Glimpses Of The Next State.Pdf - Spiritualists' National Union

190and that the Boer mother quite as truly cries, “My son, my little son,” then it is that by contrastwe understand what we mean when we look in one another’s faces and cry, “the blessing of peaceThe good bishop from whose sermon this is an extract has oft times told his hearers that“What a man is five minutes before death so he is five minutes after.” He got that piece ofinformation from his own heart, but not from either his Bible or his Prayer Book. His own accountsof his mission show that he is a psychic, but does not know it. He preaches against spiritism, and isyet a spiritist.But what of the sorrow in the hall, the cottage, and the Boer home? Can we not imagine thecomfort to the bereaved father and mother if they know that their son is alive and near them,though his corpse is unburied on the veldt; that they may even see him and have speech with him ina few days; in any case, only a brief time, and they will join him in a state where they will not partagain?When the spiritist answers the question, “What is the good of it all ?“—if, indeed, he has thepatience to do so—some Churchmen reply, “We don’t want spiritism to teach us that; it is a part ofour religion.” Strange blunder! Is there any word in church teaching which leads one to supposethat our departed friends are in our proximity, and able to communicate with us? The Apostles’Creed has, “I believe in the Communion of Saints……the Resurrection of the body, and the lifeeverlasting.” The Nicene Creed, whose antecedents are far more satisfactory, says nothing of theCommunion of Saints, and winds up with: “And I look for the Resurrection of the dead and the lifeof the world to come.” But where do we find any hint of a communion of sinners, or of a spirit lifearound us; a state of consciousness as real as that in which we live; a region inhabited by those weknew and, in some cases, loved, when they functioned on the earth plane? It is reserved forspiritism to teach of communion with those who precede us into the next life, and the good that canbe achieved, not only by the spirits of the dead communing with us, but by our communing withthem. It is not in the Anglican or Roman Church that any consolation will be found for those whoare bereaved.The resurrection spoken of in the creeds undoubtedly means the resurrection of the physicalbody. It is quite possible, and I, for one, think highly probable, that Paul was writing all the time ofthe resurrection of the spirit of man, and that he did not believe in the resurrection of the physicalbody. He was a gifted psychic and clever scholar, not one likely to credit such folly. But, if he meantthis, he did not express himself in a very felicitous manner, and the Churches adopt the view thatthe spirit does not make itself known to earth spirits until some awful day, when one portion of thehuman race past and present are to be detailed for everlasting happiness, the other for everlastingtorment.To the foolish person who asks, “What is the good of it all ?” I reply.: “None—to you; but agreat deal to those who can, by preparation, assimilate the great truths of spiritism.”(2) Why is darkness necessary? This I have done my best to answer on pp. 10—12. Surelythere can be but few people who are ignorant of the fact that solar rays have a destructive effect onmany things. Light a fire in a room and make it up to a good strength with the sun shining directlyon it; if left for half-an-hour, it will go out. Wireless messages can be projected far greater distancesin the night than in the day. All mammals must be gestated in pitch darkness; why suppose thattheir simulacra should be built up in light? As to etherealisations, it is obvious that they could notbe seen unless it was dark; nor would it be possible to see many of the less substantial forms ofmaterialisation in light. It is futile complaining of “conditions.” This can be done; that cannot.Pictures can be precipitated in sunlight; the more light the better. We know not why; nor do weknow fully why certain spiritistic manifestations are more easily exhibited in the dark. At somefuture date, no doubt, we shall find out. There are all sorts of conundrums I should like to haveanswered—” Why do the wicked flourish ? “; “Why am I allowed to see only one side of themoon?”(3) Why do mediums require to be paid? Of all the five questions, this, in my opinion, is theleast sensible and logical. Do you expect people who have developed extraordinary gifts to serve you