Page:The Other Life.djvu/255

 eties which are in fullest sympathy with their own evil lusts.

Searching are the methods, inexorable the processes and fearful the revelations of the world of spirits. Double-dealing is detected: the hypocrite unmasked; the false prophet exposed; and the soul without a wedding-garment is cast out from the feast. On the other hand, the good are delivered from temptation and trial, restored to spiritual sight and hearing, released, strengthened, comforted, purified; and the souls under the altar groaning for deliverance, are lifted into heaven.

And all this is done without infringing upon the free-agency of any spirit, without any compulsion, without any violence. The good go into heaven and the evil into hell of their own accord; the former like birds released from the hand, that soar away into the blue sky, or nestle among the green leaves; the latter like serpents that glide stealthily down into the darkest holes of the earth, hiding from the light of God.

These wonderful operations going on in the world of spirits are of immeasurable importance to us. They are not far off like the historical events of some distant planet. They are immediately over and around us; yea they are within us.