CHAPTER XXI.
Things Material and Spiritual.
The wind continued all night as last noted, and Silver Cloud, without atremor or swaying motion of any kind, was scurrying across the barrenwastes of the Arctics at marvelous speed. At noon upon the second dayfrom the Pole, Professor Gray took an observation, and announced thatthey then were at latitude 68 deg., 20 min., longitude 120 deg. 16 min.,West Greenwich.
"We are about crossing the Arctic circle. We are just above the barrengrounds north of Great Bear Lake," said the Professor. "Shortly afterbreakfast to-morrow morning we will cross the northern boundary of theUnited States at our present speed."
"What great body of water is that I see ahead?" asked Denison a littlelater.
"That is Great Bear Lake," replied Professor Gray. "See how thevegetation begins to show up."
The weather was superb, and the lake lay calm and smooth beneath them asa mirror. While they were tearing through the skies at express trainspeed, their elevation being a little over 3,000 feet, they couldplainly see through their glasses that small birch trees and evergreensupon the banks were nearly motionless.
"Now you see an illustration of my theory," cried the delighted Doctor."Here are we in a gale; below, scarcely a breath of air is stirring. Itdid not work in Russia, and we were obliged to anchor. But I shallregard that as a providential affair and shall stick to my theory. Iwould not for anything have failed to plant the good seed which we leftthere. Great good will come of it, and it may be the commencement of ageneral recognition throughout all Europe of God's great law of cure. Ifso, I shall count that as of infinitely greater importance than thelocation of the North Pole."
The wind veered to the northwest toward evening, and a consultation ofthe map showed that they were heading precisely as they wished to. Onthe following morning, they crossed what the Professor informed them wasthe Lake of the Woods.
"Before noon we shall be well into Northern Minnesota. We are peculiarlyfavored upon this trip. It is very doubtful whether we would encounterso many favorable gales in any number of future trips."
"We are not home yet, Professor, and we may have an opportunity to testthe Doctor's theory as to air currents," said Will.
Soon after breakfast a further change in the wind occurred, and theyfound themselves going due east. They watched through their glasses thefoliage below, but could see no difference in the direction of the loweratmospheric stratum.
"We will go as we look for a time," said the Doctor.
"What do I see yonder!" cried Denison. "A train of passenger cars, sureas you live! That must be the Canadian Pacific."
"It is," replied Professor Gray. "And away to the south, you see LakeSuperior. We are passing along its northern coast."
"Don't those little settlements look beautiful!" said Mrs. Jones. "Seethe little white church yonder with its tiny spire! It just seems to meas if I should like to stop and attend service in that pretty littlechurch."
"See the people rushing out to look at us!" observed Dr. Jones. "Supposewe lower to within a few hundred feet of them, and give them a goodsight at the ship."
Accordingly Silver Cloud settled rapidly as it neared the little town.They crossed the village at a height of about 500 feet. They could seethat the people were terribly frightened. Some were lying upon theground as if dead; others were upon their knees with their handsstretched toward the globe that glistened like a star in the sunlight.Many were rushing screaming into their houses. A few could be seenfleeing from town, afoot or horseback, at the top of their speed.
"Don't be alarmed, good people," shouted Dr. Jones. "We are onlyaeronauts who have been to the North Pole. Good-bye!"
"I won't do that again," said he. "Some of those people may die from theeffects of this fright. But here we are again for home."
Silver Cloud had again mounted skyward and encountered a splendid breezefrom the north. A few moments later the blue, crystal waters of LakeSuperior were undulating beneath them.
"Just see the shipping!" ejaculated Denison. "I sailed to the upper endof this great lake to Duluth, twenty-five years ago. Then but fewsteamers came up so far, and not many sailing vessels except those inthe iron and copper trade. Now see them in every direction! I amastonished at the amount of traffic on these lakes."
Only those who have been away from their native land, and especially iftheir travels have extended over the barren wastes of the extreme north,can fully appreciate the immortal Scott:
"Breathes there a man with soul so dead Who never to himself hath said; 'This is my own, my native land!'"
They traveled so rapidly over Upper Michigan that by evening they wereacross the strait of Mackinaw. Then the wind lulled to a ten-mile breezeand veered a point or two easterly. The great pine forests below were acheerful contrast to the illimitable fields of ice and snow anduncultivable lands which they had so lately traversed. The farms andvillages grew thicker every hour and their twinkling lights werepleasant sights to the voyagers as the night came on.
After dinner, all being tired from a long day of sightseeing, theygathered in the little smoking-room for their usual evening chat. Forsome reason, this time the conversation took a turn not unusual amongcreatures who have to do with two worlds, the spiritual and material.
"I would like to ask you, Dr. Jones," said the Professor, "if you everencountered, or had any experience with what you were positive wassupernatural?"
"I have," answered the Doctor.
"Well, Doctor, I confess that I never saw or heard anything in my lifethat could not be explained upon natural principles. It is not that I amespecially skeptical, but my life has been spent in the study of thingsmaterial, and the laws that govern them. So it may be that I have notbeen in a state of mind to apprehend spiritual phenomena, as I mightotherwise have done. However that may be, I am very desirous of hearinga relation of your experiences on that line."
"There is nothing, Professor Gray," replied Dr. Jones, "that I am morepositive of than that we are constantly surrounded by, and in actualcontact with, spiritual forces. And further, that if we were but in areceptive condition, or were in the attitude toward God that we shouldbe, we might, like Elisha's servant, see the hosts of the Lord campingupon the hills round about us. But my individual belief would be of novalue if not based upon experience.
"The first thing I ever saw that I recognized as purely spiritual in itscharacter was at the deathbed of a four year old boy. I was myself atthis time but twelve years old, but I received an impression that I cannever forget. I was standing at the foot of his little bed, his fatherand mother and three or four brothers and sisters were ranged along thesides and by his head. He was gasping in the last struggle with the grimmonster, when he suddenly threw his hands toward the ceiling and criedout in a clear, strong voice, 'O papa! see there!' His little face thathad been so distorted with suffering lightened up with the glory of thebetter world. His arms gradually sank to his side, and he was dead. Butthat heavenly smile remained upon his face long after death. One mayexplain away this glory-burst through the eyes of a dying child, callingit hallucination of a fevered or diseased brain if they will, but to meit was a revelation of spirit land.
"A few years ago I was permitted again to get a glimpse of the pearlygates, and this time it was the hand of a sweet little girl who liftedaside the veil for her sorrowing friends and myself. She was in the lastextremity with diphtheritic croup. Her face was bloated and blue-blackwith suffocation. Her eyes were nearly bursting from their sockets,glassy and staring; and her face, always so sweet and beautiful, was nowdistorted so that her mother could not endure the sight, and cried inher agony, 'My God! is this my little Bertha? I cannot believe it!'Bertha, in her expiring effort for breath, had raised upon her knees inbed, when suddenly, as in the other case, she raised her hands, her faceillumined with the 'light that is not seen upon sea or land,' and shesaid in a strong, clear whisper--for her vocal cords were so involved inthe diphtheritic membranes that her voice was gone comp
letely--'O mamma!I see Jesus!' The ecstasy lasted a moment or so, and then I laid herback upon the pillow--dead! Here again is an opportunity for theagnostic to cavil and reject such evidence. But of one thing you may besure: If he derives as much pleasure from his unbelief as I do inbelieving, then he is a very happy man.
"And now I will relate what to me was still more startling and wonderfulon the line of spiritual evidence or experience. I practiced medicine afew years in the Sierra Mountains, California. I was called oneafternoon to see a patient in a mining camp some twelve or fifteen milesaway. I rode a faithful, sure-footed little mare, and chose a short cutover a dangerous mountain trail. I had a deep canyon to cross, and wascoming down into it on my return, when night set in. It became so darkthat I could not see the trail, but fully trusted my little mare. Idropped the reins upon her neck and let her choose her own way and gait.We were on the most dangerous part of the trail, where it was not morethan twelve or fifteen inches wide, and upon my left hand was a blackchasm, some fifty or seventy-five feet deep. I was singing a hymn asunconcernedly as I ever did in my life, when suddenly something said tome, 'Get off that horse!' I did not stop to reason or ask questions, butpromptly threw myself off on the right side and stood a moment by theanimal, not knowing what the meaning could be. It was not an audiblevoice that had spoken to me, yet it was none the less distinct andunmistakable. I stood two or three minutes thus, waiting for furtherdevelopments. Then I stepped down in front of Mollie--as I called themare--into the trail, and started to lead her. I did not dare to getinto the saddle again, though I could not imagine what was coming next.I had not proceeded ten feet, when I came to an exceedingly steep pitchin the trail. I had gone down this pitch but a few feet when somethingheld me and I could go no farther. I nearly fell over the obstructionwhich I felt holding my legs. I reached down and found a heavy wiredrawn very tightly across the trail, just above my knees. You will neverknow the feelings I experienced at that moment. I saw in an instant thatmy Heavenly Father had interposed and saved me from a violent death."
"What was that wire, and how came it there?" asked Fred.
"It was a telegraph wire. The pole on the opposite side of the canyon hadbeen washed from its footing, and was hanging by its full weight fromthe wire, thus drawing it very taut across the trail."
"Could not this warning which you received be accounted for from apsychological standpoint?" asked Professor Gray.
"I will answer your question by asking another: If we reject thespiritual side of man's nature, then we have nothing left of him but thematerial. Now I ask you as a physicist, what is there in the lawsgoverning matter that could in any degree account for the phenomenonthat I have just related?"
"Nothing," answered the Professor.
"That is right, Professor. And I prefer to recognize the hand of God inthis, and to believe that He exercises a special care over his children;that not a hair falls from the head of one of his believing childrenwithout the Father's notice. It is so much better to simply trust andbelieve. Nothing is so detestable as the spirit of skepticism abroad inthe land to-day. The ministry itself is more or less permeated andhoneycombed with the abominations called 'Higher Criticism,''Evolution,' etc. They would have us believe that the Bible is filledwith interpolations, and that wicked men and devils, carelesstranslators or copyists have been allowed to destroy to a very greatextent the validity of that book. Now I simply take this stand: God hascreated you and me, and has endowed us each with an immortal principlewhich we call soul. He has placed us in this probationary state and hasset before us two ways: The straight and narrow way that leads toEternal Life, and the broad way that leads to Eternal Death. In orderthat we may know His will and so be able to fulfill the conditions ofsalvation, He has given us the Holy Bible. He is responsible for thevalidity of that book, and we may defy all the smart Alecks and devilsin the universe to invalidate a single essential word of it. The gist ofthe whole matter reduces to a simple syllogism.
"The major proposition is: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thoushalt be saved.
"The minor proposition: I believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
"The conclusion: Therefore I am saved.
"This is my faith, and He is able to keep that which I have committedunto Him, Bible and all, till that day. I have given you severalexperiences that are not to be lightly explained away, nor scoffed asideby skepticism. I could relate you another still more wonderfulexperience, one on a par with Saul's conversion as he went to Damascusto kill the saints. I refer to my own conversion. But I think that youhave had enough for once."
"Let me ask one question further, Doctor," said the Professor. "As wehave disposed of the psychological hypothesis in explanation of thesource of the impression that you received upon the trail, and whichwithout doubt saved your life, we must accept the spiritual. I wish toask, then, if it might not have been the spirit of a departed friend whothus warned you?"
"No, sir!" replied the Doctor with great emphasis. "Departed spiritshave no such functions. On the other hand, we are told that 'He givethHis angels charge concerning thee to keep thee in all thy ways. Theyshall bear thee up in their hands lest at any time thou dash thy footagainst a stone.' And again: The angel of the Lord encampeth round aboutthem that fear Him, and delivereth them. Also: Are they not ministeringspirits sent forth to minister to them who shall be heirs of salvation?It means infinitely much to be the child of a King. Angels to bear us upin their hands and to minister unto us if we will but comply with theterms. So there is no need of spooks, wraiths, and ghosts of departedmen in our lives. God gives us all the light necessary. He lightethevery man that cometh into the world."
"Well, Doctor, there is still another difficulty that I think you havenot met or settled. I have acquaintances that I know are sincere intheir belief that they receive communications from departed friends.They are people who do not accept the Christian faith, and you haveestablished the fact, from a biblical standpoint, that He giveth hisangels charge over those who are Christians, or heirs of salvation. If,then, the spiritualist receives communications from the spirit world,and they come neither through angels nor departed friends, from whom dothey come?"
"The Devil!"
"What!"
"The Devil, or one of his legions of imps."
"Excuse me, Doctor, but how is one to know whether his communications befrom a good or evil spirit? How, for instance, do you know whether yourcommunication which warned you of the wire across the trail was from anangel or devil?"
"That question is not worthy of you, Professor Gray. In all the historyof this poor, sin-cursed world, the Devil never did one kind act to ahuman being. He never wiped away a tear of sorrow, or mitigated aheartache or pain, nor ever will. Jesus settled that matter when theJews accused Him of casting out devils through the prince of devils,Beelzebub. If Satan be divided against Satan, his kingdom cannot stand.When Satan warns one servant of God of danger, and saves him from deathhis kingdom will fall. But say, let's to bed. We must be out by daylightin the morning."
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