings. This law of God in your souls 
 will keep you pure, and no impure spirit or spirit 
 teachings can come nigh you. Farewell, my friends ; 
 in love and kindness I take my leave now, let me not 
 have to come again in wrath. 
 
 J. 
 October 7, 1860 
 
ON TRUTH. 
 
 Truth is a subject we have chosen for our theme 
 this morning ; it is made a constant subject of conver- 
 sation among the people of the world, and many are 
 truly anxious to understand it in all its bearings, for 
 they know enough to see that truth, in its extended 
 sense, means far more than the literal affirmation of a 
 fact. 
 
 Truth is the life-giving principle of all things. If 
 there is no truth in what we communicate to you, then 
 there is no vitality in our teachings. True spirit com- 
 munion brings with it a life and power to work in and 
 through the persons receiving it, not only for their own 
 benefit, but for all with whom they come in contact ; 
 they feel the living principle of these things, and they 
 are anxious that others should enjoy the same blessing. 
 
 This is one way that truth works ; another is in 
 endeavoring to discover the secret things of the Lord ; 
 things said to have been hidden since the formation of 
 the world, but which the truthful and earnest seeker 
 now sees a chance of understanding ; he dives deep 
 into the mysteries of the creation ; he traces things to 
 their source, and finds truth and beauty combined to- 
 gether to form a harmonious result, which he now sees 
 far less difficulty in comprehending. The truth becomes 
 more and more perceptible the farther his researches 
 extend, and he retires from his labor satisfied with the 
 result, and glorifying and praising God, whose truth 
 and wisdom are so manifest in His works. 
 
 Again, truth is often something which you may fully 
 comprehend, but at the same time find it exceedingly 
 difficult, nay, almost impossible, to make clear to the 
 
65 
 
 mind of another ; organization, prejudice, education, 
 and many other things, may make it quite impossible 
 for them to receive it, while with you it is a positive 
 certainty. In regard to religious belief — can there be 
 any subject named on which there are greater diversi- 
 ties of opinion? Yet each one is right, to his own 
 mind — the creed he holds is the truth to his soul, and 
 he lives and dies by it ; can he give a greater proof 
 than this of the sincerity of his faith in it ? Of course 
 we are now speaking of sincere inquirers, not of those 
 who have never gone far enough into the depths of 
 their own spirits to care whether they have truth or 
 the reverse. 
 
 But truth must be brought nearer home to every man 
 and woman than all this. Abstract speculations and 
 creeds are all good in their way, and tend to elevate 
 the weak, or amuse and instruct the inquiring mind. 
 Truth, in its practical bearings on the human family, 
 must be the vital, living principle within that can con- 
 trol all their actions, elevate their desires and aspira- 
 tions, and render them responsible to their own higher 
 natures for any deviation from its paths. With truth 
 reigning supreme, how much would the aspect of things 
 change to the human family ! What might formerly 
 have made no impression on their obtuse natures, 
 would, with this intelligent monitor within (quickened 
 and elevated to his rightful post) appear vile and dis- 
 cordant to their more elevated conceptions. Lies, for- 
 merly indulged in without restraint, could not be 
 tolerated, and far more widely than this would the 
 reformation extend — an acted or quiescent lie would be 
 equally distasteful to them ; the purity of truth would 
 rule their language and their lives, and they would 
 dread and shun what could mislead or contaminate. 
 
 My friends, let this principle of truth extend still 
 
66 
 
 further ; carry it with you in your researches after 
 spiritual teachings ; let no desire for wealth, station, 
 success in worldly projects, or any other thing, accom- 
 pany you in your seekings for truth through these 
 sources. Pure in spirit, and truthful in your desires, 
 go to your Spirit-friends,, and if they can they will 
 help you with their counsels.; they may not be able to 
 give you all you need at first, but if they find you 
 patient and truthful they will not willfully mislead, 
 and gradually you will draw higher spirits to you. No 
 poor spirit will willingly debase himself ; if he does do 
 so, it is because he would not be received if he came in 
 any other way. Media and Spiritualists are far more 
 to blame for the false communications they receive than 
 the world has any idea of — they want what they get. 
 Do you ever hear of really pure-minded women being 
 insulted by the licentious and degrading free-love doc- 
 trines so continually given through some mediums ? Do 
 you ever hear of men who are really pure being told 
 that they may indulge their passions in any way, and 
 that it is good and necessary for them ? No, my 
 friends, these teachings come from, and to, those who 
 seek for them ; and no matter what any one may say 
 to you to the contrary, I affirm that mortals, and not 
 spirits, are to blame for them. I have told you before 
 how spirits want to progress ; they come for light, and 
 when they cannot get that, they will do these things for 
 the mediums, so that they may stay around. But are 
 they to be blamed? Rather, I think, blame the un- 
 truthful money-loving mediums, and the base seeker of 
 such encouragement to continue in his sin. 
 
 Truth, my friends, must ultimately prevail ; all this 
 wrong will be done away with — and, in the meantime, 
 let me say a few words to encourage true media and 
 truthful seekers to persevere. Be assured, my medium 
 
67 
 
 friends, you who have devoted your lives and talents 
 to this work in all truthfulness and sincerity, that no 
 false or bad teachings shall come through you, if it is 
 (and we know it is) in the power of good spirits to pre- 
 vent it. We will guard you, and your own truthfulness 
 will guard you also. Do not fear man's judgment. If 
 your teachings should be contrary to what has gene- 
 rally obtained, be satisfied — you know your own 
 hearts, your truthful desires, and let no man's opinion 
 have power to move or disturb you ; all will come 
 right at last, and we can sustain you through harder 
 trials than these. And to the truthful seeker I would 
 also say some words of comfort. Be not discouraged 
 if you meet with conflictions, and doubts arise — seek 
 out the cause of them, and then avoid their recurrence. 
 Many media have many minds, and many minds have 
 many spirits round them, therefore be very careful who 
 you select to take your communications from ; and 
 when you have found one on whom you can rely, do 
 not run after others and try to prove or disprove what 
 you have got through them ; there is sure to be connec- 
 tion if you do. No two are alike ; one can not enter 
 on the plane of the other at once, if at all — then how 
 can they vouch for. the correctness or reverse of what 
 you receive ? But the most sure way to obviate all 
 difficulty is, to try and develop your own soul, so that 
 there is no need to go to mediums at all. Spirits can 
 teach you far more satisfactorily in this manner, and 
 by degrees you will acquire a fount of living waters 
 within yourselves that will never fail, and will lead 
 you on unto everlasting life. 
 
 We have not been able to say all as clearly as we 
 could wish on this subject — the interruptions have 
 been so numerous, and the medium not very well ; but 
 we have stated enough to show you that truth has a 
 
68 
 
 far wider meaning than the world generally attaches 
 to it, and that if you wish to progress in Spiritual or 
 any other knowledge, truth must be the basis on which 
 to place yourself, and the only thing that should satisfy 
 a sincere inquirer. 
 October 8, 1860. 
 
ON SOBRIETY. 
 
 Sobriety, in all things, should be the aim of every 
 man ; not only in things pertaining to the appetites 
 and passions, but also in the use of our reasoning and 
 intellectual faculties. A man may be as intemperate in 
 his pursuit after knowledge as in the use of alcoholic 
 drinks, and it may be equally injurious to him physi- 
 cally. Moderation in all things is the law to be ob- 
 served, if you would wish to preserve physical health 
 and harmony of soul. To obtain this desirable result, 
 man must follow the law of reason, implanted in him for 
 this very purpose. What is he different from the brutes 
 but in this faculty of the soul ? and if he does not use 
 it, does he not bring himself to their level ? — we could 
 not show to them the impropriety of overtaxing a 
 brain or overloading a stomach ; and one might almost 
 think some men were quite as unconvincable, from the 
 repeated lessons they receive, and the little effect that 
 results from them ; but they must know, if they will 
 only think for a moment, that both brain and stomach 
 are too delicately organized, and too much in sympathy 
 with each other, to be either of them imposed upon 
 without disturbance to both. If the brain is the over- 
 worked laborer, dyspepsia, paralysis, and all the nervous 
 diseases, manifest themselves ; the liver refuses to act, 
 the bowels to perform their functions. In fact, there 
 is no end of the enumeration of ills we might specify 
 from these inordinate draughts on the mental faculties. 
 While on the other hand, intoxication and gluttony re- 
 sult in obesity, imbecility, and finally apoplexy or 
 delirium tremens. So you see, my friends, though the 
 kind of intoxication may be different, the results in 
 
70 
 
 both cases are equally bad. One is not indeed so de- 
 grading to the man, but it is equally certain in its 
 effects ; both lead to premature decrepitude and death, 
 and both should be carefully avoided, if you wish to 
 fulfill your allotted duties in your generation. 
 
 You are apt to look upon the drunkard with con- 
 tempt ; you say : " Why does he not exert his moral 
 courage and resist the intoxicating drink ?" My 
 friends, the same moral courage you' find it so easy to 
 recommend to his practice, should be exerted in your 
 own case when you, led away by a fascinating study, or 
 some new science, pursue it into the midnight hours ; 
 daily you continue your researches ; some new light 
 seems to dawn upon you ; more and more eagerly you 
 follow it up — exercise, food, family ties, everything, is 
 thrown aside by, and for, this one engrossing pursuit ; 
 after a few hours' broken and unrefreshing sleep, you 
 rise again to pursue the same course. Day after day 
 this may continue — with some, who are strongly or- 
 ganized, month after month — but it cannot continue 
 always ; the neglected and abused organs of your body 
 will make themselves heard at last ; they may have 
 muttered unregarded during some time, but there must 
 come a final crash, when they will fail to do their 
 allotted work, and the machinery being brought to a 
 stand still, paralysis or something worse may surprise 
 the unwary mortal. 
 
 And now, my friends, say if you think the student, as 
 I have described him, has any more moral courage than 
 the drunkard. I think not ; he follows after what he 
 prefers, without any reference to what it may cost him — 
 he cannot give it up, even when he feels that it is kill- 
 ing him, and why ? Because he likes* it. Does the 
 poor inebriate do any worse ? I think the latter is 
 more excusable, for as he goes on from bad to worse, 
 his moral faculties are deadened, while the suicide for 
 
71 
 
 knowledge is more clear-headed and far-seeing daily. 
 Do not, however, mistake me, or put a wrong construc- 
 tion on my words ; far be it from me to excuse or pal- 
 liate the sins of gluttony or drunkenness ; the evils 
 resulting from these vices are too wide-spread and well 
 known to require me to say a great deal in explanation 
 or reprobation of them ; where all see so plainly the 
 necessity of combatting and overcoming them, the work 
 is already half done. But intemperance in the pursuit 
 of knowledge is less suspected, less guarded against. 
 Men are apt to think they are doing a good work, en- 
 lightening their own minds that they may benefit others 
 from their fount, and so get carried away beyond the 
 bounds of reason and prudence. True wisdom would 
 show them that knowledge without health, and conse- 
 quently without harmony of spirit, could not be the 
 right kind to make them happy. And after all, my 
 friends, happiness is the end and aim of their research- 
 es. Happiness is what all are striving to obtain ; very 
 different are the methods by which the human family 
 ar^e working for it, but still that is the object of their 
 varied labors ; some few find it, some few know 
 what it is to enjoy perfect contentment and peace here 
 on your earth ; but the majority are widely removed 
 from it, and will continue to be so while they take such 
 erring guides to show them the way to its attainment. 
 This world of yours is full of good and beautiful gifts 
 to man, from an All-wise source, and all are to be en- 
 joyed in moderation — not one alone, or two, or even 
 three, of these gifts, to the exclusion of the others, but 
 all (as they were intended) be brought to conduce to 
 his happiness and comfort. As the human body has 
 many functions, and each function is necessary and 
 should be exercised to make harmony of the whole, and 
 form a perfect man, so the material world has many 
 functions, many means of developing in man the higher 
 
72 
 
 and more spiritual parts of his nature. Can he walk 
 abroad in the fields in the glorious sunshine without 
 feeling exhilarated and benefited, physically and mor- 
 ally ? Does not a glow of gratitude and love go up 
 to the giver of this healing warmth of the sun, this cool- 
 ing magnetism of the earth ? In inhaling the fresh 
 breezes he derives strength, in the cooling shade of the 
 trees refreshment — the birds singing in the air, the 
 sportive animals playing unconcernedly around him, 
 all would contribute to produce a feeling of refreshment 
 and repose to the mind rightly constituted to enjoy 
 them ; and to vary his pleasures, let him visit the abodes 
 of the sick and suffering ; let him impart to those poor 
 sinking brothers the words of wisdom and love he has 
 learned in his walks, with Nature for his companion and 
 teacher : let him soothe them with the thought of how 
 much they really have, poor and miserable though they 
 may be, that poverty cannot deprive them of ; relieving 
 their bodily necessities to the extent of his ability, 
 point out to them the happiness that may be enjoyed 
 here, even under the most discouraging circumstances, 
 where they can look up to God with a thankful spirit 
 for the air, the light, the sun, the rain, the night, the 
 day, the summer, and winter. Everything in Nature, 
 outside of man, is theirs ; man cannot deprive them 
 of these blessings, and the richest can derive no more 
 benefit or pleasure from them than the poorest. Is not 
 this a thought to make glad the heart ? And then in 
 addition, to be able to tell them of Spirit friends, their 
 constant watch over and care for them, their sympathy 
 in their sufferings, their constant effort to relieve and 
 cheer them when most desponding, and the certainty 
 that when their trials are over here they will be waiting 
 to receive them into their happy home. Is not this a 
 mission of happiness to the giver and the receiver also ? 
 Should you not, think you, feel better after it? Would 
 
73 
 
 your souls and bodies both harmonize ? You may be 
 a little fatigued, and your purse may be lighter, but it 
 would not be a fatigue to kill, and your brain or 
 stomach (for I am addressing both kinds of intem- 
 perates) would be rested and refreshed ; the former 
 invigorated to pursue its studies, and derive more 
 benefit and more enjoyment from them. 
 
 Think of these things, my friends, and I am sure you 
 must agree with me. Enjoy all the blessings you have 
 so bountifully received — let each one have its allotted 
 place. Exercise, physical and mental, is equally 
 necessary, but do not let exercise exclude other things. 
 There is plenty of time for all, if men will use it aright 
 — a time to work and a time to play. Let each have 
 its fair proportion ; one is quite as necessary as the 
 other. 
 
 We have extended our essay farther than we in- 
 tended, and our medium is tired • we therefore take 
 our leave, trusting you will take the subject we have 
 treated on, into your earnest consideration — remember- 
 ing that though we have only spoken of two kinds of 
 intemperance, a man may be intemperate in any and 
 every pursuit he carries beyond the bounds of modera- 
 tion, and allows to encroach on other duties. 
 
 N. 
 
 October 9, 1860. 
 
ON LOYE. 
 
 Paul says, " Love is the fulfilling of the law." 
 What law ? The Mosaic, or the Christian, or any 
 other specified and written laws ? No, my friends ; the 
 law of love is the law of God — the kind and benevo- 
 lent feelings implanted in our hearts by his Holy 
 Spirit, coming direct from him and returning to him 
 with added beauty, as it manifests itself in us. I say 
 in us ; for we, like you, are the recipients of this God- 
 principle — the only difference is in degree ; we can 
 receive it more abundantly ; this holy and ennobling 
 love, so constantly pouring out from the Great Fountain 
 of all goodness, is freely bestowed on those who seek it 
 aright ; none are forbidden to take it in all its full- 
 ness and enjoy its blessed and comforting influences. 
 Filled with this love, a man feels in harmony with all 
 persons ; circumstances, trials, contentions, sorrows 
 cannot move him to contend or to despond ; he is im- 
 pervious to the darts of the wicked, or to the attacks 
 of the malicious. You may say, " I have never felt 
 this love ; I am depressed by this thing, cast down by 
 that ; troubles and doubts overwhelm me, and I even 
 debate within myself, whether I am better or worse for 
 my knowledge of Spiritual things." My friends, doubts 
 would not arise if you had sought these things out in 
 the right way ; if you had taken hold of the matter by 
 the roots, in your own hearts, and cultivated there this 
 true love — principle, examined yourselves thoroughly, 
 and ascertained faithfully, if there were any shortcom- 
 ings in your own actions, that might prevent, for a 
 time, the entrance of it as an inmate of your bosoms. 
 If a man is in harmony with himself, everything ap- 
 
75 
 
 pears bright and lovely to him ; lie can sympathize 
 with the mirthful, or he can comfort the afflicted from 
 his own harmonious stand-point ; he is so filled with 
 this feeling of peace and joy, that he seems to tread 
 on air; nothing disturbs his equanimity, and he wants 
 every one he comes in contact with, to feel as happy as 
 he does himself. 
 
 Such is the state of mind we would wish to establish 
 upon Earth ; such the feeling this love would induce 
 among men, if they would only receive it freely, as it 
 is freely offered to them. The task of harmonizing 
 themselves, so that it could constantly dwell with 
 them, would not be so difficult, if they set to work in 
 earnest, and we, their spirit friends, would be always 
 near to assist them in their efforts • the more they 
 try, the more we can do. Every wrong feeling, every 
 inharmonious or unkind thought conquered, brings us 
 so much nearer. Day by day as one stubborn or un- 
 holy passion is broken up, we silently draw closer, 
 baptizing them with this heavenly magnetism, and fill- 
 ing the space in the soul, hitherto profaned by these 
 bad influences, with love, and peace, and joy. 
 
 This love " that passeth understanding/ 7 simply be- 
 cause men rarely live so as to understand it, is not so 
 difficult of attainment ; it is within the reach of every 
 one of you, and is the truest foretaste, when possessed, 
 of the life hereafter. "Will you not, my friends, en- 
 deavor to obtain for yourselves this blessing ? Will 
 you not set diligently to work, and ascertain what it is 
 that you are lacking? — what it is that hinders you 
 from possessing this pearl of great price ? If your 
 tempers are bad, will you not conquer them ? If en- 
 vious and unjust thoughts rankle in your bosoms, 
 against neighbor or friend, will you not expell them ? 
 If sloth or negligence interfere with your own progres- 
 sion or the happiness of others, will you not strive 
 
76 
 
 against and subdue them ? If licentious or debasing 
 pleasures entice you, will you not flee the tempters ? 
 And so, my friends, I might go on to enumerate every 
 sin or vice that can lead man or woman astray — for all 
 are enemies to this true love that should reign in your 
 bosoms, and all must be overcome. One man has to 
 fight against one enemy, another has something differ- 
 ent to contend with, some much more to subdue than 
 others ; but none are so perfect, but that, on rigid 
 self-examination, they may find a work to do ; and 
 it is one, that no other person can do for them. 
 Let each one, therefore, set himself or herself to the 
 task, and banish every feeling and thought from their 
 minds that is not in harmony with the perfect law of 
 love — that law which rules the Heavens in thfiir beau- 
 tiful harmony, and which the angels are so truly and 
 constantly trying to implant in the hearts of the chil- 
 dren of men. Shall we despair because man has so 
 long fought against its influence ? Shall we give up 
 because no progress is yet perceptible as the effect of 
 our labors ? No, my friends, we shall never weary in 
 well-doing, and the results of our efforts will now soon 
 be made more apparent to you. Silently the leaven is 
 working. One man here, and another there, is begin- 
 ning to take the right view of things — they are com- 
 mencing to find out that though it is to revolutionize a 
 world we come, the work is an individual one, each one 
 must perform his quota — in his own heart the change 
 must be ; there the revolution must take place, and 
 when it is thoroughly effected let him try to produce 
 like effects in others ; let him show by his life and 
 conversation how much he is altered for the better ; 
 let kindness and love, active and untiring, rule his 
 actions — always ready to prove the truth of his teach- 
 ings by the benevolence and purity of his conduct ; and 
 the happiness his belief has brought to him, by the 
 
77 • 
 
 cheerfulness and perfect harmony and love that reigns 
 in his soul and shines forth in his daily life. Such 
 proofs of the truth of his belief, and the good resulting 
 from it, will do more towards convincing mankind of 
 the benefits to be derived from Spiritualism than all 
 the essays or books we may write. One man's daily 
 walk is a better example than fifty lectures, and will 
 carry conviction home to the hearts of more people ; 
 but both are necessary, and therefore we write. We 
 must point out the way, or how can man walk in it, 
 and we have endeavored to do so in the most simple 
 and practical manner. 
 
 We have now embraced in our essays most of the 
 subjects necessary to assist a true Spiritual seeker to 
 understand how he must conduct himself if he desire to 
 progress in the true knowledge of these things ; and if 
 he will follow out our teachings faithfully, developing 
 himself in the virtues we have endeavored to describe, 
 and avoiding their opposite vices, he will find he pos- 
 sesses a strength to resist evil, a love of good, a peace 
 and elevation of mind, a kind and sympathizing spirit 
 for all the sufferings of humanity in every form — and 
 more than all, a perfect knowledge and daily experi- 
 ence of this love of God in his soul, that is beyond 
 every other blessing. 
 
 J.W. 
 
 October 10, 1860. 
 
ON MARRIAGE. 
 
 The subject on which we are going to treat this 
 morning, is one that has been too little considered by 
 the world at large, in its true bearings ; some few 
 enlightened minds have taken it up occasionally, and 
 endeavored to set the matter in a more correct light, 
 but their teachings have not been well received by the 
 mass of mankind ; and even the women, whose cause 
 they advocate, are against them. So it is, with all 
 progressive ideas ; they have to fight their way into 
 existence with much hard contention and opposition, 
 but finally an impression is made. Some few receive 
 the truth into their souls and present it to others — 
 argue it over and over with outsiders — till many, be- 
 coming accustomed to hearing the idea so often pro- 
 pounded, give it more consideration, and violent oppo- 
 sition dies out in their minds, to be succeeded by dis- 
 passionate examination, and generally a reception of 
 the truth. 
 
 This will ultimately be the case in regard to the mar- 
 riage relation — so misunderstood at this present time, 
 and often the source of so much misery. If men and 
 women rightly comprehended this thing, and acted up 
 to their knowledge, more than half the misery that 
 now obtains in the world, would be done away with. 
 But men and women enter on this sacred tie with no 
 more real thought or consideration about the impor- 
 tance of it, as a general thing, than they would bestow 
 upon the purchase of a horse or a dress. In fact, the 
 fine points of a female are often the man's only consid- 
 eration, while dress and ornament too frequently en- 
 gross all the attention of the woman ! With such pre- 
 
79 
 
 paration for spending a life together, what can be anti- 
 cipated better than the results that inevitably follow ? 
 Could they expect any better ? Do they deserve any 
 better ? I say, as a man sows so he may expect to reap. 
 If he sows the wind, shall he not reap the whirlwind ? 
 But we do not come to chide. We blame you not ; 
 rather let us show you a more excellent way. Let us 
 first point out the error, and then we shall be more 
 likely to find a way of correcting it. 
 
 Men and women were not born to live alone ; it is 
 the law of Nature and of God, that they shall find 
 their greatest happiness in the society of each other ; 
 but that can only be when congenial minds and dispo- 
 sitions meet. There can be no congeniality between 
 the educated and the ignorant ; the profane swearer 
 and the refined spiritualized woman ; the old and de- 
 crepit with the young and blooming ; the avaricious 
 and the liberal-minded ; they are in different spheres of 
 thought, and cannot harmonize. A man who marries a 
 wife for her beauty only, will soon tire of that, if it is 
 not united to more lasting qualities of heart and mind. 
 And it is the same with the woman • she must have 
 something more than a fine house or clothes to make 
 her happy ; she was not created to be a plaything for 
 man's idle hours, but a helpmate for him ; that is, one 
 who is competent to advise, and take sweet counsel 
 with, on any and every trial or event that may rise up 
 in their social or domestic position. 
 
 It is too much the habit with men — men of sense, as 
 well as the ignorant — to consider their wives as on a 
 lower plane of development than they are themselves ; 
 they take up the idea that women cannot understand 
 such and such things ; that they are too deep for them ; 
 too abstruse and metaphysical ; and that only the or- 
 dinary routine of domestic life, and a little light read- 
 ing, with a touch of the Bible, is necessary for them. 
 
80 
 
 But I see no reason — I know no reason why women 
 should not be as capable of understanding all the wis- 
 dom of your Earth, as the men ; their faculties are as 
 good, their intuitions generally more correct, and their 
 organizations, being more refined, are more susceptible 
 to the beautiful and true. Why then should they not 
 take their rightful place in your country and in your 
 family ? "Why should they not have equal rights and 
 privileges with the other sex ? If women were more 
 free to act, if they could exert themselves indepen- 
 dently, there would not be so many unhappy marriages 
 in your midst ; there would be other spheres of action, 
 other resources to employ their minds, or to earn a sub- 
 sistence. Many and many a poor girl might have been 
 spared a life of misery and degradation, if they had 
 known any choice in this matter ; but society is now so 
 constituted, that a girl, who is what you call well 
 brought up, has no other resource than marriage ; and 
 even in that, she is not a free agent as the man is ; she 
 must wait to be asked, and too often circumstances 
 oblige her to accept one, when her heart is bound up in 
 another. What inharmonies in the domestic circle 
 must result from these things, it is not necessary to 
 point out ; you are all well aware of them ; many can 
 bear testimony in your own experience ; and those who 
 are more fortunately situated, have only to read your 
 daily papers, teeming with accounts of desertions, di- 
 vorces, and all the attendant results of such a state of 
 things, to be fully convinced of the truth of my asser. 
 tion. 
 
 But is this without remedy? Can no means be 
 adopted to heal these bleeding wounds that rankle in 
 your midst ? There are, my friends. The remedy 
 is in your own hands. You can be your own redeem- 
 ers, if vou have only the courage to follow in the 
 way we propose. And in the first place we would 
 
81 
 
 say, elevate your women to the place God and Nature 
 designed 'for them : let them be your co-laborers in 
 this onward movement ; they are able to take their 
 stand, and work with you ; they are not so weak and 
 feeble, mentally or bodily, as you would like to suppose, 
 having so long looked upon them as toys or drudges. 
 You may not at first judge their ability fairly, but 
 gradually you will come to the true knowledge of it, 
 and find yourselves as well as them, benefited by the 
 change of feeling. Men are constantly preaching and 
 lecturing about the poor Africans and their degraded 
 condition ; let them look nearer home at the situation 
 of their own white women, and first raise them to their 
 proper condition. When this is done and women feel 
 their independence, when they know they can support 
 themselves by any kind of honest industry they may 
 choose to turn to, without sneers and reproach from the 
 men, think you they will barter their persons for a 
 home, however splendid, jewels however rare ? No, 
 my friends. The delicate intuitions of the woman will 
 then have play ; she will not become coarse and de- 
 graded as you may imagine, but she will acquire an in- 
 dependence of thought and action ; and if she wishes to 
 form the marriage-tie, love in its true meaning ; unity in 
 thought, similarity of tastes, will be the guides to her 
 choice ; and when these are really met with, no laws 
 will be necessary to bind, for there will be no desire to 
 separate. Such should be the foundation of all unions, 
 and unless it is so, it is not a union at all. Man may 
 profess to join the parties in Holy Wedlock, but they 
 are no more joined than if he had never said the words, 
 unless this true union of thoughts and feelings, aspira- 
 tions and desires, are there. 
 
 Understand me, my friends, do not think I wish to do 
 away with the marriage-tie ; as the world is now consti- 
 tuted, something of the kind is necessary ; but I want 
 
82 
 
 to put it on a different footing ; it is not right ; it is 
 not just that the man should have all to say in the mat- 
 ter, and the woman be merely a recipient ; she ought 
 to be so placed on your social plane, that she may be 
 perfectly independent in her choice, as much so as the 
 man ; her happiness is as much involved, and even 
 more so, at this present time, because she has fewer re- 
 sources to turn to ; but when she has taken her true 
 position — the one always intended for her, and which it 
 has taken man so many centuries to see is her right — 
 a change will come over things ; vice in its worst and 
 most repulsive form will be done away with, purer and 
 better influences will prevail ; woman's influence, so 
 long led into wrong channels by her unnatural position, 
 will be used in a new and better way to soften and ele- 
 vate the man ; to harmonize and spiritualize his rougher 
 nature, and develop in him all the stores of love and 
 wisdom, so bountifully implanted in his soul, but which 
 at present are almost entirely concealed and deadened 
 by the brutalizing effects of circumstances. Hitherto, 
 man's animal passions and his intellectual faculties have 
 had the sway; under the gentle guidance of his true 
 friend, his other self, more wise and ennobling teach- 
 ings will find entrance ; his whole life and aims will 
 be changed ; happy and blessed in his domestic rela- 
 tions, it will be his earnest endeavor to extend to 
 others the same blessings, that all may rejoice together. 
 Hasten this time, my friends, by every effort in your 
 power ; every one can do something towards it. If 
 you are uncongenially united, bear your burden pa- 
 tiently, but take care for your children, if you have 
 any, that they do not fall into like error. Educate 
 your sons to respect their sisters, and their female com- 
 panions. Never allow slighting remarks, such as " tJiey 
 are only girls ;" " what do they know ?" All these 
 things foster this state of inharmony. Little by little, 
 
83 
 
 the evil must be corrected ; and attending to this in 
 your boys, is one great means. 
 
 Your girls should also be taught to respect them- 
 selves — to look for something higher as the end of their 
 being, than a matrimonial engagement ; give them 
 tastes, pursuits, trades, if necessary, to render them in- 
 dependent of this, at present, ruling principle in the 
 hearts of so many ; let them feel there is something 
 more to live for than dress or show ; that there is a 
 glorious hereafter, for which they must try to fit them- 
 selves — cultivate in them a spirit of love and kindness for 
 all ; but especially for those poor unfortunates who need 
 all, and more than they can bestow ; hardened and 
 debased as they too often are, there is in all of them a 
 chord of sympathy that can be reached, if their more 
 favored sisters would go rightly to work to find it ; and 
 to raise and reform these poor misguided ones, is the most 
 needful and blessed work of a truly spiritualized woman. 
 Angels and men will help her in it, and the blessing 
 of God and of the poor redeemed ones will be upon 
 
 her. 
 
 J. 
 
 October 12, 1860. 
 
ON SUFFERING. 
 
 Suffering, in all its branches, is one of the penalties 
 that man has to endure, as a consequence of mis-applied 
 and perverted natural laws. 
 
 If man followed out the teachings of nature and his 
 own unperverted reason, he would soon see the fallacy of 
 many teachings and usages he now adopts as correct ; 
 he would cease from imitation, and no longer follow 
 the multitude to do evil; the customs and follies of 
 the world, to say nothing of its vices, would no longer 
 usurp a sway over him, but he would seek out for him- 
 self the way that should be most conducive to his own 
 happiness, aud that of his family and friends, irrespec- 
 tive of others — individualize himself in the true way, 
 and work for the alleviation of all sorrow and misery, 
 wherever it might be found. 
 
 Men are apt, when they speak of, or meditate on, 
 suffering, to look only on physical ills, outside and 
 apparent to every casual observer, and these are cer- 
 tainly legion in their number, and require their best 
 efforts to soothe and alleviate. But there are other 
 causes of suffering besides disease or poverty. Mental 
 distresses often produce more acute and depressing 
 misery than even bodily ailments, and are more injuri- 
 ous in their effects on the life-principle— dragging it 
 down into despondency, and frequently terminating 
 their effects in a lunatic asylum or a suicidal death. 
 
 Bodily ailments, my friends, are frequently produced 
 by causes at present not quite under your control, al- 
 though they might be, if people lived, as has been urged 
 in a former essay, in harmony with Nature's laws ; at 
 present, however, they do not do so, and sickness of 
 
85 
 
 various kinds is unavoidable. But mental suffering is 
 more under the control of individual efforts. Harmony 
 of thought and feeling is not incompatible with bodily 
 weaknesses, and may be enjoyed by all, if they only 
 pursue the right means to obtain it. Much can be done 
 by the person himself, much by those around him ; but 
 of himself I would first speak ; let him so live in con- 
 stant watch and control over himself, that no bitter or 
 angry thought shall be allowed entrance — if it comes 
 with its inharmonious suggestions, drive it from you as 
 you would a viper. Never allow yourself to think that 
 others are unkind, ungenerous, uncongenial or untrue, 
 because they may not happen to think and feel as you 
 do; remember they have minds constituted entirely 
 different to yours — what may interest and benefit you, 
 may take no hold on them ; they think and judge from 
 their own stand-point, and may be quite unable to re- 
 ceive those truths that may be your highest happiness. 
 In cases like these, much positive suffering often super- 
 venes, all from the want of a little charity and self-con- 
 trol. Each one should set a guard over himself, each one 
 retain his own opinion — at the same time give his oppo- 
 nent the same privilege and leave him to its enjoyment. 
 Argument in such cases is always bad, it stirs up 
 contention and discords ; the temper sometimes fails, 
 then more is said than was meant or really believed, 
 and the suffering is intensified to both parties. But 
 where there is a more intimate union than friendship, 
 where the family circle is broken in upon by these 
 miserable wrangles, sometimes on subjects quite imma- 
 terial to the parties, as respects their happiness here 
 or hereafter, what an amount of misery is induced ! 
 "We spirits, who can read the hearts of the children 
 of men, are alone conscious of it. The heavy heart, the 
 sinking spirit, the lost energies and faded person, too 
 frequently attest it ; but men and women are uncon- 
 
86 
 
 scious of the mischief they are doing, and more fre- 
 quently think they are performing good service for the 
 cause they desire to advocate. 
 
 My friends, all contention is wrong, all strife pro- 
 duces suffering — the strong oppress the weak, the rich 
 the poor, and so on. Whenever one tyrannizes over 
 another, there suffering, and of course inharmony, is 
 produced. Let each one follow the perfect law of 
 liberty, and continue therein, giving and receiving the 
 freedom God always destined for his people ; it will 
 not lead to licentiousness, or any other vice, if rightly 
 understood ; but it is absolutely necessary that it should 
 be enforced and put in practice by all, if they wish to 
 make themselves and others happy. Binding the person 
 in chains is bad enough, but fettering the mind and the 
 feelings is far more, to be dreaded. Let all have free- 
 dom to follow out their own ideas of happiness. If one 
 is so constituted that society and pleasurable excitements 
 are his delight, let him enjoy them ; in such things there 
 is no sin, the sin is in the excess — that he must and will 
 avoid, if he is rightly developed and brought up. If 
 another prefers study and solitude, let him enjoy them ; 
 there is no sin only in the excess ; each after his own 
 fancy, and each one giving to the other the same privi- 
 lege he takes himself — the right to be happy his own 
 way. 
 
 One must not exalt himself because he thinks he has 
 better teachings, and lives a higher life — the character- 
 istics of the two may be entirely opposite, and what is 
 pleasure to the one may be purgatory to the • other. 
 But is that any reason why he should not be as happy 
 in his own way as the more intellectual man in his? 
 Certainly not — he may, indeed, be the happier of the 
 two, if the better feelings of his nature teacli him to 
 sympathize with his fellow-creatures, and relieve their 
 sufferings. And after all, my friends, what are you 
 
87 
 
 sent into this world for but to develop for a higher ? 
 And how must you accomplish this in the best manner ? 
 Should not this be your most earnest study — the 
 question for each one to put to himself, and find out for 
 himself? To himself he must stand or fall. If one 
 thinks he has found out the best means of accomplish- 
 ing this necessary work, let him follow them out ear- 
 nestly and truly ; but let him not condemn another if 
 he sees a different path up this same mount of progress. 
 
 Man does not see the workings of the human mind, 
 but God does, and he will judge accordingly. 
 
 Z. 
 
 October 14, 1860. 
 
ON ZEAL. 
 
 Zeal, or earnestness in tlie pursuit of anything, 
 whether of a temporal or spiritual nature ; whether 
 relating to science, arts, or the more laborious and 
 daily recurring employments of life, is one of the 
 most desirable and praiseworthy of our moral facul- 
 ties, if it is guided and governed by discretion ; but 
 let it not run wild, my friends ; let it not take the 
 reins in its own hands and guide the moral chariot of 
 the soul, or wild will be its erratic course ; many its 
 wanderings from the right track ; and sometimes, 
 lamentable will be the consequences of its ungoverned 
 proceedings. Let zeal be always accompanied by wis- 
 dom and love, and then it is unknown the amount of 
 good it will accomplish ; it is the great lever that is to 
 overturn and uproot all prejudices, old customs and old 
 superstitions ; everything that has so long militated 
 against the progression and improvement of the human 
 family, in happiness and development of soul ; with- 
 out it, man would never make a move in the right 
 course. Fear of the world, fear of man individually, 
 fear of loss in property or station, would all interfere, 
 and prevent them from giving to their fellow-men, 
 teachings, that their more receptive and mediumistic 
 minds had been capable of receiving. But with zeal 
 to back their knowledge, they become bold as the lion 
 for the cause they advocate, and sway with potent 
 might the minds they wish to convince. Men are per- 
 suaded by their words, in a manner that is surprising 
 even to themselves, and they wonder, as did the Apos- 
 tles of old, from whence came the power that could so 
 move men's minds. 
 
Truth, my friends, will always make more or less 
 headway in the world ; there are always some minds 
 capable of receiving it, but when it is urged upon the 
 attention with the zealous fervor of an earnest be- 
 liever, how much more progress will it make in the hu- 
 man family. Only be careful, my zealous friends, that 
 you really have the truth, before you commence to run 
 the gauntlet of public opinion, and then you need not 
 fear the result ; it must and will prevail. 
 
 My friends, there are many new teachings and new 
 truths, as they call them, being advocated at this time 
 upon your earth. Man has received an access of 
 knowledge very suddenly, and some of it varying very 
 widely from other ; it has created quite a commotion, 
 as I may say, in men's minds — stirring them up to their 
 deepest depths, and bringing to the surface, thoughts 
 and aspirations they knew not where hidden there. 
 All are beginning to look into things for themselves, to 
 a certain extent — even those, who have hitherto left all 
 the serious thinking to be done by their minister or 
 priest. But many are going deeply and earnestly on- 
 ward in their inquiries, and it behooves those who think 
 they have received the light, and come forward to give 
 it to others, to be very careful that they do not get er- 
 ror mixed up with it ; if they do, their very earnestness 
 in urging their teachings, will be only the more to be 
 deplored. We are now speaking to Spiritualists, more 
 especially, and we make these remarks, which we think 
 are much needed, because we know how many errors 
 have been given through mediums — errors fatal to the 
 cause, if anything could injure it permanently. Such, 
 thanks to a wise and good God, cannot ever be, but the 
 injury falls on the poor receivers of such teachings, and 
 they must be the sufferers if they follow them out. For 
 be assured, my friends, no wise and good spirits could 
 ever wish to teach what would make men worse than 
 
90 
 
 they were before spirit communion was established in 
 its present form. 
 
 As Spiritualism advances on the earth, and men's 
 minds are more turned to the subject, teachings will be 
 given in more varied forms. Inspirational writings 
 will be frequently the modus operandi, and very great 
 good may be done through them, if the medium can 
 keep himself pure from bias, and be willing to give 
 things new and different, to what he has formerly re- 
 ceived as truth. And no medium need ever be afraid 
 that spirits who come to benefit and improve the people 
 of Earth, and add to their happiness, will ever give 
 through them, what would have an opposite tendency. 
 
 We commenced by speaking of zeal, and we have 
 branched off into the teachings through mediums ; 
 this may seem irrelevant to the subject, but it is not 
 so ; for different mediums influence the minds of the 
 zealous believers and propagators of Spiritualism to an 
 unknown extent. Men are not aware of this, them- 
 selves, and think they are giving their own convictions 
 utterance, when it may be only the teachings they have 
 received from some one uninformed spirit, whose mind 
 is not really so far advanced as his own. Every one 
 who goes to mediums, for teachings, should patiently 
 and quietly receive what the spirits may choose to give, 
 without cavil or question ; but after the sitting is over, 
 and the magnetism withdrawn ; let him diligently ex- 
 amine what he has received, in all its bearings ; test it 
 by his own judgment ; weigh it in the balance of his 
 own reason, and if he finds it accord with that — if he 
 finds there the true wisdom that makes for itself a 
 lodgment in his soul, adding to his peaceful and harmo- 
 nious feelings, making him a better man, a better father, 
 neighbor, friend — those teachings are true and good, 
 and he may give them to the world without fear of 
 consequences. 
 
91 
 
 His zeal may then have full play ; it can do no one 
 injury ; to many, it may do much good service ; for 
 after all, these are the true benefits, spirits come to 
 bring to the earth ; to harmonize the whole human 
 family, to bring all into that love for each other that 
 shall make them, while living here, fit for the life here- 
 after. Be careful then, my friends, that you give no 
 teachings to the world at large, that do not approve 
 themselves to your own souls ; look into them care- 
 fully, and try them faithfully by your own highest 
 standard ; and let none go forth but what will bear the 
 test of this patient investigation ; then, when thoroughly 
 satisfied of their intrinsic worth, utter them boldly, 
 proclaim them on the housetop if need be, and let n o 
 fear of man retard your efforts. 
 
 Man incurs a fearful responsibility if he gives to the 
 world erroneous teachings ; there are many ready to 
 grasp them ; hungry souls thirsting for knowledge, and 
 unable to distinguish between the true and the false ; 
 and to these they may prove a snare and a curse ; 
 therefore, beware, oh, my friends ! and study diligently 
 in the way I have recommended, and then you need not 
 fear ; but truth and light shall be given you, and your 
 zeal be perfected. 
 
 M. 
 
 October 15, 1860 
 
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