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THE PHILOSOPHY OF DEATH¹

"There is," according to Paul, "a natural body, and there is a spiritual body," speaking in both cases of things that now are. But if there is a spiritual body there is something inside that body. It is designed to hold something called spirit. Man is a triple organisation, (1) His external body is a casing, composed of the aggregate refinements of gross substances. (2) There is an intermediate organisation composed of finer substances, the ultimation of those coarser elements which make up the corporeal body. This intermediate is the spiritual body of Paul. (3) Within this spiritual body is the immortal image, the spirit, the super-essential portion of man's nature, composed of "impersonal principles," flowing from the Deific Centre of this glorious universe. Now a body is a substance,² and substance implies the associate properties of weight and force. Such a body must exist somewhere and occupy space, and if it occupy space then all our proposed revelations concerning a Summer Land in the bosom of space lie within the field of probability. Finally, that which is in space must follow the laws of space, including time. Spiritual doctrine teaches that the inmost man is a

¹ See the work entitled Death and the After-Life, Section I.
² It is to be observed that this is a popular use of the term substance, at once loose and incorrect, as the etymology of the word shows. Philosophically, substance is that which stands behind or underlies the manifest appearance of things, and to say that it is ponderable is to confuse all the issues.

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spirit which flows through our nerve-sensations; which contracts and expands muscles; which causes blood to circulate through the frame; which thinks and reasons, feels better, nobler, purer than forms, forces and things about it;¹ which teaches intellect and heart to recognise something higher than the fleeting circumstances where-unto it is harnessed. It is the invisible presence of the Divine in the visible human. It is the only and all-sufficient incarnation. Degradations and depravities never reach that which lives within the spiritual body. Discords and evils are arrested at the surface: they never get far enough inward to kill the proprietor.

Thoughts associated with the process of dying² and with the state of death are dark, doubtful and disconsoling to some minds, while death seems to others a welcome state, productive of peace, blessing, elevation. In a degree it is terrifying to all, whether brave or timid, wise or foolish, old or young. Here now is the philosophy of the great subject.³ So soon as the human organisation is perfected in form and development, so soon as that period has arrived when spirit exercises its full control over the body, a process of transformation begins. The change is imperceptible, yet progressive and incessant. The body is not in course of dying for a few hours only,

¹ Compare The Great Harmonia, Vol. I, pp. 135, 136: The human soul possesses varied passions, impulses, desires, attractions, intellectual endowments—all of which render it capable of harmonious and endless expansion. But these attributes lay it open also to inexpressible misery. If its chords are touched unkindly the instrument cannot but respond to the same tones, and then the vibrations of the spirit bear fearfully on the body.
² See The Principles of Nature, pp. 643 et seq.
³ It is expressed in an axiom as follows: The philosophy of death is the philosophy of change. It is not, however, change in the constitution or personality of the individual, but of situation only—meaning that whereas it abode formerly in an earthly body, it inhabits henceforward a spiritual organisation, in virtue of which it becomes fitted for higher associations.—The Great Harmonia, Vol. I, p. 157.

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but for many years, during which time the faculties and powers of the inner being gradually release their proprietorship over the form, and the soul aspires toward the superior spheres.

When the form is yet in its childhood there are manifested all the angular, eccentric and irregular traits of character, inclination and movement. When childhood advances to youth eccentricity gives way to uniformity, and a circular mode is displayed in form characteristics. When youth attains manhood the perfect circular and spiral make their appearance and are displayed in the characteristics and inclinations of that stage of development. It is at this period that the process of dying or of transformation commences. The spirit is continually expanding its faculties and putting them forth as feelers into higher spheres. The tendencies of the spirit are no longer downward but upward, and this indeed to an extent beyond the power of language to express or of intellect to comprehend. As manhood progresses to old age the body becomes gradually incapable of performing the office required by the spirit, and all faculties seem buried beneath effete materials. One after another they withdraw from the material form. The body, finally, is almost disconnected from the spirit. It becomes a dweller in the rudimental sphere, while the spirit is in the world of spirit, the inner life.

Paul says that there is a terrestrial and celestial, that we are sown in corruption, sown in dishonour, but raised in glory—a familiar word which means brightness. At last the chemistry of actual death approaches and begins its work.¹ All things that make up our corporeal existence bid good-bye to each other. The pulseless hand is

¹ The body should not be deposited in the earth until after decomposition has positively commenced. Sometimes the umbilical life-cord is not severed, but is drawn out into the finest possible medium of sympathetic connection between the body and the spirit.—Ibid., p. 168.

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extended no longer; the once beaming eyes do not open; the ear vibrates no longer to appeals or loving accents. All is closed for ever. But a blessed, roseate atmosphere fills the heavenly spaces, from the death-room onward to summer realms beyond the stars.¹ About all this I will tell you what I have seen, who have stood by the side of many death-beds. A description of manifestations in one case will, however, suffice for the whole.

A human being lies on the bed of death, and is indeed actually dying. It is to be a rapid death. The physical body grows negative and cold, in proportion as the elements of the spiritual body become warm and positive. The feet become cold first. The clairvoyant sees right over the head what may be called a magnetic halo—an ethereal emanation, golden in appearance and throbbing as though conscious. Now the body is cold up to the knees and elbows. The legs are then cold to the hips and the arms to the shoulders. The emanation is more expanded, though it has not risen higher in the room. The death-coldness steals over the breast and around on either side. The emanation has attained a position nearer the ceiling. The person has ceased to breathe, the pulse is still. The emanation is elongated and fashioned in the outline of the human form. It is connected beneath with the brain. The head of the person throbs internally—a slow, deep throb, not painful, but like the beat of the sea. The thinking faculties are rational, while nearly every part of the person is dead.

¹ It is laid down, in another place, as a law of Nature that every true and spontaneous change is attended with improvement in the condition and constitution of the thing which is changed. So is man's death to the outer world a change of importance, both as to place and state. Death is a birth into a new and more perfect existence. ... It is a triumphal arch, through which the spirit passes into a more magnificent country. There is nothing more painful or repulsive in the natural process of dying—being that which is not brought about by disease or accident—than there is in passing into pleasant and dreamless slumber.—The Great Harmonia, Vol. I, pp. 159, 163.

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The golden emanation is connected with the brain by a very fine life-thread. On the body of the emanation there appears something white and shining, like a human head; next comes a faint outline of the face divine; the fair neck and beautiful shoulders manifest, and then in rapid succession all parts of the new body down to the feet—a bright shining image, somewhat smaller than the physical but a perfect prototype in all except disfigurements. The fine life-thread continues attached to the old brain. The next thing is the withdrawal of this electrical principle. When the thread snaps the spiritual body is free and is prepared to accompany its guardians to the Summer Land.¹ Yes, there is a spiritual

¹ Davis—as we have seen—was the witness of more than one transition, and the following alternative case will serve to illustrate the fact that as no two deaths are exactly alike on the physical and visible side, so all exhibit characteristic variations in the departure of the soul, as this is beheld in the psychic state. So soon as the spirit was disengaged altogether from the physical body, the spirit began to breathe the most interior or spiritual portions of the surrounding terrestrial atmosphere—at first with difficulty, then with ease and delight. ... I saw that she was in possession of exterior and physical proportions identical with those which characterised her earthly organisation, but improved and beautified. She had a heart, stomach, liver, lungs, etc., as her natural body had, previous to its death. The improvements in her spiritual organism were not so thorough as to destroy or transcend her personality, nor did they materially alter her earthly characteristics. I saw her conform and accustom herself to the new and elevating sensations which belong to the inner life. I remarked her philosophic tranquillity throughout the entire process and her non-participation in the unrestrained lamentation for her departure by the different members of her family. The period required to accomplish the entire change was not far from two hours and a half; but there is no rule as to time in this respect. When accustomed to the new elements by which she was encompassed, she descended from an elevated position above the body, passed out of the bedroom door—all doors being open because it was a summer month—then through an adjoining room, and so into the open air. She walked in the atmosphere as easily, and in the same manner, as we tread upon the earth. On emerging from the house she was joined by two friendly spirits, and after recognising tenderly and communing one with another the three began to ascend obliquely through the ethereal envelope of our globe. I continued to gaze until

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body: it is sown in dishonour and raised in brightness.

The newly arisen spiritual body moves off toward a thread of magnetic light which has penetrated the room. It touches the spiritual body near the head. It is a chain of love-light sent from above as a guiding power. The spiritual being is asleep, like a new-born happy babe; the eyes are closed and there seems no consciousness of existence. The sleep is long in many cases but not in all. The love-thread draws the body to the outside door, or some other means of egress, which someone has been impressed to open. The spiritual body is removed silently from the house. The thread of celestial attraction gathers about and draws it obliquely through forty-five miles of air. It is surrounded by a beautiful assemblage of guardian friends. They throw their loving arms about the sleeping one and speed to the world of light.

It is to be concluded therefore¹ that we have every reason to rest and be happy with regard to life and death, for the laws of Nature are unchangeable and complete in their operations. If we understand these laws and obey them here on earth, it is positively certain that our passage from this sphere and our entrance into the spirit-country will be as a sleep and an awakening—an emergence into a more congenial and harmonious world. So is there nothing to fear, and so is there much to love m a purely natural or non-accidental death. Let us lament no longer because of the mere departure of an individual from our earth. Though cold and cheerless to material senses, to interior vision and the ascending spirit, the change is bathed in auroral splendour. Let tranquillity

distance shut them from my view. There was a great contrast when—on returning to my normal condition—I beheld only the lifeless deserted organism, instead of that beautiful unfolded spirit.—The Great Harmonia, Vol. I, pp. 169-172. It will be seen that this personality was possessed of those viscera which are denied elsewhere to the psychic body.
¹ Ibid., pp. 189 et seq.

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reign in the chambers of the dying, for when a body dies on earth a soul is born in heaven. There is nothing lost by putting off mortality and leaving things evanescent for immortal beauties in the Spirit Land.

The voices from that Land may seem like revelations of fancy; but the time is dawning when many shall hear and comprehend the mighty truths their tones impart. Thereafter, at the hour of death and in the chamber of the departed, there will be sweet and solemn music in place of weeping, a quiet and holy passover.