January 21st, 1916
Received by James Padgett.
Washington D.C.
I am here, Prof. Salyards:
I am here and I have waited a long time for you to give me the opportunity to write, and now I fear it is too late to write as I desired to do.
I was not with you, and of course do not know why you did not come earlier, but I suppose you had some good reason for not doing so, and hence I make no complaint at the delay.
Well, do you think that we had better try to write tonight! Under that condition I will try to give you my ideas on a certain topic which I have had under consideration for some time, intending to give you the results at the first opportunity, and I hope that I may be able to do so, in an intelligent manner. I desire to write you about the importance of learning that law is the unchangeable factor in determining the status of men on earth and spirits in this life.
And when I speak of law I mean the law established by God at the time of the creation of man, and which ever since that time has been in continuous unchangeable existence, operating upon the same condition of facts at all times in the same way and producing the same results.
I have been in the spirit world now for some years and from having given considerable of my time to the study of these laws and their influences and dominating effect upon mankind in their relationship to one another, and to God, my investigation has resulted in the discovery of many important truths which men should know and attempt to apply the benefits of to themselves, and to their relation to one another as members of society.
First, let me say that in compliance with these laws men should observe the rights and duties which all men possess and are under obligation to perform to one another, and to try with all their best efforts to understand.
There are many of these laws operating upon these rights and duties of men, and to know them, men are obliged to study first the rights of others and then the rights of themselves and in applying these laws the rights of the former are of no greater importance than the rights of the latter, for these rights are correlative, and an understanding of these rights is necessary in order for men to understand the relative duties resting upon them.
I feel that this subject is one that is in its nature very dry, yet it is of no less importance to the well being of man than are many truths of much seeming greater importance.
These laws are, I know, to a very large extent, not comprehended by men nor are these rights that I speak of, yet, if men will only attempt to get into the right attunement with the Father they can understand the laws and the rights and duties without much fear of making mistakes in their comprehensions. I will not tonight go into great detail because it would require too long a writing, and I merely write in this general way as a preliminary to what I desire to write hereafter on the subject indicated.
So if I stop now and wait until I have more time for entering into the spirit and heart of my theme you will not be disappointed.
So if you will excuse me I will stop now.
Your old friend and teacher,
Joseph H. Salyards.