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Word Gems 

exploring self-realization, sacred personhood, and full humanity

Summerland

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Channeled information via the mediumship of Mrs. J.A. Samson Lender, receiving testimony from her daughter Mrs. Effie Shirey in Summerland, published in the book “The Angels Diary and Celestion Study of Man” (1903).

Prefatory note: The term “angel” is sometimes used herein but without reference to the mythical winged creatures of religious art; instead, read the term as “spirit-person human being.”

Effie is speaking: 

In the world where I dwelt but yesterday, it was cold and cloudy and the ground was carpeted thickly with snow. Today is summer, flowers are blooming everywhere, the air is sweet with fragrance and countless numbers of birds are flitting from tree to tree singing their songs of gladness…

Well, there are many strange and wonderful things before me. I long to know more of this wonderful life. The dear brother is coming presently to take me to a beautiful affair that is going on somewhere in this grand world. I am so enraptured with the thought and am so anxious.

How beautiful life seemed. My soul was filled with gladness as I waited for my darling brother to come to me. I was glad to see his happy, smiling face, and soon we were walking together through the beautiful country that abounds in such new and wonderful scenery. I thought to myself, "It is winter upon the material plane and I have been transported suddenly into a Summerland.”

My soul was filled with joyful anticipation of what was to come. I was like a little child who knows no sorrow… I was so happy and interested in all that I saw about me that I did not even ask my darling brother where it was that we were going. I felt content to wander on and on for any length of time amid such glorious scenes as I saw about me.

Occasionally the thought occurred to me, “Am I dreaming, and shall I suddenly wake up to the old life far away upon the earth?” Everything seemed to be so satisfying. It was beautiful to think of, to see everyone provided for and no thought of envy or selfishness in any soul…

We saw beautiful little summer houses or pagodas, covered with flowering vines, and then we would enter and view for a while the surrounding scenery. Nature certainly did look very beautiful bathed in the soft light that was sometimes rose color, sometimes blue, and then, again, the most brilliant, beautiful green that I had ever seen. Everybody was young and there was eternity to live in…

Presently we came to a beautiful grove, where great numbers of people were assembled. The trees seemed to be hung with festoons of brilliant flowers, and roses of different colors seemed to form a carpet for the feet. I wondered what kind of a gathering or fete it might be, and presently three beautiful angels came forward bearing in their arms a robe formed of delicate pink roses.

As they came near they threw the robe over me, saying, Welcome, dear heart, and then I learned that the relatives of my father and mother for several generations back had gathered here in a reunion to celebrate the advent of a new member to the heavenly land. I was the new member and the guest of honor upon this occasion. I thought of my darling mother and wished that she might have seen me in that pink flower-robe with my long black hair falling nearly to my feet. (My spiritual hair is much longer and more abundant than the hair that had adorned my head in material life.)

Surely, I thought, it would make anybody wish to pass to this higher life could they know how wonderful it is. The festivities that followed were beautiful indeed, and there were many things that were entirely beyond the comprehension of a material mind. One beautiful angel whose name I learned to be Alice Samson, sang most beautifully. I never in my years of life had heard such a magnificent voice. The memory of those tones will linger in my mind throughout all time. As she sang the listeners threw beautiful flowers at her, forming a brilliant -hued platform about her. It was very beautiful and inspiring, and filled me with a delight that I had never experienced.

In the center of the grove upon a table formed of white roses, was spread all sorts of spiritual food in the way of fruit, and deep flower-cups held the spiritual liquid. It was certainly very delightful to be the honored guest in such beautiful company. It seemed to me that I had never been quite so happy. The liquid and fruit that I tasted filled me with a new sensation that I had never experienced before. I was continually wondering what new surprise awaited me. I could see a soft and beautiful light [aura] emanating from the persons about me. I learned that it was the electric ether showing the spirituality of the individuals, the light surrounding some being more than that of others.

The spiritual food [beyond the pleasantness offered] I learned did not build up any portion of the spiritual body; it only helped to increase the higher vibrations, making the individual more spiritual.

A procession composed of tiny angels [little girls] wearing flower- robes and bearing festoons of flowers was very pretty indeed. I thought of the mothers whose little children had been taken to this beautiful world, and it seemed to me that if they only knew they would not grieve so much for their little ones.

There in the beautiful grove I took in the grand picture before me: the white-robed angels in their flowing hair and white, cloud-like garments ; the little children floating, gliding through the air and showering down their armfuls of fragrant flowers; then the soft-tinted light that shone upon the scene, changing continually to the most beautiful colors, many of which I had never beheld before.

Such peace, such harmony seemed to abound, and the dear brother whispered to me, “Sister, you have heard of that peace that passeth understanding' - it is that which you experience now; it is the peace of heaven which the world cannot give."

It seemed so delightful to be in the midst of such beautiful scenery and pleasant company, and feel that time was not passing and one would not have to think of some duty that might call him away.

After delightful music, vocal and instrumental, and several interesting talks by different members of the company, all were invited to meet in the palatial home of Joseph Samson. This was a palace of grandeur, a short distance from the grove where the festivities had been held. The building itself appeared to be formed of white crystal with soft light over it like the colors of an opal. There were no doors to the building, but it was a very easy matter to glide in through the walls. The interior of the mansion exceeded my brightest dreams or imaginings of palatial grandeur. Down the center of the building was a long archway about fifty feet wide, and a marble fountain in the form of an angel throwing up sprays of fragrant colored water. Red lotus flowers were growing in the basin of the fountain, and gorgeous hued butterflies and birds of brilliant plumage were fluttering about like flashes of brilliant light.

The long archway itself seemed to be formed of electricity. I learned that the occupants of this delightful mansion were ancestors of my father and had been many years in the heavenly world and were very highly spiritualized individuals.

Upon either side of the archway just mentioned were pictures upon the crystal walls, many of which I could not understand. They did not appear to be paintings, for they kept changing to different scenes. As I was trying to fathom the mystery, a scholarly-looking angel in a white tunic, belted at the waist, said to me, “Think of something that you would like to see reproduced.” I thought at once of the dear mother far away upon the earth plane, and lo, her picture in life size appeared upon the crystal walls. This was something very novel and new to me, and for quite awhile I interested myself in producing pictures.

As I said before, I saw pictures that I could not understand; they were the thoughts and soul-pictures of the spiritual beings who passed through this place, many of whom had been developing and unfolding for thousands of years. It occurred to me that one should be very careful of his thoughts and train himself to high and lofty ideas.

t was delightful to be privileged to enter such a place. It seemed to me that I must be worthy or I would not be permitted, but still I could not but wonder how one who had so lately passed from earth with naturally many weaknesses should be privileged to meet here with such highly developed beings.

After passing through the long archway we came to the gallery of art, where there are works of art from many of the great masters — Michael Angelo, Murillo, - and others who had never lived upon the material plane. Never in my life had I looked upon such magnificent works of art.

The paintings had been produced upon the walls and were not hung there. About each picture were brilliant stars of different colors, and these made a sort of frame to the picture as well as showed it in its proper light; some pictures requiring a blue light, others rose color and still others a soft, mellow , yellow light. What a place this is for the lover of art. I thought to myself how happy must have been the artist who was privileged to produce the work of his soul amid such peace and exquisite harmony.

One picture that I admired very much was entitled “The Eternal Judgment,” showing the love of God. It seems that Michael Angelo, while he was on earth, painted a masterpiece at Rome entitled "The Last Judgment.” In that picture he depicted the wrath of God upon the Day of Judgment. After Angelo passed to the spiritual world he saw that he had made a mistake in painting his "Last Judgment," and so whenever he might be permitted in the homes of heaven he produced a heavenly masterpiece showing the love and compassion of God for his weak and erring children.

I must not take too long a time in describing the pictures, for there were many of them, many thousands in fact, and it would be impossible to enumerate them all.

Leading out from this gallery of art were the rainbow rooms. These rooms were arranged in the form of a rainbow, being formed of the colors violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and red. The violet room was inlaid with amethysts. They were set so closely together as to form a broad arch of solid amethysts. The next room was set with dark blue jewels, having the shape of diamonds. The third room was of light blue jewels. The fourth was of emeralds. The fifth of yellow topaz. The sixth of a deep orange jewel whose name I did not know, and the seventh was formed of garnets and rubies. The interior of each of these rooms was of the same color as the exterior and beautiful jewels shed their light upon the articles to be found in these rooms. What a wonderful home this is.

I was continually wondering what new wonder was to appear before me. The music room and concert hall were very inspiring with the tones of soft, melodious music vibrating frequently, with no hands touching the instruments. I learned that one had but to sing an air to himself and immediately the vibration would be produced upon the delicate-toned instruments and they played music sweeter, softer and finer than any ever heard upon an instrument of earth. I began to see now the wonderful powers of the spiritual mind, unhampered by the physical.

I was interested in the Scientific Laboratory of this magnificent home. Here all the wonders of science were made clear; electricity was explained and how it works; the difference between magnetism and electricity; how inspiration was given to a material brain by an angelic being; the birth and evolution of a thought; gravitation and many, many things that I cannot explain in writing.

Many scientists of heaven were gathered in this laboratory and when they had worked out wonderful a idea they immediately took it to the earth plane and gave it to Tesla, Flammarion, Edison or some other inventor by way of inspiration. It certainly was very wonderful to learn of the many forms of electricity. I saw many scientific problems worked…

It seemed that I spent days in that delightful home, but there was nothing to indicate the flight of time— no weariness, no darkness, or no hunger. It was certainly very delightful. It was like a vivid , beautiful dream. The people that I met inspired me with their intellectual force and spiritual ability. It will certainly be very helpful to me, I thought, to have had this experience.

One other very interesting room contained collections gathered from the higher spheres, many of which I have never formed the slightest conception of before. Later on in my writings I will explain this celestial room...