THE MINISTER

 

"We would like to have you take a message from one here who has not known you nor our work. We will write for him. We wish to prove to him the truth of communication with mortals."

After a short wait this stranger wrote:—

"I am told I can communicate with earth people. I have not believed it possible, nor thought it essential. Yet I can see that it might comfort many. But what else, what other good could it accomplish?"

'We here think that such communication will convince the unbelieving that there is a future life, and also that each and every one is preparing his own future right now.'

Mary, our leader, wrote:—

"That is why we try so hard to send our words across." Then the new communicator went on:—

"Well, I was a minister, and preached the gospel to many. And I was many times confronted with the old question, "How do you know it is so?" If you can get reliable truth from here, it must have great effect on mortals there."

'Were you a "revivalist"?'

"Yes, I was one,—of a sort. I did preach to the poor and to the socially unknown. The slums of any great city were my church; the love of Christ and the forgiveness of sin, my topic."

'That ought to have saved many.'

"Yes; but as I watched the effect of my work, I saw so many turning back to their sins after the first excitement was over. Mary's way may be the better way, (referring to our leader.) For the life one lives is after all the final test of character. And in a pure life the love of Christ would be a baptism of love falling upon the soul. Life and character are God's way of bringing human souls into eternal life. And the love of Christ is, after all, the underlying power to save."

Mary took the pencil again and wrote:—

"Mary says, the love of Christ is still the power to save. And for the perfected ones who live near the Most High, we believe it to be pre-eminent. Tell the world of His life. The trouble with most evangelists is in their teaching of the doctrine of Christ's atonement for all, when it is the character of each that must be weighed in the balance. But some are pure and unselfish and good who never heard of Christ. Do not think that a good life may be considered as naught, if not built exactly on orthodox or fundamental foundations. Many are the 'Children of God' without being especially aware of it. Many are influenced from here who never heard the name of Christ. Do not think for a moment that such are not received. Remember Christ's own words, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

 

"We believe in the Christ, in his mission to earth. We look to Him for guidance and inspiration. But we do not worship Him in the same way he is worshipped on earth. He wishes his example of peace and loving service to be followed, and it is our joy to follow his example here. But he is not afar off on some throne of glory. He is more like an elder brother, more like a bright and shining example for us to follow."

'Do not some place Christ as one with God?'

"Yes, we have many such, and they are confused and disappointed at first. But they finally come into the true appreciation of the purity and loveliness of his life and character, and are contented and happy."

'I wonder if Christ would approve of all the Easter worship of him?'

"No, we think not. To follow his example, to make each one's own life a blessing to others; this is the religion he tried to establish, and which be hopes will at last become the religion of the world."

'It makes religion a logical and blessed thing to have.'

"We grieve that the world is so far away from the pure and happy belief that should be accepted. The time is coming, and coming fast, when there will be a reconstruction of the religion of the churches. Creeds will largely go, and love and service take their place."