Passing from the world of spirits to a final home, either in heaven or in hell, is like passing from the natural world into the spiritual world—at least in this respect, that it is effected by a change in the plane of reflection. While we are on earth we cannot reflect apart from ideas of time, space, and matter. We can conceive of spiritual things only as abstractions. We cannot think of them objectively without ascribing to them the properties of nature. We are held in this mode of thinking, not only because of the body through which all sensation must pass to reach our mind, but also because of the pressing needs, responsibilities, and restrictions of the world in which we live. Only occasionally, and for brief periods, can we withdraw ourselves from these limitations, and by a conscious effort focus attention upon spiritual things. This requires an effort that cannot be long sustained. Nor is it possible for us even then, to remove completely the idea of space and time.

When the body dies, these external bonds are removed, and one can begin to reflect apart from them. Nevertheless, everyone has both an external mind and an internal mind. The external mind is active in the presence, and under the influence, of others; and the internal mind can become consciously awake only when one is spiritually alone. When we first awake in the spiritual world, we are separated from all things of the body and its earthly environment; but we are still in contact with other spirits in whose presence we feel and think from the external mind. This mind has been adjusted to society. It has been trained in the forms of politeness and courtesy, and has learned to conform to the customs and ideas of those with whom one is associated. As a result, even in the spiritual world, we at first think and will, speak and act from the external mind when in the presence of other spirits who have similar externals. By gradual stages, however, we seek to express our inner feelings and beliefs. We are attracted to others who are interiorly in sympathy with us. The real joy of our life consists in the expression of these things, and everyone is led by experiences through which we pass, to reflect upon these inner feelings, to become aware of them, and to try to ultimate them in speech and action.

It is of providence that even spirits may be able to conceal the affections of the internal mind, not only when they are evil, but also when they are good. He must be able to conceal them when they are evil in order that he may gain the approbation of others, and their assistance in the achievement of his personal ambitions. But he must be able to conceal them when they are good in order to protect them from injury by others who are opposed to them. There must therefore be degrees of friendship. There must be some with whom we may associate externally and temporarily for the sake of cooperation in a common use or mutual enterprise. There must be others who can share their deeper feelings with mutual understanding and confidence. And there must be some who can freely bare their inmost loves and thoughts to each other without fear or restraint. But every one has the need for privacy—the privacy of thought and affection, of the home, and of each individual life even within the home. Such privacy exists, we are told, even with the celestial angels. Only husband and wife can be together in the inner recesses of the home. Children and close friends may be together with them in the outer courts of the home. Companions and fellow workers may be together in the same society, and there may be contact with others, even with those in hell for some specific purpose, or to perform some special service. But in this case they are clothed in official garments that protect against the violation of the precious things within their hearts and minds.

When one first enters the spiritual world there are, except in very rare cases, many things in the external mind that are not in harmony with the internal mind. During one's sojourn in the world of spirits these disharmonies are gradually brought to light. As one reflects more and more upon one's inner states, the discrepancy becomes apparent, and one feels an increasing urge to remove that which is contrary to his inmost love. The opposition between the two becomes evident by contact with others that cause some to reflect upon one's deeper feelings. Gradually one learns to reflect more often and more persistently, and by degrees such reflection becomes easier, more natural and more delightful, until it becomes a second nature, and one lives altogether in the internal mind. As this change takes place one draws near to one's permanent spiritual home.

The state that is characteristic of both heaven and hell is one in which one normally and habitually reflects upon the internal mind, and finds in this a sense of peace, of satisfaction, and of happiness that is not otherwise possible. It is a state of freedom, of feeling at home, as among family and friends, and there one wills to stay, feeling under no obligation to go elsewhere. It is a permanent abode that is freely chosen. It is a place where we can think most clearly, act most spontaneously, and express our deepest loves most perfectly. It is therefore where we can perform our individual use to others most fully, and in doing so can feel the greatest delight and happiness. That is the case in heaven because the greatest joy of the angels is to serve others, and through them, to serve the Lord.

In hell, however, the case is quite different. When one's inmost love is evil, one finds satisfaction only in dominating over others, in taking for one's own the goods of others, and finding one's own pleasure in bringing suffering upon others. Evil spirits are brought together, and are held together by these mutual antagonisms which find no fulfillment except in so far as they can be exercised against others. Hell, therefore, is a perpetual clash of opposing wills, a constant warfare, with all its cruelty and hatred. Such evil passions are continually restrained by the laws of the Divine Providence for the protection of the good. They are permitted so far as they may be of use to check the evils of others, to bring punishment upon them and so deter them from worse evils, or to balance one force of evil against another. There is no love of use in hell. There is only the love of gain and of dominion for the sake of which one may work very hard only to be confronted with failure, disappointment and disillusion, because one's real love can never be satisfied. Nevertheless, even in hell, use is the only thing that can sustain human life. The evil spirits discover that they must perform some use in order to secure what to them are the necessities of life-food, clothing and habitation. These are all given freely to the angels, but in hell they cannot be secured without making some useful return. For this reason evil spirits perform in hell something of the use they would have performed gladly and with great joy had they been willing to receive love to the Lord and charity into their hearts. This is the only use of which they are capable. But in hell they are compelled to perform it reluctantly, and in doing so they feel no happiness, but only a constant desire to exercise their malevolent ambition to bring injury to others.

However, evil spirits are reduced to a willingness to perform a use when they have been deterred by the fear of punishment from doing the evil things they love. Then their evil passions are for the time being laid to rest, and by concentration upon some work their external mind is brought into order, and they sense the nearest thing to contentment that is possible to them. The fear of punishment is temporarily in abeyance, and their evil loves do not break forth but merely smoulder beneath the surface. Thus the Lord brings the hells into order and under obedience to His Divine will. Yet He cannot take away completely all their sense of freedom without destroying their life. He must permit the hope of achieving their evil ends to survive, even when they see no immediate possibility of success. He must protect their freedom, and give it free rein just so far as to do so may be turned to some good, and of which the evil spirits can have no idea. But beyond this point it must be strictly restrained, and herein lies the frustration that is the eternal lot of the wicked.

Just the opposite is the case in heaven. When one's inmost love is good, and when one's greatest delight is to serve others and to promote their happiness, there is no need for Divine restriction. When those who have this love in common are associated together, each one can achieve his highest ambition and at the same time assist others to attain theirs. The success of one does not bring with it the failure of another. What one gains does not mean a loss to another. Each one performs his use with no thought of personal reward, feeling his happiness in the happiness of others. Such is the state of peace and joy which it is the Lord's will to impart to everyone. This is the very heaven for the sake of which the entire universe was created. This end of the Divine Providence is achieved in spite of our unwillingness to receive it. For those who refuse it, the Lord provides a hell, where they may still enjoy some measure of life even if the delights thereof are evil. And in His mercy, between heaven and hell there is “a great gulf fixed” to prevent the evil from destroying or even impairing the happiness of the good.

Just a brief word about the case of those who die in infancy. There have been two opposite ideas about this. Some have questioned the Divine justice by holding that infants who die are preferred above all others, since they attain the joys of heaven without sustaining all the toil and temptation incident to adult life on earth. Why should the rest of us be subjected to this great hardship when the ultimate goal could have been assured so easily? Others have held that the Lord is unjust because He has deprived the infants who die, of all the advantages that accrue to those who endure the burden of life and the challenge of temptation. It is thought that the infants can never perform so high a use because they lack the knowledge, the training, and the experience by which alone wisdom may be achieved.