“There are some differences of perception. Light, for example, sees shadow and desires to dispel it. Truth sees error and wishes to correct it. But, broadly speaking, the opinions are the same. The impediments in the path of progress are many. Each purpose deals with its own; Light with darkness, Truth with error, and so on. Each may work in the same field, even in the same individual, but here we work for the same ultimate purpose. We do not disagree. Each follows his own work, and recognizes the other’s field.” “We have a united policy,” she said, at another time, “but each our individual application of it in personal relations and messages like these. It is all intended to enlighten and inspire you, but only in certain fundamental and specific matters are we instructed what to say.” “Can you determine time there, by other than the memory of it here and by close inspection?” was another question. “We have no time here, in your sense. We watch you, and remember, but we lose track of you, sometimes.” Mr. Kendal then said—explaining his phrase, “close inspection”—that he thought they saw time dimly, as we see through water or through fog. “Is memory with you as acute as answers to some of these questions seem to indicate?” one of us inquired. “Not of material things, generally. We don’t pay much attention to them, unless they interfere with purpose. Just now they are interfering a good deal—or were, before the war, which is itself a material manifestation of purpose.” We said that we should have thought this interference in full force still, and she continued: “The real interference, from our point of view, came before the war, when the world outside of Germany was too much occupied in pursuit of material things to see what was happening. They failed even to see Germany’s intention. Much less did they discover their own danger, of which Germany’s purpose, materially, was the least. The war woke them up by degrees, fortunately, or there would be no use telling them this.” A question concerning the possibility of communicating with a person recently departed from this plane, was met with the statement that he had “free communion” still to learn. This expression had been used several times by others, and now I asked: “Mary, what is free communion?” “You don’t think we vocalize our talk, do you?” Mansfield suggested that when a man found himself suddenly without his material veil, he must be at a loss how to proceed, and asked whether that was what she meant. “Not entirely. The veil isn’t missed particularly, but there is a ... a....” “Difference of medium?” he asked. “Like a water-color artist who can’t paint in oil?” “That’s it.”