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certain professional medium to whom I have sent many； mothers who
were in need of consolation。 I always ask the applicants to report the result
to me； and I have their letters of surprise and gratitude before me as I write。
〃Thank you for this beautiful and interesting experience。 She did not make
a single mistake about their names； and everything she said was correct。〃
In this case there was a rift between husband and wife before death； but
the medium was able； unaided； to explain and clear up the whole matter；
mentioning the correct circumstances； and names of everyone concerned；
and showing the reasons for the non…arrival of certain letters； which had
been the cause of the misunderstanding。 The next case was also one of
husband and wife； but it is the husband who is the survivor。 He says： 〃It
was a most successful sitting。 Among other things； I addressed a remark in
Danish to my wife （who is a Danish girl）； and the answer came back in
English without the least hesitation。〃 The next case was again of a man
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who had lost a very dear male friend。 〃I have had the most wonderful
results with Mrs。 to…day。 I cannot tell you the joy it has been to me。
Many grateful thanks for your help。〃 The next one says： 〃Mrs。 was
simply wonderful。 If only more people knew； what agony they would be
spared。〃 In this case the wife got in touch with the husband； and the
medium mentioned correctly five dead relatives who were in his company。
The next is a case of mother and son。 〃I saw Mrs。 to…day； and obtained
very wonderful results。 She told me nearly everything quite correctlya
very few mistakes。〃 The next is similar。 〃We were quite successful。 My
boy even reminded me of something that only he and I knew。〃 Says
another： 〃My boy reminded me of the day when he sowed turnip seed
upon the lawn。 Only he could have known of this。〃 These are fair samples
of the letters； of which I hold a large number。 They are from people who
present themselves from among the millions living in London； or the
provinces； and about whose affairs the medium had no possible normal
way of knowing。 Of all the very numerous cases which I have sent to this
medium I have only had a few which have been complete failures。 On
quoting my results to Sir Oliver Lodge； he remarked that his own
experience with another medium had been almost identical。 It is no
exaggeration to say that our British telephone systems would probably
give a larger proportion of useless calls。 How is any critic to get beyond
these facts save by ignoring or misrepresenting them？ Healthy； scepticism
is the basis of all accurate observation； but there comes a time when
incredulity means either culpable ignorance or else imbecility； and this
time has been long past in the matter of spirit intercourse。 In my own case；
this medium mentioned correctly the first name of a lady who had died in
our house； gave several very characteristic messages from her； described
the only two dogs which we have ever kept； and ended by saying that a
young officer was holding up a gold coin by which I would recognise him。
I had lost my brother…in…law； an army doctor； in the war； and I had given
him a spade guinea for his first fee； which he always wore on his chain。
There were not more than two or three close relatives who knew about this
incident； so that the test was a particularly good one。 She made no
incorrect statements； though some were vague。 After I had revealed the
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identity of this medium several pressmen attempted to have test seances
with hera test seance being； in most cases； a seance which begins by
breaking every psychic condition and making success most improbable。
One of these gentlemen； Mr。 Ulyss Rogers； had very fair results。 Another
sent from 〃Truth〃 had complete failure。 It must be understood that these
powers do not work from the medium； but through the medium； and that
the forces in the beyond have not the least sympathy with a smart young
pressman in search of clever copy； while they have a very different feeling
to a bereaved mother who prays with all her broken heart that some
assurance may be given her that the child of her love is not gone from her
for ever。 When this fact is mastered； and it is understood that 〃Stand and
deliver〃 methods only excite gentle derision on the other side； we shall
find some more intelligent manner of putting things of the spirit to the
proof。＇3＇
＇3＇ See Appendix D。
I have dwelt upon these results； which could be matched by other
mediums； to show that we have solid and certain reasons to say that the
verbal reports are not from the mediums themselves。 Readers of Arthur
Hill's 〃Psychical Investigations〃 will find many even more convincing
cases。 So in the written communications； I have in a previous paper
pointed to the 〃Gate of Remembrance〃 case； but there is a great mass of
material which proves that； in spite of mistakes and failures； there really is
a channel of communication； fitful and evasive sometimes； but entirely
beyond coincidence or fraud。 These； then； are the usual means by which
we receive psychic messages； though table tilting； ouija boards； glasses
upon a smooth surface； or anything which can be moved by the vital
animal…magnetic force already discussed will equally serve the purpose。
Often information is conveyed orally or by writing which could not have
been known to anyone concerned。 Mr。 Wilkinson has given details of the
case where his dead son drew attention to the fact that a curio （a coin bent
by a bullet） had been overlooked among his effects。 Sir William Barrett
has narrated how a young officer sent a message leaving a pearl tie…pin to
a friend。 No one knew that such a pin existed； but it was found among his
things。 The death of Sir Hugh Lane was given at a private seance in
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