the vital message(主信)-第10章
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boy even reminded me of something that only he and I knew。〃 Says
another： 〃My boy reminded me of the day when he sowed turnip seed
upon the lawn。 Only he could have known of this。〃 These are fair samples
of the letters； of which I hold a large number。 They are from people who
present themselves from among the millions living in London； or the
provinces； and about whose affairs the medium had no possible normal
way of knowing。 Of all the very numerous cases which I have sent to this
medium I have only had a few which have been complete failures。 On
quoting my results to Sir Oliver Lodge； he remarked that his own
experience with another medium had been almost identical。 It is no
exaggeration to say that our British telephone systems would probably
give a larger proportion of useless calls。 How is any critic to get beyond
these facts save by ignoring or misrepresenting them？ Healthy； scepticism
is the basis of all accurate observation； but there comes a time when
incredulity means either culpable ignorance or else imbecility； and this
time has been long past in the matter of spirit intercourse。 In my own case；
this medium mentioned correctly the first name of a lady who had died in
our house； gave several very characteristic messages from her； described
the only two dogs which we have ever kept； and ended by saying that a
young officer was holding up a gold coin by which I would recognise him。
I had lost my brother…in…law； an army doctor； in the war； and I had given
him a spade guinea for his first fee； which he always wore on his chain。
There were not more than two or three close relatives who knew about this
incident； so that the test was a particularly good one。 She made no
incorrect statements； though some were vague。 After I had revealed the
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THE VITAL MESSAGE
identity of this medium several pressmen attempted to have test seances
with hera test seance being； in most cases； a seance which begins by
breaking every psychic condition and making success most improbable。
One of these gentlemen； Mr。 Ulyss Rogers； had very fair results。 Another
sent from 〃Truth〃 had complete failure。 It must be understood that these
powers do not work from the medium； but through the medium； and that
the forces in the beyond have not the least sympathy with a smart young
pressman in search of clever copy； while they have a very different feeling
to a bereaved mother who prays with all her broken heart that some
assurance may be given her that the child of her love is not gone from her
for ever。 When this fact is mastered； and it is understood that 〃Stand and
deliver〃 methods only excite gentle derision on the other side； we shall
find some more intelligent manner of putting things of the spirit to the
proof。＇3＇
＇3＇ See Appendix D。
I have dwelt upon these results； which could be matched by other
mediums； to show that we have solid and certain reasons to say that the
verbal reports are not from the mediums themselves。 Readers of Arthur
Hill's 〃Psychical Investigations〃 will find many even more convincing
cases。 So in the written communications； I have in a previous paper
pointed to the 〃Gate of Remembrance〃 case； but there is a great mass of
material which proves that； in spite of mistakes and failures； there really is
a channel of communication； fitful and evasive sometimes； but entirely
beyond coincidence or fraud。 These； then； are the usual means by which
we receive psychic messages； though table tilting； ouija boards； glasses
upon a smooth surface； or anything which can be moved by the vital
animal…magnetic force already discussed will equally serve the purpose。
Often information is conveyed orally or by writing which could not have
been known to anyone concerned。 Mr。 Wilkinson has given details of the
case where his dead son drew attention to the fact that a curio （a coin bent
by a bullet） had been overlooked among his effects。 Sir William Barrett
has narrated how a young officer sent a message leaving a pearl tie…pin to
a friend。 No one knew that such a pin existed； but it was found among his
things。 The death of Sir Hugh Lane was given at a private seance in
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THE VITAL MESSAGE
Dublin before the details of the Lusitania disaster had been published。＇4＇
On that morning we ourselves； in a small seance； got the message 〃It is
terrible； terrible； and will greatly affect the war；〃 at a time when we were
convinced that no great loss of life could have occurred。 Such examples
are very numerous； and are only quoted here to show how impossible it is
to invoke telepathy as the origin of such messages。 There is only one
explanation which covers the facts。 They are what they say they are；
messages from those who have passed on； from the spiritual body which
was seen to rise from the deathbed； which has been so often photographed；
which pervades all religion in every age； and which has been able； under
proper circumstances； to materialise back into a temporary solidity so that
it could walk and talk like a mortal； whether in Jerusalem two thousand
years ago； or in the laboratory of Mr。 Crookes； in Mornington Road；
London。
＇4＇ The details of both these latter cases are to be found in 〃Voices
from the Void〃 by Mrs。 Travers Smith； a book containing some well
weighed evidence。
Let us for a moment examine the facts in this Crookes' episode。 A
small book exists which describes them； though it is not as accessible as it
should be。 In these wonderful experiments； which extended over several
years； Miss Florrie Cook； who was a young lady of from 16 to 18 years of
age； was repeatedly confined in Prof。 Crookes' study； the door being
locked on the inside。 Here she lay unconscious upon a couch。 The
spectators assembled in the laboratory； which was separated by a curtained
opening from the study。 After a short interval； through this opening there
emerged a lady who was in all ways different from Miss Cook。 She gave
her earth name as Katie King； and she proclaimed herself to be a
materialised spirit； whose mission it was 〃to carry the knowledge of
immortality to mortals。
She was of great beauty of face； figure； and manner。 She was four and
a half inches taller than Miss Cook； fair； whereas the latter was dark； and
as different from her as one woman could be from another。 Her pulse rate
was markedly slower。 She became for the time entirely one of the
company； walking about； addressing each person present； and taking
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delight in the children。 She made no objection to photography or any other
test。 Forty…eight photographs of different degrees of excellence were made
of her。 She was seen at the same time as the medium on several occasions。
Finally she depa
