THE SPIRIT WORLD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16320, 8 January 1921, Page 7

THE SPIRIT WORLD.

MESSAGE FOR ARMISTICE DAY.

SHADE OF W. T. STEAD. Mr Peter Trolove recently received from Miss E. W. Stead, daughter of t,be late W. T. Stead, the following communication, which Mr Trolove ha* requested us to print: A MESSAGE FOR ARMISTICE DAY. We -were sitting by the fireside and talking of the GREAT DAY and all that it stands for, when we suddenly realised t hat we were no longer atone —no door had opened, but some one had joined us. We felt his presence and dimlv we saw him beside us. We realised it was for some special purpose that he had come. We waited quietly—“hen came the request- “Your sympathy arid help; I have a -message I would giro to sorrowing humanity for this GREAT DAY.” We felt his love and we felt his power, and we did what was asked and he gave his message. And whosoever you may be--whatsoever you may believe—we feel that we owe it to you. and to him who gave it, to give you at least the chance to read it.—E. W. STEAD and E. P. WOODMAN. THE MESSAGE “ A blank, my lord. She never told her love.”—That in itself is the essence of the people’s attitude to all that is great and noble and really tine. *“ A blank We never told our love, we hid it—we strove with all our physical power to hide our love, our feelings, our terrors and fears, our admiration aqd our honour of and for them and the pride we felt—we hid it—” A blank, my loid!”—we never told our love . But—words have passed beyond our need. That which you all needed words to express, and words you all failed to use. is now passed beyond that, and your thoughts reveal to all our spirit boys ” the greatness of your loves and your pride in all that they have achieved and in all they have suffered. There is more expressed in your thoughts than in all the eloquenee of words used by great men or kings. I would like to be able to stand on the top of vour highest building and be given a voice that might be heard all over the Empire to speak to the hearts of all the people on earth. I could give them a message of comfort ; not an eloquent message such as are the words of Christ, but a message of the twentieth century which would, because of their ignorance, mean more to them than the wonderful words which they clc not read. They would find more than I could say if they did read, but they will not. Therefore, I would like to speak to them, and to say to them, very truly, that their inner thoughts are very really known by all those who have passed to this Spirit World. I see many, many people hoping, wishing, and thinking that their love reaches to those who have passed. Oh ! had 1 but the tongue to speak to you words which would bum to your very souls—words of such certainty and strength of conviction ! Grief would be no more known among yon ; sorrow would leave you; difficulties would remain, for by these you are- intended to gain knowledge ; but faith would bring among the laden world slicW confidence and hope that all the minor difficulties, the unreal difficulties; would leave you—they would cease to be.

If it were possible I would speak to mankind and tell them not of the horrors and the suffering of the dear men who have “ died,” not of that at all would I wish to speak, but rather of the everlasting love that is between you—that has been 7nanifested to you in many ways. I would speak of the joy they have in knowing themselves remembered, and remembered as being in the family circle still. I would tell all the vast masses to rejoice, to meet together in gladness, not in sorrow at the foot of your memorial. Meet to celebrate the victory of life over suffering and horror. Death enters not here ! There is no death l

I would speak of life only, manifested in many ways—as is love. Where do you find death? You find change all around you. but you find oot death all around you. Death, as you know it, is change, and change is all around you—but love is not death nor change. There is no change in love and there is no death of love.

I would speak to them so that they might not follow me easily, for what is easily absorbed is easily cast out. I would speak in difficult ways, ways that need a little thought, and then in the sifting a little at least would be learnt; for it is not only what we do that matters in our lives, but also that which we intend to do. Ideals are great things, and lead far even if we never attain thorn —it is a far greater thing not to have attained the ideal than never to have had it.

Tell them to look upon your Cenotaph as the embodiment of Christ’s teaching * —a symbol of suffering and sacrifice, but far more than that, as the symbol of human and Divine Love. Oh ! if love were but tai/ghfc and understood. There is nothing yet achieved which has not its driving force in love; nothing attained by individuals. or collected numbers, small or big nations but by individual lore. Love is the driving force always and ever; and if you can tell humanity to collect togetfier at the foot of Christ’s Memorial—your Tommies’ and give a moment’s thought to love, they will transform their own lives— they will re-create their spirit-consciousness, and they will advance the banner of God and of oommonsense throughout the entire world ; and with that should come the Millennium. Oh. it is reallv so small a thing to accomplish if only as a whole you would do it ! God’s in His heaven, all’s right with the world. We know it, and on our Great Day. near at hand, I would give my spirit life to be able to stand on your building there and say to king and subject: ‘"Remember all of you that God is not only in His Heaven,

but is with you in your hearts, and if you desist from your policy of ‘ A blank, my Lord!’ and come face to face with material and spiritual facts, you can have a Heaven amQng yourselves, and have your sons, and husbands. and lovers. and friends--in fact, God with you and part of you—you need never ask more. W. T STEAD. * From “ Twelfth Night.’’ Duke ... make no compare Between that love a woman oan bear me, And that I owe Olivia. Vio: Ay, but I know, — Duke: What dost thou knor’ Vio: Too well wbat love women to men may owe; In faith, they are a« true of heart as we. M\ father had a daughter loved a man. As i might be. perhaps, were I a woman, I should your lordship. Duke And what/s her history? Vio. A blank, my lord. She never told her love. •» . Bu< let concealment, like a worm 1 the bud. . Feed on her damask cheek: she pined m thought: And. with a green and yellow melancholy, She sat like Patience on a monument. Smiling at grief. Was not this love, indeed ?