November 25, 1918
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, your own true and loving Helen.
Well, dear, you have had two spirits write you tonight that are not of our band as you may know. They are wise men, though, and what they could say to you might be instructive and desirable to know, but I saw that you were not satisfied with having them write, and they perceived the fact, also, and left.
I know that you are disappointed, because some of the higher spirits did not write, but they could not make the necessary rapport and so did not attempt to write. You were not just in the condition. I would like to write my letter, but you are too much drawn on now to undertake the writing.
I want you to permit me to commence early when you are fresh. If you will try to get in condition by tomorrow night, I will certainly come and write. Well, that will be satisfactory. I do not think it best to write more tonight.
Baby (Nita) is here and sends her love. Love us both and pray to the Father. Good night and God Bless you.
Your own true and loving,
Helen
Monday, July 7, 2014
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Longiticus Writes of His Spiritual Progression to the Sixth Sphere, but Knows Nothing of Love
November 25, 1918
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, Longiticus.
Let me write a few lines tonight, as I am very desirous to explain some truths of the spirit world, which may be of benefit to you and those who may read my explanation. I am a spirit that has been in this world for a long time and progressed from the hells to the planes of the Sixth Sphere, and am acquainted with the method of progress and the various experiences of the soul as it ascends from one sphere to the succeeding one higher.
When I lived on earth, man - as to his moral development - was in a somewhat limited and uncertain condition and right and wrong were very largely a matter of might. His conscience was merely that part of him which was operated and caused to be operated by his desires to possess those things that seemed to him to be necessary or suited to his contentment in living, or to the destruction or hurt of those whom he hated or sought to destroy; and this condition of conscience should not be difficult to understand, for at the present day, as has recently been demonstrated, the same or similar desires have determined the consciences of those who have brought so much distress to mankind.
Gods were many and their qualities and attributes many and always were the creatures of the men who were supposed to have a knowledge of and acquaintance with these gods, and who were looked upon by the common people as entitled to their credulity and obedience in attempting to carry out the wishes and directions of these gods.
You probably have heard of such people and of such gods and I will not consume space to detail more of the moral conditions of the men of those days or of their utter want of knowledge of the true God and the wholly insufficient thing their conscience was.
Well, of course, we died as all men will have to die, and when we found ourselves spirits, more of us were in the dark planes and many in the hells, of which latter class I was one; and the hells then and cause thereof, were the same as they are today and the difficulties of becoming relieved therefrom, the same as are the difficulties of today.
I remained in the hells a very long time and simply for the reason that my state, or rather conscience, continued without change, and right and wrong, as I had perceived it on earth, persisted with me, and my conscience refused to understand that change is the law of the hells as well as of the earth and the Heavens, and that stagnation is itself a sin against law. Many of us who had been associates on earth became associates in the hells and continued in our same ideas of what morality meant, and when I say morality, I simply mean that right course of living and thinking which is in harmony with the creation of the perfect man, as I am now. Of course I could not have given this explanation of morality when I was in the hells, but nevertheless, it applies, even though I did not understand its meaning.
I don't seem to be able to write further now and must stop, but will come again. Let me say that you are very much in the dark as to what the truths of the spirit world are and need enlightenment, and I can enlighten you. Love is not in my curriculum. All I know of or care about is knowledge and truth, and of these things would I write. Knowledge is the comprehension of that which has reality of existence and not a speculative existence only, and this is the knowledge that I have and can teach you.
Well, shall I tell you some of the truths of the spirit world?
The greatest truth is that the soul of man is immortal and needs no recreation; and the next is like unto it; that this soul is as distinct from all other souls as one star is different from any other.
Well, I know this, because I can see the souls of men and of spirits, and know that they are separate and never become absorbed, the one in the other; and the soul is immortal because I have met souls here who have lived for thousands of years without having seen the death of a soul, or heard of such death, and it is reasonable, yet certain, to infer that as death has never appeared during such centuries of time, death never will appear.
I am a philosopher here, as I was on earth, and am still pursuing my studies on existence, with much increased facilities and satisfaction, and am in a sphere where the frailties of my earth life have left me. I am pure spirit inwardly, though I have a body that is of the sublimated material and subject to change, but never to destruction and is the portrayer of my soul, the I am.
Well, I had a certain line of thought that I desired to reveal to you in a methodical way and your questions somewhat interfered with the symmetry of my discourse, but I do not complain as I have explained to you certain primal facts or truths, which may be of benefit to you.
I would like, though, to deliver to you in this way my thoughts of truth in a logical and consecutive manner, and if convenient to you, will come again and do so.
No, there is nothing in my lecture on love that I can enjoy without seeking to learn of its nature or truth, and it is not so important to discourse about as other things that you will find expounded in my lecture. A spirit says I must stop. Good night,
Longiticus
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, Longiticus.
Let me write a few lines tonight, as I am very desirous to explain some truths of the spirit world, which may be of benefit to you and those who may read my explanation. I am a spirit that has been in this world for a long time and progressed from the hells to the planes of the Sixth Sphere, and am acquainted with the method of progress and the various experiences of the soul as it ascends from one sphere to the succeeding one higher.
When I lived on earth, man - as to his moral development - was in a somewhat limited and uncertain condition and right and wrong were very largely a matter of might. His conscience was merely that part of him which was operated and caused to be operated by his desires to possess those things that seemed to him to be necessary or suited to his contentment in living, or to the destruction or hurt of those whom he hated or sought to destroy; and this condition of conscience should not be difficult to understand, for at the present day, as has recently been demonstrated, the same or similar desires have determined the consciences of those who have brought so much distress to mankind.
Gods were many and their qualities and attributes many and always were the creatures of the men who were supposed to have a knowledge of and acquaintance with these gods, and who were looked upon by the common people as entitled to their credulity and obedience in attempting to carry out the wishes and directions of these gods.
You probably have heard of such people and of such gods and I will not consume space to detail more of the moral conditions of the men of those days or of their utter want of knowledge of the true God and the wholly insufficient thing their conscience was.
Well, of course, we died as all men will have to die, and when we found ourselves spirits, more of us were in the dark planes and many in the hells, of which latter class I was one; and the hells then and cause thereof, were the same as they are today and the difficulties of becoming relieved therefrom, the same as are the difficulties of today.
I remained in the hells a very long time and simply for the reason that my state, or rather conscience, continued without change, and right and wrong, as I had perceived it on earth, persisted with me, and my conscience refused to understand that change is the law of the hells as well as of the earth and the Heavens, and that stagnation is itself a sin against law. Many of us who had been associates on earth became associates in the hells and continued in our same ideas of what morality meant, and when I say morality, I simply mean that right course of living and thinking which is in harmony with the creation of the perfect man, as I am now. Of course I could not have given this explanation of morality when I was in the hells, but nevertheless, it applies, even though I did not understand its meaning.
I don't seem to be able to write further now and must stop, but will come again. Let me say that you are very much in the dark as to what the truths of the spirit world are and need enlightenment, and I can enlighten you. Love is not in my curriculum. All I know of or care about is knowledge and truth, and of these things would I write. Knowledge is the comprehension of that which has reality of existence and not a speculative existence only, and this is the knowledge that I have and can teach you.
Well, shall I tell you some of the truths of the spirit world?
The greatest truth is that the soul of man is immortal and needs no recreation; and the next is like unto it; that this soul is as distinct from all other souls as one star is different from any other.
Well, I know this, because I can see the souls of men and of spirits, and know that they are separate and never become absorbed, the one in the other; and the soul is immortal because I have met souls here who have lived for thousands of years without having seen the death of a soul, or heard of such death, and it is reasonable, yet certain, to infer that as death has never appeared during such centuries of time, death never will appear.
I am a philosopher here, as I was on earth, and am still pursuing my studies on existence, with much increased facilities and satisfaction, and am in a sphere where the frailties of my earth life have left me. I am pure spirit inwardly, though I have a body that is of the sublimated material and subject to change, but never to destruction and is the portrayer of my soul, the I am.
Well, I had a certain line of thought that I desired to reveal to you in a methodical way and your questions somewhat interfered with the symmetry of my discourse, but I do not complain as I have explained to you certain primal facts or truths, which may be of benefit to you.
I would like, though, to deliver to you in this way my thoughts of truth in a logical and consecutive manner, and if convenient to you, will come again and do so.
No, there is nothing in my lecture on love that I can enjoy without seeking to learn of its nature or truth, and it is not so important to discourse about as other things that you will find expounded in my lecture. A spirit says I must stop. Good night,
Longiticus
Saturday, July 5, 2014
Francis Bacon Writes About the Power of Spirits to Bring About Physical as well as Soul Healings
November 20, 1918
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, Francis Bacon.
I have been with you tonight as you have read, and was somewhat interested in, what James Hyslop had to say in his article on Christianity and Spiritualism, and many things that he puts forth are true and explain very satisfactorily why many of the miracles, so-called, of the Bible may be believed.
As he says, they are not different in the nature of their operations, or in the exercise of the law that produced them, from the physical phenomena which are manifesting themselves at this time among the investigators of Spiritualism; and, if today, the same law in its force that was brought into operation by Jesus and the disciples could be called into operation, the same or similar phenomena would be produced. Of course, a great deal depends upon the medium and the amount of rapport that may be created by the communicating, or rather, operating spirit, for it must be understood that all the supposed miracles were the results of the work of spirits, who by reason of the harmony existing between themselves and the mortals, were able to call into operation the laws, which were necessary to produce the results called miracles.
At the present time, there may not be persons who have sufficient development of these psychic powers, which were possessed by Jesus and the others, to produce such phenomena as they produced; but there have been many mortals since his time sufficiently gifted with these powers to cause manifestations very similar to those of the primitive Christian times, especially as regards healing and the like; and today much healing is being performed by mortals, and which is attributed to various causes, such as mental healing and faith cures, but which is really due to the exercise of spirit powers by spirits whose duties are to perform that kind of work.
Mortals, of themselves, cannot bring into operation any of these laws, either of mind or soul, but are dependent upon the cooperation of spirits who use some of the properties possessed by these mortals to bring into exercise the laws, which only can produce the healing.
And here I desire to state, that it is not necessary that the mortal be of a highly spiritual development in order that the powers of the spirit world may effect and change the conditions of the material of earth for the laws which control the material are sufficient, ordinarily, to bring about the healing of the physical or mental diseases of men and, therefore, you will find many mediums, and others not recognized as mediums, having this power of healing.
The healing of the body and the healing of the soul require the workings of different laws, and while spirits not having very much soul development, may successfully cooperate with mortals in like condition, in healing bodily ills, yet such spirits are impotent to heal the diseased soul or the purely spiritual condition of men. But spirits who have the power to produce the latter healing, may also heal the body. And this you must know that no spirit who is not what may be called, physically whole or sound, can cause the healing of a physically diseased mortal, for power of this kind can be possessed by and proceed from only those spirits who in their material nature are perfectly healthy and sound. These spirits, while they have cast off the gross, physical material of the mortal, yet are still material so far as the spirit body and form, as the properties which compose the same are concerned.
The material of the universe is not confined to or entirely comprised in what mortals may suppose to be the only material, that is that which may be sensed by their five senses or some of them. What is of itself material is always material no matter what form it may assume, whether visible or invisible to mortals; and the larger portion of the material of the universe is in the invisible world, though subject to transformation into the visible, and re-transformation into the invisible, and the laws governing and controlling the material are the same, whether that material be to men visible and knowable or not.
This material has its quality of persistence after supposed death or destruction, although the form of its manifestation be changed; and from this you will see that he who is known as the materialist, with his supposed want of belief in immortality or the continuity of existence, is in error even as to the material world of which he assumes to have special knowledge, and being in error as to this, how can he claim to be right when he asserts that the purely spiritual has no possibility of continuity of existence or, as some understand, immortality.
Well, I have written enough, and feel that you will pardon my intrusion; but I also feel somewhat justified in writing as I have done. With best wishes. I am,
Your friend,
Francis Bacon
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, Francis Bacon.
I have been with you tonight as you have read, and was somewhat interested in, what James Hyslop had to say in his article on Christianity and Spiritualism, and many things that he puts forth are true and explain very satisfactorily why many of the miracles, so-called, of the Bible may be believed.
As he says, they are not different in the nature of their operations, or in the exercise of the law that produced them, from the physical phenomena which are manifesting themselves at this time among the investigators of Spiritualism; and, if today, the same law in its force that was brought into operation by Jesus and the disciples could be called into operation, the same or similar phenomena would be produced. Of course, a great deal depends upon the medium and the amount of rapport that may be created by the communicating, or rather, operating spirit, for it must be understood that all the supposed miracles were the results of the work of spirits, who by reason of the harmony existing between themselves and the mortals, were able to call into operation the laws, which were necessary to produce the results called miracles.
At the present time, there may not be persons who have sufficient development of these psychic powers, which were possessed by Jesus and the others, to produce such phenomena as they produced; but there have been many mortals since his time sufficiently gifted with these powers to cause manifestations very similar to those of the primitive Christian times, especially as regards healing and the like; and today much healing is being performed by mortals, and which is attributed to various causes, such as mental healing and faith cures, but which is really due to the exercise of spirit powers by spirits whose duties are to perform that kind of work.
Mortals, of themselves, cannot bring into operation any of these laws, either of mind or soul, but are dependent upon the cooperation of spirits who use some of the properties possessed by these mortals to bring into exercise the laws, which only can produce the healing.
And here I desire to state, that it is not necessary that the mortal be of a highly spiritual development in order that the powers of the spirit world may effect and change the conditions of the material of earth for the laws which control the material are sufficient, ordinarily, to bring about the healing of the physical or mental diseases of men and, therefore, you will find many mediums, and others not recognized as mediums, having this power of healing.
The healing of the body and the healing of the soul require the workings of different laws, and while spirits not having very much soul development, may successfully cooperate with mortals in like condition, in healing bodily ills, yet such spirits are impotent to heal the diseased soul or the purely spiritual condition of men. But spirits who have the power to produce the latter healing, may also heal the body. And this you must know that no spirit who is not what may be called, physically whole or sound, can cause the healing of a physically diseased mortal, for power of this kind can be possessed by and proceed from only those spirits who in their material nature are perfectly healthy and sound. These spirits, while they have cast off the gross, physical material of the mortal, yet are still material so far as the spirit body and form, as the properties which compose the same are concerned.
The material of the universe is not confined to or entirely comprised in what mortals may suppose to be the only material, that is that which may be sensed by their five senses or some of them. What is of itself material is always material no matter what form it may assume, whether visible or invisible to mortals; and the larger portion of the material of the universe is in the invisible world, though subject to transformation into the visible, and re-transformation into the invisible, and the laws governing and controlling the material are the same, whether that material be to men visible and knowable or not.
This material has its quality of persistence after supposed death or destruction, although the form of its manifestation be changed; and from this you will see that he who is known as the materialist, with his supposed want of belief in immortality or the continuity of existence, is in error even as to the material world of which he assumes to have special knowledge, and being in error as to this, how can he claim to be right when he asserts that the purely spiritual has no possibility of continuity of existence or, as some understand, immortality.
Well, I have written enough, and feel that you will pardon my intrusion; but I also feel somewhat justified in writing as I have done. With best wishes. I am,
Your friend,
Francis Bacon
Friday, July 4, 2014
John Wesley Writes that the Condition of Man is Such that it is of the Utmost Importance for Them to Learn the Truths
November 15, 1918
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, John Wesley.
I desire to speak to you upon a matter which is very closely associated with your mission and the work you are now doing. I am one of those spirits who are engaged in the carrying on of that work on this side of the borderline, and know the importance of the work and the necessity for its being done as rapidly as possible, so that men may have the opportunity to learn and know and teach the truths of God.
I am with you quite frequently as you receive the messages from the spirits, who are revealing these truths, and read your mind and soul, and know your exact condition regarding your conception of the task that has been imposed upon you and which you have assumed to do; and, hence, can tell you with almost certainty of your attitude towards this great undertaking, and when I say attitude, I do not mean only that of which you are conscious, but also that which is apparently latent but which, nevertheless, is operating and obstructing or assisting the progress of the work.
I am glad to say that just now you have a fuller appreciation of your position in the matter and of the necessity for completing the writings and the dissemination of the truths that they contain; and if you continue in this attitude and permit your desires therein to intensify and become manifested in actual performance, the work will progress rapidly and the great end in view will be accomplished.
If you will consider for a moment, you will realize that there is nothing in all your earth so important to mankind as the knowledge of these truths, for they deal with and affect that which belongs to the eternity of the hereafter and the future of the souls of men and lead to a destiny which will be a Divine existence or a mere living of the perfect man of his original creation.
Of course, men are really more interested in their future destiny than in any or all things of earth and the life thereon, but give less attention to the ascertaining of the truths of the same than to many merely human things which exist only during the short earth life; and this is not to be wondered at, because they have no satisfactory or convincing means of learning what this destiny is or may be. It is natural for the desires and interests of men to be attracted to that which has certainty and probability of realization, rather than to that which is devoid of the elements that give assurance and hope founded on knowledge.
As you know, many of the expectations of men as to the future are based entirely upon what is called faith, which itself is founded upon what the teachers of the Bible call the mysteries of God, and which are not the subject of research or study, because God in His wisdom retains to Himself, with a jealous care, the understanding of these mysteries; and so men, in their lives, accepting the mysteries and applying the faith, turn their thoughts to these things very rarely and even then, in a perfunctory way, applying the idea that sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Consequently, men live more for the present and in a way let the future come and find them in a condition that surprises and injures them, and makes for them a destiny that - were the truth known to them - need not be theirs.
When men shall be able to learn the truths that affect, or rather create, their destinies if believed in and lived, they will not be so indifferent to the life of the future, even though they retain their interests in the life of earth.
And now, in this generation, when men are thinking for themselves and not resting satisfied with the dogmatic teachings of their supposed leaders, they are becoming incredulous and demanding more light and are refusing to accept the teachings of the mysteries as satisfying to their feelings of want of those things which will give them an assurance of the truths of living as mortals. Such faith is dying, and men prefer its death to the living in the uncertainties. But this preferring to, thus, die does not imply - nor is it really true - that they are not in their souls interested in the eternity part of their lives and all that it means. But becoming hopeless because they see no succor from their unsatisfied condition, they resort to the moral teachings and conduct for their salvation having the hope that a right living in accordance therewith will result in a future as well as a present in which there must be some happiness and that "all will be well."
This, I say, is the condition of many men today, and because thereof, the ground is fallow for the planting and the nurturing of the truths that are being revealed to you; and so you must appreciate what the revealment and dissemination of these truths mean to the world at this time.
I know that you must give much time and labor to the work of fulfilling your mission, and also that you must live a large portion of your life and thoughts with the spirits who are using you for the great object in view; but this apparent sacrifice will soon cease to be a sacrifice and become to you a joy and source of never-ending benefit to your soul and its future.
So you must work and think thoughts of the spiritual and, above all, continue in earnest prayer to the Father for increased bestowals of His Love; and you will not be disappointed. I felt that I should write you as I have and while you, I know, expected some spirit to communicate some unknown and important vital truth, yet I believe that what I have said may serve to facilitate the delivery of the messages. I will not write longer tonight.
I am a possessor of this Divine Love, and from this you will understand what my love is for you, and how earnestly I pray to the Father to bless you and help you in the great work which is yours to do. Good night. I am
Your brother in Christ,
John Wesley
**********
Helen confirms that John Wesley wrote.
I am here, your own true and loving Helen.
Well, dear, you have worked hard tonight and had a long message from Wesley, and so I will not detain you a great while. I merely want to say that your condition is very much improved, and we feel very certain that now the messages can be delivered without much delay and with comparative ease. We send our love and pray for your happiness. Good night.
Your own true and loving
Helen
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, John Wesley.
I desire to speak to you upon a matter which is very closely associated with your mission and the work you are now doing. I am one of those spirits who are engaged in the carrying on of that work on this side of the borderline, and know the importance of the work and the necessity for its being done as rapidly as possible, so that men may have the opportunity to learn and know and teach the truths of God.
I am with you quite frequently as you receive the messages from the spirits, who are revealing these truths, and read your mind and soul, and know your exact condition regarding your conception of the task that has been imposed upon you and which you have assumed to do; and, hence, can tell you with almost certainty of your attitude towards this great undertaking, and when I say attitude, I do not mean only that of which you are conscious, but also that which is apparently latent but which, nevertheless, is operating and obstructing or assisting the progress of the work.
I am glad to say that just now you have a fuller appreciation of your position in the matter and of the necessity for completing the writings and the dissemination of the truths that they contain; and if you continue in this attitude and permit your desires therein to intensify and become manifested in actual performance, the work will progress rapidly and the great end in view will be accomplished.
If you will consider for a moment, you will realize that there is nothing in all your earth so important to mankind as the knowledge of these truths, for they deal with and affect that which belongs to the eternity of the hereafter and the future of the souls of men and lead to a destiny which will be a Divine existence or a mere living of the perfect man of his original creation.
Of course, men are really more interested in their future destiny than in any or all things of earth and the life thereon, but give less attention to the ascertaining of the truths of the same than to many merely human things which exist only during the short earth life; and this is not to be wondered at, because they have no satisfactory or convincing means of learning what this destiny is or may be. It is natural for the desires and interests of men to be attracted to that which has certainty and probability of realization, rather than to that which is devoid of the elements that give assurance and hope founded on knowledge.
As you know, many of the expectations of men as to the future are based entirely upon what is called faith, which itself is founded upon what the teachers of the Bible call the mysteries of God, and which are not the subject of research or study, because God in His wisdom retains to Himself, with a jealous care, the understanding of these mysteries; and so men, in their lives, accepting the mysteries and applying the faith, turn their thoughts to these things very rarely and even then, in a perfunctory way, applying the idea that sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Consequently, men live more for the present and in a way let the future come and find them in a condition that surprises and injures them, and makes for them a destiny that - were the truth known to them - need not be theirs.
When men shall be able to learn the truths that affect, or rather create, their destinies if believed in and lived, they will not be so indifferent to the life of the future, even though they retain their interests in the life of earth.
And now, in this generation, when men are thinking for themselves and not resting satisfied with the dogmatic teachings of their supposed leaders, they are becoming incredulous and demanding more light and are refusing to accept the teachings of the mysteries as satisfying to their feelings of want of those things which will give them an assurance of the truths of living as mortals. Such faith is dying, and men prefer its death to the living in the uncertainties. But this preferring to, thus, die does not imply - nor is it really true - that they are not in their souls interested in the eternity part of their lives and all that it means. But becoming hopeless because they see no succor from their unsatisfied condition, they resort to the moral teachings and conduct for their salvation having the hope that a right living in accordance therewith will result in a future as well as a present in which there must be some happiness and that "all will be well."
This, I say, is the condition of many men today, and because thereof, the ground is fallow for the planting and the nurturing of the truths that are being revealed to you; and so you must appreciate what the revealment and dissemination of these truths mean to the world at this time.
I know that you must give much time and labor to the work of fulfilling your mission, and also that you must live a large portion of your life and thoughts with the spirits who are using you for the great object in view; but this apparent sacrifice will soon cease to be a sacrifice and become to you a joy and source of never-ending benefit to your soul and its future.
So you must work and think thoughts of the spiritual and, above all, continue in earnest prayer to the Father for increased bestowals of His Love; and you will not be disappointed. I felt that I should write you as I have and while you, I know, expected some spirit to communicate some unknown and important vital truth, yet I believe that what I have said may serve to facilitate the delivery of the messages. I will not write longer tonight.
I am a possessor of this Divine Love, and from this you will understand what my love is for you, and how earnestly I pray to the Father to bless you and help you in the great work which is yours to do. Good night. I am
Your brother in Christ,
John Wesley
**********
Helen confirms that John Wesley wrote.
I am here, your own true and loving Helen.
Well, dear, you have worked hard tonight and had a long message from Wesley, and so I will not detain you a great while. I merely want to say that your condition is very much improved, and we feel very certain that now the messages can be delivered without much delay and with comparative ease. We send our love and pray for your happiness. Good night.
Your own true and loving
Helen
Thursday, July 3, 2014
St. Stephen Writes on the Meaning of the Divine Nature
November 13, 1918
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, St. Stephen.
Let me write a few words tonight as I am one of the spirits whom your wife wrote of last night would come tonight with the desire to write.
My subject is: "What is the meaning of the Divine Nature which the soul of man partakes of, upon the transformation of that soul by the inflowing and possession of the Divine Love?"
This, as you may perceive, will be somewhat difficult to explain and, principally, because men have no very definite conception of what is comprehended by the term "Divine." They, of course, associate this word with God, and to them God is a being whose nature and qualities are above their finite conceptions and, as a result of their thoughts, is that which is over and above everything that is called or supposed to be understood as natural. To some, God is a being of personality, and to others, a kind of nebulous existence included in and composing all the various manifestations which are transcendently above what they conceive to be the merely natural or human.
I will not attempt to discuss who or what God is, except as to one of His qualities or attributes, and that the greatest - for you must know that all the qualities of God are not of equal greatness or degree of importance in the workings of His essence of substance. All, of course, partake of His Divine Being, but, as you might say, there is a difference in the workings and scope of their operations.
You have been told that the Divine is that which has in it, to a sufficient degree, the very Substance and Essence of God, Himself; and this is true, for Divinity belongs to God alone and can be possessed by others, spirits or mortals, only when He has transfused into or bestowed upon the souls of men a portion of this Divinity, and to the extent thereof made them a part of Himself.
There is nothing in all His universe that is Divine or partakes of the Divine except that which is of the soul, for all else is of the material, and this even when it has the form or appearance of the spiritual. And even the soul, as created, is not Divine and cannot become such, until it is transformed into the Divine by the transfusion into it of that which, in its very substance, is Divine.
Many souls in the spirit world, although pure and in exact harmony with their created condition, are not Divine and never will become such, and this only because these souls will not desire and seek to become Divine in the only way provided by the Father.
It is a mistake for men to believe that because God has created this or that object or thing, it is necessarily Divine, for His creations are no more a part of Himself than are the creations of men a part of themselves; and thus you will see that in all God's creation, there is nothing Divine except what has been privileged by His grace to partake of His Divinity. And, hence, the stars and worlds and trees and animals and rocks and man himself, as created, are not Divine.
Men have claimed that in man there is a spark of the Divine - a part as they say of the "Oversoul," and that it needs only the proper development to make the soul of man wholly Divine. And this theory is based upon the idea that this development can be accomplished by the exercise of the mind or the moral qualities guided by the conscience, which they assert is of itself Divine; especially when dominated by reason, which has been so often worshiped by philosophers and others (to whom the mind is supreme) as Divine. And they have attempted to differentiate man and the lower animals and attributed to the former the qualities of Divinity, because he is endowed with reason and the lower animals are not and have substituted degrees in the order and objects of creation in the place of differentiation between the Divine and non-Divine.
God is wholly Divine and every part and attribute of Him is Divine, and while they are parts of the whole, yet they may be separated in their workings and bestowals; and the man or soul that is the recipient of the bestowal of one of these qualities or attributes is not necessarily the recipient of the others.
Omnipotence and omniscience are those attributes of God's Divinity which He never bestows upon the souls of men or spirits, and as to them He is the exclusive possessor, although in all His attributes there are powers and knowledge, and they accompany the bestowal of all attributes of which they are parts; and one of these Divine attributes may be bestowed upon man, and yet man not become Deity. There is and can be only one God, although He may give of His Essence and very Substance, so that a man can become as He is in that Essence and Substance, to the extent that it is bestowed.
As regards man and his salvation and happiness, the greatest of God's qualities or attributes is His Divine Love, which is the only one that can bring the souls of men into a oneness and nature with the Father, and which has in it the quality of immortality. This Love has a transforming power and can make that which is of a quality foreign to and different from itself of the same essence as itself; and, more than this, can eliminate from that thing those constituents which naturally and necessarily are its components, without injuring or destroying the thing itself.
Well we must stop here. I will finish later.
I am St. Stephen
**********
Helen confirms that St. Stephen wrote on the meaning of the Divine Nature.
I am here, your own true and loving Helen.
Well dear, you have had a very interesting letter tonight upon a very vital and important subject, and I am sorry that the writer could not finish his message, but the rapport became very weak and he was compelled to stop. He will come again soon and finish as he is very anxious to do so. It was Stephen who wrote and he is a most beautiful spirit possessing this Love to a degree that I cannot conceive of, and a most glorious spirit in his appearance.
I am glad that you were in such good condition and I hope that you will continue to improve so that more of the messages may be delivered to you every other night. There are so many messages to be written.
Your own true and loving,
Helen
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, St. Stephen.
Let me write a few words tonight as I am one of the spirits whom your wife wrote of last night would come tonight with the desire to write.
My subject is: "What is the meaning of the Divine Nature which the soul of man partakes of, upon the transformation of that soul by the inflowing and possession of the Divine Love?"
This, as you may perceive, will be somewhat difficult to explain and, principally, because men have no very definite conception of what is comprehended by the term "Divine." They, of course, associate this word with God, and to them God is a being whose nature and qualities are above their finite conceptions and, as a result of their thoughts, is that which is over and above everything that is called or supposed to be understood as natural. To some, God is a being of personality, and to others, a kind of nebulous existence included in and composing all the various manifestations which are transcendently above what they conceive to be the merely natural or human.
I will not attempt to discuss who or what God is, except as to one of His qualities or attributes, and that the greatest - for you must know that all the qualities of God are not of equal greatness or degree of importance in the workings of His essence of substance. All, of course, partake of His Divine Being, but, as you might say, there is a difference in the workings and scope of their operations.
You have been told that the Divine is that which has in it, to a sufficient degree, the very Substance and Essence of God, Himself; and this is true, for Divinity belongs to God alone and can be possessed by others, spirits or mortals, only when He has transfused into or bestowed upon the souls of men a portion of this Divinity, and to the extent thereof made them a part of Himself.
There is nothing in all His universe that is Divine or partakes of the Divine except that which is of the soul, for all else is of the material, and this even when it has the form or appearance of the spiritual. And even the soul, as created, is not Divine and cannot become such, until it is transformed into the Divine by the transfusion into it of that which, in its very substance, is Divine.
Many souls in the spirit world, although pure and in exact harmony with their created condition, are not Divine and never will become such, and this only because these souls will not desire and seek to become Divine in the only way provided by the Father.
It is a mistake for men to believe that because God has created this or that object or thing, it is necessarily Divine, for His creations are no more a part of Himself than are the creations of men a part of themselves; and thus you will see that in all God's creation, there is nothing Divine except what has been privileged by His grace to partake of His Divinity. And, hence, the stars and worlds and trees and animals and rocks and man himself, as created, are not Divine.
Men have claimed that in man there is a spark of the Divine - a part as they say of the "Oversoul," and that it needs only the proper development to make the soul of man wholly Divine. And this theory is based upon the idea that this development can be accomplished by the exercise of the mind or the moral qualities guided by the conscience, which they assert is of itself Divine; especially when dominated by reason, which has been so often worshiped by philosophers and others (to whom the mind is supreme) as Divine. And they have attempted to differentiate man and the lower animals and attributed to the former the qualities of Divinity, because he is endowed with reason and the lower animals are not and have substituted degrees in the order and objects of creation in the place of differentiation between the Divine and non-Divine.
God is wholly Divine and every part and attribute of Him is Divine, and while they are parts of the whole, yet they may be separated in their workings and bestowals; and the man or soul that is the recipient of the bestowal of one of these qualities or attributes is not necessarily the recipient of the others.
Omnipotence and omniscience are those attributes of God's Divinity which He never bestows upon the souls of men or spirits, and as to them He is the exclusive possessor, although in all His attributes there are powers and knowledge, and they accompany the bestowal of all attributes of which they are parts; and one of these Divine attributes may be bestowed upon man, and yet man not become Deity. There is and can be only one God, although He may give of His Essence and very Substance, so that a man can become as He is in that Essence and Substance, to the extent that it is bestowed.
As regards man and his salvation and happiness, the greatest of God's qualities or attributes is His Divine Love, which is the only one that can bring the souls of men into a oneness and nature with the Father, and which has in it the quality of immortality. This Love has a transforming power and can make that which is of a quality foreign to and different from itself of the same essence as itself; and, more than this, can eliminate from that thing those constituents which naturally and necessarily are its components, without injuring or destroying the thing itself.
Well we must stop here. I will finish later.
I am St. Stephen
**********
Helen confirms that St. Stephen wrote on the meaning of the Divine Nature.
I am here, your own true and loving Helen.
Well dear, you have had a very interesting letter tonight upon a very vital and important subject, and I am sorry that the writer could not finish his message, but the rapport became very weak and he was compelled to stop. He will come again soon and finish as he is very anxious to do so. It was Stephen who wrote and he is a most beautiful spirit possessing this Love to a degree that I cannot conceive of, and a most glorious spirit in his appearance.
I am glad that you were in such good condition and I hope that you will continue to improve so that more of the messages may be delivered to you every other night. There are so many messages to be written.
Your own true and loving,
Helen
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Helen Writes that Mr. Padgett's Reading About the Old Prophets Had Little Effect on His Soul
October 30, 1918
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, Helen.
Well dear, you have been in two conditions of soul and mind tonight. The one, rather repellent and out of sympathy with us, which prevented us from writing you, and the other, which you now have, congenial and in unison with us.
Your reading the prophecies of the old prophets did not have the effect of awakening in your soul those feelings and aspirations which were suitable to bring your soul in rapport with us, and largely, because those writings did not declare and display the true and loving Father whom we know and love. Our Father never had the feelings of wrath against His children that are in those prophecies ascribed to him. The Jehovah of those prophets was of a very different type from the Father whom we know and love and fear only in the sense that in some possible way we may violate the Laws of His Love.
Of course, as you know, the people of those times, prophets, priests, Kings and common people, never had or knew of His Divine Love, and their comprehension of God, was one who required sacrifice and obedience to his laws of right and justice as they understood them; and undoubtedly their prophets were, to a degree, inspired by the spirits of the higher Heavens as they then existed to warn and threaten and denounce, so that the people might be brought to a realization of their sins and induced to a return to that harmony with the law that would enable them to become rid of their sins and evil doings; and considering their conception of God, the means used by the prophets were the ones necessary to bring about these results.
A consideration of these means in comparison with the ways taught by the Master that lead to the Celestial Heavens will demonstrate the fact that, in those ancient days, neither prophet, priest nor people had any knowledge of the Divine Love, and that the privilege of these ancient people of obtaining the Divine Love was not in existence.
I, and the higher spirits, as they have declared, see no good that can possibly come to mortals of the present from a reading and understanding of these books of the Old Testament. The moral commands contained in them were pronounced and emphasized by the teachings of the Master, which needs no assistance from these old teachings in order that the Master's teachings should have a sanctioning. And as to the higher spiritual truths, these old scriptures contain nothing which can possibly enlighten or help man to acquire knowledge of these truths.
So I advise you not to waste your time in reading these scriptures, but rather use all the time that remains to you outside of the affairs of your practical life to learn and study and meditate upon the truths which have been revealed to you by the messages that you have received.
I would not, by what I have said, desire to be understood as depreciating the reading of these scriptures by people who have not the opportunity and privilege of hearing the truths that have been revealed to you, for in these scriptures are many moral truths and illustrations, which may be of benefit to these people; and undoubtedly essential to them in the particulars and under the circumstances mentioned. So my dear husband, continue to pray and believe.
[Question and answer.]
Well, I meant that these truths are not necessary to be read by the people of the present day, for in the New Testament are found these moral truths; and while not necessary, I would not advise that the people should absolutely fail to read the Old Testament, because some may enjoy the reading of these truths as they are therein contained and associated with the circumstances surrounding them. They may appeal to some people, and if so, work a benefit. I again say that they are not necessary but they may be helpful to some - the minds of all do not work alike.
Think of me in your prayers and love me. Good night.
Your own true and loving,
Helen
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, Helen.
Well dear, you have been in two conditions of soul and mind tonight. The one, rather repellent and out of sympathy with us, which prevented us from writing you, and the other, which you now have, congenial and in unison with us.
Your reading the prophecies of the old prophets did not have the effect of awakening in your soul those feelings and aspirations which were suitable to bring your soul in rapport with us, and largely, because those writings did not declare and display the true and loving Father whom we know and love. Our Father never had the feelings of wrath against His children that are in those prophecies ascribed to him. The Jehovah of those prophets was of a very different type from the Father whom we know and love and fear only in the sense that in some possible way we may violate the Laws of His Love.
Of course, as you know, the people of those times, prophets, priests, Kings and common people, never had or knew of His Divine Love, and their comprehension of God, was one who required sacrifice and obedience to his laws of right and justice as they understood them; and undoubtedly their prophets were, to a degree, inspired by the spirits of the higher Heavens as they then existed to warn and threaten and denounce, so that the people might be brought to a realization of their sins and induced to a return to that harmony with the law that would enable them to become rid of their sins and evil doings; and considering their conception of God, the means used by the prophets were the ones necessary to bring about these results.
A consideration of these means in comparison with the ways taught by the Master that lead to the Celestial Heavens will demonstrate the fact that, in those ancient days, neither prophet, priest nor people had any knowledge of the Divine Love, and that the privilege of these ancient people of obtaining the Divine Love was not in existence.
I, and the higher spirits, as they have declared, see no good that can possibly come to mortals of the present from a reading and understanding of these books of the Old Testament. The moral commands contained in them were pronounced and emphasized by the teachings of the Master, which needs no assistance from these old teachings in order that the Master's teachings should have a sanctioning. And as to the higher spiritual truths, these old scriptures contain nothing which can possibly enlighten or help man to acquire knowledge of these truths.
So I advise you not to waste your time in reading these scriptures, but rather use all the time that remains to you outside of the affairs of your practical life to learn and study and meditate upon the truths which have been revealed to you by the messages that you have received.
I would not, by what I have said, desire to be understood as depreciating the reading of these scriptures by people who have not the opportunity and privilege of hearing the truths that have been revealed to you, for in these scriptures are many moral truths and illustrations, which may be of benefit to these people; and undoubtedly essential to them in the particulars and under the circumstances mentioned. So my dear husband, continue to pray and believe.
[Question and answer.]
Well, I meant that these truths are not necessary to be read by the people of the present day, for in the New Testament are found these moral truths; and while not necessary, I would not advise that the people should absolutely fail to read the Old Testament, because some may enjoy the reading of these truths as they are therein contained and associated with the circumstances surrounding them. They may appeal to some people, and if so, work a benefit. I again say that they are not necessary but they may be helpful to some - the minds of all do not work alike.
Think of me in your prayers and love me. Good night.
Your own true and loving,
Helen
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Helen Writes the Epistles in the Bible are Not the Same that the Apostles Wrote
October 29, 1918
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, your own true and loving Helen.
Well dear, I see that you have been reading portions of the Bible tonight and that you have not found in the same any mention of the Divine Love in the sense that it has been explained to you or any evidence that the writers had any knowledge of the Love in the way of being Born Again. Of course, they used the expression, but the meaning that they gave to it is altogether different from the one that Jesus gave the other night.
Now you have been told that he taught the Apostles this true meaning and that they to a more or less extent understood it, and especially John, and as a truth, being the very foundation of the truth of salvation. It may be surprising to you that if John wrote the epistles which are ascribed to him, he did not speak of or attempt to explain the meaning of this New Existence. But the epistles do not mention the New Birth in the light of the explanation that has been given to you, and you may very reasonably infer that these epistles were not written by any of the Apostles to whom they are accredited, but by some writers who had some knowledge of the moral truths of Jesus' teachings and of the great one expressed as that: "They should love their brethren as themselves."
You will find very little in any portion of the Bible that will show you that the great truth of the New Birth was understood by the writers thereof; and all that you will find is that love between man and God, and man and man, with all that flows from it, such as patience and kindness and charity, etc., is the fulfilling of the Christian doctrines. No distinction is made between the natural love of man and the Love of God bestowed upon him at his creation and the great Divine Love, which man never possessed until the coming of the Master.
It may seem strange that this knowledge that the Apostles and many others had in the time of the Master when on earth should have been lost to the world, but it is a fact and, as a consequence, the teachings of Jesus as to this great truth have for all these long years failed to work out his mission. Well, I could write for a long time on this matter but it is not necessary, as you already know of these things. Good night.
Your own true and loving,
Helen
Received by James Padgett
Washington, D.C.
I am here, your own true and loving Helen.
Well dear, I see that you have been reading portions of the Bible tonight and that you have not found in the same any mention of the Divine Love in the sense that it has been explained to you or any evidence that the writers had any knowledge of the Love in the way of being Born Again. Of course, they used the expression, but the meaning that they gave to it is altogether different from the one that Jesus gave the other night.
Now you have been told that he taught the Apostles this true meaning and that they to a more or less extent understood it, and especially John, and as a truth, being the very foundation of the truth of salvation. It may be surprising to you that if John wrote the epistles which are ascribed to him, he did not speak of or attempt to explain the meaning of this New Existence. But the epistles do not mention the New Birth in the light of the explanation that has been given to you, and you may very reasonably infer that these epistles were not written by any of the Apostles to whom they are accredited, but by some writers who had some knowledge of the moral truths of Jesus' teachings and of the great one expressed as that: "They should love their brethren as themselves."
You will find very little in any portion of the Bible that will show you that the great truth of the New Birth was understood by the writers thereof; and all that you will find is that love between man and God, and man and man, with all that flows from it, such as patience and kindness and charity, etc., is the fulfilling of the Christian doctrines. No distinction is made between the natural love of man and the Love of God bestowed upon him at his creation and the great Divine Love, which man never possessed until the coming of the Master.
It may seem strange that this knowledge that the Apostles and many others had in the time of the Master when on earth should have been lost to the world, but it is a fact and, as a consequence, the teachings of Jesus as to this great truth have for all these long years failed to work out his mission. Well, I could write for a long time on this matter but it is not necessary, as you already know of these things. Good night.
Your own true and loving,
Helen
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