October 12, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, Luke.
I will say only a few words tonight. I have heard the preacher's (Rev. J. S. Gordon) remarks and your conversation regarding the same. Well, the preacher, as you say, is broader-minded than most orthodox preachers and has some knowledge of spiritualism, yet intellectually he believes in the trinity and vicarious atonement and some other of the fundamental doctrines of the church. He has in his soul considerable Divine Love without knowing just what this Love means, except that from its possession he experiences a wonderful happiness and a consciousness that God is close to him in His Love. He has not formulated these feelings of his soul into mental beliefs, but his realization of the presence of the Love comes to him notwithstanding the intellectual drawbacks which, in a degree, retard the growth of his soul. But, as he says, he rests more upon the unconscious knowledge, if I may call it such, of his possession, and the actual living, working presence of this Love, than upon the beliefs in these dogmas of the church.
He has a comparatively open mind, but as he believes so implicitly in the Bible, he has not yet found any evidence in other writings or books or teachings sufficiently strong to cause him to renounce his beliefs in the Bible teachings. But should he find such evidence he would not hesitate to change his beliefs in these things for what might appear to him to be the truth. He is not one of the iron-bound believers in the church dogmas or ecclesiastical interpretations and constructions of the declarations of the Bible, so that under all circumstances, and in spite of truths that might otherwise come to him, he would say a thing is true just because it is in the Bible. He will grow in freedom and knowledge, and it may be well for you to get acquainted with him and gradually declare to him the truths as we have explained them to you.
It is not necessary for me to comment on a particular thing that he preached, for some things that he said are true and some things are not.
I am glad that you three (Dr. Leslie R. Stone, Eugene Morgan and James E. Padgett) are so interested in these matters as to cause you to listen to the thoughts that the preacher expresses and to comment upon and analyze them. It will do you good and develop in you a large understanding of what we have been writing you. The argument of contrast is sometimes a very powerful and discriminating one, and I would advise you to attend his discourses, whenever you feel that he intends to preach upon a subject that may affect or in any way relate to the truths in which you are interested.
Give my love to your friends and tell them to believe and pray and especially pray, for thereby will light and knowledge and faith come to them. I will say good night and leave you my blessing.
Your brother in Christ,
Luke
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Saturday, September 21, 2013
John Writes that Jesus Will Never Come in all His Glory and Power and Take Men into His Heaven
October 11, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, St. John.
I merely want to say that I have been listening to your reading of my message and heard your comments on the same, and you are correct in what you and your friend said.
There is scarcely a greater error in the beliefs of men that retard the development of their souls than the belief that at sometime Jesus will come in all his glory and power and take men into his Heaven just as they are in body, soul and spirit. This belief has for a long time prevented many men from seeking to develop their soul qualities, either as to the natural love or as to the Divine Love, for as a basis of their faith is that saying in the Bible that, "Whosoever believes in the Lord Jesus Christ shall be saved." And many thinking that they have this belief are contented therein and further believe that because of that belief, they will be carried into the Heavens of Jesus when he comes even though in the meantime, they may have given up the earth life.
It is deplorable that men should believe these things and live and die in this belief which, of course, is wholly intellectual. But such is the fact, and we spirits who know the truth have for all the long centuries been so anxious that men should know the Truth and have been working among men by means of spirit impression, and sometimes by revelation to help them learn not only the truth, but the errors of their beliefs.
And as our efforts have not been very successful, we concluded to use the means that we are now using and to reveal to mankind in our own words and thoughts the truths of God as regards man and all things connected with him.
And here I want to say with all the emphasis that I can, that you and your friends must believe that the communications that you receive as to these Truths are written by us and in our own words, and that your mind does not supply a thought or suggestion, and that you are used only as a medium to convey our thoughts and lend your physical organs to facilitate our expressing in our own language the Truths that we desire to convey.
So no matter how improbable some things may seem to you, you must accept them as true, for nothing but the Truth will be written. And further, we will not allow any spirit who is not in our band, or who has not this Divine Love, to write on any of the Truths that are necessary to be revealed to the world.
I thought this the proper place to say this, as I desire to assure your friend of the reality of the messages and the source from which they come. I will not write more now and will say good night. With my love to you both, I am
Your brother in Christ,
John
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, St. John.
I merely want to say that I have been listening to your reading of my message and heard your comments on the same, and you are correct in what you and your friend said.
There is scarcely a greater error in the beliefs of men that retard the development of their souls than the belief that at sometime Jesus will come in all his glory and power and take men into his Heaven just as they are in body, soul and spirit. This belief has for a long time prevented many men from seeking to develop their soul qualities, either as to the natural love or as to the Divine Love, for as a basis of their faith is that saying in the Bible that, "Whosoever believes in the Lord Jesus Christ shall be saved." And many thinking that they have this belief are contented therein and further believe that because of that belief, they will be carried into the Heavens of Jesus when he comes even though in the meantime, they may have given up the earth life.
It is deplorable that men should believe these things and live and die in this belief which, of course, is wholly intellectual. But such is the fact, and we spirits who know the truth have for all the long centuries been so anxious that men should know the Truth and have been working among men by means of spirit impression, and sometimes by revelation to help them learn not only the truth, but the errors of their beliefs.
And as our efforts have not been very successful, we concluded to use the means that we are now using and to reveal to mankind in our own words and thoughts the truths of God as regards man and all things connected with him.
And here I want to say with all the emphasis that I can, that you and your friends must believe that the communications that you receive as to these Truths are written by us and in our own words, and that your mind does not supply a thought or suggestion, and that you are used only as a medium to convey our thoughts and lend your physical organs to facilitate our expressing in our own language the Truths that we desire to convey.
So no matter how improbable some things may seem to you, you must accept them as true, for nothing but the Truth will be written. And further, we will not allow any spirit who is not in our band, or who has not this Divine Love, to write on any of the Truths that are necessary to be revealed to the world.
I thought this the proper place to say this, as I desire to assure your friend of the reality of the messages and the source from which they come. I will not write more now and will say good night. With my love to you both, I am
Your brother in Christ,
John
Friday, September 20, 2013
Elias Writes of His Experience as a Prophet on Earth and the Beliefs of the Hebrews at that Time
October 11, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, Elias (Elijah, Prophet to the Hebrews).
I will write a short message tonight as I promised.
While on earth I was a prophet to the Hebrews and tried to warn them that God was not pleased with the manner in which they were living, especially in not obeying the commandments as to their worship and the individual lives they were leading. I was not a man who knew the attributes of God as I now know them, for then, to me, He was more a God of wrath and jealousy than of Love and Mercy, and the most of my teachings were to warn the Hebrews of the wrath that would certainly fall upon them unless they were more obedient and followed the laws of Moses.
I now know that the wrath of God is not a thing to be feared, and that His wrath is not a thing of reality. That when men disobey His laws and neglect to worship Him in truth and in spirit, His feeling towards them is one more of pity and sorrow than of wrath, and that instead of punishment, He extends to them His Mercy and Love.
In my time, the God of Love was not known to the people in any practical way, although He was written of as a God of Love, and the people were not looking so much for love as the fearing His wrath; and it was only by threatening them with His wrath could they be made to realize that they were disobedient and aliens from Him.
They had not that soul development that comes with love, and their aspirations were almost wholly for the possession of the things of life and for a happiness that such possession could give to them, as they thought. They expected a Kingdom of God on earth and such Kingdom was to be one that should rule and govern the earthly affairs of men. Of course, they believed that when such Kingdom should be established, sin and the troubles of life would be eradicated, and all the world would be subject to the dominion of such Kingdom.
Their hopes and aspirations were in the nature of national hopes and aspirations and not in those of the individual. The individual was swallowed up in the nation and happiness was to be a national one instead of an individual one, except so far as the national happiness might be reflected upon and partaken of by the individuals.
I, myself, knew nothing of the Divine Love and could not possibly have known, for then it was not open to man's seeking, as it had not been restored by the Father. But I knew of a higher development of the natural love than did most of the people and realized what increased happiness such development would give to the individual who might possess it. I also knew that prosperity and power of the nation, as such, would not bring the happiness of love, but only the pleasures and satisfaction which increased possessions would naturally create.
The Jews were a carnally-minded race and the development of the spiritual side of their natures was very slight. Their acquisitiveness was large both as individuals and as a nation, and when they were prosperous they lost their sense of dependence on God and resorted to those practices and that manner of living that would enable them, as they thought, to get the most enjoyment out of their possessions. The future, that is the future after death, did not enter very much into their consideration of existence, and they lived emphatically for the present. If you will read the Biblical history of those times, you will find that most of the warnings of the prophets came to them when they - as a nation - were most prosperous and, as they thought, independent of God, or at least, of not being compelled to call upon Him for help and succor.
What I have said showed the characteristics of the Jews, and they still have these characteristics although, since the coming of Christ and the teachings of his doctrines that have become so widely known, the spirituality of the Jews have been increased and broadened. At times they would heed my warnings and at other times they would not. Sometimes they considered me as a friend, and sometimes as an enemy.
Well, I was psychic and frequently heard voices of instruction and admonition from the unseen world and, as was our knowledge in those days, supposed that such voices was the voice of God, and so proclaimed to the people. But now I know that such voices were those of spirits that were trying to help the people and bring them to a realization of the moral truths which Moses had taught.
When Jesus was born into the flesh, there came with him a rebestowal of the Divine Love, and through his teachings that fact became known to men. We, who were in the higher spirit spheres, also came to know of that gift, and while none of us received it to the degree that Jesus did, yet we received it and became pure and holy spirits, free from sin and error, and partakers of the Divine Essence of the Father and possessors of immortality.
And so, at the time of the transfiguration on the mount, some of us possessed that Love to such a degree that our appearances were shining and bright, as described in the Bible. But Jesus was brighter than Moses or myself, for he had more of this Divine Love in his soul and could manifest it to the wonderful degree that he did, notwithstanding his physical body.
Our appearance and his appearance on the mount were to show to the mortals and spirits that the Divine Love had been rebestowed and received by both mortals and spirits, and this was the cause of our meeting. And while accounts of that event have been disseminated in the mortal world ever since its occurrence, so also, had that fact became known in portions of the spirit world and many spirits, as well as mortals, have sought for and found that Love to their eternal happiness.
Its existence was a fact then and it is a fact now, and the Love is open to all mankind as well as spirits.The voice that the apostles heard proclaiming that Jesus was the well beloved son was not the voice of God, but that of one of the Divine spirits whose mission it was to make the proclamation. This incident was not a myth but an actual fact that formed a part of the Plan of the Father to assure man of his salvation.
I will not write more now, but will come later and write you further on this subject of the rebestowal of the Love and of my experience in receiving it. So with my love and blessings, I will say good night.
Your brother in Christ,
Elias
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, Elias (Elijah, Prophet to the Hebrews).
I will write a short message tonight as I promised.
While on earth I was a prophet to the Hebrews and tried to warn them that God was not pleased with the manner in which they were living, especially in not obeying the commandments as to their worship and the individual lives they were leading. I was not a man who knew the attributes of God as I now know them, for then, to me, He was more a God of wrath and jealousy than of Love and Mercy, and the most of my teachings were to warn the Hebrews of the wrath that would certainly fall upon them unless they were more obedient and followed the laws of Moses.
I now know that the wrath of God is not a thing to be feared, and that His wrath is not a thing of reality. That when men disobey His laws and neglect to worship Him in truth and in spirit, His feeling towards them is one more of pity and sorrow than of wrath, and that instead of punishment, He extends to them His Mercy and Love.
In my time, the God of Love was not known to the people in any practical way, although He was written of as a God of Love, and the people were not looking so much for love as the fearing His wrath; and it was only by threatening them with His wrath could they be made to realize that they were disobedient and aliens from Him.
They had not that soul development that comes with love, and their aspirations were almost wholly for the possession of the things of life and for a happiness that such possession could give to them, as they thought. They expected a Kingdom of God on earth and such Kingdom was to be one that should rule and govern the earthly affairs of men. Of course, they believed that when such Kingdom should be established, sin and the troubles of life would be eradicated, and all the world would be subject to the dominion of such Kingdom.
Their hopes and aspirations were in the nature of national hopes and aspirations and not in those of the individual. The individual was swallowed up in the nation and happiness was to be a national one instead of an individual one, except so far as the national happiness might be reflected upon and partaken of by the individuals.
I, myself, knew nothing of the Divine Love and could not possibly have known, for then it was not open to man's seeking, as it had not been restored by the Father. But I knew of a higher development of the natural love than did most of the people and realized what increased happiness such development would give to the individual who might possess it. I also knew that prosperity and power of the nation, as such, would not bring the happiness of love, but only the pleasures and satisfaction which increased possessions would naturally create.
The Jews were a carnally-minded race and the development of the spiritual side of their natures was very slight. Their acquisitiveness was large both as individuals and as a nation, and when they were prosperous they lost their sense of dependence on God and resorted to those practices and that manner of living that would enable them, as they thought, to get the most enjoyment out of their possessions. The future, that is the future after death, did not enter very much into their consideration of existence, and they lived emphatically for the present. If you will read the Biblical history of those times, you will find that most of the warnings of the prophets came to them when they - as a nation - were most prosperous and, as they thought, independent of God, or at least, of not being compelled to call upon Him for help and succor.
What I have said showed the characteristics of the Jews, and they still have these characteristics although, since the coming of Christ and the teachings of his doctrines that have become so widely known, the spirituality of the Jews have been increased and broadened. At times they would heed my warnings and at other times they would not. Sometimes they considered me as a friend, and sometimes as an enemy.
Well, I was psychic and frequently heard voices of instruction and admonition from the unseen world and, as was our knowledge in those days, supposed that such voices was the voice of God, and so proclaimed to the people. But now I know that such voices were those of spirits that were trying to help the people and bring them to a realization of the moral truths which Moses had taught.
When Jesus was born into the flesh, there came with him a rebestowal of the Divine Love, and through his teachings that fact became known to men. We, who were in the higher spirit spheres, also came to know of that gift, and while none of us received it to the degree that Jesus did, yet we received it and became pure and holy spirits, free from sin and error, and partakers of the Divine Essence of the Father and possessors of immortality.
And so, at the time of the transfiguration on the mount, some of us possessed that Love to such a degree that our appearances were shining and bright, as described in the Bible. But Jesus was brighter than Moses or myself, for he had more of this Divine Love in his soul and could manifest it to the wonderful degree that he did, notwithstanding his physical body.
Our appearance and his appearance on the mount were to show to the mortals and spirits that the Divine Love had been rebestowed and received by both mortals and spirits, and this was the cause of our meeting. And while accounts of that event have been disseminated in the mortal world ever since its occurrence, so also, had that fact became known in portions of the spirit world and many spirits, as well as mortals, have sought for and found that Love to their eternal happiness.
Its existence was a fact then and it is a fact now, and the Love is open to all mankind as well as spirits.The voice that the apostles heard proclaiming that Jesus was the well beloved son was not the voice of God, but that of one of the Divine spirits whose mission it was to make the proclamation. This incident was not a myth but an actual fact that formed a part of the Plan of the Father to assure man of his salvation.
I will not write more now, but will come later and write you further on this subject of the rebestowal of the Love and of my experience in receiving it. So with my love and blessings, I will say good night.
Your brother in Christ,
Elias
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Elias Writes that He is the Prophet of the Transfiguration
October 8, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, Elias.
I am the Prophet. I merely want to say that I desire to write you a message and will be pleased to do so as soon as it may be convenient. I have something to write which may be of interest to you as well as of importance to mankind.
Well, I will speak to her. Yes, I know her and she is a beautiful spirit having much of the Father's Love in her soul and is the real person who was on earth your wife, and now is your wife more than ever. You are blessed in having such a soulmate and she loves you with a wonderful love. So believe in her and love her and you will be a happy mortal as well as a happy spirit when you come over.
I am the Elias of the Transfiguration, which was a scene of actual occurrence, and which disseminated a great truth that humanity has never understood, but which you have had explained to you. But I will describe more in detail and explain more lucidly its signification.
I will come soon and with the assurance that I am interested in you and your work, I will say good night.
Your brother in Christ,
Elias.
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, Elias.
I am the Prophet. I merely want to say that I desire to write you a message and will be pleased to do so as soon as it may be convenient. I have something to write which may be of interest to you as well as of importance to mankind.
Well, I will speak to her. Yes, I know her and she is a beautiful spirit having much of the Father's Love in her soul and is the real person who was on earth your wife, and now is your wife more than ever. You are blessed in having such a soulmate and she loves you with a wonderful love. So believe in her and love her and you will be a happy mortal as well as a happy spirit when you come over.
I am the Elias of the Transfiguration, which was a scene of actual occurrence, and which disseminated a great truth that humanity has never understood, but which you have had explained to you. But I will describe more in detail and explain more lucidly its signification.
I will come soon and with the assurance that I am interested in you and your work, I will say good night.
Your brother in Christ,
Elias.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Luke Writes About the Special Guardians for Eugene Morgan, Dr. Leslie R. Stone and James E. Padgett
October 5, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, Luke.
I did not come to write a message tonight but merely to corroborate what Mr. (Eugene) Morgan told you I had spoken to him. It was I and he understood correctly what I said and what I said to him is the truth. I want him to believe for I have a spiritual interest in him and in his spiritual progression and am with him very often trying to help him.
As the preacher (Dr. Gordon) said tonight, back of each mortal who thinks thoughts and evil deeds, I mean of the kind that is important, is an unseen spirit using its influence to suggest truths and inspire soul. And while they are unseen, yet are they evil and more or less harmful?
If men could only know who these unseen helpers are, they would understand the power and wisdom that are back of him helping their thoughts and attempting to control their acts. Sometimes a mortal will have more than one of such helpers but as a general proposition, there exists some special helper who is with the mortal more constantly than the others and acquiring a rapport which the general helpers do not have.
I will tell you now who these spirit helpers and writers of you three men who have been selected for the great work are: Dr. (Leslie R.) Stone is James; Mr. Morgan's is myself; and yours is John; and over and above all - helping all three of you - is Jesus, the highest and most knowing of all. You must each and all believe this and not be astonished if to each of you comes his special guardian quite often.
I thought it best to make it known to you these facts as from the knowledge three of you may realize that back of you are spirits who are powerful and filled with the Father's Love. Believe and pray and you will find that in each of you will develop a spiritual power that will cause you much happiness and the certainty of your relation with us.
I will come soon and write you a message. With all my love and blessing, I will say good night.
Your brother in Christ,
Luke
**********
Helen Confirms Luke's Message
I am here, your own true and loving Helen.
I see that you may have some doubts as to who the last writer was because of his announcement of such an important fact as the guardians who are with you there. It was Luke who wrote and what he wrote I know to be true. It is wonderful that these spirits should assume such a relationship with you and the wonder is that it is true.
So all of you believe and conduct your lives and thoughts in accordance with the assurance given you. I thought I would write my message tonight but it is too late. I was with you at church and in your walk afterwards and so was Mary and we enjoyed the conversation very much.
Yes, I wrote the message and wrote it with all my love and desire to help you. It was true and you will realize that I wrote you will come to pass. Keep up your courage and believe in us all for we are all trying to help and do and will. Well, I must stop now. So believe that I love you and am,
Your own true and loving,
Helen
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, Luke.
I did not come to write a message tonight but merely to corroborate what Mr. (Eugene) Morgan told you I had spoken to him. It was I and he understood correctly what I said and what I said to him is the truth. I want him to believe for I have a spiritual interest in him and in his spiritual progression and am with him very often trying to help him.
As the preacher (Dr. Gordon) said tonight, back of each mortal who thinks thoughts and evil deeds, I mean of the kind that is important, is an unseen spirit using its influence to suggest truths and inspire soul. And while they are unseen, yet are they evil and more or less harmful?
If men could only know who these unseen helpers are, they would understand the power and wisdom that are back of him helping their thoughts and attempting to control their acts. Sometimes a mortal will have more than one of such helpers but as a general proposition, there exists some special helper who is with the mortal more constantly than the others and acquiring a rapport which the general helpers do not have.
I will tell you now who these spirit helpers and writers of you three men who have been selected for the great work are: Dr. (Leslie R.) Stone is James; Mr. Morgan's is myself; and yours is John; and over and above all - helping all three of you - is Jesus, the highest and most knowing of all. You must each and all believe this and not be astonished if to each of you comes his special guardian quite often.
I thought it best to make it known to you these facts as from the knowledge three of you may realize that back of you are spirits who are powerful and filled with the Father's Love. Believe and pray and you will find that in each of you will develop a spiritual power that will cause you much happiness and the certainty of your relation with us.
I will come soon and write you a message. With all my love and blessing, I will say good night.
Your brother in Christ,
Luke
**********
Helen Confirms Luke's Message
I am here, your own true and loving Helen.
I see that you may have some doubts as to who the last writer was because of his announcement of such an important fact as the guardians who are with you there. It was Luke who wrote and what he wrote I know to be true. It is wonderful that these spirits should assume such a relationship with you and the wonder is that it is true.
So all of you believe and conduct your lives and thoughts in accordance with the assurance given you. I thought I would write my message tonight but it is too late. I was with you at church and in your walk afterwards and so was Mary and we enjoyed the conversation very much.
Yes, I wrote the message and wrote it with all my love and desire to help you. It was true and you will realize that I wrote you will come to pass. Keep up your courage and believe in us all for we are all trying to help and do and will. Well, I must stop now. So believe that I love you and am,
Your own true and loving,
Helen
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Paul Writes About "What is the real body that is resurrected at the time of the physical death?"
October 4, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, Paul.
Yes, I come tonight to write you upon a subject that may be of interest to you and important to all mankind. If you are in condition to receive my message I will write. Well, the subject is: "What is the real body that is resurrected at the time of the physical death?"
Of course, there will be but one resurrection and that takes place at the time the mortal becomes an inhabitant of the spirit world. There will never be what is called a general resurrection of the dead, for the mortal can die only once - I mean in a physical sense. In order to live in the spirit realms, it is necessary that he have a spirit body that preserves the identity of his individuality, and having this body (and never having been without it after the soul is incarnated in the earthly body) and not needing an additional body, there is no possibility of another resurrection, or of another body being added to the one that the soul already has.
The body that dies when the man ceases to be a mortal disintegrates into its elements, and never again do these elements form the same body that becomes decayed and, hence, it is impossible for that body to be resurrected. The only body that is ever resurrected is the body that encloses the soul of the mortal at the time he gives up the earth life.
I know that many believe that when the man dies, his conscious existence ceases, and he becomes, as it were, dead in body, soul and spirit; that although the physical body decays and returns to dust or ashes, yet the soul and spirit, in some mysterious and unexplainable manner, continues to exist as an unthinking sleeping entity not subject to sensation or activity, and so remains until the great day of judgment or of Christ's coming when, in response to the summons, it arouses itself, answers the summons, and again becomes clothed in the body which it possessed while in the human form. In their belief, it may not be the exact or identical body which once existed, but the new body will be one of flesh and blood and of such a nature as to be in substance the same body that was dead and buried and decayed.
But this is not true. For the very laws of nature, with which men are acquainted, prove the impossibility of such an occurrence. And many arguments have been formulated and declared to prove that such a resurrection cannot be - that it will be wholly impossible for the elements that constituted the old body to again assemble in the same form and give to the soul the body that it discarded when it experienced its freedom from the bonds of the flesh.
But the advocates of this untrue theory respond that God is all powerful and, in some way not understood by men, will resurrect this old body and clothe the soul therein so that the identity of the individual will appear. It must be remembered that God works and produces beings and entities in accordance with laws that he has established, and not by any special, sporadic act, irrespective of and, as said, in contravention of these laws.
Man understands, to some extent, the workings of these laws in what he calls nature, or the normal, and some spirits understand not only what man understands, but also the workings of these laws that may be called above nature or super-normal, and the laws work the same and without change or interference in the one case as in the other.
As it would be impossible to clothe a mortal having one body of flesh with another body of flesh, so in the spirit world it would be impossible to clothe the spirit who has a spirit body with any additional body, whether of flesh or other substance. This spirit body is a thing of real substance and not susceptible of being enveloped in any other body.
Well, I see that you are not in condition to write and I will postpone the remainder of the message until later. I have not written you for some time and am glad of the opportunity to again write. I understand what you mean and will act on your suggestion as I think it a very wise and desirable one. I will come more often and write. So with all my love I will say, good night.
Your brother in Christ,
Paul
**********
Paul Continues the Previous Message
October 5, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington D.C.
I am here, Paul.
I will finish my message tonight if you are so inclined. Well, we will try.
As I was saying, the body that is resurrected at death is not the physical body, but the spirit body; and never after the first resurrection is there another. I am now dealing with the resurrection other than that of the soul, or the resurrection from the death of which I have before written you.
The body that is once laid in the grave will never be resurrected and neither will any of its elements enter into any other body for the purpose of a resurrection. The body of flesh is created for one purpose only, and when that purpose has been accomplished, never will that body or any derivation from it be used for any other resurrection. This body of flesh is of matter, and like all matter, is used for the life on earth only, and cannot be used for any function or clothing any spirit in the spirit world, and neither can it be translated into the spirit realms. All material bodies must die and never will there come a time when men can leave the earth and enter the spirit life in these material bodies.
I know that it has been written that certain of the prophets of old were translated into the spirit Heavens clothed in their fleshly bodies, but this is not true, for it is impossible that such a thing could be, for the same laws apply to the physical body of the saint as to that of the sinner; both are of the earth - earthly - and must be left behind when the spirits of men enter the Heavens of spirits.
So that when men believe and preach the general resurrection of the material body, or the special resurrection of the same, they are in error and do not believe or preach the truth. Flesh and blood, or flesh without blood, cannot inherit the kingdom, and no belief or teachings can make that true which is untrue.
I do not desire to write more on this subject, because many men who are acquainted with the Laws of Nature, and many more, who will become acquainted with these laws, know and will know and understand the impossibility of the material entering the realm of the spiritual. So thanking you for your kindness, I will say good night.
Your brother in Christ,
St. Paul
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, Paul.
Yes, I come tonight to write you upon a subject that may be of interest to you and important to all mankind. If you are in condition to receive my message I will write. Well, the subject is: "What is the real body that is resurrected at the time of the physical death?"
Of course, there will be but one resurrection and that takes place at the time the mortal becomes an inhabitant of the spirit world. There will never be what is called a general resurrection of the dead, for the mortal can die only once - I mean in a physical sense. In order to live in the spirit realms, it is necessary that he have a spirit body that preserves the identity of his individuality, and having this body (and never having been without it after the soul is incarnated in the earthly body) and not needing an additional body, there is no possibility of another resurrection, or of another body being added to the one that the soul already has.
The body that dies when the man ceases to be a mortal disintegrates into its elements, and never again do these elements form the same body that becomes decayed and, hence, it is impossible for that body to be resurrected. The only body that is ever resurrected is the body that encloses the soul of the mortal at the time he gives up the earth life.
I know that many believe that when the man dies, his conscious existence ceases, and he becomes, as it were, dead in body, soul and spirit; that although the physical body decays and returns to dust or ashes, yet the soul and spirit, in some mysterious and unexplainable manner, continues to exist as an unthinking sleeping entity not subject to sensation or activity, and so remains until the great day of judgment or of Christ's coming when, in response to the summons, it arouses itself, answers the summons, and again becomes clothed in the body which it possessed while in the human form. In their belief, it may not be the exact or identical body which once existed, but the new body will be one of flesh and blood and of such a nature as to be in substance the same body that was dead and buried and decayed.
But this is not true. For the very laws of nature, with which men are acquainted, prove the impossibility of such an occurrence. And many arguments have been formulated and declared to prove that such a resurrection cannot be - that it will be wholly impossible for the elements that constituted the old body to again assemble in the same form and give to the soul the body that it discarded when it experienced its freedom from the bonds of the flesh.
But the advocates of this untrue theory respond that God is all powerful and, in some way not understood by men, will resurrect this old body and clothe the soul therein so that the identity of the individual will appear. It must be remembered that God works and produces beings and entities in accordance with laws that he has established, and not by any special, sporadic act, irrespective of and, as said, in contravention of these laws.
Man understands, to some extent, the workings of these laws in what he calls nature, or the normal, and some spirits understand not only what man understands, but also the workings of these laws that may be called above nature or super-normal, and the laws work the same and without change or interference in the one case as in the other.
As it would be impossible to clothe a mortal having one body of flesh with another body of flesh, so in the spirit world it would be impossible to clothe the spirit who has a spirit body with any additional body, whether of flesh or other substance. This spirit body is a thing of real substance and not susceptible of being enveloped in any other body.
Well, I see that you are not in condition to write and I will postpone the remainder of the message until later. I have not written you for some time and am glad of the opportunity to again write. I understand what you mean and will act on your suggestion as I think it a very wise and desirable one. I will come more often and write. So with all my love I will say, good night.
Your brother in Christ,
Paul
**********
Paul Continues the Previous Message
October 5, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington D.C.
I am here, Paul.
I will finish my message tonight if you are so inclined. Well, we will try.
As I was saying, the body that is resurrected at death is not the physical body, but the spirit body; and never after the first resurrection is there another. I am now dealing with the resurrection other than that of the soul, or the resurrection from the death of which I have before written you.
The body that is once laid in the grave will never be resurrected and neither will any of its elements enter into any other body for the purpose of a resurrection. The body of flesh is created for one purpose only, and when that purpose has been accomplished, never will that body or any derivation from it be used for any other resurrection. This body of flesh is of matter, and like all matter, is used for the life on earth only, and cannot be used for any function or clothing any spirit in the spirit world, and neither can it be translated into the spirit realms. All material bodies must die and never will there come a time when men can leave the earth and enter the spirit life in these material bodies.
I know that it has been written that certain of the prophets of old were translated into the spirit Heavens clothed in their fleshly bodies, but this is not true, for it is impossible that such a thing could be, for the same laws apply to the physical body of the saint as to that of the sinner; both are of the earth - earthly - and must be left behind when the spirits of men enter the Heavens of spirits.
So that when men believe and preach the general resurrection of the material body, or the special resurrection of the same, they are in error and do not believe or preach the truth. Flesh and blood, or flesh without blood, cannot inherit the kingdom, and no belief or teachings can make that true which is untrue.
I do not desire to write more on this subject, because many men who are acquainted with the Laws of Nature, and many more, who will become acquainted with these laws, know and will know and understand the impossibility of the material entering the realm of the spiritual. So thanking you for your kindness, I will say good night.
Your brother in Christ,
St. Paul
Monday, September 16, 2013
John Writes on the True Meaning of the "End of the World"
October 1, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, Saint John.
I come tonight to write a few truths upon the subject of the preacher's (Dr. Gordon's) sermon, as I was present with you and heard his declarations as to the end of the world. I know that among men there are, and have been since the time of the Master, differences in opinion as to when this important event is to take place, and as to the meaning of the "end of the world." Well, men know just about as much now as to the time of this event as they have known all down the centuries and understand the meaning of these prophecies as well as did men from my day down to the present.
In the first place, I will say, there will be no end of the world from any of the causes mentioned by the preacher; and in the next place, there will be no end of the world at all as understood and declared by the orthodox preachers and as is expected by most of the professing Christians.
The world, meaning the earth, will not have an end in the sense of annihilation, but it will continue to revolve on its axis, and to have seed time and harvest, and produce and reproduce those things that are necessary to sustain human life, and have its appropriate seasons of heat and cold, and move along in its orbit as it now does until some change, we know not of now, may come and destroy it; but such change, not any of the prophecies of the Bible, admitting that there are prophecies, can apply to the end of the world in the sense that the preacher understood and declared.
If humanity would only understand that the world that was lost by the disobedience of the first parents was the world of man's immortality and happiness and not the physical world, and that Jesus came to declare the restoration of that world upon condition, and the end of that restoration, then would they know that the material world is not involved in the plan of man's salvation, or in Jesus' mission, or in the declarations of Jesus as to the coming of the end.
Men will continue to be born, live a short time and die the physical death and, as to each individual man, the end of the material world comes when he dies, for thereafter his habitation will be in the spirit world and never more will he have life on earth. All men at some time will have to die the physical death. Then why should it be necessary to include in the plan of God for the salvation of men - the destruction of the material world? For planets and worlds and stars to crash together and destroy would mean that the orderly workings of God's laws must be interfered with in order that men might be destroyed or saved, according as they might be snatched up into the air, or left to their own weakness on earth.
Such interpretations of God's intentions or plans, or of Jesus coming again to earth is all wrong and absurd. Jesus will never come to establish his kingdom on earth and reign as Prince of Peace and Lord of Lords, for the Kingdom which he and all his followers, both on earth and in the spirit world, are seeking to establish is in the Celestial Heavens, and it is the Kingdom of God, not made with hands or by the mere fiat of any spirit no matter how high he may be, but made and populated by the souls of men who have experienced the New Birth and received the Divine Essence of the Father. Of this Kingdom Jesus is the Prince, but only because of his great and exceeding possession of the Divine Love of the Father and his more perfect at-onement.
Jesus is not seeking to establish a kingdom on earth, but is working for the purpose of leading men to the New Birth of the spirit, and of showing them the way to the Celestial Kingdom; and also is he working to help men by his love and suggestions, and so also the other good spirits to cast sin and error from their hearts and strive to regain the condition of perfect manhood in the perfection of their natural love; and also to help men to get in this condition of soul regeneration, or in that of the purification of their natural love while they yet live on earth, so that love to God in the divine sense, and love to God in the created sense and brotherly love will cover the whole earth, and men be at peace and happy while yet clothed in the flesh. Such a condition of mortal existence may be called the Kingdom of God on earth, but it will not be the kingdom which Jesus came to earth to establish - that is the Kingdom of Heaven. This Kingdom has its seat and abiding place in the Celestial Spheres whence it will never be removed.
So then, when the Bible teaches of the world coming to an end and passing away. it does not mean the material world, but the world of men's thoughts and deeds and sinful conditions that are not in harmony with God's laws or the laws of His creation. This is the world that shall be destroyed when righteousness shall cover the earth as the waters do the deep, and brotherly love reign among men.
Even today there are some men living on the earth who are so separated from the world, that as to them the world has no existence, not the material world, but the world of sin and unrighteousness, which is the only world to be destroyed. There shall be wars and rumors of wars and times of trouble, etc., such as never were, and then shall come the end. Not the wars of the cannons' roars or the bursting shells or the mutilated flesh, or the making of widows and orphans, or the ruthless changing of mortals into spirits, but the wars of the spirits of good and evil, of love and hate, of purity and sin, of joy and despair, and of knowledge of truth and belief in error - all to be fought in the souls of men with such intensity and earnestness creating such mind and spirit trouble as never has been,and causing rumors thereof to flood the earth and the habitations of men.
Then shall come the end of the world - the world of evil and sin and despair and hatred and belief in error. This world shall pass away and truth and love and peace and good will shall be established on the earth forever. The earth of this present day, then becoming to men so peaceful and filled with love and brotherly kindness, that to them it will seem as if the City of God had been let down from heaven on to earth.
Let mortals know that Jesus has already come to earth and is among men, and that since the time of his becoming the Prince of the Celestial Kingdom, he has been with men and spirits teaching them the way, the truth and the life. By the Holy Spirit have the truths of the Father spoken to men as a still small voice, and by the communions of souls has the Master led men to the love and mercy of the Father.
As in my time when he came to the Jews with his message of love and life eternal, they knew him not and rejected him, so now many men, and spirits, too, refuse to listen to him and learn the way through the straight gate to the Father's Love and Immortality.
Let men study the prophecies, and the times and the seasons, and calculate the time of the end, and predict the near approach of the Master's coming in the clouds, and prepare themselves to be snatched up in the air and become of the heavenly hosts, yet they will find that all these things are vanities of vanities, and only as each individual passes beyond the veil of flesh will he realize the end of his mortal world has come, and then will all his speculations as to himself become realities, and the certainty of the world's end become an established fact. But men will continue to live on earth and die, and in succession others be born to die, and so on until.... only God knows.
So I say to men, prepare not for the passing away of the Heavens and the earth, but for the passing of themselves from the earth to the great world of spirits; and remember, that as they sow, so shall they reap - a certainty that is never changed; a truth that no speculation can make untrue.
The end of man's world comes each day to some mortal, and that end may lead to a glorious immortality, or to a temporary or a long darkness and suffering. Thus, are the prophecies being fulfilled and the speculations of preachers and teachers and leaders of the unthinking are robbing men of the vital truth that the end of the world is coming each moment and day and year.
Oh, preacher and teacher and leader! Your responsibility is great and the accounting must be made. The reaping must follow the sowing as certainly as the day follows the night, and what will your harvest be? The end of the world for some mortal is the important now!
I have written enough for tonight as you are tired. So believe that I love you and am praying for the Father to bless you, and to so fill your soul with His Love that when the world comes to an end for you, you shall find the Kingdom of Heaven waiting to receive you. Good night.
Your brother in Christ,
John
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, Saint John.
I come tonight to write a few truths upon the subject of the preacher's (Dr. Gordon's) sermon, as I was present with you and heard his declarations as to the end of the world. I know that among men there are, and have been since the time of the Master, differences in opinion as to when this important event is to take place, and as to the meaning of the "end of the world." Well, men know just about as much now as to the time of this event as they have known all down the centuries and understand the meaning of these prophecies as well as did men from my day down to the present.
In the first place, I will say, there will be no end of the world from any of the causes mentioned by the preacher; and in the next place, there will be no end of the world at all as understood and declared by the orthodox preachers and as is expected by most of the professing Christians.
The world, meaning the earth, will not have an end in the sense of annihilation, but it will continue to revolve on its axis, and to have seed time and harvest, and produce and reproduce those things that are necessary to sustain human life, and have its appropriate seasons of heat and cold, and move along in its orbit as it now does until some change, we know not of now, may come and destroy it; but such change, not any of the prophecies of the Bible, admitting that there are prophecies, can apply to the end of the world in the sense that the preacher understood and declared.
If humanity would only understand that the world that was lost by the disobedience of the first parents was the world of man's immortality and happiness and not the physical world, and that Jesus came to declare the restoration of that world upon condition, and the end of that restoration, then would they know that the material world is not involved in the plan of man's salvation, or in Jesus' mission, or in the declarations of Jesus as to the coming of the end.
Men will continue to be born, live a short time and die the physical death and, as to each individual man, the end of the material world comes when he dies, for thereafter his habitation will be in the spirit world and never more will he have life on earth. All men at some time will have to die the physical death. Then why should it be necessary to include in the plan of God for the salvation of men - the destruction of the material world? For planets and worlds and stars to crash together and destroy would mean that the orderly workings of God's laws must be interfered with in order that men might be destroyed or saved, according as they might be snatched up into the air, or left to their own weakness on earth.
Such interpretations of God's intentions or plans, or of Jesus coming again to earth is all wrong and absurd. Jesus will never come to establish his kingdom on earth and reign as Prince of Peace and Lord of Lords, for the Kingdom which he and all his followers, both on earth and in the spirit world, are seeking to establish is in the Celestial Heavens, and it is the Kingdom of God, not made with hands or by the mere fiat of any spirit no matter how high he may be, but made and populated by the souls of men who have experienced the New Birth and received the Divine Essence of the Father. Of this Kingdom Jesus is the Prince, but only because of his great and exceeding possession of the Divine Love of the Father and his more perfect at-onement.
Jesus is not seeking to establish a kingdom on earth, but is working for the purpose of leading men to the New Birth of the spirit, and of showing them the way to the Celestial Kingdom; and also is he working to help men by his love and suggestions, and so also the other good spirits to cast sin and error from their hearts and strive to regain the condition of perfect manhood in the perfection of their natural love; and also to help men to get in this condition of soul regeneration, or in that of the purification of their natural love while they yet live on earth, so that love to God in the divine sense, and love to God in the created sense and brotherly love will cover the whole earth, and men be at peace and happy while yet clothed in the flesh. Such a condition of mortal existence may be called the Kingdom of God on earth, but it will not be the kingdom which Jesus came to earth to establish - that is the Kingdom of Heaven. This Kingdom has its seat and abiding place in the Celestial Spheres whence it will never be removed.
So then, when the Bible teaches of the world coming to an end and passing away. it does not mean the material world, but the world of men's thoughts and deeds and sinful conditions that are not in harmony with God's laws or the laws of His creation. This is the world that shall be destroyed when righteousness shall cover the earth as the waters do the deep, and brotherly love reign among men.
Even today there are some men living on the earth who are so separated from the world, that as to them the world has no existence, not the material world, but the world of sin and unrighteousness, which is the only world to be destroyed. There shall be wars and rumors of wars and times of trouble, etc., such as never were, and then shall come the end. Not the wars of the cannons' roars or the bursting shells or the mutilated flesh, or the making of widows and orphans, or the ruthless changing of mortals into spirits, but the wars of the spirits of good and evil, of love and hate, of purity and sin, of joy and despair, and of knowledge of truth and belief in error - all to be fought in the souls of men with such intensity and earnestness creating such mind and spirit trouble as never has been,and causing rumors thereof to flood the earth and the habitations of men.
Then shall come the end of the world - the world of evil and sin and despair and hatred and belief in error. This world shall pass away and truth and love and peace and good will shall be established on the earth forever. The earth of this present day, then becoming to men so peaceful and filled with love and brotherly kindness, that to them it will seem as if the City of God had been let down from heaven on to earth.
Let mortals know that Jesus has already come to earth and is among men, and that since the time of his becoming the Prince of the Celestial Kingdom, he has been with men and spirits teaching them the way, the truth and the life. By the Holy Spirit have the truths of the Father spoken to men as a still small voice, and by the communions of souls has the Master led men to the love and mercy of the Father.
As in my time when he came to the Jews with his message of love and life eternal, they knew him not and rejected him, so now many men, and spirits, too, refuse to listen to him and learn the way through the straight gate to the Father's Love and Immortality.
Let men study the prophecies, and the times and the seasons, and calculate the time of the end, and predict the near approach of the Master's coming in the clouds, and prepare themselves to be snatched up in the air and become of the heavenly hosts, yet they will find that all these things are vanities of vanities, and only as each individual passes beyond the veil of flesh will he realize the end of his mortal world has come, and then will all his speculations as to himself become realities, and the certainty of the world's end become an established fact. But men will continue to live on earth and die, and in succession others be born to die, and so on until.... only God knows.
So I say to men, prepare not for the passing away of the Heavens and the earth, but for the passing of themselves from the earth to the great world of spirits; and remember, that as they sow, so shall they reap - a certainty that is never changed; a truth that no speculation can make untrue.
The end of man's world comes each day to some mortal, and that end may lead to a glorious immortality, or to a temporary or a long darkness and suffering. Thus, are the prophecies being fulfilled and the speculations of preachers and teachers and leaders of the unthinking are robbing men of the vital truth that the end of the world is coming each moment and day and year.
Oh, preacher and teacher and leader! Your responsibility is great and the accounting must be made. The reaping must follow the sowing as certainly as the day follows the night, and what will your harvest be? The end of the world for some mortal is the important now!
I have written enough for tonight as you are tired. So believe that I love you and am praying for the Father to bless you, and to so fill your soul with His Love that when the world comes to an end for you, you shall find the Kingdom of Heaven waiting to receive you. Good night.
Your brother in Christ,
John
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)