Those who have returned to tell mankind of the world beyond the tomb, report that a good life, and not the observance of religious rites and ceremonies, secure happiness to the individual in the spiritual spheres. It is an unhappy superstition that teaches the eternal importance of religious ordinances. Many a poor soul, deluded by the teachings of old theology, has been made unspeakably wretched. A Connecticut mother was induced to believe in Calvinism. She was in deepest sincerity. For this cause her brain reeled and her heart was broken, under the thought that she was eternally lost. "The unpardonable sin" she imagined herself to have committed. Shutting herself within a darkened room, and excluding the light of Nature and Reason, she permitted this one pulpit error to shadow every hour of her life. Let the Insane Retreat yield up account. The day of settlement is rapidly approaching. Then old theology, however petted by the superficial and insincere, will realize the fate of the "Merrimac." The fire of reformation will burn in her vitals, and the law of Progress will blow her up" with an intensity and power that can neither be met nor weakened.

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Moreover, those who have returned from the SummerLand report that infants, and the young of every age, on leaving the earth, are received in the happy homes of the wise and loving angels. The Father and Mother of all do not belong to the Church." They are not "members" of some rich and powerful "religious body." You can therefore trust your babe with them. Hopeless and faithless though you are, be not afraid to let your darling go up with the guardians of love and light to dwell in glorious homes in the temple "not made with hands." You will meet your darling in the great future. It will be baptized in the waters of truth, unpolluted by the fingers of the

priest, and you will then rejoice in the glory and goodness of God. Be not afraid to trust your child with the Spirit of the universe.

What is the Human Heart?

CIV. QUESTION: Is the human heart capable of any mental emotion, impulse, passion, or desire? If not, why is the word so frequently used by our best writers and speakers, Physiologists and Spiritualists not excepted, with almost any adjective or participle prefixed?"

ANSWER: As we have many times explained, the spirit is connected with the body by and through the soul. The blood and the nervous system are the channels and media in and upon which the soul lives, circulates, energizes, and acts.

The heart is the organ through which all the blood flows, as the brain is the organ for the centralization and distribution of the nervo-dynamics. The blood could not flow a moment without the presence and influence of the brain's energies. Whatever disturbs the brain disturbs the flow of the blood; and whatever disturbs the flow of the blood, disturbs the heart as its regulating and distributing organ. Hence, it is natural to speak of the "heart" when alluding to whatever affects deeply and vitally the feelings, affections, emotions, or sentiments-not that it is intelligently conscious of emotion, but because it is the recipient and center of the quickest and deepest disturbance of the soul.

The Change of Heart.

CV.-QUESTION: "Will you give a 'seeker for truth' an abridged but explicit definition of what is called the change of heart, which is witnessed in Methodist religious excitements? I have read considerable on the subject, but am yet at a loss to account for that electric thrill which pervades the whole being, and that joy and happiness, and love for all mankind, which is felt at this change."

ANSWER: A religious excitement is an excitement of faculties and feelings in the upper departments of the

mind, or brain. At such times the intellect is almost asleep. Indeed, an active and well-informed mind, in a healthy body, is never converted at a religious revival. The social feelings are frequently appealed to by the propagandist such as the awful agony of mothers being parted from their beloved children at the "Judgment-seat of Christ" and in connection therewith the religious sensibilities, which are exceedingly impressible in some persons, become extremely anxious for the friendship of God.

As soon as you experience the conviction that such divine love is felt in heaven for you, that moment you are exalted to a high state of unselfish joy and praise. Instantly, or when the feeling that heaven has adopted you has fully possessed your affections and imagination, your whole soul is lifted and bathed by the magnetism of spiritual enthusiasm.

In some natures such a 66 change is as rapid as the influence of magnetism. Others, not easily magnetized in their religious faculties, remain incorrigible and "unconverted." The influence of magnetism on the religious organs is spiritualizing. The faculties sometimes become semi-clairvoyant, and sometimes the "convert" is rendered mediumistic-so much so as to attract spirits to superintend and augment the "change of heart."

We do not object to these magnetic changes of heart, but to the surrendering of reason which is too common among new converts. The conversion is nothing but a temporary exaltation of the religious faculties. We advocate a like elevation of reason and intuition.

Kind and Gentle Manners.

CVI. QUESTION: "What is the new dispensation doctrine with regard to personal manners? . I have a particular reason for

asking you this question."

ANSWER: Our Manners Book is not written, unless we take the inscriptions of Nature on the spiritual heart.

Society is teeming with vulgar-minded persons-some of them are parents--who vitiate the sentiments of the young both by speech and example.

The true woman is always a lady, as the true man is always manly and gentle; but the vulgar person, though well dressed and decked with jewelry, is invariably characterized by coarseness and selfishness. A true lady never imposes upon others' rights, either in society or at home. She is truthful, warm-hearted, gifted, refined, affectionate, poetical, and yearns for association with the higher order of human kind. The manly gentleman is openhearted, noble-minded, large in generosity, just, reasonable, and companionable, either at home or among strangers. He is not less modest than the lady.

The true person is one who lives consistently with his or her convictions; but the spiritual person is known by the simple refinements with which life is conducted. The truly natural soul is regardless of the formal rules that are said to regulate polite society. Good manners may be taught, but only the truly refined will practice the ways of gentleness. If a gentleman resigns his seat at church or in a car for the benefit of a lady, she will, if a truly refined woman, pleasantly thank him for the kindly office, but the vulgar lady will accept the seat thanklessly and imperatively, as though she were entitled to it. The true man will never pollute the air with profane language, nor with tobacco, nor the home with examples of selfishness and injustice; but a halo of happiness will soon appear in the habitation of the righteous gentle man.

Architecture of Reform Meeting-Houses.

CVII. QUESTION: "Churches here will not admit our Spiritual speakers. Hence the necessity of building. But we have no plan of construction. Have you any more progressive style for Public Meeting-houses than the plans generally adopted ?"

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ANSWER: Every intelligent and benevolent mind must regret and ignore the bigotry of sectarian selfishness. is wholly at variance with that broad love of truth which expands in buds and blooms in flowers, and which worships God neither in Jerusalem nor in the mountains, but faithfully in Spirit and in justice to all of every creed. If sectarians could but worship the Informing Presence--that is everywhere beautifully manifest in Nature-they would not close their doors to Speakers on the New Dispensation. They would not make it necessary-as they now do that freer minds should expend money in the erection of more Meeting-houses, wherein the innovating and renovating and purifying influence of Spiritual truths may be dispensed to the multitude who have no sympathy with creeds and dogmas. We do not believe in the utility of building many more material Tabernacles. They are very expensive, and cannot be constructed substantially upon any very new architectural plan or principle. If possible, let Reformers purchase public halls already in existence, or obtain a lease and the use of churches for a definite proportion of the time; and thus, if reasonable progress be made in attracting and unfolding minds out of ignorance and bigotry, the united friends may convert not only the people, but the material church, also, and remodel it to the gospel of eternal truth and glad tidings.

But this method may not be practicable in old towns and cities where old theology is rich, and its adherents consolidated beyond the reach of Spiritual principles. If, then, no compromise in the use of a public edifice can be effected, and if a Lecture-room is absolutely or even much needed, we would suggest simply that the style thereof be unostentatious and economical; not quite square within; no tolling bell; but with a large dome, through the painted