Charles T. Wilson Writes that He Knew Dr. Leslie R. Stone and Seeks His Help to Get Out of Darkness

May 16, 1918
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, Charles T. Wilson.

Let me write a few lines. I am the friend of the Dr. (Leslie R. Stone) and knew him some years ago when he was living in Buffalo, N.Y. I was in a hospital where he was engaged in looking after daffy mortals, such as I was.

Well, in those days my mind and my brain did not coordinate, and this I know, for a short time after I passed into spirit life, I found that I had a mind which enabled me to understand things as I had before the awful blank came to me which resulted in my being incarcerated in the hospital.

What a wonderful experience I had after I became liberated from the imprisonment of my mind in a diseased brain. Then everything appeared to me as if I were a new creature, and the happiness which came to me - I mean the happiness that came from my liberated mind - is beyond what you may conceive of. I can suppose that men think that those whose minds are thus blotted out, as it were, by a brain which has ceased to perform its functions must be not unhappy, because they know not the loss of the benefits that a mind in a sound brain affords. But in this supposition, men are mistaken, for while the person thus afflicted may not know of what sound-minded men call "real trouble and worry," yet they have troubles which belong to their diseased brains, and to them these troubles, although they may have no real existence, are just as real as are the troubles of these others who think that they are sane. Trouble is a relative thing, and the real to one, though not real, causes as much unhappiness as do the troubles which are real.

Of course, while I was in the flesh I did not fully understand just what my condition of mind was and many of my vagaries were of such a character as to cause me apparent happiness; and on the other hand, certain other vagaries caused me real suffering. And things of great importance appeared to me with a force that no real existence could surpass.

Shortly after I passed to spirit life, these imaginations left me and with them disappeared the unhappiness, which they caused; and it seemed to me as if my mind had been freed from a great burden, and I became so conscious of the fact that it seemed as if I must be in Heaven or some other place of bliss. But it meant nothing more than my mind finding its real condition, and the recollections of my previous life came to me with all their consequences. And strange as it may seem to you, there were no recollections of anything that happened while I was in the state of mental darkness. Only those things came to my remembrance which were parts of my life before my affliction, and only these latter brought with them a knowledge of good or evil deeds which I had committed.

Since then, I have realized the workings of the laws which controlled my acts of life, and I was happy or otherwise as these laws called for suffering or failed to operate. I have been in the dark planes ever since, though I have made some progress towards the light, or rather the darkness has grown less intense and my sufferings have decreased. My mind has always been alert and nothing has escaped me which was a part of my sane existence while on earth.

I wish that I could find a way to get rid of this darkness and suffering and, as only a few nights ago, I heard that you could help spirits in my condition, I determined to seek your help, and tonight when I saw the Dr. with you, I thought it a good opportunity to ask your help.

Yes: and he says that he will help me, and as he is so very beautiful and bright, I can easily believe that he can help me and I am going with him. So I thank you.

I was Charles T. Wilson and was called Wash.

John Writes that No One Will Suffer in Hell for Eternity - All Will Progress

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

I am here, John.

I was with you tonight and heard the sermon on Hell and was so sorry that the preacher (Dr, Ratcliff) could not tell his people more of the truths as to what Hell is and the punishment of those who will be so unfortunate as to go to that place will be.

It is pitiable that these leaders of the people are so blinded and without knowledge as to what the truth is in regard to this subject - as well as to many others - that they so erroneously declare to their congregations. Of course, their knowledge is based upon what they consider to be the truths of the Bible, and in many respects what they say is justified by the teachings of the book; but in many cases, their teachings are erroneous because of the wrong construction that they place upon many of the declarations of the Bible. In either case they are teaching, for the truth, those things that are not true, and the harm accomplished is just as baneful as if their beliefs and teachings were the result of what they realized to be untrue.

Untruth is untruth, no matter whether it arises from honest conviction or known error, and the harm done is the same in each instance.

The preacher, I have no doubt, believes what he declared to be the truth, and some things he said were true, yet the fact that he believed these doctrines to be true will not palliate in any way his responsibility so far as the effect of these errors on his hearers are concerned. For their sufferings and darkness, which will certainly follow. Their beliefs in these erroneous teachings will be no less, because the preacher was honest in his declarations of what he supposed to be the truth. The source of error does not in any way modify or affect the results that flow from its acceptance and following, and the preacher, while not in such cases a willful deceiver, yet when he comes to the spirit world and learns the truth, he will have the regrets and the sufferings which always flow from the spreading of falsehood and deception.

Error works its own punishment, but it may be of some consolation and will be to those who preach and to those who accept falsehood as truth to know that such punishment will not be everlasting, and that God is not a God of wrath or of vindictiveness, and that His justice never demands more than is necessary for the removing of error and the establishment of His truths. Why? His justice would not be justice if He permitted error to continue and prevented recovery on the part of man or spirits of the truth, just for the purpose of having those who had been disobedient suffer and be separated from Him for all eternity.

I merely wanted to say this much on the sermon, and sometime I will come and write you a full explanation of what Hell is, its purpose and work, and how long it continues.

Let all of you continue to pray to the Father for this Love and have faith, and the time will soon come that faith will become as real and existing as the sun, which you so much enjoyed today. So my brother, with all my love and blessings I will say good night.

Your brother in Christ,
John

St. John Writes About the Truths of the Celestial Spheres, Which is Inhabited by Spirits Who Have Received the New Birth

September 25, 1915
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, St. John.

I come tonight to write a short time about the truths of the Celestial Spheres in which I live and enjoy the happiness which my Father gives me.

As you may know these Celestial Spheres are above the spiritual spheres, and are inhabited only by spirits who have received the New Birth and who believe in the Truths as taught by Jesus. No other spirits are permitted to enter these spheres, and no other spirits could possibly find any happiness in them, for in them Divine Love is so developed in the souls of the spirits who live there that any spirit not having that Love would find that he is in an atmosphere that is entirely foreign to his qualifications, and he would be most unhappy. But as I say, no spirit who has not that Divine Love, which we tell you about, can possibly enter into these spheres. The walls of demarcation are just as solid and forbidding as are walls of demarcation in your prisons on earth from the outside world.

I live in a city that is most wonderful in its beauty and magnificence and is filled with structures that surpass anything that you possibly conceive of. This city is inhabited by spirits who have a wonderful soul development and are capable of understanding the deep truths of God, which are not given to mortals or spirits in the spiritual spheres.

This may seem a little strange to you, but it is true; for it would be utterly impossible for the spirits of these lower spheres, or for mortals, to understand these higher truths. They cannot be comprehended with what you call the intellectual faculties or the mind, but can be only understood by the soul's perceptions developed to such a degree that nothing that partakes of the purely material can have an abiding place in that soul.

The mind must stop in its progress at the Sixth Sphere, and after that only the soul can progress. But this does not mean that the spirit who makes such progress in the Celestial Heavens does not increase in knowledge and understanding, for he does to a greater extent than it could be possible for the mere mind to progress; but this progress of a spirit in knowledge and understanding is a progress of the soul perceptions, of which I speak.

The faculties of the soul are as far superior to and above the faculties of what you call the mind as are the Heavens above the earth.

So you see the soul does not merely embrace the affections and love of a spirit, but also qualities which enables it to understand and develop the qualities of knowledge at a place where the progress of the mind ceases. It is hard to explain this to you or for you to comprehend its meaning, but this you will understand, that as the soul progresses in its development of its perceptions, knowledge and understanding of all things pertaining to the Celestial World increases. When you properly consider this you will find that it is a wonderful provision of the Father's Love and Grace.

What an important thing to both mortal and spirit is the soul. It can be starved on earth and also in the spirit world; and on the other hand, it can be developed on earth as well as in the spirit world. If mortals would only understand that as regards eternity, the soul is the great thing which they possess and should be given more care and development than any and all other parts of man's being.

I may come again soon and go fuller into a statement concerning the soul and its functions and importance. Tonight I will not write more. With my love and blessings, I am

Your brother in Christ,
John

Lot Writes a Short Note That He is Helping James Padgett in His Progress in Spiritual Things

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

I am here, Lot.

Lot of old, I merely want to say that I am with you trying to help you in your progress in spiritual things. I am not so very far away that I cannot come to you when I desire and give you my help.

Well, I will not write more tonight, but will say goodnight.

Your brother in Christ,
Lot

Seleman, ex-Sultan of the Mohammedans, Writes That He Does Not Have Divine Love and is Going to Investigate It

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

I am here, Seleman.

I am an ex-Sultan of the Mohammedans. I do not know time, but about four hundred years ago. Yes, I am still a follower of the Prophet, and I am in our paradise and happy. God is great. Allah is his name and Mohammed is his prophet.

I had a desire to learn what the writers who have written you tonight might say, and so I stayed and listened to them and found that their doctrines of the Divine Love of the Father are new to me. The Mohammedans do not understand this Love, and when I heard that it gave such bliss to those who possessed it, I became interested and wondered what it really meant.

We have not this Love, and our happiness comes to us from our brotherly love and our worship of Allah and our devotion to his prophet. As I wondered, the thought came to me that we should have been taught to know what this Love means, and if our Allah is not such a loving God as the God that these Christians tell of. I am going to inquire into this, because if there be a greater happiness than what I now have, I want to learn about it and, if it exists, to become a partaker of it.

We don't have much intercourse with the Christian spirits, as our Heavens are separate from theirs and we believe that we have the true Heavens and are the chosen of God, and that all these Christians are in the dark.

Well, these Christians seem to be brighter and more beautiful than do the spirits in our Heavens and that has caused me to think, also. I know that in our Heavens, the higher we progress the more beautiful we become and the brighter we seem to be, and that the condition of the progress of the individual determines his appearance and, knowing this, I have come to think that these Christians live in a higher or more progressive Heaven than ours.

I am dissatisfied now, and I will investigate. Can you tell me the best way to do so? Yes, some are who have not written. I will do so. There is one here - a beautiful woman - who says she is your grandmother. I will ask her and maybe she can start me on my investigation. Well, I will say goodnight. I will certainly come again.

Your friend,
Seleman

**********

Helen Confirms the Previous Spirit Writings

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

I am here, Helen.

Well, my dear, you have had a great many writings tonight and you must feel tired and I will not keep you, though, I should like to tell you of my love and my desire for your love. But I must stop.

(Mr. Padgett asked if Seleman had visualized his grandmother.) Yes, he was, and I am interested in him. Your grandmother is talking to him now. I hope that he may see the light.

With all my love, I am

Your own true and loving
Helen

Ann Rollins Writes About the Previous Spirits Who Testified and How Important it Was for James to Know He is Doing the Work of Jesus

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

I am here, your Grandmother.

Well, my dear son, I have been waiting to come for some time, but as you have had so many spirits from various spheres and so different in personality write to you I thought it best to refrain from writing and let them send their communications. I have been much interested in these writings because mostly all of them have testified as to the fact that Jesus writes to you and wants you to do his work and also as to the truth of our statements concerning the Divine Love and the New Birth.

We have felt that this great variety of witnesses would help to convince you of the truths, which we have written and in the future will help very much to convince those who may read our messages. So you see our personal sacrifices have been repaid by the host of witnesses that have appeared and written.

I am so glad that your faith is now so strong and it will grow stronger and you will realize that Jesus is your true friend and is interested in you in many ways. He seems to love you very much and is with you when you little suppose he is. Yes, all the messages that you get in his name are from him, no matter how personal they may appear to be, for as I said, he is interested in you in a way that causes him to care for you in your material affairs. You must believe and you will be benefited and made happier by such belief.

I am very happy and so are your mother and Helen. We are very close to one another and are with one another very much. Helen is a thankful spirit and is with you so very often, loving and trying to comfort you. I will stop now.

Well, he (Ingersoll) is thinking a great deal of what Mr. Riddle and I told him. He is a man, or rather spirit, with much capacity for loving and receiving love and, as soon as he opens up his heart to the inflowing of the Divine Love, he will receive it abundantly. Of course, his course of thinking while on earth will retard his progress and until he changes these ideas, he will not make much progress in his soul development, but I think that he is open minded and honest and will soon see that what we tell him as true is a truth. We will try to help him in every way possible.

Yes, the contrast in our appearances made an impression on him and has caused him to do much thinking. When Mr. Riddle told him the cause, he seemed to be astonished and listened to me when I told him of the higher things with great attention and interest.

Well my dear boy, I must say goodnight.

Your loving Grandmother

Otto Von Bismarck Writes About the War's Outcome and Disagrees with Lafayette's Position

August 1, 1915
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, Bismarck.

Let me say a word. I saw what Lafayette wrote and I don't agree with him on either proposition.

The German Emperor did not bring on this war as the Frenchman said, but it was forced on him. He saw that not only France but England was trying to destroy the great mercantile business which Germany had built up, and that unless he took some means to forestall the efforts of these nations, Germany would lose its commercial prestige and have to submit to the dictates of these rivals; and as a wise Emperor and statesman, he struck the first blow - sharp and quick - and had it not been for the Belgians, he would have reached Paris and accomplished his object.

But that little nation of lacemakers, as we called them, showed that when home was invaded they could fight, and fight they did; and notwithstanding the fact that I am a German, whose sympathies and desires are all with the Germans, yet, I admired the way in which these Belgians fought. Had France such fighters, the Germans would have been out of that country along time ago, and the German territory would now be invaded. But this is past and Germany is still in France and will stay there, notwithstanding the efforts that France and England may make to oust them.

The end of the war is not yet and before that end comes, Paris will fall and the terms of peace will be dictated by the victorious Germans; and France will lose some territory, and England will pay an indemnity and make such concessions to Germany that her commerce will be established and grow to such an extent that she will be second to none as a commercial nation.

Germany will not cease to be an empire - a stronger and greater one than ever. William will not live long after the war ends, but one of his sons will occupy the throne and his family will reign for years. It will not become a republic, although I know the socialists will make a great effort to bring that about; but they will fail.

So I tell you that the French spirit is mistaken and he will find out his mistake before a great many months have gone by. I don't know what causes he imagines he sees, but if he would see the true causes he would draw different conclusions as I do.

I am Bismarck and I am with the German Army trying to show its generals the way to accomplish their objects. I must not write more. I live in the Second Sphere and am trying to find happiness, but this war interferes with my happiness and my progress.

Well, I saw you writing, and I saw Washington and Lafayette engaged in writing and I stopped to listen and became interested in both the writing and the subject matter, and when Lafayette wrote as he did, I determined to give my views and, hence, I wrote.

You must excuse my intrusion, but I thought it just to express what I think about the war. I will not take up more of your time. So with my kind regards, I am

Your friend,
Bismarck

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

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

I am here, Professor Salyards.

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

It was the Master, you must not doubt.

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

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

seek the Love and help of the Father. 

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

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

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

Your old friend and teacher,
J. Salyards

Judge Frank D. Syrick Writes A Message to His Friend, James

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

I am here, Syrick.

Let me say a word, I am your late friend and brother in spiritualism. Yes, I am able to write some and your wife told me to try as she wishes me to get stronger and realize that I am living as a spirit.

Well, I am here and alive and have my Rose with me. She is so very beautiful and loving and I am very happy to be with her, but I have already learned that I am not suited to live with her for she is so much higher in her spiritual development than I am, but she tells me that I can progress and I am going to try with all my might.

Well, old friend, the uncertain has become certain and I know now that spirits can and do communicate with mortals. Do not let any doubts that you may have leave you and believe with all your heart that you have received the messages from your band and others as you have been informed.

I can tell you this, that you have as your wife and soulmate the most beautiful of all the spirits that I have yet seen. I had no conception of what beauty was until I came here and saw your wife and Rose and Dr. Stone's Mary. She is very beautiful also and loves him, I know, with a very deep love.

As this is my first attempt, I am tired and must stop. Well, I know no one whom I would rather that it should belong to than you, so keep it and think of me sometimes.

So with my kindest regards and best wishes,

I am your true friend,
Frank D. Syrick

Helen Writes that Her Husband and Soulmate Will Soon Hear Her Voice

February 20, 1915
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, Helen.

I am here to tell you that you are my own loving Ned and that I could not let you stop writing until I told you how dear you are to me. Yes, I am so very, very happy and am willing that you should share it all with me.

Yes, you will hear my voice soon in your own room. We will then talk love as well as write it. Oh, my darling, how much I love you tonight. I see your heart is open to my love and I want you to get so much of it that you will be happy all the day long.

I must not write much tonight for you are tired and you must not exhaust yourself.

Yes, he is full of love and his faith is very strong. He is a most unusual spirit and is strong for the higher things and will progress very rapidly. I know. He is with his soulmate a great deal and she has a wonderful influence over him and is leading him to the higher thoughts and greater love.

Alice is progressing. She is praying and believing she will soon be in the Third Sphere and she loves you so much and wants you to love her and continue to pray for her.

He says that you need not ask his father for he loves you too much to get offended. You must love him more and believe in him more and he will give you a communication that will satisfy you.

She is here, and says that you are very good to think of her and love her and that she returns your love and hopes that very soon we may all be able to talk as you desire. She is now trying to bring about conditions that will enable us to succeed.

I will stop and say goodnight.

Your own dear and loving,
Helen

Helen Describes Her Work in Finding Soulmates and Bringing Them Together

January 27, 1915
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, your own Helen.

Well, I am engaged, as you know, among other things, in finding the spirits' soulmates and bringing them together. Well, there is a spirit here who believes that the soulmate theory is a false one, and only intended to deceive those who are so very lonely and unhappy, and that a man who has any stamina or any intellect will not be fooled by such ideas as that soulmates exist and are waiting to become one. Well, he was in that condition of loneliness and was very unhappy, although he had very great intellectual acquirements, and prided himself on that fact; and he thought that love and kindred things are for women and foolish men, when he was suddenly visited by a most beautiful spirit and asked if he had yet found his soulmate. He replied that he had not and didn't want to, unless she should happen to be as beautiful as the spirit who was talking to him; and that if such a thing could be, he would be most happy to find her.

Well, she asked him why he should suppose that his soulmate would be so beautiful, when he was a spirit who was not so very attractive looking, and all crooked, and devoid of anything that would tend to make him appreciate beauty or love in another. He said that he did not consider himself so unattractive as she said, because he was possessed of a knowledge of very many things that the ordinary spirit did not have, and that, consequently, he must be more attractive looking than she described him to be. And as to love, why he could love, he thought, if he could find anyone whom he considered worth being loved. Then she told him that she was his soulmate, but that he could never have her until he acquired more love and larger understanding of spiritual things. That her home was up in the Fifth Sphere, and that he could not go there to live with her until he had gotten sufficient love in his soul to make him fitted to dwell there; and that the longer he delayed trying to get this love the longer he would be separated from her and would, now that he knew she was his soulmate, be most unhappy. That his intellectual acquirements would not help him very much, and that the only thing that would enable him to progress to where she lived was a development of love in his soul.

He said that he did not know much about love, but that if she would only show him the way to obtain it, he would devote his whole soul and efforts to getting it. She then told him that he must give up the pride, which he indulged in and which kept him so encased in himself, and learn to love everybody else in a brotherly way and God with all his heart and soul. And that when he made that effort, he would find that this love which she, as his soulmate, must have from him would come to him and he would soon realize that in all the spirit world love is the greatest thing to possess. And that when a spirit has that he needs nothing else to make him happy.

He did not seem to comprehend what she said, but said he would try to let his pride of intellect leave him, and make an effort to let his soul receive this love; that thereafter love should be first and knowledge and everything merely intellectual follow after.

So, you see, a soulmate may be found, but not acquired, until love commensurate with the love possessed by the higher soul is gotten by the lower soul.

No merely intellectual acquirement is sufficient to attract and make one, two soulmates. Only love in perfect harmony can bring about this union. Let love rule and happiness is the lot of all spirits. But, of course, this love is comparative, and so is the ensuing happiness.

Your own true and loving Helen

A.G. Riddle, An Old Friend and Law Partner, Shares His Life in the Spirit World

December 16, 1914
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, your old partner.

I want to talk a little with you. You have not given me the opportunity before and I commenced to think that you did not wish to hear from me. Well, I will try my best and will talk to you about the laws of control of spirits over human beings.

You are not very different from us in your mental or spiritual conditions. We, of course, have no physical bodies but our spiritual bodies are very much like those we had on earth in former shape, except that we are young and strong and not affected by those things, which you are subject to.

You must know, however, that we are all affected to a greater or lesser degree by the condition of our soul development.

Your wife, for instance, is now a very beautiful spirit both as regards her spiritual body as well as her spiritual soul. She is one of the most beautiful that I come in contact with except your mother and grandmother, who are beyond my ability to describe.

I am also very different, but not so very much changed, as I have not yet made very great progress in the things pertaining to the involution of the soul. My ideas are not very much changed as I still think that I am a man who must depend upon himself for his advancement and that God is a way off somewhere in the Heavens and not much interested in my welfare.

But your father is now in another plane and I commence to wonder why he should progress and I be left to live in this earth plane, and as I think of this, I feel that there must be something more to my being lifted out of my present conditions through my own efforts.

I hear what your mother tells me but somehow I do not quite catch the import of her teachings as I believe that her ideas are more or less the result of her training on earth and have no actual foundation for a belief in the help of the Holy Spirit to rest upon, but as I see the wonderful change in your wife and father, I cannot but think that there must be something more - than my own efforts at elevating myself - is necessary to my rising out of my present condition. So I am thinking deeply on the subject.

Your grandmother has also told me of the wonderful work of the Holy Spirit in her case, as well as in that of very many other spirits who were in my condition when they first came to the spirit world and it all makes me think that there is something in this wonderful transformation of these spirits beyond what I have ever thought of.

I will try to learn what it is, if I possibly can. So if you can help me in any way, please do so for I do not want to remain in this state if there is any way for me to progress out of it.

You seem to be in great favor with some spirits, who have told me that they were benefited by you and, hence, I say if you can help me do so.

I have had a spirit come to me, who said he was Jesus, but I did not believe him even though he was of a most exceeding brightness and loveliness. I do not believe in his being Jesus even though your mother told me that he was. But until I can see that he is the true Jesus, I do not care to listen to him, for I have never believed that Jesus is any more than man or that he can save anyone from sin or error. Yet, as he seems so good and lovely, I sometimes think that maybe I am all wrong and that he is, in truth, what he claims to be. I will, in future, listen more to him and if he can show me the way to higher things as your mother claims he can, I will let his teachings linger in my thoughts for consideration.

I am not very happy as I have told you, but I am studying the laws of the spirit world and find them very interesting to my peculiar make of mind.

I find that you can sense my thoughts and write them as you are now doing, but when you are not in a condition you cannot hear what I say or I cannot cause you to move the pencil in conformity with what I desire you to write. Why this is, I am not yet able to determine, but I am told by those who have given a longer investigation to the subject, that you have certain qualities that must respond to certain qualities that I have and if they do not, then there can be no communication. What these qualities are I do not know, only that they do exist and that the more perfect they are the more successful the writing of them with mine. You call it rapport, but that is not exactly the whole meaning of the condition, for some people seem to have these qualities and, yet, between them and the spirit there is not any rapport or condition of love or sympathy or what else that may be understood in the term. So you see, we do not exactly know just what is necessary to establish this junction of powers or qualities. I am trying to discover what this is, if possible. You seem to have these qualities to a very large extent and I find no difficulty in coming with a condition that enables me to freely express and you to receive what I wish to communicate.

I will inform you of my efforts just as soon as I am able to discover the real secret of this condition that exists.

You are writing what I really express to you. There is no such thing as the subconscious mind. The only mind that you have is the one that enables you to express what you really know of your own thoughts, which do not depend upon what others may infuse into your brain as I am doing now, but which have their origination in your brain and which do not result from exterior minds. What is called the subconscious mind is merely an imaginary thing used by the scientist to denote that which they have no better name to call it by. It is not a part of your self or your brain, but only the image that these wise men use for what they are not able to explain.

So do not think that when something comes to your consciousness that you cannot account for, that it is the subconscious self that produces it. It is not. There are only two sources of thought: one that arises from your own brain; and, the other that comes to you from outside minds as consciousness which is that condition of being that enables you to feel or know that certain things exist either as actualities or as mere ideas which so far as you know have no real existences.

Consciousness is a realization of being nothing that does not exist or is capable of expressing itself in consciousness. Mere dreams are not really things that lie in consciousness for they do not always have an existence, they are only shadows of what might have an existence. So you see, consciousness is not anything else than the evidence of what exists and of what your brain feels or knows. Do not think that I can tell you everything that you may want to know for I cannot. I am only a student as you are but, of course, I am an older one and am in a position to possibly learn more than you.

You must not think that memory is an evidence of any subconsciousness because it is just as much of the faculty of the brain as any other part of it that shows its operations. Memory is not separate or distinct from the brain. It is merely that portion which keeps in full existence knowledge or experiences already gained. Memory creates nothing new and, when you recall things that you once knew and have forgotten, memory only supplies those things from its storehouse which you put there to have filled. So let not the thoughts that memory is anything other than a part of the brain. No subconscious self is involved in memory but memory is its own self and is only a part of the brain as I have said.

There is no middle ground between the brain as a generator or instrument of producing thought and the minds of spirits or others who supply independent thoughts even though sometimes the wise men thought that such thoughts are of their own creation. You seem to be very much interested in this matter and I will give more attention to its study and try to learn the operation of the thoughts of spirits upon the brains of mortals.

No laws that I am acquainted with show that a thought is other than the emanation of what passes through a man's brain and what spirits put into it. I mean that thoughts are not the result of anything but that which arises from the observations of the five senses of a man or from what is suggested by spirits. I have not made myself very clear I know but sometime I will write you more fully and clearly on this subject.

I am engaged in studying the laws of spiritual life and its connection with the earth life. I do not yet know just what that connection is, but I believe that I will very soon. I am sure that you will be much benefited if you will let me tell you occasionally just what your relation as a human is to yourself when you come over here. I do not know that I am very different from what I was on earth except that I am no longer suffering from the limitations which the body placed on me.

My mind is just the same and my ideas of life are nearly the same except that I see that material things are not of very much importance to a man even when he is on earth. You may do everything possible to accumulate and enjoy these things but in a moment you are without them except as your earthly desires and cravings for them may cause you to believe even after you are here, that they are still with you. This is the one great thing that prevents spirits from progressing to higher things. I never cared much for these material things. Yet I find that even the little desires that I had to possess them have held me from progressing to a plane where I am informed intellect rules supreme and when great minds exchange thoughts of moment to both spirit and earth life.

Yes, sometimes he is in the third sphere and is a very happy spirit and is much engaged in his studies of spiritual things. He should be able to tell you a great deal about these things if you give him the opportunity. Yes, I see Mrs. Riddle and Bert very often. They are not very happy because they think that the spirit life is not what it should be. They do not realize that they are altogether in the spirit, but have an idea that they are still a part of the earth and, consequently, as they cannot take any part in earthly affairs they are not so happy. Your mother has been talking to them a great deal lately and trying to teach them of the spiritual things that she so believes in, but I doubt if they are very much impressed.

No, I cannot help them for I do not believe in such things as I told you.

I will try to do as you say, but it will be hard for me to believe that prayer is anything more than the mere expression of a desire and reaches no higher than a man's own mind and wishes.

I will do as you suggest and, if you are right, I shall not fail to give it all my earnest and deepest efforts; if you are right, I shall never know how to thank you, but you will know just as soon as I know. But in the meantime do not let the thought that I am not doing all that I can to make a better man of myself enter into your mind for I am. I will pray with you as you say. I commence to see what you mean and it seems to me that there is some true philosophy in what you say.

I want to get everything that any of God's children may have and if what you tell me is the only way to get this wonderful happiness, I will try even though my doubts are now mountains high. I will pray with you tonight and try to believe with all my mind and soul.

Yes, I will give my attention to them also and if they tell me what they actually know I will get the happiness which they have, so do what you think is best for me and I will try to have the faith that you speak of.

Yes, your father is very different in his appearance and I wondered what caused it and thought that maybe some peculiar condition of his spiritual body had been created by something which he had learned from his wife or mother-in-law. But I now see that it must have been caused by some other powers of influence and I want it, too, if it is for me.

Yes, I see that you are very much interested in not only myself but in them and I will try my best to obtain what you tell me of, so that I may help them as you say. I know that I was not given to spiritual things on earth, but I did not see the necessity of being so, for I thought that when I died I would not need anything but my own help to live a life of comparative happiness. But if you are right, I will soon know the difference, for I shall do as you say. I will pray and ask God to give me faith to believe that He is my saviour from sin.

Yes, I see that there must be something in it. They are all claiming to have the love, but myself, so I must be wrong and they right. You are right, let me think of what you have told me and I will soon know if I am to be like the rest of the band.

Yes, I know that you loved me even when on earth and that thought has helped me to believe that what you tell me to believe, and that what you tell me now is the outgrowth of your love. I am so glad that I have you to think of me and show me the way and now I will say goodnight.

Your one-time friend, A. G. Riddle

Helen Receives God's Divine Love and is Progressing to the Third Sphere

November 16, 1914
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.

I am here, Helen.

I am very happy.

Yes, I am and I feel that God is filling my soul with His Love. I believe that He is my Father and that I am His child. He is very near me and the Holy Spirit is coming into my soul more and more. I have commenced to have more faith in His Love and Grace, and I believe that He is waiting to fill my soul with His Love as you have told me. I am so happy that I can realize that He is my own true Father of Love. He is with me so very much now, that I know that I have been Born Again, as your grandmother has told me I would be if I would only believe and let His Holy Spirit enter into my soul.

I will soon be in the Third Sphere that I told you about, and will then be so very happy. I will come to you just as soon as I realize the change in my condition and tell you of the glories that your mother tells me will be mine. So do not worry more about me as you have done and pray for my salvation. I am soon to be in my new home and then you will know that I am a spirit redeemed.

Yes, it will and you will be so very happy also. Let us both thank God for His Goodness and Love. Let us try to progress more and more until we join each other in this world of light and happiness.

Yes, it has more love for you than ever before and when you commence to really learn what the true meaning of God's Love is you will see that all our past happiness and love are merely shadows of what the real love and happiness is that we may enjoy when the Holy Spirit takes full possession of our souls and makes us feel that the Father's Love and Care are only the one thing necessary for our true happiness and love.

Yes, I will just as soon as I reach that home.

Yes, they all rejoice that I have at last found God and have His Love to that extent that makes my soul free from sin and error.

Yes, and so could I, but I must not write much tonight as you are tired and sleepy.

Goodnight, my own true love, Helen