SPIRITUALIST CHURCH

Evening Star, Issue 22443, 14 September 1936, Page 14

SPIRITUALIST CHURCH

Another impressive trance address ■was delivered at the Spiritualist Church last night through Mr Reuben A. Webb, the chosen subject being, ‘ Compensation and Retribution in the Light of Modern Spiritualism.’ The Bible reading by the president (Mr R. N. Ridd) was from Psalm viii., and Mr Webb’s opening prayer was for peace and international brotherhood. At the outset of the address Mr Webb’s control remarked that, in years gone by particularly, the dragon of fear had been too often introduced into religion; people had been told that if they did not believe in a certain creed or worship in a certain way they would receive due nunishment and miss great rewards. Modern Spiritualism, however, was not presented in that light at all. People were not asked to believe without questioning; modern Spiritualism was a religion of demonstration and of instruction, and one embracing fine ethical teachings, one of which was: Compensation and retribution here and hereafter for all deeds committed or left undone; for the good or the not so good;, for that which had been splendidly done or that which had failed. Compensation and retribution had been spoken of in the old Christian teachings, hut had been associated with

the rewards of heaven and the punishments of hell. But now there were more progressive teachings concerning these things, and it had to be realised that all people on this earth plane were already spiritual beings living for a short period in physical bodies. Each one had a brain, which was supposed to be the seat of the mind; or a heart, which was supposed to be the seat of the emotions, and strong inward sensations, or feelings, of premonition, of inspiration. Realisation of this brought the dawning of light regarding the question of life’s rewards and punishments, for compensation and retribution were wrapped up in one’s very being, and every moment of existence was pregnant with these two great aspects, the positive and the negative, of life. It was not necessary to wait until after death to experience these things; they are in operation now and all the time, and many had already experienced their portion. Many would have atoned sufficiently while on earth for past mistakes; those moments of anguish which had been felt formed part of that atonement, and gradually wo might receive retribution until the bill was paid. This judgment was going on all the time; there was no waiting for some far-off judgment day; every day was judgment day. There were, however, some things which had sunk so deeply into 'the mind that it would not bo until

w r e had reached the spiritual world that full retribution would be experienced; things which had tarnished the pristine glory of the individual spirit. But, even so, it must not be thought that there was an angry God awaiting us, or a Doomsday Book in which our names were set down for punishment. God had given us a creative nature, and we were our own judges. Retribution might be worked out on “ the other side ” by returning to earth in spirit, and giving love and sympathy to those who had been injured; though it was not a fact that all angel messengers who came to help us here were doing so in order to. work out their own salvation, many came through pure, intense love to guide ns in the upward path. The control went on to urge his hearers to be compassionate to everyone, to judge not, but to so order their lives that compensation and retribution might ho adjusted while they were on the eartli piano. At the conclusion of the service Mrs Elizabeth Webb delivered a number of clairvoyant messages to those present. During the evening, also, a local singer rendered a vocal solo.