Page:The astral world, higher occult powers; (IA astralworldhighe00tiff).pdf/117

 liable to be misunderstood. The individual inclined to understand all things on the natural plane will very likely fail to get the spiritual idea which is figuratively conveyed. A truth expressed in figurative language, the figure being a natural one, will be understood by the one who takes it literally in one way, while he who takes it in a spiritual sense will get a different idea. So whenever we attempt to teach by parables, there is a very great liability of diversity of understandings. I refer to this to show that in communicating by external language, we are very liable to be misunderstood, unless we confine our subjects to the natural plane, and describe natural things by such properties as are common to all, and are accurate in putting them together, when we may succeed tolerably well. But if we omit any of these essential particulars, there will be almost as great a diversity of opinions as there are diversity of minds to hear the communications.

Many persons have thought that if they become mediums, and could see disembodied Spirits in the Spiritual world, and see how they are associated together there, they would become wise. As a mere observation of the vegetable kingdom serves simply to acquaint one with its various forms, but not with its uses, so a view of the Spiritual world might acquaint one with the fact that Spirits existed, of their employments, etc.; but the real interior truth, which is necessary to enter into you and make you wise, can not be acquired in this way.

The idea that we can get perfect communication externally, when we are imperfect ourselves, is altogether a fallacious idea. We depend upon our understand