LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.?
Chap-
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j UNITED STATES OP AMERICA, j
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THE
SPIRIT WORLD;
Cante Smtrrit.
BY JOEL H. ROSS, M. D.,
Author of" Hints and Helps to Health and Happiness."
— " What I Saw in New-York." — " Wrong
Side of the Line," 3*c, $c.
M. W. DODD,
BRICK CHURCH CHAPEL.
1852.
y&?
Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1852,
By JOEL H. ROSS,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Southern
District of New-York.
J. P. Pball, Printer^
9 Spruce-street.
X
PREFACE.
As the trackless path of every mor-
tal who is on his way to the land of
immortality, is filled with fearful
snares, visible and invisible, fraught
with temporal and eternal ruin, the
author has endeavored in a familiar
manner to warn his fellow-traveler to
beware of wily and seducing tempters
and temptations which beset him at ev-
ery step, from the cradle to the grave.
The writer desires and aims in this
work, which is largely founded upon
fact, to stimulate all to journey, care-
fully, watchfully and prayerfully,
* through this dark valley to the spirit-
world.
He, moreover, indulges the hope,
that through the instrumentality of
this humble volume, grace divine may
IV FREFACE.
lead some precious immortal to pon-
der upon his prospects — scrutinize the
foundation of his hopes — count the
cost, and estimate the danger and the
guilt of living a single day in peril,
while an opportunity remains to lay
hold on eternal life.
THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
CHAPTER I.
B. At our last interview, friend S.,
I suspected that your views were some-
what skeptical in relation to the re-
vealed realities of the Spirit-World.
Hence, soon after leaving you, I re-
solved that, on the first suitable occa-
sion, J would call your attention to the
momentous subject, and, if possible,
induce you to look at your prospects,
examine your hopes, test your founda-
tion, abandon your skepticism, and lay
hold on eternal life. Such a season
6 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
seems now to be opportunely present-
ed, and as the day of final reckoning
is rapidly hastening, and may overtake
and overwhelm us before we meet
again, if we do not improve the pre-
sent moment ; let me entreat you to
earnestly and honestly ponder upon the
soul's existence and destiny in the spi-
rit-world.
S. What do you know about the
invisible state and habitation of de-
parted spirits more than I, Mr. Bl
Have you seen any of the inhabitants
of that land from whence no traveler
returns ? Or have you by any means
received any special revelation which
you wish to communicate ?
B. No, friend, it is not because I
have a new revelation to which I would
invite your attention, that I address
jrou; but because an old revelation
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 7
fills me with a strong desire to call
you aside from the busy throng and
thoughtless multitude, that we may
commune together in a familiar man-
ner upon those topics which eminently
demand our serious consideration, with-
out delay. Are you ready and willing
to spend an hour with me in contem-
plating the relation that man sustains
to the spirit- world and that world to
him — his prospects and his destiny ?
& Well, I do not see what you can
have to communicate, that I do not
know already: and hence, I might
naturally ask, what good will it do me
to turn my thoughts in such a direc-
tion ? But, presuming that it can do
me no harm, it appears very proper
that I should listen ; for it is written,
"If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise
for thyself ; but if thou scornest, thou
O THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
alone shalt bear it." Possibly you may
suggest something . worthy of notice,
should it be destitute of novelty ; and
if so, I hope to have an ear to hear.
It is certainly true that we are all has-
tening to that world of which you
speak. But whether we can do any-
thing here to affect our destiny there,
is another question.
JB. O, yes, we can do much; nay,
everything here to make our residence
there an abode of delight, incon-
ceivably glorious. But there, we can
do nothing to make one hair white or
black. As the tree falls, so it lies.
" Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall
he also reap." The husbandman can-
not make amends in harvest for his
neglect in seedtime. Neither can he
expect to gather wheat when he has
sown only tares.
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 9
8. This is very true, as far as this
world is concerned. Whether it has
anything to do with our existence in a
spiritual state, I know not.
B. If it has not, why did infinite wis
dom select such figures, and hold up to
mortals such illustrations as every-
where abound in revelation ? We are
left to " sow to the flesh and reap cor-
ruption, or sow to the spirit and reap
life everlasting," according to our own
choice. Hence, if we are free at all,
we settle our own destiny for eternity
by the exercise of our own free-will.
S. I can hardly believe this doctrine.
JS. It is the doctrine of the Bible,
whether you believe it or not.
S. What! poor frail mortals, crea-
tures of this dark world, helpless as
infants, and almost as ignorant, left to
work out for themselves utter destruc-
10 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
tion, that they may forever remain in
hopeless wretchedness in the spirit-
land ? 0, no, I can't believe that.
B. Why not !
S. Why not? It is enough to make
a man perfectly wretched to think of it.
B. Undoubtedly it is ; and it ought
to make every one wise enough to se-
cure his own safety, when the way is
pointed out, and while he can do so if
he will. It would make you uncom-
fortable to be told, at an unexpected
hour, that you must abandon your
habitation to the flames, or perish with
it. So, if you were starting out to sea
on a long voyage, full of hope and joy-
ful anticipations, to be told by the cap-
tain, soon after leaving port, that you
must forsake the ship and row for the
shore, or sink to the bottom of the
ocean, would be very unacceptable
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 11
news. But would you have the pain-
ful truth withheld ?
S% O, no ! In such a case I should
want to know the worst of it ; because
to remain in ignorance of the facts,
would be one of the worst things that
could happen to me.
B. Well, then, never think of disbe-
lieving the testimony of inspiration
because it makes you feel uncomfort-
able. Or, in other words, do not deny
what you know to be true ; for if you
did not believe it, you would not be
disturbed by hearing it. The fact that
you are thus disturbed, proves conclu-
sively that you are in a sinking ship.
But the " Ark of Safety" is still in port,
and there is room within for you. It
is bound for the most blissful haven in
the spirit- world, and will safely and
surely conduct you thither, if you will
12 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
accept a passage " without money and
without price." This is your last and
only chance. Will you enrol your
name on the list of passengers ?
S. It seems very proper that I should
do so, but still there may be terms of
admission wTith which I may not be
able to comply, although you say the
offer is without money and without
price.
B. There may be terms that you will
not, but none that you cannot comply
with at once. Terms there are, but
they are reasonable. Terms there are,
but they are unalterable.
S. What are they ?
B. Just the very best that could be
offered. Terms so easy and simple,
that I fear they will be despised or
neglected. Only forsake thy sins, and
cast thyself unreservedly upon the for-
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 13
giving mercy of God in Christ Jesus
our Lord, and thou shalt find peace
eternal beyond the river of death.
S. But suppose I do not comply at
once, but endeavor to bring my mind
in due time to bear upon the point, that
I may be able at length to make an
intelligent decision.
B. How would you like to be saved
in this gradual way from the flames ?
I think such deliberation in a man pro-
fessing to be your friend, would be re-
ceived with strong suspicion. Suppose
that you meet a man who is in great
distress, whose instant relief you know,
and he knows, to be within the power
of your agency to effect ; and you offer
assistance, and he says, " / will think of
it until to-morrow" What would you
think of him ?
S. I should think that he was either
14 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
insane, or determined to suffer rather
than to accept of my services.
_B. What else will your gracious
Redeemer think of you, if you treat his
offers with such indifference ? What
is it but saying, I had rather remain
in my sins, and risk all the consequen-
ces, than to accept at once of such of-
fered grace ? But remember that there
is no promise or encouragement for
those who delay. To-day is the ac-
cepted time. To-morrow the Ark of
Safety may be out of your reach.
Terms so easy cannot be rejected with
impunity. Wait one day, nay, one
moment too long, and a great ransom
cannot save you.
S. It may be so, but I hope for bet-
ter things.
J5. What ! hope for prosperity in
rebellion, and for salvation in sin ?
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 15
Such a hope may be to you like giving
up the ghost.
S. Well, I feel half inclined to beg
to be excused from any further conver-
sation on this subject, as I find that I
am not likely to enjoy it. And yet 1
am hardly prepared to do so; for,
somehow or other, I have an impres-
sion, that I ought to listen to what you
have to say on this solemn subject, lest
I should meet you hereafter in the
spirit-world self-condemned and self-
ruined. How bitter the thought, how
keen the pang, how sad would be my
condition, if I should there find that I
had lost all the blessedness of that
world, by turning away my thoughts
from the subject to which my attention
is now so unexpectedly directed. But
then, I do not believe in any such thing
after all.
16 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
B. Yes, we shall there meet, and you
do well to lay these things to heart.
In the unknown regions of a bound-
less, endless world, where everything,
both good and bad, has the stamp of
immortality — where "he that is holy
shall be holy still, and he that is filthy
shall be filthy still," shall meet a com-
pany that no man or angel can num-
ber, and with emotions that no tongue
can describe. There, some shall shout,
Hallelujah ! we are saved. Others
shall cry, Alas ! " the great day of his
wrath has come and who shall be able
to stand P There you will call to mind
this interview, and, perhaps, say with
an enraptured tongue, O how fortunate
that I ever met you in yonder dark
valley, and that you then pointed me to
this peaceful world ; and how ri-ch the
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 17
grace that caused me to improve the
passing moment
Moreover, you may possibly meet
me under very different circumstances,
and say, Oh ! that I had known what
a step I was taking when I turned
away from the path which you pointed
out. Oh ! that I had profited by that
friendly message which I shut out of
my thoughts as soon as I could, lest it
should disturb my peace. My peace !
What a delusion! I never had any
peace ! What a thought that I never
shall have any forever and forever-
more ! Yes, immortal, we shall meet
in the spirit-world ; but under what
circumstances we little know. Let us
therefore be wise.
But this is not all. We shall meet
there soon ; let us therefore make haste
to prepare for the journey- A few
18 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
more trials, — a little more pain — here
and there a tear, — another fleeting
moment, throbbing pulse, gasping
breath and opening grave, and we are
there — there forever ! There in weal
or woe. Take not another step until
you take the right one.
S. And what is the right one ?
jB. Certainly not to cavil, not to de-
lay, not to do violence to conscience,
and not to grieve away the Holy Spirit.
I have seen men, who, while they were
under conviction and felt their need of
aid from above, and who knew per-
fectly wrell that they were in an unre-
newed state, and exposed to that death
which never dies, still find fault with
the truth, trifle with the means of
grace, sin against light and knowledge,
quench the Spirit, cast off fear, and
restrain prayer, until it became fear-
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 19
fully evident that they were forsaken
and left to serve a hard master and
receive bitter wages. Take not such
a step as this, precious immortal, lest
it plunge you into keen despair.
S. Perhaps I do not understand ex-
actly what you mean by finding fault
with the truth. We do not all look
alike, nor see alike, nor understand
alike, and possibly we shall not ex-
actly agree in these matters.
B. In essentials, I hope that we shall
not disagree. Do you not take the
Bible for your rule of faith and prac-
tice ?
S. O, yes, but you know that the
Bible is explained in many different
ways.
B. Well, we had better let the Bible
explain itself, and we shall find noth-
ing to lead us astray. I suppose you
20 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
believe that the Bible is a voice from
heaven ?
8. Yes.
B. That it speaks to men ?
S. Yes.
B. That they are bound to give
heed?
8. Yes.
JB. That none can refuse or neglect
to do so with impunity, — that holiness
and happiness, sin and suffering are
inseparable ?
S. Well, for every crime that a man
commits, I believe that he suffers.
B. Suffers where and when ? What
is the nature and what the extent of
that suffering? Do you believe that
sin unrepented of kills beyond the
tomb?
S. It may be so. Indeed, I once
believed it. But my views have chan-
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 21
ged. I suppose you will say that I am
now beginning to cavil.
B. Well, if you have changed your
views or your belief in regard to spirit-
ual things, one of two things must be
true. You were either wrong before
the change or you are wrong now.
And if you are right now, then I am
wrong ; and, as we are bound for the
spirit- world, to have our destiny fixed
forever, and as it is highly important
that we should embrace no error here,
which can painfully affect us there,
let us candidly examine the discrepan-
cy of our belief. If we are wrong,
we ought to know it. Let us, there-
fore, shrink not from a careful exami-
nation of that subject which must
soon and forever occupy our thoughts.
Now, if you believe the Bible, you
22 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
must believe that future misery is no
less revealed than future happiness.
S. True, I believe in punishment,
and I suppose that every man when he
does wrong has a hell in his own bo-
som.
B. Well, admitting this to be the only
source of misery, and suppose the man
carries this sting with him through-
out the countless ages of eternity ;
how, I ask, with this eternal conscious-
ness of guilt, is the man to be happy.
S. I do not believe any such thing.
What ! is man to carry this viper in
his bosom forever. Reason forbids such
a conclusion.
B. Although we ought to let the
law and the testimony settle this im-
portant question, yet as you appeal to
reason, let us for a moment listen to
her voice. And what is her testimony ?
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 23
.S. Why, she says, most assuredly,
that a God all-wise, all-powerful and
all-good, will never suffer such a dis-
aster to befal his creatures.
B. No, sir, you will find that she
says no such thing. She says, as God
has already suffered every soul of
Adam's race to become tainted with
sin here, it is probable that it will affect
all hereafter. Reason without reve-
lation knows of no delivery from sin.
She says, as you have never found the
spot where guilt and suffering did not
follow you, so neither height nor
depth, length nor breadth, life nor
death, things present nor things to
come, shall ever be able to separate
you from the consequences of a de-
praved heart. Asa lion never becomes
a lamb by being brought from Africa
to America, so neither will a sinful
24 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
man ever lose his individual character,
or become an angel, by simply being
changed from time to eternity. This
says reason and common sense.
Now, suppose a deadly viper should
strike its poisonous fangs deep into
your flesh, and you should start in the
twinkling of an eye, and fly with the
rapidity of lightning to some distant
region where no reptiles are known ;
would that save you ?
S. O, no ! I should carry the poison
with me in my own body, and should
consequently be in as great peril there
as here.
B. Ah ! yes, your reason is now very
orthodox. You are quite right, and
were you at the moon or among the
stars you would be no better oft', than
on the earth. But, in addition to this,
suppose that you should leave behind
THE SPIRIT WORLD. 25
a perfect antidote, and go to a region
destitute of every remedial agent, how
would the case then stand ?
S. Instead of the change being be-
neficial, it would prove hopelessly
fatal.
B. Then, precious immortal let me
urge you to beware how you leave this
world with the poison of sin in your
soul, hoping to find a remedy in the
world to come. There is no remedy
there. But the old serpent, the devil,
who bit you here, is there. The worm
that never dies, and the fire that shall
never be quenched, are there ! No
cleansing stream, no healing balm, no
blessed hope, no Saviour's blood is
there. Here you have been wounded,
and here you must be healed or never.
The remedy is here and only here.
For such a deadly poison as sin,
26 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
there is no antidote but the fountain
which gushed forth on Calvary. And
if you go away to the retributions of
eternity, without feeling something of
the healing efficacy of a Saviour's blood
in your own soul, you will assuredly
carry the poison with you, which will
be a living fire within you, to consume
the last ray of hope, while in the spi-
rit-world you will wish in vain for
another change.
S. But is it not written that we shall
all be changed in a moment, in the
twinkling of an eye ?
B. Yes, it is thus written, and it
shall surely come to pass. This cor-
ruptible shall put on incorruption, and
this mortal shall put on immortality !
This change is inevitable. But it is
nowhere written, that, when the last
trump shall sound, the wicked shall be
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 27
transformed into the image of the
righteous. But it is written, " He that
is unjust, let him be unjust still, and he
that is filthy, let him be filthy still."
Then the righteous shall be changed
from earth to heaven, and the wicked
from earth to hell, and that change
will be final.
But here, a great and glorious change
can be secured. What a thought for
mortals! that although we carry the
sting of sin in our own bosoms wherever
we go in this vale of tears, whether at
home or abroad, by land or sea, on the
top of the highest mountain or in the
bottom of the deepest valley, yet we
can be changed and made so pure that
not a spot shall be left to tell that we
have ever been stained. Who would
ever think of such a change, without
the revelation of the gospel? Who
28 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
can comprehend it ? Certainly not the
angels in heaven. This is a glorious
mystery.
But this is a moral change, with
which a change of place has very little
to do. We must remember that death
is no sanctifier: that it changes our
position, but not our character, to make
us either better or worse.
S. Well, I admit that this is a mys-
terious subject, and one which I sup-
pose we shall all understand better
hereafter. Perhaps, however, we shall
be little the wiser or better for discuss-
ing it here, although I must say that I
have been somewhat interested during
this unexpected interview, yet you
perceive that it has become necessary
for us to adjourn.
CHAPTER II.
B. Well, friend, I am glad that it is
our good fortune to meet again. We
are now a little nearer to the spirit-
world than when we separated, and of
course ought to feel a deeper interest
in spiritual things. I hope you have
come to the conclusion to give up your
skepticism, and embrace the truth in
simplicity, that you may enjoy the
companionship of a clear conscience
and the blessedness of an inspiring
hope.
S. Well, sir, as I remarked at our
first interview, I do indeed profess to
take the Bible for my guide ; but I am
30 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
perhaps farther than ever from adopt-
ing your views in relation to future
punishment.
J5. I hope, you take the Bible view
rather than mine, or any man's.
S. I do, sir, and that book informs
me that, "as a father pitieth his child-
ren, so the Lord pitieth them that fear
him ;" and can he thus pity them and
yet permit them to perish.
J5. O, no, not those that fear him.
He even pities those who do not fear
him, while he spurns them from his
presence, as they desire not the know-
ledge of his ways, and will not bow in
submission to his will. Still he pities
them, and says, "Oh ! that thou hadst
known, even thou, at least in this thy
day, the things that belong to thy
peace, but now they are hid from thine
eyes."
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 31
A kind and tender father may con-
sent, and even desire, all things consid-
ered, that a guilty, irreclaimable son
should remain in prison for life, rather
than to have the existence of others
put in jeopardy by his running at large.
And more than this he may do. He
may consent to have him even atone
for his crimes with his own blood.
Nay, more. He may pass sentence of
death upon his own son himself. It
has been done.
S. But no man who is fit to be a
father would suffer his child to commit
a crime which would make him ob-
noxious to the penalty of a violated
law, if he could prevent it.
B. Yes, he would, and does, and you
very likely do the same thing.
S. What!
B. To try his fidelity, you may give
32 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
your son access to money which is not
his, and an opportunity to appropriate
it unlawfully to his own purposes,
when you might prevent it by locking
it up. You will of course do all you
can to prevent any dishonest act, as
far as good example and good coun-
sel are concerned. But still you will
and must leave him free to choose for
himself.
So the great Father of all saw fit to
leave man free to act according to his
own choice, giving him at the same time
laws by which to regulate his actions,
clearly pointing out the penalty of a
violation. That penalty is hopeless
despair, so that those who break the
lawr, expose themselves to the wrath
and curse of the law-giver. The law
has nothing to do with pity or pardon*
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 33
Its appropriate function is to mete out
to all, merited weal or woe.
S. Then of course all the human
race are lost forever, for "no man liveth
and sinneth not ;" and who can there-
fore be judged by so strict a rule, and
not experience the overwhelming con-
sequences of disobedience ?
B. Nothing else can be expected, so
far as the law is concerned. But we
have a more glorious salvation than
any which can come by the law. Be-
sides the announcement in the law,
that " the soul that sinneth it shall die"
it is revealed in the gospel that the
soul that repenteth it shall live ! But
this glorious declaration which brings
life and immortality to light, is not the
voice of reason, neither is it the voice
of law.
When there was no other eye to pity
34 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
nor arm to save — when the dark and
doleful picture of a helpless and ruined
race was presented before the eye of
heaven, there came forth one with
blood-stained garments, and exposed
his bosom to the glittering sword of
justice, and said, let the iniquities of
earth's immortals be laid upon me,
Let me drink for them the cup of wrath,
and taste for them the wormwood and
the gall, and feel for them the pangs of
death. Hence the remarkable procla-
mation of his forerunner, " Behold the
Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin
of the world.''
& Ah, yes ! this is truly good news,
and I am willing to admit that it is
a more glorious doctrine than reason
ever revealed, and by it I am willing
to abide. Indeed I know not what else
I can desire or need to secure my fu-
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 35
ture safety. If the Saviour of the world
" tasted death for every man," and bare
the sins of the world in his own body on
the tree, and has offered, and will, to the
end of time, offer to all the needy, eter-
nal life " without money and without
price," I know not how such a display
of the compassion of an Almighty de-
liverer can be reconciled with the
eternal loss of a single soul.
JB. The Saviour has done all this,
blessed be his glorious name — let hea-
ven and earth be glad. He has done
more. He has sent his Spirit into the
world to urge men to do, in return,
their part ; for there is no doctrine
more clearly taught in the gospel than
that man's redemption is a conditional
salvation. All the offers made in the
gospel to perishing men attended with
a promise, are made to such as comply
36 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
with its requirements, and to none else.
The gospel no more offers salvation to
a single soul who will not comply with »
the terms given, than the law offers
eternal life to those who break it.
8. Conditional salvation ! What an
absurdity !
B. Perhaps you would prefer to be-
lieve that there are no terms at all.
That it makes no difference what you
do. That it will all amount to the
same thing at last, whether you pray
or steal, serve God or the devil. Many
wrould gladly believe this doctrine, if
conscience would let them.
S. 03 no, sir, you greatly mistake my
belief. I am well aware that the gos-
pel enjoins repentance for sin, and faith
in the Lord Jesus Christ.
B. But do you acknowledge these
acts to be indispensable to salvation ?
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 37
S. I see what you are aiming at.
You need not expect by your cross-
questions to make me recal my own
words. But — but — who that does
wrong, does not repent. And who that
lives in a gospel land, does not believe
in Christ ?
B. Many go on in sin, waxing worse
and worse, who, regret far more that
their opportunities for committing
crime are so limited, than that their
guilt is so augmented. So that it may
perhaps be said that they repent that
they cannot do worse. As to their
faith, they have less than Satan, for
the Bible declares that devils not only
believe, but tremble. What said the
Saviour on a certain occasion to those
who stood around him, heard his words,
and saw his works ? " Ye also have
seen me and believe not." " Ye have
38 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
both seen and hated both me and my
Father." Thinkest thou that these in-
dividuals exercised that faith in the
Lord of glory which he requires ? Or
that they cultivated that penitent spirit
which is acceptable in his sight ? If
they did, don't you think that he had a
strange way of showing his approba-
tion ?
S. I know not how it might have
been with those individuals, though, to
be honest, I must confess that I should
consider their faith and repentance of
a doubtful character, to say the least.
But, I suppose, that no man can exer-
cise faith without help from above, for
we read that faith is the gift of God.
B. True it is, and would you there-
fore hate both Christ and his Father,
in order to obtain it ? Faith is the
gift of God and so is the air we
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 39
breathe, and he is as able and as will-
ing to give the former as the latter.
Will you cease to expand your lungs
because you can receive the life-giving
atmosphere only as a gift from your
Creator. And if you refuse to use the
proper means for your own preserva-
tion because you are dependent upon
him for existence, will he breathe into
your dead body the breath of life ?
We must remember that while faith is
truly the gift of God, we have just as
much power to accept the gift as to
refuse it. But suppose it were notfthe
gift of God, but that we had to pur-
chase it, would that make our prospects
any better ? Would he compel us to
buy it, if we had wherewith to pay the
price, or would he leave us as now,
free to accept or reject ?
S. But the Saviour says, st no man
40 THE SriRIT-WORLD.
can come unto me except the father
which hath sent me, draw him," and
if he draws one, will he not draw all ?
_B. What do you understand by
drawing ? That he will move men
towards the kingdom by physical force ?
S. Of course not, but by moral power,
B. This he does, but, alas ! how few
follow him. How often does he in
mercy stretch out his hand all the day
long to the rebellious. How often
does he by his providence, by his word
and by his Spirit arrest the attention
of the poor wanderer, and draw away
his thoughts to serious things, and in
melting tenderness invite him to turn
and live, while his invitations of mer-
cy fall upon his callous heart like a
summer shower upon a barren rock.
How often has he thus drawn you,
while you would not follow. And what
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 41
has he said about it ? " Because I have
called and ye refused ; I have stretched
out my hand and no man regarded, but
ye have set at nought all my counsel,
and would none of my reproof ; I also
will laugh at your calamity; I will
mock when your fear cometh: when
your fear cometh as desolation, and
your destruction cometh as a whirl-
wind ; when distress and anguish
cometh upon you. Then shall they call
upon me, but I will not answer ; they
shall seek me early, but they shall not
find me." Do not deceive yourself
" Many are called, but few are chosen."
Have you never seen the time when
you had a stronger desire to have some
experimental knowledge of spiritual
things than you have at present. Was
there not a time when you had serious
fears that all was not right ?
42 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
S. It is true that I have sometimes
had much more feeling on the subject
than now. But what of it ?
B. Then were you drawn toward
Him " who is the way, the truth, and
the life." Why did you not follow on ?
Whose fault was it? And whose respon-
sibility is involved in it ? Are you wait-
ing to be drawn ? If you wait a little
longer, you may be drawn in the wrong
direction. Are you waiting to be call-
ed ? As sure as you are a living man,
I fear you will soon hear a call too
loud, and too late ! Hark ! I now hear
a voice, solemn as eternity ! What
meaneth it ? " Ye shall seek me, and
shall die in your sins ; whither I go
ye cannot come P
S. Well, I was once foolish enough
to let this very passage so affect me
that I was more than half inclined
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 43
to beg for mercy. But I was soon
ashamed of my weakness, and shook off
those foolish forebodings by coming to
a different conclusion respecting the
meaning of this and all similar texts.
B. I thought so. 1 was inclined to
think, during our first interview that
you had been the subject of the Spirit's
convicting influence, and that you had
resisted his overtures, and provoked
him to depart from you.
S. I know not why you should have
come to any such conclusion, for I never
said a word to any other person on the
subject concerning it.
jB. It was not because I had hearr1
a word except from your own mouth.
S. And certainly you did not hear it
from me.
J5. Actions sometimes speak louder
than words.
44 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
S. What did I do, pray tell, that re-
vealed to you my past history ?
O. God Almighty generally puts a
mark upon those who reject the spe-
cial influences of his Spirit, I tell you,
friend, that it is no trifling affair to
pass through such a season, and to re-
sist such an influence. It leaves a
man a great deal nearer the bottomless
pit than he ever was before. It pre-
pares him for caviling. It leads him
to false doctrines. It arms him against
the truth, and transforms him as it
were into a rock, so that invitations,
mercies, warnings, threatenings and
judgments fall upon him in vain.
But lest you should reproach me
hereafter in the spirit-world for lack
of plain dealing, I must now frankly
tell you that you were not so much
ashamed of your weakness, of which
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 45
you speak, as of your Saviour whom
you reject. I must tell you what that
despised and neglected Redeemer says
about such treatment, for I would not
for the world keep back one word
which he would have me speak.
5. I would of course have you speak
so as to be understood, whether I am
benefited or not. But I do not think
that a trifling indifference to him who
is so much above our conceptions, can
materially affect my destiny beyond
the grave.
B. Hark ! fellow traveler, hark ! Do
you not hear that voice, those signi-
ficant words, clear, solemn and dis-
tinct ? " Whosoever, therefore, shall be
ashamed of me and of my words, in
this adulterous and sinful generation ;
of him also shall the Son of Man be
ashamed, when he cometh in the glory
46 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
of his father with the holy angels." Now
this makes it very clear that those who
are ashamed of Christ and his cause,
will have little reason to expect his
favors at the judgment of the great
day.
& The translators were not inspired
men, and I presume that such passages
are not rightly rendered. Does it look
reasonable that I shall die in my sins,
and be forever excluded from the so-
ciety of the blest and the happiness of
heaven ?
J5. It is very unreasonable indeed
that you should take such a suicidal
course as to exclude yourself from all
good in the spirit-world. But if you
will not have salvation on the Saviour's
terms, what is to be done ? If you love
darkness rather than light, he must ne-
cessarily prepare a dark abode for your
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 47
habitation, for it is his plan to give
every one his choice — light or dark-
ness— life or death — heaven or hell.
But, remember, that if you make a
foolish choice, you alone must bear the
blame and suffer the consequences.
All the inhabitants of heaven and hell
will say that it is your own fault, and
conscience more than all. Even Satan
and all the hosts of fallen angels will
reproach you, saying, " What a foolish,
stupid, and self-ruined wretch has come
to join our ranks ! Guilty, guilty !
See ! there is no such spot on us as
cleaves to thee ! How defiled with
sin, and stained with blood Divine !
Thou hast murdered the Lamb of
God, and refused his pardon. Do you
think that we would ever be thus
foolish and guilty, if such offers were
made to us as you have spurned ? You
48 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
were told plainly that all this would
come upon you, that you were madly
rushing on to ruin, and yet here you
are. See what a strange work you
have done ! Behold the desolation on
the right hand and on the left. Is not
the destruction which has now come
upon you quite as bad as it was ever
represented to be ?" What an end ! or
rather, what a beginning !
It seems to me that you must be
aware that you have too much at stake
to cavil w7ith the truthc As to any
wrong translation of which you speak,
I think you have little to hope for in
such a refuge. You are aware that
thousands of learned and honest men,
who fear God and walk in his com-
mandments, testify, both living and dy-
ing, that our present version is a fair
and truthful representation of the ori-
THE SPlRIT-WORLD. 49
ginal copy. Their testimony on any
other subject you would never question.
Why so skeptical now ? Possibly you
would not find so much fault with your
Bible if it did not find so much fault
with you. I suppose that you will ap-
prove of the translation of any text
which leaves you undisturbed in your
sins. Let us try the test. " Say unto
them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I
have no pleasure in the death of the
wicked." How do you like this trans-
lation ?
iS. It is a beautiful text, and I know
not how you can read such a passage
without becoming as incredulous res-
pecting future punishment as myself.
B. Yes, it is a beautiful passage,
but perhaps it would not have been
quite so acceptable to you in its pre-
sent translation if I had quoted the
50 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
whole text, as it does not seem to give
much support to the doctrine which
you are trying to believe, and know to
be false.
S. What is the other portion ?
B. " But that the wicked turn from
his way and live ; turn ye, turn ye from
your evil ways ; for why will ye die ?"
Now this looks as if our Creator was
very much in earnest when he thus
expostulated with the wicked, but it
does not look much as if they were in
the path which leads to life.
S. And 1 do not see that the whole
taken together proves that they were
in the road that leads to death.
B. It simply proves that those who
do not turn from their evil ways must
perish in the world to come ; and also
proves the genuineness of the transla-
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 51
tion far more conclusively than my
first quotation could have done.
S. I do not see what reason you
have to come to either conclusion. If
the Almighty has no pleasure in the
destruction of the wicked will he suf-
fer it to come upon them ?
B. Why not?
S. Because we are informed that he
does his pleasure in the armies of hea-
ven above and among the inhabitants
of the earth, and will he permit events
to occur which give him no pleasure?
B. Certainly he will, and does, every
day. For if he is pleased with those who
curse and swear, and lie and steal, and
rob and kill — and if he delights as
much in those who hate, as in those
who love him, the Saviour died in vain.
Hence, although it is no pleasure to
him that mortals sin, yet sin they will,
52 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
so it is no pleasure to him that the
incorrigible suffer in the spirit- world,
yet suffer they must and do ; for the
mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
This truth is as clearly established in
the Bible, as the Divinity of the Su-
preme Being, the eternity of his exis-
tence, and the happiness of heaven.
S. Possibly not, according to the
right interpretation.
B. It was the Father's good pleasure
from the foundation of the world to
give to the children of men the power
of choice, and to make their choice
his criterion in deciding their future
destiny. Hence, there is no alterna-
tive but to choose, and during the brief
interval of our earthly existence, we
must choose life or death, weal or woe.
And as his terms are so easy, the way
of life so plain, his offers so inviting,
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 53
and the reward so great ; who that is
so reckless as to spurn all, will have
any cause to complain if it is still his
pleasure to carry out his original plan,
though his merited wrath falls heavily
upon those who will not obey the gos-
pel? With any other construction,
this text would be a perfect riddle.
S. Why so ?
B. Suppose that when these words,
" why will ye die," were first uttered,
some one had said, speak a little plain-
er to the people lest they mistake thy
meaning in regard to death. What
wrould have been the probable answer ?
They know very well already that I
spake not of natural death; for whether
they turn or not, this is their inevitable
portion. They also know that I spake
not of moral death ; for even a child
knows that he is already dead in tres-
54 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
passes and sins. Moreover, none but a
skeptic, who wishes to pervert the truth,
will ever think of giving it any other
meaning than the second or eternal
death ; for every living man is already
involved in every other form of death.
Now, are you willing to take the re-
sponsibility of saying, that, whether men
turn or not, they shall live forever ?
& Well, I should not like to say
that. But you were going to show how
the text proves the genuineness of its
translation.
jB. You are aware that it is not
human nature to condemn self. In all
our transactions, we naturally put the
best side out ; so much so, that witL
what we know of human nature, we
expect that if we detect any exaggera-
tion in the statement of any individual
in relation to some transaction in
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 55
which he is personally interested, that
it will be found in favor of the party
making the statement. Hence, if I
had any fears of an incorrect transla-
tion, it would be concerning that very
portion of Scripture which is glad tid-
ings of great joy to the world. I should
fear that more encouragement had
been given than facts would warrant
in the end, leaving man to be over-
whelmed in his false hopes.
Now it augurs a bad cause for us
to find fault with the sacred page. I
admit that it is a painful truth to con-
template, that one soul unreconciled
to God, is every moment exposed to
all the horrors of the second death.
Painful as it may be, however, it does
not alter the fact. There stands the
* thus saith the Lord." And how pain-
ful the thought that every one who is
56 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
thus exposed, is so from his own choice,
and persists in remaining so, in spite
of all that can be said and done to
urge him to escape. The most fear-
ful declarations of the gospel, are all
made in mercy to man, that he may
awake and flee from the wrath to
come. If your house was in flames
over your head at midnight, would you
prefer to have me sing you to sleep
rather than to disturb your peace by
crying, fire — fire ?
8. O, no, it would be very natural
for me in such a case to want to know
it in time to either quench the flames
or escape from them.
B. Then take warning now, and es-
cape for thy life, for there is but a step
between thee and the fire that shall
never be quenched. I am fearful that
you little realize the danger to which
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 57
your excuses and procrastination are
subjecting you. If you were to go to
the grave-yard and kneel down over
the remains of some departed neighbor
whom you knew had been devotedly
attached to temporal things, through a
long life, to the neglect of things spi-
ritual and eternal, and lay your ear on
the damp, cold sod, and then whisper
forth an earnest request, begging him
to speak to you from the tomb ; and
should he be permitted to comply, and
address you in such language as - one
from the spirit-world might consider
expedient, what, think you, would be
his message ?
5». Indeed it is more than I can tell ;
for I never thought of disturbing the
repose of the dead with any such re-
quest ; and hence it would be impossi-
ble for me to say what would be the
58 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
nature of any communication from
such a source, if it were possible for
me to give to the dead an ear to hear,
or a ton gue to speak.
B. Well, we may reasonably con-
clude that although such a communica-
tion might embrace much concerning
things of which we now know little or
nothing, yet we should probably be
greeted in something like the following
manner, viz. : — When I tabernacled in
the flesh, I made many great mistakes.
I lived as though time would never end,
or eternity begin. I was often urged
to prepare for an approaching dissolu-
tion, and reminded of a natural tend-
ency to procrastinate, and the immi-
nent danger of delay. Still, an almost
irresistible sensibility bound me down
to earthly things, so that I hardly real-
ized that I was mortal, and knew not
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 59
that I stood upon the grave's-mouth
until the tomb swallowed me up.
True, I sometimes intended to set my
house in order, and make preparation
for a dying day ; but I greatly deceived
myself by supposing that I should find
a more convenient season at some fu-
ture time. But this I never realized.
My days and my privileges passed ra-
pidly away, and I found myself an in-
habitant of the spirit-world before I
was hardly aware that 1 had begun to
live. But had I known what I now know,
not all the pleasures or temptations of
earth could have possibly induced me
to let the momentous point of time al-
lotted to me among the sons of men
pass unimproved, as I spent my day of
probation. But not a stone can now
be turned ; not a moment can now be
recalled ; not a mistake can be recti-
60 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
lied ; not a pang can be removed.
Nothing can I now do to alter the past,
or improve the future, or to induce
those whom I have left hehind to be-
ware of launching into the spirit-world
in such a state.
That you may not have occasion to
regret a similar mistake, 1 feel con-
strained to give you warning, for I am
fearful that a hope that all may end
well at last, some way or other, with-
out any effort on your part to secure a
happy eternity, is the great delusion
with which Satan will drag you down
to the chambers of death. At our
next interview we will take up the
subject again, if the Lord permit.
CHAPTER in.
& Well, Mr. B , you promised
to resume the discussion at our next
meeting, and as we are again fortu-
nately thrown together in the same
path, under favorable circumstances
for such a theme, let us pursue the sub-
ject ; for I somehow feel inclined to
talk with you a little more about the
spirit- world, although in many things
we may not agree.
B. Whether we agree or not, the
case will be properly decided, for the
judge and the witnesses are now pre-
sent.
S. But who are the witnesses of
whom you speak ?
B. The Great Omnipresent Spirit
62 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
and Judge of quick and dead, and your
conscience and mine ; and a record of
their testimony is kept, and will be
presented in the great court above.
S. You recollect that before we last
parted, you expressed a fear that I
might trust to a simple desire for hap-
piness without any effort to obtain it.
Now, as this desire is universal — as
not a single human being can be found
on the earth who does not desire a
happy abode beyond the tomb — and as
we may conclude that this desire was
never given to tantalize the human
family, may we not suppose that these
cravings for happiness are tokens of
universal salvation ?
B. The old homely adage seems to
be a very appropriate reply to your
inquiry. " If wishes were horses, beg-
gars might ride." A simple desire for
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 63
an abundance will secure nothing for
the sluggard but poverty. But even
where proper means to secure an end
are not neglected, a simple and a sin-
cere desire is a very improper criterion
by which to predict the issue. Every
man desires uninterrupted prosperity ;
and no man enjoys it. Every man
wishes to become independent ; but if
he has no better reason than that to
expect it, he will probably be disap-
pointed. Every man desires immunity
from all pain and sorrow, and more
intensely pants for life than for any
earthly good, and yet no power, hu-
man or divine, interposes to make him
proof against the arrows of death.
Hence we discover, that he who trusts
simply to his own desires, leans upon
a broken reed, as his only security lies
in a proper reception of the truth.
64 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
S. Well, in this conclusion I believe
that you are right. But the question
is, what is a proper reception of the
truth ? One man believes one thing,
and another believes something else.
B. Yes, and the inspired word in-
forms us that some are given up to be-
lieve a lie that they may be damned.
But this is one of those passages which
I suppose you will condemn as a mis-
translation, as it very evidently speaks
r little in favor of what you wish were
true. And if the doctrine which you
are half inclined to advocate, just to
keep conviction and salvation out of
your heart were true, a slight mistake
in the present version is quite evident.
It would seem that it ought to read,
given up to believe a lie, that they all
might be saved. Possibly you might
prefer to admit that some punishment
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 65
must be the consequence of sin, and
consent to have the passage rendered,
Given up to believe a lie, that all
might be damned on earth and saved
in heaven.
But even this translation would not
satisfy that class who advocate a pur-
gatorial system of salvation. Hence,
a further modification would be de-
manded, namely, given up to believe
a lie, that they all might be damned on
earth, and damned in hell, and saved
in heaven.
S. I think, sir, that you are trying to
make my belief appear ridiculous.
B. I only wish you to see how fool-
ish it is to try to bend the truth to your
own carnal desires, instead of bending
the knee and bowing your heart in
humble supplication before him who
never turns away the penitent. But
6*
66 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
as no translation will please all, and
as the blessed gospel will not let down
its high and holy claims to accommo-
date any, we had better let it stand
unaltered, and rather endeavor to ob-
tain a translation of our priceless
souls "into the everlasting kingdom
of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,''
for "without are murderers, and idola-
tors, and whosoever loveth and maketh
a lie."
S. Well, I am willing to abide by
the present version. " Wherefore God
also hath highly exalted him and given
him a name wThich is above every
name ; that at the name of Jesus every
knee should bow, of things in heaven
and things in earth, and things under
the earth ; and that every tongue
should confess that Jesus Christ is
Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 67
Now this, I think must satisfy you that
the final restitution of all things is
clearly predicted, and that when all
shall confess Jesus Christ to be Lord,
to the glory of God the Father, there
will be few left in misery.
B. What if every criminal under
sentence of death should confess that
he who pronounces sentence against
him, is a righteous Judge, to the glory
of the Court, and honor of our laws ;
would such a confession set him free
from the penalty of a violated law ?
The time shall surely come when every
knee shall bow in willing or unwilling
submission to the King of kings and
Lord of lords — when those cavilers
who said, who is this 1 H Is not this
the carpenter's son ?" shall confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord — nay, when every
reviler and blasphemer* and all the
68 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
devils in hell, who in the days of hta
flesh confessed that he was Lord to
the glory of God, " for they knew that
he was Christ," — when all the countless
hosts of heaven, earth and hell shall
acknowledge not only the goodness
but the justice of him who sitteth upon
the throne, to the glory of God the
Father, and then we shall understand
what he means where he says, " the
wrath of man shall praise him."
& If any part of the human family
are in danger of eternal damnation, it
ought to be so stated in plain words.
B. It is so stated, and in language
of such awful import that I am sur-
prised that any living mortal should
dare to call it in question, lest he
should be left to " believe a lie." There
is awful meaning in this passage*
& Where is it so stated ?
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 69
B. In the gospel according to Mark,
iii. 29. " But he that shall blaspheme
against the Holy Ghost hath never
forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal
damnation." Now, according to your
belief, you must be ready to say that
this is not a fair statement which the
Lord of glory made to his enemies ; for,
if there is no such thing as sin against
the Holy Ghost, which hath never for-
giveness, there is certainly no danger of
committing it. And if they did com-
mit it, as there is and can be no dan-
ger of that which does not exist, they
could not have been in danger of eter-
nal damnation, if there were no such
punishment for the wicked.
One would suppose, that after loving
our fallen race so much as to die for
them, that this glorious Saviour would
faive used such language when address-
70 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
ing the multitude, as could have been
understood. And if he who spake as
never man spake, has anywhere in-
timated that all his foes shall be as his
friends, that all the wicked and they
that forget God shall be turned into
heaven, we ought to find it so stated
in pretty plain language, for it is said
in so many words that they shall be
turned into hell.
S. But learned men tell us that hell
means the grave.
B. Well, then, it ought to read, The
wicked and they that forget God shall
be turned into the grave ; and what be-
comes of the righteous ? If the Saviour
ever intended to convey any such im-
pression, I think, if not before, at the
crucifixion, or at least previous to his
ascension, he would have given some-
thing like the following testimony.
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 71
Having spoken of eternal damnation
and of the blackness of darkness, and
of the impassable gulf, and the worm
that never dies, and the fire that shall
never be quenched, and of the sin that
shall never be forgiven, neither in this
world neither in the w^orld to come ;
and having made many other an-
nouncements which might cause need-
less alarm, I would therefore have it
distinctly understood that I never meant
it when I said so.
There are many false teachers in the
world, therefore be on your guard lest
they disturb you by exhorting you to
" strive to enter in at the strait gate,"
saying that " many shall seek to enter
in and shall not be able." True, I said
so to the Jews, but I intended my re-
marks for those who are in the habit
of entering the gates of Jerusalem at
72 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
a late and unseasonable hour, and for
similar procrastinators. Moreover, all
that I have said respecting the peril,
the guilt, or the future destruction of
the wicked, means little or nothing,
for there is no difference between the
wheat and the tares, the sheep and the
goats, the righteous and the wicked ;
or between heaven and hell.
Now, my dear friend, we ought to
find this statement, or its equivalent,
in the Bible, to make it safe for any
one to indulge the slightest hope or
expectation that all will end well with
those who live and die in sin. Have
you found such testimony ?
S. Not precisely such testimony as
that.
B. I think not.
S. Perhaps I shall not be able to
find such proof as will satisfy you.
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 73
B. I think not.
S. I expect to find such testimony
as will satisfy me.
B. I think not.
/S. You know that I am a plain, un-
learned man, and do not profess to be
able to confute those who disagree
with me on religious subjects.
B. On this ground we have neither
of us anything of which to boast. But
we have as deep an interest in the im-
portant subject of redemption as the
most learned. And as the rule of faith
and practice, and the road that leads
to joys on high are so plain that a 'way-
faring man, though a fool, need not err
therein,' we may perhaps receive as
much benefit ourselves from this in-
terview, if we cherish a right spirit,
as if we were learned divines.
But I think vou will find that the
i
74 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
difficulty of presenting Scripture tes-
timony to prove your theory, lies not
so much in want of skill to select ap-
propriate texts, as in the actual ab-
sence of the proof itself. I have not
yet discovered that you have any
proof which satisfies yourself that all
is well. Man naturally loves to feel
that all is safe on the other side of the
grave, and no matter what he does on
this side. But we have already seen
that it will not do to build upon such
a foundation, and beware how you
lean upon a broken reed.
S. Although I do not wish to de-
ceive myself, which is worse in some
respects than to deceive others, yet I
am not willing to believe that a por-
tion of the human race are to perish
forever, and sink lower and lower in
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 75
the dark regions of despair as long as
eternity endures.
B, To become skeptical concerning
everything we see and hear, which
shocks our feelings, would be to act
the part of a madman. It is a shock-
ing truth, I admit. But more shocking
still, if possible, to contemplate the
fact, that men hate and reject the very
provision that has been made to pre-
vent their final destruction. It gives
me pain to think that you make so
much effort to persuade yourself that
all will finally be saved somehow or
other, instead of accepting at once a
risen Saviour's offer, which would cer-
tainly secure a crown of everlasting
life. But I fear that you will never
wear that crown in the spirit- world.
S. Why have you such fears ?
B. Because, in the first place, as you
76 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
do not wish to give up your sins, you
are trying to satisfy yourself that it is
not indispensably necessary* You had
rather be saved in some other way ?
S. But is it not written that he shall
save his people from their sins ?
B. It is so written, and what strong-
er proof would you have that you are
not one of his chosen ones, for he does
not thus save you. He saves his peo-
ple from their sins, but not others. He
saves those from their sins who hate
sin and mourn over it, and earnestly
beg to be delivered from it. Those
who love sin and cherish it, and " roll it
as a sweet morsel under their tongues,"
he leaves to their own chosen way,
saying, " Ephraim is joined to his idols^
let him alone." But, another reason
why I fear that you will never secure
your everlasting peace, is, because
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 77
you are like the Israelites who, after
being brought to the very borders of
Canaan, turned their backs upon the
promised land.
S. What has this to do with my
condition?
B. Nothing, perhaps, so far as their
acts were concerned. But I was going
to tell you in what particular you imi-
tate their example. You have been
brought near to the heavenly Canaan,
and yet you have refused to enter the
kingdom. You once saw the time
when the blessed Spirit whispered in
your ear, "This is the way, walk ye in
it."
But you would not obey. You were
ashamed to have it known that you
had any anxiety about your everlast-
ing peace, or the least desire to become
a friend of the lowlv Saviour; and
78 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
hence you grieved away the blessed
Spirit from your heart, and I fear that
such a season may never return. I
always tremble for any man who has
thus been forsaken of the Holy Ghost.
It is a fearful thing to quench the
Spirit, and men at such times know
not what they do. I have noticed that
such men are generally ready to em-
brace all sorts of error in preference
to the truth.
A great sacrifice has been made to
procure redemption for our race, and
salvation is freely offered even " with-
out money and without price," upon
the simple terms of acceptance by
faith. Now, after the ransom price of
the world's redemption is paid, the
great gospel feast provided, and the
invitation sent abroad, saying, " Come,
for all things are now ready," if a man
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 79
will not accept, (for it is a will not if
he does not accept,) if he spurns all
the kind offers of heaven — slights all
the counsels of God — rejects all the
invitations of Christ — resists all the
influences of the Spirit, and dashes the
cup of salvation from his lips, the only
portion for him is, an eternal residence
in his own place.
But how rapid is the flight of time.
It reminds me that there is but a step
between us and eternity, for how soon
do we find it necessary to part. If
permitted to have another interview
this side of the spirit- world, I hope that
I shall find you walking and rejoicing
vn the truth.
CHAPTER IV.
S. Good morning, sir. Since I last
parted with you, I have pretty much
come to the conclusion that we had
better drop the further consideration of
matters in the spirit-world, for I think
that our conversation has had an un-
happy effect upon my mind, as I be-
fore intimated that I suspected such a
result would follow.
B. I should be very sorry indeed, to
have your feelings disturbed by our
interviews, for I would rather do you
good, than harm. But I am glad to
hear you say that our conversation has
affected your mind, although you call
it an unhappy effect, for I suspect what
you consider an unfavorable impres-
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 81
sion, is no more nor less than an
awakened conscience, which you would
at once hail with thanksgiving, if you
realized its importance. But in what
way have you in body or mind been
disturbed ?
& I have been unhappy by night
and by day, not even enjoying a re-
spite during the hours of sleep. I re-
cently had a very singular dream, and
my mind has not been at rest since.
B. Well, I have little faith in dreams,
but still I am willing to listen to your
account of it, for the good Book says,
" he that hath a dream, let him tell a
dream," and possibly its meaning may
be made clear, or at least the cause of
it.
S. Ah ! I know the cause of it full
well, as I have intimated already.
B. Was it a troubled mind and a
82 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
guilty conscience ? Was it a lively
sense during your wakeful moments,
that all was not right ?
S. Well, I retired to rest, and after
musing awhile upon life's checkered
scene, I fell asleep. A strange feeling
came over me, I knew not why, and a
venerable looking personage stood be-
fore me, and beckoned me to follow
him. With reluctance I obeyed the
signal, and my guide led the way
through a dark and winding valley
which seemed to be bounded on one
side by gigantic frowning mountains,
and on the other by what appeared
like an impassable gulph ; and I said
to my guide, What is that ? pray tell
me, stranger, what dreadful place is
that ? There is something dolefully
strange and awful in its aspect ; what
can it mean ?
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 83
" Don't you know ?" said he. " Did
you ever see anything like it V9
Never, said I ; neither do I ever ex-
pect to see aught to equal it.
" Can there be anything else so un-
utterably awful ?" said he.
Never !
" Then, you ought to know what it
is."
Is it hell ?
u Ah, yes ! It can be nothing else.
You have heard of the blackness of
darkness, and there it is. You now
behold the gateway, the borders, the
foreshadowing, the beginning of that
hell, which is the final dwelling-place
and portion of all who ever did or ever
will transgress without repentance."
Horrible ! What an abode ! Let us
run ! If that is the dark dwelling-place
of lost angels and lost men, I have seen
84 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
enough ! Let us turn back as fast as
we can, said I.
" Utterly impossible," said he. " No,
there is no retracing our steps. We
can only proceed, and it is therefore
the more important that we be care-
ful to shun the broad road in which
you see the multitude pressing on to
ruin."
I noticed that both before and be-
hind, and on my right hand and on my
left, myriads of human beings of all
nations, grades, and ages, were press-
ing on with, ceaseless tread throughout
the length and breadth of the vale.
All seemed to be going in one direc-
tion, and none returned. Many stum-
bled and fell, and quickly disappear-
ed, and their places were occupied by
others.
But what seemed very strange to
THE SriR IT- WORLD. 85
me, was, that whenever any one thus
disappeared, I fancied that I heard?
either in the direction of the gulph, in-
distinct lamentations, or above the
tops of the mountains, sweet songs of
joy. I then ventured to ask my guide
the meaning of this strange phenome-
non.
He looked up, as though about to
direct my attention to the upper world,
and in a moment his face shone like
an angel's, and just as he uttered the
words, "Blessed are the dead who" —
an old man, but a few steps ahead of
us, with a brazen, forbidding face,
gasped and fell, and cries of an
guish reverberated through the ca-
verns of the dark gulph, which so
attracted the attention of my guide
as well as my own, that he paused ;
and as he turned his eye that way^
86 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
his countenance suddenly changed,
and he said, " Wait a little season,
the explanation is at hand. We are
on the way to the spirit-world, and
this is to all, a journey of trial, and
those who go through this valley with
a right spirit — with an earnest desire
to please the Judge of all, will soon
join those who sung that sweet song
above the tops of the mountains. Those
who do not, alas ! for them. They
are undone."
This he said with a solemn emphasis
that thrilled my very soul, and re^-
minded me at once of our conversa-
tion about the spirit- world, and I felt
very unhappy.
B. It is very natural that a subject
of so much importance — one in which
you have such a vast interest for time
and eternity, should have been upper-
THE SFIRIT-WORLD. 87
most in your mind before closing your
eyes, and if it occupied your thoughts
while they took little cognizance of the
flesh, it is not at all strange. But 1
hope your emotions, even during the
hours of slumber, will lead you to be-
ware how you delay making prepara-
tion for the spirit-world, for you will
soon stumble and fall, and others will
occupy your place.
S. As I went on, with feelings that
I cannot describe, I could but ask my-
self the question, can I do nothing to
secure prosperity in this important,
momentous journey ? Is there no en-
couragement for travelers in this dark
vale — no repentance for the past, no
hope for the future ? While revolving
these questions in my mind, an indi-
vidual with a sly, cunning, skeptical
look, drew near.
88 THE SPIRfT-WORLD.
" What has happened to thee, my
good friend ?" said he. * Why art thou
sad ? Thou art in the right road ;
just look and see ! Behold ! the whole
world are going in the same direction.
Thou art as wrell off as the rest. If
these are all safe, thou hast nothing
to fear. And if they are all in danger,
what canst thou do ? Canst thou stay
the wheels of time, and escape the
common fate of man ? It is folly to
give thyself any trouble about the fu-
ture, and especially as the Bible in-
forms us that all things shall work to-
gether for good."
This salutation only made me the
more uncomfortable, because I could
think of nothing but a wolf in sheep's
clothing, and hence I said to him, You,
sir, are a dishonest man, or you would
not mutilate the word of God, for that
word says that " all things shall work
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 89
together for good to them that love
God," and to those who do not, there
is nothing promised but tribulation and
wrath.
B. Well, it seems that you are either
more orthodox, or honest in your
dreams, than during your wakeful mo-
ments, for had it been a reality I fear
that you and the skeptic would have
agreed too well. But how did he stand
the rebuke ?
S. He looked very angry and hurried
away, exclaiming, " Thou art full of
priestcraft." And my guide said, " It is
well to get clear of such enemies as
soon as possible." I thought so, and
was glad to see him start, although he
immediately began to stir up and fill
the air with dust to turn me out of my
way ; and not satisfied with this, he
returned and impudently and hate-
S*
90 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
fully gazed at me with a scornful frown
and malicious look, that I could hardly
endure. His countenance became dis-
torted and frightful ; his eyes were red
with rage, his breath horribly offen-
sive, and his whole body seemed in-
flated with passion.
" Silly man !" said he, " to worry
thyself about a little sin. Of course,
we have all, more or less, come short,
or gone astray ; but what of that ?
Who expects to answer for every erro-
neous step which he may chance to take
in this dark valley ? Why don't these
things disturb me ? I was once as full
of superstition as thyself, and I suppose
that I should have remained as un-
happy to this day, if I had suffered my
mind to be led into bondage by reli-
gious fanatics. But you see that I am
clear of such fetters, now."
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 91
I thought that I then had strength
and courage to reply with a good deal
of spirit, as I said to him, Your condi-
tion is now no better than mine, unless
it is better to go blindfolded to destruc-
tion, than to endeavor with your eyes
open to escape. And as to your evil
deeds for which you do not expect to
be held responsible, they may drag
you into a more fearful bondage than
superstition. If all your rebellion and
unbelief — all your hatred and rejection
of Christ and his gospel, and all your
love and practice of sin, is to be un-
noticed, how are you to be judged ac-
cording to your works.
When I reminded him of his down-
right hatred of all good, (and this I felt
compelled to do, I know not why,) and
the fearful victory which he had gain-
ed over conscience, and the probable
92 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
destiny that awaited him, to which he
was drawing near, his anger was
greater than ever, and his curses more
abundant, and he seized me with a
strong grasp, and a hand, oh, how cold !
and said, "What dost thou mean V9
I mean to warn thee of approach-
, ing danger, said I.
" How did it come to be any of thy
concern whether I fare well or ill, be-
yond this vale V9 said he. " Who told
thee that there was any doubt of my
good estate hereafter? And if my
danger was twice as imminent as thou
dost represent it to be, dost thou sup-
pose that I would be foolish enough to
be influenced by such a fanatic? Here
is a man coming up behind, who has
been warned for days, months and
years, by the most eloquent and zeal-
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 93
ous of all fanatics, and what has it all
availed ? He is still as" —
His hand suddenly became relaxed
and fell to his side, as he uttered these
words, and his eye with a strange glare
became fixed upon the object of his
remark, and I turned to see what unex-
pected event had thus caused the bold
caviler to quake, and behold the man
had given up the ghost, and I heard a
voice saying, u He that being often re-
proved, hardeneth his neck, shall sud-
denly be destroyed and that without
remedy."
Then fearful flashes of lurid flame
seemed to stream up from the dark
abyss in the distance, and I heard a
dreadful lamentation that no tongue
can describe, which almost paralyzed
my every nerve, and when the cry,
* The harvest is past, the summer is
94 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
ended, and I am not saved," was dis-
tinctly heard, the hardened skeptic
trembled as he shut his eyes and stopped
his ears, saying, " I have no desire to
see or hear anything which reminds
me of the time when, through the in-
fluence of a disordered imagination,
I was well nigh driven to despair, and
was a wretched sufferer day and
night until I resolved to banish all
foolish thoughts of sin and suffering
from my mind." And so, said I, you
prefer to shut out from your mind, the
knowledge of your true character that
you may go down to an abode of eter-
nal darkness, with a lie in your right
hand, crying Peace, peace, while scoff-
ing at things sacred and divine, as
though to make your own destruction
sure.
After a mock-laugh, he replied, " I
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 95
have heard all these things before —
you can tell me nothing new, for I was
once almost persuaded to become a
Christian. I was foolish enough to run
this way and that way for religious
counsel — I asked Christians to pray for
me, and tried to pray for myself, and
read books, and heard sermons, and
shed tears, and made promises, and
all to no purpose. But as I grew old-
er, I grew wiser, and I had now rather
hear a man swear than pray ; and the
thundering rumblings in yonder mur-
ky, smoky abyss, are music compared
to the psalms and hymn^ of shouting
fanatics."
When he observed that he was once
almost persuaded to become a Chris-
tian, and when it seemed to me that
he was now almost or quite beyond
the reach of mercy, your remarks at a
96 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
former meeting on this subject flashed
across my mind like a burning flame,
and rent my inmost soul as with a
barbed arrow, and I knew not how to
endure such awful forebodings. But
still I did not, could not awake. I
seemed to have no power to break the
spell, or to stir. When I did awake,
however, I was surprised to see what
had been the state of mind, during my
dream, in relation to my strange course
of reasoning.
B. I suspect that the day is not very
distant, when you will find that your
conclusions were too well founded for
your everlasting good, if you do not
speedily pursue the course which con-
science marked out even in a dreamy
imagination. But as you say that you
did not awake during the exciting mo-
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 97
merit, what became of him who so dis-
turbed your peace?
S. Well, I did intend to beg to be
excused from any further consideration
of spiritual topics, but as it has now
become necessary for us to close this
interview, I will finish my dream at
our next meeting.
CHAPTER V.
B. Well, friend, it is our good for-
tune to meet again this side of the
spirit- world.
S. Good fortune ! I think that if
these interviews made you as unhap-
py as they do me, that you would not
consider your fortune a very good one.
Indeed I would toil hard for a whole
month to banish from my mind all
thoughts and effects of that awful
dream, of which I am confident that I
should never have known anything, if
you had not called my attention to the
spirit-world. But, instead of forget-
ting it, I add more to it almost every
night. I think about it by day, and
dream about my dream by night, and
THE SPIR1T-W0ELD. 99
although I am not exactly prepared to
believe in your doctrine, and though it
was nothing but a dream, yet I would
give anything to know that the history
and destiny of that wretched individ-
ual was not, after all, my own !
B. Whatever you might have fan-
cied the destiny of the caviler to be,
you have no excuse for remaining one
moment unreconciled to God, and ex-
posed to the awful overthrow of the
wicked. And if you have reason to
fear that you had in your dream a
foretaste of approaching wretchedness,
then surely you ought to see to it that
you halt no longer between two opin-
ions, as you know not what a day may
bring forth. Perhaps this is your last
call, your last chance, your last hope.
Oh ! turn, I beseech you, for the spirit-
world is at hand. Escape for your
100 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
life, I pray you, and do violence to con-
science no longer, for mercy I trust is
yet in store for you. But remember,
there was a time when it was said.
" Ephraim is joined to his idols, let
him alone." I suppose you thought in
your dream, that this had been said of
the poor man who seemed so hardened
and abandoned.
S. Indeed I did, and I reminded him
of it, although I can hardly account
for such replies as I made to his asser-
tions when he told me that he had
once been almost persuaded to become
a Christian, You will never see that
season again return, said I. You once
saw the time, as you say, when you
tried to pray. But what an awful
prayer you uttered. And how fear-
fully is it answered !
" What do you know, sir, about
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 101
the nature of, and the answer to my
prayers," said he. " How do you know
what I prayed for in thosq days ?"
It is evident that your prayers were
of the same nature then as now.
" What !" said he, " do you mean to
accuse me of praying now ?"
Yes, you pray now, just as you
did then, and just as thousands of
others did, and do still, to their own
destruction. By so doing, they do not
gain a victory over their sins, but over
their souls. This prayer which you
have so long offered, is very short,
comprehensive, and effectual, namely,
"I pray thee have me excused" That
request has been granted, and you will
probably be forever excused from all
peace and joy in the spirit-world.
Now, although I am a poor, miserable
sinner myself, and know not that I
9*
102 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
have any thing better to look for, than
you, yet I would not for a thousand
worlds possess such feelings and such
a spirit as you manifest.
u No, fool ! you have nothing bet-
ter to expect, nor as good either.
There is a place in that world of
which you speak, where fanatics are
all shut up together, and I don't wish
or intend to go there."
Your day of scoffing will soon
be over, said I, as your day of grace
is probably already past. There
doubtless was a time when the king-
dom of heaven was brought very near,
when the door was thrown wide open
before you, but you refused to enter,
and abused that golden moment, hard-
ened your heart, stifled your conscience,
blinded your eyes, shut your ears, and
resisted all the gracious influences
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 103
of the good Spirit, and I tremble to
think that there is nothing left you but
" a certain fearful looking-for of judg-
ment, and fiery indignation which
shall devour the adversaries."
Muttering curses, he again left
me, and joined himself to the rabble,
and went on laughing at death and
mocking at sin, crying, " Peace, peace."
While pondering upon his condition
and prospects, another individual drew
near, and with a much more agreea-
ble salutation, begged the privilege of
asking a few questions, to which I
gladly assented, hoping to have a
more profitable interview than I had
with the last, though I found him to be
a despiser.
" What think you of Christ!" said he.
"It is said that he once appeared in this
valley, and at a certain time, and on a
104 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
particular spot, poured out his blood
to wash away the guilty stains of sin !
Have you heard such news V '
O, yes, there is not a doubt of it ;
and how much we need to be cleansed
in that fountain, for we are corrupt.
" I know it."
It can take away the foulest stain !
? I know it".
It can give spiritual life to those
who are "dead in trespasses and
sins," and fill the sorrowful heart with
unceasing joy.
" Yes, I know it."
This is good news to those who
realize their need of such an Almigh-
ty helper. But what think you of
Christ?
It is indeed well to be able to
apply to such a deliverer, in time of
need. I often feel that something must
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 105
be done, and frequently fear that 1
shall come short of an interest in his
atonement, because I am not quite
ready to give up the world. I believe
that he is able and willing to save all
who come unto God through him.
But I think that there is time enough
yet, and that he is, withal, a little too
strict."
Can it be possible that you, too,
are a despiser ?
"Softly."
You shock me, and I must express
my horror !
" Not quite so loud ; 1 do not wish to
have my opinions published abroad."
Well, it is truly a sad calamity
for such opinions to go abroad, and
the very announcement sends a cold
chill through my inmost soul. Is it
possible that the vast multitude who
106 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
throng this dark valley are all cavil-
ers?
" O, no ; not all," said my guide, who
had for a long time seemingly left me
to my own reflections, to find out by
experience something of man's deadly
opposition to God, and his gospel, while
in a state of nature, as he said, " But
wait a little ; thou shalt see by-and-by
the effects of unbelief, and the fruits
of delay."
This he said with such a solemn em-
phasis that I greatly trembled, for I
knew not whether he had reference to
some calamity about to befal the indi-
vidual who had just turned away, or
myself ; and I thought that I tried to
cry aloud, Lord Jesus, have mercy on
my soul. There ! stop, stop ! said I, to
my guide. What is that, pray tell !
Didn't you see a group of human be-
THE SPIRIT WORLD. 107
ings take an awful plunge headlong
into that dreadful fiery gulph ? Hark,
hark ! I think I hear wailing and
mourning voices from that direction
like cries of despair ; it is an unearth-
ly cry ; 'tis awful, — what meaneth it ?
"Thou art right," said my guide, "it
is the cry of despair. Such cries as
mortals cannot utter or describe."
But who are they who so strangely
disappeared ?
"One of them was tne man who
laughed and mocked at sin, and called
thee a fool. The man who said,
* there is time enough yet,' was also
among the number, and all were of
the same class of despisers, and all
meet the same doom."
Then was I ready to cry out again,
Lord Jesus, have mercy on my soul,
and save me from the second death.
108 THE SPIRIT -WORLD.
" If thou wilt repent of all thy sins, and
forsake all that thou hast, and follow
him," said my guide, " thou shalt tri-
umph over all thine enemies, and
safely reach the abode of the just, and
reign forever with the King of kings,
and Lord of lords, and be filled with
untold and everlasting felicity in the
spirit- world. But never find fault with
his terms, nor flatter yourself that
there is any possible escape or hope
for those who try to climb up to hea-
ven in some other way. See to it that
you take no refuge in any false doc-
trine."
When he said this, he looked very
sharply in my face, and paused a mo-
ment. I then felt inclined to change
the conversation, and hoped that he
would not again allude to the subject
of false doctrine ; for, somehow, it
THE SPIHIT- WORLD. 109
made me feel very uncomfortable.
Just at that moment he stepped up
close to my side and whispered a few
words which seemed like coals of lire
in my ears, though they chilled the rest
of my body to shivering. " Satan is
baiting his hook with this false refuge
every day," said he, " for thousands ;
and he sees and knowrs very well that
you are half inclined to swallow it.
Indeed you have once or twice taken
the bait, with a hair-breadth escape,
already, and if you are not cautious
how you touch it again, you will find
that the angler has proved too success-
ful for the welfare of your poor soul."
This fearful announcement, the truth
of wrhich I could not deny, filled me
with gloomy and horrible forebodings,
and I looked sharply at myself to see
if I was not already on the fatal hook,
10
110 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
ready to be dragged down into the
fiery deep. At that moment I saw
two individuals, hand in hand, rushing
toward the pit, and I cried out, What
can be done to save these deluded
mortals from the fearful abyss, for
they seem to be helping each other
forward as fast as possible as though
they were in haste to be ruined. What
can be done ?
" Nothing !" said a voice behind me.
"Nothing can be done for those who
will not walk in the path which is * so
■plain that a way-faring man though a
fool need not err therein.' Nothing
can be done for those who ' love dark-
ness rather than light, because their
deeds are evil.' Nothing can be done
for those who love sin, and hate the
author of life and rush madly to de-
struction. Nothing can be done for
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. Ill
these, but that which has been done
already, and all that they reject."
Another bound and they sank out ot
my sight ; and I heard a voice from
above, saying, " Though hand join in
hand, he shall not be unpunished."
Again my guide drew near, and said,
" Let me tell thee one thing — as ' face
answereth to face in water, so the
heart of man to man.' Now, remem-
ber, that by nature thou art inclined
to go in the same direction, and ex-
posed to the same overthrow. There-
fore be careful, and watch, and pray,
and walk in the holy commandments
of the King Eternal, or else no warning
can save thee, nor ransom deliver thee.
All do not come to such a dreadful
end as did those of whose depar-
ture thou hadst a glimpse. Didst
thou not hear, but a moment ago, that
112 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
sweet voice, saying, ' There is more joy
in heaven over one sinner that repent-
eth, than over ninety and nine just
persons who need no repentance?
Indeed, many repent and choose
that better portion which shall not
be taken from them, and rejoice
even here in the midst of trials and
sufferings. Hence, we perceive that
joy and sorrow, weal and woe, light
and darkness, and life and death seem
strangely mingled together in this dark,
perilous valley of probation."
As we walked on together, my heart
swelled with emotion that I will not
attempt to describe, and, lo, three fe-
males suddenly came from different
directions and approached a young
man who was just before us, and sa-
luted him. I was much struck with
their appearance, and wondered from
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 113
whence they came, whither they were
going, and what could be the object of
their mission, for they seemed to have
been sent with some special message.
I observed that when he met them
he was not at ease — -that he looked
this way and that, as though he would
fain flee away. I pitied the man, be-
cause he seemed so unhappy, and I
thought that I heard him say, " Is this
a dream, or is it a reality? Is it pos-
sible that some of you have come from
the spirit- world to remind me of my
mortality ?"
There was a remarkable contrast
between the females, and as I wonder-
ed what it could possibly mean, and
knew not how to account for it, my
guide said, "These are representa-
tives of three worlds.'' One of them
was clothed in a robe of pure white, of
10*
114 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
exquisite beauty and matchless per-
fection. Her face seemed to be glory-
personified. She pointed to heaven
and said, " My son, will you fol-
low me ?" And alas ! how did my
heart throb and seem ready to burst
when he shook his head, for I then un-
derstood his character in a moment,
and knew that he was in fearful peril.
"Then must you follow me," exclaim-
ed another of the females, whose ap-
parel looked like rags dipped in ink,
and whose face seemed to bear marks
emblematical of the death of deaths ;
and she turned toward the gulph. To
this declaration he made no reply, but
appeared unhappy, and I heard a voice
from heaven, saying, 6i If they hear not
Moses and the prophets, neither will
they be persuaded though one rose
from the dead."
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 115
Then I noticed that the other female
who was clothed with a checkered
garment, which indicated, as I thought,
that she still belonged to earth, seemed
anxious to shake off her impressions,
and she said, " Brother, let us go ;" and
they all went on together.
But they soon came to a little rill,
and here they all stopped. The fe-
male who wore the beautiful robe
again addressed the young man, with
great earnestness and awful emphasis.
"Poor man! Deluded, ruined man!
How sad and wretched will be thy
latter end. Down, down into that
eternal furnace of fire and smoke wilt
thou sink forever ! In that deep abyss,
whose boundless vortex no lightning's
flash can ever span, wilt thou mourn
without hope, and cry without relief,
and suffer without end ! And now, O
116 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
man, I call heaven and earth to wit-
ness, that I have warned thee of com-
ing wrath — that destruction certain,
terrible, and eternal will surely be thy
doom, unless thou dost quickly turn."
She then drew still nearer, as though
to give him a parting kiss, and drop-
ped upon his cheek, a tear. He tried
to wipe it off, but it left a stain. " You
can't do it !" said she. He tried again,
and again she said, " You can't do it !"
He dipped it seven times in the rill ;
" No, no, you can never do it," said the
female. " That spot is my witness
which shall testify for me at our next
meeting, that I have warned you of
approaching danger." So saying, she
rose to heaven, and I heard a loud
voice saying, u He heard the sound
of the trumpet, and took not warning ;
his blood shall be upon him."
THE SPLIUT-WORLD. 117
Although this strange meeting well
nigh sunk me to the earth, yet there
was one circumstance which to me
was very gratifying. The faithful
warning which the female addressed
to the man before her ascension, had a
happy effect upon the female in check-
ered attire, for, said she, "I will walk
with the wicked no farther ;" and she
hurried away out of their sight as hard
as she could run, while a sweet voice
in the distance proclaimed, " She has
chosen that good part which shall not
be taken away from her."
But the man walked on with the fe-
male who was clothed in the dark,
shabby garment, and with as much in-
difference as though nothing had hap-
pened, crying, " Peace, peace ;" and I
turned to my guide and said, Stranger,
there is no hope for that poor man.
118 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
He looked solemn, and said, " Very
little."
As I turned from the stranger to
take another look at the pitiable ob-
jects, behold, the woman had disap-
peared, and the man seemed to be en-
veloped in gross darkness, struggling
to make his way through, and over
numerous obstacles, without knowing
where the next step would land him.
At length he fell. An individual, whose
face bore strong marks of benevolence,
drew near and kindly lifted him up,
and handed him a bright shining lamp
to guide him through the wilderness,
which he instantly dashed to the earth,
and with a loud and boisterous voice
said, " Who sent you here to meddle
with my affairs ? Who told you that
I wanted any of your assistance?"
Can it be possible, said I, to the stran-
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 119
ger, that this wretched man will ever
receive another offer ?
" O, yes," said he, i( and thou shalt
. witness it, for his end is near ; and may
the good Spirit deliver us from such a
doom. But what he does, that he will
do. Come, I will show you his end ;"
and he hurried me over a vast plain
until we came to the foot of a moun-
tain, where we halted to make obser-
vations. But I begged the stranger to
go on, for, although, I hardly knew
why, I felt anxious to climb the hill,
and as we drew near the top, I saw
that it was brilliantly illuminated, and
was more beautiful than any other
spot that I had ever seen ; and as the
light did not resemble the light of the
sun, or the moon, or any artificial light,
I looked for the source of the be?.uti-
ful rays, and Jo, heaven was open and
120 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
pouring down upon the mountain-top,
a flood of such glorious effulgence as
mortals never behold.
In the centre of this illuminated
spot stood a ladder, and it reached up
to heaven, upon which many shining
ones were constantly ascending, who
seemed to shine brighter and brighter
as they went up higher and higher,
beckoning to all around to follow, and
sending up their thanksgivings for
every addition to their number.
Beyond the circumference of this il-
luminated circle, the darkness became
dreadful, except during brief intervals,
when the faint and frequent flashes of
distant lightning indicated an ap-
proaching storm. Hence I said to my
guide, Let us tarry here, until permit-
ted to ascend the ladder to leave all
the darkness and wretchedness behind.
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 121
Whom should I now see standing
near the foot of the ladder, but the
wretched rejector of Heaven's offers,
for whom I had before given up all
hope. He seemed to be musing upon
some purpose of heart, but finally lift-
ed his eyes to heaven, and saints and
angels came forth with smiling faces,
and stood around the top of the ladder,
and beckoned him to ascend.
But he shook his head, and would
not take the first step ! Then came
forth the beautiful female that I had
before seen in my dream, and she
pointed to the spot on his face, and a
bright flash of lightning quickly fol-
lowed; and when he saw that all gazed
at the dark mark, he instantly covered
it up. But the guilty hand seemed to
become transparent, and when he saw
that he could not hide it, he went a
11
122 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
little way and sat down on the sand,
and looked out upon the thick darkness,
as though he had more affinity for
that, than for the light of heaven, or
because he thought that in the region
of darkness, was the only place where
he could hide the evidence of his guilt.
Then, a terrible flash of lightning
and thunder that shook the mountain,
started him to his feet, and he walked
up to the foot of the ladder, and looked
up once more into heaven, and there
came forth one, " fairer than all the
sons of men," and offered him a crown
of everlasting glory if he would con-
fess his sins, and ascend the ladder.
The lightning, thunder and tempest
paused, and all heaven waited for his
decision. Every eye was fixed upon
him ; every ear was open, and every
tongue was still ; and such a moment
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 123
of awful solemnity — such a sense of
my own unworthiness — and such a
presentiment of coming wrath, I had
never known.
In sullen silence he received heaven's
last overture — heard heaven's last in-
vitation, and saw heaven's last shining
light, and then lifted up his hand to-
ward him who had done so much to
save him, and with the spirit of a de-
mon said, " Away with him /" And with
a look of unutterable pity, that insult-
ed, rejected Saviour replied, "You shall
die in your sins, and where I am you
can never come."
The door of heaven was shut, and
darkness thick and frightful followed,
the tempest raged, the lightning flash-
ed, the thunder roared, the mountain
trembled, and in the midst of a dole-
ful lamentation, the earth opened and
124 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
swallowed him up, and with horrible
emotions I awoke, feeling that if your
doctrine was true, my condition was
fearful. But it was only a dream.
B. Yes, it was a dream, but pray
God that it may not be in vain. I
once had similar dreams myself, such
as I never could forget. If the All-wise
and ever-present spirit of the eternal
God, brings into the mind of man, a
serious thought during the hours of
repose, which the man afterwards re-
calls, he is under solemn obligation to
improve it. That this is sometimes
the case, there is not a doubt.
S. But what evidence have you of
this ? What is the voice of inspira-
tion on this subject ?
B. " For God speaketh once, yea,
twice, yet man perceiveth it not. In a
dream, in a vision of the night, when
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 125
deep sleep falleth upon men, in slum-
berings upon the bed ; then he openeth
the ears of men, and sealeth their in-
struction, that he may withdraw man
from his purpose, and hide pride from
man. He keepeth back his soul from
the pit." I have been much interest-
ed in hearing your dream, and proba-
bly we shall find in the Spirit-world
that it embraced more solemn and
alarming truth, than you now wish to
believe. At our next interview, which
I hope will be soon, we will further
consider the subject of our future well
being.
10*
CHAPTER VI.
B. Good morning, Mr. S. I am
happy to meet you once more, while
you are a " prisoner of hope."
S. A prisoner of hope ! I never ex-
pect to be any thing else. But, ac-
cording to your theory, I suppose that
you would have me shut up in des-
pair.
B. Nay, my friend, I would have you
cheat Satan out of at least one victim.
I did indeed express a fear that eternal
death might be your portion, and I
know not that you have yet made the
least effort to avert such a doom. Re-
member the end of the caviler.
& Now, I do not wish to hear any-
thing about that, for it makes me ter-
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 127
ribly uncomfortable. I have been try-
ing hard to banish it altogether from
my mind.
B. You never can, neither in this
world, neither in the world to come.
It will ever be like the dark and inef-
faceable spot on the man's cheek.
"God has spoken once, yea, twice,"
hearken to his voice, and if you are
honest in saying that you never expect
to be any thing but a prisoner of hope,
remember that he says, " The expecta-
tion of the wicked shall perish." And
again, " The hope of the unjust perish-
eth." What worse thing can come
upon us, than to have all hope perish ?
This looks as if there would come a
time when the wicked shall experience
the same doom, as did those ruined in-
dividuals who cried out, " Silly man,"
" priestcraft," " time enough yet."
128 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
S. I should like to know what you
would have me to do.
B. Why, simply give up your false
hopes, forsake your false refuges, shun
false teachers, and renounce false
creeds, and then with an honest heart,
and humble spirit, "receive the in-
grafted word which is able to save
your soul." Now, without this act,
have you any reason to believe that
you or any other man will ever know
what it is to ascend that ladder, and
enter into that uncreated light and
glory, of which you had a glimpse in
your dream ? Or do you still cling to
your former refuge, and fancy that
you have sufficient evidence to prove
the final salvation of all men — such
evidence as satisfies conscience ?
S. Conscience !
B. Yes, conscience.
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 129
S. Whose conscience?
B. Your conscience.
S. Of course I have such proof as
ought to satisfy every reasonable man's
conscience, for it is so clearly revealed
that it is absurd to doubt.
B. Revealed where ?
& In the Bible, of course. Where
else would you find such a glorious
doctrine brought to light?
B. I think you will find it any where
else rather than there.
& What ! do you say that my Bible
does not reveal such a sentiment ?
B. I say that mine does not.
S. I am not responsible for the im-
perfections of your Bible, and if it
leads you astray, I can only pity you,
and give you fair warning that I am
not accountable for its influence.
B. Well, neighbor, Bibles generally
130 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
agree better than men, and, perhaps,
the good book which you profess to
receive as a revelation from Heaven,
is like mine, after all. And first, let
us have some of the strong testimony
which your Bible contains, in favor of
the doctrine which you know to be
false, for, if I mistake not, I shall not
find it necessary to resort to mine, to
expose this fundamental error, into
which Satan is trying to plunge you
to your destruction.
S. Let the following truth speak for
itself. " For God so loved the world,
that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him, should not
perish, but have everlasting life."
What say you to this.
B. A blessed and glorious doctrine,
and set forth precisely as it stands re-
recorded in the first copy of holy writ.
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 131
that I ever possessed. Was it not for
this announcement, I should be of all
men the most miserable. This is the
foundation of the Christian's hope,
and —
S. Yes, I thought this would straight-
en out your orthodoxy a little. I con-
cluded that you would find my Bible
not so destitute of strong proof as you
supposed.
B. Not quite so fast, if you please.
Don't you see that you are taking
down testimony for your opponent?
A few more such passages would make
the devil abandon you as a hopeless
subject, to announce among fallen
spirits his utter failure. This blessed
revelation, is not only the foundation
of the Christian's hope, but an affect-
ing pledge of the future and everlast-
ing destruction of the wicked.
132 THE SriRIT-WORLD.
S. Oh, how full of unbelief ! I was
going to say that you would perish
for want of faith.
B. Well, when a man knows that
he is in an error, it is pretty hard work
to avoid betraying his struggling con-
science, and as the principle is written
in your heart, no wonder that you ex-
press it.
$. If God loved Adam's race so
much as to give his only Son to die
for the whole world, will not all be
benefited.
B. He no where intimates any such
thing, and what right have you to ex-
tend the benefit to those who will not
accept it ? If a man should spread his
table with ample provision for all the
hungry poor in town, and invite them
to come and partake, without money
and without price, could those claim
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 133
or expect any benefit who refuse to
attend ?
S. Of course not.
B. True, they would receive the be-
nefit of an invitation, and merit the
displeasure of the master of the feast,
and the disgrace of foolishly spurning
a kind offer, So, the provision which
is made for men in the gospel, greatly
benefits those who accept it, and ren-
ders far more intolerable the condition
of those who reject it.
S. How do you know that any will
refuse to come to the gospel feast, and
consequently perish ?
B. Because, He that spake as never
man spake, said so, and isn't that
enough ? He has settled the question
both for this world and the world to
came — that many refuse to come while
the door is open, and actually make
12
134 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
application after the door is shut. " Ye
will not come unto me that ye might
have life." " Strive to enter into the
strait gate, for many I say unto you
will seek to enter in, and shall not be
able, when once the master of the
house is risen up and hath shut to the
door, and ye begin to stand without
and to knock at the door, saying, Lord,
Lord, open unto us ; and he shall an-
swer and say unto you, I know you
not whence ye are, depart from m?
all ye workers of iniquity."
But to return to the text that you
quoted. Suppose that in traveling
through a strange country, I should
ask a man by the way-side, how long
it would probably take me to reach
a certain town, and he should say,
"One hour, if you take the right road?
Should I need any to tell me that there
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 135
was a wrong road ? If I believed the
stranger, I should be perfectly satis-
fied that there was a right and a wrong
way.
So when the Bible, or rather its
author, said, " that whosoever believ-
eth in him, should not perish," took it
for granted that all understood perfect-
ly well, that whosoever does not be-
lieve in him shall not escape. And
if our gracious Redeemer when he
uttered these words, did not intend to
be so understood, he ought to have
said, God so loved the world, that He
gave his only begotten Son, that all
might have eternal life, whether they
believe in Him or not.
But what said he on another occa-
sion ? " He that believeth not, shall
be damned." Now do you suppose
that the Great Teacher thought that
136 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
his wandering children would recog-
nize him as an advocate of the same
doctrine which the devil taught four
thousand years before in the garden ?
S. What doctrine ?
B. Why, the doctrine of irresponsi-
bility. " Hath God said, ye shall not
eat of every tree of the garden." That
you shall be held responsible for every
disobedience ? It is not true, and God
knows it. " Ye shall not surely die."
Now friend, as you have received
your articles of faith from the mouth
of him who " is a liar, and the father
of it," had you not better renounce it,
and adopt the creed of a better teacher,
and seriously ask yourself the question
whether those who will not believe in,
nor accept of the meek and lowly Sa-
viour as " the chiefest among ten thou-
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 137
sand, and the one altogether lovely,"
ought not to perish.
5. All men do undoubtedly believe
in Christ, as far as they have any
knowledge of him.
B. Far from it ! Not only do the
tribes of Israel almost to a man, pro-
fessedly disbelieve in him, and practi-
cally reject him, and at this very mo-
ment have the vail of unbelief upon
their hearts ; but thousands who are
nominally Christians, are equally des-
titute of saving faith, and I fear that
you are among the number.
& What ! do you mean to insult me
by calling me an infidel?
B. No, friend, I do not intend any
such thing. I simply wish you to Iook
at the subject in the right light. Pre-
suming you to be honest in supposing
that you are not an unbeliever, I beg
12*
138 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
leave to ask you what it is to believe
in Christ ?
S. Why, I suppose it is simply to
believe in the record given of him.
B. Far more than this is necessary
to salvation. "The devils also believe
and tremble." But their faith, which
is probably far more operative than
yours, is not saving.
S. I believe that Jesus Christ is Al-
mighty in power, and all-perfect in
love.
B. So does Satan.
S. I believe that he laid down his
life on Calvary to atone for a guilty
world.
jB. Of this the devil never had a
doubt.
S. I believe that he was the great
teacher sent from God ; that he went
about doing good, and was put to
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 139
death by wicked men; that he rose
from the dead, and ascended up on
high, to make intercession for the chil-
dren of men, where he ever liveth and
reigneth King Eternal, the only medi-
ator between God and man.
B. All this the devils believe, and
much more, and if thou dost not be-
lieve more, thy faith will be " found
wanting," when thou art weighed in
the balance.
$. Well, I know not what else you
would have me believe.
JS. It is not only necessary that you
should believe in the record which is
given of the Saviour, but it is equally
necessary for you to believe in the re-
cord given of yourself. Do you be-
lieve that you are a poor, guilty, defiled,
undone sinner, " dead in trespasses and
sins," and exposed to the wrath of an
140 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
offended Judge, with nothing to re-
commend you to his favorable notice,
and hopelessly and eternally lost with-
out the interposing grace and mercy
of God in Christ your Redeemer ?
S. I am not aware that I have done
anything which is so very bad. I have
no particular distress on account of
my sins. I do not feel that I am lost,
neither do I wish to believe such a
doctrine ; and if this is Christian faith,
then I must confess that I am an un-
believer, for I should hardly have a
doubt of the positive and certain sal-
vation of every soul of Adam's race, if
it had not been for that foolish dream,
the cause of which I have already
mentioned, and from the effects of
which I have not fully recovered. But
the weakness of that hour is no cri-
terion.
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 141
B. No, we have a far better stand-
ard than dreams and visions, and if
you would receive it with as little ca-
viling, and as much confidence, as
your judgment dictated on that occa-
sion, and as conscience does still, you
would soon learn both the simplicity
and power of faith at the foot of the
cross.
S. Well, I do not feel that I am in
such peril as you describe, or as fancy
pictured in my dream.
B. So I supposed, and hence I made
the remark which appeared to you
somewhat uncharitable. But it seems
that it was nevertheless true. Only in
proportion to your belief that you are
a poor lost sinner, can you believe in
a needed Saviour. The holy angels
believe in Christ as the Saviour of lost
men, but they can never believe in him
142 THE SPIRIT-WORLD,
as their Saviour, nor can their faith
though never so sincere, ever prove
saving, for they are not lost.
The devils in hell, can, and do be-
lieve in Jesus Christ as the Saviour of
all who sincerely repent and believe,
but they can never believe in him as
the Saviour of angels or devils, hence
their faith too, is of no avail.
So you may believe that Jesus Christ
is divine — the Father's co-equal Son —
that he was made flesh and lived and
labored on the earth — suffered on the
cross — slept in the grave, and in three
days triumphed over the bars of death
— in short, believe all that is recorded
of him, and still more, and yet you will
have no more saving faith than a rock
until you have such a sense of your
lost and undone condition, as shall
constrain you, in the simplicity and
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 143
sincerity of a little child, to cry out,
" Lord save or I perish."
S. But did not Christ say, the Son
of man is come to save that which was
lost?
B. Yes, and blessed be his glorious
name for such a revelation. Who can
comprehend what would have been our
condition if he had not come on such
a mission ? And who can describe the
augmented guilt and misery of those
who now, under the full blaze of the
gospel, spurn the sacrifice and reject
the provision made for their redemp-
tion?
S. Well, now I think we are coming
to the point. If he came expressly
from heaven to earth to perform such
a redeeming work, shall his mission
prove a failure? Has he not love
enough, and skill enough, and power
144 THE SPIRIT" WORLD.
enough to do all that he intended, and
all that he promised to do ?"
B. 0, yes, there is nothing lacking
on his part. But, remember, that he
never intended or promised to save
any against their will. For such
as do not become his willing and
obedient children, he has made no pro-
vision but the bottomless gulph. True,
the atonement which he made is suf-
ficient for all the countless millions
who avail themselves of its benefit,
from the beginning of the world to the
end of time. But not sufficient for a
single man who says, "Away with
him ;" " I will not have this man to
reign over me," and maintains his op-
position through life.
Moreover, the Saviour, with this
distinctly in view, uttered those touch-
ing words, which ought to settle the
THE SPrRIT-WORLD. 145
question at once in the mind of every
man, " O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou
that killest the prophets and stonest
them that are sent unto thee, how often
would I have gathered thy children to-
gether as a hen doth gather her chick-
ens under her wings, and ye would
not !" " O that thou hadst known,
even thou, at least in this thy day, the
things which belong to thy peace, but
now they are hid from thine eyes!"
On this point, the Scriptures are very
plain and the testimony very abun-
dant.
S. Well, as I have duties to attend
to, I must beg leave to be excused
from further discussing this subject on
the present occasion, and perhaps this
unexpected debate had better be closed
altogether, for I fear that no good will
come of it, though I would not wish to
13
146 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
conclude it abruptly, for I must confess
that some of your reasoning has rather
interested me.
B. I think that we have reason to
fear no harm, and I cherish the hope
that you will yet listen to that voice
which says, " This is the way, walk ye
in it ;" and in the meantime, I shall
remember you before the throne of
grace.
S. But why this gratuitous service ?
I have asked no man to pray for me.
B. This does not in the least dimin-
ish my obligation to obey a sacred
command.
S. What command ? Who told you
to pray for me at this particular time?
B. He who has an ear to hear, and
power to save.
S. Show me your authority, and I
will surely acquiesce.
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 147
B. 1 have authority which includes
all men, all time, and every place.
fc'Pray without ceasing" — this em-
braces the time. " I will therefore
that men pray everywhere," and this
embraces the place. u I exhort, there-
fore, that first of all, supplications,
prayers, intercessions, and giving of
thanks, be made for all men," and this
certainly embraces any and every man.
S. Well, I believe that you are right,
after all, and surely I have no objec-
tion to your obeying the injunction, for
I hope that all things may turn out
well with us in the spirit- world.
CHAPTER VII.
B. How do you do, friend S. ; walk
in, I am glad to see you once more
among the living. We are somewhat
nearer to the spirit- world, than when
we last met, and I hope somewhat bet-
ter prepared to launch our bark upon
the great ocean of eternity.
S. I know not how it may be with
you. But with myself, nothing seems
to be as I would have it.
B. Well, is it as the Lord would
have it ?
S. 1 fear not.
B. Can't you improve it ?
S. Perhaps I might, a little, if I
should try; and possibly I should make
it worse.
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 149
B. There is very little danger of
that, if you look to the right source for
help. But what is the difficulty ? Do
you begin to be dissatisfied with your
hopes and prospects for a future state ?
Is your confidence in the doctrine of
universal salvation, a little shaken ?
S. Not a little, I might say, if I had
ever had much. The truth is, I was
always afraid that it was one of Sa-
tan's traps. I would have gladly be-
lieved it if I could, for I wanted to feel
that all was safe. But I found there
was no use in trying it any longer.
B. What brought }~ou to the con-
clusion of renouncing, like an honest
man, this false doctrine ?
S. A variety of incidents have con-
spired to this result. I need not men-
tion them all. A little daughter, a
darling sweet child, whom I loved
12*
150 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
dearly, and grieved much, by taking
her out of the Sabbath School, after
she had apparently become more at-
tached to it, than to her daily meals,
had no little influence in bringing me
to the sober determination to strive no
longer to believe a lie.
" Father, dear, let me go to the Sab-
bath School a little longer," said she,
one Sunday morning, with tears in her
eyes, which well nigh melted my heart.
But I had set down my foot, and so I
said No, never, never ! As long as you
live, step not into that school again, to
learn priestcraft and nonsense.
" O no, father, we do not learn non-
sense there," said she, with a trem-
bling tongue. "We study the good
word of the Lord, and I love to hear
the teachers talk about Jesus, and
good men, and angels, and heaven ;
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 151
and I love to hear them talk to the
children, and tell them what they must
do to go to heaven where Christ and
all good people, and good angels live ;
and I love to hear them pray with the
children, and sing with the children ;
for they love the children, and the
children love them. I am a great deal
more happy since I went to the Sab-
bath School than I was before. But I
should be happier still, if I could go
again."
Conscience lashed me most severely
for depriving my pet of an enjoyment
so perfectly reasonable, to say the
least. But I saw that I could never
endure, in my present state, her influ-
ence, if she continued under such in-
struction, neither could I refute her
arguments, though presented in artless
simplicity.
152 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
"Father, was Jesus Christ a teachei
sent from God ?" said she, on a certain
occasion, after a season of apparent
meditation.
Yes, my child, said I; he was the
best of teachers. He taught both by
precept and example. Don't you re-
member that it is said of him, that
man never spake like him ?
" Yes, father dear, I learned that, at
the Sabbath School, and I wish you
had let me stayed there longer, to learn
more about the Saviour. It wouldn't
have done any hurt, would it ? But
I was going to ask, if you thought
that he intended his teaching for little
children, and expected that they could
understand what he said."
To be sure he did. Have you never
heard that he said, that the way
which he had marked out was so
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 153
il plain that a wayfaring man, though
a fool, need not err therein ?" And on
another occasion, that he had "hid
these things from the wise and pru-
dent, and revealed them unto babes ?"
* " Yes, father, I remember something
about this. But what does it mean ?
Why did he hide these things from the
wise and prudent V9
I suppose he meant those who were
wise in their own eyes — too wise to
acknowledge their need of instruction
from him, while little children heark-
ened to his voice, and understood his
words. I know not what else he meant,
my child.
" You know, father dear, that a child
cannot understand a man, unless he
means what he says. And how can I
understand the blessed Saviour, if he
says one thing and means another ?"
154 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
O, my child, he don't deal with his
children in that way. He never leads
his dependent creatures astray.
* I hope not. Father, he says the
wicked shall go away into everlasting
punishment, but the righteous into life
eternal. Now, if these solemn words
mean what they say, I can understand
them. If they mean any thing else, I
cannot, and I don't see how any one,
old or young, can ever know that he
has given them the right meaning.
Father, you said to a gentleman the
other day, that Jesus Christ did not mean
that the wicked should go away into
everlasting punishment. But how do
you know that ? Has he said that he did
not mean so ? I am afraid, dear father,
that Jesus will never be pleased with
you, for trying to make him say what
he did not say ; and for trying to make
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 155
his words mean what they do not
mean ?"
This troubled me not a little, as
you must know, and I turned it off as
well as I could ; but she continued,
" I read in the Bible the other day, of
a great gulf, and as Jesus himself said,
that it was fixed between the righ-
teous and the wicked, in the other
world, and that none there could
get over it, I thought that he would
be displeased with you for saying that
no such gulf as he had pointed out,
was there, and I felt badly, and I asked
the Lord Jesus if he would not help
you to understand the Bible, just as
little children understand it. Father,
I am really afraid that he is now hid-
ing these things from the wise and
prudent? Don't you think so? Tt
makes me unhappy to think of it."
156 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
Folly, my daughter, said I. Where
did you get such foolish notions ? I
thought you said that it made you
happy to go to the Sabbath School ;
but I think that you have learned there
how to become unhappy.
" Well, father, would it make you
miserable to know that I was in great
danger of being burned up in this house
this very night ?" said she.
Of course it would, exceedingly so,
said I.
" Would you then prefer to be ig-
norant of my danger, that you might
be the more happy ?" said she.
What ails you, my child, said I, that
you ask such strange questions ? Do
you not think that I would wish to
know the worst of your case, so long
as there was the least hope of prevent-
ing such a calamity ?
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 157
" Yes, father dear," said she, " and
though it makes me unhappy, yet I
wish to know the worst of yours, while
there remains the least prospect of
saving you from the flames which shall
never be quenched. But remember
that Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd,
said himself, that " he that entereth
not by the door into the sheepfold, but
climbeth up some other way, the same
is a thief and a robber." Now, ever
since you began to talk so much with
men when they come here, about
everybody's going to heaven, I could
not help fearing that you were trying
to climb up some other way. Father,
it is easy for me to believe in Jesus,
and it makes me happy. Is it not just
as easy for you to believe that he
means what he says? I think you
13
158 THE SPIRIT WORLD.
will find it hard work to make him be-
lieve that he means anything else."
When she uttered these words, a
dreadful struggle between conscience
and self-will began. I not only re-
gretted that I had ever sent her to the
Sabbath School, but also regretted that
I had ever taken her away.
But still I remained inflexible, giving
no consent for her to return ; and to
lull conscience to sleep, I went the suc-
ceeding sabbath to hear a universalist
expound the law, and tell the congre-
gation about the numerous and grave
mistakes of Christ and his inspired
apostles ; at least one could infer no-
thing else from his argument, and I
noticed that many seemed to be greatly
pleased with the new doctrine ; and no
wonder, for men naturally dislike re-
straint, and hate responsibility.
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 159
The teacher went on to show the
sagacity of one of the disciples, the
substance of which was as follows.
The Saviour, a little while before he
was betrayed, had told Judas that it
were better for him that he had never
been born. This, the preacher ad-
mitted. But Judas, being a universal-
ist, perhaps, was not altogether pleased
with the charge, and afterward went
and dashed down the thirty pieces of sil-
ver, and to get satisfaction hung himself,
to let the world know how much soon-
er he could go to Heaven from the gal-
lows, according to his creed, than the
Saviour could from the cross.
I not only saw the absurdity of the
doctrine, which must lead to this very
conclusion, if believed, but I had long
noticed that those who professed the
strongest measure of faith in this creed
160 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
apparently had the least conscience,
and could curse and swear the most.
B. Ah ! yes, I have known by ex-
perience, a little about the effects of
such faith. When I was a stripling,
1 was foolish enough to advocate this
doctrine, and I suppose succeeded far
better in satisfying others of my sin-
cerity, than myself. I then talked just
as you did when we first met, and pro-
bably felt very much as you did : and
I suppose exhibited the same kind of
works. But during this time, I often
thought of the passage where it is
written, "He shall save his people
from their sins," and conscience, not
being easily bribed or silenced, would
always tell me that according to this
rule, I certainly could not be one of
his people.
S. It happened that I overtook the
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 161
parson the next day as he was walk-
ing with one of his congregation who
was notoriously intemperate, and as I
felt that he had not cleared up the
doctrine to my satisfaction, I followed
along a little behind, listening to the
conversation between them, as they
happened to be conversing upon their
favorite creed ; and at length they
went into a public house where I follow-
ed, and we all sat down in the bar-
room, and the man at once called for
a drink, and then resumed the conver-
sation.
" You know, sir," said he, " that I
was taught to believe that no drunk-
ard should ever inherit the kingdom of
God, and I suppose that you can tell
me whether I ought to believe such
a doctrine or not."
"You know," said the teacher, "that
13*
162 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
I preach that men ought to live sober,
righteous, and godly lives in this pre-
sent evil world."
a 0 yes," said the man, " nothing less
could be called preaching. They ought
so to live, but, suppose they do not.
What then ? Is there a place in the
kingdom of heaven for those who now
and then take a little too much rum ?"
" Most assuredly there is," said he,
" for the Lord Jesus Christ tasted death
for every man ; and he said to those
who surrounded him a little before he
left the earth, ' I go to prepare a place
for you.' "
" But did he not say this to his own
disciples," said the inebriate.
" Well, I suppose he did," said he,
" but he said, ' In my father's house are
many mansions,5 and I think there is
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 163
some place there for those who gratify
their appetite a little too freely here."
" Thank you, sir," said he, " this is
just the news for me. Landlord let us
have another drink."
* But remember," said the preacher
of smooth things, — who began to feel
a little uncomfortable, " if you continue
to drink to excess, that it will cost you
much — that you will be the sufferer."
" What will it cost me to drink as
much as I please ?"
"A bloated face, a trembling hand?
a ruined character, a broken hearted
wife, starving children, and a prema-
ture grave."
"0, that's nothing, I shall only get
to heaven all the sooner," said he, with
a triumphant emphasis.
By this time, the preacher began to
manifest a disposition to get clear of
J 64 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
his companions who had gathered
around him. A shrewd looking man
whom the preacher evidently suspect-
ed of skepticism, said, " Sir, there is a
set of men in the world who teach
that ' the wicked shall be turned into
hell and all the nations that forget
God.' But I was much gratified to
hear you say yesterday, that there was
no hell but the grave ; and no burning
gulph, but a bewildered imagination ;
and no blackness of darkness but that
which priestcraft has thrown over the
immortal mind. I observed that the
doctrine which you advocated, gave
great satisfaction to the audience, and
I exclaimed to myself almost involun-
tarily, Poor souls ! what should we do,
if it was not for this good news which
we hear to-day. But, after all, does
not this doctrine license men to sin ?"
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 165
" Not at all," said the suspicious
preacher. " Where did you ever hear
of a preacher of this faith, who did not
advocate the importance of living an
honest, upright, blameless life ?"
" It would be singular preaching in-
deed," said he, " if he advocated any-
thing less. But suppose his hearers do
not see fit to practice his precepts,
what then ? What if half of his con-
gregation should turn robbers, and cut
the throats of the other half? Is there
any penalty for transgression?"
" Certainly there is."
"What is it?"
" If a man does not do unto others
as he would have them do unto him,
he must of course expect to suffer."
" Suffer where and when ?"
" Why, more or less through a long
166 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
life, according to the nature of the
offence."
" Do you mean to say that all his
sufferings terminate in death ?"
" I think they do. Would you like
to suffer longer ?"
" That has nothing to do with it. It
is true that I would not like to suffer
at all. But a violated law does not
ask the criminal how long he would
like to suffer for his crime. It is not the
transgressor's province to modify the
penalty. Now I covet a large sum of
money which my near neighbor has in
his possession, and I am determined
to obtain it, if I have to get it by un-
lawful means. What will it cost ?"
H It will cost you a guilty conscience,
sleepless nights, and the ill-will of
that neighbor."
" I am willing to pay this price, and
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 107
as you have found out that forever
means only * three days,' I shall carry
out my intention, though it will proba-
bly cost a little blood ; and it gives me
great satisfaction to know that for
this I need not fear any future retribu-
tion, or" —
" Hold, friend ! Can it be possible
that you understood me to say that
you were at liberty to take the life of
your neighbor ?"
" Not in so many words. But there
can be no objection to it. According
to your doctrine, the greatest possible
amount of happiness will inevitably
follow its consummation. To carry
out my plan to the accomplishment of
my darling object, I suppose it may
be necessary for me to put aside one
of my neighbors ; but I think that the
more I kill, the better, if heaven is a
168 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
better place than earth ; and I should
at the same time find in my success, a
heaven upon earth ; and should I be
arrested, and even found guilty, you
know our Judge is a man of too much
sense to condemn me. O, no, he would
never do that, but would rather spare
so useful a citizen to perform the same
kind office for others. Moreover, if I
should happen to fall into the hands of
a Judge of a little less liberal faith,
who should pass sentence of death up-
on me, and execute it, don't you see that
I should go to heaven all the sooner
for it ? What a glorious doctrine this
is ! But don't you think that it is go-
ing to heaven a little too easy ? I am
afraid that we shall find a good many
hard customers there."
" I never advocated any such doc-
trine as this."
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 169
" Yes you did, exactly such a doc-
trine, only you had a little mask on,
while preaching. But, every body
could see through it, as well as through
an open door. And if you are unwil-
ling to admit it, answer me one ques
tion. Does the impenitent murderer
go to heaven or hell, when he dies ?"
At this moment some of the bystand-
ers (for there were several of the same
faith) were almost ready to gnash
upon him with their teeth for presum-
ing to thus call in question the teach-
ing of him whose doctrine harmonized
well with itching ears ; so that there was
much more noise and confusion, than
argument. But the champion, although
evidently anxious to give up his seat
to almost any body who would take
it, yet doubtless thought it would
hardly do to be vanquished by a man
14
170 THE SPJRIT-WORLD.
of such humble pretensions, said,
*' How do you know that the murderer,
or any other one ever dies without re-
pentance ?"
" Because," said he, " the great
teacher himself said to the Jews, on a
certain occasion, that unless they be-
lieved on him, they should die in their
sins, and where he was, they should
never come. They did not believe on
him, but cried, ' Away with him.'
Again he said, ' For I say unto you,
that except your righteousness shall
exceed the righteousness of the Scribes
and Pharisees, ye shall in no case
enter into the kingdom of heaven/
Now, without inquiring whether the
murderer's righteousness exceeds the
righteousness of the Scribes and Phari-
sees, let me ask one question. Can
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 171
you, as an honest man, say that yours
exceeds it ?"
" I cannot say," said the preacher,
" how much righteousness they had,"
" Why," said the man, " you are the
very one to know." ' Art thou a mas-
ter of Israel, and knowest not these
things V Don't you know that they
were considered the most exemplary
men of their day ? Don't you know
that they were scrupulously moral —
that they fasted twice in the week —
paid tithes of all they possessed —
strictly observed the Sabbath, and sa-
cred festivals — that they fed the hun-
gry, clothed the naked, and did many
other good things ? And with all their
good deeds, don't you know that the
King Eternal, who looks right at the
heart, and sees the end from the be-
ginning, pronounced them unfit for the
172 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
kingdom of heaven. Now, friend,
your righteousness must not only be
equal to, but it must actually exceed
theirs, or all your preaching will be
vain, and you will die in your sins,
and have your portion with false
teachers."
This unexpected plain dealing, and
charge upon the preacher, quite en-
raged him ; so much so, that it was
soon evident that he was less moral
than even the Scribes and Pharisees,
and I fully resolved in my own mind
that I would do violence to conscience
no longer, and hurried home as fast as
I could. But as I approached my
dwelling, the voice of prayer arrested
my attention. I listened, and heard
my darling child say, O, Jesus, thou
son of David, have mercy on my dear,
dying father, and help him to believe
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 173
the truth ; and when I went in, I told
her all that was in my heart, and she
rejoiced, and gave thanks.
B. Well, my dear friend, your daugh-
ter might well rejoice, and give thanks,
and it does my heart not a little good
to learn that you have taken one step
in the right path to the spirit-world.
The first step is often the hardest of
all. Having put your hand to the
plough, I hope you will never look
back. Your dear child, I trust, will
soon be welcomed back to the Sab-
bath School.
$. Indeed, I shall rather encourage
than prevent it, for I am confident that
she knows what it is to believe and
love the truth.
B. I hope you will yet know, your-
self, what it is to rejoice in that bless-
edness which flows from a hearty ac-
14*
174 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
ceptance of Christ and his gospel. A
foretaste of the abounding felicity of
the spirit- world may be obtained here,
by poor travelers like ourselves.
S. I suppose it may. But I do not
feel that my prospects for the spirit-
world are any better than they were
at our first interview, although I am
determined to cling no longer to false
refuges, if I know it. There are many
things in the Bible that I do not seem
to understand.
B. If the Bible contained nothing
but what finite minds could fully com-
prehend, would you think that it was
a book from the infinite, incomprehen-
sible, and eternal Spirit.
S. I suppose that it is reasonable
for worms of the dust to expect to find
mysteries in such a book. But I can-
not understand how all can be judged
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 175
according to their deeds, and yet all
the wicked be condemned to the same
place of punishment, and of the same
duration.
B. Perhaps a simple illustration may-
assist your reflections a little. Sup-
pose that the penalties for stealing,
robbery, fraud, murder, &c, were, ac-
cording to our statute laws, all impris-
onment for life in the same prison, or
upon some desolate island. And sup-
pose that you were unfortunately
among the number, and while drag-
ging out a miserable existence, you
should exclaim, " Oh ! that I had not
defrauded my neighbor ! He dwelt se-
curely by me, and had the utmost con-
fidence in me. How could I have
done such a deed. I wish I could for-
get the base act, for it torments me
day and night to think of it." " Ah !
17G THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
your punishment is nothing to mine,"
says another, " for I robbed a confiding
friend of all his treasure, and it is im-
possible for him to ever regain it."
" Alas !" says the third, " all this is no-
thing to my dreadful burden. I wickedly
killed my brother." Now, can you not
see that although imprisoned for life,
and all in the same place, that their
misery would not all be the same ?
& O yes, I see it clear enough. We
can't get rid of conscience. And con-
science will neither accuse, or excuse
us unjustly.
CHAPTER VIII.
B. Well, friend, as conscience is im-
mortal, and as every moral act stamps
it with an indelible impression, how
vastly important is it that we should
possess a conscience void of offence,
while passing through this vale of
tears, and snares, and woes. To do
this, we must trust alone to the sus-
taining grace of Jesus Christ. Those
who fail to do this will not fail to find
conscience worse than a barbed arrow
in their inmost souls when they are
introduced to the spirit-world.
& It is sometimes like the worm
that never dies, even in this world, for
mine does nothing but accuse me con-
tinually.
178 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
B. And why, is this your experience ?
S. Because I do not follow its die
tates, I suppose you will say.
B. Do you suppose that conscience
would ever accuse or condemn you
for giving up the sins and follies of
the world, and for giving your heart
and affections to Jesus Christ ?
S. O no. I am fully assured that it
would not. But howr can a poor help-
less mortal do such a work ? It is al-
most nothing at all that I could do, if
I should try.
B. It is very little that you can do,
I admit, but your condition is none the
worse for that. And if you could do
as much as all the combined effort of
angels and men can accomplish, it
would be no better, for you would then
be, as you are now, responsible for
what you can do, and nothing more.
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 179
And because you can do but a little,
and because a very little is required of
you, will you neglect to do that ?
S. It appears very reasonable that
every one should do his duty, do all
that he can to make himself and others
happy. Yet, after all, it seems to me
that the Saviour, after doing and suf-
fering so much to redeem the lost and
wandering, will hardly suffer them to
perish.
B. Be not deceived. There is no
such doctrine taught in the Bible. He
has truly done a great work for man,
blessed be his great and glorious name.
And he now requires a very little on
our part, and this is mainly to accept
of what he offers, without money and
without price. Suppose some individ-
ual of immense resources should invite
you to meet him midway between your
180 THE SriRlT-WORLD.
abode and his, that he might bestow
upon you a vast treasure. Would you
consider it a hardship to comply by
walking a mile ?
S. Certainly not. Under such cir-
cumstances I should esteem it a privi-
lege and a pleasure to walk the whole
distance.
B. But suppose you should do other-
wise, and say, Well, if he is disposed to
do so much for me, it is altogether un-
necessary that I should move an inch ;
for reason teaches me that his bene-
volence will never suffer an interven-
ing mile to frustrate his kind designs.
Would not your refusal to comply,
argue very conclusively that you spurn
both the gift and the giver ?
S. Of course it would, if such an
unreasonable act were possible. And
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 181
I should prove myself totally unworthy
of his kind regard.
B. An act more unreasonable, and
fraught with infinitely greater peril, is
perpetrated every day. Now, let me
remind you, that He who holds the
destinies of worlds in his hands, and in
whom we live, and move, and have
our being, invites us to draw near and
accept from his hand the gift of eter-
nal life. Now, will you accept of such
a gift ? I am aware that you cannot
fully comprehend its value, here. But,
O, can you not realize something
of the importance of its possession !
In the spirit- world, whether in weal or
woe, you will need no one to remind
you of the vastness and richness of the
benefits of such a gift. The high and
holy praises of heaven, and the deep
16
182 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
and doleful wailings of hell will be-
speak it.
& Alas ! friend, you remind me of
what I saw in my dream, and it makes
me almost shudder to think of the
frightful end of those who trifled with
eternal things.
B. Then surely you will not imitate
their example, therefore let me caution
you against the danger ; for many
trifle with their own immortal interests
although they do not intend or suspect
it.
8. But there are so many kinds of
religionists in the world, that I know
not which to believe, for every one
says that he is right.
B. You mean there are so many
counterfeits in the world. But these
only prove that there is also a genuine
religion. Shall I tell you how it hap-
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 183
pens that there is so much false reli-
gion among men ?
S. If you please.
2?. Simply because so few go to
Jesus Christ for their religion. Those
who apply to him, always obtain the
pure form. He never gives any other.
The quantity may vary, but the quali-
ty is uniformly the same. There may
be "diversity of gifts, but it is the same
Spirit." Pure religion can be obtained
no where else, and yet multitudes go
anywhere and everywhere but to the
Saviour of the world for their religion,
even to the devil.
$. But it will do no good to attempt
to go to the Redeemer for any favor,
unless we go aright.
B. Well, why should you go in any
other way ?
184 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
5/ Indeed I would not. But can I go
in my own strength ?
JB. If you were to apply to any
other source for help, in whose strength
would you go ? From whom did you
receive strength to arise from your
bed this morning ? From whom do
you expect to receive strength to per-
form the journey of life ?
& From him who is Almighty, and
from him alone.
B. Very true ; then bear in mind,
that each one of your muscles when-
ever it moves, has a little of his
strength, and whenever it has not, it
is paralyzed. I say his strength, for
you must remember that those muscles
which move you about, are his. So,
as long as you have the faculty or
power of choice, and will to go this
way or that, or to perform one thing
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 185
or another, it is also through his
strength that you are enabled to do it,
whether you do it for good or evih
He has given no such strength or fa-
culty to the brute. It can neither love
nor hate him. And as you derive all
your faculties from him, will he not
as willingly give you strength to come
to him for his blessing, as to depart
from him to receive his curse ?
S. It seems that it must be so.
B. It is so. And yet multitudes
foolishly and fatally shut out the bless-
ings of heaven from their immortal
souls through the unreasonable excuse
that they cannot come to Christ in
their own strength, and so use the
strength which he has given them, in
rejecting him. Men do not realize
how hard they work to secure their
own ruin. But those who prav to be
16*
186 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
excused from the salvation of their
souls as it is offered in the gospel,
ought to remember, that if they will
not accept of Christ's offered grace,
he will give them their chosen portion
and with it, give them as much
strength to endure his displeasure as
he would have given them to enjoy
that boon which they so blindly reject.
Now, will you come to Christ with all
your weakness, that you may receive
strength ? With all your blindness?
that you may be enlightened. With
all your sins, that you may be forgiven,
and with all your poverty, that you
may be enriched ?
$. I would if I could.
B. Well, ifj^ou cannot come, then
is your case perfectly hopeless. And
how would you like to hear others an-
nounce it? Suppose I should say3
THE SriRIT- WORLD. 187
there is no possible way whereby you
can be saved. That you cannot re-
pent, that you cannot believe, that you
cannot accept of an offered Saviour
and that you may as well give up all
hope, and sink down into despair.
S. To believe this, would truly be
an awful thought, and I hope that my
case is not quite so bad. But what can
I do?
B. Repent, and believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ. This you can do, and it
is all that he requires, and then love
and serve him with all your heart.
Take his yoke upon you, for it is easy,
and his burden for it is light.
£. Oh ! that it was as easy for me to
turn, as it was for my child ? But I
feel that it is otherwise. It is hard for
me to confess my guilt. My heart is
so hard that it will not relent. The
188 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
temptations of the world, and my be-
setting sins, and my wicked compan-
ions, are ready to swallow me up.
And then, the darkness of my mind
shuts out all the light, and almost ex-
cludes every ray of hope.
B. Then turn quickly, precious im-
mortal, " for why will you die ?" Let
me tell you why it is easy for children
to enter in at the strait gate. They
are willing to confide in Christ, and
obey him. They understand simple
requirements, and instead of mystify-
ing them, as do those who wish to
find some excuse for disobedience, they
simply obey them ; and you can do
the same thing, if you will. The act
is precisely the same in all cases and
ages. The only difference is, it is not
quite so easy for you to become a lit-
tle child. In other words, you are not
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 189
so ready to take the simple truth just
as you find it recorded, and obey it
from the heart.
8. Yes, it is something so, I believe.
But still I go on from one day to an-
other, hoping that it will be better
with me the next, and the next, and
yet I am growing harder and harder.
B. Yes, and further and further from
the kingdom. You may as well turn
at once. You will never find it easier,
and perhaps you may never find it
possible, after letting one more oppor-
tunity slip. The devil is ready to
spring his trap upon you, and he cares
not what kind of bait he uses, if he
can but secure his prey. He is per-
fectly satisfied to have you wait for a
more convenient season, and wait for
more feeling, and wait for anything,
while standing on a slippery steep,
190 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
with a woful gulf beneath your feet,
which is dark enough, and deep enough
to prevent your escape, if you fall ; and
doleful enough to chill and wither
every vestige of hope forever !
S. But do I stand on such a slippery
steep ?
B. Yes, awful as is the thought,
there you stand, with the deluded,
thoughtless, and presumptuous multi-
tude, notwithstanding that fearful de-
claration, " Their feet shall slide, in
due time !" There you stand, as it
were, over the very gulf of which you
had a glimpse in your dream ; and lest
you slip, ere you are aware, and sink to
perdition, with those who would gladly
tear out their tongues, and throw them
back to earth, if they could, to apprise
the wicked of their end, and beg for
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 191
water to quench their ceaseless, burn-
ing thirst, — turn, turn !
& What do you mean by throwing
back their tongues to earth ?
B. Ah ! they come not oft, but dread-
ful are their tidings when they come !
" Father Abraham, send Lazarus that
he may dip the tip of his finger in
water, and cool my tongue, for I am
tormented in this flame !" Being in-
formed that that was impossible, as
no one could cross the impassable gulf,
the lost one requested that Lazarus
might be sent back to earth, to warn
his five brethren to beware how they
followed him to that place of torment.
But he was told that it would do no
good, as one rising from the dead
would have no saving influence over
the living, who reject Moses and the
Prophets. Now, have you made any
192 THE SriRIT-WORLD.
effort to escape such a doom as called
forth the bitter cry to which I have
just alluded ?
S. I fear that I have not taken the
first step towards it. It all appears
dark and dismal to me, as the night of
death.
B. If not, then for the love, peace,
and happiness of your own soul ; for
the prosperity of others ; for the joy
and satisfaction of angels, and for the
honor and glory of your Redeemer, no
longer delay. You know not what a
day may bring forth. Think how
many there are now in the dark prison
of despair, who, just as much intended
and expected to prepare to grapple*
with the " King of Terrors," as you do,
but they put it off one day too late.
This may be your experience, before
to-morrow morning. You do not think
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 193
so, neither did they. They thought a
little more procrastination could do no
harm. They thought that a little more
rebellion could not subject them to
such fearful peril — a little more un-
belief, and love of sin, and neglect of
Christ were ventured upon, and they
fell to rise no more, and their good re-
solutions and intentions perished with
them.
S. I presume that I am in all the
peril that you represent, but, somehow
or other, I do not feel it, as I would
wish to.
B. I am aware that this excuse is a
sufficient barrier to keep many precious
souls out of the kingdom of heaven.
Oh ! how many mistaken souls are
this moment waiting for feeling, with-
out suspecting the delusion. They
fancy that they would attend to the
194 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
salvation of their souls at once, if they
had a little more feeling, while they
consider not that if they had twice as
much feeling as usual, they would
stifle it, if they could. One moment's
reflection ought to convince them that
men exceedingly dislike to feel that
they are in danger.
S. But will a man ever escape from
any danger without feeling ?
B. No more than a stone, and hence
the importance of cherishing, instead
of resisting the strivings of the Holy
Spirit. But you do not need feeling
enough to crush you, to lead you to
the " Ark of Safety," unless it is your
own fault. Now if the physician
should pronounce your case to be
hopeless, you would probably feel the
force of the declaration, "Dust thou
art, and unto dust shalt thou return,"
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 195
more than if you enjoyed perfect
health. But do you not at all times
sufficiently feel it, to use daily care in
preserving your life ? What stronger
feeling do you need ?
S. It is natural for men to cling to
life, and therefore they will use means
to preserve it. But in spiritual things
it is different.
B. Take another example. It is
written, " The soul that sinneth, it
shall die." Now, you believe this de-
claration, as much as the other, and
you can feel the importance of shun-
ning a spiritual, as well as a natural
death, if you will ; because you know
that you have sinned and are conse-
quently under condemnation. Now,
friend, do not deceive yourself in sup-
posing that you want more feel-
ing, while you stay away from the
196 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
Cross. There is the place to feel.
Look to him who hung thereon, and
live.
S. I know that this is what I ought
to do, and it is what I intend to do.
My understanding is convinced, and I
hope to feel the importance of it.
B. You do feel it. No man is con-
vinced of anything without feeling.
How much feeling did the blind man
need, to stimulate him to apply to the
Great Physician for help? Just as
much as you need, and no more.
He felt that his case was a bad one,
and I trust that you do not wish yours
to become worse. He believed that
Jesus of Nazareth could give him sight,
and do you not equally believe that
none else can open your spiritual eyes
to behold the wonders of redeeming
grace ? He had also sufficient confi-
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 197
dence in the loving kindness of the
Friend of sinners, to say, * Jesus, thou
Son of David, have mercy on me."
And where, at this enlightened age of
the world, is your faith, that you have
not got even the blind man's confi-
dence ?
He felt that in Christ was his only
hope ; and do you not know and feel
that your condition is no better. He
was aware that the favor which he
sought, was of vast importance to
him ; and are you not sensible that
you need a still greater blessing?
Moreover, he was determined to test
the power and goodness of an Al-
mighty deliverer without delay; and
will you not be as consistent, that you
may be as successful ?
S. If the Saviour was now present
as he was in those days, it seems to
198 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
me that I should at once apply to him
for help.
B. Then you prefer to walk by
sight. This the blind man could not
do. He had to take the testimony of
others. And O how much stronger
testimony have you. You cannot
doubt that he is just as much present
with all his love to pity and power to
save, as he was when he said "Ac-
cording to your faith be it unto you."
And what more can you need.
S. It does seem as if there was no-
thing in the way but myself, and I
hope that I shall not continue to stand
in my own way.
CHAPTER IX,
Through the kind providence of our
heavenly Father, we are permitted to
meet once more on his footstool, Mr.
S., to resume the consideration of that
topic, which ought above all others to
fill every man's mind with anxiety of
deep and thrilling intensity, for its im-
portance has no limits ; it is altogether
as boundless as eternity. With such
interests at stake, I trust that you are
not waiting for feeling to move you to
secure the " pearl of great price," as
you were at our last interview.
S. I saw then, sir, that it was per-
fectly unreasonable and unsafe to wait
for anything, and yet, here I am wait-
ing still.
200 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
B. Waiting for what? To see if
the Lord of life and glory will not come
and force you into his kingdom against
your will ? You may wait for this, in
vain. Haste then, precious immortal,
haste to Christ, the sinner's friend. To
wait for more feeling, is altogether un-
safe. To wait for less, is presumption.
Hark ! " Seek ye first the kingdom of
God and his righteousness," is the ad-
vice and the command of the Judge of
quick and dead. No allowance is
made for excuses or delay. No per-
mission to seek anything else first, not
even the security of natural life, which
is far less important. Now, do you
not sometimes fear that you will after
all come short of eternal life while
neglecting to seek first the kingdom ?
S. Yes, I often have such fears.
When I lie down at night, I say to my-
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 201
self, Well, who can tell but that before
the dawn of another day, I shall open
my eyes in that dread world where
there is neither morning nor evening,
rest nor sleep, friend nor hope, joy nor
peace — no pleasant sight or pleasant
sound — no smiling face or cheering
word, no sympathizing heart or helping
hand — but woe unmitigated, woe un-
utterable, woe eternal ! To have an
existence in the spirit- world under such
circumstances, what an end ! Who
can endure the thought ?
B. You need not endure the thought,
unless you prefer to remain exposed
to the reality. Unless you prefer to
wait for feeling, until your experience
shall overwhelm you, I hope you
will count the, cost while the door
of grace and hope is open. Your dan-
ger is far greater than you suspect.
202 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
Many have been almost ready, as they
supposed, to enter the kingdom ; per-
haps had fully resolved to do so, and
possibly expected the all-important
work to be done in less than one shore
week, and would hardly have tolerat-
ed the expression of a single doubt
from any one concerning their safety,
when some adverse influence carried
them away, as with a flood, until their
seriousness vanished, and their hopes
too, as they finally landed in the great
gulf to go no more out forever. I tell
you that you have no time to lose.
There is a shorter step between you
and death, than you suspect.
S. Yes, I know it must be short and
uncertain at the best. I have had fair
warning, and if I peris]?, it must be my
own fault. But that makes the mat-
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 203
ter so much the worse. I can imagine
something how it will be with me in
the dark world of woe. I shall wish
that I could fasten the blame upon
others. What indescribable horror
will the thought that I have murdered
my own soul, produce ! What unearthly
agony to call to mind these interviews
and other friendly warnings, — more
especially the repeated invitations of
the gospel — the voice of love and
mercy which reached my ears from
Calvary ; the proffered streaming blood
of the atoning Lamb of God ; the nu-
merous and aggravated attempts to
stifle conscience, pervert the truth,
quench the Spirit, avert conviction
and secure my own destruction !
As soon as I shall have become con-
scious of my existence in that dread
abode should such be my woeful doom,
204 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
I think I shall say, Well, here I am at
last, notwithstanding all my warnings,
convictions, fears, and resolutions, to
endure, what so many vainly tried to
describe. Oh ! horrible ! Have I come
to this ! Oh ! what a state ! How
awful ! I can find nothing here that
has an end ! I wish I could die again !
Oh ! death, cut me down once more !
Rocks and mountains fall on me,
crush, hide, and annihilate me! Ven-
geance of heaven, fall on me and blot
out my existence forever ! Alas ! I
am lost, and how doleful is my condi-
tion here, with all my undying faculties
wonderfully quickened and capacitat-
ed for suffering ! But it is all just, for
I now see what I have done.
B. Oh ! fellow-man, and prisoner of
hope, it seems as if you already had a
foretaste of the dread reality, and yet
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 205
you are letting the golden moment for
securing a passport to a brighter, bet-
ter world, slip ; although you are tot-
tering upon the crumbling verge of
unutterable ruin. I charge you by all
that is desirable in heaven, and woful
in hell, to stop ! Stop, while you can :
turn while you may ; flee while there
is hope, profit by what you see, hear
and feel, or your fears will be more
than realized, and a great ransom can-
not deliver you.
S. Alas ! how dark and gloomy are
my prospects, and how difficult does
the work of preparation for the spirit-
world appear. It is all midnight .
How can I work in the dark ? I see
no dawning of the day. O that I could
see such a light as 1 saw on the mount,
in my dream.
B. Yes, it is both dark and difficult?
206 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
and how can you expect it to be other-
wise, so long as you will not come to
the light, nor cease increasing the dif-
ficulties. If you will come to Christ,
you shall have light, and joy, and
peace ; and the difficulties which ap-
pear to you like mountains shall melt
away into a pleasant plain. And why
you delay one moment, I believe no
mortal can give any good reason. If
you had an earthly treasure in peril,
if necessary to secure its safety, you
would at once bring into requisition,
time, energy, men, and money.
Suppose that you had a very valu-
able country-seat, upon which you
had bestowed labor and money, until
you had made it all that you could de-
sire. Made it capable of affording an
ample supply of earthly comforts for
yourself and family. On this pleasant
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 207
spot you intend to spend your days,
and expect to be undisturbed, as you
suppose the title to be perfectly good.
But accidentally as it were, I happen
to discover a flaw in that title, and
perceive that your property is in the
most imminent peril. That in passing
from A. to B. at a remote period, the
transfer of said premises was condi-
tional. Certain obligations were to be
discharged by the party of the second
part, on or before the expiration of a
given day and year, or the said pre-
mises were to revert to the party of
the first part, his heirs and assigns ;
which has been wholly neglected up
to the moment of my discovery, which
happens to be on the last day of the
appointed time for securing the title,
with but an hour's sun above the
western horizon. With this startling
208 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
fact, I fly to you with the utmost speedy
and the communication falls upon your
ear like a thunderbolt. Under such
circumstances what would you do ?
S. Do everything in my power, of
course, to discharge the claim.
£. Would you delay ?
/S. Not a moment. I should think
of my family and of our comfortable
sweet home, and should say, Alas ! if I
tarry a moment we are undone ; and in
order to be prepared for the emergen-
cy, I should send some one up stairs
and another down ; one this way, and
another that ; and to all I should say
run, run.
B. Why would you act so prompt-
S. Don't you see that the interests
at stake would demand it ? Nothing
less would answer. True the Clerk's
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 209
office, where the obligation must be
discharged, might not be a mile off,
and the expense attending the act to
be performed might be very trifling.
But the result of a little delay would
not prove so trifling.
B. At this critical moment, suppose
that an old friend, after performing a
journey of a thousand miles to transact
some important business with you,
calls at your door, and declares that
he must see you now or never. In this
dilemma what would you do ?"
>S. Just as soon stop to do business
with a beggar.
B. Why treat your friend so rudely ?
£. Because I could not afford to
treat myself and family worse. I
could not consent to gratify even a
friend, at such an expense, and I should
cry, Let me go ! 0 let me go now !
210 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
B. But suppose at that moment, a
fearful thunder-storm should begin to
pour a torrent upon the earth, and the
streaming lightning dash a portion of
your habitation to atoms, setting fire
to the rest ; in the midst of the crash
and the cries of " Stop, stop ! the house
is all in a blaze," would you start ?
S. Most surely I would, and I would
only wrait to reply, I cannot help it,
your lives are all spared ; and as for
the house, it must burn dowTn to ashes
or others quench the flames. The
ground on which it stands, cannot burn
and I must secure my title to that, or
lose all ; let me go ; let me go !
B. Yes, and you would act wisely,
and neither friends nor foes, nor fire nor
storms, nor floods nor fears, nor smiles
nor frowns would stop you. Neither
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 211
would you wait for feeling. But how
much time have you now to secure a
title to a home in the heavenly Ca
naan ? Do you know that the * Book of
Life" will be kept open for you a sin
gle hour ? The obligation against you
can be discharged now, and your title
to eternal life made secure. An hour
hence it may be too late !
S. I do indeed feel to some extent
the importance of such a title, but
what can I do ?
B. All that is required of you, which
is but a little.
5. I cannot draw up the title deed.
B. No. But you can subscribe to
the terms, and the Holy Ghost can seal
and witness it.
& I can never pay the purchase
money.
B. No, but you can accept a con-
212 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
veyance without money and without
price.
S. I cannot make a record of the
transaction.
B. No, but the recording angel can
write it in the book of life.
S. I can never take possession of
such an inheritance without a guide.
B. No, but those pure spirits, " who
are sent forth to minister to those who
shall be heirs of salvation," can con-
duct you safely to that mansion which
the Lord of glory has prepared for all
who will accept of such a heavenly
home. Now you perceive what you
can do. It is not much ; but it is all-
important. Nay, it is indispensable,
Are these terms hard?
/S. O no, they appear perfectly rea-
sonable.
JS. Then you will certainly accept of
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 213
them at once, instead of saying, "I
pray thee have me excused," unless
you are unreasonable. Now, will you
doit?
S. I intend most assuredly to do so.
B. When?
S. By and bye. I hope that it will
not be long.
B. Well, now tell me honestly,
whether you are not flattering your-
self that you have really taken a good
step, because you have good intentions
for the future ?
S. Perhaps I am.
B. And have you ever thought that
this was nothing but an insult to your
Maker ? What would you think of a
poor wretch by the wayside, pretend-
ing, while thrusting a dagger into the
bosom of his friend, stab after stab,
that he had a good intention at heart —
214 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
that by-and-by he intended to stop and
make amends ?
S. I should think him a hypocrite
and a murderer.
B. Then, lest you find that you have
condemned yourself, remember that
your good intentions for the future,
are nothing less than a rejection of
Christ for the present. And what
worse act can you perpetrate ? Can
you pull him down from his throne,
and thrust the spear into his side, and
drive the nails through his hands and
his feet, and mock him, and spit upon
him ?
S. No, this I cannot, and would not
do, for the world.
B. But after suffering in your stead,
bearing your sins in his own body on
the tree, and after offering to wash
you in his own blood, and clothe you
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 215
with his own robe, and crown you with
his own crown, you can reject him,
Alas ! the deed you have already done,
and with all your good intentions are
doing still.
S. I do not feel that I have any dis-
position to reject the Saviour of the
world.
B. And yet you do not accept of him
and his kind offers. Suppose that you
know your neighbor to be in present
and perishing need of some aid which
you alone can render. In a dark and
stormy night, with much inconvenience
and some suffering, you make your
way to his abode. Being in haste to
be sheltered from the storm, you give
a loud rap as soon as you reach his
door. A servant from an upper win-
dow cries out, " Who is there !" You
give your name, and proclaim the ob-
216 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
ject of your visit, feeling that that will
be quite enough to secure all the at-
tention that you need. After waiting
till strength and patience are well
nigh exhausted, the servant re-ap-
pears and says, " The gentleman of
the house does not wish to be disturb-
ed ; but you can see him in the morn-
ing, if you wish," what would you
think of the treatment received for
your pains ?
S. I think that I should not soon
trouble him again.
B. Turn your attention to one who
has come a long way and on a rough
path, to visit you, bringing in his
bleeding hands, the ransom price of
your redemption, and listen to his gra-
cious voice, "Behold I stand at the
door and knock, if any man hear my
voice and open the door, I will come
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 217
in to him, and will sup with him and
he with me." Shall this heavenly vis-
itor knock at your door, and urge up-
on your dying soul, the boon of ever-
lasting life ; and knock and urge in
vain?
S. O no, heaven forbid.
B. Then I charge you to count the
cost of shutting him out of your heart,
and never dare to plead future repen-
tance as an excuse for present disobe-
dience. It is saying that God, and
Christ, and heaven are all worth less
at present, than the pleasures of sin.
A greater insult cannot well be offer-
ed ; and is not this rejecting Christ ?
S. Conscience tells me that it is not
right, and I hope to do better.
B. By what rule ? What ! are you
going to love that to-morrow which
you hate to-day? By what law?
19
218 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
& I can hardly answer this question.
But I hope to have a heart to do that
which I suppose that I have not yet
done.
B. What a delusion ! It is equiva-
lent to saying, I wish to love that
which I love to hate.
5. Do you mean to say, that I love
sin?
B. The Bible says so, friend ; and
if it does not speak the truth, you sure-
ly will not cherish a single sin for a
moment. But if you will not hate and
repent of it now, you have not the
slightest reason to hope for a profitable
or even tolerable future.
S. It may be sp, and I fear that it
is.
B. I know very well that you che-
rish the hope that in some way or
other you shall escape the terrible
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 219
overthrow of the wicked, although
every step you take in your impeni-
tent state, is towards the bottomless
gulf. All those who persevered in
sin until they met the same doom of
which I am warning you, cherished the
same hopes. They went on hoping
that they should have a hope, until
their delusive spell ended in irretriev-
able ruin, and you may do the same
thing. And yet you will say, I hope
not, while you do nothing to prevent
the dread result.
CHAPTER X.
B. At our last interview, we were
considering the inconsistencies of men.
It is lamentable that in matters of the
greatest moment, we are often the
most inconsistent. Suppose I should
meet you at midnight in a dark forest
where you had wandered and search-
ed in vain to find your way out, and
with a lamp in my hand, should lead
you to a plain path, give you suitable
directions, urge your immediate es-
cape, and hand you the light.
Would you delay, and begin to find
fault with the path, because it could
not be followed without a light — and
with the distance, because so many
steps must be taken — and with the
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 221
lamp, because its rays did not lumin-
ate your path to the end ? Would you
say, Well, I am lost, it is true, but you
may be mistaken after all, in suppos-
ing this to be the right path; or some
part of it may be impassable ; or other
paths may intersect it, which I may
not be able to distinguish from the
original ; or my lamp may go out be-
fore I reach a place of safety ; or my
strength may not be equal to the jour-
ney ; and, worse than all, I may be de-
voured by wild beasts, before I get
half way through the forest ; and be*
sides, I begin to hope that there is
some easier way of escape9 and so, all
things considered, I think I had better
remain where I am, until I may chance
to meet some person to point it out ?
S. Not at all. I should naturally
■know that I could gain nothing by de-
19*
222 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
lay, and that I might as well perish
by my efforts, as by my idleness. But
this you know is natural consistency,
or, perhaps, I may say that it is instinct.
But in spiritual things it is not so.
B. I admit it, and this is the very
thing that constitutes your greatest
danger. If it was as natural for you
to be vigilant in securing the great
interests of your immortal spirit, as it
is to provide for the safety of your
transient earthly tabernacle, it would
not be necessary for me to urge you to
take the strait and narrow path and
flee for life. This is the very reason
why you are now in darkness — why
you have wandered so far out of the
way ; and why you have no disposi-
tion to return. Don't you see where
your great danger lies — that your case
is frightfully alarming because it is
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 223
not natural for you to turn and save
your soul alive ? In this dark wilder-
ness where you are lost, I meet you,
and point you to a new and living
way, which is Christ, and offer you the
glorious light of the gospel to shine
upon your path, and urge you to es-
cape for life, before the storms of com-
ing wrath fall upon and utterly over-
whelm you ; and yet without the
slightest expectation of finding any
easier or any other way of escape,
you wander on in fearful peril, cling-
ing to a delusive hope, crying, " Peace,
peace."
S. Oh ! no. I have very little peace,
and fear that I shall have less still. 1
know that I am a lost wanderer — that
I am groping in darkness — my way
seems hedged up, and I know not
what to do.
224 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
B. Fly, fly ! You do everything
but the right thing. You go every
way but the right way. You look for
help to every source but the right
source, and you try every foundation
but the right one. Why halt so long
between two opinions ? Why tarry so
long in the plains of unbelief ?
Suppose that two individuals, James
and John, start on a journey together,
in the wilderness, from the top of a
high mountain, and selecting a stream
to follow, they thread their way over
beds of rocks, and through winding
vallies, as the little sparkling rill leads
them while on its way to the ocean.
At first, they perceive little or no
choice in the banks of the stream,
which is continually increasing in size
and force. But at length they suspect
that they are on the wrong side, and
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 225
begin to discuss the propriety of cross-
ing over. As they journey on, the
rocks become so high and steep that
they cannot leave the stream, and their
path becomes more and more difficult,
and the river more and more swollen,
almost overflowing its banks and quite
alarming the travellers.
"I am sorry," says James, " that we
did not cross this stream, when it wras
but a little rill." " I think we had bet-
ter go back to where it is easy cross-
ed," says John. But as they look back,
they discover at once, that to retrace
their steps is utterly impossible. The
current has become so powerful and so
swollen that where they once walked
with ease, they can now get no foot-
hold, and hence there is no alternative
but follow down the stream, and take
one bank or the other, and as thev
226 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
perceive that the one on the opposite
side is comparatively smooth and free
from obstructions, James says to his
companions, * Let us try to cross over,
for I fear that it will soon be neither
possible to cross, nor possible to pro-
ceed.''
" I fear that it is not safe to make
the attempt," says John.
" Safer than to proceed, I am confi-
dent," says James, and casting all his
burden aside, plunges into the foaming
current, and safely reaches the shore ;
and as soon as his feet are upon the
bank, he lifts his hands towards hea-
ven and says, " Thanks, everlasting
thanks to the Great Deliverer, I am
safe, and it is gloriously beautiful over
here ! O how delightful ! You have
hardly a glimpse of it on that side.
You cannot see it, you cannot realize
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 227
it, until you pass over, and the stream
is not so difficult to cross after all, as
you think, if you will only plunge in,
with a determination to forever for-
sake all on that dangerous shore."
" The stream looks very boisterous,
and I know that I cannot touch the
bottom, and to swim, I shall have to
forsake all that I have," says John.
u No matter for that," says James.
? There is no use for such things here.
And besides, for them you can have
treasures infinitely glorious. Come
over, don't wait a moment, for I now
see clearly that a little farther down
the stream is perfectly and forever im-
passable !"
" Not yet," says John ; and whom
does he represent ?
S. I know not, unless it is myself.
228 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
Is it possible that I am standing in such
a perilous position ?
B. Yes, in greater peril still. The
great gulf which becomes impassable
beyond the grave, seems to begin in
this vale of tears, and consists mainly
of unbelief. Every man sets out on
his journey on the wrong side of it,
and the farther he goes, the more dif-
ficult is it for him to cross it. Little
children find it less difficult to reach
the shore on the right side than old
men. Don't you remember how easy
it was for your darling child to be-
lieve ?
S. Indeed, I shall never forget her
remarks on the subject, and I believe
that your illustration is a very proper
one, and I am confident that my child
is on the right side of the gulf, and as
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 229
confident that her father is on the
wrong side.
£. Well, remember that you can't
go back to that period of life, when
your dear child crossed the expanding
current, and that what you do, must
be done quickly. The Saviour now
beckons you over. Will you come ?
If you ever intend to cross, come now !
You know not the blessedness which
is ready for you, on this side. Come
quickly you must, or never ! You say
your way is hedged up. It is true,
and the stream is swelling, swelling,
every hour ! It grows deeper, and
broader, and darker, and swifter every
moment ! By no possibility could you
cross even now, if the blessed Saviour
did not stand on the bank to help you
out of the deep waters.
Now what will you do when he
20
230 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
turns away? Will you provoke him
to withdraw his aid, and rush on down
the fearful, slippery steep ? You know
not what you do. Why will you die ?
There was a time when I once thought
that my poor soul must forever remain
on the dark side of this dread line of
demarcation. That was a day of
darkness too horrible to be described.
I regarded it as a complete foretaste of
despair. It was well nigh despair it-
self. But a brighter day dawned, and
blessed be the name of the Most
High for helping me out of the dark
waters.
& But I have never had such feel-
ings as you describe.
B. It is not necessary that you should
have such feelings, although you may
have worse. Think not that your case
is less alarming. Be not deceived.
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 231
You have as much to lose or gain as
any living man ! You are as suscep-
tible of weal or woe ! Your eternity
of happiness or misery will be as long,
and, without timely repentance, more
terrible will be your overthrow than
that of the rich man, whose awful
cries came back to earth, because you
have sinned against greater light.
Desperate as was my condition in
unbelief and sin ; tortured by a guilty
conscience, and trying to reach hea-
ven by my own works, while every
step brought me nearer the bottomless
pit ; yet who can tell how much
greater still would have been my^
peril, if I had simply been unconcerned.
A man's condition while there is
hope, cannot well be worse, nor can
he have greater cause for alarm, than
to be too stupid or insensible to look
232 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
at his imminent danger or make an
effort to escape. Every man's case is
so desperate if he has not already-
passed from death unto life, that to
wait to have it become more so, would
seem to be greater presumption than
the act which cast the rebel angels
down to hell. For, if the Lord of life
and glory had followed them down to
their dark and dread abode, and there
suffered for them in their stead, and
then invited them to return to their
former blissful state, and had received
nothing in return but scorn and neg-
lect, every man would have said that
their last act was worse than their
first, though every unregenerate man
in so saying, would condemn himself.
S. But I do not feel that I scorn the
Saviour's offers, or treat him with neg-
lect. I never take his name in vain,
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 233
nor intentionally break his command-
ments, although in many things I come
short of doing my duty.
B. Well,, admitting that you have
not used his name in vain, have you
used it in prayer and praise for the
last month ? Have you heartily called
upon him in prayer, beseeching him
to sanctify you wholly, soul and body,
that you might be filled with the gift
of the Holy Ghost, and have grace to
make you humble, and faith to make
you useful ? And have you sincerely
rendered to him a tribute of thanks-
giving and praise for his amazing
goodness and mercy to you day by
day?
S. I fear that I have not, in this re-
spect ; conscience does indeed accuse
me of neglecting him, but I never
considered it in this light.
20*
234 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
B. Well, now, you can hardly say
that this is your only fault. But sup-
pose that you could — that nothing
whatever was charged against you,
but a little neglect of Christ, let us
look at this offence, and see if it is
a trifle.
Suppose that in the circle of your
acquaintance, a female of great re-
spectability and moral worth, becomes
gradually and seriously indisposed,
without any apparent cause whatever.
Her mind becomes depressed to an
alarming extent, so that she hardly
notices the babe on her bosom. Her
material frame bears the marks of
some unknown, but destructive agen-
cy. Her tottering steps and trembling
hands evince great prostration. Her
sunken and tearful eyes, and her care-
ful and studied concealment of any
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 235
knowledge of the cause of her wretch-
ed condition, fill her friends with pain-
ful suspense. Many flock around to
sympathize with her suffering, and
strive in vain to ascertain the cause of
so sad a change. A physician is
called, but to little purpose, for as he
has no skill to discover the cause
of the mischief or misery, he has of
course no specific for the malady.
In due time suspicion rests upon her
husband. Her friends at length ap-
proach him, saying, Sir, what have you
done and what are you doing to send
your worthy companion to an untime-
ly grave ? He replies, " Why, noth-
ing at all. I have not laid a straw in
her way. I never spoke an unkind
word to her in my life. Indeed I have
not spoken to her at all in six months"
What would you say of such conduct ?
236 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
S. I would say, that he ought to go
to —
B. Stop, stop! I suspect that if
Nathan, the prophet, were here, he
would say, " Thou art the man" What
is a neglected mortal to a neglected
Redeemer ? What can one sinful worm
of the dust do for another, to compare
with what that neglected Saviour has
done for you ? Is it a little sin, think
you — a trifling affair that he will never
notice, for you to withhold from him the
affections of your heart, and day after
day, and year after year, refuse to
thank him for his dying love, and speak
not a word to him in prayer or praise ?
S. 0 no, I do not consider such a sin
of omission a trifling offence. I know
that I am verily guilty, and deserve to
be banished from his presence. I be-
gin to see that I am truly " dead in
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 237
trespasses and sins." But this does not
give me spiritual life.
B. Neither does it drive away the
disease to know that we are sick, but
it puts us in a proper condition to ap-
ply for a remedy. Although there is
no virtue in having a deep and hum-
bling sense of the plague of our heart,
yet without it, we shall not be likely
to seek for sanctifying grace. To see
that we are poor, lost sinners, is the very
thing to open our eyes to see the great-
ness of that mercy which provided for
us such a glorious Redeemer as the
Lord Jesus Christ. It is the only thing
that will ever bring us to the foot of
the Cross. And if you feel that you
are dead in trespasses and sins, why
do you not haste to the Saviour of the
world who can revive you by his
238 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
quickening Spirit, and breathe into
you the breath of spiritual life?
S. I know not, unless it is because I
am too dead to move. My wicked
heart holds me back. I have sinnea
against heaven and earth, conscience,
truth, and conviction. I have sinned
against light and knowledge, and have
forfeited life, hope, and heaven !
How can I therefore have confidence
to apply to him whom I have so long
neglected ? I need his help, I know,
but I think that I have little reason to
expect it. He has again and again
knocked at my door, and I have as
often grieved him away. He has
plead with me by night and by day,
beseeching me to accept of unmerited
grace, and unutterable glory, and I
have prayed to be excused. I have
said, Go thy way for this time, and
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 239
why should he now hear me, if I
should call upon him?
B. Why should you now do a worse
deed than ever before ? Now you see,
to some extent, the guilt and the dan-
ger of rejecting the Lord of life and
glory; and if, with your eyes open,
you continue to withhold from him
your heart, and cling to your sins and
excuses, what more can you possibly
do to make your own destruction
sure ? To save the vilest of the vile,
the blessed Redeemer came from hea-
ven to earth, and suffered in their
stead, and now, do you not believe that
he is just as able and as willing to
save the chief of sinners, as to save
those who hardly feel or acknowledge
that they have any guilt to be washed
away, or any need of his special in-
terposition ?
240 THE SPIRIT- WORLD.
S. O yes, I believe it, and I suppose
that this is what he meant when he
said, " I came not to call the righteous
but sinners to repentance." It is un-
doubtedly true that his grace is suffi-
cient for any poor sinner who feels
his need of atoning blood, and casts
himself unreservedly upon the mercy
of God in Christ Jesus. But he re-
quires time to reflect upon it, before
he is prepared to forsake the world
and his sins, and lay hold upon eternal
life, I suppose you will admit.
B. Time to what ? To rebel 1 Will
it be easier to repent, after a few more
sins are committed ? Will it increase
the Saviour's love, pity, and compas-
sion ; and make the way to the cross
more easy and accessible, to say to
him by our acts, we have not, at pre-
sent, confidence enough in thy decla-
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 241
rations, to believe that thou art now
ready to do all that thou hast promis-
ed, and we will therefore wait and
see if we shall not have more faith to-
morrow ?
How much time did Peter need to
get ready to cry out, " Lord save,"
wThen he saw that he was sinking ?
How much time did the blind man
need to cast away his garment and
lift up his imploring cry for Divine
help ? How much time did the dying
thief need, on the cross, to decide in
his mind to make that interesting and
saving request, " Lord, remember me
when thou comest into thy kingdom ?"
And how long did it take Jesus to say,
"To-day shalt thou be with me in
Paradise ?" O what encouragement
have we for coming to Christ at once.
242 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
S. Well, I am ashamed of my lack
of confidence in his promises.
B. The whole world has reason to
blush and be ashamed, in this respect.
If the Saviour had said to him who
hung by his side and craved his re-
membering mercy, I would notice your
request, if you were not such a poor,
guilty thief — if he had said to Mary
Magdalene, I would have compassion
on you, if you had not so many devils
—in short, if our glorious and all-com-
passionate Redeemer had ever turned
away a single suppliant, how vastly
less encouraging would have been our
hopes and prospects to-day. O, bless-
ed Jesus, we will not withhold our
hearts from thee. Lord, remember us
in thy kingdom. Now, beloved friend
and fellow-traveler to the spirit-world,
with such glorious offers and blessed
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 243
assurances, can you longer refuse to
become a friend and follower of him
who has wondrous gifts to bestow up-
on his children in the heavenly Ca-
naan ?
&. If nothing more than the under-
standing was concerned, I could more
than say, as Agrippa said to Paul,
" Almost thou persuadest me to be a
Christian." I am not only almost, but
altogether convinced that I ought to
become a Christian at once. But con-
viction is one thing, and conversion is
quite another thing.
B. Yes, and " except ye be convert-
ed and become as little children," said
Christ, "ye shall not enter into the
kingdom of heaven." Hence all your
conviction will be worse than vain,
unless you become reconciled to God.
" Ye must be born again." " Ask, and
244 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
ye shall receive, seek, and ye shall
find, knock, and it shall be opened un-
to you." Now do you believe these
simple declarations ?
/S. Yes, I do. But we must ask in
faith.
J5. Well, who would have you ask
in unbelief ? If you believe that Jesus
Christ is all that he claims to be, and
means all that he says, one would
suppose that it must be very dif-
ficult for you to ask, or seek, or
knock, in unbelief. How can you do
otherwise than come to such a friend
with a confiding spirit? If you had
done a thousandth part as much for a
fellow-mortal, as he does for you every
day, and still he doubted your sinceri-
ty, and exhibited a determination not
to confide in you, would you not con-
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 245
sider it unfair, and take it as an in-
sult?
S. Indeed, I believe that I should,
and of how much greater insult am I
guilty. O that I had a heart to trust
wholly in Christ. He is worthy of all
confidence, and could never have done
so much for man, without being will-
ing to do still more.
B. He is willing to do still more,
and is now waiting to give you a more
blessed assurance of it than you have
ever received. Shall I tell you how
to obtain it with ease, and certainty,
and to your entire satisfaction ?
S. If you please, it is just what I
want to know.
B. Well, if I point out the way, will
you walk in it ?
S. I will surely try to, for it must
be but reasonable.
21*
246 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
B. There is no unreasonable re-
quirement in the gospel. But let me
first show you the path. Perhaps you
may recollect of noticing in some of
the religious papers, a dozen or more
years ago, an interesting account of
an Indian's conversion. The circum-
stances, as near as I can recollect,
were the following :
A certain missionary, while labor-
ing among that interesting branch of
the human family, in some of our
western forests, held up before the
red man's mind, the duty of renouncing
or giving up the world for the sake of
a better inheritance in the spirit-land.
The Indians, it is well known, have
been from time immemorial, believers
in the spirit-world. One of the sons
of the forest was much affected as he
listened to the discourse. After re-
THE SPIRIT-WORLD/ 247
turning to his cabin, he was determined
to obey the preacher, and begin the
work of self denial or sacrifice.
He accordingly took his hatchet and
went out and surrendered it, by lay-
ing it down at the roots of a tree.
He then prayed, * Now, O Lord, have
mercy upon poor Indian," and return-
ed to his cabin ; but instead of finding
relief or peace, his distress of mind in-
creased.
Not satisfied with the surrender, or
that he had done his duty, he repaired
to the same spot, and laid down his
blanket, saying, "Now, Lord, have
mercy on poor Indian," but still his
load of guilt was not removed.
As conscience told him that he had
not yet done his duty, that he had not
sacrificed enough for Christ, he went
out again, bowed down with a sense
248 * THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
of sin, and a desire to be free, and gave
up his rzjfe, which he could not well
spare, but which he was determined to
surrender though he starved. He then
repeated his former prayer, but obtain-
ed no answer. With a sad heart, and
slow pace, he walked back and forth,
greatly depressed and feeling that he
had nothing more of any value to give.
At length it occurred to him that he
could give one thing more, and he
went and cast himself down and said,
" Now, Lord, have mercy on poor In-
dian, I give away myself" Now, I
need not tell you that this was
the turning point — that the Red-
man's load of guilt was taken away — •
that he could make the forest ring
writh his praises to the Great Spirit
Now what say you to this ? Is it
not a very simple and reasonable act 1
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 249
Could you ask for easier terms ? Can
you give, or do anything less, and
prosper in this, or the spirit world?
S. I cannot deny that the Red-man
was wiser than I. His act, prompted
by a sincere heart, was doubtless the
sum and substance of all his duty. It
was reasonable, and I feel that it
would be very treasonable for me to
refuse, or neglect to do the same thing.
B. Be wise then while you are con-
vinced of the propriety and importance
of such an act, wait not a moment, for
this may be your last call ; haste
while you may and throw yourself
down at the foot of the cross and say,
" Here, Lord, I give myself away, 'tis
all that I can do."
S. It does seem to me that I would
do it in a moment, if the Saviour stood
where you do.
250 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
B. You can do it easier now ; for
what you prefer is a corporeal act,
and in that case you would be
obliged to bring into requisition both
the mind and the body, for you can
see at a glance, that were you to
present your body before him in any
position whatever, if he were present
in the flesh, while destitute of any
sincere desire of soul to honor and
glorify him, it would be an abomina-
tion in his sight, an insult demanding
the judgments of heaven. Hence, con-
secration to him always has and al-
ways will depend upon the state of
the heart; and it is therefore just as
easy, probably easier, for you to love
holiness and hate sin, than it was for
the Jews when Christ beheld Jerusa-
lem and wept over it.
The act of giving yourself away to
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 251
Christ to be his willing and obedient
servant forever, is purely an act of the
mind and heart, and it is as easily
performed now, as it would be if the
Lord of life and glory should come
down and stand before you with all
the splendors of the upper world.
Now there is but one important ques-
tion for you to settle, which is, will
you open your heart and receive by
faith the Lamb of God, which taketh
away the sin of the world, or will you
suffer this golden moment to pass,
while you " treasure up wrrath against
the day of wrath, and revelation of the
righteous judgments of God."
S. Oh ! no, I cannot think of letting
this precious opportunity for securing
an interest in the blissful world, where
saints immortal reign, pass unimprov-
ed, for I think T have no reason to ex-
252 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
pect a more favorable season, if an-
other.
B. It is altogether unknown and
uncertain whether the present hour
does not turn the scale. " My Spirit
shall not always strive with man."
" Ephraim is joined to his idols, let
Trim alone !" Oh, how would you cry
out for mercy, if you saw your danger
as I once saw mine !
& Well, now it does seem to me
that I shall see my way more clear if
you will favor me with a brief his-
tory of your conversion.
B. The best way for you to see
your duty and yourself, is to come at
once to Christ, the fountain of light
and life, and not stop a moment to
look at creatures. Although I know
not that my religious experience can
throw the least light upon your path
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 253
of duty, yet I would gladly gratify you
and give you " line upon line and pre-
cept upon precept ;" but you must bear
in mind that the experience of every
individual is somewhat different from
others in certain points.
CHAPTER XI.
B. From my earliest recollection,
religion was a subject of acknow-
ledged importance. A dear mother
early taught me its precepts, and con-
science responded to its claims. Yet,
with a professed regard for revealed
truth, I remained " dead in trespasses
and sins" — a perfect stranger to the
spirit of the gospel, and as great a
stranger to my own real character.
My first serious impressions oc-
cured when I was about thirteen years
of age, during a revival of religion
in my native town. I then had such
feelings as I had never experienced
before, but knew not why. To some
extent I saw my danger, but I knew
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 255
not how to escape. I felt anxious,
but I knew not what to do. I saw
something of the plague of my heart,
but I saw not the remedy. I knew
that T was in darkness, but made no
suitable effort to obtain a ray of light.
I heard converts talk, and pray, and
sing ; and saw their friends rejoicing
over the redeemed, and heard the song
of thanksgiving as it went up to hea-
ven from many enraptured tongues ;
but still everything seemed to be cloth-
ed with a deep, dark, mysterious as-
pect, and of the nature of that spiritual
change in which the new born soul
rejoiced, I remained profoundly ignor-
ant, for " the natural man cannot dis-
cern the things of the Spirit, because
they are spiritually discerned."
S. The same, I suppose, is my con-
dition now, and how can I therefore
256 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
discern spiritual things any better than
you did ?
B. The same need not be your con-
dition, and will not be for a moment,
if you will come to the light. What
would you think of a man's walking
in darkness and in peril, and stumbling
as he walked, and complaining of his
lot and the difficulty of finding his way,
while refusing a good light, and put-
ting out such as wrere given him ? Or
what would you think of him, if after
the day should dawn and the sun
arise to pour a flood of light upon his
path in spite of him, if to show to the
world his determination to walk in
darkness he should shut his eyes, and
then say, If I could only see as well as
those who have their eyes open, I
should do differently, and feel differ-
ently.
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 257
But my condition at that early age
was somewhat different from yours at
the present time. You have had line
upon line, warning upon warning and
promise upon promise. You have
had your duty clearly pointed out, and
you know just what you must do to
be saved. But although, from my
earliest childhood, I had heard the law
and the gospel proclaimed, yet I knew
little about the new birth, or the way
to derive any special benefit from the
gospel, and it so happened that at the
time which I have adverted to, when
many were born into the kingdom,
and my own mind was stirred up, not
a word that I can recollect, was ad-
dressed to me personally, in relation to
the condition of my soul. This I have
always regretted ; for I do believe that
a very few words at that time, would
22*
258 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
have led me to the cross. I mention
this, because it shows the importance
of being " instant in season and out of
season" in pointing the precious soul
to the spirit-world.
S. I agree with you perfectly, and
it reminds me of a similar season and
experience, and I believe that if I had
met you then, and heard from you all
that I have heard now, I should have
been ten years rejoicing in the king-
dom of grace. But I did not intend to
interrupt you.
B. An incident occured at that sea-
son which made a deep impression up-
on my mind. At mid-day, while pass-
ing my neighbor's barn, which was
situated near the road side, I heard
the voice of prayer, while the doors
were all shut and stillness prevailed
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 259
without. It arrested my attention —
I halted, listened, and marvelled.
I well knew the person thus engaged
in supplication, who had but a short
time before been perhaps as thought-
less as myself. But I saw the change,
and said to myself, what is it ? As he
poured out before the Lord Almighty,
the desire of his soul, in simple, hearty,
agonizing prayer in behalf of a perish-
ing world, I felt convinced that he had
received something which the world
could neither give nor take away. I
often felt constrained to stop after that,
to ascertain whether I could hear the
same voice of prayer.
Yet, strange as it may seem, 1 am
not aware that I made a single effort
to obtain that spiritual change of
which I heard others talk, and which
I fancied that I desired more than any-
260 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
thi«g else. The good Spirit evident-
ly came to my door and knocked, but
I did not heed his voice, nor accept
his gracious offer.
Though hardly aware of it, I soon
began to think less and less, and feel
less on the great subject of the soul's
salvation, until my accustomed insen-
sibility returned, and with a heart
harder than before, I waxed worse
and worse. Now, I had more reason
than ever before to tremble. But I
knew it not. Few realize the danger
of outliving their convictions. For the
succeeding six years, I hardly had a
serious thought, but loved, and served,
and worshipped the world as I had
qpportunity.
During my nineteenth year, after a
short residence among strangers in
a pleasant town, my neglected Lord
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 261
touched me, and laid me low with
typhus fever, and then and there I
made the first solemn vow that I can
recollect. The days were tedious, the
nights were long, my bed was hot, my
room was dismal, my mind was dark.
But my solemn vow was heard. The
Most High rebuked the disease
vouchsafed his recovering mercy, and
speedily sent me home to my friends,
while my promise was as quickly
broken. But that unredeemed pledge
long haunted me by day and by night.
The following year, I took up my
abode in Western New York, where
for a little time I remained in much
unconcern respecting my future des-
tiny. But subsequently my mind be-
came much disturbed by dreams.
S. Then it seems, sir, that 1 am not
the only dreamer in the world. I
262 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
should like to know if your dreams
were anything like mine.
B. It is of very little consequence
now, what they were. I only mention
the fact to show the state of my mind.
They were, however, strikingly simi-
lar to the one you have related. I pro-
fessed no faith in visions of the night,
and yet my dreams at night made me
unhappy through the succeeding day.
Although I felt inclined to fear that
these dreams were a warning voice,
still I loved the world more than its
Maker, and served the creature better
than the Creator, while morally cer-
tain of eternal death if I went down into
the grave unchanged. Such was my
unwillingness to receive salvation on
the terms of the gospel — such was the
influence of sin and Satan, and such
my presumption, that although warn-
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 263
ed by day and night of my danger, I
continued unreconciled to God and ex-
posed to his provoked displeasure.
It may well seem strange how a ra-
tional being can see all that I saw,
and feel all that I felt, and believed
all that I believed, and yet dare to
procrastinate.
S. It does not seem so strange to me,
for it is very much my own history.
But I have a very great interest to
know how you broke up the procras-
tinating habit. I am in hopes that
your experience will be of some ser-
vice to me, yet.
B. There was a time when spirit-
ual things rarely occupied my mind,
and it is not so strange that I then
made no effort to secure my own safe-
ty. But that I should have suffered
myself to remain in conscious peril,
264 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
and not put forth an effort to secure
my eternal all, seems truly marvelous.
But let it be remembered that dur-
ing all this hazardous procrastination,
I seriously intended to repent ! Ah !
yes, and my good resolutions gave me
strength and courage to rebel more
and more. Without this good inten-
tion for the future, a single day's ex-
perience would have been intolerable.
Hence, pledges for the future, are
spiritual narcotics, which keep the
conscience quiet, calm the fears, stifle
convictions, and ease the soul along
down that delusive stream, which im-
perceptibly terminates in the great
gulf of ruin.
During the summer of 1826, an in-
ducement to take up my abode in Ro-
chester, led me to that city, and on my
way to the town, I felt unusually seri-
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 265
ous, and yet I knew not why. I recol-
lect distinctly of trying to account for
my uncomfortable state of mind. I
thought it strange that my spirits
should be so depressed at that particu-
lar time, while the day was fair, the
journey pleasant, the company agree-
able, and my decision to go to the
city, perfectly satisfactory. Things
visible and invisible seemed to remind
me of death and the spirit-world, and
earth, air, and sky ; men, beasts, and
birds ; nature, animate and inanimate,
seemed to be enveloped in some strange
and unaccountable shade of darkness
and solemnity.
The mystery depended upon my
ignorance of the fact, that the natural
man never ascribes his seriousness to
the agency of the Holy Spirit, and if
he is informed that he is the subject
23
266 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
of such an influence, he is generally
unwilling to believe or acknowledge
it. It cannot be denied that men na-
turally have such an aversion to holi-
ness, that if they are solemnly declared
to be under the special influence of the
good Spirit, they will frequently resent
it more, than to be accused of fellow-
ship with the devil and his angels.
After entering upon my duties in
the city, I found that the impressions
which had disturbed me on my jour-
ney, still remained upon my mind, and
I now resolved to cherish them.
S. That was a good resolution, was
it not ?
B. If it had not been made, I verily
believe that the everlasting destruction
of my unhappy spirit would have been
secured. O yes, that was a blessed
decision, and I hope you will so far
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 267
at least, imitate my example. But
you know that I have already said,
that while men are making their want
of feeling an excuse for procrastina-
tion, the great danger and probability
is, that the more they feel, the more
they will try to stifle their convictions.
I now resolved to examine more
carefully than ever, my future pros-
pects, but kept all my feelings and re-
solutions to myself. I soon began to
see clearly that I was a guilty, con-
demned wretch — knew that I deserved
to perish — everything earthly dwin-
dled into utter insignificance — my way
seemed hedged up, and my path over-
hung with clouds of interminable
darkness both day and night.
I now began to try to pray, though
the act seemed little else than solemn
mockery, and indeed was nothing else,
268 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
because I still withheld my heart. Of
course such prayers were unanswered.
The Bible had long been a neglected
book, but as I had read it through
three or four times when a child, many
texts came to mind with power un-
known before.
In returning to my lodging room on
a certain occasion, I found that some
person, either by intention or accident,
and which it was I never knew, had
left an old and nearly worn-out copy
of the sacred volume lying upon the
window. This message from heaven
I gladly seized, and daily examined as
I had opportunity. But the more I
read, the more terrible did my guilt
appear, and the more certain my de-
struction.
Soon after this investigation was
commenced, my agony of mind be-
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 269
came almost insufferable, and was
perhaps as perfect a foretaste of dread
despair as any redeemed mortal ever
realized.
I now began to think of my long
forgotten and unredeemed pledge,
which I made on a sick bed in another
city, to which I have already alluded.
That promise I well knew, was not
made to man ; and 1 knew equally
well that it had been wickedly broken.
At length I came to the conclusion
that I had " lied to the Holy Ghost,"
and thus committed the unpardonable
sin, and that I was left to see that
which I could not escape. To attempt
to describe the state of my mind at
this doleful moment, would be perfect
folly, and hence I will only say that
it was unutterable, and yet I could not
23*
270 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
endure the thought of remaining in a
passive state.
Here I resolved to take one step —
a step so reasonable and important
that I hope you will at once test its
value, even before I proceed to say
another word.
S. I hope that I may be induced to
do so, if it is important that I should.
But what was it ?
B. I said to myself, " Now, let what
will happen, with my consent, neither
shall business, or pleasure^ or sleep, or
rest, or anything else whatsoever, divert
my attention until the important ques-
tion is settled. It is with me now or
never, and shall be with me, Christ
or nothing. And so I suspended all
worldly pursuits and gave myself up
to prayer and meditation ; and that
nothing might steal away my thoughts,
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 271
my desire was to be shut out from the
busy world as much as possible, and
accordingly I selected two very appro-
priate places for retirement. One was
my bed-room ; the other was a closet
of great antiquity, " whose builder and
maker is God."
Probably you are aware that a
beautiful river called the Genesee,
passes through the central part of the
city, and that within the town is a
perpendicular fall of ninety-six feet,
where the celebrated " Sam Patch"
and one or two others took their last
leap !
The banks on either side of the
stream below the falls for a consider-
able distance, are equal to the falls in
height, and nearly or quite perpendi-
cular, with here and there a place
where one can wind his way down to
272 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
the bed of the river. This was my
favorite place of resort, because I could
here in a great measure be shut out
from the world, where no voice dis-
turbed me, but the voice of the Al-
mighty speaking through the cataract.
Between the water's edge, and the
lofty rocky banks, a smooth sandy
beach invited my roving feet, and there
I walked, and mourned, and wept, and
prayed, and like the poor Indian, found
no answer of peace, because I resign-
ed only a few worthless straws.
While wandering up and down the
river, searching for something I knew
not what, and mourning over my fate*
and almost despairing of hope ; the
dashing, foaming torrent, rushing over
the flinty precipice, and thundering
down to the bottom of a boiling pot.,
reminded me the live-long day of the
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 273
roaring billows and burning waves of
the great abyss, to which I feared that
I was fast hastening.
S. When you saw your danger so
clearly, and felt it so forcibly, and
knew that through the mercy of God
in Christ was the only possible chance
for you to escape, why did you not
throw yourself upon that mercy, and
end the controversy ?
B. For the very reason that you do
not do the same thing now. I was
waiting to make myself better, while
making myself worse — waiting for
more feeling, as though there was
some virtue in that, and waiting for I
knew not what. Thousands are do-
ing the same thing now, to their awful
peril. I knew very well that I stood
in jeopardy every moment. But, oh !
I was so blinded by sin, that I did not
274 THE SriRlT-WORLD.
discern the simplicity of the Saviour's
gracious offer. I did almost every-
thing but the right thing. It was hard
for me to learn the lesson which the
benighted Indian so soon acquired with
a ray or two of light, with a word or
two of advice. Often did I cry out
aloud, " too late ! Why did I put it off
so long? I am lost !"
Thus did a guilty conscience accuse
and condemn me. The heavens over
my head seemed like brass. The
earth was dark and dismal, and all
therein except immortal mind, seemed
as worthless as a bubble. Out of the
midst of that darkness which no tongue
can describe, did I cry long and loud
for help, and yet left the all-important
thing undone.
Three days of awful anguish were
mostly spent at this place.
THE SPIRIT- WORLD. 275
On the afternoon of a pleasant Sab-
bath towards evening, during the first
month of autumn, I went into my cham-
ber feeling that the struggle was all in
vain, and resolved to cast - myself
wholly and unreservedly upon the ten-
der mercy of an Almighty Redeemer,
to be disposed of according to his own
righteous will, let my fate be what it
might ; knowing that without his
gracious interposition, hopeless and
endless dispair were inevitable.
As I turned my thoughts towards
Calvary, and once more took up the
blessed old Bible, to see what a voice
from heaven might say to a poor
wretch undone, at an unexpected mo-
ment, and in an unexpected -way, the
all-cheering rays of the Son of Right-
eousness beamed into my darkened,
trembling soul, filling my astonished
276 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
and disappointed heart, with light and
love, and peace, and joy unspeakable
and fall of glory.
Now, my eyes were opened, and I
was ready to exclaim, how could I
have been so long in taking such a rea-
sonable step. O how much I have lost
by my inexcusable delay. And how
did I reject the blessed Redeemer even
in my very prayers. Alas ! that I did
not sooner realize, that, to make myself
better, was perfectly impossible. To
wait to make myself worse was down-
right folly, madness and presumption !
Thus the good Spirit led me, as 1
hope and trust, to the Rock of Ages,
and permitted me to hide myself behind
the cross, and caused me to confide in
him who is the " chiefest among ten
thousand and the one altogether love-
ly," while he took from my weary soul
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 277
that dreadful burden of guilt and de-
livered me from the bondage of sin.
But strange as it may seem, yet such
is the natural tendency to legality, that
I soon fo und myself sighing for my for-
mer distress, fearing that I had not yet
had conviction enough, when 1 had had
tenfold more than I should have need-
ed, if it had not been my own fault.
And if I had had my agony multiplied
a thousand fold and continued without
end, I should have been as far from
meriting the least favor, as if I had
been as senseless as a block.
But when I tried to pray, I praised.
When I tried to weep, I rejoiced, and
when I tried to be sad, I shouted for
.joy. Then I said to myself, what is
this? And I ran out of the house, and
literally obeyed the desire of my heart,
shouting and singing as I ran through
24
t
278 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
the streets. I recollect distinctly that
the thought came into my mind, that
those who saw me thus giving action
to my feelings, would very likely take
me for a lunatic, although I had just
come to myself, though I hardly knew
it.
Thus, according to your request, I
have given a brief though imperfect
history of my conversion. Now do
you think, that I began to seek the
salvation of my soul too soon, or per-
severed too long ?
S. No, I do not.
B. Do you think that I devoted my
time too exclusively to the work for
my own safety ?
8. No.
jB. Do you suppose that I was too
much in earnest ?
8. No.
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 279
B. That I ultimately had too much
joy?
S. No.
B. Do you think that in your case
a change is less needful than it was
in mine ?
S. Far from it.
B. Can you with safety be less in
earnest, or less prompt in striving to
enter in at the strait gate ?
S. Certainly not.
B. Then go and do thou likewise,
and thou shalt know what it is to
pass from death unto life, and to be
filled with the love of Christ. Wait
not for feeling — wait not for a more
convenient season — wait not to secure
a title to earthly possessions — wait not
for sick-bed Repentance — wait for no-
thing, lest the Spirit let you wait and
remain unsaved forever.
280 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
S. No, I must not, I cannot, I ivill
not delay ; I have waited too long al-
ready, and I wonder that I am here.
What a mercy ! Oh what a wretch !
But I fear that I do not feel as you
did.
B. Feel as I did ! It is not necessary.
Feel as 1 did ! I would not wish any
one to feel as I did for three dark?
dreadful days; unless such an one
should be so wedded to self and sin,
that nothing less could break the spell.
Why do you look at me ? If I am
getting between you and Christ, let me
go, let me fly, let me hide myself in the
dust in a moment. I had no excuse
for staying away from the fountain of
light to mourn in darkness for a single
hour; neither have you. 'Give your-
self away to the blessed Saviour at
once, 'tis all that you can do. No-
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 281
thing more is expected — nothing less
will be accepted. No matter how
guilty you are, if you will turn from
your sins to Christ. He turns none
away, who do not turn away from
him. If you shut him out of your
heart, he will shut you out of his
kingdom. If you give him your af-
fections, he will give you a seat at his
right hand. If you deny him before
men, he will deny you before angels.
If you will at once forsake all for
Christ, no good thing will he withhold
from you forever. What say you to
making friends with the friend of sin-
ners ? He comes to poor mortals with
both hands full of blessings for needy
souls. Will you say, Come, Lord Jesus,
and take up thine abode in my heart,
and give me the victory over sin, Sa-
tan, and the world ?
24*
282 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
S. The Lord helping me, I will.
To remain longer a wanderer in the
wilderness, after having the path
which leads to the heavenly Canaan
so clearly pointed out, would greatly
augment my guilt, if not secure my
everlasting destruction. Oh, pray for
my poor trembling, guilty soul ; I am in
dark waters. Do you think that light
will ever break upon me ? Oh, upon
what a horrible tempest am I tossed.
The Lord have mercy on my soul !
B. Don't you remember the light
that you saw shining out of heaven up-
on the top of the mountain ?
S. O yes, a glorious light ; I wish
that I could see it again.
B. There is light in heaven still
and it shines all around you now.
Don't you remember that fair One who
THE SPIRIT-WORLD. 283
came forth and beckoned the rejecting
skeptic to his embrace ?
S. Yes, I do, and O that he would
beckon me to come to him now.
B. He does beckon you to follow
him now, and he has long waited to
see if you will accept of his invitation.
O cast away every weight, and throw
aside your garments which are all de-
filed with sin, and make haste to take
shelter under the shadow of his wings,
for a great and terrible storm is ap-
proaching— make haste !
S. Yes, yes, blessed Saviour, I will
come to thee, and give thee everlasting
thanks for such an offer. O thou
glorious, compassionate, beneficent,
all-worthy Lamb of God I come to
thee. Poor, and miserable, and blind,
and naked, and sinful as I am, I cast
myself upon thee.
284 THE SPIRIT-WORLD.
Now, fellow-traveler, I hope that I
may never cease to give thanks to him
who permitted you to meet me with a
warning voice in this perilsome world^
for through the influence of these in-
terviews, and his sanctifying Spirit, in
joy and peace with all the redeemed I
hope to meet you in the Spirit- World.
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