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no one recognized as his own appeared upon the cover。 Tracing it
to its source； their eyes met those of an old man with a white
robe and beard and a look of great intelligence on his calm face。
They knew he had not been in the little grove thirty seconds
before； and as this was surrounded by open country there was no
place from which he could have come。
CHAPTER II。
THE SPIRIT'S FIRST VISIT。
〃Greetings and congratulations；〃 he said。 〃Man has
steadfastly striven to rise； and we see the results in
you。〃
〃I have always believed in the existence of spirits；〃 said
Cortlandt； 〃but never expected to see one with my natural eyes。〃
〃And you never will； in its spiritual state；〃 replied the shade；
〃unless you supplement sight with reason。 A spirit has merely
existence； entity； and will； and is entirely invisible to your
eyes。〃
〃How is it； then； that we see and hear you？〃 asked Cortlandt。
〃Are you a man； or a spectre that is able to affect our senses？〃
〃I WAS a man；〃 replied the spirit； 〃and I have given myself
visible and tangible form to warn you of danger。 My colleagues
and I watched you when you left the cylinder and when you shot
the birds； and； seeing your doom in the air； have been trying to
communicate with you。〃
〃What were the strange shadows and prismatic colours that kept
passing across our table？〃 asked Bearwarden。
〃They were the obstructions and refractions of light caused by
spirits trying to take shape；〃 replied the shade。
〃Do you mind our asking you questions？〃 said Cortlandt。
〃No；〃 replied their visitor。 〃If I can； I will answer them。〃
〃Then；〃 said Cortlandt； 〃how is it that； of the several spirits
that tried to become embodied； we see but one； namely； you？〃
〃That；〃 said the shade； 〃is because no natural law is broken。 On
earth one man can learn a handicraft better in a few days than
another in a month； while some can solve with ease a mathematical
problem that others could never grasp。 So it is here。 Perhaps I
was in a favourable frame of mind on dying； for the so…called
supernatural always interested me on earth； or I had a natural
aptitude for these things； for soon after death I was able to
affect the senses of the friends I had left。〃
〃Are we to understand； then；〃 asked Cortlandt； 〃that the reason
more of our departed do not reappear to us is because they
cannot？〃
〃Precisely；〃 replied the shade。 〃But though the percentage of
those that can return and reappear on earth is small； their
number is fairly large。 History has many cases。 We know that
the prophet Samuel raised the witch of Endor at the behest of
Saul； that Moses and Elias became visible in the transfiguration；
and that after his crucifixion and burial Christ returned to his
disciples； and was seen and heard by many others。〃
〃How；〃 asked Bearwarden deferentially； 〃do you occupy your time？〃
〃Time； replied the spirit； 〃has not the same significance to us
that it has to you。 You know that while the earth rotates in
twenty…four hours； this planet takes but about ten； and the sun
turns on its own axis but once in a terrestrial month； while the
years of the planets vary from less than three months for Mercury
to Neptune's one hundred and sixty…four years。 Being insensible
to heat and cold； darkness and light； we have no more changing
seasons； neither is there any night。 When a man dies；〃 he
continued with solemnity； 〃he comes at once into the enjoyment of
senses vastly keener than any be possessed before。 Our eyesif
such they can be calledare both microscopes and telescopes； the
change in focus being effected as instantaneously as thought；
enabling us to perceive the smallest microbe or disease…germ； and
to see the planets that revolve about the stars。 The step of a
fly is to us as audible as the tramp of a regiment； while we hear
the mechanical and chemical action of a snake's poison on the
blood of any poor creature bitten； as plainly as the waves on the
shore。 We also have a chemical and electrical sense； showing us
what effect different substances will have on one another； and
what changes to expect in the weather。 The most complex and
subtle of our senses； however； is a sort of second sight that we
call intuition or prescience； which we are still studying to
perfect and understand。 With our eyes closed it reveals to us
approaching astronomical and other bodies； or what is happening
on the other side of the planet； and enables us to view the
future as you do the past。 The eyes of all but the highest
angels require some light； and can be dazzled by an excess； but
this attribute of divinity nothing can obscure； and it is the
sense that will first enable us to know God。 By means of these
new and sharpened faculties； which； like children； we are
continually learning to use to better advantage； we constantly
increase our knowledge； and this is next to our greatest
happiness。〃
〃Is there any limit；〃 asked Bearwarden； 〃to human progress on the
earth？〃
〃Practically none；〃 replied the spirit。 〃Progress depends
largely on your command of the forces of Nature。 At present your
principal sources of power are food； fuel； electricity； the heat
of the interior of the earth； wind； and tide。 From the first two
you cannot expect much more than now； but from the internal heat
everywhere available； tradewinds； and falling water； as at
Niagara； and from tides； you can obtain power almost without
limit。 Were this all； however； your progress would be slow； but
the Eternal； realizing the shortness of your lives； has given you
power with which to rend the globe。 You have the action of all
uncombined chemicals； atmospheric electricity； the excess or
froth of which you now see in thunderstorms； and the electricity
and magnetism of your own bodies。 There is also molecular and
sympathetic vibration； by which Joshua not understandingly
levelled the walls of Jericho； and the power of your minds over
matter； but little more developed now than when I moved in the
flesh upon the earth。 By lowering large quantities of
high…powered explosives to the deepest parts of the ocean bed；
and exploding them there； you can produce chasms through which
some water will be forced towards the heated interior by the
enormous pressure of its own weight。 At a comparatively slight
depth it will be converted into steam and produce an earthquake。
This will so enlarge your chasm； that a great volume of water
will rush into the red…hot interior； which will cause a series of
such terrific eruptions that large islands will be upheaved。 By
the reduction of the heat of that part of the interior there will
also be a shrinkage； which； in connection with the explosions；
will cause the earth's solid crust to be thrown up in folds till
whole continents appear。 Some of the water displaced by the new
land will also； as a result of the cooling； be able permanently
to penetrate farther； thereby decreasing by that much the amount
of water in the oceans； so that the tide…level in your existing
seaports will be but slightly changed。 By persevering in this
work； you will become so skilled that it will be possible to
evoke land of whatever kind you wish； at any place； and by having
high table…land at the equator； sloping off into low plains
towards north and south； and maintaining volcanoes in eruption at
the poles to throw out heat and start warm ocean currents； it
will be possible； in connection with the change you are now
making in the axis； to render the conditions of life so easy that
the earth will support a far larger number of souls。
〃With the powers at your disposal you can also alter and improve
existing continents； and thereby still further increase the
number of the children of men。 Perhaps with mild climate；
fertile soil； and decreased struggle for existence； man will
develop his spiritual side。
〃Finally； you have apergy； one of the highest forces； for it puts
you almost on a plane with angels； and with it you have already
visited Jupiter and Saturn。 It was impossible that man should
remain chained to the earth during the entire life of his race；
like an inferior animal or a mineral； lower even in freedom of
body than birds。 Heretofore you have； as I have said； seen but
one side in many workings of Nature； as if you had discovered
either negative or positive electricity； but not both； for
gravitation and apergy are as inseparably combined in the rest of
the universe as those two； separated temporarily on earth that
the discovery of the utilization of one with the other might
serve as an incentive to your minds。 You saw it in Nature on
Jupiter in the case of several creatures； suspecting it in the
boa…constrictor and Will…o'…the…wisp and jelly…fish； and have
standing illustrations of it in all tailed comets luminosity in
the case of large bodies being one manifestationin the rings of
this planet； and in the molecular motion and porosity of all
gases； liquids； and solids on earth； since what else is it that
keeps the molecules apart； heat serving merely to increase its
power？ God made man in his own image； d