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Riddle has progressed to a new spiritual sphere,
and he is seeking further progress
February 15, 1915
I am here, your old law partner.
I am now so very happy in my new sphere and cannot explain to you what
this happiness means. I cannot express myself in language sufficiently
strong and descriptive so that you may comprehend my meaning. However,
this I will say, my happiness now transcends all conception of what I
thought happiness might be when as a mortal. I sometimes thought of the
afterlife and the happiness that might be in store for me when I passed
over.
I am in the third sphere, and I am not contented to remain there, for
your mother has told me on many occasions of the far greater happiness
existing in the higher spheres. I am now striving and praying for this
greater happiness, and I will never be contented until I get it.
Your wife is in a much higher sphere and is so very beautiful and so
exceedingly happy that I know that where she lives such happiness must
exist. I am also happy because I have my soulmate with me so very
often, and her love is so great and pure. It leads me on to higher
things and enables me to seek with so much earnestness the great love of
God that I now believe is working for me, if I will only strive to
obtain it.
As you want me to tell you of the laws of the spirit world, I will say
that the one great law is that God is love and that he is willing to bestow
that love on anyone, spirit or mortal, who asks for it. I am not only
very happy but I find that my mind is expanding to a great extent by
reason of this love that I possess. No mortal or spirit can possibly be
filled with this love and not have the wisdom that comes with it.
I am not yet fully conversant with the laws of communication, but I know
enough to be able to say that every spirit is trying to communicate with
their friends on earth. The reason why they are not able is because the
mortals are not in a condition of psychical rapport. I do not know as of
yet why one mortal is susceptible to these influences in such a way as
to be readily understood and another mortal is not. Although, this I do
know, that when the rapport exists, the communications become stronger
with the exercise of their powers. You have this power to a very large
degree, and if you will continue to try to exercise it, you will find
that manifestations of several kinds will be disclosed. Your writing
powers are very great and will grow as you continue to write, and beside
this phase you have the potential ability to have other manifestations,
such as independent voice and slate writing. This latter, I think, will
soon come to you. When it does, you will get messages that will have
great value in convincing you that what you write in this method is
written by the control of your friend’s thoughts in the spirit world.
You will also get the voices very soon, I think, and when you do you
will be able to converse with us in your room at night when you are
alone. We have the opportunity for a greater extent of communicating and
interchanges of thought. I am perfectly delighted at the possibility
given me of writing you in this way. I don’t know of any manifestation
so satisfactory to both spirit and mortal as the writing you are now
doing. So you must believe that I am writing to you and that all the
others of your band are doing the same.
Your father is with me a great deal, and he has helped me very much. He
is now progressing so rapidly that he will soon be with his soulmate in
the fifth sphere. Your mother tells me this, and she knows so many
things pertaining to spiritual progress. I must stop now for you are
tired, and so am I.
So with all my love and blessings.
I am your old partner,
A. G. Riddle
Heaven is a place as well as a condition of the soul
February 27, 1920
I am here, Riddle.
Let me write tonight, as I see that you are anxious to hear from some of
your friends in the spirit world. I have not written for a long time,
though I have been desirous to do so. Tonight, I will say only a few
words in reference to my progress and happiness as a celestial spirit. I
am now in the celestial heavens and know the truth of many things that
have been written to you.
It is a little difficult for me to recite to you the wonders of these
heavens and the perfect happiness that is enjoyed by those spirits who
have found their home and abiding place in the many mansions that Jesus
spoke of while in the flesh.
You must know that heaven is a place as well as a condition,
notwithstanding the fact that so many of the spiritualists teach that it
is only a condition or state of the soul. No, this is not all of the
truth, but is a great part of the truth, for the condition of the soul
determines just what heaven it shall occupy and find its harmony and
happiness. The all-loving Creator has provided that the soul shall have
a place corresponding to its condition in which it may live and
progress. If heaven were only a state of soul, then it would not be a
real, existing place with the substance and reality that the soul, even
in its state of bliss, must have as a necessary accompaniment to the
enjoyment of what God has provided.
Heaven, as a place, is real and independent of the state of the soul,
though it is necessary for the soul to be in a corresponding state in
order that it may enter into this heaven and fully realize that it is a
home suitable for its condition and enjoyment. If it, I mean heaven,
were not a real objective and perceptible place, then the soul would be
limited by its own condition, which would be very narrow, as I may say,
confined to the limits of its own state, and separated from the states
of other souls without the social intercourse that makes heaven a place
of such happiness and contentment. Then every soul would then be in the
condition of the ascetic as in mortal life, and introspection and
contemplation would be the source and only means of possible bliss. Then
the knowledge of those things that are spoken of as beyond the heart of
man to conceive of, and which are truly and certainly provided by God
for the continuous and never-ending progress of the soul towards higher
and greater enjoyment, would have no real, conscious existence.
As man in his earth life is provided with those surroundings and
material things that are intended to make him happy, so in
the heavens things material are provided to enable the soul of man to
better enjoy its own condition. The things of heaven are not all
spiritual, as conceived by so many men. They are partly composed of the
material of the universe and are so constituted and formed to supply the
desires and wishes of the spirit with what will satisfy its longings for
beauty, harmony, and perfect enjoyment.
In the several heavens are homes, real and substantial, which are suited
to the state of the soul. These material things are not subjective, as
so many mortals teach, but are objective as are the things of earth and
the objects of sight and touch and of the other spiritual senses.
When I desire to go into a city and indulge my desires I find a city
with streets and avenues and houses and other things that belong to a
city, just as do you mortals of earth when you visit your cities. When I
desire to go into the country and enjoy the fields and hills and streams
and gardens, they are all here, real and existing, and not the subjects
of mere thoughts or state of my soul. When I am absent from the city or
country, that city or country continues to exist in all its beauty and
magnificence, just as truly as when I am present. Men must know that the
soul in its heavenly life requires these material things and has them,
just as a soul when enveloped in a body of flesh requires the material
things of earth.
While the condition of the soul determines its place of living, that
place is also existing and real and awaits the coming of that soul in a
condition of harmony. In these heavens there is nothing nebulous,
impalpable, or only a reflection or image of the soul’s condition,
everything is real and substantial and lasting as the eternal hills.
When the soul finds its habitation it is a place already prepared for
that soul in accord with its true condition.
If not, heaven would be a place of confusion and of appearances and
disappearances, with no stability or abiding qualities. The many
mansions spoken of by Jesus as existing in his Father’s house would have
no real, permanent being, but would depend for their creation and
existence upon the mere state of the soul. The mansions are there and
change not. Whether or not they shall have occupants depends upon the
harmony of souls in their correspondence with the harmony of God’s laws,
which created these mansions.
I have written you this short description of the
heavens as based upon my knowledge and experience,
devoid of speculation or metaphysical musings.
I am glad that I could write you again. I am very
happy and know that God’s love is a real and transforming
thing sufficient to create in the souls of mortals
and of spirits that state which will enable them
to have and enjoy the mansions in the highest heavens.
I will not write more now, goodnight.
Your friend and brother,
A. G. Riddle
Riddle is in wonderment after seeing
Jesus show his brightness and glory
September 27, 1915
I am here, your old partner.
I will write only a few lines tonight, as I am in such a condition of
wonderment over what took place when Jesus was writing to you last night
that I do not feel able to gather my thoughts for extended writing. But
I want to say that what happened to me was the greatest revelation as to
the character, or rather the attributes, of Jesus that I have seen since
I have been in the spirit world.
When he wrote to you in his emphatic and authoritative manner, he became
transformed into such a being of light and power that none of us could
look upon his countenance. We had to fall upon our faces to hide the
brightness of his presence. I tell you, it was wonderful evidence of his
greatness and power. Never before had I seen him clothed in such
brightness and glory. He was always the most beautiful, of all the
spirits, but never had he displayed before us such appearances, which
made us think that he very well could be a god.
I now know, as never before, that he is the true son of God, and that he
is worthy to follow and believe in. What a wonderful spirit he is, all
love and power and greatness, and yet such humility. I had no conception
that such a combination of attributes could ever exist in the same
spirit, and I cannot help thinking of him and the greatness of his
being. I am so glad that I saw him as he appeared when he wrote because
now I have some conception of what the glory and grandeur of the high
celestial heavens and their inhabitants must be.
I cannot say much more now, except that you surprise me more and more
because of the great favor and blessings you have had conferred upon
you. We are all amazed over it and, of course, happy over the fact. You
must try your best to do this work and fulfill the mission for which you
have been chosen.
Yes, I see the Professor quite often, and he is progressing very
wonderfully in his spiritual growth. He is really a beautiful spirit,
and as you know he was not so on earth. He is now a spirit who shows
that he possesses what he says is the love of God to a wonderful degree.
He is still studying and writing and says that he has written you some
of his thoughts, and they are wonderful, even for the spiritual world.
He is here now and says that he wants to thank you for your inquiry
about him and also wants you to know that he is thinking a great deal of
you.
I will not write more tonight.
I am your old partner,
A. G. Riddle
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