"Listen, Marietta," said the angel; and with her right hand she pressed my temples, and lo! from that deep silence came forth music like the angelic breath, of the most inward and hallowed life of the spirit. I could scarcely hear it; still in softest melody it moved over the octavian organism of my inward being. Until then I had not known that within me were elements which could be awakened to such symphony; or if tuned, could vibrate to the touch of such sacred and interior melody.

As the notes of that spirit of music arose, I thought a new nature was given me to enable me to realize harmony so perfect; and I seemed to blend with it, until my own volition sought to unite, and then—oh! then—I felt the effects of a soul unstrung. Note after note from the invisible source approached this inward life of mine, but no more moved in unison with the music chords of my being; since in striving to blend in the movement they produced discord, and the several cadences were by it repelled and broken like the fall of smooth waters upon some rocky and uneven surface. The music became harsh to me, in that I knew my unlikeness to its nature. Then I suffered. Oh! the agony of that moment. The contrast was dreadful. Every part of my being was out of order. The waves of harmony that moved softly and gently throughout the dome, fell like disturbed waters into my unfitted and discordant heart. I fain would have escaped, for any other condition would be preferable by far. I thought even the arena of mimic worship would better comport with my nature, and there I could more easily harmonize with the prevailing law. But I could not escape. I was a perfect wreck; and each moment rendered my condition more awful, until an hour would appear an age. At length I cried in the bitterness of my soul, "Away; oh! let me fly from this scene. Other music has filled me with delight—other melody rendered me happy. To it I listened; and while I heard I drank in the spirit of the sacred song. But now, by some unknown law, I am prompted to attempt union with this harmonious sweetness, and lo! I am in my unhallowed nature discovered. All are witnesses of my discordance; and to myself I now appear unfit for angelic association, and lost beyond redemption. My spirit is wounded, broken, fallen; no part thereof is adapted to its fellow. Oh! let me fly away where darkness, with her sable pall, may hide me for ever from myself. Angel, veil, oh! veil this light that discovers my deformity, and save me from the torments of this angelic harmony. Oh! is there a deeper hell? Should demons mock around the lost spirit, there would be nothing to awaken this new life, or by calling into action the unstrung spiritual being, crush it with a sense of its unfitness; and no other power but this interior harmony can touch the spirit’s most conscious element, and break up the hidden fountains of the unstrung and unsanctified soul."

Thus I plead to be released by some method, from the light, the harmony, and the bliss that filled to the utmost capacity of enjoyment, the great congregation. My suffering was beyond expression, arid yet at the time I did not consider the cause any farther than the fact that my soul was unstrung. I realized my entire unfitness for the employment, the society, and the happiness. of the members of that paradise. On former occasions I had desired to be admitted with them, and to ever abide in that holy sanctuary, but had not properly considered what qualifications were wanting in me, in order that I could join them in their holy anthems. True, I had witnessed the deformity of the infant spirit, and had with wonder beheld the operations of Grace in its restoration; but never had I understandingly applied this knowledge to myself.

When I felt drawn by the sphere of darkness, and saw the very cloud of death part to receive me, I looked up to the paradisical heaven with a suppliant desire to enter there and be saved. But little did I know that even then, were I permitted to enter as a member into the spirit thereof, that I should suffer excess of agony from the effects of the love and harmony of heaven upon me, so that my condition would involve me in perplexity and misery equal to the deepest hell. In this manner my mind quickly surveyed the entire scene, while pleading for relief, and I was enabled to fully realize my condition, and felt assured that all was lost, and that I was doomed to woe.

At length an angel said, "Marietta, thou art not lost. True, thy deformity is exposed; and thou art suffering by reason of the awakening of thy spirit so as to discern the true state of a discordant soul, and by contrast with goodness thou art brought to a sense of want. In this, perhaps thou wilt be the better prepared to realize the goodness of God in the provisions made for redemption through the Lord Jesus, whom all the heavens adore.

"When thou wast previously admitted into the society of the sanctified, thy discordant condition was mostly holden from thy sight, and thou wast, as a guest, permitted to receive the influence as an outer sacredness which, like holy dew, fell upon thee and watered thy thirsty spirit. But so perfect is the breath of holiness here that it touched thy inner life, all thy latent unfitness appeared in contrast; hence thy suffering. In this also thou art in a measure enabled to discover the wisdom of a benevolent Creator in the bestowment of that Providence which causes spirits of like nature and tendencies, whose habits are established, to incline to like conditions and abodes, so that opposite elements of absolute good and evil, being separate, shall not enhance the misery or annoy the bliss of any class. And thus is revealed why no unclean thing can enter the Holy City, John, the Revelator, saw. For into this sacred Temple, no unholy disembodied spirit could enter. Nor can any law of existence receive the gross, unsanctified soul within that city of interior life whence originated the soft and spirit stirring melody which so much affected thee, nor could the inhabitants of this blessed abode dwell with spirits unreconciled to God in the spheres of darkness. Marietta, behold the goodness of God in the law of being. How palpable would appear the injustice of a Righteous Creator, should he doom to the pales of night, or permit any law to operate so that one of these little ones should perish by being attracted into the deadly magnetism of the abode of guilt, the regions of woe. Their tender and pure natures would writhe beneath the touch of the inflamed passions of those who are abandoned to the madness of insatiable desires. In very deed might God be considered unjust should his law thus expose the innocent. Likewise, there would be a manifest want of mercy in their disposition, should any unsanctified and discordant spirit be impelled, while in that state, into the element of harmony and holiness, since their sufferings must increase in proportion to the degree of light and Supreme Good that pervades the abode of the pure.

"Herein is displayed the wisdom and goodness of God. No absolutely discordant element in the world of spirits mingles with the pure and harmonious. And thus is fulfilled the Sacred Text which saith, when speaking of these conditions; ‘He that is filthy let him be filthy still: he that is righteous let him be righteous still: he that is holy let him be holy still:’ that is, let there be a separation between the qualities of good and evil with the disembodied, and hence let those who are holy enjoy that without warring of evil elements, and let the unholy blend by the law of their affinities. For in the nature of their existence, in contrast with that of the unrighteous, it is justly written that there is an impassable gulf fixed, since these extremes can in no wise blend. Hence it is again written, ‘Whoso is born of God is born of love, and love has no likeness to hatred. Whoso is under the dominion of evil doth not love God.’ If mortals did but realize this law they would strive against evil and cultivate righteousness in themselves, and thus through grace, be prepared for the, spiritual lesson thou canst not now fully learn nor comprehend. What thou hast witnessed and what angels have taught thee, consider, when these scenes are past, and make thou a wise improvement thereof, lest a greater evil, than to realize an entire unfitness for an everlasting inheritance with the Sanctified, befall thee.

"And when thou art restored to external sense and action, look unto Jesus, who alone can prepare thee to return and enjoy the rapture, and engage with the worshipers in this abode of the blessed. Here thou hast learned that the unregenerate cannot become the Companions of these spirits. Weep not, Marietta," said the angel, as I began to yield to grief, "weep not, for a ransome is prepared; in a healing fountain thou mayest wash, by which all the impurity of thy being may be removed. In this rejoice greatly, since through great mercy, Redemption is offered, and those who could not otherwise attain to perfect joy, are exalted from prison vaults to mansions in our Father’s Kingdom. For this grace the saints in heaven praise God, nor cease day or night to utter hymns of thanksgiving to Him who is their Redeemer."

Thus saying, the angel touched my forehead, and a stream of light entered my being, and I arose. "Now," said the angel, "thou mayest listen to the soft notes of the song sung by the infants, who are just admitted from the temples of learning into this great center dome of the infant paradise of instruction."

With sweetness the music of the infant choralists arose from their pure hearts, filling the expanse and swelling into gentle waves, which harmoniously moved along the atmosphere above. But grandeur was added to the scene as I beheld them formed into bands, and uniting class with class, made one throughout—each class being composed of equal numbers, each spirit glowing with the holy fire of the sacred hymn.

Moving from band to band was a female spirit, clothed in raiment pure and white. Upon her head was a crown set with gems, which shone with the brightness of the sun. In her left hand she held an open volume, in her right, a sceptre. She appeared to observe every infant, and to clearly distinguish every voice, so as to know the relation of their different qualities to each other, and thence to all. Likewise, her every movement was noticed by the infants who sought to imitate her even as pupils do their instructors in schools with men.

The parts of music performed were manifold, yet in harmony; and the melody was the beauty of perfection. As they sung, their spirit fingers moved over their soft and mellow-toned harps, while all were increasingly inspired with confidence which, adding to the melody, appeared to blend them into one great soul, whose breath was the spirit and harmony of celestial love.