Oh, the power of sympathy! Mortals, you understand it not! When truly felt and expressed, it flows toward the soul of its recipient in waves of light, which become tangible to the suffering one, and form a bridge over which he may pass to a condition of happiness and peace. EXTERNAL SURROUNDINGS PRODUCED BY MENTAL CONDITIONS. To those minds who are materialistic in their tendency, whose thought is concerned with the affairs of the mundane sphere, and who do not recognize any other force in existence so potent, powerful, and vigorous in its operations as mere organic law which depends upon matter alone for its power, the idea that the mental condition of an individual can become so active as to influence his external surroundings and determine the shape, form, appearance, and character of the objective life in which he dwells, will be presented as only the wild dream of some visionist, or the vapid speculation of an enthusiast. But I do not bring my statements of spirit life and its conditions to the notice of such material minds; for I know that they who can find nothing above and beyond matter to study and investigate, who understand nothing of that subtle power permeating all material life which is _pure_ spirit, who cannot comprehend the higher laws of the universe whenever they transcend in any degree the operations of those laws that are concerned alone with the external, visible, mundane world, will not be able to grasp the vital truth that is recognized and accepted by all deeply studious and spiritualized beings,—that spirit alone is the real power, the substantial part of man, the abiding life that projects its image outward upon the exterior form, affects the condition of the individual, beautifies or mars his surroundings, and controls his state of mind; while matter is but the external expression, the outer covering, form, or projection of this potent, governing force. MATERIALISTIC SCIENTISTS IN SPIRIT LIFE.