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such a destination？ What do the messages from beyond say about these？
And here one cannot be too definite； for there is no use exchanging one
dogma for another。 One can but give the general purport of such
information as has been vouchsafed to us。 It is natural that those with
whom we come in contact are those whom we may truly call the blessed；
for if the thing be approached in a reverent and religious spirit it is those
whom we should naturally attract。 That there are many less fortunate than
themselves is evident from their own constant allusions to that
regenerating and elevating missionary work which is among their own
functions。 They descend apparently and help others to gain that degree of
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spirituality which fits them for this upper sphere； as a higher student might
descend to a lower class in order to bring forward a backward pupil。 Such
a conception gives point to Christ's remark that there was more joy in
heaven over saving one sinner than over ninety…nine just； for if He had
spoken of an earthly sinner he would surely have had to become just in
this life and so ceased to be a sinner before he had reached Paradise。 It
would apply very exactly； however； to a sinner rescued from a lower
sphere and brought to a higher one。 When we view sin in the light of
modern science； with the tenderness of the modern conscience and with a
sense of justice and proportion； it ceases to be that monstrous cloud which
darkened the whole vision of the mediaeval theologian。 Man has been
more harsh with himself than an all…merciful God will ever be。 It is true
that with all deductions there remains a great residuum which means want
of individual effort； conscious weakness of will； and culpable failure of
character when the sinner； like Horace； sees and applauds the higher while
he follows the lower。 But when； on the other hand； one has made
allowancesand can our human allowance be as generous as God's？for
the sins which are the inevitable product of early environment； for the sins
which are due to hereditary and inborn taint； and to the sins which are due
to clear physical causes； then the total of active sin is greatly reduced。
Could one； for example； imagine that Providence； all…wise and all…merciful；
as every creed proclaims； could punish the unfortunate wretch who
hatches criminal thoughts behind the slanting brows of a criminal head？ A
doctor has but to glance at the cranium to predicate the crime。 In its worst
forms all crime； from Nero to Jack the Ripper； is the product of absolute
lunacy； and those gross national sins to which allusion has been made
seem to point to collective national insanity。 Surely； then； there is hope
that no very terrible inferno is needed to further punish those who have
been so afflicted upon earth。 Some of our dead have remarked that nothing
has surprised them so much as to find who have been chosen for honour；
and certainly； without in any way condoning sin； one could well imagine
that the man whose organic makeup predisposed him with irresistible
force in that direction should； in justice； receive condolence and sympathy。
Possibly such a sinner； if he had not sinned so deeply as he might have
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done； stands higher than the man who was born good； and remained so；
but was no better at the end of his life。 The one has made some progress
and the other has not。 But the commonest failing； the one which fills the
spiritual hospitals of the other world； and is a temporary bar to the normal
happiness of the after…life； is the sin of Tomlinson in Kipling's poem； the
commonest of all sins in respectable British circles； the sin of
conventionality； of want of conscious effort and development； of a
sluggish spirituality； fatted over by a complacent mind and by the comforts
of life。 It is the man who is satisfied； the man who refers his salvation to
some church or higher power without steady travail of his own soul； who
is in deadly danger。 All churches are good； Christian or non…Christian； so
long as they promote the actual spirit life of the individual； but all are
noxious the instant that they allow him to think that by any form of
ceremony； or by any fashion of creed； he obtains the least advantage over
his neighbour； or can in any way dispense with that personal effort which
is the only road to the higher places。
This is； of course； as applicable to believers in Spiritualism as to any
other belief。 If it does not show in practice then it is vain。 One can get
through this life very comfortably following without question in some
procession with a venerable leader。 But one does not die in a procession。
One dies alone。 And it is then that one has alone to accept the level gained
by the work of life。 And what is the punishment of the undeveloped soul？
It is that it should be placed where it WILL develop； and sorrow would
seem always to be the forcing ground of souls。 That surely is our own
experience in life where the insufferably complacent and unsympathetic
person softens and mellows into beauty of character and charity of thought；
when tried long enough and high enough in the fires of life。 The Bible has
talked about the 〃Outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of
teeth。〃 The influence of the Bible has sometimes been an evil one through
our own habit of reading a book of Oriental poetry and treating it as
literally as if it were Occidental prose。 When an Eastern describes a herd
of a thousand camels he talks of camels which are more numerous than the
hairs of your head or the stars in the sky。 In this spirit of allowance for
Eastern expression； one must approach those lurid and terrible descriptions
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which have darkened the lives of so many imaginative children and sent so
many earnest adults into asylums。 From all that we learn there are indeed
places of outer darkness； but dim as these uncomfortable waiting…rooms
may be； they all admit to heaven in the end。 That is the final destination of
the human race； and it would indeed be a reproach to the Almighty if it
were not so。 We cannot dogmatise upon this subject of the penal spheres；
and yet we have very clear teaching that they are there and that the no…
man's…land which separates us from the normal heaven； that third heaven
to which St。 Paul seems to have been wafted in one short strange
experience of his lifetime； is a place which corresponds with the Astral
plane of the mystics and with the 〃outer darkness〃 of the Bible。 Here
linger those earth…bound spirits whose worldly interests have clogged
them and weighed them down； until every spiritual impulse had vanished；
the man whose life has been centred on money； on worldly ambition； or on
sensual indulgence。 The one…idea'd man will surely be there； if his one
idea was not a spiritual one。 Nor is it necessary that he should be an evil
man； if dear old brother John of Glastonbury； who loved the great Abbey
so that he could never detach himself from it； is to be classed among earth…
bound spirits。 In the most material and pronounced classes of these are the
ghosts who impinge very closely upon matter and have been seen so often
by those who have no strong psychic sense。 It is probable； from what we
know of the material laws which govern such matters； that a ghost could
never manifest itself if it were alone； that the substance for the
manifestation is drawn from the spectator； and that the coldness； raising of
hair； and other symptoms of which he complains are caused largely by the
sudden drain upon his own vitality。 This； however； is to wander into
speculation； and far from that correlation of psychic knowledge with