distance of one hundred miles, more or less; above this zone, is another and another, to the number of twelve; each zone is a 'Sphere' and its inhabitants are divided off into classes, degrees, societies and circles. All the zones are diversified with real and absolute rivers, trees, mountains, lakes, landscapes, cities, and so on, just as is the material globe; and all these things are fixtures. Such, in brief, are the general ideas on the subject entertained by the people; and such as I had believed and conceived to be true. But when I came to pass through the change, and to realize the new condition, I ascertained that so far from being founded in reality, they were simply—nonsense!
According to the foregoing, which is confessedly the most popular conception of the realms beyond, and of its inhabitants, that world is scarcely better than the one that mortals occupy. These notions totally ignore Spirit; for, according to them, Spirit is nothing more than matter in an exceedingly refined, or rather, sublimated, condition; whereas Spirit is no such thing. True, it animates material things, but itself is not material. It is above, beyond, and discreted from it. Like the asymptotes of an arc, it forever approaches, but never actually contacts matter. The same general theory accords mankind an origin here in space and time merely, and at best predicates but sempiternity, or a future endless duration for him; whereas, if soul begins to be at all on the plane of earth and matter, it must have but a very ill-grounded assurance of an endless race. No, this is not correct; for Soul, like God, is from forever in the past, to forever in the distance; and so far from originating on the earth, it has for myriads of æons sped
