CHAPTER XIV. - PAINTING, SINGING, AND SUPPER.
URSULA now rang a little silver
bell, which she took from the table, and the children readily obeyed the
summons: they entered the room quietly, and took seats in the little
wicker chairs.
"Children,"
said she; "this lady would like to hear you sing, I am sure."
She then went to one of the pianos, and began to play a pretty, simple
prelude, then the children commenced to sing a sweet song, all joining
their voices, even to little Katy and my own youngest girl: these two
little ones could not sing very well, of course, but Ursula said they
could learn in no other way except by joining with those somewhat older
and farther advanced than themselves. Ursula led the children with her
own sweet voice and the piano: presently she arose, and Theresa
took her place: again they sang another sweet song, then she gave place
to the next in age, and so on until every child had played and led in
the singing, according to its ability. Now came Katy and my own little
one. Ursula placed each in turn at the piano, and they played the major
scale while all the children sang: "C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C."
This greatly
delighted the little creatures, and Katy exclaimed in great glee:
"Me tan sin'
now, tant me Suly?
"Yes, darling," replied Ursula; "you can sing and play too, in your own
little class, and one of these days you will be able to play the harp
and sing to your mama: but, baby, you will have to learn how first, and
you are getting along very nicely."
One of the little girls now played a sweet, simple air on the violin,
while the others remained silent, and listened with great attention.
"This little girl," said Ursula, "has an especial talent for composing
music, and she loves the violin better than any other musical
instrument. She has composed many pieces already, and that sweet air
which she has just performed, is one of her compositions.
Whenever I
find a child has a particular gift, I encourage and give every
opportunity for its cultivation.
"Now we will have some pictures," she continued, and a little girl
seated herself in front of an easel. It was one on which there was no
picture; but, instead of a canvas being stretched on a frame, there was
a shining surface of palest blue, oval in form. The little girl sat for
a short time with rapt, thoughtful face and motionless, gazing intently
at the oval frame, or rather, its shining surface. This surprised me,
for I had expected her to use brushes and pallet. Presently she arose
with a smile, and turned the easel so that we could all see the picture
which she had transferred to the oval plate, and it was a very beautiful
picture indeed. As Annie had drawn pictures for me in the same way, I
understood how it was done, or comprehended it in part.
"We draw, or transfer, all our pictures here, upon a sensitive plate, by
the use of magnetism and electricity," explained Ursula. "Our clock is
run in the same way. That plate is merely a thin plate of silver. First,
it is magnetised, and we keep a number of them
on hand, which have previously been magnetised, ready for use, as the
younger children do not as yet understand how to magnetise a silver
plate. This process is accomplished by those more advanced than we
are—by angels who understand scientific processes better than we do—and
we transfer a picture to the prepared plates by fixing the mind intently
on the plate, at the same time forming the picture with great
distinctness within our minds; the picture is thus transferred to the
magnetic plate by the electric rays of light shooting from our minds
directly upon the plate, and the picture is fixed there by the
combination of magnetism and electricity; or, rather, when the rays of
electric light strike the magnetic plate, the magnetism is changed into
the various shades and colors requisite for the picture. You know, dear
lady, that when the electric light of the sun strikes an opaque cloud at
a certain angle, a rainbow appears visible to the people of earth, and
all the colors with which one desires to paint a picture, reside within
the electric rays which are disclosed by a rainbow. Now that magnetised
sensitive plate is opaque, the same as
the cloud is; and when that little girl casts the electric rays from her
mind, or spirit, at a certain angle on that plate, it forms the picture
that she has drawn in her mind, precisely as a rainbow is formed in the
clouds of earth, or, the principle is the same."
All the little girls, in turn, now painted a picture. It did not take
each one but a few seconds, and every girl formed a picture according to
her age and ability; at last, it was Katy's turn. My baby was too young
for this, but Katy was just commencing.
"Now," said
Ursula, "can Katy make a little picture?"
"Dess me
tan," said Katy, pursing up her sweet lips. "Now you all keep still
while me finks."
And Katy fixed her dewy eyes on the prepared plate. Presently she
clapped her little hands in glee. Ursula turned the easel toward us, and
there, in bold relief, stood the white heifer, with the wreath of
dandelions around her neck.
"Well done,
Katy!" said Ursula. "You shall paint another one as a reward."
She placed another plate on the
easel; Katy
fixed her eyes on it intently with a sort of scared expression, and soon
turned away. Ursula moved the easel toward us, and there, with scowling,
angry features, was Mrs. Evans, her hand upraised just in the act of
throwing the goblet at Ponto's head, while the negro was showing all his
ivories.
"All acts are pictures which remain within the mind of the beholder
forever," said Ursula, with a sigh. "Would that this child's mother had
not left such a picture within her little daughter's soul, never to be
erased while the ages roll onward. All the world is a picture painted by
the electric rays from the sun, as they strike sensitive, opaque
substance; for when there is no light there is no picture nothing is
visible. So, think it not strange that we here paint our pictures from
the electricity, which resides within us, upon magnetised plates."
"Now," continued Ursula, "we must have our supper, and then retire.
Theresa, you, Addie and Jennie, may go, this time, and gather fruit for
our supper."
The three little girls each
took a light tray, and started forth with bright eyes and rosy cheeks. As
they passed the open doors, they presented a beautiful picture, with
their gauzy robes, waving locks and graceful, dancing steps: three other
little girls were now required to lay the table, which they seemed well
pleased to do. From a dresser near by, they brought plates which looked
like rare china, together with what appeared to be silver forks, crystal
goblets, and, lastly, two large silver fruit dishes. A plate was set for
each, together with knife, fork and goblet: the books and music were
removed from the table, and Ursula placed in the center of it a silver
fountain. Two little girls ran out, and presently returned, each
bringing a beautiful bouquet of flowers, which Ursula placed in a couple
of lovely vases on the table. A dainty white napkin was put on each
plate, by little Katy, every child seeming desirous of doing something
toward preparing the supper, and by the time that all was ready the
three little girls returned, their trays filled with luscious fruit:
peaches, pears, apples, plums, oranges, bananas, strawberries, and many
other kinds. Ursula heaped the silver fruit dishes, and we all seated
ourselves at the table. Ursula filled
our goblets with sparkling water from the fountain, and heaped our
plates with the fruit we commenced our supper, or, rather, feast. The
little girls chatted and laughed; told little stories about things which
they had seen on and within the lake, and the different flowers and
fruits which they had observed on the land; told anecdotes about playful
pet animals and birds.
How beautiful they were, with their little bright, happy faces, their
rippling laughter, their lovely attire, and sweet contentment.
Agnes was seated at my right, and my little one at my left. Theresa had
a place at Ursula's right, and Katy at her left. The others were seated
after an orderly and pretty way. While the little girls chatted and
laughed, in their more childish way, Ursula conversed with me.
"How strange it would seem to the people on the earth, if we could tell
them that there was fruit in heaven, and that the spirits eat and
drink," I said, rather thoughtfully.
"Yes; very strange," she replied. "It is surprising how little they
really know about this life; but all the fruit we have here comes
from the earth. This fruit which we are eating is the spirit of the
fruit, which decays in the earth life, just as your spirit and mine are
the same spirits that were once within bodies which decayed, or are dead
at the present time; and yet we are here, more alive than before, eating
of this spiritual fruit that has decayed, or is dead at the present
time, on earth. The great law of spiritual life holds good in all
things. How barren and desolate this world would be if it did not. If
the earth was ages in preparing itself for man, the spiritual world has
been as long preparing itself for the spirits of mankind to find a
habitation, when they shall leave their natural bodies."
"My dear
young lady, did you construct this beautiful building?"
"Oh, no," she replied. "The angels constructed it for a school-room. I
was merely sent here, to take charge of this little class, from a school
for young ladies in which I had been for some time: the lady-superior of
that school thought I had become qualified to teach this little class."
"And she was right, I said. "Do
you know who
constructed the electric clock which interests me so much?"
"That clock was constructed by Sir William Herschel, with the assistance
of other famous astronomical personages: those great minds are following
out their studies here on a much grander scale than they did on earth,
without the impediment of the flesh. I think that the restless souls of
many of the greatest men who have ever lived on earth, would find it
very hard and extremely unjust if, when at the death of their material
bodies—which they had found such weights and clogs to the aspiring mind,
thirsting for greater knowledge than it was possible for it to attain
while within a body—they were to find after leaving them no progress, no
way of attaining more exalted wisdom, merely finding such a heaven as
Mrs. Evans and many others believe in; and if they could do nothing else
throughout eternity but sing praises to a personal God in the form of a
man. The true way to serve God is to serve at the feet of wisdom, to get
as much wisdom as one possibly can on all subjects. The souls of great
men and women delight in discovering all which they could
not find out when on earth and within a body which hindered them; and,
dear lady, eternity is but vast enough to hold all that may be known,
not only vast enough for the angelic soul to attain all that may be
attained. Light thrown on any subject gives back truth and beauty, but
under the cover of darkness, error and ignorance hide their hideous
heads. Sir William Herschel, by earnestly seeking wisdom in the light of
truth, has raised himself into heavenly heights. Mrs. Evans, by hiding
herself in the darkness of error, remains in unhappiness or hell. Sir
William Herschel and others like him are exceedingly active souls when
they discover a truth they turn and make use of it to benefit others.
Mrs. Evans, and those like her, by stubbornly remaining in error keep
others in darkness, unhappiness, or hell, who are related to them,
either by blood, marriage, or society.
The gentleman, whom Mrs. Evans calls husband, is thus kept in error and
unhappiness: his natural inclination is to accept things as he finds
them: although somewhat mild and slow of perception, yet but for her he
would rise into wisdom and happiness very
readily: she holds him back from heaven, and keeps him by her side in
hell. Do you think, dear lady, that it is right for one soul to hold
another in unhappiness or hell?"
"Certainly,
not!" I replied. "But, perhaps, the husband may lead his wife into
happiness or heaven."
"No," said Ursula; "for her mind dominates his, and holds it in
subjection. A soul held in bondage is held in unhappiness or hell.
Bondage of any kind is error and wrong. All captives should go free."
"Why need he remain in captivity?" I asked. "Why does he not leave her,
and seek wisdom and happiness where it may be found?"
"Because she compels him to think, that, as they were married by the
laws of earth, they must remain married for all time: but, lady, they
never were married according to heavenly laws; he was bound to her as a
captive is bound to a tyrant, not married in sweet heavenly union. True
marriage should be a mutual blending of souls, should be reciprocal,
giving and taking equally; neither one nor the other should be in any
kind of bondage."
