Angelic Revelations—the Gospel of God’s Love
Chapter 15
The Truths of the
Spirit World—
The Spheres of Progression
Joseph Salyards Describes Various Experiences of Spirits When They Arrive in the Spirit World
What Does the Spirit of Man Do When It Leaves the Physical Body for Eternity? (John the Apostle)
Why Jesus Does Not Attend the Battlefields Where the Scenes of Carnage Exist (Jesus)
Mr. Padgett's Wife Affirms That Jesus Wrote and Showed His Glory
The Spheres of Progression
Joseph Salyards Describes Various Experiences of Spirits When They Arrive in The Spirit World
I am here, Professor Salyards
Well, I am very happy, and desire to write to you on some phases of spirit life that I have observed in my experience of progressing.
I have noticed that when the spirit first comes into this life, it is very often in a condition of darkness, not realizing where it is or what its surroundings are; and in many instances it requires quite a long time for the spirit to realize that it is not still of earth. But in many cases this is not the condition of the spirit, for it seems to have an immediate understanding of its condition and surroundings. I attribute the first mentioned condition to be due to the fact that, when on earth, the mortal had no definite belief as to what the future life might be, and in many instances believed that the soul went into the grave with the body to await the "great resurrection day."
Some of your religious denominations are preaching that doctrine now, and the consequence will be that all those who believe the doctrine will experience the condition of darkness and the want of knowledge of the continuity of life that I have spoken of.
The second class of spirits, or those who appear to realize immediately that they have passed from earth to spirit life, are those who, while on earth, believed that the spirit, when it left the body, passed immediately into the heavenly spheres or into the opposite - I mean the place of the wicked. I know that many of this class have hardly realized that they were in heaven or hell for some little time after their entrance into spirit life.
Well, as soon as the spirits realize fully that they are no longer of earth, they commence to inquire as to where they are. And many of them ask questions that indicate that they are disappointed in not realizing the expectations that they had while on earth. It is very difficult at times to convince them that there are no such places as the heavens and the hells as taught by the churches; for while our spirit world may be a heaven or hell to them, yet the heaven or hell that they expect to find is not here.
Some, on the other hand, do not seem to understand that they have really left the earth because, they say, "If we had left the earth life, we would know nothing." (They are quoting Job and some of the preachers: "The dead know nothing.")
I have been very much interested in observing these different phases of the departed spirits' beliefs and thoughts. Now, all this shows the absolute necessity of mortals understanding the truths pertaining to life and death.
This affords a very strong argument why spiritualism should be more extensively and earnestly taught to mortals, and why the false doctrines of those who teach either that the dead know nothing or that the departed spirit goes either to heaven or to hell, in the orthodox sense, should be shown to be not only false but also injurious to mankind.
Let the believers and teachers of spiritualism make greater and stronger efforts to refute these harmful teachings, and they will be doing the cause of truth and of man's happiness a great good.
I am not only interested in these phases but also in all others which show that the spirits, even after they realize that they are still alive and must live as spirits, continue to doubt that their orthodox teachings are false. Some say that they may yet be able to go back into the body and await the "great resurrection day" for deliverance. Others say that they will soon see God, and that He will take them into His Heavens where they will find that eternal rest and peace that they were taught to expect when on earth. And even the wicked look in dread to have some devil come and carry them to the hells where they think torture of the most terrible kind awaits them.
From all this, you may understand that we spirits who know the truth have a great work to do to enable these darkened spirits to understand and believe that their false hopes and dreadful fears have no foundation in truth and will never be realized.
Many spirits are engaged in doing this work, and these spirits are not necessarily of the higher kind; for many spirits who occupy the earth plane and have no real spiritual enlightenment are engaged in this work.
I am not now engaged in causing these dark spirits to see the truth, for I have progressed to higher things. My present mission is to teach the Truths of the higher life which I have been taught by spirits who live in higher spheres.
To me, this work is one that is not only interesting but which also gives me the great happiness that comes with the realization that I have been the means of leading a spirit to learn to love God and to receive the happiness which the Love of God gives to spirits. I tell you that this teaching is the grandest that I have ever engaged in, in all my life. When on earth, as I taught and saw the young mind develop, I found much happiness in the knowledge that I was doing some good. But here, with my teachings, when I see a soul develop, I realize that I am doing a spirit the greatest of all good in bringing it into at-onement in Love with the Father. Therefore my happiness here exceeds that of earth, for developing the soul is so much greater than the development of the mere mind.
My work is not confined entirely to this teaching. I am also engaged in trying to assist mortals to have a true conception of the life here - I mean the spiritual part of this life. No man is entirely without spirit influence, whether for good or for evil. Many are susceptible to the influence of the evil spirits, and for that reason, the work of the good spirits is so much more difficult. There is in man's nature that which leads him to evil thoughts so much more easily than to good thoughts. This is an old saying, I know, but it is a true one. And the fact that it has been said so often and for so long a time does not decrease the importance of it as a truth. So while men feel this evil inclination in their nature, the fight between the good and evil influences will be somewhat unequal. The advantage with the good influences, though, is that what they suggest is truth, which will never die, while the suggestions of the evil influences last only for a comparatively short time.
When the material gives up the spirit being which it clothes, that being will then be relieved of many of these natural tendencies to evil thoughts and deeds. And while this mere separation does not make a devil a saint, it makes it so much easier for the spirit to get rid of many of these evil tendencies, and it makes him more susceptible to the influences of truth and goodness.
You must not think from this that as soon as they have been in the spirit world for a little time they become good spirits, for that is not true. Many evil spirits have been in the spirit world for a great many years, and yet still have their evil thoughts and desires, and all the evil qualities of hatred, malice, envy, etc. that they had on earth.
Their giving up the earth life did not deprive them of their will - the greatest force or power that God gave to man, except that of love. And many of these spirits refuse to exercise their will in a way that will enable them to rid themselves of these evil thoughts and desires.
So you see, the mere fact of becoming a spirit does not mean that the mortal has become a good and saintly spirit. No, I am sorry to say that many men who were very evil on earth are still evil as spirits; their happiness, which they think they have, is only that happiness which they, as men, thought they realized from the exercise of evil thoughts and acts.
Yet there is one great redeeming fact connected with their dark and sad condition, and that is: that in the end, whenever it so pleases God, all evil will be banished from the spirit world, and all spirits will be given that happiness which comes from a nature free from sin and error - not by the Fiat of God, but by men seeking and doing those things that will free the soul from sin and error and allow it to come again into harmony with God's Laws - just such, I imagine, as Adam and Eve enjoyed in the historical Garden of Eden.
But that happiness, while of a character that brings much contentment and peace, is not the true happiness which God is waiting to give all His children who ask and seek for the inflowing of the Divine Love into their souls.
There is another law of the spirit world which provides that no spirit can ever progress to the highest spheres until he realizes that he must seek the Love and Help of the Father. You may say that there are many spirits in the higher spheres who have never received this Love, and notwithstanding who have progressed and are now comparatively happy spirits. This is true, but their progress is merely intellectual and moral. They can progress to a limited degree only, and then must stop in their progress, as the progress of the mind and the natural love have their limitations.
But such progress is not the progress that I speak of. This other progress is without limitations, and leads to spheres without end, progressing nearer and nearer to the very Fountainhead of the Father, as the Divine Love increases in greater abundance in the soul. I am told this by spirits from these Celestial Spheres.
I will not discourse on this great happiness tonight, as it would take too long and you are somewhat tired, but will say that all men should seek for it both on earth and in the spirit world. I did not have it on earth, but I found it since I came here, and now possess it, thanks be to God and His Loving Kindness. You folks all have it, and many others too numerous to mention.
Let me stop now, as I am tired and you need to rest. So, with all my love and best wishes, I am,
Your
old professor,
Joseph Salyards
What Does the Spirit of Man Do When It Leaves the Physical Body for Eternity?
I am here, John the Apostle
I come tonight to tell you a vital Truth which I know you will be interested in.
The question has often been asked: "What does the spirit of man do when it leaves the physical body for eternity?"
Many spirits, I know, have written to you about this matter, and some of them have described their personal experiences. Yet in all the information that you have received, there are some facts that have not been referred to, and I will describe them in a brief way.
When the spirit leaves the body, there is a breaking of the silver cord, as it is called, and thereby all connection between the spirit and the body is severed for all eternity. Never again can that spirit enter that body. And neither can any other spirit, although I know it is claimed by some spiritualists that another spirit may inhabit the cast-off body. But this is all wrong, for no spirit ever enters the body which has once been the home of another spirit. And hence, claims made by some of the wise men of the East that such a thing can be have no foundation in fact.
When the silver cord is once severed, no power that is known to the spirit world, or among spirits of the highest Spheres, can again resuscitate that body and cause the manifestation of life. Hence, in the miracles mentioned in the Bible, where it is said that the dead were brought to life, it must be understood that this tie between the spirit and the body was never broken.
In those ancient days, as now, there were persons who had the appearance of being dead, and so far as human knowledge was concerned, they were dead. But they were really in a state of what may be called suspended animation. With no signs of life appearing to the consciousness of men, death was thought to have taken place; yet in no case where the supposed dead were raised to life had the mortal really died.
As Lazarus has already told you, when Jesus commanded him to come forth, he had not died, and so with all the other supposed dead who were called to life.
When this tie has been once severed, there are certain chemical laws affecting the physical body and certain spiritual laws affecting the spirit which absolutely render it impossible for the spirit to again enter the body. And as you have been informed, we all, mortals and spirits, and angels as well, are governed by laws which have no exceptions and never vary in their workings.
So I say, when once the spirit and body separate, it is for all eternity. The spirit then becomes, of itself, a thing apart, controlled entirely and exclusively by laws governing the spirit body.
With the spirit's entry into the spirit world comes the soul, still enclosed in that spirit body, and to an extent, controlled by that body. The latter, in certain particulars, is also controlled by the soul.
The spirit body has not, of itself, the power to determine its own location or destiny as regards place, for the Law of Attraction, which operates in this particular, operates upon the soul, and the condition of the soul determines the location of itself. And as the spirit body is the covering of the soul, it must go where this Law of Attraction decrees the soul shall abide.
While the mind and the mental faculties and the senses have their seat in the spirit body, yet the law that I speak of does not operate upon these faculties. This is apparent to every spirit, who knows from observation as well as from experience that the combined power of all these faculties cannot move a spirit body one step in the way of progress unless such faculties, in their influence upon the soul, have caused its condition to change (and this can be done in the matter of mere mental or moral advancement).
So I repeat, the condition of the soul determines the locality as well as the appearance of the spirit body. This Law of Attraction is so exact that, in its operations, there is no opportunity for chance to interpose and place the spirit body in a location which is not its by reason of the operation of this law.
So, when the spirit body enters the spirit world, it must go to and occupy the place which its enclosed soul condition determines that it shall occupy. No interposition of spirit friends, or love of parent or husband or child can prevent this destiny; although for a time, until the soul has really had an awakening as to its condition of severance from the mortal life, these relations or friends may retain the spirit body near the place of its entrance into the spirit life, even though that place be one of more beautiful surroundings and happiness than the one to which it is destined. But this situation does not last long, for the law works; and as the soul comes into full consciousness, it hears the call and must obey.
Thus you see, friends and loved ones in spirit life meet the newly arrived spirit with love and kindness and consolation; but the parting must come, and every soul must find its home as its own qualities have determined. And yet, the consolation mentioned is a real one; for in many instances, if it were not so, the lonely spirit would experience fear and bewilderment and all the unspeakable sensations of being deserted.
Then there comes a time when every soul must stand alone, and in its weakness or strength, realize that no other soul can bear its sorrow or take from its burdens or enter into its sufferings. And thus is realized the saying that each soul is its own keeper and is alone responsible for its own condition.
Of course in many cases the loving friends may visit that soul in its place of existence, and offer consolation and help and encouragement and instruction. But in some cases this cannot be, for as this soul is then laid bare to itself, all its deformities and sins and evil qualities come before it, thus throwing around it a wall, as it were, that prevents the good friends and loving ones from appearing to it.
And thus, the great Law of Attraction comes into operation again; for while these more elevated friends cannot come to that soul, yet other spirits of like soul and qualities may become its associates, and render such assistance as the blind can lead the blind in their movings about.
The above condition that I have described is the destiny of some souls shortly after becoming spirits, and it is a deplorable one. And you may think that such souls are deserted by the loving influences of God's ministering spirits, and left all alone in the dreary places of their habitations; but such is not the case. For while they are deprived of the presence of the higher spirits, yet the influences of love and compassion are flowing from these spirits, and at some time, this will be felt by the lonely ones. And as these influences are felt, the poor souls will commence to have an awakening which will gradually cause the wall of their seclusion to disappear, until at some time, the higher spirits will find that they can manifest their presence to these unfortunate ones.
Besides this, every spirit, no matter how fallen, has a work to do, even though it may appear insignificant. And among these spirits of similar conditions, some are a little more progressed than others. By reason of a law which causes the more progressed to help the lesser, the latter are frequently helped from their low estate.
Now what I have last written applies, of course, to the spirits who are wicked and vile and without any soul development in the way of goodness. But a similar principle enters into the conditions of all the spirits in the earth plane, although the higher they are in that plane, the greater the opportunities they have for receiving help and progressing.
Of these latter, and the operation of the mental thoughts and moral qualities upon the condition and progress of the soul, I will write to you later.
I have written enough for tonight and, leaving you my love and blessings, I will say good night.
Your
brother in Christ,
John
Mr. Padgett's Grandmother Describes Several Spheres and the Different Kinds of Spirits Inhabiting Them
I am here, Ann Rollins
Well, my dear grandson, I am here and desire to write awhile tonight about some things that are true, and to show you the workings of God's Love among men and spirits.
I have had a great deal of experience, although I have not been in the spirit world a very long time as we count time (which we do not, but I merely use the expression so that you may understand what I mean).
I am, as I told you, in the Second Celestial Sphere where your wife and mother are also. In this sphere, all the inhabitants are spirits who have been redeemed by the Divine Love and Great Mercy of the Father, and by the Great Gift of Immortality which Jesus wrote you about the other night.
I am now so developed in my soul qualities that I realize that I am a part of the Father's Divine Nature, and that I have those qualities of His nature in me that make me immortal, and which immortality can never more be taken from me. And what I say here applies to all the inhabitants of this sphere.
Of course, you will understand that there is yet more Love which we may obtain, because our progress in the Divine Love never ceases until we get into the very Presence of the Father and are able to see Him with our soul perceptions.
You cannot possibly understand this phase as you are now, but when you come to the place where I am now, you will. And in a way, it is even possible for you to comprehend this while in the mortal life, but not to the extent that you will when you become a spirit and live in this sphere.
Your mother and wife now have this quality of soul perception, but even among us there is a difference in comprehension of this. And I am told that, as I progress higher and receive more of this Love, this soul perception will become clearer and more satisfactory to me.
So when you hear us say that we are redeemed and have a part of the Divine Essence of the Father as our possession, you must understand that it is a comparative thing, and that we are not perfect. Even the Master is not perfect as God is Perfect, as he tells us. But he is progressing in the acquisition of this Love and in the increased power of this soul perception.
Until we reach the First Celestial Sphere, we have not a sufficient quantity of this Love to make us partakers of this Divine Nature of the Father in that degree that all the natural loves are absorbed by the Divine Love; for all below that sphere have more or less of the natural love which causes them to retain their worldly affections. I mean those things which tend to retard their progress.
Of course, our natural love for our relatives or friends does not leave us even after we reach the Celestial Spheres. But when we become inhabitants of these spheres, we have no interest in the affairs of earth or its government.
The Seventh Sphere is the one that divides those spirits who have merely intellectual or moral qualities developed to the highest degree, as it were, from those spirits who, in addition to mental and moral development, have their souls developed by the Divine Love of the Father.
No spirit who has not this Love can become an inhabitant of the Seventh Sphere. So when you hear of any of your spirit friends or acquaintances, or of any other spirits being in the Seventh Sphere, you will know that these spirits have received the Divine Love to an extent a little short of that which enables them to enter the First Celestial Sphere, and which makes them at-one with the Father, and hence, immortal.
The Sixth Sphere is one where the mental and moral qualities are developed to their greatest extent, and it is not necessary for the spirit to have his soul developed to any great extent in order to become an inhabitant of this Sphere. In other words, it is a Sphere which is given more especially to those spirits who have given more thought to the improvement of their minds and their moral qualities than to the development of their souls by obtaining the Divine Love of the Father. This Sphere is one of great happiness for these spirits of mental and moral excellence, and it is the highest that they can attain to in their progression in the spirit world.
Of course, these spirits may also receive this greater soul development, for the Divine Love is free and waiting for all of God's children. But my observation has been that, when the spirits who find their happiness in purely mental pursuits or in the development of their moral natures get into this sphere, they seldom become dissatisfied enough with their condition of happiness to desire to seek for a greater one. In fact, the majority of them will not believe that there is any greater happiness that they can attain to, and hence the deadening satisfaction which possesses them.
I know it may be a little difficult for you to understand this matter as I have attempted to explain it, but what I have said is true. In the day of separation, these spirits will realize that fact; but then it will be too late to remedy their neglect or want of soul desire for the soul's development that comes only by the inflowing of the Divine Love into the soul in sufficient abundance, and which is necessary to permit them to become inhabitants of the Celestial Kingdom.
(question: what happens when a spirit first enters the spirit world?)
Well, when a spirit enters the spirit world, its condition of mental, moral or spiritual development determines where it shall first live. In the large majority of cases, the first home of the spirit is the earth plane; and in that, there are a number of planes, respectively higher or lower than the others. So, when the spirit finds itself in the earth plane, it also finds that its condition is not much different from what it was on earth. The same ideas of right and wrong, of beliefs, of affections and of desires obtain.
Sometimes, these conditions will last for many years; and at other times, the change will come comparatively soon. When spirits come over, this change of condition frequently depends upon the friends or relatives who try to help and instruct them.
If such spirit helpers are themselves developed in the line of intellectual pursuits, they will more naturally endeavor to direct the newly arrived spirit along the same lines of thought and aspirations. Likewise, the morally developed helpers will make the questions of morality the important ones for the new spirits to give attention to. And so with the spiritual helpers, or those who have received the Love of the Father in their souls, and to whom such Love is the most important thing in all the spirit world. Naturally, they will endeavor to instruct the spirit in matters pertaining to this Love and the increased development of It.
So you see, much depends upon the helpers which the new spirit finds waiting its advent into the spirit world, and the instructions which such spirit helpers give it. But more depends upon the condition of the spirit itself. As I have said, when it comes into the spirit world, the spirit brings with it all its beliefs, desires and affections; and these respective qualities, to a more or less extent, will influence the directions of its progress. It is much easier to influence a spirit who, while on earth, has had awakened in him a love of God, even to that small degree, which encourages him to pursue the thoughts that will lead him into spiritual ways, than it is to persuade one who has never had that awakening.
And so with the spirit who, while on earth, gave his studies and thoughts to mental pursuits to the exclusion of thoughts relating to God or to religious matters. Such a spirit will naturally be attracted to those things which it considers a continuation of its earthly thoughts, or which will enable it to pursue the development of those thoughts; and consequently they are its "treasures" which necessarily have the most of its affections. And from these affections will arise its desires which, unless something greater intervenes, will cause it to follow the course of these desires.
And the same principle can be applied to every condition of the spirit: mental, moral, or spiritual.
Now to the point of your question. Such spirit, following the natural inclination of its condition, as I have explained, will endeavor in its progress to get into that sphere where there are afforded the greatest opportunities for the development of the particular phase of its condition which constitutes its chief motive force. And this is in accordance with a spiritual law.
The spirit desiring the development of its mental qualities above all else will naturally seek that sphere where these qualities have the greatest opportunity for such development. And so with the moralist and the spirit of religious thought.
Now, God, in His Great Wisdom and Goodness, has provided these several spheres, and has made them suited for the purposes of their creation. And all the spirits have the choice as to which they will enter and seek to live in. But, of course, not only one sphere of its kind is provided, but there are several so provided so that there may be progression on the part of spirits who have these several phases of desires and attractions.
The Second, the Fourth, and the Sixth Spheres are appropriated for those spirits who have more of the qualifications and desires for advancement in their mental and moral pursuits, or rather, for the development of those qualities they possess which pertain more to their mental and moral natures.
Of course, in their progress from the lowest to the respective higher spheres that I have mentioned, spirits must pass through the intervening spheres. But they do not linger in them or seek to make them their homes, or stay in them for their development because, in these intervening spheres, the qualities which these spirits are attempting to develop are not given much attention, and these spirits would not be benefitted much by remaining in these spheres. But the fact of passing through these intervening spheres does not indicate that these spirits, in so passing, receive any additional love or development of their soul qualities in any degree, for the contrary is true. Thus, a spirit in the Third Sphere, possessing the Divine Love, may have more soul development than one who lives in the Sixth Sphere who has not the Divine Love.
And so, in contrast to the Second, Fourth and Sixth Spheres that I have named, the Third, Fifth and Seventh Spheres are the ones appropriated to, and specially prepared for, the spirits who are seeking the development of the Divine Love into their souls. And in these latter Spheres, the Divine Love is the greatest thing that is sought for and acquired.
The spirits of these spheres may be just as highly developed in their mental and moral qualities as are those before described, and frequently they are more so; for with the soul development in the Divine Love (strange as it may seem to you) comes mental and moral development. But this development of the mind is not the chief thing for which these spirits seek. With them, every desire and aspiration is subordinated to their great efforts to obtain this Divine Love to the highest degree. Ever and ever are these spirits seeking for It, and they have never become satisfied, in contrast to those who merely seek the mental and natural love development.
As I have said, beyond the Sixth Sphere these merely mental or moral seekers cannot progress, unless they seek for the Divine Love; and in the Sixth Sphere, the mind's zenith of happiness is reached.
The Sixth Sphere is a more prolific one of probation, in the sense that many more of these spirits are awakened to the necessity of seeking this soul development than are spirits of any of the lower spheres - because, after some of these spirits have been there for a long time, they commence to realize this limitation to their mental happiness. And strange as it may seem to you, they frequently make their first start by calling up the recollections of their childhood days, when they were taught and believed that God loved them, and that His Love was the greatest thing in all the world. So you see here illustrated, in a way you probably never have thought of, the saying of Jesus that "Except ye become as little children, ye can in no wise enter the Kingdom of Heaven."
Many of these spirits have no childhood recollections of this kind, and then comes the work of the higher spirits who have been redeemed by this Great Love of the Father.
In all this, you will see how God recognizes and respects the independent will of His creatures. He does not force them to seek His Love, but waits until they learn by their own experience that what they once thought was all-sufficient for their happiness is not sufficient; and realizing this insufficiency, they become dissatisfied; and with such dissatisfaction comes the wish to learn the great unknown of desire which, at last, causes them to feel their dependence upon a Source of happiness not emanating from themselves.
Thus, my dear son, in my imperfect way I have attempted to give you a description of the several spheres, and their character, and the object of their creation.
You must believe what I have told you, for it is true. In believing, you will see the great advantage in striving to enter the spheres of the soul, or the Divine Heavens; for in doing so, you will not only gain your soul's development, but also the development of your mental qualities, and your moral nature also. And thus you will understand the great saying of the Bible: "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you."
Well, I have written you a long letter and must stop. So, with all the love of a devoted grandmother, I will say good night.
Ann Rollins
The Destiny of the Man Who Does Not Have the Divine Love in His Soul, and Who Dies with Only the Natural Love and a Belief in the Creeds and Dogmas of the Churches
I am here, Jesus
I come tonight to tell you that you are in a better condition to write than you have been for some time, and I think it best that I deliver a message to you.
Well, I will write on the subject: "The Destiny of the Man Who Does Not Have the Divine Love in His Soul, and Who Dies with Only the Natural Love and a Belief in the Creeds and Dogmas of the Churches."
I know many men believe that the creeds of the churches are what is necessary for the salvation of mankind (I mean as to baptism and observance of the sacraments, and the belief that men may be saved in my name) - that these are sufficient and all that are necessary to ensure them an entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven. They rest in such belief with the feelings of assurance that nothing else is required or to be sought for and acquired in any other way. The large majority of professing Christians are in this state of belief; hence the greater number of mankind will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven, or become Divine in their natures.
I have already told you what is the future of those who possess this Divine Nature of the Father, and now I will confine my message to the future of this great majority.
As you may know, the river can never run higher than its source, and neither can this majority attain to a perfection and happiness superior to that which was possessed by man before the time of the fall from the state of his perfect creation. Hence, no matter how great his progress may be in his natural love, or in his moral or mental qualities, he can never excel the first created man as he was before the fall. And the only possible future for this vast majority is the condition and development that existed in the perfect man of God's first Creation.
I know it is said that man has that which is a part of the Divinity of God in him, and that he may develop that Divine Substance by his own efforts until he becomes Divine himself, and of the Nature of the Father. But this is not true. It is not possible to develop the Divine Love, or any Essence of the Divine, out of that which has not anything of the nature of the Divine in itself. In the spirit world, and I mean the Spiritual as well as Celestial, laws prevail; and they are just as certain in their operation as are the laws of the material world. And a fundamental law is that only like produces like, although in the physical world it may appear that a derivative is not like that from which it is derived. But this is in appearance only; for in substance and essence, the likeness exists and cannot be eradicated.
This then applies to the real condition of the soul of man. If he has only the natural love - the created love - the development of that love will result in that which cannot possibly be greater or other than that which is only the natural love in its constituent parts. And no matter what the perfection may become, the Divine element is absent; and all the limitations that are inherent in the created being still continue to form a part of, and control, that being.
There is a limit to the development of this natural love, and to the state of happiness - beyond which it is not possible for this being to go. And that limit is only the qualities and excellence possessed by the first man before he became defiled and impregnated with sin. The mind of such being is also limited in the progress which it may make in obtaining knowledge; for that mind, being a thing of creation, is bound by the limitations that that creation imposed.
So I say, such a man can never progress higher than those attributes or qualities with which he was endowed when he was the perfect man, either spiritually or mentally, unless he seeks for and obtains the Divine Love. When spirits come and write that life in this spirit world is always progressive, these spirits who write have never attained to this limit of which I speak; hence to them, progression is endless. But this belief is very beneficial because it inspires them to make an effort to progress.
There are many spirits in this perfect state in the highest sphere of natural love or mentality, but they are spirits who have been in the spirit world for a vast number of years and are what you might call ancient spirits. These spirits have realized this limitation of which I write; and while they can change the objects of their seeking and the sources of their happiness, yet their progress has its ending. Thus, a dissatisfaction often comes to them, followed by a realization that, over and beyond their sphere, there must be something that may be obtained that surpasses their perfect state and development.
As a result of this dissatisfaction, many of these spirits, in moments of their unrest, give heed to the suggestions of those spirits who have become possessed of the Divine Essence and who have no limitation of progress; for these latter spirits are in the highest sphere of these spirits of perfected natural love at all times, trying to show them the way to the higher development and happiness of the Celestial Spheres.
It may be surprising to you, but it is a fact that these spirits of the natural love usually will not listen to the spirits of the Divine Spheres during their periods of progression, and especially as they approach nearer to their perfection. In the satisfaction and happiness that they experience in that progression, they believe that there can be no other methods of progress more desirable or excellent than the ones that they are pursuing. And only when they come to realize the dissatisfaction that I speak of will they awaken to the fact, or consent to be awakened to the fact, that there may be a Way that leads to things beyond their limits of progress and the perfection that they may have acquired.
So as I say, the higher the progress of these spirits, and the farther away they advance from the earth plane, the greater the difficulty in persuading them that there is a state of perfection and happiness surpassing that which they are seeking for, and a different Way from the way they are pursuing.
As these spirits progress in their natural love and in the development of their created minds, much happiness and satisfaction come to them. And in each stage of progress, these experiences become so much greater that they readily conceive that there can be no way superior to the one that they are travelling. Hence, having such belief, the difficulty of convincing them to the contrary becomes almost insurmountable. As a consequence, the spirits of the Celestial Spheres and those of the Spiritual Spheres who are progressing in the Divine Love give the greater part of their time and efforts to convincing spirits of these higher Truths while they are in the earth plane, and before the happiness that I mention is experienced.
The life on earth and that in the earth planes of the spirit world are the states in which the souls of mortals and of spirits have the best opportunities for learning and believing these Truths that show them the Way to the progression that is without limitation or ending. Hence, there is the importance of men knowing these Truths, and of spirits also, before they experience the satisfaction and pride, I may say, that the advancement in the development of their natural love and mental and moral qualities gives them.
Until the time comes when the Father shall withdraw from man and spirit the privilege of obtaining this Divine Love and Essence, which time will bring the second death, these spirits and all spirits and mortals will have the opportunity of seeking for and finding the way to the Celestial Spheres and Immortality. But after that time, this privilege will no longer exist. Then, those spirits and mortals who have not found and followed the Way of that privilege will be, and become, only the perfect beings, as were their first parents. They will have no assurance of immortality, or even continuous life, and that dissatisfaction and longing for something unknown will be theirs.
They will remain only the created beings in spirit body, soul, and mind. And as the first parents had all the qualities that these restored men will have, yet fell, then why may it not be that these latter will also fall, and that there may come some change in the individualized spirit that will destroy that individuality and dissolve it into its elements of pre-creation?
No spirit knows that such a change will take place - that the perfect spirit will not always retain the same individuality, or that the happiness of such spirit will not always exist. And neither does any spirit know that these things will continue to be.
Then, why should God's children not choose that course which leads to Divinity and certainty of immortality and progress, rather than the one which leads to limitation of progress and happiness, and to uncertainty of immortality?
I have written enough for tonight. I will come again soon. So remember that I love you, and am with you trying to help you spiritually, and that I pray to the Father to bless you.
Good night,
Your
brother and friend,
Jesus
Why Jesus Does Not Attend the Battlefields Where the Scenes of Carnage Exist
I am here, Jesus
Of course, the
scenes in which I was represented are creatures of the imagination, and are
intended to impress the belief or thought upon the observers of them that,
because of my teachings of peace and good will to men, I would necessarily be
interested in those things that violate my teachings, and consequently that I
would be present at the fields of battle and the destruction of human life. (Jesus delivered this message on
But I may surprise you when I tell you that I do not visit these scenes, because my mission as a spirit is not to help those who fall in battle and come to the spirit world as the result of war's destruction and murder of human beings. There are many spirits whose duty it is to look after the spirits of those who are so suddenly ushered into the spirit world, and to help them to a realization of their changed conditions, and to lead them to the knowledge that they are no longer mortals. These spirits are specially designated for this work, and they comfort the unfortunate spirits and help them to recover from the shock of their violent and sudden transformation.
This work, as you may say, is a material one that helps these spirits come into possession of their spiritual faculties, irrespective of the question as to whether they are fitted for heaven or hell. In other words, they work to make the coming of these spirits as free as is possible from the terrors which such sudden transformation might cause. This work is a necessary one, and one which is a part of the plan of the Father for the welfare and happiness of His children, without regard to the fact that they know not His Love and Mercy.
But my work is different. I deal only with the souls of men, irrespective of their spirit condition - that is, of the condition of spirit as mere spirit. On the field of battle, the souls of men are not generally open to the influence of my teachings; and my work is not among the physically dead, but among the living who are in that state of mental and soul equipoise to receive the influences of my suggestion and love. No, the field of battle is not my place of work, and the killing of men and the carnage of war do not attract me or give me the opportunities to do the great work that I am leading the spirits to do, who know the reality and the necessity of obtaining the Divine Love.
I am interested in the peace of mankind and the love of one brother for another, and my teachings on earth and in the spirit world are given for the purpose of bringing about this peace. But the wars of nations or the hatred of battles will never result in bringing peace, simply because of the horrors and desolation that flow from such wars and battles. Men may think that when mankind looks upon these things of destruction, it will also look upon them with such horror and dread that war will never take place again, and that only peace will follow and forever remain the heritage of men. But I tell you that they are mistaken in this, for all these things will be forgotten in the passing of a few years. And then, men's hearts being the same, with all the hatred and envy and ambition that existed in the hearts and minds of those who were responsible for the forgotten wars, these things will be repeated, and the fact that men are of the same carnal minds and desires will be demonstrated.
As long as men remain in their condition of sin, and have only what some may call the "brotherhood of man" to restrain them from seeking to satisfy their ambitions or to gratify their desires to punish fancied wrongs, wars will ensue and the horrors of such conflicts will reappear on the face of the earth.
Men will cry, "Peace! Peace!" But the world will know no peace, and poor man will suffer the recurrence of the results of the workings of his evil nature.
And hence, you may understand that I am not so much interested in having peace come to man as a result of the horrors of war as I am in having it come as the necessary result of the transforming of men's hearts and souls from sin to purity - from the merely natural love to that of the Divine Love. For when this latter Love is in men's souls, they will not cease from war and hatred and carnal appetites will not be satisfied because of the horrors that may attend these things; rather they will cease because of the love that exists in their souls, which will not permit wars. Love will rule, and men will forget hatred and all things which now form a part of their very existence.
My work is to change men from the fallen man to the possessor of the Divine Love. Also, I am trying to teach men that originally they possessed a love that, in its pure state, would have led them from these things of hatred and war; and that their only salvation, outside of the possession of the Divine Love, is to obtain this pure love again - the purified natural love. But strange as it may seem to some, it is more difficult for a man to regain the state of the purification of his natural love than to obtain that greater purification which comes with the possession of the Divine Love.
I see that many centuries may pass before a man will attain to this state of purification of his natural love that will enable him to say that, because of his love, wars cannot come again and peace must reign. Hence there is the great necessity for him to know that only with the coming of the Divine love will come the impossibility of war and strife - individually and nationally.
So, when it is written or portrayed in pictures that I am on the fields of battle trying to show mankind the horrors of war, or that I am weeping over the slaughter of men, such writings or portrayals are not true.
My mission is to reach the souls of men, as individuals, and turn them to the Love of the Father. And my weeping or sorrow occurs when men will not listen to the voice that comes to them all, as it calls them to turn to the Father and Live.
A dead body is of small consequence as compared to a dead soul, and there are so many that pass into the spirit world bringing their dead souls with them.
As the dead bodies lie on the fields of carnage, I know that there is nothing there that needs my help or sympathy. At that time, the souls that leave these bodies are not in condition to listen to my ministrations or to consider their future existence. So you see, there is no reason why I should visit the battlefields, or try to help these newly born spirits, as I may describe them.
Physical death is not of much moment in view of eternity. And while I know that, to the ordinary mortal, it is one of the most momentous experiences of his existence, yet as I say, it is of comparatively little importance.
But oh, the importance of the death of the soul, and the great necessity of striving to awaken that soul to Life!
Well, I have written enough now, and I will stop.
I see your friend with you and I must say to him that I am with him very often, and I am pleased that he has arisen from death to life. The battlefield on which he has fought the fight of the soul is larger and more terrible in its aspects and evidences of carnage and destruction than the field of battle that is now destroying the physical bodies of so many of mankind. I mean that the whole world is the battlefield of the soul's fighting. And if men could only see the results of the soul's war, as they see the results of the war that is now shaking the whole earth, they would understand that the "great war" is not the one that is causing so many dead souls to enter the spirit world.
Give him my love and blessings. I will come soon and write you a message of truth. So, with all my love and blessings, I am
Your
brother and friend,
Jesus
Mr. Padgett's Wife Affirms That Jesus Wrote
I am here, Your own true and loving Helen
What a wonderful message you had from the Master, and how earnest he was when he was writing! The glory of his countenance was blinding to even us, and the love that seemed to possess his very being was beyond our conception. He was truly the beloved son of the Father, and the spirits present were bathed in his love to such an extent that they seemed to partake of his glory.
Oh, my dear, it was all so wonderful!
Your
own true and loving
Helen
