Death and the Hereafter

Butte, Montana, 1906

THE MEANING OF DEATH AND THE FUTURE LIFE

FACTS ABOUT EXISTENCE BEYOND THE GRAVE

ARE DEFINITELY KNOWN

Claim that it is possible to obtain information at first hand about these most perplexing problems of humanity

That very many people in Butte have become interested in the theosophical and scientific lectures being given by Henry Hotchner, under the auspices of the Butte Theosophical society, was again evidenced last evening by the big audience that filled Orton hall to hear Mr. Hotchner speak on the subject of "Death and the Hereafter." Mr. Hotchner claims that it has been demonstrated that life on the other side of death is just as real and active as life in the physical world, and that the "dead" are as much alive as they ever were.

Meaning of Death

"Though the public as a whole is not yet aware of the fact, the meaning of death and the character of man's existence thereafter are as definitely known and understood as the other truths in nature," said Mr. Hotchner. "This vitally important information, illuminating as it does one of the most perplexing problems of life, is the result of a most thorough investigation conducted by trained observers for a period of many years, and all the facts are now classified and arranged in a scientific manner.

Evidence on Subject

"For a long time evidence has been accumulating as to the certainty of existence after death and as to the nature of that existence. In the literature of almost every nation we have repeated assertions made of the return of the dead as apparitions. W. R. Stead's 'Real Ghost Stories' is an important contribution to that literature, and many well-attested tales can be found in it. Genuine phenomena of spiritualism, involving, as they sometimes do, actual return of the dead in materializations so that they can be seen, touched and spoken to, also furnish valuable evidence on the subject.

Beyond the Grave

"But far more important and reliable than these methods is the scientific examination of after-death conditions that has been made by trained theosophical investigators. These students, by right living and right education, have developed higher faculties and powers that enable them to penetrate the world of the dead and to report the facts as they are. A number of these have been working together for many years, verifying each other's observations and carefully tabulating and classifying the phenomena, and in C. W. Leadbeater's 'Astral Plane' and 'The Other Side of Death' the results of that work are to be found. It is indeed gratifying to know that the world beyond the grave is governed by law, as is this world; that the laws are analogous to those here; that the future experience conforms to reason and common sense, and that every person can verify all these facts for himself by fitting himself to do so.

True Man a Soul

"As a consequence of these researches it is established that the true man is a soul and not a physical body, and that the soul is immortal. Death, therefore, is not at all the end of the man's existence, but merely a stage in his progress, and the body is discarded because it has served its necessary purpose of providing experience and knowledge for the soul's growth.

Living After Death

"The man does not, after the death of his body, go to some far distant planet, but he usually remains in the same room and surroundings for quite some time. He is then living in a finer kind of matter than the physical; finer, in fact, than the ether of science. That is called astral matter. It interpenetrates all physical particles and is so rare and tenuous that it cannot be seen by the human eye. The dead man inhabits this realm or plane and is clothed in a body composed of this finer matter. Though he cannot be seen by the average man, he can be very readily perceived and communicated with by the spiritual man who has developed the inner senses and faculties which permit him to see the inhabitants and activities of the astral plane.

Except Without Physical Body

"The dead man is found not to be dead at all, but usually fully alive and conscious of his surroundings. He is not changed at all, in fact he is exactly the same man as before in habits, desires, emotions and aspirations, excepting that he is without the physical body. The life he will lead after his death depends entirely upon himself. The loving father and mother will remain hovering over their children, like guardian angels, pouring love and sympathy and tenderness upon them; doing their best to cheer their sorrowing ones and to assure them that they are alive and not dead. So it is a joyous fact that we are not separated from our loved ones who have died, and that every kind and helpful thought of them reaches them and makes their lives happier.

Now the Time to Decide

"The astral plane life after death is the first stage of the hereafter. It is very much like a purgatory, for its purpose is to cleanse the man of all his lower earthly desires and passions. If these desires were of a low type and had a strong hold on the man during his physical life, they will make him very uncomfortable and unhappy after death, because then he will not have the means wherewith to gratify them. But if they were of a high type, if the man tried to live up to the ideal of a good and useful and unselfish citizen, then his astral plane existence will be a glorious one and he will be able to do much good. By his life here and now man decides what his life will be after death, for the law of cause and effect puts his future into his own hands, and he will assuredly reap as he has sown.

Into the Heaven World

"When the man's stay in the astral plane is over, he passes into the heaven world, which is a realm of matter even finer than the astral. He is the same man as before, excepting that he is purged of lower desires, and he is now to enjoy the fruits of his nobler efforts during life. In this case also the man determines for himself the kind and length of his stay. If on earth he was thoughtful, kind and unselfish, he will have a long stay in the heaven world and will advance much in character and ability. If he had not much of such activities in earth life, his stay will be short. But, in any event, the heaven life is one of the most intense bliss, and its purpose is to enable the man to work into his character the results of his experiences during physical life.

Purpose of Existence

In due course the man will have utilized to the full every good energy and thought of his physical life, and then there will be nothing more to keep him in the heaven world. But that is not the end of things. The purpose of man's existence here is that he shall become perfect in wisdom, power and love, and in order to be that he must have many more experiences on earth. So he returns in this physical world, takes birth in a baby body and is ready for another day in the school of life.

"Thus it is seen that law and order rule in all departments of existence; that there is a reasonable and coherent plan in the world, and that man is to evolve slowly but surely to the perfection of divinity."

Tomorrow night Mr. Hotcher will speak in Anaconda, and next Wednesday evening he will deliver another public lecture at Orton hall in Butte. His subject will be "The Future of Mankind."

—The Anaconda Standard, Anaconda, Montana, January 8, 1906, page 7.