February 19, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, the spirit of one who died a great many years ago in a far distant country, and when the truths of Christianity were known and practiced by the followers of the Master in the purity in which he taught them. I was a disciple of his but I am not known to history and like a great many others who lived in those days, I worked in a humble way among the poor and simple of the earth. My work was mostly in the country outlying, but close to Palestine, and I was one who received from the spirit world the communications of those spirits who had lived on earth as Christians; and these communications were received in our public worship and interpreted or made plain to the common people by those teachers who had the gift of interpretation.
It was such communications as these that John referred to when he advised us to try the spirits to learn whether they were of God; or in other words, to learn whether they were spirits who had a knowledge of the Christ doctrines, and who came to teach us the truths as they saw them to exist in the spirit world, and who were followers of the Master.
I know that Jesus taught the New Birth and the Divine Love, and the re-bestowal of the great gift which had been forfeited by our first parents at the time of their disobedience.
I also know that he never taught us to look upon him as God, or that any death that he might die would save us from our sins or bring us in at-onement with the Father, or that the Father demanded any sacrifice in order to satisfy his wrath or pay any debt that man might owe to Him. No, the things last mentioned were not embraced in our faith or understanding of what the truths of the Master's teachings were.
We also had the wonderful powers which Jesus possessed in the way of healing, casting out evil spirits, etc., and we never looked upon them as miracles, but as the result of the exercise of the powers which came to us when we received the Divine Love and had the faith which made this Love and all that accompanied it, things of real existence.
Jesus was always the man of love and mercy and benevolence, and never tired of his great work of doing good to the mortal; but these works were merely subordinate to the other great mission that he performed.
Above everything else, he was a teacher of the Father's Love, and the necessity of man's receiving this Love in order to become at-one with the Father, and an accepted child, whose inheritance was immortality and Heaven. So you can readily see what a departure there has been from our teachings and faith and practices, and the lives of simple followers of the Master.
Now I see that belief in the dogmas of the church and mysticisms of God are what constitutes the Christian, and soul development is little preached, or really understood, either by preacher or people; and the real secret of man's salvation has been lost to the world.
I am now in the high Celestial Spheres, where the Love of the Father is most abundant, and the spirits of men live in eternal happiness with the knowledge that immortality is theirs.
I will not write more tonight, as it is late and you are tired. But before I stop, permit me to say, that you are receiving the revelation of the true religion of Jesus, as well as truths which pertain to the condition and existence of the spiritual world and the Celestial Heavens.
So with my love and blessings I am,
Your brother in Christ,
John, the lowly follower of the Master
John Yorking (I was a Jew.)
**********
Helen Comments on the Preceding Spirit.
I am here, your true Helen.
I will write only a line, as it is very late. I never saw him before, but he was from the Celestial Spheres, for he was a wonderfully bright and developed spirit, and had the Love shining forth from his countenance to a wonderful degree. I have no doubt that he is whom he represented himself to be. Good night.
Your own true and loving
Helen
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Monday, May 20, 2013
Ann Rollins Writes About Who and What is God
February 18, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, your Grandmother.
Well, my son, I come tonight as I promised for the purpose of writing you a letter telling you of a certain spiritual truth that I desire you to know.
I am now in the Third Celestial Sphere, as I already told you, and am in a much more exalted condition in my knowledge of spiritual truths that I have ever been and have opened up to me a spiritual view that increases my understanding of truth and of the question of the Father's provisions for the happiness and salvation of His children.
I know now more than ever that He is a real existing God of Love and Power and Wisdom, and that wrath, such as is taught in the Bible, is no part of His Nature and that He has, for His children on earth as well as in the spirit world, only love and solicitude and sympathy.
He is not a God that is afar off waiting for the arrival of the Great Judgment Day in order to approve or condemn His children according to the deeds done on earth, but He is with all men and spirits in a way that His influence of love and beneficence may be felt by them, if they will only place themselves in that condition of receptivity of soul that such influence may be felt for, as we have before said, the relationship and nearness of God to man depends to a very large extent upon the will and desires of man, himself.
God is not, in what may be called His personality, with men as has been taught by the teachers of the religions of the Bibles of the world, and men do not live, move and have in Him their being, as Saint Paul wrote, for His personality has a location which is not everywhere but in the High Heavens.
I know that this will appear startling to many persons, orthodox and otherwise, and that it apparently takes from them the consolation of believing and feeling that God is with and in them; but, nevertheless, what I say is true.
He is not in them or in nature as some of the scientists, who believe in God, say. He is not in every flower or tree or other manifestation of His creation. And, as regards His personality, is not omnipresent, though He has a knowledge of all things which He created, I say which He has created, for there are some things which appear to man as a part of the realities of the universe, which He did not create, but which man alone created, and for these things has no love and does not approve of or favor their existence, and in the end they will be destroyed from the face of His universe.
And when I say that God, in His personality, is not everywhere and not with men at all times forming a part of their being, I do not mean that it shall be understood that He is not the loving watchful Father, trying to make them happy and save them from the results of their own many wrongdoings, for such inference would not be true.
And while, as I say, He is not with men in this personality, yet He is with them in the sense and truth that His attributes of Love and Wisdom and Knowledge and Power are with them always. Life emanates from God, but life is not God, it is only one of His attributes conferred upon the objects of His creation that they may live and grow and fulfill the designs of their creation; and when that purpose has been accomplished, He withdraws from them this attribute of life, and men can realize that fact. God has not, Himself, ceased to be a part of that object, for He never was a part of it, but only this attribute has ceased to be a part of the object. God is the source and origin of all life, but that life is merely one of His creatures, as we say, as is man or other things which mortals call matter.
Man does not live and move and have his being in God, but merely in the attributes of God. So you see not all these attributes together constitute God, for He is a personality from which all these attributes flow. I know that it is difficult for you to comprehend the full purport of what I intend to convey, but you may in a way grasp my meaning.
Love is a greater attribute than even life, but love is not God, just as love is not man, though it is his greatest possession when it exists in its purity; and as man has many attributes which all together do not make the man, so God has many, and yet they are only parts of His Nature and not He.
Man has a physical body and a mind and yet, they do not constitute man, for he may lose them both and still be man, or spirit, that is - the ego - the soul is the real man, the personality; and all the wonderful parts of man, such as the mind and affections and desires and will are merely of him, and if he were deprived of any of them, he would still be man, though not the perfect man as when they are all with him performing their proper functionings.
And man is so created that, unless he has these qualities, which in his creation were made parts of him, and which were necessary to make him the perfect creature that he was, while he is still man, yet he is not the perfect man that God decreed him to be; and until these qualities are fully restored or regained by him, he will not be the man that was the greatest handiwork of the Almighty.
And God is not God by reason of having these qualities, but these qualities exist, because they are the attributes of God. He never loses them, nor do they become hidden or cease to do their functioning, but always are they existing and working and obedient to His being.
God is Soul, and Soul is God, and in this Soul does His personality consist without individuality, but real and existing - and life from which flow all these Attributes of Life and Love, etc., of which I have spoken. God is Spirit, but spirit is not God, only one of His Qualities.
I write this to give you some additional conception of who and what God is, and to show you that He is not in man nor does man have his being in God. To further show you that God does not and could not exist in the same place with those things which are not in accord with His Nature and qualities and were He in man or man in Him, then no sin or error or things which violate would exist.
I must stop now, but will come soon to finish my message.
With all my love, I am your
Grandmother.
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, your Grandmother.
Well, my son, I come tonight as I promised for the purpose of writing you a letter telling you of a certain spiritual truth that I desire you to know.
I am now in the Third Celestial Sphere, as I already told you, and am in a much more exalted condition in my knowledge of spiritual truths that I have ever been and have opened up to me a spiritual view that increases my understanding of truth and of the question of the Father's provisions for the happiness and salvation of His children.
I know now more than ever that He is a real existing God of Love and Power and Wisdom, and that wrath, such as is taught in the Bible, is no part of His Nature and that He has, for His children on earth as well as in the spirit world, only love and solicitude and sympathy.
He is not a God that is afar off waiting for the arrival of the Great Judgment Day in order to approve or condemn His children according to the deeds done on earth, but He is with all men and spirits in a way that His influence of love and beneficence may be felt by them, if they will only place themselves in that condition of receptivity of soul that such influence may be felt for, as we have before said, the relationship and nearness of God to man depends to a very large extent upon the will and desires of man, himself.
God is not, in what may be called His personality, with men as has been taught by the teachers of the religions of the Bibles of the world, and men do not live, move and have in Him their being, as Saint Paul wrote, for His personality has a location which is not everywhere but in the High Heavens.
I know that this will appear startling to many persons, orthodox and otherwise, and that it apparently takes from them the consolation of believing and feeling that God is with and in them; but, nevertheless, what I say is true.
He is not in them or in nature as some of the scientists, who believe in God, say. He is not in every flower or tree or other manifestation of His creation. And, as regards His personality, is not omnipresent, though He has a knowledge of all things which He created, I say which He has created, for there are some things which appear to man as a part of the realities of the universe, which He did not create, but which man alone created, and for these things has no love and does not approve of or favor their existence, and in the end they will be destroyed from the face of His universe.
And when I say that God, in His personality, is not everywhere and not with men at all times forming a part of their being, I do not mean that it shall be understood that He is not the loving watchful Father, trying to make them happy and save them from the results of their own many wrongdoings, for such inference would not be true.
And while, as I say, He is not with men in this personality, yet He is with them in the sense and truth that His attributes of Love and Wisdom and Knowledge and Power are with them always. Life emanates from God, but life is not God, it is only one of His attributes conferred upon the objects of His creation that they may live and grow and fulfill the designs of their creation; and when that purpose has been accomplished, He withdraws from them this attribute of life, and men can realize that fact. God has not, Himself, ceased to be a part of that object, for He never was a part of it, but only this attribute has ceased to be a part of the object. God is the source and origin of all life, but that life is merely one of His creatures, as we say, as is man or other things which mortals call matter.
Man does not live and move and have his being in God, but merely in the attributes of God. So you see not all these attributes together constitute God, for He is a personality from which all these attributes flow. I know that it is difficult for you to comprehend the full purport of what I intend to convey, but you may in a way grasp my meaning.
Love is a greater attribute than even life, but love is not God, just as love is not man, though it is his greatest possession when it exists in its purity; and as man has many attributes which all together do not make the man, so God has many, and yet they are only parts of His Nature and not He.
Man has a physical body and a mind and yet, they do not constitute man, for he may lose them both and still be man, or spirit, that is - the ego - the soul is the real man, the personality; and all the wonderful parts of man, such as the mind and affections and desires and will are merely of him, and if he were deprived of any of them, he would still be man, though not the perfect man as when they are all with him performing their proper functionings.
And man is so created that, unless he has these qualities, which in his creation were made parts of him, and which were necessary to make him the perfect creature that he was, while he is still man, yet he is not the perfect man that God decreed him to be; and until these qualities are fully restored or regained by him, he will not be the man that was the greatest handiwork of the Almighty.
And God is not God by reason of having these qualities, but these qualities exist, because they are the attributes of God. He never loses them, nor do they become hidden or cease to do their functioning, but always are they existing and working and obedient to His being.
God is Soul, and Soul is God, and in this Soul does His personality consist without individuality, but real and existing - and life from which flow all these Attributes of Life and Love, etc., of which I have spoken. God is Spirit, but spirit is not God, only one of His Qualities.
I write this to give you some additional conception of who and what God is, and to show you that He is not in man nor does man have his being in God. To further show you that God does not and could not exist in the same place with those things which are not in accord with His Nature and qualities and were He in man or man in Him, then no sin or error or things which violate would exist.
I must stop now, but will come soon to finish my message.
With all my love, I am your
Grandmother.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Robert G. Ingersoll Writes About His Progress Since Obtaining the Divine Love of the Father
February 18, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, Robert G. Ingersoll.
Well, my friend, I come tonight to say a few words, for I have been very anxious to take advantage of your kindness and communicate a few thoughts that have come as the result of my progress here in matters spiritual. As I told you in my last communication, I am a thoroughly convinced spirit as to the truths of Christianity as taught by the Master - not as set forth in the Bible, but as I have been instructed by him and your grandmother,* and other bright spirits, since I have had my understanding and soul opened to these great truths.
I have progressed very much since I last wrote you and have received into my soul a wonderful abundance of this Divine Love of the Father, which you first called to my attention when I thought that you were a foolish and deceived man. But I now know that you were not foolish, nor deceived, for this Divine Love is a real, existing thing, and is obtainable by all God's children, whether on earth or in the spirit world, who may seek for it in the way that the Master teachers.
My mind, as well as my soul, has opened up to the truth of these teachings, and I now realize that I was in great darkness on earth in my own beliefs and teachings, and that man is not of himself sufficient to bring about his own salvation, but must seek for and believe that his salvation is dependent very largely upon the help that will come to him from the spirit world. I mean, that such help is necessary whether he seeks the Divine Love of the Father or only the purification of his natural love and the happiness that will arise therefrom.
Of course, man's own will and desires are important factors in obtaining this salvation, and he may go on for his whole mortal life, and for a long time after he comes into the spirit world, and never obtain this salvation unless he realizes the fact that he needs this outside help and that it is ready and open to him for the seeking.
I know that many may be astonished and refuse to believe that I am now in this condition of belief; but as I when on earth sought only for the truth, so when I came to the spirit world, I sought for the truth, and when I found it, as I have, I believed and accepted it and made it a part of my faith with the result that I am now convinced beyond all doubt that I am the possessor of a knowledge that has its foundation in truth which never changes.
I am in the earth plane yet, but in a very bright and beautiful location and free from the darkness and sufferings that I first endured when I came to the spirit world.
Life is a thing that is lived on earth only for a short time, and man is given the opportunity to make of it the great means of his salvation and progress to the higher spheres of light and happiness and immortality that those bright spirits tell me of; and when men fail to make the most of the opportunity which the mortal life affords, then they lose that which, when they become spirits, would help them beyond all conception to progress to the higher realms. I know that in the case of many thinking men, as in my own case, it is impossible for them to believe the teachings and dogmas of the churches and the interpretations and even many of the precepts of the Bible and, as a consequence, men turn entirely away from these things, though there are many truths in the Bible, and become seekers of knowledge which science and their own reasoning powers afford them.
But the trouble here is that science does not teach things spiritual and their reasoning powers must be based very largely upon what their senses tell them to be true; and these senses can only learn what naturally comes to them, which necessarily is of the material. As a consequence, men discard entirely all things spiritual which they cannot understand and thus render impossible any development of their soul qualities, except that they do realize the great qualities of their natural love and, in many cases, develop it and in that way gain a progress that does help them in their condition of light and happiness both on earth and here.
Well, as you suggest that you are tired, I will stop, but will soon come and finish my communication. Yes, and I am glad that you feel that way about it. You have many spirits here who desire to write and some of them are such elevated and wise spirits that I feel that their writings will benefit you more than mine.
Yes, I am with her quite often, and she is a wonderful spirit in love and wisdom and has such deep and wondrous knowledge of God and His Love. I almost adore her and feel that if I had not met her, I probably would not be where I now am. I tell you, I am thankful that I came to you that night.
Yes, I see your wife quite frequently and she is a wonderfully beautiful and happy spirit, and makes so many other spirits happy by her goodness and help. She is a very positive spirit as well and she lets nothing stand in the way of her work and mission.
So, my dear friend, I will say good night and God bless you.
R.G. Ingersoll
*Ann Rollins
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, Robert G. Ingersoll. Well, my friend, I come tonight to say a few words, for I have been very anxious to take advantage of your kindness and communicate a few thoughts that have come as the result of my progress here in matters spiritual. As I told you in my last communication, I am a thoroughly convinced spirit as to the truths of Christianity as taught by the Master - not as set forth in the Bible, but as I have been instructed by him and your grandmother,* and other bright spirits, since I have had my understanding and soul opened to these great truths.
I have progressed very much since I last wrote you and have received into my soul a wonderful abundance of this Divine Love of the Father, which you first called to my attention when I thought that you were a foolish and deceived man. But I now know that you were not foolish, nor deceived, for this Divine Love is a real, existing thing, and is obtainable by all God's children, whether on earth or in the spirit world, who may seek for it in the way that the Master teachers.
My mind, as well as my soul, has opened up to the truth of these teachings, and I now realize that I was in great darkness on earth in my own beliefs and teachings, and that man is not of himself sufficient to bring about his own salvation, but must seek for and believe that his salvation is dependent very largely upon the help that will come to him from the spirit world. I mean, that such help is necessary whether he seeks the Divine Love of the Father or only the purification of his natural love and the happiness that will arise therefrom.
Of course, man's own will and desires are important factors in obtaining this salvation, and he may go on for his whole mortal life, and for a long time after he comes into the spirit world, and never obtain this salvation unless he realizes the fact that he needs this outside help and that it is ready and open to him for the seeking.
I know that many may be astonished and refuse to believe that I am now in this condition of belief; but as I when on earth sought only for the truth, so when I came to the spirit world, I sought for the truth, and when I found it, as I have, I believed and accepted it and made it a part of my faith with the result that I am now convinced beyond all doubt that I am the possessor of a knowledge that has its foundation in truth which never changes.
I am in the earth plane yet, but in a very bright and beautiful location and free from the darkness and sufferings that I first endured when I came to the spirit world.
Life is a thing that is lived on earth only for a short time, and man is given the opportunity to make of it the great means of his salvation and progress to the higher spheres of light and happiness and immortality that those bright spirits tell me of; and when men fail to make the most of the opportunity which the mortal life affords, then they lose that which, when they become spirits, would help them beyond all conception to progress to the higher realms. I know that in the case of many thinking men, as in my own case, it is impossible for them to believe the teachings and dogmas of the churches and the interpretations and even many of the precepts of the Bible and, as a consequence, men turn entirely away from these things, though there are many truths in the Bible, and become seekers of knowledge which science and their own reasoning powers afford them.
But the trouble here is that science does not teach things spiritual and their reasoning powers must be based very largely upon what their senses tell them to be true; and these senses can only learn what naturally comes to them, which necessarily is of the material. As a consequence, men discard entirely all things spiritual which they cannot understand and thus render impossible any development of their soul qualities, except that they do realize the great qualities of their natural love and, in many cases, develop it and in that way gain a progress that does help them in their condition of light and happiness both on earth and here.
Well, as you suggest that you are tired, I will stop, but will soon come and finish my communication. Yes, and I am glad that you feel that way about it. You have many spirits here who desire to write and some of them are such elevated and wise spirits that I feel that their writings will benefit you more than mine.
Yes, I am with her quite often, and she is a wonderful spirit in love and wisdom and has such deep and wondrous knowledge of God and His Love. I almost adore her and feel that if I had not met her, I probably would not be where I now am. I tell you, I am thankful that I came to you that night.
Yes, I see your wife quite frequently and she is a wonderfully beautiful and happy spirit, and makes so many other spirits happy by her goodness and help. She is a very positive spirit as well and she lets nothing stand in the way of her work and mission.
So, my dear friend, I will say good night and God bless you.
R.G. Ingersoll
*Ann Rollins
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Priscilla Stone Writes that She is With Her Son, Dr. Leslie R. Stone, Very Often with Her Love
February 17, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, Mother.
I am here and I want to say just a word to my son* as I have not written him for some time, and you know how much a mother's love means. I only want to say that I am with him so very often with my love and mother's longings for his happiness and prosperity. He, I know, has a great deal of the Father's Love in his soul and that brings him so much nearer to me and causes me the happiness which the knowledge gives me that he will when he comes over become one of us in our consciousness of immortality.
Oh! I tell you that this knowledge is a thing more precious to me than I can express, for it shows me that he, my boy, is very dear to the Father and to his elder brother, Jesus, the glorious one and the most loving one. Why if I could only tell you of the love of the Master for you both, you would never more doubt that you are his chosen ones for the great work which lies ahead of you, and which even more is resulting in the salvation of many.
He may not know that he is helping you in your work among the dark spirits, but he is, and very frequently when you two are sitting together and talking about the great Love of the Father and the fact that these poor spirits can be helped by the higher spirits, these dark ones hear you and many times they believe enough in you to cause them to seek our help and thereby learn the way to light. It makes me so happy because I know for each of these spirits that are rescued from their darkness and suffering there comes to you an additional blessing from the Father, and increased love from all the spirits who love to linger around you.
So, tell my boy, that what I say is true, and he must realize that while he cannot communicate to these spirits as you do, yet, he has helped many of these spirits with his conversation and the love which he had in his soul and which these spirits sense when they come in close contact with him as they frequently do.
We are all very happy and are waiting for the day of our uniting, which will be in God's own time, but not now, he has a work to do on earth and until that work is done he will not come to us, and that is more real than apparent. His little soulmate certainly loves him, and at times we all tease her but she seems to rather enjoy it, and she does. His father and sisters send their love and want him to know that they are with him very much. So, thanking you for your kindness, I will say with all my love and blessings for you both,
His Mother,
Priscilla Stone
*Dr. Leslie R. Stone
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, Mother.
I am here and I want to say just a word to my son* as I have not written him for some time, and you know how much a mother's love means. I only want to say that I am with him so very often with my love and mother's longings for his happiness and prosperity. He, I know, has a great deal of the Father's Love in his soul and that brings him so much nearer to me and causes me the happiness which the knowledge gives me that he will when he comes over become one of us in our consciousness of immortality.
Oh! I tell you that this knowledge is a thing more precious to me than I can express, for it shows me that he, my boy, is very dear to the Father and to his elder brother, Jesus, the glorious one and the most loving one. Why if I could only tell you of the love of the Master for you both, you would never more doubt that you are his chosen ones for the great work which lies ahead of you, and which even more is resulting in the salvation of many.
He may not know that he is helping you in your work among the dark spirits, but he is, and very frequently when you two are sitting together and talking about the great Love of the Father and the fact that these poor spirits can be helped by the higher spirits, these dark ones hear you and many times they believe enough in you to cause them to seek our help and thereby learn the way to light. It makes me so happy because I know for each of these spirits that are rescued from their darkness and suffering there comes to you an additional blessing from the Father, and increased love from all the spirits who love to linger around you.
So, tell my boy, that what I say is true, and he must realize that while he cannot communicate to these spirits as you do, yet, he has helped many of these spirits with his conversation and the love which he had in his soul and which these spirits sense when they come in close contact with him as they frequently do.
We are all very happy and are waiting for the day of our uniting, which will be in God's own time, but not now, he has a work to do on earth and until that work is done he will not come to us, and that is more real than apparent. His little soulmate certainly loves him, and at times we all tease her but she seems to rather enjoy it, and she does. His father and sisters send their love and want him to know that they are with him very much. So, thanking you for your kindness, I will say with all my love and blessings for you both,
His Mother,
Priscilla Stone
*Dr. Leslie R. Stone
Friday, May 17, 2013
St. Luke Writes Further on the Development of the Soul in its Natural Love
February 16, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, Luke.
Well do you think you can take my message tonight? It looks like you may. At any rate we will try.
As I was saying, "In what way is a man to obtain this development of the soul in its natural love?"
In the first place, he must recognize the fact that he does not live to himself, alone; that what he conceives to be the workings of his own mind and will are not always the result of thoughts and desires that originate in him, but are largely the products of the influences of the workings of the minds of spirits who are around him, trying to impress him with their desires and wills; and. consequently, you will understand that it is very important to man as to what kind of spirit influences he has surrounding and working upon him. If these influences are good, the better it is for his progress in the development of this natural love; but if they are evil influences then, of course, such development is retarded.
Consequently, the first thing for a man to do is to attempt to attract to himself influences of the higher nature; and he can do so by trying to cultivate good thoughts and to indulge in good and moral acts. The great Law of Attraction, that we have written about, applies and works in such cases as this, as it does in every other relation of God's universe. If a man's thoughts are evil, there will always be attracted to him spirits of similar thoughts; and when they come to him, they attempt to and succeed in intensifying these evil thoughts of his, which attract them to him.
It must emphatically be understood in this regard, that man may and often does originate his own thoughts and desires, and it is not necessary that any influence of these evil spirits should be present and operate upon his brain or affections, in order that these evil thoughts and desires should come into existence. And again, man has a will power that is susceptible of being exercised, free from the wills of these evil spirits; and you will see how true this is when you remember that he can exercise that will power, free and independent from the Will of God Himself. So I say that these thoughts and desires may and do originate in man, free and independent of the wills or influences of these evil spirits; and as a fact, these spirits are attracted to him only when these thoughts that he has originated are evil.
Now, if man would have this progress that I speak of, he should endeavor to have good and pure thoughts and desires, and then he will attract to him spirits who are good and pure, and their influences will help him to a wonderful degree in strengthening and increasing these thoughts, and make it less and less likely that evil thoughts will arise in his brain, or evil desires in his affections; and as a consequence, his will power will be exercised in doing those things which are good and moral. Now, while man may originate these thoughts and desires, he must also know as a truth that this progress is not dependent upon him alone, for when he is in that condition to attract the good spirits, they will invariably come to him and render their help; and it will prove to be a wonderful and never failing help.
Now, man's thoughts and desires are not always, as may be supposed, the result of something that may be hidden within himself, and of which he may not know its existence. I mean not in all cases, and probably in only a minority of cases; for most frequently are these thoughts and desires the children of an objective influence, that comes to him by reason of objects becoming sensible to his ordinary senses, which create or suggest these thoughts or desires.
Without going into details, you will understand what I mean, but as a mere illustration: a glass of whiskey may and does suggest to a man who likes whiskey, the thought and desire that he should take a drink, and thereby bring into operation his will, which is followed by the act of drinking. And so with many other objects which a man meets in the course of his daily life. But these thoughts and desires arise not only from seeing objects, but also from feeling and tasting them.
And again, these objective suggestions, causing these thoughts and desires, arise and exist not only from the real object sensed, but also from words and thoughts which are expressed by other human beings in course of conversations or in books and literature. And when they come in this way, they are frequently more effective than in any other and, hence, as these objective words and thoughts enter the mind of man, they create similar thoughts, which frequently intensify and attract the evil spirits of like thoughts, with their degenerating influences. Hence, the importance of a man avoiding companionship where such communications take place and the books and literature where these evil suggestions are made.
It has been well said that, "Evil communications corrupt good manners;" and I may add that such communications corrupt good thoughts and produce evil desires and retard the progress of the soul in its natural love. For it must be remembered that this love is pure and free from all evil or taint of defilement when it is fully developed and anything that tends to defile it retards the progression of the soul in this particular.
So the plain lesson to be drawn from all this is that man must, in the first place, make the effort to have only good and pure thoughts and desires from his inner self, and next, he must avoid those objects and associations that tend to cause to arise in him these evil thoughts, and thirdly, he must learn the truth that when he has these evil thoughts, he attracts to himself spirits of evil who, by their influence, can and do intensify these evil thoughts and desires.
I know as regards this last mentioned truth, that the majority of men have no knowledge of its existence; but it is time that they should learn that such a danger to their soul's progression does exist and is always imminent. And they should learn this other fact that when their thoughts are pure and free from defilement, they have surrounding them the influence of good spirits, who work to increase and make permanent their good thoughts; and as these good thoughts continue, the natural love develops towards its pristine condition of purity, and man comes nearer to his designed condition of existence.
So you will see from this, that as man's thoughts and desires become freed from these things that tend to defile him, he naturally progresses toward that condition which is necessary, in order for him to have this development of the soul in its natural love. Again, the development may be helped very much by man thinking and doing acts of charity and kindness and observing the Golden Rule; for every act of charity and kindness and self-sacrifice for the sake of others has its reflex action in his own condition of love and soul and helps their development.
In short, the observance by man of all the moral laws, which are many and varied, tends to bring about the development of the natural love. And this must be remembered, that as this development proceeds, the tendency to indulge in the perverted appetites of the flesh, as they are called, will disappear; and as it disappears, this love, of course, becomes purer and sweeter, and brings man nearer to his state of perfection.
And again, the meditation upon spiritual things, and the out-flowing of this love towards the Father will cause the progression for while all men, as we have said, do not seek for the Divine Love, yet as all men are children of God, he helps them to the full extent of their desires; towards happiness, and the perfecting of this love in its natural pure state and with which he endowed them at their creation. Upon their will and aspirations depends the nature of the help which the Father gives to them; but always He gives his help and blessings and to the fullest. His great desire is that man shall become perfect in that love which they possess and which they seek for; and the natural love in its qualities may become as perfect in man, as may the Divine Love in its qualities. Each is just as much in harmony with God's universe in its respective qualities as is the other.
So I say, man is helped, and more than in any other way, by his meditations of the higher things of his being, and by prayer and aspirations to the Father, who hears the prayers of the man who has only this natural love, and answers them just as He does the prayers of the man who has the Divine Love in his soul.
Ultimately all sin and evil will be eradicated from the universe, and man in his mere natural love will become pure and perfected and happy.
I have tried in my inefficient way to show man how he may progress in the development of his natural love, and if he will follow my advice, he will succeed. For as man, by the indulging of these perverted appetites of the flesh, and the exercise of his will power, fell to a low degree of degeneracy, so he can by ceasing to indulge in these perverted appetites, and the exercise of that same will power, rise again to his condition of purity in his natural love.
And besides, he has the help of the Father and the good angels in his efforts to recover, and also the experience of the result of his fall, which he may not be conscious of, but which in his inner self has an existence and is continually working.
Well my dear brother I must stop; and I feel that you have taken my message very successfully. Read it over and correct errors of construction. I will come soon and write again.
Your brother in Christ,
Luke
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, Luke.
Well do you think you can take my message tonight? It looks like you may. At any rate we will try.
As I was saying, "In what way is a man to obtain this development of the soul in its natural love?"
In the first place, he must recognize the fact that he does not live to himself, alone; that what he conceives to be the workings of his own mind and will are not always the result of thoughts and desires that originate in him, but are largely the products of the influences of the workings of the minds of spirits who are around him, trying to impress him with their desires and wills; and. consequently, you will understand that it is very important to man as to what kind of spirit influences he has surrounding and working upon him. If these influences are good, the better it is for his progress in the development of this natural love; but if they are evil influences then, of course, such development is retarded.
Consequently, the first thing for a man to do is to attempt to attract to himself influences of the higher nature; and he can do so by trying to cultivate good thoughts and to indulge in good and moral acts. The great Law of Attraction, that we have written about, applies and works in such cases as this, as it does in every other relation of God's universe. If a man's thoughts are evil, there will always be attracted to him spirits of similar thoughts; and when they come to him, they attempt to and succeed in intensifying these evil thoughts of his, which attract them to him.
It must emphatically be understood in this regard, that man may and often does originate his own thoughts and desires, and it is not necessary that any influence of these evil spirits should be present and operate upon his brain or affections, in order that these evil thoughts and desires should come into existence. And again, man has a will power that is susceptible of being exercised, free from the wills of these evil spirits; and you will see how true this is when you remember that he can exercise that will power, free and independent from the Will of God Himself. So I say that these thoughts and desires may and do originate in man, free and independent of the wills or influences of these evil spirits; and as a fact, these spirits are attracted to him only when these thoughts that he has originated are evil.
Now, if man would have this progress that I speak of, he should endeavor to have good and pure thoughts and desires, and then he will attract to him spirits who are good and pure, and their influences will help him to a wonderful degree in strengthening and increasing these thoughts, and make it less and less likely that evil thoughts will arise in his brain, or evil desires in his affections; and as a consequence, his will power will be exercised in doing those things which are good and moral. Now, while man may originate these thoughts and desires, he must also know as a truth that this progress is not dependent upon him alone, for when he is in that condition to attract the good spirits, they will invariably come to him and render their help; and it will prove to be a wonderful and never failing help.
Now, man's thoughts and desires are not always, as may be supposed, the result of something that may be hidden within himself, and of which he may not know its existence. I mean not in all cases, and probably in only a minority of cases; for most frequently are these thoughts and desires the children of an objective influence, that comes to him by reason of objects becoming sensible to his ordinary senses, which create or suggest these thoughts or desires.
Without going into details, you will understand what I mean, but as a mere illustration: a glass of whiskey may and does suggest to a man who likes whiskey, the thought and desire that he should take a drink, and thereby bring into operation his will, which is followed by the act of drinking. And so with many other objects which a man meets in the course of his daily life. But these thoughts and desires arise not only from seeing objects, but also from feeling and tasting them.
And again, these objective suggestions, causing these thoughts and desires, arise and exist not only from the real object sensed, but also from words and thoughts which are expressed by other human beings in course of conversations or in books and literature. And when they come in this way, they are frequently more effective than in any other and, hence, as these objective words and thoughts enter the mind of man, they create similar thoughts, which frequently intensify and attract the evil spirits of like thoughts, with their degenerating influences. Hence, the importance of a man avoiding companionship where such communications take place and the books and literature where these evil suggestions are made.
It has been well said that, "Evil communications corrupt good manners;" and I may add that such communications corrupt good thoughts and produce evil desires and retard the progress of the soul in its natural love. For it must be remembered that this love is pure and free from all evil or taint of defilement when it is fully developed and anything that tends to defile it retards the progression of the soul in this particular.
So the plain lesson to be drawn from all this is that man must, in the first place, make the effort to have only good and pure thoughts and desires from his inner self, and next, he must avoid those objects and associations that tend to cause to arise in him these evil thoughts, and thirdly, he must learn the truth that when he has these evil thoughts, he attracts to himself spirits of evil who, by their influence, can and do intensify these evil thoughts and desires.
I know as regards this last mentioned truth, that the majority of men have no knowledge of its existence; but it is time that they should learn that such a danger to their soul's progression does exist and is always imminent. And they should learn this other fact that when their thoughts are pure and free from defilement, they have surrounding them the influence of good spirits, who work to increase and make permanent their good thoughts; and as these good thoughts continue, the natural love develops towards its pristine condition of purity, and man comes nearer to his designed condition of existence.
So you will see from this, that as man's thoughts and desires become freed from these things that tend to defile him, he naturally progresses toward that condition which is necessary, in order for him to have this development of the soul in its natural love. Again, the development may be helped very much by man thinking and doing acts of charity and kindness and observing the Golden Rule; for every act of charity and kindness and self-sacrifice for the sake of others has its reflex action in his own condition of love and soul and helps their development.
In short, the observance by man of all the moral laws, which are many and varied, tends to bring about the development of the natural love. And this must be remembered, that as this development proceeds, the tendency to indulge in the perverted appetites of the flesh, as they are called, will disappear; and as it disappears, this love, of course, becomes purer and sweeter, and brings man nearer to his state of perfection.
And again, the meditation upon spiritual things, and the out-flowing of this love towards the Father will cause the progression for while all men, as we have said, do not seek for the Divine Love, yet as all men are children of God, he helps them to the full extent of their desires; towards happiness, and the perfecting of this love in its natural pure state and with which he endowed them at their creation. Upon their will and aspirations depends the nature of the help which the Father gives to them; but always He gives his help and blessings and to the fullest. His great desire is that man shall become perfect in that love which they possess and which they seek for; and the natural love in its qualities may become as perfect in man, as may the Divine Love in its qualities. Each is just as much in harmony with God's universe in its respective qualities as is the other.
So I say, man is helped, and more than in any other way, by his meditations of the higher things of his being, and by prayer and aspirations to the Father, who hears the prayers of the man who has only this natural love, and answers them just as He does the prayers of the man who has the Divine Love in his soul.
Ultimately all sin and evil will be eradicated from the universe, and man in his mere natural love will become pure and perfected and happy.
I have tried in my inefficient way to show man how he may progress in the development of his natural love, and if he will follow my advice, he will succeed. For as man, by the indulging of these perverted appetites of the flesh, and the exercise of his will power, fell to a low degree of degeneracy, so he can by ceasing to indulge in these perverted appetites, and the exercise of that same will power, rise again to his condition of purity in his natural love.
And besides, he has the help of the Father and the good angels in his efforts to recover, and also the experience of the result of his fall, which he may not be conscious of, but which in his inner self has an existence and is continually working.
Well my dear brother I must stop; and I feel that you have taken my message very successfully. Read it over and correct errors of construction. I will come soon and write again.
Your brother in Christ,
Luke
Thursday, May 16, 2013
St. Clement Writes that He is an Inhabitant of the Celestial Spheres
February 15, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am Saint Clement the Pope.
I merely want to say that I am glad to be able to testify as to the work that you have been selected to do, and as to the fact that Jesus and many of the high spirits write to you.
I know that my testimony is not necessary in order to convince you of these facts, but there may be some who will more readily believe when they know that a Pope of the Roman Catholic church gave his testimony to these facts.
I am now an inhabitant of the Celestial Spheres and am happy beyond description. But, as I have told you, I was compelled to undergo great sufferings before I was relieved of my recollections of the evil that I had done on earth. But I will write you more in detail later and hope that I may have the opportunity.
So wishing you success and happiness, I am
Your brother in Christ,
St. Clement
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am Saint Clement the Pope.
I merely want to say that I am glad to be able to testify as to the work that you have been selected to do, and as to the fact that Jesus and many of the high spirits write to you.
I know that my testimony is not necessary in order to convince you of these facts, but there may be some who will more readily believe when they know that a Pope of the Roman Catholic church gave his testimony to these facts.
I am now an inhabitant of the Celestial Spheres and am happy beyond description. But, as I have told you, I was compelled to undergo great sufferings before I was relieved of my recollections of the evil that I had done on earth. But I will write you more in detail later and hope that I may have the opportunity.
So wishing you success and happiness, I am
Your brother in Christ,
St. Clement
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Helen Writes that White Eagle is in Charge of the Dark Spirits Who Desire to Write Through James E. Padgett
February 11, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, Helen.
Well, these spirits wanted so much to write, but White Eagle won't let them do so, for he tells them that this is not their night, and that if they will come on Wednesday night they may write. He is very good and kind to them, and they understand him, and while they are disappointed yet they take his advice and leave.
Well sweetheart, I am so glad that you are feeling better, for you were not in good condition last night, and I think it was because you were worrying over Nita, but, as I told you, there is no necessity for you to worry.
I am very happy in my new home, and I intend to write you about it very soon, and I know you will be much pleased to learn what a beautiful home I have.
I will write my other message first, as I promised, and you will think that I can do a little deep thinking as well as can some of the other spirits. So try to get into a very good condition, for you know, there are a number of spirits who have promised to write to you, and they are all anxious to do so.
I was not present, but he* told me that he had written. He is a spirit who has progressed considerably and seems to be very anxious to get the Father's Love. He almost worships your grandmother, who has been so good and kind to him; and believes implicitly in her advice and her love for him; and he is with us a great deal, and never seems to tire of listening to your grandmother. I know that he will soon get the Love in his heart and will progress to a higher sphere. He has a great deal of the natural love and seems to love his family so much. Well, I will not write about these other spirits as it is late.
The Judge** is progressing and is with you quite often as you receive the messages from the higher spirits. He is much interested in them and thinks that it is wonderful that you should attract to you so many of the spirits from the Celestial Heavens. He says that he did not appreciate you when on earth; and is so sorry that he did not, for he believes that he would be in a better condition now had he understood your advice.
He is quite happy though, and so is his Rose, who is with him nearly all the time. They make a happy couple, and Rose wants me to send her love. They are here now and want to write, but I tell them it is too late. He says, "Not on your life," as he is with the one that he loves and who loves him, and there is no other in all the universe for him. And Rose says he is right, and that he does not want any little Dutch girl, or any other girl. So they both send their love.
He says he will be glad to do so. He says he will try his best to prepare a message that will be interesting, but not such a one as he might have written for the University, that he sees how mistaken Dr. Holler is in his ideas of spiritual things and in his teachings, that he would like to write the Doctor a letter telling him of his mistakes, but he supposes the Doctor wouldn't believe that he had written it.
But I must stop or they will talk all night. Take good care of yourself and love me with all your heart, for I love you more than I can tell you. I must leave you now. With all my love I am,
Your own true and loving,
Helen
*Stephen B. Elkins
**Judge Frank D. Syrick
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, Helen.
Well, these spirits wanted so much to write, but White Eagle won't let them do so, for he tells them that this is not their night, and that if they will come on Wednesday night they may write. He is very good and kind to them, and they understand him, and while they are disappointed yet they take his advice and leave.
Well sweetheart, I am so glad that you are feeling better, for you were not in good condition last night, and I think it was because you were worrying over Nita, but, as I told you, there is no necessity for you to worry.
I am very happy in my new home, and I intend to write you about it very soon, and I know you will be much pleased to learn what a beautiful home I have.
I will write my other message first, as I promised, and you will think that I can do a little deep thinking as well as can some of the other spirits. So try to get into a very good condition, for you know, there are a number of spirits who have promised to write to you, and they are all anxious to do so.
I was not present, but he* told me that he had written. He is a spirit who has progressed considerably and seems to be very anxious to get the Father's Love. He almost worships your grandmother, who has been so good and kind to him; and believes implicitly in her advice and her love for him; and he is with us a great deal, and never seems to tire of listening to your grandmother. I know that he will soon get the Love in his heart and will progress to a higher sphere. He has a great deal of the natural love and seems to love his family so much. Well, I will not write about these other spirits as it is late.
The Judge** is progressing and is with you quite often as you receive the messages from the higher spirits. He is much interested in them and thinks that it is wonderful that you should attract to you so many of the spirits from the Celestial Heavens. He says that he did not appreciate you when on earth; and is so sorry that he did not, for he believes that he would be in a better condition now had he understood your advice.
He is quite happy though, and so is his Rose, who is with him nearly all the time. They make a happy couple, and Rose wants me to send her love. They are here now and want to write, but I tell them it is too late. He says, "Not on your life," as he is with the one that he loves and who loves him, and there is no other in all the universe for him. And Rose says he is right, and that he does not want any little Dutch girl, or any other girl. So they both send their love.
He says he will be glad to do so. He says he will try his best to prepare a message that will be interesting, but not such a one as he might have written for the University, that he sees how mistaken Dr. Holler is in his ideas of spiritual things and in his teachings, that he would like to write the Doctor a letter telling him of his mistakes, but he supposes the Doctor wouldn't believe that he had written it.
But I must stop or they will talk all night. Take good care of yourself and love me with all your heart, for I love you more than I can tell you. I must leave you now. With all my love I am,
Your own true and loving,
Helen
*Stephen B. Elkins
**Judge Frank D. Syrick
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