orientation in this regard: the next world was very definitely conceived, belief in the immortality of the soul was intense; and Christians had the word of the Master that, going to the next world, he would still be with them, and would teach and strengthen them through his Spirit.
It is, therefore, not to be wondered at that Christians not only believed angelic or other spirits to speak into their hearts—that is, into the undermind or subliminal consciousness; but that the Church soon came to believe also that the heavenly visitants were often the spirits of departed and canonized saints, who appeared and spoke to the senses of the conscious mind, as in the case of Joan of Arc, and of countless other persons, who saw visions. Very likely they were right too: if the souls of the dead are immortal and dwell in another plane, the strange thing would be—not that we should have glimpses of them now and then—but that they should never show any sign of their existence, that the veil, as we say, should never be lifted; since this 'veil' is probably only a defect of our present rather gross existence, and the object of religious people is, in Browning's words, 'to wear the thickness thin, and let men see'. Thus very curiously there have gone side by side the belief in communication with departed saints and the horror of communication with departed Christians in general. This aversion has been strengthened by
