Daily national Democrat., 1858-11-11
DAILY DEMOCRAT

STEPHEN GmARD.-This benevolent and
celebrated gentleman, long since dead, i:
now corresponding with the Banner of Light
from one of the upper spheres. lie appears
to be pretty good writer. We give the
following extract from one of his communica-
tions:
Some ofmy friends wish to know how l
occupy my time here in the sprit-land.
Now if ! were to enter into all the little
minuta, might take great deal of your
time therefore | will be as brief as possible.
and try to make my friends comprehend.
When | was on earth, | received eniov-
ment or pleasure from various branches of
business. loved to perform a stated amount
Of work. and | loved to rest after that work
was done. loved to know | had accom-
pIished that work that my own hands and
brains had built mp work | find pleasure
in the same way now. go around from time
to time here, on EARTH and | see man who
is about to engage in any kind of business he
likes, and if our organisms are alike, | aid
him and take just as much pleasure in his
success as | ever did in any of mine; and
when the work is done, | take pleasure in
resting.
The world, or the people, said l imbibed
some very strange notions. If they had not
been pleasing to me- | should not have hung
on to them as long as did, and | take the
same pleasure in those old notions ever did.
| can see though, as | could not then see.
and have changed in that can understand
as did not then understand.
My friends want to know if we have any
animals in the spirt-land. Yes, we do, at
least | do, and take as much pleasure in
guiding the horse here as | did on earth :.
just as much. And | suppose others can
have animals as well as |.
Every individual spirit has his own pecu-
liar likes and dislikes He who enjoys the
society of the lower order of animals is thrown
into their society for enjoyment Wherever
man finds that, he finds something to instruct
him. Nature is a true teacher, and when she
finds contentment she is enabled to instruct
and lead to something higher.
Each spirit differs from another, as much
as mortals do. l might 90 to Italy. and find
it u perfect barren waste To me it would
be nothing; to you a charming spot, and our
description would differ. My friends tell me
that every spirit that comes from the spirit
land, differs from another in certain things.
Well, what would nature be in the spirits
world, if everybody agreed? | don't want
anybody to believe lik me. | am
afraid ! shouldn't agree with them if they
did.
Some of my friends want me to say how
We find our clothing, and who makes them.
All our clothing is but an outgrowth of the
emotional part of the spirit; all going forth
to please the interior, tending to make for it
a heaven and hell, perhaps
Now | might feel hatred against some NOR
tals-my emotions would be low, and my ex-
terror corresponding to them, would be dark,
repulsive, devoid of beauty Another might
be at peace with all mankind, and, last of all.
and best at peace with himself, and he
would see things differently from me, and be
habted to correspond with his happy condi-
ton.
| suppose my friends will say you don't
have to work for your apparel Yes, we do
our work is upon the mental plane We don't
have to use the hands, but we use that YOU
mortals use to move the hands. You do not
stretch forth hand until you have wished
now the wish with us is labor. If we desire
to come here, we wish, and we are here
We receive quite as much pleasure in lay
ing down to rest, for the spirit needs rest as
much as the body. Sometimes your physi-
clan says the spirit needs rest; and we work
with the spirit, and why should we not rest?
Rest with us is not Inconsistencies. | am
laboring with you now; when leave | shall
cease to act, to think, and yet shall be con
scous of all going on about me. Some spirits
tell you they pass a certain time in uncon-
scousness; this may be through fear. | did
not pass any unconscious moments in coming
to my present life.