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one's mind open on the subject。 Before entering upon the substance of the
messages I should wish to emphasize the second of these two points； so as
to reinforce the reader's confidence in the authenticity of these assertions。
To this end I will give a detailed example； with names almost exact。 The
medium was Mr。 Phoenix； of Glasgow； with whom I have myself had
some remarkable experiences。 The sitter was Mr。 Ernest Oaten； the
President of the Northern Spiritual Union； a man of the utmost veracity
and precision of statement。 The dialogue； which came by the direct voice；
a trumpet acting as megaphone； ran like this：
The Voice： Good evening； Mr。 Oaten。 Mr。 O。： Good evening。 Who are
you？ The Voice： My name is Mill。 You know my father。 Mr。 O。： No； I don't
remember anyone of the name。 The Voice： Yes； you were speaking to him
the other day。 Mr。 O。： To be sure。 I remember now。 I only met him casually。
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THE VITAL MESSAGE
The Voice： I want you to give him a message from me。 Mr。 O。： What is it？
The Voice： Tell him that he was not mistaken at midnight on Tuesday last。
Mr。 O。： Very good。 I will say so。 Have you passed long？ The Voice： Some
time。 But our time is different from yours。 Mr。 O。： What were you？ The
Voice： A Surgeon。 Mr。 O。： How did you pass？ The Voice： Blown up in a
battleship during the war。 Mr。 O。： Anything more？ The answer was the
Gipsy song from 〃Il Trovatore；〃 very accurately whistled； and then a
quick…step。 After the latter； the voice said： 〃That is a test for father。〃 This
reproduction of conversation is not quite verbatim； but gives the
condensed essence。 Mr。 Oaten at once visited Mr。 Mill； who was not a
Spiritualist； and found that every detail was correct。 Young Mill had lost
his life as narrated。 Mr。 Mill； senior； explained that while sitting in his
study at midnight on the date named he had heard the Gipsy song from 〃Il
Trovatore；〃 which had been a favourite of his boy's； and being unable to
trace the origin of the music； had finally thought that it was a freak of his
imagination。 The test connected with the quick…step had reference to a
tune which the young man used to play upon the piccolo； but which was
so rapid that he never could get it right； for which he was chaffed by the
family。 I tell this story at length to make the reader realise that when
young Mill； and others like him； give such proofs of accuracy； which we
can test for ourselves； we are bound to take their assertions very seriously
when they deal with the life they are actually leading； though in their very
nature we can only check their accounts by comparison with others。 Now
let me epitomise what these assertions are。 They say that they are
exceedingly happy； and that they do not wish to return。 They are among
the friends whom they had loved and lost； who meet them when they die
and continue their careers together。 They are very busy on all forms of
congenial work。 The world in which they find themselves is very much
like that which they have quitted； but everything keyed to a higher octave。
As in a higher octave the rhythm is the same； and the relation of notes to
each other the same； but the total effect different； so it is here。 Every
earthly thing has its equivalent。 Scoffers have guffawed over alcohol and
tobacco； but if all things are reproduced it would be a flaw if these were
not reproduced also。 That they should be abused； as they are here； would；
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THE VITAL MESSAGE
indeed； be evil tidings； but nothing of the sort has been said； and in the
much discussed passage in 〃Raymond；〃 their production was alluded to as
though it were an unusual； and in a way a humorous； instance of the
resources of the beyond。 I wonder how many of the preachers； who have
taken advantage of this passage in order to attack the whole new revelation；
have remembered that the only other message which ever associated
alcohol with the life beyond is that of Christ Himself； when He said： 〃I
will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine until that day when I
drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom。〃 This matter is a detail；
however； and it is always dangerous to discuss details in a subject which is
so enormous； so dimly seen。 As the wisest woman I have known remarked
to me： 〃Things may well be surprising over there； for if we had been told
the facts of this life before we entered it； we should never have believed
it。〃 In its larger issues this happy life to come consists in the development
of those gifts which we possess。 There is action for the man of action；
intellectual work for the thinker； artistic； literary； dramatic and religious
for those whose God…given powers lie that way。 What we have both in
brain and character we carry over with us。 No man is too old to learn； for
what he learns he keeps。 There is no physical side to love and no child…
birth； though there is close union between those married people who really
love each other； and； generally； there is deep sympathetic friendship and
comradeship between the sexes。 Every man or woman finds a soul mate
sooner or later。 The child grows up to the normal； so that the mother who
lost a babe of two years old； and dies herself twenty years later finds a
grown…up daughter of twenty…two awaiting her coming。 Age； which is
produced chiefly by the mechanical presence of lime in our arteries；
disappears； and the individual reverts to the full normal growth and
appearance of completed manor womanhood。 Let no woman mourn her
lost beauty； and no man his lost strength or weakening brain。 It all awaits
them once more upon the other side。 Nor is any deformity or bodily
weakness there； for all is normal and at its best。 Before leaving this section
of the subject； I should say a few more words upon the evidence as it
affects the etheric body。 This body is a perfect thing。 This is a matter of
consequence in these days when so many of our heroes have been
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TH