Thesecases，however，areveryrareincomparisonwiththetotalnumberofdeaths。InmostcasesIimaginethatthedeadmanistoopreoccupiedwithhisownamazingexperiencetohavemuchthoughtforothers。Hesoonfinds，tohissurprise，thatthoughheendeavourstocommunicatewiththosewhomhesees，hisetherealvoiceandhisetherealtouchareequallyunabletomakeanyimpressionuponthosehumanorganswhichareonlyattunedtocoarserstimuli。Itisafairsubjectforspeculation，Page66
whetherafullerknowledgeofthoselightrayswhichweknowtoexistoneithersideofthespectrum，orofthosesoundswhichwecanprovebythevibrationsofadiaphragmtoexist，althoughtheyaretoohighformortalear，maynotbringussomefurtherpsychicalknowledge。Settingthataside，however，letusfollowthefortunesofthedepartingspirit。
Heispresentlyawarethatthereareothersintheroombesidesthosewhowerethereinlife，andamongtheseothers，whoseemtohimassubstantialastheliving，thereappearfamiliarfaces，andhefindshishandgraspedorhislipskissedbythosewhomhehadlovedandlost。Thenintheircompany，andwiththehelpandguidanceofsomemoreradiantbeingwhohasstoodbyandwaitedforthenewcomer，hedriftstohisownsurprisethroughallsolidobstaclesandoutuponhisnewlife。
Thisisadefinitestatement，andthisisthestorytoldbyoneaftertheotherwithaconsistencywhichimpelsbelief。Itisalreadyverydifferentfromanyoldtheology。TheSpiritisnotaglorifiedangelorgoblindamned，butitissimplythepersonhimself，Page67
containingallhisstrengthandweakness，hiswisdomandhisfolly，exactlyashehasretainedhispersonalappearance。Wecanwellbelievethatthemostfrivolousandfoolishwouldbeawedintodecencybysotremendousanexperience，butimpressionssoonbecomeblunted，theoldnaturemaysoonreassertitselfinnewsurroundings，andthefrivolousstillsurvive，asourseanceroomscantestify。