The Ruler of the Summerlands

Benson said he wrote his afterlife books to crfrect impressions in his books written in the physical

(Continued from Part 1)

The Ruler of Spirit Realms Visits Monsignor Benson in the Summerlands

[Monsignor to Roger:] Do you remember you once asked us if we knew how old the spirit world is, and that we told you about one being, at least, who was in existence himself before the earth was? You remember, of course. Well, it is he who is coming and, incidentally, it is he who is the ruler of all the realms of the spirit world. …

You know, Roger, there are folk on earth who believe that the beings of the highest realms never by any chance leave those realms because it would be too appallingly distasteful for them to leave the rarified state in which they live. That is absolutely wrong. Those marvelous beings can, and do,, journey into the different realms. It sometimes transpires that an individual may be speaking to one such personage and be totally unaware of it.

He is not the Father of the universe…. He is known by sight, Roger, to every single soul living in the realms of light. How many thousands there are who name him their “beloved master” … it is impossible to say.

He exercises over all the realms the function that the individual ruler exercises over the realm to which he is appointed. He unifies the whole of the realms of the spirit world into one gigantic universe, over which reigns the Father of us all. You cannot have the remotest conception … of the magnitude, the immensity or the powers possessed by him, and yet, with it all, he is the most gracious being it is possible to contemplate. His position is one of absolute regality, if one can so term it, while he himself is indescribable.

You will be able to judge for yourself, very soon, the enormous degree of knowledge, spirituality, and wisdom he possesses. The colours denoting these three attributes are blue, white, and gold and he has them upon his robe in enormous proportions. (Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson to Roger in MALIWU, 150-1.)

As we assembled before the house, we could perceive a distinct brightening of the light upon the outskirts of our small ‘estate.’ And we knew this for an unmistakable sign that our visitors were near. … Another moment and we saw them approaching. …

Our visitor took the hands of each of us, and spoke a word of kindly greeting. Franz and Peter had each taken an arm of Roger to give him assurance, and the picture presented by this action at once amused our visitor, for it chanced that our two friends had taken a somewhat firm hold upon Roger’s arm.

“What is this, my children?” he laughed. “You look to be holding the boy to prevent his escape from us. … Come now, Roger, my child,” he said, “what is there to fear? Would you be fearful of me? Give me your hand – so. Now banish hence all fears, never to return. It sounds like an incantation, doesn’t it?”

Roger’s confidence was restored immediately and he was himself once more.

“I think it will be safe now to release your prisoner, Peter and Franz.”

The two appeared somewhat confused because neither of them had realized, not Roger, that they were still linked in arms. The rest of us enjoyed this little episode, trifling enough in itself, but filled with kindness and humanity, and revealing, as clearly as the noonday sun, that even the highest personages from the highest realms of the spirit world are not impossible beings, grim and forbidding, humourless and unsmiling, but that they breathe forth from the very essence of all that is warmhearted and human.

Roger never for an instant took his eyes from our illustrious guest, who was habited as he usually is upon such visits: that is to say, in a gossamer-like white robe, bordered with a deep band of gold, fastened by a great pink pearl. His hair was golden, though when this is seen in the high realm where he lives, the golden hue becomes golden light.

What seemed to attract Roger most of all was the countenance of our visitor, for following upon what we had told him of his immense age, as measured in earthly time, and running into millions of years, yet could Roger perceive no signs of the passage of time. Yet most assuredly when he spoke to Roger, the latter knew that there stretched behind him aeons of time, while he presented the outward appearance of eternal youthfulness.

At length we repaired indoors; our guest seated himself in the special armchair while we occupied a half-circle round him – seated also, I need hardly add, for upon all such occasions we behave like rational human beings!

Our guest spoke to each of us in turn and here again, lest I should be misunderstood, let me hasten to affirm that our conversation was also upon rational lines. We were most certainly not like a group of school-children being submitted to an awful inquisition by some bloodless inspector. We were free to speak when we wished, subject to the demands of ordinary good manners. And what is most important, we had many an occasion for laughter – and we laughed. … Our guest thanked the two composers (1) for all their work, as well as that of their colleagues, and assured them of his ever continued help and inspiration. It was interesting … to hear the three discussing a number of musical technicalities with lively vigour. (Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson of the Ruler of the Spirit Realms in MALIWU, 152-4.)

[After the ruler left,] what we had enjoyed was no ‘spiritual experience,’ such as the religiously-minded on earth might consider it to be. An overwhelming experience, it would be foolish to deny, and its spiritual value would be equally foolish to ignore, but the emotions we felt were deliriously bright, cheerful, happy, exhilarating emotions; never pious or sanctimonious, nor so awe-inspiring as to leave us bereft of all sense of complete enjoyment – for the latter is what is intended by the visit, and not something done solely for the ‘good of our immortal souls.’ Those same immortal souls would derive superabundant benefit in a natural way, without overlaying it with an unnatural, impossible religiosity. (The Ruler of the Spirit Realms visits Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson in MALIWU, 156-7.)

How Decisions are Made

Each and every form of work has its separate organization. There are no such things as haphazard methods. Every type of pursuit has those in charge of it who are experts and the administration admits of no muddle or fuss. There is no mismanagement for everything runs with the smoothness of perfectly-constructed machinery under the operation of efficient hands.

It must not be concluded from this that we are infallible. That would be a totally wrong estimation, but we know that whatever our mistakes may be we are always sure that our perfect organization will come to our rescue and help us to put things right. Mistakes are never frowned upon as a piece of glaring inefficiency, but are regarded as very good lessons for us by which we can profit to the fullest extent. But because of this sympathy with our mistakes, we are not careless on that account, for we have our natural and proper pride in our work, which spurs us on to do our best always – and free from mistakes. (Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson, LIWU, 182-3.)

As soon as some new building is desired, the ruler of the realm is consulted. … Knowing, as he does, so intimately the needs and wishes of all in his realm, there never arises a case where some building is required for the use and service of all but that the wish is granted. The ruler then transmits the request to those in authority above him, who in turn refer it to those still higher. We then foregather in the central temple in the city where we are received by one whose word is law, [a] great soul…

Now, this seemingly involved procedure of passing on our request from one to another, may suggest to the mind the tortuous methods of officialdom with its delays and protractedness. The method may be somewhat similar, but the time taken in performance is a very different matter. It is no exaggeration to say that within the space of a few earthly minutes our request has been stated, and the permission – with a gracious blessing accompanying it – has been granted. (Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson, LIWU, 116-7.)