Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-05
Some Notes From Strange Mail Bag, Compiled Shortly Before His Death by


~ ONE years ago published some cases
taken from my private correspondence.
They were mostly connected with
A dreams, and they seemed to arouse
some interest, judging from the public
comments. I am now dipping again into the
same material, but in wider sense. have
become the involuntary father confeSsor Of
q large number of people into whose lives there
has been some strange intrusion and who
imagine that can give them advice or as
sistance, which occasionally have been able
to do. I have many drawers and boxes filled
with such communications, and they of
the most varied description. I viii now take
q Dip almost at random, into one OF these
collections and present them in my own words
to the reader. Naturally make such minor
and unessential changes as will screen me
from any charge of breach Of confidence.
The first which I pick out is from an ex-
soldier who was sent out upon a wiring party
and lost himself in No Mans Land. Presently,
as he CROPPED about in the dark he met
German in a similar predlcament, and, after
a long struggle he choked his antagonist.
Very light went up at the end of the fight, and
in its glare he saw the German lads face. all
twisted into a horrible smile After his re-
turn to England he was haunted by this
terrible face which used to come sort OF
vision in the night-the figure of the dead
German approaching in a series of bounds
with the smiling face always luminous and
visible. A long course Of such visions had
broken his nerve and he lost his promotion In
his business on account of his weakened
health
THAT was his case. What was he to do?
- The only possible answer was that such
persecution had probably nothing supernatural
in it, and was solely due TO the terrible ana
dramatic shock which had imprinted this
image deeply upon his mind, coming wildly
forward when reason was in allegiance owing
to Sleep Nerve sedatives, such bromide,
prayer@wiiich is mental nerve Sedative-
change Of air and thought, these were all
that could suggest
The next letter seems to take us farther
into real psychic regions. The lady, a clergy
mans wife, died to all intentS and purposes
but was restored some time after all signs
of life had disappeared. In describing her ex-
perience, she says: 1.-THE doctor was looking
at ne from the foot of the bed and my
husband was kneeling alongside 1t.
ST was met in space by two feminine forms,
who one en- either side, took my hands. Never
have I been so lifted up in spirit. AS we foated
upward sang together from pure JoyneSS
of heart After too short a time however,
one of my companions said: Now you must go
back again. opened my eyes and whispered
4eebly to my husband, I have come back 10
stay"
The lady goes on to say-her husband
corroborated her narrative-that some years
later, being in America, they met young
woman who possessed remarkable psychic
powers, being able occasionally to detatch
herself from her body. This young woman
looked with great surprise at the clergyman's
wife and said: But I have seen your wife
before. I three beautiful ladies floating
in the air singing, and she was the middle
one" On being asked the date of this vision,
the medium gave date which roughly cor
responded with the lady's experience.
1t must be admitted that such an amazing
story must either be discredited a sue
cessful hoax must be admitted to give us
ground for serious reflection. One can only
congratulate the writer having had a re-
markable experience.
The next letter is not quite so pleasing from
the point of view of one who takes serious
view of psychic matters. In this case a
married couple who were accustomed to getting
information by the Of the planchette were
informed that dear friend in Australia had
died. After some weeks of mourning they
were consoled and at the same time rather
shocked by receiving letter which showed
that he was in normal health What was I
to say to such that? One could only
admit that it stood by no means alone and
that whether it be an honest mistake or
whether it be deliberate imposture from the
ether side, we haue 70 be on our guard against