1934
Aug 30 - Nov 28
August 30, 1934
[From Winnipeg Free Press]
[Issues warning against levity in psychic study.]
[A plea for sympathetic treatment of psychic research and the request that if it is to be studied it be studied seriously, and not taken up in the spirit of levity, were advanced Tuesday night by Dr. T. Glen Hamilton, when he delivered an illustrated lecture, "Aims and methods of Psychic Research," at the Dominion Theater. The lecture was given under the auspices of the Kindergarten Settlement auxiliary.]
"Psychic research is not a sport," he declared, "it should not be dealt with except by those prepared to deal with this seriously."
Dr. Hamilton traced the history of research from the myth stage, through to the magnetic stage of Mesmer and the 18th century, then to the Spiritualist stage and finally to the scientific stage beginning toward the end of the 19th century with the work of William Crookes. At the present time, he said, there are chairs of psychic research in several universities.
He discussed thought transference and touched on telekinetic force, showing several illustrative pictures. In many of the photographs teleplasm or ectoplasm was shown coming from the body of the medium, who was in a state of trance. The sternest tests were made to prevent fraud, he said.
Lecture: (Last Lecture?)
Alumni 1934 - lecture to large audience - 500 or 600 - in Playhouse Theatre under auspices of some Charitable institutions (record mislaid). A very fine presentation. Dr. Charles Hunter present; said it was the best presentation he had yet given. Intellectually and scientifically satisfying.
Last Lecture:
September 4, 1934 Tuesday
[Letter from Mrs. Hamilton to her daughter Margaret Bach:]
"... Yesterday , lovely - sunny and warm. I spent the whole day nearly, in, or on, my back "lawn". Had lunch all by myself on a tray perched on one of the little green folding chairs. Read all afternoon - "Essays of Elia" (great stuff) and "Precious Bane" over again. What a truly marvelous piece of writing that is - almost as great as "Adam Bede" or "The Mill on the Floss." Its slightly "eerie" quality makes one feel that possibly there was back of its production some such influence as that which figured in the "Patience Worth" products - perhaps quite unknown to the author. Many of the turns of the phrases are strangely reminiscent of our dearly beloved writer. The dialect of course may have something to do with this impression, but I think it goes deeper than that. When you read it again keep this in mind and see what you think.
"... The JM sittings have been more or less of a "flop" since you left; and for various reasons. First Jack could not come for three weeks; next, he is again working too hard - comes over all fagged out; and third, with you away there is not the same "feeling" somehow that there used to be. They have hinted several times that your absence is going to alter the mediumship considerably. However, we shall see; I must try and find the right sitter to fill the gap. It has been so poor that I have not bothered to keep the records - if good ones come I shall send them on.
"... Glen is on the Surgery service now - starting September 1st. Was on duty over the week-end and so had all the motor accident cases (and there were a number of fairly bad ones). However, he is keen about this class of work and feels that surgery will eventually be his goal.
Love for both of you always - L. H.
September 12, 1934
[Letter from Lillian Hamilton to Jimmy - James Bach - husband of Margaret.]
"... Your package of "smallery" arrived in due course and in good condition. I have not found any use for them as yet, but no doubt during the course of the winter some of them will enter into the mysteries of our psychic equipment.
"... Tell Margaret we are always interested in her letters; and ,of course, they are but a poor substitute for a real conversation, so we are hoping that things may open up in such a way that your trip west will not be much longer postponed.
"... Our psychic work as yet is vaguely up in the air. We are holding a preliminary meeting tonight. Dawn, as usual, likes to assert her independence, but it has come to the stage where we are begging no person to come. Consequently we are not in a position to say how far things may go.
"... Miss turner is back and was over for lunch on Sunday. She gives a very glowing account of their trip, and her description of meeting Mussolini in Rome appears to have left a great impression upon her, an impression not unlike that of meeting a grizzly bear in the mountains.
"... Our photographs are still somewhat in arrears; but I hope one of these evenings to get at them after which samples will be forthcoming.
Sitting:
Lillian Hamilton; T. G. Hamilton; John David.
Sterge comes and says that he will give a speech which is to be recorded and read to the Winnipeg Society for Psychical Research. Asks T. G. H. to indicate a subject. T. G. H. suggests "Methods of Controlling Mediums, and Difficulties Involved." Sterge accepts and says he will speak also on some of the dangers involved.
Walter comes, followed by R. L. Stevenson.
R. L. Stevenson: "I am the last to come."
L. H.: "Sometimes the last are first."
R. L. Stevenson: "Yes, I'm sure I'm no' very far from the front in your own affections. It's grand to have friends who think so much of you and your work. It makes me work hard to attain success. One may have fine ideals but nothing spurs one on like having someone else with high ideals about you, that is, provided you are sensitive to their reactions. Even the very clod must respond to the adoration of the flower. I believe by our own efforts we are pushed upwards but we are drawn up by our better selves, which is a component. We push ourselves up by our own efforts; but at the same time we are drawn up in that ever-elusive and desirable ideal created partially by ourselves, and the balance out of ourselves, by other people who love us. Ye ken that often is what Jesus Christ really means to us. We know he loves us, and we can imagine His ideals for us, and that draws us upward just as our own ideals of Christ draw us, too.
"May I digress to testify for Christ. I want to do this particularly because if there is anything in or out of our life and our world that we love, we take a stand for it and by it. The things that are the greatest to us should be posted to others. And I want to take this opportunity of posting my stand for the simplest and highest Philosopher, the minutest, and yet, if you would have it so, the largest lover, the individual with the one-seeing and all-seeing vision, the Man whose words are as soft as far-away bells to the gentle spirit, as strong and compelling hands to the weak, and a sharp spear to the mentally indolent; to Him whose very essence was of the Spirit of God Himself, who was one with God and yet one of men. I believe in Him as a teacher of the highest standing, a philosopher beyond compare, a man of men, and a Savior of men whose very aim was to lead them toward His Father, God. My faith is even stronger than this, but I cannot put it into words; but it is something to testify for Him even when your voice fails to express what you mean.
"I testified that for a purpose, for me, and you, and others listening; and it brings great influences into your room and that is what we want ... I'll say goodnight to you."
Sitting closes.
September 21, 1934.
Usual sitters and medium.
Control speaks: "...And this time, my friends, I must assume a more English voice for the purposes agreed upon last week ..."
"... It would seem that one making an unacustomary address would have sufficient license to use an unacustomary salutation, as an opening for that talk; however, ladies and gentlemen of this society, I give you greetings and express my personal joy at having been offered the privilege I now have of speaking from beyond the experience of death; and coming to you as I do, I am, to some extent, at a loss, since I'm not freely aware of the scope of your individual investigations, nor the fullest ramifications of those of the society itself. I shall present the viewpoint which is my own personal one; and one, naturally, which I believe to be true. But any such viewpoint as mine must only be a single facet of the truth: it is in itself true, but it is not all truth.
September 21, 1934.
"My chosen subject in itself is simply this: an examination of the methods used in controlling instruments; the possibilities, the ramifications, if you like, the limitation, and the dangers, as viewed by an experienced worker.
"I do not feel that it is necessary for me to define many of my terms; particularly do I say this in view of the experience I attribute to the audience I believe this will reach. Each one of you is probably personally familiar with the object or spectacle of some heightening or lowering of the senses of a normal human being, permitting something to operate the known bodily functions to claim recognition as another personality previously deceased: to operate through that body into the physical sphere upsetting known normal laws.
(Rest period)
"Let us assume I am a personality surviving bodily death. I desire to make contact again with that world and that is the physical sphere. To do that I can only achieve success by one road, that is, the mediumship of a sensitive individual. As a controlling entity desiring to put through my thoughts to someone waiting to receive them, I have a number of things to do.
"First of all I have to develop a type of positive astral mediumship. (That is, each of us have certain faculties which we brought with us into the world when we entered our bodies, and which be carry away with us when we depart, in our soul.) Individuals on your plane who are sensitive to vibrations in thought from our plane are known as mediums; and those sending that thought vibration are called the controls, and are themselves simply positive mediums in the astral or non-physical. Before controlling others, we, the positive astral mediums, must be able to control ourselves. No one has perfect sovereignty over himself all the time, but if he is desirous of commanding your instruments, he must be able to have sovereignty over himself for at least a given time.
"In order to achieve anything worthwhile it is necessary for us first of all to choose mediums, and secondly, to stick to these mediums. In order to help us and in order to help you, we must have a joint objective, and secondly, we must stick to that objective. Variations in the medium, or in the objective from our side, will bring meaningless confusion. Moreover, we here have a circle, and that circle helping us is chosen of necessity according to the objective of the work at hand; and I suppose that it is natural that the objective which you (we) have will be chosen from the desires of your sitters. Thus I urge the choosing of high objectives so that you may obtain the highest form of helper on our side; and I urge also that you choose those of your circle with a view to intelligence, loyalty, ideals, truthfulness, balance, and religious convictions. I again say, choose people with strong religious convictions, and by this I do not mean people with a strong religious bias. There is easily discernible the individual with real conviction, the individual with bias, and the individual who follows as a sheep. I say specifically (said with great emphasis) choose people with strong religious convictions."
September 28, 1934
[Letter from J. Pitblado to Mrs. T. G. Hamilton - Winnipeg:]
Mentions a letter of congratulations.
September 28, 1934.
"Depending almost wholly upon the objective which you in your circle collectively with those in our circle, have set for accomplishment, does a natural law evolve which, operating in our sphere, places you in contact with a control or controls interested in that work. They may, of course, have been interested in that type of psychic achievement prior to your immediate contact, and your desires or objective may have grown from that, but it is true I believe, that according to the objectives you set up and the standards which you placed upon both yourselves and us, does the dominating control usually evolve.
"Very frequently we have this state of affairs: the original control of his medium is the precursor of a greater control; or, if not a greater control, then the desired control who will ultimately be the predominant factor in your work. Hence it can easily be seen that we here are divided and desegregated into persons of varying capacity (I do not say persons of varying states as far as capacity goes). For the sake of illustrating what I mean in its fullest extent, I must take the viewpoint of our group working as a collective entity. At first, in order to contact with you, we require a positive medium, not a medium possessing any particular type of knowledge, but one who with definite and dominant traits such as powers of concentration, ability to impress others, and above all a warm personality, so that he or she puts the contacted sitters at their ease, and so they become wholly relaxed for the work. This control may continue throughout your work, even although I have nominated him as the precursor."
(Sterge sends his love to the "little Madame")
R. L. Stevenson: "I am collaborating to a degree with Sterge. We believe that we may be able to turn our hands through these wee messages, to practical ends for practical folk. Each little lecture is simply a phase or phases of the work as viewed by ourselves. It is possible that I may come at one or two points and give my viewpoint on the same subject: the difference will not be a disagreement but the result of different experience.
September, 1934.
Excerpts from R. L. Stevenson conversations:
Faith:
"So we jog along from day to day - sometimes happy to the point of buoyancy, sometimes cast down to the point of despair, chiefly because of our potency or impotency in the matter of faith.
"Faith! ah, there is a word! Around its feet cower all the black devils which go to make us miserable - doubt, ignoble thoughts, uncharitableness, covetousness, pride; around its head the lightnings of divine inspiration bringing courage, endurance, poetry, joy. Cling to it, my friend, as a drowning man clings to his last plank. Nothing else matters if you only keep that. Out of it comes to the healing of the nations. Out of it, too, comes a deepening of our religious convictions in matters of precept and help for others. We go forward with blithe hearts and cheerier countenances, and joy follows in our wake as surely as light floods over the plain at sun-up. Oh, it's good to keep our feet firmly fixed on this Rock for out of it issues the day-Spring of the Most High.
Home-making
"Home-making! How one's thoughts linger around that word: and what it signifies. The essence of life wound up within its confines; the vigor of the soul refreshed by its contacts; the strength of manhood fashioned from its encircling armor. The instinct for home-making in its truest and fullest sense comes close to the heart of God Himself, and woe betide the man or woman who interferes with its divine effluence. In no case that I know of has a true home-maker (and again this applies to both sexes), failed to influence men and women for better things. Cheer, warmth, sweet laughter, kind faces, helpful counsel, joy, sorrow - all have their part in the construction of this spiritual house we call home; and all have their part in the construction of souls meet to pass into my Lord's House of Israel.
September - November, 1934 Monday
[Letter from Mrs. Hamilton to Margaret:]
"... We are all fine here - Glen has been laid up in a hospital ward with a nasty boil on his chin which has had to be fomented vigorously but today is discharging freely. I will be glad when he is free from the hospital wards and the various bugs which seem to inhabit its precincts.
"... Tomorrow Daddy will forward the first hundred. He is quite cheerful about it and seems to be getting a real thrill out of helping you and Jim in this way.
Just home stuff - mentions kittens - puff balls - children of "Mitzie" - named Ruffles and Peterkin.
August or September, 1934
"... Jack was here last night and we had our usual sitting. The poor boy as usual seems all tired out but a good dinner (roast lamb, creamed cauliflower, blue berries, and fresh spice cake) seemed to revive him. Mr. Wood was also present. I do not think we shall ever again - at least until you return - meet and converse with the dear whimsical and deeply spiritual Robert that we came to love so well - the atmosphere is different and I do not seem able alone to make it otherwise. We seemed to be three hearts that beat as one and so provided the right mental environment somehow. Sterge never forgets to send his "dear love" to the little mademoiselle". He came through Harold at the big sitting unexpectedly the other night and whispered in my ear "Have you heard from the little Madam lately? She will play; she will play." I don't know what he meant but pass it on to you. The two of them, however, are doing good work in another direction - combining their powers, making Sterge the speaker and giving us a most interesting and instructive essay on controlling from their view point. I'll get it copied right away and send it on to you.
Heaps of love - Mother
September or October, 1934 Wednesday
[Letter from Mrs. Hamilton to Margaret:]
"... Heard Miss Whidden - Child Welfare expert from Ottawa. She is a very dynamic speaker and knows her subject from 'A' to 'Z'. If she comes to London, try and hear her - you will, as I have, get a new conception of public welfare work and the need for women's hand in it.
"... At the dinner I saw many who said "Well, I saw you lost your daughter this summer - my how you must miss her." Another one said: "My, it was a pretty wedding - prettiest I ever saw." Her, likewise, I did not know, but I smiled sweetly all the same.
"... Tonight - sitting. We had a card from Besterman from South America - he still intends to look us up, so what we are going to do with him I don't know. Call off the sittings, I guess, so that we can honestly and tactfully turn him down.
"... I am enclosing the last Jack sitting report. Daddy did very well but missed some of R. L. Stevenson's lovely turned phrases. On the whole it was the best sitting we had since you left. The RD's part is very lovely and his witnessing is something which perhaps we all need to think of and to hear more than we do. Life, however, is perhaps our main witnessing.
"... Tell Jimmy that Dr. Hiebert met Daddy the other day and was very complimentary in his remarks re Jimmy's [Jim Bach] enthusiasm and ability for this work. Thinks he is a young man that is bound to go far - Mrs. Hiebert phoned me and said how much they enjoyed seeing you both - "a pair of happy kids" she said.
October 5, 1934.
Sterge speaks in his usual whimsical manner; then begins to dictate in a loud, deliberate and wholly "English" voice. The medium coughs occasionally in the R. L. Stevenson manner as if the R. L. S. personality were also close at hand:
"In order that one of us, acting as a controlling entity, may transmit our thoughts through the vocal instrumentality of a physical being, we must gain control over a number of his faculties. We find it necessary to employ certain methods similar to hypnosis, and certain other methods by which desired processes are induced. This is done through the sensory organs, or rather psycho-sensory faculties. Upon these so-named psycho-sensory faculties we depend a great deal. Actually the modus operandi depends upon the type of work we desire to achieve; and even in the highest form of mental mediumship it is necessary to employ methods calculated to stimulate the psycho-sensory faculties, since they are primary faculties taking precedence over any other faculty, and essential to complete trance. Were I a physician I might be able to tell you more of these faculties, methods employed, and the actual stimuli themselves, and the results achieved. And the physician might compare them to the sex stimuli, or to the stimulation of saliva. The first I believe, is better, since I believe that the sense of smell is necessary to the second ... Am I not right, my doctor? (To T. G. H.) ... It is my belief that as the psycho-sensory faculties are sharpened into response to our manipulation, the ordinary sensory faculties diminish, inducing trance. This is only a theory of my own, but in every case this occurs."
Sterge returns to his usual mode of speaking. Arthur comes. Arthur says he has been very busy, giving all his spare time to studying the problems of psychical research. He is determined that all "flim-flam will cease". Sends his love to Margaret, Jimmy, and Glen. Thinks Jimmy is fine. Is very proud of Glen because he is so manly.
Sitting closes.
October 12, 1934.
Jack MacDonald; T. G. Hamilton; Lillian Hamilton.
Sterge comes, speaks in his usual manner, greets us and asks if we are interested in what he is giving us. We say that we are. He is glad: "I am" he goes on to say, "not so concerned with the composition as the composing ... I want it to be challenging to other thought ..."
Dictates slowly and in a loud voice without accent: "Very often you and members of your circle will say,' That message was colored with the medium's own personality;' and they say his sub-conscious mind was back of that, and estimates have been made as to the percentage of subconscious influence on any mediumistically relayed message; and estimates vary from 99% to 25%.
"Let us consider this for a moment in the light of the most conservative estimates."
"Material you are receiving is influenced, colored or circumscribed by the medium's own subconscious mind or latent personality. Thus it can easily be seen that choice of an instrument for our work must demand certain convictions of character and a definite quarantine from personal evil influences within and without, and for certain types of work, varying degrees of mental discipline. You will notice that I'm making no mention of scholastic training, but a medium should and must be made. The mind of the student, it must be remembered, has many links with minds of the past; and being linked with them, even in knowledge, may, and likely does, produce further avenues for influences other than that of the controlling entity.
"I have said that I particularly wished to speak of influences from our side, not good - controlling, possession, obsession, call it what you will. I stressed the need of a medium free from influences of evil within and without, in my opening paragraph, - a medium with definite character traits and convictions to act as stays for his or her personality.
"In mediumistic work emotion is a fire which blinds, which attracts unwholesome forces often, and which devastates your instrument. I do not say this in repudiation of emotion. I say this in regard to ungoverned, unrestrained emotional gluttony. There are those on our side, finding a sensitive expressing continuous and unrestrained emotion, who will seek and find an entry, with the possible result that the personality may be wholly, partially, or temporarily unseated ..."
(Sterge speaks in accented voice and continues discussion re dangers of mediumship, especially for women over forty.)
Resumes non-accented voice:
"I was endeavoring to point out to you that not only is it bad policy to use women mediums at certain times; but that there is a definite danger zone, forty-second to sixtieth year, approximately, when physical changes tend to upset and loosen the personality, if the medium is under unwise guidance from your side or from ours."
"The preponderance of troubles during this period are not due nearly so much to the physical, as commonly supposed, but frequently to unwise and unwholesome influence here. (Last words spoken loudly and with great emphasis.)
Sterge chats for a little, says that is all the "collaborators" have for this time, then bids us goodbye, sending his love to the "little Madame".
October 17, 1934.
L. H.; Gordon Chown; J. A. Hamilton; H. Green; Ada Turner; Harold Turner; Mr. Reed; W. Barrie; Mercedes; Dawn; Dr. Bruce Chown, Secretary; Dawn; Mrs. Muir; Norman; Lillian Hamilton; T. G. H.; Ewan; Dawn entranced.
The Directors Give Thanks for Work Accomplished.
Unknown control/Ewan:
I am going into a far country. I will come again. Give thanks! My soul rejoiceth in God the Lord! I am giving thanks for the release that has come to Walter. Give thanks for your good work, and the causes thereof. Blessed be those who give themselves in the pursuit of knowledge and the establishment of truth! You have gained benefit. My sister, (Dawn) give me your hands! From this instrument I have accomplished many things. I will give greater response to God! Poor woman, you have gone through a lot! What satisfaction can come to her, because her name is known among a few? What benefit for a short space of time? The greater glory is yet to come! I thank you for what you have given me."
October 19, 1934.
Lillian Hamilton; T. G. Hamilton; W. R. Wood; John David.
Sterge dictates:
"It has been frequently stated that from some points of view, from time to time there is simulation promoted particularly from our side, and that these stimulants, hypocritically masking as those or as that, have tended to convey misinformation which, being given as it was, pushed an individual thinking along similar lines, a little farther from the truth. Within my own experience, as a controlling entity for some six years, I should say that in a properly conducted circle, such simulations come most frequently from the mediums themselves; but in coming, I lay the fault for all these occurrences directly at the door of those in charge of the circle on your side.
"May I explain? Probably the greatest fault with the anxious researcher is that, having been given certain information through an entranced being, he is anxious to establish the information and interrogates the instrument immediately after the dis-entrancement. Some researchers expose themselves to a double fault in this manner: first, by asking the non-interrogative question. That sounds impossible. It is not. I mean, in checking up on the medium's field of information, the investigator puts his questions thusly: "You do not know anything about that, do you?"
"My point there may seem to you all too slight. Very well. Look at it as I do then. Given their full normal state, and being asked to tell what they know about a certain thing, you would, I think, procure a fully correct reply from 99 out of a 100 instruments. But - and herein lies the double-ness of the researcher's fault - his instrument, just beyond entrancement, is not normal, just as no individual is normal after any tremendous emotional or mental or sensory experience is not normal: he is tired, not anymore responsible than a man returning to normalcy out of a heavy sleep or a drunk of some duration. The question being worded at him as it is, most frequently produces an answer - not his own and not anyone else's. In fact, the way the question is put would lean even a normal man a bit the wrong way: the researcher is exerting his influence upon the will of the medium and gets ... as a result, a simulation, a product of conditions from nowhere."
October 26, 1934.
John David; T. G. Hamilton; Lillian Hamilton.
Sterge, Walter and R. L. Stevenson come and give greetings.
Sterge dictates:
"One of the points in connection with this business of controlling is known to us as the focal point. To some extent this circle on our side and a circle on your side, united together by the medium, a very narrow port of communication, may be likened to an hour glass, broad and circular at either side and slender and narrow in their point of communication.
"But in more ways than one does this connection hold: all the thoughts of those in our circle, working as unanimously as possible, at their maximum of efficient impressionability, it is necessary to convey through to you. Conversely, this is true on your side, and any deviation from the focal point by any sitter or sitters, or control or controls, shifts that focal point so that the thoughts do not converge directly at the point of entry, and only stray and disassociated ideas, vague mutterings, and bilious, upset physical conditions, are the result. To achieve that which has any likelihood of permanency, any symptoms of enduring values, it is essential that not only the medium and control be in accord, but that all the sitters, and the sitters of the controlling circle be in accord. Frequently the hour-glass which represents our joint work changes shape to meet a joint change in desires; but any continuous variation in desires means a malformed hour-glass, incapable of measuring out any worth-while thing which will have permanent value."
Sterge: "That's all. My love most sincerely to the little Mademoiselle; my wit most brilliantly to her also, and to you, madame, my love."
November 2, 1934.
John David; Lillian Hamilton.
Sterge dictates:
"Many conditions are imposed upon you and your sitters from time to time, depending upon the work at hand, and the controlling entities' desire; but as you probably suspect, we, too have varying conditions imposed upon us; and it is necessary for us to employ a different technique, varying as on your side, with the work, the instrument and the conditions.
"Just as anyone on your side taking a highly sensitive machine absolutely cold and unused for some time, must operate the instrument manually to start it, and run it slowly, not applying power till it is warmed up, for fear it may stop and for direct economy of fuel, so also do we find it necessary, by the employment of our vibrations on your instrument in the physical, to so attune our vibrations that there is imparted to your instrument a type of movement almost mechanical, evidenced by swaying of the bodily movements of the members, staccato conditions of the voice and lips, and so on. Then, having our machine in motion, a little light fuel is allowed to flow from our fuel-sources (our minds) and with the instrument's reactions to these mechanical physical movements, these lightly fed thoughts of ours are sucked or worked through into the operating machinery, and find their expression through the correct channel, the tongue of the medium. Little by little do these thoughts surge through to greater and greater power, sometimes to our amazement. With the first manual operation, a highly volatile condition occurs as thoughts slip in with a rush, similar to a rush of air into a vacuum, and immediately thoughts burst through and the machinery is going at top speed. When we make these very simple comparisons it is not that we feel that you would not understand a more involved one; but rather, that in this series of talks, taken as a whole, the same truths apply as in the unit-sitting: as we gather speed and power, so can the output of work be greater and stronger; and with strength and greatness we will find more involved material."
November 6, 1934.
Mercedes (in trance): "I am being taken into a room. There is a man who lies upon the bed in this room. The face is familiar, but I cannot recognize who he is. I am repeating the words as he says them to me: 'I am sick unto death, but I am not afraid! I know I do not die. I only sleep for a little time, and then awaken to a new beginning. I know they have come for me - not angels - but men such as you are. They whisper to me, and tell me not to be afraid.
[Does this refer to T. G. H.'s coming death? - L. H.]
The scene now changes and I am taken a long way. I do not go up steps, but I ascend. I enter a gateway, and there is a long narrow path. There is much growth around me of trees and grass and flowers. I come to a house - material - such as you have. I follow the procession into the house. It is not many seconds until I am joined by many who seem to come through doors and walls. They look at the man on the couch. They stroke his hair and make passes over him. He awakens. "Is this the after-math? Is this what all men fear? Is this death?" I go with the others and they tell me that this man must sleep for a little while. When they come again they will tell me who is this gentleman; and they will follow his experiences through the astral plane.
Norman: "This will have a bearing on what will come later. We are pleased to have got it through."
T. G. H.: (to Walter/Dawn: "I have had a letter from a man living in California who is concerned about the fact that our Katie King does not look like Crookes' Katie King to any marked degree. What have you to say about that?"
Walter/Dawn: "I know. I told you about that long ago. There is bound to be a change in the entity through progression. You must also remember that there is a distinct change in the art of photography since Crookes' time. Also, you must remember that the medium in each case had a bearing on some of the features. Some features of the medium will be produced in the photograph (the teleplasmic likeness). This may seem strange to you; but it is true. The face takes its form from the personality of the medium as well as from the personality of the control. You didn't stress the likeness between the two Katies; and in this you were sensible."
Walter further makes it clear that the same entity (Katie King) was back of both materializations. He then speaks feelingly of the faithfulness of his sitters. States that they can get plenty of mental mediums - more than they want, sometimes - but that physical mediums are much rarer. He says that in many cases, mental work is highly desirable; but that it cannot be used to prove conclusively, in his opinion, the reality of survival. He holds that the physical is the only means by which the public generally can be convinced. All on his side do not agree with him in this. He also states that the "direct voice" can, and will, be produced with the medium Norman.
Norman was in deep trance throughout. He was found to be anaesthetic.
November 9, 1934.
Jack MacDonald (medium); Lillian Hamilton; Margaret Hamilton Bach (recorder).
Music is supplied with gramophone. Medium becomes entranced at once, and when record has finished playing, Sterge speaks and greet us in his lovely fashion. We talk for some three or four minutes on personal matters; then medium's head drops forward, and the following is dictated:
"The most familiar aspect of controlling, of which the general public are aware, is that of the entranced or semi-entranced medium functioning within or without a circle, generally in darkness and specifically referring to things pertaining to our side, and while entranced, speaking as one, or writing as one claiming to be a survived personality.
"As I have mentioned before in this series of talks, there is an equally common aspect of a type of control, or control-ment, which, although familiar enough, is not at present generally recognized as what one might call a malignant, continuous type of control. Naturally and correctly, this leads our thoughts to those lower beings, those unwise entities, those careless controls who, finding an easy entry to, and continuous outlet through some living individual, practice a more or less continuous and incessantly fluctuating directive flow of their personality through this human channel. When one sits down with one's self and computes even in a general fashion, from the people we have known, the proportions of good, wasteful, evil, and ignorant types who have come over here, even during a short period of years, one cannot help but be indelibly impressed with the preponderance of the less desirable type of individual. That means that in spite of all the fine work which is being done over here to raise the spirituality low to a more exalted condition, there is a preponderance superfluity of such individuals. And beyond all shadow of doubt, many of them possessed definite psychic faculties and definite psychic force. If this is not used to good intent, given an outlet for it, it becomes undoubtedly part of the sacrament of evil. So, in dealing with the aspect of controlling mediumistic instruments, we must treat with this portion of the subject, as well as such elevated types as we have here and which you have found elsewhere. Such forms of controlling, continuous unintelligent controlling, so as to render almost complete obliteration of the living individual's mind and will, render that individual mentally incompetent, and to all appearances, he has every, or most of the properties of an individual mentally diseased; and it is my firm conviction that innumerable cases are in existence in your own city. I am not repudiating the facts that there is definite mental disease and decay of the brain cells. These facts are known, and have been proven time and time again. Nor do I say that all apparent unseating of an individual's own personality argue to the superposition of another personality.
"To differentiate between these cases is a delicate matter, and often it is complicated by actually finding evidence of both mental disease and continuous possessive control."
The dictation breaks off and Sterge speaks. Discussing the subject matter of what has been given:
"I really do assure you that for every medium under good guidance there is a medium under bad guidance. I believe, personally, that many suicides are ascribed to this ... We believe in this as inferences drawn from evidence presented on other accounts ..."
"And once again do I point out the definite point in some lives, particularly those of women, when such a condition may come of itself and be a temporary thing. I refer you to my third or fourth talk on the subject. I trust you to recall it - specifically, change of life - a really dangerous time with some individuals, since it makes possible opportunities which have never before existed in that individual's life, for continuous and undesirable influences outside. Generally such a condition is only temporary, seldom extending beyond a year. So too, and I'm saying this to you conversationally, not really as part of the talk, where you are, whom you are with, what you're thinking, all of these things are factors deciding in some cases, not all cases, what influences will come to you from our aside; and the faculties which you have will, of themselves, depending upon this condition, pick up what your yourself and your environment tend to seek for ... That is not very well put, and as I say, is quite without that talk unless you wish to insert it ..."
Arthur, Sterge and Robert speak to us in turn, mostly concerning this new effort at collaboration. Arthur mentions that he, too, is assisting, in his small way, as he says. After a few moments of such conversation, Sterge closes the sitting.
[No date given - assume November 9, 1934.
"As this voice is a combination coming through the medium, so also is this work a combination taking a part from you. This very voice which you hear speaking is part of you and you and you."
T. G. H.: "You mean, we are the negative, and you the positive."
Control: "Yes; and one reason why we have used such a small group of sitters is that you are of one mind, and we are of one mind, and thus we are able to do our work competently because we have the power. Often in circles, we have to transform the direct power from certain individuals so that it can be used. Here that is not necessary; the energy which we desire is freely available ... All really worthwhile work in this line is a composite, as positive and negative on either side are composite with the contributing factor ... I should like if one of you would incorporate the information we have discussed, in the talk. I feel this information is valuable. I do want you, however, to use your discretion as to what material you will use, since some of it, in the form it is, may not be understandable to certain forms of mind. That I leave to your judgment or to bring to my attention."
T. G. H.: "I suppose you are discussing and improving these methods constantly."
Control: "We have worked many years in this field, and we have been very stupid; since, although we knew that by gathering as a group we got better results than as a unit, we had never realized that we had in that a basis for assuming that there was a definite law governing this work to a similar end. It is strange, having worked with it so long, that it had not dented our perception before. It's strange how close one may be to a thing and not see it. Finally, however, it has come to us that this is so; that there are really, as in every branch of science, definite laws governing this universe; and that some study of this work will bring out laws which, when perceived and followed, will be of immense value to us. And it is only very recently that we came to a realization of the significance of coordination of people, in that it represented a superposition of personalities, one on top of the other, or one through the other, toward a finite (definite) end ... I will have to relax ..."
Sterge returns, then Walter speaks and teases T. G. H.:
"You're some swell researcher, Ham. Why didn't you think of all these things yourself?'... I saw the work they are doing and I think it's right; they are awful theorists, but they are right ... and I can see that there's definite work formulating under our fingers now. It means that we are now turning to other things; it means a rearrangement, and a temporary halt, but that is all. I believe there is a possibility of a voice from without, without a voice box, without a trumpet, without the circle, without Walter, and without Ham; and Walter's going to talk to you soon, Ham, about the work, and we'll soon be marching on. That's all. I'm just a neighbor across the way who dropped in. So long."
Sterge returns to close the sitting.
November 13, 1934.
Mercedes' vision is continued
Norman is entranced, and breathing very heavily.
Mercedes (in a trance): "I must go and see how our brother is faring. He still sleeps; but they awake him. He looks around and moves as if to raise himself from the couch. This seems to be in accord with the plans of those who are with him. They say "It is time, let us go.", and all go through the open door. They come along the path we trod before, and through the gate, and along the same road. We enter into a wider space. I see nothing, but I am conscious of people near me. We come again to a place that is peopled with entities similar to those we call spirit forms; and yet they seem very real. We stay with our friend; and I hear our guides say to him "Do you feel ready to help in the work?", and he answers "Yes". Then they say, "Come quickly with us and we will give you a test." They take him to a room such as you are in here where there are a few people sitting around. There is a woman; thin and pale, sitting in a cabinet such as you have here. I see this man try to come through the body of this woman and speak with her tongue. But it is not successful; he cannot manage it; he is confused. They tell him not to be alarmed: as it is only a test. He must try again, and try in many places. The six are with him. It is a building up of material which is to come to you soon - a manifestation of voice production."
[Prophetic of T. G. H.'s post-mortem experience. See L. H. - BC experiments, April 17, 1935. T. G. H. died April 7, 1935.]
Later. Walter, through Dawn, tells Mr. Reed that there is a man in naval uniform standing beside him; he calls him "a big shot!" Says he has the same name as Reed; that he has whiskers - a beard. That he is a "Sir." Norman is in trance, gagging and coughing.
[Comment: After the sitting, Mr. Reed said this description was evidential. His great-uncle was Sir Edward Reed, one of eight leading naval architects; knighted by King Edward VII in recognition of his work.]
[See article on Reed in Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th edition. See also materialization of February 28, 1940. - L. H.]
[Something is missing here. W. D. F.]
... others. When Ellen (E.M., Elizabeth Poole ) was here, and Dawn in the cabinet, the work was at its peak. At various times other powerful mediums have been present; but it was difficult to connect them up. They have not been as suitable as those at the beginning of your work. I will tell Ellen's friends that she is happy. They will comfort her. She will get a right royal welcome when she comes over. Walter feels it is of no use to speak to Dawn. If she comes back it must be on her own accord. I am taking energy from you all that I may show it later."
November 16, 1934.
Jack MacDonald (medium); Lillian Hamilton; T. G. Hamilton; Margaret Hamilton Bach (recorder).
Sterge speaks first; inconsequential conversation. Then medium takes on blended control, speaking in a clear firm voice without any trace of accent, either Scotch or French:
"I am here now, speaking in that blended voice of mine, and I assure you it is not one of those recorded types of voices: although it is blended, I can think replies to your questions. It is a type of voice with which it is possible to put through continuous connected concerted thinking rather than the brilliance or pseudo-brilliance of my other voice. And may I ask you, have you any questions to ask concerning that material which I have given you, or are there omissions in that material, or deviations from the points which interest you, which you would like me to explain and illustrate more fully and more completely?"
T. G. H.: "In your work, do you combine the two personalities into a composite?"
Control: "I didn't say there were two; sometimes there are more than two. By the same means as my personality is projected through this medium, so do we project ourselves upon each other. Like your mind might impress your wife's, and you two in turn influence your daughter, supposing she were the medium, this is something that we have utilized, and it is so successful because we here agree."
T. G. H.: "It is a built-up dynamo ... Would it be possible (to have) an individual in the group who was antagonistic to the work?"
Control: "It would be retrogressive to the work, but it wouldn't stop it. You will find that unless they are there for some definitely contrary purpose, they count for nothing at all."
T. G. H.: "Is there such a thing as an assault of evil from your side, on our work?"
Control: "Yes. It is the same hook-up. You have to be on guard. And it's not so much of an individual attack as a concerted attack, projected one upon the other, where several evil entities have one as their spearhead. Such a union never takes place unless there is a cunningly thought out plan, and a purpose and a mutual attraction for the same thing. Just as several streams of water thrown together toward the one slope of land, merge, so evil entities merge for controlling.
"I am sincerely glad you asked those questions I've been wanting to answer, since a little stimulus from each or any of you is a very potent factor in our work at times. There are times when it is not beneficial, and occasionally it is retrogressive; but generally, stimulating. Your questions tonight were quite along the lines we had been going and hope to go further.
November 21, 1934.
Norman; Mercedes; Mr. Reed; Mrs. L. Campbell; T. G. H.; L. H.; Ada Turner; Florence; Ewan.
Katie/Mercedes: "I am just here to say you are not getting along with the work as you should be. I'll come if my father is intending to work with the new medium (Norman). I know John cannot work unless I am here. I am going to try to speak through the voice machine when it materializes. Our work has not been satisfactory for a long time. Your medium Dawn was not giving herself fully; and undesirable forces would not permit us to work up to standard. Friends are here tonight who have not been here since the little woman (Elizabeth M.) used to sit in your box. The cords separated when that little medium went. It is difficult to attach the cords to ..."
[Something is missing here. W. D. F. ]
November 23, 1934.
John David; T. G. Hamilton; Lillian Hamilton; Margaret Hamilton Bach; Langtry Thompson.
Music by gramophone. Sterge speaks at the conclusion of the record being played, says:
"Music causes our subconscious minds to tune to that which we have on hand; that is to say, proper opening and closing routine is a benefit to this work, since it starts the subconscious mind in a certain path, and a closing routine very definitely causes a separation from the controls after the sitting. There is no "hangover" and the best technicians in this work close in the same manner and with the same words."
T. G. H.: "By the use of that proper technique we have the greatest guarantee against interference, then."
Sterge: "Yes."
He then asks L. T. (Langtry Thompson) to join hands in the circle.
Sterge (to T. G. H.): "Yes, you have absolute guarantee that definite results can almost be predicted if a certain technique is followed; and if it is not followed, many things will be given in a state of disintegration, things which can only be called "material" and not "results". So often they will be very, very futile. It is to be recommended that you will open and close in a routine. So have your people of old known this when they closed their daytime with prayer, and opened it so ... It is possible, when the mind is in that state on the borderline of consciousness, for evil thoughts to flow in, which, being in the mind at night, may be in it in the morning."
L. H.: "It's equally possible for the influence of good to enter too, is it not?"
Sterge: "Oh, yes. The fact that you have some aspiring thoughts in your mind when you go to rest - it might even be reading a very good book - will have a definite stimulus for mental uplift. These things which have been so often recommended in the past, have a factual basis.
"And now, I think, I am going to change."
Medium's head is thrown back, and he now speaks very loudly and clearly without a trace of French accent:
"Here I am back in quite a different voice, but nevertheless quite the same individual, plus a little, or a lot of the accumulated thoughts and energies emanating from my colleagues in this work. I would like to ask you, as I did last week, if out of the material previously given you, you had chanced upon some one thing, or things, you would like me to expand."
L. H.: "Are your mediums in a state of trance?"
Sterge: "Semi-trance ..."
Medium has a little difficulty in speaking, and pauses for a few seconds. Sterge speaks again with his French accent:
" ... There was a strange thing. You probably noticed a break in my power and voice, and then I had to come back to my own voice."
New voice again:
"When you asked that question it came ..."
Medium whistles, stamps and rubs hands and becomes very lively in movement. Control speaks:
Walter: "Yes! It's me! Hello! I'm fine! (Medium stands) Yes! I'm going to give him some more of those things my teacher used to call calisthenics." (Medium turns around several times.)
Walter becomes less boisterous, is presented to Mr. Thompson. Walter now speaks loudly and clearly, almost shouting:
"I can turn him around and around; (medium turns around slowly as he speaks). You see, it's in these physical movements ... that enables me to control him like I've been doing, and enables me to control others as well ... I hope Mr. Thompson does not think I am a dervish ... It seems to be such a struggle for me, but it is competent control I seek, and I mean to get it. These other gentlemen have ideas on control, and I have some too, and I must say their ideas are all along mental lines, and my ideas are not pertaining particularly to mental lines; and what I'm going to talk about is the physical aspects. For your own personal interest I am going to tell you what I have found in my work. This is intended for your own personal enlightenment, Ham.
"First of all, a startling thing; that is, this substance which you called ectoplasm or teleplasm - I do not create that substance: it comes from the body of the medium, and I am able by thought processes and physical manipulation through my thoughts, to expel this material, to collect it and expel it and assimilate it. But (and I say this in all seriousness), I firmly believe that it is possible for a person possessing ectoplasm - and you all do possess the necessary energy - to train themselves to expel this substance from their own selves. I can't prove this definitely, but I believe it's true. Now I, in my place here, can't produce ectoplasm because I haven't a body; but I think that sometime soon when we, that is, you and I, cooperating, learn more of these laws governing the so called (mark well, Ham), the so-called abnormal faculties, that we will, in finding these laws, be able to utilize normally and at will, the present so-called abnormal substance.
"... So you think that this is all, Walter? Oh, no. It's Walter and the voice. So you were fooled, Ham? - Well, I thought I would assist them; but I said that when I did this, they have to let me tell you this!"
T. G. H.: "Does this teleplasm not in part come from the air?"
Walter: "Yes, but it has to have a medium."
T. G. H.: "Do you take energy from the sitters?"
Walter: "Yes."
T. G. H.: "Then the medium is the machine for making it up?"
Walter: "Yes; and the medium is a machine for projecting that material into the air."
T. G. H.: "Does it not sometimes form first as a fine cloud?"
Walter: "Yes; and it is a very definite thing, although you cannot see it. A sensitive enough camera would record it. And there is a connection between the medium and a cloud assembling, and that vaporous cloud is different from that to each one of our minds. In giving the answer that I did, I met up with a disagreement on the part of one of our colleagues. Curiously enough, and in direct keeping with what I had told you, previously, it shut off my voice - the voice which I call mine, which is a voice built up from all of us. That is, one of my colleagues here does not believe that what I had said was strictly correct, and at that point the voice broke down... I was truly glad that did occur, since I myself could not have created a situation which would illustrate the point I had spoken of."
[No date given - assume November 23, 1934.]
T. G. H.: "That is, you can't synthesize ideas unless they harmonize."
Sterge: "No, not at all; and as I have stated before, M. le docteur, we never give material that is not the unanimous opinion, wrought from personal experiences of each one in our group presenting the cumulative voice ... My dissenting colleague is probably correct in his convention; since, personally, it is a result of his experience; and I do believe this to be true, that the various types of mediumship are equally as diverse on our side as on yours; and that the physical or mental (with us it is the mental and spiritual) conditions of the instrument being used, governs the trance condition."
Pause for rest; Sterge speaks for a moment or two in his "French" voice, then resumes the "English" voice:
"And now I am bringing back my voice to try again. Again let me inquire, have you concerning the work which has gone on before, have you any additional questions on points which I may not have brought out quite clearly?"
T. G. H.: "No, we have none just now."
Sterge: Then we will proceed, if possible, with some more material.
"In the matter of choosing an instrument we are governed to some extent by the same conditions which are, of a normal course, applied to yourselves. Definitely, I say, this faculty to control an instrument, which is a form of negative mediumship, is a faculty which is given to many but given only to a few to develop to any appreciable degree. And with our own group here working with you, we, each and every one of us, are genuine mediums and genuine controls; because to be a control we must be a medium, - not quite the same form of mediumship as is found with you, but nevertheless a form of it."
Sterge breaks in again, speaking with his French accent, to say he has great difficulty in holding the boy down as he (medium) is very tired:
"His thoughts keep bumping mine, and I am sometimes squeezed to the wall by him ... I think what I will do will be to talk in my Sterge-voice and it may be more successful."
"You will notice that with the other voice there is little or no physical movement; naturally that is true because I have already gone through the mechanical opening processes which were necessary to open him to the stream. (of influence)."
L. H.: "I noticed at the beginning at trace out Robert's voice."
Sterge: "That is so, since he came in strongly at the beginning to help me put the boy down ... I think I hand him over to someone else, someone who wants to come."
[Something missing here. W. D. F.]
"... material ectoplasm which I use. I have used the vaporous form here once or twice, but that is not the same substance as the material ectoplasm. It is a different compound of the same basic materials, but there is a difference in density and also a difference in the chemical compound."
L. T. (Langtry Thompson): "If one walked between the medium and the vaporous cloud, would it affect the cloud?"
Walter: "I do not think so; in a case where there is actual substance it would, but in the case of a cloud, that connection is not in the physical; it's a connection of energy, and it would continue to pass through that person's body unaffected by flesh or clothing. The heavier material would be broken. We are dealing, for instance, with two things - Ham's hand, and his breath. The comparison there is not good, since if I walked through Ham's breath it would not pass through my body; but if I, Walter, walked through Ham's breath, it would pass through my body."
T. G. H. has to leave the room to keep an appointment. Langtry at the control's request, takes T. G. H.'s vacated chair.
Walter: "I am now practically Walter again. They are resting, content with what I did put through."
"You are, I am glad to see, observing all the conditions necessary for good scientific work, as I have directed and requested you from time to time. It is a great help to me to secure the cooperation such as you are giving, and if I could receive the same co-operation from my sitters and mediums equally undoubtedly I could do much better than I have. And as I said, the work will take on new form and new meaning. That after all, is one of the important things."
Walter now says he has to go, and shouts a cheery "So long!" Sterge returns, chats, and mentions his plans for next sitting:
"Next week I propose to go on with some material which I have touched on and expand it for you. There are several things I want to take up: there are at times certain definite influences from our side, outside the séance room, which could not properly be described as controlling influences. I want to talk of inspiration and things like that which all come under the ramifications of our subject; and which have also come under the personal control of every member of our group on this side."
Sterge then closes the sitting, saying 'au revoir' to Langtry and wishing him much happiness, and saluting Madame and Mademoiselle.
November 28, 1934.
Mercedes' section (special sitting); L. H.; T. G. H. (called out); J. A. Hamilton (called out); Ada Turner; Harold Turner; Mercedes; W. Barrie; Lu Campbell; Margaret H. Bach, Secretary.
Sterge speaks at first in his "French" voice, then after a moment or two of general conversation, switches over to the firm clear voice for dictation:
"Here I am in my voice which is the one voice out of a combination; but as my very good friend here has said, what I did, and still propose to speak on tonight, is - to deal precisely with types of control which are without the séance room; and under that classification I may mention 'inspiration' and 'suggestion'. I think I will deal with those to begin with, and I do hope Mademoiselle will not mind me using her as an illustration. I know she will not.
"The first type of real influence without any definite visible circle on your side is that type of influence which I classify as the inspirational type. Practically always does this inspirational phenomenon occur through one individual; rarely through more unless the individuals are supersensitive and very accurately attuned to this inspiration. I may here refer to what may be well known to all of you - a case of alleged mass-inspiration. I believe in one of the old Hebraic Gospels, there was very considerable difficulty among scholars as to how this same might be translated and transcribed. Of course, this goes back centuries and centuries. I know not how long this tale has gone down the ages. Seventy Hebrew scholars were engaged to do this compilatory work. Each one kept apart from the other until completion, and kept from all worldly influences until this work was completed. These seventy copies, when compared, were declared to be identical. This, if true, is a case of group-inspiration. Personally, I doubt the veracity of it, but that is what we are told.
"I am just going to mention a type of inspiration I allied to the inspiration from a controlling entity - which does not emanate from any so-called living source. Pure poetry and pure music I believe, do exist, and these fountains, wherever they may be, that store these two forms of pure art, do send out definite vibrations similar to inspirational vibrations proceeding from our side; and which inspiration is translated by the sensitive poet-artist into word-forms and musical tune-forms; but the process is exactly the same, yet not emanating, so far as we are aware, from any so-called life-source as we know life. But, by attuning ourselves, by concentrated effort, by word, thought and deed toward securing definite impressions from our side, any individual sensitive enough, may receive them in a more or less pure form. He may receive them from living entities on your side, for the vibrations they create while living, can be tapped by a sensitive; he can receive them from one on our side, or can also receive influences indirectly, from sources higher up, which I believe, originate with the Original Life forthcoming from the Divine. The individual is able to achieve this without a circle, because the actual use of the circle is to provide sufficient additional power to enable the medium to operate coherently and continuously. But it is possible for the individual himself to so concentrate that he can accumulate within himself and over a period of time this power which is otherwise obtained by impelling forces within a circle. (I have not made that clear, I know, but it is done as well as I can).
"Similarly, and of course quite naturally, one can obtain the spiritual influence of a lower type, and I want you to be sure that I am not speaking of actual possession of any individual, but that the individual, so trying, so concentrating on evil, so intent on it, can and will, and does tap untoward influences which, although they are not, and cannot be attributed to one single entity or possessor, are nevertheless a fact, and sad to say, too often the result of very definite evil on your side. Similarly do your mediums react to places where other individuals have lived, to clothing they have worn, to books they have touched, react in such a manner as to show definite tendencies along the same lines.
"I had mentioned that I might use Mademoiselle, my friend, as an illustration. Briefly, it is this: Claude Debussy is a musician; he and Mademoiselle are in many ways of like minds. Debussy had similar tastes in both verse and in music, his sensitiveness was similar. With this bond, which by contact here, has grown up between them, and with definite desires on her part, he is able to influence her in her music according to her desire to be influenced. Curiously enough, he is able best to influence her in the things they have agreed upon, and very fortunately, there is very little disagreement, and hence a stronger influence. But his influence with her is strongest, I say, when there is agreement, and naturally he does not want her to agree unless she feels it is that way; and the influence of him to her is in the same way as the material coming through this voice must be the unanimous opinion of all the contributors: any disagreement spoils absolutely or partially the information. Am I quite clear?"
"Now, with a slight reference to suggestion: it is pos
