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— SAINT JOHN —

 

Message    1 · 2 · 3 · 4

 


What does the spirit of a man do when it leaves
the physical body for all eternity

May 29, 1916

 

I am here, St. John, Apostle of Jesus.

I come tonight to tell you a vital truth, which I know you will be interested in. What does the spirit of man do when it leaves the physical body for all eternity?

Many spirits, I know, have written you about this matter and some of them have described their personal experiences, yet in all the information that you have received there are some facts that have not been referred to, and I will in a brief way describe them.

When the spirit leaves the body, there is a breaking of the “silver cord”, as it is called, and thereby all connection between the spirit and the body is severed for eternity, and never again can that spirit enter that body. Neither can any other spirit.

Once the silver cord is severed, no power known to the spirit world or among spirits of the highest spheres can again resuscitate that body and cause the manifestation of life. Hence, in the miracles mentioned in the Bible, where it is said that the dead were brought to life, it must be understood that this tie between the soul and the body was never broken.

In those ancient days, as now, there were persons who had the appearance of being dead, and, so far as human knowledge was concerned, were dead, but who were really in a state of what may be called suspended animation. With no signs of life appearing to the consciousness of men, death was thought to have taken place. Yet, in none of the cases where the supposed dead were raised to life had the mortal really died. As Lazarus has already told you, when Jesus commanded him to come forth he had not died, and so of all the other supposed dead who were called to life.

Once this tie has been severed, there are certain chemical laws affecting the physical body and certain spiritual laws affecting the soul that render it absolutely impossible for the spirit to enter that body again. As you have been informed, mortals, spirits, and angels are governed by laws that have no exceptions and never vary in their workings. So I say that when once the spirit and body separate, it is for all eternity, and the spirit then becomes of itself, a thing apart, controlled entirely and exclusively by the laws governing the spirit body.

With the spirit’s entry into the spirit world comes the soul, enclosed in its spirit body. The spirit body has not, of itself, the power to determine its own location or destiny as regards a place, for the law of attraction that operates in this particular operates upon the soul, and the condition of the soul determines its location. As the spirit body is the covering of the soul, it must go where this law of attraction decrees the soul shall abide.

While the mind and the mental faculties and the senses are seated in the soul they are manifested by the spirit body, yet the law that I speak of does not operate upon these faculties, as is apparent to every spirit who knows from observation as well as from experience. The combined power of all these faculties cannot move a spirit body one step in the way of progress unless such faculties have in their influence acted upon the soul and caused its condition to change; in the mere mental or moral advancement this can be done. So, I repeat, the condition of the soul determines its locality as well as the appearance of its spirit body. The law of attraction is so exact that, in its operations, there is no opportunity for chance to interpose and place the soul in a location that does not belong to it by reason of the operation of this law.

When the spirit enters the spirit world, it must go to and occupy the place that is determined by its soul’s condition. In many cases, loving friends may visit the new spirit in its place of existence and offer consolation, help, encouragement, and instruction. But in some cases this cannot be, for as the soul is then laid bare to itself, all its deformities, sins, and evil qualities come before it and throw a wall around it, as it were, that prevents the good friends and loved ones from appearing to it. Here again, the great law of attraction comes into operation, for while these more elevated friends cannot come to that soul, other spirits of like souls and qualities may become its associates and render such assistance as the blind can lead the blind.

What I wish to say here is that, notwithstanding what some spiritualistic teachers have said, the soul has its location as well as its condition. The condition that I have described is the destiny of some souls shortly after becoming spirits. It is a deplorable one, making you think that such souls are deserted by the loving influences of God’s ministering spirits and left all alone in the dreary places of their habitations. Such is not the case, for while they are deprived of the presence of the higher spirits, the influences of love and compassion are flowing from these spirits and at sometime will be felt by the lonely ones. As these influences are felt, the poor souls commence to have an awakening that gradually causes the wall of their seclusion to disappear until, at some time, the higher spirits find that they can manifest their presence to these unfortunate ones.

Besides this, most spirits have a work to do, even though it may appear insignificant. Among these spirits of similar conditions some are a little more progressed than others, and by reason of a law that causes the more progressed to help the lesser, the latter are frequently helped from their low estate.

Now, what I have written applies in a sense to the spirits who are wicked and vile and without any soul development in the way of goodness. A similar principle enters into the conditions of all the spirits, although the higher the plane a spirit is in, the greater the opportunities they have for receiving help and progressing even further. Of these latter spirits, the operation of the mental thoughts and moral qualities upon the condition and progress of the soul, I will write you later.

I have written enough for tonight, and, leaving you with my love and blessings, I will say goodnight.

Your brother in Christ,
John    


Message    1 · 2 · 3 · 4


The spirits who have only a little development of soul
can help those who have even less development than themselves

November 23, 1915

 

I am here, St. John.

I want to tell you tonight about what spirits have to do in order for them to get out of their darkness and suffering and progress to a happier condition.

When these spirits of evil or a sinful life first come into the spirit world, they enter what is called the “first sphere”, which is nearest the earth. They are received by spirit friends, who may have been with them at the time of their passing, and are, to a certain extent, comforted and made familiar with their new surroundings. This may last for a shorter or longer time according to the spirit’s capability of understanding his changed condition from mortal to spirit. After this condition of consciousness is assumed by the spirit, these friends leave him, and a guiding spirit, whose duty it is to perform the task, shows or conducts him to the place that he is fitted to occupy by the workings of the law of compensation.

In this place he is surrounded by and must associate with spirits of a similar condition of development as his own until some change comes that fits him for a higher plane. This change may come in a short time, or it may require longer to bring it about. This depends upon the realization by the spirit as to what his condition is, and the fact that there is the possibility of progressing. Of himself he cannot bring about this change, for the law that fixes his place or condition does not cease to operate until there is called into operation another law that permits and helps the change. The only way that this changed condition can be brought about is by the influences of other spirits of a more enlightened and higher position than that of the spirit whose position I have spoken of. These influences come from spirits who have the natural love, and they may not necessarily be of a high order of development of either intellect or soul.

However, they must be in such condition that they know and are able to tell the lower spirit of the possibility of progress and the way in which it can be made. Many spirits that are themselves in a dark condition and position can help others who are in a darker condition. Just as on earth a student of a lower class in school may not be able to teach all that is taught or may be learned in that school, yet he can teach those in a lower class than his own things that he has learned progressing in his own class.

Almost all spirits have a work to do, and these spirits of little development are engaged in teaching those of lesser development the way to get in the same condition as those who teach are in. Of course, these latter cannot teach anything that belongs to a higher condition than the one in which they are. In such cases, the progress is very slow for many reasons. It sometimes takes centuries for a spirit to progress from a very low plane to a higher one.

It is important for all mankind to know for the reason that you and others may learn what the true soul development means and how effectively spirits possessing this soul development may help all other spirits, good or bad. Aside from this, you may suppose that the spirits who hear you talk at the seances, where all kinds and conditions of spirits congregate, and promise to help both mortals and spirits, may not be able to do so because some are in a dark and low condition themselves. Yet, all spirits may help other spirits to some extent that are in a lower condition, and sometimes in the beginning of their progression, more satisfactorily than can the higher spirits.

These dark spirits who try to help the even darker spirits are more in harmony with them, and the darker spirits will listen to them with interest and belief that they can help them. But this is a help that does not work in such a way as to cause the spirits who are helped to lose their desires and recollections very rapidly and progress into the higher planes is not without great suffering. I thought I would write this to you, for the reason that you might not in your investigations and teachings of the spirit life give due importance to the possibility of one dark spirit helping another.

All the phases of mediumship, when honestly conducted, have their proper places and work in God’s plan of redemption. None of them must be considered as useless or without special design. Of course, the above mentioned phase of assistance to spirits is of the lowest form and is merely preliminary to the great work that the higher spirits do in carrying out the great plan of redemption. The important work is that of the spirits who know what the divine love of God is and what fits spirits and mortals for the enjoyment of the great happiness, which they can obtain in the celestial spheres and in the soul spheres to a lesser extent.

When a dark spirit learns of this great love and he strives to obtain it and earnestly prays for the help of the holy spirit, which is God’s messenger of love, that spirit will progress much more rapidly. Its sufferings and darkness will leave it sooner and greater happiness will come to it. Still, I say, the work of these lower spirits that I have spoken, is a great work and must not be underestimated. So remember what I have written and give due credit to this work.

I will not write more, but I will with all my love and blessings say goodnight.

Your brother in Christ,
St. John    


Message    1 · 2 · 3 · 4

 


How prayers are answered for material things

April 25, 1917

 

I am here, St. John.

I want to say that God answers prayers for material things by the work and operation of angels and spirits, and in that work they are subject to limitations of success. God does not exercise any arbitrary power to answer prayers, but when they are sincerely offered, God works through his messengers in answering them and not by mere fiat. The angels are always watching and working, and when the opportunity comes, they use their influence in the best possible way to bring about the ends desired.

As you know, man has free will, and that determines very largely the actions of men, and such actions are never arbitrarily controlled by any divine power. If the prayers of men as to material things can be responded to by the workings of the spirits and angels, they are. Yet such response depends upon the will of men, and, if not exercised properly, then it is not received by mortals, except as the spirits may be able to influence that will and cause men to act in compliance with that influence. This is always used for the purpose of bringing about the response to prayers that are, in their nature, proper and worthy to be answered.

I doubt if any of those petitions were ever answered in the arbitrary way that is related in the Old Testament (1 Samuel 1:17). God never answers prayer in that manner, and the petitions of the old prophets had no more influence to bring about the answers to the same in the manner indicated than have the prayers of the sincere and earnest man of these days. God was the same then as now and worked through the spirits then as now, except that now there are angels of the soul development. God does not answer prayers for material things except in a manner in consonance with the laws controlling the free will and actions of men, as they may be operated upon and influenced by the work of spirits.

I want to say that we can at times understand what will happen in the near future and, having such knowledge, can tell mortals what may be expected or rather what will occur, and this we sometimes do. In your case (Padgett), we of the higher spheres, as well as many of the spirit spheres, know what your petitions have been in reference to these material matters. We have been working to bring about a realization of the same on your part not only because of your petitions, but because they are so necessary to the performance and completion of our work. We have been using our influence to the utmost to accomplish this end. But, as I say, we are limited, and we have not the power to cause the happening of any event by our mere willing the same, even though we are doing the work of God. This may seem surprising as well as disappointing to you, but it is a fact, and it is a great truth that God helps those who help themselves.

You must not lose sight of the fact that while men must do those things themselves that bring about changes or happenings or phenomena in material things, yet we can influence but not absolutely control their desires, intentions, and their wills that put into operation or effect these intentions. No, these things, as to their immediate manifestations, are subject to the wills of men.

God never by a mere act of the moment or physical character places into the hands of any man riches or prosperity. These things must be wrought and brought about by man, and in doing this man can and is wonderfully influenced by the workings of the spirits.

I say to you, pray not only for the spiritual things that God bestows through the holy spirit but also for the material things that are bestowed through the angels and spirits. The proper prayer will be answered sooner or later, and your prayers will be answered even though to you the response may seem a long time delayed. With my love and blessings, I will say goodnight.

Your brother in Christ,
John    


Message    1 · 2 · 3 · 4

 


Importance that man must search and find the truth

May 12, 1916

 

I am here, John.

I desire to write tonight, and if you think it is not too late, we will do so. I want to tell you that when a man gets to know the truths of God, he will become a very happy and wise man, for these truths have in them those principles that create happiness and wisdom.

I know that men believe many things on account of their being ancient or having the authority of their forefathers or some great saint or writer who lived many centuries ago, but such a basis for truth, while worthy of consideration and examination, does not of itself, because of being old, afford any certainty that what is thus accepted contains the truth.

Truth is a thing very old and has existed for many thousands of centuries before the times in which these “ancient writers”, as you call them, lived, and, in fact, those days of the writers, in comparison to what had gone before, are as yesterdays. Therefore, you will see that because the declarations of these writers are what you consider very ancient, they should not be perceived as having authority.

Truths of those days and of the long ages prior thereto and of the present time are all the same, as truth never changes or assumes new forms no matter what the conditions of men may be as to their intellectual or spiritual development. Truths may be revealed today and are being constantly revealed as time progresses. They should be accepted with as much credence and satisfaction as any truths that were ever disclosed in ancient days. Men are just as susceptible now to the reception of these truths in their spiritual natures or perceptions as they were in the times of Abraham or Moses or at any time since.

The mind of man was given to him to be exercised in the way of investigation and search, and never was it contemplated in his creation that the time would come when he should accept anything as the ultimate of truth and cease his inquiries. Truths are so many, great and deep, that thus far, in the mortal universe, man has acquired only a smattering of these truths, and to rest supinely in this acquirement under the belief that there is nothing more in existence that man may know violates and subverts the very object of his creation; what I have said applies to spiritual truths as well as to material ones.

The churches, I know, declare and try to enforce the declaration that it is not possible to discover or have revealed to men the essential principles of spiritual truths to a greater extent than has already been declared in the Bible and by the churches interpretation of the same. It is therefore contrary to God’s will that men should seek further for any additional truths and that men should accept, without question, the sayings of the Bible and the dogmas and creeds of the churches that their claim is founded upon, and which they declare are the true principles of spiritual truths. For many years, this has been the demand of the churches, and the members thereof have acquiesced, without question or doubt. This has been one of the great causes why men have not progressed more, not only in their spiritual nature but also in what may be called their natural qualities. They have remained satisfied, and what was believed centuries ago is believed today. I recite this to show the necessity for men to seek and criticize and accept or reject as the results of the search may demand.

In recent years, though, men have made greater progress, and the individual has come to the front, and the old accepted fabrications of truths have been assaulted and shaken and denuded of their falsities to a considerable degree, and so it should be. Men must seek and criticize and accept or reject as their own conscience and reasoning powers dictate, and therein will be freedom of the mind as well as of the will.

The soul, also, has been smothered in these dogmatic beliefs, and as a consequence its development has been slow. The knowledge of things spiritual has not come to men as it should have done, and it is necessary to teach them their destiny and the truths that should control their lives on earth and that will control their progress in the spirit world.

As you are tired, I will postpone the balance of my discourse. I think it best when you feel tired to discontinue the writing instead of attempting to force yourself into receiving it.

So I will not write more.

Believe that I am your brother in Christ,
John