John Writes About the Law of Communication and Rapport

January 4, 1918
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, John.

I desire to write for a short time tonight upon a subject that I consider important, and you may consider interesting. As you may know, it has been some time since I wrote anything of a formal character and I regret very much that so much time has gone by without my being able to communicate some of the spiritual truths, and also regret that your condition has been such that I was unable to make the rapport with you that is necessary in order that I may deliver to you these messages of the nature mentioned.

I have explained to you in a former recent letter, in a brief way, the Law of Communication and Rapport, and that Law, if you will try to understand it, will enable you to comprehend the reason why we have not been able to communicate these higher truths. It may seem to you that if we control your brain and not use or transmit your thoughts but only the thoughts which come from our minds, it would be immaterial what the nature of our thoughts might be, and that as your brain is used by us as a mere instrument we, having possession of your brain, would have the power to write anything we might desire. And upon a mere superficial glance at the assertion, it could be reasonably supposed to be true.

But, as we have told you before, rapport and our ability to use your brain are governed by laws, and one of these laws is that a high thought cannot be transmitted through a human brain which is not in the condition that qualifies it to receive the thought, just as the brain, in matter pertaining to mere material knowledge cannot receive a conception or comprehension of some intellectual truth with which it has not had acquaintance, and transmit it. A brain cannot be used by the mind of the human to make known or present a problem in geometry, when that brain has never been used by the mind to acquire an acquaintance with or knowledge of the principles of geometry. This is an incomplete analogy but it may serve to illustrate what I mean.

In the conception by the human mind of a truth, material or spiritual, the brain must be used in order to manifest or make known that conception. This is absolutely true where the idea or thought originates in the mind of the man who is using his own brain to formulate or manifest that idea or thought. The mind may have the thought or knowledge of some branch of learning, and yet when it has never used the brain to put that thought or knowledge into concrete form, the brain cannot manifest or transmit it. This Law applies specifically to the capabilities of the brain where it is attempted to be used or controlled by the mind of the man who owns the brain. And from this you will see that it is possible for the human mind to have thought and knowledge of things, which it cannot use the brain to express.

In many of your material things of life, such as great inventions, the knowledge of these inventions is in the mind. It may be for a long time before it is formulated and expressed by the brain, and sometimes it never gets through the brain at all. The mind and the brain are not one and equivalent things; the one is the operator, the other is the thing used to operate with, so that the possessions of the operator may become manifested to others.

But this Law, applying to and controlling the relationship of the mind and brain possessed by the same man, does not so absolutely apply to and control the relationship of mind and brain, where the mind is that of a spirit and the brain that of a mortal, for in such case the mind may take such complete control of the brain, that the former's manifestations are not governed or limited by the special experiences or want of experiences which the brain may have had in its use by the mind of the mortal along specific lines of expression or manifestation. Thus, as you may know and as it has been demonstrated by the work and experience of many human mediums, the minds of spirits have controlled the brains of these mediums, so that such brains have transmitted from these spirits expressions of various kinds of languages and mathematical truths with which such brains never have had any acquaintance or become exercised in expressing.

In these instances, the brain is used merely in the sphere of intellect and the spirit who takes possession of that brain and uses it to express and make known the knowledge of the spirit's mind, is doing no different thing in essential to what the human mind, controlling its own brain, could have done had the brain been exercised in those directions. The capacity of the brain, whether exercised or not by the human mind controlling its own brain, limits the power of the spirit to control in the manner and for the purpose mentioned.

But this Law has a further phase, and that is, the greater the general experience of the brain in its exercise by the human mind, the more perfectly can the spirit mind control it. All this is dependent upon facts which I cannot linger here to explain, such as the mediumistic qualities and susceptibilities of the human whose brain is attempted to be controlled by the spirit.

And the same laws apply to the disclosure of truth and principles along the moral planes. A spirit cannot possibly use the brain of a mortal to convey or transmit through it moral precepts or truths that that brain is not capable of receiving. And I do not mean by this that the brain must have had any acquaintance with any or many particular moral truths, or must have been used by the human for the purpose of receiving or imparting these precepts, but must be in its essential capacity, potentially be able to transmit and receive these truths. And so the capacity of the brain to receive and transmit these moral truths, limits the control of the spirit over the brain to express through it, these truths.

The rapport of the spirit with the human is determined by the development of the brain and the moral qualities of the human at the time the rapport is attempted to be made - and this means the actual development of these conditions and not what they may appear to be to other humans, or even to the individual himself. And this development determines to a large extent the power of the spirit to use the brain to disclose the truths, either intellectual or moral.

A medium can receive only such truths as his condition, according to the nature of the truths, is susceptible to the forming of a rapport by the spirit. The possibility of rapport, and the kind thereof, lie at the foundation of mediumship and determines and limits the power of the spirit to convey its thoughts and the capacity of the mortal to receive them.

When the medium is in a certain condition of development, the spirit writing can form the rapport according as that condition harmonizes with the condition of the spirit; and it is impossible unless the harmony exists, for the spirit to write these things which require a greater degree of development than the medium at the time possesses. Hence, you will in a way understand why so few of the higher spiritual truths have ever been delivered to the world through the mediumship of any mortal who has been possessed of gifts of either automatic writing, as it is called, or clairvoyance or inspirational powers.

As to those truths, which did not require a higher degree of development than was possessed by the medium, there arose no difficulty in transmitting the same, and many mediums have been very successful in receiving the truth suited to their condition. And this fact and Law, also, will explain to you why the same spirit may communicate through several mediums, and yet the communications be of a dissimilar character; that is, the communications through one medium contain higher or lower character of truth than those transmitted through some other medium; and with the result that those mortals who have heard or read these different communications, especially when critical, have been prone to believe that the same spirit was not making both communications. But this is not a just conclusion, for while the spirit was in the same condition, possessing the same knowledge at the time of both communications, yet the mediums, because of their difference in development, were unable to receive the same character of messages.

You may search the whole history of spirit communications and of mediumship and you will not find any messages of the character of those that have been transmitted through you, and for the reasons that I have stated.

Swedenborg was the last and nearer perfect instrument for receiving these higher truths, and yet he, because of his want of soul development and his being bound, to a more or less extent, by his orthodox beliefs and scientific knowledge that caused him to coordinate and fit in these truths with his ideas of correspondence and such like conceptions, was a failure, and could not be successfully used to transmit these truths which we have been communicating through you. And after him other gifted and, in some respects, successful mediums were used by spirits, of the higher knowledge and progression to convey truths, but their conditions were such that, under the workings of the Laws governing rapport, these mediums could receive only those truths which their conditions of development permitted them to receive. The workings of this limitation was not dependent upon the condition and ability of the spirits to impart these higher truths, but upon the capacity of the mediums to receive them.

You, yourself, have had experience as to how this Law works and controls communication and rapport. For as you know, it has been a long time since you were able to receive any spirit messages of these higher truths, although the spirits have been present with you many times, ready and anxious to make the rapport and deliver their messages; and you have been willing, intellectually, to receive them, but because of your condition or want of condition, the spirits could not deliver them and were compelled to wait until you get into the necessary condition. From all this you will comprehend why so very few messages containing high spiritual truths, or even moral truths, come through mediums. The mediums, mostly, are so developed that they can receive only messages dealing with the material affairs of life, and which kinds of messages I am compelled to and can truthfully say, are those that are largely desired by the mortals seeking information from the spirit world.

Again in your reading of spiritual literature, you may have observed the great diversity of opinions of spirits upon the same subject, and sometimes contradictory opinions, thus causing doubt on the part of mortals, as to what are the facts existing in the spirit world as to the subject of inquiry. Well this is due very largely to the condition of the mediums, and also to the knowledge of the spirits who attempt to communicate; for the knowledge of spirits is limited by the extent of their progress and development.

Many spirits believe that what they have learned is true, and so give authoritative expression to the facts of their knowledge, and often believe what they know is all that may be known of the subject on which they communicate. And these are mostly honest in their beliefs and truthful, as they think, in their messages. And thus it is well for mortals to understand that everything written or spoken by spirits, at all times, is not to be accepted as the finality of truth. And on the other hand apparently contradictory statements should not be taken as fraudulent merely because they are contradictory. A spirit with greater knowledge using a medium in harmony with itself, can convey to men the more exact and greater extent of truth than can a spirit with less knowledge and development using a medium in harmony with itself.

Now, from what I have written, it is apparent that in order to get the greater truth and more extended knowledge of the spirit world, mediums should make the effort to obtain larger and more intensive development of their spiritual natures as well as of their intellectual capacities. This acquirement is absolutely necessary to the reception of the higher truths which are so vital to mankind.

So you see, communication and rapport depend upon the condition of both spirits and mortals working in unison; though more I may say upon the condition of the mortal; for if the medium is in the proper state of development, there being always many spirits present with that medium in condition and readiness, a rapport can be made.

The Master is here tonight and has heard my communication and unites with me in saying: "Have faith and seek with all your soul for this Love."

Believe that I am your special Angel friend.

Your brother in Christ,
John

Helen Writes a New Year's Eve Message of Thankfulness to the Father for His Great Love and Mercy

December 31, 1917
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, your own true and loving Helen.

Well, dear, I see you are not feeling so well tonight and I will write only a short letter.

As Dr. (Leslie R.) Stone said, the year has nearly gone never to be recalled and the thoughts of the year have found their places in the great eternity, some to have gone forever never to be remembered, and others to live to face you when you come to the spirit world.

I am glad to be able to state that the large majority of these thoughts are such that you need not dread to face, for they have been of things that will help you in your progress in the spheres of love, and what I say of you, I say of the Dr., for we have been very close to him during the year that is passed.

While your account books have something that do not savor of the spiritual and true, and are to be forgotten as soon as possible, yet many of them are those which only the possession of the Father's Love could have engendered and which will meet you with influences of encouragement and give you great satisfaction, and cause you to thank the Father that you were so susceptible to the influence of that Love and to the impressions of the high spirits who have been with you both so much during the year.

You have much to congratulate yourselves, for your souls will not show the condition of underdevelopment that they showed even a year ago. You may not be able to appreciate the extent of your development or what your real condition of soul is, and I who can see and know desire to tell you that I rejoice with you and am so thankful to the Father for His mercy and Love, which have been so bountifully bestowed upon you.

Not only do I, myself, rejoice in this fact, but many bright spirits who love you both so much are praising God for His great goodness to you. And tonight many are present, but none happier than your soulmates who, of course, have a love for you that the others cannot have. So notwithstanding the material troubles and worries that you may have had during the year, you have so much to be thankful for, yes, so much more than you realize.

And when you consider from a moment the great number of Celestial Spirits and with them the Master who have been such constant companions all through the year, loving you and trying to help and comfort you, you must see that you have been wonderfully blessed. Scarcely any human being has had such companionship as have you two, and none consciously, for to no man or woman on earth have these messages of love and truth been conveyed as they have to you.

I know that while these high spirits have been in close companionship with other mortals whose souls have received the Father's Love and trying to help them with their presence, yet not one has received to his sensory consciousness the realization of the presence of such spirits, and no word of their great love and solicitude have come to any mortals other than to you, Dr. Stone and Eugene.

When you come to think of this, you must see how great has been the privilege and how with that privilege has come a responsibility that calls for your greatest concern and desire to do the work. Let me advise you three to think of this great fact.

Well, I must not write more, but Mary Kennedy says to tell Dr. Stone that she loves him more than ever before and that her love and happiness in knowing that he is her true soulmate is greater as the year goes out. She wishes him a Happy New Year and knows that it will bring to both of them a closer companionship and a greater happiness than ever, and also a greater and more wonderful development of his soul in Love and a consequent greater nearness of the soulmate love.

All your friends send their love and wishes for a Happy New Year, one that shall be filled with an increased possession of the Father's Love and a clearer understanding of His truths and the work that is before you. May the Father Bless you both is the prayer of :

Your own true and loving,
Helen

Otto Von Bismarck Writes the German People's Faith and Hope in the Emperor Has Become Shaken As to the End of the War

December 27, 1917
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, Bismarck.

If convenient I should like to write a few lines tonight in reference to the war and the prospects of its ending. I am Bismarck and as I have not written you for some time in reference to the subject, I thought it advisable to write a few words.

As I told you in my last communication, the cause of the ending of the war would not be any decisive battle but the deplorable condition of the people of Germany and of its allied conditions. And what I then said, I repeat with renewed emphasis. For since I wrote, the conditions of these people - in the way of starvation and deprivation of those things that make life worth living - have greatly increased with no prospects of betterment so long as the war continues.

The Emperor and his co-workers have endeavored by every false statement that they could make to convince the people that the war would soon end in victory for the fatherland, and that very soon they would be relieved of the distress and starvation, and that peace and good fortune would soon come to them. And with a remarkable credulity, these people have believed their representatives and have endeavored to endure all these privations and hardships with patience and confidence.

But the time has arrived when this faith and hope have become shaken and, in many instances in many parts of Germany and Austria, the people have come to a realization that this peace and relief from their deplorable condition is no nearer than they were months ago, and that less certainty attends the promises of the rulers and military parties. And as a consequence, dissatisfaction has arisen and the desire to save and make secure the life of the nation has changed into a desire to preserve and save from hunger and destruction the individual workers of that nation.

And this feeling has become so fixed with many of these people, they are commencing to think, and are thinking, that they are being sacrificed in order to forward the plans and ambitions of their rulers and also that they, as individuals, are not objects of consideration in the thoughts and schemes of these rulers.

Starvation is prevalent in the land and despair has taken the place of hope with many of these people; and there is slowly creeping into the minds of many the thought that they must arouse themselves and take the control of affairs into their own hands and to such an extent does this thought possess these people, and among them many people who think for themselves, that you must not be surprised to hear at anytime that the people have revolted and that the power of the inhabitants have been overthrown, repulsion of the movement of Russia, although controlled and guided by men of more intelligence and responsibility.

Yes, this ending of the war is coming and the people will rule, and in doing so will make the best terms of peace with the Allies that can be made. Only a little while longer and you will see the fulfillment of my predictions. No great battle on the western front will be fought as the world now expects, for before that time arises, the German army of the Kaiser will have become the army of the people, and many will abandon the fighting line and return to their homes and devastated farms and houses.

It is all so sad when I think of what Germany will become and what it might have been had not the mad Kaiser and his country of ambitious guards and advisers let their ambition run away with their duty and obligation to the true interests of Germany. As I have said before, the Kaiser will die and his followers will die or be scattered and their names and horrible deeds will become dark memory of things that destroyed the national life and the individual lives of many of the promising men and youth of the fatherland.

If I were the Bismarck of a short time ago, this calamity of my nation would cause me to worry and regret and deplore the day that the mad boy continued to succeed his good father on the throne; but now I view these things in a different light and see that out of all these calamities will arise a happier Germany and people free and not subject to the iron bonds of any one man or family, with rights supposed and proclaimed to be God-given. Yes, Germany will suffer and decline as a world power but in the place of this power and insatiable desire for aggrandizement and aggression will come peace and happiness and a greater spiritual development among the people.

Well, I have written enough and the handwriting is on the wall and its prediction cannot be escaped from. Soon, soon, soon the end will come and with it the salvation of more nations than one.

I am not a prophet, but in the Law of Cause and Effect nations are unthroned as well as individuals, and as I can see the causes that are operating; I can also see the effects that must follow, and the consummation will be that Germany must fall, never to arise again as a great nation that she has been in the past, but a purer, happier and more loving nation than ever before. I will not write more. American lives will not be sacrificed to any great extent, for the great battles of the war have been fought. Good night.

Your friend,
Bismarck

Jesus Writes that He is Not God, but a Mere Spirit - a Child of God

December 26, 1917
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, Jesus.

Well, my dear brother, I am glad to find that you are in so much better condition, and I know that very soon now I will be able to resume the delivery of my messages.

Well, I have no vicar on earth (in answer to question by Mr. Padgett). In the first place, I am not God, but a mere spirit - a child of God - and one that worships Him with all the devotion of my soul, praying for an increase bestowal of His Love and for a complete unity with Him, and with the longings to progress eternally in the development of my soul.

In the second place, the Pope is a mere man, and he can only represent God to the extent that he has in his own soul the Divine Love and the consequent soul development. The mere fact that he is the head of the Catholic Church gives him no greater privilege, or no greater commission to represent God on earth, than is possessed by any other man with the same amount of soul development. His claimed infallibility is a delusion and a snare, and he is just as much subject to sin, and sinning, even as Pope of the Church, as is any other mortal; and this claim, which is an attribute belonging only to God, will be one of the sins for which he will suffer very much when he comes to the spirit world and has his soul opened up to the truth.

At some time, I intend to write you in detail as to the Catholic Church and its erroneous dogmas, beliefs, and teachings, and as to its destiny. But this I will say that the worship of me as God is a blasphemy, and a thing that is so blasphemous that I care not to remain in the earth plane and hear the prayers of these misguided Christians.

I know that this will sound surprising and un-Christian, to many, and they will continue to believe in their faith in me as God, and also to worship me. But it is a very harmful untruth, and these people will have to realize it sooner or later in the spirit world. And this is one of the errors that my messages are designed to eradicate.

Well, my dear brother, have faith.

Your brother and friend,
Jesus

Immanuel Kant Writes that He Wants to Learn About the Love that Will Make Men, or the Souls of Men, Divine

December 24, 1917
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, Immanuel Kant.

I have listened to your conversation tonight and have been much interested, so much that I have wondered what the source of your apparent beliefs is, for I see that you are sincere in your declarations of what you declare the truths to be.

I have been in the spirit world for a great many years, and have not been idle as regards my investigation of the truth, and have given my very strenuous efforts to learn the truth of man's destiny and the ultimate end of his existence. I was a thinker when on earth, and had a considerable reputation as to being a deep thinker of things metaphysical and even today I have a large following among those mortals who give their time and attention to the investigation of the truths of the nature spoken of.

I have progressed very much, not only in the spheres in which I have lived, but also in the development of my intellect and in the development of my soul, for I enjoy a very considerable happiness, and have been able to apply the moral principles that should govern men in their relation to one another and to God, and have experienced the benefit of such application. I have many associates like myself in development of the dualities mentioned, and often do we assemble and discuss these important principles of man's relationship to God and to the development of man and the aim and ultimate destiny of his existence.

Truth is, we know, of itself alone and never changes, and when we believe and are convinced that we have found a truth, we accept it as a basis upon which to found our further efforts for investigation and the discovery of other truths and, as a consequence, we are not compelled to depend upon mere speculation as we were when on earth. We know that the spirit of man never ceases to live and, hence, immortality must be his certain portion in the great economy of God, and that as the law of being is progression, we must always be enabled to progress. And having that fact from which to start, we continue our investigations and studies in the certain belief that their results will be the discovery of the truths, and that we must ultimately find the reason for man's existence, and his final destiny.

But from what I have heard you and your friend say, there must be a branch of truth that I or my friends, have never heard of or attempted to investigate, and to me it sounds very attractive, and so much so, that I would like to have some enlightenment from which I may be able to postulate a premise upon which I may build a superstructure, if possible. I have, of course, heard a great deal of love and the purification of the soul, and the necessity for men and spirit striving to get rid of all those things that contaminate the soul and foster the continuation of the in-harmony that now exists and keeps man from becoming the perfect man and spirit, also.

I have heard that in the higher spiritual kingdom, there are spirits of men that have become perfect and existing in harmony with the laws of God, yet they do not claim to be more than men - perfect men. But you talk of a Love that will make men, or the souls of men, Divine in their constituency and, therefore, a part of that divinity which we ascribe only to the Infinite; and I must tell you that what you say has opened up to me a new vision of possibility of study that may lead to what we now have no conception of.

I am sincere in what I write, and if you can help me in entering on the study of the truths of which you speak, I will be very grateful and assure you that it will not be lost on an inattentive ear or a mind stunted by a belief that it already knows all that can be acquired, or the way to acquire all that may be learned. I was on earth a philosopher and known as:

Immanuel Kant

Swedenborg Writes that He Does Not Want James Padgett to be a Failure in His Work for the Kingdom as He Was

December 23, 1917
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, Swedenborg.

I have heard the messages that you have just received and I desire to impress upon you the necessity and importance of striving to follow the advice therein given, for if you fail now to do the work upon which you have entered, your regrets when you come to the spirit world will be so great that you will find it almost impossible to get rid of them even if you progress to the soul spheres where the Love is all so abundant.

I know what I write for that was my experience and it seemed to me that everywhere I turned as I sought to progress I saw before me the word "failure" and for many long years it was my ghost of a recollection. Failure as you may know is comparative, and men may fail in their ambitions and desires for fame and wealth and position, and yet when they come to the spirit world they realize that such failures mean comparatively little and in their progress in the truth, they soon forget their failures and cast them behind. But when a mortal has conferred upon him a work which does not have for its object the accumulation of wealth or the attaining of fame or position, but the great and vital end of showing men the way by which they can become reconciled to God and partake of His very Nature in Love and obtain immortality, and also has given to him the privilege of receiving the Great Truths of God in relation to the salvation of men, then I say that failure means a great catastrophe for him and a greater calamity for humanity, and that man is in a condition of mind and recollection beyond description.

Very few men have had conferred upon them this great privilege and power and responsibility, and I was one of them and was a failure not because I did not try to receive and deliver the truth, but because I prevented, by my preconceived ideas of what the truth should be, the real and pure truth from coming to me and thence to humanity. In a way I was unconscious of my failure or of the existence of conditions in me that caused the failure; yet when I came to the spirit world and realized the failure that I had made, then everything was a failure to my conscience.

In your case, you have no such preconceived ideas to hamper you or prevent you from receiving the truth, for you are used merely as instrument for these truths to transcribe and they are delivered in the very language of the writers, and your failure if such there shall be, will be entirely due to your indifference or want of effort to get in condition that will enable the messages to be written. You must see your responsibility and your duty, and I may say your love that should urge you to work and you must not become a failure.

I am your friend and brother and co-worker in making known these truths and only write because I as a failure can speak from experience. So my brother turn your thought more to this work, and if necessary sacrifice every worldly consideration to carry forward your work and make perfect your efforts to fulfill the great mission with which you have been blessed.

I will not write more now. May the Father bless you with His Love.

Your brother in Christ,
Swedenborg

**********

Helen says that Swedenborg wrote with authority.

I am here, your own true and loving Helen.

Well dear, you have received some important messages tonight and I hope that you will read and ponder them, for they are of great spiritual importance, not only to the work that you are doing but also to you personally. I shudder to think of what the consequences might be if you would make a failure of the great privilege that has been bestowed upon you, and you must think of what Swedenborg wrote, for he would write as one having had an experience with a knowledge that came from the experience.

But I know that you will not be a failure and that you will give your best endeavors to the accomplishing of the work. I wish to tell you also, that you should pray more for the Love and long for it with all the longing of your soul, and then as it flows into your soul, I know that your desire to accomplish this work will so increase that there will be no possibility of failure. So sweetheart, follow the advice given you and determine that the great work of the Master will not this time be a failure through you.

I was with you at church tonight and realized that you enjoyed the services very much and especially the music and your soul experience and considerable happiness from the Love that came to you. And there was much Love with and around you, for many of the spirits were present, but Jesus was not there. Again has Christmas come, and the people are now worshiping their Jesus as God, a worship which is very distasteful to him and one which he hopes by the truths of the messages that he is delivering to you will cease, when these messages shall become known to the people. He realizes how much harm such worship does and also realizes that he is a mere son of the Father as are many and all spirits who have received His Divine Love in their souls and become a part of His Divinity; and Jesus knowing that he is merely a child of the Father, dependent upon Him for His Love and Mercy, avoids all opportunity of hearing the praises and worship of those who substitute him in the place of the Father. So distasteful and blasphemous is this worship to him that he even gives up his work in the earth plane among spirits and men until the time of this universal worship of him shall pass by.

I am so glad that this great truth of the only one and true God, the only being to be worshiped, is being revealed to mankind. So you see how important that you do your work. Well, you have written a great deal tonight and are tired and I will not draw on you further. Love me and believe that I love you, and pray to the Father to give you His Love and strength to perform your mission. Good night my dear husband.

Your own true and loving,
Helen

Judge Frank D. Syrick Writes that He Has Progressed to the Seventh Sphere and Discusses Eugene Morgan's Work with Dark Spirits

December 21, 1917
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, Judge Syrick.

Well, old boy, how are you tonight? I speak, thus, that you may know that I am feeling just as friendly as I did when on earth, and you may feel assured that I am more friendly than I was when I used to talk to you about the mysteries of the unseen. Now, of course, I know a great many things that were to us, at that time "mysterious," and know that the mysterious exists only in the minds of men, and that everything in our universe of truth and mystery is merely a convenient man-made word for hiding our want of knowledge.

Well, Padgett, I am glad that I can write to you again for it gives me much pleasure in being able to do so. Of course, I am with you very often listening to the conversation of yourself and friends, and the reading of the messages that you receive. There are so many spirits around you, all desiring to write, that I can only at times write myself and, as you have learned, we always give the preference to others whenever we know of their desires.

This is one of the things that we learn and apply in our life here as we progress. It is not only that: "We do unto others, as we would have them do unto us," but we do unto others as we know to be for the good of these others. We try to efface self and, as we advance in our possession of the Love, we find it less and less difficult to sacrifice self for the benefit of others; and the wonderful thing is that in doing this, we are the happier and realize that we should not live for self alone. Well, you will commence to think that I am a preacher, and in a way I am, but what I say I know to be true and not the result of any speculation.

I am progressing and am now in the Seventh Sphere, and if I were to attempt to tell you what this means, and could do so, you would think that I was either a storyteller surpassing the author of "The Thousand and One Nights," or that your imagination was running away with your senses. But it is a fact that the beauty and wonders of this sphere are beyond my ability to describe or your ability to understand.

Rose, of course, is with me, and we are so very happy. What a wonderful thing this soulmate love is! Now I realize that the happiness which is mine compensates for all the lonesome times of my old bachelor days on earth, and as I see that your friend (Eugene Morgan) is a poor, lonesome bachelor, I want to tell him that when he comes to the spirit world and has his soulmate to love and cherish him, he will forget that he was ever a lonesome bachelor on earth and will regret only that he had not become a spirit long before he entered that world, which so many dread to think of. Sometimes I have been present when some of his Catholic friends visited him and attempted to annihilate him, and although you may look upon us as sedate and pious spirits, yet we enjoyed the encounter very much and especially when we saw that these priests were worsted and lost all the fighting blood, as you may say.

While I did not know him on earth, yet I feel that I know him very well now, and I desire to tell him that he is doing a wonderful and exceptional work, and one that is doing and has done much good among these priest-ridden people. He may not know, but it is a fact that when he enters into these controversies with the priests, that they are not the only spirits present, for many of their followers accompany them to see the enemy of their church annihilated; and they hear what may be said and see the results and, as a consequence, many of them are caused to think and seek the help of the numerous high spirits who are always present, ready to give the help that they need; and many of these followers are, by the means mentioned, rescued from their purgatory and erroneous beliefs. I should like to write more on this subject and describe the actual scenes that accompany his encounters with these priests, if only to encourage him, but I cannot do it tonight.

Well, Christmas will soon be here, and we have the Christmas feeling, but it is not exactly as you have it on earth. We have the actual visible presence of Jesus and feel his love, and know that he was born and is now the living, loving, all-embracing Christ in his teachings and manifestations of the Father's Love. I wish you and your friend and Dr. (Leslie R.) Stone a Merry Christmas,and desire to tell you that many of your spirit friends will spend the day with you and bring as presents their love and prayers and best wishes for your happiness.

Good night, old friend, and God bless you,
Syrick

**********

Helen is glad that the Judge wrote.

I am here, your own true and loving Helen.

Well, dear, I am glad that the Judge wrote you tonight, as you had not heard from him for some time, and he was very anxious to write. He is very happy and is progressing, and with his Rose enjoys bliss to the fullest.

The other spirits actually wrote, and the young mother is now a very beautiful spirit and feels a great sympathy for all mothers who die as their babies come into life. I will not write more now. So love me and pray to the Father with all your soul and longings for His Love.

Your own true and loving,
Helen

Grace Stanhope Writes of Her Experience After Passing Over Due to Giving Birth to Her Baby

December 21, 1917
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

Come to the bridal chamber - death.

Come to the young mother, when she feels for the first time her newborn's breath.

And so death came to me, when I was but a young bride and lived in expectation of a new, loving being that would be part of my flesh and died when my baby came.

As life came to it, death came to me, and we missed each other at the very moment that I heard its first cry.

And when I came to life in the spirit world, I was bitter and thought God to be so heartless and cruel to take me from my baby and was so unhappy and wanted to die over again.

I would like to tell you of my misery and gloom and hatred of my very God, whom I had believed in and thought that I loved, but I cannot now. But this I must say, that my unhappiness was for a short time only, for bright spirits came to me and comforted me and assured me that I was not separated from my baby, but could go to my baby and watch over him and give him my mother's love, and so I did, and am now doing, for my baby - who is now a man - and still I am with him, and I know that I have been a greater blessing to him as his spirit mother, than I would have been had I remained his mortal mother.

I write this to comfort mothers who have to leave their babies as they come into the earth life, and to assure them that, though they disappear from the visions of their loved ones, yet they can always be with them - close and in deep rapport with them and love.

Death comes as an enemy, but when recognized, only a friend appears. Mothers, thank God for such a death and the great consolation it brings to the departing and to those left behind.

Goodbye,
Grace Stanhope

Mary Kennedy Writes that She Has Progressed to the Celestial Sphere Where There Are No Numbers

December 18, 1917
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, Mary Kennedy.

Well, I see that you would rather hear from me than from the last spirit, although you are interested in showing the way to spirits who know not the way to salvation and the wonders of the New Birth. Yet, I believe that I am somewhat nearer to you and that you would rather have a few lines from me.

Well, I am very happy because of the opportunity of writing once more to my soulmate and telling him that I am his own loving Mary and am always anxious to tell him.

I know that he will be pleased to know that I have progressed, since he last heard from me; for I am now in the Celestial planes that have no number and among spirits, who fairly shine with the Great Love of the Father, and are happy beyond all conception, not only of mortals, but of spirits who have never reached the plane in which I now am. I wish that I could explain to Leslie (R. Stone) what my present condition and surroundings are, so that he might form some idea of what the happiness of his soulmate is, but I cannot, and will not try. But this I can tell him, that my new position and happiness do not keep me away from him, for the increased Love of the Divine that enters my soul, there also enters in a greater love for him and a greater longing to be with him; and as he cannot come to me, I can come to him, and in coming bring my happiness with me in all its fullness.

He will understand, that while I fully realize that the higher I progress the greater the distance between us, yet he will also understand that I must seek to progress with all the strivings of my soul. And he must not think this progress will keep me apart for a longer time than if I should remain stationary and wait for him. It will merely seem so, for when he comes to the spirit world and learns just what my position means, he will want the more to be with me and will strive the harder to reach my home, so that his strivings and longings to see my home will be such that what is lost in distance will be made up to him in time; and besides, I will be so much more enabled to help him, for the greater the Love the more rapid the progress, and when he sees the Great Love that I shall have and feel its influence, he will the more easily appreciate the possibilities of his own progress.

Yes, I am surprisingly happy, and only wait his coming to make complete the soulmate love but, of course, I do not long for his coming in a way that might bring him to me sooner than it is intended that he shall come. He has a work to do and he must know it, and that is his sacrifice, as he will understand after he comes over, but it is a glorious sacrifice, for from it will flow that which will enable him to make the more rapid progress after his work shall be done.

I will not write more now. I know that he would be glad to know of my progress, and so I took the opportunity to tell him and am so happy that I can do so. I wonder if he ever thinks what a difference there would be in his own soul if during all the years prior to his coming over, we should have to remain silent, and he never knew of what love is waiting for him, and what a soulmate is trying to do for him. How blessed we both are that we can exchange our thoughts of love and know that, sometime in the near future, there will be a glorious and happy meeting of two souls that are really one.

Well, I will not take more of your time. So with my greater love to him, I will say good night.

Mary

William R. Woodward Writes He Believed in the New Birth but Found It Quite Different Upon Entering the Spirit World

December 18, 1917
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, William R. Woodward.

Let me say a word as I have listened to your conversation and to me the most of it is Greek, for while I understand your words and sentences, I do not comprehend your meaning. What do you mean by transformation of the soul?

I am a spirit who, when on earth, believed in the New Birth and regeneration, and believed that I was the subject of both, and was fitted - when I died - to enter into the mansions of the redeemed and enjoy the presence of God and of Jesus. But I have found that since I became a spirit, I am no more in the presence of God than I was on earth.

I was taught that by receiving the New Birth and, as I understood that meant to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and accept him as my saviour and become baptized, I would be saved. As I said, I was taught that this New Birth was all that I was required to have in order to become an inhabitant of Jesus' Heavens. And now I know that teaching did not bring me to Heaven, and when I hear you speak of the transformation of the soul by the New Birth, your teachings sound very much like those that I was taught when on earth, and I wonder if you are not suffering under the same delusion that I was.

You talk as if you know what you say to be true and that you actually know, as a fact, that there is a transformation of the soul that results from this New Birth. I hope you are not mistaken, for if there be any such fact, I would like to hear it and the way to obtain it. So if you can enlighten me, do so. I know what you say in words, but that does not satisfy me. I want that, if there be such, which is back of words. Can you help me?

Well, I see a spirit, and he is very beautiful and says, he will help me to understand if I will sincerely listen to him and I will, so good night.

I am William R. Woodward, whom you knew when I was on earth.

Your friend.

Mrs. Horner Writes to Reveal that She and Her Husband, a Friend of Dr. Leslie R. Stone, are Soulmates

December 16, 1917
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, Mrs. Horner.

Let me say only a few words, for I am so anxious to write a few lines and have been for some time. Many times I have been with you (Dr. Leslie R. Stone) and my husband, as you conversed of things pertaining to the spiritual world and I was very hopeful that he would believe what you said to him and turn his thoughts to an investigation of the truths that he would surely find and thereby give me the opportunity of coming to him in my voice, at least, and telling him that I am not dead but very happy and always watching over him to comfort him.

I know that I have been away from him, as he has thought, for a long time, and that other things have intervened in his life to cause him to forget me to a more or less degree, and to think that it was all of life to live on earth and find his happiness there. This, of course, was quite natural, and I was not hurt, as you mortals say, because of the fact that he had, as he thought, given his affections to another; for I knew the conditions of his heart, better than he himself knew it, and saw that his real love was mine, and that no other could take it from me or, as he may be surprised to hear, he could not give it to another.

I have heard you talk to him about the soulmate love, and he has some conception of it, and I want to tell him that this is the love that is binding us together; and nothing in all the universe of God can sever that bond. I should like to tell him what this bond means and sometime, if you will indulge me, I will do so, but tonight I will not take your time.

But tell him this that I thought when on earth that I loved him, and I did, but now I realize how faint that love was as compared to what I now have for him, and what will always be his. He may not believe that I am writing to him or that my love for him is as I write it is, but as certain as his friend, death, at some time will come to him, so certain is it that when he comes to the spirit world, he will find this love waiting for him, and also his soulmate, just at the entrance of his real home.

Well, I must not write more, but kindly tell him that I am a very happy spirit, with my home in the Fifth Sphere, and that I am bright and beautiful in appearance, as they tell me. When I left the earth plane all darkness of race* left me, and I became one of the shining ones; and every spirit associate, that I had, was and is my true brother and sister, and the Father is my Father, and I am His child.

As my soul progressed and developed in Love, I became nearer like unto the Father, and my spirit body and appearance showed the purity of my soul. And such will be his destiny, if he will only follow the way that the Father has provided for him by which he can obtain one of the beautiful mansions of these spheres.

I will tell him only one thing more before I stop writing; and that is, that as my soul developed in Love, my intellect and knowledge also developed, and I became very wise without having to study as you mortals do on earth; and now I see that many of your so-called wise men are, in their wisdom, very foolish, and in their understanding very ignorant. I write this because he may think that now I am the same person in my intellect and knowledge that I was when we were happy together. And we were happy for a short while, for I loved him with all the fervor of my young life and trust, and was so sorrowful when I had to leave him; but God knew best, and now I know that it was for the best.

As I said, I still love him, but with a greater and more fervent love than ever; and sometimes I love him so very intensely that I draw him to me and enjoy a spirit communion with him, although he may not realize it.

Pardon me for writing so long. With my love to him, I will say good night. I was Mrs. Horner when on earth for a short time, when he gave me the fine love of his youth, and I will be his for all eternity.

Mrs. Horner

*Mrs. Horner was an African American.

St. John, the Guardian Angel of James Padgett, Writes that He is Again Getting into a Spiritual Condition to Receive the Spiritual Truths

December 16, 1917
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, St. John.

I will say only a few words. I am John, and your Guardian Angel, and am so thankful that you are again getting into a spiritual condition when we may come and write you of the spiritual truths that we are anxious to communicate. While I have not written as to these truths, yet I have been with you a great deal trying to help you and encourage you in your longings for the Father's Love and for the development of your soul. Very soon I can see, we will resume our writings and then you will be very happy in the thought that you are again in condition to do the Father's work and to benefit humanity.

The most ancient spirits - those who have lived in the spirit world from the entrance of the first spirits therein - can, if the medium is in the proper or necessary condition of rapport, communicate to mortals. It is a very mistaken belief that the highest spirits do not communicate through mediums or rather may not, for these spirits have not lost their interest in the destiny of the human soul.

Of course, there is much of the work done by spirits for mortals in which these higher spirits take no part, but such work is generally more of a material nature and, so far as manifestation to mortals is concerned, performed only for the purpose of convincing men that intercommunication between the two worlds is possible and a fact and that there is the persistence of life. But when the work is of a nature that leads men to a true conception of the vital spiritual truths and the way that leads to the Father, then these high spirits participate in the work.

Jesus is now the leader of the great effort to establish a Kingdom of God in the Celestial Heavens, and all spirits who have received a portion of the Divine Essence of the Father, through love, know the work that is being done and the aim thereof and are working to bring about the great consummation of this plan. And here I will say, that in furtherance of this plan, and because you have been selected to work on earth among mortals, yourself a mortal, the highest spirit of the Celestial Heavens has been and is in communication with you, and the most ancient of all the spirits and first of mankind have written. You must believe this, for every message that you have received from spirits who are working to reveal this plan, forms a link in the great chain of revelation, and to not believe any of these messages and their sources would greatly harm and injure the truth of the whole.

No matter what you may read as to the opinion of men who are investigating spiritualism and receiving messages from this side of life, do not for a moment doubt that you have received and are receiving these great spiritual truths from those who profess to deliver the same. I will come soon and write you a formal message on this subject.

Believe that my love is with you and that I am endeavoring to help you in your great work. Pray more and turn your thoughts more to your mission and you will do the work more satisfactorily, and the Father will bless you with a great abundance of His Love. Good night, and trust in what I have written.

Your brother in Christ,
John

Jesus Writes that the World is Now Awakened to a Greater Realization that Man is Spiritual and Must Have Spiritual Food

December 16, 1917
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, Jesus.

Well, my disciple, I realize that your desires are that I shall deliver a message to you tonight, and I am anxious to do so, yet I see that you are not just in condition that I may take that possession of your brain that is necessary in order to write satisfactorily. I am sorry that this is so, but it is a fact, and we will have to wait a while longer, which will not be very long, for you are much improved, and if you continue to pray, you will soon become in that soul condition that will enable me to make the rapport.

There are many messages yet to be written and I am anxious that you receive them in order that they may be delivered to the world, for the world is now awakened to a greater realization of the fact that man is spiritual and must have spiritual food. The war is causing many people to think of the hereafter and the destiny of the soul; and the knowledge that the world now has of the future life is very meager and unsatisfactory, merely a knowledge that the spirit survives death and experiences more or less happiness in the spirit life.

As you know, this is not the vital thing in the destiny of man, for while a knowledge of the survival of man from the death of the physical may and does give a great deal of consolation to the near and dear ones who are left on earth, yet the fact does not, in the slightest degree, determine the condition or destiny of the soul that has left its home in the flesh; and there are no means, now known to men, to show them that destiny, except some things written in the Bible, which are the subject of much speculation and controversy and want of belief.

The consolation of those who have faith in the Bible is founded on that faith, or rather, in most cases, belief; but there are a number of believers in the truths of the Bible with a conscious soul perception of their meaning, who have that faith which makes certain to them the facts of destiny and the possession of Love in their souls.

I will come tomorrow night and endeavor to write a formal message. In the meantime, let your thoughts turn more to the things of the spirit, and your prayers ascend with more earnestness and longings to the Father.

As you know, I love you as my brother and disciple and am with you as you pray each night, uniting in your prayers, and you must let your faith increase and believe that your prayers are being heard and will be answered to the fullest. I will not write more now. So my brother, good night, and may the Father bless you with His greatest blessings.

Your brother and friend,
Jesus

Priscilla Stone Writes of Her Spiritual Progress and Confirms Leslie R. Stone's Visit to the Spirit World to Help Eleanor Meads

December 10, 1917
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, his mother, Priscilla Stone.

I am here, the mother of Leslie, and very much desire to write a few lines, as I feel that he would like to hear from me and receive an expression of my love. Well, in the first place, I desire to tell him that I am progressing and am in a sphere that is so beautiful and full of the Father's Love, that for me to attempt to describe it would result only in failure. But when I tell him that my happiness is so very great that even I, at a very recent time when in what I thought was the acme of happiness, had no conception of what happiness meant as compared to what I now possess.

All this is so wonderful to me, that it is difficult even for a soul that is filled with this Love to conceive what the Love of the Father in its fullness can be. And the great thing of wonderment is that as we progress, we realize that it is impossible to comprehend the heights and depths of this Great Love.

When on earth and I read that "God is Love," I had not a faint idea even of what the expression meant, for as you must know, my conception of love was based largely on what I knew or thought the human love was, such as my love for my children, which was to me the greatest expression of love. But, as I say, this love is not even a faint shadow of what the Love of the Father is: and the great beauty of it all is that, while this Divine Love is always the same, yet in seeking and obtaining it, I find that more and more is waiting for me.

We know of no cessation of progress and are never satisfied, yet never unhappy, because we realize that we are not the possessor of it in all its fullness. No, our happiness is in proportion to the amount of Love that we possess, and for the time that Love is sufficient for our complete happiness. I do not know that mortals can fully understand this, because, as you may know, when mortals are seeking the natural love of another and desire more and more of it, and they are happy in its possession, yet at the same time they have some pain or unhappiness, because they do not have all the love that their desires ask for.

Well, this is not the condition of us who have and seek this Divine Love, for it, of itself, seems to have the quality of causing complete, perfect happiness, without taking from us the desire and longings for more. I doubt that any of your philosophers can explain this apparent inconsistency, because they have nothing on earth to which they can make a comparison. A mortal who is satisfied with the love that he may have on earth has not the longings for more, and when he has the longings, he is not wholly happy in the enjoyment of that which he possesses.

And the same principle applies to the possession and longings of mortals for everything else of the natural or material. Ambitions for fame and power and position and the accumulation of wealth, and the love of a woman or man, are all subject to this Law of the accompaniment of pain and unhappiness. So you may in a short way understand what great qualities the Divine Love has in its operations, and how it differs from the mere natural love.

Well, my boy will think I am somewhat of a philosopher and have changed from my course of thought while on earth. And so I have, but he must not be surprised to know that as I receive the Great Love in my soul in increased abundance, there comes with it a knowledge of law and principles and the relationship of things that I have never studied or attempted to acquire by study. And this is one of the surprising results of the obtaining of this Divine Love. It seems to have in it, as a part of its qualities, knowledge and wisdom and understanding that is not dependent upon the mind or intellect of the natural man, but which is a part of the mind of the soul that is developed as the soul is developed in Love.

I thought I would write in this way tonight that Leslie may, in a faint way, comprehend what the progress of his mother means and comprehends. With Love there can be no ignorance, for Love is, of itself, wisdom and knowledge and understanding. And from all this you will see that the mortals whose ambition is that when they get into the spirit world, they will have the opportunity to pursue the studies which they loved on earth, and that during all the long eternity, there will be no cessation of opportunity to gratify their ambition. I say, you will see that these mortals will find themselves very poor, indeed, as compared with those whose ambition is to obtain the Divine Love, which brings with it all these things, and others greater and beyond conception of knowledge that these mortals can possibly have.

Well, I will not write further on this subject tonight, but some time, if it pleases you, I will come and write my boy a regular thesis upon some spiritual truth that may interest him very much.

(Mrs. Stone confirms Leslie's astral flight to help in the spirit world in the same way that he tried to do when the spirit was a mortal in order to help Eleanor Meads.)

I heard him tell of his experience of a few nights ago, in going out of his body, and wondering if it were really true. Well, it was true. He left his body, and he may be a little surprised to know that the great desire of that young spirit to have him come to her and tell her again of some of the things that he had told her on earth was the cause of his leaving his body. Her desires were so great that they actually drew his spirit to her. What he saw, he saw with his spirit eyes, and the persons who appeared to him were actually present; and the young spirit heard his conversation, and in it found some relief.

She brought with her to the spirit world some of the thoughts that he had conveyed to her during his earth life; and having the experience of not finding what she had been taught, when on earth, that she would find in the spirit world, she became disappointed and doubtful, and then recalled what Leslie had told her, and with these memories came the desire that he should come and repeat to her these explanations that he had made to her of the truths and condition of the spirit world.

She is now very much better and is seeking for the truth, or rather a corroboration of the truth that she learned from him. I was present, as he thought, and when he left her, I went with her and took her in my care and have been trying to help her into the light and to a longing for this Love. She is so young and her soul so susceptible to the influence of Love, without being bound very much by erroneous beliefs that were taught her, she will, I know, soon become convinced of the true way to happiness and redemption.

And her grandmother, who loves this young spirit so much, was with her and heard what Leslie said, and, of course, was shocked and grieved that he should try to teach the child such blasphemous things; and she shed tears and was very unhappy and wanted her child to go with her and not listen to what he said or was saying. But just here we interfered to a certain extent, and caused them to separate, and induced the grandmother to leave the child for awhile, though she did not want to do so.

And when Leslie said that he assisted her to a lower plane, he actually did so, for while she is a woman of a kindly nature, and a somewhat Christian character, as she understands, yet she is not fitted for the plane on which the scene related took place. And here let me say that the young spirit and her grandmother, because of the great Law of Attraction, are not suited to the same plane, and this grieves the grandmother very much, and also the child. But the regeneration of the child will, no doubt, have a great effect upon the grandmother, and when the time comes, that is, after the child has learned the truth and received some of the Love and goes to her grandmother to show her beauty and tell of her experience, we will go to the grandmother, also, and attempt to explain to her these truths and the error of her belief.

Well, I have written enough, and your wife says that I had better stop now. So with my love, I will say good night,

His mother,
Priscilla Stone

Helen Writes that Christian Science Does Not Convey the Way of Obtaining God's Divine Love

December 9, 1917
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, your own true and loving Helen.

Well, dear, I heard your prayers, and prayed with you for the inflowing of the Love, and I know that the Father will respond and fill your soul with His Love, and make you feel your oneness with Him.

I was with you this afternoon and heard the lecture on Christian Science and, while many true and helpful things were said, yet the address did not convey to the people the vital thing - that is, the Way of obtaining the Divine Love of which the lecturer spoke. What he conceived to be the Divine Love is not that Love, and in his concept does not operate as he believes. His conception of God, while superior and more true than that of the orthodox churches, yet it is not the full and correct conception of God.

Sometime soon a spirit will come and write on the subject of Christian Science. It is a true teaching in some particulars, especially as regards the way to the acquirement of a cleansing of the soul that will tend to make a mortal a perfect man, yet it cannot show the Way to the higher truth that makes him a Divine Angel. I will suggest this explanation to the spirit who will write you, and I have no doubt that it will be fully explained to you.

Well, dear, I will not write more now. Believe that I love you with all my heart, and that I am watching over you trying to help you in every way. Good night, and God bless you.

Your own true and loving,
Helen

George W. Smith Writes that He Knew the Stone Family in England

December 8, 1917
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, George W. Smith.

I am a spirit who lived in England and knew the family of your friend (Dr. Leslie R. Stone) and have met them in the spirit world and have seen them write to him and call him their son, and as I am permitted to write, I thought that I would say a few words.

I am not in such an exalted position as my friends and have with me some darkness and suffering, though I am progressing and learning of the way, which they tell me I must pursue in order to get rid of my present conditions. Mrs. (Priscilla) Stone has been a very angel of goodness to me and has so patiently tried to show me the way to truth and to the Love that has made an angel of her. What a glorious and beautiful spirit she is and how fortunate her son is to have such a mother who loves him so much as I have heard her often say.

Well, I merely want to say that I have heard the conversation between you and my brother and have believed with interest in what he said about writing to my sisters and telling them some of the spiritual truths that have been written to him by our mother and others.

Well, I will not write more, but I have learned that the prayers of you mortals do help the darkened spirits very much and wish that your friend and you would pray for me. Heaven is ahead of me, they tell me, and I want so much to get there.

Good night.
George W. Smith

Helen Padgett Writes that Mortals, Themselves, Must Make the Effort to Overcome the Influence of Evil Spirits

December 4, 1917
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here. Must I say? Your own true and loving, Helen.

While, in many instances, the evil spirits influence mortals in their thoughts and actions, yet this is not always the case and it will not do for mortals to think so. They are not the mere pliant tools or subjects of these evil spirits, but are persons with free wills controlled by their own appetites, and for them to believe that all their evil acts are the results of the influence of these evil spirits would place them in a very subservient and deplorable condition, and at the same time retard the development of themselves by their own thoughts and acts. No, the evil spirits are always working evil, but all the thoughts and desires that mortals have and do, are not the results of the influence of these spirits.

Man must realize that in himself is the cause of his own evil thoughts and deeds - though increased by the influence of these spirits - and that he must master these thoughts that he be able to drive them from him and overcome them by thoughts of a different and higher nature.

It will not do for men to think that they are wicked only because of the influence of the evil spirits, for to think so would retard their development and at the same time take from them a realization of their own responsibility. And on the other hand, the source of good thoughts is within themselves, and if they will only seek for this source, they will be able to progress in their moral conditions; and while the good spirits can and do help them, yet primarily men must help themselves from the good that is within them.

I would like to write you fully on this matter and will sometime, but tonight you are not in condition, and I will not try. But remember this: that whatever of evil is displayed or gives evidence of the soul being possessed by it, yet within themselves is the power to overcome and cause its eradication. I mean that men must make the effort; realize that they are masters of good and evil. We can help you, if you will let us. It depends on you; and no other can take the praise or blame of the results of your thoughts or actions.

Yet, you must also realize this: that when the evil ones form a rapport with you, and in a way obsess you, it will become the more difficult for you to exercise your own will; and, hence, men should pray to be given help from the Higher Source to overcome the influences of these evil ones. The character of your company will determine to a considerable extent the kind of thoughts you may have and the deeds you may do. But good or bad be your associates, you alone will be responsible for the results of your thoughts and acts.

I must not write more. Good night.

Your own true and loving,
Helen

Father Williams, A Former Catholic Priest, Apologizes to Eugene Morgan for Being Aggressive and Insulting; Helen Padgett Confirms the Message

November 8, 1917
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, Father Williams.

I am the priest that visited your friend (Eugene Morgan) last night, and I was very aggressive and insulting; but now I wish to apologize, for I have learned that he knew a great deal more about things of the spirit world than I thought possible, and more than I knew myself.

Of course, if he will consider for a moment my position and the fact that for many long years, I entirely believed what I professed, and also felt it my duty to God and to my church to defend the doctrines of the church, he may understand why I was so vehement and looked upon him as a foe to truth and a dangerous man to the followers of the church and to all that we believed in as sacred and holy. Now I must confess that I see some things in a little different light and am not so certain as to some of the positions assumed by the church in its teachings as to the destiny of men in the spirit world.

I should like very much to talk to him again and ask him some questions respecting the position that he took, and this not for the purpose of controversy, but to learn his explanations of some of the things that he asserted. So, if he will tolerate me for a while, I will be greatly obliged.

(The spirit is now writing through Mr. Morgan.)

I want to ask you a question, and that is: "How you came to know of the things you asserted to be the great truths that are necessary to be understood in order to obtain salvation?"

(Mr. Morgan has enabled Father Williams to visualize a bright spirit.)

I saw him.

I am very much surprised at your statement. You are indeed fortunate. I am satisfied with your explanation and shall endeavor to profit by it. I am not as vicious as you may suppose, but I thought I was but doing my duty in trying to protect my people from one whom I believed was the emissary of the devil. I now see my error and am thankful that you were so patient in enduring my abuse as you were.

I am, as I said, satisfied with your explanations, and from now on shall endeavor to become as the bright spirit with whom you brought me in contact. You must not think unkindly of me; for I now realize what a great service you have rendered me. I will now go.

Your friend, the once Father Williams

**********

Helen writes about the great work that Eugene Morgan is doing among the Catholics.

I am here, your own true and loving Helen.

Well, dear, you had an unusual visitor tonight and I was very much interested in his interview and experience with Mr. Morgan, and was glad that Mr. Morgan spoke to him as he did, and gave him the opportunity of coming in contact with a bright spirit and thereby having an awakening that he had never had before. The uncle is a very bright spirit and has much of the Divine Love in his soul and is so happy in doing the work that came to him tonight.

The Catholic priest actually wrote you and Mr. Morgan and, while he could not see me, and I did not choose to manifest myself to him, yet I could and did observe all that he thought and did. He had with him a number of spirits similar in condition and belief to himself, and they all heard what Mr. Morgan said to the priest, and some of them were attracted by what was he said, and also saw the uncle when he made himself visible to them; and some went with the uncle and the priest.

We are all glad that Mr. Morgan is doing this work, for it is a wonderful work and one that will accomplish much good among these Catholic spirits; and when it is considered that of all Christians, they are the most bigoted and convinced that their beliefs are the true ones and their states in the spirit world such as must have necessarily followed from the truths as taught by the Church, you can readily understand what a laborious and difficult work Mr. Morgan is doing and will do.

And for his benefit, I say that he will never be deserted by his band, and the Catholic priests will never be able to overpower this band; for this is a truth, that while the band seldom uses any force towards these deluded spirits, yet should they choose to do so, their mere willing that these antagonistic spirits should leave Mr. Morgan would be sufficient to cause them to withdraw and, thus, destroy the rapport. But this cannot be, for the work that he is doing is one that must be done, and this is part of the work which he has been selected to do; and in its results it is a glorious work. The salvation of these spirits is just as important to the harmony of the Heavens as is the salvation of any man or class of men or spirits.

Mr. Morgan will always have the necessary protection, and whenever he calls for the higher spirits to aid in his work, that call will always be responded to. Even now, there are many of these spirits who were lingering in and satisfied with their condition in purgatory that are now in brighter spheres on their way to the Celestial Kingdom, because of the Love that they have received in their souls; and they are more grateful to Mr. Morgan than I can explain. And these rescued spirits are also with him, working to help their friends and acquaintances who are still in their darkness and belief in the efficacy of the teachings of their church.

God will bless Mr. Morgan in his work while on earth, and many spirits whom he has helped will thank and bless him when he comes to the spirit world. I have, thus, written at length so that Mr. Morgan might gain some conception of what his work means and how he has been successful in his efforts and feel encouraged to continue in his good work without doubt as to the truth of what he may conceive the results of his efforts to be.

Well, dear, I will not write more now, but only say that I love you, as you know, and that your condition is much better, and very soon you will be able to receive the higher messages. So keep up your courage and pray to the Father and you will not be disappointed, for the Love will work in your soul the great miracle of transforming a human mortal soul into a Divine existence, at-one with the Father and His very Essence. Good night, and believe that I am

Your own true and loving,
Helen

Jesus Writes the Religion of the Future Will Be Founded on the Truths of the New Birth and the Transformation of the Soul into the Divine

November 6, 1917
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, Jesus.

I have been with you part of the time as you were reading* the different explanations of the various religions, and tried to direct your mind so that you might conceive the difference between the things taught in those teachings and what we are revealing to you. Many things that are set forth in those teachings - that are mysteries and the results of speculation - will be revealed to you in their true existence and meaning, so that all defects or desiderata that arise because of the insufficiency of these teachings will be corrected and supplied.

I am glad that you read these sermons, for they demonstrate to you a number of truths that were known to the ancients but which fall far short of the truth. At those times there was no source from which our truths could come, either in the spirit world or in the mortal world and, hence, humans could not become inspired as to the vital truths that we are revealing.

The men who appeared as reformers and gave forth the truths that were unknown to their fellowmen were inspired by the intelligences of the spirit world, but that inspiration could not be greater or higher than the knowledge of the spirits by whom these men were inspired. And what I here say applies not only to the prophets and teachers of the Old Testament times, but to those of all the times and among all races preceding my coming to earth and making known the great truths which were revealed to me by the Father.

I noticed that some of these teachers and writers of essays at the great religious gathering attempted to speak of a future or world religion, and their claims were divergent but were based mostly on those foundations that will never support such a religion. They almost entirely based their concepts on principles of morality as understood by them, and the churches based their beliefs on the teachings of the New Testament, which in many and vital particulars are erroneous, especially, the basic one that I am God, the Son, and that my vicarious atonement and sacrifice must be the touchstone of the future great and ultimate religion. Well, as their claims are not true, it is certain that any religion based upon them cannot be true or lasting.

There will be a religion of the future and a comprehensive and final one, and it will be founded upon the Truths which you are now receiving, for it will be inclusive of all the other religions, so far as the truths that they contain are concerned, with the addition of the greatest of all truths affecting mortals - the New Birth and transformation of the human soul into the Divine.

When men shall come to make a comparative analysis of these existing religions and the one that I shall make known, there will be very little conflict in the vital principles, and my teachings will only add to the old teachings that which all men can accept.

Hence, you see the importance of our working more rapidly in our efforts to disclose and disseminate the truth. I will come in a few nights and deliver another formal message, and others also will come and write you. Many of the Celestial Spirits are qualified to teach the truths of the Father, and they are ready and anxious to do so. I will not write more now, but with my love and blessings will say, good night. Yes, I am with you as I promised and will continue to be.

Your brother and friend,
Jesus

*Mr. Padgett had been reading The World's Parliament of Religions at Columbian Exposition of 1893.

John Writes on How God Answers Prayer During Times of War and Explains the Law of Rapport and Communication

November 2, 1917
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, St. John, brother of James - Apostle of Jesus.

I come to you today because I see what your condition is and that you need encouragement, and as I am your special guardian, I could not abstain from writing you as I have. So I say, trust in the Father and in our help and you will not be disappointed. It has been a long time since I have written you in regards to spiritual things, and I desire very much to do so, as I have important messages to communicate, as have many other spirits who have been accustomed to write you.

While your material affairs are important, yet these spiritual truths are of more importance, not only to you but to the world for whom they are primarily intended. The world needs these truths more at this time than ever before, and the sooner we can complete our book of truths the better it will be for suffering humanity, and for many whose hearts are now lacerated because of the great destruction of human life caused by the war.

Well, I know that many believe that in some way God has an overpowering direction as regards the progress and outcome of the war, and in a certain sense this is true, for He is always interested in and seeks to reach the souls and hearts of mankind and, of course, desires that the great suffering and devastation shall cease. But as the cause of all this was the evil desire and ambitions of men, He will let men, themselves, control the conduct and outcome of the war. He will not by His exercise of power in an arbitrary way end the war or determine which of the contending nations shall be successful, except in this, that through the instrumentality of His spirit, He will influence the minds and consciences of these men in such a way that right and justice will prevail, and the evil thoughts and deeds of men be stopped in their operations.

His spirits are working to this end at this time, and have been for a long time, and so have the evil spirits been working to bring discord and destruction upon humanity. The leaders of the nations have been, in a large degree, obsessed by these evil spirits and have been influenced in many of their thoughts and acts by these dark ones, who delight in seeing mankind suffer and in evil asserting itself.

The spirits of truth are exercising a wonderful power over the hearts and souls of men, and one that will cause them to soon realize that evil must not be allowed to prevail and that truth and right must assert themselves to the end that the war must not only cease, but that men must become more in unison with truth and justice. In this way, the Father will answer prayer, and His Love will also continue to flow to men.

I know that prayers are ascending unto the Father from many men and from many of the churches of the respective contending nations for success, but only those prayers will be answered which tend to bring about the overruling of evil and injustice; and the spirits who are working the Father's Will will answer these prayers only which - in their answer - will bring about the desired end.

As I have said, while God does not take interest in these matters by His arbitrary power and decree that the one or the other of these warring nations shall overcome and conquer the others, yet, He does by His angels exercise such influence upon the men who are engaged in the struggle, that in the end His Will will be brought to pass. But men, immediately, must determine the course and results of the issue, and no miracle will be performed which will make one side the conqueror of the other, and while this is so, this determination by men will be influenced as I have stated.

Man has his free will and, as we have written you, that is never arbitrarily controlled by the Father, but in the exercise of that free will, whenever man violates the Laws of God, man must suffer the penalty of that violation. This is a never changing law of the material as well as of the spirit world. When evil is sown, evil must be reaped, and until this evil ceases to operate as a cause, good will not appear. The men who are directing the war must understand that this law is operating in the conduct of the war, and that evil thoughts put into execution will inviolably bring evil consequences.

You may look for an earlier determination of the struggle than some men now believe possible, yet ere that end comes many mortals will become spirits and find their homes - some in the darker spheres, and some in those of light and love, but all are the children of God and will not be forsaken by Him in the great eternity.

Well, you have not been in that condition of mind that has enabled us to make the necessary rapport with you. We must have a mind that is filled with thoughts of the higher things of truth, even though we do not use those thoughts. Our thoughts are all spiritual, and our truths can be received only by the mind in a spiritual condition, and you, lately, have not had so much of this spiritual mind as formerly. Our contact has not been so close, and our rapport, necessary to enable us to express through your mind these spiritual truths, has not been so perfect.

And when I say mind. I merely mean the organs of the brain as influenced by the thoughts of the mind; for I will tell you what you may not know, that these component organs of the brain are not always and under all conditions receptive of the same control by the minds of spirits. You may receive through your brain a long and profound message of things pertaining to what you may call the material, and yet under similar conditions of these organs, not be able to receive messages of the higher truths; and the conditions of these brain organs are caused by the condition of the soul in the possession of things spiritual.

It is difficult for me to express just what I intend to convey but this you will understand, that upon the development and possession by the soul of things spiritual, depends the capacity of the human brain to receive the various kinds of messages. A medium who is merely intellectual and morally good cannot receive those messages of the highest truths, because there can be no rapport between the brain of such a medium and the mind of the higher spirit who may desire to communicate. And, thus, you will understand why it is that the messages from the earth-bound spirits or from those who have merely the intellectual development, are so vastly more frequently received by mediums than messages from spirits of the soul development.

A spiritual thought - I mean a thought which can come only from a spirit who has the development of the soul that makes that soul Divine - cannot possibly pass through a human brain which has never been developed by a soul in which the Divine Love has entered and worked its regenerating powers. Things of the material may be conveyed through a brain purely material, things moral through a brain which has been influenced by moral truths, and things spiritual through a brain which has assimilated those truths that come only with the development of the Soul by Love. This is the Law of Rapport and Communication.

Well, I will not write more now. But in closing urge you to have faith in us, and let your worries leave you, and pray more to the Father. Goodbye.

Your brother in Christ,
John