Such is the work accomplished in the Mary Home; such the life spent by those who, through much tribulation and sorrow, have found the dawn of a new existence. We do not scorn a spirit for what it has been; we honor it for its efforts to advance and grow into something better; for in this way happiness, peace, and blessing come to humanity. THE CONDITION OF ONE SELFISH ON EARTH. Passing through the various places and conditions of the spirit world, on missionary or beneficent purposes intent, one comes in contact with strange and startling scenes and people, presenting a weird and uncouth appearance, as well as with those bearing the impress of suffering and woe. I well remember one being with whom I was brought into association by a beautiful spirit, whose delight it is ever to work out some benefit to others. This being, to whose side I was brought, was a female, tall, gaunt, unhappy; her garments seemed to be formed of a heterogeneous mass of fabric, of every color and texture, presenting at once a grotesque and unnatural appearance. “See,” she said, as I gazed upon her, “see my fine robes, how beautiful, how rich; I hid my jewels, that none should find them; I cut up my handsome dresses, that none could wear them when I was dead; I hid my gold, that none should spend it in riotous living; and see, I have them all here again, in these beautiful robes of mine.” It was plainly to be seen that this unfortunate creature believed what she said; presenting a pitiable appearance to others, to herself she appeared to be the perfect ideal of dignity and beauty. I soon learned the secret of her deplorable condition. On earth this woman had been cursed with great wealth. I say “cursed,” for to her spirit it had indeed proved a curse, narrowing her intellect in the eager pursuit of more wealth, and warping her spiritual faculties to a truly lamentable extent. While not denying herself the luxuries of life, she yet refused to spend one penny for the comfort of others; indeed, so selfish and greedy had she grown, that she could not bear to see others enjoying one grain of the wealth and luxury which she possessed, and she determined that since she must “die,”—she did not believe in a future life, nor in the existence of a higher power than man,—since she must leave all she possessed, no one else should enjoy it; and so she had destroyed her riches and garments, and hidden much of her jewelry and gold, so that after she was dead, her relatives would fail to benefit by them. This woman had lived alone on earth, a solitary, haughty, mercenary being; and in this spirit of unrest she had passed out into the Eternal World, only to find herself stripped of all wealth, grandeur, and honor,—a poor, wretched creature.