[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

to be useful to ourselves. Wisdom is neither increased nor diminished by
communicating it to others. Instructing others is not progress, only as others
become instructed.
Circles receive instruction. Some circles receive instruction, and progress
faster than others. Some have better advantages, possess better facilities, have
more industrious learners, and retain what they attain with greater ease and
less difficulty than others. Circles are schools of learning. In each well
regulated school a preceptor is necessary. He is the teacher. He controls the
students. He aids the student in what will be useful to his success. He wills
obedience to rules of government. All disobedience is punished. No school
can prosper, no student can learn what is useful without order, and no order
can be maintained without a governor. All disorder is insubordination to
government. Where no control is manifest, disorder
SPIRIT WORLD. 89
and confusion must exist. All nature vindicates this proposition. The world of
matter and the world of mind, would be a world of disorder, and a world of
wretchedness, without a governor to control. It is only by infinite authority
authority which can only exist in an infinite mind, that an infinite universe is
obedient to his will. No mind can control all things but God. No mind can
control what God controls, or any part of his control, without controlling God,
and were it possible for any mind to control God, God would not be
supreme the controller would be his superior would be God.
Hence, all circles, without a head, can not long maintain the body. They must
perish. As well might the world of matter roll round its centre without a
centre, as for a circle to move harmoniously without a head a centre a
governor, a teacher. It is as impossible for any circle to gain wisdom without a
teacher, a superior, one competent to instruct, as it is for the student of nature
to learn what nature is without nature without the lessons she affords in her
works and wonders. But we see some minds who have resolved upon
principles of action in circles to which they belong, at war with the science
which they profess to love. They are subverting the professed objects which
they seek. We see circles professing a love of order in nature, divested, or
rather disinterested in any order for themselves. To them, order is well in the
government of God, but order is not well for circles. And these are professed
philosophers, but their philosophy is folly in the sight of angels. Indeed, what
worth is there in any philosophy which may be practically discarded? How
can truth be of any service to him who rejects it? Hold up your heads, ye
circles who teach men to obey God, and the wisdom of God in nature, and yet
refuse to obey yourselves.
90 LIGHT FROM THE
We see you have what? faith? No, not even as a grain of mustard, but you
have what? What you have circles without progress circles who believe
in, progress, but progress not circles who will to have freedom abused
word freedom where the wheels of progress are all held in durance
freedom where no mind can be instructed, because all will not follow nature,
and employ teachers of wisdom to set them free from the bondage of
ignorance. Why, circles might as well say, I am sick, but I am well; I am
unhappy, but I am happy; I am a student of nature, but I learn nothing; as to
say I am for freedom, where freedom to improve the mind in the knowledge
of the truth, is the freedom of a slave in chains, a prisoner in prison, a learner
in walls, fortified with freedom on its terraces, but slavery within to control
the prisoners; for there is no servitude more debasing than disorder,
confusion, and misrule.
We have seen circles meeting for the ostensible object of learning what others
had to say, who were no wiser than themselves. It was said, but who was the
wiser, or better for the saying; it was told, but who was benefited by the tale?
Who stepped aside to practice what he heard? Who went home not distrusting
the story? Who observed the order which governed the communications made
by spirits to citizens of another sphere? Who will answer, I love the
communication? Who will say, I believe the spirits? Who will not say, spirits
write what is false? Who will not accuse spirits of writing what is untrue?
Circles will say what they will. What they will is human wisdom. What spirits
say and write, is not human wisdom. Who, then, must decide? He who
teaches, or he who is taught? Who will write what is opposed to his or her
will? Who will control? If the medium controls, we do not. If the medium
wills
SPIRIT WORLD. 91
the communication, it is the will of the medium, and not ours. Circles ask
spirits to advise. Spirits give their advice. But who obeys? Who consents to
follow it? We see what circles do. We see they will to control. We see they
work, in many instances, against us. We see others who work with us. We see
circles armed with daggers to kill evil spirits, and we see that those who take
the sword shall perish with the sword.
Circles will find that they are wise when they come to a knowledge of the
truth; but we see not how they can get the truth, or advance one step in the
way of its attainment, unless they will obey the directions, and follow the
instruction of spirits. We say, follow the instruction, come what may. We say,
come what will, obey. We must control, or we can not teach. We must write
what we will, or we can not do what we design. There is no alternative.
Circles will do as considerations of law and order require. Circles may do as
we instruct; they may do otherwise. In one case, they will prosper; but in the
other, they will perish. This is true to the law of mind. It is true to the good of
man. It is true to nature, and there is no philosophy worth having, that will
encourage the student to hope for progress without complying with the rules
which are indispensably necessary to his success.
When circles would progress, we would aid them. But circles, like
individuals, must not expect our aid, without they are willing to receive our
wisdom. We can tell them what they are, and what they know, but who does
this improve? What does this do toward advancing the mind? Nothing. It
leaves where it finds. That is not our mission. We come to change. We come
to beat men's swords into pruning books. We come to deliver minds from
errors and wrongs errors and wrongs
92 LIGHT FROM THE
which some circles justify errors which, in our efforts to overthrow, induce
many to call us evil spirits errors which have been falsely called good, but
which are practically productive of mischief errors which men know are
inconsistent with the laws of nature, but which they love with affected
fondness, because sanctioned by popular customs, education, and habit
errors repulsive to the freedom of this sphere, but welcome to the inhabitants
of earth, because ignorance prevails errors which oppose needed reform,
because needed reform is what some call evil evil because the needed
reform attacks what they love  The loaves and fishes of other's industry.
We see what is demanded by impartial justice, but we see selfishness
interposing her objections. We see circles watching with suspicion all
communications made by spirits for their government and improvement, as
though we were either incompetent to instruct them, or too malignant to seek [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]