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

On January 14, 1906, at Pinner. Circle of eight. Two astral forms appeared at the same time. Aspirit called “Grant Duff” was announced as present in the cabinet. Two days after, (January 16),the Times announced that the Rt. Hon. Sir Mountstewart Elphinstone Grant Duff .C.S.I., had diedon the 12 th .A short time before, through Mrs. Arnold, at Southsea, a spirit had promised to appear tome “without slate.” On this evening the same spirit came to me without slate and identifiedherself.A woman’s voice sang solo in the cabinet.A sister of May came to me in a substantial woman’s dress, white sleeves, dark bodice andskirt. She invited me to take the skirt in my hand.(23) On January 21, 1906 at Pinner. Circle of seven.An astral form came very slowly and silently to me. By the spirit-light she carried, I was able torecognise the face of an old relative, and to distinguish the domino and delicate drapery. Shebowed her head low to the name I gave her, as if in assent, spoke my name and allowed me to takeher hand. This form was about 4ft. 6in. in height and the hand was the size of that of a child.Having remained nearly a minute, it sank slowly down and dematerialised at my feet. It was Iola.Joey, speaking to me from the cabinet, gave the names of certain spirits who, he asserted, werepresent. One was a brother officer, another a friend who died about fifteen years ago and whom Ihad not seen for over twenty years, when I parted from him in the distant colony of the Fiji Islands(Joey said Grand Canary Islands). Both names, especially the latter, were uncommon ones.After the séance Graem called for a sitter present to make passes before the medium, and for me toput my hands on this man’s shoulders. The curtain was drawn around us. Graem gave directionsthrough the mouth of Craddock. I distinctly heard Joey, Cerise and Sister Amy speak at this timein the cabinet. After two or three minutes, Graem having ceased to speak, Craddock gave aconvulsive start and slowly came to life. Within twenty minutes he was able to leave the room. Iremained in the house for a quarter of an hour, to complete my notes. On taking leave ofCraddock I found him very dazed, and, apparently, surprised at seeing me in the house so longafter the other sitters had left. When I shook hands with him the action seemed to give him pain.(24) On February 11, 1906. Circle of ten. Six of those present are mediumistic, and all arespiritualists.An astral form came silently towards me, bringing its own light, by which I recognised theface as that of Iola. It was about 4ft. 6in. high; face small, pallid and ethereal. The beautiful formdematerialised at my feet; the light did not disappear till it was fifteen inches from the floor.A little child touched all the circle twice.On February 18, 1906. Circle of twelve. A draped figure came to me silently, without light,on two occasions, merging and returning through the cabinet near which I was sitting, and calledme by name. I took the hands, which were trembling violently.Joey Grimaldi said to me: “I heard you talking with A. the other night about the mediumbeing brought out as Abdullah. Ii is not the medium but his astral body, which we use to shape theform of the spirits. He was wrong on that point. (It is a fact that such a conversation had takenplace on that subject in my room at Southsea, A. and another sitter having seen trousers underAbdullah’s robe).Joey said to me: “There is a Mr. B. here who thinks you can give a message to his wife. Hewould like her to know that he is still alive and watching over her.” (Mr. B. was a Low Churchminister at Southsea. I had heard of him, but not made his acquaintance, and did not know that hehad left a widow. A few days afterwards I learnt, on inquiry, that his widow lived in strictretirement at Southsea.)(25) Two materialised figures, after showing their faces to me, fell sideways on the floorwithout a sound, their faces being visible until they reached within a foot of the carpet.36