Glimpses Of The Next State.Pdf - Spiritualists' National Union

CHAPTER VIII.115ETHEREALISATIONS AND THE DIRECTVOICEThe knowledge of immortality for one dollar—Mrs. Wriedt—Method of her seances—Abrother officer identifies himself—Iola speaks, and refers to a Jonson seance—Josephine—Mr.Henry Clay Hodges accompanies me to a seance—The late British Consul-General for Cubamanifests—Obvious difference between American and English spirits—Over-anxiety tocommunicate prevents manifestation— Sir W. W. identifies himself—Dr. Sharp, Mrs. Wriedt’scontrol, speaks clearly at every seance—Commander Scott Willcox manifests—My guide tells mewhat I was doing the previous day—This happens several times—The pale lavender dress—A childgrown up in spirit life—The spirit of Captain Calver, R. N.—The spirit of Captain AndrewBalfour, R. N.—Iola and my brother-in-law—Mr. Kaiser— Dr. Kurgan speaks—Tim, fromJonson’s cabinet—People of different degrees of spiritual advancement can live together in thespheres— Buildings formed by concentration of the vibrations—Dr. Thomson Jay Hudsonmanifests—Hester and William Hudson—The psychic and Dr. Jenkins speak at the same time—Aspirit purporting to be Sir Isaac Newton—Dr. Richard Hodgson manifests—Good test of identity—Madam Julienne de Leamont—President Lincoln seen behind me.DURING my investigations into the phenomena of spiritism I have never met with anyonewhose mediumship has brought me so close to the next state of consciousness as Mrs. Wriedt, ofDetroit, Michigan. I dislike introducing the subject of money into dissertations on communicationwith the unseen; but psychics must live, and there is just as much reason why they should be paidas parsons, lawyers, artists, doctors, or naval and military officers. Theirs is an exhaustingoccupation, and generally unfits them for any other. It is due to Mrs. Wriedt and to the Jonsonsto say that they reduce their charges to a minimum. In each case the fee is one dollar if the seance issuccessful; if unsuccessful, these psychics refuse to receive anything at all.Mrs. Wriedt lives in a detached wooden villa of her own design, 414 Baldwin Avenue, in asuburb of Detroit, nearly three miles from the City Hall. She is much sought after, and alwaysbusy; on an average, she receives four or five people a day. To ensure seeing her it is thereforenecessary to make an appointment beforehand. She does not fall into trance, and often joins in theconversation going on between the sitter and her spirit visitor; she speaks sometimes at the sameinstant as her control or the other spirits. I have been much puzzled to know what she has to dowith the manifestations; all I am really sure about is that her presence is essential.The phenomena that occur are etherealisations and the direct voice through the trumpet;the former are more rare than the latter. It is possible to hear the voices through the trumpet inbroad daylight or gaslight; but the operation is slow and unsatisfactory, and the investigator willfind it best to sit in total darkness. The psychic is willing to sit anywhere in the room, the spot beingchosen by the investigator, on either side of him, touching him, or opposite to him. I found it best tohave her opposite to me, and distant three to four feet away. A trumpet is placed upright on thefloor, between psychic and visitor. I will proceed to describe my sittings.January 6, 1909, 5.10 p.m. Tried first in gaslight, putting the small end of the trumpet to myear. There were undoubtedly voices in the tube, but I could only catch the names “William RogerDrake” and “Mary Ella.” Cars were passing the house at intervals of three minutes, and it wasimpossible to obtain a perfectly quiet time; unfortunately, I had called just when the workmen wereleaving the city for their homes. Mrs. Wriedt was impressed with the following messages from aspirit called “ Mary “:— “Thomas is here,” and “Joan of Arc is one of our guides.”The names ‘‘ Drake,’’ ‘‘ Mary,’’ and ‘‘ Thomas were quite familiar to me, as those offriends who had passed over many years ago. I do not know any Ella,” and Drake’s Christian