The structure of the universe and all its living beauties, together with the Divine Essence that gives it life and animation, presents an indestructible basis of hope and faith, and a corresponding foundation of human action. It is as a mirror in which are reflected all corresponding beauties yet uncreated, but proved to be in embryo by the universal teachings of natural law. The whole is as one body, and God the Soul and Father of all living and unliving things. Everything is perfect in its way and state of being; everything is necessary; everything is pure, even celestial and divine; everything teaches harmony and reciprocity by an unfailing manifestation of the same. Everything is of, in, through and unto the Divine Mind; all things are parts of Him, as of one whole—even Nature, Man and Heaven.2 The earths, or the First Sphere, constitute the germ; the Second Sphere is the roots; the Third, the body; the Fourth, the branches; the Fifth, the buds; the Sixth, the blossoms; and the Seventh Sphere is Beauty, blooming with an immortal fragrance. Here is the Tree of
Righteousness, wherein is nothing wrong. It is the Tree of Goodness, because nothing is evil. It is the Tree of Immortal Life, because there is no death. It is the Tree of Divine Perfection, because nothing is imperfect. It is the Tree of Truth, because there is no falsehood in the Divine Creations. It is the Tree of Eternal Causation, because there is nothing which was not previously in another form. It is the Tree of Love and Wisdom, because there is no confusion or disunity; all things are working together for good, which is the elevation of all that is low and undeveloped to a high degree of refinement, from which a universe yet unborn will be ushered into being.
The First Sphere is that of the natural world, the habitable earths of the planets, the circle of manifested things. The Second or Spiritual Sphere contains all the beauties of the first, combined and perfected.1 Every
earth is therefore an index and introduction to the beauty and grandeur existing in the Second Sphere. From the natural is the spiritual unfolded, or made manifest. The surface of the Second Sphere presents regular undulations and great fertile plains. Therein reigns the most perfect order: it is a place of gardens, typical of purity, unity and celestial love. All flowers and leaves are as so many voices proclaiming the beauty of interior perfection and the Infinite Source from which they sprang. Clear and placid rivers flow through these gardens, and therein also are exemplified the ceaseless flowings of love and wisdom, the light and life of all created things. There are also groves of the most charming and enchanting character, and it is impossible to behold these and not be impressed with new and beautiful thoughts.
In the Second Sphere there are three distinct societies of men and women, each occupying a position determined by their degree of cultivation, sympathy one for another and power of approaching each other's sphere of knowledge and attainment. The first is in love, the second is in will and the third is in wisdom. These societies are composed of families, groups and associations; but all are as one brotherhood. Their numbers transcend computation. Most of the inhabitants of Mercury, Venus, the Earth and Mars are dwelling in the first society of the Second Sphere: those of the other planets occupy higher positions in the plane of thought and wisdom. A holy quietness pervades the whole spirit-world, and there is happiness of the most inexpressible character—ecstasies, exultations, glorifications, ascending continually. Such is the Second Sphere of human existence. The relation between it and the earths may be perceived by the similitude of external manifestations—these differing only in degrees of purity and development. It
is proper and advantageous that the human race should know and appreciate these truths, that they may be induced to press onward and upward in the ascending scale of progress toward the Great Fount of Love and Happiness.
Inasmuch as on the various earths there are born several millions of spirits in one second of time, from which fact there must follow of necessity as many deaths, so an equal number are being introduced at every second into the Spiritual Sphere. In like manner there is an equal rate of transition from the Second Sphere1 into the Third, which is the Celestial Sphere. But the darkness incident thereunto is light, and the death is life inconceivable—a transition contemplated with delight that surpasses all human speech. In this Sphere also there are three distinct societies, corresponding to perfected love, perfected wisdom and celestial purity. The first society is composed of those whose last stage of being was in the third society of the Sphere below. They have love, will and wisdom combined to a degree of perfection
that surpasses earthly thought. Those of the second are still more advanced and so perfectly conjoined with one another that it requires a high degree of discernment to make a distinction between them. Those of the third society are so exceedingly pure that subordinate spirits are repelled with an innate consciousness of non-association. They are guardian angels to those below them. To one another they impart knowledge and express love, as the sun imparts life and beauty to forms on earth. But the nature of this sphere is entirely above the comprehension of the human race here and now, and what has been said concerning it is but a particle compared with all that is and shall remain untold.
In the Fourth or Supernatural Sphere the inhabitants are of the most exquisite purity and loveliness, and with one united voice—not of speech but of action—they proclaim glory, honour, immortality, eternal life. As they proceed toward the City of the Living God, they illuminate the vestibule of truth and the archway leading thereto. They penetrate all below them with holy influences of wisdom and simple love. They call on all to come away and ascend with them to the Fount of Purity on high. In this Sphere are also three societies and three distinct degrees of love, will and wisdom—each association being unfolded from that immediately below. Viewed from this exalted realm, the dwellers in the Third Sphere appear as beings undeveloped. The first society is almost infinite in numbers, and from them flows spontaneously an element of love that is clearer than clearest water, brighter than brightest crystal. Its reflection clothes the higher societies with a garment of whiteness, pure as the jewels that adorn the crown of the King of kings and Lord of lords. From the second society flows a constant stream of passive and active will, subject at all times to life-giving promptings of love and receiving the high approbations of wisdom. This is constantly ascending and descending. It is also like a great
receptacle in which are deposited the choicest thoughts and memories of the angels and spirits of this exalted Sphere. Again it is like a treasury, the contents of which are open to the lower angels, who extract beautiful thoughts from its depths and meditate thereupon. The atmosphere of this Spirit Home is clothed with resplendent brightness, such as reflects the goodness of all things and the use to which they are applied. It is a mirror in which are represented the living beauties of heaven and earth. Such is the loveliness, goodness and wisdom of the Divine Mind that nothing is made in vain, but everything is as a living thought, representative of perfect wisdom. In the Supernatural Sphere this truth is especially manifested.
Inasmuch as life is universal, death cannot mar the constitution of things. By virtue hereof the dwellers in the Fourth Sphere—like those of others—remain for a moment in silence and awake as beings of the Fifth or Superspiritual Sphere. The spirits here are so lovely and attractive that it requires an effort to prevent being—as it were—absorbed into and becoming part of them. As in the Third and Fourth Spheres, the first society is a child of that which is highest in the Sphere below. Love appears as the perfection of wisdom, which wisdom is greater than all the combined love and wisdom described heretofore. As the Spheres approach the Divine Mind they become more simple, more unassuming and pure. So also the nearer that they draw to the Fount of Purity the more transparent they become, and the more do their inhabitants appear to exist—as it were—without external and artificial habiliments. There is an exhalation from each society which forms a halo of glory, surpassing all brightness of the material sun, or any brilliance that illuminates the material universe. Each spirit seems so pure—and the thoughts of all are so celestial—that it is almost impossible to resist the attraction thus presented. There is such a commingling of thoughts
and such an affection manifested one for another as seems beyond all captivations imaginable. Every mind is like an opening flower, and every thought is like the fragrance thereof. Their wisdom is as the fountains of heaven which flow to all that thirst, which heal all that are wounded and cleanse all that are not purified. This wisdom is in every thought and movement, in every expression of will and love. But the Fifth Sphere is allied so closely to the Spiritual Sun that it is incomprehensible to dwellers on earth.
By the same manner of transition which obtains below, the spirits of the Fifth ascend to the Sixth Sphere or Supercelestial Habitation.1 It is the great ultimate of beauty, the crown of loveliness and purity, all goodness and all refinement. Here are the fields of Paradise, and here is erected the House of Many Mansions. Its exterior beauty, grandeur and magnificence show that it was not made by hands but is eternal in the heavens. It is that asylum where all are taken in, loved, breathed upon and made perfect. Every created spirit is invited to this home by the progressive law of the Father. In the Supercelestial Sphere are all beauties of earth and heaven combined, developed and perfected. It is thus removed from human comprehension. Here spirits and angels rejoice with exceeding joy and thanksgiving, but by action and not by speech, by wisdom, not by love. Still love is the all-animating and life-giving element.
The Seventh Sphere is the Infinite Vortex of love and wisdom and the Great Spiritual Sun of the Divine Mind
which illuminates the spiritual worlds. Of the body and constitution of the material sun the Univercoelum was brought into being; from the constitution of the Spiritual Sun all the heavens were created; and by it they are sustained, purified and illuminated.1 Every spontaneous breath of light and love is as a smile of the all-pervading Father and Creator. Thus the spiritual spheres are allied to the Spiritual Sun and the natural spheres to that sun which is material.2 The spiritual is as a soul and yet a garment to the natural, while the two are joined together as one creation. The Spiritual Sun is an inexhaustible vortex of life and light, which are love, and of order and form, which are wisdom: everything is breathed into being thereby. The great centre is the habitation and throne of the Divine Mind—that Central Positive Power of the universe.
The diagram which illustrates the text will furnish a concrete notion of the Seven Spheres.1 Let the reader imagine that he is looking on the plane of an immense globe divided through the centre, like an apple cut into halves. The dark margin is the ocean of unorganised
matter, in a state of fire-mist or elemental nebulas, between which and the first or outermost circle of suns and planets there are innumerable incipient bodies called comets. The sun and planets of our own system are one
group in the first circle—at the right hand and near the bottom of the diagram. In the centre of all is the Seat of Intelligence, the Fountain of Love and Wisdom. The Divine Sun which encircles this sensorium gives off emanations of life and light which energise the whole system of the universe. It attracts spirit and repels matter, according to that law by which rare and dense substances are governed. Experiencing the Divine Attraction in harmony with this law, human spirits leave earth at death and go to the Second Sphere. After many centuries they have progressed sufficiently to ascend into the Third Sphere. But the Central Attraction continues to draw lovingly and tenderly until the spirits of all men reach the Sixth Sphere, which is the closest possible approach to the Spiritual Sun of the Univercoelum.
The Seven Spheres of the Spirit are the Tree whose foundation rests in the depths of time and whose top extends to the heights of eternity. It puts forth branches throughout the length and breadth of the universe, casting a refreshing shade over those labyrinths of space whose limits no thought can define. The root or germ of this Tree is in the First Sphere, which comprehends all earths and their inhabitants. Knowing this, let every one strive diligently to cultivate the germ and make its unfoldings perfect; to give its properties and essences a truthful direction; to put forth love, energy and wisdom for the realisation of that which is most desirable, being the development of those principles found in the nature of man and prompting him to profitable action. The keynote of all is unity, and unity is happiness. In view of these things the truth and importance are manifested of that saying, according to which "the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." So also the things that are visible are terrestrial, while the things that are invisible are heavenly. While these truths present themselves in bold relief, the
human mind should put forth efforts to comprehend their meaning and importance. It will be discovered in so doing that the mind must be refined and perfected. When this is accomplished the social world will be elevated to honour, goodness and universal peace.