|
During the
last six months the subject matter of this book "Live and
Grow Young" has been given to me in my sleep by those in the
spirit world. Their logic appealed to me. I had always
resented the seeming injustice of the short span of man's
life. But, when my unseen visitors informed me that it was
possible to prolong life by following their advice, my interest
grew until I impatiently awaited these rarely interrupted nightly
talks. Soon I came to realize that these disclosures were
having a beneficent effect on my health. I seemed to shed
years; my viewpoint of life changed; elasticity came into my
step. No books I had ever read, no lectures I had ever heard
had produced such an effect on me as this new revelation. I
not only noticed the remarkable change in myself but many of my
friends commented upon it. In giving this book to the
public, it is my sincere desire and hope that the truth it reveals
will benefit others as it has me.
All my life, even when a
child, I have received messages from the spirit world and they
have greatly influenced my life. When I was 15 years of age
my life's companion was selected for me by this choir invisible,
and I was told that I would marry her when I was 19 years old,
which I did. The wisdom of their selection and my
appreciation of it has been the paramount factor in strengthening
my faith in these leadings.
From the plans and advice
received in this way I have been able to build five western
railroads, 2,500 miles altogether -- more than any other living
man has constructed. By this means I have founded forty odd cities
and villages with a combined population of more than
125,000. I was warned by my nightly visitors not to make
Galveston the terminal of the Kansas City Southern Road because
that city was destined to be destroyed by a tidal wave, which
prediction was fulfilled, tragically, four years later.
Thereupon, I constructed the City of Port Arthur, Texas, and built
the Port Arthur Ship Canal and Harbor under the same guidance, not
deviating from the plans revealed to me in any way.
In 1910 they told me that
a great war would appall and deplete the world and directed me to
write a book on universal peace and dedicate each chapter to Their
Majesties, George, William, and Nicholas, as the future peace of
the world lay in their hands. The book was published by the
Bankers' Publishing Company, of New York, in 1911.
In September, 1914, my
spirit friends dictated to me a second book on universal peace and
indicated outlines for a League of Peace that I am convinced is
workable and seemingly perfect. In this book, they --
through me -- predicted the defeat of Germany; the breaking of the
autocratic power of Russia; that Finland and Poland would regain
their independence, and Jerusalem be returned to the Jews.
This book was published in London, January 1, 1915, under the
title, "To all the World except Germany." The
third book, "The Great Plan," was dictated to me from
the shadow land in 1917 and published by Hodder & Stoughton,
London, in 1918. It contains a complete plan for Universal
Peace -- simple and practicable.
Since that date these
messengers have dictated to me over twenty novels, some
photo-plays and several songs, although I do not know a note of
music. The first novel, "The Light that Never
Failed," has just been issued by Jerrolds, Ltd., London, and
others will soon follow. While the books on peace, like this
message on "Live and Grow Young" came to me serially
night after night each novel was given me complete in one
night. My mind's eye and ear visualized the scene and heard
the text. These books were dictated to me as plainly as
anyone hears ordinary conversation and made such a vivid
impression on my mind that I could reproduce them verbatim years
later. Since these novels and plays are only transcribed by
me, I may be allowed to say a word in praise of them. They
are unusually clean, vital plots and will be a purifying power to
uplift and fill a long-felt want in the photo-play world.
There is no doubt in my
mind that these messages come from the spirit world, and that this
circle of spirits communicates with me by this rare method is
comprised of engineers, poets and authors. Some say it is
due to the operation of my sub-conscious mind. I will not
argue this. This book is no brief for spiritualism. It
contains and exploits the message of "How to Live and Grow
Young." How these truths came and from whom they came,
the reader may surmise for himself; it is immaterial to the
author. However, it is his earnest hope that the book will
fulfill its mission and prove to be of great help to thousands.
The results he has
achieved in this remarkable industrial development of his country
during the past thirty years should make the reader receptive to
this, his guidance, which if followed, should enable the follower
to become the master mechanic of his body, to consider it an
adaptable machine for the expression of harmonious actions in all
organs and functions. Thus, his years will lengthen and
become peaceful and harmonious.
The question will
naturally arise in the mind of the reader -- "IS the Author a
spiritualist?" In the common acceptance of the term, he
is not a spiritualist and he has read very little on the
subject. He has never attended a spiritualist meeting and
has encountered but one medium. He is a
spiritual-lists. He lists for spiritual messages. The
definition of the real spiritual-list he gives to you as it was
dictated to in in the following chapter.
He is fully convinced
that death is but a passing to a new plane of consciousness and
that this truth is more or les withheld from us so that we may not
be distracted from our daily problems. The knowledge of the
reality of immortality has been revealed to a few in every age to
keep the light burning on the altar of faith and the circle
receiving these communications is ever widening. The fact
that messages are received from the spirit world by many is a
foregone conclusion, and since a number of newspapers, led by the
New York Evening World and the Boston Post have published the
autobiography of the author relating these remarkable experiences,
it has brought to him convincing proofs from others from all parts
of the United States. The fact that spirits can
communicate with us is in itself of little moment, and there
may be great danger in attempting to delve too deeply into the
unseen. Messages that appear to be of vital importance to
the world or to those who receive them, should be carefully
weighed and not blindly accepted. It is necessary to stay on
earth, to keep calm and not allow the fact of being able to
communicate with the next plane make the recipient a
"nut"; for life can be wrecked if undue importance is
given to this phenomenon. It is better not to waste time
waiting for them. Attend to your daily affairs and when
messages are received, weigh them well before acting upon them for
the spirit, or spirits, that convey them may be those
whose advice, were they on earth, you would ignore. Death
does not immediately nor necessarily endow man with wisdom.
"Test the Spirits" according to Bible admonition. While
the experiences recorded in these pages are unusual, the author is
not alone in this field. Robert Louis Stevenson states that
all of his novels came the same way -- in his sleep.
Socrates was in constant communication with the other world and
states that the wisdom he handed down to man came from spirit
messengers whom he called Darmones. The author
believes that the prevailing doubt in spiritual communication
withholds this experience from many, but why should those who
believe in the Bible doubt spiritual communication? The
Bible says "Try the Spirits," "Cultivate Spiritual
Gifts," "Despise not Prophesying." It
shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out my
spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall
prophesy and your young men shall see visions, and your old men
shall dream dreams." Abraham, Joseph, Pharaoh,
Israel, Gideon and Daniel told their dreams, were impressed by
them and acted upon them. "Since Samuel's
Ghost appeared to Saul, of course My Brother's Spirit may appear
to me." It was a dream that caused Joseph to
take Christ into Egypt. The Wise Men were warned in a dream
not to return to Herod. History is filled with records of
dreams bringing about great reforms. D. D. Home, the
favorite psychic of kings during the reign of Alexander II,
materialized Nicholas, the father of Alexander II, who recognized
him and following his advice, freed 40,000,000 serfs. It
is said that spiritual messages to the Emperor Joseph of Austria
induced him to grant religious freedom. History tells us
that John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, had spiritual
manifestations in his home for over thirty years. The
Swedenborgian religion is founded on visions. Joan
of Arc changed the history of France by her vision from the spirit
world. From about the age of 13 she declared she heard
heavenly voices which at last became very definite in their
commands to go to the aid of Charles and liberate France. Sir
Arthur Conan Doyle, Sir Oliver Lodge, Maeterlinck, and a host of
eminent and credible witnesses have had convincing proof of
unending life, and if this volume helps to strengthen and
establish this belief, and aids in the acceptance of the message
"Live and Grow Young," the Author will be repaid; but
even if the reader cannot accept it as a message from the spirit
world, the logic in these pages will aid in the task all have
before them of arresting the ravages of time and luring from each
day and year, peace, health, and happiness.
|
