A WARNING REVELATION FROM THE SPIRIT OF A DRUNKARD

The drunkard lacketh the moral of the swine; 

He knoweth no bounds to his cravings—

But gorges or gluttons to his own discomfiture;

Injuring his friends, destroying his happiness,

His health, and constitution,

And thereby becoming a spectacle of disgust 

In the eyes of his neighbours, and

Pointed at by the finger of scorn 

By all who behold him; and lastly,

He finds himself an abomination upon the earth, 

And rebel to the Divine Wisdom of His merciful Creator.

Spiritual

A warning revelation from the spirit of a drunkard—

I am William Morley, the Drunkard, who departed from mortal life to immortality on the 24th of June, 1852, at the age of 47, and whilst living on the earth have caused myriads to suffer in various ways, for whom I am now suffering the just rewards of my past deeds, and am now commanded by the higher powers to declare unto man the things from which they must refrain to avoid the sufferings in the world to come. My whole life was spent in folly, vice, and dissipation, wasting, by wilful extravagance and gluttonous cravings, that which should have procured comforts and necessaries for numbers of my fellow creatures by whom I was surrounded who suffered the most degrading pecuniary wants. When my career was cut short and brought to a close, unlooked for or anticipated, I was lying partially besotted, and suffering the most intense burning at my brain, while my breast appeared as if it were a furnace, consuming my whole body by its unquenchable flames. My professional aid was resorted to but in vain. My sufferings increased, and, at length, I experienced the terrible sensation of knowing that death was at hand. As each convulsive struggle successively weakened my body, a deathlike faintness enwrapt my whole frame within its clammy grasp, my limbs became contracted, my eyesight left me and a noise as of many waters bubbling within my ears. My heart felt as if grasped by an iron vice, my blood became stagnant, while an explosive sensation occurred within my breast, and the same instant all was still and motionless; all pain ceased, and nothing of care or sorrow appeared to disturb me. When the ominous words, “He is dead,” fell upon my ears, they appeared to arouse me as if from a dream. As the last offices for my body were performed, my eyes appeared as if opened, and I could see in every direction. I gazed upon my body with wonder and amazement; but without having time to consider my position or make any effort, I was torn from the spot, hurried through the air, and the world below displayed itself fully to my view. At length, I found myself enveloped in the most intense darkness, where I listened with horror to the most indescribable and inharmonious sounds of yells and shrieks, which again recalled to my memory my real condition. How long I continued in this darkness, I cannot describe, but I found myself once more in the apartment with my body, as though I had awakened from a dream or vision. I wept and wondered at feeling that myself and body were separate beings. All power and control over my limbs had left me, though by my will I made an effort to raise or move them. I wept with the bitterest anguish as my past life flashed across my mind, and from what I had learned of the future, whilst living, it appeared too horrible to anticipate, yet at every moment the dread of it was present to my mind. Whilst in this state, I found myself raised by the hand by a friend whom I knew in early life, and who had died several years previously in a distant land. As he led me from the room and endeavoured to console me, he told me of his sufferings, with his dreadful apprehension of the future, and again left me to bitter reflection. I witnessed the interment of my body with awe and amazement, and remained near the spot for some time, till I again found myself whirling through the air at rapid speed, where fresh sufferings awaited me in the persons of those whom I had injured, deceived, defrauded, and deprived of health, life, or limb, through avarice, ignorance, and neglect. At every turn fresh tortures awaited me. I was at intervals permitted to visit the scenes of life, and reveal myself to, but not communicate with my friends, but again was hurried back through the darkness, where tortures, as above described, were again experienced with redoubled horror. I am now passing through the atmosphere, surrounded by every species of torment and discomfiture, without in any way being enabled to alleviate my own sufferings, except when visiting the scenes of life. and even then my imagination is haunted by the many tortures which all by whom I am surrounded are occupied in inflicting on each other without intermission. Such is the fate of the tyrant, the hypocrite, the murderer, and the drunkard. I have described all I have been commanded; therefore, let this be a warning declaration unto man that there are none good. Those who endeavour to avert the evils arising from the above-mentioned crimes will avert the sufferings to which I am exposed; though all who leave mortal life for immortality must suffer and dread the awfulness of the future, which none in this sphere are able to explain. My mission is now complete. Farewell! Remember my commands! Let all take warning by my past life and present assertions, and remember that there is an existence in everlasting immortality.

A Message from the World of Spirits, J. G. H. Brown, Holyoake & Co., London, 1807

Revelations as given by the spirit of a murderer

Further revelations on the mysteries of immortality, as given by the spirit of a murderer—

Whosoever shall take the life of their fellow creatures by violence,

Or cause life to be taken by authority of worldly law,

Is a murderer, and the murderer shall have his portion in the world to come

With the tyrant and the hypocrite, 

Whose sufferings shall be terrible and indescribable,

To fit them by progressive purification for the entrance into eternal bliss.

Spiritual

I am William Saville, who was executed in Nottingham on the morning of the 7th of August, 1844, for the wilful murder of my wife and children in a wood, in the parish of Colwick, near Nottingham, the circumstances connected with which are well known in this part of the country. But having permission to stay only for a short time, I have received commands from the Higher Powers to declare to the world all my experience on leaving life up to the present period in immortality, that my declaration may deter men from pursuing the paths of folly and vice. Therefore, on the morning in question, at the appointed hour, I was warned to prepare for the solemn event, though I passed a restless night, suffering the most intense anguish and dread of my pending fate, fearing the revelation of the mysteries of immortality. At length, however, composure and reconciliation came over me, and I walked to the fatal scaffold, which I ascended with firmness, accompanied by the officers and other functionaries. I viewed with horror the immense assemblage which had collected to witness the last penalty which the law could inflict upon me for my crimes, and recognised several persons of both sexes in the crowd. The sensation of the operation performed by the executioner in adjusting the fatal rope can be described by none but those who have experienced it. At length I found myself blufted from the light of the world, and, after the usual words from the functionary on such occasions, I felt the horrible sensation of tottering and trembling on the verge between life and immortality—a sharp and momentous click which ran through my frame with indescribable horror, and the next moment I felt myself drop for several feet. At the same instant, indescribable pain convulsed my whole frame, and a noise as of many heavy carriages passing over the paved streets filled my ears, and my heart felt as if seized by a hand of ice, which forbade its functions. My limbs then appeared to be set fast; a deathlike faintness came over me, and the same moment I experienced the sensation as of a sleeping vision, and all pain, all cares, and all troubles had left me. My eyes then appeared to open, and I felt conscious of what had passed, heard the screams which ascended from the crowd below, and felt to secretly smile at their belief of my being dead. I could now see in every direction, and appeared as if passing through the air with terrible rapidity, and found myself in the most horrible darkness, where I heard indescribable tumult and anguish, which reminded me of the assertions I had heard respecting hell and torment, and I then felt aware of my exact position. How long I continued there I cannot tell, but I shortly found myself again beside my body, which hung listless and motionless, and upon which I gazed with horror, knowing it to be my own, and yet I too felt substantial, and at a loss to understand my real position. But at this juncture, I was tom from the spot by an unseen hand, and the next moment found myself face to face with my murdered wife and children, whose ghastly wounds reproached me for my past deeds, and their sufferings experienced through my conduct taunted me in a manner impossible to be described. I endeavoured to flee from their presence, but the effort was in vain. At every turn fresh miseries awaited me, and fresh tortures accumulated about me. The thoughts of those who are living fell upon me as missiles which rebound backwards and forwards, leaving me without one moment’s pause from the most horrible torture. Again and again the thoughts of her whom I deceived by my duplicity haunted me, and others whom I had wronged followed me in every direction, heaping upon me tortures which the mortal mind can have no power to comprehend. And in this manner I suffered until I again passed the boundaries of darkness, where fresh tortures awaited me which I cannot attempt to describe; but at every turn the wounds of my murdered wife and children are present to my view, with numbers whom I have injured whilst living. And still, with all this, and much more suffering, the future still haunts me, and we dread every moment’s experience, for a year is no more to us than an hour is to the world when passed. Still, however, to look forward it appears an unspeakable and indescribable time, for none are permitted to know what next shall follow. Therefore, I am still in this condition, with others whom I can recognise, but none are permitted to communicate with each other—though all suffer and cause suffering, yet none are relieved from their own suffering by these means, and though at times permitted to visit the scenes of life and impart warnings to friends, it only increases the anguish and misery of such individuals. Let the world, therefore, take warning and refrain from tyranny, hypocrisy, murder, and all evils which are oppressive to man or displeasing to God, and thereby avoid or decrease the manifold miseries I have here faintly described. Let this be made public, and rest assured that, though each grade of suffering vies with the other in magnitude and misery, yet each individual believes his own sufferings to be the greatest, and has no knowledge when this suffering will cease. The tyrant, the hypocrite, the murderer, the drunkard, the infidel, the usurer, and the suicide, are all classified, and each are employed in heaping taunts and reproaches on the other for wrongs and injuries committed and experienced in the flesh—and happy are they who avoid these evils, for a wide gulf is between us; but even they suffer, though their sufferings have no comparison with ours. I am commanded to declare this, that all men may know there is none good, but that all must be purified or punished according to their deeds. My mission is now complete. Farewell! misery awaits me.

A Message from the World of Spirits, J. G. H. Brown, Holyoake & Co., London, 1807

The Book of Knowledge or How to become a Medium

The Book of Knowledge or How to become a Medium

Misery in the world to come

He that accumulates wealth in this world,

Accumulateth for himself misery in the world to come,

For no man can obtain riches and be honest to his neighbour;

And he who is without affliction, and eateth the bread of idleness,

Is an hypocrite, and hypocrisy is an abomination to the Lord.

Spiritual

The Laws of God

The laws of God are of a mild and gentle nature, breathing forth love, freedom, friendship and charity to all His creatures. 

He alone is Omnipotent Lord of All

He alone is Omnipotent Lord of All.

Unless we forgive, we cannot be forgiven

Look with charity, sympathy, and brotherly love upon all God’s creatures, remembering that He alone is our Father and Creator, and that unless we forgive, we cannot be forgiven.

Sufferings in Immortality

By the nature of the language, the following revelation shows us that even after death, while passing through the first progressive sphere, all experience a terrible dread of the future—

I have appeared by command of the higher powers and am the spirit of Dr Allen, late Bishop of Ely, who departed from mortal life to immortality in the month of March, 1845.

I am commanded to declare to the people of the earth things concerning which they have hitherto been kept in ignorance. The description of the sufferings I experienced immediately before leaving the world have been duly described in the public prints. But, nevertheless, I am commanded to describe the last pangs or struggles I experienced in endeavouring to retain life. After several convulsive struggles, I felt my limbs twinging, the sinews contract, and deprive me of their use, and my sufferings internally were indescribable. I experienced an icy chillness run through my frame; while my body was bedewed with cold clammy perspiration, my lips parched, and my tongue refused its office when I endeavoured to reply to the consolatory remarks of my friends. While at this juncture a terrible sensation seized upon my breast which convinced me that death was at hand. My past life moved with rapidity before my mind, and my friends perceived the intensity of my emotion. I then heard a terrible noise like the rumbling of heavy carriages over paved streets. My eyesight left me and my heart appeared as though enveloped by ice, and then appeared to explode. The next moment all was tranquil and all bodily suffering ended, and I heard the murmurs of my friends as they wept over me with the bitterest sobs of friendship and respect, saying to each other—He is gone, his last breath is drawn, his spirit has fled to the presence of its Creator. I distinctly recognised the words; I endeavoured to speak but the power of speech had left me. 1 felt the experience of a dream and could not understand their grief and sorrow, for all pain had ended; 1 felt happy, but as it were spellbound by apparent magic influence. As I lay gazing upon the group of friends around me I perceived objects, in every direction, at the same moment, but did not understand my true position. I saw my friends turn from the room, and persons enter and perform the last office to my body, and then I felt as if torn from the apartment, which gave way before me. I passed through the air with the greatest rapidity, and was enabled to see the reality of the world as it existed beneath me. At length I found myself in darkness, of a description beyond my power to explain. Here I remained for a considerable space, unable to define the exact time, and while in this position, far away from the sound of earthly or human voice, I could hear beyond the darkness a complication of frightful unearthly sounds, the hearing of which for the first time brought to my memory my position, and I knew that I was dead, and thoughts at once of the terrible place of torment I had so frequently described whilst living, and the dread of the future, with the thoughts of my past life, passed in rapid succession before my eyes. At length I found myself again whirling through the air, and wondered what would next follow. In this unsettled and unhappy state, I, as if waking from a dream, found myself again in the apartment with my body, upon which I gazed with wonder and amazement. I bent over it, shook it, touched myself, and believed for a time my experience was a dream, but remembering that at will I could move the legs, arms, head, or any part of my body, I again desired to do so, but found the effort was fruitless. I wept bitterly, and touched its cold chilly surface. The words of my friends again flashed across my mind; He is gone, said they, his spirit has fled, and the sensation was horrible. But there, oh there, laid the stern reality before me—cold, motionless, as death is described—dead in reality, and yet I, a moving, living being, witness of the things I have just described. At this moment persons entered, and passed by without perceiving me, and, as they were near to me by the most endearing ties, another pang of horror thrilled me as my real condition flashed through my mind. I was about to leave the room, as none would notice me. At the same instant, I was seized affectionately by the arm, when I perceived a dear female friend with whom I was formerly acquainted, but who had died some nine years previously. She led me from the apartment unseen and unheard, and endeavoured to administer consolation, and informed me of the dread she too felt for the future, and again left me to bitter reflection. I remained round the premises, and in the apartment which contained my body, witnessing with regret the voluptuous scenes of extravagance and waste displayed by my friends, but had no power to reveal myself unto them, to make them conscious of their follies. In this manner I continued near the last resting place of my body for several months, at times visiting the residences of old friends. But here I found that my spirit became more depressed as the thoughts of those who through me, or by me, had suffered injury, appeared to reach me and taunt me with reproaches, though unconscious to themselves; whom I had power to see moving through the mazes of the earth in their accustomed manner—and here fresh tortures awaited me. Those above and those beneath appeared to taunt me with hypocritical and ambitious desires to mislead or misguide my fellow creatures for the attainment of high office in the world. In this manner I found myself driven about from place to place, enduring indescribable agony of mind and apparent physical suffering. As I still feel perfect, every limb and every member appears to retain sensitive vitality. But the dread of a future still haunts me, and fear praying upon me, time fled swiftly, and yet nothing but uncertainty appeared. Again, after years of enduring I found myself in terrible and unspeakable darkness, where screams and mournful howls, mingled with the wild and inharmonious sounds of music, with the cries and weeping of the most wretched distress and agony, once more brought to my recollection my true position, and the thoughts of hell and eternal damnation with devils came upon me with the appearance of dreaded reality. As the darkness cleared, my eyes perceived the scenes which, with difficulty, can only be partially described, for thousands, nay myriads, of beings are thrown together, though in apparent confusion, yet distinctly classed, heaping reproaches upon each other for the injuries received whilst in the flesh. There are none without accusers, or none but what accuse, and every specie of bodily and mental agony is experienced by all. But oh, declare to the world the entreaties I am commanded to make, that the people may refrain from hypocrisy, ambition, selfishness, and all evils which arise therefrom, for the instigation of crime in the flesh will truly meet with a just retribution. My sufferings in this respect are great, but trifling in comparison with others of the same capacity while in life, and though I suffer, there are those who likewise suffer from me. But this is no alleviation to any; all is misery, horrible anguish, wretched misery, with a still further dread of a future state. All know of a future even from this state, but none can explain beyond their sphere. Therefore let this be made known to the people, that they may study the welfare of each other and show forth mercy and forgiveness to all, and thus abate the progression of their sufferings after passing from life to immortality. My mission is now ended. Peace and goodwill to all. Farewell; sorrow, weeping, anguish, and grief, are now my fate.

A Message from the World of Spirits, J. G. H. Brown, Holyoake & Co., London, 1807

The Change from Mortal Life to Immortality

I am Arthur Wellesley, known while on earth, as the Duke of Wellington, and at the age of 83, I finished my mortal career, or worldly existence, on the 14th day of September, in the year 1852. 

I am now commanded to describe the sensation I experienced while leaving the tenement of clay, which I inhabited. 

While lying upon my bed, supported by pillows of down, surrounded by every worldly comfort and luxury, with friends and relations bending and weeping over my aged and shrivelled form, watching, with the most intense and expressive anxiety, as each breath of vitality escaped through my parched lips, until, at length, by the convulsion of each successive fit, the difficulty of breathing increased, and my limbs gradually became paralysed and benumbed with a terrible sensation of a knowledge that death was at hand. 

I made an effort to speak, but the power of articulation had left me, and my limbs lay motionless and unable to obey the dictates of my will, although I felt that even raising a hand would abate the sensation. 

At length, the appearance of the apartment darkened, and all, for a few moments, appeared wrapt in gloom. 

The same moment a terrible sensation of cold, chilly, deathlike agony, seized my frame, while my heart appeared as a cold heavy stone, or icy substance—the weight of which forbade the office of its functions from being performed; and a dreadful noise, as if many waters were dashing furiously upon the rocks, filled my ears, and I made efforts to raise my head, but in vain. 

At that moment, a sudden thrill of indescribable pain ran through my whole frame; my limbs set, as with cramp, with an explosive sensation within my breast, and all was then still and tranquil, and my eyes again, as it were, opened, and I perceived the nearest friends bending over me, while tears bedewed their cheeks, and heard them articulate in stifled whispers the ominous words—he is dead. 

I appeared to smile at the assertion, for no pain was upon me, and I felt at ease, gazing upon them with astonishment and wonder, and made an effort to assure them of the contrary, but could not stir. 

At this moment, I appeared as if enabled to see in every direction, and felt as though in a dream, going from place to place without my body stirring, and knowing that it remained in the same position. 

I then felt myself seized by the shoulders, torn away through the apartment, which opened before me as if in a dream, was borne through the air, and could perceive fields, trees, hedges, waters, towns, villages and hamlets, which had the effect of bewildering my imagination, till at length, I found myself in total darkness, beyond the sound and reach of human ears or gaze, and then, for the first time, discovered the reality of my position. 

Here I could distinctly hear a complication of sounds of an appalling description, mingled together in the most distracting discord—music, singing, howling, screaming, with the most frightful yells of fear and alarm, which made me think of the reality of a hell. 

But I did not remain long in this state, but was shortly on my way back to the place where I had left my body, and which I knew was dead. 

I found my friends had left it cold and stretched to the full length. 

I gazed upon it with horror and amazement, and knew that it was myself, and then mingled thoughts of the world and my past life flashed before me. 

I endeavoured to persuade myself that my experience was a dream and wondered at the agility with which I moved from place to place, weak and feeble as I was, but there was the stem reality before me, cold, motionless and stiff. 

I endeavoured with my will to uncontract the limbs, to raise the head or the hand, but in vain. 

Still, I knew it was my body, and my will had exercised its power over its functions, which performed their office as I desired, but the effort was useless. 

I knelt by it, looked upon it with horror, felt of myself, and exclaimed, Are we separate beings, or what does this mean. Again the thoughts of the words, He is dead, recalled to my memory my exact position, and I knew I was only, as it were, the shadow of the reality, and wondered within myself what experience would next reveal. 

At this juncture, the door of the apartment opened, and fresh friends entered to see my body. 

They astonished me when they passed without noticing me, and though I knew them, some of whom were the most intimate friends, and offered my hand, it was unperceived or unnoticed. 

I wept bitterly on finding that I was in the room invisible to all excepting myself, and with these thoughts, I turned from my body, but, at that moment, observed the outstretched hand of an old friend whom I had known in former life, and who had died some twenty years previous. 

This inspired me with fresh hopes, and he kindly led me from the room unperceived or unheard. 

I, however, remained around the premises, and in the apartments, which contained my body until its interment, and witnessed the useless pomp displayed on the occasion. 

I also witnessed the tears of those who were nearest to me in ties of relationship and grieved that I could not explain to them the great relief I had experienced in the change from mortal life to immortality. From old, decrepit, feeble humanity, 

I found myself relieved from every worldly care and burden, but still experienced a terrible dread of the future. 

I must now leave you, for the present, but will give further description of the future state when permitted to appear.

 J. G. H. Brown, First Sitting, 16 March 1856—A Message from the World of Spirits, Holyoake & Co. London, 1807

The Veil of Mystery

The veil of mystery, when aside is drawn, 

Will show to what end all mankind is born;

Who, even as a blade of grass doth grow,

They pass by progress through each stage below,

And when the spirit leaves the coil of clay 

And enters on its dark mysterious way,

It, for its sins committed in the flesh,

Is purified and from all evils wash’d;

And thus progresses through each sphere above,

And, lastly, reaches eternal realms of Love,

Where, through the Great Redeemer’s precious blood,

Is ever singing praises unto God.

Spiritual