Experimental investigation of the spirit manifestations, [electronic ...

00 COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE SPIRIT WORLD.pose the loss of our reasoning powers, and our consequent inferiority toyourselves; but on tlic contrary, we go on progressing in knowledge andwisdom, and shall progress throughout the boundless ages of eternity. Youbeing chained down to earth, by the law of gravitation, are comparativelylimited in your resources for information; but we having arrived at ahigher sphere of thought and action, and having a more extensive fieldof vision, can soar higher and farther into the wonderful workings ofthat mysterious Being, who, owing to the infinity of his perfections, mustbe fi^rever in advanco of us, his finite creatures, and to whom, of course,we can bear no relative proportion.431. Our scientific researches and investigations are extended to allthat pertains to the phenomena of universal nature; to all the wondersof the heavens and the earth, and to whatever the mind of man is capableof conceiving : all of which exercise our faculties, and form a considerablepart of our enjoyments. The noble and sublime sciences ofastronomy, chemistry, and mathematics, engage a considerable portion ofour attention, and afford us an inexhaustible subject for study and reflection.432. Nevertheless, there arc millions of spirits who are not yet sufficientlyadvanced to take any interest in those pursuits; for you will bearin mind that the spheres are but so many departments of a great normalschool, for the mental discipline and development of the race, each ofwhich is reached only by the spiral* stages of progression,—the earthbeing the first in the series, and the seventh sphere the last; being preparatoryto an entrance into the supernal heaven. You will perceive, then,that we have an unlimited scope for the prosecution of our studies, andthat whatever knowledge you fail to acquire in therudimental state, legitimatethereto, you will have to obtain, in some of the degrees of thespiritual spheres.433. We do not study those practical arts, which are so essential to theearth life, such as mechanics, &c.; for we do not stand in need of theirapplications ; our studies being wholly of a mental character, we attendto the fundamental principles only. All the more intellectual branchesof the arts and sciences are cultivated in a much more perfect mannerthan that to which we have been accustomed upon earth. The mindbeing untrammelled by the gross material body, and having its intellectualenergies and perceptions improved, we can b}^ intuition, asit were, moreclearly and rapidly perceive and understand the principles and truths onwhich the sciences are based."\Ye can trace the various relations of eachsubject, so as to understand its connective importance; a knowledge atwhich mortals arrive only by a long and tedious process.434. We are not, for good and wise ends, which in due time will befully explained, permitted to reveal all our knowledge to those below us,* Is understood in the spheres as synonymous with gradual.