St. John Writes About the Book "Spiritual Teachings" by Stainton Moses, Which He Read with James Padgett

July 5, 1918
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, St. John.

Let me say a word. I have read with you in the book (Spiritual Teachings by Stainton Moses) and I find that many things in it are true and many others show a want of the true mission of the Master. I do not know the spirit who is supposed to have dictated the messages, but from the nature of the same, I would infer that he is a spirit of some of the higher spiritual spheres and that his information is limited by the development of his spirit, as he calls it. He apparently knows nothing of the true mission of Jesus, or of the Divine Love, or of the true resurrection, as was taught by the Master.

It is well that you have read this book for it will show you the differences between the messages, which you are receiving and those that you read in the book. Some of the writers declarations are correct; such communications as his development of mind and soul fit him to receive.

But the great and important truth relating to God and man are not contained in the book and could not well be, for the guiding spirit evidently knew nothing of the transformation of the soul into the Divine by reason of the Divine Love.

I merely wanted to write this to show you that your work is necessary to be done, and that never has the truths that you are receiving been revealed to men before. Good night,

Your brother in Christ,
John

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

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

St. John Confirms the Previous Message from Jesus

May 5, 1917
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, St. John, Apostle of Jesus.

I will not write much, but I desire to say that you have a wonderful message from the Master tonight, and that he was very anxious that you should receive it as correctly as possible; and I must tell you that he was very well satisfied with the way in which he was able to express his thoughts.

It is a wonderful disclosure of the two kingdoms that may and will be established; the Kingdom in the spirit world has already been established, for there are many spirits who have the purification of the natural love in that degree that makes them the perfect men as were the first parents.

Well, he will come soon and describe the greater and more important way to the true Kingdom of the Father, and I hope that you will be in condition to receive this part of the message in as correct a manner as you have received what has been written tonight. What a Jesus of knowledge and love he is. Can you doubt that he is the very Christ and the Saviour of mankind and showed men the only way to the Celestial Kingdom?

There was a great concourse of spirits present tonight, and many who heard his message were astonished and, I know, benefited thereby. The higher spirits were here in great numbers, and also many who have learned the way and are now progressing; and if you could have seen the expressions of love on their countenances you would thank the Father with all the gratitude of your soul that you have been selected for this work. Oh, my brother, let not doubt come into your soul as to your mission and as to the work that you are doing.

Your bands, both the higher and those who are progressing, were here, and they were so thankful that the Father is so good and blesses you so much. I will not write more but in closing repeat; pray and believe and the Love will come to you in greater and greater abundance.

With my love and the blessings of the Father, I will say good night.

Your brother in Christ,
John

Helen Confirms St. John's Message and Writes Further on Prayers for Material Things

April 25, 1917
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, your own true and loving Helen.

Well, dear, I am glad that John wrote you as he did, for it will give you an insight into some principles regarding the powers of spirits to help mortals, that you may not before have understood. What he said is true, and I am glad that he wrote.

It may prove a little disappointing to learn that spirits have not the powers to do everything, as mortals may suppose, but I do not want you to underestimate their powers, for they have great powers, even as respects the material things. Of course, they cannot move a house, or cause the wealth of one mortal to be removed from him and placed in the possession of another, but they can and do use great influence on mortals to cause them to do physical things that the spirits cannot directly do.

Your prayers are not futile, even as to these material things that are subject to the control of mortals, for these very mortals are, under certain circumstances, subject to our influence and, thereby, control. When we promise you that a certain thing or things will happen, we mean that we will exercise our influence on mortals in such a way that they will bring about these happenings in response thereto. And you must not believe that when we promise you something that that something, as a matter of course, will come to you. We mean that it will come to you by reason, primarily, of the work that we are doing among mortals.

We can see some things before they have an existence in your physical world and can tell you of the same; and some things we believe will happen and, also, tell you; and when they do not, we are disappointed as well as are you.

Your own true and loving,
Helen

St. John Writes that God Answers Prayers for Material Things by the Work and Operation of His Angels and Spirits

April 25, 1917
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, St. John, Apostle of Jesus.

Well, He answers the prayers for things material by the work and operation of His angels and spirits, and they in that work are subject to the limitations of success as I have above mentioned. God does not exercise any arbitrary power to answer prayers, but when they are sincerely offered to Him, He works through His angels in answering them, and He does not by His mere fiat do so. His angels are always watching and working, and when the opportunity comes, they use their influence in the best possible way to bring about the ends desired.

As you know, man has a free will and that determines very largely the action of men, and such actions are never arbitrarily controlled by any Divine power. If the prayers of men as to material things can be responded to by the workings of the angels and spirits, they are; but if such response depends upon the will of men, then they are not received by mortals, except as the spirits may be able to influence that will and cause men to act in compliance with that influence, which is always used for the purpose of bringing about the response to the prayers that are, in their nature, proper and worthy to be answered.

Well, I doubt if any of those petitions were ever answered in the arbitrary way that is related in the Old Testament. God never answers prayer in that manner, and the petitions of the old prophets had no more influence to bring about the answers to the same, in the manner indicated, than have the prayers of the sincere and earnest man of these days. God was the same then as He is now, and worked through the spirits then as He does now, except that now He has angels of the soul development in the Divine Love, that He did not then have, and these angels are doing His bidding as well as are the spirits. But He does not answer prayers for material things except in a manner in consonance with laws controlling the free will and actions of men, as they may be operated upon and influenced by the work of spirits.

Sometime I will come and write you a message on this subject of prayer and answer. But this I want to say, that we can at times understand what will happen in the near future, and having such knowledge can tell to mortals what may be expected, or rather what will occur, and this we sometimes do.

In your case, we all of the higher spheres, as well as many of the spirit spheres, know what your petitions have been in reference to these material matters, and we have been working to bring about a realization of the same on your part - not only because of your petitions, but because they are so necessary to the doing and completion of our work; and we have been using our influence to the utmost to accomplish this end. But as I say, we are all limited and have not the power to cause the happening of any event by our mere willing the same, even though we are doing the work of the Father.

This may seem surprising as well as disappointing to you, but it is a fact, and it is a great truth that: God helps those who help themselves.

Of course, you must not lose sight of the fact that while men must themselves do those things that bring about changes or happenings or phenomena in material things, yet we can influence - but not control absolutely - their desires and intentions, and their wills that put into operation or effect these intentions. No, these things, as to their immediate manifestations, are subject to the wills of men. God never by a mere act of the moment or of a physical character, places into the hands of any man riches or prosperity. These things must immediately be wrought and brought about by man, but man in doing this can and is wonderfully influenced by the workings of the spirits.

Well, that is a question that has caused men to doubt and consider and explain in various ways the so-called miracle of the loaves and fishes. As I was a disciple of the Master at that time, it is quite natural that I should be expected to state whether such a miracle ever occurred and, of course, I can state what the fact in relation thereto is. And notwithstanding that it has been used by preachers and teachers for many centuries to show the wonderful power possessed by Jesus, and thereby cause the people to believe in and accept him as God, or at least having God-like powers, and has been used to work much good among those who were seeking for the true religion, yet I am compelled and sorry to say that no such miracle ever took place. While Jesus had wonderful powers, and understood the workings of the spiritual laws to a far greater extent than any mortal who ever lived, yet he had not the power to increase the loaves and fishes as is set forth in the account of the miracle. To be able to do so would be against the laws of God governing the material things of His creation, and also beyond and outside of the powers conferred on any man or angel by any spiritual laws.

There are certain laws by which we, who are acquainted with and use them and may cause a dematerialization of physical substances, and also may to a limited degree cause a materialization of spiritual substances, but I am not acquainted with any law that would have operated, under the control of Jesus, to increase the loaves and fishes to the great number mentioned in the story referred to. As a fact, I know that no such miracle took place, and Jesus will tell you the same. There are other alleged miracles in the Bible that never had any existence as a fact.

Well, I have written you a long letter tonight, and I must stop, but I am pleased that you asked me about the response to prayers, and the miracle of the loaves and fishes, for your questions gave me the opportunity, to some extent, to explain these matters. But, as to prayer, you must wait until I deal with it more at large or in detail before you conclude that you understand the subject fully.

And I say to you pray not only for the spiritual things which God bestows through His Holy Spirit, but also for the material things which He bestows through His angels and spirits. The proper prayer will be answered sooner or later, and your prayer for that of which I have written will be answered, even though to you the response may seem a long time delayed.

With my love and blessings, I will say good night.

Your brother in Christ,
John

John Writes About the Truth of "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, etc."

September 17, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, St. John, Apostle of Jesus.

I want to say only a few words in reference to what the man said to you about my gospel or rather the gospel attributed to me. His reference to the opening words of the Gospel that, "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, etc.," is without any force, to prove that Jesus is God, or one of the Godhead, for it was never written by me or at my dictation and does not state a truth.

The "word" in the sense referred to in that Gospel can mean only God, for He, and He alone, was in the beginning and made everything that was made. As we have often told you, Jesus was the son of a father and mother - the same as you are a son of your father and mother - and was not begotten by the Holy Ghost in the sense ascribed to his birth in the account thereof.

He was born of the Holy Spirit as his soul opened up to the inflowing of the Divine Love and was the first of mankind to receive this Divine Love and the Father's Essence of Divinity and, hence, was the first fruits of the rebestowal of this Love and, as a consequence, was the first fitted to declare the truths of the Father and show the way. As his soul became filled with this Love, and he grew in wisdom and knowledge of the truths of the Father, it may be said that he was sent by the Father to declare the truths and explain the way to the Celestial Heavens and the at-onement with the Father.

Undoubtedly, this Love commenced to flow into his soul soon after his birth, because he was selected to declare the truths of the rebestowal of the Divine Love, and the knowledge of that mission came to him as he grew in love and wisdom. Hence, he was without sin, though apparently only a boy - natural as other boys in his human instincts and feelings. But he was the son of man - Joseph and Mary - and also a son of God, as all men are, with the addition that he was an heir to the Celestial Kingdom.

He was not God, and even up to this time has never seen God, as the orthodox believe, and as Moses and some of the Old Bible characters are said to have seen God. But with his soul perceptions he has seen God, and so have many others of us who are inhabitants of the Celestial Heavens, and that sight is just as real to us as is the sight to you of any of your fellow mortals. It is impossible to explain this to you so that you may fully comprehend its meaning, but this seeing God by our soul perceptions is a thing of reality and brings with it increased happiness and knowledge of immortality.

Jesus is not God, but he is the most highly developed spirit in all the Heavens and is nearest to God in Love and knowledge of truth.

So I say, the Word is God and Jesus is His son, and you may become His son in the same sense, as an heir to the Divine Essence of the Father, and an Angel of His Kingdom. As Jesus has written you, all men are His sons, but with a different inheritance, yet, one that is provided by the Father. Let not these doctrines of the teachers of what are called Bible truths trouble you, and listen and believe only what may be written you by us.

I will not write more tonight as it is late and in closing will say that you have our love and prayers.

I am your brother in Christ,
John

John Writes About Divine Love: What it is, What it is not, and How it can be Obtained

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

I am here, St. John.

I come tonight to say only a few words and these in reference to love - the Divine Love of the Father, which He rebestowed upon mankind at the coming of the Master.

This Love is the greatest thing in all the world, and the only thing that can make man at-one with the Father, and change the soul of man as it has existed since his creation into a Divine Substance filled with the Essence of the Father. There is nothing else in all the universe of God that can cause man to become a new creature, and an inhabitant of the Father's Kingdom; and when men possess this Love, then they possess everything that will make them not only the perfect man but the Divine Angel.

Then men will understand the moral precepts of brotherly love and also the Father's oneness, and they will not have to seek for other help in order to bring into the life of the human race those qualities that will bring to it peace and good will. Then will every man know that every other man is his brother and be able to do unto each as he would have the other to do unto him, and this without effort or sacrifice on his part for love worketh its own fulfillment and all its beneficence floweth towards the fellow-man as falls the dews from Heaven. Envy and hatred and strife and jealousy and all the other evil qualities of man will disappear, and only peace and joy and happiness will remain.

It is so abundant that it may be possessed by all men by the mere seeking and the sincere longing for its inflowing. But man must understand that it is not his by matter of right, nor is it ever forced upon him, but comes only in response to the sincere earnest prayer of a soul that is filled with longings for its coming. This Love comes not with observation of mere moral rules, or with good deeds and the exercise of the natural love of a man towards his fellows, because no man can possibly merit it by any deeds or acts or kindness of heart that he may have. All these things are desirable and they work out their own rewards and bring the happiness and peace that result from good thoughts and kind deeds; but all these do not bring unto the soul of man this Great Love.

It is the Father alone, and only when the soul is opened up to its reception can it possibly find its home in that soul. It is greater than faith or hope, because it is the real Substance of the Father, while faith and hope are the qualities which a man may possess by his own efforts, and which are given him that he may realize the possibility of obtaining this Love. They are merely means; it is the end and fullness of their exercise.

But men must not believe that all love is the Divine Love for it is very different in its substance and qualities from all other loves. All men have a part of their possessions, the natural love, and they need not pray for a bestowal of that although since it has become defiled by sin, it needs to be purified and freed from this blight, and the Father is ever willing and ready to help men obtain this purification. But this Divine Love is not a part of man's nature nor can he obtain or possess it, except he seek for it. It comes from without and is not developed from within.

It is the result of individual acquiremen, and not the object of universal possession. It may be possessed by all; it can be possessed by only a few; and each man must determine for himself whether it shall be his. With God there is no respect of persons; neither is there any royal road to the obtaining of this Love. All must pursue the same way and that way is the one that Jesus taught: the opening up of the soul to this Love finding a lodgment therein, which can be brought about only by sincere prayer and longing for its inflowing.

This Love is the life of the Celestial Heavens and the only key that will unlock the gates, and when the mortal enters therein, all other love is absorbed by it. It has no substitute, and is of itself, a thing apart. It is of the Essence of the Divine, and the spirit which possesses it is Divine itself. It may be yours, it may be all men's and it may not. You must decide that question for yourself, not even the Father can make the decision for you.

In closing, let me repeat that It (Divine Love) is the greatest thing in all God's universe and not only the greatest, but the sum of all things, for from It flows every other thing that brings peace and happiness. I will not write more tonight, and with my love to you, and the blessing of the Father, I will say good night.

Your brother in Christ,
John

John Writes About "The Condition of the Soul When and After the Divine Love Flows Into It"

June 19, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, John.

I come tonight to tell you that you are in a better condition than you were last night, and that I desire to write a short message if you think that you can receive it. Well, I will not write very long, and what I shall say will have to do with "the condition of the soul when and after the Divine Love flows into it."

As you know, the soul in the condition in which man possesses it before the entrance of the Divine Love is not in accord with the Love of God, nor is it a part of the Great Oversoul. It is only a special creation made in the image of the Father, having in it the natural love, which was conferred upon man at the time of his creation and not having in it any part of the Essence of the Father, or any quality that makes it of the Divine Nature of the Father or necessarily immortal.

But when the Divine Love enters into it, and it becomes permeated, as it were, with the Divine Essence, then it takes on the Divine Nature of the Father, and to the extent that it receives and possesses this Love, it becomes at-one with God and ceases to be a mere image and becomes transformed into the substance.

The soul in this condition is altogether a different entity from the soul in the condition in which it was created, and no longer is subject to the dominion of either the mind or of the animal appetites and desires and, hence, the spirit possessing such a soul is, in essence, a part of the Father, or as Jesus said, is in the Father and the Father in it.

Now, do not understand that such a soul is the soul that man originally possessed with increased development of purity and goodness or freedom from sin, because such is not the case. Such soul by such transformation becomes a new thing, and never again can it relapse into the soul of man's origin. Because of the qualities that it then possesses, it becomes immortal, and such immortal nature can never be taken from it.

It is now a thing of love and purity, and consciousness of its true condition is always with the spirit that has such soul. This transformation is gradual, and men must not think that by the mere act of conversion from their state of death. they at once become possessed of the nature of the Divine, for such is not the fact. The transformation is gradual and comes according to the susceptibility of the the soul to receive this Love of which I speak.

But when once the inflowing of the Love commences, it continues eternally. Although there may be times of stagnation and apparent loss of this Divine Essence, yet always is the transformation taking place, and at certain stages in its progress, the possession of this Divine Love will be so great that the original soul, or its original qualities will entirely disappear and leave only the new qualities which the Divine Love has implanted in it. The leaven when once deposited never ceases to work until the whole shall become leavened.

I will not write more tonight, but only further say, that this condition of transformation may be obtained by all men if they will only seek for it in the proper way and with faith.

I will soon write you again. In leaving you, I give you my love and blessings and the assurance that I am helping you in your efforts to carry forward the work and in accomplishing all the promises. So my dear brother, good night.

Your brother in Christ,
John

St. John Writes on: "What does the spirit of man do when it leaves the physical body for eternity?"

May 29, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, St. John, Apostle of Jesus.

I come tonight to tell you a vital truth, which I know you will be interested in. The question has often been asked: "What does the spirit of man do when it leaves the physical body for eternity?"

Many spirits, I know, have written you about this matter and some of them have described their personal experiences, yet in all the information that you have received, there are some facts that have not been referred to, and I will in a brief way describe them.

When the spirit leaves the body, there is a breaking of the silver cord, as it is called, and thereby all connection between the spirit and the body is severed for all eternity - never again can that spirit enter that body, and neither can any other spirit, although, I know it is claimed by some spiritualists that another spirit may inhabit the cast-off body. But this is all wrong, for no spirit ever enters the body, which has once been the home of another spirit and, hence, claims made by some of the wise men of the East that such a thing can be, have no foundation in fact.

When the silver cord is once severed, no power that is known to the Spirit World, or among spirits of the highest sphere, can again resuscitate that body and cause the manifestation of life and, hence, in the miracles mentioned in the Bible where it is said that the dead were brought to life, it must be understood that this tie between the spirit and the body was never broken.

In those ancient days, as now, there were persons who had the appearance of being dead, and so far as human knowledge was concerned were dead, but who were really in a state of what may be called suspended animation  with no signs of life appearing to the consciousness of men. Death was thought to have taken place, yet in no case where the supposed dead were raised to life had the.mortal really died.

As Lazarus has already told you, when Jesus commanded him to come forth, he had not died, and so of all the other supposed dead who were called to life. When this tie has been once severed, there are certain chemical laws affecting the physical body, and certain spiritual laws affecting the spirit, which absolutely render it impossible for the spirit to again enter the body; and as you have been informed, we all, mortals and spirits and angels as well, are governed by laws which have no exceptions and never vary in their workings. So I say, when once the spirit and body separate, it is for all eternity, and the spirit then becomes of itself, a thing apart, controlled entirely and exclusively by laws governing the spirit body.

With the spirit's entry into the Spirit World comes the soul, still enclosed in that spirit body, and to an extent controlled by that body, which latter is also, in certain particulars, controlled by the soul. The spirit body has not, of itself, the power to determine its own location or destiny as regards place for the Law of Attraction, which operates in this particular, operates upon the soul, and the condition of the soul determines the location of itself, and as the spirit body is the covering of the soul, it must go where this Law of Attraction decrees the soul shall abide.

While the mind and the mental faculties and the senses have their seat in the spirit body, yet the Law that I speak of does not operate upon these faculties, as is apparent to every spirit, which he knows from observation as well as from experience, that the combined power of all these faculties cannot move a spirit body one step in the way of progress unless such faculties have, in their influence upon the soul, caused its condition to change; and in the matter of mere mental or moral advancement this can be done.

So, I repeat, the condition of the soul determines the locality as well as the appearance of the spirit body, and this Law of Attraction is so exact, that in its operations, there is no opportunity for chance to interpose, and place the spirit body in a location which is not its by reason of the operation of this Law. So that when the spirit body enters the Spirit World, it must go to and occupy the place which its enclosed soul determines that it shall occupy. No interposition of spirit friends or love of parent or husband or child can prevent this destiny; although for a time, until the soul has really had an awakening as to its condition of severance from the mortal life, these relations or friends may retain the spirit body near the place of its entrance into the spirit life, even though that place be one of more beautiful surroundings and happiness than the one to which it is destined. But this situation does not last long, for the Law works, and as the soul comes into full consciousness, it hears the call and must obey.

And, thus, you see friends and loved ones in spirit life meet with love and kindness and consolation, the newly arrived spirit, but the parting must come, and every soul must find its home according as its own qualities have determined. And yet the consolation mentioned is a real one, for in many instances, if it were not so, the lonely spirit would experience fear and bewilderment and all the unspeakable sensations of being deserted.

Then there comes a time, when every soul must stand alone, and in its weakness or strength realize that no other soul can bear its sorrow or take from its burdens or enter into its sufferings and, thus, is realized the saying that: "Each soul is its own keeper and alone responsible for its own condition."

Of course, in many cases the loving friends may visit that soul in its place of existence and offer consolation and help and encouragement and instruction, but in some cases this cannot be, for as this soul is then laid bare to itself, all its deformities, and sins and evil qualities come before it and, thus, throws around it a wall, as it were, that prevents the good friends and loving ones from appearing to it.

And, thus, again comes into operation the great Law of Attraction for while these more elevated friends, cannot come to that soul, yet other spirits of like souls and qualities may become its associates and render such assistance as the blind can lead the blind in their movings about. And I wish here to say, notwithstanding what some of your spiritualistic teachers have said, that the soul has its location as well as its condition.

The above condition that I have described is the destiny of some souls shortly after becoming spirits, and it is a deplorable one, and you may think that such souls are deserted by the loving influences of God's ministering spirits, and left all alone in the dreary places of their habitations. But such is not the case, for while they are deprived of the presence to them of the higher spirits, yet, the influences of love and compassion are flowing from these spirits, and at sometime will be felt by the lonely ones, and as these influences are felt the poor souls commence to have an awakening, which gradually causes the wall of their seclusion to disappear until at some time, the higher spirits find that they can manifest their presence to these unfortunate ones.

And besides this, every spirit, no matter how fallen, has a work to do, even though it may appear insignificant, and among these spirits of similar conditions some are a little more progressed than others, and by reason of a Law which causes the more progressed to help the lesser, the latter are frequently helped from their low estate.

Now what I have last written applies, of course, to the spirits who are wicked and vile and without any soul development in the way of goodness, but a similar principle enters into the conditions of all the spirits in the earth plane, although the higher they are in that plane the greater opportunities they have for receiving help and progressing. Of these latter, and the operation of the mental thoughts and moral qualities upon the condition and progress of the soul, I will write you later.

I have written enough for tonight, and leaving you my love and blessings, I will say good night.

Your brother in Christ,
John

St. John Writes About Soulmate Separations in the Event that Both Do Not Obtain the Divine Love of the Father

May 26, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, John.

I desire to write about a matter that will interest you as I have heard you express your wonderment as to what would become of the soulmate who should happen to be in a condition that caused him to be without the Divine Love at the time the great potentiality of obtaining the Divine Love should be taken from mankind.

Well, this is a subject which has been discussed by spirits of the higher spheres and we have not been able to solve the question. Of course, it is necessary that the two parts of the soul must again unite in order to make the perfect one, and if one part should be in the Celestial Heavens and the other part in the Spirit World at the time the great gift is taken from man, it would not be possible for these two parts to unite and become one again.

As you know, we are not informed as to when this great separation will take place and only know that at sometime it will and that then the spirits in each of these conditions of development will have to part and never more become united. But as to the effect of such a separation on two soulmates, I cannot tell you as I don't know.

We don't believe there will not be some provision made by which these two separated parts can be united for I cannot conceive that one could be completely happy without his soulmate in condition of unity. Many a soul will never enter the Celestial Heavens or partake of this Divine Love and nature of the Father, but will have to spend eternity in the Spirit World; I mean in the spheres lower than the Celestial Spheres, and may or may not have his soulmate with him. I do not know how to instruct you in this matter and am waiting for the great event in order to learn the truth regarding the matter.

But irrespective of this mystery, every man and woman should strive to obtain this Love which will enable him to enter the Celestial Spheres and not wait until he gets into the Spirit World, as it is very much easier to start on this journey from earth than from the Spirit World.

I do not believe that there will be any separation of soulmates when one of them is in the Celestial Spheres for the result would be the writer's incompleteness of the severance of that soul from its mate.

I wish that I could inform you as to what provision will be made for the reuniting of soulmates who are in the condition of the ones just mentioned, but I cannot, and all that I might say would be speculation only.

I will not write more now, but will say that you have my love and blessings.

Your brother in Christ,
John

John Writes a Short Note of Encouragement for James E. Padgett to Have Faith and Promises Will Soon be Realized

May 24, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, John.

Well, I come to write only a few lines as you are not feeling so well and are not in condition to receive any formal message tonight. But I will say that, notwithstanding what you have read tonight in reference to your material affairs, you must have faith and expect that our promises will soon be realized. The work must be done and you must be placed in condition to do it, without interference. If you could realize the powers that are at work in the endeavor to bring about what is necessary to place you in position to do this work, as we desire it to be done, you would not lose faith or doubt that all the promises made will be fulfilled.

We recognize to the fullest the importance of this matter, and we will not permit much more time to elapse until the end desired is brought about. You and your friend, who is interested in the means that we have adopted to bring about the consummation of our plan, will soon be able to accomplish as we have told you and you must both have faith.

I will not write more tonight, and with my love to you and your friend who is present, I will say good night and God bless you both.

Your brother in Christ,
John

John Writes that the Truths of God Have in Them Only Those Principles that Create Happiness and Wisdom

May 12, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, John.

I desire to write tonight, and if you think it is not too late, we will do so. Well, I will not make my message very lengthy, but try to condense it in short sentences. I want to tell you that when a man gets to know the truths of the Father, he will become a very happy and wise man - for these truths have in them only those principles that create happiness and wisdom.

I know that men believe many things on account of their being ancient or having the authority of their forefathers, or some great saint or writer who lived many centuries ago, but such a basis for truth, while worthy of consideration and examination does not of itself, because of being old, afford any certainty that what is, thus, accepted contains the truth.

Truth is a thing very old, and existed for many thousands of centuries before the times in which these ancient writers, as you call them, lived and, in fact, those days of the writers, in comparison to what had gone before, are as yesterdays; and, therefore, you will see that because the declarations of these writers are what you consider very ancient, they should not be received as having authority.

Truths of those days, and of the long ages prior thereto and of the present time, are all the same, as truth never changes or assumes new forms no matter what the conditions of mortals may be as to intellectual or spiritual development. And they may be revealed today, and are being constantly revealed as time progresses, and should be accepted with as much credence and satisfaction as any truths that were ever disclosed in ancient days. Men are just as susceptible now to the reception of these truths in their spiritual natures or perceptions as they were in the times of Abraham or Moses or at any time since.

The mind of man was given to him to be exercised in the way of investigation and search and never was it contemplated in his creation that the time would come when he should accept anything as the ultimates of truth and cease his inquiries, for truths are so many and great and deep, that so far in the mortal universe, man has acquired only a smattering of these truths. And to rest supinely in this acquirement under the belief that there is nothing more in existence than man may know, violates and subverts the very object of his creation; and what I have said applies to spiritual truths as well as to material ones.

The churches, I know, declare and try to enforce the declaration, that it is not possible to discover or have revealed to men the essential principles of spiritual truths to a greater extent than has already been declared in the Bible and the churches' interpretation of the same and that, therefore, it is contrary to God's Will that men should seek further for any additional truths, and that men should accept, without question, the sayings of the Bible, and the dogmas and creeds of the churches which their claim is founded upon, and which they declare are the true principles of spiritual truths. And for many years, this has been the demand of the churches, and the members thereof have acquiesced without question or doubt.

Now, this has been one of the great causes why men have not progressed more, not only in their spiritual nature but also in what may be called their natural qualities. They have remained satisfied, and what was believed by them centuries ago are believed today. I say all this to show how stagnant the intellects of men have been, as it depends on search and investigation, and has remained so for all these long ages. I further recite this to show the necessity for men to seek and criticize and accept or reject as the results of the search may demand.

In recent years though, men have made greater progress, and the individual has come to the front and the old accepted fabrications of truths have been assaulted and shaken and denuded of their falsities to a considerable degree, and so it should be. Men must seek, and criticize, and accept or reject as their own conscience and reasoning powers dictate, and therein will be freedom of the mind as well as of the will.

The soul, also, has been smothered in these dogmatic beliefs and, as a consequence, its development has been slow, and knowledge of things spiritual has not come to men as it should have done, and as is necessary to teach them their destiny and the truths, which should control their lives on earth, and which will control their progress in the spirit world.

Well, as you are tired, I will postpone the balance of my discourse. I think it best when you feel tired to discontinue the writing instead of attempting to force yourself into receiving it. So I will not write more.

Believe that I am your brother in Christ.
John

St. John Writes That Churches Should Recognize the Truth of Spirit Communications as a Law of God

April 23, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, St. John, Apostle of Jesus.

Yes, I come to tell you that I have been with you to-day in your attendance on the church services, and as the preachers declared their ideas of what immortality means, I suggested to you thoughts showing how unsatisfactory their reasonings and conclusions were. Of course, what the morning preachers said about the reasons for inferring that immortality must be the lot of man had in it a considerable force and also consolation, and I am glad that he dealt with the question as he did, but when all is said, it was merely hope and belief - knowledge was absent - and men so often realize that their hopes are not fulfilled.

How regrettable it is that while men may know - and I emphasize know - the truth of immortality if they will only seek for it, yet they will not seek, although it is open to search even without the information that our messages give you. And in speaking of immortality in this writing, I mean continuous life upon the death of the physical body.

Of course, immortality, as it has been explained to you, can only be learned from the teachings of our communications. But immortality in the former sense, continuity of life, can become established as a matter of knowledge, and to the satisfaction of these orthodox preachers, if they will only seek with open minds, divorced from the beliefs that keep them from accepting, as true, any and everything not contained in the Bible.

It has been established as a fact for a long time, that in its beginning antedating even the Bible, that spirits or angels communicated to men; and the Bible has many instances where such occurrences were declared. But while these orthodox teachers accept all these instances as true, yet they say that the occurrences were caused by some special interposition of God, and to a certain extent this is true. But this cause applies to all instances of spirit communication that have taken place since these Bible manifestations.

As we have told you many times, law - unchangeable law - governs all God's universe, and nothing happens by chance; and so every instance of spirit communion is the result of the operation of some law working in an orderly manner. No spirit could communicate and no mortal could receive the messages, unless the law worked in such a manner as to permit or cause the same. And here I must say, that the same principle of law that enables the evil spirit to communicate or manifest enables the higher spirit to do the same. There is no special law for one and not for another.

Your land is filled with mortals who have developed in them such powers as enable the spirits to become in rapport with them, and thereby make known the fact that the supposed dead are alive and able to declare the fact to mortals. These facts have been established to the satisfaction of men of all kinds and characters, to the scientist as well as to the man of ordinary intelligence, and even less; and to the open-minded orthodox preacher as well as to the infidel.

And all these things are not merely matters of chance, but are designed to show him that he is a living, never dying being, as far as known, whether in the flesh or out of it, and what is thus designed and provided for man's consolation should not be looked upon with suspicion or fear of being against God's Will. No, this great privilege is a part of God's goodness to man, and he must so understand it, and to his hope and desire for continuous life, add knowledge.

So I say these leaders of the worshipers at the orthodox shrines may, if they will learn the truth of this immortality or continuity of life after the death of the body, make certain that for which they have only a hope, backed by their faith in what their Bible tells them is the truth. Of course, this hope and faith may become so strong as to satisfy their doubts on the question, but even then it is not knowledge. This faith and hope will pale into insignificance when the mother, mourning for her recently departed loved one, hears his voice declaring to her that he is still alive, and has all his love, and longings for her, and that he is with her feeling her love for him.

But these teachers will not seek, or if they do, and feel their hope and faith turn to knowledge, they will not declare the truth to their flock; and why not declare the truth to their flock; and why not? Because the creeds and dogmas and iron bands of erroneous beliefs forbid them doing so. They will preach of the press and, if necessary, will lay down their lives for such a cause, but yet, when they come to deal with this question of supreme and vital fact, they are afraid to seek the truth or, in seeking, to find and declare the freedom of their beliefs from the bondage of their creeds.

What a responsibility they have, and what an answer they will have to make! They bury the talent which is given them, and the accounting will be grievous.

But some day and soon, this truth will seek them with such overwhelming force, that their creeds will crumble and in addition to hope and faith, there will come to them knowledge, and with knowledge freedom, and with freedom, the "pearl of great price," which to them has so long been hidden in the shell of fear and bigotry.

I must not write more tonight. I felt that I must say these few things to you to encourage you in your work of bringing truth to light.So with all my love and blessings, I am

Your brother in Christ,
John

St. John Writes About the Belief in the Efficacy of the Vicarious Atonement of Jesus by His Death and Crucifixion

March 18, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, St. John, Apostle of Jesus.

I wish to write tonight on a subject that is of importance to the members of the orthodox churches as to the belief in the efficacy of the atonement of Jesus by his death and crucifixion.

All the orthodox believe, and their preachers and evangelists teach in their sermons and addresses, and the teachers of Bible classes instruct their students, that the blood of Jesus and his death on the cross were the two factors in his career on earth that save men from their sins and satisfy the great penalty of death which overhangs them, because of man's first disobedience and the sins that followed therefrom.

Well, this doctrine has prevailed in the beliefs and teachings of the church ever since the church became established by the convention that met in pursuance of the orders of Constantine, when the books that now constitute the Bible were given the sanction of the church as canonical. Before this time some of the early fathers believed in the doctrine of the atonement as above stated, and the controversies between them and others who did not subscribe to this doctrine were very bitter, and at times, very un-Christian according to the Christianity that prevailed among the early followers of the Master, or according to his teachings.

From that time until the present, although the great Roman church has been seceded from and reforms have been made by churches founded on such reforms, this doctrine has been incorporated in and believed by most of the churches, no matter what name they may have adopted and what form of government they may have prescribed. This doctrine constitutes the foundation principles of these various bodies of church entity, and to-day, these principles are as much a part of faith and teachings of the churches as they ever were in all the centuries that have passed.

Of course, with this cardinal doctrine there have also become incorporated in these faiths and teachings certain other principles, which apply more to the individual members of the church than to the church itself as a body. I mean belief in the truth that there is a close relationship between God and the individual which may be established by prayer and the longings of the soul for the inflowing of God's Love and the regeneration of the nature of man by the influence of this Love by the Father.

But in these latter days, this truth has been known to and its workings experienced by a comparatively few of those who call themselves orthodox Christians. The large majority has depended upon the belief in the doctrine that Jesus, by his sacrifice and death, paid the debt which man owed to God; and when the members of the church in an intellectual belief assert that they believe in and accept Jesus as their Saviour because he paid the debt, and by the shedding of his blood washed away their sins and made them at-one with the Father, and thereby became saved from the wrath of the Father, and in a moment become the truly redeemed and accepted children of God, and that as long as they maintain that belief and attend to their duties as such members and observe the regulations of the church, they are safe and fitted for the enjoyment of Heaven and the presence of the Father.

They also believe that unless a man accepts Jesus as his Saviour, in the way I have mentioned, that man will be eternally lost, and in the beliefs and teachings of some of these members, will be sent to hell to be eternally damned and punished.

Well, one view of this doctrine is just as true as the other, or rather just as untrue, because both of these phases of belief have no foundation in fact, and are not in accord with the teachings of the Master, or with the fact as I know it to be, not from any mere belief but from personal experience and observation.

Oh, how the pure teachings of the Master have been distorted and made the means of preventing so many human souls from reaching the Heaven of happiness that they wished for, and that they thought would be theirs when they should give up their mortal lives.

This doctrine, so long believed, has worked the damnation of many a man, as regards his soul development and his becoming at-one with the Father and reaching the Heavens that are prepared for those who obtain that soul union with the Father.

I know it may seem surprising to some who are really true believers in this doctrine and, as they think, in the truths of God and the teachings of Jesus, which are believed to be infallibly contained in the Bible, that I announce the falsity of these beliefs and their utter ineffectiveness in enabling these sincere people to obtain that which they so earnestly desire.

But such is truth, and truth never changes, never compromises with untruth, and never permits the erroneous beliefs of a really sincere mortal to swerve in one iota from the results and consequences of that false belief. And the great injury that this false doctrine has done to humanity, and is now doing, will continue in the world to come, until the belief in truth shall supercede the belief in that which is false. And, thus, not everyone who shall say "Lord, Lord," will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

These false beliefs have operated in two ways to injure man and render him unfit for an entrance into the Kingdom. First, by the belief that brings about the injury that results from the positive operation of error, which is great; and next by the want of belief in the truth, which prevents progress in the acquirement of those qualities which belong to and are necessary parts of that truth.

When men believe in the doctrine that I have stated they become satisfied and, knowingly or not, remain in a state of false security, not attempting to develop the soul qualities, which are the only ones that are in relationship with God. Their mental beliefs are strong and may increase in strength, but their soul communions with the Father and their growth and expansion in the soul development, becomes stagnant and, as it were, dead.

This is the great injury that these false beliefs do to the man and to the spirit. I mean in his individual capacity, for it must be known as a truth, that the salvation of man or his soul progress towards an at-onement with the Father is an individual matter solely, and men as aggregations or in church communities are not redeemed from sin, nor as such, can they have any relationship with the Father or receive His Divine Love, which is the only salvation.

There is only one possible way in which man can come in unison and at-onement with the Father, and thereby fitted to enjoy or inhabit the mansions in His Kingdom, which Jesus spoke of when on earth, and that is the way that will make the soul of man like the soul of the Father, and a partaker of his Divine Qualities of Love and Life. No belief that will not bring about this uniting and commingling, as it were, can possibly make the soul of man a partaker of these qualities that are a part of the soul of God.

Then let man consider for a moment what possible connection there can be between these Soul Qualities of God and the death and blood of Jesus. God is the creator of life and death, and also of blood and flesh, and He can destroy as well as create. Had the sins of man called for the sacrifice of that which was mere flesh and blood, or the extinguishment of a life that God had created in order to pay the penalty of that sin, then a God who demanded such a payment - and this implies of course, that such a God was wrathful and could only be appeased by something that He could not of and by Himself obtain - would not possibly be satisfied with that which He had created and over which He still had absolute control, and which He could destroy and make non-existent at any time He pleased. Jesus' life was already a possession of God, and when he surrendered that life, he did not give to God anything that he did not already own and could not have taken. And when his blood flowed on the cross, it was not that which God could not have made flow at any time and in any manner.

So the absurdity of such a doctrine is too apparent for serious consideration. For its logical meaning is that God was demanding a debt that had long been unpaid, all wrathful and insatiable, and would be satisfied only with the death of a living being and the flowing of his blood; and that death and that flow of blood in one way or manner only, namely, on the cross. And yet with all this demand that has been sounding down the ages for centuries, relentlessly and unpityingly, He became satisfied and His wrath assuaged by seeing His own creature die - and that creature His best beloved son - and by hearing the trickling of the blood of that creature from a wooden cross; by all which, the life and the blood being already His to let live or destroy as He might see fit, man became at-one with Him.

The simple reduction of such a proposition is that God, in order to pay a debt that was owing to Him, accepted in payment thereof that which was already His, and which no power or being in all His universe could have taken from Him.

Now, I say all this reverently as your preachers say, but the fact is, that the mere assertion of such a doctrine, as I have been dealing with, is so blasphemous that no treatment of it, showing its falsity, could be irreverent.

And again, the absurdity of believing that God demanded that Jesus should die on the cross as one of the necessary accompaniments of his death, in order to carry out God's plan for this death and make the payment satisfactory, is so apparent and absurd, that I and all of us spirits in the Kingdom of the Father wonder that mortals can believe such an unreasonable dogma.

To follow this absurd proposition to its logical conclusion, it was necessary not only, in order that the debt might be paid, that Jesus should die on the cross, but that Judas should become the traitor, that the Jews should clamor for his death and that Pilate should pronounce the sentence. These were all necessary means to the satisfaction of the debt, and being so, why is it then that Judas and Pilate and the Jews are not saviors of mankind also, even if you say in a secondary sense. Jesus could not have clamored for his own death, or erected his own cross or nailed himself thereto, or pierced his side with a spear in order that the blood might flow, for if he had done this he would have been a suicide; but it may be, there would have been more of the elements of the payment of a debt in that method of dying than in the way in which his death was brought about.

No, I tell you, I, John, who loved the Master more than all the others and who was closer to him, who was with him when he was nailed to the cruel cross, which I think of with horror, and who was among the first to take his body from the tree and first felt his blood upon my hands - tell you that the death of Jesus on the cross did not pay any debt that man owed to God, nor did his blood wash away the sins of any man. And oh, the pity of it all is that mortals for all these long years have believed that they were saved by his sacrifice and blood, and by such belief have never come any nearer to the Master or in at-onement with the Father.

As I and others have written you, the only way in which man can be saved from his sins and become in at-onement with the Father, is by the New Birth, which the Master has described to you as being the result of the flowing into the soul of a man of the Divine Love of the Father, and the disappearing of everything that tends to sin and error. As this Love flows into a man's soul it permeates that soul as does leaven the batch of dough, and that soul partakes of this Divine Love and thereby becomes like the Father in His Divine Nature, and fitted to inhabit His Kingdom.

Now, you can readily see that there can be no possible relationship existing between the death of Jesus on the cross and his blood, and the giving to the soul of a man those Divine Qualities that belong to the Father's Nature. These Qualities are not imparted to man by death and blood, but by life and love and faith which comes with that Love - and here when I say faith, I do not mean the mere intellectual belief of which I have spoken.

As we have before written, when the first parents were created, they were not given this Divine Love, but the mere possibility of obtaining it upon their seeking for it in the Way that God had provided. It was not forced upon them, but it was optional with them whether they would receive it and become fitted to inhabit the Kingdom of Heaven. When they committed their act of disobedience, they forfeited this privilege and, as to it, died and were left without a mediator between themselves and God. And here I don't mean any mediator in the way of paying a debt, for they owed no debt to God - they were merely, as you mortals might say, disinherited children; and the only mediator that man needed after that time was one through whom might come the Glorious Tidings that the Father had changed His Will, or forgiven the disobedience to the extent of restoring his original state, which is the re-bestowal of the privilege of obtaining into their souls His Divine Love.

And, in this sense, never was there any mediator between God and man until the coming of Jesus and his announcing to man that the Father had changed His Will and had restored to mankind the great privilege of partaking of His Divine Nature and Immortality. And thus, as in the first man, Adam, all men died, so in the man Jesus, were all men made alive. And Jesus was the mediator not only in declaring to man the re-bestowal of this Great Gift of the Divine Love and Immortality but, also, in showing the Way by which men could and must seek for that Gift in order to possess It.

The Great Gift of God to man was not Jesus, but the potentiality of obtaining the Divine Love of the Father and thus becoming Divine and fitted to reside in the mansions of the Kingdom of Heaven.

And thus Jesus became the Resurrection and the Life and brought Immortality to light. How much greater a saviour than by paying a supposed debt by his death and blood.

No, he is the saviour of man by his living and his teachings, for he was the first to receive this Divine Love and to become Divine himself, and the first fruits of the resurrection. We have explained to you before in detail, some of the truths that I have declared in this message, and it is not necessary to further explain them here.

In closing, I wish to declare with all the emphasis that I possess, arising from a knowledge based upon the teachings of the Master and my personal experience as a possessor of this Divine Love and a partaker of the Father's Divine Nature, that no vicarious atonement of Jesus, nor the shedding of his blood, saves any man from sin or makes him a redeemed child of the Father, or fits him for a home in the mansions of the Celestial Spheres.

With a love that can come only from a redeemed and Divine Nature, I love all mankind and am working to help them find the way to life and immortality and happiness beyond the conception of mortals or spirits who have not received this New Birth of the Divine Love of the Father.

I have written enough for tonight and you are tired. So my dear brother with all my love and the blessings of a heart filled with the Love of the Father, I am

Your brother in Christ,
John

St. John Writes the Truth About the Book of Revelation and Reveals There are Two Heavens

March 12, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

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

I was with you tonight and heard the sermon of the preacher on Heaven and what it is and, as his text was founded on some expressions in a book of the Bible ascribed to me and which I did write, though not just as is contained in the Bible, I thought that I should come and write you as to the truth of the sermon, and as to the value of the book as descriptive or suggestive of what Heaven is and what its appearances are, and what the spirits of the redeemed are doing in what the preacher designated as service.

Well, I first want to say that while I did write a book of the nature of the one in the Bible named Revelation, yet this one does not contain my writings to any great extent, nor are my ideas set forth or followed in this book of Revelation. As you may now know, in my time, and for a long time previous, the Jewish writers, because of the great troubles and persecutions their nation was undergoing, were accustomed to write books in the nature of the one contained in the Bible, and called Revelations, for the purpose of encouraging their people to believe that all the wrongs that they were suffering would be avenged by God, and their enemies made to suffer and become destroyed, and that in the end their nation would be rescued from its condition of servitude and sufferings and become the ruling nation of the earth; and these writings were accepted by the Jews as having the authority of divine inspiration and conveying to their nation the truths of God and the same promises of His intervening in their behalf. The writings were always ascribed to some prophet, seer, or man of God who had the special privilege of coming in contact with God or some of His angels through the mysterious and sacred means of visions.

Of course, these writings were merely intended to encourage the Jews to establish their faith in God and in the belief that He would send them a Messiah who would have the power to redeem them from the punishments and thralldom that they were undergoing under the tyranny and strength of their heathen captors and persecutors.

Always were these writings prophetic and held forth the promises for the future, without ever attempting to fix a time for their fulfillment, or the ending of the nation's woes and the coming of its deliverer, so that time went on and the promises were not fulfilled, hope continued to exist and the belief of the Jews was not lessened, and non-fulfillment was explained by the further belief that the time for the consummation of their eagerly wished for expectations had not yet arrived; that God was all knowing as well as all powerful and careful for their race and that He and He alone understood just when the proper and fitting time should arrive.

This hope upon hope was a wonderful force in keeping up the beliefs and expectations of the Jews, and so effective was it that to this day they remain a nation or rather a race in belief and expectation of this coming Messiah. But, alas, as they did not recognize and accept him when he did appear, they will never again see his appearance, for he will never come as their Messiah as expected of old, but only as the great teacher and redeemer, not only of their race, but of all the peoples of the earth. He has already come as such a redeemer, and is working now to lead men to the true and only way to life and happiness and immortality. But never will any Messiah come to the Jews to establish them on earth as a great and chosen nation, as nearly all of them believe and still look for.

Thus, as I say, many books or manuscripts were written by the claimed Jewish prophets holding forth to the Jews the results of visions claimed to have been experienced by these writers. But as the prophecies, in the sense that the Jews understood them, have never been fulfilled, neither will they be fulfilled in the future, and their value has no reality.

This custom as I may call it, continued from these early times down to the time in which I lived and wrote, and my book of prophecy was written by me, not with the purpose of establishing the Jews as a nation on earth, or causing them to believe that their hopes or longings would be fulfilled, but for the purpose of encouraging the Christians to believe that notwithstanding their persecution and sufferings and martyrdom they would in the future life, when they should meet the Master and the saints, find joy and peace and heaven. But in my writings nothing was said about the wrath of God being visited upon the persecutors of the Christians or of their having to go into a hell of fire and brimstone, so that from that fact the happiness of the redeemed would be increased.

My writings have been added to and all kinds of grotesque imagery interpolated so that the whole design and purpose of my writings were changed and destroyed and the present Book of Revelation is only a mere allegory of some one or more writers who were gifted with some knowledge of the Christian teachings and unusually oriented imaginations. This book is of no value, but on the contrary is doing much harm to the cause of the truth as taught by the Master; as we who are in the Celestial Heavens and have knowledge of things heavenly as well as things earthly know to be the fact.

It should not be accepted as a truth of the revelation of truths, and not be believed in for any purpose. It has lead many good men and honest and earnest seekers after the truth astray, and caused them to believe and teach false doctrines that have resulted in much darkness and stagnation in the development of human souls in their longings for the truth. So, I say, let men entirely discard its teachings, and any and all lessons that the preachers or others, who think that they can understand its meaning, attempt to teach.

The writings that I gave to my people, of the kind mentioned, have long ago served their purpose, and the writings called the Revelations contain in it no truth that will help mankind to the Heavenly Kingdom or to their eternal happiness and at-onement with the Father. Let it die the death of a falsehood, born out of time.

I also was interested in the struggle of the preacher to explain what Heaven is, and what his people who may consider themselves redeemed children of God, will find when they become inhabitants of that Heaven.

Well, he spoke truly when he said Heaven is a place as well as a condition, for it is inconceivable that any condition of the spirit of a mortal could exist unless there be a place where that spirit could find a habitation. All space in the universe of God is a place, or contains places where things of existence must find localities. There is no such thing as a vacuum in God's economy, and all parts of space are fitted with something having substance, either material or spiritual, and wherever such substance is, there is a place for its abiding.

Yes, Heaven is a place, or a number of places, for the preacher is far from having the true conception of Heaven when he supposes it is one large place, where all believers go after death, irrespective of their condition of soul and moral perfections. As I say, there are many Heavens and many places, all as real and substantial as are the different stories and rooms in your home of earth. And the partitions, if I may so speak, between these different places are just as impassable for spirits that have not the proper qualifications to pass through as are the partition walls between the various rooms in your earth homes for you mortals to pass through. These places are distinctive, and the many mansions that the preacher referred to, are situated in many Heavens, or more correctly many spheres of the Heavens.

Strictly speaking, there are two Heavens in God's spirit universe, namely, the Heavens of the redeemed and transformed soul by the Divine Love called the Celestial Heavens, and the Heavens of the restored perfect man, called the Spiritual Heavens, each and all of them being places of real perfection and substance.

As one star differs from another star in glory, so these several Heavens within Heavens differ from one another in glory and appearance and in those things which help to make the mansions of their inhabitants beautiful and attractive and glorious.

It would take too long for me to attempt to describe any of these Heavens, for they each and all excel any conception that the mortal is capable of having; but I will say this, that there are no streets of gold or pearly gates, or suns or stars in any of them; only the light of God's Love and mercy illuminates them.

I will postpone my further writing, but will come very soon and complete what I intended to say about the sermon of the preacher, and attempt to show the real appearance of some of the Heavens, and what service the redeemed children of God render when they come to the spirit world.

So my dear brother, I will say good night.

Your brother in Christ,
John

St. John Writes that a Spirit Will Direct James E. Padgett in a Material Matter; John D. Mastry and Helen Confirm St. John's Message

March 11, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, John.

Let me write a few lines as I desire to tell you of something that may be of importance to you. You will remember that we have told you on many occasions that at some time you would be in condition to do the work for which you have been selected to do in a way when all physical cares and worries would be eliminated from existence, and I want to repeat tonight those promises and say that the time will soon come when you will be in that condition and find yourself free to enjoy the opportunities that such freedom will afford you.

We have been with you much of late, exercising our influence upon your spiritual thoughts and trying to help you to get in condition that will enable you to receive our messages without much difficulty and from the influences of these outside things, and we want you to get in condition that our work and yours can be done in this way. You must make the effort to assist us in placing you in this condition and if you will do so we will proceed in placing you in the position to bring: about the end that we so much desired.

I will not write more tonight but will try our best to help you in your efforts. Ease your mind and whatever money you can spare to attempt to find this success and we will help you.

Of course, you understand what we mean and very soon a spirit will come who will direct you in the matter and make your success certain. I will come a little later and write you more in detail. So trust and believe and you will not be disappointed. Good night.

Your brother in Christ,
John

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John D. Mastry Writes a Short Note

I am here, John D. Mastry.

I am interested in what John has written you and want merely to say that I have been selected to assist you in the matter to which he referred and will do my best to help you and will be very careful in my advice, and I hope that you will have faith in me. This is all that I desire to say. Good night.

Your brother in Christ,
John D. Mastry

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Helen Confirms St. John and Mr. Mastry's Messages

I am your own true and loving Helen.

Well dear, you must not doubt what has been written you but try your best to follow the advice that may be given you and believe that you will succeed.

John actually wrote you and so did the other spirit, whom I don't know, but who says he has been selected to do the work. He says his name is Mastry, that is all I know about him. You will have a further explanation of the matter a little later. Some of the higher spirits were present tonight as you read the messages and are very desirous to write other messages and will soon come to do so.

You must pray more to the Father for His Love and so get in the condition to receive the messages. I love you very much and so want you to be happy and free from all earthly cares. We will come soon and write you, so kiss me and say good night.

Your own true and loving,
Helen

St. John Writes a Note of Encouragement to James E. Padgett to Have Faith in the Spirit's Promises

January 7, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, John.

Well, I came to write only a few lines as you are not feeling too well and not in condition to receive any formal message tonight. But I will say that notwithstanding what you have read tonight in reference to your material affairs, you must have faith and expect that our promises will soon be realized. The work must be done and you must be placed in condition to do it without interference. If you could realize the powers that are at work in their endeavor to bring about what is necessary to place you in condition to do this work as we desire it to be done, you would not lose faith or doubt that all the promises made will be fulfilled. We recognize to the fullest the importance of this matter and we will not permit much more time to elapse until the end desired is brought about.

You and your friend, who is interested in the means that we have adopted for bringing the consummation of our plans, will soon be enabled to start the business that we have told you of, and you must both have faith.

I will not write more tonight and with my love to you and your friend, who is present, I will say good night and God bless you both.

Your brother in Christ,
John

John Writes to Confirm the Truth as to the Existence of the Hells

December 19, 1915
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, John.

I merely want to say that I have listened to the message that you have read, and to the remarks of your friend and yourself, and I believe that you have a true conception of the truth as to these hells.

Swedenborg gave you a true description of their conditions as they actually exist, and Herod told you with the certainty of experience what he found to be true and I, John, who have visited them in the efforts to allay the sufferings of the spirits who inhabit them, tell you that they exist as places, with all the darkness and surroundings that cause the sufferings of the unfortunate spirits to increase. I desire to make this statement so that this question of what hell really is may be settled for all time, so far as you are concerned.

I know that many mortals console themselves with the belief that because of certain natural laws, there cannot possibly be any hells, such as the orthodox teach and that, therefore, there cannot be any hells at all. But this conclusion drawn from the premise is not correct. The mere fact that because a man or spirit cannot burn eternally and never be consumed does not justify the inference that such spirit cannot be punished by surroundings which have a fixed locality.

No, man must not rest in the belief of there being no such hells - as Swedenborg has described - because if they do, they will be woefully mistaken and surprised should they live such lives on earth as will cause them to be placed in these hells. I merely wanted to say this much tonight, as I don't want you to receive any communication which is not in accord with the truth. It is of such vital importance that you receive nothing but the truth, that we who are interested in this work have determined that nothing but the truth shall come to you, and that whenever error or misstatements creep in we will carefully correct the same.

So without writing more tonight, I will say that I am,

Your brother in Christ,
John

St. John Writes That the Spirits Who Have Little Development of Soul Can Help Those Who Have Less Development Than Themselves

November 23, 1915
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, St. John, Apostle of Jesus.

I want to tell you tonight about the things that spirits who have not received the Divine Love of the Father do, or have done to them, as you may say, in order to get out of their darkness and suffering and progress to a happier condition.

Well, when these spirits of evil or sinful life first come into the spirit world, they enter what is called the earth plane; and when I say the earth plane I mean those spheres which are nearest the earth and partake very largely of the material. They are received by their friends who may have been with them at the time of their passing, and are, to a certain extent, comforted and made familiar with their surroundings. This may last for a shorter or longer time according as the spirit is capable of understanding his changed condition from mortal to spirit.

After this condition of consciousness is assumed by the spirit, these friends leave him, and some guiding spirit, whose duty it is to perform the task, shows or conducts him to the place or plane which he is fitted to occupy and which, by the workings of the Law of Equalization, he must occupy. In this place he is surrounded by and must associate with spirits of a similar condition of development as his own, until some change comes to him which fits him for a higher place.

Of course, this change may come in a short time, or it may require a longer time to bring it about; all this depending upon the realization by the spirit as to what his condition is and the fact that there is a possibility of progressing. Of himself, he cannot bring about this change, for the law which fixes his place or condition does not cease to operate until there is called into operation another law which permits and helps the change.

The only way in which this changed condition can be brought about is by the influences of other spirits of a more enlightened and higher position than that of the spirit whose position I have spoken of. These influences do not necessarily come from spirits who have received the New Birth, but may come from spirits who know nothing about it, and who have only the natural love, and even they may not necessarily be of a high order of development of either intellect or soul. But they must be in such condition that they know and are able to tell the lower spirit of the possibility of progress and the way in which it can be made.

Many spirits, who are themselves in a dark position or condition, can help others who are in a darker condition, just as on earth a student of a lower class in school may not be able to teach all that is taught or may be learned in that school, yet he can teach those, in a lower class than his own, things that he has learned in progressing to his own class.

All spirits have a work to do, and these spirits of little development are engaged in teaching those of lesser development the way to get in the same condition as those who teach are in. But, of course, these latter cannot teach anything that belongs to a higher condition than the one in which they are. In such cases, the progress is very slow for many reasons, and it sometimes takes centuries for a spirit to progress from this very low plane to a higher one where only the lowest grade of happiness exists.

So you see that in order to help these dark spirits, it is not necessary for the helping spirit to be one who has in his soul the Divine Love. But all this means that the spirit who is helped in this way cannot possibly progress higher than its natural love and moral conscience and intellectual endowments will permit - no progression of the soul to a realization of the Divine Love of the Father, or to the Celestial Spheres.

This is important for you and all mankind to know, for the reason that you and others may learn what the true soul development means, and how effectively spirits possessing this soul development may help all other spirits, good or bad. Aside from this, you may suppose that the spirits, who hear you talk at the séances where all kinds and conditions of spirits congregate and promise to help both mortals and spirits, may not be able to do so because some are in a dark and low condition themselves. Yet all spirits may help other spirits, to some extent, who are in a lower condition, and sometimes in the beginning of the progression, more satisfactorily than can the higher spirits, because these dark spirits who try to help the darker spirits, are more in harmony with them, and the darker spirits will listen to them with more interest and belief that they can help them.

But this is a help that does not work in such a way as to cause the spirits who are so helped to lose their desires and recollections very rapidly and to progress into the higher planes without the great suffering that you have been told of.

I thought I would write this to you for the reason that you might not, in your investigations and teachings of the spirit life, give due importance to the possibility of one dark spirit helping another. All the phases of mediumship, when honestly conducted, have their proper places and work in God's plan of redemption and none of them must be considered as useless or without special design.

Of course, the above mentioned phase of assistance to spirits is of the lowest form and is merely preliminary to the great work which the higher spirits do in carrying out the great plan of redemption, which has been explained to you. The important work is that of the spirits who know what the Divine Love of the Father is, and what fits spirits and mortals for the enjoyment of the great happiness which obtains only in the Celestial Spheres, and also in the soul spheres, to a lesser extent.

When a spirit who is dark learns of this Great Love and strives to obtain It, and earnestly prays for the help of the Holy Spirit, which is God's messenger of Love, it will progress much more rapidly, and its sufferings and darkness will leave it sooner and greater happiness will come to it.

But still I say, the work of these lower spirits, that I have spoken of, is a great work and must not be underestimated. So remember what I have written and give due credit to this work.

I will not write more, but will with all my love and blessings say good night.

Your brother in Christ,
St. John