Spiritual manifestations : a brief record of my own experiences

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- Spiritual -
Manifestations.

n BRIEF RECORD
OF MY OWN
EXPERIENCES.

By

Sir wm. EnRNSHnw cooper,

CLE.

"Quod petis hie est."
(That which you seek is close at hand).

Exeter: W. J. SOUTHWOOD & Co.
Printers to The Order of the Golden Age.

SPIRITUAL MANIFESTATIONS.

A BRIEF RECORD OF
MY OWN EXPERIENCES.

jN recounting to friends certain psychic pheno-
mena which it has been my fortune to
experience during the last few months, I
have been urged to place on record all that
has occurred to me for the benefit of those interested
in the study of spiritual manifestations.

On giving the matter due consideration, I am con-
fronted by several questions that seem to require careful
thought before I commit to writing, and therefore,
possibly, to eventual publication, certain events in my
life of a nature which most men regard as being sacred
and inviolable.

To review the past is not altogether a painless
process to most people, but to re-open one's life for
public inspection at one of its most painful pages is a
task that all would shrink from. Nevertheless, it seems
to me that unless there be some purpose underlying the
extraordinary manifestations of spirit power with which
I have recently been favoured, these phenomena would
probably have been either withheld altogether or would
have assumed other form.

Bearing in mind the nature of these revelations, and
never overlooking the fact that their commanding
feature seems to be the revealment of certain truths
which mankind generally are apt to regard as of no
moment to their lives, it becomes apparent that the
establishment of these truths is what is aimed at by
those friends from ' Beyond the Veil.'

The establishment of a truth is difficult enough in
respect to any of the moral, social and economic
conditions which environ the purely material life of
mankind, but to seek to set up certain truths in respect
to man's spiritual condition, and especially to his life
in the Hereafter, is to essay that which seems, at the
moment, to be an almost superhuman task.

" What is Truth ? " demanded Pilate of the Christ,
and the question has been asked by men of all countries
and of all creeds during countless ages.

The world was old before the Saviour's advent, and
it is older to-day, yet Pilate's famous aphorism is ever
upon the lips of men. Christ Himself stood for Truth ;
was, indeed, its very incarnation. His Apostles affirmed
it ; the early Christian Fathers died for it ; prophets,
seers and sages have expounded its principles these
many thousands of years, and even to-day do those spirits,
from what men term the ' Shadowland,' come to declare
it to spirits yet incarnate, but still man doubts, as he
always has doubted.

If, then, the publication of such revelations as have
been manifested to me will assist, even in the smallest
degree, in establishing the truth in regard to the Life
beyond the grave, which most men believe in but which
few care to investigate, I readily and unhesitatingly
submit these pages to the hands of the printer.

To those who, unrestrained by the narrow tenets
of an unsatisfying form of creedal belief, are free to
recognise and accept the direct and unmistakable
evidence of those discarnate spirits from beyond the
' Border ' who are permitted to communicate with the
sons of men, these pages will appeal. To those who
are still sceptical of the potency of spirit power, the
message will convey no meaning.

I would only add that, in recording the following

manifestations of the activities of spirit life, I am
actuated by no desire to convert men to any of the
occult sciences which may be summed up in what is
known as ' Spiritualism,' because I am not in any
sense a missionary. I am, on the contrary, what
society calls a sane man of the world who, once
convinced of the actuality of spirit life, entered upon
the study of these psychic manifestations rather with
the purpose of practical investigation than with the
idle curiosity of a dilettante or the emotionalism of the
exalte. As such, I merely place before those friends
who are desirous of reading these pages, certain actual
experiences that have recently occurred to me during
what I may safely regard as one of the sanest periods
of my life.

I have added nothing to, nor substracted anything
from, these experiences, but record them word for word,
as far as I can remember, just as they occurred.

For these reasons, as also for those I am about
to give, I deem it advisable to make known these
manifestations.

Here are a few other considerations which urge

me to this course :

i. I find that a vast number of people, while desirous

of knowing something of psychic phenomena, are

deterred from undertaking personal investigation

partly because of the ridicule which they surmise

attaches to those who seek for the Truth ; partly

because of some degree of charlatanism which

attends certain seances ; and partly because of the

lack of literature on the subject of a nature that,

while fundamentally simple, might yet be highly

instructive.

2. Because I regard the study of psychic force as

essential to man's existence and a necessary

equipment for the battle of life. I go further and
affirm that psychic force should not be regarded as
a corollary of physical energy, but that matter,
relegated to its legitimate domain, should be recog-
nised as a result of psychic power. This view of
the case has been adopted by many of our greatest
living scientists.

If physical energy be the result of some greater
force, it follows that that productive energy, what-
ever it may be, should be regarded by man as
something with which he would do well to link up
his life's forces, provided it lay within his power to
do so ; and further provided that, in utilising this
potential energy, he would not be acting detri-
mentally to his own interests in this life or, as far
as we may be permitted to ascertain, in the life
after this. For this reason alone it is necessary
that man should be attracted towards, rather than
repelled from, the investigation of spiritual science.
That as many of the great men who have moved
across the world's stage during the last few thou-
sand years have been richly endowed with psychic
powers of a nature that enabled them to " walk
very near to God," it would be a pardonable
ambition if the sons of this age sought to emulate
those great heroes of ancient times. The greatest
of these was Jesus the Christ ; and, although He
performed works the like of which the world had
never beheld, yet He laid claim to no powers that
others might not possess. We have the Master's
word for it that the possession of great spiritual
power was but a question of faith, of belief. " He
that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall
he do also ; and greater works than these shall
he do, because I go unto My Father."

Further on we have the dictum of the Apostle
Peter : " Of a truth I perceive that God is no
respecter of persons ; But in every nation he that
feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted
with Him."

If these plain words of the Christ and His apostle
mean anything it is this, that, irrespective of race
or creed, he who is possessed of a whole-souled,
convincing, all-compelling belief, will be in a
position to develop and maintain an amount of
psychic force, or spiritual power which, to the
unitiated, uninstructed, and worldly-minded sons of
a degenerate race, will be regarded as — superhuman.

To such it would be futile to point out that
these so-called superhuman powers have been
possessed and freely exercised by an innumerable
company of men in all ages and in many countries,
because they would exclaim — " Ah ! these men were
especially chosen of God for certain purposes, but
He does not work in that way now."

So specious a method of reasoning would not
only satisfy the speaker, but, as a rule, his hearers
as well, and so the Word of God would thus
lightly be set aside and His plain purpose foolishly
ignored. The words : " If ye have faith as a grain
of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain,
Remove hence to yonder place and it shall remove ;
and nothing shall be impossible unto you " have
no more meaning to the vast majority of the
human race to-day than they had to those to whom
the gracious message was uttered nineteen hundred
years ago. Unbelief is the rule now, but as there
is ■ a silver lining to every cloud ' so is there a hope
dawning upon the horizon of doubt and scepticism
that promises to break into a glorious floodlight of

Truth, enabling men to see clearly and not as now,
1 through a glass darkly.'

For this reason I hold that he who can assist
his brother to a realisation of the Truth should
withhold nothing from him, even at some hurt to
himself.
5. Lastly, as I plainly perceive that the investigation
of psychic phenomena, or the quest after Truth,
not only does not take a man one step away from
God and His Christ but, on the contrary, brings
him many steps nearer to Him — " Straight into the
Everlasting Arms " — it follows that this fragment of
the Indestructible Truth should also be carefully
gathered up, preserved, and built into the great
structure of God's mighty purpose towards
mankind. " Gather up the fragments that remain
that nothing be lost" was the Master's command,
and, if men would but perceive it, this fragment of
the everlasting verities might be rendered very
precious indeed.
I would state that, although I never attempted to in-
vestigate, till quite recently, that domain which lies beyond
the ken of most men, I have always had a predisposition
towards the occult. I have, moreover, never disbelieved
in the practicability of spiritual manifestations, for the
very good reason that if we believe in the Book which
lies at the very root of our own religion — the Bible —
there cannot possibly be any room for disbelief, because,
from cover to cover of the volume which men regard as
" Holy Writ," spiritual manifestations are recounted on
almost every page.

To one, then, who regards spiritual communications
as lying within the sphere of human possibility, the
experiences I am about to relate can only be looked
upon as the operation of a natural law, one of those

8

universal laws incessantly at work, but which men in
their blindness fail to perceive.

The principle here operating is the " Law of Ever-
lasting Life." For thousands of years man has been
told by prophets, philosophers and wise men, and by
Christ Himself, that he is immortal, and yet he will
not believe, or, if he believes, it is only in a halting,
flabby, half-hearted way that carries him as far as the
grave, but not beyond it. He is sure that the mortal
part of him lies in the grave after death, but, as he
has no clear conception what becomes of his immortal
soul during the period lying betwixt death and what
is termed the " Day of Judgment," he may possibly
possess the idea that it exists in a dormant condition,
somewhere in that vast Unknown which stretches from
Time to Eternity.

In other words, the incessant giving-off of spirit-
essence by the souls of men becoming discarnate, and
the prodigious accumulation of spiritual force as a
necessary result of human dissolution, is — wasted.
Think of it ! Think of what it means ! On the one
hand we have knowledge of the ceaseless energy
of the Productive Principle always operating, always
constructing, eternally evolving and ever energising,
and, on the other, the antithesis of it all in the waste,
or, at the most, in the non-utilisation of that stupendous
spiritual power for ever being given off by the process
of discarnation.

This unspeakable force, being accumulative, neces-
sarily assumes — during the immeasurable period covered
by the birth of the human race and this " Day of
Judgment" — proportions of which the finite mind of
man cannot conceive, and yet, in that inconsequent
manner which characterises him, he foolishly consigns
these potent, awe-inspiring forces — this wonder-working

part of God's own Indestructible Essence — to senseless
oblivion or prodigal waste.

A little common-sense here would do no harm to
those who have formed so imperfect a conception of
God's purpose towards mankind.

Here is a reasonable solution of this problem, or
rather of this vast error, which has done incalcu-
lable harm by inducing a false conception of God's
purpose : —

Life, whether on the earth-plane or the spiritual-
planes beyond, is one continued pilgrimage ; the soul
forces ever unfolding, the spiritual nature ever de-
veloping, and the real Ego of man ever soaring onwards
and upwards towards the Infinite. But, whether in its
incarnate or discarnate condition, this Ego is answer-
able Here, or in the stage of existence which — for
purposes of illustration — may be termed the " Hereafter,"
for deeds done in the flesh. In these two phases of
the soul's state must expiation be made and full com-
pensation rendered for every sin of omission or
commission while in the carnal condition.

Man, through that immortal part of him known by
the name of Conscience, not infrequently becomes his
own judge, even in the flesh, warped, constrained and
entirely subdued as it often is by earthly considerations ;
but, freed from the trammels of its gross material body,
and purged of its carnal covering, by passing through the
mists of death, the imperishable spirit stands revealed.

It is then that the real work of expiation, of
redemption, commences, because every disembodied spirit
carries with it the mark of its own sins or the measure
of its virtues. Conscience can no longer be stifled nor
remorse put aside, and the soul thus automatically judges
itself. There is no other judge or jury, nor is there any
other ' Day of Judgment ' save that which the spirit

IO

finds in the soul state immediately following the
earth -life, namely, the awful necessity of becoming its own
judge.

This is the law which cannot be set aside even by
God Himself, because to do so would be to destroy His
own immutability.

But this intelligible plan of God's Purpose involves
no waiting — perhaps for millions of years — for the " Day
of Judgment." It further becomes apparent that once
the soul be purged of its earthly impurities it will be
drawn into God's great Redemptive Scheme and utilised
by Him for some wise purpose.

Admitting, then, that in God's perfect scheme of
Creation and Redemption nothing is wasted, nothing lost
and nothing forgotten, it follows that He could not
possibly fail to utilise these countless myriads of discarnate
spirits gone over to the " Great Majority." It further
follows that, as this spirit power cannot be " wasted,"
the Ever-watchful One may conceivably use part of it in
furtherance of His great Redemptive plan by establishing
simple yet perfectly natural lines of communication with
spirits still incarnate — if it pleases Him so to do.

That He has, aforetime, so used part of this spirit
force in manifesting Himself in a similar manner to the
sons of men, through His chosen spiritual instruments,
history freely testifies.

That He similarly manifests Himself to the human
race to-day, by and through the means of those who
have developed their clairvoyant and clairaudient powers,
is beyond dispute or doubt.

That He has manifested Himself to me during the
last few months by His chosen spiritual messengers,
through the medium of a spiritually guided man, is also
beyond dispute.

This now brings me to the bare narration of certain

it

experiences which have occurred to me during the last
six or eight months, /qcrf

In May or June last. I had to meet in London, on
business, my friend Mr. Sidney Beard, who introduced
me to his younger brother, Mr. Percy Beard. I had
met the elder brother on a few occasions previous to
this, but had never met the younger one.

After a brief conversation Mr. Sidney Beard, having
business to transact elsewhere, left me to converse with
his brother Percy. We had been engaged in conversa-
tion for perhaps about ten minutes when my new friend,
who seemed to be looking into and beyond me, suddenly
exclaimed — " I see about you a number of spirit-forms
who are desirous of attracting your attention." He then
proceeded to describe quite a number of them, some of
whom seemed familiar, while others seemed to have no
meaning for me. I confessed to being astonished at so
remarkable a turn to what I regarded as an ordinary
conversation on topics connected with the business about
which I had called, and ultimately asked the meaning
of it. Mr. Beard replied — " These, no doubt, are those
who, when in the body, entered into your life at
some period of your career, and are now anxious to
remind you of their friendship and goodwill, or to express
gratitude for help of some kind or other afforded to
them by yourself during their lifetime. They desire
to demonstrate to you that memory of your kindly
actions really exists after the change called Death."

I made some remark to the effect " Is it possible
that such things can be ? " and my friend replied —
" Certainly, there is no doubt that acts done in this
life live on, and that their results are visible and well
understood in the next life."

My friend then said : — " Among the many spirit-forms
I see about you is one apart from the rest." He then

12

described a beautiful female figure, her features and
form, and added " Does this convey anything to you ? "
I said " No ! I can only think of a sister who died
years ago." Heat once replied "No! No! this one
has been in the land of Realities a long time, as her
shining garments and radiant presence signify ; besides
this, she shows a luminous cross above her brow, denot-
ing her emanation from a higher sphere. I take her to be
one who takes great interest in your life, and is desirous
of helping you with the others who come with her."

This fresh manifestation astounded me more than
ever, and I said something to the effect that I was so
astonished as to be unable to make fitting comment.

Mr. Beard then said, " There is an elderly female
form quite close to you, looking at you with loving
eyes, and anxious to attract your attention." He then
described her form, features, the colour of her hair and
the way it was arranged, as also her costume. He
added: "She is now calling my attention to a cap of
peculiar shape she is wearing. It is flat upon the head,
with large, long and broad ribbons or lappets falling
from the sides of the cap to the shoulders. I have never
seen a cap like it. She is still pointing to the cap as
though desirous of impressing its shape and appearance
upon my memory. She is now showing me an ornament
of some sort, probably a brooch, fastening a shawl or
mantle she is wearing on her shoulders ; she seems
anxious that I should carefully remark this ornament."
He then added : " Do you recognize this friend by the
description given ? " I replied, " God bless my soul,
you have accurately described not only the features of
my dear mother, but her head-dress and attire as well."

Naturally enough this additional proof of what to
me, at that period, appeared to be a manifestation of
superhuman power was astounding beyond measure,

13

particularly so as it occurred to me that the only costume
or articles of attire, head-dress or what not, that I remem-
ber my dear mother ever wearing were, singularly
enough, the very cap with its peculiar flat shape and
broad ribbons or lappets at the side falling to the
shoulders, together with the mantle fastened at the
throat with its brooch or some round ornament.

I should here add that I should not have remembered
even these articles of attire were it not for the significant
fact that they formed the principal and most prominent
articles of her costume on the only occasion on which she
had her photograph taken, away back in the " forties."

This fact is impressed upon my mind because the
son of one of the village tradesmen set up what he called
a " studio," and, more for the fun of the thing than,
perhaps, anything else, my brothers and myself induced
our dear mother, after a lot of persuasion, to have her
photograph taken. These photographs were tiny affairs,
the bust being scarcely larger than a shilling, but the
fact that I still have a couple of them in my possession,
with the peculiar cap with its broad side lappets and the mantle
fastened at the throat with its round brooch, has enabled me
to maintain a vivid recollection of the very articles with
which my dear mother attired herself on that occasion.

I would further add that were it not for these photo-
graphs I should have been as profoundly ignorant of the
nature and style of my mother's mode of attire, the shape
of her caps, or indeed of any single item of her dress, as
I am of the costume worn, at this moment, by an
Esquimaux woman.

These photographs formed the only possible link
with the past in respect to my mother's costume, and
it was therefore necessary for her to appear in the very articles
of attire she wore on that single occasion sixty years ago, in
order to establish her identity.

H

In other words it should be borne in mind that spirit-
visitants, realizing the necessity for establishing
identification, necessarily appear to the clairvoyant in
some familiar garb easily recognisable by their friends
on the earth-plane with whom they wish to communicate.
This momentary clothing in the memory of the past is
produced by the concentration of the will of the spirit-
visitant on that of the Sensitive or Medium, and is a well
known feature in spiritual manifestations.

It is true that my friend, who was describing these
events to me, most clearly delineated my mother's form
and features, particularly a somewhat remarkable feature,
my mother's eyes, which were large, brown and liquid
and full of love and pathos, and which he described as
" stag-like " eyes, full, clear and brown; but as it is
difficult for one person to convey to another an accurate
description of form, feature and expression by the mere
process of delineation, however well it may be done, it
is clear that my dear mother, fully realizing this difficulty,
would not rely alone upon a mere description of her
person, but appeared before the Medium, for a brief
space, arrayed in the very articles of attire she wore on
the memorable occasion of having her photograph taken.
She knew these items of her attire on that occasion were
well remembered by me, for the reason that one or more
of these photographs, with the very costume she was
taken in, were still in my possession, and that this peculiar
costume, and this one alone, is the only one I remember her
ever wearing.

I must here interpolate that neither of these photo-
graphs was on my person at the time, but both were
in Bournemouth.

This somewhat lengthy description of what might
strike some minds as being a comparatively trifling
circumstance becomes necessary to enable the interested

reader — the seeker after Truth — to understand the
enormous potentialities underlying the means of com-
munication with the spirit-world, revealed by this
single manifestation, which will be more startlingly
shown as this narrative proceeds.

On receiving this convincing proof of my mother's
presence I said, " Has my dear mother any message for
me, does she wish me to do anything, to perform some
office? " or words to that effect. Mr. Beard said, "She
is now standing beside you, with her hand on your
shoulder, looking down and into your face with a tender,
loving expression ; her hand is now upon your head, and
she wishes to convey to you her love and goodwill, and
to assure you of her watchful regard in the future as in
the past."

In reply to this I clumsily and inadequately expressed
my gratitude, and the form of her I loved most of all
women immediately faded from the vision of my new-
found friend.

Following immediately on this, to me, supernatural
phenomenon, came another startling discovery. My
friend said, " I see another female form. She is of a
taller and fuller presence than your mother ; a hand-
some, commanding woman with a full open brow, large,
clear, blue-grey eyes, straight nose, beautifully shaped
lips and mouth, and a full, rounded chin. Her hair is
luxuriant, dark brown, streaked freely with grey, and
worn so as to show a high forehead. The most con-
spicuous part of her costume is some white thing she is
wearing upon her head, and falling over her shoulders.
It is a white, cloudy looking thing, as though made of
some light, soft material, such as wool or silk, and she
seems particularly anxious that I should call your atten-
tion to this because she is not only handling it but
pointing to it as something that you will remember.

16

She has suddenly placed both hands to her side, her
face has assumed an expression of suffering, and her
whole attitude denotes considerable pain and bodily
distress." " Now," continued the Sensitive, " I am
actually taking on, in my own body, her physical suffer-
ings when in the flesh, and they are most acute and
distressing. I feel extreme pain in the side, considerable
pressure and pain in the heart, difficulty in breathing,
with a most distressing, choking sensation as though I
am fighting for very life ! " After a brief space my
friend said, " These symptoms have passed, although I
still feel their temporary effect. This spirit is again
calling my attention to the white cloud-like thing upon
her head, as though anxious to impress this particular
article of her attire upon your mind. Does this picture
convey any meaning to you ? "

I exclaimed, " Convey any meaning ? Why, you
have accurately described my late wife, not only in
presence, form and features, but as to the very nature
of her physical troubles, which played so important a
part in her earth-life. Every symptom which you de-
scribe as having temporarily taken on in your own
body, is identical with those which attended my wife,
and with which I was so familiar during her life-time.
The white thing you describe as forming the one article
of attire which the spirit-form of my wife is anxious I
should remember, is a favourite white " cloud," made
of some fine soft silk and wool material she often, or
perhaps always, wore on her head on those many
occasions when she suffered from attacks of neuralgic
headache, or other ailments demanding warmth or pro-
tection to the head, and which I remember so well.
Indeed, you have presented to me a picture of a portion
of my married life so true in detail, and so accurate in
every respect, that I am more than ever astounded at

'7

the truth underlying Spiritualism, and am utterly con-
founded by such revelations."

I would here add that I was so " taken aback,"
in common parlance, that I had no fitting word to
say, and I fear I let my dear wife drift away, so to
speak, without asking any questions. At any rate
I cannot remember if I said anything or what I
said, beyond the reply above given in response to
Mr. Beard's question : " Does the picture convey any
meaning ? "

So that this manifestation may become more in-
telligible I would explain that, during her lifetime, my
wife was continually suffering from certain ailments,
chiefly nervous disorders, which induced exactly the
symptoms in her physical body which she so marvel-
lously assumed in her spirit body, and which she even
more marvellously, but temporarily, transferred to the
body of Mr. Beard, so that the evidence of communi-
cation being established with the spirit-world should
be more complete and convincing.

Distressing fainting fits, preceded by severe pains
about the region of the heart, and followed by struggles
for breath and fighting for life, were of fairly frequent
occurrence during the twenty-four years she was my
wife, while she was constantly complaining of severe
pains in the side. Neuralgic headaches were also of
frequent occurrence, and during the last years of her
life she invariably used that white "cloud" about her
head whenever she suffered from these attacks.

This particular " cloud," I should mention, plays an
important part in the case, because, being a favourite
with my dear wife before she passed away, I especially
selected it from among her little belongings after she
died. Since I came to Bournemouth I placed it in the
top drawer of a chest of drawers in my bedroom, so that

iS

for the last ten years it has lain within a couple of feet
of my pillow whilst I slept.

Obviously there was a most excellent reason for the
spirit-body of my wife making this " cloud " assume so
prominent a part in her manifestation of actual existence,
and, although the connection between this article of
attire and her earth-life was perfectly intelligible without
this added information, with it the evidence becomes not
only clear but startlingly vivid.

I will pass over a number of minor manifestations of
the actual existence of several other friends included in
that number of spirit-forms which my friend told me
were about me when he first informed me of their
presence, for the reason that I have so much to relate
that, unless I confine myself to but one or two of the
more prominent features of these spiritual manifestations,
I shall prolong this narrative indefinitely.

Connected with the appearance of these spirit-friends
I was struck with the remarkably practical course they
invariably took in picturing some incident in our joint
earth-life, which they had good reason to know I should
remember. One of these was a country scene in India.
Two horsemen were standing beside a horse which had
evidently met with an accident ; the saddle, which was
lying on the ground, was damaged, the girths were
broken and one of the horsemen was more or less hurt.
The features of both horsemen were obscured by the
large sun-hats they wore. This picture then faded and
gave place to another. I only mention this one instance
because it is a well-known scene out of my own life. It
occurred tome in India on Christmas Day, 1866 or 1867,
the particulars of which I need not relate. I would
add this is the only incident of the kind in my life which
exactly fits the picture. It is memorable to me because
I nearly lost my life on that occasion. The friend

*9

who came to my aid on that occasion died several
years ago.

On resuming conversation with my new-found friend
I expressed great astonishment at the phenomena with
which I had been favoured, and he expressed himself as
being pleased with the satisfactory result, because it was
evident that these spirit-friends were desirous of estab-
lishing communication with me, and it was gratifying to
him to know that the evidence afforded by them was
clear and intelligible. He added — " You are fortunate
in getting such clear evidence of the actual existence of
your mother and wife on another plane of life at such an
early period of your psychic experiences, because such
evidential testimony does not, in all cases, stand out so
clearly as in this, and it is evident that the "conditions"
are very favourable. I am only thankful that I have been
the means of bringing you together, and if I can be of
further service to you at any time you may command me."

Questioned as to the meaning of these, to me,
miraculous manifestations, my friend explained that
there was nothing superhuman or supernatural about
such phenomena, which are, in reality, nothing but the
operation of one of God's natural laws, as yet but
imperfectly understood by man. Each one of us, he
said, possesses, whether he knows it or not, a psychic aura
in which such spirit experiences as those just referred to
can and do take place, and which are perfectly visible,
under certain conditions, to those who have developed
their clairvoyant powers. To many clairvoyants the
psychic aura of quite a number of persons is capable of
being penetrated and laid bare to this clairvoyant power,
and when the " conditions " are favourable, that is to
say, when the spiritual affinities of the incarnate and
discarnate spirits are attuned to perfect harmony, each,
in other words, prayerfully desirous of communication

20

being formed, the part of the clairvoyant becomes
comparatively easy.

This was what happened in my case. I was ever a
believer in psychic power and always desirous of some
manifestation. I had, in short, determined upon a line
of action which would enable me to establish some kind
of communication with those dear ones who had joined
the " Great Majority," and the thoughts thus given out
were as surely received by those on the spiritual-plane
as the telephone message is received by those at the
other end of the wire. The meeting with one endowed
with clairvoyant powers offered the opportunity, and the
rest is herein depicted.

This power of thought-force is becoming better
understood day by day, and when it is perfectly in-
terpreted it will be found that thoughts are the real,
moving, active, living forces of the universe, and that
Matter is but a — result. This will, no doubt, prove a
severe blow to many a preconceived idea, nevertheless,
it will have to be recognised as a living truth sooner or
later.

The " conditions " in my case were, then, favour-
able ; and, in obedience to the law " Ask and you shall
receive," the desired testimony of the existence of our
dear ones, on a plane of life interplaning with our own
sphere of existence, was at once given.

Not being possessed of clairvoyant powers, or rather,
as I have since learned, not having developed those
clairvoyant, clairaudient, or other spiritual gifts which it
is conceivable are immanent in every human entity, the
evidence I earnestly and reverently sought for had
necessarily to be communicated to me through a Medium
who had developed his own power, in precisely the same
manner that those who have not learned to become
telegraphic operators have to employ a medium to

21

dispatch the message which they themselves, for this
reason, cannot send.

As a little practice at the telegraphic instrument
would enable each one of us to dispatch or receive the
telegram, so would an earnest attitude in respect to the
question we are considering enable us to dispatch and
receive psychic messages, aye, even with greater freedom
than the telegraph clerk operates along his comparatively
clumsy system of wires, posts and cables.

The etheric or magnetic current, or whatever the
medium of communication may be between incarnate
and discarnate beings, presents no obstacle to free,
unrestricted, and instantaneous intercourse, and this
truth is becoming more manifest every day to an
increasing number of thoughtful people, as also to many
scientists.

I have been careful in recording these dicta in regard
to psychic phenomena, not only because of prevailing
ignorance on a subject which is now regarded by scientists
as of so much moment in the economy of life, but also
because there is more relevance than most people imagine
between the system of transmitting telegraphic messages
from one friend to another in different parts of this planet,
and that of thought-transmission and thought-transference
between friends either in the flesh or in the spirit.
Unfortunately, however, there are so many abstruse
terms, such as " Sub-conscious and active personalities,"
" subliminal consciousness," " psychometry," " subjective
bodies " and numerous other allied perplexing expressions
in the air to-day, that the brain is becoming bewildered
by a multitude of scientific terms which are being cast
around the subject. But when the ordinary mind breaks
away from the 'isms and 'ologies in which scientists love
to indulge and divests the mantle of Spiritualism of that
elaborate broidery of ornate, obscure vocables which the

2.Z

members of the " Research " Societies have woven into
its texture, it will become apparent that communication
between spirits incarnate and spirits discarnate is simply
the operation of a natural law, and, therefore, well within
the possibilities of everyday life.

It will, moreover, be discovered that this power,
although latent to-day, will change its potentialities into
a mighty, compelling, living force which will do more to
uplift the human race than anything that has heretofore
transpired in its long history. It is a power that,
throughout the ages, has always been held by the few,
but when man realizes that it is part of his mortal
heritage, that it belongs to every human being, and that
each individual entity can claim it as his right from Him
who is but too willing to yield it into the hands of those
who will wisely use it, then will he learn that this law,
like all the laws of the Eternal, is so simple in its opera-
tion as to become intelligible even to children.

I will now bring the scene of the narrative to
Bournemouth.

About six weeks, perhaps, after my first experience
in London, Mr. Beard visited me at my house just for
a week end, arriving on Saturday afternoon and leaving
early on Monday morning.

After dinner on Saturday evening Mr. Beard was
soon under the control of one of his Guides, who poured
forth, through the lips of his Medium, a flow of eloquence
lasting perhaps for ten minutes or more. I will not
attempt to recount what was said, because I shall relate
further on an account of what took place on a more
recent occasion, which I better remember. I would
merely say that, like all the spirit utterances with which
I have been favoured, the language was beautiful,
measured and stately, and poured forth in unbroken
melody till the end. It was an exhortation to purity of

23

life, nobleness of effort and ceaseless energy in the up-
liftment of others. Love ! was the key-note of the
address, the Eternal Love of the Father and of the
Christ. It was very simple, but very perfect and con-
vincing, like all the Everlasting Verities.

On assuming his normal condition, Mr. Beard said :
" There is an Eastern figure standing behind you near
the piano. His complexion is dark olive, I should call
it ; his nose is clean cut, aquiline ; he has beautiful clear
eyes of, I believe, dark grey. His chin is full and
prominent, the hair falling from under a head-dress,
which is a small neat kind of what I believe to be a
turban ; it is white, as also is his moustache and beard.
I call it a very handsome face. The dress is white, like a
white robe, confined at the waist by some kind of white
girdle. The breast of the robe seems to be open and
cut square, showing what seems to be lace or white
embroidered muslin. The sleeves of the robe are long,
wide at the wrists and falling down like the open sleeves
of a lady's dress. Here, too, is showing the same em-
broidered lace-like looking muslin. On the hand of this
figure there is a large ring with a broad flat stone which
looks like a great seal, the colour of the stone is red, and
this friend is pointing to it so that I may be particular in
calling your attention to it."

Mr. Beard then said, " Is this intelligible to you ? "
I replied, " I think it must be the spirit of my old
Khansamah, of whom I was very fond." Mr. Beard
at once said, " What is a Khansamah ? " I replied,
" A butler or head servant." My friend at once said,
"No! this is no servant, but one in a higher position ;
one who was your friend. I say this because I know
it from our visitant."

I exclaimed, " God bless me, I know who it is."
Mr. Beard then added, " He is now showing me a

24

curious animal which I take to be a cow, although I
have never seen its like before. It has large, spreading
horns, with a large thing growing out of its shoulders
which looks like a hump or some deformity. He is
particularly anxious that I should call your attention
to this animal for some reason which I cannot quite
understand. Does this picture appeal to you ? " I
replied, '* Perfectly ! I quite understand what my old
friend means by showing me the cow, and I quite
recognise who our visitor is. I can only express my
astonishment at the manifestation."

On this visitor withdrawing, my friend said, " Your
mother has come again and is standing close to your
shoulder. There is the same intense, loving look in her
eyes, and she wishes me to convey to you her gratitude
for having rendered the last year or two of her life less
hard, as also for having removed from it, some years
before, a haunting dread which, up to that time, was
ever present with her. She desires me to make you
understand that what you did for her removed a heavy
burden from her life and enabled her to pass it, till the
end, in comparative peace and contentment. She is
particularly anxious that I should make you realize this
because it meant so much to her during her lifetime,
and this is the first time she has ever been able to
remind you of it," or words to that effect.

I was now becoming accustomed to these manifes-
tations and expressed less astonishment. I merely
replied — " Thank my dear mother for her presence and
for her gracious message which is perfectly intelligible
to me, even to the letter, and add, I too am grateful for
having been enabled to afford the necessary help on both
the occasions referred to, and to learn that, with my
assistance, her life was rendered more endurable."

I then added — " Can my dear mother give me some

25

evidence of our parting on the occasion of my leaving
home for India. It was the last time I saw her on earth,
and as there were peculiar circumstances connected there-
with, it would be interesting and convincing if she could
show me some of the incidents."

Mr. Beard said " Your mother is showing me a scene
of your parting in a room in which there are several
people besides yourselves. The parting is a sad, sorrow-
ful one enough, but she has mentioned the name of
"Elizabeth," which she is anxious I should remember,
because she keeps repeating it. She is now showing me
the house of this " Elizabeth," and I gather that it played
an important part in the scene of your leave-taking."

I then asked Mr. Beard, " Can my mother show me
any other feature in the scene of our parting, because it
has certain peculiar characteristics which are, no doubt,
as fully remembered by my mother as by myself?"
My friend almost immediately replied " Your mother is
now showing me something which appears in the form
of a triangle ; at least that is the nearest form I can
think of. I believe this peculiar shaped thing is intended
to convey to you that she parted with you at one point
of this triangle, and afterwards at another. If this
manifestation has any meaning for you I shall be glad,
for this is all I can get from your mother on this point."

I thanked my mother for what she had endeavoured
to show me and said, " I quite understand what my
mother intends to convey, and, although the meaning
is clear, I hope she will be able to give me further
evidence," or words to that effect.

After several attempts to get further information Mr.
Beard said " The power is not so strong now, and I fear
further evidence will be difficult." I replied, " Do not
do anything further ; the evidence, so far as it goes, is
quite conclusive."

26

Many more clear manifestations were given of the
ease with which communications can be opened up with
what men erroneously call the " Hidden World," but
as this narrative would become too lengthy by their
narration, I propose to confine myself practically to the
development of the two cases I have just referred to in
their sequential order — that of my Eastern visitant, and
of my mother. I will explain the meaning of these last
manifestations later on.

A few weeks after this I again invited Mr. Beard
down and, on resuming our investigations, I was again
favoured with even more conclusive evidence of the
continuity of life on the plane beyond this, but which
indubitably interplanes with it.

Mr. Beard was in his normal condition, and, after
sitting in the music room for a few minutes in silence,
said, " There is again your Eastern friend standing near
the piano and he is looking at you with friendly, loving
eyes." He added : " Your old friend is saluting you by
placing his hand upon his brow and bowing towards
you ; evidently some form of Eastern salutation. He is
repeating these salutations so that I may call your
attention to what he is doing." This form of salutation
is the well known Indian " salaam," and never did my
old friend enter or leave my presence without punctiliously
performing the ceremony ; indeed, to omit it would have
shown a lack of respect.

I said " I am very glad, and I should now like him
to show me in what way he was connected with me in
the past ; in what business, for example."

Mr. Beard promptly said " He is showing me what I
take to be an immense room or warehouse, with quite a
number of pillars in it. On the floor, all over this great
room, are large heaps of some material of which I am
ignorant. This curious looking stuff seems to consist of

^7

some cob-webby looking material like thread ; its colour
is of a light greyish hue or greyish yellow. It seems to
be in bundles or knots of some kind, and I am now
feeling it on my hands, arms and feet as though it is of a
clinging, cob-webby nature. Your spirit-friend is
evidently anxious that I should get some clear idea of
what he is showing me." He then went on " I am now
shown, in the same warehouse, but at the back, an
immense array of great bales piled one on the top of the
other, stretching right across the back wall and reaching
to the roof of the building, and I am particularly anxious
to take note of this, because I gather that this is the
business with which your friend was connected with you
during his earth-life."

The Sensitive continued, " Your old friend is particu-
larly anxious that I should express to you his gratitude
for something you did for him during the last few years of
his life, which was not only of immense service to him
personally — by preventing some great misfortune which
would otherwise have overtaken him — but which enabled
him to live out the remaining portion of his earth-existence
in comfort and comparative peace. I gather that the
misfortune he refers to was of a financial nature. He is
careful that I should impress this upon your mind for
some very good reason, no doubt." Mr. Beard then
remarked, " He is again showing me the cow to which
he draws particular attention, as also the ring on his
hand, to which he is pointing as he holds it up for my
inspection," and added, " Is all this quite intelligible to
you " ?

I replied, " It is not only intelligible, but wonderful ;
but could my old friend tell you of some peculiar term
he invariably used in speaking to me, or of me, to
others ; a term or name of his own choosing ? I should
regard this as being exceptionally clear evidence, if you

2S

could but get it." Mr. Beard promised to try. After a
few minutes of silence he said " Omra " or " Homra,"
yes, that is the word he gives me — " Homra." (N.B.,
this word in Hindustani is pronounced like " Homera.")
I said " Yes, perfectly intelligible, but there is something
else." Mr. Beard added : " He is now showing me five
separate letters, the first two of them are clear and they
are — S A. The other three are obscure. I am trying
to get them shown more clearly, but our visitor appears
to have difficulty in this."

After this the Medium said, " He is showing me the
last three letters, but as they continue somewhat obscure
I hear the complete word which I take to be ' Sahib.' "

Mr. Beard then informed me that my wife was
present and standing quite close to my old friend. I
said I was glad to hear this because it indicated
that if my wife, a Christian, were found in the same
heaven, or spiritual condition, as a Brahmin, God's
veritable heaven must be of a different nature from what
orthodox Christians are led to believe. I added, " There
is one singular feature about this appearance of my old
friend and it is this. I have, strangely enough, for-
gotten his name, although I was connected with him in
business for over twenty years, and know his name as
well as I know my own. Can you get it for me ? "
Mr. Beard almost at once replied, " He is showing me
— G. o. d ; these three letters, and wishes you to under-
stand that his name is particularly connected with
God." Mr. Beard remarked, " It seems so strange a
suggestion that I am still trying to get his name, but he
keeps showing me the same word God ! God ! I
fear I can get no further answer. Does it convey any
meaning ? " I said, " None whatever," nor did it. Mr.
Beard then surprised me by saying, " Your Eastern
friend is now talking to your wife and he is tapping his

29

own forehead and pointing to you, and wishes me to
convey to you his regret for your lapse of memory.
Both of them are now looking at you and smiling at
your perplexity."

I confessed astonishment at this because, just for a
moment, it appeared as though a sense of the ridiculous,
or any indication of amusement among spirit-people
seemed so unorthodox and incongruous as to amount to
levity, but second thoughts suggested — Why not ? Why
should it be all solemnity over in the bright land
beyond ? What right have we to assume that amuse-
ment is only intended for us, and not for the inhabitants
of other spheres ? My first position was obviously
untenable and had to be abandoned.

However, my old friend's name continued to remain
blotted out of my memory. All Saturday night and all
Sunday I tried to recall it, but to no purpose. On
Sunday afternoon my friend, Mr. Beard, walked with
me to the pier, and on returning through the gardens,
near the children's "Paradise," the name of my old
friend — Lalla Mahdo Ram — was projected into my
brain like a flash. The first word of his name is
but a prefix signifying a condition of life. * Mahdo,'
* Mahdeo,' ' Mahdeva,' however, are but different ways of
spelling one of the names of the Hindu deity — the god
Siva ; while ' Ram ' or ' Rama ' is an incarnation of
Vishnu, one of the great deities of the Ramavana.
Of itself ■ Ram ' generally signifies — God !

My old friend of the ' God-like ' name had very good
reason for showing Mr. Beard that his name was
peculiarly and intimately associated with — God, and
although this conveyed no meaning to my mind, so long
as his name remained blotted out of my memory, it
assumed a meaning of significant importance the moment
the name of this friend was given back to me.

30

Now let me proceed to produce the key to the riddle,

or rather, I should say, to supply the other links in this

chain of evidence.

i. The appearance of the spirit of an Eastern figure

whose form, features and peculiar costume, even for

India, exactly tally with those of an old and valued

friend, a Hindu gentleman who was connected

with me in business in Cawnpore for over twenty

years.

2. The wearing of a ring which I remember perfectly,
and which I had ample opportunity of remarking
upon during our long friendship and business con-
nection. This ring, described by Mr. Beard, is
identical with that constantly worn by my old
friend in his earth-life.

3. In confounding this figure with that of an old
" servant " I was at once authoritatively told that
— "this is no servant but a friend." This turned
out to be true, but how did the Sensitive know ?

4. I was shown a curious looking animal believed to
be a cow. This animal was regarded of sufficient
importance to necessitate re-introduction on the
second occasion of my old friend appearing to me.
Why?

The answer is this — Fourteen or fifteen years
ago a movement was started in India to protect the
cow (regarded there as a sacred animal). Money
was collected almost entirely among the natives ;
homes and hospitals were built, and the movement
' caught on ' and created some stir. As a man of
influence, my old friend asked me to join it. I did
so, and was, I believe, the only European supporter
of the movement in Cawnpore. By and by some
wiseacres fancied they detected a deep political
motive, hostile to the British Raj, underlying the

31

affair, and some of my friends, among whom was
one of the Directors of the Company of which I
was the Chairman, and my old friend the agent for
the sale of its cloth and yarn, tried to dissuade me
from giving the movement further support. I,
however, declined, and continued to encourage it,
because I was convinced that mercy, compassion
and altruism were the source of the movement, and
not political intrigue. My friend the Lalla was
grateful to me for this and never ceased to show it.
The introduction of the Cow into the arena of
spiritual manifestations, which, without the key, was
quite unintelligible, now assumes an amount of
interest of the utmost importance and of startling
significance.
5. In asking for evidence as to the way in which this
Eastern spirit-friend was connected with me in
business, a spacious room or warehouse, with a
number of pillars in it, on the floor of which were
large heaps of strange looking material unfamiliar
to Mr. Beard, was at once shown. The warehouse,
with its multitude of iron pillars supporting the
girder roof, the great heaps of yarn in hanks,
scattered over the floor, with the immense stock of
baled goods against the wall in the background, are
simply a reproduction of a daily scene in the sorting
or store room of the Muir (Cotton) Mills in Cawn-
pore, of which Company I was the Chairman, and
my friend the Lalla, the Company's agent, as I
before explained.

The fact of the spirit- visitant causing conditions
which produced the effect which Mr. Beard
described as of a " cob-webby," "thready' nature
to cling to his hands, arms and feet, so that he
might realize the quality and substance of the

32

material he was being shown in this spirit-picture,
must be regarded as evidence of exceptionally high
value, and absolutely inexplicable by any known
laws of physical science.

Indeed, to the uninitiated, it seems incredible that
such powers as these can possibly be ; while to the
"scientist," who would enter upon the investigation
of psychic phenomena in what is termed " the
spirit of scientific enquiry," such manifestations as
are herein described, being determinable by no
recognised material laws, that is to say, of any laws
known to him, might probably be regarded as a series
of clever spiritualistic tricks."

But, as Shakespeare wisely said, " There are
more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than
are dreamt of in your philosophy," so will these
physical scientists, who necessarily weigh, measure,
and determine all phenomena that enter the arena
of their investigations by such physical standards
as man himself has set up, have to admit, soon or
late, that psychic phenomena can no more be
determined by physical standards, and weighed in
the scales of human invention, than can the mighty
waters of the deep be confined in a fishing net.
The thing is impossible. To measure the infinite
by the finite, as many of our modern scientists are
endeavouring to do, is simply — impossible.
6. The gratitude expressed by this spirit-visitant
was for some service I had rendered to him,
partaking of a financial nature, and this was correctly
described by Mr. Beard. Lalla Mahdo Ram was
the principal member of a native firm which for
years had held the important position of sole
agents for the disposal of the entire manufactured
produce of the mills.

33

It was suggested that this firm should be
invited to retire from the position, but as the
reasons given did not appeal to me, I, as Chairman
of the Board of Directors, opposed the scheme. I
understood that the Lalla's firm was in financial
difficulties at the time, and it is certain that the loss
of the Company's business at such a juncture would
have resulted in the firm's collapse. My old friend
died shortly after this, and his firm either failed or
became heavily involved in difficulties. The busi-
ness of the Company was withdrawn. This, then,
was the reason for this display of spirit-gratitude.

That my old friend had never ceased to
remember, even in his spirit-state, what I did for
him, affords not only evidence of immortality but
of life's continuity. It, moreover, proves that we
carry with us into the Hereafter all our remem-
brances of the Here. To say that we enter upon a
fresh life in the ' Beyond ' is only true in a sense.
It would be more correct to say the life is the same,
but the conditions environing it change. The
spirit, which is our real Ego, changes not. Life
with all its pleasure and pain, its joys and sorrows,
its omissions and commissions, its good and its evil,
knows no change, nor is it discontinued, even for a
brief moment.

" He is careful that I should impress this upon
your mind, for some very good reason, no doubt,"
said the Sensitive, and this is further corroboration
that, in the state beyond the earth-life, the same
thoughts, considerations and recollections influence
discarnate-spirits as move and sway the impulses
of life on this plane.

But, be this as it may, this much remains
clear — an act done in the flesh is not, and cannot

34

be, forgotten in the spirit-state. Moreover, the
power of expressing gratitude is not confined to the
human entity in his state of spirit-incarnate, but
may, and does, extend to the state of spirit-discar-
nate. The evidence on this point is conclusive.
The extraordinary evidence in regard to the Lalla's
pet name for me is also of remarkable significance.
Not only was the name given correctly, but in an
Eastern language with which Mr. Beard was
totally unacquainted. But the most singular part
of this link in a chain of evidence of connected
strength is in the way the single word " Homra,"
used by the spirit, was pronounced. The term
used by the Lalla in speaking to or of me was
" Homra Sahib," meaning " My own or very own
Sahib." The word really is "Hamara," the middle
'a' pronounced broadly like 'ah,' but the Lalla,
although a perfect Hindu scholar, slightly
4 mouthed ' a few words, and this was one of
them, which he pronounced like " Home-ra " in
English, or sometimes like " Ome-ra," with the
aspirate omitted.

It will be remembered that he first gave the
name as " Omra" and afterwards as " Homra "
which, while being in itself a startling manifestation
of spirit power is, moreover, of enormous importance,
in that it affords another proof of the fact that,
although these disembodied ones are divided from
us by the curtain mists of Death, nothing, even of a
comparatively trifling nature, is lost, not one single
deed, word or thought done or expressed in the
earth-life is forgotten, ox permitted to be forgotten.

This is evidently but the working of one ot
God's universal laws. Those who seek the Truth
will not fail to note this.

35

8. The only remaining point that need be referred to
in this synopsis of events is that of the Lalla's name.
It will be remembered that, for some inscrutable
purpose, my old friend's name, which was as familiar
to me as my own, was blotted out of my memory
during the time he was manifesting himself, so that
in the end I was forced to confess that I had
forgotten it. Instead of giving his name directly
to the Medium, as the other evidence of his power
shows he might have done quite easily, he took
what seemed to be, at the time, the dubious course
of speaking in parables. Had his name continued
to remain a blank in my memory the name of
"God," which he persistently affirmed was closely
associated with his own name, would have remained
an irrelevant and meaningless premonition, but the
moment memory gave back his name, this par-
ticular manifestation was immediately invested
with tremendous significance.

In the first place it has to be asked — " Why
was the name of my old friend wiped out from my
mind, as the pencilling on a slate is wiped out with
a moist sponge ? " " Scientific " investigators will
simply reply — " For the same reasons that many
another matter is forgotten or wiped out. The
human brain is by no means a perfect registering
instrument, and can no more record all the thoughts
of a lifetime than a barometer can register all the
past changes in the weather."

In the circumstances, however, such a reply
would not harmonise with prevailing conditions at
the time, which were those of strong psychic
influence.

The Lalla, whom I take to be a spirit of con-
siderable power, when asked for his earth -name —

36 .

which, it should not be overlooked, might con-
ceivably have been given with even greater facility
than he gave his own pet name for me when in the
flesh — chose rather to prefigure it by a symbol than
to speak of it in a more direct manner. This method
of divination, although familiar enough to the seers
and prophets of old, is practically a lost art to-day.
But this particular incident forcibly reminds us
that, though the men of this age have carelessly
thrown aside such prophetic modes of symbolising
coming events as of no practical value in this
essentially commercial age, those who have thrown
off the mortal coil still regard parabolic utterances
and symbolisms as possessing a high potential
value in the conduct of their life's affairs.

The Lalla knew that I had forgotten his earth-
name and took his own way in recalling it to my
memory. It may be that he was instrumental in
causing the forgetfulness, but, be that as it ma)',
his method of writing his name once more on the
tablets of my mind was certainly more efficacious,
more startling, and, therefore, more belief-compelling
than had he simply given his name in response to
my question. In his supernal wisdom he knew the
more convincing method was the one chosen, and
he took it without hesitation.

It may safely be contended that the Lalla chose
this parabolic method of giving his name to negative
the theory that the Medium drew his information
from me by telepathic means. Men for ever fight
against the truth in respect to the possibility of
establishing communication with friends on the
plane of life next ours, and those who persist in
reducing all spiritual phenomena to the comparatively
low standard of material existence, naturally contend

37

that such mediums as have developed their

clairvoyant attributes possess the power of reading

the thoughts of others. In this particular instance

I was profoundly ignorant of the Lalla's object in

chosing this roundabout method of restoring to my

memory the lost name, and therefore the Medium

could not possibly have read thoughts which did

not exist.

Before proceeding to the consideration of further

manifestations, I should like to say a few words in regard

to this thought-reading theory, thought-transference,

telepathy, or whatever the correct term may be. Some

who profess to be able to offer a solution to what they

term ' psychic problems ' maintain that the human brain,

being a self-registering instrument, has the singular

power of recording every thought given out during life.

It is then contended that a clever Medium, skilled in

thought-reading, can detect and separate from these

voluminous thought-records the particular thought he

wishes to decipher and play upon it to suit the occasion.

This is an ingenious theory, but is it more than a

theory ?

It has been affirmed by scientists that the human
brain gives off on an average about sixty thoughts per
hour. Taking but twelve hours out of the twenty-four
for the purpose, and the life of a man at sixty years, it
will be found that during this period the brain would
give off and automatically register 15,768,000 thoughts,
a goodly number for an expert Medium, however skilled
he may be, to select from.

In my own case, my age being nearer seventy years
than sixty, the Medium would have about 18 million
thoughts to select from.

I only refer to this as an instance of how prone men
are to fight against the truth. Spiritualism, for example,

38

may have many a truth of high importance to the human
race in its keeping, but instead of opening the doors of
the mind to the incoming tide, man endeavours to shut
it out, to his own detriment, by all sorts of ingenious
devices. Truly the human entity is a veritable enigma !

To all who regard this narrative as that of a sane
man of the world, and not as the emotional outpourings
of a visionary, the manifestations recorded so far, and
their results, are plain enough.

I will now take up the other manifestations which
took place on this second visit of Mr. Beard — about the
end of July, I think.

After this Eastern visitant had retired, Mr. Beard
said : " I see your mother is again present, and her hands
are folded together as in supplication. She is now lead-
ing forward an elderly man with grey hair and side
whiskers. His head is bowed as though in great sorrow.
She desires me to say that because of your unforgive-
ness he has not been able to rise ; your unforgiveness for
what he did in his earth-life is keeping him back, and,
until you forgive him, he cannot rise or change his
condition. Her hands are again raised to you in suppli-
cation, and her beseeching looks plead for mercy and
forgiveness."

I at once perceived that this picture was that of my
father, and that my attitude of anger and unforgiveness —
which I had assumed towards him in his earth-life,
because of his having failed to realize his responsibilities
and obligations, both as husband and father — had, as my
dear mother put it, " kept him from rising."

On perceiving how terribly my unforgiving, hostile
attitude had operated against my poor father in his
discarnate-condition, I at once said " Assure my dear
mother of my full and unreserved forgiveness, as I
myself hope to be forgiven, and say how sorrowful I am

39

that my anger and unforgiving attitude against my father
should have been the means of causing him pain or
punishment," or words to that effect.

As this episode is full of significance I propose to
give the facts, although to do so will re-open a painful
page in my life, and lay bare certain family secrets which
most men shrink from. In the interests of Truth,
however, I will undergo the pain.

My father's nature was unsympathetic, selfish and
hard. He had a large family and rarely did he ever
speak to his children or say a kind, loving word to them.
There was no bond tying father and children together,
either of love, goodwill, affection, or confidence, nor did
he take interest either in his children's welfare or their
future. His attitude to his wife was no less cold, un-
sympathetic and hard, and outwardly his children could
discern no little acts of kindness, thoughtfulness, con-
sideration or affection. Added to these forbidding
characteristics was the predisposition to drink. Although
not an habitual drunkard he would, nevertheless, yield
to the vice sometimes for weeks together, drinking hard
during the day and coming home drunk at night. At
times he would be in the grip of delirium tremens, and on
such occasions he was not infrequently unkind to my
dear mother.

One way and another my father was not persona grata
with his sons and daughters, and I went, perhaps, further
than the rest and contended that a man of such a nature,
who would repudiate all duties to both wife and children,
had no right to marry. Then his unkindness to my
mother, chiefly I admit during his drunken fits, induced
me to adopt a watchful, hostile attitude towards him,
which culminated in my making him understand that
if he showed further unkindness to my mother, he
would do so at his own peril, as I should, in that case,

40

take the law into my own hands. I would add that
never after this was my father violent towards my
mother. Such a condition was, however, obviously
conducive to a feeling of hostility to my father, and,
although I never positively hated him or even wished
him harm, I nevertheless assumed an unforgiving attitude
which I never altered, even after his death, because I
hold that death does not, and cannot, sever undesirable
ties, or wipe out the evil effects of a misdirected life.

This, then, is the meaning of the gratitude which my
mother wished conveyed to me for — " having removed
from her life a haunting dread," referred to on page 25.

The expression of gratitude for — " having rendered
the last year or two of her life less hard " referred to
some alteration in the domestic arrangements of my
home which I had suggested, thus rendering her own
household duties less onerous.

Briefly, these are the facts connected with this
particular episode of my life, and those who seek the
truth, in this as in all things else in this existence, will
be struck by the fact that " everything changes and
evolves by the continual play of life and death, but
nothing perishes." Not only does the good word or
deed live on in the Hereafter, and its effects return to us
as a reward, but the evil or thoughtless act also endures
to confound us with its punishment.

When my mother, then, led up a repentant spirit-
husband and informed me that my unforgiveness had
" kept him from rising " the horror of what I had done
possessed me. For over forty years, since my father
died, I have been asking my God daily to " forgive us
our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against
us," with the sin of an unforgiven trespass against my-
self in my own heart. Truly we are weak, witless, frail
creatures at the best, and the danger of setting ourselves

41

up above our neighbours, or of judging others, becomes
more apparent each day of our lives.

For over forty years has a soul-discarnate been
doomed to a stagnant condition of, perhaps, hopeless
misery and despair because of the ignorant inconsidera-
tion of a living mortal. A whole generation of punish-
ment— as men count time — has been meted out to one
who once was mortal, because in our blind folly, or
worse, we permit our unforgiveness to pursue our fellow-
mortals beyond the portals of the tomb.

This single manifestation will do more to refute the
"telepathic" theory than anything else I know of. The
Medium, being a stranger to me, knew nothing of my
family ; had never met any of my few remaining rela-
tives, and had no opportunity of obtaining information
of my early home life, for the simple reason that none
of my friends are acquainted with its incidents.

Then my father, and the part he played in the family
drama, was neither in my thoughts at the time of the
manifestation nor at any other period during these
investigations, so that the Medium could not possibly
have tapped thoughts which did not exist.

To those who uphold this telepathic theory, or the
power of drawing thoughts from others, this statement
of facts, it is to be hoped, will strongly appeal !

To those who would discern the tremendous meaning
underlying this single manifestation will come the know-
ledge that the awful truth of the incessant operation of
these universal laws, which may not be evaded, has been
kept back from the human race too long, and that the
time has come for its revealment. Through ignorance
man has erred towards himself and his fellows for many
thousands of years, and he has waited in vain for know-
ledge and wisdom. Those who should have led the
way ; those who were ordained as " spiritual leaders "

42

of the people, have themselves been blind. The great
" theocratic institution " which envelops all peoples,
creeds, and countries, has produced a priesthood which,
although well enough versed in the cold, unsatisfying
science of the various man-made theologies, is, with
some rare exceptions, notoriously deficient in that subtle
spirituality which attracts the soul of man with magnetic
power. The Church has failed in its mission, while its
ministers, for numerous reasons which need not be
mentioned here, are drifting further and further away
from the great spiritual-life of the people.

Meantime, then, indeed until the priesthood can be
brought to see eye to eye with those whom men to-day
call " Spiritualists," the human race must necessarily
draw its spiritual truths from — Spiritualism. But this
spiritualism, although it may in the process of time
receive another name, will be found to be the only
source of knowledge, wisdom and power, because it is,
in itself, the Living Truth.

Theocracy will, no doubt, die hard, and Theology
will endeavour to justify its unsatisfying coldness ;
Dogma will maintain its arrogant pretensions, while
Doctrine will continue to fling abroad its principles of
belief; but, above all and through all, the everlasting
truths manifested by spirits from what we call the
" Other World " will eventually break in upon and
envelop the souls of men, as the sunbeams fall upon
and envelop in turn all the countries of the earth.

Then will error cease and knowledge and wisdom
prevail. Then will the " Brotherhood of Man " be a
well understood quality and not, as to-day, a far-off
idealism which may never be reached.

May the Great Giver hasten the epoch !

On the closing of this painful episode I said to
Mr. Beard, '* I have mislaid the portrait of my mother,

43

and, although I have searched everywhere for it, have
failed to discover its hiding place. I must have put it
aside years ago in some safe place, but cannot find it in
any of my desks or drawers. Will you ask my mother
if she can show you where it is ? " Mr. Beard, after a
few moments, replied, "Your mother is showing me a
large piece of furniture which is neither a chest of
drawers nor a tallboys ; it is about five feet high, very
long, and has a curious shaped top. I can hardly
describe the article, but it has drawers on either side and
she is pointing to the left-hand top drawer." I said,
" Do I gather from this that the missing photograph will
be found there ? " Mr. Beard at once replied, " She is
still pointing, or again pointing, to the top drawer on the
left-hand side of this same article of furniture."

I thanked my mother for her loving assistance and
this scene closed.

That night, on retiring, I searched the top drawers,
both left and right, of every piece of furniture in the
upper rooms, but failed to find the missing photographs.
On Monday morning, after Mr. Beard's departure, I
searched every piece of furniture in the lower rooms,
which I thought might contain what I was seeking for,
but to no avail, and, although I never failed in my
belief as to the wisdom and power of spirit-visitants to
do at least so much for us, I confess to a feeling of
disappointment, as though I had received a " set back."

Some days after this I was leaving my library when
something impelled me to come to a standstill in front of
a large roll-top American desk, standing against the
southern wall of the room. Some power suggested —
Search ! I opened the desk and pulled out the top
left-hand drawer which was a book rack, and not a
drawer in its ordinary sense, and it was empty. The
next drawer — which was in reality the top drawer

44

proper — contained a number of articles belonging to my
late wife, placed there years ago. I took them all out
one by one until there was nothing remaining but an
ordinary cigar box, containing several small trifles. One
of them was a small wooden box about 3 x 2 J x 1 ins.
tied up in a silk pocket-handkerchief. I must confess to
absolutely no recollection as to how and when I placed
it there, nor do I recollect ever having placed it in that
box, but that I must have done so years ago becomes
evident from the fact that, when I untied the handker-
chief and opened the small wooden box, I found another
small cardboard box with an inscription on the cover in
my own handwriting — " My dear mother's photograph."

I would here remark that this is not only clear
evidence of spirit clairvoyant power, and proof of the
contention that matter offers no obstacle to the pene-
tration of psychic-force, but marvellous testimony to
the prescience of spirit entities at the same time.

In respect to these photographs it will be borne in
mind that on the first occasion of my meeting with Mr.
Beard in his London office, he, after a few minutes'
conversation, surprised me by saying that I was sur-
rounded by quite a number of spirit-forms, and after
a little while he described one whom I recognized as
my mother. He was particular in describing a peculiar
cap with broad lappets this spirit-form was wearing,
as also a mantle, or something over the shoulders,
fastened with some round ornament or brooch. This
peculiar cap was, it should not be overlooked, impressed
upon Mr. Beard's attention more than once by my mother,
and so was the brooch, and, strangely enough, these
two articles of attire, and these two alone, are the only
distinguishing characteristics of my mother's photo-
graphs in the small box, so — what might be termed —
miraculously restored to me.

45

It will be observed that, right through these
manifestations, runs a chain of sequential events. The
cap and brooch, without the photograph, would have
conveyed no meaning. The photographs were in
existence, but were mislaid or lost. These photographs
were recovered by the aid of spirit-power in quite a
dramatic fashion, and, when compared with the Medium's
description of my mother's features and head-dress,
mantle and brooch, all were found to tally precisely in
every detail.

It should not be overlooked here that Mr. Beard was
a stranger to me and had never seen the photographs,
nor had I ever talked to him of my mother, nor
of the fact that I possessed certain photographs of
her. He could have had no opportunity of talking to
any member of my family because, except an elder
brother who lives in comparative seclusion, I am the
only living member of it.

I would add that Mr. Beard is not known to any of
my few relatives ; nor was he at the time acquainted
with any of my friends.

Then it is unlikely that I, who regarded the part my
father played in the family life as its bitterest experience,
would have willingly opened the book at a page I had, as
I thought, for ever turned down. Family secrets, such
as these, are, by all men, jealously guarded and kept
inviolable, but, as this painful page of my life has been
re-opened by spirit-influence and, as I believe, with some
wise purpose behind it, I have now no hesitation in sub-
mitting it to the scrutiny of those who are seeking in these
pages for a living truth.

46

SPIRITUnL MnttlFESTHTIONS.

PART II.

I will now pass on to the third visit of my friend to
me at Hume Towers, and I will here narrate certain
manifestations of psychic-power under conditions differ-
ing from those hitherto recorded. -v

The following manifestations commenced with the
Medium, Mr. Beard, becoming controlled by what I
regard as a spirit from a higher sphere than are those
discarnate-spirits of my dear ones and friends whom I
had known in their earth-life. I had, as before men-
tioned, already been addressed by these higher influences,
but, being somewhat startled by the suddenness of this,
to me, unwonted communication, my mind was a good
deal disturbed and confused, and I failed to remember
what was said. I was, indeed, more struck with the
marvel of being brought into actual contact with those
whom most men regard as beyond the possibility of
communication, than with the words uttered, but in this
instance my mind was less disturbed and, therefore, in a
better condition to receive and record the wise exhor-
tations of my spiritual-visitants.

I therefore propose that the following narrative
shall stand apart from what has hitherto taken place,
although certain parts of the manifestations are but a
continuation of previous communications.

47

I designate the experiences as : —

A Fragmentary Record

of certain communications from friends ' beyond the veil,'

who manifested themselves to me through my friend,

Mr. Percy Beard,
at Hume Towers, on October 23RD and 24TH, 1909.

I have learned to realize, even in my limited ex-
perience of spiritualistic manifestations, how difficult it
is to remember the loving words of those spirit-helpers
who come to us from " Beyond the Veil," partly because
of the unbroken flow of the address, and partly because
of the even beauty of the language. It is a well known
fact that not one of the least difficulties of communi-
cation between spirits in the flesh and those from
11 Beyond " is in suiting the supernal beauty of their
language to mortal intelligence ; the physical ear is
neither attuned to, nor aligned with, the language of
higher spheres ; and, although the diction of our spirit-
visitants transcends the speech of man, yet their words
are chosen rather with a view to being intelligible to
our fleshly ears than with the purpose of confounding
us with their transcendent beauty. In spite of this
effort to ensure simplicity, our celestial friends, never-
theless, speak in language that as far transcends human
speech as the sun's light transcends that of the moon.

The remarkable thing about the language of our
spirit-guides is the even flow of their periods and the
beauty of diction which proceed uninterruptedly through-
out the discourse. Man, as an orator, finds difficulty
not only in maintaining an even flow of language, but
in selecting suitable words wherewith to adorn his
discourse, and if he indulges in metaphor, or strings
some jewels of speech on his thread of eloquence, it is
certain that such gems are few and far between, and
appear as conspicuous objects in his great sea of words.

48

These bright gems of thought are strung so closely
along the narrative thread of our celestial-visitants as
to touch each other like beautiful pearls on a necklace ;
and one who has had the privilege of listening to their
elysian utterances must have been struck with the
unbroken outpouring of verbal melody.

The difficulty, then, of translating into human
language the messages of our helpers from over the
borderland of what men call Death, becomes apparent,
and the following narrative must, therefore, be regarded
as but an imperfect attempt to place on record, in a
fragmentary manner, certain communications made to
me on the nights of Saturday and Sunday, October 23rd
and 24th, in my music room, through my friend and
brother-helper, Percy Beard.

After being favoured with much clear manifestation
from some of my dear ones who have passed over, and a
visit from my radiant Guide — "Maira" — a celestial
being of Eastern origin — which I will refer to later on,
the Medium became under the control of some potent
influence and presently a voice commenced to speak in
slow, measured tones, low, yet perfectly clear.

This noble Guide began with a powerful exhortation
in which I was first told that he, among others, had been
watching over my life for many years and, although I
knew it not, I had been guarded and protected by spirit
influence, and was still surrounded by vigilant watchers
and active helpers who were always ready and willing to
lead me with their spirit hands along the paths of
rectitude, honour, and truth, to enrich me with their
spirit thoughts, and help me with their spiritual wisdom.

I was particularly enjoined to press forward and, by
prayerful hopefulness, to develop those spiritual powers
which I, in common with all men, possess — if mortals
would but recognize the truth — and never cease to use

49

them in the service of my fellow-men and to the Glory
of God.

I was told that already many had been influenced by
me, and I was never to cease in my efforts to spread
abroad, but always with discretion and judgment, the
living truths in respect to spiritual science so that others
might be comforted by hope, and cheered by those
warm rays which ever proceed from that never-failing
source of God's protecting love. It was pointed out
that, although many were still far from Him, all would
be gathered in so that none would be lost ; the work of
redemption was going on and, although man was doubt-
ful of the value of the work done, and to be done, yet
the Everlasting Intelligence knew that, in His good
time, the harvest would be full and every ear of corn
safely garnered.

It was then pointed out that neither Here nor in the
Hereafter was a thought ever lost ; that my thoughts,
for example, found their counterpart elsewhere, and
attracted exactly those thoughts, ideas or desires which
corresponded to my own condition. "Like attracts Like,"
affirmed my Guide, and this, he explained, is but the
operation of a universal law applying with inexorable
inflexibility to every sphere of God's Illimitable Creation.

So faithfully is this law carried out that all spirits,
on the plane of life immediately removed from our own,
are clothed in robes of distinctive colour, which not only
denote their particular sphere but their thought-con-
dition as well, and it thus becomes apparent that such a
law must, in its comparatively simple operation,
automatically render promiscuous intermingling of
uncongenial natures impossible. " Like attracts Like
is the law, and the Ever Merciful accordingly sets up a
simple law for the comfort and for the protection of His
creatures which cannnot be broken or set aside.

50

I would here add that this Law is more fully
described in " Through the Mists."*

When I was reading this work I was especially
struck not only with the beauty of the idea but with
its simple effectiveness. Realizing that there can be
no " law breakers " on any of the spiritual-planes, it
at once becomes evident that the simple plan of
adopting a distinctive colour, denoting the condition of
the wearer, must prove completely effectual. This
term "condition" means, however, much more on
the spiritual than on the earth-plane. With us it
would simply denote a man's place in society, the
nature and extent of his worldly possessions, his
trade or profession ; his social, financial and political
influence, and perhaps to what extent he might be
exploited by professional donation and subscription
hunters in aid of the particular institution in which they
might, for the time being, be interested. Society, being
willing to accept such a standard of measurement,
naturally concerns itself not at all about a man's ethics,
his spiritual state, or his thought-condition. In other
words, a man on the earth-plane may clothe himself in
the garb of the " sporting gent " and yet cover the
golden heart of the ■ Cheeryble Brothers,' or be clad in
respectable black broadcloth and hide a ■ Pecksniff,' a
1 Stiggins,' or a murderer. Here the garb, while partly
covering the physical body, hides the real man, the
spiritual — Ego.

On the spiritual-plane it is clear, from much evi-
dential testimony, that such an irresponsible, orderless
state would be impossible, because it would be opposed
to that ever present law of rythmic harmony which is
an essential principle of God's mighty universe. The

* Robert James Lees.
5 J

garb there hides not the man, but rather reveals his
Ego ; the thinking principle of the spirit entity stands
declared by the robe's colour, and the concealment of
secret thoughts thus becomes impossible.

Such a condition must automatically render the
operation of the law that " Like attracts Like " a
certainty, and must, moreover, make its application
universal. Since nothing can remain concealed under
such a law, it is obvious that the impure could not mate
with the pure ; nor the elemental with the transcendental,
and thus God, out of His abundant wisdom, provides
a simple yet perfect system of protection for each one of
His myriad spirit-entities which inhabits those bound-
less realms of the Everlasting Beyond. "Like attracts
Like " is the unchangeable law, and throughout that
measureless infinitude, soul is drawn to soul by the
simple affinity of — Colour.

This slight digression is pardonable, since it leads to
evidence of much value. I said I had been particularly
struck with the beauty of the simple yet perfect plan
which God had set up, whereunder soul might know
soul, so that each spirit-entity might have no difficulty in
finding its appointed sphere in the illimitable Beyond.
The " colour " thought had, indeed, been running so much
in my mind that when the Guide mentioned it as forming
part of God's Great Scheme in the broad expanse of the
etheric-plane, the fact that " no thought is ever lost, Here
or in the Hereafter," struck me with remarkable force.
My own thoughts, then, had gone forth and had rolled
on and on and had reverberated throughout the trackless
realms of the Infinite so that one of God's many
Messengers, returning for a brief space to speak with
one of the sons of men, had brought back their
counterpart. The " Colour " scheme, and the law that
" Like attracts Like " had been of late one of my

strongest thoughts, and this celestial Guide, who was
near by, caught the echo of it and gave it back to me
developed and enriched by the verbal melody of spirit
speech.

My celestial brother then proceeded to point out the
coming conflict of man with man. He affirmed that he
and his compeers on the spiritual-plane were watching
with keen interest the development of the struggle, and
he gave me the assurance that every worker on the
earth-plane might confidently rely upon the necessary
help from the spiritual-helpers who had succeeded in
establishing communication with us. The struggle, he
affirmed, would be long and arduous ; there would be
clashing of forces, turmoil and unrest, the foundations of
existing things would be shaken, yet out of it all would
proceed — Peace.

I was to play my part in the struggle and fight on
fearlessly for the — Truth. I was enjoined not to cease
in my efforts to impart knowledge and sow abroad the
seeds of wisdom and truth. I was a teacher, and I was
enjoined to improve my talents. My work, it was
affirmed, was being watched and helped on by my many
brother-workers from the spiritual-plane, and I was
never to cease sending out my thoughts to them for
guidance, help and counsel, and I was enjoined to
believe that, as " no thought could be lost " so could no
thought, wish or resolve, having for its purpose the good
of the human race, ever be disregarded. I was to send
out my thoughts freely, constantly, and in the full belief
that they would be received and answered, and that all
would be well with me.

Then I was told that there was no limitation set to
man's possibilities or powers in regard to his spiritual
development, because limitations form no part of God's
Great Plan of Life. The law that " Like attracts Like "

53

being universal, no limitations to spiritual development,
to the soul's progression, can possibly exist, or this
great Law would be stultified. God cannot stultify or
deny Himself, nor does He set limitations. Man sets
his own limitations, not God. In this manner I was to
understand that the development of my powers was in
my own hands. " Ask and you shall receive " is the
law, and there can be no abatement of it. Man receives
exactly what he asks for and — no more. " Whatsoever
a man soweth that shall he also reap," is part of the
same law, and it knows neither change nor abridgment.

My work being undertaken for the upliftment of
mankind, naturally attracts to it the sympathy and
active co-operation of fellow-workers on the spiritual-
plane, and the more my efforts for the amelioration of
those hard conditions, which to-day environ human
existence, increase, the more will my spiritual develop-
ment proceed, and thus attract, as of necessity it must,
the sympathy and co-operation of higher spirit-influence
exactly corresponding with my own expansion of
spiritual-power.

Much more instruction and sage counsel were given
to me, but those who have listened to the even, melodious
flow of spirit language know how difficult it is to garner
in memory's storehouse the abundant harvest of lingual
fruit which celestial visitants bring with them from
Spirit-land, and so much of it is, alas, lost. I am
conscious that the greater part of what was said to me
is lost in the profound depths of memory's oblivion,
and, although I may never recover these lost pearls of
speech, yet a faint reflection of them still remains,
only to remind me of what I have lost. " Farewell,
brother ! " were almost the last words I remember, and
these took the form of a benediction, coupled with the
promise that, as he had been one of my helpers in the

54

past, so would he come back to me to help me in my
work and give me that advice, counsel, and protection
which it was his privilege to bestow.

I then remarked there was a brief silence on the part
of the Medium, who remained quiet and passive. After
the space of, perhaps, a minute I noticed a certain dis-
turbance in the body of my friend, who apparently
received a somewhat violent shock, after which another
voice commenced to talk in a more rapid, commanding
manner. The voice was different from that of the
previous speaker, and I was puzzled to account for the
change. This Guide commenced by referring to the
Medium, to whom he paid some tribute which I could
not quite understand. He then proceeded to state that
it was his privilege to help me because of my work in
the interests of my brother-man ; that my efforts in the
cause of Truth had been watched and helped on by
many a spirit co-worker ; that I should never fail to
receive that support and co-operation from him and
from those on the spiritual-plane, whose mission it was
to assist those on the earth-plane, and that I was to
proceed fearlessly in my work.

He told me that my career had been watched over by
many a friend in the Beyond, and often had the many
perils and dangers, which had threatened me at different
periods of my life, been averted by spirit-influence, and
even now was my life watched and protected by ever-
ready helpers, who were always present to render me
needed assistance. To them was I to apply, at all times
and seasons, and in perfect assurance that nothing I
could ask for in the true interests of humanity could be
refused, because to give what is asked for is but the
obedience to one of God's universal laws. " Ask and
you shall receive," " Seek and ye shall find," are the
Christ's injunctions, and His promise must be fulfilled.

55

He declared that my spiritual development was
known and was a source of joy to many friends on the
plane beyond this, and that, as the psychic atmosphere
of my home had done something to open the under-
standing of my friends to the great truths underlying
spiritual phenomena, I was enjoined to lose no
opportunity of developing my own soul-forces so that I
might exercise more powerful influence over others. I
was then given to understand that there are many
helpers in the spirit-spheres ready to co-operate with
their brothers in the flesh, as soon as communication
be established, and that I need never fear for lack of
encouragement and support.

Here again I fail to remember all that this Guide
said to me because, as I said before, of the rapidity of
the utterance, the beauty of diction — which could only
be reproduced provided the discourse were taken down
in rapid shorthand — and the unbroken flow of language
which men would regard as superhuman. I regret,
therefore, that I am only able to give an imperfect and
fragmentary account of what really took place.

On this Guide leaving the Medium, and the latter
assuming his normal condition, I asked — " What Guide
came through ? " He replied — " ' Pilgrim ' is the one
who has just left ; the former Guide was unknown to
me." (Pilgrim, I should mention, is a Guide who often
controls the Medium). He added, " He (the Eastern
Guide) is standing near your left shoulder now, and he is
a man of noble presence and evidently of Eastern origin."

He described his features and general appearance,
including his dark complexion, white hair, and long,
flowing white beard. He told me he wore robes of
shining texture and of a beautiful blue colour, or pink
and blue, enriched at the waist with a flashing girdle of
a golden colour which sparkled and scintillated and

56

threw out from itself brilliant rays of light, while his
whole presence coruscated with brightness. The Medium
added — " I judge that this Guide has been on the
spiritual-plane a long time, no doubt for many centuries,
and that he is from a higher sphere than that which is
immediately beyond the earth-plane."

I said, " I wonder if it is possible to ascertain the
name of this spirit-friend"? The Medium said "He
who is standing close to you gives his name as " Myaraj."
I said "Would you ask again, as this does not sound
like an Eastern name, and I am anxious to get it
correctly." Almost immediately the Medium said
" Myaraj," " Mearaj," u Maharaj," and then repeated
the latter name two or three times, as if to make sure
of it. " Maharaj ! " " Maharaj ! " I said, " I quite
understand ; the word is — Maharaj." This word is
Hindustani with a Sanscrit root, the A's pronounced
hard like — Ah, and it means Great Ruler, Maha — Great,
and Raj — Rule, Dominion, State.

In getting the name so clearly and unmistakably I
thanked this benign visitant from beyond the Border
Land devoutly for his gracious and kindly act in coming
to my aid, and in opening the windows of my soul to the
wondrous possibilities before the spirit of men incarnate,
and the Medium said " This radiant being inclines
towards you in acknowledgment of your tribute to his
beneficence," or words to that effect.

I should now relate that before this Eastern Guide
assumed control of the Medium, that is to say, when the
Medium was in a normal condition, he described to me a
female form of great beauty and of Eastern origin, who
showed him a series of landscape-pictures symbolical of
my life. He afterwards told me that this was the same
form which came through on the first occasion I met
him; she who brought me into the first realization of

57

spiritual phenomena by aiding my mother, wife, and
others to show themselves to the clairvoyant in my aura.
On both occasions she was clothed in the same shining
robes and wore on her brow the same brilliant star or
cross, denoting her emanation from the Christ-sphere.

The first picture she showed was a long row or rows
of kneeling female forms, all facing in the same direction
towards some building, probably a temple, evidently in
the performance of some sacred ceremony. Their bowed
heads denoted reverence, adoration or supplication, but,
on being asked if this symbolical picture had intelligent
meaning for me, it at once disappeared, on my replying
in the negative.

Although this picture may appear to the ordinary
mind as irrelevant it has, nevertheless, a deep meaning.
It has already been shown how the spirit-visitants prefer,
at times, to prefigure their meaning by what men might
term unnecessary mysticism, yet it is evident that this
method of divination may prove more convincing than
the more direct methods better understood by man.
The manner in which the Lalla preferred to give back
to my memory his forgotten name is a case in point.
The radiant ' Maira ' prefers to declare herself to me in
the manner chosen. At the moment I understood little
beyond the fact that she belonged in her earth life — which
may have been lived thousands of years ago — to some
Eastern race, but of this I am sure that the thought-
picture shown to the Medium, although but a symbolism
to-day, will, in God's good time, become perfectly intel-
ligible. * Maira's ' picture was but a prefigurement. I
shall understand it in time.

The next picture was that of a fair landscape over
which the sun shone with warmth and brilliancy. The
earth was beautiful with nature's bountifulness in tree
and plant and flower, while the fields were teeming

58

with the richness of the kindly fruits of the earth.
Suddenly over the scene descended a dark, lowering
cloud which enveloped the landscape as with a mantle of
the deepest gloom. When this pall of blackness partly
lifted it was seen that the fairness of the scene was
disfigured by some destructive influence, and the fields
were stricken as with a deadly blight.

The scene suddenly changed to a quick flowing
river, on the turbid waters of which was seen a swimmer
battling with the flood. Further down the swift rolling
tide was a bank of dangerous rock, towards which the
swimmer was being carried with great rapidity, and it
seemed as though he would surely be dashed against its
rugged sides, but, strangely enough, when destruction
seemed imminent, he was miraculously carried past
the danger, either by some supreme effort of his own,
or through some influence beyond his own control.
For a space the waters became smoother, and the
swimmer swam on, but again the river became swollen
and angry, and this solitary human waif was tossed
on its surface and carried rapidly towards further dangers
that loomed ahead. Straight in the swimmer's course
stood out bold jagged rocks against which it seemed
inevitable he must be hurled, and, as he approached the
perilous point, he was conscious of his danger and
struggled hard with the boiling tide to avoid being
carried to certain death, and again he won through and
was carried into the peaceful waters beyond.

Still the solitary swimmer sped his way down the
waters of the broad stream, and again and again were
perils encountered, only to be overcome by some inherent
power in the man himself or by some controlling influence
of which he may, or may not, have been conscious.

On asking Mr. Beard what these scenes meant, he
replied, " They are but symbols of your own life ; you

59

will know if they are faithful representations of certain
periods of your life," or words to that effect.

As a matter of fact these thought-pictures faithfully
depict a few momentous events in my life. I will not
weary the reader with more than one of them.

The descent of a dark, lowering cloud over the fair
landscape of my life denoted a period when Atheism
swept faith from my heart and left, for a time, the deadly
blight of unbelief in my soul. At that time I took a kind
of savage delight in denying God and decrying Christ.
By God's goodness the cloud lifted and light returned
once more to my life, after a brief period of darkness.

After these pictures were blotted out another symbol
was shewn to the Medium. This took the form of the
reading of my own Aura, which lay around me in oviform
shape, beginning at the base with the deeper tints
representing the physical-plane. The Medium went on
to describe the colours, immediately above, as blue and
rose deepening into cobalt and ruby of the mental plane ;
continuing he mentioned the pink and purple of the
psychic, and violet and gold of the spiritual-planes.
The Medium suddenly said, as though commanded to do
so, " ' Maira' is the name of the Guide." On questioning
Mr. Beard as to the meaning of this last manifestation,
he explained that the human Aura symbolised by colour
the past life and notified the state of progression or
development. I, however, know so little of this part
of spiritual science that I would prefer to leave it just
where it is until I can speak from greater experience.

I have already said that this ' Maira ' was the same
form which came through on the first occasion I met the
Medium, who, at that time, was a stranger to me. With
1 Maira ' appeared, at that time, my mother, wife and a
numerous company of others, some of whom I recognised,
others I could not recognise. I mention this because, after

60

* Maira's ' withdrawal, the same phenomena of a number
of absent friends appeared, denoting that this Guide is
acting as a means of communication between my spirit
and those discarnate ones who love me and would wish to
join forces for the furtherance of God's good work.

My beloved mother was prominent among my spirit-
friends, and I was desirous of getting from her some
further evidence of my last parting with her on the
occasion of my leaving home for India, referred to in
Mr. Beard's previous visit. This was the last time I
saw my mother, and the memory of it has never faded
from my mind. On a former occasion she showed the
Medium a house quite close to our own, where dwelt
one — ' Elizabeth,' to whom it was shown I went, on
saying farewell to my mother. After this she showed
him what appeared to be a triangle or a triangular piece
of ground, and wished to convey to him that she took
her final leave of me at one point of that triangle, and
afterwards at another. This was all the evidence of the
actual scene of our parting that I could get at that time.

On this occasion, on asking for further evidence, she
showed the house occupied by ' Elizabeth ' and partly
described the interior accurately enough, but the most
interesting feature of this manifestation of psychic
power is that the Medium was shown a pond, access
to which by horses and carts was evidenced by cart
tracks leading to and from the pond, which was appar-
ently used by passing vehicles for watering the horses.
After this scene a railway station and a waiting train
were brought to his notice, into which the Medium felt
he was being impelled to enter. The word { Elizabeth '
was again given to the Medium, as though my mother
was especially anxious that this name should be im-
pressed on my mind.

I would here explain the nature of the parting

61

between my dear mother and myself, on my leaving
my home for India in 1863.

I said farewell to her at my home and proceeded
straight to my Aunt Elizabeth's house a little farther up
the village street. On bidding her, my aunt, goodbye, I
found that my mother had entered the meadow adjoining
our house, and had followed me along the village street,
but inside the meadow, the upper part of which was within
50 yards of my Aunt Elizabeth's house just across the
road. From that point my dear mother had witnessed
my leave-taking with my aunt, and I waved her another
farewell. A hundred yards up the street, towards the
railway station, was the village pond, and it was at that
point I again turned and saw my beloved one watching
me, her youngest born, on his way to that far-off country
to which he was bound. I again waved her a farewell
from that point, and that was the last I saw of her whom
I loved so well on earth and whom I was never destined
to see again in the flesh.

Young, adventurous, full of ardent hopes and
ambitions, I am conscious now of thinking more of my
own plans at that time, than of her who loved me so
well, and whose tender mother's heart must have been
crushed by inconsolable grief. My thoughts of her
were neither cold nor heartless, nevertheless, there were
not in my heart at that period those feelings of bitter,
crushing sorrow which should have been there at the
supreme moment of agony in my mother's life. I do not
presume to say I was her favourite child but, being her
youngest, there was a tender yearning love for me which
was evident, and on that June morning, so full of dread
for her, that loving maternal heart must have been wrung
with unspeakable grief and anguish. It was this condi-
tion of exquisite pain that I neither realized nor felt, and it
is this fact that now causes the remorse — a fitting reward!

62

I afterwards learned from my brother and sisters
that my dear one knew she would never again behold
me on earth, and it was this knowledge that added to
the poignancy of her grief and rendered the pain of
parting indescribable. Dear mother, how I wish I had
shown her more tenderness ! But the parting is over,
and I am justly bearing the consequences of the inexor-
able yet equitable law : " Whatsoever a man soweth,
that shall he also reap."

This is not only a digression, but a confession. It
has to be made, because I feel that introspection is good
for the soul's welfare.

After waving the final farewell to my mother I
proceeded up the street, entered the railway station and
there found the train waiting, just as it was shown to
Mr. Beard by my mother ; the carriage doors were
open and I entered one of the carriages on my way
to London, en route for India.

The accompanying rough sketch indicates the rela-
tive position of the points referred to in the preceding
narrative. ^

V/LLAGE

Gatc+rt

My Home

Farm
Yard

Meadow

Poinf where I last saw

my Mot-her st-andinq

It will be noticed that the account of the parting
manifested to the Medium corresponded so accurately in
detail to what actually took place 46 years ago as to
leave nothing incomplete. The only point about which
there may be some doubt is the shape of the meadow*
which, on the first occasion, the Medium thought
appeared to be something in the shape of a triangle, but
as I cannot myself remember the exact shape of the
piece of land in question, it is possibly more like a
triangle than I have sketched it. This cannot, however,
invalidate the testimony of the other evidence in
connection with this particular case, which must stand
as a clear proof of communication with those " Beyond
the Veil " having been established.

Another piece of evidence is that of my brother
Fred, who died 3J years ago. His was one of the
spirit-forms introduced by ' Maira.' The Medium said,
" I am now shown the form of a well-knit, broad-
shouldered man who, before he became emaciated by
disease, must have been a robust, athletic figure. His
brow is broad and open, rather prominent cheek-
bones, large, fine brown eyes, well shaped, but broad
nose, hair dark but strewn with grey ; moustache full
and large, and beard irregular and unkempt, as though
the wearer was not in the habit of wearing a beard,
but had permitted it to grow owing to stress of
sickness.

The peculiar point about this visitant was his
extreme emaciation, and he took particular pains to
impress the fact upon the Medium by pointing to his
body as evidential testimony. This fact being established
to his satisfaction he then laid his hands upon his
abdomen, and, immediately Mr. Beard experienced a
sensation of exhaustion, of weariness, and a draining of
life-forces, rather than of actual pain, and it was this

64

condition that our friend from the " Beyond " was
anxious for the Medium to take on.

Mr. Beard reported to me what was taking place,
and described the extraordinary feeling of exhaustion
and extreme weakness that he himself was experiencing
in the lower portion of his body, and asked me if this
phenomenon conveyed any meaning for me. I replied,
" You have described my brother, who passed away
3^ years ago, as also the disease of which he died."

I then said to the Medium, " Has my brother a
message for me ; is there anything he would wish me
to do ? " Mr. Beard said, after a few minutes?
" Your brother is now leaning upon a stout staff and
wishes me to convey to you that it symbolises life is
continuously progressive, and that he is rising to higher
spheres — to a higher spiritual-state, at least, that is
apparently what your brother intends to convey." In
response to my question if I could do anything for
those he left behind, or if he had any message for her he
loved on earth, he made it quite clear that he was aware
of what I was doing for his widow and seemed content
to leave the matter in my hands. He was sensible of,
and grateful for, what had already been done.

The Medium's description of my brother's person
is most accurate. My brother died while I was in India.
On my return to England I heard full particulars from
my brother's widow, and from other relations of my
own family of his condition and illness. His beard was
allowed to grow, and, owing to his severe illness, it was
irregular and unkempt, a fact which is not explainable
by either thought-reading or telepathy. He was ex-
tremely emaciated and his hands were continually placed
upon his stomach which was the seat of his malady.
It was thought, at one time, that he was suffering from
cancer, but it was eventually discovered there was

65

neither cancer nor internal growth of any kind. All
his organs were sound, and his medical advisers could
discover no cause of death. The patient's mind was
centred on his stomach ; he felt the same exhausting
weariness communicated to Mr. Beard as though the
stomach were drawing away the life-forces and he
believed he would neyer recover. There was no acute
pain, nor, indeed, hardly a pain of any kind, even upon
severe examination resulting in considerable pressure, to
find, if possible, a growth of some nature. The Doctor
who attended my brother is my own medical adviser,
and he vouches for these surprising conditions, as also
confirms the fact that my brother was extremely
emaciated towards the end. Briefly it may be said that
the Medium accurately described my brother's personal
appearance, his extreme emaciation, and the extra-
ordinary malady which killed him, and which was
centred in his stomach or lower part of his body.

I would repeat, the Medium is almost a stranger to
me, was totally unacquainted with my family, never
knew that I had a brother, could have seen no photo-
graph of my brother because I do not possess one, nor
do I think there is one in existence, and was totally
ignorant of every circumstance of his life and death.

On the withdrawal of my brother several other
forms pressed forward, but one amongst them was most
eager to communicate. He was described as a man
under the middle height, dapper and careful about his
dress, which was neat and showed evidence of much
attention. His features were not very clear because
of the almost feverish haste he displayed in forcing
his condition on the Medium. This friend at once
directed Mr. Beard's notice to his illness, which he
described as being in the upper part of the body, includ-
ing the throat. The Medium at once took on the

66

conditions of this new friend. He described his condition
as being that of a man suffering from heart trouble, with
considerable inward disturbance and great difficulty in
breathing. The life-forces were low and strength was
ebbing, but the strangest symptom was a confused
feeling in the head, as though the mind had given way,
and that mental disease, or at least lapses from full
mental vigour, was part of the malady which sent the
spirit beyond the border. This condition was removed,
and, on my asking the name of the visitant, — " Robert "
was at once given in the same rapid, eager manner which
characterised all this spirit's demeanour.

The next thing my spirit-friend did was to show the
Medium a letter which he held up in a prominent manner
and pointed to it as though it was of the utmost
importance. Not knowing what it was intended to
convey I asked for information, and to Mr. Beard was
at once shown a young fair-haired girl sitting at an easel.
I then remembered that the letter had a distinct meaning
for me and I said : " Is the letter connected with the girl
at the easel"? The reply was a thought-picture of a
second girl with her head bowed over her arm in great
grief. I said " If this is the girl with whom I am to
connect the letter show me what her tastes and
accomplishments are." The Medium was at once shown
a small room filled with books and literature of various
kinds, with writing materials, as though its owner were
fond of literary pursuits and writing. I said I quite
understood the meaning of the communication and asked
if I could be of any service to those he had left behind,
or if he had any message for me or them ? The Medium
said " He is again showing me the young girl with her
head still bowed over her arm as though grieving, and
pointing to the letter which he still holds in his hand."
I thanked my spirit-friend for his communication, said

67

it was quite intelligible to me, and that I would not
forget to do what I could in the matter.

This friend, when in the flesh, was a close friend of

mine, living in the town of , who passed away

during last year. He had but one Christian name, and that
was Robert. He suffered from heart-trouble for about
two years before his death, and not infrequently was
subject to that dread form of the malady — shortness of
breath and choking. This battle for life was most dis-
tressing, and many a time his family thought he could
never survive his struggles for breath, for air. But
there was a peculiar feature about certain periods of his
illness which I, and other of his friends, could never
understand. For somewhat lengthened periods he would
remain invisible, save to members of his family and his
nurse ; and the reason for these periodical withdrawals
from the social circle was never explained. Whether
mental troubles of a temporary nature were added to my
old friend's physical sufferings I know not, but if they
were, the fact that his spirit caused the Medium to feel
mental distress, or a temporary lapse from full mental
vigour, offers convincing proof of the verity of the saying
that " Spiritualism reveals much that is hidden."

When my friend died I took an early opportunity of
visiting the family to offer such consolation as lay in my
power. I did not see the mother, but had a long talk
with the girls. They were aware of my belief in spiritual
phenomena and the deathlessness of the spirit, and I
pointed out that, as there is, and can be, no death, save
for the fleshly envelope — the body, their father had but
changed his condition, and that his spirit, freed from its
outer-shell, was living and thinking, helping and loving
them at that moment.

I said I had long been a believer in the vast power
which underlies and intermingles with our lives, but

68

which mighty force man persistently ignores. I added,
" I am the more convinced of this because certain
spiritual manifestations of spirit-power have recently
been made to me of a nature that I could not possibly
disregard. Scenes in my own life have been so faithfully
reproduced by benign spirit-agency ; so many evidences
of beneficent spiritual aid have been rendered to me, and
so much testimony has been offered of the inter-blending
of the spiritual and earth-planes, and the intermingling
of spirit-life with our earth-life, that to ignore it would
be to deliberately cultivate an unbelief that would be
foolish and wicked. The fact that what we call the
1 dead ' live on, and continue life in that spirit-con-
dition which is constantly in touch with our earth-bound
state, is now established beyond doubt, and this being
so, Paul's jubilant cry, ' O Death, where is thy sting ?
O Grave, where is thy victory ? ' becomes intelligible."

Much more to the same effect did I expound to the
girls, and they both expressed themselves as greatly
comforted and stengthened by my visit.

A few days afterwards I took over to the elder girl
one of Robert Lee's books, "Through the Mists," hoping
it would lead her and her's to the living truths that
centre in Spiritualism. In two days she returned it
with a note to the effect that she had read the book and
did not believe in it at all , that such things as the writer
claimed were impossible, and regretted that she could
not " follow me farther down the road to Spiritualism."
She added : " Belief can no more be compelled than
Love can " !

I was, of course, grieved to receive such a letter from
the girl because it implied that I was trying to lure her
away from her own particular convictions or creedal
beliefs in regard to the Here and the Hereafter, and
trying to force those beliefs or undermine her faith. My

69

object was to lead her own steps nearer to God and His
Christ through, and by the means of, spiritual communi-
cation with those dear ones on the plane immediately
above the earth-plane which interspheres with our own.
Nevertheless, I admired the girl's pluck in not yielding
to what she erroneously considered to be an attempt on
my part to entice her away from that path along which
she had hitherto travelled. I, however, felt annoyed
that she should have doubted me, and should have
questioned my bona fides.

In the circumstances I determined that my young
friend should hear nothing further from me about the
spiritual truths which are being revealed to mankind
every day, and which are pearls of great price to those
who value them at their true worth. Further, that she
would, so far as I am concerned, have to work out her
own redemption on those narrow, unsatisfying conditions
which a world-wide theocracy has set up in all countries
and for all creeds, instead of drawing the truth straight
from the Fountain of God's Spirituality which is always
flowing freely between Him and His sentient creatures.

" Come unto M<?," said the Christ, " I am the Bread
of Life," and this being so, whence the necessity of this
immense theocratic institution which has enveloped the
world with its sweeping folds, enmeshing the souls of
men as a fowler nets his birds ?

The road that leads straight to the Christ is the
shortest and best, and it is that road along which I
endeavoured to lead this young girl, but she was fright-
ened and shied, and so — she must find her own way.

Her father's spirit-discarnate, being freed from its
gross material covering which hides the Truth from the
incarnate-spirit, as the curtain of mist hides the blessed
sunbeams, discerned his daughter's danger, and being
anxious and eager to undo the harm to her spiritual

70

welfare which her hasty, ill-advised letter to me is
calculated to do, evidently took the first opportunity of
communicating with me. His meaning was clear and
his purpose unmistakable, and if the opportunity be
given me, now or in the future, the poor child shall have
what assistance I may be able to render, with the love
and goodwill which must ensure God's blessing.

The chief interest in this case is the remarkably
faithful reproduction in my aura of actual experiences
which had happened in my own life a short while
previously. The Medium, who throughout these mani-
festations, was in his normal condition, saw the spirit-
visitant just as he was in the flesh, with his eager, quick,
alert manner almost amounting to impetuosity. His
disease was not only faithfully depicted but actually
taken on for the time being by the Medium, so that the
evidence might be more conclusive; while the two girls
shown to the Medium, one with the easel and the other
with her room full of books and writing materials, are
exactly described as to their respective tastes and occupa-
tions. The younger of the two is a painter, the other fond
of, and engaged in literary pursuits. The episode of
the letter, however, must be regarded as the most re-
markable, as also the centre of interest, because in it the
discarnate-spirit of the father discerns the danger to the
incarnate-spirit of the daughter, while out of it may,
and probably will, be evolved the spiritual emancipation
of an incarnate soul from the narrow tenets of a priest-
made religion and a faith hindered and warped by the
thousand limitations set to it by widespread, pitiless
theocracy and man-made dogmas. For these reasons,
as also for many others which the penetrating vision
of the earth-discarded spirit of the father clearly discerns,
but which are hidden from mortal sight, the father is
anxious for the child to an extent as to cause an amount

71

of eager impetuosity, even in the spirit-condition, which
is usually lacking in those spirit-visitants who are so
favoured as to be able to communicate with their
brethren on the earth-plane.

This last proof of the ease with which communication
between discarnate and incarnate-spirits may be set up
now becomes vividly interesting.

Not only do we find that the intermingling of spirit
life on the two planes is, under certain conditions, not
difficult of accomplishment, but that it may even enter
into the domesticities of our daily life. If a parent, a
few months after his translation to another state, can find
means of again entering into the domestic circle of those
he has left behind in the flesh, for the purpose of
correcting, improving, or directing their moral, social, or
religious life, the numerous potentialities underlying such
spirit-forces are necessarily stupendous.

It has been said of Spiritualism : — " Underlying
these occult sciences there is a mighty power which,
when it becomes well understood by the human race, will
shake the foundations of existing things and develop in
man those latent forces of which he is ignorant to-day"

That this prediction is correct is being vouched for
every day, by men and women of all conditions, and in
all parts of the world, although one need not go farther
afield for proof than the solitary case just cited.

Personally I regard this manifestation as one of the
most important pieces of evidence hitherto vouchsafed
to me from friends on the spiritual-plane, and I subscribe
these words in loving gratitude, first of all to my Guide
1 Maira ' in having brought these dear friends into my
life, and then to those loving spirits who, of their
goodwill to those spirits still incarnate, are desirous of
broadening the scope of their spiritual vision so that
many things, now obscure, may be made manifest.

72

I also tender heartfelt thanks to those wise spirits,
Ck Maharaj " and " Pilgrim," who, by their loving care and
wise exhortations, have done so much to comfort my
mind and open the windows of my soul, so that the great
lights of God's Eternal Truth may stream in to illumine
my way and light my path so clearly as to remain well
denned and unmistakable before my eyes. I also hope,
and believe, that the light may not only continue but
that it may grow in fervid brilliancy until the way be so
clear that I may find it without the aid of my gifted
friend, who has placed his services so ungrudgingly and
so lovingly at my disposal.

One remarkable incident that I have failed to record
is the fact that both my Guides, from what men call the
" Shadowland " are of Eastern origin.

" Maharaj " is unmistakably Indian, but the racial
origin of " Maira " is not so clear. The picture of rows
of kneeling women, engaged in some act of worship,
would denote that some Eastern country, other than
India, claims the birth of "Maira's " physical body, this
form of worship being unknown in India, but of this I
know nought to-day ; the future may, perchance, unfold
the truth.

Besides these two beautiful and loving spirits, my
dear old friend, Lalla Mahdo Ram, has revealed his
presence on several occasions in former sittings, but I
propose (d.v.) to treat of this, as also of other phenomena,
in another paper. Indeed, I do not think it would be
right to permit these manifestations to fade away and
disappear from human ken, as the bright, beautiful
cumulus of the summer sky vanishes into the blue vault
of God's overhanging canopy.

With the exception of members of my own family,
and some dear personal friends, my most prominent
visitors from the spirit-world have been of Eastern origin

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— Why ? God's purpose is so unerring, so immutable,
that there must be good cause for this regular
communication with these exalted ones of Eastern origin.
Surely this must be so, otherwise such visitations would
have no meaning and would, therefore, bear the semblance
of incongruity.

I am a Christian of a Western country where
extreme orthodoxy prevails, and where narrow, intolerant
bigotry finds safe lodgment in the minds of, perhaps, the
vast majority of my fellow-countrymen.

To send to men, holding such restricted creedal
beliefs, spirits of a Pagan race, a race considered by many
to be outside the great scheme of Christian salvation,
would be to call in question the sanity of God's plan of
Redemption, particularly so as many Christians hold that
this saving-grace applies to them ahnc and not to all
nations and to all peoples. Many a good Christian dubs
all these peoples as — Heathen !

It thus becomes clear that if God desired to com-
municate with the incarnate-spirit of an intolerant
Calvanist, or a hard, bigoted Presbyterian, He would, in
His wisdom, choose the discarnate-spirit of a Christian
rather than send the spirit of one of a Pagan race whom
our narrow-minded friend would, of a verity, regard as
an emanation from the devil.

To those whose creedal belief is as broad as heaven
itself, and who understand the meaning of Christ's
words: "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will
draw all men unto Me," the idea of God making use of
the discarnate-spirits of Eastern people is not only not
repugnant but quite intelligible, fitting and just, and in
accordance with Christ's promise and God's eternal laws.

God's way are always sound and intelligible, although
men cannot at all times discern this. He could not
possibly err in judgment. He could not err, for example*

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in forcing uncongenial spirits to commingle, in linking
up antagonistic natures, or in bringing into affinity
spirits that are as far apart as the poles. In God's
illimitable universe, " Like attracts Like," and this is a
law that knows no change.

Personally I think God's great scheme of salvation
includes the peoples of all nations, and that not one of
any language, creed or colour can possibly be left out or
forgotten by the Supreme Intelligence.

Moreover, I have long recognised that from among
the peoples of India, China, and other eastern countries,
God has gathered in many a saint, and that even to-day
among the races of Hindustan, from the countless
millions of Buddhists in China and elsewhere, as also
from among the followers of Mahomed, does He con-
tinue to draw a goodly company of faithful souls, to
whom comes the glad message — " Well done ! "

I am, moreover, a firm believer in the broad sweep
of God's mighty Redemptive scheme, and have long
contended that His House is full of innumerable courts
wherein abide those who, through the countless aeons
of time, irrespective of race or religion, have so played
their part on Life's stage as to ensure fitting habitation
in one of the Father's " Many Mansions."

To such an one may fittingly come those discarnate-
spirits of an Eastern people whom he not only believes
in as forming one link in God's endless chain of events,
but loves for their gentle goodness, their childlike
simplicity and, in numerous instances, for that beautiful
purity of life which is, alas, not too common a character-
istic of Christian people.

My mind, indeed, often dwells upon the simple
beauty of the life of many of the Indian people, and my
soul is therefore attuned to, and in affinity with, their
souls. This being so, it would be passing strange if

75

their spirits failed to speak with mine. " Like attracts
Like " is the Law, and if it failed to operate here it would
not be a law, but a caprice. That it is a Law and not a
mere chance is demonstrable the world over, and nothing
more need be said than that it must operate in this case,
as in all others.

I would but add that as the East was the cradle of
the human race it is not difficult to understand that the
ancient representatives of Eastern peoples were more
highly evolved in the spiritual-plane than those of the
West.

This admitted, it becomes understandable that as
many of the Eastern races have never lost touch with
the power that links up the physical and psychical planes,
the evolved spirits of such, having far less to unlearn in
the spiritual world, may conceivably guide us with
greater wisdom than the evolved spirits of Western
peoples who, till quite recently, scoffed at the idea of
communication being possible between the two worlds.

Here, then, is not only a fitting reply to the question
— " Why should the spirits of an Eastern people be sent
to spirits-incarnate in Christian bodies ? " but another
striking example of God's unerring wisdom.

Knowing my predisposition towards Eastern peoples;
my firm belief in their inclusion in the Father's Redemp-
tive scheme, and my individual love for many an
Eastern friend living and dead, it becomes clear that
God's Purpose might be better served by sending to me
Messengers of Eastern origin, and presumably of a
creedal faith differing essentially from my own, than had
He chosen them from among discarnate-spirits of my
own race and of my own religious belief.

This single question, which to many persons might
appear an unimportant one, or even to bear a somewhat
inconsequent aspect, becomes invested with something

76

like miraculous properties the moment its inner-meaning
be realized.

Had God's purpose been to show me but one picture
of the After-Life ; to give me but one brief glance of
what men regard as the 'Hidden Future,' He could have
done so by simply permitting my mother, for example,
to manifest herself to me. That His Purpose meant
more than this is made clear by the additional evidence
which it was His will to reveal to me. I believe in
His Omnipotence and He confirmed my belief. I
believe in discarnate-spirits communicating with spirits-
incarnate and He permitted the communication. I be-
lieve in all Eastern peoples, Christian or Pagan, sharing
in His Redeeming Grace, and He showed me that it is
so. I believe in the Master's injunction " Ask and you
shall receive," "Seek and ye shall find," and I have
got what I asked for and found that which I sought.

Summed up serially the following paragraphs repre-
sent the case : —
i. In my predisposition towards Eastern races and my
love for individul members thereof, He confirms
the law that " Like attracts Like " by sending to me
those whose souls are attuned to mine, and whose
spirits move on the same plane of affinity.

2. In making the communication of the spirits of an
Eastern race prominent features in the manifesta-
tions, He is affording irrefutable evidence of the
soundness of my belief that all races, languages
and creeds are included in His mighty Plan of
Redemption.

3. In using these spirits of Eastern origin as instru-
ments of His Divine Purpose, and making them
speak through the tongue of the Medium words of
an Eastern language of which he is totally ignorant,
He is but affording further evidence of the incessant

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operation of another of His universal laws — belief!
" Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith ? "
" Believe ye that I am able to do this ? They
said unto Him Yea, Lord." Then touched He
their eyes, saying, " According to your faith be it
unto you." And their eyes were opened.

Jesus knew the law of the Father and perfectly
interpreted it during His lifetime.

The creature cannot or will not understand the laws
of the Creator, and so fails in their true interpretation.

With belief " Nothing shall be impossible unto you,"
said Jesus, and this is the law.

Personally I believe in this Law, and God has justified
my belief by certain manifestations of His Omnipotence.

But my belief in the boundless possibilities of this
Law extends much further than the present measure of
its justification. I have said before, I am neither exalte
nor emotional, nevertheless I plainly discern in the
spiritual manifestations, described in these pages, pre-
monitions of the waxing of a mighty compelling-power
which, once understood by man and utilised in the way
intended by the Creator, will completely revolutionise
life on this planet.

General belief in the occult sciences is practically an
unknown quantity to-day, yet there are isolated cases
here and there proving its justification and demonstrating
its potency. In out of the way places, amid unlikely
surroundings, may these instances of the tremendous
powrer of Belief occasionally be met with. When so
encountered the Psychic simply and gratefully recognises
and acknowledges the existence of spiritual dynamics,
while the Physicist measuring, or attempting to measure,
spiritual force by the unsuitable and impossible standards
of physical science, naturally fails to arrive at a
determination of any educational value.

78

Science, however, through some of her best exponents,
has at length admitted that behind Matter there is a mov-
ing, propelling-power exercising enormous influence over
it. But once she gracefully acknowledges that the great
dynamic reservoir of the universe will be found where
spiritual force is conserved, and lays her tribute to this
mighty power on the altars of Truth, and, moreover, teaches
the doctrine in her schools, Belief will accomplish the rest.

Belief to spiritual dynamics is what the powder is to
the bullet. Without Belief, spiritual power necessarily
remains inoperative. Without the powder behind it, the
bullet would remain inert in the gun-barrel.

In the name of common-sense, then, let us not throw
aside and waste Belief, but regard it as one of our
choicest possessions and carefully cultivate and conserve
it, for of this we may be sure that out of it spring all
things. It is also certain that whatever man has accom-
plished in this world, whether for good or for evil, it
has been accomplished by and through — Belief.

Many persons regard manifestations of the kind
referred to in these pages as impossible. To such,
demonstration of the truth will remain impossible.

To those who regard manifestations of the nature
herein described as neither impossible nor supernatural,
but believe in them with a whole-hearted, unshaken, and
unshrinking faith, such revelations, while assuming quite
normal proportions, will come not once but often ; not
sparingly and with niggard doles, but with plenteous
over-flowing measure.

I would again offer my warmest and most heart-felt
thanks for the great kindness of my dear friend, Percy
Beard, who, by his patience and self-abnegation, has led
me one step nearer God, and I thank him in the name of
the Master.

"Quod petis hic est."

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