Nurture of Children in Spirit Life

Every sense is ministered to and forms an avenue for education. That their teachers are love, and wisdom themselves, in a finite form, will be manifest from the accounts already given of the dealings with the little ones [Letters from a Spirit]. To the Angel-guarded, and angel taught, there can be but one result, in the dear old familiar speech, They grow in grace, and in favour with God, hourly. They are bright, happy, beautiful creatures, full of energy and love, and longing to do good. They are under control as children are on earth in good homes, and are not allowed to absent themselves from usual places, but by permission. They are specially guarded from intercourse with anyone who would interfere with their development. The object of creation is the formation of a Heaven of pure and holy beings, and each one must follow the law of nature and grow, somehow.

For children to be taken to a home, and parents saddened by loss and death of their dear ones, to be in a sphere of mourning, or even of earthly affection, would subject them to a class of influences which would retard, and perhaps prevent, their perfect development.

Here they are provided with a lovely home, the most tender and joyous influences, everything to make them symmetrical in growth, and are taken from stage to stage of their education by the wisest and gentlest means.

They are carried at times to their parents, and other relatives, as the sphere of their family love is always preserved if possible. Much oftener, when the influence is peaceful and happy, because their exquisitely sensitive natures are so easily affected by the contrary, and they shrink in pain from gloom and sadness. As they mature, and can understand the trials and temptations of human life, they can go oftener, but to those bred in Heavenly places, there is little to attract in an atmosphere of earthly trial and suffering, and unless these visits are productive of good, they are not anxious to repeat them. If they are of use, the desire to fulfil their duty leads them to go oftener, and so continue, as their own growth in knowledge permits.

Each has a sphere of duty and use, for which they are preparing, and are obliged to devote the greater portion of their efforts to that. To express it all shortly, each child, whether reared on earth or in Spirit Life, is passing through an experience and discipline to fit them for angelhood, and here all other calls and pursuits are side issues and yield to the pursuit of Spiritual Development.

It must be so to ensure any kind of orderly growth.