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

117able to distinguish between two squares in London or two counties may be regarded as preposterous.)The above-mentioned “ George” talked with me for a short time, and Dr. Sharp, the control,spoke for some minutes. His voice was as loud as that of a mortal, and he appeared sometimes todispense with the assistance of the trumpet. He answered several questions, principally about myguide. I may say here that none of the voices can be identified as those of the friends who purport tobe present; but the only voice which resembled that of the psychic was Josephine’s. The operationis like communicating with a relative or friend through a long-distance telephone.January 9, 1909, 1.40 to 2.40 p.m.(84) I was accompanied by the veteran spiritualist Mr. Henry Clay Hodges, editor of TheStellar Ray, also Two Thousand Years of Celestial Life (by “Clytina “) and Science and Key of Life(by Alvidas). Atmospheric conditions were not so good as on the previous day; it was snowing.After talking between ourselves for about twenty minutes, Dr. Sharp came and gave us someinteresting information; and, among other things, denied the possibility of reincarnation. Then aman spoke through the trumpet in pure English, gave a name, and said he was, in earth life, asurgeon at Brighton; he declared that he knew me, but I have no recollection of him. Next came aMr. W. 0. Shipman, a friend of Mr. Hodges, who identified himself, speaking in Yankee intonationand dialect; then my guide, with English accent, with whom I had a long chat. I asked her thenames of one of my daughters, who was born on the anniversary of her death; the answer wascorrect.Q.: “What was I doing this morning?”A.: “Writing notes of your investigation.” (Correct.) “Then you thought it was a bad day,and you would not go out; so you wrote letters.” (Correct.) “Who was the man you were talkingto?”I said it was Mr. Hodges (whom I had fetched from his office). An introduction then tookplace.Q.: “I understand from Dr. Sharp that you are in the sixth sphere?”A.: “Yes. Sixth sphere, seventh realm.”Q.: “How is my wife?”A.: “She has received your letter from the east.”(I found afterwards that there had been some anxiety about the delay in the arrival of myfirst letter from New York, which had not reached home until a few days before this sitting.)Then came “Clytina,” who spoke very clearly, but in rather a stilted way, to Mr. Hodges inpure English. It seemed to me that her formal pronunciation was due to her wish to make sure thatshe was understood. She told me of two English friends who wished her to make them known tome; at present I have not been able to place them. Next came Sir A. G., our Consul-General forCuba at the time of the Spanish-American War, who spoke of the Maine disaster. He had alteredthe view of that catastrophe which he held while in life, and went into long particulars about minesand wires that I could not follow properly, as I am not acquainted with Havana Harbour. He wenton to say: “There were five in my family.” (Correct.) “Do you remember the last time we met?” Ireplied: “Yes; I dined with you at ——.“ “Yes we sat and smoked and talked. You admired aworked cushion we had.” (Mark this trifling detail! I had a faint recollection of the incident, and,on writing to England, found out from one of the people present that it was true.)This latter detail is one of those insignificant bits of information which the superficial criticholds in contempt. “Is this, then, all that spirits can talk about?” he exclaims. To me, this item,which I could not recall without assistance 4 was more valuable than if my friend had described thevarious appointments he filled in life with distinction, because the latter details are commonproperty, and could have been culled from a book of reference.After Sir A. G. had departed, two friends of Mr. Hodges spoke through the trumpet—Mr.Dan Revell and Senator James McMillan. Both identified themselves to his satisfaction, and thelatter quite a long conversation with him. Mr. Revell was one of the circle of seven who took inthe messages from “Clytina” some years ago.