1934
Dec 7 - Dec 30
December 7, 1934.
Ewan section; Dr. Bruce Chown; Gladys Chown; L. H.; T. G. H.; Ewan in very deep trance. John David; T. G. Hamilton; Lillian Hamilton; Langtry Thompson; J. R. B. (Bach); Margaret Hamilton Bach (recorder).
Alexandre Bisson manifests.
Sterge comes, speaking in "French" voice, greets everyone, and speaks to J. R. Bach, telling him of the new work and new type of voice. Then dictates:
"As I had already indicated in my discussion with you last week, it is our united desire to examine with you again, and at this time, possibly in a better fashion, some of the aspects of obsession and possession, and dual personality; I think in this case we may also include something which I don't think has ever been mentioned in that connection, but which we feel may be partially experienced in that manner (when there is no biological factor to the contrary). I refer to what is known medically as homosexuality - male personalities in female bodies, and vice versa. It is true; but as I said, you will note my parenthetical statement, when no biological factor enters into it, in which case it is possibly a possession.
"I will deal with this first in the light of a well-known author; it involves both dual personality and the other; it is the well known case of William Sharpe. William Sharpe was a very well known journalist and poet and playwright of, I believe, England or Scotland. He was also an editor.(I am not sure of these facts, and I will give them as generalities and you may adjust them later.) For the first and major portion of his life William Sharpe was William Sharpe the writer, and his work was characteristic. He was a married man, well respected, and so remained all his life. But (and we'll place a tentative age on this), at about 45 years, William Sharpe began to write as a new individual - and all his writing expressed a belief that he was Fiona MacLeod. From the writings of Fiona MacLeod we gather this much, that she was very likely Highland Scottish, living some years before, I believe, from her writings; and also, most of the material from Fiona MacLeod was of the Highlands, tinged with the sadness and lament of that country. Moreover, the author experienced the feelings and sentiments of a woman, referring in particular and in first person to the "child stirring beneath her breast," and to as many things similar to that as one could count on two pairs of hands. Also, there is a sense of mourning as for a loved one, a man, one dead. The domestic duties of the Scottish woman are brought out. But when this literary expression was over, Fiona MacLeod receded and William Sharpe became once more William Sharpe. Later in his life I believe a secondary personality to Fiona MacLeod appeared, and I believe several minor ones. But the two sharply contrasting personalities of William Sharpe and Fiona MacLeod, I believe, were evident until his death. Not having personal contact with William Sharpe, and being unable to make it excepting through our colleague Stevenson, we as a group knew little about him over here; but we believe we may, by the aid of Stevenson, bring him here and have him talk, as well as Fiona MacLeod. That may occur in two weeks' time. I only sketch this so you may know ahead of time and look up any recorded facts about it so that you will be able to check up on these entities coming through. Certainly, when we bring them we will be sure ourselves. Our personal conviction is that it was definitely (although it is spoken of as a secondary personality, and undoubtedly it was just that), not a secondary personality of William Sharpe, but a personality operating through him and secondary to him in his body; and only could Fiona MacLeod manipulate the mind and body of William Sharpe at moments of poetical inspiration, that is, when his vibrations were attuned to the impulses given by her."
Sterge stops dictating in the special "voice" and resumes his own method of speaking, with a slight French accent. The following is given in answer to questions put by T. G. H. and L. T.
"These things are the result of absolute laws, or of the violation of some law; as, evil possession. Now generally speaking, when the affected person is naturally of a good, fine, clean temperament, they can infringe on these laws and not be harmed; also, they can throw off these possessions much more easily. But a person weak or wicked would scarcely ever throw off an entity unless a miracle could occur, and that would mean that someone would have to have the faith and strength for them. Of a necessity these possessions come on as a result of a free-well action of the individual; I mean, the possessed individual's free will; and naturally that will is determined to some extent by their training and environment. It is our conviction that beyond all the noticeable things that go to degrade us, there are causes on our side which contribute - that is, visible and invisible causes.
"Our work here is to improve your outlook. Our point of view is not at the present to give this theory to the world, but to you personally. We are trying to tell you what we know, and we are not saying that this is so absolutely, but that it is so, within our experience. We can't give this knowledge to you until you are ready for it. We are telling you these things but we are hoping they will explain things that you could not see reason for before. There is reason for everything and so often that reason is beyond your actuality ... these laws of the universe are to be found mostly in religion, and the only difficult thing is that it is extremely hard for you, in your present condition (state of spiritual evolution?) to follow them.
"Within my own personal experiences, I have been brought up in the teachings of Jesus Christ, and I can't see any philosophy doing more for me ... I will speak of the cure of obsession - that is part of the plan."
Sitting closes.
[No date given - assume December 7, 1934]
Jesus the man.
"Never think the dear Lord wants us to be always on the hill-tops: He understands every phase of life perfectly. Fun, laughter, are His emissaries as well as prayer and devotion. Believe that my friend? Certainly you do: your own common sense and good heart tell you that it is so. Be perfectly natural with Him. Do not try to hide anything: all, all he understands. None is so human as he; non so divine. I do not comprehend the greater mysteries that lie beyond but I do know that He is human to the core and that His tenderness and his love pass mere telling. Think of Him just now as a man but as it Man who was and is God. Divinest of mysteries! Most glorious of truths! Oh, my dear friend, what joy awaits us all! Language and imagination cannot encompass it and you and I and the other dear friends have a part in His momentous plan for redemption now just beginning and to go on and on till all shall be gathered in. He shall conquer and time shall be no more! Already can you not see the harvest coming in? A world ready and softened to the Master's will? The dawn is breaking!
"Come unto me all ye that labor" was not meant to be interpreted as a warning to those downcast that life was growing too hard for them, but as an invitation to come and surrender their tired bodies and brains into His keeping so that He might renew their spirits so that they might mount up as eagles, ready to run the race set for them. I sometimes think that He alone understands how tired poor humanity gets with the strain of trying to be good against such terrible odds as one has to encounter in the world, the flesh and the devil; that he alone is able to enter in and fully comprehend the abounding complexities of the whole business. Certainly His humanity is for me established beyond all doubt. And that to me is a Pearl above price in the factual assembly I called my mind.
December 9, 1934.
Controls speak of work going on elsewhere; speak also of other work in the Hamilton group about to take place. The two will be joined. The door must always be kept shut.
[Before the sitting, L. H. had found that the séance room door had been left slightly open after the last sitting. She had told no one. It was a hard and fast rule that the door must be locked between sittings; somehow this had not been done. A curtain hung over the door so that light entered only along the sides. The controls were apparently aware of this. - L. H.)]
December 10, 1934.
Ewan group. Dr. Bruce Chown; Gladys Chown; T. G. H.; L. H.; Ewan;
Schenck-Notzing manifests through Ewan.
December 16, 1934. Full Group. Voice said to be near.
December 19, 1934. Mercedes Group. Mercedes absent.
December 23, 1934.
Mercedes; Ada Turner; Harold Turner; L. H.; T. G. H.; J. A. Hamilton; Ethel Muir; Lu Campbell; W. Barrie; Mr. Reed.
First attempt at teleplasmic "Voice" - seems to be attached to Mercedes.
December 27, 1934
Dr. T. Glenn Hamilton Honored
by Confreres and Hospital Staff.
Presentation upon Retirement from Medical Staff of General Hospital - 35 years service.
On the occasion of his retirement from the medical staff of the Winnipeg General hospital, Dr. T. Glenn Hamilton, Kelvin Street, was honored by confreres and other members of the medical staff Thursday of last week, when he was made the recipient of a handsome zipper ring book cover (in leather). The inside cover bore the following inscription "Presented to Dr. T. G. Hamilton from the confreres and the medical staff of the Winnipeg General hospital. December 20, 1934."
On the outside cover page was stamped the name of the recipient.
The presentation was made on behalf of the staff by Dr. J. A. Gunn, who paid glowing tribute to Dr. Hamilton's long and efficient service on the medical staff. Dr. Gunn also made pleasing reference to Dr. Hamilton's intensive study and efforts in the field of psychic research in connection with which he has attained very wide recognition.
Dr. Hamilton has assisted at the General Hospital since his student days thirty-five years ago, during the past twenty-three of which he served on the medical staff.
His many friends in this community will join in offering felicitations upon such pleasing recognition of his service at the hospital.
December 27,1934
[There is a disparity between the dates at the top and at the bottom of this article on Dr. J. A. Hamilton.]
Sudden heart attack fatal to Dr. J. A. Hamilton
Dr. James Archibald Hamilton, 1894 graduate of Manitoba Medical College, and a widely-known practitioner in Winnipeg, died suddenly Thursday morning, December 27, 1934, at his home, 31 St. James Place, as the result of a heart attack.
He was born at Scarborough, Ontario, in 1869, and came west with his parents and family in 1883, settling first in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Seven years later the family moved to Winnipeg, where Dr. Hamilton completed his education.
He later entered into a partnership with his brother Dr. T. Glen Hamilton, also widely-known Winnipeg practitioner, the partnership continuing until his death. His brother is his sole surviving relative.
Dr. Hamilton was an active Freemason, and also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. His recreation was golf.
A funeral service will be held at 2:45 o'clock Saturday afternoon, December 29, 1934 at the A. B. Gardiner funeral home, following which burial will be made in the family plot, Elmwood Cemetery.
The passing of Dr. Jim
[There is a photo of Dr. Jim in the column]
In the bitter chill of the late December afternoon a great throng of friends from all parts of the city made their way to the funeral Chapel to pay their last respects to Dr. J. A. Hamilton, whom most of them knew as Dr. Jim. For 30 years he had practiced his calling in the city, and on countless nights of bitter cold he himself had risen at the call of duty to succor the distressed, to alleviate pain, to fight duels with death. So it was but fitting that flowers should bloom above his casket and an army of patients should brave the below-zero weather for his sake.
* * *
This old-timer doctor was not a specialist; he was an unassuming practitioner, and, something more than that, one who had richly earned the sobriquet of Christian gentleman. For he wore at all times, a beatific smile, which was the true index to a gentle soul and a kind heart.
He died on a sudden summons and, at the moment of his passing, after an unsuccessful bout with constriction of the heart, from which he had suffered often of late, he whispered almost at the moment of passing and with a smile of relief, "The last!"
Just a week or so ago he told an intimate friend of the frequency of these attacks of angina and with composure, even smilingly, he nodded his head up and down, in a characteristic manner he had, that he would go that way sooner or later. The end was to come far sooner than any of his friends expected.
* * *
And at the funeral service, when the minister referred to Dr. Jim's unselfish labors for others, to the skill which had prolonged the lives of many of those present, he quoted the ancient and beautiful saying, applied in the first place to the Great Physician, "He saved others; himself he could not save." And as these words were spoken I caught sight of a woman in the chapel, whose face was very thin and white; she looked just as if she had recovered from a serious illness, and tears ran down her pale cheeks, tears of gratitude.
Dr. Jim was intensely interested in psychic research. For years he had studied this subject and his belief in the immortality of the soul had long been with him something more than a pious hope. He believed with St. Paul, that we are actually surrounded by a cloud of witnesses, who once associated with us in the flesh, and who eagerly await our union with them in that other world "which lies about us as a breath."
I was not surprised, therefore, to be told by a friend of mine who has the gift of the second sight that at the funeral service she had fleeting glimpses of angelic faces among the flowers piled high above and behind the doctor's casket. He would have credited such a story as that, not as a mere figment of a too active imagination, but as a lovely possibility. So why should we dismiss it as idle fancy? If it is not true, it ought to be true in the case of Dr. Jim."
Professor W. T. Allison Ivanhoe
December 29, 1934 Saturday
[Letter from old boyhood friend at the Ninette Sanatorium - Dr. D. A. Stewart(?) - head of Sanatorium - widely known Tuberculosis specialist - mentions a 'Jim' who died recently - and who was kind and good - hopes Dr. Hamilton is well.]
[This 'Jim' appears to be Dr. Hamilton's brother, J. A. Hamilton.]
December 30, 1934. Sunday
L. H.; T. G. H.; Ada Turner; Harold Turner; Mercedes; Mrs. Muir; Lou Campbell; Mr. Reed;
[Note: J. A. Hamilton appears, is seen clairvoyantly by Norman and Mercedes. He is accompanied by his two brothers. He wants the group to repeat the last verse of the hymn "Lead, Kindly Light", of which he was particularly fond. Lucy, Walter, and Katie all speak of him and say that he is "doing well," and that his place was prepared for him.]
Voice is not good - the 'power' is low.
Late 1934 (Probably about 22 or 15 of December.)
[Letter from Lillian Hamilton to Margaret:]
"... At Daddy's office this Saturday afternoon helping him to get some mail off on psychics - a letter to Miss Walker - one to Cook, one to Fodor on our last "Cross" experiment. You must not worry too much, but Daddy is not well again - so short of breath and so easily tired. If he can hang out until Glen is through I'm sure he will be glad to take a rest - he even talks now about driving down to see you - if he gets a new car, that is. Wouldn't that be fun? So get your couch bed ready.
"...I do hope Jack gets to see you - he wants to if he can possibly do, he said. He's going to get his brother's car and drive up from Toronto.
"... So glad you had such a jolly time on your week-end. Mrs. Bach and I went to see a show yesterday - she took me - is very friendly and this is our second date. I shall take her to tea soon. She was so glad to hear that you had visited the grand-mere.
"... The amplifier is working splendidly Jim has recorded three times now for us and is a good note-taker and got it nearly all. Only when the medium puts the head down or speaks very, very low is it lost."
1934.
[Excerpts from further R. L. Stevenson 'dissertations']
Analogies:
"There comes to me at this time a parable I learned from my mother; rich in thought and suggestiveness. It is this:
"Far away in the mountains of Scotland there lived a shepherd and his wife Moll. Two children they had - Jimmy and Jean - and a braw pair of bairns they were. In the spring time they laughed and played like a pair of young lambs, but in the winter time they were cauld and 'skiddery'. And so time went on and the bairns came to man's and woman's estates and hied them forth into the equally cold and silent world to earn their livelihood. Time, as time does, still flowed on and they came to be old and were gathered to their fathers. In this way like all men they came to the fairy country; and they were surprised to find there the same wee house among the heather, the same wee sheep and the same wee sheep-fold, the house for their habitation and a sheep and the sheep-fold for their care.
"Now, I have found this parable to be true: we find here the same wee house awaiting our arrival, the same folk needing the same nurturing, that we knew on earth in our first state of existence. It is also grandly simple that one is filled with astonishment and humbleness before God.
"There is in Scotland, also, in the northern part, a cove of small proportions werein dwells a tiny ship owned by a sea-faring man. He earns his living by going forth at sun-up to meet the incoming vessels of larger tonnage: in short, he is a pilot man.
"Now he too may be likened to men we meet here - men who ply back-and-forth bringing into port those who may be storm-tossed or perhaps have need of a final tug to make a safe landing.
"Ye see, it is this way: when a man comes to die he is all alone for a wee space of time (the dark waters of death are no' just a figure) and then he is not alone but surrounded by many kind friends of many kinds: pilots who bring his barque safely to shore; and ministers who pray for him and serving-maids who tend him. Again it is all grandly simple and no' hard at all, at all. Did ye think the Great Mariner would leave us all "at sea"? No, no! He guides us, takes care of us, comforts us, leads us to a safe haven and to the green pastures past the telling of man, beautiful and glorious. And yet how homelike! I can do no better than this: it is homelike, and it is home.
