know what they never could know in this life on earth, the
wonders and the blessings of the life in Christ.

And, besides, do we not at least learn this from Christ's preaching to
these souls, that intercourse and communication is _possible_ in the life
after death, and will take place? And this suggests another aspect of
the work in that life, besides the work of progressive cleansing and
perfecting. The souls of the faithful rest from their labours. Yes! but
they have also a work to do which can only be done then, the work of the
soul's purification. The work, however, which they can do for others is
better than that which can be done for themselves. What can they do for
the souls of others? Can they not do what Christ's human spirit did?
Here on earth men are charged, not only with the care of their own souls,
but with the care of the souls of others also. And why should they not
be ambassadors for Christ there, if Christ's work has to be done there?
Here on earth He uses imperfect men to proclaim His Gospel. There, in
that after life, if His Gospel is to be proclaimed to those that never
heard it in this life, why should He not employ souls also, not yet
perfected, upon the same happy task?

And may not this charge, laid on ministering souls in the Intermediate
Life, help to solve another mystery--the mystery of many an early and, as
we might think, untimely death? How often do we see a life cut short at
the very climax of its best powers, in the very midst of its noblest
service! All the earlier days had been directed, and had contributed to
the perfection of the instrument, and then, just when its work was doing,
came the sudden end. Was it not so to our Blessed Lord Himself? May it
not be said with due reverence that, if only His human life on earth had
been prolonged, His teaching, and His miracles, and His sinlessness, and
His love must have swayed and melted the hearts of men, even of those who
so long and so stubbornly withstood Him? We might so think. But, just
when His young life was at its prime of human excellence, He died, and
His human Spirit passed to preach salvation to souls in the spirit land.
So are souls, it may be, taken from us at the summit of their ripeness,
but only to be transferred to another scene, and to be employed upon
other work. Their labours change, but their works indeed do follow with
them to that land where other souls of those who knew not Christ here may
learn to