How do we walk in the way of the Lord?

This is the way—

 

Walk ye in it.

Life on the other side is so full and so varied that it is impossible to give more than a few hints as to its character. 

Spirit lives themselves only know in part and can only understand the lives of others, as they pass through somewhat of their experience.

The gulf that lies between paradise and hell is not one of physical distance—

No such barrier as that exists—

The two may lie closer together than two who are living in the same house—as close as grief and joy sometimes lie in the same heart. 

Wherever suffering is needed, not as a punishment for past misdeeds, but as fire to burn away the dross, there it will be found. 

Naturally, this pain comes generally when you first pass over, and then when the anguish of the soul is great, much may be done to teach and support it by those who have already emerged from the furnace, so-to-speak.

In the homes of all the saints may be found such sufferers—tenderly watched over, helped and guarded while the hard lessons are being learnt. 

Such learners have cast off but few of the old instincts, and need to be fed and protected until they learn to exercise those new powers, which can provide them with all they need, as simply as a flower grows.

One marked feature of the life here is that system of united work—or study, which they have called the schools—

(Remember that we are only describing an intermediate state, and that life on the other side, however full, is necessarily incomplete, and still far from that divine ideal, which lies ever before the vision).

Spirit lives speak of themselves, as belonging to the school of Giotto, and there are the schools of Paul, of Zoroaster, of Howard, and so on. 

They come about in this way—

When the spirit life begins to look round him and ask himself to what use he had best put his new powers, he begins to think of those things of which he was most ignorant when on earth—

He is then drawn by a law of natural attraction to some who are pursuing the same course, and he finds among them those who have acquired knowledge that has been handed down from the long past—or who are learning by practical life to make such knowledge their own.

Again, there are some who for many reasons do not find a home—a domestic life is uncongenial to them, yet such need not live solitary, that would be hurtful.

In place of a home, they seek the companionship of those who are walking in a similar path, and for months—or years, they live and work together.

When we speak of going and coming, spirit lives cannot be in two places at the same time. 

Yet their power of passing to and fro is greatly increased, as is also, the amount of thought and work, which can be compressed into a short space of time.

There is no need to go here and there to seek for work—it lies at one’s right hand, ready whenever there is sufficient daylight in the spirit to enable it to work correctly.

Although the schools resemble in a few points our universities, art schools, and so on, yet they learn and work in other ways from ours—ways that may seem less direct, but are really the truest. 

They do not separate art from life, beauty from the soul, nor do they separate work from beauty—or life from art. 

The outer and inner correspond and they only know any art really when they have translated it into action.

There are also many communities for other purposes—for cultivating the earth—for though always beautiful because unstained, yet it is barren in some directions and needs culture that it may yield delight to the psychic senses. 

Spirit lives are not obliged to go to all such centres, for if need be, they can be taught much by others who cause true pictures to arise before their vision, so that they can see all the processes and then put them into action. 

Nor are they confined to those with whom they live for fellowship and intercourse. 

It is true they have both more fully with them, but if need arises they can be made to hear and see what goes on in any sphere and can communicate and be communicated with. 

Then again, they listen with delight to the talks and ripe experience of some whose nature it is to give out to his fellows—someone who on earth probably was a poet—or a preacher. 

He in speaking to spirit lives can see exactly the effect produced by his words, and he directs and modifies his speech accordingly—they answer him, as it were, without interrupting him, and he need, therefore, never be out of harmony with his audience.

Spirit lives are not isolated units in the spiritual world with merely individualistic needs and desires, rather they live under different governments, answering somewhat to our different nations. 

Two characteristics of earthly governments are, however, eliminated—all interference on the part of any, and all wilful misconduct. 

Their methods resemble an ideal patriarchal government. 

The father, in experience and wisdom, advises, protects and instructs those who are related to him in psychic bonds that are in character and bent of the soul, but who are yet young and tender in the new life. 

All force—all necessity—all tyranny are absent and one is guided—or controlled most willingly—or not at all. 

There is no possible place for punishment of any kind—to such as may in any way transgress the divine law, there comes a sense of separation, which lasts until the faculties of the soul are readjusted. 

The old myth of the Tower of Babel is re-enacted, for where there is no harmony of purpose, there confusion of language comes and they do not understand each other’s speech, while, on the contrary, when all goes well, all will hear in their own language—whoever the speaker may be.

Just as the eye, the ear and the palate choose and prefer some things to others, so the soul senses draw spirit lives to such things and people, as can give them pure joy—or cause them to grow in the healthiest way possible.

When the Master was living his earthly life—our world—theirs—and the next—all lay open to him much more fully than to most. 

There was so much in his nature that responded to heavenly influences, and so little to obstruct, that He may be said to have lived in all three at different periods of the same life. 

This openness of his is clearly shown in the story of his life, for the power was so abundant that even those around could not help sharing—

They heard voices—

They saw the heavenly messengers like birds descending—

They saw the psychic body shine through the physical. 

The Master then knew enough of spiritual life to promise to his disciples that if they fulfilled certain conditions, they should attain certain planes of being. 

If they followed and obeyed, not a person, but those inner principles, which belong to humanity, then they would be fit to lead others. 

So those who govern in the spiritual world are not the great ones of the earth, nor yet those who have been distinguished for great intellectual gifts—

They are those men—or women who whatever position they may have filled have been truest to their own nature, obeying the law within, without that parleying with the inner voice, which leads to self-deception and erring ways. 

Such govern and are as fathers to those who need help, while to others who do not need it, there is as much freedom, as if they existed alone in the Universe.

Spirit lives begin then, generally, as children, and gradually grow up to independent maturity—

They become as fathers—

They pass on to other worlds—

While others take their vacant places.

Thus, the law of change is still universal—

The flowers change from one beauty to another—or disappear from their view to reappear in other forms—

The earth changes and beautifies under their faithful labour—their friends grow in spirit and sometimes, they, too, pass away—their work, their thought change and pass from one order to another. 

A simple, natural life is theirs with the sanctified will as the motive power—no machinery—no tools—no storehouse—or barns—they are clothed upon as the lilies are—they gather the fruit for their healing straight from the tree of life. 

To those who are out of harmony with this divine order, this earth may often seem a wilderness and the pools of living water like dreary wastes of sand, but this is only while their hour of tribulation lasts—only until they yield themselves to the law of their being and become united—one—a whole creation. 

Their joys and sorrows, their trials and triumphs lie closely together, as they do in our world, but the joys are greater and the triumphs more just and unsullied. 

Spirit lives put their lower nature in its proper place of subjection under their feet and thus ruling it, they rise to perfect manhood and share the throne of all perfect humanity, and then rise by-and-by to greater heights and share the Throne of the Divine.