Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-04-02
RESUSC|TATED, HE
SAYS THAT DYING
IS DELIGHTFUL
Supposedly Dead for Several
Hours after Being Taken
from the Water, Signs
of Life Return.

Z. Wheeler, now In his seventy-second
year and living in the suburb Of Ivanrest,
has a notable history. He experienced
the sensation of dying, and says it was
delightful. He has spent forty years of
his life walking from place to place,
delivering lectures, accepting only food
and clothing as recompense. He gives
all the money he receives to charity
and lives on the charity of his friends.
He looks like Alexander Dowie and John
Burroughs and often has been mistaken
for one or the other of them. He walks
sixteen miles daily to get reading mat
ter in the public library.
He believes in rcincarnation, and says
he Is not n fanatic. He was graduated
from a medical college in New York
and was n classmatc of DR.. Kellogg Of
Battle Creek.
Mr.. Wheeler was born in Kent county,
Ontario in 1871. At the age of seventeen
he began teaching school and laid the
foundation for the philosophy which is
later years absorbed his entire existence.
ward, his wife died, hs made up his mind
to spend no more time in searching for
the material pleasures of life, but to
intellect and imparting his discoveries in
the field of learning to others. With this
in view he went to New York and enter
ed the college. After graduation he re-
turned to Michigan.
Il believe l have had the most won.
derful experience OF anV human being
living" he said. Il have practically died
and lived again. Not long after gradua-
ton | was swimming with a number of
companions when suddenly went down.
1t was several minutes before my friends
missed me. and when they finally located
my body I was Unconscious.
"A doctor was summoned from half
a mile away, and when he arrived he
pronounced me dead. | was taken to
my boarding house and another doctor,
who lived mile away, was sent for.
He too pronounced me dead.
While the fact that | regained con-
sciousncss after so many hours is not
so remarkable, it is remarkable that.
while apparently dead, / was never
more fully alive in my life. But was
a part distinct from my body. I could
tell the persons about me everything
that happened while I lay unable to
cred many things. Much was revealed
TO me that would sound preposterous
to relate. But the one thing i do re-
member is the queer sensation of dy-
ing.
VIEWS OWN BODY FROM ABOVE.
Dying is delightful; of that I am
sure. After losing consciousness my
body, am told. sank to the bottom Of
the lake. but the other self ed to
float away from my body and soar
above the water. / looked down and
could see my body. l saw the rescuers
find it and place it on the bank | then
seemed to return to the heshly prison
and again became part of it, but was
incapable of giving it volition
Il exerted all my strength. but !
could cause no movement of the mus
cles. Finally l seemed to secure a
hrmer grasp on things, and almost in
stantiy regained consciousness In
That fieeting moment between the con-
scious and the unconscious state the
thought of returning to life was re-
pugnant. 1t seemed like a return to
prison after a tour of the outside.
Prior to that experience I had been
an agnostic. -disbeleving In a hereafter
or spiritual state Of existenca; but now
my whole point of view of life Is changed
/ have never since doubted the spiritual
existence. A man is double. and the body
is not part of him. don't want to be
classed as spiritualist; in fact. I don't
care to be labelled AT all, although
theosophy comes nearest to my belief.
believe In reincarnation and that death
simply turns man inside out
4 teach the divinity OF every hu-
man being. Had God endowed some with
virtues and created others with a ten
dency toward crime II would have been
an injustice. Each man is endowed the
same as every other, and the RESPONSE
Oily OF making the most of life is thrown
on the individual"
In 1903 he came to Grand Rapids in
railing health. With money contributed
by friends home was built for the kind
~ old philosopher in Ivanrest. and there
he has lived ever since. Every day, win
ter or Summer. he has walked the eight
miles to Grand Rapids, spent several
hours reading in the Ryerson public
library, and walked home again. His
scholarly appearance is accumulated bv
Nigh bold forehead. while n snowy
beard and white fringe OF hair give hin,
very venerable appearance. He 10 slight
OF puiid' wfry and qiuck OF motion, and
ne believes he Will reach the century
mark.