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XIV

ULTIMATES IN THE SUMMER LAND1

By the term Summer Land is meant a sphere of perpetual youth where the effects of moral imperfections continue, where the consequences of bodily and mental infirmities are visible in those who are hampered by such infirmities when they go to that land from earth.2 Ultimates in the Summer Land, as distinguished from primates and proximates, may be stated plainly and briefly. Search the scriptures of Nature—the handiwork of the firmament—for in them you will find the holy truths of eternal life. To understand the apocalyptic glories of the universe study the Genesis of this God-inspired volume. The Genesis and Exodus of the book are the Primates and Proximates. The Ultimates you cannot see in this world, except logically—as the outcome of philosophical principles. An intelligent mind, to make intellectual progress, must think as Nature prompts him—from primates on and up, through endlessly successive complications, to ultimates. Whoso questions Nature aright reads truly those scriptures

1 See Morning Lectures, pp. 421 et seq.
2 It is obvious that Davis begins here in the opposite sense of his meaning, as a place where physical, mental and moral imperfections are shown forth in their consequences does not answer to any rational conception of a land of perpetual youth. He is meaning to indicate that the results of our life on earth—good, bad and indifferent—are carried with us into the next sphere. It is a modified doctrine of Eastern Karma, though it does not operate by way of reincarnation.

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which teach of God and eternity. As spiritualists, as searchers for eternal life, let us contemplate Nature in man and woman, Nature in God and therefore God in Nature. Man goes to the Second Sphere with the ultimates of all his parts and functions. The ultimates of every race in the Summer Land establish a community of their own. When this world is unfolded into an all-embracing state of civilisation it will represent the highest source of joy in the Summer Land. Extremes and ultimates meet in the sphere to which we go at death. Here they meet only on the surface, there from the interior. The Negro will never fully understand the Caucasian in this world, because the Caucasian will never fully understand the Negro. The two opposite races meet in the Summer Land. Does not the Bible say that "the least shall be greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven"? There are Christians who believe sincerely that the person who is here the most thoroughly "poor in spirit" will be richest and greatest there. You will find that there is a deep meaning in this sentence. Those who superficially exalt themselves are naturally abased, because the next step they take from a false exaltation is certain to land them in a lower position.

In the Summer Land the Negro and Caucasian will represent two great opposite races. Men do not take their complexions with them—the primates, fictions or falsehoods—but consequences, ultimates, realities—these they do take. Ultimates are developed after death, and what here corresponds to Negros, Caucasians, Indians, Mongolians, Malays are there visible and distinguishable by many radical characteristics. In the Father's House there are "many mansions," because there are essentially different modifications of the human family. Each wants a comfortable, happy place in the Second Sphere. In the Summer Land there are localities for all divisions of the race. There are always wings to great palaces. The Caucasian world moves through one wing, and the

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African world is free to move through an opposite wing of the infinite palace. Nature is just as powerful and beautiful and eternal as God. God and Nature work together. The male and the female go on through all eternity.1 Intermediates also continue long. The principles that are at work making tiny shells on the seashore are eternal principles. They are working as faithfully in the higher spheres as within and upon the earth. They round out globes and make roads throughout the universe. All progress in science points toward an approaching discovery of the Summer Land. It may seem to you that this spiritual world is afar—a vast and remote existence, into which astronomers have not peered. But it is my belief that astronomers, with their physical instruments, will on one of these future days recognise the Summer Land. It is not remote. We move every moment in its presence.2 Our earthly planet rolls in its orbit under the observation of inhabitants of the Spirit World. Astronomically speaking, the earth is on one side of that vast galaxy of suns and planets termed the milky way, and directly across this great physical belt of stars we find the sublime repose of the Summer Land—receptacle of immortal inhabitants who ascend from

1 This statement is important for the Davis view concerning the world to come and for the ultimates of which he is treating. In true spiritual union the male and female dissolve one into another, and if the union be permanent then it is possible to say concerning it that which is affirmed in one of the uncanonical dicta ascribed to Christ, when speaking of the Kingdom of Heaven—namely, that the male is with the female, neither male nor female. The alternative given above is the doctrine of separation in respect of the two halves which are designed to be one soul.
2 It is said for this reason that when a man dies to the external world he becomes alive very soon to the world that is within. Without leaving the chamber of death he may be able to take immediate note of things to be seen and heard in the realm of spirits. That which was previously on the inward side of persons and objects generally is now on the outward side. But he can see also what occurs in the room where he has died. He is in the omnipresent world of spirits.—Views of our Heavenly Home, pp. 92, 93.

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different planets belonging to our solar system. All these planets have celestial streams leading toward the heavenly shores. There is a point at which they blend, widen and expand into a mighty river, and thus become a flowing element of perfect beauty in the Land of Spirits. It seems to give out music from all its variegated margins and vast congregations are visible on its shores, learning its harmonious sounds. Along the banks appear to be grasses, having silken fibres reflecting the rainbow colours of the diamond, or giving off a purple brilliancy mellowed softly down into an atmospheric immensity of its own.

The Spirit World is thus brought into our experience; the very life of it is seen and realised. Its existence is not more mysterious than the formation of a man's body out of the invisible life of his nerves. I believe fully that the existence and actualities of the next sphere will become a part of science and that its philosophy will be as plain as the existence of such planets as Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.

The Spirit Land is revealed to our intellectual perception according to the natural laws of progress and development.1 It is harmonised with the oracles of intuition, so that poetry and prophecy begin to assume a new significance. Paul who "died daily," Paul who was often " in the spirit " glided past the subordinate sphere and was "caught up into the third heaven," seeing things not possible for man to utter.2 The Harmonial Philosophy unfolds the magnificent order of the spiritual worlds with the same precision that it treats of the physical kingdoms of Nature. If it be asked what is the ulterior object, and what does the Harmonial Philosophy propose to accomplish for man?—the answer is, To unfold the Kingdom of Heaven on earth, to apply

1 See The Present Age and the Inner Life, pp. 55, 56.
2 St. Paul does not speak of things that are impossible but of things unlawful to utter.

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the laws of planets to individuals—in a word, to establish in human society the same harmonious relations that are found to obtain in the cosmos. It is therefore wholly of humanity, as it is also wholly religious. It sees the Divine Love crowned by Divine Wisdom.