1926
Nov 2 - Dec 30
November 2, 1926
Letter
Happiness expressed at Dr. Crandon's and "Margery's" arrival soon.
November 3, 1926.
R. L. Stevenson:
Script: Wheel within wheel - rolling one. (Not placed)
Vision:
"I saw Conan Doyle and Sir Oliver Lodge in Stead's home, in pictures. I knew it was them. I saw them in Stead's room where he was finishing pictures. I saw spirit pictures all around him at his desk. He had a light at his camera. I was standing behind his left arm. Stead has been around here an awful lot the night."
Another version:
"I saw Conan Doyle and Sir Oliver Lodge in a picture ... just their heads. I saw them in Stead's room where he was finishing pictures. I saw kind of spirit pictures all around him. I saw his camera ... and an outline of a face ... an awful lot of white hair and a white beard. Stead talked to me."
"Did I not tell you I saw Stevenson twice? Once as a boy and once as a young man. I saw him as a boy at a shore, and I saw the waves and a yacht. He was watching it and throwing stones at it too."
"Livingstone was amongst his natives ... he put them in different places. They had a home-made wagon and a lot of stuff in it." (Divisions of Caffre family again.)
"I have lost one of Stevenson's."
"Stead's was an earth picture. My! He is a fine looking man! Livingstone always has a frown on his face. Stevenson takes everything in an easy way."
"Stead seems not discontented."
November 7, 1926.
Dr. and Mrs. Hamilton, Mr. and Mrs. Cummings, Mr. and Mrs. Mollineaux, Dr. J. A. Hamilton and Mr. D. B. MacDonald.
9:15 p.m.. Circle completed.
Singing
With R. L. Stevenson on Island (Samoa) before home is built.
Script:
"Four hundred acres cleared."
Recollections of building house in Samoa. Poor.
David Livingstone:
Script refers to discovery of Zambezi. Journeying to Zambezi. Poor.
Simple vision of David Livingstone traveling with natives.
Stead seen in the vision, working with camera.
W. T. Stead. Instructions.
November 11, 1926.
Singing: "Unto The Hills" and "Abide With Me"
9:12 p.m. Commencement of trance
9:14 p.m. Deep trance
Singing: "Lead Kindly Light"
9:19 p.m. Mrs. Poole mutters and stirs.
9:21 p.m. stirs again - writing
R. L. Stevenson.
Script:
"With the hand of death - released - was broken for a number of years - golden garden days ..."
Broken for a number of years -
by the hand of death Released ...
golden garden days. Note well.
From "Night and Day"
"When the golden day is done,
Through the closing portal,
Child and garden, flower and sun,
Vanish all things mortal."
("A "Child's Garden of Verse", Page 54.)
Verification:
For Stevenson's breaking spirit during the last years of his life see his "Letters of 1893" and Biographies.
"Golden garden days" - purely literary origin:
Vision:
"I was with Stevenson on the island. He was in his bed, a low wooden bed, and then I was with him at a shore ... I looked at the shells; it all went black with me then." (death.)
"I saw Stead writing in a library."
Comment:
A broken spirit is remembered; death is recalled, and with it the vanishing of "all things mortal". From beyond the gulf of death R. L. Stevenson is still the artist and the one who remembers.
David Livingstone:
Eating the alligator.
"What is food for you is food for me."
Verification:
"Sebituone acted on the principle that whatever was food for men is food for me."
("Missionary Travels", page 222).
Vision:
"I saw Livingstone among creeping things ... and something in the water. They had things to eat in a canoes on the ground and he was talking to his blacks ..."
W. T. Stead. Instructions, and criticisms.
Script:
"William Thomas Stead ... Why don't you have plenty of paper in beside you? You spoil conditions of your own control."
(Reference to T. G. H. having to leave the séance room to get more foolscap for R. L. Stevenson, who wrote in a very large nervous hand, and often used more paper than expected. This was the case on November 11.)
November 14, 1926.
R. L. Stevenson:
Script:
"... in the year 1890 he left his home to make his home in the Samoan Island overlooking Apia."
Vision:
"I was away on the island with R. L. Stevenson ... only part of his house was there. That place is like a kind of wilderness ... a lot of things need clearing away." ( R. L. Stevenson dates are correct. See biographies.)
David Livingstone:
Script:
"My man - the names - Makole - Batiae - "
Vision:
"Have I no' told you about Livingstone? He had a whole bunch of men with him. He started to tell me the names of his men. He did not seem sure enough of what he wanted them to do."
(Not verified).
Stead Script:
"The table must stay in the class square; and don't disturb the sitters. Get a speaking tube in your classroom; You upset the medium and disturb your spirit friends. Be mindful and very quiet. Have no disturbance for an hour at least in your class. W. T. S."
(T. G. H. called from seance to see a patient.)
Vision:
"Stead says you are not to take the table out of its place. You are too noisy; you are all to keep quiet, he says, when you are putting your hands on the picture box. "
"I saw his class and they stood so quiet, as if in prayer for a second."
"I recognized no men with Stead to know them."
(Negative in holder, held in E.M.'s hands, others contacting. Negative results.)
November 18, 1926.
R. L. Stevenson.
Script:
"My heart is beating like a drum."
"Shadow march."
Vision:
"I saw R. L. Stevenson ... he was a little boy. He was having a great time racing down the stairs in the house."
Verification:
"The Marching Song". ("A Child's Garden of Verse", page 20.)
David Livingstone.
Script:
"Married - wife - married again - Shinto - had a ..."
Something about Shinto and wife ... marriage.
Vision:
"I was with Livingstone at two marriages. There was a great jollification there. Before that I saw him operating on a arm. I saw the blood running." (Livingstone was both a minister and a doctor.)
Verification:
Probably a blurred reference to Sherta's marriages.
("Missionary Travels, page 279).
W. T. Stead script:
"Be more careful."
Vision:
"I saw Stead the night too. He did not have much to say. He had pictures, but I didn't make them out properly. They were not finished pictures.
November 21, 1926.
Mrs. Poole, Dr. and Mrs. Hamilton, Mr. and Mrs. Cummings, Mr. And Mrs. Mullineaux, Dr. J. A. Hamilton and Mr. D. B. MacDonald.
9:09 p.m. Singing
R. L. Stevenson script:
"Enlargement of bungalow"
Vision:
"I was talking to Stevenson. He was building something, but he had people not so black (as David Livingstone's). They are not so wild looking. He was telling them what to do."
Script:
"Must we indeed go to bed? Well then, let us arise and go like men down the long dark passage."
Vision:
"Then I was away over a great mountain and saw a city a good bit away. It seemed a beautiful place. I left him there."
(Not yet verified. Try "A Child's Garden of Verse.")
David Livingstone:
Script:
"An insect resembling a tick burrows in and sucks the blood." (True.)
("Missionary Travels", p. 330-1)
Vision:
"I saw nothing but the vermin and black folk with Livingstone in South Africa. I saw a lot of little crawlers. They seemed to stick to the feet of people when walking. I think Livingstone will soon be as black as them if he does not wake up."
Stead script:
"You have not your picture-box this time. Your group and mediums good influence. Will come later. W. T. S."
W. T. Stead. Suggests a good assistant medium.
November 25, 1926.
R. L. Stevenson.
School. Not understood.
David Livingstone. Marriage customs. Not verified.
R. L. Stevenson. Script unreadable. Interference from "undesirables".
David Livingstone script:
Unreadable. Interference from "undesirables".
W. T. Stead script:
"William Thomas Stead. I have told you already what to do. What is the use when you change so often?"
Vision:
E.M. sees Stead angry, standing and lecturing.
Script:
"I have told you already to keep plenty of damp towels in your room. Many are here for no good!
(He was referring to entities on the spirit side of life.).
Dr. Hamilton had quite consistently and calmly refused to take Stead's instructions for rigid adherence to the rule of having the same sitters, and few visitors. Dr. Hamilton did not believe that materializations (pictures) were in the offing. (L. H.)
November 28, 1926.
R. L. Stevenson and D. Livingstone unreadable.
Stead writes:
"Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee."
"I am her friend - W. T. Stead. I will guide her through her class."
"You have a great many friends on this side; if she had more assistance - a part time medium - it would do the circle much good ..."
Vision: Unclear
December 2, 1926.
R. L. Stevenson and D. Livingstone script and visions poor.
E.M. very tired.
Visions poor for all.
Stead fails to manifest.
December 5, 1926.
9:11 p.m. slide taken out of camera
913 p.m. singing
9:20 p.m. commencing trance
9:21 p.m. still singing softly
9:22 p.m. very softly singing
9:24 p.m. medium writing - very steady
9:25 p.m. medium still writing and slightly disturbed
Singing softly again
9:26 p.m. Stevenson
9:26 p.m. writing slowly - second trance
9:28 p.m. still writing - circle singing softly.
9:28 p.m. writing stopped
Singing stopped
9:24 p.m. the third trance - writing
Writing slowly and steadily
9:30 p.m. singing softly again
9:32 p.m. singing stopped - very quiet
9:33 p.m. writing - likely and not so much slash and vigor.
9:34 p.m. still writing in the same fashion
9:34 p.m. stopped - no singing softly
9:35 p.m. still singing - Livingstone
9:36 p.m. singing softly again
9:37 p.m. still singing softly
9:39 p.m. writing - singing stopped - writing easily and quietly
9:41 p.m. still writing
9:43 p.m. stopped writing - singing softly now
9:44 p.m. standing up - very quiet
9:44 p.m. singing - very low
9:45 p.m. still standing up
9:46 p.m. moving back
Still standing up holding Mr. Cooper
9:47 p.m. medium still standing up
9:47 p.m. sitting down now
9:48 p.m. writing fast
9:49 p.m. still writing - not so fast as before
9:50 p.m. out of trance
9:52 p.m. Mrs. W. in trance
9:56 p.m. lights all over ... lady has long, thin, strong face ... eyes dark ... hair dark and has a crimp or curl on either side of forehead.
9:56 p.m. Ocean, sailing vessel. Passenger. People rather old. Ladies wear bonnets (scribbles)
Children with long clothes. People up on top looking out over the water. Not a present day boat or present day people.
10:01 p.m. Mrs. Poole:
(massive scribbling.)
R. L. Stevenson script speaks of "eating in a cool arbor in Grez." (See his letter to his mother. In Letters. (1875?)
Vision not clear, but shows signs of being complementary.
"I met Stevenson and his wife when I got away, very long hair, not dark or auburn, but some thing in between. Awful heavy and long."
"Must have been washing her hair. The boy was old-fashioned; had on long pants and a little jacket."
"They got up and went into another place to eat. Round behind a house to eat. I left them eating there. They didn't ask me in. Like an (........) fence at side. It was a place with a cover over it."
"Stevenson was sitting in place and whatever he was writing or telling, they were laughing over it. His wife and boy were laughing at something he was telling them. A dandy picture in a frame - Must have been."
R. L. Stevenson.
Second Vision:
"I thought I had given you it all. I went with R. L. Stevenson to an old city. Then I came to a shady place where he was eating with his wife - no walls over the table." (Memories of Grez.)
"I had Stead. He went and got somebody to stand near his camera."
"Then I got Livingstone with Stead. I had a dandy picture in Africa the night. I think it must have been a reunion and a celebration with the Indians (Africans) meeting mothers and sisters, and dancing too.
10:10 p.m. Mrs. Poole feels her hair moving light above her
head. (scribbling) Somebody to stand near his camera, but doesn't know who it was.
"It was a man. Had another strange person tonight, but can not locate where he came in."
10:14 p.m. Can't say much about Stead. Have seen him before with Stead.
It may be near W. Cooper trying to bring someone with her.
D. Livingstone makes excellent use of imagery - suggests joy of reunion with the mothers and families.
D. Livingstone Script:
"The Makala house ... wonderful to hear old man ... gray head speaks of the memories of his boyhood. The Makalaka cleave to their mothers. They fear the separation from their mothers ... they love their mothers."
Verification:
"Mokala a name - his mama's house. It was interesting to hear this tall, gray-haired man recall the memories of boyhood. All the Makalaka children cling to the mothers in case of separation. This love for mothers. .." ("Missionary Travels", page 268.)
"A reunion or celebration of some Indians or natives. Mothers and sisters it seemed. Don't move around, like us just jump up and down. Livingstone was very (........) about something."
W. T. Stead. More straight talk about work ahead.
"If your friends (casual sitters) all attend your circle regularly, take them in. But if it is only out of curiosity, don't have them! This is no good! It must be taken seriously if you are going to have results. Pick out the circle ... strangers hurt the circle. Give us an assistance. W. T. S."
"The gentleman (W. B. Cooper) will be a good help in getting
"pictures". He has the power if he will use it." (Although no one knew it at the time, W. B. Cooper proved to be highly psychic.)
December 9, 1926.
R. L. Stevenson script:
A. "A name to whom honor ..."
B. "You are lucky with a lamp before your door? Does Leerie light it as he does so many more? (See CGV, page 27.)
Excerpt from "The Lamplighter" (CGV). Very good.
Vision:
"Stevenson was studying and he had a whole bunch of books, some exercise books too. He came back, and he was a young lad, and there was another boy speaking to him. This was in front of his own house and there was an iron rail in front of the house there on the street. The lamp was outside the fence and the lamp was taking their attention. They were talking about it and having a laugh like two young fellows."
David Livingstone. At the town of Seskeke.
Script:
"We again reached the town of Seskeki ... it contains a large population of Makalaka - a few Makalolo rule over all."
("Missionary Travels", page 204.)
Vision:
"I got Livingstone. He drives these people of his like a drove of sheep. Well, he took them along a lot of water, and the place was just crowded with people ... black women and children and all. He seems happiest, nonetheless, the more he has."
Vision:
"I talked to Stead. He was pleased the night."
"Your dark friend (W. B. Cooper - a new sitter will be a great help to your medium, your friends on our side are anxious to get through to you."
December 12, 1926.
R. L. Stevenson script:
A. "We see our faces in the shady pool flatten." (See "Looking Glass River", CGV, page 31.)
B. "safe the eggs ... Little birds like babies." (See "Nest Eggs", CGV, page 55.)
Vision:
"I saw Louis and Livingstone. Louis was having a good time. They were making faces in the water; they could see themselves."
"Then I got him not to far from that place in a tree at a bird's nest. He lifted up the eggs and put them back neatly in again."
David Livingstone. Preaching peace to the Batoko.
Script:
"Peace on Earth - goodwill to men. We needed a rest ... no wonder we seized it ... the chief ... 10 December."
Vision:
"Livingstone was meeting with a lot of his friends the night. I got him in a little village. They are meeting with friends and there was a chief. It must have been the fall of the year. Livingstone was talking to these men."
Verification:
"... I directed their attention to Jesus as their savior whose words "Peace on Earth, good will to men." They called out: "We are tired of fighting! Give us rest and peace and sleep. It was no wonder they eagerly seized the idea of sleep."
"We spent Sunday, the 10th, at Morze's village, who is considered the chief of all the Batoka we had seen." ("Missionary Travels", page 475.)
"I saw Stead."
W. T. Stead. Writes re destructive work of the intruders.
R. L. Stevenson.
From "To a Gardener" A sailor. Good.
D. Livingstone. Head cut and a burning house. Not verified.
R. L. Stevenson script:
A. "Let the onion flourish ... I among the maidens fair ..."
B. "The sailor - hearty - closer drawn."
Verification: See "Underwoods", page 104. (Found May 17, 1927.)
Vision:
"I saw R. L. Stevenson at the shore. He had on white pants and a sailor cap. He was among boats and then he was in a garden ... there were both flowers and vegetables."
"Head ... great gash in his head." (Not verified.)
"Livingstone was in a warship there ... one man had an awful cut in the head. Livingstone was in amongst a bunch of men, scolding. He gave them a lecture for doing it."
W. T. Stead. Writes re intruders.
"I saw Stead and he was writing."
December 19, 1926.
R. L. Stevenson script:
"Children shall clap their hands."
Verification: ("Underwoods", page 102. (Found May, 1927.)
Vision:
"I saw Stevenson; he was in the garden pulling flowers. Then I saw a bunch of children coming hurrying and clapping their hands as they passed by. He knew them but they did not come into the garden. They seemed to know him, too.
David Livingstone script:
"Nearly every man had to pay for a woman ... parents of the bride ... money ... pay the pounds back again ..."
Vision:
"I saw Livingstone. He seemed to be marrying someone off. I saw money ... one black giving money back and forward to their men. The blacks were grouped around Livie. When they separated one man came and seemed to give one the money. It was a young man that gave the money."
Verification:
"In case of separation the husband receives back again what he paid for her. In nearly every case a man gives a price for the wife.
("Missionary Travels", page 355.)
"I did not see Stead."
W. T. Stead predicts that W. B. Cooper will have good power. He will have a picture when the other medium comes ...You must guard your medium, and have all your sitters put their minds on the medium, and all be in harmony. This will help her."
E M., in trance vision, sees Stead very annoyed with people standing about on his side. "Stead can give them a word or two and get rid of them at once." "I saw him in a place that was all blue - pretty! Pretty! Blue brightness ... bright! bright! Not as the sun shining. He was with me. We talked as we went along."
December 26, 1926.
R. L. Stevenson script:
"a book ... stars..." The rest is illegible.
Vision:
"Stevenson was writing. I saw Livingstone and his blacks. He was gathering a whole bunch of chiefs. They were going to build something. Stevenson was with Stead. Stead spoke kindly to him and then he went away. Stead told me a lot. I went into the clouds twice and I would go into them again. Stead was with me."
D. Livingstone Script:
"Makalaka conquered ... Makalolo. Poorly written.
W. T. Stead.
"Keep your mind on your medium."
Stead. The vision of the Other Land.
Vision:
"I was on the Other Side with Stead. I was in a beautiful place. I was in the clouds with him. I didn't get any door but I go in and there is nothing but blue - pretty, pretty blue brightness. Stead told me a lot. I don't know what it is. I did see others, but not near. Blue! blue! bright! bright. Not as the sun shining - you go right into the brightness. He was with me and we talked as we went along."
December 30, 1926.
R. L. Stevenson and David Livingstone scripts both poor.
R. L. Stevenson script:
"a book... stars..." rest illegible. Poor script.
Vision:
"I was in a swing (had a swinging sensation while in trance) and I could not keep my place. I did not get a steady hold at all. Stevenson was in the Old Town. I saw a castle ... the place was steep. Then I saw him as a lad, very poor looking, lying in bed. I saw his nurse. I could not keep myself in one place at all. I would have got a beautiful picture if I had been steady."
D. Livingstone Script:
"Kaklaka conquered ... Makalolo. Poorly written.
A wet country (Not verified.).
Vision:
"I got Livingstone too. We were in a wet country. It was pouring rain and then it stopped. After a long time we came to where there were a lot of blacks."
[T. G. Hsmilton'd brother Robert died in 1926]
Stead Script: (while E.M. is still in trance):
"Your medium has brilliant men. They will stand by her and will make no difference who you take into your class. We will take care of her. William Thomas Stead."
Stead vision:
"I saw Stead. He told me quite a lot. We were on the Other Side. He was in clouds ... beautiful! Stead isn't here yet, I feel him. He has something to tell us."
W. T. Stead entered E.M.'s trance for the first time on July 22, 1926. At that time R. L. Stevenson had been communicating for three years, and David Livingstone for one year. These two had devoted almost all of their trance outputs to recalling incidents relative to their past lives, and - with R. L. Stevenson - to literary memories. These outputs were offered along with trance visions containing imaginative pictures which indicated undoubted survival of creative faculties and thus, of surviving life.
Stead did not follow this pattern. He had one single interest - the production of "Spirit" photographs - that is, visible, objective creations which could be photographed, and so add to the evidence for survival already accumulating by the activities of R. L. Stevenson and David Livingstone.
"Your medium is a rare one."
E.M. sees Stead again in the beautiful cloud-land of blue.
