WCP1616

[1]

"In a universe like this nothing need surprise us." — HUXLEY.

THE

STORY OF STEPHANUS,

A CONTEMPORARY AND DISCIPLE OF JESUS

(Killed in the Bull Ring in Rome in the time of Nero),

BEING

A COMMUNICATION FROM THE SPIRIT WORLD

To Members of the Falkirk Psychic Research Association

by means of Table Rapping.

"It is certainly a most extraordinary story, whichever way one takes it.... Not only the conditions under which I understand the story is being given, but also the contents of the story itself give it a higher degree of interest than any similar communication I have hitherto heard of."

THE HON. EVERARD FIELDING,

Hon. Secretary

Society for Psychical Research, London.

"What I am chiefly struck by is the excellent, simple and clear style of narrative; not a word out of place. If this is really verbatim et literatim [Latin: 'word for word and letter for letter'] as given, it is really very remarkable.... a really original and illuminating explanation of the process of materialisation."

Dr. ALFRED RUSSELL[sic] WALLACE.

Price Twopence, post free 2 ½ d; or 12 copies post free for 2s 2d, from G. INGLIS, Bookseller, Falkirk.

"Mail" Office, Falkirk.

[2] [3]

PREFACE.

At the close of a meeting in connection with the Falkirk Psychic Research Association a gentleman stayed to inquire if he could be afforded an opportunity of witnessing the phenomena known as "Table-Rapping." A table being then at hand, a number of those present seated themselves around it, their hands resting lightly on its upper surface, when presently it began to move, and by the usual code rapped out the opening words of the following pages :- "Stephanus wants to tell his story, etc., will you sit to get it?" Five or six persons arranged to sit once a week, and for one hour at each sitting they received, by the means mentioned, additions to the story.

As indicated in the introduction, the original intention of the author was that the communication should ultimately appear in book form, and it is only in response to repeated requests for the publication of the story so far as it has been obtained that this part is now given to the public.

If it be asked why so slow a process of communication as table-rapping should have been adopted, the reply is, that in the opinion of the communicating intelligence that method, better than any other, serves to demonstrate the action of a mind distinct from the sitters.

The persons responsible for the publication of the story are fully alive to the greatness of the demand which the statement as to the manner of its production makes upon the credence of the general reader, but if it be difficult to accept that statement, it will not be easier to suggest a more rational and credible explanation of the communication.

The theory of fraud on the part of the sitters is excluded by the fact that, as a literary production merely, the story surpasses their attainments.

"Satanic agency" will no doubt be also suggested; but neither will that theory serve, for not only is it inconsistent with the character of the communication, but it should be pointed out, evidence is wanting that there exists such an order of beings as that theory implies. "Demons" do not belong to such an order ; for when we refer to the source from which we derived the term-the ancient Greeks-we find that demons were simply discarnate human beings, and not "emissaries of Satan" either, but often "delegates of heaven."

Jamblichus, author of the life of Pythagoras, represents demons as "the good and heroic of earth's immortalised, yet giving oracles to the living." Plato speaks of them as "intermediate between gods and men," who "often direct men in the quality of guardian spirits, as witness the demon of [4] Socrates." "Hence," he also says, "poets say when a good man shall have reached his end he receives a mighty destiny and honour, and becomes a demon according to the appelation of prudence." Thus Hesiod, the poet, writes:-

"When earth's dark womb had closed this race around,

High Jove as demons raised them from the ground"

"Kingly their state, and delegate of heaven,

By their vicarious hands prosperity is given."

"For thrice ten thousand holy demons rove

This breathing world, the delegates of Jove."

With regard to the theory that these phenomena are originated by the "subliminal-self" or "sub-conscious mind" of the sitters, no answer has yet been given to Dr Savage’s altogether pertinent question — "Why should the "subliminal-self" be such a liar?" Indeed, the amount of lying involved in that theory, must, we fear, be fatal to it. For the active agents in the production of the phemomena are all embraced in the great whole which we call Nature, and underlying all our science and philosophy is the assumption that the universe is orderly, that Nature is truthful and sincere; but if what these intelligences universally affirm regarding their own identity is not true, then the universe is not orderly, and Nature in that particular sphere is wholly untruthful and sincere, and if she be found false in one sphere she can be trustworthy in none.

[5] [p. 3]

INTRODUCTION.

"STEPHANUS wants to tell his story. It is a long one. I was killed in the time of Nero. I was a Christian, and was slain in the bull ring in Rome by Pagans for their amusement. Will you sit to get my story?

"You may show this book to your historians to verify the names and dates I shall give you. When the man Christus was nearly 1200 years dead St. Anslem propounded the doctrine of the Atonement, which up to this time had not been conceived by the earlier Christians or the compatriots of the founder of the sect which took his name, and although this is an accepted creed in the orthodox Church of the Christians, the Christus taught no such doctrine. In a similar way without exception the whole of the doctrines, tenets, and articles of faith held by this body organised as a Church have been invented or originated by individual members of that community, after it had developed into a system, rather than a class of people banded together for their own protection, as was necessary for the followers of such a radical reformer. I was a Christian, but knew nothing of these things. I was simply drawn to the man by his unselfish nature and his unpretentiousness; his only object was, as he often said, to do the will of his father, or enter into the spirit of the All Wise, which would be the true meaning of at-one-ment.

"The foregoing may be used as a prologue to your book. I shall arrange it into three main sections, each of which will be divided into several chapters. When each chapter is completed I shall, with your assistance, choose an appropriate title. The first section will deal [6] [p. 4] with my earth life and the experiences, many and varied, that I encountered during my studies and wanderings. The second will treat upon my death and re-birth in the more natural life, and in the third I shall explain the method of my spiritual development, and my work in the various spheres through which I upward passed, and my return through those spheres downwards during the necessary probationary period, in which I received the instruction to fit me for the second advent, or the work I was destined to do as a spirit guide. The book will conclude with an epilogue and appendices, in which you may place your questions and replies.

[7] [p. 5]

THE STORY OF STEPHANUS.

CHAPTER I.

"Of my birth and early life it is not here necessary to speculate. Suffice it to say, that of a paternal home I was never cognisant. At the age of two or thereabout, I was told, my parents departed this life; my father being slain in battle, and my female parent in giving birth to another offspring, whose only physical life consisted in drawing breath, and in the pangs of which my mother expired. This brother — whose only knowledge of earth was gained through his companionship, as I soon learned, with me, although I did not always appreciate his presence, nor know him in the glimpses I obtained in my visions — was my spirit mentor, my constant guide. He was, indeed, my beautiful star, leading me through life's dark gloom, shedding his joyous rays along my path to death's immortal life. Never shall I forget the ecstacy that filled my soul when I awoke to the truth that this angel, as I called him, lived for me. The soul sight required no development in me. I was from my infancy a seer, a dreamer of dreams; yea, as I was often told, a creator of fancies. and images of the mind. However, these so-called imaginations were very real to me, and although I did not seem to enjoy them to their fullest extent, owing to my inability to obtain sympathetic listeners amongst my elders, none of whom would allow their children to hear my wicked stories, I received considerable pleasure, and perhaps some addition to my pride and self-esteem, in my ironical sympathy with those who were not so highly favoured. The first time I saw my spirit brother was a short time after his ascension. I was newly installed in my home amongst strangers, and was very troubled, and while I was brooding by myself I suddenly saw a bright light; as soon as my eyes were at rest in the strong glare, there evolved out of it a spirit form. He held in his arms an [8] [p. 6] infant, and, beckoning me to him, said — 'Behold, little one of earth, your true friend and guide to be.' I did not understand what this all meant, but, young as I was, it made an impression upon my mind which will never fade. I seemed to live in a new world. A rapturous joy filled my whole being. I knew that a something had come to me that others knew not of, and although I know now I could not have understood this at the age I then was; in my normal condition I soon felt there was an unseen presence within me, and, as it were, impressing upon my mind the feeling that words were unable to convey. The time never was that I was not conscious of someone being with me, or, as I should say, I was always conscious of the presence of an unknown power, which I intuitively believed to be the visitor I saw in my first experience of the soul sight.

"At the age of ten I was put to tend the small stock of merchandise in the store connected with the house. My duties consisted in arranging the piles of wool that were drying in the upper room. Although I was never conscious of neglecting my duties I was frequently blamed for not doing sufficient in the time during which I was occupied. Well knowing that my conduct did not merit such censure, and confident that I had never wasted a moment of my time, I was naturally perturbed, and sought in my mind for an explanation. I studiously divided my day's work in such a way that I knew exactly how much I should do each hour, and what should be finished at any given time. Having thus set a guard upon myself, I felt proof against any aspersions on my industry. I also knew that if each piece of work was noi completed in its allotted time, there must be something wrong. For a time all went well, each day yielding its full quota of work, with which both my friends and myself were well satisfied. One day, however, I had almost completed half the work when it was nearing noon, a time when I always glanced round and took my meal and a short rest. To my intense astonishment the next thing I knew it was evening, and some time past my usual time for leaving the store. I was completely bewildered, but recognised at once that my afternoon's work was untouched. [9] [p. 7] What was the explanation? I felt as though I had been robbed of something or taken a mean advantage of. You can imagine the dilemma I was in. I had never left the store; I had never stopped work that I was aware of — though, when I came to consider, I did not remember starting after the mid-day interval. The mere fact of the work being unfinished did not trouble me, but I felt so ashamed to go home and tell them without giving a reasonable explanation. Try as I would, I could not solve the mystery, and I had just decided to excuse myself on the pretext of illness when I heard a voice which almost seemed to ejaculate, 'No' and turning round I again saw my spirit visitor. He seemed to raise my hopes, and I felt that my deliverer had come. He gently took me by the hand and led me out of the store to my home. I took him into the house, but to my surprise he walked right through to my room without speaking to anyone or without giving me an opportunity to do so."

(This instalment was begun at the first week's sitting after Christmas, which accounts for the "greeting" with which it opens, and the "song" referred to is Longfellows' poem, beginning "When the hours of day are numbered," which was sung by the circle at the opening of the proceedings.

When the hours of day are numbered,

And the voices of the night

Wake the better soul that slumbered

To a holy, calm delight:

Ere the evening lamps are lighted,

And, like phantoms grim and tall,

Shadows from the fitful firelight

Dance upon the parlour wall;

Then the forms of the departed

Enter at the open door;

The beloved, the true-hearted,

Come to visit me once more.

With a slow and noiseless footstep

Come the messengers divine,

Take the vacant chair beside me,

Lay their gentle hands in mine.

And they sit and gaze upon me

With those deep and tender eyes,

Like the stars, so still and saint-like,

Looking downward from the skies.

[10] [p. 8]

Uttered not, yet comprehended,

Is the spirit's voiceless prayer -

Soft rebukes in blessings ended,

Breaking from their lips of air.

_______

"Hark the herald angels sing,

Welcome to the new born King."

"May the Most High be truly born in each one here, and be constantly recognised in your everyday life, is the best greeting we can give you, on our first meeting in your New Year.)*¹

"Your last song was exactly my experience. Involuntarily I fell on my couch, then the forms of spirit visitors glided in and, uttered not, yet comprehended was our communion. I was unable to speak, and they had seemingly no desire to do so, yet I felt I knew their mission. My friend now seemed to come closer to me, and with his arm linked in mine explained the mysterious occurrence. He said — 'It is to be given to you in a fuller degree the companionship of the denizens of the spiritual spheres, or a more conscious relationship with them, than to most of earth's children. Your life up to now has been one of preparation to this end, with to-day's experience as a mile stone or landmark along the journey, and we have from your infancy led and inspired your thoughts. We have watched and controlled your every action in the minutest detail, and while up to now this has been going on unconsciously to you, the time has now arrived when you should be acquainted with the conditions that govern your life, and the influences operating to mould the future, and the objects the intelligences controlling those conditions have in view. Thus did we this afternoon, by obliterating a portion of time from your mind, rendering you oblivious to mundane affairs, bring you to a true realization of what you call self, and of the collation of experiences that go to make up the personality.' I was thus made [11] [p. 9] conscious that I was no longer an independent entity, but one whose every thought, movement, and action of any importance was governed by an unseen or transcendental power. I was far from being satisfied with this feeling, and I experienced for a long time a want of trust in my mentor. Soon, however, as I grew older, and as now my spirit brother seemed nearer and more often with me, I grew accustomed to these things, and gradually I began to feel a sense of loneliness whenever my spirit friends were not apparent to me. While I seemed now to need them constantly with me, I in no way felt that my own mind was being subjected, but realised that I was indeed a free will agent, receiving inspiration and tuition. In every action, thought, expressed or unexpressed, I seemed to unconsciously but tacitly look upon the spirit world as being responsible. It may perhaps be difficult to understand how this could be, and yet I still be left with my own individuality and free will. Yet I must reiterate that this was so. "There are some who, bound in sin, cannot let the angels in," yet they had a mission in coming to me, and happily I was too young to be bound in sin. They had chosen me as the via media for a great work — a work which was not confined to earth life only, but which was to be continued in the finer sphere with its infinitely greater possibilities, and then with my added knowledge and experience, to be resumed in your midst as an unseen apostle, spreading the glorious tidings of the great King of Spirits, our Father, to the many children of the earth.

"My life, indeed, has been a long one, numbering close on two thousand years, and during all this time there has not been a break in my connection and interest in your world. I have watched its many peoples and studied their rise and progress, followed sometimes by downfall. I have witnessed the inception of nations, governments, religions, social customs, and conventionalities, and noted the complete failure of those which have been inspired by motives of self-aggrandisement, while I have realised that that which has the true welfare of the world at heart will gain supremacy, though its gospel may not be bound in creeds and although its truths are not propounded from mountain tops, but [12] [p. 10] disseminated by the Christs of every age. Thus you will readily see that there is, as has often been said by your most rational thinkers, a meed of truth in all your religions; and, indeed, there is often to be found more religion outside the church than among those who make and profess its creeds. Now, as far as my knowledge has led me, there is most truth for a religions foundation in the teaching of the man Christus and his early apostles. This can easily be recognised when you get away from the articles of belief as mere church doctrine, and go back to the fundamental teachings of the man of Nazareth, with their beautiful simplicity, seeking to establish no new law of life with its promise of reward in the hereafter, but striving to instil into the mind of the world as the main essential, man's humanity to man, with its glorious promise for the present to make countless millions happy.

"No system is needed or was intended by the Master to promulgate this divine love which is inherent in all humanity, and which has become perverted and subdued by the stress of the social conditions of modern times.*² As time wore on I was again placed in new conditions, where the environment was much better suited to my spiritual unfoldment. My friends had decided that I must now start life in earnest, and I was apprenticed to a gold beater and metal refiner. According to the custom of our time I lived with him as one of the family. Besides being a superior craftsman, my master was a deeply religious man, and well-versed in the ancient rites and esoteric mysteries. He was, therefore, not unacquainted with the phenomena that I told him of as having occurred to myself. Although he treated my talk for a long time with much reserve and reticence, when he, too, realised that my stories were not mere child's fancies, he became deeply interested, and encouraged me to talk with him in this direction. [13] [p. 11]

"I was gradually admitted into the inner circle of his confreres, all of whom were students of philosophy, while they were deeply imbued with the spirit of mysticism. I was, of course, much younger than they, but I was always allowed to be present at their discussions. I was usually a listener only, but I would occasionally pass a remark, which more often took the form of a question. Wise men as they undoubtedly were, I could not help feeling that there was a want of definiteness; and I often thought that they themselves could not explain what they had in view. I was now very often put into the trance condition, which furnished them with the opportunity to search into the mysteries of spirit. They were deeply interested, and were by no means cynically disposed towards me, but looked upon me as a kind of prodigy, while some of them used me as an argument in favour of the theory of reincarnation, which was then very popular, though how they could do so I am at a loss to understand, unless they believed my own ego had reincarnated somewhere else to make room for the spirit that had taken possession for the time of my organism: for I give them credit for not being so simple as to think my body could be possessed of two spirits. About this time the friend who brought my brother to me told me that his name was Boaz, and by such name I always addressed him. I naturally wanted to know who he was, but for a long time he refused to disclose his identity. When he did so, I found that his name was only an assumed one, and that he was really a Greek captain named Philemon, while he had been re-named Boaz in the spirit world, meaning ‘A Pillar of Strength.' He at various times talked of himself and the more outstanding episodes in his life, until I became quite conversant with his history. This, though it might be interesting to you, is not necessary to my narrative; but to our talk as to how he was able to come to me I want you to pay particular attention, as it has an important bearing on the story, for reasons which will be apparent later. I had asked him very often to explain this, and one night when we were alone he promised to do so. You will at once premise that when I say he came I mean that he came to me not as a vision as you term it, but [14] [p. 12] as a solid and substantial body, having all the characteristics of a human being. This was what surprised me. It may be difficult for me to give his explanation, but I shall try to do so. He impressed me with the fact that it is as difficult for matter to appreciate spirit as it is for spirit to influence or simulate matter. That for a spirit to materialise might be compared to the making of one chemical compound with ingredients of an entirely different nature to those of which it is originally composed. You will know that there may be many influences operating on your material plane, although you may not be susceptible to them — in fact this is so, and spirit is one of them. Let me try to give you an example. Suppose you could erect a large screen of so fine a gauze that it would not be seen in the dense atmosphere; you would be quite right in supposing that it was not there. But in course of time after being exposed to the elements, the gauze would become filled with fine particles of matter in such a way as to make it denser than the atmosphere, and so make it quite visible. You will have thus proved the existence of the screen under conditions which make it evident to everyone. So is it with spirit. It is always present, but to demonstrate this it is necessary for it to take up conditions that will appeal to your physical senses. The only way it can do this is for it to assume matter. There is no other way of appealing to matter except through matter. Now when

A SPIRIT MATERIALISES

it has seldom been able to do so by itself. It is necessary for such a complete change to be effected in the particular locus where the manifestation is to take place, that almost invariably it is premeditated and arranged by a number of spirits banded together for that purpose. They will choose a suitable person to act as the principal agent for their operation. It frequently happens that quite a number are tried, one after another, only to be found lacking in some of the requisite qualifications, until ultimately one is found who comes as near as possible to what is desired. This person will now be put through a course of training, often unconsciously to himself, and during which he will very probably be [15] [p. 13] induced to join a spirit circle. Having thus been brought into quite close contact with others who are being acted upon in a somewhat similar manner by spirit influence, he sooner or later will be made aware that he is to be an instrument through whom they will attempt to operate. This may not be accomplished, and all the preparation will apparently have been in vain. Such, however, will not have been the case, for although they may not have been successful in using him for the object they had in view, he has formed a psychic connection that cannot be broken, and being assigned to a new band of controls he will become an exponent of spirit in another phase. When it has been proved to the spirit band that the one they have been concentrating their attention upon will turn out a success, he will be put through a very severe physical mental, and psychic training, and be subjected to very strict discipline. A marked change will soon be noticed in his character, temperament, and physique; so much so that his friends will be apt to think that he is suffering in bodily health. This will be accentuated by his extreme reticence and sensitiveness. The spirit operators will now be in constant touch with him, and will always at every sitting experiment in the withdrawing of magnetism, which they will solidify and present to the circle in the form of spirit lights, etc. When they are able to take sufficient at one time without injuring or exhausting the medium (having taken more from him each time), they, with one supreme effort, withdraw from him all he can afford. This magnetism or atomic matter is now focussed or centred on the fine or ethereal screen of the spirit body; and lo ! wonder of wonders ! you have a materialised form. Ask your scientists whether there is anything unnatural in the process."

"The matter assumed by the materialising spirit is of no use to it, except to give evidence on the earth plane. It is rather a hindrånce, and would never be taken up but for this purpose. While it is in this condition it is cabined, cribbed, and confined, and always dependent upon the medium. Neither could it retain the magnetism long from the physical medium on account of the lack of vitality which is necessary to [16] [p. 14] sustain it, and should it be disintegrated through the loss of this physical vitality, it would not resume its normal condition in his organism, and so result in injury, and probably death."

________

(At the commencement of this sitting the table tilted seven times in the form of a cross.)

† † † † † † †

"This is the sign of the cross, and with seven such signs we want to prefix Chapter II."

CHAPTER II.

"† † † † † † †"

"I had now entered upon the serious side of life. My friends had granted my often expressed wish that I should be allowed to take a course of study. Herein lay the first of the seven crosses of my earth life of which I shall speak. They will be analagous to, or correspond with the seven spheres of my spirit life. I soon became conscious that even in the matter of my studies I was being led and directed in the investigation of the esotoric mysteries. The first principle laid down was the enquiry into the inner self, or 'Soul of Things.' This must always be initial to a complete spiritual and psychic development. I was therefore caused to look inwardly, as it were, to myself. This was the first cross, for I soon learned the absolute necessity of sinking or bringing under control what I had always imagined to be the 'Me,' so that the real personality might be made supreme in all its majesty. It was not an easy task, and I soon found that the things I would not I did, and the things I did I would not. I never attained perfection, nor have I done so yet, and I only commenced my spiritual progression when I had learned to deny myself the lusts of the flesh.

"In the first sphere of spirit life the novitiate has to learn that while the earth experiences may count [17] [p. 15] for a great deal, and that thereby he may educate and prepare himself, he has lost all rank and title, and is himself only, divested of all that he called his own, except his spirituality. This was in my experience the spiritual counterpart to my first earth cross. Oh, the glorious revelation that opens itself to the soul when he has discovered himself. He is no longer a novitiate, but one to whom the realities of spirit life have become apparent, and in a measure understandable, although not understood.

"Not to weary you with the details of my studies, let me say, shortly, that my masters were the most learned of our time, and that under then I received such tuition as to fit me for the title I afterwards received, that of Doctor of Law. I was now looked up to as one of the leaders of my school of thought, and was appointed to many important positions, both official and social. My star was in the ascendancy, and I had just reached the zenith of my fame, which there was no reason that I should not retain, when I met the Christus. I was in no way drawn to him at first, but looked upon him as one of the many fanatics of the time. Religion was running riot in those days, and while we had many God-fearing men amongst us, a man's piety was more often judged by the length of his prayers and public observances than by his good works. Hypocrisy was the standard of success, lying was a virtue, and immorality the open sesame to the courts of rulers and officialdom. No wonder, then, there appeared amongst us many who were looked upon as anarchists, because they were against the unrighteous system of government that prevailed. They were principally of the poorer working class, and as such looked upon the religious hypocrisy and pseudosanctity as an abomination, which must be got rid of at whatever cost. There is no doubt that this condition of things was sapping the very life out of the communal morality, and while no one could deny that the plebians were right, they injured their cause by their too rabid way of proclaiming it. They thus aroused a spirit of antagonism, even in those who would have gladly co-operated with them in purifying this hot-bed of pharasaism. [18] [p. 16]

"You will see that the object these people had in view was to improve their social condition, taking no thought of things spiritual."

THE APPEARANCE OF JESUS.

"Prominent among this unwieldy rabble arose one from hardly anyone knew where. This was the man Jesus, who was to be the Christus. He at once appealed to the populace as one who would lead them in their fight with the power that was oppressing them. His keen, magnetic eye held the crowds of listeners spellbound, while the words poured from his lips with a rich melody that appealed to the most unsympathetic of them. Such a man was bound to be chosen by his confreres as their leader, and bitter was their disappointment when he said 'My kingdom is not of this earth.' Had he been ambitious he could have reached the highest pinnacle of fame; but of him it could have been said, as one of the poets has it,

'I thrice presented him the kingly crown,

Which he did thrice refuse,

Therefore 'tis certain he was not ambitious.'

When the plebians realised that he was not to be a political agitator, they turned upon him and denounced him as a traitor. It was now that he chose the twelve disciples, and commenced the history of a religion that has been at once the greatest blessing and the greatest curse your world has ever witnessed. You do not require me to give you the history of this small community, banded together, as I said, in the prelude for protection — this you have more or less correctly in your religious histories. I should prefer to tell you of his unwritten life. He was no weakling, as you may have been led to suppose; he was, in fact, a very strong character, so strong, indeed, that had he assumed the material role his followers wished, he might easily have become a tyrant. My first meeting with him convinced me of this. We had decided that it would be dangerous to allow him to establish an organised body in our midst, and invited him to meet a number of the Patricians to discuss the life and times of our people. This he readily consented to do, and it was at the house of Joseph of [19] [p. 17] Aramathea that this informal meeting took place. This was chosen because we looked upon Joseph as the strongest amongst us who would have to debate with him. This man eventually became his staunchest friend. We were in considerable difficulty as to how to make known to him our object in thus fraternising with him. We commenced by complimenting him on the power he had over the people, and the good he would be able to do if he would co-operate with us for their betterment. I do not want to convey the idea that he was super-human, or that he possessed any unnatural qualities, because this has already been grossly exaggerated; but it is true that he seemed to divine our motives. He listened with a superior nonchalance, and then addressed us."

AN ADDRESS BY JESUS.

" 'Patricians, would I were able to call you brethren. Is it for this that you have brought me hither; to supinely thwart the working of the spirit or turn it into such a channel as to suit your own selfish ends? Is it not enough that you have so long blasphemed and disregarded the Father's known will to you, that when ye perceive that the power you have so prodigally wasted is to be taken from you, that ye cunningly conspire amongst yourselves to subsidise the Son of Man by flattering and offering him worldly honours in exchange for spiritual gifts that ye would pervert? I tell ye, hypocrites, it is not the friendship of the man ye seek, but the laud of the mob that ye think he is able to influence and bring into subjection to your will. Ye have lied to yourselves when ye say 'If we can get this Nazarene to be our advocate with the people we shall be able to retain our position with them,' because ye verily know that if one man became a traitor to the striving of the spirit, and thus succumbed to your intrigues, that out of the very ranks ye despise God would raise another mightier than he. Know then, that I have not come to establish an authority that shall supplant you. Ye shall of yourselves bring about your own irretrievable ruin. That same power, which is the Holy Ghost, that has been striving with you so long, will cease so to do, and ye will be left to [20] [p. 18] your own foolish wisdom. Neither is it the Father's will that I should come in among you to do His work, for although I perceive there are one or two among you who are already tired of the unrighteous method that prevails, it is of no use to attempt to cure such a perverted system. Death is the only remedy. Those of you, therefore, who would be with me must come out and fight for the establishment of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. So I leave you; it is not needful that I remain to discuss with you; there will be dissention among you, but those upon whom I have laid my hand will follow me.'

"He now made as if to leave us, but I rose and said to him, 'Tarry with us yet a little longer, that we may know more of the work you are doing.' He consented to do so. There were fifteen of us, including one called Peter and himself, and, although it has been truly said he often could not do mighty works because of their unbelief, he now seemed to abandon self, to defy conditions, and commenced one of the most marvellous spirit seances I have ever witnessed. When he had finished, there was, as he had said, much dissention. among us. Joseph, making a movement as if to embrace him, said 'Master, what must I do to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven ?' This from our chosen leader embittered the spirit of anger which up to now had been somewhat controlled, but it also encouraged those of us who were impressed with his evident sincerity. It was quite clear that from our point of view the meeting had been a complete failure. His stolid indifference completely disarmed us, and rendered us totally incapable of raising a discussion with him; and so our meeting ended.

"With this commenced the struggle with my next earth cross. I had no doubt in my own mind that this man was right. He had, I also remembered, laid his hand upon my shoulder in an apparently careless manner when entering the chamber, and although I had not thought of his words, that those whom he had 'touched' would follow him, with any importance, when this incident flashed across my mind I was. completely upset; much more so was I, when, after sending out a wish for the help of my brother, he came [21] [p. 19] and counselled with me in the following manner:- 'We have now reached a very critical period in your life. Up to this time, although you have recognised the guidance you have received from our side of life, you have never been called upon to do anything that seemed to differ from your own inclinations, and so have not clearly realised the importance of our inspirations. It will rest with you to decide whether you will follow my instructions, which will lead you along a very different road than the one you have mapped out for yourself, or go on in the career you have so well begun. The one offers to you no worldly honours, but the loss of position, power, and friends, with the perhaps somewhat, as it may seem, questionable reward of the knowledge of being in constant affinity with the Father, and spiritual development, while in the body, which will fit you for the work allotted to you. On the other hand, if you go on your own way, you will suffer no apparent loss or harm, but will rise in position, gain power, and accumulate friends; you will, however, be tainted with materialism, which will so encase you as to make you impervious to the divine influx, and so not only rob you of spiritual progress here, but retard it in the future. Now, you may realise truly that you are a free will agent, and the consequent responsibility attaching to such. You also know you are spirit guided, and we, your guides, recognising our responsibilities, decline to do more than advise you in this matter. I would fain plead with you, but am constrained from doing even this, knowing that you will consider well before deciding.' He was gone before I had time to speak.

"I was unable to bear the strain alone, and at once decided to lay the whole matter before Joseph. He was conversant in a measure with my psychic experiences, at the same time I had not been able to influence him very much therein. He listened most attentively, and when I had finished, said 'Well, I know nothing of your spirit guides, and should imagine you have had a very vivid dream ; be that as it may, you have expressed exactly the thought I have just been discussing in my own mind. It seems to me that, with all our knowledge, we have hidden from ourselves the manifestations [22] [p. 20] of the great oversoul, the expression of whom we should have been to the people by virtue of the position we hold with them. I have decided to place no obstacle in the way of this man and his teachings.' 'Surely,' I exclaimed, 'you are not going to be a supporter of one who bids fair to become the greatest menace to our social system?' 'I am,' he replied; and it has taken no angelic visitation to help me to come to this decision.' 'Then you consider,' I responded, that I should take the road my brother evidently wished me to take, in spite of his unwillingness to advise me?' 'It is not,' he replied, 'so much a matter of following this man as adopting the principles his teaching inculcates.' The sum total of our talk amounted to this-that we both admitted that Jesus was in his ethics right, but while admitting this to be so, it would be undignified for us to declare ourselves his followers.

"As you may have noticed, Christianity had no formal inception, but was a gradual growth out of Judaism. Whatever agitation there was, was of a political nature, and not religious. It may be impossible to separate religion from politics, but I venture to affirm that had your religious leaders not been so determined to wield political power, there would have been none of your so-called Christian martyrdom. Jesus, Joseph, myself, and many others became martyrs in different ways, but we each felt that we were suffering because of our principles, rather than our religion, not, mark you, our Christianity, because, up to now, the movement had not assumed the name, and when it was adopted it was not by themselves, but was used to denote a band of fanatical heretics. It was a long time before it assumed that respectability it now possesses; even now were you to take away from this religion the gaudy tinsel with which it is cloaked, rob those in its high places of their power in mundane affairs, give to them verily the keys of heaven, but take from them the keys of the coffers of earthly gold; in short, reduce it to the mediocre simplicity that it enjoyed in my time, and you at once expose the sham in all its nakedness, and Christianity is the disreputable thing it was when its name giver was ignominiously nailed to a cross between thieves. Then [23] [p. 21] would men become Christians for the sake of Christianity, and not for their own sake.

"Although, as you see, we agreed to offer no resistance to Jesus, it was a very different matter going with him or openly declaring our friendship to him; perhaps the principal reason for this was that our pride and self-esteem would have to be considerably subjected. We therefore simply did not interfere, but assisted him all we could in a clandestine way, but it would not do. Very soon rumours were whispered that Joseph, Nicodemus, and I were in league with the Nazarene and his fanatical band, and then our career as officials was soon at an end. Truly we could not serve God and mammon."

CHAPTER III.

"Honi soit qui mal y pense."[Fr: "Shame be to him who thinks evil of it"]

"My star as a popular favourite now commenced to wane. As you know, I had been held with much esteem by all parties up to this time, but now motives of an ulterior nature were attributed to my every action, both in the past and present, especially in anything I had done that seemed from the result to prove my perspicuity. It would now appear as if every position I held was to be taken from me, to be filled by the one who could use the most cunning venom in ousting me from it. Although I was perfectly conscious of my honesty of purpose, there still was some satisfaction in the thought that I was throwing off the mantle of hypocrisy with which I was cloaked while in the pestilential environment of officialdom. It was useless to attempt to continue in the old way. It was. like swimming against the stream, and, indeed, the tide of that part of public opinion for which I had cared most was against me. Politically I was a spent force, socially I was an outcast. In official quarters I was like a candle that has been blown out, simply non est [Latin: it is not]; but with it all my soul had found its rest and liberty.

"Now, consider with me, for a short time, the position [24] [p. 22] I found myself in, and the relative position of a person of your time under similar circumstances.

'I came to Jesus as I was, weary and worn and sad;

I found in Him a resting place, and He has made me glad.'

This, mark you, was a natural, personal experience, and not the sentimental vapourings of the renegade who flies to anything that is offered him as an escape from the punishment which he has been taught he merits. I came to a man who had convinced me against my will that in his ethics he had, if only they could be universally inculcated in the mind of the world, that which would be the greatest reformatory influence humanity has ever been subjected to. The Christian convert comes to Jesus for sympathy and guidance, looking upon him as a God. In this way he builds up in front of him by his own thought creation, a barrier that successfully prevents him attaining the great desire of his soul. He has relegated to a man the attributes of a God, and being closed against the only love he could appreciate, he is either disappointed or dishonest to himself. This, perhaps, may be a digression, but I wanted to show you that there was a real truth underlying the idea of coming to Jesus. What that truth is you may conceive for yourselves, but let me say that were it not so, we should not be communicating to-night.

"I shall pass over many of the incidents in the work of Jesus, because this is not a narrative of his life, and pass on to the time when he succumbed to the calumny of the Jews and the weakness of the Roman officials, Life for a considerable time had been unbearable; on every hand he was met by spies and traitors ready to misconstrue any action or word in such a way as to place him in the power of Caesar's satellites. To give you one hitherto unrecorded instance. On one of the great feast days a large concourse of people had gathered to watch a procession in which the Emperor was the most prominent figure. The people were loud and vociferous in their cheering, while many made obeisance as he passed. Jesus seemed to catch up the spirit and joined the throng. He was at once set upon by the soldiers and accused of mockery. The same scene was [25] [p. 23] enacted on the return of the procession, but Jesus made no sign, and was immediately arrested on a charge of lese majeste. This treatment ended, as you know, by his being traitorously arraigned before Pilate.

"The record you have is substantially correct up to the point of crucifixion. Here you have a direct divergence from the facts. I shall give you the correct version of his supposed death and his after life, which are now being brought fast to light, and which will soon be so conclusive as to leave no doubt in any reasonable mind. I will also show you how the mistake in the Bible arose. Neither Jesus nor his disciples had any other idea than that his crucifixion would result in his death. If he had been of the opinion that he would die, and then go through a process of material resurrection he would have been acting the part of a deceiver and hypocrite when he showed fear and anxiety for his followers when he should no longer be with them. He told them, 'If I go not the Comforter cannot come to you. I go to prepare a place for you, that where I am there ye may be also.' No one but the most callous could have uttered such words as these unless convinced that they were leaving those to whom they were addressed. Jesus thought he must die on the cross. His prayer was more fully answered than religious history records. 'Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up again.' How long was it after these words were spoken that they received the interpretation they are now made to bear? Certainly those who heard them placed no such meaning on them, or Mary, when she saw the grave empty, would not have distractedly exclaimed. 'Tell me where thou hast laid him.'

It was the day before the feast of the passover that the crucifixion took place. It was on this account that Pilate gave permission to Joseph to take the body away in order that there should be nothing unseemly on that day, although Pilate was surprised at such an early request, which seemed to imply that he was already dead. He had only been four hours suspended on the cross. Joseph's servants were carrying the body to the tomb, which was about three leagues distant, when they heard a moan and noticed a slight movement of the linen covering. They halted in dismay, for it [26] [p. 24] was a punishable offence to interfere with the process of the law; even the fact that they had obtained liberty to take away the body would not excuse them in such a case. Joseph pacified the bearers, gave his friend a small quantity of wine in a hurried way, for the crowd had commenced to gather, made a pretence of adjusting the body, and ordered the men to proceed. He was taken into the house, where he was attended to, and gradually brought to life and regained strength.

"HE NEVER ENTERED THE TOMB.

"We were in considerable dilemma as to what Jesus should do after his recovery. To let it be known that he was alive would have been fatal. A number of his friends were aware of the fact, as were, of course, the servants of Joseph; our greatest difficulty was with the man himself, who seemed to see in the way events had turned the special providence of God. We suggested that for his own safety it would be necessasy to leave our part of the country, and although several of the disciples volunteered to accompany him, we could not persuade him to do so. It was only in consideration for us that he absented himself from his usual rendezvous, for he fully believed that his prayer that this cup should pass from him was answered in his escape from the cross, and he took from it the meaning that he was to continue his work among his old associates. Now I must explain that every word you have concerning Jesus is traditional; not a sentence was placed on record until forty or fifty years after his actual death — most of it was much later. However, after his crucifixion stories were remembered of many seeming wonderful things he had done, just as they are now in connection with any great or good man. These were unconsciously exaggerated, but presently it began to be whispered that he was alive again. First he was seen by one and then by another, until a large number were witness to the fact. Different versions of the phenomena were originated and handed down from generation to generation. These separate stories were each believed in by a set of people to the exclusion of the others, and in speaking of him to whom they referred it would be said 'This is Mark's story;' 'this is John's story, and so on. But [27] [p. 25] understand, these versions were not written by the men whose names they bear, nor were they given by the writers as statements of facts, but merely put together as a collection of anecdotes of Jesus, and as much of his life as they knew. A most casual glance through the gospels will convince anyone that the writers knew very little of the history of their subject, and when they came to speak of his birth and death they so enshroud the narrative with mystery and fable as to show either that they were ignorant of the truth, superstitious themselves, and very little above the common people in learning, or else that they pandered to their incredulity and love of the marvellous. How shallow, then, is the basis on which the whole fabric of your theology is built we leave you to contemplate. Such, however, is human nature, conceiving under all conditions the necessity for a God, and not finding Him outwith themselves, they have raised to that altitude one who is only human.

"Jesus soon saw that it would be unsafe for him to remain any longer — indeed, several attempts were made to bring him to justice. Not that the charges were made against the man Jesus, for the officials would not admit that he was not dead, but undermining insinuations were made against him whose identity they professed not to know. We shall not just now follow him in his travels; suffice it to say that he was accompanied by two of the disciples into Afghanistan. I shall have occasion to refer to him several times again during the narrative.

"It was doubtless a relief to those in authority to hear that he had gone from their midst. The position was a most awkward one for all concerned. On the one hand the Patricians had, to save themselves trouble, to keep up the pretence that he was dead; while we, from another motive, had to do the same. We were left in considerable difficulty. We had been followers of a man who had gone from us without giving us any organised policy; in fact we seemed to be absolutely helpless, for we realised that he had no policy, and that organisation in the ordinary meaning of the term was never thought of by him. You can see our predicament. Many had lost reputation and everything else [28] [p. 26] in running after what now appeared to be a mere 'will-o'-the-wisp,' for after all what did it amount to? This, that he was nothing more than an irresponsible adventurer who had to leave the country for fear of his life. Such did the position appear to us, and many and contentious were the discussions we had. The most notable thing, as I now look back, was our lack of confidence now that we had lost our leader. There were very few meetings in the public streets, all our gatherings were in our own dwellings. We were very much what you would call a secret society; but this condition of things was not of our making, it was forced upon us by the jealous fear of the officials, who made it impossible for us to do anything openly. In spite of our protestations they would insist that we were political usurpers.

"The finger of scorn was now pointed at us openly and frequently, reducing us to the semblance of a party of insignificant and scared wanderers who had nothing in common with their fellow creatures. We had now perforce to band ourselves together for protection, and while I know that the sign of the cross has been used from time immemorial in religious mysteries, rites, and ceremonies, it now for the first time became a symbol in Christianity. Its use or meafıing has of course become much altered since we adopted it, for whereas Christians look upon the cross as the means of the death of Jesus, we looked upon it as being the means of his escape from death, believing that had he been condemned to any other form of punishment, he might have succumbed to it; the cross, therefore, was our only bright thought in our experience, which was so devoid of brightness, and we in consequence used it as a sacred sign of recognition.

"It was an easy matter after this secret or esoteric use for the cross to develop into a charm or amulet worn and used by the religieux as significant of their purest inspirations and sweetest memories. While the devotees had lost all knowledge of its original significance, the cross was not only the means whereby it was intended to put Jesus to death, but it was the means of sending many of us into the other world, for it was by its use we were discovered and betrayed. [29] [p. 27]

"The time now came when war was openly declared against the Christians. We were hunted and hounded like vermin, the property of those who had any left was confiscated, wives were separated from their husbands, parents from their children, while many were left homeless and destitute. I will not harrow your feelings by giving in detail our sufferings. Quite a number wandered into distant foreign countries, some to join the Master, others to carry their new ideas to newer ground, and became what you would call early pioneer Christians. One of these was Ashur Yosef, whom you recently met. This man came to Britain before the Romans, and it was on this account that they found a knowledge of Christianity on these islands. For myself, I had suffered too much physically to allow me to travel although I had wished. I therefore took the place among the remnant that was left of him who had been their beloved leader. As you may have remarked, it was now drawing near to the time when, as I told you at the beginning of the story, I was put to death. I knew that it was coming, and, as it were, abandoned self and became to all appearance reckless. Instead of as hitherto holding our meetings in private, we now did so quite openly, and as a matter of fact made a poor boast in doing so. This but increased the venom and anger of our opponents. It was like taunting them in our audacity, and added fuel to the fire that was to consume us. I was soon taken prisoner, and was left waiting for months, as I thought, for my trial, but this never came. I was constantly put off with some paltry excuse whenever I or my friends inquired as to the delay. At last it came, as I thought, but I was badly disappointed. Instead of being led into the court for trial and judgment, I was quickly bound and taken before a howling mob along with a number of our people. There were a few others who did not belong to us, but who for some reason or other were in the road of officialdom, and as an easy method of being got rid of they were accused of being Christians. No effort was made to control or subdue the temper of the mob, and we were consequently made the victims of their roughest sport. It was heartrending to see venerable patriarchs with their grey locks and flowing beards [30] [p. 28] made stupidly helpless by the taunts and jibes of youngsters who bore the semblance of men. Resistance or retaliation was out of the question, for while the guard did not protect us from trouble, they would have effectively hindered any attempt on our part to rebut the ignominy we were being subjected to. Thus we were led on as a procession parades a town before the performance. When finally we were dragged into the forum we were more like wild beasts that had been hunted than human beings. We knew almost at once that we were already condemned, and that there was no intention of giving us an opportunity to defend ourselves. A pretence, however, was made, which only aggravated matters. The first one to be called to this mock judgment was a young man named Solanium. Questions were put in such a way that they could not be answered without giving the appearance of guilt; if they were not answered it was equally the same, and was at once claimed as an admission of guilt. Now at this time I felt a distinct revulsion of feeling against my spirit brother. I seemed to review my past life, the many opportuuities offered for my advancement, all of which had been thrown away, the helpless position I was now in, and I felt that had I not been led and influenced by him, how different would my position have been. You may judge, therefore, when he now presented himself, I was in no condition to welcome him. He came in a calm, dignified way, with a bright smile on his countenance, as if he had been the most welcome guest at a meeting of friends, instead of a visitor to what was practically a prison. 'Brother,' he said, 'you have done well in choosing the way you have instead of clinging to worldly honour; you have subdued self, and given way to the divine inspiration of your spirit mentors.' 'And a nice job they have made of it,' I replied. 'Do not say that,' he answered, 'you are not in a position to judge. I shall not leave you again until you have burst the casket that is fettering your real self to earth and material things. As I am, so you soon shall be, and I put it to you whether you would not rather enjoy the boundless possibilities of spirit life than all the gaudy honours earth could bestow upon you. You have not lived yet. You are only like the crysalis which [31] [29] up to now has been earth-bound, but who is soon to be emancipated and soar away on its new found wings to sunnier climes. This is your nascent day.

"His calm and collected manner somewhat assured me, and I felt more kindly to him. 'There is no doubt,' I replied, 'that I must die?' 'None,' he answered, 'even now the crowds are assembling to enjoy their cruel sport of witnessing their fellow creatures done to death by beasts.' A very natural question may here arise in your minds. Why, if my brother was competent to be cognisant of all that was going on, and was able to help and comfort me in this awful trial, why did he not make his power and knowledge useful in saving me from the trouble and degradation which I had endured. This is doubtless a question you will often have put to you. Why do not the spirit people help you in your work and material affairs? I can only say that had they prevented or hindered any of the so-called calamities which occurred to me they would have frustrated the higher plan for my spiritual development. You will see, therefore, that

Under each rank wrong, somewhere

There lies the root of right,

That each sorrow has its purpose,

By the sorrowing oft unguessed:

That as sure as the sun brings morning,

Whatever is is best.

"While he was speaking a number of soldiers came through the room in which we had been placed. They took a glance at the miserable band of prisoners, and hurriedly pointed out one or two to the guard. These were immediately ushered away, and we could only guess what became of them. This was repeated several times, until only a few of the oldest were left, they having chosen the youngest and strongest, and so weeded us out, as it were. And now it came to my turn. Singling me out by a nod of the head from the officer, I was taken in charge by one of his underlings, and marched along a dark corridor, my brother accompaying me in the rear. The soldier had not seen him until we came to the end of the passage, where two officers were stationed. 'I thought your orders were to bring this man alone,' said one of them, addressing the soldier. 'They were, [32] [p. 30] captain,' he replied. 'Then why have you brought two?' he demanded in a voice like thunder. 'I have not done so,' was the answer. 'Fool,' cried the second officer, 'what is that but a man?' pointing to my side. We looked, but could see no one. They were amazed, and, the corridor being dark, thought the man had hidden himself. A lantern was sent for, but immediately the order was given the place was illuminated with a dazzling brightness, which revealed nothing, but filled the soldiers with the most abject fear.

"By this time the news had leaked out that there was something wrong, and I could hear the angry shouts of the people demanding that the sport, as they called it, should go on. I was hurriedly grasped by two stalwart men, and simultaneously the curtains were thrown aside. I was dragged into the arena, while around me arose a sea of faces. I could hear their loud huzzas and the roaring of the beasts, but my eyes were too blinded by the glare of the torches to see what was going on.

"Like a flash of light my brother and a number of spirit people surrounded me. I seemed to feel something snap, and the next minute I was standing as they were watching my old earth body being tossed about by the infuriated animals.

"Thus was brought to an end the first period of my life. It ended without physical pain, although the mode of transition would naturally be expected to be a most cruel one. It is difficult to describe the experiences I met with. I felt no surprise at my changed condition. I had difficulty in realising, however, that I was myself. The loss of the cumbresome[sic] material body was more of a gain than I can tell you, or than I could then appreciate. The change simply baffles description. I was substantial, but not material, and slowly but surely as I watched all things material disappeared, matter was subdued. I was now living in a new realm, where the spiritual instead of the natural law operates. I want, if I can, to make clear to you the change at death as I now know it, as, if you thoroughly understand this, it will be quite clear to you why your friends have so much difficulty in coming and making thesmelves[sic] known to you. [33] [p. 31]

"It was for this reason that I brought the professor to your circle on Friday night.*³ As you remember, he was quite lucid when he became accustomed to your conditions, but he was at a loss to explain how or why he came. He could speak intelligently on his own subjects of astronomy and astrology, but was puzzled when you spoke of materialisation, on which you expected him to enlighten you. Neither could you understand why he had not arrived at the class of students at which he thought he was expetced. Here you have all the material for the so-called fraud discovered by sceptics and psychic researchers, for had he not been prompted and guided by the medium's doorkeeper he would have continued his lecture as he begun, using technical terms, and telling you that you were quite conversant with their meaning. He was like a fish out of water, and had he been in a circle of sceptics and led on, he would have floundered and given them no satisfaction. He gave a very good. illustration of the difficulty of establishing communication with your and our sphere when he explained the difficulty of making a

"CONNECTION BETWEEN EARTH AND MARS.

"He explained that you could not establish communication between the two spheres, because the inhabitants of earth live in very different conditions to thoe of Mars. It is not only the difference of language, but of constitution. They are not human, and consequently do not understand anything from a human point of view. It is just as if you tried to establish an understanding and reasoning basis between a fish and an animal.