The following address to "orthodox" Christians, from the spiritual world, was received on the evening of the day of Benjamin Suggitt Nayler's funeral, through the organism of J. H. B. Harris, trance medium, and taken down as uttered by a short-hand writer. I may state Mr. Harris, who is a young man, is a natural clairvoyant, and goes into the trance state without being magnetized by any of the sitters, as is necessary in the case of some trance mediums. He is totally unconscious of what is spoken through his organization when in this state, and in his normal condition is quite ignorant of the meaning of many of the expressions contained in the addresses delivered through him by his spirit controls or guardian angels.

To "Orthodox" Christians.

In addressing you to-night I may be accused of having taken a liberty; but, believe me, that liberty is fraught with love—a love that I cherish for all mankind.

It is not every day that sees one of a liberal mind and fine character pass from your sight: a mind and character whose views may have appeared, from your standpoint, not only erroneous, but ungodly and unrighteous, as well as hostile to the principles which you profess.

The mind of that being whose mortal frame, a few hours ago, was placed beneath the sod, had become so expanded, so enlarged, that it could realise the glorious benefit of the life beyond, and its superiority page 56 over that from which he has so recently departed. His life was devoted to the amelioration of the condition of his fellows—to soothe the broken-hearted, and perform all the good that was in his power. In this, at least, you cannot but admit that he is worthy of imitation, and I earnestly invoke you to summon all your energies to the task and emulate his example, thereby placing on record your approval of one phase of the character of him whom you deemed inimical to your religious beliefs.

Strive, my friends, to live purely and peacefully upon earth, smoothing, by your acts, the rougher paths of your fellow voyagers upon the ocean of life. You are not required to work the laws of the mighty universe, but merely to act justly, and tread the path of progress.

But there are others who, not less enlightened, take a different view. Christians! Christians! may you, every one of you, live the life of virtue—the life of love—which this grey-haired man has just terminated. The tenement which shrouded the soul and spirit of the old man (in his 80th year) is now cold; but the immortal parts are now more joyous and replete with life than ever that tenement was even in the heyday of its youth. The later years of that life, which appeared to you dreary and in a cloud, participated in the delights of those glorious heavens that are not always made manifest to man. He has gone from among you, friends, and to a world with which he was theoretically acquainted. He is now treading the paths he knew he would have to travel before his departure from the earth.^† It only remained for him to realise the smoothness of those paths. Unlike many of you, if now ushered into eternity, he is not surprised nor bewildered at the transformation around him in his new existence, for

^* This address was given on Saturday evening.

^† See his pamphlet, published a few days before his death.

page 57 he had reverently studied to acquire some slight knowledge of the eternal existence beyond the grave. His character when upon earth was well known, so that it is needless for me to dwell upon it. His love and his good actions will long be remembered. He leaves his works behind him. It may seem strange to you to say that the impress of his labors will remain upon the very winds : breezes will blow his name long after your earthly forms have sunk into oblivion. I ask you to look to him with respect. He needs not your good wishes: he wants not your prayers; though it may be that some of the more zealous and charitable of the Christians will pray for his soul; but why pray if, as is supposed, he has been consigned to that place of eternal torment termed "hell?" Why pray ye when he is past redemption? Why sigh, when you believe that he is suffering all the just pains entailed upon him by his iniquitous belief: pains which an ingenious priesthood has so long held before the mind's eye of their dupes? After all the opprobrium and scorn you have hurled at him, he has passed away to a land beyond your ken; but not before he has performed his part towards bursting the erroneous and degrading views entertained of the Diety by too many professing a belief in the doctrines of Christianity : the errors, inconsistencies, and blasphemy of which he has exposed and shown in such a manner that all rational minds divested of prejudice will coincide in the main points of his belief. In the perusal of his writings and compiled works^* much benefit may be derived by the earnest seeker after truth. His language was plain and outspoken; he had no inward thoughts which he dared not express, and he was one of those men who pass away with a true faith, knowing what they have to meet in the Eternal Hereafter. There are some here present who, in viewing his remains for the last time, dropped a tear to his memory. He will remember those tears with pleasurable feelings. The assembly of the earth's inhabitants this day at the grave of the energetic old man was far outnumbered by the thousands—aye, millions—of visitors who were there from the spiritual world.

Small things are the germs of larger ones. Little things have grown to a size which taxes your physical sight to scan. Four earth, for instance, from a handfull of atoms has, in the course of countless ages, spread over thousands of miles of space. The expansion is a till continuing, and will continue, for nature is ever progressive and never idle. By the aggregation of atoms: by the incessant labors of animalcules; and by other means, the earth has been turned and enlarged in various ways and shapes: out of molehills have risen mountains; out of the mountains have risen trees. From this ever-revolving globe have proceeded the beings called men and women, whose earthly bodies return to the dust from whence they sprang; but whose spiritual forms contain a germ of life—a soul that can ne'er part with its glorious immortality.

That path which we now tread you and unborn myriads will also have to tread. Age is fast making its marks upon some of you; silvery locks, similar to those that adorned the head of him whom you

^* See his book, entitled "A Discussion on the Unity, Duality, and Trinity of the Godhead,' which clearly demonstrates the erroneous character of the popular belief.

page 58 consigned to the grave this day will, ere long, hang around the heads of many. To you that are young I would say : strip yourselves of all false pride as quickly as possible: rend it as a thing unfit to wear : cast it aside as deterrent to your spiritual progress. Fear not to express your sentiments and thoughts : throw aside the crouching disposition that is so wide-spread upon this earth sphere : allow not your souls to become engrossed by the vanities of this world, but entwine your thoughts with the flowers of virtue, so that each of you can confidently say, "I rise to Eternal Day." Oh! let your character be such that you need not fear any man's slanderous words, even if they savor of that venom which proceeds from a toad. Fear them not! for they will pass harmless over your unsullied character; a character that should be so spotless as to bear a strict examination by your fellow creatures. Whether your thoughts and acts in your earth-life have been in accord with purity and justice, your future life will determine. Have no fears that he who lately passed from your sight is now struggling on the fiery brimstone lake. Fear ye not that there is such a place, for 'tis a myth, a bug-bear that has too long obtained a place in the creeds of Christianity. Neither think ye, who deem yourselves religious and godly, that he is in heaven; for he is not there.

There is not one hour of your day, indeed, I might venture to say, there is not a minute, that spirits are not ushered into either light or darkness; but those states are not the heaven and hell of "orthodoxy"; the results of whose teachings are a sad commentary upon the influence of ignorance and mythology. I have no desire to convert you to Spiritualism; but I wish to impress upon your minds the necessity of cultivating and encouraging the faculties which will fully develope the God-like qualities of Love and Justice. If the sentiments which animate your being, in regard to the faith you cherish and venerate, be pure and void of taint, fear not to be outspoken in your language when you find it necessary to advance the cause you consider holy. Let your character be clear and your thoughts pure. The path which your recent contemporary is now traversing you also must tread; and think you not that it would, like him, well become you to learn something of the nature of that path? I venture to think that it would, so that your advent into the spirit-world will be attended by more of joy than of sorrow. When you become denizens of that world your character will be clearly perceived, for you will be divested of the earthly coating which now conceals your thoughts, and all will be open as the noonday.

Remember with love him who has lately passed from your view. Think of him as a spirit who has cast the bonds of earth away; think of him as one who is now endowed with immortal sensibilities—of one inspired by new and more expansive conceptions than it is possible for man to possess. Then rest, oh! earth-form that bore so well the fearless soul. Return to, and mingle with, the dust from whence thou arose, for thou hast performed thy part. The feet that bore up thy stately form can do so no longer. The hands are cold and paralyzed that once did trace with pen the thoughts of a vigorous mind; thoughts that, transferred to other minds from the pages upon which they are impressed, may have arrested the attention of some for the hour; while upon others an indelible and grateful impression has been page 59 effected by their perusal. The quick and electric brain that was replete with vitality and desire to expose and extirpate the vicious and detestable doctrines that are so rampant, now lies cold and covered o'er with earth; but from that now putrescent brain has emanated an organ corresponding to the surroundings of the higher life: a life which, to the progressive and ascending spirit, is bathed in celestial splendour! The flowers which loving hands placed upon thy coffin are now fading and crushed, and will soon mingle with the dust of thy body. But here behold a form that no spell-bound coffin holds! He stands erect with tranquillity, grateful that at length he has reached the higher state, where he will unfold in love and wisdom throughout everlasting spheres.

Invocation.

Oh! Father of Light, of Love, of Truth! waft Thy Eternal Glory around us. Wrap Thy earthly creatures in Thy halos of affinity. Make them to understand that they who have preceded them to the new and more perfect existence are not dead, but nave been transferred to the Inner Sphere of Life.

We ask Thee not to save them from the pains attending the body, induced by disregarding Thy laws, for justice demands that such disregard should be followed by suffering. Oh! Father, Who drawest our souls towards Thee, teach them to bring their lives under the guidance of Thy beneficent laws, so that they may become enchanted with the lovely and the noble, and transfixed in their intentions of leading lives of truth and honesty. Inspire them with a desire to seek Thy blessing, and make them to know that their paths may be strewn with flowers: that no darkness hangs around Thy Ancient Beauty; that no clouds dull Thy appearance, and that no monuments of man's erection contain Thee; but a Glorious and Eternal Life and Ever-Glorious Immortality hang around Thee, attracting the living and the so-called dead!

The grave is bridged: the channels are opened, and gushing waters pour forth. No pomp, no ceremony; but high on the hill, low in the dale, we can find Thee, there can we know Thee. We look to Thee, Thou Glorious Being, for all strength, and we regard Thee with love and gratitude, divested of every particle of fear. Good night.

The following is a communication from a student of astronomy, lately passed to the inner life, received through the mediumship of Miss Phillips, of Sandhurst:—

Stupendous and transcendental scenes! To the furthest verge of creation—where truth stands revealed, and where wonder, abashed, is dazzled by the yet higher glories in the vision, and in the contemplation of Deity—the countless luminaries of unfathomed worlds are blending in sweet accord, and everywhere the wisdom and love of the Great Father is expressed—not as told us of in the olden time. The happy sons and daughters of one happy Father rejoice in the matchless power He is ever scattering around them. Oh, can it be!—that man, so pitiful—so pitiful in his automatic impotence may dare to set up faiths and decrees at variance with those mighty laws prevading the great Universe? And yet he dares to do so—puny in intellect, and insignificant as he appears, when compared to the immensity of page 60 creation—the illimitable source of glory and power that calls God "Maker." Oh! I have learned the blessedness of Truth; for, as I learn it, it tells me of God's mercy to man—to me—to you—to all His creatures. Deep is the joy with which I have learned to soar, and rich the reward I have reaped.

In earth-life I spent many anxious nights in learning something of the stretch of worlds which my tired brain sought to compass. Now! I count immeasurable galaxies of stars and systems—systems on systems—through the shining space—vaster and vaster in their grandeur—countless as dust—spangling space like unto the purest gems, and never feel oppressed. No more the night must close my happy study : no more the day, breaking upon a sleeping world, ends my vigils. I have gained those spheres where the entranced soul can revel in its glorious contemplations of infinity. Look around where I lead your thoughts : look around where the wishes of God are fulfilled, and see how tenderly He has sought to give you beauty. The stars o'er head express His love and power: all tell you of this—everything so beautiful in design, that if you are asked for a creed or faith in which you seek to worship God, let Nature be the happy Scriptures you are acquainted with; and learn from her the secrets alphabetically given here, until you learn to read the deeper lessons she holds in her bosom, and further, the chapter of life in which your Father tells you the principles of happiness—the destiny of mankind; for all that is around you holds the same simple examples of your higher life, and you know it not. Then learn, as I learned before I entered the happy bright "Beyond," that in the plants, and in the water, are hidden some of the elements you have within yourselves. How strong the heart grows when you inquire into and comprehend these secrets! The wise men of science are happy in such thoughts. You cannot fear a God so bright, so good; and in seeking to do your own part, you feel a consciousness that you have grown spiritually, from the contemplation of the beautiful and true.

"The astronomer, with patient searching gaze,
Doth with his tube the depths of space explore :
Shows Neptune's orb, or, 'neath the solar blaze,
Reveals a world by man unseen before.
Justly the world rewards his arduous toil,
From land to land the breezes bear his name;
But he who doth a spirit-world reveal,
Not far in space, but near to every soul,
Which nought but mists of sense and sin conceal,
(Would from men,s sight these mists at length might roll!)
He is with incredulity received,
Or with a slow, reluctant faith believed."