'Tis seven years today since thou becam'st The loved and dear companion of my life And also unto me a source of light, Which shone upon a life which formerly Was threatened only with approaching dark. In spirit-life I was a starving man When thou didst first stand at my side and give That which the world had aye withheld from me. For long years had I striven earnestly To probe the depths of science with my mind And find the worth of life and goal of man. One day I clearly had to recognize That all this striving had been quite in vain Hadst thou not shown that man's spirit seeks How to reveal itself through certain things Which shunned my knowledge and my eager thought. I met thee then amongst that company Where Benedictus was the guide of all, And listened to thy revelations there. Later I saw how in Thomasius The spirit-pupilship could work with power Within the human soul. What thus I saw Robbed me of faith in science and good sense, And yet it showed me nothing at that time Which really seemed to me intelligent. I turned away from all the realm of thought And went on living in an aimless way Since life had ceased to be of worth to me. I gave myself to technique that it might Bring me oblivion and forgetfulness, And lived a life of torment, till once more I met thee, for the second time; and then Our friendship soon grew deep and ripe for love. THEODORA: It is but natural, that on this day Remembrance of those old times should again Stand out so vividly before thy soul. I also feel a need in mine own heart To look back once again upon those days When we were drawn together in life's bond. I felt the constant strengthening at that time Within me of the power which made my soul Able for knowledge from the spirit-worlds. And under Felix Balde's noble lead This power grew on thenceforward to that height At which it stood just seven years ago. About that time I met Capesius One day in Felix' lovely woodland home. A long life had he spent in deep research And won his way to spirit-pupilship. He greatly wished to be allowed to learn My way of gazing on the spirit-world. So after that I spent much time with him. And in his house I chanced to meet with thee And could bring healing to thy mental wounds. STRADER: