Various Experiences of Spirits When They Arrive in the Spirit World, part two

This work to me is one that is not only interesting, but which gives me the great happiness that comes with the realization that I have been the means of leading a spirit to learn to love God and to receive the happiness which the love of God gives to spirits. I tell you that this teaching is the grandest that I ever engaged in all my life.

When on earth as I taught and saw the young mind develop, I found much happiness in the knowledge that I was doing some good. But here, in my teachings, when I see a soul develop, I realize that I am doing a spirit that greatest of all good in bringing it at-one in love with the Father and happiness here and that of earth, as the soul development is so much greater than the development of the mere mind.

My work is not confined entirely to this teaching. I also am engaged in trying to assist mortals to a true conception of the life here - I mean the spiritual part of this life.

No man is entirely without spirit influence, whether good or evil. Many are susceptible to the influence of the evil spirits and, for that reason, the work of the good spirits is so much more difficult. There is in man's nature that which leads him to evil thoughts so much easier than to good thoughts. This is an old saying, I know, but is a true one, and the fact that it has been said so often and for so long a time does not decrease the importance of it as a truth.

So while men have felt this evil inclination in their nature, the fight between the good and evil influences will be somewhat unequal. The advantage though with the good influences is that what they suggest is truth which will never die, while the suggestions of the evil influences last only for a comparatively short time.

When the material gives up the spirit being which it clothes, that being will then be relieved of many of these natural tendencies to evil thoughts and deeds and, while this mere separation does not make a devil a saint, it makes it so much easier for the spirit to get rid of many of these evil tendencies and makes him more susceptible to the influence of truth and goodness.

You must not think from this as soon as they have been in the spirit world for a little time, they become good spirits, for that is not true. Many evil spirits have been in the spirit world for a great many years and, yet, have their evil thoughts and desires and all the evil qualities of hatred, malice, envy, etc., as when they were on earth.

Their giving up the earth life did not deprive them of their will, the greatest force or power that God gave to man, except that of love. And many of these spirits refuse to exercise their will in a way that will enable them to rid themselves of these evil thoughts and desires.

So you see, the mere fact of becoming a spirit does not mean that the mortal has become a good and saintly spirit. No, I am sorry to say that many men who were very evil on earth are still evil as spirits and their happiness, which they think they have, is only that happiness which they, as men, thought they realized from the exercise of evil thoughts and acts.

Yet, there is one great redeeming fact connected with their dark and sad condition and, that is, that in the end, whenever it so pleases God, all evil will be banished from the spirit world, and all spirits will be given that happiness which comes from a nature free from sin and error. Not by the fiat of God, but by men seeking and doing those things that will free the soul from sin and error and again come into harmony with God's laws. Just such I imagine as Adam and Eve enjoyed in the historical Garden of Eden.

But that happiness, while of a character that brings much contentment and peace, yet is not the true happiness which God is waiting to give all His children who ask and seek for the inflowing of the Divine Love in their souls.

I will not discourse on this great happiness tonight as it would take too long and you are somewhat tired, but will say that all men should seek for it both on earth and in the spirit world. When on earth I did not have it, but since I came here I found it and now possess it, thanks be to God and His loving kindness.

You folks all have it and many others too numerous to mention.

Let me stop now as I am tired and you need to rest. So with all my love and best wishes,

I am your old professor,
Joseph H. Salyards

Professor Salyards Describes Various Experiences of Spirits When They Arrive in the Spirit World.

Cultivating The Soul Perceptions

You cannot perceive spiritual things with the material mind. Neither can you, by reason of those powers of the mind which know only material things, perceive the Truths of the spirit. Hence, there is the necessity for us cultivating the soul perceptions, which are greater and more comprehending than all the faculties of the material mind.

Mind, as usually understood by us, is undoubtedly a wonderful instrument in investigating and learning the laws of nature and the relation of cause and effect in the physical world. But such powers, when applied to the things of the spirit, will not help much. Rather, they will retard the progress of the soul's development of its faculties.

The reasoning power given to us is the highest quality of the material mind and, when properly exercised, affords a very safe and satisfactory method of arriving at the truth. But such power, when exercised in reference to things which are strangers to it, or with which such powers have no acquaintance, or have never been concerned with the investigation of the phenomena of their existence, cannot be depended upon to bring conclusions that will assure us of truth.

Laws are eternal and never change, and are made by the Heavenly Father to be applied to all the conditions and to all the relationships of the material world and of the spiritual world. But the laws that apply to the operations of the material world are not fitted to apply to the operations of the spiritual world.

And the person who understands the former, and their application to material things, is not able to apply the laws applicable to the spiritual world and to spiritual things. A knowledge of the laws pertaining to the natural will not supply a knowledge of the laws pertaining to the spiritual.

The material laws may be learned from by the operations of the senses that belong to, and constitute, the material mind. But the spiritual laws can only be learned by the exercise and application of the faculties of the soul.

The soul is to the spiritual things of God what the mind is to the material things of God. And the great mistake that we make and have made is to attempt to learn these spiritual things with the powers of the material mind.

To learn the nature and operations and workings of the spiritual things is the necessity for exercising the soul perceptions which will come to you as your soul develops. These perceptions are just as real as are the five senses of the natural mind, though most of us do not even know of their existence.

And when once you have succeeded in understanding that they do exist and that you may be able to use them, just as you use the faculties of the material mind, you will be able to progress in the development of these faculties or perceptions with as much success and certainty as does the great scientist or philosopher in the studies of the things to which he applies the faculties of his material mind.

Let your faith increase and pray more to the Father, and you will see a wonderful vista of knowledge open up to you of the Truths of the spirit.

Jesus Discusses the Importance of Man Cultivating the Soul Perceptions. He Stresses That Spiritual Things Cannot Be Perceived by the Material Mind.