1934
Jan 3 - Jan 28
January 3, 1934.
Mercedes; Dawn; J. A. Hamilton; T. G. H.; L. H.; Ethel Muir; Ada Turner; Harold Turner; W. Barrie; Mr. Reed; G. Snyder.
8:50 p.m. Started.
Voice through Mercedes: "I come, I not find whom I am looking for. I am looking for my master. I can't find him."
T. G. H.: "Is that you, Naiada?"
Mercedes: "Yes, broken, broken. All connections broken. I ask him to come. I cannot find him."
T. G. H.: "Know you his name?"
Answer: "My master, I call him. Maybe I find him."
A long pause, then whistling through Dawn. Florence agitated.
T. G. H.: "Good evening, Flo."
Florence: "God will comfort ..."
Dawn: "Good evening. What is the matter with you all? You would think that your grandmother's cat had stolen your breakfast. Someone came in your circle just now. He carried a white flag. It looked as if he were trying to make up to you. I don't know him. I tried to see what the flag meant. He was very nice. He wouldn't have to wave a flag to me. They have no enemies. I usually get my way, because my way is the best. Isn't it, Lucy?"
Lucy: "Sometimes it is not the best. The gentleman came with a message. I got it."
Walter: "They are all ears."
Lucy: "Before I give you the message I want to tell you your little friend was here, Naiada. There would have been some very good results in the near future. There was a purpose in their coming to the circle. Our friend tried to use Norman. He will perhaps come again. The gentleman who came in was for your mediums, who have lost a dear friend with whom they had a little misunderstanding. Dawn and Mercedes feel keenly because she passed away without them seeing her. The lady was unable to come herself. The gentleman brought this symbol to show that all was forgiven, and to comfort them . We must get this condition away or there will be no work done. (To Mr. Barrie). How do you like your new baby?" I was there, I saw it. I told you I would be there. It is wonderful."
Florence: "The light is coming again for the first time tonight."
Lucy began to talk about her pictures. She said that Walter said none of them were any good. She told Sun Yan he kept his picture of her in a dark place. He made sure that people were interested before he showed it. Victor was different. He showed it to people whether they were interested in seeing it or not. "I don't approve of trying to force anyone to believe anything; but try to convince them . You will make as many converts by going quietly about it as by forcing it on them . Walter does not approve of my sentiments."
Walter: "I hit them on the head with a hammer. When the little gentleman shows lights to Florence, she must try to concentrate on the colors of them . This is important. Question her."
Lucy (to T. G. H.): "Have you been in another circle since we last met? I seem to see you in the center of a circle. Someone's house I think. I don't see you in the circle, but as an outside sitter. They have a trumpet. I think you are going to be asked to witness some phenomena. Keep it in mind."
Walter: "They will be bringing a trumpet in here."
Lucy: "I don't know if they are visitors, or if they live in your city. Walter knows a lot more than he will tell you."
Walter: "I know this medium is going to write for you. I am fed up with her. I am going to try someone else. Yes, there is the man with a pencil right here now, ready to write. You are not going to write yet. I have something to do before you write.
Walter: "When is Ewan coming back?"
T. G. H.: "Perhaps next time."
Walter: "That's good. I told you before that he would come back. (Nonsense talk by Walter and Norrie re Dr. Head.)
Walter: "Did you get the letter I told you about from across the water?"
T. G. H.: "Yes."
Walter: "Did you answer it?"
T. G. H.: "No. Not yet."
Walter: "There is that fellow, John. You can't mention anybody but here they come."
Walter (to Lucy): "Do you see anything nice?"
Norrie: "You see me. I'm nice."
Lucy: "Yes, I see who is beside you. I wish you would put the finishing touches on that work."
T. G. H.: "Who do you mean?"
Lucy: "I am talking to the man at my side."
Walter: "You don't have to beg. (Talk, re presence of John)
Mrs. H. referred to Gordon being in deep trance.
Walter: "There is a nice man coming in to your circle now. Just a minute till I make his acquaintance. Very peculiar."
Norrie: "Who told you it was John? Everyone who comes in isn't whom you think him to be."
Florence: "Good evening, everybody."
Norrie (to Florence): "Give your message. She should have given it a long time ago."
Florence: "Yes."
Norrie ( to Dawn): "Speak to this one beside me. Speak to them."
Florence: "He must speak. (Grunts from Dawn). Me Chief Rainbow. Me come with boy."
Florence: "Why do you come? Why?"
Answer: "Me come with boy here." He goes over to Gordon who was on the floor in deep trance."
Florence: "Big chief make him talk."
Dawn: "Me help him much. Me help him lots of times."
Lucy: "He speaks good Indian."
Norrie: "Almost as good Indian as I do."
Florence: "Big chief go now. He is going. Walter must come back. Walter come."
Dawn: "Light." (Deep breathing from Sun Yan.)
Lucy: " Sun Yan must forget himself. He must help."
Florence: "It is not ..."
Lucy: "Try again."
Norrie: "She must finish what she starts to say."
Florence: "Sun Yan, you must help. Walter got him a little, not much."
Lucy: "Better next time."
Dawn: "When Dawn goes into trance at the next sitting, just take her to the table and let Norrie sit in her seat. Place another chair, or place Norrie's chair as you like. Do not have her at the table when you begin or first go up. I don't want her to know she is writing. Please do not mention that she is going to write. Any paper you like, until you are advised otherwise. It will take a little time. I have said she can be used for the writing. She is not willing to be used by me. Say nothing to her about writing, or changed places.
T. G. H.: "You want cameras?"
Walter: "Oh, yes, I shall try to give you something through others, as soon as I can erect it. I hope our friend Ewan will be with you at our next sitting. We have good material here. I wish Dawn were as anxious as others to contribute in another way. It would be wonderful for me. She is not under deep control. Has not been all evening. We have managed to link together something and hope that the change that will be made at your next sitting will work. There are two writers, possibly a third. But there are two who are very anxious to write. Later I may be able to use someone else and let someone else take her place; but on no account let her know of the change. She thinks the writing is the most wonderful thing of all. She is very enthusiastic but tell her nothing yet. (re Gordon). He brings wonderful forces but they are of little value to me at the present time. But they will be later on. He has one good friend, the Indian chief."
(re numbers). Your numbers are all crossed. It was not your fault. It would be better to number again. Number now and let our friend who has come (Gordon) take a number or take the number of that seat. When the boy goes into the cabinet he will take number one. If Dawn is in the cabinet she is to take number one. Dawn at the table needs no number. It is better to keep a circle of numbers. The number is on the chair, and the person who sits on the chair takes that number. Lucy, have your little talk and then you can go home.
Lucy: "I ask you to close your circle now. It was not a wasted evening. Good work was done."
Walter: "It is never a wasted evening unless there is interference with what has been constructed."
January 7, 1934.
L. H.; Ethel Muir; Ada Turner; Harold Turner; J. A. Hamilton; W. Barrie; G. Snyder; T. G. H.; Mr. Reed.
Florence: "There are lights around the circle. (Mr. Barrie was aware that there was a light behind him.)
Walter (through Norrie): "What is wrong with Dawn? Has she a pain in her big toe? I am going to stay away myself and get caught up in my sleep. Walter talks through Norrie to Mrs. Hamilton (too indistinct). Gordon under stress.
Norrie: "They want Percy to sit beside Norrie."
Discussion with Mr. Barrie re Percy for a name.
Florence: "You are coming along." Gordon on the floor. T. G. H. examines him. Said he is completely anesthetized.
Florence: "Do it ..."
Norrie: "You must finish it." Made Florence stand.
Florence: "Do the work he will come and do it."
T. G. H.: "Who?"
Answer: "John. He will do it."
Norrie: "Finish your message."
Florence gave instructions twice to turn on the light. Told us to look high up in the cabinet.
Florence: "He shows me the way. The path, I see it. It is growing dark. I can't see it now. It is a long narrow path."
T. G. H.: "Watch it closely."
Florence: "I follow a lane. At the end there is a ..."
Norrie: "Sing for the Scotsman. (They sing as directed)
Florence: "I am looking after him. I don't know who you are. He is at the end of the lane."
T. G. H.: "What does he look like?"
Answer: "He is speaking to me."
January 10, 1934.
J. A. Hamilton; G. Snyder; Mercedes; Dawn; Mr. Reed; T. G. H.; Ethel Muir; Ada Turner; Harold Turner; L. H.; W. Barrie.
9:00 p.m. Sitting began.
9:16 p.m. Mercedes: "What manner of people are you?" What are you seeking?"
T. G. H.: "Your help in this work."
Mercedes: "Strange to me, strange. I find much of good to draw me here. But why I come, whence I come, I cannot tell you. You are of the earth plane, which I have left many, many years ago. But this gentleman said I should come: I could bring a message to you. He tells me I have to say to you to be prepared. Yes, come along, my sister. You must assist me. You come along with me."
(To Florence under stress)( to Norrie). "You come along too. You must."
(To T. G. H.) "Be prepared; for what is about to be given unto you. Have your instruments all ready."
T. G. H.: "My cameras are all ready."
Mercedes: "It is new to me. Come, my brother, speak, speak. Complete this chain."
Norrie: "What are these people?"
Mercedes: "Isn't it a long time since your eyes locked on such as these people. Come, complete this chain."
Norrie: "What are all these things before us?"
Mercedes: "They are to show us by the cords protruding from the lady in the box."
Norrie: "I want to go back."
Mercedes: "We do not like to be here, friends. It isn't comfortable. (To Norrie). You must stay here until our mission is completed. Look all around. Keep contact. That's right."
Norrie: "I'm afraid of all those things."
Mercedes: "They are necessary. They won't harm you. (Florence under stress all this time)." We are just tiny, tiny little atoms in this work. We are as links in the chain."
Norrie: "I want to go back to where you are working.
Mercedes: "You and she must stay here at my command."
Norrie: "Give me your hand. It hurts. I don't want to be hurt. I feel as if I were being crushed. This heavy body crushes me."
Florence: "Do as you are told."
Norrie: "I don't want to see you hurt."
Mercedes: "You must go and take by the hand each of the people in this room, and by that, your connection will be made. You must not leave anyone out. Then you can go back again. (Norrie passed around and took each sitter by the hand.) "See that the cloaks are removed from all your mediums. Have you made your chain, brother?"
Norrie: "Yes."
Mercedes: "You may go" (to Florence). "You may go, also. I will ask him who sent me if I may go."
Florence: "The light is here, too. It is shining on all."
Mercedes: "The river is flowing, the river that you must cross. Unless you are plunged in its waters you cannot come back to your material plane."
Dawn: "You are losing time in doing as you were instructed to do."
9:25 p.m. Dawn taken to table, given pencil, Norrie in cabinet.
Norrie: "Sing."
Dawn: "The table is not right. My medium must stand and seat herself again."
Norrie: "Speak to them . Lucy will speak to you."
Lucy: "I want to say to you, friends, there are many people with you. They are all very anxious to take their turn at the writing table. I think the gentleman who is writing is someone who has been here before. He thinks you wasted a little time in not bringing the medium to the table as soon as she was under control. She may come herself to the table, but it is very easy to ascertain if she is under control; then take her. The people who were here, were workers. They are not sent by Walter. But they had a little piece of work to do here. They may never come again. They felt strange. If your little friend, Florence, has a message, she should be encouraged to give it. These conditions she sees are very valuable additions to your work. You will find they are all linked." (To Norrie who is rubbing hands) "Aren't your hands clean yet?"
Norrie: "I am doing spading now in the mud. Just the very beginning. That is what to do first, isn't it?"
Lucy: "Yes, you must use a spade."
Florence: "Must I tell what I see, Lucy?" When my head was on the table, as soon as Dawn got there, a bright light came right through the table. Sometimes two or three seemed there. Sometimes in vivid blue form opening and seeming to show the features through. There were instantaneous flashes occurring during the evening."
Norrie: "Lucy does not mind bending her back over the digging, too. She's a whale at digging. We're digging for treasure."
Lucy: "We will get Sun Yan to dig too. When the treasure comes he will get a share of it."
Norrie: "I get a half; Lucy a quarter; and Sun Yan a quarter."
Florence: "There seems to be a searchlight above the cabinet; a faint glow is spreading through the room. The table is very light. The light is getting brighter. It comes from the searchlight above."
Sun Yan said he had seen a few flashes. Lucy told the doctor Florence was describing exactly what she saw. Florence said she thought Walter was forming an eye.
Norrie: "That is the eye of God watching all the naughty things you do."
Lucy: "When we get the light strong enough so that you can all see it, won't it be wonderful. I could bring the light so that you could all see it, but it would use so much power that I would be dismissed. Perhaps when Walter is through."
Walter: "I am never through."
Florence: "You can have both lights and pictures."
Mrs. Hamilton thanked Walter for his picture. Walter said he wasted two solid hours but did it for her. Lucy said Walter was very pleased with himself. Lucy said they needed just to give Florence a little push; said she wouldn't like to be the medium at the table, for about ten people were waiting to write.
Florence: "Will you look at the new man?"
Lucy: "We are looking at him."
Walter: "We are wondering what to do with him."
Lucy: "I am going over to look at him; if I can steer my medium through the crowd, I will go.(Lucy made her way to Gordon, under stress.) "Come, young fellow, what have you got to say. The control who is with you can use you. Try, please. You have spoken through him before this. Use him so that he can be of assistance to the people here. You are not interrupting our work, friend."
Frank: "Sure, I can speak. I wouldn't be here if I did not intend to help."
Lucy: "He can be used as well. I only come to give him a little encouragement."
Dawn: "The power has gone from this medium; I can't use her. I have made great mistakes with the page. He is not under deep control."
Frank: "I am here to help; but I haven't been working your way. Yours is a good way."
Lucy: "I want to tell you, lady, that this gentleman has a control who has a wonderful message for the world at large. Not a message of religion; but a message of new social conditions. This control could use him for good if he were placed in the proper hands. It is a message far-reaching that might have influence on a certain class of people. I would give him a name by which this medium will be known. But not tonight."
Dawn: "You must arrange the table so that no person will touch this medium. Place her outside the crowd. You could sit with her or get someone to sit by her but they must not touch her. But it is better inside the circle, if possible. See that no one touches the medium's chair or knee. She will respond very quickly when I get her right under my control. Thank you, one and all. Put her back again, and remember to place her at the table as soon as possible. It would be better to place her on the other side of the table so that the medium on the left will not be interfered with. You can rearrange your chairs accordingly. Good night."
Lucy: "Be careful that no one gets her for a little while.(Dawn went back to the cabinet at ten o'clock.)
Florence: "Watch the cabinet very closely, friend."
Mercedes: "It is good. Let no one say otherwise."
Walter (through Dawn): "Someone said I was not to use Dawn. Who the hell am I to use if I don't use Dawn?"
Florence: "The room is full of light."
Walter: "You are full."
Walter/Mercedes: "You are a marvel.(To Florence).
Florence: "So are you."
Walter: "The impertinence. I never thought I would come here to be talked to like that. (Walter teased Florence, and through Mercedes, mimicked an English minister and told a series of jokes. Florence spoke of the lights being back again. Said they were brilliant, since the minister began to preach. Walter said that was the Reverend Walter Stinson.)
Walter: "I am going to let Lucy take her medium back again. She can make a better job of it than I can. I am leaving this medium. Goodnight from this quarter. I am not going away." Then Walter began whistling through Dawn.
Lucy: "Twenty-five coaches. A train with twenty-five coaches. I don't know who is the engineer."
Walter (through Gordon): "I will work the lever through the engineer."
Lucy: "That was the coach that was derailed. Eight minutes more, and we will reach Prospect on time. Do you think we will make it? Let's try."
For several minutes all the mediums imitated the train.
Walter (through Gordon): "You are not so dumb."
Lucy: "We made her in good time. Here is the old coach that was left behind. We are in on time. Everything okay. You can all go home. So long."
January 13, 1934. Sunday evening.
W. Barrie; L. H.; Ethel Muir; Ada Turner; Harold Turner; J. A. Hamilton; Mr. Reed; T. G. H.; G. Snyder; Mary McLean, Secretary.
9:00 p.m. Sitting begins.
Singing, "Unto the Hills", and three other songs.
Norman is in the cabinet.
Someone: "We are singing for Stevenson."
Norman is in trance. Florence is to go into the cabinet.
Singing: "I Am Thine, O Lord".
Florence: "I saw several shadows passing."
Gordon is in trance.
Singing: "Jingle Bells."
Norman: "You must tell him where you are going."
Gordon is under heavy pressure, heavy breathing.
Music.
Florence: "The road is dark and I cannot see. I see a light at the end."
T. G. H.: "Go on, go on."
Singing: "When He Cometh."
Florence is mumbling and stuttering.
T. G. H.: "What are you doing? Come, speak. Tell us what you want."
Frank says, "Tell her she is a quitter."
Someone: "How much longer will we have to keep the light going for her if she doesn't do anything.?"
Florence: "Good evening, everybody. Where is Dawn? I want her."
T. G. H.: "Speak. Have you business on hand here?"
Florence: "We have a lot to do here; but we need everybody. Ewan; will he come?"
Several: "Yes, yes, he will come; he will be here."
Singing.
Norman: "You make a man want to swear and then you sing 'Stand up, Stand up for Jesus'."
Florence says she likes it.
Norman: "She is dumb enough to like anything."
Florence: "The light is coming again."
T. G. H.: "What color is it?"
Florence: "Blue, with black around it."
Singing.
Someone is doing a lot of slapping and palm rubbing.
Florence: "The room is full of moonlight. The light is above the Sunda (?). There is someone standing in the center of the circle."
T. G. H.: "Describe them ."
Florence: "Gordon can tell."
Gordon: "Tell, do yourself."
Florence: "The sky is all above them ; they are not in a room, and the stars are shining."
Walter: "What is the matter with everybody. Lucy comes. I come, everybody comes, and there is nobody here - I will tell you this; I will damn well do without them pretty soon; I am sick of it."
Florence: "There are a great many people in the room."
Gordon: "Solomon and his 500 wives. (Three or four laugh).
Someone says, "It looks like a beauty contest."
Somebody else, "Or a fashion parade."
T. G. H.: "Describe it; tell what you see."
Gordon: "She can't describe it."
T. G. H.: "Why can't she?"
Walter: "Well, you need a mind to describe things."
Florence: "You are getting saucy."
Walter: "You are the most ... crowd I ever saw: you are all dead from the neck up; get some life into you; one would think you hadn't been in bed for weeks."
Singing: "O, my darling."
Walter: "Oh, go away, all of you; what a choir!"
Mrs. Hamilton: "I saw a light just at the top of the cabinet."
Much palm rubbing and slapping from that direction.
Singing. Laughter.
Someone: "There was somebody here who knew something about music and you should see the expression on their face."
Walter: "Put some of these people in a padded cell."
Mrs. Hamilton: "Light."
Florence is in trance. Gordon is on the floor in trance. Percy is under, too. There are four in trance. Barry(?) is quite off.
Walter: "He was born that way: his mother dropped him on his head when he was a baby."
Florence: "What a commotion!"
(Hissing sounds; loud whistling sounds; the room is filled with the most awful sounds imaginable.)
Florence: " Walter is doing a lot of work."
Someone: "There is a bright light at the top of the cabinet."
Singing. Sounds die away.
Walter (shouts): "Bravo! Bravo!" until he is hoarse; then starts crying, loud bawling.
Percy starts shouting and mimicking.
Florence: "Percy will be silent. There is a little girl and her master here. She was very upset; they are looking for somebody; he was tall. There has been a lot of work done here."
Florence: "A lot of work; I have seen contacts, lights flickering here and there, lights flicker and go out. A lot of work has been done tonight, Walter could tell ..."
Walter: "Shut up!"
Florence: "Why don't you tell them ; Walter will tell ..."
Walter: "Shut up your trap."
Florence: "If you don't, I will"( tries, sputters.)
Walter: "If she does I'll to use a club."
Florence: (attempts to speak). "Why don't you tell?"
Walter: "Because I don't choose to tell; and I will tell you to go to hell if you don't shut up. I am perfectly satisfied tonight."
Florence: "I will tell ..."
Walter: "Time to close."
T. G. H.: "No, twenty minutes, yet."
Walter: "I said it is time to close."
10:15 p.m. Sitting closes.
January 18, 1934.
L. H.; T. G. H.; G. Snyder; Ada Turner; Harold Turner; Ethel Muir; J. A. Hamilton; W. Barrie; Mercedes; Mr. Reed; T. G. H.; Mary McLean, Secretary.
8:45 p.m. Sitting opens.
Singing: "The Lord Is My Shepherd". (Three hymns sung.)
L. H.: "Norman is in trance."
Mercedes: "There was a shaft of light that seemed to open there between Ms. Turner and Barry. (Mr. Gynn enters late.) "I don't know whether it was intended that he should sit there or not. Somebody came through and wanted you to sing 'Sweeping Through the Gates.'"
(There is a blow in the cabinet; I heard it quite distinctly.)
Mercedes: "The light is above Mr. Reed." Singing. "This is terrible; I am getting out of here."
Heavy breathing. More singing.
Mercedes: "The room is flooded with light."
Florence: "There is someone standing over me."
8:55 p.m. L. H.: "Gordon is in trance."
Mercedes says to keep quiet for a little while: to sit passive. That somebody is above.
T. G. H.: "Can you see them ?"
Mercedes: "Yes."
T. G. H.: "Do you recognize them ?"
Mercedes: "No."
Singing. "There Are Angels A-Hovering Round."
Mercedes: "Sing very softly." (A few minutes elapse)
"Greetings, my friends! Gee! Verily! There are angels hovering round, and you must give ear unto them and you must listen to what they have to tell you. There is none that comes in your midst but what must be listened to. She whom you call Florence, rise. Take the cloak from the medium, please. Give me your hands, my Sister. I am he who stands beside you, and I am He who will give unto you the clear vision that you may be able to tell the people with whom you are surrounded, what you see." (Rap comes from cabinet.) I want them to listen to my message. I want you to know, friends, that she has done well; and with my help she will do better. I would like to give you my name, ... it will come from the medium shortly. Don't hasten it, please.
"I want you to give yourself to me; and with the other instruments that are in this room, you will be greatly benefitted by the help that they can give you. Stand back, please ... Sing a little ... Stand back ... back ... back ... (voice trails off; she sounds as though someone were burning her fingers.)
Florence: "Good evening, everybody ... I am in the way of what I ... I ... I; I am going away; I cannot see any more ..."
Mercedes: "She will try to do as she ... You may be seated ... Mark these words, friends; ... that I will assist her. I am known in such circles as this as ... as Dr. Henry Williams. Don't forget my name."
T. G. H.: "Have you been here before?"
Answer: "Some of the faces are familiar to me; I seem to recognize, and I'm quite positive that I have been through this instrument at some time as I have no difficulty in taking possession. I am here with the sanction of your controls; I will leave this medium - that will remain with the other ... (singing)(She then starts into a lingo that sounds like very fast Chinese, biggie ... biggie ginnie ... ginnie and so fast I cannot understand any of the words) "Big man; big."
Much tapping on the floor.
L. H.: "Dawn is in trance."
Mercedes: "Put her to the table."
T. G. H., with help of others, put her over to the table in the center of the circle.
Florence: "There is a bright light at the top of the ceiling ... shines down on the table."
L. H.: "Norman is in the cabinet. Dawn is at the table in trance."
9:10 p.m. (I hear a noise as though someone were blowing through a tube or funnel, very loud.
(Much rubbing of palms and beating rhythmically.)
Someone: "There is a face on the cabinet."
(Intense silence follows.)
Dawn (mumbling very low): "I cannot get coming ... through other sources. (This very slowly and halting.). Will you please let me ... tear off the first page and throw it away. (T. G. H. tears off page of book on table and throws it on the floor) Let me write ... When you get this picture they are building now, would you please let me write without ... without the others ...?"
T. G. H.: "You want all the power to yourself, do you?"
Dawn: "Yes, I need all the power ... Yes, I have great difficulty in doing ... very small ... writing."
(A different voice comes from the person we have called Mercedes). It says "This medium is not in deep trance."
Medium: "You will arrange for just two or three to sit with this medium."
T. G. H.: "Yes."
Medium: "After I have established my connections ..."
Medium: "Take it away ... take it away ... take it away ..."
T. G. H.: "Take what away?"
Medium: "Take her away."
T. G. H.: "Where will I take her?"
Medium: "Take her anywhere."
Dawn (protesting): "Oh, no!"
T. G. H.: "Yes, come forward to the cabinet ... (after much groaning she is placed in cabinet.)
(Laughter)
Florence: "Norman has got the giggles."
Walter: "How about getting to work now? How about getting to work, Lucy; don't you be afraid of dirtying those hands of yours."
Singing "Oh Where Are the Reapers?"
Silence ... intense silence for about two minutes.
Lucy: "Good evening, friends."
T. G. H.: "Is that you, Lucy?"
Lucy: "Yes; what is the matter with you all, you all look very disappointed, like you aren't getting on at all."
T. G. H.: "No? What is the matter?"
Lucy: "Lots, lots, lots."
Lucy: "I will tell you; just because the mediums aren't making a noise you think they are not working."
T. G. H.: "Oh no, not that."
Lucy: "Well, I will tell you; there is one of them has fallen asleep; don't you hear them snoring; they might snore a little louder, could you snore ...?"
(breaks off, bell rings).
L. H.: "That sounds like old times; ring it again; ring it for Mrs. McLean."
Someone: "How many times would you like it to ring?"
Mrs. McLean: "Ring it three times. Who is ringing the bell?"
Someone: "Walter is ringing it from away up there ..."
Lucy: "Yes, give full explanation; tell her about the cords that are attached to the medium's wearing apparel - don't leave anything out ..."
(The bell rings distinctly three times - sounds just like an ordinary good-working doorbell.)
Lucy: "I think you might introduce me to ..."
L. H.: "Meet Mrs. McLean, Lucy, our new secretary. (They exchange greetings.)
Lucy: "And Mr. Gynn. Oh, you don't have to introduce me to Mr. Gynn (then speaking to secretary); You are in a dangerous position there in that corner: you are apt to be transplanted in a minute or two, sitting beside a big he-man ... (some more nonsense, then makes the statement, "Just a lot of fun".)
T. G. H.: "Could you give them a picture for fun?"
Lucy: "I'm afraid the doctor would not think it was fun."
T. G. H.: "Yes; we could take a picture, sure, for fun."
Lucy: "Just for fun? Two pictures for fun then. I remember when he started to take pictures he said, "Just a teenty weenty picture and he would be satisfied. Just a little weenty bit more light. just one little picture, and now (This in a very loud, raspy voice.) and now he isn't satisfied; he wants heaven itself to open up; yes, and hell as well!"
T. G. H.: "I didn't say that, Walter."
Walter: "No, but you thought it. Why didn't you photograph the bell ringing?"
T. G. H.: "We did that several times, Walter."
Walter: "Yes, but you could not let them hear it ringing. Can you take your box to the audience? Can you take your medium to the audience, and show her?"
T. G. H.: "No, I don't think she would want to ..."
Walter: "No, she wouldn't want to; that's her, she wouldn't want to; I don't think she would; a nice sensible being, she wouldn't want to; she is just the same in her own home; she wouldn't want to; what the hell does she want?"
Dawn: (coughing, very long choking cough)
Walter: "She was coming out there."
Singing "Jingle Bells".
Walter: "I don't know what is the matter with this medium; I don't seem to be able to get right inside; I don't know what is wrong with her, there is something wrong with the mechanism right inside her; it is bad, bad, very bad: oh, I don't mean she is sick, it's not that."
T. G. H.: "Has she got bats in the belfry?"
Walter: "I don't know whether they are in the belfry or where they are; they are all over her. I wish she could, yes she could if she would; oh, I don't know but there is something; it is right inside her own makeup; it is gnawing and getting in the way; it is getting in my way; it is getting in the way of everybody; it is getting in everything - however, this is the best material that you can give to me, and I must make the best of it I can, I wish that we could get on in this work and launch out into something new. I have not been able to accomplish what I first set out to do: I have been very disappointed; where there should have been a ... there is only a fragment instead ... where there should have been a form there is only a light shadow ... however, friends, Rome was not built in a day; we will still go on and we have all the days of Eternity and Forevermore to work in. There has been much work done; perhaps, friends, you think that nothing has been done; much, much has been done; and I am speaking of the work all over the civilized world; yes, and the uncivilized; it is spreading rapidly, friends, and spreading in the right direction. You may not see any fruit of your labor on this material plane, but there is much; but when you make the change you will see what has been done, and it will be no small spectacle, either. Don't get worried. Don't get upset because you haven't converted every one to your way of thinking. You never will. Some are, and some are just tottering on the brink, but there are some you couldn't convince, no, not with a mallet in both hands and one on top the head. They will not be convinced. Some not even when they make the change; some preachers, too, and women ... can't keep their mouth shut."
Deep silence.
T. G. H.: "You are not very encouraging."
Walter: "I am telling you the truth, friend. Did you ever take colors and mix them all together, a little of this and a little of that, and when you have finished you have, what? Nothing ... Well that is just what your circle looks like, it is all mixed up, mixed together in a mess; but we will straighten them out; we will straighten them out ... oh, I won't say if; I won't ..."
After a few moments of silence, in a very loud voice, displeased, "Get Ewan here."
T. G. H.: "I expect he will be here this time next week. At least he says he is coming back; he is busy just now, but he will be coming back."
Walter: "Did you ask him back?"
T. G. H.: "I did."
Walter: "I told you not to ask him."
T. G. H.: "I told him he would be welcome; I told him of those who missed him, and of the song that Lucy sang to him, "Absent", and we were sorry that he had cut himself adrift from the group when we expected to accomplish something shortly."
Walter: "It is too bad that things should be broken up, ... (some words missing), continues, "the little scenes between Ewan and Mercedes, which seemed so nonsensical, I want to tell you, were just a building up of material that when your picture work was finished was going to be of great value to you. We would have produced it in such a manner it would be appreciated more than the pictures by your public; and it would have been just as convincing as your photographs; it would be mental; it seems as if we come here to think of nothing but pictures ... pictures ..."(voice trails off).
"Before your circle is completely closed I have a message concerning Dawn; clear the room, the principals can remain; you're recording secretary can remain. Is the time near enough?
T. G. H.: "Ten minutes yet."
Walter: "I have a reason; there is something ... Set her afloat ..."
( Room is cleared. Only T. G. H. and the medium, L. H. and Secretary taking the notes, remain)
T. G. H.: "Now, Lucy?
Lucy: "Walter could not give this message through Dawn because Dawn was not fully under control; but he is very much annoyed - there is something that she is contemplating doing; if she takes this up she will spoil his work. She cannot give herself to him, and all his work is going to be spoiled; you must in some way try to influence her. Not to take it, or not to do it, he could not tell you; she wasn't under, she was conscious of what she was saying."
T. G. H.: "Well, would you like us to tell you what it is, Lucy? Dawn wants to do tea-cup reading so he can earn enough money to go to London, England; she thinks she can make a pile of money there."
Lucy: "I want you to know that Mercedes is here. I am speaking for Walter, because it might mean that he would think that Mercedes perhaps influenced the message, that she influenced Lucy to speak. You must try and use your influence with her not to take that because it would mean that she could not come to your meetings and it would be a great pity. You have wonderful power here, wonderful material; but this way it cannot be used the way Walter wishes it to be used. If you are working for a picture you must work for a picture; you can't give the power to a medium; they must all work together. Get Ewan, you must work for the picture alone and not writing, building up for the picture, and not allow the power to spread. It doesn't behove me to come and tell you again; but remember this, friend, that no matter how dull your sittings may seem to you, it is because your sitters must concentrate on the one thing and abide by Walter's decision in all things."
T. G. H.: "Yes, yes; I know.
Lucy: "It would be nice to have at this time a uniform sitting, to let your mediums express themselves, but not in this room (very emphatic); and even the Sunday night meeting would be better not held here."
L. H.: "Well, we just held them to keep the power going for Walter."
Lucy: "Well if he comes, friend, as I know he comes here, there would sometimes be controls taking his place, and Walter comes through Dawn ...".
T. G. H.: "Supposing Dawn is to go, is there anyone else, any other work we could carry on, any other work that would be worth while carrying on?"
Lucy: "There is mental phenomena; but the little medium is not strong; not big enough to produce the other; you can try ... but Walter would not forsake Dawn, my friend; and the little medium we could try, we did try to produce ectoplasm from her, but ..."
T. G. H.: "Oh, yes, yes, I know; it would be impossible.
Lucy: "Yes, you know how fatal it would be. I will go now, friend."
Both: "Goodnight, Lucy."
Lucy: "And I will give you my blessing. Take the a medium out as quickly as possible."
10:05 p.m. Finis:
January 19, 1934.
Jack MacDonald; Lillian Hamilton; Margaret Hamilton (recorder)
7:20 p.m. sitting commenced.
7:55 p.m. sitting ended.
Sterge speaks first as usual, then Robert. After greeting us he says:
"I know what ye're wanting, a crack about what to do. Well, whenever we can we'll proceed with the script, but if it's no' ready I'm always prepared for an emergency. I propose also to give the letter a visual test as well as one of the ear, since I'm handicapped in as much as I have to think as well as control. I prepare my work ahead of time so I don't actually think. I may require that manuscript to go over it visually with the eyes of the medium. We'll do that after we've given the oral criticisms first.
L. H. suggest taking out one very lyrical passage of the letter and using it as a separate little essay. Robert says he will think it over.
Robert: "I had a plan for something else tonight but I don't think I could ha' presented it. It will be best if we do not attempt any work the night. We had thought of allowing other controls to come but since they are not essential to the work on hand, we'll let it go ... I think I'll have to take a little time off from my purely technical work and give you something of my outlook on life here."
Robert leaves; Sterge returns; and we talk for a few moments. I ask him about one of his compositions and what it is meant to represent. He gives the following:
"It is a Spanish courtyard. Carriages go by it, rolling over the cobblestones. There are dogs barking; foreign smells; onions, flowers; a dancer dances for money; she is a street dancer. There are big crates with foreign animals, birds and beasts, for sale. There is a background of Spanish folk songs."
January 23, 1934
[Letter from Dr. Hamilton to Mrs. Eva Barrett - Roma - Italy:]
"... I have your note ... I regret to say that no comprehensive report has been presented in book form. You probably have read the several reports issued in "Psychic Science Quarterly ..."
" ... The first article appeared in October of 1929 and six or eight articles have been issued to date. The magazine under date January 1, 1934, will be found to have our last report. All of these have been generously illustrated.
" ... Mrs. Hamilton and I were over to London in the summer of 1932 and regretted greatly that we did not spend more than a few days on the Continent where we had to restrict our time to Paris.
"Unfortunately, while in London, although we met many of the leaders in the work, we did not meet Mr. Findlay, author of "On the Edge of the Etheric". His work appears to have stirred the public very deeply. I did meet Mr. Myers and witnessed one of his photographic experiments but it was not at all satisfactory. The conditions of test were not at all secure, and he would not permit of my using my own camera, which test in our work I am only too delighted to have strangers take advantage of.
"... We did see, and have an experiment with, Mr. Hope, and also an experiment with Mrs. Dean(e) and we were convinced of the genuineness of both.
"... Our work, you understand, is that of photographing teleplasmic masses and forms and as such the great advantage of a large number of cameras will be apparent.
"... We have hopes that toward the end of this year our publications will be available. The work, however, is very broad since it covers not only photography but includes trance and trance automatisms - automatic writing, automatic drawing, direct voice, etc, and naturally presents difficulty in abbreviating sufficiently for publication."
January 26, 1934.
Present: Jack MacDonald; Lillian Hamilton; T. G. Hamilton;
Margaret Hamilton (recorder).
8:05 p.m. sitting commences
9:20 p.m. approximately, sitting ends.
Gramophone is started, and about two minutes after we are seated the medium begins to breathe heavily and to rock back and forth. He is silent as the music stops, and then claps his hands. Sterge then speaks, greeting us all, and noticing T. G. H. especially, whom he teases unmercifully. He speaks to me about his music, telling me he was with me when I played some of his compositions two days previously:
"I stood as close as possible to you and tried not to influence you exactly, but to be a sort of picture which suggested things to you. If you took my ideas and didn't really believe them you could not whole-heartedly transmute them in your music ..."
Medium becomes silent for a few seconds, then smacks lips, coughs, and finally Robert speaks:
Robert: "That wee cough's no' all my ane. That's just the rush through, ye ken. I ken we've the lad (T. G. H.) here the night. I'm glad to see ye! I was hoping ye'd come. It's about time all the Scots got together. It's their due night, is it no'? It's the night when all the true Scots and all the would-be Scots get together ..."
"... I've often wondered about biographers. When they write the life of a man most of the material being gathered from reminiscences of his friends, enemies and acquaintances, and from his professional writings; that is, edited lines he has written, the biographer really created under the same name quite a new personality, depending on what he comes in contact with in his biographical research of the late so-and-so. So it seems to me that one of us here, coming back, has not only our own past to live up to but our biographers to live down. That is, we are a multitude of personalities - our real selves, and our biographical selves. Just how to be true to any one or all of these is a problem which, to say the least, is bewildering. It's like a man with a dozen mistresses; he doesn't know which one to be true to ..."
"This is no a real dictation, but it's a problem I've often been bothered with. It's very, very queer.
"Undoubtedly, many of them in the endless material, sift out continuously what they believe to be extraneous to the facts, yet withal they have a personally biased picture in their mind's eye which they believe we should be true to; and in the sifting process you may be sure that facts extraneous to that ideal are blown overboard with the chaff. Moreover, in contemplating biographies, different biographers placed different stress and importance upon different periods of one's life. Naturally, one's greatest work will be stressed tremendously, and the influences behind that and over this. Others may feature youth, childhood, middle-age ...
"I've seen men here being influenced by their biographies ..."
L. H.: "People say that Burns has been greatly helped by what people think of him."
Robert: "Oh, lass, ye tricked me and ye caught me before I got to the first wicket! There is nothing like a good keen mind to pierce your self-conceit! I will have to get rid of the idea that I'm cock-o-the-walk!
"In all seriousness, a biographer can do a great thing by writing as nearly as possible a true picture, not unduly extolling one's virtues or revealing the ruinous vices that can be found in many lives. A biographer can, by writing well, beautifully and inspiringly high, show always how the individual tried to raise himself up and how fiercely he strove against his difficulties. Moreover, let the biographer be filled with the inspiring ideal. Biography should, if possible, be something inspiring. It should tend to fill and lift up the life in the mind of the individual reading it. So only will the biography be constructive.
"So when we are dead and gone and our names are but a fragment memory; when eyes that have seen us, lips that have spoken to us, ears that have heard us, have all gone to join us, surely it is important to remember what we stood for, where we tried to lift both ourselves and others, and tried to transmute into every word, every sentence, paragraph and page the inspiring fineness of the individual, so that it may help the reader who is as undoubtedly influenced by that work as your medium is by me; only perhaps more permanently. And for every positive action towards something finer for the individual there arises in the minds of those about him another equally great positive action; and of this influence upon us, we who have gone on, we whose schoolfellows and play-fellows and work mates stand now round about us in this other sphere, we too, feel the impetus of that high surge that comes from those who read of even a prosaic life inspiringly written. If it be our lives it influences us more - it focuses our mind on the things we have desired. The united joy of the hearts of those reading our attempts is a great wind that lifts us up, and their freshened idealism is a breeze that blows us clean again.
"And what greater inspiration is there for one who has passed on to that higher plane where ultimately I hope we all move toward, when he knows through the mediumship of this earthly work that others have been taught to live better, inspired to live greatly and more creatively, and truth in many matters has been made a little less hard to find.
"This is not meant to be serious dictation, but just the thoughts of a man who can't stop thinking. They are intended as an attempt to show that I am a mind, not a memory, and that I am a person with more exalted ideas since I came over here; and I do not want people to think that I am an individual set apart by death. I want to show how I have been brought together myself by death, and that now I am in possession of all my faculties, and not as before, when I had a happy faculty of seeming to be without really being."
Robert teases T. G. H., says it is his turn to recite. Robert leads in a spelling bee, spelling his name, Grahame.
Robert: "I want ye to tie up the spelling match with what I said before and ye'll have one grand circle. Ye ken, Walter did almost come, because he was interested in our spelling bee. But he didn't come on when he saw he was putting me off. I'll go now but check up on the master (T. G. H.) and see that he learns his lessons. We cannot tolerate dunces in this class!"
Sterge returns and asks T. G. H. to sit in the circle. This is done, and Walter comes:
Walter: "Oh, for goodness sake! That's a barnyard duck! I am not Walter, I am Mr. Stinson! Good evening! ... I told you he was coming back (reference to other group). It was right here too! Mind you, I can get him back twice a week. I can fix the old lady too; she's not so hard. You just watch me. I never doubted he'd come back. It just had to be, that's all there was to it; and it's as inevitable as a picture failure, and that's because I don't instruct you properly. However, it is your fault all the time.
"I'm getting through those other mediums well. I am most glad that you recruited from the other circle. It saved me months of development. Don't have any babies after this; get full grown kids. You've raised a healthy family; don't bother doing it again. Ham has a half-alive maternal instinct that I have to kill. He wants to be a mother to all mediums. When he becomes an angel he'll have no room under his wings; we'll have to arrange for them to fold backward. Just wait till you see him clucking around his brood! ... I will get that man too, the other one, just as I did before. Well, I don't know about the woman. She's too new; we'll just wait and see, and maybe some of these days we'll lift her scalp along with the others. I show them pictures to hypnotize them. When they see lights and pictures they are being used as hypnotic focal points. Outside that they're no damn good! It focuses their attention and then they think they're seeing things and then Walter gets them. But those pictures and those lights are often focal points for hypnotic influences. Everything has to have a focal point, nonsense and sense, visions, and the same type of thing you get if you eat too much cheese. It goes from the vision to the mind, and from the mind to the component parts of the personality which I must have, and once I have got those parts they are mine."
L. H. asks if it will be all right to send word to England concerning the cross-reference obtained from there.
Walter: "Okay. Fine! ... I see you have a picture of me. I'll pretend next time to be a gentleman instead of what I am. Tell him I approve of that picture very much and tell him I'll pose again. Tell him I said I thought it was a splendid picture and that I promised not to be as naughty as I was last time. I think the scientific value of it would be good; although I can't say that the personal or artistic sense of my mug is very elevating ... I must go now, but tell him I'll pose like a gentleman, next time."
T. G. H.: "Pose here sometime, won't you, Walter?"
Walter: "I knew he'd come to that!"
L. H.: "We have your eyes, how about the rest of your face?"
Walter: "You have the eyes (ayes), next time you'll get the nays (nose). Remember it's always the mug who follows the ayes (eyes), it's only the real man who goes with the nays."
Walter allows T. G. H. to flash the red light on the medium in trance, showing how the medium's head is turned to the right, and his chin sunk down on to his chest. Walter continues to speak while the light is on. T. G. H. flashes it intermittently for about ten seconds. Walter then goes and Sterge returns. He tells us a little of this particular type of mediumship:
"He gives a form of dictation because he is peculiarly adapted to that. His physical power is negligible. But he has a good vocabulary and his mind is trained to allow others to use it. Ewan also could be trained for that, but his physical power is almost equal to his mental. Ewan is both right and left handed; this boy, only right handed ... must go now. Au revoir."
January 28, 1934.
8:52 p.m. Group in place; all sing "Unto The Hills".
8:56 p.m. All sing "The Lord Is My Shepherd."
8:59 p.m. "Abide with Me." Ewan stamps floor and begins to breathe heavily.
9:02 p.m. Group numbers in order. All sing "Jingle Bells." Ewan, Norrie and Florence all under influence.
9:05 p.m. "Golden Slippers".
Dawn describes a man she sees clairvoyantly: "A man came into the room - he looked like a man who would go in an aeroplane - he had on a leather coat and cap. He looked terrible - his eyes were all starey - his face was black. He was tall - just medium build, broad in the shoulders. He was brought by a little girl. I can see his face alright - he looked to be in distress, the picture of fear - his face was all dirty, like if he'd rubbed his hands over it - he knew somebody here ..."
9:08 p.m. "Solomon Levi". Rubbing of hands, and sounds of violent physical agitation heard in direction of Ewan and Norrie.
9:10 p.m. "When He Cometh." Sounds of deep breathing and blowing heard from Norrie.
L. H.: "Norrie, Gordon and Ewan are all in trance."
9:11 p.m. Gordon falls heavily to the floor.
Ewan: "Keep it up! Keep it up! Singing becomes a more vigorous.
9:13 p.m. Ewan: "Just keep listening." The singing continues, more softly.
Ewan (to L. H.): "Give him a good kick."
L. H.: "Who? The man on the floor? He's all right."
Ewan (slapping Gordon): "You keep your head down!"
9:17 p.m. Dawn: "I hear someone calling out the name Hewitt."
9:19 p.m. Florence breathing rapidly and sobbing. This lasts about 15 seconds. She then tries to speak. T. G. H. urges her to speak; but she mutters something inaudible.
9:22 p.m. Ewan: "Good evening. All right, Katie. Katie is controlling Mercedes, but she does not wish to come to you, but I wish to keep her quiet; do not expect anything from her just now." (Florence again tries to speak.) Keep close contact with Ewan, Ham; I'll have to get your assistance. Will you kindly take this gown off Dawn?"
9:24 p.m. T. G. H.: "It is off her down to the chair."
Ewan: "Good!" Now will you keep quiet! (To Florence) Sshh!"
Florence: "Good, good!"
