Heaven and Earth: more spirit communications from Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson
Received and recorded by Anthony Borgia
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Description
This reprint of a classic spiritualist book is the third in the series of further spirit communications from Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson, received clairaudiently by medium Anthony Borgia, who later checked the accuracy of what he had written with Benson through a good trance medium with whom he sat for 25 years. In these eight chapters, as well as giving insights on spirit-world life, the building of an extension to his home and other conditions, Monsignor comments on important topics, such as colour, beauty, service, religious unity and how to achieve world-wide peace. Although originally transmitted at the end of World War II, his words still apply to our lives today, particularly in regard to unity and world peace.
Monsignor writes; "The realms of light teem with colour ... The trees, the flowers, the grass, the very soil in which these grow and thrive, the water, whether it be of sea, river or lake, are revelations of colour in every shade, blend and tint."
"As the buildings are set amid beautiful gardens with a wealth of flowers and trees and lawns, the colour of the edifice must accord with its environment and not, by the power of its vividness, overwhelm the hues of nature itself."
"The water is wet and sparklingly clear, the light is bright and beautiful. The clothes we wear feel exquisite to the touch."
Product Details
- Paperback: 152 pages
- Publisher: Saturday Night Press Publications
- Language: English
- ISBN-13: 9781908421-43-2
- Product Dimensions: 216 x 140 mm
- Price: £9.50(UK), $14.00(US)
- Also available in digital format as an e-book
About Anthony Borgia
Anthony Borgia
Anthony Borgia was a fine medium with a strong gift of clairaudience and frequently automatic writing, when he would often feel the weight and warmth of the spirit communicator's hand on his own, guiding the pencil across the paper. It was through these particular aspects of his mediumship that he was able to assist Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson in realising his dearest wish: that of putting into print the knowledge and facts of life after death, and helping to banish the fear of death, which affects so many people.
At the beginning of WW2, he began to sit with Mollie Duncan, the good, non-professional trance-medium in whose circle he was to be a member for 25 years. Here he witnessed Monsignor's first appearance at a séance.
He told a friend: "Mollie's mediumship was of the highest standard. Shortly after the outbreak of war, a new spirit visitor took control at one of the circles. To our astonishment, we saw it was Monsignor. The way he sat, the distinctive tilt of the head with chin up, all revealed the living personality we knew as Monsignor Benson. It was one of the most remarkable first attempts at controlling I have seen… Monsignor spoke clearly and firmly, greeting us as though he was there in his own physical body. At another circle shortly after, he broached the subject of writing: would I undertake it? I raised objections, saying the war had started, paper was getting scarce, I was unknown, and so forth, but he brushed this aside saying that if I would do the job, 'they' would do the rest?'
"Later he referred to something of the organisation which had gone into bringing the books about, telling us that the entire process had begun many years before, and he had been under the guidance of spirit beings from far higher spheres than his own. None of them would have permitted him to say anything which was not true, even in the unlikely event he wished to do so."
When Anthony was writing the books, he was anxious that the accuracy of the scripts should have independent verification, insofar as this was possible. At the weekly trance circle, he would always check with Monsignor that every word had been 'heard and transcribed' accurately.
Anthony passed in 1989 at the age of 93, a man of profound intelligence allied to an enquiring mind, whose interests were many and varied, although those which remained the strongest and lasted all his life were the study of music and of psychic science, in both of which he could be considered something of an expert. A man of great kindness, warmth and generosity, he was a splendid example of true Spiritualism, never exhibiting this better than during the many years of near-blindness in his old age when the grace, courage and humour with which he bore this affliction drew the admiration of all who knew him
The books for which Anthony acted as Monsignor's amanuensis are rightly regarded as among the 'classics' of Spiritualist literature. It was always a source of great happiness to him that he had helped, in this way, to spread the great truths of Spiritualist teachings. His books remain as a testimony to Monsignor's great desire to share his knowledge of the life to come, and to Anthony's own homage to Truths which sustained him throughout his long life.
Content
1. My Home Enlarged
2. Past, Present, Future
3. Colour
4. Mistaken Views
5. Beauty
6. Service
7. Christian Unity
8. Peace on Earth
Extract from Ch3 - Colour
The contrast between our world and yours in this matter of colour alone is tremendous. The two worlds are not to be compared. Indeed, what the earth lacks and needs most urgently in some quarters, is colour, a vast deal more colour. Your towns are drab, dreary, and toneless. Perhaps I shall be taken to task for that statement, but you must remember that I once lived upon earth, and that I am now living in the spirit world.
My statement is a comparative one. Were you to have even the most fleeting glimpse of these realms, you would at once be convinced. Bethink you of the dingy state of your buildings. You will, of course, appreciate that I am speaking of normal times on earth and not of now, after all the horrors of war have left their grim marks, and the years of enforced neglect have added to the murkiness.
When your buildings are first erected, they stand in their pristine freshness, and they are more or less tolerable because they are clean, and free from the grime which is bound in time to envelop them. Some folk will admire the dark greyness of the ancient buildings, such as the great Gothic cathedrals. They will say that time has mellowed the newness of the stone, and added beauty and grandeur to the masterpieces of olden days.
As an expressed opinion, one is bound to respect it, but I can say this: wait until you see one of our buildings, and the force of my remarks will make itself manifest. You would instantly exclaim how glad you are to know that no grime and dirt can come, no structural dilapidations, to spoil the eternal beauty of our masterpieces of architecture, or of even the simplest and most unpretentious cottage. …
If people on earth knew the real value and influence of colour upon the mind, and thence upon the body, which would in turn react upon a whole nation, they would be literally astonished. You will understand that I am not advocating some new essay in dress reform, though there is ample room for that too! … In the spirit world, colour plays a vital part in our lives for it provides us not only with visual enjoyment, but from colour come musical sounds of surpassing beauty and purity. It also contributes towards the life-giving force from which we derive our very existence.
Extract from Ch4 – Mistaken views
Views are varied among the incarnate as to the exact spiritual position, or proper designation, of the realms wherein I live. Some will regard them not as 'heaven' itself, but as a kind of annexe thereto; an outland of heaven rather than the place of celestial bliss which the majority have in mind.
Such a conception arises, one imagines, from the fact that in these lands we have so much (it might be objected) of a very material nature, for what could be more material than houses and buildings generally, and gardens, and rivers and seas, not to mention our multifarious occupations? Such things do not seem concordant with one's idea of heaven.
No, they do not, but that is because the common idea of heaven is built altogether upon wrong foundations. The part of the spirit world, therefore, in which I live, could be regarded as not being of the nature of heaven at all. For heaven is unquestionably the abode of angels and saints, and those beings could not, by any freak of the imagination, be the least interested in, or concerned with, such material things as I have recounted to you as the grand features of these particular regions.
It is difficult to do other than associate heaven with religion because the Church has always claimed exclusively to deal with such matters as the 'soul's salvation', and that closely concerns heaven, that most difficult place to enter. What it really amounts to, then, is that I—with countless others like me—am not in heaven at all, but decidedly outside it. We shall see about that later.
Extract from Ch6 – Service
… The key-note of the spirit world, my friends, if I may so express it, is service. By service, I do not mean servitude for that is the last word to be applied to our service in these lands. Rather is it a word never to be applied.
Service is a term that covers an immensity of activities, occupations, endeavours and achievements. By service, we gain those many rewards which are here for the gaining. By it we gain our spiritual progression. Service is not comprised under any one heading. It is here and everywhere. There is no good thing we can do but that it will bring some good to someone. Often have I spoken to you of the work in these realms, and even attempted to give you some small account of our occupations and recreations. Work with us means service, not toil. It brings tangible results. We cannot buy service nor are we paid for it. We have no money nor its equivalent.
'Now it is all very well for you,' I hear you exclaim; 'you are not living in a world where, without money or something to take its place, you cannot survive. You do not have to work for a living, and by all accounts if you did nothing whatever, but remained utterly idle, you would not starve or go in rags.'
Perfectly true, my friends. You are living in a material world—so are we, if it comes to that. By material, of course, is meant a solid sort of world like the earth. Firm to the touch and real—above all things real. Precisely; that is just what our world of the spirit is—solid and real. Material, in fact, if anything can be. But we need not argue over terms.
Our world is as yet intangible to you—in the same way as yours is now to us, for we can comfortably walk through the thickest wall that was ever constructed on earth as though it had no existence, which it has not for us, beyond a vague mistiness.
Relatively, we are in a similar position to each other. Strange, is it not? You are vapoury to us, but solid to yourselves. We are vapoury to you, but solid to ourselves. So that we can both claim a share in the use of the word material in reference to our respective existences, your temporary one, and our permanent one. And if I might be allowed to voice a preference, I prefer the permanent one! I have yet to meet anyone who wishes he was back again upon the old earth.
