HEAVEN

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27050, 27 May 1953, Page 12

HEAVEN

Sir, —In reply to I. G. Campbell, the word “purgatory” is not in the Bible, but we read that nothing defiled shall enter heaven, and that some will be save “yet so as by fire.” The Catholic catechism says, “Purgatory is a place where souls suffer for a time after death on account of their sins.” It is a merciful provision for those who are not fully fit for heaven when they die. A. H. Stott says We need neither Pope nor priest to interpret the Bible for us. I suggest that this correspondence proves that we do need help from those whom God has authorised to teach us.—Yours, etc., G. F. SEWARD. May 26, 1953.

Sir,—lt is more than distressing that! people still have the strange old idea that heaven or hell is the place you step into when you die. Heaven means life .in the presence of God, the full “abundant” life of happy activity. Hell is the opposite; existence without God, in which self is the most important factor. The pternal immortal life of the children of God begins now and here, and we are all on the journey.— Yours, etc., HERE AND NOW. Hororata, May 22, 1953.

Sir,—Heaven is not a state of mind, but an actual place of abode. It is the highest vibration of the spirit world. The spirit world is a world of vibrations, varying in degree and placed one on top of each other. Christ spoke of His Father’s many mansions. The lowest vibration, the one we enter after death, is paradise. Christ said to the thieves on the Cross, “Tomorrow you will be with me in paradise.” The highest vibration is heaven, a place of great poWr and too powerful for our spirits to enter immediately. We progress towards it in stages; each vibration we pass through gives us stronger power. There is no purgatory or hell-fire after death; there is spiritual evolution through the vibrations. Some of us move slowly, some quickly, according to negative or positive thoughts and actions.—Yours, etc., „ . EVOLI. Rangiora, May 25, 1953. Sir, —I can see no objection to the Dean referring to heaven as a “state” and not a “place.” Science has made giant strides during the last 2000 years, and even the Disciples could not grasp Christ’s teaching of a heavenly kingdom, but thought right up to the time of the Resurrection of an earthly kingdom. Jesus used wordpictures a great deal, as we do in trying to explain things to children that are beyond their understanding Christ taught according to the knowled£l^nd understanding of the people of 2000 years ago, and surely if He left His spiritual state of being whichh we call heaven, to enter again the material place called earth, He would teach us the great truths of His Fathers loye and plans for our continumg spiritual life when we are freed from the restrictions of our material bodies, in the light of the srientiflc knowledge we now possess.— Yours, etc.,

May 25, 1953. - BEBE. [Subject to the right of reply of -C. McKay this correspondence is now closed:—Ed., "The Press."]