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December 8th, 1916
Received by James Padgett
Washington D.C.
I am here, St. John, Apostle of Jesus. I desire to finish my comments
on the preacher's (Dr. Ratcliff’) sermon on heaven. (Message
of November 26th.)
As I said, these Apocalyptic (Book of Revelation) writings were
made for the purpose of encouraging the people of those days to
believe that God would intervene in their behalf, and save them
from their sufferings and persecutions, and in the one case establish
a Messiah's kingdom on earth that would cause the Jews to become
the ruling nation of the universe, and in the other, to establish
a kingdom in heaven where the Christians would find rest and happiness
in becoming inhabitants of that kingdom, and children of the Father,
and participants in the glories of Christ's reign as king and priest.
Well, as the subject of the sermon was that Kingdom or Heaven and
the preacher endeavored to tell his people what that heaven is,
I will consider that subject.
In the first place, as I have said, that heaven is not one universal
place where all the Christians, irrespective of their soul development,
go, but in that heaven are many heavens or spheres in which the
spirit of mortals will find homes and also happiness according to
their soul development or their spiritual development. And in order
that there may be no misunderstanding, I must say that the soul
development comes only through and by the operation of the Holy
Spirit. The spiritual development involves only the result of the
correct workings of the moral faculties of a man and the purification
of his natural love which, of course, comprehends the development
of his soul, so far as the same may be developed by this purifying
process. The results of each operation is very different, and lead
to a perfection and relationship to the Father, which is in harmony
with the laws controlling the respective heavens - for the place
of final habitation of each may be called heaven.
But my object tonight is to describe to you the appearance and
condition of one of these heavens, and as
mortals have heard more about the third heaven, which we in
our information to you have called the third sphere, than of any
of the other heavens, I will confine my description to that place.
Well, it is occupied by the spirits of mortals who have received
considerable of the Divine Love, as well as by those who have progressed
to a great extent in the purification of their natural love and
the expansion of their minds and intellects, though the latter do
not remain very long in this heaven, but progress to the fourth
where there are more opportunities and more instructions in those
things which have to do with the mind's advancement. While those
who have made progress in the soul development and those in the
intellectual are all in the third heavens, yet they occupy different
and distinct planes in that heaven, for those things that attract
the one class do not attract the other, and there is very little
intermingling of these spirits except that those who know that the
Divine Love is real sometimes attempt to show those, who do not,
the desirability of obtaining it and the happiness that it brings
to spirits.
As we have already told you, the condition of the soul - not of
the mind - to a large degree makes the heaven of the spirit, and
in the providence of the Father, He has made the surroundings and
the appearances of the environment suitable to the condition of
the soul and fitted to increase the happiness of those spirits who
may, because of their soul progress, be attracted to the particular
places in which they find themselves - their homes.
The appearance of this heaven to those who have this Divine Love
in their souls is far excelling the capacity of your mortal language
to explain, even if I had the ability to describe the same. But
in one general statement I may say that for these spirits there
is everything to make them happy to the extent of their capacity
to receive and enjoy. There are trees and flowers, and hills and
dales, and rivers and lakes, and beautiful landscapes, and above
all the wonderful atmosphere, as I may express it, that is created
by this wonderful Love of the Father, and a glorious light that
illuminates and gives life to all who live in it, which comes from
this Love of the Father. It is the sun, moon and stars, and sunrise
and sunset, and summer clouds, and evening shadows and morning glories.
Your material sun and moon and stars do not appear in this heaven,
for the effulgence of the light from the Father's love eclipses
and eliminates the light of these material creations of the mortal
world.
And then there are homes of the grandest splendor and beauty suited
to the conditions of the various spirits, which have in them everything
that will tend to cause happiness and joy to their occupants and
visiting friends. Musical instruments and books, and paintings and
furniture of every kind fitted to bring to the spirits contentment
and joy, and a realization of peace and rest from the cares that
you mortals have with you all through your earth life. And above
and more important than all, a wonderful atmosphere of love which
makes all these spirits realize that they are the children of the
Father and brothers of one another and lovers of all humanity.
And in addition, the social life is beyond all conception. The
spirits have their times of visiting as well as those of staying
in their homes; and many pleasures as well as of work and helping
spirits and mortals; of singing and music and laughter as of prayer
and contemplation of deep spiritual truths. Yes, in the lighter
social pleasures as well as in the solitary meditations and aspirations
of the soul's progress, there is happiness and enjoyment and freedom
from those things which defile or make inharmonious the thoughts
and heart's desire of these spirits. All is gladness and there are
none who have solemn downcast countenances, that many of earth imagine
portrays the truly righteous and redeemed of mortals. No, love knows
no sadness, and as the soul speaks its condition by the appearance
of the spirit body's countenance, the soul being so full of gladness
and joy, the countenance can express only those emotions of the
soul. This is the result of the law which declares nothing can be
hidden, and every spirit must show forth the truth of its condition.
There are no walled cities or streets of gold or pearly gates or
other of the material things which the book ascribes to me sets
forth, so that man can get some conception of what heaven is. These
things in heaven would not be gold or pearls or diamonds or jasper,
for when they are compared to the real beauties of the things which
it contains, they are as the faint light of the candle compared
to the light of your noon day sun. Truly the mind of man cannot
conceive of the glories that await the lovelit soul when it comes
to its heavenly home.
There is another misconception that the preacher had, following
the teachings of Revelation, and that is that the Kingdom of Heaven
is a walled city - the New Jerusalem - in which all the spirits
of the redeemed live, singing their loud hosannas to God. There
are cities of which your earth cities may be called correspondences,
but there are also villages and hamlets and homes in the country,
as you would say, surrounded by green fields and shady vales through
which run rivers and streams of silvery hue and clear as crystal,
and also placid lakes which afford the pleasures of boating and
sailing and other amusements. For each spirit is provided the place
that is most attractive to him and it is optional with him where
his home shall be. But all love and worship the Father, and endeavor
to make their neighbors happy and help the development of the soul
towards a progression to the heavens which are higher yet. All spirits
are controlled by law, but that law is the Law of Love, and that
love is the Love Divine - the essence of the Father's Divinity.
I have written enough for tonight, and I hope
from what I have said that you may catch some faint conception of
what the glories of this third heaven is for those who have found,
to some extent, this Love and possess it; and then, when as you
must know there are many heavens above this, each successively possessing
increased glories and happiness, and beauties of place as well as
beauty of spirit, you may imagine what the Master meant when he
said, "In my Father's house are
many mansions - ."
I know that my attempted description may be unsatisfactory to some
mortals, but it is the best that I can do, because mortal words
cannot convey and mortal thoughts cannot conceive the realities;
and man in his imaginings may better get a spiritual view of these
things. I will not write more tonight.
I am with you quite often, throwing around you the influence of
my love, and endeavoring to help and encourage you. Let your faith
in us and in our communications increase, and believe above all
that the Master wrote you the prayer which you received a few nights
ago. Study it deeply and grasp its spiritual meaning, and let your
longings and aspirations go out to the Father as suggested by the
prayer, and you will find a wonderful and satisfactory response
to them. We are praying for you and your friends, and you must believe
that the love is coming into your souls. So with my love and blessings,
I will say good night.
Your brother in Christ,
John
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