One class of individuals in the sphere of lust—in what we call the low and polluted plane—can not come into _rapport_ with those occupying a higher plane. There is an “impassable gulf” between them. Nevertheless, by the external language which addresses the external being, the thought or perception, they may be able to communicate. The same law of communication applies in the Spiritual world. If angels are employed as messengers, they communicate by an external language; because their thoughts can not flow into the lower affection—the lower can not respond to them. If a Spirit in Paradise wishes to communicate with one in the sphere of lust, he must take upon himself the conditions of lust, or he can not communicate by the internal method. He can not communicate by the internal method, because the conditions are dissimilar. Communications made to us from a higher plane must be external, and must be addressed to our thought; and if they operate upon our affection, must flow from the thought into the affection. It is for this reason that God, the Divine, can not communicate with man, the imperfect and finite, except by means of those who can receive truth from the Divine, and who can externally communicate it to those below. Spirits under a higher and more perfect law can not come and inspire us in our polluted condition, but they can, by means of external language, draw us from our low condition of lust, and bring us to a plane where a Spirit nearer to our plane may by influx come into us and develop within us the true affection; but the high spirit can not do it. Hence it is that there is a gradation between the highest and lowest—that “Angels form a chain which in God’s burning throne begins, And winds down to the lowest plane of earthly things.” I may possibly receive a communication from a higher plane by abstracting myself from the lusts and evils of the world, by sending forth my highest, and holiest, and purest aspirations after all that is pure and good—for a moment elevating my condition to a higher plane. That is the condition of true prayer. While in that condition a Spirit of that higher plane may, by influx, raise me up and hold me in that condition. That is, the true effect of the condition known as prayer, is to separate you from the lusts and passions of the world—every thing which is tending to degrade you. Then by fixing your mind on your highest perception, and that which is pure, and true, and holy, you elevate yourself above the plane on which you naturally move—bring yourself where a higher angel can reach down and raise you up. Therefore, though prayer does not change the state of the soul, yet it is one of the conditions by which we climb to the higher spheres. You know the direction in regard to prayer was, “when you pray do not go into the public places and talk a great deal, thinking God is going to hear you for your much speaking.”