MY VISIT INTO THE ABYSS OF SPACE

 My trips to the various parts of the Spirit World, it must be understood, were at different times, for otherwise I should have been too long absent from my body, which would have meant bodily death, and I would have been compelled to remain prematurely in the spirit realms. Thus the last journey I made into the immense spaces of our universe occurred some time subsequent to my return from the fourth plane. This seemed to me by far the longest journey I had made, as the four planes I had visited appeared to be not far distant from our solar system.

 Accompanied as always by my guide, I passed first through the spaces of our system. As we made our flight towards Venus, I beheld our earth at such a distance that it appeared like a great big black ball. Saturn we passed so closely that we could perceive the little globes that compose its rings speeding about the larger sphere. Soon a huge black globe passed, or appeared to pass, as if pursuing Saturn." Like a lover following a dancing girl," I exclaimed, lapsing into human levity. My guide did not deign to notice my mild joke. "That," he said dryly, "is what you call Jupiter." When we passed over Venus we floated in a horizontal manner with face downward, close to the surface. When part way across it we came to a complete standstill. Thus I was afforded a splendid opportunity to observe this planet at close range. It appeared to be a dark and dismal world covered with a strange stunted vegetation which showed gloomingly through the clouds of steam that rolled up from the surface of the planet. Myriads of insects flew about in great clouds. "What steam! What a mass of insects! Why, nobody could live here, I exclaimed. Other than the insects I could perceive no evidence of life. I saw no seas nor mountains—there was only barrenness, sterility. The whole scene was overpowering in its awful dreariness and utter desolation.

 We now left the solar system and penetrated far into the abyss of space, among the countless stars moving with incredible speed and unimaginably multiplied in brilliancy because of our close proximity. The sight challenged imagination. But much as I marveled at, this nearer view of these enormous material worlds, I wondered infinitely more at the countless living beings that filled the universe. Spirits of high superiority and authority such as I had never seen even in the fourth plane passed in every direction, singly and in larger or smaller groups. A white light of intense power emanated from each, and enveloped them in a flaming radiance, that varied in intensity in proportion to their spiritual power. All were garbed in glowing white. The combined brilliancy of the light thus produced flooded all space. The great whirling globes were as nothing to this awe-inspiring spectacle. The mere sight of these majestic spirits even from afar was enough to convince the beholder that they were the rulers and controllers of the whole universe, of matter and of spirit. The overpowering dominance of their personalities subdued my spirit so that, staring and stupefied, I trembled and shrank at their presence. Two in particular, a man and a woman spirit, burned with the light of two flaming suns dimming all others near them with the intense lustre of their white radiance. As they swept majestically by me there flashed across my mind the words, "And there shall be no darkness in them." Dazzled, I cowered, raising my hand to my forehead in an involuntary tribute of humility and awe. It is impossible to say how far I was from them since space does not limit the astral body. But, near or far, I could clearly distinguish every expression of their countenances. They were dressed in magnificent robes of pure white. The dress of the female spirit was a long flowing robe rippling from her form in loose and graceful lines, as she floated in a perpendicular position, inclined with knees slightly bent. The dress of the male spirit was a close-fitting toga that reached to his feet. He moved in a similar posture, but his head was thrown further back. His eyes, following the direction of his outstretched hand, were focussed upon some great distant star. As he expounded to his companion some great mysterious truth, he seemed the embodiment of authority and wisdom. But on his features played the soft light of spiritual love which tempered his austerity with its ethereal glow. To me he seemed all-powerful, fitted to command instant obedience from any forces, material or spirit. His companion, though possessed of much of his spiritual power and authority, displayed these same qualities but they were subdued by a feminine grace and loveliness which rendered her face sublime in its serene nobility. They appeared to be gods rather than perfect spirits, yet I was informed that they had once dwelt in human form. somewhere. Whether their union began then or later I did not know, but now they were bound for eternity by the ties of spiritual attraction and love. By spiritual development they had risen to the highest power, and, as my guide explained, they were now a part of that Supreme Power that rules and guides both the material and spirit universe. The host of spirits gazed intently after them with respectful admiration and awe. It was a glorious moment for me when I beheld these marvelous beings, and knew the happiness of their close presence. For a time I stood motionless and gazed after the disappearing glory, which lessened as these two beings passed from sight, till my eyes beheld in the distance only the white light that enfolded them.