WHY THEY COME BACK

　　　　　　　

　　　　

　　　　WHY THEY COME BACK

　ASTRANGER sat in the Hannen Swaffer Home Circle and asked a question. In reply, Silver Birch gave an answer which is outstanding as a summary of the case for Spiritualism as the only religion in world history based on the demonstrable fact of proved human survival.

　"I want to believe," said the stranger. "In a way I have always believed in the spirit world. And then the guide answered:

　"It is part of our task to bring knowledge to your world. We are entrusted with a great mission. Many people on my side of life have seen that there is too much ignorance on earth. The results of that ignorance are, alas, all too apparent. It is reflected in the misery of your world, and it is also reflected in the misery of ours. The churches have painted a picture of people passing through the gates of death and immediately being transformed into radiant beings filled with indescribable happi-ness, having left behind them all the worries and cares and anxieties. But that is not so. It is far from being a true picture.

　"People who die areーin the early stagesーjust the same as those who live. They have shed a physical body, that is all. They have not changed their individuality, their character is not altered. Their habits and traits and idiosyncrasies and charac-teristics remain just as they were; the selfish still selfish, the greedy still greedy, the ignorant still ignorant, the deluded still deluded, until the process of spiritual awakening takes place.

　"This happened so many times that in our world there came the determination to fill the earth with some knowledge of reality. And so, for many years, people like myself have been entrusted with the task of trying to tell the truth about the spiritual life, not in any mystical sense as the phrase so often conveys, but what it is in reality. We have had to undo gener-ations and generations of misrepresentation, ignorance, pre-judice, lies, deception, superstition, all the forces which have held millions of people in the darkness of subjection.

　"We have allied ourselves into one vast army with the object of bringing spiritual liberation to those who have been held in captivity for too long. What we have to say is very simple. It begins first with a demonstration. It is that we declare that all can be proven by every individual who sets out with an honest purpose, freed from bias, with a desire to know the truth. Those who love you will prove their presence, despite the incident of death, if you give them the opportunity and provide them with the right channels.

　"That is not a fantastic speculation, it is a cold, calm state-ment of something which has been proved many, many hun-dreds of thousands of times. It is beyond the realm of disputa-tion or controversy, except for those who are blind because they do not wish to see, or for those whose minds are so distorted that they can no longer recognise the truth when it stands in front of them.

　"That is the first purpose, to provide a demonstration of spiritual truth, to meet the challenge of a materialistic world which says: 'Prove it. We cannot believe any more; for too long we have been asked to believe in fantasy, in irrational doctrine, that we have turned our backs and we ask for that which we can assess, judge, measure, weigh, analyse, dissect.'

　"The answer has been fully given. It is there; each individual can have it for himself. That is the foundation on which we build the rock of certainty which has stood and will stand all the assaults that have been made upon it. No longer is it a question of saying, 'I believe, I have faith, I have hope.' There are millions who can say: 'I know. This fact has been established.'

　"For the first time in the history of your world religion has been built on a bedrock of certainty. Men may argue about theological dogmas which none can prove, but of human survival there is proof sufficient to satisfy all reasonable men. But that is only the beginning; it is not the end. It is necessary for those who do not know to have this demonstration; it is necessary for them to be satisfied that the main basis is true.

　"There is a life beyond the grave. The dead, as you call them, survive. They can and they do return, but it is not the end. Why have they survived, what is the manner of their survival, what is the effect of their earthly lives upon the new life which they began after death? What is the relationship be-tween these two states of being? What experience have they had since they passed through the gates of death? Have they been helped or hindered by what they did or said or thought?

　"What lessons have they learned that they can pass on? What are the things that endure when all material possessions have been left behind? What is the effect of this demonstration on religion, on science, on politics, on economics, on art, on international relationships, on the colour question? Yes, they are all affected, for the new knowledge brings a new illumina-tion to old problems that have vexed a tortured humanity for many ages."

　Asked whether that outline had helped her, the stranger said, "It has simplified things a great deal for me."

　The guide continued: “I tell you one other thing. In addition to this constant war we wage on all the forces of darkness and reaction and on all those who have a vested interest in darkness and reaction, we also wage war on fear.

　"There are certain conditions which make the association between you and us, in the broad sense, that is, between you and those you love in my world, easier or harder. There is a barrier which can be broken down, a barrier of misunderstanding and hostility and ignorance, and it is easiest for us to manifest our presence when you are in a certain frame of mind and spirit. You are spirits in a physical body. We are spirits without physical bodies. There is a nexus, something which is common to us bothーthe tie of the spirit.

　"You are spiritual beings here and now in your world. You do not become spiritual beings because you die. It is not death which confers upon you a spiritual body. Death merely releases you from the prison of the flesh and you are liberated just as much as a bird when you open the cage and set it free.

　"You have, in essence, all the gifts, attributes and qualities of the spirit that you will ever have. They are now within you, latent, unexpressed, except perhaps in matters of small degree. You can learn how to give them a richer expression, how to allow the real you to manifest itself, how to allow the larger self to come into its own and to begin to claim part of its won-drous heritage. In all forms of communication with your world, those who come back to you must, of necessity, make some little sacrifice, for they have to come down to lower vibrations, they have to transmute the spiritual into the material to reach you.

　"Most of you, the majority of mankind, are incapable of aspiring to the heights of the spirit. They cannot register the vibrations of the spirit; these vibrations are too delicate, too sensitive, too rarefied to be caught except by a comparative few. So, those who wish to manifest to you have to come down in the scale, as it were, and, in doing so, naturally, much of the beauty has to be lost. It would be better if you could meet them halfway, if you could rise in the scale; then you would enjoy something far richer than is yet known. But you are still spiritual beings. If you allow the spirit to express itself, to radiate, it loses all things like fear and doubt. The spirit lives in an atmosphere of confidence. 

　"The enemy on which we wage war is needless fear that is harboured in so many minds. We see millions afflicted with worries that do not always exist except in their imagination, and so I stress again and again, get rid of fear. There is no problem with which you are confronted that is beyond you. There is no difficulty that cannot be mastered. There is no load so heavy that it cannot be borne, and if you live and breathe an atmosphere of radiant confidence, you will attract all the forces that can help you and guide you and sustain you.

　"You must try to realise that this is a very, very large and comprehensive subject, for we touch every facet of life and that, therefore to you who are in the initial stages, there is the joy to be experienced of exploration, of finding new spiritual adventures, and I urge you to go ahead."

　The visitor asked, "How long does it take before a spirit comes back to this world after death takes place?"

　"It depends on the conditions,” said Silver Birch. "There are some who come into our world, who, although they have been here for centuries, have not yet awakened to the realisation of what has taken place."

　"They don't know they are dead,” commented a member of the circle.

　"And there are some," added the guide, "who come here with knowledge, who know the ropes, and to them, if they can find the right medium, they can manifest within a few mo-ments of their passing. There is no simple answer. It is depen-dent upon the condition of the person himself, whether he has knowledge or ignorance. One of our great difficulties is that many people come here with very strong preconceived ideas of what this world is like. They refuse to believe that it can be anything else than the world that exists in the pictures of their imagination. Because they believe that intently, that is the world in which they live, for you must remember ours is a world of the mind and the spirit, and what you think is your reality.”

　After Silver Birch had advised a healer in the circle about his work, he said to the visitor: "That is another part of the work, too. Healing forces can be transmitted through earthly channels to bring health to those who are sick. It is a very large subject with many facets and aspects, and I expect some of it is a little bewildering at first, but it is a great truth and once you know it is true your life in transformed.

　"In some churches they talk about conversion. They mean by that that you accept some formal declaration, that you say you believe in a certain doctrine—and now you are converted.

　"But once the knowledge of spiritual truth has succeeded in finding a lodgment within your being you become transformed. You look at life through new eyes, with a new confidence, a new understanding, for its purpose begins to take shape and you realise something of the plan which the Great Spirit has for all His children.

　"Some are inspired to work in the fields of political activity, to transform this knowledge so as to raise the standard of the suffering and the victimised, the helpless and the betrayed. Others go into the field of religion to attempt to resuscitate the old bones of theology. Others go into the laboratories of science to bring these new ideas of life to those who have been led into channels which, alas, become blind alleys. Others go into the fields of art.

　"The truth is that it touches every phase of life, for life is spirit and spirit is life. Once the spirit is awake and has become aware of itself, once the consciousness has dawned, then you know who you are, what you are, why you are and you should spend the rest of your life in helping to equip yourself by service for the richer and the greater life that is your inevitable destiny.

　"Go on questing. Always ask, for you do receive. Never is a response refused from our world, although sometimes it is not the answer which you want but the answer that is best suited to your development."

　To the circle he said in a parting benediction: “Let us always remember that we are part of the great plan, that each one of us is a significant factor, that none is so small that he is not required or would not be missed. No, we are all required in the service of the Great Spirit. 

　"All of us can play some part in spreading knowledge, in helping to alleviate the burden of distress and sorrow, in drying the tears of those who mourn, in healing the sick, in extending sympathy, in being tolerant and receptive. Thus, each in his own way can help to bring love and certainty and confidence and help those who have lost their way to feel that there are paths on which they can travel to bring them into the fullness of knowledge and all that that means.

　"May the Great Spirit bless you all."

　At a further sitting, Silver Birch reminded us of the task confronting all Spiritualists. He said:

　"Let us remember the vast field of labour in which we work. You are living in times of sore distress when many souls are grievously troubled, when many hearts are filled with despair, when many backs groan under the burden which they have to carry. There are millions who know not where to turn, who think that life is bereft of all hope, who cry out for some gleam to come to them. There is much that we have to offerーthe riches of the spirit. With loyalty, with trust, with confidence, with steadfastness, with determination, with resolve, we can help some, and more than that no one can do.

　"Let us always remember that we are the instruments of a greater and higher purpose that seeks to use us, each one of us. Let us realise that we are the vessels and that there can be poured through us the balm that will satisfy and assuage the grief. Let us remember that there is a power, infinite in its purpose, that is at our disposal, and that this power, the power of the spirit, is capable of solving every problem with which mankind is confronted.”

　Silver Birch referred to his activities in the higher spheres since he had last spoken at this circle. “As always," he said, “the prospect of returning to the world of matter is not altogether one that is joyful, but conscious of the tasks imposed on us and the help given by your love, I come back to do what little I can to help those who need it and who will accept it.

　"I have spent quite a long time with those who were my associates in the sphere of life that is my natural habitat and it seems that, so far as I can ascertain, there is no dissatisfaction at what we have managed to achieve by our efforts. There is no reason to assume that, with continued loyalty, fidelity and co-operation, we shall fail, as the plan begins further to reveal itself.

　"We cannot measure the extent to which the power of the spirit is penetrating everywhere. We who are engaged in this task, and hear only of the immediate happenings and circum-stances in our own field, do not know, neither can we be ex-pected to know, whether the efforts that are made are as far-reaching as it was supposed they would be. We just go on with our task, helping wherever we can, wondering sometimes whether many or few are reached thereby. But those who gather up all the threads, those who meet in concert from time to time, and know by various means of the reactions in all parts of the world, they are the ones who can assess and gauge the effect of what is being done.

　"Beyond the confines of our knowledge there is a trans-formation slowly taking place. There is an ever-growing lightening of the gloom; the fog continues to be dissipated: slowly the mists begin to roll away. More and more find that they are no longer bound and shackled and fettered. They taste the air of freedom. They begin to realise what it is to live, mentally and spiritually, in an atmosphere where there is no fear, no terror. They begin to know and to understand that they are not alone, neglected, forgotten, that the hand of infinite love is stretched out and that it has touched them. They are reassured, they feel that life is worth-while once again. In many places of your world there are such individuals who can say that today, but they could not have said it yesterday.

　"That is the measure of our progress, the souls who are released from thraldom, the ones who do not weep any more, unless it be that they weep tears of gratitude; the ones who have been made whole in body and mind; the ones who are no longer racked in agony; the ones who have escaped from all the servitude created by false creed and doctrine; the ones who live in liberty, conscious of the majesty of the power of the spirit. This is the result of our labour, and the labour of all like us, whose lives are dedicated to the ennobling task of enfranchise-ment. There are still millions to be reached.

　"Let us hope and pray and determine that, if it be in our power, we shall succeed in reaching and touching some of them, so that they, too, may find that assurance which they lack and be brought to a realisation of those eternal truths which provide a refuge for all mankind; that they may be able to be aware of that power of the spirit, regenerating in its influence, revitalising in its force, comforting in its presence, ennobling in its purpose; so that they, too, in time, may become its in-

struments and help to spread its light wider and wider through-out the world.''

　Then the guide made this statement on the future of Spiritualism and other truths through which mankind learns its spiritual nature:

　"It is planned that truth shall spread not through one instru-ment, but permeate through tens of thousands of instruments all over the world of matter. You must remember that so long as the power of the spirit has been at work man has been on the march. He now begins to claim his heritage, his spiritual free-dom. These ideas, these urges, these impulses are so potent that they cannot and will not be denied, and all over your world of matter new ideas are bestirring millions who yearn and claim and demand the liberty of the spirit, of the mind, and of the body.

　"That is how your New World will come into fulfilment. Thrones will topple, rulers will fade away, tyrants and dictators will disappear. Man will gradually come into his own, and his spirit will shine triumphant in his life everywhere.

　"That is what will be achieved by the surging, rising impulses of the spirit that are now at work in their great process of regeneration. That is why I never despair, for I see the onward march of the human spirit towards the goal of its liberation."

　"We have had enough examples shown to us to work on,'' remarked a member of the circle.

　"Yes, you have the precepts," said the guide, “now you want the performers.”

　And, then, in the quietness of the seance room, Silver Birch spoke these words:

　"And now let us pause to remember the many who require our service, the countless numbers whose hearts are filled with a leaden sorrow and who yearn greatly for some truth in the hour of their dismal weariness. Let us strive to help all those who come within the radius of our influence, to bring them a measure of alleviation to transform their sadness into hope, to cheer them in their loneliness, to assure them that life is not finished.

　"And let us gather strength from that divine reservoir filled with infinite power. Let us so seek to exercise ourselves that we become living instruments of that power which created us, fashioned us in its own divine image and filled us with a part of its divinity. And let us always be conscious that we are its instruments, and know that with faithfulness, service and fidelity to that trust which is laid upon us, we can go forward fearing nothing, knowing that our difficulties will melt away as shadows before the glory of the sun."