A California Girl Part 20

Penloe said: "Why, Stella, were you not the instrument through which Andrew received his sight? Did he not think that you were the embodiment of all goodness, all power, and all truth? And when you said to him, 'Andrew, you are going to see so you can read yourself,' he believed you, and was he not healed according to his faith?"

Stella said: "He would not have had his sight restored if you had not been present. The first time you called on him his sight was restored, while I have been to his cabin many times before, but never helped him to see."

Penloe said: "Stella, dear, you were not on the spiritual plane that you are now on when you visited Andrew before. You had not spent much time in prayer, in meditation, in concentration, in being up in the mountains, walking and talking with G.o.d daily, and living in the realization of the Kingdom of Heaven within. All this has helped to make you a healer."

Stella said: "Penloe, all you say is true, but I cannot help thinking that you were the healer."

Penloe said: "Stella, dear, you spoke the healing word."

Mrs. Wheelwright, smiling inwardly, said: "Children, you have only been married a few hours, and have got a bone of contention already. I am surprised at you both."

Stella, putting on a serious face, said: "Well, mother, I know it was Penloe;" and Penloe said: "Well, mother, I know it was Stella."

Mrs. Wheelwright said: "Children, I cannot stay with you while you quarrel this way," and out she went into the kitchen, happy and laughing to herself; at the same time rejoicing greatly that the poor man had received his sight.

There were two others who laughed after Mrs. Wheelwright left the room, for they knew it was neither Penloe or Stella that healed the man, but the power of the Blessed Infinite Spirit in both of them, they being only the instruments through which the healing power was manifested.

The evening of Stella's wedding day the two were sitting on the porch.

It was just as lovely a night as it was on the night when they were plighted. They had been engaged in conversation for a while, when Penloe said: "Stella, I have not given you any wedding ring. It is not because I have not got one for you, but I wish to give you the history of the ring before presenting you with it."

Stella said: "You will have a very ready listener, Penloe, I can a.s.sure you."

Penloe said: "While attending the University in Calcutta I made the acquaintance of a young Hindu, who was a student there also. He was in some respects the brightest of the students, for he had the faculty for mastering his studies quickly and perfectly, was also very original in character and full of resources. Though he was a born student, yet he was well-balanced and did not always have his head in books or in the clouds; neither did he indulge in social dissipation. While being social in his nature, he always took sufficient physical recreation to keep himself well and strong, but nothing more; he never let it get away with him, as many do in the Western World. He lived up to the highest light, regulating his conduct so as to make himself strong intellectually and spiritually. I found him a very interesting companion, and our friends.h.i.+p was of a very profitable character, in this way, that when we saw the faults in each other we did in love what we could to help one another. To overcome our weak points, we cooperated together for the highest object, and it was our sacred purpose to always touch the highest and n.o.blest in each other's nature; and to-night it is with pleasure that I call to mind the sweetness of his disposition, the sincerity of his purpose, and the brilliancy of his mind.

"His family had outgrown caste, and when I first visited them at their home I was introduced to his father and mother, also to a sister about eighteen years of age, who made up the family. I noticed what a peculiar expression pa.s.sed over his sister's face when she looked into mine for the first time. She had a dreamy, far-away look about her, and then again I noticed later that she had the very opposite expression on her physiognomy, being all 'right here'; intensely so, taking in everything around her. I was very much attracted towards her in this way, not as a youth would be towards a maiden--there was none of that feeling whatever. I felt she was a mystic, a powerful one, and she interested me greatly. When sitting in the room with all the members of the family, I noticed at times she would eye me very closely; and if I returned the gaze I saw such an expression in her face as if she did not belong here at all, but was living on some other planet. She talked very little, and such a thing as my coming near to her in conversation, or her saying anything to bring herself near to me, was not to be expected, with her peculiar makeup, and yet when she would give me her hand in receiving me, she had such a peculiar sweet way of welcoming me, that one might think we were very near to each other. And when I took leave of her with the other members of the family, her partings seemed very pleasant as she gave me her hand and wished me good-night.

"Those eyes of hers seemed as if you could see worlds in them, and when you looked into them your mind seemed taken away from everything about you, and you would have to check yourself or else you would feel as if you had left the body and were pa.s.sing through the ethereal regions.

"She had a remarkable organism, being so very fine in quality. The first impression one would have on seeing her would be that of distinction, she was so superior in her makeup to all her kind. Her features were finely moulded, and her whole contour was perfect. She had a wonderful presence; so much silent power went with it. I could not help being conscious of it when in the room with her. I felt as if something of an elevating nature was coming from her to me all the time. I always felt a better man after having been in her company. And before I attained to the plane I am now on, when at times I would be depressed or discouraged and went into her presence with those feelings, it would not be long before they left me and I felt as if I was the strongest and most hopeful man living. She being the most powerful of the two brought me into her condition and made me feel strong, like a giant refreshed with new wine.

"After visiting at her house many times, I conceived the impression that for some cause she took a great interest in me, not because I was a young man, but for some other reason.

"Sometimes I would visit the family and she would not be at home, and late in the evening she would return all alone. She would go anywhere at any time. I have seen her late at night walking through the slums of Calcutta all alone. She was free in the truest sense of the word, not being in bondage to her material form, or in recognizing family or social standing; she had no superst.i.tions; she was above and beyond them all. I noticed she was loved very much by her parents and brother, and seemed to possess a deep affectionate nature herself. Her peculiar qualities were fully recognized by the family, she having no household duties to perform, only as the notion might take her.

"I was always a welcomed guest at the house, and I felt as much at home as if I were a member of their family.

"After I had known the family about a year, I called at the house one evening just about the time it was getting dark. Wavernee was sitting in the door-way. She seemed very pleased to see me and invited me in, saying: 'The other members of the family are all away.'

"The room we went into we entered at its center, and she turned to the left and walked to the end of the room. She gave me a seat so that I sat at the extreme end of the room. She closed the door and took a low seat on my left. To my great surprise, she commenced a conversation about common things, and talked as interestingly as any intelligent young lady would talk. We chatted about fifteen minutes, and by that time the room was dark so I could not see one object from another.

"She became silent and I received an impression that she did not wish me to speak, so we both sat in the silence for about ten minutes, when the room became illuminated and she herself seemed to be the brightest object in it. I never saw a room so bright as that in my life. After a few minutes everything in the room appeared dark except the wall at the further end; and where it was light there seemed to be a white covering such as is used for magic lantern pictures. I was looking at it when there appeared a picture which covered the whole cloth. It represented men and women of all tribes and nations bending beneath heavy loads of bondage. I observed their bondages were not all the same. There was a difference in the kind of bondages the men were bound with to those that held women in slavery. Then I saw that the men had some bondages the same as the women had. I observed the bondages of the women were not all the same. For instance, the American's woman's bondage in some respects was different from that of the j.a.panese woman, and the bondages of the Hindu woman were not the same as that of the Chinese woman. It was a sad sight. As they were all presented, they appeared to be living, moving figures.

"There were a few Hindu men and women who were free, going among them trying to lift them out of bondage, but it was very hard, for they seemed to love being in bondage. Only those who were tired of their bondages were helped by the workers. Wavernee kept her eyes intently on the picture all the time, and when she turned her face towards me the scene disappeared and the whole room became dark. In about ten minutes the whole room was again illuminated and I never saw Wavernee look so much like the embodiment of perfect love as she did then. She seemed as if she had been touched with a live coal from off the altar, the sacred fire was so bright in her eyes. The atmosphere was one of sacred blissful love. Whatever there was of lukewarmness or indifference in me in regard to humanity was licked up, as it were, by a fiery flame of love. I felt as if my whole nature had become white-heat with love. The most miserable creature seemed dear and sweet to me.

"While I was in that frame of mind the room became dark, except the further end, and I saw another living scene on the canvas. It was Wavernee walking along a hot dusty road a few miles from Calcutta. She seemed indifferent to the heat and dust, and was looking exactly the same as I have just described her. As she was walking along, I noticed a little way in front of her was a young woman sitting down on the side of the road with only a few dirty rags on her poor body. Her face and form showed marks of sin and disease. When she saw Wavernee coming near her, she put her hands to her face and held her head down. O, the apparent contrast between the two! Wavernee sat down beside the young woman and took one of her hands and held it awhile, meanwhile talking to her. Then she opened a basket she had and took out a bottle and poured the contents into a gla.s.s and gave it to her to drink. There was a label on the bottle and gla.s.s which read 'love,' and the young woman drank the gla.s.s empty. After awhile Wavernee stood up and the young woman stood up, too, and as she did so her rags fell from her and she was clothed like Wavernee, and when I looked into her face I saw no difference between them.

"The scene disappeared, but it was quickly replaced by another which represented Wavernee and some other native workers clearing large tracts of land. Then they ploughed and harrowed it. As fast as they prepared one tract of land for the seed they commenced clearing another piece.

On the land that had been cleared I saw myself and some one else with me that had a veil over head and face, so I could not see who the person was; but we were both engaged in the same occupation of sowing seed, each one of us having a large measure containing the seed. On the outside of the measure was the word truth. We would sow one piece of land and then go to another piece that had been cleared and sow that. On the ground that I had sowed, a crop came up in the form of many men and some women who were all out of bondage. They were free. Where the person with me had sowed, there was a crop of many women and some few men who were out of bondage. They were all free. I wish I could convey to your mind how happy and joyful they all were.

"As this last scene disappeared the whole room became illuminated.

Wavernee looked at me with eyes of celestial love and said: 'Penloe, thou hast seen all. What appeared before thy vision will convey to thy mind more than any words of mine. Before you is a future that angels might desire. Be true to thy highest light, then wilt thou realize what thy eyes have seen. Your co-worker is one that I love. She knows me not, but I know her, and when she becomes one with you in your life and work of love, give her this ring (taking it from her finger and giving it to me) with my love and tell her to accept it as a symbol of your union in love and work.

"'This ring has a history. It was worn by a beautiful young Indian princess who, after having been a wife to a prince for two years, became disgusted with her life, and, weary of all the luxuries of the court, she left one night in disguise, saying to herself: "I can live here no longer, for I am a greater slave than the poorest of the Pariah women.

My nature cries out for freedom. I would rather be free in poverty than be a slave in luxury. Give me freedom or give me death!" She lived for many years in the realization of her own highest nature. She looked on all about her as being G.o.d and showed that love and reverence for all as she did for the Divine Being. Her whole life was devoted to being a blessing to many others; particularly to the elevation of those of her own s.e.x. Just before she died she gave it to my Guru's (Spiritual Teacher) mother, who was then a young woman, saying: "Wear this as a vow that thy life will be consecrated to lifting thy sisters out of bondage." My Guru gave it to me with its history, saying: "My mother lived and died for woman's freedom. May you live for the same n.o.ble purpose."' Then Wavernee rose and took from a shelf this beautiful little box, saying: 'Keep the ring in this box.'

"After I thanked her she said: 'This is the last time you will see me, for I am going away and when I return you will have left this country.'

I received a mental suggestion not to ask any questions, and there seemed to be nothing left for me to say, but to part with such a sweet exalted character in the way and manner that two spiritual friends should take leave of each other.

"Stella, she was the greatest mystic I ever met in that land of mystics."

When Penloe finished his narrative he looked at Stella and saw she was deeply moved. Neither spoke for a few minutes, then Stella leaned her head towards Penloe and said in a soft touching voice:

"Penloe, dear, I have just seen Wavernee. Oh, what a beautiful loving soul she is; her countenance is something wonderful! For a few moments I seemed to be with her in a sacred room in her home in India. As I entered she came forward and greeted me in a most affectionate manner.

Leading me to a small altar at one end of the room, we both kneeled for devotion, after which I looked up and saw on the wall the inscription: 'Our lives are consecrated to the Lord in His humanity."

"After I read that everything disappeared, and I realized I was here on this porch with you, my mind being full of your exceedingly interesting story."

After a pause Penloe remarked: "I am not surprised, Stella, at the experience you have just had of seeing Wavernee, for I have seen her twice since I have been in Orangeville. It is a gift which comes to some in their higher unfoldment. I am very glad you saw Wavernee, for it is an inspiration to see such a person."

Stella replied: "Yes, Penloe, she is all you have described her to me, and much more. Her presence has a remarkable power of elevating. She is my ideal, for she is highly gifted and still only full of pure love.

What you have related and what I have seen has been a great revelation to me, and fills me with joy in the thought of being your co-worker in living the life as Wavernee saw us as dispensers of truth, and helpers of humanity through love."

Penloe said: "Yes, dear Stella, it is a great blessing and privilege to be of service to others. It is the test of greatness of character; for Jesus said: 'He that is greatest of all must be servant of all.'"

After a little silence in which both were thinking about the great work before them, Stella's attention was called to the box containing the ring, by Penloe handing it to her. On taking it she said: "Is not the box beautiful?" Then opening it she took out the ring. It was a cinnamon garnet ring, made from Ceylon stone, with hieroglyphics outside and inside beautifully cut. It was a fine piece of skilled workmans.h.i.+p.

Stella said: "Penloe, do tell me the meaning of the hieroglyphics on the ring. I am very desirous to know."

Penloe said: "Outside it reads, 'All are one in G.o.d.' Inside it reads, 'The fire of spirituality burns by continual devotion.'"

Stella remarked: "How true is the beautiful thought contained in the outside inscription, 'All are one in G.o.d,' for it makes our own union feel sacred and precious as well as bringing us close to all others. The inside inscription is an exceedingly fine one, 'The fire of spirituality burns by continual devotion.' Because without devotion the spiritual life droops and withers as a flower without water." Continuing, she said: "There are two kinds of devotion, one consisting of heartfelt prayer and singing from the soul, sacred hymns; and the other kind consists in rendering service to others. They are both essential for spiritual growth."

Stella was very much interested in the history of the ring, and putting it on her finger she said: "What a true symbol of the nature of our union is the ring. I am so glad it is not made of gold and set with diamonds. If it were I never could wear it, for it would neutralize all the good I could do. Supposing it had been one of those very handsome gold rings set with diamonds such as Indian princesses wear. Every lady's eye, young and old, would be on the ring, while their minds would be speculating on its great value, and their thoughts so taken up with its beauty that what I might say to instruct them would have very little effect, and even the influence of my own life would be small. No, Penloe, I never would wear a costly ring, not even if you gave it to me; for it would have a tendency to keep myself and all who saw it in bondage. This ring is not costly or very attractive, but its history is rich and the truths cut into it are precious." Here she kissed Penloe for the ring and spoke again in loving terms concerning Wavernee.

That evening the moon looked down on no happier couple than Penloe and Stella, for they were both free and attracted towards them all that was joyous and beautiful in the Universe.

On that porch so sacred in blissful a.s.sociations, before retiring, they spent a few minutes in silent prayer, after which I heard them sing so softly and sweetly, their voices blending in harmony and melody. I never heard such singing before. I looked up in the starry firmament, and did my eyes see some of the angelic host looking down on them as they sang?

"If such the sweetness of the streams What must the fountain be!"

CHAPTER XXII.

THE HERNE PARTY.