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

CHAPTER II18FIRST INVESTIGATION IN AMERICAMaterialisation’s with De Witt Hough – Appearance of Iola – The Roman lace worker – Sittings forClairvoyance with Mrs. Conklin and Hough - The German suffering from kidney trouble diagnosed byDr. Baker – Visit to Dr. S. H. - Year end séance with Maggie Gaule – I am accompanied by the spirit ofthe son of Dr. S. – Psychometry and clairvoyance by Maggie Gaule – Dor Hahn – Convincing evidenceof the presence of Iola – The Herman’s – New Year party at the house of Judge Dailey - May Pepper –Clairvoyance of Mrs. Dailey – Spirit return of the seaman Carey - Bright Eyes and the photograph test– Another interview with Maggie Gaule – Visit Boston – Mrs. Morgan, Mrs. Henderson and Mr. Porter– Iola manifests through Mrs. Henderson – Return to New York – Public séance of Mrs. Pepper –Private séance with Mrs. Pepper – Iola again – Return to England.I landed at New York on Sunday, December 25 th 1904 and attended a séance the sameevening at the house of Mr. De Witt Hough. He then lived at 203 W. 38 th Street with a partner,Mrs. Conklin, who is a good clairvoyante. I talked with Hough for half-an-hour before the séancecommenced. He was in a stupid, dazed state, and very taciturn. It was impossible that he, or hispartner, or any of his sitters, could have known anything about me.There were seven sitters, besides Mrs. Conklin, who attended near the cabinet to find out thenames of the various spirits. We sat in a semi-circle on chairs and sofa’s, comfortably at our ease.The sitter furthest away from the cabinet was about sixteen feet from it; the room was abouttwenty-two feet by fifteen feet, with a cabinet four feet square at one end. On a table outside of thelatter were placed two bells, some writing paper, two harmonicas, and a paper tube. Before thegas was extinguished, Mrs. Conklin said to me “Have you a relative called Elizabeth? I do notknow if she is alive or dead, but I see that name in connection with you.” (I have two relatives ofthat name, one alive and one dead; the latter is a near relative of mine and of Iola). After the gaswas put out, we sat for half-an-hour in the dark, during which time Dr. Baker, one of the controls,spoke in the direct voice. Phantoms were seen by one or two clairvoyants who were present,gliding about the room, one near me. I could see nothing, but I sensed a presence between me andmy neighbour, and heard some sighs. Raps were heard in and about the cabinet, and tunes werewell played on the harmonica, accompanied by bells. We sang, and at intervals called for tunes tobe played by the spirits in the cabinet, which were all renders as requested. The melody they gotout of the ten-cent harmonicas was wonderful.After half-an-hour of darkness, a little cripple control “Star-Eyes” who had been in evidencesome minutes, talking and laughing in the cabinet, asked for a light to be lit. Mrs. Conklin lit anoil-lamp in a corner of the room opposite to the cabinet. It was shaded with a blue screen, andcovered with a shutter which communicated by a string with the cabinet; this enabled the controlsto regulate the light at will. The light throughout the séance was enough to allow of a white-facedwatch being read, and it was possible to distinguish the spirit-forms of men from those of women.I could only make out the features of the male spirits occasionally; the women were veiled, andtheir robes gathered at the waist.(2) Fifteen or sixteen spirits materialised full length, and were recognised either as friends orhabitués of the cabinet. About half-way through, the cabinet curtains opened, and a small, slightform, below the medium height of females was seen. Mrs. Conklin called out the earth name ofIola. I rose in my seat, and the woman came out towards me for a distance of some ten feet, tookmy hands, and drew me back to the cabinet. She was in a state of intense vibration. I asked,“Have you any message?” “Yes! – Yes!” she said, “I will write”. She took up a pencil, knelt down,and wrote upon the paper in the table. After writing a few words, she rose and went behind thecurtain, apparently to gather strength; then came out again and finished the message. This shegave into my hands. She then came back with me to my seat, and said “Sit! – Sit!” – kneeled downby my side, and whispered “I am so glad you have come.” At this time I had the form completely