niches in the walls were filled with speaking statuary. Ascending to the lofty dome, they entered apartments adorned with paintings and statues of ancient seers and sages, among which were those of the Nazarene and his apostles, occupying niches in fine view, each having a sentiment circling overhead significant of his mission. Translated, they read thus:

SIMON PETER "Wisdom is to be sought of God."
ANDREW" Christ the Corner-Stone."

JAMES" Let thy Prayers be unto all Men."

JOHN-"Love and Charity constitute the rule of God's Judgment."

PHILIP" The Truth giveth Freedom to the Soul." BARTHOLOMEW -" Righteousness is the Glory of All." THOMAS" Knowledge expels all Doubt."

JAMES, SON OF ALPHEUS" The Truth that dwelleth in us shall be in us forever."

MATTHEW - "God's Mercy is over All and to All." THADDEUS" The good Shepherd is alike mindful of all his Flock."

SIMON "The Tree that hath no Root shall wither away.” JUDAS" Fulfillment of the Law."

Near one of the tables in the circular library sat the loving disciple who leaned on Jesus' bosom, clothed in a stainless white robe, glittering like burnished silver. There was a subdued grandeur in his aspect, and in his eyes was a glow of love and wisdom like a heavenly sun. Though easy in manner as a child, there was a graceful, personal reserve, inspiring reverence, that prevented any hasty approach. He recognized the medium and his relation to the brother, and held a most happy conversation with his guide respecting prospective changes to be wrought out among the nations of earth. It was soul-talk-thoughts breathed in silence. During this conversation allusion was made by John to our brother, stating that his organic sphere is receptive of influences from the temple; that "John and James blend in affection:" that he would impress his brother of earth indirectly through asso

ciated spirits to assist such as hunger and thirst after right

eousness.

Through the hand of the "scribe "- which we have mentioned in a preceding chapter the ancient spirits were able to employ their own peculiar modes of expression, and seemingly to transmit their thoughts wholly freed from that dilution which communications usually undergo by transmission through mediumistic channels. In the following message given to our brother by John from the band of which he is a member, there is a confident prophecy that death, as we now know it, will ultimately be banished from the earth:

"Allied are we to all the planets, and moved upon are we to show our forms to each one during the passages we make; for our own forces need the elements we are enabled to gather, and sown are seeds from all other lands on those whose soil is fruitful. We rest on each land for a space of time that we may become known to all the minds, and teach that which is necessary to the unfoldment into a new air. A home of the soul is found to contain essences of all lives, to hold forms of power for all generations of life. A folding away of the olden as far as it is for good of the new is now seen. A marble font is placed to many an altar that one great love-lesson may be engraven on the same.

"Awhile and the love-life will become so resplendent with added joys, no more will the death angel cause the pains of the mortal to be the cry for release. No more death,' is written on each living parchment we do give to the children of men, - a bold saying, but one of the grandest meaning. The death of the soul is never known, but on other seasons, when a whole people shall live in obedience to laws, there will be no death of that portion of the life called the physical, for it will be given a touch of the immortal, and all will pass away which doth belong to the mortal. Our hands are fashioned in the glories of the rising orbs, and as one hand is seen as aiding the true in soul, we have the power to materialize in the earth garments, and appear as of the earthly; to be known as conversing in the language of the earthy, and supping on the

essences of the earth foods; to be known as standing on rocks of that granite which doth give power over the mortal, that great lessons can be given. One great in purpose doth teach us that we are to spiritually live on the earth lands in the glorious times coming as teachers to those children of whom it is written, They die not, but pass into the celestial currents.' Abounding in graces of heart and person, they live continually in obedience to laws, and hold in love all formations of life. A spot of land will the earth become when the soul-children can be moved upon to give their own soul-foods. A power is held in hands of the just and true, and can not be laid aside. A hold hath the just man on the laws, and his life will be forever and ever allied to the soul mercies. A life is to be brought forth in anguish of spirit a born Power. As it stands revealed in its might, all nations of the earth land will bow their heads, and say, 'Love is the ruling power of the angelhood. Love is the regnant power of all lands, of all planets.' Obedience alone giveth this ever-living life of soulgrowth; alone sendeth life forces that the mortal is dissolved, and the immortal stands revealed as a power of the spheres. One great chain is seen, a power of the ages. Not one link is lost; all joined together in accord of laws, and the last link is beyond our own life vision to know of, so far doth it extend into the living future! Days of a future stand forth in their most holy garments, and love's most powerful utterances are heard, bestowing blessing on all who are related to the soul forces.

"Out on the broad ocean of possibilities we do look and find a rest even in the thought that no more death will call the life to suffer. When the last seal is broken, the last seal is set free, then all ways are indeed called free.

Νο

"A home of the angels of love and light will the earth lands become on other days. No more death known in any regard whereof the mortal doth stand in fear of now. more chains riveted on the forms by hands of bigotry and superstition; no more hopes laid waste in the cruel bondages imposed by the human. A waste land is full of the life forces,

for the New hath molded the destinies of nations yet unborn out of the apparently barren lands. Oppositions can not come to destroy these seeds of power.

"Chosen are we on days coming to open casks of wine forces, gathered from the isles of the sea, to give off the elixirs of life to the people, that no more death of the physical as now seen may be known. As wave upon wave of old ocean liveth forever, so are we to live, rising up in form of the glorified in soul, we limit not any force of our being, but place the whole forms of power at command of the laws."

"O hearts of love! O souls that turn,

Like sun-flowers, to the pure and best!
To you the truth is manifest;

For they the mind of Christ discern
Who lean like John upon his breast!

"What doth that holy guide require?
No rite of pain, nor gift of blood,
But man a kindly brotherhood,
Looking where duty is desire,—

To Christ, the beautiful and good."

XXII

DEALING WITH SOCIAL ENTANGLEMENTS

IN MODERN LIFE

"The tears of the compassionate are sweeter than the dewdrops falling from roses on the bosom of earth.”

– Brahminie.

"God hath been gradually forming man
In his own image since the world began;
And is forever working on the soul,
Like sculptor on his statue, till the whole
Expression of the upward life be wrought
Into some semblance of eternal thought."

- Gerald Massey.

Coincident with the advent of modern Spiritualism, the bond of the existing social order began to loosen. No one who will attentively study the social aspects of general society during the last generation, will deny that a revolt against both the letter and spirit of the long-accepted social gospel, set in about the middle of the present century, and has been more or less active down to the present time. This revolt was simultaneous with the early propagandi of Spiritualism. The public press and world at large, not only insisted that Spiritualism was the cause and instigator of this social discontent but also that the disturbance was chiefly confined to those who dabbled with the "dangerous delusion!" But we repudiate this latter assumption, and insist that in so far as public bodies are responsible, the Spiritualistic movement should be required to no more than share it equally with all the others. It may be conceded, however, that Spiritualists, as a class, emphasized the principle of individuality to a greater degree, and emancipated themselves more thoroughly from the influence of dogmatic teachings than any other body of