Spiritualism breaks with orthodox beliefs and asserts that heaven and hell are purely states of consciousness which can as easily manifest with us on earth as in a future existence.
When we say that there will be compensation and retribution hereafter for all the good and evil done here, we mean that as we live this life, we are determining the course of our future life in the Spirit World. If we do evil, or neglect our cultural development, we are merely developing our souls in such a way as will demand a period of painful struggles to undo and amend what we have neglected to do according to the opportunities accorded to us whilst on earth.
On the other hand, if we have lived good lives, loved our neighbours, and used our opportunities for intellectual progress we will enjoy the advantages which are accrued from our earthly efforts in the form of spiritual advancement and happiness in the hereafter. In other words we set in motion causes which are carried forward from this life and have their effects in the next.
Life is the unbroken eternal struggle towards greater love and wisdom. The extent to which we can make the effort here relative to our inherited endowments, environment, destiny and opportunities, determined the degree of harmony and happiness which we will obtain in our future spiritual life. This is a natural law of life and operates in proportion to what is potential in our nature.
Our souls are forged in the fire of experience, but none of us is called upon to accomplish the impossible. Each has his appropriate part to play in the Universal Plan. Some have mighty tasks, others humble assignments but all is in accordance with the nature of universal justice which in its perfect operation ensures that spiritual progress and happiness is the equal opportunity of all spirits. Spiritual progress which we are told is not in some inconceivable heaven, but is simply a state of consciousness within where our judge is our conscience.
Life is one continuous unfoldment of spirit in which there is action and reaction, compensation and retribution, both here and hereafter.
From this a philosophy emerges which reveals a purpose in life, and gives a satisfactory explanation of our existence.