Gottfried Leibnitz, a German Philosopher, Writes About His Uncertainty as to Immortality

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

I am here, Gottfried Leibnitz.

Let me write a few lines. I am not an acquaintance of yours, yet I am not a stranger so far as my being in your presence and observing the different spirits who communicate with you.

I have been in spirit life a great many years and have been through the Hells and purgatory and all kinds of suffering and am now in the light and comparatively happy. I am in what is called the Second Sphere, where are many bright and intellectual spirits working out their own plans for accomplishing certain of their ideas and progressing to higher planes.

I was a professor on earth and gave much of my time to the study of psychology and kindred subjects and had many ideas of my own on these questions, and especially was I interested in the study, or rather speculation for I did not believe in the Bible or the teachings of the churches, as to the future of man. And my speculations led me to the conclusion that the physical death was not the end of man; for it seemed to me that if such was the case, the object of the workings of the great laws of evolution would be defeated by the ending of the existence of the greatest and highest resultant of that evolution, namely man.

I was a student of comparative biology and believed without any doubt and with the certainty of knowledge that man was the greatest product of this great principle of evolution and that for centuries upon centuries, it had been working to bring or develop man from the mere molecule to the high degree of perfection displayed in his wonderful mind and moral faculties, and that then, in a moment, end it all by this thing known as physical death was unreasonable and unjustified and, hence, I concluded, as I say, that men must live after the death of the body.

But when I got that far in my conclusions, there came the question: "What was beyond?" And here my speculations were not so satisfactory, for I had very little upon which to base any theories. Of course, I thought that as man in the past had made such wonderful progress in his evolution, and as he would live in the future, it was reasonable to suppose that this evolution would continue and that man's progress would be without limitation or ending, provided he should continue to live forever. And thus arose the question of man's immortality; and here, I was stalled, for I had nothing with which to make a comparison.

I knew that it was accepted as a truth in natural science that nothing could ever be destroyed or lost, and that the elements or atoms from which those physical things, perceptible to the senses, were composed should continue to exist forever, but this was not satisfactory to me upon which to base the fact that man would live forever. While these elements or atoms, themselves, could not be destroyed, yet many of those composite things into which these elements had entered and given form had been destroyed and as such composite entity and form no longer had an existence.

I had seen the oak start from the acorn and grow to be a mighty tree and live for years and suddenly, by a stroke of lightning, destroyed and ceased to live, and as such tree went entirely out of existence. And, hence, by analogy I could not say that man as the identical individual would not go out of existence and, in fact, I had seen him as regards his physical existence cease to be an existence and his body disintegrate and go back to its elements; and I could find nothing in all this to justify me in asserting that man, in whatever form he might exist after his bodily death, would not at sometime in the future cease to have the form that made him the very individual that had lived on earth and continued his existence in the spirit world. No, I could not, in my speculations satisfy myself that man was immortal. And so speculation was compelled to stop, and I was left without any assurance that my theory of persistence of man after death was not one that might not prove to be false.

But I died and found that I, the conscious thinking man, continued to exist with all the faculties of mind and feelings that were mine when a mortal. And, in addition, I soon met those who had preceded me in the spirit world, and who had since becoming spirits advanced in their evolution and were more perfect mentally and morally than they had been when on earth; and who, also, informed me that beyond where they had evoluted (evolved) to were spheres in which spirits of greater intellectual development and ancient in years lived and worked and speculated upon the same question that I had given so much thought to when on earth, namely: "Is man immortal?"

And they further informed me that these ancient worthies had not been able to solve the problem, but that many who had come to the spirit life thousands of years before were still living, and no spirit had ever been known to have passed out of existence or dissolve into the elements of which it was composed.

So you see, the spirits in the highest spheres, with all their intellectual development and thousands of years of study, can no more assert with certainty that man is immortal than I could when on earth. To me now, as when on earth, this is the greatest question that arises and engages my continuous thoughts, and I see no way to solve the problem. I remember, that when on earth the preachers and the churches claimed and taught the doctrine of immortality, and while I never deeply investigated the foundation of their claims, yet I cannot conceive that they can possess any more certainty of the supposed fact than did I. I can hardly believe that God ever revealed to man the fact of immortality; and in my opinion, in my present stage of development, only God knows, and all the teachings of the churches and wise theologians are mere speculations, not to be relied on.

Well, I have written you a long letter tonight, and you may not be interested, but I am, and as the opportunity came, I thought that I would like to write, for I know that there are many mortals who are working and speculating and attempting to find some basis for their hopes of immortality; and some believe that while they may not satisfy their hopes on earth, yet when they come to the spirit world, the difficulties will be removed and the problem solved; and to these I desire to make known the fact that they will look through just as dark glasses here as they are now looking through on earth.

Well, you surprise me and I can scarcely believe that you are serious, for I have never heard of such a way or of such a knowledge existing among spirits, and if you can show me that way I will, with all the energies of my soul pursue it. Well, you surprise me more and more; but I am willing to do as you say, no matter how absurd it may seem to me, or what little prospects I may see in making the pursuit. I will do as you say.

Well, I see a beautiful spirit who says that he is Prof. Salyards, and has heard what I said and what you said, and that he will be pleased to show me the way to obtain both a knowledge and the actual possession of this immortality, and I shall accept this invitation and go with him. I thank you very much for listening to me and for your expressions of desire to help me; and if what you promise comes true, you may rest assured that I will return sometime and tell you.

So my friend, I will say good night.

Your friend,
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibnitz

George C. Calvert, a School Acquaintance, Writes to Ask for Help to Get Into a Better Condition

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

I am here, George C. Calvert.

I was an acquaintance of yours when you were a student at New Market, and you will recollect me when I recall your memory to the fact that I was called "Judge." Well, I came, because I saw that other spirits were writing you, and when I looked at you I remembered you, and then desired to write.

I am in what is called the dark plane and have been for some time now, though when I first entered the spirit world, I went into the Hells and suffered a great deal. But I am thankful that I have gotten out of the conditions that suited me for those places and am now in a brighter plane and in less suffering.

I don't know that you can do anything for me but some spirits say that you have helped them and, if that be true, I should like for you to help me. I am willing to do most anything to get into a better condition, and if you will do what I say, I will appreciate it very much and try to follow your advice.

No, I should like to be surprised. Well, I have looked, and I see some wonderfully bright and beautiful spirits, but I don't recognize any of them. Wait a moment. One is coming to me and I am surprised - for it is Professor Salyards. How wonderful! Why he is really handsome! Well, well, dear old Professor. He says he is glad to see me and that I must go with him, and I certainly will.

I thank you very much and will come again.

Good night,
Your old friend

William B. Cornelies Writes that He Wants to Ask Questions About this Divine Love

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

I am here, William B. Cornelies.

Let me write and tell you that I have listened to your conversation tonight and have been much interested in what has been said and especially in that part of your talk where you spoke of the Divine Love and the transformation of the soul into what you called the Essence of the Father.

Well, I desire to say that I have considered spiritual or religious matters for a long time and the ideas that you have expressed are new to me, and open up to my investigation a new field of the possibilities of the soul in its progress. It may seem strange to you that I, who have been in the spirit world for a great many years and been interested in the investigation of what I considered spiritual truths should not have heard of this doctrine of the transformation of the soul into the Essence of God, but it is a fact.

Of course, I have come in contact with many variety of spirits, and some who claim to possess this Divine Love, but I never entered into any conversation or discussion with them as to this question, as I was satisfied that they were spirits who had imbibed on earth the orthodox Christian beliefs and were still possessed of the same, and that their claims to what they called this Love were based upon what might be called their beliefs in an imaginary, insubstantial something, which satisfied them, but which was not worthy of the consideration of spirits who had given their whole lives in the spirit world to the study of spiritual truths based upon the Laws of the Spirit World as they became known to the intellects of men capable of studying and analyzing these laws and the truths that they contained.

I have many associates who devote their time and thought to the investigation of these laws and the truths that are deducible from them, and who are men, or rather spirits, who do not accept anything or declaration as a truth that cannot be proved by scientific principles and tests. We, of course, are not of the sentimental or transcendental kind, but confine ourselves to the pure and exact investigation of the laws that govern what we perceive to be the actual condition of spirit substances.

But your conversation has made an impression on me and perceiving that you men are earnest in your discussion and seem to have a firm conviction as to the truth of the fact that the souls of men and spirits may be transformed by this Love with which I am not acquainted, I commenced to think that there may be some spiritual truths that lie beyond the scope of the investigations that I and my companions may have given to spiritual truths. And so thinking, I should like to ask you some questions as to these matters and, if possible, learn if as a truth there exists such a thing as this Divine Love as contradistinguished from the love that we all possess to a greater or lesser degree. So if you are inclined to answer my questions, I should like to propound to you a few at this time.

Well, I have heard what you said, and I have asked if Prof. Salyards is present, and a beautiful intellectual looking spirit comes to me and says that he is the Prof. and that he knows what you said and that it will give him great pleasure to answer my questions and to give me a full explanation of what this Divine Love is and the manner in which it transforms the soul into the Essence of the Father.

And he directs my attention to a number of bright spirits and says that they are living examples of the fact of the existence of this Love, and of the effect that it has on the souls of spirits who possess it. And he says further, that as the appearance of the spirit body discloses the condition of the soul, that if I will look carefully I will find an appearance in all these spirits that I do not find in spirits who do not claim to possess this Love. And upon a careful scrutiny, I realize that what he says is true. He invites me to a conversation, and I will go with him. I thank you for your consideration and will bid you good night.

Very respectfully yours,

William B. Cornelies. I was an inhabitant of England.

**********

Helen is very much interested in the writing just received from the Englishman

I am here, Helen.

Well my dear, I see that you are tired and must go to bed, and I will not write very much. I was interested in the message that you received from the man who wanted to learn of the Divine Love, and he was very serious in his requests and seemed to have much pleasure in going with the Professor, who will instruct him fully.

Mrs. Stone was also very happy that she could write and tell the Dr. (Leslie R. Stone) of her love, and Kate was also serious when she advised the Dr. to get married. It will undoubtedly be a wise thing for him to do as well as for you, as I have told you your life is too lonesome a one. You need companionship. I was disappointed tonight that the Master did not write. He was present in the early part of the evening, but the dark spirits were so persistent in their efforts to write, and so disappointed that they could not succeed, that the Master thought it best not to interfere, and so postponed his writing. He will come soon. You were in good condition tonight for writing. I will not write more. So believe that I love you and love me in return and give me my kisses.You are a dear boy to treat me in that way. I was not in a hurry to sign myself.

Your own true loving,
Helen

Professor Joseph Salyards Writes About Perfecting the Natural Love While on Earth

March 15, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, Prof. Salyards.

Well, I was telling you of the object of man's life on earth, and the necessity for his doing certain things, in a general way, in order to bring to mankind the happiness which might be theirs while on earth. Now I desire to go into a little in detail with reference to these matters.

As has been written you before, there is only one way in which man can attain to the supreme happiness, which the Father in His goodness has made possible for man to attain to and which, when once obtained, can never be taken from him. But there is also another kind of happiness which is not in either its nature or results, the same as that which I have just referred to; and man may obtain it in a way and by a method which are different from those which are necessary to obtain the first kind.

Man was originally created good and pure and happy, and only by his disobedience did he lose these qualities which, when lost, finally made him approach somewhat the likeness of the lower animal, although the latter is probably not so unhappy as man became, by his fall from the state of the high condition of his creation.

When in his original state, he was happy in what we called, and what was, his natural love, which he fully possessed and needed nothing additional to make him happy. This condition made man his own master, as it were, and the Father's Divine Love was not necessary to develop him more as mere man than he then existed. He was pure and free from sin and in perfect harmony with God's Laws governing his creation.

But after the disobedience, he lost this harmony and in doing so lost also the power to preserve in himself the happiness which was his by right of creation; and he also soon realized that as this power left him, his dependence upon himself became less and less effective to keep him in a condition of purity and contentment and, as a consequence, he became less than perfect man and has been such ever since that time.

Now with the other qualities that were given him at the time of his creation, there was, and is, one that he has never been deprived of, and one that he has never realized his inability to exercise, although he so often exercises it wrongly; and that is the will, which is the greatest of the natural attributes that man possesses, for even God will not attempt to control that. I mean in the way of compelling.

And this quality is the one that, more often than any other, will help man to again attain to that state or condition in which he was the perfect man; but while this is true, yet it is also one of the greatest obstacles to attaining to that state.

Upon man himself, very largely depends the success of his regaining his pristine purity and harmony with the laws that govern his being, and he must understand this fact; for if he should believe, and rest in the belief, that other men, or other instruments controlled by men, can rescue him from his present condition of in-harmony and unhappiness, he will be disappointed and his salvation will be a long time delayed.

But the exercise of this will power in the proper direction will depend upon other things that he must possess in order to insure his return to his first estate. Among these are the necessity for his obtaining knowledge that will enable him to know himself and the relationship of himself to what is true and good. This knowledge will come to him as he examines himself and learns the difference between right and wrong, and this I mean in its general sense, for right and wrong mean harmony or in-harmony with the laws of which I speak, and not right and wrong according to the several circumstances of men, for these differ, and what may be right or wrong to one man will not be to another.

And man by proper contemplation and observation may learn the difference between right and wrong, in the sense in which I use the terms, and be enabled to embrace or avoid those deeds or thoughts that come within one category or the other. Again, he must realize that there is such a thing as the natural love being a part of him, and a thing which may be possessed and cultivated to such a high degree that all men will be brothers to him and the children of one common Father, who has Love and care for all alike who are content to remain the mere man.

Again, he must realize that he has a Father in God, his Creator, and that that Father has a love for him which will always bring to him happiness and peace, if he will only respond with his own love; for man must have an object of worship and adoration, even when he possesses only the natural love, and he must learn that his love must go out to the Father in faith and confidence. There are many other things that he may learn by contemplation and meditation as I have said.

Many qualities that are desirable will flow to man from the knowledge that there is a Father who loves him, and that he has or may have a love for that Father, and also for his brother man. In fact, from these two subjects of knowledge, everything else may come to man that will make him the perfect man in harmony with the laws of his creation and a pure happy and contented creature.

Now, when man obtains this knowledge - and here observe the distinction between knowledge of these things and the possession of them - he will naturally try to obtain all that knowledge shows him may become his to possess, and then will come into operation the great will power, and by its exercise there is nothing that can prevent him from arriving at the goal of his desires. In this way, one can, in a sense, be his own redeemer, but he will find the struggle hard, and the obstacles to be overcome, many and repelling.

There are many mortals who have a wonderful development of this natural love, notwithstanding the fact that they are living in sin and in in-harmony with the laws that I speak of, and who will find from that fact alone that their progress will be more rapid and easy when they come to the spirit world, on their journey to the state of perfect man. I do not believe that any mortal can ever attain to this condition while in the earth life, but he can lay the foundation for a rapid progress after he becomes a spirit. The temptations and desires that beset him as a mortal, at this time, are so great, that rarely can he become that perfect man while on earth.

But the time will come, I believe, when men will become perfect even while on earth and in this I have reference to his natural love merely. While, as I say, for man to obtain this state of perfection, he must depend upon himself to a very large degree, yet, it will be comforting to him to know, that there are hosts of spirit friends who are with him, trying to help him to obtain the knowledge of which I have spoken; and in his contemplations and meditations, they are with him suggesting to him and impressing on him the thoughts of truth that help him very much to understand the right from the wrong, and they also sustain him, in some degree, in the exercise of his will in the right direction.

So from this it must become apparent to man that a very important thing in the determination of this great problem as to what is right and what is wrong, is the kind of associates that he may have, and this applies to the mortal as well as spirit companions. And man must know this, that as his desires and appetites on earth attract to him companions of similar desires and appetites, so; also, does the same Law of Attraction operate in the case of his spirit friends.

Now, in all this, I have no reference to the redemption of man by the possession of the Divine Love of the Father, for such redemption and its way of saving man, are altogether different from those of redeeming him in his natural love. In the one case, when he has found the goal of his desires, he becomes a merely perfect man and nothing more. In the other case, he becomes an Angel of God, Divine is his nature, with no limitation to the progress that he may obtain and the happiness that may become his.

And - Oh, man! Why will you be satisfied to become merely a perfect man, when you may become a Divine Angel of the Father's Kingdom with immortality assured? Man may not know it, but it is a fact, that it is easier, and the way is shorter to become a Divine Angel, than to become a perfect man.

So my advice to all men is - and I speak what I do know from a knowledge that comes to me from experience and possession - to seek for the Divine Love of the Father with all their strength and efforts, and then they will become not only the perfect man, but will obtain that which our first parents never obtained, but which was theirs for the proper seeking, as it is all men's.

I have written enough for tonight and will close.

Your old friend and professor and brother in Christ.
Joseph H. Salyards

Helen Writes a Short Note of Encouragement to Her Husband and Soulmate, James E. Padgett

March 5, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, your Helen.

Well sweetheart, I merely want to say that I am sorry you are not in condition to write tonight for the Master rather expected that you would be able to take his message.

But as you are not in condition, I will not attempt to write. I am very happy and I see that you are not so worried and I am glad of it only believe what we say and you will soon be relieved.

Your grandmother* is here and says that you must pray more to the Father and let your thoughts turn more to Him and His Love for then you will find that the rapport between you and the Celestial Spirits will be much increased. She sends her love and will soon write you.

Prof. Salyards is also here and says that he will be pleased to finish his message at your earliest convenience. He says that he will come and do as you suggest.

Well, I must not write more but say that I love you with all my heart and soul. So with a great big kiss,

I am your own true and loving,
Helen

*Ann Rollins

Professor Joseph Salyards Writes that He is Very Thankful to Have Met James Padgett as a Student

February 8, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, your old Professor.

I merely want to say that I desire to finish my discourse of some weeks ago and am ready at any time that may suit your convenience. Well, I will come one night this week and try to finish. I see that you are in a very good condition now, as your brain is working very well.

The message that you have received from Paul is a wonderfully deep message upon the existence of the resurrection, and as I understand and have experienced the resurrection is a true explanation of its meaning. Paul is a very logical and clear writer, and I am glad that he finds such little difficulty in making use of your faculties. He is very much pleased at the success of the experiment and his estimate of you is very great, as are the estimates of all the higher spirits who write.

Well my dear boy, I often think of the wonder of all this experience, and sometimes let my mind return to the days when you were my dear pupil; and I think how wholly we were in want of any conception that such a thing could be. And I can't tell you how glad and thankful I am that we ever came in contact with each other, for I will frankly and assuredly say that if I had never met you, I doubt if I would have had the privilege of meeting such spirits as your grandmother and mother and of having received the benefits of their advice and the influence of their love, as well as the companionship of your father and Mr. Riddle. I often think of how a mere accident as your coming to my school should have brought about such momentous results, and in thinking I am so grateful to our Heavenly Father. So my boy, keep up your good work and you will find a wonderful happiness when you come over.

The dark spirits whom you help are so very grateful to you and are all lovers of you and your friends are ready at all time to protect you from the evil that might come to you from the influences of the many evil spirits who have their habitations so near your earth. Yes, more than you can imagine, I want to say this further thing and, that is, that very many spirits who don't have the opportunity to write to you are influenced very much by what they hear you tell others and act on the advice that you give to those who write. And small wonder at the confidence of these spirits have in you and the influence you have with them. So many are being helped, and our work is made so much easier because they listen to us and believe so much more readily when you advise them to do so.

Well, we are very happy and progressing all the time. Oh, I wish I could tell you how beautiful she is and how loving and how much she thinks of you. She is with you quite often and is trying with the rest of us to help you in every way. We know when you pray for us, and it does help us more than you can conceive of, for your prayers are sincere and I know ascend to the Father, who answers the prayers of the sincere and trusting.

So I say, we all love you very much and feel that we cannot do for you what we should like to; but you must believe in us and know that we are with you and have more power than you may think to help.

I have written too long already, and your wife says, "Professor, I don't like to be discourteous, but I must suggest that you stop and let that baby boy go to bed, for he will sit up all night if you continue to write." What a beautiful and loving wife you have and how we all love her for her goodness. So my dear boy, I will say good night.

Your brother in Christ,
Prof. Salyards  

Professor Joseph Salyards Writes that Law is the Unchangeable Factor in Determining the Status of People on Earth and Spirits

January 21, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, Prof. Salyards.

I am here and I have waited a long time for you to give me the opportunity to write and now I fear it is too late to write as I desired to do. I was not with you and, of course, do not know why you did not come earlier, but I suppose you had some good reason for not doing so and, hence, I make no complaint at the delay.

Well, do you think that we had better try to write tonight? Under that condition, I will try to give you my ideas on a certain topic which I have had under consideration for some time, intending to give you the results at the first opportunity, and I hope that I may be able to do so in an intelligent manner.

I desire to write you about the importance of learning that Law is the unchangeable factor in determining the status of men on earth and spirits in this life. And when I speak of Law, I mean the Law established by God at the time of the creation of man and, which ever since that time has been in continuous unchangeable existence operating upon the same condition of facts at all times in the same way and producing the same results.

I have been in the spirit world now for some years and from having given considerable of my time to the study of these Laws and their influences and dominating effect upon mankind in their relationship to one another and to God, my investigation has resulted in the discovery of many important truths, which men should know and attempt to apply the benefits of to themselves and to their relation to one another as members of society.

First, let me say that, in compliance with these Laws, men should observe the rights and duties which all men possess and are under obligation to perform to one another and to try with all their best efforts to understand. There are many of these Laws operating upon these rights and duties of men, and to know them men are obliged to study first the rights of others and then the rights of themselves and in applying these laws, the rights of the former are of no greater importance than the rights of the latter, for these rights are correlative and an understanding of these rights is necessary in order for men to understand the relative duties resting upon them.

I feel that this subject is one that is in its nature very dry, yet it is of no less importance to the well being of man than are many truths of much seeming greater importance. These Laws are, I know, to a very large extent, not comprehended by men nor are these rights that I speak of, yet, if men will only attempt to get into the right attunement with the Father, they can understand the Laws and the rights and duties without much fear of making mistakes in their comprehensions.

I will not tonight go into great detail because it would require too long a writing, and I merely write in this general way as a preliminary to what I desire to write hereafter on the subject indicated. So if I stop now and wait until I have more time for entering into the spirit and heart of my theme, you will not be disappointed. So if you will excuse me, I will stop now.

Your old friend and teacher,
Joseph H. Salyards

St. Luke Writes as to Who and What is God

November 22, 1915
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, St. Luke.

I want to add my testimony to that of Professor Salyards as to "Who and what is God." Of course, since the Master has substantiated what the Professor wrote and enlarged on it, my testimony is not necessary, yet, I desire to say a few words which are expressive of my knowledge arising from my own experience.

I have a soul development, which is greater than that of the Professor, and a perception which is clearer and more convincing than his, and yet, what he has said is all that I can say as to the truth of the personality of God, except that to me it is undoubtedly much clearer and of longer acquaintance.

I know that God is a being that has personality, though not a form like unto man, but has all the attributes that have been mentioned. These attributes are not God, but merely qualities which he possesses and, which in their workings upon the hearts and souls of men, emanate and flow from Him. You may better understand this if I call your attention to the fact that while you can see and feel and hear and love and dislike, yet these attributes or qualities are not you, but only those things that belong to your personality. You may be deprived of any or all of them, and yet you may not cease to exist as a personality. And so with God; while these things of Love and wisdom and loving and hearing do not constitute God, yet they are a part of Him and are exercised by Him, just as the qualities I have mentioned are exercised by you.

I know it is difficult for the mere mind to comprehend this great truth of God having a personality, yet it is a truth, and just as real to the perceptions of the developed soul as is the existence of yours or any man's personality to the finite mind.

And here is another fact in connection with this great truth and that is that only the spirits who have experienced the New Birth and become filled with the Divine Love of the Father and, hence, a partaker of His Divinity will ever be able to perceive this great truth of the personality of God.

No other spirit will ever receive that soul development, which is absolutely necessary for it to possess in order to perceive the great truth under discussion.Yet the mere fact that these other spirits do not comprehend or understand this truth does not make it any the less a truth, and all men and spirits are subject to its operations, and must come under the benefits that they may receive by reason of the workings of this truth upon their lives and thoughts.

Just because men cannot see God, it does not follow that He does not see them - for He does; and their every thought is known to Him and taken account of. And strange as it may seem to you, or as I should more appropriately say, surprising as it may seem to you, that account is kept in the memories and consciences of men themselves, and when the time comes for them to render an account of their acts and thoughts, no other place or receptacle is sought for or examined to find this account than these very memories and consciences; and nothing can be hidden or lost, until it has fulfilled the purpose of its existence.

Men may create, but they cannot destroy - I refer now to their actions and their thoughts. While on earth they may forget and ease their consciences by forgetting, yet, when they come to the spirit world and are called to render an account, the inexorable laws that are really their judges and executioners show them that there is no such thing as forgetting and has been said, they have forgotten to forget.

God is being, self-existing, unchangeable, but full of Love and mercy, and these He does not exercise in any individual case, but has made certain that His Laws of Mercy will so operate that all the spirits of men and mortals also, may by their own acts and desires place themselves in such condition of soul, that these spirits will receive the benefit of this mercy. Yes, His mercy is from the beginning waiting for all men to ask for it and want it, just as is His Love.

I could write on this subject for a longer time, but I must not write more tonight as you are tired, so I will close. With all my love and blessings,

I am your brother in Christ,
St. Luke

Professor Joseph Salyards Writes That He Can Perceive Who and What is God With His Soul Perceptions

November 21, 1915
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, your old Professor Salyards.

I merely want to say that I am very happy and want you to know that I am progressing in my condition of soul development and in my knowledge of the truths that pertain to the spirit world. I have not written you for a long time and would like to tell you of certain truths that I have learned since last I wrote you.

Well, I find that I am now in a condition of soul development that enables me to see the truth of what the Master has told us in reference to the real existence of God, who knows what His creatures are doing and in what way they are making use of their souls and bodies. I mean that this God is one having all the faculties that you would suppose only a being would have who had a personality and form; but can hardly understand how a mere essence or formless existence could have such powers and qualities.

I never, until recently, could comprehend the real truth and meaning of God. I believing him to be mere essence, void of form or personality, who could have the wisdom and love and power that I was taught such God possessed. Such comprehension is beyond the finite mind and can only be accepted as a realization of an existing condition or truth by means of faith. Yet, now I have more than faith to enable me to understand the fact that this God, whom we call our Father, for He is, has all these qualities and powers; and such understanding is to me a wonderful and unexpected addition to my knowledge of God.

This understanding, of course, is not a thing that arises from any exercise of the mind, or the result of any mental power or quality which I may never have realized that I possessed, but is the result of the exercise of my soul perceptions, which have become so great and in such condition of unison or harmony with our Father's qualities of soul that He and all these attributes appear to me as real, perceptible existences, having a certainty of comprehensible being, as do the existence of spirits and their attributes. So you see what soul development may mean and what its possibilities are.

No mere development of the intellectual qualities or attributes could ever lead to a comprehension of the personality of God, as I have described it. I never in all my life, natural or spiritual, conceived or expected that it were possible for any soul of mortal or spirit to see God as I now see Him, and I never could understand what was meant by the beatitude, "the pure in heart shall see God", except in this sense, that as we became pure in heart those qualities that were ascribed to God would become a part of us, and as such possessors, we could see God, or rather the result of those attributes of God in our souls.

I don't know whether you can fully comprehend what I intend to convey to you, but I have tried my best to put the idea in such language that your mind may understand, to some extent, what my meaning is. I know that you will never fully know what this great soul perception is until you have experienced what this development is in your own soul, which is necessary to enable it to see with the clearness that I now see.

I thought that I would tell you of this progress of my soul, so that you might have some faint idea of what the development of the soul means in a way other than an addition to the development of the Love Principle. But really all phases of its development are part of or dependent upon and resultant from the development of this Love Principle; for Divine Love is the fulfilling of the law, and law includes that which enables us to perceive that God is a personalty, having these qualities that I speak of.

I see that I have written enough for tonight, and if you will carefully read what I have written, you will find much food for thought and probably some help to a correct, concrete comprehension of who and what God is.

So expressing to you my gratification and pleasure in being able to come to you again and having you take down my ideas of who our Father is, and also for the opportunity to declare that God is a being, having an existence of His own, comprehensible by the soul perceptions of the redeemed of His creatures, I will say, good night.

Your old professor and brother in Christ,
Joseph H. Salyards

Peter D. Buerly, James Padgett's Old Schoolboy Friend, Writes His Testimony and Asks for His Help

October 29, 1915
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, Peter D. Buerly.

I am the spirit of your old schoolboy days, Peter D. Buerly. I have been here several times when you were writing and have been much interested in what I saw and heard, and when cousin Sally came last night and wrote and recalled old times, I felt that I wanted to write also, so I am trying.

As you may have heard in the long years after we left school, I became quite a dissipated man, given to drink and other things that I need not mention and continued these habits up to the day of my death. I caused Nannie much unhappiness and, in fact, almost broke her heart, for she was a mild, loving girl, and my treatment of her was such as to give her many weary and suffering hours of anguish. Oh, how I have repented for this since I came into the spirit world, and how I have suffered and undergone many, many years of darkness.

But repentance was earnest, and I am commencing to see the light. And, besides, since she came over, she has been with me and forgiven me all my harsh words and neglect and bad treatment of her. So you see, there is nothing in the world like the pure, forgiving love of a noble and sympathetic woman - and she was such.

We do not live together for she is a much purer and elevated spirit than I am, but she comes to me and tries to cheer and encourage me with her love and beautiful words of promise. She is, she says, in the Third Sphere, where she tells me much happiness is, while I am in the earth plane, yet, but in a much brighter condition than when I first came over.

But I want to express my surprise that you can receive communications from spirits as you do. I don't quite understand it. When on earth I never knew anything about such phenomena, and I have only recently heard of your being so close to us and so easy to communicate with.

I wish that I could get with my Nannie, for there I know I would be so happy. Some of these spirits say that you can help the spirits in these lower planes and if that is so, I would like for you to help me.

Well, I have looked, and I see a number of very beautiful spirits, but do not know any of them, and I wonder who they are. I have done so, and I'll be damned, if there ain't Professor Salyards. Why? What does it mean? Well, he has come to me and shaken my hand and says that he is very glad to see me and wants me to go with him. He has introduced me to a beautiful spirit, who he says is your wife. What beauty and love. You must be glad to have such a wife.

I have told her, and she says she is so glad to meet me, and that she wants me to go with her after the Professor has finished his conversation, and I am going with her. But, tell me, what does it all mean? I can't understand. I must stop.

Goodnight,
Peter D. Buerly

Professor Joseph H. Salyards Writes That He Has Progressed to the Seventh Sphere and is With His Soulmate

October 10, 1915
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, Professor Salyards.

I heard your inquiries of your wife, and I was pleased that you expressed the desire to hear from me again as I most assuredly want to write to you. Since I wrote you last, I have been living in the Seventh Sphere with my soulmat, and in close proximity to your father and have been very happy in the Love, which I now enjoy.

I have seen so much of the effect of this Divine Love upon the souls of spirits who come into the possession of it, that I wonder more and more at the fact of its great power to make pure and truthful, souls who were in such darkness and torment. I have seen some very surprising conversions of souls steeped in sin and error, in souls with their sins last leaving them and happiness and Love coming to them in wonderful inflowing.

Since I have been in the Seventh Sphere, I have paid very little attention to things about which I wrote you when in the beginning of my soul development, because with me now the soul and its divine possibilities are the things that absorb my attention and efforts.

I am sorry that I cannot continue my writings on certain phases of the Laws of the Spirit World, but for the reasons stated I cannot as only this Great Love and the work of helping men and spirits to obtain this Divine Love and to become children of the Father, are possessing me and occupying all my time and attention. So you must not feel disappointed that I do not continue the writings that I speak of.

I can tell you about the Seventh Sphere and the life and inhabitants there and the wonderful happiness which we all enjoy. Our homes have been described to you by your grandmother and your wife and I cannot add to their descriptions, only to say that they do not tell half of the beauty and grandeur of these homes and of the joy of the inhabitants. I am in a home of that kind now and am with my soulmate and we are very happy. I do not know at this time of anything more to write about.

Well, you are not complimentary but you are right. I seem to have lost my desire for investigating and writing about these things that I first wrote to you about, and I have not yet prepared myself to write of these higher things. So I will stop tonight.

Your old friend and Professor,
Joseph H. Salyards

Helen Writes a Short Note Confirming the Previous Messages Were From the Ancient Spirits

September 16, 1915
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, Helen.

Well, I came to tell you that you must not write more tonight, as you are not in a very good condition. You may not think so, but it is a fact, and it is best for you to stop.

It was Caesar, as I am told. He is not a very bright spirit, but maybe your old Professor may help him.

Well, they are not quite ready yet to resume their writing, as it seems there are some of these ancients who want to write and have some object in writing to you, which conflicts with the plan that these messages of the Master intends to be established and worked out.

I must stop now and will say goodnight.

Your own true and loving,
Helen

Julius Caesar, the Former Emperor of Rome, Writes That He is in Darkness and Suffering From His Wicked Deeds on Earth

September 16, 1915
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am the spirit of one who when on earth was called Caesar. Well, there was only one real Caesar - all others by that name were merely imitations. I was Julius Caesar and was the Emperor of Rome and the conqueror of the Gauls and of the Egyptians.

I am now in a condition of darkness, and also suffering, from my deeds on earth, which were very wicked and numerous.

I am not an emperor now, but am a spirit who is in the condition of one who has no one to do him reverence - not the meanest of my former slaves deign to bow the knee or salute me as their superior. And why! Because in the spirit world a man is as his soul development makes him, and mine has been very much retarded by my want of belief and faith, as I now see.

I merely want to tell you this that you may know that no position on earth can determine the position of the person when he comes into the spirit world. I mean that the position of the man on earth does not in the slightest degree influence the position of this same man in the spirit world. Many of my slaves are higher in their development and in their spirituality than I am. Well, that may be, but I am in the condition that I say I am; I don't know of any such spirit and doubt if there be any.

I see some bright spirits and have asked for Professor Salyards, and find him to be a most beautiful and bright spirit, and I am inclined to listen to what he may say. He says that he was well acquainted with my history on earth, as he had read many books dealing with my life and exploits; and he is glad to meet me and show me the way to a higher and happier condition of existence. I rather like him and believe that I will go with him and listen to him.

Well, I will try.

So I will say goodnight and good luck. I am your friend now, since you have shown such interest in me.

Julius Caesar

Professor Joseph H. Salyards Writes That He is Pleased With the Variety of Messages From Higher Spirits and Reveals He is Now in the Seventh Sphere

August 6, 1915
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, your old Professor.

I wish to write a little tonight as I have not written for some time. Well, I have been watching the many messages which you have received and I have been much interested in the variety of the subject matter and the number and difference in the spirits who have written.

You seem to have received messages from spirits of all ages and from all nationalities and I am pleased to see that these messages were mostly of a higher order of communication. I was interested in the messages from the prophets and also those from the apostles and saints. And in them I saw that there were many spiritual truths disclosed and that they were very similar in their declarations as to the Divine Love of the Father and the New Birth. It is wonderful that you should get such corroboration of these truths from spirits who have had such a wide difference in experiences in the spirit world.

You are better tonight than you have been for sometime and we are all so glad of that fact and hope that you may continue in such a frame of mind and in the condition of your soul development.

I am now in the Seventh Sphere and am very happy. Your father is with me and we are so pleased at our progress that we never cease thanking God for His goodness and mercy. Mr. Riddle is still in the Fifth Sphere, but we expect that he will be in the Seventh very soon and we will then have a happy reunion.

My soulmate is with me and sends her love to you and says that she is much interested in you and tries all she knows how to help you in your material, as well as your spiritual, condition.

Very soon I want to write a long message on a subject that I think will be of much interest to you and to others who are interested in the things of the spirit life. I know that that will please all the band as we have missed writing to you and desire so much to continue our communications. Of course, the messages that you have received have been very beneficial and are intended to do good but, yet, we feel that we had stayed away, I mean refrained from writing for too long a time.

Well, I have been trying to help him (Roller) but his condition is such that I find great difficulty in doing so. He still thinks of the earthly matters and his appetite for the accursed stuff still clings to him and causes him to neglect the thoughts that would do him so much good. But we continue to try to help him.

Well, I will stop for tonight. With all my love, I am

Your old Professor and friend in Christ,
Joseph H. Salyards

Professor Joseph Salyards Writes That He was Much Interested in Jesus' Message About His Life

June 8, 1915
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, your old Professor.

I am very happy and want to tell you that you are in much better condition to write than you have been since I commenced to write to you. I am so glad of it, for it indicates improvement in your physical as well as your mental condition.

I was much interested in the last message of the Master, because it sets forth facts which are not in accord with the Bible story, and with what I had been led to believe. Of course, he knows what the truth is, and when he tells us anything, we never for one moment doubt him, and neither must you. And when you come to analyze and consider the statements made by him, you will find them more in accord with reason than the story contained in the Bible.

In his statements there is nothing miraculous, or that calls for a belief that is beyond the reason to conceive of. Everything is so natural and in accord with the workings of nature, as has been observed in the case of the birth of every other human being. His statement, as to how and when there came to him the knowledge that he was the chosen one of God to bring to earth the glad tidings of the restoration of immortality and the Divine Love of the Father waiting for all mankind, is I believe very new and will be surprising to most men. But how reasonable this is.

Had he known from the time of his birth that he was the Christ, which had been promised to the Jews, is it possible that during all the thirty years in which he remained in obscurity, he would not have made his mission known and commenced the work of proclaiming to mankind the glad tidings which he afterwards proclaimed? It seems wholly incredible that he would not have done so. The years from twenty-five to thirty are very important years in the life of a man, and many great things have been accomplished by mere man during that period of life; and it is not reasonable that one who had the knowledge from his infancy that he was the special messenger of God, clothed with all the powers and knowledge of the truth, which Jesus displayed after he commenced his public ministry, would have remained in seclusion during the years that I have named, and not given the world the benefit of these great possessions. No, to me, his story is one in consonance with reason and I must believe it. At any rate, the fact that he say it is true is sufficient.

Well, I had hoped to resume my discourse on the laws of the spirit world before now, but your time has been so occupied that I could not intrude upon you; but very soon, if agreeable to you, we will continue.

With all my love, I will say goodnight.

Your old professor and teacher,
Joseph Salyards

Helen Writes a Short Note That Jesus' Earlier Message Was Full of Truth

May 24, 1915
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, Helen

Well, you had a message from Jesus and I am glad that you could write for him, though it was not one of his formal ones as he said, but it was full of truth and interesting. So you must think of it and you will get benefit from it.

Professor was disappointed that he could not finish his message, but he was not at all offended that you went to sleep. He understood that you could not keep awake, and so he will try again.

I am very happy and am almost with your mother in her new home and feel that I will soon be with her. So you must rejoice with me in my progression.

I see that you are not in a very good condition to write tonight, and I will not write more now.

With all my love, I am your own true and loving,
Helen

Professor Joseph Salyards Writes About the Law of Progress and That the Natural Love Has Its Limitations

May 24, 1915
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, Professor Salyards.

I would like to give you another installment of my discourse, if you feel inclined to take it at this time.

It was the Master, you must not doubt.

Well, there is another Law of the Spirit World which provides that:

No spirit can ever progress to the higher sphere until he realizes that he must 

seek the Love and help of the Father. 

You may say that there are many spirits in the higher spheres who have never received this Love, and who notwithstanding have progressed and are now comparatively happy spirits. This is true, but their progress is merely intellectual and moral. They can progress to a limited degree only and then must stop in their progress, as the progress of the mind and the natural love has its limitations.

But such progress is not the progress that I speak of. This is without limitations and leads to spheres without end - progressing nearer and near to the very Fountainhead of the Father, as the Divine Love increases in greater abundance in the soul to progress higher. This I am told by spirits from these Celestial Spheres.

Well, I am sorry that you became sleepy for it broke the thread of my discourse so that I cannot resume. Yes, I understand and do not blame you, but the effect is just the same. As your wife wants to write, I will stop.

Your old friend and teacher,
J. Salyards

Professor Joseph Salyards Writes Further About the Law of Compensation and Explains the Law of Soulmates

May 3, 1915
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, Professor Salyards.

Yes, and I am very much pleased that you have, and that you are in such good condition to write tonight. Well, I desire to continue my discourse on the laws of the spirit world, as known to many spirits.

The next Law is:

That no matter how much knowledge of material things and of purely Physical Laws
a man may have acquired on earth, his knowledge is not sufficient to fit him 
for the higher things of the spirit life.

Many men think that because they have this great knowledge of the material universe, they need not attempt to learn the Laws, which control the operations of spirit life, or the Laws which determine the position and development of that part of man commonly known as the soul. This is a very great mistake and all human beings, sooner or later, will realize the necessity of learning these more important Laws of the soul development, and of the spiritual part of man.

I never, while on earth, attempted to investigate these Laws and, consequently, when I came into the spirit world, I was as a new born babe in my understanding of these Laws; and so will all humans be who have neglected the investigation and study of these Laws, as I did. I would, therefore, advise every man to give his best endeavor to the study of these Laws, and especially that part of them which deals more particularly with the soul's development and progress towards the greatest happiness.

These Laws are set forth and declared to a very large extent in the New Testament, and in some parts of the Old [Testament] are many suggestions as to what a man should do to save his soul from death; and by this I mean the death that comes with neglecting to exercise all the qualities of the soul that a man is capable of exercising, when in the mortal life. A man may let his faculties of mind die by neglecting to feed them the proper mental food, and so with the soul. Of course, the soul never dies, as far as known, in the sense of absolute destruction and disintegration, but it can get into such a state of inertia or lethargy that, so far as it is a part of the activities of man, it may as well be dead.

I don't mean to say that the mere neglect to exercise these soul faculties will cause a man's soul to remain dead forever, for that is not so. Sooner or later, either in the mortal life or in the spirit life, this soul will have an awakening, but that awakening may be delayed for many years, and even centuries and, in its highest sense, it may never have an awakening. So let men know the importance of studying and applying these spiritual laws to their own selves while mortals, and when they come to be spirits, they will find what a great advantage to their progression and happiness such study and application have proved to be.

There is another Law of the spirit world that is of vital importance to those in the mortal life, and one which they can learn, and that is that:

No man can, of himself, save himself from the penalties of the Law of Compensation. 

I have written about this before, but it is of such vast importance, and affects all human beings to such an extent, that I feel justified in saying something more on the subject. This Law of Compensation is as fixed as any of God's Laws and cannot be avoided under any condition or circumstances, except one, and that is the redemption of a man's soul by the Love of the Father entering into it, and making it at-one with His own, and like His in all the qualities that partake of the Divine Essence.

I know that many men do not believe that there can be any forgiveness of sin, because they say it is impossible to make clean, in a moment, the soul of a man that has been steeped in everything vile and sinful while living the life of a mortal. Well, this I believe to be true, and I do not think any of our greatest teachers of these highest truths attempt to declare the doctrine of instantaneous cleansing of a vile and sinful soul; at least, that is not the doctrine taught by the greatest of all teachers, the man of Nazareth, whom I sometimes see and converse with. And he, I believe, knows more of the Laws governing the salvation of men, than any other or all other teachers combined.

His teaching here is, that while a soul is not instantaneously cleansed by receiving a portion of the Divine Love, as we have heretofore explained it to you, yet the inflowing of such Love into the soul of a man starts him into the way of right thinking and causes him to realize that his soul is open to the influence of this Divine Love. So mortals, as well as spirits, may receive this awakening of Divine Grace, to a very large extent, as soon as they realize that this Love is the only thing that will remove the penalties of this Law of Compensation.

I do not believe that immediately after the sinner feels this Love coming into his soul, he becomes a saint and at once gets rid of his evil nature, for that can hardly be. Such an instantaneous cleansing would scarcely serve the purpose for which the work of this redemptive Love is intended. Some persons seem to be able to receive more of this Love in a short time than do others and, consequently, their complete redemption is more quickly accomplished. But to me - and I have experienced the inflowing of this Love and its effect upon my sinful nature, and upon my recollections of the deeds of my earth life, which call into operation this Law of Compensation - there does not seem to be any probability of an instantaneous cleansing of the soul, so that a man suddenly becomes fitted to live in the Celestial Heavens where the Father's Love, in all its purity and completeness, exists.

I know it is taught by many preachers, and it is also the dogma of some churches, that the blood of Jesus cleanses from all sin and that - in the twinkling of an eye. But you must not believe this, for it is not true. The blood of Jesus was spilled many centuries ago and is now become a part of other elements of the natural world and cannot save anyone. And I go further and say, as Jesus has taught me, that his blood never had any efficacy in saving anyone. He never taught that his blood could do any such thing, or that the shedding of his blood was in any sense, means of saving a soul. He is not now teaching any such doctrine, and is disappointed that those who lead the masses of mankind should teach any such doctrine, because it takes their attention away from the one and vital principle which is necessary to their salvation. And that is, the New Birth: which means merely the flowing into a man's soul and becoming a part of it of the Divine Love of the Father. It does not come to a man because the blood of Jesus was a sacrifice to appease the wrath and requirements of the Father, or because of any vicarious suffering of Jesus.

But to return to this Law of Compensation. No man, by his own exertions, can save himself from the operations of this Law and he, so long as he has this idea of depending on his own powers, will have to pay the penalties. Of course, as he pays these penalties, he progresses nearer and nearer to a time and condition when the Law will cease to operate upon him, and he will become comparatively happy; but such payment may require long years of suffering and unhappiness.

So I say, let man know that for every act and deed, and for not doing what he should have done, he will have to answer the Law. I do not mean by this repetition to cause men to think that I delight in showing them that they will have to suffer and live in darkness for a time uncertain, for I do not take any pleasure in calling their attention to this great Law and the certainty of its operations. Rather I do this to help men to avoid these sufferings and unhappiness by seeking the Love of the Father while on earth because, from my observations, I believe that it can be found more easily while in the flesh, than after a man becomes a spirit.

Another Law of the spirit world is that:

 Every human being of one sex has, on earth or in the spirit world, 

one of the opposite sex, who is his soulmate. 

The importance of this provision of the Father for the happiness of humans and spirits has never been fully understood by those who have not with certainty met and recognized their soulmates. I know that on earth men have claimed that certain of the opposite sex were their affinities, and with such claims as an excuse, have done much wrong and sin. But the soulmate is not an affinity which may be suggested by the passions or desires, but is one provided by the Grace and Love of the Father to live with the other soulmate through all eternity.

Before they took on the form of flesh, they were united, and when, in accordance with God's plan, they separated and became mortals, they became no less soulmates, although they may not recollect their former unity or relationship while living the mortal life. But as certain as God lives, these two soulmates, at some time after they become spirits, will learn their true relationship to each other and will, if nothing insurmountable intervenes, come together again in true union and happiness.

The mere fact that a certain man and a certain woman are husband and wife on earth does not mean that they will live together as husband and wife through all eternity. If they are soulmates, they may, but if they are not, they will certainly separate after they enter the spirit world. That true relationship cannot be hidden here, and no mere form of relationship of husband and wife will suffice to keep the persons together.

The great truth of soulmates is one which needs further elucidation, and one which I will try hereafter to explain more fully. But for now it is sufficient to say that every man born of woman has his soulmate, either on earth or in the spirit world, and vice versa.

Well, I have written a great deal tonight and you are tired, and so am I, and so I will continue at another time the rest of my discourse. With all my love and best wishes for your happiness and success,

I am, your old professor and friend,
Salyards

Helen Writes a Short Note About Professor Joseph Salyards Message and That the Spirits Use James' Brain and Hand to Write Messages Through Him

April 13, 1915 
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, Helen.

Yes, I would be here no matter what happens.

Well, you had quite a discourse from the Professor, and a wonderful one it is. I am glad that he wrote you on the subject, as it clears many doubts that you or your friends may have. He has not finished yet, but he saw you were tired and stopped.

Yes, that is what he said, and I am so glad that you realize that he uses your brain as well as your hand. Why Ned* without your brain, we could not write at all. So don't think that we merely use your hands, for your brain is the more important of the two.

Your own true and loving,
Helen

--------------

*Note, Helen's nickname for her loving husband and soulmate, James Edward Padgett, is "Ned."

What May Spirits Know About the Laws of the Spirit World After They Have Been in That World for a Short Time

April 13, 1915
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, Professor Salyards.

Well, I am here as I agreed and will endeavor to write you my thoughts on the subject: "What may spirits know about the laws of the spirit world after they have been in that world for a short time."

As you know, I have been here for a comparatively short time, and while my studies have been to a considerable extent in the study of these laws, yet, I find that I have limited knowledge of the same, and much of my information has been gathered from other spirits who have lived here a great many years, and who have devoted their study and investigation to these laws.

Well, I want first to say that no spirit, by the mere fact of having shortly before made his advent to this world, has received any much greater knowledge than he had when on earth.

My knowledge of spiritual laws when on earth was not very extensive and, I found when I came into the spirit world that I did not know much more than I did before I came; and such is the experience of every spirit. But, as I continued to investigate these matters, I discovered that my capacity for learning was greatly increased, and that my mind was more plastic and received this knowledge more easily than when I was a mortal. This is largely due to the fact that the brain, I mean the mortal brain, is, when compared to what you might call the spirit brain, a thing of much inferior quality, and not so capable of learning the cause and effect of phenomena.

I am now undergoing a course of study that will, I have no doubt, give me wonderful information of these laws, so that ultimately I may become what you mortals might call a learned man.

The first and, to me, the most important Law that I have learned is that: 

Man continues to live in the spirit world without his earthly body. 

This great Law, while to you and to many others is well known and is an established fact, yet, to me was not known, as I had never had any experience in spiritualism and had never given any study to the subject. When I arrived in the spirit world, I learned that this law is one of God's truths, and that it is fixed and will never change, for all will survive the change of so-called death.

The next great Law that I learned is that:

No man can - of his own power - make his condition or position in the spirit world

just what and where he would have it be. 

This is another fixed truth, and one which many spirits even do not fully comprehend; for they think, or so express themselves, that all they have to do is to exercise a little will power and they can move from certain conditions. But this is not true, for the Law controlling this matter never has any exceptions in its operations. Man or spirit can, in a way, determine what his destiny may be, but when once fixed by this great power of will which God has conferred on man, he cannot by the exercise of that will change that fixed condition until the Laws of Compensation have been satisfied; and even then the change is not brought about by the exercise of his will, but by the operation of the Laws releasing him from memories and recollections, which hold him to the conditions that his life has placed him in. So when men think that they, by the exercise of their own will, can release themselves from a condition which they have made for themselves, they are mistaken.

Many spirits here have this idea, and believe that if they only chose to exercise their vaunted will power, they could relieve themselves of their darkened condition and get into happier conditions. But strange, they never try this and the reason, therefore, is apparent. They could not if they tried, and will not try because they cannot. And yet they think that when they get ready, they will only have to exercise this will and the change will follow. No, this Law is as fixed as any Law of this great universe of God.

Of course, while man or spirit cannot by the exercise of his will change his condition, yet, in order to secure that change, the will has to be exercised, because the help which comes from without, and which is absolutely necessary to man, and which causes the change, and will not come unless man exercises the will in the way of desiring and asking for it. So let not man think that he is his own savior, because he is not; and if the help did not come from without, he would never be saved from the condition which he finds himself in when he enters the spirit world.

You hear in your spirit circles and read in the publications about spiritualism that progression is a law of the spirit world. Well that is true; but it does not mean that a spirit by the mere fact of being in the spirit world necessarily progresses, either mentally or spiritually, for this is not true. Many spirits who have been here for years are in no better condition than when they first became spirits. All progression depends upon the help that comes from outside the mind or soul of man. Of course when this help comes, man has to cooperate, but without this help there would be nothing with which to cooperate, and no progress could possibly be made. Many of the spiritualists make this great mistake when they speak or write on this subject. But let them know, that if a man depends upon his own powers, exclusively, he will never progress. And this law does not apply only to the soul's progress, of which you have heard us speak so often, but to the progress of the mere mind, and also to what might be called the purely moral qualities. My observation, and my information from the other spirits that I have mentioned, confirms the truth of what I have said: man, of himself, cannot elevate himself either mentally or morally, and the sooner he learns that fact, the better for him.

Another Law of the spirit world is that:  

When a spirit once commences to progress, that progress increases
in geometrical progression,

(as we used to say when teaching on earth). Just as soon as the light breaks into a man's soul or mind, and he commences to see that there is a way for him to reach higher things and make greater expansion of either his mind or soul, he will find that his desire to progress will increase as that progression continues, and with that desire will come help in such abundance that it will be limited only by the desire of the spirit. His will then becomes a great force in his success in progressing and working in conjunction with the help that calls it into operation. It becomes a wonderful thing of power and irresistible force.

This progression may be illustrated by the history of the snowball, which started rolling from the top of a hill. As it continues its descent not only does its velocity increase, but it continually enlarges its form and body by the outside snow attaching itself to the ball. So with the mind or soul of a spirit: as it ascends, it not only becomes more rapid in its flight, but it meets this outside help that I speak of, which help attaches itself to the spirit and, as it were, becomes a part of it.

So you see that the great problem is to make the start; and this principle will apply to mortals as well as to spirits because, if the start be made on earth, the mere fact of becoming a spirit will not halt or in any way interfere with the progress of the soul of that spirit. Of course, this means that a correct start be made. If the start be a false one or based on things other than the truth, instead of progress continuing when the man becomes a spirit, there may have to be a retracing of the way and a new start made in order to get on the right road. And this applies to the progress of the mind as well as to the progress of the soul.

The mind of a mortal learns many things which seem to that mind to be the truth and, which in its opinion must lead to progress and greater knowledge. But when the earth life gives place to the spirit life, that mind may find that its basis of knowledge were all wrong, and that to continue in the way that it had been moving would lead to increased error and, consequently, a new start must be made. And frequently, the retracing of that mind over the course that it had followed and the elimination of errors that it had embraced is more difficult and takes a longer time to accomplish than the learning of the truth does after the mind makes its correct start.

So sometimes the mind of great learning (according to the standards of earthly learning) is more harmful and retards more the progress of that man in the ways and acquirements of truth than does the mind that is, as you might say, a blank - that is, without preconceived ideas of what the truth is on a particular subject. This unfortunate experience exists to a greater extent in matters pertaining to religion than to any other matters, because the ideas and convictions, which are taught and possessed of these religious matters affect innumerably more mortals than do ideas and convictions in reference to any other matters.

A spirit who is filled with these erroneous beliefs, that may have been taught him from his mortal childhood, and fostered and fed upon by him until he becomes a spirit is, of all the inhabitants of this world, the most difficult to teach and convince of the truths pertaining to religious matters. It is much easier to teach the agnostic, or even the infidel, of these truths, than the hide-bound believer in the dogmas and creeds of the church. So, I say, let the minds of mortals be opened to the teachings of the truth, and even if they are convinced that what they believe is the truth, yet, let not that belief stand in the way of them being able to see the truth, when it actually is presented to them.

Another law is that:

Not all who know that life in the spirit world is continuous are certain

that continuous life means immortality. 

I mean by this that the mere fact of living as a spirit does not of itself prove that such spirit is immortal. This is a subject that spirits discuss as much as do mortals, and it is just as much a question of uncertainty as is the immortality of the soul as taught among mortals now and for all ages past. While men know that the death of the body does not mean the death of the spirit and that such spirit, which is the real man, continues to live with all its qualities of a spiritual nature, yet, there has never been any proof presented to man that that spirit will live for all eternity or, in other words, that it is immortal.

I say this, because I have read the histories and beliefs of most of the civilized, and some not called civilized, nations of the world. And I was not able to find in all my readings that it was ever demonstrated that man is immortal. Of course, many pagan and sacred writers taught this, but their statements were all based on belief and nothing more and, so I say, immortality has never to mortals become demonstrated as a fact. In the spirit world, the spirits of not only the lower spheres, but those of the higher intellectual or moral spheres, are still debating the question among themselves.

I am informed that there are some who lived on earth many centuries ago, and who have become exceedingly wise and learned in the knowledge of the Laws of the Universe and have become so free from the sins and errors of their earth life that they may be called perfect men and, yet, they do not know that they are immortal. Many of them think that they are just such men or spirits as were they who were represented by Adam and Eve. They know not that they are any less liable to death than were the ones just mentioned. And, hence, immortality is a thing which may or may not exist for spirits as well as for mortals.

I know that many of your spiritualist friends on earth claim that the mere fact that spiritualism has demonstrated the continuity of life establishes the fact of immortality. But a few moments consideration will show you the falsity of this reasoning.

Change is the law eternal, both on earth and in the spirit world, and nothing exists the same for any length of time; and in the succession of these changes, how can it be said that in the future, far or near, changes may not come by which the existence of the spirit - the ego of man - may be ended, and that ego take some other form or enter into some other condition, so that it will not be the same ego, and not the same spirit which is now living as a demonstration of the continuity of life?

And so, many spirits, as well as mortals, do not know what is necessary to obtain, to have the certain knowledge of immortality. But many other spirits know that there is an immortality for spirits who choose to seek that immortality in the way that God, in his great wisdom and providence, has provided. I will not discuss this phase of immortality now, but will at some later time.

There is another law, which enables spirits to become - by the mere operation of their natural affections and loves - pure and free from the consequences and evils of their mortal lives and again become perfect, like the first parents before the fall. This does not mean that the Law of Compensation does not operate to the fullest, and that it does not demand the last farthing, because such is the exactness in the operation of this Law that:

No spirit is released from its penalties until he has satisfied the Law.

As you believe, and as many other mortals believe, a man's punishment for the sins committed by him on earth are inflicted by his conscience and memories. There is no special punishment inflicted by God on any particular man, but the Law of Punishment operates alike on every man. If the facts that brings that punishment into operation are the same, that punishment will be the same, no matter whether the object of its infliction be the same or different persons. So you see, it cannot be escaped on any ground of special dispensation so long as the facts, which call for its operation exist, and the conscience and memories of the spirit realize these facts.

When a spirit first enters the spirit life, it does not necessarily feel the scourging of these memories, and this is the reason why you will so often hear the spirit - who has so recently left his mortal life - assure his friends or sorrowing relatives at the public seances that he is very happy and wouldn't be again in the earth life, and similar assurances. But after a little while, memory commences to work, as the soul is awakened, and then never ceases until the penalties are paid. I don't mean that the spirit is, necessarily, continuously in a condition of torment, but substantially that, and relief does not come until these memories cease their awful lashings. Some spirits live here a great number of years before they receive this relief; while others more quickly obtain it.

The greatest cause, which operates to relieve these spirits of these memories, is love. I now mean the natural love - and this love embraces many qualities, such as remorse and sorrow, and the desire to make amends for injuries done, etc. Until a spirit's love is awakened none of these feelings come to him. He cannot possibly feel remorse or regret or the desire to atone, until love, no matter how slight, comes into his heart. He may not realize just what the cause of these feelings may be, but it is love just the same.

Well, as these various feelings operate, and he acts in accordance with them, a memory here and there will leave him, never to return; and as these memories in turn leave him, his sufferings become less, and after awhile, when they have all left him, he becomes free from the Law, and it, as to him, becomes extinct. But it must not be understood that this is a work of quick operation, for it may be years - long, weary years of suffering - before he becomes thus free and once more a spirit without sin or these memories. This is the way the great Law of Compensation is satisfied. It cannot be avoided, but all its demands must be met, until sin and error are eradicated, and the soul returned to a pure state.

But this gradual release from these penalties does not mean that a spirit is progressing in his journey to the higher and brighter spheres; because even without this torture and torment, he may still remain stationary as to the development of his higher nature, mental and moral. But when he has been relieved of these sufferings, he is then in a condition to start towards the progression that I have spoken of.

As you are tired, I will continue the balance of my discourse when I write again. With all my love I am,

Your true friend and professor,
Joseph H. Salyards