de l'ester—this is the seventh day since we have had the pleasure of greeting you. we are a little early but, as we have in store a joyful surprise for you, you will not chide us for our haste. why, how sad you are. ah, i understand. it is four years to-day since your son, bernard, passed to our side of life. we have informed you that, aside from other motives, the stimulus of a strong desire to be all that your mother love wishes him to be has impelled him to strive for rapid progress, and that his urgent entreaties to allow him to accompany you on these journeys had won our consent. yes, he soon will be with us; but now close your eyes and be passive. that is well, and—here is your surprise.
gentola—oh, my boy, my boy, my own dear boy! is it indeed my boy, bernard?
bernard—dear mother. dear, darling mother. yes, it is i. do not i look as i used to look? do you see me clearly? am i indeed so greatly changed? why, mother, on entering the spirit world every one changes in appearance. and you think i look younger than when i was on earth and more spiritualized? i am glad if you see that for, mother, dear, as you well know, during my mortal existence i was not a spiritually minded man. i, foolishly, and against your loving entreaties, lived on a very material plane, and when i passed to the spirit side i went to the
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place or condition i was fitted for—the home i had earned. do not cry, mother, please do not cry, for that bitter, but necessary, experience is a lesson of the past. yes, mother, from soon after i passed to the spirit side until now, i often have been with you and have so regretted that, while i could see and talk with you, you could not see me. on that morning when i kissed you good-bye how little either of us thought that we would in the mortal body, see each other no more. mother, you know i was such a strong man and death seemed so far off that i did not think it possible that it could, for many, many years, come to me. when i found myself in the spirit world, grief and dismay so filled my soul that i cried and prayed that i might return to mortal existence, if only for a little while so that, as far as possible, i might undo some thoughtless acts which, for the first time, i saw in their true light. to add to my despair your grief over my unlooked for death was so agonizing, that it was feared that you might pass from your physical body which, accidentally, had been more seriously injured than you or any one realized. during the first three days of my new existence i, with others of your dearest ones, watched for the change that might come to you. mother dear, the aid you received from the spirit side was what kept you here to do the work you now are engaged in. on the fourth day the crisis was passed and you know what followed. yes, because of your devitalized state, we were deterred from further communion with you.
for myself, under the loving care and instruction of dear friends, i soon came to understand that the change called death was a rebirth into a higher life and that, through earnest endeavor, i might progress out of conditions that held me where i was. i learned that on entering the spirit world, one finds themselves the result of all the
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successes and failures of all their past, including their last embodiment. for such successes as i found to my credit, i was thankful. for my failures, through loving service for mortals and spirits, i have been, and am striving to pay my indebtedness. i also have learned that earned progress is a righteous law and that only through its fulfillment can any one grow in grace and such knowledge of truth as may further their spiritual unfoldment.
from time to time you have entreated me to inform you as to my condition on the spirit side and always, for a reason, i have evaded a reply, but now that i have risen far above the shadows of the earth sphere, i am rejoiced to be able to quiet your anxious thoughts and fears. no, dear mother, i do not now desire to return to earth life. since i have risen above the shadows i am very happy and exultant in my freedom from physical conditions. then, mother dear, you know that it will not be very long before you and other dear ones will come to the glorious spirit world, and until then we will be waiting and watching for you and them.
but, dear friends, we are forgetting that we are delaying the journey to ento.
de l'ester—dear lad, no apology is required. yours and your mother's joy but adds to our pleasure. yes, you shall journey by her side, and such assistance as you may need gladly will be offered.
gentola̤, we will not immediately pass to ento. that you may be better prepared to compare certain of ento's with some of earth's divisions, we will direct our course across the atlantic ocean to england, of which, with her immediate possessions we will take a hasty survey. also we will glance at france, italy, germany, russia and siberia, and, if we may find it expedient, we may pass over that dimensionless point termed the north pole, where
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reigns perpetual winter and unbroken silence, save when crashing avalanches of ice and snow break the somber stillness, or when ethereal disturbances occasion tempestuous storms to rush and roar across the frozen, desolate wastes of the extreme north.
yes, we are aware that at this time some daring and ambitious men are determined to reach the north pole, and their heroic enterprise deserves a richer reward than they will obtain. no, i do not mean to say that no one in the physical body will ever reach the north pole, for, in time, it will be accomplished. spirits, scientifically trained, are engaged in impressing earth minds who steadily are progressing in a knowledge of electrical forces and appliances, while other scientific minds whose attention is directed towards solving the problem of aërial navigation are becoming more and more nearly en rapport with spirits who are aiding them, and at no very distant time air transports will traverse earth's aërial passageways with the same ease and security that air transports pass over ento's north and south polar regions.
now we must be off. george, that is well arranged though, really, bernard will require but slight assistance. gentola̤, below us is new york city and harbor. we have come this way that you may form an idea of the number of vessels passing between the eastern seaboard and europe. truly, liberty does enlighten the world, and license, which so often masquerades in the garments of the famed goddess, plunges nations into crime and barbarism. yonder symbolic statue accentuates the fact, that at least one aspiring mind comprehends the divine idea of freedom.
what an immense number and variety of vessels are moving in all directions, and what an immense number and variety of vessels rest on the bed of this vast ocean; while over them and the pallid hosts who are entombed beneath its
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waters, white crested billows moan a perpetual requiem. its bed is indeed a vast cemetery on which, side by side, lie noble and ignoble, rich and poor, friend and foe, for death, the reaper, makes no distinction. the tares are garnered with the wheat.
we are approaching england, the marvellous. england the heroic, the masterful, but never the magnanimous. the lion well typifies her people who are courageous, aggressive, persistent and, where her interests are involved, politic in an extreme degree. ever with unclosed eyes, with but half sheathed claws, the lion waits and watches, waits and watches. so wait, so watch, thou guardian of europe's, aye, of the world's peace, and seldom may thy vigilance be disturbed.
you have expressed a desire to see the thames river. below us is the noisome stream, and this is the great city of london. observe it closely so that you may compare it with a certain city you will see on ento. a city not so extensive or so populous, but far more beautiful.
yonder, toward the east, is st. paul's with its great dome and crucifix crowned spire; and that is bow church and facing us is old st. paul's, with its spire reaching some hundreds of feet into the rather smoky atmosphere. yes, it is a somber but also an impressive structure. that rather squat looking building is the bank of england. no, it is not an imposing edifice. yes, that is the famously infamous tower, where so many unfortunates have found time to consider the vanity of ambition, the insecurity of royal or of popular favor, and of other unstable quantities. no, this really fine shaft does not compare favorably with those you have seen in camarissa̤. you wish to see buckingham palace? then look at the structure facing us. and you are disappointed? yet it is quite a grand structure. ah, i see, you are comparing
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its architecture with that you have seen on ento. i confess i anticipated hearing expressions of disappointment, so am not surprised. yes, i promise you that, after the inauguration of our mission if you may so desire, we will bring you here and, at your leisure, you may observe whatever may interest you.
george, we now will hastily pass over england's rural-districts, then we will move northward. yes, the landscape views are indeed fine. nature, in her tranquil moods, ever is charming.
beneath us is bonnie scotland, with her many lakes and heathery heights. yonder is loch lomond and is not it a lovely sheet of water? but, to my mind, not more so than others of scotland's many lakes. no, we cannot now devote time to seeing cities; it is the geography of the countries we are passing over that we wish you to observe.
george, we will devote a few moments to an observation of the isle of man. gentola̤, on our side there are spirits who remember a time when the ocean was many fathoms deep above its slowly rising surface. that is the island, and it appears a rather precarious abiding place. some time i may tell you of its origin, which differs from the accepted scientific view.
now you may salute the emerald isle, the birthland of your nearest ancestors, who were of scotch blood. you have desired to see lough neagh, near which your father was born. its rippling water is beneath us now. of ireland's lakes, mountains, holy wells and fairy lore doubtless your father has told you many strange stories, but the strangely tragic story of wrong and oppression for which ireland furnishes a piteous theme is as yet, unwritten.
yes, this southern portion of the island is very picturesque and broken; the same may be said of the inhabitants. no, we will not visit wales. from ireland we will pass
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directly to france and to paris which, as has been aptly said, is france. is not it a very beautiful city? during my earth life i regarded it as being so perfect as to be changeless, but now as i gaze upon it, i see but few vestiges of nearly three hundred years ago.
oh, paris, paris, thou aggregation of opulence and squalor; of much that is admirable and more that is detestable; aye, of all that is good, bad or indifferent in human nature; since first i knew thee in thy beauty, luxury and arrogance, thou hast grown superb, but while decking thyself with costliest raiment and priceless jewels, thy feet tread in the mire of debauchery. in thy hands thou bearest a crucifix yet in thy heart thou art a wanton. with one breath thou chantest laus deo, with the next thy lips are smirched with ribald song.
oh beautiful, oh pitiable paris! through whose broad or narrow ways pass unseen angels of mercy, who continually are striving to raise the thoughts and aspirations of thy sensuous people above the insensate follies of vicious tendencies. not yet, not yet, but in a coming time the tribulations of thy people will turn them away from the spell of thy enchantments, and with clearer eyes and purer aspirations they will seek the heights of spiritual progress. beloved france, land of my birth, home of my childhood, youth and manhood, i look backward through the years and i behold thee regnant in power, or tossed as a shuttlecock in the hands of thy foes. then i behold thee dancing gaily on the brink of a precipice and, as i gaze, out of the shadows emerges the dread reign of terror, which stained thy garments with the best blood of thy children. still i gaze, and out of the blackness of thy despair a strong hand, guided by indomitable will, and measureless ambition, rescues thee from the abyss into which thy mad and ignorant folly hath plunged thee, and then a new day, whose
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effulgent glory blinds the eyes of other nations, dawns for thee. again deep shadows eclipse the effulgence of thy glory, whose beams gleam fitfully through some troublous years, and thus amid brightness and shadows the centuries have flown, and again, though in their hearts they spurn the plebeians whom they have chosen as rulers, thy children cry, "liberty, equality, fraternity," and the fateful years go by.
liberty and equality are the finest jewels in the crown of any nation, but alas, it is the few, and not the many, who are able to estimate them at their full value.
now reluctantly my gaze turns toward alsace and lorraine, who, like two orphaned children are obliged to carry water on both shoulders, yet no one dares to lift their burthens, or to restore them to their own. with sorrowful sympathy i have watched their changeful history, and the end is not yet.
an alsatian born am i, and though it is nearer three than two centuries since i passed to the spirit side, my heart clings to the land of my birth and i dream of a time that may, nay, will, arrive, when france, regenerated and with garments undefiled, shall take her rightful place amid the galaxy of earth's greatest nations.
southward now to italy, the land of music, of art, of sunshine and of flowers. as we gaze upon the verdure clad slopes, the smiling valleys and upon the cities whose storied greatness reaches backward into classic times, i recall that one has written, "oh, italy, thou art in one the glory and the shame of christianity, for while upon the pages of thy history are names heroic, thy garments are stained with the best blood that hath flowed in the veins of thy children. alas! that through thy ignorant zeal thou, in a bygone time, didst torture those whom thou shouldst have worn upon thy bosom as jewels beyond price.
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tortured them, too, in the name of the genuine teacher of a religion of peace and good will toward all men."
gentola̤, two members of our band, galileo and giordano bruno, attest to the horrible cruelties and crimes which, in their days, were, in the name of religion, perpetrated upon helpless men and women. no, spirits do not forget; but ere they can progress they must and do forgive.
although at this time a humane, wise and liberal minded man is king of italy, there is a power under his throne that chafes and schemes to overturn it but, happily comprehensive ideas are illumining the minds of his people who stand as a bulwark between it and those who, for their own selfish, ambitious and unrighteous ends seek its destruction. yes, all religious systems are beset with fanaticism and always fanatics are, in some sense, dangerous. then, too, to what lengths will not ambitious self-seeking, lead mortals, even blinding them to every principle which ennobles and elevates humanity.
on your account we regret that our time is too limited to admit of sightseeing, but we will slowly pass over rome so that you may gain a general idea of the appearance of the antiquated one who, despite her powdered and patched wrinkles, still dreams that she again will be mistress of the world's destinies; that her voice is as the voice of god and that her outreaching arms will yet embrace spiritually, if not temporally, all the nations of the earth.
germany next claims our attention. below us is berlin, where dwells the young emperor whose highest ambition is to act as arbitrator for all europe. naturally aristocratic and domineering, his tendency is to override all obstacles. he cannot tolerate advice, much less coercion. he is angered easily, yet with a kindly word is pacified. he is quick to take offense, and as quickly he forgives. when he conceives that the glory of germany or his personal honor
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are called in question in his demand for redress he is adamantine. at an hour's notice he is ready to appeal to arms, yet he is moved to pity by a cry of distress. in this scion of a stern, as well as gentle ancestry, ambition, arrogance, courage, integrity and a large admixture of the love element, serves to form a most unique character.
yes, berlin is an imposing city, but in it, as in all large aggregations of humanity on our planet, luxury and squalor are such near neighbors that the songs and laughter of the fortunate do not drown the moans of the wretched.
we now are crossing the border line between germany and russia. over what a vast area the autocratic czar holds sway. does it not seem marvellous that to one man millions of people yield more or less willing obedience? yet marvellous only when one loses sight of the fact, that in all manifestations of nature; or, if it may please you better, of god, necessarily there is a central, dominant principle. among the millions of this great empire are many who are the czar's equal, and others who, in the sense that makes a man worthier than his fellows, are his superiors. yet these millions of humans are subject to him, because that in his rank is involved all the principles that the government of russia stands for, and all governments require a figure-head, be it emperor, king or president.
the czar is a man of fine intelligence, of an affectionate and generous nature, but he is so hedged in by pride of birth, by love of power and the precedents of usages that he possesses but a scant understanding of the needs of the diverse races who people his dominions. yes, he, like most of earth's rulers, walks on the verge of a precipice over which, at any moment, some ruthless hand may topple him. no nation of earth has yet outgrown the naturally turbu
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lent animal element which, in the human, ever is snapping and snarling, and it is only when humanity has evolved beyond it that an observance of the golden rule becomes possible. earth's peoples not having evolved to the height of such a possibility, rulers must needs be guarded by steel and served by slaves, both rulers and slaves being held in bondage through fear of consequences. no, i do not recall that i ever have cared for the ephemeral distinctions of mortality's brief days.
we near st. petersburg, an extensive and populous city, which, like the country, is covered with snow. yes, the cold is very severe, and rivers and lakes are bound in icy fetters. never mind, the time is not very far distant when you shall be free to not only visit the city, but you even may unceremoniously call on the royal family.
now we are crossing the ural mountains, and in a moment we will be passing over siberia. one is tempted to moralize over those exiled from home and country to this far northern land. ah me! what tragedies have been enacted, what crimes committed against humanity, perpetrated, too, in the name of justice, who is not so blind that she will not some time reckon with the perpetrators.
since starting on our journey but little more than an hour has elapsed, and—yes, we have reached the north pole of our planet. for certain mentalities there is a charm in attempting difficult undertakings, and serious obstacles but spur them on to greater enthusiasm, to higher endeavor. to ordinary mortals the awful wastes of ice and snow over which we have passed would be utterly appalling, but for some the scene would possess a sort of enchantment. so courageous explorers will continue to seek for this point, and many valuable lives will yet be lost in the attainment of a nearly futile object. yes, ambition and curiosity are
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forceful and apparently necessary incentives of human endeavor.
now gaze downward and as far as your vision may extend and describe the not at all pleasing view.
gentola—how shall i describe the wonderful spectacle so terrible, yet so weirdly fascinating. overhead the clouds are heavy and threatening, and a shadowy darkness as deep as twilight prevails, and in the partial light there is a peculiarly luminous quality as though the atmosphere might be laden with diamond dust, on which light from somewhere is falling. de l'ester, do you know what occasions the singularly beautiful radiance?
de l'ester—this luminosity is the effect of the magnetic aura emanating from the polar centre. no, i do not mean magnetic centre, but polar centre. under certain conditions it produces or creates what is known as aurora borealis. yes, i mean that there are certain planetary activities which create magnetic storms, and when such disturbances occur our northern earth sky presents a more or less beautiful display of what, by many, are termed northern lights.
gentola—were i in my physical body would i perceive this luminous appearance, and is it at all times luminous?
de l'ester—you and very many, but not all persons in the physical body would be able to perceive the magnetic aura, particularly when, as at present, it is very pronounced. you forget that i already have said that the emanation is continuous, which is the same as saying that it is at all times luminous to those who can perceive it. please resume, for we soon must hasten to ento.
gentola—i cannot find words adequate to a description of this scene which is so peculiar that it overwhelms me. the loveliness of color, radiating and pulsating through the atmosphere like some living thing, is so mar
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vellous that one can imagine its pulsations are the heart throbs of the planet.
as far as my vision reaches i see no land, no water, no living thing, and everywhere it looks as though great waves of a tempestuous sea had climbed toward the sky and suddenly were frozen into immobility. amid the swirl and commotion of the elements, avalanches of ice and snow are crashing downward from the crests of snow mountains, whose peaks tower toward the clouds. to my mind it is not only a sublime but an awful scene. i should think one might go mad if obliged to long remain amid such desolation and such tremendous sights and sounds. but, de l'ester, once you mentioned the existence of a former open polar sea. will you tell me of it?
de l'ester—as you please, madame, though but in a few words. at another time a member of the band will speak of it at length. our planet has experienced two glacial periods. previous to the first period there was at the then north pole an unfrozen, but very limited sea. twice through the activities of natural laws a slight tilting of our planet has occurred. during its existence, again and again the same catastrophe must repeat itself. always accumulations of ice and snow at the north pole preponderate over the same at the south pole. the centre of gravity seeking an equilibrium, necessitates a changed position of the planet, which will account for the finding of tropical vestiges so very far north. some of earth's scientists very naturally have concluded that the glacial drift forced these vestiges to their present position, but through eminent scientists on our side of life we know that this is a mistaken idea. were it possible for mortals to search under these tremendous accumulations of ice and snow, they would find the fauna and flora of a tropical
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region, and what would be more startling, the well preserved remains of very primitive humans and somewhat of their belongings.
during our too brief hours of camaraderie, it is not practicable to note all that comes under our observation, but be assured that much that cannot be written you, more or less vividly will remember as food for thought through coming years of your mortal existence.
now take a last survey of the dreary expanse below us, to which you will not say good-bye, but au revoir, for, doubtless after you shall have been freed from the physical plane of being, under more favorable conditions you will revisit this scene of which you now have but a limited view. and now, mes amis, off for ento.
gentola̤, recently you inquired of genessano if the entoans composed poetry and he replied yes, but his modesty forbade his saying that previous to passing to the spirit world he had attempted versification. we have prevailed upon him to recall some sad lines which we deem apropos to the object of our mission, and as on this ever wondrous magnetic current we speed toward ento, he will recite them and i, to the best of my ability, will translate them into your language.
an ocean whose waves reach eternity's shore,
rolls silently on; not a sound is heard
of the wrecks that go down in its depths profound,
to rest on its bed and are heard of no more.
oh, ento, thy children so loved, so deplored,
ever fade from our sight never more to return,
and in measureless anguish we cry unto thee:
spare, spare us our dear ones, andûmana, dread lord.
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around us are falling, like leaves from the trees,
our loved ones, our friends whose forms are so dear
that we wear them as jewels enshrined in our hearts,
and yield them to death, so andûmana decrees.
oh, pitiful gods! andûmana implore.
to succor his children who lie at his feet,
and cry in their anguish and deep despair:
give lack to our arms our loved ones once more.
de l'ester—as i have done my best, i shall not apologize for my unmeritorious translation of genessano's meritorious poem, which voices the ceaseless cry of ento's sorrowful peoples.
gentola—genessano, my friend, so worshipful is my love for my dearest ones, that i understand the emotion impelling you to give expression to this wail of despair. when this dear boy, journeying by my side, passed into the world of spirits, only my knowledge of a continuity of conscious existence sustained me under my sudden bereavement, so i rejoice that the time draws near when the peoples of ento may come into a knowledge of this consoling truth.
genessano—oh, ento! beloved ento! i too, rejoice that ere long the shadows which have so obscured thy spiritual radiance shall drift away from thee, even as under the golden beams of diafon-evoiha the mists of dawn drift from off thy fair face. hail to thee! hail to thee ento, thou beauteous world of the starry realms of space! with exultant heart i gaze on thee, for soon in thy spirit realms the glad words will be heralded that the day of thy rejoicing has come; that henceforth the eyes of thy downcast children shall be filled with the light of a joy divine, the joy of knowing that death of the physical body releases
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into a higher life—the immortal self. only those who have loved, lost and sorrowed for the dear ones gone into endless silence can comprehend the joy that pervades my being as i realize the ineffable gladness that soon will fill the hearts of the peoples of ento.
de l'ester—gentola̤, you perceive how enthused we all are over, i may say, the certainty of the success of our mission, which is ours only in the sense that we are assisting others who, like ourselves, are interested in the righteous undertaking.
yes, all greatly beneficent enterprises for the uplifting of humanity of any planet originate in the spirit realms. you are aware that on our planet all persons are not equally receptive, which is the same as saying that they are not equally sensitive. the same is true of the peoples of other planets. the law of being is universal, but, through heredity, which is the sum of preceding existences, also through the influences of social and other conditions always, among all peoples, there are individuals apparently ahead of their time. not through their own desire, but through conditions, to which i have alluded, the most dominant being ecclesiastical repression. as a whole, the entoans are very positive, but among the ascetic priesthood are individuals so sensitive that, like dano, lēta and others, they are impelled to manifest it. these are they who apparently are ahead of their time; in reality they are the forerunners of spiritual upheavals, not of to-day, perhaps not of to-morrow, but of a time that surely will come.
largely through their ardently affectionate nature the entoans are growing approachable. love and sorrow are retorts in which are consumed the dross of human passions, beliefs and prejudices. thus, through their love and their sorrow, their souls are unfolding for the reception of spiritual influences and the perception of spirit presences.
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we have so loitered that zenesta̤ ha̤o, who awaits us yonder at the galarēsa̤, well may have grown impatient. loha̤û emano, loha̤û.
zenesta hao—friends, you are late. what has so delayed you?
de l'ester—we fear that we may have taxed your amiability and patience, but, after consideration, we decided to afford gentola̤ a view of certain of earth's regions with which she was unacquainted, so that she might compare them with regions of a corresponding latitude and longitude of ento. the youth who accompanies us is the son of gentola̤, who four years ago passed into our spirit world and this is his first visit to ento. bernard, dear boy, this is our esteemed ento friend, zenesta̤ ha̤o, once a professor of languages in this galarēsa̤.
bernard—sir, i am happy in making your acquaintance, and deeply grateful that these dear friends have allowed me to accompany my mother to your planet.
zenesta hao—inidora̤, genessano and i, as representatives of our people, with much good will offer the son of gentola̤ a cordial welcome to ento.
bernard—for which you and they have my thanks.
zenesta hao—friends, previous to my coming here, i visited the invalid at da̤o. dano's arrival has stimulated valloa̤'s life forces, and a ray of hope lights up omanas fûnha̤'s despairing heart. it is but the fitful burning of the expiring flame and the young creature can survive but for a brief time. as the union between herself and her physical body weakens, she grows more spiritualized and sensitive; so also does prince dano, who does not deceive himself with false hopes of valloa̤'s recovery, and both gladly are growing into a clearer understanding of the wondrous truth that life is continuous. with timorous joy they whisper of a time when they may be reunited to part
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no more, but it is pitiful to listen to their murmured words of love, of sorrow and of the newly born hope which yet is too marvellous to be fully realized. with tears in my eyes and tenderest pity in my heart i turned from them, for i remembered, aye, i remembered when my beloved armena̤'s life went out and left me desolate and despairing.
de l'ester—for your report which partakes of both joy and sorrow, we thank you, and we will so shape our movements as to meet all emergencies.
gentola̤, you are aware that early in the present century there lived a man of scotch birth named hugh miller, who was so orthodox that he found himself unequal to the feat of balancing the bible in one scale, and the results of his geological investigations in the other. despairingly he abandoned the futile attempt, and suddenly crossed over the scottish border into a world, not of effects, but of causes. come forward, sir, and afford me the pleasure of introducing to you our intrepid medium gentola̤.
hugh miller—madame, this is a strange meeting between one who was, and one who yet is an inhabitant of our earth plane, where once i earnestly, anxiously, prayerfully strove to go toward the light. during my investigations evidences, which i could neither dispute or explain away, so perplexed me that i fell into a vortex of doubt and dismay that whirled me into the world of spirits. i perceive that you do not know my story. i pray you acquaint yourself with it.
while in the physical body the study of geology was with me a positive passion, and when in the world of spirits i recovered from my temporary aberration of mind, gladly and naturally i continued my favorite pursuit.
yes, madame, i was greatly surprised, i may say overwhelmed, when upon regaining full consciousness i found
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the spirit world so unlike all my preconceived notions, but as real, as substantial, as the old red sandstone which had so perplexed and upset all my ideas concerning the creation of our world. i had been taught and did believe that in six days god created the heavens and the earth, and all that was therein, but geology told another story. it related that the earth had not been created, but that through ages and ages it had evolved from cosmic matter into a measurable world, which through other ages had become fitted for the abode of myriad life forms. as a thoroughly orthodox believer my very soul revolted against these evidences of nature, and finally under blows of a small hammer upon a leaf of god's revelation in stone my reason reeled, and i—— but no more retrospection.
friends, i am at your service, and shall be happy if in the least i may add to your profit or your pleasure.
ah, this is the geological department which is very complete, very comprehensive. what a vast apartment and so beautifully arranged and kept. madame, observe those supporting columns; are they not in style nearly corinthian? to you it may appear a somewhat startling fact, but when understood it is not. the so-termed primary colors are an expression of a universal natural law, and form is equally so. as water, in freezing, inevitably forms certain crystallized shapes, so in the human mind, inevitably, form assumes certain curves, lines and dimensions. these friends will bear witness that not only on ento and earth, but on other inhabited planets we have found the arch, with its keystone, and columns of the various orders employed in architecture here and on our planet.
you observe that this great apartment is divided into several departments. in this one is a fine collection of fossils which, for lack of time, we must pass by. de l'ester says that we shall only glance at this wonderfully
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complete display of gems which ever are dear to the heart of a woman. now here——
de l'ester—friends, for a little while we will defer the examination of the gems. nearby an instructor is addressing a class of students who may afford us opportunity for an experiment.
instructor—for as in it there is much that cannot be accounted for, geology affords room for speculation (and i regret to say for irreverent expression), not found in any other science. our sacred writings declare that out of substances within himself andûmana̤ created ento and all living creatures, into whom he breathed the breath of life and to whom he gave the power of procreation. that at death of the body the breath of life returns to him, and again and again is breathed into the newly born. one of our most learned men, ziro emyda̤s, estimates the circumference of ento as being koida̤s ferma̤ itsaa̤ fonitû ûvon soynas (little less than 12,000 miles). no mind can realize the immensity of andûmana̤, who out of his personality, created ento and all things.
ziro emyda̤s intimates that after the creation of ento, andûmana̤ did not at once create all living things, but his deductions are somewhat illogical and by some are thought to be impious. his statement he terms the theory of stratification, and it is so specious that i hesitate to quote from it. generally it is admitted that the science of geology demonstrates that the formation of ento is stratified, and that each stratum presents an appearance peculiar to itself. for instance, here is a stone from the third stratum which largely is composed of a variety of minute shells. here are others from the fourth and fifth strata, each varying from the others in their composition, and the same may he said of the strata nearer the surface. phrysos, you
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who, to an extent, favor ziro emyda̤s's theory, dare you give utterance to what these stones indicate?
phrysos—may the gods prevent my uttering aught that may oppose the truth. at times the thought enters my mind that possibly our priesthood may not fully comprehend the meanings of certain words of our sacred writings. ziro emyda̤s questions the infallibility of their interpretations. he declares that andûmana̤ alone is infallible, and that gods and men are but his instruments through whom he works his will. that the priesthood have called him to account for what they term his lack of reverence for sacred things has not deterred him from firmly adhering to his declarations, and i confess that while my immature mind does not wholly grasp the presentation of his theory, i greatly admire his courage and no one, i believe, questions his sincerity.
i am but a beginner in this fascinating study, but already i realize that one must closely adhere to established theories else one easily may drift into unauthorized and dangerous speculations, but i, no more than yourself, question the infallibility of the sacred writings, and yet——
de l'ester—gentola̤, place the tips of your fingers near his head, now speak to him.
phrysos—and yet—and—yet—friends, i seem to hear a voice—it speaks to—speaks to me, and i feel—a strange—sensation stealing—over—me. i—i——
de l'ester—now place your hands over his eyes. ah, how readily he yields.
instructor—what ails you, phrysos? why, i believe he is falling into a swoon. phrysos! phrysos! trissa̤, hasten for a cup of water. raise a window, avilla the air may be too close.
de l'ester—rapidly but distinctly follow my dictation.
gentola—i am one who already hath spoken to thy
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friend, prince dano, of a new and glorious revelation which very soon will be given to the peoples of ento. thou hearest my voice but seest not my form standing near thee, even as thou shalt stand near dano as a priest of the new revelation. i am gentola̤. remember and fear not.
instructor—thanks, trissa̤. it was but a momentary faintness, probably occasioned by the oppressive atmosphere.
why, phrysos, really we thought you were about to swoon; you whose boast is that you never have known a moment's illness. was it the closeness of the atmosphere that occasioned the attack?
phrysos—i cannot say what occasioned it. i fancied i heard a voice coming from some one or somewhere, and i grew faint. no, i was not unconscious, but could not open my eyes or reply to your inquiries. it must have been occasioned by the closeness of the atmosphere. you will excuse me and i will walk about, and in a few moments i shall recover myself.
evylon—to what strange days have we come. phrysos, one of our athletes; phrysos, one of our brightest and closest students, attacked much as was prince dano. yes, i was in the art studio when dano became unconscious, and when he was revived he spoke strange words which surprised and shocked all who heard them. but, evidently, phrysos was not unconscious, for his countenance expressed great surprise and lively emotion. he says that he seemed to hear a voice, but we heard no sound. i pray the gods that no such attack may seize any of us.
de l'ester—touch this youth's hands. first the right, now the left hand. see how he stares and rubs one over the other. touch them again. greatly excited he springs to his feet, exclaiming, "something has touched
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me! touched me twice on my hands! no, i see nothing that could have caused the sensation. i fear that my sympathy for phrysos has rendered me imaginative. i, too, pray you excuse me and soon i shall walk off all morbid fancies."
instructor—as our lesson is concluded we will join you. you do well not to yield to what you very properly term morbid fancies. it is well understood that one mind can affect another mind, and then the question arises, what is mind? fra̤tos, one of our most learned and brilliant thinkers, declares that——
de l'ester—we cannot afford time to learn what fra̤tos declares, probably that mind is matter in an active state.
gentola̤, we are delighted that you can so successfully approach ento sensitives. one other of those students could have been made to sense your presence, but we must not permit our enthusiasm to get the better of our judgment, else a panic might occur.
genessano, you have reason to be hopeful for the success of our mission for, evidently, the spiritualized faculties of many of your people are highly evolved.
genessano—oh, that the hour may swiftly arrive which shall usher in the dawn of the brightest day that ever has come to ento. a day that will mark an epoch of gladness in the history of a sorrowful people.
before proceeding with our investigations, you desire to know the result of my very recent visit to da̤o. as zenesta̤ has said, dano's arrival momentarily has stimulated valloa̤'s life forces, but she fades away as fades a rodel broken from its stem. as gradually she releases herself from her physical body her inner vision grows clearer and she reaches out and greets the dear ones who have preceded her into our spirit realms. sēlona̤ valloa̤,
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the golden haired, died in giving birth to valloa̤. she was the wife of omanos fûnha̤'s youth, and no one has taken her place in his affection or by his side. while mourning his irreparable loss, ever his chiefest solace has been the golden haired, blue eyed child who now is the image of her mother. in the hour of his approaching bereavement omanos fûnha̤ will, when convinced of its truth, gladly embrace a faith that shall give assurance of a reunion with those whom he holds dearer than all else. basto andûlēsa̤, his nearest kinsman and closest friend, in all possible ways sustains him. in character they are much alike and both are wise, loving and spiritualized men. to them valloa̤ smilingly but earnestly, insists upon the reality of her visions, and the messages her mother, sēlona̤, sends to her husband and the andûlēsa̤s. and thus the days and nights pass, and the way is being prepared against the time when the lovely girl shall be borne from them into higher realms.
de l'ester—dear friend, your report favors our mission, but how pitiful it is, and geology is an interesting science, but as we are humans, the affairs of humans lie nearer our hearts and i confess that my sympathy for dano, valloa̤, and the grief stricken father, is greater than my interest in all the sciences of all the planets in the universe. gentola̤, you are surprised and our friends smile at my impulsive utterances, but they understand, as you do not, that with longing unspeakable, i look forward to the hour when my own shall return to me. ever i am waiting and watching for an angel of love and mercy, who strives to lift out of degradation and wretchedness mortals whose ignorance and debaucheries drag them down into darkness. her present embodiment has placed us far apart, but duties fulfilled are converging our ways and ere long, face to face, we again will gaze into each other's eyes and read there
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the assurance of our eternal union. it should not so surprise you to learn that in the spiritual marriage two entities, male and female, form an inseparable whole, and that there is no other real union possible, all others being temporary, yet not necessarily on the merely animal plane. when, to a certain point, we shall have completed our present undertaking, we hope that you may be induced to listen to talks on this and other subjects, for the more clearly you understand spiritual laws, the better you will be prepared to enter the spirit world.
as our scotch friend is accustomed to our erratic ways i need not apologize for so abruptly interrupting him.
hugh miller—certainly not. indeed i have been so interested in what has transpired that, for the time, i quite lost sight of the occasion of our coming here. madame, you will observe that here, arranged in orderly sequence, are fragments of the various stratifications of the several ages of this planet which exactly correspond with those, not only of earth, but of all planets sufficiently evolved to have become fully stratified. perhaps you have been informed that in matter there is a universality of homogeneity, and that vibration, attraction, cohesion and gravity are the observable expressions of infinite intelligent energy, the one law controlling all things that live, move and have being. in a general way, the entoans recognize this law, also in a general way, they recognize the structure of their planet, but in certain of their conclusions they are quite mistaken. when one takes into account their religious beliefs and their consequent lack of knowledge of astronomical and geological facts, it is not surprising that some of their conclusions are altogether erroneous. happily the new revelation will dissipate their fears of andûmana̤ and his messengers, and with their wonderful mathematical and mechanical ability, soon they will con
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struct such aids to physical vision as will fill the minds of their star-gazers with amazement.
owing to its exceedingly level surface, during the spring this planet becomes inundated and engineering skill of a high order long has been required to not only obviate disasters, but to provide storage for water which later on furnishes a necessary but inadequate supply for the requirements of the peoples. to in a measure meet this demand, wells of enormous depth are bored and from them volumes of sweet, cool, refreshing water gush forth. through the agency of these borings many geological facts have been forced upon the attention of the learned and through other agencies these facts have been confirmed. but always religious beliefs have stood as barriers between fact and fancy, and thus the science of geology is but partially comprehended, much less are its conclusions admitted.
here are specimens of various coals whose properties are the same as those of earth. and here are specimens of peat or bog fuel. embedded in this block of peat is a piece of wood closely resembling oak, and here is another in which is embedded wood much like the beech.
in this compartment are specimens of gold-bearing quartz, and here are nuggets of free gold and a receptacle filled with grains of gold; and here are samples of scale gold which are nearly pure.
here, too, is an exhibit of ento's various silver ores. observe these peculiar formations which resemble skeins of silver threads, snarled inextricably. in these compartments is an effective arrangement of specimens of all minerals not accounted precious, as copper, iron, tin, zinc, lead, in short all minerals of our planet are represented here.
to spirits sufficiently advanced, two facts are evident. one is the universal homogeneity of what you term mat
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ter. the other is the universality of a law whose activities everywhere are the same, but i do not mean to say that everywhere the results are the same for, of course, environments and conditions modify results; but where, as on ento and earth, environments and conditions so nearly correspond, necessarily, results must at least bear a general resemblance.
we now will pass to the adjoining apartment where an aged custodian is poring over an ancient looking volume, which is one of many ancient volumes stored in this galarēsa̤. what a quaint but pleasing figure he presents. his long white hair waving over his shoulders forms a fitting setting for his dark-hued, intellectual and refined face, and the blue gemmed silver fillet confining his hair harmonizes with his loose, graceful, dark blue robe falling quite to his feet. despite his hoary locks and aged appearance, to my mind he is a very handsome man. the volume he so earnestly endeavors to read is quite unknown to me. perhaps zenesta̤ may be acquainted with it.
zenesta hao—let me see. ah, yes, this was the language of a race known as the da̤hûlo, who occupied the province of da̤hûlo which, some thirty centuries ago, bordered on indoloisa̤'s southern shore. they were highly civilized and, like the quends of to-day, did not intermarry with other races. the province was not then infertile, and through their manufacturing industries, one of which was the production of rich silken stuffs, they became the most opulent race of ento. then gradually arrived the not infrequent sequence. the very rich grew arrogantly selfish, and the masses with unperceiving senses yielded their rights and fell into idleness and consequent poverty which bred discontent, and soon discontent merged into turbulence and almost suddenly they turned upon their despoilers and in an incredibly brief time such devastation
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occurred that cities, towns and villages and country places were little less than ruins. the governor of the province appears to have been a timorous, incapable man who, realizing that he could not control the frenzied people, appealed for aid to the supreme euler, imraû ilvoita̤s, who was a wise, just and thoroughgoing man, who quickly adjusted affairs by renaming the province zil-ammon, and obliging those whose selfish greed had led to the riotous proceedings, to make reparation to the wronged people and also to remove elsewhere. these vigorous measures must have been an effective object lesson, for never since has a like event occurred.
the volume further relates that through the encouragement of imraû ilvoita̤s, people from other provinces emigrated to zil-ammon and thus the exclusiveness of the da̤hûlo race was broken up, but the province never regained its former prosperity. at that time there was a lack of systematic irrigation and the central regions were steadily growing so infertile that long previous to the birth of inidora̤ and genessano the province of zil-ammon was little less than a desert. only within two ento centuries has an attempt been made to reclaim this waste country.
this volume, which once i translated into the present ento tongue, is a history of the extinct race of da̤hûlo; from its pages i have culled the fragment i have related. i should like to assist this gentleman in his effort to read the volume, but i fear he might be greatly alarmed could he even perceive me looking over his shoulder.
de l'ester—gentola̤, you now understand the process. try to lightly touch his hands.
it is more than amusing to note the haste with which he deposits the volume on the table and turns his hands this way and that in an endeavor to learn what has occasioned the singular sensation. touch him again, but only on his
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left hand. there, that will do. we do not desire to alarm him. he is quite startled and looks about questioningly, but as he perceives nothing out of the common he picks up the volume murmuring, "ah me, age is burthened with infirmities and strange fancies, and i grow old, old, and the dread silence draws very near." again he lays the volume down and with a pathetic, troubled expression, paces back and forth. too bad to have so disturbed him, and we beg his pardon.
hugh miller—madame, will you now observe this department, which contains examples of all the precious stones of ento.
gentola—i have been thinking of how beautiful all this is. the great apartment itself is exquisitely finished in various beautifully colored woods so richly, yet so daintily carved, that they match the loveliness of the mosaic floor, which seems too fine for common use. these crystalline compartments, too, with their velvety linings and fine mouldings, containing this great collection of cut and uncut, set, and unset jewels, forms a spectacle beyond my ability to describe. in this first compartment are many gems of various tints of green, and how very beautiful they are. are they not emeralds?
hugh miller—yes, and they are very large and very fine gems. i am informed that officials of a certain rank wear emeralds as insignia of their special dignity. for instance, the fillets worn by zenesta̤, inidora̤ and genessano, are only worn by governors of provinces. oh, yes, all who choose may wear the gems as ornaments, but only the fillets worn by governors are set in this peculiar style. no, the supreme ruler does not wear a crown. his golden fillet of a certain width, richly ornamented with diamonds and sapphires, is the badge of his high office. as fillet gems, princes and princesses wear diamonds and rubies.
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other persons of distinction wear their fillets variously gemmed. yes, the fillet, its gems and style of setting, always denotes the station of the wearer, in which there is no suggestion of caste or special privilege. but of this and other matters, you later on will learn more. by the entoans diamonds are not regarded as being more valuable than are some other gems. inidora̤ will offer you an explanation of the matter.
inidora—the irrigating and waterways system starting at camarissa̤, passes eastward until it emerges into gandûlana̤ loisa̤. the great work being completed to its western shore, immediately its eastern shore became a centre of ceaseless activity. ere the lapse of many days a diamond deposit was discovered, which induced such a state of excitement that, for a time, work on the system was abandoned. in their eagerness to secure the gems, laborers set aside all other considerations and i well remember that such numbers of stones were found that dealers in the gems were threatened with financial ruin. quickly the situation grew so serious that a general council was convened, which resulted in our supreme ruler issuing an edict to the effect that all diamonds found in that locality should be the property of the government; that they should be sold at their value, and that the proceeds should be used toward defraying the cost of the irrigating and waterways system, which, as all persons knew, was for the general good. this ended the excitement and thereafter the work of the system proceeded uninterruptedly. during many years the government worked the diamond deposit, and the accruing revenue greatly assisted in furthering the interests of the system. a time arrived when the deposit became exhausted, but that was after our parents, my brother and i had passed into our spirit realms. never since the finding of such numbers of the gems have they, as previously,
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been valued beyond what you name the emerald, the ruby and some other fine gems.
gentola—i never have much cared to possess jewels, but this display is so very beautiful that i cannot find words to express my admiration of it. diamonds, diamonds, diamonds—glowing and scintillating like stars, and what a range of coloring they possess—blue, rose, yellow and various other hues, and all so beautiful. do you think, sir, that on our planet there are diamonds comparable in size, purity and coloring with these?
hugh miller—yes, in size, purity and coloring, our planet possesses diamonds equal to the finest of these. why not? the constituents of the two planets being exactly alike and conditions sufficiently similar, naturally the same causes that produced the crystallization of these beautiful gems, would be operative in the formation of the diamond and other gems of our planet. yes, the diamond is pure carbon, and to my mind it is the most attractive of gems. we will now pass to the next compartment.
gentola—oh, how lovely, how very, very lovely. i am sure that those are rubies, and to my taste they are far more beautiful than diamonds. what a variety of shades of color—some pale to deep rose, from deepest rose to blood red and in their hearts is a glint of fire that makes them seem alive. i never have seen a ruby so large or so brilliant as that beautifully cut, unset stone on the white velvet cushion. how i should like to hold it in my hand.
de l'ester—you may attempt it.
gentola—ah, i cannot lift it. why is it that i cannot? i feel quite as substantial as when in my physical body, yet i cannot lift even that diminutive stone, which is no more than an inch in diameter.
de l'ester—your physical body has an affinity for matter on the physical plane. your spirit body has an
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affinity only for that which is spiritual. diamonds, rubies, indeed, all things are composites of matter and vitalizing spirit. at present, you attract only the spirit of things, but as you are not strong enough, we will form a battery, which will assist you to accomplish your desire. friends, you will aid us. now place your left hand on mine, your right hand under the stone and strongly desire that you shall hold in it the spirit of the ruby. try again, concentrate your will power, and—ah, that is well. now slowly withdraw your hand, and lo, in your palm is the glowing spirit of the rose hued gem, which in a moment must be returned to its home.
gentola—this is a marvellous lesson. now i better comprehend what you term the spirit of things. how wondrously lovely is this glowing, palpitating spirit gem. why, really, it appears to possess life. oh, must i so soon return it?
de l'ester—yes, unless you would have its now lustreless home quickly vanish into imperceptible atoms. touch with your finger tips the material stone. now we will break the circle, and you will have an illustration of the law of affinity. observe that as the spirit is being absorbed the material stone is regaining its glowing beauty, and now it is as it was before its spirit self was attracted by spirit on a higher plane of being.
our experiment concluded, and your vital energy well nigh exhausted, we must return you to your material home.
that we may intelligently direct our future movements, we now will visit valloa̤, and george, inez and your loving lad will accompany you earthward. if possible, to-morrow at nine o'clock, be in readiness for our journey.
au revoir.
bernard—oh, mother, i am so happy to be near you and to know that to you i am as real as when in earth life
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you tried to impress spiritual truths upon my very material mind. never mind, mother, the law of self atonement is a righteous law, and having emerged from the shadows of earthly conditions to me the light is all the more glorious. seeing with clearer eyes, earnestly i desire and strive to grow in grace and in a knowledge of all truths. mother, is not this a strange experience?
gentola—very strange, my dear; so much so, that often i imagine that i must have been dreaming strange dreams. while, as now, i am apart from my physical body, it seems as real as is my daily home life, but were it not that i have been made to keep a record of these journeys, i would retain no realizing sense of them.
how quickly we have journeyed, and until to-morrow i must lose sight of you dear ones.
bernard—while you yet can see me, kiss me, mother, dear.
george—and kiss us, too, dear sister. good-bye until to-morrow.
january 12th, 1894.
