Experiences of Samuel Bowles in Spirit Life

Samuel Bowles recounts his entrance into spirit-life― 

As life faded out, and I was gradually losing hold of the old body, what had before been an intense pain in my chest slowly changed to a sensation of heaviness. 

There was no inclination to throw off the incubus that weighed me down. 

The sobs in the room, and the low tones were like faraway murmurs.

In a few moments, my busy brain brought up the vivid scenes of my life―its early struggles, its later successes―all were like a panorama spread out before me. 

I knew that what had been called the King of Terrors was with me but I felt no fear. 

Gradually, the scenes in the room receded far away. 

The efforts of the old form for breath seemed like some other person beside myself. 

And then the loved ones of my childhood days were around me with bright faces, holding out their arms and beckoning me over. 

A sensation came to me that I was rising up out of myself and from right over the old head, there was another head that thought and saw!

As my spirit was withdrawn from the body, I could look down on the agonised face and see the last efforts of the life-principle in leaving it. 

There was no feeling of fear―no pain. 

Death is not painful. 

I can recollect now and know there was not even surprise. 

It was like some half-forgotten lesson that had come back to me with force, but there was no feeling of awe such as I had often thought must come to the person facing the mystery of death.

I looked for a river―I saw none. 

I looked for the boatman but I saw only multitudes of glad faces as far as I could see. 

I had long before given up the thought that there were golden streets and gates of pearl, for I felt if there was an afterlife, it must be in accordance with nature. 

I tried to think―I tried to remember the many who were around me, yet they would say―

Not yet, rest, brother, rest.

And I did rest―such rest as only tired souls have who have just come out of the turmoil of earth-life. 

I did not realise I was rising and still I had risen to quite a height, for I remember looking back at the old home and the old body, peaceful now, with hands resting―hands that would nevermore grasp the pen and wield it for my fellowmen. 

I think even then a feeling of regret rose in my heart as the ambitions of life appeared to have been cut off in their very prime―

I sighed, and said―

Dear old hands, you have served me well but your work is over.

Yes, their work is over, said a voice beside me, you have changed garments. 

Out of the old there has indeed been resurrected a new body that will take up the tangled thread of life where you laid it down and wield again a power over the children of earth that will be felt and finish a work so nobly begun. 

Your work is not done―

Your active brain has worn out one body, therefore, death is kinder than life, for every thought of beauty or power shall find its way back as though written in letters of fire! 

Therefore, brother, rest, but only to begin again with redoubled power!

Almost unconsciously during this conversation, I had been guided and helped into a room, which had all the luxury―all the beauty of rooms in earth-life and each article was just as tangible to me as the articles in the old life. 

I looked at my hands and saw hands like the old ones, only every trace of age had passed away. 

I felt of my body and found I was the same man―clothed as a man with no difference, only the look of youth. 

Then again I thought of the old body, and, as by magic, I could see down an inclined plane into the room where it lay and I saw those who were performing the last sad offices.

I was then content, though I knew my loved ones wept. 

I could see an end to their weeping. 

I felt a pity for them, yet joy mingled in the cup, for with the clogs of earth-life out of my way―with the strife all passed―a new ambition came to me―to be known yet in the old life―to do a work that should find its way, if possible, even to the heart of a nation begun in purity but made corrupt through greed of men, and I gloried that death was life and a life that no circumstance or change could blot out.

I think I rested then, for a while all was a blank, but when I came back to myself such a glorious view presented itself to me! 

I was not expecting to see the throne of God, but I saw Nature as never before―lofty mountains, winding rivers, lovely valleys where the green foliage made an arch overhead and left shaded walks―lakes with many a little boat, filled with pleasure parties―cottages nestled down among green trees―mansions that contained souls who had come up through great tribulation―pavilions, beautifully decorated, made with open sides where there was often a multitude of eager spirits, listening to words that came from the hearts of men and women who had learned their lessons in earth-life and had risen through sorrow, but here had their place as teachers. 

All was peaceful―brotherly love was one of the conditions prevailing everywhere, as I saw it. 

I feel even now lost in wonder when I realise that spirit-life is so closely allied to earth-life―that the heaven I had dreamed of is only your natural world intensified―that nature without blemish exists for every soul―that personal life is so important that infinite wisdom has provided for it eternally―that once a man or woman realises an existence, they go on forever.

Experiences of Samuel Bowles [or life as he now sees it from a spiritual standpoint].

Later Papers A Supplement to the Experiences of Samuel Bowles [or life as he now sees it from a spiritual standpoint]