As the societies of earth are composed of the individuals of earth, so are the spheres of the heavens composed of the individuals of the heavens, and the ruling nature of the different spheres is but the aggregate of the ruling loves of those composing those spheres. The laws of the spheres are but the laws of those composing the spheres. We are germinal universes. We are to be developed and unfolded consciously till the whole universe is translated into our consciousness. There is but one way to study the universe, and that is to come down into ourselves and study ourselves. This idea of looking out of ourselves, looking to any external method outside of our consciousness to find out what constitutes a Spiritual sphere or degree, is all fallacious. Spirits may come and rap, talk, and preach till doomsday; if they can not find the elements within your consciousness out of which they can construct that Spiritual sphere, you can not perceive or get any true idea of Spirit-spheres. It is as though I were born blind, and had never seen the light, and of course knew nothing of light, color, and darkness, and some individual should endeavor to make me believe that I was living in total darkness, when there would be no part of my being to which he could appeal to make me believe. There would be no possibility of conveying the thought to my mind, because I should have no conscious experience of light, color, etc. Outward language could not give me the idea. Unless I have had the conscious experience to give me the idea out of which to construct the idea, the Spirits from the Spirit-world may come from every sphere and degree, and they can not convey to my mind an accurate idea of those spheres and degrees. If they would make me understand who God is, and what he is, they must find in me the elements out of which to construct that God. I say it is useless to look for information out of yourselves until you know what is in yourselves. The first lesson is to learn who and what am I. I propose to commence my investigations in each individual’s own consciousness, starting with affirmations of that consciousness, and with definitions about which we can not disagree, and then go forward step by step, demonstrating every point, and ascertaining the law of manifestation as that law is revealed in us. I do not ask Spirits, and do not wish them to come to tell me about the law that governs in their sphere. The truth is, we can not avoid the fact, that all communications that come understandingly, must come in the method that God has ordained, and that method is that it must be written by his law upon our consciousness; and when it is written so, Spirits can come and point out the writing to us; and that is the best they can do. I desire you to understand distinctly what will be the basis of my lectures, what will be the points I shall attempt to establish. I shall endeavor to prove Spiritualism. I shall not come to the raps for a considerable time.