The Passing of Souls

There is no death. If the world were redeemed and all the children of men were healed, the withdrawal would not appear to be what it stands for to-day. What is named death would be thought of only as the setting of the Star of Life beneath the horizon of time on this world. It would be regarded as the completion by the Soul of the circuit of its Earth journey during this life, and its passing on to higher spheres with radiant countenance. Nor would those left behind clothe themselves in the sackcloth of mourning because of any sense of earthly loss, for they would know that there was no real loss nor separation, though the personal manifestation would be missed for a time. They would be able to look upon the beloved ones in their passing full of the consciousness that there is no death, nor any permanent loss or separation. And they would be able to sing pćans of triumphant song, and give praise and thanksgiving for the sacred privilege of having had the companionship and fellowship of the beloved ones.

It is a great betrayal and a strange mirage of the truth, to designate the passing over of Souls as death, and make of the event an object of mourning and opportunity for a spectacular display. Such a world-geist interpretation could not obtain and prevail with those who should know, were it not begotten of spiritual darkness through the veiling of GOD’s Lamp upon their Altar. It is most sad and a real cause for grief, that the shades of the Hadean Realms should prevail where the Light of GOD’s Presence should shine.

All ye who should know the truth, unto whom the Light from on High has once more come, upon whose Altar the Cloud of His glory rests and unto whom the Shekinah is again unveiled, must understand that the passing over of Souls is not death but only the entrance upon another sphere of the human Soul-star, to shine and serve elsewhere, and that there should be no such mournful pageantry associated with the passing as the world rejoices in during the service in memoriam. The garments worn for the occasion reveal the spiritual darkness of those who profess to mourn for the one gone. But with you it surely must be otherwise. If those who are to be arrayed in White Raiment bye and bye, and stand in consciousness before His Presence, pass from you to enter upon that most blessed experience in the Heavens, then surely garments expressive of hope and joy should be the raiment most befitting for those who are left on this side.

Seen from the Inner Worlds, how different everything seems! And the event is often one of very deep interest and joy. When the time approaches for the earthly setting of the Soul, attendants draw near. The setting is expected, and the need anticipated. “Behold he cometh” and “she cometh”, may be heard repeated from those who watch and serve. In most Souls during their passing the Being has to be withdrawn. Very few have yet attained the estate and power by which they can take flight immediately out of their vehicles into the Angelic realms, so special attendants are appointed to help them. As the hour of withdrawal approaches, these draw near to gradually withdraw the Being from the vehicle. In some instances it takes several earth-days to accomplish this fully. In many instances the time is longer. If it should take longer because of many obstacles in the way, it indicates the bondage of the Soul to material things. The Soul may be in bondage to the vehicle to such an extent that, though it must needs leave the latter, it continues for a time to dwell in an earthly atmosphere.

How lovely these attendants are in their ministrations! They understand. They do not hurt any one in their ministries of withdrawing. They are full of blessing. They comfort. They not only speak comfort, but their very touch is full of heavenly balm. They even ask the Soul to let go the things it has been cherishing, in order that they may bear it away. And if the Soul can endure the vibrations, especially if it has found liberation at the very beginning, then it is borne to its own place – that is the place which it can endure for the time being.

“In my FATHER’S Home are many dwelling places”. No one goes to the wrong place. No one, even by Angels, can be borne to a sphere where the magnetic conditions would be too much for the individual life. There is such perfect ministry from the Heavens, even in the passing of Souls, that no mistake is made. Think of that! There is no failure on the other side. Those who minister to your dear ones as they are taken, will minister also unto you when the time has come for you to lay down your earth-burdens and pass on to the higher spheres of ministry.

All Souls are ministered unto in the degree in which they can receive; and they are borne to the realm for which their inner life qualifies them. We all have one life. The same Mystery is in all. But the degree in which each one realizes that Mystery, according to such will be the home whither that Soul will be borne.

The Heavens’ Ritual is entirely lacking in the earthly pageantry; but the ministry is none the less effective on that account. Indeed it is the more effective. It is real. There is joy in the passing of those who are able to receive the ministries which the attendants have come to render. To them the passing of Souls is a beautiful thing; and it should be always so for you. Fear it not. When your dear ones are passing, dread not. “Let not your heart be troubled, neither be ye fearful”. In the FATHER-MOTHER’S Household there are many dwelling places, and each one finds the right dwelling place. It is known beforehand where that Soul may be taken, for the ministrants are enlightened concerning what they will do. There is no questioning on the other side. They never have to say Where shall we take this one? It is known. So the new arrival is borne into an atmosphere which is full of comfort and healing, exhilaration and light. When the conflict on the Earth’s planes has been great (and such an experience often happens in these days of terrible stress and travail), the new arrival is taken temporarily into what you might call a ‘Home’ in spheres which would be intermediary to that Soul, in order to comfort it, and allow its sorrow to be dried up. For in the place of sorrow will come Divine joy as the streams of the Life-giving magnetic and electric force come from the Heavens; for these are so accommodated to the need of the recipient that they can be received. Thus is the Soul so strengthened that it can continue its journey upward.

Such is the Ritual of the passing of Souls on the other side. And it is in great contrast to the passing of the poor and needy who have but few to mourn them on the earth-planes. This latter experience is most fortunate; for it limits the amount of sorrow to be comforted and healed. And they are met by all they need on the other side. They are floated into and borne upon the bosom of a Sea of Love that never fails, where they find comfort and peace, joy and the riches of which they were deprived on the earth-planes – the riches that never fade away, and the joy they knew little of here because of their impoverishment and travailing, the joy that brings with it no tarnishing, and that fails not to rejoice the Being. Such an experience changes only in its measure from joy to joy.

In what strange contrast is such a ritual and service, even for a kingly one who passes, compared to the earthly pageantry, which to a noble Soul must be most painful. The very thoughts of the multitude are sufficient to prevent such an one from rising. How little, how very little, the children of Earth understand GOD’s Mysteries, even in the rising and setting of Souls!

From the booklet The Passing of Souls by John Todd Ferrier.
© The Order of the Cross

The quotation from The Continuity of Consciousness relates to the above.

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