Is there a school in heaven?

This is not much like the schools of earth. 

What is your method of instruction?

We have no particular method―these little ones play the most of the time and they learn about all they need to know in their play.

That is a very singular way of teaching children―it differs very much from the way in which I have been accustomed to see them taught. 

Do you not have any strict discipline?

No, I merely grant their wishes―that is all.

Do you live in this cottage by yourself with no other company except the children?

Yes, but interested persons visit us continually, and the nearest relatives these children have usually place them here and then visit them almost every day.

Why do not these children live with there relatives?

Because it is better that in the spiritual world they should all live in little schools by themselves, and there are thousands of these schools here, all graded to suit their age. 

The children of this school are from three to five years of age when they are placed here, and they leave this school at the age of ten.

Do I understand you to say the only way they are taught is by granting their wishes? 

How very strange! 

Suppose they should wish for things that were harmful, would you grant those wishes?

They cannot wish for anything that is harmful.

Suppose, for instance, they wanted to sail out on that lake alone, and all get drowned, would not that be harmful?

They do sail on the lake, alone―or together―just as they please. 

You forget that they cannot drown under any circumstances, and they learn as much while they are sailing as at any other time.

Well, suppose they wanted―one―or all of them―to roam into that dark forest yonder, and get lost―or torn by wild beasts, for I see wild beasts exist here in the spiritual world ?

They can neither be lost, nor torn by wild beasts. 

Wild beasts here do not tear―or kill anything. 

It is an impossibility, and if a child is lost, which is not often the case, all we have to do is to earnestly desire its return. 

It can neither starve, nor perish with cold, nor hunger, and whenever it wishes to return, the wish fetches it to us. 

Occasionally a child wanders off and enters some other school, but it always returns again.

Do they ever quarrel among themselves?

No, for if one child desires something that another has, the wish―or desire creates the same thing for itself. 

Wishing for a thing here creates, for all thoughts become objects to be enjoyed by the thinkers, and others.

But suppose they had bad―or wicked desires, how would it be then?

They cannot have bad―or wicked desires.

What bad―or wicked desire do you think they could have?

What can they hate?

Not you certainly, but suppose they hated each other?

They cannot hate each other―there is nothing within them to be hated.

Then the idea of natural depravity is not correct?

It is not. 

Well, do these children not cry and annoy you?

They never cry, except as you hear them now, shouting joyously as they play.

I looked out of the window at them as they played on the green lawn.

Why, what are they doing? for they were running in and out of a little village of play houses.

Oh, they are building a village.

They create with their thoughts all kinds of playthings. 

They reproduce―or imitate everything, which they have ever seen―or heard of, and my work with them is to attend and guide them. 

For instance, when they get tired of playing about this house and wish to see anything that is new―or wonderful to them, they all flock about me and ask me to take them. 

Then we all float off joyously together. 

We visit something new and interesting almost every day. 

We sail on the lake. 

We have all kinds of pleasure and happiness, and when we are weary, we return to this little home―or school. 

We often visit earth together, but if not together, perhaps someone of the children that has lately come from earth and left parents, brothers and sisters, desires to go back oftener than the others, and then I take that one―or two―or three, together―just as it pleases us, 

They are now imitating in their play, as nearly as they can a village that we visited yesterday. 

It is an Indian Village, and it pleased the children very much. 

We carried presents to the Indians, and the Indians gave us all presents. 

If you look at their little playhouses closely, you will see that they are Indian wigwams.

The Discovered Country