INTRODUCTION 19

At every birth, what appears to be a new life comes among us. We see the little form as it lives and grows, becoming a factor in our lives for days, months, or years. At last, there comes a day when the form dies and goes to decay. The life that came—from where, we do not know—has passed to the invisible beyond, and in sorrow we ask ourselves: Where did it come from? Why was it here? And where has it gone?

Across every threshold, the skeleton form of Death throws his fearsome shadow. Old or young, healthy or ill, rich or poor—all, all alike must pass into that shadow. Throughout the ages, the piteous cry has sounded for a solution to the riddle of life and the riddle of death.

So far as the vast majority of people are concerned, the three great questions—Where have we come from? Why are we here? Where are we going?—remain unanswered to this day. It has unfortunately become the popularly accepted opinion that nothing can be definitely known about these matters of deepest interest to humanity. Nothing could be more erroneous than such an idea.

Each and every person, without exception, may become capable of obtaining first-hand, definite information upon this subject. Anyone may personally investigate the state of the human spirit, both before birth and after death. There is no favoritism, nor are special gifts required. Each of us has inherently the faculty original: "faculty"; here meaning an inherent mental or spiritual power for knowing all of these matters. But—yes, there is a "but," and a "BUT" that must be written large. These faculties are present in all, though latent original: "latent"; existing but not yet developed or manifest in most people. It requires persistent effort to awaken them, and that seems to be a powerful deterrent. If these faculties, "awake and aware," could be purchased for a price—even if the price were high—many people would pay it to gain such an immense advantage over their fellow men; but few indeed...