Precognition and Human Survival
Charles Drayton Thomas
Publisher: Psychic Press Ltd.
Published: ND
Pages: 115
Availability: Out of Print
Introduction:
The Need for Assurance
- Charles Drayton Thomas -
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ONE THING is certain even to the most confirmed doubter. We are here! Here in space which has no imaginable end, which goes on and on without boundaries. The mind cannot picture this boundlessness. Baffled and bewildered it turns away from the quest for an end, a cessation of journeying into the vastness of space.
And as with Space, so is it also with Time, the endless progression of sequences. Time in the past, Time in the future; in both directions endless! One is here in the midst of endless Space and Time. Unhappy speakers have expressed the opinion that there is no Mind behind all this. That we are all but as grains of sand in a vast Sahara Desert of such grains, with no meaning, no outlook, nothing to hope for, nothing to anticipate! Happy are those of simple faith who take the assurances of Our Lord and rely in God's beneficent purposes for all mankind; who rest in confidence that He Who gives so much in this life has prepared for us yet more in the life beyond.
But happier still are those of us who, in addition to early beliefs, have the certain knowledge which derives from conversations with arisen loved ones who, from etherial realms, strive to bring us some suggestion of its vivid reality and delights.
Convinced that some types of mind need knowledge in which to root a living and progressive faith, I endeavour in this book to show them yet one further strand of that evidence which can assure intelligent thinkers of man's surviving death, and prove that death is but the gateway into greater life. Nor is our survival of bodily death the only fact emerging from these studies. We find that the departed are enabled to keep themselves well informed of our doings. Theirs is no sleep. They are awaiting our coming. They will be present - to welcome our arrival. They know of our trials and triumphs and are solicitous for our welfare. To realise these facts would lighten many a load and comfort many who now weep in secret with no suspicion that those they mourn are often watching them. Passing through an ancient churchyard I noted the following inscription on a moss-covered stone:
Had the sorrowing widower but known it, she was not sleeping and nothing was beneath that stone save the dust which remained from the no-longer needed body, a body from which "the soul had broken and flown away". Long years ago he has followed her. Picture their raptured meeting, and the poor man's surprise when she told how near she had often been during the sad years when he had deemed her sleeping in the earth, unconscious and unconcerned!
That tragedy continues. Many there are who, while I write these lines, are suffering the pangs of that same delusion. Motoring one day in June through a quiet countryside my attention was attracted to a lonely church which evidently served the neighbouring hamlet. Leaving the car I wandered in the long grass which hid many unmarked mounds and surrounded the lichencovered tombstones. Presently I noticed a recent grave with its stone fresh and clean. The inscription referred to one who had died in a far-off land while on his country's service. Evidently a young soldier whose fiancee had erected this stone to his memory. The inscription chosen by her saddened me. It ran:
Looking over the meadows to the hamlet I thought of the girl who, from the fullness of her heart, had chosen these pathetic lines. One who, perhaps, was still feeling the desolating blankness of loss and who dreamed of the loved form lying beneath the gleaming tropic sands. My thought then turned to him: "Poor fellow! How trying for him, if he loved her as she loved him, when he returned at the earliest opportunity to visit her and found that he could in no way break through that barrier of self-pitying grief which surrounded her like mist. She pictured him far away and sleeping; yet he was there, with her in the familiar room." What strange delusion to think that our dead are sleeping in the grave!
A few weeks after my sister Etta died she spoke at my sitting with Mrs. Osborne Leonard, the gifted trance sensitive, and said, "I came to see you recently. You were in your study, standing near the table on which were several books. You were too interested in what you were doing to think of me. I stood near you by the corner of the table, but you did not feel me in the least. I wondered how it was you did not feel my presence; I had forgotten that I was not trying. Then the Guide who had come with me said, 'Concentrate'. I calmed myself and tried for the time not to feel too loving, not to want to touch you, but that you should feel me. You did not at first; then you suddenly thought of me and forgot what you were doing; at least, you closed the book you had been looking at, placed it on the table, and sighed, thinking of me very strongly. You then turned round and faced me, but you did not see me and, of course, thought it quite natural that the memory of me should come in and interrupt what you were doing. I did not mind your not seeing me, and had not expected you to do so. My studies of the subject on earth had helped me to understand the difficulties. I felt rather glad that I had made you suddenly think of me". On another occasion when Etta said something similar I replied, "I do wish I could have seen you, Dear, but it is something to be sure, without even seeing". She answered, "To be sure with the mind and soul is the chief thing. Some whom you could touch are not so close to you in spirit; bodies may be present while thoughts are far away". Shortly after my mother's passing my father, who had long preceded her, remarked, - "I want to say how extremely delightful and happy everything is now that your mother is here. If you could see her for half a minute you would say, 'I never wish her back'. Her state of happiness is complete. This completing of the family life on our side is so delightful. Even though there are others still on earth, we know they will soon join us. We can afford to wait patiently. I often think of the happy philosophy we give you. We are teaching the gospel of happiness. It is a wonderful truth. We should accomplish much if we could induce people to prepare themselves for receiving this happiness, to feel it and radiate it in themselves. Sometimes when we are all together I say to myself, 'If only Charlie could see us as we really are!' We have told you as much as we can, but that is a very poor idea of the real picture". Yes, he had told me much, some of, which I have published, and he has since given further descriptions of their activities and surroundings. All that is omitted from the present book; for such descriptions only assume the interest of realities when one has reached conviction of survival and persistence of personal identity. It is to this assurance that I hope to conduct the reader. It is often said, by those who repeat stock phrases, that "no single incident, however, striking, is sufficient to prove human survival". This I question; much depends on whether one merely hears of the incident, or whether it happens to oneself. Many intelligent persons have been turned from life-long scepticism by a single experience which came to them unsought and unexpected. But we are not limited to the single incident. The records of serious researchers show from how many different directions has come convincing evidence of human survival. The evidence is both abundant and various. It is not to be thought of as a chain, or argument, which is no stronger than its weakest link. Rather is it like the Alpine rope, tested and trustworthy, and formed of many interwoven strands. It is to one such strand of evidence that this book draws attention.
Forecasts of Future Events
Can future events be foretold? From early antiquity it has been held that, sometimes and by some people, glimpses of the future can be seen. We, find instances of this in history, both sacred and secular. The Kings of Israel were wont to inquire of their "wise men" whether a projected war would be successful, and the Romans had professional augurs who sought to ascertain the future by various, and sometimes ludicrous, means.
Despite failures in such attempts, a belief in the possibility of forecasting the future still lingers in the form of "fortune telling" as practised by gypsies and others. After becoming discredited among educated people it has recently come into prominence among those interested in Psychical Research; for investigation of mediumship shows that forecasts of the future have come to pass in ways for which no known cause, and most certainly no chance coincidence, can account. For many years I have studied trance mediumship with Mrs. Osborne Leonard, and some of my results have been described in earlier books. Accurate predictions of future events presently arrested my attention; a series of these came from in old friend, a former Member of Parliament, who rarely manifests his presence at my sittings except when matters of social or national concern are pending. In the months preceding the war of 1939-45 he outlined the probable course of events with acumen and remarkable accuracy. Then, during that war, my father, who throughout has been my chief communicator, gave many forecasts which were realised by the events. He explained that he was able to ascertain the plans of the belligerents on both sides; not that he always did this personally, but rather in conjunction with groups of interested persons who, during their earthly lives, had taken a prominent part in national affairs. Besides these references to matters of public importance, I have been given forecasts of events which were to affect me personally, and it is on these that I shall chiefly draw for illustration in this book. The problem of how an event yet in the future can be foreseen and described with clarity is one which has baffled the imagination of philosophers. These forecasts of the future fall into several Classes, some of which can be explained, as I propose to show. But there are others, like the following Double Event which leave the would-be expositor musing in reverent silence.
Forecast of a Double Event
Humanly Unpredictable
Received by the late David Thomas, Barrister-at-Law
My friend, David Thomas, was fortunate in knowing a psychically gifted lady in private life who permitted him to study trance mediumship with her. He showed me his notes from time to time, giving me permission to use them.
Here is a brief extract showing how a forecast was shortly fulfilled. Mr. Thomas had long conversations with his deceased wife, who kept herself well versed in his doings and those of the family. On one occasion she was speaking of her sister Marianne, then residing in California, and remarked on an injury to her toe. Mr. Thomas was aware of this injury, as Marianne had mentioned it in a recent letter. But the next statement puzzled him; it was to the effect that Marianne would shortly die, but not before the death of her son Ernest. Why should Marianne's death be caused by a toe injury, which might be regarded as harmless? And if Ernest was well, as his mother had said, why should his death be imminent? Yet only ten days after this came a letter from Marianne to say that Ernest was in hospital with confluent smallpox. This was shortly followed by news of his death. Five days later, a relative residing near Marianne wrote that she had contracted the disease from her son and was very ill. She died within a few days. And so the prediction was exactly fulfilled. Both were dead and the son had predeceased his mother! Even if we could assume that the Communicator had noticed germs of the disease in Ernest, there would have been no certainty that the smallpox would prove fatal, nor was it certain that his mother would take the infection. It is doubtful if any medical man in attendance on the family could have suspected, at the time this forecast was given, that a double fatality was near. I have never been eager to know the future in a fortune-telling sense. I am convinced on excellent grounds that one's life-course is planned in a broadly general way and that, so far as one wills to know and do the right, one is co-operating with unseen guidance and the result is assured. Variations of the route are open to us, but the goal is reached by them all. Only those who willfully, or carelessly, elect to live for present pleasure rather than for future good will entirely miss their way. We are free within limits and sufficient guidance is available for those who seek it. On the other hand one is justified in making plans and hoping to realise them. While success cannot be ensured it can be more or less deserved. To be supernormally informed that this plan would fail, or that plan succeed, might be interesting yet unhelpful. Better to try and fail than be deterred from trying. But there is a different way of regarding Prediction, the way of scientific inquiry. From personal experience I am confident that we have something vitally important to learn from it. It certainly happens! It happens over matters that seem trivial and entirely unimportant; it also happens over matters of moment.
What Forecasts Prove
While many old friends have spoken with me in the course of thirty years study with Mrs. Osborne Leonard, my chief communicators have been my father and my sister Etta. The former, John Drayton Thomas, was a Christian Minister who passed on in 1903; my sister followed in 1920. Many of their talks describing after-death experiences have been published. In the present book will be found some of their predictions about future events, the study of which may enable us to clarify our ideas on that difficult subject. But the chief purpose of the book will be to indicate how such predictions form an important addition to the ever accumulating body of evidence for the truth of our belief in man's personal survival of bodily death. It will show that those who have gone from our sight are still living, that they are mentally alert, that they keep themselves in close touch with those they love and that they often know of matters relating to our present life which are as yet hidden from us.
It will be convenient to divide forecasts into six classes or types. Beginning with the more simple and easily explained, and then passing to others more difficult, we shall finally reach what may be termed Pure Precognition, predictions which undoubtedly occur but which seem beyond the human intellect at present to explain.
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Part 2: Second Type of Forecast
- Charles Drayton Thomas -
Forecasts based on a plan perceived in some human mind to which invisible agents add a purpose of their own and proceed to carry out the combined plans by influencing human action.
My Six Sittings
BEFORE ENTERING on a personal investigation of mediumship I was frequently dining with a group of men who were in London for study in Law, Medicine and other professions. They were inclined to agnosticism and doubtful of survival after death. I frequently spoke with them about the findings of Psychical Research and their reaction was that, provided my evidence could be relied on, it proved the case for survival. But they objected that my knowledge was only secondhand. I therefore decided to obtain first-hand information and, after finding that my first sitting with Mrs. Leonard was so productive of good evidence, planned to take six further sittings which, I considered, would furnish sufficient material for my purpose. Little did I foresee that, at the end of thirty years, my sittings would still be continued and proving a hundredfold more informative and valuable than I had supposed was possible!
Some months after the first sitting my father told me that it was part of his destined work to co-operate with me in this way; that he had known of this shortly after his passing and had waited, wondering how long it might be before I began to play my appointed part with him.
Some months after the first sitting my father told me that it was part of his destined work to co-operate with me in this way; that he had known of this shortly after his passing and had waited, wondering how long it might be before I began to play my appointed part with him.
"When you began to read about this subject I was glad, knowing your earlier interest in it and your feeling that you would like to gain personal experience; the first sitting was disappointing, as I had hoped to say much more than I did. On inquiry, however, I learnt that first beginnings were usually much like mine. Then I wondered whether you would have the patience to continue while I blundered through. I had always been told that some of my work would be with you, but did not at first know what exactly it would be. I shall be able to do better later on".
Here we find definite assertion of a plan, together with a forecast that my father and I would do work together. The experience of thirty years proves this forecast to have been correct. Based on material given by my father in sittings with Mrs. Leonard, I have already published seven books, one of which reached 17,000 copies before going out of print during the 1939-45 war. These books have brought letters of appreciation and thanks from hundreds of readers both here and abroad.
The Luton Visit
During my first sitting with Mrs. Leonard, February 3rd, 1917, there was given a forecast which Feda seemed only partly to understand and which suggested nothing whatever to my mind. I quote from condensed notes taken at the time:
There will be a little journey to take some temporary work and in the end this will lead to something important. The work looks unimportant, but will prove to be important. It is, say, about thirty miles from London. Your Guides are preparing for it and will see it through with you. (Here came a pause of about one minute during which Feda seemed to hold a whispered conversation with some person invisible to me). It seems to Feda that the importance is on account of someone you will meet there.
I was perplexed and could understand nothing of this. My engagements included several Sundays away from home, among them a School Anniversery at Luton with a lecture on the Monday evening. As the date for this, May 7th, drew near I was informed that my home would be with a Mr. and Mrs. Squire. As we walked home from the morning service Mrs. Squire said that a remark of mine prompted her to ask if I had read Sir Oliver Lodge's book Raymond, and if I knew anything about the possibility of communication with those whom one had lost. I replied suitably and he then told me of their having recently lost a son in the war. We had several talks on the subject, and finally I invited her to share my forthcoming sitting with Mrs. Leonard. It was only then that it occurred to me that as this was, for her and her husband, a very important matter, it might be the Work hinted at in the forecast. Remembering that the foretold journey was to be one of "about thirty miles" I inquired how far was Luton from London. The reply was, "Thirty miles"! As this agreed with the forecast I was all the more interested in the next remark of my hostess, which was to the effect that she was glad I had come to them for these three nights as it had given her a new outlook and hope, but that she had narrowly missed the chance. She went on to explain that, on being asked to entertain me, she had refused; because since losing their son they had been too sad to enjoy any social intercourse and preferred to be alone. However, the official who arranged for the preacher's entertainment had asked her to reconsider, and presently approached her a second time on the matter. She had again refused; but when he asked her a third time and was very pressing about it, she finally but with reluctance consented.
Realising, by now, that there might be more in this than appeared on the surface, I wrote to the above church officer asking if he could confirm what had been told me. He replied that, knowing I should be comfortable with this family, he had felt a particular wish to put me with them and, without knowing why, had felt strong reluctance to take a refusal.
Mrs. Squire later accompanied me to a sitting with Mrs. Leonard. Subsequently she went alone and these sittings brought joy and thankfulness to her and the family.
This bears out the forecast given three months earlier: "It will lead to something important ... your Guides are preparing for it and will see it through with you... The importance is on account of someone you will meet there".
Consider how neatly these events dovetailed together.
Realising, by now, that there might be more in this than appeared on the surface, I wrote to the above church officer asking if he could confirm what had been told me. He replied that, knowing I should be comfortable with this family, he had felt a particular wish to put me with them and, without knowing why, had felt strong reluctance to take a refusal.
Mrs. Squire later accompanied me to a sitting with Mrs. Leonard. Subsequently she went alone and these sittings brought joy and thankfulness to her and the family.
This bears out the forecast given three months earlier: "It will lead to something important ... your Guides are preparing for it and will see it through with you... The importance is on account of someone you will meet there".
Consider how neatly these events dovetailed together.
A. I am engaged for Luton on a given date.
B. The entertainment official decides to ask Mr. and Mrs. Squire to take me for the occasion.
C. He feels an unaccountable reluctance to accept their refusal and finally over-persuades them.
D. A remark of mine leads Mrs. Squire to ask about possibilities of communication.
E. She finds the comfort and assurance needed.
I was struck by the persistence of the official in persuading the Squires to entertain me, since there were many homes to which I might equally well have gone: also that Luton should be the exact distance from London named in the forecast. How unaccountable all this when viewed from the standpoint of common experience, and yet how simple to the enlightened mind! The need of the bereaved mother was perceived, her prayers "heard". My knowledge could help her. I was to be in her town. The official could be impressed to get me to her house, and she could be prompted to question me.
The incident affords us a glimpse behind the curtain which usually hides from earthly eyes the activity and planning which goes on in the unseen. Mr. and Mrs. Squire had been unknown to me until this visit, nor had I previously heard anything about them.
Here, as in other cases of this kind, we note evidence of a purpose which was not in the sitter's mind and cannot possibly be ascribed to him. Whose purpose was it if not the Communicator's? F. W. H. Myers (in Human Personality and its Survival of Bodily Death) says; "I ascribe some precognitions to the reasoned foresight of disembodied spirits ... their not infallible inferences from what they know."
The incident affords us a glimpse behind the curtain which usually hides from earthly eyes the activity and planning which goes on in the unseen. Mr. and Mrs. Squire had been unknown to me until this visit, nor had I previously heard anything about them.
Here, as in other cases of this kind, we note evidence of a purpose which was not in the sitter's mind and cannot possibly be ascribed to him. Whose purpose was it if not the Communicator's? F. W. H. Myers (in Human Personality and its Survival of Bodily Death) says; "I ascribe some precognitions to the reasoned foresight of disembodied spirits ... their not infallible inferences from what they know."
Liverpool Street Station
At a sitting in April 1935 I had a long conversation with Elsie, a lady with whom I had close friendship in the long ago and whom I had hoped to marry. She died. During this talk she made a forecast which puzzled me at the time and to which I had absolutely no clue. Its substance was as follows:
Quite soon you have to go to a place very closely associated with me. You may not know yet that you will have to go, but when you do you will say, "Oh, full of memories of her!" What I say now belongs to a big subject, the plan of life. Part of our lives is planned, but we are free co-operators. If we do not interfere, the plan outworks for us. There is no forcing, but instinct guides us to co-operate with it. One is free to fall in or to step aside. It applies to you; your steps are being guided easily and firmly. Well, I have a feeling that soon you will find yourself at a place associated in your mind with me. You have been there several times and I have been there several times with you. You think of me there where you walk down a little hill, not a steep place, and if you notice it you'll remember other times.
Feda then added: When you get to a corner is there the word "Avenue" written up, or is she only thinking "Avenue"?
As above remarked, I failed to find any satisfactory interpretation of this and, as usual with forecasts, put the matter aside until time and the event should explain it.
Six days later I went to Liverpool Street Station to meet my friend Major Mowbray, whom I was to accompany for a meeting in Cambridge. As there are two routes to Cambridge, via Kings Cross or Liverpool Street, I had written to Mowbray asking him to decide which route and train. So that it was he, and not I, who fixed the route. As I reached the sloping road leading down into the Station I suddenly realised that this fitted with Elsie's forecast. It was impossible to enter that Station without recalling the many times we had been there together: indeed it was one most memorable conversation we had there which finally led to our engagement. On our many journeys together for days in Town, this was the Station to which we came. It is for me ever redolent of her memory.
Thinking over the forecast during the journey, it occurred to me to ask Major Mowbray if he would give me a list of the associations which Liverpool Street Station brought to his mind. It seemed that he had used the Station for many years during his residence in Cambridge and he gave me a longish list of its associations for him, but did not mention "the little hill". Nor was he aware of any "avenue" thereabouts. I asked a second person the same question with the same negative result.
What then had the reference to "Avenue" meant? Elsie having used Liverpool Street Station all her life, and done shopping in its neighbourhood, might well know the names of the streets better than most people. I therefore inspected a map of the district: to my surprise it showed, close by the station, two streets the names of which both ended with the required word. There was Finsbury Avenue, a small and unattractive lane, and Throgmorton Avenue which, I found when going there, displayed its full name conspicuously on both sides at its end only some 200 yards distant from Liverpool Street Station.
Thus within six days of receiving the forecast I found myself fulfilling it to the letter, and by no choice of my own, but by Major Mowbray's choice to travel via Liverpool Street. Had he chosen the alternative route the forecast would have failed. Why had Elsie risked it? My theory is that, in such cases, the Communicator relies on an ability to influence the person concerned and, from previous practice, is fairly sure of success.
The introduction of the word "Avenue" would seem to have been in the nature of a clue, or an additional description, by which I might be certain that I had discovered the place to which the forecast referred.
Six days later I went to Liverpool Street Station to meet my friend Major Mowbray, whom I was to accompany for a meeting in Cambridge. As there are two routes to Cambridge, via Kings Cross or Liverpool Street, I had written to Mowbray asking him to decide which route and train. So that it was he, and not I, who fixed the route. As I reached the sloping road leading down into the Station I suddenly realised that this fitted with Elsie's forecast. It was impossible to enter that Station without recalling the many times we had been there together: indeed it was one most memorable conversation we had there which finally led to our engagement. On our many journeys together for days in Town, this was the Station to which we came. It is for me ever redolent of her memory.
Thinking over the forecast during the journey, it occurred to me to ask Major Mowbray if he would give me a list of the associations which Liverpool Street Station brought to his mind. It seemed that he had used the Station for many years during his residence in Cambridge and he gave me a longish list of its associations for him, but did not mention "the little hill". Nor was he aware of any "avenue" thereabouts. I asked a second person the same question with the same negative result.
What then had the reference to "Avenue" meant? Elsie having used Liverpool Street Station all her life, and done shopping in its neighbourhood, might well know the names of the streets better than most people. I therefore inspected a map of the district: to my surprise it showed, close by the station, two streets the names of which both ended with the required word. There was Finsbury Avenue, a small and unattractive lane, and Throgmorton Avenue which, I found when going there, displayed its full name conspicuously on both sides at its end only some 200 yards distant from Liverpool Street Station.
Thus within six days of receiving the forecast I found myself fulfilling it to the letter, and by no choice of my own, but by Major Mowbray's choice to travel via Liverpool Street. Had he chosen the alternative route the forecast would have failed. Why had Elsie risked it? My theory is that, in such cases, the Communicator relies on an ability to influence the person concerned and, from previous practice, is fairly sure of success.
The introduction of the word "Avenue" would seem to have been in the nature of a clue, or an additional description, by which I might be certain that I had discovered the place to which the forecast referred.
The Annunciation Picture
During a temporary residence at Harrogate I came to Town for a sitting on November 5th 1942. On this occasion Elsie spoke for almost the whole time. She began with a reference to background and foreground which, as later appeared, was a designed preparation for the description of a picture. Here is the substance of what was said:
Feda: Elsie is in the background of your mind while other things are in the foreground. The slightest thing may bring her to your recollection and into the foreground again. She is never lost on the canvas of your memory, nothing dwarfs or so obscures that she is lost in the picture. She is always there and is brought to the fore when necessary. When one passes over the background of that spiritual canvas comes into the foreground. It would not be right for her to come into the foreground all the time. She has helped you by being in the background.
Now why this harping on the words background and foreground? Evidently it was a preliminary devised to assist reference to a certain picture of which she wished to speak. The message continued:
"Lilies"; she is giving me something about lilies, a picture which should remind you of her. They are not real flowers, not in a pot, but in a picture. And not only lilies but words also, something about it should remind you of her and her position with regard to you, a sort of reassurance of all she stands for and remains in your life, even if the words background and foreground are not literally given in this picture.
Feda does not understand where this picture is, and it may be better not to ask, as she might not be able to explain. She hopes you will find it and get the message from this picture.
She says that occasionally she and Etta can impress you to act in some way by influencing your mind. Before you come across anything we tell you of, observe what happens to your consciousness a second or two before; there is a slight blank or suspension of thought. If you will notice that you may realise that something is happening. She will try to show you this picture.
The above would seem to have been a carefully prepared speech planned to introduce references to a particular picture which I was to look for and notice. That we had no such picture in our Bromley house I was certain, and so resolved to inspect all pictures in our temporary home at Harrogate on my return. I had arranged to spend the following day with my cousin at Harpenden and there, during the evening, we sat listening to the radio. When it came to the American Broad cast I was sitting facing the fire and presently, wearied of listening, leaned back in my chair with mind more or less vacant. Suddenly came the thought that I might use the opportunity for glancing around the room to see if any of the pictures showed lilies. After inspecting three of the walls I turned round to see what might be behind me. At once I noticed a picture representing an angel with seven annunciation lilies in her hand. Rising to make a closer examination, I noticed that it met exactly the description given at the sitting. These were its chief features:
"Background; Foreground". The background is strikingly separated from the foreground by a distance of several miles; far away one sees water with shipping and an island. There is almost nothing but foreground and background. Elsie and I often visited picture galleries and she was a keen observer of detail.
"Position with regard to me". The angel speaking to Mary (one from the Beyond with a message to one on earth) is analagous to Elsie from her life in the Beyond speaking to me.
"Get the message from this picture". It will be recollected that the angel said to Mary, "Hail, thou that art highly favoured" (Luke 1, 28). I am indeed highly favoured in many ways, and that Elsie thinks so has been abundantly shown by her in many previous messages.
This discovery of the picture and its apposite character came as a real surprise to me. That the urge to look for the picture came suddenly when my mind was somewhat blank favours the idea that Elsie was prompting me to look for it. Feda had said, "She will try to show you this picture".
How do I interpret this incident? Something as follows: Elsie would know that I was to visit my cousin, either from her own observation of my thoughts, or in conversation with my father and Etta. They would, if she required it, show her the house and leave her to select some object there which would be suitable for a test message. The presence of a plan is the outstanding fact, and the plan included a reliance on so influencing my mind that I should notice the picture which she had selected for the forecast.
It was some six years since I had been in this room and I was unaware that my cousin possessed any such picture. The parallel suggested between an angel speaking to Mary and Elsie's communications to me was an idea so entirely new that I am positive it had never entered my thought.
"Background; Foreground". The background is strikingly separated from the foreground by a distance of several miles; far away one sees water with shipping and an island. There is almost nothing but foreground and background. Elsie and I often visited picture galleries and she was a keen observer of detail.
"Position with regard to me". The angel speaking to Mary (one from the Beyond with a message to one on earth) is analagous to Elsie from her life in the Beyond speaking to me.
"Get the message from this picture". It will be recollected that the angel said to Mary, "Hail, thou that art highly favoured" (Luke 1, 28). I am indeed highly favoured in many ways, and that Elsie thinks so has been abundantly shown by her in many previous messages.
This discovery of the picture and its apposite character came as a real surprise to me. That the urge to look for the picture came suddenly when my mind was somewhat blank favours the idea that Elsie was prompting me to look for it. Feda had said, "She will try to show you this picture".
How do I interpret this incident? Something as follows: Elsie would know that I was to visit my cousin, either from her own observation of my thoughts, or in conversation with my father and Etta. They would, if she required it, show her the house and leave her to select some object there which would be suitable for a test message. The presence of a plan is the outstanding fact, and the plan included a reliance on so influencing my mind that I should notice the picture which she had selected for the forecast.
It was some six years since I had been in this room and I was unaware that my cousin possessed any such picture. The parallel suggested between an angel speaking to Mary and Elsie's communications to me was an idea so entirely new that I am positive it had never entered my thought.
The Implication of these Four Incidents
The events above recorded warrant the conclusion that invisible helpers not only perceive intentions in human minds, but that they sometimes exert a telepathic influence by which they contrive to guide human action into harmony with their own purposes.
So man, who here seems principal alone,
Perhaps acts second to some Sphere Unknown,
Touches some wheel, or verges to some goal.
'Tis but a part we see, and not the whole.
Pope's Essay on Man, Ep. 1, 157.
Whatever may be thought of the first type of forecast, such as The Building, Hospitality, Old Silver, we have now seen evidence of intelligent activity in the unseen. The "dead" are fully alert, they can be in touch with those they love and aware of matters concerning them. Is not this by itself a most important conclusion? An answer to those who say, that nothing of value comes from psychic communications?
Scripture References to Unconscious.
Agents of Heaven-Made Plans
It is interesting to note that the author of Isaiah ch. 45 deemed that Cyrus was an unconscious instrument in the outworking of the divine purposes. He wrote, "Thus saith the Lord to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him ... I have called thee by thy name; I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me", and much more to the effect that Cyrus was the chosen instrument by whom Israel was to be released from captivity and enabled to rebuild its ruined city.
Nor was Cyrus unworthy of this calling. He was proving himself a discreet statesman, a victorious warrior and also, which was rare in those times, quite humane in his treatment of the vanquished. He destroyed no towns, nor did he put to death the captive kings.
However we regard the prophet's statement, it clearly shows his belief that the doings of Cyrus, and especially his restoration of Israel, were the direct result of impressions given from the world unseen, impressions which led him to act in harmony with designs and purposes greater than his own.
This idea of unconscious agents carrying out divine purpose meets us again:
Nor was Cyrus unworthy of this calling. He was proving himself a discreet statesman, a victorious warrior and also, which was rare in those times, quite humane in his treatment of the vanquished. He destroyed no towns, nor did he put to death the captive kings.
However we regard the prophet's statement, it clearly shows his belief that the doings of Cyrus, and especially his restoration of Israel, were the direct result of impressions given from the world unseen, impressions which led him to act in harmony with designs and purposes greater than his own.
This idea of unconscious agents carrying out divine purpose meets us again:
in Isaiah X, v. 5.: "Ho, Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, the staff in whose hand is mine indignation! I will send him against a profane nation ... Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy, and to cut off nations not a few. For he saith ... Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols?
A Correspondents Experience's
As I write this chapter an apposite illustration comes from a lady whose deceased son has given messages for her at my sittings. It shows that the human agent may be aware of an impression while unaware of the plan behind it. She writes:
"Curious little things happen to me which I have put down as direct answers to prayer, and yet I have wondered sometimes whether it is one of my loved ones helping me. The matters to which I refer are only small and would make a cynic smile; yet I am sure there is some power at work. To take a recent example: When I had been at my new job only one day I was given some work to do which completely baffled me. The instructions given were vague in the extreme, yet I knew that the job must be really simple if only I could get the hang of it. I wrestled with it for some time and asked one or two of the others, but no one seemed to know any more than I did. In despair I sent up a silent prayer for help. Wondering even as I did so how such help could come. I then continued to struggle with the problem.
"Within five minutes - literally within that time - a man suddenly spoke to me. I had seen him once or twice in the distance, but did not meet him when the manager introduced me to the rest of the staff; so I had no idea who he was. Anyway this man spoke to me and introduced himself, telling me that he worked upstairs and that was why we had not met before. We chatted for a few minutes when he suddenly bent over my shoulder to see what I was doing. I explained that I did not understand the job. He quietly picked up a pencil, scribbled down a few figures, explaining things as he did so, and in a flash I saw daylight and the whole problem was clear.
"Later I asked this man why he had spoken to me then and he said he had felt a sudden urge to do so! He has been a very great help to me since, assisting me over many a difficulty.
"This is a small thing, but I am discovering more and more that if I really need help and ask for it, somehow it comes."
A Would-be Communicator
At my first sitting with Mrs. Leonard, January 1917, Elsie indicated her presence by evidence which clearly identified her. I therefore expected to hear from her again at my next sitting and frequently after that, but was disappointed. At this period I was trying sensitives of various kinds, some trance, others clairvoyant and clairaudient; at some of these Elsie was described and a few identifying items given, but without anything in the way of conversation following.
Towards the end of 1922 my sister informed me that Elsie was not likely to communicate at present, but that the time would come when she would do so and would then take a part in my work. Here is one of these remarks;
Towards the end of 1922 my sister informed me that Elsie was not likely to communicate at present, but that the time would come when she would do so and would then take a part in my work. Here is one of these remarks;
C.D.T.: Is Elsie interested in these sittings? Etta: Yes, very. You will understand later that, although she cannot, or had better not, communicate at present, she will come into this later on. I think she cannot fit in with this part of your life, and yet she may do later. Although not coming here to speak she is learning much about communication which will be useful to her later.
During following years Elsie only very occasionally sent brief messages through my father and sister. This was all I heard from her during the seventeen years following my first sitting.
It was not until May, 1934, that Elsie came for her first talk and conversed freely with me. The next occasion was in April 1935 when she spoke lengthily at two sittings. After that came a break of eighteen months, and then her talks became more frequent. She showed some awareness of a plan with which she was expected to co-operate. I quote from her talk in April 1939:
It was not until May, 1934, that Elsie came for her first talk and conversed freely with me. The next occasion was in April 1935 when she spoke lengthily at two sittings. After that came a break of eighteen months, and then her talks became more frequent. She showed some awareness of a plan with which she was expected to co-operate. I quote from her talk in April 1939:
I shall be more connected with your work later on, I think. Although interested and eager, I do not think it is meant for me to enter into that work till later. Why, I do not know, but I feel it.
In the seventeen years after my first sitting there had been only brief intimations of Elsie's presence, or messages given on her behalf by my father and sister; but in the next ten years (1935-1945) she took occasion for no fewer than seventeen long conversations and she is now continuing these.
Thus is being fulfilled the forecast made in 1922 by my sister, and later confirmed by Elsie, that a time would come when Elsie would speak freely and enter into my work. This "entering into my work" has included the giving of many excellent forecasts of which I have related two on previous pages.
The above forecast, viewed in relation to its ultimate fulfilment, suggests a definite plan. Whether it represents the kind of oversight usually found beneficial in such cases, or whether it was a special discipline which some higher Guide deemed most profitable for both Elsie and me, cannot be decided. The reason for introducing it here is that, on any interpretation, it looks like a plan. It was not, however, Elsie's plan, nor does it seem to have been Etta's. I am inclined to attribute it to the decision of some mind higher than that of Etta or Elsie, a mind which could appreciate Elsie's wishes, estimate her latent capabilities, and foresee a time when the latter would have so matured that she would be able to co-operate in my psychic studies as my relatives were already doing.
Thus is being fulfilled the forecast made in 1922 by my sister, and later confirmed by Elsie, that a time would come when Elsie would speak freely and enter into my work. This "entering into my work" has included the giving of many excellent forecasts of which I have related two on previous pages.
The above forecast, viewed in relation to its ultimate fulfilment, suggests a definite plan. Whether it represents the kind of oversight usually found beneficial in such cases, or whether it was a special discipline which some higher Guide deemed most profitable for both Elsie and me, cannot be decided. The reason for introducing it here is that, on any interpretation, it looks like a plan. It was not, however, Elsie's plan, nor does it seem to have been Etta's. I am inclined to attribute it to the decision of some mind higher than that of Etta or Elsie, a mind which could appreciate Elsie's wishes, estimate her latent capabilities, and foresee a time when the latter would have so matured that she would be able to co-operate in my psychic studies as my relatives were already doing.
Part 3: Third Type of Forecast
- Charles Drayton Thomas -
Plans made by the invisibles for which human co-operation is requested.
ALTHOUGH THIS is similar to the preceding it would seem better to place it in a class by itself, as, in connection with forecasts of this type, human co-operation is definitely asked for in order to their being brought to pass.
In Scripture we find many instances of messages from the Beyond in which recipients are asked to do certain things. It is clear that the writers believed that such co-operation was sometimes needed for the carrying out of the divine purpose.
In Scripture we find many instances of messages from the Beyond in which recipients are asked to do certain things. It is clear that the writers believed that such co-operation was sometimes needed for the carrying out of the divine purpose.
Dr. Arthur T. Shearman
On several occasions my communicators have asked me to do certain things. I took action as requested and have never had cause to regret doing so. As an example of this I am about to cite the case relating to Dr. Arthur T. Shearman. He was one of my boyhood friends. He presently took the degree of D.Lit., and worked in connection with the London University. A few years after his wife's death he retired to the Isle of Wight, after which we rarely met. We continued to exchange Christmas cards but rarely corresponded. He knew my interest in Psychical Research yet evinced little interest in it. I last saw him in June, 1931.
To my surprise he was mentioned, in my Leonard sitting of 26 June, 1936, by my sister Etta. She had known him well and had been on intimate terms with his wife. At this sitting Etta told me that Arthur's wife wished me to take a message for him, yet not to send it until hearing from him, which she was confident I should presently do.
Towards the end of September there arrived a gift from Arthur, his latest volume of poems. When writing to thank him I enclosed the above message and explained how it came to me.
This message, taken down on June 26th, was about 650 words in length and contained reminiscences which I knew to be correct, together with some six statements about which I knew nothing.
In his reply, dated 3 October, 1936, Dr. Shearman gave his opinion of the evidence as follows: "This is immense! The chief matter of the declaration is so direct, and the touches are wonderfully accurate. There is scarcely anything that is doubtful. I should have pounced on anything that would not bear investigation. I am bound and glad to say that in my judgment proof is established. Against three uncertain items I could point out thirty-three things that are true. I did not look forward to a revelation so really important from a scientific point of view and as welcome to myself as this is."
Note that this man had specialised in logic. By his Will he left money "To University College, London, to found a course of lectures on Symbolic Logic and Methodology," the lectures to be called "The Shearman Lectures in Symbolic Logic and Methodology."
Dr. Shearman's letter also indicated features in the message which were characteristic of his wife, and inquired under what circumstances I had received the communication. We exchanged letters about this; he made no allusion to his health and I had no reason to suppose that he was in anything but sound physical condition.
It is important to add that, in addition to the long message for Dr. Shearman, I received strict injunctions not to tell him that there was a special reason why it was being given now. Etta said that his wife did not wish to suggest to him that he needed help. Her actual words were;
To my surprise he was mentioned, in my Leonard sitting of 26 June, 1936, by my sister Etta. She had known him well and had been on intimate terms with his wife. At this sitting Etta told me that Arthur's wife wished me to take a message for him, yet not to send it until hearing from him, which she was confident I should presently do.
Towards the end of September there arrived a gift from Arthur, his latest volume of poems. When writing to thank him I enclosed the above message and explained how it came to me.
This message, taken down on June 26th, was about 650 words in length and contained reminiscences which I knew to be correct, together with some six statements about which I knew nothing.
In his reply, dated 3 October, 1936, Dr. Shearman gave his opinion of the evidence as follows: "This is immense! The chief matter of the declaration is so direct, and the touches are wonderfully accurate. There is scarcely anything that is doubtful. I should have pounced on anything that would not bear investigation. I am bound and glad to say that in my judgment proof is established. Against three uncertain items I could point out thirty-three things that are true. I did not look forward to a revelation so really important from a scientific point of view and as welcome to myself as this is."
Note that this man had specialised in logic. By his Will he left money "To University College, London, to found a course of lectures on Symbolic Logic and Methodology," the lectures to be called "The Shearman Lectures in Symbolic Logic and Methodology."
Dr. Shearman's letter also indicated features in the message which were characteristic of his wife, and inquired under what circumstances I had received the communication. We exchanged letters about this; he made no allusion to his health and I had no reason to suppose that he was in anything but sound physical condition.
It is important to add that, in addition to the long message for Dr. Shearman, I received strict injunctions not to tell him that there was a special reason why it was being given now. Etta said that his wife did not wish to suggest to him that he needed help. Her actual words were;
Feda: I think there is some reason for her wishing to help Arthur himself, but don't say anything about this part; just keep to yourself what she is saying now. She feels he needs help himself, but doesn't wish to say that to him. She doesn't want to suggest that there is something that needs help. She is being rather careful.
On my reporting at the next sitting that Arthur was impressed by the message, Etta remarked, "It may help him. It is the right time for it. There have been things happening that you don't know anything about with Arthur, developments." I supposed that this referred to matters touched on in the messages and that his wife's aim had been to produce a wholehearted realisation of her nearness and her general knowledge of his work and surroundings. Subsequent events revealed something more than this; for on January 30, 1937, Arthur died. On seeing a notice of this in the Press I made enquiries and learned from the doctor who had attended him that "Dr. Shearman had been ailing for some months from a failing heart." Thus the message I received for him was given at about the time when Arthur's physical condition was entering its final stage. From the fact that I was enjoined to hold the message until hearing from him, and that confidence was expressed that I should hear from him shortly, it may be inferred that the communicator was aware of the forthcoming publication of the Poems and of his intention to send me a copy. This is noteworthy; because I had no suspicion that he was publishing another book, and it was only my receiving a copy from him which led me to forward the communication. We may therefore conclude that his wife realised from Arthur's condition that the end was not far distant, and therefore took the opportunity of cheering him by messages which proved her identity and also (by several evidential touches which are not included here) her intimate acquaintance with his work and plans.
The following is added to further illustrate this request for human cooperation.
The following is added to further illustrate this request for human cooperation.
Spain and Munich
When, in 1917, I began my series of studies with Mrs. Osborne Leonard, Henry Broadhurst was one of my first communicators. He spoke to me through other mediums also and gave excellent evidences for his identity.
Mr. Broadhurst had been a member of my congregation in the Methodist Church at Cromer, 1895-7. We became friends and I was often at his house when he was home from Parliamentary duties. He then represented Leicester and was one of the most gifted speakers of the Trades Union Party.
Both my parents and Etta had known and admired Mr. Broadhurst. In order to avoid mentioning his name at my sittings we agreed to call him "the Politician". Feda changed this title to "the Political Gentleman" and always refers to him in this way. I have no reason for supposing that either Feda or Mrs. Leonard knew his identity.
My sister, during one of her early communications, remarked that "the Political Gentleman" was not brought into my life merely to be a friend, but this was part of a Plan; that he had been linked with me on earth in order that he might be linked again for a specific purpose after his passing. She added that he would come prominently by and by in order to help in matters on which he had specialised and in which he would be on his own ground. What this might prove to forecast I had not the least idea.
It was in the critical years preceding the Second World War that Mr. Broadhurst began to come frequently, and I now briefly recount two of those occasions.
Mr. Broadhurst had been a member of my congregation in the Methodist Church at Cromer, 1895-7. We became friends and I was often at his house when he was home from Parliamentary duties. He then represented Leicester and was one of the most gifted speakers of the Trades Union Party.
Both my parents and Etta had known and admired Mr. Broadhurst. In order to avoid mentioning his name at my sittings we agreed to call him "the Politician". Feda changed this title to "the Political Gentleman" and always refers to him in this way. I have no reason for supposing that either Feda or Mrs. Leonard knew his identity.
My sister, during one of her early communications, remarked that "the Political Gentleman" was not brought into my life merely to be a friend, but this was part of a Plan; that he had been linked with me on earth in order that he might be linked again for a specific purpose after his passing. She added that he would come prominently by and by in order to help in matters on which he had specialised and in which he would be on his own ground. What this might prove to forecast I had not the least idea.
It was in the critical years preceding the Second World War that Mr. Broadhurst began to come frequently, and I now briefly recount two of those occasions.
The Bombing of British Ships in Spanish Wars
It was two years since Henry Broadhurst had last spoken at my sittings when, on June 24th, 1938, he talked to me with impressive seriousness about a critical situation which called for immediate action in which he wished me to cooperate with him.
During his lengthy message I was not at all clear as to what sudden crisis he was alluding. So, on returning home, I scanned the previous day's parliamentary debate. It revealed that several Members had urged the Government, in view of the bombardment of British Ships on the Spanish coast, to take action which might easily precipitate us into war. At once Mr. Broadhurst's meaning became apparent and I wrote to the Prime Minister, Mr. Chamberlain, on the lines suggested by Mr. Broadhurst. The letter was suitably acknowledged, as was also a copy sent to our Member, Sir Edward Campbell, who replied that he entirely agreed with it and added, "I can't help thinking that Germany is behind all this bombing and trying to get us to retaliate and then they can say, England started first."
In the Prime Minister's speech in Parliament a few days later I noticed passages which embodied Mr. Broadhurst's advice.
This crisis was passed safely. Another far more serious shortly followed; for in the autumn of the same year came the Munich Crisis.
During his lengthy message I was not at all clear as to what sudden crisis he was alluding. So, on returning home, I scanned the previous day's parliamentary debate. It revealed that several Members had urged the Government, in view of the bombardment of British Ships on the Spanish coast, to take action which might easily precipitate us into war. At once Mr. Broadhurst's meaning became apparent and I wrote to the Prime Minister, Mr. Chamberlain, on the lines suggested by Mr. Broadhurst. The letter was suitably acknowledged, as was also a copy sent to our Member, Sir Edward Campbell, who replied that he entirely agreed with it and added, "I can't help thinking that Germany is behind all this bombing and trying to get us to retaliate and then they can say, England started first."
In the Prime Minister's speech in Parliament a few days later I noticed passages which embodied Mr. Broadhurst's advice.
This crisis was passed safely. Another far more serious shortly followed; for in the autumn of the same year came the Munich Crisis.
The Munich Crisis
Scarcely had my sitting of September 17th commenced when Feda announced the presence of "the Political Gentleman". He spoke long and most earnestly; the purport being that Mr. Chamberlain had decided on the right course to pursue, but that in view of the strong opposition he was facing, it was urgently necessary to reinforce him by assurance that he had spiritual backing. If I would write the substance of what he was about to give me, he would contrive that Mr. Chamberlain should see the letter.
I did as requested and was enabled to get the letter delivered immediately into Mr. Chamberlain's hands. It is not necessary for our present purpose to recount the story in detail. Suffice it that Mr. Broadhurst's forecast proved correct, peace was preserved for another year, a year which gave us time to begin those preparations which later events proved to have been so vitally important for Britain. Mr. Chamberlain's flying to interview Hitler twice will be sufficiently remembered to excuse description here. I need only refer to the immense relief which the temporary success of those interviews brought. The Times of October 1st, headed its Editorial, A NEW DAWN. "No conqueror returning from victory on the battlefield has come home adorned with nobler laurels than Mr. Chamberlain from Munich yesterday, and King and people alike have shown by the manner of their reception their sense of his achievement... In the upshot both sides have made concessions, and Herr Hitler has yielded important points of substance... By the terms thus concluded the most dangerous threat of war in Europe is at last removed, and by the joint declaration we are given the hope that others will be peacefully eliminated. That two-fold achievement, by common consent, we owe first and foremost to the Prime Minister. Had the Government of the United Kingdom been in less resolute hands it is as certain as it can be that war, incalculable in its range, would have broken out against the wishes of every people concerned."
On perusing these records after the lapse of years, this eagerness of my old friend in urging me to take action in a critical hour, brings back the memory of an occasion more that forty years earlier during my ministry at Cromer. National indignation had been aroused by reports of the desperate needs of the Greek wounded in the war with Turkey over Crete. The Press had opened a subscription list for providing medical aid. While spending the Saturday evening with Mr. Broadhurst at his Cromer home I was most strongly urged by him to speak of this at my Sunday services and to make a special collection for the fund. His advice was followed and the result greatly pleased him. His intervention now was entirely characteristic of him.
Subsequently to this Munich crisis I showed the account of these sittings to Mr. Broadhurst's niece. It was only then that I learnt, to my surprise, of Mr. Broadhurst's close connection with the Chamberlain family during the years of his political activity in Birmingham, and that he had long been on intimate terms with Neville Chamberlain.
Here therefore was a personal reason for his solicitude about the Prime Minister's course of action, in addition to that of the nation's peril.
It is unlikely that those reading this account can in any adequate degree share the impression of urgency felt by me while receiving these appeals for cooperation. The virile personality of my old friend was manifest. It was as if we were again in his Cromer home. I listening while he with incisive touches outlined the national position and indicated the course of action required to meet its need.
On his first coming to these sittings he had selected excellent evidences for proving his identity, but even had he not done this (both then and on subsequent occasions,) I should have been left in no doubt as to who was now urging me to convey his opinion to the Prime Minister.
When on returning home, I wrote as requested, it was with the feeling that this was forging a small, but useful link between wisdom from above and the bewildered needs of earth.
Christian people are no strangers to this feeling. We have been taught to seek wisdom when in difficulty and to Iook for guidance. We have believed that at such times we had guidance from the Holy Spirit, or the Mind of Christ, or from one of his messengers. Non-Christians suggest that such impressions are subjective and therefore creations of our own, and probably delusive. But in such instances as the above we have clear and objective evidence of this guidance. To cooperate with such plans and purposes, when they commend themselves to our own intelligence, is a privilege and joy.
I did as requested and was enabled to get the letter delivered immediately into Mr. Chamberlain's hands. It is not necessary for our present purpose to recount the story in detail. Suffice it that Mr. Broadhurst's forecast proved correct, peace was preserved for another year, a year which gave us time to begin those preparations which later events proved to have been so vitally important for Britain. Mr. Chamberlain's flying to interview Hitler twice will be sufficiently remembered to excuse description here. I need only refer to the immense relief which the temporary success of those interviews brought. The Times of October 1st, headed its Editorial, A NEW DAWN. "No conqueror returning from victory on the battlefield has come home adorned with nobler laurels than Mr. Chamberlain from Munich yesterday, and King and people alike have shown by the manner of their reception their sense of his achievement... In the upshot both sides have made concessions, and Herr Hitler has yielded important points of substance... By the terms thus concluded the most dangerous threat of war in Europe is at last removed, and by the joint declaration we are given the hope that others will be peacefully eliminated. That two-fold achievement, by common consent, we owe first and foremost to the Prime Minister. Had the Government of the United Kingdom been in less resolute hands it is as certain as it can be that war, incalculable in its range, would have broken out against the wishes of every people concerned."
On perusing these records after the lapse of years, this eagerness of my old friend in urging me to take action in a critical hour, brings back the memory of an occasion more that forty years earlier during my ministry at Cromer. National indignation had been aroused by reports of the desperate needs of the Greek wounded in the war with Turkey over Crete. The Press had opened a subscription list for providing medical aid. While spending the Saturday evening with Mr. Broadhurst at his Cromer home I was most strongly urged by him to speak of this at my Sunday services and to make a special collection for the fund. His advice was followed and the result greatly pleased him. His intervention now was entirely characteristic of him.
Subsequently to this Munich crisis I showed the account of these sittings to Mr. Broadhurst's niece. It was only then that I learnt, to my surprise, of Mr. Broadhurst's close connection with the Chamberlain family during the years of his political activity in Birmingham, and that he had long been on intimate terms with Neville Chamberlain.
Here therefore was a personal reason for his solicitude about the Prime Minister's course of action, in addition to that of the nation's peril.
It is unlikely that those reading this account can in any adequate degree share the impression of urgency felt by me while receiving these appeals for cooperation. The virile personality of my old friend was manifest. It was as if we were again in his Cromer home. I listening while he with incisive touches outlined the national position and indicated the course of action required to meet its need.
On his first coming to these sittings he had selected excellent evidences for proving his identity, but even had he not done this (both then and on subsequent occasions,) I should have been left in no doubt as to who was now urging me to convey his opinion to the Prime Minister.
When on returning home, I wrote as requested, it was with the feeling that this was forging a small, but useful link between wisdom from above and the bewildered needs of earth.
Christian people are no strangers to this feeling. We have been taught to seek wisdom when in difficulty and to Iook for guidance. We have believed that at such times we had guidance from the Holy Spirit, or the Mind of Christ, or from one of his messengers. Non-Christians suggest that such impressions are subjective and therefore creations of our own, and probably delusive. But in such instances as the above we have clear and objective evidence of this guidance. To cooperate with such plans and purposes, when they commend themselves to our own intelligence, is a privilege and joy.
Part 4: Fourth Type of Forecast
- Charles Drayton Thomas -
Forecasts based on plans made by the invisibles and carried out by them unaided.
The Foretold Letters
Aitken
Aitken
AT A Leonard sitting on October 28, 1938, my usual communicators inquired if I had recently received a letter from a middle aged man about his son. As I had not received any such letter they proceeded to give some particulars and I promised to keep the matter in mind and await results.
A letter arrived which seemed to meet the case. It was dated eleven days after this sitting. The writer, Mr. Lionel G. Aitken, stated that he first thought of writing after hearing me speak at a Queen's Hall meeting on October 9, which was three weeks before this sitting. One sentence of the letter reads, "Not very long ago I lost a son, a splendid young man, full of the joy of life and success." It alluded to some evidential sittings with London mediums but did not in any way suggest that I might possibly obtain messages for him through Mrs. Leonard.
When sending the notes of my sitting I inquired when Mr. Aitken had first thought of writing. He replied, "I don't think I had thought of mentioning my case to you and asking advice until I actually wrote the letter. I merely intended to thank you for your address. It appears that you had news of something I was going to write days before I wrote it or had consciously thought of it."
The above derives special significance from the facts:
A letter arrived which seemed to meet the case. It was dated eleven days after this sitting. The writer, Mr. Lionel G. Aitken, stated that he first thought of writing after hearing me speak at a Queen's Hall meeting on October 9, which was three weeks before this sitting. One sentence of the letter reads, "Not very long ago I lost a son, a splendid young man, full of the joy of life and success." It alluded to some evidential sittings with London mediums but did not in any way suggest that I might possibly obtain messages for him through Mrs. Leonard.
When sending the notes of my sitting I inquired when Mr. Aitken had first thought of writing. He replied, "I don't think I had thought of mentioning my case to you and asking advice until I actually wrote the letter. I merely intended to thank you for your address. It appears that you had news of something I was going to write days before I wrote it or had consciously thought of it."
The above derives special significance from the facts:
(a) I had not heard of this family.
(b) There had been no intercourse between them and Mrs. Leonard.
(c) The son had previously proved himself an able communicator.
(d) At four later Leonard sittings he gave me additional evidences of his identity, one of these being a group of connected facts unknown to his father but common knowledge to the deceased and his surviving brother.
The crucial dates are: October 9, Mr. Aitken hears me speak at a public service. October 8, the message is given at my sitting. November 8 Mr. Aitken writes his letter.
Those who incline to attribute all psychic messages to telepathy from human minds will find this incident difficult to explain. It can hardly be supposed that the medium tapped Mr. Aitken's memory before either she or I were aware of his existence, or that she divined a purpose of which he remained entirely unaware until he was in the act of writing to thank me for remarks he heard me make in public.
Those who incline to attribute all psychic messages to telepathy from human minds will find this incident difficult to explain. It can hardly be supposed that the medium tapped Mr. Aitken's memory before either she or I were aware of his existence, or that she divined a purpose of which he remained entirely unaware until he was in the act of writing to thank me for remarks he heard me make in public.
Netherton
The second case is similar. On March 17, 1939 Feda said:
Will you keep a look out for a letter asking you about a lady, not one we have had, a new one I think that someone has written, or is writing to ask if you can help about her. The one she is expecting to write is a man.
After many identifying details had been given we continued:
C.D.T.: Won't it be a pity, Feda, if after taking all this trouble I don't get any inquiry?
Feda: I think you will and soon... The lady seems satisfied and says, "I'll see what I can do".
Ten days later I received a letter from a complete stranger, a Mr. C. G. Netherton of Bournemouth. Correspondence followed and we found that out of 31 items given for purposes of identification 23 were accurate. Mr. Netherton told me that the idea of writing had been in his mind since March 2, but that he had only decided to send the letter a day or two before he actually did so. He further informed me that his wife had been a firm believer in the possibility of psychic communication. It looks as if she had been impressing him to write, and that a belief in her ability to do so was the ground of her forecast that I should hear from him.
A Builder of Churches
My friend Frederick Lawrence, F.R.I.B.A., of Southbourne, received through several sensitives a definite forecast to the effect that he would build many churches. How unlikely this seemed will be seen from the following quotations.
January 30, 1930, sitting with Mrs. Hester Dowden.
January 30, 1930, sitting with Mrs. Hester Dowden.
F.L. What kind of work do I do?Ans. Architecture.F.L. Can you put it more definitely?Ans. Churches.F.L. You speak of churches and of my work? Is the designing of churches then my work?Ans. It is. Ye will build several churches.
Commenting on this Lawrence writes:
"I had been an architect for a good many years and had erected about one thousand buildings. All but one of these had been secular. Houses, shops, garages, a school, a hotel; year in year out I had built such things. I had finished Hillsborough Church during June 1930. I had been asked to build a small church, by no means an important one as ordinarily understood, at Garstone. On the best reckoning, the proportion of churches to other buildings was thus two in a thousand, or one-fifth of one per cent.
"On May 7, 1932, this question was referred to again. Many will remember the period around 1932. Building, among other forms of production, seemed to have come to a natural and final end; and I thought and said that the references to my designing more "Houses of Prayer" were the outcome of faulty judgment. Quickly and emphatically following this thought came the words; 'Ye need not care or be worried about these Houses that ye are to build. Of a sudden will the work come on ye and ye will find it hard to do all that is required of ye.'
"Practically nothing but a letter or two from church building committees followed that for two years. About October, 1934, a veritable avalanche came upon me. The words just quoted were more than merely fulfilled. Indeed, within a year, I used to fear to go to my office in case another committee should have written. Letters from about seventy towns and villages came to me during a period of a few months. As I write in midsummer, 1939, there have been somewhere over thirty church contracts completed, and there are about twenty more in various stages of being planned and many are not yet begun.
"I have written fully on this point because here was a very material result following a prediction which no living person could normally have made I, least of all. Every medium I have seen since has referred to 'your churches'."
At a later sitting with Geraldine Cummins on November 14, 1936, the words were, "Ye are... set to carry out the task of raising churches to our Blessed Lord and Master. Other signs I gave ye were the demands from the people of thy land to build churches. Is that not so?"
The foregoing quotations are from The Shining Brother, which Lawrence published under the pseudonym of Lawrence Temple. It is a remarkable and fascinating account of experiences which reshaped his life and entirely changed the direction of his professional work.
He had told me his story in 1939, and I then urged him to write it in full and publish. This he finally agreed to do and asked me to contribute the Introduction. In writing that I quoted the number of ecclesiastical works he had done up to that date.
When he passed on in May, 1948, I was permitted to inspect his list of constructions and completed designs. From this it appeared that he had a total of fifty-one places of worship, and a further twenty-five consisting of alterations, improvements, additions, and church furnishings, etc., making in all seventy-six works.
Thus was fulfilled the unexpected prediction of 1932 that, from his designing of secular buildings, he was about to turn to the building of churches. The book makes fascinating reading, as the Plan and the Planners are there revealed in full.
The foregoing quotations are from The Shining Brother, which Lawrence published under the pseudonym of Lawrence Temple. It is a remarkable and fascinating account of experiences which reshaped his life and entirely changed the direction of his professional work.
He had told me his story in 1939, and I then urged him to write it in full and publish. This he finally agreed to do and asked me to contribute the Introduction. In writing that I quoted the number of ecclesiastical works he had done up to that date.
When he passed on in May, 1948, I was permitted to inspect his list of constructions and completed designs. From this it appeared that he had a total of fifty-one places of worship, and a further twenty-five consisting of alterations, improvements, additions, and church furnishings, etc., making in all seventy-six works.
Thus was fulfilled the unexpected prediction of 1932 that, from his designing of secular buildings, he was about to turn to the building of churches. The book makes fascinating reading, as the Plan and the Planners are there revealed in full.
Summary of the Foregoing Types of Forecast
The foregoing classes of forecasts can be best explained by the ability of Communicators to ascertain the thoughts and intentions of men, subconscious as well as conscious, and by, certain plans formed in Communicators' own minds. With this data they proceed to draw inferences in accordance with psychological laws as familiar to us as to them. It may well be that, in addition to this means of acquiring their data, they make use of causal laws, whether physical or psychological or both, about which we on earth know nothing. Consider how a meteorologist bases his forcasts of coming weather on a knowledge of laws governing atmospheric movements which are unfamiliar to ordinary people.
Scripture References
The accounts given by St. Paul of events leading up. to his conversion reveal the disclosure of plans which had been formed for his future activities. Piecing together Acts IX vv. 3-19; XXII vv. 6-15; XXVI 13-19, we find forecasts and their fulfilments.
Forecasts; He would be told in Damascus what he should do.
In a vision he saw Ananias visiting him and restoring his lost eyesight.
Fulfilment; Ananias visited him and delivered instructions for future work.
At the same time eyesight was restored.
A perception of human thought is the groundwork of many incidents recorded in Scripture. For example; St. Peter's visit to Cornelius (Acts IX v. 12) "Behold he prayeth"; and (Acts X v. 31) "Cornelius, thy prayer is heard." Indeed the whole subject of prayer rests on the implication that our upward thought and appeal is understood in realms other than earth.
It is noteworthy that many of the best forecasts have been given through sensitives. For example, "The Turn of the Tide", which related to our victory at EI Alamein, (see later under Type 6), given by my father and also by the son of the Rev. A. F. Webling. These Communicators realised that this precognition was not the result of their own powers, but was given to them. Philip Webling stated that he had to consider what the message meant and he gave theconclusion at which he had arrived. This reminds one of the incident in St. Paul's journeying when he and his companion were headed off their project of preaching in Asia and Bithynia, and were directed to Macedonia instead. "They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden of the Holy Ghost to speak the word in Asia; and when they were come over against Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia; and the Spirit of Jesus suffered them not; and passing by Mysia they came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There was a man of Macedonia standing, beseeching him, and saying, Come over into Macedonia and help us. And when he had seen the vision, straightway we sought to go forth into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us for to preach the gospel unto them".
An incident further illustrating this type of forecast is described in my book, From Life to Life, Chapter IX. A Mrs. Guise is prompted by her deceased son to write the letter which eventually brought her into touch with a person through whom he was able to communicate with her.
It is noteworthy that many of the best forecasts have been given through sensitives. For example, "The Turn of the Tide", which related to our victory at EI Alamein, (see later under Type 6), given by my father and also by the son of the Rev. A. F. Webling. These Communicators realised that this precognition was not the result of their own powers, but was given to them. Philip Webling stated that he had to consider what the message meant and he gave theconclusion at which he had arrived. This reminds one of the incident in St. Paul's journeying when he and his companion were headed off their project of preaching in Asia and Bithynia, and were directed to Macedonia instead. "They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden of the Holy Ghost to speak the word in Asia; and when they were come over against Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia; and the Spirit of Jesus suffered them not; and passing by Mysia they came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There was a man of Macedonia standing, beseeching him, and saying, Come over into Macedonia and help us. And when he had seen the vision, straightway we sought to go forth into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us for to preach the gospel unto them".
An incident further illustrating this type of forecast is described in my book, From Life to Life, Chapter IX. A Mrs. Guise is prompted by her deceased son to write the letter which eventually brought her into touch with a person through whom he was able to communicate with her.
Importance of our Conclusion
We have now inspected a small selection of the instances which point to intervention by the discarnate in human affairs. We have seen revealed .their knowledge of human intentions, also of their ability (when given a channel of communication) to suggest wise courses of action. And, further than this, we have glimpsed their ability to guide to a successful conclusion their own plans for bringing about certain events on earth. Perusal of the printed page is easy, and reaction thereto will be but faint compared with the deep impression made upon those primarily concerned in receiving such communications and subsequently seeing the forecasts fulfilled by events.
That some forecasts fail altogether, while some few prove inexact as to time of fruition, suggests that our Communicators are not infallible, but that their forecasts are contingent on the carrying out of plans already formed in human minds. Such plans are often modified or given up. Where the discarnate seek to play an active part in bringing about purposes of their own, they do so by mental suggestion and never attempt compulsion. Man is left entirely free to choose: he can act upon the idea which he finds within himself, or he can reject it. His rejection can falsify a forecast which his acceptance would have made eventuate in fact. It may be that many a bright idea owes its origin to a source other than the prescience of the one becoming conscious of it; some of these fructify while others are modified or even lost by human inaction.
When we pray, "Thy Kingdom come", do we not visualise some sort of unseen guidance in human affairs? Conceivably such guidance may be exerted by the Great Mind behind all Creation; equally is it conceivable that God carries out His purposes by "ministering spirits, servants of His who do His pleasure", among whom are some "we loved and lost".
Do the foregoing instances accord with belief in the mental activity of those no longer in the earthly body? They certainly seem to do so. Have we any alternative explanation of these and similar incidents? I know of none. Not that I am unfamiliar with the doubts, derision, alternative theories and fantastic improbabilities by which some strive to turn us from the paths of common sense and mental probity.
I remember the many other lines of evidence. all of which point in the same direction and converge to form a body of evidence which seems irresistible. Of those other lines of evidence this book will say nothing, since its aim is to establish the significance of but one single aspect of communications from the Beyond.
To those who feel prompted to remark that it seems strange that our Communicators should dwell on trifling predictions and matters of minute interest to a few, when there is so much that humanity needs to know, so many facts which would be of "real importance to us"! To such, if they have had patience to read thus far, I would reply somewhat like this; a general knowledge and certainty of human survival would, for multitudes of people, change their whole outlook on life. Assured knowledge, in place of the half-belief which has but little influence on conduct, would be of highest importance to the individuals who compose the nations of the world. For, political and international difficulties are, at bottom, rooted in trends of character, habits of thought and conduct, which breed fear. Consider the injustices that rankle in men's minds, the prevalent disregard for the well-being of other persons and other grades of society, or other nations. These are the roots of the world's ill. And if certainty of life beyond death is not itself a complete and all-sufficient remedy, yet more than most other things would it hasten the general recovery of sanity, good cheer, mutual helpfulness and peace.
This certainty changes one's whole outlook on life. Even church members have often discovered in the shock of a personal bereavement that their previous easy belief was insufficient. While those with no belief have provided instances of mental collapse, or permanently embittered soul, when death removed from their side the one on whom all hope and love had centred.
But once assured by present-day and repeatable facts, by conversations with the one removed, especially when supplemented by reading the results obtained by those who have given prolonged and conscientious study to the subject, then a real conception of God's beneficent governance of all things, a governance with ends in view too dazzlingly bright for our mental picturing, is restored or created for them and placed on immovable foundations. Of little or no importance! Say rather that, compared with this achievement, few things in life can be so fruitful of happiness, mental poise and inward joy.
The conclusion to which all the foregoing pages have been leading us is very strongly supported by an important series of experiments with the Public Press which my father himself suggested and carried through. These forecasts were primarily intended to provide sound and ample evidence that he was entirely independent of anything in the nature of Telepathy from human minds. This was accomplished by his pre-vision of words, names, or statements which would be found in the Times, or other named newspaper, on the morrow. My sittings, at which his forecasts were received, always ended some hours before the material for the morrow's Press would have been arranged for printing. No one knew, therefore, just what and where such and such items would be found in the morrow's issue. Thus both clairvoyance and prevision were evident, and no action by human minds could be held accountable for the correct results.
That some forecasts fail altogether, while some few prove inexact as to time of fruition, suggests that our Communicators are not infallible, but that their forecasts are contingent on the carrying out of plans already formed in human minds. Such plans are often modified or given up. Where the discarnate seek to play an active part in bringing about purposes of their own, they do so by mental suggestion and never attempt compulsion. Man is left entirely free to choose: he can act upon the idea which he finds within himself, or he can reject it. His rejection can falsify a forecast which his acceptance would have made eventuate in fact. It may be that many a bright idea owes its origin to a source other than the prescience of the one becoming conscious of it; some of these fructify while others are modified or even lost by human inaction.
When we pray, "Thy Kingdom come", do we not visualise some sort of unseen guidance in human affairs? Conceivably such guidance may be exerted by the Great Mind behind all Creation; equally is it conceivable that God carries out His purposes by "ministering spirits, servants of His who do His pleasure", among whom are some "we loved and lost".
Do the foregoing instances accord with belief in the mental activity of those no longer in the earthly body? They certainly seem to do so. Have we any alternative explanation of these and similar incidents? I know of none. Not that I am unfamiliar with the doubts, derision, alternative theories and fantastic improbabilities by which some strive to turn us from the paths of common sense and mental probity.
I remember the many other lines of evidence. all of which point in the same direction and converge to form a body of evidence which seems irresistible. Of those other lines of evidence this book will say nothing, since its aim is to establish the significance of but one single aspect of communications from the Beyond.
To those who feel prompted to remark that it seems strange that our Communicators should dwell on trifling predictions and matters of minute interest to a few, when there is so much that humanity needs to know, so many facts which would be of "real importance to us"! To such, if they have had patience to read thus far, I would reply somewhat like this; a general knowledge and certainty of human survival would, for multitudes of people, change their whole outlook on life. Assured knowledge, in place of the half-belief which has but little influence on conduct, would be of highest importance to the individuals who compose the nations of the world. For, political and international difficulties are, at bottom, rooted in trends of character, habits of thought and conduct, which breed fear. Consider the injustices that rankle in men's minds, the prevalent disregard for the well-being of other persons and other grades of society, or other nations. These are the roots of the world's ill. And if certainty of life beyond death is not itself a complete and all-sufficient remedy, yet more than most other things would it hasten the general recovery of sanity, good cheer, mutual helpfulness and peace.
This certainty changes one's whole outlook on life. Even church members have often discovered in the shock of a personal bereavement that their previous easy belief was insufficient. While those with no belief have provided instances of mental collapse, or permanently embittered soul, when death removed from their side the one on whom all hope and love had centred.
But once assured by present-day and repeatable facts, by conversations with the one removed, especially when supplemented by reading the results obtained by those who have given prolonged and conscientious study to the subject, then a real conception of God's beneficent governance of all things, a governance with ends in view too dazzlingly bright for our mental picturing, is restored or created for them and placed on immovable foundations. Of little or no importance! Say rather that, compared with this achievement, few things in life can be so fruitful of happiness, mental poise and inward joy.
The conclusion to which all the foregoing pages have been leading us is very strongly supported by an important series of experiments with the Public Press which my father himself suggested and carried through. These forecasts were primarily intended to provide sound and ample evidence that he was entirely independent of anything in the nature of Telepathy from human minds. This was accomplished by his pre-vision of words, names, or statements which would be found in the Times, or other named newspaper, on the morrow. My sittings, at which his forecasts were received, always ended some hours before the material for the morrow's Press would have been arranged for printing. No one knew, therefore, just what and where such and such items would be found in the morrow's issue. Thus both clairvoyance and prevision were evident, and no action by human minds could be held accountable for the correct results.
Part 5: Fifth Type of Forecast
- Charles Drayton Thomas -
A further class of forecast includes experiments which discarnate intelligences undertake for purposes of their own.
A Communicator's Experimental Forecasts of the Morrow's Public Press
MANY EXAMPLES of forecasts about the morrow's Press are discussed in my book, Some New Evidences for Human Survival. They impressed the late Sir William Barrett, F.R.S., who made a close examination of them and then wrote a preface to the book. Referring to the Times forecasts he wrote:
I now give the following abbreviated example of a Times test which will enable readers to understand their general lay-out.
It was on February 13, 1920, at three o'clock in the afternoon, that J.D.T., speaking through Feda at my sitting with Mrs. Leonard, gave the details thus:
Next morning I noticed the name Perks in the position specified. My mother's memory and a reference to my father's old diary showed this name to be entirely apposite.
Just 1 1/2 inches below one quarter down were the names John and Charles, which met the first half of the test. Then came Emile Sauret, which presumably suggested Emily and Sarah, my aunt and mother. And these four names fell within a space 1 1/4 by 1 1/2 inches; which justified the statement that they would be found all within two inches.
This failed, as no such name appeared.
My mother's maiden name was Dore (without the accent). Exactly one inch short of half-way down the first column was the name Dorothea. This is not Dore, yet the first part is "very like it", as the test claimed it would be.
Four inches above the preceding test-word, Dorothea, was Hants. Almost the whole of my mother's girlhood was spent in two Hampshire towns.
Within three inches of Hants, and on a level with it in the adjoining column, is a place-name Cumnock, which (by way of a pun) suggests a knock such as might result from a clumsy jump.
In the last line of column one was Lincolnshire. For three years I attended a school in Lincolnshire.
This distinction between master and teacher was good; for, before moving to Lincolnshire, my schoolmaster at Baldock had a son Joseph who sometimes taught the juniors of whom I was one. Joseph was not a master yet he taught me. I was especially fond of Joseph, who was somewhat of a hero in my eyes.
This test was successful, for the name Joseph appeared in the same advertisement with the above Lincolnshire.
This was a failure; for I could find no such name.
Exactly where described is the ecclesiastical title Canon, which is given there twice.
Between the foregoing Joseph and Canon was the name Braine-le-Chateau.
What did I find next day? Within three inches of the centre of this page, slightly below half-way down column three, was a short notice in italics of which the final words were, "on the next page". But the word page is imperfect, the letter "g" being minus its tail and looking like an awkward "a"', thus - 'paae'. I inspected a second copy of the paper and found there the same error.
During the period of many months in which these tests from the Times were being given, visits to the Times office were made by several of us in order to ascertain at what hour the type for these pages was usually in position. We ascertained that even an unimpeded access to the works at 5 p.m. would not enable anyone to learn what would be the ultimate position of any particular advertise merit or name. For at this hour many of these items were only existing on separate pieces of paper in the office or the linotype department. Scrutiny of the type-trays later in the evening would make possible a more or less likely idea of the position which this material would finally take. But at that time my sitting had ended and the notes were already in the post on their way to the Society for Psychical Research. The following Editorial Note appears at the dose of my article on these tests in the Journal of the above Society for May, 1921.
As I, too, was quite in the dark about this, it was natural that I should ask at my later sittings if an explanation could be given. It is important to state that the advertisements chosen for these tests had not appeared in previous issues of the paper.
How were the Forecasts Accomplished?
I have no satisfactory answer to this question and can only give the substance of what was said by my father during several conversations on the subject. He said:
The above summarises many conversations we had on the subject during which my father tried to enlighten me as to the way in which he had accomplished these remarkable forecasts of the morrow's Press.
Most writers will be familiar with the influence of subconscious processes in their work. For when they have accumulated a mass of material which needs sorting out and setting in order before being finally written up, they presently find that it begins to present itself to their mind's eye in a more or less ordered form. Of this they make a brief outline and are able afterwards to begin writing their material in full. In some such way it may be that my father found his selected material for the Times Tests presenting itself to his clairvoyant vision and falling into its relative positions in the visualised columns of the page. It will be understood that these experiments with the morrow's Press were designed for a certain limited purpose. My father once remarked about them, "It is only occasionally that we take the trouble to do it, in order to interest you and let you see that it can be done. That is all. It enabled you to realise that we could see things that you did not yet know and that in some cases no one knew. For, as Etta has told you, our whole objective is to prove survival and that the human soul over here is still interested in the same people and things and conditions in which it was interested while on earth. That is what we aim to prove, and that there can be communication between the two planes of life, with beneficial results to both". On consideration it will be realised that to give from six to a dozen of these test references at a single sitting, and to keep up this feat over scores of sittings with an average of three successes out of every five attempts, demanded an effort of memory. First the memory of the name or word chosen for the test, together with its associations; then the position it would take on the printed page. And this in addition to the care required to ensure that what was given should be correctly transmitted through the medium to me. Two sets of memory were combined in these tests. Memory of things known to the Communicator in former days, and memory of what had been selected for the test amid the prepared material for the morrow's Press. Although evidence of the Communicator's identity and his independence of any telepathic influence from the mind of persons on earth would seem to have been the primary object in devising these tests, yet they have for us a further interest, and that is their evidence of an ability to foresee that which was not as yet, but which would be within a few hours time. It would seem that events which will come to pass in the future do, in some sense difficult to picture, already exist. They have been foretold; this is a fact repeatedly noticed by those engaged in psychical research. Distinguished men have discussed the problem and I would give the reference to their works had it been calculated to assist the reader in solving the mystery. Their gropings after a solution are interesting on account of their different ways of presenting the problem, but although ingenious they all end in much the same way and may be summarised as follows. Some events in the future are fixed and certain to happen, while others are liable to alteration by human action in the meantime. Should events of the latter class be foretold, the event may falsify the prediction. As we cannot tell which events - are unalterably fixed and which are liable to change or modification, there is no means of being sure that any prediction will come to pass in the way described by the forecast.
The Garage Proprietor
The following incident exemplifies a type of forecast which amazes us, not only by its exact fulfilment when all chances are against it, but even more on account of its seeming triviality.
We once owned a house in Ramsgate. My parents occupied it until my father's death. Later it was sold and my mother rented a house on the sea-front. I frequently visited her, and always put my car in a near-by garage.
The Fulfilment
Exactly three weeks after the above was spoken at my sitting a gentleman accosted me in Bromley High St. He introduced himself as the proprietor of the garage I had so regularly used at Ramsgate, and we exchanged reminiscences of cars and of my driving with my mother. He inquired about her and then asked if we still had our old house. I replied telling him of its sale and the house my mother afterwards rented. From this he proceeded to tell me that he was living just outside Bromley but had decided to go back to Ramsgate and was now enquiring about houses there. He then showed a letter which had that morning come from a house-agent and which offered him a house and a bungalow. We spent some time discussing the relative merits of these two properties.
Only after we parted did I realise that this conversation had fulfilled the forecast so recently given. I am well aware that ultra-critical people may assign this forecast to the action of "delayed telepathy" between this gentleman and the medium or me. And indeed there seemed to be a possibility, which I saw on reflection, of some such telepathic explanation. It might be something as follows; Seeing me in Bromley he proposes to speak when opportunity offers. On receiving a letter from the house-agent about properties in Margate and Ramsgate he decides to discuss it with me should we shortly meet. This intention, being fairly strong and directed to me, reaches my aura where it remains psychically decipherable. Let us therefore suppose that Feda during the sitting becomes aware of it, but mistakenly attributes it to my mother who is then speaking. I did not consider this suggestion in any way satisfactory; it seemed to raise more difficulties and improbabilities than it solved But it decided me to put questions should I again meet the garage Proprietor. A meeting came about accidentally this morning and I write this immediately on reaching home. He had seen me in Bromley, but that was four years ago on his first arrival in the neighbourhood. As he had not seen me again he concluded that I no longer lived here. This disposes of the telepathy hypothesis and absolves the gentleman from any thoughts about me which could have brought about the forecast, whether directly or indirectly. How then shall the forecast be explained? My mother, on being asked this at a later sitting, could only reply that she had felt it strongly, but did not know how the idea came to her.
My Suggested Explanation
On thinking the matter over there emerged from my store of memories one which seemed to form the basis for a reasonable hypothesis. My sister had long ago described how plans were made in higher spheres and passed thence to those whose work lay with earth. "Suppose," she said, "the thought is sent that the poor in London should almost immediately be assisted in some special way. It goes forth as an impersonal message urging help to the needy. As it is passed down through the spheres it gains individuality until it would be caught by some who, when on earth, were in touch with London conditions and possibly by some whose friends were living there in poverty. The next step will be that promptings are given strongly to social workers, or charitable persons, who so become impressed with the idea that something should be done".
More was said, but the above suffices for our purpose. It indicates that some of the plans made in the Beyond require human cooperation and that therefore human minds have to be impressed. It would be natural that, general directions should be given out by beings of greater experience and wisdom and passed down to others for application in detail. The latter may not always understand the plans in which they thus take part and help bring into effect. This is the method adopted by National Governments when higher officials issue general directions which are carried out in detail by subordinates. If such be actually the case, we can understand how it is that some Communicators give forecasts which they themselves do not understand, but merely "feel", and also that some of these dimly perceived directions may have a scientific or experimental purpose in view. One can realise that the impressing of human minds is not easy. Some would have more aptitude for it than others. In my long experience of receiving messages from first-time Communicators it has been noticeable that, while some did well, most did it indifferently and many failed to be effective. This being so when it is a case of impressing the Control during the favourable conditions of a sitting, how much more uncertain must be the impressing of men and women who are in the midst of their daily avocations and preoccupied! To quote my sister again, "We have to learn the effect of our power and to what extent it may be distorted or interfered with on your side". Many will prove unreceptive and others unresponsive. Another statement may be suggestive when added to the foregoing. We are told that in the Beyond there are Groups of people who were interested in psychic studies while here and who still pursue them. One can imagine how such persons will wish to discover to what extent their telepathy is reliable when directed to minds on earth. To discover this they would need to experiment. And each new arrival who elected to work for earth would find it necessary to practise this art.
The Plan
With the foregoing in mind let us picture how the particular forecast we are discussing might have been planned.
Certain facts would be already known to the planners.
The problem of the planners would therefore be:
Should they succeed in this it would be evidence to them that their telepathic effort was successful; if it failed they must learn how to become more effective.
The plan succeeded as foretold. The Garage Proprietor was led to cross my path. While walking along the street I noticed a slightly familiar face approaching. Not recollecting the name, or the place where I had seen him, I should certainly have passed by had he not accosted me. It was he who spoke to me and asked if I did not recognise him. So the telephathic influence would seem to have been exerted on him and not on me. I was taking my usual shopping route, whereas he was rarely in Bromley. I have seen him but once since and that was a few days after. That he should on this very morning have received the letter offering him a choice of properties made it the ideal dayfor bringing about the fulfilment of the forecast. How long previously this was planned we cannot guess, but its fulfilment was twenty-one days after my receiving the forecast.
Further Speculations
How came the plan to be made the subject of a forecast? It may be that to make my mother "feel it strongly" and then tell me of it at the sitting was an exceptional addition to ordinary procedure. Possibly the planners were testing their ability to impress my mother from their higher sphere; if so, that would account for her receiving the impression vaguely and without full detail.
Another suggestion would be that my mother happened to catch the thought which was directed to me. It will be remembered that my father had caught the idea of a building close to our house, and that the event proved that my next-door neighbour had been planning to build a garage close to our fence. Many similar instances could be given. Again, it is conceivable that the planners wished to draw my attention forcibly to the subject of precognition with a view to emphasizing the fact of their planning for earth. Certainly this incident, together with others about the same time, did very definitely cause me to begin a study of precognition. Whether the above speculations are in accord with fact or not, it is, I consider, highly probable that such plans are frequently decided on even if rarely made the subject of forecasts. Can we suppose that ardent investigators of psychic problems lose their interest when transported to another realm of life? Would they not be curious to investigate from their new standpoint? Others may have done it before, but each who wished to work for the good of humanity would need to learn for himself how to influence human minds. Until this could be done with some degree of certainty no important work for earth could be undertaken. Such experimental practice might well be sometimes made the subject of a forecast, as providing a more definite mark at which to aim. And the fact that the majority of forecasts relate to unimportant matters is in accord with this suggestion; for it is just such trivial forecasts whichprove most arresting to us on account of their unlikelihood and which also least interfere with the usual course of our lives! It is often said that coming events cast their shadow before. True, but what makes a shadow? Always it is a light behind. What, then, is the light behind these arresting instances of foretelling? I think it is the planning of thoughtful, well-wishing people in the Life Beyond. It does not follow that those planning such events should be desirous of telling us beforehand. Such forecasts are infrequent; yet we must realise that the opportunity of informing us is not frequent nor is communication always easy. In Human Personality, Vol. 2, p. 275, F. W. H. Myers says, "Experiments, I say, there are; probably experiments of a complexity and difficulty which surpass our imagination; but they are made from the other side of the gulf, by the efforts of spirits who discern pathways and possibilities which for us are impenetrably dark. We should not be going beyond the truth if we described our sensitives as merely the instruments, our researchers as merely the registrars, of a movement which we neither initiated nor can in any degree comprehend". |
Part 6: Sixth Type of Forecast
Pure Precognition, a knowledge of the future obtained by some means other than known to us on earth.
SOME PRECOGNITIONS are at present inexplicable. I am about to recount one such which would seem to defy any attempt at explanation by cause and effect as understood by human minds. But that there was some definite ground for the forecast I do not doubt.
When a thing, or a process, is understood, it is no longer "mysterious". The class of phenomena about to be illustrated is certainly mysterious at present. I term it Pure Precognition, to distinguish it from the more ordinary kind of foretelling, examples of which are given in previous pages, and for which the term Precognition is often used. It is convenient thus to distinguish between forecasts for which an explanation can be suggested and those for which there seems to be no explanation within reach.
Pure Precognitions have been given by Communicators who were apparently ignorant of the origin since they had been received only in the form of "strong impressions". We may guess that these impressions, were given by higher intelligences inhabiting more exalted spheres.
When we think of the countless generations gone before us into the Great Beyond it is reason able to suppose that many have progressed to states of mental ability and spiritual maturity which places them further above our recently departed friends than are the latter above us. Such advanced souls may understand much which would be incapable of explanation; they way be familiar with causal laws of which man has never dreamed; their intellectual and moral development may make possible to them accomplishments which to us would seem miraculous.
I have used the term "moral development" because there is reason for believing that personal progress in the Beyond is twofold, that of intelligence and of character. As birds rise on two wings, so man rises by intelligence and character, or, shall we say, by knowledge and love. Love (a desire for the good of others with readiness to promote this good at cost to oneself) is constantly proclaimed by our Communicators as the royal road to progress.
This good-will to others is the aim of all sincere Christians; we realise that it results, not alone from acts of Will and striving, but also from inflow of divine influence. As we give out "light and lovewe are receiving the same from God. The attainment of this in higher and higher degree facilitates an understanding of God's Will as expressed in His Law, the Law operating throughout the seen and the unseen universe. Doubtless that Law, acting in conditions far above any known to us on earth, would be beyond our present comprehension, but increasingly understood by those progressing from sphere to sphere.
When a thing, or a process, is understood, it is no longer "mysterious". The class of phenomena about to be illustrated is certainly mysterious at present. I term it Pure Precognition, to distinguish it from the more ordinary kind of foretelling, examples of which are given in previous pages, and for which the term Precognition is often used. It is convenient thus to distinguish between forecasts for which an explanation can be suggested and those for which there seems to be no explanation within reach.
Pure Precognitions have been given by Communicators who were apparently ignorant of the origin since they had been received only in the form of "strong impressions". We may guess that these impressions, were given by higher intelligences inhabiting more exalted spheres.
When we think of the countless generations gone before us into the Great Beyond it is reason able to suppose that many have progressed to states of mental ability and spiritual maturity which places them further above our recently departed friends than are the latter above us. Such advanced souls may understand much which would be incapable of explanation; they way be familiar with causal laws of which man has never dreamed; their intellectual and moral development may make possible to them accomplishments which to us would seem miraculous.
I have used the term "moral development" because there is reason for believing that personal progress in the Beyond is twofold, that of intelligence and of character. As birds rise on two wings, so man rises by intelligence and character, or, shall we say, by knowledge and love. Love (a desire for the good of others with readiness to promote this good at cost to oneself) is constantly proclaimed by our Communicators as the royal road to progress.
This good-will to others is the aim of all sincere Christians; we realise that it results, not alone from acts of Will and striving, but also from inflow of divine influence. As we give out "light and lovewe are receiving the same from God. The attainment of this in higher and higher degree facilitates an understanding of God's Will as expressed in His Law, the Law operating throughout the seen and the unseen universe. Doubtless that Law, acting in conditions far above any known to us on earth, would be beyond our present comprehension, but increasingly understood by those progressing from sphere to sphere.
The Eastwood Forecast
During a Leonard sitting on December 17th, 1943, while Feda was speaking for my sister Etta, she remarked that a visitor was coming to stay at our house. This struck me as absurdly impossible, for the following reasons. We had but recently resumed occupation after having closed the house for three years. Our two maids, both over sixty, were now exerting themselves to the utmost in cleaning the place from attic to cellar and although the task was far from ended they were both visibly weary and overworked. It was out of the question to impose extra labour on them, such as a visitor would involve. Besides this, my wife was seriously ill, so ill indeed that it was necessary to obtain outside help in nursing her, and a Miss Eastwood came for this purpose each morning. As for myself, household shopping and attendance on my wife left no leisure for entertaining visitors. We were all living under pressure of exacting conditions. And so I regarded this announcement as nonsense.
Yet the visitor actually came and stayed with us five nights!
About midnight on Sunday the 2nd of January, there was a short air raid over Bromley, where we reside. Two bombs fell near the town centre but did not explode. The Fire Wardens therefore cordoned off adjacent streets and shepherded the residents to a public shelter where they might remain until the bombs should have exploded or been removed.
Among these people were the above-mentioned Miss Eastwood and her two sisters. The former arrived next morning looking tired and overwrought. She informed our maids of the night's experience and of the public shelter in which they had sat, cold and miserable, until daybreak. She also mentioned that they were to make that shelter their home for a probable five nights, and were dismayed at the prospect.
Our housemaid repeated the story to me and then suggested that it would be a kindness to offer the three sisters the use of our spare bedrooms. Realising that this housemaid would have to shoulder the chief part of all extra work involved, and as the cook said she had no objection, I discussed the matter with my wife and we then invited the three sisters to come. They accepted the invitation and spent the following five nights at our house.
Here are the verbatim notes of the forecast given sixteen days before.
Yet the visitor actually came and stayed with us five nights!
About midnight on Sunday the 2nd of January, there was a short air raid over Bromley, where we reside. Two bombs fell near the town centre but did not explode. The Fire Wardens therefore cordoned off adjacent streets and shepherded the residents to a public shelter where they might remain until the bombs should have exploded or been removed.
Among these people were the above-mentioned Miss Eastwood and her two sisters. The former arrived next morning looking tired and overwrought. She informed our maids of the night's experience and of the public shelter in which they had sat, cold and miserable, until daybreak. She also mentioned that they were to make that shelter their home for a probable five nights, and were dismayed at the prospect.
Our housemaid repeated the story to me and then suggested that it would be a kindness to offer the three sisters the use of our spare bedrooms. Realising that this housemaid would have to shoulder the chief part of all extra work involved, and as the cook said she had no objection, I discussed the matter with my wife and we then invited the three sisters to come. They accepted the invitation and spent the following five nights at our house.
Here are the verbatim notes of the forecast given sixteen days before.
Feda: Etta wanted to say that she got a very strong impression - this may be something to do with Clara - of someone coming back into your house that was connected with it before.
C.D.T.: Very unlikely!
Feda: Very unlikely, perhaps, to your mind, but very likely to hers. She wants you to remember that.
C.D.T.: What makes you think that, Etta?
Feda: She gets a strong feeling of a return of someone.
C.D.T.: I wonder how you get that feeling.
Feda: She says, I can't quite explain it in words that would convey it to you.
C.D.T.: We are not thinking of having any one and I doubt if anyone is thinking of coming.
Feda: It's not quite an ordinary visitor, but rather quickly, rather suddenly; don't think I mean to-day or to-morrow, I'm no quite sure of that. But what I mean is wait a minute - that when they come they will come without very much notice or do you see? - perhaps no notice. She feel as if they might come, as it would appear suddenly to you; and she does feel it is someone who has been linked up with you house. It's like a return of someone; and don't put it out of your mind because you don't think it could possibly happen. It is certainly nothing you have arranged for nothing at all; and she just leaves it at that.
Note in the above remarks:
1. "This may be something to do with Clara". Clara is my wife, and her dressmaker for thirty years has been one of the Eastwood sisters.
2. "Someone who has been linked up with that house. It is like a return of someone". The dressmaker has often visited our house, besides which she spent two of her summer holidays here. Her sister, as previously mentioned, had been coming daily to help.
It will be noticed that Feda said "someone" and also "they"; the latter word was probably used because Feda was not told the sex of the person in question.
3. How perfectly apposite were the phrases used: "a return", "to do with Clara", "someone coming back into your house that was connected with it before", "not quite an ordinary visitor", "rather quickly, rather suddenly", "someone who has been linked up with that house", "nothing you have arranged for".
All the above are accurate descriptions of what came to pass. It was only after the invitation had been given and accepted that its relevancy to this forecast occurred to me: for the forecast had in the meantime quite passed from my memory.
Note the chain of events which led to the fulfilment of my sister's forecast. Of these there were five:
Note the chain of events which led to the fulfilment of my sister's forecast. Of these there were five:
1. A German airman flew over Bromley dropping two bombs; and of all the extensive area of the town it was within a small rectangle of streets which included the Eastwoods' home that they fell.
2. These were delayed-action bombs. Had they exploded on falling it is unlikely that the Eastwood sisters would have quitted their house.
3. Two of these sisters had been intimately connected with my wife.
4. But for the fact that one of them was now in daily attendance at our house we should have remained unaware of their plight.
5. Had not the housemaid suggested our offering hospitality it would not have occurred to me to invite them.
Our guests remained with us for five nights And so it was that various "chance happenings" combined to bring about the exact fulfilment of the prediction given at my sitting sixteen days before!
Was the German bomber impressed, influenced (term it how we may), to drop his bombs at the particular spot and moment which would bring about the event as foreseen? We do not know!
I am confident that this fulfilment did not happen by chance, but further than that I cannot go. It will have been noticed that Etta "gets a strong feeling'' and when I express a wish to know more, she says, "I can't explain it in words that would convey it to you".
The source of feeling is often elusive even with ourselves, especially of those faint impressions that so-and-so is likely to happen; and it might well be that Etta, while aware of the feeling, was far from clear as to its origin. On the other hand she might have known something of the laws of cause and effect, as they operate on realms above earth. but despaired of her ability to convey to-me anything that I should find intelligible.
And so I have placed this Eastwood Forecast where it may serve to illustrate that class of precognition which, up to the present, has defied the human intellect to explain it. One may make guesses, but guessing introduces factors about which we make other guesses. To "explain" the unknown by other unknowns would satisfy neither the reader nor me. Of course I have made guesses, but refrain from mentioning them. Perhaps psychical research and conversations with Communicators may eventually bring light on things at present inscrutable.
Was the German bomber impressed, influenced (term it how we may), to drop his bombs at the particular spot and moment which would bring about the event as foreseen? We do not know!
I am confident that this fulfilment did not happen by chance, but further than that I cannot go. It will have been noticed that Etta "gets a strong feeling'' and when I express a wish to know more, she says, "I can't explain it in words that would convey it to you".
The source of feeling is often elusive even with ourselves, especially of those faint impressions that so-and-so is likely to happen; and it might well be that Etta, while aware of the feeling, was far from clear as to its origin. On the other hand she might have known something of the laws of cause and effect, as they operate on realms above earth. but despaired of her ability to convey to-me anything that I should find intelligible.
And so I have placed this Eastwood Forecast where it may serve to illustrate that class of precognition which, up to the present, has defied the human intellect to explain it. One may make guesses, but guessing introduces factors about which we make other guesses. To "explain" the unknown by other unknowns would satisfy neither the reader nor me. Of course I have made guesses, but refrain from mentioning them. Perhaps psychical research and conversations with Communicators may eventually bring light on things at present inscrutable.
El Alamein
"The Turn of the Tide"
"The Turn of the Tide"
During the war of 1939-45 my communicators gave a series of remarkably accurate forecasts about military events. Among these was the following which found fulfilment in our great victory at El Alamein. It was given on June 30th, 1942.
"Your father feels sure something very, very important comes in October. He keeps repeating October 28th and 29th, and something turning over then... There will be a change for the better in the war prospects, but things may get worse for a brief time only."
At the date of this forecast the Germans had recently taken Mersa Matruh, claiming 6,000 prisoners, and were only ninety miles from Alexandria! By the 14th of July they were establishing themselves near El Alamein and on September 1st the greater part of the British troops were withdrawn from Ethiopia. Things had worsened for us as foretold. On August 18th, 1942, Lieut-General Montgomery was given command, and on October 23rd., our Eighth Army opened the offensive. Within a few days the Germans were in disorderly retreat, one which continued until they were expelled from Africa. And so the forecast made four months ahead for the end of October was strikingly fulfilled. It was the date of El Alamein, the turning point of our fortunes, after which we never looked back, bat proceeded from victory to victory until the end. It is worth remarking that this same date was given to another sitter on August 26th, the wording being as follows:
"A date keeps coming up; I ought to say two dates next each other, October 28th and 29th, something to do with the war. I feel a turning point of a very, very vital kind. Very outstanding... I interpret it as having a grave bearing on the war which will prove to our advantage. I felt relief and would like you to underline that."
Thus the identical forecast was given four months and again two months before its fulfilment.
It will be noticed that the words, "turning something over then", and "a turning point of a very vital kind", were used by both communicators. When Montgomery, during the El Alamein Reunion of 1947, read to the audience the speech which he had made to the troops before they entered that battle, it contained the phrase, "it will be the turning point of the campaign."
Only in 1947 was the full story made public. It revealed how extremely critical was the position when Montgomery arrived to take command, what various and formidable difficulties our troops had to face, and how very decidedly the tide turned in our favour at the end of October 1942.
It is important to state that it was my practice to post a copy of these war predictions at the earliest possible moment to the Society for Psychical Research. There they are kept for reference. As soon as I received from my friend, the Rev. A. F. Webling, the above account of his son's forecast this was also sent to be kept with mine. Thus we have witnesses that at a date four months before the event, and again two months before, this crucial date at the end of October was given by communicators through Mrs. Leonard during her trance sittings.
It may be asked how I account for so exact a prediction as this. I am unable to account for it. Such seeing into the future is to me a mystery, in other words it is something the underlying laws of which we do not at present know.
It will be noticed that the words, "turning something over then", and "a turning point of a very vital kind", were used by both communicators. When Montgomery, during the El Alamein Reunion of 1947, read to the audience the speech which he had made to the troops before they entered that battle, it contained the phrase, "it will be the turning point of the campaign."
Only in 1947 was the full story made public. It revealed how extremely critical was the position when Montgomery arrived to take command, what various and formidable difficulties our troops had to face, and how very decidedly the tide turned in our favour at the end of October 1942.
It is important to state that it was my practice to post a copy of these war predictions at the earliest possible moment to the Society for Psychical Research. There they are kept for reference. As soon as I received from my friend, the Rev. A. F. Webling, the above account of his son's forecast this was also sent to be kept with mine. Thus we have witnesses that at a date four months before the event, and again two months before, this crucial date at the end of October was given by communicators through Mrs. Leonard during her trance sittings.
It may be asked how I account for so exact a prediction as this. I am unable to account for it. Such seeing into the future is to me a mystery, in other words it is something the underlying laws of which we do not at present know.
Problem Cases
In some instances it is difficult to decide whether a forecast should be classed as experimental or as pure precognition. Consider the following two. First, one from Mrs. A. W. Verrall's paper on her Automatic Writings (S.P.R.Proceedings for October 1906, P. 331). In December 1901 she wrote of a man reading by candle-light a book Marmontel; it was borrowed, and one of two volumes. The following was given as a clue to this, "Passy may help, Souvenirs de Passy or Fleury".
On March 1st, 1902, a Mr. Marsh came on a visit and mentioned that he had been reading Marmontel. On being asked to say under what circumstances he had read this book, his replies bore out the forecast. On February 21st he had read the first volume, which contained an account of the finding at Passy of a panel connected with the story in which Fleury played an important part
There were a few inaccuracies, but so close an agreement between the script and the fact as to preclude chance coincidence. The account is impressive and should be studied in full.
As written it looked like a reminiscence and not a forecast of the future, the script of December giving the incident as in the past; whereas it did not actually occur until the following February. Was this part of the test blurred during reception? It looks more like an experiment than pure precognition; for the words introducing it were, "Nothing too mean, the trivial helps, gives confidence. Hence this".
We cannot easily imagine the means by which a Communicator might have contrived to bring about a fulfilment of the forecast, but we may assume that he would rely upon laws psychological and causal at present unknown to us.
The second case is given by Myers in S.P.R. Proceedings for December 1899, p. 487. It has often been quoted in abbreviated form, but should be read in full.
Mrs. Atlay, wife of the then Bishop of Hereford, dreamed that she read prayers in the Palace Hall during her husband's absence; that prayers being ended she opened the dining-room door and saw between table and door a large pig.
When morning came Mrs. Atlay recounted her dream to the children and their governess and presently read family prayers, the Bishop being away. She then opened the dining-room door and was astonished to see an enormous pig standing in the spot where she had seen it in her dream.
Questions by Myers brought answers showing that the pig was not in the Palace at the time of the dream, but safely in its sty. It had entered the room while gardeners cleaned the sty and prayers were in progress. Servants coming for prayers had left all doors open. The pig had wandered some distance to enter the house.
Is this a case of the purely precognitive faculty, which possibly lies dormant in us all? Or could it have been the result of an experiment by some discarnate humorist, who either saw his opportunity in the unfastened sty and open doors of the Palace, or who had influenced those concerned to give the pig its chance, and then, trying his powers on the animal, had guided its wanderings?
On March 1st, 1902, a Mr. Marsh came on a visit and mentioned that he had been reading Marmontel. On being asked to say under what circumstances he had read this book, his replies bore out the forecast. On February 21st he had read the first volume, which contained an account of the finding at Passy of a panel connected with the story in which Fleury played an important part
There were a few inaccuracies, but so close an agreement between the script and the fact as to preclude chance coincidence. The account is impressive and should be studied in full.
As written it looked like a reminiscence and not a forecast of the future, the script of December giving the incident as in the past; whereas it did not actually occur until the following February. Was this part of the test blurred during reception? It looks more like an experiment than pure precognition; for the words introducing it were, "Nothing too mean, the trivial helps, gives confidence. Hence this".
We cannot easily imagine the means by which a Communicator might have contrived to bring about a fulfilment of the forecast, but we may assume that he would rely upon laws psychological and causal at present unknown to us.
The second case is given by Myers in S.P.R. Proceedings for December 1899, p. 487. It has often been quoted in abbreviated form, but should be read in full.
Mrs. Atlay, wife of the then Bishop of Hereford, dreamed that she read prayers in the Palace Hall during her husband's absence; that prayers being ended she opened the dining-room door and saw between table and door a large pig.
When morning came Mrs. Atlay recounted her dream to the children and their governess and presently read family prayers, the Bishop being away. She then opened the dining-room door and was astonished to see an enormous pig standing in the spot where she had seen it in her dream.
Questions by Myers brought answers showing that the pig was not in the Palace at the time of the dream, but safely in its sty. It had entered the room while gardeners cleaned the sty and prayers were in progress. Servants coming for prayers had left all doors open. The pig had wandered some distance to enter the house.
Is this a case of the purely precognitive faculty, which possibly lies dormant in us all? Or could it have been the result of an experiment by some discarnate humorist, who either saw his opportunity in the unfastened sty and open doors of the Palace, or who had influenced those concerned to give the pig its chance, and then, trying his powers on the animal, had guided its wanderings?
Experiments in Precognition
PRECOGNITIONS COME not only through mediumship but also by other methods; many are spontaneous, coming in dream or by an overwhelming impression. The Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research contain numerous such cases, and readers who lack the time for perusing that long series of Preceedings can find a selection of striking cases in Dame Edith Lyttelton's book, Some Cases of Prediction, chapter 4, and also in Zoe Richmond's book, Evidence of Purpose, pp. 53-57, and 84.
Let us now look at a special type of precognition which has been observed, and observed repeatedly, under conditions of strict experiment.
Let us now look at a special type of precognition which has been observed, and observed repeatedly, under conditions of strict experiment.
Seeing Three Seconds into Future Time
The forecasting of events yet in the future and unknown to anyone on earth is, as we have seen in the foregoing pages, a fact. It is a fact for which we have not as yet found any all-embracing explanation.
Even those who, speaking from the Beyond, give these forecasts, cannot always explain how the information reaches them. They can sometimes only offer opinions.
It might be thought that if we could find one who had this gift of "reading the future" we could obtain from him information to satisfy our curiosity. But that is far from certain; in the case about to be cited the percipient was unable to explain. He only knew from experience that he could sometimes succeed.
Like many other discoveries, this one came to light while the investigator was looking for something else. Mr. S. G. Soal, D.Sc., Professor of Mathematics in London University and an experienced member of the Society for Psychical Research, had been devising means for testing whether or not telepathy was in action. He experimented with many persons without success. but finally found, in a Mr. Basil Shackleton, one with remarkable psychic ability. Repeated trials showed that this gentleman frequently guessed correctly which card would be looked at by Mr. Soal's assist ant in two seconds time. That card meanwhile was lying face downward with others, and, although it was not yet chosen, Shackleton was able to say which card it would be! And the card was then selected by a chance process and momentarily glanced at by the assistant. Each successive card was selected by this chance process, an ingenious process which excluded all possibility of trickery or leakage of information. This was an astonishing achievement. But more was to follow.
When the assistant quickened the pace for looking at the cards, increasing it from 2 1/2 to 1 1/2 seconds a card, it was discovered that Shackleton was now guessing the card next-but-one ahead! It was as if his mind grasped an idea of the card which the assistant had not yet seen, but would be looking at three seconds later!
Not that every guess was correct, but the average of accurate guesses was vastly above chance. Dr. Soal says, "I do not think these experiments are open to any attack. The mathematical theory of probability has been in use for a great many years in checking results of card-guessing experiments... Any critic who tried to demolish our work on mathematical grounds would first find it necessary to overthrow the accepted statistical practice of the last fifty years... More than twenty intelligent observers took part in the experiments, including philosophers like Professor Habberley Price of Oxford and psychologists like Professor Mace of London; but no one could find a flaw... In our experiments the 'message' was received by Shackleton and acted upon before it could have been conceived, let alone transmitted, by the agent. I have no doubt that materialists will maintain that such things cannot happen, since they upset their idea of physical causation. Of course they do, and that is just why they are to me so stimulating and important. There is no reason whatever to suppose that the material world embraces the whole of reality. Our experiments are to me pointers to a universe of reality which lies outside the physical order... There are non-physical realities. I believe that in this extra-physical world of mental images in which telepathy operates, our human personality has its deepest roots, and in this world it may still survive after the physical organism has ceased to function".
A detailed description of these experiments was published in the Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research for December 1943.
My Communicators have often expressed the opinion that such special powers as they manifest are already existing in mankind, although it is only after our transition that these powers will awake, into full activity. May not the above experiment illustrate on a small scale the ability to foresee, an ability usually dormant within us, yet which occasionally to some slight degree awakes and functions?
Even those who, speaking from the Beyond, give these forecasts, cannot always explain how the information reaches them. They can sometimes only offer opinions.
It might be thought that if we could find one who had this gift of "reading the future" we could obtain from him information to satisfy our curiosity. But that is far from certain; in the case about to be cited the percipient was unable to explain. He only knew from experience that he could sometimes succeed.
Like many other discoveries, this one came to light while the investigator was looking for something else. Mr. S. G. Soal, D.Sc., Professor of Mathematics in London University and an experienced member of the Society for Psychical Research, had been devising means for testing whether or not telepathy was in action. He experimented with many persons without success. but finally found, in a Mr. Basil Shackleton, one with remarkable psychic ability. Repeated trials showed that this gentleman frequently guessed correctly which card would be looked at by Mr. Soal's assist ant in two seconds time. That card meanwhile was lying face downward with others, and, although it was not yet chosen, Shackleton was able to say which card it would be! And the card was then selected by a chance process and momentarily glanced at by the assistant. Each successive card was selected by this chance process, an ingenious process which excluded all possibility of trickery or leakage of information. This was an astonishing achievement. But more was to follow.
When the assistant quickened the pace for looking at the cards, increasing it from 2 1/2 to 1 1/2 seconds a card, it was discovered that Shackleton was now guessing the card next-but-one ahead! It was as if his mind grasped an idea of the card which the assistant had not yet seen, but would be looking at three seconds later!
Not that every guess was correct, but the average of accurate guesses was vastly above chance. Dr. Soal says, "I do not think these experiments are open to any attack. The mathematical theory of probability has been in use for a great many years in checking results of card-guessing experiments... Any critic who tried to demolish our work on mathematical grounds would first find it necessary to overthrow the accepted statistical practice of the last fifty years... More than twenty intelligent observers took part in the experiments, including philosophers like Professor Habberley Price of Oxford and psychologists like Professor Mace of London; but no one could find a flaw... In our experiments the 'message' was received by Shackleton and acted upon before it could have been conceived, let alone transmitted, by the agent. I have no doubt that materialists will maintain that such things cannot happen, since they upset their idea of physical causation. Of course they do, and that is just why they are to me so stimulating and important. There is no reason whatever to suppose that the material world embraces the whole of reality. Our experiments are to me pointers to a universe of reality which lies outside the physical order... There are non-physical realities. I believe that in this extra-physical world of mental images in which telepathy operates, our human personality has its deepest roots, and in this world it may still survive after the physical organism has ceased to function".
A detailed description of these experiments was published in the Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research for December 1943.
My Communicators have often expressed the opinion that such special powers as they manifest are already existing in mankind, although it is only after our transition that these powers will awake, into full activity. May not the above experiment illustrate on a small scale the ability to foresee, an ability usually dormant within us, yet which occasionally to some slight degree awakes and functions?
Conclusions
REVIEWING OUR examples we note that those forecasts least difficult to understand were related to human plans already existing. It would seem that our purposes can sometimes be observed by friends in the Beyond and made the foundation for a statement that such-and-such an event will come to pass. And it usually happens so. But if, meanwhile, we change our plan, or its execution should be delayed, the forecast becomes to that extent inaccurate.
Secondly, we found a type of forecast which seemed to depend on the ability of Agents in the Beyond to use, and perhaps modify, our human plans, so adapting them to plans of their own.
Thirdly, we saw that human co-operation is occasionally asked for in psychic sittings which provide opportunity for the request.
The fourth class related to forecasts based on plans made in the Beyond and which were carried out unaided by man.
From these various types of forecasting we can confidently conclude that intelligent activity is not confined to earth; there are minds in the Beyond. Man's survival of death is proved!
Our fifth class included forecasts which looked like experiments undertaken by the discarnate for purposes of their own.
In the final class we placed those astonishing cases of pre-vision which entirely surpass human understanding, and which I have termed Pure Precognition. The attempts to explain this have been interesting but unsuccessful.
Secondly, we found a type of forecast which seemed to depend on the ability of Agents in the Beyond to use, and perhaps modify, our human plans, so adapting them to plans of their own.
Thirdly, we saw that human co-operation is occasionally asked for in psychic sittings which provide opportunity for the request.
The fourth class related to forecasts based on plans made in the Beyond and which were carried out unaided by man.
From these various types of forecasting we can confidently conclude that intelligent activity is not confined to earth; there are minds in the Beyond. Man's survival of death is proved!
Our fifth class included forecasts which looked like experiments undertaken by the discarnate for purposes of their own.
In the final class we placed those astonishing cases of pre-vision which entirely surpass human understanding, and which I have termed Pure Precognition. The attempts to explain this have been interesting but unsuccessful.
Nature of Time
It has been suggested that Time is an illusion, or that there is a different time-scale in other-world conditions, so that events yet to happen here have already happened there. Doubtless this is attractive to students of relativity, and even to the man-in-the-street who knows that what he sees when looking at the star Sirius is that which happened there some eight years ago, and that what takes place on Sirius to-day cannot be observed from earth until another eight years have elapsed. Yet such considerations do not lead me to feel satisfied that, if I see a car accident this day week opposite my house, it has already happened in etherial realms!
Hence I have suggested an explanation which does not run counter to life as we know it, and which agrees with what we are told of activities in the life beyond. It is, in brief, that HIGHER MINDS CAN INFER, FROM WHAT THEY OBSERVE, COMBINED WITH WHAT THEY THEMSELVES PLAN TO DO, THAT SUCH-AND-SUCH AN EVENT WILL PRESENTLY HAPPEN. Compare this with the planning of enterprising business men, of Cabinet Ministers, of Generals in wartime: what these do in earthly life is done, I suggest, by their predecessors in the Great Beyond.
Hence I have suggested an explanation which does not run counter to life as we know it, and which agrees with what we are told of activities in the life beyond. It is, in brief, that HIGHER MINDS CAN INFER, FROM WHAT THEY OBSERVE, COMBINED WITH WHAT THEY THEMSELVES PLAN TO DO, THAT SUCH-AND-SUCH AN EVENT WILL PRESENTLY HAPPEN. Compare this with the planning of enterprising business men, of Cabinet Ministers, of Generals in wartime: what these do in earthly life is done, I suggest, by their predecessors in the Great Beyond.
There Remains a Mysterious Aspect of Precognition
When we have sorted out instances of prevision and glimpsed possible, or probable, explanations of the simpler forecasts, there remain some for which any explanation so far suggested seems highly improbable. What, for instance, are we to think of the Eastwood Forecast? Or the Gordon Davis Case in which there was minutely and accurately described to Dr. S. G. Soal, at his sittings, a house and some conspicuous articles of its furniture? Yet the future occupant of that house did not go to reside there until eleven months later and it was his occupation and his furniture which had been described in the forecast! At the date of Dr. Soal's sitting other people were living in that house and some of the furniture described had not yet come into the possession of its future occupant! (A full account of this case is given in S.P.R. Proceedings for December 1925, pp. 569-589).
On my briefly recounting this Gordon Davis Case to one of my Communicators he said, "With regard to the apparent knowledge of facts as they would be at a future time - so it seems - I have spoken to you of what we here term THE ETERNAL NOW. I myself have often thought that your next week is sometimes our to-day. I have compared notes with others and find that we agree. I am frequently uncertain whether a thing happened to you yesterday, or whether it is to happen to-morrow.
"In the case you mention ... the house and its furniture may have been seen as a picture of what would presently be. Visions of the future have undoubtedly been seen and described with extraordinary detail. There is such a thing as projection of vision, or, let us say, a stray beam penetrates the window or wall of time. It would not be well for it to operate often, but it is permitted occasionally to show that it can be done".
Had our Communicators said that they obtained information about a future event from people on higher spheres than their own, that would only have removed the problem a step further away and left it still unsolved.
What they do say, however, is that they themselves can sometimes become aware of the future event, but do not know how this awareness comes to them. This statement we can parallel with our own experience.
For we are constantly aware of facts without being able to understand HOW the awareness arises in consciousness. I am not alluding to rare and dramatic occasions, called supernormal: I am thinking of the thousands of instances which occur daily: for when we see, hear, feel with hands, taste or smell, the same thing happens. We are mostly oblivious to the wonder of this; for having been accustomed to it from childhood we fail to notice the inexplicable in that which inevitably regularly and constantly happens.
Our sense organs, eye, ear etc., serve to bring nerve impulses to the brain. That is well understood; for the nerves can be dissected and their rate of impulse-passage measured. But why should impulses which reach the brain produce in us an awareness of what takes place around us? We know that they do this, but we are unaware HOW. Between brain and personal consciousness there is a mysterious process which has not, so far, been grasped by man's efforts to understand it.
And so, like our Communicators, we know without knowing HOW we know.
After Elsie had given me a forecast (which later events proved correct) relating to a matter which personally concerned me, she added:
"I do not know how or why, but I know that it will be. There is a state which seems like putting one's finger on the centre of Truth, but without knowing how one arrived at it. The ring of truth is present, it rings true. Sometimes I know something is true, but not how or why." She continued,
"What is to be, is now. If a thing only may be, it is not existing now; but if it is to be, then it cannot help but be in being now. There are many things which may or may not be, they are subject to the 'arrows of fortune', they do not yet exist. Those 'arrows' are often the misusings of freewill. So much is in ourselves, not in our destiny. But what is to be, is now; hence the curious prophecies which come to pass. Something may exist which is quite outside the limited range of your vision or horizon".
In foretelling a future event, Communicators sometimes remark that they "feel strongly" that it will happen - as, for example, in The Eastwood Forecast and The Garage Proprietor. That type of foretelling manifests the basic fact of AWARENESS, and only strikes us as strange because less common than the other forms of it which occur with ourselves in daily consciousness. While Communicators occasionally become aware of events in the near future, we are continually becoming aware of things in the near vicinity, and this awareness (via the senses) is a mystery too.
To those who realise that life beyond death affords unlimited scope for progressive development, it is reasonable to think that some at least of those who passed on thousands of years ago will have attained knowledge and powers of mind far beyond our imagination to conceive. On earth there are yet remote and backward tribes whose members, not having conversed with travellers and explorers, would be completely unable to realise the methods by which some of our every-day actions are accomplished. And, though the learner might be eager and his teachers expert, it would be impossible to make him understand how we travel by train, talk by telephone, reproduce by gramophone, or hear and see by radio, unless and until a number of mechanical and electrical operations had first been made clear to him. To a man whose most lethal weapon was the poisoned dart, the construction and action of atomic bombs would be inconceivable.
Our knowledge of these things has come through the labour and inventiveness of generations. Each stage gained made further stages possible. Some events were more epoch-making than others; the production and use of fire, of explosives, of steam and electricity, marked epochs in human progress; as also in the mental progress of mankind did the alphabet, numerals and printing.
In my many years of intercourse with friends in the Beyond it has become abundantly clear that they have not remained stationary in mental power, but that activity of thought and acquisition of knowledge has accelerated. When one considers the change in outlook and power of apprehension which the few years between adolescence and advanced maturity have brought us, it can be better imagined what progress is being enjoyed by those who passed centuries ago and whose activities are not checked by the need of spending one-third of their time in sleep. May we not liken them to the travellers and explorers who know so much more than they can explain to remote and backward tribesmen in whose position, relative to the former, we find ourselves? Until we have grasped certain elusive truths, we are precluded from grasping others yet more difficult. Among the latter may be the nature of Time.
Consider the implications of the following conversation which followed my reporting the success of the forecast described on a previous page under title The Eastwood Forecast, and for which I invited explanation:
FEDA: Your father says that Etta, owing to her deep interest in matters psychical when on earth, has more ability than many in estimating, from what she feels or knows, what will come to pass.
C.D.T.: But surely it is impossible to estimate without some fact on which to build? In this case there was no plan in anyone's mind.
FEDA: He doesn't know how to explain through Feda what he means and would wish to say. But he thinks people like Etta, who develop their psychic gifts before and after passing, can to some extent make a better use of their understanding about TIME. When she gave you the prediction there was apparently no foundation for it.
C.D.T.: None whatever.
FEDA: Look, he is going like this; Etta - a line there A and one there B. She anticipated B, although she was at the Point A.
C.D.T.: Yes, that is clear.
FEDA: On your plane of perception, unless in some exceptionally psychic state, you would have to stay at your own point in time. Etta has a better, shall I say, observation post than yours.
C.D.T.: Admitted; but she cannot see what does not exist!
FEDA: But it does exist! And that is just what I cannot explain.
C.D.T.: Then your statement is that there was a sense in which the event had already taken place and Etta was able to view its happening, although in earthly time
FEDA: In earthly time it had not materialised It had not manifested itself in your conditions, in your dimension.
Our mental powers have been evolved in a struggle for physical needs and seem at present incapable of grasping adequately such facts as endless space, time (duration) without beginning or termination, or even the modus operandi of our memory and perception. It may be that an understanding of Pure Precognition will be less difficult than the foregoing. Yet it is sufficiently difficult to baffle our present mental powers.
Man is able to see for a certain distance around him; optical instruments can give him more far-reaching views. But the deepest plumbing into space, by the most efficient of his instruments, fails to find any indication of finality; there is yet more to be seen beyond the furthest limits of vision. And so it is with mental probings also; for man finds himself surrounded by a mental haze into which he probes in vain. It is true that he sees the immediate concrete earth, also the social life around him. But what a restricted gaze! If he would view the life and conditions of his great-grandparent's time he must depend on a few old letters, or on certain books and historical records which convey to him little of the vivid life which those departed relatives knew. Still more is he fogged when he desires to see how the successive strata of the earth beneath his feet were laid, or the actual condition of the earth's central core. Imagination, aided by scraps of inference, is his only probe in this, as in many other directions also. In whichever direction he looks this impenetrable haze baffles him. The great majority of his fellows therefore elect to take life as it comes, assessing things at their surface value and leaving to scientists and philosophers the inferential probing into that which does not seem to immediately concern either our necessities or our pleasures.
Is it surprising that they accept Time in like manner and have no suspicion of the mystery at which instances of precognition hint? Men with spiritual experience rest satisfied that, as they step firmly forward in the path of duty, a further length of that path will be made clear, step by step, by the Providence which has shaped the pathway hitherto. For to such men the Guided Life is a most real fact.
On my briefly recounting this Gordon Davis Case to one of my Communicators he said, "With regard to the apparent knowledge of facts as they would be at a future time - so it seems - I have spoken to you of what we here term THE ETERNAL NOW. I myself have often thought that your next week is sometimes our to-day. I have compared notes with others and find that we agree. I am frequently uncertain whether a thing happened to you yesterday, or whether it is to happen to-morrow.
"In the case you mention ... the house and its furniture may have been seen as a picture of what would presently be. Visions of the future have undoubtedly been seen and described with extraordinary detail. There is such a thing as projection of vision, or, let us say, a stray beam penetrates the window or wall of time. It would not be well for it to operate often, but it is permitted occasionally to show that it can be done".
Had our Communicators said that they obtained information about a future event from people on higher spheres than their own, that would only have removed the problem a step further away and left it still unsolved.
What they do say, however, is that they themselves can sometimes become aware of the future event, but do not know how this awareness comes to them. This statement we can parallel with our own experience.
For we are constantly aware of facts without being able to understand HOW the awareness arises in consciousness. I am not alluding to rare and dramatic occasions, called supernormal: I am thinking of the thousands of instances which occur daily: for when we see, hear, feel with hands, taste or smell, the same thing happens. We are mostly oblivious to the wonder of this; for having been accustomed to it from childhood we fail to notice the inexplicable in that which inevitably regularly and constantly happens.
Our sense organs, eye, ear etc., serve to bring nerve impulses to the brain. That is well understood; for the nerves can be dissected and their rate of impulse-passage measured. But why should impulses which reach the brain produce in us an awareness of what takes place around us? We know that they do this, but we are unaware HOW. Between brain and personal consciousness there is a mysterious process which has not, so far, been grasped by man's efforts to understand it.
And so, like our Communicators, we know without knowing HOW we know.
After Elsie had given me a forecast (which later events proved correct) relating to a matter which personally concerned me, she added:
"I do not know how or why, but I know that it will be. There is a state which seems like putting one's finger on the centre of Truth, but without knowing how one arrived at it. The ring of truth is present, it rings true. Sometimes I know something is true, but not how or why." She continued,
"What is to be, is now. If a thing only may be, it is not existing now; but if it is to be, then it cannot help but be in being now. There are many things which may or may not be, they are subject to the 'arrows of fortune', they do not yet exist. Those 'arrows' are often the misusings of freewill. So much is in ourselves, not in our destiny. But what is to be, is now; hence the curious prophecies which come to pass. Something may exist which is quite outside the limited range of your vision or horizon".
In foretelling a future event, Communicators sometimes remark that they "feel strongly" that it will happen - as, for example, in The Eastwood Forecast and The Garage Proprietor. That type of foretelling manifests the basic fact of AWARENESS, and only strikes us as strange because less common than the other forms of it which occur with ourselves in daily consciousness. While Communicators occasionally become aware of events in the near future, we are continually becoming aware of things in the near vicinity, and this awareness (via the senses) is a mystery too.
To those who realise that life beyond death affords unlimited scope for progressive development, it is reasonable to think that some at least of those who passed on thousands of years ago will have attained knowledge and powers of mind far beyond our imagination to conceive. On earth there are yet remote and backward tribes whose members, not having conversed with travellers and explorers, would be completely unable to realise the methods by which some of our every-day actions are accomplished. And, though the learner might be eager and his teachers expert, it would be impossible to make him understand how we travel by train, talk by telephone, reproduce by gramophone, or hear and see by radio, unless and until a number of mechanical and electrical operations had first been made clear to him. To a man whose most lethal weapon was the poisoned dart, the construction and action of atomic bombs would be inconceivable.
Our knowledge of these things has come through the labour and inventiveness of generations. Each stage gained made further stages possible. Some events were more epoch-making than others; the production and use of fire, of explosives, of steam and electricity, marked epochs in human progress; as also in the mental progress of mankind did the alphabet, numerals and printing.
In my many years of intercourse with friends in the Beyond it has become abundantly clear that they have not remained stationary in mental power, but that activity of thought and acquisition of knowledge has accelerated. When one considers the change in outlook and power of apprehension which the few years between adolescence and advanced maturity have brought us, it can be better imagined what progress is being enjoyed by those who passed centuries ago and whose activities are not checked by the need of spending one-third of their time in sleep. May we not liken them to the travellers and explorers who know so much more than they can explain to remote and backward tribesmen in whose position, relative to the former, we find ourselves? Until we have grasped certain elusive truths, we are precluded from grasping others yet more difficult. Among the latter may be the nature of Time.
Consider the implications of the following conversation which followed my reporting the success of the forecast described on a previous page under title The Eastwood Forecast, and for which I invited explanation:
FEDA: Your father says that Etta, owing to her deep interest in matters psychical when on earth, has more ability than many in estimating, from what she feels or knows, what will come to pass.
C.D.T.: But surely it is impossible to estimate without some fact on which to build? In this case there was no plan in anyone's mind.
FEDA: He doesn't know how to explain through Feda what he means and would wish to say. But he thinks people like Etta, who develop their psychic gifts before and after passing, can to some extent make a better use of their understanding about TIME. When she gave you the prediction there was apparently no foundation for it.
C.D.T.: None whatever.
FEDA: Look, he is going like this; Etta - a line there A and one there B. She anticipated B, although she was at the Point A.
C.D.T.: Yes, that is clear.
FEDA: On your plane of perception, unless in some exceptionally psychic state, you would have to stay at your own point in time. Etta has a better, shall I say, observation post than yours.
C.D.T.: Admitted; but she cannot see what does not exist!
FEDA: But it does exist! And that is just what I cannot explain.
C.D.T.: Then your statement is that there was a sense in which the event had already taken place and Etta was able to view its happening, although in earthly time
FEDA: In earthly time it had not materialised It had not manifested itself in your conditions, in your dimension.
Our mental powers have been evolved in a struggle for physical needs and seem at present incapable of grasping adequately such facts as endless space, time (duration) without beginning or termination, or even the modus operandi of our memory and perception. It may be that an understanding of Pure Precognition will be less difficult than the foregoing. Yet it is sufficiently difficult to baffle our present mental powers.
Man is able to see for a certain distance around him; optical instruments can give him more far-reaching views. But the deepest plumbing into space, by the most efficient of his instruments, fails to find any indication of finality; there is yet more to be seen beyond the furthest limits of vision. And so it is with mental probings also; for man finds himself surrounded by a mental haze into which he probes in vain. It is true that he sees the immediate concrete earth, also the social life around him. But what a restricted gaze! If he would view the life and conditions of his great-grandparent's time he must depend on a few old letters, or on certain books and historical records which convey to him little of the vivid life which those departed relatives knew. Still more is he fogged when he desires to see how the successive strata of the earth beneath his feet were laid, or the actual condition of the earth's central core. Imagination, aided by scraps of inference, is his only probe in this, as in many other directions also. In whichever direction he looks this impenetrable haze baffles him. The great majority of his fellows therefore elect to take life as it comes, assessing things at their surface value and leaving to scientists and philosophers the inferential probing into that which does not seem to immediately concern either our necessities or our pleasures.
Is it surprising that they accept Time in like manner and have no suspicion of the mystery at which instances of precognition hint? Men with spiritual experience rest satisfied that, as they step firmly forward in the path of duty, a further length of that path will be made clear, step by step, by the Providence which has shaped the pathway hitherto. For to such men the Guided Life is a most real fact.
There are not a few among us who can assert with confidence that our life has been guided. Looking back along the years, we clearly see how firmly certain doors were shut against us which we would fain have entered, while other doors were opened to our astonishment and led us into roads of which we had no previous knowledge. To make this statement become alive in the mind of the sceptical would require an autobiography. But if anyone inclines to relegate the "guided life" to a mere succession of lucky chances, he is only slightly less reasonable than one who deemed that the car driven through traffic misses collision and keeps right direction only by a series of fortunate movements for which no guiding hand was responsible.
It was the experience of many which prompted the ancient prophet to write, "The way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps (Jeremiah ch. X, v. 2 3). And again,
"The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way" (Ps. XXXVII, v. 23, A.V.).
It was the experience of many which prompted the ancient prophet to write, "The way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps (Jeremiah ch. X, v. 2 3). And again,
"The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way" (Ps. XXXVII, v. 23, A.V.).
The Interaction of Fixed Fate and Free Will
In any discussion about forecasts, or precognition of future events, the question of fatalism and freedom of choice is usually brought up. Many have felt confused and uneasy. They begin to wonder if their actions are predestined and they, though feeling free to choose, are in reality like puppets forced along a fated path.
I am confident that each one is free within wide limits and is therefore responsible for the choice he makes; that in this earthly "vale of soul-making" it is by habitually choosing the worse, the better, or the best that we shape the character of the Self which is "our Soul". As we form its character here, so will it be on our arrival in the Beyond. We shall find ourselves more or less qualified for immediate enjoyment of that life's wider opportunities, or limited by incapacity.
Here and now some things are fixed while others remain fluid. Fixed for us are our early home, sex, constitution, and native land. Other things gradually become fixed as life proceeds: for example, after a certain time it is too late to risk changing our occupation, and the youth who might have been a barrister finds he is too old to undertake the course of study which would qualify him for that profession. And so, while some things are fixed for us at birth, others become so as life runs on. Yet always there are other aspects of the future which remain fluid and we can, at will modify or change them. If our natural disposition is hasty and self-assertive we can learn to control it. Many people, while comparatively young, change from one occupation to another in which they achieve success. Others have left the land of their birth to make a home in the colonies; they were free to make the change and they chose to make it. Alternative courses of action are usually open.
This freedom to choose is our birthright and we impose a terrible limit to action when we weakly accept as inevitable that which we might change, or at least modify, by resolute choice and action.
A chosen destination may be reached by various paths; we are not confined to the direct route; others are available and we are free to select. Suppose a father destines his boy for a business career. He may be frustrated by the lad's unwillingness or incompetence. Should the father make another plan this may fail for similar reasons. But these repeated failures do not preclude possibility of some kind of final success, although it will not be the same success that was at first possible. One may try, try and try again for the same goal and may ultimately attain it; or one may resign oneself to some lesser goal.
Each is free to choose within certain limits. Those limits are fixed by circumstances; but within that boundary we have wide choice open to us.
"The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars
But in ourselves, that we are underlings."
This truth was well illustrated by Elsie in one of her talks. She said, "There is a plan and its inner framework is unalterable and not to be disturbed. Yet its rim or outline is elastic and it is upon that which man's freewill plays. You pluck a string and produce a sound, yet the string itself remains in its place. Many different notes can be produced from that string but this does not bewilder the musician; he correlates them. God makes the framework and it cannot be interfered with, but its outline, as seen by us, can be modified. God means that man shall improve and beautify this; if man will not do this he can hurt himself and others also; for others, as well as himself, have to learn by his hurt. The innocent suffer with and for the guilty and so learn through them".
It was well written,
Our lives are songs. God gives the words
And we set them to music at leisure.
And our lives grow glad, or grave, or sad
As we choose to fashion the measure.
We must write the music, whatever the words,
Whatever the rhyme or meter;
But if they be sad, we can make them glad,
And if glad, we can make them sweeter.
I am confident that each one is free within wide limits and is therefore responsible for the choice he makes; that in this earthly "vale of soul-making" it is by habitually choosing the worse, the better, or the best that we shape the character of the Self which is "our Soul". As we form its character here, so will it be on our arrival in the Beyond. We shall find ourselves more or less qualified for immediate enjoyment of that life's wider opportunities, or limited by incapacity.
Here and now some things are fixed while others remain fluid. Fixed for us are our early home, sex, constitution, and native land. Other things gradually become fixed as life proceeds: for example, after a certain time it is too late to risk changing our occupation, and the youth who might have been a barrister finds he is too old to undertake the course of study which would qualify him for that profession. And so, while some things are fixed for us at birth, others become so as life runs on. Yet always there are other aspects of the future which remain fluid and we can, at will modify or change them. If our natural disposition is hasty and self-assertive we can learn to control it. Many people, while comparatively young, change from one occupation to another in which they achieve success. Others have left the land of their birth to make a home in the colonies; they were free to make the change and they chose to make it. Alternative courses of action are usually open.
This freedom to choose is our birthright and we impose a terrible limit to action when we weakly accept as inevitable that which we might change, or at least modify, by resolute choice and action.
A chosen destination may be reached by various paths; we are not confined to the direct route; others are available and we are free to select. Suppose a father destines his boy for a business career. He may be frustrated by the lad's unwillingness or incompetence. Should the father make another plan this may fail for similar reasons. But these repeated failures do not preclude possibility of some kind of final success, although it will not be the same success that was at first possible. One may try, try and try again for the same goal and may ultimately attain it; or one may resign oneself to some lesser goal.
Each is free to choose within certain limits. Those limits are fixed by circumstances; but within that boundary we have wide choice open to us.
"The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars
But in ourselves, that we are underlings."
This truth was well illustrated by Elsie in one of her talks. She said, "There is a plan and its inner framework is unalterable and not to be disturbed. Yet its rim or outline is elastic and it is upon that which man's freewill plays. You pluck a string and produce a sound, yet the string itself remains in its place. Many different notes can be produced from that string but this does not bewilder the musician; he correlates them. God makes the framework and it cannot be interfered with, but its outline, as seen by us, can be modified. God means that man shall improve and beautify this; if man will not do this he can hurt himself and others also; for others, as well as himself, have to learn by his hurt. The innocent suffer with and for the guilty and so learn through them".
It was well written,
Our lives are songs. God gives the words
And we set them to music at leisure.
And our lives grow glad, or grave, or sad
As we choose to fashion the measure.
We must write the music, whatever the words,
Whatever the rhyme or meter;
But if they be sad, we can make them glad,
And if glad, we can make them sweeter.
The Personal Application of Assured Knowledge
This is certain; we are here in the midst of endless Space and Time! Is it by a blind chance, or by some far-reaching and beneficent design? My purpose in writing is to bring readers to the same delightful assurance which I have long enjoyed, an assurance which gives rich meaning to this life and an ever brightening prospect for the future.
As Whittier sang,
Oh, why and whither? God knows all;
I only know that He is good, And that whatever may befall,
Or here or there, must be the best that could.
Our conclusion from the evidence selected in the foregoing, pages (a small gleaning from the results of thirty years' study) brings present-day reinforcement to the teaching of Our Master about the way in which one's life should be lived. By following Him we are brought into the WAY OF LIFE which He termed "eternal life", or "life more abundant", the way of living which harmonises with life in those supernal realms for which we are destined. They who learn to live thus will find themselves admirably suited to the life beyond death. Failing to live it here, one is unable at death to rise into the brighter realms and must perforce linger in less happy regions until the neglected lessons are at length mastered and one is ready to progress.
The great aim of my communicators has been to teach this, and when they have given descriptions of their life and various activities in the Beyond it has been with the avowed hope that men will realise that there is indeed something to work for, something to which they can look forward, something for which, by prayer and patient endeavour, they can be made ready.
May God's blessing accompany this book; using it to inspire in its readers a more vital faith in Him, more active hope for the future and more ardent love to Him and all mankind.
As Whittier sang,
Oh, why and whither? God knows all;
I only know that He is good, And that whatever may befall,
Or here or there, must be the best that could.
Our conclusion from the evidence selected in the foregoing, pages (a small gleaning from the results of thirty years' study) brings present-day reinforcement to the teaching of Our Master about the way in which one's life should be lived. By following Him we are brought into the WAY OF LIFE which He termed "eternal life", or "life more abundant", the way of living which harmonises with life in those supernal realms for which we are destined. They who learn to live thus will find themselves admirably suited to the life beyond death. Failing to live it here, one is unable at death to rise into the brighter realms and must perforce linger in less happy regions until the neglected lessons are at length mastered and one is ready to progress.
The great aim of my communicators has been to teach this, and when they have given descriptions of their life and various activities in the Beyond it has been with the avowed hope that men will realise that there is indeed something to work for, something to which they can look forward, something for which, by prayer and patient endeavour, they can be made ready.
May God's blessing accompany this book; using it to inspire in its readers a more vital faith in Him, more active hope for the future and more ardent love to Him and all mankind.
--------------------------------END
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