There is one matter to which I would refer at this stage, because I
think the settlement of it on a reasonable basis will be a great aid to
many devout minds. It will be supposed by many that if there is an
intermediate state of purification, some mention of it, and some details
of it, would be given in revelation. To my mind, the comparative silence
of revelation in regard to it, counts for almost nothing in our estimate
of its probability--I might almost say of its necessity.

There is one consideration of prime importance in this connection, which
ought not to be overlooked. It is this: that in regard even to the
future world of final blessedness, we have very meagre details. And
there are good reasons why we have not more. I think it is not generally
realized how fragmentary are such details; and yet we believe in the
fact itself beyond the shadow of a doubt. In fact there are few things
in which we have more implicit confidence than a future world of
blessedness and glory. But consider how few details of it are revealed.
Think of the many subjects closely related to it on which we are in
complete ignorance. It may be well to run over some of these matters
briefly, that we may realize how utterly ignorant we are of affairs
connected with that world of final blessedness. And if that be so in
regard to heaven itself, how much less we may expect to be enlightened
beforehand on the details of any intermediate state of preparation.

Think of the fact that we are surrounded by other worlds of glory; and
yet we do not even know if any of those worlds are inhabited. To be
sure, there are considerations founded on the material and moral order
of things that assure us almost beyond a doubt that they are inhabited.
But there is no proof. We simply do not know. One of those worlds is a
thousand times larger than the earth; one is twelve hundred times;
several are far more magnificent; yet we do not even know if they have