The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1883-02-24
THE SECOND BIRTH.
A SpirituaIist Describes His Own Death
and What is Presumed to Happen
Thereafter.
Greeted With a Divine Welcome In an
Elysium Beyond the Dark
Grave.

Oh Cne Splflttidl or second Blftn, called
DEATH in the following terms All the med
ical attendants had given me up. 1t was night
and for hours had tossed with anguish on my
burning bed. a fever ragged in my blood, in
tolerable pangs tormented me. The long dark
night crept slowly by. The moon, pale and
wan, went down, and the cold and dreary dark
ness melted into morn. / heard the watchers
whisper ''IIe is dying" A cool wind came and
breathed upon me, and then hand of ice
seemed clutching at my heart. sharp electric
shock shot through my feeble frame. and my
limbs tossed and quivered for an instant like
the branches of tree swept by a sud
den storm. This passed away and then
all pain left me. calm stole
over my senses-a deep, refreshing tranquility,
as deep and holy as that which holds the waters
of a sleeping lake. / strove to speak. The
crisis of my disorder is past, thought /; this
delightful calm, this sweet freedom from pain,
what is it but the sure token of Natures vic
tory over the fell disease which has SO long
tormented me? | strOve to speak, but my
tongue refused to obey me. | tried to press
the dear hand held i'm mine, but in vain. |
sought to open my eyes and look my beloved in
the face, but ! was helpless All my limbs
were paralyZcd; could not move Il iibre-I lay
us motiOnless as marble. | am very weak
thought |, but presently | will be stronger. So
| lay resigned, patiently waiting for the return
of that vigOr of which the Violence of my dis
order had robbed me.
The sudden transition from acute anguish to
u state of calm and painless tranquility pro-
duced the most delightful sensations. Cheer
full and COntented lii spirit L lay dreaming of
the future. The daylight grew stronger and
the sun shone brightly through the window.
knew this though my eyes were closed, for Il
soft, rosy cloud Hoated before them, and !
heard without the matin of the birds. Then
the song of the birds ceased and all was silent
save the distant tOlling of the bell, which with
II mournful sound fell family on my ear. 1t
reminded me of the grave, and thanked God
for breaking the violence of my disease and
rescuing me from death. At length some per
sons came into the room. ! heard their soft
footsteps stealing over the threshold. They
came and stood beside my bed, they folded my
hands upon my breast, and then one said to the
other
"HE Is DEAD"
The whispered words fell like clap of thun-
der upon my ear. Can they mean meI No
no, am not dead. thought of the tollng
bell had heard, and said to myself it is some
one else of whom they speak.
| listened; all was silent for an instant, and
then felt the tears of her love fall on my
face; her long dark hair traied upon my brow,
and her kiss was on my lip. Sobbing she fell
upon my breast, and then the others wills
pered together and bore her away. All, now
knew ] was dead. For Il moment all retieC-
ton was lost; amiZement and wonder froZe my
faculties, but soon reason awoke and reused
my mind from its lCtHargy. Dead dead. can
| be deady | asked myself. | tried to move
but my limbs were rigid, immOvable as iron.
tried to ascertain whether my heart beat, but
| could feel no sensation which indicated its
action, and my hands, folded UPON my breast
could not detect the slightest sensation. was
not even conscious of breathing. My chest
was mOtiOnless, and my blood seemed to stand
still in my veins. But thought and reasoned
as clearly as ever; could feel when my body
was touched; was conscious of the draft of air
from the window open at my bedside, and
my ears conveyed with the greatest clearneSs
and precision every sound which occurred i'm
the room. The soft footsteps of those who
stole about the apartment their whispering,
the ticking of my watch which lay on the
bureau, and the faint tOIling of the bell with
out, all were distinctly heard.
Gradually a terrible idea stole upon me. |
tried to fight it off, but it would come and stand
before me, compelling my assent. | am not
dead, but i'll IL trance; and o God! they will
bury me alive!
Filled with horror, ] again strove to speak-to
cry out to move, but in vain. My will was
pOwerless; its scep:re had been taken away
its commands were no longer Obeycd.
For hOurs-it seemed years. lay tilled with
apprehenSiOns; listened to every sound, and
my fears clothed the slightest noises with the
most horrible significance. My imagination
reveled III gloomy anticipation, and pictured
To myself again and again the terrOrS of living
tomb and the fearful return to animation
which awaited me in the grave.
They appareled my body for the tomb;
despair took possession of my SOUL aud yield
ing up all hope, resolved to bravely meet my
fate suffer and die. This was followed by Il
feeling OF apathy almost amounting to uncOn-
seriousness. How long lay i'll this state know
not; but after Il time my attention was at
tracted to u curious change which was pro-
crossing within me. A cluster of beautiful
colOrS, blue ana purple. mixed with fringes of
gold and silver light, seemed floating before my
closed eyes. A soft, white cloud next appeared
which expanded and frightened, until by its
light beheld bending over me, dim and indis-
tinct, a fOrm-it was the form of my beloved;
but my eyes were closed and could not speak
to her. The light grew stronger, and at length
the whole room, where | lay dressed for the
Craze, was Illuminated, and beheld all things
HbOnt me with the greatest diStinctness, but
my eyes were still closed and could not move
hand or foot Ny wonder at
THIS PHENOMENON
was increased when | observed that my sight
was not confined TO the line of vision, or what
would have been the line of vision had my eyes
been open; could see on both sides of me and
behind me through the back parts of my head
equally as well and at the same moment. But
this popularity did not so much aStOnish me as
another which now began TO exhibit itself
The walls OF my room seemed to grow trans
parent, and saw the green fields without, the
groves, hills, dales and streams for miles away
flashing in the light of day All sensation had
lett me. | no longer felt the tears that fell
upon my face or heard with my ears the words
spoken at my bedside; but | knew when they
spoke, for beheld the motion of their lips and
| understood what they said, for felt the words
sounding in my soul like the silent voice of my
own thoughts.
How long this strange state lasted do not
l. 10. a.. ~